Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 25 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 ♦ ​From the ends of the earth

“Where’s the Earl?”
Carefully curled honey blond hair swayed underneath an expensive laced bonnet. A fair-skinned and slim young girl alighted from a carriage a moment ago, and had just rushed into a mansion.
Although she had simply ran a short distance from the porch in, she was out of breath. It was probably due to her tightening her corset to the maximum possible. Alternatively, it could be due to her wearing multiple layers of petticoats or the large volume of frills which were too heavy.
That young lady, whose attire was slightly unsuitable for this countryside town in Cornwall, looked reproachfully at Ulysses, who deliberately welcomed her slowly.
“He’s not the Earl; please address that person as His Highness, Lady Kathleen.”
The refined young girl appeared to be displeased with Ulysses’ hypocritically courteous attitude, and so she furrowed her brows slightly.
It was also probably because at one glance, he appeared to be an immature youth of seventeen or eighteen. Kathleen had always despised him, but even so, for now, she nodded composedly, as she hid her irate feelings behind a Lady’s pride.
“… Well then, so he has turned into His Highness right?”
 “I still can’t say anything.”
“I heard that he is ill.”
“Yes. His current state is such that he isn’t able to meet anyone.”
The words of a clear rejection, ‘isn’t able to meet’, appeared to have offended her. Kathleen drew close towards Ulysses.
“I, am the woman who will become that person’s wife.”
“You are not his wife yet.”
Those words too, rubbed her the wrong way again.
“Where’s Teran?”
As if she was saying that there’s no use speaking with Ulysses, she spoke of the name of another from the top brass. However, that man was someone whom Ulysses hated. Teran had gathered the support of the radical faction in the Organization and tried to overthrow Ulysses.
But from now on, I won’t let Teran have his way. Thinking so, Ulysses snickered as he felt that he could take Kathleen down a peg anytime.
“Well, since this place is a mansion which belongs to me.”
Ulysses hinted that he himself, was the one who reigned over the Organization as Prince’s deputy. Teran probably wouldn’t recognize that, but that was Ulysses’ belief. That’s why Ulysses did not intend to listen to what Teran had to say in this mansion.
Until now, Ulysses had kept a distance from Kathleen in order to stop her from intruding, but Teran had fueled her arrogance, by already treating her like a princess.
Obviously, to her, Teran, who had raised her up and had given her a definite promise of a marriage with the Highness, was more agreeable.
However, both Teran and Ulysses held the same fundamental emotions towards Kathleen.
To use anyone they can and to eradicate them if they got in the way. In fact, Teran was the one who would get rid of useless existences cruelly, but the optimistic young lady didn’t know that.
“If you’re asking for Teran, he’ll probably come soon. If you want to wait for him, please come this way.”
Perhaps Kathleen had given up and accepted that she had no choice but to depend on Teran in order to meet with ‘His Highness’ whom she had her eyes on, she obeyed Ulysses silently, as he led the way.
After they started to walk towards the staircase, they saw a woman in man’s clothing coming down from the top.
That woman, who stopped in order to give way to Ulysses, was Teran’s underling. She betrayed Ulysses and followed Teran.
She did that because she admired ‘Prince’. And so, because she succeeded in bringing the new Prince into the Organization under Teran’s instructions, her wish came true and she stayed by ‘Prince’s’ side.
She was entrusted to take personal care of the Highness, who remained unconscious even now, from the time when he collapsed on board the ship.
Kathleen seemed to be bothered by that woman in man’s clothing, as she stopped in her tracks. It was probably because a smell of disinfectant drifted over from that woman who was carrying a silver pitcher.
“Who’s this woman? Is she His Highness’ nurse?”
“She’s simply a mistress.”
Ulysses deliberately provoked her.
“What did you say!?”
Kathleen raised her voice and glared at the woman in man’s clothing. Kathleen, who carried the atmosphere of a typical sheltered young woman of noble birth, was quite the pretty girl herself; but there’s no mistake that she felt jealous towards the woman who, despite being covered in a simple black frock coat and had hair which only reached her shoulders, possessed both beauty and charm, without having to doll herself up.
“I will not allow things like mistresses.”
“I simply work as His Highness desires.”
The response was one which paid no attention to Kathleen.
“Ermine, leave immediately.”
Ulysses drove away the woman in man’s clothing before things became troublesome.
He was aware that Ermine was strong-willed, but he had thought that Kathleen was a woman who was a little more mild-mannered. It was because Teran spoiled her that she turned into someone who would speak up and interfere.
Although it had been an Organization which Ulysses and the previous Prince developed steadily together, Teran had stirred things up quite a bit. That too was something Ulysses was unable to stomach.
But the problem he’d face from now on, was probably ‘Prince’ himself rather than Teran. Ulysses wondered what kind of existence the new Prince would be, and how he would guide the Organization.
Ulysses did not want to leave that role of guiding Prince to Teran. Once Prince awakens, he must first have Prince recognize himself as the close aide.
For that purpose, Ulysses had his eye on one woman.
Lydia Ashenbert. The woman who was the wife of Edgar Ashenbert, the one who was trying to awaken as ‘Prince’ at this very moment.
She’ll probably be a lot more useful than Kathleen or Ermine.
Ulysses pushed Kathleen into the reception room and shut the door. At the same time, he drove her out of his mind, but without having any break to calm himself down, he heard an unpleasant voice.
