Chapter 247: No Turning Back
Before Rachel could figure out what Armand’s alchemy marking really meant, Evelia had already finished her meal and returned.
Because Evelia made no sound when she walked, Rachel was startled when she suddenly opened the door.
Luckily, Rachel had already hidden the small dagger she had earlier. Otherwise, Evelia might have seriously misunderstood the situation.
Evelia definitely ate something with ketchup again. Her body carried a strong smell of ketchup that was hard to ignore.
Ever since Armand fell unconscious, Evelia had stopped using her perfume. First, because she used most of it before when she was always pressing close to Armand. And second, since Armand wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon, there was no need to "mark her territory" with perfume. Now, all she smelled like was ketchup.
If there were a ketchup-scented perfume, Evelia would probably love it.
When Evelia returned to the bedroom, she noticed Rachel’s nervous expression, but didn’t say anything. That’s because, in Evelia’s eyes, Rachel had been constantly tense and frowning these past few days. Evelia was a bit curious why a child could be so anxious all the time, but right now, she cared more about Armand’s condition.
She sat on the chair by Armand’s bed. That chair had originally been placed there so she could watch over him, but later on, since she always ended up crawling into his bed, she didn’t use the chair much anymore.
She quietly looked at Armand’s peaceful sleeping face with her golden eyes, wondering what kind of dreams he might be having.
In the romantic novel Evelia liked, there was no story like this.
The main characters did go through emotional struggles, but never anything as painful and serious as life and death.
It was a relief that Armand made it back from the brink of death. Otherwise… she really didn’t know what she would do.
…When did it all start?
When did Armand’s life start meaning so much to her?
She had clearly accepted a mission to gain his trust and then eventually find a chance to kill him...
At this rate, could she even still complete her mission?
Her orders were clear, he must die. But now, she was doing everything she could to keep him alive.
…Does this mean she’s fallen?
Evelia suddenly felt a deep sense of guilt, as if she had betrayed the Second Prince’s trust.
The Second Prince had given her this important mission because he trusted and valued her. But now, her blade was hesitating.
—Yes. Evelia admitted it now. She probably couldn’t bring herself to kill Armand anymore.
“...If this were a story from that novel…”
‘It was a young girl’s tenderness, and a young man’s pure love. A tale of a maid and a knight, blooming in the spring, beginning in the spring.’
The opening line from her favorite romance novel floated into her mind like a drop of water rippling across her thoughts. As Evelia remembered all those sweet, cheesy lines from the book, her heart tightened.
If she kept sinking deeper into this feeling… she might never be able to turn back.
That thought suddenly crossed Evelia’s mind.
She laughed at herself. She scolded herself. She despised how she was now chasing after this thing called “love.”
How ridiculous, wasn’t she supposed to be an assassin sent to kill him?
She had confidently promised to complete her mission. And before all this, she had even been a man...
Evelia didn’t understand many things. But she at least understood the most basic fact between men and women.
She was a man.
Even though she now had a female body, designed specifically to seduce Armand, there was no denying she had once been male.
Rachel’s alchemy could change a body, but it didn’t affect the soul or the mind. In Evelia’s head, the person who appeared in her memories was still the man she used to be. That last bit of identity felt like her final pride.
But now, even that pride was beginning to crumble.
Because she had already lost her true self. The moment she stayed in the House of Nightingales, her real personality had already been erased.
“Red Crow” had always been the Second Prince’s most trusted follower, the sharp blade that handled his dirty work. She was just a weapon, not someone who needed to make her own choices.
But even so, even though she had willingly given up her identity as a “man” for the sake of the mission, she still felt uneasy.
…She could give everything up, she could throw everything away. After all, the one staying by Armand’s side was Evelia.
But…
What if Armand found out? What would he think of her?
If someone like her, this lowly person, lost even that last bit of light… what would be left of her?
Suddenly, for just a moment, Evelia wished Armand would stay asleep forever. That he would just lie there quietly, never learning the truth. All she wanted was for him to give her a warm hug when she needed it.
That terrifying thought crept into Evelia’s mind as she looked at Armand, asleep in bed. Her heart once again felt like a mess.
“...Mr. Armand…”
But she knew, it wasn’t right to think this way.
Evelia pressed her lips together tightly, then got up from the chair and, under Rachel’s gaze, once again slipped into Armand’s bed.
Rachel, of course, acted like she saw nothing. She jumped off the bed with a fake stretch and said, “Ahhh, I’m so hungry,” then left the room, leaving the two of them alone.
Rachel was indeed worried about Armand’s “health,” but she was even more afraid of dying on the spot if she disturbed Evelia at the wrong moment.
Evelia quietly listened as Rachel shut the door behind her. She buried her head under the blanket, searching for Armand’s arms in the darkness.
She hugged him tightly, even though he wasn’t responding at all.
As long as she could hear Armand’s heartbeat or breathing, and feel his body warmth, she could feel at peace.
But this time, she was feeling something else too.
When Armand’s breath gently brushed her forehead, Evelia didn’t know why, but her face grew warm, her neck flushed red, and her heart started pounding fast.
She quietly lifted her head, and accidentally brushed against Armand’s lips.
That soft touch made her freeze. It felt like all her senses focused on that one moment of contact.
“Mr. Armand…”
As always, no response.
But in Evelia’s eyes, this only meant that Armand wouldn’t push her away or resist.
So, she slowly rubbed her fingers across his lips again. Then, as if unable to resist the temptation, she kissed him.
Unclear emotions swelled inside her. The touch of her tongue brought strange sensations to her mind, and her thoughts became hazy.
They lay side by side, facing each other. Evelia slipped her arm under his and hugged him tightly from behind. One of her legs wrapped itself around his waist as if her body was acting on instinct.
This irresistible feeling made Evelia’s mind go blank. It was like some kind of addictive drug. She couldn’t pull away even if she wanted to.
“Nn... mmph…”
She let out a sound without meaning to. A trail of saliva slowly slipped down the corner of her mouth.
“...?”
Suddenly, the person she was holding moved slightly.
It was as if he had sensed something strange. His eyes, which had shown no response before, now shifted around under his eyelids.
“...Mm…?”
A raspy voice sounded beside Evelia’s ear. Those jewel-like blue eyes were now trying to focus and see clearly.
Between breaths, Evelia saw Armand opening his eyes. Even though she didn’t want the moment to end, she stopped what she was doing.
Armand, with some sparkling saliva still on his lips, looked at her in confusion.
“...Eve?”