Hakushaku to Yousei Vol 13 Chapter 2

Lydia presently knew nothing; she only heard that Edgar’s old enemy whom he fought for a long time --- Prince, had already died. 

The organization fighting together with Edgar until now, “Scarlet Moon”, was also the same.

“The Earl is still requesting that Scarlet Moon scout out Prince’s surviving subordinates.” 

She asked Paul, who was just about to leave, to stay. He was still the same, and frankly acted as Lydia’s companion, as someone to talk to. 

“Yes. They seemed to have not lost any unifying force due to the Prince’s death. ” 

Ulysses is Prince's trusted aide, and is a person who directly conflicted with Edgar every time. 

Those were the reincarnations of the war goddesses. Although the goddesses were originally a trinity, the Prince only obtained two. Currently there was no need to be afraid, but perhaps they were monitoring the activities of Edgar’s faction.

If it’s concerning fairy matters, then he could have discussed this with me. Lydia thought this and knitted her brows. Paul saw this and quickly said cheerfully: 

Paul probably believed that he mustn't say any words that would make Lydia upset while this important period of marriage preparations was in progress.

Lydia clearly knew Paul was being sensitive towards her, so she replied with a smile.  

Recently, regardless of who she came across, her surroundings were all brimming with a congratulatory atmosphere. Regarding this, it was only natural that Lydia felt very grateful, but compared to her mind filled with thoughts of getting married, she was concerned about many other matters even more.

Moreover, she was also worried about the two people who appeared at her home yesterday, and whether or not it would cast a shadow on her and Edgar’s marriage.

Was it necessary to ask Edgar to discuss more on these sorts of things with her?

“Mr. Paul, do you have someone that you like?”

“Ah, no, um, I’m very unfamiliar those sorts of things.”

Because Lydia earnestly asked, he was helplessly forced to close his eyes. Painfully wrinkling his brows, he was probably trying hard to imagine. 

“...Yes.”

“Umm... a hedgehog or something…”

“Ah, um, uh... I only carelessly thought this up… Ahh I don’t know why I said that, I’m sorry.”

“B-but you know, Miss Lydia, is this not an unexpected delight? I would think that sending me a gift that would make me laugh, seeing my startled appearance and a laughing woman also isn’t bad.”

If our hearts were connected and we understood each other's feelings, will I be able to come up with a wonderful gift? Perhaps, I don’t have to think too strictly.

“You seem quite happy.” 

“I was just asking Mr. Paul what his ideal woman was like. ” 

“I heard more interesting things.”

“Earl, excuse me, I must leave first.”

After seeing Paul off, Edgar left the living room together with Lydia. 

Lydia nodded, but she couldn’t help but feel that it was odd, because Edgar walked towards a corridor that was different from his usual direction. 

He halted and stood still, gazing at Lydia with a perplexed expression.

“Eh, i-is that so.”

Edgar continued walking as if he already pulled himself together. 

Edgar lead her into a dressing room which had just been finished decorating. 

Although the room’s colors were bright, perhaps it was due to the effectiveness of the detail in the wooden accent texture of the decorations and furnishings that could make people feel calm.

“Do you like it?” 

Lydia looked utterly entranced, so much to the point that she was unable to speak a line of her thoughts. Edgar held her shoulders, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

“My room? In every case, thinking of luxury makes me feel that it isn’t real.” 

“I want you to soon feel that you are actually getting married.”

“However, Lydia, you haven’t asked me anything. For example, speaking of the room’s decorations, don’t tell me that after you become this house’s Countess, that you plan to sleep in the study? Also, the church formalities, what to do on our honeymoon and so on, you don’t care?”

Moreover, she was also actively trying hard in moving towards the path of marriage.  

What truly needs to be said was that Edgar prepared everything earlier, and Lydia merely conducted herself according to his wishes. 

“...In other words, you’re still in the stage of worrying about the engagement gift?” 

“Therefore, I noticed that we need to discuss this more.”

“Although that is also very important, I’m more concerned about the matter with Prince. ” 

“I heard that the goddess’ reincarnation of a hooded crow may have been watching you closely, even I didn’t know about this matter.”

“Was this why you didn’t say anything to me?”

“If something happened to you, wouldn’t marriage be the last thing on our minds?”

“Surely you don’t know that!” 

“Unnecessary things? I am clearly a fairy doctor, yet you want me to just think about the marriage?”

Edgar’s words seemed to dissuade her from acting willfully and this somehow made Lydia feel uneasy. 

