Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 7 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 • The golden-haired noblewoman

Despite it being early in the morning, the Earl’s servants of the manor were already up and working. Lydia knocked on the front door, and the one who answered the door was Ermine.
She hesitated before immediately smiling nervously.
After all, Ermine’s betrayal to Edgar has yet been decided.
Lydia, who rushed from her house in a hurry, forgot that she ended up arriving to work earlier than usual. Because of that, she tried to come up with a reason for her strange behavior.
“Ah, that is ... it’s really embarrassing, to come running in so early the morning, I’m sorry.....”
Lydia tried to think of a reason to explain but before she could finish speaking Ermine opened her mouth to say:
“Miss Lydia, I was just about to go to your home to visit.”  
“Eh, why?”
“Lord Edgar went away to see Ulysses* men.”  
Lydia was so shocked that she was speechless. Ermine continued to quickly explain what happened.
Last night, after Edgar left Slade’s Club, Jimmy the hellhound immediately appeared in front of Raven and carried off Edgar. Moreover, it seemed Edgar decided he must go to the enemy himself.
Lydia thought, Edgar must have been thinking of Banshee’s prophecy.
“Raven and the members of the ‘Scarlet Moon’ had split up in order to find where Ulysses was possibly hiding. Later on, I’ll also have to join them in their search.”  
“Where’s Sir Paul?”
She heard that Paul had temporarily left his home to stay at Earl’s manor, so she asked Ermine where he was.
Paul was one of the “Scarlet Moon” members. Clearly, he was aware of the situation regarding Ermine’s wrongdoings.
Lydia needed to discuss with someone what to do next, and so there was no other person but Paul.
“You said Sir Paul? He has closed himself in his room. His guest room is around the right side of the second floor.”
Lydia was relieved to hear Paul was still at the manor, so she immediately visit the room as Ermine described.
Lydia knocked on the door several times, but no one responded. Moreover, the door was locked on the other side.
“Sir Paul, it’s Lydia.”
After knocking on the door a third time, it finally gently opened a crack.
At first, Paul took a glance all around. Once he confirmed it was only Lydia, he hastily asked her to come in before closing the door and locking it.
“Oh, please don’t misunderstand. There is a reason for.... Well anyway, I have an important secret to tell you.”
Paul said. At the same time, he walked over to a nearby bookshelf and beckoned Lydia to come with his hand.
“Yesterday, we made a recent discovery. It appears Duke Sylvainford trusted my father to safe keep a painting. In fact, it was one hundred years ago when this portrait of Lady Gladys was entrusted under the hands of the Duke family. ”
Edgar’s real family name---- Sylvainford, was a historic ancestral line of aristocrats. Ashenbert was also an ancient family name of nobles, so had there been contact between the two families, it was not surprising.
After listening to Paul explain the hidden message in the painting, she felt it was very strange.
---Certainly, no one could have imagined it.
Unexpectedly, with the Ashenbert family lacking a successor, the last survivor of the Sylvainford family inherited the title and became the Earl of Ashenbert.
“Miss Lydia, I think the picture is hiding other messages as well, such as the amber’s whereabouts. But though I looked for a long time, I didn’t see anything.”
Edgar went to the enemy and wanted to challenge Ulysses himself. So, Paul was probably hoping to find the amber as soon as possible. It could aid Edgar in giving a more favorable bargain.
Indeed, if the amber was hidden somewhere, this painting would be a vital key.
“I understand, Sir Paul. In order to be of help, I want to quickly find the amber, but I also need to confirm something with Banshee.... As long as you can find Banshee’s magical amber, there is a way to be by her side.”
Then, Lydia began to carefully study the portrait.
In the picture was a lady with long hair, holding a shield. Although she was not dressed in  helmet and body armor, the majestic-looking knight was worthy of being called the Blue Knight Earl’s last descendant.
The First Blue knight --- Gladys, was the Earl’s wife. She was born from aes sidhe, a fine-beautiful race of fairies who were descendants of the gods that used to wander with the living in the human world. (?) One of their descendants must be the woman in the portrait, the one with dazzling golden hair Lady Galdys. Any person couldn’t help but believe her to be a descendant of the aes sidhe*. (?)

“Oh~~ this painting is too perfect for words.”
Next came the voice of Coblynau. After he spoke, his head immediately peeped out from Lydia’s coat hat.
“You came with me!?”
“This lapis lazuli color is a brilliant bright blue, and this peacock green is an excellent choice, too.”
Coblynau was staring very closely at the portrait. It seemed he was just interested in the mineral pigments used.
“Coblynau, we are discussing a very important matter. You can leave first, okay?”
“But little Bow said I may be able to help the young lady with a favor, so I came along.”
Coblynau made a small bow above the moonstone ring.
“My lady, how can I help? ”
Even if you ask me, I don’t know.
“Well ....... Oh, that's right! You can find hidden gems, can’t you?”
“Only the gems I have ever seen.”
It seems there is really no hope. Especially since this may have been the first time Coblynau and Banshee met.
“However --- ooh there are these gems I do know. ”
Coblynau proudly boasted. This guy is really a headache.
As Lydia pondered as to what to do, Coblynau continued to say:
“For example, as for this amber, no matter what the color or gloss it may be, it is said to still be a masterpiece.”
“Amber!?”
Lydia and Paul cried out in unison.
Paul couldn’t see the invisible goblin so Coblynau felt confused. However, Paul still placed his hand on the table where Coblynau’s originally voice came from. Leaning his body forward, Paul anxiously asked:
“Mr. fairy, excuse me, but where is the amber? ”
“Here, in the dame’s golden hair.”
“No kidding! This golden-yellow pigment unexpectedly is......”
For Paul, it seemed to be no small matter, in which he was speechless for a moment. And then, while holding his head, he regretfully said:
“Ah~ I’m a painter, how did I not even notice such things! Miss Lydia, most ordinary people do not use amber as a pigment. Having it grounded into small powder and spread across the canvas is truly luxurious. Especially since this color is normally displayed by agate instead. Well ~~ actually because agate has a variety of hues, its value is subjective to painters. Ah... ...but how can it be, most people may see this as red paint on the canvas, but rather, does not one think it could be ruby? Incredible, to actually use precious gems as a pigment… Because I was too poor, I simply never thought of it!” 
Lydia, who approached close to the painting, was steadily staring at the quality of the woman’s golden hair.

