Chapter Two: His Butler: Enlightened
"It is time to wake up, Young Master." Sebastian said quietly, pulling the curtains on the window, allowing sunlight into the room, and awakening Ciel at the preordained time, as always.
"You realize, Young Master, that you do not need sleep, any longer?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow at his young master, who, though he was a demon, still continued to sleep, though admittedly, he had given up eating almost immediately, finding it to be a waste of time and energy, given that food had no taste to him anymore. At least he could still dream, though most of his dreams were gray and though he could control them perfectly now, he couldn't make them anything but gray.
He did enjoy his tea still, though. Despite the fact that it had no taste, he could still smell it, and the hot liquid felt good going down his throat. Besides, he was British, and he had to admit that as a British gentleman, he was almost obligated to enjoy teatime at least five times a day.
"I do. However, I find it an enjoyable pastime. My dreams are still interesting, though… Gray and dismal…" Ciel replied. Then, "on a different note, I have read that there is a way for a demon to pass on some of his power to mortal servants. Is that true, or is it merely a myth?"
"It is not a myth, Young Master. However it is rare for demons to do so. Most demons that are powerful enough to create significantly powerful mortal servants prefer simply to use demonic servants instead. I have personally never had interest in either."
"What are the benefits of creating demidemonic servants?" Ciel asked, paying no mind to Sebastian's personal editorial.
"Well demons do it to make their mortal servants undying like themselves, although their immortality is not as complete as a demon's. Unlike demons, to whom no damage is fatal, demidemonic servants, also called Culled, are subject to the same kind of damage that normal humans are, although it will take much more of it to kill them."
"Perhaps this is a good way to explain the process of Culling. The Demon cuts himself, and gives his mortal servants some of his blood. This confers demonic fortitude, strength, speed, reflexes and healing onto the mortal, and as long as they are not killed, they will continue to live. Why do you ask about this, Young Master? Usually the only reason that a demon would create Culled would be if they do not trust their Demonic servants enough.
"After all, as you have seen firsthand, Demonic society is as cut-throat as human society. Culled servants are absolutely loyal to their Demonic master, bound by Blood to the Demon, and unable and unwilling to break their promise of servitude…
In theory, anyhow. Knowing humanity's ingenuity, a human could easily find a way to stab their master in the back if given enough incentive. It seems odd that you would have anyone whose face you would want to see forever. Is this about Lady Elizabeth?"
"It is about her… And yet, it is also about the servants. Despite their many ineptitudes, they are strong, and make excellent guards, whether or not they make good servants, and I feel that their skill in that area will increase over the years. Already, I hear fewer explosions from the kitchen, there are fewer tea sets and plates broken, and the gardens do not have to be fixed nearly so often."
"How very sentimental…" Sebastian said with the merest hint of a smirk, thinking that this was not like his young master at all. "However, Culling one's servants is not as simple as it may seem. Culled need food just like humans.
However, the demonic essence inside them also begins to erode their humanity little by little, and they become more like the demon that owns them. In the case of the Young Master, this may be a significant problem. Although for some, this may not be bad, for others, it is not a desirable outcome."
"Also, immortality is not as easy for the mortal mind to handle as it is for a demon. Although Demons may grow tired of the endless centuries and millennia that pass them by, mortals tend to lose their minds in the face of time eternal…
Many commit suicide, some become deviants, committing atrocities that even the most heinous of mortal criminals could not imagine. A few turn their insanity inward, and become screaming wrecks, forced to be in a straightjacket, assuming the institution can find one that can hold them."
"Some, perhaps the lucky ones, simply become sexual deviants and hedonists, drowning their eternity in endless orgies of sex, drugs, and alcohol. I say lucky because they at least have not lost their minds completely.
It is only maybe 1 in 50 that manages to hold onto their previous personality, and that has a great deal to do with their Demonic master, and the life with which they are surrounded. Perhaps a life such as yours, relatively friendly, and easy would be the perfect atmosphere for such beings.
I would not know. I have never encountered such a situation before."
"Does a Demon have to give the potential servant their Blood directly, or is it possible to slip the Blood into a drink?"
