Scarlet Crow Grand Sale — Buy One, Get One Free

The wind by the lake was a little cold, making Ellie subconsciously tug at the sleeve of her white long dress.

Dresses were just like this — they looked elegant and beautiful as they fluttered in the wind, but once the wind blew, all you felt was a chill sweeping up from below.

When Scarlet Crow became female back then, did she feel like this too?

But if it were her… she probably wouldn’t have cared.

After all, she was an assassin who had been trained to the point of losing even normal human emotions. She likely wouldn’t have cared about such things at the beginning.

Saying it out loud sounded a bit heartless… but that was simply the truth.

Fortunately—she had walked her own path.

…As long as their child doesn’t end up being named Eric…

Ellie gazed distantly toward the other side of the lake, as if looking at her unknown future.

As for Evelia, she rotated the handle of the parasol in her hand, the lace trim spinning once through the air.

“Your Highness the Princess, you’re always looking into the distance. Are you waiting for something?”

“……”

That single sentence was like a droplet falling naturally, creating ripples across the calm surface of the lake.

“I used to be from the same village as Mr. Agmad. Later, everyone in the village went off to war. Mr. Agmad and his parents were among them.

At that time, I was still young, and he was just a teenage boy. He told me to wait for him — to wait until his family returned triumphantly from the battlefield, and then he would come back to the village to take me away.”

Ellie withdrew her distant gaze and turned her head, listening to this story that was unfamiliar to her.

Yet, it also felt subtly similar.

In her world, Agmad had also once been a member of the Nightingale House, and had met Evelia, who was still a boy at the time, inside a cage.

Agmad had also once told Evelia that he would take him away from there, asking him to wait — just wait a little longer.

But in the end, he broke his promise.

He had accidentally fallen from a cliff, failing to take away Evelia, who had been hiding on the other side, waiting.

That was how Evelia came to believe that she had become “the one who was abandoned.”

And precisely because of this, after being captured once again, she despairingly submitted to Eric and became his “Scarlet Crow.”

But this time, it seemed—

“I waited and waited, until everyone in the village left in search of better opportunities. In the end, only my mother, my brother, and I remained.

Later, my mother fell ill and passed away, leaving just my brother and me to rely on each other.

But fortunately—Mr. Agmad came to take me away.

At that time, the way he was dressed looked like a prince from a fairy tale… no, more like a knight.

He rode a white horse and took me away from there, bringing me to the imperial capital.

Here, I met friends. I met Mr. Agmad’s kind old butler. I met his friend, Mr. Carle, and Mr. Carle’s younger sister, Anna…

And now, I have friends, and I also have a home.”

—This time, he did not break his promise.

He came back to find her, and took her away with him.

“……”

“I see.”

Ellie clasped her hands behind her back, tapped her toes lightly, and took a deep breath.

So this version of Evelia also had an older brother?

Hmm… that was probably a good thing.

In non-noble families, where there was no need to fight over inheritance, having siblings was something that allowed people to support each other.

“A very romantic story.”

A story unlike hers — even a story filled with happiness.

…

…I’m really jealous.

This time, Scarlet Crow had finally gotten what she wished for.

A real home — not the “Nightingale House.”

“Your Highness, the one who belongs to you — you will wait for them as well.”

An entire story, it seemed, existed just for that final line.

The parasol Evelia had been spinning came to a stop, as if the gears of fate, once disorderly, had begun to return to their proper track.

“……Mm. Alright. I’ll take that as a good omen.”

Ellie had probably never imagined that one day, she would be comforted by Evelia, and even envy the past that Evelia spoke of.

“If you’re willing, the people around me could also become your friends. They’re all very good people.

Miss Anna has outstanding design skills. If you ever need new dresses, you can go look for her.”

In a sense, this was actually an advertisement.

Evelia and Anna were still very good friends in this world. Most of the clothes Evelia wore were designed and tailored by Anna.

When Anna heard that the princess was looking for Evelia, she brought out her most suitable recent designs.

She also casually reminded Evelia—don’t forget to promote her in front of Her Highness.

If her designs were fortunate enough to catch the princess’s eye, then her business would finally take off.

For a girl who had given up inheriting family property to run a clothing shop, this was the fastest path to success.

If it worked, it would surely make her cousin look at her in a new light!

Evelia naturally did not disappoint, and truly delivered the advertisement — and in a very direct, face-to-face way.

As for Ellie, she of course heard the promotional intent behind it, and she also knew this Anna.

Lilianna — Carle’s distant cousin.

Yes, the younger sister of the person Solor had previously consulted.

Because this woman was connected to Carle, Ellie had paid attention to her in her previous life.

Her clothing designs did have a certain level of quality. If not for her ties to Carle back then, Ellie might really have sought cooperation with her in the clothing business.

However, this Anna was also a ruthless character.

She looked like a soft, adorable girl — short white hair as fluffy as cotton candy.

Yet who would have thought that when Ellie traced clues to her clothing shop in the past, she would directly throw a bomb?

She blew both Ellie’s spy and her own long-established clothing shop straight into the sky.

Though, thinking about it, Ellie herself was not much different.

After all, she had once blown her own father and the banquet hall roof into the air together — even producing a few extra fireworks compared to Anna’s incident.

Rustle, rustle.

Just as Ellie was smiling helplessly at these memories, a rustling sound suddenly reached her ears.

Such sounds were not rare. The wind was strong today, and a casual gust could easily make leaves and flowers rustle like this.

But Ellie’s many years of experience as the second prince told her that this was not a sound the wind could make.

“Who’s there?”

“……”

Following the direction of the sound, Ellie turned her head. Evelia beside her also turned, then said:

“Don’t worry. It’s not an outsider, Your Highness.”

A flash of red passed by, making Ellie freeze instinctively.

She had seen that silhouette countless times — it was a figure she was familiar with beyond measure.

“It’s my older brother, Firth.”

—Firth Talia.

That was the true name belonging to “Scarlet Crow.”

Short auburn hair and reddish-brown eyes, completely different from Evelia’s pink long hair and golden pupils.

This was the Scarlet Crow she remembered — clad in a dark red cloak, like a crimson reaper.

“Apologies, Your Highness, for disturbing you. Prince Solor asked me to come and check on the safety of you both.”

“……”

Ellie froze, staring at that familiar face.

She seemed even more shocked than when she had seen Evelia… no — perhaps equally shocked.

My Scarlet Crow… split into two…? 😧

No, Yarman… no, Agmad — it’s bad enough that you married my Scarlet Crow, but how do you still have two under your command? 😨

How do you get to take all the good things for yourself?! 😡