"Aaaahhhh-!"
The rain dripped calmly as a loud and horrifying scream of a man echoed in the empty halls of the Cornelius Mansion. The scream was cut short, followed by unfamiliar footsteps getting louder as it approached a room.
The room belonged to the only daughter of the Cornelius Family named Lucille, and inside was the child hiding behind her mother.
"Please, I beg you don't hurt her!" Lucille's mother, Isabela, pleaded as she bent her knees and cried of fear.
The innocent child, not knowing the height of the situation, simply watched as her mother knelt and begged for both their lives, staring at the killer with confusion.
Not showing a hint of mercy, the killer suddenly grabbed Isabela's hair, dragging her across the room. The once dignified lady struggled, trying her best to break free but couldn't. Without saying a word, the killer released Isabela's hair and revealed a large knife. From there, Isabela knew her fate, her eyes brimming with fear. Just then, she looked into the ceiling and seemed to be staring at something, but then, all that could be seen in the ceiling was darkness.
"Please do! I shall give my soul for her protection! Protect her until she is able to protect herself!" She shouted all of a sudden, appearing to be talking to the ceiling. However, in that instant, the killer began stabbing Isabela only a few meters away from Lucille. Blood gushed everywhere and Isabela looked at Lucille one last time with sad eyes as her view was blocked by the killer.
The killer continued stabbing Isabela with rage, even after he knew she was dead, he remained on stabbing her and when her body was almost cut up to pieces, only then did the killer decided to stop, slowly standing up as he turned to Lucille. As the child cried, the killer walked towards Lucille with his large knife dripped in blood. He raised his knife as he drew closer to the girl, about to land his knife exactly on top of Lucille's head. Suddenly, the killer's arm was cut clean from his elbow with his blood sprinkling all over the child. Shocked, the killer stumbled on his bottom, staring at what remained of his arm followed by a scream of pain. He then rapidly picked up his feet and dashed out the room. His footsteps was heard, but it immediately disappeared after a loud thud.
Lucille kept on crying, unable to grasp what just happened. Just then, a tall, pale, red-eyed man entered the room. His hair was jet black in color, a bit curly, and its length reached his shoulder. He walked pass the broken corpse of Isabela, and knelt in front of Lucille.
"There there…are you okay, my little lady?" He said, his voice being deep, yet gentle and charming.
"Who is that bad man? What did he do to Mama?" Lucille asked as she continued to cry, and the unknown man wiped the tears off her face with his handkerchief.
"Don't worry my little lady, the bad man is gone, he won't hurt you. From now on, I will protect you. Would you like that?" He replied with a smile.
With the child finding comfort, she hugged the stranger and nodded as she takes a look at her mother's dead body one last time before closing her eyes to rest from its heavy crying.
15 years later
"Lucille Cornelius! Have you been riding out all this time?" Gertrude Cornelius, Lucille's grandmother said as she walks towards the field, approaching her granddaughter who just got down from her horse. She was accompanied by 2 maids who were carrying her stuff, and her butler who was holding an umbrella for her.
"Hehe, sorry grandmama. It's just really fun riding horses." Lucille said as she dusted herself first before kissing her grandmother in the cheek. "You should've waited for me inside, you could get tired from walking and its really hot today."
Lucille and her grandmother then started to walk back the mansion.
"Nonsense, your grandmama is not that old yet! For all you know, I could ride horses faster than you. Anyhow, please be careful when you ride out alone. You know how our family is always threatened." Gertrude said as she hands Lucille a handkerchief to wipe the sweat on her face.
As the two Cornelius' along with their servants entered the mansion, they were welcomed by Sebastian, Lucille's butler and the one who took care of her since her parents died.
"Lunch has been prepared as you've instructed, Madame Gertrude." He said, standing tall and straight as usual.
"That fast? You just never cease to amaze me Sebastian!" Gertrude said surprised with a smile. Lucille, on the other hand, simply smiled as well since she was already used with Sebastian doing wonders.
"You flatter me too much, Madame." He said.
Afterwards, he leaded the ladies to the dining room and did the usual stuff before eating. When everything was done, all servants remained standing near the dining table.
"Lucille, there's actually something I would like to discuss with you." Gertrude said as she pats the handkerchief on her lips before speaking.
"What is it grandmama?" Lucille asked as she placed the fork down.
"You see, I've decided to expand our clothing company, and I've been looking for the perfect business partners. One of the potential companies I found is called the Funtom Company. They manufacture toys, candy, and other stuff for children, and I plan on making a clothing line for dolls that will match our clothing line for the children. That way, the children would feel to be like dolls themselves. " Gertrude replied, waiting for a reaction from Lucille.
