Volume 5 - CH 7

P. 226

*

Carlton had been going on in dispute for thirty minutes with the gatekeeper of Madam Eve Palace.

Only those who were members were allowed to enter, and on top of that, the gatekeeper wouldn’t let him know if the Earl Ashenbert was a member and if he was inside or not.

Carlton wasn’t sure if a harem existed like the rumors or if there were women trapped inside, and if it were true he shouted that what they are doing was a crime, but the only reply was a polite ‘We have nothing further to discuss. Please leave these grounds.’

They were taking an absolute, strict code of secrecy.

“What are you going to do if my daughter was in there?”

“There is no way that she would be.”

P. 236

“Then let me make sure.”

“Will you like to become a member? You will need a referral from a current member and present the enrollment fee.”

There were two gatekeepers with sturdily built frames, so they also must have the role of bodyguards. Their tone was polite but they stood up blocking Carlton with stone-hard coerce.

Even if he were to breakthrough, Carlton and his scrawny frame would easily be tossed back outside in a matter of seconds.

Just then, one of the gatekeepers spotted a parked carriage. One of them quickly rushed over to it and welcomingly opened the door. The one who came out of it was a plump, black-bearded man.

“Welcome, Mister Slade.”

Carlton thought that name sounded familiar.

He quickly rushed over to the man’s side. He yelled out before he could be pushed aside by the gatekeeper.

“Mr. Slade? Are you perhaps the art dealer?”

“I happen to be so,” said the man in a suspicious tone as he turned around to Carlton.

“Umm, my daughter happens to be an acquaintance of the painter Mr. Paul Foreman, and I was told of you by Mr. Foreman. Oh, my name is Carlton. My 

daughter and Earl Ashenbert….”

“What, the fairy doctor’s father?”

Surprisingly, it seemed like he got through more quickly than expected.

P. 237

"To tell you the truth, my daughter hasn’t come back home. I happened to hear that she might be here.”

“Miss Carlton? Here? Oh, no, that couldn’t possibly be true.”

For some reason, Carlton felt like the man appeared a little unnerved as he desperately denied the idea.

“Then I would like to make sure immediately. Isn’t she with the earl?” asked Carlton.

“Ahhh, then let me go in and check.”

This man, he might be going in and out of this place an acquaintance of the earl. Carlton became worried that Slade might not tell him the truth.

“Would it be possible for me to enter?”

“Oh, well, you see, about that,”

“The earl should be inside, isn’t he? I would like to directly ask him. Even if Lydia is here or not, I couldn’t let the idea of an unwed young girl is being pulled into a harem pass even if it were just a rumor.”

It was just when he finished that line.

A tremendous sound of something exploding came from inside the building. 

Even the startled gatekeepers turned around in surprise and dashed in a panic towards the building.

Carlton thought this was his chance and stepped through the doorway, but even in the spacious entrance hall and the stairway that swirled up with a golden railing, there wasn’t any sign of damage or disruption.

P. 238

However, the chandelier was the only thing that was swaying from side to side.

Slade was beckoning Carlton over, as he must have become nervous of entering inside by himself, not knowing what could be happening.

“The earl should be this way.”

The hallway had a carpet rolled out over it and every inch of the walls and ceiling was covered with interior decorations. Slade stopped to stand in front of a large door that had a golden statue with jewels for its eyes. 

He knocked the door, but there was no answer.

*

Lydia kept on walking while surrounded by goblins.

She felt the presence of Ulysess’ knife on her back as she followed Ermine who was walking ahead of them. The goblins were guiding the way.

In the dark dirt tunnel, only the lamp held by the goblins was the source of light. 

Eventually the path came to an end with an enormous bolder blocking their path. The path behind them was pitch black and impossible to make out anything, but seeing as the light didn’t reach the far end, it could mean there wasn’t any existing path. 

The maze of the goblins was slowly evaporating and steadily shrinking. 

Ulysess ordered the goblins with his chin and they started to pick at the rock bolder with their pickaxes.

The rock cracked and crumbled apart to reveal a door.

Ulysses ordered Ermine to be the one to open it.

P. 240

After opening, there revealed a room filled with portraits hanging on the walls. All of the paintings were of Jean-mary.

The room had such tall walls, and the wide ceiling was definitely one of the rooms from Madam Eve Palace. 

Which means this must be the harem of Marquis Barkston, thought Lydia, as she was dragged into the room by Ulysses. 

