Chapter 282: A Vow for the Future We Promised
Unsteady sounds echoed in her ears, and warm breaths surrounded her with every inhale and exhale.
Even though it was a sunny day, the curtains in the room were tightly shut.
Sunlight barely slipped through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft golden glow over the pink sheets on the bed.
“...Haa...”
Like the calm after a storm, Evelia let out a deep breath, taking a moment to rest.
Her golden eyes reflected his figure. In her hazy vision, that gold shimmer seemed to dance uncertainly.
Although her face didn’t show any strong emotions, the furrow of her brows was no longer filled with the confusion or anger it once held—
Maybe, this too… was a kind of joy.
For someone like Evelia, a girl… or perhaps once a boy? This unfamiliar feeling was something so new, it would surely leave a deep impression in her mind.
Maybe.
At the very least, it was enough to become something addictive. Enough to make the Evelia of now feel something she had never felt before.
“Haa… haa...”
Who knew how long had passed? Like a short break in between, Evelia wiped the sweat from her forehead, though it likely wasn’t only sweat.
Everywhere on her body carried Armand’s marks.
“Mr. Armand...”
She moved closer to Armand, her soft breaths brushing against his skin.
“Your love… still isn’t enough...”
She kissed that part of him, then looked up at him with steady eyes, as Armand gave a helpless but affectionate expression.
“So...”
She reached out her hand, letting her slender fingers trace along Armand’s chest, and gave him a gentle push. As if cooperating with her, Armand leaned back and lay down on the bed.
And then, Armand was reminded of how “Red Crow” had once looked on that night. This movement now was exactly the same.
It was in that earlier moment that he had confirmed for himself. Yes, they were the same person.
Now, the same scene played out again. But this time, the feeling was completely different.
“Mr. Armand… please love me even more… fill me with your love…”
………
………
………
When Evelia opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already turned dark.
They had spent the entire day together, sharing each other’s warmth.
“......”
Armand lay back on the pillow and looked at Evelia beside him.
He liked watching her sleep peacefully. Because as he had once said, restful sleep was a rare luxury for them.
Opening his eyes and seeing the person he loved the most beside him, that simple moment filled him with happiness. It made him feel like nothing in the world could be better than this.
He gently brushed aside Evelia’s soft bangs, revealing her sleeping face.
Evelia had always been a beautiful girl. But in Armand’s eyes now, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.
He gently brushed Evelia’s cheek with the back of his fingernail, afraid that his rough hand might wake her from her much-needed rest.
If there were a mirror in front of him right now, Armand was sure he’d see how silly he looked, grinning like a fool, completely lost in love. It was nothing like the confident man who once swore he would never find a partner.
He quietly sat up and picked up his pants from the floor, then slipped on his shirt. It was a bit wrinkled, but that didn’t matter.
Taking a deep breath, he walked to the window of Evelia’s room. He gently lifted the curtain with his fingers, letting a bit of moonlight in.
Standing in the soft glow, he stared at the blue rose on the windowsill, lost in thought. He was remembering everything he and Evelia had just shared, not wanting to forget a single moment.
They had told each other how they felt. They had said the word “love,” and more than that, they had shown it through their actions. That was something Armand didn’t want to forget.
Thankfully… he remembered it all.
From the very beginning up to now, every little detail was still fresh in Armand’s mind. He wanted to keep it close to his heart.
“......”
He reached into his pocket and took out a small box that held a ring. Even though they had confessed their feelings, Armand hadn’t officially proposed to her yet.
The moonlight shined down on the pink ring inside the box. It reminded Armand of how Evelia’s long hair shimmered under the moonlight.
…Ha.
Thinking about it more made him chuckle to himself, a little helplessly.
He hadn’t expected Evelia to have so much energy. Her boldness had truly caught him off guard. She always looked so calm and quiet. But in truth, she was like a wild beast.
He had no idea how she could say such seductive things with such a straight face...
Where had she even learned to talk like that? Had she read some strange books?
“...Mr. Armand?”
