Chapter 3
Knock! Knock!
There was still no response from inside.
Marie had been pacing back and forth outside Haila’s room since early morning.
She really needs to wake up by now…
She wanted to let Haila sleep in because it seemed she hadn’t slept at all during the night.
“Miss, the head maid keeps insisting that your room has to be moved. It’s time to wake up.”
Marie had just returned after being summoned by Madam Dona and scolded for quite a while.
“She is going to marry His Highness the Prince. Attend to her with proper etiquette and report her daily schedule in detail.”
Dona had sternly warned her that these were Countess Hilderia’s direct orders.
Ah… things were much better when it was just the two of us.
Marie genuinely liked Haila.
Unlike most nobles, Haila was easygoing. She chatted freely, shared delicious food whenever she had some, and never acted superior.
Their room had been cold and shabby, but at least they had been free from interference.
Of course, whenever Haila secretly climbed over the wall to visit the night market or went to meet the old lady, Marie would worry herself sick until she returned.
But that’s over now.
Once they moved to the western wing, not only would the head maid be watching them, but they might even run into members of the count’s family at any time.
How could Haila come and go as she pleased anymore?
I’m already feeling suffocated. If I feel this way, how much worse must it be for Miss?
Straightening her slumped shoulders, Marie forced herself to sound cheerful.
“Miss! I’m coming in!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned the doorknob.
“Huh?”
The neatly made bed was there.
But its owner was nowhere to be seen.
“She’s been going out to the garden all the time since the weather warmed up. Maybe she’s there?”
Thinking she’d prepare breakfast first, Marie turned to leave.
Then her eyes fell beneath the bed.
The bag Haila always used when she went out was missing.
“Did she already leave to sell her corsages? But the festival doesn’t start until this afternoon…”
Then her face turned pale.
“N-No way!”
A chill ran down her spine.
She lay flat on the floor and looked deep beneath the bed.
The large locked chest was still there.
It was Haila’s treasure box.
Inside was the secret money she had earned by secretly selling handmade items and taking odd jobs without the count’s family knowing.
Since Haila always said she would leave the moment she became an adult, Marie knew she must have saved quite a lot.
If she left that behind, she couldn’t have run away for good.
“Maybe she’s just gone to see Grandma because she’s feeling upset… But she really needs to come back today.”
Feeling her heart shrink with worry once again, Marie left the room.
Around noon, Marie returned to Haila’s room and was shocked.
Several maids sent by Madam Dona were already moving Haila’s belongings into the western wing.
Marie hurriedly gathered the remaining things and followed them.
The new room was so luxurious it left her speechless.
A huge window.
A wide, soft bed.
A lovely tea table with velvet chairs.
An elegant wardrobe.
A beautiful dressing table.
They could’ve done this from the beginning!
It seemed they could no longer leave the future wife of a prince living like a servant.
I wonder what Miss will say when she sees this… But why hasn’t she come back yet?
Just as the room was nearly finished, Countess Hilderia came to inspect it.
She had given Haila the largest and most luxurious guest room in the mansion.
She intended to do everything possible so the prince wouldn’t look down on Haila for being an illegitimate child.
The first step was giving her a room worthy of a noble lady.
We’re becoming relatives of the Imperial Family.
Surely we can at least do this much.
Hilderia looked around with satisfaction.
But the room’s owner was nowhere to be found.
She doesn’t have to fall to her knees in gratitude, but the least that ill-mannered girl could do is thank me!
Anger bubbled inside her.
Whenever Haila made her furious, Hilderia usually felt satisfied only after starving her, striking her, or at least tearing her clothes.
Still… now that I’ve confirmed she’s useful as this family’s shield against misfortune, I can’t treat her exactly the same as before.
She relaxed her cold expression and softened her voice.
“Where is Haila?”
Caught completely off guard, Marie’s face turned white.
“M-Me? I… I think she’s… taking a walk in the garden…”
“Tell her the room is ready. If she needs anything, she can ask Madam Dona…”
She paused.
“No. I have something to discuss with her. Tell her to come to me.”
“Y-Yes…”
Holding her pounding chest, Marie quietly left the room.
* * *
I will never live the same life again.
After thinking all night, I slipped out of the mansion at dawn and hired a carriage.
Halfway there, one of the carriage wheels broke, forcing me to wait for another carriage.
Although it wasn’t far from the count’s estate, I didn’t arrive until noon.
The small town of Umbur lay on the eastern edge of the capital.
I had lived there until I was sent to the orphanage, though I remembered very little about it.
Still…
Because Grandma lived there, it felt like home.
“Oh, come on! I came all this way, and she’s not even here?”
The house stood empty.
The door wasn’t even locked.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of warmth inside, so it didn’t look like she’d only stepped out for a moment.
Her belongings were all still there.
Maybe she’d gone travelling.
She loved travelling.
She always joked that her entire life was one long journey.
She’d even said she only found me in Count Payden’s territory because she’d happened to pass through while travelling.
Growl…
I’d skipped breakfast, and my stomach growled.
I went into the kitchen hoping to find even a piece of stale bread.
The mice had apparently beaten me to it.
There wasn’t a single crumb left.
Instead…
I found something else.
A note had been tucked between a stack of dishes.
It looks like this journey will be a long one.
If you’ve come because you’re troubled, go find the fellow I told you about before.
“A trip?”
“Tch… someone else’s life’s falling apart while you’re off travelling.”
I hadn’t expected her to be gone.
My plan of asking Grandma for advice had fallen apart.
And so had my hope that I could easily change the future.
“Should I just run away?”
“I’ll probably be caught almost immediately. Even if I hide, it won’t last more than a few days.”
The unexpected situation made it even harder to think clearly.
What if I crossed the border entirely…?