It’s probably just in my mind, but I always felt that blond hair looks particularly bright and glistening.

“.......So, these are Banshee’s tears...? ”
“Certainly right, Miss Lydia. Not to mention, there is probably no other possible answer.”
Lydia nodded.
“My lady, did I help you? ”
“Yes, thank you, Coblynau.”
Lydia gave a satisfied smile. Then, Coblynau sat on the table and took out a pipe to smoke.

“Sir Paul, can I borrow the painting? ”
“Of course, but what do you plan on doing with it? ”
“I want to bring it to Banshee. If she is in Ulysses’s hiding place, Edgar must certainly also be there. So, I’ll try to bring back Banshee and Edgar together.”
Lydia put the small painting in her coat and then immediately changed direction to look at Coblynau.
“Coblynau, help me open the fairy portal. You should do it.”
“My lady, I can open the portal, but I will not be able to show you the way. If one were to get lost in the middle, they cannot come again again. You would have to find Nico. He can lead you better than a goblin escort.”
“But he’s not underneath the bed, so he probably ran out to play. Time is pressing, and I really can’t wait for him to come back. As long as I have the amber with me, I should undoubtedly reach Banshee’s side.”
“Yes, I know that.”  Coblynau jumped down from the table and began digging holes in the floor. Soon, a dark hole beneath the carpet appeared. Confused, Paul watched the scene before him.
“Well, Miss Lydia, can I travel together with you? ”
“I cannot guarantee that an accident won’t happen.”

“But I cannot let a girl like you risk going alone.”
Paul was a man with a sense of justice. Even if Lydia urged him to stay behind, he wouldn’t obediently listen.
Besides, if Paul went, he may have a better chance of persuading Banshee to come back.
After Lydia nodded in consent, Paul, like a gentleman, took the lead into the dark cave.

Raven was crossing back and forth a number of times across the intersections of streets and back alleyways, with every turn being full of doubt.
He chased after Edgar’s carriage last night but then ended up lost. Raven saw the coach turning here, but when he reached the corner, the carriage disappeared as if it was one with the darkness.
This was obviously a straight path. Even if the carriage was going at high speeds, it should still be clearly seen. Therefore, Raven couldn’t understand how the carriage disappeared.
"What are you doing? Did you drop something?” There came a voice of sophistry. Raven looked at his feet to see a woolly-grey cat, standing on two hind legs and looking up at him.
The gray cat was wearing an ornate mask on his face. Raven held no expression, but inside he was a little bit confused.
“...Are you Sir Nico?”
“I am the mysterious phantom thief.”
Raven, who couldn’t understand, didn’t think much more of it. Not to mention, in regards to Edgar, it was simply not necessary to think anymore.
So, he bluntly answered Nico’s question:
“Lord Edgar is gone, and I can only describe that he disappeared. I am very much troubled.”
“He disappeared here?”
“Yes.”
Nico slowly turned behind him, glanced at Raven in the eyes, and motioned for him to follow.
There was a cat wearing a masked, covered with a cloak, walking on two hind feet on the street, but it did not attract the attention of any passersby. Perhaps he was able to  hide his breath like stealth.
Nico was really in front of him, but it was like a looming shadow. Had Raven not noticed, he would have struck the gray tail off of him.
Raven, as not to lose him, was intently following Nico when Nico suddenly stopped.
“Oh, there is a crack.”
“What crack?”
“The space between the human world and the fairy world. It is somewhat distorted but, from the goblin’s cracks, you can enter through the gateway”                     

However, Raven couldn’t actually see the crack that Nico spoke of.
“How do you get through this gateway? I must go look for Lord Edgar.”
“Humans can't go in.”
“But Lord Edgar disappeared here.”
“Yes. However, that was only because there was someone that could lead him?”                

After Raven pondered for a while, he then asked:
“Can you do it?”
“That goes without saying.”
“Sir Nico, please show me the way.”
“I can only open the gateway for Lydia. If you wish to speak of this anymore, you can but you can’t rely on your own to get through the place oh, I just won’t help you.”
“In that case, I will lead Raven myself.”
When did Ermine come to their side, he did not know.
“It doesn’t matter who opens the gateway, right?”
Although, for a moment, Raven looked at Ermine in confusion. But all of the sudden, the air became filled with tension all around, causing Nico to become stiff.
“Ah, well, by that reason, I suppose it’s okay.”
“Sir Nico, Miss Lydia and Sir Ferman disappeared. My guess is that they entered the goblin’s tunnel. If Edgar was taken by Ulysses through the goblin’s tunnel, then there is a high chance Miss Lydia will find him.”
When Nico heard that Lydia went to find Edgar, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. He scratched his head and muttered complaints:
“What did you say!? Lydia really, after crying about him, now she’s still worrying about him, what is she thinking.”
However, he immediately pulled himself together and waved to Raven and Ermine.
“I’ve got no choice. Raven, you need stick close to your sister. Once you get lost, you can never return to the human world.”
Ermine held Raven’s hand tight.
“Then, let’s go.”
Then, Raven remembered, when they were younger, he would walk hand-in-hand across the road with his sister. It was a wonderful feeling. But immediately after he thought that, he felt now was not the time to think such a thing.
There were very narrow cracks between the buildings. As if they were being sucked in, instead of the snow trails, they instantly appeared in a field of spring wilderness.

