Chapter Fifty Two
"Aren't you excited, Luna?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Ciel's been chosen to play too! I can't wait to see him again!"
"Indeed," Luna smiled. "Ciel did write to me from time to time about school. He's a true genius, worthy of being in the Sapphire Owl dormitory."
"Edward will be playing too!" Elizabeth added. "He'll be so surprised to see you!"
It was June the 3rd. For the last weeks, there had been two major developments concerning the case. One: it was confirmed that Derrick Arden as well as the other four students were not in Violet Wolf Dormitory in the first place. Second: there was another way to be invited to the midnight tea party and that was…
"… By being personally invited by the principal. However, the criteria is different every year, so there is no certain way to be invited," Ciel stated. "However, as a member of the cricket team, the best I can do at the moment is to make good enough strategies with your help to win us the game. Only by confronting the principal will we be able to solve this case."
"I hope that Ciel will be alright. Sports have never been a strong point of his after all…" Luna mused. "Ah, it looks like we've arrived."
Sure enough, the quartet got off the carriage and were brought in the dining hall where many other nobles were in attendance. Many have greeted them and a Baron began to chat with Marquis Middleford, leaving Elizabeth and Luna waiting anxiously for Ciel's arrival.
"I'm sorry to disturb your talk," a man said from the platform. "Everyone, I welcome you to the opening ceremony of the traditional 4th of July cricket tournament. I am glad we are able to open the tournament safely again this year. Please enjoy this night-before-feast. Well then." He cleared his throat. "Will the dormitories' representing players come forward!"
The ground started to tremble as the doors opened.
"Here they come! They never let any of the dorms overtake them in overwhelming physical ability or team effort! The top of the world. Green Lion!"
In marched eleven players clad in medieval armor with green cloth. The one leading them, Greenhill Luna presumed, held a flaming torch and was the only one to wear a cape and a helmet. Edward, who followed close behind, was raising the flag for their dormitory. The other players simply held up their swords as they marched in.
"Big brother, you're so cool!" Elizabeth exclaimed, making him blush. Just then, a red petal fell in front of them.
"L-Look!" A student exclaimed. "The second placed dorm that was on Green House's heels until the end of last year! They charm their visitors with their beautiful play…"
The doors under the Red House's coat of arms opened. "Brilliant Eden. Scarlet Fox!"
The players were all dressed richly and all held a single rose each. The prefect for Scarlet Fox, Redmond, held a chandelier as his fag, Harcourt, had the flag with their dorm's herald. The players soon began to woo the ladies by giving them roses, and Luna had been the lucky one to receive hers from Redmond himself.
"Wow, Luna!" Elizabeth clapped happily. "Even a prefect has his eyes on you! I'm so jealous!"
The lights suddenly went off, scaring most of the audience.
"C… Could this be…"
"They say they confuse their opponents with their unforeseeable tricky play!"
The door for the Purple House opened, but no one came out. However, a group of cloaked students began to stroll amongst the guests, scaring them with their terrifying expressions.
"Ghost Legion. Violet Wolf!"
Luna could see that the Purple House prefect wore his dormitory's coat of arms on his chest and held a lantern with a skull. Needless to say that everyone nearby ran away as far as possible. Luna though, just looked on in boredom. That's what happens when you were friends with Grim Reapers, and Undertaker, a demon and the Queen's watchdog.
"They are tricky alright," Luna heard a boy say as the light came back on. "They didn't even use the door to come in…"
Then, everyone noticed the presence of snowy owls flying in the hall.
"Those birds…"
"It's that dorm. Their physical ability isn't good, but they aim for an opening with their game making strategies."
Finally…
"God only knows, Sapphire Owl!"
The prefect, Bluer, was once again the one carrying a lantern, though this one had an owl on it. They wore clothes suited for knowledgeable people and the same hats as the vice-principal. However, there was no doubt in her mind that despite how badly the team has done in the past, they can do much better this year.
The team walked in an akward silence which was quickly broken by Elizabeth's comments.
"Kyaa! Ciel, you look so cute! Do your best!"
"Congratulations on making the team, Earl Phantomhive," I bowed slightly. "Good luck."
The four prefects then surrounded a big cup with their flames.
"Light the flame of St George!" The vice-principal instructed.
"All of us players…" Greenhill began.
"…Vow to keep…" Bluer continued.
"To the tradition of Weston College…" Redmond spoke.
"And fight fair and square until the end," Violet finished.
And so, they lit the cup, earning themselves cheers from their audience.
"And with this I declare the 1889 school year's dormitory cricket tournament open!"
"I'm sure there will be some fierce competition tomorrow," the vice-principal concluded. "So please enjoy tonight'S festivities till your hearts' content."
He then went down the stairs, but trupped and rolled over, fallin flat on his face.
