The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 220

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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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Episode 220
Pejin fell silent after he finished speaking, and April remained quiet for some time.
She hadn’t been unprepared for his resolve to stay; she’d sensed it coming. Yet hearing him speak the words aloud—that he would not evacuate—unleashed a terror she hadn’t fully reckoned with: the fear of losing him.
But she knew she couldn’t persuade him. Just as she would have chosen the same, asking him to abandon the citizens and flee was nothing but selfish desire.
Thinking it through at last, she opened her mouth when she felt Pejin’s unease settling in.
“About the marriage.”
“…You’re not saying you won’t marry me unless I evacuate, are you?”
“That would be a clever condition, actually.”
“No—go back to what we originally planned.”
At Pejin’s urgent words, April let out a soft laugh and spoke.
“Let’s find a priest. Now.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Let’s finish it all now, just like this.”
Pejin’s expression darkened at her words.
“What are you saying? We’re going to have a proper wedding ceremony. What we did before was a sham. We’ll do it the Right Island way, properly.”
“That’s all well and good, but first I want to hear the priest’s prayer. The prayer declaring our sacred union.”
April murmured this, then spoke with greater firmness.
“I need to be certain you’re my husband.”
And that resolute tone made Pejin snap to attention. He spoke hurriedly.
“I’ll go right now and find out if there’s a priest willing to officiate.”
“You certainly know how to respond.”
“Marriage thrives on good communication with your partner.”
April reproached him for his quickness to turn any moment to his advantage.
“Anyone seeing you would think you’ve been married for years already.”
“I have been. Since the wedding ceremony, I haven’t once thought of myself as anything but a married man.”
With a shrug, Pejin dashed off to find the Church.
* * *
At April’s request, Fred found Bauman carrying a beer in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Bauman, tending to his equipment as always, frowned.
“Fred, what are you doing here? You should be evacuating with your grandparents or studying.”
Fred, who had grown taller in what seemed like no time, smiled shyly, a trace of childhood still lingering on his face.
“I’m going to evacuate. The Head of House told me to.”
“Then you should listen to the Head of House.”
“But Grandfather—the Head of House only told me to evacuate because she needs me to convince you and bring you along.”
Bauman paused at Fred’s words. But he quickly resumed tending to his equipment, speaking in his characteristic blunt tone.
“I’m not going. How could I leave our Head of House behind? Once I poured everything I had into building; this time I’ve resolved to give her everything I can.”
“But the Head of House wants you to evacuate.”
“That’s different. That’s goodwill. There’s far too much I can do here. Without me, who would prepare her meals? If something breaks, who would fix it? I have to stay. No matter what, I’m staying at this residence.”
At Bauman’s stubbornness, Fred stood thinking for a moment, then spoke again.
“There’s one more reason you should go.”
“There’s no such reason.”
Fred ignored the gruff reply and went to his room, returning with a rolled sheet of paper. He held it out to Bauman.
Bauman unrolled the paper Fred had given him, his expression suspicious.
It depicted a place Fred had long admired—the very place that had inspired him to become an architect: the glass building by the lake where April and Pejin had held their wedding ceremony.
The greenhouse that Bauman had built with the intention of demolishing it lay completely destroyed after the blast, its ruins cleanly cleared away.
Strangely, Bauman hadn’t felt the loss acutely. It made sense—ever since Fred had said he would become an architect following Bauman’s example, Bauman had believed that constructing a new building there would become Fred’s work.
The thought of a building designed by Fred one day standing in that place warmed his chest.
Bauman examined the Architectural Blueprint.
It was beautiful architecture. Bringing it into being was another matter entirely. Fred spoke.
“I haven’t formally studied architecture yet, so I don’t know how to draw it properly.”
“When you go to university, you’ll learn many things.”
As Bauman spoke, he found himself unconsciously correcting the blueprint. In truth, it was an excellent design—it had changed little from the basic framework Fred had imagined since childhood. That child’s dream building had grown with him into boyhood, drawing ever closer to an absolute beauty.
In Bauman’s view, Fred had a strong artistic temperament. Sometimes the very thought of what a magnificent architect Fred might become filled Bauman with overwhelming emotion.
Fred spoke.
“The Head of House says she loves this blueprint very much. She asked me to build it exactly this way.”
“Of course she did. It will become a masterpiece.”
“To build it, I’ll need your guidance above all else.”
Bauman stilled at Fred’s words.
He could see now what April had meant in sending Fred to persuade him.
She was appealing to what was most precious in Bauman’s life.
Fred continued.
“Please think of me too, growing up watching you.”
At Fred’s persuasion, Bauman exhaled a trembling breath. Then he turned toward where April was.
She was showing him the future, pledging him tomorrow.
He turned back to Fred and slowly set down his equipment.
“All right. Let’s go.”
At those words, Fred threw his arms around him with a choked expression.
* * *
Until the moment of departure, April watched Bauman fussing over the servants remaining at the Grand Residence, and she sighed. At last, one servant pushed him on the back in exasperation.
“I understand, I understand—now please, let’s go!”
“Oh, pushing an old man around like this—if I fall……”
“You’re always ‘old man this’ and ‘old man that,’ yet you’re healthier than half of us.”
The servants’ exasperation came right back at him. Still, after finishing all his fussing about how the Head of House should be cared for, Bauman returned to April before departure. He turned to Hannah, who stood beside April with a brave expression.
“Hannah, as for the Head of House——”
“Yes, yes, I heard. Make sure she doesn’t overexert herself, and keep her meals regular.”
“She’s always pushing herself too hard—I worry myself sick.”
At Bauman’s anxious words, April finally let out a small laugh and made as if to glare at him.
“Aren’t you being rather harsh, scolding me right in front of me?”
“The Head of House does give cause for concern. You’re always the last to care for yourself.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve managed to survive all this time, and I’ll keep doing so.”
At April’s words, Bauman drew a deep breath, deliberately exhaling his worry, and managed a smile.
“Yes, you’ll do fine. Of course you will. Well then, I’ll put my trust in you and be on my way, Head of House.”
“When the war ends, we’ll meet again.”
“Yes, certainly. I only hope——”
Tears welled up in Bauman’s eyes, and he turned away without finishing. After sending Bauman off thus, April and Hannah returned to the Grand Residence.
Hannah asked in a cheerful voice.
“You’re heading straight to the Church?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so glad you’re marrying the Grand Duke.”
“What, now you’re taking sides already?”
“No, no! I’m always on your side.”
Hannah quickly shook her head at April’s teasing rebuke, and laughed along when April smiled.
Shortly after, April finished her preparations for departure and boarded a carriage toward the Church where Pejin was waiting. He’d apparently decided ahead of time on a beautiful church, unwilling to marry just anywhere.
April had just turned into her fourth month. She knew this moment was the last luxury she would allow herself. And because of that, it felt all the more precious.
Pejin, waiting in front of the Church, approached the carriage and extended his hand to her. As April took his hand and descended, Pejin spoke with a very satisfied expression.
“Well then. Shall we get married?”
At his words, April burst out laughing.
“Why do you say ‘shall we get married’ as if we’re going on a picnic?”
“It’s similar in the sense of anticipation.”
With that, Pejin opened the Church doors. The two walked in together, into a Church where only they and the Priest would be present.

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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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