History: A touch of color in the Gray
Book 1: Shade the black.
Date: February 25, 2020
Author: Me -_-'
Translate and Beta: Koneko! -w-
Fandom: D Gray Man
Warning: No, I do not own D Gray Man and I do not make any profit with this story.
Summary: After landing in the nineteenth century, Ennaèl discovers that she started working with the Kamelott family, essentially, the villains of DGM. Taking the name of Eve, she became Tricia Kamelott's handmaid, helping her with her daily tasks. Now that life is a little less chaotic, Eve reflects on her arrival in this world and makes the decision to make her own opinion on the characters— ...people of this new world despite her knowledge of the manga. She gradually becomes aware of the social differences towards women at this time and becomes afraid for the future especially when she is saddled with Road and the twins ... Deciding to visit London, Eve encounters, as if by chance, Allen, then Tyki and they become friends. A few days later, the three go their own ways. However, it was not a long parting between Eve and Tyki. After having a rather awkward first meeting with the Duke, Eve decides to flee like the plague, her attempts to escape leading her to make a trip to Paris with Tyki, where she meets Victor Hugo who entrusts her with a bunch of information about the holy war before dying a few days after. As a result, Eve was dragged to a ball by Tyki, because he does not want to suffer alone, the sneaky guy, and Eve faints spectacularly because of her too tight corset. Don't ask how, but then she discovers a strange talent for musical instruments and wonders with horror if she could be the 14th. It does not help that the Duke has discovered her talents and seems to be more interested in her. And then of course, Eve is harshly harassed for weeks until an employee is almost killed by Road. And so, everything calms down just in time for the twins to be sent to boarding school while Road believes that Eve has a phobia of storms. Life is fairly quiet after that, the twins and Tyki no longer being there. Eve goes abroad for the Christmas holidays and meets a little street boy and decides to (once again) question her morals and help him.
French version: 41 chapters long :)
English version: (KnK: Koneko here! I am currently in college, so I may give up a chapter or two occasionally in favor of schoolwork. I will do my best to keep with the once a month schedule.)
Fanart: You can see a draw of Eve and some fanart made by Kazemarune and Arya39 on my Tumblr (Ennael too). Also, Elogane made a canon side-fic but in french, It's "Nuancer les sentiments"
Italic: french, important thought (or both)
* Arrives in controlled skid * This is the chapter, I do not linger, I still have a lot of homework and I would like to sleep this night, byyyyyyye * run the other way and howl at distance *
And good reading!
Shade the Black Chapter 29
January gave way quickly to February, and if I had thought it was cold before—whether in just the last few months or the last year—I was seriously wrong. It was like summer starting all over again, but backwards. It was the same kind of nuisance of the time that I had never realized before because of 21st century comforts. Even with my family where we had no air conditioning and rarely turned on the heating, even in the middle of winter, I had never been so cold. Insulation must make some great progress within the next century… It had come to the point where my personal hygiene was starting to be affected. It's difficult motivate yourself to bathe when icy air currents seemed to permeate everywhere… I even slept with the next day's clothes under my pillow so I could change myself directly under the warm duvet the morning. It may sound like it's extreme, but I swear it's not an exaggeration!
Fortunately, understanding of my suffering, Tricia had already let me use her bathroom several times, and therefore her hot bath. Thank you for little mercies: it was a dream come true. Who says you have to have unattainable dreams?
Unfortunately, the bad weather certainly hadn't done her any good, and she found herself bedridden once again before the end of January. So, I didn't have much to do. With Tricia in bed, the twins in boarding school, Road in school, Sheryl in the countryside and Tyki (again) on the go, it was like it was in November and December again except ten times worse with the cold and more snow. All of this considered, it was impossible to leave my room because even the corridor was too frozen and heading to the library became a real expedition. Anyways, it's not like I needed to go out. In fact, I'd practically become a hermit, moving exclusively between Tricia's room and mine, my meals being brought by employees and books brought by Road.
It had practically lasted two months. I'd been able to offer my gifts quietly after returning from my vacation and I was proud to say that they had been pleased.
Surely.
I believe.
Perhaps…
Hmm, the twins had been curious, for sure, but they seemed to like the concept after a few games. Road and Tyki joined us for those and I didn't really need another reminder that I was surrounded by inhuman people. I hadn't been able to catch the totem once… My poor reflexes didn't hold a candle up to theirs. For his part, Tyki looked happy with his bottle and had already come back twice to have a drink in my room after an argument with Sheryl (as if he was giving him the finger behind his back) and had elegantly offered me a drink each time even if I always said no. Now that I was doing better at speaking in English, who knew if my drunken delusions would be in that language next time? And in this case, I didn't even want to imagine the consequences that could ensue from that… Either way, I wasn't really in a hurry to get a new headache.
On a different note, Sheryl's birthday had passed without us really celebrating it because the only person who really wanted to wish him directly, Tricia, was already bedridden. After that, Tyki wasted no time absconding again, still popping by to say hello in mid-February and telling me that the kid was still at the bakery and seemed to be doing better. It had made my heart warm, I admit… I'd really hoped it would go well for him.