"V-Vice-principal!?"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," he stood up, blood coming from the top of his face. Luna frowned at the sight. Surely no one can be that clumsy…
She was unable to ponder over it any longer as the festivities began immediately. Each dorm was gathered around a different table, emphasizing the separation of the four dormitories.
"If you don't eat, you won't last until the final battle!" Greenhill told his dormmates. "Eat plenty!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hmph, what a carefree bunch," Luna heard Bluer say. "We're holding a meeting in order to perfect our strategy! We can't waste a moment."
"Understood!"
"Don't be so boring," a woman put her hand on the prefect's shoulder. "You should enjoy yourself too!"
"S-Sis?!" Bluer cried out as he was surrounded by seven members of the female population of varying ages.
"Enjoy! Enjoy!" The twins hugging the prefect exclaimed.
"Look at you looking all important. What a difference from you were at home!" One of the older ladies, the one with curly hair, declared in a teasing voice.
"I'm surprised the boy who always wanted to play house with me is now a prefect," the kind looking lady teased.
"Sister!" Bluer said, embarrassed. "Please! Just stop saying unnecessary things and go stand over there!"
"Ah, everyone, thanks for taking care of my little brother," the kind lady said to the other players of Blue House.
"Hey, Law," the one who grabbed him by the shoulder had a mean look, "what do you mean, unnecessary!"
The girls and women just continued fussing around him despite the formal setting of the event. Most of the people who looked on just sweat-dropped, not knowing how to deal with this situation.
"My," the curly-haired lady declared, pointing towards Ciel. "You're Phnatomhive, aren'T you? My brother wrote about an amazingly talented first year."
"Thank you very much…"
The most outspoken of Bluer sisters then had an evil glint in her eyes. "My, aren't you cute!"
"His looks, brains and lineage are all good," the curly-haired one stated. "He's ideal. But a little short."
"Um…"
"How about it? Won't you take our little sister to be your wife?" A little girl with glasses was forced in Ciel's face.
"What?!"
"Sister, stop it!"
"What are you getting all red for?"
"That's unbecoming, Adela."
"No, um…" Ciel tried to protest.
"Ciel!" Elizabeth called her fiancé. She went into a curtsy. "Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Ciel's FIANCÉ, Elizabeth."
On the side, Edward was shaking Ciel. "Ciel, you bastard, even though you had Lizzy, you jlhfsdkjhgkjdjkg!"
"Ah, so he had one after all," the curly-haired one stated.
"All the good guys are already taken," the other sister sighed.
Luna smiled at their antics. "Enough, Edward, can't you see that Ciel was trying to refuse them?"
"But still! He is destroying my sister's honour!" Edward protested, having let go of Ciel.
"I'm sure that Lizzy can fight her own battles, Edward. She is a genius at the sword after all," Luna shrugged. "Anyway, try not to kill your sister's fiancé next time."
Edward just grunted in reponse.
"Blue House is as noisy as always," the Red House prefect, Edgar Redmond, declared.
"Ciel, that silly hat looks good on you!" Soma said as he clutched his stomach, laughing.
"To think that you'd be chosen as a reprensentative…" Ciel trailed off.
"Of course!" Soma pointed at himself. "In India, cricket's been super popular since the English brought it over! I made my own team at the palace too!"
"Wow." Ciel commented.
"And who may this lady be, Phantomhive?" Redmond said, taking Luna's hand to kiss it briefly.
"My former ward, Countess Luna Owen-Phantomhive. Luna, this is Scarlet Fox's prefect, Redmond. Redmond, Luna."
Luna fell into a curtsy. "It is a pleasure. I've heard much about you. Ciel often writes about the prefects as does Edward. I hope that neither of them have been a bother."
"Oh no! Phantomhive is pleasant company and Middleford is a genius of his own right," Redmond waved off her comment. "Speaking of which, how is it that you are acquaintanced with Middleford?"
"We are good friends," Luna smiled.
Redmond smirked. "Is that so… Would you like me to be your escort for the night, Lady Luna?" He extended his arm.
"You may refer to me by my first name alone if you so wish."
"Then you may call me Edgar, Milady."
"That is definitely how one should speak to a lady!" The Viscount of Druitt walked towards the group. "I see that you still remember all those lessons I taught you!"
"Viscount of Druitt," Luna acknowledged with a nod.
"Uncle Aleister!"
"Non, don't call me uncle!" The viscount shook his head. "Ahh… How nostalgic, my Alma Mater! I feel like my youth here, as fresh as the morning dew on the roses, was only yesterday."
"To think that he graduated from here too…" Luna heard Ciel sulk.
The Marchioness frown. "I don't like flashy men like that!"
"Well, if it isn't the beauty I saw that time at the ball!" The viscount exclaimed as he took in Luna's appearance. "You were also at the Frost Fair as well as the Curry Contest, non?"
