P. 8
She said a cheeky thing like she wanted to be called by a name of the woman he wasn’t able to forget.
They had escaped from the man who had made slaves out of so many innocent boys and girls. She was a member of Edgar’s team fighting against
“Our little black diamond,” whispered Edgar as he looked down at a poorly made coffin.
“Is the legendary black diamond really in a coffin like this?”
The man named Prince who kept Edgar as his slave, had made his claim in the underground society of America.
P. 9
The one who just spoke was the one of the leading members, Slade. With him at the lead, the Scarlet Moon members looked at their new leader Edgar as he stood near the coffin as they had the look of not knowing what in the world this man was thinking on their faces.
The one who said that was Paul, another member of the ‘Scarlet Moon’ and a painter that Edgar was very acquainted with.
Or perhaps, was the reason that had happened because of the curse of the black diamond?
“But, you had the diamond stored in a coffin? Everyone frowned when we heard you had placed an order to have a dead body sent to you from America.”
“What?”
P. 10
His golden blond hair - which had the s.h.i.+ne as bright as the moon - stood out in the night graveyard.
“Jean had gone through the act of killing herself so that the diamond wouldn’t be taken by Prince. And she hid it so that I would be the only one to know where it was.”
“When our hideout was ambushed by Prince, she was the only one keeping watch over our absence, and she died after she hid the diamond. I found her body and carried it to the church and just asked for her to be buried.”
And after Edgar had gotten accustomed to living in England, he was taking care of plans from quite some time ago to claim Jean’s remains.
“Which means, Earl, couldn’t Prince have already gotten the diamond?”
But, he knew that Jean’s black diamond hadn’t been taken. He was sure of it.
“Beautiful jewels corrupt people’s lives. Do you know about the Regent diamond? Long ago, the slaves in the iron mine had stolen and run off with the large diamonds that they found. They cut open the calf of their legs and put the stone in there to hide it. I had told that story to Jean before, and so I was able to tell immediately when I found her body.”
“I found it,” said Raven in a matter-of-fact tone.
It seemed like Prince had been too quick in uncovering her grave.
“Thank you, Jean. And, good night. I won’t have your sleep disturbed anymore.”
“Slade, can you restore this diamond back to the necklace of its original design?”
“If it is the artisan of the Scarlet Moon, then it is possible. …..However-”
“She’s just a young child.”
“Earl, if it is to go against Prince, are you thinking its right to sacrifice children?”
“You know that it’s not like he wanted to sacrifice them if he could, don’t you?” said Paul in Edgar’s place.
Now that he recalled, Edgar remembered that there was a young boy who frequently made a visit to the earl house.
“I don’t mind if you don’t believe in me, but if you don’t follow what I say, then you won’t be able to win against Prince.”
“But, if you all don’t plan to die for me, then that’s fine as well. I too, don’t want to go through with that style of fighting.”
Dirt was thrown and mounded onto the top of the coffin.
When he would wonder the reason - just like Slade said -Edgar was made to feel a sort-of-destiny wrapped around himself.
Perhaps because of his appearance, or maybe because of his personality, or the cause could be because he subconsciously used the methods that Prince implanted in him which enabled him to manipulate other’s minds.
But, the bond made from strong faith and loyalty to Edgar made his comrades choose death instead of running from battle.
But, Edgar was still fighting against Prince.
Because he felt he couldn’t waste the diamond entrusted to him after it was protected by Jean in exchange with her life.
The tea party didn’t have any formality to it compared to the gatherings held within the upper cla.s.s of the peerage, so it was very easy to get used to for Lydia.
To begin with, Lydia was the type who wasn’t good at being around with people. She was great at being around with fairies, but the manners and etiquette for fairies and the upper-cla.s.s were completely different.
P. 15
Even so, Lydia came to this tea party attended only by women.
“I hear that she has eloped.”
“But, did you know, when she went to the house of her suitor, the wife of the house was already there before her!”
The d.u.c.h.ess believed in the existence of fairies, and was always excited to talk about fairies and the tales related to them with Lydia. She even acknowledged Lydia’s ability to see fairies that normal people couldn’t see and be able to communicate and become friends with them.
That’s why she had received an invitation, and even though it was just a gathering of the d.u.c.h.ess’ most closely acquainted women, there were thirty of them and it was natural that Lydia wouldn’t be allowed to converse with just the d.u.c.h.ess.
“But, then I heard that she ran out and went back to her family’s house.”
“Oh, she probably won’t be able to show her face in the peerage.”
“Oh, Miss Carlton, what do you think?”
Suddenly thrown the ball of the conversation, Lydia straightened her posture. The tiny fairies came to gather around the scone and then started to carry it off from under her chair. To the normal person’s eye, it would appear like a scone with cream was wobbling its way across the gra.s.s, but the young women hadn’t noticed.
“….Yes.”
P. 17
“Oh, but, the head of Miss Carlton’s household is a university professor. So is your father very strict? Wouldn’t you have been told to be careful of men from the upper cla.s.s?”
It was common to hear about a man from a n.o.ble birth getting his hands on a naïve young woman and then throw her away, but even if they weren’t able to commit the same improper act against a daughter from a well-to-do family, if their suitor was going to be a commoner, then it was well-heard story.
“Are you truly courting the Earl?”
“Earl Ashenbert,” she pointed out.
He was an extremely handsome young Earl, and on top of that, he was a man who carried the rare t.i.tle of Earl of Ibrazel (the Fairyland) and was famous within the London upper cla.s.s.
To tell the truth, Edgar didn’t have any blood of the Ashenbert family running in him and he doesn’t know anything about fairies. And so, Lydia ended up being hired by him, but since the two of them spend their together quite a lot, people would misunderstand that they might be in a close relations.h.i.+p.
That’s why the ladies here must have wanted to verify the truth of the rumor they heard.
The atmosphere around them changed to relief. At that same time, Lydia felt a hint in the atmosphere like they were thinking: of course.
She did have reddish-brown hair - that was described as a rust-iron colored - woven up simply, but her hairstyle wasn’t prepared nicely like the young women here whose were lovely enough to attend a ball and she also had the experience of others being disturbed by her golden-green eyes and claimed that her eyes made her look like a witch.
There was no way that Edgar’s proposal could be serious.
Yes, yes, that’s right, that man can’t be trusted most of all.
“He seems to be quite the rake.”
“Huh? A harem?”
“I hear that in London, there are businesses that provide that kind of service. And that it’s a place where men can have a mistress one after another and act like he is a Pagan King.”
“I don’t know for certain, but a foreign princess who fell in love with the Earl had given up her family and fiancé to come to London. Since she was a Pagan, marriage between the Earl and her was impossible, but he didn’t have the option of sending her back so the rumor is he’s hiding her in his harem.”
“Well, that would be impossible because he has touched her. In a Pagan country, they say a daughter who lost her virginity before marriage would be killed by her father.”
P. 20
But, if that were to be true, then Edgar was an extremely horrible man.
As Lydia thought that, she also thought she needed to be more careful, but became embarra.s.sed of even imagining that kind of thought as blood rushed to her face.
“What thoughtless behavior as a woman. She should have known better and remember her place. Don’t you think so, Miss Carlton?”
“Miss Carlton, why don’t you join me? It would be wonderful if you could spare some of your time with us elderly women,” asked the d.u.c.h.ess.
The soft-speaking elegant elder n.o.blewoman was extremely openhearted and friendly and adorable as a young girl. When she spoke to someone, they would feel relaxed and forget that she was a member of the high-cla.s.s.
There were other heated conversations going on at other tables, but the d.u.c.h.ess led Lydia away from the terrace.
P. 21
It was a young slender man who had striking golden-blond hair and was gazing at her with his ash mauve eyes and smiled happily.
Along with a dark green evening coat, he wore a violet-colored necktie. He had dressed himself in fine, high-quality clothes as he usually did, but dressing up for the night was apparently something the n.o.bles would get fired up for.
“My Lydia, I missed you so much.”
Still dragging the rumor about the foreign Pagan princess in the back of her mind, Lydia saw Edgar as a much more dangerous frivolous man than usual.
Putting aside how Lydia was making an unpleasant face, Edgar took her hand and treated her like a respectable lady as usual. Before his greeting kiss could touch her fingertips, she rushed to pull back her hand.
“Edgar, why on earth are you here! This is a gathering for women to have tea together.”
Lydia had a bad feeling.
“She is agreeing that she would lend us her help so that we can officially get engaged.”
Lydia had no intention of going along with his plan of ‘engagement’ which he tricked her into, and even he knew that, he still continued with the plan.
“Now, now, calm down, Miss Carlton. Let’s have a seat as we discuss this,” suggested the d.u.c.h.ess.
They all sat down around a table and within no time, a maid came in with the tea.
P. 23
P. 24
“Huh, uh, that’s….but-” mumbled Lydia.
Lydia knew that this skirt-chaser wasn’t really serious about her. In order for him to remain Earl, he needed Lydia’s ability as a Fairy Doctor, and so his ulterior motive was to marry her so that he could keep her by his side for the rest of their lives.
Because Lydia believed in that, she was withstanding Edgar who was always trying to use any opportunity to treat her as his fiancée, and was feeling anger and fear at what he could have possibly said to the d.u.c.h.ess as she glared at him while he sat cool and composed.
“I know your feelings are the most important factor, so please forgive me for putting myself in-between the two of you. But, he was seriously thinking about you and came to ask for my help. He says he was serious when he proposed to you and he has no intentions to dishonor you. So, he is asking if I could be a witness of that.”
“……A witness?”
Society would label a young unmarried woman as fallen once she was alone with a man.
The d.u.c.h.ess originally had a good impression towards Edgar and regarded him with good opinion. And her husband, the Duke Masefield had a close acquaintance with Lydia’s father, so that could mean she was just the person to stand in as the patron between the two.
Indeed, from the outside, it would look like he was thinking about Lydia.
“Huh,”
It looks like he even asked the d.u.c.h.ess to educate her about what’s needed to become a proper lady. She knew that in this man’s case, it was never purely just for Lydia’s sake.
“Anyhow, I’m only wis.h.i.+ng that one of the obstacles that is making you hesitate about marrying me would disappear,” explained Edgar.
At least by doing this - the fact that Edgar had proposed to Lydia and the fact that she had possession of the engagement ring with her – it wouldn’t end as ‘just between the two of them.’
“I-I said don’t you dare do that! I won’t forgive you if you go to father!”
“That’s right; I can understand that you wouldn’t want to worry your father while your feelings aren’t sure yet.”
Oh, no, that isn’t what I should be worried about; I have no intention of becoming someone’s wife!
“That’s why I asked for the d.u.c.h.ess’ help. And everything will depend on how you feel. I don’t want the Professor to think that I made you do as I said by using dirty tricks.”
Lydia somehow managed to swallow that retort that was just at the top of her throat.
“Now I can seduce you without worrying about anything,” said Edgar in the carriage and then took the liberty of getting closer to Lydia.
He smiled victoriously, and stretched his hand out to her hair and untied the ribbon in her hair without her permission.
P. 28
“Wait, what are you doing!”
“Your preference doesn’t matter to me.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to hear the opinion of your fiancé.”
It seems he doesn’t understand that no matter how many times she said it.
“I want to go home.”
And their carriage had to pa.s.sing by Hyde Park.
Lydia tried to get away from him in the carriage where she had nowhere to run by scooting herself to the very end of the seat but he followed to get right up next to her.
“That was just said for the sake of principle.”
“Whatever happens won’t be a problem after we get married.”
The carriage suddenly rocked to the side. She was thrown against Edgar and didn’t think about not hanging onto him.
“…..Wh-what just happened?”
The driver opened the door in a hurry.
“Yes….”
