Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

The light hurt his eyes, burning his eyelids red and making him squint as sleep unapologetically left him. Rolling over, Ciel mumbled under his breath clearly not wanting to get up just yet.

'Good morning, young master.' Another mumble was heard, along with the sound of sheets being shifted.

'It is quite late, young master. I am afraid that it would be extremely rude if you keep your hosts waiting. You do realize that you have to join them for breakfast...?'

Sebastian stopped as he looked at the young boy and smirked at his disheveled state. Sitting upright and frowning sleepily, Ciel looked at his butler in annoyance but after a few seconds, a curious glint reached his eye. Seemingly remembering something, he immediately directed his gaze to his side as if trying to avoid his butler's inquiring look and whatever thought plagued his mind was left unsaid as he wordlessly got up and let himself get dressed.

'Young master seems more worn out that usual. Have you not slept well?'

Ciel looked him in the eyes and gave him a gruff "no", as if blaming him for it. Fixing his eye patch in the mirror, he once again avoided looking at his butler's reflection, an action which did not slip Sebastian's attention and brought a sly smile on his lips.

As they descended the stairs, Sebastian smoothly informed him that in normal situations, his tardiness would be considered extremely rude. Ciel noted that his butler hardly considered this case important and he guessed that it was due to their hostess, or more specifically, her guardian. What other reason would his butler have had to intentionally let him oversleep and be 45 minutes late when, ordinarily, such behavior would have been inexcusable in his eyes?

Ciel decided that he rather enjoyed seeing his demon butler experience a personal vendetta of his own for a change and upon that thought, a satisfied smirk lit up his features as he entered the parlor with confidence, more than accustomed to making himself at home and not bothering with excusing himself.

Catherine was holding her chin in her hands and throwing murderous glances at him, all of which was ignored by the boy. She kept silent and did not move while he unapologetically enjoyed his breakfast. Meanwhile Helena was sitting near the window, observing every move and once in a while casting her eyes over the unmoving butler by Ciel's side. The tension could be cut with a knife.

'What do you think you are doing, Earl?'

The countess' irritated words startled them all, but didn't seem to faze Ciel as he boringly looked at her and continued his eating. He stopped however after a few seconds as he caught her look, recognizing it as…That look, the look that women used as their weapon to kindly let men know of their pure irritation and loathing whenever something did not go quite as they planned. It was different from Elizabeth's. It was...scary. He stubbornly ignored the chilly atmosphere and replied in an indifferent tone:

'I am enjoying the breakfast that you have kindly set up for me.' More silence followed, so Ciel felt that in order for the tension to disappear, he had to go out of his way and say something about his tardiness:

'I am sorry for being late. I am afraid that being accustomed to living alone, I do not consider my timing as carefully as I should.' That seemed to have the desired effect as she immediately changed her attitude and started eating, responding curtly:

'Enjoy your breakfast.' Letting out a small sigh, he continued with his food, feeling unsatisfied. What was it?

Looking at her irritatingly he realized that it was the feeling of his ego being punched. She seemed so untouchable at that moment. Her hair was caressed by the sun's rays, as was her black dress. The delicate hands that maneuvered the silverware were slim and elegant, but also efficient in their moves. Her character was that of a strong person, although she was yet to experience life fully, and that was mostly shown in her green eyes. Not knowing hard work but also not having the support of a normal family; not making close friends but also not loving anyone as sincerely as she loved her only relative that has shown an interest in her. Pain was also something she hasn't experienced fully, although he grandmother's death has been quite a blow. Ciel decided that her stubbornness and upbringing would make a survivor out of her if things got out of hand. He knew what dangers threatened her now that she associated herself with him, but she also has been moving on thin ice ever since her guardian passed away. Setting his eyes on the woman by her side, he frowned upon seeing her absorbed in her gazing out the window. The sun was engulfing her form , making her eyes as radiant as small pieces of amber. The way she looked then was similar to a child's enthusiasm when unwrapping birthday gifts. Their conversation flashed in his mind and it only brought back the dull headache he fought with all night.

'...Isn't that lovely, Earl?'

Catherine's line woke him as he stared at her confusedly. She wore a serious expression with the tinge of a smile as she gestured for him to reply.

'Yes, certainly.' He thought about it more carefully and realized that giving her that answer wasn't such a bright idea. Now, for all he knew she could have been talking about nonsense just to prove that he hadn't been listening.

