The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 35

TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED MOST FOR THE FUNERAL.

I'LL HELP YOU.

WHY WOULD YOU HELP ME WITH THAT?

IN RETURN...

YOU MUST DISPATCH A MERCHANT SHIP.

MAKE SURE IT BRINGS BACK FOOD.

A MERCHANT SHIP...?

IF HOUSE LUNOS STARTS SAILING ITS MERCHANT SHIPS AGAIN,

WE WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK FREE

FROM THE EMPIRE'S INFLUENCE TO SOME EXTENT.

EVEN IF THE EMPIRE'S INTERFERENCE IN THE GRAND DUCHY IS RELATIVELY MINOR,

BREAKING FREE FROM BEING A VASSAL STATE IS NOT SOMETHING ONE CAN SPEAK OF LIGHTLY.

AND FOR PEJIN, AN IMPERIAL POLICE OFFICER,

TO SAY IT DIRECTLY IS EVEN MORE...

...YOU ARE AN IMPERIAL POLICE OFFICER.

IF I WERE TO TELL ANYONE ELSE WHAT YOU JUST SAID-

SOMEONE FROM THE EMPIRE WOULD PROBABLY COME TO KILL ME.

BUT YOU WON'T TELL ANYONE.

......

THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THIS NOW...

IS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WON'T BE SWAYED BY YOUR EMOTIONS.

UNLIKE ME.

WHAT ON EARTH IS HIS INTENTION?

WHEN HE ASKED IF I HAD FEELINGS FOR HIM,

SOMEDAY, I MIGHT FIND SOMEONE I LOVE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME.

IS HE UPSET BECAUSE I GAVE HIM THAT ANSWER?

OR PERHAPS AFTER HE MET HIS BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW...

AT THE CHARITY EVENT EARLIER TODAY,

DOES HE NOW SEE ME AS A WITCH AS WELL...?

IS HE JUST TESTING ME WITH TREASONOUS WORDS

TO SEND ME TO A WITCH TRIAL...?

WH-WHAT...?

I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, BUT YOU DIDN'T ANSWER.

WHAT DID YOU ASK?

I TOLD YOU TO TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE FUNERAL.

FLOWERS.

A LOT OF FLOWERS.

ALL THE PORTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN BELONG TO THE GRAND DUCAL FAMILY.

THERE IS NO WAY TO IMPORT THE FLOWERS NEEDED FOR THE FUNERAL.

I WILL BUY THEM WITH MY OWN MONEY.

IN RETURN, YOU MUST ABSOLUTELY...

DISPATCH A MERCHANT SHIP TO BRING BACK FOOD.

WHY?

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT...

THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK ME MULTIPLE TIMES TO DISPATCH A MERCHANT SHIP?

...IF,

IF IN THE FUTURE THE EMPIRE

COMPLETELY CUTS OFF ALL RELATIONS WITH RIGHT ISLAND...

WE NEED TO OPEN A NEW SEA ROUTE

SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE EVEN IF WE ARE ISOLATED.

DO...

YOU THINK THAT

WE ARE CURRENTLY ISOLATED?

I'VE THOUGHT WE HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.

THE GRAND DUCHY RELIES ON IMPERIAL IMPORTS FOR MOST OF ITS FOOD,

AND IF THE FOOD SUPPLY FROM THE EMPIRE IS CUT OFF,

THE RICH WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS,

BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMONERS WILL STARVE TO DEATH.

TO PREPARE FOR SUCH A WORST-CASE SCENARIO,

WE MUST OPEN THE BROKEN TRADE ROUTES ONCE AGAIN.

WE NEED TO OPEN A ROUTE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE EMPIRE.

YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DO IT.

BECAUSE THE IMAGE...

OF HIM LOVING HIS BROTHER AS A CHILD WAS SO VIVID IN MY MIND,

I DOUBTED HIM, THINKING HE WOULD STILL BE EXACTLY THE SAME...

...YOU'VE CHANGED A LOT.

I THOUGHT THE EXACT OPPOSITE.

THAT YOU WERE EXACTLY THE SAME AS BEFORE.

SITTING HERE LIKE THIS, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE PLAYING HOUSE.

I RARELY EVER GOT TO BE SERVED TEA.

BECAUSE I ALWAYS PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE DOG.

PFFT!

ARE YOU LAUGHING? DO YOU KNOW HOW HUMILIATING THAT WAS?

HAHAHAHA...

COME TO THINK OF IT, WE WERE...

FRIENDS, IN OUR OWN WAY.

I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING FRIENDS.

SINCE ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED ANYWAY.

STILL,

BEING FRIENDS IS QUITE...

NICE.

AH, LOOK AT THE TIME...

I HAVE TO HEAD BACK.

I DECIDED TO FINISH HANNA'S EXAMS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

YOU MEAN HER READING TEST?

YES.

BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

SHE'S STUDIED SO HARD UP UNTIL NOW,

BUT RIGHT BEFORE THE EXAM, SHE WON'T EVEN OPEN A BOOK.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.

YOU ARE THAT LITTLE GIRL'S SAVIOR.

SHE MIGHT BE AFRAID OF BEING ABANDONED BY HER SAVIOR.

AND DIDN'T YOU SAY SHE'S TAKING A TEST?

WEREN'T YOU WATCHING HER WITH A SCARY EXPRESSION?

I can already imagine it without even seeing it

I'LL HEAD BACK FIRST AND HELP THE LITTLE GIRL RELAX A BIT.

Take your time

YOU'RE GOING?

I think she'll be more afraid of you than me, though?

YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW, DO YOU?

ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE FAR MORE AFRAID OF BEING ABANDONED BY GOD

THAN THEY ARE OF PLAYING WITH AN IMPERIAL POLICE OFFICER.

I WAITED BECAUSE HE TOLD ME TO WAIT, BUT...

I WONDER IF SHE WILL BE OKAY...

MY LADY!!

ARE YOU JUST GETTING HERE?

WHAT IS THIS?

SHE REALLY DOES LOOK COMPLETELY RELAXED.