Chapter 58: Volume 12 - CH 2

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 what that is?”

Huh? She couldn’t stop herself from reacted in an unnatural surprise because she thought that he saw through her about her plan for a kiss. She worried if Edgar figured out the motive behind this invitation of hers. 

When someone heard the nightingale’s song, there might some kind of spell or charm that would create a desire in someone to kiss another’s eyelash or something like that. 

Unlike Lydia, who was dull and inexperienced when it came to love, Edgar was pretty familiar with things like charms or fortune-telling that women in love happened to like.  

As Lydia turned red in the cheeks in panic, she swiftly turned her eyes away, but that reaction seemed like she was proving she had a lustful desire ….no, ulterior motives.

She heard him let out a confused-sounding sigh.

“Lydia, with what happened yesterday and me being invited from your side, is different from normal. No, I actually felt happy. Like maybe you are trying to open up to me. But, now isn’t the time to be so thoughtlessly optimistic. Was there something that happened?”

P. 113

If she were to tell him, then the Nightingale’s love guidance would end in failure. That means she will disappear. 

“No-nothing. I just wanted to listen to the nightingale’s song together.”

That’s why she rushed to deny. 

“….With me?”

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*

“Hey, Lydia, there’s something wrong with the nightingale! She just suddenly crouched down and….”

When she returned back to her office, Nico came dashing up to her in a frantic commotion. 

“..turned into an egg!”

P. 116

"What!”

Right in front of Lydia’s wide eyes, Nico held it out in his two front paws. On top of his pads there was something round about the size of a pearl. 

Maybe it could be the step in the process before she vanishes. 

“Ohh…..,is it because I screwed up?”

“You screwed up? If it was to lead that earl to some place, couldn’t any woman have done that?”

Lydia thought that most likely he was exactly right and that made her all the more depressed. 

Why can’t I do anything right?

“Nico, what should I do?”

Although the nightingale was a troublemaker, the fae was just doing what she desperately could so as to not disappear. 

She overreacts and believes what she only wants to believe and says things like kissing eyelashes and asking for gifts which no one would agree that such a thing would help to win the heart of anyone’s beloved, but as a friend to any girl troubled with love, she was honestly trying to bring up Lydia’s spirits. 

She couldn’t allow herself to silently watch a good-willed fairy disappear like this. 

“I know, the Lord of the Forrest….! He has control over her fate, so he could surely help her if he wants it.”

“What! But you’d be going against a who-knows-what-kind-of-thing he is.”

“At any rate, Nico, lead me to the forest.”

P. 117

“I don’t want to. It isn’t a normal forest.”

It looked like this shallow-hearted cat was getting ready to run for it and hurried to make way to the window. 

“Hold on right there. Then just tell me where it is. Where exactly is it in Piccadilly?”

“Inside a building. I happened to be walking alone the top of the buildings and went into one of the windows I passed by on a whim. I don’t really remember the exact spot.”

“All right. Then, I’ll try and call out for it.”

“Lydia, it’s dangerous to get unnecessarily involved with it.”

In such a rush that Nico’s warning didn’t even reach her ears, she had already run out of the room. 

When she arrived to the east-side of Piccadilly, Lydia pushed her way through the busy crowd that filled the circus area between Regent Street and Shaftesbury and searched the streets around her like a lost visitor from the countryside. 

Even if she peered up, there were only rows of tall buildings with signs hanging from them and the circus was filled with carriages coming and going. 

This main street was the busiest shopping and amusement area and of course, there wasn’t any sight of anything resembling a forest. 

It seemed like it wasn’t going to be a normal forest and Nico said that it was inside a building. She wondered which building it was. 

“……The Nightingale House?”

P. 118

Lydia’s eyes happened to come across a sign written with that name. 

Not sure if this was just coincidence or if the place was a related to the forest, she approached the building. 

From the windows where fine-quality curtains hanged, she caught a glimpse of a magnificent blooming flower arrangement even though it was in the middle of winter. On the inner side of those glass windows, there must be so many in-house grown flowers decorating the interior. The curtain at the entrance, the massive door and even the door boy who was stationed before the entrance, all said this was an expensive place. 

