Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 4 - Chapter 3

P. 87
She heard in the far off distance of the sea, the sound of sad crying that mixed with the calls of the seagulls. 
Lydia thought it was the seals who were crying.
She wondered if they would come down all this way to the southern seashores. Or were they not real seals, but fairies instead?
Her mother had talked to her a lot about seal fairies. That’s why, even if Lydiahad never seen one before, they were creatures that felt nostalgic to her.
Her mother’s homeland was one from the groups of far-off islands located north of Scotland. For her mother, who was born on a foggy and mountainous island that surrounded by the ocean filled with floating lonely barriers of ice, selkies seemed to be a close species of fairies who lived in the near-by seas.
They were said to be kind and considerate fairies who could feel the same emotions as humans. 
Once they took off their coats and shift to a human, they would change to look like an honest and heartwarming young girl or a gentle and polite young man and easily adapt into the human world.

P. 88
Then her mother told her, but selkies are still fairies of the sea.
They would all eventually put on their seal coats and return to the sea.
Humans would fear that a selkie who they become friendly with would return to the sea. They would wish for them to stay by their sides forever and hide their fur coats. Or there would be those who would try to use them since they were so submissive. 
Selkies would not object to the human and would do as the human said, but for creatures of the sea, that was such a sad thing.
That’s why Lydia wanted to do anything she could for the sake of the selkies who were being held captive.
She wanted to hurry and find their coats that were suppose to be hidden here in this estate. 
In the morning, Lydia sneaked out of her room so that she could look around the house. 
It seemed like Lydia was able to return to herself at the crack of dawn till sunset. 
Her memory was a blank from the evening of last night, and according to Suzy, the ghost of Teresa would come out at night. 
Which means she needs to do something about Teresa or she won’t be able to return home, even if she managed to escape from here. If the spiritualist was involved in making Lydialike this and how the seal fairies were, she wondered if she should go and meet this spiritualist.
While she was walking around in the grand house, she came out into a large garden. As she followed along the cobble stone pathway, she came to where she could see an arbor that supported a trellis of wisteria that climbed up it and saw there was someone standing there. 

P. 89
She thought she heard a woman’s voice and went over expecting it to be Mrs. Collins, but Lydia stopped her walking and froze. 
She gently shifted over towards the shadows of the trees and hid. 
Er…..Ermine?
It was a beautiful woman wearing a black dress. The air about her was different since she had always been wearing men’s clothes, but no matter how you looked at her, she was exactly alike as Ermine. 
Her hair was a dark brown, cut shortly above her shoulders. The firm side of her face, and her mysteriously rosy-red lips were all the same features of Ermine that Lydia could remember. 
She thought she had drowned in the sea of the merrows, but then, she wondered if she had survived. But, then, why was she here. 
As she was mulling that over in her head, the old woman who was beside her called her 「Seraphita.」
Wasn’t that the name of the spiritualist?
Ermine’s the spiritualist?
“Seraphita, do you hate me?”
The spiritualist looked up sorrowfully at the old woman. 
“I know you wish to die. But, please do not think in that way. One should not make themselves wish for the wrong outcome.”

P. 90
“Nana, whether I wish it or not, I am sure to die.”
“No, even that man cannot rule over our heart’s desires.”
She didn’t have any idea what they were talking about and didn’t know if she should go out and talk to them, but then, someone grabbed ahold of Lydia’s arm. 
“You better not go out now. This way.”
Since the man’s hand pulling her hand to guide her felt so natural, she obediently followed him. When she looked up to see his face, Lydia was even more surprised.
Edgar?
But the Earl Ashenbert that came yesterday wasn’t him.
Lydia thought she was being made to believe in make-believe even more.
They got away from the arbor and he led her into a small path that was surrounded by yellow gorse flowers so that they were hidden and finally stopped to turn around to face Lydia. 
It was no mistake, this man with his bright golden hair, those ash mauve eyes that he smiled with, was Edgar. However, he spoke out to Lydia by calling her “Teresa.”
“I wanted to see you under the bright sunlight. I know we’ll be introduced to each other by Mrs. Collins tonight, but I quite remembering about how we spent time with each other last night, so I couldn’t wait any longer.”
Oh, my, goodness, was he trying to seduce Teresa?

