Fejin, who was quietly looking down at April, responded, "I met my brother, so naturally, I met my sister-in-law too."
"Well, they are married," April said, waiting for Fejin's reaction. However, he simply moved on without much of a response.
"Let's go inside."
His reaction was more mundane than she had expected. Perhaps this wasn't much of a weakness anymore. As April followed him, she said, "You don't seem to have much of a reaction."
"Why, do you want the Grand Duchess to have an affair with me or something?"
"Honestly, I don't think Heidi would be interested in a kid like you. She liked your brother."
"That was when she was young. It's a problem if she still likes someone that young."
"Oh, so now you're confident?"
"Of course."
"Are you crazy?"
Unable to stand his arrogance, April asked sternly, and Fejin replied nonchalantly, "Objectively speaking, I am."
"You're not even joking?"
"Do you think I'm in a position to joke with you?"
"We're not even in a situation where you should be boasting seriously. So, what part of yourself are you so confident in? Your family?"
"My face, obviously."
"..."
"Everyone says it's beautiful. Usually, people are right about these things."
Finally, April was left speechless. Despite her strong dislike for him as a person, she had to admit to herself that his face was indeed beautiful. His eyes were like a lake reflecting the world's true colors, his long eyelashes became more enchanting the closer one got, and even the color of his lips seemed perfectly chosen to match his pale skin. If Miller's face was like one meticulously crafted by a god thinking of classical beauty, Fejin's face was like a beautiful accident discovered among millions of faces.
Even though it was absurd, just looking at his face made her feel captivated. But how could anyone say such a thing so brazenly about themselves? Any normal person wouldn't do that.
As soon as April snapped out of her daze caused by his fox-like demeanor, she turned her head sharply and walked directly towards the mansion's porch. A rope, tied at waist height, signaled not to enter due to the ongoing investigation.
When Fejin tried to lift the rope, April frowned and slapped his arm. As Fejin turned to look at her, a detective inside the mansion hurriedly ran out to untie the rope.
"Please, come in."
"It seems quite cold today. Let's go inside and rest," April said to the detective and stepped forward. Fejin smirked at her back, which seemed to be saying, "Drop dead, you slowpoke."
One of the officers from the Grand Duchy who had followed Fejin commented, "She reminds me of the old Lady Lunos."
"I was just thinking the same. She certainly shows which family she's from."
Despite her family's decline, where even decorative beads and vases were stolen, April's pride in her family remained formidable.
Since getting off the carriage, the cold wind began to feel sharper. Having spent time in the Empire, Fejin had forgotten the biting cold of the Grand Duchy, and he frowned at the chill.
Hoping the indoors would be better, he was dismayed to find that the broken windows let in as much cold air as outside. Thankfully, one of the detectives lit the fireplace, bringing some warmth to a part of the mansion.
Even though the police had followed, being home allowed April to relax a bit. Warming her hands by the fireplace, April looked at Fejin and asked, "Thanks for bringing me home, but what are you here for? Why so many officers?"
"To check the gas pipes."
The two stood on the first floor of the mansion. The unmaintained marble floor had cracks, causing loud sounds each time the officers stepped on them. When something broke with a loud noise, April, who had been visibly irritated, ran towards the sound.
The noise came from a metal door being pried open with a crowbar. The door had been sealed since her house arrest began, and she couldn't even remember what was in the basement.
Paul clicked his tongue at the heavy door, which took several officers to open. "How could they expect her to open this alone?"
It was an unnecessarily strong barrier. With the door removed, they all moved into the dark basement.
April had never been down there herself and stopped at the entrance, looking into the basement now illuminated by the officers' lights.
The basement didn't seem to contain anything important, just tools left by the servants and some empty bottles indicating it had been used as a secret drinking spot.
A detective picked up an empty bottle, saying, "Wow, this drink isn't produced anymore."
Over the past seven years, the Grand Duchy had changed drastically, with many things disappearing and new ones appearing.
While the detective was reminiscing about the now unavailable liquor, the officers continued down another set of stairs to check the gas pipes. As everyone knew, the pipes were broken and blocked.
"The pipes are completely blocked," came a report from below, and everyone in the basement looked at April.
Without gas flowing through the pipes, how had the numerous gas lamps in the mansion been lit every day?
When the police had initially checked with the gas company, there had been no records of gas being supplied to the Lunos family, though they had hoped to find something to justify a massive bill.
The gas company, founded by a noble family from the left island, installed excessive gas lamps on the right island's streets and collected hefty fees sent back to the left island. Knowing this infamy, the officers were certain April Lunos, who had been confined for seven years, couldn't possibly win a fight against them if it came to that.
When the officers came back upstairs after confirming the cut pipes, one of the Grand Duchy's officers, who was in poor health, collapsed.
"Ugh..."
He fell to the floor unconscious.
While everyone was momentarily stunned by the sudden incident, Fejin quickly checked his breathing. Noticing his shallow breaths, he immediately lifted the officer and rushed up the stairs.
April, who had lived relatively peacefully in her house for seven years, was frozen in shock by the sudden situation.
It was only after the officers ran up and cursed at her that she snapped out of it.
Once all the officers were outside, April remained inside for a moment before picking up a lantern from the floor and walking to where the officer had collapsed.
The basement, aside from the completely blocked pipes, had nothing else. The gas had been cut off from outside the estate, so there was no way for gas to enter.
But why?
For the first time in seven years, seeing the pipes with her own eyes, April had to admit that the way the gas lamps had been lit was indeed suspicious.
