Chapter 120
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Turning the Tables
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A large man collapsed like a paper doll.
I bound Philip tightly to a chair, then dragged Elliot, who was groaning from the pain of his gunshot wound, to the opposite chair and tied him up just as securely.
After dealing with the two men, I locked the door. To ensure it couldn't be easily opened, I moved a large dresser in front of it, blocking it completely.
Next, I dragged the unconscious man who had collapsed by the railing and tied him to the bed.
Whew, I'm quite thorough.
The situation was resolved so neatly because they had underestimated me, seeing me only as the heiress from the rumors—a young girl.
Well, I had anticipated as much when I let myself be captured, but their easy defeat felt a little anticlimactic.
‘Maybe I should have pretended to be a hostage a little longer.’
Unlike the two unconscious men, Elliot, who was still awake, lifted his head.
“Sinclair, you're not getting out of here anyway. The guards here are all professionally trained and know how to use guns. We have plenty of weapons. Numerically, you can't possibly win.”
“Oh, really? Good to hear you have plenty of weapons.”
I can take them back to Happy House.
This composure stemmed entirely from my trust in Ethan. He always tells me not to overestimate my own strength, but it seems he doesn't realize that even that overconfidence comes from trusting him as a partner.
I rummaged through a nearby desk and pulled out the blueprints for the Sinclair Hotel. This really was Elliot's room.
‘This bastard really is a pervert. Why bring a captive into his own room?’
With mixed feelings, I glanced at Elliot before spreading the blueprints on the desk.
I had to make sure these guys couldn't even think of attacking Brunel. And I couldn't leave any loose ends.
I scanned the internal layout of the Sinclair Hotel, looking for escape routes and pinpointing my current location.
The fifth floor. The very top of the building. There were a total of six rooms on the top floor.
I'd been thinking it for a while, but no one had come to investigate despite the commotion. It was now clear that Elliot was using this entire floor by himself.
‘He must be playing king.’
Is it a rule that no one enters the king's domain unless summoned?
After confirming on the blueprints that the laundry room I was in was on the first floor, I tried to guess where Ethan might be before asking Elliot a question.
“You said the men you sent to Brunel didn't return. What are you going to do? Send more?”
“None of your business.”
As expected, Elliot didn't answer cooperatively.
I perched on the edge of Elliot's desk and looked through his notebook. It was mostly filled with random scribbles, but among them, I found a note about Badon.
[Badon Supplier.
Jeremy's Herb Shop.]
I furrowed my brow. I had considered using information about Badon as bait to negotiate with Elliot, but he had already obtained it.
‘This is also happening faster than in the original story.’
It must be because the detailed plot has gone off track.
“Are you trying to get your hands on Badon?”
I said, shaking his notebook.
*Ptui.* Elliot spat blood on the floor. He lifted his head, a grin spreading across his blood-soaked lips. He looked just like the Joker.
The man before me might have looked terrifying to an ordinary person, but he wasn't the least bit threatening to me. I let out a small laugh.
“Ah. I thought you were trying to distract me with strange questions, but that was your real goal. Badon.”
Elliot's deduction was completely off the mark. It was the other way around.
“Princess Sinclair, are you by any chance a spy for Kellian? That would make sense. Were you trained?”
Who the hell is Kellian? I narrowed my eyes at the bloodied Elliot. After a moment of thought, I answered.
“...What if I am?”
Elliot stared at me with crazed eyes, then his face contorted into a deep frown before he burst into a mocking laugh.
“How far are you willing to go for a drug? I heard you can't even get back to Westmore.”
‘Westmore?’
Unfamiliar names kept popping up, and I was inwardly flustered, but I feigned composure, pretending to examine the blueprints as I spoke.
“None of your business.”
“None of my business? I told you. The Badon in Kintne is mine. I won't give it up.”
‘Kellian, who needs to get Badon to return to Westmore.’
Who could that be? Is it related to the path to Westmore being blocked?
“So, did you get the Badon?”
“They'll probably be back today. Wake up, Princess. You won't even get a glimpse of the Badon. Your grave is right here.”
Elliot was still all talk. He had always enjoyed taunting me by calling me 'Princess Sinclair.' This is why guys full of inferiority complexes are the worst.
