Chapter 171: A Reason to Stay
“……”
Evelia didn’t say anything in response to Rachel’s nervous greeting. She just lowered her head to look at her and placed her hand on the wooden railing of Rachel’s small bed. The wooden boards creaked slightly under her touch.
“M-Mom... Mom... are you... are you having trouble sleeping?”
Just like how Evelia once asked the same question when Rachel’s breathing was uneven, this time it was Rachel who returned the question to her.
Evelia narrowed her eyes and slowly ran her fingertip along the wooden railing.
The sound wasn’t loud, but in the pitch-dark room, Rachel’s ears were extra sensitive. To her, it didn’t sound like a casual touch. It felt like a silent warning, like a knife sliding across a throat.
“Where did you go just now?”
Evelia’s voice was cold and flat. The words hit Rachel’s head like a dull blade scraping across skin.
“I... I went to the butler... I got some snacks from Grandpa Butler…”
As soon as Evelia opened her mouth, Rachel rushed to explain, her eyes darting around, trying to come up with something believable.
She was sure Evelia’s cold mood wasn’t because of anything that happened with Armand, and it definitely wasn’t because her true identity had been found out.
No, Evelia was worried about herself, afraid that Rachel had discovered something she shouldn’t have.
Rachel had come back and found the room locked up tight, all the doors and windows securely shut. Evelia must be worried that Rachel noticed she wasn’t in the room.
So all Rachel had to do now was pretend she didn’t notice anything at all. Rachel was just a clueless, innocent little girl.
“Did... did I wake you up when I came back? I’m sorry, Mom... I just went to Grandpa Butler to get some snacks. Because it was raining so hard, he walked me back, but he said it wasn’t right for him to go into your room, so I came in on my own... It was dark, and I got a little scared… Maybe I was clumsy and made too much noise... I’m sorry. I folded my clothes properly too, so you don’t need to worry. Mom, please don’t be mad at me...”
Rachel laid everything out clearly, point by point, to ease Evelia’s suspicions.
She only went to the butler’s. The butler walked her back, opened the door for her, but didn’t come inside. She took care of herself and didn’t seem to know that Evelia had left the room.
In short, nobody knows Evelia was gone.
“……”
Evelia looked down at Rachel without saying a word, as if she was silently judging whether to believe her story.
Rachel held her breath, worried she might have said something wrong or left out a detail that would give her away.
“I see.”
After a moment of silence, Evelia finally said those three words, and Rachel let out a quiet sigh of relief. It sounded like Evelia believed her.
Whether it was Armand or Evelia, their attitudes toward Rachel were very different. But both of them generally believed what she said.
That’s because ever since she arrived at the estate, Rachel had never told a single lie. If she did something, she admitted it. If she didn’t, she said so. Even when she made mistakes, she owned up to them.
In her mind, she figured, ‘I’m just a kid, what’s the worst that could happen?’ She knew very well what was truly dangerous and what was just harmless child’s play. She could clearly tell the difference.
Rachel had built a good reputation in the estate. Even the adults respected her honesty and didn’t make things hard for her.
And now, even someone like Evelia, who had shown clear signs of wanting to kill her, was still willing to listen to what she said.
“Mom... I’m sorry...”
Rachel saw that her explanation had worked, so she decided to push her luck. She understood clearly, tonight was a turning point. If she could get through this, she might have a peaceful time for a while. If not… she’d probably have to start writing her will by tomorrow morning.
So, still pretending to be pitiful, she made up her mind, took a deep breath, and gently reached out her little hand to touch Evelia’s fingertip.
“I… I don’t want to make you mad… Mom…”
To be honest, Rachel wasn’t really good at acting. But to survive under Evelia’s roof, she had to use every trick she could think of.
She looked up at Evelia with pleading eyes, trying her best to look small and helpless, hoping Evelia would show her a little mercy.
But Evelia didn’t speak. She didn’t respond to the desperate plea at all.
Crack!
Thunder struck again.
In that split second of lightning, Evelia’s face was lit up once more, and Rachel clearly saw her expression.
It hadn’t changed at all.
Even after all of Rachel’s emotional begging, Evelia showed no reaction. No sympathy. No pity.
Rachel’s heart skipped a beat. It felt like the Grim Reaper’s scythe had just sliced across her chest.
Of course, how could she forget, Evelia was the "Red Crow."
Someone that cold and heartless wouldn’t be moved by a child’s tears.
She’d probably just come back from killing someone. Maybe a child’s parents. Maybe someone else’s child. A person like that, how could she feel compassion over something as small as this?
