Chapter 370.1: My Birthday (Part 1)
“Haha, Carle really is like that. He always looks cold on the outside, but in truth, he’s easy to get along with.”
That night, after Armand came home from work, Evelia told him about Carle’s attitude toward her. Armand responded with a laugh, the kind of laugh of someone who knew his old friend very well.
“And Mr. Carle…”
“You don’t need to be nervous. Just be yourself.”
Armand sat comfortably on the floor mat, warming himself by the fireplace, holding a cup of warm water in his hands. He had wanted to drink a cup of coffee, but it was already too late. Evelia hadn’t prepared coffee for him.
She had planned to give him milk instead, but Armand didn’t drink it. Instead, he chose the cup of plain hot water Evelia had made for herself.
“Mm, I’m really happy I’ve earned everyone’s trust.”
Evelia leaned against Armand. They shared a single blanket, the soft fabric wrapping around them and pulling them even closer together.
“You earned their trust because you worked for it. Taking that step forward, choosing to slowly walk out from the Second Prince’s shadow… that wasn’t easy.”
Because he had been through it himself, Armand could say these words. He had long forgotten exactly how he had stepped out of his own darkness. It felt like only when he realized he was poisoned and near death that he finally became truly at ease.
He certainly didn’t want Evelia to go through the same thing. He didn’t want her to only find peace because she was close to dying. If possible, he wanted her to simply rely on the guidance and support of those around her.
“Mr. Armand, I suddenly thought of something. The birthday you have now… is it really your real birthday?”
In quiet moments like this, Evelia would let her mind wander to peaceful thoughts instead of conflict. Tonight, her thoughts fell on Armand’s birthday.
Winter always made Armand’s old illness flare up. Yet, by coincidence, he was a child born in winter.
“More or less.”
Armand leaned a little against her in return, rubbing his chin lightly on the top of her head, like someone doting on the cutest kitten in its bed.
“My birthday as Aegmed is actually at the end of the month after the New Year. So I usually celebrate it together with the New Year.
“You could say this time of year is fine, because I’ve always been like this. Whether I’m Armand or Aegmed, my birthday is around now.”
“I see…” Evelia hummed softly, enjoying the warmth of him rubbing her head. Her voice sounded gentle and soft.
“But Mr. Armand, when is my birthday? I want to have a birthday too… like you, sharing it with everyone…”
Evelia mumbled, speaking out her small dream about having a birthday.
Since the beginning of her memory, she had never been connected to birthdays. She couldn’t remember if she had one as a child, just like she couldn’t remember celebrating the New Year.
She had no memories of any holiday, any celebration. She was like a poor child who had never had a single festive day in her life.
When her memories truly began, she was already in the House of Nightingales.
Maybe the suffering there made her memories of that time even sharper. Her first clear memory was being taken into the House of Nightingales.
Later, she was ordered to forget her past, to forget the helplessness and misery of that time, and to become Evelia, the one beside Armand.
She had been obedient, so she really tried hard to forget those things. Even her old name had faded into a blur.
The only thing she could never forget… was Aegmed or Armand. No matter how hard she tried to forget, she always remembered the promise he broke back then.
“Eve’s birthday, huh…”
Armand set the cup of warm water aside and gently held Evelia’s palm between his fingers.
“If you don’t like the birthday you had as Furst… then I’ll selfishly decide on the day we first met.”
“The day we met…?”
“March 7th, early spring.”
Armand still remembered clearly the exact date of the day they first met.
Although at first he only remembered that day because he needed to observe Evelia, to note down her schedule and actions, he never expected that the date he casually recorded back then would later become such a special day.
“You even remember something like that…”
Although Armand’s condition was much better now and he no longer had sudden memory lapses, the poison in his body had never been completely cleared. Even now, there were still occasional moments where his mind would blank out. While it didn’t last long, it was like a lingering old sickness. He couldn’t clearly remember things that were too distant or unimportant.
Yet he always remembered the day they met, even the exact second their eyes met.
Among the group of maids, the pink-haired girl had stood out so much that Armand couldn’t help but glance at her twice.
“Of course I remember. I’ll always remember. I’ll celebrate your birthday for you every year. You might not believe it, but I even learned how to bake cakes from Carle. I can make you a birthday cake that looks, smells, and tastes perfect. Do you want it with ketchup flavor?”
“Of course.”
Even knowing Armand was joking, Evelia still felt happy.
She was happy that Armand remembered the day they first met, happy that he remembered the moment of their meeting, and happy that from now on, she would have a birthday, and a lover who would celebrate it with her.
The warmth of the fireplace spread through her body, and her heart felt just as warm.
Evelia leaned into Armand’s arms, listening to the pounding of both their hearts.
Maybe it was because of that sound that she suddenly thought of how she felt when White Dove almost exposed her earlier.
She cherished this brief moment of peace. She didn’t want the day everything collapsed to ever arrive.
She held Armand’s hand in return, lightly scratching his palm with her fingers.
“Mr. Armand…”
She didn’t want to leave him. The closer she was, the less she wanted to be apart. She wanted to keep him by her side forever.
If only I were braver.
If she were just a little braver, a little stronger, she could solve everything, make everyone who tried to stand between her and Armand disappear.
She wished so badly that she could do that…