Side Story 1
Spark Village was a small, remote village in the north. However, it held a significant place in modern human history, as it was the birthplace of the movement that had led to their liberation. Even today, two weathered statues stood tall in the village square, a testament to this legacy.
The events weren’t that ancient, but to humans, they were shrouded in a hazy past. It was said that five hundred years ago, Dawn Lady, a human, and Lady Adele Blake, a vampire, had joined forces to overthrow the Council of Elders, the tyrannical rulers of the land for countless years, securing a future for humanity.
People held them in high regard, but five hundred years was a long time for humans, so long that even their reverence felt distant, as if these figures were mere legends from a bygone era. Lady Adele Blake, as a vampire, might still be alive, but Dawn Lady, being human, must have long since passed away.
The statues, weathered by time, had become worn and faded. Only the village chief and his wife would regularly clean them. Today, as the village chief was preparing to clean the statues, he saw a young maid, a recent arrival to the village, standing before them, gazing up at their faces.
He approached her. “Miss Jasmine,” he said, “what are you doing here?” The maid, named Jasmine, turned to face him. Her short black hair framed her delicate features. Although her expression was neutral, the village chief couldn’t help but think that she was a good person.
After all, on their first day in the village, Jasmine and her mistress had driven away a group of otherworldly bandits who had tried to extort them. Miss Jasmine was truly remarkable. Despite her small stature, she possessed incredible strength.
“Just looking,” she replied simply.
The village chief also looked up at the statues, a smile appearing on his face. “Are you admiring the statues of Dawn Lady and Lady Adele Blake? You’re still young, so you might not know the story. But the reason we humans can live in peace and prosperity today is all thanks to these two ladies.”
Jasmine seemed to choke back a response. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent. She turned and walked away, a basket in her hand, filled with freshly baked bread. She returned to the house her mistress had purchased and entered.
Despite the bright daylight, the house was dark. Jasmine turned on the lights, then she sat down and ate her lunch. She had wanted to tell the village chief, “Those statues are hideous! Even if Adele and I stood right here, no one would recognize us!”
But to maintain her persona, she had kept her thoughts to herself.
Later that night, after Adele woke up, Jasmine even took her to see the statues. As they walked back, making sure no one was around, Jasmine grumbled, “Those Human Resistance Army guys must have had an ulterior motive. Why did they spread the name ‘Dawn Lady’ instead of ‘Jasmine’? They knew I was your maid, Jasmine!”
Adele, holding a small parasol, moonlight glinting off her silver hair, wasn’t bothered. After all, her own name had been accurately preserved in history. And many girls had been named “Adele” in her honor, a tribute to her contributions to humanity.
“But that’s what you wanted, Jasmine. You insisted on using the name ‘Dawn Lady’ to be remembered throughout history. You’ve achieved your goal. If those Human Resistance Army guys knew how dissatisfied you are, they wouldn’t be able to rest in peace, even in heaven.”
Jasmine pursed her lips, unable to argue. Adele was right. It was Jasmine who had chosen to use the name “Dawn Lady,” and they had faithfully preserved her legacy.
They had spent five hundred years exploring the world, visiting every corner, from the highest mountains to the coldest regions. And now, after all their travels, they had returned to Spark Farm, which was no longer a farm, but a peaceful and tranquil village.
They planned to stay here for a while, perhaps ten years, perhaps thirty, then, before anyone noticed that they weren’t aging, they would move on to another place.
Honestly, moving around was a hassle, but staying in one place for too long would raise suspicions, so it was better to be proactive.
The world had changed significantly in these five hundred years. The vampire population had dwindled due to the war. The Human Resistance Army had played a role in this, but the main cause had been infighting among the vampires themselves. Driven by a desire to prove their dominance, they had waged war for a hundred years.
After a century of bloodshed, the vampire population had been decimated. They finally realized the need for peace and sought to replenish their numbers, only to discover that most humans had fled to Adele’s territory.
Initially, they had been afraid of Adele and Dawn Lady, but realizing that they were gone, they had launched an attack, only to be defeated by the Human Resistance Army’s new firearms.
And with their low birth rate and the heavy losses they had suffered during the war, their extinction wasn’t far off. However, some vampires, more level-headed than others, had survived, even establishing their own territories, coexisting with humans. Miss Golden and Miss White were among them.
