The Mansion Awaits Spring - Chapter 96

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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 96
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April thought she’d sleep no more after two days of continuous rest, but she fell into such a deep slumber that she barely remembered drifting off at all, waking only after her body had taken its fill.
When she opened her eyes with the sun high overhead, she realized she’d never leave this house if she lingered any longer, and with effort, she forced herself to rise.
A quick glance in the mirror showed that the bruises hadn’t healed easily. She worried whether she could return to the Residence like this—Hannah and Fred would be frightened half to death at the sight of her wounds.
After sighing at her reflection, she began preparing to leave. The clothes she’d arrived in had been washed immaculately by the Town House servants and even mended with some care.
So when she dressed and came downstairs, Pejin—who had been conversing with Logan on the Patio—spotted her and walked over.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving now.”
Where exactly are you going?”
“I’ve been here for four days. The Social Season must be in chaos.”
“Why would it be?”
“What do you mean, why? If something goes wrong with your engagement, what then? I need to go now.”
Pejin smirked at April’s matter-of-fact tone.
“I never expected to hear the words ‘your engagement’ the morning after we’ve lain together.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We simply indulged ourselves.”
Pejin listened to April’s words with a mocking smile playing at his lips.
“I’m not sure what to say to that.”
April understood well enough why he was upset, but she had no intention of taking back what she’d said.
She believed that their relationship required constant definition. She had to be careful not to let it deepen, to keep vigilant so she wouldn’t lose herself in focusing on it.
After all, she couldn’t throw herself entirely into this affair. That murky hesitation existed between them.
“If you’re busy with work, don’t trouble yourself to see me out. I’ll go.”
Logan suddenly interjected.
“Forgive me for interrupting, but you have quite a lot to handle today, Chief. You’ve been putting things off.”
Then he turned to Pejin and asked:
“Shall I escort her to the Residence?”
“Do that.”
Pejin abruptly ended the conversation and turned away. His unexpected anger left April feeling awkward.
As she and Logan stepped outside, April murmured:
“I don’t understand why he’s upset.”
“Would you like some relationship advice? I could try.”
“You understand enough to counsel me?”
“No, I don’t know much. But I do listen well.”
“That’s… quite a useful skill.”
“Yes, so I’ve been told.”
Logan smiled in that good-natured way of his as they continued walking.
Outside, she’d tensed, expecting people to rush at her again, but nothing of the sort occurred. Instead, they kept their distance from her as though she were emanating some dangerous aura.
Noticing April’s frown of confusion, Logan explained:
“The Chief was… rather fierce about it.”
“Fierce?”
“Yes. He had you removed from the carriage, and the people who inflicted those bruises on you—all of them will receive heavy sentences.”
“…I see.”
“From what we heard about the scene, it was very dangerous.”
“Was it.”
April considered recalling that moment, but the mere attempt to think brought cold sweat down her back, and she stopped.
Logan spoke:
“I think it would be best to take you in one of our Headquarters carriages.”
“People won’t rush me anymore, so there’s no need to give me a ride. I have somewhere to go.”
“No, if I don’t escort you, I’ll be in serious trouble. Where are you headed?”
“The Harbor Tavern.”
“The Harbor Tavern? You’re going to gather sailors?”
Logan looked unhurried, but his mind worked swiftly—quick enough that April’s mere mention of the Harbor Tavern was all he needed to understand what she was planning.
April smiled and countered:
“Perhaps I simply want to have a drink.”
“Of course. If that’s the case, I’ll gladly join you.”
April smiled at Logan’s pleasant and warm reply. All things considered, he was a good person—as long as he didn’t show off that unnecessary Magic.
If you stripped Magic from this man Logan, he’d be living with half a soul, and there was nothing to be done about that…
Logan followed April to the Harbor Tavern without a trace of reluctance.
Most of the harbors on Right Island no longer functioned properly. After all, the money that once had to be earned from ports scattered all across the world now flowed in abundantly from trade with Left Island alone.
The remaining ports still saw fishing boats coming and going, but since the catch had to be auctioned at harbors closer to Left Island, eventually even the fishing boats congregated here at this one port.
Consequently, the harbors facing Left Island teemed with vessels of all kinds, sailors, and passengers crossing between the two islands.
Now that winter had ended, the smell of fish hung thick in the air.
People had heard that those who’d laid hands on April would receive heavy sentences, so they didn’t approach her, but they all watched her with deadly intent.
The ground was slick, and their stares were cold—April found herself profoundly uncomfortable in this place.
But it was nothing compared to what awaited her inside the tavern when she faced the sailors.
The place was packed with Descendants of Pirates. Most people on Right Island felt ashamed of pirate blood, but the sailors did not. They even proudly hung the Black Flag that the pirates once carried, displaying it for all to see.
The tavern was loud and filthy. The floor was littered with food scraps and discarded bones, and in a pot of unknown last-washing date, a seafood stew bubbled away with fish heads floating endlessly in the broth.
When the stew was served to April, all the flesh had been carefully removed from the bones, so she hadn’t known that the sailors’ stew still contained fish in their original shapes.
April muttered as she looked into the stew pot:
“…There’s actual fish-shaped fish in here.”
Logan laughed pleasantly at that.
“Food where you can see the original form of the ingredients—you don’t eat that sort of thing often, do you?”
“Apparently not.”
“Especially since you don’t fish or Hunt.”
“You enjoy Hunting?”
“Well, Hunting was a subject at the Military Academy, so I had to do it. But I didn’t enjoy it myself. The two senior officers at Headquarters—they both loved it.”
“You mean Paul and Pejin?”
“Yes. They both enjoy Hunting tremendously. So the pheasants they brought back… I’ll stop there.”
“I’d rather not hear it, honestly.”
During the seven years of house confinement, the only living creatures beside April were the chickens she raised.
She had come to depend on them emotionally. She felt joy when chicks were born, and sadness when a chicken lived out its natural span. These were almost the only events that had moved her heart during those seven years.
April felt genuinely grateful that Logan had come along. She’d rushed to the Harbor Tavern on impulse, but now that she was here, she couldn’t see the sailor she was looking for—Irsa Joyce—and she had no idea what to do next.
April asked Logan:
“Who do you think might arrange meetings with sailors?”
“Hmm, I have no idea. Shall I ask around?”
“Everyone’s drunk and it’s far too loud to ask anything properly.”
“My loud voice might actually help. Let me try.”
Logan spoke, then gestured to a chair for April.
“Please sit for a moment. You might be startled.”
“Startled?”
Even as April took the offered seat in confusion, Logan climbed onto a wall shelf and shot at a bottle of alcohol.
The sudden gunshot brought every sailor in the tavern to a halt, and all eyes turned to Logan.
Logan, his expression calm, pulled a Badge from his inner pocket, displayed it casually, and spoke:
“Empire Police. Don’t move.”

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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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