"I need you to tell me everything you know about this situation."
"It's such a shame, isn't it?" Shrugging his shoulders with a light sigh the undertaker took his seat on top of one of his coffins, "That the children are still missing."
"Indeed." Ciel replied in monotone, "I'm sure their parents are worried."
"Yes, but do you know what surprises me most?" The man cackled, "The children are gone by night!"
"So you suggest it was multiple cases of abduction?" The butler implied.
"Perhaps." Undertaker said, "As I mentioned to you before I haven't seen a customer in quite some time."
"Actually, you did not mention a word of that to us." The young earl replied.
"Who knows. That might mean they're still alive."
"How can you be so sure?" Sebastian asked.
"Indeed. For all we know they might as well not be around anymore. But their bodies could be discarded, buried underground, burned-"
"Eaten?" With a wicked grin on his face, the undertaker continued to cackle.
"Perhaps.." The noble felt unease as the image of cooked flesh filled his mind, "Though I suppose if that's all you have for us then we shall take our leave. Let's go Sebastian."
"Yes, my lord." As he placed the coat onto his master's shoulders Sebastian replied with a smirk.
"I knew that would be a complete waste of my time!" The frustrated earl spat once he was back in his carriage, "Coming here was an utter mistake."
"I am sorry to inform but I think I disagree with you." Sebastian replied.
"And why is that?"
"Even though we did not get the answers we were hoping for, we at least have some ideas as to what had happened to them."
"So you suggest they were abducted?" Crossing his arms the earl said with annoyance.
"That could be a possibility, yes." The head butler said, "But I suggest we get more of your people involved in this case."
"What are you implying, dog?"
"I believe you know exactly what I'm implying, my lord." As the two arrived at the summer home their conversations ended quickly, "It's time we give him a call."
...
"I must say. I am quite honored you summoned for me." With a smile presented on his face, the visitor spoke calmly.
"First of all, let me be frank and mention that you were not my first choice; Lau." Ciel responded without emotion.
"Oh? Is that so?" The man who never showed his eyes frowned mockingly, "Why, my lord, this certainly isn't a way to treat your guests."
"If there is one thing that I've kept to memory, it's this. You are a drug dealer, your company is the shadow amongst China. If anything, it doesn't matter how you're treated in my home. As long as the Queen's task is done then that's all that truly matters."
"Very well then." The man said calmly, "But is that really all you wanted to say to me? I am a busy man after all, isn't that right Ranmao?" There was a women sitting on his lap, she had eyes of gold and hair of dark ink. She nodded to the man's response, not a single word passed her thin lips.
"I am just curious if you know something that I don't." Ciel replied, occasionally taking sips from his cup of tea.
"There are many things that I know."
"Regarding this case." The suddenly flustered earl growled through his clenched teeth.
"You know," the Chinese man said as he brought a finger to his chin, "now that you mention it, there have been strange incidents recently."
"I suggest we quit stalling time." The butler suggested.
"For all we know another child could go missing." The master replied.
"It has nothing to do with the abductions." Lau began to explain, "It merely has to do with my business. I'm sure you know how that is."
"Quite." Ciel was beginning to lose his patience, the longer the man continued to stall, the more impatient the boy became. "Is that all you have for me?" His question came out more like a threat than it did a question.
"I'm afraid so, my lord." The man replied with a grin.
"Sebastian, escort our guest immediately." He ordered.
"Yes, my lord." Once the earl was the only one in his study his anger was the only thing left.
"Those useless imbeciles!" He yelled and struck his fists against the desk, "This has been useless to me! I have gained nothing!"
"If I may make a suggestion," announcing that he had returned, the servant in black walked calmly towards his prey, "why don't we go investigate."
"I don't see any logic towards that, demon." Glaring out in frustration Ciel let out a heavy sigh and shuffled his fingers into his hair.
"Well, we have both discovered that the Undertaker and Lau have deemed themselves useless in this investigation."
"That was more than obvious Sebastian." The frustrated boy said, "What are you saying?"
"Here's what I'm implying, my liege." The butler replied, "Seeing as though we don't have a single lead at the moment, why don't we put the matters into our own hands?"
"What are you suggesting?"
'Must I spell this out to you?' Ran into the demon's mind. "What I am suggesting is this, we use what we do know." The earl nodded lightly and continued to sip his tea, waiting for the demon to finish. "We do know that this man takes children at night, so here's what I am implying. Why not dress as a commoner and wait for him?"
"That would seems rather suspicious, don't you think?" The boy hummed, "Someone like me just standing out in the streets, alone and at night?"
"If it really comes down to it, you can pose as a little lost boy. Wouldn't that be cute, my lord?" The butler asked with a grin full of mischief.
"First, let me get this through your mind. I am the heir to the Phantomhive family. I run and operate 'Funtom Company'. I am the Queen's guard dog and if there's one thing that I am not, it is cute. Do I make myself clear?"
"I was only teasing you my lord," the man replied calmly, "I do apologize for anything that I said to cause you displeasure." The earl did not respond to his demon, he merely turned his head with the click of his tongue.
"I am done with this conversation." He growled, "I wish to retire early tonight. Start the preparations for my bath at once."
"Yes, my lord."
...
The following day Ciel was woken earlier than normal to begin the preparations for his plan.
"What do you suggest we start with?" The earl asked, still dressed in his evening attire. As the boy began to drink his freshly brewed tea he sat on the mattress below him while his butler continued his daily routine.
"You mean to tell me that you did not retire early so you could think?" The demon asked sarcastically.
"If I wished to be left alone to think then I would have done so." The child glared as he spoke to his butler, "Do not anger me so early in the morning."
"As you wish." Sebastian replied, a calm expression was visible on his face when he handed the boy his daily paper.
"Another child was taken." Ciel muttered.
"Does it mention the victim at all?" The demon asked.
"It says that his recent victim was a female, age ten. Bethany Welsh is her name, her patents reported that she went missing the sun rose. And the culprit has earned a nickname in these streets."
"And what may that be?"
"The Phantom Menace." The earl sighed as he folded the newspaper and neatly placed it beside him.
"I see." Sebastian retrieved the empty dishes from his master, "Well, if that's the case. We have not a single moment to waste."
"Indeed. We shall start the preparations at once!"
...
"I wonder what my dearest love is doing at the moment." As she gazed upon the rain that ran down her window Cecilia pondered over her thought. Despite the absence of the chef, the manor was still in chaos. "I suppose I shall tend to the humans." She said with a sigh, "Since there is nothing else to do." The kittens that were hiding in the demon's closet were groomed and fed for the morning. They were allowed to leave their home in the wardrobe in exchange to roam about in the room. Though after moments of excitement they had all seemed to settle down on the unoccupied mattress. She assured the mewling creatures that she would return soon, and to stay put until she returned. When she shut the door she found herself walking towards the commotion.
The ruckus seamed to be coming from kitchen, which puzzled the female demon to an extent. When she made her way to the area she discovered it was the maid who was causing such noise.
"Are you alright Mei-Rin?" The maiden of the subject spun on her heel, her face was covered in dirt and soot.
"Yeah I'm fine." She said, "I'd like to apologize to you for firing bullets at you."
"It's quite alright." Cecilia replied with a smile, "It's my fault to begin with, if I hadn't upset you in the first place this wouldn't have happened. I do apologize for my absurd behavior. Is there anything I could do to make things right?" She inquired, "I am your assistant after all."
"You could help me clean up the kitchen." The maroon haired girl said, "Then you could help me with the laundry."
"But of course." She made her way into the room and grabbed the materials needed to do the tasks. The sound of scrubbing and brushes colliding with tile were the only sounds for the most part, until Mei-Rin decided to start a conversation.
"So how do you like being in the Phantomhive manor?" She asked.
"It's very nice." Cecilia responded.
"You know it's very rare to have a family member come visit the estate."
"Is that so?" The maid nodded.
"Yes. The young master's visitors mainly involve businessmen."
"You know, there's much to your young master that I do not know."
"What do you want to know?" The maid asked.
"Anything you provide would be more than suffice." The demon replied.
"Well, the young master lost his parents at a young age. Ever since his parents left he has been responsible for running the estate and his own company."
"The boy is an entrepreneur? How interesting."
"It's been a hard life for him, yes it has. It takes a lot to go through what he does. Not many people can endure it."
"I see."
"The young master has asthma and is allergic to cats, so that is why he does not allow Sebastian to have any inside the manor. Did Sebastian tell you about the time the young master found cats inside his closet?"
"No." Cecilia said, knowing quite well that what she said was a lie, "Not yet, but in the future, when Sebastian returns home I'll have him tell me the story. Is that all I need to know about your master?"
"The only other thing you need to know about him is that he's betrothed to his cousin. Miss Elizabeth Milford. She is an adorable young lady, I believe that she and the young master are simply perfect for each other." The kitchen was now as spotless as it could be, and as the two women headed towards the laundry room the maid continued to babble about her master. "Oh Cecilia you must stay long enough to meet her. She truly is an adorable little angle."
"Yes, perhaps I shall. I would love to meet your master's betrothed."
Little did Mei-Rin know that her words would come to haunt her! But you won't know that until later in the story, like towards the end of the story. And I know that I said this story said it's suppose to be M rated and it's still in the K+-T region, I know and all I can say is that will change. Once Ciel's finished with the queen's task it will get interesting I assure you. One of my goals for 2015 is to write more because I know that since the beginning of 2014 I haven't written as much, and due to that I've lost a lot of readers. But I promise to find time to write for you guys in my busy schedule and update whenever I'm done, okay? Alright! Take care everyone! Oh, and I also updated another story of mine, "The Serenade of the Devil" and that does have yaoi in it. :) See you later.
