Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 10 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 ♦ The Activated Trap

​The curtain of night had not yet completely fallen, but the gathering on “ Noah’s Ark” had already started. 

The shadows of several dozens of people were gathered on the pier. Most of them were the London affluent who could afford things such as expensive tickets. 

Out of the fear stemming from the disease, whether rich or poor, all had hoped for an opportunity of salvation by luck. 

Therefore, in the minds of such people, the interior of “Noah’s Ark” was indeed completely isolated from the outside. 

The entrance was equipped with double-decked front doors. Passing through there, the people were introduced to the next layer, which was the lower deck with a broad hall.

The windows were being blocked by shutters, and once the lights went out, the space would be filled with complete darkness. 

The people confined inside could not tell whether it was daytime or if it was night. It was even difficult for people to breath in the hall, and the only things keeping them remotely comfortable were the ceiling fans. 

Even the mechanical vibrations could not be felt.  After reviewing the vessel, Edgar found that it was actually a reformed sailing ship.  It looked like no steam power was being used. Perhaps the rotation of the fan also depended on manpower, in addition, there were no other equipment to be seen either. 

It looked like the ship was a spatial shell.

The floor of the party venue was carpeted, but to those who were used to such luxuries, it seemed a little too plain.

The real value of the ship, was not its decor, but the latest science and technology-- was what the guide excitedly explained. 

He went on and continued to say that the ship had a safe ventilation system that could purify the air contaminated with the disease. As long as it was breathed in for at least an hour, it was possible to last 24 hours outside without getting sick.

Edgar confirmed the number of the “Scarlett Moon” members that were mixed in with the crowd that was on board. 

“Lord Edgar, please do not drink the beverages here. ”  

Raven precisely said, as he had gotten a hold of an expensive glass of wine. 

Edgar nodded, convinced that something must have been added inside.

"Is the room being watched from the outside?”  

“I believe so. ”  

Edgar deliberately looked around on all sides, carefully confirming the room's few exits. He memorized the intervals between each chandelier. (?)

“So, everybody, please feel free to chat for a while, and as you wait for everything to be ready, Moses Aruba will be greeting you all one-by-one in a moment. ”  

As the guide finished saying that and exited from the room, Edgar whispered to Raven. 

“Create a closed space. Protect the exit.  ”  

So, Raven stealthily neared the door which Edgar had been gazing at.

Before all the gate-like doors stood two security guards. But Edgar was sure that Raven would be able to handle them easily. 

Edgar approached near a candelabra. He pretended to accidentally push it against the water filled vase, putting out the candlelight. 

In the corner shrouded by the sudden darkness. Edgar felt Raven ambush the two security guards from behind him. 

He didn’t even hear the groans of those security guards. 

Only with the sound of clothing rubbing together, could he tell that Raven had succeeded. Then, he traced along the wall in order to find the entrance. 

He saw that the people were concentrated into an entry hole in the main hall. One-by-one they went, lightly slipping their bodies into the door on the other side.

The dark, gloomy stair steps were connected to the bottom, but there seemed to be no figure of a person being underneath there.

“All the people who gathered to attend the party had fallen asleep. What exactly are they trying to do?”  

Edgar walked down the stairs as Raven followed closely behind.

“The ‘Scarlett Moon’ partners should not drink the wine.” ”  

"I hope so. ”  

Both Edgar and Raven immediately stopped talking, halting their footsteps.

In front of them was a dimly lit room, from which they heard faint voices.

The two gathered together to observe. It was the acquaintance of Paul who he met a few days ago, and the one who had also accompanied the owner of the “Ark” Aruba at the cafe.

The two people appeared to be killing time and one began to speak.

“Is Aruba all right? How did it turn out this way. ”  

“Well, the guy’s hotel attendant also said that the man sometimes looked like he was dead. How did he completely change? ”  

“He used very unrefined English and said that he wasn’t Aruba. Just now, he was ordering us around when he suddenly started to cry, requesting for help. ”  

“I think that he's mad. ”  

Edgar immediately frowned as he took in the new information.

This man, Aruba, although he was educated and brainwashed to be like Prince, it appeared as if his soul was not completely erased.

“That Aruba’s younger brother is also very strange. That kid looks as though he doesn't take Aruba seriously at all, but sometimes screams could be heard from Aruba’s room? It’s really creepy. Are they really brothers?”  

“However, if they weren’t brothers, why he would he invest a great sum of money into ‘Noah’s Ark'? And those passengers ... What significance do they have on that boy?”  

It’s Ulysses.

Ulysses is scheming something - something that involved the passengers and this ship.

He must find out what it was.

Edgar made a sign to enter towards Raven. Raven nodded and acted immediately.

"Hey, why's the venue so quiet right now? Let's go take a look. ”  

"Oh, really? Why don't you go?”  

Although they were very concerned, the two did not appear as if they were going to leave their seats anytime soon. Just then, Raven approached the two people quietly.

They failed to notice someone was there, until they suddenly raised their heads. But by then, Raven was already right in front of them.

Raven kicked down the person who hurriedly stood up. The man struck the wall together with the chair and fainted. In a moment, he grabbed the scruff of another man’s neck, pulling his face toward Edgar’s direction.

"Inciting people to buy tickets for the ship and imprisoning them… Hmm, what is going on, I wonder? ”  

Edgar walked up to the the man who was said to be Paul’s acquaintance named Greg.

“You... what are you doing?”  

"What's going on with the passengers? ”  

“Very soon, there will be many people coming here. ”  

“Well then, we must make the best use of the time we have left. ”  

Taking out a pistol, Edgar pointed it at the man’s forehead.

