I had sooo much fun at the anime convention, a tall cute boy dressed as Sebastian and even had his contacts. I wanted to scream in delight, instead I asked for a picture. I also go a hug from Vic Mignogna, voice actor of Edward Elric, Ikkaku, Goku, and even Tamaki! He felt soooo good to hug, I can feel the love from all my favorite characters! Anyways, I'm sorry for the super long waits everyone, I hope you like this chapter, and don't hate me at the same time for keeping you so suspense! Anyways thank you for everything my loyal fans, whether you're the silent supporting readers, the new lookers who find this story interesting, or even the enthusiastic commenters, I feel much love from all of you, so thank you for giving me a reason to continue!
P.S. At the end of this chapter, please read a special note I left ;)
This is Sebastian's narration
This is Arthur's narration.
Chapter 20
The trio was around the table, staring at the food they haven't prepared yet, "So will the old guy really be able to find the culprit?" Maylene asked.
"I'm worried about that too, but right now deciding what we're going to do for today's dinner is more important. We don't even have any more meat of fish to serve as the main dish." There was a bang at the door and everyone jumped, Bard stared at it and he gulped slightly, "Hey hey no way, it better not be that guy in white again." The knock persisted and Maylene sputtered, "Let's just pretend to be out..."
"There's no more food left here!" Finny whimpered.
"You guys are in there aren't you? Won't you open the door?" The knocker said from the other side.
"Mr. Jeremy?"
Maylene rushed over and opened the door, "Is there something you'd like?"
"If you're scavenging for food, there's none here Mr. Pastor." Bard said.
"Bard!" Maylene shouted at him.
"I haven't come to gather any such things but...more importantly, you're saying you're out of provisions?"
The trio stiffened at his words, and Maylene spoke out, "I'm embarrassed to say Mr. Pastor, but...this and that happened so..." They stared to explain and the man looked at the food, "I see...and so you're in trouble for tonight's menu?"
"Yes..."
"Moreover," Bard started, "That guy in white eats a ridiculous amount! The only things we have in excess are soy beans and flour. The only thing you can cook with that is bean soup. However, if we put that up as the main dish the Young master's reputation will be destroyed."
Jeremy pondered this for a moment and said, "Wasn't there an herb garden here?"
"Yes, and Matthew planted a lot of them." Finny said.
"Excellent! It's a great help if we've got herbs." Jeremy said, the trio looked at each other with hope, but then Bard frowned and said, "But herbs don't have any substance and don't really fill you up right?"
"Herbs don't just have their own unique flavors, some also have medicinal properties, amongst these, there are many herbs that are able to stifle hunger. A prime example is Fennel. If you put something like that as flavoring on the appetizer, you'll be able to reduce the overall consumption."
"Herbs are able to do stuff like that!" Finny said, excited that he learned something new and he couldn't wait to tell Matthew.
"Of course it's not all powerful or anything. Furthermore, if you've got soy beans you can make soy meat."
"Soy meat?" Maylene asked.
"It's an imitation meat that's made from soy beans. It's a little difficult to make but if you manage to prepare it well, you won't be able to tell that it's really soy beans. With such an amount of soy beans you'll be able to make Hamburg steaks for 30 people."
"30 PEOPLE!" They shouted in shock.
"Wooah! C-can you really make Hamburg steaks out of soy beans!" Bard asked as they crowded around the barrel of beans.
"I do not tell lies. Cooking is chemistry, in which you are able to change the outcome in infinite ways by combining the materials."
"Mr. Jeremy sure is knowledgeable!" Maylene complimented.
Jeremy clapped his hands together, "Well! Rather than praising me, I'd like you to get a move on, there's little time left until dinner! You'll first have to cook a large amount of soy beans, hurry!" He ordered.
"Okay, I'll go pick the herbs!" Finny said excitedly.
Bard rushed quickly to the stove, "I'll cook the beans for the main dish!"
"I'll go pick the wine with... Ah!" Maylene screamed.
"What's wrong?" Bard asked.
"I-I-I just remembered! Back when we were checking the baggage I found something weird!"
"Something weird?"
Maylene's thoughts went back to the morning when she was searching the suitcases, "Miss Irene was carrying this bottle with a dark red liquid in it. The Young master and the others were talking about a vampire after they saw Mr. Phelps' body."
"I see. Actually, I'm intrigued." Jeremy said.
"It also seems that Lady Irene is twelve years older than Master Keane."
"12 YEARS!" Both Bard and Finny shouted.
"So I thought she might look so young and beautiful because she was a vampire but..."
"If she's a vampire she can probably walk through walls right..." Finny said, suddenly scared that Irene might come in at any moment.
"That's just a fairytale." Bard said.
Jeremy hm'ed in thought, and he said to them, "Of course I haven't ever met a vampire myself but...I think I can guess what liquid is."
"What! Really!" Maylene shouted.
"Yes. I'll tell you the answer tonight. But you all should focus on making dinner right now. I'll help." He said, removing his coat, "If we don't hurry, night will be upon us along with all the unworldly creatures it allows to infest this world."
~ASC~
The storm raged on and Grey exhaled happily, "Ah I'm full! It was delicious~" He said, two stacks of plates were next to him as he patted his stomach, "Today's Hamburg steak meat wasn't greasy at all, I could've gone on eating forever. As to be expected, the meat used by the Phantomhive's is something else."
"Thank you." Ciel said. The group grinned happily as they peeked into the room and Jeremy just smirked at that.
"Well then, now that we're all full, why don't you finally let us in on the truth of these incidents?" Lau said.
Grey's eyes locked onto Jeremy as he wiped his mouth, "Well let's not be hasty now. There are still some things I want to prepare before that."
"Is it just me, or is someone missing?" Lau asked as he stared around the table.
They all paused and looked around, Jeremy counted everyone at the table and he shook his head to Lau, "Everyone is here, and the servants are in the kitchen." Jeremy said, he looked to Ciel and he asked him, "Will you lend me your assistance, Earl?"
Ciel paused, a fork with a piece of soy steak at the end, and a knife in his hands hovered to the level of his neck, "Yes, what should I do?"
"Well then Earl...Take off your clothes." The soy steak fell from his fork as he stared at him in shock.
"What!"
~ASC~
Listen up Earl. Under no circumstances should you raise your voice. You can't move a muscle.
Ciel stayed perfectly still as he remembered what Jeremy told him to do. Jeremy, Arthur and Grey stayed still in a corner of Ciel's room as they watched the bed.
Be patient and don't open your eyes until I tell you to. If you do. You'll be caught by the 'string of death' in the blink of an eye.
What in the world is Mr. Jeremy planning? Arthur thought, fearful for Ciel's life.
The killer will most certainly come to the Earl's bed tonight as well; we'll lie in wait there and capture him. Don't worry he'll appear for sure...however, we don't know from where he will appear so don't lose focus.
Is what he said but...will the killer really appear at the scene of the crime again?
There was a strange slithering sound and they stood rigid, Something...is coming closer. Arthur thought as he stared to tremble in fear. The sound grew louder and louder until it was in the room, It's coming!
The sound was now coming from the bed and Jeremy stood up, "Now! Step aside!" The covers were thrown off, revealing Ran Mao wearing Ciel's clothing. The covers and its content hit the ground and Grey rushed over, sword in his hand and he smiled, "Gotcha!" The tip of the sword didn't even reach the covers as it was intercepted by a fireplace shovel held by Jeremy.
"Wha..." Grey said.
"It's an important witness. We'd be in trouble if you killed them!" Jeremy glared at him. There was suddenly light in the dark room and Arthur came forward, "Th...this is the...killer!"
~ASC~
Tanaka knocked on the door of Ciel's room, "Excuse me." He entered the room and saw everyone inside, Ciel on the bed wearing a large black coat, "We were successful in capturing the killer. I told them that the Young master and the rest of you were hiding out in Master Woodley's room, so I expect them to arrive here soon."
