Chapter 355: Your Choice
“—No, Eve, I didn’t mean I was going off on my own, I just thought…”
“Mr. Armand.”
Evelia rarely interrupted Armand, but this time she did, like she could see right through his weak excuse.
“If you leave without telling anyone, your Eve will be very, very sad.”
Copying the dramatic lines she’d read in those romance novels, Evelia used that kind of language again.
“If something bad happens to you, or if you suddenly disappear, your wife Eve will cry every day, lose track of time, won’t be able to eat or sleep, and will be in so much pain she’d rather die.”
Evelia still spoke stiffly when saying these dramatic things, which reminded Armand of the three heart-shaped stone tiles she once slapped onto his face. Her tone still needed work, but her serious eyes made it clear, she wasn’t joking at all.
“...Ah.” Armand looked away awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable. “Ahem… I wasn’t saying I was leaving or anything… I was just thinking, maybe I should make arrangements for you all first…”
“So what? Once you’ve set everything up, you can do whatever you want without worrying? Did you even make any backup plan for yourself?”
Evelia said this while walking closer to Armand. She leaned over the bed until she was right in front of him, her shadow falling across his body, her presence so forceful that it almost felt like she would push him down.
If she had pushed him down, what came next probably wouldn’t have been a conversation. It would’ve turned into a different kind of activity entirely.
“I think maybe I should’ve let you lose your memory completely. Or better yet, forget everything. You weren’t meant to live carrying this much pressure, you’re already so tired, aren’t you?”
Evelia understood how Armand felt, because she felt the same way.
She used to think that she and Armand were from totally different worlds. He was so bright and cheerful, and she was so cold and heartless. She once believed nothing would ever happen between them unless it was required by a mission.
But here they were now.
Because this man, who seemed to live in a completely different world from her, could understand her heart. And now, Evelia was beginning to understand his.
“……”
Armand looked up at Evelia, whose presence filled the room, and froze for a second. Then, he let out a helpless smile.
“So… are you mad?”
He phrased it like a question, but it was actually a statement. From the way Evelia was acting, Armand could tell she was definitely angry.
Oddly enough, though, even though he should feel guilty or ashamed when Evelia was angry… instead, Armand felt strangely happy.
“Yeah… I guess I am a little mad.”
Evelia wasn’t sure what exactly this irritation in her heart was, but like Armand said, it was probably anger.
“But how can you still smile at a time like this?”
She thought this was supposed to be a serious moment. If this had been back when she was still the “Red Crow,” this kind of tension would’ve ended in bloodshed within a minute.
But Armand… he smiled. And judging from his expression, it was a sincere smile that came from the heart.
“Of course I smiled. Because I realized… someone still cares about me.”
That was Armand’s real feeling, no doubt about it.
Even though he’d worked hard to move on from the shadows of the House of Nightingales, deep inside, he still longed for Evelia’s love, just like her.
When he heard her words, instead of feeling guilty for worrying his wife by making decisions on his own, what really stood out to him was how much Evelia cared about him.
Being loved by someone who matters… you never get tired of hearing that.
It wasn’t the first time Armand felt Evelia’s concern for him, but hearing it now, during one of his lowest moments, made it feel even more precious, and brought a genuine smile to his face.
He wrapped his arm around Evelia’s waist, gently pulled her into his lap, then rested his chin against her chest, listening to her heartbeat and feeling her warmth.
“I didn’t come here just to cheer you up, Mr. Armand. Did you really understand what I said?”
His warm breath brushed across her chest, tickling a little, but Evelia was still focused on what he’d just said, worried that all of this was just a distraction.
“Of course I understood, Eve. You’re my wife. I know your concern and your love… I really do…”
His voice sounded a bit muffled to Evelia, and she could feel the breath against her chest grow heavier with every word he spoke.
“Then, Mr. Armand… do you love me too?”
Evelia took a deep breath and asked the question.
“Of course I do, Eve. How could I not love you...”
As Armand spoke, he kissed Evelia’s neck. It seemed like it had been a while since they had been this close, and Armand had been holding back for quite some time. Now that he finally had the chance, he let himself go a little, and even his voice sounded rushed.
“Do you love my body? Or my soul?”
“Huh?”
This sudden deep question caught Armand off guard. He looked at Evelia in confusion. He thought she was just saying something romantic in the heat of the moment, but then the topic suddenly turned serious.
“Of course, I love everything about you, Eve. No matter what part of you, I love it all.”
“Even if I used to be Furst?”
“Of course... actually, when I found out you were Furst, I was kind of happy.”
“Happy?” Evelia was puzzled. “Why were you happy? Do you have a strange preference—”
“No, no, no— I don’t know why you’re suddenly asking these things, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing wrong with my preferences.”
“Pretty sure?”
“Ah, sorry. I’m used to saying unclear things. I mean there’s definitely nothing wrong.”
“......”
For some reason, Evelia started thinking deeply again.
Even though Armand had completely accepted her before, Evelia still cared a bit.
After all, back then, just being with Armand already felt like “reaching too high” for her, so she always felt she had to work hard to please him. That made her worry even more about who she really was.
And after they reunited, Evelia became even more self-conscious.
The fact that she and Armand used to have that kind of relationship... Putting aside the past hatred between them, because they had agreed to deal with that after Armand fully recovered.
Still, did he really not mind? That someone who used to be like a “younger brother” to him had now become his wife?
Could it be that this body really is a huge bonus?
“Eve, stop overthinking it. I already said I love you no matter what. And you used to be my best friend, being able to marry my best friend… isn’t that something to be happy about?”
“I see... then, if I were a man, would you still marry me?”
“?”
Armand clearly looked confused.
“Um... marrying a man would be a bit difficult for me...”
“So, in the end, you still like my body more.”
“Huh? No, no, that’s not what I meant! What I mean is... whether it’s your soul or body, I love both…”
“Then why wouldn’t you marry me if I were a man?”
“Huh? But how could I marry a man...? Two guys... I... I don’t really understand that kind of thing...”
“But you just said you love my soul.”
“That’s true, but between men, it’s still kind of…”
“So you do love the body more.”
“No, really, I’m not that shallow…”
“Then, would you marry Luna if she turned into a beautiful girl?”
Yep, she still hadn’t forgotten her number one love rival.
“Huh? What does Luna have to do with this? Isn’t she a horse?”
Clearly, Armand was now completely lost in Evelia’s strange way of thinking. Just a moment ago, he wanted to have a bit of a romantic moment with her, but now, after all these questions, his desire had cooled down quite a bit.
“But what if she did become a beautiful girl? Hmm...”
At this point, Evelia paused for a moment.
She suddenly remembered a romance novel she read before, and a classic “eternal question” that showed up in it.
“Mr. Armand.”
She looked at him very seriously, like she was about to ask something really important.
“...Uh, yes? Go ahead.”
Armand was clearly startled by her serious look, and his expression became a bit more serious too.
“If Luna and I both fell into a river… who would you save?”
“—What kind of ridiculous question is that?!”