Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[21] Her Butler, Spiced

I sighed heavily and leaned my chin on my hand, lips pursed in agitation. This would be rather difficult. In England, curry (which Anglo-Indians had brought back from their homeland), had taken a firm rooting in British cuisine. I suppose the work of blending the spices from scratch is too difficult and so that is why curry powder was made. All actuality, this would explain why customers of British curry houses were usually only British men and women, and not actual Anglo-Indians. The original flavor was off.

"Yes. And depending on what he put into it, the soup of before being whacked in the arm with a silver tray. Agni's curry would look and taste different. I think he chose and blended the spices to complement the ingredients," Soma said, and we all turned to share glances at the new predicament we had been dealt.

"Well then, we must first track down fresh spices of the best quality," said Ciel, eyebrows furrowed, "In that, unfortunately, West has the advantage; his company controls the distribution, so he can secure the best of the bunch for himself."

"I fear we are running short on time." Sebastian gently reminded, and Rodric nodded in agreement.

"Let us find ourselves some traders..."

A few silent seconds passed by, the sound of silverware clinking together made me raise my head. Lau was calmly eating away, and at once it seemed as though everyone had reached the same conclusion.

Lau raised his eyes and smiled cluelessly, spoon raised. "Hm?"

-

Only two days later did Lau manage to complete his job. The snow broke away under the weight of the enormous sacks of spices that had begun to grow on my front lawn, and even through the bitter cold air, the sharp aroma of new flavors began to make themselves present. Each bag was filled to the brim, and Ciel had brought along Finny, Baldroy, and Mey-Rin to help bring them all inside. The only one who seemed to not struggle under the immense weight of the cargo was surprisingly Finny, who had four times the amount of bags on one shoulder than what Salvador and Baldroy had in both arms.

"Amazing!" Soma gasped as he dipped both hands into a nearby sack, analyzing its rich red contents in amazement, "These are identical to the ones I have back home!"

"They are the ones that you have back home," Rodric said with a smirk, bringing up his own handful to smell, "The spices are indeed the finest money can buy."

Ciel, Lau and I watched from a distance, amazed at the wonderful work that we now had to our disposal.

"To have me collect all this in the span of one day... What a slave driver you are, Lord Earl!" Lau jested, "Spices are outside our area of expertise, you know."

I chuckled softly and shook my head before glancing towards them and speaking a bit out of character.

"I truly thank you both for coming through and helping me in this," I said with a small smile, "Even I could not have gotten all these ingredients on my own."

Ciel looked briefly towards me before quickly turning back away and muttering a 'you're welcome'. He then took some time to clear his throat and spoke once again to Lau.

"I suppose even you have your uses like this once in a while."

Lau smiled and raised his arms in nonchalance.

"Well, having the Funtom Company owe me a favor is hardly a bad thing."

Rodric clapped his hands and Sebastian went over to Prince Soma, smiling a rare warm smile.

"As only you know the taste of Mr. Agni's godly curry... may I depend on your guidance for flavor and so forth?" Rodric asked, leaving Soma in shock. Salvador and Yuki stepped up to smile at Soma in the same manner, but this only seemed to unease him even more so.

"Th-That's fine with me but..." he pointed at the spices, shaking slightly, "...Can you, an Englishman, manage to use all these spices?"

"Hardly an Englishman." I scoffed lowly, and Ciel's lips twitched upwards. "Let's not forget that a Mexican man and Japanese woman are working alongside a demon."

There was a glimpse of purple, and Soma cowered behind Ciel, terrified to speak with Rodric about his lack of knowledge on curry. Ciel rolled his eyes and glanced back at him in annoyance.

"No, I mean... I'm not making fun of you!!" Prince Soma exclaimed, before becoming quieter, "Just... it must be hard since you're all not used to them..."

"I am much obliged by your concern," Rodric said, and Yuki continued on.

"Don't you worry about us, love! We're the best of the best when it comes to food, no need to fret!"

"Nomas le pedimos su paciencia hasta que encontremos un platillo digno de ser campeón!" Salvador said with a closed-eye smile. Prince Soma blinked in confusion and I easily translated.

"They just ask for your patience until they find a dish worthy of being a champion."

With a quick salute, Salvador and Yuki were off, and Rodric followed at their heels as he continued to speak with Sebastian about the many delicate spices.

"Will they really be alright?" Prince Soma asked in grave puzzlement.

"We'll have to wait and see." Ciel yawned, beginning to walk away into my manor, "Maybe this calls for an afternoon nap or a very nice game of cards."

I walked along with him before bending over to pick up a handful of snow, molding it into a small ball in my hands before tossing it at his irritatingly dark blue head. A giggle escaped my lips as Ciel froze, the small bits of snow sliding down his hair and back onto the ground while Lau and Soma stepped away.

"You're such a child..." Ciel muttered, and as I let out another small laugh, my face was instantly met with cold ice, and I staggered backward, eyes clenched shut in astonishment. I wiped furiously away at the snow, glaring at Ciel who was now smirking smugly, newly formed snowball in hand.

"I think naps and cards will have to wait. Seeing as you have something else in mind," he devilishly proposed, and I bit my bottom lip as I tried to contain my smile.

Quite possibly, I believe I have cracked through Ciel's iron walls of self-defense and isolation.

-

| R E F E R E N C E   P O I N T S |

1.) "--como se dice...--" means "--how do you say--" in Spanish

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...My Countess orders, I obey; Anyone who dares interfere, will have Hell to pay...