The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 33
「It is not as if such a thing would be possible anyway. How on earth could I ever harm the Grand Duke?」
April continued speaking as she picked up a biscuit the maid had placed before her.
「Revenge is a matter for later. Only after I find a husband, give birth to an heir, and that heir reaches adulthood.」
「So you do intend to seek revenge eventually.」
「There is no need to worry about things twenty years in the future already.」
As April said this, she began to open the lids of the small cups set beside her, which were decorated with flowers and butterflies.
The cups containing butter, jam, and cream were all of different shapes.
The butter dish was closer to a plate than a cup; the cream pitcher had a handle for easy pouring; and the jam cup included a large saucer to ensure the guest would not be troubled by any spills on the tablecloth while serving themselves.
April, who was fond of raspberry jam and custard cream, spread both generously.
It had been a long time since she had tasted jam and cream of such high quality, and her gaze kept drifting toward them even as they spoke.
She felt it might be better to simply take a bite, remind herself that it was a flavor she already knew, and then return to the conversation.
Fortunately, Fezin waited without rushing her while she sufficiently filled the space between the two biscuits. He even turned his gaze completely toward the window and made idle talk.
「The sky is overcast. It looks like it will snow.」
In the meantime, April put the cookie in her mouth with a delighted expression. Fezin, on the other hand, found it too bothersome to even scoop jam, so he pulled the square box of chocolates laid out in the center toward himself.
He first picked out the trapezoid-shaped chocolates, piled them on a plate, and moved them toward April before selecting one for himself from the remainder.
April asked with a hint of a smile as she looked at the plate of chocolates.
「You remember this?」
「Yeah, I learned it while being beaten by you.」
「I never hit you.」
「You hit me with your words. 'The hills belong to Lunos, don't you dare touch a single one.'」
When Fezin mimicked the young April’s way of speaking, she narrowed her eyes and shot him a glare.
「I didn't go that far.」
「No, you said exactly that. That is why I still cannot eat the hills. For fear of being cursed out by you.」
「I really want to hit you right now.」
「But since I set yours aside, the reason for hitting me has vanished. How clever is that?」
There was something both annoying and endearing about Fezin’s mischievous tone, and April finally burst into laughter. She pulled the plate of chocolates even closer to her.
The pastry chef of the Dieus family had crafted the chocolates in four shapes representing the house of Dieus.
A trapezoid symbolizing the hills, a diamond for the sword, a square with ripples for the waves, and finally, the rose.
The fillings were identifiable by small dots marked on top of the chocolates, and the shapes and fillings were combined regardless of one another.
As a child, April would only pick the trapezoid chocolates. It was because the Lunos mansion also sat atop a hill.
The sensation on her tongue, revived by the sweetness, drew her toward the chocolates.
April selected one filled with orange jam, but remembering that their conversation had been interrupted, she spoke without eating it yet.
「Anyway, about the favor.」
「Eat first.」
When Fezin gestured with his chin, April replied.
「Talk first. I have been waiting.」
「We can talk anytime. Can you not even wait to finish a single chocolate?」
At Fezin's words, April nodded and put the orange chocolate into her mouth.
She had come to ask a favor, but it was a more pleasant time than she had expected.
After finishing the chocolate and having a cup of tea, April spoke to Fezin.
「Until I have raised an heir, I cannot do anything that would harm the Dieus family. You know that.」
「Hmm.」
「My goal is to restore the Lunos family. Revenge will come after that, no matter what.」
「But if you fail to restore the Lunos family, you will have nothing left to lose. And people with nothing to lose are the most dangerous.」
Thinking his response might be a refusal, April narrowed her eyes. Then Fezin continued.
「So, it seems the right thing to do is to help restore the Lunos family.」
「...Is that how you reach that conclusion?」
「Why, do you dislike it?」
「No. It is just that I like it so much. I can hardly believe it.」
Fezin gave a short laugh at April’s hurried reply. He then called for the Butler and whispered a request into his ear.
A moment later, as Pascal brought an invitation on a tray, April felt a chilling shiver spread down her spine.
It was an invitation from Heidi Dieus.
「It is in three days. Let us go together.」
「Are you telling me now that you will take me to a party hosted by the Grand Duchess?」
「If you are going to make it big, you should start big.」
She had only asked for a foot in the door of high society, but the answer that came back was an offer to take her to a party at the very peak of that triangle from the start.
A party held by Heidi Dieus.
Wary of Fezin’s excessive kindness, April asked with a guarded face.
「Why are you doing this for me?」
「What are you saying now, after coming here on your own two feet to ask for a favor?」
「Even if it is twenty years from now, I might still harm your brother.」
「I think you could harm my brother even tomorrow, but preventing that is my job.」
「I suppose so.」
April agreed. She reached out and opened the invitation.
It was a sponsorship party for the victims of the Mist.
If the person accused of causing that Mist were to appear at such a party...
April spoke as she stared at the invitation.
「If I go, I will ruin the party.」
「And?」
「I meant that it is the best possible choice.」
「Yes, that is how I heard it, but I was just checking in case I misunderstood.」
April laughed in spite of herself at his answer.
However, that laughter quickly vanished as she checked the invitation once more.
A party in three days.
A party that, in three days, would be filled with enemies.
Regardless, April had seized her opportunity. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to recall the dresses at the Lunos mansion.
Since she did not know the current state of society, even deciding what to wear was a hurdle.
Fortunately, Fezin spoke up.
「I will prepare the dress and the carriage and come to the Lunos mansion, so you just prepare the flower.」
「The flower?」
「It is written right there.」
When April belatedly looked at the last line of the invitation, she saw a request for everyone to wear a Dahlia decoration.
It was a flower difficult to obtain in the Grand Duchy, but compared to Fezin having to prepare a dress in three days, it was no trouble at all.
April asked.
「How are you going to get a dress?」
「I am going to the Empire on tonight's ship. If I buy a suitable ready-made dress there, it will be better than anything tailored here. After all, what is in fashion there becomes the trend here the following year.」
「That is true.」
It was a plausible suggestion.
Feeling more at ease, April asked.
「What business do you have in the Empire?」
「I have something to report.」
「Have you actually done enough work to have something to report?」
「Yes, I have done quite a lo-ot behind your back.」
Fezin's words could have sounded sarcastic, but they were laced with playfulness, making April burst into laughter.
After laughing like that, she murmured to herself without realizing it.
「...I am laughing quite a lot today.」
「Indeed, you are laughing well.」
Fezin agreed, and noticing Logan hovering outside, he said to April.
「It is about time you departed.」
「Right. Thank you for granting my favor.」
「I get to decide the compensation, right? Since I am granting such a huge favor.」
「What do you intend to set it as?」
「There is not much you can do for me right now, so let us talk about it when you are a bit more successful.」
Fezin spoke casually, but April nodded as if accepting something obvious.
「Fine, since it was a favor that difficult.」
However, seeing him postpone it like this, April guessed that she would end up fulfilling a very difficult request—and she steeled herself for it then and there.
