“Could that man…”

Hailey slowly lifted her gaze and looked at Hans. A cautious question slipped through her lips, her mouth feeling dry from tension.

“A man with dark green hair, was it?”

Hailey stared intently at Hans’s lips, waiting for an answer. He widened his eyes slightly before shaking his head with a smile.

“No, he had brown hair. His name is Anderson, actually—a young man I happen to know personally.”

“I see…”

Hailey dropped her gaze, sinking into thought. She didn’t know anyone named Anderson. But how did he know her? And who, then, was the green-haired man?

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t piece it together. A nagging sense of unease lingered in her mind. Then suddenly, a question struck her, and she turned her attention back to Hans.

“Has the identity of the woman been confirmed? I mean, the victim.”

At her question, Hans hesitated for a moment, as if considering his words, before letting out a sigh and replying. It was going to be in the newspapers soon enough; there was no need to keep it a secret.

“Yes. She was a singer named Misha, who worked at a nearby tavern.”

“A singer…”

She thought as much. From the area where she was found, her heavy makeup, and the fashionable dress she wore, Hailey had guessed she might be a singer or a dancer.

“May I ask about what happened that night, Miss Hailey?”

Hans finally broached the main topic. Hailey merely nodded without a word. Staring into the air as if deep in thought, she began speaking in a bitter tone.

“As I said yesterday, there’s not much I can remember. It’s all a blur.”

Hans, who had taken out his notebook to jot down notes, scratched his temple with the pen. His perplexed expression was evident as Hailey’s somber voice continued.

“I was on my way back after meeting my brother at the square. It was getting late, so I decided to take a shortcut through Tiffler Street. I knew it wasn’t a street proper ladies should walk down, but…”

Hailey paused briefly, her voice trailing off as she glanced toward the door. Hans followed her gaze, but there was no one there.

Still, he had a feeling he knew whose presence she was cautious of. Imagining Madam. Mastis’s stern face, Hans let out an awkward laugh.

“I was walking down the alley when I saw a woman lying on the ground. At first, I thought she was drunk and had fallen asleep—given the kind of street it was, you know?”

At her question, Hans nodded, indicating he understood completely.

“I would’ve thought the same thing.”

“But I couldn’t just leave her lying there. What if something happened to her? That would surely bring nightmares. So I decided to wake her. I called out to her, but she didn’t respond. So, I shook her shoulder… and then…”

Hailey’s voice slowed, and her complexion turned pale. Her breathing quickened, and her body swayed slightly. Her pulse raced.

Then, the image of the woman’s cold, lifeless face surfaced in her mind.

“Miss Hailey? Are you alright?”

Hans’s voice grew distant, overtaken by a ringing in her ears. It was as if a veil had muffled all sounds around her.

She blinked slowly, her eyelids heavy. The walls and furniture tilted to the right. Or perhaps it was she who was tilting. The world seemed to turn upside down.

“Is anyone there? Miss Hailey has collapsed!”

Hans shouted for help, his voice filled with urgency. Jessie, who was returning with tea, let out a scream.

“Miss!”

The clattering sound of teacups was the last thing Hailey heard before her consciousness faded to black. Her body slumped limply over the chair.

“What are you standing around for? Quickly, lay Miss Hailey on the couch!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Madam Mastis had rushed into the drawing room and swiftly took charge. hurriedly carried Hailey to the couch. Hans, who had reached out to help, quietly withdrew his hand under Madam Mastis’s stern gaze.

Her tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument. “See yourself out, Inspector Hans. I hope there will be no reason for us to meet again.”

It was a clear dismissal—an unmistakable order to leave the house immediately.

“Understood, madam. Goodbye.”

Hans awkwardly offered a farewell under Madam Mastis’s disapproving glare.

She clearly blamed him for Hailey’s collapse. It felt unfair, but she wasn’t entirely wrong, so he couldn’t argue.

Bang.

The front door slammed shut before his nose. Scratching his head, Hans turned to leave.

He worried about Hailey, but there was nothing he could do. Leaving, as Madam Mastis suggested, was the only way he could help.

As he approached the gatehouse, nearing the entrance, Peter came out with a friendly smile.

“Did your business go well? Take care, Sir Hans.”

“Thank you.”

