Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 24 - Chapter 3

☆Chapter 3 ♦ ​Under the new Prince☆

It’s Lydia. Edgar was captivated by a momentary glance of a woman’s retreating figure, and by the time he realised it, he had broken into a run.
Chasing after that figure, Edgar entered an alleyway. Of course, there’s no way that it was Lydia. Be it the back view of hair the colour of black tea which was let down, the height or the slender shoulders, Edgar knew that those only resembled Lydia's faintly. Even so, Edgar walked about the unknown alleyways once more, as he tried to find that figure which he lost.
Located along the southern coast of Wales, this port town, which was becoming desolate, was surrounded by complicated coves.
Unlike small ports, ships could travel deep into the depths of the coves. As the ships hid themselves in the silhouette of the island in that manner, they loaded and unloaded the people and goods they had transported.
Goods which were smuggled or stolen were traded secretly here and from here, those goods would be transported into the hands of secret organizations throughout Britain. At the same time as pirates stopped at the port, people who were involved in that sort of work would stay in the town in large numbers.
As he turned back, there was an old mansion situated at the top of a cape overlooking such a town; Edgar had just come down from that mansion to go towards the port.
Leaving under the claim that he was doing an inspection, he quickly shook off the attendants, who were really just keeping watch on him.
It seemed that this area was land which Prince owned under an alias, and was also a base for Prince to move money in the underworld.
This town looked just like any other town at first glance, but it was a town where special people lived in. Even though it was clear as day that it was impossible for Lydia to be in such a place, Edgar wondered why he was desperately chasing after that woman’s figure.
Edgar had been thinking about it since a while back. Is this really a coincidence or is it deliberate?
It doesn’t look coincidental. Edgar thought so when he found her retreating figure once more.
The fact that the woman appeared again before Edgar’s eyes, as he entered the complicated alleyways, seemed to be saying that she wanted to be found by him.
When Edgar tailed her, she took multiple turns around corners and disappeared into a building ahead.
Edgar, who got closer, stopped in his tracks as he looked up at the signboard.
‘Lily of the Valley’. The building which had such a signboard, was undoubtedly a brothel.
It’s that guy, thought Edgar in an instant. There’s no mistake that that guy beckoned Edgar to this place.
Edgar thought that that guy would make contact with him someday. Or rather, it could be said that Edgar himself was waiting for the contact.
Although Edgar couldn’t say that he didn’t feel slightly deceived by the fact that a woman who resembled Lydia was used, for that guy to believe that by doing so meant he knew Edgar’s weakness, probably meant that that guy wasn’t stupid either.
When Edgar opened the door and entered the building, an elderly woman, who appeared to be the proprietress, stepped forth and flashed an ingratiating smile.
“Welcome. What kind of girl do you like? If it’s our store, we’d definitely find a girl you desire.”
“The woman earlier?”
“You mean?”
“She had red hair and was wearing a violet dress.”
With just that, the proprietress nodded with a look of understanding, and invited Edgar politely.
“We’ve been waiting for you. Please, this way.”
From above the staircase and from behind the doors of the small rooms, women were peeking at them. They looked on with looks of disappointment as he wasn’t their customer, and at the same time, looked on with looks of curiosity about who Edgar was.
As Edgar swept his eyes across with a look of nonchalance, he tried to verify if anyone of them was the red haired woman, but she wasn’t amongst them.
That being said, Edgar didn’t think that she’d be in the room he was brought to. It was undoubtedly going to be that guy in the room.
As expected, the one on the other side of the door, who had bowed his head down low, was a youth with whom Edgar had a deep connection.
“It’s an honour to meet you, Your Highness.”
It was Ulysses.
The fact that it was Ermine, Teran’s subordinate, who had brought Edgar back to the Organization as Prince, strengthened Teran’s position even more. It appeared that the executives who aligned themselves with Teran increased while Ulysses was being isolated even more, and that was probably why Ulysses wasn’t even permitted to show up at the mansion. 
“Madam, I have no interest in men.”
When Edgar deliberately frowned,
“Neither do I!”
Ulysses, who lost control and shouted, caught himself and lowered his voice.
“Please do not joke around. You do understand right, that this is a place for us to talk in secret.”
It was commonplace for high-end brothels to become places for secret talks on matters such as political or antisocial movements. Although it was odd for men to face each other and engage in troublesome talk or strike deals at the risk of their lives in such a place, that’s how things were.
That’s probably why this room did not have a shred of brilliance in its atmosphere, but tended to feel inorganic, like an office or meeting room.
“And you are? You seem to know who I am.”
Seating himself onto one of the armchairs, Edgar looked at Ulysses, seemingly finding this a bother.
“Do you not remember?”
“I don’t.”
Pretending to be Prince, Edgar feigned ignorance.
“My apologies. Your memories are what inherits the ability to dominate the Unseelie Courts. You can only remember things pertaining to the initial Prince, which are the memories attached to that ability. At that time, I wasn’t born yet.”
Saying that, Ulysses placed his hand against his chest while still standing, and introduced himself politely.
“I’m Ulysses Barlow. I have served the previous Prince for many years, as a fairy doctor. Because even under the new Prince, I hope to work at the core of the Organization, as I had been told to do so previously, I’ve come to greet you in this manner.”
