Hakushaku to Yousei - Volume 7 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 • My remaining time

Lydia’s golden green eyes were looking straight at him.
Edgar’s fingers were buried in her sweet, caramel hair. The fragrance of fresh Chamomile drifted in the air, and the scent made his heart at ease.
He gave Lydia a gentle kiss, to prove that he hadn't given up on her.
Though he truly felt happy, Edgar wasn't satisfied. He was immersed in joy, but he still felt a little uneasy, as if something was amiss.
“I don’t understand.” Her soft lips whispered, as she seemingly tilted her head.
“We’re so close, but I don't understand your heart.” 
Why?
“You are going after me, yet you yearn for another woman.” 
Another woman...?
Lydia, there’s no such thing. I can even give my life away for you.
“You're a liar.” Lydia started to cry.
Even though Lydia was being gently held in his arms, she continued to cry
“Don’t hurt me anymore.” 
I've hurt you?
I know I'm a bit rough, but I never forced you.
“Edgar, we won’t see each other again. I will leave for the fairy world.” 
Wait a minute, Lydia!
Edgar called out to her, but she vanished from his arms.
Just when he was going to call for her again, he suddenly woke up from his sleep.
It was just a dream.
He heaved a sigh and sat up.
The heavy curtains were closed, making the room appear a bit dark, but there was still a dim light that seemed to show that the sun was shining brightly outside.
With his messy hair, bangs curling upwards, and a severe headache, Edgar could not help but frown.
Last night, he got drunk at Slade’s club before he came back. He seemed to remember that when he got home, he had a few more glasses, but his memories were a blur from there.
However, Lydia’s touch still remained on his body.
But that was only a dream.
“Yes... It was only a dream.” 
That scene was obviously a dream, but Lydia’s expression struck him. While he was delicately holding her and feeling the gentle touch of her cheek, all under the oil lamp, which reflected tears of amber... He did not know why he had those memories, but they seemed to have happened and were prominent, in his mind.
Knowing that it was a dream, he regretted that he could've been a little more daring with her.
Then suddenly, he noticed there was a button on the bed, so he picked it up.
After confirming that it wasn't his, his memory was coming back to him little by little.
Last night, Raven reported that Lydia came over for a visit, and then...
Alarmed, he thought he shouldn't have done anything to Lydia and that she’d never want to do anything! He anxiously ran out of the bedroom, went to the dressing room next door and beckoned Raven. Raven appeared right away.
“Good morning, Lord Edgar.” 
“Did Lydia come yesterday?”
“Yes, Miss Lydia came last night.” 
“Did you bring her to my room?”
“Yes.” 
Edgar’s hand ran to his forehead, as he paced back and forth in the dressing room for a moment.
“So when did Lydia leave? How did she look like?”
“I don’t know. Miss Lydia seemed to have left when I wasn't paying attention.” 
Lydia entered his room and looked at him with worried eyes. She learned about Ermine from Nico, and fearing that Edgar might have been feeling down, she came to see him.
Edgar thought that, so far, this part was true and not a dream.
But afterwards, the memory was a dreamlike daze. He couldn't distinguish whether holding and kissing Lydia was reality or fantasy.
Why can’t I remember the most important part.
“Too bad, I finally had my first night with my beloved sweet girl, and I don’t even have any recollection of it.” 
Raven tilted his head in confusion.
“Anyway... Let’s change my clothes first.” 
Edgar sighed as he said it, while Raven quickly went to get his new clothes ready and assisted his master while he was changing his clothes, like always. Edgar stopped Raven and said:
“I'm fine. Call Tomkins here.” 
The butler immediately came to the dressing room. As Edgar was putting on a tie, whether or not Tomkins knew at what time Lydia had returned home.
“I do not know. Miss Lydia probably went back quietly on her own. I had only heard about this earlier, from Raven. I did not even know that she came last night.”
 Tomkins asked Edgar if he wanted to ask the other servants, but Edgar thought “Don’t be ridiculous.”
If he did, everyone would know that he was drunk, pulled Lydia into his room, and then couldn't even remember what he’d done.
All in all, Lydia had never accepted his advances, so it was impossible for her to take the initiative, so he must have forced himself on her.
“That problem aside. So, Tomkins, I heard that you were married?”
“Yes, but my wife died ten years ago.” 
“How did you ask her to marry you?”
“Well... It happened a long time ago. I don’t remember exactly, but I seemed to have asked if she thought fins on children were cute, and as my wife heard that, she gladly accepted my proposal. But it was such a shame that our child had no fins.” 
“... There is no way I can use this as advice.” 
“Is that so.” 
Tomkins pondered for a moment. Then, with his wide round eyes blinking, he asked Edgar:
“Or, should we ask the other servants...”
“No need for that.” 
“My Lord, even though marrying for intimacy is the norm, there are also many couples who ignore this. After a while, this mistake will only be a trivial matter in the future.” 
In the future... If it was really that simple, he would not have to worry about time. However, if Banshee’s prophecy was true, Edgar may just only have tomorrow.
Even if he was to rush into a marriage with Lydia, it’s possible she’ll immediately become a widow. Then again, if she immediately becomes a widow, perhaps there won’t be any problems. She won’t be considered an impure girl for losing her virginity before marriage.
Then Edgar thought that he shouldn't dwell anymore than this. He immediately took his coat and got ready to leave.
“Tomkins, help me prepare a bouquet of flowers.” 
“What flowers do you prefer?”
“Anything ready right now is fine. I'm about to leave. Prepare the carriage, by the way.” 
Tomkins left as Edgar watched Raven stand at the gate.
Raven was expressionless like always, but Edgar could see the confusion in his mind.
“Raven, why did you bring Lydia to my room last night? I should have said that I was resting and that I didn't want to see her.” 
Edgar vaguely remembered saying it.
Because he drank a lot, if he saw Lydia, he wouldn't have known what he would do, and so he fabricated that excuse.
“I assumed you did wish to see Miss Lydia. You seemed troubled about something. So, if it was Miss Lydia, I thought you might have wanted to speak to her.” 
Raven was completely right about that.
Therefore, Raven did not listen to Edgar’s orders when bringing Lydia in the house; so he brought her to his door.
“You can see right through the thoughts of my heart. I am very grateful.” 
For Raven, who was a murder weapon that couldn't understand humans, this was a huge step.
“However, you must be considerate of Lydia’s feelings. When I'm drunk, I have no self-control and I am like a wolf. How can you send in an innocent lamb like Lydia?”
Raven nodded, not fully understanding.
“Lord Edgar, are you not a wolf at all times?”
… It seems like he was.
Even Edgar began to feel ashamed.

The doorbell rung, signalling visitors. Lydia heard it from her room, so she quickly ran to the window and hurriedly drew the curtains. Outside was the Earl’s carriage in front of the gate.
From the room above the gate, Lydia was able to hear her father’s conversation with the guests.
“Lord Edgar, I'm sorry, but Lydia has a cold today. I'm going to have to send someone to escort you back.” 
Edgar really came.
She began to tense up and pace back and forth in her room.
Lydia believed that because her father had said that she was in bed resting with a cold, Edgar couldn't refute.
“I've thought so, so I've come to visit her.” 
Don’t make your excuse sound so suspicious!
“Ah, so that’s why you've come... For you to be coming so early in the morning, I apologize for the trouble.” 
Her father seemed to be confused as to what to do.
“Then excuse me, may I come in?”
No, don’t you come in!
However, her father couldn't find a reason to refuse, so he let him in.
Lydia heard footsteps go up the stairs, and then there was a knock at her door.
“Lydia, the Earl came to visit you.” 
If I push Edgar away at this time, Father would be suspicious.
She had no choice but to open the door. But she didn't forget to cast down her face. That way, he wouldn't notice her red eyes.
“Lydia, I heard you caught a cold, are you alright?”
I'm not alright at all.
“May I have a word with you?”
Lydia walked away from the door, and Edgar immediately came into the room despite her father being downstairs. But yet he did not close the door.
“... What are you doing.” 
Lydia said to Edgar.
Edgar went around in front of her and handed her a large bouquet of roses.
To visit someone with a bouquet of passionate red roses, Father must've been suspicious.
“Lydia, please marry me now.” 
“What, you’re spouting nonsense. You already know that’s impossible.” 
“That is, we’d have to wait at least three weeks before we’re issue a marriage license. But please give me three more days, and I’ll get the permit.”
“Are you still drunk?”
“I'm awake now.” 
“You’re still not fully awake then.” 
Lydia refused to accept the bouquet, so Edgar placed them on the table. Because Edgar was slowly approaching Lydia little by little, she ended up forced to the window and avoided facing him.
But, Edgar didn't mind. He gently tilted her chin with his fingertips and faced her seriously.
“What happened last night made you cry... Was I too forceful? Maybe because I was drunk I couldn't control myself, but I'm not normally like this.” 
Normally... Lydia wanted to ask him, what do you mean by normally?
“This was your first time, and I wasn't gentle. But, please don’t reject me. Even if you’re unhappy now, I will improve for you.”  
You, what are you talking about?
“Er... Edgar.” 
“Well, since this has happened, we must get married as soon as possible.” 
“Eh, what do you mean by that...?”
“Were we not having an intimate relationship and did something?”
Lydia suddenly blushed with anger and panic, and retorted:
“You, what are you saying? Don’t say that. Nothing ever happened between us.” 
With her hands, she tried to push him away, forming a distance between them.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you remember? You suddenly fell asleep halfway?”
Edgar whispered Ermine’s name to Lydia, and shortly after, he turned his face away and fell asleep. Lydia was anxious from being pinned down by his body, but then Edgar did nothing else and just fell asleep.
She carefully got out as to not wake him up. She removed his fingers that were buried in her hair and hurried away from the bed.
Though she was relieved to return home, the more she thought about what happened, the more she cried.
In the end, she could not help but tear up again. But she did not want to cry in front of Edgar right now.
Troubled, Edgar looked down at Lydia, as he brushed her bangs.
“Halfway? At which part...?”
“I, how can I know... Anyway, you immediately fell asleep!”
Lydia was so extremely embarrassed, that, as if to disrupt the problem, she ended up shouting at him.
I really hope he doesn't use his beautiful face to calmly say words that make people blush.
“So, really nothing happened?”
Edgar really seemed to have no memory of what happened last night that Lydia couldn't help but forget that she was about to cry.
“No!”
“Then, why were you crying?”
“Because...”
I don't want to say it.
“I'm sorry, I'm sure it was… It should have been quite humiliating for you. After all, I almost did unforgivable things yesterday.” 
And so, Edgar reached this conclusion.
On the other hand, Lydia suddenly felt empty seeing Edgar’s relieved face.
“Well... So that’s what happened last night.” 
“So, you don't plan to marry me now.” 
“Ah... That’s right.” 
Does not marrying me make you that happy?
This time, Lydia’s heart beat in anger.
“That’s great. You can just go home with your flowers now.” 
“No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t intend to revoke the marriage proposal...”
“I can tell you the answer now; I refuse.” 
Right before he finished speaking, Lydia outright rejected him.
Edgar showed an unusually troubled expression, which instantly made Lydia think that she might have been in the wrong instead.
No, the wrong person is him.
“Lydia, I don't remember what happened last night, but I did remember thinking you were the only one for me, and that I absolutely did not hold my usual frivolous attitude with you. I really like you, and I only want you by my side.” 
That’s a lie!
“I'm serious. There is only you in my heart.” 
Such a thing, you probably say that to anyone.
For you, I'm nothing more than someone who’s conveniently helpful and comforting at times. And that’s it. 
“You can trust me.” 
Edgar would prefer to hold Lydia than others probably just because she happened to be next to him or perhaps she understood his grief.
No matter what the reason, Lydia was only regarded as someone else’s replacement.
Lydia was about to turn around when Edgar grabbed her shoulders.
“Lydia.” 
Edgar wanted to pull her closer to him, but she immediately pushed her hands out to resist.
“Please stop, the one you need is not me... You say you need me, but yet you call out another woman’s name. That is really too much.” 
When he heard these words, he couldn't help but look at Lydia in surprise.
“Another woman...? Who was it?”
“If you think about it a little, you should know! She is the most important person in your heart after all.” 
Edgar pondered in silence, because he didn't know the answer. But he also didn't want to speak in order to avoid digging his own grave.
Lydia, who was holding back tears, looked at Edgar and finally said:
“Before, when I changed my mind, I wanted to believe you, but you've let me down. So now, I'm not going to believe anything you say anymore. So, please return to your home.” 
Lydia picked up the bouquet and crammed it in Edgar’s hands, pushing him out the door before slamming it.
Edgar kept calling her name from outside the door, but her back was against it.
Finally, he decided to give up and walked down the stairs. Lydia listened to his footsteps and watched as her tears dropped to the floor.
“Lord Edgar, do you wish to go back?”
Lydia heard her father’s voice.
“Professor, if you don't mind, please accept this bouquet of roses.” 
“What?”
Her father seemed to be wary, but he accepted the bouquet of roses!?
“I will visit again.” 
You don't have to come again.
Hearing the front door close made her cry even more.
“Lydia, don’t cry.” 
The voice came from underneath her bed. And then, she saw the wagging of a furry tail.
“I'm on your side. The Earl sent me a letter set, but I will return it back to him.” 
Nico slowly crawled out from under the bed; his face wearing the mask Lydia gave him.
Lydia couldn't help but laugh, putting her tears to a halt.
“Hey, don't laugh!”
“No, but you're so cute... I mean, you are very handsome.” 
“Am I? Then, I am the mysterious phantom thief. I'll even wear the cloak more often.” 
On his hind feet, he took small steps towards Lydia. She rubbed her eyes to wipe away her tears. Then, she squatted down and held his hands.
“Thank you, Nico, I'm fine now.” 

As the day went by, the less time there was left for Edgar as he thought about Banshee’s prophecy coming true: 'you can only live up to three days'. In his heart, he was glad that, fortunately, nothing happened between him and Lydia.
Despite rushing to ask her to marry him, she would've been hurt if she found out about Banshee’s prophecy.
As long as it was related to Lydia, Edgar couldn't carefully think about what to do next.
From the beginning, he has always made mistakes, but it seemed to be more frequent lately.
Edgar knew why in his heart he was hesitating, but that misunderstanding couldn't be cleared with Lydia. It seemed it only made her misunderstanding of him grow worse and worse.
“Lord Edgar, you wished to see us?”
Raven and Ermine entered his study.
Even though right now he was unable to clear Lydia’s misunderstandings to gain back her trust, Edgar still had unfinished business to take care of. So, he had to make the most with what remaining time he had.
Therefore, he regained his composure as he ordered the two:
“Leave this note at the house where Paul was found.” 
Edgar gave a signed letter to Ermine.
“’I know where the amber is, come and collect it.’ That is what’s written in the letter.” 
The two servants were not surprised, and they quietly waited for Edgar’s next command.
Edgar saying he found the amber was a bluff to lure Ulysses out and to take the next step by challenging him alone.
“I know the whereabouts of the amber, but how to find it or where it is, is the most important information I cannot tell anyone. But I'm going use this to negotiate with Ulysses. 
“Lord Edgar, isn't this too risky? Ulysses has magical powers.” 
Ermine’s tone of voice and facial expressions remained neutral.
“I’ll use my mind to win. Do you think Ulysses will win over me?”
“... If you say so.” 
Ermine nodded, but her heart didn't really think so. Regardless, that was all irrelevant.
“Ermine, this letter, can you deliver it?”
“Yes.” 
“Raven, I'm going to visit Slade’s club, come with me.” 

Ermine left as Raven remained with Edgar.
Edgar stared at him, while Raven did not move, waiting for his master’s command.
In order to protect the loyal servant, Edgar sincerely hoped to use the rest of his time making the best of this moment with Raven. Raven did not open his heart to anyone but Edgar, so as long as he focused on this, he will probably not be manipulated by Prince.
“Raven, I confide in you as a friend, do you understand?”
“Yes.” 
“Lydia and Tomkins also treat you as a normal being and care for you.” 
Raven seemed confused as he looked at Edgar and asked:
“Miss Lydia is not angry with me?”
“Well, she is only angry with me.” 
“But, earlier, it was my fault.” 
“Never mind that, Lydia can understand how you feel... Oh, by the way, Raven, can you think of any woman’s name I could have said in my sleep?”
“I know.” Raven answered.
“Please... Tell me.” 
“Should I say the list in alphabetical order?”
“... I’ll pass.”

He visited Slade’s club today because he remembered how he was drunk yesterday. However, there was still one thing that remained in his heart.
Edgar took Raven inside the club room, where the Scarlet Moon and Paul were waiting in the hall entrance for him.
This was a male-entry only club, so even if Ermine wasn't here, she wouldn't suspect anything, which made it a perfect place to meet.
“Lord Edgar, did you mean this painting?”
An old painting was brought into the room for Edgar to look over. It was a portrait of a young girl holding a shield, which Edgar was very fond of.
“The painter’s name isn't there. Do you know who painted it?”
The painting had a small, square frame, with only a length of eight inches on each side. Edgar held the whole painting in his hands while carefully observing it.
“Well... Though it was in my father’s things, these strokes are not his. It was probably his friend who had asked him to keep it.”
Paul explained to Edgar.
“Why, among your father’s possessions, is only this painting part of the club’s collection?”
“Because I couldn't find out the name of the painter, I believed it was important. I heard that the club’s guests had foreign appraisers, so I had the portrait mailed here to Slade a few days ago.”
“In the end, we couldn't figure out who the painter was. But because there’s a lack of décor in the club, I'm going to hang it in my pool room.”
“Lord Edgar, is there something wrong with the painting?”
Edgar nodded, and then gently placed the painting back on the table.
“I have never seen this painting before, but I think it should be hung back at the Sylvainford manor mansion.” 
“Oh, did the Duke of Sylvainford give this to my father?”
“I don’t know whether your father found out about Prince’s plot, but the Duke knew that he was being targeted by Prince. When he sensed that a crisis was to occur, he probably felt it was important that the painting remained in O’Neill’s care. O’Neill originally had nothing to do with the Duke and the Blue Knight Earl. Perhaps that was why he was killed by the Prince’s minions.”
“You mean the amber is in the painting here?”
Slade immediately started to investigate the painting.
Just as he was about to remove the frame, he suddenly remembered something and stopped.
“Right, this painting does not have a frame, so there can’t be any amber in it.” 
“So, it can only be in the actual painting?”
“Yes.” 
Edgar was so disappointed that he sat down in a chair nearby, seemingly wanting to give up.
“However, this painting is very strange. How should I say, the composition is not very good.” 
As an art dealer, Slade agreed with Paul.
Indeed, Edgar thought it lacked a sense of balance. Compared to the girl, the silver shield stood out more so.
“It’s as if the shield was the focus of the whole portrait.” 
Upon closer inspection, the shield had spiral patterns, consisting of coiled-lines and complex patterns everywhere, like lines of text.
“Above here is a message, right? As you can see, this letter is G, this is A, D, Y... GLADYS? Ashenbert?”
Edgar read the letters, and then turned to Slade.
“Bring me a magnifying glass.” 
Slade quickly left and immediately returned not long after.
With the oil lamps on, Edgar started reading word-by-word. Paul began recording as Edgar read out the letters and words. Words that were missing letters were searched further, in case they were written somewhere else.
When Edgar followed the blue lines of the word-search pattern, he found that it was actually a hidden message.
The luxurious saloon was filled with gentlemen who arrived there at night, speaking of irrelevant things while happily drinking. Laughter was heard from time to time. But, in the midst of it all, outside the saloon was a room separated by a wall where three people sat in an air full of tension.
In the room, the only sounds heard were Edgar’s voice reading the letter sounds and the scribbling of Paul’s pencil recording each letter.
The text was densely squeezed in the silver shield on the canvas. After Edgar copied the whole passage, he read it out loud:
“In 1747, to curse the world, the Prince of Calamity and the evil fairy made a contract. I will try my best to drive away the evil spirits out of Britain, but as Banshee predicted, my life would soon be in peril. However, the fate of the future would be determined by this moment. The Prince of Calamity will one day return to England. I, who inherited the power of the Blue Knight Earl, am the only one in my family who can cut off the Prince’s blood and bury the evil spirit. I sincerely hope for the emergence of a new heir to inherit the Ashenbert name. Gladys Ashenbert.” 
The three people were silent for a moment.
“The disastrous Prince, the Prince from America?”
“But that was 100 years ago. Lord Edgar, is Prince that old?”
Prince was neither young nor old by a logical sense. But he was probably struggling to live through the lives of his descendants.
“All in all, whoever wrote this passage 100 years ago was definitely the Blue Knight Earl - Gladys, or supposedly the woman in the painting.”
In other words, she forced the evil Prince out of England to die of exhaustion?
“Then, that could only mean that the Blue Knight Earl’s bloodline was cut off due to her death. And she perhaps knew that there would be no heir, so she left this message out of hope.” 
“Therefore, she wanted someone to inherit the Earl’s powers, even if he was not blood-related...”
It was puzzling to find that, even the Earl’s powers couldn't stop the Prince? The birth of the Prince involved fairy magic which led to this incident, it seemed. The Blue Knight Earl’s family was familiar with fairy magic, but the current house of the Earl has less power, so it is simply impossible to fight against Prince.
Gladys sincerely looked forward to the next heir of the Blue Knight Earl. Therefore, she was the key to the Blue Knight Earl’s power, along with the memories of Banshee which were sealed in Amber. Banshee’s Amber is the shield which protects from Prince’s conspiracy.
If the amber reaches the hands of Ulysses, then he will inherit the Earl’s name, and the world can no longer avoid the Prince’s destruction.
Edgar had to find the amber before it fell into Ulysses’ hands.
There was another thing that Edgar worried a little about, though.
Gladys wanted to sever the Prince’s bloodline. Assuming that he’ll be the Blue Knight Earl, in order to eliminate the Prince, he had to sever all blood relations to the Prince. However, did that mean Edgar needed to be killed as well?
During the glorious revolution, Stuart James II was driven out of England. The Prince may have been one of his descendants. James II’s immediate bloodline should have already been cut off, but in order for the Prince to live on, he needed those who were blood-related to him. Therefore, he targeted Edgar’s mother.
Edgar’s mother had very strong blood ties to James II and the crowned Bonnie Prince Charlie. But then she later married Duke Sylvainford, Edgar’s father - the Duke originally next-in-line in the royal family, who also had close ties to the Stuart. She and Sylvainford had a child after marriage: Edgar, who had a bloodline related to the Royal family and to Prince. Therefore, Edgar was the ideal successor for the Prince. Then it may be a shortcut to take away his own life for Prince’s destruction.
This was Banshee’s death prophecy.
Not to mention, there was also Ermine’s suspicious behaviour.
Edgar felt like he was facing different obstacles in his life.
If he was truly unworthy of being the Blue Knight Earl, he should at least play the part and try to stop Ulysses and Prince.
To be worthy of the title, he needed to find the amber and restore Banshee’s memories.
This, Edgar could do.
Perhaps, to accept death is the most important thing I can do.
As Edgar thought that, his heart yearned for Lydia.
He didn't care if he was dead. He was ready to die at any time, but the thought of Lydia stopped him.
Fortunately, nothing happened between him and Lydia. She didn't have to become a widow and could avoid being called an impure girl.
So Edgar gave up on the marriage, but it seemed this made Lydia think that the marriage was a joke.
She thought Edgar was only trying to take responsibility, so then, to her, it felt like she was being forced to marry him. However, because the two were innocent, Edgar could no longer force Lydia to stay by his side, not to mention he couldn't tell her Banshee’s prophecy.
“Lord Edgar, what do you plan to do next?”
Paul’s voice disrupted his thoughts about Lydia, and he returned back to reality.
“Send this painting back to my manor.” 
“Yes, I understand.”
“Slade, can you try to find the amber... Paul, Banshee trusts you so if she returns to you, work together with Lydia to protect her.” 
Paul held a surprised expression saying, Banshee will come back? But he still nodded at Edgar’s commands.

Along with Raven, Edgar left the club through the hallway.
Like last night, the snow kept falling down from the dark sky.
The London streets were so foggy that, even with the oil lamps shining, it was still hazy to the eyes and the footsteps were unclear. When Edgar walked up the steps of his carriage, a black carriage suddenly stopped in front of him, as if it came from the darkness.
Raven went immediately hostile. He held up a knife to protect Edgar, while at the same time, the carriage opened, and a boy of 10 years old walked out.
“Oh? Jimmy, you’re still alive?”
The pale young boy heard Edgar, and then gave him a malicious smile.
The boy was one of Ulysses’ comrades. He was not a human but a Hellhound. He was once severely bitten by Kelpie, so he should have been killed, but he had appeared yet again.
“Lord, I have come to escort you. Our host is expecting your visit.” 
It appeared the letter was delivered to Ulysses’ hands.
He moves fast, Edgar muttered. He patted Raven’s shoulder, stopping him from rushing forward and from attacking Jimmy. Well, it’s possible Ermine directly gave Ulysses the letter, so it cannot be said if it was the other party that reacted quickly.
“Can you please follow while the others stay?”
Edgar initially expected things to turn out like this, and he didn't intend to let Raven go to the enemy.
Therefore, Edgar immediately nodded.
“Lord Edgar, do not put your life at risk.” 
Jimmy looked disgusted and murderous, so Raven kept a distance. Because Raven was human, it was impossible for him to harm a demon.
Of course, Edgar wasn't going to die easily, but if Ulysses found out that he didn't have the amber, Edgar didn't know what he were to do. Even if Ulysses didn't kill him, Edgar didn't have much time left, so this was quite a gamble.
“Raven, I must go. So, let me go.” 
Raven was silent, but he was unable to stop Edgar. Perhaps it was because, in his heart, he was too confused.
In the end, Edgar went into the carriage alone, and Jimmy the Hellhound closed the carriage door.

“Lydia, tonight’s moon is very nice. Let’s play.” 
In the middle of the night, Kelpie knocked on the door. Lydia was half- asleep and heard his call. So, she rolled over.
What are you saying. It’s snowing outside, the whistling wind keeps blowing, and I cannot even see the moon.
Then again, I'm trying to sleep.
“… That’s not right.” 
Surprised, Lydia found that she was already on the black horse’s back, moving at great speed, across the moonlit prairie. She felt a fragrant breeze gently brush her cheek, but there was no snow.
Am I dreaming?
Even though Kelpie intruded into her dream, it felt like her world expanded.  Lydia was enveloped by a mysterious power. No matter how fast Kelpie ran, she never felt as if she would fall at all.
After crossing the prairie, a hill appeared full of blooming, vibrant flowers.
At this point, Kelpie stopped running. Lydia gently dismounted off the horse and walked toward the colorful hill.
She noticed a fairy circle where small flower fairies were dancing. As she watched, she couldn't help but smile.
“Are you having fun?”
“Ah, it’s so beautiful~!”
Kelpie turned into a human and stood beside Lydia.
“That’s good.” 
He slightly tilted and hugged Lydia’s head to his chest. When she lifted her head up, she saw the tall Kelpie, with his black curly hair that shone in the moonlight.
Kelpie suddenly looked down at her and wrapped his arms around her.
“.... What’s the matter?”
Kelpie couldn't understand why or what it meant for humans to hug each other, but he held Lydia in his arms anyway. He knew how much it made her happy.
Though he didn't understand the love between humans, he cherished Lydia in his own way.
“As long as I hold you, I always get a wonderfully calm feeling. But, at the same time, my heart is racing. I lived for so long, but this is the first time I felt this.”
“Is that so?”
“What do you feel?”
Lydia felt as if she was wrapped in calm, flowing water.
Just as she thought, with Edgar, it was completely different.
But then, that was because Kelpie and Edgar were so different. When she’s with Kelpie, she never felt pain or sadness because he would never lie or go back on his word.
“Lydia, let’s go to the moon next.”
“Go to the moon next? No way, I can’t fly.”
“Yes, you can.”
