Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 12 - Chapter 3.2

Chapter 3 ♦ Scholar and Fairy ~The Island at World's End~ (Part two)

(4) The convoluted paths

Thanks to the favor of the elders, both of them were able to board the freight carriage and leave the next morning.
Having to go to the smoky quartz standing stones on foot seemed a little far.
Although Frederick was once lost long ago, he was still able to walk back to the McKeel village, but the elder smiled and said that this place was further compared to before.
Clouds covered the sky, while the sun peeking from the clouds seemed to be moving on the horizon. The time simply could not be estimated by the height of the sun, and Frederick’s pocket watch had also stopped moving after leaving the inn yesterday.
The wind that never stopped blowing across the island had somehow suddenly ceased, as only the freight carriage’s wheels made the grass sway. They crossed several smooth hills like this.
After the swamp finally appeared ahead, the petite people stopped the freight carriage.
“The path through here is closed, and the standing stones are on the other side of the swamp, however the carriage cannot pass through.”
Aurora frowned as she anxiously gazed at the swamp.
“Do you want to walk? It shouldn’t be a bottomless swamp.”
After Frederick asked, the little man laughed.
“It is a sacred swamp, there is no danger.”
“......You’re right. Frederick, let’s go.”
The sacred swamp, isn’t that the place where Aurora’s fiancé was said to be sleeping?
But she seemed determined, as she got off the freight carriage and started walking ahead, with Frederick following behind her.
Countless puddles were scattered everywhere, covering the fields. This is more or less the landscape of the swamp.
The two people walked on dry land as they headed towards the depths of the swamp.
“I've heard about your fiance. When I stayed in the elders’ hall yesterday, they told me.”
Aurora glanced at Frederick and then sighed.
"Yes, a marvelous story isn’t it? The person who died long ago, unexpectedly turns out to be my fiancé.”
“Why does that man need a fiancée? What reason is there that once he wakes up, he has to get married immediately?”
“Well…... no one knows the real reason, but perhaps it is related to him having difficulties in stopping the disaster alone. He may need a partner who possesses some kind of strength.”
“That’s referring to the power of magic and so on?”
Aurora solemnly nodded her head.
“His fiancée, selected by the McKeel clan head, is a girl who must be under twenty years of age and proficient in fairy magic. In order to continuously have these kinds of girls born and deepen the bloodline with proficient fairy magic, our clan, whether it’s parents or relatives, they live their life that has been decided for them.”
Aurora's grandfather was a fairy doctor, her younger brother will be the same in future. Was this bloodline directed to continue in accordance to that sleeping man?
“I will be twenty one years old the day after tomorrow. If he doesn’t wake up, he will no longer be my fiancé.”
“In other words, when the time comes, your marriage partner will be Kenneth, who was chosen beforehand?”
“Undoubtedly the girl is preparing to marry the Prophet, but if he does not appear by dawn, then she will be married to a different person. It’s quite strange, right?”
“……I heard that the magic was imperfect and had not been sustained for a long time, so he died.”
“Yes, perhaps it is like that. If that is truly the case, then the focus will probably not be on his partner, rather it is whether or not the proficient magic power will be able to deeply mix within the bloodline of humans.”
The Prophet wanted to create humans who were able to withstand disasters?
As the village of the McKeel clan spent a considerable amount of time for this reason, they made people with fairy doctor abilities intermarry repeatedly to establish a lineage of fairy doctors.
“But, I don't understand. The fairy doctors’ ability is not to manipulate magic, rather when dealing with fairies, they can clear up the different characteristics and customs between them and humans, and strive to prevent hostilities from both sides. What’s important is the mentality, rather than bloodline or ability.”
Was she thinking of leaving this island and opening a hole in this tradition? Even though her lover hasn’t come to pick her up, has she decided to not marry her assigned fiance?
“What does the disaster refer to?”
“Nobody knows. But to this day, the clan ought to have experienced countless household crises, such as disease, famine, war…… yet nothing particular had ever happened.
The sacred swamp. The man is asleep somewhere in this wetland.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew.
When the grass swayed and the surface of the water rippled, Frederick saw the flickering shadow of a man sleeping under the reflection of the hazy water. He then felt dizzy and sensed voices.

You must not take the girl away.
We will not let you snatch her away from us.

Frederick picked up the pace, wanting to shake off the voices that he was just hearing. He did not know when he gripped Aurora's hand.
She also wanted to leave this swamp quickly, and so her slender hand firmly took a hold of his hand.
At this time, Frederick felt that he was under the illusion that he really wanted to elope with Aurora.
He was planning to take her away from her fiancé and run away with her.
Aurora desperately followed him as if under the illusion of a soulmate’s elopement and he thought to himself that he absolutely cannot let go of her.
Not knowing when, the swamp that was originally thought to be never ending was far from their side.
He noticed that the two of them had climbed onto a hill and stopped. He looked back only to find that the swamp with a thin and humid layer of mist that was spread out above was now quite far below the hills.
Frederick suddenly realized that he was grasping Aurora’s hand, and so he relaxed his grip.
Aurora seemed to have noticed this. As he felt Aurora’s fingers quickly pulling away, he had the thought of wishing that the swamp simply extended onwards.
“If we cross through here, we should be able to see the standing stones.”
