I asked Gary, who was processing venison nearby, to step out for a moment. Once Gary was out of sight, I turned to Vanilla and asked her:
"Hague No. 10. You said it was a property owned by Mr. Ruskin, right?"
"...I'm not sure why you're asking, but yes. As I mentioned before, it's one of the properties I inherited from my father."
Behind me, I heard Nox exclaim, "What? The mansion at Hague No. 10—the one from the Westmore urban legend—is owned by Ruskin?" He sounded shocked, but I ignored him and asked Vanilla my second question.
"Then what about Notium Street, No. 61?"
"Huh? How do you know that address, Miss Sinclair?"
Vanilla's face showed genuine surprise.
At this point, it was impossible not to suspect something. Could Baron Ruskin be the ultimate mastermind behind this crisis? Or was it the pink-haired man who allegedly swindled him in a real estate scam?
Either way, the important thing right now was that we were one step closer to identifying the origin of the virus outbreak. Knowing the exact transmission route was crucial to stopping the spread of the virus.
If we didn’t figure that out, even finding a cure would be like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
"And besides, I’m dying to know which bastard thought it was a good idea to pull this kind of insane stunt."
Nox chose that moment to speak up.
"The mansion at Hague No. 10 in Westmore is the backdrop of a famous urban legend."
Ethan, who had followed me inside and was observing the situation, added, "Notium Street, No. 61 is the first place that damn monster appeared. And both of these properties are owned by Lady Ruskin?"
All of us turned our gazes to Vanilla. A heavy silence hung in the air as she replied, looking truly baffled.
"I swear, I have no idea about any of this."
"Even if Lady Ruskin doesn’t know, the Baron must have," Ethan said.
I added, "But if Mr. Ruskin genuinely didn’t know, I’d feel sorry for him in this situation. Which is why we need definitive proof—or confirmation—that Lady Ruskin isn’t involved in this crisis."
Having faced similar accusations myself from Ethan and Nox in the past, I couldn’t help but sympathize with Vanilla’s predicament. I studied her expression carefully, trying not to push her too hard.
This must’ve been how Ethan felt when he was interrogating me.
Vanilla pressed her lips together and said nothing.
"What’s going on here?"
At that moment, Victor, the head chef, walked into the kitchen to prepare a meal and noticed us.
Victor was known for his genial nature and was friendly with everyone at Happy House. I remembered that despite Vanilla’s prickly demeanor and few words, she was quite comfortable around Victor.
Since this wasn’t something we needed to hide from Victor, I nodded at Nox. Nox quickly summarized the situation to him, and Victor turned to Vanilla with a puzzled look.
"Lady Ruskin. If that’s the case, wouldn’t showing the letter left by Baron Ruskin clear things up?"
A letter?
Vanilla sighed and nodded as if resigning herself.
"Let’s talk inside."
It was clear the conversation was going to take some time, so sitting down seemed more practical.
Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.
The 10-seat table in the banquet hall turned out to be a stellar purchase. Initially, I’d gotten it with the idea of sitting alone in the center seat, playing at being royalty out of boredom. Who would’ve thought all ten seats would actually get filled?
Vanilla sat at the head of the table. In her hands was the letter from Baron Ruskin, which she’d retrieved from her room.
Ethan, the only one who didn’t bother with a chair, leaned casually against the table next to me. He took the letter from Vanilla and began to read it aloud.
[Vanilla, by the time you read this letter, I may no longer be in this world. I’m sorry for leaving you behind.]
"...Hah..."
Vanilla let out a heavy sigh. Ethan glanced at her briefly before continuing.
[I’m sure you’re wondering why I left you so many properties. You’ll understand when ‘that day’ comes. Until then, no matter what happens, make sure to protect the BN1 property in Brunel.]
Ethan paused and looked at me. I knew exactly why he was looking.
The BN1 property in Brunel was...
"Happy House’s postal code. BN1."
Vanilla answered with a resigned expression.
Happy House, being a small countryside mansion, was referenced by its postal code rather than a street address.
"I was so angry at my father for leaving me with nothing but debt that I didn’t even bother to read the letter. It wasn’t until the world became what it is now that I opened it. In what he called his will, all he wrote was not to sell this mansion."
At that moment, I understood why Vanilla hadn’t mentioned the letter earlier. If I’d been in her place, I wouldn’t have wanted to bring it up, either.
"Of course, I’m not saying this because I want the mansion back."
There was something in her tone I wanted to challenge. I smiled lightly and said, "Of course. I paid a fair price for it, after all."
In the original story, Vanilla had barely lasted six months before abandoning Happy House. But I would survive here for at least two years, no matter what.
