"Uwaaaaah!!" Finny exclaimed. It wasn't exactly a word but it did sum up how he and Y/N felt when they saw the giant elephant in the exhibition hall. "What is that big creature?"
"That is known as an elephant," Soma explained to the gardener. "A sacred animal. We keep some at my palace too. About ten of them."
"That's crazy! As pets?!" Bard exclaimed in amazement.
"Do you really keep those things in your house, do you?" Mey-Rin asked.
"How much do you have to feed those things?" Y/N marveled.
"Please do not wander off, you lot." Sebastian sighed at his colleagues' behavior as they gushed about the other cultural exhibits.
"Oh lighten up," Y/N retorted. "Let them have some fun," she whispered.
"Hi there, Lord Earl, Lady Y/N." Lau's airy and bubbly voice filled the air. The 'business man' sat not too far away from them with Ran-Mao perched on his lap.
"Well, aren't you bold, womanizing in front of your clients, like that." Ciel grumbled about Lau's antics.
"It could be worse," Y/N sighed.
"Exactly, come, come! Ran-Mao is my little sister! Just my little sister! Though we're not related by blood." Lau made sure to mention that last bit about no blood relation. Creep. "She's adorable, isn't she?" He asked as he poked her cheek. "I hear the spectators will get to sample the competing curries at this fair, and I was thinking I'd give this little one the chance to try some too!"
"There is nothing little about her," Y/N sighed. Ciel shuttered and nodded in agreement.
"Come on," He muttered as he grabbed onto Y/N's sleeve and ushered her away with him and Sebastian.
"Anyway," Unfortunately Lau fell in line with them, "Is the Prince's butler lad really serious?"
"He betrayed the Master he regards as his God. What else would he be if not serious?" Ciel asked.
"Though, as serious about Soma and his devotion to him as Agni may be... West doesn't give a damn about the Prince, his butler or how much they care about Mina. I don't think they're getting that poor woman back." Y/N made sure the Prince was out of earshot before she said that.
"Pretty much," Ciel agreed. "The likelihood of West's evil deeds being exposed will increase significantly if he relinquishes his hold on Agni after all is said and done, sought-after Royal Warrant in hand or not. If I were in his shoes, I'd..."
"Kill him?" Lau finished the young Earl's sentence.
"You can't go around killing people off one by one over such trivialities, you know." Ciel grumbled at Lau.
"Ehhh? If it were up to me, he'd be as good as dead. You'd prefer him that way, wouldn't you, Lady Y/N?" Y/N just looked to the man with a 'don't tempt me' type of expression.
"I don't think anyone in Heaven nor Hell wants to be held accountable for that bastard," Y/N stated flatly.
"That aside, what really has me concerned is Master Butler's strategy for today. You won't have your little assistant today." Lau poked Y/N in the cheek as he had done to Ran-Mao moments ago. Y/N poked him right back.
"That's-" Sebastian began before he was promptly interrupted.
"Well, well! Why, if it isn't Earl Phantomhive!" There's some saying about God playing tricks on you, well Y/N was starting to think it was the Devil rather than God.
"Yes, hello Mister West." Ciel was the only person less excited to see West than Y/N.
"It has been quite some time, my Lord! Not since last year's London season, I believe." It wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume Ciel had intended to keep it that way. "I'm most honored to make your acquaintance once more!" West finally seemed to notice Y/N standing defensively beside the young Earl, and how she was finely dressed. Just as the Earl Phantomhive, Lady Y/N had to be prepared in case the Queen made an appearance. "My Lady, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting." West bent down to kiss Y/N's gloved hand and rings, courtesies of the Undertaker and Ciel. Y/N jerked her hand away from the foul man before he had a chance to touch her.
"Lady Y/N L/N." It was blunt and offered no opportunity for West to carry on a conversation with her. She was not about to speak lightly to someone who would torment Agni like West had.
"Well, erm, as usual, you are sporting a finely tailored coat, I see! And what a lovely dress, Lady L/N! Which brand might such distinguished individuals such as an Earl and Lady wear, if I may ask?" Y/N offered up no answer, just a scowl.
"Well, you see, I leave my clothing to my butler and have less than a passing interest in brands, so..." Ciel lightly kicked at Y/N and elbowed her. She was being rude.
