Realistically, how much could the difference really be? The water was boiled the same way, and the tea-making process was nearly identical. Yet for Adele, the best tea could only come from Molly's hands.
After years of drinking tea prepared by Molly, nothing else could compare.
Frowning as she finished the tea, Adele set the cup and teapot aside and left her room to find Bella, instructing her to tidy up the space.
On the first day, Bella was surprised. Adele's room had always been under Molly's care, with no other maid ever stepping foot inside. It seemed out of character for Adele to let someone else clean her room.
Had something happened to Miss Adele today? The moon wasn't even out, yet her behavior was odd.
As Bella entered the room to tidy up, she noticed that Molly wasn't there. When she picked up Adele's clothes to take them for washing, Adele quickly snatched back her undergarments, her pointed ears twitching slightly. "I'll take care of these myself," she said.
Bella didn't think much of it, assuming Adele always handled her own undergarments. Although it was a bit unusual, it wasn't entirely out of character for someone like Adele. In reality, Molly had always been the one to wash Adele's clothes. Even after their relationship became more intimate, Molly never let Adele do the washing.
Adele had never washed a single piece of clothing herself. Back at the Black Castle, it had been Molly's responsibility, and on the rare occasions when Molly was feigning illness, other maids had done it. Back then, Adele hadn't felt embarrassed at all. But now that she and Molly were together, she found the idea of someone else washing her undergarments rather awkward.
It was hard to explain, but it felt... embarrassing. Being a bit of a tsundere, it wasn't surprising that Adele would feel this way.
But if she didn't want Bella to do it, then she would have to wash them herself. She couldn't just leave them for Molly to wash when she returned—that would be treating Molly more like a servant than a lover. Although Molly was still technically her maid, their relationship had become much more equal, and Adele couldn't bring herself to act otherwise.
Besides, Molly was away on important business. If she came back to find a pile of unwashed clothes in the bathroom, possibly even smelling bad from sitting too long... No, Adele couldn't allow that to happen. So, after making her own tea, Adele set out to wash her undergarments herself.
Washing clothes wasn't difficult, but Adele's garments were delicate and required gentle care. Her undergarments were expensive, adorned with lace painstakingly hand-stitched with delicate threads that could easily be ruined with too much force.
Molly had often complained about how tedious it was to wash Adele's delicate clothing. Adele, however, had no idea how true that was until now. Over the past few days, she had ruined quite a few pieces. She couldn't dry them outside during the day, so she hung them in the bathroom to air dry at night.
But clothes that dried in the dark often had a musty smell. Not that it mattered—Adele couldn't wear any of the clothes she had washed anyway, given how she had accidentally ruined them. Adele looked at the garments, feeling disheartened. They had seemed fine when wet, but once dry, they were wrinkled and the lace was frayed.
There was no way she could let Molly see the mess she had made. The thought of Molly mocking her and giving her a look of disdain was enough to make Adele's toes curl in embarrassment. So, to hide the evidence, she burned the ruined garments to ashes.
With her wardrobe significantly diminished, Adele had no choice but to place a new order for more undergarments.
Bella soon noticed that Molly had been gone for several days and, puzzled, asked Adele, "Miss, where's Molly gone?" Adele was a kind mistress, so Bella felt comfortable enough to ask. She wouldn't have dared if it were any other vampire.
Hearing Bella's question, Adele paused in her writing. "I sent her to another farm on some business."
Bella was shocked. "Molly went alone?" Her tone implied, "Why didn't you go with her?" Adele was smart and caught the implication. She sighed, a bit melancholy, "Yes, she went alone."
Adele put down her pen. Normally, as the hard-working perfectionist she was, she would have been writing diligently. But without Molly by her side, Adele found herself lacking motivation. She thought to herself, If Molly were here, I'd definitely be more focused...
"Hmph..." Adele huffed, walking over to the window to gaze at the moon. "This is all Molly's fault."
Molly, who had been enjoying the moonlight, suddenly sneezed. There was no way she could catch a cold, so there was only one explanation: Adele was thinking about her. Molly smiled to herself, pleased with the thought: Adele must be missing me. That's why she's thinking about me.
