Janus — The Heirs, He Who Wishes To Wear the Crown, Endure Its Weight
-Phantomhive Manor Murder Case Arc-
Chapter XLI:
Jekyll and Hyde
Title: Janus (Sequel to 'A Kiss To My Prince and The King 2 Hearts)
Summary: The light turns on at a dark street, I'm wondering around to find something again. The unfamiliar darkness is all that remains in my hand. This world approached me with an unfamiliar face, everything was taken from me by that first glance; I have changed, this have switched everything. Run away, disappear far away, give me back the lost time, I ask of you. Any time, any fate – it's a rough road that won't end though I'm ripped apart and in pain, I will smile, watch me, I promise. I will win and win and smile, watch me. I ask of you.
Pairing: Sebastian x OC x Ciel with Claude x OC x Alois!
"My name is Yuri Park. There was an incident and I woke up in 1887. Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever's happened, it's like I've landed on a different planet. I decided to stay in this world...and this is my story."
Thank you guys for those who reviewed and alerted my other story: 'A Kiss To My Prince' and 'The King 2 Hearts' and 'Janus'.
A/N: Here's the second chapter/present for my readers I am updating since today is my birthday keke! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter as well~~
This chapter contains: 5th Arc of Kuroshitsuji manga 'Phantomhive Manor Murder Case Arc' chapter 49.
"I have frequently gained my first real insight into the character of parents by studying their children." -Arthur Conan Doyle
"I was murdered that night." He stated.
"This is..." The glaring Grey's reflection glistened in the harsh, flickering light before ringing pain spread in his skull then not a second later, swiftly did Grey strike his back, piercing through his spine and protective ribs into the aorta of his heart.
"Gah!" Sebastian chocked, blood splattering out of his mouth as the blood filled and overflow his lung at the sudden sneak attack.
"By the Queen's butler. Earl Charles Grey."
Grey watched as Sebastian became limp, sprawling across the floor with brass fireplace poker sticking out sadistically out of his back as red ribbons slowly pooled around him.
"How boring." Grey ventured, stepping on the back of the dead butler then squat down with displease look on his face, "I thought I'd torment that shitty little brat for a while. But for it to be found out so soon...with these stupid servants getting in the way."
Grey picked up the scattered pieces of glass vials and opened the window, stepping outside. The rain furiously defied against his whole form with strength that he had to close his eyes and wind that scorched him with its harsh frosty touch.
"Well, that's ruined now!" With much strength he could muster, pulling his arm back then forward in strong force of momentum, threw the tiny shards of glass out into the storm.
Grey angrily stomped out, "And Siemens is in the basement?!" He complained, shaking for he was afraid of ghosts and particularly, ghost in dark places, since he only believed in things that could be cut down by sword and the story of the haunted basement the servants told of it didn't help either. "Having to go there by myself is the WORST!"
His footsteps faded after few minute, barely detected even by his ears, did Sebastian casually arose from the floor with the weapon still piercing out of his back.
"To make successive attack to a vital point in an instant..." Sebastian noted acknowledgedly, "As expected of the Queen's butler."
"I followed Earl Grey to the wine cellar where Master Siemens had been placed."
The demon quietly entered the cold subterranean and approached the man's body placed upon the ground, "My, my." Sebastian mused at the sight that laid before him.
The human man, idiotically naive to his current situation and his living status, was in fact asleep in most atrocious manner unfit for a man of his social seat and snoring rather loudly with a bottle of wine kept close to his chest.
"He even went as far as to grab a bottle of ripening wine..." Truly, this man was an epitome of the whole seven deadly sins itself; perhaps even more. "He's really hopeless."
Creak.
Sebastian glanced over his shoulder, familiar scent of blood and rain hitting his nose. Not making a sound, he jumped up to the ceiling, supporting his weight with his two outstretched arms and legs in each arched pillar of opposite sides as he silently waited and gazed below.
Grey crept open the wooden gate carefully, poking his head to the inside hesitatingly as if assuring himself there was no supernatural creatures. His anxious footsteps became confident and menace toward the German banker, who either in right or wrong timing, woke up and noticed the Queen's butler.
"Ooh? Oooh! Earl Grey!" Siemens greeted in delight, unaware and unexpected of what will happen in mere few minutes. "It seems everything went according to plan! Were they all surprised? When I woke up, there was tons of wine." Nor did he noticed the Earl's steel gaze filled with disgust and contempt in a way one would regard a insect that must be squashed immediately.
The naive Siemens continued to mumble in drunken slur, "A wake-up drink is..."
No warning. A slender, silver rapier tore through the man's dry blooded shirt; through the skin and through his vital organs to the man's back. A clean through and through attack.
"Eh.." Siemens muttered in shock, his eyes rigidly lowering to his chest where blood spurted out violently and trailed down the corner of his lip.
"Stop yelling, you're too loud." Grey commanded distastefully, sighing exasperatedly at the man's vain way of living his life, over-indulging and filling his belly with sinful hedonism.
Gold hilt of the rapier still firmly in Grey's hand, bent down to the man's eye level so the pitiful beast see and prints his image in Siemens very own eyes at his death of the man who ended his despicable life. If one thought about it in a bright side, Grey was doing a favour for him before he shames his country further and even himself - although he can't guarantee latter; observing the manner of behaviour in the party, overly told this was not the first time.
"You're an eyesore." Grey stated sadistically, "You blockhead Germans will overtake England you say?"
Grey scoffed and smirked, "Come back in another ten years(1)."
Shabby spurt of his stutter that he was not able to say to the face of his killer before Siemens' last breath left his lip in vengeful lingering. Grey sighed once more, finally major step of his plan was done as he covered the truly dead man's body with the white sheet beside him.
"Well.." Grey said to himself, "I guess it will really be ten years though." Then without a glance over his shoulder, having confident in his skill to have make sure to stab through the heart and ending the life completely and definite, exited the cellar.
