3.7

The memory of when the carriage stopped or how they got out and made their way to the room was hazy. When she came to her senses, Larisa found herself lying on an unfamiliar bed, wearing nothing but garter belts and stockings.  

Pavel, who was on top of her, moving fervently within her, was also stripped bare. His sweat-drenched hair clung to his forehead as he pushed it back, lifting Larisa’s legs onto his shoulders.  

He bit down lightly on her stocking-covered calves before grabbing his still-engorged member with one hand and aligning it with her entrance.  

As the heavy sensation of his girth pushed into her once more, Larisa gasped, her mouth opening but unable to form a sound. Though she had taken him inside her countless times before—and even tonight, she had lost count of how many times—it still felt overwhelming.  

Unbeknownst to her, tears had welled up in her eyes and were now streaming down her cheeks. Pavel licked away her tears with his tongue before leaning forward, folding her body nearly in half. This new angle allowed him to penetrate her even deeper.  

“Pa…Pavel, it’s too… too much, ugh, so deep…”  

“You’re so warm, so tight… I can feel you squeezing me so desperately.”  

“Ugh, ah… I feel like I’m going to die, ah…”  

At her words, Pavel chuckled softly, pressing kisses to various parts of her face. Before she could ask what that laughter meant, her body was once again rocked uncontrollably.  

The sensation of him reaching so deep it felt like he was striking her throat left Larisa’s mind completely blank. Pavel, holding her tightly as if she might shatter, thrust deeply again and again, murmuring in a voice filled with ecstasy.  

“I want to stay like this forever. Larisa, Larisa…”  

Pavel.

She muttered and clung to the only anchor she could find, surrendering herself to the storm that tossed her body wildly.  

Wave after wave crashed over her until, at last, Pavel let out a strained groan, his body stiffening. She felt the twitching of his length inside her, the unmistakable motion of him releasing his seed as deeply as he could.  

Holding her breath, Larisa felt every small movement he made—the way his temple pressed against hers, his arms trembling as they embraced her, and the slight jerks of his hips as if he couldn’t hold back.  

Even after finishing, Pavel made no move to withdraw himself. It wasn’t until Larisa, feeling crushed under his weight, patted his back with her palms that he reluctantly pulled back.  

The sensation of his still-thick member sliding out of her left a faint ache. As she shifted slightly, the warm liquid he had left inside her began to trickle out, tickling her skin.  

“…I’m exhausted.”  

“Are you very tired?”  

“I want some water…”  

Pavel helped her sit up, propping several pillows behind her back before fetching a glass of water. When her trembling hands struggled to grip the cup, Pavel brought it to her lips himself.  

His clumsy attempt at tending to her—something he had likely never done for anyone before—caused some water to spill, dripping down her chin and onto her chest.  

Whatever came over him, Pavel immediately set the cup aside and leaned down, licking the water from her skin. It was no surprise when his tongue found her n*pples, licking and gently biting at them before sucking on them.  

“Ahh, no! Wait just a little longer, ah…”  

“Just let me have a taste.”  

“Ah, no, don’t bite, ahh!”  

By the time Larisa regained her senses, her n*pples and areolas had turned red from his attentions. But even that didn’t seem to satisfy him. When he buried his face between her legs, Larisa panicked, kicking at his shoulders with her heels.  

“No, ah! Please, Pavel, ahhh!”  

“Just a little more, just a little…”

Larisa had to endure Pavel’s relentless attentions for quite some time after that. In the bed, in the bathroom where he carried her under the pretense of washing her, and then once again back on the bed they had barely returned to.  

Eventually, Larisa passed out, unable to take any more.  

* * *  

Lying beside the completely unconscious Larisa, Pavel gazed at her with a satisfied expression.  

His hand gently brushed back the strands of Larisa’s hair that had fallen across her face. Such a touch wasn’t enough to wake her. She had been through far too much.  

He couldn’t even count how many times they had been together since leaving the banquet hall. To be honest, Pavel himself felt an odd emptiness in his lower abdomen, so it was no wonder that the fragile Larisa was utterly spent.  

In fact, it was because Larisa had fainted that he had stopped. Continuing to indulge in her, when she lay there with sweat-drenched hair and their mingled fluids marking her body, would have been too much. So, he had cleaned her up and let her rest.  

“…Larisa.”  

He called her name softly, his voice dreamlike.  

When he had first proposed a fake relationship to Larisa, only for it to turn into something real, it had felt like a dream. No, even now, it still didn’t feel real.  

