Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 23 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 ♦ The magician's green sleeves

The hematite inside Lydia’s father’s specimen box, looked like a blackish rock, and so one tended to overlook it when it was lined up against other vibrantly coloured minerals and beautiful crystals.
Even so, the polished surface reflected light like metal and shone in silver. If one were to break it apart, its rust red interior showed itself. It’s said that in the past, hematite was used as a haemostatic agent and medicine for anaemia.
When Lydia tried finding out from her father, a mineralogist, he informed her that Cornwall was famous for being a place where tin was produced, but if she was looking for where hematite could be mined, it would be around this area.
It was an area in a moor known as Bodmin Moor. If she were to head there, she’d be away from the house for some time. She couldn’t leave without Edgar’s permission, but he didn’t return home that night either.
As Paul had informed her that he was staying at the usual club, she didn’t have to worry about his whereabouts, but when she thought about how her words had caused him to suffer so much, she too was pained.
However, even if she decided to barge in on him, she couldn’t go as it was a club in which women couldn’t enter.
That kind of high class club which was restricted to members only, did not only have areas for entertainment but was also equipped with lodging. As a result of that, there were quite a number of husbands who did not go home; Lydia had often heard such complaints from the ladies at the salon.
She also heard them say that it was much better for their husbands to be at such clubs than if they were to frequent the houses of mistresses.
That’s why Lydia told herself that such things were commonplace in society and there was no need for her to fret over it.
In the end, because she didn’t know when Edgar would return home, after asking Raven to pass the message to Edgar, Lydia decided to begin preparations for her trip to Cornwall.
She couldn’t leave the Nuckelavee as it is and if they were going against Prince’s Organization, it was all the more Lydia’s role to resolve this.
Most importantly, it appeared that Teran was going after Lydia’s life. Even though she didn’t want Edgar to be made into Prince, it was unbearable for her to be used for that purpose.
Even if Edgar does not return tonight, I’ll leave tomorrow. On the night when Lydia thought so, Edgar appeared in her parlour of their suite room.
“Lydia, I’m home.”
He revealed an elegant smile, as if nothing had ever happened.
“W…Welcome back.”
When he walked closer towards Lydia, who got up in a hurry, he kissed her on the cheeks as he always did.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been home. Those awful friends of mine kept me back, saying things like if I don’t stay out occasionally, I’d become henpecked. But when I think about it, if it’s you, I’d gladly be dominated by you*.”
“Wh… what are you saying…”
“That’s why, I’ve been thinking about it. That I should do as you wish.”
Just as she thought he was joking around, Edgar suddenly put on a serious expression.
“We do not know when something will happen. I think that when I cease to be myself, you mustn’t be made to suffer.”
Saying that, he took a sealed letter out from his pocket and handed it to Lydia.
“I’ve prepared a letter, with me requesting for a divorce. It’s addressed to a lawyer I know. Once you mail this letter out, you can regain your freedom any time.”
Wide-eyed, Lydia looked up towards Edgar. He furrowed his brows painfully.
In other words, that letter was one in which Edgar had expressed his intent to divorce Lydia. Even if Lydia said that she wanted a divorce, as long as the husband did not have some grievous fault, her request would probably not be recognised. However, with this one letter from Edgar, their marriage could be dissolved without any difficulty.
When she thought that Edgar had written such a letter, Lydia even found it difficult to breath.
“If it is possible, I am praying that the day when you use this will not come. But our marriage is one in which we must think about the worst case scenario in advance isn’t it? You worried about this all by yourself right? I’m sorry.”
That’s not it.
Lydia did not think that the worst case scenario would happen. Only that, she thought that she couldn’t stay by his side forever.
“I can’t accept this.”
This is something important which concerns both our futures, so I can’t accept this without the both of us talking through this together properly.
Yet, Lydia was the one who told Patrick that she’d break up with Edgar, while she was still unable to be honest with Edgar about something important.
“When it comes to the crunch, I may not agree to a divorce. You mustn’t be made to be ‘Prince’s’ wife.”
“That’s not it, Edgar…”
Even if I told Edgar the truth, I wonder if it would only cause him pain a second time.
I don’t know. Even so, though she thought that she had to tell Edgar, Edgar did not lend a listening ear to her tonight either.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have time. I have an important meeting after this. I only came back for a change of clothes.”
Edgar placed the letter on the table.
I wonder if it’s true that he’s in a hurry. Even so, as he looked at Lydia as if he wanted to leave, he pulled her hand towards him and kissed her goodbye.
“You’re going to Cornwall right? It’s dangerous… But even if I said so, there’s no way I could stop you. I’ll join you once I’m done, but as a precaution, take Raven along with you.”
Saying only that hurriedly, he left.
“I, don’t want such a thing.”
If so, what do I want from Edgar? Lydia could only watch as Edgar’s figure disappear behind the door, muttering so, all the while being unable to say what she truly felt.

“Raven, I’ll leave Lydia in your hands.”
Raven, who appeared in the dressing room with freshly folded clothes, nodded deeply.
“I heard that it’s a man called Teran who is using the Nuckelavee. He told Lady Lydia that Ulysses has been overthrown.”
It appears that Ulysses was unable to keep the Organization together. That probably means that the opposing radical faction had finally taken over Prince’s organization.