P. 91

P. 92
“The light of the sun shines like its blessing the newly reborn you. You’re beautiful today too, Teresa.”
Finding out that he easily said the same kind of thing that he always told Lydia to any other girl, it made Lydialose her temper.
“You frivolous man.”
Even if she slapped away his hand with all her might, Edgar didn’t look at all troubled and kept talking like he was used to it. 
“Are you talking about me? Why?”
He might be used to being blamed by women. He must be confident that he could coax her and buy her back. That made her even more furious.
“I can’t believe you would actually try to seduce a ghost! Good lord, you’re like a wild animal. ….How dare you keep up with the engagement, I don’t want to be called the fiancée of a shameful man like that. I’d rather choose to live in the fairy land than marry someone like you!”
Before this, she had been trying to think of a plan to annul their engagement while Kelpie was away. She had completely forgotten about that since now wasn’t the time for that, but if Edgar was here, then Lydia thought it was good timing as she breathed in to yell at him some more.
“Listen closely, Edgar. Since I don’t have to worry about Kelpie hearing us, I’m going to say this straight. Hurry up and say that that engagement wasn’t for real!”
“Uhhh, …..Lydia?”
He couldn’t help but be confused.

P. 93
With a winning smile, Lydia placed her fists on her hips and glared up at him.
“It seems like Lady Teresa is only able to possess me during the night. So it’s useless how ever much you try to seduce her. When it turns morning, I’m going to pretend to be Teresa and tell Mrs. Collins that you’re the most despicable kind of man there is. You understand?”
She was trying to pick a fight with him, and yet, Edgar relaxed his expression like he was relieved. 
Lydia lost her steam at the sorrowing and painful look he was showing her and then was suddenly embraced by him gently.
“I’m so relieved…. I thought I wasn’t going to see you again; I didn’t know what to do.”
You really are good with coming up with such a smart thing to say. Even as she thought that, Lydia was flurried by how she felt like she wanted to cry.
Lydia thought that no one would realize that she was taken away from London and be in a place like this.
She realized at how disappointed she was when the Earl Ashenbert who appeared wasn’t Edgar.
The summer sun that she peered up to over beyond his shoulder felt so bright and then, like a blot of lighting, the thing that Lydia suddenly rose up from her memory was his kind voice.
「I promise to protect you, so there’s nothing to worry about.」

P. 94
He said something like that even yesterday.
Didn’t he try to send his words to Lydia by looking into her eyes which only had Teresa’s consciousness?
Oh, but, that could also be one of his methods. 
It was a fact that he was trying to seduce Teresa who was possessing Lydia. The reason that he came here, was because he was after the spiritualist and so perhaps, he could just have happened to find Lydia. 
Lydia somehow managed to push him away and turned around to leave. 
“Oh, wait, Lydia, you were so passionate when I paid a visit to your room last night, you don’t have to be so cold so sudden.”
Huh? Thought Lydia, and stopped her walk.
That wasn’t me. But…..
“Don’t you want to know how we were like?”
“Wh-wh-what did you do-----!”
When she went up to him again, he gave her a suggestive grin.
“Well, we are engaged to each other, and I’ll take responsibility for last night, so there’s nothing to worry.”
“You did something that needs responsibility taken?!!”
Lydia turned bright red and nearly swooned, but Edgar laughed and said it was a joke, but she only reconfirmed that not one of what he said could be trusted.

P. 95
“The maid was keeping her eye on me the whole time, so how could I possibly make any moves? We just had a pleasant conversation.”
“Suzy did?”
“She’s a good, serious girl and cares for who she works for. Even if it was for the sake of Mrs. Collins, I could sense that she felt awful for what’s happened to you and was desperately trying to be heroic by wanting to protect you.”
Managing to calm herself down, Lydia nodded.
“She was the only one who said that she would help try to let me go home safely. But she warned me that the spiritualist was dangerous so I had to be cautious and it was best that I pretend to be Teresa for a while. Oh, yes, I saw the spiritualist for the first time just now, but she looked just like Ermine.”
“Ahh, yes, I was surprised as well. It was the first time I was able to see her in the light, but she looks all the more exactly alike to her.”
His voice sounded unusually stiff and nervous.
To Edgar, Ermine was someone who was like Raven, a dear family member to him. Even if he was betrayed by her, he should still be wishing that she were alive. 
“Then, she survived and….”

