Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 24 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 ♦ ​The whereabouts of the Earl family's master

We will be able to meet again soon. Edgar said that while smiling softly.
Because I will only remain by your side.
Liar. Then why haven’t you appeared all this time?
Lydia scolded, and the Edgar in the dreams suddenly looked at her sadly.
His gorgeous blond hair fluttered in the wind of the grasslands. On the vast hill, there was a painting of a ship with a raised sail. Looking down from above, it resembled a white swan prepared to spread its wings and take off, and on the hill where the full view of the beautiful sailboat could be clearly, two people stood facing each other.
The two of them were going to set off towards the fairy kingdom. The time to set off was almost near.
Edgar’s ash mauve eyes looked down; he, who should have been by Lydia’s side all along, looked at her, and the pain spread through his chest, distressed with grief.
“I’m sorry.”
He said, and his figure became fuzzy.
Hey, what should I do?
Lydia realised that she was going to wake up, but she didn't know if she had left her words in her dream, and so she shouted in a hurry. But the louder she shouted, the more she couldn’t stop herself from waking, as the dream subsequently disappeared.
Lydia woke up alone in a spacious bedroom. She sensed that her cheeks were wet, and welcomed the morning that she was reluctant to welcome.
She dreamed the same dream, and she had woken up the same way several times. Ever since Edgar disappeared, the days had been continuing on like this.
In the mines of Cornwall, he dealt with the terrifying Nuckelavee alone in order to save Lydia.
Since then, two weeks had already passed.
Right now, Edgar should also be thinking about what action to take. The cavern was submerged by the groundwater, he couldn’t have lost his life that way, he must still be alive, but he just can’t return immediately. Lydia said this to herself every morning.
Harboring this kind of premonition, she clearly knew that she could only wait, but that would become an unrealistic way of thinking, along with the passing days that accumulated.
“Madam, are you awake?”
It was Kelly’s voice. Lydia got up and wiped her wet face.
“Good morning, Kelly.”
Lydia tried to assume a calm manner. The maid, Kelly, did her usual bow at the door, then entered the bedroom, opened the curtains, and arranged the house shoes by the bed.
“What is the schedule today?”
“Many invitations have been received for guests to come visit.”
It’s the usual social gathering with fellow countesses. Edgar isn’t here, moreover it wasn’t the time to neglect them. To Lydia, this was the duty of a Countess.
“Shall I decline?”
Kelly looked over quite worriedly and said.
“Why?”
“Madam Lydia is quite worn out, right? Furthermore, you shouldn’t still have a fever.”
“Didn’t the fever go away three days go? I am fine already.”
Although Lydia’s body wasn’t able to improve right away under the magic influence of the Nuckelavee, a kind of the Unseelie Court, the monster had already perished. Not long after returning to London, the toxins in her body were eliminated, and now her body was improving gradually.
But she was still feeling down. This was what truly worried Kelly.
“It’s time to get changed.”
Lydia said decisively, and Kelly stopped questioning.
Just as she was changing her clothes, someone knocked on the door; it was Raven.
“Good morning, Miss Lydia, after you have finished changing, please come this way, Miss Lota has something to inform you about...” 
However, Kelly quickly interrupted Raven.
“Mr. Raven, please leave that aside for now.”
“Lota came?”
Lydia came from the side and Kelly shut her mouth in embarrassment. Raven responded to Kelly with a glance.
“Yes, she came regarding Lord Edgar.”
Lydia stood up in front of the vanity table.
“Do you know something? If it's about Edgar, I quickly want to hear about it.”
“......But.”
Raven hesitated a little, and Kelly looked at him reproachfully. 
It’s bad news. From this atmosphere, Lydia thought so intuitively. However, I must listen to it even more.
My hair can be combed later.
“Raven, tell me quickly.”
After Edgar’s disappearance, Raven was constantly searching in the caves of Cornwall along with the mine fairies that lived underground, but they didn’t find any clues.
After handing over the search mission to the Scarlet Moon members, who rushed over from London, Raven returned to the Earl’s mansion to carry out Edgar’s command, which was more important than his own life.
Protect Lydia, Edgar said to Raven. Raven thought it was no longer his business to search for Edgar's whereabouts.
Moreover, Scarlet Moon and Edgar were fighting together against their old enemy, the “Prince”, and with regards to Lydia, they were very reliable partners. After the events were conveyed, they quickly took action.
It was also possible if Edgar still retained his own willpower and disappeared.  But if by any chance he was lost underground, or if there was no real reason that he hadn’t returned, then this was what extremely worried Lydia for her to go and search for clues of Edgar’s whereabouts.
Although Lota wasn’t a member of Scarlet Moon, she had close ties with Paul, and because he kept in touch with the Earl family and Scarlet Moon, she came in with the report today.
Such things like expressing sympathy towards Lydia was probably very difficult for Paul.
Moreover, Lydia was convinced that it was bad news, and that it couldn’t be avoided.
With an uncharacteristically tense pace, Lota was in the middle and encouraged Lydia. She ran and stood before Lydia, holding her hands tightly.
“Lydia, this isn’t definite proof. Don’t think this the wrong way.”
The usual Lota was Lydia’s trusted friend; since Lota spoke in this way, she had to accept it properly. Sensing her straightforward boyish tone, as if it gave courage, Lydia nodded her head.
“Okay...... Lota, I’m listening.”
“Edgar’s coat was found. On the side of the cave that is very close to the sea. It’s a deep area that’s quite difficult for people to enter into. Its next to the groundwater river.”