“Isn’t that Teran’s role?”
“Teran took advantage of Your Highness’ absence and snatched my role.”
“Hmmm, so?”
“He may be skilled in black magic, but the only one who can draw out the magic of the Unseelie Courts held by Your Highness with certainty, and to colour Britain with fear, is me, the one who inherited the blood of fairy doctors with a proper lineage. Since ages past, only three bloodlines were permitted to touch the power of the Unseelie Courts, and in my body, flows the blood of one of those three. However, Teran is different; with only the blood he inherited from the evil Nuckelavee, he won’t be a benefit to Your Highness’ ability.”
“But Teran doesn’t seem to think there’s such a thing?”
“A fairy doctor and a sorcerer is different. A sorcerer doesn’t understand fairies or the true essence of their magic. That man only wants to make use of your power for himself, to stand at the apex. He will betray Your Highness eventually.”
It was probably true that Teran was someone Edgar couldn’t afford to be careless with, and Ulysses was also probably the one who held the right knowledge about fairies.
But Ulysses too had deviated from the path of an orthodox fairy doctor, as he used magic to dominate fairies and make use of them. On that point, both he and Teran were probably pretty much the same.
“Pointless talk.”
Deliberately ending the conversation, Edgar stood up. Such talk was not what Edgar wanted to draw out from Ulysses; Edgar wanted to hear Ulysses’ true intention, what he hoped for in Prince, what he wanted to achieve in the Organization. Edgar intended to make use of Ulysses by having that information. 
“Please wait. If you desire, I’ll call for the red haired woman.”
Indeed, Ulysses was still convinced that Edgar had not come into contact with Prince’s memories.
“She’s quite a fine woman; her eyes are green.”
“You know my likes well.”
Because Edgar had chased after the woman who resembled Lydia and came thus far, while sensing that Ulysses would be at the end of the trail, Edgar did not consider hiding that point in particular either.
Only that, in order to see through Ulysses’ intentions, Edgar turned around and waited for Ulysses’ words.
“I do not mind what kind of Prince you are. However, the time when the power connected to the Unseelie Courts awakens will come someday in the near future. Instead, if you can continue to control and seal the old Prince’s ghost, you’ll have to use that power. You’ll snatch that power from Prince… by doing so, you’ll probably remain as the self who likes red haired women.”
Even though he said that, Ulysses probably thought that Edgar, who had obtained Prince’s power, would end up becoming the master of the Unseelie Courts by himself when he fails to suppress his hatred and desires.
“The ghost of the old prince, huh. Didn’t the Organization prepare a new body in order for that to be resurrected?”
“That’s right, because the Organization came thus far by brainwashing the persons who were to become the new vessel and destroyed their personalities. But you, that body, was incomplete as a vessel… No, it’s a failure.”
“And you’re instigating that failure? By telling it to control Prince himself. Prince should be the master to whom you entrust your life isn’t?”
Ulysses, who was in deep thought as he looked downwards, had an emotion which was not rage seep through his furrowed brows; this was unlike him.
“Your Highness, you said that you’d give me Ibrazel.”
Edgar wondered if that was the Prince of the past, the Prince who Edgar knew as well. Ulysses had spoken of the gratitude he had towards Prince previously as well.
Even if Prince had lived on by exchanging bodies, most probably, there was only one ‘Prince’ to whom Ulysses entrusted his life to.
“Teran thinks that it’s a waste of time to get involved with Ibrazel. He thinks that if the family of the Blue Knight Earl is a hindrance, it’s fine to just crush them quickly and that we do not need their powers. But there is a need for us to know about Ibrazel. That is the country of the Seelie Courts, so if we are unable to control it, even if we obtain Britain, Prince’s reign would not last long.”
Then, he tempted Edgar.
“You should obtain everything. By doing so, you’d have no worries about the red haired woman being snatched away by anyone.”
For example, by the Prophet.
Ulysses is quite the tempter. Edgar even struggled to put that temptation aside for the time being.
“That’s right, it seems that there’s some large movement going on at the Blue Knight Earl’s?”
You know, don’t you? Ulysses expressed so by glancing upwards at Edgar.
“Teran intends to annihilate the Earl family this time. I happen to hear of talk about sinking the entire ship.”
Edgar somehow managed to keep his expression from changing, but those words still shook him.
The ship. In other words, that probably meant that Teran knew of Ibrazel’s ship and that the ship would depart soon.
“I’ve not heard of this.”
“That may be a plan they’re hiding from you.”
That was possible. Teran too doubted whether Edgar was truly ‘Prince’.
“Ulysses, in other words, you’re saying that rather than annihilating the Blue Knight Earl’s family, we ought to extract information about Ibrazel from them and make them ours.”
“That’s right. Once we’ve obtained the ship undamaged, it’s up to you how you want to deal with the earl family. You can do as you please.”
“Then, I’ll hear of your plan in the meeting. I order you to attend.”
Ulysses revealed an expression of relief. It appeared that at the current moment, his objective was to recover his position from Teran and to try not to lose clues which would help him obtain Ibrazel.
For that purpose, regardless of who Edgar was, Ulysses would make use of him.
