6.3

Soon, five horses departed from the mansion. Larisa, riding lightly atop her horse, looked freer than she had in a long time. Feeling the wind brush against her face, she smiled.

The lakeside in late spring was vibrant with fresh greenery, a beautiful sight to behold. Larisa dismounted and walked along the lakeshore at a leisurely pace, even enjoying a relaxed conversation with Bailey for the first time in a while.

“Madam, please sit over here.”

Bailey had prepared an assortment of snacks and spread them out on a large cloth. The sheer amount of food startled Larisa.

“What’s with all this food?”

“Well, since the knights were coming along, I asked for extra to be packed.”

At this, Larisa gestured toward the knights standing at a distance. When she called them over, they quickly approached.

“What is it, Madam?”

“Sit down and eat with us.”

“Oh, no, Madam. We couldn’t possibly…”

“My maid brought enough for all of you, so don’t refuse and sit down. There’s plenty of space, isn’t there?”

Encouraged by Larisa, the knights hesitated before cautiously sitting in a group to one side. They accepted the sandwiches Bailey handed them, bowing awkwardly in thanks.

At first, their meal was quiet, but it soon became lively. This was thanks to one particularly sociable knight.

“…So, among ourselves, we used to wonder, ‘Will the Duke ever get married?’ We were genuinely worried.”

“Exactly. And then we heard that the Duke was courting you, Madam, and we thought, ‘Finally!’ We had assumed he’d remain single forever…”

“Well, even after that, there was that brief… Ow! Hey, why’d you jab me?!”

The knights, who had initially seemed stern and formal, relaxed as they ate and drank, and their conversation flowed more freely. They began sharing stories about Pavel that Larisa had never known.

They spoke of his hidden kindness, like how he looked after knights facing hardships, or his peculiar habit of tapping his sword’s scabbard twice before entering the training grounds. They mentioned how he would press his lips tightly together to suppress a smile when he was in a good mood.

Listening to these stories about sides of Pavel she didn’t know, Larisa felt a strange warmth in her heart. At the same time, waves of regret and sadness washed over her.

Pavel, who once couldn’t hide his love for her, now treated her like a toy. There were no more warm gazes or tender words.

Others, even the staff and knights of the ducal estate, seemed strangely oblivious to Pavel’s behavior.

To outsiders, their relationship might have appeared as nothing more than a passionate honeymoon phase. It was fortunate they weren’t being criticized for being overly affectionate in public. Although, in truth, there was no affection at all…

Still, hearing stories about Pavel was enjoyable, and spending time laughing with others after so long felt refreshing. For the first time since her wedding, a faint brightness returned to Larisa’s face.

“Did you know, Madam? The Duke has been trying so hard to finish his work early and come home these days.”

“Has he? I hadn’t noticed…”

“He’s not someone who used to stay at the estate much. In fact, he used to spend more time away.”

“Is that so…”

Larisa couldn’t make sense of Pavel’s intentions. His actions were full of contradictions. If he hated and resented her, wouldn’t he avoid seeing her altogether? Yet, he made efforts to return home early and stay longer.

And then there was his habit of seeking her out at random times, teasing her mercilessly. He would play with her body as he pleased but never take things to completion.

What puzzled her even more was the dissatisfied, almost pained expression he wore when he was with her. If his goal was to torment her, shouldn’t he at least look pleased with himself?

“…Shall we head back now?”

Feeling suddenly heavy-hearted, Larisa rose to her feet. Bailey and the knights followed suit. While Bailey and one of the knights packed up, Larisa took a moment to stroll along the lakeshore. The gentle ripples of the water sparkled beautifully under the sunlight.

Will there ever come a day when I can stand here, side by side with you, and enjoy this view together?

Is it too much to hope for such a future?

Suddenly, she recalled Pavel’s face from the past, smiling warmly as he looked at her. She could almost hear his voice, calling her name softly, “Larisa.”

What would it take to bring that Pavel back? What could I do? Larisa had no answers.

* * *

They had spent more time at the lakeside than expected, and by the time they rode back, quite a bit of time had passed.

As Larisa entered through the mansion gates, she turned to the knights who had accompanied her and smiled.

“Thank you for ensuring I returned safely.”

“What do you mean, Madam? It was an honor to escort you.”

“Please let us know anytime you need us again. We’ll gladly serve you.”

The knights burst into laughter, their voices ringing loud, while Larisa smiled comfortably and nodded. The horses they rode passed through the central garden and headed straight for the mansion’s front entrance.