But why did he speak with that tone of voice?

Ever since after the Prince died, Lydia felt that he somewhat seemed preoccupied. She told herself to wait until the day that Edgar takes the initiate to talk to her about it. However, the reason why he even hid the appearance of the hooded crow from her, was it related to the matter of him not speaking out?

Edgar said these words without looking at her and sat motionlessly. 

“The Prince’s matter has already ended, even if Ulysses controls the remaining fairies, he can’t do anything major. As for me, I want to only think of how we will spend our happy future together.” 

“I won’t let you come across danger again, so… rest assured, I also hope that you’ll think of how to enrich your life by using the status of a Countess.”

Or was Lydia the only one thinking this, when in fact, Edgar is not expecting her to be more than an ordinary housewife?

However, they had struggled together to this day only until then, they'll believe that they are separating from each other.

She blurted out.

Looking as if it were bothersome, Edgar unwillingly got up, faced Lydia and frowned painfully.

“It’s not like my feelings will change will it?”

What?

This wasn’t his usual joke. His pained expression made Lydia realize this.

“Wh--what are you saying!”

The situation was too abrupt, Lydia could only stand motionlessly still, confused and disturbed.

“You don’t have the means to change yourself just for me? I know that a man requesting this kind of thing before marriage is despicable, yet even if I do this, are you still willing to love me?”

Even though Lydia’s heart was in chaos, she still faintly sensed something.

In this way, Edgar would gaze at her with a desperate look and she thought that she simply didn’t want to hurt him.

Lydia untied her ribbon. But while doing this, she noticed how indecent this matter was, and felt afraid.

She was definitely unable to refuse, therefore she must bear shame in the future days due to her immoral conduct. But if only she thought of the world’s innocent maidens feeling indifferent to this kind of matter due to their ignorance, her mind was filled with unease.

Because Lydia was too embarrassed, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, yet continued to move her hands.

By the time Lydia noticed, Edgar had already grabbed her hand. 

He held her hands and pulled it to his chest as if to calm Lydia’s trembling hands and extended the other hand to wipe her moistened cheeks.

Lydia, with a mood of despair, raised her tearful face. 

Even though Lydia pressed on, Edgar looked perplexed, merely looking at her without a word.

Even this request, Edgar was also unwilling to nod in response, perhaps he decided to not tell any more lies towards Lydia.

Lydia pushed Edgar away.

He was unable to see the person’s figure but heard their voice, it ought to be Coblynau. Edgar knew that even if he turned, he wouldn’t see its appearance, so he just sat on the sofa, glancing at the window side.

Even Edgar is more troubled. 

“Later, I will go and appease her.”

He hoped that in reality, the sense of their inseparable feelings were already connected. He believed that if it was like this, perhaps he would be able to say it out loud.

Furthermore, it was also for the worst reason. 

Edgar clearly knew, as long as one was infatuated, even if they were pure, a chaste girl will be unexpectedly bold. On the other hand, he also knew that Lydia hadn’t been infatuated at all.

A man who regards affection as a business trade even before marriage, his words cannot be trusted. Lydia was a girl who had this instilled in her in terms of common knowledge, so as long as she isn’t infatuated, then she would decide to run away calmly. 

(I ask that the both of you reconcile as soon as possible, now is not the time to be quarrelling.)

“This was what Bow said, it said that the sword seems to have unusual changes taking place.” 

“Unusual changes?” 

Edgar recalled his dream where he saw a red sword which greatly resembled the Merrow’s sword.

Was the Merrow’s sword aware of the red sword’s existence that was summoning these evil forces?

(Yes, ah, that’s right, I heard that the past Earls would to control these changes, through their own power, so I didn’t let you know.) 

“Then if possible Coblynau, what will happen if there’s no way to suppress the changes?”

“What kind of things?” 

At that time, the master of the red sword wanted to kill and behead Edgar, who possessed the Sapphire sword. It was certainly an ominous dream.

He said that the influence that Edgar could bring to the sword will influence his destiny. 

As Edgar ought to be the Blue Knight Earl, hidden within his body were the memories of his old enemy, the sword must have sensed this. 

Edgar planned to get married with Lydia and to not speak of the circumstances of this serious matter.

Ahh, But the relationship between me and Lydia is in a horrible state.

After Lota spoke, she gulped down a beer clean in one go.

“Were you nearly attacked by Edgar?”