In her vision that was dimmed gray with fog and smoke, there were puffs of snow that were starting to fall down from the sky. 

Without any particular reason, Lydia peered up. On the wall of the building that had the name Nightingale House, there was the words Coffee House and the era of the precious century. 

When she looked up towards the top in front of the building, the door boy made a cold glare at her. Sensing from the atmosphere of the place, it was the social gathering spot for the upper class. It wasn’t a place where a girl like her would come all by herself. 

Walking a little ways away from that spot, Lydia stopped to gaze at the building once more and no paid no attention at the curious eyes from the pedestrians passing by her; she decided to call out to the Lord of the Forest.

“Lord of the Nightingale Forest, can you hear me? I am a Fairy Doctor; I have something to talk to you about your nightingale.”

All of a sudden, it wasn’t like she felt any wind, but the snow in the air blew around her in a whirlwind. 

That distracted her attention for a second, but then she noticed that the hustle and bustling noise of people around her had stopped. At that same time, Lydia saw that she was standing by herself in a dark forest lit only by the moon’s light.

P. 119

Instead of the stone-made buildings that were lined up around her just earlier, there were trees that stood so high they touched the night sky. 

There wasn’t any smoke from chimneys that coated the sky, but the branches that were covered with leaves. 

“What about the nightingale?”

Lydia hurried to turn around to see a young boy standing alone by himself. He was wearing an outfit lined with extravagant lace that you would only see worn nowadays in a play. 

“Are you the Lord of the Forest?”

He was a boy who looked younger than Lydia, around the age of fourteen or fifteen.

However, when he came walking over to her, Lydia noticed that she was the actual shorter one.

“What business do you have, young lady? It seems your age of love is still quite young.”

“Age of Love?”

“This is the Nightingale Forest. It is a world that was born from when it was given that name, so in this forest, everyone takes the form that matches how old they can love.”

The boy’s blue eyes and rosy cheeks looked as if he had come out of a painting. He was a being so beautiful and pure. The only thing she could tell was he wasn’t a ghost nor a fairy, but an entity that lived in a magical and godly realm.

Being in front of a boy like that, even as she was alarmed at how she could only take the form of a young child, Lydia remembered she had important duty and cleared her throat. 

P. 120

“The nightingale is close to dying. Please could you save her? If it were you, you would be able to do it. It’s much too heartless of you that she should have to disappear if she doesn’t succeed in guiding someone’s love. I want to ask you to stop tying her down with that kind of magic.”

“All right,” he simply replied. 

However, Lydia went completely stiff because his small faint smile looked like he was hiding rage. 

“I can’t stop her if she wants to leave this forest. But my forest needs a nightingale. Then would you come here as her replacement?”

Oh, no, she thought, I might be in trouble. 

“That’s impossible for me. Since, well, I’m in a form like this, …..I don’t know love. I wouldn’t be able to become a nightingale.”

As she said that, Lydia fumbled to search for the ash tree branch that she had hidden under her coat. Will a charm against fairies work on him?

“Oh really? It’s true that your heart is young. But, do you really not know love?”

Suddenly, there was terrible circling wind of snow that came blowing into the moonlit night forest and completely darkened Lydia’s vision. 

P. 121

*

“Lord Edgar, I have made sure all of the rooms in Nightingale House have been safely reserved.”

Nodding at Raven’s report, Edgar was thinking if that really was all right. 

Ever since Lydia left the Ashenbert mansion, she hasn’t returned. Of course she hasn’t returned to her own house. 

All he could find out was that she headed towards Piccadilly but that was all. 

On top of that, Nico was nowhere in sight. 

If it were possible, he wanted to reserve every last hotel and inn in all of London that lovers used to meet. There was no guarantee that Lydia would invite another man as a last resort. 

She looked like she was desperate and would do anything. 

There had to be a reason which couldn’t reveal to make her say something like that. 

"Just might be able to bear it, huh.”