The trio sighed in relief and there was a noise at the door. It opened and Arthur was there, "We brought the killer along." Grey said as he pointed to the killer behind him.
"EEK!" Irene screamed as she stared at the snake in Jeremy's hand.
"This is the killer." They stared at in shock as it hissed from Jeremy's grip.
"A snake! That's ridiculous!"
"It's hard to believe but it really came to get the young lady wearing the Earl's clothes." Arthur explained, Ran Mao agreeing with him.
"To compensate their lack of sight, snakes have a highly developed sense of smell and hearing. That's why they are able to find their prey in the dark through sound vibrations and smell. In other words...the snake was most likely trained by being fed right after it was exposed to the Earl's scent. If one uses a snake, it doesn't matter if they have a key or an alibi." He held the snake up, its scales glittering in the light, "This is a 'Black Mamba' they inhabit South Africa and possess a strong neurotoxin. The victim will die within one hour of being bitten. Finally, it possesses special characteristics such as the world's fastest movement and an excellence in climbing trees. It's the perfect snake to use for murder...but a snake is still a snake. It didn't know whether the person it bit was the Earl or not."
Arthur's eyes widen, "I see...for the criminal it was an unexpected development that the Earl was sleeping elsewhere."
"And the one who slept in my bed that night was...Patrick Phelps!" Ciel said.
"I figured it would probably show up again when it got hungry so we stood guard and it appeared as expected. We were lucky to have this young lady that could wear the Earl's clothes and take his place." Ran Mao pulled at Ciel's button shirt, it being too tight for her body.
"In an emergency situation, the Earl wouldn't have been able to avoid the attack right? If the Earl died, we'd be in trouble. Right? Ran Mao." Lau joked.
Ran Mao grabbed Ciel and hugged they boy's neck, his head lying on her breast, "Glad you're safe." Ciel blushed and tried to pull away, "Wha! Wai- At least put something on!" He was able to get out of her grip and he coughed in his hand, embarrassed as can be, "In any case! I was made to wear the Butler's coat to hide my body odor?"
"Isn't it great how it hid your entire body?" Jeremy laughed at Ciel.
"You really don't know when to stop talking do you..." Ciel glared at him.
"However," Everyone stared at Arthur, "It's illegal to transport poisonous snakes on trading ships. I use to be a doctor on a boat that sailed the African sea course as a part-time job; the luggage was checked quite strictly."
"Which means it was smuggled. Bribing a privately managed freight ship is probably the easiest way." Lau said.
"Indeed, you'd need close connections with an African business." Ciel said, "If you're talking Africa, imported products would be gold or dia..." Arthur's eyes widen in shock and both Ciel and Arthur stared at Woodley. "N...no it wasn't me!" He said, "Trading is Kunlun's thing isn't it!" He pointed to Lau who smiled and shrugged, "Awww to bad! We don't do business with any African companies."
"Well it really is a bit much to be deciding the killer based on the snake being from Africa alone." Grey pointed out.
"T-that's right! And what about when Siemens was killed! I have an alibi!"
"That alibi might not be worth all that much." Jeremy said.
"What?" Woodley stared at him in shock.
"What do you mean?" Keane asked.
"What if the corpse the butler and the others found wasn't a corpse?"
"What?" They shouted.
"But he didn't have a pulse and there was blood on his chest." Arthur said.
"Did you thoroughly inspect the wound?" He asked Arthur.
"That's...it was quite dark, so I wasn't able to..."
"Does everyone know of the potion Juliet drank in 'Romeo and Juliet'?"
"You mean to go into a state of apparent death but come back to life?" Irene answered.
"You mean!" Arthur shouted in surprise.
"That's right. It actually exists. A poison that would induce this state! There is a substance called Tetrodotoxin that was recently discovered and is being studied. It seems that if you refine it in a certain way you will be able to achieve a state of apparent death much like Juliet's."
"Tetrodotoxin is the poison puffer fish and octopuses carry, isn't it?" Arthur asked.
Jeremy nodded, "As expected you have the latest information, doctor. When I investigated Lord Siemens' body I noticed a faint scent of the sea. Perhaps that was the scent of a poison made using puffer fish." He clapped his hands together and stared at everyone, "I just have one question here. Why would the scent of poison come from someone who had allegedly been stabbed?"
"It was set up?" Ciel said.
"Indeed, he himself drank the poison, got rid of the bottle and pretended to be dead. Then it wouldn't matter what room he was put in. He probably figured that people without specific medical knowledge wouldn't examine the wound closely, hence it would work as a temporary deception at least."
Arthur sighed, "I should have looked at it more carefully..."
"But when I checked the body just now he was certainly stabbed to death."
"What?" Arthur said.
"So what was meant to be a fake turned out to be a real murder?" Lau said.
"If we look at the situation, the killer might have wanted to lure the Earl into a trap." Arthur said as he stared at Ciel, "Me?"
"It's impossible to know whether Lord Siemens was an accomplice though. Because he seemed quite out of bounds once he had some alcohol in him, the killer might have invited him to give everyone a good scare or something."
Ciel frowned, "But the Lord and I had never met before, and there is no reason for him to want to lure me into a trap. We can just look at it as him being used and then silenced by being killed."
"How sad..." Arthur sighed.
"There would have been plenty of chances to talk to him during the buffet party." Jeremy pointed out, Woodley stomped his foot and shouted, "If so, anyone here could have egged him on! I don't even have any kind of alibi!" This made Jeremy pause and think for a second, "We could inquire as to what everyone talked about with Lord Siemens but..." Grey stared at Jeremy as he shrugged, "Let's not. Humans are lying creatures."
"That's right," Grey spoke out, "In fact, you could be lying as well. If he drank a poison, where'd the bottle go?"
"That's easy," Ciel said, "He got rid of it in a place no one could examine right away. In the fire for example."
Bard gasped and said, "That's right, there was a ridiculous amount of wood in the fire back then."
Arthur flipped a few pages in his notebook, "We definitely wouldn't find it there. And if he collected it once the afterglow had died out..."
"However, that wasn't possible. Because of Sebastian." Ciel pointed out. Arthur gasped and shouted, "That's right! Before he could destroy the evidence, the butler had already come to collect the ashes!"
"Tha- That's nonsense!" Woodley shouted, sweat coming off his face as he stared at the men before him, "If he had found the proof of a set-up his precious alibi would go up in smoke. He acted quickly and immediately killed Sebastian. Next, he recovered the evidence and returned to his room..." They stared at Woodley; it was obvious that they were thinking he was a murderer.
"Then the one who has it is the killer! I don't have any such thing! You searched us right!" Woodley said, trying to convince them that he wasn't the killer.
"That's right. Outside the hearth that is." Ciel smirked at him and Woodley's eyes widen in horror. "Isn't it the perfect hiding place?" Ciel said, edging the man on, "It's not like we would come to search the room again. If you recovered and destroyed it after we were done searching it'd be perfect."
"Th-that's a false accusation! There's nothing like that here!"
"Then show us!" Keane shouted. He ran to the fireplace and grabbed the shovel, "Let's see if it's there or not!" He tossed the ashes around, causing smoke to fill the room, and everyone coughed as they stared at the hearth.
The smoke cleared and there were small pieces of glass in the middle of the fireplace, "Glass shards!'
"Wha?" Woodley gasped.
"But it's not like we can tell what it was like this..." Arthur coughed.
"It'll be fine if we pick it up and put it back together." Jeremy said as he started picking up the glass.
"What?"
"What! That's impossible! It's been reduced to bits!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Nonsense, it's like a puzzle without a picture." Jeremy said as he placed the pieces together, "It's done." He presented a small vial to them and they gasped in amazement. "Looks like an ampule of medicine." Jeremy said as he studies the vial.