“It seems that Prince is having a hard time.”
The man who was climbing up the stairs of the entrance hall, was Teran.
When he removed his hat, the scar on his forehead became visible. That wound which cut into and across his forehead horizontally, looked like a tightly shut eyelid embedded in the forehead and so it was eerie. However, regardless of whether there’s a scar or not, the fact that Teran was an eerie existence which inherited the blood of a demonic creature didn’t change.
“By ‘having a hard time’, you mean?”
Even though Ulysses was overtly frowning at Teran, he was bothered by the meaning behind Teran’s words and so he asked Teran back.
“The consciousness of the earl himself and the memories of the first prince are fighting inside that earl. If we’re talking about how things were until now, our Prince should have dominated the new body without much effort, but this time things probably won’t go that way.”
The Organization had failed in killing the earl’s own personality.  Yet, Prince’s memories were absorbed into that body.
“Because there’s also the possibility of the first Prince losing.”
“Prince has the ability to control dark magic. That ability will stain even a person’s heart with darkness. I can’t imagine that that earl will be able to remain as he was in the past.”
“But that Lord isn’t a person you can make light of.”
“Have you suffered countless hardships at his hands? I won’t make such blunders.”
As he was ridiculed, Ulysses ground his teeth. It’s true that Ulysses had been fooled by that earl, Edgar Ashenbert, countless times. From the time when he was just a child called Ted, he couldn’t be dealt with using ordinary means.
Somewhere inside Ulysses, he may be hoping that Teran would be taught a lesson about that.
“More importantly, Teran, you’re the one who informed Miss Kathleen of His Highness’ location weren't you?"
Teran shrugged his shoulders and walked off. Ulysses chased after him, as he expressed that their conversation wasn’t over.
“Stop feeding into that woman’s ego.”
“Lady Kathleen is the one who is most suited to be His Highness’ consort. There isn’t a problem with calling her over here.”
“His Highness’ condition isn’t clear. She can meet him after his condition has stabilized.”
“It’s precisely because His Highness’ condition is ambiguous, that we should take the initiative to make it clear. It’ll be troubling if he recalls his attachment to his wife.”
“Troubling? Why? We can make use of that fairy doctor.”
“We must kill that fairy doctor. Before she reaches Ibrazel.”
“Are you still saying that sort of thing? You were just warned by His Highness, that he wouldn’t allow you to act on your own.”
Revealing only a thin smile on his lips, Teran stopped in his tracks.
“That woman won’t do. Somehow there’s this bad feeling around her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that she is bad luck to Prince.”
Ulysses clicked his tongue as he thought that Teran was putting on airs.
“We don’t know what kind of effect it will have on His Highness if we lay our hands on that fairy doctor. If the Lord’s consciousness remains, he may try to destroy us all by dragging us down.”
“That’s all the more reason why. To erase the earl completely, for the sake of resurrecting a perfect Prince and for the sake of a new kingdom, we must kill that woman.”
If Teran would self-destruct by taking actions which go against Prince, that was exactly what Ulysses wished for. However, it would be a problem for Ulysses if that would interfere with his plan to obtain Ibrazel.
“Don’t take matters into your own hands. Even His Highness won’t forgive you this time round. Also, no matter how many times you come, it’ll be pointless. His Highness still isn’t in a state to meet anyone.”
Ulysses spat out so and turned on his heels.
“If he’s able to awaken, his thinking will probably change as well.”
Teran threw such challenging words at Ulysses’ back.

​
*

Lydia and the others had alighted at a port in Penzance; five days had since passed from when they departed from the fields of Wiltshire.
This was a port town that was not far off from Land’s End, the most westerly point of Cornwall. It seemed that ships had sensed that the weather would worsen and so had gathered at this town. As a result, this town, though small, appeared to be bustling.
This place was the first sight of Britain’s land that ships which travelled across the vast Pacific would have. For Lydia and the others, once they depart from here, they’d be pushing through nothing but vast seas. A voyage different from the one they had thus far, by progressing as they watched Cornwall’s coasts, would begin.
They had just stopped by this port town in order to procure the necessary items before proceeding on their journey. In order to avoid getting found by Prince’s Organization, they came thus far by being cautious in their route; even for the duration while they were docked in the harbour, Swan had changed the ship’s appearance so as to fool the Organization’s eyes.
“The clouds are moving. It looks like it’ll start raining soon.”
Lota looked up towards the sky after she loaded the wagon with things like wheat, butter and such which they bought at the Market Place.
Lydia loaded valuables such as black tea and sugar into a wooden chest with a lock. The back of the wagon already had food which can be preserved, such as potatoes, nuts, dried grapes, cheese and such, loaded onto it.
“Hey, Lydia. This is quite delicious. They say it’s called a pasty.”
When they looked, they found a grey cat sitting on top of their load, stuffing its cheek full with something pie-like.
“Nico, don’t sit on the butter.”
“It’s fine if it’s just for a short while isn’t it? I thought that it’s about time everyone’s hungry, so I bought these you know.”
Nico pushed out the contents of the paper bag at one go. A delicious smell drifted out from there.
“Heh, aren’t you considerate. Lydia, let’s take a bite too.”
“Yeah… but this, do we eat with our bare hands?”
“Yup that’s right. You pinch off this edge here, where the bread is hard, and bite into it. If you do so, you’ll be left with just that hard portion right? Then you can share that portion with the fairies. You can eat this even if your hands are still dirty; this is the correct way to eat pasties.”