P. 96
“We can’t make that decision yet. Unless we have proof that it really is her… Anyways, there’s a man who is using that spiritualist. He’s one of Prince’s men and his name is Ulysses. It was apparently Ulysses’ plan to bring back Mrs. Collins’ daughter from the dead and get me involved into that.”
A man. That person called Ulysses was definitely the one who had kidnapped Lydia. And he might also be the one who is making Ermine do as he says. Even if that spiritualist was indeed the real Ermine, it wasn’t a situation that Edgar could optimistically be wild with joy.
“…..So that’s what was going on.”
It seemed like the reason he was written up in the gossip papers after he attended the spiritual ritual wasn’t for a sporty purpose like having his eyes on the spiritualist. 
“Huh? But there’s another person here to claims to be Earl Ashenbert here.”
“It might just be a method of theirs to try and provoke me so they could lure me out, but I don’t know yet how that man is related to Ulysses who is behind all of this. Either way, since we came all the way here, it looks like we’re only left with facing Prince’s outside man. That’s why it would be best for you to get out of here and hide yourself somewhere safe.”
It looked like it was a situation that was much more troublesome than Lydia had imagined.
“I’ll think of a way for you to slip out. We’ll do something about Teresa later.”
Even if she was possessed by a ghost, as long as she was able to escape from here, there would be no danger. And if it was Edgar, Lydiaknew that he would be able to safely let her escape. 
But….

P. 97
“But I can’t escape all by myself. It looks like there are captive seal fairies that are forced to stay and work here. I think that maybe the man you said named Ulysses has taken away their freedom. Maybe one of those selkies had found out about there being a fairy doctor that works for the earl. She wanted to ask for my help so she guided me to Mrs. Collins and called me to that hotel. But, that selkie was killed…… I’m guessing that the man working for Prince transferred the ghost daughter to take over me so that I wouldn’t release the selkies, but I want to help them no matter what.”
Edgar looked like he was thinking that over as he furrowed his brows.
“It’s dangerous…., is what I really want to say, but you’re a fairy doctor, and you have pride in your work, so I’d wager it would be useless for me to try and stop you.”
And then he thought for a bit and opened his mouth.
“Lydia, then we need to pull together and play our cards right.”
Lydia nodded her head as she stood nervously.
“In order for that, it’s important that we act like lovers.”
Eh? Really?
She tilted her head at such leap in logic, but Edgar pressed on further.
“The daughter Teresa is innocently enjoying how she has come back to life. She has every intention of choosing and marrying one of the four guests in this marriage match that the lady of the house had arranged for her. Now, Lydia, there is no guarantee that a shameless man wouldn’t sneak into your room during the night when you have no control, and it would be a problem if he forced himself on you, wouldn’t it?”

P. 98
“But, wouldn’t a normal, respectable man be a gentleman? Unlike you,” said Lydia as she honestly thought that.
“Oh, come on, like that is possible. And, besides, it looks like Miss. Teresa likes to be approached by men and so she hardly ever pushes men away. She didn’t mind how much I got near her. I was able to hold her hand the whole time and pull her shoulder close, and she was at my mercy the
hole time until the maid finally butted in.”
“Wh-what do you mean by at your mercy!”
“Are you all right with having men other than me do that to you?”
She nearly blew her top, but panicked when he told her that and now she was completely frantic and didn’t know what to do.
She thought she couldn’t bare such a thing, and she hadn’t a thought to spare in questioning herself why at the corner of her mind that she felt she’d prefer Edgar than anyone, and would only shake her head to the sides violently.
“I won’t let anyone put their hand on you. I’ll have Teresa have her eyes only on me. That’s why you too have to be looking at him only during the day. Understand.”
If she thought about it hard, she wouldn’t know how that was related to fighting against Prince’s subordinate, but at that time, Lydia nodded her head to Edgar’s momentum, thinking that it was a terribly smart maneuver.

P. 99
Her ardor to have him agree to annul the engagement had completely flown out of her mind.

*

On that night, it was a different night than what Lydia spent yesterday.
As the sun came up and she grew drowsy, she could sense the same feeling when Teresa was waking up, but because she pledged to herself not to fall asleep, she was able to remain awake.
However, even if her conscious was awake, it was the same situation that she was possessed by Teresa, and Lydia could only watch nervously in great suspense.
She was starting to regret that it might have been comforting for her if she was rather asleep at the dinner seat with the guests that Mrs. Collins had gathered.
The dress that Teresa chose was a flamboyant rose red, which Lydia didn’t think it could possibly suit her, and she didn’t like the perfume she had on either, and was nervous from feeling like she didn’t belong sitting at the dinner. 
On the other hand, Teresa and Mrs. Collins were in an extremely good mood.
Lydia had thought that it was ridiculous to be thinking about seriously marrying a ghost girl who revived, but it looked like the men gathered here were serious. 
It was absolutely comical to see that everyone was ardent on trying to win the affections of daughter Teresa. 

