Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 18 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 ♦ Until death do you part

When Edgar returned to the mansion, the sky was already bright. 
He took the stairs up to the private room, and while softly opening the door to the master bedroom, he caught a glimpse of Lydia’s beautiful caramel-colored hair. She was wrapped in blankets, by the window side of the spacious room that was surrounded by luxurious furniture and furnishings. 
At that moment, a ball of gray fur in front of the sofa slowly started to move.  Nico was shaking his fluffy tail as he sat up, giving Edgar a resentful look. 
“Can I come in?”
After Edgar asked in a whisper, Nico snorted through his nose. 
“After the marriage, I shouldn’t have to look after Lydia anymore.”
“I’m sorry, you took care of Lydia for me, didn’t you?”
“Please don’t let this happen again in the future.”
“I hope so too.”
He slightly moved toward the bed. Lydia was curled up, sleeping in a corner of the broad bed. 
Edgar was careful not to wake her, as he stroked her hair with his fingertips. 
“I’m sorry……”
There were tear stains left on her cheeks. Edgar felt a pain in his chest and frowned. 
He wanted to stay by Lydia’s side until she was awake, and hoped to talk with her and find ways to reconcile.
But, he also had “Scarlet Moon” and Slade’s matters to take care of. Since it was already determined that there was an unexpected important figure behind it, the matter had completely fallen into a state of urgent action. 
We have to take the opportunity to attack them while they are still unaware that we already know of their satanic rituals.
Edgar softly kissed Lydia’s head and left her side; Raven was already waiting outside the room. 
“Mr. Florey was in a brothel when we caught him. The prostitutes had already been well bribed.”
“Got it. Raven, I will go visit the nobles that have a relationship with the church next, and find out about bishop in the painting. You can leave Florey to “Scarlet Moon” to take care of. Just in case, you mustn’t let Lydia out of your sight.”
After all, Lydia had visited the monastery that they were likely using to hold their rites. 
If at that time, the ones tracking Claire were members of the group, they might feel that Lydia going to that kind of place alone was very suspicious. 
Edgar and “Scarlet Moon” were linked, and Lydia was his wife, so the possibility of them watching her was very high.
As long as they have Raven, there shouldn’t be a problem. 
After saying that to himself, Edgar left the room. 

“This omelet is truly delicious, and adding all this cream and milk is simply too extravagant. Right, Lydia?”
Nico cheerfully ate his breakfast in big mouthfuls.
He had sat on many soft cushions that were specially prepared for his chair, and then hooked the napkin onto his tie, and was dexterously using a knife and fork. 
“Are you still angry? It’s about time you forgive the Earl. He is a philanderer, which you should know as well.”
Lydia didn’t know how many times she’d sighed last night. She sighed once again, stopping the hand that she was eating with. 
“……I’m not angry. Because I also said too much.”
It was because of this that she didn’t know how to fix the situation. 
“Then you just have to apologize to him for that matter, don’t you?”
“What if he doesn’t forgive me?”
From Edgar’s view, he was probably very disappointed with Lydia yesterday. 
It was clearly because of the magic’s influence that she was hugging other men, yet she only refused Edgar. Moreover, she went as far as wanting to return home. 
“You’re speaking of the Earl that pampers women? He can’t not forgive you.”
Lydia thought, I wonder about that.
No matter how sweet he is to girls, it’s not like he won’t get hurt.
“Perhaps that there’s no way for you to simply change his feelings.”
Because Lydia herself was like that. 
Regardless of the reason, she didn’t want to see him saying sweet words to Claire on her wedding day. 
Not only that, Edgar had also once kissed Claire in a situation without special feelings.
Though the matter had already happened, Lydia was unable to comprehend why he did that kind of thing, and so she had been unable to sort out her feelings.
Perhaps Edgar also embraced the same feeling. Regardless of the reason, no matter who they were, the bride would embrace other men in front of him as soon as she encountered them, so it was natural he would feel unable to forgive her. 
Nico sighed. 
“I had originally thought I could eat however much I wanted from now on...... Raven, bring another cream omelet!”
Did he want to take this opportunity and eat a little more? He waved at Raven who had just come into the morning room. 
“Miss Lydia, would you like to eat some more as well?”
Raven suddenly came over and asked with a serious face. 
“I already……” 
“Well, is there anything else you want to eat?”
“No need, I’m full.”
“As long as it’s something you like, I will prepare it for you regardless of what it is.”
For some reason, he was particularly enthusiastic.
“Regardless of whether it’s fried fish or Scottish whiskey; we also have chocolate with liqueur.”
