Chapter 79
Well, since Susanna had been trapped inside that fireplace ever since she saw those two, she probably had no idea the world had ended.
“I’ll explain all that later. So, how did you escape after that? I found your torn dress in the banquet hall. Seeing that, I thought you’d turned into a monster.”
“That… my hem got caught in its claws, so I just slipped out of it. Then I ran. My lady’s room was the closest, so I came in here. I thought about escaping through the window, but it wouldn’t open easily… There wasn’t enough time to run… I thought I might get caught soon, so I considered climbing up the chimney to hide. But when I tried, the flue was blocked, and I accidentally kicked the iron grate of the firewood rack, and this opened up.”
Susanna mimicked the situation, kicking her feet from under the blanket. Then, she huddled her body together with her hands clasped and continued.
“I closed the door and hid inside. But the problem was that the door wouldn’t open from the inside. It was as if it had been installed that way specifically to keep out intruders.”
It wouldn’t open from the inside? And it seemed like a door designed to block intruders?
Hearing Susanna’s words, I grew even more curious about the purpose of the secret passage. Then, I suddenly remembered the monster lying dead in the banquet hall.
“Susanna, there was a monster’s corpse in the banquet hall, one shaped like a bear… Did you happen to kill it?”
At my question, Susanna’s face turned deathly pale, and she nodded vigorously without a word.
Since she was trembling with her mouth clamped shut, clearly gripped by a memory too terrifying to revisit, I decided not to ask any more about it for now.
Then, Knox asked Susanna, “How did you survive in there without water?”
“There was water. It was so dark I couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but there was water in something like a canteen. I rationed it and drank it over several days.”
There was a canteen filled with water? No, why was there a canteen there in the first place?
“Was there anything else inside? Do you know where the passage leads?”
“I don’t know. It was so pitch black that I didn’t dare try to move forward. I was afraid I might run into those monsters again…”
Susanna shuddered, her face soaked in fear. Knox patted her shoulder once more, helping her settle down.
“It seems certain that we need to investigate the inside,” I said quietly, and everyone agreed.
However, Susanna needed more rest first. As if she had exhausted all her energy just by speaking, she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Perhaps because she had been starving for days, she was completely bloodless and had lost a lot of weight; her skin looked parched.
After checking Susanna’s condition, Knox said that she was severely malnourished and that recovery would likely take quite some time.
Deciding to let Susanna use the room for the time being, I looked at the fireplace with a troubled expression.
“When would be a good time to explore this?”
“It doesn’t seem like monsters are coming out of it, so there’s no immediate rush,” Eden replied nonchalantly. Then he added, “But the sooner the better, right?”
He spoke while looking at Harrison this time, as if seeking agreement.
Harrison, who had been watching the fireplace with his arms crossed, eventually let out a sigh. He spoke to me as if complaining.
“To be honest, My Lady, I think you being on a search team or whatever is far too dangerous. I can do it instead. I’ll work twice as hard in your place.”
This was the very first time I had ever seen Harrison voice his dissatisfaction like this. I was a bit taken aback, but I had to say what needed to be said.
“…Harrison.”
At my call, he met my eyes with a disgruntled look. I asked him, “Harrison, can you blow a monster away with your bare fists?”
“…”
“I can. If you told me to rip one apart, I think I could do that too.”
“…Hah.”
“We’re done talking, right?”
Beside us, Eden was shaking his shoulders with laughter, muttering something like, “This is driving me crazy.” Knox, sitting by the bed, shook his head.
“Even so, it would be best to rest today and look into it tomorrow. With Susanna back, things are chaotic… It would be better to go in after setting up emergency measures, so let’s watch it for a day first.”
At Harrison’s words, Eden nodded in agreement.
Just then, as I was quietly trying to leave the room, Harrison caught me by the back.
“My Lady, a word with me…”
Harrison had a very good memory.
Eden watched Cherry and Harrison intently.
Harrison acted as if he were Cherry’s father. And Cherry followed Harrison’s lead obediently, like a well-behaved daughter.
“Shall we go to the salon to talk?” Cherry said to Harrison. Even though she was the one who suggested it, she left the room with Harrison looking like a death row inmate being led to execution.
Eden followed them out into the hallway. Leaning against the wall, he quietly watched the backs of the two as they walked toward the salon at the end of the corridor.
Even as she closed the salon door, Cherry didn’t make eye contact with Eden. Even though he was right there if she just lifted her head. It was because all her attention was focused on Harrison.
