It's the fourth day.
Three more days until I am to be attacked.
Elizabeth visited after breakfast, and the townhouse is full of pink decorations.
I groaned. It's always been like this during her visits.
Alice was being dressed up as of now, Elizabeth better not make her wear frilly dresses. I think she dislikes those. She prefers colours of the cool spectrum.
I know so, she told me two days ago.
...I was right. She doesn't like the dress one bit. Elizabeth did dress her up in a pink frilly dress.
She was forcing a smile for Elizabeth when she came out of the room and I refused to laugh out loud at her ridiculous appearance.
Not that I'm saying it looks bad on her. It just looks strange on her.
But pink absolutely does not suit her.
"Elizabeth, don't you think that is forcing it a little? She looks like she is going to suffocate." I pointed out Alice's suffering face. "Let her wear something darker." Elizabeth puffed her cheeks up.
"I keep on telling you to call me 'Lizzy', Ciel! 'Elizabeth' is too formal!" She huffs, then turns to Alice. "But you are right, pink does not suit her. It's always been that way." I looked at Alice and she looked back at me with an equally confused face. "Huh? Did I say something...? Oh well, back into the dressing room with you! I shall dress you up wonderfully!" She pushed Alice back to the room who looked like she was going to cry of shame, because Sebastian and I can see her like this.
Or is she going to cry because of the corset...?
I looked at Alice with pity. Poor girl.
"Ciel, you will be dressed up next!"
I sighed. Why me? Why couldn't it be Sebastian? But I'll just go with it, she'll cry if don't play dress up with her.
"Of course, Elizabeth."
"I told you, it's 'Lizzy'!" Then she closed the door to give them both privacy.
I haven't told Alice that Elizabeth's my fiancee, have I?
...No, I haven't. Oh she'll learn soon.
Later they came out with Alice wearing a blue dress. It was a lighter shade than the one I gave her (she has yet to wear it), and it hugged her figure nicely. The sleeves were loose at the wrists, and the skirt was not too puffy.
Perfect, I'd say. Elizabeth has a great taste in clothes.
Oh? Alice's hair seems to be in a loose bun held by blue flower pins, a few strands of her hair falling on her face, which reflected sheepishness.
She...
She looks noble.
She looks familiar.
I widened my eyes.
Elizabeth pushed some clothes in Sebastian's arms. "Here you go, for Ciel!" She giggled and skipped back to Alice, who was now looking self-conscious.
"Come along, young master." Sebastian chuckled. I grudgingly followed, and heard the two girls' conversation.
"Miss Elizabeth, are you certain? Letting a simple maid like me to borrow your dress--"
"Oh, don't worry about it! It's yours now!"
I heard Alice gasp. "Miss Elizabeth--"
"Call me 'Lizzy'! And it's all right, I tell you! You look splendid!"
"Thank you, milady, but--"
"No buts, Alice! I--"
The door clicked shut.
I hadn't noticed we were in the room.
I sighed. Time to get dressed then.
>>><<<
I came out wearing new clothes, obviously.
They're similar to what I was wearing previously, only with lighter colours. And frills. What an eyesore.
I hear the waltz playing.
Oh, Elizabeth, what do I do with you?
She was now teaching Alice how to dance, and it looks like Alice was fumbling for a bit, but quickly caught up to it.
Not this. I hate dancing. I can't dance very well for goodness's sake.
Elizabeth took notice of us. Oh no. "Ciel! Come on, let's dance! Sebastian can be partnered with Alice, then we'll change partners!"
Alice widened her eyes. "Milady, you never told me about chang--"
"Oh, I just decided of it out of the blue! I figured it would be fun and wonderful! Don't you think so too, Ciel?" Elizabeth flashed me a smile. I shook my head in amusement, a small smile on my face.
"Of course, Elizabeth."
"It's 'Lizzy'!"
Then we danced.
Lizzy was telling me about her day, and I glanced at Sebastian and Alice. He seems to be teaching the dance to Alice. She keeps on looking at her feet.
Elizabeth is not a good teacher, but she did give Alice the basics. At least she did that.
But she does look like a noble, wearing that. It would be nice if she has a little color in her eyes.
"--iel! Ciel!"
I flickered my gaze back to Elizabeth. "Ah, yes?"
"When did Alice arrive, I asked!"
"Oh. She arrived three days ago."
"Three days ago? Wasn't that the day after the m--"
"Yes, but I would rather not talk much about it."
"O-okay."
The music changed then, and we changed partners. Thank goodness I hadn't stepped on Elizabeth, that would've been a disaster.
Alice with me, and Elizabeth with Sebastian.
I made a mental note to ask Elizabeth why we had to dance.
"Are you doing well, Alice?" I looked at her as she was looking down at her feet.
"N-not so much, milord. I know Sebastian told me not to look down but I cannot help it." She almost slipped, I balanced her, and she murmured an apology.
"It is quite all right. How about this?" She looked up to me curiously. "I cannot dance well, so we are the same at that." I smirked.
She smiled, clearly amused. "But you're a noble, Master Ciel." I raised an eyebrow at her and she flushed red. "Miss Lizzy is here."
"How many times do I have to tell you it is okay to call me 'Ciel'?"
"F-forgive me."
I nodded at her, and she smiled at me a bit. I looked away, not comfortable at the proximity.
Then the music ended, and I had to let go of her. I swear I let go of her quickly, not reluctantly. She curtsied, and I bowed, then Elizabeth was on Alice now. She was complimenting Alice when I left their sides to go to Sebastian.
I'll just ask Sebastian.
"Sebastian, are there any upcoming balls?"
"Yes, my lord. It is hosted by the Count Ocasio and it will be held a week from now."