“Raven, those are all the things I like.”
Nico laughed loudly. 
“……Raven, I didn’t marry Edgar because I was attracted by the food.”
He contemplated a little, as he seemed a bit confused. 
“Then, what were you attracted by?”
Nico held his stomach as he laughed again. 
Although Lydia felt puzzled, she understood that Raven was trying hard to think of how to make her stay in the mansion. 
Making Raven worried wasn’t her intention. She perked up and smiled at Raven.
“Eh, Raven, you don’t have to worry…… This isn’t a serious matter at all, it’s just the kinds of small disputes that we’ve had before, nothing more.”
Although Lydia said that, she thought that perhaps only she thought it was nothing serious, and became dismayed.

​

After breakfast was finished, Lydia changed into her outdoor clothes, and in result, she was found out by Raven. He expressed that he wanted to go together. 
Since this morning, Raven stayed near Lydia, like he was watching over her. 
Although Lydia still doesn’t have any maids, Raven’s work probably wasn’t just serving Lydia breakfast, however he stayed in the morning room all along.  It must have been Edgar who ordered him to do this.
But if this was Edgar’s order, Lydia felt that there probably wasn’t a way to stop Raven from traveling with her. 
“Where would you like to go?”
“Hmm…… I want to go to the church.”
In fact, she was very concerned about the sixth yarn spinner fairy.
“However, Raven, I’m looking for something related to fairies, so if I’m not alone, the fairy might ignore me......”
“I’ll stay at a distance.”
Regardless of how, he seems to have to come with her. 
Lydia arrived at the church; it was different from when the wedding was being celebrated, as it was both peaceful and empty. She asked Raven to wait outside, and he nodded sincerely, which made her relax. 
When she pushed open the giant door and entered the chapel, Lydia sighed deeply. She gazed at the altar with a strange nervous feeling.
The feelings from when she had said the marriage vows naturally revived in her chest.  This was something that wouldn’t change for a lifetime. Lydia became so obstinate because she loved him, and she felt troubled that she might have hurt Edgar.
She sorrowfully looked away from the altar to the corner of a pew. 
There was an old lady sitting there. Only Lydia’s eyes could probably see this. 
Her height was approximately that of a child’s, and her limbs, which seemed like short wooden sticks, came out from her mustard yellow coat. She was hunched over like yesterday, gripping a spindle, eyes opened wide, which were buried in wrinkles, and staring ahead without blinking.
Was she still waiting for the chance to stop the wedding?
Lydia approached this yarn spinner fairy, speaking softly to her. 
“Granny, the wedding has already ended.”
The old lady looked up and stared at Lydia. 
“So it’s about time you returned.”
Staying in a church for a long time, should be equivalent to them having to exercise patience with difficulty in regards to fairies.
Therefore, Lydia came to remind her, however the old fairy stared at her, trembling incessantly.
Had she gone mad? Although Lydia started to be cautious, the old lady suddenly lowered her head as if she lost her strength.
(The Blue Knight Earl of this time pushed me aside as well...... in any case, I am a nuisance, no one is willing to say my name.)
The fairy looked very lonely, and Lydia couldn’t help but tilt her head. 
It wasn’t because the fairy hated the Blue Knight Earl that she tried to create mischief?
“That’s because no one knows your name. If you are willing to tell me, then I can invite you.”
(You want me to tell you my name? Fairies can’t just tell their names to human beings! If I say my name, I’ll have to use magic for humans!)
Of course, for fairies, humans knowing their name would be quite troublesome. However, the Blue Knight Earl knew the names of the other five yarn spinner fairies, and invited them to the wedding, moreover from them, being able to grant their magic blessings seemed to be a very prideful matter.
It was a fairy’s instinct to keep their names unknown, but on the other hand, if their heart wanted to trust someone to call out their name, other fairies had ways to cleverly give humans hints and make humans find out their names.
“Ah, granny, I hope you won’t create mischief for the Earl family anymore. If there is anything I can do for you, I’ll lend a hand.”
(I’ve already decided to hate the Blue Knight! Regardless of what you do, it’s useless. I’ll curse your children, and your children’s children!)
She really was a stubborn and difficult fairy. But, this could be because she hoped for other people to discover her name, yet her expectations weren’t achieved and so she became hostile.
As soon as Lydia thought this, she sympathized with this old woman.
“But, why doesn’t a person like the Blue Knight Earl even know your name?”
While she was pondering, she sat down beside the old lady. 