I had started to receive letters from the twins, too, and it was nice. Finally both twins. As much as Jasdero was spreading words onto paper, more than I had ever heard him speak before, Devit barely piped one word for his two, sometimes just pushing in and scribbling a paragraph at the end of his brother's letter. It was always strange to see a letter appear in the morning next to my breakfast, but it never failed to make me happy. I loved going through the twin's awkward words and hearing about their days. Jasdero marveled at all the little things and couldn't help but write down his observations on paper. It was a bit difficult to respond to however, since there was barely anything of note happening at the mansion. Strange, isn't it? One would think that a place with the cohabitation of over half a dozen Noah would be a little more hectic, but surprisingly not so.
Well, I'm not going to complain about it…
However, it was around mid-February that I received a letter that finally pulled me out of my lethargy. A letter from Allen. After travelling Europe and exploring Asia, on the dawn of his 14th birthday, Allen Walker had arrived in India.
At first, it didn't mean much to me. The start of the letter was quite similar to the ten others I had seen over the months. Allen began timidly by responding to the concerns and news I had given him in my last letter and then, before moving on to his own daily tales, he warmly thanked both Tyki and I for the "particularly sturdy" gloves, wondering where we had found such high quality. It certainly wasn't me that was going to tell him that Tyki was a nobleman who liked to throw his brother's money towards things that he wouldn't particularly appreciate…
After that, he started diving into the usual news, the new city he arrived in, with which Conquest of Cross they were staying, his new job to make some temporary money, the usual complaints about his master… and then he deviated a little from our normal habits when he began talking about a new friend. Since Allen had started sending us these letters, he had never spoken of someone else so cheerfully. The was such innocent candor in his descriptions of what they had done that day or what they had planned for the next week… It warmed my heart to see, and I couldn't help but think that I was looking forward to Tyki coming back so that I could show him.
But still… the further I read into his letter, the more I started to feel a strange feeling in the bottom of my stomach. It was a strange tug, the kind that makes you want to throw up but you don't know why.
And then, finally, my brain shifted.
Narein.
Suddenly sitting up in my chair, I stared at the word with round eyes. But, it wasn't possible! He was an anime only character, right? Wait, wait, does that mean everything that happened in the anime was going to happen here as well? Oh no no, I haven't seen the anime for years! Not since I was twelve, I didn't remember those at all! Come on, wasn't there a showy little exorcist girl? And a whole arc with Lulubell during their trip to China? A mission with Lenalee in a… colosseum? And then the one with Lavi and skiing? And then the horrible episode with the octopi too… Nooo, it was all nonsense, I don't want to face it for real!
Let's think… Narein was an apprentice, he worked to become… to become… a doctor! Yes, that's it! And he had a sister who worked at Cross' lover's place? And she had been killed? And Narein had become an akuma? Perhaps? Oh no…
I had laughed a few months earlier when Allen had spoken to me, with enthusiast, of a certain Anita with whom he had spent two weeks. Well, after I remembered her death it was immediately sadder… But for now, she was still alive, and it was quite strange to worry about a fictitious person who's actually real now but still a little imaginary anyway. Because two pages of a letter describing her doesn't mean that I actually know her.
But there was still a difference. I knew that this character was going to die, and it was the first time I had had any real influence since I came here. I could warn Allen! Prevent him from having to kill his friend because of the akuma! But… hadn't that been a very important step for him? To understand that he wasn't responsible for everyone, to become aware of the sacrifices of this holy war… What did I think? Of course, that I couldn't sacrifice someone just for a lesson!
I made a face, my fingers wrapped around the letter to the point of crumpling it. It had been a fleeting thought, barely formed, but I had thought it anyway and now it was dripping further. But… I didn't know this Narein. What if his death was a way to keep Allen alive? And maybe, if I was a little bit surer of the situation, if it was really a call of life or death, then maybe, I would let him die. But there wasn't, we knew so little about this story that… I could at least try it, right? Cross would find a way to pass the lesson on otherwise, and as it is, my letter might not even arrive in time…
But if I didn't do anything, I knew I was going to regret it and hate myself. And I really didn't want to hate myself. I have been very good about loving myself lately, and it would be a shame to abandon that when self-esteem was a key component of happiness. Already my prospects for the future weren't incredible, but if I shoot myself in the foot as well, it won't bode well for me aging very long.
Well, I nodded with a determined look, the decision was made even if I shouldn't have even asked myself the question originally. So, taking out a piece of stationery that Road had offered me a few months earlier, I grabbed my pen and put it on the paper decidedly.
But now: what to write?
It was all very well to decide to influence his knowledge for the first time (actually, it was a definite even and not just people this time), but how to get the message across? I clearly couldn't come out and say, "Heeeey, Allen, you know your buddy Narein? Frankly, you shouldn't be hanging with him too much. Or if you really want to, make sure his sister isn't killed." Could I? Yes, we all agree, that's terribly stupid.
