The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House

2. What Should I Do After Learning the World Is Ending?: Run.

Time Left Until the End: 20 Days.

[Chaos at 61 Notium Street in Benton’s Capital! Victim Identified as Lady Lancaster…!?]

The incident at 61 Notium Street was all over the news the next day. Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties.

‘Looks like Aurora is safe too. That’s a relief.’

However, none of the articles mentioned anything about monsters. They simply described it as an incident caused by a suspicious assailant.

Even after carefully rereading every line, the only story was about an intruder attacking Aurora. Her scream at the end must have been because of that.

‘Not a single mention of the monster? Someone’s definitely covering this up.’

It was almost certain. Otherwise, with so many witnesses, it didn’t make sense for the newspapers to remain silent.

In apocalyptic or disaster movies, people were always divided into two groups—those who tried to warn others and those who tried to cover up the truth.

In the novel Love in a Ruined World, the only villain explicitly named was Marquis Casey, the mastermind behind unethical alchemy experiments. It wouldn’t be surprising if he were the true culprit behind this entire mess, using his power to suppress information about the monsters.

But the problem was, the marquis died before the novel even began. He was one of the first victims, infected by the virus early on.

Unfortunately, I had no power to uncover the truth or stop the disaster right now. Most of all, time was too short.

In a situation like this, no one would believe me even if I told them the truth. Even Harrison, who cared for me like a younger sister, had already suggested I see a doctor. How could I expect anyone else to believe me?

‘For now, I just need to pack. I can’t miss the train.’

I set the newspaper down and hurried to gather my things. I carefully packed the Elphinus herbs into my bag, feeling slightly more at ease now that I had the vaccine.

‘Maybe I can survive for two years with this.’

As long as I stocked the shelter properly. I needed to fill it with food, supplies, and weapons, then build defenses around the estate to prepare for the monsters’ attack. There was so much to do.

Just then, Susanna knocked on my door.

“Miss, there’s a phone call for you. It’s Sir Ethan.”

“What? Ethan? Ethan of the Lancaster family?”

I swung the door open in shock. Susanna nodded, looking just as bewildered.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Oh, hell. I could already hear the sound of my life hanging by a thread.

‘Did he figure out it was me who saved Aurora at 61 Notium Street last night?’

The image of the brooch Ethan had taken flashed in my mind. Nervously tapping my foot, I asked Susanna again.

“Why is he looking for me?”

“He said it’s official business. He wants to speak to you directly.”

“Hm.”

Assuming Ethan had connected the brooch to me, his words implied he wanted to negotiate. Negotiation meant he needed something from me, which also meant he couldn’t just go around revealing what he knew.

Then again, there was also a chance Ethan didn’t know anything and was just fishing for information.

Realistically, a brooch alone wasn’t enough to figure out much.

After weighing my options, I gave Susanna my answer.

“Just tell him I’m not here. Say I left on a trip.”

It wasn’t even a lie. I was really leaving.

Susanna nodded.

“Understood. I’ll let him know you’re away on a trip.”

I gave her an approving nod, grabbed my packed bag, and headed out.

‘I can’t let myself get tangled up with Ethan. I need to get out of here fast!’

While waiting for the steam car in front of the Sinclair estate, I turned to Susanna.

“Susanna, did you finish packing your things?”

She smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes. Just give me two days. I’ll let the head maid know and come down right after.”

Susanna might just be an angel.

Besides Harrison, Susanna was the one person I absolutely wanted to bring to the shelter with me. Despite the sudden suggestion to move to Brunel, she had readily agreed.

“If you’re going, Miss, I have to go too.”

That’s what she’d said, and after hearing my plan to stay in Brunel for a while, she decided to pack up the capital estate and join me in two days.

Like me, Susanna didn’t have any family tying her to the city.

“Alright. See you soon!”

“Yes, Miss. Please stay safe!”

After saying goodbye to Susanna, I boarded the waiting car.

*****@@novelbin@@

At That Moment, 61 Notium Street.

The incident from the previous night had drawn a crowd of onlookers to the street.

A man in a navy-blue police uniform stood leaning against the wall of the mansion at 61 Notium Street, holding a newspaper.

His crisp uniform fit snugly over a well-built frame. A blue cape, draped over one shoulder, fluttered in the breeze.

The man exuded an imposing aura, enough to make passersby steal glances as they walked by.

Beneath his neatly styled blond hair, sharp blue eyes scanned the headlines.

[Exclusive Report! Sinclair Family Heiress Takes Out a 100-Million Gold Bank Loan? The Next Queen of the Sinclair Dynasty’s Grand Vision or the Tragic Collapse of a Fading Star?]

Once again, Cherry Sinclair dominated the front page.

It wasn’t particularly strange for a woman known for her love of extravagance to take out a loan. But this wasn’t just any woman—she was the heiress to the incredibly wealthy Sinclair family.

‘How desperate for money must she have been…? But then again, would the Sinclair heiress ever really be that strapped for cash?’

Ethan couldn’t shake the unease creeping up on him. Could it have something to do with the underground gambling club she reportedly ran?

Just then, Marcel, Ethan’s superior and a fellow officer, approached and addressed him.

“What are you doing here? I told you to drop this case. Don’t tell me you’re looking at another Cherry Sinclair article again?”

The way he said it made it sound like Ethan was obsessed with Cherry. Ethan frowned at the implication, his expression souring.