Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 25 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 ♦ ​Lyonesse's Blue Knight Earl

It seemed that Francis had been stumbling about the wilderness by himself. Raven, who had been following him, appeared to be perplexed at the sudden disappearance of Francis’ figure after Francis went around a boulder. Together with Nico, Lydia came running over to Raven who stood stock still there.
“Eh? Francis disappeared?”
Yes, replied Raven as he pointed down the path.
“It was just for a moment when his figure was hidden behind the boulder. After that, I lost sight of him.”
Once they passed through the rocky area, a flat land with an unobstructed view spread across before them.
“I see, he entered the village huh.”
“The village? Nico, could there perhaps be a fairy village here?”
“Yeah, look at it like this.”
Lydia followed what Nico did, and looked towards the other side while placing her hand on the boulder. Then, she was able to see a village surrounded by stone walls, on this land which should not have anything on it.
“I wonder if it’s a pixie village. Let’s go and take a look.”
As long as they were able to see the village, that village did not disappear even when they removed their hands from the boulder.
When they approached the village and crossed the threshold over to the inner side of the stone walls, there were dwellings lined up along the street. There was no difference from a human village.
“Are those people pixies as well?”
Raven tilted his head to the side as he walked. Although those whom they passed by were wearing green-coloured clothes, they appeared to be of the same size as humans.
“They must be. We may have become smaller here.”
“Francis that guy, I wonder if he realized that this is a fairy village.”
“He may not have realized.”
It had always been like this, but Francis wasn’t bothered about whether the person before him was an existence from the human realm.
Up until now, Lydia had always thought that Francis was simply just someone who did things at his own pace, but that may not be the case. Lydia wondered if Francis had close interactions with existences such as fairies and the spirit world, so much so that they weren’t something rare.
When she walked for a while as she was thinking over this, a delicious smell drifted over from a building with a signboard of a fish.
Approaching that building as if he was drawn in by the smell, Nico, who peeked inside it quietly from the window, beckoned Lydia and Raven over.
“Found him. It’s Francis. What an easy-going guy.”
Stuffing his cheeks full with delicious looking potatoes and downing his beer, that silver-haired man with blue eyes caught their eyes immediately even though it was through a window.
He was talking to a red-faced elderly man who appeared to be the shopkeeper. Their talking voices could be heard even by Lydia and the others, who were hiding outside by the window in the shrubbery.
(Silver blue-haired Catena? Her dwelling hasn’t changed since the past. It’s at the stone circle.)
Silver blue-haired. They must be referring to that young girl who is a fairy.
Even as she thought it was improper to eavesdrop, she didn’t have much choice.
“I can’t get there no matter what. Although I want to retrieve something she stole, somehow, it seems like I’m being rejected by Catena.”
It appeared that Francis had been trying to meet her, but he wasn’t successful. Furthermore, it also seemed like this wasn’t his first time in this village.
(Catena should come out once the night falls tonight. Once that happens, you can just sneak in. You can retrieve what she stole.)
“Tonight? Why would Catena come out?”
(Because the night skies will be clear.)
“Why will she come out if it becomes clear?”
(Beats me. There’s no way we can understand Catena. That’s just how things have been since the past.)
Hmmm, sounded Francis as he rested his chin in his hand.
“Seriously, I have no idea what she’s thinking.”
(Even you too? Well, since she is prideful and scary. It’s best not to stand out. Anyhow, because we’re staying on her land, we are still safe; even those Unseelie Courts can’t come near.)
The shopkeeper laughed with a voice that sounded like a frog’s croak.
(Even so, as before, she is still attached to the Blue Knight Earl; since it’s said that only the Earl can grant Catena her wish.)
Lydia tensed up at the sudden mention of the words ‘Blue Knight Earl’.
“Her wish?”
(I don’t know what kind of wish it is.)
“I wonder if it’s related to her being the guide for the Earl…”
As she listened to Francis who said so in a mutter, Lydia and the others looked at each other.
He said that that fairy was the guide for the Earl. If so, then the landing on Lyonesse which was necessary in order to go to Ibrazel, meant that they had to meet her.
If that’s the case, then Francis had known what they needed in Lyonesse in order to go to Ibrazel. Of course, he had also known the location of Lyonesse and the way to land on Lyonesse.
Yet he hid that from them and took his own actions, as well as made Catena steal the bracelet which was important to Lydia.
Lydia gradually got infuriated.
Once she slowly straightened her back, she walked towards the shop’s entrance with wide strides.
“Hey, Lydia…”
Paying no need to Nico’s panic, Lydia threw the door open and walked towards Francis who turned around.
“Francis, what’s all these about? Why are you hiding things from us? You knew where Lyonesse was and you made the fairy steal my bracelet so that we can land on Lyonesse; you, what are you thinking?”
“Eh. … Lydia? Wh-why are you here?”
“I trusted you as a friend.”
“Th-that’s not it. It’s not that I’ve betrayed you.”
“Then what is it? Why are you hiding things from us? Why didn’t you tell us when you knew that the guide for the earl family is here? Did you betray Edgar as well? By pretending to be our retainer?”
Lydia showered questions onto Francis. Francis answered even as he faltered.
“He knows.”
“… He knows? Then, Edgar too is hiding things from me.”
