A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

Violet finally shifted her attention from Aldin and took in the surrounding scenery. The cool breeze and the scent of the sea mingled in the air. The simple yet beautiful view of the white and blue island brought back memories.

As Violet’s gaze moved away from Aldin, his eyes naturally lingered on her. Noticing this, she quickly grabbed his face with both hands, holding him in place.

“Again with this, you.”

Aldin’s expression tensed, knowing exactly what she was about to do. It wasn’t the first time, after all.

With a playful smile on her lips, Violet leaned in and kissed him.

The moment of shock quickly faded, and his large hands gently cradled her head and waist. A faint lilac scent floated around them, and Violet, setting her shyness aside, leaned into him even more.

As they shared their warmth and breath, time seemed to pass, and their eyes eventually met. Violet smiled, seeing the faint heat in his gaze as he looked at her. She lightly kissed the bridge of his nose, and the warmth in his eyes faded.

“Ducal Lady…!”

“…Violet.”

“Yeees, did you call for me?”

“If you keep doing this…”

Enjoying it while acting shy, are we? Violet kept the thought to herself, not voicing it aloud.

“We’ll be doing a lot more than this from now on, won’t we?”

If there was such a thing as a silent scream, this was it.

Violet laughed, watching Aldin turn red, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

Teasing him really is a lot of fun.

The gentle waves chased the wind, crashing against the rocks and sand before breaking apart. Just watching the sea seemed to have a calming effect, easing her mind.

Of course, there was still a subtle tension in the air, knowing they were newlyweds who had just finished their wedding ceremony.

Sitting in the shade, Violet occasionally stole glances at Aldin as he stared off, deep in thought. He wore an unreadable expression, focused intently on something. The tension was pleasant at first, but as time passed, Violet started to feel uneasy.

What could he be thinking about so deeply, sitting here in silence? We’re on our honeymoon, couldn’t he focus on me a little more?

As these thoughts filled her mind, Aldin finally spoke.

“…Violet.”

“Hm? What is it? Yees—?”

“Are you really not going to tell me?”

“…Tell you what?”

Aldin gazed at her intently.

Realizing what he was referring to, Violet let out a playful smile, feigning ignorance.

She hadn’t expected him to bring up that topic in this moment. He was asking her to finally tell him what had happened when she had run away.

“Isn’t it time you told me?”

“Hmm.”

“…Violet.”

“The sky is beautiful, isn’t it?”

His eyes, soft and pleading like a puppy’s, were fixed on her. Violet couldn’t meet his gaze.

It had been years since that happened. She had heard enough scolding about it already. Besides, she didn’t want to worry her lover—no, her husband—any further. Violet did her best to steer the conversation away.

Seeing her avoid the topic, Aldin narrowed his eyes for a moment.

Whether it was a matter of trust or a reflection of their feelings for each other, Aldin had thought that now, on the day they had become one, she might finally share the full story with him. His heart, which had settled down, began to stir once again.

Sensing his growing frustration, Violet leaned closer to him.

“Aldin.”

“…Yes?”

“You’re not planning to stay upset, are you?”

“I’m not upset.”

“Really?”

“Reeeally?”

“…Well.”

“We got married today, remember?”

“Ducal Lady…”

“Ducal Lady?”

“…

In the end, things played out exactly as expected. Why stir up unnecessary trouble? Violet smiled, finding her beloved’s reactions endearing and sweet.

No matter what, there were things she could share and things she couldn’t.

And so, Violet decided once again to bury the memories that had resurfaced.

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( APV has been fully translated~! )