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smashconTitle: Lesser of Two Evils
Rating: PG
Prompt: “What they do not realise – and what you must realise – is that manipulating others is something that all people do. In fact, manipulation is at the core of social interactions” – Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn: The Final Empire”
Fandom/Series: Black Butler
Word Count: 4,067
Disclaimer: I do not own Black Butler or any of its characters, all creative rights belong to Yana Toboso, and I make no profit.
Summary:
Claude's strange behaviour sparks Alois' suspicions, which are only further fueled by his sudden disappearance. Turning to Ciel and Sebastian for help, the three of them discover the truth behind Claude's previous contract, and the danger it has placed him in.
Lesser of Two Evils
A noteworthy feature that distinguishes the difference between demons and humans: demons can never lie. Humans, however, are creatures who were once pure, but have fallen prey to the many contaminations that lurk within this world. Creatures that have become so twisted, in fact, that it is hard to imagine one being without sin in the first place. With this knowledge, one is able to understand the weight of untouched darkness and that of the darkness that dwells in the human soul. Two evils, both capable of overwhelming destruction, yet when asked one simple question, there is no clear answer.
Which is the lesser of two evils?
֍
The Trancy Estate is one of great nobility and great corruption. The current Earl of the household having not been birthed of a Trancy in the first place, but rather Mr and Mrs Markin, who gave all their affection to their child, Jim. Despite this sentimental atmosphere, it came to its inevitable and tragic end many years before one would expect it to. Their child, Jim, became Alois Trancy in the years that followed; the darkness that consumed him took the place of the love he had once been afforded, and there was no one who cared about him enough to fill that hole in his heart. That child only ever wanted love, and so, he grasped the closest thing he could find. Unwavering obedience which took the form of his demon companion, Claude Faustus.
“Claude, do you want to eat my soul?” Alois swung his legs back and forth, occasionally bumping the shins of the man on one knee in front of him as his shirt buttons were done up one by one. As irritating as this would have been to any human, Claude didn’t seem to mind.
“Yes, your Highness.” He replied in that same monotone voice he seemed to use for almost everything Alois asked of him. It was the kind of voice that would have been reassuring were it not used for the most menial of questions. It never seemed to hitch or break and its smooth delivery lent itself to being one of Claude’s more admirable traits; though there were many of them.
This is an example of the many straightforward conversations both Alois and Claude would have on a daily basis. Nothing would be out of the ordinary, and Claude would never show the slightest hint of emotion or sway in his opinions. The only appropriate answer being “Yes, your Highness”; nothing more, nothing less. It was exactly this kind of unchanging sense of routine that led Alois to his initial suspicions. For one day, these habits seemed to escape Claude entirely.
֍
“Claude, I wish to eat choux la crème today. I’d like it served in a tower formation, almost like those French wedding cakes you see every now and then. That tart, Miriam von Heullier had one at her wedding. You know, the one I was forced to attend a couple weeks ago. The ceremony was dreadfully boring, but the cake was fantastic!” Alois clapped his hands together twice, making eye contact with Claude. “I’d like you to recreate that cake exactly the same way.”
Here is another small fact: a demon butler can never disobey his master as this would be going against the terms set in the contract.
“Pardon me, your Highness.” Claude’s eyebrow twitched slightly above the frame of his glasses. A flickering movement that would be hard to catch were you not paying close attention. “But we do not currently have the ingredients for that particular dish. Instead, would you prefer a gateau au chocolat?”
This gave Alois a start. Immediately, he rose from his chair and stomped his foot in an impatient gesture. Claude had never questioned an order before, if the ingredients were not available, he would seek them out. What made today so different?
“I said I wanted choux la crème, Claude. Go find the ingredients if you have to, don’t offer me something else!” His voice rose in pitch, and anyone could have told you that Alois was close to using physical violence against Claude. The only thing stopping him was the uncertainty whether or not Claude would allow him to. If he was disobeying orders, were the other rules of the contract going to be thrown into disarray as well?
That was the first incident that threw Alois off. Claude was usually so quick to follow orders, there were never any issues. None that he would have let Alois know about, at least. Alois only grew more concerned later on that night after cutting his hand on a broken teacup.
֍
“Blood...” Alois’ eyes grew wide at the sight of the dark red liquid spilling down his slender fingers, creating a stark contrast between the paleness of his skin and the severe ruby hue of the blood. “Claude! Claude, come over here! I’m bleeding!” He shouted loud enough for his butler to hear, earning the speedy arrival of his lately not-so-trusted companion. Claude arrived with bandages in hand. He made quick work of it, kneeling down and wrapping the fabric carefully around Alois’ fingers.
“This should help the bleeding, your Highness.”
“I don’t understand you…” Alois’ head was hung low, his blonde bangs delicately sweeping across his face and casting a shadow. His expression was difficult to read, but the shakiness that became apparent in his voice as he continued to speak was enough to decipher how he was feeling. “Don’t you want to taste my blood? Whenever I used to get a cut like this, your eyes would glow red at least.” He lifted his head enough to make eye contact with Claude, his eyes were filled to the brim with surfacing tears. “I don’t understand! You’re a demon, aren’t you? So why… Why don’t you want my blood?”
