The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 10

OFFICER!

THIS IS... THIS IS BAD!

IN THE FOG...

THERE HAS BEEN... AN ACCIDENT!

THEY SAID AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE ROAD RUNNING ALONG THE LAKE RIDGE,

AFTER SEVERAL NOBLEMEN STARTED RACING EACH OTHER THERE.

A FEW PASSERSBY GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE ACCIDENT,

AND FELL INTO THE FROZEN LAKE.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT

FOG DENSITY INCREASES AT LOWER ALTITUDES.

THE CAPITAL'S LAKE IS BELOW THE HILL, IS IT NOT?

THE FOG'S TOXICITY IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH,

BUT BECAUSE THE THICK FOG BLOCKS VISIBILITY, THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE RESCUE.

I WILL JOIN TOO.

ARE YOU CRAZY?

NO. IT'S DANGEROUS.

I DID NOT SAY THIS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF BEING ACCUSED OF BEING A WITCH, BUT...

I'M FINE EVEN WHEN I'M IN THE FOG.

FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I DID NOT EVEN KNOW PEOPLE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO OUTSIDE WHEN THERE WAS FOG.

IT SEEMS I AM NOT AFFECTED BY THAT FOG.

...FINE, LET US SAY THAT IS TRUE.

BUT WHY ARE YOU GOING TO RESCUE THEM?

WHY? ARE YOU WORRIED?

WHAT?

I'M ONLY SAYING THIS BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU.

THE POLICE ARE ALREADY SHORT ON MANPOWER ANYWAY,

SO IF WE GO TO THE LAKE, THERE WILL BE NO ONE TO WATCH ME, RIGHT?

LET'S GO TOGETHER.

IF YOU ACT RECKLESSLY, I WILL SEND YOU BACK TO THE MANOR.

WHEN WE ARRIVED, THE FOG WAS SO THICK WE COULD NOT SEE AN INCH AHEAD.

AS THE ONLY ONE IMMUNE TO THE FOG,

THE LADY DECIDED TO SEEK OUT THE VICTIMS.

IF THE OFFICER PULLS THE ROPE, PLEASE PULL IT ONCE TOO, MY LADY.

IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE, THE OFFICER WILL GO DOWN TO SEARCH FOR YOU IMMEDIATELY.

PLEASE PULL IT ONCE IF YOU ARE IN DANGER TOO.

IF YOU FIND AN INJURED PERSON, PULL IT THREE TIMES. FOR A DEAD BODY, PULL IT FIVE TIMES.

DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF.

SAFETY COMES FIRST.

...ALL RIGHT.

NOW THAT I AM INSIDE SUCH DENSE FOG, I REALLY CANNOT SEE AHEAD.

IS ANYONE THERE...?

H-HERE! SAVE ME!!

ONE OF THE PEOPLE THE LADY FOUND AT THAT MOMENT

WAS THE ONLY SON OF HOUSE HESHAN, WHO HAD CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT,

AND THE OTHER WAS A COMMONER WHO HAD GOTTEN CAUGHT UP IN IT.

WHERE ARE YOU HURT?

WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO COME RESCUE ME?!

I THINK MY LEG IS BROKEN, AND MY WHOLE BODY IS...

HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

HIS BREATHING IS SHALLOW, BUT HE'S STILL ALIVE.

HOLD ON TO THAT ROPE IN FRONT OF YOU.

THE OFFICERS WILL COME FIND YOU.

HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE NEARBY...

WAIT!!

IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE SOMEONE A MASK, GIVE IT TO ME!

I'M THE HEIR OF HOUSE HESHAN!

YOU HAVE TO SAVE THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE FIRST! DO YOU NOT KNOW THE PROTOCOL?!

HEY, GIRL! ARE YOU LISTENING?!

!!!

THIS IS AN ACCIDENT YOU PEOPLE CAUSED WITH YOUR CHILDISH RECKLESSNESS.

UWAAAAAH!!

AS A NOBLE, YOU SHOULD THINK OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.

COOPERATE QUIETLY.

THEN I WILL SAVE YOU.

SPEAK. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE NEARBY?

EH... HIC...

O-OVER THERE...

I THINK... I HEARD ONE PERSON...

!!!

...HE'S NOT BREATHING.

PLEASE PULL IT ONCE IF YOU ARE IN DANGER TOO.

IF YOU FIND AN INJURED PERSON, PULL IT THREE TIMES. FOR A DEAD BODY, PULL IT FIVE TIMES.

DO NOT DIE.

HOLD ON JUST A LITTLE LONGER, PLEASE...

AH...

THOSE FOOTSTEPS...

IT IS PEJIN.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

YOU ONLY PULLED THE ROPE ONCE. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

I THOUGHT YOU WOULD COME QUICKLY IF I DID THAT...

THIS CHILD IS NOT BREATHING. PLEASE HELP HER.

...MOVE ASIDE.

YOUR MASK?

I GAVE IT TO THE OTHER INJURED PERSON OVER THERE.

!!

Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?

...HOW DID I KNOW IT WAS HIM

JUST FROM THE SOUND OF HIS FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG?

Keep this mask on. Breathe as slowly as possible.

LET US GO BACK.

ALL RIGHT.

AH...

IF THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, WHY DID YOU GIVE YOUR MASK TO SOMEONE ELSE?

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO MISUNDERSTAND AND THINK SOMEONE DIED BECAUSE OF ME...

LET US HURRY UP.

AH...

EVEN I...

APRIL!

I AM NOT INVINCIBLE... IN FOG THIS THICK.

WAKE UP!!

APRIL!!