Episode 9 Continued - Ruthless
"Master," Cammie said as we sat on the steps of a porch, "may I ask you something?"
"Ask away," I said to her. "Sebastian's taking his sweet time, so why not."
"Master... how long have you known Sebastian?" she said then.
I dusted some grime off my shoes. "No longer than you know me. He became my butler when I was sixteen. You came into my life a couple months later. Why do you ask?"
She was silent for a moment. "Master... I've heard these rumors about Sebastian and you... and... uhm."
"Just spit it out," I said then, glancing over at her.
"I don't want to upset you, my lord," she said then, smiling gently.
"The only one who can upset me is Sebastian," I answered, sitting up straight. "You four are annoying, yes, but never upset me."
She smiled a little despite my insult, and it made my eyes soften a little. "Okay, uhm... master, all of us know that Sebastian is a demon."
I looked over at her. "Oh?" I said sarcastically. "However did you figure that out?"
"He doesn't hide it well when he runs faster than light," she answered, closing her eyes as an expression of joy. "But..." she looked down then, "I've heard rumors... about you and him. About how you and he came together in the first place."
"Let me guess," I answered then, "you're asking about the contract."
She was silent for a moment, smile falling. "Yes."
"It's very hard to explain, Cammie," I said then, gazing over at her. "And it's... very personal."
She hid her face then, lips thinning in sadness.
I just leaned back. "Cammie, I know you don't like secrets, but it's best to keep this one, okay?"
"Master, are you going to die?" she blurted out then.
A tumble of shock ran through me, and I gazed over at her. "What?"
"You offered your soul," she said then, voice shaking. "And... and he wants it, right, master?"
I was silent then, looking to the ground as a sudden cold came over me. "You don't understand, Cammie."
"Master, you saved me!" she said then, making me close my eyes tightly. "You saved me from those monsters, and I vowed to protect you in return! As an act of gratitude! And—and if you're going to die, then I want to know."
I just sighed and lowered my head. "Cammie, I don't want to touch on that subject."
"Master, there's something you should know," she said then, voice shaking. "About Sebastian... he's lying to you about something. And I think you should know because you'll hate him less."
I just looked up. "I know he's in love with me, Cammie."
She was silent then, face growing pale. "Wh... what?"
"That's what you were going to say, isn't it?" I said then, glancing over at her. "But I already knew the answer. I knew he loved me from the very beginning. It's clear from his actions and his expression. He can hide it well, but not from me."
She stared at me for a long moment before her brows drew together. "But... master... then why do you act as if you hate him?"
I looked to the ground then, eyes darkening. "Because... I don't know for sure... if it's real love."
"What do you mean?"
"He's a demon," I explained to her, gazing up. "For all I know... this is a normal occurrence when a demon wants a soul so badly. They grow attached to it and crave it more, fall in love with it... Maybe that's what makes it worth eating."
"You don't actually think that, do you?" she said then, voice soft.
I just kept quiet. "Even if he was in love... I don't want to feel the same."
Because that means I care. And I don't want to care about something that could betray me.
"But you do feel the same?" she pressed.
My eyes darkened as I kept silent, and I clenched my fists at my sides. "I said I don't want to touch on the subject, alright?"
She then looked down, kicking out her legs anxiously. "Alright, I apologize, master."
Seconds later a figure fell from the sky, lancing gracefully on the road in front of us.
I gazed up to find Sebastian standing there, dusting off his tail coat gracefully.
"I said five seconds," I told him, lashes lowering, "you took twenty minutes."
Sebastian just stepped over to me, patting off his hands. "I apologize, master. I encountered a nuisance in one of those houses."
I stood immediately, a sudden cold developing inside me. "Was it... Eileen?"
He gazed up then. "Sadly, not. It was something of more value."
I just stepped over to him, gazing up into his blood red eyes. "Well, explain it, then."
He just glanced over at Cammie with an unreadable expression, and I looked back at her to find her immediately averting her eyes.
I gazed back up at Sebastian. "What?"
He looked down at me. "It's nothing, my lord."
I gave him an impatient look. "Are you just going to make googly eyes at us or tell me what you saw?"
"At once, my lord." He turned and made his way over to the stair I was originally sitting, and I followed after him, collapsing back onto the staircase before looking up at him.
"Well, you were correct on many things, master," Sebastian explained, bowing a little before standing up.
My brows drew together. "I was?"
"Indeed," his eyes were dark, "every person in this neighborhood is dead."
Shock burst through me at an instant, and I stared.
"D... dead?"
"Yes," he answered grimly, "and you were right. It was 'the father's' doing. Many houses had the bodies cleaned up, but the rooms were a mess. They were probably the houses the king's men checked first."
"Where did the bodies go?" I demanded.
"A basement," Sebastian answered, "in the town's church."
I stared for a moment. "Is the setting a connection to this?"