Hans nodded, grateful that the rumors hadn’t yet spread to Peter, and walked out the main gate. A familiar figure was waiting for him there.

“Inspector Blair.”

Even when no one was watching, Albert maintained an impeccable posture. Unlike Hans, who came from a commoner background, Albert’s aristocratic upbringing was evident in such subtle moments.

“Did you gather any significant testimony?”

“It seems she didn’t witness anything out of the ordinary. She thought it was just a drunk woman who had collapsed. It’s understandable—after all, it happened on Tiffler Street. She approached to wake her up and then realized she was a corpse. After that, she passed out.”

Albert said nothing. Though he hadn’t expected Hailey to have seen the culprit, he couldn’t completely hide his disappointment.

Hans, following behind Albert with a thoughtful expression, scratched his head and spoke as though trying to break the heavy silence.

“I thought she was quite strong yesterday, but she turned out to be more delicate than I expected.”

Albert cast a questioning glance at him, prompting Hans to scratch his head again.

“I’m talking about Miss Hailey. She fainted while recounting what she saw. Thanks to that, everyone at the estate treated me like a complete scoundrel. Not that I can really argue against it in this case.”

Albert suddenly halted. Surprised, Hans stopped in his tracks as well and looked at him curiously. As though recalling something, Hans added,

“When I told them that you, Inspector Blair, had taken care of Miss Hailey when she collapsed, she asked me to pass on her thanks. She said she’d thank you properly the next time she sees you.”

“You shouldn’t have mentioned that,” Albert replied.

He slowly turned to face the estate and gazed silently at its teal roof. After a moment, he resumed walking.

Hans, still scratching his head, muttered in frustration.

“We’re at a dead end. I don’t even know where to start.”

“We’ll begin by investigating the nearby taverns. Find out who the victim was connected to—whether it’s money, a love affair, or anything else.”

“Understood.”

Albert and Hans disappeared down the hill, their shadows stretching long behind them.

***

“Are you all right, Miss?”

Jessie, who was carrying an armful of flowers, widened her eyes as she saw Hailey stepping out of the front door. The look in her eyes asked whether it was too soon for Hailey to be up and about.

Noticing the concern in Jessie’s gaze, Hailey gave her a gentle smile to reassure her.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just felt cooped up and wanted to get some fresh air. What are those flowers for?”

At the question, Jessie’s face lit up with a cheerful smile.

“The flowers in the drawing room started to wilt, so I went to the greenhouse to cut some fresh ones.”

“They’re beautiful,” Hailey remarked.

“You should visit the greenhouse, too, Miss. Seeing beautiful flowers might lift your spirits.”

“That’s a good idea,” Hailey agreed with a nod.

After exchanging farewells with Jessie, Hailey headed straight to the greenhouse on the western side of the garden. Its walls and roof were made entirely of glass.

Inside the greenhouse, Bill’s meticulous care ensured that vibrant flowers bloomed year-round. There were roses of every color, anemones, daffodils, jasmine, tulips, and even flowers whose names she didn’t know.

Despite the abundance, there was an underlying order to the arrangement, and the thought of Bill’s diligence brought a rare smile to Hailey’s face.

When she opened the greenhouse door, a rich fragrance greeted her, and the warm air wrapped around her shoulders. The tension that had weighed on her heart eased slightly.

But then, her expression hardened once more. She couldn’t let things continue like this.

In just three days, she had fainted three times. How much longer would this go on? No one could answer that question.

What worried her even more was a terrifying thought:

“What if I faint somewhere other than the estate? What if it happens in a place where there’s no one I know? And worse, what if the person who finds me has bad intentions…?”

She couldn’t even finish the thought. The mere idea sent chills down her spine. So far, she has been lucky. But there was no guarantee that luck would always be on her side.

She had to overcome her trauma, no matter what. Hailey unclenched her tense fists and quietly moved forward.

“Lilies,” she murmured.

She approached a lily that had just begun to bud and gently plucked one. Its subtle fragrance lingered around her, calming her nerves. She thought that placing it in her room might help its scent overpower her troubling memories.

“I’ll have to ask if there’s a vase I can use,” she muttered to herself with a faint smile as she looked at the lily in her hand.

But at that moment—

“Fainting must be a hobby of yours, Miss Hailey Salmon. I believe I kindly advised you that such tricks wouldn’t work on me.”