Edgar waited a very long time in a room of the building.
He didn’t know why there were two slender, crescent moons in the window. But right now, he was not in the mood to be astonished for this sort of thing.
He was originally looking out the foggy London street, until the scenery suddenly changed. At lightning speed, the fog dissipated, and he was overseeing countless stars that shone across the green grasslands.
After passing a few hills, he was brought into an isolated tower. The second moon rose in the sky, and a certain period of time had passed. The pocket watch was already still.
All of the fairy world was too distorted for Edgar to understand, so he decided not to think about it.
In short, as long as it was related to fairies, Edgar knew it was Ulysses’ win. But since Edgar doesn’t use magic, he had his own way against Ulysses.
When there was a knock on the door, Edgar was sitting in the chair inside the room, neither answering nor standing up.
Even when he didn’t respond, the other side had the key to open the door anyway. After it opened, Ulysses walked in.
“My lord, I welcome you here.”

“Pardon my hospitality. This building is quite worn-out so the floors let out creaking sounds.”
“Oh, is that so? You seem to be in an unpleasant mood. Is it because I let you wait for so long?”
“It’s because I see your face.”
Ulysses maintained his faint smile as he slowly walked in front of Edgar sitting in the chair.
“Today, you coming here was my personal decision. I had hoped that before His Highness arrived to England, we can resolve our private problems.”
He was referring to who should be the real heir to the earl, the Blue Knight Earl.                                     

“This matter was already decided a long time ago. I received the Merrow’s Sword and be formally recognized as the Earl of Ibrazel in the country. You say you’re the descendant of the 300 year old Earl Julius --- You, the bastard offspring of Ashenbert? This kind of matter, no one would simply believe. You will only be treated as the offspring of a mistress. There is no right for a common civilian to gain a free title of nobility.”
Edgar deliberately uttered these words to provoke Ulysses, whose face completely changed. Not even bothering to keep the facade of a smile, his face revealed his extreme displeasure.
“You really understand my upbringing.”
“The Merrows mentioned it to me. That should have been your father, correct? Although he called upon the Merrows to surrender the sword, he was unable to solve the last verse of their poem. In return, he ruined their lives into rubbish within the sea.”
“Oh, Lord, that was actually me, and I did not take their lives away at sea.”
“Ah yes, his name was Ulysses, but you are also called Ulysses. However, I heard that the one beside Prince was not this little boy. The one the Merrows met with, was a grown middle-aged man.”  
Ulysses unexpectedly let out a laugh and then said these words that left Edgar puzzled.

“At the time, you looked as if you just happened to be chosen as Prince. But that moment was deeply imprinted in my mind. You were the one with your parents murdered. Stolen away and thrown into a cargo ship bound for America, you were looking utterly tragic. Just living a miserable life in the slums, homeless. You were so weak it was as if you were ready to die. I really couldn’t believe that little boy was so unexpectedly important to his Royal Highness.”  

Edgar was so physically weak that he almost lost consciousness that time. So, even if he didn’t remember, Ulysses coming from the Prince’s orders to investigate on him was not surprising.
But by going by that time frame, Ulysses should have only been 5 or 6 years old.
For some reason, his tone of voice implied that he was an adult when he saw Edgar.

“But, Lord Edgar, when I reached out to you, to make sure you were still alive, even though you were nearly unconscious, you still slapped my hand away. It was really quite the surprise for me. The you, who seemed to strongly refuse touching those inferior to you. You, the son of the Duke family, were naturally born to accept the respect people invested in you. From that moment, I realized you couldn’t bare to tolerate being subjected to improper behavior. Even at a mere touch, you showed such anger and arrogance despite your life being near to death. From then, I knew you were worthy of being our highest, the Royal Highness.”
Edgar was kidnapped in order to be a puppet for the Prince.
Prince, who was the leader of some strange secret organization, wanted to shape Edgar into the next Prince and sabotage his being.
After Edgar recovered from his near-death experience, he continued to endure with even darker memories of his time in America. From the start, he even had to face unbearable mental torture that was far worse than his physical abuse.
And Ulysses’s words brought back these memories. Although he pretended to be calm, Edgar felt cold sweat.
But he went on to utter:

“So you say you have been around Prince since then? That you followed him as a child? Don't be deluded.”
“Because this is my second body.”
After he heard this, Edgar couldn’t hide his astonishment. Ulysses calmly gave him a mocking smile. But this smile was mixed with strong anger against Edgar.
“The Blue Knight Earl’s blood has been cut off. Since 300 years ago --- after Earl Julius Ashenbert died, he had given birth to no male heir, so there was no one who went to England to retrieve the Merrows’ Sword. Then, at long last, there was only the earl’s remaining female descendant, Lady Gladys Ashenbert, had died 100 years ago. And at this, the Royal Highness marked the end of the earl’s wretched bloodline.”
“......but he left you alive.”
“Indeed. At this point, the only one left of the Blue Knight Earl’s sons is me. Only I can reach the hidden place of the Merrows sword, and that is from the two keys in the Royal Highness’s hands. After all, it was the ancestor of the illegitimate child who produced these keys. In other words, the one who made these keys in order to conceal the Merrow’s sword was none other than Julius Ashenbert’s lover. One of them was the golden key which held a simple design. Therefore, imitations could be found everywhere during the past 300 years. However, there has only been one silver key. Because of its delicate structure, it couldn’t be imitated. But then later on, you stole it, do you remember.”
At the time, Edgar was planning his escape. So, he was trying to scope through all the details relating to Prince. Initially, he really didn’t know what it was for.
He understood the Prince could not fight. However, most of the things related to Prince were a mystery.
Edgar thought the key must’ve been important, so he decided to take it.
It was after his escape from Prince’s clutches when he accidentally found out the purpose of the key. It gave him the chance to become the Earl Ashenbert. That was also why he involved Lydia to go to the Manon Island.
“You clearly didn't have the key, yet you dared to take the risk of venturing out to Manon Island?”
“The key was made by my ancestors, so their blueprints had certainly remained. Of course you can make a new one. If otherwise, even had Prince stopped me, I would’ve cut you to pieces.”
“However, even if you had the key, the Merrows wouldn’t have given you the sword, because ou couldn’t even understand the meaning of the poem’s riddle, am I wrong?”
Edgar’s words were right on the mark. Ulysses was shaken up. Angered, he unconsciously stood up.
With his second body (?), he wanted so badly to shake Edgar for such inexplicit words, but he hadn’t expected to lose his composure like this.
“Was the answer not to sacrifice blood? These damn Merrows desired the soul of a human, so I had also especially prepared a victim for them.”
Initially, Edgar also believed this to be the answer.
But when Lydia stood in front of him, it made his heart hesitate.
For a long time, Edgar was living in a ruthless, callous world. He had forgotten his sense of justice and compassion for others. But Lydia, she made him think back to all of it. Even when she knew Edgar was using her, she still tried to share his pain. Even as a fairy doctor, she would always help others.
If one wanted to become the Earl of that sword, acting as the leader of a bandit group did not work. For this reason, he couldn’t sacrifice Lydia. Moreover, it was impossible for the Blue Knight Earl himself to sacrifice another life to unravel the mystery of the poem. Though Edgar understood this, he still didn’t know the answer. But he was remembering at the time, if he wasn’t able to solve the puzzle, then everyone there would die. That was why, before that time, he was to protect Raven and Lydia together.
He believed in that, because he remembered his obligations as a noble. Even if he was unlucky in his life, he couldn’t forget his responsibility.
If you want to beat Ulysses, he could only rely on this. As Edgar reaffirmed this, he eyed the teen and observed.
Compared to Edgar’s calm, collected manner, Ulysses seemed anxious. He was ready to pour out scornful words filled with repressed anger and resentment.