Claude shifted uncomfortably, a motion never before demonstrated by the demon butler, before rising back to his feet. “I-I apologise, your Highness”, were the only words he spoke before turning around and walking out the door, leaving Alois to watch in hopelessness as the bandages around his fingers began to loosen and the fabric was dyed red.
A sloppy job? Alois thought to himself. Claude has never done a task so poorly before…
֍
As the sunlight filtered in through the curtains, Alois stretched his arms, turning around in his bed and finally came to ponder why no one had been there to open the curtains or the scent of freshly brewed tea wasn’t in the air.
Perhaps I have awoken too early… Alois sufficed and sat up to look over at the grandfather clock situated in the corner of his room. Its pendulum swung and the hand ticked incessantly, the time reading ten o’clock.
“Ten o’clock?!” Alois jumped up from his bed, stumbling out of it and spotting the note on his bedside table that seemed to have been written in a rush, judging from the messy handwriting.
“Today, I have a meeting with an aristocrat from Germany at…” His eyes briefly skimmed over the allotted times in his schedule. “Eight o’clock?! Why didn’t Claude wake me up earlier?” It then occurred to Alois that the note was double sided. His hand trembled as he turned the page over, fearing what he might find on the other side of the page.
֍
Your Highness,
I deeply apologise for the inconvenience, however, recent events have made it apparent to me that I am no longer suitable to be in your service as your butler.
I will no longer be in pursuit of your soul and hence my duty as your head butler ends here.
Our contract is now null and void.
I do hope that you will understand my reasoning.
Claude Faustus
֍
“Young Master, it appears we have a rather unexpected guest this evening.” Sebastian, a tall man with ebony hair and eyes the colour of blood, turned to his master, Ciel Phantomhive; a boy of about 13 years; and notified him of their new guest’s arrival, much to Ciel’s surprise.
“I don’t believe I had any appointments scheduled past 5 o’clock in the evening, Sebastian. And besides that,” Ciel turned his attention to the window. The weather outside was atrocious; rain was pelting down relentlessly and it was hard to imagine anyone willing to go anywhere in such conditions. “Who would be crazy enough to bother visiting in this weather?”
“Alois Trancy, young Master.” Sebastian stated, opening the large doors to reveal a cold and sickly looking Alois who had obviously been soaked to the bone. There was no carriage behind him, suggesting that he made the trip here on foot, exposing himself to the harsh elements.
Ciel was startled, understandably, as he spotted his rival looking so helpless at his doorstep. He was going to send him away when Alois took two clumsy steps forward. His mouth contorted as if he were about to say something before his eyes shut, and he collapsed.
֍
“His eyes are opening, young Master.” A voice that can only be described as squawky erupted from the mouth of a red-haired maid with glasses. There were two more blonde servants standing on either side of her voicing the same sorts of meaningless statements. It was a tad overwhelming, really.
Alois’ eyes fluttered open as he shifted his weight to his arms, lifting himself up into a sitting position as he gained a grasp of his surroundings.
Sebastian. Ciel. Three odd servants… This is Phantomhive Manor. But, why did I come here again? There was a note, if I recall. And when I turned it over…
“Claude!” Alois shouted out of nowhere, giving the three servants quite a start before Ciel spoke up, stamping his cane on the carpet. At this, the three servants deemed it best to leave the young Master and Sebastian to deal with the confused noble, leaving the room and heading back to their own quarters.
“I am not Claude, I am the Earl of this estate, Ciel Phantomhive.” Ciel used an authoritative tone, eventually surrendering and pinching the bridge of his nose whilst shaking his head. After all, it was around midnight now. The entire Phantomhive household (with the exception of Tanaka) had waited up all night for Alois to wake up. The curiosity had almost driven Ciel to madness. “State your business here, Alois.” He sighed. “You’re a noble, so you’re arrival without a carriage left most of us with many questions. Start speaking,” he stamped his cane into the ground once more. “Now.”
Alois swallowed, knowing that what he was about to say would sound absurd and almost ludicrous. But Ciel was the only other person he knew who had his own demon butler. Realistically, he was the only one that Alois could turn to for help in this situation.
“Is it possible,” He began. “...For a demon to become human?”
֍
The entire Phantomhive household went silent for what seemed like hours. No one dared to speak, and yet all eyes were firmly planted on Sebastian. If anyone were to have an answer to this question, it would be him. It was a long time before Sebastian opened his mouth to speak.
“I have only ever heard of one demon who is capable of turning others.” His words were careful, measured. It was almost as if Sebastian were avoiding making snide comments about a close friend. Little did Ciel and Alois know, this situation was very much like that for Sebastian.
“His name is Juris.” Sebastian bit his lip and squinted his eyes, throughout the two years Ciel had known him, he had never once seen him look so frustrated. “And he has a habit of making forbidden second contracts…”
֍
A demon contract made with a human is a deal that applies exclusively to those involved. No third party can ever interfere with such a strong bond, however, occasionally, there will be a demon who dares to break these rules. Juris is one such demon.
