Chapter 336.1: The Important Person Who Only Exists in the Past (Part 1)
“Your most important thing?”
Evelia became curious after hearing those words.
Armand rarely used the word “important.” Even after Evelia became his wife, he almost never said things like that. So what kind of person or thing could be considered Armand’s “important thing”?
“Yes… If I had to describe it, I’d say even now, I’m still living for him.”
The question Evelia asked was like opening an old notebook. Dusty memories started swirling in Armand’s mind, making it feel as if he had suddenly gone back ten years.
That sentence sounded very heavy. Evelia could feel the long-standing pain and pressure Armand had been carrying because of his responsibilities.
Then, as if she remembered something, Evelia softly hummed.
“Hmm… You once said you couldn’t sleep because of something from the past… Could it be this? That friend of yours?”
“…Ah.”
Armand was surprised that Evelia still remembered that.
“Yes. That friend of mine… He’s the one who stayed behind in the House of Nightingales forever.”
Ten years had passed, and yet the image of that boy still seemed etched in his mind. But perhaps time had blurred things. In his memory, the boy seemed even more fragile and pitiful than he actually was. And in Armand’s nightmares, that boy’s “debt-collecting” expression had become much scarier than before.
“…You said he died there, didn’t you?”
Maybe because the topic was too heavy, Evelia couldn’t help but feel sad too. She was no longer the same girl who couldn’t empathize with others. Now, seeing the sorrow on Armand’s face, her heart also felt heavy.
— That friend must have been really important to Armand.
Even she felt like her world had changed after making friends. Someone as thoughtful and sensitive as Armand would surely treasure his bonds with others even more.
“Yes… It’s my fault I couldn’t save him.”
Armand let out a bitter smile as he rubbed the tissue over his nose. Maybe his emotions were getting stirred up, because his nosebleed quickly stained the tissue red again.
“……”
Evelia felt that maybe they shouldn’t continue this topic. Now that Armand was finally starting to recover some of his memories, they should be trying to build more happy and sweet moments, not reopen old wounds filled with sadness.
Armand was still running a fever. His face was red, but his lips were pale. He lay curled up weakly, and the pain from the past kept hitting his already fragile heart.
But… for some reason, Evelia wanted to know more.
She wanted to know, what kind of friend could leave such a deep scar in Armand’s heart?
And if possible… could she take that person’s place?
Could she become the most important person in Armand’s life?
“…Armand, I want to know.”
So she asked.
She looked at Armand, who was a bit unsteady from the fever. She saw his pained, fading gaze slowly focus again, because of her voice.
“What do you want to know?”
Because of the emotional impact, Armand looked even worse mentally. Evelia felt bad for making him recall those memories, but she also felt, if she didn’t ask today, she might never have the chance again.
She... she really wanted to become someone important to Mr. Armand too...
“…About that friend of yours… I want to know.”
“Ah… that kid…”
Armand shook his foggy head and tried his best to stay awake.
“Is it because we both came from the House of Nightingales…? If you’re curious, it makes sense.”
In Armand’s eyes, it wasn’t strange for Evelia to be interested in that part of his past.
After all, they both came from the House of Nightingales. Because of different events, they walked different paths, so it was only natural to want to understand what happened back then.
“At that time… I was still in my teens, I think. I can’t remember the exact age. That kid was much younger than me… He looked small and weak too.”
Armand tried to recall those moments, digging through the fragments in his feverish mind.
“Yeah… he was a tiny guy, so he often got bullied. Honestly, I feel ashamed about it. At first, I didn’t want to care about anyone there… Sorry, I probably wasn’t a very nice person back then.”
“Ah… I think I’ve met that version of Mr. Armand not too long ago.”
When she said that, Evelia finally understood why the Armand she met before had seemed so hard to talk to.
She used to think he was just cold and difficult, but now she realized the truth. That version of him had come from the House of Nightingales, just like her. They had been “trained” into that same cold, detached state.
That Armand who didn’t care about anything… was exactly how he had been during his time at the House of Nightingales.
Or maybe just after he escaped. After running away from that place, for some reason, he joined the Knights.
Just like Evelia before, that Armand was trying hard to learn how normal people think and feel.
…No wonder Mr. Carle said Armand used to have a strange temper...
Now it all made sense.
So if we think in reverse, maybe Armand saw through her right away because of this?
Because the way she acted when they first met was just like how he used to be.
That version of Armand must have seen her like a mirror.