Chapter 30

Luciana hummed walking down the corridor, swinging her cleaning rag in rhythm. Nothing could ruin her mood today. The night spent with Sebastian had been a blast and the day after he hadn't even bothered to teach her runes. 'Thank gawd...' Maybe she was finally seeing a different side of the demon. He wasn't the strict hot ass butler of the Phantomhive household but more mellow. Somehow that description made her think of Sebastian with dreadlocks sitting on a beach in the Caribbean while smoking weed. She snorted out crazed giggles, shaking her head at the mental picture.

So, maybe mellow wasn't exactly the right word. Sebastian just seemed more relaxed? Like he finally let his hair down '...figuratively speaking.' An amused grin played on her lips. Luce could honestly say that she liked that side of him. The demon just seemed more fun; playful but not any less sadistic. He was definitively the kind of guy that played with his food. She snorted. 'Poor Ciel~'

Walking into the kitchen Luce was greeted with a very intriguing sight. Her grin faltered into a dumbfounded expression. Right in front of her; Bard and Soma were sprawled across the kitchen floor and judging by how lifeless they looked, awaiting death's door. Mey-Rin was slouched against the wall to the right, looking much too pale to be healthy. And Finny was crouched down beside the kitchen table with leftover curry sticking to his mouth, looking almost as green as a summer lawn. Only Tanaka seemed to not be effected. 'Looks like the curry isn't going too well.' A chuckle rumbled in her throat as she stepped over their barely conscious cook. "Are you trying to kill them or actually make progress?"

Sebastian turned his gaze to her then to the other occupants of the room. He couldn't help but sigh at the sight of them. "And where have you been all day?" It almost sounded like an accusation- one that made her icy orbs twinkle with mischief. The last the demonic butler had seen her was right before waking up the young earl. After that she had disappeared and the demon was well aware that even all her duties combined wouldn't take this long.

"Doing my job." She gave him a cheeky yet somewhat innocent grin and hopped on a clean part of the kitchen counter.

The butler stared at her, scrutinizing the girl's expression for any lies. There were none- but as a demon he knew best that one didn't have to lie when there were half-truths. His lips twitched in amusement. Of course the little thief would know that too.

Luce let her grey eyes wander around the mess; dirty dishes, pots, silverware, cups and so on were piling up beside the sink. 'I wonder what Gordon Ramsey would say...' Either way it didn't seem to be going all that well for the butler. "So~ is there some dinner left for me?" She inquired with a tilt of her head. She had skipped lunch and now the hunger was definitely getting to her.

Sebastian handed her a bowl of curry which she eyed critically. It smelled amazing but thinking back to his first batch... well, she hoped this one was better. Her grey eyes unconsciously slid over the very dead looking house personnel- "It won't kill you."

The butler's deadpan voice brought her out of thought and she grinned innocently. "Did you tell them that too?" Queue demonic eye roll. Luciana giggled, before taking a measured bite from her dinner. It prickled her taste buds. The different flavours danced in her cavity, pairing into the perfect mixture of spices. She hummed appreciatively. "This is good." But there was something missing. Her brows furrowed as her eyes looked over the kitchen in search for anything to go with the curry. "Do you have bread or something?"

Suffice to say it was even better with a fresh slice of bread. Just remembering it made her mouth water even the morning after.

"What did you say?" Soma stared in absolute disbelieve as both he and Lau had joined the young earl for breakfast. "You made the curry of god?!" 'So loud…' Luce inwardly groaned as she helped with the servings. It was much too early for a shouting contest.

"It's just how I am to the core..." Sebastian calmly presented the finished delicacy to the three nobles. "Please have a taste."

Surprise. Astonishment. Awe. It was all open for view on the prince's face. And from the corner of his eye Sebastian could see Luce nod in agreement. She had been the first to taste it last night and the butler was glad to know that her acknowledgment of the dish was not misplaced. "Does it please you?" He couldn't help but ask.

"This is not Agni's curry." His statement wasn't meant as discouragement. Soma began to explain that it was a dish containing complicated flavours and spices much like Indian curry. Yet he mentioned that it had the depth and fresh taste only the British could achieve. All in all Luce thought that if prince hood didn't work out for Barney then he could always become a food critic. He seemed good at it. "This curry is worthy of competing with the curry of god. It's delicious butler. But how did you do this in just one night?"

In response Sebastian pulled out the secret ingredient with thin veiled smugness.

"Chocolate?!" The nobles exclaimed in surprise.

"Makes everything better." The maid's mumbled comment was only overheard by the butler. With a quirk to his lip he went on to explain the profits of cacao. "I noticed this when I cleaned up the gateau chocolat that the young master requested yesterday. So you helped me out there young master." The demon couldn't help but rub it into the brat's face. He truly was just that petty.

"It's too bad, but you can't beat them with just this." Ciel commented dryly. "To replicate is different from to win." 'Well, that's true…' Luciana itched to drag a hand through her hair. Sometimes she really hated a maid's etiquette; always having to have their hair tied together. "You will probably just be on par with the curry of god. Isn't that so, Sebastian?"

"Yes." He conceded but his smugness remained. "As things are now it will be that way." He added cryptically, making Luce narrow her eyes in suspicion.

Lau noticed as well. "That face tells me that you have a secret plan eh, butler?"

"Yes..." His eyes slid over to his mate, glinting mirthfully. Luce didn't know what she had to do with it, but if he was waiting for her to come up with something then the demon would be sorely mistaken.

"It's no lie?" Ciel regarded him thoughtfully.

"Of course not. I don't ever tell lies." Though his expression said otherwise, the statement was true. After all, it was one of the regulations of his contract. "On my name as the butler of the Phantomhive family, I pledge that our company will definitely be the one to take home the royal warrant." Sebastian bowed with a hand on his heart.

OMG I seriously can't thank you enough for sticking with this awful long wait. So~ merci! Muchas gracias! Danke! Grazie! Arigatou! ขอบใจนะค่ะ ^^

If this feels like a filler chapter to you…don't worry me too. It's just kinda where I left off and there will be more.