"T-to find this here means..."
"You're the killer after all! You murderer!" Keane shouted.
Woodley raised his hand in defense and said, "I...I have no idea what this is!"
Arthur stood up and stared at Woodley with solemn eyes, "To want to trap a child...why on earth would you do that?"
"Diamonds." Ciel said.
"Huh?"
"There was a top secret plan for a major company in the diamond industry rose, and my own company that possesses the world's leading technology to cooperate and take off in the jewelry industry. But a few days ago the autocratic president, Mr. Rose, was murdered and the plan was put on hold." He explained, "However, if the plan was put into motion again, the Woodley company, that boasts of having the latest technology, would certainly receive some damage." Ciel turned his head and stared at Woodley, "That's why you thought you'd kill me now right? It was a careless thought anyway."
"I didn't do it, please believe me! I'm being set up here! By this kid...the Queen's watch-" A cold blade pressed against his neck, Grey right behind him, "Shut up. I don't need your explanations. I'll listen to your stories in jail."
"I...I didn't...I didn't do it!" Woodley cried, tears appearing in the corner of his eyes.
"If you don't want to be killed I suggest you be quiet. I'm in a really bad mood right now." He threatened. There was a strange clinking sound and Ciel called out to him, "Earl Grey." The boy held up the cuffs that had bounded him and the author together, "I have quite a fitting item here. How about we use it?" They stared at each other and Grey wordlessly took it, wrapping the chain around Woodley, and cuffing his wrist together, then with that he took Woodley away too lock him up in a room where he wouldn't be able to escape, nor cause any more trouble.
"Let's leave the rest to the police." Arthur said.
"We solved the case with this too." Ciel said as he stood next to Arthur.
"I'm so relieved..." Irene said, holding on to Keane. "Yeah." He told her as he place a hand on the small of her back.
"Come to think of it," Finny said as he scratched his cheek, "What was that dark red liquid then?"
Maylene blushed and waved her hands around, "Fi-finny! There's no need for that anymore!"
"Ah that's right," Jeremy said, his fist lightly smacking his palm, "I haven't discussed that yet."
"Dark red liquid?" Ciel said.
"The maid seemed to have found a dark red liquid in Ms. Irene's room. She was wondering if the always young and beautiful looking Ms. Irene was a vampire."
"What's up with that? Are you questioning Irene?" Keane shouted.
"Grimsby! Please wait, that's-"
"I dare say the contents of the bottle were," He pulled something from his pocket, "This right?" He held up a leaf and Maylene stared at it in confusion, "A leaf?"
"Ah!" Finny gasped in surprised, "That's a red perilla!"
Jeremy nodded at Finny and he stared at Irene, the woman was blushing in embarrassment, "The red perilla has an anti-aging effect. The extract that is taken from its boiled down leaves is the origin of your beauty...is it not?"
"Th...That's right. I'm sorry; I never thought it'd turn into something like this..." She blushed as she stared at Keane. "I take it because I want to remain young with him forever." She clung to his arm and Keane blushed, "Irene..." He said softly.
The trio stared at them, "Wha...whaaat!" They said.
"This can also restore fatigue." He held up a rectangle bottle with red liquid inside, "So upon that notion, why don't we celebrate the solving of the crime with a toast of this?" He proclaimed. With that he started serving everyone drinks and everyone was in a joyous mood, now that the murderer had been caught, "Well, if Mr. Wordsmith would like to make the toast then." Ciel said.
"Wha- me?"
Ciel smiled at him, "Because of the indispensable help you gave us today." He explained.
Arthur blushed in embarrassment and cleared his throat, "We...well then. To celebrate solving the crime...a toast!" Everyone raised their glass in cheer and the trio smiled, "I told you he would figure it out." Finny said.
"You were right; I suppose Matthew would owe him an apology." Bard said, smirking, because he knew Matthew wouldn't want to apologize.
"Speaking of which, where is Matthew?" Maylene said out loud.
Ciel heard this and searched around the room, "That's right. Where is he?"
Everyone stopped, and looked at each other, finally realizing that the second suspected victim was missing. "When was the last time you saw him?" Jeremy asked Ciel.
"We had left him in Sebastian's room, he wouldn't stay there that long though, and especially knowing there was a murderer running around."
"Young master, we'll go search for him ok!" Finny said as he grabbed the other two and they ran off to search for Matthew.
They searched high and low looking for the concierge. Their stamina slowly dissipated, and they stopped at the kitchen, for a drink of water, "Where could he be?" Maylene said as she sipped some water. "I'm getting scared guys." Finny said, tears welling up as he held the snow globe in his hand, "Everyone calm down. Where haven't we searched?" Bard said as he counted off the rooms they went too.
"Oh! He could be in his room!" Maylene pointed out, "He looked so tired after all, and maybe he went to sleep."
"Let's go check on him then!" Finny said as he hopped off his seat and rushed out of the room. "Wait for us!" They shouted as they rushed after him.
They spotted Finny staring into Matthew's room, a look of horror on his face, "Finny!" Maylene shouted as she reached him first. She looked into the room and gasped. Bard came up to them and the cigarette fell from his mouth as he stared at Matthew lying on the floor, one hand reaching towards the door, his hair soaking wet with blood that pooled around him.
"Matthew!" Finny screamed as he rushed over to him and flipped him over to his back slowly. Bard ran in to the room and checked Matthew's pulse, "He's still alive. Maylene!" He turned to look to her and she nodded and rushed to get help.
Finny held Matthew's body as tears ran down his face, "Please don't die Matthew, don't leave us like Mr. Sebastian!" He cried out as Bard cradled Matthew's head, lightly tapping his cheek. "Matthew, little buddy, open your eyes, come on, please." He begged.
There was thundering footsteps and Jeremy and Arthur ran into the room. "Oh dear god!" Arthur exclaimed as he stared at the blood on the ground, "Quick. We need to stop the bleeding." Jeremy said as he grabbed Matthew's bed sheet and tore it into strips. They quickly wrapped the makeshift bandages around Matthew's head, making sure that his head didn't move too much. Bard and Finny then, laid Matthew on the bed, the pillow underneath was slowly turning red from the blood.
"Why won't he stop bleeding?" Arthur said as he touched the blood on the ground, some of it was already dry, but the center was still wet, and slightly warm. "He's probably turning into a hemophiliac, not even a month has passed since that incident after all, and even then he lost a lot of blood." Ciel said as he walked in.
"Young master!" The trio shouted, "You shouldn't see this!"
Tanaka came in to the room and went over to Matthew's body, "He must have come back here to rest, must have attacked him, trying to finish the job it seems." Jeremy said as he looked at Matthew, fear in his eyes.
"For now, we should focus on stopping the bleeding." Tanaka said as he moved Matthew's body on his side, "Wait, let me check if his skull is cracked." Jeremy said, "He might have a concussion, and if so, we need to force him to wake up." He removed the makeshift bandages and pressed his thumb on the wound.
"It's cracked, not too badly, but it would explain his bleeding. Unfortunately...we're going to have to wake him up. Earl, please leave the room, it's not something you should see."
"I'll st-"
Arthur grabbed Ciel's hand and stared leading the boy out, "Let's trust in Mr. Jeremy, after all, he has been able to do a lot in just the short time he's been here." Ciel frowned but nodded and they walked down the hall.
"AAAH!" A sudden loud scream echoed down the hall, Ciel turned around wanting to go back in, but Arthur held a tight grip, "Please, he wouldn't want you to see him this way." Ciel, unwillingly, let Arthur pull him away, the sounds of Matthew screaming seemed to follow him all the way.