“It may not seem like it, but Claude and I do converse on occasion.” Sebastian sighed. Ciel and Alois were now sitting side by side on the bed, looking up at Sebastian. Both of them just as curious as the other. It was strange, Sebastian thought, that in this moment, they seemed so childish and innocent. Perhaps it was because he was speaking of a world virtually untouched by humans. The underbelly of the demon world was one rarely spoken about in the company of humans, after all.
“During one of our conversations, I ventured to ask him about any previous contracts he had made. Like me, he has been alive for many, many centuries and has made quite a few during his time. However, there was one contract in particular that did not end as expected.” Sebastian took off his glove to reveal his contract seal, pointing to it as he spoke.
“As you both know, once a contract is made, the human involved will be marked with a seal. In most cases, a human will only have one seal signifying one contract. The last contract Claude made before he and the Earl Trancy underwent their own was with a human who had two demon seals.”
“Two demon seals?!” Alois chimed in, only to be silenced by an annoyed Ciel. Sebastian continued on.
“Yes, two demon seals. This man was full of greed and did not want to give up his soul to Claude. And so, he made a second contract; one with a demon named Juris.” Sebastian flinched slightly and Ciel took the opportunity to ask.
“How do you know this Juris, Sebastian?” He raised an eyebrow. “Remember that you cannot lie to your master.”
Sebastian gave a sad smile and nodded. “Of course, young Master. Juris is… an old friend of mine, I suppose you could say. Often, we would make contracts in similar areas purely for the fact that we could compare notes on how despicable our contractors were.”
Ciel’s eyebrow twitched. “What a pathetic pastime. I don’t suppose you do this anymore, do you?” Sebastian chuckled lightly, quickly assuring Ciel that it was no longer a habit of his.
“That habit died along with our friendship, young Master. You see, Juris became rather corrupt as time passed. Many demons do tend to fall into madness after a while, their lives becoming too long and their sense of purpose running dry.” He explained before continuing Claude’s story.
“Anyway, Juris had recently become notorious in the demon world. He often made a second contract with people who were unwilling to give up their souls. He tricked the humans into believing that he would let them keep their souls under one condition.”
“And that condition was?” Alois asked, unable to keep quiet any longer, wanting Sebastian to get to the point.
“That he was able to harvest the soul of the demon the contractor initially made the contract with.” Sebastian answered.
“That doesn’t make any sense! Demons don’t have souls.” Ciel rolled his eyes. “This is getting ridiculous.”
“Quite.” Sebastian nodded. “However, if Claude was acting strangely, then it is likely that Juris’ curse has begun to take effect on him.”
“What curse, Sebastian?” Ciel urged him on, growing frustrated at how long this explanation was taking.
“It’s a curse that Juris has crafted himself. A curse that can turn a demon into a human, hence, giving them a soul. Juris told this man that he would let him keep his soul, if he could lay claim to Claude’s soul after the contract was ended. Of course, since these deals are technically forbidden anyway, Juris had no problem killing the man before the terms of his contract were fulfilled. Consuming his soul and leaving Claude with nothing but the curse.”
“So that means…” Alois tapped his chin thoughtfully, pondering the situation for a minute. “If Claude really is turning into a human at this moment, where would he have run off to?”
“If it were me, the first thing I would attempt to do is hunt down Juris.” Ciel nodded before turning his attention back to Sebastian. “I don’t suppose you know where Juris is right now, do you?”
“Regrettably, I don’t, young Master.” Sebastian said, shaking his head. “However, he did used to have a base of operations. A place he would return to between contracts. If we’re lucky, he may be there. It’s a pity that it’s such a long way away…”
“We leave first thing tomorrow morning.” Ciel stood back up and turned to Alois, who was extremely surprised.
“You mean, you’ll help me?” He beamed, he honestly believed that Ciel would have sent him away at the door.
“Don’t think that this is some sort of special gesture.” Ciel rolled his eyes, a lazy gesture as the early hours of the morning were now approaching. “I am simply interested in this Juris fellow.” He shifted his azure gaze to Sebastian. “I wonder what kind of demon he is, being clever enough to fool Sebastian into trusting him. Tomorrow should be quite eventful.”
And with that, Ciel left Alois to rest, heading to his own quarters as Sebastian followed behind; pondering what he might find tomorrow in visiting his former friend, Juris.
֍
“You know, cobblestone roads are dreadfully difficult to ride on.” Alois complained as the carriage wheels rolled over another series of bumps. “Honestly, it’s been nearly four hours. How much longer do we have to wait?”
“Not long now.” Sebastian assured him as the carriage began to slow down. “In fact, I dare say we’ve arrived.”
The carriage came to a halt and Sebastian opened the door for the two young nobles. They were shocked to walk out to the sight of a magnificent mansion; rivalling the ornateness of their own. Alois was the first to make a move, storming up to the front door and knocking on it several times.
“Really, you’d think that being a noble, he would have learnt basic etiquette…” Ciel sighed, following him and pulling him away from the door and instead, ringing the doorbell.
A few chimes rang out before the oak doors opened before them to reveal yet another pale skinned, ebony haired gentleman; this time, with indigo eyes.
