P. 76

*

Around that same time, the girl who was being brought up in Edgar and the men’s conversation: Lydia Carlton was just relaxing by herself in the drawing room of her house after Edgar had finally left.

He had said that he had somewhere to go in the evening, but Edgar suddenly said he would accompany Lydia home and came climbing into the carriage, but when they arrived at her family’s house, he said “I hope you don’t mind if I take a little rest” and suddenly made his way into her family home.

Unluckily, her father wasn’t home and although her housekeeper was supposed to keep her eye on any visiting bachelors, Lydia ended up being stuck with him and had to keep him company.

P. 80

On top of that, when it came to her father being absent, it was natural for Edgar to get ahead of himself.

“Did you know that it gives me such bliss by your eyes gazing at me like that?”

I am not gazing.

“It is so charming and adorable how you become so red so quickly.”

....Isn’t it almost time you have to go?

“If you say that you want me to stay a little longer, then I will forget about today’s scheduled meeting.”

It’s not like I want you here....

“Well, then, how about if you kiss me, I’ll leave.”

When she didn’t hide how upset she was at how much he got ahead of himself, he just smiled as if nothing to fear and finally lifted himself up from his seat.

Only- when he was about to leave he still didn’t forget to place a kiss on Lydia’s hand.

Actually, for Edgar to act so sweet and how he came into Lydia’s house was a daily part of their routine.

However, from Lydia’s point of view, his open affections and how he treated her like his every day, only made her feel flurried and confused.

Edgar was the kind of person who was especially popular with women, and since he was a flirtatious rake who enjoyed that, it made him all the more hard to handle.

P. 81

Even though she was asked for her hand in marriage, Lydia thought it would be terrifying to take a rake’s proposal seriously and the more his attitude appeared more serious, then she wasn’t able to refuse him steadily like she previously could.

Anyhow, Edgar had already left. It felt abrasive and irritating to be thinking about him even after he was gone.

Lydia decided to go to her room and so left the drawing room and climbed up the stairs.

And then, she heard some lively, laughing voices coming from her room on the second floor.

When she opened the door, she saw that there were small little fairies who wore green-colored clothing and were all gathered in a circle and dancing in front of the hearth.

They merrily dance as they sang and chanted. It was a banquet where all the hobgoblins had gathered to participate. The one who was in the center of them was the fairy cat who had been by Lydia’s side ever since she was born.

“Nico, what are you doing!”

“Hey, there, Lydia, do you want to join us for a drink?”

His appearance was that of a long-haired gray cat, but he could speak like a human and was twirling around in circles on his hind feet. He was wearing a necktie and liked to act like he was a gentleman, but his drunkenness and his staggering, swaying gait made him look just like an old man.

For some reason, there was a barrel of scotch that was set down by the windowsill. The fairies must have carried it here, but she couldn’t imagine if there could possibly be something more mismatched as a barrel of spirits in a young girl’s bed chamber.

P. 82

Thanks to it, there was an immensely strong smell of spirits in her room that could make one feel nauseous.

“Oh, I wish you wouldn’t go ahead and start a feast in someone else’s room.”

Even when Lydia came stamping into her bed chamber, the hobgoblins continued to joyfully dance. They were a kind that hated to be seen by humans, but it seemed like they were fine since they knew that Lydia was a Fairy Doctor.

Lydia had a born trait - the ability to communicate with fairies. She decided to become a Fairy Doctor by using this talent that she shared with her late mother.

From the past, in this country of England there were humans who were able to get close to fairies and their secrets by gaining the trust of fairies, and lent their knowledge so?that human and fairies could live in harmony. However, coming into the middle of the 19th century now, perhaps due to society not believing in the existence of fairies no longer, the task of a fairy doctor had become difficult for people to understand.

Fortunately, Lydia was hired by Edgar who possessed the title of the Earl of Ibrazel, the Fairyland but was completely clueless and had no knowledge about fairies, so she was spending her days busy with work.

Because she had been spending all her youth with fairies, she was constantly labeled as an oddball, but Edgar was one of the rare people who properly understand her.

Only, it was a problem how he would try to flirt with her every time he saw her face.

“But, the thing was, Lydia, a nightingale kept on saying it wanted to meet you.”

“Eh? Nightingale?”

P. 83

Nico fixed his eyes towards the barrel of scotch, but Lydia couldn’t see anything. She got closed up to it and squinted her eyes to look closer.

(Hel--lo, are you Lydia, the Fairy Doctor?)

She heard a fair, beautiful voice that rang out like a bell. When she pushed her face closer to the corner of the barrel, she saw something like a three-inch clear, glass sculpture figure faintly move.

She could barely make out a young girl who had a pair of dragonfly-shaped wings.

Even if it was Lydia, who was able to see fairies clearly, this visitor was tiny and on top of that half-transparent, so she couldn’t see very well. Because of that, they were called “Nightingales” as in figure-less fairies from the past by fairy doctors.

Of course, they weren’t really nightingale birds.

Since they possessed beautiful voices, nightingales were sang in poems; and it was a rare sight for people to see them as they only chirped and twittered in the night. That was why it wasn’t a surprise that most people didn’t believe that it was a figure-less?fairy that was actually singing.

In reality, a nightingale fairy sings with a marvelous voice. Their singing contains fairy magic so it has the power to bring to surface the happiness, sadness and all other kinds of emotions in people’s hearts and disturb them.

There might have been some poets from the old ages who could have heard the songs of the figure-less fairies singing as they mingled in the singing of the nightingale birds.

P. 84

To the Fairy Doctor Lydia, she could understand that the pint-sized little fairy in front of her eyes was one of those. However, she didn’t know that Nico had this kind of friend.

“How, what a rare fairy, where did you come from?” asked Lydia.

(From the forest. This is my first time in the outside world. Nico was kind enough to lead me out.)

“Did you know? If one is sung a song by a nightingale, their drinks become especially delicious!”

Said Nico, and then?lovingly caressed the barrel, which means that was the reason they he brought along a nightingale to this banquet.

(In exchange for singing at this banquet, Nico said that he would introduce me to?you.)

In a cheerfully good mood, Nico narrowed his eyes and nodded.

Lydia was starting to feel something bad coming on.

Because she had gotten the strange little feeling like Nico had agreed to hand over Lydia in exchange of his wish being granted.

In the first place, even though he claimed he was Lydia’s partner, he was immediately wired in by food and was a boneless cat and disappeared when danger was before them.

“Do you have to see a Fairy Doctor for something?”

(Oh, no, I just wanted to come and be of use for a girl like you. What a poor little girl, who doesn’t know the feelings of falling in love!)

P. 85

“Wh-what do you mean poor, little....”

(Why, yes, you seem like the type who is worth the trouble of teaching. I’m able to tell with just one look at that person. I can tell just how small of a little child your love for another is. But, everything will be all right; time isn’t needed for one’s love to grow. As long as you come across a wonderful meeting!)

Lydia took a step back at an ominous feeling at where this was heading.

“Um, excuse me, Nightingale, I’m actually quite fine at how things....”

(No, you can’t! I will swear on my faith on this mission that I can grant you your love!) bursted out the

*

The nightingale bird sings the song of love.

Just like that myth, the little fairy saw herself as an expert in love affairs, but for Lydia who had to have this little fairy follow around after her could only see as a nuisance.

She left the next day to go to work to the Ashenbert mansion as usual, but the calamity had already begun.

“Good morning, Miss Carlton.”

Edgar’s valet made his usual morning greeting to her.

P. 86

“Good morning, Raven.”

Even when Lydia had greeted him back, he wouldn’t even faint a smile but that didn’t mean he was in a bad mood but normal for him. This dark brown-skinned young boy of a man would do anything if it was for his master, but he was so emotionless to the point that it would be difficult for him to smile even when he was told to do so.

He didn’t show any signs of interest beside Edgar but he didn’t make any mistakes in who it was he needed to show respect to as that was Edgar’s intention.

