Chapter 279: The Obvious Answer (Part 2)
It was like fate was playing a cruel trick. All these things, crashing together like dominoes.
If just one piece had been different, if anything had gone another way… maybe Armand still wouldn’t know who Evelia truly was.
“...I… I just…”
Evelia tried to find the right words, but her mind was completely blank.
If this had been the past, the old Red Crow would have done only one thing the moment her cover was blown—
Kill the person who found out.
But now… she didn’t know what to do.
She couldn’t bring herself to do it, even though she was supposed to.
She should have killed Armand. Or rather, she had to. That was what the Second Prince had ordered. And to Evelia, the Second Prince’s orders were as natural and necessary as breathing. She had to obey.
Looking at Armand standing in front of her, her thoughts trembled in her mind.
A voice inside her was shouting, ‘Now is the time. Kill him.’
That was Red Crow’s voice. That part of her that still stayed loyal to the Second Prince. That voice reminded her, this was her master’s mission. And she was supposed to carry it out.
Everything seemed so simple.
She was the Second Prince’s most loyal assassin. She should be able to give up everything for her mission.
Even though the original plan was to gather information and then kill the now-useless captain of the knights, even if she ended his life right now, the Second Prince wouldn’t blame her.
Her target was right in front of her. There was no need for complicated tricks or planning. All she had to do was pull out her hidden blade, stab it through Armand’s heart, slice off his head.
And it would all be over.
But… Evelia’s hand was shaking.
Even as the thought “just kill him now and it’s over” echoed in her head. She couldn’t bring herself to reach into the seal and draw her dagger.
Red Crow’s voice circled around her ears, tempting her to go deeper into the darkness.
“I don’t want to.”
That was Evelia’s answer to Red Crow.
Evelia, who had once seen light, now struggled against the pull of that darkness.
If you had to describe it with emotion, then it would be reluctance.
She handed this answer to the shadow in her heart, the one shaped by the Second Prince.
Her inner demon.
I don’t want to do this...
But… what happens after?
Maybe it didn’t matter anymore.
After all… Armand already knew her real identity.
Next would be… the punishment of the knights, right?
Because Armand… was a righteous man. He was like a hero in a fairy tale. Of course he would carry out his duties.
Even though…
Even though she had worked so hard to come this far.
Even though she had wished she could keep her secret forever, even if it meant living a lie.
Even though… all she wanted… was to stay by his side.
Looking back, maybe she was never worthy.
How could a man like Armand, who lived under the sunlight, ever be with someone like her. Someone dirty and low, living in the shadows?
This little game of playing “family” had always been shaky.
And now… it was time for it to end.
…Maybe she should just run.
Run away before Armand had the chance to stop her.
She could go back to the House of Nightingales. Face the punishment of the Second Prince.
Even though that punishment was terrifying. At least… it would be better than—
“Are you scared?”
Armand’s voice suddenly reached Evelia’s ears. Maybe because there had been silence for a while, his voice now sounded calmer than before. But even now, Evelia still couldn’t tell what kind of feelings were in his voice or eyes.
Of course, she never really understood emotions.
Although she had started to slowly learn about feelings like joy, anger, and sadness while being with Armand, almost all of her emotions… came from him.
Armand’s every move had already filled her heart.
“I… Mr. Armand, I just…”
She hesitated, not knowing what to say for herself. All she could think about was how to distract Armand and slowly move toward the door.
“Are you afraid of me… or are you afraid of your master?”
“….”
Armand put special emphasis on the word “master.” The weight of that word made Evelia feel like she couldn’t breathe, like a heavy stone was pressing on her chest.
“...I see. Forget it, then.”
Of course, Armand noticed her subtle movements. At Red Crow’s speed, if Evelia truly wanted to leave, Armand wouldn’t be able to catch her. His only chance would be to act right now and grab her.
He took half a step forward—
Then stopped.
Looking troubled, he touched his forehead with his knuckle.
“Are you planning to run away?”
“……”
Evelia froze at his words.
But she knew there was no point in lying anymore. So she stayed silent, quietly admitting it. Yes, she was going to run.
Armand saw her expression and felt something heavy inside his chest.
So… she really was choosing the other side.
Click.
The sound of the door unlocking echoed sharply in the quiet room.
Evelia hadn’t expected it. Turns out, Rachel had locked the door from the outside before she left. Now the unlocking sound felt extra loud and clear.
“......”
“......”
They looked at each other. In the middle of all the emotions, there was even a moment of awkwardness.
Still, Armand didn’t say anything. He just stared at Evelia. The distance between them remained exactly the same.
“...If you knew... then why didn't you just kill me?”
Seeing that Armand didn’t seem to care if she escaped or not, Evelia felt her chest ache as if something were tearing apart inside her, and the question burst out, soaked in pain she could no longer contain.
“......”
Armand opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He hesitated for a few seconds. Seeing that Evelia was still waiting for an answer. He felt a flood of complicated feelings rise inside him.
His throat trembled, making it hard for him to speak. He lowered his eyes, as if trying to avoid it all.
“...Why?”
Evelia asked again. It felt like she was forcing Armand’s emotions into a corner.
Why?
That question echoed in Armand’s heart, as if he was asking himself too.
He had always been a knight with strong principles.
He believed in justice, in the knight’s code.
He had sworn to bring all evil to justice.
He was a true knight, protecting the royal honor and staying true to his own ideals.
But why?
He was so tired of that question. Wasn’t the answer obvious?
He looked up, using those clear blue eyes to take in Evelia. Her face, her figure, everything about her.
“—Because I love you, Evelia.”
And with those words, in that moment…
He gave up the honor of being a knight.