“I suppose they come in different colours then?” Alois stifled a laugh at his own comment as Ciel rolled his eyes, turning to Sebastian to introduce them.
“I am pleased to introduce the Earl of the house Phantomhive, Ciel Phantomhive and the Earl of the house Trancy, Alois Trancy.” Sebastian spoke eloquently and gave a subtle bow. As he raised his head, he spotted an expression of disdain painting Juris’ features.
“What business do you have here, Sebastian Michealis?” Juris gritted his teeth as he spoke. Though he looked the part, he gave off a very different aura to both Claude and Sebastian. There was something very distinctly dangerous about being around this fellow, and the two nobles could sense it easily.
“We are here to see Claude Faustus. We believe he came here earlier, most likely in pursuit of your head.” Sebastian let his articulacy fade, instead being replaced by a rather resentful tone. “And judging by it still being on your shoulders, you must be keeping him captive here, waiting for his soul to develop.” Juris’ forehead crinkled. “Am I wrong?”
֍
The corridors of Juris’ mansion seemed to stretch out for eternity. The patterns on the wallpaper undergoing very subtle changes as they continued to explore the expanse of the manor. Eventually, they arrived to a locked room which Juris opened for them reluctantly, revealing a very worn down Claude on his hands and knees, coughing up blood.
“Claude!” Alois immediately ran to his side, kneeling down, and shocked by the sight of his butler’s blood. “Claude, what’s happening to you? This blood, it’s…”
“It’s human blood.” Sebastian stated, matter-of-factly. “It appears we are too late.”
“What do you mean, too late?” Ciel swerved, turning to face Sebastian. “I thought you were capable of anything, weren’t you? You are a Phantomhive butler, which means that…”
“I apologise, young Master. But there is nothing we can do for him now. There is no way to reverse this process once it has reached such a critical stage.” Sebastian said, his voice giving way to no emotion whatsoever.
Juris stood, presiding over the scene and smirking to himself. Watching over all the work he had done, the distraught he had caused. He turned to face Sebastian, but upon seeing the expression on his face, decided to leave for the moment. Being a demon, he was able to leave quickly, escaping the mansion without a trace. And yet the scene currently playing out in the room seemed to stand still for ages.
“Claude… Claude, please speak to me.” Alois was broken, tears flowing endlessly down his cheeks as he spoke in barely audible slurs. Sebastian grew frustrated with the situation after a few minutes, deciding to kneel beside Claude as well. Ciel was the only one who stood at a distance, watching from the background.
“Claude, I want to know something…” Sebastian began. “Do you regret serving humans? Having known what you know now, would you have done anything differently? Refused to make a contract with that man?” He urged him on, wanting to know his answer before he took his final breath.
With another sputter and an eruption of blood, Claude finally began his reply. “It sends a shiver down my spine, really.” Claude gave the faintest of smirks, an expression Alois truly believed would never adorn his butler’s face again. “We are demons and yet, I have learnt one thing.” His eyelids grew heavy, he knew that he didn’t have much time left. “True evil lurks in the hearts of men.” And with that, his breathing ceased, his eyes flashed red once more; the slightest shadow of Claude’s former self; and he was gone. Alois’ wails filled the room as he clung to Claude’s lifeless form; his fresh tears were the only warmth that emanated from Claude’s skin in that moment.
The curtain had finally closed on this scene, and Claude’s brief candle of human life had been so abruptly snuffed out.
֍
Ciel still stood firmly a few steps away, not a shred of pity or sympathy was displayed on his face. Sebastian stood back up and turned to his master and began to walk towards the door.
“You lied to me, Sebastian. Why didn’t you try to kill him?” Ciel stood unmoved, his gaze unflinching as his butler turned around to face him once again. “I’ve no doubt you possess the power to kill another demon. Now, out with it, tell me why you didn’t kill Juris and save Claude! Surely, the process would have been reversed, or even stopped.”
Sebastian’s mouth contorted into a smile and he raised a finger to his own lips. “You know, most demons are unyielding in keeping one another’s secrets, however…” His smile twisted into a devious smirk. “I suppose I cannot lie to my master. Not again, anyway.” Ciel rolled his eyes at the sentiment and stomped his foot to the ground. “Well, go on! Out with it!”
“Young Master, if you were to be given the choice to live happily for ten years or to survive one hundred meaningless ones, which option would you take?” Sebastian spoke with the greatest of care, genuinely curious as to his master’s answer.
Ciel gritted his teeth in annoyance and crossed his arms. “Given that much power over my own life, I would choose to live one hundred meaningless years.” He said stubbornly. “For there is no guarantee that I wouldn’t find meaning on my one hundred and first year. Claude was weak, Sebastian. He gave up his life too easily; his life began and ended devoid of meaning.” Ciel’s arms had fallen to his side, his fists were clenched now. “Humans, demons, angels; we are all the same. None of us enter this world with a purpose, it is up to us to find our own. Claude died truly believing that humans were evil.”
“And was he correct, young Master?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow, curious as to Ciel’s answer.
Ciel clenched his fists even tighter, gritting his teeth and not shifting his gaze from Sebastian’s. He answered.
