The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 219

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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 219
Pejin whispered those words and returned to his place.
April smiled faintly, then slowly looked around her home. Following her through the Grand Residence, Professor Ram spoke.
“A certain volume of water will produce a corresponding amount of Fog. If we use the concentration that Kayani calculated, evacuating to the Shelter that you’ve prepared will be more than sufficient to ensure safety.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It truly is a relief that you’re on this land. The more research we conduct, the more my gratitude deepens.”
Professor Ram spoke quietly, his expression growing tender without quite meaning to. Then, noticing April’s face as she deliberated how to respond, he quickly continued.
“In any case, the Lunos Grand Residence will become the safest place among all those Shelters.”
“Yes—we shan’t be modest about this residence.”
April smiled as she said this, and her tone carried a hint of jest, drawing a warm laugh from Professor Ram. He went on.
“The one thing we must watch for, however…… there’s a possibility of earthquakes following the explosion at the Southern Factory.”
“I see.”
“But equally so, the Lunos Grand Residence has never collapsed in any earthquake to date, making it all the safer.”
Professor Ram’s words proved true. Every building on Right Island was designed to withstand earthquakes, and that very architectural approach had originated from the Lunos Grand Residence itself.
No matter what natural phenomenon struck, the safest space within Right Island was this residence. April found herself wondering whether her parents had built this house into such a fortress, foreseeing even war itself. In truth, she was certain of it. Those who had lived with their vision turned toward the world would surely have glimpsed this very moment.
When the discussion ended, both April and Professor Ram turned to Pejin, who held the final authority. Save for when he’d risen to whisper, he had listened quietly throughout, and now he asked a question.
“So what you’re saying is that right now, we reduce the force of the explosion while still generating the deadly Fog that will blanket Rasa—is that correct?”
Professor Ram nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct, Your Highness.”
“Then that’s good news. Let’s proceed that way. Professor Ram, what do you need from me?”
When Pejin asked, Professor Ram answered.
“Half of our researchers must inspect the Factory here at the residence. We must ensure that the Southern Factory explosion doesn’t reach the Lunos Grand Residence under any circumstance. The other half will go to the Southern Factory. Since war could break out at any moment, please protect those researchers as much as possible.”
“That’s understood.”
Pejin answered readily.
With the Southern Factory matter settled, Professor Ram departed.
April remained in the Study, her thoughts drifting back to the rumors of witchcraft that had surrounded her when house arrest had just ended.
She had thought then that those rumors attacked her, yet simultaneously protected her. The citizens’ fear of witches prevented them from daring to breach the Grand Residence.
This Fog, too, was deadly—yet she hoped it would protect Right Island from Rasa.
Above all, Fog arising from that Factory at the southwestern edge could save Pejin.
After only the two of them remained in the Study, April spoke to Pejin.
“When the bombing starts at the Southern Factory, flee to the opposite side of the island afterward.”
“Understood.”
“And if it’s still dangerous, take a boat and leave the island.”
“I said I’d be somewhere safe.”
Pejin answered with an almost aggrieved expression, then quickly asked in a tentative tone.
“But wouldn’t it be safer just to hide here in this residence?”
“Nowhere is as safe as where the Fog doesn’t reach.”
“That’s…… true, I suppose.”
Pejin answered in that way.
His answer sounded somewhat uncertain to April, but the two had no more time for conversation. Pejin needed to check on the evacuation procession that had begun after April’s speech. He spoke.
“I’m going out to check on the citizens. I know you’d like to see me—be patient for a while.”
“You too.”
When April answered that way, Pejin, who had been about to leave after only touching his lips to hers, stopped. Then he smiled and kissed her once at the corner of her eyes and once at her lips before saying.
“Yes, I’ll be patient too. Though it won’t be easy.”
With that, Pejin left the Study.
* * *
The Lunos Family’s evacuation preparations were complete. April had kept those who truly wished to remain, while sending the rest beyond the Gorge.
But persuading one particular person had not been easy.
April spoke to Bauman, who insisted on not evacuating and refusing to leave her side, exactly as Pejin had said he would.
“If you don’t evacuate? You mean to send Eve alone?”
“Eve’s children and mine will care for her well.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Besides, you have a weak heart, Bauman—you should be among the first to evacuate!”
“I know my body is frail. But…… I can’t do it. I won’t abandon our Head of House and run away alone. Never.”
“What stubbornness!”
“Head of House.”
Bauman grasped April’s angry hands firmly as he spoke.
“When I’m dead and someone asks me who I most admired in my life, I’ll say it was you. I’ve lived long enough to be believed: among all the people I’ve met, you were the most worthy of admiration.”
“…….”
“I cannot leave you alone here and flee. I cannot do that. I swore it from the moment I began working here.”
Bauman was too firm for his resolve to be easily broken. Knowing of his deep love for April, Eve herself didn’t even attempt to stop him.
After her persuasion of Bauman failed, April returned to her Bedroom with a kind of certainty.
Pejin had said that Bauman would never leave this Grand Residence and evacuate, abandoning her here alone.
Pejin could understand Bauman completely because the same applied to himself. He would never abandon the citizens of this island and evacuate alone.
She knew that her own stubbornness was formidable, and therefore breaking Pejin’s stubbornness would be equally difficult.
April looked around the Grand Residence. Perhaps she needed to make this place an even stronger fortress.
* * *
After checking on Capital City, Pejin returned to the hill where the Lunos Grand Residence stood, taking out a Cigarette and turning his gaze toward the Gorge, toying with it absently.
In the afternoon with its endlessly long line of sight, scattered evacuation processions of citizens continued on.
April’s speech had wielded formidable influence.
It was impossible to halt everything in Capital City, and not everyone could evacuate.
Therefore, the personnel absolutely essential to operating Right Island remained at their posts.
There was no great disorder. Despair had diminished. Those who needed to evacuate first finished their preparations and crossed the Gorge.
That not a single riot had erupted anywhere on Right Island fell outside Pejin’s expectations. April’s insistence on first explaining the situation to the citizens had been right.
As this movement continued, Gas Lamps in the Grand Residence began to light one by one. April still considered lighting the Gas Lamps during the day to be an important task.
As lights came on in the Grand Residence, the small lights in the evacuation procession would pause briefly at intervals. They were surely looking back at this place. And they must have recognized, exactly as April had written in her speech, that she remained in the residence.
This was the promise April Lunos had made to the citizens of Right Island. Pejin gazed at the Gas Lamp lights in the Grand Residence for some time, then noticed April emerging with a small lamp in her hand.
Pejin put the Cigarette he had ultimately not lit back in its case and spoke to her.
“Not because you’re a woman I care for, but objectively speaking.”
“Yes.”
“You’re a remarkable person. You’ve given many people on this island the will to survive.”
“Does that include you?”
“Of course it includes me.”
As Pejin said this, he took the lamp from her hands.
April spoke to him then.
“We’ll survive, won’t we?”
“That’s the plan for now.”
Pejin said this with a slight shrug. April spoke to him in turn.
“But you have no intention of evacuating, do you?”
At her question, Pejin looked at April and smiled wryly.
“How did you know?”
“I saw how you understood Bauman.”
“Ah, right.”
“After you became Grand Duke, you said you weren’t ashamed of not fleeing. So I thought that this time too, you wouldn’t be able to abandon the citizens who remained in Capital City and run away.”
“That’s so too. That’s true as well.”
Pejin looked at April with eyes hardened like hers, mirroring her own resolve.
“I want to be with you. That’s what my heart wants most.”
“…….”
“I won’t go anywhere without you. I won’t let you endure this Fog alone again.”

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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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