So to Lydia, who Edgar treated as his ‘fiancée,’ he treated her with considerable respect and paid attention to her needs.

Even now, he had just passed by but he went through the trouble and opened the door to Lydia’s work office.

However, when Lydia was about to enter the room, she unexpectedly tripped where there was obviously nothing.

With that falling motion, she was going to crash into Raven, but then unexpectedly he swiftly evaded her.

Lydia had nothing to grab ahold to so she went falling flat onto the carpet.

“All you all right, Miss Carlton?”

Thanks to the soft cushion of the Ashenbert mansion’s carpet, she didn’t feel any pain or got hurt, but she made a sour smile at Raven’s instant decision in evading the situation of being grabbed onto by Lydia and the sight of her clumsy, ungraceful position as she got herself up.

“Yes...,I’m all right.”

P. 87

Yes, Raven’s consideration was only for Edgar and didn’t always come out in Lydia’s favor.

He had the idea that?he shouldn’t easily allow himself to touch the fiancée of his master. Being grabbed onto was out of the question.

“Please watch your footsteps.”

He only left those words and left.

(Oh, my goodness, what a horrible man! If a woman were to nearly fall, wouldn’t it be normal to steady her up?)

Lydia heard the nightingale’s voice and swiped her head towards the source.

“Excuse me, but was it you that made me fall just now?”

(And I thought he was a good man. Lydia, he isn’t right for you, don’t even consider?him.)

“Raven isn’t like that!”

(Yes and isn’t he a little bit too young? That’s right - a man who is older than you and can lead you would be more suited for you.)

“Please, would you listen to what I’m saying?”

(Oh, how about him?)

“Eh?”

When she eerily turned around, there was Paul standing before the opened doorway.

P. 88

Lydia didn’t know if she should feel relieved or not - that it wasn’t that flirtatious Earl who undoubtedly was the worst suitor, but quickly put on a smile.

“P-Paul,....good morning.”

This painter, who Edgar had closely acquainted with, had been spending some nights here in order to paint a picture that was going to be hung in this palace’s grand hall.

“Good morning. Um, would you be able to spare me a few minutes?”

As he said that, he looked around the inside of the room curiously as he must be searching for who Lydia had been talking to.

P.?100

“As expected from a nightingale, she sounds like a poetic Romanticist,” teased?Nico.

He slovenly made a yawn, which showed how disinterested he was.

However, she didn’t have any time to be angry at Nico.

“Excuse me, Nightingale, but couldn’t you make your counseling a little simpler?”

Anyhow, it was impossible for her to ask for a kiss. However, to have this spirit remain stay was too much trouble.

Lydia joined her hands together and tried to appear like she was pleading with the fairy, which made Nico mumble “Can’t believe you call yourself a Fairy Doctor”but she couldn’t pay him any attention.

(You’re so weak-hearted. Oh, well, fine. I’m the ally of any timid girl in love. I’ll make sure to teach you how to create a romantic atmosphere that will make him want to kiss your lashes. First of all, take him out to the city today.)

That sounded easier compared to a kiss.

(And then, while the two of you enjoy some window shopping, you will coax him for a?gift!)

She couldn’t possibly do something as impudent as that. However, the nightingale continued?explaining her plan to the nervous Lydia.

(To a man, there isn’t anything happier than to be asked for a gift from a woman!)

*

When it turned to evening and it closed up to the time when Lydia had to go home, she finally made up her mind and called for Raven and asked him to deliver a message to Edgar.

She came up with the glossy excuse that she wanted him to help her look for a birthday present for her father and thought of the idea to invite him to the city with her.

However, in that moment, it seemed like there was a visitor in the mansion’s salon. Raven, who was asked to deliver this message had told her that but still said that he would go and ask his master.

Thinking that since he was in the middle of greeting a guest, Lydia thought of canceling her message but Raven, who was loyal only to Edgar, must have been told to report anything if it was related to Lydia.

After a while, Edgar came to Lydia’s office.

"Sorry to make you wait, Lydia. Let’s go.”

“Eh! What about the guest?”

She couldn’t help it to be shocked, but Edgar didn’t seem to be bothered and took her hand.

“It’s just someone who gathers at someone else’s house for no particular reason. They aren’t worth being treated as a guest. They’ve gone ahead and started a card?game.”

P.?102

"But, um, I’m sorry. I went and asked you something so sudden.”

“If it’s a favor asked by you, I’d be happy if it was every day. There’s no need to be modest.”

But, this wasn’t the only thing that she was going to ask from him. Even though she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to ‘kiss her eyelash,’ to ask for a gift from him was also something quite difficult for her. She worried if she was going to be able to succeed in this.

As Lydia continued to mull things over in her head, they headed to a shopping area in Oxford Street.

“It’s the first time for the two of us to go out like this.”

She was taken out to all sorts of places by Edgar and made to accompany him in his entertainment, but he was right about it being the first time to go shopping together.

But, inside Lydia’s head, that wasn’t what was on the top of her mind. She wasn’t able to come up with a good method about of hinting for a present.

“So, weren’t we going to look for something that could be a good present for Professor Carlton?”

“Eh? ...Oh, yes, it’s going to be my father’s birthday soon. I was wondering about how gloves might be a good idea.”

“Then, there’s a good shop just ahead.”

She was already starting to feel like she had failed. She should have had him accompany her in buying herself something. If it was a gift for her father, then no matter how she thought about it, there was no opportunity to ask it from Edgar.

P.?103

She secretly made a sigh as she looked at the crowd around them. Even under chilling sky that was quickly growing dark, the main street which cut through the eastern and western part of London was filled with people and carriages and it was so crowded that it was causing a commotion.

The walkway that went along the shops were occupied with people who came to take a look or came to shop and each of them would stop their pace in front of the show window brightly lit. There were even suspicious-looking precious metals lined up in an unorganized fashion on table booths competing with each other.

At the end of Lydia’s sight of vision, there was a male and female pair walking closely to each other and went straight into a jewelry shop.

“Don’t you think that the two of us should go and buy a wedding ring from here?”

He might have noticed that she was following that couple - who obviously looked like it was right before their wedding - with her eyes. Then came such a jesting remark from Edgar’s mouth.

“Wh-what on earth are you saying.”

She quickly denied him, but wondered if she were to nod here, then that might win her a present, but then she realized what she was imaging, and was shocked at how improper and vulgar she was thinking.

It was crazy of her to think that in exchange with driving away the nightingale, it would mean Edgar was going to be shadowing her for the rest of her life.

“I’m joking. I was just thinking how nice it would be if that kind of day would come,” he said as he smiled and took Lydia’s hand and made it wrap around his arm.

He made it seem so natural in how he treated a woman as a lady which would always make her feel daunted.

P.?104

“The desire I have right now is I want you to allow yourself to be coddled by me more.”

Lydia had no idea if all of his lines like this were something he said to anybody or if she was the only one.

And yet, for now, because she was the one who made this invitation to him, she thought it might be considered rude if she were to walk too far away from him and so left her hand on his arm and walk alongside him.

Occasionally, her eyes caught the sight of her reflection in the glass window. For her to walk along a man like this who wasn’t her father appeared very peculiar to her. For Lydia, who grew up in the countryside, she wasn’t comfortable in big crowds of people. On top of that, she wasn’t with her father but a complete stranger, and yet why on earth was she making such a relaxed face.

Was it because Edgar was so good at escorting her?

Lydia was unconscious about the part of herself that was relying on him as a man, and so was just wondering why that was in curiosity.

And then she drifted off in a train of thought. If she were to accept his proposal, then spending time like this together would become a daily routine. Surprisingly, it didn’t feel unnatural.

“Oh, what do you think that shop is?”

She turned her face toward a show-window where music came streaming out so that she could take her attention away from that uncomfortable fantasy.

P.?105

When they approached it, there was a clown figurine playing an organ as it moved humorously about.