Suddenly, I remembered Grandma telling me about the border.
She described endless golden deserts and rugged mountain ranges stretching as far as the eye could see.
It sounded dangerous.
Yet, when I first heard the story, that thought had never crossed my mind.
All I imagined was a vast and beautiful landscape.
Maybe because Grandma always spoke so romantically.
Still…
Am I seriously considering crossing the border?
How would I even do that?
The more I thought about it, the more hopeless I felt.
That man Grandma mentioned…
Right. I’ll at least meet him before I leave.
Though discouraged, I stood up.
She said he runs an information guild… didn’t she?
I hadn’t listened very carefully.
The only thing I remembered was where his office was.
Even that wasn’t helping much.
The directions had seemed simple when Grandma explained them.
Now I just kept walking in circles.
If I turn here, there should be a house covered in ivy… What is going on?
I always got lost, even at the count’s estate.
There was no doubt the problem was me.
The sun was already setting.
I was so hungry my legs barely had the strength to carry me.
I decided to head back toward the marketplace I’d passed earlier and at least find something to eat.
But when I arrived…
The market was gone.
Instead, I found a place I had never seen before.
The street glowed beneath countless red lanterns.
The heavy, sticky air matched the seductive lighting.
Women wearing revealing clothes laughed with men who openly flirted with them.
It was the red-light district I’d only ever heard about.
Oh no…
How did I end up here?
Unable to even raise my head, I hurried through a narrow alley.
Then I spotted a carriage in the distance.
As it drew closer, I clearly recognized the crest of House Payden.
Instinctively, I ducked into another alley.
Why is the count’s carriage here…?
Don’t tell me… they realized I ran away…?
Just then, I heard two men talking as they walked past.
“Are you sure she came this way?”
“I’m certain. Red hair isn’t exactly common.”
“All these red lights could’ve made you see things. Search the entire area.”
Judging by their uniforms, they were knights of House Payden.
They said red hair.
They’re definitely looking for me.
My knees nearly gave way.
Hardly anyone ever came near my room.
Even if I’d died, no one would’ve noticed as long as Marie kept quiet.
Has the count been watching me all along?
Either way…
One thought screamed in my head.
Don’t get caught.
If they take me back, my freedom is over.
I have to return later on a public carriage and make it look like I was simply out too long.
I slipped deeper into the dark alley.
Then…
Two dark figures appeared from the opposite end.
Keeping the hood of my robe pulled low, I quickly turned into another alley on my right.
Their footsteps sped up as well.
Damn it.
They really are the count’s knights.
I needed to reach a main street where I could disappear into the crowd.
But the alley was so narrow that even one person barely fit through.
A man approached from the other end.
When he saw me, he stepped aside against the wall to let me pass.
I glanced behind me.
The two figures were still coming.
I had no choice.
Instead of passing the man…
I slipped straight beneath his cloak.
As though we’d arranged to meet there in secret.
I couldn’t spare a thought for the possibility that a stranger wandering the red-light district might be even more dangerous than the count’s knights.
A rich woody fragrance filled my senses.
It dulled my ability to think.
If he’d smelled like the cheap perfume drifting through the district, perhaps things would’ve been different.
The man froze.
Then one of his hands moved.
Is he reaching for his sword?
“Please help me.”
“I’m not a bad person.”
“Please…”
I spoke in a low, hurried voice.
I wasn’t sure if he understood.
But he stopped moving.
Perhaps he’d guessed my situation.
Standing on tiptoe, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
There was only one way to fool my pursuers.
It had to look like we were passionately kissing.
But…
His face was too high.
As I stretched upward—
Thunk!
The top of my head slammed into his chin.
The man flinched.
Then he lowered his body until his face was much closer to mine.
He’s not about to throw me to the ground… is he?
Please… just let those men walk past.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
When I opened them again…
His face was right in front of mine.
I gasped.
His eyes stared directly into mine without blinking.
Moonlight carved perfect shadows across his features.
Could a sculptor create a face this flawless?
Even for the briefest moment, I didn’t want to look away.
My heart pounded wildly.
It felt as if my whole body was trembling with every beat.
I forgot to breathe.
Forgot to blink.
The approaching footsteps brought me back to my senses.
The corners of the man’s perfectly shaped lips lifted ever so slightly.
As I stared at those captivating lips…
He pulled his cloak around me.
Hidden completely against his chest, no one would realize there were two people beneath it.
To anyone watching…
We looked exactly like lovers embracing in secret.
“Ahem.”
The men following me awkwardly cleared their throats.
Every hair on my body stood on end.
Without realizing it, I pressed even closer against the man’s chest.
The tiny gap between us disappeared.
My lips brushed against his.
A dizzying warmth rushed through my entire body.
If we stayed like this any longer…
I felt like I might collapse.
Thankfully, the two men quietly walked past us.
When their footsteps finally faded away, I quickly stepped back.
I lost my balance.
The man caught my arm with a firm grip.
“Now that the performance is over…”
“I believe you can let go.”
His words were formal, almost cold.
Yet his voice itself was surprisingly gentle.
Perhaps it only sounded that way because my ears were still burning.
Right…
He must feel like he got dragged into someone else’s trouble.
I felt embarrassed.
Sorry.
And overwhelmingly grateful.
“Yes…”
“Thanks to you.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
For just a moment, the corners of his mouth curved.
Was he smiling?
“I’ll repay your kindness if I can.”
“So… there’s also a chance you won’t.”
He rubbed his lips with his long fingers as he spoke.
I froze.
Bathed in the moonlight, he was almost too handsome to look at directly.
“W-Well…”
“I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again…”
“But before I die…”
“I promise I’ll repay you.”
I gave him a small bow.
Then I hurried away in a panic.
