The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House

"Can I leave now?"

I looked between Ethan and Nox as I spoke.
They exchanged glances, both looking reluctant, but eventually nodded.
"Miss Cherry, your hand…" Ethan began, concern flickering in his voice.

"It’s fine."
Everyone else stared at me in shock. I raised my perfectly intact fist to show them, rolling my eyes at their overreactions. They all knew how strong I was, yet they still managed to act surprised every time.
"And Sir Ethan," I added, pointing directly at him, "get back in your room and rest. If you want to come with me to gather materials for the cure, you’d better recover quickly."

If Ethan didn’t improve soon, I’d have to bring Jose or Harrison instead.
"Cure materials? What’s that about?"
Ethan’s confusion was obvious; he hadn’t been informed yet. Turning to Nox, I said, "Mr. Ludfisher, please explain in my place. And if you start fighting again, I won’t let it slide."

Though Nox shrugged with an annoyed look, I ignored him. I had more pressing things to deal with. Wrapping things up quickly, I slipped away from the group to avoid the lingering tension.
Or rather, I fled.
My heart was racing too much to stay and keep looking at Ethan’s face.

This wasn’t the time to think about my feelings for Ethan.
Just like the heroine in those survival novels trapped with male leads on desolate islands…
"Survival comes first!"

Shaking off unnecessary thoughts, I refocused. I had a more immediate issue to address: Kellyan.
Second Floor, Happy House
The room where Kellyan was confined felt stark and bare. Aside from a bed, a chair, and a table, all other furnishings had been moved to another room. Inside, there were only three men.

Charlie Green lay bound to a chair, slumped on the floor and fast asleep.
"That one’s just a waste of food. I need to get rid of him soon."
The real issue was Kellyan.
Though he was suspected of being part of the group that impersonated the Royal Guard and attempted to kidnap Ethan, his true identity hadn’t been confirmed. It wasn’t clear if he was an outright enemy.

Unlike Michelle, his title as a "knight" made him harder to dismiss. His weapons had been confiscated, and while he wasn’t physically restrained like Charlie, he’d been locked in this room with his agreement.
Kellyan sat idly in a rocking chair, staring at the ceiling, until he noticed me standing in the doorway.
Across from him, Harrison sat elegantly, legs crossed, reading a newspaper.

The scene didn’t look like an interrogation—it looked like neglect.
"You’ve kept me waiting far too long, milady," Kellyan said, waving lazily from his seat. His expression was one of exaggerated grievance, as though he had been anticipating this moment.
"I’ve been waiting days for a chance to prove I mean no harm to your group, yet here I’ve been, locked up and gathering moss. What would you like to ask first? Where I came from? Shall I start with my lineage?"

He was already getting on my nerves.
Clearly eager for a conversation, Kellyan rubbed his hands together as he stood. Despite his light tone, his movements were disciplined and deliberate—very much a soldier’s.
As he approached me, Harrison, who had been motionless like a statue, folded his newspaper with a sharp snap.

Kellyan froze mid-step, visibly flinching.
"What’s he so scared of?"
Kellyan shot Harrison a look of pure exasperation before retreating to his chair, sitting primly like a model student.

"Miss," Harrison said, standing and approaching me with brisk efficiency.
Tucking the newspaper under his arm, he adjusted my crooked hat with practiced ease.
"You can leave this to me," he said.

"I trust you’ll handle it, Harrison, but I’m curious to know if this man really is a Royal Guard."
I glanced at Kellyan, who raised his hands in mock surrender, looking aggrieved.
"I am a Royal Guard. My uniform should make that clear."

"I apologize for the confinement, but this is my house, and I don’t like dangerous situations."
"Understandable," Kellyan replied smoothly. "That’s why I stayed put without complaint. But please, consider my efforts and frustrations, milady."
There wasn’t a hint of fear in Kellyan’s demeanor, only patience and a touch of nonchalance.

"Ah, I suppose I should thank you now, Lady Sinclair, for rescuing me."
He bowed his head slightly, his voice calm and deliberate.
"He’s got nerves of steel," I thought. Considering how he’d remained composed even in the face of that enormous octopus monster, it wasn’t surprising.

Could he really be a Royal Guard? The novel hadn’t mentioned someone like him, so it was hard to say.
If Ethan had been with Aurora in the novel as written, there wouldn’t have been any reason for Royal Guards to come looking for him. After all, Theodore’s guards were always close by his side.
Still…

I stared at Kellyan, studying him carefully, trying to discern his reactions.
Harrison, meanwhile, simply watched me with a proud expression.
"Why is he looking at me like that? It’s so much pressure."

It felt like Harrison expected me to outwit Kellyan, which only added to the burden.
Finally, Kellyan spoke again.
"Before coming to Brunel, I stayed in Kint. There, I heard rumors about a bear that could tear monsters apart with its bare hands. I never imagined that bear would be you, milady."

