Chapter 231: Grey Dove (2)
For Grey Dove, probably the luckiest thing in her life was that her body remained untouched and clean.
Even though she was born in such a terrible place, she herself had never been tainted. By the time she was only six years old, she had already entered the House of Nightingales. That was even younger than her idol, Red Crow, who had joined later. Back then, even the Second Prince was only nine.
What’s interesting is that Grey Dove wasn’t kidnapped. She walked into the House of Nightingales all by herself.
It was just like going shopping. One day, while wandering through the streets, she came across several alleyways.
Out of curiosity, and ignoring the strange looks from nearby adults, she chose one and walked into the House of Nightingales.
Of course, at the time, she had no idea what the House of Nightingales was. She’d never even heard of it before. All she knew was that it was a place she could escape to.
That’s all that mattered. After all the place she had come from, how could that even be called a “home”?
Real family shouldn’t be like that.
Only strong people, people who aren’t tempted by silly desires, deserve to stay by her side. Only those who are noble and never show pathetic emotion can be called “family.”
But the truth is Grey Dove was just as messed up as her mother.
She hated being trapped by emotions and desires. But this deep obsession of hers, wasn’t that just another form of desire?
And she knew it. She knew clearly that she was born with desire inside her.
She knew she shouldn’t feel that way, but she just couldn’t stop.
Until she met Red Crow.
That always-cold Red Crow. The one who seemed to need nothing. Red Crow, her role model.
She told herself, everyone should be like this, everyone should give up useless things, useless feelings, useless desires. Just like the distant, perfect gods in old storybooks.
Her god would never have emotions like that.
That kind of softness… that so-called gentleness…
That so-called warmth or kindness…
How could something like that appear on her?
“You’ve crossed the line, Grey Dove.”
Evelia stood in front of her. Her voice had returned to its usual icy tone.
To Evelia, the Second Prince’s orders were a top-secret matter. She would never reveal any details to Grey Dove. And she certainly wouldn’t let her ask such disrespectful questions.
The light behind Evelia cast her shadow across Grey Dove’s body, covering her once again in the shadow of her god.
“So... I was right,” Grey Dove said excitedly. “This is because of His Highness, isn’t it?! Your behavior is just an act, right? A disguise?”
“This isn’t something you need to know.”
Evelia didn’t want to explain. She didn’t need to, because Grey Dove really didn’t have the right to know.
“I knew it! I knew it! Lord Red Crow… Ahhh, my Lord Red Crow! I was right! So this is just a disguise after all!”
“Hahaha… Hahahaha—! That’s great! Lord Red Crow!”
She looked completely mad now. Just like the women from her childhood.
Evelia ignored her. She calmly finished organizing the cabinets, then walked over to Rachel. She lifted her up under the arms like picking up a cat.
“Let’s go.”
“W-Where are you going?”
Grey Dove quickly stood up, but she didn’t lift her hands.
Because she knew, deep down, she wasn’t even worthy of touching her god.
She was a madwoman, but at least she was a madwoman with self-awareness.
“We’re going back.”
Evelia carried Rachel in her arms. Her movements weren’t exactly gentle, but she was clearly trying, trying to copy the way other women hold children.
This was something Grey Dove had never imagined, Red Crow was holding a child like this.
Just like Blue Sparrow, just like the way she used to smile gently.
Even though Evelia still hadn’t learned what gentleness really meant, and even though Grey Dove didn’t dislike Blue Sparrow, she just didn’t want her idol to become like that.
“Isn’t it too early to leave now, Lord Red Crow? Look, it’s still dark outside.”
Grey Dove pointed at the dim view outside the window. The sky only had a few stars left. It wasn’t a moonless night, but the weak moonlight didn’t really help with seeing clearly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Evelia replied.
For someone like her, a trained assassin who always lived in the shadows, this kind of darkness wasn’t a problem at all. In fact, she preferred it over the bright morning light.
Some people might feel suffocated in complete darkness, but for Evelia, it was easier to relax. In the dark, even if she made a small mistake, no one would notice. But in the bright daylight, she had to stay tense all the time, never letting her guard down.
“But—”
For a moment, Grey Dove didn’t know what to say.
She didn’t want Evelia to leave. Or rather, she didn’t want Evelia to go back to that place.
She could feel it, it was that place that had changed her Red Crow.
Something must have happened there. Even if it was all because of the Second Prince’s mission, still...
Ah, right. It was a mission.
And I—
If it’s a mission given by the Second Prince, then Evelia will definitely be very cautious, especially around someone like me.
Thinking that, Grey Dove pressed her lips together.
