The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 126
After Fezin’s visit, Miller kept entirely silent about April.
He could not, for the life of him, forget the look in Fezin’s eyes and the sound of his voice. That low, lonely voice that had threatened him.
Fezin had looked like a man betrayed by his own brother. He had been dead serious. He had truly intended to harm Miller’s family.
This was the boy who had been on his side for so long. Fezin Dieus was someone who would give up love and even leave his hometown for the sake of his older brother.
It was unbelievable that such a brother had threatened his life, and even the lives of his family—which would have included Heidi.
In the end, Miller only shared what had happened with his beloved Heidi.
Even after unburdening himself, Miller remained wide awake, unable to sleep. Heidi, who had been trying her best to soothe him to sleep, spoke softly.
“Fezin was just too angry. He’ll be fine soon.”
Miller looked at Heidi with eyes full of melancholy.
“It didn’t feel like he would be fine.”
“Still, they said he’s leaving as soon as someone new arrives at the Special Investigation Headquarters anyway, right? He’ll only be in the Grand Duchy for the rest of this year, so don’t worry too much.”
“Right. I suppose so…”
Miller nodded. He tried to force himself to sleep, but still unable to find rest, he stared blankly up at the ceiling.
After lying there like that for a while, Miller spoke again.
“On one hand… I’m also angry.”
“Angry?”
“It makes me angry that he would treat me like that. He can do that to me. But he threatened my family. That… that’s crossing the line.”
“…”
“He shouldn’t have done that…”
Miller muttered repeatedly, his voice laced with sorrow and a faint trace of anger. Heidi patted him in silence.
The rift between the brothers, who had known each other since childhood and looked after one another like parent and child, had now become a fracture that could never heal.
She thought of April, the one who had caused all these cracks.
April had published an extra in the newspaper announcing that her deal with Miller had fallen through.
The exact price had been printed, and the public, who had initially blamed April, was slowly starting to turn their critical gaze toward Miller.
It was money that the Parliament could have easily provided. As July began and winter drew nearer, the growing anxiety of the Grand Duchy’s citizens drove them to riot, repeatedly shaking the gates of the Grand Ducal residence.
On the other hand, the people who had been driven by fear to brand April Lunos as the source of the fog began to reconsider.
Perhaps the fog wasn’t her fault after all.
Perhaps they had targeted an innocent person.
From Heidi’s perspective, as the citizens’ minds changed, it seemed Miller would eventually have no choice but to buy the dye April was offering to sell.
Logan kicked open the door to the police station and reported in a cheerful voice.
“Jonah Tabish has deployed the Tabish Company employees to begin an investigation. It’s only a matter of time before we find out where that gas came from.”
At his words, Paul chimed in from the side.
“And once that money-mad bastard finds the cause of the gas, you’re going to arrest him immediately, right?”
“Of course.”
“But didn’t the higher-ups tell us not to kill any Empire citizens?”
“Well, Jonah Tabish doesn’t know that.”
Fezin continued, looking quite pleased.
“We have to squeeze him for all his life’s worth.”
“Logan is surprisingly good at setting that kind of threatening atmosphere,” Paul said.
Logan replied with a bright, innocent smile.
“People usually mistake someone who’s unconditionally cheerful for being crazy. Even though I’m really just naturally bright!”
“…If so many people share the same opinion, don’t you think there’s a reason for it?”
Logan let Paul’s nagging go in one ear and out the other.
In any case, Paul’s words were true. Strangely, the criminals dragged into the station always kept an exceptionally close eye on Logan. It seemed to be because of his unconventional demeanor.
After wrapping up the meeting regarding Jonah Tabish’s movements, Fezin began preparing to head to the Lunos Mansion.
Unexpectedly, April had summoned Fezin sooner than he had anticipated.
Mrs. Eve, who had no idea what had transpired between the two, straightened Fezin’s clothes and asked, “Did you two have a fight? Seeing how you haven’t met at all lately.”
“We won’t be able to see each other once I leave the Grand Duchy anyway. I’m just sorting out my feelings early.”
“So you didn’t fight?”
“You’ve seen April. Do you really think I could win a fight against her? I’d lose every single time.”
“Why are you stating the obvious?”
“You should come along, Mrs. Eve. You can take a walk with Mr. Bauman.”
“Why on earth would I take a walk with that old man?”
“I thought the two of you communicated well. As companions.”
“Communicated? I’ve worked in the Dieus family for ages, and that man knows absolutely nothing about high society. How could we possibly communicate?”