As if his pain had subsided a little, his demeanor relaxed, and he even had the audacity to offer me a gentle smile.
With his black hair brushing against his neck and his crimson eyes, the handsome man with a decadent air looked rather frightening with his blood-covered face.
I took out my pocket watch to check the time. It had already been four or five hours since I left Happy House. Everyone must be worried by now.
“This room is on the fifth floor of the hotel, and as you can see, that balcony ladder looks difficult to use because of the monsters. Do you think you can escape?”
I put the pocket watch away and looked at Elliot.
“Are you worried I won't be able to escape?”
“Of course I'm worried. It would break my heart if our princess's pretty face got torn apart by those monsters.”
Psychos really are different. How could a person even say something like that? I let out a disbelieving laugh and replied.
“Looks like the psycho grew a considerate side.”
“Not what I want to hear from a girl who's a walking ball of vanity.”
“You'd better watch your mouth if you want to live.”
“I've always been all talk, so I've never learned to watch my mouth.”
Hearing Elliot's response, I picked up the axe I had placed on the desk. He flinched and pressed himself back against the chair.
I smiled at the amusing sight and warned him.
“Then don't watch your mouth, just answer my questions. I ended up here by chance, so I should at least get something out of it.”
“I'm not going to answer.”
“You will. If you don't do as I say, I don't know what I might do to you.”
As soon as I said it, I realized it sounded like a villain's line.
Let's just pretend I didn't notice that Philip and Valen, who had just regained consciousness at the perfect moment, were trembling in fear at my words.
I ignored them and cleaned the axe. It was about time for Ethan to arrive. So, let's keep it up until the end!
* * *
Knox was sitting on the sofa in Cherry's room, reading a book. Outside the window, the sun was setting.
He took a pocket watch from his pocket. Four or five hours had already passed since Cherry and Ethan left to search the underground passage.
“Why isn't Miss Cherry back yet?”
It was worrying. Knox nervously tapped his fingers on the watch.
Amy and Vanilla, who were squatting in front of the fireplace, looked up. Amy vehemently agreed with Knox.
“I know, right? Do you think something happened?”
Did that mean Cherry was in danger? Vanilla raised the shotgun she had been cleaning.
“She might need help. I think we should go check.”
Just then, Harrison entered the room. With a tired, haggard face, he adjusted his glasses and stopped Vanilla.
“If that's the case... it would be best to send Amy, who is skilled in reconnaissance, and a sniper to support her.”
Harrison then turned to Vanilla.
“Lady Ruskin, would you take over guard duty at Happy House from Jose?”
Vanilla nodded obediently without a word of protest.
“Then I'll go get Jose.”
She left the room without hesitation, showing her complete trust in Harrison's judgment.
Knox quietly watched Harrison, who had earned the full trust of the Happy House members. There was something about him that resembled Cherry.
‘The way he works without any regard for his own well-being.’
Like Cherry, Harrison also seemed to be suffering from overwork, yet he himself appeared to be very accustomed to it.
Perhaps he had always worked like that in the Sinclair household.
“Lady Ruskin told me the situation. Should I go now?”
Just then, Jose, who had been summoned, came in. Harrison nodded.
“Get your weapons.”
Jose nodded and holstered a sniper rifle and a repeating rifle at his waist. Amy also stood up and retied her shoelaces.
“If you encounter even the slightest hint of danger, return and report first. We'll need to rethink the search plan.”
Amy and Jose nodded in unison at Harrison's words.
“Got it.”
“Yes, Deputy Commander!”
Everyone looked at Amy.
“Deputy Commander?”
“The commander is our Star Candy, and the deputy commander is the lawyer, right?”
Harrison sighed, looking too tired to even bother answering. Knox smiled nonchalantly and said.
“I'm the deputy commander.”
“No way.”
Amy shook her head.
“That reaction is a little hurtful, you know?”
“Doctors can't be commanders. You have too much to do. Anyway, we're off!”
Amy didn't listen to another word from Knox, waving as she disappeared into the fireplace. Jose sighed, looking at her as if she were a reckless younger sister.
For some reason, Jose's expression reminded Harrison of his past self watching over a tomboyish Cherry.
“We'll be back.”
Jose also bid them farewell before following Amy into the fireplace and disappearing.