Vanilla didn’t seem offended; instead, she smiled as if she’d expected me to say that.
"That was rude of me. I apologize."
Despite her apology, life was a game where the one with more information won more often. If she’d read the letter earlier, she might not have sold the mansion to me. She’d had an entire year to do so, after all.
"May I continue reading?"
Ethan’s voice cut through my thoughts. I nodded.
[The BN1 property in Brunel is the main key. Remember this: it is the key.]
Happy House... is the main key?
"Could this possibly be connected to the underground passage? One of the passages was definitely linked to the Brunel police station.
Remember this:
1 is Brunel, 3 is the Spring, 6 is Hague, 8 is Notium.
If these numbers correspond to paths leading to those locations...
1, Brunel. I didn’t notice a chalk marking with that number, but it was the closest of all the tunnels.
‘It makes sense.’
If 8 refers to Notium, that means there are at least eight paths in total.
At that moment, Ethan continued reading the letter.
[Find Segrave. You’ll need help. The Spring must be reclaimed. I cannot ignore the risk of this letter being discovered, so I will say no more.]
Segrave.
‘Segrave, mentioned here?’
As I’ve said before, the Segrave family is considered mythical, a legend passed down through tales but with no confirmed existence. They are referred to as heroes or guardians of the world, protectors against evil.
The banquet hall was abuzz with murmurs as Ethan read those words. People exchanged hurried conversations with their neighbors, their faces marked by confusion.
Ethan, unfazed by the commotion, resumed reading the letter.
*****
[There was a time when I believed that by selling a piece of my conscience, I could change the world and rid myself of poverty. I thought such changes would allow our family to live in happiness. But corrupt energy cannot be hidden or erased by mere concealment.
Daughter, happiness cannot be forced; it comes naturally. I was happiest when your smile made me feel as if I had the whole world. It was then that I realized what I was doing wasn’t creating happiness but destroying it.
Daughter, when you eventually learn the full truth, could you say just one thing to this father of yours? Tell me that you’re grateful for my courage, that I made the right choice. Even if the entire world curses me, those words from you alone would allow me to rest peacefully.
Though I haven’t done much for you in life, know this: my love for you is as vast as that of Chairman Sinclair’s fortune.
I love you, my dear Vanilla.
From your father, who will live forever in your heart.]***
By the time Ethan finished reading, Vanilla, who always seemed composed and aloof, was silently crying.
Amy, Emma, and even Gary and Victor, who had been eavesdropping from the kitchen entrance, wiped away their tears as well.
Did I cry?
I don’t know. All I felt was envy for Vanilla. At least she had a letter from her father, something to hold onto. I had nothing.
More than that, why did the name "Chairman Sinclair" come up here? Why specifically mention my father? It made it seem as though Baron Ruskin and my father were somehow acquainted.
"Lady Ruskin, did Baron Ruskin know my father?"
"No. I have no idea why Chairman Sinclair’s name is in the letter," Vanilla replied, shaking her head. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, given how well-known the Sinclair family was. It was like those comparisons people made in my previous life: "If I were Bill Gates, I’d do this or that."
"Alright. I know everyone’s feeling emotional, but we have a lot to discuss regarding this letter," Nox interrupted, breaking the heavy silence.
I scanned the banquet hall. Harrison hadn’t returned from the village yet.
‘I’ll have to explain this to him later.’
Nox stood and walked over to Ethan, snatching the letter from his hands and waving it.
"It seems clear that Baron Ruskin knew something about this infectious virus. And now we can confirm that Lady Ruskin wasn’t aware of any of this."
"Not to mention," Ethan added, "this mansion might also be connected to the virus."
I agreed.
"Baron Ruskin, who appeared to know about the virus, instructed his daughter to protect this mansion at all costs. He specifically said it was ‘the key.’ Doesn’t that imply this place is safe?"
"That’s a reasonable interpretation of the letter," Nox replied. "But it’s too early to be certain."
Everyone seemed lost in thought, and I noticed the subtle shift in their glances.
They were looking at me.
I knew what those looks meant. I was the owner of this mansion.
Even if it was too soon to make any definitive claims, they had already started to think of the mansion as a "safe haven."
Not that I was worried about anyone trying to take it from me. I’m not that careless, and none of them were capable of such a thing.
‘Besides, none of them could overpower me anyway.’
Lost in thought, I heard Nox make a pointed remark.
"This letter doesn’t resolve everything. There’s still no explanation for why monsters emerged from Lady Ruskin’s properties."
Ethan nodded in agreement. "The only way to address this unsettling mystery is to investigate Notium Street, No. 61, and Hague No. 10 ourselves."