The moment I look up, my entire body freezes.
Standing before me is a man dressed in dark formal clothing embroidered with the Rosethorne crest.
Black hair and rose-gold eyes.
He is the spitting image of Duke Lucien.
The hallway suddenly falls deathly silent.
A suffocating pressure quietly spreads throughout the corridor.
The man slowly lowers his gaze toward me.
Fear runs through me as his eyes land on the dirt staining my clothes.
"…Velora."
—SLAP—
In an instant, the sharp sound of a slap violently echoes through the hallway.
A burning pain slowly spreads across my cheek as I stare at him in shock.
The former Duke calmly adjusts his glove as though nothing important has happened.
"Filthy."
His voice remains cold and emotionless.
Then, without hesitation, he removes his gloves entirely.
Kel finally notices us from nearby and immediately lets out a terrified gasp.
"My Lady—!"
The moment her eyes land on the man standing before me, her face instantly pales.
She hurriedly bows.
"I greet the former Duke, Ferdinand Rosethorne."
Kel quickly rushes toward me to help me stand properly.
Ferdinand's gaze slowly shifts toward her.
"A maid from the Count's family, if I remember correctly."
Kel visibly freezes.
"…Yes, Former Duke."
"How disappointing."
"You were raised with proper etiquette unlike commoners."
"And yet you failed to keep her clean?"
Kel's shoulders immediately stiffen.
I blink, and only then does the pain fully settle in.
'...It hurts.'
I slowly lift a hand toward my cheek.
When I pull it away, blood stains my fingertips.
He suddenly grabs my chin firmly and forces my face upward.
His gaze observes me deeply—my red eyes, red hair, and the blood slowly trailing down my cheek.
For a moment, he almost seems fascinated.
"A pretty color."
His fingers lightly brush against the blood.
"Like your mother."
He lets go gently.
Without another glance, Former Duke Ferdinand calmly walks past me.
Kel quickly kneels beside me in panic.
"My Lady!"
She carefully helps me back up while trembling visibly.
—few minutes later—
Still dazed, I blink and touch my cheek.
"Ss…"
Kel startles and grabs my hand.
"Lady Velora! Don't touch it."
Kel suddenly helps me dress, and I notice that I haven't seen Erisa.
"Kel, where is Erisa?"
Kel is unable to answer and changes the subject.
"Lady Velora, red will suit you best. Why don't we go with red since we'll be dining with your father?"
Kel slowly applies medicine to my cheek before proceeding to put makeup over it.
She looks at me with a dejected expression.
"Lady Velora…"
Kel suddenly holds her other arm.
"I'm sorry…"
Confusion hits me.
'Is this… not the first time?'
Kel remains silent once again.
"Kel…"
"Yes, Lady Velora?"
"Does Father hate me?"
"N-no, Lady Velora. Don't think that way."
Kel starts to hold both of my hands as she moves closer.
"It must have been because of…"
Kel averts her eyes.
"…the sudden death of your mother…"
'I want to understand the position I'm in right now.'
I hold onto Kel's hand, gripping it slightly.
"Kel, please tell me…"
Kel hesitates.
"Lady Velora…"
"I'll tell you soon."
Kel finally lets go.
"I'll be back, Lady Velora. I need to do something."
Kel leaves.
Reluctantly, I scratch the back of my head and rest my hand against my neck.
'I was too shocked to defend Velora again…'
I clasp both of my hands and look down.
'I'm a disappointment as a man…'
I let out a long sigh.
'I'm a girl, though…'
I hold my head with both hands as I scream internally.
'Am I really starting to act like a girl?!'
I start pondering.
'I'm not going to lie, but I really thought I was in a drama for a second.'
I slightly tilt my body to the side.
'He was too intense… I really thought he was some drama actor.'
I let out a sigh.
'Still, it's a good thing I didn't act carelessly.'
'Cause during that slap, I almost glared at him and got ready to punch him any second.'
I let out a smirk.
"heh."
—Scene from Velora meeting the former Duke—
—SLAP—
The slap echoes through the hallway.
'THIS SON OF A—!'
As I clench my fist and stare at him deathly, I calm myself down for a second as I get to see a clean look at him.
'Not because I'm worried or scared but...'
'Why is he ridiculously handsome for a dad?'
—clatter—
"Eh?"
Startled, I hear a muffled sound outside the door.
Maids are mumbling and panicking.
'I guess they seem uneasy too.'
I start to look at myself in the mirror.
I see a cute, small girl holding everything in, while tears fall from one of her eyes.
I touch my cheek, uncertain why tears are spilling out.
"Ah…"
I look at the wetness on my hand.
"I'm crying...?"
I let out a sigh.
I stare at my reflection once more.
A beautiful, small girl.
"I'm sorry, Velora. I promise you, you'll never get hurt again once I understand my position…"
As I bump my head gently against the mirror while staring at my own ruby eyes.
I let out a small sigh.
As I feel the heartfelt tears, I stare at my reflection with a serious expression.
'Maybe I could shove a poisonous flower into his mouth...'
—badump—
"Huh?"
Weird. Why is my heart beating like I'm about to have a heart attack?
—Few minutes later, dining room—
I sit on my chair, and across from me is Duke Lucien.
'So he does eat at the dinner table…'
'Well, it's not like I do either…'
Thinking back, I've never eaten in the dining room because Kel or Erisa always serves me in my room.
'Maybe because Velora doesn't like eating outside?'
'And I never bothered complaining.'
Duke Ferdinand finally enters the dining room.
—Few minutes later—
Silence fills the room, broken only by the clatter of utensils scraping against plates.
'...This is... Suffocating.'
'This is so awkwardly quiet...'
I start to look around and notice Rey is nowhere to be seen.
'Weird? Where is he...?'