Lydia tried hard to think of the implications among that. Would Edgar have drifted to that sort of place? If that’s truly the case, can he survive?
“Of course, there is still no evidence that Edgar was flushed away to that area, or it’s also possible that he took off his coat and put it aside.”
Lota was really concerned about Lydia. Lydia took a deep breath and relaxed her lower back on the chair.
“That’s true...... if that’s the case,  it’s still something that is unclear.”
“Yeah, speaking of that, it seems that everyone in Scarlet Moon said that they were going to extend the search towards the direction of the sea. What do you think, Lydia?”
The inside of the cave is complex, so doing a full search there is impossible; furthermore, the investigation is accompanied by danger. Despite this, everyone in Scarlet Moon still kept searching without a word all along.
As each day passed, the possibility of being able to find Edgar became more and more distant. Searching towards the sea, doesn’t that mean there’s a possibility that he didn’t survive?
It can’t continue on like this forever. Lydia concluded that this needed to stop. Edgar is gone now, and the head of the Ashenbert family was undertaken by Lydia.
Lydia was ashamed of her own immaturity.
Lota probably realized that it wasn’t about the matter of finding his coat, rather she was worried about the comrades of Scarlet Moon. This was what Lydia should have cared about as well, this was not the time to think about it calmly. 
“This is already enough. Lota, convey this to everyone. Thank you very much, everyone, for using up all of your strength.”
“Is that okay, Lydia? Can you just accept it like this?”
“Because Edgar wasn’t found, he is still alive. I believe that he will definitely return.”
Despite saying what was said, she wasn’t sure whether or not that was what she truly believed. According to Raven, the place where Edgar and the Nuckelavee fought had been completely submerged in water. It was conceivable that a large amount of water would flow out.
“Raven, don’t you think so, too?”
Raven, who had just come in with the tea, couldn’t disagree.
Raven stood in an upright posture, thought for a moment, then said something unexpected.
“At that time, perhaps my sister was with him.”
“......Ermine?”
“I sensed something moving in a hidden area. The Nuckelavee’s appearance might have had something to do with my sister, so I think that there is a possibility that it was her.”
Raven's half sister had already lost her life as a human, and was reborn as a Selkie. If it was her, who was a sea fairy, there was a possibility that she rescued Edgar from the torrents.
“Lord Edgar might have met with my sister before then.”
Lydia knew what Ermine was acting for. However, she kept her distance while protecting her former master, having direct contact with Edgar was truly unexpected.
“Did Edgar ever tell you anything similar?”
“No, it’s just... he suddenly spoke about letting me send sister’s Selkie fur coat back to London for safekeeping.”
“Is that so, it’s Ermine, huh. But did she truly become Ulysses’ subordinate?”
Lota was very puzzled.
If Selkie fairies take off their fur coat, they will appear as a human.  But their fur coat was equivalent to their life, so the person that possessed the fur coat resembled grasping the Selkie’s life and death.
Ermine gave her coat to Edgar, yet betrayed him and followed Ulysses. But Lydia believed that she didn't really betray Edgar. Being at the side of the enemy was for Edgar, and didn’t she do the things that she was able to do?  Didn’t she also leave her coat behind, which concerned her life? Lydia unconsciously thought this.
“So if Ermine was nearby, she would have definitely saved Edgar.”
Lydia felt a bit of hope. But a new uneasiness arose. Ermine’s goal truly was incomprehensible.
“Would my sister have taken Lord Edgar to Ulysses’ organization?”
Lydia, who was thinking, looked at Raven with surprise.
If Edgar left the Earl family, would he merge with the Prince’s memories within his body? Lydia had a vague feeling. Or did he find a way to overthrow the cursed memories?
But there was no need to get close to the Prince's organization. Ermine probably wouldn’t have distorted Edgar’s will.
“If that's truly the case... what should be done if my sister makes Lord Edgar suffer again?”
Raven rarely expressed confusion, yet he frowned, which was quite rare.
“During the most important moment, this......”
He gently opened his hand, and saw a walnut-sized blue glass spherical object. Lydia knew that it wasn’t glass, but a Selkie coat that was translucent, had a skin-like elasticity, and possessed a faint warmth.
If it is burned, the Selkie will disappear. Because of this, with regards to Ermine, leaving behind the fur coat meant that she was Edgar’s eternal servant.
Lydia stood up, gradually approached Raven, and covered the Selkie coat with her hand, along with his hand.
“Raven, Edgar left it with you, he wants you to protect Ermine. This is her life. If Ermine is by Edgar’s side, the things she will protect ought to be the things that Edgar wants to protect as well, right?”
Although she still didn’t know what to do, Lydia spoke desperately. Raven was no longer dejected. Edgar was gone; what kind of pain was it for Lydia?
Even in such times, Lydia concealed her grief and cared about the people around her.
She was acting as the Earl family’s mistress, and yet she was still immature. What did she have to do so that she could support everyone, and in which direction should she look? Although she still didn’t know what was good, rather than blaming herself, it would be better to stop herself from depending on others.
“I understand. I will safeguard it properly. Please be at ease.”
Although Raven said that, Lydia’s words still didn’t remove his confusion.
Raven bowed and left. Lydia looked at his back, and missed the shoulders of Edgar, who would always embrace her without caring at all.
Edgar once said to Lydia that she was very strong, which was because he was by her side. If it was to protect the Earl’s house with Edgar, then she should be able to become strong, but Lydia, who was the only one remaining, was merely a powerless small woman.
Approaching Lydia at this time, Lota gently placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled, as a cute dimple emerged.
