Prologue

“…Punish me, Cecilia.”

The man’s voice was thick with heated breath. His eyes, just as warm, held a mix of excitement and anticipation.

“…….”

Meanwhile, Cecilia, who had been asked the favor, stared at him blankly, as though she couldn’t even process what she had just heard.

His glossy black hair, pale blue eyes, and handsome features were all familiar to her…

“No, punish me… Master.”

The way his eyes curved sweetly, almost coquettishly, and the title he used to address her were completely unfamiliar.

‘…Should I stop even now?’

She hesitated. She wanted to escape this dizzying situation that made her head spin. She had clearly steeled herself before entering this room, yet now that the real moment was right in front of her, her stomach churned. All the more so because he had gone far beyond what she had expected.

And yet—

“…Ah, now that it’s actually happening, you don’t think you can do it?”

“…….”

“It’s okay. I understand, Cecilia….”

For someone claiming to understand, the disappointment in his voice was unmistakable. Seeing his expression dim so pitifully, she couldn’t bring herself to back away. With his long, dense lashes lowered, he looked incredibly fragile.

If she retreated now…

“I can always find someone else.”

It was obvious that this fragile-looking man in front of her would end up being mistreated by others. Even if it was something he himself desired.

‘That can’t happen.’

Those who chased only fleeting pleasure and indulgence would surely ruin him and eventually drag him into ruin. She knew better than anyone how miserable and tragic the end of those who reveled in decadent pleasure could be.

Wasn’t that why she had brought about this situation in the first place? To prevent him from falling into that abyss.

Cecilia tightened her grip on the paddle she had been holding loosely. The small pink feather attached to the end of the handle fluttered softly, and as if noticing her change, a shy yet delighted smile appeared on the man’s face.

Seeing that smile, Cecilia spoke clearly, as though assuming the role of the “Master” he had called her.

“No, I can do it. I’ll do it. …Turn around.”

Unlike before, she now looked fully prepared.

‘Please, God. If this is a dream, let me wake up.’

…Of course, only on the surface.

“Okay, do it.”

Having to punish her childhood friend’s fully aroused member—not with a riding crop, but with a paddle meant for bedroom play—

…was truly a difficult task.

“…Hoo.”

Taking a deep breath as she raised the paddle, Cecilia reflected on how she had ended up in this situation.

More precisely, she retraced how she had just come to learn of her childhood friend’s hidden secret, one that had briefly slipped away from her awareness.

That is to say… she began to look back on the relationship between them that had become tangled after her father’s funeral.