In the end, the best option was for Molly to carry Adele on foot. The journey would take longer since she couldn't move at her usual breakneck speed.
They could have rented a carriage, but it was not only slow but also expensive. Molly was tempted to argue that walking was more cost-effective, though deep down, she knew the truth.
Adele didn't mind how they traveled. Leaning against Molly was far more comfortable than sitting in a carriage. She liked Molly, so she was more than happy to be close to her all day.
However, during their journey, they passed through a small city where Adele asked Molly to stop. She led Molly, still dressed in her maid outfit, into a bank and withdrew some cash using her card. She also bought a few items to fill their luggage.
Watching Adele withdraw money without any issues, Molly couldn't help but reflect. It seemed that Lord and Lady Blake were better parents than she had thought, not even freezing Adele's account despite her running away.
Maybe Molly's expression was too odd because Adele noticed and asked, "Molly, what are you thinking about?"
"I was just surprised that your parents didn't freeze your account," Molly replied.
Adele laughed. "Why would my card be frozen? It's my card! Even if they wanted to freeze it, only I could authorize that at the bank."
Molly finally understood. Adele's card wasn't a secondary card—it was her personal account. In vampire society, personal property was inviolable, even for minors. Once you had a card and money in it, no one could touch it, not even the highest authorities.
Molly had to admit, it was a good system.
At least it made things easier for Adele and Molly.
Adele didn't withdraw all her money—just a modest fifty thousand dollars. Molly bit back her envy, thinking, "Feudal aristocracy sure does have a ridiculous amount of personal wealth," while silently mourning her own meager savings.
But when Adele announced that she was donating the money to the human resistance, Molly couldn't help but admire her. Adele really was a good person!
After finishing their business, they continued their journey. Although Molly had to slow down significantly because of Adele, they still managed to reach the human resistance base by the third night. Molly resumed her appearance as the Dawn Lady, while Adele wore a cloak that covered her completely, even using a black lace ribbon to cover her eyes.
A faint red glow still seeped through the ribbon, but it wasn't noticeable unless someone looked closely.
With Adele in tow, Molly arrived at the human resistance's hidden base.
The base was located in a large basin, surrounded by mountains, accessible only by passing through a series of peaks. It was a natural stronghold, hidden from prying eyes. The area was also cold and damp, an environment vampires hated. The human resistance had set up watchtowers and barricades around the mountains, making the location easy to defend and hard to attack—a place Molly had carefully chosen after much consideration.
As they passed the watchtowers, Molly's presence immediately caught the attention of the guards. The resistance had grown accustomed to working during the day and resting at night, but they still had sentries on watch. The guards were stunned to see the Dawn Lady, whose comings and goings were usually so stealthy that they'd never caught sight of her before.
And yet here she was, not only visible but with a companion—something unheard of. The Dawn Lady was known for working alone. Even when she rescued someone, she arranged for nearby sentries to take them away, never bringing anyone to the main base herself.
The guards tensed, drawing their bows. One of them called out, "Who goes there?"
Molly hesitated between the embarrassment of revealing herself or getting shot. She chose the former, speaking clearly so the guards could hear her. "The song of humanity is a song of courage."
The guard was immediately moved, lowering his bow and pounding his right fist over his heart. "The song of humanity is a song of courage! Welcome, Dawn Lady!"
The commotion drew the attention of other sentries, and soon Molly and Adele were escorted to the resistance leader.
In the command tent, Molly was forced to endure another recitation of the password she had set up—a task made more awkward by Adele's presence. Molly felt like her old, cringeworthy past was being exposed to her friend. But when she glanced at Adele, she saw that her eyes were shining with excitement, clearly impressed by the phrase.
Molly hadn't expected Adele to be such a kindred spirit in her "cringe."
The leader of the base, a woman in her fifties with sharp eyes, had been with Molly from the early days of establishing the base. Her keen insights had earned her the position of commander.