"You seem to have a big appetite."
Startled by the former Duke's voice, I look in his direction. He seems to be analyzing what I'm doing.
"A rose with some weight to a plump would not necessarily be unpleasant either."
A cold chill slowly crawls down my spine as I look at the former Duke with disgust.
'Is he a psycho?!'
'Two-faced?!'
'First he slaps me, and now he wants to have a chill, fun conversation after that?!'
I look at the former Duke in a disgust manner, who is calmly focusing on his food while speaking.
'Is he trying to be sarcastic or what?!'
Then I notice someone staring at me.
It is Duke Lucien, watching me with a sharp gaze.
As if warning me to control my expression, I immediately shut up.
Former Duke Ferdinand calmly wipes his mouth with a cloth before standing from his seat.
Lucien immediately stands as well.
Startled, I abruptly stand too.
Ferdinand slowly glances toward me.
"…Velora."
My shoulders stiffen instinctively.
"Your posture has improved."
"You're more lively."
His rose-gold eyes quietly observe me.
—Badump—
'Huh? Why's my heart thumping badly again?'
Silence.
"How your emotions seems to be terribly easy to read."
The entire room suddenly feels colder.
"Do not embarrass the Rosethorne name."
"…Especially with that face."
Ferdinand calmly turns away afterward.
"Lucien."
"You seem to be losing your grip as the duke."
"Yes, Father."
"Make no room for mistakes."
He suddenly moves out of his chair.
'Ah. is he going to hit me.'
Ready to fistfight, I tense up.
Former Duke Ferdinand quietly leaves the dining hall.
I let out a sigh of relief.
—badump—
'Weird... My heart has been thumping for awhile.'
"Velora."
"Yes?"
"Go to your room and never come out."
I look at Lucien weirdly.
"Yes....?"
—Velora's room—
The door to my room opens.
"Kel, where is Rey?"
"Ah… he left yesterday."
I take the paper and open it.
"I see…"
"So Rey is needed for an expedition."
"I thought this country was peaceful."
"Of course they still need knights for something."
"Like what?"
"Like harvesting important herbs!"
"Isn't that just normal labor…?"
Kel lets out a reluctant chuckle.
"Ahahaha…"
'It's weird for him to leave in such a hurry.'
'I thought he'd cling to me, considering he tries to meet me almost every hour every day.'
'Well… I guess it's going to be peaceful.'
I let out a scoff.
—badump—
—Few minutes later, Velora's room—
I sit beside the window, observing my surroundings. I start to look around boredly.
'Today, I realize that I'm trapped in my room once again, unable to make any progress…'
The sound of the clock quietly echoes throughout the room.
—tick-tock, tick-tock—
'How peaceful it is… yet I feel uneasy as time ticks by slowly.'
—Slam—
The door opens widely, Kel panicking in a hurry.
"Lady Velora!"
Kel rushes inside in visible panic, tightly holding a black envelope.
I blink in confusion.
"What is it?"
"Please open it quickly!"
As if it is the calm wind before the storm, I let out a chuckle.
"Ahaha… calm down."
Why is she in such a hurry?
"From Duke Drek Artemis."
An uneasy feeling suddenly settles inside my chest.
—badump—
My smile slowly disappears.
My eyes widen slightly.
I stand up and sprung out the door.
"Lady!"
Kel holds on to me tightly.
'Black letter means one thing in this world...'
'a funeral notice.'
I storm out of the room.
"Don't!"
Furious.
"Please wait!"
Anger.
What is it?
—badump—
'Dear Lady Velora, I hear you're one of the closest relative of Lady Elie.'
'It is with deep regret that I must inform you'
I rush through the hallways while servants hurriedly attempt to stop me.
'What do I do...'
'Unfortunately Lady Elie has suffered an accident on her way to visit your estate which lead her to an unexpected turn of events.'
Memories resurface.
Elie smiling brightly beneath the sunlight, the reflection almost blinding me as she calls my name gently.
"Vel!"
Happily...
"Vel..."
Gently...
"Vel!!"
Calmly...
"Vel."
'You're welcome to visit her grave in the Helianth.'
I immediately shove the doors open and run outside the manor.
The servants try to stop me once again.
As my tears finally overflows.
I scream so loudly that the whole world falls into silence.
Tears blur my vision.
Kel cries alongside me, holding onto me so I won't step outside while under punishment.
As though countless invisible eyes are silently judging me for being reckless once again.
On the 2nd floor of the manor.
The former Duke quietly watches everything from the window.
Silently observing my breakdown without a single change in expression.
—Duke's office—
I quietly bow my head.
—slap—
My head turns from the force of it.
For a moment, I do not even feel the pain.
I only hear the quiet sound of Ferdinand fixing his glove.
"Reckless."
My tears have already dried, but somehow my face still feels wet.
Ferdinand slowly turns toward Lucien.
"Duke Lucien. I hope you're better than this."
My fingers curl against my dress.
'Elie…'
—few days later—
Bruises from the stick slowly darken across my legs.
'A strict punishment, they said.'
'I never realize i had old bruises from Velora's back.'
As I look at the mirror, I see my back covered with healed bruises.
'Like a mannequin.'
I was not allowed to visit Elie's grave.
In contrast I beg to Duke Lucien, but he rejects.
I was trapped once again inside the manor.
A manor where I was alone.
'I haven't seen Erisa after meeting the Former Duke, yet Kel always avoids my questions whenever I ask. She keeps averting her eyes.'
Dejected, I have nothing to do but let it slide.
I am far from the original manor.
'I understand now.'
In daze, the color in my eyes becomes dull.
I look through the window lifelessly, like a doll.
Realizing the reason why Lady Velora must have become like this.
Quietly, my surroundings darken, with no sign of life in sight but mine.
—1 Year later—