Chapter Fourteen
"Young Master? I believe it is past time to awaken. You have guests." Sebastian said, still perplexed as to why Ciel decided to sleep still when he clearly didn't need it.
"Wake up, Young Master. I shall not tell you again." Sebastian said firmly. And once again… "You have guests who are waiting for you."
"Fine. I'm up. I'm up." Ciel said exasperatedly, climbing out of bed, getting dressed, combing his hair and putting on his shoes all in the span of two minutes.
"I am impressed, Young Master. You have improved greatly in self care. In the future, I will require you to work on the care of others.
Fortunately, we have both women and men in the house on whom for you to practice. We could have you work on Finnian and Maylene… Or Finnian and Lady Elizabeth. I suspect that would be less uncomfortable for you."
"I'm not going to dress either of them! I could never touch Lizzie like that… Not yet anyway… Her mother would kill me." Ciel said, shivering violently at the thought of what Frances would do to him if she found out he undressed her or even saw her undressed.
"You forget that you are a Demon. Her mother could not touch you. That aside, you have not got a choice. In the future, you will likely have to take care of someone who was just as incompetent or unwilling in the area of self care as yourself. You have improved vastly. But you still have much to learn. Now, come. We must greet our guests. I suspect I forgot to tell you this, but Lady Sullivan is staying with us for now."
"What!? Why? Can't she stay in the dorms!?" Ciel demanded. Sebastian smirked and sighed.
"You really did not feel it at all, did you?" Sebastian asked, feeling a strange mixture of admiration and pity. Ciel raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"You expended the most minute sliver of your own Will when you enacted the Contractus Sanguinus. So although Lady Sullivan did use her own Willpower to seal it, your own Willpower was added to the equation. I am not certain whether to be disappointed in your lack of control or impressed by your admittedly powerful Willpower that you could expend some without feeling anything."
"What!? What does that mean!? Is Sieglinde sick? Is she alright?" Ciel demanded, screaming now at Sebastian, who merely shrugged and took his Master's hand and led him downstairs, where Lizzie, Sieglinde, Frances Midford, Grell, Rael Aldershof, Sascha Breisacher, Ásbjörn Rudgar, and Will Spears were all sitting around the table.
Frances was looking suspiciously at the number of other women seated at the table. Admittedly, they ranged from looking like nobility of a bygone era to modern day nouveau riche to looking like real Dickensian ragamuffins. But she didn't like that they all looked like they were quite comfortable in the house.
"Welcome, everyone. I apologize for my tardiness in greeting you all. I trust that you are all comfortable?"
"Ciel! I need a private word with you! Now!" Frances said, grabbing Ciel with a surprising level of strength and dragging him out of the room.
"I am certain I can guess your protest. The women in there are all for lack of a better term business partners and acquaintances. The young lady who looks like she might be from the 1600s is named Sieglinde Sullivan. I went on a mission to her village and discovered that the German army was using her vast intelligence and knowledge of chemistry to develop a powerful chemical weapon they called Mustard Gas. We met the female in the suit in the forest around the village.
"The story around her is too long to tell. She is a member of the Special Forces of Germany and was sent to assist me in taking down an operation that had grown out of control. The brown haired girl who looks like an orphan is in training for similar Special Forces training under the very flamboyant looking gentleman with the red hair.
The rest of them are either nobility or military and I don't mean to be indelicate, but I wasn't expecting a visit from you today. Please stay and make yourself comfortable. But I have business to attend to with the rest of the people at the table."
"You really are your father's son. I only wish that like him you would make more time for your remaining family. Very well. I can take Elizabeth and leave. I wouldn't want to be in your way."
Although her tone, as always was harsh, Ciel knew that she wasn't being sarcastic. It wasn't in her nature to use sarcasm. She was always very straightforward and direct. She then smiled at Ciel and spoke again.
"Elizabeth loves the necklace you gave her. We still have not determined what kind of stone it is. We've gotten appraisers from all over the world. But none have been able to identify the rock except to say that it is harder than diamond but lighter than wood."
"Aunt Frances. The stone is called Zæthuramite, and it is approximately ten times as hard as diamond, but very light. It was mined from very deep within the earth. Beyond that, the specifics are far too dry and frankly boring to waste time explaining. I am gratified that she is pleased with the necklace. I am starting an expedition to mine more of it, as I suspect that it can become a very popular precious stone."