Only when Sebastian was sure Grey was gone once and for all, and no chance of coming back here to check, did he drop onto the floor effortlessly; having seen more than he needed for future use.
The expensive china slipped out of Arthur's hand in shock, the content spilling out of its holder onto the white sheet and tainted it with its brown liquid colouring, "N...NO WAY!" He exclaimed, "So you're saying you even knew who the criminal was?! And then you threw away your own life?! All because it was your master's order...?!"
"Indeed." Sebastian confirmed, "I do not tell lies."
"But like a demon, you look for loopholes and manipulates your answers." I corrected.
"My, my, Miss. Yuri. What an accurate perception of my person. Truly." He complimented with a smile, but he did not falter away from the subject, "In any case, the ruthless way in which my master exploits people...I mean, butlers, deserve a Royal warrant."
Ciel pouted, "What do you mean by that." He muttered disapprovingly although it was more of a word to himself than a question that needed an answer.
Sebastian continued, "After that, I made preparations for three days worth of food. I gave instructions for the next day to the chef and the gardener. For when worst came to worst I gave the owl I had captured in the forest the day before to the maid. And I wrote a report regarding the hearth inspection to the young master."
Sebastian slipped the envelope inside the pillow cover, he took from Yuri, and headed to the room with Claude, who was very much aware as Sebastian and with his own report, where their respective masters awaited. Although, the things he were about to do was quite tiring and hard even for a demon like him with plenty chance of being discovered, Sebastian would not stoop as low as to ask the other demon for aid.
He took a moment to regard his appearance, although his dried blood blended in with the dark suit of his, the upper white shirt was noticeably tainted and the red stood out amongst the colour of his shirt.
It's a bit indecent to appear before a guest and the master like this I guess? He wondered thus blew out the candle, for they both could see in dark as clear as in light. It was more of a habit of wondering around with candles as he learned soon after he became Ciel's butler, he must blend in and follow humane acts.
"You're late, Sebastian." Ciel noted, stretching his arm, "Give me the pillow already."
"This is what you'd call the young master's blanket I guess?" He teased.
Ciel plopped onto the pillow, "Non-sense. I just like this pillow." His finger came to grip onto the protruding square shape foreign object inside it, his eyes narrowing in the darkness knowingly as for a moment, met Alois' who also mirrored his expression. Indifferently, he smuggled deeper into the bed, "Return to your room already. I'm going to sleep."
"Mr. Wordsmith. I leave the young master in your hands."
"Then I returned to my work as the young master had asked."
"Well then." Sebastian sighed, bothered at what he was about to do next. He picked up the bloodied fire iron that had once stabbed him straight through his now healed back. He lowered himself on the floor where he had 'died', and positioned fire iron above his back, where he approximately guessed he was originally pierced.
"How foolish." Claude commented dryly.
"Isn't it?" Sebastian agreed with irony, "Not in my lifetime, did I had to stab myself ever until this day."
"Hm." The spider demon scoffed, "Do it already, abiding time longer will stop me from getting my reward at the end." With that, Claude walked away.
"Even I feel quite some pain when being stabbed." He stated after some time. Unconsciously, a smile graced his lip, amusing at the irony how demons were superior to humans yet felt the same things as humans.
Then an amusing thought occurred to him and he instead positioned the weapon at his chest.
Wasting no further time, Sebastian swiftly thrust the sharp weapon through his heart and once more, reopening the injuries as the carpet was tainted with blood again. He lay on the floor, positioned in such a way as inspiring artist would do, purposely and methodically, not an inch was overlooked.
It should look like this I guess?
"I was founded by Finnian as ordered. I just meant for it to be a little revenge but Earl Grey's puzzled look...it certainly made me laugh. And then..."
"Young.. master..." The servants nervously said, knowing the two was close and the sudden news of death would do no good for his already stressful situation.
"The young master put on quite a realistic show."
Ciel's grip on Sebastian's shirt tightened, shaking in disbelief, "That's an order! Sebastian! Wake up right now! Are you ignoring my orders?!" His head rolled limply as Ciel's fist connected with his cheek painfully.
"Are you...dead, Sebastian?" Ciel chocked, holding his laughter to the point his whole body was trembling, biting his lip from allowing sadistic grin to appear.
"When a person is holding in their laughter, it could appear as if they are crying." Sebastian stated, Arthur's eyes widening, "Even I wouldn't have thought he would hit me with his ring hand though. Furthermore, with me in a position where I could not move...his cunning was admirable."
But soon, those amused looks left him and in place - in a very rare occurrence - was honest sincerity in his eye of the contract they made, "You...Yuri and you. You said you'd be by my side until the end." Then he lowered his lip to Sebastian's ears, those fleeting look soon dispersing as fast as it showed, "Put the bottle in the hearth at a suitable moment. Okay?"
"As a corpse, I was able to obtain an alibi and freedom."
Using the back door of the kitchen, Sebastian - having obtain liberty of suspicion or restriction, trudged out into the stormy rain.
"It was a step forward in being able to freely accomplish my job."
"Well," He said to himself as he pulled the white gloves over his hands tightly, "Let's get going then." With a hiss of swish, the demon shoot through the forest in impossible speed, his clothes soon drenching from the attack of rain drops.
In far distance, he saw a flying figure he had been looking for. Strapped to the owl's claw was a tiny scroll securely wrapped and jerked toward the sky, grabbing its claw by his hand and brought it down with him, landing on a tree branch.
It squawked in protest, clapping its wings furiously in attempt to escape much to Sebastian's annoyance. He took out a syringe, "Be still for a while please."
"However.."
"!" The invisible frequency of sounds travelled over to his ears, hearing it as clear as if he was in the room and realised his cover was to about to be realised.
"So in that scenario I would be right in thinking that the person who currently holds the key and killed Sebastian is the criminal?" Ciel queried.
"Yes."
"Well, first let's confirm whether or not the butler is carrying the key himself. Even though it would mean our theory ends there." Grey added.
