OH YEAH! Three chapters in a WEEK! That's my record for updating! (Too bad not a lot of people are reading this story T.T) ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy this chapter! ^^ Please review! I really enjoy reading DarkdemonRaYven's reviews! A BIIIG THANK YOU TO YOU DarkdemonRaYven! Your comments encourage me to keep on writing!
"Yes, my "guests" all have a strawberry wedged inside their wounds. And the strawberries you three are holding are the ones I found inside the bodies." The Undertaker chuckled and dropped his strawberry back into the jar. Corinne squealed and threw the berry away. The Undertaker caught it and motioned for Sebastian and Ciel to return theirs too. Ciel was turning a little pale and obediently returned the cursed berry.
"Why in the world would the murderer place a strawberry inside a body?" Corinne shuddered.
"You never know. If a person is so corrupted that they would kill a person, which by itself already isn't normal." Ciel said. He got up and brushed his jacket.
"Thank you, Undertaker, for giving us this information. I think it's time for us to get going."
"Why so eager to leave, Earl? I still have one more striking detail to tell you. The fatal wound wasn't of blood lost from the cut on the guest's backs. The police were too ignorant to notice this, but there was another wound on the back of the girls. Looking at the wound, the killer probably stabbed the girl in the back first, which was the actually cause of death. The thrust was deep and pierced many internal organs. Just thought you should know." The Undertaker chuckled. "Ah, but knowing the Earl, you will certainly stop these murders from happening. This will also mean that I will have less "guests" in the days to come. Wish you luck in finding the murderer, Earl and Countess." Just like that, the Undertaker slipped back inside his coffin and closed the lid shut. Corinne looked at the coffin with disgust and turned away.
"Well, the Undertaker was sure helpful. All we know is that the murderer is blood-thirsty and has a thing for strawberries. And I actually thought that he would give us helpful advice." Corinne retarded.
"Actually, Lady Corinne, the Undertaker has given us very good advice." Sebastian takes out his pocket watch. "My, look at the time; it's already five-thirty in the afternoon. Young master, are we going to stay at the London house or the main house? I should go start preparing lunch." Ciel frowned at the bustling streets of London and shuddered.
"We're going back to the main house. No matter how convenient staying in London would be for us, I hate the crowds of people milling aimlessly in the city." Ciel noticed Corinne hanging back.
"Corinne, do you wish to join me for dinner? We can discuss further things afterwards." Ciel asked. Corinne looked weary for a while, then nods.
"I would love to, but I think it best if I go back home and… report to my father first. After hearing about young girls getting killed in London, he gets awfully protective of me." Corinne started to walk back down the street when Sebastian called after her.
"Lady Corinne, the young master wishes for you to stay at the Phantomhive house so it would easier to find you when things become necessary. The young master despises going into the city, so…"
"I understand. I will go ask my…father about this matter as well." Sebastian bowed to Corinne.
"Then the young master will await you for dinner." Sebastian makes his way back to the horse carriage.
"Young master, I have offered the request to Lady Corinne and she accepted."
"Good." Ciel crossed his legs. "Even right now, I do not completely believe Corinne's motive of working with us and I can't trust her. Sebastian, find out more information about Corinne to see if everything she said to us was true or not. Since it's just one person, I expect you to be done in two minutes and be back at the manor before I get home."
"Yes, my lord."
~Count Fosset's Manor~
Corinne walked up to her main doors, but doesn't want to enter, fearing her father. But before she could decide whether or not to go in, the door busted open and Corinne's maid, Maria, came rushing out and crashed into Corinne.
"Oh my goodness, I'm very so… MY LADY!" Maria cried and hugged Corinne tightly.
"Maria, what's going on? Did Father get worse?" Corinne asked. Maria cringed onto Corinne's arms. Maria's chocolate brown hair that was always tied in a tight bun was hanging loose, her hair flying everywhere. Her crisp white apron was stained with coffee, tea, and many other things Corinne couldn't tell apart.
"Oh my lady, it's terrible! Master is way beyond our control! (Which there are only three of us…?) He keeps saying that he saw the late Lady Magdala and wants to talk to her!" Maria cried.
"He now wants to see Sister Meg? Just two days ago, he claimed to have seen my dead mother and now this. I can't even leave his side for a day or two. Don't worry Maria. You can tell the other servants to take a rest back at their rooms. I'll take care of the rest. But I should warn you that I will not be coming back here for the rest of the week."
"What? Nooooo, my lady, we need you! Without you, we servants can't calm the master!"
"I know it is terrible timing, but I finally got a lead to Meg's death. It's my closet after three years! I'll have to leave in a few minutes, but for the meantime, I'll deal with father." Corinne sighed and hushed Maria back inside the house.
~Phantomhive Manor~
"Sebastian, did you get the information we need?" Ciel asked. Sebastian was holding a few sheets of paper and nodded.