“Yes.”
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Rating: PG
Prompt: “What they do not realise – and what you must realise – is that manipulating others is something that all people do. In fact, manipulation is at the core of social interactions” – Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn: The Final Empire”
Fandom/Series: Black Butler
Word Count: 4,067
Disclaimer: I do not own Black Butler or any of its characters, all creative rights belong to Yana Toboso, and I make no profit.
Summary:
Claude's strange behaviour sparks Alois' suspicions, which are only further fueled by his sudden disappearance. Turning to Ciel and Sebastian for help, the three of them discover the truth behind Claude's previous contract, and the danger it has placed him in.
Lesser of Two Evils
A noteworthy feature that distinguishes the difference between demons and humans: demons can never lie. Humans, however, are creatures who were once pure, but have fallen prey to the many contaminations that lurk within this world. Creatures that have become so twisted, in fact, that it is hard to imagine one being without sin in the first place. With this knowledge, one is able to understand the weight of untouched darkness and that of the darkness that dwells in the human soul. Two evils, both capable of overwhelming destruction, yet when asked one simple question, there is no clear answer.
Which is the lesser of two evils?
֍
The Trancy Estate is one of great nobility and great corruption. The current Earl of the household having not been birthed of a Trancy in the first place, but rather Mr and Mrs Markin, who gave all their affection to their child, Jim. Despite this sentimental atmosphere, it came to its inevitable and tragic end many years before one would expect it to. Their child, Jim, became Alois Trancy in the years that followed; the darkness that consumed him took the place of the love he had once been afforded, and there was no one who cared about him enough to fill that hole in his heart. That child only ever wanted love, and so, he grasped the closest thing he could find. Unwavering obedience which took the form of his demon companion, Claude Faustus.
“Claude, do you want to eat my soul?” Alois swung his legs back and forth, occasionally bumping the shins of the man on one knee in front of him as his shirt buttons were done up one by one. As irritating as this would have been to any human, Claude didn’t seem to mind.
“Yes, your Highness.” He replied in that same monotone voice he seemed to use for almost everything Alois asked of him. It was the kind of voice that would have been reassuring were it not used for the most menial of questions. It never seemed to hitch or break and its smooth delivery lent itself to being one of Claude’s more admirable traits; though there were many of them.
This is an example of the many straightforward conversations both Alois and Claude would have on a daily basis. Nothing would be out of the ordinary, and Claude would never show the slightest hint of emotion or sway in his opinions. The only appropriate answer being “Yes, your Highness”; nothing more, nothing less. It was exactly this kind of unchanging sense of routine that led Alois to his initial suspicions. For one day, these habits seemed to escape Claude entirely.
֍
“Claude, I wish to eat choux la crème today. I’d like it served in a tower formation, almost like those French wedding cakes you see every now and then. That tart, Miriam von Heullier had one at her wedding. You know, the one I was forced to attend a couple weeks ago. The ceremony was dreadfully boring, but the cake was fantastic!” Alois clapped his hands together twice, making eye contact with Claude. “I’d like you to recreate that cake exactly the same way.”
Here is another small fact: a demon butler can never disobey his master as this would be going against the terms set in the contract.
“Pardon me, your Highness.” Claude’s eyebrow twitched slightly above the frame of his glasses. A flickering movement that would be hard to catch were you not paying close attention. “But we do not currently have the ingredients for that particular dish. Instead, would you prefer a gateau au chocolat?”
This gave Alois a start. Immediately, he rose from his chair and stomped his foot in an impatient gesture. Claude had never questioned an order before, if the ingredients were not available, he would seek them out. What made today so different?
“I said I wanted choux la crème, Claude. Go find the ingredients if you have to, don’t offer me something else!” His voice rose in pitch, and anyone could have told you that Alois was close to using physical violence against Claude. The only thing stopping him was the uncertainty whether or not Claude would allow him to. If he was disobeying orders, were the other rules of the contract going to be thrown into disarray as well?
That was the first incident that threw Alois off. Claude was usually so quick to follow orders, there were never any issues. None that he would have let Alois know about, at least. Alois only grew more concerned later on that night after cutting his hand on a broken teacup.
֍
“Blood...” Alois’ eyes grew wide at the sight of the dark red liquid spilling down his slender fingers, creating a stark contrast between the paleness of his skin and the severe ruby hue of the blood. “Claude! Claude, come over here! I’m bleeding!” He shouted loud enough for his butler to hear, earning the speedy arrival of his lately not-so-trusted companion. Claude arrived with bandages in hand. He made quick work of it, kneeling down and wrapping the fabric carefully around Alois’ fingers.
“This should help the bleeding, your Highness.”
“I don’t understand you…” Alois’ head was hung low, his blonde bangs delicately sweeping across his face and casting a shadow. His expression was difficult to read, but the shakiness that became apparent in his voice as he continued to speak was enough to decipher how he was feeling. “Don’t you want to taste my blood? Whenever I used to get a cut like this, your eyes would glow red at least.” He lifted his head enough to make eye contact with Claude, his eyes were filled to the brim with surfacing tears. “I don’t understand! You’re a demon, aren’t you? So why… Why don’t you want my blood?”
