I suddenly get dragged deeper and deeper into a dark alleyway.
'$h!t.'
I tried punching him anywhere, squirming and struggling.
'i can't scream.'
I bite his hand.
He let's go.
"Ouch!" he's wearing a dark hoodie, and the alleyway is too dark to see clearly.
I try to run, but he suddenly grabs my hair and covers my mouth to keep me from screaming.
I kick his bird.
He looks at me and reaches out for a pipe, about to strike me.
'Crap!' I shield myself using my hands.
—clank, thud—
...
'Huh? I thought I was going to get hit.'
Slowly, the alleyway begins to lighten, as if the sun finally peeks through.
I look at the person who kidnapped me, lying on the floor, covered in blood.
In horror, my body freezes.
'Is... Is this blood!?!'
My eyes start to blur, and suddenly a figure in a white cloak appears, stepping down to check if the man is dead.
Fear grips my chest.
'Am I next...?'
I slowly push myself backward as the figure steps closer.
He suddenly leans in to me and whispers.
"A lady shouldn't be alone."
He smiles, though I can't see his full face beneath the hood.
My body is still frozen in fear.
"Don't worry, I'm one of the good guys."
He suddenly waves his hand up and down, dismissively.
"Off you go."
'Is that a warning or is he setting me free...'
I run back.
I see them looking for me and I see Rey, As I'm about to cry, I hug him.
'I almost forgot that I'm Lady Velora... the villainess, destined to die sooner or later.'
I clench onto him tightly as I bury my face on his shirt.
Confused and scared, They see me with wrinkled clothes and Rey notices blood on my arm.
"Are you okay!?!"
—Rosethrone Estate, near the entrance—
As we head down Rey punches Ethan really hard.
—smack—
"Your job is take care of my sister!?!"
Rey hits him again.
As I'm about to interfere, Duke Lucien speaks.
"Stop."
Rey stops.
"Tsk." He stands up and walks towards me and grabs my hand.
'I'm a guy but I felt weak when it happened, I too failed to defend Lady Velora.'
In fear all I could do is look down.
—Velora's room—
And get pissed on my own.
'Just because Lady Velora is a kid, I've been acting like a kid myself...'
'I forgot I'm a guy, I've been cowering myself far too long.' I scratch my head and let out a sigh.
—bam—
"Are you all right!?"
"Lady Velora!!"
Erisa and Kel burst in my room, instantly hugging me together.
"Wahhh!!!!" Kel suddenly let go and cries.
I pat Kel's head to soothe her.
Erisa place her hands onto my shoulders.
"My lady what happened?"
—Few minutes later—
Erisa gasps, while Kel cries nonstop."Lady…"
"Have you thought of a punishment for Ethan?" Erisa looks at me calmly.
I am shocked by her words.
"What do you mean…?"
'What in the world is Erisa talking about?'
"Do you want to cut Ethan's face? or let him stay in the dungeon for awhile and not feed him again for failing?" Erisa asks, confused by my response.
'H-huh?'
"Erisa, you're too much." Kel interrupts, desperately holding her hand, trying to stop her.
Erisa looks down at me as she speaks, her presence imposing.
"You've been soft, Lady Velora. You must remember you're a Rosethorne."
"…"
"…"
"…..????"
"…..?!?!?!?!"
'What in the f@$ is she talking about?' I look at her in disgust.
'I know girls can be scary, but isn't this what they call being two-faced?'
Kel panics at what's happening and can't seem to stop Erisa.
'I can't control my expression right now... my face is about to crack.'
I force a poker face, though my eyes and eyebrows twitch, I look down.
—Velora's mind—
"We should act appropriately." Angel Velora says, hands clasped like a saint.
"Ethan already got punched, and it wasn't even his fault."
"Not his fault?" Demon Velora scoffs, arms crossed.
"He failed as a personal knight. That's literally his job."
"He's just a kid!" Angel Velora protests.
"A kid with a sword, even if they're the same age as lady Velora" Demon Velora shoots back.
"He's still a knight, trained! That makes it worse."
A tiny Saki suddenly pops in between them.
"What did Erisa say again?"
"Cut his face!" Demon Velora says happily.
Silence.
"That's too much! It was just a mistake! Don't even consider it!" Angel Velora pales.
Demon Velora tilts her head, thinking.
"Well, in noble standards…"
"NO—" Angel Velora, Mini Saki snaps.
Demon Velora smirks.
"This is a fantasy book, Welcome to noble society."