Aurora finally smiled. It was probably because they left the swamp, and was thus relieved.
He pulled himself together and continued walking.
“Frederick, you mustn’t go there!”
Aurora suddenly shouted, but by the time he heard her, he had already fallen into a cavern through a hole covered by piles of grass.
“Ouch...”
He felt as if he only fell several feet down, as evidenced by only a few scratches on his hand. But when he looked up through the round hole, the sky could be seen far above.
“Frederick! Are you alright?”
Aurora pried into the cave from a distance.
“Yes, I haven’t been injured. ”
He replied while picking up his fallen glasses. After looking around in his surroundings, he discovered that it was pretty spacious. This cave was practically like a huge flask.
He felt that he had seen this before.
Then he had an ominous premonition.
“Be careful, it’s dangerous!”
At the same time Aurora called out, a small stone immediately hit Frederick’s back.
Just as he thought so, he was attacked by stones from all directions, like a downpour rain.
Ah, that’s right, something like this has happened before.
He suddenly remembered the past as that memory flashed in his mind.
He had previously seen a fairy among the stone rain.
It was a beautiful fairy with golden wings that swooped swept down upon him.
“Please stop this, goblins!”
Aurora leaned towards the cave, planning to jump down.
“Aurora, it’s dangerous so that’s why…”
Just as he finished speaking, she slid down.
Frederick hastily opened his arms in order to catch her.
She was falling in slow motion. Her blond hair scattered, like wings.
I’ve seen this before, the same fairy...
As he hugged Aurora, the stone rain immediately ceased.
But because Frederick stepped on a small stone and lost his balance. As he toppled over while protecting Aurora, his head banged onto the stone wall.
“Frederick!”
Frederick felt Aurora’s voice fade away as she called to him, thinking of one thing.
At that time, five years ago.
The same thing happened.
The fairy from that time, could it be…

*

Five years ago, when Aurora met Frederick for the first time, it was like this, trapped within a cave and chiseled from all directions by the goblins.
Since the goblins were noisy, she immediately knew that someone fell into the cave.
After Aurora ran over and found that there was a youth in the hole. In order to stop the goblins’ prank, she jumped in. But the man was worried that it was dangerous for Aurora to jump down, and so he panicked.
The goblins’ cave wasn’t too deep, so as long as she jumped off carefully, she wouldn't be injured. However he, who wanted to catch Aurora, stumbled and fell on a stone, hit his head and fainted.
In order to help a stranger, he injured himself. He truly was a rare good man.
Aurora thought as he stared at him lying on the ground.
For the sixteen-year old Aurora, it was also her first time closely watching a young man apart from the residents of the island.
She heard that there seemed to be a fifty year old university lecturer who brought with him several students staying in the village’s inn, and suspected that he ought to be one of them.
He was here probably due to being confused by the goblins and mistakenly breaking into their world, but did he notice?
No, ordinary humans wouldn’t notice such a thing.
But you don't have to worry, Aurora whispered. If it’s me, I will bring you back to the human world.
Everything was different from the men on the island, from the ring with his school insignia and his cheeks without a beard. Aurora gazed at him motionlessly, with interest.
She found a scratch on his forehead which seemed to have been left by a stone, and so she touched it gently with her fingertips.
He showed a painful expression and suddenly opened his eyes, then locked eyes with Aurora at close range and jumped up, flustered.
“It’s alright, I’ve already driven the goblins away.”
“Go...blins?”
“They are fairies, interested in pranking lost travellers who burst in.”
“I see....”
He stared blankly at Aurora, then looked around and asked, puzzled:
“Where is this? How long have I been out?”
“Just for a little while. You were confused by the fairies, and then lost your way, right?”
“Fairies… right, am I dreaming?”
“Well, more or less. Stand up, I'll lead the way.”
He stood up, picked up the fallen glasses at his feet and sighed.
His glasses were already broken.
“If you don’t have those then you can’t see anything?”
“No, I can see a little.”
“Can you see me?”
“Umm... you hair is lightly golden, your eyes are sky blue and…”
He narrowed his eyes, seemingly wanting to focus his line of sight as much as possible.
“....Are you a real fairy?”
“What?”
“You’re exactly the same as the imaginary fairies that I saw in books from before….Ah, as expected, fairies are very beautiful.”
“Right now, you can’t see at all.”
He seemed to not be able to comprehend this as he tilted his head. But Aurora, who had never cared about her own appearance before, recently discovered one thing; that is, she wasn’t a beautiful person at all.
When Aurora was introduced to Kenneth McKeel, who was said to be her second fiancé, he clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction at the sight of her.
That’s why, even though the man before her had poor eyesight, he couldn’t make normal judgements as he even mistook her to be a fairy, but it was the first time she was called beautiful, so her heart fluttered.
“Anyway, let’s get out of here.”
He nodded obediently.
Aurora was filled with curiosity, so as they walked along, she kept asking questions.
She was filled with great interest upon the topic of unknown lands. England laying railways, trains speeding between towns; the city roads were lined with streetlights, and the flames of the gas lamps illuminated the paths at night.
There were theaters rather than show tents and opera performances every night. But also, whether it was the circus, zoo, and so on, these unfamiliar things could be seen at any time.
