Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[39] Her Butler, Sickened

My gaze shifted from her to him and a small, dark red splatter caught my eye that was on the hem of his apron, making my eyebrows furrow and arms cross in raised curiosity.

Salvador, however, did not seem ruffled in the slightest and instead used his muddy hands to indicate towards the fresh batch of roses that had been planted by the garden gate.

"I planted those rosas the day we arrived." he explained, mouth curling into a frown, "I hadn't tended to them since then, but when I came to check on them this morning, the body was there and I ran to tell the first person I could find, which happened to be Yuki."

"That explains why she was in such a fluster," Sebastian said, meeting eyes with Rodric momentarily.

"Yes, but that does not explain the rather dark stain on your apron," I pointed out doubtfully.

No one moved as every pair of eyes shifted to meet where I was indicating and even Salvador looked down at his clothing in surprise. There was a small discomfort within me as the thought of jailing one of Adelina's servants flashed through my mind, but in my line of work, such relations did not matter-- just as Madame Red had taught me months prior.

After a few, calm scratches against his mustache moments later, Salvador looked up and once again flashed the unperturbed smile he always wore.

"I couldn't tell you, Conde, as I'm clueless myself." he answered with a nod.

My frown deepened as his own content features grew until finally, I turned my head away, uneasy with the vague and indefinite response I had been given. If it were under different circumstances and solely up to me, Salvador would already be behind bars for questionable activities. Yet Adelina's laced involvement stirred the fine line I was not allowed to cross in regards to maintaining a positive companionship and there was simply just not enough probative evidence to prove my decision to Sir Gunther.

Of course, these logical reasonings did not ease the apprehensiveness in my stomach.

"Very well then," I sighed, rubbing my temple in circles. "I shall go and inform everyone of this unfortunate event."

Sebastian and Rodric both stood from their spots beside Dianesse and bowed, hands at their hearts. I nodded my head towards Sebastian and began walking back, waving my hand at Salvador.

"Buena suerte, Conde,"2 he wished heartily.

A sudden drop of cold water hit the tip of my nose and soon after, the soft, rhythmic patters of a steady rain began just as Sebastian and I stepped foot inside. I turned back to see if Salvador had gotten stuck in the freezing rain, but he was no longer in sight.

I frowned.

"I highly doubt Salvador carried out that murder," Sebastian said to me as we continued on into the warm halls, which were echoing with the panic that was steadily growing in the living room parlor.

"I'd like to believe that too," I said, sighing again. "It would certainly ease my suspicions."

He chuckled behind his white glove without saying another word.

Bastard demon.

In any case, just my announcement alone would suffice in creating a panic within the responsible party. It was all a matter of timing.

I reached the doors before Sebastian and he opened them for me, eyes closed. As my cane clicked with each step I took inside, the world became silent and I bit the inside of my bottom lip at the passing sight of Adelina's anxious expression.

The murmurs of the mourners that bounced back and forth between the walls seemed to physically affect her and she buried her face in her hands desperately.

I tightened my jaw and faced the crowd.

"I am truly devastated to confirm that the second victim of the murderer on the loose was Dianesse DelMare," I announced, allowing some miserable seconds to pass by before being interrupted by Sir Gunther, who was wheezing as he rushed to stop me from saying another word.

Naturally, I stepped aside and allowed him to do so.

He huffed heavily at my feet, seemingly out of breath and a bit red in the large cheeks he possessed. A hand was raised and Sebastian helped him to his feet.

"I... I would like to--"

Sir Gunther again heaved harshly and loosened the buttons around his wide neck, waving his hand away towards Adelina and Yuki who had both stood up with glasses of water. Reluctantly, they both returned to their seats and nodded.

I blinked and finally catching his breath, he proceeded.

"--to amend the pain for the time being and to commemorate the cruel and vicious murders of our beloved Dianesse and Arnold... I propose we all join together for a small and relatively gentle themed dance."

I was not prepared for the number of gasps and angered whispers that erupted once Sir Gunther had spoken about his bold proposal, but I was even more so unprepared for the proposal itself.

How daring of him to force the stages of grievance with so many guests and such little space. He was either quite brave or quite foolish.

"And so you expect us to simply move on from this entire ordeal?!"

"As though their deaths were nothing!"

Men and woman began to stand up in shaking rage as some sobbed and pressed themselves deeper into the cushioned seats. Thunder and lightening outside suddenly struck, clapped and shook the manor enough for the flames in the chandeliers to quiver and the furniture to tremble, silencing everyone as they instantly froze at the rain made itself present.

I seized the opportunity at once and nodded for Sebastian to step forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he called out, a coy smile already in place, "I would like you all to try and understand the situation we are being forced into; a murderer is loose and the odds of someone else being slaughtered is quite probable."

My lips twitched at Sebastian's straightforward and rather bluntly put words, even if they had done the job of settling everyone down.

"Sebastian and I shall set everything and decorate the living room as you all wait in your rooms," Rodric added with a raise of his finger. "The more we can keep track of everyone, the less the odds are of you dying."

Christian scoffed and Alexander crossed his arms doubtfully.

"How so?" they both asked with a raise of their brows.

Rodric smirked and Sebastian chuckled. I, myself, was unaware of their motives and clenched my jaw as their decisions were made freely.

"If you are all locked in your rooms until then, we will be able to individualize you all," he explained with a wave of his hand, "and afterwards we will escort of you each room by room back here and thus, if the murderer is among us, we will be able to more carefully note their behavioral patterns from a much closer perspective."

Adelina's aunt Katherine nodded in comprehension as she winced in pain, giving little David back to Lady Melinda in efforts of preventing any more harsh yanks at her hair.

"Now, we will escort you all back to your rooms."

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YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER.

1.) "siempre le suceden tantas tragedias." means Tragedies always happen to her in Spanish
2.) "Buena suerte, Conde," means Good luck, Earl in Spanish

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