Nico swayed his tufty tail in good spirits, and as he did so, he threw away the piece of bread he pinched off.
Before that piece fell onto the ground, a small fairy came running out from nowhere and caught it; Lydia caught a glance of it retreating into a thicket again.
“Lydia, it’s impossible that we’ll meet an acquaintance in this town. Things like a countess eating with her bare hands while standing around won’t spread as a rumour in London.”
It’s as Lota said, thought Lydia as she smiled.
“You’re right. Let’s help ourselves to that.”
Seating herself on the wagon alongside Lota, Lydia pinched off the edge of the bread in the manner Nico taught. The bread was still warm, and its well-cooked brownness whetted their appetite.
Wagons passed by each other continuously at the market’s plaza; it was crowded with merchants, seamen and the like as they tried to finish their errands before the rain fell.
There was no point in being bothered with aristocratic manners in such a place.  Lydia bit into the pasty with her mouth wide opened like a child’s. The pasty had meat and vegetables stuffed into it generously.
“Hey Nico, where’s Kelly?”
Nico was a fairy in the form of a cat. He walked on twos and spoke, but most people could only see him as a normal cat. There’s no way he was able to buy pasties by himself or have the manner of eating pasties taught to him. There was also no way he’d be so considerate as to buy everyone’s share. Lydia figured that it was probably Kelly who bought it.
“She went to search for lodgings where we can stay tonight.”
“I see, since the lodgings near the harbour are all full. It’ll be great if she’s able to find vacant rooms.”
“Since the seas are likely to be rough tonight, even the seamen are all probably searching for a bed on land.”
While they were having such a conversation, Nico tried to reach his hand into the paper bag of pasties again. Lydia swiftly withdrew the bag.
“What’s left are for the others right?”
Tsk, as Nico clicked his tongue. Behind him, Lydia saw the figure of Francis coming towards them from the depths of the crowd.
With his long silver hair tied up into a single bundle and a black eye patch across one eye, Francis’ figure was somewhat conspicuous. Raven and Paul’s figures could also be seen beside him.
“He~y, Lydia. We’ve loaded the oil and coal onto the ship.
“Thanks everyone.”
“We’ve arranged for the barrels of wine to be delivered tomorrow. With this, I wonder if we’ve gathered most of what we need.”
Paul said so.
“Yes, it’s perfect.”
“What’s left is just to wait for departure.”
“It’d be good if Prince’s Organization doesn’t appear before then.”
It was exactly as Nico said. There was no doubt that the Organization was pursuing them.
“Raven, did you see anyone suspicious?”
For the current moment, they had Raven keeping a lookout for them. If it was Raven, he’d probably be able to find persons behaving suspiciously even if they blended into crowds.
“No. Up until now, I’ve not discovered any signs of Prince’s Organization on the move.”
The dark-skinned valet of the earl family answered with his usual indifference.
“They probably don’t have the time to bother with us for the time being.”
Francis said so. Realizing the meaning behind those words, Lydia’s heart fell into disarray and she lowered her gaze.
That was probably because Edgar collapsed.
With Edgar’s help, everyone from the earl family escaped from the Organization’s siege and managed to set off on their journey towards Ibrazel. However, at that time, it appeared that Edgar had ran out of strength as he collapsed on Teran’s ship.
Edgar appeared to have completely released ‘Prince’s memories’ which were inside him. He buried the female demon using Prince’s powers and interfered with Teran’s plans.
Lydia didn’t know anything about what happened after that.
Lydia wondered if the magic of the Prince of Calamity had infiltrated Edgar’s body like a poison, tormenting him. When she thought so, Lydia felt pained as well.
Everything was for Lydia’s sake. Since Teran was after Lydia’s life, Edgar himself felt that if things stayed the way they were, the both of them would not have a peaceful future, so he decided to fight Prince.
By becoming one with Prince and throwing himself into the Organization, Edgar tried to protect Lydia and the earl family.
That’s why Lydia had to do her very best, both as Edgar’s wife and as a fairy doctor.
By thinking that once they’re able to reach Ibrazel they may be able to obtain powers to oppose Prince, Lydia had reached the point where she would be leaving England together with her friends.
However, it was still early and their journey had only just begun.
“I wonder if Edgar’s alright.”
He wouldn’t leave Lydia behind. They’d definitely be able to meet again. Although he had promised her so, because they didn’t know what kind of influence Prince’s memories would bring about in him, simply thinking about it made Lydia uneasy.
“I think that he is fighting Prince. Prince is probably trying to take over a new body but Edgar himself is probably resisting that. For the time being, the Organization too can only watch over his situation and so it can’t move.”
Lydia wondered if things like fighting inside himself would hurt Edgar’s body. Shaking off her feelings of wanting to cry, Lydia smiled firmly.
“For now, we can only pray. We have to find Ibrazel quickly.”
Because once she thought of the trials Edgar was facing, Lydia couldn’t give up.
As Lydia was thinking of this, a figure approached her side quietly. As she turned to face it, she saw a red-haired young man who stopped in his tracks.
“Lady, I’ve been in your care.”
Darnell said so, and bowed politely.
“I was able to get a seat on a stagecoach, so I’ll excuse myself.”
