The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 87

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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 87
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When consciousness returned, I expected to find myself in a hospital, but instead I woke in a carriage.
The swaying of the carriage was uncomfortable, and I couldn’t produce a sound.
Opening my eyes, I found Pejin sitting across from me, reading a Book Covered in Horse Leather.
And from somewhere outside the carriage came the sound of singing.
As April slowly pulled herself upright, the Thick Blanket draped around her began to slip away.
Pejin set down his book and drew the blanket back up for her, speaking as he did.
“We’re heading to a monastery. I found some monks going the same direction and took them in the Supply Carriage—the weather’s turned bad. But now they won’t stop singing.”
“.……”
“Let me know if it gets too loud.”
April shook her head. The singing was actually rather pleasant to listen to.
But the hymn belonged to the Religion of Right Island. The pirates of Right Island had worshipped the God of Death.
This god walked from the sea once every thousand years and reaped all living things, drawing them back into the sea. The lives drawn into the sea would evolve anew and become human, and the God of Death repeated this cycle every thousand years.
This repetition had no reason behind it. It was simply that apocalypse was written on one page of fate.
The pirates believed that all death was scattered into the sea. Thus the sea was everyone’s parent, and the child who departed before the parent, and a lover, and the homeland to which I would return.
April managed to produce a voice at last.
“Where are we going?”
“Hearing your voice, I don’t think you should be talking right now.”
“I’ll decide that myself.”
“You’re already irritable right after waking up.”
“Says who?”
“I’m always kind when I wake up.”
At his absurd claim, April let out a small laugh. Then the fact that she had laughed made the laughter fade. It was a strange spiral.
Observing her expression, Pejin spoke.
“Your parents are at the Noster Monastery. That’s where we’re headed.”
“What?”
At his words, April’s eyes widened.
Struggling at first to comprehend, she soon asked,
“You found them?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Used police resources, I suppose?”
At his words, the spark that had been draining from April’s eyes—worrying in its absence—slowly began to return.
She had no idea how anxious he had been, nor how relieved he was now. With both hands pressed to her mouth, she closed her eyes.
The moment her eyes shut, Pejin seized April’s wrist. At his forceful grip, she opened her eyes.
His hand holding her wrist was trembling.
April remembered losing consciousness right before his eyes.
He held her wrist without moving, so April pulled his hand forward. He yielded without resistance, settling onto the seat beside her as she indicated with her gaze.
Not only did he refuse to release her wrist, he now interlaced their fingers and drew her toward him.
Because the tremor in his grip let her feel the fear he’d experienced in that moment, April said nothing more.
The fog that had clouded her mind slowly cleared, and April murmured,
“I’m relieved you found them.”
“You’re grateful?”
“Yes. Very much. More than I am for you paying my gas bill.”
At April’s words, Pejin let out a soft laugh.
“Right, I did do that.”
“I have a lot to say, but…… thank you.”
As April spoke, Pejin’s tension eased and he half-smiled.
“I thought you’d start cursing at me.”
“I’m going to need your help, so not just yet.”
“Practical.”
The carriage climbed higher into the highlands. A bitter wind blew as though winter, which had been ending, had returned, and the carriage lurched again.
Fortunately the road was well maintained, so the carriage arrived safely at the Noster Monastery.
The Noster Monastery perched precariously on a cliff face overlooking the sea. April thought it must have served as a lighthouse to the pirates.
The horses refused to climb onto the cliff, so they had to walk the rest of the way up to where the monastery stood. April found she didn’t mind the walk at all. Behind them stretched an immense Primordial Forest that took her breath away with its beauty.
“It’s magnificent.”
At her murmur as she turned to look back, Pejin—who had been lost in thought all along—turned to look as well.
“What? That’s been back there the whole time?”
At his surprised tone, April broke into sudden laughter.
Whether Pejin laughed or not, he continued to marvel at the Primordial Forest, murmuring,
“What lives in there, do you think?”
“Tigers.”
“A lot of them?”
“Tigers have wide territories, so there might not be as many as you’d think.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. We have an animal expert at home. Ever since she learned to read, she reads books about animals every day and tells me what she learns.”
“Ah, you mean Hannah. Our future officer.”
Pejin stated it as fact, and since Hannah had indeed said she wanted to become a police officer, April had no recourse but to accept it.
Still, somewhat exasperated, she narrowed her eyes.
“Because of you, Hannah actually wants to become a police officer.”
“Really? She said she will?”
Color immediately rushed to Pejin’s face, and his sluggish walk suddenly became animated as he spoke.
“An animal expert police officer—I couldn’t ask for better talent. I’ll have to find a place to assign her.”
“She’s still a child.”
“She’ll grow fast. Her father’s quite large, so she probably will be too.”
“I can’t imagine it. Right now she’s just so small.”
As the two stood gazing at the Primordial Forest, the monks made no move to hurry them along. Instead, they sat on the hillside, regarding the Primordial Forest they saw every day with monotonous regularity as though it were something new and wondrous.
Pejin still could not tear his eyes from the Primordial Forest.
The Emperor was curious about it.
About what lay within.
Judging by the reserves already discovered, the Empire had enough to live comfortably. He wanted to know what else might be hidden in that forest.
He would fell all those trees.
He turned to look at April, who was gazing at the trees.
Whether because she’d found her parents’ remains or for some other reason, she appeared at peace.
Whether from having been confined so long, even after being kidnapped and taken to the Empire, she had not lost her curiosity about the world.
He had no intention of rushing her, so he stood there waiting for her.
Lost in the majesty of nature, she finally turned to discover that the entire party was sitting resting on the hillside.
“If you’re going to stand there spellbound, you might as well call for us.”
“There’s no hurry, so why would we?”
“Indeed, and who wouldn’t pause before such a vista?”
The monks spoke in warm tones. April smiled in gratitude.
After finishing the climb up the hillside, before entering the monastery, the monks covered their heads with their hoods.
Pejin asked,
“Must outsiders cover their heads as well?”
“No, that’s not necessary. Please, be at ease.”
Then, looking toward April, the monk continued,
“You said you were looking for the Convent? I’ll have them called for you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
With that, moments later, a nun came running with an expression of astonishment.
Unable to speak, she expressed something through gesture, but her speed was so rapid that April couldn’t understand at once.
“Slowly. Please, tell me slowly.”
At April’s words, the nun signed again, this time more gradually.
Before coming here, Pejin had been told that many of the monks and nuns at this monastery were deaf and mute.
Thanks to the many places within the monastery where speech was forbidden, they were all able to live without discrimination. For that reason, Pejin had studied Sign Language to some degree beforehand.
Pejin interpreted for April: “She says she couldn’t tell you that your parents—the former Grand Duke and Duchess—had been taken in here, to avoid the current Grand Duke’s notice. She apologizes for not informing you sooner.”
Pejin spoke to April.
“She says they took in your parents without my brother’s knowledge to avoid his attention. That’s why she couldn’t tell you and apologizes.”
“How can I accept an apology? I’m already so indebted to all of you.”
The nun, reading April’s lips, smiled brightly. Then, making a brushing gesture across her chest so April could understand, she gestured for her to follow.

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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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