"I too leave my outfit coordination to the butler, and I have no interest in branding. As long as the clothing is in style and functional, it passes my standards." Y/N's standards were a tad bit higher than she was letting on, and she had discovered a few brands she had come to prefer over others. However, none of that was West's concern.
"Come, come! Really now! Come to think of it, I've heard that your company is taking part in today's festivities as well?"
"Yes, I am considering an expansion into foodstuffs at present," Ciel confirmed.
"I was terribly surprised to learn of your participation in the curry festival! Did you recruit a skilled chef or something?" Pried West.
"Something of the sort, Lady Y/N has become a personal assistant of mine." Well, it wasn't entirely untrue. But it sounded like Y/N had a legitimate job that wasn't pretty much completely illegal. "Entering the curry festival was partially her idea, and you'll find that she's a lot more conversational than she might seem at first." Y/N was definitely going to get him back for that later.
"Really?" West didn't seem entirely convinced that Y/N could be smart or conversational, let alone both. "Well, my company doesn't intend to lose either! We've hired a remarkable chef of our own." Y/N began to mentally compile the differences in 'hiring' and 'coercing' inside her head. There were quite a few.
"Is that a fact..." Ciel muttered. It appeared he was doing the same as Y/N.
"Just between us," West bent down and whispered to Ciel and Y/N. "It would seem two spies from a rival company stole into my house the other day. My one-of-a-kind Galle lamp smashed to pieces! And my general trading chest wrecked! The horror, I tell you! Just remembering the incident gives me a fright!" West shivered as he straightened his back. Both Y/N and Ciel began to snicker. West cocked an eyebrow and Y/N quickly covered her laughing up with coughing.
"My apologies, Mister West," she said between coughs. "Someone must be cooking venison (deer meat) nearby, or perhaps have stray cat hair clinging to their coat. I'm allergic to both. They give my throat a nasty tickle." Ciel had to practically bite his tongue to stop from laughing and Sebastian cracked an almost genuine smile.
"No apology necessary then, Lady L/N. How unfortunate." West didn't seem completely convinced by Y/N's act until she hacked something awful and Sebastian offered her a handkerchief.
"Please continue," Y/N urged him. She covered her shit-eating grin with the hankie.
"Right, well, I did at least manage to defend my secret curry, but... Just knowing the culprits may be sulking around these fairgrounds chills me to the bone!"
"Yes, I can only imagine," Y/N picked up on the sarcasm that laced Ciel's monotone voice and it almost sent her into another 'coughing' fit.
"That aside, I overheard that the Queen will be in attendance today..." West began to fidget almost uncontrollably. Y/N couldn't tell if it was excitement or nerves, perhaps it was both. Either way, it was far from her problem. "Who's to say? Since Prince Albert's passing, her Majesty hasn't appeared in public much. As I'll be taking the Royal Warrant, I really would like Her Majesty to taste my company's superior curry in front of the audience." Ciel and Y/N traded a glare of doubt. "Well, I'll be! I've nattered on for too long!" Truer words are yet to be spoken. "We shall talk later!" And with that, West put a black top hat on his head and strolled off.
"About damn time," Y/N sighed as she watched him fade into the crowd.
"'As I'll be taking that Royal Warrant'... Eh?" Ciel repeated.
"He is utterly convinced of his victory."
"Ever get tired of stating the obvious, Sebastian?" Y/N asked.
"Either way, when it comes to his sort, the real fun lies in seeing their faces as they taste defeat." Ciel smirked.
"As you wish, Sir." Sebastian grinned alongside his master.
"But venison and cat hair, really?" Ciel snickered to Y/N.
"I have mounds of untapped comedic potential. You don't know the half of it, kid."
Sebastian had long disappeared to go prepare for the competition and Y/N had to stay behind with the Earl and company. The announcer had come up onto the stage and greeted all the guests and thanked them for coming to the exhibition. "We hope you look forward to it!" He wrapped up the introduction. "Now let's introduce our judges! Chef Higham, a royal cook who does not compromise on taste." Chef Higham looked as if someone had shoved a pole right up his ass. What a happy man.
"Mister Carter, who was appointed to the post of taxation official in India." Y/N was highly skeptical about why they would appoint a tax collector to the position of curry judge. Though Carter looked to have sampled plenty of curry to have formed a vast trove of curry knowledge.
"And last but not least-" God save us all. "The Viscount of Druitt, a lover of art, beauty and food!"
"They forgot to add 'and underage children'." Y/N pointed out. Ciel would've probably agreed with her if he wasn't experiencing what can only be described as a 'seeing God' moment, but the reverse: 'Seeing the Devil' would be more accurate.
"Didn't the Yard take him away?" Lau piped up.
"He's rich and white," Y/N sighed.
"Clearly, he must've bribed his way out. How rotten..." Ciel finally managed to spit out. "I really don't want to be reminded of that day's events..." Y/N couldn't bring herself to tell Ciel that the Viscount was one tough motherfucker to kill. Mans literally will not stay dead. He's like a roach in a nuclear blast.
"And here are today's participants!" Continued the announcer. The man threw a hand to his side and gestured towards the competing chefs (and butler) that lined the stage. "Chef Turnpin for Persian Tabb. Chef Rush for Dormitory Vill. Chef Rickman for Dahlia Limited. Chef Ripley for Worrest Cilin. Chef Agni for Harold West." Was it just because she hadn't seen him in a while, or had Agni gotten more attractive? Y/N had not failed to notice that Agni was the only Indian chef presently competing as well. "And even standing next to Sebastian, he's incredibly handsome-"
"And butler Sebastian for Funtom Corporation." The Announcer paused a moment before he realized what he had said. "Wha... A butler?"
"Yes. I am no chef," the demon assured them. "I am merely a butler." That was possibly one of the best and easiest places to sneak in the classic 'one hell of a butler' pun and he didn't. Go back to Hell you disappointment.
"I-In any case, we've got a unique cast of participants for you!" Yes. You've got five white men and one Indian one. Talk about diversity. "Go ahead! Hold your breath in anticipation of the culinary delights to come! Now let the cooking begin!"
Y/N and the rest of the crowd watched in amazement as the chefs (and butler) worked at an ungodly speed as they furiously began to prepare their dishes. Some chefs chopped ingredients as if their lives depended on it while others cooked and flipped things in pans and bowls. Y/N knew damn well she and Sebastian hadn't looked near as composed a few days prior when they had made batch after batch of curry. "Half of their talent is just looking cool," Y/N muttered.
"Well, we're stuck here with nothing to do but sit back and wait, hmm?" Lau scooted closer to Ciel as he draped himself over Ran-Mao.
"Just stay still and watch," Ciel grumbled to him.
"Say!" A spectator shouted suddenly. "Look at that!" Y/N and her friends all followed the man's pointing finger to find Agni's bandages falling from his hands. The sight was enough to make anyone stop and stare, but Y/N was more than completely captivated. It was so different to see Agni work in person than it was to see it drawn out before her. His determined gaze, his steady hands, the fierce look in his eyes. Y/N was certain she wasn't the only one swooning, but she was confident she would be the only one who would actually get close to that man. Y/N had always thought Agni was cute but now... Now she knew he was more than just cute.
Praise for Agni and his cooking skills and aroma rippled through the crowd. Though it wasn't very long lasting. Praise for Sebastian also seeped out in mutterings and whispers. Y/N tore her eyes away from the Indian man to look over to her demon friend. Y/N wasn't going to deny it: Sebastian with his sleeves rolled up certainly hit different. Y/N was painfully aware of how attractive her demon friend was on the daily, but now she felt as if God was blessing her with the sight of both of these men. Though, he was also cursing her by not allowing her to look two different ways at once. "Alas, it doesn't seem as though he'll go down easily," Ciel sighed.
"You bully!" Lau laughed airily.
"Be quiet, both of you! Some of us are trying to watch!" Y/N shushed them.
"You're ridiculous," Ciel shuttered when he realized what was going on.
"Maybe! But I am entitled to look however I please!" Y/N sputtered as she felt her cheeks warm up as blush spread across them.
"Hey!" West's exclamation could be heard through the crowd. "What in blazes is he doing?" Y/N snapped her focus over to Sebastian. "He must've just started to add in the chocolate." Y/N was right, she could see the chocolate bits melting into the pot.
