I own nothing but my OC.
That Butler, Activated 5
'thoughts'
"speech"
"Demonic speech"
[speech heard over telephone]
{setting/stage directions?}
*sound effect*
An entire sentence like this, without quotes, is narration for dreams or stuff like written letters.
=†=†=†=†= scene shift/time shift
Previously:
"The underworld has its own rules. Its residents do not kill those on the other side without reason... and they do not invade polite society using the powers of the underworld. By our family coat of arms... I vow to eliminate, without exception, all who defile the gardens of the queen... by any means necessary." Ciel said coldly. "Excuse our intrusion... Undertaker."
"Based on our earlier conversation, we can now simplify our list of suspects." Ciel said as they all rode away from the undertaker's in his carriage. Except for Grell, he was driving.
"Yes, quite... first, we have... 'someone well-versed in medical science and anatomy.' Among them, 'someone with no alibi on the nights of the murders,' and as the perpetrator has absconded with the uterus of each victim, 'someone involved with a secret society or cult of black magic' is also a possibility." Sebastian said thoughtfully.
"Hm... but they might not necessarily be killing them specifically to harvest their uteruses for future use... The victims were prostitutes. They're ideal victims, since the public looks down on them. And, unfortunately, most people probably wouldn't give a dead hooker a second glance, but because of what these women were, it's possible that it's simply a hate crime. A womb is a symbol of womanhood, so maybe the killer is saying that they aren't fit to be women...?" Chêne said.
"Oh? You looked pretty squeamish earlier, but you're actually quite capable of saying the most horrific things rather calmly." Lau said. Chêne's eyebrow twitched.
"I don't want to hear that from you, of all people..." Chêne muttered. "Being squeamish won't help catch the killer, will it? We can't do anything for the women who've already become victims, but the sooner we catch this creep, the more people we can save." She pointed out.
"Wait... you call this 'simplified'? Just how many people do you think gather in London during the Season!?" Madam Red said. "Not only must you consider the doctors of London, but also the family physicians that aristocrats have brought here from the countryside. Further more, medical school graduates who never became doctors, like Chêne. Not to mention Orientals like Lau who are skilled in the use of needles and are familiar with human anatomy..."
"Ah, hold on, Madam Red. I never went to medical school." Chêne said, holding up her hand in a 'stop' motion.
"Eh? Then how do you know such much about medicine and anatomy? You are much more knowledgeable than the average citizen, so I had always just assumed you were a medical student before you became Ciel's maid." Madam Red said, surprised.
"No, I'm actually an artist... but my mother was a nurse, and she taught me a few things since I was always getting hurt. However, despite my school being an ordinary one, I'll admit that it made sure we were all well versed in biology, and we even dissected a pig because of how their anatomy, particularly their hearts, resembles ours... but we only examined the heart and lungs. Even if I know a lot about anatomy in theory, that was the only time I ever actually did any form of 'cutting' on another being. I know how to stitch cuts up, but I can't make them with that kind of precision." Chêne explained, smiling wryly and sweat dropping.
"I see..." Madam Red said, impressed that Chêne could be such an able nurse to Ciel when she had no real training. "At any rate, the Season will be over in less than a week, and the family physicians will return to the countryside—"
"Then we need only investigate before the season ends." Sebastian said, smirking.
"Come again...?" Lau said.
"We need only pay a call to each individual and verify his alibi prior to the season coming to a close." Sebastian said matter-of-factly.
"Verify their alibis!? Even though we don't know their exact numbers yet!?" Madam Red said incredulously. It was simply inconceivable.
"Please leave it to me." Sebastian said, smirking. Ciel glanced at the demon butler. "I am the butler of the Phantomhive family. It goes without saying that I can manage something as trivial as this." He said confidently. Chêne sweat dropped. Just what part about interviewing hundreds of people was 'trivial'...? Still, Chêne had to suppress her blush. Why did he have to look so damned handsome all the time!? Madam Red and Lau looked stunned. Ciel had a smug look on his face. "I shall make a list of suspects and call on each of them immediately." Sebastian told Ciel, bowing slightly.
