Hello everyone! The most hilarious part, the sweetest scene and the most scary one of this arc are all in this chapter! I'll let you, people, decide which is which! 😉 I forgot to do something in the previous chapter so I want to ask if you would like me to do it or not. I had thought of using a different font whenever Sieglinde or Wolfram speaks German, but then forgot it... So, would you like to go back to the previous and this chapter and do this little change? I don't mind, just let me know what you prefer. Thank you everyone! 😊
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or its characters. I entirely own only my OCs, arcs and ideas/themes not mentioned in any form of the franchise (manga, anime, games, movies or musicals).
Chapter 27: The Tutor, Investigating
Sebastian holding the little girl gently from her armpits allowed her to slowly stand on her feet. "In that case, you must already know what comes next? I have no desire to be rough with you."
"Since you arrived in this village, I have not been able to shake the feeling… that tonight, I… would break the lock to the secret chamber I have guarded for eleven years." She announced quite determined making Sebastian look at her curiously. She then started trembling nervously while clenching her tiny fist on her chest. "Aah… I had come prepared, but… my heart continues to race even faster. Well, come on then!" She finally said and with a thud threw herself on Ciel's bed spreading her legs in a clearly suggestive manner.
The sudden turn of events scared Ciel out of his wits, even if he could not understand what the little intruder was saying, and managed to utterly surprise Sebastian too. Selina was watching with eyes wide open.
"Never did I imagine my first time would be a foursome, let alone with a woman too, but… this too is a kind of experience in itself. Please do be as gentle as possible!" Her face had turned red but she was doing an excellent job in preserving her self-composure.
Both Ciel and Sebastian had taken a quite terrified look in their faces; the demon also looked like not believing his ears. Selina covered her mouth with her hands although her eyes were sparkling with great mirth; she might did not know German at a satisfactory level, but her female instinct was somehow guiding her in understanding the obscene things Sieglinde was saying.
Sieglinde sat up. "Mm… It appears you are perplexed by the construction of my garb, yes? First you must undo this button here…" She said as she started unbuttoning her clothes; an action that terrified Ciel even more and started screaming at her to stop. "So, you… prefer to conquer the citadel alone, do you? Your face may say otherwise, but you are a man after all!" She went on with a smug look on her face.
"What in the world are you on about?" The boy yelled more horrified than ever.
"So, the young master is the kind of man who prefers to undress a woman himself… hm? I totally know, first-hand, how exciting and alluring that can be." The butler said in English making his master even more scared now that he could understand more or less what was being said.
"Or perhaps you are the kind of man who likes to have his women clothed?" Sieglinde asked a little annoyed.
"Young master, for your age, you are quite…" Sebastian said and sounded quite scandalized himself by the things he was finding out about his master.
"I do not understand what you are saying, but I do know you have got it utterly wrong! Miss Selina, some help please!" The boy screamed looking at the tutor and seeing that he was absolutely alone in this, since the woman was struggling, not very successfully, not to laugh out loud; her face had turned beet red as if ready to burst.
"Wait; do not tell me you are…" Sieglinde said with a deadpan expression and then the unthinkable happened. She leaned down and placed her hands between Ciel's legs groping the area; after a few seconds she straightened up. "Huh. So you are a male after all..."
In these few seconds that Sieglinde's verification on Ciel's gender took, a couple of other things happened. One was the expected shocked reaction from Ciel who froze at the younger girl's bold movement and then screamed how dare she so loud, and pushed her with such strength, that the poor girl fell off the bed and the whole manor seemed to shake from the sudden high volume of his voice. The second thing was the unexpected thud heard from Selina's side as the woman gave in to uncontrollable laughter, lost her balance and found herself sitting on the floor while her whole body was shaking and her eyes were crying from laughter. Breathing was coming in gasps along with giggles as she was still trying to regain control of herself... in vain.
"L-lady Sullivan, are you quite all right?" Sebastian said with hand covering his mouth in an effort to avoid ending up as Selina, but he could not deny he perfectly understood the woman's reaction.
Sieglinde got up pouting and obviously disappointed. "What a boor you are to thus humiliate a young and innocent maiden! You effeminate cur!" She finally screamed right in the boy's face and was quite furious.