“Why? The Blue Knight Earl’s successor is clearly only me! Those damned Merrows set off rough waves to attack me and unexpectedly drag me into the sea. I was pushed up and down the rough sea waves, and crashed into rock in the billow before drowning in a tragedy.”

From what Ulysses said, was that how he lost his first body? If so, then the man who appeared before the Merrows really was dead.
Edgar couldn’t understand if the boy was describing the experience from a memory of a willful dead man.
This kind of matter made no sense. However, Edgar did vaguely note, this was the results of the research conducted under the Prince’s organization --- demonic evil research.

The juvenile placed his hands on the table, with his body approaching Edgar’s, he continued to say:
“But I did not die afterwards. I obtained a new, younger body and could continued to survive.”

“.....is that what they let you believe? Were you being educated in that way? ”
“Educated? It was indeed one of the most important aspects, but the main focus is on the soul. Yes, I must speak clearly of this first: this was not cheap, low magic. Oh, this body and the life in this body completely belongs to me. However, yours is the new body chosen to become his Royal Highness.”

The knowledge by which the person was framed was Prince for certain: mind, speech, and body movement were exact. Even all of his various habits, large and small, were instilled into Edgar. Initially, during the process, Edgar gradually started to lose a sense of himself. Had he continued to stay in the organization, he may have really been in disorder, believing himself to be Prince.
But, because of this strong feeling, he felt he really shouldn’t become like Prince. If Prince’s past was to enter Edgar’s mind, would Edgar believe those to be his own memories, would he become Prince?
Edgar’s mind was at chaos. This was confirmed right in front of him by his young Ulysses. He was convinced he was the Ulysses who formerly lost his life before.
Even if there really was Prince’s soul, is it even possible to transfer his soul into another body? Where does the original soul go from there?
This was so close to being black magic, and Edgar didn’t believe in black magic. But if he was not the heir of Prince, but an actual worthy vessel for the transfer of Prince’s soul. Then Edgar could finally begin to understand that all of this was an arrangement of a evil-foreboding nightmare, a ritual of black magic.

I was not able to achieve the duty of retrieving the treasured sword. So even I could not do it, let alone others. His Royal Highness told me not to worry for the troublesome Blue Knight Earl will reappear again. Little did I know, I never thought that you, Lord, were the new Blue Knight Earl! ”
Ulysses said this as if it was unbelievable, and perhaps that was the point.
His last bloodline inherited the ability to communicate with fairies, too. But it was Edgar, who wasn’t even related to the family, who became Earl.

“Why does it have to be you and not me? You have no knowledge nor can even see the fairies and yet you were unexpectedly able to become the Earl of Ibrazel? I wish I could kill you.”
“Then you’ll kill me.”        

Edgar’s cold eyes watched Ulysses who then became excited. Ulysses took a deep breath to calm himself down and said:
“Do you think I can't do it? I have already consented to his Royal Highness. It was not possible to let any of the Blue Knight Earl’s heirs live in this world.”
“Prince should be in need of the royal blood in me. After all, his body is not only handicapped but gradually aging as well. In other words, which matter needs to be considered first? The one who inherited the Blue Knight Earl, should he be eradicated first? Or is it to preserve the body for Prince’s rebirth? ”
"His Highness gave me the right to make the final decision. Although you blood is the most ideal to his Highness, there are other ways to obtain a body if needed. I just cannot wait to end your life right now.”
Ulysses pulled out a pistol and placed Edgar at gunpoint.
“Even if you kill me, you won’t get Banshee’s amber.”
Ulysses was fully aware of that. Moreover, he was hesitant to pull the trigger. It didn’t seem as if he intended to do so in the first place.                                     
“I know you want Banshee’s amber, because as long as she recovers her memories, she can admit that you are the true Blue Knight Earl. Then, you can lead fairies instead, rather than have an English title. Compared to that, you prefer to manipulate the essence of fairy magic, correct? As a result, I would pose no threat to the Prince anymore, and he wouldn’t have to worry that I will gain a power he fears. Furthermore, you can live as Prince thus killing two birds with one stone.”
Edgar deliberately pretended to be disgusted and pushed away the gun in Ulysses’ hand.
“I don’t wish for you to be happy, but for this meeting, I came to take a gamble with you.”
Edgar took the amber from his coat pocket and placed it on his palm for Ulysses to see.
Ulysses doubtfully gazed at the amber.
This was Banshee’s amber. However, it was not Lady Gladys’ secret amber. This amber was the one that predicted Edgar’s death for it did not burn. But, Edgar figured Ulysses shouldn’t be able to notice.
“Did you really quite easily obtain the genuine amber? So, this is your trump card. Oh, as long as the amber is here, I can kill you at any time.”
“You cannot kill me before deciding whether this is the real amber. The only way to determine this is by unlocking Banshee’s seal.”
“What is your purpose for wanting me to unlock the Banshee’s seal ...?”
“If Banshee recovers her memory, she would understand who holds the better position and would therefore know who to choose as her master. If she chooses me, what are you going to do?”
“That is an impossible occurrence.”
“Then, let’s take a gamble. Banshee chooses you, then you kill me, or hand me to Prince. If she chooses me, then I am truly the Blue Knight Earl. I leave here easy while you and Prince wait on the road for ruins.”