Was it because this old lady’s vigilance was especially strong? Or did the Blue Knight Earl deliberately ignore her existence in order to discipline her, who was both stubborn and bad-hearted?
(In any case, the Blue Knight is the person who ought to be destroyed. Unless a man gets married, he will won’t be able to maintain his family.)
It seemed that she tried to stop the wedding as a result. 
“Your name, it probably isn’t Gilitrutt*, right?”
(What? No!)
“Then, is it Peeriefool*?”
(Wrong, wrong!)
Next, Lydia said all the fairy names she could think of, but it was to no avail. 
(I don’t want anything to do with you!) 
The fairy said this and immediately disappeared. 
Lydia was worried whether or not she had offended the fairy, but she might have disappeared because a person had entered the chapel. 
Would it be that Raven wasn’t able to wait? Just as she thought that, an unfamiliar young man appeared.
After he approached Lydia, he casually handed her a letter. 
“Just then, a person outside asked me to hand this to you.”
Lydia promptly opened the envelope, and saw a blue ribbon and a letter inside.
This ribbon was an item that Habetrot had enchanted. On the letter, it was briefly written: “I want to apologize to you no matter what. I’ll be waiting for you in Birdsfield.”
Lydia immediately stood up. 
Although there wasn’t a signature, it must have been written by Claire. As expected, the ribbon was with her.
“Excuse me, is the person who gave this to you still nearby?”
“No, that person immediately got in a carriage.”
The young man merely said this and left.  Lydia gave up on pursuing Claire, and started thinking. 
What should I do? If she went to see Claire, then Edgar would naturally be talked about, and she didn’t really want Raven to hear. 
She also remembered, Edgar had once said Claire was related to someone who had wanted to frame “Scarlet Moon”. However, Edgar also said she was only being used, and she didn’t seem to have any direct contact with that organization.  In addition, Lydia had come to think of Claire as a woman, and these two matters were unrelated.
She certainly liked Edgar and was unable to forget him. The reason why she took the ribbon was probably because of that. As she thought this, Lydia felt that she really wasn’t able to understand her frame of mind.
Lydia believed that they were same, girls that had fallen in love.  She became determined, and headed towards the chapel’s back door. 

Lydia got off the street carriage and headed towards the market alone; Birdsfield was unexpectedly empty.
Lydia knew that the celebration had already ended at that time. 
The red brick building’s entrance had been closed, and although the nearby plaza still contained some lorries and wooden boxes, it still felt very spacious. 
When the celebration was held, the street peddlers were tightly lined up next to each other, and the place was so narrow that the vehicles and people were unable to move through comfortably, but it unexpectedly turned out this way and it practically didn’t feel like the same place.
The pavement which had been heavily treaded on still had many wheel marks and footprints remaining, but also because of this, the uninhabited plaza gave an eerie feeling. 
Lydia started to regret coming here alone, but Claire had probably came here alone as well. She pulled herself together and moved towards the building. 
She saw a woman standing by the red brick wall, who at the same time also noticed Lydia, and came scurrying over. 
She stopped not far away before Lydia, lowering her head and saying: 
“Miss Lydia…… Uh, I’m really sorry for yesterday……what’s wrong with me….a person who already has a wife won’t turn to me at all……”
Lydia didn’t know what to say, so she stayed silent. 
“At the time, the Earl definitely tried to make me go back obediently...... I thought so as well, confronting a sad woman who came into the mansion uninvited. If a cold approach caused the other to be too emotional, then the banquet would definitely have gone badly.”
Claire had such an explanation of Edgar’s attitude at that time?
“But, I don’t want to bring trouble to the Earl, I only want to save him.”
“Save him?”
“I beg you, please don’t betray Earl Ashenbert.”
“Are you speaking of me?”
As the topic suddenly veered in an unexpected direction, Lydia gaped at Claire, dumbstruck. She was looking at Lydia with a sense of justice in her eyes. 
“You’re a member of that religious order, aren’t you?”
Religious order…… What’s that?
Lydia was becoming more and more confused. However, Claire seemed to be firmly convinced of something and continued speaking. 
“You mustn’t be like Lord Bourton and do terrible things like sacrificing your family. Even if you sell your soul to the devil, nothing good will come of it!”
“Y--you said devil……?”
Lydia listened up to this point and couldn’t help but cry out. 
“I know everything. There are black masses held at the monastery ruins of the church. Lord Bourton who spoke of devils and such things is related to the religious order…… you also……”
Did Edgar want to know about that religious order’s affairs from her own mouth? While Lydia was thinking, Claire continued speaking in one breath.