"You're right." Arthur agreed, "Also from now on, whenever we move, I'd like us to move as a group." Arthur glanced toward at Irene, "Since it would be difficult asking a woman to accompany us to the corpse's storage room, I'd like Miss Irene to stay here with Mr. Grimsby."
"Emergencies are a part of a butler's job."
Sebastian moved from one tree branch to another, soon the sight of the mansion came to his view.
This won't do. If I don't hurry to the wine cellar! He conceded, landing on the ground with the unconscious owl still in his arm as he sprang toward the mansion before they discovered his body 'missing'.
Meow
Those small, helpless cry stopped him in his track. What was that voice just now? He wondered, then jerking his head to the source of the cry with surprise.
Indeed to his suspicion, "So it was you after all." He muttered, staring down at Luna. Despite the black cat's fur drenching heavy with water, it innocently looked up to him with its beautiful green orbs that stirred sympathy, in rare situation, inside the demon.
"How sad...let's put you..." From the bush, many other feline emerged, crying with its sorrowful voice to him as if pleading him wordlessly, "Inside..."
Could this be what they call the light within the darkness? I'm kidding though.
Sebastian quickly hid the clowder into his wardrobe, their footsteps approaching nearer and nearer where his body was placed.
"We're here, folks." Baldroy announced.
Sebastian slide across the brick floor to the centre, where the empty sheet lay between the two corpses.
The door creak open; three sets of corpse placed under the wooden chandelier light.
"Well then, excuse me." Arthur apologised, lifting up the cover.
"Like this...I managed to avoid the worst crisis in all my years as a butler just a hair's breadth."
"He's wet?!" They gasped, indeed his face, hair and clothes was hardly dry from the rain although it was unknown to them. They began to search and strip his clothes.
However, it was the first time in my long life as a demon...that I ended up having to show humans such a humiliating appearance.
The group exited and Sebastian rose from his place, wasting no further time playing corpse than necessary before heading out in the rain where he, when struck by Grey, saw the direction the shards were thrown to. He made sure to snoop and hid behind the bushes, while the servants gave words of encouragements in his memory.
"After that, I recovered the shards of the ampoule that Earl Grey had thrown in to the garden. I threw those in the hearths in Mr. Woodley's room and completed the young master's order."
Sebastian put the shards into the hearths with care - making sure to be in the woods but far out of reach from the fire and with either careful or haste search from whomever - would surely find them in the fireplace without a doubt.
"As there seemed to be an unexpected incident going on, I'd better get back quickly."
"Then I camouflaged myself. So I returned, carrying the ticket and the owl as my alibi." He added later, "As Pastor Jeremy."
"So that ticket was fake?!" Arthur conceded accusingly.
"No," Sebastian countered, "The ticket is a real thing, I actually went to London to buy it. During a break at the dinner party, I slipped out and brought it. Although, I could not see the performance for more than two minutes."
"That's impossible!" Arthur stated in disbelief.
He smiled at Arthur, taking out the ticket and handing him to inspect for counterfeit item, "If you have any doubts then please, when you return to London, let the stub be inspected at the ticket booth."
"So everything including, the owl, was just a part in his own little play to make Jeremy look convincing." Ciel summarised.
"That's right!" Arthur remembered, "What was written in the letter?"
"Ah yes," Ciel's eyes narrowed in displease at the memory, "About that letter..."
Alois and I burst out laughing, having seen the content of the paper.
"Look at the letter at its claw." They motioned toward its claws. Ciel took out the scroll, scanning his eyes as his lip curled downward in vexation.
"Young master! What did Mr. Sebastian say?!" The Phantomhive servants asked.
The content of the paper in his thumbs was...empty.
"..." Vein protruded as Jeremy snickered at his reaction.
Ciel shoved the paper in his pocket angrily, "It seems that he anticipated that he would be killed and sent a letter to Jeremy."
"Oh my..."
"It was just him trying to funny." Ciel revealed with annoyance.
"It was just some brain training for you young master, since your studies were on hold during the incident." Sebastian defended, "From there, my double role..."
"Wait a second.." Arthur interrupted confusedly, "But I...I investigated your corpse together with Jeremy, you know?!"
Sebastian smirked, "That's..."
"I see...that's very interesting. Can I see the body first?"
"Well then, let's go to the wine cellar together." Arthur said.
"Stop!" Jeremy stopped.
"Huh?"
"I would like you to move each of the bodies to a separate room." Jeremy insisted much to others confusion.
"But why?" Arthur asked.
"The scent might be a clue to the crime." Jeremy explained, "If we put the bodies together their scents will interfere with each other. Also, the wine cellar will have a particularly strong scent of wine...on that note, can you lend me three rooms, Earl?"
Ciel stood up also, "...That would be fine I guess." Then looking at the three of his servant, "You guys, divide the bodies over three rooms."
"Certainly." They answered obediently.
"Earl," Jeremy asked, "Will you allow me to change my clothes in the meantime?"
"Sure...the clothes of my predecessor might be a little too small. I'll lend you some clothes of the dead butler." Ciel nodded, standing in the lead, "I'll take you there."
They moved to the Sebastian's room when Ciel suddenly twirled around, facing Jeremy angrily, "You didn't tell me you would appear looking like that!"
"I didn't have the time to inform you." Jeremy apologised as he quickly changed into the butler attire, "I need to hurry, so please excuse me." With that, much to Ciel's chagrin, speed out of the room to the room where his body rested.
"I'll tell you the details afterwards, although you can inquire Yuri regarding any questions you may have."
Sebastian slide across the cellar, under the materials and silently waited for the servants to arrive. The servants dropped the body off in a room and as soon as their footsteps faded far away, he sat up before heading to the room where Ciel was waiting.
"Ahh.." Sebastian sighed, "Busy, busy."
Sebastian, now masquerading as Jeremy, clapped his hands together in satisfaction, "Well then! I'd like you to show me the bodies in the order they were killed."
