The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 175

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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 175
After the Coronation Ceremony ended, the social season continued with a party in the Imperial Palace Garden.
Heidi had visited once before with Miller, and she’d attended parties there widely back then, so she knew quite a few people.
But the treatment was different from last time.
It was right after the Emperor had declared that war would come, so things could hardly have remained the same.
The nobles of Rasa had been mostly kind to begin with, and as the ruler of the Dieusz Grand Duchy—a part of the Empire—Heidi had received a certain courtesy from them. But after the speech ended, they began asking probing questions one after another, trying to discern which side she was on.
“Do we really need to go as far as war? After all, the Grand Duchy is part of the Empire… I confess I don’t understand His Majesty’s intentions either.”
At one noblewoman’s sigh, Heidi managed an awkward smile. They were still kind, but unlike the Grand Duchy—where she had never once needed to bow her head—here in the social season it felt burdensome to have to humor everyone’s preferences.
She didn’t know what to do going forward; her mind was in turmoil.
Fortunately, the Emperor had anticipated that the party atmosphere would grow awkward after the speech, and had prepared accordingly.
As if determined not to give people time to talk amongst themselves, he unleashed an enormous spectacle.
While Heidi tried to gather more information by mingling with the noblewomen, she caught sight of a fountain in the garden—vast as a pond—and smiled without thinking.
The fountain was truly a masterwork. It had been designed by an architect from the Grand Duchy, and featured an artificial waterfall and sculptures of mythological figures carved into its surface.
Inside that fountain, covered in powder that sparkled like blue jewels, circus performers dressed as mermaids began to appear.
Those attending the party were captivated, their eyes drawn away to the fountain in wonder.
A tragic circus began, accompanied by music both beautiful and poignant.
The circus lifted everyone’s spirits. It was then that a noblewoman Heidi had grown somewhat friendlier with turned to address her.
“Ask the Chief of Security to take you to the Josting Grounds.”
“The Josting Grounds?”
“The Chief of Security has the second-best seats at the Josting Grounds after the imperial family. He bought them during a year when his investments were doing particularly well, or so I heard… If you do go, take me along too, won’t you?”
“I’m not very familiar with those grounds.”
“All the more reason you should go see! Normally the Chief doesn’t visit often. Don’t be shy—go ask him right now, come on!”
With that, the noblewoman linked her arm through Heidi’s and pulled her over to Pejin, who had been discussing something with the police officers throughout the party.
“Chief, the josting tournament is starting soon, isn’t it?”
Without needing the noblewoman to finish, Pejin understood her meaning and had a palace servant bring him paper and a pen. He then wrote his signature and instructions on the paper for Heidi Dieusz to be admitted to the Josting Grounds at any time, and handed it to his subordinate.
“Give this to the grounds manager. He’s over there.”
“Yes, Chief.”
After passing along the message, Pejin turned to address the two women.
“It seems all the women who’ve spoken to me today want something. How unfortunate.”
“Well, what would you expect? Unmarried ladies can hardly approach a newly married man. It’s only people like us with something to ask for who dare speak to you.”
“Ah, so I shouldn’t feel slighted then?”
“That’s the idea.”
“I’m going to go home and cry today. A lot.”
At his grumbling, both Heidi and the noblewoman—whose expression had brightened at securing a seat at the grounds—burst out laughing.
Pejin didn’t laugh, and turned back to continue his conversation with his subordinates.
As the noblewoman, having gotten what she wanted, chattered excitedly about the upcoming josting tournament, Heidi looked back at Pejin.
In this moment at this party, Heidi came to a realization.
The reason people here still tried to curry favor with her wasn’t because she was the Grand Duchess, but because she was the woman in the scandal surrounding Pejin Dieusz, the Chief of Security.
* * *
The very next day after the Coronation Ceremony party, news of the Emperor’s speech reached Right Island as well.
As the cause of the Fog became known, Right Island—which had been quiet for some time—was again blanketed in the terror of impending war.
Hannah and Fred returned to the school dormitory, but the Lunos Grand Residence continued to bustle with people.
As if no further delay could be tolerated, Eleonore arrived seeking April and set her teacup down hard on the table.
Though the sound was small, the very fact that she—whose every muscle was held in check by decorum—could produce such a noise meant something significant.
Eleonore spoke.