Ulysses remained silent, but his expression showed a trace of anxiety. Edgar could not help but feel apprehensive.
In fact, Edgar, who was desperate, didn’t expect Ulysses to be afraid. Is the power of the fairies supporting the Blue Knight Earl really that powerful?
For Ulysses, he couldn’t determine whether or not Gladys shifted the memories of Banshee. He was only aware that something would happen once her memory was unsealed. Therefore, he had to be vigilant.

“…… With your ability, it’s impossible. Even if Banshee recognized you, you still cannot manipulate the fairy's magic" whispered Ulysses, who was caught up in his thoughts.
“If you believe that, then there is no reason not to gamble with me.”
In any case, there was no way any of the Earl’s power can go to Prince’s hands. Edgar thought his own power were only because of Raven, the “Scarlet Moon” members, and Lydia.
This is for the sake of the good fairies, and at the same time, the sake of his dearest fairy doctor Lydia.
Of course, Edgar expected Ulysses to be unable to unlock the seal, for Edgar never intended to bet seriously.
Ulysses made a call at the door towards Jimmy who was waiting outside. He came in at once, and Ulysses then gave a hasty order to bring in Banshee.

Lydia and Paul went along the fairy passage, until they reached a room that seemed to be a part of a building.
The outside of the building and the furnishings inside appeared to belong in the human world. However, outside the window were two slender crescent moons.
If that wasn’t strange enough, in the night sky, aside from the additional moon, there was nothing else.
The building was surrounded by darkness, as if even the ground did not exist.
It was as if the space was connected to the night, the sun never to rise.

“Unexpectedly, did Ulysses create this place?”
Paul spoke to himself. Ulysses must have used the mine goblin’s underground lair and London buildings combined.
“Yes, but there is no ground. It appears he didn’t carefully prepare this place. Only the outside of the buildings were made by magic, so it will not last long due to the tight pressure pressing inward.”
Ulysses probably created this to make it convenient for his dark demons to move in the night.
Paul was relieved after hearing Lydia explain. Then, he saw something and bent down to pick it up.
“Miss Lydia, it’s amber.”
He fell to his feet and began to pick up the beads of amber.
It was everywhere. The two moved forward, following along the trail of amber which led to the door of another room. It wasn’t closed, and from the room, they heard faint weeping sound.
A young, fragile girl was sitting on the bed, her shoulders trembling.

“Banshee! What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”
Widening her eyes in surprise, Banshee looked to the voice that called her.
“You... How could you.....”
“What horrible thing did Ulysses do to you?”
“Sir Paul..... ! No, no, Ulysses disappeared after the others told me to stay here. He said that you, Sir Paul, was already dead. He told me he killed you and that it was my fault...”
Banshee’s tears fell even more. Then Paul went to her side, carefully watching her, he comforted her saying:
“I'm fine. You see, I have so much spirit so don't cry now.”
“Good, good.”
Banshee quickly wiped away her tears, as her whole face blushed.
Lydia noticed Banshee’s shy expression, but Paul remained the same as always. He was completely oblivious to a woman’s ways. He seemed to view Banshee as a child, so he kept patting her head.
“Banshee, listen to me, we are here to take you away from this place.”
“Yes, that's it. You need to quickly come together with us. We have found a way to restore your memory of amber. Lord Edgar, Earl of Ashenbert, and the fairy doctor can help you remember your past.”
“But... but…”

Banshee hesitated. She seemed quite worried about running from Ulysses, who had the Earl’s bloodline.
While in her heart, she very much trusted Paul, this was a very difficult decision for her.
In that case, they could only try to convince her further.
“Edgar received the Merrows Sword. Even though you don’t feel his power as the Blue Knight Earl --- The Queen of England recognizes him as the Earl of Ibrazel.”
Banshee’s doubts grew deeper and began thinking.
Lydia continued...                          
“Banshee, the amber that appeared from your tears did not burn. This was a sign that there would be a death in the family. Therefore, this death notice must be for the one who inherited the title of Earl of Ashenbert. Not Ulysses, right?”
“What! Miss Lydia, is what you said true?”
This even shocked Paul.
That moment, Lydia had no time explain it in detail to Paul and could only nod to him. Then, she proceeded to ask Banshee:
“Edgar is the true Earl. Banshee, please acknowledge him. I still have one more thing to ask you. Is there any way to make the prophecy fail?”
Silent, Banshee did not appear to be thinking but was having trouble trying to speak.
“I don’t think a prophecy can fail because I did not deliberately cry tears of the prophecy. Rather, the tears itself know the fate of the family members.”
Lydia had guessed so, but she didn't want to give up her hope on this.
If Ulysses was in this building, then Edgar was also here. The amber has been found, so as long as Banshee was willing to recognize Edgar as her master, he should have the advantage. With an upper hand in his negotiations with Ulysses, Edgar should be able to escape.
With this, Edgar’s death could be stopped from becoming reality.
We must find a way to reach Edgar.
At this point, sounds of footsteps were heard opposite of the stairs, outside. Lydia had no time to think.