Come to think of it, even when Eden said he wouldn’t leave, Cherry had only talked about milk. Her cool attitude suggested she wasn’t particularly curious about anything else.
‘I helped Miss Cherry that much, but it seems she doesn’t care whether I stay or leave?’
‘Oh, what do you mean I don’t care? I was very disappointed because one of the people I drink milk with in the morning would be gone.’
The best she could come up with was milk… Hah.
Eden swallowed a dry laugh that came out with a sigh.
Cherry didn’t pay attention to Eden—she paid far too little. It didn’t even seem like she needed his help anymore.
But then again, he hesitated to leave without a lingering thought…
‘Harrison, can you blow a monster away with your bare fists?’
‘I can. If you told me to rip one apart, I think I could do that too.’
Once again, she didn’t give a single thought to her own safety.
He knew there was no other choice since there was no one else capable of physical combat besides her, but even so, she was far too reckless with herself.
Surely, if Eden weren’t there, Cherry would try to handle situations requiring force all by herself again.
That point was not very pleasant. He didn’t know the reason why, either.
“I received a letter too. It said a monster would appear at No. 61 Notium Street, and people would die.”
“I saw a monster like that; how could I stay in the capital out of fear? The letter said the monster was contagious. To be honest, I was skeptical until then.”
“I told you. My life was nothing but money, so I wanted to find some fun. But after coming down here and seeing the farm uncle change, I became certain. I don’t know who sent it, but everything in the letter was right. Look. The world has ended because of contagious monsters.”
I used the same excuse on Harrison that I had used on Eden. The excuses I gave to different people had to be somewhat consistent, after all. Harrison, who listened to my story very seriously, asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did tell you, Harrison. You told me to go to a hospital. I’m hurt.”
“No, that was…”
“It’s okay. I wouldn’t have believed it either if I were you.”
I quickly feigned hurt and lowered my head gloomily so Harrison couldn’t say anything else. I heard Harrison let out a sigh.
“Are there no clues about the person who sent the letter?”
“I only know that the Lancaster lady received a similar letter.”
“Lancaster…”
Harrison muttered the name. However, he too seemed unable to come up with anything no matter how much he racked his brain, and soon let out a frustrated sigh.
“Since the world has turned out like this, there will be almost no way to find clues.”
I nodded at Harrison’s words.
“By the way, Harrison. Since when did you know about my super strength?”
We were completely like family now, but back then, I was quite shy around Harrison. That’s why I hadn’t told him about my strength…
“I’ve known from the beginning. Chairman Sinclair told me.”
“What? Then do you know where Father got the medicine from?”
Harrison shook his head. Unfortunately, it seemed he didn’t know that much. It was a great pity.
‘I was curious.’
“I was very curious myself and looked into it here and there, but I couldn’t find the source at all.”
To think even Harrison couldn’t find the source. I’m even more curious now.
“For now, it doesn’t seem like there’s any way to find out the inside story of anything. I wonder if the world will ever go back to the way it was…”
Harrison sighed with a face full of worry. But I wasn’t worried. If it were Aurora and Theodore, they would surely end this situation somehow. I believed they would.
‘If they don’t, I’ll have to strip them of their main character titles!’
Besides, they would be able to get information much more easily in the capital.
‘Wait, but did the novel say Westmore was blocked?’
I couldn’t remember if there was such a mention. But since Aurora’s group had visited Brunel about half a year after the world ended, the road probably wasn’t blocked in the novel.
‘Well, whatever, let’s leave world peace to the protagonists for now.’
I was a very busy person just trying to cultivate Happy House.
Susanna’s recovery was expected to take a long time. Knox, who examined her, said it would take at least a few weeks.
After explaining the situation to us and falling back asleep, she hadn’t woken up. According to Knox, it was because it was her first good sleep in a long time, so I shouldn’t worry.
Having no choice but to leave Susanna in her sickbed, I decided to explore the secret passage with Eden first.
The people of Happy House all gathered in front of the fireplace.
“Sir Eden.”
When I called him softly, Eden nodded and waved the hand holding his revolver.
Harrison, who had lit a lantern he’d placed on the floor, handed it to me.
“Be careful, My Lady.”
“Please make sure to keep the door open. They say it’s impossible to open from the inside.”
At my words, Harrison nodded. Knox answered in his stead.
“There are plenty of people here, so don’t worry, Miss Cherry.”
Just as Knox said, there were many people in the room. Feeling a bit relieved, I slowly stepped into the fireplace with Eden.
