Chapter 321: Killing Intent
Grey Dove walked step by step toward Evelia, full of excitement and joy, getting closer to the person she saw as her very own idol.
To Grey Dove, Evelia had become something like her “hope for living.” Even though she could only admire her from afar, if she could just take one more step forward, to see her idol a little more clearly… ahh… that would be pure happiness.
“You—what are you doing here?”
Unlike Grey Dove’s enthusiasm, Evelia’s tone was very cold. She didn’t step back to show rejection, but the invisible wall of distance in her presence was enough to make Grey Dove pause.
“Hehe… haha… of course, I came to bring you back…”
Even so, Grey Dove kept smiling. She looked at Evelia with eyes full of obsession, as if Evelia’s cold attitude couldn’t affect her love and admiration at all.
“Bring me back? What are you talking about?”
Evelia was confused, and also a little nervous. At first, she didn’t understand why Grey Dove used the word “bring,” but then she started to wonder, did the Second Prince give another order?
But that was no good right now. Armand needed someone by his side to take care of him.
Others could help him too, but she thought it had to be her. She didn't want Armand to forget about her. No matter what, as long as she stayed by his side, as long as she could always be with him…
Then she could stay in Armand’s memory. She wanted him to remember, there had always been a girl named Evelia, his Eve, who was still waiting for him to keep the promise of spring.
“Of course, I came to bring you back, Lord Red Crow.”
Grey Dove stood beside Evelia, speaking in a very quiet voice. Even though they were sure no one else was around, she still kept her voice low when mentioning titles.
“You want me to go back to the House of Nightingales?”
At some point, Evelia had started to dislike hearing that name. Even though it was called a “house,” it never felt like a real home.
She never felt a sense of family there. In the past, she didn’t hate it so strongly, but now, after experiencing real warmth and family beside Armand…
She hated that place.
She feared it.
She never wanted to return to that bottomless abyss.
She just wanted to be like a bird, flying free in her own sky.
“It’s our home, Lord Red Crow.”
But Grey Dove’s answer was clearly not what Evelia expected. In Evelia’s mind, she had only ever been loyal to the Second Prince of the House of Nightingales. Other than that, she didn’t think she had any place to belong.
But Grey Dove was different. Even though Grey Dove followed the Second Prince’s orders, she had always been looking for a new place. She was also searching for her own home.
Just like the lonely Evelia once did, Grey Dove kept searching for somewhere that could give her even a moment of warmth. After all, she was just a twisted girl shaped by childhood trauma.
“Your home?”
“No, no, it’s our home. That includes you too, Lord Red Crow. You’re my family… and only you can be my family.”
But clearly, her mindset was far more twisted than Evelia’s. She looked obsessively at Evelia, who was now frowning in confusion, and began sharing her distorted dreams.
In a way, if even Evelia could change because of someone else, then maybe Grey Dove also had a chance to be “saved.” But sadly… she never got that chance.
All she could do was stare madly at Evelia, and try to invite her to become her family.
“What are you even talking about…” Evelia’s expression grew clearer and more intense.
The look of disgust on her face was now clearly seen by Grey Dove.
Although Grey Dove admired Evelia's “cold” way of acting, in her mind, Lord Red Crow was someone who wasn’t supposed to show any emotions.
No joy, no sadness, not even anger. Those feelings were not things that should appear on Lord Red Crow’s face.
Even now, this feeling of “disgust” shouldn't belong to her.
Maybe... maybe something was wrong with Lord Red Crow—no, it didn’t matter.
As long as she could take her back home, everything would be okay again.
Those human emotions, sadness, anger, joy, fear. Those pathetic feelings that belong to people should never touch her goddess.
She was supposed to be pure and untouched, not stained by anyone, not tainted by any feelings.
Yes… take her home.
Take Lord Red Crow, her goddess, back home. Let her return to how she used to be.
“I’m saying, it’s time for you to come home with me.”
She reached out her hand, warmly inviting her goddess. As long as they went home, everything would become better.
“I don’t need to go anywhere with you. I just need to stay here.”
But her goddess coldly rejected her, and the disgust in Evelia’s eyes stabbed at her nerves.
Grey Dove wasn’t upset because Evelia hated her, but because Evelia seemed to have “emotions.”
She felt like her goddess had been stained by the human world.
Those filthy things…
“Ah... no—it’s okay.”
But the rejection didn’t surprise her. She just needed to invite her again. She quickly calmed herself and once more put on that flattering smile.
“Are you worried about your mission? Huu... I think your task must be related to that knight captain, right? You don’t need to worry anymore… there's no need to care about that worthless man. Everything is about to end.”
Grey Dove grinned with excitement, as if everything was already under her control.
“What do you mean?”
Evelia’s expression changed slightly when she heard Armand’s name.
She knew very well how bad his condition was right now. So anything about Armand, she needed to listen to carefully.
Although her eyebrows were still furrowed like before, the feeling had shifted from disgust to doubt, and strangely... there was a bad feeling starting to rise in her heart.
“You see, Mr. Armand doesn’t have much time left, right? So, no need to worry. Your mission is almost over. He’s going to die in a terrible way very soon. Hahaha, such a relief. He won’t live much longer. And even if he somehow does, I’ll kill him myself to clean up the mess. Don’t worry, Lord Red Crow. Once I kill that man, you can—”
Thump.
Before Grey Dove could finish her words, she heard the sound of Evelia stepping forward.
It was the sound of heavy heels pressing into the snow. Her movement was full of restrained anger, so strong that even Evelia, who usually walked without a sound, let out a loud step.
“What did you say?”
Evelia reached out and grabbed Grey Dove’s collar tightly. She yanked it hard, almost choking Grey Dove.
All of Evelia’s anger poured out through her breath and hit Grey Dove in the face. Her golden eyes locked onto Grey Dove, just like a wild animal staring down its prey.
Even though Grey Dove felt thrilled that her idol was physically close to her, that thrill was mixed with a deep fear, an instinctual fear.
Being stared at by those golden eyes made it hard to breathe. Anyone would hold their breath in front of those eyes, afraid of disturbing the beast inside them.
Grey Dove had seen a lot in her life. Her hands were stained with blood countless times. But now, just one action from Evelia made cold sweat run down her back. The winter wind blew past, and she felt cold from head to toe.
She could barely even see Evelia’s face anymore, because she was completely drawn in by those eyes. Eyes filled with burning rage. Even looking away couldn’t escape the pressure they gave off.
Grey Dove was so scared that she was speechless for a moment. She swallowed hard. In the mix of excitement and fear, she had forgotten how to respond.
“Tell me, who are you going to kill?”