~ASC~
I stared at them, as Finny held my broken arm, tears falling from his face. "I'm sorry Matthew!" He sobbed, his hand gently touching the arm, "..." I didn't say anything to that, my head was killing me, my arm was in tremendous pain, and Bard and Maylene were staring at me in concern. "The bleeding has stopped, finally. But, you're going to have to stay quite a while in bed, before you can even consider moving around." Jeremy said.
"Ok..." I said as Tanaka came over and held a small teapot to me, "Here, this will help numb the pain." I felt like a baby who was sick as I sucked on the spout, everyone looking at me in concern. I couldn't remember how I got this injury, everyone was saying that Woodley attacked me, maybe it was true, but I didn't want to think too much, my head was starting to pound and Jeremy set my arm back, a scream erupting from me again, he had a broken piece of wood, the broken chair I think, and he used it as a splint for my broken arm.
My eyes felt heavy, but the thought of going back to sleep forced me to stay wide awake, it was too frightening to dream again, I didn't want to see Sebastian and everyone I love being torn apart, and worse of all, they were being torn apart by me, my hands were covered in their blood, and I could still see their faces, twisted in torment as they begged me to stop.
A tear slid down, it fell on the ruby earing, and dropped off when I tried to move. The trio held me down immediately, "You mustn't move!" They shouted.
"Matthew, if you move, you may force yourself to faint, and if you fall asleep, you many never wake up again. Do you understand?" Jeremy said.
"Ok..." The only word that seemed to come out of me was just that, I feel so hollow, cold, and alone, I wouldn't mind ever waking up, if it just meant that I'd died for sure, so I can finally be with everyone. Jeremy stood up and turned to leave, "Make sure he doesn't moves, nor sleeps." They nodded and hovered over me like worried hens.
They stayed up almost half way before Jeremy came to check on me once more. "It should be fine if he sleeps now. Good job everyone." They nodded, yawning as they stared at me. "Go sleep." I ordered and they waved goodbye to me.
"You are lucky, you could have died." Jeremy said as he wrapped a new bandaged around my head. "It happens to often that I can no longer say it's a coincidence." He smirked at that and left me.
I waited till I could no longer hear his footsteps and stared at the vent in my room, "Come out." I said, whatever was there had been watching me since they woke me up. I didn't say anything, in fear that they may be put into danger, but the feeling was so annoying, especially since my head already throbbing, the tingling seemed to make it worse.
The vent opened up and I smirked as I stared at him, eyes seemed to glow as the candle light cast a soft glow to his face. Everything was rushing back now, the 13th person after all was still never caught, "That hurt you know." He didn't say anything and came close to me, "Ah...I don't like being touched...but...you're not all the way human...so I suppose it maybe ok." His hand touched my shoulder and I shivered, he was so colder than me. "You can have my bed if you want, but I need help getting up, just as long as you don't attack me again." He paused at this and slipped into the bed with me, "Or you can do that." I joked softly, even though I sounded as if I was kidding around, I was actually weary and angry at him. His arms wrapped around my body as he shook and shivered.
"I suppose because you are what you are, weather like this affects you." Something tighten around my waist as his arms gripped my chest tightly. "...Did you kill him?" I whispered softly. He shook his head, as he pulled the heavy blanket around us; Maylene had brought it from one of the guest room, claiming that someone who was almost drained of blood needed to be warm.
"Good night." I said as he slept beside me.
Sebastian, was Woodley able to kill you because of me? After all, I've been stealing your energy, making you weaker and weaker. A tear fell down as my eyes grew heavy, It's all my fault, Sebastian, I'm so sorry...
~ASC~
Like this, the almost demonic night at the haunted mansion ended...and each of us set out to return home. The sky cleared up as if yesterday night had never existed. The orchestra of rain conducted by a demon had turned into the chirping of little birds.
Arthur paused as he stopped writing in his notebook, the events that had happened since last night, and watched as the yardsmen placed Woodley inside the police carriage, and Grey himself would be heading back on this, making sure that nothing interferes with the transfer. Arthur stared at Grey as he entered his own carriage. However, for some reason, a small sense of discomfort had left a stain on my heart. Like a cloud that trickled a shadow over the clear sky... He sat down on the plush seat and sighed, I wonder why, we solved the case...it's like a mist has settled before my eyes... Like I'm overlooking something big...
There was knock on the window and he turned to look, "Mr. Jeremy?" Arthur said as he stared at the smiling man.
"What a gloomy face, even though we solved the case."
"No, it's not like that... you helped us out tremendously Mr. Jeremy, thank you very much." He opened the window so he could properly speak to him and Jeremy held out his hand and they shocked, "I should be thanking you. We probably won't meet again, but all the best." Jeremy said, "Mr. Wordsmith."
Arthur stared at him as he withdrew his hand, French?
"Thank you for taking care of Young master." Jeremy said once more in French, he sharply hit the side of the carriage and the coachmen whipped the horse and they started leaving. Arthur stuck his head out and stared at Jeremy, What was that just now?
Suddenly, Sebastian came to his mind as he remembered what he had told him.
I leave Young master in your hands.
Impossible, he certainly died. There is no way that... no...Wait! If I think about it, there's nothing but odd facts! His conduct of the night of both Siemens' and his own death were as if he had known the future. And Pastor Jeremy's words just now were surely a follow up to that time... He stood up and stuck his head out the window and shouted, "Please return to the mansion immediately!"
The coachmen did as he was told and upon reaching the mansion, Arthur rushed out of the carriage and into the mansion.
Jeremy and Ciel weren't even half way up the stairs when he busted in.
"Why so flustered? Did you forget something?" Jeremy smirked as he stared down at him.
"I came back to confirm the truth." He panted and stared at him, "Pastor Jeremy...no...Butler Sebastian."
Jeremy smirked, a smile well known to Ciel and he said, "Excellent. Seems we underrated you a little. Or wouldn't I be more likely to say..." He touched his face and ripped it off, revealing that it was nothing more than a well-made mask, "It appears that we have rudely underestimated you sir?" His voice changed and he stared at Arthur, "Mr. Wordsmith."
"I...I can't believe it..." Arthur trembled as he stared at Sebastian, "How could something so unreal be happening."
"Oh. Didn't you come back because you were certain of this?" Sebastian said as he stared down at him. "If you had just gone back, you would have returned to your peaceful 'reality'. So why did you come back then? Trembling, even."
Arthur stood erect and stared at him, "B...because, if my uncomfortable feeling wasn't 'simply' an uncomfortable feeling. I'd have to go after the Yard's carriage immediately!"
"Haha." Ciel laughed as he leaned on the stair railing. "Your sense of justice is so strong, Mr. Wordsmith. You did mention in your works that you liked the knights of the Middle Ages." He stopped laughing and stared down at Arthur, "Didn't you realize that if you knew the truth, you wouldn't be able to return home?"
"What!" Arthur shouted in fright.
"I'm just joking." Ciel smirked as he walked up the stairs, "It's as you guessed. Woodley wasn't the criminal. In this crime at least..." Arthur's mouth fell open in shock, "However, he deserves to be in that carriage."
"...What do you mean?"
"Let's not stand and talk. We might as well have some elevenses prepared. Sebastian."
"Yes." Sebastian bowed to Ciel and he went down the stairs, "I'll take you there." Sebastian said Arthur backed up as he stared cautiously at Sebastian, "You wish to know the truth, didn't you? Don't be scared, we won't eat you." He snickered at his own words and led Arthur to the inner gardens of Ciel's mansion.
"Today I prepared you Fortnum and Mason's Darjeeling second flush. For snacks I have petit fours." He said as he poured the tea for both Ciel and Arthur. Arthur stared at the drink, afraid to even touch it, considering that it could kill him. "We haven't poisoned it, so please help yourself." Ciel said as he took a sip, "...So? How did you know that he was alive Mr. Wordsmith?"
