The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House-Chapter 173

"Who gave the order to bring Ethan?"

"It was the Duke of Lancaster."

As soon as Kellyan finished speaking, a smile spread across Cherry's lips.

"Finally, you’ve decided to talk."

Before Kellyan could react, a sharp pain erupted at the back of his head, and he lost consciousness.

Ethan, who had been lying serenely in the coffin, suddenly shot upright and delivered a clean blow to the back of Kellyan’s head, knocking him out cold.

Kellyan’s limp body, with his bronze skin and short silver hair damp from the rain, toppled into the coffin.

Stretching with a groan, Ethan shook off the stiffness in his muscles and stepped out of the grave, letting the rain wash over him.

"Nice work," Aurora teased, amusement dancing in her eyes as she stood beside Cherry.

"You’re surprisingly good at pretending to be dead."

"Shut it," Ethan muttered, leaping out of the pit in one fluid motion.

Aurora hesitated, then glanced at Ethan, her tone cautious. "Did you know? Father..."

"Of course I didn’t," Ethan replied curtly, running a hand through his hair, clearly irritated.

"First, we’ll deal with that bastard when he wakes up. We need to figure out what’s really going on and what my father is planning."

He strode toward Cherry.

"Miss Cherry," Ethan began, his voice steady but serious. "I don’t believe my father is working on a cure."

"What?" Cherry asked, startled.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

"Do as you wish. If you want to hand me over, hand me over. If you want to keep me by your side, do that too."

"And if your father really is creating a cure?"

"Didn’t Ludfisher say he’s developing a cure? Or am I wrong?"

"That’s true."

"That sly bastard," Ethan muttered with a bitter chuckle. "I hate to admit it, but his skills are top-notch."

Nearby, Nox, who had been eavesdropping, smirked and shrugged.

"Then there’s no reason for me to go to my father under the guise of a cure. Unless... Miss Cherry, do you want me gone?"

"Of course not!" Cherry blurted out, startled by his direct question.

"Then there’s your answer." Ethan grinned, ruffling her hair before walking off to speak with others nearby.

Cherry opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the weight of watching eyes silenced her.

She still had words for Ethan about his will.

If you can bring me the stars, I’ll accept you as my partner. That was the joke she’d made. Not for him to become a star. Why did he take it so seriously?

If he dared try something like that again, she swore she wouldn’t let him off.

His sincerity in the will unsettled her. It stirred something in her heart that she didn’t want to acknowledge.

Kellyan was now resting in the salon where the royal guards were stationed.

The location had been chosen because it was the safest place, one where Kellyan wouldn’t be able to try anything.

The decision to interrogate him had put all the guards on high alert, forming a protective perimeter inside the room.

Inside were Cherry, Harrison, Nox, and Theodore, who lounged on the sofa with a casual air.

Harrison brought over a chair for Cherry, placing it directly in front of Kellyan, while Harrison and Nox stood behind her.

Cherry glanced back, a little flustered.

"Hey, with you two standing there, it feels like I’m some sort of mob boss," she muttered.

"You are a boss. The boss of Happy House," Nox quipped.

Harrison, unfazed, adjusted his glasses with a calm expression, remaining silent.

The idle banter was interrupted by Kellyan’s weak ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) voice.

"Please... spare me, Lady."

Cherry turned to look at him. Kellyan, who once carried himself with smug confidence, now looked utterly broken. His eyes darted nervously toward Theodore, gauging his reaction.

Cherry tilted her head, gesturing for him to speak.

"I’ve heard that Sir Ethan has antibodies. He’s immune to the virus, even when bitten by the monsters. That’s why his blood is needed," Kellyan confessed.

"That’s old news. Anything new?" Cherry pressed.

"I only know that the head of the Westmore survival camp is the Duke of Lancaster. And... there’s supposedly a genius scientist there who can save the world. The Duke also communicates regularly with Prince Lloyd in the capital."

Cherry mulled over his words.

A genius scientist who could save the world? Her instincts screamed one name: Ezra.

Then Kellyan looked at her, desperation in his voice.

"If I fail this mission, my brother will die. Please help me, Lady."

"I can’t help you with that. Ethan is dead. What, do you want me to give them a corpse?"

"Whether Sir Ethan is dead or alive, Westmore will keep sending people to Brunel."

