The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 177

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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 177
Pejin noticed April’s furrowed brow relaxing, her eyes widening gradually in surprise, and continued speaking.
“Honestly, when you think about it, it’s your fault.”
“What do you mean, my fault again?”
Rather than be deterred by Pejin’s teasing tone, April narrowed her eyes and fixed him with a glare.
Pejin pressed on.
“You crossed the sea by ship to see me. The winter waters are treacherous, and the doctor said I was dying. You didn’t believe him.”
“I came to be angry. Without asking permission, I came to help you accomplish your purpose—you were supposed to live.”
“I understand. Next time I’ll ask permission first.”
“Just don’t die. That’s all.”
“What if I can’t promise that?”
There was something genuinely happy in the way he posed the question. Pejin spoke with a light, unburdened expression.
“Well, that’s what I wanted to tell you when I saw you.”
Then silence fell. April understood it was her turn to speak.
She knew that what Pejin had just said was a proposal.
The last time she had received a proposal was when the sunset had melted more deeply into the blue of the sky.
After months of endless darkness, the moment she realized the days were growing longer brought a joy like nothing else. Since it was evening, there weren’t many people on the Walking Path.
April had never imagined a future with Pejin Dieusz. Truth be told, her future had closed at fourteen and remained sealed ever since.
“The future…….”
Pejin, concentrating intently on her words, narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Why the future?”
“I’ve never thought about the future. Of course, I always think about the outcome of any given matter. But I haven’t thought about an vague future like this.”
At her murmur, Pejin let out a short laugh.
“What kind of answer is that?”
“What do you expect? You propose out of nowhere.”
“Ah, so you understood it was a proposal after all.”
Pejin frowned and grumbled, his handsome brows knitted.
He was still the boy April knew, but he had grown a little after surviving death’s threshold, and sometimes he felt like a stranger to her. Yet his smile was exactly the same.
And that was the boy who had just proposed.
The question of accepting or refusing didn’t even arise. April could not imagine marrying him.
Whether she loved him or hated him. Marriage to a member of the Dieusz Family was something she had always believed could never happen.
What struck April as remarkable was that Pejin, who knew this better than anyone, had still proposed.
Only then did she begin to think about marriage.
She had not thought about it even when she conducted a strategic wedding ceremony with Pejin, walking together down the aisle, standing before the priest, and hearing the Marriage Declaration read halfway through.
About marriage—or rather, about a life shared together.
Throughout April, April had met with those from the Lunos Family who said they would return. She welcomed them all back into the Lunos Family and processed everything swiftly.
To return to the Lunos Family at a time like this meant not abandoning Right Island, no matter what fear arose.
Because she understood that feeling, April could welcome everyone, whatever their past.
April asked, almost as if speaking to herself.
“Does Right Island have the peace of mind to imagine a future?”
“That depends on you. I don’t want to burden you, but—”
“Can I forgive you?”
“That, too—”
“Depends on me?”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
April nodded. Then she exhaled lightly and spoke.
“For now, I don’t know. I still hate you, and I have no peace of mind to imagine a future.”
“I understand.”
“Besides, that imagining would only be possible on the condition that you become a member of the Lunos Family.”
Pejin seemed not to grasp her meaning at first, hesitating for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.
“It’s not difficult. It’s exactly what I’ve always wished for.”
His too-ready acceptance left April bewildered, and she asked again.
“Then why didn’t you just say that?”
Pejin erased his smile as if she’d said something preposterous, his expression turning serious.
“How could I presume?”
“How could you?”
“I’m honored even to make the proposal. I could still withdraw if I had a plausible excuse to offer the Emperor. If he were still—”
“There is no such excuse. And besides, there’s no reason for that until we actually marry.”
“I know. I was joking.”
Even as Pejin said this, his expression was bright, pleased. Then he extended his hand to April.
“Let’s walk a bit more.”
“Mm.”
“Don’t forget. To everyone else, we’re husband and wife. It would look stranger for us to walk separately.”
When April didn’t readily take his hand at his words, Pejin continued.
“All right, then let’s say this is pretend play.”
He drew her hand and placed it on his palm.
“Think of it the same as the games we used to play as children.”
“So are you now a noblewoman attending my tea party?”