Arthur straightened up and stared at the two, "Actually, it's not like I had a sort of conviction that he was still alive. It was more that I kept having this vague sense of discomfort. I'm not sure how to say this, but he was just...too perfect."
They stared at him, slightly confused at his words, "Even though I had this uncomfortable feeling about the Butler Sebastian and the Pastor Jeremy, there wasn't a single flaw in either of them to be suspicious of...they were too perfect. So perfect, it was strange instead."
Sebastian's eyebrows furrowed together, "And by this you are trying to say?"
"That there is no way you could have prepared everything so perfectly before dying...well, being murdered. The food, the owl, even your words to me was too perfect. That wasn't just a foreboding." He paused and took out his notebook, going to a page where he had written down Matthew's words, "Matthew told me that you were the best butler ever, and I remember when Matthew was convinced that 'Jeremy' was the killer, and how angry he became when you insulted yourself, I myself couldn't believe the insult, seeing as how you were an amazing butler." He smirked at that and Arthur continued, "The Pastor Jeremy who appeared afterwards was suspicious no matter how you look at it, but his alibi was so perfect that there was no reason to doubt it. And then his words at our parting...The moment I heard that I realized the true nature of my constant discomfort...and also 'the possibility of something unreal' that would overthrow all of our reasoning."
Ciel raised an eyebrow at him, "The possibility of something unreal?"
"The possibility...that the butler Sebastian had not died." Sebastian stared at Arthur, wondering how a human is able to figure so much out in so little time. "When I thought of that, I just couldn't contain myself..." He sighed, finally able to take everything of his chest.
"To think you'd come to believe this and return after just those words...you're all one would expect from someone who earned the Young master's praise." Sebastian smirked.
"Stop saying such unnecessary things." Ciel told him. They stared at each other and Sebastian looked back at Arthur, "And? What part of me made you think so?"
"Once was at the time of Lord Siemen's death. At that time you weren't doing anything but observing our movements. We're talking about the person who reacted so swiftly during the disturbance at the evening party here. When I think of it now, I can't help but think there must have been a reason for it. Then when the Earl was suspected, you didn't utter a single word in his defense. For a butler to not protect his master even a little is strange."
Ciel huffed as he looked at the two; he was starting to get bored.
"Didn't you know? That the suspicions on the Earl would be lifted as soon as the next murder occurred."
Sebastian smirked, "Of course...I realized this."
"So you really-"
"However, that wasn't the reason I didn't protect Young master."
"Huh?"
"Hmph," Ciel said as he rose up his tea, "You probably thought it served me right didn't you?"
"Not at all?" Sebastian gave him a fake smile, "I was just taken aback at how, while you predicted that something would probably be set up, you quickly gave in to sleep and even made Matthew go along with it unwillingly, even though he was to be left out of this whole business, though he was still drawn into such a thing, and I was left to take care of the mess."
"Wa-wait a second!" Arthur stuttered, "By predicting you mean..."
Ciel handed Sebastian his teacup and Sebastian grabbed the teapot as he said to Arthur, "We knew beforehand that there was a person mixed up in the dinner party that wanted to torment Young master." He poured the tea into the cup and Arthur stared at him, "S...so you mean? You predicted that this incident would occur!"
"Indeed. We also predicted that Master Siemens would probably be made a sacrifice for it, and that I would be killed."
The chair screeched as Arthur slapped his hands on the table, "What!" He shouted, not able to believe what he just heard. He suddenly started remembering everything that had happened and Sebastian smirked as he remembered two days ago.
He knocked on the door, and when they heard the scream Maylene gasped and started calling out to Siemens, trying to see if he was ok. Sebastian on the other hand was thinking in his mind, 'Crack?' He thought. The others came over and he suggested to breaking down the door.
He did so and everyone stared in shock at the dead Siemens, Sebastian stared around the room, trying to see what the noise was.
'Surely I heard the sound of something breaking, but there's nothing broken to be seen. I don't smell blood either. Which means...?' He stared into the fireplace
"There will probably be some sort of bottle that contained poison in there." Sebastian said.
"Wait a minute!" Arthur shouted, "Why didn't you say that immediately! If you had said so, surely it would have been settled without the Earl or Matthew being suspected!"
"Young master seemed to be observing the situation, so I did the same. Though regrettably Matthew is a wild card, we didn't suspect him to arrive so late, nor did we predict his actions."
Ciel grabbed a small pastry and bit it, "A murder under those circumstances...at first I thought it must have been a set up." He took a sip of his tea and set it down without a sound, "Aside from him being alive or dead, I did guess that Siemens had taken the poison himself. After that it's as the butler said. I thought we wouldn't be too late even if we moved after catching the criminal's tail."
"I see...that's why you made him refill the coal, right. I caught on to that as well. There's no need to collect ashes in an empty room. Even so, he was killed in that room while collecting ashes." Sebastian's smile grew as he stared at Ciel, "Indeed, that order's true meaning was...'Inspect the hearth closely,' though you are such a cruel master." Sebastian said, "Since you gave me the order, knowing I would be killed if I inspected the hearth."
"I never thought it would go as we expected for so long."
"As you expected?" He stared at Ciel and Sebastian smirked once more.
Yes, that night I was killed.
Sebastian walked into the room and spoke out loud, knowing that someone would come into the room, "Don't let the coal in the hearths go out' ...was it." He bent down and started 'working.'
This wasn't a scenario decided by god or fate.
Sebastian paused when he found the glass shards.
But one decided on by my master. With timing decided by my master.
He placed the pieces together till they made two bottles.
I was killed by the criminal expected by my master.
Sebastian heard the footsteps coming towards him, but he pretended to be unaware as he said, "As I thought..."
By the one who came to torment my master?
...Earl Grey...
The Earl rose up the shovel and slammed it into the back of Sebastian's head.
I was murdered that night.
Grey moved swiftly as blood came from Sebastian's head and he stabbed him in the heart.
By the Queen's butler. Earl Charles Grey.
Sebastian's body hit the ground and Grey stepped on his back, "How boring. I thought I'd torment that shitty little brat for a while. But for it to be found out so soon..." He picked up the shards, "With these stupid servants getting in the way...I will also have to find a way to kill the other one as well, can't believe he had a pet anaconda." He walked over to the windows and threw the glasses out. "Well that's ruined now!" He shouted. He slammed the windows shut; unaware that Sebastian was watching him the entire time.
"And Siemens is in the basement! Having to go there by myself is the worst!" He trembled at the thought, feeling as if he was being watched.
Sebastian waited until he heard Grey leave. He stood up and sighed, and he grunted in pain as he broke his bond with Matthew, killing their connection, and getting rid of Sebastian's presence, "To make successive attacks to a vital point in an instant...as expected of the Queen's butler. I just hope that Matthew isn't in too much pain, he'll forgive me though." He stood up and with his demonic speed he went after Grey.
I followed Earl Grey to the wine cellar where Master Siemens had been placed.
Sebastian opened the door and spotted the dead body in the room. He walked in and tsked, "My, my." He stared down at the supposedly dead body of Georg, one hand clutching a wine bottle, and drool coming from his mouth, "He even went as far as to grab a bottle of ripening wine...he's really hopeless." Sebastian grabbed the bottle and he heard footsteps coming close.
The door opened and Grey entered the room, Sebastian hiding from up above.
"Ooh?" Georg said as he looked up at Grey, "Earl Grey! It seems everything went according to plan! Were they all surprised? When I woke up there was tons of wine." Grey stared down at the jolly man, but nothing short of murder was coming off of Grey.
"A wake-up drink is-" Grey stabbed Georg right where the fake blood laid over his heart.
"Eh..." He said as he looked at the sword.
