Chapter 386: Realization
“Hhh—haa…”
A deep breath. Her nose was filled with the smell of burning.
It was like struggling to find any trace of oxygen in suffocating ashes. Evelia coughed hard, trying to use what little fresh air there was to keep her mind working.
The explosion had been loud, and the shockwave was just as strong. It threw Evelia several meters away, and her head was still ringing from the blast.
“Cough—cough, cough—!”
She spat out dirt from her mouth and forced herself to get up from the ground.
“What is—”
“—Help!!!”
“—Everyone—!!”
The noise was overwhelming. People were screaming and running in panic in all directions.
The side door Armand had just gone through was the site of the explosion. With the fire spreading quickly, almost no one had run toward the back garden. Amid the chaos, Evelia stood there, staggering in the thick black smoke.
The back garden was full of flowers and trees, so the fire spread fast. While the flames crept outward, the sound of fireworks could still be heard, turning the scene into a twisted joke, with the crackle of celebration mixing into the screams.
“Mr. Armand—!”
Evelia stood up. The moment she saw Armand’s back disappear, she ran toward where he had gone without thinking.
The red cloak she had once worn as the Red Crow had some resistance to heat and fire. She tore open the tight skirt, cut the heels off her shoes, and threw the dark red cloak over her shoulders without hesitation.
“Are you insane—?!”
Just as she was about to charge into the wall of fire, someone’s voice shouted from behind, pulling her back.
“Lord Red Crow, what are you doing?!”
Turning around, Evelia saw the person in the firelight.
“Grey Dove?”
The young woman who had always shown an unhealthy obsession with her now stood right there. She wore her cloak but hadn’t yet put up her hood. Her face was full of worry for Evelia.
“Yes, it’s me. I’m honored you still remember me. It’s too dangerous here. You should go find White Dove and evacuate. Leave the rest to me.”
“What?” Evelia frowned. “What did you say? Evacuate? Armand is still in there!”
“Armand? The Knight Commander? That guy’s definitely been blown to pieces by now! Red Crow, your mission is done! The Knight Commander has been eliminated—you can go home now!”
“—?!”
Grey Dove’s words made Evelia’s heart seize painfully. The little clarity she had regained was swallowed again by the roaring in her head.
“What did you just say?”
“Haha, it’s fine, Red Crow. There’s nothing to worry about. We timed it perfectly. The Knight Commander’s definitely dead by now. Relax, your mission’s been completed perfectly.”
“Stop spouting lies—!”
Before Grey Dove could finish speaking, Evelia’s furious shout cut through her words.
“Don’t joke with me… Mr. Armand would never die like that!” Evelia shook off Grey Dove’s hand, her voice fierce. “I have to go find him…!”
—He still owed her countless promises, countless commitments. How could he just die so easily?!
“Lord Red Crow, you—”
Truthfully, Grey Dove had suspected Evelia for a long time.
Because of a few things White Dove had casually said, Grey Dove had begun to doubt this “god” in her heart.
Over time, she started to notice how Evelia had changed. Her behavior wasn’t the same as before, her sharp words were different, and… her emotions were different.
Yes… emotions.
On a certain cold day, when Armand was staying by Evelia’s side…
Hiding in a corner with her back against the cold wind, Grey Dove noticed Evelia was smiling.
Her idol, her “goddess,” the Red Crow she had always worshipped, someone she believed would never be influenced by “worldly emotions”, was smiling.
And just like that, she had shown that kind of expression so easily.
Grey Dove had grown up on the streets of the red-light district, so from a young age she could tell the difference between a fake, “for show” smile and a real, heartfelt smile.
What she saw on Evelia’s face that day was the latter. A smile that wasn’t obvious, but was genuine.
At first, Grey Dove thought Evelia’s bursts of anger back then were just small, unimportant episodes. But now, she realized she had to face a truth she didn’t want to accept.
Her “goddess” had developed a terrible, unacceptable emotion.
And, it seemed to be because of that disgusting Royal Knight Commander.
That man… had made Red Crow smile.
Smile with that kind of…
“Lord Red Crow, could it be… you like that Commander?”
…That kind of happy smile.
Grey Dove gripped Evelia’s arms tightly, squeezing so hard it felt like she might snap them.
Her dull, lifeless eyes locked onto Evelia as if the next second, she might tear apart this “fallen goddess” to prove her faith.
“Get off!”
Evelia yanked her hands free and, without a second’s hesitation, whipped a throwing knife straight at Grey Dove’s forehead.
Clang!
“Had enough?”
A sharp metallic sound rang out, the knife had been blocked by a large blue-and-gold shield that slammed into the ground in front of Grey Dove. Dust rose up as the heavy shield completely hid Grey Dove from view.
“...!”
Such a high-grade shield might be rare for ordinary people, but for Evelia, who had been in the House of Nightingale for so long, this wasn’t her first time seeing it.
“What a farce. Red Crow, ever since you took on a woman’s body, have you become as noisy as a woman too?”
A man’s deep voice came from behind the shield, and when it was moved aside, Grey Dove was no longer alone.
“Cyan Hawk, your timing is terrible.”
Grey Dove frowned at the man blocking her, her tone full of irritation, as if she really had been about to fight Evelia.
“I don’t need pointless casualties, Grey Dove. Focus your energy where it should be. This is His Highness’s order.”
“Tch…”
Using the Second Prince’s name was clearly effective. Hearing those words cooled much of Grey Dove’s impulsiveness. She took a deep breath, glancing at Evelia, who stood not far away with a dagger ready to strike.
“I understand, Lord Red Crow, it must be that man who tempted you… like the demon tempting the angel in those hymns. I’ll find his body, so you can finally sever that feeling completely!”
“You—!”
Evelia, furious, threw another dagger at her. But again—clang!—the blade was harmlessly deflected by the massive shield. In the flash of sparks from the impact, Grey Dove had already vanished.
Evelia turned to chase her, but before she could even move, a shadow loomed over her from behind. A heavy gust of wind from the force of a swing roared past her ears. She had no time to even look back, only enough to dodge sideways before the shield slammed down.
Boom!!!
The massive shield kicked up clouds of dust, sending dirt and flower petals flying in the air.
Cyan Hawk, holding the shield that was taller than himself, looked at the disheveled Evelia with a complicated expression.
“This is my advice, Red Crow, turn back before it’s too late.”