The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 197

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

Chapter 197
April spoke.
“So the target is likely either that food supply or… the harbor itself.”
As she spoke, she looked at Shaper. He shrugged in response.
“Don’t worry. I’ll defend it with my life.”
“Don’t stake your life on it. If it gets dangerous, run.”
“That’s just a figure of speech.”
With that, Shaper drained his glass and rose to his feet.
“Then I’ll head back to the harbor as quickly as I can.”
After he left, the glass he’d abandoned remained on the table. April stared at it and found herself murmuring softly.
“I’m worried for some reason.”
At that, Pejin propped his chin on his hand and fixed her with an intent gaze.
Noticing his stare, April asked.
“Are you jealous?”
“Yes.”
“I’m allowed to worry about someone, aren’t I?”
“I know. Just give me a moment.”
After saying that, Pejin tilted his head back, stared into the empty air, and exhaled a long sigh before murmuring.
“Still, it’s fortunate. That I’m here. I can work out a plan, at least.”
“What kind of plan?”
“A plan to make you interested in me instead. Speaking of which—what kind of man do you like?”
“Um…”
When April didn’t answer, Pejin straightened to look at her and found her arms crossed, her expression displeased.
April murmured.
“Now that I think about it, the men I’ve liked so far…”
“Surely not just those two Dieusz brothers?”
“…”
“Your taste in men really is…”
“Nonexistent?”
“…consistent, I’d say.”
“Neither option makes me happy.”
“One thing’s certain, though.”
“What?”
“You base it entirely on looks.”
“Maybe I should start considering character?”
“No, don’t. I feel like I’d lose out somehow.”
Pejin waved his hand dismissively.
Silence fell between them for a moment.
After a brief pause, Pejin murmured.
“Could my brother really be planning to attack the food stores?”
“Hard to say.”
“If that’s the case, then I…”
Pejin mocked himself, as if his own thoughts amused him, and murmured on.
“When I was young, I used to imagine it. The day when I’d died and met with my brother before our parents—both of us together.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“But I don’t think that day will come, even after I’m dead.”
“…”
“It’ll never come.”
April watched him murmur like that, then reached out and took his hand to comfort him. Pejin smiled faintly at the gesture.
She gripped his hand firmly and spoke.
“The fact that the Emperor accepted Miller into Rasa and sent you here means the Emperor chose Miller over you and your brother.”
“That’s true.”
“So don’t touch Miller for now. At least until the Coronation Ceremony is over.”
“…”
Her parents had been tried for attempting to assassinate Miller and sentenced to death. So April carried within her a lingering dread at the thought of attacking Miller—
a fear distinct from any desire for revenge, but inescapable nonetheless.
Pejin nodded as if he understood. And when April’s expression remained anxious, he even offered her a smile to reassure her.
* * *
Pejin had his subordinates, who’d crossed into the Dieusz Grand Duchy with him, continuously check that the Lunos Residence was secure. But he himself was often detained at the Grand Duke’s Residence with Coronation Ceremony preparations.
Still, he made a point of returning to Lunos House each night to sleep, and when April gave him a separate room, he complained constantly that he couldn’t sleep. So when she’d casually mentioned he could come to her room if sleep didn’t come, that became the trap.
The next morning, on the day of the Coronation Ceremony, April woke to find Pejin still asleep on her bedroom sofa and sighed.
“Did I say you could come every single night?”
At her voice, the half-asleep Pejin reached out, drew her hand close, and murmured.
“Don’t wake me…”
“Stop pouting. It won’t work on me.”
Clearly, it was working.
Pejin pressed her hand to his cheek and rubbed it there, murmuring.
“Why are your hands so cold?”
“It’s winter.”
“Your heart’s cold too.”
“Yes, only toward you.”
At her barb, Pejin laughed and finally got up.
The moment they returned to Right Island, vitality bloomed back into Pejin’s face. He hadn’t thought his condition was so poor before, but compared to now, he’d been severely diminished.
Pejin asked.
“What are you planning to wear to the Coronation Ceremony?”
“I said I’d pick it myself, didn’t I? You’ll only meddle if I show you.”
“Wear the Wedding Ring. We’re a married couple.”
Pejin said this while fiddling with April’s hand.
He’d been bothered that she wasn’t wearing the ring, and had held his tongue all this time before finally voicing his feelings now.