P. 100
But it looked like both Teresa and Mrs. Collins were both satisfied the more they were praised and flattered. 
The enormous dowry that came along with the daughter from the wealthy family must have been necessary in order to rebuild the men’s family finance that was near crumbling, but if that were so, then the existence of the Earl Ashenbert who couldn’t possibly be in trouble with money must sure be disliked by the rest of the company. 
Lydia focused her attention on the blond-haired young man who called himself the earl. He must have had a little too much to drink as he appeared to be full of glee and joy, but he still looked frivolous, and she couldn’t tell if he was acting like the rumored lady’s man earl or not, but Lydia thought he looked weak in the head. 
Even though, Mrs. Collins’ smile was aimed mainly at the earl imposter. 
However, in regards to Teresa, she was distracted about Edgar who was called a viscount here. And in comparison, Edgar wasn’t paying her any attention at all.
Hey, what are you doing talking over to the young boy Oscar sitting next to you. You usually wouldn’t spare a glance at men. 
On top of that, even when Teresa tried to start a conversation with him, he only returned with a halfhearted response. Lydia tilted her head in confusion at where his lines of flattery that at times were too much. 
To begin with, Lydia would be troubled if Teresa got too friendly with another man. Even Edgar had said himself that he wouldn’t let that happen.
And yet, it looked like Teresa was made to be furious at that attitude of Edgar, and openly started to coquet to the other three men. 

P. 101
Oh, now look, she’s made a promise to go out on a boat tomorrow. Which means, I have to go out with this earl imposter?
Looked what you’ve done, Edgar. You’re always doing opposite of what you’re saying. I knew I couldn’t trust you!
Going through this and that, by the time dinner was finally over, Lydia was completely exhausted.
But unrelated to Lydia’s tiredness, Teresa had more than enough energy. 
“I can’t think what the viscount is thinking? He came and made his way into my room yesterday, and acted like he was interested in me, and yet tonight, it’s like he’s completely ignoring me? Oh, Suzy, what do you think?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t know…., I can’t really grasp what the misters are thinking…..”
Teresa, who returned to her room, was pacing around in her room in outrage. 
Her maid Suzy was waiting for her to help her change, as she replied standing troubled.
“Maybe I should start a relationship with the Earl Ashenbert like Mother said.”
You have to be joking, whispered Lydia.
“But, my lady, Viscount Middleworth really is a gentleman who is a toast to one’s eyes. The way he carries himself is like a noble more than anybody else or so I think.”
“Oh, my, do you perhaps have feelings for him?”

P. 102
“Eh? Oh, no, not me…. But Miss Seraphita had been asking questions about him. I thought that even if it was a beautiful woman like her, she would be interested about a handsome man.”
If she were to be interested about Edgar, maybe she might be Ermine.
“Miss Seraphita was…..?”
Teresa suddenly stopped walking, and she appeared to have lost her calm.
Since Seraphita was a spiritualist, she must not had perceived her as a young woman. But, she must have realized after recalling that she was quite a beauty and very seductive. 
“Suzy, where is the viscount’s room?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m going to go kick out a man who would ignore me and try to seduce another woman.”
But Suzy didn’t say anything about Edgar seducing the spiritualist. 
If Edgar was kicked out, oh, then what should I do?
Lydia would be in trouble, but Teresa wouldn’t have any idea of that, and quickened her pace to leave the room.
But, when she opened the door, she suddenly stopped.
Because, Edgar was standing right outside the door.
“Teresa, where are you going?”

P. 103
“Oh, she was just heading to my lord viscount’s…”
As Suzy was about to finish what she was saying, Teresa stomped on her foot and stuck her nose in the air and replied.
“It’s my freedom to do as I please. What would be your business?”
“I thought you would open some of your time up for my sake again tonight.”
As he said it a bit arrogantly, he stood in the doorway so that Teresa wouldn’t be able to leave the room.
“I thought you had lost your interest in me? Because, just earlier, you wouldn’t even give me a glance.”
“That’s what you were thinking?”
He made a surprised look, like that was unexpected for him.
“Well, you’re right, I wasn’t able to see your face at all. It was apparent that Mrs. Collins favors the earl, and you were talking with him like you were enjoying yourself, so I was feeling subservient.”
There was no way Edgar would feel subservient. 
“But, I thought that perhaps you were testing how serious I was by what you were doing. I came here tonight, because I believed that you were waiting for me again…..”
“I couldn’t tell if a man was serious even if I tested him.”
Teresa still seemed a little angry and said that as her face turned the other way, but even Lydia could tell that her heart was pounding.