Not only was the commander insightful, but she was also observant. The moment Molly glanced at Adele, she noticed the faint red glow under Adele's cloak. Although it was weak, the commander's instincts were sharp—she immediately realized that the person Molly had brought was a vampire.
Her brow furrowed, and she quickly warned Molly, "Dawn Lady, that person is a vampire!"
There were others in the tent, high-ranking members of the resistance. At the commander's words, they drew their weapons, pointing them at Adele.
To everyone's shock, the Dawn Lady stepped in front of the vampire, shielding her.
"Dawn Lady…" The room was filled with confusion, and even the commander widened her eyes in disbelief. But Molly insisted, "She's not our enemy."
"Dawn Lady! She's a vampire—our enemy! Why are you protecting her?!" Molly's voice was drowned out by the others' loud protests, followed by a chorus of mutters. The room filled with tension, with everyone eyeing Adele suspiciously, ready to strike at any moment.
Molly clenched her teeth, unable to hold back. She slammed her hand onto the table, not using her full strength but enough to shatter the wooden surface into splinters. The room fell silent.
The others quickly realized one thing: the Dawn Lady had brought this person here of her own free will. She hadn't been coerced or tricked. They were certain that the Dawn Lady had been deceived by a cunning vampire, but under the threat of her power, they dared not voice their concerns.
Molly cleared her throat and began to speak. "This person is not our enemy. She is a vampire who genuinely seeks peace and equality with us."
Even the commander wanted to object, but she was a calm, composed person who held her tongue. Following Molly's introduction, Adele took a step forward, pulling down her cloak and removing the lace ribbon covering her eyes.
When they saw Adele's face, the room erupted in whispers. Adele's appearance was the epitome of a vampire: silver hair that no human could possess, pale skin, pointed ears, and crimson eyes—she was the archetype of a bloodline vampire.
The room's atmosphere, already tense from the commander's warning, became even more volatile as Adele's true nature was revealed. Every person present had suffered under the vampires' oppression, waiting in despair for the Dawn Lady's salvation. Their hatred for vampires ran deep.
If not for the Dawn Lady's presence, they might have already rushed forward to exact vengeance on this audacious vampire. Even as some stood up to voice their concerns—"Dawn Lady! Please don't be deceived by this cunning vampire. She's certainly trying to trick you!"—Molly remained steadfast.
She glanced at Adele, feeling a pang of concern. This must be the first time Adele had faced such overt hostility. As a sheltered noblewoman, even when at odds with her mother, she would never have been looked at with such hatred.
These were eyes filled with anger and loathing, and Molly worried that Adele might not be able to bear it.
In truth, Adele was struggling to endure those piercing gazes. Standing slightly behind Molly, she looked at the faces of the people in front of her. The middle-aged woman leading them had a stern expression, her eyes filled with suspicion, as if she expected Adele to do something terrible at any moment. And that was the friendliest gaze in the room; the others' looks were far more hostile.
They were all so fierce, their eyes brimming with rage and resentment that made Adele feel small and anxious. Their expressions were almost grotesque, each one telling her that she was not welcome here.
Despite having prepared herself for this, facing such a crowd in reality was overwhelming for Adele. She saw Molly glance back at her, her eyes filled with worry. Adele swallowed hard, silently encouraging herself.
—Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. There's nothing to fear. Even if these people all came at her, they couldn't kill her. She was strong! And besides, Molly was right beside her; she wouldn't let anything happen. Most importantly, why was she here? For peace! If she cowered now because of hatred, her dream would never come true!
With that realization, Adele took a step forward, meeting the hostile stares head-on. The high-born lady, now carefully extending her goodwill, spoke with measured sincerity, "I…I am not your enemy. Though I am a vampire, I deeply admire your courage. Just as the Dawn Lady said, the song of humanity is a song of courage. I truly respect your spirit of resisting those who are stronger."
"I am not your enemy. Anyone who feels compassion for the weak and defies the strong should not be enemies. I know it's hard for you to believe me now, but I am convinced that one day, we will all see a peaceful resolution."