Hakushaku to Yousei Vol 3 Chapter 5

P. 170

It was still the time when the early-morning mist was clinging to the ground. There was hardly any presence of people in the park.

The water birds that noticed his presence flew off all at once into the sky.

He didn’t want to eat the squirrels that were scuffling through the bushes around there. However, large animals in London were either humans or horses. 

“I guess I could grab a pig by the bay…”

Kelpie was surprised at the human’s early morning walk in the park as he hid his presence like the trees and grass in his surroundings.

It was the perfect opportunity for a hunt, but since he had chose not to eat, he decided to hurry up and leave that area. What made him stop was because he was familiar with one of the faces of the two figures. 

fingers.

He heard the painter say that.

The other man made a fist with only his forefinger pointing up like he was shhing. 

“That man is an imposter. He is not the Blue Knight Earl that we have been waiting for.”

P. 172

“I know. At the present time, the only ones who can confirm if it is the real sword of the Blue Knight Earl is the Royal Family, the College of Arms and us. That’s why, when I heard your report, Mister made his decision. That man is an imposter and it is unforgivable that he even stole the sword as well.”

“But, Paul, you’ve seen that young Asian lad who works in the earl house. That lad had been going through training as an assassin to be the slave of Prince. I was told from ours that, however his memory was fuzzy, he remembers that face. It wasn’t just him, a number of our men who we took in after they escaped from Prince’s organization claimed they knew that Asian.”

“Yes, in order to be sure of it, Mike went in posing as a dance instructor. He went out of bounds and now is in that state though, but we’re now sure that he isn’t any ordinary house servant. And I hear that the white slave that Prince particularly favored was a blond-haired beautiful boy, and however you see it, those two are Prince’s dogs who were sent from America ordered to steal the Blue Knight Earl’s sword.”

He thought since the man had the sword that held the magic of fairies, that should be enough to say he was real.

However the painter was surprised at something else than the fact that the earl was an imposter. 

“You’re quick to show what you’re thinking on your face. You were able to successfully pull through this mission without them being suspicious of you because you believed that he was the real Blue Knight Earl, weren’t you? Thanks to your lack of malice towards the earl, we anticipated that you would be able to obtain his trust and sent him the threat letter and try to put them in confusion.”

“That’s why we needed you to do one more job as a member of the [Scarlett Moon].”

“He is the henchman of the devil. Don’t think him as human. You know plenty already, the man named Prince will use any means in order to get what he wants. I don’t know if he wants to become king of the underside of society or if he’s after something more unimaginable. But we must stop that 

The man continued on his heated conviction.

P. 174

The painter looked completely confused, and nodded in a half-hearted manner.

“But, if they have investigated about my origins and found something questionable….”

That man slapped the worrisome Paul’s shoulder as if to snap him back in shape. 

“But….”

“I think I may have angered the earl. No, uh, I haven’t had a chance to talk to him since, so I don’t know how he feels about it. But, yes, he usually is an open-hearted, forgiving man, but I couldn’t help myself since the earl was forcing himself onto a young girl from a different class.”

P. 175

The reason he is quite open-hearted about things is because he only has an interest in women. What are you thinking in trying to steal his woman! It hasn’t been that long since it has been forbidden but they are the kind of people who perform duels, and the most common causes for those are women!”

“Are you an idiot! Why would a noble have a duel with a commoner! He would just shoot you on the spot.”

“I know, if we go with that, then it would be harder for him to consider you as a spy. Yes, so go ahead and apologize so that the two of you are back on good terms. He will let his guard down with you. Aim when you are alone together.”

The painter, who was left alone, looked down at the thing in his hand for a while. Then, he finally lethargically moved his arm to put it in his pocket, but perhaps because he was shaking, he dropped the medicine bin.

He gasped as his eyes trailed after it which tumbled down to drop into the lake.

Hey, weren’t you going to kill the earl.

“You dropped this.”

“Do it right.”

The painter timidly took the bin from from Kelpie and walked away with heavy feet, but he had a strong grip on the bin, never to drop it again.

It was a problem if Lydia was involved in this happening by some mistake.