“I’m sorry. A black cat came jumping out, and one of the wheels got caught in the ditch…”
Edgar got down out the carriage that was leaning towards its side, and checked the situation but shrugged his shoulders at Lydia.
He told the driver - who said he would go and call for a hack in place of the carriage - to not bother with it, and held his hand out to Lydia to help her down out of the carriage.
P. 30
She wondered which was more dangerous, a young woman walking home by herself or walking with this flirt.
“There is less people this way,” she pointed out.
He turned around and smiled at her. That smile of his was a suspicious one.
That’s what I can’t trust you about.
But, he wouldn’t possibly do something like that, she rea.s.sured herself.
He might have gotten tired of trying because Lydia was not changing her firm att.i.tude.
He even went and said that it was sake of principle that he wouldn’t touch her.
He pulled her into the dark shadow of a tree where there was hardly any light reaching them from the outdoor lamp posts.
“Quiet. They’ll find us.”
In the direction that Edgar was looking, there were two people. She was familiar with one of them.
The young man with light blond hair was the one who was targeting Edgar in order to kill him. He had the same ability as her - to communicate with fairies.
Edgar was deepening his confrontation with Ulysses and must have been investigating his movements.
“Get closer to me. If we pretend to be lovers, then they won’t suspect us.”
He didn’t wait and pulled the hesitant Lydia up against him.
The voice who asked that question was another man talking to Ulysses.
The man’s voice had unexpectedly ringed out around them, and Ulysses gave a worrying glance around them.
Edgar looked down at her tenderly, like she was his beloved lover and he embraced her around her shoulders.
His Highness was a t.i.tle that was used to call a prince. She wondered if they were talking about Prince. Which means that man could also be working for Prince.
The lovers who were also in this area were so absorbed in their own little worlds, so the men must have decided that no one would be listening to what they were saying.
P. 33
“His instructions were that I am to take care of it.”
“Stop that,” she whispered, lowering her voice and proponing to him.
“They aren’t looking in our direction right now!”
“It’s for the sake of safety. You are aware that the Blue Knight Earl was appeared in England, don’t you?” spoke Ulysses once more.
“Blue Knight Earl….., but, is that young man who appeared in the peerage truly the Blue Knight Earl? I heard that the Ashenbert family bloodline has died out, and the new heir wouldn’t ever appear in England again.”
He had his finger still resting on her lips, then softly let his finger trace along her lips, which made Lydia feel more fearful than nervous.
“Don’t, stop it already….”
“You may have not noticed, but when you say stop, you look at me with such longing eyes. And that makes you look so luscious to me.”
Isn’t eavesdropping on the men the purpose why we came here?
Another black cat?Just when she thought that, Lydia was grabbed by her shoulder from behind.
The one who spoke, pulled Lydia away strongly as if to separate her from Edgar.
The breathtakingly handsome-looking, black-haired young man who suddenly interrupted them was a water horse kelpie fairy in his human form.
He was a fairy that normally lived in the highlands of Scotland and was a savage beast-horse that ate people, but he had taken a liking to Lydia and was staying in London.
“You’re in the way, Kelpie. She is my fiancée. I won’t take orders from you.”
“Hey, quiet down!” But, even if she said that, it was too late.
“Let’s run.”
“Hey, you’re the only one who needs to disappear, Blue Knight Earl!”
She saw that he was about to pull out a pistol, and then she heard a gunfire.
“Kelpie, this is your fault!” yelled Lydia as she ran through the dark bushes trying to escape from the possible bullets.
“The air-ballon…”
P. 36
As it was being lit up by the moon that was beginning to rise, the white air-balloon was also starting to float up into the sky. It was an air-balloon that was being used for the show in the open area of the park.
The male and female couples who were hiding in the area all dashed away from their hiding spots.
Lydia and Edgar both ran as fast as they could. Fortunately or unfortunately, now wasn’t the time to be paying attention to Ulysses, and he also seemed to not be paying attention to them either, as the gunfire ended.
In a matter of seconds, a huge fire flame rose up so high that it covered the sky.