Adele and Jasmine had even visited them. Miss Golden seemed to have accepted the current situation. Vampires were a cold and heartless race, their only compassion reserved for children. But the infighting had been between adults. Children hadn’t been involved. So, even now, Miss Golden didn’t seem to care. She had even said, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “You two… are a couple, aren’t you?”
After all these years, Miss Golden had finally figured it out.
Miss White, however, was more difficult to deal with. After all, her brother had been killed by Jasmine. She surely wanted revenge. But unfortunately, she lacked the power. And she had rejected the fiancé her family had chosen for her, deciding to go her own way, taking her maid, who had been given the “White” surname, with her. She had purchased a small farm and had worked hard to build it into a successful enterprise.
Whenever Adele and Jasmine visited, the two pairs of mistress and maid would bicker and glare at each other, but they still checked on each other occasionally, just in case one of them died and needed someone to bury them. Thankfully, they were both still alive and well.
It was worth mentioning that the Blake family was now led by the Second Miss, who was said to be a formidable ice queen.
Adele and Jasmine, still bickering, returned home. They had been living in this village for a long time. It was peaceful and tranquil, and they both enjoyed the atmosphere. But one day, the peace was shattered by the sound of a car engine. Jasmine, who was buying lunch, saw a crowd gathered at the village entrance. Curious, she approached them.
The village chief explained, “It’s said that a prominent figure from the capital has come back to retire in the countryside.” Jasmine chuckled. “So this village has produced important people?”
The village chief puffed out his chest with pride. “Of course! Many prominent figures have come from this village. Like Barbara, the cornerstone of the institute, and…” He rattled off a list of names. As he spoke, the sound of the car engine grew louder. Human technology had advanced significantly in these five hundred years. Cars were much better now. Even Jasmine could feel the improvement in the suspension.
But their appearance hadn’t changed much.
The car stopped at the village entrance. The roads in the village were too narrow for it to enter. The prominent figure, who had come to retire in the countryside, wanted to pay a visit to the village chief, but their actual residence was located further away, a newly built house.
The car door opened, and a frail, elderly woman emerged, supported by the driver. She approached the village chief with difficulty, wanting to speak, but her eyes, clouded with age, suddenly lit up as she saw Jasmine. She pointed at Jasmine, her voice failing her. Then she fainted. Jasmine, implicated in this incident, was taken away, to be questioned after the old woman regained consciousness.
Adele wouldn’t be waking up for a while, so Jasmine had plenty of time to play along. The old woman was taken to her house and laid in bed. The doctor examined her and announced that she had simply fainted from excitement, that she was fine. Everyone was relieved, and Jasmine was released.
But Jasmine still wanted to wait for the old woman to wake up and ask her if she recognized her.
Honestly, very few humans still remembered her. Perhaps only the descendants of those who had been involved in the movement might have some old drawings or stories passed down through their families. Jasmine guessed that this old woman was one of them.
After two or three hours, Jasmine, having finished her bread, saw the old woman stir. She looked at Jasmine, tears streaming down her wrinkled face.
“Is… is that Lady Jasmine?” she asked, her voice weak.
“Yes. Whose descendant are you?”
The old woman, receiving confirmation, wiped away her tears. “Lady Jasmine, my ancestor was Bella, Miss Adele’s maid.”
Bella, that stubborn maid… her descendants had become prominent figures. Jasmine saw a glimpse of Bella in the old woman’s eyes. She also realized that the old woman didn’t have much time left. “Lady Jasmine,” the old woman said softly, “we… we’ve been waiting for you. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Jasmine thought for a moment. She could reveal her true identity and ask Bella’s descendant for money, or she could comfort this dying woman. She chose the latter. “I don’t need anything. I’ve heard about your accomplishments. When you go to heaven, you’ll be able to face your ancestor with pride.” She didn’t actually know what the old woman had done, but knowing Bella’s personality, her descendants must have been overachievers.
The old woman was stunned, then she smiled.
She chatted with Jasmine for a long time, sharing stories about her family and their legacy. After finally escaping, Jasmine returned home and hugged Adele tightly. Adele was confused, but Jasmine felt a surge of gratitude.
If she had lived this long life alone, it would have been unbearable, a lonely existence. But thanks to Adele, her long, cheat-filled life had become meaningful.
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