The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 92

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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 92
April had noticed, just this morning, that suddenly a great many stones had begun flying toward the residence.
Once again, April found herself grateful that Pejin was keeping watch over the Lunos Residence under the pretext of surveillance.
Without him, the estate would have been ransacked by the mob. Even now, with luxury goods purchased for the funeral piling up like mountains, there was plenty for anyone inclined to steal to take.
With that thought, she felt even more convinced that the residence needed protection.
In fact, it was the sailors who had effectively guarded this estate in times past.
Whenever the heads of the Lunos Family had trade ships return, they would keep the sailors at the house for days and feed them generously—providing the drink and meals that went into such hospitality had become one of the principal means of livelihood for the people of this domain.
She wrapped her face in her hands and muttered.
“I’m losing my mind. Really.”
“Miss…”
At April’s murmur, Fred, concerned for her state, gently grasped the hem of her dress.
In the meantime, Hannah ripped the newspaper to shreds, stomped on it with her feet, and spoke out.
“You mustn’t give anything to those people who come throwing stones and setting fires!”
I wonder if that girl really suits the profession of police officer…
April worried about this without thinking, but she tried to look on the bright side, reasoning that mingling with other officers would surely cultivate a sense of justice in her.
Fred, knowing Hannah’s temperament in advance, had retrieved a fresh newspaper from his bag, and April took it and returned to the residence.
Believing this was a problem that needed quick resolution, April immediately began preparing to go out.
The moment the carriage emerged from the grand Lunos Residence, the citizens of Right Island rushed toward it.
Cries rained down—no longer calling her a witch, but now a demon, telling her to fall into hell.
That she had created the Fog could be suppressed on a rational level, but the fact that she knew the way not to die in it, yet did not reveal this knowledge, was an entirely different matter.
The carriage was surrounded and came to a halt.
April sat in the carriage, lost in thought for a moment. She heard the cry, “You should have died when your parents did.”
“Ah, ah, ah! Why are you doing this? I’m just a driver!”
“If you had any conscience, you’d take money from the witch and work for her!”
“Let me down, let go! You’ll kill a man, you will!”
In the end, even the driver was dragged down by the crowd, and the carriage door was forced open.
Someone pulled April from the carriage and struck her face hard, and for a moment the world lurched.
Then April screamed.
“Kill me! If I die, the Fog will only grow worse, and that will kill everyone on this island!”
At her shout, the people who had been beating and spitting on her froze.
Battered as she was, April pointed with a cold gaze at an old man.
“That elder there will die first. Then the children will die. Just as they have until now. After that, all the healthy people will die too—because you don’t know what I know.”
“Take her away! She’ll talk before she burns to death!”
Someone shouted this, and before the words were even finished, April screamed back.
“How can I tell you what I don’t know? I know what tool must be used, but the Grand Duke killed my parents, so I don’t know how to obtain it. Whether you burn me to death or beat me to death, I don’t know—and now I’m trying to learn the method. If you kill me, no one will ever figure it out, understand?”
After April finished screaming, she felt a strange relief and laughed.
She brushed the dust from her hair, then drew a blade from her bag. Holding it to her heart, she spoke.
“I won’t die by another’s hand. I’ll die by my own. I won’t let others control my life! If you don’t step back this instant, everyone on this island will die in the Fog!”
Her voice rang out across the world with a piercing clarity.
Within that voice lay all the resentment that had accumulated, and the people could instinctively hear the emotion contained in it.
“Back off, we should back off. If we drag her away and don’t know the method…”
“We touched a noblewoman—we’ll be the ones who die!”
The people, one by one, came back to themselves.
April kept her grip on the blade until the crowd had fully withdrawn, and only then did her hands begin to tremble uncontrollably.
Fear gripped her; she thought she might die.
Then, from a distance, a police officer came running. By his uniform, he was from the Grand Duke’s force, so April gripped the blade tighter, unsure what he might do.
But the officer’s demeanor was different from any Grand Duke’s officer she had seen before.
“I heard a crowd was gathering! Are you all right, Miss Lunos?”
“…I’m all right.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital at once, and then inform Commander Pejin.”
“No. I’m going to the Grand Duke’s Residence. To see Miller.”
“His Grace is at the Lake at the moment. Shall I take you there instead? I’ll drive the carriage myself.”
Suspicious of the officer’s excessive helpfulness, April did not answer immediately, so the Grand Duke’s officer hurried to add.
“I’m simply trying to help a citizen of the Grand Duke’s domain.”
Only then did April nod.
“Then… I’ll accept your help.”
April boarded the carriage again, and the officer drove it.
When they arrived at the Lake shortly after, the officer escorted her down and bowed respectfully.
“The Commander should be arriving soon as well. It’s a day when the Dieusz Family gathers. When he does, I’ll explain the situation to him.”
Then April narrowed her brow and asked.
“I’ve been wondering since earlier—why do you report my situation to Pejin? And you’re a Grand Duke’s officer?”
“Because I work for the Commander, miss.”
“…You’re a Grand Duke’s officer?”
“Yes. The Commander is an ambitious man who values expanding his influence, you see.”
“Ah, so that’s why he drinks so much…”
April now understood why Pejin was always abandoning his office and drowning in drink.
She spoke with exasperation.
“Tell him that a police officer should focus on doing his job well and think about promotion that way, not get caught up in politics like this. Since you’ll be seeing him anyway.”
Because April’s tone was joking, the Grand Duke’s officer laughed pleasantly and answered.
“I’ll relay the message exactly as you’ve said it.”
After the officer left, April paused in her step and scanned the people looking at her.
Members of the Dieusz Family in the midst of their boat outing, and nobles strolling the lakeside casting flirtations at one another—all had stopped in their tracks.
She thought they must find her appearance amusing, but it didn’t matter. She felt it was better this way.

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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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