“It looks like a mechanical music doll.”

Edgar also peered down towards the back of the glass. There were a number of different kinds of dolls lined out.

“Yes, it is a music doll. How adorable.. I wonder how something as small as that could move like that.”

“Would you like to have them show you?”

“Eh,...No, that’s all right.”

It wasn’t the time to be enjoying this outing.

Once she bought her father a present, the two of them should go choose a letter paper. And she could say something like a little pretty postcard as something to commemorate today...

Because Lydia was thinking up something like that, her mind was half in the clouds.

“Since we came here, let’s go take a look. If there is something you like, I would love to give you that as a present. In memory of today.”

“Eh!”

“You don’t have to be that surprised.”

That was so unexpected that she was completely astonished. It was perfect timing.

P.?106

However, Lydia suddenly felt timid. The unnecessary worry filled her mind that she might have made a greedy look on her face.

“Wh-what are you saying. ...I can’t receive a gift without any particular reason.”

At the same time she felt pressed, Lydia responded with her usual closed mind attitude and although she realized that she was the one who ruined her own plan, it was too late.

On top of that, she even got disappointed at Edgar’s sourly made smile.

I’m such an unendearing girl.

At this rate, there was no way that the atmosphere between will become something so sweet enough for him to want to touch her eyelashes.

First of all, it was impossible for Lydia to try and pretend to coddle up like a girl in love.

She started to walk off with a state of mind of resignation.

Even when an oddball girl, who had been spending all her time with fairies from her childhood, had reached her marriageable age, she had never received the affection of a man.

Lydia had always thought that she didn’t have any appeal at all.

Edgar was a natural rake who didn’t chose or distinguish who it was he flirted, and so he would treat her as a lady, but even if she did as the nightingale said, there was no way that she would be able to win the heart of a man.

Lydia’s goal was supposed to be to drive away the nightingale, but now, as she was lost at what she was to do, and only thought on her mind was it was impossible to have Edgar come to fall in love with her.

P. 107

*

(Oh heavens, and everything was going perfectly, yet what are you doing?) exclaimed the nightingale, as she wailed about how the shopping outing turned out as a?failure.

Still remaining feeling depressed, it was just at the time when Lydia returned.

“I would never be able to do this. I won’t be able to ever fall in love. I think that no matter how hard you try, it’s impossible. Would you please just give up?” begged Lydia.

Even if it took some time, and even if it caused inconvenience, Lydia only felt that she was only left with the option to wait until this whimsy fairy would tire out and leave.

(Don’t be stupid. If your love does not end well, I will perish and disappear!)

As the nightingale floated in the air like a cloud, she suddenly burst out in tears.

Even that was a real bolt out of the blue for Lydia.

Nightingales were whimsy counselors of love. Her pride might not forgive if she failed, but Lydia had never heard of the fairy cease to exist.

P.?108

“What are you talking about? Is that a particular condition that comes with your?kind?”

Pulling Lydia’s reddish-brown hair, the nightingale attempted to wipe her tears.

(I made a promise with the Lord of the Forest. He was the one who made me into a nightingale. I am not able to leave his forest, in exchange, he promised to give me a lovely singing voice.)

“You weren’t born as a nightingale?” asked Lydia, as she reluctantly lend out her hair.

(I was a young girl in love. My health was frail and weak and my life ended very early, but the heat of my love born from my eyelashes didn’t disappear, and so I became a nightingale in his forest.)

He had the power to change the course of someone’s soul. The Lord of the Forest must not be human.

(But a nightingale’s mission is to fulfill the love of a young girl. There is only the Lord in the Forest. That’s why he gave me one condition. If I were to leave the forest, then I needed to fulfill the love of the young girl who I meet first. If I cannot complete that, then I won’t be able to return to the forest and will?perish.)

How awful, Lydia thought, as she twisted her brows.

The one called the Lord of the Forest, gripped this Nightingale’s life in his hand and was making it so that this fairy wouldn’t be able to leave his side.