Edgar was the same as well. Even if their ultimate objectives were different, Ulysses was someone he could make use of. If Edgar moved the pawns he owned, as he manipulated both Ulysses and Teran, who restrained each other, now ought to be the time to restrain Teran.
Of course, Edgar had to keep Ulysses under his thumb.
“Then, how about the red haired woman?”
“Har…”
It seemed that, for a moment, Ulysses didn’t understand what Edgar was referring to.
“The red haired woman earlier.”
“… Was that to your liking?”
As he clapped his hands, the door opened and a woman came into the room. Greeting them with a curtsey, her eyes, as she lifted her eyelids, were of a colour close to blue, though it could also be seen as green.
It was just that, she resembled Lydia closely. Or should it be said that she was made to resemble Lydia? Although she was clearly a different person, if seen from afar, one might mistake her for Lydia. And, like Lydia, she had the fragrance of chamomile.
That irritated Edgar severely. Because even if it’s just the mere fact that the fragrance of the sachet used by Lydia was known, made him feel as though Lydia was touched.
“Serve His Highness. Just like how you were taught, like a lady.”
In the end, be it Teran or Ulysses, both of them tried to make use of Lydia. These guys may order Lydia about in such a manner. Teran even planned to humiliate Lydia.
I won’t let anyone lay a single finger on Lydia.
Perhaps it was because she sensed that as Edgar walked closer to her, his eyes were tinged with rage, the woman tried to move back.
The woman’s hair was of a much stronger shade of red, compared to Lydia’s caramel-coloured hair. Edgar grabbed hold of her hair. Once he summoned for Arrow in his heart, the treasure sword of the Merrows appeared and he gripped it in his right hand.
The sharp point of the blade entered her field of vision and the woman screamed; Edgar swung the sword at her neck.
Roughly cut red hair spread across the floor. The woman fell to the ground and sat there as she trembled.
“With this, there won’t be any mistake. Even if it’s just the back view, I won’t forgive anyone for impersonating as my ideal woman.”
And then, Edgar turned around to face Ulysses.
“Don’t ever try to move me with a red haired woman. Because for you, it won’t end with your hair.”
“… As you command.”
Ulysses, who replied so meekly, would probably not lay a hand on Lydia in the meantime.
Edgar turned on his heels and exited the room.

*

​
On the day three days before the night of the full moon, a single young man visited the Earl mansion. That person whom Lydia welcomed, was the Queen’s guard, First Lieutenant Billy Ramsey.
Lydia had received a letter from the Queen. And so Kelly panicked, but as stated in the letter that she would be sending a messenger, he came the next day.
Although ordinarily speaking, it was impossible for Billy to be the Queen’s messenger, but from the fact that he wasn’t wearing his army uniform this time, it probably meant that this was a personal errand, separate from the Queen’s official duties or position.
“I heard that you’ll be away from London for some time.”
Surprisingly, Billy said so.
“How do you know that…?”
“I heard that the Earl came last week and informed Her Majesty so.”
“Edgar? ‘Last week’…?”
If that was true, it meant that after he went missing in the mines, he showed up at the Queen’s.
“Why did Edgar see Her Majesty? Did he tell Her Majesty anything else?”
Lydia unconsciously leaned forth, but Billy cast his eyes downwards, as if he was apologizing for not being able to meet her expectations.
“I do not know of the details. Only that, the facts that the Earl went to the Queen’s and that I’ve been ordered to come to Milady’s on an errand, are both matters which I’m unable to disclose to anyone else. You too, please do not disclose this matter to anyone.”
Lydia desperately thought through with her confused mind.
In other words, rather than being a private errand, this is a secret mission.
I wonder what exactly Edgar told Her Majesty. And what is he trying to do now?
“Even if I paid a private visit to you, it would not appear unnatural and so I’m the one who came. For some reason, Her Majesty seems to think that I’m on good terms with the Earl.”
That was probably because she thought that Edgar and Billy had worked together to exterminate the thieves in the Oughtred mansion.
Lydia’s mind was full of questions. Even so, Billy had told Lydia what she wanted to know the most. Lydia heaved a sigh of relief again.
“Edgar’s really fine and doing well right? Billy, did you meet him too?”
“No, I’ve not met him… It can’t be, that the Earl did not even make contact with you?”
When Lydia nodded, Billy revealed a complex expression.
“Is that so… If that’s the case, it must be something serious that he has to keep as a secret.”
There’s no doubt it was related to ‘Prince’. Lydia wondered if Edgar had spoken to Her Majesty about the Organization which was plotting to overthrow the House of Hanover.
But, if it’s as the ghost Emma had said, as Darnell had conjectured, that Edgar was truly reigning over the Organization as Prince, then the leader of the Organization was Edgar himself. In the worst case scenario, Edgar would end up having his life targeted as a traitor.
That too deepened Lydia’s worries but if Edgar was alive then that alone made her glad.
“And so, I’ve come with something Her Majesty has entrusted me with.”
Billy presented a small old wooden box. When she opened it to take a look, she saw a bracelet made of an oily-green coloured stone contained within.
The bracelet, which was made by shaving off rock and polishing it evenly, was simple in design; though it was covered with spots from the stone itself, there was a complete absence of anything decorative.