If Westmore knew Ethan had antibodies, they’d certainly do so.

"I don’t care about Sir Ethan’s death. My brother’s safety is my priority. If you help me rescue him from Westmore, I’ll make sure they stop sending people to Brunel."

"How?"

"I’ll infiltrate Westmore and feed them false information about Sir Ethan, ensuring they never come back here."

"And how can I trust you to play the spy properly?"

"You think I have a choice? I’m betting everything on the hope that staying under your and the crown prince’s protection is safer than walking into Westmore."

Kellyan’s primary concern wasn’t Ethan’s death. It was whether Westmore believed he was dead—that was the key to his brother’s safety.

"So, tell me," Kellyan said, glancing at Theodore with thinly veiled curiosity, "how did the crown prince even get here? Westmore’s roads are blocked, and no one in the capital could’ve made it out."

Cherry didn’t answer. There was no need to explain the underground passage to him yet. Theodore, listening intently, remained silent as well.

Kellyan quickly adjusted his demeanor, sensing the tension.

"Never mind. If it’s inconvenient to answer, forget I asked, Lady."

His tone had shifted from defiant to pitifully servile.

Cherry considered testing him. What would Kellyan’s reaction be if she revealed Ethan was alive?

"Kellyan, Sir Ethan is actually alive."

Kellyan’s eyes widened in shock.

"What? What do you mean...? Could it be...?"

A cascade of emotions flashed through his gaze—astonishment, relief, anger, and finally, resignation.

"My God," he muttered, covering his mouth briefly before letting out a hollow laugh.

"Haha... hahaha... hahahaha..."

Then he abruptly stopped, lowering his hand and fixing Cherry with an intense stare. She tensed, preparing to act if his attitude shifted again.

"Lady, have you heard this saying? To survive, you must learn to discern the color of water. It means choosing the right group to align with."

Cherry paused, intrigued. She let him continue.

"My decision was right after all. Please accept me as your subordinate, Lady."

Subordinate? That made her feel even more like a mob boss.

"Why not discuss that with me instead?"

To her surprise, Theodore finally spoke.

"I wish to meet the Duke of Lancaster, the leader of the Westmore survival camp. I can assist you, Kellyan. Would you prefer to serve under me instead?"

Kellyan’s pupils trembled violently. He hadn’t expected such a proposal.

Theodore’s offer startled Cherry as well, though on reflection, it made sense. Kellyan and Theodore shared a goal—breaking into Westmore.

"Your Highness, are you sure about this?"

It was Nox who posed the question. Theodore shrugged nonchalantly.

"Kellyan’s brother is a citizen of Graydon, is he not? It’s my duty to protect him."

As idealistic as Theodore’s words were, in the apocalyptic world, they felt detached from reality.

Theodore chuckled softly, aware of how his statement might sound.

"I’m only human. I make narrow-minded and unfair decisions at times. But I do my best within my limits. Helping Kellyan rescue his brother is one such effort. Besides, I have my own reasons for going to Westmore."

Cherry nodded in agreement. The arrangement worked for everyone. She’d shed a burden, and Theodore would gain an ally.

Whether Kellyan could be trusted long-term was another matter. Handling such risks would be Theodore’s responsibility.

Kellyan stared at Theodore, seeming genuinely moved by his words.

"Your Highness... you don’t belong in this hell. You’re a saint."

"You’re mistaken. A saint? Hardly. I’ll use you for my benefit, but I’ll keep my promises. Don’t worry about that."

Kellyan’s expression hardened with resolve.

"Very well. I will serve you, Your Highness."

Finally, a satisfactory answer. Cherry and Theodore both let out quiet sighs of relief.

"By the way, Lady, what about you and Sir Ethan...?" Kellyan asked hesitantly.

"Don’t worry," Cherry replied. "Even if His Highness returns to the capital, we’ll stay in contact."

Privately, Cherry had an inkling she’d have to join the Westmore operation eventually—for Ethan’s sake.

If the Duke of Lancaster wasn’t calling Ethan to develop a cure but to harm him, she would do whatever it took to protect him.

"How will you stay in contact with the capital?"

"I’ll explain when we head there," Cherry said.

Theodore interrupted Kellyan’s words. Revealing the existence of the underground passage to Kellyan could wait until he’d been observed a little longer.