Moaning, I ran a hand through my hair before moaning even more when I saw that my pen had already left a big ink stain on the sheet. Long live capillarity… Sighing, I tell myself that I might as well do a rough draft for once… It wouldn't hurt to choose my words well when facing this story.
Mumbling in my bother, it took me a full hour before I had anything of substance. Frowning at the words that, after so long working on them, seemed terribly awkward to me, I sighed some more and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper.
I was just hoping that he would understand the message.
It's strange how just after sending the letter, I was terribly anxious, desperately waiting for an answer even though I knew it would take several more days before the letter even reached him. Still, I couldn't help but stare at the maid who brought the mail in the morning and linger thoughtfully when I saw a letter lying around. It must have been much more visible than I thought since Road ended up asking me what was bothering me. I didn't even have to lie, I just told her that I was waiting for a friend's letter. So, obviously, she began to cackle about an imaginary courtship, bringing Tricia back on the warpath while she was still bedridden. It was only due to the lady's smiles that I hadn't gutted Road. That and because it's Road, the Noah of Dreams, you know what I mean.
In any case, if Road had really been trying to relax me (and not just use me as a source of entertainment) I had to admit that it worked. After days of rolling my eyes so hard while the two girls brainstormed more and more absurd theories about my mysterious suitor, I had managed to hurt my eyes and forget about the source of my letter problem. So much so that I was almost surprised when Road brought me the expected letter one morning in March, taking care to stay by my side with an innocent air while I tore open the envelope frantically.
Virtually skipping the greetings of formality with how much I read diagonally, I stopped abruptly when I crossed the word "Narein." It was really his name! Greedily swallowing the next few words, I couldn't help but sigh in relief when nothing indicated any distress on the part of Allen. His friend still had to be fine then… Preparing to turn the page to still make sure, I was stopped in my action by a small hand pulling on my sleeve.
"What does this mean?" Road asked, pointing to the top of my letter when I turned to her. Next to her finger, I almost blushed in embarrassment when I saw that she was pointing to the first sentence.
"Ah, it's nothing important, just a greeting…" I mumbled before I frowned and pulled the sheaf of papers to my chest. "And how come you're looking at my mail?" I scolded as Road resumed her innocent look.
"You were so impatiently waiting for this, I was worried that it would be difficult news." She said with a bright smile that I didn't believe for a moment. "I had to be sure it was nothing serious!"
"No, no, certainly not, we don't read other people's mail!" I replied by moving the letters even further away as if she could read them with x-ray eyes… She couldn't, could she? The explanation of her powers was not very, very detailed… "Besides, if it had been bad news, you would have known very easily."
"But I wouldn't have known how to solve it." She pointed out before focusing her gaze on the paper in my arms. "Come on, you'll ruin them, you'd better read them before they become lint. I'm going to get my dolls, will you join me in the living room when you're done?" She said, but it didn't sound like a question, and it really didn't have to be one because before I could even open my mouth to respond: she was gone. Rolling my eyes at her behavior violently, I dropped onto the edge of my bed, pulling at the sheets.
Reading the rest in fourth gear, I sighted in relief when I didn't see anything bad, smiling even when Allen said he was paying attention. He took my fears into consideration and I couldn't help but feel happy. It was nice to be listened to.
Unfortunately, I thought then as the smile fell from my lips and I collapsed onto the bed, my eyes lost in the ceiling, that didn't settle everything.
At the start of D. Gray man, two to three years from now, Allen was still in India. Had he stayed there all these years? Or had they traveled before returning? But even then, Narein's death could have happened any time from last month to until he leaves India. How to know? How do we do something about it? Sighing, I turned my head to take a look at the writing.
I imagine, if it is not a lesson for Allen, it's certainly a lesson for me. Even being aware of an event, I may not be able to do anything other than give a vague warning. Because even if I went to India, there, now, right away? Would my lean human body be able to save Mina? Or prevent Narein from making a pact with the Earl?
Unlikely…
And this situation was very likely to be repeated in the future. With causes that would be close to my heart. I was only a weak human, the equivalent of a mouse in the middle of a lion fight. What can I do when Allen meets Miranda in Germany? Or Krory in his abandoned castle? Or the whole episode of the Ark in Japan? While I would be here, in a small mansion in the heart of the "enemy" camp, drinking tea with Tricia?
And once again, this is only if I'm still here in three years…
KnK: We are slowly creeping towards plot… now back to our regularly scheduled Eve-cast.
Nël: Walaaah, a pitit chapter with Allen! Yes, well, I imagine it is not really what you wanted when you asked for our white haired boy but I already warned that he would not be back in person before the end of NLN sooooo...
Next chapter would see the arrival of a new character! it's too quiet at the manor, Eve shouldn't be bored...
Btw, Knk like me is really too much occuped with school, she can't beta next chapter and i fear i'll can't either... Someone want to try ? Send me a PM if you want to help !
Anyway, think about reviews and see you next month :)
