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Chapter 40
“It’s too dangerous.”
Abalkin obsessively began isolating Bellakshina from every dangerous object around her—anything she might possibly use to attempt suicide.
A quill pen, the gas lamp, a letter opener, an ink bottle, hardcover books….
“You’re not allowed to touch anything.”
Once Abalkin’s imagination got involved, even the most ordinary household items transformed into horrifying weapons. As a result, Bellakshina was forcibly seated in a chair and tightly bound with a gold cord.
Why a gold cord?
Because the rope used to tie back the curtains happened to be gold.
What is this?
Bellakshina genuinely could not understand.
Yes, it was true that she had tried to run away from the wedding.
And yes, it was natural for Abalkin to be angry. She hadn’t expected to get spanked like a seven-year-old child—well, technically it had only happened once, so “spank” singular would be more accurate—but if it was punishment for what she had done, then at least the logic was understandable.
Locking her in the room was excessive, but she could still understand that too. She might try to run away again.
But why tie her up?
No matter how much she thought about it, this made absolutely no sense.
If he was going to lock the door anyway, shouldn’t she at least be free to move around inside?
Bellakshina cautiously voiced her confusion.
“You don’t really have to tie me up too, do you?”
But Abalkin didn’t answer.
Like a man possessed, he muttered, “This still isn’t enough,” then suddenly summoned servants and busied himself ordering every piece of furniture and every small object in the room removed.
Though it was supposedly the lady of the estate’s chamber, within moments nothing remained except the bed, the carpet, and the chair Bellakshina was sitting in.
“Just in case, I should block the fireplace too.”
“Wait! Wait a second! Not the fireplace!”
Bellakshina, who had been too dumbfounded to say anything until now, finally snapped back to her senses and protested. Everything else aside, the fireplace was unacceptable. It was freezing.
Abalkin frowned and asked,
“Why are you so fixated on the fireplace? Are you planning to escape through it? Or harm yourself with the fire? Or maybe swallow stones and choke—”
“Stop saying horrible things! I just don’t want to freeze to death without it!”
Abalkin stared at her suspiciously, carefully searching her eyes for any sign of deceit.
Naturally, all he found there was Bellakshina’s desperate desire to stay warm.
“Fine. The fireplace can stay. But while there’s a fire lit, you cannot be left alone.”
“You’re seriously going to monitor me too? Isn’t this a bit much? It’s not like I committed some unforgivable crime!”
“……”
Abalkin silently interrogated her with stern, uncompromising eyes.
If the phrase You know your own sins could be turned into a look, it would be the exact expression Abalkin wore now.
“I… really did do something terrible, huh.”
Before long, Bellakshina lowered her gaze.
For someone as proud as Bellakshina, it was an unusually humble attitude, and Abalkin seemed to calm down a little.
“Then I’ll see you again at dinner.”
Bellakshina jerked her head up.
“You’re leaving? You’re seriously just going to leave me like this?”
Abalkin nodded.
“I’m uneasy about it too… but bringing you to my office would attract too much attention, and I don’t like adding more unpredictable variables to the environment. Just stay like this for a few hours.”
What is he even talking about?
Bellakshina couldn’t hide her disbelief.
He had always been blunt and terrible with words, but at least they had understood each other before. Right now, Abalkin sounded like he was speaking a foreign language.
“No, I’m not asking to go to your office! Think about it. What if I need to use the bathroom?”
“…Hm. I hadn’t considered that.”
A chill ran down Bellakshina’s spine.
If she hadn’t brought it up now, this would have become a complete disaster.
“Just untie me. You’re locking the door anyway. I can’t go anywhere.”
“No. There are still too many dangerous things in this room.”
“There’s literally nothing left in here!”
Without speaking, Abalkin pointed at the window and the walls.
Bellakshina stared at him in disbelief.
“Those are just… there!”
“But you could throw yourself through the glass or smash your head against the wall.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Well. Probably for the same reason you jumped out of a moving carriage.”
Bellakshina fell silent.
Only then did she finally understand why Abalkin was acting like this.
This man thought she might try to kill herself.
“But I… don’t intend to do that anymore.”
Bellakshina spoke sincerely.
However, Abalkin only looked at her skeptically and replied coldly,
“And how am I supposed to believe that?”
“……!”
Bellakshina looked cornered.