“Miss Lydia, you wanted to confirm whether or not I knew the secret, and called me out for that?”
“What?”
“Although I feel…… that this could be a trap, I still want to talk. The Earl really trusts you, so you mustn’t betray him!”
Claire didn’t know what feelings they harbored to finally arrive at the marriage step, and it was fundamentally impossible for her to understand. But compared to refuting this, she felt more concerned about something.
“Hold on, you said that I called you out? It was you who wrote a letter to me.”
Lydia immediately took the blue ribbon out of her pocket for Claire to see. 
Claire flinched, pursing her eyebrows with a complex expression of doubt and shame. 
“That letter…… I couldn’t gather up the courage to send it, it should have already been thrown out……”
“So you’re saying that this isn’t the letter you asked someone to send?”
“……Who did this……?  It shouldn’t……”
(Run away!)
At this time, Lydia’s ears heard someone’s voice. That voice was very hoarse, resembling a fairy voice. 
(Bride of the Blue Knight, quickly run away!)
Was it the yarn spinner granny?
A figure suddenly scuttled out from the shadows of the building. As that was registering in Lydia’s mind, two men appeared from behind before she knew it, they roughly grabbed onto her shoulders. 
“What……”
Lydia was tightly pushed down, unable to move, and could only gaze at the figure from just now holding Claire.
“Who are you people?! Somebody, help……”
Although she wanted to shout, her mouth was covered by a hand. It looked like Claire was hit, and she collapsed on the spot. 
“Are you Lydia Carlton?”
Although her last name was already no longer Carlton, she still subconsciously nodded. The man glanced toward one of his companions by the side. 
“Claire Florey is on that side.”
When she saw the man take out a small knife, Lydia made an indistinct cry. 
“Miss, you be quiet a little. We won’t kill you, but you will become the one to kill that woman.”
The man used even more strength to press Lydia as he spoke.
Why? Lydia could only say that with her eyes. The man exposed a sinister smile. 
“As long as there is a criminal, there won’t be anyone investigating that woman’s affairs again.”
Slade of “Scarlet Moon” was suspected of murder by the Crown.
Those were the people who......
“Fighting over a man, ultimately leading to a murder. Forget it, in any case, this kind of scandal happening to that Earl isn’t unusual……”
Lydia was wondering why he only spoke halfway, when the man suddenly released her. 
Having originally exhausted all her power trying to escape, Lydia fell forward without trouble. As she blankly raised her head, she caught sight of Raven kicking down another person. 
Lydia did everything she could to stand up and look toward Claire’s direction. 
“Hey, hurry up and get rid of the woman!”
The men beside Claire anxiously called out. 
The man holding the knife was bending and leaning down towards Claire. If Claire didn’t move, would she be unconscious? 
“Raven, hurry and save Claire!”
“May I ask why?”
He turned his head, asking indifferently.
There wasn’t time for an explanation. 
Lydia immediately rushed to Claire’s side. 
She grabbed onto the man holding the small knife from behind. 
“You……!”
The man instantly immobilized Lydia. The moment her arms were twisted, her ears heard the man’s blood-curdling shriek.
After the man let go of Lydia, he fell at her feet, and another man fell down beside Claire at the same time. 
“Is this okay, milady?”
Raven spoke indifferently once more.
Lydia breathed a sigh of relief, and leaned against the red brick wall.
“Raven, thank you……”
Raven was expressionless as he picked up the borderless soft hat that had fallen to the ground unbeknownst to Lydia, and handed it to her. 
Catching sight of the unconscious men on the ground, she couldn’t help but tremble, thinking that she didn’t know what could have happened without Raven. 
“Uh, how did you get here?”
“A strange old lady told me. You were not in the church, so I rushed over here.”
Old lady. Was it the same one that had warned Lydia?
Was it the sixth fairy who had been waiting in the church?
She rescued Lydia in spite of everything, was there something wrong?
“Is...... that so. I’m sorry, I left the church without permission.”
As one would expect, Lydia lowered her head, knowing that she should reflect on her reckless actions.
“Then, let us return.”
Raven turned away. 
“Ah, hold on, is there any place nearby that can lend a room? We shouldn’t leave Claire like this.”
Ultimately, Raven became burdened in shouldering Claire. Although he kept his face blank, silently doing according to what she said, would he feel that after Edgar got married, that troublesome matters would increase?
In short, as Raven led Lydia to “Scarlet Moon’s” nearby secret base, he didn’t expose any displeased expressions. But even if he displayed an unhappy face, Lydia wouldn’t be able to tell.