She wasn’t like the maids or knights who could be sweet-talked into giving you snacks just by acting sad.
Back when Evelia was a child, no one had ever shown her mercy. So how could she act like some saint now and care about other people’s feelings?
...What now? What do I do...
Evelia’s cold, blank expression scared the tears right out of Rachel.
She wasn’t in the mood to fake-cry anymore. She had to think fast, say something that would make Evelia decide to keep her alive, before she lost interest in the conversation.
Damn it...
If appealing to her feelings wouldn’t work, then she’d have to offer Evelia something useful, a benefit.
But what could she offer?
Maybe helping the Second Prince become the new king?
Impossible.
That kind of guy would definitely get rid of her afterward, no matter how much she helped.
Maybe she could use alchemy to make Evelia stronger?
Pointless.
The "Red Crow" was already strong enough, and she didn’t seem like the type who cared much about power.
Then… what?
Got it…!
“Sniff... Mom...”
Rachel kept pretending to be sad and carefully tugged on Evelia’s finger.
With her other hand, she wiped away the fresh tears she had forced out, squinting her eyes as she quietly thought about how to say it.
“Mom… you don’t think I’m annoying, do you? I’ll be good, I promise. Mom, I really like Dad and Mom. I want to be with both of you… I want to see Mom and Dad happy together… sniff… Mom, I’ll try my best to be a good kid, so you and Dad can live a happy life together… I’ll be really, really good… sniff…”
Even though she couldn’t soften Evelia’s heart with feelings, Rachel could still use Evelia’s feelings in another way.
What she was counting on… was Evelia’s obsession. That deep, unshakable fixation that the “Red Crow” carried inside.
Rachel knew very well that Evelia was probably planning to use her beauty to get close to Armand and earn a place by his side. So Rachel had to create more chances to help improve Evelia’s relationship with Armand. And in this little “family role-play” game, the “child” was the best person to take on that job.
If there wasn’t an opportunity, then she had to create one herself. Once she succeeded, she could step away quietly!
“Mom… I’ll make sure you and Dad… stay together… I really am a good girl… Mom… I’ll make sure you and Dad… live happily… together…”
Rachel didn’t have a real plan yet, but she knew she had to put her offer out there. It was the only way to stay alive.
“……”
As she spoke, Rachel kept watching Evelia’s face, trying to read her reaction. Evelia still said nothing. Then she pulled her hand back and gently held her chin, as if she was actually thinking about the “offer” hidden in Rachel’s childish-sounding words.
This was a huge gamble for Rachel. She had only one move left. And if it didn’t work, she wouldn’t be able to come up with another excuse.
Please… Red Crow, even if not for your feelings for Armand. At least do it for the Second Prince’s mission… Please, I’m begging you…
“…Mmm…”
Finally, after what felt like forever, Evelia made a sound. A soft hum, it was impossible to tell what mood she was in.
But Rachel could tell, Evelia understood what she meant.
Evelia looked at Rachel’s tear-streaked, frightened face. Maybe Rachel didn’t know she was seconds away from death…
But Evelia’s overwhelming presence had clearly scared her badly.
For a child like Rachel, being abandoned was probably one of the most terrifying things in the world.
Watching her tremble and apologize nonstop, Evelia didn’t see through Rachel’s inner schemes. She only thought Rachel was desperately begging not to be thrown away.
And somehow… Evelia felt a strange sense of connection.
Rachel, shaking in fear and looking so small and pathetic. Was Evelia like that once, too?
Maybe Evelia’s own journey had gone from “let me go,” to “don’t kill me,” to finally “please don’t throw me away.”
She hadn’t even realized how much her mindset had changed over the years.
She used to want to run away. But now she couldn’t.
After more than ten years of training, she’d become a well-trained, obedient dog.
Would Rachel end up like that too?
Evelia thought for a moment… then pushed those feelings aside.
She wasn’t here to think about other people. She just wanted to finish her task.
She knew the Second Prince was always watching her.
And that little mission she just completed reminded her of her place once again.
What Rachel offered was exactly what Evelia needed right now.
She had to throw away those useless emotions and focus completely on what was “useful.”
Yes… I don’t need feelings like that. Because I’m the Red Crow…
“…Then let’s see how you perform.”
—It worked!
As soon as Evelia said those words, Rachel finally let herself breathe normally again. She silently sighed in relief as Evelia walked past her bed… and lay back down in her own.
Yes… yes… this is perfect.
I really am a genius… I finally made it out alive!