The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 16
Artizea had a longing for horseback riding.
It wasn’t a specific desire. She simply knew that riding was one of the activities that refined ladies learned, and since Lawrence had recently started taking lessons, she vaguely thought it would be nice to try it herself.
So when Pavel suggested going for a ride, she refused not because she disliked the idea, but rather because she truly didn’t know how to ride, making her response more of a polite decline.
However, just two minutes after sitting in a child-sized saddle with the help of the stableman, Artizea realized she would never come to love this.
“Huh, hhng….”
It’s too high… She felt like she might fall at any moment.
The stableman had instructed her to sit up straight and wrap her legs around the horse’s body, but she couldn’t manage it. The horse stood still, but already her body was swaying.
That alone took all her strength, but when the stableman started walking the horse, she felt even more unsteady.
“Don’t tense up! Just keep your back straight and apply just enough pressure!”
Pavel cheered her on as he rode alongside her on his own horse, but Artizea felt disoriented. How much was ‘just enough’? Pressure? What was she supposed to press?
She had never imagined sitting like this would be so exhausting. After just two slow laps, she was drenched in sweat and her mind was spinning. Afraid she might fall from the saddle, Artizea cried out.
“I want to stop riding!”
At her words, the stableman halted the horse. Pavel looked at her with a confused expression.
“Why? Is it not fun?”
“It’s too hard… I can’t do it.”
“It’s usually a bit difficult at first. But once you learn, it gets fun!”
“I, I don’t think it’s fun at all!”
Artizea replied with a trembling voice, her large turquoise eyes filled with anxiety.
Cedric arrived just then. As soon as he stepped off the carriage near the riding area and saw the scene, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Lord, Lord Cedric!”
Artizea seriously called out to him, half in tears.
Cedric thought he had made a mistake. While adults might find it cute and laugh, a serious child would only become more upset. Despite knowing this, it was hard to suppress his amusement.
He leaped over the riding arena’s fence and approached them. Pavel looked at him with a sullen expression.
“You’re here?”
“You’re going to get in trouble for skipping class like this.”
“Oh, come on! You skipped too!”
“I discussed my absence ahead of time and got permission. I’ll inform the Empress as well.”
“I have a valid reason too!”
“There’s no way being in the riding arena counts as a legitimate excuse for skipping class.”
“Hey!”
Pavel yelled as he felt a sharp jab in a sore spot.
Cedric chuckled and approached Artizea, extending his arms toward her. Artizea hesitated, unsure of what he meant.
“Do you want to try riding again?”
“No.”
She answered immediately, shaking her arms to signal she wanted to get down.
“I, I don’t know how to get down.”
Artizea said, her face scrunched up in distress. Cedric smiled slightly, then grabbed her waist and lifted her down with ease.
Artizea’s face turned bright red. As her feet touched the ground, she swayed a bit, and Cedric steadied her again. He gently arranged her tousled hair and asked,
“Did you want to ride the horse?”
“I was curious…”
She trailed off. Cedric chuckled, realizing that with Artizea’s sense of balance, she could barely sit still.
“There’s a lot you need to learn before you can ride properly.”
Having raised his second child, who had struggled to learn how to use his body, Cedric understood that even riding could require prior training. Artizea would be no different.
Moreover, it was one thing to ride a small pony designed for children, but she was on a full-sized horse, which must have been even more intimidating.
Artizea flinched at Cedric’s words. There was the idea of learning and exercise, making Cedric laugh again. He found it amusing how easily he could guess what Artizea was thinking.
“Hey, Ced.”
Pavel complained as Cedric focused solely on Artizea, ignoring him.
“Since I’m here, should I give you a ride? If you just go back, Pavel will be disappointed too.”
“I’ll do it!”
Pavel raised his hand excitedly, as if just now recalling that he could offer a ride.
“I’ll be the one to take her! Today, Artizea came out to play with me!”
Cedric shook his head, looking at Pavel. While Pavel was good at riding and enjoyed it, he couldn’t trust a thirteen-year-old with the responsibility.
“No way. You’re too young to be giving rides to others.”
Pavel looked incredulous at Cedric’s insistence.
“Are you really that much of an adult?”
“I am an adult.”
It was a clear truth, but Pavel found it absurd, while Ansgar merely smiled. Cedric ignored them both and held Artizea’s hand, watching as the stableman prepared a double saddle.
Artizea’s hand fidgeted in his grip. Cedric tightened his hold and spoke.
“It’s okay if your clothes get wrinkled or dirty.”
“Ah.”
Artizea was surprised that Cedric had brought up something she was inwardly worried about. Cedric spoke gently.
“You can meet anyone and do anything you want until you turn eighteen.”
He added that because he felt Artizea wouldn’t understand unless he set some boundaries. She was always desperate to prove her worth. Even after everything was said and done, she had expressed that without using her brain, she felt like nothing.
Would she be any different as a child? That’s why, not fully grasping the meaning of being told to just do what she wanted, she would likely try to prove her usefulness once again, searching for her place to belong.
Cedric didn’t want that to happen again. So, he clearly defined a grace period to ensure Artizea could feel safe until then. He planned to slowly let her know that for the next ten years, she wouldn’t have to prove anything.
“Just remember, you mustn’t get hurt. You have to stay safe. And make sure to greet me every day. Got it?”
Artizea nodded with an overwhelmed expression, not quite sure if she understood his words.
In the meantime, the saddle had been replaced. Pavel, looking bored, said,
“Ced, you’ve become like Missus Marta lately.”
“Because I’m an adult now.”
That was indeed a pure truth, but Pavel scoffed incredulously.
Cedric first helped Artizea up onto the horse, then he swung himself up behind her. Artizea felt a rush of shyness in his arms.
Two guards who followed him and Pavel’s two guards also mounted their horses. Cedric lightly pulled on the reins, turning the horse’s head as he spoke.
“Pavel, since we’ve already skipped out, how about we ride to the Solar Woods?”
“Greeaatt!”
Pavel shouted with enthusiasm, and he took off first. Cedric couldn’t help but chuckle at his usual antics, then he said to Ansgar,
“We’ll be back quickly, so please prepare some snacks.”
“Yes, Lord Ced.”
Ansgar smiled broadly.
Cedric kicked his horse into a gentle gallop, following Pavel. Artizea opened her mouth in surprise.
The refreshing breeze hit both of their faces. Cedric suddenly realized that it had been decades since he had ridden just for fun without any purpose.
It was exhilarating.
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