“That’s not it. More like Edgar realized it; in any case, I’ve a reason for this!”
At some point in time, both Raven and Nico had surrounded Francis.
Even as she was shaken, Lydia took a deep breath as she tried to remain calm.
“Then, tell me the reason.”
“That… For now, I still can’t tell you everything.”
Francis, who furrowed his brows painfully, appeared to feel apologetic about this from the bottom of his heart.
“Why is that?”
“Both Edgar and you, aren’t the real Blue Knight Earl yet.”
Francis, who said so clearly, looked towards Lydia with unwavering eyes.
“I think that if it’s you two, you can become the real Blue Knight Earl.  But there are also things which I can’t say until you become the real Blue Knight Earl.”
Because it was as if even Francis was calling them an impostor, this struck Lydia hard. But it’s as Francis said; Lydia and Edgar weren’t the real Blue Knight Earl.
Francis knew Diana, who served the real earl family. Even though he had sworn his allegiance to Edgar, this was still separate from the feelings he had towards the real family of the Blue Knight Earl. 
“Did you say that to Edgar as well? And did he accept that?”
“I don’t know if he accepted it or not, but I think he allowed me to act together with you guys.”
Lydia let out a sigh. Although her earlier fury had simmered down, she found it sad not to know what a friend whom she trusted was thinking about.
“Then, how did you come to be acquainted with Ermine?”
Nico continued with the questioning.
“Ermine?”
Francis replied as if he was feigning ignorance, but because his usual attitude was like that as well, they didn’t really know if he was telling the truth or lying.
“I saw you guys at Penzance. You met her in the woods.”
“… Ahhh. That selkie in men’s clothing? I only met her because she said she’s Ahés’ messenger.”
“Ahés’ messenger? What business did she have?”
“That…  In other words, it’s about Edgar. Ahés is wary about Edgar turning into Prince isn’t she? She’s probably concerned about whether or not Prince has revived. I evaded her questions though.”
It’s true that Ermine was at Ahés’ place. However, she had also been acting as Teran’s subordinate during this time. Lydia thought that Ermine had rescued Edgar at the hematite mines and was now by his side in Prince’s organization.
Since Ermine was probably the one who would know better if it’s about Edgar, there was no need to ask Francis. Rather, it was more probable that Francis was the one who approached her in order to try and obtain information.
Lydia thought about why Ermine had escaped from the Organization and stayed with Ahés to begin with.
I feel that things would fall into place if Francis was the one who brought Ermine and Ahés together.
I wonder since when did Francis and Ermine know each other. It must have been much earlier.
Lydia naturally recalled the story of Lyonesse’s prince which the silver blue fairy told.
The story about how he had brought the girl who came from Ibrazel to Lyonesse, how he left Lyonesse again to chase after her, only to never return henceforth.
Because it sounded like a story she had heard from somewhere, and Francis knew about Lyonesse.
If Francis was the last survivor of the descendants of that country which was submerged in the seas in ancient times…
Diana of Ibrazel, Ahés of Armorica and Francis of Lyonesse. If these three countries which had a deep affinity with the fairy folk still possessed that relation even now, and were trying to stand up against the Prince of Calamity, an existence which was likely to bring about a terrible disaster to even the fairy realm…
Francis should have investigated the Prince’s Organization and was working behind the scenes since some time back.
Most probably, by using Ermine.
There was a possibility that while he made Lydia head for Ibrazel, he sent Ermine over to Teran’s side for the sake of Edgar, who had to be with the Organization.
Lydia wondered if that too was something which, to Francis, could only be told to the real Blue Knight Earl.
(Oh dear. It’s about time I close the shop.)
Suddenly, the shopkeeper raised his voice, and Lydia came back to her senses. The moment she thought that the flames lighted on the candles on the counter were extinguished, their surroundings became dark all of a sudden.
(My dear guests, please come again.)
“Eh. Wah!”
Francis raised his voice; he had landed on his behind. With him before her, Lydia looked around her surroundings hurriedly, and found that their surroundings were no longer that of the cramped pub earlier, but was simply a vast wilderness.
Putting aside the tables, the chairs or the stone walls, and obviously the buildings, the entire town had vanished.
“Wh-what….? Everyone’s disappeared?”
Only Francis, who had been seated on a chair, was thrown out and remained seated on the grass, depressed. Because Lydia and the others were standing, they didn’t fall onto the ground; but they too were astonished, and could only stand rooted to the ground in a daze.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know for sure, but could it be that the pixies leave once night falls?”
Nico said so as he tilted his head to the side.
“Eh, was that the pixies’ village?”
“Do you really not know?”
Raven muttered with an exasperated tone.
“I was still in the middle of my meal you know…”
For some reason, only the fork which Francis was still gripping remained without vanishing.
“Even so, I wonder if this place is such that the pixies have to leave once night falls.”
The sun had completely set on the wilderness. A faint purplish hue which appeared when the sun set hung about their surroundings.
“See, didn’t the pixies say earlier that they don’t know how to handle the fairy Catena? And Catena will come out tonight. That’s probably why they vanished.”
“It was still morning just a moment ago.”
“That’s because we entered the fairies’ village.”
The skies got darker before them. Stars started to shine in the clear night skies.
“In any case, let’s go.”
Lydia said so and turned to face Francis, as if she was urging him to lead the way.