'I am very glad you think so. Pink would go wonderfully with your complexion and with such a small waist you could easily infiltrate the ball room dressed with a corset dress. Your hair will need fixing I'm afraid, but we shall consider this possibility later. As for now, we won't take action until I settle a few affairs.'

Ciel's shock was evident as he dropped his fork. Stifling his revolt, he turned to Sebastian and found him looking very interested and amused. Seeing the boy's expression, he pardoned his interruption and bowed slightly.

'Young master shall consider this option today and he shall give his response this evening.'

Nodding, Catherine gave a somewhat malevolent smile as she returned to her breakfast.

'I am afraid that I have errands to take care of today. You may spend your time as you please. It has been brought to my attention that you and your tutor have many lessons that have unfortunately been left behind due to these past events.'

Upon seeing Ciel's nod, she hesitantly continued, not forgetting to let her irritation show:

'I trust that you will not be late in the near future. I have important matters to discuss with you today, so I expect you to be here at precisely 1 o'clock.'

Ciel's annoyed expression didn't faze her as she finished her tea and excused herself. Helena however did not follow.

Sebastian was the one to inquire about this, addressing her directly and formally.

'Is the young Countess to go without a chaperone?' Helena responded with no hesitation, not minding the butler's obvious desire to see her leave.

'I recall explaining my duty, that of keeping you under my observation until a decision will be made. Unfortunately, the young mistress will have to be careful and manage in my absence.' Sebastian's fake smile didn't fool anyone. He chose ignore her presence and go on with his usual duties. As his master finishd his breakfast, he was quick to inform him of his schedule for the day. Ciel frowned at the familiarity of the scene, feeling a little bit out of his comfort zone at the strangeness of it.

'A letter has arrived from the local branch of the toy factory. It seems that a gentleman wants to buy the factory, despite the workers telling him that it is not on the market. He insists on seeing the owner.'

Ciel cast aside any other disturbing thought and focused at his task at hand. After having read the letter thoroughly, he frowned in suspicion as he looked at the man's name.

'Thomas Wildet... This person, isn't he in commerce?'

The butler nodded at his master's guess, giving him the information he found out on the matter.

'He is also an art collector. Not married, no children. He is an important member of society, very appreciated and respected. Quite the salt of the earth.'

'What would he want with the Phantomhive property?' He wondered aloud, his mind searching the possible plot behind this unexpected request.

Getting up, Ciel spoke his wish to see this individual. It was odd that a renowned business man wanted to associate himself with the infamous "dog" which all aristocrats seemed hell bent on avoiding. As they got ready to leave, that woman's words came back to haunt his mind and Ciel scowled at the previous night's memory. As she waited for them outside, he couldn't help but wonder if her simple suggestion had any hidden reason behind it. To confront Sebastian directly about his…social status would be highly inappropriate, not to mention terrifying. Ciel was not a spineless person. he could deal with confrontations and awkward situations. But this was very different from the usual social interactions. His demon butler was a Ninth. This was not a reason to ask him about his "home", being as it exceeded that clear line between normal and supernatural.

Ciel took the cane Sebastian offered, looking him in the eye. He stared at him with his usual poker face, no indication of actually preoccupying himself with his master's thoughts.

The woman told him that he could ask him. Something as simple as that couldn't be the answer. Weren't there taboo subjects which shouldn't be approached between a demon and a human? What right did a human have to know in the first place?

On their way to the factory, Ciel kept his thought to himself, not bothered by the silence between them. His butler didn't seem to mind it either, since he seemed hardly in the mood to have small chit-chat with his natural enemy.

They have been through many situations together. On many occasions, his demonic nature revealed itself, but he didn't bother to understand it. His main preoccupation was revenge. He didn't think it would matter. Why did it matter then?

The boy was startled when coming across this question.

Why does it matter?

He looked at Sebastian, a feeling akin to fear flashing in his eyes. His butler caught it and looked at him intently, quirking an eyebrow in silent curiosity.

What was the use of finding out more about one's executioner? Ciel's eyes widened for a second as he contemplated that question and upon coming up with an answer, his face turned expressionless once more.

It mattered because he actually thought he would survive this. That damn angel inflicted hope in him! The Earl that promised his soul to a demon that was prevented from getting his payment. What good would it do if he got through this anyway? He couldn't live a normal life anymore, not with all he'd been through. He preferred to die than live on with those dreadful memories. He wasn't afraid of it. Yearning for more time was not acceptable because it was an impractical wish. Looking at Helena reproachfully, he didn't appreciate the small comforting smile she gave him. To his mind it only made matters worse.

