The Nightmare's End: 1-7 Phantom Voices

< Previous

The Nightmare's End

Next >

The season for purple daisies has passed.

Info

Style: No dress-up component Required: Edward Goodwill Lv. 6 Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: From the New World

From the New World

Dialogue Choices

There are no dialogue choices in this stage.

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Agnes Lindvall: Doctor Grey. You asked me this question for Jesse's sake, right?

• Edward falls silent. He shows a look of confusion as if asking, "Does this question need to be answered?" Agnes looks away and chuckles self-deprecatingly.
• Agnes Lindvall: Regarding your question... I will accept the Earl's proposal.

• As expected.
• From any perspective, accepting this engagement is the best solution for Agnes Lindvall.
• However, hearing her decision with his own ears still weighs heavily on Edward's heart.
• Agnes Lindvall: Please don't look like that, Doctor.

• Agnes Lindvall: I'm not stupid and am fully capable of analyzing the pros and cons of this matter.

• Agnes Lindvall: Children from families like ours always have to marry for the benefit of the family.

• Agnes Lindvall: Even if I reject the Earl of Essex, there will be other fallen nobles waiting for me.

• Agnes Lindvall: Father and Henry will not allow me to become an old maid at home.

• Agnes Lindvall: In that case, marrying the Earl is the most ideal choice.

• Agnes Lindvall: For the Lindvall family, for myself, and for Jesse.

• Edward frowns.
• He understands the first half but not the second—
• Edward Grey: For Jesse?

• Agnes Lindvall: Yes

• Agnes and Jesse have the same eyes. When they shine with determination, their light is equally dazzling.
• Agnes Lindvall: Women either lose benefits through marriage or gain benefits through marriage.

• Agnes Lindvall: If I never marry in my lifetime and grow old as Agnes Lindvall...

• Agnes Lindvall: Henry will naturally inherit the family business, and Jesse and I will neither have property nor status and influence.

• Agnes Lindvall: But if I were to become the Countess of Essex, the Lindvall family would surely need to prepare a generous dowry.

• Agnes Lindvall: Moreover, the latest laws will protect these interests, which will become my most important weapon.

• She still speaks softly, as if sitting in front of a piano, calmly playing her favorite tune.
• However, this time what flowed out were not melodies, but words like marriage, interests, and laws.
• For the first time, Edward sees this dignified and gentle rich lady talk about these topics like a man.
• He can't help but smile at this. Such a sharp-tongued girl makes him feel more relaxed and equal in conversation.
• Edward Grey: In other words, you got married for the sake of gaining benefits.

• Agnes Lindvall: Yes. And I fully understand the significance of my choices.

• Agnes Lindvall: Perhaps you will despise me for this—

• Edward Grey: No, absolutely not, Miss Agnes.

• He immediately interrupts her, looking very serious.
• Edward Grey: I was worried that you would put the interests of the family first, adopt a self-sacrificing attitude, and force yourself to accept an unchangeable fate.

• Edward Grey: I prefer this proactive you over that sad choice.

• Agnes gently shakes the teacup and takes a long time before speaking the next sentence.
• Agnes Lindvall: Can you do me a favor, Doctor Grey?

• Edward Grey: What kind of favor?

• Agnes Lindvall: Jesse isn't going to accept this any time soon.

• Agnes Lindvall: He's paid a great price in order to stop the Earl.

• Agnes Lindvall: If I accept the proposal, I don't know what he will do...

• Edward Grey: Perhaps you need to have a good chat with him about this.

• Agnes smiles bitterly and shakes her head.
• Agnes Lindvall: Conceptual differences are difficult to change through temporary conversations.

• Agnes Lindvall: Even if he respects my thoughts rationally, his emotions must feel deeply betrayed.

• Agnes Lindvall: The more deeply one loves a family member, the less tolerant they are of the other person going against them. This is human nature.

• Edward Grey: ...

• Agnes Lindvall: He is still young and always likes to go against reality. He doesn't listen to anyone in this family.

• Agnes Lindvall: Except for you, Doctor Grey.

• Now it is Edward's turn to smile bitterly.
• Edward Grey: Perhaps I should tell you that I was just kicked out of Jesse's room.

• Agnes Lindvall: That is not a bad thing. Only those who enter his room will be kicked out.

• Agnes Lindvall: And you have entered.

• Agnes Lindvall: You are very important to Jesse. He won't stay mad at you forever.

• Agnes Lindvall: If he is willing to talk to you again... Doctor Grey, I hope you can accompany him.

• Agnes Lindvall: Convey our conversation just now to him.

• Agnes Lindvall: After getting married, I'm afraid I won't be able to talk to him like I do now, so...

• Edward Grey: I understand, Miss Agnes. I promise you.

• Edward Grey: Don't be so pessimistic. Weren't you just determined to fight for your own interests?

• He gives her an encouraging smile.

• The light outside the window dims, a sign that it may rain soon.
• The butler calls a carriage for Edward, and Agnes prepares to see him off.
• After exchanging pleasantries, Edward suddenly lowers his head slightly, his emerald eyes fixed on the blonde girl.
• Edward Grey: Miss Agnes.

• Edward Grey: Were you the one who asked Janet to tell me about Jesse's recent situation under the guise of getting burn ointment?

• Agnes Lindvall: ...

• Her expression says it all. Edward says softly.
• Edward Grey: You don't need me to tell Jesse how much you love him.

• He bows deeply to Agnes. A smile remains on her face.
• Agnes Lindvall: Goodbye, Doctor Grey.

• Edward turns and walks towards the entrance hall.
• Agnes slowly heads upstairs, quietly wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye.

• In the following month, Edward does not receive any invitations from the Lindvall family.
• On the contrary, Jesse's last social introduction worked, and many middle-class families came knocking, asking Doctor Grey to provide them with medical services.
• Some charitable organizations politely wrote to request Edward to provide free medical consultations for the poor.
• Mrs. Thomas mutters that there is no need to bother with providing free medical consultations for those without income...
• But every time Edward goes to the East End, she always gives him specially-made ham sandwiches to bring along.
• Faced with this kindness, Edward can only express his deep gratitude and repay it by working harder.

• Male Resident: I'm not sick. I just ate something wrong!

• The free medical consultation has lasted all day, and Edward feels very tired.
• But he still patiently tries to appease the pale and irritable man.
• Edward Grey: Please don't be so impatient, sir. Speak slowly.

• Female Resident: Oh, don't listen to him, doctor! If it was just food poisoning, you wouldn't have had diarrhea for so long!

• The man's wife supports her husband as she complains and looks at Edward.
• Female Resident: He has had diarrhea for several days now, doctor.

• Female Resident: If it was just ordinary diarrhea, it should have stopped after two or three days.

• Male Resident: I'm just taking a little longer to get better. Why are you making such a fuss? You're getting in the way of my work!

• Edward Grey: Sir, I think your wife's concern is justified. You can't underestimate a minor illness.

• Edward Grey: When did the diarrhea start? Have you eaten anything unusual recently?

• Female Resident: It's been almost a week and he didn't eat anything special—

• Male Resident: *blech!*

• Just as the woman was explaining, the man suddenly can't bear it anymore and bends over to vomit.
• A puddle of milky white, rice soup-like vomit drips onto the ground, and Edward's face immediately changes.
• The woman is startled and is about to help her husband, but is sternly stopped.
• Edward Grey: Don't touch him!

• He nervously watches the man's pale face, waves his hand to ask his wife to step back, holds his breath and carefully examines the man.
• The man's slightly faster heartbeat, dry lips, and sunken eye sockets confirm his guess.
• Edward Grey: He has already started to become dehydrated. Where do you live?

• He asks the woman abruptly. She is stunned for a moment, then answers with an address in a trembling voice.
• Edward Grey: Madam, I'm sorry. It's possible that your husband has cholera.

• Female Resident: Cholera?!

• Older Londoners have deep impressions of the plague that took hundreds of lives decades ago.
• The danger lies not only in the fatality of this disease, but also in its terrifying contagiousness.
• The director of the workhouse has previous experience with this and immediately notifies the police.
• The police also respond quickly and arrive at the scene fifteen minutes later.

• Dudley: Who reported a cholera outbreak here?

• Edward Grey: That was me, officer. I wrote down the address of the patient here.

• Edward Grey: The spread of cholera is usually related to water. The patient has been having diarrhea for a week, and the local water source may be contaminated...

• As soon as Edward hands over the piece of paper with the address written on it, it is snatched away roughly by the police.
• Dudley: No need to explain, doctor. Scotland Yard has experience with this.

• He waves to his subordinates, and soon two men come over and restrain the patient.
• Edward Grey: Wait. What is this for?

• Dudley: The source of infection cannot be allowed to come into contact with other people.

• In terms of controlling the risk of infection, the police's approach is correct.
• But when the patient who was still vomiting is carried out, his wife cries out, wanting to follow but is stopped by the police. Edward can't help speaking.
• Edward Grey: Please... Please don't...

• He stands there hesitantly, wanting to say something. The middle-aged policeman glances at him and stops him coldly.
• Dudley: Being soft-hearted will not save anyone.

