Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Unexpected Helpers
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As I was up on the roof, clattering away with the workman, I could feel Ethan's sharp gaze from below.
‘I know it looks suspicious, but it can't be helped.’
When I first came down to Brunel, I planned to make this place a ‘secret’ shelter.
But seeing how things were going, it seemed I'd have to give up on the 'secret' part soon. The end of the world was just around the corner. Preparing for the apocalypse properly came first, even if it meant being treated as suspicious.
Standing on the roof, I raised the opera glasses I'd brought with me and scanned the surroundings.
‘Monsters could appear here, too.’
There was a mention of monsters appearing sporadically in various towns just before the world's end. So, even while preparing, I couldn't let my guard down.
Well, for now, the town looks peaceful.
‘Still, I should come up here often to keep watch.’
I watched the wall repairman build the catapult for a while before coming down. The wall repairs seemed to be about halfway done.
‘I think I'll have to call another workman.’
If I want to get this work finished quickly, that is.
“I'm getting more and more curious about what on earth you're planning to do with this mansion.”
Ethan approached me, an axe slung over his shoulder. He roughly wiped a bead of sweat from his chin with the back of his hand, waiting for my answer.
“I already told you. It's my private villa.”
Ethan looked at me with an expression that said he didn't know where to even begin with all the things he wanted to say.
Then he scanned my outfit once more. I was wearing a jumpsuit, boots, and a straw hat. It was a fashion optimized for farm work.
“I'm truly starting to doubt if you are, in fact, Miss Cherry Sinclair. You're certainly different from the Cherry Sinclair in the newspaper articles and the one people gossip about.”
Ethan said, stroking his chin.
He was right. The old Cherry would never have even touched clothes like these. There was a reason she'd made a name for herself as the most extravagant girl in high society, surpassing countless other nobles.
“I don't like wearing these clothes either. They're not pretty.”
“And yet, you're the one acting so out of character, Miss Cherry, without anyone forcing you.”
True. No one forced me. I just sighed deeply.
I was in the middle of this pointless conversation with Ethan when he suddenly yanked my hand. Pulling me into his arms, he rolled half a turn to get us out of the way.
CRASH—
Large pieces of lumber crashed to the ground, splintering. They had fallen from the mansion's roof.
‘Wow. His reflexes are insane.’
I was still calming my startled heart in Ethan's arms. From the roof, the workman, his face pale, shouted down at us.
“Gasp! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?”
“We could have been…! We could have been hurt!”
Ethan glanced at me, swallowed a curse, and shouted at the workman. He pointed to his own two eyes with his index and middle fingers, then pointed back at the man, giving him a fierce, warning glare.
No matter how I thought about it, it seemed that man was only suppressing his foul temper in front of me. He was probably doing it because he wanted something from me.
Like, for instance, exposing the Sinclair family's corruption?
“Oh dear, what have I done. I'm so sorry! So sorry!”
The workman, his face white as a sheet, bowed to us repeatedly. After nagging the man a couple more times to be careful, I looked back at Ethan.
“Thank you.”
“You're not hurt, so it's fine.”
With an indifferent expression, Ethan casually placed a hand on my head before turning away. He picked up his axe again and started chopping firewood.
I stood there blankly, watching his back for a moment, before turning away myself.
‘What was that?’
I touched my head for no reason and tilted it in confusion. It was strange for Ethan to be so kind. Of course, he was known to be selectively gentlemanly.
Anyway, I grabbed a hoe and stood before the vegetable patch. I had pulled all the weeds yesterday, so today it was time to till the soil.
I needed to till the soil and spread compost today so I could plant the seeds in two weeks.
Just as I was about to start working, an unfamiliar voice called out.
“Hahaha! Lancaster, what in the world are you doing? Playing lumberjack?”
Knox, who had entered the garden at some point, pointed at Ethan's attire and roared with laughter. If Ethan was the rough type, Knox was the obnoxious type.
‘There's no way Ethan would put up with that…’
Whoosh. Just as I thought, Ethan threw the axe he was holding. It flew through the air and landed precisely at Knox's feet. Knox, with a weary look on his face, laughed and stepped back.
“I believe I told you not to loiter in my sight.”