Even if it were a level of that degree, if he was chosen and asked such a favor, then maybe he should have done as she asked. 

However, to Edgar, she was a girl who he wanted to marry. He was seriously proposing to her, and yet, he was told ‘this should be easy for you’ and it was true that her comment of him made him slightly depressed. 

“Lord Edgar, are you planning to return to becoming a frequent customer of the Nightingale House ‘again’?”

P. 122

“……Raven, I only reserved it for the sake of Lydia.”

“So that was what made Miss Carlton go missing.”

He wondered if Raven was thinking that the reason why Lydia went missing was because Edgar forced himself onto her again. 

With a sigh, he rested his cheek in his palm. 

If things were going to turn out like this, then he thought it would have been better if he were to wait a little more and see what her intentions were. He might have even been able to accompany her to the Nightingale Hall. 

However, if he was seduced by her there like earlier, then he didn’t have the confidence that he could stop himself. Even though she said that it wasn’t like she couldn’t bear him as she had her eyes closed so tightly like that and was shivering all over was arousing for him, proved that his taste went out of the boundaries of good taste.  

Because he thought that, he couldn’t allow himself to forget his morals and use that good opportunity and take advantage by accepting her. 

At any rate, he couldn’t allow something bad to happen to Lydia. He couldn’t stay still and wait any longer. 

Standing up from his chair, Edgar walked over to Raven. 

“Raven, I’m going to have you come along with me to the Nightingale House.”

“Yes.”

“Before that, there needs to be some preparations done. Call for the housekeeper Ms. Harriet and have her help you put on a dress.”

P. 123

Raven was one who didn’t let his emotions appear on his face, but there was no mistake that he went completely frozen. 

Edgar smiled inwardly in at his successful payback to Raven’s unconscious stabbing statement.

“For the sake of my honor, make sure to perfectly dress like a woman so you aren’t found out as a man.”

“Pardon me…., but why?”

For him to unusually ask the reason for Edgar’s order, could mean that he really didn’t want to do it, but Edgar had no intention of withdrawing it. If it were Raven, with his slim body and boyish face, then there would be no problems for him to look like a woman. 

“Now listen, Raven. It wouldn’t make any sense for me to go and reserve all of the Nightingale House and then end up going there by myself, is there? But having said that, if I were to escort a woman there it would only be the source of a big misunderstanding. Do you understand?”

In regards to the Nightingale House, there was something else that was on Edgar’s mind. 

Lydia is a Fairy Doctor. If there were something that made Lydia desperate, there was no mistake it involved fairies. Bringing out the bottomless soft-heart side of herself, the normal pattern up till now was she went a made a more fumbling mess out of the problem because a fairy was related to the matter. 

He came to the conclusion that it was the same situation this time and also thought hard about the mysterious painting that related to the Nightingale House.

A nightingale sings from the painting at night. 

P. 124

He only thought it was a joke slapped onto hackneyed expression to use in inviting the opposite sex, but if there really was a magical phenomenon that occurred, then that meant there could be a link with Lydia inviting him to go listen to the nightingale song. 

The painting in question had the title [Nightingale’s Forest] and it depicted the middle of a deep forest lit up by the moonlight with a young boy sleeping in the woods by himself. 

The young boy, who was wearing a Baroque-styled clothing lined with abundant lace and gold braiding, had the moonlight shown on his white cheeks giving off an alluring aura similar to the attraction to a beautiful woman, making him appear not like a human, but more like a magical spirit. 

Beside the boy and the moonlight, there was a choking amount of grass and trees that overlapped each other so much it made one feel the steamy, warm air given off by them, but surprisingly, there was no shadow nor shape of the nightingale. 

A Nightingale was a small bird who no one can see. Only its singing voice rings throughout the forest. That’s why there was no sight of the small bird and only the painting of a young boy who lay resting as he listened to the nightingale’s song. 

Beside that interpretation, there was another anecdote to this painting. 

Long ago, in a certain wealthy family, there was a daughter with a terribly weak health and a painting that hanged on the wall in her bed chamber. The daughter didn’t know the outside world and so she fell in love with the boy in the painting. She came to wish that she could go into the forest. 

