The world of Black Butler / Kuroshitsuji

The Murder

The banquet ended a while afterward, and all the guests separated to different areas of the manor.

I, Charles, Arthur, Phelps, and Grimsby and Irene were all in the billiard room. The men play billiard while I sat aside with Irene.

We chatted and I found out quite a bit about her; such as how her late mother was a famous play actress, and her father was one of the main figure in the theatrical industry. And she met Grimsby for the first time through one of the plays which was funded by her father.

"Wow," I laughed, "Was that really the first thing Mr Grimsby said to you?"

"Yes! I would have never imagined that I will be in a relationship with him when we first met." She exclaimed. "What about you, Clare? How did you meet Earl Grey? Are you two in a relationship?"

"Um, no we are not." I shook my head. "But the first time I met him was in a ball held by Her Majesty. In fact, I was the guest of honour of the ball. A mutual friend introduced us, and Charles invited me to my first dance of that ball."

"Oh wow, what a way to meet." She smiled.

"Look, Irene, Charles seem to be winning." I said as Charles managed to push yet another billiard ball down into a hole.

"Earl Grey sure is good at this. But let me tell you, Grimsby can't play this game to save his life!" Irene chuckled.

Suddenly, a loud shout could be heard in the distance. I and Charles looked at each other, and we hurried out the room toward the source without hesitation.

"What's wrong?" Charles asked as he approached Mey-Rin, who was pounding on Siemens' door.

The rest of the guests also gathered here after having heard the commotion.

"I will kick it down." Sebastian said to Mey-Rin, and proceeded to do so.

The scenario inside evoked screams and shouts. The limp body of Gerog von Siemens lay lifelessly on a chair facing the fire. The roar and of thunder and flash of lightning only added to the already eerie atmosphere.

"Excuse me!" Arthur stepped forward and inspected the body. "He's dead...."

"What is going on?" Ciel appeared in the door in his dressing gown. His eye widened when he saw the body, "Lord Siemens..."

Arthur looked down at the puddle of crimson on Siemens' chest, "I'm pretty sure.... this chest wound is the cause of death."

"A-At any rate," Grimsby spoke, "We better not move anything until the Yard arrives."

Bard wiped his forehead, "But this room is pretty hot, isn't it."

"I heated all the room in advance but... I suppose he might have been cold." Sebastian said.

"I hate to say it like this, but..." Bard paused, "With this heat, he'll decay in no time. Even if we put the fire out, he won't last long next to the hearth."

"Decay...?" Next to me Irene whispered shakily.

They decided to move Siemens to the cellar until the Yard comes.

Sebastian lit the previously unlit room and moved away the chair that he 'died' in.

"But I doubt the Yard will come for quite a while." Lau said, "I mean, look at this storm. This area is completely inaccessible right now. There is a good chance the culprit is still in the manor"

"But hey," Charles spoke up, "If you think about it logically, wouldn't one of us be the culprit?

People gasped. "Why us!? Don't be ridiculous!" Grimsby exclaimed.