"If you don't speak, you'll lose your life before anyone shows up.  Where is Aruba and his younger brother? Clearly state their plans to me. ”  

With ice-cold eyes and a faint smile, Edgar indeed looked as if it was easy for him to pull the trigger. 

Greg could feel that it was not just a threat, and deduced that if he lied , he really would be killed. 

It wasn't even a bargain, and if he hesitated, he would have definitely been found out.

“I.....do not know anything. I’m just cooperating with Aruba for money.....that is it.  ”  

Greg felt that he was in a very dangerous situation. He looked frightened as he confessed those words.

"Moreover, Aruba is not here. We are only responsible for boarding the passengers onto the ship.  ”  

Edgar felt that he was not answering truthfully.

According to the dialogue these two people just exchanged, they clearly knew what happened to the passengers, which was why this guy, Edgar thought, was hesitating now. 

Edgar jabbed the butt of his pistol into Greg's face.

He got knocked over, but didn’t fall as he was caught by Raven.  After a while, when he regained consciousness, Edgar went on to continue his interrogation. 

“Then let me ask you another question, what did you do to Paul? ”  

He made an apparent panicked expression.

“You recently went to the Eastern district and met your former acquaintance, Paul Ferman there. ”  

“....Paul.....?”  

Greg avoided looking into Edgar's eyes and glanced at the wall behind them. 

Edgar noted there was a hidden doorway where Greg glanced at. He inspected the wall immediately and discovered a gap. He shoved open the wall there. 

"Raven, bring that guy over.”  

There was a deep, dark passage leading to the inside. 

"Wait, let’s not go in. ”  

“Why?”  

“Light cannot be brought within that room. ”  

Greg panicked more. Raven picked up the candlestick from the room and began to move forward.

While Edgar was deeply thinking how deliberately suspicious the place was, he spotted another door appeared at the end of the passage, but it was locked. 

Just as Edgar was about to shoot it open with his pistol, Greg shouted.

"Don't! Here's the key. ”  

At that moment, Edgar had a bad feeling about the contents of that room.  Raven took hold of the key and put the candlestick down. 

The door opened.  The room was very dark, and they couldn’t see anything  clearly but it seemed as if something was moving in the corner. 

“······· Greg? What time is it now? I can’t seem to tell time in this place.  ”  

It was Paul’s voice. 

Raven predicted what circumstance they were clearly in, and warily entered with the candlestick. 

Paul was tied to a post. 

He looked up to the blinding flare and absentmindedly opened his mouth in a daze. 

Paul looked very pale and thin, but not like his life was in danger.  Compared to that, as Edgar looked all around, he found that filling up the hidden warehouse space were large wooden crates. The unique smell they emitted, was filled with a sense of crisis. 

It was gunpowder.

So that was what Greg was afraid of and panicked for. Edgar had also considered the possibility of there being oil and coal gas, but did not think so much as to there being a heavy amount of gunpowder. 

"Raven, get out. ”  

"Lord Edgar.......this ship is too dangerous. Please hurry up and leave. ”  

Paul, examining the situation, also became nervous. 

“You'll also be leaving with us. ”  

Edgar quickly got out a knife and cut the rope tied to Paul. 

“But why have they treated you like so?”  

“······ They are planning to sink the ship. I was directed to come here to work by chance.  I was worried that this place had some relation to the diseases occurring on the East side, so I came here to investigate, but then accidentally discovered the gunpowder, so they had me imprisoned here.  ”  

Greg must have wanted to hide the fact that the gunpowder was discovered, so he had captured and imprisoned Paul here. Fortunately, Ulysses didn’t find out about his presence.  And what was more of a relief was the fact that Greg formerly knew Paul, so he had not done too much harm to Paul. 

Although he was utterly exhausted , Paul showed to be unexpectedly strong. 

But in regards to the current circumstance, Edgar still could not understand.

"Do you need this much gunpowder to sink the ship?”  

Edgar helped Paul up, staring at Greg.

Raven twisted Greg’s arm, he cried out in pain and immediately spoke. 

“....The bridge, they want to destroy the bridge. Those people are going to have this ship hit the stone bridge, along with the passengers as a sacrifice. ”  

London Bridge...?

The upper stream of that bridge is the West side of London, and being called the old city street, has a gather of the upper-class society and the duke nobility residing in that area. Because of this, the London Bridge also resisted the enemy's warship invasion and protected the capital city’s fortress. 

When he thought of it that way, Edgar finally understood. 

Not just human enemies, the Bridge could also potentially ward off the evil fairies and demons on the wetlands of the Thames River, thereby shielding out the Eastern diseases. Lydia had said that London’s magical protection was certainly the London Bridge. 

Meanwhile, Edgar also very well understood Prince’s plan to turn London into ruins, so he couldn’t help but shudder.

For if the Bridge is destroyed, then London would surely be assaulted by the unprecedented diseases. 

"When are they going to implement  this operation.....?”  

Greg was about to reply, when there came a loud voice.

It was the crewmen that they heard from a distance. It seemed as if they discovered an unexpected situation and hence were tailing someone. 

The disordered voices getting closer were certainly of the “Scarlett Moon” members getting caught up in some sort of conflict. 

“Paul, let’s go.  ”  

In any case, he had to take Paul out of there. 

Raven threw Greg on the ground after knocking him out.  The three people who walked out of the room, quietly began to walk back, along the passage. 

But Edgar thought that if they just fled like this, it would not be considered a victory. 

And as long as it was Prince, in the end, no matter what method was used, his intentions would always be to destroy the Bridge’s barrier. 

