Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 4 - Chapter 6

P. 203
Oscar was Ulysses. Which means, the real Oscar Collins would naturally be dead.
Ulysses must have targeted Oscar, who came from America to visit his uncle to study and approached him. He then took away Oscar’s possessions and life, and masqueraded as him and entered England.
Instead, it would mean that the one who Ulysses took the name and used the alias of was dead, but it wasn’t unusual for people who die on a sea voyage that took weeks, and it wouldn’t be that unheard of for someone to disappear by falling off the ship. 
By doing that, Ulysses was able to easily enter the house of Mr. and Mrs. Collins who was going to meet Oscar for the first time. 
And it seemed like the hint as to why Prince targeted the Collins family was hidden in the thing that the ‘Scarlet Moon’ messenger entrusted to Raven who brought it back.
It turned out to be a sheet of copper the size of someone’s palm. The sailboat and angel motif on it was beautiful and one could see it as a pictoral, but what was important was the pattern inside the picture.

P. 204
It was a pattern like a swirl of overlapping circles, but it had the look like it had a sorcery meaning behind it.
“It apparently is a charm to ward off evil.”
Raven glanced over to Edgar who nodded and continued.
“This copper sheet had been recently reproduced. The year of the original is unknown, but it was apparently made by the order of the Blue Knight Earl.”
The Blue Knight Earl, in other words, the other name of Earl of Ibrazel that Edgar had inherited.
Before Edgar had gained the name of earl, according to record, the last earl who appeared in England was a man from three hundred years ago, and he had a mistress who was a lady painter. From that connection, the ‘Scarlet Moon’ which was an organization of decorative painting artists had been investigating about the earl family ancestors by Edgar’s orders.
Edgar was having them research what the relationship between the Blue Knight Earl family that Prince was battling with and the Collins family.
“Was there a necessity to protect someone from evil forces?”
“Instead of an individual, it was something much larger… The owner of this was told from the person’s ancestors that the original object was some sort of structure. The person’s ancestor was involved with that structure and left the design of it on this copper sheet.”
“Then the original?”
“Please take a look at this.”
Raven pointed to a part of the picture. It was a crest drawn on the sail of the sailboat that was crossing the rough waters.

P. 205
“Two lions….., William the Conqueror?”
William I was the Norman King that entered this land, on the shores of Hastings. He won his battle and became the King of England and became the ancestor of the royal family that continued till now. 
“Which means, the original structure is in Hastings?”
“It is possible.”
So, Prince’s target wasn’t the Collins family, but this land that the Collins family happened to build their country house on.
“However, why would the Blue Knight Earl make a charm for the land that the Conqueror came on?”
“The reason this land is important is apparently it is a vital location one would need in order to conquer England, just like how the Conqueror was able to accomplish what he did. That’s why, from long ago, the‘Scarlet Moon’ hypothesizes that the Blue Knight Earl had a charm to repel evil built on this land so that it would prevent the invasion from evil.”
It was just recent that he was able to find out that Prince was the one who annihilated all of those who had the Blue Knight Earl’s blood running in them. He thought that Prince was frightened that the earl who was close to the fairies and could freely use magical powers would arrive. 
There indeed was a connection in that to make him send in one of his subordinates here.
“An invasion from evil, huh. What is that pointing to?”
Raven also tilted his head, unable to answer. 

P. 206
“I cannot answer that, but, only in Hastings almost lies on the straight line that connects between London and Paris. It could be thought that the charm was useful as fortress to protect England from invasions from over the sea.”
“So you mean that in order for a second conqueror to not appear, they used a charm to make the French armies retreat?”
That was hard to believe. 
However, from ages ago, there had been wars that occurred between France, so there could be instances that they would rely on charms aside from actual battle fighting in order to win.
Sorcery was forbidden by the Church, but there were kings and feudal lords who secretly safeguarded and researched the art of sorcery. 
He wasn’t sure when it could be, but it wasn’t completely impossible that the Blue Knight Earl, who had special magical powers, practiced some of his spells for the sake of the King. 
“Then what does Prince want to do with the spell of the Blue Knight Earl?”
“I don’t know, my lord. But the information from the‘Scarlet Moon’ ends here.”
“……He wants to destroy it.”
Ermine, who was lying quietly on the sofa, finally opened her mouth.
“Ulysses said it was going to be destroyed.”
“So, he’s going to bring the French troops and invade this land?”

P. 207
It was a silly and stupid joke.
“That may be exaggerating it a bit….” said Ermine in a whisper.
“But, Prince was successful in the underground societies in America, so there could the possibility that he might be wishing to conquer London. Either way, if he’s intending on coming to England, then he’ll need to cross the Channel, and he might just be comparing the Conqueror to himself.”
Raven nodded.
“If we want to prevent Ulysses and Prince’s motive, then we need to protect the Blue Knight Earl’s spells, but I wonder how on earth you would try and break such a thing?”
“Do you know where the same kind of thing as this is located?”
At Raven’s question, Edgar pointed out the window. They could see a hill that curved up over the sea shore. 
“There is a rock that normally can’t be found on the sea shores of this area, which can be seen protruding out of the ground here and there. When Lydia had nearly dropped from that slope, I was so worried that I couldn’t breath the she might hit her head on one of those rocks, and so I thought that it was a weird hill.”
“So, you mean that hill itself is…”
“Rocks that were carried here by people was dug and buried there. Most likely it’s that kind of thing.”
When he brought up Lydia in his mind, his worry and anxiety for her was increased inside him again.

P. 208
During this incident, he had put her through quite some rough ordeals. 
He did think that it wasn’t good to get Lydia involved in his quarrels with Prince, but on the other hand, Edgar was thinking of Lydia as a reliable military strength. 
If Prince hates the power of the Blue Knight Earl, then Lydia’s ability to communicate with fairies was sure to be a valuable power. 
If it were comrades like Raven and Ermine who shared the same goal to fight, then danger and pain was a chance they were prepared for. Edgar made sure to pay every attention to detail he could for their lives, but he had required them to face dangers. That’s why he didn’t think about it every hard and had forced Lydiato bare it too. 
But, she just happened to be hired by Edgar. And she happened to just saved him. 
If he wished to seriously have her stay by his side even if he used the option of a foul engagement, then she was not military strength. She was a girl who Edgar needed to entirely protect. 
Oh, that’s right. Our ‘engagement’ wasn’t just a contract for just have her stay by my side. 
He suddenly realized that and was even disgusted at himself.
The fiancé for Teresa wished by Mrs. Collins was someone who would think for the welfare of her daughter as much as her parent or even more than that. 

P. 209
What giving your daughter out for marriage meant was that their daughter, who they raised up so preciously and her future was going to be entrusted out to someone. If her parent had that strong of a resolve, then the responsibility of the fiancé was heavy. To marry meant that they were in a position of taking over all of what the parent was responsible for. 
Lydia and her brightness and generosity, and her soft-heartedness that would even surprise you, and her slightly roughness too, all had to be protected. He had to have distance her away from danger no matter what, but he only put her through a terrifying experience. 
Even though he claimed to be her fiancé, he didn’t give her what should naturally be given to her, so it was natural for Lydia not to be able to trust him, so she was sure to be deeply disappointed in him right now. 
“…….To allow Lydiato be taken away right in front of my eyes, I don’t qualify as a man.”
He wasn’t going to deny that it was the obvious attitude of a man who had his fiancée taken as a hostage. 
It was supposedly the best plan. But it was true that he appeared cold to Lydia’s eyes, and that was because he wasn’t trusted to begin with. 
As he looked out the window, Edgar let out a sigh. 
“Do you think that at this rate, she’ll run out of patience and be disgusted with me?”
“Yes, she would.”
Raven easily made his agreement, and he was honest in that opinion, and so it wasn’t like he was trying to depress Edgar. 

P. 210
But when he was told that so easily, it was a mystery how that made him change to the feelings that he wanted to recover himself. 
“I guess I should set out a plan so there’s no room for escape.”
“Lord Edgar, would it not be best to first think up a way to rescue Miss. Carlton.”
“Raven, in regards to women, if you don’t think about the future with them, then you’ll come to the end of your road.”
“You seem like your usual self so I’m relieved.”
She still didn’t have the strength to sit up, but at the humored Ermine’s way of talking like she usually did, had comforted Edgar’s feelings. 
“Now, as long as he isn’t killed, then it would allow us to move around more easily,”
Just then, there was a reserved knock on the door. 
“Viscount…..” came a weak voice on the verge of tears. 
Raven cautiously opened the door and then the fake earl Palmer came tumbling into the room.
“Perfect timing, what are your results?” asked Edgar.
“Oh, yes……, just like you said, I told that man Oscar that I’ll do anything if he would spare my life. I was told to keep on Teresa. She’s in the underground storage room. He has the key to it.”
To end up using Palmer who came begging for his own life, must mean that Ulysses was acting on his own for this mission, determined Edgar.

P. 211
So it means all the ones he’s controlling are selkies. But Lydia is a fairy doctor. 
The chained selkies are secretly desire Lydia’s help. If he didn’t want to have them get near her, and since there was nobody else, then he would use Palmer for the time being. 
If that wasn’t the case, then someone who just came to beg for their life was a hindrance. He would have killed him and gotten it over with.
Edgar knew that Palmer might be killed and yet he used him in order to get an idea of Ulysses and Lydia’s situation, and he was aware that that part of him was what appeared too cold-hearted that Lydia couldn’t accept, but he changed his mind because he was in the middle of a battle right now. 
“You did fine. Guide us there.”
“Uh, but….., are you really going protect me? Since I’ve done this kind of thing, if I’m spotted by Oscar, then I’ll be killed.”
Edgar walked over to Palmer and made a gentle smile the best as he could.
“Either way, you were next in line to be killed. Since Oscar seemed like he wanted to kill me last. Besides, there is no advantage for him to have you seriously come to his side.”
“……I understand that. That’s why I did as you said…..”
“That’s right. In order to save yourself, you’re only left with contributing to my victory. Of course, I’ll put my efforts in making sure you come out alive and can return home.”

P. 212
Palmer released the tension from his face a bit. 
“Although I can’t guarantee it. Raven, let’s go.”
Palmer quickly returned to make a tragic expression, but when his shoulder was pushed, he finally started to walk.

*

“Suzy, it sounds very quiet.”
 Mrs. Collins sat in her bed as she was looking out the window. 
The sea was rough and turbulent as usual. They could hear the endless beating sound of the wind. And yet it felt so quiet.
They could have sensed the incident where everyone in the house was keeping quiet and staying low. 
“Yes, you’re right, my lady.”
Suzy set down the medicine that was used to calm and rest the Mrs.’s ailing heart just a bit onto the bedside and she placed a gown onto the lady’s shoulders.
“The color of your face looks well this morning.”
“I feel so refreshed like never before.”
“It could be because the young miss’ suitor has finally been decided.”
“Yes, that must be it.”

P. 213
As she made a smile, the Mrs opened the palms of her hand and looked down at the cameo brooch. 
It was the brooch that should have been given to Teresa. It was a gift that was passed down from mother to her marrying daughter. On the first dinner night, Teresa was wearing it on her chest.
Suzy was suspicious and wondered if she had taken it out of her daughter’s room.
“If that girl were to be alive….. She would have been loved by someone kind and could have been so happy,”
Suzy widened her eyes in disbelief.
“My lady, did you know all this time?”
“What?”
“Uh, that she wasn’t the young Miss Teresa,”
“She is Teresa, is she not?”
“Oh, of course….”
Even though Suzy said that, she had the feeling that her lady really did know what was going on. She was gently stroking the faint pink cameo like she was reminiscing about her daughter. 
Suzy knelt down and took the lady’s hands into hers.
“I understand very well how my lady loves your daughter. No one would want to believe that they had lost the one they loved so much… But, my lady, Miss Lydia Carlton also has her family and a lover. They are people who care and love her deeply.”
“Lydia…..?”

P. 214
The lady cocked her head, but Suzy didn’t let that stop her and continued.
“Miss.Carlton has done so much for the sake of my lady already. So, please set her free. Before it turns too late.”
Mrs. Collins looked down to Suzy nervously, then she gently stroked her cheek. 
“Suzy, I’m sorry. It seems I’ve caused you so much worry.”
“Oh, no, my lady.”
“I know, could you get me some warm milk?”
“Yes, right away.”
Suzy was away from the room for just a short while, but when she returned with the milk, Mrs. Collins had disappeared from the room.

*

I’m so stupid. Lydia pounded on the door as hard as she could.
No matter how much she hit or kicked it, nothing changed.
When she realized it, the skin on her fingers were scrapped and tinged in pain.
She slumped her body down to the floor and felt like she could cry. 

P. 215
There was only one think candle lit. In time, it would burn out and this underground room was sure to turn pitch black. 
“Stupid, Edgar! What were you going to do if I was really shot at!”
She started to think that it was all Edgar’s fault that her hands hurt and that it was dark and frightening. 
If she were to think about it with a clear mind, then the one who was at fault was Ulysses, but the Lydia right now couldn’t have possibly calmed down.
When she was thrown into this room, Ulysses told her:
[For that man, this sort of thing happens frequently.]
That would have been so for Edgar when he was hunted down by Prince and having his battles when he was living in the underground society.
[That’s why, you won’t definitely be rescued.]
He had said that he lost so many fellow comrades. 
[Because if he thinks that it’s impossible, there’s always the option of giving up. Of course there would, if you didn’t live smart, no one would follow you.]
Give up? That would mean he would abandon Lydia.
No matter how much Lydia was seduced by Edgar, she wasn’t able to trust Edgar’s attitude, and only thought that he was putting his hopes on her ability as a fairy doctor. 
Even if he worried about her and tried to save her, it wasn’t that he emotionally thought of her as special. 

P. 216
And so Lydia was overwhelmed with despair. 
If Edgar were to give up on her, then Ulysses would just kill Lydia who had no value. 
She heard something rustle behind her. She was in a storage room and there were so many different things piled up, so she couldn’t see what was in the back since it was so dark. 
One more time, something rustled and she even heard a faint voice.
It sounded like the cry of a cat.
Could it be?
When she headed towards the source of the sound, the thing that was moving was a tin candy box.
She opened the lid and saw there was a gray-colored ball of fur inside it.
“Nico!”
She rushed to get him out of the box.
“Lydia….? It’s too late for me.”
“What happened, Nico! Pull yourself together.”
She picked up Nico who was completely limp. She panicked and stroked his back, and he usually didn’t like to be touched or handled, but right now he was staying still. 
“I’m so hungry.”

P. 217

P. 218
What?
“Since I was locked up, I didn’t eat anything…”
Lydia felt a bit irritated as she set Nico down on the floor. He plopped down to sit himself on the floor and picked up his tail with a rueful look and stroked it.
“Ohh, I’ve lost the shine in my tail coat.”
“You’re a fairy, so you’ll be fine even if you don’t eat for a while.”
“In order to maintain the refined silver color in my coat, I need my meals….. Oh, right, Lydia, why on earth are you here?”
“I was caught too!” she yelled as she felt ashamed and miserable, but suddenly she turned from being taken over by fear and irritation to becoming completely relaxed.
In reality, even if this empty-headed fairy cat was here, it didn’t mean that Lydiawas going to be saved.
“So you’re locked up too…. Then, you wouldn’t have food with you.”
Nico showed his disappointment and slumped back down again.
“More importantly, Nico, did you find the coats of the selkies?”
“I found a suspicious room. It was made so fairies couldn’t get into it. Which means it’s a room that was made so that the selkies in this house couldn’t enter it, right? When I was hanging around it, I was found by him, and ended up here.”

P. 219
“Him as in?”
“That’s right, Lydia! The culprit is Lady Collins’nephew. Oscar’s the one behind this! He knew right off that I was a fairy and locked me up in this tin box.”
Nico puffed out his chest from pride at his discovery.
“We know that already.”
“….Oh, you do.”
Disappointed once more, he slumped down.
“But, there is a high chance that the selkies’ coats are in that room.”
As she said that, in Lydia’s mind, she started to raise her awareness as a fairy doctor. 
Even though she was possessed by Teresa and was dragged into this incident and happenings, Lydiaremained here because she wanted to save the selkies. 
This wasn’t the time to be irritated at Edgar and pouting in disappointment.
“What am I doing being frightened of being abandoned. I should be the one who shouldn’t give up.”
Lydia stood up. 
“Nico, we’re getting out of here.”
“How? I can’t move a muscle.”

P. 220
That was the problem. Just when she crossed her arms and took a look around.
“Fairy doctor, are you in there?”
There was a voice that came from the other side of the door.
“….Who is it?”
“Please lean up against the wall.”
The sound of rushing water sounded like it was approaching.
In the moment she thought, what? Some kind of ferocious strength pounded against the door and ripped it open. From the wave that came pouring in through the opening, Lydia was surprised and it made her crouch down against the wall.
When it turned quiet and she lifted her head, the things that were piled up was made into a mess and crushed up against the wall behind her. The door that was destroyed was pushed up against it, but there was no sign of any water anywhere, and Lydia wasn’t even wet.
“So rough,” said Nico, who pocked his head out from the crack between Lydiaand the wall.
I thought you couldn’t move a muscle.
“Please excuse me. There wasn’t any other way.”
The one who appeared was the old woman who was with Ermine.
“Are you a selkie?”

P. 221
“Yes. I’m terribly sorry for not being able to do anything, while I was asking for your help.”
“That’s all right, but you and everyone else had your coats all hidden and are not able to go against Ulysses, aren’t you?”
“I came here while I made sure he didn’t notice. I had no other choice but to transfer the soul of the dead onto you at his order. I was only able to work around his order by letting you have your freedom during the day, but that was all I could do.”
But if that was found out by Ulysses, then she might be killed to show to someone else not to go against him. 
They were putting their lives at stake and trying to tie their hopes onto Lydia.
She must find their coats and set them free.
“If you destroyed the door and made this much noise, then he’ll know right away that a selkie did it.”
“Yes. But we needed to hurry. Either way, Ulysses plans to kill all of us off. Before that, he will try to erase you and the Blue Knight Earl. That’s why, now was the only time.”
And then, the old woman held out her hand with something in it.
It was the aquamarine from her mother that she thought she lost. 
“I removed it from you so that Ulysses wouldn’t take it away.”
I guess Ulysses must love gems.

P. 222
When she was thinking that, the old woman said:
“Ulysses is wearing a gemstone on his ear.”
Lydiahadn’t taken a direct look, so she didn’t know what kind of gem it was, but she nodded to the sudden information that the old woman gave her. 
“Please be careful. That is the heart of a selkie.”
“Eh.”
The token of trust and loyalty of the selkies.
She was just talking with Nico that if he had some way to protect himself even though he abused the selkies, then he might have a selkie’s heart.
That was the gemstone that Ulysses had on his ear.
Because he had a ‘heart,’ Ulysses was able to get close to a selkie that had it’s guard down and captured it. And so he collected more selkies, and stole their coats and put them in submission, but the rage of the selkies was still faced towards him who had the valuable stone.
“So? What is Ulysses going to do by not only putting you all to work but then go and kill you off?”
“Beyond that is unknown to us. Now, hurry, you have to get out of here. Before he finds you.”

P. 223
As she nodded, Lydia turned to face Nico.
“Where’s the room you were talking about?”
“I said that I can’t move!”
“Just right now, you were moving just fine!”
“Let me eat something first!”
“Forget you.”
“This way, Fairy doctor.”
It seemed like the old woman was going to guide her.
Lydia left behind the useless Nico and hurried to leave the underground floor.
She could see that the selkies who were working as the servants were looking at her from the shadows with a worried look on their face.
They gave a nod of a sign to the old woman, which might have meant that Ulysses wasn’t here and so it was safe. The old woman quickly rushed up the stairs.
Lydia was able to figure out immediately that the selkies that were guiding them were the ones who gathered their powers in trying to break down the door. 
She had on the aquamarine from her mother, and she made sure of it by touching it with her fingers, as she became nervous if she would be able to protect the selkies.

P. 224
He was the type of person who had ill intent and using the selkies’ heart for his benefit. And furthermore, he probably had much more knowledge as a fairy doctor and experience than Lydia.
But she couldn’t allow herself to run.
“It’s here.”
On the second floor, the old woman stopped in front of a normal-looking door that didn’t have grandeur or importance.
Lydia gripped the doorknob that the fairies couldn’t apparently touch at all.
Unexpectedly, the door wasn’t locked.
She pushed it open gently to a crack, but it seemed like no one was inside.
Lydia stepped in alone.
It was a room which didn’t look at all fit to hide any fur coats.
The wallpaper was a faint pink, and the curtains and table cloth were decorated with frills, and there were wooden horses and dolls perfect for hugging, and countless number of story books; however you looked at it, it was a child’s room
“What’s the meaning of this?”
She went and opened the closet, but it was only filled with children’s dresses.
Lydia had been imagining that the selkies’ coats, which should be quite a number of fur coats-for a dozen or so, and she was going to find them piled up like a mountain, but she was confused as to where such a thing could possibly be hidden.
But if she thought about it hard, even if they were coats, they were the furs of fairies. 

P. 225
Since their ‘hearts’ were something that were as small as a gemstone, then they might be in some sort of unexpected form.
“Teresa, what is the matter?”
She was surprised at the voice and turned around. Mrs. Collins had just walked in with a vase of live flowers in her hands. 
“Mrs…..I mean, …..Mother.”
She didn’t pay any heed to Lydia who quickly corrected herself and she walked over to open the window.
“Isn’t this room nostalgic? It was the room that you used when you were a child. When it was summer every year, we came here to spend the season. Do you remember?”
She spoke like she was talking to herself, and the Mrs picked up a doll of Teresa’s.
“All this time, I was afraid to come into this room. If I were to see an empty room, then I felt like would be accepting the fact that you died.”
Teresa, who was swallowed up by the waves and taken away. This room must have been sealed away from that day.
The key must have been unlocked because the Mrs had opened it up and then went to go fetch some flowers to decorate the room with. And it looked like she hadn’t opened it for ten-some years.
There was a large possibility that Ulysses had hidden the furs in this unopened room anticipating that even the Mrs wouldn’t come into it. 
But, she wondered where they could be.

P. 226
“Oh, it’s full of dust. But, that can’t be helped, since twelve years have passed now.”
Dust? Lydia turned her eyes to look at the small box that was placed on top of the shelf. Because that was the only thing that wasn’t covered in dust and it easily caught one’s eye with its sparkling, patented-leather enamel design.
It looked like it was a make-up kit. When she opened the lid, there were a number of small walnut-sized glass balls in it.
When she picked one up, it felt damp and had elasticity to it. The ball had the faint color of the blue sea and it had the warm like some kind of living creature. 
Oh, could this perhaps, be the fur coat of the selkies?
“Oh, that cosmetic case.” 
Lydia’s heart jumped and she kept the box in her hands as she turned around to face the lady.
She wanted to take it out with her some way, but she wondered if the lady would dislike that.
“Uh, this really is a beautiful vanity case.”
“Isn’t it? You were so small, yet you wanted this more than toys… You carried it with you wherever you went. That’s why you brought it to this estate as well…”
She made a smile as she let her eyes fall to the floor.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I would like for you to have it.”
“What….”

P. 227
“If it was at your age, then I think it’ll be just perfect.”
With her plump hand, she stroked the coral decoration.
“It’s amazing. I thought I would definitely want to die if I were to ever see this room, but I feel so refreshed. Ever since that girl left me, I felt like I was wandering in darkness for such a long time, but now I can feel a faint light.”
Mrs. Collins who said that appeared like she knew what happened with everything.
She even looked like she knew that the ghost of Teresa wasn’t really her Teresa.
“Um….”
“I had ordered a much more wonderful vanity box to prepare for your marriage, but you just really prefer that one, don’t you.”
But she slipped back into her dream once more.
The vanity box that held the selkies’ coats. The memento of the lady of her precious daughter. Lydia cradled that into her arms strongly. 
“My lady, oh, here you were.”
It was Suzy. She must have been worried because she didn’t know where the lady of the house went and looked over to them in relief. 
“Oh, thank goodness, the misses was here with you.”

P. 228
Lydiaand Suzy looked into each other’s eyes and exchanged smiles. 
“Mother, this room is so dusty. Let’s go to the garden.”
Just when she called to the Mrs so that she could take her out of the room.
“Fairy doctor, Ulysses has-!”
She heard the pressured voice of the selkie.
At the same time, the door was slammed shut and she could tell that the door was locked from outside.
“Hey, open this door!”
Lydia pounded the door, but there was no reply. She could sense the selkie was gone as well.
“Miss, what on earth….”
Suzy stepped over towards Lydia. Mrs. Collins tilted her head in confusion but it didn’t seem like there was any danger yet. However, if something were to happen while they were locked up, then it wouldn’t be any good to her mental state.
“Yes, Suzy, this is the work of the culprit. That man is planning on killing off everyone here.”
“Did you find out who the culprit is?”
“It’s Oscar, but I’m sure he isn’t the real nephew of Mrs. Collins.”
Suzy gulped down her air in surprise.
“No-now that I think about it, the young Lord Oscar had just returned from America last month, and it was the first time for anyone to meet him in this family….”

P. 229
Suddenly, they could smell something burning.
From the crack of the door, smoke came seeping in. when she pressed her ear against the wooden door, she heard the sound of wood burning as well as felt an immense heat. 
“It’s a fire!”
Lydia rushed to go over towards the window.
But from the window, something was thrown in.
It was a bin that shattered the window glass and from it spilled some kind of liquid, which instantly caught on fire and spread throughout the room.
When Lydia crouched down in reflex, her eyes saw the sight of the curtain which was engulfed in flames came slowly spreading out down over her.
She tried to escape from under it. 
But her foot caught onto something. A bird cage came falling down onto her. 
She hit her head and she became dizzy.
“Suzy!”
She could hear the scream of Mrs. Collins. Lydia tried to keep her consciousness awake. She opened her eyes. 
The Mrs had rushed over to Suzy who was on her side and after she put out the fire on her skirt, she hugged the girl in her arms and dragged her towards the wall where the fire hadn’t reached to yet. 

P. 230
“Suzy, you mustn’t die, I’ll save you!”
She dumped the water from the vase on her gown. She then placed it on top of Suzy’s head and desperately tried to stand her up.
It was the look of a good mother who was trying to protect her daughter. 
Mrs. Collins seemed to have completely forgotten about Lydia and about Teresa. 
To her, Teresa was a daughter who died. But Suzy, she was someone who stayed by her side, someone precious than her daughter who was already dead.
This is what’s best, thought Lydia. Mrs. Collins was surely going to stop obsessing over Teresa. Because she has realized that she had a ‘daughter’ who cared so much for her, even if they weren’t related by blood.
But still, I do feel a little lonely.
Oh, that’s right, I need to do something about myself. 
No one is going to save me. 
When she realized it, she was holding onto the aquamarine pendant.
Mother, yes, I know. I’m a fairy doctor, so it’s my job to be help to someone. Even if I’m alone, I just need to believe in myself. 
Lydia finally lifted up herself. 

P. 231
She was able to avoid the curtain and its fire, but the window was covered with flames and it was impossible to get near. 
And, to put it off, when she fell down, the vanity box flew out of her hands.
The lid of it was open and its containment was spilled out on the floor. Lydiar ushed to pick up the box and scraped up the half-clear balls together. 
“It’s not enough….”
She looked around her. Beyond the flames, there was one and another that was on the floor. 
Oh, no. If the coats were burned up, then the selkie would die. 
Ulysses had said that he would have the selkies die off and so he must be planning on burning down the house along with the people and furs in it.
She tested if she could jump through the flames. But the wind that blew in from the window made the flames suddenly rise up.
Lydia could only close her eyes and then she felt herself be embraced in someone’s as if to protect her from the hot wind.
In that position, she was dragged along. 
She heard the loud sound of something crumbling down and then Lydiafell down to the floor in somewhere dark.
“Lydia, thank goodness I made it in time.”
She couldn’t see because it was so dark.
“…….Edgar……?”
“Can you stand? The fire will reach here soon. We need to hurry and get outside.”

P. 232
He pulled her arm and started to walk. When her eyes came to adjust to the light, it was somewhat dark, but she found out that she was in the passage way that was used only by the servants. 
She wasn’t able to get near the window or door in Teresa’s room, but there was another exit. 
“Suzy and Mrs. Collins are…”
“Raven should have gotten them out.”
“And, the coats of the selkies,”
She had the vanity box clutched in her arms. She had one of them gripped in her hand. But there still was a number of coats that were still in left laying in that room. 
Lydiastood still and was able to turn back the way she came, but Edgar stopped her. 
“It’s useless now.”
“No, I don’t want to give up!”
“Don’t say something so senseless.”
“But, … I know, Ermine’s selkie coat might be in one of them. This coat, if this coats gets burned, the selkies will die!”
“…....There’s nothing we can do,” he said sharply after was a short moment like he was undecided.
She remembered how Ulysses said that Edgar was able to make the decision of giving up.
“What do you mean there’s nothing we can do? Is it because it happens so often? Just like that, you give up on any other one’s life.”

P. 233
Even if she talked about ideals and dreams, he knew from experience that there were situations where there was nothing one could do. Lydia understood that he was pressured to make an agonizing decision in the past, and then lost his comrades because of it, and just how much he suffered because of that. 
And yet she was saying such a horrible accusation. But she couldn’t stop.
How she felt like she was abandoned by Edgar and the loneliness that she felt as she was about to be engulfed in the fire made her closed-minded. 
“Why don’t you just hurry up and give up on me. You don’t have to save me. I’m not yours to claim. I’m just going to act so that I will be satisfied!”
He pulled her shoulder. She knew she had said too much. But he just spoke in a calm manner. 
“Then I’ll go.”
“What?”
Edgar turned back the way they came. He only said to Lydia to keep on going to get outside, and ran down the thin corridor. 
You’re kidding….
Lydia wasn’t grasping the flow of events and just stood there in a daze. 
Then she went in a hurry to go after Edgar. 

P. 234
But when she just took a few steps, she felt the smoke come pouring in her direction and started to cough. 
The fire had started to reach the corridor. She could see the flickering light of the flames in the beyond. Just when she thought that, the speed of the fire suddenly increased and it lit up everything around her. 
“Edgar…., oh, no, what should I,”
Just when she was about to slump to the floor, her arm was grabbed.
“I said to go outside.”
He said to her in a somewhat angered tone and urged her on, to which Lydia honestly followed. 
The place where the two of them came out to was the garden behind the house and they could see that there was fire coming out of the large house here and there. 
It seemed like Ulysses had lit fires all over the house. 
They got away from the smoke and went towards the upwind as they got away from the house that had small sparks of fire dancing about. When they reached the stone stairway that lead down to the beach, they were finally relieved from the smell of smoke and Lydia’s strength left her and she sat down. 
Edgar had stopped and was standing as he looked down to her.
“I was also able to find one.”
On the palm of his hand that he opened, there was one selkie coat. 
Lydia accepted it and as she checked inside the box, she slumped her head.
“How many are you missing.”

P. 235

P. 236
“About half…..”
“You were able to save half of them. But you may think I should say that so lightly.”
It was easy if it was just talk. That’s why it would be easy to blame him. But Edgar had really come back from the flames. 
The one who was only talk was Lydia. 
“Why did you come to rescue”
“I said I would definitely save you.”
“I wasn’t counting on that. I don’t believe one word of what you say. …But, then why, why would you go into such a dangerous fire…”
“Even if you don’t believe me, I’ll go anywhere for you.”
“You say that so easily.”
It wasn’t like he did the impossible for Lydia’s sake. He guessed that there still have enough time and that was why he was able to return. 
Even if it was impossible for Lydia to return, he just decided that he would be able to do something. 
“What you did must have been easy for you. Otherwise, you would have given up.”
But she wondered how much courage and nerve one needed in order to calmly determine and act like that. 
He said it so easily that it was for Lydia, but it couldn’t have possibly been that easy. 

P. 237
She was so surprised and her heart was moved, but she didn’t like herself for not being able to honestly say thank you. 
“It’s all right for you to be angry.”
“Why do you think I would be angry?”
“I’m saying such unreasonable, horrible things.”
She felt the sigh that he let out was a particularly long one. 
“When I think I got a step closer to you, you always take a step back,” he said and made a sad smile.
“You sometimes seriously worry about me, and you nearly open your heart out to me, but it’s my fault for making to step away again. I would do things that are insensitive or make you go through horrible things…. I know that no matter what I say, it’s my fault for not being able to have you trust me.”
He was talking in an unusually serious tone.
“I’m frequently told by women I come to get close with. Just like Teresa said yesterday, even if I’m not serious, they just want to feel like we are lovers when we are together. They must feel that I am wishing for a light relationship. My half-hearted attitude must be what makes them say that, but so far I’ve thought that if we were both enjoying ourselves then that would be best. That’s why, to tell you the truth, you were the first one to say to me that if I’m not serious, then to don’t get near you. And so I’m thinking that if someone like you who would say that would come to feel for me, then I might be able to change.”

P. 238
She felt him move to sit down next to her, but Lydia still remained with her head down. 
“Your seriousness and my seriousness may be different. But if you desire me to be serious, then I think I would be able to get near that.”
“That’s impossible. We are too different.”
“I know. But I won’t give up.”
Why do you, why are you like that.
“I said it’s impossible. Because, I’m useless.”
He leaned his head to the side, like he didn’t understand.
“I wasn’t even able to be Teresa. Mrs. Collins knew that I and the ghost girl wasn’t her. She knows that her dead daughter won’t come back. …I too, came to understand that my mother is no where here. I haven’t been taught anything from my mother, and just went ahead and called myself a fairy doctor. Even if I try my hardest, I’m useless.”
If Edgar didn’t come and save her, then there was nothing Lydia could have done in the fire. 
She was sure to not have been able to rescue even one of the selkies. 
In that moment, as Lydia was trying to rouse herself into action, she was practically in complete despair. 
The one that Mrs. Collins had tried to rescue was Suzy and Lydia was left all to herself. 
She only had the pride of a fairy doctor, and didn’t have enough knowledge and experience and there was no one to support her like her mother had. 

P. 239
She was so useless and so ashamed. Because of that, she thought that she was even Edgar had ran out on her. 
And yet he came. 
She was happy, but now, she was feeling that she didn’t have the strength to be able to live up to his expectations. 
“That’s why it’s impossible for me. I’m a coward, and there so much that I can’t do on my own. I’m just bluffing, but really I’m frightened out of my mind. Even if I think that I need to help the selkies, it’s impossible for me to face Ulysses. I just want to hurry and run out of here!”
After she said it, she realized it. She was brought to this strange and unfamiliar place by someone she didn’t know who, and was possessed by the ghost of a daughter who died, and even more, she made the decision that she was going to stay here so that she could help the selkies, but that was only thanks to Edgar being here. 
If she was going to face the enemy with him by her side, then she felt like something could be possible. 
Because she wasn’t alone, she was able to keep her courage. 
She wasn’t aware that she was counting on Edgar, so when she felt that he had given up on her, she suddenly became so terrified and fell into despair. 
“I’m sorry.”
“…..Why are you apologizing?”
“I won’t let you feel that way. I’ll stay by your side.”

P. 240
“I-I didn’t mean that I wanted that.”
It was that kind of meaning, but she suddenly became embarrassed.
“Ever since I met you, a path of freedom has opened up for me. I would be happy if you would continue to stay with me, and in that case, I want you to count on me. I may not know about fairies, but I think I could support you. …..I feel that I want you to lean on me.”
He looked out towards the sea and said it in a way like he was tightening his resolve. 
She stole a glance at him. 
His silky and bright golden hair hanged down over his eyes. She looked at the handsome side of his face and noticed that the end of his hairs was burnt. 
Without thinking about what she was doing, Lydia reached out her arm. She brushed his burnt hairs to the side with her fingers, but then he looked at her. 
His ash mauve eyes were a vague color, which didn’t tell if he was a good or bad man, or if he was cold or warm, or a lie or the truth; they were the impression in themselves that she had of him. 
When she realized what was going on, Lydia’s hand was gripped by Edgar’s tightly. 
His beauty that melted people’s hearts was right in front of her. And yet he leaned her closer. 
“Wa-wait just a…..”
She didn’t stop but stick one of her arms out straight to push his face away. 
“….Hmmm, the mood just now was an okay one no matter how you think about it.”

P. 241
He said it in a way like he was completely dissatisfied.
He really was unbelievable. We were in the middle of having a serious discussion just now. 
“Is that the only thing you’re thinking about?”
“Well, roughly.”
And this obviously wasn’t the time for such a thing.
The country house that stood beyond the trees was swallowed up by even more flames. 
But he swiftly changed Lydia’s mood from a depressed one. He wasn’t a completely frivolous man, and this light character must be Edgar’s weapon. 
People were saved by it and she wasn’t scared anymore. 
“Even if it was someone useless like me….”
Would you want to marry me?
Ohh, but she didn’t the courage to be able to say something like that.
“What?”
“……Nothing.”
Maybe because she was tired, her consciousness was started to drift away even though it wasn’t evening yet.
“I feel so sleepy. ….Teresa is about to wake up.”
She just had the feeling, so she leaned up against Edgar’s shoulder. 

P. 242
Because Teresa would go and get close to him so innocently, she must have felt like she was allowed to do the same. 
It could have not been Lydia, but Teresa’s influence that was taking over. And as she was shifting the blame, no matter how much she cuddled up against Edgar, she realized that she felt displeased about it. 
As her heart beated rapidly, Lydia learned how he treated other women and that he acted in such a loving way towards them. 
When she imagined that it was a hug towards Teresa, she was a little irritated, but if it wasn’t like that, Lydia would be running off in a dash, but in turn, when she thought that she was the one that was reflecting in his eyes, then she thought highly of herself and thought that she was the one receiving all of this in this embrace. 
Edgar’s back is a little wider than father’s. He’s slender but he had more height than father. 
“Teresa?” asked Edgar when he noticed that she made a little fidget. 
“…..The sound of waves…., am I outside?” murmured Teresa in a dazed tone, as she just woke up. Since Lydialet go of the little amount of restraint she had, and she even did the act of leaning up against him, so she thought he might have figured out that it was Lydia until just now who was doing the moving. 
She was flurried at Teresa and how she placed her hand so casually and easily on his lap, and so Lydia used her influence and made her left hand life up from him. 

P. 243
He made a little snicker like he was amused, and Edgar placed his hand over hers in order to stop her from going. 
His hand was much more delicate than father’s. 
“Oh, why are we in a place like this? And my dress has gotten so dirty.”
“The house is on fire.”
“What, oh, no, how horrible!”
Teresa turned around to look and became even more surprised when she saw the fire that engulfed the house. 
In a flash, Edgar made a difficult face and looked up to the sky. 
“The wind has changed direction. Let’s move upwind.”