The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 118
In June, the days in the Grand Duchy were endlessly long. Even at the darkest hour of the night, the sky looked like a lingering sunset.
It was the perfect environment for those who loved to drink. Using the excuse that it was still light out, people downed alcohol all day and night.
Whenever Fezin returned to the Grand Duchy in the summer, he usually lost all track of time. Perhaps that was why he felt the words April had just poured out to him were exactly like a Grand Duchy summer.
Something that was a lie to him, but the absolute truth to her. Those incomprehensible words.
Perhaps affected by the news that he had been suspended because of the dye, April had poured out everything she had been harboring in her heart the moment she saw his face.
Dizzy from releasing the words she had agonized over for so long, April stumbled. Fezin, who had been searching for something to say, quickly grabbed her arm. April murmured.
“That’s why the imperial scholars knew how to create the fog. They knew all along that it was their doing.”
Leaning on Fezin’s arm, April looked up at him and asked.
“How could they do that? How could they just let people die like that when they knew the cause?”
“…Because those who died weren’t citizens of the Empire.”
“Still! Right next to them, people were dying because of them…”
Fezin wrapped one arm around her as she flared up in anger.
He couldn’t meet her eyes. He couldn’t even hide the trembling of his body.
He couldn’t kill her as planned, nor could he bring himself to confess the truth.
All he could do was draw his gun with one hand and keep watch on their surroundings. He had to make sure there were no listening ears.
Fezin asked to confirm.
“What you just said—only you and Kritz know, right? No one else?”
“Yes.”
Fezin completely abandoned his mission. It wasn’t a calculated decision. Faced with the reality of the situation, he simply realized that he could never kill April, no matter what.
In this superficial world, she alone felt like the absolute truth. That was the reason for this blinding clarity.
This was different from love. Because it wasn’t just an emotion.
Ever since he arrived in the Grand Duchy and crossed paths with April Lunos, Fezin had been constantly plagued by questions.
What was it I was trying to do?
What was it I was trying to become?
And this feeling was the answer to those questions. It was like finally arriving before a shipwreck rumored to be a treasure ship.
She was his purpose.
At some point, she had become the purpose itself.
Only the singular goal of keeping April Lunos alive remained within him.
Fezin spoke.
“The reason you aren’t invading the Empire right away is because you’ve agreed to maintain relations until your food supply is stable, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Right, just until then…”
April regained her composure at Fezin’s calm voice, and her breathing began to slow to a steady pace.
April spoke again.
“But we know the cause now. If we know the cause, we can solve it.”
“Though it will be difficult.”
“Right. It will be incredibly difficult, but still.”
Fezin took April’s hand as she murmured. Then, linking his pinky finger with hers, he told her.
“Regarding that matter. If there’s anything you want me to do, I’ll do it. No matter what you order.”
“How do you know what I’ll order you to do?”
“I don’t. But it doesn’t matter.”
He lifted her hand, still linked with his, and brought it to his face.
“Even if it’s your revenge, I’ll help you.”
“What?”
“So just order me to do whatever it is. Use me however you want, anywhere.”
Just as April was about to ask if he truly understood what he was saying—what it meant to help her with revenge—Fezin turned his head toward the door and spoke.
“Your uncle is coming.”
Just as Fezin said, the sound of Jeff’s slow footsteps accompanied by the tapping of his cane soon echoed, and he appeared on the patio.
Jeff’s lips naturally curled up when he saw April, but his expression crumpled instantly upon seeing Fezin, before he smiled again as he looked back at April. Having been cut off from the world for so long, he found it difficult to find a middle ground between his extreme differences in emotion toward the two guests.
Fezin whispered to April.
“It seems he can’t contain his delight.”
“Be quiet.”
When April spoke and pinched his side, Fezin looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.
Jeff said to April.
“Would you mind pinching him once more? It is incredibly therapeutic to watch.”
“Why stop at once? You can ask me to do it more often.”
As April spoke and pinched him again, Fezin closed his eyes tight and let out a groan.
Looking at the two of them with a concerned eye, Jeff said to April.