"Stop yelling, you're too loud." He bent down and forced the blade deeper into the German's chest, "You're an eyesore. You blockhead Germans will overtake England you say? Come back in another 10 years." Georg fell backwards and his eyes rolled back as his arm fell to his side, "Well..." Grey picked up a blanket and covered the fresh corpse, "It'll really be 10 years though." He turned around, Sebastian disappeared from his hiding spot, and Grey left the room.
The tea fell as Arthur gripped the table, jerking it in surprise, "N...no way! 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?" Ciel and Sebastian smirked at him, "Indeed. I don't tell lies. In any case, the ruthless way in which my master exploits people...I mean, butlers, deserves a royal warrant." Ciel glared at Sebastian, who just smiled innocently and continued explaining.
After that I made preparations for 3 days' worth of food. I gave instructions for the next day to the chef and gardener. For when worst came to worst I gave the owl Matthew had trained, to the maid. And I wrote a report regarding the hearth inspection to Young master.
Sebastian walked in the middle of the night with a pillow and a lantern. He paused outside the door and checked his clothing, 'It's a bit indecent to appear before a guest and the master like this I guess?' He blew the candles out and went inside, startling Arthur and Ciel demanded him to hand the pillow to him. He slipped the letter under Ciel's new pillow and left the room after talking to Arthur. He stared at the pillow, a blood spot around the center and he sighed, 'I should wash this as soon as possible.'
He returned to the scene of the crime and looked at the hearth,
Then I returned to my work as Young master had ordered.
"Well then." Sebastian said as he replaced the glass and set the coal around the carpet. He picked up the fire poker. "Even I feel quite some pain when being stabbed." He smirked and stabbed himself harshly into his heart. He fell to the ground and tried to reposition himself, 'It should look like this I guess?'
I was found by Finny as ordered.
Finny gasped as he saw the body and rushed off to tell the others. They crowded into the room and Grey stared at Sebastian's body, wondering how a fire poker was stabbed in, and how he was in a different position.
I just meant for it to be a little revenge, but Earl Grey's puzzled look...it certainly made me laugh. And then...
Ciel rushed into the room, he ran to Sebastian as Matthew struggled with his cuffs.
The Young master put on quite a realistic show.
"Sebastian! Wake up right now!" Ciel yelled. Sebastian, playing dead couldn't help but think, 'I'm already awake though.' Ciel yelled at him and struck him, as his body trembled, trying to keep the smile from appearing on his face.
Even I wouldn't have thought he would hit me with his ring hand though. Furthermore, with me in a position where I couldn't move...his cunning was admirable.
Ciel closed Sebastian's eyes and brought his head near Sebastian, whispering silently, "Put the bottle in the hearth at a suitable moment. Okay?" When everyone had left, Sebastian disappeared out of the house and was in the rain.
As a corpse I was able to obtain an alibi and freedom. It was a step forward in being able to freely accomplish my job.
Sebastian ran into the forest and speed up with the owl. 'There!' He spotted it and he jumped up and snatched it by its foot. The bird struggled in his grip and he injected it with a tranquilizer. "Be still for a while." He looked at the bird and his eyes widened.
However...
He heard Ciel's voice from the mansion, saying that they were going to check his body for the key.
Emergencies are a part of a butler's job.
Sebastian rushed forward, jumping on to trees and running on the wet ground, rain unable to fall on him at his speed. 'If I don't hurry to the wine cellar!'
"Meow."
He skidded to a stop, "What was that voice just now!" There was another meow and he turned his head, a small black kitten was looking up at him, "So it was you after all. How sad..." He stared at it and a blush came to his cheeks as he noticed that the cat had green eyes similar to Matthew, "Let's put you...inside..." He stared at the dozens of cat that came out and the blush deepened as they called to Sebastian for help.
Could this be what they call the light within the darkness? I'm kidding though.
Sebastian rushed as he tried to put the cats in his closet and quickly ran passed the group, into the wine cellar and he threw the cover onto his body.
Like this...I managed to avoid the worst crisis in all my years as a butler by just a hair's breadth.
He heard their talking, even Finny's cries and complaints, and he even heard Matthew's harsh words. They removed Sebastian's clothing as they tried to search for the key, and he tried not to frown at the sudden stripping he was receiving.
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, (especially in front of my mate.)
They left when they couldn't find anything and Sebastian went outside to the gardens.
After that, I recovered the shards of the ampul that Earl Grey had thrown in to the garden.
Sebastian picked up the glasses as he heard his servants cry over him once more, and this time trying to be strong for his sake. He went to a room, and tossed the glass shards into the fireplace.
I threw those in the hearth in Georg's room, and completed the Young master's order.
He clapped his hands together, failing to remove any dirt, seeing as he was soaking wet, "As there seems to be an unexpected incident going on, I'd better get back quickly." He went to his room and started to apply his mask.
Then, I camouflaged myself. So I returned, carrying the ticket and the owl as my alibies, as Pastor Jeremy, (I had to make extra sure that Matthew, even in his dazed and weakened state, wouldn't be able to sense me)
"So that ticket was a fake!" Arthur shouted in accusation.
"No, it's the real thing, and I actually went to London to buy it. During a break at the dinner party, I slipped out and bought it. I couldn't see the performance for more than 2 minutes though."
"That's impossible!"
Sebastian smirked and pulled out a piece of paper, "If you have any doubts then please, when you return to London, let the stub be inspected at the ticket booth. I also have a receipt."
Ciel shrugged, "So everything, including the owl, was just a part in his own little play to make Jeremy look convincing."
"Though making me sever my bond with Matthew was very cruel Master... At least you received the letter though."
"That's right! What was written in that letter?" Arthur asked.
"Ah yes, about that letter..."
Ciel took the letter off of the Owl's leg and he opened it, his eyebrow twitched in annoyance as 'Jeremy' tried not to snicker. Ciel made up a lie quickly, still mad, and he stuffed the paper into his pocket.
"It was just him trying to be funny." Ciel pointed out. Arthur stared at Sebastian, unable to believe it.
"It was just some brain training for you, Young master, since your studies were on hold during the incident." Sebastian laughed, "From there, my double role-"
"Wait a second!" Arthur shouted, interrupting Sebastian, "But I...I investigated your corpse together with Jeremy you know?"
Sebastian smirked, "That's..."
Jeremy requested that the bodies were moved to separate rooms, and he asked Ciel for a change of clothing.
Ciel followed Jeremy into Sebastian's room and he shouted at him, "You didn't tell me you would appear looking like that!" Sebastian threw the clothing off his body and said hurriedly, "I need to hurry, so please excuse me. I didn't have the time to inform you." He changed outfits and threw the mask away, "I'll tell you the details afterwards!" He shouted as he rushed into the wine cellar, unnoticed, and once again played dead.
They carried him to a room and when they left he once again rushed back and changed outfits. "Ahh busy busy!" He said to Ciel as he ran out the door again.
I simply made sure to be one step ahead of everybody. The only obstacle was Earl Grey.
He stared at the Earl who volunteers to come with them.
First I investigated Master Siemens. Then I went to Master Phelps.
When he finished examining Phelps, they left the room and Sebastian/Jeremy snatched the body and went out the window with it, hopping balconies and went to the room where his body was supposed to be. He then dressed the body in his clothing, it being too big for Phelps.
When Grey noticed he wasn't there Sebastian rushed up the stairs and wiped the rain off his face, pretending that he was sweating from exhaustion.
"So you mean that that body was Phelps's!"
"Yes. Thanks to Young master's bad acting, Grey's personality, and Matthew's unpredictability, I was able to get by."
Grey announced that he was leaving and waited behind the wall till he was sure everyone left. He rushed passed Matthew. Sebastian dove into the room, ripping off his disguise, hiding the body, and switching clothes as Grey opened the door, and Sebastian covered his body with the blanket with only a speed a demon can produce. Grey stared at Sebastian, Matthew watching him and he insulted the dead body at Matthew and left the room. Sebastian was pissed that he was being insulted, even worse his own mate having to take the insults, but was secretly happy when Matthew showed that he really did care about Sebastian dying. When Matthew left he breathed out a sigh of relief and said, "That was close."
