P.8

*****

Any inquiries regarding fairies are welcome.

Fairy Doctor, Lydia Carlton

A sign hanging in front of a house, written with that message, was inviting the laughter of today’s passer-bys yet again.

“Momma, do fairies really exist?” asked a boy?passing by with?his mother.

“That’s just a fairy tale. Of course they don’t exist.”

“No, they are real!” interrupted Lydia, jumping up from behind the bush by the sign, startling the mother and son?during their conversation.

“Fairies are real, even if you haven’t seen one before. To prove it, before you go to sleep put a cupful of milk near your windowsill and then brownies will come to visit.”

P.12

She smiled down to the boy. But the mother snatched her child’s arm and pulled him down the road. After throwing Lydia a glare, she went out of sight.

Lydia watched the mother and son go off as she lay her head on her hand, imagining how she was going to be called?‘abnormal’ or ‘crazy.’

“Lydia, it’s no use, how ever many times you repeat it, someone who hasn’t seen fairies will never see them. Nonbelievers wouldn’t believe it even if they were smacked on the head by one. So just let it?be and relax,” said a long haired gray cat, resting on a branch of a tree.

This cat, who could talk and walk on its two hind legs, was Lydia’s friend. He always wore a necktie and was peculiar about how his fur needed to look by always grooming it?to perfection, but the sight of him stretching up to stand and scratching around his bellybutton only looked like an old man in a cat-suit to Lydia’s eyes.

“Hey Nico, do you think there’s a way to make people understand what the job of a fairy doctor is?”

“That’s asking too much. The time when there were fairy doctors everywhere and being asked for help to solve fairy troubles that happens everyday is over.?It’s the middle of the 19th century now.”

“But that doesn’t mean fairies are gone. They’re still live right next to people and do good and bad things; don’t you think it’s strange that everyone ignores them? Just because they can’t be seen, why does that have to mean they don’t exist?”

P.13

Just when she had her attention was focused on talking she heard a hesitant voice come from beyond the bushes.

“Pardon me..uh, mail delivery...” said a nervous young postman, reaching over the bush with an envelope in his hand. Her cat, who could disappear at will, was already gone.

Could it be that it appeared to him like I was?talking to myself?!

“Uh, I wasn’t talking to myself. There was a cat here just now.”

Lydia tried to cover up for what looked like?deranged behavior, but the postman only cracked a unsuccessful smile at her.

“No, I mean he isn’t a normal cat, he’s a cat that can talk...” No matter how much she tried, it only made her look more of a lunatic. On top of that, she noticed that some small fairies, brownies by the look of?it, were playfully diving into the postman’s bag, and she couldn’t stop herself from shouting.

“Stop that! What are you all doing?! Stop playing pranks with those letters!”

When the brownies all dispersed, the bag,?which was already packed full with letters, ended up making several of them to fly out onto the ground.

“I’m terribly sorry, brownies are terrible pranksters.”

She helped pick up the envelopes and handed them out to him.

The postman cautiously accepted them, and as if in a race, he dashed off down the road.

P.14

“Now there I go again,” she said, letting out a disappointed sigh.

Either way Lydia was already well known as the Carlton oddball and had no human friends. That was because she didn’t try to hide the fact that?she could see and talk to fairies.

By coming out?about that and becoming a fairy doctor, she wanted to use this ability to help people, but at this point, all her attempts have ended as a failure.

“Now now, don’t cry just because you’ve scared off the new post boy,” said Nico. She entered the house to see that he was sitting on the sofa and spreading open the newspaper.

“It’s all your fault you know,” replied Lydia angrily.

It wasn’t that she had a fancy towards the postman, it was just that she spotted some of the?town's?young women, who were around the same age as her, talking to him in a delightful-looking, lively conversation. In such a country town, which had hardly anything new, just the arrival of a young man was enough to make the girls excited.

What Lydia hoped for was that if it was someone who didn’t know the rumors about her, then there could be a chance she could have a normal conversaton with someone?as a normal person, but now she just ended up introducing herself as a freak.

Lydia didn’t mind if she wasn’t understood by others or feel lonely. When she was little and growing up, fairies would be her playmates and fight with her. But now, she was seventeen years old, a young lady who was coming into the marrying age.

