The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 51

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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 51
April spoke to Vincents.
“I’m sorry, I’ll just see you off and be right back.”
“Please, take your time.”
After Vincents spoke words he didn’t mean, April headed toward the door where Pejin was waiting.
When she opened it, she found Pejin standing right there in Police uniform.
Pejin spoke to April.
“You’re not getting any strange ideas about the Police keeping watch over you, are you?”
“Of course not. That hardly qualifies as conversation.”
“A young gentleman of the Grand Family.”
Pejin recognized Vincents and spoke.
As Vincents hurried to his feet and offered a respectful bow, Pejin tilted his head slightly and continued.
“I hear you enjoy hunting. Perhaps we should meet sometime.”
Pejin’s marksmanship was well-known.
Vincents felt as though he were laying down a wager, and switched the subject almost too eagerly.
“I also enjoy rowing. What do you say to that?”
“Yes, there’s a great river in front of the Police academy in the Empire. That’s where I learned.”
“Excellent.”
April, who had been listening to their exchange, offered a rebuke.
“Men are all the same — mention a wager and they can’t resist.”
“You enjoy games well enough yourself.”
“I enjoy winning. What I dislike is putting something on the line. That feels like gambling.”
“A meaningful distinction, I’d say.”
With that, Pejin spread out the coat he’d been carrying over one arm and draped it carefully around April’s shoulders himself.
Vincents understood that Pejin’s choice to dress April with his own hands, rather than through a servant, was some kind of warning directed at him.
Almost without thinking, he turned his gaze toward his teacup. His spirits sank.
* * *
As April and Pejin descended the stairs, she chided him.
“Why would you intimidate my betrothed?”
“When did I?”
“Just now.”
“I wasn’t intimidating him — I just wanted him to think you had backing. Your family is short on elders.”
……
That was fair.
Before children went on their first meeting, the adults of both families needed to have thorough conversations.
The women would typically drink tea together or stroll slowly through the garden.
The men would bring a good wine as a gift, and the host would bring out something even better to share.
Of course, there were cases where men took walks together or women drank wine, but regardless, the purpose of all these acts was conversation — throwing out endless topics and drawing endless responses, all while deciding whether it would be appropriate for the children to meet.
But there was no one left in the Lunos Family to have such conversations.
April muttered, looking down at the floor.
“I really should bring someone from the Lunos Family here. By force if necessary.”
“Please don’t plan crimes where the Police can hear.”
“Who said anything about kidnapping? Just… a firmer approach.”
As they spoke, they reached the spot where the Police carriage waited to take Pejin back.
Pejin glanced back in the direction of her betrothed, then spoke to April.
“You said you liked bold men.”
“I did.”
“He doesn’t look very bold to me.”
“A man who found his way here on his own two feet is bold enough.”
“That’s a fair point.”
Pejin nodded and smiled as he continued.
“Don’t worry about backing — meet whoever you want to meet. The Police will keep following you anyway. It’s an inconvenience, but it works in your favor for safety.”
“I know.”
Perhaps because of his words to meet whoever she wanted, April felt him drift further away.
This morning’s events, which had felt like they’d never happened in the first place, now felt even more distant. Or perhaps he was the one who felt further away.
When she returned to the sitting room later, conversation with her betrothed didn’t flow well. The problem was that Vincents seemed somewhat deflated since Pejin’s visit.
Eventually their talk grew stilted, and as Vincents prepared to leave, he said:
“The cinema… we can discuss that another time.”
“Yes, let’s.”
April rarely used words like “another time,” but she could tell from the atmosphere that she would never actually go on a date with this young man.
Strangely, her heart felt lighter. It had grown heavier when she heard Pejin’s words about meeting whoever she wanted.
Vincents Grand fled like a man escaping, and as April stepped back into the lobby of the residence, she muttered to herself.
“Have I been rejected twice in one day?”
“What do you mean by that?”
At the sharp tone, April turned to see Eve standing with warm clothes ready for her to change into after Vincents left.
April snatched the clothes and spoke.
“It’s nothing. I’ll change myself.”
April headed to her room as she spoke.
Even though eyes weren’t planted in the back of her head, she could feel Eve’s piercing gaze boring into her nape. It was somewhat frustrating that she was being glared at like that when the rejection wasn’t even her fault.
* * *
Now that Pejin had left the Lunos Residence, Eve began preparing to return to the Grand Duke’s Residence.
As she packed her belongings in her room, Eve sat in a chair for a moment and pressed her temples.
April had said she’d been rejected twice, and the young man she’d met today numbered exactly two.
Vincents Grand and the young master she served.
Eve knew that Pejin had deliberately asked April to see him off to sabotage Vincents Grand’s betrothal proposal.
Pejin would know far better than April that his appearance would do nothing to help matters.
According to April’s account, she had been rejected once by Pejin and once by Vincents.
Of course, Pejin’s rejection of April could be understandable given the circumstances.
But then he shouldn’t have sabotaged Vincents Grand’s proposal!
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she grew, and her hands grew forceful as she packed. Once she emerged from the room with a composed expression, Baumann, who had been waiting outside, extended his hand.
“Let me take that bag.”
Eve handed over the bag and let out a sigh.
Baumann asked.
“Why are you sighing?”
“I was just wondering why men are the way they are.”
“Isn’t it the opposite? I can never understand women’s hearts.”
With that, the butler Baumann saw Eve to the door.
Once the guests had left, Hanna, who enjoyed the bustle, came rushing to Baumann looking dejected.
“There was so much delicious food, and it was nice……”
“How is your studying? Once the guests leave, the young lady said you’d be taking an exam.”
“I’ve memorized all the characters!”
“Wonderful! When Fred arrives later, shall we tell the young lady you’re ready for your exam?”
Thanks to Baumann’s enthusiastic praise, Hanna became excited and chattered away about how hard she’d worked.
* * *
Back at his desk, Pejin sat at an angle in his chair, staring at the Letter Envelope he’d asked the Police Headquarters secretary to prepare.
He picked up his pen, but his hand wouldn’t steady.
The condolence money for those who had died in the fog would all be delivered to the Investigation Headquarters. He meant to write a short letter to be placed in the envelope that would hold the donation.
He didn’t know what to write.
If the Fuel Factory that sends supplies to the Empire were shut down, the fog would disappear.
But the Empire would never shut down the Fuel Factory. No matter what he did, it would keep running.
There was one thing Pejin had learned from the Empire.
The Empire saw the Grand Duke’s realm only as an object of exploitation.
Everything he had learned as a child in the Grand Duke’s household — the stories of the Allied Union, how cooperative and friendly the Rasa Empire and the Grand Duke’s realm were — it had all been lies.
In all of history, these two islands had never once existed in any form of alliance. It was only ever Right Island plundering Left Island, or Left Island plundering Right Island.
And now it was the latter. The Grand Duke’s realm was being endlessly exploited by the Empire.
Either way, Pejin knew that he was pretending not to know the cause of the fog, turning away from those dying within it, and cooperating with the Empire.
He laughed at the emptiness of sending condolences for deaths he had helped cause.

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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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