Even if not, since he was here, he could absolutely not let him off the hook. 

The evil fae of the East side that could not enter the city, had already caused a great deal of deaths in low-lying damp slums. 

And this was certainly subjected to incessantly influence not only the slum areas; the city of the labor force, as well as the economic vitality, could be lost.  By that time, would other ships from around the world, also be neatly parked at the port of the Thames River? If that was to happen then London would be left in traffic paralysis, insufficient provisioning, and even food supply would become scarce.

Just merely having the “Ark” come to a stop was no hope for victory. 

Once you fall into their pockets, one can only be choked to death.

That’s what Edgar was pondering over when he suddenly stopped after hearing footsteps coming from up ahead.  Raven swung in posture but then relaxed a little lifting the alertness immediately. 

"Earl, are you ok?”  

The voice belonged to the twin brothers from “Scarlett Moon”, Jack and Louis. 

The two of them ran to come over, and after they had noticed Paul, Edgar handed him over to them. 

"Another boat has approached us from the outside, and it seems it’s in companionship with the enemy. They have most likely called in reinforcements. We should quickly retreat. ”  

"Yes, so you'll have to take Paul to escape first.  ”  

“But Lord Edgar....you....”

Paul couldn’t control his urge to make a sound.

"Go quickly. I’ll try to divert the enemy’s attention. The enemy’s boat is concentrated on the port’s left side, you escape the river from the right side. ”  

Saying that, Edgar left.

“Lord Edgar!”  

"For the matter on the ship, please ask Paul. Issue these instructions also--first gather everyone together for the battle.  ”  

Directing that to the twins, only Raven afterwards, followed behind Edgar. 

As long as it was where Edgar was, even if it was hell, Raven would follow. However, it was not of Edgar's will - it was Raven's.

“Raven, regardless of how dangerous and difficult the missions I assign to you, would you be able to complete them?”  

“Yes Lord Edgar, regardless of anything. ”  

“Then, I must see Prince’s main body, so long as we’re caught by Ulysses, we should be able to serve that purpose. So during that time, regardless of how much you see me get beaten, do not appear until the time of necessity.  I will call you myself. But before that, you must conceal your presence as you follow behind me. ”  

It really was an exorbitant and  unreasonable request. Raven was to go alone into Prince’s hideout. If he was caught, he would be unquestionably killed on sight as a warning to Edgar.

“Understood. ”  

Even so, Raven still immediately answered. 

Edgar turned to look into his eyes and nodded. Then he surrendered his pistol. 

“After finding out of his hiding place,  inform the “Scarlett Moon” members. ”  

Just like that, Edgar then opened the front door that led to the deck. 

Raven, staying in the original place, blended  into the shadows of a pillar. 

As Edgar walked, he approached the armrest of the ship’s gunwale. 

He was standing in the early morning mist, staring at the mighty waves rise up on the river’s surface to hit the boat--his ears hearing the rowing sounds of the paddle.

Edgar had appeared to be deliberately standing next to an oil lamp’s side. The light of it shined off his golden hair making it resemble the gleam of the sun.   The light from the lamp should have been visible from the small boat. 

Edgar moved along his eyes responding to an intense line of sight that he felt stare back at him from up ahead.  

It was Ulysses.

Regardless of if it’s Prince, I will not yield for anyone.  

Edgar, as if to say that, contemptuously looked down on Ulysses.  

                                       *

The fairy world and human realm were like two separate sides of a thin cloth--like their existence appeared to be unrelated, but in reality was very closely linked.

Although the bare human eye cannot witness the other side of the world, but just as water and air may pass through fabric so easily, was exactly how fairies were also able to freely move back and forth between the two distinct realms.  But even if humans were to cross over between the two territories unintentionally, that wouldn’t be so much of a strange coincidence as the line between the two was so thin.

Similar to how scattered black tea on a cloth would look like, a penetration to the opposite realm would also leave a dark spot. Furthermore, what goes on in the human world could more or less also bring about changes into the fairy world.

Lydia who had been flying up into the air, being led by the Silver fairy, was finally feeling like the fae began to descend and land down. She noticed that a river lied beneath to where they were arriving.

It was the Thames River.

The river shore had no forest nor had a  lawn, only utter darkness.  She knew that darkness to be London’s buildings complexes.

But she couldn’t seem to see anything for there were no street lamps lit.  If ordinary street lamps were turned on like usual, then the light should have already shined brightly throughout the main streets. But now instead the streets and buildings were  completely engulfed in darkness.  It made the huge city near the river bank, look like black ruins.

She discerned that, that was what London looked like from the fairy world.

From here, the figures of people nor any activity from within the city could be visible.  The streets that were bathed in the moonlight shined only from the image of the opposite boundary. What was especially obvious was that the altitude of the buildings had reduced completely.  Because in the fairy world, these buildings were something that was nonexistent.

The silver fae fell to descend toward the image of the street.

At this time, Lydia discovered they approached the downstream of the East side of London, which was covered in darkness with something like squirming worms.  They had now densely suffused the numerous alleys and buildings. Sometimes, it seemed as if the scenery in front of them was like a swarm of black clouds flying in the air.

That such a strange scene had been created from the fairies’ magic gathering so much in one place like this,  Lydia felt it indeed was incredible.

They went along the east side of the street, advancing in front of the Thames River and coming to a stop before the bridge next.

Suffused with a faint light, Lydia understood right away where the magic force was coming from.

It must have been the London bridge that protects the peace in London.

However,  from where it was possible to vaguely see, it seemed like rays of the magic’s light were being dispersed by an evil entity. And Lydia spotted a massive object lying down horizontally on top of the bridge.

