Translator: Nox

The Mansion Awaits Spring

Chapter 4

He continued shortly after.

“I’m joking. I know you have a lot on your plate.”

“Fezin.”

Miller finally pushed himself up. He approached Fezin and spoke in a low voice, making sure they weren’t overheard.

“That witch—we have to kill her, don’t we?”

“Even if she is a witch, I can’t just kill her. Not if I can’t prove she committed murder.”

“How do you prove a witch’s murder? It’s impossible.”

At that, Fezin fixed his eyes on Miller and asked, “Impossible?”

“Exactly. Not without the Church’s help. So hand her over to the Church for trial.”

“The Church? Are you disregarding the Rasa Police?”

“It’s not that…”

“The Church doesn’t conduct trials. Judges do. And the Police conduct the investigations. Furthermore, the Rasa Police don’t require the Grand Duke’s permission.”

Fezin paused for a moment and looked toward the Grand Duchess.

His expression softened after meeting the eyes of Heidi, who was hesitating, unsure of how to diffuse the sour atmosphere between the brothers.

In any case, seeing that his younger brother looked like he had no desire to stay a moment longer, Miller grabbed Fezin’s arm and quickly delivered his remaining words.

“I heard your grades were exceptional. If our parents were still alive, you would have received much more praise. I’m sorry this is all I can do for you.”

Fezin let out a weary sigh and asked, “What do I have to do for you to accept that I’m an adult now?”

“I’m not saying this because I think you’re a child. The Grand Duchy has high expectations for you. Be the bridge that connects the two islands, Pezin Dieus.”

“I know that better than anyone, even if you don’t say it.”

Fezin answered curtly, but he still gave the couple a polite bow before turning away.

Miller called out to his retreating back.

“We’re having a party before the year is out, Fezin\!”

“Do whatever you want. I’m not going,” Fezin said indifferently as he walked away.

Miller was just grateful he’d gotten a reply at all. He let out a long sigh and leaned back into his chair.

“They really were cuter when they were little. I hope my sons never grow up.”

“I know. It’s a shame how they grow every single day.”

Heidi agreed with him. Then, she asked as if she still couldn’t believe it, “But truly, do you think Lady April has something to do with the Night of the Witch?”

“I don’t know. But that girl... with the malice she harbors, she’s capable of anything.”

Miller clicked his tongue, remembering the young girl who used to follow him around.

The look in the eyes of someone who had gotten everything they ever wanted from the moment they were born.

Thinking about spending the rest of his life with that overconfident April Runos, who was certain nothing would ever go against her will, had made him want to bash his head against a wall and die.

When the trial to dissolve their engagement ended in Miller’s victory, and her parents were executed immediately after, April had been no different from a madwoman.

He remembered her with her hair disheveled, crouching inside a cage and cursing him.

「I’ll come for you after seven years. I won’t let you get away with this.」

The way she had gritted her teeth while saying that was more than enough to evoke the image of a witch.

* * *

The Grand Duchy Police station was familiar to April Runos. It was a place she had frequented for over a year during her trials.

The police had relentlessly searched for evidence that April had caused the fog, but trying to find physical evidence for a supernatural event yielded absolutely nothing.

In the meantime, Fezin returned from the Grand Ducal Residence.

He clicked his tongue at the news that they had found nothing and stepped into the interrogation room.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, April was sitting there without causing any sort of scene.

Instead, she was observing the view outside the police station window. Having been confined in a hole for seven years, it wasn't strange for her to find everything fascinating.

The past seven years in the Grand Duchy had been a period of development at a pace incomparable to any other time in its history.

The technology brought in from the Empire created a massive gap from how the Grand Duchy used to be. It had transformed the Right Island into a new world.

Unaware that Fezin had entered, April was doing her best to study the small portion of the landscape she could see from her seat.

Fezin asked the Grand Duchy Police officer standing in the hallway, “Handcuffs are necessary when there’s a risk of flight, but why did you put them on April Runos? Are you afraid that woman is going to jump you with a knife?”

“W-Well, sir, you never know. If she uses a spell or something…”

“So you’re saying the handcuffs prevented her from using magic. How clever.”

The Grand Duchy officer’s ears turned bright red at Fezin’s sarcasm. As soon as Fezin held out his hand, the officer hurried to find the key and offered it with both hands.

Fezin took the key and approached April, first unlocking her right wrist from the handcuff attached to the table.

April flinched, only just noticing his presence, but immediately after her relief, she narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

“Did Miller tell you to kill me?”

“I’m Imperial Police. I don’t take orders from the Grand Duke.”

“Then you brought me here solely on your own judgment?”

“See? Now that’s clever.”

Fezin remarked snidely to the Grand Duchy officer waiting by the door.

April tapped the table with her freed right hand and asked, “How long do I have to stay here? Let me out already.”

“Oh, right, I guess someone you know has arrived.”

“Are you all idiots? How could I possibly kill someone? How did you even become a policeman with that brain?”

“Insulting the police is my job. If you don't stay quiet, I won't unlock the other one.”

When Fezin pointed to her left wrist, April scowled deeply and whipped her head toward the window.

Her temperament—getting upset the moment things don’t go her way—is exactly the same, Fezin thought as he finished unlocking the left wrist.

The moment she was freed, April picked up the water cup sitting nearby and splashed it right into Fezin’s face.

Fezin, momentarily stunned by the absurdity of it, cursed under his breath. He wiped the water from his face with his hand and spoke.

“I thought seven years of confinement would make even a mad dog come to its senses.”

“I have intellect, unlike a dog. That’s why being locked up for something I didn't do only makes me angrier.”

“Your parents tried to kill my brother. There’s no way you didn't know, but even if you truly didn't, it was an offense punishable by execution.”

April faltered at Fezin’s low voice.

Fezin continued, “You only lived because you were young back then. You said you have intellect. You should be able to figure that much out.”

April replied with a pained voice, “Your brother didn't die. I lost my parents.”

“It was through due process.”

At Fezin’s response, which lacked even a shred of sympathy, April lost her will to argue and fell silent.

Fezin walked toward the window, leaned his back against the frame, and opened the case file, gesturing toward the window with his chin.

“Take a look. While I read this.”

“…”

April was appalled by his nonchalant attitude, but she didn't want to spite herself just because she hated him.

She rubbed her wrists, which had been fixed in place for a while, then stood up and walked to the window.

Placing her hands on the windowsill, April muttered bitterly, “It really has changed a lot.”

The world was completely different from seven years ago.

The noise she had been hearing continuously was the sound of engines running, and a tourist tram was making a wide loop around the square.

Everything had become cleaner, and everything had advanced. The buildings themselves were the same, but every detail in between them had changed.