However, someone was standing at the entrance. Soon, Larisa realized who it was, and the smile on her face slowly faded.

At the entrance stood Pavel, his face clouded with a particularly foul mood. With his arms crossed, he leaned slightly to one side, staring at Larisa and the knights trailing behind her. For some reason, Larisa’s mouth went dry. Seeing his face, she was suddenly overcome with worry—no, fear.

As the horses came to a halt, one of the knights quickly dismounted and approached to assist Larisa in getting down from her horse.

“Step back.”

Pavel’s voice was sharp. The knight flinched and immediately retreated. Pavel walked up to Larisa’s side and extended a hand to her. Larisa hesitated briefly, unsure if she should take it. Seeing this, Pavel’s brow furrowed.

Startled, Larisa quickly took his hand, and Pavel helped her off the horse with ease.

With one arm wrapped around Larisa’s waist and the other holding the reins, Pavel handed the reins over to the knight who had retreated earlier. The tense atmosphere created by their visibly displeased master left not only the knights and Bailey but even Larisa feeling on edge.

Looking down at Larisa, Pavel spoke.

“Let’s go upstairs for a little talk.”

“Yes, alright…”

Larisa couldn’t bring herself to refuse and followed him into the mansion. The butler, who had come out to welcome Larisa back, paused awkwardly upon seeing them.

“Make sure no one comes to the third floor.”

“Pardon? Yes, understood.”

The butler bowed his head in response to Pavel’s command. The third floor was the living quarters of the ducal couple. Hearing that no one was to come there, Larisa had a sinking feeling about what Pavel might intend to do. Instinctively, she shrank back, only for Pavel to lean in and whisper close to her ear.

“Why are you so scared? Am I that frightening?”

Instead of answering, Larisa shook her head. In truth, she was a little scared. He looked angry, and she couldn’t begin to guess what he might demand from her. But admitting her fear outright was out of the question. If she did, he might become even angrier…

As they climbed to the third floor, Larisa’s legs trembled. Perhaps noticing her slight shaking, Pavel let out a low chuckle above her head.

The two walked in silence until they reached the ducal couple’s bedroom. As soon as they entered, Pavel locked the door behind them. Larisa hesitated, standing several steps away from him. Pavel’s voice, sharp and cutting, broke the silence.

“Am I really that terrifying? What have I done to you?”

“…”

When Larisa couldn’t answer, Pavel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Seeing the twisted expression on his face, Larisa felt a surge of sadness. She hadn’t seen him smile—not even once. Thinking of how she had longed for the old Pavel while walking by the lake earlier made her feel all the more wretched.

Tears welled up in her eyes almost immediately. When the first tear dropped, Pavel’s temper finally snapped.

“Do you hate me that much?”

“What are you even saying?”

“You were laughing just fine with those bastards earlier. Does my face repulse you that much? Enough to make you cry?”

For a moment, Larisa couldn’t understand what he was saying. Then, realizing who he meant by “those bastards,” her face went pale, and she shook her head frantically.

“That’s not it. I just… I only went to the lakeside for a little while today, that’s all! I just enjoyed the walk, nothing more!”

“And how am I supposed to believe that?”

Pavel took a step toward her, and Larisa, startled by his intensity, instinctively stepped back. Seeing her retreat, Pavel’s face twisted even more menacingly.

Backing away and away, Larisa’s legs finally caught on something. With a small cry, she fell backward onto the soft bed. Before she could fully register her position, Pavel placed his arms on either side of her, effectively trapping her, and glared down at her.

“Did you enjoy it that much? Spending time with other men, away from me?”

“How could you say such a thing! I told you, that’s not what happened!”

“How unfortunate for you, then. Because now, you’re my wife, and you can no longer go to other men.”

“Pavel, why are you acting like this? Stop it, please!”

Pavel pushed Larisa down onto her back and climbed on top of her. With rough movements, he tore at her dress as if to rip it apart. Larisa tried with all her strength to push him away, but it was impossible to overcome the strength of a man as powerful as him.

The mint-colored dress she had happily chosen to wear that day was reduced to rags in an instant. Left with her bare chest fully exposed, Larisa gasped and wept.

“No, stop… don’t do this…”

“All you ever say to me is ‘no.’”

“Please, let me go.”

“If you hate me that much, how about this?”

Pavel grabbed a torn piece of her dress and tightly bound Larisa’s arms. Then, he took the end of the long fabric and tied it securely to the ornate decoration protruding from the headboard of the bed.