Episode 13 Continued - Curious Kitten
“Master,” I said as I entered the tent, holding a tray of food in my hand. “It’s eight o’clock. Time to wake.”
Yumi shifted on the bed in annoyance, groaning a little as I set the tray on the center table, closing the door of the tent afterward.
I lightly pulled off some cups and poured freshly made black tea in them, all while Yumi exhaled a long yawn and stretched out her arms.
I caught her cup and stepped over to her, handing it to her as she sat up, then returning to wrap a freshly warmed blanket over her shoulders.
She stared down at the cup lazily as her eyes remained softened, and she blinked before lightly taking a sip.
I adjusted her pillow so she could lean on it, and she did.
“There wasn’t much to go for, I’m afraid,” I said, smiling as I caught a plate of freshly sizzled eggs and bacon. “All they had was cheap ham and some bagels. I found some eggs and cut up the ham to improvise. Enjoy, master.”
I set the tray on her lap, and she stared down at it for a moment. “Where did you find a stove…?”
“There is none,” I replied kindly, closing my eyes as I smiled, “I used up a campfire they built this morning.”
“So resourceful, aren’t you, Sebastian?” She gave me an amused look, light pulling some eggs onto a fork and taking a bite.
I watched as she continued to eat, standing by her bedside.
“Did you find anything?” she asked me. “Last night? While I was sleeping?”
I smiled in response. “Master never ordered me to do so.”
She gave me a look, sighing before going back to her meal. “Aren’t you helpful?”
“But,” I said then, lashes lowering, “I will say that master’s health is my main concern. And living here isn’t the best option for a long period of time, so I improvised.”
She gazed up. “So you did find something?”
I parted my eyes then, feeling them glow. “Well, yes, and no. I went out to look through the main tents, but… right as I was about to enter, I sensed something was wrong, so I came back here.”
“I didn’t have another nightmare,” she stated in annoyance. “If I did, you could’ve just ignored me. This task is more important than my comfort. Let alone, I’d rather be in discomfort temporarily and leave faster rather than be in discomfort for a long period of time,” she took another bite and chewed, “all while staying here.”
I smiled in response. “That was not my concern, my lord. My concern… was your safety.”
She gazed up then, brows drawing together.
“There was an intruder last night,” I explained, lashes lowering. “Who waited until I left. He was trying to get to you.”
She swallowed something hard. “Did you stop him?”
“You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“And who was he? Did you interrogate him?”
I stared down then, red eyes glowing in a heat of anger. “I’m afraid not, my lord. I got here and he saw me, and he immediately bit a fake tooth with poison. He was dead before I could get to him first. Such a pity.” I sighed. “I would’ve had so much fun getting information out of him.”
“Did you find out who he was?” Yumi said then, taking another bite. “It’s a very extreme circumstance to try to kill yourself when you’re caught by a ‘commoner’. Let alone a man dressed as a butler. If it was the police, then it would make sense.”
“He had no I.D. on him,” I told her, gazing up. “But I left briefly to ask around about him, and I got subtle hints. Apparently this was one of the secretaries of the main cast.”
“Like Taylor?” Yumi said.
I nodded.
“But was it him?” Her brows drew together. “Did he look like Taylor?”
I shook my head.
“Which member of the cast then?” she said then.
“I’m not entirely sure, but I suspect he’s Clarice’s secretary… or was.”
“Clarice?” she echoed then, staring off into space. “Why would she want to kill me? That makes no sense.”
“I’m not sure, my lord.” I gazed up. “I was under the interpretation that Clarice disliked me, but she never showed haste against you. Let alone that this intruder had no dangerous weapons… it seems like he was trying to kidnap you.”
She gazed up then, brows drawing together. “What? How do you know for sure?”
“I found this in his pocket,” I said, raising a vile filled with clear liquid in my hand. “Chloroform, and there was a handkerchief in his jacket, as well. This was planned, I’m afraid.”