"That is correct, Viscount, I'm surprised that you remember me."
"How could I forget a beauty such as yours!" The Viscount declared. "Nephew, you have truly chosen well! My best wishes for you both!"
"I apologize, Viscount, but…" Luna sweat-dropped. "This is the first time we've ever met, you see."
"Is that so? Well then, Edgar, you better hurry before anyone else proposes to her!"
"As entertaining this conversation is, I have not seen Ciel for quite some time, and I'd like to catch up with him," Luna bowed. "If you'll please excuse me."
Luna left the two men and returned to her group just as Edward asked Sebastian if he was acquainted with his mother.
"What are you two saying! Mr. Michaelis is…" Elizabeth whispered the rest in her father and brother's ears.
"It's been a long time," Sebastian took off his glasses, pulling off a sheepish smile.
Both Middleford men tapped a fist on the palm of their other hand.
"Oh! I hadn't noticed a thing," the Marquis declared.
"Me neither."
"Edward, I thought you noticed, but just didn't say anything!?"
"When Lizzie's around, I don't see anything else, of course," Edward shrugged.
"Don'T say that like it's normal!"
"Please, Ciel, Edward obviously has a sister complex." Luna smiled at her exasperated surrogate brother.
"Tomorrow's tournament is related to your work?" Edward asked.
"I can'T say it isn't, but there's no need to hold back," Ciel decided to reveal.
"Hmph, then you can be sure I won't!" Edward said with a smirk.
Elizabeth hugged Ciel tightly. "I'm going to be cheering you on loads, so be sure to win, okay?"
"Ah. Y-Yeah."
"Wha!"
"They may not see each other often, but they're a tight-nit group," Luna commented to Sebastian.
"Are you jealous, per chance?"
"They share bonds with him that I could never have, but Ciel and I also share a bond that is not to be underestimated."
"I noticed that Redmond was… enthralled by you, Milady."
"Don't call me that, and… Well, the Viscount said that Edgar should propose to me soon…" Luna recalled. "I'm not sure if he was joking, but Ciel did mention that Edgar usually doesn't escort anyone, so I guess that he is at least semi-serious about this?"
"On first name basis already?"
"From my perspective, he is one of the ones who befriended a good friend of mine and someone who proposed to be my escort for the night," Luna pointed out. "It kind of makes sense."
"Perhaps."
"Please don't tell me that you are jealous of him," Luna eyed the demon warily.
"Why would I be? I am already your one hell of a fiancé after all."
His words made Luna blush hard. "Just… Stop smirking! I swear that you do this on purpose!"
"Oh? And what is my little lady referring to?" Sebastian's smirk only grew wider.
"Excuse me, Professor Michaelis, may I borrow Lu-Lady Luna?" Redmond appeared from beside them.
"Of course," Sebastian agreed graciously. "I will be taking my leave now."
"I see that you have made the acquaintance of the Blue House Dorm Leader," Redmond commented off-handedly.
"Yes, Ciel has written about him, so I was quite intrigued to meet him," Luna smiled. "He is an interesting character indeed."
"About my question earlier… About me being your escort, do you accept?" Redmond extended his hand.
"Well, Ciel will be escorting Elizabeth anyways, and I believe that Edward may have found someone, so, considering that I am currently without one… Yes, you may."
"Would you like to sit down at the Red House table? I believe that you haven't eaten anything yet." Redmond began to lead her away.
"Thank you, Edgar, that is very kind of you," Luna sat down in the seat Redmond pulled out for her. "You are truly a gentleman. Tell me, were you taught by your uncle?"
"He did give me some lessons about art and beauty…"
"I am sorry to have kept you all waiting," the Vice-Principal called out moments later. "We will now decide the competition by drawing lots. Please lend me your hat," he asked Clayton. He then put the four tiles into the hat. "Well then, will the drawers, the House Masters come forward!"
The four of them went around the hat, putting one hand in it and drew out one tile each.
"I will now present the roster for the first round! Red Scarlet versus Sapphire Owl! Violet Wolf versus Green Lion!"
"It seems that the first match will be an easy win," one of the Red House commented.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Luna retorted. "If I learned anything after all this time… Ciel isn't one to give in without a fight." She turned towards the prefect. "Even so, I believe that it is only natural to wish you good luck now that I can, Edgar. However, I will be rooting for Ciel for the whole tournament."
"Of course, Luna. I understand completely," Redmond reassured her. "Moreover, the celebrations after the tournament… May I escort you then as well?"
"I must warn you that I already have a suitor in mind, Edgar," Luna stated. "I wouldn't mind us remaining as friends."
"… Of course."
"Thank you for your understanding. Then, I'll be glad to have you as my escort once more."
