Editor's comments and actions are denoted by [brackets]. Sound effects are written {like this}. (Parenthesis) indicate side notes in the dialogue bubble or the mangaka's note. And finally, italics are thoughts.

Florian and Mssr. Feder in the carriage continue to chase after the car containing Noel and Louise Mastroianni.

{sound f/x garagara: clattering of the carriage}

{sound f/x buoo: rushing of the car}

Louise: You blockhead! We're being chased! Can't you go any faster!

Noel: [gagged] Mmph... mmphph

Florian: NOEL----~

Louise: Hmph~

{sound f/x za: sudden movement}

Louise whips a gun out of a leg holster and points it out the window.

Louise: Shut up you little bug!

{sound f/x ban: gunshot}

{sound f/x chuin: a bullet ricocheting off of the stone road}

{sound f/x buhihi: horse whinnying}

Feder: Uhyaa!

{sound f/x gacon: crash}

Florian flies to one side.

Florian: Uwa~

Feder: [pulling on the reins] Whoa... whoa whoa. Are you okay, Florian?

Florian: Yes... somehow.

Feder: That's good. But, it looks like we lost them.

{sound f/x bururu: horse snorting}

Florian: What!?

{sound f/x dododo: car puttering along}

{sound f/x gakon: breaks coming down}

{sound f/x pushu: tired coming to a stop}

Louise's car comes to a stop in a small side street in Paris. She pushes the bound and gagged Noel before her.

Louise: Hey, half-pint. Walk faster!

{sound f/x don: shove}

{sound f/x ki: Noel's glare}

Louise: You shouldn't look at me so defiantly. I'm letting you meet your papa.

Noel: ----Huh?

Chained in a dark room, an older man sits up.

Man: Noel... It's Noel, isn't it?

Noel: Pa...pa!?

Louise: It's so wonderful that you're reunited again after so many days, isn't it. And since I've got the teddy bear, tomorrow you'll both be floating in the Seine River together.

Tassel: Louise! This child has nothing to do with this! At least save him!

Louise: It's useless trying to appeal to my emotions. I got close to you because you're the head of Banque Tassel du Paris. There was no other reason beyond that. What an annoying man you are. You were going to squeal to the police...! You were the one who started it by embezzling money from the bank, weren't you? Perhaps you'll have another scandal, a double suicide with your son thanks to all of your regrets?

Tassel: What kind of woman are you!

Mssr. Tassel hugs Noel close as the door closes.

Tassel: Ahh... I'm such a miserable person. I was decieved by that woman, and even got my precious you wrapped up in danger... Please forgive me, Noel...!

Noel: Precious...!? Then... you didn't come home, not because you hated me and didn't need me...?

Tassel: Of course not. You're Papa's dear little boy. I made you feel lonely, didn't I.

Noel: Pa...pa...!

Tassel: I'm so sorry, Noel.

Noel: ----Me too... I got something I got to tell Papa---- See, um...

Elsewhere, Florian continues to wander the streets.

Florian: ----Where in the world did Noel do...

Voice: You're Florian, was that it?

Florian: [glare] You're...

Solomon smiles at Florian.

Solomon: You're really fighting an uphill battle. Is it all right if I help you?

Florian: Solomon Sugar, why would you...

Solomon: I'm a world wide famous detective. You shouldn't make light of me. I have information on the hideout of those people who kidnapped the kid---- If you wanna know, I'll tell you. With just one condition.

Florian: Condition?

Solomon: How about in exchange for the real Noir!?

Florian: !? Wh... why would I know anything about that. Excuse me!

{sound f/x ka: swift step}

Solomon: Oh no you don't.

Solomon quickly cuts Florian off and corners him again the wall of a building.

Solomon: You're worried about that little brat, aren't you? You're up again a head of the "Black Hand", aren't you?

Florian: Black... Hand?

Solomon: Theft, murder, blackmail, they're a crime organization who'll do whatever to get in world in their control------ They're like the mafia. That's also why Rei said that he was trouble.

Florian: So then------ He knew all this...?

Solomon: He got the information out of the men who broke into his mansion.

Florian: And yet he could still throw him out! To know and not say anything, that's horrible!

Solomon: Hm~ This is the result of a young man raised in privilege. Without looking at the consequences, you just flew out here. What were you planning on doing all alone?

{sound f/x kaa: Florian blushing brightly}

Solomon: So, let's do business. I have an informant who used to work for the Black Hand. I've collected fairly detailed information along that vein.

Solomon pokes a ticked Florian in the cheek, playfully.

Florian: (Hmph)

Solomon: While you're wasting time out here, who knows what's happening Noel, Florian.

{sound f/x doka: giant crash}

Solomon curls up on the ground.

Solomon: Ahh~~~~~~ [cough] You're tougher than you look.

(Elbow)

Florian: You're a horrible person, Solomon Sugar! You're weighing a child's life and Noir's true identity against each other!!

Solomon: ----That's true. For me, nothing's more important than catching him. my dear little black cat~!

Florian: That's enough! This conversation is over!

Solomon: I have one more question. Is Noir really Rei Balzac?

Florian: ----!

Back in Noir's study, Laila brings in a lamp near where Noir's curled up with a large book.

Laila: I'm putting the light over here.

Noir: Mm----...

Laila: If you're that worried, you can go and search for him yourself.

Noir: What're you talking about.

Laila: That's Laila's book, Noir. Do you cook?

([book cover] Elegant Healthy Diet Menu)

Noir: [blushing and sweating] W...well sometimes----ha-ha-ha!

