The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 215

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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 215
Pejin’s mouth went dry. He could find no words. Just then, a voice called from outside.
“Your Highness, it’s eight o’clock.”
This was the hour he’d said he would rest, claiming to be unwell. Pejin called toward the door.
“I’ll be out shortly.”
“Yes, understood.”
Pejin looked back at April. But with the interruption, it felt difficult to return to the subject at hand.
Fortunately, April steered him back on course.
“If you’re going to blow up the factory below the estate, who’s going to do it?”
“Well.”
Someone trustworthy—someone you’d consider expendable by your standards.”
“That’s right.”
“Is there anyone else besides you?”
“……There isn’t.”
“See? That’s why I hate it.”
Faced with April’s resolve, Pejin found himself exhaling a long breath.
“Don’t you want to win? There’s no other way.”
“If that’s the only answer, then find me a way for you to survive first. I won’t agree to anything until then. Somehow… let’s find another way. That’s why I brought your money to the school. We have to find a method.”
“That’s… true.”
Pejin found himself agreeing without quite meaning to, and April continued.
“Secure your safety first. Hide behind those mountains, or take a boat to a nearby island and wait.”
“……Are you telling me to run away right now?”
“No. I’m telling you to live.”
“…….”
“You will live, that’s what I’m saying.”
He knew how afraid April was of the deaths of those around her. But seeing her reaction go beyond even his expectations, Pejin wore a look of bewilderment.
So he tried to persuade her.
“Think carefully about how hard you’ve worked to get here. All the effort it took to bring foreign merchants to this place…….”
“Yes, I worked hard. But in the end, to bring foreign merchants here, I had to stop the factory. The alcohol was a problem, but if that dangerous natural phenomenon—the fog—had remained, foreign merchants would never have come. You’re the one who stopped that factory. You did it, damaging your own body in the process.”
And before Pejin could think of another argument, April called his name.
“Pejin.”
“Yes.”
Pejin murmured his answer with a helpless expression, then noticed April smiling faintly. She continued.
“You said I could come back to Right Island, didn’t you?”
“You did.”
“That means I’ve forgiven you. Both for deceiving me and for being part of the Dieusz Family.”
“But your parents won’t forgive me.”
Even now, April’s parents sometimes appeared in Pejin’s dreams. They had never forgiven him, questioning why he shook their daughter.
At his words, April let out a hollow laugh.
“Isn’t forgiveness something I decide?”
And she continued in a strong voice.
“I’ve forgiven you—what does it matter what anyone else says? Besides, my parents will always take my side. In the end, they’ll follow my decision.”
April had confidence in that love. And Pejin understood it. Who didn’t know how deeply the previous Head of the Lunos Family and his wife had loved their only child?
April spoke again.
“It’s not that my success doesn’t matter. It’s that you matter to me too.”
At her words, Pejin’s expression gradually brightened without his realizing it, and he asked.
“So you’re saying you’ve forgiven me?”
“I already have.”
Pejin had much more he wanted to say to April. He wanted to understand her feelings more deeply. But there would be no more time for a longer conversation.
“Your Highness, Head of House. I have something to report before the conference.”
Both exhaled quietly at the sound. They wanted to ask for more time, but the voice coming from outside belonged to Paul. It was clearly urgent news.
Pejin spoke to April.
“We’ll talk again this evening.”
“What more is there to talk about?”
“More than you’d think. Besides, we’ll be sleeping in the same bed tonight anyway—no matter how busy we are, we’ll have time to talk, won’t we?”
As he said this, Pejin couldn’t help but think that living together was truly a wonderful thing.
When Pejin opened the door, Paul stepped inside. With a grave expression, he greeted them both before speaking.
“Our scouts have confirmed that Rasa’s ships are moving……but their direction isn’t toward the Grand Duke’s Residence.”
“Not toward it?”
The sea surrounding Right Island was rough. Even at harbors, anchoring was difficult depending on the weather, and there were few places suitable for soldiers to disembark from landing craft.
The Northern Coast was one of the few locations that met the necessary criteria. This was the sea where Pejin had caught cold during winter swimming, and it was close to the Grand Duke’s Residence and offered easy access to the Capital City.
So they had expected the landing craft to come through the Northern Coast, but the ships’ direction wasn’t as anticipated. Paul continued.
“Most ships are indeed heading toward the Grand Duke’s Residence, but the ship being prepared now appears likely to head south instead.”
“South? Why…….”
Both Pejin and April sighed simultaneously at the thought. Then Pejin even laughed.
“If it’s him, that would make sense.”
If it was August Lilyhil whom Pejin knew, he was quite capable of devising a plan to blow up the Southern Factory.
As Pejin saw it, the Emperor’s greatest weakness was that he had grown up sheltered from hardship. He believed himself always right, and therefore rarely changed a course once chosen. But when someone tried to ruin his plans, he pursued their destruction with relentless obsession.
That Emperor had given Pejin chances, in his own way. Pejin knew he appeared to the Emperor as a beast biting the hand that fed him.
Moreover, this brazenly moving of ships to the southern port was itself a threat. For Rasa, there was nothing sweeter than Right Island’s complete surrender without war and their unquestioning acceptance of every sanction. Pejin spoke.
“Haven’t our fishing boats discovered this situation yet?”
“No. Fishing has been suspended in the Strait, so the fishermen have no knowledge of it yet.”
Considering how much the people of Right Island had feared the fog all this time, the mere possibility of an attack on the Southern Factory was certain to unsettle the atmosphere.
As the two men sighed heavily, April narrowed her brow and spoke.
“Why are you sighing? Go out and inform the citizens immediately. Especially the fishermen in the south.”
At her words, Pejin turned to look at her, and Paul spoke.
“If people learn that the Southern Factory might be attacked, it will only breed panic, and in the chaos, damage could spread. The citizens will need to evacuate regardless, so let’s first have them evacuate…….”
“Why wouldn’t the outcome change? We’ve experienced much fog here. Does that experience mean nothing?”
“That’s…….”
“You’ve been away on Left Island too long and forgotten what kind of people live here. The people of Right Island aren’t kind. They’ll thieve at the first opportunity. They’re rough, they love their drink. They’re blunt and not particularly warm. But.”
“…….”
“They’re neither cowardly nor weak.”
Paul listened quietly to her firm words, then slowly nodded.
He knew how much betrayal and hatred April had endured over these seven years. Given her assessment of Right Island’s people, Paul could only agree.
“Yes, you’re right. I misspoke, Head of House.”
Pejin, who had stayed silent so as not to inadvertently take April’s side, finally spoke once he saw Paul’s agreement.
“Then April, I want you to tell the citizens directly.”
“Why me? It’s your job.”
When April spoke seriously, Pejin shook his head.
“I grew up in Rasa. I’m a stranger to Right Island’s people. You’re not.”
He made every effort to suppress his affection and present his opinion from an official standpoint.
“Just because you’ve forgiven me doesn’t mean the citizens have. I’m still Miller’s brother, and they despise Miller. But they trust you and respect you.”
Despite his effort, affection remained visible in his eyes, so April looked at him skeptically, and Pejin turned to Paul.
“Paul, am I thinking positively only because I’m weak toward April?”
At Pejin’s question, Paul shook his head and shrugged.
“Not at all. I agree as well.”
At his words, Pejin nodded and spoke to April.
“So I’m asking you to do this.”
At their words, April hesitated. But soon she nodded.
She had words she wanted to convey to the people of Right Island.

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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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