Yumi set her plate aside then. “But what would they want from me? They can’t possibly know that I’m investigating them, can they? No one ever suspects me.”
“That’s because they don’t, master,” I said then, making her eyes shoot to mine. I just let my lashes lower. “No one suspects that you are investigating them. Look at the connections between the victims and yourself, master. How old are you?”
Her eyes widened then, and it seemed as if her face drained of all color. “I’m… eighteen. But I’m an adult! What use would they have from kidnapping an adult? Surely, I’m still considered a teenager, but after looking at all the victim profiles, the ages range from eleven to seventeen. Not one of them was eighteen, and there was only one seventeen-year-old.”
“My lord,” I said gently, “if I might intrude… everyone here mentions that you look younger than you appear. That you seem you’re twelve or thirteen. It’s the age range of their victims.”
She gazed up then, brows drawing together.
But her lips parted, “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” She gazed down at the floor then. “They want to kidnap me like all the others, and… use me.”
I just stepped over to the bed and knelt down. “Master, I am contracted to protect you, remember? I cannot risk your safety for this investigation. We can still investigate, but I cannot leave your side at night. I must be with you at all times or have an eye on you.”
She gazed up at me then, lips thinning.
“I cannot stand someone snatching you away,” I said then, pulling the blanket more over her arms. “Anyone who tries will suffer a painful death. You were my dinner, now you are mine, period. You contracted your soul to me. It is my duty.”
She sighed and gazed down at the bed. “Fine, whatever.”
I gazed up at her then. “You aren’t going to fight back?”
“What good will that do?” she said then, looking down at me. “No matter what I order, you can refuse because my survival is at risk, and it is the only acceptation against the contract that binds me to you.”
I smiled then, pushing her hair over her shoulder. “You accepted it now, you clever girl.”
Her lashes lowered.
I stood then, lightly catching her tray and setting it aside. “It’s time to get you to ready, master. We must go do our daily deeds to keep suspicion off us in this environment.”
“No one suspects us as of now?” she said as I pulled a soft, purple dress out from her belongings. “Now that you killed that secretary.”
“I hate to say this, but I never got the privilege to kill that sour being,” I said, brushing the wrinkles of the dress down. “He did it all himself. Defeats the fun, if you tell me.”
“Sebastian,” she said shortly, “answer the question.”
I just smiled and turned over to her, stepping over to her side. “No, my lord. In fact, not a single person knows he’s dead. I deposed of the body in an orderly fashion.”
“And no one suspects that he’s missing?” she continued.
“No, my lord.” I gazed up as I started unbuttoning her nightshirt. “They will not for a while. I made sure of it.”
“How?” she questioned as I slipped the shirt down her shoulders.
I gazed up with a smile. “A butler must keep his secrets, master.”
She narrowed her eyes down at me, but I just guided on her undergarments and her dress, pulling it down after sliding on some long socks.
I finished by slipping on her shiny, black flats and strapping them over her foot.
She stood as I caught her long jacket and started walking as I pulled it over her arms.
But she immediately stopped, as if forgetting something.
“Sebastian…” she said, “eyepatch.”
I smiled and closed my eyes. “I was wondering when you’d notice.” I slipped it out from my pocket and stepped over to her, lightly setting it over her eye as she held it in place, and I tied it seconds later.
She then turned and gazed up at me. “We must remain looking vigilant rather than rich. This outfit is fine, though, because it looks like a play costume. But in public, you shall act as a friend, not my butler. We cannot risk the staff finding out I am undercover.” She gazed up then. “We must avoid all suspicion until we figure out what’s going on. I shall be a normal, average human, and you a friend. Do you understand?”
I bowed before her. “Yes, my lord.”
“You should treat me like a normal person,” she said then, lashes lowering.
I smiled then, gazing up at her. “Is that an order? Because if something happens, I advise against it. Whatever will you do when you need me?”
Her lashes lowered then. “F… fine. Treat me like a normal person… in public.”
I stood then and bowed slightly. “Of course, my lord.”
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