P. 50
She wanted to stay by her father’s side for a little while longer, and because she wanted to continue the job of a Fairy Doctor in the human realm, she accepted the engagement ring from Edgar so that she could put the promise with Kelpie - who wanted Lydia as his bride - and rest it on the shelf.
She took out a small box that she had put away in the drawer in her bed chamber and took out the moonstone ring from it to inspect it.
Tonight, on a bright night of a full moon, the milky white moon appeared like it was s.h.i.+ning with its whole surface.
Surprisingly, Lydia was quite attracted to this moonstone. She never grew tired at looking at it, and strangely it would calm her down.
P. 51
It wasn’t like she wanted to own a jewel, but more like the sense of feeling like she wanted to get along with it.
Lydia jumped in surprise at the voice that came out from no particular direction and looked around to find the source.
A fairy’s voice? But, she couldn’t see it anywhere. Lydia guessed it must be quite a small fairy, and started to look under the table and bed.
And just then, from a knothole, a hand popped itself out. Next came out a hat, then a head probably and a round shaped body, and when the fairy finally stood up on the floor, it showed that, compared to the knothole, it was bigger, the same size of a wild hare.
“Are you, a coblynau?”
Coblynaus knew all there was about gemstones and a good-natured fae who would show and tell people about minerals.
P. 52
“Does each one of your kind keep watch over every single jewel?”
The small fairy climbed up onto Lydia’s lap as she was kneeling down, and looked down into the moonstone.
“What, queen?”
“……Hold on just a moment, this stone has that kind of meaning?”
I didn’t know that.
If she could recall, according to the story about the Lord Blue Knight who was said to be the fore father of the Ashenbert family, he had a wife who was a fairy. And if this ring was hers--
At this rate, there could be a chance that she might be acknowledged as ‘Queen’ by the fairies that lived on the estates of the earl family.
P. 53
P. 54
“My ancestor had been personally asked by Lady Gwendolyn to watch over and take care of this moonstone. I call this one by the name Bow, and I can grasp what is happening to it like it’s a part of my body. So please feel rea.s.sured in my care.”
“Ahh, now it’s a perfect fit.”
“It’s not coming off!” gasped Lydia.
“That’s not the point, please take it off.”
Oh, you have to be joking!
“By the way, My Lady Queen, I would like to pay my greetings to the Blue Knight Earl, may I ask where exactly he could be?”
“Oh, now, is the Earl living separate from My Lady Queen and making you live in such a shabby, small house like this?"
Lydia was finally starting to become irritated.
“I don’t need that!”
“Now, don’t go and do something without me asking for it. Or else, whether you are the manager of the moonstone or not, I’ll kick you out! Because I am a Fairy Doctor!”
She couldn’t go out in public with the engagement ring on her ring finger. It would also be too much ha.s.sle if her father were to notice it.
P. 56
“Lydia, are you not feeling well?”
“N-no, I’m fine. I just wanted to leave early today."
“Well, more or less.”
“About the Earl Ashenbert-”
“No, uh, I just happened to hear a rumor. That you and the Earl were courting….”
Lydia rushed as she made up an excuse.
“No such thing,” she echoed.
P. 57
Lydia’s father let out a sigh and pushed up his round spectacles and continued his conversation.
Oh, she knew she was making him worry. But, she couldn’t let herself confess about the engagement. And, it wasn’t like she really wanted to get married, so that would just make him more worried with the misunderstanding that she may be fooled around with.
Of course, Lydiawas serious about that.
I need to hurry up and make him take off the ring.
However, there was no way that the Edgar she knew was going to be honest and agree to take off the ring.
That was the reply Lydia got after she arrived to the Ashenbert mansion a little earlier than usual, and put all her effort in explaining her situation and pleaded to Edgar, who was relaxing himself in the morning room.
P. 58
If I don’t calm down, I’ll be doing just what he’s hoping for, however, even though she knew that, a frown was creeping up on her face.