The man called Teran had quickly thrown London into a state of fear; I wonder if he intends to wage a war.
”It seems that London cannot be considered safe. If it’s Cornwall, it may still be… Take care not to let those people know of Lydia’s whereabouts.”
“Understood.”
I won’t be taken over by Prince’s memories. I’ll definitely protect Lydia to the end. I have married her with that resolution. I had thought that Lydia believed in that too, but I wonder when it was and why she stopped being able to believe in that.
As I thought, it was probably because Darnell the Prophet appeared. She is also a fairy doctor who inherited the blood of the McKeels. I wonder if she started to realize her true destiny.
Even so, Edgar did not want to think that Lydia had regretted marrying him. That may be why it was unbearable for him to see her accept that document in front of his eyes.
Though it was a slight salvation for Edgar when Lydia said that she couldn’t accept it, as he thought, he couldn’t hear Lydia out.
What a coward, thought Edgar, though it was he himself. In any case, I don’t want to hear words that will lead to a breakup from her.
“Lord Edgar, I picked this up.”
Raven placed the enamel music box on the table with the cuffs, necktie pin, high collar and gloves lined up for his master’s change of clothes.  
“Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything that appeared to be a clue about the demonic creature or its master.”
Edgar had informed Raven of the location where the demonic creature appeared. He had thought that the music box which he dropped then was something he no longer needed; now that he thought about it, it was thanks to this that they were saved. Since Raven had gone through the trouble to pick it up, it may be a good luck charm of sorts.
“Could you pass that to Lydia?”
Once he said that, Raven shook his head with a serious expression.
“No. Lord Edgar should be the one to do it.”
That’s right. She had refused to accept this. Even if Raven had handed this to her, Lydia would only be troubled by it.
“You’re right. Since it’s doesn’t seem like the Nuckelavee would escape. If… I guess I’ll have to hold on to this until the day when we have something we can truly rejoice over comes.”
Changing into his formal attire, Edgar hid the music box in his pocket once more.
In order to deal with the Nuckelavee, Lydia had gone to Cornwall to investigate, as a fairy doctor and as one from the family of the Blue Knight Earl. It was not only for his sake, as being unable to leave others alone as Unseelie Courts terrorize humans, may be her instinct. 
Edgar himself, as one who had inherited the name of the Blue Knight Earl, probably had to fight in his own way.
The visit tonight was a stepping stone for that.
“That’s right, Raven, go ahead and bring Francis along as well. It’d probably be good to have another man around, since there may be some use for him.”

​

​*

The train Lydia boarded, headed towards Cornwall as it crossed the metallic bridge constructed in recent years.
Although Cornwall was connected to England by land, there was an image of it being remote. Somehow, she felt a difference in the air there. It was because to begin with, Cornwall, similar to Wales and the Highlands, was the land of the Celts, who spoke their own unique language.
“Somehow, it’s similar to Brittany.”
Francis said so. Although Lydia did not know the details behind how Francis came to travel together with them, Lydia felt like this was a trip and so found it enjoyable.
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. The scenery such as the rocky area may be quite similar.”
“Now that I think about it, it’s also nearby, distance-wise. I heard that the place called Cornouaille in Brittany is also cognate with Cornwall’s name. Both are peninsulas so they’re probably lands like brothers.”
“Oh, is that so? Mr Francis, you’re very knowledgeable.”
Francis puffed his chest out proudly as he was praised by Kelly.
“A man has to have brains. It’s already old-fashioned for man to be proud of brawns. Hey, Raven, don’t you think so?
Francis, who threw a glance towards Raven, may had wanted to try putting Raven, who was skilled in combat, down.
“If so, why is it that Mr Francis you have not used your brains?”
Raven, being unable to speak with irony or sarcasm, was the only one who could ask such a question with innocent feelings, and so this question turned out to have quite the destructive power.
Francis kept his mouth closed as he surrendered dejectedly.
The silent sigh let out by Kelly, probably meant that she was disappointed that Francis too was undependable. 
Kelly, who found it difficult to handle Raven’s direct attitude and words, had been glad that Francis had joined them, but in the end, there wasn’t anyone who could win Raven.
And as for Raven, he was mostly silent like how he was usually. He appeared to be paying attention to see if anyone was following them, but the fact that he did not say anything was probably proof that there wasn’t anything of concern.
Eventually, the train arrived at the final station.
After leaving London and spending a night on the train, the place where they finally arrived at, was a small town beside the moorland called Bodmin Moor.
Perhaps it was due to the gathering of miners who worked at the mines nearby, there were shops and lodgings built and lined up against the streets, so though it was a small town, it appeared to be bustling.
Francis immediately went to stroll about the town and so that playful attitude of his caused Kelly’s ratings for him to fall, but Francis was somewhat a person who does what he wants and gets by with good luck.
And so Lydia thought that was probably why Edgar wanted Francis to come along.
There were narrow canals here and there throughout the town and Lydia chose a hotel that was located where the canals intersected. Although it was a town close to the sea, even in the event of the Nuckelavee appearing, she figured that it wouldn’t cross the canals.
Even though she could finally take a break in her room at the hotel, perhaps because she was anxious, Lydia couldn’t quite calm down.
