Chapter 16
“Something you want to ask me? Not Eden?”
I looked back at Eden again. When his eyes met mine, he shrugged his shoulders in a way that seemed to say, do as you like. After all, Eden wasn’t my guardian, so there was no need to consult him on this matter.
I tried to read Knox’s intentions, but I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking at all. Behind that smooth, handsome face, it felt like there were a hundred snakes coiled up.
After a moment of consideration, I nodded with a smile.
“Alright. Then, would you like to come to my house with Sir Eden?”
Well, that worked out. I needed to keep Knox occupied anyway, and while I was at it, maybe I could try recruiting him as a worker.
Knox followed Cherry at a leisurely pace.
Cherry was climbing the hill that led out of Brunel Village. In the distance, she pointed to a rundown mansion, introducing it as her home.
It was undeniably intriguing.
It was already surprising enough to see Cherry and Eden—two people who didn’t exactly belong together—in the same place…
No one would have expected that Cherry Sinclair to be living alone in a dilapidated house in the middle of a rural village.
“Please, come in.”
Cherry opened the heavy stone gate and spoke to Knox. They passed through the gate and crossed the wide garden.
Eden walked a little apart from Cherry.
Outwardly, Eden had the image of a reckless madman. Now that he was a police officer, he even had the nickname “Benton’s Mad Dog.”
Rumor had it he would tear criminals apart like a beast.
But contrary to his appearance, Eden was inherently kind and just. So much so that he would unhesitatingly abandon the Lancaster heirship out of a sense of duty.
On the other hand, Knox appeared outwardly polite and gentlemanly—but his nature was far from pure.
If asked whether a life-saving doctor could be like that, Knox could confidently say yes.
Regardless of the reasons Lancaster had for taking interest in Sinclair, Knox had a clear reason to be interested in Cherry.
Around this time last year, Knox had been at the site where the Westmore city urban legend had spread.
He’d heard rumors that Elpinus herbs had been found in an abandoned house where screams and beastly cries were reported.
Back then, just like now, people ignorant of Elpinus herbs had asked him to inspect them for drugs.
Elpinus herbs weren’t drugs, of course. But they were extremely rare and difficult to cultivate and manage.
It was strange that such herbs were found in bulk at 61 Notium Street in Westmore Hague. So he had asked the drug investigation unit to track their trade.
“Someone seems to be buying and selling Elpinus herb seeds continuously. The last transaction shows 61 Notium Street in Benton’s capital.”
He’d received this report from the drug investigator.
On that day, Knox witnessed a very surprising scene at 61 Notium Street.
In the quiet mansion, there was a sudden commotion. A man burst out of the front door, followed by an unknown beast-like figure, and then a woman whose hood had fallen back ran after them.
From where Knox stood, he could clearly see the woman’s face. Though partially masked, her curly pink hair and golden eyes were unmistakable.
Even after she pulled her hood back up, Knox immediately recognized her.
It was Cherry Sinclair.
“Aaah!”
A scream came from the gate. Someone passing by had seen the monster.
Cherry ran forward and swung an axe at the fallen creature.
Crack!
The axe blade struck the monster’s head perfectly, spraying thick green liquid.
Had he misseen?
For a moment, Knox wondered if he had mistaken someone else for Cherry Sinclair.
After all, there was no way someone like her would appear in such a poor area alone, dressed like that. She was supposed to be weak and prone to collapsing—so killing a monster with an axe seemed impossible.
“Watch out! Move!”
But then he heard the woman’s voice from earlier:
“Did you see the man who ran out of this house?”
“He… he ran that way.”
The conversation that followed sounded very similar to Cherry Sinclair’s voice. If Knox hadn’t seen her face, he might not have been completely certain, but her voice confirmed it.
He noticed a box sticking out of the open belt bag she carried. She had shoved it inside and fastened the buckle—it was clearly a box of Elpinus herbs.
After the monster was dealt with, Eden Duncan Lancaster appeared on the scene. He must have discovered it while patrolling, having received a report.
Cherry Sinclair, perhaps feeling guilty, desperately secured her hooded robe before fleeing. She was never caught.
Westmore Hague, 10. Benton, 61 Notium Street.
Elpinus herbs had been found at both estates.
Cherry had stolen the Elpinus herbs, which even Eden had mistaken for drugs, from 61 Notium Street and intended to cultivate them in the garden of her dilapidated mansion.
Knox was convinced that Elpinus herbs were somehow connected to the “monster” rumors.
Could she know something too? About the link between the herbs and the monsters?
Yes. He was gathering information about the monsters.
Knox also held a crucial piece of information: he knew which noble had ensured that news of the monster corpses found at 61 Notium Street did not spread to the public.
Though it didn’t seem like Cherry Sinclair had any connection with that noble.
Considering the noble’s character, there was no way a young commoner like Cherry would be involved in such a secret operation.
Then why was Cherry there, and what was her purpose?
If she was also hunting the monsters… noticing the connections among all these incidents…
From the moment Knox saw her kill the monster with an axe, he resolved not to trust the public perception of Cherry Sinclair.
She could have escaped but didn’t. She risked her life to kill the monster and save others. Perhaps she was different from the Cherry he thought he knew.
So, for now, he decided to observe her and find out her true purpose.
Cherry’s temporary refuge: Happy House
He was also very curious about the suspicious mansion Cherry had acquired.
We entered the first-floor lobby of Happy House.
I never imagined that Knox and Eden, key characters from Mangsarang, would be inside here.
Even in this awkward situation, my mind was entirely focused on how to silence Knox and how to recruit him as Happy House’s personal doctor.
…Of course, I knew the chance of succeeding in the latter was almost zero.
Knox removed his hat, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly surveyed the lobby.
“Hm. This is really the mansion you live in?”
He looked a little surprised. It was understandable— the mansion was very dilapidated, as if it had been attacked at some point.
I had asked Vanilla about the mansion, but she didn’t know much. As before, she only replied that she owned many estates and wasn’t familiar with the details.
A broken chandelier hung precariously from the ceiling of the lobby, and the wall paint was all peeling. I had swept and cleaned diligently, but the rusted moldings were beyond help.
Even the built-in consoles and other furniture were old and messy.
Eden finally spoke.
“I suspected, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
It was his first time seeing the interior, so he carefully looked around. He seemed interested in clues about the “illegal firearms” he had mentioned before.
He apologized for the drug misunderstanding, but firearms are a different matter. Thorough indeed.
Then Knox, who had been quietly stroking his chin, turned to me. He stared at my face for a moment, then asked:
“Why is the Sinclair heir doing this here? There must be a reason.”
Would he believe the truth? I quietly approached him and whispered:
“Please don’t tell anyone that I’m here. Otherwise, I can’t let you leave this mansion.”
I delivered the line like a master of a secluded mountain villa—a light warning.
“Oh, just so you know, I’m not joking.”
I emphasized again to get a clear answer, and he nodded.
“I’m not that petty noble. I’m a gentleman. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thank you.”
“In return, you’ll answer me. What’s the real reason you’re here? Why are you hiding in this mansion? Tell me only—I won’t tell Lancaster.”
Knox smiled kindly, took a step closer, and whispered as if sharing a secret.
“This will be our secret. That’s better for you too, Cherry. I like it because it feels more discreet.”
…Huh?
