Anastasia stood alone in front of the large mirror in the hotel suite, the morning light cruelly highlighting every detail of her face. The black eye stared back at her — swollen, dark purple, the skin tight and shiny. It made her look weak. Broken. Pathetic. She touched the bruise gently with her fingertips and winced, the pain sharp and immediate.
Her lips curled into a snarl.
Subaru will pay for this, she thought, the hatred burning hot in her chest. And Rem... that ungrateful little whore will pay even more.
She wondered for a moment if she should scold Rem for not working and instead wasting time looking for her "stupid ring." The thought made her lips twitch. Of course she could simply order Julius to buy Rem a new one — a far more expensive, far more beautiful one. After all, she would never get the old one back. That ring needed a steady, thorough impregnation of Julius's love on it, submerged and marked forever.
Anastasia's mind turned to the bigger picture. She would need to help Julius with Rem again. It was a shame the party had gone so badly — it had been the perfect opportunity for Julius to put Subaru firmly in his place. But at least one good thing had come from it: Rem had forced Subaru to apologize to Julius, her master. That was important. Hierarchy needed to be established. Julius stood above Subaru, and Rem had already accepted it in her heart. She knew how her master was. Even if she tried to hide it and crawl back to Subaru, the crack had been made. It would never fully heal.
A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts. Yae stepped in quietly, already dressed and ready.
"Lady Anastasia, the carriage is prepared. Shall we return to the mansion?"
Anastasia gave one last look at her bruised reflection, then turned away.
"Yes," she said, voice cold and determined. "Let's go home."
The journey back to the mansion was quiet. Anastasia sat in the carriage with her eyes closed, the rocking motion doing little to soothe the storm inside her. Yae rode beside her in silence, occasionally glancing at her employer with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
When they finally arrived at the grand Juukulius mansion, the familiar sight of the elegant halls and high ceilings brought Anastasia no comfort. She stepped inside, her steps measured, her mind already racing ahead.
She would let Rem search for her ring a little longer. Let the panic build. Let the realization sink in that it was gone for good.
And then she would help Julius close the distance with Rem once more.
The game had changed, but it was far from over.
Anastasia's lips curved into a small, dangerous smile as she ascended the stairs toward her chambers.
They will all learn their place soon enough.
The day passed slowly, the mansion still humming with the afterglow of the festival. Servants moved through the halls like ghosts, cleaning up the last traces of the celebration — folded banners, empty crates, the faint scent of gunpowder and roasted meat that clung to the air. Most of the staff had been given the day off to enjoy the festivities with their families, leaving only the essential skeleton crew. The mansion felt quieter than usual, almost hollow.
Julius spent the entire day training in the garden. From her window, Anastasia watched him move through sword forms with mechanical precision, sweat glistening on his bare torso under the afternoon sun. He barely paused, barely spoke. She knew exactly what he was doing: thinking. Wrestling with the chaos of last night, trying to decide what kind of man he wanted to be.
Anastasia turned away from the window and called for Yae.
"Where is Rem?" she asked, her voice clipped. "The working day is almost over."
Yae bowed her head slightly, her expression neutral. "She is still looking for her ring, Lady Anastasia. She has not returned to her duties."
Anastasia's face darkened. Anger flared hot and immediate in her chest. "I pay her to work, not to chase after her stupid ring. If she was sick, I would forgive it. But this? Looking for a piece of jewelry is not an excuse."
Yae waited a beat, then asked carefully, "Should I assist Sir Julius in the garden? Rem is not here to bring him towels or fresh clothes."
Anastasia waved a hand. "Of course. Go. Rem has clearly forgotten what her fucking duties are."
Yae's lips twitched with the faintest hint of amusement. "And... may I flirt with Julius while I'm there?"
"No," Anastasia snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Absolutely not. Julius's heart needs to stay focused on Rem right now. I want to cultivate his desire, not distract it with you."
Yae bowed again, hiding her smirk. "As you wish, Lady Anastasia."
Once Yae left, Anastasia returned to her desk. Stacks of documents from the festival lay waiting — vendor receipts, expense reports, attendance estimates. She forced herself to focus, flipping through pages and tallying numbers. To her quiet satisfaction, the festival had actually generated a modest profit. Subaru's ridiculous ideas had somehow paid off.
He should be happy it did well, she thought bitterly. Now I can offer him a real job without it looking suspicious.
But she still needed to punish him officially. The punch to her face could not go unanswered. She tapped her quill against the desk, mind racing.