In any case, she tried asking the owner of their lodging about the hematite mine but because he had only just moved to Cornwall, he said that he did not know.
When she asked, he told her that the mines in the area were tin mines.
“Lady Lydia, if there aren’t hematite, I wonder if this isn’t where ‘Greensleeves’ originated from.”
As Lydia stood by the window and gazed upon the hills of the wild lands, Kelly said so to her.
“But Father said it was definitely here. That it was here at Cornwall where hematite of the best quality could be mined.”
“Let’s wait for Mr Nico to arrive.”
Raven, who said so, placed complete faith in Nico.
This time, because Nico said that he did not want to travel by train, he headed towards Cornwall together with Coblynau through the fairy tunnel. Although he said something pompous like if he were to arrive first, he would gather information from the Knockers, it must be because he felt uneasy being by Lydia’s side as the Nuckelavee could appear.
That timid and cold-hearted fairy cat. Lydia wanted to temper her expectations as she’d be disappointed if she placed too much expectations on Nico, but as she was not a miner, it wasn’t easy for her to meet a Knocker. The truth was that Nico and Coblynau’s efforts were their last ray of hope.
“That’s right. Fairies would definitely be more familiar with the mines.”
In any case, I can only wait now. The moment she thought so, she heard Nico’s voice.
“O---i Lydia, I brought the Knockers here!”
A hole opened in the floor. Just as she thought Coblynau and Nico came out from it, fairies with scruffy beards came jumping out from it one after another.
Be it their wild pigeon-like size or their dumpling-like noses, they bore a close resemblance to Coblynau. Though they did not wear hats, they certainly wore waistcoats.
(Where are the sweets?)
(We came because we heard there are sweets.)
The fairies, whose black eyes peeked through the midst of the beard and hair covering their faces, surrounded Lydia.
(The fairy doctor is going to give us sweets right?)
“Ah, yes, I’ll prepare some right away.”
When Lydia said so, Kelly understood and swiftly acted.
Of course, she had prepared souvenirs meant for the fairies. Kelly, who opened the suitcase, took out the basket containing biscuits, jam and butter.
Kelly could probably only hear the fairies’ voices, but because she was also used to being Lydia’s lady attendant, she no longer got shocked even if the room suddenly became boisterous. 
After waiting for the fairies which swarmed over the sweets to calm down, Lydia spoke to them.
“Hey everyone, after giving out the sweets, I have something I’d like you to tell me.”
(It’s the hematite right?)
It seemed that Nico had spoken to them in advance. That Nico was also stuffing his cheeks full of sweets together with the Knockers.
“I heard there’s a mine in this area.”
(There was, a hundred years ago. But, we can no longer mine hematite.)
(Ever since a certain Knocker sealed the mine and confined itself to it.)
(He was Miss Rose Greensleeves’ close friend. He probably didn’t have a choice since it was a request of a close friend.)
“Greensleeves? That… refers to a great magician?”
(She was a fairy doctor, but she was respected by both fairies and people. She always wore green clothes so she was a woman to whom it was appropriate to call by that name.)
“Hey, Knockers, the music known as Greensleeves amongst humans was initially sung by you guys right?”
Nico asked as he licked the jam off from his fingers. He had perhaps forgotten about being gentlemanly when he was amongst other fairies, behaving in a way that was just like a regular cat, no, fairy.
(Our melody is the Green Springs.)
Saying that, the Knockers hummed, but it was questionable if it was a song. One couldn’t help but think that each and every one of them took on a separate rhythm. 
But when Lydia tried humming ‘Greensleeves’, they said that there’s no doubt that’s the song.
“Hey, what kind of magic resides in this melody?”
(Hmmm, what kind of magic was it?)
Everyone tilted their heads to the side together.
(Well, since the spring no longer exists.)
(I heard it dried up around a hundred years ago.)
This was also a hundred years ago.
In any case, it appeared that the melody of ‘Greensleeves’ was related to the spring. If so, she wondered how this was linked to the Nuckelavee. If one were to consider the spring water, it’d be the fresh water that demonic creature feared.
As she thought so, Lydia questioned once more.
“Then, who first played the melody of Green Springs? And when was that?”
(Who played it? We never thought about that.)
(It was around long before we even arrived at these lands.)
“But it’s certain that this is the land where the music originated from isn’t it?”
(Certainly. We could hear that melody out of nowhere. Everything of this land goes into the music.)
Just like how Coblynau said that he heard the sound of hematite, that feeling was probably something that was unique to fairies.
(But, it seems that we haven’t heard it recently.)
(No, I can hear it?)
(It feels different from how it was in the past.)
(It’s more or less the same.)
Lydia didn’t quite understand, what it meant to be able to hear the melody out of nowhere, and whether it was possible for someone somewhere, to continue playing the melody since ages past unbeknownst to anyone.
In any case, it seemed that the Knockers too did not know the answer to that.
On the other hand, what’s been made clear was that the time when the hematite mine was sealed coincided with the time when the spring dried up. It was said that both happened about a hundred years ago.
A hundred years ago, at that time, the ‘Prince of Calamity’ was born in the Hebrides of the Highlands. Lydia wondered if it was coincidental that the timings were aligned with each other.
