Chapter 39: Evelia Is a Strong Woman
Armand had been having a terrible few days. The unlucky things he went through included, but were not limited to making Evelia angry for no reason, working overtime all night, waking up early for meetings, getting sarcastic comments from the Second Prince, getting kicked by Carle, hearing that Evelia might have gone on a date with someone else, and finally discovering that his favorite flowers were gone.
“Must be bad luck or something…”
Armand muttered as he crouched down and started fixing the messy rose bush with a small knife he pulled from his coat.
The flower thief had come prepared. From the neat cuts, Armand could tell they were good with a blade, and a sharp one, too. But clearly, the thief had no sense of beauty. The way they cut the lovely rose stems showed no care or style at all.
“Haah…”
Armand rested his face in his hand and stared at the rose bush in front of him, feeling like a kid who had just had his favorite toy stolen. He couldn’t help but feel a bit upset.
“Ahh, damn it, it’s so annoying…!”
Seeing that no one else was around, he let out his frustration. He suddenly dropped his usual calm attitude, stood up, shouted, and stomped his feet. His boots almost cracked the stone tiles under him. He even punched the air a couple of times, and the small knife in his hand made a buzzing sound as it cut through the wind.
Normally, Armand might have angrily ordered the old butler to investigate what had happened. But now, with everything involving Evelia on his mind, he didn’t have the energy. He just felt frustrated. After throwing a few punches at the air, he put the knife away and sat down on a long stone bench nearby.
That bench had been placed there during the design of the garden, meant for sitting and enjoying the blue roses. But now, Armand just sat there, one leg crossed over the other, resting his head on his hand, and staring blankly at the green branches.
At least the roots hadn’t been taken, so the roses might bloom again in the future. But what about Evelia?
Was Evelia like the flowers, just the blooms taken away? Or had her roots been dug out too?
No, no… maybe the “roots” weren’t with him to begin with…
Armand thought about this while his fingers tapped against his chin. He tapped so hard that it actually started to hurt. Only then did he get up, gave his rose bush one last sad look, and turned to leave. Even his steps felt heavier than usual.
“Ugh… this is driving me crazy—hm?”
Just as Armand was slowly heading back to his bedroom, he turned a corner and suddenly bumped into something. His instincts kicked in, his hand moved toward the hidden knife in his coat. But then he caught a gentle, sweet scent in the air, and his hand stopped.
“…Evelia?”
He looked down, and saw that familiar pink color.
“Mr. Armand, you're back.”
Normally, Armand would never accidentally bump into someone like this. But today he was tired and distracted. And Evelia always walked so quietly. In just a moment, they had turned the corner and run right into each other.
Of course, Armand really didn’t notice she was there. But Evelia… had been waiting in that spot for a while. When she heard his voice, she purposely bumped into him.
Actually, she had come back a long time ago. She had just been waiting at the corner where Armand would definitely pass by. She was very experienced in this kind of “corner ambush.”
“Evelia… you…”
Looking at Evelia suddenly in his arms, Armand's throat tightened. He called her name but couldn’t say anything else. Maybe it was because her body felt so soft, he just instinctively moved his arm a little, and Evelia leaned closer against him. He could clearly feel her heartbeat through his stomach.
Even though her heartbeat was calm, Armand's own heart was completely out of rhythm.
Evelia’s warm breath landed on his chest. Her thin shirt let him feel her body heat. The soft scent of her body filled his nose, and the sound of her breathing stayed in his ears.
When she looked up at him, Armand felt that if he just bent down a little, he could kiss her forehead.
Being suddenly so close to Evelia made Armand's brain freeze. Normally quick to react on the battlefield, he now didn’t know what to do at all. If Evelia had come to kill him this time, she might have already stabbed him in the chest before he could even react.
But at least for now, Evelia didn’t want to kill him. The Second Prince hadn’t given the order to eliminate Armand, so no matter what, Evelia wouldn’t make a move. In fact, she was even worried that the hidden blade in her skirt might accidentally scratch Armand's hand.
While Armand's brain was stuck, Evelia’s thoughts were spinning fast. She took his frozen reaction as a kind of “nervous shyness.” That reminded her of what the store clerk, Anna, had told her.
—If the other person seems shy, then you should take the lead.
Yes, take the lead.
Evelia wasn’t some weak little girl. She understood exactly what it meant to be bold and strong.
So, while Armand still hadn’t reacted, she suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.
If she had looked carefully at Armand's face just then, she would have seen something rare, his face was turning red. His eyes were wide open, as if trying to understand what Evelia was about to do.
But Evelia wasn’t about to do anything Armand might be imagining.
Instead, she tightened her grip. Before Armand could figure out what was happening, he suddenly felt his feet lift off the ground. He, a muscular man 20 centimeters taller than Evelia, was being picked up by the slim-looking, pink-haired girl.
“?”
Now that was bold enough, right?
Evelia held Armand tightly in her arms and looked up at the stunned man in front of her. Judging by his face, he seemed completely shocked.
Since he still didn’t react, Evelia thought maybe she hadn’t done enough. So, she decided to change position.
Just like in those romantic novels she had read, the kind of scene that made girls’ hearts race, she moved him again. Holding him with one arm, she quickly used her other hand to lift his legs and adjust his body, wrapping one arm under his thighs and the other around his back, so that Armand was now lying across her arms.
Yes. This was the famous “princess carry.”
Armand was now being held steadily in Evelia’s arms, just like a princess.
“Are you okay, Mr. Armand?” she asked gently, seeing the shocked look on his face.
‘He should be able to feel how strong I am now. He must think I’m someone he can really rely on.’
That’s what Evelia was thinking, and she even felt a little proud of how smoothly she had done it all.
As for Armand… though he was full of confusion and had no idea what had just happened, in that moment, Evelia suddenly looked tall, strong, and heroic in his eyes.