"Like I said, I have no clue what you are saying! You deviant damsel!" Ciel answered in the same manner.
"Now, now, you two." Sebastian said, still trying to remain in control although his puffed cheeks proved he did not do a really good job. He presented a plate of sweet snacks to the two panting children, still glaring at each other in a not so friendly way. "Sharing sweet moments in bed can be delightful as well, but what do you say of the edible sort first?" He asked with his charming smile lighting up his face.
It seemed Sieglinde was a sweet tooth just like Ciel; therefore soon both had calmed down munching on their sweets, giving Sebastian the chance to take a glass of water to Selina, who had also calmed down considerably. She was still seated on the floor with legs crossed in an unladylike manner, hiccuping due to intense laughter and wiping tears from her reddened eyes. She took the glass Sebastian offered her and the hand to help her get up.
"Oh goodness! That was so good. I hadn't a laugh like that for some years." She turned to Sebastian, who was delighted watching her like that, even though he knew he had to reprimand her for her misconduct in front of Lady Sullivan and their master too. "I really like this girl; she is so out of her era. She would perfectly fit in mine." Sebastian's brows arched in surprise and Ciel looked at her terrified once again.
"What do you mean? Women in future will be behaving so outrageously?" Ciel asked obviously still very much shaken up to reprimand his servant himself.
"Well, let us say that things will change, woman's position in society will thankfully change too, and that brings quite some boldness in women even when young in age." She briefly explained while drinking her water in order to stop hiccuping. She then bowed to Ciel. "My lord, I am sorry for my unacceptable behavior and my laughing at your expense. I am willing to accept any kind of punishment, but I swear I will do my best to not repeat that offence." She said with eyes cast on the floor.
Ciel seemed speechless by the woman's honest apology; he was used to the insincere ones Sebastian usually delivered when in fault. "If I think something appropriate of your… mistake." He said and stuffed his mouth with one more sweet.
While eating a crunchy biscuit, Sieglinde recited what she had read in books about men's nature and then admitted Ciel and Sebastian were the first men she had ever met, since the village was occupied solely by women… She considered Wolfram more of a guard dog and needless to say that did not surprise Sebastian at all. It seemed a common characteristic of aristocracy to consider their servants as dogs. Sebastian took advantage Sieglinde's definition of Wolfram and turned the discussion on the wolf man matter.
Then, the young girl told them about how the benevolent nature of the witch was twisted and seen as heretic during the witch trials, how one witch sacrificed her own legs to the werewolf in order to be able to provide protection for her witch sisters; that was the Emerald Witch, Sieglinde's ancestor, from whom derived the belief the village's lieges should have restricted mobility by binding their feet. Ciel asked about the earlier attack which was obviously a breach of contract from the wolf man's side, and the girl gave the only explanation she could think of; that after so many generations the witch's blood was running thin in the villagers' veins.
"In short, this village of Wolfsschlucht is no longer the ward of the wolf man… it is his captive, is that right?" Sebastian said and the girl confirmed it in a fatalistic manner, by accepting she would live her life without ever getting out of the village's tight confines.
"You return to the world outside on the morrow, yes? So then… let me hear all about the world I will never come to know… the world that exists beyond the forest!" She finally asked Ciel and the two servants pleadingly.
"Her earlier actions were inspired by her whole-hearted desire to get to know us." Sebastian said coolly while Selina beside him looked at the girl with great sympathy.
Then the butler started whispering something in his master's ear that made the boy sigh deeply, and then offer a handshake while apologizing – using his really basic knowledge of German – to the girl and asking her to be his friend. The young lady seemed lost and an amused Sebastian had to explain what Ciel's gesture meant; Selina seemed to be up in the clouds, thinking how perfect it would be to have a camera with her and capture this moment forever. Sieglinde suddenly remembered something and took three amulets out of one of the pockets in her skirt. These amulets would protect them from the wolf man as they would be leaving the forest the next day.
"Now then!" The girl turned and looked straight at Sebastian. "Let us have you get right down to it and tell me more about those 'sweet moments in bed' you mentioned before!"
"Ah. I suppose I did say something to that effect. What shall I do, young master?" Sebastian asked still making fun of the situation.