“Someone is coming. Hurry and hide.”
“Hey, Banshee, Ulysses is looking for you.”
Banshee, who heard the sounds outside, hurriedly stood up and replied:
“Yes, Yes, I'll be right over.”
Then, she turned back to look at Lydia and Paul with a great, panicked expression.
“There are big Hellhounds around Ulysses. Each is a ferocious demon. Once he finds you, he’ll kill you. Ah ....... what should I do, please don’t die. Just who am I supposed to trust, who is Lady Gladys hoping for? I’m not able to judge...”
“Banshee, lend me your cloak.”
Lydia suddenly came up with an idea.
“We need to act fast!”
Outside the door, the Hellhounds were getting impatient. Lydia quickly changed into Banshee’s cloak, wearing the green hood to cover her forehead.
“Miss Lydia, what’s your plan?”
Lydia gave Paul the portrait of the amber.
“Sir Paul, I must go find Edgar. Please take Banshee and lead her out of here. As long as you have the portrait, Banshee cannot separate from the amber and stay with you. You can safely leave the fairy passage.”
“But in this way, Miss Lydia, you .....”
“I’m a fairy doctor. I can always figure out a way.”                                               
The door was suddenly crushed opened. The order to bring in Banshee, the hellhound could not wait.
Pretending to be Banshee, Lydia pushed him out the door.

“You’re so slow!”
Lydia covered her head completely underneath the hood. The black hellhound, who didn’t suspect a thing, began to move forward.
The building was lighted with candles, and the room was dark. Lydia obeyed the instructions to enter, dimly seeing two shadows.

Fortunately, the faint light in the room covered her face from being seen. The people mistakenly thought she was Banshee, with no suspicion.
Lydia stood still as a man came near her.

“Banshee, it is so good you are safe. I’m here to save you.”
What? Is that Edgar ...?
On impulse, she took a glance from the top of her hood.
With a perfect smiling face, looking back at her, it was Edgar.
I didn't expect to see him so soon.
Lydia was relieved. But, Ulysses was close at hand. She couldn’t afford to lose her facade of being Banshee yet.
“Lord, it’s no use. Banshee knows that I’m the Blue Knight’s descendant.”
“No, I'm the Blue Knight Earl. Banshee, if you are the member of the Earl family, you should return with me, is that not so?”
“Let’s just see from the bet then.”
Edgar was not paying any attention to Ulysses. He went up to Lydia. Taking her hand, he continued:

“Do you remember Lady Gladys? Then, you should know who should be qualified to become Earl and inherited her soul.”
Edgar had flawless grace when he had taken a woman’s hand. Combined with his charismatic beauty and his eloquent voice, giving a gentle whisper, he would’ve had young ladies fawning all over him.
Even though Lydia knew this was Edgar’s technique, she couldn’t help but think he was twisted in his mind. He must’ve thought that Banshee, because she was a girl, could not resist his charm.
What should I do? Things seem to have become stranger.
“That man simply does not have what it takes to be a proper nobleman. At heart, he is a dangerous being.”
Was Edgar deliberately trying to provoke Ulysses?
Angered by Edgar’s words, Ulysses then came up and took Lydia by the shoulders and pulled her close to him.
“You should just stop this pointless struggle.”
At this point, at lightning speed, Edgar suddenly took a pistol from his coat pocket and pointed it close at Ulysses.
Then, he immediately aimed the gunpoint on Ulysses’s brow.
Ulysses, who did not expect it, automatically froze in place, unable to move.                       
“Second Ulysses, do you not have a third body? As you are now a little older, it is still far too early for you to be born in another son’s body as a spare.”
“.... Even if you kill me, you cannot escape from here.”
“It doesn't matter, as long as you'll be well ahead of me in the other world.”
Edgar was ready to make Ulysses unconsciously dead. Lydia noticed he wasn’t hesitant to pull the trigger. She was finally aware how determined Edgar was.
But just before the gunfire sound, there was a black figure standing between them.
The black hellhound snapped onto Edgar’s wrist, and the gunshot shot straight past Ulysses’s shoulder.
While Jimmy was distracted with Ulysses laying on the ground, Lydia quickly took Edgar and fled from the room.
“Banshee, where are you going? I haven’t given Ulysses the fatal blow.....”
Even if Edgar did, he would have been killed on the spot.
Regardless, Lydia has yet thought of a way to escape from there.
It wasn’t long before the other hellhounds caught up as they had noticed the commotion.
Ulysses was not the only one who knew how to deal with evil fairies like Jimmy. If it’s enemies against fairies, fairy doctor Lydia also had knowledge on how to deal with them.

“Edgar, get down!”
The two people both fell to the ground when the dogs caught up. This was the quickest method.
A swarm of demon dogs flew over them. Lydia quickly rose and looked for a place to hide. She then pulled Edgar into a nearby room.
It was pitch black. Lydia tried to move forward until Edgar grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
“You’re .... Lydia?”
Lydia didn’t say anything in reply. He took off her hood and touched her hair as if to confirm.
“I am really not mistaken. You have the faint scent of chamomile.”
It was only until she heard him whisper did she realize how close they were to each other. She couldn’t help but pull back in confusion. However, Edgar still held her hair, so they had little distance from each other.
“How did you come here… It's too dangerous. Did you come here by yourself?”
“No, Sir Paul also came. We found the amber, so we relied on it to come here.”
“You found the amber? Are you serious?”
“The amber was used as pigment in Lady Gladys’s portrait. I handed it to Sir Paul so that he could escape with Banshee.”
Edgar who appeared worried was silent for a long time. Finally, he let out a sigh and gently said:
“So, why did you pretend to be Banshee? You didn’t follow Paul and Banshee to leave. Therefore, you may not be able to go back, right?”
“That was because Jimmy happened to come by to pick up Banshee. I couldn’t let Banshee follow him, so I had to do it.”
“Lydia, Ulysses wouldn’t hurt Banshee, but if he knew you were here, there’s no telling what he would do to you. Why did you do something so dangerous?”
Edgar had a point, but it felt as if he was implying Lydia was a burden. She couldn’t help but get angry.
“What do you mean, I shouldn’t have come? You’ve taken an unnecessary risk too! You knew fully well Banshee’s prophecy and hid the truth from me. Did you tell me Ulysses was intending to kill you? Do you want to die? How can you be so reckless!”
“... How did you know about the prophecy?”
“Kelpie told me... He said you were going to die anyway, that our marriage would fail. So, he tried to take me to the fairy world.”
“That horse is really…”
Edgar muttered. She was unsure whether he was upset for Kelpie’s blabbering mouth or because Kelpie was trying to take her away.
But, Lydia doubted that the main reason was the latter.
“Knowing that I wouldn’t worry since you were going to disappear in front of me, I should have obediently followed Kelpie into the land of fairies! This way you would be forgotten, and I could’ve lived a care-free life, not suffering anymore ......”
Lydia suddenly blurted out. But she quickly recovered and shut her mouth. After a long period in the dark, her eyes adjusted to the light, and she was able to see Edgar’s shadow. She felt even more shy and couldn’t help but want to turn away from him. But instead, he took a hold of her hand.

