The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 30

WHAT IS IT?

I THINK I HEAR A CARRIAGE.

WHO ON EARTH COULD IT BE AT THIS HOUR?

I AM VINCENZ GRAND.

I AM APRIL LUNOS.

HOUSE GRAND...

ISN'T THAT THE FAMILY THAT OWNED SHIPS?

Was that man the third son?

YOU MUST HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT JOURNEY COMING ALL THIS WAY.

YES, IT WAS QUITE FAR.

YOU WANT ME TO WEAR SOMETHING THIS THIN? IT'S COLD.

NO, PLEASE ACT AS IF YOU ALWAYS DRESS THIS WAY.

YOU MUST ABSOLUTELY NOT LOOK AS IF YOU DRESSED UP SPECIALLY BECAUSE A GUEST ARRIVED.

MRS. EVE AND THE MAIDS REMAINING AT THE MANSION ARE HELPING HER DRESS UP.

SINCE THERE ARE NO ELDERS TO WELCOME YOUR SUITOR,

YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO IT, LADY LLUNOS.

USUALLY, THE ELDERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD CONVERSE WITH THE SUITOR FIRST...

...TO VERIFY WHETHER THEY ARE A DECENT PERSON,

...BUT I DO NOT HAVE ANY ELDERS TO DO THAT FOR ME...

..LET US BOTH BE HONEST.

IF YOUR GOAL IS TO ACQUIRE AN HEIR TO CARRY ON YOUR FAMILY LINE,

I BELIEVE THERE IS NO ONE MORE SUITED FOR THE ROLE THAN I.

AS YOU SAW AT THE PARTY, THE NOBLES FEAR YOU, LADY LLUNOS.

MEN WHO CAN MUSTER THE COURAGE TO MAKE A MOVE LIKE ME ARE QUITE RARE.

YOU ARE NOT VERY ROMANTIC, ARE YOU?

BEING REALISTIC IS A GOOD THING.

IS THAT SO?

WHAT CHARM COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE...

...IN STATING FACTS WE BOTH ALREADY KNOW?

WELL, SINCE YOU CLAIM TO BE SO COURAGEOUS.

I SHALL TELL YOU THIS IN ADVANCE.

I PLAN TO HOLD A FUNERAL FOR MY PARENTS NEXT SPRING.

TH-THAT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA...

WHY IS THAT?

WELL...

BECAUSE THE GRAND DUCAL FAMILY WILL NOT LIKE IT.

...MARRYING ME MEANS BECOMING A MEMBER OF HOUSE LUNOS, SO...

...WHY DOES IT MATTER WHETHER THE GRAND DUCAL FAMILY LIKES IT OR NOT?

MY LADY, HE REQUESTED...

...THAT YOU SEE HIM OFF.

YOUNG MASTER PEJIN DID.

THAT POLICE OFFICER WAS IN THIS HOUSE?

WHY IS THE SECOND SON OF HOUSE DIEUS HERE?

I APOLOGIZE, IT SEEMS HE HAS NO CHOICE...

...BUT TO HEAD BACK TO THE POLICE STATION FOR WORK.

I will see him off quickly and return.

AH, NO... PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME.

Let's calm down..!

I FORGOT THAT LADY LUNOS IS CURRENTLY UNDER PROBATION.

THE SECOND SON OF HOUSE DIEUS IS MONITORING HER, SO NATURALLY HE WOULD BE IN HER HOUSE.

RIGHT, I WAS BRIEFLY FLUSTERED BECAUSE SHE ACTED LIKE SOME NOBLE FAMILY...

...TO WHOM THE GRAND DUCAL FAMILY'S OPINION MATTERED LITTLE.

BUT IN REALITY, SHE IS JUST A WOMAN BEING MONITORED BY THE POLICE AND BRANDED AS A WITCH, IS SHE NOT?

SHE KNOWS HOUSE GRAND IS TOO INFLUENTIAL TO JUST TURN AWAY,

SO SHE IS PROBABLY TRYING TO SEND THAT MAN AWAY TO CONVERSE WITH ME FURTHER.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH THAT WOMAN TRIES TO PLAY HARD TO GET,

THE ONE HOLDING THE ADVANTAGE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP IS ME...