Lydia borrowed a room to let Claire rest. 
“May I ask why we did this?”
After Raven put her down, he suddenly asked in a whisper.
“This woman undoubtedly approached Lord Edgar and hurt you.”
Since that was the case, why did you help her? He probably wanted to say something like that. Although Raven obeyed Lydia’s words, he surely felt that it was unreasonable.
“If it was Lord Edgar, he wouldn’t forgive the man who kissed you while you were sleeping.”
“While sleeping?” 
“She has done this before. When Lord Edgar went to the Bourton’s house as a guest, he was kissed when he fell asleep.”
Kiss… would he be referring to that matter? 
Claire liked Edgar, and it must have been a sudden impulse for her.
But, Lydia found it very suspicious. 
“Was Edgar really asleep?”
Raven subtly looked away.
I knew it. 
After all, it was Edgar, and he ought to have known that Claire was interested in him. A girl quietly approaching him like this, he would definitely pretend to be asleep. 
Lydia’s shoulders drooped helplessly, while also feeling more at ease. Since it wasn’t Edgar playing with the other person’s feelings, she felt glad. 
“Raven, thank you for worrying about me. But I haven’t been hurt by Claire, I just became overly nervous.”
Then, she looked in Claire’s direction. 
“As it was an important day that could only happen once in a lifetime, I didn’t want Edgar touching other women…… I was awfully jealous.”
Lydia sat beside the sofa, pulling on Claire’s hand. 
There was a nasty scar on her hand, which probably came from when she dodged the small knife and was wounded. 
While she wrapped that hand in a handkerchief, Claire seemed to have regained consciousness and opened her eyes.
“……Miss Lydia……? I……”
“Claire, it’s very safe here, you needn’t worry.”
She tried to turn her head but frowned tensely; perhaps it was because she felt pain.
“Did you hit your head? It’s better to lie down first. The wound should only be on the palm of your hand, you just won’t be able to use it for the time being……”
Despite this, Claire was still tried to sit up, barely managing to squeeze out the words:
“I’m sorry…… I misunderstood you, Miss Lydia. It’s all because of me that you were put in danger.”
“……Do you know who called us out?” 
Although she nodded her head, she opened her mouth painfully. 
“It was my brother. I wanted to return the ribbon, so I wrote an apology letter.  He picked up the letter from the paper basket in my room.”
“Your brother? How is that possible, because……”
Lydia couldn’t believe it at that moment. 
Just then, those men were planning to kill Claire. 
“It’s probably because he found out that I knew the religious order’s secrets…… My brother was forced to obey the higher-ups’ commands…… If he resisted, he would be killed. So, even if I am his sister, he has no other choice but to give up on me.”
Was it because Lydia was also suspected of knowing the religious order’s affairs, that she was almost framed into becoming the criminal that killed Claire?
“I truly am very sorry for taking your blue ribbon. I originally wanted to return it, but I was afraid and couldn’t.”
Claire covered her face with both hands. 
“Was it because you like Edgar?”
Lydia asked, seemingly appeasing her.
“It’s only a one-sided love. Although I was only the Bourton family household’s tutor, the Earl was very gentle to me, treating me like a lady.”
“And you liked him as a result.”
“I’m a good-for-nothing girl, I’m not outstanding as a tutor, and even the eldest daughter couldn’t get along with me. However, after the Earl praised me as responsible and enthusiastic, everyone looked at me favorably. I suddenly integrated into that family, the Madam and eldest daughter both became very trusting of me, and I felt like I really became a capable tutor……”
Edgar is that kind of person. As long as he was praising them, no matter what kind of woman they were, they would feel like they had become a princess.  He would guide out the charm that they themselves hadn’t found, and as long as they stayed by his side, the expressions around them would change as a result.
Lydia was also like that. Although she was lead along by Edgar’s magic-like attitude and skilled conversation, she tried not to be fooled on the other hand, and was unable to discern her true feelings for some time. 

Lydia was protecting her heart, believing that if the magic was immediately removed, she would be cautious, and yet didn’t Claire naively fall in love with him?
Lydia felt a little envious. 
If she could have straightforwardly admit Edgar’s merits and openly expressed her feelings, she essentially wouldn’t have quarreled with him.
Since Lydia, who was worried that he was still angry and couldn’t take the initiative to apologize, she felt that her love seemed lacking, and so she felt humiliated.
However, she didn’t have the kind of confidence to face Edgar. 
“Lydia!”
At this moment, the door to the room suddenly opened. 