April looked at the gleaming Wedding Ring on his hand and answered.
“Why do you keep wearing that?”
“I like the ring.”
After talking like that for a while, they spent the morning together. Then Pejin began preparing to leave.
For Pejin, time spent with April resembled a morning in paradise.
Time seemed to stop even as it rushed madly forward. After that paradise morning, stepping into the Grand Duke’s Residence chapel felt like crawling into the earth itself.
The Coronation Ceremony was held around midnight—timed so the date would change at the moment the Grand Duke succeeded, and besides, on Right Island during the Polar Night, there was little difference in brightness between midnight and three in the afternoon.
Throughout the ceremony preparations, Pejin could not meet with Miller, but on this day alone, the brothers could not avoid standing in the same space and facing each other.
Before a Priest, the brothers began their final rehearsal without a single word of idle talk.
After the rehearsal ended, Miller abruptly caught Pejin’s arm as he tried to leave the chapel.
“Pejin, let’s talk.”
At that, Pejin stopped and turned to face him, speaking coldly.
“I have nothing to discuss with trash who abandoned his own Fiefdom and fled. Especially since you dumped it on me.”
“You were the first to—”
“To what.”
“Hate me.”
At Miller’s words, Pejin laughed bitterly and spoke.
“At least I truly loved my brother.”
“So did I.”
“Stop lying. You sold your beloved brother to the Emperor?”
“You saw it too. How vast the Empire is, how weak we are. That’s why you came to Right Island as the Empire’s police. That’s why you made April out to be a witch—”
As Miller spoke, Pejin seized his brother’s jaw with one hand. Then, recalling April’s words to leave Miller alone, Pejin exhaled sharply and spoke.
“Shut your mouth and get out quietly. Don’t test my patience.”
At his grip, Miller froze entirely. Even as Pejin relaxed his hold, he could not move.
Pejin continued.
“By ‘quietly,’ I mean don’t do anything. Nothing at all.”
“…”
“If you understand, nod.”
At Pejin’s words, Miller reluctantly nodded.
Pejin released him then and turned away. He left the Grand Duke’s Residence, saying he’d eat with the men guarding the chapel entrance and return.
Miller stood where he was, breathing heavily.
Fear consumed his entire body.
Yet he had few choices left.
* * *
April’s preparations to leave, which had begun before Pejin’s departure, were finished not long after.
Pejin had anticipated that if Miller caused trouble, the most likely moment would be the Coronation Ceremony day itself—when his own feet were bound in ceremony. So he’d wanted April to arrive at the ceremony venue early.
For Pejin, the safest place against any act of terror was the location where the Coronation Ceremony was being held.
So April left the Lunos Residence intending to arrive at the Grand Duke’s Residence six hours before the ceremony began.
Even after getting into the car, she held the ring clasped between both hands without slipping it onto her finger.
As she was turning the ring over in her hands, the car, which had just been about to exit the Fiefdom, lurched to a sudden stop amid a tremendous sound.
When April tried to get out, the police escorting her car shouted from outside.
“You must not exit, Head of House! Keep your head down!”
A bullet came through the window, grazed April’s arm, and lodged itself in the seat. April gasped in pain, gripped her arm, and ducked beneath the chair.
And gunfire continued for a time.
Miller’s target included April Lunos herself. Just as Pejin had feared.
April barely managed to catch her breath.
Thanks to the sheer number of guards Pejin had assigned, the gunfight quickly subsided.
“Head of House!”
Logan, who led the escort, urgently opened the door.
He found April gripping her arm, quickly supported her, laid her in the seat, and spoke.
“We’ll head to the hospital at once.”
“No. Take me to the Coronation Ceremony.”
“What are you saying!”
“If I don’t show up, Pejin will know something’s wrong and leave the ceremony. The ceremony has to happen. If Pejin does something rash to Miller before taking the Grand Duke’s seat—”
“…His Majesty could claim that the Grand Duke attempted to assassinate him. Just like—”
Logan didn’t finish the sentence, but both understood what they were thinking of.
This was Miller Dieusz’s trap.
The same form of trap that had snared the previous Head of Lunos House when he was sentenced to death.
Logan nodded and spoke.
“I understand. We’ll bring a doctor along the way. Please hold on.”

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