The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 187

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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 187
Once you’ve done something once, thinking about doing it twice is hardly difficult.
Leslie Ragnar, the Chief of Police of Rasa, thought this as he read the article by April Lunos.
He had been receiving investigation reports over a long period concerning Pejin’s wedding, which had taken place in the Dieusz Grand Duchy.
The unfortunate explosion that occurred there had been ruled an accident, and the investigation concluded that the culprit was Jonah Tabishi, who had grown greedy for fuel from a hidden factory. In the report, Pejin had suffered life-threatening injuries from the accident, and his beloved nephew Rian Ragnar had been present as well—there was no reason not to believe it.
In the end, Leslie had not stepped in directly but had simply accepted his subordinates’ reports and moved on; yet that explosion had touched upon a sense Leslie had honed throughout his lifetime in policing.
Most major accidents are created by layers of coincidence upon coincidence. Just then, just at that place, just with those people present……
In a single moment when so many threads of coincidence wove together lay the genesis of a major accident.
Conversely, when elements that seemed too flimsy to be mere coincidence—details that might someday be revealed as something other than accident—piled up to create an incident, Leslie found he could not shake the suspicion that it might be a premeditated crime.
For instance, one could reconsider the coincidence that a wedding had taken place at the very location of the bombing.
If Pejin Dieusz, the groom at that wedding, had known of the happenings beneath that ground, then the authenticity of that coincidence would come into question.
After finishing the newspaper, Pejin spoke to Police Chief Leslie Ragnar.
“Since my wife has taken such a position, I suppose I should as well. Please stop her.”
“Pejin.”
“Yes?”
Pejin was likely anticipating what the Chief would say next.
Leslie, who had observed Pejin over many years, knew he possessed the temperament suited for police work. That innate sensitivity of his was one such quality.
Leslie found himself forced to ask Pejin something he had never questioned before.
“I’m curious—who are you living for?”
At his question, Pejin met the Police Chief’s gaze directly. Then he opened his mouth heavily.
“Haven’t I told you before, sir? If you weren’t there, I might never have dreamed of gaining strength as a police officer.”
“You have.”
As he said, Pejin was prone to expressing his sincere admiration to Leslie.
He had said he respected him. That Leslie was the first and, in a sense, the last worthy adult he’d met upon arriving in the Rasa Empire.
Whether it was genuine was uncertain, but Pejin had wanted to emulate him. Leslie had come to believe that in that regard, at least, Pejin might be sincere.
Pejin spoke.
“When I was young, I tried to be like you, but I gave up not long after. You choose each word with such care, and that’s something I’m worst at.”
“Then what are you good at?”
“I find it easier to irritate people with many words than to weigh each one carefully.”
Pejin smiled.
“I am on the side of the Empire. Always, and forevermore.”
Does there exist an admiration that never breaks?
Leslie knew that Pejin must have been disappointed by this question demanding verification of his convictions.
But it was a question he could not avoid asking. He felt relief that Pejin had answered as he did. So he nodded, but then Pejin continued.
“But I am also on my wife’s side.”
……
This was not how it should be.
Leslie’s chest lurched.
In truth, he had known. He had wanted to be deceived, had hoped for a lie, but Leslie, who had watched him for so long, could not fail to see through him.
From the moment Pejin first became an Empire Police officer, he had gazed directly into Leslie’s eyes and vowed to reform the police of the Dieusz Grand Duchy. His eyes had shone.
But day after day, as he grew, he had been trimmed and cut by the hands of the Empire’s people.
He had seemed like a bonsai, shaped to fit its pot. Certainly, that was what he had been until he met April Lunos.
But that pot had shattered at some point. That moment might have been despair for Pejin, but somehow he had taken root in a land Leslie did not know. In April Lunos’s soil.
Leslie spoke.
“Why would you answer that way?”
“Because it’s true. Besides, who in this world could fool you anyway? You wanted to be fooled, perhaps, but in reality, you know me better than anyone.”
Pejin met Leslie’s gaze directly, his silver hair neatly groomed, with those clear eyes.
Those were the gleaming eyes of childhood. Leslie could not tell whether they were sad or joyful.
