Black Butler: The Stellar Dove

8.4

  "Did you have fun tonight, Sebastian?" Ciel asked as his butler combed out his hair after his bath.

"Yes, it was quite enjoyable, actually. Why do you ask?"

His master had never cared about what he thought of something like that was before, and their relationship didn't require small talk such as this.

"You really put on a lovely act tonight with Lady Estella. It was quite believable... You even had me fooled."

Sebastian was silent for a moment as he laid the comb down.

"I'm glad that it was that impressive."

"Though, to be honest, I am a bit suspicious. Your concern for Lady Estella is almost out of character for you."

His butler remained silent, but not even a hint of a smile appeared. If anything, his face paled. Ciel had learned to read him a little better every day. He knew how Sebastian could play games with him, especially when the butler knew something he didn't. He strongly suspected that Estella could be tied to the case somehow, and that there was a reason for Sebastian to treat her with such sincere kindness the way he did.

Still, this wasn't quite his usual amused reaction he showed when his master finally caught on to something. Whatever it was, Ciel knew that he wouldn't simply tell him the information without attempting to cover it with a dusting of white lies.

"There's something going on that I don't know about, isn't there?"

"Something going on?" Sebastian's tone was sarcastic and playful, yet his expression didn't reflect it. "Why, you're going to have to be more specific, my lord."

Ciel frowned, his eyes hardening. "You know something about Estella that I do not. What have you found out? Did she tell you anything? Perhaps, you've found that she, herself, is the killer? Or is she some immortal being?"

"Honestly, I still hardly know anything about her except that her favorite color is a lovely light shade of blue and she is not yet fluent in French. The search for any close relatives or friends is still naught."

"Then it's something with you. What is the cause of your recent behavior?" He began to realize his butler actually looked worried. "Tell me the whole truth, Sebastian. That's an order."

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