“So-,” urged on Lydia.
In-infidelity? At such an indecent word, she was pushed far beyond rage and felt her head going dizzy.
“Ou-our engagement is false! It’s your fault for not acknowledging that, so why do I have to be the one who has to go through this?”
“Stop being so selfish.”
Oh, here he is again.
The red faced coblynau trotted over to side of the chair that Edgar was on.
“Oh, yes, of course, My Lady.”
“It is an honor to meet your presence, My Lord Blue Knight Earl.”
He couldn’t see the fairy’s body because most humans normally couldn’t. But, to call himself the Blue Knight Earl and not be able to see was ludicrous.
“Would this help?”
“Now, in regards to my visit, My Lord. While I’m here to pay my greetings, I would like to say a word of advice, your treatment of My Lady’s living affairs is quite poor. You must treat her as the Lord Blue Knight had treated a fairy princess in the past.”
“I see, but what should I do?” asked Edgar.
“More than anything else, My Lady’s attire is much too plain.”
“You are not putting in enough effort. You must treat her so special that she would become tired of it.”
“Oh, Lydia, no matter what you wear, you are always charming, but I think that I’ll be able to lend a hand to make you the most beautiful woman in the world. For example, a diamond would s.h.i.+ne even more only when it is methodically cut to collect as much light as it can. You should search for the Lydia that is qualified for such a s.h.i.+ne.”
“I understand how charming you are more than anyone else, so if you would let me take care of everything, I can transform you into a princess who everyone would admire and envy. I know, since this is good timing, let’s go buy some accessories for our engagement announcement party.”
“Don’t we need to make that official declaration eventually? When that time comes, I would like it if you would wear the gifts I gave you, and I would prefer to prepare what is most best for you, so I would need to place the orders for them as soon as possible.”
P. 61
But, whether Edgar was overdoing it, he was the type that might actually make those orders.
“What would you like for your jewels? I’ll get whatever you want.”
She wanted to make sure if it really was a gift for the harem princess.
“Th-then, the diamond from yesterday, would you give me that?”
“It’s a cursed diamond. I don’t want to put you in misery.”
Like she thought, maybe it really was a present for a woman.
“If it was the coblynau, then he might be able to hold down the power of the curse.”
"Is that true?” asked Edgar, turning around.
“Diamonds are not my specialty, so I can’t exactly say. They are jewels that are the most particular and difficult, so I would need to talk about it with my clan. If it is going to be a gift for my young lady, then I’ll definitely need to do something about it.”
Lydia finally realized that if he were to give it to her, she would be at the point of no return and cold sweat was starting to come out of her, but Edgar made a small sigh.
“…..Oh, o-of course. It is too expensive. Besides, I couldn’t possibly match it.”
I knew it, he was just talk.
“Huh. Why?”
Is that person the pagan princess?
P. 63
“I know. Why don’t we go to the jewelry store on Bond Street?”
She swiftly shook her head to the sides.
“Lydia, if it was for you, there isn’t anything I would regret.”
“It doesn’t matter to me. Besides, I have no intention of marrying you.”
In the end, she was able to cause some trouble to Edgar. However, it only left her with a bitter after-taste.
This fairy cat had taken a liking to the expensive tea provided in the Ashenbert house, and lately hadn’t show a hint of interest in the tea that was served at Lydia’s house.
As Lydia thought that, she pa.s.sed by Nico’s side and sat down in front of her desk.
“Hmm, well, well, this truly is a rare jewel,” came the Coblynau’s voice to Lydia’s ear, as she rested her head in her hand with her elbow on the table.
Nico stared at the quizzically at the s.h.a.ggy haired fairy that suddenly appeared on the table.
Which means, as long as Lydia can’t dispose of this, then she’s going to be followed around by this fairy.
Nico narrowed his eyes like that sounded like too much work for him, but he puffed himself up like a proud senior fairy and opened the lid of the gla.s.s pot and held out a candy.