Lota was once the leader of pirates, and those hands barely managed to encourage Lydia.

Let’s go on a picnic. Edgar said so on a whim. Lydia was doubtful, not knowing whether or not this was true. The spring equinox was approaching, which was an early spring day with great weather.
The day the ship sets off to the fairy kingdom was the first full moon after the spring equinox. Edgar realized that the day was gradually approaching, and thinking about it now, he was really doubtful about whether or not he could truly go to the fairy kingdom. It was also possible that it was a premonition of having to confront the Prince. So, he was going to take the happy memories that he spent with Lydia and collect them in his heart.
At that time, compared to meeting other gentlemen, Edgar would unconsciously prioritize thinking about spending time with Lydia. Moreover, the couple often went out on a whim.
On that day, the carriage continuously went south without a definite goal. Thatched roofs, white clay walls, green fences, and surrounding simple houses, they were fascinated by this kind of village, and so they stopped the carriage. The chirping of birds came to their ears as the two of them walked leisurely.
The sound of the water, which uplifted the mood, gently flowed into the river. After wandering along the riverside and crossing a wooden bridge, there was a large elm tree.
Unfolding the picnic blanket, the two of them sat down by the tree.
The hair by Lydia’s temples were brushed against by the wind. She looked down at the scenery and sensed a gaze looking at her, thus she looked back uncomfortably.
“What are you looking at?”
“Your charms.”
Geez, as she blushed. But Lydia at this moment, in spite of blushing, also responded to him with a faint smile.
Being with girls always made Edgar feel happy, but for the first time, the existence that felt like a part of him which was difficult to separate from was Lydia.
Seeing the shadow of her figure, listening to her, touching her, that was all as natural as breathing, he felt that these were indispensable. 
What he wanted wasn’t temporary peace, rather he wanted this kind of happiness to continue on forever.
Thinking about this scene which only had the two of them, a white puppy suddenly appeared.
“Hey, look over there. I wonder if it’s hungry.”
Opening the lunch basket, the fragrance of the smoked food that came out was tempting. It cautiously approached towards them.
Lydia sliced the ham and placed it on the grass, as it wagged its little tail and bit the ham.
It's an innocent puppy that resembled a ball of fur. After finishing the ham, it still wanted some, and so it looked over with its shameless pure black eyes.
“Don’t follow people so casually. Its mother doesn’t seem to be around, I wonder if it’s lost.”
Lydia opened her arms and held the fur that was as light as a feather; the puppy licked her cheek.
As a result, the little visitor joined the picnic like this, and after eating its fill, it fell asleep on Lydia’s lap.
“Where did the puppy come from?”
“Right, if it’s a family’s dog, we might know if we ask the villagers. Are you going to ask them to give it to us?”
“Huh?”
Lydia widened her eyes in astonishment. He probably thought that she had been loving the puppy dearly all along, and couldn’t bear to let go.
“But ... it should be very reluctant to separate from its mother.”
“But hasn’t it already considered you as its mother?”
Edgar sensed the confusion that emerged from Lydia at the time.
“If the child is here, then it wouldn’t be lonely.”
Lydia also didn’t know why she said that.
“Huh, will Lydia be lonely even when I am around?”
“Th--that’s not what I meant. ......I just wanted it to be more lively.”
At that time, she was probably thinking that she might not have children. Thinking of their future, perhaps it would be quite lonely.
“Hey, it’s time for us to return home, right?”
The puppy was sleeping soundly. Pulling away the grass that wrapped around the white fur, Lydia whispered “ah”. 
“Edgar, look at this, it’s a four-leaf clover.”
The little dog that rolled over on the grassland of clovers brought a lucky four-leaf clover.
The newly sprouted leaves were a faint yellow-green, and resembled a tiny jewel granules that were put together.
“It’s very much like a peridot, and it’s very similar to the colour of your eyes.”
Lydia took this fortune, tied it onto Edgar’s finger, and smiled.
“Is this for me?”
“Four leaf clovers can ward off evil magic from you.”
She must have considered that Edgar’s body had the influence of Unseelie Court magic within him.
“Thank you.”
Maybe for him, compared to any method that eliminated evil, Lydia herself was more useful. Like the sun that shone down on the newly sprouted three leaf clover, Lydia possessed peridot-coloured eyes. It has once been said that peridots can shine like the sun even in the dark. It was the radiance that guided Edgar. He looked at her eyes and kissed her eyelids.
The two of them came closer and closed their eyes. The murmuring sound of the river and the leaves blowing in the soft wind came into their ear, when they suddenly heard a dog barking in the distance.
The puppy that laid on Lydia’s lap reflexively opened its eyes.
Seeing the white mother dog on the bridge, the puppy jumped up after having just woken up.
“Well, its mother came to pick it up.”
The puppy, which resembled a pompom, also called out to its mother, then looked back towards Lydia.
“That's great. ......Goodbye.”
Lydia waved to the puppy, and the puppy called out like it was returning the greeting, then immediately ran towards its mother’s side.
Until their figures disappeared, Lydia peeked at Edgar’s appearance, and he had been staring at her the whole time.
“Edgar, don’t let the puppy leave its mother.”
Edgar seemed to be moving somewhat, so she was quite worried that he would snatch away the puppy without permission.
“Then, what about other puppies? I can find someone in the club, if you say that you want one, it’s fine to go and ask as well.”
“No, it can't be something in exchange for a bet.”
These words reflected Lydia’s complex mood at that time.
“Getting a lucky four leaf clover is already enough for me.”