"I simply made sure to be one step ahead of everybody. The only obstacle was Earl Grey. First, I investigated Master Siemens. Then I went on to Master Phelps."
"He was the only one killed by different means from the other two." Arthur explained, "I thought it likely from the wounds on his neck that a poison might have been injected..at the time of the murder the only exits and entrances were locked, making it a perfect locked room situation.
Jeremy's eyes sharpened at the examination of the wound, "I see...can you show me the room he died in?"
"Yes," Ciel answered, "I will take you there."
Using the ruse, Jeremy slipped into the room where Phelps body was and lifted his corpse. He opened the windows of the room, stepping over the balcony onto the second balcony where his 'body' was stationed.
He dressed Phelps in his butler attire and covered him with the white sheet before attempting to catch up before anyone notice his disappearance.
"Mr Jeremy is sharp eyed, so if we show it to him, he might notice things we missed." Arthur said to the other two as they tread up the luxurious golden stairs; he could still not fathom how big and large the mansion was.
"Hm?" Grey glanced over his shoulder, "Huh?" He turned around, leaning against the bar of the stair, "That old guy's not following you know."
"Jeremy?" Ciel called from above.
Soon, out of the darkness below the stairs, emerged the black cladded pastor.
"I'm coming. I'm coming." Jeremy quickly followed the trio up the stairs, soon matching them in pace. There was sweat-beads forming and dripping down the side of his face as if he had just done vigorous activity beforehand, "I'm sorry for being late. Let's go."
"So you mean that that body was Phelps?!" Arthur gasped in shock.
"Yes." Sebastian confirmed, "Thanks to the young master's bad acting and Mr. Wordsmith personality I was able to get by."
I'm heading back." Grey announced.
"Well, why don't we head back too?" Jeremy suggested, "I have some preparations to look over for tonight so please go ahead."
"Yes." Ciel nodded.
Charles glanced over his shoulder slyly, satisfied they had their back facing him and he was considerably quite a distance away before quickly turning at the corner of the wall before rushing back to the room where the butler was moved to. At the same time, Jeremy too had slipped pass the unsuspecting group as he shed his second identity, putting on his butler suit.
Within a mere second, Sebastian slipped under the white material and laid as the hurried footsteps stomped near.
Grey pushed open the door, revealing familiar sight of the covered corpse still and in place inconspicuously. However, for he was trained to be certain, pulled the sheets away from the body...revealing Sebastian underneath the sheer material.
Charles gazed down toward the body for few minutes, as if contemplating his suspicion before, "...As if, right." He sighed, dismissing any bewildering theories he had in his mind. Grey stomped on Sebastian's body for good measure of annihilating any thoughts he may be alive when the body did not move.
"There's no way..." He muttered although it was more himself in affirmation and exited the room.
"That was close." Sebastian growled angrily, eyes bleeding red and his set of fangs revealing in his curled lip.
"You know the rest, I supported the young master as pastor Jeremy." Sebastian told, "Master. Woodley was arrested. And the young master got away unscathed without a conviction."
"I don't get it..." Arthur shook his head, his hand tangled in his hair, "After hearing your story, the incident...no everything, I cannot make heads or tail of it any-more. Because, I mean...if that story was real. Then everything that happened was Queen Victoria's butler, Earl Grey's doing. To commit the murders he had the stage prepared by Earl Phantomhive and then even tried to make you" He said, gesturing to us three, "Out to be the killer."
"Even so, the Earls' and their butlers especially made through preparations to clear any suspicion surrounding themselves. And even though they know that Earl Grey was the killer, they made the innocent Mr. Woodley in to the culprit." Arthur concluded, "It's not that the incident is difficult...the situation is just unusual."
"That might be." Ciel agreed, "But there's nothing to be done about that."
"Because everything..." Alois ventured, "was Her Majesty the Queen's wish."
"Huh?!" Arthur exclaimed in distress.
"The guest from Germany, Siemens. His bank had made a large investments into the development of domestic ships etc. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I were to say he was a key figure in the German heavy industry developments. Right now, England's position is being threatened by Germany and America." Alois explained, "Her Majesty planned for Siemens to be crushed and the growth of Germany's military power to be obstructed."
"That would happen just by killing him?" Arthur frowned.
"Of course." Alois disagreed, "Siemens is no more than a regular banker. The power of that influence is perhaps somewhat like the strength of a butterfly flapping its wings...however, that will one day turn into a great storm. It's the theory called 'The Butterfly Effect'. Her Majesty the Queen Victoria built up the great British Empire that reigns over the world in just fifty years. Maybe she can somehow see which butterflies are able to change the world with the flapping of their wings."
"But why did Earl Grey want to put the blame on both Earls?"
Alois simply gestured at Ciel knowingly.
Ciel sighed, "I am ashamed to admit that a little prank of mine got found out."
"A dangerous prank." I corrected seriously, giving him a disapproving look regarding the Noah's Circus case.
"Even so, I have expected some form of punishment if it were discovered but..to think that she'd try to pin a murder on me...Her Majesty sure has a sense of humour."
"Then why Earl Alois too?" Arthur asked in consternation.
"She was displeased with Ciel regarding the way he handled the mission she gave him." Alois explained, slushing the tea boringly, "Her displease simply did not exclude me. You gave me quite an amount of work for me to do, Ciel."
"Hm.." Ciel scoffed, "You cannot expect our works to be lenient nor blithe. But even so, I've always been good at playing games. I used Woodley, who I summoned to be the scapegoat, as my pawn."
"Why the innocent Mr. Woodley?" Arthur demanded.
"Did I not tell you?" Ciel reminded him, "He deserve to be in that horse carriage. Up front he runs a diamond polishing business. However, his true face is that of a weapons dealer who sells illegal weapons that he got with the diamonds in conflict areas."
Sebastian pointed to the front page of news article, "Furthermore, there was an incident about two weeks ago where the president of Roze company that excavates diamonds were murdered."