"There are two problems with that idea. One, it is impossible to do. Blood must be shared openly and undiluted by mortal concoctions, and two… it would be terribly wrong to trick someone into becoming your servant.
Only the most callous and cruel of Demons would attempt such a trick. Demonic Blood is sweet, and tastes better than the finest wine coupled with the most amazing sensations you can imagine. However, it is not something to be given or taken lightly."
"Although it is given quickly, it lasts eternally, and can only be taken away by killing the subject, which is often more appealing than continuing their existence. Do keep that in mind, Young Master, when you Cull your wife and servants of whom you seem so fond, that you may one day have to save them from their insanity by slaying them. Perhaps it is better simply to become used to being a demon, and watching the world change around you while you remain the same." Sebastian said, seeming slightly less cold in that moment.
Ciel sighed. Sebastian had a point. But Ciel was sure that if anyone could make it through eternity without losing their minds, it would be those four. His three servants had always seemed like they could make it through anything, and Lizzy, he loved deeply, and would be devastated to see her aging and dying while he remained forever the same.
"You forget, Young Master, that even when you do not say something, I can usually pick up on it. You do know that most Demons can make themselves appear older or younger, and change their general appearances to suit their surroundings. Demons that live amongst humans often do so, and when they reach an apparent age where a human should die, they fake their deaths, and move on, or simply disappear, and are often assumed dead."
"I remember when I was forced to do so. It was in the year 35 AD, when I helped a petty little man by the name of Caligula take the throne after the death of Tiberius. In reality, it was I who killed Tiberius. Caligula didn't rule for long, and after he was deposed, I took his soul.
I say this because I was forced to fake my death because hundreds saw me supposedly die that day. I can continue to exist for thousands of years without a soul, but I cannot use my powers, even my strength and regeneration.
Soon, even those will begin to fail me. I have not had a soul in what seems like ages."
"Is it necessary for a Demon to only have one contract at a time?" Ciel asked, seeming like he was slightly concerned. Sebastian sighed and shook his head.
"No. A Demon can be in more than one person's service at a time. However, it divides their attention, and is not usually recommended."
"Regardless, I give you permission to take secondary contracts, so long as they do not use you to attempt to kill me."
"To attempt to kill you would be difficult. Although I do have Laevatin, now, killing you would leave me with relatively severe backlash from murdering my contractor. You see, My Lord, a demon who kills his contractor takes severe backlash, both physical and mental.
It hurts like being impaled by a white hot skewer, and leaves the demon with a very empty emotion. Neither will typically heal for a long time."
"What about Trancy? Faustus managed to murder Alois and not take damage." Ciel said. Sebastian nodded.
"That is simply because Alois's contract was based on a lie. Alois had no true target for his revenge, and so, the contract was technically over as soon as it was made. Claude could have taken Alois's soul at any time."
"Very well. Then, I will trust that you will keep up your servitude to me even as you perform secondary contracts."
"Yes, My Lord." Sebastian said, smiling tightly, now. He was grateful, in a sense that Ciel was being open enough that he would allow his Demon to take other contractors. Though, he still resented the fact that he would be in servitude to Ciel forever. He knew in his mind that it wasn't Ciel's fault. Ciel had only done what Ciel did, and Alois Trancy was the one who wished that Sebastian would never be able to eat Ciel's soul…
Well, technically, he could eat Ciel's soul, but for a demon to eat another demon's soul was not only taboo, and one of the only crimes a demon could possibly commit. It was also dangerous in the extreme. For a demon to eat another demon's soul was a risk in that a demon's soul held their power, their personality, and their willpower.
If a demon ate another demon's soul, a battle of wills would begin between the two, and the demon with the greater will would win, and take control of the body. Sebastian wouldn't worry about a battle of wills with Ciel. But a battle of wills with Hannah Annafellows, who was far older than he and Claude put together would worry him greatly, and as Ciel had inherited Hannah's demonic essence, he essentially inherited her soul.
As such a thing had not been attempted in Sebastian's memory, he didn't know how it would turn out. Sebastian might gain great power by absorbing Hannah's power, but his own energy might be absorbed instead.