“Huh? Where to?”
“Isn’t it obvious? To Catena’s dwelling. Which way is the stone circle? She isn’t in when it’s night-time right? We have to retrieve the bracelet.”
“Yeah, but Lydia, it might be dangerous for you to go. I mean, since Catena…”
That fairy viewed Lydia, who identified herself as the Countess, with hostility.
“If it’s now, she won’t be in right?”
Truth be told, Lydia intended to go regardless of whether Catena was in or not. Although it may be dangerous or she may be hated, if Catena was a fairy related to the earl family, Lydia thought that she had to face Catena.
Perhaps he realized that he wasn’t able to stop Lydia, for Francis stood up.
“Are you going to trust him?”
Raven did not relax the sharp gaze he held on Francis.
“Raven, even though Edgar knew that Francis was keeping secrets from us, he didn’t deny the fact that Francis is a member of the earl family.”
When she looked straight into Raven’s eyes, he no longer raised any objections.
Raven positioned himself firmly between Lydia and Francis, and stepped forth.
“Sorry.”
As they walked, Francis muttered so.
“Although I fully understand that it was an important bracelet to you Lydia, there wasn’t anything else which Catena would be interested in and be likely to steal. But, I definitely intend to retrieve it.”
Together with Ibrazel’s key, that bracelet contained Edgar’s unchanging feelings. No matter how far apart they were, Lydia believed that he was right by her side. But, without having that physical proof in her hands, her belief was swayed by unease.
The Edgar whom she saw together with Kelpie, didn’t appear to be Edgar. And so, Lydia couldn’t help but think that she may perhaps no longer be able to meet him ever again.
But the only thing Lydia could do was to brush away her unease and move forward. And, putting his methods aside, Francis brought Lydia to Lyonesse. 
Even if she doubted him, she wouldn’t be able to move forward.
“Francis, please tell me one thing. What is the kind of result you’re hoping for? Is it the same as ours? Or is it different?”
“I believe that it’s the same.”
‘Believe’. In other words, that meant that there was a possibility of it being different.
“If Edgar is taken over by Prince, do you intend to kill him?”
“How about you? Even so, would you stay by him?”
Lydia wished that Edgar would live on no matter how he was. Lydia wondered how far she would consider that Edgar was still alive. She wondered if she’d be able to think of him as the same Edgar as before, even if the feelings of love disappeared from within Edgar.
“If Edgar changes, then I’ll follow you. My Lady, the loyalty which I swore to Edgar, belongs to you as well.”
Francis said so quietly.
“…I only move for Edgar’s sake. Because even if the earl family no longer needs Edgar, I need Edgar.”
Francis lowered his gaze for a short while, as if he nodded, then he raised his gaze and pointed ahead of them.
“That’s the stone circle. There’s an old tomb inside. That should be where Catena resides but I couldn’t enter yesterday. Or I should say that I couldn’t see the tomb.”
Under the light of the slow rising moon, they could see short rocks dotted about in the vast plains. The irregularly shaped rocks also appeared to be arranged in a disorderly fashion inside the circle; so rather than calling it a circle, those rocks appeared to be simply scattered around.
Lydia and the others proceeded towards the midst of rocks which were lined up. That area was a depression which was surrounded by knolls. When the moon was hidden by the knolls, the star-filled skies extended above them, as if it was covering the circle.
“Isn’t that a tomb?”
Nico, who walked slightly ahead of them, climbed up a tree growing in isolation and raised his voice. In the direction where he pointed towards, they saw ruins made up of multiple rocks stacked up against each other.
Behind that was a tomb buried by earth in the depression, surrounded by the stone circle, as it bulged up like a lump.
“There’s no mistake; just as the shopkeeper said earlier, it seems like Catena’s not in.”
“Alright. Let’s retrieve the bracelet now while she’s out!”
Nico raised his arm overhead in an exaggerated manner.
When they peeked in through a gap in the side which seemed to be the entrance, there was a flight of low stone steps. A passageway made by digging a little down into the ground continued towards the inner part of the tomb.
From there, Lydia noticed that a faint green light hung in the air.
She hastened her pace unconsciously. The narrow passageway opened out suddenly, and she arrived in a circularly-shaped room that was surrounded by stone walls. In the middle of that room, lay a single large rock placed across it.
It was a small item placed on top of that rock which was shining in green.
“It’s the bracelet!”
Lydia dashed towards it, reached out and took the bracelet on top of the rock. It was the bracelet made of oily-green serpentine. There’s no mistake that it was the one she was entrusted with by the Queen.
“Thank god.”
Passing her arm through the bracelet, she held it against her chest.
However, Lydia noticed that the lion’s figure wasn’t on it and she panicked. She turned it around and held it above her head to check, but it really wasn’t there.
The lion’s figure, as well as the beads of peridot embedded into the lion’s back like a four-leaf clover were supposed to be there, but those have vanished.
“Ibrazel’s key … it’s missing!”
That was the one which was Ibrazel’s key and what Edgar entrusted to Lydia. The bracelet was also valuable, but that by itself was meaningless.
“Hey Nico, what should I do…”
Lydia looked towards Nico pleadingly, but he looked like he was holding his breath and had his eyes fixed on the rock which the bracelet was placed on.
