Living With Phantoms | Black Butler

Chapter 25: Diamonds Are Moons

CHAPTER 25:

The ride back to the mansion was quite uneventful. Well, except for the fact that I kept staring at Arthur's hands which were still wringing each other anxiously. He was extremely nervous. As he stared out the carriage window, his face kept contorting into strange expressions. From all the faces he's done the past few minutes, he could do well as a mime. I kept thinking that he was probably imagining how it was going to be like to meet Ciel.

I slightly smiled from my seat, honestly feeling a little amused because his actions reminded me of how I used to be during my first meeting with father's government friends. Then a second later, the edge of my mouth twitched in annoyance, the earl's face popping up in my head all of a sudden.

"Phantomhive is very annoyingly scary." I thought to myself, an annoyed look on my face now as I stared out the window as well, seeing that we finally made it back to the mansion.

Stepping in, Tanaka, whom I just met a few days ago thanks to an amazing awakening experience with Japanese tea, took our coats, bowing to Arthur and gracefully stepping away with the coats.

Looking up, Arthur's jaw fell as his eyes gleamed with wonder. "Wow." He breathed.

It was indeed Wow.

All of the guests were in the hall, though there weren't a lot of people, the impact of their presence was astounding to both me and Arthur.

Absentmindedly, we both drifted next to the stairs, our eyes scanning the small group of rich people. Blinking and trying to wake myself from the momentary trance, I glanced up at Arthur and felt the cold sweat drip down my face at the sight of him.

He kept his hands nervously entwined in front of himself and slightly pulled his head down, still glancing up now and again at the affluent people around us. Looking at him I was afraid to even call him since he might just burst into tears.

Right when I was about to tell him there was nothing to worry about, he stiffly leaned towards me, glancing up at my eyes. "Umm, why....am I here again?" he asked. I practically jumped in my place.

Feeling the cold sweat coming I gave a simple blink of confusion.

"I don't know." was obviously not a good response, so I kept it in my head.

"That's the opera singer, Irene...right?" he asked, glancing up and making my eyes follow and drift to a very pretty woman wearing a lacy and frilly white and pink dress. She had her back to us, but even from here, I could already see how much of a doll she looked like.

I had to say, I blushed.

"Too pretty!" my consciousness squealed.

I knew who Irene was since mother usually dragged us to see her concerts whenever she was in town and mother was off work. From the stage, she already seemed like a living doll, but seeing her in person made me think I was looking directly at a Queen.

Waking me from my trance, Arthur cleared his throat.

"And that's Grimbsy Keane, the producer." He continued, my eyes automatically falling to a handsome young man wearing a black suit like the other men. But he stood out a lot more thanks to the polka dot tie and his blonde hair. Staring at his hair, I knit my brows. But shook my head and turned to the next person.

"That guy seems to be the son of the shipbuilding king." Arthur muttered, talking about the small and frail looking blonde man who was nervously laughing along with a bigger and slightly imposing man, his jet black hair neatly slicked back. The man held his palm out and my eyes slightly widened to see his fingers dressed and gleaming with diamonds.