“I heard that it’s a stone called serpentine and it’s one of the treasures passed down through the royal family. Her Majesty said that she will lend it to you.”
“To me…? Why did Her Majesty lend this to me?”
“Well, I wonder. I was only told to hand this to you. It seems that it’s been said that this was serpentine mined from Ibrazel.”
“From Ibrazel?”
The moment Lydia picked up the bracelet, words rose up to the surface of the bracelet. She nearly dropped it out of surprise, but she grabbed it anew and strained her eyes at the words.
‘The one who wears this is the representative of the King of England. Ibrazel, with its earl in absence, shall welcome and obey this person, in the name of the King.’
The words soon disappeared, and Lydia thought things over hurriedly.
Edgar had conjectured that the Blue Knight Earl three hundred years ago, could have been conscious of the fact that the Ashenbert house was declining. In order to protect the connection with England even if the earl family no longer exists in Ibrazel, he may had gifted this bracelet to the royal family.
He probably predicted that it’d be trouble if the said country was captured illegitimately. For instance, there was the possibility of the country being targeted by people such as treacherous fairy doctors like Ulysses or people who were well-versed with Unseelie Courts.
And now, with the real earl gone, the state of Ibrazel was unknown. That’s precisely why the Queen probably thought that she should entrust Lydia with this item of authorization.
Even if whoever was currently living in Ibrazel did not recognize Lydia as the countess, Lydia’s position would be secured with the bracelet.
The obstacles to obtaining Ibrazel’s power to deal with Britain’s crisis would probably decrease. 
Edgar hoped that Lydia would aim for Ibrazel together with their comrades. It’s because he had told the Queen that, that things turned out this way.
But Lydia was still hesitating. Going to Ibrazel, declaring her position and obtaining power, she wondered if she could accomplish such a feat; she was not born a noble.
No, both the Queen and Edgar treated Lydia like a noble. Once she realized that her hands which held the serpentine bracelet tensed up.
The family of the Blue Knight Earl was Britain’s fairy doctor. Even if people stopped believing in fairies, just like how Lydia was still very much needed as a fairy doctor, the earl family was also needed by the country.
The last earl fought for Britain’s sake and died. Edgar too, with the pride of the Sylvainford family in his chest, was risking his life as the earl.
Similar to how a crystal was chosen, polished and gained value over many years, there lies a special value in the weight of the serpentine in Lydia's hands, and there were people who shouldered that special value.
Noblesse Oblige.
Lydia must shoulder that.
“I married Edgar because I love him. I thought that because I became a countess, I had to work on my manners and social dealings properly. But… I didn’t know that, just like how Edgar had shouldered the duties and responsibilities to the people in his territory and to Britain, I shouldered those as well.”
Lydia muttered as if to persuade herself. Soon after Billy left, Lydia remained in the same state of deep thought. Lota appeared by her side and placed her hand on Lydia’s shoulder in order to encourage her.
“It’s not something you have to get worked up over, you’re fine as your usual self. That’s your strength as a fairy doctor, right?”
“Hmm… But Lota, I’m afraid. Can I be of help to Edgar properly? If I fail, will he become ‘Prince’…?”
“Even that guy, he’s trying to protect you. It’ll be alright, the two of you will accomplish this together.”
I’m not shouldering this alone. Even if he isn’t by my side, I will always be together with Edgar.
Even so, Lydia was afraid.
The enormous calamity that was enveloping this country, was becoming exposed.
“…I feel that I was able to put on a brave front better in the past.”
“When people have something important, they appear to become weaker. Because they don’t want to lose that… But don’t you think that strength in not being able to become fragile when something important is in front of you, is not needed?”
Lota sat beside Lydia in a way that had slightly better manners compared to how she usually was.
“I feel that true strength is hidden in the most fragile parts of a person.”
Lydia wondered what was so important to Lota that she thought she’d become fragile because of it.
“I have this thought when I look at you and Edgar.”
She herself, still may not have realized it yet.
“I see, because my heart gets weakened and I can’t help but want to see Edgar, I may be able to do anything in order to meet him.”
Lydia wondered if the time for their reunion would only become distant if she simply waited. If so, she had no choice but to begin on her trip to Ibrazel.
I want to meet him quickly. If the battle with Prince is unavoidable and we can’t meet until this is resolved, then I have no choice but to move forward.
“Lydia, you’ve become more honest with yourself.”
But that was most likely because it was Lota that Lydia was able to say it.
“I can’t if it’s in front of Edgar. Because things will get out of hand.”
When Lydia blushed, Lota burst into laughter.
Let’s go to Ibrazel. Lydia was strengthening her resolve. Because even if she was still unable to understand the obligations of a noble, she thought that she wanted to protect together with Edgar, the things which nurtured him and the things which he finally obtained.

​
*

On a hill which overlooked the coves stood a lookout cabin. It served the purpose of ensuring that there were no problems with the transacting smuggler ships and that there were no secret transactions taking place unbeknownst to the Organization.
Standing at a short distance away from the lookout cabin in the shadow of a grove of trees, Ermine’s gaze fell on the coves, though she wasn’t looking at anything in particular.