“Tsk, this is no time to be looking for a bite to eat. Oh, geesh, humans are sure a handful,” mumbled Kelpie, putting aside his own action of encouraging the painter. 

P. 177

*

With the investigation report on a painter named O’neill in one hand, Edgar closed his eyelid tightly.

According to this, a painter Patrick O’neill, who specialized in painting a noble’s manor house that was located in a scenic area did exist. The paintings he produced were naturally hanged in the manor house of those who hired him and so there was no way they were sold to the public. By due to the Season, there were many country-side resident nobles who were gathered in Londonthat knew about him.

It was a common case when no one would know the location, or a sixteen, seventeen-year-old boy, who was left on his own stumbled into the great city was dead or alive. 

“Murder…..?”

That hide-up was quite clever. It was hard to think that Paul had thought up this on his own, which makes it easy to believe that there was the work of some kind of organization behind the curtain.

O’neill painted Edgar’s family house. His family, and Edgar himself.

It would be troublesome for Prince if there was someone who saw Edgar and reminded of the Duke family. Or perhaps, while O’neill was in the Duke family house, he might have found out something that got in the way of Prince, which lead to him being tracked down and killed.

No longer could he say that Paul was still the same as he was in the past.

“Raven, do you think I resemble Prince?” asked Edgar, as he watched his servant pour him tea.

“Not about my looks. He tried to mold me into someone just like himself. The education I was forced through, the knowledge and doctrine and my choice of gestures and words, even how I thought and felt was corrected. I feel that how I am now is similar to Prince than how I was in the past… I know how to dominate and control people. I can become as ruthless as I need to. My heart doesn’t ache. Before I knew it, I became self-righteous, 

“No, you are not him. That man was just lusted for women, and had no gift in philandering them,” replied Raven with a serious face.

As he was still mulling things over in his head, Raven opened his mouth to speak.

He felt honestly happy at those words, however, Edgar still thought they were alike. 

For example, like how he would have to erase Paul, who knew him from his peaceful, happy times with his very own hands.

Could he mean Paul. Even if he was a spy from that Robin Hood gang, he could be worried that Edgar might not be able to go through with his decision.

He came all this way with the intention of protecting this young man who was treated like a human-killing machine. However, in truth, Edgar felt that he was in fact saved by his presence all this time.

Even if he was going to hurt those who he came to respect and understand….
 

“What is going on!” shouted Lydia as she finally blew her top.

She complained that there was a female sleeping in the room! And kick him out, but after she dressed and prepared herself and came downstairs to have breakfast, he was still there.

Of course, Nico didn’t favor being with the barbaric kelpie, so he must have had no intention of having a meal with him at the table. Like he was rotating with Lydia, he snorted through his nose grumpingly as he left the room.

When she rode the carriage to the earl house, he was right next to her. At this rate, till when Lydia would go home, he might intend to stay in her office room. 

“Don’t be bothered.”

When they reached the earl house and the driver opened the door, Edgar stepped up into the carriage as he pushed Lydia back in as she was getting ready to step out.

She hadn’t seen him since that incident and had been avoiding him for three days so she was taken aback at his appearance.

Lydia was obviously leering away from him, but Edgar didn’t seem bothered at all.

“Why do I have to move.”

Hmph, snorted the kelpie through his nose.

What do you mean? She wanted to ask him, but Kelpie vanished in a blink. 

As soon as she realized that, Lydia became frightened again. 

“Lydia, I pledge I won’t lay a finger on you, so please stay here.”

He told the driver to circle around the area, then like he was finally relieved, he commented in a leisurely manner “what good weather it is today.”

“This is the best it gets in London.”

“Are you still upset about what happened?”

P. 183

much.

It was like a form of greeting to noblewomen. He might have just fooled around and played a joke on Lydia by doing it to her.

Even if she thought that, at the time, the air felt lascivious and the how he acted, how he looked at her, everything was completely unfamiliar with Lydia, and she was scared so much she wanted to bolt out and run.

Even if she thought that, she didn’t want to end up forgiving him and turning back into his puppet again.

“What would make you forgive me?”