"And?"
"Would you consider leaving this place with me? I wish to serve you. I can promise you exceptional treatment, better than anything you’ve known."
"Exceptional treatment? I’m a Sinclair. Do you think I’d settle for anything less? And in this world, is such a thing even possible? Where would you take me?"

"His Highness, Crown Prince Theodore, resides in Westmoor. Your strength would be an asset to him—or anyone else, for that matter."
"I’m not interested. And Westmoor is blocked off, isn’t it? No one can pass through."
"I can," Kellyan said confidently. "I know a way."

"That's amusing. Did you bribe the people in Westmoor or something?"
"As you know, money doesn’t hold much value in this world anymore, milady. Besides, those people don’t take bribes."
"Turning down bribes, huh? They must have a lot of work requiring brute force. I doubt there’s anything I could help with, though."

"Why wouldn’t there be? Someone of your capabilities could accomplish a great deal in this broken world."
"Really? I can’t imagine what that might be. Why don’t you tell me, and I’ll decide if it’s worth my time?"
"Well… it’s not something I can explain just yet…"

"Hm, I’ve lost interest. I’m impatient and capricious, you see. You must not know me very well."
"Milady."
"My mind’s made up. I don’t involve myself in boring matters."

"Wait, hold on, milady."
"Don’t bother trying to convince me. I’m happier being a queen here. When else will I get to keep someone like Sir Ethan under my heel?"
"Sir Ethan isn’t someone to be wasted here, nor are you, milady."

"Sir Kellyan, you talk like we’re meant to save the world or something. Is that just flattery, or do you genuinely believe we’re special?"
"Of course, you’re special. Both Sir Ethan and yourself. Don’t you want to save the world? We’re working toward something extraordinary. It would be an honor to have the two of you with us. In fact, I couldn’t help but admire you the moment I saw you fighting those monsters."
"Fighting monsters isn’t particularly difficult for me. Honestly, if I had the resources, I’d drag those cursed creatures back here for experimentation. We might even develop a cure."

At this, Kellyan’s face lit up with hope.
"Exactly, milady. That’s precisely what I wanted to ask of you. You can’t imagine how frustrating it is to deal with failed experiments and—"
Kellyan abruptly stopped, his face turning pale. Beside him, Harrison gave me a look of approval, as if to say, Well done.

Good thing this tactic worked.
Keep pushing the conversation forward, leaving the other party no time to think—my father had taught me that.
"Cherry, remember: in business, nothing is more important than a silver tongue. If you want something, never give the other person time to hesitate."

Funny how my father’s advice only started to sink in after the world ended and he was no longer around.
I took a seat in the chair Harrison had pulled over for me, crossing my legs casually.
"So, Westmoor isn’t a ghost town after all? There’s a survival camp, and they’re running experiments? I take it having someone like me join their group would be advantageous. And you’re keen on bringing Sir Ethan along too—care to explain why?"

The more I spoke, the more blood drained from Kellyan’s face.
"Now then, Sir Kellyan," I said with a sweet smile, "shall we have a proper conversation?"
*****

Benton Capital, 61 Notium Street
Theodore stood with Aurora in front of the mansion’s stone wall. Around them, the Royal Guard formed a protective perimeter, scanning their surroundings diligently.
At last, they had succeeded in reaching Notium Street. More importantly, they’d secured it before Prince Lloyd’s forces could.

But something felt off.
"I don’t see any of Prince Lloyd’s soldiers," said Nikolai, the captain of the Royal Guard.
It was true. The entire way to Notium Street, there hadn’t been a single trace of the soldiers who usually tailed them like shadows, picking fights at every opportunity.

Theodore cast a wary glance around before stepping through the gates of 61 Notium Street.
"Could it be a trap?" Aurora asked, her voice tinged with apprehension as her eyes darted around.
Theodore walked through the garden and glanced back at her.

"Nikolai and the guards have already swept the area multiple times. There’s no trap. Don’t worry, Lady Lancaster. It seems they’ve simply abandoned this place."
Pausing at the mansion’s front door, he turned to her again. She was still full of questions.
"Why would Prince Lloyd give up on this place? He wanted this district so badly."

"Ah, it doesn’t seem like it was his choice."
"If it wasn’t voluntary, and it’s not a trap, then…"
Theodore watched as the guards quickly shut and secured the mansion doors behind them.

"It means something went wrong on their end. Something significant enough to make them relinquish control of Notium Street."
Theodore thought back to the confession of the man they’d captured earlier—the one who had impersonated a Royal Guard.
Could this be connected to the rumor he had mentioned? The one about "the bear in Brunel that tears monsters apart with its bare hands"?

Perhaps they’d deemed securing this street less critical than capturing that "bear" or whoever it was they sought.
Pushing open the front doors, Theodore stepped into the mansion, leading the way for the others.
As they explored the property, they stumbled upon a hidden passage in the basement.

It was dark, damp, and stretched endlessly into the shadows.
A tunnel with no visible end.