Lydia blushed, promptly looking away. Did I hit the mark? Lota clicked her tongue.

“....No, he somewhat waited.”

After all the trouble, Lydia had begun to be consciously aware that she is engaged, but she was still unable to clearly see the end goal known as marriage. As a result, Edgar seemed to be waiting for her all along is what she thought, but sometimes he would suddenly behave in an impetuous manner.

“That said, he seems very worried that you’ll be snatched away by someone, so after quarreling he sent someone to keep a close eye you.” 

From the time Lydia ran out of the Earl’s residence afterwards, Raven had been following her all along. This was certainly Edgar’s command. 

Raven, who was at the adjacent table, seemed to protest in correcting Lota’s words.

After Nico cheerfully finished his beer he called out; honestly, it was unknown as to why he was here.

“Old man, give this little guy another glass.” 

But Raven, from the beginning, did not drink a single sip.

Normally, one would really think that.

Edgar had even asked her whether her feelings wouldn’t change regardless of what she heard.

She undoubtedly liked Edgar, yet she couldn’t say it. But even if Edgar wanted to have her, she would burst into tears because she felt that the shame and guilt was more intense than her feelings for him.

Before blaming Edgar for unwilling to tell her the truth, perhaps Lydia ought to behave more maturely.

Raven also nodded slightly. 

Even when the both of them kissed for a relatively long time, the first to move their head away was always Lydia. 

As Lydia sighed, she heard the doorbell ring, proclaiming that a visitor has entered. 

It was that Highlander called Fergus from yesterday.

“Hey, don’t stand in the way…. No, now is not the time to be quarreling. Ah, Lydia, you need to get out of here quickly!”

“...Listen to me... That guy has come...” 

At that split second, the building shook violently.  

When the oil lamps nearly toppled over, Lota screamed.

When the swaying finally stopped, there was an approximately ten foot tall giant standing before everyone.

Lydia got up from underneath, with the assistance of Lota, and her location wasn’t at the narrow pub. It was a vast plain, interspersed with the pub’s tables and chairs. 

“Dammit, we were caught.”

“Mr. McKeel, what is that...” 

Among the fairies, the giant Trows were considered to be one of the oldest races. Within some tribes, some would get close to people, but there were others that were known to eat people’s villages.

“Son of McKeel, why did you intend to run away?” 

Apparently it seemed to know Fergus. If that was the case, then at least they didn’t need to worry about suddenly being eaten, but it was still early to feel relieved. 

What? Is it referring to me?

Despite Fergus glaring at the giant, there was little effect.

Apparently he wanted Lydia as his bride.

“Our clan’s women, by no means will be given to you.”

Having said that, the legends also mentioned a witch who still continued to survive after becoming a giant’s wife. They were probably looking for this kind of human.

But this giant in front gazed at Lydia and Lota, who were behind Fergus. 

Everyone was silent, and the giant then gazed at Lydia’s Moonstone ring. 

“This ring is powerful. I see, I heard before that humans will give a ring as a symbol of agreeing to marry. You are the Prophet’s fiancée, right?”

“As, as if! This is my ring! I only lent it to her to wear, that’s all.” 

“Lydia, don’t say too much, hurry and run!”

“It’s no problem, I’ve also been a dragon’s bride. You know, I soothed him of his demands.”

In order to take the ring back, Lydia argued with Lota. 

Within the fight to seize the ring, it shot out.

“Is it you?” 

Raven caught the ring.

“It’s me. ” 

You’re a man!

“Ugh, how annoying! I’ll take everyone away.” 

“Hey, grab me, quick!” 

“Miss Lydia.” 

“Please return to Lord Edgar’s side. Stay by his side... please save Lord Edgar.” 

Fergus managed to grab Lydia’s hand. 

“Ahhhhhh!” 

“Nico... Raven, Lota!” 

As the surroundings regained light again, Lydia found that she and Fergus, who grabbed the branch, remained on the plains.

“I don’t know. ” 

“That’s impossible. No one is capable fighting the Trows, because the giants of the sun clan won’t die. Furthermore, it is said in the legend that the midnight sun occurs because they hold up the sun, not letting it fall.”

“It probably is, so there was never a person who defeated them… Only one teaching was passed down, and that is when the condition, “the sun is swallowed by the sea three times” is established. Only then is it possible to kill the Trow. 

“I don’t know, but regardless of what you think, if there really is a person that is able to kill the giant appears, it’s certainly an ominous sign. My grandfather often said that it was an omen of an era of darkness coming.”

