The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House-Chapter 145

A man in the royal guard uniform of the Kingdom of Graydon knelt at the feet of Crown Prince Theodore.

Theodore, seated with his legs crossed, lightly flicked the man’s collar with the tip of his boot.

"You don’t seem to have the skills to be a royal guard, but the uniform suits you well."

His voice was unusually low—gentle yet commanding and heavy with authority.

The man trembled violently, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of Theodore.

Nikolai, the captain of the royal guards standing beside the prince, drew his sword and pointed it at the man’s neck.

"Your Highness, just say the word. To impersonate the esteemed royal guards of this glorious kingdom is a crime deserving of punishment."

Theodore allowed a faint smile to grace his lips.

"Ah, yes. You must feel particularly slighted."

He stroked his chin, eyes fixed on the kneeling man. Then, with a flick of his boot, he tilted the man’s chin upward.

"But Nikolai, don’t I still have questions for this one? Be patient, will you?"

At Theodore’s words, Nikolai inclined his head slightly to show his agreement, though he did not lower his sword.

"Why are you impersonating one of our royal guards?"

"Th-that’s..."

When the man hesitated, Nikolai swung his blade, severing one of the man’s fingers.

"Ahhh!"

The man screamed, clutching his bleeding hand, but neither Nikolai, Theodore, nor the other knights in the room so much as blinked.

"If you don’t answer His Highness’s question properly, I’ll cut off the next one," Nikolai warned, his tone cold and unyielding.

The man continued to wail, seemingly deaf to Nikolai’s threat.

"Answer. Next, it’ll be your second finger."

Theodore’s calm voice silenced the man’s cries. He began trembling uncontrollably, his face pale with terror.

"I-I don’t know! I just wore what my seniors handed me and followed their orders!"

"Name these seniors. Who gave the orders? And where were you originally stationed?"

"W-we were originally part of the private forces of the Marquis of Casey. The orders came from our commander."

"Originally? So where are you stationed now?"

"I don’t know! We just follow our commander. He takes orders from someone higher up."

"And who is this commander?"

"Our commander recently passed away. The highest-ranking officer now is Kellyan Benger."

"Interesting. A commoner leading the Marquis of Casey’s knights?"

"I know Sir Kellyan," Nikolai interjected. "He was my classmate at Rubridge Benton College. His skills were exceptional. The Marquis sponsored his education."

Theodore didn’t respond immediately, his cold gaze locked onto the man. The unrelenting pressure of his stare made sweat bead on the man’s brow as he groaned, the pain in his mangled hand pushing him toward unconsciousness.

"Let’s move to the next question."

Theodore’s face was kind, but his presence radiated an oppressive weight that made it hard to breathe.

As the man gasped for air, Theodore smiled, a predator’s amusement as he addressed his helpless prey.

"Listen carefully. Sir Nikolai reported seeing Lloyd entering the telegraph office during his patrol. Is that correct?"

"Y-yes, that’s correct."

"And Lloyd made a call there? Funny thing is, the office exploded right after. You were there, weren’t you? Who was he calling?"

"That..."

The man hesitated, and Nikolai mercilessly severed his second finger.

"Aaaaah!"

Blood poured from the wound, and the man seemed on the verge of passing out. A maid rushed over to staunch the bleeding.

"He can’t die yet. He hasn’t answered," Theodore said coolly, his tone devoid of emotion.

The man, clinging to consciousness, muttered like a chant, "I-I don’t know who he called. But I heard the conversation. I swear, I heard it."

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"Go on," Theodore encouraged.

"He... He was looking for someone. He said they were in Brunel. A-and he mentioned something about a bear that tears monsters apart with its bare hands. He said they were having trouble capturing the person because of the bear and would need to plan a bear hunt."

A bear that tears monsters apart with its bare hands?

Theodore chuckled softly, the absurdity of the claim evident.

"A bear could rip monsters apart, sure. It’s a top predator, after all."

"N-no, it’s a metaphor. They were referring to someone who’s taken control of Brunel. That person apparently has incredible strength—enough to tear apart monsters."

A person who had taken control of Brunel and possessed monstrous strength.

Could it be Ethan?

Ethan’s last known location was Brunel. If it were him, it made sense; Ethan was likely still alive.