WELL, SINCE I HAVE TO RETURN TO THE STATION,

IT IS A PITY I COULD ONLY SHOW MY FACE BRIEFLY.

NOT AT ALL, SUPERINTENDENT. YOU MUST BE WORKING HARD WITH YOUR MONITORING DUTIES EVEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

I HEARD YOU ENJOY HUNTING,

SO LET US MEET UP SOMETIME.

TH-THAT...

...WOULD BE SPLENDID.

THEN,

I SHALL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

WHY ARE YOU INTIMIDATING MY SUITOR?

WHEN DID I DO THAT?

JUST A MOMENT AGO.

I WASN'T INTIMIDATING HIM.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU HAD A POWERFUL BACKER TOO.

SINCE YOU HAVE NO ELDERS IN YOUR FAMILY.

SUPPOSE THAT'S TRUE.

THE POLICE FOLLOWING YOU AROUND MIGHT BE BOTHERSOME,

BUT IT IS HELPFUL FOR YOUR SAFETY.

SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT BACKING, AND MEET WHOEVER YOU WANT TO MEET.

RIGHT. BECAUSE THE PERSON I TRUST THE MOST...

...IS YOU.

FAREWELL.

......

TREATING ME SO AFFECTIONATELY,

AND THEN TELLING ME TO MEET WHOEVER I WANT TO MEET.

IT FELT AS THOUGH WHAT HAD OCCURRED EARLIER...

...HAD BEEN COMPLETELY UNDONE...

...AS IF IT HAD TRULY NEVER HAPPENED,

SO I BLURTED OUT WORDS I DIDN'T EVEN MEAN.

RIGHT, THIS MUST BE THE CORRECT PATH.

I AM RETURNING TO THE PARLOR.

IT MIGHT BE A RELIEF THAT I CUT IT OFF BEFORE THINGS BECAME IRREVERSIBLE.

NOW, I MUST FOCUS SOLELY ON THE FUNERAL AND THE COURTSHIP.

TO EXTINGUISH THE REMAINING EMBERS IN MY HEART,

I HAD TO COUNTER THEM USING MY BURNING AMBITION FOR MY FAMILY.

I REPEATEDLY REMINDED MYSELF THAT MY AFFECTION FOR HIM COULD NEVER OUTWEIGH MY AMBITION...

AND, BY TELLING MYSELF THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN,

I FORCED MYSELF TO SHAKE OFF THE DISTANCE I HAD FELT BETWEEN US.

BECAUSE THE PERSON I TRUST THE MOST IS YOU.

HAAH...

SUPERINTENDENT!

YOU FINALLY CAME TO WORK!!

I HEARD YOU ACTUALLY CAUGHT A COLD AFTER SWIMMING AT THE END OF THE BANQUET?!

JUST HOW FAR HAS THE RUMOR SPREAD?

We're going to tease him with this for ten years~

PAUL, DID YOU GO AROUND BLABBING?

OF COURSE NOT.

THE RUMORS ARE NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

YOUR WORK HAS PILED UP QUITE A BIT WHILE YOU WERE ON SICK LEAVE.

THERE IS THIS MUCH PAPERWORK YOU NEED TO REVIEW,

AND YOU MUST WRITE A LETTER AS WELL.

WHAT LETTER?

THE CONDOLENCE MONEY RAISED DURING THE BANQUET HOSTED BY HER GRACE THE GRAND DUCHESS...

...IS SCHEDULED TO BE DELIVERED TO THE BEREAVED FAMILIES OF THE FOG VICTIMS.

HAHA...

TO THINK THE BASTARD WHO KNOWS THE CAUSE HAS TO PRETEND HE DOESN'T AND WRITE A LETTER.

BECAUSE THE PERSON I TRUST THE MOST IS YOU.

WHAT IF...

WHAT IF I TOLD APRIL LUNOS...

...EVERYTHING HONESTLY AND ASKED FOR HER HELP?

COULD WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS?