Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[35] Her Butler, Stretching The Truth

The dining room was certainly larger than the small oak doors suggested because just with a glance, I could easily estimate around fifty finely-dressed men, women and children all drinking, conversing and playing around the wide, golden laced wooden table that actually seemed slightly worn out, with scratches and dents on it that were carefully hidden by a laced tablecloth.

All eyes turned and a heavy man made his way towards us, fingers twirling around his mustache just as Salvador would do with a wide smirk. Sebastian and Rodric stepped forward and bowed as the man extended a wine glass in greeting.

"Bonjour, tout le monde!" He announced proudly, eyeing me for a moment before facing Adelina and the rest of her family. "Est-ce que vous avez faim?"1

Two younger boys sprinted around us in a circle and I held my cane closer to myself to avoid tripping them. One held a football as he ran with his cleats on the marble flooring and the other had a dark curtain draped around his neck, black mask included. Sebastian's gaze lingered on them for a moment longer and I myself began to question the need for my presence.

Her family clearly seemed no different than any other.

"No doubt about it, Theodore," responded Sir Russé heartily, opening his arms and puffing his chest out.

He gave a small three note whistle into the dining room and at once, four males suddenly presented themselves at his feet, each smiling proudly and standing tall in descending height order, starting with a strong and young man, then the two boys that had been running around and a smaller toddler who was currently hiding a handful of sweets and wet mud in the same pocket.

"Why don't you all introduce yourselves to Simon and his butler Samuel, hm?" Sir Russé suggested, to which I pursed my lips at and Adelina rose her finger in slight embarrassment.

"It's actually Ciel and Sebastian--"

She, however, was interrupted by the beginning introductions.

"George the Second," the young man saluted.

"Christian," said the one with the cleats who was obviously more concerned with the condition of his ball than anything else.

"Alexander," mumbled the one with the cape, who then proceeded to drape the dark sheet over his mouth in an almost disturbing manner.

Lastly, to avoid questioning Alexander's motives, we all turned to wait for the little boy to respond, when we realized that a toddler very well couldn't speak as clearly as we had expected him to and so Isabella spoke for him.

"And that would be George the Third." She said with a smile as she opened her hand towards him. "Son of George the Second who is the son of George the First."

"Pleasure to meet you all," I said as Sebastian bowed lowly and obediently behind me. "I am Ciel Lord of Phantomhive."

"Simon, wouldn't you want to start dinner?"

Sebastian chuckled and I flashed him a warning glance, well aware of the limited remarks I was allowed to make.

However, no one awaited for my response and at once they all began filing into their seats contentedly. Adelina's small tugs pulled me forward and I followed along with her in slight puzzlement. I clearly had missed the unanimous permission.

Adelina quickly caught on.

"What he says is set in stone," she explained quietly as we made our way towards two empty seats, "when I was a little girl, I remember how obedient--"

We stumbled backwards slightly at the abrupt wall we had bumped into, or more so the young woman who had stood in our way. She sneered slightly and fanned away at herself, her pointy nose and narrowed eyes reminding me of a witch from the fairy tales Elizabeth was so frightened of. Adelina, on the other hand, was not as amused as I was by her appearance.