"Through my own routes, I was able to confirm that Woodley was the criminal." Ciel informed, his 'own routes' being in form of asking for Undertaker's knowledge, "For people of the underground society to use their power to endanger people of the normal society is a grave violation of the rules. But then..."
Ciel's arm stretched toward me, lifting my chin up to his eye level much to Arthur's awkwardness, "He inevitably sealed his fate when he touched something personal of mine. Since I was going to get rid of him anyway, he was the perfect person to use as a scapegoat, right? With that temper of his, it was not even hard to convince others of the crime he did not commit."
Arthur froze, those self-consciousness vanishing into thin air as Sebastian continued with easy going tone that had Arthur at the edge of his seat, teetering, "It would clear the Queen's worries and make sure the young master kept out of harm. It's two birds with one stone."
His eyes was still widened as saucer with horror, Woodley's unfinished words of warning he was unfairly accused echoing in his ears; that they were a force not to be dealt with whether unknowingly or not.
"By them! The Queen's Dog and Spid—"
"Just exactly what are you?!" Arthur demanded to know, a ironic pair of fear and curiosity.
"We are the Queen's watchdog and spider." Alois answered simply.
"Tracking down people who break the commandments of the British underground society and dealing with them, is I, as Queen's watchdog's, obligation." Ciel revealed.
"I, as the Queen's spider, destroys all her distresses, which have been sent by the Queen's watchdog into the 'darkness' regardless of how savage the methods may be." The Trancy Earl ventured playfully.
"What happened this time was no more than a little game where the Queen reconfirmed whether we had this talent or not." Ciel gloated, his eyes narrowing dangerously in delight as he noted the furious trembles of Arthur's fist on the table at this frightening revelation.
He could see all this were just a child's play to the Earls' yet to others who were not used to such life, this 'child's play' had resulted in death of technically three lives in just a few days. Arthur's eyes glanced to the very woman who was caught in the middle of all things; it did not surprise him when he saw no look of fear nor startle in her eyes although he half expected it to be of a shock to her as it was for him.
"'There are nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact', was it not, Mr. Wordsmith?" Ciel reminded him devilishly, "It has been in front of you all along."
"Indeed." Sebastian bent down to Arthur's ears, "The truth. That we are not humans."
With a loud crash, Arthur lost the footing of his chair as he went tumbling down, his body sprawled across the floor in unstoppable tremor before hastingly crawling back in great hysteria and horror in desperate attempt to put even a small minimal distance between them.
"Stop scaring him." I berated, holding out my hand for him to grab and stand up although it was obvious he did not wish to go anywhere near them but me, the only human he believed, "I'm human, just like you."
This calmed him down although not so much to make difference that I still was part of all this.
"What..are you?" He stuttered terror.
"Now he knows," Alois said, pouring the tea content onto to the table napkins as it stained brown, "Won't you serve me the New Moon Drop?"
Sebastian looked at Ciel for approval, "Pour me some too."
"Of course." Sebastian nodded, nonchalantly preparing the black tea before serving it in two new china cups.
Bewilderment appeared on Arthur's face as Sebastian poured the invisible content into the cup and his ceased brow dented even more as they sipped it elegantly.
"What a delicious taste." Alois complemented, licking his lip.
After-all, the human souls were invisible to human eyes.
"Miss Yuri.." He pleaded, grabbing my arm, "What are they? Who are you?"
"Identity? Are you asking about my identity? I am just a woman with four men deeply rooted in my heart." I said in matter-of-factly tone before adding, "From the future."
"Future?" He frowned in utter befuddlement at the information he was given by equally perplexing character.
"2012, to be exact." I stated further, "I told you haven't I, where I'm from you and your works are quite famous." Before I could say more, Claude snatched me away into his arms, "A being humans like you should not touch so easily." His eyes bled red possessively as Arthur stepped back, his knees giving away to the horror he discovered.
Arthur's eyes darted toward the other Earls', their eyes were slit-red too. They gave him an innocent smile, regarding him as a favourite toy they enjoy playing with, giving occasional fright and poke just to see its reactions.
"Who are you?!" Arthur repeated, this time his voice laced with desperation for answers his mind could not fathom.
"We have so many names." Claude hinted.
"Satan. The first liar in the world." Arthur said slowly in doubt.
"Father of lies, the devil, Lucifer, diablo, demons..but you may call me Claude." Claude revealed, his eyes narrowing in distastefully, "Foolish humans..desperately living their limited lives, even if we show you more than enough proof, you need more."
"Then show him." I dared, offering him my wrist, "Your award."
Wordlessly and without a warning, he sank his fangs into my thin skin as Arthur stared in hypnotising awe - unable to look away from the highly intimate act.
"Claude." Alois put the tea down quite loudly to capture the spider demon's attention, staring at him with the equally identical eyes then smiled, "Behave. We do not wish to frighten our guest too much." His tone stated otherwise.
"Of course, Your Highness." Claude glared, offering his blood trickling wrist to me as I sucked the blood gratefully. Arthur watched as the wound on my wrist slowly closed up, becoming smooth and unmarred; leaving no trace as if Claude hadn't bitten the very place just a mere second ago.
"'Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.'" Sebastian reminded him with a commanding smile, exposing his sharp fangs, "Right? Mr. Wordsmith."
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Arthur sprinted out of the dome garden, his yells echoing throughout the small mini rainforest. He glanced back, seeing the four figures calmly staring at him go and just as he turned to face the front, his face came in contact with something solid and black.
The white gloved hands wrapped themselves around his throat in predatory manner, those devil red-slitted eyes gazing down at horror-stricken human, "One wonders what would happen were you to reveal this matter...I am sure you understand, right?" Sebastian warned lightheartedly.
"Hee..." Tears threatened to fall, beads of perspiration rolling down the side of his face, "I-I'LL NEVER SAY!" He swore of absolute secrecy to his grave before running again and closed his eyes in effort to deny this reality, "I'LL NEVER SAY IT SO PLEASE!" Sincere tone mixed with desperation and desire to live.
