The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 147

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 147
* * *
Hannah and Fred had received instruction about the Fog multiple times at school.
“When the Fog begins, you’ll hear a warning alarm. If it’s during break, close your windows and stay inside. If the Fog starts before break ends, students living within five blocks of the dormitory and the school will go home, and the rest will share space until it passes.”
Within five blocks of school were mostly wealthy homes. Similarly, the children who could afford dormitory life were those with some means of support.
Hannah was one of the factory children whom even those struggling to attend school from afar looked up to.
Hannah knew that most of those sacrificed when the Fog came each year were people who could not afford to rest—those who had to go hungry the next day if they took one off.
Had she not been able to stay at April’s house, she too would have ventured out into the Fog without rest. And her father would have drunk away whatever money she brought home.
Hannah remembered her father shouting at her when she’d come home injured from the factory, asking why she’d caused trouble. She remembered his hands.
When class ended, worried-looking children gathered around Hannah’s desk.
“What’s the Head of House Lunos going to do?”
“The dye, I mean—His Highness the Grand Duke won’t buy it after all, right?”
The transaction between Miller Daeus and April Lunos, centered on the dye, had fallen through.
April had given Miller a deadline, and Miller had missed it. With that, April had ceased all conversation with him.
Hannah shrugged.
“I don’t know. But I know her, and she’ll find a way. I’m sure of it.”
“You really think so?”
“I’m so scared…….”
Hannah tried to reassure them, but the children’s fear did not easily fade.
And on November 1st, with two weeks of break remaining.
Every wall of the school was covered with new dye. And during that work, they received new safety instruction.
“When the Fog begins, the elderly and infirm who could be fatally affected will take refuge in this school. The police will accompany them primarily, but all students not going home must help those seeking refuge. Can you do that?”
The children answered that they would.
Everyone at the school recognized this as a gesture of goodwill from the Lunos Family, and that gratitude was quietly transmitted to Hannah and Fred, who worked for them.
The Fog had grown more dangerous with each passing year. That fewer casualties occurred last year was because Pejin had caused the Empire Police to take turns guarding the streets.
This year, with a new Empire Police commander taking office at headquarters, there was no reason to expect circumstances like last year’s.
Many people would die this year as well.
Hannah made the same vow as April had—to save at least one more person.
* * *
The Imperial Police Headquarters bustled with the new commander’s transition.
The new commander, Eric Conbery, was a man who performed his duties with exceptional ability.
He spoke dismissively of Pejin, who was more than a dozen years his junior.
“Miss Lunos ought to play the role of the Fog’s cause, but with the previous commander falling in love like this, won’t it cause difficulties in our work?”
“A fair point. However, since he’s gone ahead and married this time, there shouldn’t be work disrupted by love again.”
“You never know, do you?”
Eric Conbery’s expression turned distinctly sinister, as though he knew everything.
Pejin let out a dry laugh and spoke.
“I don’t commit infidelity. I’m far too upstanding for that.”
“I’ve heard the rumors. You should at least own them.”
Eric Conbery sought to make everyone like himself, thereby justifying the infidelity he was committing, but Pejin would not play along with such talk at all.
He disliked April being brought into the conversation, so he returned to the matter at hand.
“When the Fog begins, you should make sure to look after your own health, Commander.”
“There’s no issue with that. The Empire Police will leave this island before the Fog starts.”
“That’s… another method in its own way.”
Pejin shrugged.
It was what he’d expected all along. From the start, the Empire Police had no intention whatsoever of providing aid within the Fog.
Pejin spoke in an even tone.
“It’s already grown quite cold, and every household is using firewood. It would be no surprise if it started today.”
“The researchers have predicted a date. I’ll leave four days before that.”
“Without ever visiting the Grand Duchy, you place faith in their prediction. The Fog grows worse with each passing year. The dates come earlier and earlier. Such predictions are highly likely to be wrong.”
At his words, Eric Conbery let out a scoffing laugh and asked:
“And what of you, Deputy Commander?”
“Naturally, I should be with the woman I’m engaged to.”
“Quite right—I asked an obvious question of someone about to be married.”