"Cieeeeel!" Came a voice from the foyer. Ciel's ears perked up, and he listened as Maylene greeted Lizzy. He listened to the conversation between the two.
"Maylene-chan! You look awful! You're so pale! Ciel hasn't been overworking you, has he? I'll need to have a talk with him… He can't…"
"Milady… The Young Master hasn't been overworking me, no he hasn't. I just had a bad night yesterday evening…"
"What happened? You look so uncute right now! Tell me what happened!"
"N-no… It's nothing, Milady, it ain't… I-I just… Mistook gin for water, and I'm afraid I quite lost my senses. I'm afraid I was born with Ageusia, which means that nothing has any taste, nor does it cause any sensation in my mouth or throat. Gin would normally burn someone's mouth and throat, it would. But I've never been able to feel or taste it… I was quite drunk…" Maylene lied, surprising even herself with how astute she was being.
She had never had very much book learning, having been an assassin in her former life. In fact, before she became Ciel's maid, she couldn't even read. Sebastian had taught her to read. Lizzie laughed, though, and shook her head. However, she knew about Ageusia since she had once or twice used that weakness against a person to get them to drink poisoned wine.
"No you don't! You can't lie to me so easily, especially with such a clumsy lie! What happened? You know I'll get it out of you…" Lizzie said, fixing Maylene with a stare that could scare off a lion were she so inclined.
"I-I was just rejected yesterday… I-it wasn't such a big deal." Maylene said, fighting the urge to cry. She knew she was just a servant, and had no place bothering her master's fiancée with her problems.
"Oh, no! Well, I know what always makes me feel better when I'm sad! Cake!" Lizzie cried happily, pulling a slice of cake that she had initially meant for Ciel out of her bag, and taking a fork, stuffing the cake into Maylene's mouth. Maylene gagged for a moment, but then chewed it and swallowed. It was amazing. The cake had such an incredible taste. Maylene had never tasted such delicious cake.
"Good morning, Elizabeth…" Ciel said, walking down the stairs with a forced smile. He had a lot of work to do that day, and didn't really have time for interruptions. But he did love Lizzie, and would make some extra time for her.
"You shouldn't harass my servants, Elizabeth." Ciel said, his smile widening into a true smile. He was hoping to talk to Lizzie about his 'condition' soon, anyhow. Now was likely as good a time as any.
"Ciel… How many times do I have to tell you to call me Lizzie? I'm your fiancée, practically your wife. There's no need for such formalities."
"Fine, fine, Lizzie. Please join me in the tea room for tea. Sebastian… Bring some tea…" Ciel said flatly, taking Lizzie's hand, and leading her into the tea room. When they got in there, Lizzie just stayed standing, knowing Ciel's habit of saying everything in the most concise manner possible, and attempting to leave to get back to work.
Usually she tried to stop him, if only to show him that it was possible to have fun sometimes, too. Today, she just wasn't in the mood, for some reason. She felt bad about Maylene being rejected. Of all the servants, Maylene was the one she liked most.
"You should probably sit down, Lizzie. I can't guarantee that you'll even believe what I tell you. However, if you do believe me, then you'll certainly wish to be seated."
"I'll believe anything you say, Ciel. I know you wouldn't lie to me."
"I'm not so sure about that. But fine. Lizzie. I am actually a demon. That is the short version. If you still want to hear the long version, I'll go on."
For a moment, Lizzie just sat there with a blank look on her face. But eventually, she began giggling, which eventually turned into hysterical laughter. Ciel watched with slight dismay as she clutched her side, trying to breathe and stop her laughter at the same time.
"C-Ciel… Pfft… I never knew you had such a sense of humor… I know you're kind of a stoic guy, but I'd hardly call you a demon…"
"It seems, Elizabeth…" Ciel said, reverting to using her full name. "That we will get nowhere unless I give you the full story. This all started about… Perhaps a year and a half ago. You remember a boy named Alois Trancy?
Well, I was investigating him, and he and I, it seems, were not on good terms from the start, and he also seems to have had a butler named Claude Faustus, who, like Sebastian, was a demon. He had other servants, the most noticeable of whom was a woman named Hannah Annafellows, and triplets, all of whom were demons."