"Since Corinne is from a noble family, not much information was found. But something we do know is that everything Corinne told us…was true. Corinne Loria Odile Fosset was born on March 17th, 1876. Her mother, Chartreuse, was believed to have died a few hours after Corinne's birth. Corinne indeed have an elder sister named Magdala, but widely known as Meg. Meg has been hospitalized since she was ten years old and was finally allowed to leave at age thirteen. But two days after leaving the Royal London Hospital, Meg's body was found in one of the alleys in London, killed by the same method the Red Slasher uses. There is also a rumor going around the city that the Count has gone mad a year after Meg's death, but no one is sure." Sebastian finished reading off his papers and took off his glasses.
"Hm, so everything Corinne has told us so far was all true? It would be interesting to listen to Corinne herself explain more in detail, which was also why I invited her over. Is the guest room and dinner guest ready Sebastian?"
"Yes, everything is in place. Now all is left for Lady Corinne to arrive. I shall ask the other servants to wait at the front door to welcome our guest, along with myself, and show her Phantomhive's hospitality." Sebastian left Ciel in the study room and went in search of the three slackers. As he expected, Mey-Rin, Finni, and Bard were all sitting in the servant's quarters, doing absolutely nothing. As soon as the three saw Sebastian, they stood up as one in attention.
"Now, we will have a guest arriving in a few moments and I want all of us to stand outside the door to welcome our visitor. She has been in the manor just today, but we haven't properly introduced ourselves." Mey-Rin, Finni, and Bard all saluted and marched to the front door. Perfect timing, because a carriage was being pulled through the road towards the Phantomhive manor just as the four stepped outside. As the carriage pulled to a stop, Sebastian opened the door and held out his hand.
"Welcome to the Phantomhive Manor, Lady Corinne." Sebastian said. The other three chimed in the background when Finni gasped.
"Wooow! You're pretty, my lady! Just like a doll. I mean, I saw you a little earlier today, but never really noticed how you looked!" Mey-Rin and Bard nodded in agreement.
"Ah…thank you." Corinne said and blushed.
"In order yo perfectly maintain this vast mansion, an enormous amount of capapble servants such as a house steward, a butler, a gardener, a chef and a maid are necessary." The three pointed to themselves when Sebastian mentioned their jobs. Tanaka-san sat quietly on the pavement sipping tea. "But… Sadly, this household doesn't have anyone but a butler. (Since I take care of everything.) " Finni, Bard, and Mey-Rin had their mouths wide open and in disbelief.
"Um, then my I ask who are the people standing behind you?" Corinne pointed to the three shocked servants.
"THE MAID!"
"THE CHEF!"
"AND THE GARDENER!"
"HO HO HO!"
"Ah, I was just kidding. Yes, Mey-Rin here is the maid, Bard the chef, Finni the gardener, and Tanaka-san the house steward." Sebastian laughed.
"Not funny Sebastian." Bard warned.
"Uh…my lady? May I come out now?" A small, weak voice called from the carriage and a woman stepped out, holding a case. Well, more like a girl because she looked no more than eighteen. The girl was wearing a fancy maid uniform and has her hair tied in a bun.
"Oh, Sebastian, this is Maria, my maid from home. Since my house has…erm…some difficulties right now, do you mind if my maid stays here with me?" Sebastian looked at Maria and smiled at her.
"Of course. I don't think the young master would mind harboring another." Sebastian took out his pocket watch. "Since you have arrived, Lady Corinne, I shall go prepare us dinner. Mey-Rin, lead our guests to the dining room please."
"Ah, this way please…Lady Corinne?" Mey-Rin adjusted her glasses and led the pair into the dining room.
"Oh my, is dining room is quite exquisite! My lady, maybe we should decorate ours the same way too." Maria said as they took a seat. Ciel came in and nodded at Corinne, taking his seat at the end of the table. Sebastian rolled in a cart filled with food and placed it in front of Ciel, Corinne, then Maria.
"Our first dish is roast pork with pease pudding and roasted apples on the sides." Ciel picked at the food, and then turned his attention to Corinne.
"Corinne, this might seem offensive to you, but I asked Sebastian to do a little research on your family and yourself."
"Ah, I knew you wouldn't be able to trust me whole-heartily unless you know every little detail about me. What did you find out then?" Corinne asked, acting carefree. Maria nearly choked on her pudding and looked at Corinne, but Corinne shook her head.
"Well, according to Sebastian, your mother, Chartreuse, died within hours after your birth. Your sister Meg was hospitalized since she was ten because of a certain sickness…" Ciel stopped and noticed Corinne was tensing herself up, while the maid Maria seemed nervous.
"Yes, my sister had an illness called Nasopharyngeal Cancer, and it was because of that illness that my loving sister Meg became obsessed with death."
DA DA DA DA DON! Why is Meg obsessed with death? The story continues in chapter 4
