Disclaimer: I do not own Zatch Bell, The Duke of Death and His Maid, Hetalia, Professor Layton, and other series that may be added to the crossover fanfiction as the storyline progresses.

A/N: This is the third time I rewrote this crossover fanfiction. Hopefully, I keep this rewrite around this time.


Prologue

January 1st, 1489, London, England

The royal family and the citizens fled London as a great war between the Virtues and the Deadly Sins occurred. The Cardinal Virtues battled their deadly counterparts, while the Theological Virtues restrained the witches, wizards, werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings from causing chaos in London. This war lasted five months until the Deadly Sins and their minions were defeated. The Deadly Sins and the minions were to be sealed in the Netherworld for their crimes against the Vitures and Humanity. The Leader of the Vitures established rules. Should the supernatural disobey the laws, the Virtues would strip their powers and banish them from their realms. The alternate punishment would be administered by the humans.

"Shall you expose your identity and powers to a human being, you shall be despised by the human. Shall you breed with a human being, and your half-human child shall be abhorred by your kind and the humans. Shall you disturb a human being, you shall be exterminated by the human."

The simple rules were written in the Latin language. The leader of the Virtues imprinted the laws within the minds of the paranormal and hid the stone tablet in a secret location that would become inaccessible to the Non-Virtues, the supernatural beings, and the humans.

The Vitures and the Deadly Sins would soon be forgotten. They would be seen as legendary beings in mythology and folktales.


January 1st, 1887

Four centuries years later, in the human world, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Northern France, the United States, and Japan became industrialized. Japan was also modernized and westernized since the Japanese borders were forcibly opened to the West on July 8th, 1853. Since then, foreigners visited the countries to experience new attractions they wouldn't find in their native homelands. There were exchange programs for students, workers, tutors, and servants. These programs allow foreigners to live with a host family in a different country to learn their native language and cultural values.

A cold war was happening between spies and assassins. These spies would gather information about their targets and ensure the target's country would be considered trustworthy for a treaty or alliance for their country. The assassins would kill their targets with orders from their clients. Meanwhile, there were troubles and riots between the upper and lower classes. The aristocrats and the nobles ruled over the commoners. An unnamed underground group of vigilantes took matters into their hands. These people would eliminate the corrupted aristocrats or nobles on orders of the Lord of Crime, a mysterious person who would expose the corruption of the aristocrats and nobles and the oppression of commoners from the shadows.

The corrupted aristocrats and nobles were responsible for kidnapping, bribery, sexual assault, human trafficking, illegal drug use, extortion, blackmail, abuse, stealing, ruining the reputation of their rivals, and other crimes. Lackeys were hired as accomplices or scapegoats by these corrupted ones. Criminals also committed the same crimes without having no relation with the dishonest aristocrats and nobles.

Supernatural beings stayed in their realms. Some of them do interact with humans with or without a contract privately. As for the Virtues, their whereabouts were unknown. It was said the Virtues disappeared from existence or the Virtues isolated themselves from the supernatural realms and the human world.


April 12th 1887, Mochinoki Village, Kanagawa, Japan

Mochinoki Village was founded by a man named Shigeru Mizukawa. He was an equalist with an abhorrence towards the upper classes. He was the strict head of the Mizukawa family. He has zero tolerance for the unfair treatment between the upper and lower classes in his beloved country. He believed the nobles were the Imperial Family's lapdogs and the aristocrats were the root of evil. Shigeru usually heard reports about social class corruption and oppression from other countries via his informants.

Shigeru wasn't too pleased when he learned Japan opened its borders to the West when he was still a young man. However, since then, he changed his opinion. He felt it was a reasonable opportunity for his family to learn the American English language and the American culture. Shigeru also expressed a curiosity about the United Kingdom and its global power. When he learned about the British exchange program, he voiced no interest.

Shigeru wouldn't dare to send off one of his family members to a foreign country, especially if they'd ended up in a household of an upper-class family. He still distrusted the upper classes, even from other countries. Despite developing his skills over the years, Shigeru knew his place. The Mizukawa family were still commoners.

A week later, he found a purpose for the exchange problem. He decided to send one of his grandchildren to the British Empire. The grandchild would remain there for two years. He summoned his chosen grandchild to his study. A 15-year-old girl with maroon-colored hair entered the study. She sat on a cushion, facing her grandfather.

"Hello, grandfather. What do you wish to speak to me about?"

"Suzume," Shigeru spoke clearly. "How would you feel if I'd have you study abroad in the British Empire?"

"The British Empire?" Suzume's eyes glimmered in curiosity. "You want me to study there, grandfather? If so, it'd be an honor. I always wanted to study abroad in a foreign country. I heard British English is different from American English." Suzume expressed worryingly. "Not sure if I am fluent enough to speak English yet. "However," Suzume smiled at her grandfather brightly. "I've gotten better with English writing."

"Yes, your English writing is impressive, my dear granddaughter." Shigeru praised. "So, what do you think?"

"What do I think? Well, I suppose Kotone or Akira would be the better choices. Akira wanted to travel to the West, and Kotone wanted to discover new things in her life. However, I'm not ready to make a choice about me leaving Japan, Grandfather."

"Very well," Shigeru closed his eyes and folded his arms in understanding. "Please think about it, Suzume."


May 7th 1887, Mochinoki Village, Kanagawa, Japan

"I can't believe it. Mizuno is leaving Japan," Takeshi Kaneyama groaned in disappointment while carrying Suzume's belongings to a steamship. Mizuno was Suzume's father's surname, and Kaneyama always referred to her by Mizuno. "It's not fair, damn it."

"Quit your complaining, Kaneyama," Mariko Nakamura told him in annoyance. "Suzume will be studying abroad."

"I heard she's going to be a servant for an outcasted Duke," Hiroshi Yamanaka said to Mariko worriedly.

"And where did you hear the rumor from, Yamanaka? Mariko frowned at him.

"I overheard one of her great-uncles last night," Hiroshi explained. "He said the Duke is cursed with the touch of death."

"Curse my ass. I don't believe in Yamauba." Mariko sighed, putting her hand on her hip. "It is only a rumor, Yamanaka. I doubt Mr. Mizukawa would let his granddaughter stay with a cursed Duke."

"Youkai exists, you know?" Mamoru Iwashima had a scary expression, giving Mariko a goofy grin. "If you don't believe in them, you'd be cursed, Nakamura."

"Hmph, I'd been cursed by now, Iwashima." Mariko gritted her teeth as she twitched her left eyebrow in irritation.

"Hey! Takamine, Honda, and Toudou are also there!" Kaneyama pointed at familiar people on the steamship.

"So, they're also going to the British Empire?" Hiroshi asked.

"Yes, they are," Suzume answered. She's been silent the whole time. "I feel better now. I was getting anxious about traveling alone."

"Where are your siblings?" Mariko looked around for Kotone and Akira.

"They give me a farewell in the morning. I promised them I'd write to them." Suzume said sadly. "Of course, I will also write to you, Mariko."

"Suzume," Mariko embraced her tightly. "You'd better write to me."

"I know. I'll miss you and the others, Mariko." Suzume softened her gaze.

"We will miss you too, Mizuno." Kaneyama approached her after dropping off her belongings at the steamship. "Take care of yourself."

"Yeah, Suzu. Don't worry about us much. We'll take care of things here." Hiroshi smiled at her.

"And I shall protect everyone from the Youkai," Iwashima added, grinning nonchalantly at Suzume.

Suzume nodded with a kind smile. She embarked on the steamship and walked to Kiyomaro Takamine, Kiku Honda, and Chise Toudou to start a conversation with them. Soon, the steamship left Kanagawa, Japan. As Kiyomaro, Kiku, and Chise spoke to each other about their reasons for leaving Japan, Suzume gazed at the sky. It was partly sunny and cloudy today, and the clouds made her feel at ease.

'Goodbye, Japan. I'll be back in two years.' Suzume smiled softly.


A/N: I rechecked this chapter for errors three times. Knowing my own dumbness, there are probably still errors. Oh well, I tried my best at proofreading so I'll leave the chapter the way it is. I ain't getting younger, after all.