"I honestly don't know, my lord," Sebastian sighed, "and that's what troubles me.
"All the bodies were on coffins in a giant room, being set for modification just like Eileen. When I tried to exit, the ones that had been finished attacked me. I was set back by twenty minutes because there were so many of them, and I had to find clues in the church as well as other possible targets, so I apologize for being so late."
I watched him suspiciously. "What did you find?"
His eyes grew cold.
"Is it really that bad?" I demanded.
He just lowered his lashes. "Whoever this... 'father' is. He's not human. And this isn't an experimentation. It seems as if he wants to cause an apocalypse, my lord."
My entire world darkened then, and despite my irises beating in fear, I thought this through, remaining calm. "That's what I feared... I feared he wasn't human. But it was my main assumption."
Sebastian watched me with a dark expression.
"Did you find any clues on him?" I said then, gazing up. "Is he a demon like you?"
"No," Sebastian answered, shaking his head, "no demon would choose a church for his factory."
"An angel then?" I said.
"It's... possible, but I highly doubt it." He kept watching me, but I wasn't fazed by it right now. "He could be a grim reaper."
I gazed up then. "A grim... reaper?"
"Indeed," Sebastian nodded, gazing up, "have you ever heard of the creature 'death'? They are beings of angels that plans your death and extract your soul, finally putting it away in files inside a large library in heaven. Where all souls are stored. Demons like me despise them..." his eyes were still dark, "because they keep us hungry."
"If they work for the angels..." I said then, automatically blocking his last comment, "why would they do it?"
"Personal gain," he answered, "pure curiosity. Toying with souls and seeing if they can be modified after death."
I just shook my head. "No, because that would turn this back to an experiment. You said there were clear signs of wanting an apocalypse. What would a grim reaper want out of that?"
He was silent then, clearly at a loss for words.
"You're wrong, Sebastian," I said then, gazing up, "it's not a grim reaper. The evidence doesn't point it in that direction. It's not a demon because of the choice of setting. It's not a human due to all the evidence you found... so the only option... an angel."
Sebastian was still silent.
"An angel..." I said then, brows drawing together, "it would make sense because the human species is very deformed and imperfect. They're goal would be to cause an apocalypse to rid of humans and create the ultimate perfection species. Angels are all about perfection."
Sebastian just glanced back over at Cammie with a dark expression before looking back down at me. "Master, we should leave. This place isn't safe for you."
"Sebastian," I said then, gazing up as anger blazed in my eyes, "do you want to grant my wish or not? You're hungry, so act like it. This FATHER is connected to my parent's death, is he not? So suck it up and help me. We are in his domain. We can find him or at least find out who he is."
"Master," Sebastian said then, "it is way too dangerous right now. We can plan and come back later."
"I'm done with planning," I snapped, anger boiling me inside, "now will you help me or not?! You are hungry, aren't you?! So help me!"
His eyes darkened. "Master, I need to keep you alive. I cannot risk this. I cannot risk you getting hurt. Please, I cannot bear it—"
I slapped him across the face, the sound echoing through the abandoned streets.
His head flip to the side at the action, and he closed his eyes tightly.
I pulled back then, my dress blowing in the wind as I stared at him in warning.
He just parted his eyes and gazed down at me, looking half-depressed, half-irritated as a small handprint burned into his cheek.
I gritted my teeth. "Don't play with me."
His eyes grew darker somehow.
"You want my soul, and you know it!" I snapped. "Don't act like you care! I don't take well to a servant PLAYING WITH ME."
He remained silent, just watching me sadly.
"So suck it up, and grant my wish!" I yelled despite the cold developing inside me. "You want this over with as much as I do, I know it! So stop PLAYING ME AND HELP ME ALREADY! THAT'S AN ORDER!"
He just closed his eyes and sighed sadly, bowing down before me while setting his hand on his chest. "Master... I'm not playing with you."
Anger burned through me.
I moved to strike him again, but he caught my wrist. "Stop lying to me!" I yelled to him, eyes burning with tears. "You're a nuisance! You hear me?! A NUISANCE!"
He held a hold of my hand as it shook in his grip. "Master... do you remember the terms of our contract?"
I glared sharply, a single tear slipping down my cheek. "You keep reminding me of it, but yet you're not fulfilling YOUR SIDE!"
"'At all costs'," Sebastian recited, "'I—Sebastian—must protect Yumi Phantomhive from all outcomes risking her survival. If she is in danger, I shall be her protector. If she is hurt, I shall be the one to clean her. I will act as her butler and protector, hide from humanity to keep her reputation in line, I will not allow Yumi Phantomhive to die at any cost... I shall remain her butler and savior... until I consume her soul'."
My teeth gritted harder as another tear slipped down my cheek. "I KNOW."
He just tightened his hold on my wrist, and his eyes grew darker. "If I consume her soul."
I froze immediately, breaths stilling.
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