Small grin bloomed on Sebastian's sinful lips, "Those words. I will make sure that you never, ever forget them."
It was as if he was running through endless abyss, everlastingly chased by something entirely frightening and terrifying that threatened to engulf him with his death, many dark claws sprouting from the malignant shadow. It closed in on him, smearing its tip at the hem of his shirt playfully as if it was telling him it could easily capture him with a small stretch of its claws but toyed with the fear its control brought.
Sebastian's words echoed throughout his ears admonitorily, "We are always watching..."
"!" His whole body gave a startle shook just like how you would wake up from lucid nightmares before something vicious happened only it was real. The cold sweat that still dropped and trailed off of his face, his clammy hands mould into fists, the severe rigidity of his form was all tell-tale sign what he just experienced was more than real.
"A-are you alright?" The coach driver asked worriedly, having seen the paleness of Arthur's face, the terror in his eyes that haunted him and the whole actions he witness moments ago. Arthur flinched, briefly Sebastian's face flashing above the driver's.
"We've arrived at your house." He announced once more.
Arthur looked out from the window suspiciously, doubting the destination was truly his own home. But the familiarity of the streets, the familiar faces he often saw walking by his home told him he was at his own home and not his death.
Wearily, he stepped off the carriage and approached his home. Turning the key, he pushed the door open and stepped inside his warm home- although small and dingy compared to the Earls', it held the welcoming warmth of home.
"Why did you have to reveal your true form to him?" Ciel demanded in suspicion.
He looked up from the chair he was pushing in on the table, "He is a writer. If he goes through an eccentric experience, he will absolutely want to write about it. Writers are those kinds of creatures." Sebastian explained with a smile, "Young master, you liked his novel, did you not? You read that magazine with Yuri many times without throwing it away. Were you not disappointed knowing there was no continuation?"
"Hmph." Ciel dismissed nonchalantly, swirling the soul inside his teacup while resting his chin against his fist lazily, "It was OK to pass time with." His tone was indifferent and opposing although Sebastian knew it was otherwise, knowing him for many years.
"His next work will be something to look forward to." Sebastian commented.
He rushed into his living room, shedding his coat before releasing a sigh of relief. Then taking a piece of paper and a pen began to scribble down the words that flowed through his mind more faster than he could write furiously. It was as if he was possessed man, compelled to write down this burdensome knowledge he learned of by some unexplainable magic.
Fear expressed in his face in most animated feature, fear at himself of this hidden force that was controlling his mind and fingers. In short time, piles of papers trailed across his rugged floor messily and covered his room, some crunched up frantically as if some parts could not be conveyed with mere words alone ― his feelings; the very thoughts he felt at that exact moment ― where he had carelessly threw over his shoulder in order to catch and rehearse those fleeting words that seemed to be contrived and manufactured in desperate speed.
He would have been in the same positions for many hours and days until he was satisfied it was finished to his standard when a voice yanked him out of his writer mode.
"Hey, do you have any orange juice? I don't really like tea, you see." The feminine voice asked.
Arthur let out an undignified yell, falling out of his chair once more and crawling under his table in fright.
"So sorry for frightening you..again." I apologised, walking into the living room, "You only have teas." I held up the multiple tea packages.
"H-How did you—when did you—what—" He stuttered, pointing his finger toward me in shock.
"Oh, well I could have jimmied your door using my credit card but your brother let me in — who by the way are so cute." I answered naively.
Arthur made sure to beat the hell out of his brother later on, "C-credit card? What is that? B-But you were.."
"Oh, demons have faster speed." I mentioned, "I thought that was obvious."
"W-What are you doing here, if you don't mind asking." Arthur asked, standing up.
"Well, before I could tell you more about me you ran." I reminded him in matter of fact tone.
"Oh..yes." He walked to his kitchen and took out an orange juice and poured it in a fresh cup before handing it to me.
"Thanks." I took it gratefully, "Ciel or Alois or anyone isn't going to kill you, you know."
"B-But."
I waved my hand dismissively, "That's just his childish way of being threatening. He's intelligent, cynical, and manipulative; he is in some respects very Machiavellian, but is truly loyal and does what he can to be kind to the people he cares about, though that is a very short list. He's someone who protected people even if he risked getting hurt himself."
"You must care for him very much." He stated, "You know him."
"Why? You thought it was just some quick tryst to climb up the social ladder?" I joked as blush crept up in both of his cheeks warmly, "He isn't the type to play around like that but he has the looks and the personality..in fact he is. Proposing to me during my vulnerable moment knowing I'd be more shaken."
"P-proposal?" Arthur gasped, kaleidoscope of emotions on his face for marriage in this time was a matter of women's survival and their ultimate goal, "Have you accepted?"
The answer would have been highly 'yes' but knowing her..
I laughed, "No, of course not!"
Arthur frowned as if he couldn't understand. But then again, nothing of this matter made sense. This was just one of them.
"I'm from the future remember." I reminded him.
"Even so, even in the future a noblesse title of Countess must be highly coveted and privileged just as much as here." Arthur replied, "Being a wife of an Earl would allow you to enter the society of nobles — something many others would kill for, Miss Yuri. Earl Phantomhive's family name is famous with vast wealths and connections.."
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Since when did seeking after specifications improved your quality of life in any way? Did those people's life got better anyway?" I frowned, "Ignore judging by the face or asking about the education, who cares what title they have, who cares where they live, who cares who their father is. Isn't that basically a business deal? That's such a comedy, we're not cows for someone to grade so I don't know why people are using investment techniques and trying to pair up people according to specs, just work at a bank seriously. I'll marry who I like, when I like."
Arthur's jaw dropped, "You do not wish to be part of Noble family?"
I shrugged; it was half and half, "I think it might be suffocating, the expectations and rules I'd have to obey. Did you know, there was this ordinary girl who married into a really famous, rich family in my country; they weren't nobles or royalty but they act like they are. She noticed her in-laws would talk in French so after hard work, she learned French herself but then they started to talk in German. Her in-law family would force her to dress, speak, act and behave in their standard, forced her to quit her beloved job she earned through hard work, mocked and criticised her humble origin. She divorced her husband in the end."
