The White Butterfly of Phantomhive

Chapter 32: Investigation on the Circus

During the carriage ride, Ciel reads a letter written by Queen Victoria that came with the tickets. From what Mei was told afterwards, this was a very eerie case.

"Greetings dear boy, I hope you found your Christmas holiday enjoyable. My attempt to make a Christmas pudding with Phipps was a great success. I'm pleased to report that the results were met with high praise from John, Grey and Ash. I hope you'll have an occasion to try it sometime. Now then, you must be curious as the enclosed tickets. A circus is expected to arrive in London soon. It's a travelling troop and supposedly quite good. However, my sources informed me that a startling number of children have gone missing from towns the circus has visited. The police are doing all they can to be sure. But, even so, not a single child has been located. The circumstances are always similar; They vanished without a trace in the middle of the night. It's almost as if they've been lured away by the pied piper of Hamelin. Is there any sorrow that can compare to that of losing a family member? Every moment must be agony for them. It is my sincere hope that these poor children will be returned to their family soon. - Victoria."

"Where will you begin your investigation, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

"The usual place. Naturally." Ciel tells him.

"And where would this usual place be?" Mei asked out of curiosity. Of course, naturally, the usual place was at the file room of the Scotland Yard headquarters. And again, naturally, they needed to get there in their way. With Ciel in his arm and Mei on his back, Sebastian jumped up to the third-floor window and they made their way inside. Though not without experiencing some interference.

Abberline was outside of the hallway next to the file room and when he found out that Ciel was there, he was flabbergasted at how and why he was even here to begin with. So while Mei and Sebastian searched through some records, Ciel stood by the two isles of bookshelves with a panicky Abberline. "Very convenient Sir Arthur is away from the station at the moment, is it not?" Ciel says.

"Urgh...I'm begging you please stop. If the commissioner were to find out-." Abberline said.

"Best to make sure he doesn't then, eh?" Ciel simply tells him as it was an obvious option.

"How did you even get up to the third floor? No one asked for your credentials?" Abberline asks, clearly oblivious to the open window to his right. Ciel ignores him and asks, "Sebastian. Anything yet?"

Sebastian first turned his head to Mei, who had placed a book back in its place before shaking her head at him. Sebastian then turned to his young earl and told him, "No bodies have been found that match the missing persons' report, but I'm not certain those reports are complete."

"We'll leave after your finishing copying and we might as well borrow the photos," Ciel says as he walks to his butler.

"You can't do that!"

"Ugh, oh tosh. If you're found out just say that I took them and you'll be fine."

"That'll land me in even more trouble!"

"Yes, well, Abberline you've been very helpful. And we thank you." Ciel says to him as he reads the data that Sebastian gathered. Ciel shows his thanks for Abberline's, albeit unwilling, cooperation by having Sebastian grant him money. Abberline, appalled by this, refuses the payment and tries to hand it back. "I am not for sale, my lord! I just want those children safe, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure that happens." Abberline told them with much boldness.

"You're willing to do whatever it takes, eh?" Ciel says as he gives the inspector a passing smile. "Very flexible of you, you have a bright future." Ciel and Mei walked towards the door with Sebastian following them. Abberline looks back and saw that the handsome butler had somehow replaced the money with a mop in his hand. "Hey! Wait!" He called out.