Although Lydia smiled as she spoke, surely enough, she was still lonely.

​There was a dog calling outside, barking sadly.
In this sleepless late night, Edgar turned over.
Speaking of which, the new girl who came in during the day was holding a puppy, and Edgar just happened to see it as he passed by.
The surrounding group of people noticed and immediately asked Edgar to leave, afraid that the puppy was going to be taken away and then abandoned.
The girl really liked it, and always wandered nearby. Within Edgar’s impression, that weak bark resembled that white fluffy puppy.
Lydia.
How is she doing right now?
Separating from someone that was hard to abandon, hearing the miserable dog bark, he couldn’t help but overlap this with his painful mood.
It’ll be fine as long as Lydia isn’t heartbroken like me.

*

​
This place was a small village by the seashore. Most of the villagers were poor fishermen, living an impoverished life.
But they got through every day satiated. The sea facing the cliff was often rough, and now wasn’t the season for fishing.
So the villagers didn’t feel dissatisfied at all. They believed that life was like this, and didn’t feel that they were poor.
Sometimes there will be merchants passing by, but poor merchants wouldn’t come to poor villages. Perhaps in several years, there will be friendly officials wearing gorgeous clothes paying a visit, and they will merely believe that it’s someone from another world, so there wouldn’t be anything to be envious about.
They, who lived plainly, didn’t consider themselves to be unfortunate.
But with regards to their peace, it was the result of even the demons abandoning them. What made them realize this was when the demons appeared in the village.
Yes, it was the demons. Emma recalled the situation at the time, and couldn’t help but tremble in the dark.
It first happened two years ago. A lost traveler arrived in the village. But that man set off from a town that was dozens of miles away from the village. It seemed like a mere twenty to thirty minute walk to get here.
He was probably allured by the fairies. This mysterious thing was discussed very highly at the tavern, and yet because of some insignificant matter, the traveler and a young villager  quarreled. 
It was alleged that the drunken traveler’s wallet was touched and so on, but unfortunately the traveller ended up dead. The male villagers that were present, had opened up the purse that had been touched and was extremely surprised. There were dozens of gold coins inside.
Also, someone announced that no one knew about the traveler coming to the village. Who was it that said that? Yes, being allured by the fairies and coming here, there weren’t any clues left behind regarding the traveler’s whereabouts. It was possible as long as the corpse wasn’t found.
The male villagers threw the traveler off the cliff into the rough sea, then divided the gold coins.
But regarding this incident, the villagers swore to each other that they wouldn’t tell people outside of the village.
However, they didn’t know how to use the gold coins which had such a large value. Among the villagers, some went to the town’s casino or brothel and directly squandered the money.
Why would such poor villagers be holding gold coins? Naturally, someone would be suspicious.
It was merely a temporary matter, and soon after, a gentleman came to the village. The gentleman, who was tidy and charmingly dressed, wearing a tall hat and holding a cane, used words that were easy to understand for the villagers, explaining the sequence of events that occurred during the dreadful incident at that time.
As if he had completely witnessed the event, the gentleman who knew everything said to hand over the breadwinner of the family, if the crime at the time wasn’t made public. 
If the breadwinner was gone, the girls wouldn’t be able to live. But the majority of the villagers barely had a share of gold coins and nothing more; if they admitted their guilt, then wouldn’t it even be like the entire village receiving punishment?
First, the gentleman took five young men away. They never came back. After that, five, then ten were taken away. Although there were people who came back, it seemed like they had changed.
A gentle father made bizarre noises, a tender and earnest husband became brutal, a cheerful brother no longer laughed; everyone seemed to have something wrong, and all families trembled uneasily.
Emma's family and neighbors all seemed as if their identities were switched one by one.
But their looks and body maintained its original appearance. It wasn’t known when it began, as the village became filled with unfamiliar people.
It wasn’t just men. The women that acted as breadwinners were taken away as well, and when they returned, surely enough they were no longer the same as before.
The friend that Emma used to be very close with seemed to not recognize her. Although the village became a place that made one’s hair stand on end, it was still the same as before. The fishermen fished, and women farmed on the small vegetable fields; their daily lives still ran normally. She believed that the villagers were replaced and turned into demons.
And now, Emma herself was called by the gentleman to leave the village. Emma took the long-distance carriage and arrived at an unfamiliar seaport town. She arrived at a large house that was built on the cape underneath a cliff after much difficulty.
She snuck a pitiful puppy into her handbag, and so she took it out immediately.
Although it was quite pitiful, she couldn’t do anything. So, asking for the puppy to return to the village instead of herself, and coming to this place from such a far area both ought to be quite difficult. It would be nice if it was adopted by a kind-hearted person.
Emma probably felt that she could no longer return to the village.
In any case, there will always be someone that can return to the village in place of herself. Furthermore, it was a family of unfamiliar people living together in silence.
However, what she would become at that time, and what work would be assigned to her in this house was truly unimaginable.
Thus, she was brought in front of “His Highness”.
That person was a strikingly beautiful young man. He possessed bright blond hair and angelic good looks; if one stared around very impatiently, anyone would feel surrounded by that tension, and Emma was quite aware of this.
During the time that she looked over, the gentleman who had been arrogant and conceited the whole time had adopted a submissive attitude.
“Your Highness, please use her to relieve your boredom, it is the performance presented to you for tonight.”
“Performance? This girl?”
Due to his impatience, he frowned, but his flawless good looks were completely unaffected.