She wondered if the Nuckelavee used by that Organization was related to Cornwall after all.
“Hey, have you all seen a Nuckelavee before?”
Even though she thought it was abrupt, Lydia decided to ask.
Yet, the moment they heard that fairy’s name, the Knockers screamed.
The rocky area in this vicinity continued until it aligned with the beach. Cornwall was a peninsular which extended into the sea to begin with. It seemed that even fairies which lived underground, knew of the terror of the monster from the sea.
(Everyone, don’t panic. There are countless rivers flowing underground. The Nuckelavee will not be able to come.)
(But, there’s no guarantee that it’d be safe.)
(Yes, that’s right. It’s said that someday, the Unseelie Courts will run rampant across Cornwall, England, as well as every land. If so, this place too may be invaded by demonic creatures.)
(It’s the end of the world!)
They said so in agitation unanimously.
They were probably referring to the influence which came from the birth of the ‘Prince of Calamity’.
(No, even if that happened, Miss Rose would save us.)
“Eh, you’re referring to the fairy doctor who holds the name of Green Sleeves right? Does she have the power to stop the Nuckelavee?”
(It seems so.)
(No, that’s impossible. She’s a human.)
(But that’s what I heard.)
(In any case, Miss Rose was killed.)
(Ah, that’s right, I heard that she was killed.)
“Oh, how unsettling.”
It was Kelly, who whispered so unintentionally.
“Who did you hear from?”
(From the Knocker who sealed the hematite. Before it confined itself in the hematite mine, it said that Miss Rose was killed.)
“And so he sealed the hematite mine in accordance to Miss Rose’s request? Would I be able to understand more in detail if I meet that Knocker?”
(I wonder if it’s still alive.)
(It may already have been absorbed into the hematite crystal somewhere in the mine.) 
“Which area is the hematite mine at?”
Lydia, who stood up, intended to try heading towards the mine in any case.

​*

Together with the sound of bells, the flock of pigeons were absorbed into the sky. In Edgar’s field of vision as he looked up, the blue skies spread across him with the comings of spring. Yet his heart was not clear like the skies before him.
Edgar arrived at a small church in the outskirts of London, and he gently opened the plain wooden doors.
Once he stepped foot into the dim chapel, he had to stop in his tracks for a short while until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. When he could finally see how the interior looked like, he saw that it was a simple design as he had imagined. The altar also had only a wooden cross, which was indeed that of a Puritan Church. In that space, sat a red-haired young man by himself. 
Perhaps he was offering his prayers, for he was not moving an inch.
As Edgar approached him, he spoke up while maintaining his stance, without even turning around.
“What can I do for you, Earl Ashenbert?”
“Do you have eyes grown on the back of your head?”
“It’s the sound of your footsteps; the sound of high class shoes which have not been even a little worn out.”
“Simply based on that?”
“And my intuition.”
Edgar replied “I see” and took a seat which was slightly off to the side behind Darnell. 
Even so, Edgar placed his hand on the back of the bench, as he tried to look towards Daniel, who continued to face forward.
The thought that he was in a position in which he could easily twist Darnell neck and kill him by wrapping his arms around Darnell came to mind, but Edgar decided against it.
“There’s a message I’d like you to pass to Patrick. I can get a grasp of your whereabouts quickly, but he appears to be quite the cautious person.”
“Now that you’ve mentioned it, I thought that someone was tailing me since two days ago.”
The comrades of ‘Scarlet Moon’ had investigated on behalf of Edgar, and so Edgar knew that Darnell would drop by this church during his daily morning walks.
“You McKeels are after my life right? If so it’d be best if you guys are also aware of the dangers of having the tables turned on you.”
“I’ve not heard of the Clan plotting to assassinate you. Because at the current moment, it appears that the Clan Chief will still not allow having an earl-killer come out from our clan.”
“Even so, if it’s a problem that can be resolved by sacrificing a few people, it’d still be one of the options on the table right?”
“Do you mean to say that you can’t be killed by a single assassin?”
“I too have not gone through the depths of hell for nothing.”
“Is that so? And you want me to pass this message on?”
“No, I’ve come to warn you that this won’t be something that would end with just sacrificing a few people. Though, if the McKeels have the intention of sacrificing the survival of the entire Clan, I’ll take you on anytime.”
Darnell finally turned around to face Edgar; he looked at Edgar who was grinning, with doubt.
“Are you saying that if we were to bury you in the darkness, the McKeels will be destroyed?”
“I have been called to the Buckingham Place, and was requested to assist in the extermination of the demonic creature that’s causing a frenzy in London. The demonic creature which has thrown London into a state of chaos, is a rebel towards Her Majesty and Great Britain, so I had sworn on my name as the Earl of Ibrazel that I will get rid of it.”
Of course, Edgar was the one who had pushed for it. And this country prefers ancient ways of doing things compared to new methods. 
“... Does the Queen believe in demonic creatures?”
“It’s the same regardless of what its true nature is, so long as peace returns to London. In the event that it’s a demonic creature, then I’ll be the only one who can deal with it.”
“Even you can’t do anything right?”
“This is a certain form of charm. It’s been believed that the name of the Earl of Ibrazel works as a charm against demonic creatures. Similar to how devils run away at the name of the Pope and the Saints, simply put, the traditional name Great Britain uses to drive Unseelie Courts away is the name of the Earl of Ibrazel.”
