The Male Leads Are Trapped in My House-Chapter 108: 20, The Westmore Urban Legend Incident, You Know?

After checking the villagers' health, Nox returned to his room, exhaustion visible on his face.

Happy House’s first floor had five rooms. Cherry and Ethan used two of the rooms near the banquet hall, while Harrison, Nox, and Vanilla occupied the three near the salon.

Originally, the room Harrison now used had belonged to Susanna. However, upon Harrison’s arrival, Susanna insisted on moving to the second floor. Cherry, softhearted as ever, reluctantly gave her one of the upstairs rooms.

The second floor housed Susanna, Amy, Vanilla, Victor, and Emma, leaving four additional rooms that Cherry had repurposed to store supplies.

Nox returned to his room with an armful of flowers. The surviving women of Brunel had given them to him as gifts, their faces flushing regardless of age as they handed them over.

Of course, such reactions were only natural for women around Nox.

"Didn’t Cherry Sinclair also have a thing for handsome men?"

Nox lay on his bed, musing.

"How can she stay so unaffected by my face?"

It was a question he had been pondering since the moment they first met.

According to gossip columns, Cherry valued a man’s looks above all else.

Cherry Sinclair was a staple of the capital's tabloids, topping their lists as the most fascinating socialite. Nox recalled an article he had once read.

[Exclusive Interview! Rising Star of High Society, Cherry Sinclair, Reveals Her Ideal Type!]

The article detailed her supposed history of favoring good looks.

Her first love, according to the article, was none other than Harrison Howard. She had fallen for him at first sight simply because he was stunningly handsome.

However, she claimed she didn’t like all attractive men. Her ideal type was someone intellectual and refined—qualities Harrison supposedly embodied perfectly.

"Hmm, that’s far from Ethan," Nox thought.

Ethan had sharp, predatory features that could be likened to a cat’s charm. He didn’t fit Cherry’s stated preference. In contrast, wasn’t he, Nox Cornell Ludfisher, the epitome of intellectual and refined good looks?

"Howard is a difficult target, though. My sister fell for him too."

Nox’s sister, Isabella, had been Harrison’s late wife, drawn to his composed demeanor.

Harrison’s ideal type, however, seemed to be someone gentle and delicate, like Isabella—a stark contrast to Cherry’s strong-willed and vibrant personality.

Nox had paid little attention to the affairs of the Ludfisher family back then, including Harrison and Isabella’s marriage. Now, for some reason, he regretted it.

"If I’d gotten closer to Harrison back then, winning Cherry’s favor might have been easier."

Well, it’s not too late to start now.

In a ruined world, a doctor naturally held a position of respect and advantage.

Still, Cherry wasn’t just his savior but also the undisputed leader of both Happy House and Brunel. Building a good rapport with her could only benefit him.

"No woman has ever resisted me when I’ve decided to pursue her."

Motivated, Nox tidied his appearance and got up. A delicious aroma wafted in from the banquet hall.

"Perfect. Time to start charming our dear Cherry."

As Nox strolled into the banquet hall, he saw people busily moving about. Among them were Cherry and Ethan.

Leaning casually against the entrance, Nox observed the scene. Amy had already filled him in on the day’s events.

"That old man seems to like Sugar Star. He keeps chasing after her, asking to be her partner," Amy had reported mischievously.

The idea that Ethan harbored romantic feelings for Cherry seemed absurd, but it was clear he had grown fond of her.

"When did he stop treating her like a criminal?" Nox mused.

He acknowledged that Ethan and Cherry had grown closer, especially after enduring countless hardships together in Happy House.

Ethan’s gaze often lingered on Cherry, as if his earlier determination to catch her for her “crimes” had morphed into something entirely different—though the man himself seemed oblivious.

As Cherry bustled around the banquet hall, her eyes landed on Nox. She trotted over to him.

"Are the villagers all right?"

"Yes, thankfully, there were no major injuries."

"Good work."

She flashed him a bright smile, her warmth shining in her eyes. That radiant smile momentarily captivated Nox.

"She is beautiful."

The high-society elites, despite their critical whispers, never ostracized Cherry, and her beauty was a significant reason why.

