Previously:

"What is your name?" the demon asked the boy in front of him.

"I am..." he said, glancing at the bloody altar and the small hand hanging limply from it. "… Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive." His brow was furrowed. The eye with the contract mark was bleeding. "The successor to the title of Earl Phantomhive."

"Fu fu… I see. Very well," the demon said. "Then I must first take a form befitting the servant of an earl." A sharp high-heeled boot stepped out of the darkness and landed on the ground as a leather dress shoe. "—Now." The demon stepped forth in the guise of a butler. "Command of me anything you wish..." He adjusted his jacket, wearing a glove on one hand while the other was naked, exposing the contract mark. The other glove was tucked in his jacket pocket. He bowed. "… My little lord."


That Butler, Maturing


∞—Sebastian's Cinematic Record—∞

"Eek!" one man from the cult cried.

"Kyaah!" screamed a woman.

"I-It's really come!!" said another man.

No.

"Grant me eternal life and wealth!" another said.

No.

The demon's eyes fell on a terrified girl with brown hair and green eyes.

No.

There was a frightened child in a cage.

"—Oh?" the demon said.

This is the one.

"You have made a great sacrifice. You are free to decide whether to make a covenant with me and have your wishes granted or not," the demon told the boy. "The fee for crossing has already been well paid." The demon licked its lips.

"I—I…." the boy said, gripping the bars of his cage tightly. "… I want… I want power..."

"Eep…!? Someone shut him up!" one of the cult members said.

"Power to take vengeance upon those who put us through all this!!" the boy said. "Devil!" he shouted with tears streaming down his face. "I'll make a covenant with you!!"

"So you will cast off the light and choose the road to hell… fine," the demon said. "Then let us carve the mark of the covenant onto our bodies. The more conspicuous its location, the greater the power you will be able to wield. Now where do—"

"Anywhere will do!" the boy shouted, reaching out through the bars.

"W-Wait!!" girl with green eyes spoke up despite her fear. "Do—"

"I want more power than anyone else!!" the boy declared, ignoring her. The demon reached out and touched the boy's face, near his right eye.

"Your small frame belies your immense greed," the demon said. "Well, then!" he placed his hand on the boy's head, over his eye. Crimson eyes glowed. "The mark shall reside on that great big eye of yours, which reflects a hopeless world!"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" the boy screamed as the mark was applied.

=†=†=†=†=†=

The boy, the girl, and the demon, transformed into a butler, stood outside, staring at the burning building where the cult had held their ritual. Ciel had insisted on seeing it one last time. Ciel's wounds had been treated, and both he and Chêne were more or less fully clothed again. The demon's eyes fell on the two humans.

He wished three things of me. To protect him without betrayal until his revenge came to fruition. To obey his commands without question. And to never tell lies. For a butler to an earl to execute these tasks smartly will be no easy feat, I daresay. But the girl, Chêne… she puzzles me. Why did he save her…? Why go through the trouble for her?

"Those who attempted to ruin the Phantomhive house are somewhere out there," Ciel said, holding a ring with a blue stone in his bloody hand. "Aunt Francis told me… that the best chance to counterattack is when the opponent makes the first move. The previous earl lost the game. This time… I won't lose. As the present head of the Phantomhive family… as Ciel Phantomhive… I will absolutely not lose!" he said with grim determination.

"Heh heh!" the demon laughed. Ciel and Chêne looked at him. There was still a little fear in the girl's eyes, but the boy looked at him with contempt.

"… What is so funny?" Ciel asked.

"No. It is just that you ordered me never to lie, but you yourself are very much a liar," the demon said, amused.

"?" Chêne said, tilting her head a little in confusion. Ciel glared at the demon and turned his back on them.

Oh, I say. What a pain this is. —However, even the full length of one lifespan of a child of man is but the blink of an eye to me. I shall be happy enough to kill time for a spell and then eat my fill. Then perhaps…

The demon's eyes slid over to the girl. He put on a smile when she felt his stare and looked at him.