She wasn’t exactly clear of it’s shape so she didn’t know what it was, but Lydia had never seen such an enormous kind of black demon.

“It seems the Nightmare has not found our appearance.  We will be landing at the southern end of the Bridge, be sure not to make a sound.  ”  

Was that the Nightmare Kelpie spoke of？

Faced with something far beyond her imagination, and not even being able to recognize the true form of the demon, made Lydia’s whole body covered with  goose bumps.

The silver fae cautiously flew over above the Nightmare, landing quietly on the bridge.

That was only the image of the bridge, but as she looked around, Lydia didn’t feel that the realistic bridge was any more different.

The silver fairy moved toward under the bridge along the stairs, while Lydia and Nico followed behind.

As they just arrived below it, they could see huge piers standing erect there similar to a stone wall.  The fairy gently touched it with his hand.

Then the bridge pier immediately opened up a hole from within it.  The hole that opened into a cavern was very  dark and seemed as if there was no end to it.

"From here you can enter the Saint’s territory domain. Please jump in. ”  

The fairy whispered.

"Oh, in such a place?”  

Lydia hesitated a little.

When she peeped at Nico, his fur stood up on his back and he shook his head desperately.

"Well, you go ahead first. ”  

"Once I go in, the entrance to the cave will shut completely.  ”  

“No way. ”  

"Lydia, wait a minute!You don’t even know what kind of fae he is, how can you walk into such places like this?”  

“As you arrive, you will understand everything.  ”  

The silver fae repeated, still in a desolate manner.  

“Well, if no qualifications are met and if we’re going to get killed because of that, you wouldn’t come and help us after seeing that danger and would just remain indifferent wouldn't.....”

Just as Nico was still speaking, their environment suddenly became pitch black.  It was as if something had blocked the moonlight. They raised their heads and saw the great black shadow leaning out from the bridge with terrifying glowing red eyes, stubbornly staring down at Lydia.

They had been found out by the Nightmare.

“Hurry! Jump in!”  

The silver fairy tried to speak hastily but at that moment the Nightmare had already stretched it’s sharp claws towards them and launched it’s fierce attack.

Lydia froze and could not move in fear.

The silver fae immediately rushed to get in front of Lydia and pushed her into the hole while he shouted loudly.

"Please find the arrow of the sacrificed maiden......”

What does he mean?

Lydia fell into the hole.

She could only see the back of the silver fae for an instant and the nightmare’s claw as it assaulted it.  But her line of sight immediately covered up soon after.

Lydia sank into further darkness.

When she finally came to, she found that she was standing in the dark cave.  She couldn’t find any light source within her surrounding, but in a trance could somewhat see the scenery in front of her. This was most likely because she had entered the magical space.

“Nico? Where are you?”  

Lydia looked around her surrounding anxiously.

“Oh, Ah! ”  

There came a sound from above.  There was something small and grey that was going to fall down to where she was, Lydia panicked as she made a defensive posture.

Nico came rolling down and swayed back and forth while finally standing firm on all four legs.

The fairy cat gasped for breath-- standing to get up on two legs,  he then began to tidy up his bow tie, beard, and hair.  Then with his hands crossed behind his back, and with a look of attitude, he turned his head.

“That fairy, he completely regarded  me as a cat. ”  

Yes because you certainly do seem  like a cat.

“You didn’t hit your face on the ground, that’s already lucky enough. ”  

“That, Lydia, we were closed off in this place by him.  The guy threw us hard in complete force.  ”  

“We’re locked up, we can’t leave?”  

“Yes.  Only the cave and the outside are connected.  ”  

“That being said, is the Nightmare not similar in that it cannot come in either?”  

“But that guy was caught by Nightmare. Perhaps he has already been eaten by now.  What should we do now that we’re thrown in this place?  ”  

“The fairy wanted to guide me in order to bring me here.  In any case, we can only do what he told us to do. His master seems to reside here.  ”  

It wasn’t apparent  if Nightmare’s striking claws brought him grave injuries or not, yet he still suffered in order protect Lydia.

He refused to disclose anything, gave no instructions on how to do the task, but yet saved her to guard a value of hers that even she wasn’t sure of. He meant no malice.

"Ah, he said we’d enter the Saint’s territory. Here, this is the Holy land. ”  

Lydia said, as she started to walk ahead.

"Oh, this stone which makes up the wall, is the bridge to the human world. And whoever put the little cleft in the bridge, did it so as to connect the fairy world with this one.  ”  

The narrow cave passage was similar in complexity to a nest. It was completely hard to know where to walk.

And because they were roads people deliberately built in accordance to their own perception, even Nico didn’t know which direction to go to.

They continuously moved forward with nothing in sight but stone walls. There was also no hint from Lydia to suggest what to do from this point.

Was the fairy’s master really in such a place?

But compared to that, the first important matter was of the “arrow of the sacrificed maiden” the fae spoke of.

So as long as she found it, she had the “qualifications”. Once the eligibility is encountered, the fairy’s master should know what to do with that.

"The arrow is the key … the sacrificed maiden's arrow…what does it mean..? ”  

“The....sacrificed maiden...?”  

“The fairy said that, he hoped the arrow of the sacrificed young girl could be found. ”  

Nico stood up, crossing his arms he began to stroke his beard with a puzzled look.

"Well, Lydia. In case of the real purpose of that guy, what if it’s not to have you lend them your strength, but to have you become the sacrifice instead? ”  

“Me, as their sacrifice?”  