Darnell had ended up boarding Lydia’s ship due to unforeseen circumstances. Because no matter what, there was no way they could bring him along like this to Ibrazel, things ended up with them having him alight the ship at a port somewhere.
“Is that so… I’m the one who should give my thanks. In the end, you ended up accompanying us to such a far off place.”
“No, it was a valuable personal experience.”
“Do you have enough to cover your travel expenses until London?”
“Yes, because I have this.”
Darnell stroked the case which contained his violin. No wonder, if it was him, he’d probably be able to earn a living no matter where he was anytime.
“Furthermore, since the railroads extend to a town a little east from here, places like Cornwall are nearby, when compared to Hebrides.”
If Cornwall was the westernmost part of Britain, then Darnell’s hometown of Hebrides would be the northernmost part of Britain. It was a remote region further inside of Scotland’s Highlands. Once they thought that there’s even such a part of Britain, Cornwall was incomparably connected, transport-wise.
When Lydia smiled slightly, Darnell too narrowed his eyes gently. And then, his expression suddenly became serious and he spoke up.
“Lady Lydia, may I have a little of your time?”
This meant that he wanted to speak with her in private. Lydia was slightly perplexed but she had an inkling as to what he wanted to talk about. She nodded as there wasn’t any reason to avoid him, and she left everyone’s side for a short while.
The pasty she started eating still had about half left, but she threw it over to the fairies at the roots of a shrubbery and gave it to them.
She knew that Raven had followed behind them quietly but there was no helping that since they were in a situation in which they wouldn’t know where enemies would appear.
Even without that, Darnell was a person who was not welcomed by the earl family. For Edgar’s sake, Raven would keep an eye to make sure that Darnell didn’t lay his hands on Lydia.
That’s why Darnell too seemed like he pretended not to see Raven who followed them silently.
Darnell stopped in his tracks at the edge of the market place and looked straight towards Lydia. Although Raven kept a little distance, he was in a position where they could see him clearly but Darnell did not care and started.
“I intend to be your strength at any time. In the event that the power to bury Prince doesn’t exist in Ibrazel, please remember me.”
It’s said that Darnell was the McKeels’ Prophet. Since it was also someone from the McKeels who created the Prince of Calamity, it meant that it would also be the one from the McKeels, called the ‘Prophet’, who’d be able to destroy Prince.
And Lydia was the Prophet’s Betrothed. Darnell said that since Lydia’s late mother had shouldered that role which was decided by the McKeels, now Lydia should be the one who was shouldering that role.
It seemed that it was the McKeels’ legend that, by marrying Darnell, who was said to be the Prophet, and granting him the powers in the Sacred Land, Darnell would be able to bury the ‘Prince of Calamity’.
But then, Lydia didn’t know the details of the prophecy’s contents. As a result of both the prophecy and the powers being hidden carefully in order to deceive the enemy’s eyes, the intention of the prophecy ended up not being known accurately; both Lydia and her mother also abandoned their roles as the Betrothed and married the persons they wanted to.
Even though she knew that Edgar had taken in Prince’s memories, Lydia did not hesitate in marrying him. She also had no intention to assist either the McKeels or Darnell the Prophet if they were going to harm Edgar.
“I cannot rely on you. Even if I cannot obtain what I wish for in Ibrazel.”
That’s why, Lydia said so clearly.
“I understand your thinking that you are Countess Ashenbert and your marriage with me the Prophet is impossible. But most probably, the earl thinks that your marriage never happened. Depending on the situation, he may try to take your life.”
Darnell spoke of dreadful things easily.
That was what Lydia was most afraid of. It was not that she may be killed; she did not want to think that Edgar may not acknowledge their marriage.
However, if he ended up being dominated by Prince, that was highly likely to happen.
“Is that… your prophecy?”
“No, it’s the inevitable.”
“Edgar won’t lose to Prince.”
Lydia rebutted, but Darnell ignored her and furthered his point.
“If it were us, we may be able to save the earl’s soul. It’s not my objective to take the earl’s life so if we can find a method to erase only Prince, I wish to do so. That’s why, will you please also lend me your strength?”
“For that to happen, the prerequisite is that I have to break up with Edgar and marry you right?”
“That is necessary in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled.”
Lydia looked fixedly at Darnell’s face. Although he gave the impression that he was too serious, but perhaps because he wasn’t pretentious, he wasn’t a person who was difficult to approach.
Once he played his violin, that manner of his which charmed people with his violin’s tone, was like the chalcedony which sleeps in the vast lands of the Highlands. Although it was by no means flamboyant, once it awakens from its sleep, together with a deep brilliance and passion, the silent strength which withstood the desolate years, would probably capture the hearts of people.
Darnell was the complete opposite of Edgar in everything. Lydia wondered if she would have accepted her fate together with him as the ‘Betrothed’ if she had not met Edgar.
It was not difficult to look at Darnell favourably, but no matter what, the current Lydia couldn’t imagine herself falling in love with him.
“Mr Darnell, marriage to you, is it for Britain’s sake? The McKeels’ sake? Or for the sake of your mission as the Prophet?”
Darnell thought a little before answering slowly.
“If you become so minded, I promise that I will respect you as an individual woman and treasure you for my whole life.”
“I see you’re not saying that you’ll love me.”
“The earl is probably the only one you’ll love. I intend to accept you as you are.”
Until death do us part. Because they’ve sworn before God, even if Edgar became Prince, Lydia intended to love only Edgar.