Billy had panicked at the suggestion Edgar brought forth to the Queen. He was filled with trepidation at being ordered to exterminate the demonic creature, but he would probably not be formally ordered to do so in the first place.
It was because realistically, it was not expected that Edgar would be asked to head the task of exterminating the demonic creature. Since ages past, it had been common that the royal family used the name of the Earl of Ibrazel as the one responsible for dealing with demonic creatures.
“I see. Even if it’s just a name, if we were to lay hands on you who is tied to the country’s fate, it could very well be taken to be treason against Her Majesty.”
Darnell shook his head sideways lightly, as if in exasperation.
Certainly, this method would clamp down on the McKeels’ movements to some extent. If they were serious about it, they’d probably use an assassin, but at the same time, in order to protect their family, it would be necessary to lay the groundwork and come up with a meticulous plan. It’d probably take time before they’d be able to execute their plan.
It was only that Edgar did not wish to involve Lydia in that kind of deal.
Come at me if you want. I have no intention to go down without a fight and I will also not hand over Lydia. It was with such intentions that Edgar picked a fight with the McKeels.
“Earl, you’re a strategist. In the event that ‘Prince’ awakens, you may deceive and make use of even Lady Lydia. It’s no wonder that she feels uneasy towards her future with you.”
Edgar knew all along the fact that his disposition resembled Prince’s. Even so, he had made use of this to protect thus far what he ought to protect, and he also intended to continue doing so.
“Lydia was only threatened by Patrick. She would not seriously consider breaking up with me.”
“I wonder.”
“She would stay with me no matter what happens.”
He had believed so firmly until a short while ago. Yet now, he did not understand Lydia’s feelings. Even so, Edgar had no choice but to say that.
Because he felt that if he became unable to even trust Lydia, he would cease to be himself and he’d probably be taken over by Prince.
“How about you then? Can you swear that you will not let go of Lady Lydia’s hand no matter what happens?”
“Certainly.”
“Lady Lydia probably doesn’t think so. That’s why she even thought about leaving you.”
What’s that about?
From the way Darnell spoke, doesn’t it seem like Lydia felt fearful that Edgar would be the one leaving her, and so spoke of leaving him?
It was unthinkable. What on earth could be the reason that she thought Edgar would let go of her hand for?
He racked his brains over it, and by the time he realized what it was, Edgar had already grabbed Darnell by his collar.
“What did you say to Lydia?”
She started to behave differently on the day she met this man again.
Darnell frowned as if he found it difficult to breathe, yet he took on Edgar’s interrogative looks plainly and answered.
“I told her she won’t be able to bear your child.”
“…What… did you say?”
“She’s the Prophet’s Betrothed. If she had received the influence of the magic at the time when the coffin at the Sacred Land was opened, she would no longer be able to be the wife of another man. That’s what it means.”
At some point in time, Edgar released his grip; Darnell escaped from it and stood upright. Looking down towards the dazed Edgar, Darnell said quietly.
“I’ll pass the message to Patrick. Even without braving the dangers and laying our hands on you, the McKeel’s prophecy will come to fruition. I’ll obtain my betrothed and Prince will be destroyed.”
Edgar listened on to Darnell’s receding footsteps, still in a daze.
“Darn it…”
Without having anyone to vent his frustrations on, Edgar clutched his fists. Inside his pocket, the metallic spring of the music box rattled as it tried to turn.
So that’s it. 
That’s why Lydia said that she couldn’t accept the music box. At that time, she looked completely shaken and was also in tears.
Even if we do not have children, so long as the two of us are together, our lives will also be full of happiness. It was easy to say those words. Edgar himself sincerely thought so. Even the earl family was one which had ended a long time ago, so it wasn’t something Lydia needed to be worried about.
Rather, what Edgar felt uneasy about, was whether Lydia herself would feel happy even without children.
It meant that Lydia would be unable to attain the happiness that belonged to all women in the world, and Edgar couldn’t even imagine how painful that would be to a woman.
Furthermore, in Lydia’s case, as long as she marries Darnell, she’d be able to have a family like everyone else. Even so, he wondered if she’d be willing to stay by his side.
On one hand countless questions came to mind, but on the other, there was also something significant which fell into place.
Finally, Edgar was able to see Lydia’s feelings. She did not have a change of heart, she always had Edgar in her heart and that’s why she had only worried over it.
“Why…. didn’t you talk to me about this?”
Perhaps because she thought that Edgar would be disappointed. No, didn’t she try to tell him?
Because he didn’t want her to tell him that she had a change of heart, Edgar cut her off.
It was not that Lydia was fearful of Prince’s existence.
Her feelings of staying by his side because she believed that Edgar would be able to seal Prince’s memories didn’t change. It was only that she didn’t want to hurt Edgar, who wished for a child.
Edgar grasped the music box inside his pocket.
I wonder what I can do for her.
What should I do in order to protect her and bring her happiness?
Was it the correct thing to do by handing her the letter with the divorce papers? Didn’t that only make her all the more conscious of a separation in the future? 
With his heart still in disarray, Edgar stood up.