In the room full of luxurious decorations, Emma grew more fearful. This kind of place, which resembled a palace, wasn’t an area that she could go to. Although the so-called palace was somehow completely not understood; in short, it was very spacious, and had the look of a very tall atrium. Setting foot in such a place, bad things seemed to be waiting for her.
Compared to all of the luxurious decorations, the man sitting in the middle of the big sofa was more terrifying.
“There must be a special skill right?”
The shallow smile faced this side, and Emma felt a chill.
“She is very good at dancing.”
The gentleman replied. Emma didn’t know how to dance. How could I possibly dance?
“Then, let’s see you dance.”
Emma stood up. But the gentleman didn’t get angry with her, and merely used his eyes to order the subordinate by his side.
Soon after, the subordinate brought in a pair of red shoes.
No, it was a pair of red-hot iron shoes. 
Emma let out a miserable voice in resistance, but it was simply futile.
The man on the sofa looked bored as he watched the screaming girl jump around comically.
The voice of the girl that was loudly crying and screaming at him hadn’t left his ears since the beginning.

A demon, huh.
In the end, to what extent was he going to be cold? Edgar thought that coming here was simply a limitless crime beyond imagination. Was the existence of the “Prince” itself the devil’s soul?
He carried the Prince; how long would his integrity last in the end? The more Edgar thought, the more in despair he was, he entered the Prince’s organization and became the Prince, yet he couldn’t stop the Prince.
The original intention was to infiltrate and defeat the organization. There was no choice but to have a confrontation. However, the Edgar now was still the Edgar who longed for Lydia.
This organization wasn’t righteous. Knowing this, and then coming here, he sensed that he was being distorted little by little.
“Lord Edgar.”
The door opened silently, and a woman dressed in men’s clothing was seen. It was Ermine. Edgar released his tension and cast his gaze towards her.
“That girl just now was brought over from a village under the organization’s control. All of the villagers are equal to slaves. They were weak forces that were seized, used casually, and manpower that was abandoned after they were used up. If there was a rebel that resisted, then they were taken to be fed to the Sluaghs*. Because Unseelie Courts can replace people, they can also control people.”
It was expected that they were trying to progressively gather people that were controlled by the organization, and begin to invade Britain.
“So how is she now?”
“She is locked in the cabin under the steps. But I quietly opened the lock......”
It will be good as long as she can escape. It ought to be quite difficult having serious injuries on her feet, but this was the only thing that Edgar could do now.
Nowadays, the only comrade that could be counted on here was Ermine.
In the hematite mountains, Ermine was the one who rescued Edgar from the torrents. Just like this, he went to see the man who seemed to be controlling Ermine from the beginning.
The man who appeared before Edgar was Francis.
Perhaps that was truly the case.
Francis was the one who linked Edgar with the fairy kingdom, and was the lover of Diana, a woman who was from the fairy kingdom. Upon meeting the queen of the sea kingdom together with him, a clue for heading to the fairy kingdom was obtained.
It was fine regardless of whether it was an opportunity for him to be approached by Francis, and it was fine that Ermine appeared where Ahés was, as it seemed connected to some extent.
Furthermore, Francis always approached fairies intentionally many times. He was the one who found the fairy kingdom’s ship, and was also the one who directed the Nuckelavee to see the Blue Knight Earl.
With these kinds of matters arising, Edgar felt that he wasn’t merely the reckless Francis.
Francis’ true identity ought to be someone who is closely related with the fairy clan. He definitely knew about all kinds of important matters pertaining to Diana, the fairy kingdom, and the Prince. It was in this way that he gave a direction for Edgar to head towards.
Presumably, it still wasn’t possible for him to tell Edgar everything.
“Lord Edgar, are you angry with me?”
Ermine asked sadly to Edgar, who was silent.
“Not you, I am angry at Francis.”
After being flushed away by the groundwater in the hematite mine and receiving Ermine’s help, Edgar and Francis broke out of the cave together.
The exit was a steep cliff facing the sea.
When the fire was lit and they had to dry their drenched bodies first, Edgar’s mind was filled with things that he wanted to ask Francis.
“Did you deceive me in order to get close to me?”
Hearing Edgar speak, Francis covered his face in distress.
“Was the so-called lover of Diana, who came from the fairy kingdom, fabricated?”
“It isn’t. Everything I said to you is the truth. After including the loss of her, I, who lived a degenerate life, truly wanted to do my utmost to inherit her will as a way to compensate her.”
He painfully called out Diana’s name. At least the longing for her couldn’t be false.
“So in other words, I can't go to the fairy kingdom?”
“That country, if it’s not the chosen one, then it won’t be seen. A person who possesses proficient fairy abilities would naturally have no problem, but it’s out of the question if they don’t have a pure soul. I think Lydia has the possibility of getting there.”
If this was true, Edgar would indeed be rejected by the fairy kingdom.
“So Edgar, give Lydia the key to the fairy kingdom.”
Francis’ silver hair was dyed red by the flame. Even his black eyepatch was red.
The man in front of him was a different person than the usual carefree Francis.
“I really did accept the key, however I can’t see it.”
Francis seemed to have already known for a long time, and nodded.
“It doesn’t matter if you can’t see it, as long as you express your will to Lydia, it’s possible that an accident will happen to your body, the key will naturally turn to the hands of her, who is the Countess.”
The so-called accident was death without doubt, but it also included the situation of Edgar turning into the Prince. Because he became the master of the Unseelie Courts, it was impossible to be the owner of the key to Ibrazel.
“In order to transfer the key to Lydia, I have to become the Prince in other words.”