"Indulge me, Ciel…" Frances said. Ciel raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Please, come in here for a moment, Sebastian." Ciel said authoritatively. Sebastian smiled perfunctorily and came into the room.
"Good afternoon, Marchionesse Midford. What… What a pleasure to see you again."
"I see you still have that same indecent face!" Frances said critically. Sebastian smiled helplessly.
"I am afraid this is the face with which I was born, Milady."
"I brought Sebastian here because he would be able to explain this stone much better than I. Sebastian, would you… Tell her what you told me about the stone?"
"Well, Milady, it is believed that Zæthuramite came from Neutron Stars, stars that have died and turned inward, creating an intensely dense and heavy crystalline material and occasionally, something gets drawn in by its intense gravity, and knocks loose some of the matter, and it flies toward earth. This is one of those cases."
"It usually burns up in the atmosphere before it hits earth. But in this case, it did not."
"You expect me to believe rubbish like that?" Frances asked skeptically. Ciel and Sebastian looked at each other.
"Well, we were hoping." Ciel said. Ciel looked at Sebastian, who nodded. There was no other way to deal with this.
"Aunt Frances, I suggest you sit down. Would you care for a drink?" Ciel asked. "I suspect you're going to need one."
"Just tea, please."
"Sebastian, make some New Moon Tea. Hurry, please. You know how Aunt Frances doesn't like to wait." Ciel said. Then he turned to Frances and smiled politely.
"Is New Moon Tea alright with you?" He asked. Frances nodded once.
"It is not the guest's place to impose upon their host with undue requests."
"New Moon it is, then."
"Yes, My Lord." Sebastian said with a polite smile, bowing and walking to the kitchen while Ciel brought Frances over to a chair and sitting down across from her.
"Now, Aunt Frances… I'm sure that all of this will be quite unbelievable. But for you to understand where the Zæthuramite came from, where it truly came from, you require a bit of back story. The short version is that I am a Demon."
"Yes, yes. You and your father both. You were both terribly improper young men. Your hair was too long. Your faces were so feminine…"
"No. I mean it in the literal sense. I am a demon. I was not always one, though. It all started about two years ago, when I learned about a boy named Trancy with a butler named Claude Faustus.
It turned out that Trancy, though he was mere gutter trash who was kidnapped and raped by the former Earl Trancy, had a whole cadre of Demons, Claude, a female Demon named Hannah Annafeloz and triplet Demons whom Sebastian quickly dispatched."
"But it turned out that Hannah, who had been contracted to Trancy's younger brother years before, had masterminded the entire thing so that she could get Alois's soul as well. She, being the owner of the Demon Sword known as Laevatin, which is capable of permanently injuring Demons. She mandated that Claude and Sebastian had to fight using the sword."
"Sebastian won and impaled Claude, killing him. But because Alois had wished to Hannah while his soul was in my body that Sebastian could never have my soul. Thus, Hannah, being extremely weary of living eternally, never dying, never changing, one millennium after the next, decided that the way she would make my soul inaccessible to Sebastian was by turning me into a Demon.
She transferred her Essence to me, thus making my soul off limits. If he had tried to take my soul, the Essence out of which it is now made would have attempted to overwhelm his own Soul and there was a good chance that his mind would have been overwritten by Hannah's."
"And since he swore that he would serve me until the day that he took my soul, he is bound to me eternally. It really is ironic, isn't it?" Ciel asked, laughing grimly. For a moment, Frances said nothing. But then, she burst into laughter as well.
"Ciel… I had no idea you had a sense of humor like that. It's so… Unexpected. I know it's uncouth to laugh like this. But you really are quite funny." Frances said, continuing to laugh. Ciel smiled grimly and waited for Frances to stop laughing. After a few minutes, she finally did, and looked at him seriously.
"I expected that you may not believe me. I have the proof that I require to show without a doubt that I'm not human. Aunt Frances, please take this knife and cut me. You may do so anywhere you like. But I would suggest a vital area such as the Carotid or Femoral Arteries… Or perhaps the Radial Artery."
"I'm not going to cut you, Ciel. I may be unforgiving, but I'm no murderer." Frances said angrily. Ciel merely smirked as Sebastian came in, pouring the tea for the two of them.
"Sebastian, cut my Radial Artery, if you would. Make certain that you completely sever it." Ciel said. Sebastian bowed and responded in the affirmative, taking a blade and flashing it across Ciel's wrist, completely severing the artery. Suddenly, blood spurted from the wrist and soaked into Ciel's clothes, causing Frances to gasp and cover her mouth.