The rumours of a new Prince reigning the Organization had obviously spread throughout Britain at once, and even to underground organizations abroad. And so, the number of ships in these coves increased suddenly, bringing along with them an air of tension.  
To the other organizations, being on friendly terms with the Prince would lead to benefits, while they’d suffer from disadvantages if they didn’t get into Prince’s good books. With simply the fact that the leader had not changed in essence for the hundred years thus far, there was little of the common disturbances occurring within the Organization, which presence continued to grow in the underworld. There was also Prince’s strength, which comes from there being no difference in ability, even though there’s a difference in heredity coming from his body being replaced with another’s.
Yet, in actual fact it was not as if there was completely no difference. Because the initial Prince had died while he was still young, even if he obtained a new body, his mental state remained at that age and did not develop further; so when he was reborn, he was always a boy. In other words, when he aged and gained prudence and knowledge, those belonged to the original owner of the body, but the memories which corresponded to those would not be inherited.
If that’s the case, the more Prince grows and gets older, the more he differs from the initial Prince, and so, wouldn’t Prince approach the character of the owner of the body instead?
Ermine came to this conclusion based on the information she gathered about Prince by remaining in the Organization at Francis’ orders.
She wondered what’d happen to Edgar from now on. That was what Ermine was concerned with the most. As there wasn’t any precedence before this, it was difficult for her to predict.
She wished that he wouldn’t forget his pride as one from the Sylvainford Duke family and his joy in meeting Lydia.
It was only that, from the way Ermine saw it, it was questionable as to whether or not Francis considered Edgar’s own happiness.
Somehow, it appeared that Francis was fixated over the old family of the Blue Knight Earl. Although she felt that Francis’ words of definitely turning Edgar into the Blue Knight Earl weren’t a lie, not knowing either the means or the intent made her extremely uneasy.
“Did the Earl really turn into Prince?”
Ermine turned back as she was suddenly spoken to.
His black curly hair was blown about by the strong winds that blew up from the sea.
It was Kelpie. He was a ferocious aquatic horse which took the form of a beautiful young man. Even though he was a fearful fairy which devoured both fairies and humans, at some point in time, Ermine noticed that she felt relieved when she saw him, and found herself strange.
“Were you the one who did it?”
Although he looked at her with seemingly a glare, his black pearl-like eyes were not tinged with rage; instead, it contained sympathy.
“Lord Edgar had decided so. In order to bury Prince and destroy the Organization.”
“Isn’t it the end if he’s taken over by Prince? Even the humans in this town appear to be weird. When night falls, sluaghs fly about, hunting, gathering and manipulating humans as they wish isn’t that so?”
“Yes… this place was originally under the management of Ulysses, but Teran had summoned the sluaghs. The kind townsfolk used to keep quiet out of fear of the Organization but now, their souls had been removed so the town functions as the Organization wishes.”
Hmph, muttered Kelpie, who was probably not very concerned about the town’s situation.
“I intended to check on the Earl, but those troublesome sluaghs are prowling about the surroundings.”
“Even you are afraid of sluaghs?”
“There’s no way I’d be afraid is there? If they kick up a fuss in a large group, then I wouldn’t be able to enter stealthily.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“You, you’re Teran’s subordinate right? Can’t you come up with something to tell him and make the sluaghs go away? That guy Teran can control sluaghs right?”
Teran wouldn’t hear anything of Ermine’s views. Kelpie too, probably wasn’t expecting much but simply tried saying that.
“Even for the sluaghs, Teran is just making use of them by enticing them with baits. Ulysses also used to control fairies, but that too was because he made a deal with them through cunning means. The only one who can make Unseelie Courts obey him unconditionally is the power of Prince which resides inside Lord Edgar. Such power is that valuable and frightening.”
That’s why, the McKeels’ fairy doctor lost to the temptation of Power, broke the Clan’s taboo and created the ‘Prince of Calamity’. In order to keep ‘Prince’ alive for eternity, the Organization had done everything, regardless of what it was.
“Humans. How greedy.”
Kelpie stood beside Ermine as he let out a sigh. Not knowing what Kelpie had on his mind as he looked down towards the coves from there, Ermine tilted her head to the side.
“You, is it alright that you’re not by Lady Lydia’s side? She’s definitely having a hard time with Lord Edgar’s disappearance.”
“When it comes to the Earl, it’s beyond me to comfort her. No, to Lydia, no one can be a replacement for the Earl.”
“…That’s true.”
Ermine too was painfully aware of that. Edgar was saved because he met Lydia. His feelings towards her gave him the hope to live in happiness rather than to seek revenge.
It wasn’t Ermine, who was close by Edgar’s side and so should’ve known him the best; nor were it the countless woman he had been with. The only one who was able to give him what he truly wished for was Lydia.
“Lydia’s heading towards Ibrazel from now on right? It’d probably be inconvenient for me to be around when she’s going to the Country of the Seelie Courts, so I’ve come here to take a look.”
“You intend to keep watch over Lord Edgar?”
Kelpie raised one of his brows as he continued to look towards the sea.
“If the Earl is Prince, then I would rather not get close to him. I don’t want to be controlled by him. Moreover…”
Stopping in mid-sentence, Kelpie looked towards Ermine, as if he suddenly realized who it was beside him.
“Lydia’s surrounded by many comrades, but you’re alone.”
