“Your Grace!”

It wasn’t the duke but Hailey who screamed. Her eyes widened as she instinctively reached out.

“Whoa!”

She grabbed onto his back, pulling him into a firm embrace. His heavy weight nearly toppled her over as well. Her heart lurched.

“Ahh!”

With a face drained of color, she desperately clung to the banister with one hand. Her slender fingers turned pale from the strain. Just as they were about to collapse completely, their fall came to a stop.

“Haa…”

A shaky breath of relief escaped her lips. She wanted nothing more than to slump to the floor, but the duke’s weight kept her locked in place.

Tayton, having regained his balance, slowly lowered his gaze. Their eyes met.

“Are you all right?”

A flicker of concern passed through Hailey’s green eyes. The dim glow from the gas lamp on the wall illuminated the duke’s face. His eyes, which appeared almost black in the darkness, gleamed with an unreadable emotion.

Something felt strange. Though she could only see his cool silver eyes and his slightly parted lips, his expression was strikingly vivid. The sharp scent of alcohol clouded her senses.

Just how much did he drink?

“Be careful, Your Grace.”

“Let go of me.”

Tayton’s low growl carried a warning. His voice was so chilling that Hailey’s fingers flinched instinctively.

But she kept her composure and draped his arm over her shoulder, gripping his waist firmly with her other hand.

“If you push me away, you’ll end up tumbling down the stairs. And I don’t have to tell you—it’s going to hurt a lot.”

“I said, let go, Hailey Salmon.”

His voice dropped even lower, more menacing. But she didn’t respond.

Instead, she took a steady step forward. The duke, stubbornly resisting at first, had no choice but to move along with her.

Hailey silently climbed the stairs while Tayton stared down at her head. His eyes narrowed.

People avoided touching him. Some even recoiled from him as if his touch carried a curse.

Even his fiancée, Princess Irene, was no exception. At the numerous banquets they attended together, she had never once danced with him. Everyone in the capital knew this.

So, of course, others were no different.

Yet the woman beneath his arm held onto his waist without hesitation. Without a moment’s pause, she placed his arm over her shoulder.

What was she up to?

Tayton frowned in displeasure. Power? Wealth? There had to be some hidden agenda. No one did this without a motive. She was undoubtedly craftier than the nobles who smiled to his face and whispered behind his back.

Hailey Salmon.

He rolled her name around in his mouth.

An uncomfortable sensation crept up his skin where they touched, like tiny insects crawling over him.

I wonder when that thick mask of hers will crack.

If he thought about it carefully, the feeling was slightly different from discomfort. But there was no other word to describe this prickling, distracting sensation.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Tayton only realized he had reached his bed when he felt the soft mattress against him.

The warmth that had pressed against his side disappeared in an instant. His expression darkened.

“Would you like some water?”

Hailey poured water from the bottle on the nightstand and handed it to him. He drained it in one gulp.

Even her quick-witted actions annoyed him. The more he thought about it, the more things about her got under his skin.

Just as he was about to speak—

“I’ll take it from here.”

A voice from behind called out—it was Madam Mastis. As Hailey turned her head, she saw the stern-faced woman entering the room.

“Yes,” Hailey replied obediently, stepping out of the room.

Through the closing door, she thought she could hear Madam Mastis’s nagging, but she was too exhausted to make out the words. She must have been quite tense without even realizing it.

Back in her own room, Hailey dove straight onto the bed. The moment she closed her eyes, a heavy drowsiness washed over her.

For the first time in a long while, she fell into a deep sleep. The gentle night air brushed against her cheek, like the touch of a goddess.

***

Chirp, chirp.

A sparrow perched by the window preened its chest feathers with its beak before locking eyes with Hailey as she brushed her hair. The bird tilted its head, as if curiously observing an unknown creature.

“Ughh,” Hailey groaned, stretching with a drowsy expression, only to pause when her gaze landed on the mirror. Her expression turned slightly awkward—her own reflection still felt unfamiliar.

Her hair, which had individual strands tinged with red, looked orange when gathered together. Her large, light-green eyes seemed innocent, untouched by the world’s filth, and her lips, curved in a faint smile, were as gentle as the spring sunshine.

Her delicate skin was so pale that one might suspect the Baron of Salmon had kept his daughter locked indoors all her life.

And that wasn’t all. Her slender frame seemed so frail that she looked like she couldn’t lift anything heavier than a spoon.

“No, no. I told myself I’d live a long and steady life. People who look sickly like this actually end up living the longest. They say the weak survive for a hundred years,” she muttered softly to her reflection.

Then, suddenly, her expression went blank.

Without warning, a memory of excruciating pain surfaced.

Whenever that happened, Hailey instinctively clutched her stomach.

“Once is enough for dying. If this isn’t a dream, then this life—I’ll live quietly. I won’t meddle in others’ affairs, I’ll keep to myself, as if I barely exist. I’ll spend my days peacefully with my beloved family and close my eyes gently at the end. That’s all. That’s the easiest thing in the world. Remember that, Hailey Salmon.”

Tying her hair neatly into a braid, she cast her gaze beyond the sparrow’s head.

Today, the weather was nice. Unlike yesterday’s cloudy sky, it was clear, without a single cloud, and the sun shone brightly.

“The second morning has arrived… It’s only the second day, huh.”

She murmured to the sparrow with a gloomy sigh. The bird tilted its head once more before fluttering away.

With a dramatic sigh, Hailey clutched her chest like the betrayed Caesar and groaned, “Ugh.”

“Brutus, even you abandon me…”

Collapsing onto her vanity, she then straightened up as if nothing had happened. She lifted the corners of her lips with both index fingers, making her somber face look slightly more cheerful.

The sky-blue indoor dress reflected in the mirror felt strangely embarrassing. She had chosen the least extravagant outfit she had, yet the large ribbon tied at the back made her entire body itch.

“Even if I get kicked out, I need to hold out for a few more days. No matter what, I can’t let the Duke’s stubbornness win after just three days.”

With lips pressed tightly like a soldier heading into battle, Hailey stepped out of her room.

Then—

Creak.

As she strode forward with determination, she suddenly peeked her head out and scanned the hallway. Her expression was tense as she glanced toward the opposite corridor—where the Duke’s bedroom was.

Silence.

“Good, no one’s around. If I want to last here, it’s best to avoid running into him.”

Moving swiftly without a sound, she crossed the hallway. Typically, guest rooms were on the first floor, but Madam Mastis had arranged for her to stay in an empty room on the second floor.

“It must be because she didn’t want the Duke to have to wait. She acts like the sky will fall if he’s kept waiting,” Hailey muttered to herself, shaking her head at the thought of Madam Mastis’s personality.

But—

Hmm?

Halfway down the stairs, she came to a slow stop.

The atmosphere on the first floor felt unsettled.

The maids, who had gathered in a circle whispering, noticed her and one by one turned their gazes toward her. Their hesitant expressions made it clear they weren’t sure whether to acknowledge her or not.

Hailey resumed her steps and greeted them with a casual smile.

“Good morning.”

“…”

No response.

The maids glanced at Catherine for cues, and Catherine pretended Hailey didn’t exist.

In that instant, the other maids’ dilemma was resolved. They followed suit, acting as if they hadn’t seen Hailey and continued whispering among themselves.

Long and steady. As if I barely exist.

Hailey pressed her lips together, maintaining her composure.

Then—

“G-Good morning, Miss Hailey.”