A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

Chapter epilogue%206

And over the course of that year, everything imaginable happened.

“……”

In other words, this wedding night wasn’t truly their first time.

Their eyes, a different shade of the same color, intertwined.

Though the moonlight was bright, the room was dark, and they could only just make out each other’s shapes. Perhaps that was why their sense of hearing became especially heightened, with every small breath between them sounding vivid.

This wasn’t their first time, and yet…

“…Violet.”

Part of the reason Aldin had avoided Violet in the past wasn’t just the war, but also because of the note she had accidentally dropped.

He had been terrified—unsure if he was worthy of accepting her love.

A cautious touch followed. Unlike the tense Violet, Aldin’s hands, slipping under the fabric, moved without hesitation.

Even as he took care not to graze her skin too roughly, there was no doubt in his movements.

The fleeting touches on her skin made Violet feel ticklish. When she flinched, Aldin paused and gently stroked her cheek.

He gave her a brief kiss, a silent encouragement to relax.

Their breaths mingled, and under their half-unbuttoned clothes, their skin touched, sparking a deeper, undeniable desire.

Violet thought to herself that there was no need to feel nervous anymore.

So, she decided to give her lovely beloved all of her nights.

* * *

The night of passion continued. At first, they tried to match each other’s pace, but soon they were swept up in the moment.

From the start, their stamina was uneven. As much as painting for hours was tiring for her, how could it compare to the endurance of a knight? Especially a skilled, rising knight as Aldin.

What began with Aldin’s gentle consideration quickly turned into him doing as he pleased.

She didn’t dislike it, but stamina was still an issue. After so many times, her voice was hoarse, and her body, melted into exhaustion, couldn’t even muster the strength to lift a finger. Only the glimmering sunlight hinted that morning had arrived.

‘I should have asked him to close the curtains…’

Too tired to even speak, Violet tried to lift herself but collapsed back down. At some point, the solid warmth beside her had vanished.

“…Are you awake?”

Aldin, looking completely fine despite the night they had shared, approached her fully dressed and composed. Violet barely managed to turn her head to look at him.

“Ah.”

He quickly understood what she wanted and immediately closed the curtains to block the sunlight.

Having stayed up almost all night, the signs of sleep deprivation were clear on Violet’s face. Aldin placed some freshly sliced fruit on the bedside table and sat down next to her.

“…Aldin.”

Her voice came out hoarse, and with a pout, she buried her face in the pillow.

“I’ll get you some water right away.”

Since they had wanted some time alone, there were no servants in the villa. They would return eventually, but for now, there was no one else, so Aldin had taken it upon himself to tend to Violet’s needs.

It was only natural—he seemed to think, considering he was the one who had put her in this state.

Still feeling as limp as a feather, Violet propped herself up and took a piece of fruit to eat.

Surprisingly, she was still in a clean state, a chemise properly worn.

At some point, she must have passed out, and it seemed Aldin had taken it upon himself to wash her and dress her.

Imagining Aldin awkwardly doing this alone, Violet let out a small, amused chuckle and briefly wondered if she should feel embarrassed.

It was a happy dilemma.

As Aldin returned with water, Violet asked him a question.

“Why don’t you come here and lie down for a bit?”

“……?”

Though he didn’t understand the reason behind her request, Aldin obediently followed Violet’s words.

As soon as he lay down next to her, Violet quickly embraced him.

“W-Wait a second…”

Even with just a brief touch as her hand swept over his body, the young man, still in his prime, reacted almost immediately.

“We overdid it yesterday, so if we start this early… I mean, I don’t mind, but for you, Violet…”

Fumbling with his words as his hand wandered, Aldin suddenly froze, realizing where her hand had settled—on one of his scars.

“……”

“It must have hurt, right?”

“…It was nothing.”

“Really?”

“I almost died, but…”

“……”

“It’s fine. Really.”

The simple phrase it’s fine carried so much unspoken meaning. Violet gazed at him for a moment before burying herself deeply into his chest.

“Aldin.”

“Yes.”

“Aldin.”

“Yes.”

“Aldin?”

“…Yes.”

It was nothing but idle calling and answering. Aldin responded each time Violet called his name. With her arms wrapped around him, Violet lifted her head slightly to look into his eyes.

“What were you planning to do if I hadn’t caught you back then?”

It was a question unfit for a new bride—referencing the time when he kept avoiding her.

Aldin’s muscles tensed immediately. Violet’s gaze remained steady, her expression unchanged.

“…I don’t know.”

“You even took on ‘Stella’ as your surname.”

“……”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t have regretted it if I would no longer be by your side?”

“……”

Violet’s quiet voice filled the room, softened by the gentle sunlight peeking through the curtains.

Staring at her for a moment, Aldin finally pulled her into a tight embrace.

“…I probably would’ve regretted it for the rest of my life, but I wouldn’t have admitted it.”

“What does that even mean, regretting but not admitting it?”

“……”

“See, now you’re silent again.”

“Violet, you avoid answering uncomfortable questions too.”

“Hmm. Maybe we should just sleep for today then…”

At Violet’s teasing tone, Aldin straightened up, positioning himself to gently trap her in his arms, a move both tender and bold.

Realizing his intent, Violet smiled with her eyes.

“But I’m tired.”

“…I’ll—”

“—Yes, you’ll take care of everything, and I just have to stay still, right?”

“…That’s not exactly what I said.”

“You don’t have to say it for me to know. Well then, shall we enjoy today one last time?”

Violet wrapped her arms around Aldin’s shoulders, laughing softly.

As husband and wife, there were many issues the two of them would need to resolve in the future, but for now, they decided to fully savor the happiness that this day had brought them.

―A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady, epilogue end.

<small>t/n: it’s actually the end this time ;;-;; what a journey! i’m still sort of in denial that it’s really over… this project has been a delight to have worked on, and it has truly been a pleasure to watch over violet’s story and growth as a person.</small>

<small>i was hoping that we’d see more of violet and aldin in these last few chapters, but… author-nim why did you stop thereeeee</small>

<small>let’s not hold our breaths, but maybe—and this is a big M a y b e !—there would be more side stories to follow? i’ll continue to check the novel’s page on kkp from time to time, and if more chapters are released, you guys will be the first to know over here <3</small>

<small>thank you so much for sticking with apv until the very end!! this project’s completion would not have been possible without your support!</small>

<small>as for the patreon page, it will still continue with the second novel i’ve picked up here at PD, titled, ‘In Refuge, There Was Paradise’! i’m really excited about this one! you can check it out over here: /rwp/</small>

Want to support this website and read a total of up to [40] chapters ahead for APV & RWP?

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( APV has been fully translated~! )