“How much is some time? It would be my last regret if I remained in an uneasy position to you.”

P. 184

“My mistake. Concern.”

“I don’t want you to forget, but forgive me. I don’t want to forget. I may have caused you to have an unpleasant experience, but I haven’t felt that close to you like I had at that time before.”

But, because he was like that, it was more difficult for her to forgive him.

From confusion, Lydia was made to turn her head down, and looking at her like that, he must have given up trying to make her say she forgives him, and so he changed the subject.

But, he chose an even more peculiar subject.

That’s only natural for someone like you to do.

“Did he say that?”

“……He surely is a natural fool. It was just the opportunity when you were being enamored by his valiant deed, and yet he goes and says something like splashing cold water on you.”

“The reason you are scared of love, could be that naturally gentlemen would seem to show interest in you but then innocently reject the notion.”

Edgar looked like he made a faint frown, like he appeared hurt, which made Lydiashut her mouth. But, she still thought he was just acting the part. 

He spoke in a serious tone, perhaps because it was related to something that might affect the friendship that Edgar felt towards him.

“Punching? However I thing about it, I can only imagine the scene where you are the one who is one-sidedly punching the other.”

She didn’t know what he meant in what he said.

“……Hey, don’t go to fight. He treasures the promise that he made with you in the past. He said it was thanks to you that he became a painter, and when he became famous, he wanted to have you see his paintings more than anyone else. Paul believes that the Duke’s young son has died, but he put the image of the young son onto you. However much you try to pull a fight with him, I don’t think he could bring himself to hit you.”

Did he really have the intention of fighting with Paul. But, for what reason. 

“Lydia, thank you for sharing your time with me.”

“Just a little ways.”

P. 187

“Um, Edgar, whether I side with you or not, you won’t lose. You’re able to craftingly make luck turn to your side. Even with Paul, if you wish it, you’ll be able to understand with each other.”

“You’re so kind. That’s why I build expectations. That you really do have feelings for me.”

The sight of Edgar who put on his top hat had instantly disappeared into the crowd of people.

Paul had returned to the boarding house on Fleet Street, and he breathed out a deep sigh as he held the medicine bin that was handed to him from one of the men in the organization that he had a seat in.

Edgar had taken a liking to Paul’s paintings and possessed both the charming features of a peer-like noble spirit and a friendly down-to-earth characteristic.

P. 188

But, if he, who called himself Edgar Ashenbert, was someone close to the leader of the organization who killed his father, then his duty was very important.

“Mr. Foreman, you have a visitor.”

To the he one who came in through the door she opened for, Paul went frozen and nearly dropped the medicine bin in reaction.

“What is the matter? You have the tragic look of someone who facing the end of the world.”

“I have an interest in what a painter’s studio was like.”

“It’s just a regular room. Although, it’s covered with splotches of paint here and there.”

He also must have had no intention of sitting down on a dirty chair, as he walked over to the window and stood looking out.

“Eh.”

“No, ah, I was asked by an acquaintance, if my room could be used to store them for a while.”

“I see. The reason I came by today, was because I had something that I wanted to ask you.”

“….What might that be.”

His eyes whipped down to his right hand and saw that there indeed was no ring on his finger. He had switched it onto his left hand from time to time as he thought it got in the way of when he wanted to hold a painting brush. He had made sure and paid attention so that he wouldn’t be noticed, but since this was his own room, he had completely forgotten about it.

Putting aside how it would be normal to take that opportunity or not, it was just as Edgar said.

“Did you have a necessity to remain in the house for some more time?”

“……Because Lydia had purposed that it would be safer if I stay at the earl house, you offered me a painting job. The ring came off more quickly than I expected, and if I lost the reason to remain in your house, then I became worried that you might take back the painting offer.”

“I’m surprised to see you’re good at making up a quick excuse. I thought you were a man who couldn’t lie.”

“Your name isn’t Foreman but O’neill. Are you saying that this isn’t a lie as well?”

‘Unless he knows of you from the past.’

“O’neill was also a painter. He was killed eight years ago. At least, you thought so, and because you thought so, so must have sensed your life was in danger at the time.”