What should Subaru's punishment be?
She could dock his pay. She could assign him the most menial, humiliating tasks. She could make him grovel in front of Rem and Julius. Or perhaps something slower, more psychological — something that would remind him every day that he had crossed the wrong woman.
Anastasia's lips curved into a cold, calculated smile as she began drafting a new contract in her neat, elegant handwriting.
Whatever she chose, it would hurt.
And it would make sure Subaru never forgot his place again.
Yae returned to Anastasia's room a short while later, her steps quiet but purposeful.
"Lady Anastasia," she said, bowing slightly, "Rem's husband has arrived at the mansion. Subaru wishes to see you."
Anastasia set down the document she had been pretending to read. Her swollen eye throbbed, but her voice remained cool and composed.
"Let him in."
Yae nodded and left. Moments later the door opened again and Subaru stepped inside, holding a modest bouquet of fresh flowers — white lilies and pale blue forget-me-nots tied with a simple ribbon. He looked nervous, eyes downcast, shoulders hunched like a man who knew he had stepped on a landmine.
He walked straight to Anastasia and offered the flowers with both hands.
"Lady Anastasia... I'm deeply sorry for what happened yesterday," he said, voice thick with shame. "My emotions got the best of me and I did a terrible thing. I hit you. I can't believe I did that. I hope... I really hope you can forgive me."
Anastasia was surprised by the flowers and the genuine remorse in his voice. She took the bouquet slowly, the soft petals brushing her fingers. For a moment she almost felt a flicker of pity, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
"It's alright, Subaru," she said, her tone measured and almost kind. "I won't hold a grudge. After all, I teased you quite a bit before the festival. I pushed you too far."
She set the flowers on the table beside her and straightened in her chair.
"Still... we should discuss business."
Subaru nodded quickly, relief flashing across his face.
Anastasia continued, her voice turning businesslike. "The festival made a profit. I'm willing to offer you a full-time job as festival organizer. Even though what you did yesterday was unforgivable, I forgive it. But I will have to punish you a little for it."
She deliberately touched the bruised skin around her eye, letting the gesture linger so he couldn't miss it.
"It's nothing bad," she said with a small smile, "but it will definitely make you think next time not to act like a fool."
Subaru swallowed hard, waiting.
"First, the details of your work," Anastasia went on. "You will organize the festivals. You will prepare the costs and expenses and give them to Rem. Rem will discuss them with Julius to get approval."
She paused, letting that sink in.
"Second, festivals are very specific events. I expect you to organize them in different towns as well, so you will have to go on delegations from time to time. I will give you honest pay, of course. The results of the festival will increase it over time."
Anastasia leaned forward slightly, her expression turning sharper.
"And now for your punishment."
She looked him straight in the eye.
"Are you truly sorry, Subaru?"
He nodded immediately. "Yes. I am. More than you know."
"Good." Anastasia's smile was thin and cold. "Because Rem cried a lot yesterday. She begged me not to fire her — because you two need the money. Rem is my dear friend, so you need to be punished for making her cry as well."
She tapped her fingers on the desk.
"Public humiliation is not needed. You need to feel the punishment yourself."
Anastasia's smile widened, slow and dangerous.
"I have an idea. I want you to create a 'couple festival' — games, prizes for the best couple, a full competition festival dedicated to romance."
She let the words settle before delivering the blow.
"To punish you... I want you to ask Rem to participate with Julius as her partner. You will promote the festival with Rem and Julius presented as the example couple."
Subaru's face went pale.
Anastasia continued sweetly, "It will be funny, won't it? Subaru asking his own wife to be Julius's partner for the festival events. That is your punishment for punching me in the face and humiliating Julius and Rem publicly."
She leaned back, watching his reaction.
"Of course, you can reject my offer and leave right now. I will not punish Rem over you — she is my friend. She can continue to work and earn money to support you while you remain unemployed."
Subaru stood there, flowers still clutched in his hands, face burning with humiliation and helplessness.
Anastasia simply waited, the smile never leaving her lips.
The choice was his.
But they both already knew which path he would take.
Subaru stood frozen in front of Anastasia's desk, the bouquet of flowers still clutched tightly in his hands. His face went through a rapid series of emotions — shock, disbelief, then a flash of pure, burning humiliation that turned his cheeks dark red.
He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
"You... you want me to ask Rem to be Julius's partner?" His voice cracked halfway through the sentence. "You want me to promote my own wife as his date? In front of the entire festival? Like some kind of... joke couple?"