He is really an eccentric aquatic horse. Ermine couldn’t take her eyes off those black pearl-like eyes.

Sink the ship to Ibrazel, together with all the humans on board. Teran proposed this plan at the executive meeting.
The ship appeared to be in the fields of Wiltshire, but the exact location was unknown. However, according to the information obtained by Teran, the ship would travel down along the river before exiting into the sea. It should be easy if they attack the ship there.
Since the real Blue Knight Earl had already died, by attacking the ship, there wouldn’t be any more interference from Ibrazel. The Organization ought to proceed with preparations to recover the throne urgently.
Because the Organization had failed in destroying the magical defences at Hastings and London Bridge previously, it had become more difficult to succeed in their plans to invade Britain. However, the situation changed; since the new Prince had attained power, it was possible to accumulate sufficient magic. There was no need to obtain Ibrazel’s power.
Teran’s plan was exactly what Ulysses had told Edgar.
Obviously, the one who opposed that plan was Ulysses.
If they sank the ship, they would no longer be able to obtain Ibrazel. It was too dangerous to isolate and leave the country which gave birth to the Earl of Ibrazel alone. The Organization should take this opportunity to hijack the ship, take the Earl family’s fairy doctor hostage and make her guide them on the path towards Ibrazel. They should place Ibrazel under Prince’s control. Ulysses said so at one go.
He also said that, while Ibrazel was a threat to the Organization, at the same time, it should also become a great strength to the Organization if obtained.
Once Edgar accepted Ulysses’ proposal, not a single person objected; even Teran too drew back his views quickly.
Ulysses plan wasn’t one which Edgar was comfortable with either, but compared to Teran’s plan, it was probably much easier to interfere.
A decision which adopted Teran’s proposal of ambushing the ship at the river mouth was reached.
However, there was something which Edgar was very much bothered about.
Edgar wondered how Teran knew about Ibrazel’s ship. Be it the existence of the ship, the fact that it’s in the fields of Wiltshire or that it’d be departing on the full moon night three days later, how did Teran know all these?
Teran did not speak of the source of his information in the meeting.
The one appearing before Edgar, who had returned to his own room after the meeting and was mulling things over by himself, was that said Teran.
“Why did you permit Ulysses’ attendance at the meeting?”
He said so with displeasure.
“Can’t I?”
“It’s everyone’s view that his methods are half-hearted and wouldn’t achieve our goals no matter how much time passes. Even Your Highness’ eventual resurrection had occurred after Ulysses had taken a back seat.”
It was true that it was Ermine’s credit that Edgar reigned as Prince, in other words, that translated to it being Teran’s credit.
“Furthermore, Ulysses is fixated over the title of Lord Ibrazel. His loyalty comes from his wanting to obtain that, so he is more concerned with that than with Your Highness’ goals.”
Teran, who usually adopted a calm attitude, appeared to be rather emotional.
You’re both the same, thought Edgar.
That being said, the reason why Teran was this irritated, was probably because he was doubting Edgar. If he thought that Edgar was the real Prince, he would not have adopted such a manner of speech. At the very least, Edgar knew how fearful the subordinates were towards the previous Prince.
The reason why Teran wasn’t able to voice his doubts overtly, was because even if Edgar did not attain Prince’s powers, there was no doubt that Edgar was ‘Prince’s’ successor.
“I don’t care what you or Ulysses are thinking of, so long as both of you entrust me with the powers and knowledge you have. No one is allowed to betray me. That’s all.”
Getting up from the chair, Edgar cut across the room slowly. 
“And so, are you going to keep secrets from even me?”
Teran appeared to be in deep thought about what it was that Edgar was referring to, but he should have understood immediately.
“How did you find out about the movements of the Earl family?”
“… To begin with, you should know of the details, such as the way to go to Ibrazel and where Ibrazel is; all of the secrets held by that family of the Blue Knight Earl’s.”
He looked towards Edgar, as if he was sounding him out.
“You should’ve asked this body before I awakened.”
“Can’t you recall even now?”
“You’re skilled at making people who don’t want to talk, talk right?”
“You must be joking. I can’t possibly torture you.”
The provocation that, if possible he’d want to do so, seeped through Teran’s thin smile. Although those eyes of Teran’s, who had inherited the blood of a demonic beast, had the ability to make people shudder by itself, Edgar took on that gaze without averting his eyes.
“It’s Ermine.”
Finally, Teran said so. At the current moment, it appeared that he had no intention to go against Edgar, even if it’s simply Edgar himself.
“I made her approach the doctor who is on friendly terms with the Earl family. It’s from there that I obtained information on Ibrazel and the ship.”
Francis huh.
So, Ermine is Francis’ spy, but Teran thinks of it in the opposite manner. I wonder how things are in actual fact. Edgar tried thinking things over a little.
He really couldn’t imagine that Ermine seriously obeyed Teran. If that’s the case, then did that mean that Francis had deliberately leaked information to Teran?
Although he couldn’t imagine Francis doing things that would expose themselves to danger no matter what, he didn’t fully understand the sort of things Francis was likely to do.
“Is that the truth?”
“Why are you doubting me?”