But why would Lloyd be looking for Ethan?

Theodore had no clear answer to that.

What intrigued him more was who Lloyd had been speaking to during that call.

Could there still be areas where the telephone lines are operational?

Lloyd had deliberately destroyed the telegraph office after his call. It was a calculated move to ensure Theodore and his forces couldn’t use the lines of communication.

'Whoever he was speaking to must be outside the capital.'

Theodore pondered, but the answer remained just out of reach. Frustrated, he gave up speculating and nudged the unconscious man at his feet with his boot. The man didn’t stir.

"Take him away. Sir Nikolai, I leave his fate in your hands."

The man and his accomplices had been masquerading as Graydon’s royal guards, committing atrocities against survivors in the capital—pillaging, murdering, and worse—all while soiling Theodore’s name.

Theodore watched as Nikolai bowed, grabbed the man by the back of his collar, and began dragging him out of the room. Before they left, Theodore issued another command.

"Bring me Lady Lancaster. Before we seize Notium Street, there are things I need to ask her."

Notium Street was an area Lloyd’s forces were fiercely defending. Taking it was critical to uncovering Lloyd’s motives for his fixation on the area.

'It must be connected to House 61 on Notium Street.'

That location was ground zero for the appearance of the first monsters, and Aurora had been the first witness. Theodore’s instincts told him it was time to interrogate her more thoroughly about what had happened that day.

*****

Meanwhile, the creature watching over the pit suddenly vanished.

Wheeeet—Wheeeet—

The shrill sound of a whistle echoed from somewhere nearby. The creature moved toward it immediately.

The tension that had gripped the pit abruptly released. Nox felt the tightness in his chest ease as his heart slowed, no longer pounding with dread. A surge of hope and relief swept through him.

Someone he could trust was nearby—someone strong enough to make a difference. He realized it had to be Ethan.

'Vanilla must have gotten a message to him.'

But relief quickly turned into worry. The whistle would likely attract all the nearby monsters to Ethan’s location.

'No time to waste. I need to act quickly and help him.'

Cherry decided without hesitation. Securing her axe on her back, she scanned the area, her sharp eyes catching sight of a sturdy vine. She grabbed it and wrapped it around her waist, tying it securely. The other end of the vine she fastened to a solid rock.

Using the makeshift pulley system, she prepared to haul people out of the pit, relying on her strength to lift them to safety.

'No time for talking. Actions speak louder.'

Taking a deep breath, Cherry sprinted toward the pit and leaped in. The depth was greater than she expected, but the vine was long enough to ensure a smooth landing.

She landed gracefully, her pink hair catching the dim light as she stood tall. Nox, visibly startled, stared at her in disbelief. Cherry offered him a broad grin.

"I’m here to rescue you, Mr. Ludfisher. I’m so glad you’re safe."

Without waiting for a response, she pulled him into a firm embrace, relief washing over her.

She buried her face in his shoulder, breathing out a shaky sigh. Nox wasn’t meant to stay in Brunel—his fate had been altered because of her. If he had been infected or worse... she didn’t want to imagine it.

Closing her eyes tightly, she tried to suppress the dreadful thoughts. But before she could fully relax, Nox gently pushed her back.

"Miss Cherry, why did you come for me?"

He cupped her face with his hands, his golden eyes gazing deeply into hers. Despite the situation, his expression was soft, his lips curving into a faint smile.

"This is my fault. I’m here because I was weak and pathetic. You shouldn’t risk your life for someone like me."

Cherry frowned, her brows knitting together. She hadn’t expected Nox, proud and elegant by nature, to express such self-reproach.

'Has he really come to blame himself like this? This isn’t the Nox I know.'

"Nonsense. You’re neither weak nor pathetic. You’re invaluable to me," she shot back firmly.

Her words seemed to shake him. His golden eyes wavered, filled with emotion. Sensing his hesitation, she drove her point home.

"You’re important enough that I’m willing to risk everything to save you."

Nox bit his lip, his brows furrowing as if struggling to hold back an overwhelming wave of emotion. Finally, he let out a long sigh, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Miss Cherry... You’re unbelievable," he murmured, a faint smile breaking through his frustration.

One hand covered his face as he chuckled softly, his shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.