The two of them unexpectedly chatted openly, Aurora was so happy and wanted to talk with him more.
After finally leaving the goblins’ cave, an array of standing stones appeared before them on the plains.
As long as they passed through there, they would be able to return to the human world.
He and Aurora approached the standing stones standing in line with each other and appeared to be growing from the ground.
“These are.. standing stones?”
He rushed to the pillars in astonishment.
They were huge smoky quartz crystals. The scene of the countless crystals before them were both mysterious and beautiful, reflecting the constantly changing colors of the sky as well. As it displayed various distinct reflections, it made one want to gaze at them forever.
Those crystals were the island’s guardian stones. Apart from him, even Aurora, who was accustomed to seeing them, would have her gaze taken in by the crystals every time she approached.
He was slowly reluctant to leave the crystals.
“You can come again next time.”
She used this sentence to expressing her hopes of seeing him again.
“Yeah. If I’m on break, I’ll be sure to come. Ahhh, but I don’t know how I’m going to come here, will I be able to reach here again?”
“I will lead the way.”
“Really?”
Aurora nodded happily.
“If that’s the case, are you willing to bring me to the land that is unknown to me? I hope that there will be a day where I am able to go and take a look at Cambridge and London.”
“Yes, of course. Being able to invite a fairy as a guest is truly wonderful.”
Aurora couldn’t leave the island, and if she did, she could never return. In spite of this, she still seemed to have made a promise regarding his invitation.
He asked for Aurora’s name.
“When we meet again, how can I find you?”
“Remember my name, that way we will surely be able to meet.”
She prayed that he wouldn’t forget and told him her name. Even if she was regarded as a fairy, it was no bother, because compared to a thin freckled village girl, perhaps being a fairy would be able to leave behind some sort of impression in his memory.
After Aurora urged him to leave, he finally began to take a step.
When he was close to the border of the fairy realm and human world, she explained that he needed to go straight forward, and then left his side.
As long as he left the fairy realm, he should then be able to find himself back in the area where he was initially lost. Aurora originally came in from another path, thus her exit was somewhere else.
Aurora knew that she was about to part ways with him, so she wanted part from him in an area where she would be able to say goodbye.
But if one were to take a step, the majority of humans would consider the matters of the fairy realm as a dream.
He would surely forget about Aurora, as well as the promise to come back again.
“Go to the inn immediately and tell him that when he was once lost, you helped him.”
After Aurora spoke of this matter, Nico urged her to go and explain everything.
“Or else that guy won’t remember you for a lifetime.”
"I can't see him now, because if I go to see him, he'll know that I'm not beautiful.”
“What?”
“The next time we meet, the freckles may disappear and I will become slightly more attractive. By the way Nico, Mother also said that freckles will disappear after growing up, is that true? From now on, I will take good care of my hair that gets dishevelled by the sea breeze.”
“When is next time? There aren’t those kinds of people who would be curious enough to come to this remote island twice. Even if he remembered the said agreement, I don’t think he will come.”
Even so, this was a gamble for Aurora.
Given that they could meet again, and that he was still kind to Aurora, she might be able to gain the courage to escape this life that was decided for her.

*

When Frederick opened his eyes with a headache, Aurora anxiously looked at him.
Oh that’s right, I hit my head and passed out.
After he remembered, he tried to move his body, only to find his head resting on Aurora’s lap, thus he jumped in fright.
“Ahh! I--I’m sorry.”
“Why apologize?”
“Uh... it’s just that, how should I say it, I behaved disrespectfully towards an unmarried woman.”
“It’s me that wanted to do it.”
After she spoke somewhat forlornly, she stood up.
“We can go outside from here.”
Although Frederick was still in the bottom of the flask-shaped cave, the direction Aurora pointed towards was a horizontal cavern.
The two of them advanced towards the depths of the cave.
Clearly they were in a cave, but what was strange was that their surroundings were not dark.
“Your head is swollen, is it okay?”
Really? Frederick asked as he used his hand to touch it and his face wrinkled from the pain.
“……Yeah, it’s no big deal.”
“It would be terrible if a teacher as a scholar became a fool.”
“Ah, I actually bump into signs or street lights often, but as before, I’ll be completely okay.”
“Often bump into? Why?”
“Because while I walk, I’m either thinking or reading.”
She burst out laughing.
Was that fairy from five years ago really Aurora? Frederick was troubled, as he gazed at Aurora’s back as she walked ahead of him.
However, she never mentioned a similar topic.
Frederick only vaguely remembered the narrow passage.
There were stone steps that went upwards.
It immediately lead above ground.
Then, what appeared before them was…...
The wind blew past.
Aurora stood on the meadow. Her hair was like fairy wings, as it spread out and fluttered within the blowing wind.
In front of where she stood, pillars standing side by side could be seen.
The sun shone from behind the pillars, causing the brown columns to emit a soft glow from within. Then, as if the columns were breathing, faint light was exuded.
Soft light from a column had scattered about in the wilderness. The scene, whose gracefulness could not be commented on, made Frederick hold his breath.
This was no doubt the smoky quartz. The form and structure of these brown ores were huge crystal pillars that he had never seen before, and its transparency was nearly perfect.
“Ah, that’s right...it’s exactly the same as what I saw before.”