“It seems I kept you waiting, Earl Ashenbert.”

“I was thinking about leaving because you were so late.”

Like the master of the room, Edgar was sitting down on the center sofa with his legs crossed and turned his gaze to inspect Ermine and Lydia, then over to Ulysses, but he didn’t change his expression what-so-ever, so it was unknown what he was thinking.

Beside Edgar was Raven.

“Since this is such a rare opportunity, I would recommend you stay.”

“I had intended on sending Lydia home first.”

“I found her lost on her way so I brought her here.”

“…….Um, I fell off,” explained Lydia.

Edgar let out a sigh, as if he had understood while confused.

Are you saying I’m a nuisance? Lydia felt somewhat disappointed.

Because she wanted to think he made Lydia go home with Kelpie, but in truth, he really needed her help.

P. 241

“Now then, lord, you should have the ‘Nightmare’ in your possession. Ever since it was taken away from me by you previously, I knew that you would use that black diamond whose whereabouts were unknown and use it to deceive Marquis Barkston.”

Lydia was frighteningly nervous.

Maybe she shouldn’t have come back.

Edgar made Lydiago because he wanted to distance the black diamond from Ulysses and yet she came back bringing along the diamond with her.

In order to fight with Ulysess, he should need a fairy doctor. But this might have been a bigger problem than that.

Because Lydia was captured by Ulysess and she was unable to move.

“All right. I’ll hand over the black diamond.”

She realized that Ermine and Raven were signaling to each other by eye. Edgar must be aiming for the moment when Ulysses would be distracted with the diamond and try to restrain and hold him down.

That might be possible if they were in the space of the human world. But that was impossible in this place. Ulysses was the master of this realm. He had the goblins under his subjection.

If he were to get his hands on the diamond then he might immediately crush this space and make for an escape.

“No, you mustn’t, Edgar, don’t hand him the diamond!” cried out Lydia, desperately.

P. 242

“I’m sorry; I made the decision of coming back here on my own. It seems whatever I do, it all backfires. This might be the power of the curse…. But, no matter what, don’t give him the diamond.”

“What a noisy girl.”

In an irritated attitude, Ulysses pinned his knife against Lydia.

Everyone’s focus fell onto that and Ermine used that opportunity to get close to Ulysses. She pulled out the knife she hid in her boot and tried to slash Ulysses with it.

She tried to push Lydia behind her and break in between the middle of them, but Lydia still had her arm gripped by Ulysses and back away. 

However, in the next instant, Raven jumped into Lydia’s view. Faster than Ulysses could react, a knife was thrown, aiming at his heart.

Her eyes picked up the sight of blood flicking through the air.

However, Lydiafelt the air around her and Ulysses loosen and warp for a moment.

Raven was startled and drew his body back.

As if they teleported, Lydia was still held under by Ulysses’ arm and was pulled away from Ermine and Raven.

The one with blood on her arm was Ermine.

P. 243

Ulysses snickered.

Edgar wasn’t able to hide the shock on his face.

“Do you understand now, lord earl. Your group won’t be able to adequately fight me in this place. Although I won’t stop you if you desire to cut up each other.”

And then, like he didn’t care about Lydia any longer, he threw her aside. 

Ulysses opened his mouth to speak in an icy, cold tone.

“The diamond, if you please? If you don’t hurry up and bring it out, I’ll have all of you buried here and die together.”

“We’re going to die even if we get out, aren’t we?”

“If you bring it out willingly, lord earl, I won’t mind letting only you survive.”

“Do you think I would wish to be saved?”

“If you return to Our Highness’ side, then you’ll be sure to thank me.”

Ulysses was calling Edgar, a traitor and an enemy who he loathed and hated, by an honorary title. But that wasn’t because Edgar was currently an earl or because he was the eldest son of a duke family, but because he was connected in blood with the Royal Family.

She wondered if Ulysses really might not have the intention of actively taking a part in killing Edgar.

But Lydia couldn’t think up of a way so everyone could survive without handing over the diamond.

Edgar helped Lydia up on her feet and in a casual manner slid his hand over the pocket of the coat she was wearing.

P. 246

“And I should believe you?”

“If you can’t trust me, then do as you want. The diamond won’t be delivered to the hands of Prince for eternity. Even before, you weren’t able to find what I hid.”

Lydia suddenly vaguely understood what she had to do if she were able to escape with the precious diamond.