'Sebastian.'

His calm tone surprised the butler. Judging by his expression, he could have sworn his young master was going through a mental breakdown.

'I want you to tell me about the Ninth Circle.'

He had no time left but he might as well die enlightened.

Catherine walked the corridors, only the shuffling of her black dress and the clicking of her shoes audible on the polished floors. Few people minded her, some just resuming to casting strange glances her way. She reached her grandmother's former chamber with ease, counting on her black veil to hide the burning emotions in her eyes. The guards bowed their heads in recognition and let her through.

Victoria's sanctuary was sumptuous. Her exquisite bed was neatly arranged, blood no longer spilled on the fresh white bed spreads. Flowers were on the bedside table, along with her untouched jewelry case. She opened it slowly, looking at its contents with tears in her eyes. She always did wear the finest jewels. Noticing a small little drawer at the bottom of the intricate box, she smiled as she remembered that that was the place where she kept the diamond earrings she gave to Catherine on her 17th birthday. She stumbled across them by accident one day when she aided Victoria in getting ready for a function, but she didn't want to say anything that might have ruined the surprise. It turned out that her grandmother actually wanted her to find them to see if she liked them enough as a present and being that she had the eyes of a hawk, Victoria instantly caught the smile on her granddaughter's face upon seeing them.

Curious, she opened the small drawer and found a small rosary inside. Frowning, Catherine gathered it in her hand, staring at the odd cross, her fingers getting accustomed to the odd material.

'Excuse me, Miss Catherine.'

Scared out of her wits, she turned around, only to face a young maid standing by the door. She was so absorbed in her musings that she didn't hear the girl approach her. Smiling so as to mask her surprise, she beckoned her to come in.

'Yes, Rebecca. Is there something wrong?'The girl fidgeted, obviously distressed and she could easily guess the reason

'Well miss, um…I suggest you leave.'

Catherine stared at her, clearly awaiting an explanation despite the knowing look in her eyes. It bothered her this maid told her where she should and shouldn't go. She had more rights to be there than all the other palace members because she had loved Victoria the most, but that obviously couldn't make any one of them look at her with less contempt. The blood coursing through her veins was not their blood, but the blood of her disgraceful temptress of a mother.

'I think it's for the best miss. They are talking about you, downstairs. The ladies are serving tea, you see. And I heard them speak ill of the countess. Something about fraternizing with that Phantomhive person and…'

Catherine nodded in understanding. She expected this to happen. Rumors about her housing the Earl were bound to spread, just like she expected. It was a relief for her that she wanted no part in that life anymore. Now that her grandmother wasn't there she didn't need it. A fall in status was not something she would cry over.

'Oh miss!' The maid approached her with a saddened expression. 'They also said that prince Edward left again. He doesn't intent to come and sort anything out any time soon. The ladies have been talking about it for two days now. Miss, you were kind to me all these years. Your grandmother wouldn't want you to suffer. Best you retreat as fast as you can…'

'Thank you, Rebecca.' Catherine smiled sincerely as she walked to the door.

'I promise I will stay safe. Thank you for your concern.'

She left quickly, careful so as to not be spotted. She held the rosary tightly in her hand.

'Young Phantomhive, I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance.' Tomas Wildet shook the boy's reluctant hand, an easy going expression adorning his face. He was chubby, with small glasses pinching his nose and a head with an obvious toupee on it. His good natured laugh resounded in his office, trying to lighten the tense mood which the boy and his two companions carried.

'I suppose you received my proposal. It is a good deal if I do say so myself.' His Irish accent did nothing to alleviate Ciel's nerves. He squinted his eyes at the apparently innocent business man, not trusting his respectable image despite him being regarded as an important member of society. His words were probably as false as his hair.

'I didn't expect such a young boy to negotiate business deals with me. Isn't your guardian more appropriate for these kinds of talks?' Ciel sneered, not in the mood for this man's idiotic assumptions. Apparently he wasn't aware of his reputation.

'I am the one managing the family business, mister Tomas.' He emphasized the word "family" so as to let him know of his upcoming refusal.

'Do not mistake my age with naiveté. I am no child.' Silence followed but was interrupted by the man's sudden burst of laughter. Ciel got even more angry, so much that he clenched his hand into a fist by his side.

'And you said it with such a serious face! What an adorable kid!'

His temper tested, the boy glared at the man, approaching his desk swiftly. He pointed his cane at the man, seething when Tomas didn't even flinch.

