Chapter 12

With a war cry, Estella charged forward the waiting butler. Skidding to a halt in front of him, a fist instantly shot out, aiming at his face. Eyes widening slightly when Sebastian just lazily dodged her incoming fist, her eyebrows furrowed to a frown. Spinning on her heels, she swung her right leg towards him to give him a round kick. But only to miss when Sebastian crouched down.

"Too slow."

Sebastian commented with a smirk plastered on his face.

Frown deepening at this, she threw punches at him. The result was still the same with Sebastian dodging every punch lazily.

Why can't I just land a hit on him? Damn it.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she continued throwing punches at the butler. While Sebastian was busy dodging her punches, her eyes narrowed at his sides.

He's open.

Swinging a leg up at an unguarded side of the butler, she gave a round kick towards it.

Sebastian, who was busy dodging her incoming punches, has his eyes widened slightly in surprise, caught off guard to see her leg swinging towards his side. Widened eyes reverted into eyes with a gleam of approval at this; he swiftly caught hold of her just in time, stopping its swing towards him with one hand before it could hit him.

Smirking in amusement with a raised eyebrow, Sebastian watched her struggle to get her leg out of his grip. Glaring up at the smirking butler with gritted teeth, Estella tugged at her leg, trying to free it from his tight grip.

"Let go of my leg, Sebastian." She growled, tugging at her leg.

"Alright."
Did not expect Sebastian instantly let go of her leg, Estella let out a surprised shriek and the next thing she felt was her back hitting the floor. Staring blankly at the white ceiling of the room, she blinked slowly at it before her eyes widened slightly at it. Sitting up from her sprawled position, Estella glared at the butler in front of her.

"Why the hell did you just let go like that?" She snarled in annoyance, rubbing at her back.

Sebastian shot her a serene smile. "But wasn't you the one who ask me to 'let go'…. ?"

While pushing herself up to stand, Estella drawled in annoyance. "Well, at least, give me a warning before you do that….."

Sighing heavily, she asked nonchalantly. "Continue…?"

"No. No need for that. I've seen enough." Sebastian said, straightening his suit.

Estella stared at the butler with a look of boredom. "Oh. Then, what now…?"

Sebastian, who was done straightening his suit, looked up with a serious look. "Your stamina was not good enough, you're also too slow."

Staring at the butler for a moment, Estella scoffed. "Then what are we going to do about that…?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her. "I want you to run outside, around the manor. Stop when I call you to come back in."

"What?" Estella shot him an incredulous look.

"You've heard me. Now, go."

"Bu-"

"Go." Sebastian said firmly, interrupting her.

Shooting him a glare, Estella huffed. "Fine."

Spinning away from the butler, she marched off towards the doors with the glare still plastered on her face.

Stupid bastard….

…...

Ciel frowned irritably at the piece of paperwork in his hands, trying to block out the noise from the other side of his study room's window. Eye scanning through the content on the paperwork, Ciel sighed in relief when the unnecessary noise from outside grew fainter and fainter.

Looks like the training has started…

Shrugging, Ciel glanced back down to focus on the paperwork. Clutching the pen in his hand, he signed at the bottom of the paper before moving onto another piece. In the midst of reading its content, the noise came again. Sighing in annoyance, he dropped his pen before pushing himself away from his desk to stand up.

What the hell is that…?

Strolling over to the window, Ciel pushed it opened with a heavy sigh. With arms folded across his chest, Ciel glanced around at the area below, trying to locate the culprit of that noise.

"That stupid butler! How long does he want me to run….!"

Ciel snapped his head over to the source of the voice only to have his eyes widening in surprise when they landed on his red-headed new servant, Estella Blancbaston. Jogging pass and at the same time, screaming strings of profanities on top of her voice.

"Bastard butler! Damn it! I'm tired!"

Raising an eyebrow upon hearing that, Ciel quickly figured that the one who she was cursing at was none other than his butler, Sebastian Michealis. Eying the girl below, he watched her staggered into a stop right below his window. A stab of amusement came at him to see his new pawn get pushed around by his other pawn. Smirking in amusement, Ciel called out to the panting girl below.

…...

"Blancbaston! Slacking on your training, aren't you….?" A familiar amuse-laced voice emitted from overhead.

Eyes widening in surprise at this, Estella glanced about wildly, trying to find the source of it. Still panting, she frowned in thoughts.

It came from above, didn't it…?

Glancing up, her eyes widened in surprise when they spotted to see her master sitting with arms folded across his chest on the hedge of a wide opened window, glancing down at her with a smirk. Eyes narrowing at the male above, Estella frowned in annoyance at him.

Rolling her eyes at him, she scoffed. "Who's slacking…?"

Ciel raised an eyebrow upon hearing her comment. "You, obviously…."

The girl below shot back a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you doing that as well…?"

Ciel snorted at this. "I'm not. I wouldn't be wasting my time like that…But because there was someone who just had to run around yelling like an idiot, I couldn't focus. "He said, jutting his chin towards her.

Estella narrowed her eyes at him and snarled. "Who are you calling an idiot…!"

Ciel shrugged indifferently. "I'm sure you figure out that by yourself."