Eventually, she passed away and only her soul became a nightingale. And from there, in the depths of the forest, she continues to sing her song of love for the boy….

However, even this might just be a made-up story in order to bring out the romantic mood in people. This could have

nothing to do with Lydia. 

P. 125

P. 126

But still, Edgar was in the room where the painting was hung and sat down on a silk finished sofa and waited by himself, listening for the nightingale’s song. 

He wondered if this could count that he had accepted and was going through with Lydia’s favor who asked him if they could both listen to the nightingale’s song. 

To tell the truth, that was the real reason he came tonight. 

Most likely, what she was wishing for didn’t have the same meaning as the rest of society. 

Then for the sake of her goal, it was necessary for Edgar to go into the [Nightingale’s Forest] and if he came here and did this, he wanted to believe he could make a point of contact with her. 

He stayed still and waited, listening carefully. 

The bustling noise of Piccadilly and the chatter of the coffee house must not be reaching this room on the upper floor, as it was awfully quiet. 

Needless to say, on this floor there was only Edgar and Raven, who was standing by in the next room. 

Resting his body against the back of the sofa, he closed his eyes. 

And then – a light breeze of wind flowed by and he thought he felt it blow through his hair. 

It wasn’t possibly for wind to blow in a closed room. Just when he thought that – he heard the sound of rustling tree leaves. 

Edgar immediately opened his eyes and saw he was in a forest that was only lit up by the shine of the moon. 

P. 127

It was the same landscape as the one in the painting that he was looking at up till now. The only difference was there was no sight of the young boy, only the waving branches of the tall trees were the same. 

At the same time he stood up, the sofa which was the point of contact with the Nightingale House vanished.

“Edgar…..?”

While he remained standing at a complete loss of words, he heard a familiar voice. 

“Why are you in a place like this?”

The one who was looking at him from behind one of the trees with a look of surprise was - without a doubt - golden-green eye-colored Lydia. 

Edgar slowly approached to her as she looked so nervous and unsure. 

“I came to listen to the nightingale’s song. Didn’t you invite me, saying you wanted to listen to it together?”

“But….”

“If it was your favor, you know I said I wouldn’t refuse.”

That position Lydia was wishing for should still belong to Edgar. Because he thought for the two of them to be able to meet here was proof of that, he was able to make a smile from the bottom of his heart as he knelt down to take a better look at her. 

“Why aren’t you acting surprised?”

P. 128

“I am surprised. I’m suddenly in the middle of a forest.”

“Not that.”

“About how you look awfully young?”

Lydia had escaped from the Lord of the Forest and had lost her way in the forest alone. And just as she came to stand by the side of the lake, she was finally able to get a look of herself in the water’s reflection, but was disappointed at how she only looked around ten years old. 

“In this place, everyone apparently changes to the age of how young or mature they can love someone. ….But for me to come out like this - isn’t it horrible.”

“You were so cute from such a young age.”

“….You haven’t changed at all.”

“You think so? I hope I don’t look too old.”

Lydia couldn’t help but burst out in giggles.

It was this side of Edgar that saved her. No matter what kind of situation, he didn’t change. His foolish attitude and light hearted way of talking would make her feelings become relaxed.

“Let’s go home, Lydia.”

At this eyes that looked so sorrow and his soft, gentle words, Lydia was almost made to cry but made an honest nod.

However – she didn’t know how to get back. If they were found by the Lord of the Forest, then she might be made into a nightingale. 

P. 129

There was no way Edgar would know the way back, but he held her hand and led her to walk straight ahead like he was guiding a lost child. 

She turned this into such a mess that was sure to have troubled him, and yet his attitude didn’t change and he treated her so kindly. 

“Um, Edgar, I…..it wasn’t like it was unbearable for me. At that time…”

“When I embraced you?”

“…….But, it’s just….., I don’t know how to say it.”

“Yes, I understand. You need time.”

When the both of them stopped, he looked down to the child Lydia and whispered I’m sorry. 