His hands shook. The flowers trembled with them.
Anastasia simply leaned back in her chair, her expression calm and pleasant, the bruise around her eye making her look both fragile and terrifying at the same time.
Subaru's breathing grew ragged. "This is insane. This is fucking insane. You're seriously punishing me by making me watch my wife parade around with the guy who just—"
He cut himself off, biting his tongue hard enough that it almost bled. He knew he couldn't finish that sentence. Not after what he had done yesterday.
His eyes darted to the side, then back to Anastasia. The fight drained out of him in visible waves. His shoulders slumped. The proud, loud Subaru Natsuki who once shouted at knights and challenged the world looked... small.
"I... I can't," he whispered at first, then louder, voice breaking. "I can't do that to her. She'll hate me. She already cried because of me yesterday. If I force her to do this... she'll never forgive me."
Anastasia tilted her head, her voice soft but merciless.
"You don't have to force her. You just have to ask. And if she refuses... well, that's between you and her. But the job offer stands only if you accept the punishment. Otherwise you're free to leave right now. Rem keeps working. You keep struggling."
Subaru's jaw clenched so hard the muscle jumped. His eyes glistened with angry, helpless tears he refused to let fall.
He stared at the floor for a long, painful moment.
Then, in a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper, he answered:
"...Fine."
He swallowed hard, the word tasting like poison.
"I'll do it. I'll ask Rem to partner with Julius. I'll promote them as the example couple. I'll organize the stupid couple festival. Just... give me the job. Please."
His shoulders shook once, a single, defeated tremor.
"I'm sorry," he added, barely audible. "For hitting you. For everything."
Anastasia smiled — a small, satisfied curve of her lips.
"Good boy," she said gently. "I knew you'd make the right choice. For Rem's sake, of course."
Subaru didn't look up. He simply stood there, flowers still in his hands, looking every bit like a man who had just sold his soul to keep the person he loved from starving.
The punishment had begun.
And Anastasia had never felt more in control.
Subaru stood there, shoulders slumped, the flowers still clutched in his trembling hands like a white flag of surrender. His face was pale, eyes hollow, the fight completely drained out of him.
Anastasia leaned back in her chair, her swollen eye throbbing, but her voice remained soft and almost kind — the voice of a merciful queen granting a condemned man one last mercy.
"You made the right decision, Subaru," she said gently. "I'm glad you understand."
She let the silence stretch just long enough for him to feel the weight of it, then continued, her tone dropping into something more intimate, almost conspiratorial.
"I'll tell you something in secret — something Rem would never say to your face. Yesterday, after what you did... she was devastated. Truly devastated. She cried so much she could barely speak. She told me she was so tired, so broken by how you ruined everything, that she even considered divorcing you."
Subaru's eyes widened, the color draining from his face completely. The bouquet shook in his grip.
Anastasia kept her expression sympathetic, but inside she savored every second of his pain.
"I managed to calm her down, of course," she continued smoothly. "I told her you were just emotional, that you love her. But this little humiliation today... I hope it teaches you something important. You need to trust Rem more. Especially since she is loyal to you. She loves you, Subaru. She really does. Don't make her regret that love."
She paused, letting the words sink in like knives.
"And you should take a good, critical look at yourself," Anastasia added, her voice turning sharper. "Especially since you dream of different women when you sleep with Rem. It makes her sad, you know. Very sad."
Subaru's mouth opened, but no sound came out. His knees looked like they might buckle. The flowers slipped slightly in his hands, petals fluttering to the floor.
Anastasia smiled gently, as if she were offering him salvation instead of twisting the knife.
"But I believe in second chances. You've taken your punishment like a man. Now go back to work. Make the couple festival a success. And remember — Rem is watching you. Don't disappoint her again."
Subaru stared at the floor for a long moment, breathing hard. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and broken.
"...Thank you, Lady Anastasia. I... I won't forget this."
He bowed deeply, the flowers hanging limply at his side, then turned and left the room without another word, his footsteps heavy and defeated.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Anastasia leaned back in her chair, letting out a slow, satisfied breath. Her swollen eye still hurt, but the pain felt distant now, overshadowed by the sweet taste of control.
Good boy, she thought. Run along and do as you're told.
She picked up one of the fallen petals from the floor, twirling it between her fingers.
Rem would hear about this soon enough.
And the crack in their marriage would only grow wider.
Perfect.