Perhaps that’s why he had done whatever she asked of him. Even if it was something embarrassing. Even if it was something he had never imagined doing.  

But did he hate it? If asked, the answer would be no.  

Anything Larisa asked of him was fine. The mere fact that she wanted something from him was enough to make him happy.  

So it didn’t matter what she asked him to do. Whether it was undressing him, having him serve her, licking her feet, or even pleasuring himself in front of her—it was all fine.  

Yet, there was still a part of him that felt unfulfilled. Pavel was well aware that his feelings for Larisa were far deeper than hers for him.  

To some extent, he had resigned himself to it. He had reminded himself countless times that one day, Larisa might leave his side.  

But, Larisa…  

“I want you to like me.”  

In a voice so soft it was almost inaudible, he had pleaded with her.  

Larisa, who got angry when he talked to other women, or even smiled at them.  

Wasn’t that jealousy?  

For Larisa to show such feelings… Could it mean she truly liked him?  

His heart pounded in his chest. Not even facing an opponent with a drawn sword had ever made his heart race like this.  

Lowering the arm that had been supporting his head, Pavel rested his head on the pillow. Lying face-to-face with Larisa, he traced her features with his gaze.  

Then, carefully, he reached out and enclosed her small hand within both of his.  

He wanted to stay like this, together, forever. With that thought, Pavel closed his eyes.

* * *  

Larisa woke as the light outside the window began to grow faintly brighter. Sensitive to light as she was, the rays slipping through the improperly drawn curtains had quickly roused her.  

The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes, unsurprisingly, was the face of the man sleeping soundly beside her.  

An impossibly beautiful man, his face serene and childlike in slumber, held her hand tightly in his.  

“What is this…?”  

Larisa, who had been trying to pull her hand away, soon gave up on the thought. The warmth of Pavel’s large hands gently holding hers felt somewhat endearing.  

She didn’t know exactly when she had fallen asleep, but judging by how clean and refreshed her body felt, Pavel must have wiped her down. The oversized shirt she was wearing was likely his.  

Larisa was reflecting on her actions—or perhaps her foolishness—from the previous night.  

Was it really that unbearable to see him interacting with another woman? Of course, they were in a relationship, but when had Larisa ever cared about such things before?  

Yet, no matter how much she thought about it, the feeling of irritation lingered.  

And the unfamiliarity of being so upset, of being so unsettled…  

Larisa realized what she had felt. It was jealousy. She wanted him to love her and her alone, to look only at her and desire only her. She thought that his smiles should belong exclusively to her, Larisa Lochrain.  

Me? Jealous? 

Larisa tried to scoff at herself, but somehow, looking at the sleeping Pavel, she couldn’t bring herself to do so.  

That dark, unpleasant emotion she had felt was undeniable.  

Perhaps that was why Pavel’s whispered words from the night before felt so sweet.  

‘Larisa.’  

‘I want to stay like this forever.’  

‘I’m the only one who gets to hold you like this, right?’  

The fact that he could say such things…  

For some reason, her cheeks grew warm.  

Would it be okay to just continue like this? 

Of course, if someone were to ask her if she loved him, she wouldn’t be able to answer confidently. Pavel had said he had liked her for a long time, but Larisa…  

Still, she didn’t dislike the affection he gave her, that warm and unwavering devotion. 

Had I secretly been yearning for something like that? 

Larisa was surprised to find herself enjoying this moment—lying beside him in an unfamiliar room.  

And she was startled by how unfamiliar her own feelings were.  

‘What if it all fades away?’  

A voice within her whispered, and Larisa flinched.  

‘There’s no such thing as love without expectations. Everyone wants something from you, don’t they?’  

Even parents were like that.  

Larisa’s shoulders stiffened, and her eyes wavered. Carefully, she withdrew her hand from Pavel’s grasp. He seemed to be in a deep sleep and didn’t wake.  

But still, what if he was different? What if this man really was different? He had said he had liked me for so long…  

As soon as she entertained the thought, the voice in her head mocked her.  

‘How long are you going to stay naive like a child?’  

‘There’s no such thing as ‘just because’ in this world.’  

‘That man will leave you soon enough.’  

‘Just like your parents did.’  

Larisa shut her eyes tightly. Love? She knew better than to believe in such things. Why did she keep hoping? This man was someone she had decided to simply enjoy.  

Pavel would one day meet a woman who benefited him and announce his intention to marry her. That was how love and unions worked among nobles.  

Don’t expect anything. Don’t trust anyone…  

Muttering to herself, Larisa turned her back to him. Then, she closed her eyes.