P. 104
“Are you saying that I should head back to my room? If I were to remain feeling so ill at ease like this, then I might seek out someone else in your place.”
Teresa made a panicked look. It seemed like she was feeling like she should hurry, probably because the spiritualist Seraphita came to her mind.
“Who do you mean by that? So you don’t mind even if it wasn’t me.”
There was no way that Teresa could have realized that she had fallen into the trap set by Edgar at the moment she let out her jealousy at him. Of course, Lydia hadn’t realized it either. 
Edgar swiftly stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Suzy was shut outside, making the two of them alone in the room.
Edgar held the door with his back so it wouldn’t open and pulled Teresa to him.
To his forcefully that didn’t allow her to say anything back, Lydiapanicked and desperately tried to move her body.
Then, her left arm just barely responded. Using that, she managed to prevent their bodies from touching each other. 
Edgar didn’t let that stop him, and tightly squeezed Teresa, no Lydia’s body to him. Lydia wasn’t able to move at all and that made her more panicked.
Oh, no, this is bad, she thought, but there was nothing she could do.
All of Edgar’s flirtatious lines were rather light, so he seemed to not mind if she rejected him and gave her an opening to escape. But, when he took forceful measures, it was like he had his eyes set on his prey. He had no intention of lettering her escape. 

P. 105
Lydia still didn’t really know what it meant for Edgar when he would win over a woman’s heart, but she had the vague feeling that this situation was one step in front of that.
“…….Oh, please, stop, viscount…..”
Even if she said that, Teresa didn’t try to escape. 
“Why, you are the only person that appears in my eyes.”
At his sweet words, Teresa’s heart thumped rapidly. Or was it Lydia’s? She was starting to not be able to tell the difference. 
Lydia was now just barely keeping the strength in her left hand in trying to fight against him, but Teresa was practically limp.
“Look this way.”
Still keeping one of his arms holding her to him, he used his other to bring her face up.
She was faced with heated, passionate eyes that made her feel dizzy. 
Ohh, she wanted to complain about why of all things, she was wearing a dress that had the front of it was so revealing.
“You knew, right? From the first time I laid eyes on you, I was completely captivated by those mystifying eyes of yours.”
He was talking about Lydia’s eyes. But then, for that moment, when Lydia had the feeling like he was talking about her, it also made the strength in her legs give out.

P. 106
From her hair to the tip of her toes, the one that was appearing in Edgar’s eyes was Lydia’s body. She didn’t know which one of them he was turning his attention to. 
Oh, this is idiotic.
Whether it was Lydia or Teresa, there was sure to be hardly any difference between them to Edgar. 
After she came to that conclusion, she was barely able to keep up her fight. 
And yet, his fingers didn’t hold back and caressed her cheek. A shiver ran throughout her body. 
Like he was enjoying her reaction, his fingers ran from her cheek down along her neck and traced the nape of her neck. Just by having him take off the Belgian lace chocker, she was filled with the embarrassing sensation like she was revealing her entire body’s nakedness, and yet Teresa didn’t move.
His fingers went further on to trace her shoulder and wandered around the hollow of her clavicle. 
Wh-what do you think you’re doing. Oh, my goodness, you pervert! I won’t forgive you if you do anything more than this!
Lydia was the only one who was single-mindedly in a fret. Even though Lydiahad lost her cool, she didn’t realize that her left hand, which could move, was remaining still as it tucked in her fingers into a ball. 
“I want to go on and make you mine.”
I said stop.
“…….Are you sure someone like me will do?”
Oh, the worst has come to the worst. Edgar, you idiot, what are you planning to do with me!

P. 107
But, no matter what much Lydia was yelling that out inside of her head, Teresa was already swooned over and spellbound by Edgar’s gaze. 
It looked like Teresa had been played into the spell of Edgar.
Ahh, I knew he was an unbelievable, wicked man.
He purposefully ignored her at the dinner table and irritated her and that had ended up making her mind filled about him. And just when she was like that, he intruded himself and then, completely turned over his hand, on top of that, he stirred up her feelings of jealousy and used that to his advantage and made his attack. And so he was able to easily win her affections.
Most likely, Teresa only had eyes for Edgar right now.
“I want you.”
His lips dangled above her lips, almost touching hers but not, then brushed up against her ear lobe.
Lydia went completely frozen and whispered, father, I’m sorry.
If Teresa didn’t refuse him, everything was going to go as Edgar wanted. Her heart was beating rapidly and she was nearly pushed to tears.
Oh, she’d rather faint right now.
However, he softly let his grip go.
“Ohh, but I know very well. That if I were to think of you, then I shouldn’t surrender myself to my heated emotions.”

P. 108
All at once, Lydia lost all of her strength, but Teresa gave a little stir like she didn’t get her fill. 
“Oh, of course…., since you are a gentleman.”
At last, Suzy was able to open the door just a slight that had been held shut by Edgar’s back, and peeked in nervously to make sure everything was all right. 
“Uh, my lady.”
“Nothing to worry, Suzy.”
She said that as she was leaning up against him, like she was still watching a dream.
“Teresa, would you spend your time with me tomorrow?”
“Why, yes, of course.”
“It’s a promise.”
Teresa finally lifted up her face and smiled happily as her cheeks blushed pink and took out a silk handkerchief.
“A token of our promise.”
“It has such cute needlework done on it.”
“I stitched it in. I felt like it was sort of bland being an all white handkerchief.”
Now that she recalled, the one point of a four-leaf clover and a ladybug was indeed what she was stitching before dinner. In such a short time, it came out quite wonderfully.

P. 109
“You have quite the skill.”
Being complimented, she smiled happily.
What an honest girl, thought Lydia. She believed every word of Edgar and floated in the sweet thought of being a happy lover.
Lydia was a little envious.
If she was able to believe Edgar from the bottom of her heart and be able to have feelings for him, then Lydia might also be in complete happy bliss.
And while Lydia was thinking about that and had her guard down, Teresa brought her cheek up against Edgar’s chest again.
Because what just happened was too much for Lydia to bare with, she wasn’t able to quickly notice her embarrassment and while her mind was lingering as she was starting to feel his warmth, there was a terrible commotion and an spine-chilling scream.
Lydia and Teresa were surprised and froze, while Edgar shifted his focus on the noise.
“Wh-what is it?”
“…..I’ll go take a look.”
When Edgar stepped out into the hallway, a man jumped out from the shadows.
But then, one more person’s figure immediately moved right after. It was Raven.
He swiftly grabbed ahold of the man. He twisted his hold on the man to hold him down and held him in place.

P. 110
“Whoa…, no, stop….”
Edgar walked over to Raven to look down at the groaning man and shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, if it isn’t Earl Ashenbert, I thought you were a ruffian who had gotten into the house.”
The young blond-haired man who could maybe be described as good looking was indeed the earl imposter.
“You’re wrong….., lord viscount, we have bigger problems…..,I was looking for you.”
“What is your business?”
“I-I saw it, a ghost….”
“A ghost?”
“……Hey, will you let go of me already.”
“Raven, that’s enough.”
After Edgar said that, he finally released the earl imposter.
“Isn’t it a little too late for someone who came to ask for Miss Teresa’s hand in marriage to be spooked by a ghost.”
“That’s a different story…., it’s a ghost that attacks people!”
He didn’t pay any attention to his ruffled necktie and leaned himself over towards Edgar.
“So you were attacked? Was she a beauty?”
“It’s a murder!”
“Which means you’re now a ghost?”

P. 111
“No! Not me, Sir Stanley was! His room is covered with blood,”
“Blood…..?” gasped Teresa and in fear, held onto Edgar.
Why do you always try to touch him every chance you get.
It seemed the earl imposter had just realized that Teresa was there, and after he took a glance, he made a difficult face, but he must had decided there were more important matters and quickly explained about what he came across.
“It was the room next to mine, and I heard a terribly loud noises and went I went over to yell at him to be quiet, I saw that the room was covered in blood.”
“I see.”
“It isn’t ‘I see’. This is homicide.”
“Even if it were as you said, if in case you were the perpetrator, I might become the second victim after I head over to the room with you.”
“Huhh? Why would I!”
“Of course, so that you could have Miss. Teresa all to yourself. Aren’t the other suitors an obstacle?”
“I would never do such a thing!”
Edgar carefully observed the man who might be working for Prince.
“Then, why would you go all the way to look for me?”

P. 112
“…..I just had a feeling, you looked reliable,”
He scratched his head like he too was baffled at his behavior. If his ignorant, foolish behavior was part of his plan, then it was hard to tell if he was smart or just plain dumb.
“Anyways, I saw a ghost in his room. This white shadow floated up into the air and vanished…. This place is a ghost mansion for sure!”
“Hard to say if it was just a shadow. It’s night and it’s dark, so you could have just been your imagination.”
“Are you saying a living human being murderer would paint a whole room with blood? It isn’t normal.”
“There are humans who aren’t normal either.”
Edgar thought hard and silently for a moment, but then said “Well, it’s better to go take a look.”
It was hard to believe what kind of curiosity Teresa had, as she said she was coming with them. Lydia didn’t want to see any pools of blood, but she wasn’t in any position to refuse.
Of course, Raven also came along, and in the end, Suzy joined them also, as all of them followed the leading earl imposter.
There was no gas lamp equipped in the remote estate that was situated away from the town of people, and the candle that Raven held was the only thing that lit up the hallway beyond them. For the eyes that were used to living in London, this was too dark to see anything.
The sound of the waves and wind mixed with each other and reached their ears which gave the place an eerie impression.
At the end of the long hallway, they were finally able to come to a door that was left open. If seemed the earl imposter must have left it open after he was terrified. 