Furthermore, it was also not as if Darnell wished for Lydia’s love. She thought that he was probably not the sort of person who would be deeply involved in women. He had already offered his soul to his muse. Rather than saying that his wanting of Lydia was for Britain or the Clan, it was probably more accurate to say that, it was for his desire in wanting to know about his fate, like how he said this before. 
“What an odd proposal.”
“Because a conventional proposal probably wouldn’t be able to rival the earl’s, since he is skilled at moving the hearts of women.”
“But Mr Darnell, I do not have what it is that you wish for. Because I could not have obtained anything at the Sacred Land.” 
Darnell simply responded in silence to that.
“May you have a pleasant voyage.”
After he said that short response and left Lydia, the figure of his carrying a single violin case, immediately blended into the crowd and could no longer be seen.
Please read this at Daydream Translations

Together with the start of a downpour, the restaurant on the first floor of the inn became completely full.
“It’s great that we found lodgings. This is all thanks to Kelly.”
“Because there happened to be vacancies, we’re really fortunate.”
Even as she was humble, Kelly smiled brightly as she accomplished her task.
Although the cold winds and rain gradually started to make louder sounds outside the window, with the lighted dining tables on land, once they carried warm food into their mouths, everyone’s nervousness were relieved somewhat and their feelings calmed down.
“This fish pie is pretty good. It goes well with beer doesn’t it?”
Lota, who was used to voyages, was completely relaxed, and she downed her beer mugs faster than anyone else. Francis looked at her with a sidelong glance, seemingly exasperated, but he suddenly questioned Lydia.
“Hey Lydia, what did you talk with Darnell about?”
“Erm… that’s right, about Mr Darnell’s stand and opinion.”
It was a conversation which was rather unromantic to be called a proposal.
“Huh, meaning to obey the prophecy?”
Lota interrupted, and Francis frowned at that.
“To begin with, we don’t know if that guy’s the real Prophet right?”
“But if he isn’t real, then what’s his objective in pretending to be the Prophet? I wonder if there’s any advantage to the McKeels.”
Paul’s words had a point.
“In any case, they want to make Lydia marry someone from the McKeels right? Wasn’t there something like a second betrothed? If even that guy was fine, then wouldn’t it be fine to have a third or even a fourth?”
That may be the case. It was only that, to Lydia, regardless of whether Darnell was the Prophet or not, she felt that he seemed to know something about the Prophet.
“Although I was worried that he might intend to follow us all the way to Ibrazel, for now I’m relieved that he’s gone back.”
“I wonder if he’ll really return straight to London.”
After Lota voiced her doubts, everyone looked at each other’s faces, perhaps because they too were concerned about that.
“We’re leaving England. He can’t follow us.”
“That’s true. Rather than Mr Darnell, our problem is more about having our location discovered by Prince’s Organization. Let’s be careful.”
Lydia said so. Each time she mentioned that Organization, she couldn’t help thinking about Edgar, and her heart pricked in pain.
Edgar’s in the Organization. Yet Lydia had to keep running away from him. Severing her feelings of wanting to see him, Lydia thought of both Prince and the Organization as simply their enemies.
Even if Darnell had no intention of returning directly, for the time being, he was probably not harmful to them. Their biggest problem was still Prince’s Organization.
“That’s right. Even if the weather improves, it’s uncertain if we can depart immediately.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“Francis, there’s still one more thing we must resolve before we leave our country. It’s about Lyonesse.”
In order to head towards Ibrazel, they had to trace the same path which the ancestors of the earl family had taken. However, they did not know about ‘Lyonesse’, which was a waypoint that was marked on the map.
In the distant past, guided by magical lines which connected the earth’s magic, the ancestors of the earl family departed towards the Pacific Ocean by passing through Penzance and Land’s End. Lydia thought that they knew about the country ‘Lyonesse’, which was the next signpost in this area.
As the name Lyonesse had appeared in ancient stories, Lydia had heard of it as well, but since it was a land in legends, whether Lyonesse truly existed wasn’t even certain. But if it was about lands in legends, then Ibrazel was the same as well. For all they knew, Lyonesse may also exist even now, unbeknownst to anyone.
If that’s the case, then legends concerning Lyonesse’s location could still be left around in this area.
“Ahh, is that so? That’s right. But we’ll definitely find clues soon enough.”
As usual, Francis spoke optimistically.
“Erm, this may be unrelated to that, but I heard something strange at the market.”
Paul said so, as if he recalled something.
“What was it about?”
“Erm, there’s a small group of islands off the coast of Land’s End right? I heard that people haven’t been able to make contact with one of the villages there since some time ago. Even if they sent out letters, there aren’t replies; there are also rumours of people who entered the islands becoming missing and not returning.”
“If you’re referring to islands off the coast, it’s the Isles of Scilly huh.” 
“I heard that when people pass by near those islands in the middle of the night, ships can sway so violently that they’re about to capsize even though there aren’t waves. Strange voices can be heard and there are even seamen who jump into the seas which suddenly gushed out.”
“That’s eerie.”
Furrowing her brows, Lota turned to look at Lydia.
“Does it look like it’s related to fairies?”
“Unseelie Courts may be gathered there.”
“If that’s the case, then Prince’s Organization may be ruling over that area.”
“I wonder if Lord Edgar is there.”
Raven, who had kept quiet all this while, unusually spoke up. Lydia too was bothered by that.
