Kyla Bailey.

In the past, the youngest daughter of the Bailey family was famous in the region—not only for her beautiful face, but also for her unbearable arrogance. 

People often said it was because her father, who lost his family during the war, doted on Kyla to an excessive degree.

“Come on, that’s ridiculous. The Count, who could supposedly bring down even birds mid-flight?”

Honestly, most people didn’t believe it. Not until they saw the father and daughter for themselves.

“Father, let’s keep that one!”

A little girl in a pale pink dress pointed at something in front of a prisoner transport wagon.

“That one. Buy it for me.”

Silver hair that shimmered like silk, clear blue-green eyes, skin white as snow, and rose-pink lips that made her even more striking—the girl was as beautiful as a living doll.

She was fourteen this year, an age when other girls from nearby noble families were already engaged or making their social debuts. 

But Kyla, raised under the complete protection of Count Bailey, had gone beyond being spoiled. She would point at people in the street and demand them like toys.

“My sweet girl, is one enough? What about the others?”

“I don’t need them. I like that one’s green eyes.”

With a fierce grin, Kyla took her father’s hand and walked toward the transport wagon. Inside, barely visible in the shadows, was a boy who looked so malnourished his spine nearly showed through his skin. But despite his hunger, his eyes gleamed with the wild light of a beast.

“Hey, come here.”

Eager to get a closer look, Kyla crouched down and stuck her fingers through the bars.

During a time when war was tearing the country apart, a boy locked in a cage like that usually meant one of two things: He was either a runaway mercenary from the battlefield or a pickpocket struggling to survive.

‘Judging by his state… the latter seems more likely.’

Kyla whispered quietly, crouched before the cage.

“If you just listen to me, you might escape execution. So be a good boy, okay?”

When their eyes met, the boy furrowed his brow, full of suspicion. He clearly didn’t trust her. Then again, it was only natural not to trust someone who casually asked to buy a convict. But Kyla didn’t care.

“Ah, dear.”

One of the guards, watching the scene with growing concern, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Are you really going to take him? He’s escaped from prison three times already. He won’t be easy to handle.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just keep him for a few days. Whatever happens, I’ll take full responsibility.”

Count Bailey placed an extra silver coin in the guard’s hand. With a resigned sigh, the guard finally unlocked the cage.

“Then please, be careful…”

Creeeaaak—.

The boy slowly straightened his hunched back as he stepped out of the cage. He was taller than expected and looked warily between Kyla and the Count.

“Let’s get a proper look at you.”

The Count stepped forward and lifted the boy’s unkempt black hair, revealing surprisingly handsome features.

“Indeed…”

Kyla’s judgment hadn’t failed her.

Sharp features, a defined jawline, pitch-black hair, and striking green eyes— he looked uncannily like Kyla’s older brother, who had died five years ago.

‘I thought his gaze felt familiar… but this is unsettling. Could it really be just a coincidence?’

The Count frowned as he stared at the boy with a strange expression. Just then, Kyla popped out from behind her father, beaming as she greeted the boy.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

A tiny voice, almost a whisper, came out.

“…Don’t have one.”

“Perfect! Then I’ll name you. How about Haiden?”

A radiant smile spread across her angelic face as she grabbed the boy’s hand and started dragging him along. The soot on his hand smeared her dress, and the boy panicked at the sight.

“Oh, this? It’s fine. When we get home, you’ll take a bath and change into something nice. My brother had some clothes, and since you’re tall, they’ll fit you perfectly!”

Everyone watching whispered to each other, wondering if this was just the young lady’s version of playing with dolls.

However, Haiden’s thoughts were a little different. Although she continued to smile and speak in a cheerful voice, her eyes looked sad. They seemed just as troubled as someone who had been locked behind bars until recently—just like him.

***

After that, Haiden stayed at the Bailey estate for quite a while. At first, the things he did with the young lady were no more than simple, doll-like play. The belongings and room of her brother, who was said to have died five years ago, had been preserved just as they were. Kyla still often fell asleep there. The first shirt she brought to him looked worn—softened by how often it had been touched.

‘So much care for this…’

At first, everything was hard to understand. He couldn’t figure out why everyone was so easily swayed by her childishness, or why, even as family, she grieved her brother so deeply.

But one day, Isabelle, the nanny, handed him some clothes and said:

“The Count was rarely home when the young lady was a child. The civil war lasted ten years, and he couldn’t stay at the estate all the time.”

Isabelle looked close to tears as she took out the late young master’s suit from the wardrobe. Haiden quietly took the pile of clothes.

