Love Story Undertaker x Y/N

Chapter 8: Lord Phantomhive

Curiosity killed the cat. Fortunately, I'm a reaper, so I didn't worry when I found myself hiding within the Phantomhive Manor, listening at the door of Lord Phantomhive's study. I was wondering, why Lord Phantomhive needed a special employee to discard certain bodies. The name was familiar somehow, so I had gone through my completed victims on the to-die list and found that a few of the particularly vulgar victims had, in fact, been killed by Lord Phantomhive or someone in his employ. 

"We need to go and check on the general manager of Funtom," I heard Lord Phantomhive say.

"Of course, my Lord." That second male voice was a mystery, however. When I heard footsteps I went down a door and ducked back inside of it. I peered out as Lord Phantomhive and a butler left the manor. They went down to a carriage, which the butler steered, and I followed behind, far enough that I couldn't be seen. They went to a building with a sign in front of the gates that said "Funtom Company Production."

I followed and watched as Lord Phantomhive checked on each of his employees up and down the assembly line. I could see him mentally taking note of injuries or scars, even going so far as to pull on the side of a woman's shirt collar to reveal the bruise on her neck. Out of curiosity, I checked my to-die list. Sure enough, someone named Lloyd Smith was dying in little less than twenty minutes and it was by Lord Phantomhive's hand.

"Lord Phantomhive, what brings you by?"

By comparison, the large man that I took for the general manager, who greeted Lord Phantomhive, was a hawk to a snake. Large in size and obviously one to use brute force, while I could practically see the wheels turning behind the tall, but slender Lord Phantomhive's sharp eyes. 

"Hello, Lloyd. I've heard that my employees have been quitting, despite this being the safest, and most mutually beneficial factory to work for in England," Lord Phantomhive said, his small smile never faltering.

"Well, some people don't know a good thing when they see it!" Lloyd chuckled, "Probably couldn't stand to put in the hours."

"Yes, that's perfectly normal. About one in five workers quit within their first year of employment in search of an easier job, however, those workers that quit don't turn up dead within the first few days of their self-inflicted unemployment."

I noticed a twinge of frustration in Lloyd's false smile. He expected Lord Phantomhive to give up after the first lie.

"Well, nothing I can do about that," he said with a strained laugh, "What happens beyond these company walls isn't my business."

"True, true, however, there are three things I find concerning," Lord Phantomhive said, "Would you like to hear?"

The general manager gave a reluctant nod and walked with Lord Phantomhive to a small break room. Lord Phantomhive sat with his legs crossed, leaned back calmly in his chair while Lloyd made tea. I watched by peering through the cracked door.

"You liked Earl Grey, my Lord?" Lloyd said.

"Yes. Wonderful memory," Lord Phantomhive said. He was such an interesting man to watch. I could tell he was confident in his convictions about this man, whatever they were. He kept a perfectly jovial air in his voice, a good cover for if he was wrong. He would speak carefully so that if he was wrong, he could play off his suspicions and avoid a damaging move. Very impressive. It was like watching him play a game of chess. He had his next moves planned and a second getaway for if he was wrong. Fascinating man. I could see in his eyes how intelligent he was and the way he was studying his general manager. I knew he was seeing the same thing I was. The change in body language. With each second the tea steeped in silence, Lloyd was becoming increasingly fidgety and anxious under Lord Phantomhive's gaze, not as an innocent man who was afraid of being wrongly accused by the clear threat before him, but as a guilty man who knew he was caught. When Lloyd poured the tea, it was the only time Lord Phantomhive gave Lloyd a merciful break from his stares.