The white puppy growled uneasily in a corner of the room. Edgar felt a sense of dread; he thought it was likely for a half-fairy-demon in a bad mood to strangle a puppy to death.
But Teran didn’t seem to even pay attention to the puppy.
“That’s enough. Leave.”
“Your Highness, if it seems like you still can’t get used to that body, I’ll be willing to provide assistance anytime to make that body completely yours.”
Leaving those words behind, Teran left the room.
That’s a declaration of war huh, that he’d make me awaken as Prince completely.
Edgar heightened his sense of danger. To begin with, Teran had considered treating Lydia cruelly in order to kill Edgar’s heart. Even now, he should still be thinking of laying his hands on Lydia.
In order to show Edgar Lydia suffering, that man will probably turn into something worse than the devil.
Like how he made the village girl put on the red-hot iron boots…
Most likely, he wouldn’t stop at something of that level.
“Can I stop him?”
The puppy looked up towards Edgar with his peridot eyes.
“Do you remember Lydia? … No, I guess you’re not that puppy then. But once you meet her, you’ll like her. Someday, when we can live together with Lydia, I’ll bring you along and let’s go to that village then to have a picnic. You can run about the field of clovers as much as you want. And I think that Lydia won’t say that she’s lonely anymore.”
As he carried the puppy up and spoke to it, Edgar became conscious of the fact that the unavoidable battle that he had to take on in order to see such a future had begun.

​
*

​
“If Lord Ashenbert has become Prince, then we must hurry.”
Saying that, Patrick struck the counter table with his fist forcefully.
They were in an old pub and that aged counter shook, causing the coffee cups on it to shake as well.
Darnell picked up his cup in order to protect his drink from the shaking counter, and downed his drink in one mouthful.
 “It’s not good to rush things, for all matters. Moreover, it’s not my forte to court women.”
“Court? Miss Lydia is your fiancée. Is there a need to court her?”
Darnell revealed a bitter smile to Patrick.
“Patrick, it seems that you too are distant from romance.”
Having that pointed out by a man younger than himself, Patrick furrowed his brows with displeasure.
“Marriage doesn’t need things like love; isn’t that what it is?”
“Yes, but to separate two people who love each other, only a change of heart … in other words, only a new love can do so. Doing so by force will only have the opposite effect. It will definitely deepen the love between the two people.”
“You’re too much of an artist.”
Saying that, he laughed.
“As long as Prince exists, even if it’s Ms Lydia, she’ll be in danger. Once she understands that the Earl is no longer who he was in the past and is nothing more than a devil, she too will change her mind and help us.”
“But doesn’t Lady Lydia not have memories of receiving something at the Sacred Land? It can’t be helped since she was a baby, but in the event that what was hidden in the Sacred Land was lost, the prophecy of defeating the Prince of Calamity will not be fulfilled.”
Patrick gulped down his whiskey, as if he was saying that he didn’t want to think about that.
“Even if we argued among ourselves, we won’t come to a conclusion. By the way, how’s Ms Lydia doing? She seems to be keeping herself shut in the mansion recently; is she drowning in despair?”
“She does seem to be depressed, but since her surroundings are lively she should be fine. Furthermore, I heard that she’d be leaving London for some time.”
“To escape from reality? Where’s she headed to? We need to keep watch over her. I trust that you’ve asked about that right?”
“No, I thought that you’d have investigated into it a long time ago.”
“The Earl family doesn’t look like it’s making such preparations. They didn’t even arrange for train tickets.”
“Then, they may be travelling by carriage.”
Patrick fell into deep thought, while putting on a difficult expression.
“I’m curious about where she’s going. It’d be problematic if Ms Lydia fell into Prince’s hands. If it’s that Earl, even if he became Prince, he may still be obsessed with her.”
“That’s true.”
That was what Darnell feared the most as well.
There wasn’t any human who wouldn’t think of wanting to use a strong power he gained in order to fulfil his own wishes. And that Earl’s will to do anything for the sake of his objective is one level stronger than others’; he was a person who has the drive to do so. He’d probably become a Prince who was more dominating than those before him.
To add to that, if the Earl’s own personality still retained his feelings towards Lydia, he wondered what Lydia would do.
She’s a fairy doctor. And so Darnell personally wanted to think that she wouldn’t follow someone who was the ruler of the Unseelie Courts.
However, if she were to reject the Earl, she would probably be forced into a life of slavery, or even have her life taken.
Power was something which could change people. It could also twist the form love took.
“Darnell, if it’s impossible for you to court her, in any case, do persuade her to cooperate with us.”
Nodding in agreement, Darnell cast a glance towards the clock placed in the shop.
“Sorry Patrick, I’ll have to excuse myself for I have work in the afternoon.”
It was his habit to have a cup of coffee before work. During the time when he came here for that purpose, Patrick appeared.
“Sure… Speaking of which, Darnell, were you at some recital somewhere last night? I dropped by your lodgings but you weren’t in, so I came here today to try looking for you.”
“Yeah, I was at a party room in a club until dawn.”
“Putting that aside, there’s a ghost in your room.”
“A ghost?”
“She seemed to have been killed in a horrible manner. She was a young ghost who was all tattered and worn-out.”
Hearing that, Darnell stopped moving.