“That fellow won’t do. You know that, right?”
“Of course. Fezin knows that best of all.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll handle it well. Eleanor is also hard at work looking for husband material for you.”
At that, Fezin chimed in.
“Rumor has it she’s doing nothing but rejecting them.”
As if he didn’t even want to deign to answer him, Jeff glared at Fezin with narrowed eyes instead of responding.
Having spent his entire life far removed from conflict, his gaze wasn’t one that could threaten anyone, yet strangely, Fezin felt inexplicably intimidated.
Jeff turned a sweet face to April, as if he had never glared in the first place, and said.
“Eleanor says an ordinary man simply won’t do. Naturally so, considering what family you come from.”
Since it was her first time hearing the high society gossip that Eleanor was going around rejecting suitors, April looked at Fezin with a puzzled face, demanding an explanation. He answered.
“There’s no shortage of fools who don’t know their place. I heard she rejects them quite terrifyingly.”
“Terrifyingly?”
“According to a fellow I know, the lady actually pointed fingers and chased after a man as he fled.”
At those words, Jeff nodded as if highly satisfied, and said to April.
“Elly has always had an excellent eye. You can leave the major affairs of your life to your aunt. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. As someone who has entrusted his entire life to her, I can guarantee it.”
Jeff seemed utterly charmed by the story of his wife going around rejecting unsuitable grooms.
Fezin wanted to crack a joke or agree with Jeff, but knowing how much he was disliked—to the point where the man wouldn’t even respond to him—he had no choice but to hold his tongue.
After doting on April and treating Fezin like a ghost, Jeff finally turned to Fezin with great reluctance.
“I heard you came because you have something to say.”
“Yes, but you wouldn’t see me, so I’ve been waiting for three hours…”
Fezin, who had reflexively tried to make Jeff feel guilty, was pinched by April.
“This is exactly the kind of moment you should have pinched me.”
“Ah, then even now.”
“No, please, let’s just move past it. It really hurts.”
Fezin pleaded and looked back at Jeff.
“You must have heard the news that I am digging into my brother’s background.”
“I haven’t. I have no interest in you.”
“Don’t you have an old friend in the Grand Duchy Police?”
“Old? Are you calling me aged right now?”
“You know that’s not what I mean… In any case, surely you’ve heard?”
“Why would I waste precious time during a visit with a dear friend to talk about you?”
In April’s memory, Jeff had always been a book-loving, introverted, and gentle man. Thus, it was her first time seeing him nitpick and sarcasm-lace every word someone said.
Seeing his cold yet handsome face as he spoke, she couldn’t help but think that he was indeed her father’s brother.
Fezin, feeling somewhat cowed, couldn’t bring himself to retort and simply sighed. Only then did Jeff answer.
“Come to the study. April, why don’t you go to your bedroom and rest? Your face looks pale, perhaps from visiting the dye factory.”
“I’m going to the Grand Duke’s Residence. To trade the dye.”
At her words, both Fezin and Jeff stopped speaking.
Fezin said hurriedly.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Go have your talk. Since my uncle wants to speak with you privately. I will conduct my own business.”
The faces of the two men turned even paler at April’s words. However, Jeff recalled what Eleanor had said to him. That it was April who had gathered the entire family for the funeral. That she was a strong child, so he should let her make her own decisions.
Thus, he was able to speak to her even before Fezin could.
“Very well, run along. This dreadful fellow… young Master Fezin will follow you to the Grand Duke’s Residence shortly.”
To Jeff, who corrected himself to a formal title after calling him a dreadful fellow, Fezin could say nothing and simply smiled.
It was the first time in his life he had suppressed his temper to this extent. He didn’t even know why he was doing this.
At any rate, the two men entered the study after barely letting April go.
Sharing a strong drink, Jeff spoke.
“I didn’t specifically ask about you, but I did hear. That Fezin Dieus is stirring things up at the Police Agency, making himself quite a nuisance.”
“Yes, just as you’ve heard.”
“You wish to know about Miller?”
To Jeff’s question, Fezin answered.
“To be precise, I want to know about what my brother did.”