“I’m sorry. So, you put the engagement ring on in order to come help me. That meant you chose me, not Kelpie.”
He touched the ring on her hand.

You are so full of yourself.
In order to hide her embarrassment, her tone unconsciously got harsher:
“I was only wearing this ring to stop Kelpie from getting near me! I was never worried about you, since you always do what you want!”
“Lydia, I thought I’d never see you again. Really, from the bottom of my heart, I’m so delighted. I was afraid to have you involved in my death, so I decided to come alone.”
Edgar’s tone sounded serious, unlike the accusing Lydia who felt constrained. He was worried that it would trouble her. Instead, Lydia felt guilty for not being able to do anything.
Her knowledge as a fairy doctor couldn’t compete with Ulysses. If she tried, it may have only made things worse.
“However, I think we shouldn’t hand Banshee to Ulysses, and we must absolutely not let her recognize him as the Blue Knight Earl. Even if I’m not the earl, I must at least fulfill this responsibility.”
Was this the reason as to why he attempted to gain her favor?
“Sweet talking her is useless.”
“Because she can sense Ulysses inherited the blood? However, Banshee was a human girl before. No matter what, I am clearly better than Ulysses.”
His vanity is really amazing...
“Oh, this is not an affair by the way. You should understand this is necessary, right?”
Is it necessary to anyone for you to always speak of love? I really don't understand what you’re thinking.
“Banshee seems to like Sir Paul, so your sweet talk may sound false to her.”
Lydia’s accusation seemed to struck hard at Edgar. He was silent for the moment and then said:
“Hmm, so just like you?”
“I-I don’t like Sir Paul.”
“Paul is very simple and oblivious to a woman’s heart. However, he is also very honest and passionate of his work. This kind of person is an ideal type in your heart. So, regardless if I even spoke two honest words from my lips, you just do not wish to believe me.”
“It has nothing to do with Sir Paul. I just purely do not trust you! Now is not the time to argue about this kind of matter.”
“Yes, it is so cold here. I feel as if the snow has blown onto my feet.”
Lydia agreed. At their feet, there was starting to be piles of white snow. But, it was too dark all around the room, so she couldn’t see anything clearly.
“Is the window open? You see, there’s a light ahead.”
So, while holding hands, the two walked toward the light. Edgar told her that, because it was too dark to see, he and Lydia had to hold hands.
The further they went, the deeper the snow seemed to rise. When they finally reached the source of the light, it turned out to be a fireplace. However, the flame was about to go out inside. Leaving a dim, red light, it held little warmth for a long while.
“Lydia, what is going on here?”
After she heard his question, she looked around the fireplace and noticed a snow-covered forest.
There were no other buildings in the forest but a lonely fireplace.
“Have we come outside the building?”
“That’s not possible. The entire building is made of magic, so it is not that simple. We should still be in the room. We must’ve gotten caught in some distortion in the space of this building.”
Lost, the two began gathering and throwing branches into the flames, making the room a bit brighter. Their surroundings were clearer, but they still weren’t able to see the entire room.
“We just came in a moment ago, so the door should be somewhere in here.”
As Lydia began to look, Edgar let go of her hand.
He unsteadily slid down as he laid on the side of a tree trunk, feeling lightheaded.
Lydia hurried to his side and found blood trickling on his right hand, a bright-crimson (incarnadine) color staining the white snow on the ground.
“Edgar! Were you injured? Oh, you’ve lost a lot of blood ....”
Edgar gazed at the blood on his hands, as if he only just noticed his wound.
“But I don't feel any pain.”
He rolled up his sleeves and saw his injuries. The hellhound left bite wounds, but it did not look obvious.
Even when Lydia bound the bite with a handkerchief, it still bled.
“The hellhound’s teeth may still be left inside the wound....”
“Is it serious?”
Well, it’s not too good...
“We have to hurry back to the human world. Without the sunlight, it won’t stop bleeding. It is only nighttime here, so right now, the dark fairies are at their strongest.”
Then again, how do we escape from here? We must pass the forest to leave the room, but where was the door we came from? As she looked around, she couldn’t find anything. Usually, a fireplace was built resting against a wall. As Lydia went towards it, she thought there should be walls near it at the other end. But, despite that, she didn’t feel any walls there.
“Lydia, do you have a knife? Mine was taken away before I entered the room.”
“Eh, what do you plan on doing?”
“Cut the wound open and take out the teeth of the Hellhound.”
“What, you’re doing it yourself?”
“I’m used to it.”
Lydia couldn’t believe it. Escaping the hands of Edgar’s Prince seemed like a life-long battle.
Bleeding from injuries were nothing more than a routine to him.
In spite of that, Lydia couldn’t hand the knife to him. She knew that the hellhound’s teeth must have already melted. After all, the magical effects could not be so easily removed from the human body.
Edgar noticed Lydia’s hesitant look and was able to guess the general reason. Tired, he let out a sigh.
“Is this Banshee’s prophecy? I’m not in pain or discomfort, but I don’t have any strength.”
Lydia shook her head. She didn’t want Edgar to die.
“It’s fine. As long as we can escape from here, you will be saved.”
“I cannot move.”