Claude shifted uncomfortably, a motion never before demonstrated by the demon butler, before rising back to his feet. “I-I apologise, your Highness”, were the only words he spoke before turning around and walking out the door, leaving Alois to watch in hopelessness as the bandages around his fingers began to loosen and the fabric was dyed red.
A sloppy job? Alois thought to himself. Claude has never done a task so poorly before…
֍
As the sunlight filtered in through the curtains, Alois stretched his arms, turning around in his bed and finally came to ponder why no one had been there to open the curtains or the scent of freshly brewed tea wasn’t in the air.
Perhaps I have awoken too early… Alois sufficed and sat up to look over at the grandfather clock situated in the corner of his room. Its pendulum swung and the hand ticked incessantly, the time reading ten o’clock.
“Ten o’clock?!” Alois jumped up from his bed, stumbling out of it and spotting the note on his bedside table that seemed to have been written in a rush, judging from the messy handwriting.
“Today, I have a meeting with an aristocrat from Germany at…” His eyes briefly skimmed over the allotted times in his schedule. “Eight o’clock?! Why didn’t Claude wake me up earlier?” It then occurred to Alois that the note was double sided. His hand trembled as he turned the page over, fearing what he might find on the other side of the page.
֍
Your Highness,
I deeply apologise for the inconvenience, however, recent events have made it apparent to me that I am no longer suitable to be in your service as your butler.
I will no longer be in pursuit of your soul and hence my duty as your head butler ends here.
Our contract is now null and void.
I do hope that you will understand my reasoning.
Claude Faustus
֍
“Young Master, it appears we have a rather unexpected guest this evening.” Sebastian, a tall man with ebony hair and eyes the colour of blood, turned to his master, Ciel Phantomhive; a boy of about 13 years; and notified him of their new guest’s arrival, much to Ciel’s surprise.
“I don’t believe I had any appointments scheduled past 5 o’clock in the evening, Sebastian. And besides that,” Ciel turned his attention to the window. The weather outside was atrocious; rain was pelting down relentlessly and it was hard to imagine anyone willing to go anywhere in such conditions. “Who would be crazy enough to bother visiting in this weather?”
“Alois Trancy, young Master.” Sebastian stated, opening the large doors to reveal a cold and sickly looking Alois who had obviously been soaked to the bone. There was no carriage behind him, suggesting that he made the trip here on foot, exposing himself to the harsh elements.
Ciel was startled, understandably, as he spotted his rival looking so helpless at his doorstep. He was going to send him away when Alois took two clumsy steps forward. His mouth contorted as if he were about to say something before his eyes shut, and he collapsed.
֍
“His eyes are opening, young Master.” A voice that can only be described as squawky erupted from the mouth of a red-haired maid with glasses. There were two more blonde servants standing on either side of her voicing the same sorts of meaningless statements. It was a tad overwhelming, really.
Alois’ eyes fluttered open as he shifted his weight to his arms, lifting himself up into a sitting position as he gained a grasp of his surroundings.
Sebastian. Ciel. Three odd servants… This is Phantomhive Manor. But, why did I come here again? There was a note, if I recall. And when I turned it over…
“Claude!” Alois shouted out of nowhere, giving the three servants quite a start before Ciel spoke up, stamping his cane on the carpet. At this, the three servants deemed it best to leave the young Master and Sebastian to deal with the confused noble, leaving the room and heading back to their own quarters.
“I am not Claude, I am the Earl of this estate, Ciel Phantomhive.” Ciel used an authoritative tone, eventually surrendering and pinching the bridge of his nose whilst shaking his head. After all, it was around midnight now. The entire Phantomhive household (with the exception of Tanaka) had waited up all night for Alois to wake up. The curiosity had almost driven Ciel to madness. “State your business here, Alois.” He sighed. “You’re a noble, so you’re arrival without a carriage left most of us with many questions. Start speaking,” he stamped his cane into the ground once more. “Now.”
Alois swallowed, knowing that what he was about to say would sound absurd and almost ludicrous. But Ciel was the only other person he knew who had his own demon butler. Realistically, he was the only one that Alois could turn to for help in this situation.
“Is it possible,” He began. “...For a demon to become human?”
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The entire Phantomhive household went silent for what seemed like hours. No one dared to speak, and yet all eyes were firmly planted on Sebastian. If anyone were to have an answer to this question, it would be him. It was a long time before Sebastian opened his mouth to speak.
“I have only ever heard of one demon who is capable of turning others.” His words were careful, measured. It was almost as if Sebastian were avoiding making snide comments about a close friend. Little did Ciel and Alois know, this situation was very much like that for Sebastian.
“His name is Juris.” Sebastian bit his lip and squinted his eyes, throughout the two years Ciel had known him, he had never once seen him look so frustrated. “And he has a habit of making forbidden second contracts…”
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A demon contract made with a human is a deal that applies exclusively to those involved. No third party can ever interfere with such a strong bond, however, occasionally, there will be a demon who dares to break these rules. Juris is one such demon.