When her jewelry or dress designs appeared in the papers, they always became instant hits the next day. Cherry Sinclair embodied the kind of glamorous charm that modern nobles envied.

"Miss! Could you take a look at this?"

Victor called out from the kitchen.

"Ah, sure!" Cherry replied.

As she turned to leave, Nox grabbed her wrist gently.

"Huh? Is there something else you wanted to say?"

Cherry spun around, facing him with curious eyes.

If Nox wanted to speak with Cherry alone, he needed to make something up—or rather, find a relevant topic of discussion. Fortunately, he genuinely had something to discuss with her.

"We should revisit the topic of the Elphinus Herb," he suggested.

It wasn’t just about impressing her. He also wanted to dive deeper into the issue of the monsters that had caused this crisis.

"What are you two talking about?"

But before Cherry could respond, a familiar interrupter appeared—Ethan, adjusting his police cap with an irksome smirk.

Nox cast a disdainful glance at him before turning back to Cherry, waiting for her answer.

"Ah... I’ll have a quick word with Nox. It’s about the Elphinus Herb," Cherry said, signaling to Nox with a look.

Ethan’s expression soured immediately, which Nox found deeply satisfying.

"Shall we, Miss Cherry?" Nox gestured toward the hallway with his thumb.

If Cherry had fallen for him at first sight, things might have been more amusing. But in a way, it was better that she hadn’t.

As Cherry followed Nox into the hallway, he kept his gaze on her for longer than necessary.

*****

I followed Nox to the salon on the opposite side of the banquet hall, where we sat facing each other on the sofa.

Nox leisurely surveyed the room before finally focusing his sharp eyes on me.

"Have you considered cultivating Elphinus Herb in the underground passage?" he asked abruptly.

Cultivate Elphinus underground? That idea hadn’t even occurred to me.

"Would it even grow without sunlight?"

"Why would a shadowy, insect-eating plant need photosynthesis?"

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

If I were the Elphinus Herb, I might have cried after hearing such a cold remark.

Regardless, his suggestion made me mentally count the remaining Elphinus seeds.

"We don’t have many seeds left. If this fails, we’re out of options..."

"Amy mentioned that the Kint faction’s herbal shop used to sell Elphinus Herb," Nox offered.

"If they kept it on display, wouldn’t the scent have already attracted the monsters?"

"True. That’s possible," Nox admitted. "In that case, we might need to locate the herb’s natural habitat. It should be recorded in a botanical compendium."

I nodded. "Then we’ll need to check the bookstore in Brunel."

"I’ll visit the bookstore tomorrow," Nox volunteered. "Though I can’t promise anything; it’s likely in disarray."

His words made me wince. The mess in the bookstore was, after all, my doing. Back when Nox was trapped in the town square, I had flung debris to destroy the store in order to save him.

Still, I did it to save him, so it’s justified... right?

I turned the topic back to something pressing.

"Where is the large supply of Elphinus Herb found in the Westmore mansion stored?"

"Unfortunately, it’s at the Westmore police station," Nox said, shaking his head.

So close, yet so far. Disappointment filled me until Nox added something intriguing.

"Come to think of it... don’t you think the mansion at Hague No. 10 from the Westmore urban legend might also have an underground passage like this one?"

Hague No. 10.

The address rang a bell, though I couldn’t immediately place it.

"That’s impossible to confirm now... anyway," I sighed heavily, but then realization struck.

"Wait—Hague and the spring... what could they mean?"

"Hague Street, perhaps? It’s near the Westmore station," Nox suggested.

"Oh! Now I remember. Westmore, Hague No. 10. It’s one of the inherited properties. But as for the spring, I have no idea. I’ll let you know if it comes to me."

Vanilla!

Hague No. 10 was one of Vanilla’s properties!

Jumping to my feet, I dashed out of the salon. Nox, startled, followed close behind.

I burst into the banquet hall, scanning the room for Vanilla. The sudden commotion made everyone pause, puzzled by my urgency. Ethan approached, but I ignored him and headed straight into the kitchen.

Vanilla was outside at the workbench attached to the kitchen, helping Gary butcher meat.

"Miss Sinclair? What’s going on?" Vanilla asked, looking at me with a mix of confusion and concern.