"Must you even ask? She is just a child! Get some toys or something and play with her." Ciel ordered. However, the boy was not sure what exactly Sebastian translated to the girl since she suddenly seemed quite shocked. "What kind of reaction is that? I bet you have gone and misunderstood something again, have you not?" He yelled embarrassed.
Sebastian tried to apologize while playing innocent, but a smiling Selina called him a pervert in a voice quite enough to be heard only by the demon's ears and went over to one of Ciel's bag, took out a deck of cards and presented them to the children. Ciel was really grateful for the liberty Selina took and grabbed the cards as if they were a lifeline.
{~}
"Sh… She is finally asleep!" Ciel cried exhausted collapsing on the bed while Sieglinde was lying behind him snoring lightly.
Two hours had passed during which the two children had played any kind of game they could think, based on the limited material of cards, pen and paper while the issue of language was hindering the situation. However, they somehow managed to spend these two hours together while actually being children; the assistance of the two adults in the room was really helpful at some points.
"Admirably done, young master." Sebastian praised the boy smiling.
"You overcame one more obstacle as a real lord would." Selina said, gently removing some stray, wild hair from the girl's face, and to Sebastian seemed she did it quite lovingly towards the child. Ciel was not sure if the woman meant what she said or if she was making fun of him… but he did not bother with it since he felt his mind had turned into mashed potato.
The door knocked and Wolfram entered the room in order to collect his lady, and of course, warn the Phantomhive party they should forget whatever the lady told them since they would leave at dawn. Needless to say, the man's declaration made boy, demon and witch exchange glances quite determined.
Not long after that, they were walking through the thick, foggy forest. Sebastian was holding a lantern to help woman and child see where they were stepping on the uneven ground. Ciel was wrapped in his warm coat and did not complain at the protective hold Selina had on his shoulders. The forest was extremely silent, without even the expected sound of a night bird or animal disturbing the absolute stillness. Sebastian could feel the atmosphere being quite heavy and oppressive for some reason and a glance to Selina told him she too felt it and was really bothered and confused by that.
"Young master, stay by my si- Young master?!" He exclaimed as he saw what he had almost never seen before.
Tears were flowing freely from the boy's deep blue eye. The moment the child realized it, saw tears on his hand and instinctively started rubbing his eye, Sebastian saw Selina in a similar situation, looking at the tears she wiped from her cheeks baffled.
"Whatever is the matter? Oh dear, you must not rub your eyes so..." The butler said trying to wipe the child's tears with a handkerchief.
"I do not know! They just keep flowing at random!" Ciel said and Selina followed with a frustrated curse, her tears would not stop either and was trying not to rub her burning eyes, seeing how red Ciel's had turned.
A sudden loud rustle from the forest drew their attention, and were utterly surprised to see a tall dark figure coming out of the shadows; a figure clearly with the head and claws of a wolf and two round yellow glowing eyes. The creature snarled and ran to hide deeper in the forest as soon as it heard Ciel exclaiming "The wolf man?!"
"We are going after him, Sebastian!" The young Earl yelled and started running behind the creature.
However, the demon grabbed his hand and stopped him before he took two steps. "Please wait!" He called. "Something is wrong with this forest. I cannot dispel the sense of grim foreboding I feel. I will pursue the wolf man. Please go and wait in your room, young master."
"Oh, very well." The boy relented, sniffling and his eye still teary.
"I'll be waiting here, I'm coming with you." Selina declared to the demon.
Sebastian put the lantern down, took the child in one arm, with a sudden movement wrapped the other arm around Selina's waist and with ease jumped in the air.
"What are you doing? I won't stay behind again!" She yelled at him only to receive a glare that left no room for discussion.
Sebastian was clearly ordering her to stay with Ciel and would not accept any disobedience. Selina bit furiously her lower lip glaring at him; she was angry and the tears running from her blue eyes gave her a hurt look, but of course not even that bothered Sebastian. He landed on the balcony rail and placed woman and child down. Selina attempted to grab him, but met the same harsh look in the red eyes, ordering her to take care of young master. He leaped down and before she blinked he was already gone in the fog.
Not able to do anything else she followed the boy inside the room. She instantly poured fresh water in a small washing basin resting on the night-stand and with a clean towel started washing the boy's eyes.
"It burns!" Ciel cried.
