Comforting Darkness

Chapter 59: The Tutor, Confrontation

"Wh-wh-what is going on, Mrs. Selina?" Finny asked, his face white as paper and his eyes wide, filled with terror, even though his pupils were smaller than usual, something that happened when his strength was at its maximum.

"There are more like the ones you already defeated." Sebastian announced having reached the spot the servants stood. "They are swarming the manor's basements and cellars. You could not have seen or sense them if they were buried in the cellars' ground!" He finished, staring at the bloodied Selina, who was biting her lower lip angry at herself for missing that possibility.

"Hey, Undertaker, did we miss them in any other place in the manor?" Selina asked the obviously quite amused reaper, who was playing with his scythe in his hands, waiting for the attacks to begin.

Undertaker shrugged. "Who knows? The cheap imitation cannot say for sure, mmm?" He responded and smiled at her. "But do not worry; they are less than on Campania!"

"Thankfully!" Ronald said, the moment a scarlet bolt returned at his side.

"The house is clear; they come only from below." Grell said seriously, exchanging a nod with Selina and then signalling Ronald to follow her and join the others.

In a blink of an eye, Sebastian had disappeared and reappeared at the first landing of the manor's main staircase with Bard's machine gun in hands, only to disappear again and come back with about a dozen of Mey-Rin's riffles and bullets. He called a shocked chef – Bard could not believe Sebastian actually knew about his secret weapon stash in the kitchen – and a bedazzled maid – Mey-Rin could not help but once again admire Sebastian's speed and strength at carrying such a heavy weapon – to him calling them back to order and giving them directions.

"Bard, aim for the right side. Mey-Rin, finish off any undead that slips away from the others. Both of you, do not forget, aim only at the head... wasted bullets will be deducted from your salaries." He said coldly and resumed his place beside Selina and the two reapers, leaving chef and maid prepare their weapons.

In the meantime, Selina had collected all of her daggers and Polaris' knives and distributed them to Snake and Wolfram. "Finny and Snake, we need you to take care of the left side." She looked a little apologetically at Snake, whose hands were shaking a little, making obvious he had never harmed a human being with his own hands. "They are far from humans, remember that, please." Selina told him and he nodded. "Wolfram we will need you too and, Prince Soma... your hand of God could be really useful right now!" She finished by pining a brooch on Wolfram's lapel.

"Wolfram, do as Selina says!" Sieglinde ordered her butler before he made a protesting sound.

"Gladly!! But... who will protect Ciel and Sieglinde?" Soma asked worried and eyes filled with questions, seeing Selina placing a hair pin on his hair.

"I will." A new voice was heard and all heads turned towards it. Miranda was standing there, in her grey suit and with no gloves covering her white nails or her flowery contract seal; determination made her green eyes sparkle, sharing a smiling look with Selina and one of mutual assent with Sebastian.

"Oh my, my, my! Am I such a great threat that even Heaven and Hell decided to work together? This is truly a historical moment and I feel so honoured it occurred during my time!" Undertaker said and bowed slightly, perhaps even a little mockingly, to Miranda.

Miranda made a disparaging sound. "Do not flatter yourself, Undertaker. This is not Heaven's war... we care only for the souls of the innocents and that is why I am here. I will not interfere in any way." The red headed angel said with emphasis.

She guided the two children and dragged a frozen and speechless Blavat to a corner of the entrance hall where she could protect them from all sides without any difficulty; a semi circle of green flames around them appeared with just one swift movement of the angel's hand. Young master passed his gun to the left hand and used his right one to hug and support a little of Sieglinde's weight as she still clung to him. Sieglinde made a last attempt to reason with Lizzie, pleading her to join them, but her words were in vain, as the stubborn blond girl did not move from her place.