Frederick walked over and touched it.
“All the paths on the island are connected to here.”
Aurora whispered.
“Paths? But not every villager seems to know about the existence of the smoky quartz standing stones.”
“What I’m saying is that the paths are invisible to the eye.”
“So if I was lost, then I would have followed the invisible path to here?”
“People can if they can sense the power of the stones.”
Frederick didn’t know whether or not he could feel the power, but he thought to himself, the degree to which he cared for stones had already exceeded that of an ordinary person, so in result, he would be drawn into this place.
“It’s interesting. As expected, these smoky quartz crystals don’t resemble the ones from the Highlands. Were it not for the fixed height of the mountains, the excellent transparency of the smoky quartz would not have been produced, however it’s not just this island, even the United Kingdom itself does not have such high and impressive mountains… would these have been moved here from a distant region?”
“Where would there be smoky quartz crystals?”
“The Alps.”
After Frederick said that, he laughed because he found it funny.
“It’s probably impossible.”
“But perhaps it was the fairies who moved it here.”
That’s right, this is the fairies’ domain.
He wanted to use his knowledge to solve these strange things, but it was impossible.
“It’s not my area of expertise. I truly am grateful for this good luck that allowed me to encounter this wonder.”
Aurora also smiled.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to come here again.”
“Because of what we had promised.”
Promised...... He felt as if he’d heard that phrase here before.
He practically wanted to take Aurora’s eyes, which seemingly wanted to say something, and overlap her with the fairy from his memories. However, he immediately remembered that the promise he made with Aurora was that “if she guided him towards the smoky quartz, he would take her away from this island.”
“There’s a rainbow.”
She suddenly shifted her line of sight and looked up to the sky. Interested, Frederick also looked up.
On this barren-colored island with faint sunshine, even the rainbow’s prismatic colors seemed illusory.
Then he remembered.
He had also stood here watching the prismatic lights before.
For Frederick, this scene of the standing stones was related to that memory.  
The sky that was reflected on the surfaces of the smoky quartz as well as the prismatic lights that adorned the space of the juxtaposed standing stones, made it all the more mysterious.
However, was it really.... a rainbow?
Frederick felt that reality and his memory conflicted, so he frowned.
The sky at that time was darker compared to now. The flickering light that scattered and shined upon the ground back then, was bright enough to change shape and color.
That seemed to be his first time watching that mysterious scenery....
He suddenly turned to Aurora.
“What’s the matter?”
She just smiled gently.
It was like that time too. The “fairy” girl who had always smiled. For Frederick, seeing a woman (though it was a fairy) talking with him so happily, was an experience he’d never had before.
“What’s your name?” Frederick had asked at the time.
The young girl pointed to the sky.
The veil of light that adorned the sky...
Was the Aurora Borealis.
As it looked very divine, he engraved this scene into his mind so he didn’t forget.
Indeed, only this existed hazily in his memory, but he had forgotten about the matters with the girl.
You really were from that time...
A fairy?
He wanted to make sure, but in the time that he was about to talk, Aurora spoke:
“Hey Frederick, would men not sense fate for a split second?”
As she slowly walked between the standing stones, she had suddenly asked.
“Well, it varies from person to person.”
“Even if one doesn’t sense fate, would they still be kind?”
He thought Aurora was thinking about her lover and immediately calmed down.
Even if Aurora was the one who helped him five years ago, what was the meaning of that?
He was not the man destined for Aurora.
To this day, Frederick never pursued women. Friends often said to him after an event that even if a women was somewhat interested in him, it was because he was unsuited to the place and felt bored.
However, he could not have promised to elope with a woman he met for the first time.
Even if the smoky quartz standing stones were too dazzling and he was in high spirits, he didn’t believe that he would make a promise to take her away.
Although he only vaguely remembered a few things from that time, he believed that he wouldn’t be a mistaken regarding this point.
“Frederick, have you ever sensed fate?”
“Who knows...... I had never given it much thought before.”
The person who urged her to leave for the outside world was someone whom she fell in love with at first sight. Even if the student she helped before was in front of her, it was insignificant to her.
“Why?”
“Because, I think that not all men have the ability to speak words of fate.”
Aurora somehow looked very sad.

(5) The departure.

On the other side of the hill, the ocean could be seen.
After leaving the standing stones, Frederick did not know when they left the fairy realm, but as soon as he noticed, he had already been walking on the path where carriage wheel tracks could be clearly seen.
This was definitely a path of the human world. Although he was now passing by carriages, people after going through a mysterious experience, contrary to his expectations, he wasn’t used to the natural landscape before him.
The two of them were about to reach the seaside; there were small ships that set sail from there on a regular basis.
After getting on the boat and departing the island, Frederick’s responsibility would end.
Would it be alright to leave like this when the time came, he wondered.
“If that’s the only reason, then don’t take Aurora away.”
The grey cat’s words had been stuck in his mind since the beginning.
What if it wasn’t just that? Was it okay as long as there were other reasons? What kind other reasons?
Taking Aurora away like this will cause her pain?
“Hey, you really can’t travel outside the island alone?”
“I am bound by invisible chains, you see, that power is already in action.”
Aurora pointed to the direction of the sea, which remained faintly discernible on the other side of the hill.