'I would rather do this quickly for I have an appointment with yet another irritating creature such as yourself, and she would refuse me my dessert if I am late.'

Ciel knew how childish that made him seem, but at the moment he didn't care that much. He needed to vent, and this man was testing his temper.

'My answer is no. No matter how generous your offer is, I will not sell any of my properties to you. Obviously you do not know of my family at all, otherwise you wouldn't have approached me with a 10 foot pole. I ask you do not try to contact me again, sir, because if you will, I can promise you that I won't be nearly as polite as I am right now.'

The man's smirk was still plastered on his face, apparently not at all bothered by the boy's words. He leaned back on his chair and contemplated him, amusement never leaving his eyes.

'You are so very much like your aunt. The resemblance in temperament is striking.'

Ciel's heart stopped for a mere second, before starting to thump painfully and loudly in his chest. He could feel its beatings in his head, as if it were punishment for his previous verbal lash. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the man while he found his voice.

'Who are you?'

The man smiled, expecting the question since the boy barged into his office. He looked at the two persons standing behind his guest, not knowing whether it would be wise to ask them to leave. The first one was obviously some kind of bodyguard, what with his menacing composure. The other one he wasn't quite sure of. He oddly resembled a girl with those big bright eyes. Somehow he seemed the most relaxed of the bunch.

As if reading his thoughts, Ciel was quick to let him know that whatever he had to reveal, there was no need to ask them to leave because Tomas relaxed as well and was quick to explain.

'I knew your father. He and I competed at the Boat Race of '77[1]. Still can't believe it ended in a draw after all the effort we put into it. Your father was a competitive scoundrel, even if he hid it under that goody-goody exterior of his. Still, he was a wonderful friend. He bailed me out of more trouble than I can remember…'

Upon Ciel's glare, he coughed and continued.

'He introduced me to your wonderful aunt, Madame Red as you call her. Angelina was a person I truly admired. She had a lot of courage and thirst for life when I met her. Unfortunately my work did not allow me stay in place. By the time I found out about all that happened, your family had already…well, she had already….'

The man was finding difficulty in speaking coherently. Ciel rolled his eyes, ignoring the pain he felt at his mentioning his family. Deciding to get this over with quickly, he said in a bored tone:

'So because you were infatuated with her, you decided to come up with a plan to approach me, her only remaining relative?'

Upon the word "infatuated", the man blushed slightly and coughed once, looking at his desk with newfound interest.

'I wouldn't actually say "infatuated". She was just a funny girl that always caught my attention. Plus she was a looker…'

Ciel was losing his patience once again, realizing he was back to where he started. How silly to think that this man was a threat. He was obviously an idiot if he loved a woman because she was "funny" and a "looker". On second thought, he was an idiot for falling in love at all, especially with that twisted woman.

Ciel recalled painfully how she died, the only family he had left after the death of his parents.

He turned around so that Tomas wouldn't see his face, realizing that his poker face was harder to maintain these days.

'I am deeply sorry for your loss. About your parents…they were good people. I truly cared for them…'

The sadness was evident in the man's voice. Ciel decided to cut it short.

'I have other matters to attend to. My answer is still no.'

Fortunately, his voice was as icy as ever.

Leaving without another word, Ciel pondered on what had just happened, connecting it to his discussion with his two companions on his way there. Why did they seem related somehow?

How did she know?

Silence engulfed the carriage the moment Ciel asked the question. He didn't want to look into Helena's eyes, instead opting to pay attention to his butler. Sebastian seemed surprised at first, but immediately regained his composure. He smirked.

'It is not a welcoming sight, young master.'

Ciel narrowed his eyes.

'Don't patronize me, demon. Either you answer me, or you don't. I don't need half truths.'

Sebastian's smirk turned into a fully fledged smile and Ciel thought he heard him chuckle.

'You mean you want to hear a detailed explanation about the tortured souls that suffer to such an extent that they would rather disappear into nothingness?'

The boy flinched, annoyed at how easily Sebastian could read him. Aftera few moments Ciel smirked and looked out the window at the passersby.

'It is a good thing that I have you to make sure I disappear then, isn't it?'

They didn't add anything else. Ciel didn't change his position, not even when Helena started talking to him.

'Allowing yourself to sink into despondence does not help matters in any way, Ciel.' The soothing tone did nothing to alleviate his nerves. He couldn't help but snap back at her.

'What do you know?' His cold response didn't seem to faze her in the least.