"Sounds like a good plan. I'm thinking…you want me to talk to them, right?" Lucille said, guessing what Gertrude's main point was.
"Ha, you always know what I'm thinking Lucille. Well yes, I want you to talk to the Phantomhives, specifically the one handling the company, Vincent Phantomhive. He's a very brilliant man, and young, only a few years older than you. He's been handling the Funtom Company all by himself since he was 15." Gertrude said as she took another bite of meat from her plate.
"Wow, that's quite impressive. He seems to be very business minded as such a young age. When do you want me to meet him?" Lucille asked, willingly to meet this Vincent Phantomhive.
"The truth is, he'll be visiting you here tomorrow. I've already called him yesterday and said that you will welcome him here at the mansion." Gertrude said and Lucille was almost choked by the water she was drinking.
"Wow, that fast? You…never cease to amaze me grandmama." Lucille said with a smile as she composed herself.
"You know me when it's about business. I never waste a second. Besides, I saw that Vincent Phantomhive when he was younger, I must say he's quite the handsome young man. That's the very reason why I want you to meet him." Gertrude said, revealing her other intention.
"Grandmama…you know I'm not into those kind of things yet." Lucille replied.
"I know, but you're not getting any younger by the second! Besides, you're turning 21 already, the perfect age to get married. Get to know him, alright?"
"Yes grandmama, I'll try my best." Lucille replied, surrendering to Gertrude's request.
After talking for a little more while, Lucille and Gertrude finished up lunch. Gertrude then said that she had more business to attend to so she will be going, but before she left, she complimented Sebastian's excellent food and made him promise to take care of Lucille as always.
"Of course Madame, I would never let any harm go her way." Sebastian promised as she helped Gertrude ride the carriage.
"Take care, grandmama!" Lucille said as Sebastian shut the carriage door and stepped back. The carriage proceeded to move as it fades from the distance.
"You didn't ask me permission to go horseback riding." Sebastian reminded Lucille as the aura around them suddenly went dark.
"Errr…sorry Sebastian." Lucille said with a forced smile.
"Apology accepted, but as punishment, you will help me set up the mansion for the visitor tomorrow." Sebastian said strictly. Lucille on the other hand, scratched her head in disappointment of having chores.
"Alright…" Lucille replied, having no other choice. She, along with Sebastian and other maids, cleaned up the whole mansion and made sure it looked welcoming.
After a whole afternoon of cleaning, Lucille rested on the balcony which overlooked the sunset. It was her favorite spot on the house and that was where Sebastian always finds her when she's not in her room.
"You seem to be thinking about something." Sebastian said, disturbing Lucille's thoughts for a moment.
"Oh Sebastian, I didn't notice you were there." She greeted him with a smile.
"You always don't, especially when you're here in this place." Sebastian replied as he approached her.
"Yeah…the sunset's breathtaking, makes you think of a lot of things…and one of them is actually about you." Lucille said as she looked at Sebastian, and he replied with only a raised eyebrow. "Well you see, ever since I was little, your face never got older. It's just weird that you still look exactly the same 15 years ago! Do you have some kind of morning routine or a special skin rejuvenation thingy that you apply to yourself everyday? You should sell that, you'll get rich quickly because its super effective." Lucille said seriously while Sebastian simply smiled.
"Ha, no, I do not have a morning routine nor a skin rejuvenation 'thingy'. Let's just say that time isn't quite against me." He replied.
"I'm starting to think you're a vampire or something...but then I thought, even if you were a vampire, I'd probably be dead long ago. Anywaaayy, vampire or not It doesn't really matter. All I want to say is that I'm very thankful that you were the one who took care of me since I was little. Thank you very much for everything, Sebastian." Lucille said in all seriousness that it made Sebastian look confused, however, he later smiled and appreciated that Lucille took time to thank him.
"Of course, I promised you're mother I'll take care of you, and you grew up to be a very fine young lady than I've ever expected." Sebastian replied as he brushed his fingers on Lucille's hair, curving it on the back of her ear.
Suddenly, Lucille wrapped her arms around Sebastian's waist and started crying.
"Eh? What's wrong, Lucille?" Sebastian asked surprised as he hugged her back and brushed her hair once more.
Lucille hugged him and continued to cry before speaking, "Nothing…it's just that, something tells me you won't be there for me for long."
"What are you talking about? I'll always be around you, is that clear?" Sebastian said as he continued to comfort the childish lady.
"Promise?"
"Promise. Now stop crying like a baby, you're 20 years old."
"Hehe, sorry."