Both Raven and Francis were the same as well. They had the expression which stated that now wasn’t the time to be worried about the bracelet. Wondering what it was about, Lydia turned her eyes towards the rock. Then, she too held her breath.
The upper portion of the rock was probably made of crystal. They could see through to the interior as the crystal was like a clear glass panel. And inside that rock, lay a person who looked like he was asleep.
It was a man with blackish hair, and was thought to be around 20 years in age.
“Don’t tell me, that this is the Blue Knight Earl Catena spoke of…?”
“This? Is this really the real deal?”
Nico peered in as he nearly stuck his face onto the clear surface of the rock.
“But, is he alive?”
Lydia felt a simple doubt about that. The man’s face was pale and rather than say that he was sleeping, it looked like a death mask.
“That’s just a corpse.”
A voice resonated through the interior of the tomb. When Lydia and the others turned towards the entrance in surprise, a familiar youth stood there.
“Ulysses…”
Immediately after Lydia said so, Nico hid his figure while Raven took a step forth and assumed a combat stance.

*

​
The mansion which was reserved exclusively for Prince to reside in, was a brand new white-walled building in Cypress Island.
It wasn’t spacious but its appearance was proper and not shabby. When Ermine entered the entrance hall of that mansion, she ran into Kathleen, who happened to be leaving.
“Shouldn’t mistresses use the backdoor?”
Kathleen threw a glance at Ermine, like she was ridiculing her.
“Well then, I must ask that you begin by giving a demonstration.”
“I! Am the legitimate fiancée!”
“Even though His Highness has a wife. Aren’t we both in the same position?”
Precisely because it was a valid point, Kathleen’s face reddened.
“That kind of marriage, is invalid!”
Declaring that, Kathleen waved her fully fluffed up skirt and left.
“Since when did you become my mistress?”
It was Edgar’s voice. Edgar was standing while leaning against the door to the dining room which was located slightly further in.
He had probably just finished dinner and was sending Kathleen off.
“It was a joke Ulysses said to Miss Kathleen.”
Hmmmm, voiced Edgar in a seemingly bored tone as he turned around. He climbed up the stairs by the side. Ermine, who had something to speak with Edgar about, silently followed suit.
“But she talks a lot. When I met her previously, I thought that she was a slightly quieter young lady.”
“Wasn’t she just putting on an act?”
“Ah… you’re right.”
As if that too was inconsequential, Edgar muttered so.
Entering a study-like room, Edgar sat down onto an armchair.
“What kind of conversation did you have over dinner?”
“I don’t remember.”
He loosened his necktie as if he found it annoying.
“Dating with marriage in mind is completely boring. Even if I played along with tiresome conversations, I can’t lay my hands on her; isn’t that ridiculous?”
“Even if you did lay your hands on her, no one would find fault with you.”
When she said that, Edgar revealed a surprised expression; then he chuckled.
“I see. Here, I’m the dictator. But you know, don’t you think that if I laid my hands on her, people would get naggier?”
“Even so, you’re not rejecting the consort candidate decided by Teran right?”
Ermine took on a sarcastic tone halfway through, but Edgar didn’t even appear to be bothered.
“A consort is necessary right? Well, anyone is fine but Teran said she’s fine. There’s no reason for me to reject him.”
“… When it was your wife, you enjoyed yourself no matter what kind of conversation it was. How about coming to feel that way?”
He furrowed his brows ever so slightly, but it didn’t look like his heart was shaken.
“Who I was then, wasn’t my true self.”
Was it because he had changed? Or was there a reason why he had to say so? Ermine couldn’t be sure.
She thought that Kelpie’s intuition as a man who cared for the same woman may be right, but even now she couldn’t sense anything from Edgar which suggested that he cared about Lydia.
“More importantly, what do you have for me?”
“Ulysses went out.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know. He shook us off. It seems like he too is hiding things from you.”
“Any signs of him leaving the island?”
“No.”
“He’s on the island huh.”
Edgar fell into deep thought, then he glanced towards Ermine.
“By the way, weren’t you going to leave me?”
“I won’t.”
“Do as you please.”
He said so as he appeared to stifle a laugh. Such little gestures made her sense the existence of the Edgar as she knew before.
On the other hand, when it came to Lydia, it was as if he was hiding his feelings.
The Edgar who was gentle, compassionate, and who would envelope both those he loved and his friends whom he empathized with, was not here.
When his expression changed suddenly, a demonic light resided in his ash mauve eyes. That kind of power which would definitely make fairies, and even humans instinctively sense a danger to their being, would change the air in the surroundings.
At that same moment, they heard the sound of a knock.
The one who entered the room, was Teran.
Even Teran faltered a little at Edgar’s gaze. It was in such a manner that Edgar had changed.
Prince’s power probably clashed with the feelings of caring for someone. Edgar probably had to sacrifice the part of him that was gentle and tender in order to obtain the will just to control that power.
By doing so, by abandoning the peaceful days he had with Lydia, he may had protected himself from Prince.
“You summoned for me?”
Teran had his hat on even indoors. It was probably to hide the huge scar on his forehead. It was only before ‘Prince’, that he meekly removed his hat.
“Have you found those from the earl family?”
Edgar appeared to be bothered by that hat, as he stared at it.