"Nn." Ciel agreed carelessly.
"Eh, Wai—!" Madam Red yelled as Sebastian threw open the carriage door. Madam Red an Lau flinched in shock.
"Wah!" Grell cried, turning slightly blue with shock when Sebastian stuck his head out of the still moving carriage.
"Mister Grell, was it not? Please drive safely back to the townhouse." Sebastian said, smiling calmly, as though he weren't hanging halfway out of a speeding carriage.
'Show off...' Chêne thought, sweat dropping.
"Eh!? Ah! Yes!?" Grell said through his shock.
"Now, if you will excuse me..." Sebastian said, grinning at them as Ciel made a 'shoo, shoo!' motion at the demon butler.
"Come along now, Chêne." Sebastian said, smirking as he grabbed her.
"Eh...?" Chêne said, eyes widening in surprise when Sebastian suddenly tucked her under his arm, like a rag doll, and leapt from the carriage, closing the door behind them. Madam Red and Lau stared at the door, stunned.
"Hang on!? But the carriage is still moving!?" Madam Red yelled, panicking as she and Lau rushed to look out the window, but Sebastian and Chêne were nowhere to be seen.
"H-He's gone..." Lau said, stunned and impressed. Grell blushed as he stared back over his shoulder where he had last seen the dashing butler.
"Hey, you! Watch where you're going!! We're going to crash!" Madam Red yelled at the distracted Grell.
"Ah! Y-Yesss!! Beg your pardon..." Grell said nervously as he immediately snapped out of his daze.
"Haah... I can't believe he just grabbed poor Chêne like that..." Madame Red said, sighing and sweat dropping. "Sebastian made some rather lofty claims, but—"
"My butler said he would take care of it, and Chêne is also rather good at reading people. They will not return empty handed. All we need to do is sip our tea and bide our time." Ciel said calmly.
"You have great faith in them, hmm...?" Madam Red said, teasing Ciel.
"..." Ciel said as he gazed out the window. "No, that isn't it, really. It's just that he doesn't tell lies. Ever." Ciel said. "And despite being like that, Chêne can be quite capable... when needed."
"—Yes. He, Chêne, and the Earl have spent much time together, so their foundation is a solid one. The devoted maid has always showered the Earl with unconditional affection, and the butler has always been by the Earl's side... like his shadow." Lau said mysteriously.
"..." Ciel said. "Sebastian and Chêne have only been in my service for two years, you know?" Ciel said bluntly.
"That's short." Madam Red said, shocked at how much Ciel trusted them in such a short amount of time. Normally, people wouldn't trust any servants that deeply until they had been with them for a much longer period of time.
"Ah. Is that so?" Lau said, smiling sillily and shrugging it off.
=†=†=†=†=
{Back at Ciel's townhouse}
"Haaa~ah! We've finally made it! My back hurts~!" Lau said, relieved to finally be out of the carriage. It had been a bumpy ride.
"We had to take the long way 'round because Grell got lost!" Madam Red fumed in annoyance. Poor Grell was apologizing profusely as they walked up to the front door.
"Come, come, Madam Red. Let us have a spot of afternoon tea and take a... break..." Lau said, trailing off when he saw a familiar, yet unexpected face waiting to welcome them.
"Welcome home. We have been waiting for you." Sebastian greeted them, bowing. Chêne wasn't there, but she must be in the house somewhere, since Sebastian said 'we.'
Madam Red and Lau froze, stunned, but Ciel continued on as if Sebastian and Chêne hadn't just defied the laws of physics by beating them back.
"Your afternoon tea is ready. I had Chêne prepare a cornmeal cake of pears and black berries to accompany it today. She is adding the finishing touches to it as we speak." Sebastian informed them as he took Ciel's hat and coat for him.
