Chapter 106
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: A Mysterious Call from a Ruined World
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18. A Mysterious Call from a Ruined World
Gary, the butcher, decided to prepare the venison in the Happy House kitchen.
It seemed like they were talking about me, so I casually went over and added a few words. Everyone's expressions changed.
‘Not bad.’
In the Happy House garden, Emma and Victor started planting crops. I was still pondering what to do with the Elpinus Herb.
Jose, the sniper, stood guard on the roof of the Happy House, while Vanilla, a skilled hunter, went out hunting in the woods with Amy.
Since the farmlands were outside the village, it was safe to say that the Happy House was practically the only place within Brunel where crops could be grown. It was the only place with such a large, flat garden.
Susanna was still recuperating, and Knox went around the village checking on the survivors' health. I sat with Ethan by a window on the first floor of the police station, looking outside and sharing a potato.
Currently, Harrison was overseeing all the village affairs.
“Our lawyer is doing a great job, isn't he?”
“He is. He's perfectly suited for the role of an advisor.”
“An advisor? Not a leader?”
“You're the leader, Miss Cherry. That kind of practical work is typically handled by subordinates.”
“Harrison is like family to me. The term 'subordinate' doesn't feel right.”
“But that was the nature of the relationship between Cherry Sinclair and Harrison Howard, wasn't it? Of course, with the world as it is, such things don't matter anymore.”
Ethan took a large bite of the potato and continued speaking as if it were nothing.
“I'm not undervaluing Attorney Howard. In reality, he never makes the important decisions. You're the one making all the decisions and giving the orders, Miss Cherry.”
I didn't answer Ethan, just gazed silently out the window. I could see Harrison giving instructions to the people moving furniture.
“This wasn't my original plan.”
The original goal was for the three of us—Susanna, Harrison, and I—to survive by quietly hiding out at the Happy House. I never thought I'd create such a troublesome situation.
‘I've done my best, haven't I? Right? If it weren't for the Happy House, would we have even made it this far?!’
Lost in thought, I suddenly turned to look at Ethan. A handsome man holding a potato in one hand with an indifferent expression. It was quite a contrast. I stared at him blankly before asking.
“What would be better: living your whole life eating only potatoes, or living your whole life drinking only milk?”
At my question, Ethan's puffed-out cheeks, which had been chewing a mouthful of potato, froze. After a brief moment, his bulging cheeks started moving again, and once he'd swallowed the potato, he answered.
“Potatoes, obviously…”
“Wrong. It's milk. I like milk.”
“Weren't you asking for my opinion?”
Ethan asked me with a look of bewilderment. Just as he opened his mouth to say more,
Trrrring—
Suddenly, a telephone rang. The sound was coming from inside the police station.
Ethan and I froze like ice, staring at each other's faces.
Trrrring—
A moment later, the bell rang again.
The world has ended, yet a telephone is ringing?
Trrrring—
When the third ring sounded, Ethan and I shot up from our seats and ran toward the phone.
Ethan picked up the receiver and mouthpiece. I pressed my ear close to the receiver next to him. I could feel his cheek near mine, but what mattered now was the voice on the other end.
“Hello. This is the Brunel Police Station.”
Ethan answered.
[Kssshk—]
But the connection kept cutting out.
[Brunel Police— ksshk—]
“Your voice is breaking up. Please repeat that. Who is this? Where are you calling from?”
[This is— telephone exchange— looking for someone— ksshk—]
“The telephone exchange? Are you in the capital, Benton? Did nothing happen there?”
[Capital— power struggle— mess— need help— kssshhkk—]
“Your name, what's your name? I am Ethan Duncan Lancaster. Please tell me your name.”
[Ethan—! Kssshhkk— ksshk— ksshk— right now—! Ksshk— help— ksshk—]
“The line keeps cutting out.”
To be honest, I wasn't even sure what we were listening to. Not a single complete sentence came through. Just scattered words here and there.
Still, I grabbed a notebook and a fountain pen from a nearby table and jotted down everything I heard.
But the truly important words came next.
[Come to the capital right away— It's me, Aurora— ksshk—]
Thump. The nib of my pen stopped.
Startled, I lifted my head and looked at Ethan. He had the same expression as I did. He stammered in his shock.
“Aurora? A-Aurora? Damn it! Why is the connection so bad!”
Then he suddenly grew angry and raised his voice. I could see Harrison, having heard the commotion from outside the window, heading this way.
“Aurora! Aurora! Are you alive? Answer me! Aurora!”
Beep, beep, beep, beep—
Then, the line went dead. I quietly straightened up from where I'd been leaning over the phone. But Ethan remained frozen stiff, still holding the receiver and mouthpiece.
It was understandable. He had just heard news that was both shocking and incredibly hopeful.
I was just as confused.
‘Aurora, calling Brunel…’
I knew Aurora, the protagonist, would be alive, but hearing it confirmed over the phone like this was even more reassuring.
‘But how did she make the call?’
Is Aurora really with Theodore? It would have been better if we could have had a proper conversation. It was a little frustrating.
‘Is the capital okay?’
Obviously, the situation in the capital must be serious, but seeing as Aurora is safe, maybe I don't need to imagine the worst.
“It's a relief that your sister is alive.”
Only then did Ethan, as if released from a spell, put down the receiver and mouthpiece and let out a deep sigh.
He slowly crouched down and ran his hands through his hair.
Just then, Harrison opened the police station door and stepped inside.
“What's going on?”
I glanced at the speechless Ethan and answered in his stead.
“We got a call. It seemed to be a direct line from the telephone exchange in the capital.”
“The telephone exchange, you say?”
“Yes. It was a call from Sir Ethan's sister.”
“Sir Ethan's sister... you mean Aurora Elle Lancaster?”
At Harrison's surprised question, I slowly nodded.
Harrison and I both turned back to look at Ethan at the same time. Ethan, who had been sitting with a thoughtful expression, stood up.
And at that moment, the phone rang again.
Trrrrrrring—
Click.
This time, Ethan answered it instantly. I pressed close to his side again, listening intently to the receiver.
[Ksshk— Brother? My voice... ksshk— can you hear me?]
“Aurora. Is that really you, Aurora?”
[You're alive...! Ksshk— I knew it... kssshk— Are you okay?]
“What happened? Are you safe?”
[His Highness Theodore took me in.]
Theodore? She met the crown prince...!
Hearing the name from the receiver, I realized that the female lead, Aurora, and the main male lead, Theodore, had met.
Even with Ethan and Knox here, the plot of *Love in a Ruined World* was still progressing.
My mind raced.
If that's the case, then earlier,
[Capital— power struggle— mess— need help— kssshhkk—]
The message that came through now made sense.
It seems a power struggle is already underway in the capital. And it's probably a conflict between Prince Lloyd's faction and Crown Prince Theodore's faction.
The fight between those two factions lasts for quite a while. They were at odds until the middle of the novel.
That means it's best not to set foot in the capital for at least a year.
‘Right. Taking Ethan to the capital was a ridiculous idea from the start.’
I belong at the Happy House. I etched that fact deep into my mind once more and listened to Aurora's continuing voice.
[Ksshk— I need your help, brother. Ksshk— Theodore... ksshk— is looking for you...]
“What's the situation in the capital? Did the monsters attack there too?”
[Yes. That's... ksshk— It seems it was the same there... ksshk—]
That answer meant the situation in the capital was the same as here.
A glance at Ethan's face showed it had darkened. His usual lighthearted demeanor was gone, replaced by a serious and grave expression.
[Theodore... ksshk— was going to come to Brunel with... but now... ksshk— it's become difficult... ksshk— The road is blocked at Westmore.]