The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House-Chapter 168
As everyone’s attention shifted to him, Nox scratched his cheek with a flustered expression.
"I wouldn’t know. I’m not exactly close to my family, and frankly, if it’s my father, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were involved in something shady."
He quickly added a declaration of his innocence.
Saying, "If it’s my father, shady dealings wouldn’t be surprising," sounded remarkably similar to how Aurora and Ethan had spoken about their own fathers.
What was it with everyone assuming their fathers were villains? Mine wasn’t any different, either.
"Are you sure there’s nothing unusual you’ve noticed? Surely, living in the same house, you must have seen or heard something," Theodore pressed.
"Nothing, I—" Nox began confidently but trailed off as if recalling something.
"Westmore... Right. Now that I think about it, my father purchased a townhouse in Westmore. It was about three months before the virus outbreak."
"In Westmore?"
"Yes. My father suddenly decided to buy a townhouse there, saying he wanted a property in Westmore. It struck me as odd since our family had no connections to the area. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s there right now."
Nox didn’t seem particularly shocked at the idea of the Ludfisher Marquis being in Westmore. He spoke with the detached tone of someone recounting someone else’s story.
Aurora, puzzled by his indifference, asked, "Why didn’t your father take you with him?"
"Because I’m not his biological child. When I disappeared just before the outbreak, there was no reason for him to risk his life looking for me."
An awkward silence hung in the air. The sudden personal nature of the conversation left everyone hesitant to speak.
Theodore, sensing the tension, redirected the discussion.
"In any case, it seems clear that scientists and doctors are gathering in Westmore for some purpose."
"Who could be orchestrating such a gathering? And why Westmore?" I asked.
"The exact purpose remains unclear, but I am convinced that the Duke of Lancaster is involved."
"What? My father?" Aurora exclaimed, rising to her feet in genuine shock.
Despite being by Theodore’s side throughout this ordeal, she seemed unaware of his suspicions regarding her father.
"Was he keeping this from her because it involved her family?" I wondered.
Theodore might suspect the Duke of Lancaster as one of the masterminds behind the virus outbreak. Perhaps he was hesitant to broach the topic with Aurora because of the implications.
"Why do you think that?" Ethan asked calmly, showing no outward reaction despite the mention of his father.
Knowing how both Ethan and Nox viewed their families, I felt an odd unease.
"About three months before the virus spread, a major incident was reported in the KC Marquisate. A large number of their servants reportedly died of an infectious disease."
[Breaking News! Massive Funeral Held at the KC Marquisate! Spokesperson Claims Servants Died from an Infectious Disease...]
Theodore’s words reminded me of a newspaper article I’d seen. I had even used it to approximate the timeline of the collapse.
"The Marquis immediately sealed off the estate, citing the risk of contagion. However, since then, no one has been seen entering or leaving the property. Even if the residents were ill, live people would need supplies. And yet, even now, with the virus spreading nationwide, the gates of the KC Marquisate remain closed."
I found Theodore’s statement odd.
[Exclusive: Murder at the KC Marquisate! Entire Family of the Marquis Killed...]
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If the KC Marquisate had been sealed off three months before the outbreak and the gates had remained shut since, who had been reporting these events to the newspapers?
Phone calls? Possible, but would reporters write articles based solely on a phone conversation? Especially about something as significant as the "entire family of the Marquis being killed"?
Noticing my confusion, Theodore addressed me.
"The Marquis of KC is merely a scapegoat. I believe there’s a co-conspirator working behind the scenes, ensuring that everyone continues to associate the outbreak solely with the Marquis."
It was a plausible theory. In the novel The Ruined Crown, Aurora had been fixated on the Marquis of KC as the culprit, and so had I.
"So, Your Highness, you believe the true culprit behind this virus outbreak is someone else?" I asked.
"Precisely. The KC Marquisate is currently under the control of Prince Lloyd’s faction, making access impossible. As I mentioned earlier, Lloyd is in contact with unknown external forces. Based on reconnaissance, I suspect these contacts are in Westmore. And who in Graydon has deep connections to both Lloyd and the KC Marquis? The Duke of Lancaster."
Aurora, having calmed down slightly, responded thoughtfully. "He does have a villainous streak. I’m ashamed to admit it, but it wouldn’t be surprising if my father were involved."
Theodore nodded in agreement and continued.
"The royal palace fell in a single night. The king and queen were killed before they could even grasp the situation. Most survivors believe the collapse was due to a natural disaster. However, based on the circumstances, I suspect this was orchestrated by someone."