“Not yet. They probably cast camouflage magic on the ship. Since there are signs of them departing Penzance, if they’re in these Isles of Scilly, we’ll find them soon enough.”
“Ulysses may be ahead of you.”
“No, I’ll be the one to find them first. I’ll deliver their heads before you, Your Highness.”
 “I’ll look forward to that.”
Did he really mean that? As she thought, Ermine didn’t know.
“By the way, about the church in the outskirts of the village, I heard that it’s hiding villagers who escaped.”
“That’s simply a graveyard.”
“A graveyard?”
“Because I’ve sent in a pastor who loves the sight of blood in advance, he’ll dispose of those insolent people who tried to escape from the Organization. Even those who came from the outside in order to probe into the secrets here, are buried in that plot of land.”
Teran then revealed a suggestive smile.
“Oh yes, that’s right. There’s also the possibility of those from the earl family straying over there. Since it’s that pastor we’re talking about, they may already be buried.”
“…Verify that.”
Leaving a brief pause, Edgar spat out those words.
After confirming that Edgar didn’t seem like he had any further questions, Teran exited the room.
To Ermine, Edgar appeared to be irritated, while Teran appeared to be snickering.
“Teran’s nature is such that he can’t stand having his enjoyment snatched away by others. I don’t think he’ll allow the pastor do it.”
If Edgar was worried about Lydia’s safety; though this may not be much of a consolation to him.
Ermine thought so and spoke up. Edgar waved one hand to send her away.
“Ermine, staying here means betraying Francis. It’s your role to pass to me information on the earl family you received from him.”
Turning back, Ermine declared:
“I’ll always serve you.”

​
*

Please read this chapter at Daydream Translations
Ulysses walked towards Lydia and the others with slow steps. He was a young man, with dull blond hair swaying by his ear, who was young enough to make others lower their guard and appeared harmless. Lydia didn’t know how Edgar treated him as Prince’s close aide. It was only that, Ulysses didn’t have the sense of oppression Teran gave off, in which his existence alone twisted the air around them.
However, they must not be misled by that delicate appearance which had the remnants of youth; he was a crafty opponent whose true age was unknown.
Even though he knew that, the reason why Raven did not try to pounce onto him immediately, was because Ulysses’ attention wasn’t on Lydia, but on the deceased who laid before them.
“You said that he’s dead; how do you know?”
Ulysses curled his lips as if he was smiling, then he looked inside the rock.
“There’s no point in preserving such a body. Isn’t it all wasted from being consumed by illnesses?”
“Are you saying that this person died from illness? We heard that the one here is the Blue Knight Earl.”
“It’s as you said. This is the Blue Knight Earl who Catena was supposed to guide towards Ibrazel.”
“You know about Catena?”
Francis murmured.
Ulysses caressed the surface of the crystal-like clear surface with the palm of his hand.
“However, this man did not have the Merrow’s treasured sword or Ibrazel’s key. He had neither the physical strength nor the time to find those.”
Ulysses moved his fingers in a way that seemed like he was trying to touch the slender neck on the other side of the clear rock.
“Why did those guys from Ibrazel impose such trouble on the descendants of their illegitimate child?  As a trial? How ridiculous. Because of that, their successor wasn’t able to go to Ibrazel and the earl family died out.”
“The descendants of, the illegitimate child…”
Ulysses turned towards Lydia who said that.
“Ulysses Barlow. It’s that guy’s name. It’s my first body.”
He struck the rock with his clenched fist.
“I should have been selected to inherit the earl family, from amongst the illegitimate children. As a mark of that, I was born with the Selkie’s Heart in my hands. Yet, I had no choice but to wait for my death without being able to depart for Ibrazel.”
“Did you live on by exchanging bodies?”
Francis openly displayed his shock and disgust.
That was the magic practiced by Prince’s Organization which ought to be abhorred the most. In order to satisfy their desire to obtain eternal life, they took over the bodies of others. Edgar was also a victim of that.
“Because that was the only way for me to survive.”
Ulysses was not in the least bit apologetic. Although Lydia had known that, having the two Ulysses before her made her feel sick. Just like Ulysses here, Edgar too had another person who was trying to take over his body now. It was not something forgivable.
“There’s no way you can become the Blue Knight Earl by doing something like that!”
“Then, it means that that Lord Ashenbert can’t become the Blue Knight Earl either. As Prince, he has obtained power. And now, he is trying to fulfil his desires by using that power.”
Ulysses snickered.
“Yet, what’s the purpose of you people heading for Ibrazel? It’s pointless even if you went there isn’t it? Your earl is already our Prince.”
And he pointed the tip of his stick at Lydia, in a provocative manner.
“I’ll go to Ibrazel. Don’t get in my way.”
“I won’t let you! Because I’ve decided that I’ll make Edgar the Blue Knight Earl!”
Ulysses removed his stick from Lydia before Raven was about to take a step forth. Withdrawing his aggressive attitude, he laughed at Lydia’s words.
“His Highness isn’t interested in someone like you. He is attached to that Sylvainford woman.”
To Kathleen?
The scene she witnessed with Kelpie came to mind, and Lydia was shaken. The both of them looked just like a pair of lovers.
“Moreover, he gave Teran permission, telling him it’s fine to kill you. He’s already sick of you.”
“You’re lying!”