The scattered snowflakes began to fall harder and harder. Eventually, the wind began to blow around, turning the place into a great blizzard.
It was so cold that their hands and feet were gradually becoming paralysed.
“Go on ahead. If you remain here, you will only freeze to death.”
“Don't speak nonsense.”
“Weren’t you no longer worried for me?”
“I-I didn’t mean it. Did you think I would actually leave you? You should know I cannot do that, why must you say such things! That is so sly.”
Lydia took Edgar’s arm, trying to get him to stand up.
Instead, she ended up falling onto him, and he held her in his arms.
“I'm sorry. I just wanted to confirm I wasn’t despised by you.”
Lydia, who was in his arms, couldn’t help but recall what happened before, so her body stiffened. However, then and now were different. Edgar’s arms that held her were effortless. She could push him away at any time possible.
“Are you still upset about before?”
“A-anyway, nothing happened between us. It doesn’t matter.”
“I want to clear the misunderstanding between us. About the last time, when I called someone else’s name in my sleep, please give me another chance to explain.”
If it was that-- Lydia felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest.
“No need, it has nothing to do with me.”
“What’s the name? Was it my former family tutor or was it the younger sister of my cousin? I do not want to die without clearing your misunderstanding. This matter is very important to me.”
Lydia couldn’t answer. She only remained silent.
“Ann, Anne, Angie*... had I known I was going to get a chance to explain, I would have listened to Raven listing them in alphabetical order.”
“There were that many!? You are really...”
“In my heart, I am also full of regrets.”       
“Do not say these kinds of ominous words. As long as the sun comes, the hellhound’s magic will disappear.”
He didn’t know whether or not Lydia would listen, so he went ahead and said:
“Can we kiss .......?”
Suddenly, Lydia went rigid, and she began to struggle, trying to get up and leave Edgar’s hold.
“Just... Just don’t...”
Edgar gave a lonely smile.
“Even if I was drunk and forgot all my manners, I still did not even receive a kiss. Do you not think I’m insane?”
It’s no use trying to complain to me.
“However, it’s certainly because I like how you have always become unsettled.”
Edgar’s ash-mauve eyes gleamed under the flames of the fireplace. Lydia, who saw his eyes, suddenly wanted to burst out and cry.
She instantly remembered, she was not the one Edgar was earnestly longing for.
He thought he was holding Ermine, and so he wasn’t able to let go.
“Ah~ I don’t wish to die with regrets. Please, at the least, promise to give me a kiss.”
Please, do not speak of dying.
Lydia was very troubled. She didn’t know whether she felt shy, angry, or sad.
Although it was too complicated, there was one thing she was positive of before coming here.
I do not want to lose Edgar.
Back in Scotland, Lydia could have lived a comfortable life without him.
Or perhaps she was lucky. She was able to gain this job of being a true fairy doctor because of Edgar, who was willing to work with Lydia even though she was not accepted by others. Then again, without this job, she could go on to live in the fairy world instead. That may also be a blessing.
However, if she ignored the fairy doctor side of her, her heart became overwhelmed with loss as she thought of Edgar not being around.
Lydia didn’t know if Edgar could give her happiness. She knew her feelings were never calm. She was sometimes angry, sometimes tense, sometimes sad to the point of crying.
Even so, Lydia couldn’t imagine being apart from him. Even if she lived in Scotland and returned to her normal life, she may not be able to feel true happiness anymore.
Why is that? I cannot even trust him.
Lydia finally responded:
“When we return safely, we can talk about it.”
Troubled, Edgar said: “All right.”
“It seems I just cannot be happy to let you die with a kiss. I want to at least let you return home safely.”
Leaning against the tree trunk, Edgar unsteadily tried to stand up.
He’s obviously standing up, was I just being tricked?
The thought flashed in her mind for a moment. But as she watched Edgar struggle to move forward, as the blood from his hand continued to bleed, she immediately understood he was really forcing himself.
“You were looking for a way out a moment ago.”

The snow was getting worse, and it became increasingly harder to see in any direction or the surroundings.
“Lydia, there’s someone in front of you.”
Among the blur of the flying snowflakes, there was a shadowy figure gradually coming closer.
“Ermine......”
After watching intently, Lydia found that it was the short-haired woman she knew. But to be here in Ulysses place, Lydia didn’t know how to react once they met, so she froze in place.
“Lord Edgar, Miss Lydia, are you alright?”
“Not quite.”
“Are you injured?”
Ermine nervously ran up to Edgar and saw his hand was bleeding. She felt the magic of the hellhound emitting from the wound and immediately made a serious frown.
As usual, she still cared for Edgar from the bottom of her heart.
“Ermine, did you come alone? Fortunately, I have not been found, but is everything alright?”
Edgar was wary of Ermine’s presence, but his caring tone continued to be tender.
“I came alone with Raven and Sir Nico. We separated in order to find the whereabouts of you and Miss Lydia.”
It was hard to determine whether Ermine was lying or telling the truth.
“In short, we need to get out of here,” said Ermine who looked at the heavy blizzard.
“Do you know where we can leave?”
“This way.”
Lydia immediately followed behind Ermine.
Ulysses and her may have become accomplices, but whether or not she was following Ulysses, it was certain Ermine couldn’t hurt Edgar.
“Ermine, Edgar needs sunlight. We must return to the human world as soon as possible......”
“All right, then. Let’s speed up the pace.”
Edgar also followed, but, as he did, he quietly handed Lydia something. It was the pistol he took from Ulysses.
“When the time comes, you do not need to take care of me anymore."
This was the first time Edgar’s voice gave her a firm command. At this point, she realized Edgar who was leaving to walk was already at his limit, he was cornered, no where to go. 
[1] Interesting note: Ulysses’ name is actually Latin for the name of the Greek hero Odysseus from the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer.
[2] T/N: AKA Daoine Sidhe or aos sí. I believe this is the accurate term/name. I can’t really find anything else that could match this story line.
[3] Note from original raws: All these names start in letter “A”. (Vicky: Not sure if this implied these names were inaccurate or not. Names are always troublesome in translations after all.)