Ethan’s eyes widened to their absolute limit. Ignoring his reaction, I firmly closed his jaw, ensuring his teeth clamped down hard enough to leave a mark on my injured finger.
“Ugh.”
Spit.
Ethan quickly released my finger, spitting it out as if repelled. As he grasped the situation, his face darkened with fury, and his glare turned so sharp it felt like it could kill.
“What the hell did you just do?”
“If Sir Ethan is infected, then I must be too, since you bit me. We’re in this together now.”
“Miss Cherry, this is going too far!”
“I know. So, are you going to tell everyone to kill me because I’m infected?”
Ethan couldn’t answer, staring at me with confused eyes that seemed utterly lost—like someone who had forgotten their words, their path, and their purpose. He looked at me as though he had no idea what to do next.
Right now, Ethan must feel like he’d been handed a death sentence. His turbulent reaction made sense under the circumstances.
“You want isolation, don’t you? Fine. We’ll do that—after we get back to Happy House. I’ll join you in quarantine.”
Ethan remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he spoke.
“What if I turn into a monster before then?”
“I’m strong. You know that, right? I’ll snap your neck in one go. It won’t hurt.”
I clenched my fist as I responded. Ethan looked at me with an expression somewhere between a smile and despair, his emotions unreadable.
“If I turn, you’ll kill me yourself.”
Of course, I knew he wouldn’t turn into a monster. I only said it to reassure him.
Ethan stayed silent, his eyes dark and heavy with thoughts.
Should I tell him about the antibodies now?
No, not yet. This wasn’t the time or place for that conversation. Explaining it here would only waste time and create more confusion. He’d figure it out himself eventually—that he was immune.
“...If we turn into monsters, Happy House will be in danger. There are people there, too.”
Ethan finally spoke again after a long pause. Was he planning to stay here?
“Then what do you want to do?” I asked.
“Miss Cherry, do you... like me?”
“What?”
“If you don’t like me, why are you risking your life for me?”
“...Because you’re my partner.”
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“To be your partner, I’d have to bring you the stars from the sky.”
“You’ve already given me something more valuable than that.”
“Me?”
Ethan furrowed his brow.
“Your life.”
He seemed at a loss for words, staring at me intently. I didn’t avoid his gaze; I stared right back.
“You got hurt saving me, didn’t you? Because of that, I feel like I can trust you with my life now.”
I added calmly, driving the point home.
“So how could I possibly say you’re not my partner anymore?”
I hope that’s enough of an answer.
Ethan’s expression was as quiet as a shadow, but when I met his gaze, I saw the truth.
It was like a wave—a surge of emotion crashing down. His cold, stormy eyes revealed his inner turmoil. He looked at me like someone who couldn’t comprehend me, yet his feelings were written all over his face.
After staring at me for what felt like an eternity, Ethan slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the storm had settled, replaced by something new.
It was trust—deep, unwavering trust. And maybe even wholehearted support.
This wasn’t the reaction I’d expected. I just wanted him to silently believe in me and follow my lead.
“Then let’s leave before I turn into a monster. Just the two of us.”
Ethan retightened the makeshift bandage around his wrist, tugging his shirt sleeves and jacket cuffs down to cover it before standing.
I wordlessly took his hand and stood with him. We wouldn’t be leaving anyway—Ethan wasn’t infected.
The celebrating crowd began to swarm us, surrounding us in a circle.
“You must be sent by the gods!”
“Oh, thank you!”
As they knelt down to meet my eyes, I froze in disbelief.
“Are you not a messenger of the divine?”
“How do you wield such strength?”
“Thank you for saving us.”
How could they say something so embarrassing with a straight face?
“I’m just a person, really. I’m just... a bit stronger than most.”
“Oh, how humble of you!”
Ethan glanced down at me, his face displaying a rare smile—different from his usual one. It was hard to pinpoint exactly how it was different, but it was.
That smile made my heart tremble. I found myself staring at it, then slowly placed a hand over my chest.
I couldn’t tell if my heart was racing from the intense tension earlier or... something else.
Eventually, the crowd began to disperse. Amy seized the opportunity to approach me.
“So, about earlier... Sugar Star, why were you putting your finger in the officer’s—”
“Amy, you don’t ask questions like that. Pretend you didn’t see it.”
Jose scolded Amy immediately, making her face turn bright red. What the hell was that kid even thinking?
They quickly shuffled away, stealing glances at us. That’s not what it was, you guys...!
