Hello once again! A new chapter is ready for you to enjoy and... the action starts, slowly, but it does! I really want to hug Sieglinde in this chapter... poor girl 😭! I attempted to dive a little into her psychology at this point, her thoughts and emotions. I hope I managed to adequeately put into words the images Yana Toboso created to communicate all these... and managed to make me cry for our little genius! *snif snif* Please, let me know if my narration managed to have a similar effect on you, my dear people!
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 31: The Tutor, The Cruel Face of Truth
Sieglinde Sullivan was sleeping soundly, quite exhausted from her so full and eventful day with so many conflicting emotions. She knew already pain and sadness were walking hand in hand with happiness and hope, in and out of a human's life and she had experienced it a couple of times, but these occurrences were nothing compared to what the teenage girl had gone through that day.
For starters, she had been shocked by the wolf man's attack to young Ciel. She knew the noble beast was a strict warden, but could not understand why he had turned so hostile and impatient all of a sudden; was it possible the strangers' arrival had angered him that much? What for?
Even before she actually heard it, she was certain the village summit would have a homophonous decision that these strangers should leave with no further delay and that was what indeed happened. However, Sieglinde could not see and think of them as strangers anymore. It sounded weird to her too, but the strange boy that stormed in her life, along with his crazy servants had shaken the foundations her whole life had been built on.
Even though Ciel was obviously a physically weak male, she enjoyed his company and liked to listen to his voice when talking, pretending to be a so serious grown up man and failing quite majorly; she found it funny although she could understand why he was acting like that, since she too was trying to be more mature than what she wanted. But the thing she enjoyed the most on him was his blushing, embarrassed face when she made some very spicy suggestions for their relation; just thinking about it she wanted to laugh so hard as she never had. With him she felt for the first time how it is to be close to someone of your age who could easily be your friend.
His handsome dark butler and his pretty blond tutor were also quite peculiar. Sebastian, so perfect in everything that the girl could do nothing more than stare at him in awe; on the other hand, the tutor seemed to be the exact opposite, since she had difficulty in learning even a simple language like German... But was expected to teach one? That was so illogical! However, given Ciel's strong, clever and cunning mind, Sieglinde was certain he had chosen them to serve him for a reason, these two had more hidden talents and she had caught only a glimpse of the woman's knowledge on magic potions; could it be she was actually a witch too?
Sieglinde had grown attached to these people very quickly, it hurt her that tomorrow they would exit her life as unexpectedly as they entered and she would be left behind, faithful to her duty as Emerald Witch… If only they could come back from time to time and spend some holidays with her… That dream became her motivation and the hope of making it true helped her, it actually pushed her to finally find the key she needed to complete the ultimate spell that very night.
It drained her, exhausted her but at the same time sent her to seventh heaven; since wolf man would be pleased and appeased through the completion of the spell, making it very possible for her dream of picnics under the sun with Ciel by her side, while enjoying Sebastian's divine cooking, could become a very solid reality… which was quickly crushed by Wolfram, exactly as he crushed her legs some years ago. Then it was just some quick movements of his strong hands as he broke her toes, pushed them to the sole of her foot and then pulled down the arch until it broke before binding them. Now it was just a word from his strong voice, reminding her of the solitary duty the Emerald Witch had for a lifetime; but the face of pain and guilt he had was the same both times. It was the face that always made her not wanting to hurt him further; he looked as if he was in real pain every time she was suffering, either physically or psychologically, and that always made her retreat and obey the rules.
As the night came, she felt her brain ready to explode in her small head and it was only then when she decided to go to sleep; thankfully her exhaustion took over, sparing her from lying in bed all night, thinking what she gained and what she would lose within only a week. But now, a persistent knocking sound on her window pulled her from her troubled dreams, driving her to get off the bed and walk to the window while sleepily leaning on her crutch. However, the sight presented in front of her woke her up for good as she pulled the curtain open.
Sebastian was standing tall on the windowsill outside her room, with a really pleasant smile on his handsome lips, and Ciel perched on his one arm holding him carefully, like a most precious and fragile piece of china. The boy seemed to be back to his self before the curse; he had an intelligent spark in his eye and a smile – equally attractive as the butler's – on his slim lips, as he was gently rapping on the window glass.
