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Chapter 3
My Life Was Taken as Collateral
Irina rested and allowed the servants to attend to her, washing away her fatigue.
Even after finishing the lavish dinner that had been prepared for her, she still hadn’t met the person she was supposed to see.
Every time Irina asked, Casey would simply reply, “Soon.”
But who on earth is it…?
When Irina briefly drifted off to sleep and woke up again, she found herself lying on a bed instead of the sofa.
She bolted upright and looked around the room, but she was alone.
Even when she questioned Casey, all she got was the same answer.
“There was no summons, so I didn’t go.”
It explained nothing.
“Is something bothering you, Miss?”
One of the maids standing nearby asked.
Irina shook her head.
“N-No. It’s nothing.”
Casey had insisted it wasn’t him.
Then who could it possibly be…?
Irina frowned once more.
The luxurious treatment continued the next day.
Several attendants helped her bathe, and, remarkably, every meal that was served suited her tastes perfectly.
Ever since her father had squandered the family’s fortune through gambling, the number of servants at home had dwindled drastically. During bath time, only her nanny and Riley had ever attended her.
Here, however, so many servants surrounded the bathtub that it was almost completely encircled.
What surprised her even more was the number of small magic stones casually used throughout the mansion.
Those were the kind of items one would normally only see in the Royal Palace of Arendor.
She had heard that even a single small magic stone was worth about as much as a large estate. Yet because demand far exceeded supply, obtaining one had become nearly impossible these days.
Fortunately, the marquis—whom she had begun to think she wouldn’t meet today either—finally requested an audience that evening.
“His Excellency has requested to see you.”
Irina nodded.
Having done nothing but rest and be waited on all day, the tension she had finally managed to shake off immediately returned.
She selected the cleanest dress she had brought.
The negotiation had to succeed.
After much deliberation, she had chosen this dress, though it had been purchased long ago, and the hem was ever so slightly frayed.
“Oh…”
Of the two dresses that had still been in decent condition, she’d already removed the jewels from one and given them to Riley.
The only one left was this pale pink dress.
“It can’t be helped.”
She dusted off the hem.
After all, what did it matter if she wore a slightly worn dress to a marriage arranged without even a proper wedding ceremony?
Though, naturally, it would be even better if the marriage never happened at all.
Thinking it might bring her good fortune, Irina fastened her pendulum necklace around her neck.
Then she carefully packed away the keepsake her mother had left behind.
Her mother’s memento.
Something she had never even told her father about.
She might never see it again after today…
“I can do this.”
She slipped it into the hidden pocket sewn inside her dress and stood.
Then she followed the servant through the hallway.
A short while later, they arrived at the same room she had first entered when she came to the mansion.
After being told to wait a moment, Irina sat on one side of the sofa with her hands folded neatly in her lap.
The longer she waited, the more anxious she became.
Without realizing it, she nervously bit her lower lip.
Click.
The door opened.
Just as she rose to greet the newcomer—
“It has been a long time, Lady Irina.”
At the sound of his voice, Irina slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.
“Y-You…”
She instinctively shoved her chair backward and stood.
“Howard?”
Why are you here?
Beautiful silver-gray hair that shimmered like strands of silver thread.
Gray eyes that looked sleepy as ever—yet colder and far more indifferent than she remembered.
His sharp jawline and elegantly shaped eyes carried an effortless mixture of sensuality and languid charm.
The fragile little boy she remembered was completely gone.
Even so…
There was no way she could mistake him.
Irina recognized him instantly.
Standing before her wasn’t an elderly nobleman.
It was the damned first love who had abandoned her and disappeared—
Twice.
“Howard! I have a secret to tell only you!”
As a child, Irina had been incredibly bright and cheerful.
“Yes, Lady Irina?”
From early that morning, she bustled around the estate.
Her soft hair sparkled in the sunlight.
Though Howard was older than she was, he was a little shorter.
Smiling sweetly, young Irina pressed a finger against her lips.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously.
Howard’s gray eyes filled with curiosity as he leaned closer.
His silver-thread-like hair fluttered gently in the breeze.
He was such a tiny, frail, delicate child.
“Did you know there’s a fruit fairy living at the top of that tree? That’s why fruit that gets lots of sunlight is sweeter. Don’t you want to try one?”
He had never heard such a story before.
But if the young lady said so, then it had to be true.
Howard nodded repeatedly.
“But I’m too short to reach.”
Irina clasped her tiny hands behind her back and walked around the tree.
Howard swallowed nervously as he stared up at the enormous tree, several times taller than himself.
“I’ll pick one for you.”
His face turned bright red as he shyly offered.