Lydia raised her voice, as she expressed that she didn’t want to hear that, but Ulysses pressed on.
“If it were me, I won’t kill you. You’re a fairy doctor; there’s probably a use for you. It’s for your own good that you obey me.”
When she suddenly noticed, black hounds had appeared from behind Ulysses, and were about to surround them.
“Lady Lydia, please head for the passageway at the back.”
At the same time, a black figure danced about. Raven threw out knives.
With her arm pulled by Francis, Lydia was about to run into the back of the tomb, but a black hound flew towards her as it kicked off the stone wall, and she quickly hid in the shadows of a rock.
The black hound used that chance and blocked their escape route.
“Nico? Are you alright?”
Nico, whose figure couldn’t be seen, was not giving even the slightest response. He may have escaped quickly.
“Lady Lydia!”
It was when she heard Raven’s shout. Francis was thrown off by a black hound which came flying towards them. At the same moment, Lydia’s arm was grabbed with a jerk. It was Ulysses.
“Don’t move.”
Lydia tried to resist, but with a knife placed against her, she became unable to move.
However, Ulysses suddenly withdrew the knife from Lydia.
“Stop! Darn it!”

The one spread over Ulysses’ face as he struggled was Nico.
Nico immediately had the scruff of his own neck grabbed by Ulysses, and was about to be pulled off.
At that moment, their surroundings were suddenly dyed with bluish-white light.
Just as they thought that the tomb was filled with so much light that it was oppressive, the black hounds disappeared as they detested light.
Escaping from Ulysses who stopped moving out of shock, Nico hid behind Lydia’s back. When the blinding light receded while everyone was stunned, a young girl with silver blue hair stood in the middle of the stone room. 
There’s no mistake that it was the black-haired girl Lydia saw.
It wasn’t silver hair like Francis’; she had dazzlingly shiny hair which looked exactly like stars were being set into it.
Lydia wondered what kind of fairy she was exactly; Lydia had not even heard of her and so she only fixed her eyes on her appearance.
“What are you doing in my dwelling?!”
The black hounds had disappeared, so she looked around at the humans who remained and Nico.
“Catena, I have something to talk to you about.”
“… It’s you huh. Francis.”
Catena glared at Francis with displeasure.
“Please return the key to us. Also, I hope you’ll guide Lydia towards Ibrazel.”
Catena glanced at the serpentine bracelet on Lydia’s arm which Lydia recovered but said nothing. Though, since she was still hiding the key itself, she probably wasn’t bothered in the least bit by Lydia recovering only the bracelet.
“I won’t acknowledge her. The aquamarine is obviously necessary, but she doesn’t even have the Merrow’s treasured sword does she?”
“The treasured sword is being held by her husband. He can’t come here, but he’s the real Blue Knight Earl…”
“If it’s the aquamarine, I have it.”
It was Ulysses who spoke up. Catena, who turned around, appeared to notice the aquamarine pierce in his ear.
And, her eyes widened.
“That’s the one. That’s the aquamarine I yielded to the Blue Knight Earl… You, who are you?”
“I’m Ulysses. The man who is lying over there.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“It’s true. Catena, it’s been a while. The soul which was there, is now inside this body.”
Ulysses tried to walk towards Catena. However, perhaps she was enraged, for her hair became filled with light and stood on its ends.
“The Blue Knight Earl who I found, is this young man. I’ll guide him to Ibrazel. I’ve decided to recover both the treasured sword and aquamarine for his sake.”
“That’s just a corpse.”
“He should awaken with that aquamarine. Hand it over!”
“Awaken? How?”
Ulysses, who went around over to the rock, removed the aquamarine from his ear, and gently set it on top of the clear surface.
Nothing happened. Catena furrowed her brows deeply, but the truth was that she probably only wanted to believe that the dead could be revived, and she had no basis for that.
“The soul which ought to reside there is here. No matter what you do, that will remain dead. Acknowledge me and guide me to Ibrazel.”
Catena tried to reach her hand out towards the aquamarine on top of the rock, but Ulysses swiftly withdrew it.
Perhaps she was further enraged, for her hair swayed like silver flames.
“The Blue Knight Earl is supposed to grant me my wish. In exchange for the last guidepost.”
In the midst of her rage, was a colour similar to sorrow mixed within.
“If you people say that you’re the real earl, then try granting my wish. If you do so, I’ll give you the guidepost. If you can’t, you’ll wander forever!”
Catena disappeared. The moment they thought so, Lydia and the others were standing in a field dotted with countless rocks.
It probably meant that they were thrown out of the tomb.
However, their surroundings looked different from the stone circle earlier.
The irregularly arranged rocks, continued endlessly without breaking off. Underneath the starry skies, the rocks shone faintly, such that even on earth, it was as if their visions were filled with stars arranged before them. 
“What’s this? Which way should we go?”
Nico was about to step forth, and Lydia panicked.
“No, Nico!”
Reacting to Lydia’s voice, Raven promptly grabbed Nico’s tail in order to stop him, but Nico had already stepped his foot out towards the other side of the rock.
As soon as that happened, both their figures vanished.
“Eh? What happened? Nico and Raven disappeared.”
Francis looked about their surroundings hastily, but their figures were nowhere to be seen.