"Was she happy?"
"She's not allowed to see her children ever again." I told him, "Apparently a year or two before the divorce, her in-laws sent her children to abroad. They owned some buildings so to compensate the price of never seeing her children, they just gave her one of the buildings they owned. That kind of things, I wouldn't be able to survive at all."
"That is why you are hesitant to marry Earl Phantomhive? You love him and I can see he holds affection for you as well."
"Not also that, I'm also too young." I said, quickly adding, "In my world. I know it isn't too young in your time but my mind is still 21st Century. Beside is it that important for two people to marry so they can spend time together? You could be together for a lifetime and still be unable to understand each other. And let me tell you one thing about woman and wedding, woman do not marry just because they want to be with the man. Instead, they want to marry all the things connected with a wedding."
I shook my head, trailing off the topic, "Anyway, 2012. Where I come from you are like, well, to hardcore fandom a God, no offence. Sherlock Holmes, their wish-to-be husband.."
Arthur silently listened for hours to my rambling; about his future works, the change of time, the advancement of technology and medicine that was only a mere dream ― an imagination in their minds.
"Does all this fascinate you?" I asked.
"Yes." He answered with disturbed tone, "I find all deviant behavior fascinating, in that to understand our human nature, we have to understand our aberrations."
"And you think what goes on here is aberrant?"
"I would say that murder, blackmailing and false indictment in Royal families aberrant. And a woman who is stuck in the middle of all these. Wouldn't you?"
I smiled, silently agreeing to his opinion, "Even so, there was no way he would be charge with the crimes he committed since he could bribe his ways out. Ciel and Alois simply pulled some strings to get around the law. Law isn't supposed to be complied with, but to be put to good use, right?"
He gulped.
"Besides, every job has it's peculiar hazards. Singers damage their eardrums. Football players ruin their knees. In this business, it's scars." I added.
"I see. Do you still associate with people of lower status?"
"You mean like working class?" He nodded, "I know some friends who works in the White Chapel. I still talked to them."
"Y-You mean the prostitutes? But why would someone of your standing—" Blush crept up to his cheeks.
I shrugged, "They are the only people I could talk to them easily regardless of their job or status. In class like Ciel's, I have to refrain from saying certain things, words and acts. With them, I talk as I used to. They are my friends." It had been quite some time since I went there too. We talked about usual girly things, men, relationships etc.
"What happens there isn't about violence." I defended, "It's about challenging preconceived notions of victorian normalcy. Bringing people's fantasies to life. Making them real and acceptable."
"Like the theatre."
"It's people who don't have an outlet that I worry about."
"It doesn't have to involve going to the theatre." Arthur cleared his throat.
"In my experience, Mr. Wordsmith, some men go to the theater...some men are the theater. Sometimes a person doesn't know what he wants until someone show him."
There was a sound of carriage trotting then stopped in front of his house. Throughout of his window, he briefly saw the symbol of coat of arms of probably an English Noble. What caught his eyes was the family crest elegantly drawn on the carriage door, a spider and its wing of webs. Underneath was a latin words, 'Dignitas Coercita' which meant 'dignity binds'.
It wasn't too long before Arthur realised who may be in that black carriage and fear vibrated throughout his fibre of beings.
"Oh, Alois is here." I said, standing up while unknowingly confirming his suspicion and held out my hand, "It was nice speaking to you like properly. Hope too see your work soon. I wish you could see the film, it was really funny!"
"Films..oh yes, moving pictures you explained." Arthur said, shaking my hand.
"Relax, they're not going to kill you or something. They really do like your work and beside, in the olden days, handshake was a way of showing a stranger you had no weapons, wasn't it?"
He nodded with a small smile, guiding me to the door as he opened it for me. The carriage door was agape, expecting me to climb into it as Claude emerged from the darkness of its carriage, patiently waiting as I noticed the frame of Alois' clothes in the further back.
"I'll see you later."
"Later?" He blinked, "You will visit me once again?"
"Visit or write, whatever I could be bothered with." I said, waving him goodbye and sooner hello.
"Don't you miss your parent?" Arthur abruptly asked, stopping me in my trace.
He saw it brought on sadness and longing, "Of course I do. More than anything." I replied with a frown, "Who wouldn't?" With that, I continued on walking until I reached the carriage.
Arthur saw the demon leaning on Yuri's gloved hand with chaste kiss, lingering there as they climbed on board. Alois' head poke out curiously and gave Arthur a child-like grin, exposing his tongue in process. A symbol, to be exact, caught his eyes then horror filled his eyes.
As a devoted Catholic, he knew what those star symbol meant. It was a faustian contract. Claude Faust..his surname, Faust, Arthur realised — the link between the spider demon and the name play. Faust was the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar but one dissatisfied with his life who therefore makes a pact with the Devil.
His expression must have been open and easy to read for Alois chuckled before Alois stole my lip in most sudden fashion. Arthur looked away in habit, finding staring at the ground was more interesting than the couple in front of him but he did look up to see her waving goodbye before the carriage door was shut and trotted away.
After that my pen kept flowing like I was possessed by something. Writing 'that one work', I never thought I'd write.
His novels kept coming and was surprisingly embraced enthusiastically by avid detective novel readers. It was not unusual to see Arthur Wordsmith's novel stacked up in every libraries known to men now days and was subject to many positive receptions and reviews.
It was much beloved by children and their parent too as it spread not only those crime novel lovers but to normal audiences he had not expected.
They were surprised at the unique and revolutionary theories, his harsh critics - before the success of his short novel - gave him a very positive feedback too. They mentioned his characters and plot changed somehow, Sherlock Holmes, famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to adopt almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve difficult cases was an eye opening to the world of crimes.
