The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 2

FOR THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS,

AS A SUSPECT IN THE "GRAND DUCHY FOG SERIAL MURDER CASE,"

APRIL AVA LUNOS, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST.

...WHAT?

SERIAL MURDERS?

YOU CAME HERE KNOWING THAT, DID YOU NOT?

I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE THOSE STAKES THIS ENTIRE TIME,

AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME COMING OUT!

AFTER A WHOLE SEVEN YEARS AND ONE MONTH!

IT TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD JUST TO BREAK A SINGLE STAKE.

HOW EXACTLY WAS I SUPPOSED TO ROAM AROUND MURDERING PEOPLE?!

HRK...!

W-WELL, WHAT COULD A WITCH NOT DO...?!

SHE MUST HAVE USED BLACK MAGIC OR SOMEONE...!!

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE INNOCENT, THEN YOU CAN SIMPLY UNDERGO A PROPER INVESTIGATION.

WELL, EVEN IF YOU REFUSE, THE POLICE STILL HAVE A JOB TO DO,

SO I INTEND TO CARRY OUT OFFICIAL DUTY BY FORCE IF NECESSARY.

TAKE HER IN.

...EXCUSE ME.

NO NEED.

I WILL GO ON MY OWN TWO FEET.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? OPEN THE DOOR.

PLEASE GET IN FIRST.

MISS APRIL AVA LUNOS.

APRIL!!

AH!

OW, OW, OW...

YOU! DO NOT BULLY HEIDI...!

...ACORN?

I'M SURE...

HE USED TO BE

A LITTLE KID WHO THREW ACORNS AT ME...

HE CHANGED A LOT IN SEVEN YEARS.

I WILL ASK YOU AGAIN.

ARE YOU CERTAIN THERE'S NO DEVICE IN THE MANOR CAPABLE OF PRODUCING THE FOG?

I DO NOT KNOW.

...HOW DO YOU INTEND TO PROVE

THAT YOU STAYED INSIDE THE MANOR EVERY TIME THE FOG APPEARED?

...I DO NOT KNOW.

WHY WON'T YOU COOPERATE WITH THE INVESTIGATION?

WHO WAS IT THAT INTERROGATED ME ALL NIGHT?

I TOLD YOU THERE IS NO POINT IN CONTINUING THE INTERROGATION

WHEN YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT I CAUSED THE FOG.

TO BEGIN WITH, I FIND IT STRANGE

THAT AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE EMPIRE IS INTERROGATING A CITIZEN OF THE GRAND DUCHY.

I OVERHEARD ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR.

THAT MILLER IS GOING TO HAND ME OVER TO THE CHURCH AND HAVE ME PUT ON A WITCH TRIAL.

IS THAT TRUE?

Well...

WITCHES ARE THEIR SPECIALTY, AFTER ALL.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT I AM NOT A WITCH.

THAT IS ONLY YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY.

EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM,

WITCH, WITCH...!

YOU KNOW IT TOO.

JUST HOW ABSURD THAT IS.

I THOUGHT LOCKING YOU UP FOR AROUND SEVEN YEARS MIGHT MAKE YOU A LITTLE MORE OBEDIENT,

IT SEEMS I WAS MISTAKEN.

THAT IS BECAUSE I WAS LOCKED UP UNJUSTLY.

IT WAS A LAWFUL VERDICT UNDER IMPERIAL LAW.

UNDER RIGHT ISLAND'S RULES, YOUR BROTHER SHOULD HAVE DIED.

WHAT GOOD IS A TRADITION THAT IS NOT EVEN WRITTEN IN THE STATUTES...?

PEJIN, YOU...

REALLY HAVE BECOME AN IMPERIAL CITIZEN, HAVE YOU NOT?

READ IT.

"WITCH OF THE MIST" BEHIND SERIAL MURDERS ARRESTED BY POLICE!!

GROWING CRITICISM CALLS FOR A TRIAL BY THE CHURCH...

GRAND DUKE DIEUS: "THE SAFETY OF THE GRAND DUCHY'S CITIZENS COMES FIRST..."

PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE ARTICLES LIKE THIS...?

APRIL, THE GRAND DUCHY HAS CHANGED A GREAT DEAL OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.

THROUGH MY BROTHER'S EFFORTS, WE ACCEPTED THE EMPIRE'S NEW CIVILIZATION AND MODERNIZED,

ACHIEVING DAZZLING PROGRESS INCOMPARABLE TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.

AT THE SAME TIME, DISTRUST TOWARD HOUSE LUNOS,

THE FAMILY THAT TRIED TO KILL THAT VERY BROTHER, HAS GROWN VERY DEEP.

ON TOP OF THAT, THE LUNOS MANOR...

THE GAS COMPANY SAYS THEY HAVE NEVER SUPPLIED GAS TO IT.

WHEN CITIZENS SEE A MANOR LIT BRIGHTLY BY GAS LAMPS EVERY DAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL THINK?

HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN THIS?

THAT IS...

I DO NOT KNOW EITHER.

BUT WHAT CONNECTION IS THERE BETWEEN THE GAS LAMPS AND THE MURDER CASE?

IT IS NOTHING BUT CONJECTURE.

AT THE VERY LEAST...

HE GRASPS THE ESSENCE OF THE MATTER BETTER

THAN THE GRAND DUCHY POLICE AND THEIR SHODDY REPORTS.

THAT IS ENOUGH INTERROGATION FOR NOW. COME OUT.

...I WILL NOT.

WHAT?

...YOU ARE GOING TO HAND ME OVER TO A WITCH TRIAL.

...WE ARE GOING TO THE LUNOS MANOR.

AND THE IMPERIAL POLICE WILL HANDLE THE INVESTIGATION FROM NOW ON,

SO STOP BEING STUBBORN AND COME OUT.

THANK GOODNESS.

AT LEAST THIS WON'T END WITH ME BEING DRAGGED STRAIGHT TO THE CHURCH.

BECAUSE THE VERY FIRST PERSON I SAW AFTER COMING INTO THE WORLD

WAS SOMEONE I KNEW...

YOU! DO NOT BULLY HEIDI...!

DIE!!!

WHY ARE YOU NOT HANDING THE TRIAL OVER TO THE CHURCH??!!!

HOW DOES THE POLICE EXPECT TO DEAL WITH A WITCH!!!

SEND HER TO THE CHURCH AT ONCE!!!

SEND THE WITCH TO THE CHURCH!!!

JUDGE THE WITCH'S SERIAL MURDERS!!!

DO YOU NOT FEEL SORRY FOR THE VICTIMS??!!!

KILL THE WITCH!!!

STOP HIDING AND FACE US!!!!

!!!

SEND THE WITCH TO THE CHURCH!!!

KILL HER!!!

SEE, APRIL?

THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT ISLAND YOU KNEW SEVEN YEARS AGO.

IF WE LET THE CHURCH TAKE A SUSPECT FROM US RIGHT AT THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS' FRONT DOOR,

THAT WOULD DO WONDERS FOR THE POLICE'S DIGNITY!

EVERYONE, KEEP YOUR HEADS ON STRAIGHT!

WHAT IS THAT POLICEMAN DOING?!

DID HE SHOOT TO PROTECT THE WITCH?!

THEY HAVE ALL LOST THEIR MINDS!!

DIE, WITCH OF LUNOS!!!

GET DOWN RIGHT NOW!!

GET DOWN, I SAID!!

YOU DAMNED WITCH!!!

HAAAH...

TRULY...

SO MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED.