Hakushaku to Yousei Vol 11 Chapter 6

“Lord Edgar, the preparations are complete.” 

Lydia drifted off to sleep next door. 

For Lydia’s matters to be considered, hasn’t Raven grown considerably? 

This was why Edgar felt guilty when ordering him to assist in the preparation of such cruel matters. 

Edgar believed in his bond with Raven, for that his orders were absolute as his master. Edgar spoke.

She is not very scared. Rather, she appeared firm and resolute, and continued to pretend that she cannot speak.” 

Surely, this was a method that Lydia hated. But to Edgar, only such method was possible.  

Even if they were only just a group of thieves, he planned to eliminate them completely. 

Raven held up to show Edgar red hair. It seemed to belong to Annie.  

“....It’s a wig.” 

“So that would mean Annie is...” 

Finally, all matters came to light. Annie was the one who intruded into Madame Oughtred’s room. Lucinda hid the jewelry box in order to put the blame on Lydia again.

Raven paused awaiting Edgar’s orders on what was planned. 

“Raven, has Lydia grown to love me more than I expected?” 

“Lydia is doing her best for me right now by staying here. She did not give up and despite going through so much hardship, she is still trying to become the fiancée I’ve been hoping for.”

Thinking of himself as someone who gradually became precious to Lydia, he shouldn’t be conceited.  

“The theories of love are really unreliable. Who said that the one who loves more, loses? Lydia would certainly love me as much as I love her.”

Whether it was for the sake of lovers, family, comrades or for whomever to fight for, he wanted to believe that he will not stray from that path.  

Edgar stood up. 

“What on earth is the matter? Where’s Annie? Father, can you please ask the butler to hurry up and find her?”

“But she just went to change the water in the vase and hasn’t come back. Although she has a habit of slacking off sometimes, it will soon be noon. I can’t take it anymore.” 

“Although she didn’t speak of it, I was very good to her! But she certainly made a fool out of me!” 

Lucinda ran out and was stopped when she bumped onto Edgar. 

Just then, she quickly turned away. She probably just remembered how she was expelled out of the room.  However on the other hand, thinking that Edgar might chase after her, she glanced imperceptibly towards him, with expectation. 

Having heard this, she suppressed a smile and then frowned.   

This lady liked to act no matter where she went. Edgar also suppressed a smile and said mysteriously… 

“…… Annie? What was that girl doing?” 

“Lucinda, Annie wanted to run away with your jewels?” 

“Yes...umm.”  

“If that’s the case, then we need to ask Annie about it.” 

Up until now, Lord Constable had never shown a modest attitude like that before. Perhaps it was because he believed that Edgar had tracked down Annie for Lucinda. 

Then Edgar brought the two of them to the most secluded room of the mansion. 

Edgar casually opened the door for them to enter and waiting beside the fireplace was Raven, who had started the fire.  

It’s no wonder Lucinda’s complexion went pale.  Annie was tied to a chair and was looking down with a pale complexion.  

To only give direct pain, wasn’t torture interrogation. Rather than the reality of pain, people imagining the endless horror feared experiencing it instead.

If someone were to explain to you so you could imagine vividly when you are disobedient, he could still harm you even without lifting a finger. 

Although she looked at Edgar with fearful eyes, she did not look at Lucinda at all.  

As Edgar continued to urge her, Lucinda who was puzzled, interrupted. 

“Is that true? Now Lucinda, did you make sure?” 

“You didn’t make sure? That is very careless. You never considered the possibility that she may appear that way and just pretend to be mute? If that’s the case, then she would certainly speak of many interesting matters.”

She clearly looked distressed because Lucinda had probably done a lot of things which she did not want to be spoken of.

Edgar walked towards the fireplace. He inserted in and took out a thin red hot iron rod from the burning firewood. 

“Do you know of the torture interrogation methods used? This was placed on the face to burn down the flesh. Because the screams were so harsh to the ears, witnesses would use earplugs. But if she cannot make a sound, we do not need to worry.” 
Annie struggled to move as her hands and feet were tied. Raven held her down from behind. 

Lucinda and Lord Constable were silent at this anomalous situation. 

Was it a demon?

At this moment, the outcome was clear. 

The burning iron rod hadn’t even touched her face and she cried out.

Once she began to talk, she believed that she would be given mercy, so she continued to speak. 

Lucinda deliberately spread bad rumours about Lydia. Annie, following Lucinda’s command, had placed the brooch in Lydia’s room. The various kinds of Lucinda’s hidden plots, Annie spoke of it gleefully.  

“Stop... shut up, Annie! Don’t speak of such groundless lies!” 

Lord Constable tightly grabbed onto Lucinda’s shoulders who turned pale.  

“Umm...Father...” 

Feeling embarrassed after having understood the situation, Lord Constable wanted to Lucinda away as if to escape. 

“That woman is fired. Do whatever you want.” 

“She has not yet spoken on whereabouts of Miss Lucinda’s jewels.” 

After confirming that it was fake, Edgar was surprised. 

“In that case Annie, the jewels of Miss Lucinda do not concern me. I want to inquire about the ivory jewelry box. The Regard necklace was hidden in there by Madame Oughtred. Was it because she realized that it will be stolen?” 

As Lord Constable was mad, it seemed like he didn’t hear those words just then. Lucinda was immediately dragged by her father and left the room.  

Annie and her comrades will aim for that time. 

Using this approach, Edgar planned to round up all the thieves and catch them in one swoop.

Oatmeal was immediately brought by a maid exclusive to attending to guest rooms. This maid did not maliciously spread gossip as it was an older woman. Mrs. Boyle had probably selected maids that had not been in contact with Lydia. 

As her fatigue alleviated, she was able to think clearly and so she began to concern over the matters in relation to Madame Oughtred. 

Anyway, Lydia still had not yet figured out the most important matter which was the Danish fairies’ secret. 

If Madame Oughtred’s Regard necklace, which was the symbol of their gratitude, was permitted into the Danish fairies’ rose garden, then the necklace were jewels of the Danish fairies. 

Moreover, the extremely-hated mankind had entered the Danish fairies’ rose garden. The fairy that Lydia encountered felt angry as it thought that she wanted to steal something.

But where exactly would their treasure be hidden in the rose garden? By digging up the grounds, would the jewels come out one by one? 

Lydia’s thoughts eventually reached a dead end. 

Feeling a loss of confidence, Lydia’s feelings of giving up slowly grew within her.  

There should still be something she could do even if she couldn’t save Madame Oughtred. 

Madame Oughtred said that the blue roses will bloom when the moon rises tonight. 

The Madame told Lydia that if she were to ever meet her, she wanted her to tell her friend that the blue roses have bloomed.  

Lydia got up from the bed, changed out of her clothes and put on her dress. Suddenly meeting the lady for the first time as a maid, it she would not be willing to listen to her talk about fairies. 

“No matter who it is, the Duchess of Brightbery will not see anyone.” 

And just like that, Lydia, who wanted to meet her was plainly refused.  

Rather than being a maid of the Duchess, she must be acquainted with her as a relative or a friend. Although she was dressed in commoner’s clothing, Lydia received an aristocratic impression of the woman from everything in her tone of voice and behaviour.

She patiently stared at Lydia. 

At a glance, people could see that Lydia was not a noble’s daughter.  A daughter of a commoner who is said to have a message from Madame Oughtred, whose whereabouts were unknown, would be viewed doubtfully. 

“Let me listen to the message given by the Madame. ” 

Nevertheless, it was better that Madame Oughtred’s words were passed on, than not. 

“Have you seen the blue roses?” 

Lydia hesitated a little as to whether or not she should give up but then she disregarded it and desperately said,

Lydia was prepared in case of a frown, if what she said seemed insane but the woman appeared to be unfazed.

She asked calmly. 

As she was willing to listen, Lydia said that all in one breath. 

She waited for Lydia to finish speaking, then calmly replied.

“What?” 

That was because Lord Constable returned too soon to take Annie away.

In addition, he didn’t forget to frankly advise Edgar that exposing Annie’s lie at that time was the root of all the trouble.  

“Oh? I was still willing to do it if she didn’t speak.” 

This man’s abnormal, he muttered as he rudely grabbed onto Annie’s wrist. 

“For the time being, I want her to do stay in her room to self-reflect...Earl, I’m sorry to trouble you, but don’t ever approach my daughter again from now on.” 

Lord Constable took Annie and went, as if to run away.

In order to allow Annie to contact her comrades, Edgar originally planned to allow her to escape nonchalantly,  however Lord Constable took her away which saved him the trouble. 

And Annie, who is free, will tell false information to her comrades that Lucinda hid Madame Oughtred’s Regard necklace.

He immediately went to visit Duchess Brightbery’s room. 

Unexpectedly, Edgar was invited into the reception room after introducing himself.  

Emerging from the room was not the Duchess but one of the women who serve her. 

Edgar had met this elderly woman who was around her 50s, several times.

“Earl, because I trust you and that would like to ask for your help, but can you promise not to divulge this?” 

“Just a moment ago, she has disappeared. ” 

Although Edgar did not say it loudly, she nervously answered in a low voice. 

“I understand. Then again, she left the room without informing anyone?”

“If the guard officer you’re referring to is Billy, then I know where he is.” 

“You know him? Do you know where Lieutenant William Ramsey is?” 

He is serving the Queen as a military soldier. Therefore, Edgar never thought that he just an ordinary waiter. They were travelling to guard her Majesty in disguise who was to arrive later and went to visit the Oughtred mansion first to prepare. 

“You held them in captivity? Earl, you did that yourself?” 

“Oh my, how vigorous this giant fellow must be.” 

In order for Billy and the others to eliminate those eyeing the jewels, they took action and crudely looked for the group of thieves who invaded Madame Oughtred’s room. But because they mistook Edgar and Lydia as the group of thieves, Raven threw them into the horse manure pit. 

Upon hearing the whole story, the lady-in-waiting seemed to sympathise with Billy and the others but did not blame Edgar in particular. 

“I understand. In that case, speak to the Colonel to accompany you. Since things have turned out this way, they’ve been getting increasingly worried about the Duchess’s safety.”  

“...Ah that’s right. It would be troubling if the Duchess were to avoid them. ” 

Before the Queen claimed the throne, Madame Oughtred was her close friend. But following the change in political power of parliament, Madame Oughtred had to distance herself from the Queen as the Earl Oughtred had connections with the former government and Madame Oughtred was his wife.  

Afterwards, because her husband passed away at that time, Madame Oughtred withdrew from society. In women’s society where there was no political motivation, there would be an opportunity in attracting the attention of the royal family, in which only a few people will know. 

Edgar did not know what promise was made between the two women and how many years they’ve maintained their distance before deciding to meet today. 

If he took advantage of this opportunity to introduce Lydia to Her Majesty, Edgar originally intended ensure that the people saw Lydia’s good side.  

He didn’t want Lydia to have any more bad memories. Besides, Edgar needed to keep Lydia away from danger. 

She ought to be resting, but he did not know where she went.

Nico was leisurely sleeping on the sofa near the window.  

Edgar poked Nico’s nose with his finger. Because he was half asleep, it was as if he discovered something delicious and licked his finger. Feeling disgusted, Edgar angrily pinched Nico’s nose with all his strength. 

“Wha--what are you doing?! Earl, that hurts!....Did you want to kill me?” 

“Where did Lydia go? Isn’t it dangerous to go out alone?” 

Nico buried his face back onto the cushion but Edgar violently grabbed and hoisted him up.

“Yeah, that’s right.” 

“Yes, yes, put me down already. That lady is a friend of Virginia is she not? That’s why Lydia said that she wanted to arrange for them meet no matter what.”  

Should he ask Nico to guide him to the rose garden? But he did not know when the thieves will begin to make their move.   

“Lord Edgar.” 

“Umm, may I ask that you put Mr. Nico down please?” 

“What’s the matter Raven? Are you a cat-lover?” 

“Ah I see... So that’s how it is.” 

Nico, who obtained a strong companion, tidied up his fur and complacently sat by Raven’s feet, sticking out his chest proudly. 

Raven should have been monitoring Lucinda, who was being cautiously watched by her father. 

She began her move. So Edgar had no choice but to focus on the matter at hand. 

“What about Lieutenant Ramsey? He should be ready by now.”

Billy stood by the doorway in changed clothes with a sullen expression.  

“I see.  Ahh don’t come too close, you still stink a little.” 

“This was because of your valet.” 

“....I was just careless.” 

As expected, he grimaced. 

“No, it seems that a search isn’t necessary. For some unknown reason, Your majesty went out alone but there should be no danger for now as seems that Lydia is together with her. ” 

Billy had addressed Lydia’s name without honorifics* which upset Edgar.  