"Well, Master," he said to Ciel. "Let us return to your manor."

"I don't know where it is," Ciel said.

"Eh!?" the demon said, surprised.

"You don't know where your house is?" Chêne asked, furrowing her brow with concern.

"I don't know where we are either… I've never been outside of the manor much..." Ciel added.

"If only we were in my time… I could use my cell phone to call for help… Is there any particular landmark near your house? Or do you maybe know where to find relatives or a friend?" Chêne asked.

"I have a relative at the Royal Hospital in London," Ciel said. "We will go there first."

"Understood, Sir," the demon said.

Dear, dear… I have ended up in the employ of a shockingly sheltered little master who knows not the ways of the world.

"Just a moment, devil," Ciel said, tugging on his coattail. "What is your name?"

"You may call me whatever you please, Master," the demon replied.

"Then… Sebastian," Ciel said as the sun peeked over the horizon. "You are Sebastian as of today."

"Very well," Sebastian said. "Then please address me as Sebastian from now on. Was this the name of your former butler, Sir?"

"No..." Ciel said, shaking his head. "It was the name of my dog." Sebastian stood there with a smile frozen on his face.

I retract what I stated earlier. I have ended up in the employ of an outrageously wicked brat.

"What about his last name?" Chêne asked.

"Why don't you pick it," Ciel said carelessly.

"Hmm… Is it Sebastian with an 'a'?" Chêne asked.

"… Yes," Ciel said.

"Then, how about 'Michaelis'?" Chêne suggested.

"What made you choose that?" Sebastian asked, though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know after hearing Ciel's answer.

"Because then your name will sound like 'Sebastien Michaelis', spelled with an 'e'. I heard from a friend of mine that he was a French inquisitor who wrote a classification of demons from Hell while exorcising a nun. Isn't it kind of funny, you being a demon and all?" Sebastian stared at her, a little surprised by her sense of humor.

This girl… She surprises me.

=†=†=†=†=†=

{The Royal London Hospital…}

It was noisy inside. The halls were crowed with visitors, doctors, and patients.

"Would you please send for Auntie An… rather, Doctor Dalles—" Ciel started to ask at the reception desk, when they heard a crash. They looked in that direction and saw that an old man had fallen out of his wheelchair.

"Ah… Aah…!!" the old man gasped, reaching out a trembling hand toward Ciel.

"Old Man Tanaka!?" Ciel exclaimed, recognizing him.

"Young Master…! Young Master!!" Tanaka called out. He and Ciel embraced each other. "I am glad… so very glad to see you alive…!"

—^—^—^—

{Tanaka's Room…}

"—I see," Ciel said, disappointed. "So you didn't catch sight of the culprits either."

"No..." Tanaka said with regret. "Forgive me for failing to protect the master..."

"….. You're not to blame, Old Man Tanaka," Ciel said, looking down. Chêne bit her lip and looked like she wanted to comfort him.

"….." Tanaka closed his eyes and bowed his head. He looked up again. "You said you name is Sebastian, sir?" He held up a fancy pocket watch. "Please take this with you."

"This is?" Sebastian said, accepting it. Chêne looked at it, a little curious.

"Something that has been passed down through the generations of butlers to the Phantomhive household," Tanaka replied. "Mister Sebastian. Miss Chêne." He kneeled on his bed in a full formal Japanese bow. "I know not who you are, nor where you come from, but I beg you… Please take care of the young master."

"… I shall," Sebastian promised with a smile and a hand over his chest. "As his butler, I shall serve the young master to the best of my ability."

"… I'll do my best," Chêne promised. "For as long as we're together."

—^—^—^—

"Ciel!!" Madam Red exclaimed as she burst into her office, where they were waiting for her. "Aah… You're nothing but skin and bone now!" She held him close. "I'm so happy…! You, at least, are safe..."

"..." Ciel slowly raised his arms and held her back.

—^—^—^—

"Thank you for even seeing to a carriage for me, Auntie An," Ciel said as she was seeing them off.

