Seeing Molly's silence, Adele realized that even Molly herself didn't have an answer.
Adele tightened her grip on Molly's hand and, following her heart, spoke her mind. "Molly, I don't care. I don't care if you're the famous Dawn Lady or what role you play in the human resistance. Whoever you are, the thirteen years you've spent by my side weren't fake."
"You asked me before if I liked you, and you already know the answer. So now, I want to ask you—do you like me?"
Adele looked directly at Molly, her face calm and composed. Molly knew Adele well enough to realize that it took a lot for her to say this much at once. Adele was typically proud and reserved, but she had pushed herself to be open because she was afraid—afraid that Molly might leave her.
Adele's gaze was sincere, and under such a look, Molly couldn't lie. "I like you."
Adele visibly relaxed at Molly's response, but before she could fully savor the moment, Molly continued, "But there's still so much between us. I can't abandon the human resistance. Humans have been oppressed for too long in history, and I don't want to let that continue. Adele, our allegiances are different. As long as I'm alive, I'll keep fighting against the beings who oppress humans, whether they're vampires or other creatures. I don't think you realize how many vampires I've killed."
Adele looked puzzled. "Why do you think our allegiances are different?"
Molly was momentarily taken aback. "But I'm human, and you're a vampire…"
"So you're saying our allegiances are different just because we're different species?" Adele was getting a little annoyed. "We've been together for thirteen years, practically inseparable since I was six. Don't you know what kind of person I am? I've been working to improve the conditions for humans at Spark Farm. You know that, don't you? Molly, I have my own thoughts and reasoning. I don't base my loyalties on what species I was born into. Aren't there humans who, for their own reasons, side with the vampires?"
—Not only are there such humans, but there are plenty of them.
Molly was speechless, because—Adele had a point. Even in the brief human history Molly had studied before crossing into this world, there had been countless instances of people siding with the oppressed, regardless of their nation or social class. People had crossed borders to help those in need, even in the darkest times.
Molly hadn't expected Adele to be one of those people. After a long silence, Molly finally asked, "Adele, are you saying you want to help the human resistance fight against the vampires?"
Adele hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "I can't bring myself to attack vampires directly, at least not if they haven't done anything wrong. In my eyes, they're just like the humans who are being oppressed. But I can offer you something—fertile ground where you can grow and thrive. Maybe… Molly, you could also give the vampires a chance to see if peaceful coexistence is possible?"
Molly's first instinct was to reject the idea. Vampires were parasitic creatures that fed off humans—how could they possibly coexist peacefully? But Adele had a different perspective. "In vampire society, there are many low-level vampires who don't have the status or power of someone like Oaken. Many of them are just servants or maids, doing the same kind of work humans do. They're not much different from humans, except for some minor physical differences."
"And besides the low-level vampires, there are also weaker species, like the rabbit-people who have little ancestral blood left. Aside from their rabbit ears, they're not much different from humans. And as far as I know, many species can interbreed with humans, producing mixed offspring."
Adele spoke passionately, describing what sounded to Molly like a utopian dream. Molly had spent her time focused on rallying humans, uniting them under the banner of the resistance. She hadn't considered the possibility of including low-level vampires or other species, even though they, too, were often oppressed.
"Molly, you've always said that the strong should protect the weak. Aren't they all weak, too? I believe humans can coexist peacefully with these weaker vampires and other species."
Molly swallowed hard, feeling a mix of skepticism and admiration. Adele's idea seemed far-fetched, but there was something noble about it. Molly opened her mouth to speak, but Adele cut her off, "Molly, don't rush to say no. Give me a chance. Let's try this together."
This time, Adele extended her hand to Molly, just as Molly had done to her earlier in the forest. After a long moment of contemplation, Molly finally took Adele's hand.
As their hands touched, Adele exhaled deeply, finally able to relax. She had been tense the whole time, just as she had been when she convinced her father to let her take over Spark Farm. But unlike then, everything she had said to Molly was from the heart.
Ever since she found out Molly was the Dawn Lady, this idea had been slowly growing in Adele's mind. She admitted that it had started as a sudden thought, but the more she considered it while Molly was away, the more feasible it seemed. Unlike Molly, who was focused solely on humans, Adele wanted to protect all the weak.
The moment Molly clasped Adele's hand, Adele knew she was important to Molly, too. Now that they had confessed their feelings, Adele's thoughts began to wander. She couldn't help but ask, "So… can I drink your blood?"
Adele was confident that Molly wouldn't refuse this time. Even though she wasn't hungry—she'd only just drunk Molly's blood the night before and felt full of energy after hypnotizing her mother and fighting off the maids—she couldn't resist the idea of tasting Molly's blood again.
But, to her surprise, Molly refused.
"I don't think so."
"What???" Adele was about to protest when Molly reached out and gently pressed her forehead. "Adele, it's getting late. If you don't go to sleep soon, it'll be morning." Adele didn't resist and let Molly guide her to lie down.
As Adele settled into bed, hugging her pillow, she couldn't help but ask another question. "If I can't drink your blood, can I at least get a kiss?" She had fully expected Molly to say no, but she couldn't resist the temptation to ask, just in case.
To Adele's shock, Molly paused to think and then said, "Okay."
"What???"
Before Adele could fully process what was happening, Molly leaned down, supporting herself on the bed, and gently kissed Adele's cheek. Adele's skin was cold, but Molly's lips were warm and soft.
It was so gentle that Adele almost didn't believe she'd been kissed. It felt more like a flower brushing against her cheek, leaving behind a faint, sweet scent that was uniquely Molly's.
Molly quickly pulled away, as light as a dragonfly skimming the water's surface, leaving no trace behind. But Adele's face turned bright red, and she buried her face in the pillow, unsure how to react. Meanwhile, Molly, unfazed, patted Adele gently before slipping under the covers.
It was only then that Adele realized they would be sleeping together tonight.
Of course, she thought, Molly probably didn't have much money. She had nearly ground her teeth to dust when she had to pay the ten coins for the room, which was probably a fortune to Molly. So there was no way she could afford two rooms, leaving only the option of sharing a bed.
Despite being kissed and knowing she'd be sharing a bed with Molly, Adele thought she wouldn't be able to sleep. But Molly's subtle fragrance lingered in the air, lulling her into a drowsy state. Slowly, she drifted off.
Adele dreamed that night. In her dream, Molly kissed her on the cheek just as she had earlier, but the setting was much more romantic—a fancy restaurant with soft lighting, where Molly kissed her out of gratitude for a delicious meal. Even in her sleep, Adele couldn't believe that their first kiss had happened in such a shabby place!
And…
Even in her sleep, Adele muttered, speaking in her dreams, "I wanted a kiss… but a cheek kiss is so half-hearted…"
Molly, lying beside her, couldn't help but open her eyes. "Silly girl…"