Chapter 133: Ways to Stir Up Emotions
Evelia didn’t look like the kind of woman who enjoyed shopping, so Armand, who didn’t know much about what girls liked, had no idea what to do.
As for Evelia, she was in the same situation. She didn’t really know what her “cute girl” disguise was supposed to act like either, so she was also at a loss. Because of that, the two of them fell silent again.
Rachel, on the other hand, didn’t even dare to speak.
Even though things seemed peaceful on the surface, Rachel thought that, as someone who had only known them for a day or two, it would be dangerous to say anything that might accidentally touch a nerve. If she messed things up, all her grand plans would be ruined before they even started.
Not that she had many grand plans left anyway. After dying once, survival was her top priority now.
Yeah… staying alive was the most important thing. She had to avoid any more life-threatening mistakes.
She just wanted to leave this estate safe and sound… please…
“Whew…”
Armand, looking a bit tired from standing, simply sat down on the grass beside the railing. Evelia thought about joining him, but then remembered that she had to keep up her “cute girl” image. A proper maid in a white dress couldn’t just plop down on the ground. She bent her knees instinctively but quickly stood back up straight.
“If I’d known, I would’ve brought something for us to sit on. It’s hot today, and I don’t even have a jacket to lay down for you.”
Armand had clearly noticed her small hesitation. He chuckled a little and was about to stand up and suggest moving to the nearby stone steps, which might be better than sitting directly on the grass.
“No need to get up, Mr. Armand.” Evelia quickly walked over and gently placed her hand on Armand’s shoulder. “There’s no need to go to the trouble. You can just stay here.”
“………”
Armand looked up and met Evelia’s eyes. “It’s really not a big deal…”
“No need, Mr. Armand.” Evelia repeated gently. “Just stay here. I won’t trouble or bother you.”
Hearing the word “trouble,” Armand suddenly felt a little guilty and swallowed hard.
“Eve…” Noticing the look in Evelia’s eyes, Armand suddenly had a strange feeling. “You’re not… still upset about earlier, are you?”
“Not at all.”
Evelia shook her head with no expression on her face. She looked the same as usual.
“Really not mad?”
Armand, still not convinced, asked again.
“Not at all, Mr. Armand.”
Evelia’s face didn’t change. Her blank expression made it hard for Armand to figure out what she was really feeling.
“You… really aren’t mad?”
“No. Why are you so worried about this?”
The moment she asked that, Armand was at a loss for words.
Why was he worried?
No… maybe it wasn’t really worry.
“Maybe… I was hoping you’d get mad?”
Those strange words slipped out of Armand’s mouth, and behind them, Rachel silently blinked in confusion.
What the heck was this knight commander into? Did she just hear what she thought she heard?
He looked so serious and impressive, but now it seemed like… he was secretly a masochist?
And judging from that little foot-related moment earlier, Rachel was also starting to suspect that Armand might be a bit of a foot fetishist too.
Could it be that this guy actually gets excited when someone steps on him?!
That’s the sudden conclusion Rachel came to.
She couldn’t believe it, this serious-looking man with thick eyebrows and a proper face… turned out to have that kind of interest?
"You're hoping I’ll get angry?"
Evelia and Armand, of course, had no idea what Rachel was thinking in the background. They just naturally followed the topic.
"Ah, well, more accurately—" Armand suddenly realized how strange what he’d said earlier sounded, so he quickly tried to explain. "It’s just… whether you’re happy, angry, sad, or anything else. I just hope that you can... um... how should I put this..."
As he spoke, Armand struggled a bit to find the right words. After all, saying something like "I want you to act more like a real human with emotions" would be way too rude. He didn’t want to say something that harsh directly to Evelia.
"—Emotions, right, Mr. Armand?"
"Ah..."
When Evelia said those two words so clearly and directly, Armand felt a bit conflicted. But he had to admit she was right, so he nodded.
"Yes, Eve… that’s it, emotions. Like how I want to see you smile. Even getting angry is part of having emotions. What I want is for you to experience those feelings. So even if you get mad at me, it’s okay."
"I’m not angry, Mr. Armand."
Even though Evelia understood what Armand was saying, she still shook her head. In her own view, she didn’t feel anything that could be called “anger.”
"…Is that so."
Armand looked at her for a moment, then turned his gaze into the distance, almost like he was trying to lighten the awkward mood.
"I think… you do have emotions, Eve."
He mumbled those words, sharing his honest thought.
Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, Armand truly believed Evelia had feelings.
Whether it was the helpless look in her eyes when they first met… or her strange obsession with ketchup… the fear she showed toward the Second Prince during the speech at the ballroom… or even the nervousness during her nightmares last night and this morning.
Evelia did have emotions.
It’s not that she didn’t have them… it’s just that she had pushed them down too hard.
And that kind of behavior was dangerous. Because if a feeling ever got too strong for her to suppress or handle, it might all come bursting out at once.
For someone like Evelia, who was so stubborn, that kind of emotional overload could be truly dangerous.
"…I just hope you can face your true feelings, Eve. Don’t shut yourself off. Be yourself."
As he said this, he gently reached out and held Evelia’s fingers.
"I’m not hiding anything, Mr. Armand. I am myself. This is who I am."
But Evelia wasn’t moved at all.
She had tried to understand other people’s emotions before. But last time, she completely failed.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to try again. She just truly believed that emotions didn’t matter.
Those useless things only made people weak.
And even if she did understand feelings… that wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing.
She knew she didn’t understand anything about emotions. But because of that, she could keep on living.
Only by being ignorant… could she survive.
"Sigh… seriously," Armand let out a helpless sigh. "Looks like I really do need to find a way to give you a bit of an emotional push."
As soon as Armand finished speaking, he suddenly stood up and, without hesitation, pulled Rachel out from the bushes behind them, where she was still hiding and holding a branch, eavesdropping.
“Wha—huh?!”
Rachel, who had been so sure she was perfectly hidden, was completely caught off guard when Armand suddenly picked her up. Her short legs kicked around in the air in panic, but they were too short to reach anything.
Armand, who was used to Evelia’s expressionless face at the estate and used to dealing with serious weirdos like Carle in the knight order, suddenly found himself a little unprepared for this bouncy, energetic little troublemaker.
“Ahem—Dad… Dad… haha… and um… Mom… I was just… just playing around, that’s all, really, just playing, hehe…”
Realizing that her disguise might’ve already been seen through, Rachel gave Armand an awkward smile. Even though it was totally fake, it still looked better than Evelia’s earlier expression when she was gritting her teeth.
Armand, of course, didn’t mind the eavesdropping at all. In fact, he did something unexpected. He hugged Rachel very closely, so suddenly that it startled her. Instinctively, she looked over at Evelia, whose eyes were already narrowed.
‘What is this guy doing?! Why is he suddenly being so affectionate?!’
She peeked nervously at Evelia, feeling like the girl might eat her alive at any moment.
“Eve, tell me, do you know who my favorite person in this estate is~?”
Armand asked in an overly sweet, almost disgustingly affectionate tone, while still hugging Rachel tightly and moving closer to Evelia.
He asked the question seriously, and since the two of them were getting closer, Evelia blinked and gave it some thought before answering.
“It’s—”
“That’s right! It’s my adorable little Rachel!”
Before Evelia could even finish saying the word “me,” Armand had already blurted out the answer himself.
And the moment he said it, Rachel knew she was doomed.
She could clearly feel Evelia’s killing intent now.
‘Didn’t I just swear a few minutes ago that I wanted to stay alive?! Don’t do this to me…!’
“Rachel is Dad’s most~ favorite~ little cutie!”
As if that wasn’t enough, Armand even rubbed cheeks with Rachel, and finally gave her a quick, gentle kiss on the forehead, like a father doting on his beloved child.
—That did it. The volcano was about to erupt.
Armand noticed Evelia’s darkened expression, and a sly smile tugged at his lips, like someone who had just pulled off an evil scheme.
To Rachel, he now looked exactly like a villain setting someone else up for disaster.
“Okay, okay~ Dad has to go now. You stay here with Mom for a bit, sweetie. I’ll come back and find you later~”
After throwing that last bit of fuel onto the fire, Armand very quickly shoved the now-terrified Rachel into Evelia’s arms. Without saying another word, and ignoring Rachel’s panicked cries, he flashed a bright smile, turned around, and ran away at full speed, disappearing from their view in seconds.
Now, the only two left in the horse field were Evelia, whose face had gone completely dark, and Rachel, who was tightly held in her arms.
AHHHHH!! WHAT KIND OF TERRIBLE PLAN WAS THAT?!
Why’d you run so fast?! Don’t leave me behind!!!
As Rachel felt the killing aura building all around her, she screamed internally.
Uh, can we… talk this out, maybe?!