P. 244

P. 258

“Ow....”

She opened her eyes, but it was pitch black. She was washed by the sweep of the water for just a short while, but she had no idea where it had taken her.

The ground below her feet felt like a cold, stone floor and there was some sort of vertical pillar.

Which means she must be in a building some place.

“Lydia,?are you there?”

She heard Edgar’s voice coming from the distance. She?searched the area around her with her hands trying to touch anything around?her. But, in the direction she thought the voice came from, a wall was blocking?her path.

“Edgar, where are you?”

“I can’t see well. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Since his voice bounced around and echoed around her, she?wasn’t able to grasp the right direction.

“No, I’m fine. But, I can’t figure out why we are in a place like this...”

“Wouldn’t this be the work of the selkies from just earlier?”

“Then, that would mean we’re held captive by Ulysses?”

“I think this is different than that. I’m guessing that?although they were forced under his submission, they secretly brought you here.?The rough water current had washed away the trees from the area around us, but?we were protected by the water, so we didn’t get any injuries.”

P. 259

Perhaps this could have been a secret rebel of the selkies who had their coats in Ulysses’ grasp.

The old woman selkie had even made an alteration on her own on Lydia’s condition of being possessed by the ghost of Maggie so that she?would be able to move around freely at least during the day.

“Despite that, it’s so strange that my clothes aren’t wet at all when we were washed by the current.”

“It wasn’t real water, but more like the magic that was?created by the selkies.”

The captive selkies wished to be released from Ulysses and were still laying their hope on Lydia.

“Lydia, if we both move around, then I think we won’t be able to reach each other. Could you stay put for just?a bit.”

“All right..., but,”

“It’ll be fine, I will definitely fine you. Let’s continue talking. Your voice will lead the way.”

She replied all right, and tried to squint her eyes to see around her, but even it was her eyes that had adjusted to the darkness, she?couldn’t see anything.

“Uh, Edgar, why do you think that the selkies had carried us to a place like this? I wonder where we are.”

“Maybe we’re underground of the hill. I think that this is the repelling charm that the Blue Knight Earl from the past had made built.”

“Repelling charm?”

P. 260

“I heard that it was some sort magical-built fortress to?protect Londonfrom an invasion from foreign enemies. Ulysses was ordered by Prince and came here to destroy that.”

“Destroy? This? How?”

She couldn’t see it, but from how their voices echoed so?far, she felt it was quite an immensely large open space. Even when she moved?her body just a bit, her hands touched a stone wall or pillar and so she was?able to image that it was made in a maze-like design, but then it was all the?more impossible to be able to be destroyed by just one person.

“That’s the part that I can’t figure out as well.”

In the next second, Lydia came to realize something.

Just earlier, when she was walking the ocean beach as her?body was under Maggie’s control, she saw how the sea had become even more rough?and stormy. In that same moment, she also watched how there was an endless?number of selkies that bobbled and swam in the ocean currents.

In the house fire, the coats of the selkies that they weren’t able to rescue should have been burned. Since selkies had a strong bond within their kind, more members of their kind were gathered because of their sorrow and fury.

However, the one who set the fire so that he could massacre all the selkies he had was Ulysses. Which means he purposefully did that in order to gather that many selkies filled with rage.

“Oh, no! Ulysses plans to use all those selkies!”

“What do you mean?”

P. 261

“When one of their kind is treated horribly, they have the trait of gathering into a group and exacting their revenge. Because of what?Ulysses had done, there is an unbelievably large number of selkies that was gathered around the island for revenge. If all of them were to make an attack?at once, a small island like this would be easily crumbled and washed away....”

Edgar must have accepted the serious situation, as he?remained quiet for a short while.

“But, why are they now attacking now?”

“Most likely, Ulysses is holding them back. He has the heart of a selkie with him. It’s the gemstone that he wears on his ear. Normally, selkies give it to a human as proof of their trust and as a symbol of their friendship, but Ulysses got his hands on one and is misusing it.”

“So if a human has that, then it means the selkies couldn’t attack him and they would have to listen to what he says, huh.”

“Unlike when he has a coat, it can’t make them do as he?says, but I think that to a person who has a ‘heart,’ the selkies must hold him?in high regards.”

Even if he was hated by the selkies, Ulysses showed that he had one in his possession and was able to safely fence off with them. He had the ability that abled him to do that.

Against a man like that, Lydia?wondered what there was she could do.

She was ashamed herself. Even if she considered herself a fairy doctor, in the most important moment, her inexperience was completely?highlighted and stood out.

But, if Ulysses was seriously intending to use the selkies, then that would mean that Lydiahad to be the one to do something in order for them to survive this.

P. 262

Edgar wasn’t able to stop the selkies himself.

And if she wasn’t able to come up with anything, everyone here won’t be able to survive. Edgar and Raven, and Mrs. Collins and Suzy, all?would be washed away along with the island.

At such an immensely heavy pressure, Lydia was starting to feel sick.

When she nearly wobbled over, the tip of her toe touched?something. She stretched out her hand to feel what it was and found out that it?was some sort of box.

It was the vanity box. The enamel design that was all around it and the touch of the coral that was like little round candies made her be sure of it.

“Thank goodness...., it must have been washed with us.”

But, this wasn’t the time to be relieved.

She needed to send these to the selkies who survived or they would remain in their human forms and won’t be able to return to the sea.

And then, Lydiarealized something else that worried her.

If the two selkies from just earlier were hoping for Lydia to save them and hence they brought her here.

“That’s it, Edgar, if Ulysses wants to destroy this place, then he might be somewhere close to us...”

The sound of her voice bounced around in an echo but there was no reply from Edgar.

Why? She thought, but then all sorts of worse possible?change of events came up in her mind, and sent Lydia into a panic.

P. 263

Like that maybe Ulysses had come and captured him, or there was a hole that he feel into. Or maybe, if the one who Lydia had been talking to just now wasn’t Edgar.

“Edgar, hey, Edgar, where are you?”

Lydia bellowed out from suddenly becoming terrified. She hugged the box and walked along the wall.

She froze her steps because she felt a presence nearby that stepped on a pebble.

Right in front of Lydia who held her breath, the presence stopped walking.

“I found you, Lydia.”

“A-are you really Edgar?”

“Shall I say our secret word?”

We never decided on such a thing.

“I love you, my fairy.”

It’s him.

He’s fooling around, she thought irritatingly, but as soon as she understood that he was here, Lydia felt like she was going to cry.

“What is the matter? Did I surprise you?”

“Wh-why didn’t you give me a reply.”

“Because I wanted to concentrate on tracking your voice. If I opened my mouth, then I would lose the direction I worked so hard to grasp.”

P. 264

She was revealed but she wanted to cry. Voice wasn’t enough. She wanted to make sure with her whole self if it was the real him who said with his words that he would stay by her side.

Lydia pushed those feelings aside and stepped back, then?slump down weakly to sit on the floor.

“Lydia?”

“....Please, don’t get near me right now.”

“Right now, as in?”

“I felt so helpless.”

Lydia’s mind was so chaotic and lost that she couldn’t believe it herself at what she was saying.

“Uh-hm.”

“That’s why, right now, I think I’m acting strange. Maggie isn’t inside me anymore, but I feel that I might make an improper behavior.”

“Ohh, if it was that, then you’re welcome to fling your arms around me.”

P. 280

And then she realized it. She could breathe even under?water. She had slipped into the fairy realm.

That was a different world that was lay atop but separated from the ocean of the human world.

A number of selkies made Ulysses back down by circling?around Lydia as they swan slowly in the water.

It was the selkies that Lydia protected their coats for.

The water was filled with light and the selkies’ coats had air bubbles in them which made them reflect the ocean and make them have the?same light blue color.

“Are you going against me, selkies.”

“We no longer have a reason to obey you.”

Said a selkie that had a particularly large build, and Lydia was able to tell with one glance that it was the old woman.

She was a short height when in human form, but perhaps?because she lived a long life as a fairy, her natural form had a bold and?magnificent presence.

“I have this ‘heart’ with me. I can inflict everlasting pain to all of your kind.”

“She also has a ‘heart.’ There is also the new Blue Knight Earl. As one of our friends, she will shoulder our pain with us.”

She gracefully swam through the water since she retrieved?her coat and her injures from when she was in human form had completely healed.

P. 281

“That Blue Knight Earl isn’t true heir,” said Ulysses in a snarling laugh.

“No, he is real. He is the earl that the merrows accepted.”

Lydia couldn’t lose either.