"Are you really going?" Madam Red asked, buttoning up her coat around him to keep him warm. She had also given him fresh bandages. "Why not stay with me toni—"

"No, I'm going," Ciel said. "I want to see it with my own eyes." Madam Red hugged him again.

"Ciel, I give this to you," she said, placing a ring in his hand. It was the Phantomhive family signet ring. "Everything else was lost in the fire. That was all that was left."

"… Thank you," Ciel told her.

=†=†=†=†=†=

They stood outside the burned and blackened manor house. Ciel stared at what was left of his family home with wide eyes, shocked.

"This… is quite dreadful," Sebastian said.

"I know it's a stupid question… but are you all right, Ciel?" Chêne asked. Ciel staggered away from them. "Ciel?"

"Young Master?" Sebastian said. He and Chêne followed Ciel to a graveyard. Ciel came to a stop in front of two graves. They belonged to Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive, his parents. Next to them was a grave with 'Ciel' written on it. Ciel stared at them with a pained expression on his face. He fell to his knees.

"Father… Mother…" Ciel cried. Chêne kneeled down next to him, keeping him company while he mourned them.

This would be the first and last time… I heard him refer to his parents thus.

Sebastian turned away and left them. He returned to stand in front of the manor house.

"—Now, then," Sebastian said, holding his chin.

—^—^—^—

The sun was low in the sky. The stars were coming out overhead.

"Young Master," Sebastian said, getting the attention of the two humans in the graveyard. "The sun will set soon. The night air will be harmful to your health."

"It is getting colder..." Chêne said, rubbing her arms and looking around at their darkening surroundings. She and Ciel stood up and brushed themselves off.

"….. There's a place nearby which is both a pub and an inn, so let's go there for the night—" Ciel said.

"No," Sebastian said before Chêne could ask if they had any money. "There is no need for that."

"?" Ciel and Chêne said. Sebastian led them back to the manor house, which had been fully restored. The stone was clean, the glass gleamed, and warm light spilled out through the windows. Ciel and Chêne stared at it in astonishment.

"This can't be..." Ciel said.

"Wow..." Chêne said.

"I swore to you, did I not? I will not lie to you," Sebastian told Ciel.

"H-How is this even…?" Ciel asked as Sebastian led him up the steps, and Chêne followed from behind.

"I am butler to an earl. It goes without saying that I can manage something of this level," Sebastian said. "And an earl must live in a grand castle. Come." He opened the doors, revealing a grand foyer with a glittering chandelier. Sebastian welcomed him inside. "This is your castle from this day forth." Ciel stared at the sparkling interior with wide eyes. He and Chêne stepped inside. "Welcome home… Master."

—^—^—^—

Outside the manor house an owl hooted softly.

"HOT!!!!" A scream pierced the night, nearly startling the bird off its perch.

Inside, Ciel was yelling at Sebastian for bathing him incorrectly.

"Who in their right mind would pour boiling water on someone without warning!?" Ciel asked incredulously. "At least check the temperature first!!"

"I beg your pardon, Sir. I will take more care next time," Sebastian said, looking at the bucket. "So this is too hot..." He set the bucket aside and grabbed the soapy washcloth. He started scrubbing Ciel clean. "Now if I may, I shall bathe you, Sir!"

"OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!" Ciel shouted, turning pale from the pain of having his wounds scrubbed raw. "That will do! Don't touch me!" Ciel said, pulling away from his new butler. "I've had enough! I'm getting out now!!"

"What are you saying? Chêne may have cleaned your worst wounds earlier, but you are still mired in filth," Sebastian said, furrowing his brow. "I will not stand for you dropping dead suddenly from an infected wound or somesuch."

"…!" Ciel glared at him. He splashed Sebastian in the face. "Get out!"

"….. As you wish," Sebastian said. He left the bathroom and shut the door behind him. "That litt—"

CRASH!

Sebastian immediately reentered the bathroom. Ciel was on the floor. The cart that held the towels and other bathing supplies was on its side.