“…I wonder about that. Since the Organization probably doesn’t have only one single base, we don’t know.”
I wonder which island of the Isles of Scilly Edgar is at. Which village is it? Lydia suppressed her feelings of wanting to voice those questions out.
“It’s best if we proceed while making sure that we don’t approach the Isles of Scilly.”
When Lydia somehow managed to say that, everyone nodded as well.
They had to run away from Edgar. For the sake of his battle with Prince as well, Lydia and the others had to hurry towards Ibrazel.
That would probably also be connected to saving the villages which were ruled by the Organization.

​
*

​
The taste of the flesh of Unseelie Courts, which were poured into the mouth of an infant shortly after birth, thoroughly corroded the human soul. The ‘Prince of Calamity’ was created like this, and became a demon lord who controlled dark magic.
Edgar was still unable to regain consciousness; as he was tossed around by powers which were like scorching heat inside an overwhelming darkness, Edgar thought about what a demon lord was.
A demon lord wasn’t a demonic creature. The ones who were able to use magic and exert a strong influence over the human realm weren’t powerful demonic creatures; in the first place, it was a human who did not possess magic.
By using a human as an intermediary, for the first time, magic became a force that was able to change the human realm. That was precisely why, the human who obtained a connection with Unseelie Courts, would rule over the demonic creatures.
The ‘Prince of Calamity’ who was inside Edgar, was the only person who held that power. And, the moment the ‘memories’, which were the essence of that power, destroyed the cage and burst forth, it began to act violently as it raged on like a storm.
Edgar wasn’t able to hold on to his consciousness. No, it was as if he himself was cut off and separated from his body, with only his consciousness cast out into the darkness. And by the time he realized, he was on a small boat which was thrown out into the rough seas, while he lay crouched as he was at his wit’s end.
He understood that this was an illusion brought about by Prince’s memories. And he had to defeat ‘Prince’. Otherwise, at this rate, he’d probably be swallowed by the waves and disappear.
Ahead of him, he saw an island with a protruding cliff. The figure of a person standing there, looked towards him and was laughing.
It’s Prince. The very first, Prince of Calamity, in the form of a young boy.
Edgar considered swimming over towards the island. Half of these rough seas too were born out from Edgar’s own consciousness. Things probably wouldn’t go as Prince pleased.
(Edgar, please don’t go.)
When he was about to jump into the seas from the boat, he heard Lydia’s voice behind him. Before he knew it, Lydia was on the small boat, and she looked towards him with eyes which were as though they were clinging on to him.
(You’ll definitely be killed if you go.)
(But, even if I stay here like this, there’s no salvation for us.)
(I don’t want to be alone.)
He embraced Lydia, who shook her head to the sides countless times like a child. When he leant his cheeks against her caramel-coloured hair and felt her soft warmth in his arms, he thought that he didn’t need anything else.
The waves became increasingly violent and the boat rocked. Even though they were nearly thrown out into the seas, Edgar thought even that'd be fine by him.
If I’m to die together with Lydia, even that will be fine by me.
On one hand, he thought so, yet on the other, his rationality kicked in, as he thought that he couldn’t let her die.
Even though he wanted to protect Lydia. It was wrong for him to think that it’s fine if they died together.
Yeah, that’s right. I’m the one who doesn’t want to be separated from Lydia. The feelings I have of wanting to run away from fighting, gave birth to such an illusion. 
If it were the real Lydia, she’d probably tell me to go. Even if we were to lose sight of each other now, she wanted me to live on; that alone was her wish.
When he let Lydia go gently, Edgar looked away from the woman who was more important to him than anything else.
Edgar had to live on in order to protect Lydia. The Lydia here was an illusion, and his weakness. Although he understood that that weakness was connected to his love for her, he also understood that now, he had to seal that away.
Things like love and justice did not apply to Prince. If hatred and desires were that guy’s strength, then Edgar could only face him with the same type of strength. If Edgar himself doesn’t become the demon lord, he would not be able to suppress Prince’s powers.
He could no longer let Lydia approach him in such a state. Even so, if someday, he’s able to put an end to everything, then he’d even be willing to turn into a devil now.
(Edgar!)
Shaking off her voice, Edgar jumped into the rough seas.
In an instant, what surrounded him, were ghosts filled with hatred.
The source of Prince’s power, the root of the magic, was intense feelings of hatred. The hatred of those who were slaughtered in battlefields, or from an even more distant past, those who fell victim to their rulers for various reasons; such hatred became the power for the rebellion.
Edgar drew out his sword. With the Merrow’s treasured sword in his hand as the star ruby shone, he mowed down the ghosts and pushed his way towards the centre of the heaving seas.
He caught a glance of the small boat being overwhelmed by a particularly large wave, and was swallowed.
Lydia…
He hesitated a little, but he immediately threw away his regrets. Forsaking the illusion of Lydia as she sank into the sea, Edgar approached the small island where the human figure, Prince, stood.
No, it’s not that I’ve forsaken Lydia. Lydia was already a part of Edgar’s soul, and she was at the centre of it. Because this was the only thing he didn’t want to let Prince touch, he intended to clad it with an armour of hatred and desires.
(My Lord, please take care to ensure that your soul doesn’t get caught in the armour.)
Edgar heard Arrow’s voice faintly.
“Edgar, you shouldn’t have been born.”
Those were the last words he heard from his father.