The girl goggled her eyes speechless, but then quickly opened her window. "How did you get here? You will surely die if you fall!" She said scared to death by the thought, since her room was at the highest place of the tall, slightly crooked, turret.
"Why the shock? You are a witch, who can fly the skies on a broom, are you not?" Ciel asked with a little irony in his voice as he was gently left to stand on the room's floor.
"C-Ciel, you have regained your sanity!" Sieglinde stated surprised.
"Yes. Thanks to you. I wanted to express my gratitude before we departed."
"You do not need to thank m-" She said and then a mischievous sparkle appeared in her eyes. "I see. This is one of those 'pay with your body' situations, is it not? You have decided to treat me to a feast served on your naked body, have you not? How very fascinating…" She said quite scandalized and blushing.
Ciel obviously freaked out and immediately denied everything, but before he could make himself clear, an amused, laughing Sebastian sealed his lips with his finger, while with the other signalled Sieglinde to also keep her voice down.
"We have instead prepared that which you most desire." The butler informed her.
"What I most desire… you say?" Sieglinde asked confused with a small light of a secret hope in her emerald eyes.
"'The world beyond the forest.'" Sebastian announced with the necessary dramatic tone in his voice.
"The world… beyond?!" She asked stunned, not believing her ears.
"Indeed. Knowledge and experiences you would never be able to gain should you stay here in this village. What do you say?" The demon said in his deliberately deceivingly gentle voice.
"B-But! I am the emerald witch… and the village rules state…" Sieglinde's small fist was clutching her nightgown in an effort to calm her beating heart.
"I see. That is most unfortunate. I apologise for making an odd suggestion." Ciel said in his all serious voice and with a wave of his cape turned to the window signalling to Sebastian they were leaving. "Then, shut the window as you are and return to your bed… and come morning, we will be gone, having been no more than a dream. Thank you… friend. Goodbye." He finished in German with a bitter smile at her.
In a flash, everything that transpired in this week passed in front of her eyes, and with a determined movement let her crutch fall on the floor clattering, as she grabbed Ciel's cape so strongly the boy had to stop or else would be chocked by the clothe.
"I-I will go! There are still so many things I want to know!" She declared with such a passion and her tears threatened to start trickling down her cheeks.
Demon and boy grinned in an identical satisfied manner, that perhaps for a moment it would be impossible to tell them apart.
{~}
After a while they were climbing down the stairs of the castle. Sieglinde dressed in her usual emerald and black dress carried in Sebastian's arms and Ciel lighting their way with a lantern.
"Hey… where are we headed? Never mind 'outside', we are deeper and deeper 'inside' the emerald castle." Sieglinde asked quite confused.
"The 'outside world' exists past here." Ciel answered her in a very enigmatic manner.
The girl remained silent, curious to see where they were taking her; she was surprised to the utmost degree when they reached the wall where the secret door to the wolf man's chamber led. Selina was waiting for them there, leaning on the wall in front of an opening beside the normal entrance; obviously someone had removed stones from the wall to make the opening, without disturbing the protective talisman at the side of the door.
The blond woman came close to them with a smile resembling of the butler's and the boy's and bowed in front of her. Sieglinde could not help but examine the woman's all black outfit; high heeled boots reached her knees and men's trousers covered the rest of her legs, sword scabbards and belts with daggers were strapped around her legs and the black coat topping it all did not provide any significant cover to the weapons… obviously she did not care to cover them up.
"My lady, I am so happy you decided to join us. I guarantee you, the outside world is worth the effort of leaving your comfortable castle."
The girl nodded but then it hit her. Terrified turned to Sebastian. "Surely you did not go in th-" Her voice was loud and shaky.
"Shh. We will be discovered by the wolf men if you raise your voice like that." Sebastian said in a low, calm voice and the young witch could do nothing more than obey.
All four now descended the stairs, crossed the small marble bridge and reached the cage-like elevator that took them to the actual wolf men chamber, but there were no wolf men present, only the magic circle adorning the floor lightened by candles.
"So this is a magic circle… huh?" Ciel said obviously disbelieving and Sieglinde remained silent.
"Perfecting this was one of your 'emerald witch's duties', was it not?" Sebastian asked surprising the girl in his arms. "A little snake told me." He answered at her question of how he knew that.
"You can converse with snakes… are you perhaps a warlock?" She asked with even greater admiration in eyes and voice.
"I am no warlock. Merely one hell of a butler." He answered casually making Selina and Ciel roll their eyes, obviously fed up by hearing that all the time.
"You are in possession of unbelievable talents that are nigh on magical… Your superior genes… I want them!" Sieglinde announced furiously blushing and looking at him almost in adoration.
That made Sebastian look at her for a second totally emotionless, but then a lightly satisfied smile of male pride started blooming on his lips… and was cut short when a high heel stabbed his foot, making him cringe and sigh in light pain as Selina was suddenly standing by his side with an obviously fake smile on her lips.
"My young lady, I assure you, his genes are totally incompatible with yours and they would cause you only harm and pain; our master's, on the other hand, are of excellent-" She said struggling to sound cool with an advisory tone suitable to an older, more experienced woman towards a young one.
"Hey. Enough of your idle talk!" Ciel interrupted with a look reminding them of more important matters to address… plus, he found the thought of a small Sebastian in Sieglinde's arms completely absurd. "Sieglinde, are you trying to turn my butler into a criminal? Stop… it is gross." He whispered towards the end.
Now that everyone was serious again, Ciel went on asking about her 'emerald witch's duties'; the girl sighed and with a saddened voice went on to explain. The thing she called 'miasma' was actually an evil magical power that functioned as oxygen for magical beings but was harmful to humans. In the ancient years the land was filled with it - a perfect home for wolf men - but things changed for the sake of human prosperity, causing the witches losing their powers, according to the legend. The result was that the also weakened wolf men demanded from witches to provide them with a source of miasma and they would protect the forest, the witches' refuge, in exchange.
"A source… of miasma…" Ciel said staring at Selina all the time Sieglinde talked. The woman's face remained emotionless throughout and in the end she sighed, obviously bored by this children's bedtime story.
"Generations of emerald witches pursued spells to create miasma as the wolf men demanded. And this… is my offering to the wolf men. A spell that invokes ultimate magic!" Sieglinde said not able to totally hide her pride for her achievement, and then explained them about the miasma they were exposed to in the forest. It was remains of an ancient spell and nothing compared to the miasma that would be invoked and released by her new, much stronger spell and absolutely lethal to humans.
"I see… so this is the history you have been taught." Sebastian said emphasizing the last word.
"What do you mean?" Sieglinde asked as he was gently putting her stand on her feet and then walked over to the small pedestal. "Do not! If someone other than the emerald witch touches that altar…" She said while watching Sebastian pushing aside the altar and revealing a hole on the floor.
"What… will happen?" He said in a challenging tone and pulled the lever in the hole.
"A calamity will… Oh. Eh?" Sieglinde was at a loss, slightly leaning to Ciel who was also watching quite astounded.
Metallic sounds were heard from behind them and suddenly the stony back of one of the alcoves opened to the side to reveal a huge metallic door, like from a submarine.
"What… is this?" Sieglinde asked clenching her hands on her chest and feeling totally lost and confused. Her heart was beating fast and her legs trembled, she almost lost her balance but Selina caught her in time and steadied her, without the girl noticing.
"Now, Lady Sullivan. The true 'outside world' lies just beyond this door. You may still turn back if you wish." Sebastian said with his usual charming smile while his master was looking at the girl all serious with furrowed brows.
The young 'witch' stayed silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and spoke utterly determined. "We go on!"
Sebastian bowed his head and took her again in his arms, while meeting Selina's eyes throwing daggers at him clearly saying "You didn't let me pull that lever… you knew there should be a door somewhere but you said nothing, not even a warning!". He smiled arrogantly at her only to make Selina again stick her tongue out at him. There were moments when that woman acted so childishly… and the demon liked that for some reason.
