Chapter 105: Similar Tastes
After winning the two bracelets and the lantern, Jasmine didn’t want anything else, so Adele just tossed the remaining rings haphazardly. When it was Jasmine’s turn, she had to pretend to be a weak and helpless maid, trying her best but failing to win anything.
Adele knew Jasmine’s true abilities, so seeing her put on such a convincing act almost made her laugh out loud. But Jasmine was trying so hard to maintain her facade as an ordinary human. How could Adele expose her?
As Jasmine threw her last ring, she caught the vendor’s smug look, as if to say: See? You’re nothing special.
Jasmine was so angry that she wanted to buy another ten rings, the smaller, lighter ones meant for vampires, and show the vendor what a true master could do. But she decided against it. She followed Adele, fuming. Since they only had one lantern, Adele went back to the lantern stall and bought another one.
They also visited the barbecue stall. Just like last year, the vendor’s business was dismal. Only Jasmine bought a large handful of skewers. After taking a bite, she finally understood why the vendor’s business hadn’t improved since last year.
The skewers were simply terrible.
Although she had bought a lot, only Jasmine ate them. Adele couldn’t eat barbecue. Sometimes, Jasmine thought it was a shame that there were so many things they couldn’t share. If they were in her previous world, she could have taken Adele to try all sorts of delicious food.
She imagined walking hand-in-hand with Adele along a brightly lit street at night, sharing skewers and endless conversations. Adele’s life would have been so much better in that world. But even with Jasmine’s previous income, she probably couldn’t have afforded to support Adele’s lifestyle.
After buying everything they wanted, they went to the riverbank outside the village, the same spot where they had released the lanterns last year. Jasmine sat on a rock, finishing the skewers, and then Adele used a small flame to burn the wooden sticks to ash. Then Adele took out the bracelets she had won at the ring toss game.
Jasmine picked up one of the bracelets from Adele’s hand.
It was a simple bracelet woven from straw. Honestly, the dried grass wasn’t very attractive. It was a bit yellowed, and the tiny flowers woven into it were withered. But they were a matching set, so they could pretend they were couple bracelets.
Before Jasmine could put it on, Adele took the other bracelet, held Jasmine’s wrist, and gently slipped it on. Jasmine froze, then, meeting Adele’s expectant gaze, her expression softened, and she gently put the other bracelet on Adele’s wrist.
Adele looked at Jasmine, her gaze lingering. Jasmine looked so gentle.
The moon was full and bright on Blessing Day, its reflection shimmering on the river’s surface, its shape distorted by the ripples. The moonlight bathed Jasmine, illuminating her eyes, which were filled with a tenderness that reminded Adele of moonlit water, making her want to drown in them.
Last year, Jasmine had looked at the floating lantern with the same expression, watching it drift away. Adele had wished that Jasmine would look at her with such tenderness. A year later, her wish had come true. Jasmine’s gentle gaze was directed at her.
“Jasmine…”
Adele couldn’t help but whisper her name. Jasmine hummed in response, then looked up at her. Her gaze, as gentle as water, met Adele’s, the moonlight in her eyes replaced by Adele’s reflection.
At that moment, Adele’s heart skipped a beat.
Jasmine, who was usually so aloof and distant, like the moon in the sky, unreachable… she was now looking at Adele with such tenderness, her usually cold and indifferent eyes filled with warmth.
Adele couldn’t resist. She leaned in, wanting to kiss Jasmine. Jasmine didn’t refuse. They sat on the rock, the two unlit lanterns beside them, the river flowing gently behind them. The evening breeze was still, gently tousling Adele’s hair. The clouds, as if shy, partially obscured the moon, leaving only a sliver of moonlight on them.
They were so close, their newly acquired bracelets touching. Although they were just simple straw bracelets, they seemed to bind them together, inseparable. That was how it was for couples in love. They couldn’t bear to be apart.
After a while, the kiss ended. Only then did they remember the lanterns.
Adele repeated her actions from last year, but Jasmine was different. After releasing the lantern, she clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and prayed. Adele was curious, but she didn’t interrupt. She waited until Jasmine finished praying before asking, “Jasmine, what were you doing?”