"He's putting something black in the curry pot!"
"No, it can't be!"
"Is that chocolate?" The crowd was losing their shit. None of the spectators had looked into curry as much as Sebastian and Y/N had and knew that cacao in chocolate was a real curry ingredient.
"Ha ha ha ha! Leave it to Funtom, the Candy King! What a novel method of advertisement!" West jeered loudly. Though Y/N couldn't hear him, she saw Agni's mouth moving. He was muttering about how chocolate could actually be used in curry and how it could help it have body. It wouldn't be long now before Agni revealed his own secret ingredient.
"Wh-what is that?" Y/N had been right. Agni was holding up a blue lobster and getting ready to prepare it.
"A blue lobster?" Y/N was actually curious about them and had popped back to her own dimension to do some Googling and it turns out they did actually exist. She had seen images of the lobsters just last night on her laptop, and now a real one was only a few meters away from her.
"Why, if that isn't... The blue noblewoman, Le Homard Bleu!" The Viscount of Druitt jumped out of his seat and began to babble about the lobster. "Found in but one location in the world-the clear waters off the coast of Bretagne in France-it is a legendary lobster!" If anyone else had explained the rarity of the lobsters Y/N might've bothered to pay proper attention. "With a shell of brilliant blue that would make even the stained glass of Chartres Envious, it cuts quite the figure... Indeed, just as a beautiful noblewoman in a blue gown of the finest making might!" Who actually cares about a type of lobster this much to come up with such a description? "And the firm flesh-" God save us all, "beneath that lovely shell enchants people with a delicate sweetness that is much more extravagant than its looks."
"There you have it! The rarest of rare ingredients and Agni's godly touch!" West boasted, arms crossed across his chest. "And that, my friends, is how the best curry brand in Great Britain does things!" Illegally.
"Is it just me, or is the room suddenly full of hot air?" Y/N glared over to West and the Viscount. Ciel just nodded in agreement.
"Hey, look!" Y/N practically whispered as she pointed over to Sebastian. She didn't want to attract more attention towards him. Soma huddled closer to Y/N and followed her pointing finger.
"Damn!" Sighed the Prince. "We've lost this battle."
"What makes you say that?" Lau asked the Prince.
"Certainly, the curry that Ciel's Khansama made was the real thing. But the curry alone was perfect! The problem is with the with the Naan. It's not a staple in Bengal, so I don't know the details, but Naan is made with a wheat or other flour that has been leavened... Which is then baked quickly in a high-temperature oven called a Tandoor." Explained his Highness. "But this venue does not have such a large-scale oven. Genuine Naan cannot be made here. Despite it all, Mister Sebastian is still just an Englishman. Learning the proper way to blend spices seems to have been the extent of his curry-making talents."
"Have some faith, your Royal Doubtfulness. Sebastian knows what he's doing." Y/N assured him.
"Well, the problem lies not only with the Naan. The curry is on too high a heat. If left that way, the precious curry stock will boil off, and the curry will be ruined." Soma sighed in premature defeat. "He wasn't able to master the art of curry in just one week after all. This match..."
"Isn't over yet." Y/N finished for him. "Give the man some more time, you'll see."
"Time is up!" Shouted the announcer. "We will now begin the judging! First up is Persian Tabb's beef curry!" The chef made his way across the stage to the judges and unveiled his creation.
"Please enjoy," he urged the judges.
"The cuts of beef have not only been stewed to buttery tenderness, they are generously sized as well. It is indeed a sumptuous dish."
"However, the stock tastes flat and has no aroma, which tells me... You used curry powder." The bearded chef who looked angry pointed out something that would've had Sebastian eliminated within seconds had he not changed his ingredients. "That a culinary professional would even consider using such a thing is reprehensible!" Y/N observed the other chefs' faces. It appears that Agni and Sebastian were some of the only ones who didn't use curry powder.
"Agni really is our only competition," Y/N whispered to her companions.
"From this, I'd say Dahlia blends its own spices, hm?" The Viscount asked. "But all I'm getting is heat, with no flavor anywhere to be found. I do however recognize your efforts."
"Next, we have Chef Agni from Harold West!" Y/N held her breath in anticipation when Agni approached the judges with his covered platter.
