Chapter 73: You Are Right
Adele knew that Jasmine was inside the room. She had come yesterday evening and found the cabin silent and devoid of Jasmine’s scent. Concerned, she had entered, her keen sense of smell confirming that Jasmine hadn’t been there for days. Doubt crept into her mind. Had Jasmine truly been resting in this cabin during her previous illnesses?
Despite her growing suspicions, Adele hadn’t made a fuss upon returning to the castle. Instead, she chose to visit the cabin again today. This time, it was different. Adele could smell Jasmine’s scent and hear sounds coming from inside. She knew Jasmine was there.
They remained silent for a long time, separated by a thin door. Finally, Adele knocked. Lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed how Jasmine had sensed her presence and moved towards the door. A vampire’s footsteps were silent; a human couldn’t possibly hear her through the door.
Jasmine opened the door quickly and looked at Adele with a calm expression, “Miss Adele, what brings you here?”
Adele didn’t answer. Instead, she made a move to enter, and Jasmine stepped aside, letting her in. Unlike yesterday, the cabin, which had been devoid of Jasmine’s scent, was now filled with it.
The familiar scent calmed Adele’s anxieties. She sat down on the only chair in the room and gestured for Jasmine to sit as well. With nowhere else to sit, Jasmine sat on the bed. Adele disliked beating around the bush, so she asked directly, “Jasmine, where did you go these past few days?”
As Jasmine had predicted, this wasn’t Adele’s first visit to the cabin. She hesitated, unsure how to answer. Making up a lie now would only lead to more questions. So, she remained silent, lowering her head.
She thought, If I break things off with Adele now, I’ll have to go to the Human Resistance Army base. She didn’t want to break things off with Adele. The thought that had surfaced earlier now dominated her mind: Leaving Adele would break her heart.
She had spent nineteen years in this world, thirteen of them with Adele, practically inseparable every day. Before she turned six, Jasmine hadn’t had any goals, simply trying to survive. Although her powerful cheat abilities ensured her safety in this world, what was the point of staying in such a cruel place?
It was a cliché, but having seen the light, she could no longer bear the darkness.
That was Jasmine’s situation.
Of course, her previous world had its flaws. Inequality, hatred, and war still existed. But undeniably, that world, at least the environment she had lived in, was far superior to this one.
At least, she had been free.
Not just the freedom to enjoy entertainment, food, and technology, but basic human freedom, something this world couldn’t offer. She had had human dignity. She couldn’t bring herself to bow down to vampires and endure their oppressive rule. But on the other hand, Jasmine, who had lived a relatively comfortable life in her previous world, couldn’t bear to truly suffer, to live a life of hardship and deprivation.
Meeting Adele had given her a path she could accept. After all, Adele had been just a child when they first met. Although Jasmine didn’t like children, she could tolerate serving and caring for a child who had never made any mistakes, in exchange for food and shelter.
And Adele was different. The more time Jasmine spent with her, the more certain she became of this. Adele was unlike any other filthy, despicable vampire in this world. She was a lotus flower that had bloomed untainted from the mud, nurtured by Jasmine’s own hands.
Jasmine couldn’t deny that she had feelings for Adele that were different from anyone else in this world. Her only solace in this world was by Adele’s side.
But now, she had a new purpose, and because of this purpose, she would eventually become Adele’s enemy. Perhaps today was the day they had to say goodbye. Jasmine swallowed her sorrow, her voice tinged with sadness as she decided to tell Adele the truth.
It was better to confess than to tell a lie and then struggle to cover it up. It would be less embarrassing in the long run.
Jasmine opened her mouth, “Adele…” She didn’t add “Miss,” but before she could continue, Adele interrupted, “Jasmine, did you pretend to be sick and leave to find your family?”
“Huh?”
Jasmine hadn’t expected Adele to bring this up. But then she realized that she would rather stay by Adele’s side than leave after a blunt confession. Driven by the selfish desire she couldn’t voice, Jasmine hesitated and then agreed with Adele.
“Yes… You saw through me…”
Adele’s crimson eyes gleamed in the darkness. She nodded, a hint of pride in her voice, “Did you think you could fool me? Jasmine, I realized it last Blessing Day. You must miss your family very much, right? That’s why you used this method to search for them.”
“Was that why you took sick leave before as well?”
Jasmine remained silent for a moment, then answered honestly, “No.” At least, initially, she had simply wanted to slack off. And she hadn’t gone out to search for her so-called family. She didn’t have strong feelings towards her mother in this world. She only had one mother, and she would likely never see her again.
Adele seemed to have come to her own conclusions, nodding as if she understood.
—No, what exactly did you understand?
Before Jasmine could ask, Adele continued, “Did you find your family?”
The answer was obviously no. Jasmine shook her head silently. Adele sighed, “It must be very difficult…” Looking at her expression, Jasmine realized that Adele probably thought she hadn’t found her family. After all, nineteen years had passed. Her birth mother was likely dead, making it impossible to find her.
Adele seemed genuinely sad, as if she couldn’t bear to tell Jasmine that her mother was probably dead. She even forced a smile and offered words of encouragement, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. And if you need help, I can help you!”
In Adele’s mind, as an ordinary human who couldn’t use transportation, how far could Jasmine travel in five days? She had probably only reached a nearby town, asking passing human servants for information.
All those years of searching, all in vain. It must be very painful for Jasmine. Adele felt sympathy for her. She was a vampire with a strong capacity for empathy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have remembered a small incident from Blessing Day six months ago.
Adele couldn’t forget Jasmine’s expression that day. Jasmine, who was always stoic and indifferent, had looked at a floating lantern with such tenderness. Perhaps because Adele had finally acknowledged her own feelings, remembering Jasmine’s expression now filled her with a strange envy.
She envied the lantern, for receiving Jasmine’s gentle gaze, and she envied Jasmine’s family, for being so cherished by her. Combining this with Jasmine’s secret excursions, Adele concluded that she must have been searching for clues about her family. Deep down, Jasmine was a kind person. It was only natural for her to long for her family and never give up on finding them.
However, a sense of panic welled up in Adele’s heart. She realized that her control over Jasmine wasn’t as strong as she had thought. Jasmine had been secretly sneaking out for years, pretending to be sick. What if, during one of these excursions, she never came back?
What if she found her family and decided to stay with them?
Unspoken fear gripped Adele’s heart, fueling her anxieties. That was why she had offered to help. But she couldn’t be forceful with Jasmine, so her offer became “if you need help.”
Hearing Adele’s offer, Jasmine declined. How could she possibly ask Adele for help? After all, she was attacking vampire strongholds. No matter how different Adele was from other vampires, she was still a high-ranking noble of the Thirteen Clans. Even if she had sympathy for humans, she wouldn’t sacrifice her own interests to help them.
Jasmine’s rejection made Adele panic. The fleeting fear in her eyes didn’t escape Jasmine’s sharp observation. As she wondered what was wrong with Adele, she saw Adele’s hands, resting on her lap, clench tightly. Then a forced smile appeared on her face.
She asked cautiously, her true feelings slipping out unintentionally, “Jasmine, if you found your family, would you want to stay with them?”
Jasmine didn’t even hesitate. “No.” She hadn’t even considered searching for her family in this world, and her family from her previous life was gone forever. So, her answer was immediate and firm.
Jasmine didn’t expect her offhand answer to make Adele smile, a genuine, happy smile. Adele was stunned for a moment, then she said incredulously, “What?” She looked at Jasmine, realizing that she was serious, and a wide smile spread across her face.
“As expected, you still prefer to stay with me.”
Jasmine thought for a moment and then admitted, “You are right.”
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