The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 89
“April.”
At the sound of her name being called, April opened her eyes.
Fezin spoke.
“You don’t need to pay back the money. I paid it of my own accord, and I’ll handle getting it back myself.”
“……Alright.”
“So let’s act like that never happened. Instead, I want a reward for finding this place for you.”
“I’ll give it to you. Tell me whatever you want.”
“Just once, someday… forgive me.”
“…….”
At Fezin’s low voice, April looked up at him.
His expression was calm.
“Even if you hate me terribly, even if you want to kill me, even if I’m an absolute piece of trash… just once.”
“…….”
“No matter what I’ve done, forgive me.”
The wind blew, and at some point, the mass had begun; the hymns of the monastery monks could be heard. The music drifted like scattered flowers over the wind, the cliffs, and the sea.
“……I don’t think I can do it right away. Just because I promise to forgive you doesn’t mean every emotion disappears instantly.”
“That’s true.”
“But I’ll try. To forgive you someday.”
Thinking it was a very characteristic answer for her, Fezin let out a low chuckle and muttered.
“Sounds like you’re saying you’ll forgive me right before you die.”
“I don’t even know how much or what you did wrong.”
“Then it’s only rational.”
Fezin took a deep, refreshing breath as if that were enough, then tapped his arm, signaling her to take it. April wrapped her arms tightly around his and headed toward the carriage.
* * *
It was deep into the night when the two returned to the Runos mansion.
Even though April hadn’t turned them on, all the gas lamps were lit. It was a brilliant night.
After placing the urn and the mementos in a safe place, the two left the manor again. This was because Fezin had said he wanted to see the Grand Banquet Hall where the funeral would be held.
Late at night, the two made their way toward the Grand Banquet Hall. Snow was falling tonight as well, but perhaps because there were signs of the temperature rising just above freezing, the accumulating snow felt nothing but cozy.
The Grand Banquet Hall, reached by walking through the snowy path, was dark. There were chandeliers here, and wall lamps were positioned throughout.
In the height of summer, the Right Island experienced nights close to the midnight sun for over a week. Conversely, the polar nights were long, so the chandeliers served to illuminate those endless nights all day long.
Fezin lit a few of the wall lamps in the Grand Banquet Hall.
Though the wall lamps were spaced closely enough to be sufficiently bright, they were inadequate for appreciating just how beautiful this banquet hall truly was.
Fezin looked around the hall, letting out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
“Even the money you had wouldn’t have been enough.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t enough, so I borrowed money using the estate as collateral.”
The Grand Banquet Hall didn’t even compare to the image Fezin remembered.
Bauman had gathered all sorts of artisans who had been resting after losing their jobs to mass-production factories; they had repaired and repainted every piece of high-end furniture here.
When the Lunos family fell, the items the servants had stolen most easily and frequently were the silver cutlery, all of which had also been newly purchased.
The vases, the immense amount of curtains surrounding the hall, the tablecloths, and the staggering quantity of candles were each, every one of them, top-quality goods.
She had spared no expense even on the tiny details that wouldn’t be seen properly unless one climbed up to the chandeliers.
Consequently, this banquet hall gave off the feeling of having been newly built by a young person who had just come into a great fortune. It suited the April Runos standing here perfectly.
April spoke as she followed him, looking around the hall.
“This is my first trading ship.”
“…….”
“Is it too much? Thinking of making money through my parents’ funeral.”
Fezin chuckled at her question.
“You say that because you don’t know them. They’d be so proud they wouldn’t be able to stand it.”
“Would they?”
“Of course.”
Fezin was certain.
If the former Head of the Family Lunos had seen this, he surely would have been so proud he might have even stolen away to shed a secret tear.
“Because that’s how much they love you.”
April turned to look at Fezin as he spoke. Then, she gave a wide smile and nodded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But first. Let’s dance.”
“Dance?”
“This is a banquet hall. Actually, we should have held a party first, but that’s not possible. So let’s dance, just the two of us. For the sake of the hall.”
“Hmm…… Strangely, that sounds like it makes sense.”
“Hurry.”
Fezin opened both arms, inviting her.
April made a show of hesitating, but she hadn’t the slightest intention of refusing the dance from the beginning.
In a banquet hall with neither music nor guests, the two began to dance.
Since there was no music, they kept the beat themselves with their voices.
Perhaps no one would come to this funeral.
If that happened, April’s first trading ship would sink into the sea just like that.
There would be no second chance, and the Lunos estate, which served as collateral, would be carved into pieces and sold off.
April didn’t expect success, nor did she fear failure.
Just one thing.
She simply had no intention of continuing to live this way.
She wanted a massive change.
It didn’t matter if that change was a success or a failure. It just had to be massive.
That was the very essence of the April that Fezin remembered.
The self-centered, supreme being who was at times evil enough to seem pure, and at others seemed like someone merely acting with justice—the natural-born master of this vast Lunos territory.
The two found dancing without music more enjoyable than expected and continued for a long while.
* * *
To say that nothing would change was a lie. Both Fezin and April ran into trouble during the process of parting.
When April tried to come out to see him off, following the etiquette she had been taught since childhood, Fezin spoke with his signature look of annoyance.
“Why are you following me out? I can go on my own.”
“I have to see off a guest.”
“Since when was I a guest? I’ve always barged in whenever I wanted to come.”
“Well, that’s certainly true.”
When April agreed so strongly, Fezin looked displeased again. That expression was so funny that April laughed despite herself.
Fezin had escorted her to her bedroom, but once there, neither felt like sending the other away or leaving. Since they had both caught a glimpse of each other’s feelings, no one rushed the other.
Hating that moment of indecision, April simply and honestly grabbed Fezin’s arm.
“Don’t go.”
While welcoming that honesty, Fezin gave a reply he didn’t mean.
“I told you, the Emperor said I’m idling too much and told me to catch a pickpocket or something. I have to improve my performance record.”
“Do it here. Catch them here.”
She spoke so firmly that Fezin almost accidentally agreed to do so.
Persuading with one’s face is bad enough, but persuading with one’s eyes is even worse.
It was clear. Seeing how he felt the weight of persuasion in April’s words—as she stared at him with those incredibly beautiful eyes and said something as nonsensical as ‘try catching a thief who broke into someone else’s house in my house.’
Those eyes, like flames in the deep night, bewitched him.
When no words of refusal came and he only checked the clock a few times with his gaze, April finally let go of his collar and spoke.
“Fine, go.”
“Why are you letting go so easily now?”
“You said you were going.”
“Do I want to go? You should have held onto me more and told me not to.”
Looking dumbfounded at Fezin’s grumbling, April said,
“It’s a good thing we’re in a position where we can’t get married. We would have broken up after fighting every single day anyway.”
“Are you taking the words right out of my mouth?”
“I suppose it’s something we both have to say.”
After bickering like that, Fezin, who had left as if he were truly going this time, returned shortly.
In his hands were a bottle of liquor and two glass cups. He, too, had been quite unwilling to leave.