“He was very much willing to talk about wanting to stop the corrosion of the London Bridge.  And, he probably wasn’t capable before of preventing the bridge from getting washed away by the flood, so maybe he’s planning on using a sacrifice in exchange for that?”  

Indeed, that story was also one Lydia knew in the same way. The offering of a sacrifice for fae in exchange for immensely strong magic.

“What to do, even if I found it, what can I use to shoot the arrow with? We're going to get killed for sure!”  

Nico looked around in horror.

“Also, how can an arrow even be shot in this winding cave ? ”  

However, the method of using a sacrifice in order to protect the London Bridge that Nico just spoke of, is probably right.

The London Bridge is the enchanted barrier that protects the capital city from the invasions of evil fae.  In order to maintain its strength, it was necessary that a strong spell had to be cast on it.

Lydia had heard that the human soul being offered in exchange with obtaining the price of magic was the most valuable.

Although, Lydia herself did not have any special power to help protect the London Bridge.  But as a sacrifice, she would become the price for obtaining the magic.

She would become the cornerstone of London.

Perhaps up to now, this bridge’s protection foundation was all because of the countless people who were exchanged.

It was frightening. But Lydia tried to think calmly.

“Nico, if that fairy intends on using sacrifices to protect the bridge, then he is against Prince’s plan of destroying the bridge. Aside from Edgar, who else has Prince as an enemy?”  

Nico suddenly looked up.

“Then, shouldn’t the master of that fairy be the Blue Knight Earl?”  

“The Blue Knight Earl’s bloodline had been cut off and that’s how Edgar, who's not even blood-related, was able to become the Earl, right?”  

“Maybe so, however 100 years ago,, there seemed to be a female countess who was the last to inherit the Earl’s bloodline.  She was Lady Gladys Ashenbert. I heard that 100 years ago, she had driven out the Royal Blood ‘Prince’ whose birth was aided by the dark forces.  ”  

Lydia felt as if she should have known that.  But couldn’t recall it at the moment.

"So, what happened to Gladys Ashenbert?”  

“I heard she had exhausted her strength and died banishing Prince into exile, and she seemed to have left no successor.  ”  

I see.

Lydia was quite naturally able to come up with a conclusion.  

“Wait… Nico, her death took place on the London Bridge.  In order to have it so Prince would never return to England, she became a sacrifice to become the protection of London...”

By making use of the power of the evil fairies, she planned to crush Prince’s plot to overthrow London.   

And in order to banish him, did Lady Gladys finally become the sacrifice in the end?

“The barrier of the London Bridge wards off the evil fae from London, but it has no effect on people.  ”  

“Certainly, Prince must have already returned to his homeland. Except for fairy magic, Prince’s organization does not posses any special strength that’s exclusive from normal people.   ”  

In fact, his Royal family status and the right  of inheritance for the British throne never existed. Prince was also just a civilian.  Because of this, he’s powerless on his own and hence needs the magic of the Unseelie Court in London.

In order to properly impend his plan of London’s invasion.

The former countess Lady Gladys was the one to protect the London Bridge, but who would be the next candidate to protect it now?

“So, is it that the silver fae was actually sent by the late Lady Gladys?And if this is the case then, should he not seek help from the current Earl?”  

“Is he asking me because I’m the fairy doctor of the Earl family?”  

“Don't be an idiot, Lydia. It must be the talented person of the Earl’s line of family who can carry out such a duty.  So even if the Earl is a woman, they are the only ones that can be the sacrifice. ”  

"Then Nico · · · · · · Because I am his fiancée, could that may have been why I was chosen?”  

Because she was his fiancée, she was technically also a member of the Blue Knight Earl's House.

Lydia’s gaze fell onto the Moonstone ring she wore.  Although they were not married yet, as the ring’s owner, it seemed as if she really was the Blue Knight Earl’s wife.

Has it become Lydia's obligation and duty to commit to protecting London, just as the late Lady Gladys did?

“We should escape quickly, Lydia. That's not your obligation. Since when were you the Earl's wife? Right now, there is no official engagement yet. You are a completely unrelated to him and his origins.  ”  

“Yes but.....”

"You don't remember anything, right? Perhaps before you even nod approval, the Earl has already been killed.  ”  

Maybe what Nico was saying was right. After all, Lydia herself also did not want to die here.

But more than anything, she really did want to help Edgar.

“Well, Nico, you should also calm down first. We still don’t know if the fairy intends to look for a sacrifice. And besides, there is also the matter of the “arrow”, what does that mean? The fairy had said to find this “arrow”. Moreover, he said in his words he would protect me if I helped him.  ”  

Nico sighed deeply.

“That guy has already been caught by Nightmare. He's probably dead by now.  ”  

He said, with his hands against the wall when suddenly, he found something that made him make a face full of astonishment.

“Lydia, you can see the outside from here!”  

Because there were certain cracks in the stones, there seemed to be a rip in the enchanted boundary that encircled them, which brought upon the sense of weak air that flowed through.

From there, it was possible to see the Thames River where many ships were gathered.  There was also the figure of a rowing boat.

"There is mankind’s world of London. ”  

"Other than that, if the water’s tides were to rise, then wouldn’t this place also be submerged in water?”  

“... ...Hmm."

At that moment, Nico panicked away from the wall, grasping Lydia’s skirt.

“Above-- we should start walking above ground. ”  

“Uh...um...which way exactly is upwards? ”  

"I don't know, but I know that we have to get going.  ”  

Under Nico’s influence, Lydia also began to run.  She ran as she fought with the feeling of dread coming from her chest.

If she really did drown in the high tides, then she in reality, would have become a sacrifice.

Also, was Lydia really brought here by the will of Lady Gladys, who died a hundred years ago?