Time was being wasted regretting and troubling over this. They had enemies all around them. Now, his and Lydia’s hearts had to be joined as one.
That was the only thing that there was no doubt over. Edgar reprimanded himself so.

​*

The carriage Lydia was on, headed towards the moorland.
As they left the town, they soon saw white smoke rising upwards from halfway up the hills. Those appeared to be where tin was mined.
As they got further away from the buildings with chimneys lined up on the other side of the ridge, this time, stone circles came into view.
The fact that there were many such stone-based historic ruins, made Cornwall similar to the Highlands and Brittany. These were lands with a deep affinity with fairies and had a shared common culture.
They sped on ahead through the moorland, which had such prehistoric ruins as well as modern facilities churning out steam coexisting. Lydia and the others were headed towards the hematite mine which was said to have been sealed a hundred years ago.
Raven was the one manoeuvring the open carriage. Beside him was Nico. Lydia sat on the seats together with Kelly, while the Knockers and Coblynau sat on the horse, giving directions.
After travelling for some time, a mountain came into view from the front. Even though it’s called a mountain, it was different from the mountains of the Highlands, and was a scene of a slightly larger hill. At the bottom of such a mountain, there was a forest with luscious greenery.  
On a moorland which was covered by rocks and had little grass, for only that area to have trees growing, was a somewhat mysterious scenery; yet it was due to the accumulation of underground water which flowed down through the rocks of the mountain, that only that area was rich in water.
They pressed forward on a road which avoided the forest and climbed up the slope that led to the mountain, but after some time, Raven stopped the carriage.
“We won’t be able to proceed on the carriage as a rocky area lies ahead. What should we do?”
“Let’s walk.”
Alighting from the carriage, they walked, weaving through the spaces between the boulders. Paths were present here and there, and there were also step-like rocks for them to climb over the boulders. As they were informed that halfway through the journey the path would be difficult, they were dressed light. Thanks to that, they were able to progress up such a slope without much difficulty.
The closer they got to the summit, the greenery on the ground lessened while there were more rocks exposing themselves. The Knockers proceeded comfortably. The Knockers waved back and when Lydia and the others took a turn around the exposed rock wall, the scenery changed completely.
Large flat boulders were laid one over another like building blocks. Those were standing stones of the sort they have never seen before. Those numerous mound-like structures were lined up in their surroundings. 
“O-i, Lydia, they said it’s around this area.”
Nico, who had climbed up onto the peak of a tall boulder together with the Knockers, looked back downwards towards them and waved his hand.
“Is there hematite buried under the ground here?”
(The old entrance has been blocked when a rock was moved. Let me see which rock it could be under…)
Even if it knew, there was no way they’d be able to move a rock so enormous that they had to look up to it.
“Though there seems to be the Knockers’ tunnel underground, they say that it is blocked midway.”
“I wonder if the Knocker inside can’t hear us even if we tried calling out to it?”
(There wasn’t an instance in which we tried and there was a response.)
In the end, they were probably unable to meet the Knocker who was said to have confined himself here.
Lydia walked around the boulder as she thought about whether there was any clue.
Once she turned around to the back of the large boulder, she could no longer see Raven or Kelly’s figures. In such an instantaneous moment, that happened.
Suddenly, her surroundings were filled with mist, and she could see neither the skies nor the hills. In that white space, for some reason, only the boulders stacked atop one another rose to view distinctly.
When she turned around at the presence of something squirming, she found a dark human figure standing beside a boulder.
She recognised the man who wore his hat low. It was Teran, the one who was said to control the Nuckelavee.
Why is he here? Before Lydia could ask, he spoke.
“Are you aware, Lady? That these strange rocks have been created in ancient times when neither humans nor fairies existed? The power of nature is something that’s mysterious. That itself is truly the source of magic.”
Nature? The standing stones were not created by humans? That should be what Lydia ought to be surprised about, but to Lydia, this was not the time for that.
“To begin with, magic is something enormous and frightening that humans are unable to fully control. To abhor that and take only a portion of it as goodness, is the mistake of the ancient magicians.”
Teran removed his hat in a slow motion. There was a wound that appeared to spilt right at the centre of his forehead. It was as Ermine had said. That again sent chills down Lydia’s spine.
“If you too are a fairy doctor, you do understand right? That there is no such power that can win against those who know the realms of darkness.”
It has long been treated as a taboo to learn about the magic of the Unseelie Courts, because that was so powerful that humans weren’t able to fully control, as well as it being something frightening.
That’s precisely why, such magic was only passed down to a select group of humans, yet one amongst them abused the knowledge and gave birth to the ‘Prince of Calamity’.
Even the family of the Blue Knight Earl used to have the power to wield the magic of the Unseelie Courts, but they sealed it themselves and made it such that they couldn’t use it. Now that even the family had died out, it was only in ‘Prince’s’ memories that it would be possible for anyone to inherit such powers.
It was probably as Teran had said, that there no longer remained any powers able to go against those who knew of the Unseelie Courts’ magic. That’s why the McKeels hung on to the words left behind by the Prophet as their last ray of hope.
However, Lydia saw hope in the Blue Knight Earl’s Ibrazel. She wanted to find a method to free Edgar from ‘Prince’.
“Even if you killed me, Edgar wouldn’t become ‘Prince’.”