“It’s all right to go slowly. Though there will be times when I become a little impatient. But, if you are willing to become an adult little by little for me, then I’ll wait as much as you need.”

As they faced each other, surprisingly, she didn’t doubt one word he said. 

She even didn’t doubt that she would become an adult for Edgar’s sake.

In that moment, Lydia didn’t know that her height was slowly growing and she was changing back to her original body. 

As they gazed at each other’s eyes, she felt the distance between the two of them grow a little closer.

“What is it that I should do?”

“Eh….”

P. 130

“Things turned out like this, because I wasn’t able to do as you wanted, right?”

A kiss on an eyelash.

That was probably what was going to bring life back to the nightingale. She could return to this forest.

If that happens, then the two of them would be able to get out of here.

But. Just thinking about that made blood rush to her face.

“Is it such an embarrassing thing to do? But I can’t force you if you can’t say it. I’ll just do all the things that would make you embarrassed….”

“N-no! Wait, I’ll tell you….”

However, before Lydia was able to say anymore, the trees around them suddenly burst of rustling noise from the wind. 

The young boy who appeared along with the powerful whirlwind took a look at the Lydia who was no longer a small child and Edgar who was standing next to her and made a grin. 

“It isn’t like you don’t know how to love. Then even you would be able to become a nightingale.”

Edgar pulled her up against him and glared at the young boy. However, Lydia was taken aback at the powerful magic that was wrapped around the young boy and could only think how they had nowhere to run. 

(Stop!)

Just then – she thought she heard the voice of the nightingale. 

(Lord of the Forest, please do not force me out!)

P. 131

Right in front of Lydia’s eyes, a small, tiny fairy appeared floating in the air. 

It was a lively Nightingale, showing no signs of being on the brink of death.

(Please do not make another girl into a nightingale. Please let me remain here!)

“Nightingale! Are you all right?”

(I’m so sorry….., Lydia. I changed into an egg because I became tired and fell asleep. But I thought I was going to vanish if I remained like that. Because he had said he casted his magic on me. That’s why I was surprised when I opened my eyes and felt so refreshed and how I was brought to you by Nico and was able to enter the forest. I didn’t even think that I was able to freely go in or out like this.”

“Then, the Lord of the Forest wasn’t tying down the nightingale by his magic?” said Lydia. 

The Lord of the Forest made a frown and lowered his eyes to the ground like a child whose tricks were found out. 

“If I said that, then I thought that Nightingale wouldn’t go off and leave here. Even if she were to leave, I thought she would just take care of one girl’s love trouble and immediately return… But my magic doesn’t work on her at all. ……Because I had fallen in love.”

“Love? ….You – in love with the nightingale?”

He lifted his eyes to gaze at the nightingale and said.

“That’s right. But no matter how much I express my feelings for you, you wouldn’t answer to them. You wouldn’t tell me how I could become your lover.”

P. 132

The nightingale looked flurried as she hanged her head.

(But I…..)

“Hold on just a moment, Nightingale. You just said that you wanted to stay by his side just now. ….Which means you’re also in love with him?”

(That’s…., I……)

So they are in love with each other? So it was just Lydia’s misunderstanding how she thought the poor nightingale was being threatened by the Lord of the Forest. 

She was invited out by Nico and left the forest, but she only wanted to return back as soon as she could.

“If you are just pretending to be a coquette with me, then you don’t have to. You just don’t want to say it to me, don’t you?”

Lydia realized that the fairy was just too embarrassed to tell him. 

She couldn’t bring herself to say ‘kiss me on my eyelash.’

To the nightingale, that was the only method to share each other’s feelings. And yet, she wasn’t able to tell that to the Lord of the Forest.

Lydia gazed at Nightingale who was now bright red and trembling her wings. 

What a terrible love counselor. Acting like you know what you're doing, while all this time you were being such a coward in your own love. 

Lydia was also a coward. However, even if she wasn’t able to fall in love, she wondered if she could give a helping push in someone else’s love. 

P. 133

“You’re mistaken, Lord of the Forest. She is in love with you,” said Lydia, in her place. 