“I was telling my parents that I’m doing well here, that I’ve found someone to spend my life with. I wanted to reassure them, to let them know that they don’t have to worry about me.” Jasmine unclasped her hands and stood up, preparing to return to the castle with Adele.
Adele nodded, then she said, “Should we try to find your parents? They might still be alive.”
Jasmine was taken aback. The “parents” Adele was referring to were different from the ones she had prayed to. She chuckled. “That’s not what I meant… And there’s no need to search for them. I’m happy with my life now.” She remembered that Adele had seen her sneaking out to the Human Resistance Army base and had assumed she was searching for her family.
Adele was truly imaginative. Jasmine chuckled again.
Hearing that Jasmine had no intention of searching for her parents, Adele felt a wave of relief. She was a bit possessive. Honestly, she didn’t want Jasmine to find her parents. If she couldn’t find them, if she learned that they were dead, she would be heartbroken, and Adele didn’t want to see her sad. But if she did find them, Jasmine’s world wouldn’t revolve solely around Adele anymore, and that would make Adele unhappy.
So, Jasmine’s words, “I’m happy with my life now,” reassured her. She felt a surge of pride. Jasmine only needs me. She doesn’t need anyone else.
They returned to the castle hand in hand. After Blessing Day, Adele, restless as ever, decided to leave. She didn’t want to stay at the castle for too long. She preferred to be at Spark Farm, or Deli Farm No. 1, working on her projects.
Before leaving, the Second Miss brought a young girl to see Adele. “This is the maid I chose,” she announced proudly. “Isn’t she beautiful?” Behind her stood a girl around her age, a human girl she had brought from the childcare institution.
The girl was indeed beautiful. After all, vampires were obsessed with beauty. They wouldn’t even glance at someone unattractive. But… Adele couldn’t help but notice that the girl resembled Jasmine when she was younger. She studied the girl for a moment.
And then she confirmed: Yes, she looks like Jasmine.
This realization made Adele speechless. Her younger sister was too young to have seen what Jasmine looked like as a child, but the girl she had brought back resembled Jasmine so much. She also had short hair, framing her delicate face, and she was wearing a miniature maid uniform. Standing next to Jasmine, she would be a mini-Jasmine. The only differences were that the girl’s hair was brown, unlike Jasmine’s black hair, and her features were more defined.
Jasmine, standing behind Adele, also saw the maid the Second Miss had chosen.
Well, the two sisters are quite similar in some ways. Their tastes are surprisingly alike.
After meeting her sister’s maid, Adele dismissed her and called her sister over, her tone serious. “Now that you’ve chosen your maid, you must treat her well. Remember, you’re strong, and she’s weak. You’re her mistress. You must protect her, keep her safe from harm. Otherwise, you’re failing as a mistress.”
Adele lectured her sister, who nodded, indicating that she understood. Although the Second Miss thought, What my sister is saying is different from what others have told me. They had told her that maids were meant to serve her, that she could treat them however she wanted, that they were her possessions, her belongings. But her sister was saying that she had to protect her maid, because the maid was weak, and she was strong.
Adele could see her sister’s thoughts and immediately understood her confusion. Her tone sharpened. “Aren’t you strong?! As the strong, it’s your duty to protect the weak! If your possession is harmed, it only means one thing: the one who harmed her is stronger than you! Can you accept being weaker than someone else?!”
The Second Miss shuddered. As a proud tsundere, how could she possibly tolerate being weaker than someone else? She declared loudly, “No! I can’t be weaker than anyone! I’m strong! I’m the Second Miss of the Blake family!”
Jasmine wanted to applaud her. Good spirit!
Seeing her sister successfully brainwashed, now a fresh recruit in the “Protect Human Maids” movement, Jasmine couldn’t help but think, Adele would be a great cult leader. She had been preaching the virtues of laziness and slacking off at the farm for months, but the workers were still workaholics. If Adele took over, perhaps everyone would finally embrace the joys of laziness.
After lecturing her sister on the importance of protecting the weak, Adele, satisfied, left with Jasmine. As they were leaving, Jasmine glanced back and saw the Second Miss standing in front of her maid… Was that how it was for Adele and me thirteen years ago? she wondered.
“Jasmine, what are you doing? Come on.”
“Yes, Miss.” Jasmine shook her head and hurried after Adele.
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