Teran grinned. His oddly large eyes and nose resembled the devil seen in medieval icons.
“I won’t kill you off easily. I’ll have you savour the taste of hell and despair. It is only by witnessing you in pain that it will become the power to awaken our Prince.”
His figure was hidden by the mist. The moment she thought so, the mist cleared, and her surroundings had become night. Also, it wasn’t the moorland but a beach. On the beach that was lighted up by the moon, bloodied corpses were strewn about.
Lydia nearly let out a scream but she managed to hold it in barely, and took deep breaths to calm herself down. This is an illusion. Teran is only showing me an illusion. I do not wish to show him my fear. 
However, Lydia, not knowing the method to erase the illusion, had no choice but to simply stand stock still there.
It was extremely gruesome. The bodies were crushed as if they were bugs while flesh torn from the limbs tumbled aside. Lydia wondered what Teran’s intention was in showing her such an illusion. As Lydia thought so, in her view, she noticed something that moved faintly.
Someone’s alive?
As she tried to concentrate her eyes onto the pool of blood, suddenly the ocean rose, and the Nuckelavee flew out of it as it set off tall wave-like splashes.
It pounced on the human figure which had been moving. The fair limbs moving in a struggle may had been a woman’s. Even though her stomach was torn apart and her insides were dragged out, she was still alive.
Even if Lydia turned her face away or shut her eyes, that illusion did not disappear and was illuminated by the moonlight.
When she caught a glimpse of the face of the woman which was distorted with pain through the gaps of her dishevelled hair, Lydia couldn’t bear it anymore and let out a scream.
She wondered if it was her misapprehension that she thought it was her own face.
With that, Lydia lost consciousness.

By the time she regained consciousness, she was in a room in the town’s hotel.
It seemed that Lydia did not wake up for an entire night.
Kelly held on to her hand worriedly. Nico, who was beside, said that Lydia had collapsed in the short time when they lost sight of her. It appeared that no one had seen any mist, much less any suspicious figure.
It must have been an illusion which was shown to me. Teran probably intended to turn her into the Nuckelavee’s prey in that manner.
“Teran was in that vicinity. He is a man from Prince’s organization. He showed me a frightening illusion…”
“My apologies. I wasn’t able to verify if we were tailed.”
Raven hung his head down. Lydia sat herself up and smiled in order to reassure Raven.
“It can’t be helped. Raven, that person…. It seems that he has some strange powers. Furthermore, since I’m fine, please don’t take it to heart.”
“But it’s troubling that he could approach you easily even when everyone was close to you. Let’s depart from here quickly.”
“We can’t do that. Since we haven’t understood anything yet.”
They weren’t able to meet the Knocker in the hematite mine. If they were unable to find the method to deal with the Nuckelavee, they’d end up being targeted again anyway.
“However, this hotel is probably already known to that man called Teran.”
“He should know of even our mansion in London but he didn’t barge in. In any case, though he is using the Nuckelavee to target me, it seems that he doesn’t intend to do the deed himself. This hotel is surrounded by canals, so demonic creatures won’t be able to enter.”
Raven had on a difficult expression, but he nodded eventually.
“Hey Kelly, I want to wash up; I broke out quite some sweat.”
Since the moment she woke up, Lydia had been bothered by the discomfort which arose from her chemise clinging onto her body. It had been drenched in sweat as if she had been tormented by nightmares. She felt nauseous as that reminded her of the wet mist and blood sprays in the illusion.
“I understand, Milady.”
Kelly immediately went to prepare the bath.
As hotels in the countryside do not have bathrooms, a brass bathtub was carried into the bedroom. By the time the bathtub was filled with hot water, Lydia’s emotions had calmed down somewhat, but she wanted to take off her chemise quickly.
Finally that was possible, and she stretched her body out in the hot water. She turned her eyes onto her arm as she suddenly became bothered by it.
There was the wound from when Teran grabbed her strongly. Now the pain had receded and though it looked to be healing, when she took a closer look at what she thought was a scab, she found something stuck in her skin; it reflected light that was bluish-purple and metallic-like.
“What’s this?”
At the same time she muttered so, she recalled. It resembled the tool for the charm which Lady Parrish had. In other words…
“It’s the Nuckelavee’s … claw?”
She wondered if Teran had used that to injure her. If that were the case, it meant that Lydia’s blood was stained on the demonic creature’s claw.
That was a piece of the Nuckelavee, and if that claw which was made from the magic of the demonic creature had remembered the smell of Lydia’s blood, the next time it would definitely get Lydia.
Lydia was already the prey of the Nuckelavee.
What should I do? She tried to pick the scale out in a panic, but it was embedded neatly into her wound. Just the thought of digging it out made her head spin, but at any rate, it was probably already pointless to do anything.
The frightening illusion which Teran showed her came to mind. She erased it from her mind desperately, and placed her hand over to cover the wound.
At that moment, she heard Kelly’s voice from the other side of the door.
“Ahh, Master, please wait. Madam is taking a bath…”
It’s Edgar?
By the time she thought so, the door was already opened.
“Lydia, I’m coming in.”
Although he was in the process of entering, he said so.