“You ought to have considered it as well, if you want to protect Lydia, you have no choice but to break the organization down from the inside, as well as the Prince’s memories within your body. If it isn’t eliminated, then this war won’t be able to end. In this way, it’s very necessary to obtain the strength of the fairy kingdom. However, there is another problem. The Prince in your body has not yet awakened. The Prince hasn’t been liberated, so we can’t attack him directly. Do you understand? Not to mention that if the fairy kingdom has the power to put an end to the “Prince”, it’s very important that you release the “Prince” before then.”
Releasing the Prince’s memory meant that Edgar won’t be able to control his own will. What kind of joke is this. Although he thought so, Edgar understood that this was something that had to be done.
”Otherwise, I will be buried along with it?”
Francis nodded.
“I’ve been paying attention to you all along. If it’s you, then it’s possible that you won’t be controlled by the Prince. It’s precisely because of this that I want to gamble on this method.”
“But there is a possibility that I will be controlled.”
“That’s why I said that this is a gamble.”
“In fact, you want me to die along with these memories, don't you?”
“That is the last resort.”
Francis spoke with a strict expression. But Edgar muttered in denial.
“This isn’t the last resort. I have decided that no matter what happens next, I will not choose to kill myself. If you want to kill me, I will resist with all my strength.”
Edgar already couldn’t choose to kill himself, because he promised Lydia that he had to survive.
“......I understand. I will keep that in mind. So Edgar, there is another point that I ask for you to believe, I will be the Earl family’s aide from now on. I serve you.”
In the end, to what extent should I believe in him? Edgar looked at Francis with doubt. However, Francis’ actions were merely based on his longing for Diana.
“This is the loyalty towards the true Blue Knight Earl family that Diana came from.”
While Francis pondered, he slowly nodded his head.
“Edgar, I always thought that Diana was undoubtedly my lover, yet I wasn’t able to understand her, she might have cursed me. But when I realized that it wasn’t a curse, rather it was a wish entrusted to me, it was like I became another person.”
“Curse...?”
“Yes. A curse where you will continue living on like fairies.”
Edger was so surprised that he couldn’t make a sound, and Francis explained indifferently.
“Diana left me, and I absolutely have no idea about what happened since then, but at some point, I suddenly intuitively believed that she was dead. From that time, I decided that I had to carry on her wishes.”
“You said that you were involved in a war.”
Although this might have been irrelevant, Edgar still cared deeply, as he looked at Francis’ black eyepatch.
“The Battle of Waterloo.”
Francis said simply. It turned out to be like this, after living for nearly half a century, Francis somehow only looked twenty years old.
“The new Blue Knight Earl, Edgar Ashenbert, after hearing about things about you, only then did I have come to understand that Diana actually made me live all along not to punish me, and that there was meaning to it. I inherited her will, so I approached you. But the man who made me swear my loyalty is you, Edgar. So I decided to go to see you directly.”
The first time Edgar saw Francis was during the honeymoon, half a year ago. In other words, he had already been in contact with Ermine since that time and schemed all kinds of things soon after.
“Since when did you team up with Ermine?”
“It was me who made Ermine betray you the second time.”
Ermine, who leaned against the rock wall, cast her gaze towards Edgar, and kept silent. Francis continued on.
“I made her to investigate the inside of the Prince's organization, as well as your actions and behaviour. So I’ve seen through it all.”
“Even when Ermine stole the flame fluorite, the Freya?”
“Ah, that’s correct.”
“You want to make me carry the Prince’s memories?”
“Yes.”
Edgar clenched his fists and cautiously steadied his anger.
“Why?”
“Because you are the Blue Knight Earl.”
Francis said without the least bit of hesitation.
“Edgar, you don’t have the Earl family’s bloodline, contrary to that, although you approached the Prince, you obtained the Merrow’s sword. This is the proof that you have the awareness to change fate.”
Lydia was there, so he succeeded. It was because she was there that he had the strength to change fate. Therefore, Edgar had to protect her, even if he became the “Prince”.
“This was completely your choice. From the moment you got ahold of the Blue Knight Earl’s sword, you were going to shoulder the fate of the Blue Knight Earl’s family. I’m merely doing things that affect you. In any case, this is the result of your own choice.”
Currently, Edgar’s situation was indeed the result that he chose of his own will. But Francis made Ermine steal the Freya, which was the alternative route for Edgar to become the Prince.
At the same time, Edgar thought that if the Freya disappeared, he might be hunted down by the Prince. Because the organization might have been anxious to act for the previous Prince to survive, Edgar seemed to have become unnecessary regarding the organization.
In addition, Francis and Ahés of the sea kingdom planned to let Edgar survive.
As a successor to Diana's will, he had to make Edgar, who shouldered the fate of the Earl family, continue living.
“Ermine, how did Francis get you involved?”
In one of the strongholds among the organization, a large house was built on the headland, and the sound of continuous sea waves could be heard. The large house was situated on a desolate coastal area of the Welsh region, and there was said to be an old seaside town nearby. When nightfall came, the large house was subsequently surrounded by darkness.
Ermine lit the oil lamp in the room. It was like bestowing magic in order to not be swallowed by the darkness.
“He said he could turn you into the true Blue Knight Earl, and that in order to achieve this, he needed my help.”
“In any case, I can’t be the true Blue Knight Earl, right?”
“Do what he says, and it will become real.”
“Then how can it become true? ”
“He seems to have his own way of thinking.”