Laila: Hey, Noir, Laila's worried.

Noir: You shouldn't worry about that idiot.

Laila: ---- No, what I want to say is...

Noir: What?

Laila: Since he's come here, you've changed a little bit!

Noir: "He"? Is this about Florian?

Laila: ----Is he really that important to you?

Noir: ---- What do you mean by that?

Laila: I don't mean anything. ----But at this rate... you are usually so cool, but Florian's actions set you off. That's... not like you.

Noir: Laila?

Laila suddenly flings herself into Noir's lap, sobbing.

Laila: It's not like you, Noir! It's better this way with Florian not around! It'll be just like before, with Laila and the rest of us...

Laila reaches out a shaking hand and tilts her head towards Noir's.

Noir: Laila...!

{sound f/x konkon: knock-knock}

Voice: Boss, I'm coming in!

{sound f/x bikun: Laila jumping in surprise}

{sound f/x ba: Laila jerking back suddenly}

Laila: [blushing] Ah. I... I'm sorry. ----I

Guy: I've finally got some information... Ah, was Laila in here?

Laila rushes past the man in the doorway.

Noir: ------ What am I gonna do...

Back on the streets, Solomon interrogates Florian.

Solomon: Is Rei Balzac really Noir? Answer me, Florian.

Florian: ---- That's right.

Solomon: !

Florian: ----is what I could say, but you could also say that I'm really Noir.

Solomon: Florian, what are you saying? Don't joke...

Florian: Noir is me.

Solomon: FLORIAN!

Florian: Now then, I've confessed, so tell me where Noel was taken.

Solomon: (It's just always this or that.) If I catch you, you're going to jail. It'll be especially bad for a beauty like you.

Florian: Don't threaten me. I may be ruined, but as a member of the Rochefort line I have connections to royalty. My family line has with many people in all sorts of places.

Solomon: So you've got friends in high places---- huh...! [What Solomon literally says is something along the lines of "You're a fox borrowing a tiger's influence." It's apparently a saying that refers to people who rely on the power of others.]

Florian: Say whatever you want. If you start checking into false charges against me, you'll end up erasing yourself from society.

Solomon: ! [sigh] So this is the way that spoiled young brats play their trump card. (Cunnning bastard.) This way.

Florian: Solomon.

Solomon: Don't just stand there. If the brat gets killed, it'll be on my conscience, too.

Solomon and Florian arrive at a graveyard. Solomon motions Florian into a tomb.

Solomon: We're here. What're you doing? (C'mon.)

Florian: ...But this is a tomb, isn't it. ----!

Solomon: Hey, grab that end.

Solomon and Florian begin sliding the top off of a stone casket.

Florian: You're just a grave robber, aren't you.

{sound f/x zu: slow slide of the top}

Solomon: I said, shut up.

Beneath the casket's lid is a set of stone stairs.

Florian: Th... this is!

Solomon: [holding out a lantern] It's dark, so use this to light your footsteps.

{sound f/x bou: the lantern flaming}

(A prepared lantern.)

Florian: ?

Solomon: [scary face] Okay? No matter what happens, don't light up the surroundings. [picking up wedge-shaped tool] (This'll be perfect.)

Florian follows Solomon into the dark cavern.

Florian: It's really dark, isn't it... Althought it still feels moldly.

Solomon: In this Montparnasse area, these types of underground passages run this way and that way, all around the area. This underground passage will connect us right to their hideout.

{sound f/x zara: Florian feeling something rough}

Florian: What's this wall? It's really rough...

Florian lights the wall to reveal stacked human skulls.

{sound f/x KYAA: high-pitched scream}

Florian: Wh... what in the world.

{sound f/x dokidoki: heart racing}

Solomon: I warned you, didn't I. These are called catacombs. Since the Middle Ages, this path has been made by tightly packing bones together.

Florian: (That's the first I've heard of it...)

Noel suddenly gets up at a noise in his prison.

{sound f/x goto: thump}

Florian: Shh~

Noel: Flori...an?

Tassel: Hm...huh?

Florian: I came to save you. You shouldn't get people so worked up over you, you little munchkin.

Meanwhile with the Black Hand, Louise is being kept busy.

Man: Louise-sama, it's awful!

Louise: What's with all of the racket?

[-sama is a Japanese ending of extreme respect for someone, used for superiors.]

Louise: WHAT DID YOU SAY!? YOU CAN'T FIND THE JEWELS!?

Man: No matter where we look, we can't find them. When he changed his money into jewels, did he really hide them in the stuffed bear!?

Louise: Dammit---- Those bastards are making fun of me!

Noel: Florian---- Papa is...!

Tassel: [struggling with his chain] Ku...

Solomon: The footsteps are close. Be careful!

{sound f/x da: Florian dashing forward}

Florian: Noel, out of the way!

{sound f/x gan: loud crack}

Florian uses the wedge to break the chain in two, just as the door opens.

{sound f/x ba: door flying open}

Man: What're you doing!!

Florian: Noel, hurry and get your dad out of here!

Man: [drawing his gun] You bastard!

Noel: FLORIAN!

{sound f/x ban: gunshot}

Part 2b | Part 2c | Part 2d

Manga belongs to Higuri You, Eyes Comics, and Shuueisha, taken from the Gorgeous Carat -Kurayami no Bitoku- manga, ISBN4-8342-6122-0. Not like the story makes sense if you haven't read the manga anyway. Romanized and translated into English very badly by Mina-P, with desperately needed help, as always, by Mako-chan. Any comments or corrections can be mailed to Mina-P at Minako@senshigakuen.com.

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