Even how he made her into a nightingale must have been because he wanted to monopolize her voice.

Her beautiful singing voice was to stage his forest.

P.?109

(Oh, Lydia, I will need to go back to the forest soon. I was only planning to go out for a short while, and so I came out without giving a word to the Lord. As long as I found a lonely young girl, I thought it wouldn’t take me long to make her happy. And so I wouldn’t have to disappear....)

That was because Lydia was completely useless. She didn’t know that this fairy was under such desperate circumstances.

However, she did feel a burning rage towards the Lord of the Forest. More than anything, the reason why this nightingale was facing such danger was because of the magic he had casted on her.

(Ohh, but, I just became a nightingale and don’t know anything. I won’t be able to fulfill Lydia’s love and melt into the air and die!)

The nightingale still had large tear drops coming from her eyes, which soaked into Lydia’s hair.

A Fairy Doctor was one who lent their helping hand for humans and fairies. Lydia thought to herself,?I must do something.

“F.....fine,?Nightingale. I’ll try a little bit harder.”

[A kiss on my eyelash] It seemed like that was the only thing that was going to save this fae.

The fairy that looked like a glass sculpture floating like a cloud faintly trembled as if in delight.

(Really? Oh, thank goodness!)

However, in opposite to how happy the fairy appeared, Lydia remembered what happened yesterday and felt gloomed.

“But....,it’s too difficult for me to say something like a kiss. Ohh, isn’t there any other good idea?”

P.?110

Even if she tried very hard, she couldn’t say what she couldn’t say. If she tried to do something out of her compatibility, then she would only end up digging a deep hole for herself. Yesterday’s failure had pierced into the back of her mind.

The nightingale finally let go of Lydia’s hair and as she furiously beat her wings and came fluttering up right in front of her eyes.

(Oh, yes, Lydia, would you bring your suitor near the edge of the forest. The power of his magic should work harder. If you two are able to hear my singing voice, then he’s sure to place a kiss on your eyelash!)

A kiss on an eyelash. She couldn’t think that just that would be able to change someone’s feelings in an instant. However, to the nightingale, it seemed like that was the most important thing.

Then, putting aside if Lydia was going to be able to make Edgar feel serious about her, as long as he ‘kissed her on her eyelash,’ then that was supposedly going to save the nightingale.

Edgar was in his office. When Lydia came dashing in, he raised his eyes from his book and immediately made a delighted smile.

“Good morning, Lydia. It looks like you are feeling well this morning. It looked like you were slightly tired yesterday, so I was worried.”

“Um, Edgar, thank you very much for yesterday.”

P.?111

“You’re welcome.”

Standing up, he came walking over towards Lydia.

“And so, where do you want to go today? Didn’t you come to invite me again?”

“Eh, oh, n-....”

She was about to say no, but rushed to clamp her mouth shut.

She came to give him an invitation, so what was she doing by coming out refusing it.

If she went along?with Edgar’s pace, then she was nearly going to let her usual rigid, stubborn and refusing side rise to the surface. Lydia hurried so that she could evade that at all costs.

“Yes, um, so, it isn’t like I could thank you, but would you like to go listen to the?nightingale’s song tonight?”

And then, he made a subtle questioning look.

“It’s quite an interesting nightingale. I hear it’s a beautiful song.”

“Is that so, where is that?”

“At the Nightingale Forest. In Piccadilly.”

She told him the location where the forest was that she heard from the nightingale just earlier.

“....Do you mean the Nightingale House?”

“Eh? I don’t know. Anyway, once we go there, we’ll find out.”

P.?112

The magic forest where the nightingale lived. It seemed like the entrance to there was located somewhere in Piccadilly. At this point, it was Lydia’s duty to invite Edgar there.

All was left was to make sure she didn’t try to escape from the embarrassing situation, or not to say anything that would ruin the atmosphere, and if she could just be careful about that, then everything should go smoothly.

However, Edgar made a frown like he found something difficult about that and peered down to Lydia.

“To listen the nightingale’s song - do you know the meaning of wh-->>

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