They entered the small metallic elevator standing behind the door and Ciel pushed a button with a downwards arrow on. When the sliding doors opened, they exited in a long corridor lightened up by electric lights. The corridor was stretching to both sides and Sebastian with Sieglinde moved towards the one side but were immediately called back as the boy located another door a little further. He got ready to open but Selina grabbed the handle signalling she would open while shielding the others just to be safe; Ciel only lightened with his lantern.
They safely entered a room filled with big screens on the walls, devices with maps, switches and buttons on desks and every desk had a round, beeping screen with small dots blinking on it. Selina arched one brow but nothing else showed if she was even a little surprised, in contrast to the others that were looking around them quite speechless; even the demon seemed a little taken aback.
"Look at all these glowing pictures… Are they a new kind of magic circle?" Sieglinde asked dumbfounded.
"Yeah sure… either way, science and technology have been or will be accused as the devil's magic many, many times. I had read that Germans started experimenting with radio waves right about… now, but I admit this is quite advanced for the era, I think." Selina said crossing her arms on her chest.
"These dots of light… they are moving rather slowly. Is this a map of Wolfschlucht?" Ciel asked still trying to comprehend what he was seeing.
A light, amused smile of slight admiration had started to form on the demon's lips as soon as he heard what Selina said, but after young master's observation, it widened even further.
"Oh! I am right to think future will be an interesting place to spend time... with the proper company, of course. Humans do indeed come up with some fascinating notions, do they not, my Selina?" He said obviously enjoying himself.
"What are you talking about?" Ciel asked the demon but his answer came from the blond tutor, who was still studying the smaller maps on the screens.
"This flashing map is indeed the village, my lord, and the moving dots indicate the current location of each villager as they move about their houses and village. In short, this is a surveillance room and absolutely man-made technology with no trace of magic… I am sorry, lady Sullivan." Selina said focusing in one screen.
Both children were utterly shocked. "Rubbish!" Ciel yelled. "How is that even pos-". He stopped as his eye focused on the same screen Selina was looking, where three small dots were blinking without making any kind of movement. "Do not tell me! Is it those amulets?"
Selina nodded. "And the protective amulet on the door leading down here must be some sort of alarm system, transmitting to a beeper of some kind Wolfram always carries with him. Damn! If I had a paper-clip I would have opened the back lid of these amulets and would have solved all this mystery faster. My hair-clips were not thin enough." Selina said frowning, reprimanding herself.
"Yes. Those amulets are likely tracking devices that transmit some sort of signal which is, in turn, captured here. We were right to leave them behind." Sebastian explained.
"'You can avoid the wolf men and the miasma if you wear an amulet'." Ciel said thinking about the twisted, half-truth this statement hold. "I never imagined such advanced gadgets existed…" The boy seemed quite impressed.
Selina leaned a little closer. "That is the point, my lord, they should not exist now, it is too early." She whispered at him and he looked at her nodding, realizing the full extent of what she meant.
"That cannot be true! Those amulets are made by village elders offering special prayers on nights with a full moon-" Sieglinde was yelling, unable to believe everything she knew were starting to crumble, revealing a different truth, but Sebastian's gloved hand sealed her mouth warning her that someone was coming.
They hid behind a table and remained silent until the voices went away. Then, they got back in the corridor, followed the same direction and reached another metallic door. Sebastian opened it and found themselves entering in an enormous room, filled with great pipes ending in huge tanks, while around were carriages loaded with gas cylinders, waiting to be moved to other places where more cylinders were standing in hundreds. The whole place was indeed enormous, lightened by numerous electrical bulbs hanging from the ceiling.
"Seems like a factory used for the production of something." Sebastian answered Sieglinde's question of what is this place, since the little girl did not even know the existence of factories, much less knowing there was one underneath her home.
"There is a lift here as well…" Ciel noted but was interrupted when the sound of claps and cheers coming from the other side of the factory was heard.
They slowly moved towards the sounds and took cover behind some cylinders. What Sieglinde saw and heard shocked her even more to the point she could not speak properly. The village crone was standing at the top of some stairs, holding a small ampoule in her hand, and further down dozens of wolf men were roaring cheerfully at her words. The crone announced the emerald witch had finally accomplished her goal and this ampoule of highly concentrated miasma would dramatically change the course of history.
