The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 37

CAN I TELL FRED THAT WE'RE GOING TO SCHOOL, TOO?

YES. IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT, SO TELL HIM AND GO STRAIGHT TO BED.

MR. BAUMANN MIGHT BE SLEEPING,

SO DON'T MAKE A FUSS!

YES, UNDERSTOOD!

THAT KID HANNA IS RUNNING OFF SO EXCITEDLY.

HAAH.

...APRIL?

APRIL?

WHAT KIND OF NOBLE LADY SLEEPS LIKE THIS?

SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HANNA DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE TEST,

YET DEEP DOWN, SHE WAS JUST AS NERVOUS AS HANNA.

IT'S REALLY... STRANGE.

WHILE TALKING WITH HER,

I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I WAS HAVING SUCH THOUGHTS.

...I-IF IN THE FUTURE, THE EMPIRE COMPLETELY CUTS OFF ALL RELATIONS WITH THE RIGHT ISLAND...

WE NEED TO OPEN A NEW SEA ROUTE SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE EVEN IF WE ARE ISOLATED.

I THOUGHT BECOMING THE IMPERIAL POLICE COMMISSIONER

WAS MY ONLY GOAL...

WHENEVER SHE IS AROUND,

MY LIFE GETS COMPLICATED.

MMM...

...WHERE IS THIS?

MY... ROOM?

WHAT TIME IS IT?

IT'S THE NEW YEAR.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON I AM SEEING THIS YEAR...

THAT'S NICE.

...SO,

AREN'T YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHY YOU CAME TO MY HOUSE?

WELL.

I SUPPOSE I CAME TO WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

...I ALSO...

I ALSO WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.

APRIL.

I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.

...HOPE

İ AM..

YOU FAIL...

ONCE APRIL

DISPATCHES A MERCHANT SHIP TO SUPPLY FOOD TO THE GRAND DUCHY,

AFTER THAT, I WILL...

SEND HER TO THE PLACE THAT MERCHANT SHIP REACHES.

BECAUSE THE GRAND DUCHY WILL FALL IN THE END.

I AM MERELY DELAYING

ITS DOWNFALL JUST BY ONE MORE DAY,

AND THEN ANOTHER DAY...

*MAY THE WIND NOT DECEIVE YOU THIS YEAR, EITHER!

*Right Island's New Year greeting.

SAME TO YOU, PAL!

THE FOG WILL ONLY GET WORSE FROM NOW ON,

AND THE EMPIRE WILL BECOME THE ROOTS OF THE GRAND DUCHY,

May your heart not deceive you, either, Pal! Care for a drink?

MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GRAND DUCHY TO ABSORB NUTRIENTS ON ITS OWN.

EVENTUALLY, WITH ITS ROOTS SEVERED, THIS LAND

WILL END UP BECOMING A PART OF THE EMPIRE.

UNAWARE THAT IT HAS LOST ITS ABILITY TO SUSTAIN ITSELF,

MY HOMELAND MISERY IS THAT IT EAGERLY SWALLOWS THE POISON HANDED TO IT BY OTHERS,

AND I HAVE WITNESSED IT WITH MY OWN EYES.

SUPERINTENDENT, YOU ARE HERE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

EVEN THOUGH WE FOCUSED OUR POLICE FORCE ON CONTROLLING THE CROWD

GATHERED FOR THE NEW YEAR'S EVENT,

IT IS NOT EASY WITH SO MANY PEOPLE FLOCKING HERE.

Even though we left only the bare minimum at Lunos Manor.

WHY ARE THE POLICE GATHERED OVER THERE?

AH, WELL...

HE IS WAITING FOR YOU, SUPERINTENDENT.

THE YOUNG DUKE.

MOTHER WAS RIGHT AFTER ALL.

SHE SAID THAT IF I CAME, UNCLE

WOULD ATTEND THE FAMILY GATHERING.

SUCH A LITTLE KID IS ALREADY SO CUNNING...

I'M JUST SMART!

THIS KID PROBABLY DOESN'T KNOW

THAT PRECIOUS MANPOWER IS BEING WASTED JUST TO GUARD ONE TINY CHILD.

STILL, MY CUTE NEPHEW COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITH BAD INTENTIONS.

UNCLE.

WHAT KIND OF WISH ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE, UNCLE?

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE A WISH WHILE WATCHING THE NEW YEAR'S SUNRISE!

WELL,

I'M THINKING OF WISHING TO FIND WHAT I NEED.

WHAT YOU NEED?

WHAT DO YOU NEED? I'LL BUY IT FOR YOU! I HAVE LOTS OF MONEY!

NEVER MIND. IT'S SOMETHING MONEY CAN'T BUY.

MINE IS SIMILAR.

REALLY? WHAT IS YOUR WISH?

I'M NOT TELLING YOU.

IN EXCHANGE FOR GRANTING IT...

I WAS TOLD TO KEEP IT A SECRET.

...?

WHO SAID THEY WOULD GRANT IT FOR YOU?

UNCLE SEIFER!

THE WISH ITSELF IS A SECRET!