Sighing heavily, Estella drawled in annoyance. "Honestly…Phantomhi-"

Ciel interrupted curtly. "It's Master, not by that."

Eying the male above with an indifferent look, she sighed again. "Right. Master. I would be really grateful to you if you order your dear butler to stop making me run."

Ciel scoffed at this. "You are-"

A knock on his study's door interrupted him in the midst of his comment. Grunting as permission for the person to enter, the doors swung opened to reveal his butler. Eye widening in surprise, it reverted to one with a gleam of amusement at the arrival of his butler.

Turning back to the girl below, he spoke with a smirk. "Speak of the devil, here he is."

Smirk widening when the girl grew rigid at his comment, Ciel turned back to his waiting butler and gestured at the girl below. "Sebastian…She's slacking."

"Oh…?" Sebastian strolled over to the window and glanced out to see the girl grinning sheepishly at him. Narrowing his eyes at her, Sebastian spoke. "Slacking, aren't we…?"

Sheepish grin on her face widened, Estella stammered. "He-Hey Sebastian, just a little tiny bit of rest. I'm not slacking….."

Flicking her eyes to Ciel, her eyes narrowed at him when she saw that he was smirking at the situation.

Stupid midget. He's enjoying this….

Flicking her attention back to the butler, she eyed at him nervously.

"You know, I was thinking of asking you to come back in but since you're slacking, let's extend this by fifteen more minutes. Now, run."

Ciel shot the girl below a mocking smile when she gaped in horror at his butler.

Estella shot the butler an incredulous look. "Are you kidding me…?."

Sebastian stated. "Twenty minutes more then.

She objected defensively. "But it was just a little rest…."

"Twenty five."

Eyes widening at this, Estella let out a sigh of resignation. "Fine, fine! Make it fifteen!"

Without a word, she started off again. Watching as the girl sprint off and disappeared into a corner, Ciel turned away from the window and strolled back to sit on his chair.

"What is it, Sebastian….?" Ciel asked as he watches Sebastian strolled to stand at the other side of his desk.

"A letter from the Queen." Sebastian placed an expensive-looking envelope in front of the other male.

Ciel eyed the envelope before picking it up to tear open its flap with a knife. Slipping the parchment inside from the envelope, he glanced down at its content.

To: Earl Ciel Phantomhive

Dear Earl Phantomhive,

Your next assignment will be to attend the Van Rayden's ball. The Van Rayden family is suspected to be a link to SIGMA. Head over to investigate this matter.

The invitation card has been given to you for more details on the ball.

Destroy this letter immediately after reading.

Ciel frowned at its content before glancing over to the envelope to see that the said document in it. Pulling it out, he fingered the piece of expensive parchment before flipping it over to the other side to reading its content.

You are invited to a ball to witness the birthday of Alice Van Rayden, daughter of Lord Van Rayden and Lady Van Rayden.

The ball will start at 7pm sharp on 11th April 1888

Hope to see you there.

Head Butler of the Van Rayden Household,

Christopher Ellwood

Scowling at the invitation, Ciel gave out a heavy sigh of annoyance.

"What is it, Young Master…?" Sebastian questioned upon hearing his master sigh.

"We have another ball to attend…." Ciel drawled heavily.

"Oh…?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow at this. Taking out his pocket watch, he then glanced down at it before looking up with a smile. "Young Master, looks like we have to increase the number of dance lessons …"

Ciel let out a groan at that.

…...

"That stupid Sebastian! He expects me to start on the chores straight away after that crazy run…?" Estella grumbled to no one in particular. Glancing down at the bucket of water which was carried in her left hand before glancing over to the duster in the other, she trudged towards the huge doors of the library. With a sigh, she pushed them opened to reveal rows of shelves.

Gaping in horror and dread at the shelves ahead, she continued her way in and stopped before a shelf. Eyes scanning through the books, Estella placed down the bucket of water onto the brown carpeted floor, at her feet.

This sucks.

Sighing heavily, Estella started slipping books out of its shelf one by one and hugged them to her chest before strolling away from the shelf to a corner.

…..

Ciel strolled into the library only to be straight away greeted by the sight of a towering stack of books, moving towards him.

There she is.

Raising an eyebrow at the stack of books, Ciel called out to the girl behind it. "Blancbaston."

No response came, the stack of books only continued advancing towards him.

Frowning at this, Ciel sighed before calling out to her, this time, louder. "Blancbaston!"

Estella who was in full concentration, trying balance the books in her arms, jumped at that sudden calling of her name. Startled, her right foot accidentally tripped over her other and soon she found herself falling forward. The next thing she found herself sprawled onto the carpeted floor. Groaning when her eyes flicked up slightly to see the books scattered across the floor in front of her, she glanced up to the culprit with a glare.

"What!" She snarled at Ciel.

Looking down at Estella, Ciel stared at her for a moment before letting a heavy sigh. He drawled with an indifferent look "You're an idiot, aren't you…? Anyway, let's get straight to the point why I'm here. ….Once you're done, come over to my study, understood…? Now, continue with your chore."

Without a word, the male strolled off and exited the room. Glaring at the mouth of the wide opened door where he stood just now, Estella let out a sigh.

Okay, this seriously sucks.