Paul’s mind was slowly strengthened and coldly made up. 

“What are you talking about? I always was Foreman. My father has retired but still alive.”

A white-colored grained powder that was inside dropped into the teacup. From the corner of his eye, he made sure that Edgar wasn’t looking towards him.

“Where did this name of O’neill pop out from?”

“I knew about him. He was a good painter. The manor house that was built next to the lake was the White Lily. It was always a question to me on what part of it was a white lily but I finally understood when I saw his painting. It was the elegant white lilies themselves that were blooming near the edge of the lake.”

P. 192

It was a lake out of a dream, surrounded by the rich countryside and mystical forests. The noble people who lived there were all kind and beautiful….

If he knew about Paul in the past….

“Your painting has the same delicate sensitiveness as O’neill. You were indeed meant to become a painter.”

Edgar picked up the teacup. He appeared unaware and innocent like a child. He made it seem like he didn’t come to confront Paul’s feelings of distrust towards him but came to talk and open up about something important and valuable. 

P. 193

If Edgar had realized that Paul had investigated his surroundings and sneaked into the earl house to harm him, but if there was still the friendship that previously existed between them, could he have come to confirm that?

Previous friendship?

“……If I wasn’t recommended onto this path by someone, then I don’t know if I would have come this far.”

Oh, so he was. There was only one person he opened up to about his dream of making poems. 

The cup shattered and the tea spilled all over the floor.

When the housekeeper came rushing in, surprised at the sound of things breaking, they weren’t bothered, even when she realized that the visitor was a noticeably a noble at one look and walked over to him with a worried look.

“Paul, you really haven’t changed.”

Just when he was about to say ‘your grace’ the housekeeper approached Edgar in an unnaturally close distance.

In the same instance that she swiftly backed away, Edgar felt to the floor in a crouch.

“Hurry and get out of here. Tell your comrades and have them clean up this body.”

“You’re….one of the ‘Scarlett Moon’?”

She was wrong. Edgar had no intention of killing Paul.

“What are you saying of all things. Hey, are you planning on turning your tail on us?”

P. 195

P. 196

To use the first simple stages of self-defense, or in another one’s view, violence to a woman was a first for Paul and a shameless act in itself, but there was no other option. 

Should he call a doctor? But if he did that, it would put in question the existence of the organization. His father was a member. The ‘Scarlett Moon’ had protected Paul all this time and he made a pledge to become a member to fight those responsible for his father’s death. 
He didn’t know what he should do, and slumped to the floor.

*

Before she realized it, the number of people in her work office, no the number of fairies had seemed to increased, which made Lydia feel like a headache was building up.

To top of the annoying part, Nico was walking around the room without any apparent reason. And he was bothering with the fluffy fur on his chest to any excessive degree. 

All right, now this is strange, thought Lydia and stopped her writing. 

“It’s like my body feels tingling all over.”

“Isn’t the merrow’s sword in this house? That’s what is howling,” interrupted Kelpie.

“How would I know that?”

“Being near a fairy doctor is somewhat better than nothing.”

But I didn’t know that the sword could howl. As she thought,Lydiathought it might be best to notify the butler and stood up.

“Miss Carlton, have you heard anything about where Lord Edgar had gone?”

P. 198

“I had a short talk with him in the carriage, but he got off alone and walked off somewhere. I don’t know where he headed.”

“…..And Foreman……?”

“Mister Foreman has not come today.”

“He said he was going to return to his residence. He claimed he needed to let the air through or the paint he had in stock was going to mold. Raven, what is the matter. Is there some sort of problem?”

Lydia looked over to Kelpie who said that.

“It would be trouble if you were involved.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Oh, good, so he isn’t here. Then, I don’t need to be in this noisy house, so I’m leaving.”

P. 199

Lydia stood in front of him and blocked his path.

“Cut ties? Do you think that would keep me away.”

He fell silent like he was thinking that over. Then he finally combed his bangs up like he was frustrated. 

“WH-WHAT! Why does Paul have to kill Edgar?”

“There was a possibility that Foreman was a member of an organization that the dance instructor was also membered in who attacked me. We fell suspicious and investigated, and it was indeed…” whispered Raven in a regretful tone.