"—" Ciel held his sore head. He had obviously hit it when he fell. "I simply slipped while trying to grab a towel," he explained as Sebastian helped him up.

"….." Sebastian sighed. "You must be exhausted from all that has happened today… Allow me to wash you down."

"I said no," Ciel said stubbornly, pulling away from him again. Sebastian was fresh out of patience. The demon butler grabbed Ciel's face in his hand. "!?"

"It would do to keep your obstinacy in check," Sebastian said sternly. "Humans are frail animals. You can readily lose your life from one puny germ finding its way into the tiniest of wounds. As a child who cannot even see to his own injuries, please do not see fit to waste my time." Ciel stared up at him, looking a little shocked. Then he furrowed his brow and looked to the side.

"….." Ciel didn't want to admit it, but he thought the demon had a point.

—^—^—^—

After that the bathing was somehow completed without any more complaints. Sebastian was toweling Ciel dry when a sound echoed through the bathroom.

GROOOWL.

Ciel's small stomach had made a big growl. Sebastian smirked.

"Humans hunger most disgracefully under any circumstances," the demon said.

"… Be quiet," Ciel said, furrowing his brow.

—^—^—^—

They met up with Chêne again in the dining room. She was squeaky clean from her own bath, but as she had no other clothes to wear, she was back in her green dress.

"You did not require help with your bandages?" Sebastian asked. Her wound was on her back, after all.

"Nope. I'm flexible. I have a long reach," Chêne replied. Sebastian pulled the chair at the head of the table out for Ciel to sit in. Chêne helped herself to the chair on his right.

"What are you doing?" Sebastian asked her.

"Sitting," Chêne replied innocently.

"A maid should not sit at the same table as her master," Sebastian said.

"It's fine for one night, isn't it? It's not like anyone else can see," Chêne said dismissively. "I'll start working tomorrow."

"Young Master—" Sebastian began.

"I don't care," Ciel said.

"Very well, then. You can start acting like an Earl tomorrow," Sebastian said. A small vein popped on Ciel's head. "Then, if you'll excuse me." Sebastian took a large napkin and draped it around Ciel's neck. The cloth flapped up to hide his view of the table, but when it settled again, the table was suddenly covered with food and various delicacies. Chêne looked like she couldn't believe her eyes.

"!?" Ciel exclaimed, standing up again, staring at the table with wide eyes.

"What happened?" Chêne asked. "I blinked and..." Sebastian just smiled.

"We have spiny lobster sauté and roast turkey. Sticky toffee pudding and fairy cakes," Sebastian said. "I shall serve you anything you like?"

"…" Chêne was still staring at the table with wide eyes.

"… Sebastian," Ciel said.

"Yes, Sir?" Sebastian said.

"Don't ever do anything like this casually again in the future," Ciel ordered.

"Why is that?" Sebastian asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

"An ordinary butler simply doesn't rebuild a manor house in the span of one night or have dinner prepared at the drop of a hat," Ciel explained. "If anyone else catches sight of you doing such things, it will arouse their suspicion."

"Then I should do everything step-by-step as mere humans do?" Sebastian asked.

"I'm not telling you to do it all to the letter but at least pretend you are," Ciel said. "Average people can't make anything without the necessary materials and time."

"How troublesome," Sebastian said with a sigh.

"You are my butler, aren't you?" Ciel reminded him. "Do as I say."

"Understood, Sir," Sebastian said, setting a plate full of food in front of Ciel. "Do feel free to help yourself," he told Chêne. He smirked at her. "Unless you're afraid eating food prepared by a demon will send you straight to hell?"

"Oh, I'm already over that," Chêne said frankly. She didn't think she needed to fear that. It's not like they were in the garden of Eden and he was offering her an apple. "I'm just surprised that you prepared all of this, yet there isn't one vegetable." Virtually every other food group was well represented, though.

"I beg your pardon," Sebastian said, furrowing his brow slightly again.

