Chapter 300: A New Life
“Become... the person I want to be?”
Evelia held the form in her hand, looking a little dazed. No one had ever said something like that to her before. In the past, she had always been like a shadow, never having a choice in who she could be. And now, suddenly, she was being given the chance to decide what kind of role she wanted to play in life.
Could she really do that?
Just leave everything behind and start over?
Forget all about the Red Crow, and simply become Evelia, the girl who stays by Armand’s side?
This version of me…
Even though Evelia had willingly given up her male identity and become a little maid, forgetting her own name and past to live only as a spy, now that she was faced with the idea of a “bright future,” she found herself hesitating.
Back then, it didn’t matter what she did. It was all by the Second Prince’s orders. Whatever he told her to do, she would do without thinking, without questioning. That was enough for her, because she had always been that kind of person. Just a doll made to carry out someone else’s commands, nothing more.
But now…
When Armand handed her that personal information form, she suddenly realized she could decide what kind of person she wanted to be.
But is that really okay? Could someone like her, someone so full of guilt and darkness, really accept such a gift?
Do I deserve it? Does the infamous Red Crow truly deserve to be reborn like this?
“Eve.”
Armand’s gentle voice came from above. His large, warm hand softly touched the top of Evelia’s head. He stroked her light pink hair gently, like he was trying to calm down an unhappy kitten.
“Don’t feel pressured. You deserve this.”
“I... deserve it?”
“Of course. Because you’ve already decided to live a new life, right? So I’ll help you make that wish come true, Eve.”
Armand had made up his mind back when Evelia first came to him for help.
He wanted to give Evelia a completely new life, a life that was truly her own. She wouldn’t belong to anyone. Not to the Second Prince, not even to him.
Evelia was her own person, not just someone’s shadow. Even though she was now his wife, she still deserved his full respect.
After all, he had married the woman he loved, not bought a servant to obey him. Otherwise, how would he be any different from the Second Prince?
As for the form. Truthfully, it was his own.
Normally, getting a form like that approved would require pulling some strings with the Crown Prince, which would be difficult. And if the sharp-eyed Second Prince found out, he would start digging into Evelia’s identity. To avoid that trouble, Armand had simply taken his own personal form from the Knights’ Office.
The purpose of that form was, of course, for Armand to “leave this place.”
Well, “leave this place” sounded nicer than it really was. What Armand truly wanted... was to run away.
He had already spoken to the Crown Prince. Once everything was over, Armand wanted to retire somewhere far away, where no one could find him, and quietly live out the last of his life.
The Crown Prince had agreed easily, because he knew Armand didn’t have long to live.
From a politician’s point of view, Armand was a useful tool. He was easy to use, completely loyal, and most importantly he wouldn’t live long.
If too many secrets were known by one person, even “allies” would consider silencing them when the job was done. Especially someone like the emperor.
To be fair, the Crown Prince wasn’t that ruthless. He never planned to silence Armand, and if Armand had continued to serve him loyally, he might’ve even given him a better position.
But sadly, Armand didn’t think he’d live that long.
And honestly, he was tired.
All he ever wanted was to get revenge for his friend. He had no interest in power or riches.
So to a man with no desires, a man who was already dying, the Crown Prince didn’t ask too much of him. He figured even if Armand knew a lot, and even if he wouldn’t stay loyal until the end, at least he could take those secrets with him to the grave.
It was kind of funny, in a way. This could be seen as a sign of trust from the Crown Prince toward Armand. He trusted that Armand wouldn’t reveal his secrets, trusted his loyalty, and also trusted that Armand wouldn’t live much longer. That’s why the Crown Prince gave this form to Armand.
Normally, filling out this kind of form would involve a long and complicated approval process. After you wrote on it, it would need to be reviewed step by step by different offices before it could be made official and recorded. But Armand’s form wasn’t like that.
Because this form had already been pre-approved. It was a gift from the Crown Prince, kind of like a magical artifact in a fantasy novel. As long as you filled it out and handed it to the records office, the new identity written on it would immediately become valid.
This form was key to Armand’s future retirement. He had thought many times about what kind of life he would want after retiring, about what kind of person he would want to become.
But he had so many things he wanted to do that, in the end, he didn’t write anything at all. He hesitated for a long time, and the form remained blank.
But from how carefully he had preserved it, you could tell Armand still saw it as something very important. It was just a thin sheet of paper, yet he had kept it in perfect condition all this time.
And now, Armand was giving it to Evelia. It was like he was handing over his future to her.
Because to him, Evelia needed it far more than he did. If he used it, it would just be a way to “run away.” But if Evelia used it, it would be a true “new beginning.”
You could even say this was Armand’s engagement gift to Evelia. He was giving her a complete and valid identity, putting his hopes for a better life into her hands.
“A new life...”
Evelia held the paper gently, her fingers careful not to crease it.
This wasn’t just some simple form. It was her future, the life she would experience from now on. It was a key to happiness, given to her by Armand.
Nothing in the world could be more precious than this...
“But... I haven’t decided yet.”
Evelia stared nervously at the form, swallowed hard, and looked up at Armand with eyes asking for help.
“Mmm—then take your time to think,” Armand said softly with a warm smile. No matter when, that smile always made Evelia feel at ease.
“Think about it…”
“Yes, what kind of person do you want to become? What’s your wish?”
“...Hmm...”
Evelia paused for a moment, and it looked like she had gone through a deep thought process in just those few seconds.
She held the form gently, like it was a treasure. The half-raised sheet of paper covered her blushing face, so her lips couldn’t be seen. But her voice could still be heard clearly.
“The person I want to become... is your wife, Armand.”
“—Wha—!”
Just hearing those words, and seeing her face, Armand felt like he’d been hit right in the heart. Then, hearing Evelia’s serious tone, he thought his heart might just burst from how fast it was beating.
“Eve, aren’t you already my wife? Even if it’s not official yet and you’re just my fiancée, you know very well that you’re the only one for me.”
As he said that, Armand reached out and gently pulled Evelia into his arms. He lowered his chin and rubbed the top of her head softly.
“Mm...”
Evelia seemed to be thinking about something.
“Then I want to be... the wife you love the most.”
“You already are!”
Armand laughed and gave her a strong kiss on the cheek.
“I, Armand, will only ever have one wife in this life, and that’s you. So don’t worry. I’ll give you all of my love, 100%.”
“Mmm...”
Evelia let out a soft sound of happiness, and the lips hidden behind the paper curled into a joyful smile.
“I believe you.”