(We thought that they had all disappeared. The Blue Knight Earl and the fairy doctors that were here and there in the old days and the humans who we had trusted.)

The voice came from the group that was swirling around them in the distance.

“This little chit doesn’t have the power of a fairy doctor like they had in the past. Even if she had a heart with her, it isn’t like she’s able to save all of you. Don’t make me laugh.”

Calling me little chit, you look like a little boy yourself.

“If you go against me, there will be no hope for your kind!”

To Ulysses’ strong tone of voice, the selkies had a nervous look, but in the end no one moved.

(The new Blue Knight Earl’s fairy doctor.)

(Can the new Blue Knight Earl be trusted?)

Well, I wouldn’t recommend doing it, she sort of thought.

“If you would trust me even just a little, then I would like to ask if your kind would not destroy the earl’s charm that’s on that island. Both the earl and I are your allies. Even if we don’t have the power like they did in the past, we promise that.”

P. 282

(Fairy doctor, we selkies cannot exist without a human?friend. We shall make you, who had put so much effort for our kind as our?hope.)

At the same time, the heave of the sea stopped.

Ulysses made a tsk.

“Fairy fools, you will come to regret this.”

With those last words, he disappeared.

She wondered if he had the power to back and forth between the fairy realm freely on his own. The selkies had angered that kind of person, but had called Lydia as their hope and friend.

(Fairy doctor, the earl’s fortress has already gotten unpurified. We cannot guarantee if it has any strength left.)

(You must return now. Your guide has arrived.)

After they said that, the swarm of selkies created a cloud of bubbles in the water, and swam away from Lydia into the distance.

She saw Nico coming in her direction, and he must have been stubborn about walking on his hind legs, that he came trodding on them even in the water.

She was revealed that he came for her, but when she saw how he came in such an arrogant manner, it made her furious at the same time.

“Nico! How dare you abandon me all by myself!”

“I felt bad about that. You can see that’s why I came to?take you home.”

The roads in the fairy realm weaved and winded so obscure?that it wasn’t rare for humans who happed to fall into them to remain lost and?wandering through them forever.

P. 283

She really wanted to say the bold thing that she could go?back herself, but she thought that was probably impossible, so Lydia just mumbled

“Fine.”

“”Don’t be so angry. I really was so starving that I could nearly die.”

“I was more close to dying!”

“That was, oh, fine, when we get back, I’ll let you rub the fur on my belly.”

Huhh? That isn’t pleasing at all.

But, for Nico to say that as he fumbled with his necktie in an embarrassed way, it was his highest self-sacrificing method to soothe down Lydia’s anger.

Now that she remembered, when she was a young child, rubbing her cheek against Nico’s belly was one of her favorite things to do.

After her mother passed away and she was feeling lonely and crying, Nico would say oh, fine, then and let her borrow his belly.

But, it wasn’t like she was a child anymore.

She was nearly going to laugh, but she thought she still?might be a child.

She couldn’t do anything on her own. But, if there was a?fairy who supported her, and if there was some person by her side, then she?could still continue working her hardest.

She had her hand pulled by Nico as they elevated upwards,?she noticed that there was one particular selkie that remained with her.

P. 284

It was that old woman selkie. And she handed a round ball?that had the same color as water.

“This, is it perhaps Ermine’s?”

***

P. 285

In the town of Hastings, where the white beach spread out on against the sea, the peak of the summer that only lasted a few days passed by, and the number of the crowds of people started to dwindle and disappear.

The England summers were short, and go by in hardly any time at all. Even if the sun beamed down hard, when people started to feel that the sunset was coming down much faster than usual, it wasn’t long till the orange colored light filled the sky with the season of autumn.

Lydia was alone, walking along the beach as she looked out into the sea.

After the fire of Mrs. Collins’ country estate, the one?stream of events ended with the disappearance of three people.

Ulysses must be alive, but he didn’t show himself after?that.

The wave of the selkies crumbled one part of the hill and?she heard that there was no one left inside the remains of the building. The?selkies said they didn’t know if there was any power left in it, but that was?something Lydia, and even Edgar, didn’t know, and it remained unclear if the?Blue Knight Earl’s evil-repelling charm was protected.

But, for Ulysses, it must have came out as a failure, and?Edgar seemed to think that that alone was worth something.

Mrs. Collins and Suzy went back to Manchester.

The madam still looked like her mind was still half-floating in a dream, but it seemed like she had accepted Lydia as a nice young miss who kind enough to spend time with her in place of her daughter. She didn’t mention the name of Teresa, and she was showing the concern and consideration towards Suzy like a good guardian, so one could hope that she was slowly returning back to reality.

P. 286

In the end, the island, and the people who were on it, managed to not be swept away.

Of course, Lydia knew that she didn’t manage that on her own.

She was helped out by so many others and because she was supported, she was able to win her chance.

And just being able to know that, she felt she had grown?much more of a better fairy doctor.

“Lydia, here you were.”

Lydia noticed Edgar as he walked over towards her as he smiled happily, and she flinched in reflex.

When Edgar was in a good mood, you had to be careful. Even when he wasn’t you should be careful, but since he had a smile on himself,?people couldn’t help but let their guard down, so it was extremely dangerous?for Lydia.

“If you were going to go on a walk, then you could have let me know.”

“But, you were in the middle of something.”

She tried to say it as coldly as she could. When she came?out of the hotel, she saw him flirting with some noblewoman.

“There isn’t any kind of business that is worth refusing?your invitation,” he worked out an excuse without changing his smile.

What a good talker. Lydia was appalled as she kept on walking.

P. 287

“Please don’t be so cold to me. During the three days you?were missing, do you know how much I was worried? I was pacing up and down the beach day and night.”

That was, apparently true, as Raven had even been saying?that. During the short amount of time according to her knowledge that Lydia was away and came back from the fairy realm, it seemed that in the human realm, three days had gone by.

“But, didn’t Nico tell you that it will be all right since he would be coming to take me back.”

“But I still couldn’t rest easy until I was able to see your face.”

Well, she did feel sorry about that part, and so Lydia slowed down her walking pace.

Edgar walked up next to her and naturally took the parasol out of Lydia’s hand. To be walking along side a man who had a woman’s day umbrella in his hand, completely looked like they were announcing that they were a pair of couples no matter how you looked at it.

But when she realized that, it was already too late, as she felt he wouldn’t give back her umbrella no matter what and so she gave up.

“Did you make sure and keep Ermine’s with you?”

“I have it. If she got her hands on that, she would lost her memories of when she was a human and become a selkie completely, right?”

She decided that Edgar should be the one to manage the item that she was entrusted by the old woman. Since Edgar knew about Ermine more?than anyone else.

“Although I don’t know if things will be all right like?this,” she said.

P. 288

“Let’s think about it slowly.”

More importantly, said Edgar with a grin.

“It’s such a quiet beach and we’re having such a nice mood, so why don’t we fold arms.”

“I don’t want to. If you want to do that, then why don’t you take a walk with that woman from earlier.”

“Just to let you know, when I would meet my female cousin-”

“Like that is highly possible.”

“-that’s the kind of light kiss I would give her.”

“Kiss? You kissed her?”

“Huh, ...that wasn’t why you were angry?”

“Unbelievable!”

Lydia snapped at him and returned to fast-walking again.

Blurting out the mistake himself, he rolled his eyes to the sky for an instant, but quickly pulled himself together and followed after her.

“Lydia, that’s because you wouldn’t allow it with you. Are you saying that I shouldn’t kiss for the rest of my life?”

“It wouldn’t kill you if you didn’t!”

“It might kill me.”

If it was a man like you, yes. She couldn’t deny the?possibility. But even so, he was unbelievable.

“Go and do whatever you please.”

P. 289

That’s right, this isn’t something that I should be angry?about. But, it still made her irritated.

“I’m starting to loose confidence,” he murmured in a way?like he was depressed.

“I’m not able to grab your heart, so I was beginning to feel like I didn’t know what to do,”

Ohh, I can’t let his act of pretending to be lonely fool me. Even as Lydiawarned herself, she turned to look around just a bit.

“That’s why I wanted to make sure,”

“A-about what.”

“When it comes to the point of time, if I can properly kiss or not.”

“Huh...? The point of time...?”

“When you would allow me.”

I knew it, he was joking around.

“Oh, Lydia, let’s walk more slowly. Since the sound of the waves and the blow of the wind feels so calm and peaceful.”

“I’m enjoying taking a walk by myself.”

She pointed her chin in the opposite direction of him.

“Oh, well, if it isn’t Mr. Palmer.”

Lydia noticed there was someone walking towards them from the other direction. The earl imposter, for some strange reason, acted so friendly by taking and shaking Edgar’s hand.

P. 290

“Why, good day, my lord,” greeted Edgar, sarcastically.

“Oh, please don’t poke fun at me. You are such a bad?character. How could I have possibly guessed that you were the real Earl?Ashenbert.”

And then, suddenly he straighted himself from his loose?attitude.

“Lord Earl, the reply from the London newspaper company came back, and thankfully, I was able to get my share of earnings. When I return back over there, I’ll look for a good, proper job.”

“That would be nice.”

And then, he turned over to Lydia and made a pleasant smile.

“Teresa, oh, right, you weren’t her. Miss. Lydia, from now on, there won’t be anymore inconsiderate gossip articles written about the earl. Once it spreads out that he has someone special to his heart, then there won’t be any more insolent people who would use his name and fool around with women.”

Lydia had a bad feeling.

“....Wait, now, Edgar, what is the meaning of this?”

“Palmer, don’t say such a needless thing.”

“Ohhh, forgive me. Well, if you would excuse me now.”

Palmer took his exit and quickly left.

P. 291

“The word about someone special to your heart?”

“Just to explain, he was in some trouble with money, so I?said it would be all right for him to talk to the press about us.”

Which means, they were sold to the gossip papers?

“Are you saying that he talked about me?”

“A romance about the Blue Knight Earl and a Fairy doctor.?Isn’t it poetic? You say that the reason were aren’t rumored about is because?we don’t suit each other, but now, thanks to this, it would make a proper?rumor.”

Edgar had now taken a suddenly defiant, proud attitude.

“It will be next week when Professor Carlton would be coming back from Paris. Since the Londonpeople are quick to become bored, they would have forgotten about our rumor by then. We had made it so that the hired housekeeper at your house was told that you were taking a long outing, that’s why, we should spend some more time as just the two of us here. Wouldn’t you think it’s best that it’s best not to return to Londonright in the middle of a heated rumor?”

Lydia was now, so past the point of rage, then she could only slump her shoulders.

She was planning on making him agree to annulling their?engagement, but now she felt like she had a even taller fence built around her.

But inside Lydia,?the feelings of denial had become much weaker than how they were so strong and?bent before.

She couldn’t picture herself in marriage. Of course, she?couldn’t see Edgar as a fiancé. But he had something that Lydia didn’t have and he also replenished it to her. She was even beginning to feel like she?wanted to get to know him better just a little bit.

P. 292

But that could also be just a part of his anticipated plan.

“I really like the sea. It reminds me of my mother.”

Instead of making a reply, Lydia walked over to the waves that washed up to shore. The crest of the foamy waves, which soaked in a faint sepia color sort of appeared lonely as it washed and wrapped around her shadow.

“Lydia, you know how you said you didn’t wish it because you would only regret it...”

She wasn’t able to completely hear Edgar who said that in?like a faint whisper a little distance away.

“Huh, did you say something?”

Edgar made a soft smile.

“At that time, I suddenly lost my confidence. I wasn’t able to say that I wouldn’t make you regret. If it were to help make you accept me, it wouldn’t be words or something like a kiss, ....I don’t know what it would?be.”

His voice mixed with the sound of the waves. But his eyes?that gazed at her, looked like they were in sorrow and longing for something,?and it made Lydia unwillingly beat her heart.

“Hey, what is it?”

He twirled the day umbrella which was made with a?transparent lace designed with small flower patterns on it, as he walked over?to Lydia and he held out a faint pink shell to show her.

“How pretty. When did you have the time to find it?”

P. 293

He handed it to her, and then, he took her hand in a little awkward way, like he was touching her for the very first time.

“Ahh, I can’t believe this is as much as I can do.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing.”

He held her hand as he continued walking.

Still a little nervous, Lydia couldn’t deny herself in feeling comfort in doing what they were doing.

She didn’t dislike Edgar’s hand.

She felt a little guilt in feeling that.

I wonder if I should be doing such a thing while Father is away.

I’m sorry. But I have a feeling like Mother is smiling down at me.

The aquamarine she wore that dangled down onto her chest?relected the sunset light that was shined and soaked Lydia’s cheek and appeared like it?was shining with a faint orange glow.

End