Seeing the shocked expression on her face—as though her innermost thoughts had been exposed, as though he had struck directly at the truth—Abalkin became convinced that his suspicions were correct.
Growling low in his throat, he threatened,
“Whether you like it or not, you are going to marry me. I bought you from the beginning for that very purpose. You are my property, my slave. So until the wedding is over, don’t even think about dying on your own.”
Bellakshina clenched her skirt tightly to endure the humiliation.
How could he say such horrible things so casually?
Her eyes suddenly landed on the ring on her finger.
The ring made from unicorn horn—the one Abalkin had inherited from his mother—felt as though it were mocking her heart.
“…So after we’re married, it won’t matter if I die?”
“I never said that.”
Bellakshina laughed bitterly.
“Right. I almost forgot. You said I have to bear children too, didn’t you? Since that’s my ‘purpose.’ So you won’t allow me to die until then either.”
“Stop exaggerating. I never said anything like that.”
“Then am I wrong?”
Abalkin did not deny it.
Bellakshina desperately held back the tears threatening to spill over.
Her position had already fallen this low. She couldn’t afford to lose her pride too.
“Right. So that’s what I am to you. No—not even a person. Livestock. Something that mates with horses and gives birth.”
“How dare you say such a thing!”
Bellakshina’s insult toward his race finally shattered Abalkin’s self-control.
As though trying to return the pain she had received, Bellakshina spat back venomously,
“So what are you going to do about it? It’s not like you can kill me anyway!”
“Fine!”
At last, Abalkin exploded.
He could no longer contain his fury for even a second more, and destructive aura burst from him all at once like a water balloon exploding.
“If you’re truly so desperate to die, then fine. Do whatever you want. But until the wedding ceremony is over, I won’t allow it. You belong to me!”
“You’re trash!”
“You’re no better!”
The two glared at each other viciously, breathing hard as though there were no greater hatred left for either of them to feel.
Abalkin stormed out, leaving Bellakshina behind as though he couldn’t stand the sight of her anymore.
And, of course, he made sure to lock the door.
* * *
“You fought again?”
At Redek’s question, Abalkin nodded.
Though seated in his office, he was crushed beneath lingering anger, frustration, and self-loathing over having lost control, rendering him unable to do anything productive.
“That woman is unbelievably difficult to deal with. Stubborn as steel, absurdly prideful, endlessly defiant. It’s honestly amazing that someone fully aware she’s a slave can still act so arrogantly.”
“Well, being a slave doesn’t exactly suit her personality.”
Abalkin raised a brow at Redek’s indifferent response.
“You say that like it’s someone else’s problem.”
“Because it is someone else’s problem. In the end, this is just a married couple’s argument.”
Too drained to even argue against Redek minimizing the situation, Abalkin merely sighed.
“How are the wedding preparations?”
“Smoothly enough. Margareta’s doing incredible work. Since it’s the wedding of the person who saved her life, she wants to provide only the very best.”
Said lifesaver currently wanted to die rather than go through with the wedding.
Abalkin deliberately shook his head, trying to force thoughts of Bellakshina away.
He failed miserably.
Because his mind immediately replayed the image of Bellakshina tied to a chair, desperately needing the bathroom.
“Ugh….”
He had stormed out in anger, but he couldn’t ignore basic bodily needs forever.
“What are you thinking about?”
“That woman.”
He absolutely could not continue with her bathroom situation.
“Would it be too much to give Margareta another task?”
“That depends on the task, but there’s a high probability it would be too much. Honestly, she’s already overworking herself. We’re only getting by because she’s enthusiastic about it.”
Abalkin knew no one except Margareta would properly monitor Bellakshina all the way to the bathroom.
At best, they’d untie her and just wait outside the door.
But a bathroom was such a dangerous place.
What if Bellakshina filled the sink with water and tried to drown herself?
She could smash her head against the mirror or the faucet. The toilet was no different. Equally dangerous.
I can’t leave her alone.
If he himself couldn’t enter the bathroom, then at minimum a man strong enough to intervene in an emergency had to stand guard. But what man could possibly be assigned to monitor the lady of the estate in the bathroom?
Especially when the only male retainer here who knew Bellakshina was a slave was Redek.
After rubbing his forehead in thought for a long time, Abalkin finally stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“To attend to the most high-maintenance woman in the Empire.”
“Yes. I sincerely hope the two of you reconcile.”
Abalkin shook his head helplessly and reluctantly started walking.