Getting caught up in another accident of tonight, Lydia watched Kelpie, who transformed into his horse form, and galloped up into the sky to block her view of the fire that was catching up behind them.
Lydia returned to the Ashenbert mansion in Mayfair with Edgar because there was one accident after another and it made her so baffled and exhausted that she didn’t feel like returning to her family’s house after that.
P. 37
“Tomkins, did something happen?” asked Edgar.
The Ashenbert mansion butler moved around his thickset body briskly and took the head of the house’s hat and stick.
The vase in the hall was turned over, and so was the sculpture by the stairway, and the painting that decorated the hallway wall was lying on the floor.
“Is the north side intact?”
“Then bring some tea to the library.”
“It isn’t like the black cat is the bad one,” muttered a small voice.
“Hey, Earl, you brought in some kind of strange thing, didn’t you? Because of that ominous thing, there are so many bad things happening. The black cats are just premonitions.”
“Ahh, that,” replied Edgar.
“I can’t just do that now. You would need to bear with this a little while longer.”
“A cursed diamond.”
A cursed diamond, what did he mean by that? Is he making a scheme about something again?
One side of the wall of the library room was filled with books making the room mixed with a particular smell of paper and ink; and the room was indeed unharmed.
“Oh, Lydia, h.e.l.lo,” he greeted her.
P. 39
“Yes, uh, I completed the composition for my painting, so I thought I could have the Earl take a look at it. But the entrance was flooded with water and I tripped, so my papers got all damp and ruined….”
By Paul’s side was a young boy around ten years old.
The skinny young boy who had his mouth full of candy, only made a quick glance over to Lydia’s direction like he wasn’t particularly interested.
“Hey, Paul, when’s the Earl coming?”
“He’s coming right away. He arrived here just with me,” mentioned Lydia.
“Didn’t the Earl go out to meet with his lover?”
Lydia was appalled that Edgar had told Paul something like that.
P. 40
“Whaat, she can’t be the one. The Earl’s lover was that really pretty woman we saw before, right?”
It looked like the young boy was favoring Ermine. She was Edgar’s servant, but because she was such a seductive, beautiful woman, the boy’s remark wasn’t all that surprising.
What do you mean lying? Lydia felt a little offended. Well, yes, if you compared me to Ermine, no matter who saw us, Ermine was much more beautiful.
"Eh? Uh, that’s…”
“N-no, it wasn’t, uh, Lydia, I didn’t mean it like that,”exclaimed Paul.
“Now, look here, little boy, you’re being quite a little brat.”
What is it with this little brat?
P. 41
“You sure are quite a scary lady. Your golden-green eyes make you look like a witch. Or are you a changeling?”
However, for Lydia, who grew up being told that same name behind her back ever since she was a child, it hurt her the most.
“I definitely think the other lady is a much better choice. Hey, lady, are you trying to trick the Earl?”
“Why would I? What do you think I would trick him for?”
The young boy stopped his talking because Edgar had covered the boy’s mouth.
But the little brat wasn’t hindered by something like that.
This time Paul covered the boy’s mouth.
P. 42
“Didn’t you have some business with me?”
Paul left as he dragged along the young boy, which Lydia was honestly relieved about.
It seems like I’m the one who is the most cursed by the diamond tonight.
“It’s all right, nothing’s the matter. It’s just a discussion about how I’m not qualified for you.”
“More importantly, Edgar, in regards to that cursed diamond,”
It was good timing, as Raven came into the library.
“If you were to accept things like that so easily, bad things are going to happen to you which are life-threatening beyond repair. You could have gotten badly injured even at that air-balloon accident just earlier,”exclaimed Lydia.
P. 43
That was because Kelpie had guarded them. The power of a water fairy was the ability to s.h.i.+eld them from the explosion of the fire.
“Would you show me the cursed diamond? Since there could be the case that a fairy is involved,” said Lydia.
“Raven, bring the diamond that’s we were talking about.”
“So that’s where it was,” said Edgar.
“I see, maybe I should have realized that sooner,” added Edgar.
There was the power of the merrow’s magic in the sword th