The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 105
“I’m glad you remember that.”
In contrast to Irsa, who had agonized over the decision, April’s reaction was remarkably lukewarm.
“Then go and get ready.”
Irsa narrowed her eyes and asked.
“How are you so calm? I’m making a difficult choice here.”
“You were going to do it anyway.”
“Am I really that transparent?”
“It’s not quite that, but I feel like I know what you’re thinking when it comes to ships. I’ve been watching sailors for a long time.”
“Fair point,” Irsa replied, readjusting her bag strap. “Tell the navigator to come to that house too.”
“I will.”
After saying their goodbyes, April headed toward the mansion, while Irsa made her way down the hill.
Irsa’s pace quickened as she neared the house provided for the sailors.
Upon entering the Sailor’s House, she liked it even more. The interior smelled of fragrant wood, and it was well-stocked with food and household supplies.
Excitedly inspecting the house, Irsa found a room that perfectly suited her taste and tossed her luggage inside. While exploring the kitchen, she realized someone else was in the house and swung a door wide open.
Inside was a woman wearing glasses who looked quite intelligent.
Kritz, an investigator from the 3rd Division of the Special Investigation Headquarters, spotted her and gave a polite nod.
“Hello. You must be Joyce-ssi?”
“And if I am?”
“Well, I’m conducting an investigation with the Young Lady’s permission. Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?”
“Ah. Are you the one she told me to answer?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
Kritz, responding somewhat shyly, continued.
“The questions I want to ask are about the illicit liquor you used to send to the Left Island.”
“Illicit liquor?”
“Yes, that alcohol banned on both islands. Would you happen to know where I can obtain some?”
At Kritz's question, Irsa rubbed her neck and asked.
“Do you like to drink?”
“Yes, I like it very much.”
“Can’t we talk while we drink? There’s plenty of booze out there.”
“Is it… alright to drink that?”
“Of course. It was put there for us to drink.”
Irsa led the way to the kitchen. She pulled out a bottle, poured a glass for each of them, and said.
“Let’s get along well from now on.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
Kritz greeted her and downed the liquor.
Irsa couldn’t understand why Kritz was researching the whereabouts of illicit liquor.
However, one thing was certain: there were several bottles of that very liquor in Kritz’s room.
Considering how much the researcher liked to drink, the fact that she hadn't touched them despite having them right there meant there was something seriously wrong with that alcohol.
Irsa was curious about why she was studying it, but she didn’t ask. It was a sailor’s intuition.
This researcher, and April as well, were clearly searching for answers to some dangerous questions. Including that fact, Irsa found herself liking this estate more and more.
*
After sending Irsa to the Sailor’s House, April began walking back up the hill.
Whenever the spring rains fell like this, white wildflowers would bloom here and there across the slope.
April lowered her umbrella, wanting to feel a bit of the rain. Light, soft droplets dampened her face.
Arriving at the mansion after braving the brief shower, she spotted Fezin sitting on the porch.
Fezin frowned as he saw her walking in from the rain.
“Why carry an umbrella if you’re just going to get wet?”
April smiled in spite of herself.
“You’re definitely not a guest anymore. Showing up whenever you want, leaving whenever you want.”
“It’s been like that since the start, so why act surprised now?”
“Why are you here?”
“Because I’m hungry.”
“What?”
“Give me something to eat.”
“Go get it yourself.”
“Fine, then come with me.”
With that, Fezin grabbed April’s hand and unceremoniously stuffed it into his pocket.
*
Before coming to the Lunos mansion, Fezin had to endure the nagging of Pascal, the butler of the townhouse.
“Young Master, why on earth have you been skipping your meals lately!”
“Why are you getting so angry over something so small?”
“Small? Do I not have a reason to be angry? Even when I serve you meals, they come back untouched. You spend all day doing nothing but bathing. What will we do if you ruin your health!”
“It’s because it’s not the food I want to eat.”
Fezin grumbled, but he couldn't deny that his already sensitive nerves had become even sharper lately.
It was especially true regarding food. He simply didn't want to eat anything.
Tired of the lecturing, the person who came to mind was April.
When he was with her, he never had trouble eating. Last time they went to the winter market, he had even taken her leftovers and finished them off completely.
Had he ever done that before?
Eating someone else’s leftovers.
An action that didn't even exist in his memory had come naturally with April, without him even realizing it.
It was just okay with her. With April Runos, his range of tolerance was simply different.
He had come here thinking he might starve to death otherwise, but since April had no idea, she just narrowed her eyes as she followed him, bewildered.
“You show up out of nowhere and demand food?”
“It’s for a few reasons. I need to check the gas lines again too. I have to get the money back from Tavish Company.”
“You definitely should. Get it back by any means necessary.”
“I will. I’m starving like this because I don’t have that money.”
After using such exaggeration to make her feel both absurd and slightly sympathetic, Fezin headed to the pantry as if it were his own home and pulled out a heap of potatoes and butter. He then cut crosses into the potatoes, stuffed them with thick slices of butter, and began roasting them in the oven.
While Fezin was raiding her pantry, April began looking around to see what other supplies she had.
The people who had helped with the funeral at the Lunos mansion had been hired through Bauman to continue working in the kitchen.
As the number of servants gradually increased, so did the food in the pantry to feed them.
Since nothing but potatoes could be reliably harvested on the Right Island, almost all ingredients were brought over from the Left Island. Because of this, even April, who had grown up in wealth, didn't know exactly how to handle certain ingredients.
April pointed to some meat and asked Fezin.
“Do you know what kind of meat this is?”
“Venison.”
“Ah. Now that I think about it, you said you like hunting? You and Paul-ssi too.”
“Did Logan tell you that?”
“Yeah.”
“The two of you are close lately.”
“I won him over with my coolness.”
Fezin didn’t understand April’s joke at all, but he didn't bother asking for details.
He found some sturdy-looking bread, sliced it down the middle, layered it with ham and butter, and then spread a generous amount of jam made from various leftover fruits.
April asked in horror.
“What are you making right now?”
“I have a plan.”
“It looks like you’re just making something with the highest possible calorie count.”
“That’s exactly the plan I mean.”
Fezin spoke nonchalantly as he placed the sandwich and the roasted potatoes into a basket. He had used so much butter in everything that it felt like the scent had even seeped into his clothes.
Having filled the basket, Fezin grabbed some alcohol and headed to the dining room with April.
The dining room, which had been unused for a long time, had also been neatly repaired following the funeral.
Though it hadn't been grandly decorated yet since they were focusing their efforts on the Grand Banquet Hall, it seemed it would gradually regain its original appearance through continued use.
Sitting at the table closest to the window, Fezin laid out the food and poured a full glass of liquor.
April took a sip of her drink and watched with suspicious eyes as Fezin began eating ravenously.
“Have you been starving? Why are you eating so fast?”
When April spoke, Fezin, who had taken a massive bite of the sandwich, gestured to show that he was currently eating.
While April waited, he washed the food down with a gulp of liquor and let out a long, heavy breath.
It was the kind of meal where he looked like a person who had found a fire just before freezing to death and was frantically rubbing his body to thaw out; watching him made April feel anxious.