"Sebastian! How could you!? He's your master! A servant can never raise his hand to his master!" Frances demanded. Sebastian merely smiled at this, and brought Frances's attention back to Ciel's wrist which was rapidly healing. Frances grabbed the knife angrily from Sebastian and held it over Ciel's shoulder, jamming it into his neck and then ripping it out none too gently.
Ciel merely smirked as blood gushed from the wound, soaking the shirt and jacket before quickly knitting and repairing itself. Ciel licked his fingers, spitting on them and applying the saliva to the neck wound as well, causing it to knit faster.
"Do you see, Aunt Francis? The knife trick was enough to convince Elizabeth that I was a Demon. Is it enough for you?" Ciel asked, sipping his tea, although it had no taste, making it merely a gesture.
"How long have you been an unholy abomination, Ciel?" Frances asked. Ciel thought for a moment.
"Approximately a year and four months. It has not been long." Ciel replied honestly. Frances sneered.
"I can't believe you deceived me for a year and four months like this! There's no way I can allow my Elizabeth to marry such a monster! How can I trust anything you say!?"
"Why would I lie to you, Aunt Frances?" Ciel asked, looking slightly hurt. Frances narrowed her eyes and looked away.
"You're a Demon. Demons lie like they breathe." She rebutted. Ciel sighed.
"I suppose you are right. You're a woman of honor and dignity, though. If I defeat you in a duel, would you allow me your daughter's hand in marriage?" Ciel asked, standing and bowing politely. Frances looked at Ciel suspiciously. Why was he so intent on marrying Elizabeth? True, they had been engaged since childhood. But he was handsome and a Demon. He could probably get any woman he wanted to marry him with his Demonic powers.
"You needn't answer me, now, Aunt Frances. But I will ask that you answer within the year." Ciel asked, being uncommonly earnest. Frances looked at him disbelievingly.
"Why a year?" She asked. "What happens in a year?"
"Believe me when I say that my life will be on the line in a year. If I do not return alive, Elizabeth may marry anyone she sees fit to. But if I return with my life, I plan to take her hand."
"I see. Then if her hand means so much to you, and you are willing to duel me for it, I shall accept your challenge. On the chance that you win, Elizabeth is yours to wed. If I win, though, she will never be yours."
"I accept your challenge, Aunt Frances. Shall it be a fencing match?" Ciel asked. Frances smirked.
"If you think you stand a chance. Using rapiers or foils?" Frances replied. Ciel laughed.
"Foils, of course. I wouldn't like to think I killed you over a woman. I do love Elizabeth. But I won't kill you for her. I'm not Othello, who killed Cassio for Desdemona."
"Very noble of you. Sebastian. Do we have any foils immediately available?" Frances asked. Sebastian nodded and produced two almost immediately, handing one to Ciel and the other to Frances, who took a fighting stance and bowed politely to Ciel.
"However this turns out, I respect you for being willing to fight for Elizabeth's hand. I shall not think less of you if you lose." Frances said politely.
"And I won't think less of you if you lose, Aunt Frances. In three?"
"Of course."
The two turned their backs to each other and took three steps away, turned back toward each other and bowed again, and began. Ciel stood completely still while Frances cautiously advanced. Ciel moved though in a flash, striking at Frances as soon as she was in his range, moving faster than Frances had anticipated, or even thought possible.
She dodged, though and parried the blow, striking one back at Ciel, who also dodged, and struck back at Frances again, nearly hitting her, but only catching her arm, which is not a valid target in Fencing. Thus did the duel go on. Ciel twisted and struck and Frances's chest, being parried by Frances's foil again. Finally, Ciel saw his chance.
Frances may not have been nearly as strong or fast as he. But she was cautious, even in a fight that she was sure she would win. Every Fencing match was two out of three. But winning the first match was always a good start, as it made the opponent less confident. Ciel parried, twisted the foil in such a way that threw Frances off balance and struck true, hitting her in the chest.
"I feel safe in assuming this is two out of three, Aunt Frances?" Ciel asked. Frances looked at Ciel in disbelief. Nobody but Lizzie had ever beaten her, and even Lizzie had only beaten her once. This was unprecedented. But she wasn't deterred. She could concede defeat now. Ciel had dueled extremely well, and defeated her for the first time in years.