Pejin continued in a calm tone.
“The position of Director of the Information Bureau—didn’t Rian refuse it?”
“He did. He’s opposed to war.”
“So am I.”
And with a smile Leslie could never bring himself to hate, Pejin spoke lightly.
“Sir, I tell you this precisely because I truly admire you. Find your successor quickly. Don’t just appoint anyone to that seat later.”
……
“Chief, I was truly foolish…… There was a time when I genuinely loved the Empire Police.”
Leslie averted his gaze from that laughter without thinking. Then he nodded while gripping his teacup.
Pejin continued.
“To someone from the Dieusz Grand Duchy, I would be seen as no greater traitor…… but to me, who have grown watching you since I was fourteen, this has been everything in my life, the work I loved most. The Grand Duchy was powerless to me, and so I thought my role was simply to ensure it suffered less.”
……
“But when war breaks out, I will resign from my position in the police and return to the Grand Duchy. So as I said, you will need to find a new generation of police officers to succeed the Police Chief position. Someone to carry it forward.”
Leslie closed his eyes tightly without meaning to.
Only now, hearing Pejin’s words, did Leslie understand how much he had cared for him.
The Empire Police belonged to the Imperial Household and acted on the Emperor’s behalf. Therefore, so long as Leslie did not resign from the police, after the outbreak of war he would have no choice but to face Pejin as an enemy. The Imperial decree would demand it.
If Leslie met Pejin on the battlefield, he could never bring himself to kill him.
Leslie nodded.
“Yes. I take that as natural. Especially since even Rian, who is an Empire citizen, opposes the war—there’s no reason for you, a man of the Grand Duchy, to support it.”
“I spoke thinking you might launch an investigation immediately—and yet you accept this?”
“You have merely stated your opinion on the war. The same as Rian. I do not punish for such things. However.”
“After the outbreak of war, I will vanish like a rat—without being caught.”
“And I will hunt for you like I hunt rats.”
Leslie reaffirmed his political neutrality.
The Emperor had not yet declared war. Therefore, investigating Pejin for his wife’s suggestion of the explosion would be excessive loyalty rather than justified action.
Having thus clarified his own position, Leslie rose to his feet.
Pejin stood as well and asked.
“Are you going to Police Headquarters, sir?”
“To the Imperial Palace.”
“The Imperial Palace?”
“Your wife’s opinion that the Lunos Residence could be bombed—it wasn’t included in the report. I must inform them. And besides……”
Leslie clicked his tongue once and muttered.
“That boy was right, wasn’t he? I need to offer my apology—that’s how the matter ends.”
So saying, Leslie turned sharply and left.
Both potential successors to the Police Chief position were opposed to war. Therefore, Leslie resolved today: he would prevent the outbreak of war.
It was for the future of the Empire Police.
* * *
As the newspaper was about to be distributed on Left Island, the newspaper was being printed on Right Island.
[Weaponization of Lunos Grand Residence…… Lunos suggests possibility of Grand Residence explosion in wartime]
And the very next day, newspapers carrying this article were swiftly distributed across all of Left Island.
The war preparations that had been proceeding smoothly like flowing water were completely overturned by this article.
[Since crude oil extraction has begun on the Southern Coast of the Grand Duchy, if the Lunos Grand Residence causes a large-scale explosion, the tremor would likely trigger a chain explosion in the Southern Factory with its weakened foundations.
If this explosion creates a Fog in the Grand Duchy, its density would be entirely different from what has been seen before, causing a catastrophe of unprecedented scale. Consequently, there is a very high possibility that this disaster would spread to the Empire and cause severe damage.]
As a result, the announcement of the outbreak of war, which had been imminent, was postponed.
Left Island was engulfed in fear of the Fog.
From the Police Headquarters window, Pejin looked down at people whose expressions had hardened. He was barely suppressing the laughter that threatened to burst forth, thanks to the terror of the Fog that April Lunos had sown across the Rasa Empire.
“Quite impressive, all things considered.”
He muttered thus. Then, turning to face Rian, who had come to find him again, he asked.
“What did you want to say?”

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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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