“We’ve clearly walked for a while, yet the sea has not become closer at all.”
That said, it seemed to be true. It was originally thought that there was only a little bit left to travel, but once the sea began to appear the same, only faint horizontal lines portrayed the distant landscape.
“Frederick, you don’t want to take me away from this island with you?”
“What?”
Aurora stopped and looked straight into his eyes.
“Sure enough, you think you have to bear responsibility, right? But I beg you, please do not hesitate, even if something happens after I leave the island, it’s not your responsibility.”
For some reason, those serious eyes made his chest hurt.
“This was what I promised you. I haven’t felt hesitant at all.”
“……Then, it’s because of other reasons right?”
“Do you know those reasons?”
She frowned sadly.
Just then, she leaned over with her blue eyes.
Her light eyelashes fluttered down and her lips touched his slightly.
“It’s a good luck charm.”
Frederick was dumbfounded for a moment, as she stood and feigned an innocent smile.
He did not think it was simply a good luck charm, as Aurora’s voice and shoulders were slightly trembling.
“Just for now, please consider me as one of your belongings, please believe that taking me away is an inevitable matter.”
It should have been a sweet kiss, but it was filled with pain.
It was a kiss given to compensate what was insufficient for Frederick.
This pain was so strong that Aurora’s resolution to leave the island was conveyed. Frederick felt this pain and nodded.
However, he probably began to have noticed.
What he was hopelessly attracted to and could not forget for a long time, was it really the smoky quartz standing stones?
It was more clear compared to the splendor of the prismatic lights reflected on the crystal pillars, as it was scorched into the depths of his memory.
Was Aurora nervous? Frederick wondered as she was tight-lipped and continued walking.
For Aurora, the time when she cannot turn back was approaching closer.
As they were walking side by side, Frederick tried to think what she was hoping for from her perspective.
Not long after walking again, he noticed that the two of them had already arrived at the seaside.
“It’s that ship.”
Aurora pointed straight ahead. The figureless seaside had a short pier as well as an outdated ship parked there.
To take the boat across the strait towards inner Hebrides seemed too simple. Moreover, who was going to steer the ship? There was no one to be seen in the vicinity.
(Heeeeeeeeeeey~~)
He seemed to hear the sound of someone calling out, or was it the wind?
(Hey, Auroraaaaaa...)
“Nico? Where are you?”
Was it a cat? Although Frederick looked around, he only saw tall hills with thin grass, nothing else was found.
(Aurora, you need to hurry, otherwise you won’t make it…)
At that moment, the sound of horse hooves were heard, and Aurora’s whole body went stiff as she was nervous.
“Frederick, let’s hurry.”
Just when the two of them were running towards the seaside, a man riding on a horse appeared from the other side of the hill.
It was Kenneth. Despite the two running ahead without looking back, the sounds of the hooves approaching were suddenly nearby.
Suddenly, the horse was before them.
“Watch out!”
Aurora was nearly trampled on by the horse. Frederick managed to pull her over and like this, the both of them fell to the ground.
It was ridiculous. This man called Kenneth thinks that hurting his fiancée doesn’t matter?
Frederick, who was seldom angry, raised his head and headed towards Kenneth, who had dismounted, and stood in his way.
“Such a pity to run away so far, only to find that the elopement ends here.”
"No, I'm going to leave with this man.”
“Ohhh? Is that so?” Kenneth contemptuously laughed as if to say that she was making herself look like a fool.
“Professor, you actually aren’t the man Aurora was waiting for. I heard the inn boss’s eldest son say that you and Aurora seem to have met for the first time.”
Aurora nervously looked at Frederick, who was unable to answer.
“Aurora, not only did you seduce a man you haven’t known for long, you also wanted him to elope with you, truly a disgrace to the McKeel clan.”
“You’re not ashamed, are you? You say that she is your fiancee but you don’t consider her feelings at all. You’ve done terrible things to her and her cat and forced her to have no choice but to run away from home, right!”
Kenneth was surprised as he raised his eyebrows.
“What, do you feel sorry for Aurora because of that? I really don’t understand, you clearly haven’t fallen in love with her, why on earth would you want to take her away? If you wanted to sell her somewhere, that would be a different story.”
“Kenneth, I forbid you from saying such disrespectful things! He merely wanted to reunite me with my lover, nothing more.”
“Hmmmm, but Aurora, does your so-called lover really exist? Honestly, I’ve always thought that it was something you made up and babbled nonsense to your father in order to have our engagement annulled.”
Aurora was trembling. Seeing that, Kenneth snickered.
“What, I spoke correctly? Not even having a place to go, what benefit is there for you to leave this island?”
“At least I don’t have to see your face.”
Angry, Kenneth grabbed Aurora and pulled her up.
He raised a fist towards her and Frederick sprung on top of him. He wanted to stop Kenneth and they wrestled with each other, but he was soon easily pushed away.
Aurora urgently wanted to run over to Frederick’s side, but she was grabbed by Kenneth and simply pulled back.
“Aurora...”
Frederick immediately stood up, but he couldn’t move.
Because Kenneth grabbed Aurora and the pistol was pointed at him.
“Professor, let me give you a word of advice, even if you disappear, no one will notice. Getting the villagers to all say that they’ve never seen any scholar on the island is also easy.”
