“Is that the newspaper with the murder story?”

Following her gaze, Eddie let out an awkward “Ah…” and looked unsure. At her calm and patient eyes, he nodded.

“Yes. Would you like one?”

Eddie pulled out a newspaper and handed it to her. Hailey unfolded it and began reading with her eyes.

「Third Victim of Serial Killer Found! How Far Will the Cursed Duke’s Murder Spree Go? Is Miss Hailey Salmon Next?」

The article was just like before—no logic, just a sensational story written in provocative language. According to the piece, the reason the Duke had become engaged to Hailey was because he needed the blood of a pure woman.

Don Robin.

Hailey stared hard at the journalist’s name. Noticing her silence, Eddie hesitated before speaking up.

“Miss Hailey, can’t you just not marry the Duke?”

“You shouldn’t say such nonsense!”

Peter scolded Eddie. “But!” Eddie cried out, puffing out his cheeks in frustration.

“Everyone’s saying Miss Hailey will be next.”

“That’s absurd. Our Duke would never be a murderer, you little rascal!”

Peter smacked Eddie on the head with an angry face.

“Eek!”

Eddie cried out, clutching his head with both hands and shooting Peter a resentful glare.

Hailey looked away from the newspaper and turned to Eddie. The boy truly seemed worried she might be the next victim. She spoke carefully.

“What kind of rumors are going around in town? Eddie, it’s okay—just tell me the truth.”

“Umm…”

Glancing nervously at Peter, Eddie finally began to speak with his hand covering his forehead.

“Whenever two people get together, they talk about the Duke. Stuff like, ‘Did the Duke really kill those women?’ or ‘If he’s really cursed, maybe he could have,’ or ‘Just seeing him from afar makes my blood run cold,’ and ‘It’d be best if he went back to his domain’—things like that.”

“Is this the only article about the incident? Does it not say who the woman was, or when or where she was killed?”

“I don’t think anyone knows that. From what I overheard, the police haven’t made an official statement yet. They might not for a while. You know how everyone’s criticizing the police because they still haven’t caught the killer.”

Eddie answered her questions without delay. The boy who sold newspapers and matches roamed every corner of the town. There was nowhere Eddie hadn’t been, and people didn’t feel the need to keep secrets from him. There wasn’t a rumor in town that Eddie didn’t know. His deep brown eyes sparkled with cleverness.

“Eddie.”

Hailey’s voice dropped slightly. Eddie, sensing the shift, nodded with a serious expression.

“I’m listening, Miss Hailey.”

“Could you look into the murder case for me?”

“What do you mean, Miss Hailey!”

Peter, who had been quietly listening, called out to her in surprise. Hailey turned to him. Her light green eyes were more serious than ever.

“Peter, do you think this is the Duke’s doing?”

“Well, I don’t think that, but…”

Trailing off, Peter added a comment, as though he couldn’t just back down like this.

“Still, I know this isn’t something you should be involved in.”

“I’m not getting involved. I don’t want to get involved. My principle is not to meddle in other people’s business. I just want to understand what’s going on. Since I’m now the Duke’s fiancée, I believe I have at least that right.”

“…Yes.”

Peter responded reluctantly. Watching the two go back and forth, Eddie said, “Don’t worry. My friends are everywhere nearby, so I can find out some information in no time.”

“What kind of information do you need?”

“Who the victim was, how they were found, why they were there. Anything about the incident is fine.”

“Got it, Miss Hailey. Leave it to me!”

Eddie straightened his shoulders with a confident expression. Hailey gave him a soft smile.

“Thank you, Eddie.”

“Then I’ll be off now.”

Eddie tipped his hat low over his head after a polite bow, then dashed down the hill. Hailey watched his figure disappear like a gust of wind, then slowly lifted her head.

Dark clouds were quickly gathering. It looked like a storm might break at any moment.

“Miss Hailey.”

Peter called to her with a worried expression. Turning to him with a gentle smile, Hailey reassured him that she was fine and turned away.

Peter couldn’t take his eyes off her retreating figure.

