Prologue: Her First Tears
Slap!
The sharp crack of a palm striking bare flesh rang out through the quiet room.
"...Hah."
The only daughter of Duke Estel—the man who held the highest rank in the Empire. Young Lady Celina von Estel. A golden child of the ducal house whose beauty stood in stark contrast to her reputation as the worst villainess in high society.
She lay face-down across my knee now, teeth clenched, unable to utter a single word.
"The reason you slapped the young master of the Viscount's house."
"..."
"Speak."
"..."
"Answer me."
After a long silence, she finally forced the words out.
"...Because that bastard was bullying a maid... sir."
"Of course that was wrong. But is that any reason to strike a noble across the face?"
"No... it isn't."
A short reply—yet she still offered no apology.
I withdrew the hand that had been spanking her and carefully applied the ointment myself, spreading it gently, almost as if stroking the inflamed skin.
"Hnn...hup!"
Her bottom, flushed a vivid red, must have stung fiercely; every touch of the salve drew a fresh moan from her lips.
"Even so, young lady, you did well. Refusing to look away from injustice is a virtue. From this day forward, just as you did today, please become a truly fine person. I believe in you."
I offered the wish with genuine sincerity.
Celina only snorted.
"What, no praise? Then why the hell am I getting my butt spanked?!"
"...Just because?"
"What?! You absolute pervert. You could've just said that..."
"I'm joking."
The rest of her muttering was too quiet to catch.
I simply watched her and smiled without a word.
"Please go to sleep now. It's late."
"...And whose fault is that."
Celina rubbed the ointment into her sore bottom and stomped off toward the bed, grumbling all the way.
Once I was certain she had fallen asleep, I turned my back on the room.
I've finished everything I needed to do here.
It was time to leave this place.
"...Father."
"..."
"...This is a lie, right?"
The duke closed his eyes.
"...No. Junghyun left the ducal house at dawn today."
In that instant, Celina's mind went completely blank.
"...Left...?"
"..."
"...Why?"
"..."
"...Why?"
"..."
"...Why didn't you say anything?"
Her voice began to tremble.
"Why... without even saying goodbye to me..."
The next moment—
Bang!
Celina shoved her chair aside and bolted straight into the corridor.
"Young lady!"
Someone called after her, but the words never reached her ears.
Before she knew it she stood before Junghyun's door. She flung it open with raw force.
Creak.
The room inside was spotless—not a single speck of dust. The bed. The desk. The wardrobe. All of it empty, as though no one had ever lived there at all.
Celina walked slowly to the center of the room.
"...Butler."
No answer came.
Only then did she understand for the first time.
Really.
Truly.
That he was gone.
And the moment the truth sank in, the heir of the Estel Ducal House—who had never once shed a tear in front of another living soul—quietly sank to her knees in the empty butler's room.
"I hate it... don't go. Stay by my side... waaah..."
With that small, broken plea, a single tear fell to the floor.
It did not take long for the quiet sobs to swell into full, wrenching wails.
Those were the first tears Celina von Estel had ever shed.
From that day forward, just as someone had once wished, she became a person of perfect manners.