“We’ll have think about that again later. In short, we can only think of how to return to the human world first.” 

Furthermore, she was also alone with this person. 

“Let’s go up to the hill and take a look, maybe we’ll be able to see something.”

“Hey, if this continues, won’t Lota will be considered as the bride?” 

“What? Then Raven may accidentally become a bride.” 

What he said was right. Originally, fairies were a mysterious existence that naturally came into being. Although there were some races among fairies that would get married and have children, they wanted the habits of human things, so they created this kind of custom.

“But if Lota and Raven are brought to the giant’s country, their lifespan will be shortened.”  

“Up until recently, kind of thing has never happened before, as we and the sun giant clan had always coexisted peacefully. Every fifty years, we will form a bridal procession, sending the bride on horseback into their forest. After all, the bride was a doll, so they were very satisfied. Because to their knowledge, they have a bride that won’t die immediately and give birth to a child, so to this day, there haven’t been any problems.”

“It seems that it’s because children are longer being born. The islands are unable to grow crops, livestock won’t reproduce, it’s said that humankind is the same. Disease and stillbirths have increased, furthermore, many residents are suffering from the famine. Several of the McKeel clan regions were already ruined. Currently, the island is in this kind of state.”

Although the giant and clan head had direct negotiations but were rejected afterwards, they knew that Fergus had found Lydia, who was originally to become the Prophet’s fiancée, so they came over to seek her.

“......But Mr. McKeel, there’s no way I can help you.” 

“It’s better to call me Fergus, we are relatives. But now is not the time to discuss this, we must cooperate and leave here.”

Because he was a relative, Lydia strange felt a sense of relief.

“I’ve been watching you all day, but I was discovered by the giant when I wanted to go into the pub, and so it turned out like this.”

“That black-haired man wasn’t with you.” 

They managed to climb up the hill, but no matter which direction they looked, it was all plains.

“Ah! You are also a fairy doctor, correct? Do you know how to get out?”

She needed to rely on Nico for that sort of thing, but unfortunately he was already taken away. 

Perhaps they will be able to enter the boundary when moving forward.

“I have to ask you, why did you want to be engaged to that Earl?”

“Eh, well...” 

Of course, the reason was she liked him at last, but perhaps this reason was insufficient to make her determined to step into the status of marriage, which was a large gap.

Where did such strong feelings come from? It’s as if the time when she untied the ribbon in Edgar’s mansion, making others feel at a loss. 

“That’s gossip.”  

“That was fabricated.” 

With regards to Lydia, she instead cared more about the woman gazing at her during social parties, and then suddenly leaving the scene crying afterwards. 

“What?”

If Fergus was truly following Lydia all along, then it’s only natural that her appearance was seen.

Lydia sheepishly lowered her head.

“...It’s not like that, you’re clearly unable to understand Edgar, yet you say these kinds of words.” 

He angrily pursed his lips, probably recalling the matter where he was shoved down from the top of the stairs.

Indeed, sometimes Lydia thought Edgar’s desire to monopolize was quite strong, but she knew that this was because Edgar had needed protect his own possessions.

Was it because he was afraid of losing something, that he would become very impatient?

“It’s not like that, Edgar hasn’t done anything wrong, and I’m not quarrelling with him!” 

“Don’t tell me you like that Earl?” 

“Because… we are engaged.” 

“The engagement was my own decision.” 

He stopped and turned towards Lydia, gazing directly at her face.

Lydia stepped back. 

Now is not the time to get into something like a fight with Edgar, I have to stay by his side. 

Although she didn’t know whether or not she could be of help, perhaps it was just as Raven said, as long as she was able to somewhat save Edgar, then she should disregard the reason and stay by his side.

She didn’t know the way back, yet she still ran without turning back. At the same time, she knew that Fergus was chasing after her.

He immediately overtook Lydia, grabbing her hand. 

“Don’t you see it? You’ll fall in!”

But just as she went ashore, the fierce river suddenly rushed over.

Fergus shouted, being swallowed by the flood. 

The sound of water settled down, and the feeling of the water and river by the side of her feet had unknowingly faded away.

Lydia stood on a meadow, there was completely no trace of the river, and Fergus was not seen.

It was the magical Kelpie who is seductively beautiful, with a sense of terror.

Although Kelpie was a fairy who ate humans, he was fairly close to Lydia. She felt relieved as she relaxed her shoulders. 