“Kayanis is enlisting.”
At this, April’s brows drew together.
“Wasn’t she planning to become a teacher?”
“She was. But after hearing the speech, she seems to have changed her mind. She said she could teach later… What kind of choice is that for someone who knows nothing but books?”
“I’ll speak with her.”
“It won’t help. That girl is different from her father—terribly stubborn.”
Having voiced this reproach, Eleonore continued.
“Still, it will take me a little time to make up my mind.”
“Make up your mind about what?”
“Changing my family name to Lunos.”
April’s eyes widened slightly.
Eleonore went on.
“It’s rather absurd to enlist in the Grand Duchy’s army while bearing an Empire surname. And frankly, the number of people trying to use their connection to me simply because I’m from the Empire has grown so tiresome I could scream.”
“You’re not the sort to change your name out of mere convenience.”
At April’s cool response, Eleonore’s lips pursed. But she soon confessed the truth.
“As you well know, I take great pride in being a person of Rasa.”
“I know that too.”
“Precisely for that reason, if Rasa were to start a war, I want to stand against it here in the Grand Duchy.”
…
“That is how I intend to express my will to oppose the war.”
April set down her teacup quietly. Then, facing Eleonore directly, she asked.
“When you say you’re hesitating, what part are you referring to?”
“I can’t join the Lunos Family simply because I wish it. The Head of House must permit it. Besides, I have no intention of begging my way into the Lunos name.”
“Then I’ll do the begging.”
April answered plainly.
Eleonore was somewhat shocked that April replied without the slightest hesitation. More shocking still was the fact that April’s eyes were shining.
April spoke.
“It’s what I’ve always wanted. If you’re willing, Aunt, I can prepare the documents right now.”
“Then prepare the documents for our entire family.”
At Eleonore’s words, April nodded.
* * *
Word spread that Eleonore was returning to the Lunos Family, and April received visitors in succession—people who had come saying they would return to the Lunos Family as well. Most of them overlapped with those who had attended the funeral of the Lunos Family’s previous Head of House.
As a result, April spent some time in utter chaos.
Then April came in the fourth month. Her birthday was so busy to manage that the celebration was limited to making one large cake with Madam Eve and sharing it among the household, a minimal observance at best.
White flowers that Pejin had arranged to be delivered in advance arrived for the occasion, and she thought for a moment how nice it would be to see them, but even that thought couldn’t occupy her long—April was far too busy.
After spending her time in a daze, on the 28th, just before May began.
April was pushed out of the residence by Madam Eve and Bauman.
They reasoned that she’d been constantly meeting with this person and that person, scheming about making money, so she really ought to get out and have some fun—a request with some force behind it.
The problem was that neither Mille nor Kritz, who would have been suitable companions, could be dragged away on such short notice, as both had become utterly consumed by work.
She thought of stepping into a café, but the weather was so fine that it was packed with people. Seeing the outdoor café bustling with everyone chattering away with their groups made her hesitant to enter alone.
Wondering what to do, April wandered through the streets of Capital City and found herself gazing up at a Japanese maple whose leaves had begun to turn green.
“Still, winter does end eventually.”
Sunlight broke through the spaces between leaves and scattered in glittering fragments across her face.
When the wind shook the branches, they made a sound like waves. It was a sound April hadn’t heard in months on Right Island, and she found herself naturally drawn to listen.
As she stood beneath the tree, thinking about the difference between the sound of waves and the rustling of leaves, a raindrop suddenly fell on her face.
“…Anyway.”
The weather on Right Island was nothing if not capricious, and Fox Rain began to fall even though the sky remained clear.
As April turned toward the carriage she’d come in, she stopped short—a man blocked her path.
“What are you doing here? Everyone else is sitting in cafés.”
Pejin, tilting his umbrella toward her, rebuked her, then gestured with his chin toward the café April had wanted to visit.
“I made a reservation at that one. Let’s go.”
His voice sounded different. Not bad, exactly—just rougher than she remembered.
In the months between then and now, Pejin had grown into a man far more mature.
He seemed like a stranger, like someone else entirely. And the way he spoke like this so naturally, as if they’d seen each other just yesterday—it made her so angry, so very angry.
April neither walked toward him nor opened her mouth; she simply stood fixed in place, glaring at Pejin in silence.

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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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