Irina’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ll do it.”
Howard struggled to drag over a wooden crate and placed it beneath the tree.
Standing atop it, he reached up with a long pole.
Even standing on tiptoe and stretching as far as he could, he couldn’t quite reach the fruit Irina wanted.
“Do you think you can get it?”
Irina tilted her head as she looked up at him.
Howard quietly lowered the pole.
“Please wait just a little longer.”
Then he grabbed the nearest branch and began climbing the tree.
He slipped twice, dirtying his clothes in the process.
After what felt like ages, he finally climbed high enough.
Just as he picked the biggest, ripest fruit and prepared to climb down—
“Hey! What on earth are you doing?!”
A gardener passing nearby spotted him and ran over in alarm.
Startled, Howard lost his balance.
He fell.
Fortunately, he had already climbed halfway down, so he wasn’t seriously hurt.
Still, he rolled across the ground, ending up covered from head to toe in leaves.
The commotion brought a maid running over.
“My lady! What are you doing?! That’s dangerous!”
“Uh… I…”
Irina looked troubled.
Howard hurriedly stood before he could even brush the leaves off himself.
“It was my idea. I wanted some fruit.”
“Oh, heavens! What if you’d been hurt? What would have happened if something had happened to Lady Irina? If Madam found out, we’d all be in terrible trouble! Honestly!”
The maid scolded Howard without stopping.
Even Irina became too frightened to interrupt.
“My lady, you’ll catch a cold. Please go back inside.”
“B-But Howard…”
“He’ll be fine. He can take care of himself. Please go inside.”
“N-No…”
When Irina continued resisting, the maid simply picked her up and carried her away.
Howard stood there silently, the fruit still clutched in his hand, watching her disappear.
Unable even to apologize, Irina was carried back to her room.
“Howard! Good morning!”
The next day, Irina sought him out as though nothing had happened.
Howard was sitting quietly, the soreness from yesterday’s fall finally catching up with him.
Irina leaned close and whispered,
“Want to do something fun today?”
Howard felt a little uneasy.
But once again, he nodded.
“Shh. Follow me.”
Irina grabbed his hand and led him downstairs.
“Yesterday I found a strange door leading underground. They say it’s haunted.”
“There aren’t any ghosts.”
Howard muttered softly.
Irina pretended not to hear.
“Here it is.”
They descended to what was roughly the second basement level before stopping in front of a mysterious door.
Since everyone always forbade her from going underground because it was dangerous, she’d never seen it before.
She grasped the doorknob.
To her surprise, it opened easily.
Inside were countless old furniture pieces, all buried beneath thick layers of dust.
“I’m scared. Will you go first?”
Irina took a nervous step backward.
Though she had insisted on coming, she now urged Howard to enter ahead of her.
Inside…
There was nothing.
Just dusty furniture.
Not even the slightest sign of a ghost.
Unfortunately, when they came back out, another servant caught them.
The two were thoroughly scolded.
Irina did her best to shield Howard.
And that wasn’t all.
Howard’s body was weak, and he caught colds from even the slightest chill.
So Irina personally simmered wine with fruit and brought it to him.
The fire was so hot that sweat dripped down her forehead despite winter approaching.
“Howard needs lots of this. James, can we make a huge batch? He’ll need it all winter.”
“No, my lady. If you make too much, it’ll spoil quickly. It’s better to prepare a fresh batch each time he drinks it.”
“I see. Then I’ll bring it to Howard myself.”
“I think it would be better if I prepared it…”
“Why? Were you planning to drink it yourself?”
Irina innocently stirred the pot with a ladle.
“N-Not at all.”
The head chef wiped away nervous sweat and shook his head.
Fortunately, after drinking the warm concoction Irina had made, Howard recovered completely within a few days.
Every day was exciting.
Every day was filled with laughter.
Winter was drawing near.
Tomorrow would mark one full year since Howard had arrived at the estate.
He had once told her that he didn’t even know when his birthday was.
So Irina decided to give him one.
She prepared a birthday present just for him.
After carefully wrapping it, she placed it beside her pillow before falling asleep.
“Lady Irina! It’s time to wake up. You asked me to wake you early, remember?”
“Mmm…”
She had specifically asked the maid to wake her earlier than usual.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she slowly forced herself awake.
Then, all at once—
“I’m going to be late!”
She leaped out of bed and sprinted toward Howard’s room.
She wanted to be the very first person to wish him a happy birthday.
“Howard!”
She threw open the bedroom door where he always slept.
“Huh…? Where is he?”
She had awakened a full hour earlier than Howard usually did.
Yet his bed…
Was empty.
As though he had never been there at all.