If she did become a sacrifice to protect the London Bridge, that would satisfy the Blue Knight Earl’s purpose.  But shouldn't the one that’s entitled to carry out this task be the current Earl, Edgar?

He had already known that the bridge was an important barrier for London, therefore, what did he plan on doing with Lydia? Were his words of being engaged to her just bait to obtain an appropriate sacrifice related to the Earl’s family?

Edgar had always been like that, making use of her kindness.  But even so, Lydia could not bring herself to hate him and still wanted to help him.

It felt like that same situation she was in when she helped him find the treasured sword.

And even now Edgar still wanted to sacrifice her in order to obtain a possibility of the strength that could resist Prince in combat.

And if it was true, then it really was going too far and very frightening for her. Although she wanted to, it was very difficult for her to deny it.

With the reason of engagement, Edgar made the promise to meet again. But was that just a set up to have Lydia come to London under the influence of such words?

Was it all a lie? That vision of him that she recalled-- was filled his adoring eyes and gestures of asking for passionate kisses....

And even his words to her saying “If we’re able to meet again, I will always remember you”---that promise was also etched into her mimd.

Did he say such things because he didn’t expect to see her again?

I was cheated by him ... ...

                                     *

The carriage that had escorted Edgar arrived at an ancient mansion that was a two hour riding distance from London.

Although, Edgar could not estimate where they passed through since he was confined in a carriage with closed off windows. But he knew that the mansion was located in a place far off from the city. Huge city walls and a great big gate that surrounded the mansion, were according to alterations that were previously made to the castle.

When he asked about Prince’s hideout, Ulysses didn’t say anything and just gave him a look of contempt. But he wondered if it was actually by Prince’s orders,  that he was forbidden of his urges to casually hurt Edgar?

He must have felt very bored then.

In any case, Edgar was carefully escorted to this place by Ulysses.

There was probably a room waiting in the mansion that would be used for Edgar’s imprisonment.   Ulysses looked like a mere teenager, but he was a close confidant of Prince, working for him for several decades now, and when he opened his mouth, the first words to shoot out were unpleasant twisted ones.

“That Raven will smell out this place soon enough, Lord, and then he will be buried alive with the dead for his master....You won’t be seeing your bellboy anymore.  ”  

“You will not be able to kill Raven.  ”  

“But, what if you die? I’ll say these words in front of you now Lord; the Prince has not condoned your betrayal nor your foul behavior, he only wants to kill you personally ' which is why he requested for you to be unharmed. And I therefore, do not wish to reduce his Royal highness’s pleasure.  ”  

"Excuse me, but my intention was to kill Prince as well.”  

Ulysses, in order to bear his laughter, started to twist his lips.

“You not only do not possess any weapons, but also don’t have any magic, do you?”  

Well that’s true...

Edgar showed a meaningful smile nonetheless.  At that, Ulysses became even more unhappy, tightening his frown.

"This way, please. Enjoy the mood of prisoners waiting for the death penalty.  ”  

“That, I have already tasted.  ”  

Ulysses, trying not smile, resisted his laughter once more.

Edgar made his way into the open door. The lower half of the window was blocked by wooden boards, and even though there was daylight, the room was still dimly lit.

“There are no lights?”  

“Before, in order to escape, you created a disturbance and ignited your own room.  So in order to prevent similar incidents, any heaters or sources of fire have been gotten rid of. So please endure patiently.   ”  

Ulysses said in a somber way and then closed the door.

Since Prince had said that he didn’t intend to have Edgar live on, then did he decide on having that Aruba person become his successor?

Was he intending to use the Freya stone to obtain that man’s body?

If that is the case, then in order to destroy the essence of Prince, not only Aruba’s physical body, but also the magic power behind Prince’s existence would together need to be annihilated.  

“Is Aruba here?”

Edgar asked, but there was no one else in the room apart from him.  Nevertheless, he was convinced that Raven was in the vicinity, so he continued to say.

“Find that guy and tell him that Prince’s ability to give inheritance to a new successor is not unique to only Aruba-- so maybe from that he’ll start to show concern for the matter. ”  

Outside to where the carriage was parked at the harbor, Edgar glanced at the pile of the cargo boxes stacked high and from there saw that what seemed as Raven’s figure, about to jump on top of the carriages’ roof.  Edgar immediately averted his eyes from the view.

What Raven had done after that, Edgar did not know. However, Edgar knew it was impossible for Raven to violate his orders.

The building’s security was very tight, but compared to how perfectly Prince’s fortress was built in America, it seemed for this one, Prince had insufficient time and resources to secure it in the same way.  If it was easy enough for Raven to arrive here, then invading the building should be no problem.

There was no other answer and so Edgar decided to wait as he went to sit on the sofa.

Where he was, was the enemy’s lair, so Edgar wanted to as soon possible first make use of Aruba.  If he was a doll under Prince’s control, then he would be more afraid of being abandoned by Prince.

That can be taken full advantage of.

Edgar waited motionlessly in silence within the dark.

Minutes and seconds passed and it slowly got darker. The only thing lightly illuminating the room was the faint moonlight.

For all this, it was said that silence and darkness are one’s only partners. To continue to keep on escaping from Prince’s grasp in order to live, Edgar calmly waited.

The silence changed a little around him--telling him that his surroundings were not the same anymore.

Soon after, a faint noise was introduced to Edgar’s ears.

He closed his eyes, trying to put his focus on his auditory nerves.  It was the sound of door keys being dismantled followed by a slow turning of the knob.  The door then slightly opened.