“Stop this, Kenneth.”
Saying this was the voice of another person.
Not knowing when, there was a figure on horseback watching from the sidelines.
“.....Father....”
“Even if you didn’t suggest that kind of thing that would lead to a disturbance, Aurora would immediately understand. If if her lover really doesn’t exist, then she will clearly understand that she herself is the foolish person.”
“....No, her lover truly exists.”
Frederick mumbled.
“Oh? And how would you know?”
“I know. I know how much she values that encounter...I think she is sincere and that it doesn’t matter to her even if she were to forsake everything.”
Frederick spoke firmly as he stupidly wondered why he would know these things, and felt that it made no sense.
Despite that, he knew the answer.
“Do you like Aurora?”
He stared at Kenneth’s muzzle and he suddenly understood how it turned out like this.
He was in love. He fell in love with Aurora, who was single-mindedly and earnestly thinking about someone else. Because he couldn’t help falling in love with her when she entrusted her fate to someone else, and intended to cut off the sorrowful practices of the clansmen, so he understood her sincerity.
“But even so, Miss Carlton is not an ordinary girl.”
“Father!”
Aurora seemingly cried out in protest, but Mr. McKeel still continued on:
“She is a changeling.”
A changeling?
Frederick didn’t want to hear such a thing in this situation, so he blankly looked at Aurora.
She looked away sorrowfully.
“What does that…”
“You know what that means.”
“You’re saying... she’s a fairy? She’s not human...?”
“Well, it’s not big news on this island. Several of our ancestors were changelings, and we also inherited their pure blood. Perhaps Aurora is a descendant of the McKeel clan brought away from the fairy realm, but I only know that the fairies have taken my child in exchange.
In order to strengthen the ability to control magic.
The fiancée of the Prophet, who was sleeping in the swamp.
The practices of the clansmen that Aurora wanted to change was…...
Changelings.
And so she was constrained to this island by magic; once she cuts the magic off, she will no longer be able to return to the island.
“If the lover who allegedly made a promise with Aurora was an Englishman of this era, he ought to hesitate. Even if the promise wasn’t a lie, it’s all the same.”
Perhaps it was. However, it somehow didn’t matter to that man. While Frederick was confused, he took a deep breath in order to calm down.
“I’m sorry, Frederick.”
Aurora seemed to be drained of strength as she had probably given up on everything; like this, she was grabbed by Kenneth and smiled weakly.
“……Thank you for everything thus far, you were willing to treat me like family, so I was happy.”
“Go back to England, Professor. The ship is about to leave.”
Kenneth did not intend to put down the gun that was aimed his way, and jerked his chin towards it, as if wanting to drive him away.
Frederick turned around and glanced, finding that someone unknowingly appeared by the side of the ship. While they were untying the rope, they looked towards here.
Go back? Go back with the way I am and with the circumstances and situation I am in now? After all, what have I come here to do?
He originally should have come to confirm the existence of the smoky quartz standing stones.
But that was just a clue. He actually came back because he felt something at that time, so he wanted to feel it once more.
He had a certain premonition that something was set to change. Even though he knew he was a very happy person, within the shining prismatic lights of the smoky quartz, he realized that until now, he didn’t know that new part of happiness.
Perhaps it is the happiness of having someone to accompany him by his side and laugh joyfully.
He didn’t have the ability to research the fairies’ smoky quartz, but she clearly exists on this side of the world, the human world. If this continues…...
“I understand Aurora. I will treat this as a farewell symbol.”
He subconsciously reached into his pocket, rummaged around and came into contact with small stones.
Frederick unexpectedly threw the stones into the air.
When Kenneth's attention was turned to the stones and when his gun was off him, his body began to move on its own.
He grabbed Aurora's hand and ran forward while pulling her.
“Hey! What are you doing!”
He heard gunshots. Although he was paralyzed by fear, he still recklessly ran forward.
The bullet appeared to have shot towards a different direction. The next moment, Kenneth’s screams rang out.
“Whoa! Stop.... these guys......!”
Frederick instantly looked back and saw a large group of mice attacking Kenneth.
(Run, Professor, don’t look back!)
Was it Aurora’s cat? Or had he misheard it?
But he had already given up on thinking. After he dashed past the pier and still not releasing Aurora’s hand, he jumped on board the ship.

The ship slowly sailed away.
Frederick gasped for breath as he sat down, and when he raised his head, he vaguely saw Mr. McKeel on horseback on the shore which gradually became distant.
Frederick realized that he had taken his treasured daughter as he looked at Aurora, who was in front.
He realized that the two of them were still holding hands, so he released his grip, flustered.
“U--umm, I’m sorry, I forced you here.”
She motionlessly stared at Frederick in contemplation.
“But, um... I’ll make sure to take responsibility.  No, umm, that sounds strange doesn’t it? I intend to escort you to your lover.”
“To tell you the truth, nothing was promised. It was my unrequited love, nothing more. Despite not knowing his name and where he lives, I accidentally told father…”
“What!...I--if that’s the case... ah, that’s right, I am acquainted with many bachelors that you might like...
Was that not it? Although Frederick realized that he shouldn’t be saying such a thing in this situation, he panicked and the words he should have said would not come out.
“Then what about you?”
Frederick braced himself as she suddenly asked and grew increasingly flustered.