Angel Velora frantically shakes her head.
"I won't let that happen! Please Mini Saki."
Mini Saki starts to stress out as he feels his head burning.
"Velora's childhood is still a mystery to us if what Erisa is saying, and possibly the reason why we haven't seen Ethan must've mean he already received a punishment that lasted him for years."
"Have you guys ever thought if he might've gone through?"
"So now, what's the best option?"
Both Demon and Angela Velora fell silent.
—poof—
"No, I'll be the one to decide his punishment." I look at Erisa in all-might.
Erisa expression changes.
"I'm so glad, Lady Velora, you haven't change."
—At Duke Lucien's office after an hour—
'Why an hour you ask? I STILL HAVEN'T MEMORIZE THIS MANSION!'
'I better make a map next time...'
I stand inside Duke Lucien's study.
"What are you doing here?" while he's writing and running through papers.
"Where is Ethan?"
Lucien glances at me briefly.
"He's in the dungeon."
"I would want to do the punishment myself, he's my personal knight after all." I say.
Lucien pauses.
"…Do you want to change positions and take the punishment yourself?"
I start sweating instantly.
'F— what do I do now, that wasn't what I wanted to say…'
'Think, think, think—AH!'
"I'm saying… he's my responsibility." I stand firm, meeting his gaze.
"Hmm..." Duke Lucien looks down, starts to run through his papers once again.
"Very well."
"Since your birthday is approaching within a couple of days, I will consider this a gift to you."
"A grant of authority over those under your command."
Lucien lifts his right hand.
A sudden flash of light blinds my eyes.
A violet aura appears, forming a thin, flowing line.
It shines like stars scattered across the night sky.
'…Woah.' My eyes widen.
'Violet? Doesn't that mean it's a dark element?'
'red color means fire element,
light blue means water element,
white-gold means wind element,
white means light element,
and green means earth element...'
'What's the color of Aether's element?'
I snap back to reality when Duke Lu suddenly speaks while I was lost in thought.
"I've already contacted our butler, he'll come here to guide you through Ethan's cell."
'What? I didn't realize what happened.'
'Did he use his ability? That dark element? What is his exact ability?'
'Shadow??? clones? I'm not entirely sure but it feels like he can have ears anywhere...'
'Is that why he's wary from me from the start?'
'I should be careful from now on.'
"Thank you older brother Lu." I bow with a smile.
—Few minutes later, small tower—
I'm currently walking my way through the underground of this tower, leading to the dungeon.
'This... Butler suddenly pops out of nowhere...'
—Hallway—
'Duke Lu said I should leave now.'
I'm about to open the door and suddenly someone opens it from the opposite.
'Eh?'
A dark figure pops out, and suddenly a man in suit appears.
"I greet the only daughter of the Former Duke, Lady Velora."
I suddenly raise my hand not knowing what to say.
"Hi..."
The butler bows.
—Dungeon Underground—
'The Butler's name is Cyril, he has his eyes close all the time and seemed to be much older than Duke Lucien.'
'Maybe he's around 29? 30?'
'He's said to be by Duke Lu's side for years so he must've been a loyal butler of the Rosethorne.'
The light blinds my eyes.
My eyes widen and shaken from what I'm about to see.
'So Ethan isn't the only one below.'
Out of the 6 cells, 3 of those cells has 1 person each.
'I don't recognize them nor I know anything about who they're...'
"L-Lady Velora! P-please I swear I didn't poison you!"
'What? Who's this maid?'
The butler suddenly closes her jail, leads me to continue walking.
'Her sounds suddenly got quiet?'
The steps echoes through the corridor.
I finally see Ethan at the last cell.
'He's very in bad shape.'
'I know this is fantasy but— WHY DOES HE LOOK LIKE SOME HOT ML IN THAT STATE?'
His hair falls messily over his eyes, damp with sweat, yet somehow framing his face too well. Even injured, there's a sharpness to his features—like he doesn't belong in a place like this.
His breathing is uneven, chest rising slowly…
'Why does he still look built?'
I stare a little longer than I should.
'Why does he look good even after getting beaten up? That's illegal.'
'Ugh.' I wear a disgust expression.
"Ugh... Lady?" Ethan stares at me with one eye as be barely opens the other.
'Ah I forgot—...'
In a pitiful state he remains composed as if he's ready to accept any punishment.
"What do you want to do Lady Velora?" The butler leans on my side.
"Set him free." I point at Ethan and stand firmly.
"Pardon?"