“It may not seem like it, but Claude and I do converse on occasion.” Sebastian sighed. Ciel and Alois were now sitting side by side on the bed, looking up at Sebastian. Both of them just as curious as the other. It was strange, Sebastian thought, that in this moment, they seemed so childish and innocent. Perhaps it was because he was speaking of a world virtually untouched by humans. The underbelly of the demon world was one rarely spoken about in the company of humans, after all.
“During one of our conversations, I ventured to ask him about any previous contracts he had made. Like me, he has been alive for many, many centuries and has made quite a few during his time. However, there was one contract in particular that did not end as expected.” Sebastian took off his glove to reveal his contract seal, pointing to it as he spoke.
“As you both know, once a contract is made, the human involved will be marked with a seal. In most cases, a human will only have one seal signifying one contract. The last contract Claude made before he and the Earl Trancy underwent their own was with a human who had two demon seals.”
“Two demon seals?!” Alois chimed in, only to be silenced by an annoyed Ciel. Sebastian continued on.
“Yes, two demon seals. This man was full of greed and did not want to give up his soul to Claude. And so, he made a second contract; one with a demon named Juris.” Sebastian flinched slightly and Ciel took the opportunity to ask.
“How do you know this Juris, Sebastian?” He raised an eyebrow. “Remember that you cannot lie to your master.”
Sebastian gave a sad smile and nodded. “Of course, young Master. Juris is… an old friend of mine, I suppose you could say. Often, we would make contracts in similar areas purely for the fact that we could compare notes on how despicable our contractors were.”
Ciel’s eyebrow twitched. “What a pathetic pastime. I don’t suppose you do this anymore, do you?” Sebastian chuckled lightly, quickly assuring Ciel that it was no longer a habit of his.
“That habit died along with our friendship, young Master. You see, Juris became rather corrupt as time passed. Many demons do tend to fall into madness after a while, their lives becoming too long and their sense of purpose running dry.” He explained before continuing Claude’s story.
“Anyway, Juris had recently become notorious in the demon world. He often made a second contract with people who were unwilling to give up their souls. He tricked the humans into believing that he would let them keep their souls under one condition.”
“And that condition was?” Alois asked, unable to keep quiet any longer, wanting Sebastian to get to the point.
“That he was able to harvest the soul of the demon the contractor initially made the contract with.” Sebastian answered.
“That doesn’t make any sense! Demons don’t have souls.” Ciel rolled his eyes. “This is getting ridiculous.”
“Quite.” Sebastian nodded. “However, if Claude was acting strangely, then it is likely that Juris’ curse has begun to take effect on him.”
“What curse, Sebastian?” Ciel urged him on, growing frustrated at how long this explanation was taking.
“It’s a curse that Juris has crafted himself. A curse that can turn a demon into a human, hence, giving them a soul. Juris told this man that he would let him keep his soul, if he could lay claim to Claude’s soul after the contract was ended. Of course, since these deals are technically forbidden anyway, Juris had no problem killing the man before the terms of his contract were fulfilled. Consuming his soul and leaving Claude with nothing but the curse.”
“So that means…” Alois tapped his chin thoughtfully, pondering the situation for a minute. “If Claude really is turning into a human at this moment, where would he have run off to?”
“If it were me, the first thing I would attempt to do is hunt down Juris.” Ciel nodded before turning his attention back to Sebastian. “I don’t suppose you know where Juris is right now, do you?”
“Regrettably, I don’t, young Master.” Sebastian said, shaking his head. “However, he did used to have a base of operations. A place he would return to between contracts. If we’re lucky, he may be there. It’s a pity that it’s such a long way away…”
“We leave first thing tomorrow morning.” Ciel stood back up and turned to Alois, who was extremely surprised.
“You mean, you’ll help me?” He beamed, he honestly believed that Ciel would have sent him away at the door.
“Don’t think that this is some sort of special gesture.” Ciel rolled his eyes, a lazy gesture as the early hours of the morning were now approaching. “I am simply interested in this Juris fellow.” He shifted his azure gaze to Sebastian. “I wonder what kind of demon he is, being clever enough to fool Sebastian into trusting him. Tomorrow should be quite eventful.”
And with that, Ciel left Alois to rest, heading to his own quarters as Sebastian followed behind; pondering what he might find tomorrow in visiting his former friend, Juris.
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“You know, cobblestone roads are dreadfully difficult to ride on.” Alois complained as the carriage wheels rolled over another series of bumps. “Honestly, it’s been nearly four hours. How much longer do we have to wait?”
“Not long now.” Sebastian assured him as the carriage began to slow down. “In fact, I dare say we’ve arrived.”
The carriage came to a halt and Sebastian opened the door for the two young nobles. They were shocked to walk out to the sight of a magnificent mansion; rivalling the ornateness of their own. Alois was the first to make a move, storming up to the front door and knocking on it several times.
“Really, you’d think that being a noble, he would have learnt basic etiquette…” Ciel sighed, following him and pulling him away from the door and instead, ringing the doorbell.
A few chimes rang out before the oak doors opened before them to reveal yet another pale skinned, ebony haired gentleman; this time, with indigo eyes.