Lydia ran towards him, extending her hand in order to confirm this.

“It’s not like you should worry about me.” 

Actually, I cared a little bit.

His pearl-black eyes gazing at Lydia made her heart have incredibly mixed feelings. Not knowing whether or not it was because he no longer seemed like before, where he would charge forward for certain things. That’s why, Lydia felt very compassionate.

“I heard the giants captured you, so I tried to find you.” 

“You heard... who did you hear it from?” 

He urged her to sit on his back. 

But now, what she first needed to think over was how to get out of here. Otherwise, there would be no way to rescue Lota and the others.

Lydia tried to discuss this with Kelpie, but he couldn’t help but shake his head and decline.

“Then what about Fergus? He was washed away by your water.”

Lydia thought to herself that since this was the case, he shouldn’t have been flushed off too far by the water, and that she should try finding and bringing him back to the human world afterwards.

“Lydia, you can be a good person, but you need to consider yourself more. The path you chose isn’t some broad and open road.”

Was he referring to my engagement with Edgar? 

“Um, Kelpie....” 

Lydia promptly looked under her feet, and there really was no shadow. 

While Lydia mumbled, she realized.

Now that the incredible power that bound her to the ring was gone, she was captured, leaving her in the same situation as the others who were taken away by the giants. 

She was basically unable to return like this. Even if she knew the way back, she was unable to leave the fairy circle. 

Kelpie, not knowing when he transformed into his human appearance, worriedly sat next to her.  

Perhaps he had already silently accepted the fact that Lydia chose Edgar.

He turned his head, looking towards Lydia with a baffled expression. 

“Why would I be angry?”

“I know that you wanted to protect me. But Edgar also didn’t give up and ultimately came to find me, so I’m confident that I can trust him.”

“You saying it like this, I’m digging my own grave.”

Granted that she was imprisoned by fairy magic, Lydia was a fairy doctor. She would certainly figure out a way to return to Edgar’s side.

“Kelpie, can you use changeling magic?” 

Lydia nodded. 

“But you need to exchange places with someone.”

“Ah! Then how about I exchange places with a doll? My home has a doll made of pottery, so long as my appearance becomes similar with the doll, then if you use exchange magic with it on me, then it’ll be alright.”

“Speaking of that, fairy changelings are only similar in terms of appearance to the person who was exchanged, but their inner nature is still the same. In this case, I’m still me, only my appearance, hair color, and so on are different. There will be no problems when living as a human.”

Kelpie hit the nail on the head. Lydia pretended not to care, but actually it was a matter that she was very concerned about.

“Generally speaking, it’s far from good.”

“But when I came back from the dragon’s nest previously, nothing had happened.... I’m probably not a changeling.”

But now was not the time to hesitate. 

Although Lydia made a firm resolution, Kelpie still wasn’t too willing to lend a hand.

“....Right!”

“If I state my identity, the changeling magic will be lifted, causing me to return to the fairy circle... how should I do this?”

“No problem, even if I myself don’t speak, as long as I find a way to make him discover that it’s me, then it’s fine. Everything will progress smoothly, right, Kelpie? If Edgar is not affected by my appearance, and firmly believes that the person before him is me, then we will have a strong bond between us, a force that won’t even lose to the giant’s magic which imprisoned me via the ring, isn’t that so? In this way, not only will I not be pulled back to the giant’s side, but also I can return to the human world with my original body, it truly is killing two birds with one stone!”

“If things don’t go smoothly, you will get hurt.” 

More importantly, she had to return to Edgar’s side.

“It doesn’t matter, cast the spell. I want to return to Edgar’s side. I will certainly think of a way to make him discover my true self, and then think of a way with him to save everyone.” 

In the split second that Lydia realized she was being held, she was already sitting on the pitch-black horse’s back, galloping over the plains.

Kelpie didn’t want Lydia to get caught up in Edgar’s battles. But Lydia was already became intertwined with Edgar’s destiny, thus she thought that she shouldn’t involve Kelpie. 

“No matter when, fairies are quite bored. You are simply an object that happens to help me pass the time.”

Although he said he wanted to marry her, it was different from human love. Previously saying that he wanted to marry her was also because of the same reason, it really wasn’t like the love between humans. 

“Anyways, leisure is leisure, so I’ve decided to stay aside and protect your destiny.”

“If you want to become an outstanding fairy doctor, listen and remember this point well.” 

“You are the first fairy doctor to earn an aquatic water horse.”

Chapter end