She could concede defeat. But that wouldn't teach Ciel anything about taking responsibility for his words. He had challenged her to a duel. And she would take it to the natural conclusion. She put her mask back on and bowed again. Ciel did the same, and they took three steps away from each other. This time, Frances was much more cautious, and waited for Ciel to move first.
As soon as he did, Frances parried his extremely quick strike, swatting the thrust away, and stepping to the left, trying to catch him unaware. Ciel parried the blow, though, and countered with a shockingly fast attack, followed quickly by three more thrusts, which Frances used as an opportunity to strike Ciel. She hit true, hitting him in the chest, and ending the second round. It was one to one. The final round would decide everything.
Ciel knew that he could easily win much more quickly by using all of his power, speed and cunning. He could make his arm longer in a split second, giving him more range, make himself taller and then shorter briefly to disorient her. But he was fighting fairly. This was a duel of honor, and even if he was an 'evil nobleman', he still had his honor to consider.
The two prepared for the final round, and bowed before turning around and starting. Both were very cautious this time, neither wanting to concede any weakness. The two danced for a while, striking and parrying, neither making too decisive a move until they were sure of their victory. Ciel thought he saw a chance briefly, but it was quickly snatched away when Frances covered her opening.
Frances also briefly saw a chance to snatch victory. But decided against it when she realized that it was nothing but a bluff. Ciel was baiting her, and she wouldn't allow herself to be drawn in and beaten so easily. This was her daughter, and though she was strict with Elizabeth, it was only because she loved her, and wanted the best for her.
Finally, Frances saw a true opening. Ciel was becoming complacent in his newfound speed and strength. She kept her poker face, but moved quickly, and struck for his heart. However, her strike was quickly parried, and Ciel's foil circled around and struck her heart.
She had lost. For the first time ever, she had lost. True, she had lost a single round to Elizabeth, who admittedly was a prodigy that outshone even her in raw talent. But she lacked the experience. Ciel, however, had truly defeated her with speed, grace, cunning and strength.
"It was a good duel, Aunt Frances. You were a worthy opponent." Ciel said with a genuine smile. Frances frowned and shook her head.
"No I wasn't. You could have taken the first two rounds.
You were holding back the entire time. You made sure that you were only a little bit faster than I was and just a tiny bit stronger. But if you won even while holding back, I can see that I'm no match for you. You have my blessing on your marriage. I hope that you will fence with me again in the future."
"I would be honored, Aunt Frances. I look forward to the wedding." Ciel said with an earnest smile. Frances turned around and looked at Ciel piercingly, and spoke again.
"Oh, so please tell me what the stone is actually made of?" Frances requested, sitting back down and availing herself of the tea again.
"Of course. It is actually solidified Demonic Essence. If I recall properly what Sebastian said, it was created near the end of the Demon, Lillith's life. Before she died, she created two things. One was the Demon Sword now in my own possession, Laevatin.
The other was the Zæthuramite. Because it was made of Demonic Essence, and imbued with its natural beauty by Demonic Blood, it is naturally regenerating. Thus, if Elizabeth drops it by accident, and it somehow is damaged, then it will regenerate to its original state within hours."
"That said, if I had not solidified and mandated its Shape by imbuing it with my own Willpower, it would have continued to grow forever on its own. That, not being conducive toward jewelry, wouldn't work, and so I used my own Willpower to seal its shape. I am actually hoping to create a Zæthuramite farm underneath the mansion. That way, the Funtom Company can start selling jewelry."
"An ambitious plan. Wouldn't it be hard to contain the Zaethuramite if you had an entire farm of it underneath your mansion? If it grows naturally, then it will soon overwhelm any demand that you have for it."
"That is an issue. There's no precedent for how fast it grows in the Human World as opposed to the Demon World. I intend to run some experiments on that issue. I will keep a small parcel of it in the Human World and a similar sized parcel in the Demon World, and compare the growths of the two. Until then, I doubt I will be selling any Zæthuramite jewelry in the Human World. It will take months, maybe even years."
"I understand. I always appreciated your meticulous nature. Just promise me one thing, Ciel." Frances said sternly. Ciel gulped and straightened up.
"Promise me you'll cut that mop you call a hairdo before you marry my daughter."
"I make no such promises. My hair is very adeptly cut by Sebastian." Ciel rebutted. "But I do apologize. I really must return to my guests. You are free to stay. But I cannot ignore them."
"Of course. Have a good day. Come, Elizabeth!" Frances shouted, and Elizabeth ran out, hugged Ciel tightly, much to Frances's chagrin, and left with her mother.