Hakushaku to Yousei

Having suddenly become alone, Lydia couldn’t help but cry.
She held back tears, while walking slowly and aimlessly.
Why she was still in a dream? She suddenly came to a point and discovered that it was because she didn’t want to wake up.
“Lydia, what are you doing!”
Lydia stopped in her tracks and Kelpie, who had transformed into a young man, appeared before her.
Although her surroundings were pitch-black, she could clearly see him.
“Hurry and return to your body, if a soul keeps wandering around, you won’t be able to go back."
“Kelpie, why are you here?”
“I sensed your presence appear at the Earl’s side, so I came over, did you see that guy in the dream?”
“I’m not going to see him again."
Despite him frowning in surprise, he immediately understood and nodded.
“Is that so? Did you get injured by the Aurora fairy’s blade? Because of that, that guy is acting like this? But to break up with the Earl who will turn into Prince is the right choice."
Lydia jolted in fright, so she asked Kelpie.
“Kelpie, you knew? How did you know that Edgar received Prince’s memories?”
“Well, because I saw it."
“Saw?”
“Well, when the Earl got Prince’s memories, I was there at the time too."
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lydia couldn’t help saying this in a condemning tone to Kelpie.
“The Earl was bent on saving you, so whether I should or shouldn’t tell you was up to that guy to decide."
Ever since Lydia decided to be engaged with Edgar, Kelpie had acknowledged Edgar more compared to previously. Lydia guessed that this was because Kelpie decided to respect her will.
However, perhaps it wasn’t just that. When Edgar stirred up a decisive battle against the Prince, Kelpie was nearby on the sidelines, so only then would he respect Edgar’s choice.
The matter of Edgar having inherited Prince’s memories, it seems that Kelpie must have also felt that there was no other alternative.
In other words, it was a necessary action in order to save Lydia......
“It was for me that Edgar approached the Prince?”
Lydia was in a panic.
“Such an important matter, why....?”
Beginning from that time, Edgar had made dangerous choices. If burying the Prophet in the sacred land was for Lydia, then approaching the ‘Master of the Islands’ to remove the Aurora fairies’ magic was also for Lydia.
“Lydia, even if it’s like this, you don’t need to feel like you owe him a reason, do you? That guy got you involved in dangerous things from the very beginning......”
At that moment, Lydia was unwilling to listen to Kelpie, and so she rushed out.
“Ah, hey, where are you going? Wait! Didn’t I say that you won’t be able to return!”
Lydia thought to herself that not returning didn’t matter.
I might as well disappear.
So that Edgar won’t set foot on the wrong path once again.
“Lydia!”
She suddenly couldn’t hear Kelpie’s voice. Turning around and looking back, his figure disappeared.
Lydia sought to be alone in the dark again.
Perhaps she really won’t be able to return. Although she thought that, she was not afraid.

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Edgar who was on the couch, opened his eyes.
The morning suns.h.i.+ne came in through the windows.
He held out his hands, seemingly wanting to embrace the dream from just a moment ago. He couldn’t feel anything in the air mixed with the morning sun, so he felt empty.
“Lydia... did you come here?”
He hoped it was only a dream. He didn’t want to view Lydia’s breakup request as sincere.
However, the dream was too vivid, whether or not he came across Lydia’s feelings or her response, everything seemed real as they remained in his memories.
“Lord Edgar, have you been resting on the couch?”
Raven opened the door and appeared astonished as his mouth was open.
Edgar sat up and lifted his messy bangs.
“Uh... when I was looking up information, I fell asleep."
The things piled up on the table were doc.u.ments on magic literature written in English. This was borrowed from the shaman’s home yesterday.
If one wanted to approach the ‘Master of the Islands’, it seemed to be difficult to accomplish without the aid of the Blue Men of the Minch’s power. Edgar, who heard this matter from Kelpie, went to visit the shaman’s house once again in order to get more advice.
But he did not see the shaman.
She wasn’t really home.
An hour or two before Edgar paid a visit, the field at the front of the house was carefully arranged, the buildings and rooms were also very tidy, but now the appearance had completely changed.
The field was barren, one would know that the room was empty at first glance, and upon opening the door k.n.o.b of the broken door, only dust and cobwebs could be seen.
Later, he learned from a bar owner that the shaman died three years ago.
What exactly did he see in the end?
Moreover, the boy who had guided him to the shaman’s home before did not seem to be of this world either.
He was really confused. But Edgar vaguely sensed that the boy who lead him to meet with the already dead shaman may be him.
In result, Edgar could no longer get advice from the shaman, and had no choice but to borrow the books from her home.
However, Edgar did not see relevant records of the archipelago that he wanted to know about.
“Raven, you’ve been to the Inner Hebrides already? You’ve returned really early, did you not sleep?”
On top of this island there was only a small village. There were very few people who understood English, so they were unable to obtain decent information. For this reason, Raven left for the Connaught home in the Hebrides, but he returned earlier than expected.
“I slept on the boat."
That was not a proper rest, he clearly told him to come back before noon.
Raven had recently begun to do things on his own and no longer followed Edgar’s instructions.
For Raven, this was proof that he was growing up. For Edgar it was an aspect worthy to be happy about but......
“You don’t have to force yourself."
“It’s no problem."
“Oh that’s right, have you gathered any information?”
“In this strait, the legend of the Blue Men of the Minch seems to be well-known and pa.s.sed  down from the olden days. I heard that the Blue Men of the Minch sank s.h.i.+ps that went back and forth between islands, moreover, the humans that were taken away became their slaves forever. They usually live in the grottos of the seabed, and when it was bad weather, they’d float between the waves and steer an old boat towards humans."
“I recall that if it’s the Blue Men of the Minchs’ s.h.i.+p, we may be able to arrive at the ‘Master of the Islands.’ In other words, as long as we force our way in that boat it’ll be fine......”
However, how were they going to do it?
It was said that they were to appear in times of bad weather, but if they were to set sail at that time and not see the Blue Men of the Minch, then they will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
“What about the ‘Master of the Islands?’ Do you know of any new information?”
“No one in the Connaught clan knows of detailed information, they only remembered they once made an offering to the sea."
Edgar listened while pondering with his hands crossed over his chest.
“I don"t know whether it has anything to do with the Blue Men of the Minch."
“Blue Men of the Minch are generally Unseelie Courts. Although there were rumors that they were the souls of pirates that perished in the strait in ancient times, it was heard that they were like demons. On the other hand, there were no bad impressions about the ‘Master of the Islands.’’
Although it wasn’t evil, they don’t know the true nature of the ‘Master.’ Despite the minimal information on hand, Edgar got the general direction, and felt that the Master was the source of the island fairies’ magic.
“They told me that only the McKeel family understands these things."
“If we don’t ask the McKeel clan, the information will be incomplete regardless."
The Master creates dreams.
When he thought of the old shaman who was already not of this world, a strange image appeared in mind.
It was said that the Blue Men of the Minch that appeared in the caves of the seabeds were strangely shaped objects located within the deep sea, flowing from the cracks of the Master’s dreamworld into the human world.
Even if all of it was about to be forgotten, the superst.i.tions of the world still remained fresh on this island.
Only the McKeel clan was aware of it.
Even if something happened when approaching places of the human world or other worlds,  it wasn’t strange. If that place was the archipelago, there was no doubt that the Lydia who appeared in the dream was truly Lydia.

Even if it wasn’t originally intended, Edgar firmly believed that she was in front of him just a moment ago.
She said that she didn’t want the medicine, she had also already intended on not returning to Edgar’s side.
I don’t believe her.
As long as he grabbed hold of that medicine, he will be able to bring Lydia back to London.
Even if he forced her....
That way, he should be able to persuade her again.
Regardless of whether it was the repeated kisses or extending her hands hoping to have him, there wasn’t the least bit of all that made Edgar feel that her feelings were far away.
I will definitely be able to hold her back.
As long as I act as soon as possible.
“Then again, I don’t understand things like fairies and magic, Lydia and Nico aren’t here either, I only have the Merrow sword by my side."
This sword that was embedded with a star sapphire was the Earl of Ibrazel’s family heirloom and a sword of magic.
“Arrow seems to be completely unaware on matters relating to the islands."
“Arrow”, who was the sword’s fairy, was also Edgar’s servant, but he was merely a fairy that was born not too long ago. Apparently he only seemed to know of the sword, that is, his own magic.
“I don’t know whether I should find Mr. Nico and discuss it with him."
It was rare for Raven to speak out his own opinions. Edgar stared at Raven’s expressionless face who had anxiously mentioned it briefly, and then pondered.
“If Nico was here, then of course that would be great.... but don’t you not know where he is?”
“I will go and find out."
He may have stayed in some area that the McKeel clan possessed on the Outer Hebrides. But Nico was a fairy, visiting villages everywhere, like an ordinary human being, which ought to be useless.
“Raven, do you want to see Nico?”
He tilted his head. The sort of feelings of wanting to see someone, perhaps Raven had never possessed it up until now. Maybe he didn’t really understand these kinds of feelings.
“I had a dream."
He spoke out that sentence softly.
“Was the dream about Nico?”
“……Mr. Nico was at a place where there were many fairies, drunkenly dancing and hopping around. But he seemed very lonely, so I couldn’t help but call out to him. But I remember the scenery surrounding me that I saw, it was a very distinctive mountain peak."
It was clearly a dream, but Raven appeared to believe that the place truly existed, and that Nico was there.
In other words, Raven also dreamed of heading to where Nico was?
“Is that so......? But is Nico willing to lend me a hand? He left, but that was because he knew that I became the Prince."
Lydia also said that she wanted to break up. Perhaps Edgar was unable to secretly seal the Prince’s memories within his body.
Wanting to get the medicine, perhaps he was referring to that sort of matter. But he did not want to let go of Lydia.
Up until now, Edgar didn’t think that he had changed. Although he touched the Prince’s memories and gained strength, that was only a matter that appeared when he used the sword, but he was still an ordinary human.
At the corner of his mind, he thought the Prince’s memories were simply the memories of someone else, and will not affect him.
Having said that, if he cannot suppress himself in order to fulfill his desires, did this mean that he was already stepping on the path of no return?
He was clearly carrying the “Prince’s” schemes of crisis, but he wholeheartedly pondered over how he was going to obtain that medicine.
“Raven, if Nico knows what I’m trying to do, and you ask him for help on my behalf, he may also hate you.”
For Raven, having Nico hate him was definitely a sad thing. He frowned slightly, but he immediately cast an unwavering gaze towards Edgar like before.
Compared to friends.h.i.+p, his loyalty took priority. This wasn’t because Raven’s emotions weren’t developed yet, rather as long as he maintained his ego, this was his unchanging nature.
“Please command me, I will definitely bring Mr. Nico."
Edgar, who was in the middle of contemplating, had accidentally looked towards the window, and the shadow of a large s.h.i.+p that would never be seen in this vicinity caught the corner of his eye.
In the middle of the sea, on top of the mast of the s.h.i.+p, the huge Cremona coat of arms was flapping about in the wind.

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There was an isle of the McKeel clan located in the Outer Hebrides; regardless of where it was, the vast sky seemed to be flat, only the southern region had an area with conspicuous and steep mountain peaks.
This mountain peak was a steep rocky area where vegetation couldn’t be grown. A dense ma.s.s obstructed one’s field of vision; it seemed that humans would hardly approach this place, and only fairies were living here.
The wind blowing past between the peaks continuously made strange sounds.
Nico, who had once lived in this sort of place, had now returned here once again.
He stood on the edge of the cliff, shaking his gray tail while surveying the distant sea.
He did not know how Lydia was now.
It was possible that the Earl couldn’t take Lydia back with him. If he didn’t leave with her, then Nico will hate him.
Despite believing this, as long as he thought of Lydia possibly sinking into feelings of hopelessness, he minded this considerably.
Pondering over Lydia and the Earl’s future, he felt that staying by Lydia’s side was too painful, so he escaped. But in the end, nothing could disperse away from his mind.
He couldn’t leave Lydia. What Nico did after that was going to every place that he knew of where fairies resided, and asking everywhere if anyone had seen the Prophet.
The Prophet wasn’t in the sacred land; if he had awakened, he was probably in some other place. If the person he was looking for was in opposition to Edgar, he will cast a shadow over Lydia’s future.
He obviously cared and investigated, but he didn’t want to think about Lydia, was this not very contradictory?
It was because of this, that even if he returned to the valley where he lived a long time ago before he knew Lydia’s mother, Aurora, there was no ease felt in returning home.
Below the precipice, there was a cabin that was about to collapse. For Nico, this was a scenery that he was used to seeing.
A long time ago, there was a traveler who lived there. He was a slightly strange English gentleman in search of meteorites. He insisted on seeing the meteorite fall on this mountain.
Nico unknowingly became familiar with this man. The man addressed Nico as a gentleman and gave him his tie, telling him that only a dignified man could be called a gentleman.
For Nico, who had lived a long time, he had spent a considerable amount of time alone or with other fairies. However, despite having very little contact with humans, that man left a strong impression.
Humans condense their lives to a brief period of time, living brightly and intensely. Fairies did not have those kinds of hidden pa.s.sionate emotions, so Nico felt shocked.
Although the time with Aurora and Lydia was obviously very brief for him, that time was held in his heart.
But those people will always pa.s.s away quickly.
While Nico gazed at the island"s unique strong winds that had blown and made the broken house creak, he thought that although the cabin existed longer than the Englishman who used to live there, there would inevitably be a day where it would disappear without a trace too.
“Hey, you probably have business with me, don’t you?”
While there was clearly no one else around, there was a voice.
Nico turned back in surprise, and saw an unfamiliar boy standing before him. Since this valley is unlikely to have human children here, Nico immediately understood that he wasn’t human.
“What are you, a ghost?”
“I am a dream."
“Whose dream?”
“The ‘Master of the Islands’ dream."
Nico had also heard of that existence. According to legends, the archipelago of this region developed due to the ‘Master of the Islands’ dream.
It’s just that regardless of what kind of fairy it was, they had not seen the ‘Master’.
“Are you not looking for the Prophet?”
The boy said to Nico, who was pondering.
Nico opened his eyes wide.
“......Are you the Prophet?”
It was said that the Prophet was sleeping in the sacred land that the McKeel clan protected. Lydia was deceived by Patrick and left for the sacred land as the Prophet’s fiancée. According to the legend the McKeel clan had pa.s.sed down, as long as the Prophet awakened, he will save the islands from the crisis brought about by Prince.
However, the Prophet wasn’t in the sacred land.
If the Prophet had already awakened, where was he and what was he doing?
If the Prophet truly exists, then Edgar, who inherited the Prince’s memories will be his enemy. Lydia may likely be forced to oppose Edgar as the Prophet’s fiancée.
For Lydia, the circ.u.mstances will be even more difficult for her to bear. If possible, Nico was hoping to find evidence that the Prophet does not exist.
Although he asked fairies he had known in the past, it was to no avail.
Nico nervously lifted his eyes, and the boy smiled at him.
“If you’re trying to find the existence who can save the islands, it isn’t me, but someone said that if there’s a gray cat with a tie looking for the Prophet, they hope that I can answer the gray cat’s questions."
“Who was it?”
“Aurora."
It was the name of Lydia’s mother. Nico turned to the boy in surprise.
“You know Aurora?”
“Is this the first question? I met her a long time ago. She entered the sacred land and opened the coffin that was placed there."
“The coffin of the sacred land?”
Every nineteen years, the coffin can be opened. The full moon that meets the condition, is said to be an opportunity to awaken the prophet has a cycle of a little more than 18 years. In other words, there was one chance every nineteen years.
If that was true, the coffin in the sacred land was empty because Aurora had already opened it when she had the chance.
“...Then you were at the scene as well?”
“It had been already been a hundred years since someone entered the sacred land, isn’t that so? I was very intrigued, so I followed Aurora inside."
“Did you also see the Prophet inside the coffin?”
“Should I describe the meeting? I only listened to the message inside the coffin with Aurora."
“Message? Wasn’t someone in there?”
“No, there were words inside. After all, making future events occur by using words was the Prophet’s ability. The man who left behind a message was the Prophet who entered the sacred land a hundred years ago. He knew several things that would happen to the McKeel clan in the future. He selected among the options that could overcome the calamity and implemented it, however his future descendants had to create the path that forged ahead towards his chosen future.”
“Wait, so you’re saying that although the Prophet said that he will awaken when the crisis comes and then stay in the sacred land, he really wasn’t planning on waking up, and merely said these words in order to convey a message? In order for Aurora’s clan to possess deep fairy blood, the practice of repeated exchanges was indifferently established, but an important person who can save the archipelago doesn’t exist at all, what’s going on?”
“A savior exists. The power that should have been given to the person who was about to become the savior was given to Aurora temporarily. At least so far, the development of matters is the same future the Prophet had chosen a hundred years ago."
In other words, regarding the McKeel clan women who became the Prophet’s fiancée, their duty was to be entrusted some kind of power?
“Originally, Aurora’s fiancé was supposed to obtain that power, but she had already married.” Furthermore, that person wasn’t from the McKeel clan, so perhaps the next one will be different to what the Prophet thinks."
“As long as it’s a person of the McKeel clan, they can become the savior regardless of who it is?”
“I don’t think so. However, the choice made by the Prophet a hundred years ago was probably that when a woman who received the message and power appeared, her fiancé would be a man with some sort of ability."
It appeared that the boy tried to recall it as he looked into the distance.
“The message that depicted the future was quite ambiguous, explaining the meaning correctly would be exceptionally difficult. Explaining is within the Prophet’s ability, but the moment the Prophet conveys a message to someone, the fate of the message will circulate among people, and its meaning will change. So, the Prophet would want to convey the message directly to someone who needs to know the prophecy."
“The woman who opens the coffin will have a shortened lifespan, is this because of the strength that has been entrusted to her?”
Nico recalled that Aurora had died at a young age and couldn’t help but close his eyes.
“It isn’t caused by the power itself, it’s because the top of the coffin, which has sealed ancient powers, grants formidable magic. The person who undoes the magic will have to bear with the power that rebounds no matter what."
Why would Aurora prefer to face the dangers and enter the sacred land? A question suddenly came to mind, making Nico open his eyes.
She eloped with Professor Carlton because she wasn’t willing to take the responsibilities of being the Prophet’s next “fiancée”, but she severed ties from her home island and the McKeel clan, under what circ.u.mstances did she return to the island that Nico didn’t know about?
Nineteen years ago. Yes, it was at that time.
“Um, did Aurora mention a baby?”
“Yes, she carried a baby, a girl named Lydia."
As expected, Nico thought. It was that time where an exchange was happening.
If Aurora had returned to the island, it was definitely when Lydia taken away as a changeling by half-fairy relatives.
Nico knew that she wanted to bring Lydia back by any means, but she still went as far as to enter the sacred land and open the coffin.
“......But, why did she particularly enter the sacred land to open the coffin after bringing Lydia back?”
“Because if the coffin in the sacred land is opened, there would no longer be the need for exchanges. The McKeel clan’s half fairies were originally chasing after Aurora, but they were also forced to give up and leave. However, she changed the Prophet’s selected path. No, did the Prophet already know that it would become like this? Just because she didn’t know what the outcome will be, Aurora had kept the matter of opening the coffin to herself."
Living in the fairy realm, half-fairies had been exchanged until now, perhaps apart from some of the members, the rest of them knew that Aurora was the only one who refused the exchange. And they did not inform the main branch of the McKeel clan of anything.
Nico sighed.
Aurora was originally healthy, but because of the magic’s effects, she slowly became ill.
Despite this, she had spent those years always laughing with Lydia and Professor Carlton.
That was certainly a very joyful time.
“So you’re saying that the savior doesn’t exist as expected? Aurora’s husband wasn’t able to become the savior, and her original fiancé ought to have died by now."
“The other members of the McKeel clan were unlikely to become the savior as well. As long as they can inherit the ancient magic that was placed on the coffin, it may be possible."
“......The magic that you spoke of, was that the power that was entrusted to Aurora?”
However, that sort of awful thing, could it be that Aurora didn’t abandon it immediately?
“Yes, that is a bloodstone. Legends from long ago say that the sleeping Prophet in the sacred land will awaken when the McKeel clan is facing a crisis, this was pa.s.sed down for a long time. The truth about this legend is the magic bloodstone. The Prophet also knew this a hundred years ago, if someone with the ability to inherit magic had touched it, the stone will be a faint green."
Nico twitched his whiskers.
Having said that, Aurora really did possess a bloodstone. She handed the bloodstone like leaving behind a keepsake.
Could it be that this was the ancient magic......?
Nico, who knew nothing at all, placed the stone on Aurora’s grave, but Lydia picked it up and returned it to him. In that case, since Lydia had touched the stone and there was no change, it meant that it was impossible for her to become the Prophet, but because of other reasons, Nico felt cold sweat all over his body.
Because he lost the stone again. This time, he didn’t know where the stone fell, but he didn’t try to find it because he was planning to throw it away to begin with.
“The bloodstone...... what happens if you were to lose it?”
He asked, panic-stricken.
“Did Aurora hide it somewhere and then pa.s.sed away?”
“Uh... that, umm...”
“That sort of enchanted item, sooner or later, it will be handed over to someone suitable. I just don’t know whether there will be enough time to save the islands."
What did Aurora want Nico to do with the stone?
Aurora wanted to cut off Lydia’s connections to the McKeel clan, she also wanted Lydia to have the happiness of ordinary people.
Rather than throwing it away, it was better for Nico as a fairy to hold onto it, as it was also difficult to hand it over to human hands.
The reason why she asked the boy to say the truth when Nico was looking for the Prophet must have been because she was taking Lydia’s future into account.
But Nico lost the bloodstone.
Perhaps he was already unable to do anything for Lydia.
“Alright, we’re almost there."
The boy said this, his figure faded as if he was going to disappear.
“I am the dream the ‘Master’ sees, so I have been floating in mind, and will disappear. I cannot stay in the same place for a long time."
His figure disappeared before Nico could nod.  Only the voice that rode the wind reached Nico’s ears in the end.
“......Ah, that’s right, Lydia got lost......”
What, Lydia? Where was she?
Nico looked around, and then quickly leapt into the crack leading into a different world, which was invisible to the human eyes.
It was true, she was wandering around in another world alone.
Regarding the fairy realm of this island, the range was much deeper and broader compared to Lydia’s hometown or London, even Nico wasn’t able to go through many places.
Now was not the time to leisurely say that she was “really looking for trouble”.
It would be good if she was still near the border.
Even if he was familiar with humans and became close with them, he wouldn’t be able to see them after a short while. Nico was fully aware of this, but if he couldn’t see them, then it was as if a cold wind blew through his heart.
If it was like with fairies, even if they didn’t meet for centuries, as long as they think that they only left yesterday and could see each other again, then the loneliness would also lessen. So Nico thought of the years of Lydia’s life, being separated from her shouldn’t be so upsetting.
However, he did not know when humans will suddenly disappear.
While Nico was anxious, he entered the border of the dream’s territory between the human world and the fairy realm, raising his whiskers that stood on end, to seek Lydia’s presence.

“Lydia, what are you doing?!”
Lydia was squatting in the darkness and having suddenly heard a sound, she looked up in surprise.
“You’re clearly a fairy doctor...... didn’t I tell you every time to pay attention before you get lost!?"
“Is it...... Nico?”
With a careful gaze, a figure vaguely emerging, appeared before her eyes. She could see a fluffy gray haired cat running with all its effort toward here.
Lydia stood up and immediately ran forward.
Lydia stretched her hands, and Nico jumped towards her. Lydia closely held Nico, who had jumped to her, he also used his short paw to wrap around her neck and grab onto her.
“Lydia, ahh, it’s good that I’ve found you."
“Nico....where have you been?! Why did you leave me alone? I thought I"d never see you again..."
She clung to Nico and rubbed her cheek against his soft fur.
This was the first time he wasn’t angry at this treatment, but the familiar touch made her feel relieved.
When her heart was hurt and she wandered alone, perhaps at the bottom of her heart she hoped for Nico, who was both family and a close friend, to be by her side. While she had those feelings, her face was buried deep into his gray fur.
“Have you been well? I honestly can’t watch you suffer."
Nico finally lifted his head, and appeared to have tears in his eyes. Lydia had of course, was crying but when she saw Nico she couldn’t help breaking into a smile.
“Nico, thank you... today, even if your fur is messy you didn’t get angry."
Having heard this, Nico suddenly remembered this and jumped out of Lydia’s arms.
He stood on his hind feet, hastily straightened out his fur and bow tie. He then narrowed his eyes nonchalantly, and as if putting on an act, he put his hands on his hips.
“Th--this isn’t important, Lydia, what’s going on with you? Did something happen?”
When Nico asked, Lydia remembered Edgar and sadly sat on the ground once more.
“I broke up with Edgar."
Nico was not particularly surprised, and seemed to think that it was better this way. He merely placed his paw on Lydia’s head to comfort her.
“Hey, Nico... where were you just now?”
“On the mountain."
“Can I live there too?”
“Don"t be ridiculous. Lydia, you left your own body now, did you not?"
“Can I become a fairy like this?”
“That’s impossible, your human blood is too strong. If you don’t turn back immediately, you won’t be able to return."
Lydia believed that it did not matter to her, and that she’d wander aimlessly.
“......I don’t want to go back."
If she were to wake up, she would be aware that she was truly separated from Edgar. She definitely wouldn’t understand why she was staying on this strange land to focus on treatment in the end.
She would seemingly sink into despair and she was afraid of this.
“You clearly don’t want to be separated from the Earl, yet you broke up with him?”
“Because Edgar became the Prince for my sake. Moreover, even if he had to use Unseelie Court magic again, and also think about obtaining the secret medicine to treat the wound caused by the Aurora fairy....”
Nico let out a sigh.
“The Earl cannot wait three years."
“What am I going to do Nico......? What should I do?”
“Oh my, at any rate, let’s return first."
Nico appeared to think it was troublesome as he said that.
Although he was Lydia’s good friend, he was a heartless guy who was unsuited to discuss these things even from before.
Because he was an inconsiderate partner, Lydia also began to speak firmly.
“No, I won’t go back."
“Then I’m going."
Nico turned his back towards her.
Seeming like Lydia would be abandoned, she stood up without thinking.
Nico looked over his shoulder and held out his paw towards her.
“Good grief, you’re an adult now, but you’re still the same as when you were young."
She would get lost in the fairy realm after her mother scolded her, and although she’d say that she didn’t want to go back, she didn’t want to be abandoned by Nico, who came to pick her up. As a result, she was always following behind him in the end.
When Lydia who had grown taller held Nico’s paw, it seemed like she was lifting him up.  Even so, Nico still took on the att.i.tude of a guardian, he held Lydia’s hand and walked a step ahead of her.
Like in the past when she walked with Nico, Lydia gradually calmed down.
I also have a precious family, that is, Nico and Father. Even if she broke up, how could she sink into despair?
By the time Lydia noticed, she had already stepped onto ground.
The surroundings weren’t dark, and the moon was suspended in the night sky. They were behind the layered mountain.
“Hey hey, that guy seemed worried about you, so he ran to this kind of remote place."
Nico said, then pointed ahead as a pitch-black horse stood up in the plains.
It was Kelpie.
“Lydia, I was looking for you for a long time! You suddenly ran away in the dream recklessly, I was really worried about you."
He said, and ran over.
“Now is not the time to be walking with a cat. Where is your body? Hurry up and go!”
Lydia was suddenly floated up, and as soon as she realized that, she was already sitting on Kelpie’s back.  Naturally, Lydia tightly held onto Nico as well.
“Hey, do I have to go too?!”
Stay by my side for a little longer.
Lydia thought that, as she rested her face against his soft fur. Nico wrapped his arrogant tail around Lydia’s hand, appearing to have given up.