The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 40

WHAT THE...?

I THOUGHT MY FATHER WAS COMING,

BUT INSTEAD, AN IMPERIAL LAPDOG SHOWED UP.

NO WONDER THE POLICE DRAGGED ME HERE LIKE THIS.

PICKING A FIGHT WITH A SOLDIER WON'T DO YOU ANY GOOD.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A COUPLE OF COPS.

WELL,

GETTING INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS NO REGARD FOR THE LAW LIKE YOU

DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'D DO ME ANY FAVORS.

BESIDES,

YOU'RE THE PRECIOUS SON OF THE GRAND DUCHY'S POLICE COMMISSIONER,

SO I'VE BEEN GOING EASY ON YOU.

WHAT, DID YOU EXPECT ME TO TREAT YOU LIKE ROYALTY?

ARE YOU SOME FRAGILE LITTLE FLOWER GROWING IN A GREENHOUSE?

YOU BASTARD...!!

REALLY? WHAT'S YOUR WISH?

I'M NOT TELLING.

HE SAID HE'D MAKE IT COME TRUE...

BUT I HAVE TO KEEP IT A SECRET.

...?

WHO PROMISED TO MAKE IT COME TRUE?

UNCLE SHAEFER!

PEZIN.

BROTHER.

YOU REALLY ONLY SHOW UP AT FAMILY GATHERINGS WHEN JOSHUA COMES TO DRAG YOU HERE.

I'm Glad You Came.

JOSHUA ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME THING.

IT'S NOT LIKE I DELIBERATELY SKIP THEM.

YOU KNOW HOW BUSY I AM OVERSEEING THE NEW YEAR'S FESTIVITIES.

DID YOU REALLY NEED TO SUMMON ME?

EVEN SO, IT'S BEEN AGES SINCE YOU SPENT NEW YEAR'S IN THE GRAND DUCHY.

YOU SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE AN APPEARANCE AT THE FAMILY GATHERING.

...SIGH. NEVER MIND.

I'M ALWAYS THE BAD GUY.

MORE IMPORTANTLY,

WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAD TO PULL ME ASIDE?

BROTHER,

WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THE REMAINS OF THE LORD AND LADY OF HOUSE LUNOS AFTER THEIR EXECUTION?

...WHY DO YOU ASK?

BECAUSE I THINK APRIL WILL COME LOOKING FOR THEM SOON.

...BROTHER, YOU TOOK CARE OF THEM PROPERLY, DIDN'T YOU?

I BURIED THEM IN A PUBLIC CEMETERY.

YOU BURIED THEIR REMAINS... IN A PUBLIC CEMETERY?

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DESPISE HOUSE LUNOS,

HOW COULD YOU BURY THE BODIES OF A PROMINENT FAMILY LIKE HOUSE LUNOS

IN A PLACE RESERVED FOR UNCLAIMED CORPSES AND HARDENED CRIMINALS?

ANSWER ME, BROTHER.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS–

BECAUSE SHE IS A CRIMINAL!

...I NEVER THOUGHT APRIL LUNOS WOULD SURVIVE

SEVEN YEARS OF HOUSE ARREST,

SO I ASSUMED NO ONE WOULD EVER COME LOOKING FOR THEIR REMAINS.

IF THE BODIES CAN'T BE FOUND,

THIS COULD BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR YOU, BROTHER.

EVEN IF THEY'RE HOUSE LUNOS, IF PEOPLE FIND OUT YOU TREATED THEIR REMAINS THAT WAY,

PUBLIC OPINION WILL TURN AGAINST YOU.

AT THE VERY LEAST, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY WERE BURIED,

SO TRACK DOWN WHOEVER HANDLED THE BURIAL.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS ANY MORE COMPLICATED.

RIGHT...

I'M SORRY I RAISED MY VOICE, PEZIN.

YOU UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR BROTHER FEELS, DON'T YOU?

YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT HER, TOO.

OF COURSE. I UNDERSTAND.

COMMISSIONER! WE'VE GOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM...!!

SOMEONE BROKE INTO LUNOS MANSION...!

WHAT'S GOING ON?

THIS GUY, PEZIN...

WAS HE ALWAYS THIS STRONG?

HE WAS SUCH A SKINNY WEAKLING WHEN WE WERE KIDS...

...WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THAT?

IF YOU'RE GOING TO SERVE AS A COP WHILE SUCKING UP TO THE EMPIRE, AT LEAST DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY.

A WITCH WALKS AROUND WITH HER HEAD HELD HIGH,

AND YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S WRONG FOR LETTING HER GET AWAY WITH IT.

WELL,

YOU SHOULDN'T THROW AROUND WORDS LIKE "SUCKING UP TO THE EMPIRE."

BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND YOUR FATHER.

YOU BASTARD...!

OUR HOMELAND IS TOO WEAK TO EVER CHANGE,

SO ME CLIMBING THE RANKS OF THE EMPIRE...

ISN'T THAT THE MORE RATIONAL CHOICE?

BECAUSE SHE IS A CRIMINAL!

LOVING MY BROTHER,

WHILE FINDING HIM COMPLETELY INCOMPREHENSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME...

ISN'T THAT ONLY NATURAL?

NOTHING I'VE BEEN GIVEN CAN BE NEATLY DIVIDED INTO RIGHT AND WRONG,

SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SORT OUT MY FEELINGS?

AH, I JUST...

I JUST...

...WANT YOU

TO CRASH AND BURN.

I REALLY HOPE MY DAY OFF COMES SOON.