Molly couldn't wait to return to Adele's side, but she knew she had to be patient. Thankfully, Barbara didn't keep her waiting long. She had said it would be a few days, and she was precise—it didn't take more than six days.
On the sixth day, Barbara sent word to Molly. When Molly arrived at Barbara's room at the agreed time, she found several people of varying ages standing before her. She wasn't wrong; they were indeed of different ages. The youngest looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, wearing thick glasses with a serious expression. The oldest was in his sixties—practically ancient in this world, where people usually didn't live past forty. In Molly's previous world, he would have been nearing the age of seventy, an age where one could do as they pleased without guilt.
Young or old, the group represented a wide range of ages. Molly felt a surge of respect for them but kept her expression neutral. She bowed slightly to the group of researchers, expressing her gratitude.
Barbara, however, looked slightly embarrassed. "I've spent the last few days testing the waters with the others in the research facility. I only brought those I was certain wanted to leave."
Molly nodded, signaling her understanding. The older man among them then asked, "Dawn, how are we going to get out of here?"
Molly replied, "Human transportation."
The researchers soon understood what that meant as Molly carried them out, two at a time, bundled up in heavy clothing like little chicks. Making several trips, she transported them all to the nearest Human Resistance outpost.
Once they arrived, Molly made further arrangements to transport them to Adele's territory. The researchers were in awe of Molly's incredible strength, though they didn't realize she wasn't even going at full speed. In fact, she was slower than when she carried Adele. Still, it felt like riding on the back of a motorcycle speeding at 180 miles per hour.
When she returned for the last two people, Molly hesitated before turning to Barbara. "Come with me," she said simply, extending her hand. Molly was concerned that the sudden disappearance of so many researchers would raise suspicions, and Barbara's recent behavior might have drawn unwanted attention. In the eyes of the vampires, human lives were expendable, and they might kill Barbara on a whim.
Barbara shook her head, smiling at Molly. "I promised to be your inside contact, remember? Don't worry, I'll make sure the information from here gets to you."
Barbara's smile held a hint of the ruthlessness she had shown before. Molly's expression turned serious. "Thank you for your significant contribution to the human resistance," she said.
Barbara's smile faltered for a moment, then she urged Molly to leave quickly. She feared that if she hesitated any longer, she might give in to the overwhelming pressure and choose to abandon everything, joining the others in the Human Resistance to continue their research. But if they all left, who would remain to be the inside contact?
Molly left, carrying the last two researchers, her silhouette strong and determined. Barbara thought that even if she died, the researchers Molly had rescued would become a beacon of hope, eventually engulfing the vampire world.
After reaching the outpost, Molly took the youngest girl and the oldest man and began the journey back. The two were chosen due to their age and frailty, making it crucial to get them to safety first.
Although Molly moved quickly, she kept her speed at about 100 miles per hour to protect the two from the strain. Carrying the old man on her back and the young girl in her arms, it took her half a day, with three rest stops at the outpost, to reach Adele's farm.
Unfortunately, by the time she arrived, it was already daylight, and Adele had likely gone to bed. With no chance of seeing Adele, Molly dropped off the researchers, gave some instructions to the commander, and set off again to transport the rest.
She could have entrusted the researchers to her comrades in the Human Resistance to escort them slowly to the farm. But the risks were too high. The journey was long, and the roads were dangerous, with rogue species along the way. These researchers had no combat experience, and if anything happened, Molly would be devastated.
Each researcher was a priceless treasure to the Human Resistance. Moreover, each specialized in different fields, all of which were essential. To ensure their safety, Molly personally took on the task of transporting them.
After making several trips, Molly finally delivered the researchers to the farm after nightfall. Then she grabbed a suitcase, pretending she had just returned from her trip, and headed toward the manor where Adele was staying.
To Molly's surprise, Adele was already standing at the door in her nightgown, as if she had been waiting for her.
What had Adele been up to?
Adele had been busy ruining all her undergarments.