***

The Metropolitan Police Department was bustling. Like a noisy market, the entire place was in an uproar—except for the office of Inspector Albert Blair, which was as quiet as another world.

Six men gathered there wore grim expressions, keeping their mouths tightly shut as they watched the inspector’s every move.

Thud.

Albert set down a folder of documents and turned his gaze first to Hans. Flustered, Hans hurriedly opened his notebook and began to speak.

“The victim is Lady Claire, daughter of Viscount Isaac. On the day of the incident, she left the house alone, and apparently didn’t tell anyone who she was going to meet. It seems she told her mother that she was going to check out some new dresses.”

“And the maid?”

“That household only has a butler, a housekeeper, and one maid. That day, the maid was sent out on an errand by the Viscountess, so the house was left unattended. It’s confirmed that Lady Claire left alone.”

Hans’s gaze drifted to the half-open window. A tuft of dark brown hair stuck out above the sill — probably a street kid selling newspapers.

Sensing Albert’s sharp gaze, Hans quickly turned his head and concluded, “That’s all.”

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he added, “Ah, Dr. Colin is examining the body. The wounds match those of the previous two victims.”

Albert’s sharply angled eyebrows furrowed. His chillingly calm face exuded a strange sense of pressure.

“Was there anyone who saw her near the scene where the body was found?”

“Yes, I’ll report on that.”

A colleague standing nearby answered firmly, and Hans, relieved, let out a quiet sigh. He hadn’t realized how tense he’d been.

Albert’s nerves were sharper than usual. Hans knew just how seriously he was taking this case.

The newspapers had already begun mocking the Metropolitan Police, and public anxiety was growing by the day.

At the same time, the reputation Albert had built for the police over several years was now at risk of collapsing in an instant. Hans remembered all too well how the police used to be regarded just a few years ago and his face darkened.

A capable person will stand out even in a crowd. Albert was such a man. He didn’t know how to joke and was overly upright, but he was someone destined to rise above others.

He was not someone meant to remain a mere inspector. One day, he would reach the very top of the Metropolitan Police.

And this serial murder case might be the turning point that either raised his honor or left a blemish on his reputation.

With a frosty expression betraying no emotion, Albert surveyed the officers around him and gave his orders calmly.

“Two of you go back and ask around the area for any witnesses. The other two investigate the victim’s movements on the day of the incident. Hans and I will go to Viscount Isaac’s house. Let’s see what we can find out about her acquaintances.”

“Yes, sir!”

The men answered in unison and scattered. As Hans was leaving the room, he glanced out the window without thinking.

The newspaper boy had apparently moved elsewhere.

***

Looking in the mirror, Hailey tidied up her hair and stepped out of the room. Outside the window, the sky was once again thick with dark clouds. Even Brutus seemed unwilling to leave his nest, and the window sill was quiet.

“Good morning, Miss Hailey.”

The maids, busily starting the day, stopped in their tracks when they saw Hailey. A polite greeting like this would have been unimaginable when she first arrived at the mansion.

By now, they had probably realized that Hailey wasn’t someone to be underestimated. And being the Duke’s fiancée had elevated her position dramatically.

“Good morning.”

Hailey greeted them with a smile and headed straight for the morning room. Today, it seemed she was earlier than the Duke — he was nowhere in sight. A newspaper Peter had brought lay on the table.

As Hailey sat on the sofa, she reached for the newspaper.

“To earn your weekly wage, I need to work hard again today…”

At that moment, her expression stiffened.

The front pages of the three newspapers from different publishers were nearly identical.

「Murder on Central Street! Where Was Duke Gunner at the Time?」

「Uncovering the Truth Behind the Urban Legend — Does Duke Gunner Drink the Blood of Young Women to Break the Curse?!」

「Duke Gunner, We Can’t Stay Silent Any Longer — We Need a Judicial System That Holds the Powerful Accountable!」

「Incompetent Police, How Long Will the Blundering Last?」

“What is this? They’re reporting unverified claims as if they’re facts.”