Just as Armand was still lost in those thoughts, Evelia’s soft, sleepy voice came from behind him.
She rubbed her eyes, lying on her side with her arm propped up to support herself. The blanket had slid off her shoulder, and under the moonlight, everything could be seen clearly, including a faint bite mark.
“You’re awake? Cover yourself up. Don’t catch a cold.”
Armand walked over to her and pulled the blanket back up, carefully wrapping her like a dumpling, leaving only her head sticking out. Her cheeks were squished by the blanket, making her look adorably chubby. Armand couldn’t resist giving them a gentle pinch.
The room was warm, but Evelia wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Since the fireplace wasn’t lit, Armand didn’t want her to be exposed to the cold air like that. He knew how painful the cold could be, and he never wanted her to feel that way.
“I’m okay, Mr. Armand,” Evelia said as she scooted closer to him, still wrapped up tightly in the blanket. No matter how cold it was, as long as she was near Armand, she felt warm.
“How about the rest? Are you feeling okay?” Armand couldn’t help but pinch her cheek again as she looked up at him and their eyes met.
Now, Evelia’s gaze was once again calm and steady. It made Armand feel like that earlier wild, hungry look had just been a dream.
“Yes… everything’s fine.”
“...That’s good. I was just worried you wouldn’t be used to it, since…”
Armand originally wanted to ask about Evelia’s physical condition, but halfway through his sentence, he suddenly felt that bringing up that topic might not be a good idea. His voice gradually faded, and in the end, he was mumbling so softly even he couldn’t hear himself clearly.
“—Because I used to be male.”
But Evelia didn’t seem to mind at all, or maybe she had already stopped caring about that a long time ago.
Ever since Armand had accepted her, and after knowing the truth still told her, “I love you,” Evelia had stopped worrying about things like that.
“Do you mind it?” she asked softly.
“Hm?” Hearing the question thrown back at him, Armand quickly shook his head.
“No, of course not.” He smiled, then kissed her firmly on the forehead. “To me, you’re just Evelia. That’s all that matters.”
“...Mm...”
What Armand said was exactly what Evelia wanted to hear the most. She didn’t want to be anything else, no titles or no roles, just his Evelia.
...Thank goodness...
Now, she could stay by Armand’s side forever. Not as a spy, not as an assassin, not as “the Red Crow,” but as the one who belongs only to him, Evelia.
Seeing her cheeks blush from happiness at his words, Armand gently held his soft pink “dumpling” and secretly slipped his other hand into his pocket where the ring box was hidden.
“Eve.”
“Yes? What is it, Mr. Armand?”
As soon as she heard him call her, she immediately responded, as always.
“Eve... have you ever thought about the future?”
“The future...?” Evelia moved a little closer to him as she repeated the familiar question. “My future… is just… being with you, Mr. Armand.”
It was the same answer she had given before. And now, she said it again. Every time, it came from the bottom of her heart.
“That’s all I needed to hear...”
Armand nodded, unable to hide the smile growing on his lips.
While Evelia watched, he got up from the bed and straightened the wrinkles on his shirt. He used to wear a tie, but who knew where he had thrown it, so he just awkwardly patted his collar and gave Evelia a goofy grin, which made her blink in confusion.
Then, he brushed aside his messy bangs, knelt down on one knee, and took out a small velvet box from his pocket.
With a soft click, he opened it.
Inside was a beautiful ring, one that no other woman but Evelia could wear so perfectly.
Armand had once thought of many romantic ways to propose, even wrote out dramatic speeches like the ones from novels, and made rough drafts, wondering if he should polish them up later.
But in this moment, he threw all of that away.
Because when he heard Evelia’s answer, even he couldn’t wait any longer. He didn’t want to waste time with long speeches or flowery words.
Just like a knight pledging loyalty to his princess, Armand knelt in front of her and spoke the vow he would only say once in his entire life.
“Then, may I ask, Miss Evelia Croyelle, will you marry me, Armand Systalia, and become my wife? Will you spend your life with me for the rest of our lives?”