Suddenly, a clatter was heard drawing everyone's attention. It was Sieglinde, who had slipped from Sebastian's arms, and shaking with eyes wide open was crawling on the floor, throwing a cylinder in the process. She was looking at the beasts like she could not recognize them. However, what happened next was even more curious; the wolf men started talking with ease in human voices slightly altered and muffled as they rushed to grab the little girl. When they did, they kept talking to one another saying even stranger things; something about a chemical suit and about some numbers that looked all green. Sieglinde was taught to believe herself a smart person but the events of this night made her beginning doubting this idea too, since she could not understand anything of what was going on.
"What… are you?" She managed to stutter at some point.
"Mistress Sullivan… Oh?" One of the wolf men was saying with a heavy voice when out of nowhere his head was cut right in the middle like the softest of butters.
Sebastian appeared behind him with one of his knives in hand, pushing aside the two halves of the wolf's head that revealed a human man, speechless from surprise and fear as he was exposed and a thin line of blood was trickling down his forehead.
"What do you think of this, Lady Sullivan? The 'outside world' is full of surprises, is it not?" The butler asked in his characteristic ironic tone, smiling mischievously.
"Gas masks were built into the wolves' long snouts." Ciel said lifting the mask from the floor and examining it. "What an elaborate farce this is. The wolf men are humans in papier-mâché. And the miasma… is a toxic gas, a chemical weapon made right here in this plant!" He announced to Sieglinde in a determined, perhaps even angry manner, while showing her the facilities. "Neither wolf men, not curses exist. They were all fabrications to deceive you!" He kept yelling at her like he was trying to shake her up and wake her from a deep sleep; one she was sleeping since the day she remembered herself.
Sieglinde was sitting on the floor with eyes wide open, trying to take in the image of the factory, of the human wolf man stranded for good from Sebastian; she was struggling to comprehend what the boy was telling her. It could not be… it could not be that her whole life, the agonies, pains and sadness she experienced in order to save her people were a lie. She felt logic slipping through her fingers and in a desperate attempt to hold it, grabbed and lightly pulled her hair while shaking her head. Selina was kneeled beside her and wanted to comfort the girl but knew she should not; it was high time the young 'witch' would land into reality and the woman knew this landing is always harsh no matter what; the only she could do was lightly rub the girl's back to show her she was not alone... and that seemed to help her pick up her thoughts again.
Now Sieglinde found the strength to speak and ask the most important thing for her. "Then what exactly was the magic spell… I perfected?"
"Indeed, what you perfected is not magic… it is something much more wonderful!" The crone said now in a completely authoritarian manner and the 'wolf men' made room around her, so that she would stand face to face with Sieglinde. "Most living, breathing creatures will fall dead at the slightest contact with the vapour of this liquid. Be proud of yourself! You have created the most powerful toxic gas ever known to man!" She yelled obviously too excited as her emerald eyes were burning green fires. "Oh yes. I must name this chemical weapon that will make history!"
Instantly, various voices from the 'wolfmen' made numerous suggestions but in the end the crone decided she should name it 'SuLIN' and started laughing in absolute excitement. Sieglinde was speechless and for the first time in her life wished she could stop thinking for a moment, wished she could never think again, not if it was for her mind to create such monstrous things. She should be saving people, not killing them; that is what she ever really wanted…
"What I was creating… all this time… was not a magic spell… but a toxic gas? That spell… was not meant to protect the villagers. I was only making a weapon for killing people?! Was everyone… deceiving me all this time?! Say it is not true… wise woman!" The girl cried with evident grievance in her voice and tears were freely flowing from her eyes, sobs started shaking her delicate body and she could not, did not want to stop them.
"There is no need for you to cry… Sieglinde." The crone said and drew the girl's attention. "You were able to create the ultimate chemical weapon, because you were born with a brain unlike any other… and raised in an environment where you could focus solely on your research! You do not need to lament! You have changed history!" She screeched now and instantly calmed down again. "You are the loved one I lost that day. So stop crying… my… dear daughter." She whispered loud enough to be heard.