“Francis, don’t move. We’ll end up getting separated from each other.”
“Hmph. Looks like we’re trapped inside Catena’s maze.”
Ulysses said so in a pointlessly arrogant manner.
“A maze?”
“The space between the rocks is connected to a space which is different from what we are seeing. Nico and Raven stepped out towards the other side right? They’ve gone to a place so far that we can’t see from here.”
“If that’s the case, then won’t we be able to catch up with them by passing through here as well?”
“It’s already connected to a different place.”
Ulysses rejected Francis’ suggestion with a tone that treated him like a fool.
“That can’t be… even though there are rocks as far as we can see; does this mean that we have absolutely no idea where it is connected to where? We won’t be able to get out isn’t it?”
“That’s how it is.”
Ulysses too appeared to be irritated at being trapped.
If it’s a maze created by Catena, then even Nico would probably not be able to get out easily. It was also doubtful as to whether Raven and Nico would be able to return here.
“Hey you. Where are you going?”
Francis noticed that Ulysses was about to walk off and so called out to him.
“There’s no point even if I stayed here with you people.”
“Do you have a way to get out? No wait, are you scheming to call your comrades here in order to capture us all in one fell swoop?”
However, most probably, Ulysses didn’t have the means to escape from here either. Catena also did not trust him who inherited the blood of the Blue Knight Earl’s family.
Even though he possessed the aquamarine she was searching for, she only thought of him as a thief.
For Ulysses whose black hounds were chased away as well, this situation was probably beyond his expectations.
“Either way, you people won’t be able to set sail from Scilly without Catena’s guide. Your journey ends here. You’ll have no choice but to obey me if you do not wish to die.”
Even though he said to obey him, in the current situation, Ulysses was the one who was at a disadvantage. Even now, it was two against one, and there was still Raven and Nico in Catena’s maze.
“Hey, won’t you cooperate with us?”
Lydia promptly asked so.
“Huh?”
Ulysses must have doubted his ears.
“Hey Lydia, this guy is one of the top brass of Prince’s Organization.”
“But he’s a fairy doctor. Furthermore, he also knows at least a little about Catena. Knowledge about fairies is necessary in order to solve the mysteries of fairy magic.”
“If it’s about her, I know. There’s no need for us to depend on that guy.”
“Then, what’s Catena’s wish? If we can grant her that wish, she’ll let us out from here and give us the guidepost to Ibrazel right?”
Urgh, sounded Francis as he was at a loss for words.
It seemed like even he did not know that much.
“It’s probably only the family of the real Blue Knight Earl which knows that. There’s no way for the descendants of the illegitimate child to know.”
Having that said about him, Ulysses too appeared to be unable to back down.
“It’s without a doubt that I have the blood of the earl family in my veins. I’m different from you people with absolutely no relation.”
“Since you’re detested by Catena, we’re the same.”
“She probably just can’t accept me because my appearance is different. To begin with, whether or not I know her wish is irrelevant; she acknowledged at least the fact that I possess the aquamarine.”
“You need the treasured sword too don’t you?”
Putting the bickering duo aside, Lydia muttered to herself.
“I wonder why Catena told the ancestors of the earl family who first visited here the way to Ibrazel. Was she simply friendly then?”
“That fairy doesn’t interact with humans to begin with. There must have been some deal even for the first time.”
Lydia wondered if Ulysses felt like cooperating now. Since he answered Lydia’s question.
“That’s right, I remember now. There’s such a legend. In the times when there were still enormous gods living in Lyonesse, Catena was also a lot larger than she is now; she was so big that she could sit on a single hill.”
Francis also showed off what he knew so as not to be outdone by Ulysses.
“Since she was such an enormous existence, humans were probably just like bugs. A slight carelessness on her part could cause mountains to crumble and rivers to overflow, so it was not uncommon for people to die from that. The legend stated that it was the ancestors of the Blue Knight Earl who admonished her for that.”
“Oh, is that so? Then, I wonder if she guided the ancestors of the earl family to Ibrazel because they made her mend her ways. If so, then why is she not associating with humans even now? Is the Blue Knight Earl the only one she trusts?”
“Hmmm, I wonder...”
“Catena killed a young girl who was her close friend. Be it in the times before or after, that young girl was the only human Catena was kind towards.”
Ulysses continued on behalf of Francis.
“Catena was too big; as a result of her fooling around by paddling the seawater, the young girl was swallowed by tall waves together with her boat and drowned. Catena thought that the young girl who stopped moving was ignoring her so she got angry and went on a rampage. I heard that because of that this area suffered a great natural disaster.”
“Ah, I’ve heard of that. Was that about Catena?”
Even though they had just been competing against each other, Francis honestly admired Ulysses.
“It’s a legend which is well-known in the area of Land’s End. It’s said that it was the ancestors of the earl family who taught her what the death of humans was then and stopped the calamity.”
“You, are you from Land’s End?”
Ulysses didn’t answer Francis’ question, but in other words, that may mean a yes.
He was another person from the ends of the earth.
“I can’t imagine that Catena was grateful towards the earl who admonished her. She has always been apathetic towards the entire human race. Although now humans would no longer die from a single movement of hers, she doesn’t try to get involved with humans. The reason why she’s attached to the Blue Knight Earl, is because he is the only existence who can grant her wish. It probably means it’s a wish which she can’t give up on no matter what.”