"A week from now? Did an invitation arrive somehow?" I glared at him. He didn't tell me this, what kind of butler is he?
"Yes, my lord. Miss Elizabeth brought it for you, in fact, so I just waited for her to tell you."
I glared at him harder. Damn him, and he just smiled at me.
I looked away. If I can even make it into next week.
I feel like the murderer is not a simple human after all.
>>><<<
Elizabeth stayed to have lunch with us. Alice looks glad to be out of the dress that Elizabeth gave her. No surprise there.
Elizabeth wanted to have Alice sit beside her, but Alice said she had duties to do, so she went out of the room, possibly wanting to go to the kitchen to eat there. Elizabeth looks sad at that. "I wanted to know Alice more," she sulked. "She seems like a really nice girl, I wanted to be friends."
I cut up the last piece of the steak we had. "She's a really nice girl, I tell you that." I popped it to my mouth. "Though she worries mostly on her duties and work; that's why she's here after all." Elizabeth sighed as she finished her meal.
"Yes but--"
"Pardon me, but dessert is ready milord, milady. Today we have red velvet cheesecake with sweet iced tea." Sebastian announced as he came up with a cart, putting the said dessert on the table in front of me.
Elizabeth seemed to have brightened up. "Oh, sweets! Thank you, Sebastian!" She gushed as he put the dessert in front of her, smiling.
"Anything for the young mistress." He bowed then walked away, pushing the cart outside the room.
I didn't listen to Elizabeth's gushing about Sebastian's skills. He's a demon, nothing's hard for him of course.
When I danced with Alice earlier, why did I feel a sense of familiarity...? She also looked familiar in that dress Elizabeth gave her...
>>><<<
Elizabeth left after lunch.
Finally.
Alice and Sebastian were taking down the decorations as I was in my study, continuing my research on the victims and the murderer's signature.
It's making my head hurt.
Let's start with the previous murders...
>>><<<
I see.
The things near the victims relates to them. (Yes, obviously.)
Looking over to the previous victims' files, I figured out what the culprit would put beside me once I'm dead.
It's possible that I'll get a cane, a dove, and candies scattered around, to create dramatic effect.
The cane would represent my power. The dead (possibly) dove, well, the ones who wanted me gone (it alludes to god as well, I did make an unforgivable sin, or so I know). The candies -- my business.
It makes sense.
The question is, will the murderer attack me within the last day (on the morning? afternoon? when? as long as it makes time to erase the evidence possibly), or on the night of that day? As long as I turn up dead on the eighth day that is.
And the only way I can determine their identity is to see their face when they move to kill me.
I need to call Sebastian when I do see it.
He must do what I say.
>>><<<
Hmm, not much happened today. As usual, I was taking care of the papers for the company and the day passed by smoothly once again. It's like the calm before the storm. Blankenheim seems to be calming down though, after two days of imprisonment. Her voice is just, ugh. Her screams made me want to kill her. Luckily, Elizabeth hadn't heard her earlier; she was screaming her head off. That girl, really. Her throat must be so sore. A pity.
Hm, I'd have Sebastian ask her where their hideout is.
Sounds like a plan. It's best not to let Alice near that girl, or else she'll refuse to talk.
I passed by Alice's room once again. The door was ajar, again. Does she not know how to close doors? And so with my curiosity piqued, I looked in again. Hopefully I won't catch her changing, that would be an embarrassment. With my head in, I took my time to look.
The room is only small really. It has a bed on the far right at the back of the room, just near the window. In front of the bed was the desk where I saw her writing into a notebook. (She must've preferred the lamplight than the lights we had installed into the townhouse.) Looking closely on the things on top of the desk, there was a small mirror for her to use, a bottle of ink, and a quill. Beside her bed, this time, were her drawers, and on top of it was her lamp. On the left of the room was her wardrobe in this house, coloured white. A simple room. But one thing...
I frowned. She's not in here. Where is she? Where did she go? I pushed the door wide open, entering the room, and looked at the bed. The moonlight shining through the windows aided my sight, and it seems that the bed was messed up, like there was a fight. I frowned deeply. What had happened?
The window was open too, and it's nearing full moon. I wonder if the attacker planned to kill me on the full moon, it increases the dramatic effect.
My eyes widened. What if Alice is the murderer? Sebastian didn't even tell me on what she is, but then again, that butler seems to be unreliable at those unless he is asked. Damn him.
I looked around the room, wanting to turn it upside down just to find something. I guess it's alright to search around for a bit. And that I did.
I looked into her wardrobe first. Squinting in the darkness, I found nothing and just a few dresses: her maid uniforms, the dress I gave her that she has yet to wear, and the dress Eliza-- Lizzy forced her to wear.
(Thinking on what I said to Alice regarding formalities, it is hypocritic of me to call Lizzy by her full name.)
I double-checked and still found nothing, so I moved on to the drawers beside her bed. The lamp was there, so I turned it on.
There was a hairbrush in the first drawer, along with some hairpins, and her maid headpiece. In the second drawer was her stockings and shoes (I wonder how that fit, but they did anyway). Why are they here? Aren't stockings supposed to be in her wardrobe, as well as her shoes? I shrugged it off, moving to the third and last drawer, and in it was her brown leather notebook.
I pursed my lips. This is private property. I'd be mad if someone would move my things even. Just one entry, then I'd be off to my room. Promise. I took a deep breath, and took the notebook out, sitting on the bed. Just one entry Ciel, then you can get the hell out of here. I opened the notebook to its first page.
The words 'Property of Alice' was written, along with her signature and a note to return it to here if found. I ignored that and moved on to the next page, then her first entry can be read. It dates back one year ago, when she was twelve, and I'm guessing she was in the good man's care that time.
I took a deep breath. There's no going back now.
Time to read her thoughts.