Edgar rushed into the room. 
Lydia stood up and was immediately surrounded in his embrace.
“It truly is a relief that you are safe and sound.”
“Edgar……”
He withdrew a little and gazed at Lydia’s face. As his face was too close, she wanted to lower her head, but Edgar was holding her face with both his hands, resulting in her simply being unable to move. 
“As soon as I heard the news I flew over. I heard that you were attacked by someone……. did you get hurt? You have no injuries? Ah-- but you must have been scared.”
He tightly embraced Lydia again. As he did that, he seemed to notice Claire on the sofa. 
“What did you try to do to Lydia?”
Lydia was still in his arms, but the voice she heard was different from before, becoming completely cold.
He had just let go of Lydia when he began to interrogate Claire.
“The one who called out Lydia was you, right? On whose orders did you do this?”
“Hold on Edgar, how could you speak to her in that manner? It seemed that you were a little gentler towards her yesterday......”
“Ahh, that’s right, I was bad, Claire. Yesterday I did something that would make you misunderstand. If Lydia were to see this and suffer through something like that, then I cannot forgive myself.”
“N--no, Claire she……”
Although Lydia tried to explain, Edgar wasn’t listening to her, and continued glaring at Claire coldly. 
“You felt that it would be better as long as Lydia disappeared?”
Claire’s face paled, and Lydia desperately intervened between her and Edgar. 
“Edgar! Claire was also attacked just now. They tried to murder Claire and then blame me. It was them who called the two of us to Birdsfield…… They must be the people who framed Mr. Slade!”
After she finished speaking, Edgar finally looked at Lydia. Then he glanced at Raven, and Raven nodded in confirmation. 
“Lord Edgar, it is possible that Miss Florey is truly unconnected to the religious order. The group that attacked the two of them had asked who Miss Lydia was.”
Edgar sighed. He probably understood.
“I see. The religious order that worships devils is apparently quite anxious.”
“Edgar, you knew……”
“I know the general outline of the matter. Mr. Florey spoke of many things. However, because his status was possibly quite low, he didn’t know of anything crucial.”
Lydia looked up at Edgar, stunned. 
“You took Claire’s brother……? Wha-- what did you do?”
“I just forced him to provide help. Right now, his entire body is in good physical condition.”
Edgar finished saying this, reached out to embrace Lydia’s back, then quickly turned away.
“Well, there’s no use staying here for too long. Let’s go back, Lydia.”
“Edgar…… hold on, your attitude towards Claire is honestly……”
Just when Lydia tried to protest, he suddenly stopped. Although he turned his head with an empty smile to look at Claire, his tone hadn’t changed a bit. 
“Miss Florey, when I thought that I might have been deceived by you yesterday, I became really anxious. It’s embarrassing that I misunderstood you, but I am that kind of man. If something happened to Lydia, I would hate you. So long as it’s to protect Lydia, even if I say words of flattery to you, it’s to use you. My sincerest apologies.”
Then, he said to a young member of “Scarlet Moon”, who was outside the door:
“Can you hide Miss Florey here for the time being today? The matters should be settled by tomorrow.”
“Um…… Earl……”
Claire called out, seemingly wanting to cling onto his small consideration, but……
“If an accident happens to you, I worry that Lydia would be angry with me.”
Even when he said this sentence, he maintained that perfect smile. 

After leaving “Scarlet Moon’s” secret stronghold and getting in the carriage alone with Edgar, Lydia suddenly started to feel uneasy. 
Up until now, Edgar had still rushed over as if they didn’t quarrel at all yesterday because he was worried about Lydia, but he was now silent. 
In short, not only did Lydia worry him, she still hadn’t apologized for yesterday’s matter either.
She should have honestly said sorry. Even if she was unable to receive forgiveness immediately, there was no benefit in being troublesome.
Although she thought this, what she actually said was different from what she was thinking.
“Why did you have to give her such a rude attitude?”
Edgar looked at her and sighed heavily. He seemed to be repressing his impatient thoughts, and this made Lydia feel even more uneasy about having to apologize. 
“It’s now unecessary to coax her for her favour, isn’t it?”
Because there’s no longer any merit to using her?
Lydia thought that the reason why Edgar treated Claire coldly was probably because he couldn’t allow her to hope again, while also taking consideration of Lydia’s feelings. However, Edgar didn’t provide an explanation for this, so she felt that Edgar might still be angry about yesterday’s matter.
“If you no longer needed my favour, would you do that to me too?”
I can’t say this kind of thing, it’ll only tear at the wound even more from that stupid quarrel.  Although Lydia thought that, she was unable to stop herself. 