Raven hurried out of the room in a dash. The butler must have decided he couldn’t just stand around and also left the room.

“It has nothing to do with me. And besides, with that man out of the picture, you’ll be able to return to Scotland. And yet, that painter, he looked so pathetic like he was too scared to commit murder, that’s why I placed a spell on him so that he would have the confident to do it.”

“I’m cutting off from you! Hurry up and leave!”

Like she didn’t want to hear any excuses, Lydia ran out of the room.

She heard the shouting voice of Raven calling Edgar’s name. The sound of the worried and panicked voices and sound of the servants moving about by Tomkin’s orders could be heard.

The driver of a horse-drawn carriage said that he was asked by a young man to drive the man to the Ashenbert Earl estate in Mayfair because he was in a seriously dangerous state. 

P. 201

It was a mystery why Paul, who had supposedly tried to kill Edgar, would end up sending him to his home. 

It appeared like the merrow’s sword was still howling as if moaning over the danger that befell over its master, but humans couldn’t hear it.

“Symptoms of paralysis appear, so I believe they used some sort of nerve poison.”

“It’s similar to the venom of a snake.”

“There isn’t an antidote?”

Lydia gulped down the words oh, no.

P. 202

Lydia and Tomkins, all the ones working in the earl house have only known Edgar for just three short months. 

More than that, Lydia herself was filled with feelings of disbelief. 

“Even when Lord Edgar clearly knew that Foreman was a spy from the ‘Scarlett Moon,’ he didn’t allow me to cause any harm to him.”

“It is the name of an organization that is fighting against Prince. It seems like they are only doing charitable work, but they claimed that Lord Edgar was the henchman of Prince and an imposter posing as the Blue Knight Earl, and threatened him that they will go after his life unless he  handed over the sword.”

It couldn’t be helped since there was no necessity in revealing that to Lydiaif it had nothing to do with fairies. She was only hired as a fairy doctor, and was not a part of their fellowship. 

P. 203

Because, she considered herself a little bit closer than just someone hired.

Not only was he asking for her work as a fairy doctor, but because she wasn’t an honest member of their group, she remained out of their battle, and felt that she was able to support the part of him that was lonely.

Because there could have been something Lydia could have done. 

“Since he didn’t let me know, Lord Edgar must have sensed that things would turn out like this when he went to see Foreman.”

“Foreman is the only person who knows about Lord Edgar from the past.”

He was grieving over how he has changed.

P. 204

“Raven, …..It’s my fault too. I had said to Edgar that if he wished, he would be able to come to an understanding with Paul. If I think about it now, Edgar could have been confused to as if he should see him as his enemy and cut him loose or not…. Because, he didn’t seem himself. If I didn’t say anything out of my position, then he might have not let down his guard when he went to see him….”

“This isn’t your fault. Lord Edgar always makes his decisions by himself.”

But, could there be a person who doesn’t get confused in their decision. Even as they made their resolve, hearts are made to linger. 

“Miss Carlton, would you like to see Lord Edgar?”

“I believe he would want to see you.”

She was lead into the room and walked over to his pillow side and the housekeeper who was watching over him was polite and left the room.

Lydia softly took his hand into hers. They were so cold and when she remembered how they weren’t usually this way, she wanted to cry.

She didn’t want to never be able to talk with him again. She hadn’t reconciled their friendship back together yet.

It wasn’t like she was all that mad at him. Since Edgar unusually looked like he was sorry for his actions, she was only being bold and thought it would be good if he in good behavior for a little longer.

She didn’t know how serious he was and why he would think it his ‘last regret’ for this stupid misunderstanding to continue between him and Lydia, but if things continued at this rate, then this would end as an unbearable regret for Lydia.

That part also made Lydia feel responsible as a fairy doctor.

If it was usual, he would be opening his mouth to say to half-jokingly to flirt with her.

Overflowed with a strong emotion, Lydia stood up.

Unexpectedly, she didn’t have any hesitation. Once she decided that that was the only way, she rushed to leave the room.

Chapter end