Eric Conbery laughed loudly. His faith in the date predicted by Rasa’s researchers was unshakable.
But his belief in science seemed to anger the heavens itself, for before the conversation could end, an Empire Police officer came rushing in desperately.
“The Fog has begun! Black clouds are rising from the Coastline!”
“What—what did you say?”
Eric Conbery’s face drained of color.
Pejin calmly found an extra Mask and handed it to him, saying:
“I told you—don’t trust the words of people who’ve never even visited the Grand Duchy.”
“H-how—what should I do, Deputy Commander!”
“You really weren’t listening when I spoke, were you? Put on the Mask and close your windows.”
“That—and what else!”
“That’s all there is.”
Pejin spoke as he donned his own Mask.
“Everyone else in the Grand Duchy is doing the same. All of them, terrified.”
After that, Eric Conbery attempted to command the Empire Police, but not a single officer listened to him.
They all bolted into the streets following the manual Pejin had devised.
Pejin headed somewhere while the officers closed roads and sent people home according to his orders.
He was keeping a promise with Hannah Coski.
When he descended the stairs and opened an unlocked door, he found Rab Coski, Hannah’s father, sleeping without even having heard the warning of the Fog’s arrival.
Pejin nudged him with his boot, and Rab Coski stirred.
“O-officer, why—blast it! The Fog!”
The moment Rab Coski realized what was happening, he hurried to dampen cloth to seal the door.
While Rab Coski ran for his life, Pejin picked up a Loan Document lying on the floor.
He had borrowed a considerable sum. And there was only one thing to offer as collateral on this house.
His only daughter.
In the chaos, as he tried to block the door with cloth, he stumbled backward with a crash.
Pejin clamped his hand over Rab’s nose and mouth, pinning him down with the strength of one arm, and spoke:
“Hannah wanted to kill you herself… I suppose she was afraid you’d bring harm to the Lunos Family. Though I didn’t anticipate you’d attempt to sell your own daughter.”
With his other hand, he withdrew a Letter from his inner pocket.
“Of course, absurd threat letters like these sent to the Lunos Family—I’ve handled them on my end.”
Pejin watched as the man’s eyes, initially filled with rage, grew terrified by the overwhelming difference in strength.
At that moment, he thought of his brother.
Surrounded by guards, he could not easily kill him; more than that, he lacked the courage to meet Miller Daeus’s gaze.
In that sense, Hannah Coski, who had tried to kill her own father with her own hands, was sufficiently braver than him. She was an asset to the Grand Duchy Police.
Pejin erased the image of his brother overlapping with Rab’s face and continued:
“And you’ll be this year’s first victim of the Fog’s suffocation. Hannah will receive the compensation, so go with a glad heart.”
Rab Coski struggled briefly, then his strength gave way and he went limp.
Pejin tidied the situation and carefully steadied his trembling hands.
After leaving the house, he headed to Hannah’s school nearby.
Hannah was running about frantically, helping those who had evacuated.
When Pejin removed his Mask inside the school, protected by dye, Hannah recognized him at once and rushed over.
“Deputy Commander! What’s happened?”
“Rab Coski is dead.”
“…….”
“Suffocated by the Fog, presumably.”
At Pejin’s words, Hannah fell silent for a moment, then embraced him tightly with both arms.
After holding her face against him for a long time, Hannah spoke:
“Thank you…….”
“What are you thanking me for?”
“Really—truly, thank you.”
Pejin was struck by how naturally happy this girl could smile. Hannah, who was bright yet always seemed to carry some darkness, now wore a happiness he had never seen before.
Pejin pretended to look stern as he watched her and spoke:
“When you receive it properly later, you’ll need to cry. Don’t invite needless suspicion.”
“Yes, I’ll practice.”
“If you’re grateful, will you do me one favor?”
“Yes!”
Hannah answered readily, and Pejin withdrew a sealed Letter from his inner pocket and handed it to her.
“Keep this safe, and when I leave the Grand Duchy later, give it to April.”
Hannah took the Letter. She tilted her head and asked:
“Why not give it to her directly?”
“I’ll be busy then.”
Pejin said this and waved goodbye as he left the school.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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