'I could ask you the same question. You are given a second chance. A person can always come and want to protect you…People can love you. How do you not realize that?' With every word he felt more angry at her for her poor attempts at giving him something to live for.

'You don't understand so I suggest you hold your tongue in matters that don't concern you!'

His harsh tone took Helena by surprise. He looked at her in contempt, fixing her gaze with his own so as to convince her of the finality of his decision.

'I cannot be saved. I am not who I had been two years ago. Things that were once lost can never be brought back again! If you believe in a higher power so much…' He stopped, feeling his throat constrict with an unfamiliar sadness. Pushing it away immediately, he angrily told her off.

'If your God is so kind as to save me, why didn't he try to do so with my family? Or is it that he's just enjoying this sick game?' After a pause, he added spitefully:' I will never be a pawn in anyone's game'.

Helena looked crestfallen, her golden eyes widened in fright upon looking at the little boy in front of her.

'I am not yours to protect. I decide when a battle is worth fighting for, and this is not one of them.'

Silence ensued. Ciel turned to his window, not catching the brief exchange between his two companions.

Sebastian's smile was no longer on his face. Instead he wore a malicious expression with his eyes glowing red, smoldering hatred directed at his enemy.

Helena confronted his gaze without even a flinch. Instead, the sadness with which she looked at the boy standing across from her said it all.

Now a man was reaching out to him. A man who loved his family and who wanted to get involved in his life through the only means he knew how: business. He didn't know whether to laugh at him for his idiocy or make him stay away from him so as to not get hurt.

Catherine entered the building with shaking feet, relieved to notice that no one was there. The roses she held in her arms were wet from the rain that started pouring outside. She arranged them gently by her tomb, not letting the small sob she held in escape her trembling lips. Her eyes however, watered silently and tears fell on her already wet cheeks. Her voice was shaking, either because she was cold, or because of her emotional state.

'Well…Edward, your good for nothing son as you called him, is not planning on taking the reigns as of yet. They prefer keeping up the façade for as long as they can. They have even gone so far as to threaten the servants into keeping the secret. Poor things are terrified.'

Catherine's voice sounded strange to her ears because it didn't quite sound like her own anymore. Her tears were starting to dry on her face.

'I found your rosary', she said as she stared at the thing in her small palm.' It's …not really your style.' She examined its sharp edges, flinching as she actually cut her index finger.

'Was this really yours?'

As expected, no answer came. She placed the rosary next to the roses, sighing as she felt another chill. She would catch pneumonia if she didn't get to a warm, dry place soon.

'I'll come and visit again. I promise I will get to the bottom of this. I still don't fully trust Ciel, but he doesn't seem to be responsible for what happened to you. If I were to believe his story, then that would mean that the creature that killed you has already been destroyed, compliments of Sebastian.' After a pause, she added:

'You wouldn't have liked Sebastian. You yourself said that people who smile a lot either have something to hide or they're insanely happy. He's always smiling, and I would bet anything that he is never happy. At least not in a healthy way.'

Bidding her goodbye, she left and headed back to her home, barely waiting for the hot bath she would have prepared for her.

The weather was dreadful. The rain kept pelting down and she was soon , she reached her house quickly with her carriage.

'Thank you Henry!' She hurried up inside after saluting her driver and had the maid help her discard her wet clothes.

'Prepare me a bath, please, Ann.'

'Yes miss.' She shivered as her wet clothes were she off her, growing more impatient as her warm bath took longer to prepare. It was barely 12 o'clock, her guests haven't arrived yet and she had plenty of time to clean up.

'Some tea too, if you please.' She added as she caught sight of her maid scurrying about.

'Yes miss.'

Her bath helped warm up her frozen skin and her robe was soft enough to make her feel as if she was floating on air. Feeling a little bit drowsy, she sat on the bed and decided that a quick shut eye would do no harm. Catherine wanted to push that day's event out of her mind as quick as possible.

'Where is she?'

Ciel was irritated. This day had been very upsetting for a short tempered Earl such as himself. After the grueling trip to that annoying man, Wildet, he returned to his current host's house and had his lessons just as scheduled. He never did like history, especially with a demon butler breathing down his neck and an angel staring at him from the corner of the room. Not to mention that the tension between the two could be cut with a knife. Now that he thought about it, the situation was quite ridiculous.

It rained and he was beginning to feel a cold on its way. Also, he was hungry. It was 1 thirty and she still hadn't come down.