Despite her complaints, Mrs. Eve did not say she wouldn’t go to the Lunos Mansion.
Fezin’s thought was that since both of them were widowed, it would be nice for them to keep each other company if they got along well. Of course, anything beyond that was entirely up to them.
Fezin, who couldn’t quite picture a romance for Mrs. Eve—whom he had regarded as family for a long time—suddenly turned serious after having suggested the match.
“He seems decent at a glance, but dump him immediately if he’s not. You shouldn’t associate with bad men.”
“How old do you think I am to have my love life meddled with? And by a green young man, no less.”
“It’s not meddling, but if you’re going to meet someone, he absolutely must be a decent man. He has to meet my standards.”
To this, Mrs. Eve replied in a sharp tone, “I suppose that means Mr. Bauman is out, then.”
“He’s cool, though. And strong.”
“Cool, my foot…”
Mrs. Eve snorted, but ultimately, she accompanied Fezin on his trip to the Lunos Mansion.
Before Fezin arrived.
The Lunos Mansion already had another guest.
Shafer Meyer, the son of the Grand Duchy’s police chief, stood in the rooftop garden of the mansion, having been summoned by April.
Shafer remarked in admiration, “If you threw a party here, the Grand Duchy’s high society would be absolutely shaken.”
“I doubt anyone would come.”
“You just have to plan your strategy well.”
“Well, regardless, I will be throwing a party. Since I have to get married.”
At April’s words, Shafer furrowed his brow and asked, “What about Fezin?”
“What about him?”
“Aren’t you two seeing each other?”
“Even if we are, it’s not like we can do anything about it.”
“Even so.”
Shafer continued with a thoroughly uncomfortable expression.
“It’s just that I’ve never seen Fezin act like that before.”
“Like what?”
When April asked, Shafer muttered as he recalled Fezin.
“How should I put it… he’s not avoiding things? That’s his specialty, isn’t it? Spotting difficult situations from a mile away and dodging them. It was so annoying when we were kids.”
“True. He really was annoying.”
“Right? It wasn’t just me who thought so?”
Shafer continued, glad to have found common ground.
“But a guy like that isn’t avoiding anything. Whether it’s a trap or an obstacle.”
“…”
“If you’re the one who changed him like that, it’s pretty amazing.”
April merely offered a faint smile at Shafer’s words but did not reply. She didn’t even ask if it was truly amazing. She, too, knew Fezin all too well.
April steered the conversation back to the main point.
“I called you here for a reason.”
“What is it?”
“If. Just hypothetically. If a war breaks out between the Empire and the Grand Duchy, which side will you stand on?”
At her question, Shafer looked at her as if he were hearing the most absurd thing in his life.
“The Grand Duchy, of course. Is that even a question?”
“I heard the Meyer family is leaving for the Empire soon.”
“Yes, that’s my parents’ decision, so I plan to follow them. But if a war breaks out, I’ll return to the Grand Duchy immediately.”
At Shafer’s firm answer, April smiled more brightly this time.
“To think you’d give such an answer with that grumpy face of yours.”
“What’s grumpy about it? You and Fezin are exactly the same—both of you have pretty faces, but the moment you open your mouths, you’re just itching to find fault with everything.”
“Is it my fault that you have so many faults to find?”
“Stop teasing me!”
At Shafer’s indignant outcry, April burst into laughter.
As she laughed, Shafer toyed with his ear, which had grown inexplicably hot, and demanded, “So? Is that it? Is that all you wanted to say?”
“That was a question. Would that be all I had to say?”
“If you keep responding to me like that, I’m leaving.”
“No, I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”
As April spoke, she grabbed the arm of Shafer, who was genuinely making a move to leave.
Startled by her touch, Shafer abruptly shook her hand off. Then, thinking he had shaken her off too harshly, he lightly tapped the back of April’s hand to convey his apology and asked, “What is it? Just say it.”
“I want the Grand Duchy to become strong.”
“So do I.”
“As it happens, you graduated from the Military Academy, and you’re a soldier.”
“I am.”
“What do you think of the Grand Duchy’s military system?”
“I don’t think we have one. A system, that is.”
“If the merchant ships return safely.”
“As if that would happen.”
April frowned at Shafer’s retort. But she quickly continued.
“Even so, if that does happen, I’ll invest in it, so why don’t you try building a system? You can just copy the Empire’s.”
At April’s proposal, Shafer grinned.
“Why are you the one suggesting my dream to me?”