He was a little hesitant on whether or not to rely on Francis’ opinions. But he wasn’t thinking about the problem, rather he was thinking that Francis knew something important. Perhaps it was the shortcut to make Edgar the Blue Knight Earl. This was a narrow route buried by weeds, and if he took a wrong turn, he would become the Prince and die.
Although Edgar thought that this was hard to believe, he also felt that thinking in this way could comfort himself.
“Who on earth is he? Isn’t he just Diana's lover?”
“I don’t know either.”
“But you believed in Francis’ words.”
“After becoming a fairy, it isn’t like when I was human, my ability to think has become dull. But my intuition has become astonishingly clear, there are times where I feel that it’s pointless to think.”
“I see, believing in intuition. Then I will trust your instincts.”
Edgar said, and Ermine gently relaxed the corners of her mouth.
In the enemy’s encampment, there was very little time to loosen the tension. For a moment, they were enveloped in a strained atmosphere, and as the sound of knocking on the door echoed, Edgar was surrounded by a sense of tension.
The one that entered the room was a man with a distinct scar on his forehead and a strange appearance.
It was Teran.
Under Teran’s silent urge, Ermine left the room.
Originally, Teran summoned an Unseelie Court, Sluagh, in compliance with Ulysses’ instructions, and was forced to work behind the scenes. Now, he obtained the organization’s support and withdrew from Ulysses’ faction. 
Ermine became his subordinate. Bringing Edgar to a significant stronghold of the organization --- the work of this large house, seemed to have been taken from Ulysses’ hands by Teran.
Teran had the possibility of targeting Lydia’s life in the future. Edgar as the “Prince”, had to keep this man down first.
“Did you like that toy from just now?”
Making that village girl wear iron shoes was that man’s instructions.
He gave the impression of glaringly big eyes, his tone and expression were quite gloomy, and made people sink into an unstable existence.
Terran had the blood of the dreadful monster, the Nuckelavee, flowing within him, and appeared as a human, yet he didn’t possess a human soul; within his body was a monster.
Within the organization, no one could deal with him. Edgar glared at this man.
“Very old-fashioned.”
Edgar knew exactly what kind of person the Prince was, so he deliberately assumed an unpleasant approach. This level was unsatisfactory with regards to the former Prince.
Though the Prince’s memories were still sealed, it wasn’t difficult to act like the Prince.
After Edgar was kidnapped and sent to America by the organization, they forcefully instilled in him the Prince’s complete personality and the ways he liked to think, thus the education to become the Prince was carried out.
As a result, Edgar escaped during his education. At least making Teran believe that he is the Prince can be done.
“You seemed to really like these kinds of toys in the past.”
“I don’t remember.”
“......Preferences changing after the physical body is exchanged, such a thing isn’t impossible either.”
Did Teran believe that Edgar had already become the genuine “Prince”? He might still be probing around. However in this Organization, Prince has absolute authority and everyone submits to him completely. So, Edgar hardly cared about matters of his words and actions contradict each other.
“What do you think of your new body?”
“It’s fine.”
“In that case, I want to explain the plans for the future. Can you summon the cadres?”
“What are the cadres’ names?”
Among the several people that Teran presented to him, Ulysses’ name wasn’t there. Not long ago, he was a man who controlled the organization. Ulysses ought to have been very ill at ease about the Prince’s obsession with Edgar.
Furthermore, he knew that Edgar had come here.
The new body of the Prince from multiple generations will destroy the personality of the person with that body and then carry on brainwashing, transplanting the memories of the first Prince. In other words, the memories within Edgar weren’t the memories of the former Prince, but of the original Prince.
Each generation of the Prince, through brainwashing, the Prince himself will be considered as the original Prince.
Even so, the original was someone else, so could he really become the same person?
It was in this way that Ulysses, who had just joined the organization at that time, grasped the organization’s true authority because he helped the previous Prince shift the memories over.
On the other hand, Teran was in the same period as the original Prince, but got through as the same person, using magic techniques to live. Teran has fairy blood, so he is immortal. As the subordinate of the “Prince of Calamity”, it’s only natural that he had to survive.
But Teran was later removed by the Prince.  Soon afterwards, he believed that the Prince of the next generation was a different person than the original Prince, and this kind of danger subsequently increased.
And this was actually a faint hope for Edgar, in fact, it really was quite faint.
The domain of Unseelie Courts harbored dark poison that devoured the human soul. Only a little was released, and Edgar didn’t know whether or not he could maintain his own righteousness.
Regardless of who it is, gathering malice and desire might lead to a strong poison like the “Prince of Calamity.”
“Then this was simply the matter?”
Edgar wanted to make Teran withdraw immediately after speaking, so he urged on. Teran smiled faintly. There was one more thing he wanted to say, and so he went towards the window.
“That village girl from a moment ago is escaping.”
He pointed towards the plains, which had a great view. There was a person dragging their feet.
A white figure could vaguely be seen in the darkness.
“There is a cave underneath the fence, which she would have to crawl through. There is fluorescent moss powder that has fallen off in the cave. The girl should more or less realize that she is stuck to that powder, and that a white figure has appeared in the darkness.”
She should be quite panicked. The large house was still visible in the plains. She had to hurry and escape into the forest.
“So, what should be done? Your Majesty, she has fled, is it to give her hope, or to make her become desperate?”
Teran asked quite happily. He seemed to have discovered that Edgar made Ermine open the lock.
“The deeper her despair, the more interesting it will be.”
“Let me see your way of handling things.”
The girl’s fate had already been decided. Edgar couldn’t help her. Concealing the pain, he left the window.
There was no need to look at what happens afterwards.