Lydia lowered her body further into the tub which was filled with bubbles in a hurry. When Edgar came close to her without a single care, he bent down beside the bathtub and stared straight at Lydia’s face.
“I missed you. I’m sorry I made you travel by yourself.”
“…No, I was the one who wanted to come quickly and couldn’t wait.”
When she lowered her body such that the hot water covered her chest, her knees peeked out from the water instead. Simply that made her feel as if she was exposing her naked self, so Lydia spoke up in order to distract herself from her embarrassment. 
“I met the Knockers and managed to get information from them that appeared to be clues, but I still haven’t had any result.”
As he nodded, he continued to just look straight at Lydia. Because he was tracing with his eyes, her ears and hairline along her neck which were moistened from the steam, she felt as though she was being stroked by his fingers.
I wish he’d just touch me. Because it’s unbecoming to imagine that and become flushed over it.
“…Why, are you looking at me so?”
Because she again felt shy about thinking about such things herself, she ended up voicing her thoughts.
“I heard that Teran appeared at even such a place. I feel pathetic for letting you out of my sight.”
It’s not that he was thinking of something amorous. Not knowing if she was relieved or disappointed, Lydia changed her thoughts.
“Edgar, I think it’s because of this.”
She raised her arm out from the hot water. In the scratch wound, was a bluish scale-like object stuck in it.
Edgar’s eyes stopped at it and the colour of his face changed.
“This is…”
“A part of the Nuckelavee’s claw. Even though I did not touch that, I was injured when Teran grabbed me. Once blood gets onto the claw, the Nuckelavee will chase after the smell and come to attack me again.”
“I see…  Teran intends to drive you into a corner with certainty huh.”
Although Lydia was unable to tell him that it was to throw Edgar into despair so as to awaken him as Prince, Edgar probably realized that if he thought about the Organization’s objective.
Placing his hand on the edge of the bathtub, Edgar ran his fingers through his hair with a pained expression.
“If something happened to you, I’m prepared to bury both myself and Prince. Even Ulysses knows that.”
“That’s because Teran doesn’t know you like Ulysses does; he doesn’t know that you are a person who would not lose himself no matter what happens.”
If he were not composed, he would wish for a suicide, and that may very well be the trigger for him to lose himself and be dominated by Prince’s memories.
But if it’s Edgar, it’ll be fine. Lydia muttered so in her heart, along with her wishes.
Because Edgar was someone who knew the responsibilities he shouldered, he would not act according to Teran’s whims and wishes.
“Moreover, I won’t die. Because there is definitely a way to protect myself from the Nuckelavee.”
Edgar, who lifted his face, stared straight at Lydia once more. He revealed a faint smile.
“You… sometimes, you are really strong. That’s why I’m saved by you.”
Saying that, he stood up.
“It’s about time that you get out from the bathtub. That being said, as long as I’m here, you probably can’t get out.”
Edgar left the room.
It was probably odd that she couldn’t show him her bare skin after such a long time. Even though she thought so, she felt a great resistance towards the two of them staring straight at each other when they were both rational.
That’s why Lydia let out a sigh of relief once she was left by herself. Getting out from the water which was starting to turn cold, she passed her arms through the sleeves of the chemise which Kelly had just washed and prepared for her.
Lydia calmed down from the soft touch of linen on her skin, and when she let her hair down, the door opened once more.
Lydia, who still wasn’t fully dressed, turned her back to the door on instinct. Edgar, who stood right behind her, gazed at her face past her shoulders.
“I forgot to ask something important.”
“Wh… what is it?”
“Will you answer truthfully?”
“Yes…”
“When I touch you, how much are you enduring with it?”
“I’m not enduring anything.”
“Truly? Do you dislike it by even a little?”
Lydia nodded without being able to turn around to face him, and Edgar embraced her from the back. Because she wasn’t wearing her corset, she could feel how firmly and strongly his arms held her through the thin linen; it even felt as though he was touching her bare skin.
Lydia’s heartbeat soared at just this, but she probably felt more elation than embarrassment. Even though Lydia was satisfied, because more often than not Edgar would take things to the next level, the needle would swing towards shyness.
“Hang on…”
“Please don’t dislike this.”
His hand which moved to envelope her heart beat was so hot that Lydia felt breathless. The hand which was affectionate towards the soft curves, probably sensed that Lydia did not feel any dislike towards it.
“I want to hold you in my arms.”
“You always do as you please.”
Together with a sigh, she was finally able to say that.
He is really, a man who does as he pleases. Lydia had been toyed around by him since the beginning.
Without realizing that he had been swayed by her as well, she thought so.  
“That’s right. I’m selfish. But I really want it.”
When she troubled over her answer, Edgar revealed a little smile.
“Now is not the time, huh. First we have to investigate into the Nuckelavee’s weakness. Or we can’t sleep in peace.”
Even as he said so, he embraced her even more tightly, and kissed her nape.
“Don’t worry, be it the Nuckelavee or Teran, I won’t let them lay a finger on you.”
The Prophet as well. Lydia felt as though he said so softly.

[1] T/N: The expression for dominate/henpeck (married couple context) in Japanese literally means to be laid out over one’s buttocks. Edgar had literally broken up the words to say that if it’s Lydia’s buttocks, he’d gladly be laid out over it, which explains Lydia’s faltering reply.