"Angi!" Soma was upset to see his friend was presenting his curry for West. Y/N had noticed how the Prince had been eyeing him the entire time Agni had been cooking.
"A Thali of Homard," Agni explained as he removed the top from his dish. He had arranged rice and the lobster to sit in the middle of the platter while his curries were arranged around it. "And seven curries."
"A whole Homard Bleu and a host of red, yellow, green curries... What a vivid rainbow!" Exclaimed one of the judges. Even though Y/N had known what Agni was going to present, she was still blown away. A black and white manga panel can only give you so much, but the vivid colors of the curry gave the food a whole new energy.
"I have prepared curries of differing heat and flavor so you have a selection from which to match your tastes." Agni bowed lightly as he explained his creation. "All the curries have been seasoned to pair with Le Homard Bleu." Y/N hadn't heard Agni speak in about a week, but all of her recollections of his voice he had seemed so light and happy. Now all she could hear in his voice was his determination to win.
"Seven authentic curries made by an Indian, with the shellfish centerpiece being that famed Homard, hm..." The bearded judge prepared to take a bite of Agni's curry. "Then without further ado..." The judges all placed a bit of Agni's different curries into their mouths, their eyes all becoming the sizes of saucers. "Delicious! The flesh is firm (God why?) and when chewed thoroughly fills the mouth with a nuanced sweetness."
"And the sweet soup, the hot soup, the thin soup, the thick soup..." Gasped the heavyset judge. "They all harmonize with the savoriness of the lobster without killing it off!" Y/N slapped her hands over her ears the second she saw the Viscount move his mouth to speak. She was not about to hear the absolutely disgusting sounds that man was about to make. Once Y/N could tell the Viscount was using words and not lewd noises, she removed her hands from her ears.
"-At the ball... You, who possess a most noble beauty, stand there with seven gems adorning your sublime form." The Viscount shot out of his seat and threw his head back with a hand on his chest. "A gold brooch in the shape of a dove... A bracelet of sapphires and pearls... A choker of garnet... A cameo medallion. And a ring of diamonds and emeralds for your finger. All of them enhance your loveliness. You... Have stolen my heart!" Y/N was surprised the Viscount didn't fall over after his outburst.
(I personally headcanon that it was 100% Vincent, like father like son)
"Wonderful! This is the best curry I have ever tasted!" Declared the Viscount. Agni bowed in appreciation and West smirked.
"I thank you, my Lord." Agni said in gratitude.
"What say you?" The announcer asked the crowd. "Has the victor already been decided? Waiting in the wings is our final participant, Funtom Corporation!" Sebastian stepped forward with his platter and approached the judges.
The demon placed the curry platter in front of the judges and removed the covering. "My curry, gentlemen."
"Th-This is-" Sitting in front of the three judges was a platter containing a round piece of white, fluffy, dough. "You there!" The bearded and angry judge jabbed a finger at Sebastian who did not flinch in the slightest. "What is this white thing? Are you trying to make a mockery of us?" Sebastian used tongs to snatch up the ball of dough from the judges' platters and flung it into frying oil. As the dough hissed the judges sputtered in bewilderment. "He-he's frying it?"
"Ciel, what in Kali's name is your Khansama doing?" Soma shouted as he watched the dough being dunked into the hot oil.
"Is he gonna make doughnuts or something?" Bard asked Y/N. She just shrugged in response, she wasn't supposed to know what Sebastian was doing.
"I've got no idea, guess we've just gotta trust his process." Y/N replied.
"Now it is complete." Sebastian removed the dough from the frying oil and placed the buns back onto their platters. "This is our company's curry."
"So I ask you, where is the cur-"
"Please, just a moment." The Viscount picked up his fork and knife as he interrupted the angry judge. The Viscount slowly cut into the bun sitting before him. "What in the-Curry is spilling out from within!" The Viscount's words were true, Sebastian's curry was spilling out of the curry bun and onto the plate before him.
"Wh-" Agni exclaimed, his mouth falling open. He was in pure disbelief and shock.
"What?!" Shouted West, enraged that Sebastian actually stood a chance now.
"This is the curry we, Funtom, proudly present." Sebastian held up a platter with a bun. "It's name is..."
"The Curry Bun!"