'The Sign of the Four' was the first novel he published after long hiatus. It was a clue for the future of those four people he had met would soon be shown through his novels. His novel prove to be very successful, making breakthrough the world of author in most utmost and shocking fashion.
'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' was his second, those who had known the Phantomhive murder case would catch the hints he subtly twisted for those warnings still rung as clear and louder as those days. Swamp adder, he invented, a snake with strong neurotoxin that could kill a man in mere seconds - influenced from the Black Mamba
'The Red-Headed League' soon followed and based it on Siemens and Woodley. Although unnoticeable, undoubtedly held an iota of trace of that night.
And then, no matter how many times I tried to escape from 'that one work' by continuing to write other works, 'that one main character would always come back to dance before me like a curse'.
Those 'that one work' became part of his life. Even then, he kept writing and writing in never ending work. How long will he must do before free of this compelling possession over him? He inwardly knew he would never get out of this alive yet could not give up those fruitless hope that first initiated demons' temptation to the humans.
Then the character, Irene Adler, came in 'A Scandal in Bohemia' whom largely influenced by the very lady who still kept in touch, occasionally sending him small gifts and presents on special occasions such as his birthday or his wedding or the very first novel he published after hiatus.
'To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen... And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory.'
'… but she was a lovely woman, with a face that a man might die for.'
'You do not know her but she has a soul of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men,'
'Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part. She is the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet.'
'… I had never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my life than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waited upon the injured man.'
Those descriptions were hardly few to describe her though.
Irene Adler, many of his reader reacted with complete awe and surprise. She was a romantic interest for Holmes despite appearing only in one short story yet it had made heavy impact on the women of Victorian society and the male readers.
He refrained from using her real name for she did not exit in this world nor should suppose to thus borrowed the hollowness of name from Irene, the equally beautiful opera singer, yet the character depthness was mirror of Yuri.
Whenever they asked him who the Irene character was based on to, he simply replied it was an acquaintance of his who was as intelligent and bright to the point of frightening that was not entirely shown in the novel. Many speculated yet never right.
The male readers and even Sherlock Holmes considered Irene character dangerous for she endangers their domestic sphere - the place where a woman is supposed to be in Victorian society. She is considered dangerous because she exists outside the given role as in the story. She fully becomes a man (metaphorically) - and is considered to be the best of women; then to their eyes this is not equality. This was a reaffirmation of the patriarchy that had been kept stone and unmoving for many years.
Ever single time I have to think of them. Good and evil, sanity and madness, the world of the living and the world beyond...I have to think of them, who reign so elegantly over the gaps in between these.
Their faces still flashed in his mind every day, not a single hour, not a single seconds, did he forgotten them.
As if they want me to remember that vow.
Arthur, now in his mid sixties, gasped awake having fallen asleep on his work table. It had been quite some times he had such dreams for he had settled more or less in his life of forever dark secrecy.
Many years have passed and not once did the gifts from Yuri stopped, she visited occasionally and was surprise to see she still looked the same as those days he saw her first time — eternally youthful and forever beautiful.
More shocked of what she had become but still delightedly greeted her nevertheless for he, having renounced religion many years ago after few months of that fateful events, judged a person by their character, not who or what they were.
But demons or God, those things were frivolous to him.
He came to understand why the four demons were drawn to Yuri. That humans or demons, like fish, are helplessly, blindly drawn to bait. They were drawn by her openness, honesty and fresh outlook on life in contrast to the vicious, cut-throat world of high society they has come to survive in.
The door creak as his daughter, Jean Conan Doyle, whom Yuri helped to name her, poke her small head from the door curiously. She swayed toward him with her childish steps as he smiled gently down at his beloved daughter.
'Something' that surpasses our imagination exists for certain. However, I am going to hide this 'truth' in the far back of the hearth, to the end of my life.
He grabbed the piles of papers he had worked his whole life like a possessed man yet it was the very work he never published. He couldn't publish for it held ghastful danger in it. He and his oblivious daughter watched as those dangerous information crackled in the fire, slowly burning into ashes of non existent that no-one but only his eyes would and will ever see for the last time.
Just like the secret of that stormy night.
"A dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs, dangerous people have dangerous ones." ― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case- Book of Sherlock Holmes
A/N:
(1) Charles Grey tells Georg von Siemens to "come back in another 10 years". Assuming he died in 1901 (even though he actually died in 1889), in 1911 Peter von Siemens is born and during his tenure Siemens AG becomes the fifth largest electrical firm in the world. (Georg von Siemens was the nephew of Ernst Werner von Siemens who was the great grandfather of Peter von Siemens). It is unknown whether it overtook Britain's companies.
Oh, by the way, the story about a girl marrying into a rich family is actually based on true story. For those who watches Korean drama you should know the actress, yes she is an actress. Her name is Go Hyun-jung, she is famous for playing 'Mishil' in Koren historical drama Queen Seonduk and main protagonist as female president in Daemul. Two years after the divorce, her ex in-laws passed down a ruling stating that none of its department stores are allowed to display any Go-related material, including all her product endorsements. Also, she is banned from meeting or seeing her children as the result.
So I have about one more chapter to go till the end of the Phantomhive Manor Murder Case Arc and the next chapter will be Ship Voyage Arc hoho so excited~~ zombies! Hope you have enjoyed the Sherlock Arc cuz I sure did keke!
Next chapter will be based on chapter 50 of Kuroshitsuji manga which is still technically 'Phantomhive Manor Murder Case Arc' and starting from chapter 51 will be the Ship Voyage arc.
ALSO: during my summer holiday, I am going to be working on EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) to do with psychology: 'Does abused children become the abuser in the future?' (Alois Trancy is one of example but also because I know someone who was abused as a child and actually became an abuser later in life) because I'm thinking of either becoming a psychiatrist or psychologist specialising in children development or professional golfer hehe so I'll probably be busy as I need to do 6000 words for it and presentation and stuff so the updates may be little bit late.
Did you enjoyed my present? Keke, tell me your thoughts in review~
See you in next chapter!