Since he was a young child, Edgar had held the pride of being the heir to the Sylvainford dukedom in his chest. His father was someone who was difficult to please and though he was a child, he realized that his father felt that he was a son who was difficult to handle. Nonetheless, he never doubted his father’s love.
Yet, the fact that he was denied by his father in that manner, had always remained inside him as a large scar.
It wasn’t because he was taken away to America that he thought he’d probably never be able to return to Sylvainford; it was because his father had denied him as the heir.
Now, Edgar did not think that those words of his father’s had denied his entire existence. His father had only become emotional under those dire circumstances. Lydia had said so, and Edgar too, became able to think about his father’s feelings then in a calm manner.
However, Edgar would definitely not be able to forgive those who drove his father to such a mental state, and those who led the Sylvainford family to its destruction.
Edgar thought so and when intense feelings of hatred boiled up in his chest, the star ruby started to shine with a stronger shade of crimson.
When the ghosts disappeared, a young boy in an old-fashioned justacorps stood before him.
It was the first ‘Prince of Calamity’.
Edgar held out the Merrow’s treasured sword directly before him.
“Hmmm, so you do not intend to surrender your body huh. In the end, you too, desire for this power.”
The rocky area where Prince who said that stood on, on closer look, turned out to be made from corpses folded back onto each other. The rotten smell rose up so thickly about them that it distorted the surrounding space, so much so that it was visible.
“But you know, Ted.”
The first Prince called Edgar using the same name as the previous Prince who kidnapped Edgar.
“Is your heart strong enough to shoulder this? Most humans’ hearts will fail when they touch this. Even the close aids serving you by your side, won’t hold out if they are normal humans. In any case, you’ll also break apart. Hurry up and hand your body over to me.”
Was that why the Organization gathered individuals with unusual powers, those who had resistance to magic? And by doing so, special humans like Ulysses and Teran remained as the aides.
To begin with, Edgar did not have the ability to be involved with magic. Even so, he did not intend to fear its powers.
“Prince of Calamity, then, do you mean that your heart is strong? Those hatred and desires there, are not yours. Your surroundings are simply making use of you to plot revenge, and are trying to fulfil their own desires.”
“No, you’re wrong. I was born as the one who was meant to become the King of the United Kingdom. It’s for my sake that the Organization moves.”
When he got enraged, a mysterious haze rose up from the mountain of corpses.
“No, you who use the body of others as a vessel, are the one whose heart too is simply an empty vessel.  Born for the sake of those who wish to make use of a prince, you were created by magic, so aren’t you nothing more than a vessel for evil powers?”
“Silence, I’m a special prince!”
All of a sudden, black masses gradually rose up from Prince’s surroundings. When he thought so, they assaulted Edgar.
Edgar was covered all over by complete darkness, which tightened around him. Pain like having knives thrust violently into him pierced through his chest. Holes opened up in his soul, which was about to be torn apart.
Then, something invaded him.
It’s Prince.
As Prince grinned, he stretched out his hand and ransacked Edgar’s mind. Unable to completely resist the memories of another person which was forcefully poured into him, Edgar was swallowed up.
It was almost as if he was looking in a mirror. It was probably not Edgar but Prince who felt that way. Edgar, no, Prince, was looking on as if he was glaring, at the young infant boy who was sitting across him.
Even as he was driven by the urge to tear this living thing who looked exactly like himself into pieces, Prince endured the urge patiently. Why? Because that was his spare. Because there’s no reason to damage his body.
Twins.
Is that so? As he was conscious of himself who had entered Prince’s memories, Edgar stared fixedly at the infant boy.
It was a pair of twin boys who were born to become the Prince of Calamity.
One of those babies was granted skills by the McKeels’ fairy doctor, and attained the ability to rule over Unseelie Courts.
However, that power ruined the human body. As the effects of having magic performed directly on him was great, there were murmurs from even the people around him that, to begin with, the first Prince wouldn’t be able to live to be an adult.
That’s exactly why there’s a spare.
The first Prince did not recognize the young boy who smiled at him as his brother, and it seemed that he had also not felt love towards him.
And that younger brother too, eventually had his mind broken by the Organization. Edgar saw in Prince’s memories how he stopped smiling and talking, becoming just like a puppet.
The memories travelled forwards and backwards in time. The happenings during Prince’s younger days and the experiences as he grew up, were jumbled together and shown to Edgar. Those were the memories of the short life of the first Prince.
Exactly how much flesh and blood, did Prince toy with using fear and despair in that span of time?
Those appeared before Edgar one after another, as they surrounded him and tried to swallow him up.
At this rate, I lose myself. I’ll end up being absorbed into Prince.
However, Edgar couldn’t move as he wanted to. When he thought so, this time, Edgar was in the memories of an infant, who still couldn’t even understand words, nor could he walk as he wanted to.
This was different from the cruel images he was shown thus far.
A single person was beside the cradle. The face was blurred and Edgar couldn’t see clearly. The person had a hood worn low. Although he couldn’t even tell if the person was young or old, there was probably no mistake that it was a male. 
That man addressed the baby. Slowly, as if he was trying to etch each and every single word into the baby’s memories:
“You must head for Ibrazel.”
“The Prophet and his Betrothed will be buried there.”
Who’s this? What does this mean?
Edgar strained his eyes and tried to take a clearer look at the face, but to begin with, Prince did not remember the face; there’s no way Edgar would be able to ascertain the face.