“Why thank you. By the way, do you happen to be the young lady’s friend?”
For some strange reason, all the candies fit into the little fairy’s teaspoon-sized pockets.
“Not so much a friend, more like, I’m her guardian.”
“Even so, my young lady, what is there for you to be displeased with? The Earl had said he would present you with diamonds or anything you like. He appeared to be the generous type to my eyes.”
“What, Lydia, you want diamonds?” said another voice.
The one who came in, as he b.u.t.ted in to their conversation, was a black, wavy-haired Kelpie.
“Diamonds don’t fit you. You were always covered in dirt and romped in the gra.s.s when you were in Scotland, but ever since you came to the city, aren’t you starting to act a little sw.a.n.k?”
A well-aged daughter couldn’t allow herself to roll down on the gra.s.s in the park. Of course, if she were to go ahead and lie down in some random place in the countryside town she grew up in, then people will look at her with their brows turned up, but far beyond the town, in the open and vast gra.s.sy fields, Lydia could play and mingle with the fairies in the fairy raths and the vast fields of shamrock without having to worry about people watching her.
P. 66
For Kelpie, that was quite a compromise. And that actually wasn’t such a bad concession for Lydia.
But, the only thing that worried her was the existence of Ulysses who was trying to kill Edgar.
There may not be that much of a difference even if the half-fledged Lydia were to go against him, but if Ulysses was using fairies’magic for evil purposes, then for the sake of the fairies and as a Fairy Doctor, Lydia felt she needed to stay here.
No, no, I want to become a Fairy Doctor like my mother.
“Should you really make such a promise? Even if I were to return to Scotland, I might find someone else who I would fall in love with,”asked Lydia.
“Huh? What is that suppose to mean.”
“There is no way a Fairy Doctor could get along with humans. Because from the perspective of ordinary humans, a Fairy Doctor only appears crazy. Since that’s reality, don’t put your hopes up on human men.”
“My mother fell in love with my father and they got married.”
He is a Mineralogist. But even if she corrected him, Kelpie wouldn’t understand.
Maybe because he happened to win the honorable t.i.tle of Blue Knight Earl and because he needed a Fairy Doctor, he might have had no other choice but to understand.
She wondered if it was an extremely rare chance to be able to meet someone like him who was such a peculiar character to choose to marry a Fairy Doctor and support her, even if it was for his own profit.
When she thought about it like that, she was shocked and appalled at realizing there was a part of her didn’t dislike his open, warm and good-willed treatment.
…….Well, that’s all there is to it.
A woman? Lydia whipped her head up.
“When I was bathing in the fountain garden here, he was talking about that with the painter. Said it was a woman in a harem. What’s a harem?”
It wasn’t just a rumor?
P. 69
“So you know what it is.”
“Aha, there really are many names of food in London that we fairies never heard of.”
“Oh, yeah, who is this awful-tasting looking small one?”asked Kelpie pointing at Coblynau.
Right next to Lydia, who had started to think things over in her mind again, the care-free conversation between the fairies, who were only interested in food, continued on.
The name of the shop was Madam Eve Palace. It was rumored to be a building where the n.o.bles could hide their mistresses, but only ones who knew the truth were the customers.
Even though it was day, the rooms had their curtains closed and the hanging chandelier lit up the room so bright it was almost blinding to the eye.
P. 70
The smoke that faintly filled the air made one’s mind grow dull as it made the mind fall under a trance. There must already be someone who had fallen under that sweet aroma and was basking in a daydream about his own harem that was always waiting for him beyond those quiet doors.
Eventually, he and his female guide arrived before a double-door at the end of a hallway and the woman opened the door by turning its golden doork.n.o.bs for him as she humbly lowered her head.
The room inside was decorated with gold and silver ornaments and garnitures and was only lit by a faint lamp that left the room dark.