"Humans need vegetables, even if they don't like them," Chêne said. "They're good for them. It's especially true of growing kids."

"I see…" Sebastian said, glancing at Ciel, who was taking his first bite of food.

"…!" Ciel said, going pale as he clapped a hand over his mouth. He forced himself to finish swallowing and quickly gulped down some water. "Puah! It's oily, spicy… and salty..." He stood up and removed the napkin from around his neck.

"Aah…" Sebastian said, hit his fist against his palm in an 'aha!' gesture. "After having spent so much time in a place like that, this menu must have been too rich for you, Young Master. Perhaps risotto or..."

"Forget it, I'm going to bed," Ciel said, leaving without looking back.

"..." Chêne stood up, picked up a clean fork, and walked over to Ciel's place. She took a bite of what he had been eating. "..." She stared down at the plate with her eyes cast in shadow. "Sebastian… you've never actually eaten any of this stuff, have you?"

"I take it you have something to say as well, then?" Sebastian asked with a sigh.

"Only that all the flavors are unnaturally exaggerated," Chêne replied. "It's no wonder Ciel couldn't handle it. She took another bite.

"You seem to like it," Sebastian observed.

"I'm not saying this to be mean, but I don't like it," Chêne replied. "I'm just starving to the point where I'd eat a rat burger if that was the only thing on offer."

"Indeed?" Sebastian said, holding his chin.

"Ooh, I'm getting indigestion…?" she said, holding her hands over her chest and stomach. "I never get indigestion. I'd better stop." She sighed. "I can teach you the basics of cooking, if you'd like."

"..." Sebastian stared at her. "Why would you make such an offer?"

"Well, I'm only going to be here until a I find a way home," Chêne reminded him. "He's going to need someone he can depend on, even if it's a demon."

"You're… unusual," Sebastian told her. She smiled.

"I get that a lot."

—^—^—^—

"..." Ciel was lying in his parents's old bed, which was now his new bed.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

Someone was at his door.

"What is it?" Ciel asked. Sebastian opened the door and pushed in a serving cart that held a kettle, a cup, and a jar of honey.

"I have brought you some warm milk," the butler said. "You must have something at least..." He pushed the cart over by the bed. Ciel sat up. "I am aware there are many obligations you must see to from tomorrow on in order to become a splendid family head who will restore the earldom."

"I don't want it," Ciel said, flopping back down onto his bed, hugging his pillow. "I'm sure it tastes awful anyway."

"I have only heated up the milk. I did not add anything to it," Sebastian said, pouring the milk into the cup. "I cannot speak to its taste." He held the cup out. "Would you care for some?"

"… Is there honey in it?" Ciel asked, turning his head and looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Please, add however much you want," Sebastian said.

"Old Man Tanaka used to scold me, saying I'd get cavities if I had honey before bedtime," Ciel told him.

"Then I shall follow suit from tomorrow on," Sebastian said, holding the cup in one hand and the honey in the other. He let Ciel sweeten the milk himself, then handed over the cup. Ciel cautiously took a sip.

"—Mmm..." the young earl said, finding it delicious. He found the sweet scent of the warm milk comforting. Sebastian sighed. His master had finally been pleased. Sebastian waited until Ciel had finished the milk. Once Ciel was done, he took the cup back and began to push the serving cart back out of the room. "Sebastian." The butler paused. "The warm milk… was good." Sebastian was a little surprised his reticent young master would praise him so openly.

"I am glad to hear it," Sebastian said, smiling slightly.

"And one more thing..." Ciel said, clencing his nightshirt in his hand. "I won't forgive you if tomorrow's breakfast tastes as foul as what I had earlier this evening," he stated with a strong tone of disdain and a look of obvious contempt. "I don't much care to live on warm milk for every meal like a puppy." The new image Sebastian had of Ciel being kind cracked.

"… Very well," Sebastian said with a shit-eating grin as he left the room. "Good night, Young Master." Sebastian shut the door behind him. "…! Why, that little bloody knave."