“You are single and a fine gentleman.”
“B--but, Aurora…”
“Please marry me.”
“Whaaaat!”
“If it’s me, is it impossible? There’s no way for you to come to like me?”
“Th--that’s not it…”
“Then please make me your bride.”
He didn’t understand how it turned out that he would be proposed to. Was he perhaps dreaming? If that was the case, then he needed to hurry and answer before he woke up.
If I’m in the situation of waking up without answering, I would surely regret it for a lifetime. He used his disordered head to desperately searched for words to be said, but doing so with this kind of mood was contradictory. After coming to his senses, he had already spoke out an extremely ordinary answer: “yes”.
He was suddenly embraced.
He certainly felt Aurora’s warmth, he understood at this very moment that whether it was her existence or the conversation just now, it was no doubt real.
Despite Frederick knowing after a long while, that the person Aurora was waiting for was him, as he held her, he thought to himself that even if her unrequited love suddenly appeared, he would in no way to express a friendly disposition and hand her over.
“That’s great, Aurora.”
The sailors, who were watching the two of them and had pipes in their mouths, laughed.
“Your companions are also very happy.”
Picture
He looked towards the sea and saw countless black figures gathering around and floating between the waves. 
They were seals.
The wind had clearly ceased, yet the ship continued onwards with the seals’ pushing. The sailors were not surprised at all as they entrusted it to the seals. 
“Selkies, thank you.” 
Aurora finally released the arms that embraced him, leaned out from the ship and waved her hand.
Was this the fairies’ ocean liner? 
Facing mysterious things and being able to accept it as reality without changing. Frederick had already mastered this, and it was even the same with the matter of Aurora being a changeling.
(Heeeeeeeey, Aurora…) 
There was a voice that mixed with the sound of the waves; a gray cat riding a seal quickly approached them.
(You wanted to abandon me!)
The gray cat took the opportunity to leap into the boat from the seal’s back.
“Nico!”
Aurora held him more tightly this time.  
“Hey, let go at once, my fur will be dishevelled.”
“Thanks for that just then, have you gotten better?” 
“I’m still dizzy.”
“Would you like to come with me?” 
“I’ve had enough of pacific herrings with Gaelic whiskey, I think Cambridge should have more delicious things.” 
“You really are a fool aren’t you?” (Original: “You really are a baka-san, arent you?”)
The cat seemed to be reluctant but Aurora messed up his fur without a care.
Suddenly, Frederick’s eyes met his. 
Well—— you didn’t do too bad, Professor.
He felt the cat seemed to say.  

~The father’s wishes~ 

Now, Carlton didn’t realize that being proposed to by a woman would become his failure for a lifetime.
A man who was only interested in stones, how could he succeed in proposing to such a beautiful woman? After being asked, he always didn’t know how to answer, thus he discovered this point. 
In other words, women taking the initiative to propose to men, in terms of the world’s common sense was out of the question.
The world believed that the more assertive women were, the more licentious they were.  But also, if there was no hope for a woman to be proposed to by a man, she will quietly leave his side.
However, even if a woman was interested in Carlton, he wouldn’t find out; even if they already left him, he also wouldn’t notice. In this way, he was a slow-witted man.
So, even if he was believed to be a fool who was unable to take the initiative and propose marriage, it was no bother; he just didn’t want Aurora to be considered as a woman whose personality was overly unrestrained. 
Therefore, this matter only existed as a secret between the two of them. 
Aurora seemed to think the secret was very amusing, and Carlton knew that she didn't think it was a bad thing. Because of this, he hoped even more that the beautiful memories between them wouldn’t be tarnished by the people’s unrestrained words and such. 
But he stood in the father's position and thought as such. If possible, he hoped that the partner of his lovely daughter wouldn’t be a useless man who couldn’t even propose properly. 
Despite Carlton praying for a long time, he never imagined that his daughter’s fiancé would have a habit of whispering superficial brazenly sweet words whenever he was not shy, this philanderer of the highest quality.
“Father, it seems like Edgar’s carriage has arrived.” 
After dressing up, Lydia peeked at the outside door from the study. 
Frederick stood up. I must go and greet that philanderer, no, I’m going to welcome the guest.  
Earl Ashenbert stood in front of the Carlton house entryway, accompanied by the young attendant, looking flawless as always. Inviting him to an ordinary person’s home even made people feel scared.
Although the Earl often visited here every day, being uninvited and invited were two different things.
But as usual, he gave his graceful smile to Carlton, which both men and women would swoon at. 
“Professor, thank you for the invitation.”
“Welcome, and thank you for coming, Earl. Although it is a banquet, it is merely a family dinner, please consider yourself as family and make yourself at home.”
Perhaps the Earl was unable to relax in such a narrow house. Despite Carlton thinking that, Edgar faced his social discourse and from his face, he looked happy from the bottom of his heart. 
“Tonight is a night to remember, because I am able to visit here as a family member.”
Family? Meaning that he’ll become my son? 
Because he was not suited to this, Carlton had not yet grasped this sense of reality. 
“Lydia, this is for you.” 
Still smiling, Edgar held a bouquet of pink daisies and handed it to Lydia. 
“My, how lovely, thank you Edgar.”