Sieglinde felt a freezing sensation spreading inside her, taking hold of her heart; Ciel stared at the ragged woman obviously stunned, especially by the last part. Sebastian was of course quite calm and emotionless, not feeling anything special about this revelation… that was until he sensed an aura he knew pretty well flaring up like the fire it was. He turned towards the kneeled girl and saw the blond woman beside her experiencing a wrath unlike any other he had seen in her. Selina's eyes were hard and thirsty for the crone's blood, her lips pulled back baring her clenched teeth as if she was a mad dog ready to gnash and bite to death her victim… the deranged, deformed woman.
The demon kept looking at his woman with interest, and maybe a little excited by the so strong hate she experienced right at that moment and he heard her growling. "Not this… anything but this! How could you, monster?" She wrapped her arms protectively around the trembling, shocked girl.
Of course the crone, Sieglinde's mother, did not pay attention to any of this and went on narrating her story. How she was a scientist, participating in a top secret project that backfired, killing the head scientist and lover of hers and deforming her own face and body. How a new life was already growing inside her, a life that soon proved to have inherited the father's brilliance; and finally, how she decided to lock this life - her own daughter - in a prison of lies and deceit in order to cultivate the mind that would complete what failed before. And now she could harvest the fruits of her efforts, the project was a success and the weapon created. She was so happy and proud for her genius daughter.
The said daughter was now screaming and crying in the arms of a woman that should feel strange but did not, a woman that was not her mother but acted as a mother should. Sieglinde covered her ears not able to listen to any more nonsense and crumbled to the floor heavily, despite Selina's efforts to hold her.
"My lady?!" Wolfram was suddenly heard, running in panic towards the girl, but could not reach her as Sebastian stood in front of her blocking the blond man. "Bastard!" He growled behind his teeth to Sebastian's ironically smiling face.
"You were deceiving me… too… Liar!" Sieglinde screamed at the man, staring at him behind her tears running as waterfalls, and that single word seemed to crush Wolfram's strength as if a knife was plunged in his heart.
"You crushed your own child's legs… and continued to threaten her for the sake of new weapons… How can you call yourself a parent?" Ciel asked in a low but clear voice as he had kneeled beside the crying girl, stroking her black hair trying to console her a little. With Selina's help he collected her in his embrace and supported her with an arm around her waist; Sieglinde was holding on to him like her life depended from him. "Children are not tools for their parents to use!" He said now obviously furious at the situation, pulled a gun out of his clothes and fired once in the air breaking the lamp illuminating their spot.
Ciel dashed instantly and started running towards the elevator he had previously seen, lifting and pulling Sieglinde with him, since the girl's tiny feet could not help at all. Selina pulled two daggers from her belt with the intention of attacking and killing the crone, who was now pulling her hair in despair for losing Sieglinde, but Sebastian's hand grabbed Selina's arm and pushed her to follow Ciel as he did too.
"No! Let me kill her! I want to kill the bitch!" Selina yelled and was surprised to see him smiling as he responded.
"Your wish is my command, my lady!" He said reminding her something similar he had said in St. Ives and so she smiled too, a killer's smile while looking at him with a clear message in her eyes. "Kill her in the most inhuman way you can think of! Make it slow and tormenting!"
The demon's smile widened, as his eyes flashed red at the same time he pushed her in the elevator along with the two kids, and received his master's order of taking care of the rest. The elevator's doors closed and the demon, sure his wards and woman were safe, was free to act as his black heart desired.
"Yes… my lord." He said pulling up his gloves and flexing his fingers readying them for battle as he was surrounded by the… 'wolf men'.
YES, SEBASTIAN! KILL HER IN UNIMAGINABLE PAIN! *cough cough* Sorry, I got a little carried away. Um... I think it's pretty obvious that at that point Selina was again... 100% me! 😁
Also, I usually don't like when fanfiction writers take lines of canon characters and have them being said by their OC... It makes me feel like they try to show their OCs so smart and perfect causing the canon characters to look quite stupid, out of character. That is why I tried to avoid doing it, but in this chapter it made more sense for Selina to talk and explain the whole radar system instead of Sebastian... at least since we still don't know how much knowledge of the future demons have. I hope it didn't feel too forced, but if it did, please let me know.
That's all for now. Till next time! Bye! 😘