The Mansion Awaits Spring — Chapter 5

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, PUTTING YOURSELF IN DANGER?

DO NOT WALK AROUND WHILE SPACING OUT.

...LET GO OF ME.

ARE YOU FEARLESS?

DON'T COME NEAR ME.

WHAT?

YOU SAW THE POLICE COLLAPSE AT THE MANOR WITH YOUR OWN EYES.

DO YOU WANT TO COLLAPSE TOO?

HAH... WOULD IT HURT YOU TO JUST SAY THANK YOU?

Stop acting so tough.

YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF NOT TALKING AT ALL.

YOU HAVE A PRETTY FACE, SO IF YOU STAY QUIET, YOU WOULD AT LEAST BE HALFWAY DECENT.

WHAT AN UNPLEASANT WAY TO GIVE A COMPLIMENT.

HOW IS THAT A COMPLIMENT? I AM STATING A FACT.

It is not as if your face is my type.

HAA, RIGHT. YOUR BROTHER'S PREFERENCE IN LOOKS IS HEIDI, AFTER ALL.

WHY ARE YOU BRINGING UP CHILDHOOD STORIES IN THIS SITUATION?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

STAY STILL.

YOUR SHOELACE IS UNDONE.

IT IS A WONDER YOU DID NOT TRIP WALKING AROUND LIKE THIS.

HE WAS NOT EVEN WEARING GLOVES... DID HE COME IN A HURRY?

BUT...

WHY IS YOUR KNEE ON TOP OF MY FOOT?

BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO GET MY CLOTHES DIRTY.

WHAT?

PFFT...

HAHAHA!

...WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?

IT IS FUNNY THAT YOU ARE GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY TO TIE IT FOR ME WHEN YOU COULD HAVE JUST IGNORED IT.

GOOD GRIEF, THAT'S MY CHOICE.

YES, YES, I AM SURE IT IS~

STOP LAUGHING ALREADY. WHY ARE YOU MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF NOTHING?

YOU ARE THE ONE MAKING ME LAUGH OVER NOTHING.

It has been a long time since I laughed like this.

WELL, I SUPPOSE MY FACE IS THE KIND THAT MAKES PEOPLE LAUGH JUST BY LOOKING AT...

...ARE YOU

LAUGHING OR CRYING?

CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT I AM LAUGHING?

Hah, I should stop laughing.

YOU ARE GOING BACK TO THE LUNOS MANOR, RIGHT?

I'LL CALL A CARRIAGE FOR YOU.

WE'LL INVESTIGATE THE MANOR AGAIN ANOTHER TIME.

I'LL LET YOU KNOW ONCE THE EXACT DATE IS SET.

DO AS YOU LIKE.

GET HOME SAFELY.

ARE YOU LAUGHING OR CRYING?

CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT I AM LAUGHING?

I AM NOT SURE.

TO ME, IT LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS CRYING.

...DAMN IT. I SHOULDN'T BE THINKING OF USELESS THINGS.

I SHOULD THINK SHE WAS LAUGHING AT ME.

AFTER ALL, SHE'S A WITCH.

WAS IT BECAUSE I LAUGHED SO HARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SO LONG?

OR WAS IT BECAUSE OF THE GUILT I FELT FOR SELLING THE SHIP?

I HAD A DREAM, SOMETHING I RARELY EVER DO.

THIS SIGHT MAKES MY HEART FLUTTER NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I SEE IT.

RIGHT? MY DAUGHTER.

FATHER, MOTHER...

AT THE SAME TIME, IT ALSO MAKES ME FEEL AFRAID.

WHAT IF THE SHIP RUNS AGROUND?

WHAT IF PIRATES STEAL OUR FORTUNE?

THOSE WORRIES COME TO MIND.

EVEN SO, LUNOS MOVED FORWARD,

OPENING SEA ROUTES, TRADING, AND BRINGING BACK GOLD, SILVER, AND TREASURE.

...IT WAS SUCH A PRECIOUS SHIP.

BUT I SOLD EVEN THE LAST SHIP WE HAD LEFT.

I'M SORRY...

APRIL, OUR DEAR CHILD.

IT WASN'T HAVING A BOAT THAT ALLOWED US TO MOVE FORWARD.

WHAT MATTERS IS THAT OUR HEARTS ARE MOVING FORWARD.

THAT...

IS THE "PRIDE" OF HOUSE LUNOS.

PEJIN'S RESIDENCE TOWN HOUSE.

PEJIN!

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG~

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SO LONG?

IT HAS ONLY BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE I CAME TO THE GRAND DUCHY.

WE HAD BEEN STUCK TOGETHER EVER SINCE THE MILITARY ACADEMY,

SO TWO MONTHS COUNTS AS A LONG TIME.

SO, HOW IS LIFE IN THE GRAND DUCHY? IS IT BEARABLE?

WELL, MORE OR LESS.

ENOUGH WITH THE USELESS CHATTER.

I DOUBT A MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY CAME TO THE GRAND DUCHY JUST TO VISIT.

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?

HE IS CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE DOING WELL.

HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR, I MEAN.