And after that, she was just going to have to negotiate with Ulysses. So that everyone could be saved.

But Lydia wondered if she would be able to do such a thing. What if everyone were to be killed before that? 

It was just too much of a dangerous gamble.

To begin with, she wondered if Ulysses would be interested enough to accept that deal. Lydia wondered if she should do as Edgar wanted her to.

Still unable to decide on what she should do, she held her breath and watched at what Ulysses’ reaction would be.

“Don’t get tricked!”

The voice that abruptly disrupted them was Jimmie who came walking out from Paul’s side. 

The young boy apparently had came with them let out his voice in a desperate manner. 

“Lord, you’re being deceived by this witch! She works for the enemy so you shouldn’t let her escape while she has the black diamond!”

Jimmy knew that Lydia had the black diamond. And his plea had revealed everything to Ulysses.

P. 247

Edgar pushed Lydia to hide her behind his back, however, it wasn’t Ulysses but Jimmie who came charging towards their direction.

“Give back the Earl’s diamond!”

He grabbed ahold of Lydia but his strength was not the power that a normal child could possess.

“Stop it, Jimmie!” shouted Edgar.

The boy was pushed aside and there was a moment of escape but Jimmie picked up a fruit knife that was in the room and held it out while glaring at Lydia. 

Ulysses let out his voice in laughter.

“Oh, now I see, so that’s it. Jimmie, you are correct. You better kill her for the earl’s sake.”

“Lydia!”

When she turned at the sound of Edgar’s voice, right next to her was Ulysses. He grabbed ahold of Lydia and held her tight so she couldn’t move and turned her in Jimmie’s direction.

It was like he was offering her at the target of the knife. 

In that instant, Lydia witnessed Jimmie and Ulysses looking at each other and making a grin.

P. 248

This boy….., he’s strange. Maybe he isn’t a member of the Scarlett Moon?

Just when she thought that, she noticed that the color of Jimmie’s eyes abruptly turned red.

Oh, my god, he isn’t human?

It was the red eyes of a demon hound.

“You’re…., a Black Dog?” gasped Lydia.

The boy was discovered of his identity and tutted his tongue as he transformed into a dog. 

“So you’re working for Ulysses!”

The large dog covered with ruffled fur shifted his burning red, creepy eyes at her. 

He was a powerful fae that was known to ripe and tear apart humans. What was the way to ward them off?

But Lydia couldn’t come up with something, and before she knew it, Ulysses gave out an order to the Black Dog.

“Do it.”

Kicking back the ground, the Black Dog jumped high in attack. 

There was no way to escape.

In that instant, to Lydia’s eyes, there was another black figure that jumped in between them.

A black horse, with a body that was well more enormous than a Black Dog clashed and fought with the dog.

“Kelpie!”

P. 249

At the collision of powerful magic crashing against each other, Lydia fell back onto Ulysses who was standing beside her. At the same time, her eyes caught a glimpse of a necklace chain dangling out of the pocket of his frockcoat.

It’s the white diamond necklace. 

Lydia reached her hand out. She grabbed ahold of the necklace as she got up to stand.

Ulysses noticed that and tried to get it back, but Lydia unthinkingly threw it away from him. 

There was no one in the direction of where the necklace flew to. 

A number of the Scarlett Moon members moved to go pick it up, but someone already managed to get ahold of it ahead of them as he swapped it up. 

It was the one more person who had supposedly entered this maze, Marquis Barkston. 

Oh, no, that wasn’t supposed to go to him. 

The marquis dashed out through the exit door.

However, no matter what he did, he wouldn’t be able to escape from the maze of the goblins. Perhaps that must have been why no one went running after him. 

Kelpie and the Black Dog eyed each other menacingly once more. Breaking the air of tension, the both of them jumped at each other in attack. 

Taking that opportunity, Lydia’s arm was grabbed by Edgar and she managed to get away from Ulysses’ side, but strong winds were created by the tail of the water horse as he was thrashing about and that made Edgar and her both go flying up and banged against the wall.

Just when she came to, Lydia saw someone gray-colored creature come tumbling down right in front of her eyes.

“Nico!”

P. 250

“C-couldn’t he have done that after he let me down…..”

The fairy cat wobbled up onto his feet, and from the looks of it, he must have been hanging on to Kelpie’s mane but was shaken off.

After he combed down his fur with his claws and fixed his necktie, he looked over to Lydia.

“Phew, did I make it in time?”