"You know the rest: I supported Young master as Pastor Jeremy. Master Woodley was arrested. And Young master and Matthew got away unscathed without a conviction."
"Is that why you attacked Matthew? Did he figure it you out?" Sebastian glared at Arthur, scaring him and he just told him, "That was something unforeseen by even me and my Young master." Arthur gulped and he muttered, "I don't get it..." Arthur ran a hand through his hair, confused beyond belief, "After hearing your story, the incident...no everything, I can't make heads or tails of it anymore. Because, I mean..." He stared at them, "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 him out to be the killer. Even so, the Earl and his butler especially made thorough preparations to clear any suspicion surrounding themselves. And even though they knew that Earl Grey was the killer they made the innocent into the culprit."
Arthur paused to take a breath, he was confusing himself, "It's not that the incident is difficult...the situation is just unusual."
"That might be." Ciel said as he sipped some of his tea, "But there's nothing to be done about that. Because everything...was her Majesty the Queen's wish."
"Eh!" Arthur stared at Ciel in surprise. The boy just continued talking, since it was the norm for him, "The guest from Germany, Siemens. His bank has made 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. 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!"
"Of course Siemens is no more than a regular banker. The power of that influence is perhaps somewhat like the strength of a butterfly flapping its wing...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 50 years. Maybe she can somehow see which butterflies are able to change the world with the flapping of their wings." Ciel laid the cup down and Arthur furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"But why did Earl Grey want to put the blame on you?"
Ciel shrugged, "I'm ashamed to admit that a little prank of mine got found out. I expected some form of punishment if it was discovered, but, to think she'd try to pin a murder on me...her Majesty sure has a sense of humor." Ciel smirked, "However, I've always been good at playing games. I used Woodley who I summoned to be the scapegoat, as my pawn."
"Why the innocent Woodley?"
"Didn't I tell you? He deserved to be in that horse carriage."
Sebastian cleared his throat, catching Arthur's attention, "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." He pulled out a newspaper and pointed at a picture, "Furthermore, there was an incident about 2 weeks ago where the president of the Rose Company that excavates diamonds was murdered."
Ciel leaned into his seat as he remembered going to Undertaker with Sebastian only, "Through my own routes I was able to confirm that Woodley was the criminal. For people of the underground society to use their power to endanger people of the normal society is a grave violation of the rules. Since I was going to get rid of him anyway, he was the perfect person to use as a scapegoat right?" Ciel asked Arthur.
"It would clear the Queen's worries and make sure Young master kept out of harm, its two birds with one stone."
Arthur's eyes widen as he remembered Woodley shouting something when he was being accused, "Woodley's words that time... just exactly what are you?"
They stopped smiling and the mood became serious, "Tracking down people who break the commandments of the British underground society and dealing with them. The Queen's Watchdog." Ciel answered him, "What happened this time was no more than a little game where the Queen reconfirmed whether I had this talent or not."
"N...no way..." Arthur stuttered, a look of disbelief on his face, "Moreover, if what you've told me up till now is true, then he...that butler is..."
Ciel smirked at Arthur, "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact,' wasn't it Mr. Wordsmith. It has been in front of you all along."
"Indeed." A dark voice whispered into Arthur's ear, "The truth, that I am not human." Arthur threw himself backwards in fright and from the ground he stared at Sebastian, the shadows moving around him, and his eyes gleamed blood red, "Now that I do know it, I shall do my best to forget it.' Right? Mr. Wordsmith." Sebastian's fangs peaked out of his mouth, frightening Arthur even more.
Arthur stood up, screaming, and tried to run, only to hit his forehead against something hard. He fell to the ground and Sebastian was in front of him. Sebastian touched Arthur's neck; a threatening aura surrounded Sebastian, "One wonders what would happen were you to reveal this matter...I'm sure you understand, right?"
"He..." Arthur stood up again and ran, "I-I'll never say! I'll never say it so please!" He begged.
"Those words," Sebastian smirked, more sharp canines peeking out of his mouth, "I will make sure that you never, ever forget them." He whispered, his voice somehow echoing in the room, and darkness surrounded the demon as the shadows went after Arthur.
"We're always watching..."
Arthur gasped and the coachmen looked at him, "Are you alright? We've arrived at your house." He stepped aside and Arthur hesitantly stepped out, trembling in fear.
~ASC~
"Why did you have to reveal your true form to him?" Ciel asked as Sebastian cleaned up the mess Arthur made in his hurry to leave.
"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. Young master, you liked his novel didn't you? You read that magazine many times without throwing it away. Weren't you disappointed knowing there was no continuation?"
Ciel pouted as he stirred the remaining tea in the cup and he said, "It was ok to pass time with." Sebastian just smirked, his master was being childish again, "His next work will be something to look forward to." He said, looking to the side, as if he was staring at Arthur, knowing that the man was madly scribbling away everything that had happened in a crazed fury.
~ASC~
After that, my pen kept flowing like I was possessed by something. Writing 'That one work' I never thought I'd write. 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.
He continued to write, his hand hurting, but dared not stop, as if at any moment the demon would come for him.
Every 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.
An image of Ciel, Jeremy, and Sebastian came to his mind; he shivered in fear at the image.
As if they want me to remember that vow.
There was a creaking sound and Arthur, an older man now, woke in fright, thinking that they were coming for him. It had been many years since that incident, and as his child came up to him, holding 'that' story, he smiled down to her and took it from her hands.
'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 tossed the manuscript into the fire, his daughter staring at him in question, and he walked away from the hearth, never to look back at it.
Just like the secret of that stormy night.
~ASC~
I felt a supernatural spirit in the house, a strong one and I wondered if it was him again. He had left way before the sun rose, I think. The others came in and took turns caring for me. Finny was the one that stayed the most, and I couldn't help but allow him to do so. He reminded me of a younger brother that I had begged my mother and father to create. He kept touching my broken arm, apologizing over and over, and I, having to repeat myself that it was ok, that I forgave him, because if Finny didn't wake me up, I would have been caught in that horrid nightmare forever.
Finny fell asleep in my room, his head on the side of my bed, his body only being held up by a chair, and I chuckled softly, though my heart ached, and all my body wanted to do was rest, my mind kept reminding me of everyone who had died by knowing me, and I couldn't help but wonder if the others were next. Was Finny going to die? Maylene? Bard? Tanaka or Ciel? Why did life seem to want to steal everything away from me? I feel like a mirror, at once beautiful, glass shining when light struck it, and capturing everything in its surrounding, until the cracks start to form, one by one appearing until spiderlike webs spread through the glass, until the image becomes distorted, ugly, and cracked, till the pieces started to fall and crumble, till nothing remained of the mirror. That is how I feel, for every person I love that dies, the mirror keeps breaking, and I wonder how long before there is nothing left of me.
I was tired now, and I roused Finny awake, and asked him to bring me some tea, hopefully the tea would keep me awake. When he left, I stared at the mirror hanging on the wall, and I wished to see my own image, just to see if I am broken yet...
~ASC~
"Well, now that has left also, I will be starting the preparations for lunch." Sebastian bowed to Ciel, he was eager to get back to Matthew, every second feeling like a century for him
"Wait." Ciel stopped him, "I assumed you didn't mention it on purpose so I didn't say anything...but you haven't explained Phelps's murder yet." Sebastian's fist hit the palm of his hand, as he remembered, "Ah! That's right. Actually, there was another, uninvited, guest."
"What did you say?" Ciel shouted, shocked at this little fact.