“Because, your attitude isn’t the same as just a moment ago, and now you are ice cold with me. In fact, you simply can’t forgive me, right?”
“The person who can’t forgive me should be you, isn’t it?”
His tone was very cold, and Lydia closed her mouth with fright. 
Lydia had probably always thought she and Claire were very alike. 
The circumstances were very similar as a daughter of a teacher. Even so, Lydia’s father was still healthy, engaged in a profession that had an upper class status, and Lydia was even able to get engaged with a noble. But ever since Claire’s father passed away, she had to work in order to live.
Even if the she still had her brother, she was forced to go out and work. 
In fact, she was also at that age where she should be dressed in wonderful clothes and attending parties.
Although the matter of the ribbon occured, Lydia was unable to blame Claire.
She sympathized with Claire’s reasons for liking Edgar. 
And even Lydia was recently able to approach and live within the world of the upper class at last, because Edgar had played his cards well. 
If Edgar’s heart changed, what would become of her?
There were all kinds of problems related to the marriage ceremony that perplexed him, and also hurt him.  
As Lydia thought this, she still felt uneasy, even though she knew that Edgar wouldn’t treat her the way he did with Claire. And because she had witnessed Edgar’s gentle actions toward Claire, she just couldn’t help imagining the scene of him being able to change his attitude easily.
Lydia understood Edgar’s reason for doing this, and didn’t doubt his love, but because she knew he was angry at her, she felt that if she said anything, she would be given a cold response by him.
“Tonight, it seems that religious order will be holding a mass in the basement of the monastery ruins.”
Edgar said abruptly.
“I’m going to sneak in and make a deal with their leader.”
Lydia lifted her head in astonishment. 
“Tha-that sort of thing can be done?”
“This is an opportunity to rescue Slade. I have a chance.”
However, Edgar intended to step into danger again. 
“They’re the ones who wanted to murder Claire, right? Would she be okay?”
“She only knew of the religious order’s existence. So long as we catch their fox’s tail, those people will probably understand that aggravating matters will only bring trouble to themselves. They would probably halt the punishments and leave her alone.”
Edgar wasn’t looking at Lydia as he spoke. This also brought back Lydia’s feelings of wanting to escape. 
In Lydia’s case, she wasn’t worried about Claire or anything else, it was Edgar.
“Sneaking in is too dangerous.”
You’re worried for me? The usual Edgar would probably say something like this. But it wasn’t the case now.
“Perhaps such an accident is worth rejoicing. Even if I had a contingency, you still wouldn’t be my wife, and there are ways in the law to make this marriage invalid. You can become the Carlton family’s daughter again and return home.”
Lydia really wanted to cover her ears. She endured the tears that nearly forced itself out of her eyes, with both hands tightly clenched into fists on her knees. 
“Wait for a bit while I discuss tonight’s plan with the members of “Scarlet Moon”, I won’t be returning until tomorrow......”
“The one unable to forgive me is actually you!”
Lydia called out, interrupting his indifferent voice. 
“I definitely don’t want to return to the Carlton family! I want to seriously be a couple with you.”
By the time she had realized, she had already reached out and grabbed Edgar’s coat.
Lydia’s eyes met with Edgar’s, who was astonished; she suddenly came to her senses and retreated back to her seat.
“Lydia……”
“Don’t say anything!”
If he said he was unable to feel the same way, Lydia may no longer be able to pull herself together, and would try to jump out of the carriage. 
Lydia clearly knew he was angry with her, so why would she say that as if it she were forcing him?
The anxiety and unease rendered her unable to think. 
“Forget what I said just now. I…… If you are disappointed with me, then regardless of whether you want the to annul the marriage or whatever else……”
No. That wasn’t what I wanted to say.
I should be straightforward with my feelings.  The words that were blurted out just then were her true feelings. 
But her voice was already stuck, and the words wouldn’t come out. 
“I really am a hopeless man. As long as you are in front of me, I will always lose control of myself.”
Edgar lowered his head and said this with a sigh.
“No matter what happens, I can’t let this marriage be void, can’t I? I know I also said horrible things. To be honest, I didn’t know how to make you forgive me, and was afraid of being hated by you, so I desperately restrained myself.”
He worriedly buried his fingers in his hair, then looked at Lydia again. 
“I’m still confused now, even unable to use the usual means. I don’t know if I should apologize to you endlessly, or pretend nothing happened and slowly shorten the distance between us again.  However, you believed that the reason why I wouldn’t touch you was because I couldn’t forgive you?”