I sighed deeply. We needed to return to Happy House as soon as possible. For now, I decided to address the situation directly.
“We can’t just stand around like this. We need to start repairing the hotel immediately.”
The chatter stopped abruptly. Scanning the group, I continued.
“The leader you followed here, Elliot, is dead. Some of the guards are gone as well.”
Murmurs of disbelief and unease rippled through the crowd. Just then, a man stepped forward from among them.
“That person is correct. Lord Elliot is dead.”
“Jeffrey?”
Someone nearby called out the man’s name. It seemed his name was Jeffrey.
I narrowed my eyes as I observed him. He had a round face that seemed out of place with his solid build. Judging by his appearance, he was likely one of the guards who had been stationed on the fifth floor.
I figured some people would survive by sheer luck, and it appeared that Jeffrey was one of those fortunate few.
He continued speaking.
“I saw it myself. All the guards were wiped out. The monsters climbed up to the fifth-floor terrace where Lord Elliot was.”
“Oh, no! Does that mean the monsters are coming down now?”
“Are we surrounded?!”
The panicked crowd began to clamor, their fear escalating. Jeffrey raised his voice to calm them.
“The doors are blocked, so they won’t be able to come through the rooms. The monsters used an emergency ladder to climb the stairs, but I cut the ladder on my way down. If we take care of the monsters trapped on the fifth floor, we should be safe.”
Right. There was still a troublesome task left—dealing with the monsters on the fifth floor.
I clapped my hands to draw everyone’s attention.
“Now that the camp leader is gone, we need someone to take charge temporarily. Given the urgency, we can’t waste time deciding by complex criteria. How about we let the person with the most experience and seniority lead the camp?”
Silence fell over the crowd. People exchanged glances, trying to gauge each other’s reactions.
Finally, someone spoke up, gathering their courage.
“Wouldn’t the police officer be a good choice? Or perhaps... the messenger of God?”
I shook my head firmly.
“We already have a place to return to.”
Disappointed sighs rippled through the crowd.
“But isn’t this place ideal? It’s a hotel! It has everything we need—food, shelter, supplies.”
“It would be reassuring if you both stayed here...”
No way. I was already struggling to manage survival at Happy House. Taking on Kintner as well? Absolutely not.
Objectively speaking, Happy House was better anyway. Sure, it looked like a decrepit ruin, but I had filled it with the finest furniture! However, cutting ties completely wasn’t ideal either, given that the underground passage was connected to this hotel.
Maintaining a cooperative relationship with the hotel residents would be more beneficial in the long run.
“It makes sense for someone who has lived here for a long time and has a deep connection to this place to lead. And we’d like to establish a trading relationship with that person.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Jeffrey stepped forward as if he had been waiting for this moment. He pointed to a man.
“I recommend a new leader. I will follow Nick’s direction. While he may not be the eldest, he’s more than capable.”
Jeffrey’s statement solidified the decision. Though some people looked hesitant, they nodded in agreement.
“I’m fine with Nick.”
“Nick was the one who helped us evacuate to the second floor, minimizing casualties.”
“I only made it to the second floor thanks to Nick. Otherwise, I would’ve been in the kitchen, oblivious to the monsters, preparing dinner!”
The crowd unanimously supported Nick, a man in his forties holding a long, unimpressive stick. Two of his fingers were missing, giving him an air of quiet determination. His face had a resolute strength, though he always looked somewhat weary, like Harrison.
“Am I really suited for such an important role...?”
Nick’s voice was filled with disbelief. It was clear he found the situation overwhelming.
Encouraging words poured in from those around him, and Nick scratched his cheek awkwardly, embarrassed by the praise.
With the situation somewhat settled, I felt a sense of relief.
Even though it was temporary, the trust people placed in Nick made it seem likely he would naturally become the permanent leader here.
As I scanned the room, my eyes caught two men emerging from the laundry room.
“Where exactly is this...? Miss Cherry?”
It was Harrison and Nox. Their timely arrival couldn’t have been better.
With my face lighting up in relief, I waved warmly at Nox. I needed him to treat Ethan’s wound immediately to prevent secondary infection—this was perfect.
Ethan’s expression, however, was less enthusiastic, verging on uneasy.
He still believed he was infected and had been planning to leave quietly before turning into a monster. But with Nox and Harrison showing up, it seemed escape was no longer an option.
Facing an unexpected turn of events, Harrison hurriedly approached me, visibly flustered.
“Miss, are you all right? What on earth happened?”