Sebastian bent down and pulled a large crate from under the table, "Since it was a bit sudden, I had him taken to this luxury suite. He sure was tricky to get, escaped out of here just as quickly and even dared to sleep with Matthew while he was injured. Such a crafty killer."
"Wha?" Ciel shouted as he stared at the box, "The killer is in here!"
"Indeed."
"...Show me what's inside." Ciel ordered.
Sebastian stared at him, "Are you sure about that?" He asked.
"Don't act so high and mighty, open it up!" Ciel demanded as he stood up and went to the crate.
"Well then." Sebastian removed the chains and opened the lid. Two snakes flew out of the box, mouth wide opened, and they were just mere inches of Ciel's face as Sebastian caught them. Ciel hit the ground and started to stuttered, "Wha...Wha..."
The snakes hissed angrily in Sebastian's grasp as they tightened around his arms, "They seem to be extremely resentful towards Young master, you see." He placed both snakes on one hand and used his free one to pick Ciel up, "That's why I asked, 'Are you sure about that?'..." Ciel looked towards the box, something shifting around and his eyes widen, "Y...you're...Snake!" Ciel shouted as he stared at the bound serpent man, several snakes were wrapped around his body, and he glared at Ciel and Sebastian.
"Master Phelps's true murderer...the 13th person really did exist you know."
Sebastian sliced through the vegetables, preparing the meals and he paused when he heard a slithering sound. He patted his hands together and took out his pocket watch, "It seems we have an uninvited guest." The clock showed that it was 2:37 in the night.
He was in Ciel's master bedroom and he looked around.
"Bwaahhh s...ave...Me..." Phelps begged as the poison ate away at his body. Sebastian ignored the man as he stared at the snake that was half way in and out of the vent. He rushed out of the room, once again ignoring Phelps pleas, and he followed the snake to the inner gardens. He looked up and snakes fell from the ceiling, wrapping around him and they bit him.
"My, my...it's been a while." Sebastian said as he stared at the killer before him, "Mr. Snake."
One of the snakes hissed as it slithered down Snake's outstretched hand, "A human should not be able to stand longer than 30 seconds against this poison of mine, I who was born on the Island of Queimada Grande. Why do you not die? Ask Webster."
Sebastian smirked as one of the snakes tightened around his throat, his eyes glowed eerie red and he simply said, "How could I be the Phantomhive family butler, if I couldn't even endure this level of poison?"
"Why is he here?" Ciel asked as Sebastian removed the cloth that was wrapped around Snake's mouth. One of the snakes hissed angrily at Ciel, "The day after Black and Smile snuck into Joker and everyone's tent, they all disappeared. It's definitely your fault! Says Wilde." Another snaked hissed, and he translated, "That's why I followed Smile from the scent on his clothes. Says Oscar."
They stood outside the town house mansion, and Oscar pointed to it, "Feather's and Smile's scent is really strong here. You must promise not to hurt Feather, or else we could never see our prince and God again. Says Oscar."
"Hey!" They froze when they heard someone calling out to them; he turned around and stared at the two Indians in front of him. "Do you have any business at this estate?" Soma demanded.
"Is there a little boy and a black-cladded man, and a blonde hair man with a feather earring here? Says Bronte."
"Little...ahh, you mean Master Ciel and Mr. Sebastian, and Matthew." Agni said, a smile coming to his face. "Please excuse me, but could I ask your name-" Agni was stopped by Soma who rushed right at Snake and said, "Oh, so you're Ciel's guest huh? Ciel isn't here right now because he returned to the main house. But don't worry! As the governor who is taking care of this place, I'll send you off to Ciel's place with the fastest horse carriage we have!" Soma grinned and snapped his fingers, and Agni rushed to do as Soma ordered.
Snake entered the carriage, a bag of gifts in his hands, and Soma appeared next to the window, "Say hello to Ciel for me!"
He stared at him in confusion and the carriage moved and led him to Ciel's mansion. He stepped out of the carriage, and hid in the forest as more carriages came by, one in particular had a man in a brown suit came out, looking like he didn't belong at such a place.
"It seems there is some kind of dinner party today. This is favorable. Says Keats." The snake hissed again and Snake translated, "Let's wait somewhere until night. Says Keats." Snake looked around and spotted the inner gardens.
They went inside and Snake sighed in relief as he ate the curry doughnut the two idiots gave him, "This is so nice and warm, it must be paradise. Says Wilde."
Sebastian and Ciel stared at him, both thinking of killing Soma and Agni for their stupidity.
"Those idiots...what are they doing escorting an assassin to me!" Ciel whispered harshly.
"Not even we could have predicted this..." Sebastian sweat dropped.
Ciel spun around and cleared his throat, "Ahem. I see...so? You mentioned that their disappearance was our fault?"
One of the snakes hissed behind Snake, "That's right! After you guys showed up they started acting weird! Says Wordsworth." His jaw clenched as he shook in anger, "I somehow got that Joker and them were hiding something from me. However..." He remembered when he was stuck in a freak show, always whipped and starved to entertain the people. Then one day they came and saved him from his hell hole, and giving him something he thought he only had with snakes. "Despite my appearance, those guys called me...their friend. They called me their family." He looked up at Ciel, his snake eyes shrunk as he glared at him, "You took that from me! I definitely won't forgive you! Says Wilde!"
Ciel stared at him; a crying Doll came to his mind as he remembered her shouting the same words. "The circus group you were in kidnapped children one by one in the places you visited on tour. We became your companions in order to find evidence of this." Ciel said calmly.
Snake froze as he looked at him, "They were kidnappers?" He said, not translating either of his snakes. "Th...That's a lie! Don't talk rubbish! Says Oscar."
"Rubbish? That might be. Because my real identity was found out before we could obtain the evidence...they made their whereabouts unknown after that. In that sense, I may have taken your peace from you. However, I wanted to save the children that were suffering because of them." Sebastian stared at Ciel, wondering why he was lying.
"Of course, I want to save you too."
"Eh?"
Ciel went forward and pulled the ropes off of him. He stared in shock, and one of the snakes hissed as he shouted, "What is this! Says Wilde."
"Young master!" Sebastian called out.
Ciel raised his hand to shut him, and he said, "Snake." He held out his hand to Snake, "Come to my mansion." Snake stared at him, he felt like he was dreaming, whether a nightmare or not, he couldn't believe it. Sebastian also stared, slightly surprised at Ciel's action.
Snake scooted backwards, all his snakes now alert and hissing, "Wha! What are you saying! Says Keats."
Ciel stepped closer, not caring that the snakes were ready to strike at him at any moment, "You heard me right; I said I want to save you. We are looking for Joker and the others right now. Of course to clear up the incident." Snake stared at him, distrust in his eyes, "So don't you think that staying here would be the fastest way to seeing them again? I know they're not bad people from living at the circus. They're kind and cheerful to anyone and everyone. That's why they should atone for their crimes. I'd like for them to achieve true happiness. All of them, including you."
Snake stared at him and looked down as he remembered all of them at the circus, "Including me..." He looked back up to Ciel and took his hand.
Sebastian stared at his master and they were somehow outside the gardens.
"If you stick to a lie, it'll eventually become truth. Then I just need you and Matthew to hold your tongues, and everything will go well."
"Indeed." Sebastian said.
"Moreover, what are you planning on telling the servants?"
"That's right..." Sebastian said as he stared back at the mansion.
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Ok so I've been getting this feeling that people want to ask some questions. And I decided if everyone is up to it, why I don't make an interview in the next chapter or so, starring our two favorite couple, Sebastian and Matthew. Anyone can ask a question, there is honestly no limit at all, if you want me to post your name with the question please say so. Go ahead and PM the message, if you can't, then you can even send a message as a review if you'd like. I can't wait to see some of your questions, and thank you for reviewing or favoriting everyone.