The pessimist thought over the events and wanted to attack instantly. He wanted to secure the son and question him until he coughed up all the answers he needed. However, Sebastian laid a calm hand on the small shoulder and advised against it.

Ciel, never having seen a single spot of fear on Sebastian's eyes before, acquiesced.

"Very well," he said, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

This he said several hours later while conversing with Lao. The man sat in a green silk outfit, with his darling woman on his lap staring nonchalantly across at Ciel, who had no idea where else to turn.

"Has it ever come to your thoughts that perhaps you cannot solve all mysteries?" Lao expostulated, running his hand down his female partner's back. A thin layer of smoke crowded around him, a thin stick burned in his hands, emitted the smoke as well as a pleasant perfume.

Ciel planted himself across from Lao on a less comfortable divan, his fingers tapping against its stiff arm. "But this directly involves me."

"They paid you, did they not? So what's it to you what some old pervert wants with those silly dolls."

"I'm not against him buying them. I'm just worried that his 'clever' doctor would use them for some malign business," Ciel said, looking towards Sebastian for support.

Sebastian made no comment.

"Why don't you receive some help? Or, better yet, pray for some to come and wait patiently for it to arrive." Lao continued.

"You know I don't do such things."

"What else will you do? Risk losing your butler?"

Ciel quieted at once and agreed to "twiddle his thumbs until a miracle falls from the sky".

And a miracle did. The arrival of Arthur Kirkland was a shining star in the darkest of nights.

Now that we have become caught up with the story and I have revealed the events that fell in order to knock over this one in their domino arrangement, I believe the story may fully begin now.

Ciel ordered Sebastian to find this elusive Dante and bring him over at once to converse with Arthur Kirkland. Wants he does so and Dante is able to complete whatever action he needed to, Ciel will instruct Arthur to help him find this doctor's son and then the case would be solved and done for, Ciel could return home in time for afternoon tea and a peaceful evening.

Sitting in the living room and watching the dusty grandfather tick-tock the minutes away, Ciel felt distinctly naked without Sebastian. He felt fragile and exposed to the world, though he knew he was not. It felt like taking off a piece of jewelry after wearing it for several weeks straight—unnatural, to say the least.

His left leg hung over the couch, barley scraping the floor. The other housekeepers rustled various objects and whispered to one another.

That was not the only source of activity. Inside Ciel's head a booming distemper had awoken. Becoming ill of will and health, Ciel refused to eat anything or even look at water. He rested his arm across his forehead, he shut his eyes and attempted to block out the bruit inside his head.

After a sickly nap without any dreams—except for a constant image of beady eyes staring at him—Ciel woke to find Sebastian above him, paler than usual.

"Hello, young master. You look unwell."

"I have this dreadful headache, that's all." Ciel muttered, rubbing his temples. His eye patch was nowhere to be seen. "Have you fetched that Dante?"

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, he is here speaking with Arthur. You were asleep when I came in so I called Arthur to come over, allowing you more rest, my lord."

Ciel rose, sitting up. "So is Dante a demon as well?"

"Yes. He belongs to someone else, now, but he is still entitled to aid Arthur in whatever he needs, since Arthur had done some sort of pact with him."

"Then why couldn't he have called him on his own? Why did he need your help?"

"That's part of the deal—Dante will agree to whatever Arthur needs, but he must first be found because their connection is weak and useless unless Arthur directly orders him to do his bidding."

"I see…" Ciel lowered his head.

"I shall bring you something to help your headache, my lord." Sebastian said, already turning away. Ciel remained silent. He considered it to be an average head cold, caught from being outside so often and having such a stress placed upon him.

If only he knew.