P.15

If she kept scaring off eligible bachelors, then it would become a serious problem for her one of these days.

“Hmmm, looks like there‘s a criminal on the loose,” said Nico, quickly changing the topic by reading the paper. She wanted to show the townspeople the sight of this cat sitting on the sofa like a human, crossing his legs and holding the newspaper with his front paws. That way, they would realize there still were many unexplainable things in the world.

“The residence of a psychology doctor Mr. Gossam, was broken into by a burglar who caused major injuries to the owner of the house, then stole a large sum of the family's money and is currently on the loose.”

“Oh my goodness, why’s a crime in London on the newspaper of a country town like this?!”

“It’s because he’s on the run. Plus the victim’s son is looking for the criminal by putting out reward money. It says the thief resembles a serial murderer who has killed a hundred people in America. His age is around twenty and he has blond hair...”

A creepy portrait of the man was printed on the paper, but besides that, Lydia noticed?something more important - a?letter that had just been delivered.

“Look Nico, it’s a letter from father. He says I should come to London. He wants to spend Easter with me.”

“That’s rare. It isn’t even Christmas yet.”

Lydia’s father was her only remaining family, and was a professor in mineralogy and currently teaching in an university in London.

P. 16

It had been a while since she received a letter from her father who loved to do research and thought it was a gemologist’s duty to research and classify every species and nature’s creation, and he would get so absorbed in his studies that he would spend his free time going off searching and collecting rocks.

“Are you going? London is a dangerous place.”

“That’s true. But there's nothing to worry about, even if I meet a thief, I’m not rich enough to steal from.”

*****

Lydia’s mother was a Fairy Doctor. Before Lydia's mother married her father, she lived in an island up north and helped the town people with their fairy problems, and even though so many years have passed from the medieval times, she lived a life not so different from that time.

But that was merely twenty years ago.

Even though the islands were part of the enormous European empire and each had their own discrete cultures still remaining, Lydia had never visited her mother’s birthplace. By marrying her father, who was an outsider, she was told that her mother had left the island. Even if Lydia went to visit, she wasn’t going to be welcomed. Lydia remembered only a little?bit?about her mother, who had passed away when she was young, but amazingly, she still remembered the stories that her mother told her.

P. 17

Knowing about the different species and characteristics of the fairies, each species’ rules, how to communicate and negotiate with them, this was the gift Lydia received from her mother.

That’s why, just like her mother, she wanted to become a great fairy doctor. She didn’t want to be embarrassed or hide the fact that she could see fairies. It didn’t matter if she was called an oddball. As long as fairies existed, there was sure to be people who needed a fairy doctor’s help.

Leaving the care of the family house to the house goblin, Lydia went with Nico to the harbor?to get on a ship?bound towards her father’s residence in London. She left a sign in front of her house saying “Temporarily Closed.” Although there won’t be anyone who’d miss her absence.

P. 24

Lydia was finally released and she whipped around to face him.

He was a slender man. His brown hair was ruffled and?untidy and there was stubble on his face, but looking past?his poorly-conditioned clothes, his face revealed that he was quite young, just around twenty. It was obvious that he was in a slovenly state, but mysteriously, his face still had an attractive allure to it. His eyes were strongly set on Lydia, and his sweet ash mauve eyes unnerved and confused her.

“If you’re caught again, what would they do to you?”

“I’ll be killed.”

The blood tinged marks left by rope on both of his wrists was frightening and much more convincing than his words. There wereeven some marks on his neck, like a knife was pressed against his skin.

“Did you notice how this room is at the end of the hallway? Huxley, well it may be?his alias, but unless you pass by that man’s room, you can’t go anywhere.?By doing that,?he plans to confine you here. If you went outside, his brothers who are with him will keep an eye on you. They are a sibling of eight brothers, and there are six of them on this ship, every one of them are muscular and strong, a group good at using force. Huxley is the eldest and they formed a gang to go against the law.”

He silently stepped over to the door.

“Even if you were to sneak out, there’s a string tied to the knob, so as soon as you turn it, it’s made to notify them in the next room. Most likely they would put you under sleep and get you off at any one of the next ports.”

P.25

Looking closer, there indeed was a shining, thin, transparent string connected to the door knob. That was all she needed.?There was no need for a university assistant, who said he was asked by her father, to do this kind of thing.

Lydia folded her arms and stood in front of the man.

“So, how can we get out of here?”

Lydia took a deep breath as she stood in front of the door of Huxley’s room.

Since she opened the door of her room, Huxley should already know that she made it out to the hall. He could even be putting his ear to the door that was between them.

So she knocked on the door in front of her. After a brief moment, Huxley stuck his head out.

“Oh, what seems to be the problem, Miss Carlton."

“Well, I’m hearing strange noises in my room. Like there’s something hiding in the closet.. It’s really disturbing; could you please take a look?”

His complexion subtly changed. Huxley turned his neck to face into his room, probably to his brothers who were with him. “Hey, he’s in the next room. I’m sure of it.”

P.26

Oh please, well yes, you might be sure. They must have had no thought to spare about Lydia becoming suspicious about his brother’s sudden appearance and 'being sure' about him.

“Miss, it could be a criminal. It’ll be dangerous, so please wait here.”

In his room, including Huxley, there indeed were six sturdy-looking men.

After watching all of them enter Lydia’s room cautiously, the young blond man, who was hiding behind the hallway pillar, passed by the front of her door.

“Let’s go.”

He took her hand into his as if it was natural and Lydia was forced to follow him as he darted into a run.

“Nico, are you following?”

Nico, who was apparently staying invisible, replied by showing the tip of his tail?with a wave.

“Hey, they’ve escaped!” The two of them heard a man’s yell. It seems they were quickly noticed, and Lydia heard the young man tut as he was pulled harder on her hand and they continued to run, flurrying down a flight of stairs.

Just as they were going down, one of the men jumped over the deck’s railing and landed down on the deck floor behind them.

The brother grabbed her bag, making Lydia let out a scream as she was pulled back.

The young man leading her, whipped himself around her, and with a kick, flipped the brother off his feet.

P.27

Still having his grip on Lydia’s bag, the man slammed into the railing and that force flipped him over, making him fall into the ocean.

P. 46

“The Blue Knight Earl..., if I recall, wasn’t that the legend about having rule over the fairyland? Which means the Earl Lord wants your help as a fairy doctor.”

Could that mean, he might already know that Lydia calls herself a fairy doctor?

But, with a head just barely awake from the spin of alcohol, she couldn’t think of him as the ruler of the fairyland and someone who’d understand her. He looked like a more practical person, a tactician type.

“But, hey, I still think it’s best we don’t get involved. That Huxley man and the Earl Lord is fighting against each other, right? Did you see both of them, trying to pretend to be lady-killers or something! At their level, it’s just embarrassing.”

“I think Edgar is actually quite handsome.”

“Thank you.” The voice from behind was the person in question.

She said her opinion without really thinking very hard about it, but she didn’t imagine that she would be heard by him, so Lydia couldn’t help from blushing.

“Uh, no, that was, I was just simply repeating the general opinion! So, it’s a completely different matter if I have any good feelings to you or anything!”

“Yes, of course. I’m the one who forced you to come abroad this ship, so I don’t have any hopes that it would be so easy for you to open your heart to me. By the way, who were you talking to?”

“Huh? ....well, that’s”

P.47

She sneaked a peek at Nico. He had already curled up like a cat.

“Is it strange? Talking by myself with a cat.” Lydia was only left to take a defiant attitude.

“Why? I think it’s marvelous that you can communicate your feelings with animals.”

There is no way you think that way. But then again, Edgar didn’t show the slightest bit of banter in his expression.

Only that he must have noticed the glass of scotch that was by the deck chair that Nico was laying on.

“Were you having another drink? Did you get tired after all?”

I said that I was just a little dizzy so I’d go get a breath of fresh air and left the table, but when he said it like that it makes me look like a drunk.

Becoming embarrassed, and angry at Nico who was feigning indifference, Lydia’s temper burst and she blurted out “It, it wasn’t me, it was Nico drinking. He drinks whenever he wants, he has no manners and bad behavior, on top on that, he’s a picky cat with his taste in neckties and his shiny coat, and complains that he can’t drink milk out of a bowl, and wants pancakes and bacon and milk tea for breakfast, he says nonsense like this all the time!”

P.48

As you would expect, Edgar was looking at Lydia wonderingly.

I knew it, even for someone like him, who says he’s the descendant of the Lord Blue Knight, I’m just an oddball freak.?Noticing that, she signed.

“If it’s funny, you can laugh you know. I don’t know what you wanted me to do, but as you can see, I’m strange. Just let me get off at the next harbor..” Lydia stopped in the middle of her words because he suddenly stepped up next to her.

With his ash mauve eyes, he calmly gazed down at her. They were so close she could clearly see his blond eye lashes just with the lamp light.

“Wh...what?”

“I was told that fairy doctors can see what others can’t see, and hear what others can’t hear. It is true, your eyes, those light green eyes seem like they can see through the mysteries of the world.”

So he did know that Lydia was a fairy doctor.

“You’re over exaggerating. I’m really not that big of a deal.”

“No, if you bring in the light, your irises shine like a golden flower. It makes you more mystical.”

That part of her eyes was what made others call her a witch, but having them complimented for the first time, Lydia was honestly caught off balance.

“..More importantly, are you really the decendant of the Lord Blue Knight? Then wouldn’t that mean you can also see fairies? If not then you won’t be able to go to your land.”

P.49

“Is that so. But the ability that my ancestors had to cross worlds, and the power to talk to fairies, all faded through each generation. The only thing I inherited was the title of Earl. My father and grandfather, and one before that, all traveled the world and lived overseas. I finally came back to England, but even if I wanted to greet Her Royal Highness, I don’t have the jeweled sword given to us by Edward I that is my proof to become the Blue Knight Earl.” As he spoke, he closed the distance between them, so Lydia was made to slowly step backwards.

“Je-jeweled sword?”

“Julius Ashenbert, an earl?of my family?from 300 years ago, hid it in one of his lands and left on a long trip and died. The hidden location is only explained by a riddle, protected by fairies is what I’m told, and to get there are several fairy related steps, so for someone like me who wasn’t born with that power, it’s all incomprehensible.”

“The land you speak of, is it the Fairy Kingdom?”

“My family has land and castles even in the human world. Land given along with our peerage, others given as thanks for our services, and ones that were given to us by others.”

“And that’s why you need a fairy doctor..”

“But that’s not the only problem. There are others who are after the large star sapphire that adorns the jeweled sword.”

P.50

“Those others, you mean Mr. Huxley from before?”

“That’s right, the man who tried to kidnap you. He doesn’t know about the treasured sword being proof of the peerage, but as I’m also after the sword he is malicious towards me. If I were to die the line in the Earl family would end. I need to find it before it’s taken and make clear of my position in the Earl family. Lydia, will you please help me.”

Lydia took yet another step back, but felt nothing but air beneath her foot and lost her balance.

I’m going to fall. She realized she was by the stairs.

In that second, Edgar’s arm wrapped behind her back and grabbed her. She was strongly steadied and pulled back up to him. Lydia instinctively held on.

“Be careful, it’s dark,” he uttered with a sigh.

She had never been this close to a man besides her father.

“L, let go of me.”

“If I do, you’ll fall.”

She couldn’t help but think that he was having fun that she had to hold onto him.

“....Enough of?this already!”

Just like with the lightness in a dance, he adroitly turned around as he held her.

P. 51

Placing her back away from the stairs, he let go of her slowly, as if in?regret.

Lydia was glaring at him, but he only returned a fearless smile. He must think there was no woman he couldn’t get what he wanted from.

How offensive.

“In my opinion, I don’t believe that you’re really the descendant of Lord Blue Knight.?I don’t have any intention of helping an imposter get his hands on Lord Blue Knight's jeweled sword. So I-”

“Refuse? Then do you plan to swim home from here?”

“Are you implying that you’re going to throw me into the ocean?” Nervous, Lydia quickly stepped further away from him and the railing.

“I wouldn’t dare, I’m not such a cruel villain. Only that, I do want to warn you. It will be difficult to head home from the next harbor or to London when you're penniless. Furthermore, Huxley and his brothers are desperately looking for you right now.”

That meant Lydia had no choice in the matter.

There was no doubt she was being threatened. She thought he surely was a cruel villain.

He slipped out a key from an inner pocket of his coat.

“Your room. It’s on the same floor across the hall from mine. Please use it as you like.”

After handing it to her, he disappeared into the dark hallway.