“While I thought to select flowers that would make you more beautiful, but no matter what kind of bouquet it is, they lose their elegance before you. ”
“Here you go again...” 
“Did you know? Whenever I see you, I fall in love with you again.” 
“We don’t see each other every day.” 
“Yes, that’s why my heart skips a beat every day.” 
After that, he kissed Lydia’s hand in a gentlemanly manner. 
In the end, how exactly should his inherently flirtatious character be addressed? 
As long as it was something to make women happy, no matter what, he would be able to do it without embarrassment. In order to court Lydia, who was fairly passive towards the aspect of love, he seemed to have used many ways of flirting with her. While Carlton, as a spectator, watched this man approach his daughter, he was worried, but he vaguely knew that this day would come sooner or later.
“If the Earl sincerely wanted to do this…”
Then, he should not be concerned with issues such as family background or appearances in the eyes of society but also, he would surely use his passionate and frank love to make Lydia agree to the marriage.
Although he was not a useless man who was unable to propose properly, but in another sense, unexpectedly, he was also considered to be a ridiculous man. But because he understood that the Earl was sincere, Carlton no longer contested. 
“Well, by all means, please come inside.”
After Carlton prompted the Earl to come into the house, his attendant bowed and prepared to leave. Lydia seemed to remember something and called to him. 
“Oh, that’s right, Raven, do you have time?” 
“Is there anything you need?”
The young man’s face was expressionless, even his answer was just as stiff. But it always felt off-point and made one feel that it was odd. 
“Umm... Nico, he was going to ask if you wanted to come over for a little bit.”
Nico poked his head out at that time and said: 
“Yo, Raven. I got some rare wine. I will be drinking with everyone, would you like to join? In any case, it’s all right if the Earl returns before you do.
“No, I have to return to the mansion first. I need to help the head butler with matters until I come back to pick up Lord Edgar.”
“Raven, it’s okay to relax occasionally, right? I’ll explain it to Tomkins afterwards and besides, it isn’t work that needs to be urgently finished.”
The attendant stared at the Earl and seemed to be troubled in wanting to gratefully accept this arrangement. 
“Is this your command?”
Amused, the Earl chuckled.
“Although this is not a command, but if Nico’s invitation will make you happy, then I will also be very happy.”
The attendant bowed his head, extremely grateful. The Earl smiled again then looked at Carlton and said:
“I’m sorry, Professor, is it alright for my attendant to visit too? 
"I don’t mind, it's just that the fairies banquet should be in the attic.” 
Even so, the young attendant ran to the driver who was waiting by the carriage, returned after explaining everything, and went up the stairs with Nico. He had no expression of emotions, but he should be pretty happy.
“The red wine, what’s that all about?”
“It’s a Gaelic whiskey that I received from a colleague. I remember that Nico liked to drink it.”  
“Father gave it to him? It’ll be troublesome when the fairies get drunk. ”
“Well, isn’t it fine?”
Today was a good day. 
“By the way Lydia, has the wedding dress design been decided yet?” 
After being seated in the dining hall, the Earl, who was in a good mood, had asked, thus Lydia was suddenly perplexed. 
“Ah.... yes, about that matter… Mother’s wedding veil was delivered today. So, I wanted to think about the style of the wedding dress a little more…” 
"However, if you don’t quickly make a decision, it won’t be custom-made. If it was other bridal things, I don’t mind a bit of delay but without the wedding dress, the ceremony cannot be done....”
Although they had just announced their engagement to the public, it seemed that the Earl wanted to get married as soon as possible. 
“Ahh, but even without the wedding dress, we can also do that. Just like the birth of Venus, maintaining the most original appearance.” 
The statement which had a implicit meaning made those who heard it blush.
Carlton coughed, but he didn’t pay attention at all.
“A--anyway, Earl this is a once in a lifetime event. ”
“You're right. People often say that if one doesn’t do according to what the bride wishes, it becomes the source of the couple’s quarrels someday in the distant future. 
Lydia sighed softly. The more impatient the Earl was, the more her confusion seemed to increase.
Currently, Lydia realized that she wanted to know about her parents’ past matters; it was because she was still anxious about her marriage. 
Although Carlton didn’t know what kind of words the Earl used to propose, but if it is only by the virtue of a verbal agreement, then regardless of whether it was marrying into the Earl’s family and all kinds of estrangements taking place, or whether it was centered around the relationships of the women by his side, as well as other kinds of problems, he wasn’t able to get over these doubts so easily.
As a father, how should he explain all this to his daughter?
He had difficulty explaining the matter of how he and Aurora got together. Everytime he looked back and recalled his feelings when suddenly taking Aurora away, as well as her accumulated feelings contained in the proposal, it all seemed destined, like everything happened the way it was meant to happen.
That being the case, there should also be a similar bond between the Earl and Lydia.
So despite Carlton’s worries, the Earl tenderly gazed at Lydia. 
“Can you show me the veil later?” 
“What? uh, yes... it’s very lovely. It was woven by hand, I think you’ll like it.”
Picture
Furthermore, Lydia finally smiled happily. 
Rather than words or gifts, as long as they looked at each other’s faces, they will understand that the other person staying by their side was a natural thing. If that was the case, Lydia would no longer feel perplexed.
Because she is Aurora’s daughter.