While Billy still maintained his distance from him. Edgar stood directly in front of him and glared angrily at him. 

He was about to open his mouth to refute but he ultimately remained silent. 

When Edgar finished speaking, Billy reluctantly saluted, turned around and left. 

Raven murmured unexpectedly as he watched Billy leave. Whenever it came to Lydia, Edgar was always narrow-minded, so he thought that he would at least give him a punch.

Entering the area enclosed by the foliage all around, soon afterwards one will arrive at a cave and stone steps covered by the grass, and from there, it was as if all the foliage had covered their sight. While Lydia headed forward on this path, she explained to Duchess Brightbery that the fairies’ rose garden was still further in. 

“A voice will come out of nowhere up ahead, so do not answer them. Otherwise, bad things will happen.” 

Although it was the case,  this matter was not a bad thing for her, because the Danish fairies had acknowledged her abilities.  

“Will be in danger.” 

The water that can carry the boat, can also overturn it, is this what you mean? Is that what it means? Miss Carlton, aren’t you close with the fairies? Isn’t that dangerous?”

"But you seem to have a fiance, so it will be good if you don’t act rashly. The Duchess chuckled while looking at the moonstone ring on Lydia’s ring finger. 

Because they had yet to publish their engagement, Lydia had a fairy cast a magic spell on it, so that it was difficult to be seen by others. Only Edgar could take it off and because he was unwilling to, Lydia needed to do this.

Lydia was astonished but greatly relieved, because if such a person were taken into the fairy realm, there would be few chances that they could get caught up in dangerous trouble.   

“Perhaps a gentleman doesn’t desire that sort of thing for a lady.”

“If you can’t do it, it’s okay to let him deal with it for you. You are getting married, are you not? The things you cannot do, he could probably do it without any problems.” 

Lydia was troubled, but the Duchess’s tone was quite firm, so Lydia thought that she may find slowly find confidence.

Taking a step towards the purple evening light, the vast fairy rose garden appeared in sight.

There was no wind, and the roses looked colorful as they faintly glowed under twilight, surrounded by silence. 

Where is Virginia?

The Duchess looked at Madame Oughtred’s notebook on the table and ruminated.

“Didn’t she go out?”

“...Yes, she must be on the hill.” 

Lydia hurried up the hills. They crossed the stone steps together and saw a figure standing in front of the blue roses. It was Madame Oughtred.  

When Lydia was rushed up towards her, she turned around in surprise.  

She then stopped, presumably because she noticed the woman who was approaching closer from behind Lydia.  

“Virginia, you seem to be well. I came to see you according to our promise.” 

The Duchess triumphantly strode beside Madame Oughtred and joyfully took her hand. 

“Yes, I have never forgotten that. The blue roses you always hoped to see, will soon be in full bloom. ” 

Lydia saw them as if they have gone back to the time of being young girls. She became a little envious as she watched the two ladies holding hands, absentmindedly watching the roses.

She thought to herself, in this so-called noble society, the pros and cons of family status, background and so on must first be settled before building diplomatic relations tactfully. However, from watching the two women in front of her, regardless of whether the surrounding circumstances did not permit it, they, themselves had developed a bond with their precious person. 

“Lydia, thank you for guiding Alexandrina here.” 

“If you weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to keep my promise.” 

Although Lydia felt very sorry, it was accidentally said. But Madame Oughtred wasn’t disappointed at all. 

“Yes, because I noticed that the garland was the magical Regard necklace... there was a portrait of the late head of the fairies who wore the same necklace at the mansion.” 

“I apologise for hiding my identity, because when my identity was exchanged with a fairy, I cannot speak out my name. In addition, I couldn’t teach you social etiquette because I couldn’t leave and thought that I’ve certainly disappointed you.” 

The name “Lydia” I didn’t think of who it was until later. Furthermore, it is just as I heard. Lovely and kind-hearted, a woman worthy of being the Lady of Ibrazel more than anyone else. 

“Well... yes. ” 

“Now Alexandrina, looking at the innocent young lady, are you also thinking of the time when we first got married?” 

The two them laughed happily again. 

Lydia wondered while watching.  

[1] Japanese T/N: According to Japanese customs, Billy didn’t politely address her as “Lydia-san” which was what Edgar was mad about. Japanese people usually address their loved one or anyone else they have a close relationship with, by their first name without "san."

Chapter end