'Miss is getting ready, Earl. Please excuse her tardiness' the maid said lightly.

Excuse her tardiness? This was no way to treat a guest. He had a headache and he wanted nothing more than go to sleep but he still had those stupid lessons to catch up to, even though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he still needed them.

'The young master has fallen behind. He must catch up. It is my duty as your butler to make certain that you get properly educated.' He said. Ciel thought begrudgingly that his butler wanted the finest soul to finally satisfy his hunger. That apparently included the best education as a side dish.

'I want to eat' he snapped.'She is not here on time, it is entirely her fault.'

'It would be rude to start without the host, young master. All must be seated at the table before anyone gets to eat. It is only polite.'

Ciel suspected that his butler was enjoying his distress too much for his liking. Finally she arrived, hastily arranging a few strands of hair that fell loose from her obviously improvised bun. Her hair was naturally curly, he observed, just like Elisabeth's.

He realized that he hadn't heard anything of her for quite some time. He needed to check op on her soon, in order to make sure she was well.

'I apologize for making you wait.'

His thoughts on Elisabeth were interrupted upon hearing the apology.

'I am sure you are. You seem to have taken your time, even for a nap. It must be quite relaxing, not doing anything.'

Catherine glared at him over her soup, not in the mood to quarrel after waking up from her much needed rest and hurriedly getting ready.

'Quite relaxing indeed. I must say that discovering that my father has left for the states and not even bothered to inquire about my well-being was refreshing. Also, it was wonderful to get reminded of the fact that the only person I truly cared for had disappeared from my life and that the prime suspect is sitting and eating Martha's soup right in front of me, with his demon butler right next to him.'

Ciel didn't look her in the eye while he enjoyed his meal.

'Are you quite finished?' He mumbled under his breath, not wanting his headache to amplify.

'No, I am not!'

Her tone was sharp and angry. In lack of another witty remark, she resorted to stating the obvious.

'Where is Helena?' A pang of fear pulled at her heart, but she stifled it along with the thought that the butler could have hurt her. Helena was far too strong to be defeated by that creature. At least, that was what she wanted to believe.

'She stepped outside.' Ciel was done with his soup and waited for the second course, his hunger not yet satisfied. He watched Catherine stare at her soup with a frown, oddly silent.

'Alright, but she should come inside. It is a bit nippy outside.'

It was raining cats and dogs, but the countess didn't seem to realize it as she absently stirred her soup.

'Have you forgotten how to use a spoon?' Ciel's remark only brought him silence as she continued to stare at the before mentioned spoon. He leaned a bit closer to her and said in a mocking tone:

'That is called beef and tomato soup. That instrument which you are holding is called a spoon. You use it to eat the soup, unless you want to slurp it like barbaric Asians do.'

His words seemed to have caught her attention. She glared at him and was on the verge of saying a comeback, but she swiftly changed her mind. Instead, she took a pale pink rose from the arrangement on the table and put it in the Earl's hair, above his ear, with a smile.

'Pink does look lovely with your complexion. I suggest we start on the mission I mentioned this morning. I think I still have a dress that might fit you. The ball is in two days and we have to figure out the identity of the person my grandmother was referring to in her letter.'

Ciel looked at her confused, until he realized she was talking about that morning's conversation. He accepted whatever plan she came up with because he wasn't paying attention.

'What letter?'He asked, wary despite himself.

Catherine sighed and explained her intentions once again.

'My grandmother mentioned in her last letter a person she was most grateful to. She called him "that boy", but I assumed she was referring to you, since she had always considered you a child and since you did her all sorts of…favors.'

Coughing, she thanked her maid for bringing the second course and continued.

'I believe that this individual must be someone else. He appeared in an odd context in the letter. I paid it no mind, since I didn't think it would be important.'

She started eating, but Ciel had just realized the other part of her plan that she hadn't explained.

'Then why do I have to wear a pink dress?' He tried to remain calm despite the growing anxiousness he felt. His head already experienced a migraine as he expected her answer.

'Because you will infiltrate the ball that will be given in the honor of a dear friend of my grandmother's. That individual could be there as well. You cannot go as yourself because of your obvious infamy amongst the royal family members. We will all go to investigate and you will try to find out all that you can without seeming suspicious. You will have to be very careful. I had heard that viscount Druitt is drawn to young ladies. Best steer clear of him.'

Ciel dropped his spoon.

[1]The race between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights on the River Thames in London, England. It is also known as the University Boat Race and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The race in 1877 was declared a dead heat