Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

Prologue: The DelMare Estate

-| Prologue |-

There was nothing, absolutely nothing that could possibly worsen this day's morning. My head was currently pounding, and as I looked out of my drawing room's window, another expensive China pot went flying, crashing onto the granite pavement below. I gritted my teeth, my fists curling up at my sides. They were still shouting outside the Estate, and there would be Hell to pay for ruining my already tedious morning.

"Rodric!" I screamed, stamping my foot down on the rug beneath me. Another pot crashed onto the ground outside. "Rodric!"

"Countess?"

The doors behind me clicked open and a tall man with loose ebony hair strolled in, silver platter held high in his left hand, which was in its usual white glove. He had a small smirk, making my frown only grow.

"Have you not noticed?" I hissed, jabbing a finger towards the window. Rodric's eyes flickered to the window, yet he made no indication that anything was amiss as he set the platter down on my cluttered desk. Quietly, he lifted the cover and the heavenly scent of mille-feuille1 began to fill the room, causing my frown to twitch.

"This morning's dessert, my Mistress, calls for a traditional mille-feuille; adorned with our very own raspberries, picked fresh, and a vanilla créme whip on the side."

I spun on my heels, snatching the fork that was waiting for me in his hand and stabbing him with it through his palm, my teeth bared.

"They. Are. Ruining. The. Merchandise." I spat, emphasizing every word with my irritation. In the DelMare Business, we sold whatever was popular during the season, from hand-stitched quilts to rich fertilizers. Before my parent's passing, they had invested in almost every single type of industry in all of Europe, extending around the globe. Luckily, they had left me the DelMare Industry, with Rodric serving me as he had for them personally. He had been with my parents since they became associated with the Queen herself, but I don't remember much before then. I was only four when my family became known as the Queen's Snakes. My parents had picked and selected whatever was worth displaying to the Queen from London's filthy streets and used our extensive knowledge on various subjects to aid in our searches. They had brought down many assassins, crooks, illegal businesses and traitors from the gossip alone our name could buy-- they slithered their way up to the level of nobility I was at now. Unfortunately, the Industry turned out to be quite the bore and I had no choice but to continue its legacy.

"Yes, they seem to be having quite the fight." Rodric agreed calmly, pulling the fork out and wiping it down. He pocketed the utensil and pulled out a new one, presenting it to me again generously. Again, I snatched the fork and raised it, only this time stabbing the mille-feuille with care. I brought the dessert to my mouth, giving Rodric one last glare before letting it fall onto my tongue. He, like he always had, made it just the way my mother used to. My irritation began to fade with each bite, and as I came to the last morsel, I gave a sigh, shaking my head.

"What are they arguing about now?" I asked, referring to my servants Eren and Erin. The twins, as I also called them. They were prone to sibling rivalry, and it always escalated until Rodric ended it. Eren always seemed a bit too realistic for his own well being. Erin always seemed a bit too distracted for hers. They were at equilibrium, their strengths at a match but their skills inversely proportional. They were also identical if that didn't make matters any more confusing. Both had honey locks --tussled and curled-- stood at nearly six feet and had large almond colored eyes. The only clear trait that set them apart was that Eren almost always had his hair tied back, and Erin almost always had hers let down.

"I believe Eren wanted to be the one to greet Lau and Ran-Mao, but Erin had already agreed to the task yesterday," Rodric explained lazily, his hand waving around as he spoke. Rodric wasn't a regular butler, but he had nothing worth to complain about. He was incredible, actually. The Estate couldn't possibly function without him, even with the twins, Salvador and Yuki. They were all very good at what they did, but I wouldn't doubt that Rodric could do their jobs and his just as well. He had been with me since birth, and I never once doubted his loyalty to the DelMare's. Of course, this was all because of the fact that he was a demon who was contracted to take my soul.
His mauve eyes glinted for a second before he again smirked, brushing a strand of his hair back behind his ear. He had a rather long lock of hair that stretched from the top of his left eyebrow, reached over and covered his right eye, ending slightly at the right of his chin. His nose was visible through that lengthy strand, as was his narrow left eye, causing him to seem quite intimidating. Another shorter lock of hair curved around the visible eye and the rest of his hair remained loose at the back behind his ear, reaching slightly past his neck.