“It was Master Cabil who raised the young lady. The madam passed away shortly after giving birth, so the only family she could rely on emotionally… was the young master.”

‘Was he a good person?’

Haiden swallowed the question that tickled his throat and lowered his gaze. Watching him in silence, Isabelle gave a warm, wrinkled smile and said:

“You resemble him quite a lot.”

That’s when Haiden realized why everyone in the estate had been so kind to him from the start. Why had Kyla approached him with such familiarity the moment she saw him, and why had she held his hand so naturally?

“Haiden, I’m scared.”

Just like on rainy days when thunder rolled and the air was damp, she would come knocking on his door with a lantern in hand.

“Haiden! Let’s play hide-and-seek today!”

Just like when she kept trying to play games from her childhood with him.

“You’re it first, because you’re the big brother.”

“There’s no rule like that.”

“There is. Big brothers are always it first.”

Even the way she smiled so brightly. But in the reflection of her eyes, the person she saw wasn’t him. It was another man—a bigger man named Cabil.

“Ky–la–!”

Haiden walked slowly, checking all the places she might be hiding. If he didn’t make an effort to look properly, she would complain that he didn’t take the game seriously. At some point, he started to feel like he truly had become Cabil. He didn’t want to see Kyla cry anymore.

‘Is this… what they call getting attached?’

Scratching his head, he bit his lower lip. She should have come out by now, so what was she doing?

‘Could something have happened?’

The sky had already turned red. The gardeners were putting away their ladders and tools, signaling that the day was ending. Feeling uneasy, Haiden began frantically searching for Kyla.

“Nanny, have you seen Kyla?”

“The young lady? No, I haven’t…”

“She disappeared while we were playing hide-and-seek!”

It was the first time in six months at the estate that he had panicked like this. Reading the urgency on his face, Isabelle quickly called people and fetched torches. 

Night was falling. The Count, who had just returned from a meeting at the capital, exploded when he heard the news.

“What do you all think you’re doing?! Light up the whole estate right now! Get the soldiers and gardeners and search every corner!”

In that moment, the Count was no longer the kind man who always smiled at his daughter. With a sharp glare, he shot a piercing look at Haiden from afar.

What excuse could he possibly give? Ironically, Haiden was more concerned about Kyla’s disappearance than about being seen as a thorn in the Count’s side.

Suddenly, he remembered the hollow tree—like a cave—that Kyla once ran off to when she didn’t want to do her homework.

‘Could it be there?’

No way… It had already started to drizzle. Judging by the sky earlier, heavy rain might fall soon.

‘She’s scared of thunder…’

With a torch flickering dangerously in the wind, Haiden ran through the cold rain toward the old tree on the edge of the garden.

And sure enough, there she was—Kyla Bailey, fast asleep in the hollow of the old tree, curled up as if nothing else in the world mattered.

“Kyla!”

Haiden shouted her name, yet even as he did, he couldn’t understand why he was so filled with anger. At the same time, a wave of relief rising inside him left his mind in turmoil.

“Brother…”

Then, awakened by the loud noise, Kyla rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at Haiden through the dim light. What did her dazed, dreamlike eyes see reflected—her brother Cabil, or him?

Biting his lip, Haiden threw aside the torch and silently walked over, carefully lifting her into his arms. Fortunately, he had been eating well over the past six months, and his strength had returned.

“Young Miss! Are you hurt anywhere?”

The servants who had spotted them from afar rushed over and anxiously examined Kyla’s condition. In response, Kyla looked surprised and gave them a confused smile.

“Why is everyone making such a fuss? I’m really fine. Brother, put me down.”

“No. Your dress is soaked.”

“No, put me down! Put me down!”

As Kyla squirmed, he finally sighed in defeat and carefully placed her on a flat stone nearby.

Hearing the news that his daughter had been found, the Count came running and, spotting them from a distance, scowled deeply.

“Kyla Bailey!”

His angry voice echoed across the rain-soaked garden.

Kyla, shrinking back like a snail, rolled her eyes. Her father’s gaze, now fixed on her, looked far from pleased. Even as he scolded her, the Count seemed to be continuously eyeing Haiden with wary suspicion.

Seeing this, Kyla tilted her head.

‘Why is Father being so sensitive?’

It was strange. No matter the situation, he wasn’t the kind of man to raise his voice over a bit of playful mischief. Though Kyla found it odd, she didn’t dwell on it much once she was safely back at the estate under the servants’ care.

At least, not until a few days later—when Haiden suddenly disappeared without a word.