“I suppose they come in different colours then?” Alois stifled a laugh at his own comment as Ciel rolled his eyes, turning to Sebastian to introduce them.
“I am pleased to introduce the Earl of the house Phantomhive, Ciel Phantomhive and the Earl of the house Trancy, Alois Trancy.” Sebastian spoke eloquently and gave a subtle bow. As he raised his head, he spotted an expression of disdain painting Juris’ features.
“What business do you have here, Sebastian Michealis?” Juris gritted his teeth as he spoke. Though he looked the part, he gave off a very different aura to both Claude and Sebastian. There was something very distinctly dangerous about being around this fellow, and the two nobles could sense it easily.
“We are here to see Claude Faustus. We believe he came here earlier, most likely in pursuit of your head.” Sebastian let his articulacy fade, instead being replaced by a rather resentful tone. “And judging by it still being on your shoulders, you must be keeping him captive here, waiting for his soul to develop.” Juris’ forehead crinkled. “Am I wrong?”
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The corridors of Juris’ mansion seemed to stretch out for eternity. The patterns on the wallpaper undergoing very subtle changes as they continued to explore the expanse of the manor. Eventually, they arrived to a locked room which Juris opened for them reluctantly, revealing a very worn down Claude on his hands and knees, coughing up blood.
“Claude!” Alois immediately ran to his side, kneeling down, and shocked by the sight of his butler’s blood. “Claude, what’s happening to you? This blood, it’s…”
“It’s human blood.” Sebastian stated, matter-of-factly. “It appears we are too late.”
“What do you mean, too late?” Ciel swerved, turning to face Sebastian. “I thought you were capable of anything, weren’t you? You are a Phantomhive butler, which means that…”
“I apologise, young Master. But there is nothing we can do for him now. There is no way to reverse this process once it has reached such a critical stage.” Sebastian said, his voice giving way to no emotion whatsoever.
Juris stood, presiding over the scene and smirking to himself. Watching over all the work he had done, the distraught he had caused. He turned to face Sebastian, but upon seeing the expression on his face, decided to leave for the moment. Being a demon, he was able to leave quickly, escaping the mansion without a trace. And yet the scene currently playing out in the room seemed to stand still for ages.
“Claude… Claude, please speak to me.” Alois was broken, tears flowing endlessly down his cheeks as he spoke in barely audible slurs. Sebastian grew frustrated with the situation after a few minutes, deciding to kneel beside Claude as well. Ciel was the only one who stood at a distance, watching from the background.
“Claude, I want to know something…” Sebastian began. “Do you regret serving humans? Having known what you know now, would you have done anything differently? Refused to make a contract with that man?” He urged him on, wanting to know his answer before he took his final breath.
With another sputter and an eruption of blood, Claude finally began his reply. “It sends a shiver down my spine, really.” Claude gave the faintest of smirks, an expression Alois truly believed would never adorn his butler’s face again. “We are demons and yet, I have learnt one thing.” His eyelids grew heavy, he knew that he didn’t have much time left. “True evil lurks in the hearts of men.” And with that, his breathing ceased, his eyes flashed red once more; the slightest shadow of Claude’s former self; and he was gone. Alois’ wails filled the room as he clung to Claude’s lifeless form; his fresh tears were the only warmth that emanated from Claude’s skin in that moment.
The curtain had finally closed on this scene, and Claude’s brief candle of human life had been so abruptly snuffed out.
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Ciel still stood firmly a few steps away, not a shred of pity or sympathy was displayed on his face. Sebastian stood back up and turned to his master and began to walk towards the door.
“You lied to me, Sebastian. Why didn’t you try to kill him?” Ciel stood unmoved, his gaze unflinching as his butler turned around to face him once again. “I’ve no doubt you possess the power to kill another demon. Now, out with it, tell me why you didn’t kill Juris and save Claude! Surely, the process would have been reversed, or even stopped.”
Sebastian’s mouth contorted into a smile and he raised a finger to his own lips. “You know, most demons are unyielding in keeping one another’s secrets, however…” His smile twisted into a devious smirk. “I suppose I cannot lie to my master. Not again, anyway.” Ciel rolled his eyes at the sentiment and stomped his foot to the ground. “Well, go on! Out with it!”
“Young Master, if you were to be given the choice to live happily for ten years or to survive one hundred meaningless ones, which option would you take?” Sebastian spoke with the greatest of care, genuinely curious as to his master’s answer.
Ciel gritted his teeth in annoyance and crossed his arms. “Given that much power over my own life, I would choose to live one hundred meaningless years.” He said stubbornly. “For there is no guarantee that I wouldn’t find meaning on my one hundred and first year. Claude was weak, Sebastian. He gave up his life too easily; his life began and ended devoid of meaning.” Ciel’s arms had fallen to his side, his fists were clenched now. “Humans, demons, angels; we are all the same. None of us enter this world with a purpose, it is up to us to find our own. Claude died truly believing that humans were evil.”
“And was he correct, young Master?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow, curious as to Ciel’s answer.
Ciel clenched his fists even tighter, gritting his teeth and not shifting his gaze from Sebastian’s. He answered.
“Yes.”
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