In the back of that room, a calico printed chintz curtain was hung, making a temporary wall and divided the room. He could see through the transparently thin cloth, and saw that there was a long and slender sofa on the other side.
Edgar approached that person who had long hair and a slender figure.
P. 71
Edgar pulled up the curtain and leaned down to kiss the lady’s hand.
The woman was wearing foreign clothing, so dressed to look like an Arabian princess, and she sat gazing softly back at Edgar with a faint smile on her lips.
The one who appeared in the doorway was Raven. Edgar nodded and made a nod to the lady in front of hem and let go of the curtain.
Then, he went into the small room along with Raven that was behind the large mirror in the same room to hide.
“He looked like he was managing it somehow.”
In the small room they were in, which was separated by the magic mirror built into the wall, it was made so that they could look through the mirror into the other room.
“I can understand. In this place, there isn’t one thing is not impossible.”
A business that sells dreams: Madam Eve Palace. Here, anyone could forget about the harsh reality outside and dive into the world of their own imagination.
“Do you mean the white diamond ‘Daydream’ that was said to have disappeared at the same time?”
“Yes, that is why England’s Royal Family had continued to search for the lost diamonds. It was said that they fell into the hands of Napoleon, but even if that were so, it seems the diamonds must have forsaken him.”
“…..Not the Majesty Her Queen?”
P. 74
“Me, you say?”
The Duke seemed like he was trying to think even as his mind wasn’t running clearly.
Edgar paid attention to the expression on Duke Barkston’s face.
Paul turned over towards the curtain and knelt down in front of the lady’s feet as she was sitting down on the sofa. But, he was so stiff and c.u.mbersome that he wobbled over a bit.
He said it in a monotone, but it wasn’t a problem.
And it looked like his lips moved to whisper the name Jean-mary.
P. 75
Duke Barkston’s eyes widened. The pipe from his frozen hand fell to the floor but he didn’t bother to pick it up.
He’s caught, whispered Edgar.
Ahh, yes, he replied, in a somewhat dazed tone.
In his dream at Madam Eve Palace, he was sure to be caught in the dream about his past and by the s.h.i.+ne of the black diamond.
He was sure that Duke Barkston had the jewel hidden somewhere.
Edgar still didn’t know what Prince’s intentions or main goal was, and didn’t even know the reason why he was involved with it.
The black diamond which had apparently absorbed the power of a curse as it went from one hand to another who did not deserve it. But, you could sense that it was the intentions of the people more than the jewel itself that was more powerful as a curse.
She looked somewhat hollow and empty and appeared like she had forgotten the man in front of her who she supposedly had hatred for.
Even if that were so, Edgar wasn’t able to stop himself.
“Understood.”
Madam Eve Palace, a private and blissful place that promised a moment of pleasure. Beyond the heavily guarded shut doors, there waited an illusionary world that existed only for the customers.
Even if was called a harem, there were no living, breathing women here who had a will of their own. Because it was just a palace with women who existed to represent the men’s dreams and fantasies.
And yet, he wanted to think that this was best for her sake than continuing to be used as the solace and comfort object for this man.
The Duke’s secret room. Even Ulysses didn’t know about this place.
There was only one woman in his harem in this room which was decorated with flowers and jewels and looking like it came out a dream. In all of the countless framed pictures, it was the same smiling woman being portrayed.
“Your Grace, if you want to dream that much, then I’ll make sure you have a nightmare you will never forget.”
P. 78
Lydia wanted to make sure he would take off the ring before she had to go home so she invited herself to his salon again.
She lost her momentum because the expression on his face which was reflecting in the gla.s.s window he stood by was an near frightening stern look.
“Um, if you’re busy, then I’ll come back later….”
The man who turned around and said that was the usual Edgar with his irreverent, highhanded kind of smile.
“How many times do I have to say that’s wrong? More importantly, this ring…..”
“Huhh?”
“N-no, you can’t.”
P. 79
P. 80
“Just one minute,” he negotiated.