From now on, the focus would be on clearing the underground passage and making thorough preparations for the journey to the capital. Additionally, contingencies had to be set in place in case Cherry and her team were forced to join the Westmore operation.

And with that, the conversation with Kellyan came to an end.

31. A New Path Opened

Ezra held a trembling cigar between bloodstained fingers. His hands, covered in deep crimson smears, fumbled as he pulled a match from his pocket.

Snap. Strike. Fizz.

Lighting the cigar, Ezra took a long, weary drag, exhaling a plume of smoke with a deep sigh.

It had been an exhausting day. Perched on the windowsill of the spire, he stared blankly at the cityscape of Westmore below. Smoke curled lazily around his cuffed wrists, a reminder of his failed escape attempt after stealing the spring water.

"Sh*t," he muttered through gritted teeth, the cigar bobbing between his lips.

The endless experiments conducted to satisfy "their" whims had worn him down. His wrists bore countless scars, etched deep like tally marks against his skin.

"This damned body won’t even die. And of all the times to wake up, it had to be the worst possible moment."

The descendants of the Segrave family were unaccounted for, and the "other person" who drank the spring water was likely dead. No—Ezra had convinced himself the latter was certainly true.

As he stared out at the horizon, his eyes caught the silhouette of a homing pigeon soaring through the sky.

Is it still there? he wondered.

Visions of his hometown and the old estate flashed through his mind—Brunel, the small village near Kintne Station. A secluded manor nestled on a low hill, where he had spent his childhood.

Exhaling another puff of smoke, Ezra watched the pigeon circle in the sky and thought to himself, Next time, I’ll have to steal a pigeon instead.

Who knows? If a Segrave descendant exists, they might have gone there.

Ethan’s funeral had concluded, but the rain showed no signs of letting up. According to Victor, the weather "fairy," it would likely continue for the rest of the week.

Before the team began clearing the underground passage, Cherry took the opportunity to work with Victor and Michelle in the kitchen, preparing to assemble a water purifier.

Thanks to his previous job as a restaurant worker in Hondorf, Michelle had become an excellent assistant for Victor.

"Michelle, bring me that water container," Victor instructed.

"Yes, Chef!" Michelle responded, springing into action and fetching the container in no time.

Rainy days were a rare opportunity to secure a decent supply of clean water, making them a valuable resource.

As Cherry worked, Nox stood by the side door, smoking a cigarette, his curious gaze fixed on the group. After a long drag, he exhaled and asked, "Miss Cherry, what are you up to?"

"Building a water purifier," Cherry replied without hesitation. "We need to secure as much drinking water as possible while the rain lasts."

Nox gave her a puzzled look, as though trying to decipher her words. "So, is our chef teaching you how to make one?"

"No," Victor interjected firmly. "Miss Cherry already knows how. I have no idea how to do it myself."

Nox’s confusion deepened, and he looked back at Cherry. "Be honest, Miss Cherry. Are you possessed or something? Maybe the real Cherry Sinclair is living a double life and left behind a mask."

Cherry stared at him silently, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Faced with her unspoken rebuke, Nox sheepishly averted his eyes.

"Never mind," he muttered, taking another drag from his cigarette as the smoke dissipated into the stormy air.

The chilly wind carried raindrops into the room, dampening the cuffs of Nox’s pants. Though the rain wasn’t heavy, the gusts were strong enough to seep through the cracks.

"I’ve added Badon and Elpinos to the materials list," Nox mentioned casually, handing Cherry a folded note from his jacket pocket.

Cherry nodded and tucked the note into her pocket. "Are the Elpinos herbs growing well?"

Nox nodded. "We harvested some yesterday, but we’re out of seeds to plant more. Miss Cherry, we’ll need to visit the Elpinos grove in the hills behind Brunel."

Cherry recalled the herbal guide she and Nox had found in the Brunel bookstore. It mentioned a grove of Elpinos herbs in those hills. If they needed more, that was their best option.

"And where can we find Badon?" she mused aloud.

As Cherry pondered, a memory surfaced—the key Amy and Jose had given her.

That’s right. Jeremy’s herbal shop.

Cherry remembered Elliott mentioning that Jeremy’s shop had once been stocked with Badon and Elpinos.