Did Prince understand this scene and remember it? No, he’s probably too young to remember clearly.
However, this was an important message to Edgar. The Princes thus far should’ve caught this message however unconsciously they may have done so.
That’s why, generation after generation, the existence known as Prince was unable to forget the family of the Blue Knight Earl and Ibrazel, despite knowing that the said family was destroyed.
There, at Ibrazel, Prince will kill the Prophet’s Betrothed.
Lydia.
I can’t let that happen. 
I must not surrender myself to Prince.
In order to win against the swirl of countless memories, in order to snatch the powers connected to the Unseelie Courts by force, Edgar tried desperately to bring out the strong dark feelings within him.
“To verify the life or death of the eldest son of the Duke of Sylvainford, Marquis Moulding, Edgar Leland immediately.”
Ten years ago, the higher ups of the intelligence unit who sent an agent into the duke family, gave such an instruction after the fire at the Sylvainfords.
Although there was no concrete evidence with regards to the incident in which the royal family’s diamond was lost, suspicion towards the Duke remained. Around that time, the Duke went ahead and accepted an investigator. Rachel, who stayed on at the manor house as a result of that, found out by chance about the existence of Prince’s Organization, the plot to commit treason against the Queen, and about Edgar being targeted.
Shortly after, Rachel was murdered by Prince’s subordinates and the intelligence she obtained was buried in the darkness.
However, there was no doubt that with Rachel’s murder, the country’s suspicion towards the Duke of Sylvainford had likely increased. Although everyone who was in the mansion on that day was burnt to death, Rachel’s body probably still had a knife stabbed in it.
Rachel had uncovered evidence of treason and the Duke, driven into a corner, had murdered Rachel and committed suicide by taking his entire family along with him as he set the mansion on fire. The intelligence agency appeared to have interpreted the events as such. In addition, the agency had also discreetly investigated whether there were any survivors of the family.
It seemed that they couldn’t quite find Edgar’s body. Of course he was alive and was kidnapped by those in the Organization, but it seemed that it was because the substitute corpse was placed in a room which roof happened to be burned down.
“As soon as it’s verified, treat it as death by fire.”
That meant that even if by any chance Edgar was alive, the order was for them to make it appear as if he died from a fire.
If the son survived, he may think that the tragic fire was the country’s conspiracy and hate the country. He may be under the impression that his entire family was murdered by the country.
There was a possibility that the Jacobites or some other organization related to the Duke may set that legitimate child up as their leader after the Duke’s death. 
When he found out about that, it was a great shock to Edgar. Even if he wasn’t kidnapped by Prince’s Organization, he’d had been killed. Or he may had been incarcerated, and had to spend his whole life in prison.
His father was a loyal subject to the Queen. Edgar himself too, thought that as an aristocrat, that ought to be the way. Yet this country betrayed the Duke’s loyalty and also abandoned Edgar.
If Edgar had not survived, escaped from Prince’s hands and returned to the United Kingdom, he’d probably not find out about this truth.
In the end, it was not Edgar’s father who had stolen the royal family’s diamond, but Marquis Barkston who belonged to Prince’s Organization. Edgar manoeuvred events such that that would come to light and when that happened, the suspicions towards the Duke of Sylvainford were completely cleared at the same time.
At that time, the government made sure to bury for eternity, those secret instructions to kill the son of the Duke family. 
However, perhaps with the resolution of the diamond incident, those involved at that time lowered their vigilance; for it wasn’t that difficult for Edgar to overhear and find out about that secret.
And so Edgar came to a new realization. Be it Prince’s Organization or the country’s power, if it was for their objective, a single human being was nothing more than a chess piece.
But Edgar was different now. If he wished to, he could become the one on the side of manipulating chess pieces.
He could rule over the United Kingdom and take revenge against those who once tried to kill him. 
If he could snatch the powers before him from Prince, there’s no doubt that he’d be able to do as he pleased.
In order to negate the fear and madness incited by the dark emotions Prince showed, Edgar recalled the hatred he felt towards those who wrecked his life, the hatred which he should’ve tried to forget, and made that into an armour.
On the other hand, he was dragged into a swirl of hatred which he couldn’t control completely by himself.
Arrow’s words that his soul mustn’t get caught in the armour came faintly to mind.
Once I snatch over Prince’s powers, I may no longer be able to return to how I was in the past. Will I lose my feelings for Lydia, and simply turn into a new demon lord of vengeance?
But if I hesitate now, I’ll lose. I’ll turn into Prince’s puppet.
I want to stay as myself by trying to become someone with only the feelings of hatred. Or is it that, the fact that I’m thinking this way, means that I’m already eaten up by Prince’s darkness?
Edgar didn’t know. Only that, to Edgar, the young boy in front of him, was the root of all evil. That’s why Edgar held his sword out anew.
“Stop it. That sword absorbs my magic. And this place here is the inside of your body. You yourself will be torn into pieces.”
When Prince raised his arm, the rocks at Edgar’s feet, no, the mountain of corpses squirmed and grabbed hold of Edgar’s foot. In that manner, they tried to drag Edgar into the ghosts’ world.
Strengthening his resolve, Edgar swung the sword. When the crimson trail shattered the mountain of ghosts, it sent Prince flying at the same time; it also brought to Edgar himself an impact which felt like his chest was pierced.