He leaned towards Lydia, with the previous oppressive feeling of indifference already completely gone. He revealed a sincere smile, passionately gazing at Lydia. 
“I want to become a couple with you now.” 
His attitude suddenly changed, and as Lydia felt flustered, she subtly retreated again. 
Even if she did this, this place was the inside of a cramped carriage.  At best, she could only press her back against the corner of the seat.
“N-now?……We’re in a carriage right now.”
“You’re not willing?”
Isn’t that obvious?! Lydia almost said this out loud, but thought that he must have been joking, so exposing that kind of sharp attitude maybe wasn’t too good. Just when she was at a loss, Edgar chuckled, already seeming to see through Lydia’s heart. 
“Ahh, the usual Lydia has returned.”
“……Y--yes.”
“You’re not angry anymore, right?”
“……You're not angry either?”
“If you kiss me, you’ll find out.”
The moment that Lydia didn’t know how she ought to answer, the carriage stopped. 
Even though Raven opened the carriage door, Edgar wasn’t willing to get out as if he was waiting for Lydia to move. But, the expressionless Raven was waiting for his master to get out, so she simply couldn’t kiss him. 
“……We’re already home.”
Lydia tried to push Edgar back. 
Although he looked a little dissatisfied, he still got out of the carriage, and entered the house without a word. 
Did I make him unhappy again? Although Lydia thought that, after he gave his hat and cane to Tomkins, who came to welcome them, he suddenly pulled Lydia into his arms. 
“Tomkins, regardless of who comes to visit, don’t notify me for the time being. Even if Her Majesty the Queen appears as well.”
“I understand.”
Tomkins bowed with a face of understanding. 
“Um, Edgar…… Hold on, weren’t you going to discuss something with ‘Scarlet Moon’……?”
He ought to have said so a moment ago. However, Edgar pulled his face close and whispered: 
“My fire is already lit.”
What?
“Raven, before I head over, discuss this evening’s plans with everyone first, then start preparing.”
“Yes.”
Raven immediately nodded, and turned around to leave. 
Wh-what’s going on?
After she slowly began to understand the situation, her face started burning. Edgar was hugging her, and walking in the direction of the private room. 
“Umm……. it still isn’t night yet.”
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be at night.”
I--is that so?
“B--but, the fairies specifically helped me in making pajamas……”
“I’ll think of it as a pleasure for when I return.”
Lydia heard this, and just remembered that he was planning to do something very dangerous.
She stopped, and couldn’t help but show an uneasy expression, but Edgar tenderly smiled at her. 
“It’ll be alright, no matter what happens, I will return to your side.”
After stepping into the room, the gentle afternoon sunlight shining in through the large window could be seen. Lydia felt that the spacious bedroom, which she was alone in yesterday, was a little too bright. But, as she received a playful sort of kiss in the doorway, the housekeeper quietly pulled the curtains. 
“Would you like me to help the Madam get ready?”
“No need, I will do it.”
Lydia wasn’t too sure what this part of the conversation being quietly discussed meant. 
After hearing the sound of the housekeeper shutting the door, Lydia pondered over them being alone, while thinking that what was said just now were quite strange. At that moment, Edgar narrowed his eyes, as if he found it amusing.
“It’s because there are ladies in the world that don’t know how to loosen a corset.”
Lydia did not grow up that sheltered. 
“You know how to?”
Lydia was already unable to understand, and she purely felt odd even at this. 
“I learned in public school.”
Didn’t Edgar not attend school for lessons?
Lydia looked up again and saw Edgar staring at her, amused. She realized she was being teased by him.
At that moment, her body suddenly floated up lightly, but just as she thought that, she was placed down on the bed. 
Lydia gazed at him, astonished as he took off his gloves.  After Lydia’s gloves we also taken off, their fingers immediately intertwined. 
She seemingly became a lady who had never untied her shoelaces before as she simply gazed at Edgar doing so. Although Lydia was willing to follow along with Edgar’s desired actions, she still struggled to think. 

​I still haven’t told him something important. 
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.  The only place that I’m going to return to from now on is by your side.
No, what I want to say should be even more important. 
Only for you, I……
“Lydia, are you willing to be mine forever?”
The tension and her pounding heart left Lydia at a loss, but she still nodded firmly. There wasn’t enough time to say the words “I love you” as the long kisses had already begun. 

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[1] The name of an ogress from an Icelandic folk tale. (From wiktionary)

[2] http://www.maerchenlexikon.de/texte/te500-004.htm