“It’s her eyelash. Please give her a kiss on her eyelash.”

(Aahh, Lydia! What are you saying!)

The nightingale went into a flurried frenzy and went buzzing noisily around Lydia.

“You were the one who said to do the same thing to me.”

(Y-yes, that’s true but….)

“Nightingale, is that how to become lovers?”

As he asked her, the Lord of the Forest gently reached out his hand to the flying fairy. 

“So you will return to me then?”

Even as she couldn’t calm down, batting her wings restlessly, she finally resigned herself to go up to the young boy and landed down to sit on top of his palm he had held out. 

“I’m not quite sure what’s behind all of this, but it seems things have calmed down, so the both of us should take our leave.”

Edgar, who had been watching how things were unfolding silently, said that in a tone like he wanted to leave this scene as fast as he could.

“Would you mind telling us the way back?”

He started to walk off as he pulled Lydia along, to the direction the Lord of the Forest nodded and pointed to. 

(Lydia, thank you.)

P. 134

She heard the bell ring-like voice of the nightingale reach out to her from behind. 

(I didn’t realize it at all. Even without a kiss on an eyelash, the two of you were already….)

In just a blink of an eye, Lydia and Edgar were both standing in front of a painting that was hanging on the wall. It was a painting of a familiar forest and boy.

The singing voice of the nightingale still echoed in their ears. 

“A kiss on an eyelash, huh. So that was the key to solve all this?”

As Edgar chuckled in amusement, he reached out his hand to touch Lydia’s cheek.

“You seemed so embarrassed, so I thought it was something much greater than that.”

“Eh, ….like what?”

“It’s too embarrassing, I can’t say.”

The two of you were already lovers……

She wondered if that was the last thing the nightingale said. Even as she denied herself that there was no way of that happening, Lydia felt the brush of his breath come on her eyelash. 

Most likely Lydia must have made a face that looked like she was bearing it with all her might. 

There was no need for her to endure it and be kissed, and yet she didn’t move and kept her eyes closed.

P. 135

*

[Earl Ashenbert with two flowers in both hands at the Nightingale House.]

It was the next day that there was such a title printed out in the tabloid papers. 

Edgar had not been uninvolved with any scandals lately, so for him to come out of the Nightingale House with two ladies with him must have been an open target for an article in the gossip papers. 

It is said that all of London knew that the top of the restaurant was an inn for lovers who didn’t want the public to see them, but Lydia didn’t know that. That’s why Lydia even didn’t know what the reason was for Raven to dress like a woman, and found out the reason only on the next day why she needed to exchange hats with Raven when they had exited the building. 

Thanks to the bonnet that had a veil attached to it, she was able to hide her face and hair and so only Edgar was written in the papers. 

In the drawing room of the Carlton residence, Nico was reading the tabloid papers he held spread out before him, which was making Lydia want to faint as she knew the real story behind it. 

“Well, you know, she sure was a troublesome nightingale.”

She glared at Nico as she thought Who was the one who brought her in the first place!?

“Nightingale? What are you two talking about?”

P. 136

Her father came into the room and Lydia rushed to rip the tabloid papers away from Nico. 

However – her father took a quick glance at that and only shrugged his shoulders. 

“It seems like the Earl is as always.”

“The professor had already read it,”whispered Nico into her ear.

Why did you leave this out where he could find it!?

It was Nico who brought in vulgar papers into the Carlton house as her father was someone who would never buy them. 

“Um, Father. This is sure to just be another forged article.”

Before she knew it, she was coming up with an excuse like she was covering for him, and that made her father make a surprised face. 

“No, if it was Edgar, he would do this kind of thing. But, lately I have a feeling he’s been pretty decent in what he does, I mean maybe….”

“Geez, if it were to just drive away a fairy, then she could have picked out anyone to give love counseling to. And yet she quickly chose the Earl as her only one and was so desperate to invite him, you really don’t know when to just give up more than that nightingale.”

Nico’s mumble, in a tired tone of voice didn’t reach Lydia’s ears at all.

END OF SHORT STORY

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