"How a lowborn fool like Trancy managed to get a set of five demons to serve him willingly, I don't know, but Claude was a treacherous monster, and eventually betrayed Alois, and put his soul into the ring that Alois had worn, and put it on me, the ring, that is, mixing our souls to see if he could alter a soul to taste different."
"Well, Sebastian and Claude got into a contest to see who would gain the rights to my soul, and Alois, in the meantime, wished that neither Sebastian nor Claude could ever get my soul by making a second contract behind Claude's back with Hannah Annafellows… Stop laughing and listen…! " Ciel snapped. Lizzie went silent. Ciel hardly ever yelled at her. She could only remember once that he had, and that was when she had broken his precious ring.
"Then, Hannah Annafellows revealed that she had been manipulating Claude and Sebastian both all along, and brought all of us to the demon world, and forced Sebastian and Claude to fight with a demonic blade called Laevatin, which is one of the few blades in existence that can kill a demon.
I actually now possess that sword. Ironic, no? Sebastian won, but found out, when Hannah told him, what she had done, which was transfer her demonic energy into my body, which overtook my own life functions and turned me into a demon…" Ciel said, grinning with an evil smile, making his eyes glow pink. Lizzie gasped as Ciel's eyes began to look like a cat's eyes.
"But anyway, due to the fact that I am no longer human, Sebastian can't eat my soul, and Claude is dead, along with Hannah, though she died because she transferred her energy to me. So now, I am an immortal demon, like Sebastian…"
"Wow… Ciel, you really put a lot of thought into that story, didn't you? I know I told you I would believe whatever you said, but this is a bit farfetched, even for a lie… I know you made your eyes glow, but that could just be a trick of the light…"
"How could I use light to make my eyes, which are blue, glow fluorescent pink and look like cat eyes? But you still don't believe me? Sebastian! Bring me a knife, now!" Ciel said demandingly. Sebastian nodded, and brought out a knife, and handed it to Ciel.
"You are going to display to the Young Lady your applaudable demonic might?" Sebastian asked sarcastically with nary a smile. Lizzie shivered at the dead look on Sebastian's face.
"No need for such hostility. It is the only way she'll believe me, at least the only way that would allow me to do what I plan to attempt."
"What do you p-plan to attempt?" Lizzie asked nervously.
"You still don't believe me, and so, I couldn't tell you, as you would not only not listen, but likely find me mad, and have me committed. And so, I must prove my point."
"O-okay… Please don't hurt yourself with that knife…"
"I cannot promise that." Ciel said flatly, moving the knife in a flash, and flicking the blade across his wrist. Elizabeth shrieked as blood splattered across his arm, and ran down his hand in addition to splattering his own clothes, the table, and even Lizzie's face, if only a little bit.
Lizzie was trembling in terror now, horrified that Ciel would do something like that to himself. But she watched as Ciel held his finger up, and pointed down to his wrist. Lizzie gasped in shock as the wound began to seal up. Ciel looked up and saw that Lizzie's whole body was shaking, but whether with fear or excitement, he couldn't tell.
"I-is this why you always wear black these days? Even if you are a demon, you should wear more cheerful clothes… I know you've been a very stoic and melancholy person since you came back from… that… But you should try to be cheerful sometimes again."
"Lizzie… That's probably impossible for me. But that's not the reason I told you all this. I suppose I should have had Bard, Maylene, and Finny in here as well. It would have saved a lot of time…" Ciel sighed. "But regardless, now that I am a demon, I will potentially live for all eternity. Not a bad prospect at face value. But if I have nobody with whom to share eternity, it might become tiresome, and lonely…"
"A-are you asking me to become a demon as well?" Lizzie asked, slightly nervous, but also somewhat excited. The idea seemed like fun, if a little bit scary. But Ciel shook his head.
"No. First of all, as I have already explained, it would be impossible for you to become a demon unless another demon gave up their life for you that you could inherit their demonic essence.
However, there is a demidemonic state that humans indentured to a powerful demon can enter that they might live forever, and gain some of the powers that their demonic master has. Do not look at me that way. I do not wish to enslave you. That is a story for another time." Ciel said, fascinating Lizzie even further.
