Episode 1 Continued - The Deal with the Devil
"Oh, my lord, how lovely to see you," count Meacham said, bowing before me as I sat in the dining room. "You look as lovely as ever, my lord."
I glanced suspiciously as Sebastian and he just smiled, closing his eyes.
Ugh, he dresses me in the most unfitting outfits and people like them regardless.
Where was I? The 1800s?
"Yes, I suppose," I answered coolly. "Please, sit. Dinner will be here shortly, so why don't we talk?"
"Yes," he replied, sitting down on a chair that Sebastian pulled out. "I have some things I want to speak of, my lord."
Sebastian lightly pushed in his chair before standing straight up, and he cast me a glance before walking out from the room.
"What is it?" I said.
"Well... my lord... the reason why I came here today was to ask for some assistance for the mall in the east end. We tried to remodify it for more of a children's audience—like you said—but we are running out of money, my lord. We need more money for the remodification."
I gazed over at him as Sebastian came through the kitchen doors again, carrying a plate with two teacups and a spout. "Why honestly do you need more money, count Meacham? I already gave you a million, and you got through it already?"
"Yes, ma'am," he answered, bowing his head. "We just need a little more for the remodification."
"How much?" I answered, glancing at Sebastian who just started pouring the tea into the cups.
He was smiling.
As per usual.
"Maybe another million?" he suggested, smiling softly. "We still haven't done the east part and the playground, you see. The food area is still under construction."
"My, my," I answered as Sebastian set the cups between us, "you started the food court without knowing if you have enough money? That's very odd... People go to the food court regularly, without food, there's no money."
"Exactly, my lord!" he replied. "This was my argument!"
"What about the storeowners?" I asked then, sipping from the tea as Sebastian stood beside me. "They haven't given you any money either?"
"No, my lord. We haven't gotten any people offering to take stores yet."
I set my tea down. "That's odd. No one?"
A single bead of sweat slipped down his cheek. "No one."
"Hmm... that's peculiar." I took another sip.
"Very peculiar," he replied.
I set the teacup down. "So you want a million for the rest of the mall? That's a lot, don't you think?"
"Yes, my lord," he answered, "but it will ensure that everything is perfect. Just like you want it to be!"
I then set my cheek on my hand. "What about half-a-million?"
He stammered a little bit and smiled kindly. "Well, yes, that would be much, but... we really need a million, my lord."
"A million," I echoed, "hmm... I'll think about it."
He stared at me for a moment, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly before he replied. "Th... think on it? But, my lord, we really need it now."
"Are you pressing me?" I said to him then, smirking.
He waved his hands then, another bead of sweat sliding down his cheek. "No! Never, my lord! I just want it to be like you want it to be! That's all!"
"I see," I answered coolly, sighing. "Well... we can discuss matters later. I'm bored. Sebastian, bring out a game."
He bowed then, setting his hand on his chest. "Right away, master."
"A game?" count Meacham said, looking a bit annoyed. "My lord... I thought we were discussing business matters."
Sebastian walked past him, immediately casting count Meacham a glance from the corner of the eye before leaving.
"We can discuss them later," I answered, setting my cheek in my hand. "Right now, I need to take my mind off things. So I can think a bit."
"But... my lord, we should talk about this more, no?" he suggested.
I shot him a look. "If you keep pressing me, I will not be as faithful as you want."
He waved his hands quickly again. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Please, don't feel as if I'm pressing you."
Sebastian walked in the room seconds later, holding a box that contained my favorite chess set as count Meacham glanced over.
"Oh, wow," he said then, laughing softly, "you're fast, aren't you? I'm kind of glad that you were, though, Lord Phantomhive here's a little scary."
I smiled a little.
You don't know Sebastian, do you? Sad.
"If I couldn't get master's favorite game so quickly," Sebastian said, opening the box and arranging the pieces. "Then what kind of butler would I be?"
"A normal one, at that," I replied.
He sent me a smirk, finishing with the last piece. "Enjoy."
"No offense to you, my lord," count Meacham said then, making me glance over. "Being scary is good for someone like you, you know. With all your power and all that."
"None taken," I replied, pushing one of my pawns forward. "It's your turn."
"Oh, uh..." he pushed one of his pawns forward, laughing softly. "There... so I was wondering why you're so hesitant for the money, my lord."
"You're turn," I said again.
He gazed down, just realizing that I moved. "Oh, uh... there." He moved a piece forward. "So, the remodifications—"
"You're turn," I said again, smiling over at him.
He gazed down to the bored, laughing nervously. "There, I moved. So, my lord, could we focus more on the business and less on the game—"
"I killed your knight, you're move," I said this time.
He sighed and looked down to the board, moving one of his chess pieces. "My lord, about the renovations of the mall—"
"You shouldn't move so quickly, sir," I replied, making him gaze up in question. "If you move your pieces so quickly and so hastily... without thinking... you just might fail the entire game. The opponent will surround you, shock you, use you. They will move without warning until..." I moved my knight forward and knocked down his king, "... checkmate."
He gazed down at the board then, brows drawing together.
"If you want to be king of the game, sir," I said pushing my hands together and hovering them over my mouth, "then you have to be careful. There are always other kings in games, always ones who will use you and take you down the moment you let down your guard. So you have to think... everything you do, think carefully. Make sure every aspect of what could go wrong is in your play and then take it... burn it. That is how you win the game, count Meacham."
He stared at me for a long moment, stammering.
Sebastian remained silent the whole time before he glanced to the right. "Dinner preparations are ready, my lord, if you don't mind it."
"I don't mind it," I answered, standing up now and brushing off my skirt. "We can start a new game afterwards, count Meacham."
He stood then. "After? But, my lord, the renovations! We have so much to talk about!"
I faced away from him, starting to the doors of the room. "So much? No. You already made your point. You want a million, I said I'll think about it. So, we will play the game until I make a decision."
He made an annoyed sound. "Such a child."
I turned then, eyes narrowing. "Pardon?"
He gasped a little, standing up straight. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that!" He smiled kindly. "I was just commenting about how a child's eye is perfect for the renovation! Because it's for children!"
I turned back toward Sebastian. "I see. Well, dinner's ready. We shall eat outside. Come now, sir."
"Yes!" he replied, rushing forward and starting out from the room.
I glanced over at Sebastian to find his red eyes fixed on the man ahead of me.
I smiled and continued forward, and Sebastian followed behind me.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegggoPuv77
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