“Then, it means that the only one who is important to her is her close friend whom she killed. If that is her point of contact with the earl family, her wish may also be related to that.”
“I see, could it be something like she wants her friend to be resurrected?”
When Francis said so, Ulysses laughed.
“How? Like me? It’s impossible since her soul had ascended to the heavens a long time ago.”
This meant that it was a wish which only the Blue Knight Earl could grant. If that’s the case, it was probably related to the powers held by the earl family. And she said ‘the last guidepost’. Lydia wondered why it was the last.
As she was thinking about these, Lydia turned to face Ulysses.
“Hey, you met Catena in the past right? It was from her that you heard that in order to obtain the guidepost to Ibrazel as the Blue Knight Earl, the treasured sword was necessary as well right?  But the ancestors of the earl family who first went to Ibrazel should not have the treasured sword or the key yet. This means that it was an earl from a later generation who made a new promise with her regarding the guidepost.”
Ulysses nodded slowly.
“That’s right. The one whom Catena made the promise with, was Julius Ashenbert from three hundred years ago. When someone from the descendants of his illegitimate child who possesses a special mark appears, she will guide him to Ibrazel. In return, it seemed that that person will grant her wish.”
As he gazed into the far-off distance, he touched the aquamarine on his ear.
“I wanted to go to Ibrazel. If the legitimate earl family had died out, a successor will be chosen from amongst the descendants of the illegitimate child; I believed in that legend, pushed aside my illness and crossed over to Scilly, no, Lyonesse. And after doing so, I met Catena.”
But he still hadn’t obtained the treasured sword.
Unable to obtain the guide, perhaps he reached his end without having any hope.
No, right before that, he probably obtained a new body using Prince’s powers, and became a part of the Organization.
Either way, he wasn’t able to go to Ibrazel with only Catena’s guide. The map, ship and key; all of those should be required and it was highly impossible for the Ulysses then to achieve it.
It was all Julius Ashenbert. Perhaps he thought that Ibrazel’s earl family would die out someday, he left an illegitimate child behind. On top of that, he imposed numerous trials, and even Ulysses who was supposed to be the chosen one, couldn’t go to Ibrazel easily.
As a result of that, in the end, the earl family’s successors died out.
After that, the one who called himself the earl was Edgar, and to begin with, he was someone with no relation to the earl family.
What exactly did Julius Ashenbert expect from the one who inherited the earl family?
“So, what purpose did all this talk serve?”
Ulysses spoke to Lydia with a ridiculing tone.
“There’s no way we’ll know Catena’s wish by talking about such things. A single fairy like this, I’ll make her do as I say.”
After he said so, Ulysses suddenly grabbed Lydia’s arm and pulled her towards him. She tried to escape, but soon after, a knife was pointed at her. Francis, who was about to move, froze on the spot.
“I’ll bring this person along.”
Ulysses moved backwards as he slipped through the space between the rocks, dragging Lydia along as well.
The moment she thought that the position of the rocks before her changed, the figure of Francis who was just before her a moment ago vanished.
“L-Let go of me! You have no intention of killing me right?”
“You’re the one who told me to cooperate in order to get out of here. I’m cooperating now.”
“How about Francis?”
“I couldn’t care less.”
“In any case, move your knife away.”
“Only if you behave.”
As she had no choice, Lydia nodded. Ulysses then kept his knife. However, he still held on to her arm firmly.
“Do you have an idea on how to get out from here? You said that you’ll make Catena do as you say, but do you know where she is?”
“How about you?”
“As I thought, you have no idea whatsoever.”
“Shut up, tomboy.”
Offended, Lydia muttered:
“If that’s the case, Francis’ help is also necessary.”
“That guy’s the one who doesn’t look like he’ll be of any use.”
Ulysses pulled Lydia’s arm violently.
“Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“We’ll find hints as we walk around. If you’re even a fairy doctor, use your brain well.”
“The same goes for you.”
When she told him that, he fell silent. She wondered if he simply found it troublesome to even engage her.
Lydia wondered if Francis would be alright all by himself.
Even though he knew about Lyonesse, this situation was probably unexpected even for Francis who should have been guiding Lydia and the others.
Catena acknowledged someone else as the Blue Knight Earl, and Ulysses was that very person. And Edgar may be taken over by Prince. There was not a single piece of information which was favourable towards Lydia and the others.
Lydia wondered if it was true that Edgar had permitted Teran to kill her.
Lydia looked up towards the sky as if she was chasing away her painful feelings. It was a starry night that was so full of stars that she felt oppressed.
If I don’t go to Ibrazel.
I won’t be able to get Edgar back.
Catena, a fairy who was apathetic towards humans. The ancestors of the Blue Knight Earl were told the way to Ibrazel from such a Catena.
Although she didn’t know how they made a deal, be it in the present or in the past, the method to associate with fairies was still the same. To begin with, the earl family’s ancestors excelled in their abilities as a fairy doctor. Lydia had to achieve the same by deploying the basics of what she knew as a fairy doctor; her understanding of fairies and her knowledge.
In the end, it meant that she had to carve out a path using her own abilities.
Lydia may also be tested for the same ability. As she thought so, she continued walking through the spaces between the endlessly continuing rocks determinedly.