"The basis of the contract is not necessarily master/servant, but could be between a demon and a lover, or a demon and a human friend. This happens so rarely, though, that few demons would ever even conceive of the notion that the relationship could be anything but master/servant in nature.
Rather, I am asking if you would be willing to be my wife for eternity. If you do not wish to decide yet, I can wait as long as you need, of course. You are still young, and I can change my physical appearance as I desire.
My natural appearance will be, or so I assume, that of a fourteen year old boy forever. However, that does not mean that I cannot age myself slightly to match people's expectations. I will leave it up to you." Ciel said, finishing his slightly overwhelming and confusing explanation.
Lizzie thought for a moment. It was true that immortality wouldn't be an unwelcome thing. But, eventually her family would die, and she would be essentially alone. She wouldn't be in need of money. Her family was very wealthy, as was Ciel. But she would miss them when they died, and people would get suspicious if everyone around her aged and she didn't. They could feasibly move around, and in a place like Paris, perhaps nobody would really notice, or even care.
Certainly, Sebastian, who had been Ciel's butler for over a year was able to pull off blending in despite the fact that he didn't age. If Sebastian was as old as Ciel claimed that he was, he had likely had many contracts in the past, and probably more than one that lasted for years on end.
"I'll do it." Lizzie said flatly. Ciel was surprised that she had answered so quickly, and so sincerely. She seemed not to have an ounce of doubt in her.
"But please wait until my eighteenth birthday. I know that I'm considered an adult already by English law, but I don't think it will be that way forever. Besides, it's only three years, right, Ciel? And of course, you'd be able to age yourself to look the same age as me…"
"I am happy to wait as long as you need, Lizzie. After all, what is there but time for me? Now, where is the tea?"
"R-right here, my Lord…" Maylene said nervously running out with the tray, but tripping over her feet, and tumbling. Fortunately, Ciel chose that moment to be quite fleet of foot, and he jumped over the couch, twisted in the air with a flair that would have given even Sebastian a run for his money, and caught the teapot with his right index finger, and ducked under Maylene, and thrust his hand up to catch her as well, though, unfortunately, he dropped the cups, and they shattered on the floor, and Maylene had the wind driven from her lungs rather severely from Ciel driving his hand into her stomach.
"Th-thank you, Young Master…" Maylene gasped, barely able to speak. "I heard your explanation of you and Sebastian being demons, but I didn't believe you. You must be, though… Are you going to eat my soul, now that I know?'
"Of course not. That would be a waste of a perfectly good servant. Now, Finny! Bard! Get in here! I know you were listening in as well! So, I offer you a choice. The same thing I offered to Lizzie. Some of my demonic blood that you might form a contract with me. If you wish to know more about it, ask Sebastian. But the short is that you enter into an eternal contract with the demon whose blood you drank, and you gain his or her agelessness, and strength, stamina, and healing as no mortal can match…
"Amongst other things. It is a long explanation, and I would not want to spend a long time explaining. So, you may make your decisions on your own. I am in no way attempting to strong-arm you into anything. I merely wish for staff that does not pass me by in what would be the blink of an eye for me, despite being a lifetime for you."
"W-we'd be immortal?" Finny asked.
"I said 'undying'. Nobody is immortal. Even Sebastian and I aren't immortal. There is a weapon that can deal us lethal damage which cannot be healed by our accelerated healing. In fact, shallow cuts from Laevatin, the Demon Sword, take years, even decades to heal, and deep wounds will likely remain forevermore.
It is now in our possession, so it shouldn't be used against us again. Do you understand, Finnian?" Ciel asked, narrowing his gaze. Finny nodded with a gulp.
"Maylene? Bard? Have you got any questions?"
"Um… If we drink your blood, we'll never die?"
"Under optimal circumstances. There is always a chance that you can die from being attacked by a stronger opponent, though few would meet those qualifications. Again, I order nothing. Make your decisions and come back when you are ready to give me your answer, either way. Be sure you understand that your answer will not affect your employment here. Now leave, and Maylene?"
"Y-yes, Young Master?"
"Your shoe is untied."
"Th-thank you, Young Master." Maylene muttered, bowing, and tying her shoe quickly."