Apart from the faint rays of moonlight that came in through the narrow window, there was nothing in the room.  The invader saw Edgar with his eyes closed and motionless so assumed him to be asleep.

The person that approached near, could not only be sensed by the faint sounds, but also by the flow of their breath into the air. Edgar's senses became sharp-- it was as if he could discern what the shape of the opposite party’s body was and what kind of action they planned to put forth.

Edgar could feel the murderous look.  

Was that person holding a knife?

In the instance a thrust came about from the other party fiercely attacking downward with their knife, Edgar opened his eyes and quickly moved his body.

The knife in the man’s hand stabbed over the sofa.  At the same time, Edgar pulled the man from behind and knocked him down to the ground.

He skillfully pressed down the man’s wrist, taking away the knife and tightly choked the throat of the other party.

Edgar changed the man’s direction towards the window to confirm his face and saw him to be a man with a black mask.  That was a face he had just saw a few days ago, the face of the man called Aruba.

Edgar, peeled his mask, to confirm his face carefully.  As Slade had said, his right eye was destroyed completely, and on his cheek was a large scar of a knife wound.

“Moses Aruba, was this from your own decision? You should well know that an escapade will be reprimanded by Prince. ”  

“Let go! I am Prince. ”  

He said in an arrogant tone.

“Not necessarily.  Otherwise, why did you come here to kill me?”  

“You… do not think for one second that I will let you get away with this.”  

“Is that so? Then tell me, do you have the upper hand in this position right now?”  

“....Because I am Prince, chosen by destiny itself. You....will be killed in any case.  I know that even if I was to kill you now, my superiors would not harshly blame me.  I have it all figured out, that same vision has also emerged within my mind telling me what to do next."

That seems to be perfectly right, was what Edgar was thinking.

Had the correction of completely annihilating one’s personality and implementing new education into the potential successor been complete?

But he and Prince are still not the same.

If his place as the next Prince had already been secured, then he couldn’t possibly feel endangered from Edgar’s presence.

Edgar would have to exploit that weakness of his.

Edgar slowly smiled and leered at Aruba.  He created the same amusedly cold mood as Prince did when he decided on a brutal punishment for his captives.

“You can’t replace me. Prince actually wants to have me as his successor. He need not use a commoner’s body such as yours and become distant of blood ties, but become one with me, with the blood of the noble King running thick in my body. ”  

He could see the distressed look in Aruba’s eyes.

“The Prince definitely loathes me - so much so that he absolutely wants to send me to hell himself. However, if their goal of imprisoning me was simply to kill me off, they didn’t have to go to the lengths of bringing me to this place. ”  

Edgar didn’t think that to this day, Prince was still insisting on his captivity for the purposes of him becoming the next successor.  It should be as what Ulysses was saying, that Prince only really desired Edgar’s captivity in order to torture him until finally killing him.

Because as a potential container to uphold the evil Prince’s soul, Edgar was a failure.

For all this, he must have despised Edgar, and his desire to torture and kill him must have been beyond imagination. Because of this, Edgar had become an existence that cannot simply be granted a quick death.

And from the present situation, it was beginning to appear that Prince was still expecting to put shackles on Edgar again.

“I see you understand Prince very much. Did you also receive that kind of education? Then you should very well understand who Prince is expecting as a successor next. ”  

Aruba’s face distorted.

“When there’ll no longer be a need for you, do you think you’ll be cut into pieces and be thrown into the sewers?”  

Distressed, Aruba now looked like a scattered sight while his pale lips trembled.

“.....no you’re wrong, the ceremony is being prepared.  Soon I will inherit all there is of that essence.....”

He said, and while in a disorder of struggle, he pushed away Edgar.  Then he squatted down on the floor.

He held his head and moaned in pain.

“.....At the ceremony, I will vanish.....and be killed..... ”  

He suddenly changed into a weak voice , and held up his panic-stricken face to look at Edgar.

"What sort of ceremony?”  

After hearing such a question, Aruba started to become more and more nervous.

"Please, please forgive me· · · · I can’t say, I can’t say anything, I also can’t consider to say anything."

The man’s look and tone totally changed.

This man was the original Aruba.

Was the consciousness written off of Aruba?

That was exactly what Greg was talking about--how there would emerge a totally different Aruba from the original personality.

"I'm your partner. Therefore don't worry, I'm not going to punish you.”  

It seemed as if the subordinate of Prince had executed very heavy maltreatment to him. Then in that case Edgar thought it would be a good plan to deliberately appeal to him.

"Partners · · · ·"

"I am here to help you. So I hope you would tell me what this ceremony is that Prince plans on holding?”  

“Ah....help?....that is a lie.....there is a trap. I bet that that’s how it is....."

"You don't want to be killed by Prince, right? Even if you don’t do anything, you will be killed. Thus, even if it may be a trap, you can only rely on my help, no?"

Aruba fell silent.

The pain and suffering he felt were gone.  Prince had also made Edgar feel despair like this.

However, his heart was still alive, he did not despair.

And he was finally seeking help now.

"I want to stop the ceremony. I need your cooperation. ”  

"That sort of thing · · · · · That's impossible · · · · "

"I'm the Blue Knight Earl's successor. Previously, Prince had been expelled from England by the current Earl of that time. Matters of the Blue Knight Earl, you probably ought to hear them often while being around Prince.  ”  

Although Aruba shook his head in a way to show his disbelief, there was a glimmer of light in his pupil.  Edgar, then went on.

“So during this event, you said your soul would be destroyed and Prince would then completely conquer your body? I would like to know the content of the ceremony. ”  

Aruba hesitated to move his line of sight but still opened his mouth and said.

