Chapter 412: The Gap in the Door
After the incident at Saint Fleurs Monastery, the anger of the people only grew stronger.
Blue Sparrow became known to everyone as a murderer. Although the monastery intentionally protected her, since what she did was to protect the children, she had killed so many people in full view of the public, so she could not escape being hunted.
Cyan Hawk went to find her that day because, under the name of the Royal Knights, he had to arrest her.
Blue Sparrow knew there was no point in running, so she let Cyan Hawk complete his duty. After chatting with him for a while in the monastery, she followed him to the underground prison of the Knights.
Perhaps on purpose, they had chosen a cell that was in relatively better condition. The place where she was locked up was not so dark or damp.
If she thought about it carefully, it might have even been better than the House of Nightingales.
“I knew you would be like this. Looks like I was right to leave you in the monastery back then.”
Unexpectedly, the Second Prince came here in person.
He came completely alone, no guards, no weapons. Just walked straight into the cell of the “ferocious executioner” and opened the iron gate to speak face-to-face with Blue Sparrow.
“Thank you for trusting me, Your Highness.”
Blue Sparrow might not have known exactly what the Second Prince thought was right or wrong, nor what part she played in his plan, but she still lowered her head and thanked him for his trust.
“You think this is trust?”
Her answer seemed unexpected. The Second Prince showed a faint, subtle smile and leaned his back against the iron bars behind him.
With his slightly menacing eyepatch, casual clothes, and relaxed posture, he looked nothing like a prince anymore, completely different from the strict and proper image he had before.
“Of course. I believe every step you take, Your Highness, has meaning. Just like the god always says, follow your heart.”
“…?”
Hearing this, the Second Prince raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not even going to ask me why?”
“What’s the point of knowing why now?”
“Haha.”
Her reply made the Second Prince laugh again.
He had always thought Blue Sparrow and Cyan Hawk were a boring pair, but somehow, the things they said and did always managed to make him laugh out loud.
“Sometimes, I really think Dove is like you. That way she acts, caring about nothing and no one, that’s something you taught her, right? Always just following her heart like a madwoman.”
“Madwoman, huh…” Blue Sparrow sat on the cold concrete floor, looked up at the Second Prince, and said, “You, me, everyone… aren’t we all mad?”
It was like she had just spoken the truth out loud. They looked at each other, and then both laughed.
After the old King’s death, the Second Prince had started living without restraint. He did seem a little unstable now, as if all the emotions he had suppressed for years were finally breaking out in these last days, making his moods unpredictable.
“Do you have any plans for the future?”
“Me?” Blue Sparrow blinked slightly, surprised. “You’re… not going to execute me?”
“There’s no need.”
The Second Prince only shrugged at that.
If it had been before, Blue Sparrow might really have been treated as a tool to be discarded after use, because back then, the Second Prince still had unfinished goals. But now… there was no need anymore.
Because most of what he wanted to do was already done.
To him, Blue Sparrow was now just someone whose presence or absence no longer mattered.
"Is that so."
Blue Sparrow nodded. Seeing that the Second Prince didn’t plan to explain anything, she didn’t ask further and simply returned to kneeling in prayer, though it was unclear who she was praying for.
The Second Prince also stayed silent in the cell for a long time, as if his thoughts had drifted far away. He looked a bit tired and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Have you ever seen Cyan Hawk begging someone?”
“?”
The sudden question made Blue Sparrow raise her head and glance at him.
“You really should see it.”
The Second Prince let out a silent yawn, stretched, and walked out of the cell. He didn’t even bother locking the iron door again, leaving a small gap for Blue Sparrow, who was still praying.
Blue Sparrow lowered her head in silence once more, clasping her hands together tightly and pressing them against her lips.
……………………………………
“Have you been resting well these past few days?”
Lightly pushing open the door that had been left with a small gap, Armand walked in carrying a cup of hot water for Evelia. Almost as if joking on purpose, he imitated the way Evelia used to bring him tea, taking small, careful steps to her side and elegantly offering her a cup of pure, additive-free boiled water. The gesture made Evelia, who had just gotten up from bed, slightly curl the corner of her lips.
Although Evelia had endured the torment of hallucinogens, she was now experiencing a kind of “aftershock.” Only when she finally allowed herself to rest did the full weight of her mental and physical exhaustion show.
According to Rachel’s design, an alchemic body like hers wasn’t easy to make sick. No fevers, no common illnesses, but mental fatigue couldn’t be avoided. Because of that, Evelia had stayed in bed for several days, only today truly feeling recovered.
“Yes, very well. Thank you, Mr. Armand.”
During this time, Armand had been taking care of her daily needs. Although he was busy keeping track of outside matters, he always made time to look after Evelia. The other “colleagues” at the base understood his feelings and didn’t want to disturb them, so things had gone much like before. Just as in the Knights, management here had once again fallen to Carle, who was supposed to be the deputy.
As expected, under Armand’s lead, Carle still couldn’t escape ending up in charge.
“And you?”
Evelia bent her knees, holding the warm cup in her hands, gently blowing at the rising steam.
“Me? Nothing much.”
“You must be very busy. Isn’t it tiring to come take care of me?”
“Not at all. Besides, isn’t Carle here too?”
When it came to making Carle handle things, Armand had no hesitation in saying it openly. After all, nearly everyone knew he liked passing tasks to Carle.
“Then… does that mean it’s almost over?”
Evelia looked into the cup of water, seeing her own reflection. She thought of how much she had gone through. It felt like a very long time, but in truth, it had only been about a year.
She had lived through countless “years” before, but only this one would be forever carved into her memory.
“Yes, it’s almost done. Don’t worry, I’ve already planned where we’ll go next.”
“…Alright.”
Finally… it’s almost over.
Evelia took a small sip of the hot water. The warm flow slid down her throat into her stomach, and soon her whole body felt warm.