Only then did April smile faintly and ask, and Pejin deliberately made a more aggrieved expression.
“Do you really hate the idea of having me play your husband that much? When we were children, you never once let me be your husband. I suppose being a noblewoman is better than being your dog, but I wanted the husband role.”
Pejin grumbled in that way, and deftly took her hand. His large hand wrapped around hers, and in that moment, a rush of complicated emotion welled up in April.
Only now.
She felt as though she’d missed the moment to be angry, and now, suddenly…….
April did not suppress that sudden emotion.
She looked up at him and demanded an answer.
“What did you mean, your lungs were damaged, and it’s dangerous if fog comes?”
“……Why now? Why is your reaction so slow?”
“What do you mean?”
“I just mean I got hurt a little…… Ah, why—!”
Pejin casually dodged the incoming hand, his eyes widening in surprise.
April’s voice rose.
“Are you out of your mind? What gives you the right to go there? Why would you go somewhere so dangerous? What were you planning if you died?”
“Wow, I’m going to get scolded for a while…….”
Pejin let April’s soft fists land on him.
After being hit, he worried her hands might hurt more than he did, wondering where he should let her strike, but fortunately she instinctively chose spots that would hurt her less. In the midst of it all, he thought that April had a real talent for fighting.
After she’d cursed him thoroughly and vented her anger on him, April exhaled sharply, swept back her disheveled hair, and spoke.
“That’s it. I’m done being angry.”
“You’ve wrapped it up cleanly.”
After venting her anger like that on the street, April felt somewhat embarrassed and bit her lip nervously.
Fortunately, because everyone on Right Island knew their story, they all seemed to think Pejin deserved the hitting and simply nodded as they passed.
April spoke again.
“Actually, I thought it was settled before. I know why you did it, so I thought I had to understand.”
“But then you thought about it and got angry?”
“I’m so angry. How could you make someone…….”
Anxious. Frightened. Lonely…….
April thought of many things that could follow, but she couldn’t say any of them.
She had come to know that only this man in the world could wear down her patience to its limit.
Love seems to be an experience as well.
The words “I want to spend time like this with you” didn’t seem like they would fade easily. Like the small letters he had left for her, those small words too remained in her mind.
April spoke.
“You said you’d censor our letters?”
“Yes. Every greeting from first to last.”
“Then I’ll write back too. Everything about love that goes into my letters will be stories about the things in my ship.”
“Well, I’m a detective, so I’ll interpret it myself.”
“What about you?”
“Mine will always be filled with genuine love.”
At Pejin’s answer, April nodded silently.
After speaking like this, they walked for a long time. Knowing they wouldn’t meet again for some time after today’s walk ended, April didn’t mention that her feet hurt or that she wanted to rest.
In the end, it was Pejin whose concern for her feet overcame his reluctance to let her go, and midway through, he and April caught a private carriage heading to the Lunos Family Estate.
When they arrived at the Lunos Family Estate, Pejin escorted April to the front door of the Grand Residence, took a step back, and waved.
“Sleep well.”
After today passed, when would they see each other again?
April watched Pejin walk backward, wanting to keep his face in her eyes, and wondered.
“When are you going back?”
“Now. I’m heading straight to the Harbor.”
Pejin, understanding April’s regret that they had barely escaped death only to have just one day together, on this April day, added an explanation.
“I can’t be away for long.”
“Pejin.”
“Yes?”
Pejin stopped walking, eager to hear what she would say next. Then April walked out to where he stood.
Standing in the Garden where the scent of grass was strong, Pejin bent down as April gestured. Then she pressed her lips softly to his cheek and spoke quietly.
“I didn’t say thank you.”
“…….”
“Thank you.”
She stepped back after those words. Then, with a smile as fresh as the gentle breeze she’d felt for the first time in April, she spoke.
“I won’t forget you. Don’t forget me either. Especially…… if you’re going to remember me, remember me smiling.”
“…….”
“I’m pretty when I smile too.”
At April’s shameless shrug, Pejin let out a clear, ringing laugh right there. Everything that had happened, and whatever would come, was worth it for her.
As if she’d told him to laugh, April also laughed softly.
Pejin was struck anew by the thought—April really was such a beautiful season.

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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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