“Lord Red Crow, you can’t go back yet.”
“Why?”
“Think about it... You and this little girl have been missing for two days. If you go back perfectly fine, people will start asking questions.”
Grey Dove had already prepared Evelia’s “body.”
She had taken one of Evelia’s outfits, found a corpse of a pink-haired woman with a similar build, and damaged the body to make it harder to identify. She even let stray dogs tear it open and eat the insides, just to make it more believable.
By now, the knights had probably already found the “body” she had so carefully placed. She didn’t even hide it very deep, on purpose.
Let them start planning the funeral.
After all, Evelia’s fake identity was just a housemaid working for the captain of the knights. All that was left now was to prepare a child's body, put Rachel’s clothes on it, and make people believe she had died too.
Compared to finding a grown woman’s body, finding a dead child was even easier.
If both of them were dead, then that captain would probably give up, wouldn’t he?
Because both the people he cared about, the housemaid and the little girl, were gone. Once someone dies, there’s no point chasing anymore. Just hold a nice funeral, and move on.
He’s a knight captain, after all. He can always hire another maid. He can always find another woman to give him a child. It doesn’t really matter.
And anyway, Grey Dove believed that that knight captain wouldn’t be able to find this place.
This place was just a temporary safehouse. Soon, they’d pack up everything important and leave. By the time anyone found it, the place would already be burned to ashes.
As for the mission the Second Prince gave Lord Red Crow, she’ll take care of it instead.
Whether it’s collecting information or killing someone, if Lord Red Crow can do it, then so could she, Grey Dove.
“......”
As for Evelia, she was seriously thinking about what Grey Dove said.
What Grey Dove said actually made sense. Evelia had been missing for two days, and if she and Rachel both suddenly showed up safe and sound in front of Armand, he would definitely be suspicious. After all, she was just a maid, how could she have escaped from kidnappers unharmed?
In her rush to go back, she had completely overlooked this problem.
Was she really that eager to go back?
Evelia couldn’t help but think that. She used to feel like nothing mattered, but now she was actually in a hurry to return to the manor?
“Alright then.”
Evelia lowered her gaze and gently set Rachel down from her arms. It seemed Grey Dove's reasoning had convinced her.
—Alright then, my foot!
But Rachel clearly didn’t agree with this plan at all.
This place is basically a wolf’s den!
That Grey Dove girl definitely has some mental issues!
Just looking at her, you can tell she’s not normal!
How could I possibly stay here for that long?!
This is a place where people die!
But Rachel didn’t dare say that out loud.
She knew that right now, Grey Dove wanted to keep Evelia here. Judging from her attitude, Evelia must be someone extremely important to her. If Rachel ruined this “wonderful” opportunity for that twisted mind, she was 100% sure she'd be killed, even if Evelia tried to protect her.
Grey Dove had already once shot an arrow at her without her even noticing, so killing her wouldn’t be hard at all.
She could only wait until Grey Dove left, then find a moment when it was just her and Evelia, and quietly explain her thoughts.
But maybe Armand wouldn’t think the same way as they did.
Maybe it was just her wishful thinking, but Rachel felt that if she and Evelia disappeared, Armand would probably care more about finding them than questioning Evelia’s identity.
After all, didn't Armand already know that Evelia worked for the Second Prince? He just didn’t know that Evelia was Red Crow, right?
As she thought about that, Rachel suddenly froze.
Armand didn’t know, but how about her?!
She'd known all along, but Evelia was never aware she did. And by now, Evelia might already know.
But now it was no longer a “maybe.”
Grey Dove had screamed “Lord Red Crow!” right in front of her! Even people who didn’t know anything would figure it out after that!
Thinking about this, Rachel glanced nervously at Evelia. But it seemed like Evelia hadn’t realized what had happened yet. Or maybe she hadn’t noticed that Rachel had overheard everything.
In her heart, Evelia had already considered Rachel to be “one of her own.” So she didn’t pay attention to how clearly Rachel had heard Grey Dove calling her “Red Crow.”
But Rachel knew, Evelia might not notice it now, but she’ll definitely figure it out later.
Alright... I’m doomed.
That was the only thought left in Rachel’s mind.
Looks like going home would really have to wait a little longer.
Honestly, instead of waiting for Evelia to take me away, I’d rather pray that Armand finds this place soon.
As for herself? She had only one strategy: “Just play dumb.”
Red Crow? Who’s that?
I’m just a three or four-year-old kid!
I don’t know anything about Red Crow!
Never heard of her! Never seen her!
I’m innocent! I know nothing!
...That attitude should be enough, right?