P. 113
That was apparently Sir Stanley’s room as the earl imposter stopped right before it.
“I shall go ahead.”
Raven was quick and stepped up in front of Edgar and entered the room. Edgar continued after him and entered, leaving Teresa to slowly peek into it from the doorway.
The candle stand that Raven brought was the only light in the room, but didn’t take any time at all to se that the table and chairs were all were thrown all over the room in havoc. And one could see even in this dim light that blood was splattered and soaked all over the table cloth and curtain, as well as the walls and windows.
Lydia grew nauseous, and Teresa and Suzy backed away from the doorway.
Raven inspected the closet and under the room’s bed, but just reported in a calm voice that “There is no body.”
“Well, Viscount, what do you think?”
If he wasn’t acting, it seemed like the earl imposter had finally calmed down.
“I don’t know, we can’t determine if this blood belongs to Sir Stanley. More than that, we are just guests. I think it’s best to report this to the owner of the house.”
“But, the owner of here is Mrs. Collins. I hate to say it, but she isn’t the type of lady who could handle this kind of situation.”
Edgar also nodded.

P. 114
“There was one more member of the Collins family.”
“You mean the nephew. He’s still a child.”
“He isn’t so young to be labeled as a child. He is a man after all.”
Raven nodded at Edgar’s glance and left the room, which means he must have gone to call Mrs. Collins’ nephew. 
Lydia became nervous at the earl imposter slinking himself into the room and getting near Edgar.
He might be working for Prince, and if something were to happen while Raven was away…..
But he was just timidly peering over Edgar’s shoulder to look down at a puddle of blood.
Instead of the earl imposter, Edgar turned his eyes to look outside the window. The black ocean that could be seen as it reflected the moonlight seemed to be making strange patterns in its waves and Lydia thought it odd as well, but her attention was immediately taken away at Raven’s quick return.
“Oh, my….., this is terrible.”
Oscar, Mrs. Collins’s nephew gasped as he took a few steps back from the doorway he had just nearly passed.
“Oscar, you had better search if there is anyone intruder that could have entered into this house. Just to be safe, you should also search for Sir Stanley’s whereabouts, whether he is dead or alive.”
“Yes, you’re right, I’ll start on that. But,”

P. 115

P. 116
He titled his head like he had a question about something.
“Viscount, will it be all right for me to trust you? There is no proof that the one who did this is one of you guests.”
“If you were to say that, then I would naturally be suspicious of you, or Mrs. Collins, or the spiritualist that I haven’t seen the face of.”
The young man signed with a hmm.
“To begin with, I thought it was ridiculous and stupid about the talk of reviving Teresa and marrying her off. I will send out a messenger to the town tomorrow and call for the police. If someone feels they would be in trouble by that, then I think it’s best for you to quickly leave. For those guests who aren’t, please make sure and lock your doors and windows to protect yourself. Even if something more were to happen, I’m not taking responsibility.”
“You’re calmer than I expected.”
Oscar looked over towards Edgar with a glare.
“I’ll return the comment right back at you, my lord viscount. For the time being, I am the substitute for the lord of the Collins’family.”
“…….It was a ghost, just like I thought……”
The one who whimpered that was the fake earl.

P. 117
“You remember, about this being a famous place for an ancient battleground. There’s still hatred of the soldiers who died that lingers here….”
“Battleground? Oh, the Battle of Hastings, you mean. The story was that this is the first place in Englandwhich was covered in blood when it was nearly invaded by the Normans.”
“That’s quite the old story, but if it were about ghosts, then it might be best if we ask for a word of advice from the spiritualist.”
“She has long gone off to bed. It seems she’s always goes to sleep early. If one of the ghosts that is controlled by her was the perpetrator, then it might be useless even if you lock your doors.”
Just when Oscar turned around to leave, Teresa suddenly began to tremble and shake. 
It seemed like she was aimlessly listening to their conversation, but her reaction was so sudden. 
Lydia was also enveloped by a bad feeling. For some unknown reason, she was filled with fear and blood rushed out of her face and she became dizzy. She helped herself by crouching down.
“Oh, my, my lady, what is the matter?”
Suzy let out a scream, and Edgar, who noticed came over to her and steadied her shoulder. 
“Teresa, are you all right?”
“Yes……, I just feel a little unwell….”
“This isn’t the type of thing that a young woman should witness. It’s best that you return to your room.”
She obediently leaned up against Edgar who steadied her up.
Like I said, don’t use every opportunity to hang onto him.