“Then thirty seconds.”
“……If it’s ten seconds, then,”
I wonder if he went through something painful.
She wasn’t sure if the ten seconds had pa.s.sed or not, and Edgar didn’t show any signs like he was going to let go, and what made Lydia s.h.i.+ft herself to hint to him to let go was the faint smell like an Eastern, Oriental aroma.
“Paul’s studio.”
She was always refusing and couldn’t be a comfort to him, so she didn’t have a right to question where his whereabouts was like a lover.
P. 81
“Lord Edgar, I heard that you were injured,” said Ermine, who came into the salon carrying a medicine case.
When she took a good look, there was a cut in the shoulder of his coat where blood was seeping out.
Raven must have been the one who did that.
“Hey, isn’t the power of the diamond’s curse still working on you?” asked Lydia.
“Edgar, are you by chance frequently meeting with the…..uh, the person who you gave the diamond to?”
So you’re admitting that you’re meeting her?
“At this rate, it will be very dangerous.”
P. 82
You’re so quite to joke around.
“Lydia, would you give me a hand?”
“It would be helpful if you unb.u.t.toned this for me. My arm hurts so much I can’t move it.”
Why does a young girl in the first flush of her youth have to help a man take off his clothes?
“If you keep joking around, I will pour a grateful amount of antiseptics on you.”
I wonder if Ermine isn’t that embarra.s.sed with doing something like that.
Even if she was in the servant position to Edgar, Ermine appeared like she was allowed to say what she wanted, and so that made them look like they had a more relaxed, friendliness atmosphere between them.
P. 83
In order to escape from Prince, Edgar was a leader in front of his comrade and friends and Ermine had said before that that solitary position made him alone. But, if he had friends or allies who he could open up his weakness to, then she guessed that someone would be Ermine.
When she thought about that, Lydia had the feeling she was becoming depressed.
If it was Ermine, then she would answer him by putting her arms around him.
She let out a sigh after realizing that she missed the opportunity to ask him to take off the ring.
"Lord Edgar, I have bad news,” said Ermine as she wrapped a bandage around his shoulder and arm.
Edgar immediately had a bad image run through his mind.
“He apparently was eavesdropping on the conversation between the adults. They were making a plan to sneak into the estate of Duke Barkston as servants so they could get information about his movements, but Jimmy went ahead without telling anyone.”
“It seems so. There was a fingernail-like object that was sent back to them, most likely from Ulysses. There is no way to determine if it is his or not,” added Ermine.
“Was that conversation the only one Jimmy heard?”
“The one who knew about the most important information wasn’t in the group Jimmy was listening to, so he shouldn’t have heard anything about the plan.”
“Which means the problem at hand would be how Ulysses will use Jimmy from now.”
While there was a young boy who would jump into danger from his devotion to Edgar, on the other hand, there were elder members who were concerned about that.
P. 85
Or that also could have been Ulysses’ intention, and so there was still a possibility that he would brutally butcher up Jimmy in order to stretch the gap between the ‘Scarlet Moon’ and Edgar.
“I will gather information on where he might be held.”
And yet, Edgar felt disgusted and loathed at himself for not getting disturbed or hysterical about that.
Quickly finis.h.i.+ng wrapping the bandage, Ermine opened up a new, clean s.h.i.+rt. As he took it, he remembered, out of the blue, about how he asked Lydia if he could embrace her.
At the start, he was only planning to keep her by his side without paying any attention to her feelings. If Edgar had Lydia with him, then he would be able to successfully continue being the Blue Knight Earl.
He considered his feelings as love so he couldn’t understand what she meant.
P. 86
In regards to Lydia, it was true he was beginning to lose his confidence, but he had no intention of giving up. There was no need to hurry.
It was just, he was annoyed at being unsatisfied, and that made him lose the steadiness in his heart, and then, he started to feel like everything wasn’t going to go well, and that made him depressed.