The frightened and pained wails were even unbearable to listen to, but it went on continuously. Teran believed that these playthings were perfect. As the darkness returned to stillness once more, Teran narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
Taking on this kind of thing, he will become the “Prince” little by little. When Edgar was alone, his heart was pushed down heavily.
This organization’s methods were always like it was in the past. The Prince’s torment was endless, like breathing. Just like how “one can’t survive without breathing”, the Prince made the people around him undertake these kinds of cruel actions.
This was probably the essence of the “Prince of Calamity”.
Terror and despair can increase the power of the Unseelie Courts, and can attract dark beings. He gathered people secretly, did malicious deeds to the greatest extent, and was active in the dark side of society.
Even if they were eliminated by the United Kingdom, the deep-rooted feelings of opposition created this organization, saved the lives of the same kind of people without hesitation, and continued to hate the royal family.
Edgar endured the breathing difficulties and looked up at the sky.
At that time, a shadow moved by the glass door connected to the balcony. After he got scared, he turned around.
It was seen from the gap of the glass window’s side curtains. A tiny, white body peered inside.
It was a puppy. He knew right away, because he heard the puppy let out a faint bark.
Upon opening the glass door, the stray puppy jumped into the room.
It was the puppy brought by the wailing girl from just now. Though it wanted to see her, she was already dead.
Edgar couldn’t help but recall the stray kitten he snuck into the room he was imprisoned in, not long after he was kidnapped to America. The kitten became an existence that consoled his heart, but that kitten was killed.
The organization has taken everything away that was important to a person. In doing so, the person’s heart was subsequently destroyed.
“You shouldn’t be sad, you have to be strong.”
The puppy, who sat at Edgar’s foot, wagged its tail, and it resembled the white puppy in his memory with Lydia. Its fur resembled a pom-pom, but its eyes were green. It reminded people of the color of peridots, and was quite similar to Lydia’s eye color.
The former Edgar was a child that was deprived of everything. Then ten years later, he became the “Prince”, determined to rise among the organization. 
In the end, have I become strong? Can the me right now protect a stray puppy?
This is a battle where I won’t let important things be lost.
The small animal, which knew human nature well, curled up underneath his foot; just this began to thaw his seemingly frozen heart. He lifted it, and it wagged its tail with increasing excitement soon afterwards.
“I will take revenge for you.”
It overlapped with the puppy in his memories with Lydia. I can't lose again, Edgar thought.

​*

“Edgar is still alive.”
Lydia strengthened her tone and said, returning the will that the lawyer told her to look at.
“That is without a doubt, the Earl’s whereabouts are still unknown. But Madam, he told me from the beginning that if he gets caught up in the situation at present, that I should show it to you.”
In the afternoon, Lydia went to visit a law firm of one of Edgar’s friends. Upon hearing that Edgar’s will was safeguarded, Lydia barely managed to face it.
I don’t know when Edgar will return. I don’t even know if he will return either. 
The lawyer said that because continuing in this way will cause all kinds of complications, the necessary procedures had to be done in order to live in the future.
Even so, he would act on behalf of Lydia, who wasn’t willing to confirm it, as the lawyer explained.
“According to this, by complying with the prenuptial agreement, the Madam’s dowry will be paid back in full, and one hundred thousand pounds will be received.”
One hundred thousand? Lydia exclaimed. That was an amount unimaginable to commoners. Furthermore, Lydia knew that it was a very common situation for the dowry money of the prenuptial agreement to not be returned.
She also heard that if it is a rich daughter holding a large dowry for marriage, her parents will ask their son-in-law to set up this kind of agreement, but Lydia’s dowry was actually insignificant. She had been married for less than half a year, but counting from the dress and jewelry that was bought, the money has been regarded as used up a while ago, which was to be expected.
However, the lawyer went as far as to say that an additional amount of money was going to be added.
“Although you can’t completely inherit the Earl family’s assets, the London mansion was set aside for you. You can continue to live in it, you can also sell it.”
“Uh... but that is the villa that Edgar bought.”
“Not long ago, it was transferred to you.”
Edgar even did this in consideration for Lydia. In other words, he realized he was going to die.
Edgar often thought that if he loses himself because of the Prince's memories, then he would choose death.
So only then did Lydia convey the wish to him that no matter what happened, she wanted him to live, and he promised Lydia as well. But he didn’t have the time to retract his dying words, and probably had no intention of retracting it.
When he was married, he had already considered this situation for her future, and Lydia, who was completely unaware of it, felt quite heartless.
Lydia’s heart ached deeply, she clasped her hands on her knees, and she straightened her body.
“In short, regardless of what the details are, it has nothing to do with me. Edgar will definitely come back.”
The lawyer looked at Lydia and suddenly smiled.
“I see, the Madam is just as Edgar said.”
“What about me...?”
“Yes, stubborn and upright, a woman who loves him more than anyone else.”
To go as far as to proclaim that kind of thing, Lydia listened while feeling slightly embarrassed, but compared to shyness, a warm feeling embellished her heart all along.
Although he was no longer around, Edgar would still mention Lydia to his friends. She felt happy that she was always living in his heart.
Because of that kind of Edgar, it was planned for Lydia’s future.
Therefore, I should also do something.
Although she thought so, she still didn’t know what should be done. However, she felt that if it continued on like this, she would part ways with him.

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[1] Sluaghs - the spirits of the restless dead. Sometimes they were seen as sinners, or generally evil people who were welcome in neither heaven nor hell. They are almost always depicted as troublesome and destructive. (From Wikipedia)