"Nn." Ciel said in approval, eager to eat his sweets. This must be the reason why Sebastian had taken Chêne with him. He probably had Chêne prepare the cake while he was out. While her cooking wasn't really on par with Sebastian's (other than her gumbo), Chêne was an excellent baker. While Sebastian's sweets were sinfully delicious, the recipes that had been handed down in Chêne's family were positively divine. So, Ciel could always look forward to a real treat, no matter who made him sweets.
"Wait... why are you here!?" Madam Red yelled incredulously. Wasn't he supposed to be interviewing suspects?
"Hm? I returned in advance because I had finished my assignment." Sebastian said, smiling.
'On foot!?' Madam Red thought, shocked.
"Oh, so you are back! I thought I heard voices. Welcome home!" Chêne greeted everyone as she came out, wiping her hands on her apron. She had obviously rushed out to greet them, because Chêne still had a little flour smeared on her cheek from when she'd a stray hair behind her ear when it fell in her face while she was baking.
"My, my, you always manage to make a mess of yourself, don't you?" Sebastian said, sighing as he pulled out his handkerchief. Chêne should know better than to appear before guests in such a manner. Chêne blushed furiously as Sebastian gently held her face, and leaned close to her as he wiped the flour off of her cheek.
"I-I can do it myself...! I'm not a little kid." Chêne said, embarrassed. Sebastian was definitely enjoying watching her squirm.
"Your 'assignment'—So you already have a list!?" Madam Red asked Sebastian, realizing the full weight of what he had just told them before Chêne came, absolutely stunned. How did he manage to sort through so many people that quickly!?
"Not quite, you see. I merely compiled a list based on the characteristics we discussed earlier and paid each individual on that list a visit. That was all." Sebastian said, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
'Yes, I only just discovered the cure for cancer, that's all.'' Chêne thought sarcastically, mocking Sebastian's blasé attitude towards the inhuman feat he had just accomplished. And what was up with that weird way he emphasized 'a visit'...?
"However, it did take some time because I investigated the aristocracy's family physicians as well." Sebastian said humbly. Needless to say, the others were stunned.
"Really Sebastian... That's impossible, even for you—" Madam Red said, challenging him, but she was cut off as Sebastian smirked and pulled out a scroll, unfurling it dramatically.
"Earl Chambers' family doctor, William Somerset was attending a party sponsored by Earl Harwood when Mary Ann Nichols was killed. He has an alibi, and is not involved in secret societies." Sebastian said, quickly reading through the incredibly long list of suspects. "Hmph." Ciel said, grinning smugly. Lau smiled and nodded his head as he listened. Grell blushed in admiration, and Madam Red was so stunned, that she had turned slightly blue with shock, and her had had slipped out of place. The look on her face was priceless. As he read, Chêne noticed that Sebastian was ruling out anyone who didn't have connections to secret societies, even though she had pointed out earlier, that the killer might not be involved in one.
"Um, Sebastian... what about what I said earlier about possible suspects that aren't in a cult?" Chêne asked. Sebastian glanced at her as he rolled to list back up, and gave her a brilliant shit-eating grin.
"Rejected." Sebastian said brightly, letting her know that he had decided to totally ignore her theory. He felt that it made the range of possible suspects far too broad, and the goal had been to narrow it down. Chêne pouted sullenly at him, feeling insulted and left out. "Based on these results... I have narrowed down the list of suspects to but one individual. Let us discuss the details over tea." Sebastian told the others, looking rather smug.
"How in the world did you manage such a thing, Sebastian? Are you really just a butler? Are you sure you aren't O.H.M.S.S. or something as well?" Madam Red asked skeptically. She really didn't give up easily, did she?
"... No. I am... merely... one hell of a butler." Sebastian said, smiling.
Author's note:
O.H.M.S.S. is short for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."