“Oh, they will use the red fluorite to transfer all of Prince’s memory into the new vessel he obtains from me. Those memories would exclusively be memories of the first Prince.  They will very quickly hold that ceremony to transfer the memories by the fluorite into my body....”

“Memories? Is it not the actual soul?”  

“.....I also don’t clearly understand it. What I  heard was only this......”

“After the transfer of the memory, would Prince himself still be living?”  

“.....Well for that matter, the lifespan of the body of his current physicality has already neared it’s extreme limit. So for that....he wanted to obtain my body as an empty shell to which he could infuse his memories into.  It’s in order to obtain a healthy new body so he can continue to command the implementation of important projects. ”  

"What kind of projects? Do you mean the matters with the “Ark”?”  

Aruba then confidently nodded.

If the Freya was able to transfer the memories while Prince was still alive, then he wouldn’t be able to see himself carry out his tasks.

“But, is it really able to transfer memories?”  

So if Aruba could become the new Prince, it would not be strange.

 While he was deep into his thoughts, Aruba all of a sudden laughed in a low voice.

“Well...the memories...when the flame of the Freya is brought amongst the two people, only then would the memories be transferred. The flame is the only thing that could allow for interpersonal communication. ”  

That was another Aruba speaking.  With his messy hair, he looked at Edgar with sharp eyes.

“Obtaining the memories of Prince is just rhe same as reading another person’s biography.  Even by knowing the entire life of that person, it would just be like having the memories of that person. So, it’s impossible to become the same person as the first Prince just by having his memories.   ”  

“So people inheriting Prince’s memories must lose their personality, instilling new knowledge and habits that match Prince.  The education that is instilled in the person before that event takes place, will be mixed with the assimilated memories so that the person is able to become one with Prince.  ”  

He understood that, so it was only a matter of carrying on brainwashing one with education until the time of interpersonal communication.

“So you don’t care if you yourself are killed?”  

“What will be killed will not be me.  Because I am Prince. You are the failure to which the education could not be instilled into, correct? Therefore, that itself is a dissimilarity to Prince. You're able to retain your ego’s self-awareness, so the one to be chosen will be me.  ”  

Aruba laughed aloud.

Then he suddenly held up an urgent appearance again, and held Edgar in an embrace by his body.

"Don't · · · Help me · · I don't want to disappear · · · · · "

Edgar caught the shoulder of the original Aruba.

"Well, I'm going to help you. ”  

Edgar was reminded of his previous self from the past when he looked at this man.

Because of a groundless reason, a little bit of himself was killed.  As long as you were able to see the large scar, you were able to tell just how much torture he was subjected to.

The nailing pain by acupuncture, constrained to go without sleeping until reaching one’s limits, and being forced to go into hunger strikes. That was the norm to how things were done with captives.  And the most beyond all bearing, was witnessing other people in the moment of their deaths being killed in a miserable manner of fear and despair.

Edgar and Aruba had personally experienced such situations in the same way.

Because of this, Edgar had wanted to help him.

"Tell me your original name. ”  

“.....My name is Charles Nodier. I was living a normal happy life, but then suddenly those people came; my wife had been killed, and the whole house was burned.

Even that was exactly the same as his past tragedy. Edgar put his arm around Aruba’s shoulder.

One circumstance was different from Edgar’s though. Aruba’s face had to be destroyed because the organization was unable to get rid of all the people who were acquainted with Aruba. That was not in their control, so they made it so he wouldn’t be recognizable.  

"You don't have to do any more than this again. ”  

Like he was moved from Edgar’s strong rhetoric , Aruba lifted up his head.

“Please don’t let me get near the Freya. For if I was to touch it, then I'd become immediately connected to Prince’s blood and my body will respond to that as memories will flow into me.  After that.....”

“Yes, I know that. So it’s vital to stop the Ceremony.  Do you know where the Freya is located?”  

He really didn’t know, so he shook his head and said.

"I don't even know what that thing is,  I’ve just explained it according to how I’ve heard it. ”  

Just then, the appearance of another Aruba emerged.

Right at that moment Edgar strongly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and drew him near to beat him in his stomach. And at that, he fainted.

“I’m sorry, but in order to keep you from being noisy, I had to tie you up. ”  

Edgar tied up his hands and feet with his tie tightly, and in order to prevent him from making a sound, he plugged his mouth with a handkerchief.  He then started to feel up  Aruba’s chest coat pocket and found the room key that he had conveniently taken away. There was also a tiny piece of folded paper.

It was Raven’s written report.  On it was a rough marking of the top room and the building’s passages.

And behind it was also written that only the East Wing of the mansion had highly alert security.  Besides Prince’s close associates, no one else had access to go in or out.  

Presumably, I’m afraid that is the room Prince is in.

Edgar picked up the mask Aruba was wearing and put it on.  Although the color and stature of the hair were all not the same. However, in the dark night with only the candlestick’s light, it was possible to deceive whoever walked past him.

Edgar pulled out the knife that was plunged into the sofa.

“Raven, invade the East Wing.  ”  

Even when he wasn’t near, Raven was able to deliver the sketch map of the mansion.  After letting Aruba set foot into the room Edgar was held captive in, Raven had already expected how Edgar planned to react. Therefore, he knew what it was that he had to do.

Edgar came out of the room and closed the door, locking it with the keys.

The guards who were to keep watch of the room already had fallen asleep, and Aruba only slightly moved his hands and feet still knocked out.

Edgar strutted along the corridor with confidence, so that even if he was seen by someone across the distance, they wouldn’t think it was the imprisoned Edgar.

He decided to look for Ulysses first.