As the room fell into stunned silence, Aurora finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
"Before the world fell apart, my father often told me not to leave the house. He was also unusually insistent on finding my brother."
Her words immediately shifted everyone’s attention to Ethan, who was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.
"Our father always looked for me," Ethan said with a shrug.
"No, I mean he was unusually insistent before the outbreak. He would constantly call me over to ask if I’d heard anything from you, as if he was desperate for both of us to be at the estate," Aurora explained, her voice tinged with confusion.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Then how did you leave the estate?"
"I snuck out, obviously. I couldn’t miss Lady Holt’s tea party," Aurora replied with an air of defiance.
Ignoring a quarantine to attend a tea party—it felt oddly familiar, almost like a reflection of my pre-apocalypse self. A faint sense of camaraderie stirred within me.
"Yeah, that sounds like you. You’ve never been one to listen to Father," Ethan said with a smirk.
"And that’s not something I want to hear from you," Aurora retorted, glaring at him.
As the siblings bickered, my thoughts turned to Kellyan, currently detained on the mansion’s second floor.
If the Duke of Lancaster truly was in Westmore, then Kellyan—formerly a knight of the KC Marquisate—might be one of his pawns.
The fact that the KC Marquisate belonged to the same noble faction as the Duke of Lancaster and Prince Lloyd began to fit into place. If the Duke of Lancaster had been using the KC Marquis’s private soldiers as mercenaries, it all made sense.
This means the Duke of Lancaster knows Ethan has antibodies.
As the pieces of information aligned, a chilling truth emerged, leaving me speechless. The implications were overwhelming. Such a thing happening in this world—it was terrifying.
And Kellyan is in deep trouble now.
Kellyan, who had lied about being one of Theodore’s knights and claimed to be acting under his orders, was about to be exposed. There was no way Kellyan could have anticipated that the people he falsely invoked would arrive at Happy House.
“Looks infected to me. Shouldn’t we all be running away from that man?” Kellyan had said that to me before when examining Ethan’s wound.
At the time, I assumed Kellyan didn’t know about Ethan’s antibodies. But thinking back, since entering Happy House, Kellyan hadn’t once inquired about Ethan’s condition.
Even though he hadn’t seen Ethan due to being confined, he must ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) have wondered about Ethan’s survival if taking him was the goal. Yet he’d shown no curiosity.
He must already know Ethan has antibodies. That comment he made was just a ploy to mislead us.
I turned to Theodore.
“Your Highness, do you happen to know someone named Kellyan Bangor?”
Theodore and his entourage froze, their faces revealing shock. It was as if they were silently asking, How do you know that name?
“I may need your cooperation, Your Highness. If everything goes well, we might catch two birds with one stone.”
I glanced back at Harrison, who stood behind me, seeking his approval. He seemed to understand my intent and gave a slight nod.
“I’m planning a funeral tomorrow morning.”
Ethan, seated next to me, turned to me with a puzzled expression.
“Who died?”
It was only then that I realized I hadn’t mentioned the funeral for Ethan—to Ethan himself.
The conversation must have taken place while he was unconscious, and no one seemed to have informed him since.
Theodore’s group, unaware of the context, looked around at us in confusion. Ethan’s brows furrowed as he scanned the room.
“What’s with this atmosphere?”
Panicking, I broke into a nervous sweat as I scrambled to explain.
“We’re holding a funeral for you tomorrow, Sir Ethan.”
“I’m dead?”
“That’s the plan.”
An indescribable look of disbelief flickered across Ethan’s face, followed by an explosion of laughter.
“Ha, unbelievable. I pledge my body and soul to you, Cherry, and you kill me right after. Guess I mean nothing to you, huh? Real nice. Very nice.”
A cold sweat trickled down my back. I shifted uncomfortably, wondering how to apologize to Ethan.
Crash.
The sound of shattering glass broke the tension.
Aurora, seated across from us, had dropped her glass onto the table. Her face, filled with shock, shifted between me and Ethan.
“W-what do you mean? My brother’s going to die? But he’s not infected! Is he sick with something incurable?” Aurora’s eyes reddened as tears welled up. She brought her hands to her mouth, trembling visibly.
“My poor, reckless brother...”
Her pale hands quivered as she tried to process the news. Ethan sighed in frustration, rubbing his face with his hands.
“If you’re worried, could you at least stop calling me reckless?”
“...It’s not a terminal illness, so don’t worry. Let me explain everything from the beginning,” I said, calming Aurora down before carefully explaining the details of Ethan’s "funeral."