At Ethan's irritated warning, Knox held up both hands.
“I'm only here at Miss Cherry's request.”
Ethan and Knox both turned to look at me at the same time. Once again, I sighed deeply and nodded.
“Mr. Ludpersher promised to catch bugs for me today.”
“I did?”
“Bugs?”
The first question came from Knox, the second from Ethan.
“You weren't serious yesterday, were you? I didn't realize you meant I should catch the bugs myself.”
Knox said he would help cultivate the herbs, but catching bugs himself would be difficult, shaking his head with a sly smile.
“Then I have no use for you, Mr. Ludpersher. If you would please leave…”
“As a gentleman, I couldn't possibly do that. I will catch the bugs.”
I narrowed my eyes and watched Knox, who had started diligently hunting for bugs. A man who looked as graceful as a prince, bending over and scouring the garden for insects.
Knox's reason for doing this was surely the same as Ethan's: to watch me up close. Of course, it was clear his objective was different from Ethan's.
Just as Knox had said before, while Ethan was extremely wary of me, Knox was suspiciously friendly.
I quietly watched Knox catching bugs and Ethan chopping firewood, and shook my head.
‘So much for building a secret shelter. It's a complete failure.’
But strangely, I felt more at ease. To hell with the original story. From now on, I'll leave everything to fate and focus only on the path I must take.
Then, a question for Knox popped into my mind.
“Mr. Ludpersher, how long will you be staying in Brunel?”
“Why do you ask? Are you interested in me?”
“Yes.”
In your physical abilities, to be precise.
Of course, I kept that last part to myself. Knox's flustered gaze landed on me.
Since I'd decided to accept his help anyway, I had to calculate how to make the most efficient use of him, didn't I?
“I haven't set a date for my return, but I plan to take a nice long rest before I go. I've done nothing but work until now, so I deserve a few days like this, don't you think?”
As he spoke, my eyes fell on the centipede in his glass jar. For someone who claimed to be resting, he seemed to be engaged in some pretty strenuous manual labor, but I guess Knox considered this a form of relaxation.
Well, that works for me. I nodded to myself and then said to Knox.
“I'll be counting on you, then.”
* * *
The Graydon Kingdom, Crown Prince's Office.
Crown Prince Theodore looked up from his aide Alderson's report with a puzzled expression.
“Where did you say Ethan and Knox are?”
“They've gone down to a town called Brunel, Your Highness.”
“Brunel? Both of them?”
Alderson nodded in affirmation.
Theodore, Ethan, and Knox had been classmates at the Royal Academy.
Theodore was at odds with the black-hearted Duke Lancaster, but regardless of that, he liked Ethan. Unlike his father, Ethan was trustworthy. He was more honest than anyone.
He'd been wondering why he couldn't get in touch with Ethan and Knox for the past few days, and now he learns they're suddenly down in Brunel. And the two of them, who didn't even get along, were there together.
“Why are they down there?”
“Sir Ethan has reportedly been transferred to the Brunel police station.”
“Ethan was transferred to a rural police station like that? Does that make any sense? There must be a real reason.”
“…”
“Look into it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And Knox?”
“I will look into it, Your Highness.”
Theodore put down the documents he was reviewing and stared at Alderson, dumbfounded.
He was reporting to me without even having looked into something so basic?
Sensing Theodore's growing displeasure, Alderson's face went pale as he bowed his head. Watching him, Theodore shook his head.
‘I swear, that man can't do anything right.’
As Theodore frowned in annoyance, his gaze fell upon that day's daily newspaper.
[Cherry Sinclair, Social Activities Halted for Five Days... Attorney Howard: 'There is no issue with her well-being.']
Theodore picked up the newspaper.
“Look, I get that this Sinclair woman is a big deal, but what's with her? How does she manage to grab the headlines every day without doing anything? How is it that she's mentioned more often than me, the Crown Prince?”
The bottom line was, he was annoyed that Cherry's name appeared in the headlines more frequently than his own. Alderson, who had glanced at the newspaper, replied.
“Cherry Sinclair is the hottest star in high society these days, Your Highness.”
“Since when?”
“About a year ago, I believe… It's been quite some time.”
At Alderson's answer, Theodore looked at the newspaper, slightly surprised.