P. 118
Lydia used her left hand to make a gap between the two of them, but when she felt Edgar’s warm hand on her shoulder, then she recalled the situation from earlier and her body started to heat up when she remembered how they were nearly pushing their boundaries.
Joining with her feelings of sickness, she became dizzy.
At this rate, she wouldn’t know what kind of attitude she should take when she was going to meet Edgar tomorrow. 
“You let Teresa be taken away by him. Are you all right with that?”
Oscar’s voice could be heard as he spoke to the fake earl from behind them.

*

After Edgar escorted Teresa back to her room, he arrived to his room and was inspecting the handkerchief that she had given him. 
“Is something the matter, Lord Edgar.”
Raven, who had just returned from his rounds in inspecting inside the house, walked over to Edgar who sat in deep thought.
“Wouldn’t you normally stitch your name into a handkerchief?”
“Oh, yes, I suppose.”
“No matter how I look at it, the initials that she stitched on the side of the clover look like an M, not a T.”
“She claims to have no memory about herself. Maybe she didn’t intend it to be her initials.”

P. 119
“Yes, maybe so. But, however, even if she didn’t remember about herself when she was alive and she were to be the ghost of Teresa, then there would be a part of her character not like anyone else that remained, right? Like her personality and her tastes. She wanted to put in needlework on a plain white handkerchief, and she chose this design, then maybe this is her real character.”
The ghost inside of Lydia, may not be Teresa. It was unimaginable for Teresa, who had died at five years old to be able to come up with doing needlework and even perform such a perfect job.
If her initial was actually M, then..
He had a feeling like something important was hidden behind that, but he couldn’t recall what it was.
Edgar gave up and turned around to look over towards Raven.
“Did the letter from Paul arrive?”
Yes, replied Raven and took out a letter from his inner coat pocket. 
It was the one that he went to get from the town post office before sundown.
It was the report about the findings on the investigation that he had asked, but they still reported that they hadn’t come up with anything and were investigating about the real identity of the man who was using the name of Earl Ashenbert. Even the two Baronets were using fake names. He didn’t know if they were possibly Ulysses or they were just con-artists after the family fortune. 
There was another report that caught his eye. 
By trailing after the money-lender from earlier, they were able to find out that the man named Ulysses who was said to work for Prince, had been on the ship, Venus that had arrived in London a month ago. And on that same passenger list, the name Oscar Collins was listed.
Mr. Collins’ younger brother was operating a business in America. Oscar was his son. The reason for his trip to England was to study-abroad starting this fall.
“Raven, do you think this is a coincidence?”
“So there is a possibility that Oscar and Ulysses had already met aboard the ship. So perhaps Ulysses decided to use Oscar from then.”
“If anything, I have a feeling like he actually got on the same ship, with Oscar in mind. Most likely, in order to get close to the Collins family.”
“So it was part of Prince’s plan to get the Collins family involved in this.”
“It must be. He has gone through quite some trouble in his preparations, and it looks like cornering me isn’t the only goal they had in mind.”
Then, Edgar turned his eyes towards the note that was quickly scribbled on the corner of the letter. 
“It looks like they got information in regards to that as well. It seems they weren’t able to include all of it in the letter, Raven, will you go to the town again tomorrow? There should be someone from the ‘Scarlet Moon’ whose coming.”
Yes, he said and nodded.
Oscar Collins. He was just a sixteen year old boy. He wondered if the boy was being used without knowing anything about Ulysses’ plan.

P. 120
He said that he didn’t trust the spiritualist that had revived Teresa, but perhaps it was Ulysses who was making him say that. 
He wanted to believe that Oscar wouldn’t have a reason that would make him play a part in deceiving Mrs. Collins who was his aunt, but if there was a possibility that he was being made to move to that man’s wish, then Edgar had to be careful.
However, then would could Ulysses be. 
With only this much information, it was hard to decide on who.
As Edgar mulled that over in his head, he held the letter over the fire of the lamp to burn it away.