Wasn’t that the female ghost called Emma who came to the earl mansion? But why would that be in Darnell’s room?
“That ghost, what was she doing in my room?”
“I wonder. She ran away immediately.”
Was that really the female ghost called Emma?
If it wasn’t, what could it be?
I may end up having to cancel my work in the afternoon. Even as Darnell thought so, he picked up his violin which he placed by his foot and left the pub in a hurry without saying a word to Patrick.
Darnell, who rushed to the Earl mansion at Mayfair, was about to ring the doorbell, but at that moment, he sensed something moving in the shrubbery at the side of the porch, and turned to face it.
There was something caught in the depths of the overlapping leaves. It was something fur-like which was moving slightly and was worn out.
This is…
Darnell bent down beside the shrubbery, knelt down on the ground and stuck his hand inside the shrubbery.
He pulled out the thing which he grabbed. That thing which looked like a ball of fur was a limp grey-coloured cat.
No, it’s not a cat but a fairy. He recalled that he was Lydia’s partner, and if he was not wrong, the fairy was called Nico.
“Hey, pull yourself together. What happened?”
His appearance also started to look faintly transparent. As it stands, it was already impossible for a normal human to find him.
Darnell tried shaking him, but Nico did not even try to open his eyes. It was as if his life was sucked out of him.
He’d probably disappear at this rate. Darnell hurried to knock the door of the earl mansion, and suddenly said to the middle-aged butler who answered the door:
“Do you have walnuts?”
“If almonds are fine, I do have them.”
As expected of the butler of the Earl family, not only did he not reveal a look of suspicion, he even smiled with a face that made one think of Merrows.
“Please give me one.”
Certainly, said the butler, and after he guided Darnell into the entrance hall, he took out an almond nut from his pocket. It may had been his snack.
Laying Nico down on the carpet which covered the floor, Darnell forced the almond into Nico’s mouth. He didn’t know whether Nico had swallowed it but since the body of fairies do not consume and digest food to begin with, it was probably fine. Darnell thought so and took a breath.
The butler stared at Darnell who suddenly sat down, and after some time, let out a voice of ‘oooh’.

​“Mr Nico… what on earth is this?”
It seemed that he realized that the ball of fur was Nico. 
“He collapsed at the shrubbery outside. It seems that he has somehow recovered to the extent that you can even see his appearance.” 
“Do almonds work for fairies?”
“Because there is life energy packed into seeds, it’s the best thing to use to replenish life energy quickly for fairies.”
“Oh, how about for humans?”
“I wonder. It should be good for the body in the sense that it contains nutrients.”
“I see.”
Nodding earnestly, he blinked his wide set eyes.
“That’s right, is Lady Lydia in?”
As Nico’s condition had stabilized, Darnell finally recalled his original purpose in coming to the mansion. He thought of coming to tell her that he was bothered about the ghost.
“Mistress had left this morning. As it would become a prolonged trip, I do not know when she will return.”
Was today the day of departure? I’m too late. At the same time as he thought so, an increasing sense of dread spread across his chest.
“He is Lady Lydia’s partner right? Why didn’t he leave for the trip together with her?”
When he said so, the butler tilted his head to the side.
“I thought that they had departed together. I did see Mr Nico board the carriage with my very own eyes… I wonder what’s going on.”
What’s going on here? Darnell too felt like tilting his head to the side.
“… That’s… an imposter…”
As he let out a feeble voice, at that moment, Nico lifted his eyelids slightly.
“What happened? You lost quite a significant amount of life energy and collapsed.”
Nico appeared to try to move his body, but it seemed to be too much for him and he let out a sigh-like sound of ‘umya…’
“I was attacked by that… the ghost called Emma… it sucked my blood.”
It’s that ghost. No, as I thought, it’s not simply a ghost.
The blood of fairies was their very energy for existence. It was probably more accurate to term it as life energy rather than blood, but that apparition probably sucked the blood of humans as well.
“Ghosts can’t do such things. If that’s true, then it’s an Unseelie Court.”
“What did you say!?”
The butler rounded his round eyes even more.
“… Don’t tell me… those guys, they…”
Nico somehow managed to move his head.
“Yeah, that must be it. There’s no doubt that it was sent here by ‘Prince’s’ organization to sound out the Earl family’s movements. It appears that they even investigated me. Furthermore, that thing is most likely capable of taking on Nico’s form by sucking his blood.”
“Then Mistress Lydia is in danger.”
Turning to face the butler, Darnell nodded firmly.
“Where is she headed off to? I’ll bring Nico along and chase after her immediately.”
But it seemed that the butler was hesitant towards revealing Lydia’s whereabouts to an outsider. Darnell was nothing more than a violinist who was acquainted with the Earl and Countess, and today was the second time he visited the mansion.
“This person is… Lydia’s relative. He’s not the enemy…”
To the Earl who was the butler’s master, Darnell may become an enemy. Nico, who had likely omitted that on purpose, probably thought that they had no choice but to depend on Darnell who was somewhat knowledgeable about fairies. 
“She’s headed to a place called Wickerbone. I only know that she would be boarding a ship from there.”
“The ship… is departing tonight… If we don’t hurry, we won’t make it…”
“I understand.”
Darnell carried Nico up urgently.