"I know my lord, but please try not to close your eyes. Water must help."
Surprisingly, it seemed there was no significant success. Tears were still flowing and even worse, angry red blotches appeared on his white and smooth skin of face and hands, they soon started bloating while the child was complaining it hurt and burned. The witch took a step away, turned her palms upward and mumbled something; a small black bag appeared out of thin air and landed on her palms. She placed it on the bed, fumbled inside for a while and took out a vial with a yellow green liquid.
"Please my lord. Drink this, it will help." She said giving him the vial.
The boy took it, paused and looked at her. Fear and worry evident in his mismatched eyes; the Faustian seal glowing lightly in his right one. "What about you?"
"I'll be fine, please, drink up!" She demanded still searching her bag, while breathing a little heavily and blinking to get rid of the annoying tears.
Ciel downed the liquid coughing heavily at the medicinal potion's bitterness. However, he felt no difference and said so, as the woman was gently applying a salve on his blotched hand. He instantly saw fear, worry and a lurking panic in her eyes as well as self-doubt. She lifted her head and then utter terror took hold of her features.
"Oh no!" She cried right when Ciel felt something wet and warm running from his nose.
Drops of blood landed on his hands and terrified the boy, while the woman was at a loss and frozen in place with the salve in hand; that until she also felt her nose wet, wiped it and was equally terrified to see her hand covered in red blotches and a line of blood where she touched her nose. She suddenly realized a burning sensation on her face and body along with intense pain.
She dropped the salve – either way that and the potion were the strongest healings in her inventory and obviously did not work – and letting panic take her over, she tightly hugged the boy crying out from pain as he hugged her too; a child in desperate need of comfort and help. Selina felt her well known helplessness resurfacing its ugly and hated head. She wished with all her heart for Sebastian to come back soon, for him to be alright and not to lose Ciel too. She knew. If the boy died like this in her arms, she would lose the last strand of sanity she was left with.
"Everything will be fine, my lord. Sebastian will soon be back." She said with broken voice caressing the soft bluish hair of the boy she had come to care so much, and ignoring the rich blood now running from her nose and ears.
Thankfully, right at that moment, the balcony doors opened wide with a bang as Sebastian stormed inside calling for young master with a fear Selina had never imagined to hear in a demon's voice. She slowly loosened her hold on the boy and they both turned to face the demon standing frozen, looking at the hugging figures, sitting on the bed. Selina was almost certain she would go mad seeing Sebastian's face in the same state as theirs, crystal tears running from his red eyes and blood from his nose.
"No! Sebastian cannot be harmed by whatever that is. He can't!" Her mind screamed in denial at the possibility of losing Sebastian too.
Panic and sudden wrath - that did not go unnoticed by the woman - appeared on the demon's normally beautiful face and a thought, fast like lightning, crossed her mind. If anything fatal were to happen to his precious dinner, he would be mad with furry towards her and her inability to help the boy.
"Se… bas… tian!" The boy called softly in an obvious cry for help and then suddenly leaned forward, slipping Selina's hold, retching.
Sebastian jumped over the bed and landed in front of the boy's feet right beside Selina, who had also kneeled on the floor following Ciel. Both demon's and witch's voices rose in calling their young master, who was gasping for breath, stating that now his whole body felt like it was on fire, right before it collapsed on the floor.
In a flash, Sebastian scooped up the boy and shook Selina violently by the arm, seeing the utter terror and maddening panic reflected in her eyes.
"Do not even think of falling apart on me! That I will not forgive!" He practically growled to her as soon as she turned her glazed eyes on him.
Thankfully, it had the desired effect. Her eyes focused and her mind shoved all the raging feelings at the back of her mind. She took a deep breath hurting her lungs and chest, but ignored that; she nodded and followed the demon that started running like the Devil himself was chasing him.
Blood and tears! Honestly, when reading that part of the manga I was both scared and excited! Okay, I knew the manga had many chapters following (I started reading after the twin had already been revealed) so there was no chance Ciel or Sebastian would be truly hurt, but still... it was very exciting seeing the protagonists in such an unknown danger! That is why, Selina should not be excluded from the suffering... Okay, that came out quite... devilish 😈!
I'll shut up now and leave... 'Till next time! Bye!