• Edward's fingers tremble. His slightly bent back, tired from exhaustion, straightens up again as he takes a deep breath.
• Edward Grey: Yes, officer. Therefore, I suggest isolating the patient's wife along with him.

• Dudley: ...

• Edward Grey: She lives with the patient and is probably infected with cholera as well. It's just that she hasn't shown symptoms yet.

• Edward Grey: Isolating her with her husband does not increase the risk of contagion.

• Edward Grey: In this way, they can also take care of each other, which is also good for the patient's emotional stability.

• The middle-aged police officer scratches his nose, seemingly acknowledging this statement.
• The patient's wife is quickly taken away with him. Before leaving, she glances at Edward.
• Edward has no way of knowing whether she is happy because he has given her the opportunity to reunite with her husband, or whether she resents him for placing her under house arrest.
• Police Officer: Doctor, here is the disinfectant you requested.

• He really has no time to think about it, so he immediately takes the bottle of pungent-smelling medicine and starts the next step of work.

• The first preventive measure for cholera is to disinfect all people or objects that have come into contact with the infected.
• In the following hours, Edward and the people from the workhouse thoroughly cleaned the clinic and the rest of the patients.
• When he finally steps out of the workhouse, it is already dusk.

• It starts to rain again in the evening.
• The head of the workhouse wants to call a carriage for Edward, but he politely declines.
• In such bad weather, he does not expect any carriages to be waiting near the workhouse to pick up passengers.
• He would rather walk home than sit around and wait. At least Mrs. Thomas will hold the door open for him.
• The rain quickly breaks through the defense of his coat and seeps into his inner garment. The cold envelops his whole body, and he starts to freeze.
• The accumulated fatigue, stimulated by the cold, almost crushes him.
• Edward Grey: *cough!*

• He struggles to lift his waterlogged shoes and trudges through the muddy pond. His throat is starting to ache, and he knows he will definitely catch a cold tomorrow.
• The street lamps flicker, barely illuminating the distance in this heavy rain.
• Edward Grey: (Road conditions in the East End are still as bad as they were seven years ago.)

• Seven years ago?
• He is surprised that he can remember the time so clearly. He's put in so much effort to forget everything...
• ???: Do you really want to forget, Edward?

• —He smells the strong fragrance of flowers.
• The rich fragrance of lilacs spread from the darkness, gently enveloping him. He is powerless to resist.
• Dennis: You don't want to forget me, Edward.

• Edward Grey: ...

• Dennis: You haven't taught me how to read yet. You promised me.

• Dennis: I've grown up! I can read now!

• His lips twitch slightly. His voice is so weak that he can barely hear himself.
• Edward Grey: (No, Danny. You haven't grown up. You'll never grow up.)

• Dennis: I don't like what you said.

• Dennis: I want to grow up! To be as tall and smart as you!

• Dennis: Then I can help you.

• His right hand tightly grasps the coat on his left chest, as he staggers across a ditch, almost falling to the ground.
• The fragrance of the flowers is too strong, making it difficult for him to breathe.
• Edward Grey: (There are no floral scent at all.)

• Lilac season is over. And there's no way he can smell the fragrance of any flowers in this heavy rain.
• His mind is still clear enough to analyze the current situation logically, but his senses still betray him.
• He can only watch helplessly as he's torn apart.
• Dennis: Did you forget to bring an umbrella, Edward? You'll get sick.

• Dennis: Father doesn't want us to get sick. Because there's no medicine left.

• Edward Grey: *cough cough*...

• Dennis: You already drank the medicine, right? Did it work?

• Dennis: It must have. Because you survived.

• He has a strange feeling, as if his lungs were filled with lilacs overflowing from his throat.
• It's hard to explain, but he feels so suffocated that he can't breathe.
• Dennis: You survived and became the person you wanted to be!

• Dennis: Did you help others? How many people have you saved?

• Edward Grey: ...No... Stop talking...

• Dennis: You must be happy. You're living the life you want. But why aren't you happy?

• Dennis: Why did the police officer say that being soft-hearted won't save anyone?

• Dennis: He's wrong, Edward. Being soft-hearted means you're kind, and being kind means you can save people!

• Dennis: That's what it's like in the story!

• The cold rain fills his mouth and nose with an earthy smell.
• His hands and feet are already frozen stiff, and have completely lost all sensation. But he still feels Dennis's soft and warm palm grabbing him from the void.
• In the swirling darkness, it doesn't matter whether it's an angel or a monster, coming for salvation or revenge.
• He deserves to bear everything.
• Lilac season is over.
• He thinks blearily.
• The floral scent isn't there.
• In this cold and dirty mud pit, he lies quietly, waiting for final judgment.
• ???: ...Edward!

• He knows whose voice that is.