At Kelpie’s urging, Lydia hadn't realize they were both standing right next to a lake now, that reflected the moon.
“Let’s go there now.”
“But I can't swim.”
“We’re in a dream. Not to mention I'm here with you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
Kelpie took her hand and went down into the lake.
Lydia’s heart felt a little uneasy, and when they started entering the waters, she felt uncomfortable. But, she knew Kelpie wouldn't eat her.
Not to mention that this was a dream. If she woke up, everything would disappear anyway.
“My Lady, please stop here!”
At this point, Lydia didn't know where the voice came from.
She stopped, and a small piece of haystack (?) struggled towards her feet.
“You mustn't follow Kelpie into the water!”
Wearing a tall, crooked hat, with a messy beard was Coblynau who fell down. Not even caring, he hurriedly got up and once again tried to persuade Lydia.
“He’s trying to draw you into the fairy world under water. Once you go, you can never return to the human world!”
Kelpie clicked his tongue.
“Shut up, shorty! Lydia, let’s go.”     
“Kelpie, wait a minute. Then, those fairy circles I passed by earlier, weren't they all a dream?”
“What does it matter?”
“It would be horrible if I can’t return to the human world, obviously!”
Lydia took a step back, leaving the lake until Kelpie suddenly grabbed her hand.
“I'm not going to let you stay on the Earl's side. He can't protect you.”
“You, what are you saying?”
“I believe he’s no match for Ulysses, and if he can’t even protect himself, he’s not a man.”
Kelpie looked directly into her eyes, emitting his magic. He never used the magic in his eyes on her before.
“As long as you’re by his side, there is not one day that goes by where you could not be killed. So, I will not sit down idly and do nothing, because I don’t want to lose you!”
Lydia was deeply taken by Kelpie’s magic and began to slowly walk toward the lake.
“Kelpie, you mustn't do this! That’s the Blue Knight Earl’s wife!”
“Shut, up. I already confirmed that she’s not wearing the moonstone ring.”
That was true. Edgar had taken off the moonstone ring.
But if Lydia and Kelpie were together in the fairy world, Edgar probably wouldn't even mind.
“I'm serious. There’s only you in my heart.”
Edgar’s tone was so serious, his words rung in Lydia’s mind.
But, he probably only said it on a whim.
As Lydia recalled that moment, her pace began to slow down. Coblynau took this chance to quickly climb on her skirt.
As he climbed, he took out the moonstone ring.
“My Lady, hurry! Put on the ring!”
“You are really annoying! Who cares about the marriage, anyway. The Earl only has a few days left to live.”
Lydia couldn't help but stop.
“… What did you just say?”
“Well, he couldn't burn Banshee’s tears. So, it seems he’s not the only Earl out there? Anyway, as soon as he dies, the engagement would be pointless. Lydia, you’re still going with me in case his death makes you sad.”
Is Edgar going to die? Did he predict his death from the banshee’s ambers?
This is not why he took off the engagement ring from my hand, right?
Edgar suddenly said he wanted to get married in three days, and after knowing that nothing happened between them, he gave up.
Or maybe it had nothing to do with the prophecy, and it was just on a whim. But he had asked Lydia if Banshee’s prediction was going to be fulfilled, so he was prepared to die.
“Kelpie, I have to go back.”
“Lydia, don’t worry about that guy. You will only be used!”
Kelpie was right.
Even though she believed that too, she still placed the moonstone ring on her ring finger.
She was released from Kelpie’s magic and vanished from the lake.
As Lydia’s dream faded, Kelpie then let go of her hand.
“Why?”
Yes, why?
Because I'm the Earl’s fairy doctor... But is it really just for this reason?
She herself was puzzled. As she slowly opened her eyes, she found herself lying in her bed, staring at the familiar ceiling.
Lydia finally woke up from her dream, and wearily sat up.
“Ahh, that was close. That’s great.”
On Lydia’s knee was Coblynau, who was contentedly caressing the moonstone on her ring finger.
“Little Bow told me that my Lady was in danger, and so I went into your dream and found Kelpie trying to take you away.”

Now, it was no longer night but early morning.
Lydia quickly climbed out of her bed.