Doctor Hailey

“Hurry up and get inside!”

Hailey stumbled as the Chief Investigator roughly shoved her shoulder.

Her legs were already trembling, so it was a relief she didn’t fall.

She desperately braced herself against the wall, forcing strength into her legs.

“If you confess now, I can have you sent home under guard instead of to the prison. You’ll need to prepare for your trial tomorrow,” the Chief Investigator said from behind her.

She shook her head.

“Where is my room?”

Hailey asked.

The Chief Investigator roughly pushed her back.

She nearly fell forward but managed to regain her balance.

She spun around to face him.

“I warned you, didn’t I? If you touch me again, I won’t let it slide.”

A broad smile spread across the Chief Investigator’s face.

“What can you do here?”

“Even if I’m found guilty and serve time, I can still get you removed from your position.”

She stared at him with a calm, expressionless face.

His eyes flickered slightly.

“…Get inside!”

The Chief Investigator pointed to the end of the corridor.

She turned back around.

The place where she had been with Hetos and Faello was a temporary holding cell for suspects awaiting trial, but this was a real prison.

“Pretty face you got there. Too bad I can’t see your body with those baggy clothes. Hey, move aside.”

“Miss, where’s your cell? Don’t you want to make your prison life a bit easier?”

As she walked, crude comments came from both sides.

Many prisoners reached out their hands through the bars.

She kept her eyes forward, her heart pounding, but she focused on maintaining steady breaths.

She walked with her eyes wide open and her steps firm.

“Guard!”

At the Chief Investigator’s command, a guard walked past her and stopped in front of a cell.

After finding the key, the guard inserted it into the large padlock.

With a clunk, the lock opened. Two guards pulled the cell door open with force.

“Get in!”

Hailey stepped into the cell.

“By the way, you don’t need to go to the dining hall for meals here. The guards bring food whenever they remember to.”

She didn’t respond.

“You won’t be allowed to see the Count until the trial. Even though His Highness has ordered a reinvestigation… handling suspects is the investigation bureau’s prerogative, so even the Crown Prince can’t interfere.”

Chief Investigator Grand laughed deeply.

“I would love to throw you in with the male prisoners, but I’ll show some minimal respect. Still, be careful; that woman there is no pushover.”

Hailey’s gaze naturally shifted to the other prisoner in the cell.

The woman was lying on the floor.

‘Is she sleeping?’

Seeing the woman motionless, Hailey decided not to concern herself and leaned against the wall.

“If you’re done talking, just leave.”

Hailey closed her eyes.

The heavy footsteps of the Chief Investigator and the guards echoed in her ears.

“Bastards, if they came, they could have at least brought food.”

Hailey opened her eyes to the unfamiliar voice.

The prisoner who had been lying motionless on the floor was now sitting up, staring intently at her.

Her hair was matted, her face filthy, and her clothes indistinguishable from rags.

“You look like a noble. Are you the daughter of a rebel leader or something?”

Her tone was sharp and her words blunt, but oddly enough, Hailey didn’t find her scary or offensive.

“Why are you staring? Haven’t you seen a person before?”

Just then, whistles echoed from various cells.

“Hey, Nadia’s awake?”

“The new girl’s a stunner. How is she up close?”

“Her body must be…”

“Shut up, you crazy bastards!”

Nadia shouted.

Hailey smiled bitterly, shaking her head.

Was the Chief Investigator really confident in proving the charges?

She thought he might take her to a detention center to save face or prepare for losing in court, but he repeatedly threw her into prison.

Who could be so determined to harm our family?

Did Father face a problem I’m unaware of?

A sense of unease welled up inside her.

Then,

A small hand grabbed her chin.

“Why are you here?”

Nadia asked.

Hailey didn’t respond, swatting away her hand.

She noticed a rat poking its head up by the bars.

Following her gaze, Nadia turned her head too.

“What? Never seen a rat before?”

Hailey remained silent.

“Crying and screaming would be more entertaining… Aren’t you a noble?”

Nadia tilted her head.

Hailey smirked. The filthy and rough environment didn’t particularly bother her.

It was better than her previous life.

“Laughing?”

“Yes, I’m a noble. Do nobles have to cry just because they’re in prison?”

Hailey said.

“If the Chief Investigator brought you personally, you must have committed a serious crime?”

She nodded.

If having a reputation strong enough to threaten the royal authority is a crime, then yes.

“Pretty serious.”

“Did you really commit treason? But is there even a family capable of rebellion right now? Even with the nobility gaining power recently, the imperial faction is still strong enough to make rebellion difficult.”

Nadia looked curious.

Nadia tilted her head.

“It’s not treason.”

“It’s curious to see a noble speaking so politely to a common prisoner. Are you really a noble?”

Hailey smiled faintly.

“Yes, I am a noble.”

“Really? So, you’re a noble lady. Not treason, huh.”

Nadia crossed her arms and stared at her intently.

Hailey’s smile widened. Should she help Nadia with her guesses?

“I’m imprisoned for something like a defiance charge? And the Chief Investigator’s excessive loyalty?”

Hailey said.

“You’re Hailey Salisbury, aren’t you?”

Hailey looked at Nadia, blinking rapidly. She covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes wide with surprise.

“The Chief Investigator is a loyal hound to the royal family. The only family he’d imprison for defiance is the Salisburys. You’re a thorn in the royal family’s side.”

“Isn’t the Salisbury family too influential for a mere Chief Investigator to imprison?”

Hailey tried to counter.

“You casually say your family is influential. Not wrong, though. The Chief Investigator is not smart. That’s why he’s a loyal hound willing to attack even the powerful Salisbury family.”

At that moment,

“Nadia!”

“Nadia! Something terrible happened!”

“Nadia, Ironwire isn’t breathing!”

“Ironwire, don’t die! Ironwire! Ironwire!”

“Nadia! Save Ironwire!”

Amidst the screams, prisoners called for Nadia from all directions.

She sprang up like a coiled spring, untying her hair.

Her hair had been tied with wire. She bent the wire and inserted it into the padlock hanging outside the bars, turning it several times.

With a click, the padlock opened.

Nadia slid the cell door aside.

“Don’t just stand there, help me!”

At Nadia’s shout, Hailey, bewildered, got up and helped her open the cell door.

Once the door was open, Nadia quickly ran down the corridor. Hailey followed suit.

Nadia stopped halfway down the corridor and entered a cell on the left. The door was already open.

Inside the cell, a prisoner lay on the floor. Four other prisoners stood around, anxiously pacing.

“Nadia!”

“Move aside. Axe, give me my stuff.”

Nadia said.

The standing prisoners stepped back, revealing the prone prisoner.

Hailey’s face hardened.

‘An emergency patient!’

She rushed toward the patient, but,

“Move!”

Nadia pushed her aside.

“Nadia, here.”

A man called Axe handed something to Nadia.

Seeing what it was, Hailey gasped in surprise.

“A stethoscope!”