When in Rome ...

In Which Ciel Gets Defensive About His Age

         

I was kind of on a time constraint I realized considering how much data Ciel actually had and the fact that I actually had to hand code each data into the computer, it took me a while. By the third day I was finally finished importing all the data.

Now for the actual fun part, I had pulled out my portable solar charger left it out in the grass by my laptop as I sat underneath the shade of the tree in the green-summer dress I had a cup of lemonade that Sebastian handed to me on my side and my laptop on my lap. My feet were bare and my toes were curled into the soft grass.

I was finished creating data visuals of what products were performing well and what was falling down the performance score. I had already created a dashboard which displayed his net worth and how much he was profiting, losing monthly.

That was pretty much the easy part. I had then begun to isolate the data points by region trying to weed out where and what exactly was pushing his performance levels down.

This kid was like racking in the doe. I stared at my screen with my mouth hanging open. Shit, he lost 3000 pounds just this past week that's a lot of money in a week and in this time period. ( That's like upwards of 100000 usd).

This was not good!

I hit run again on my validation model when my eyes zeroed in on a piece of data that I almost missed (!)

-----

"Have the report run over to the head of McKinley family see what their input is on the matter. Should you see hesitation... make sure you silence them," Ciel drawled as he waved his arm in boredom To shoo Sebastian.

"Knock knock!" Stella's head peaked from the door her radiant smile being a constant reminder of their new resident in the household.

"Am I interrupting your nefarious plotting?" Stella said as she walked into the room without even waiting for Ciel's response.

Ciel sighed as he realized he could do nothing about her lack of mannerism or seeing him as any form of authority over her person. It was a bit refreshing if not bothersome.

"Would it really matter to you?" Ciel asked without even looking at her as he kept scribbling away.

"Not really no... anywho! Guess what? We need to move all of this stuff!" Stella said as she suddenly pushed all of Ciel's things off the table onto the ground.

"What in the world do you think your doing!?" Exclaimed Ciel in anger. All his papers and work he had gotten done in the past two days were destroyed.

"That's all useless after you take a look at what I just discovered," Stella mumbled as she raised her brow.

She pulled out her laptop and pulled up a screen, "I've created a dashboard of everything pertaining to your company. I think you need to take a look at my numbers."

Ciel bought his face closer with Sebastian overlooking him on to the screen.

"When you gave me your calculated monthly report with expenses and revenues I began to plot them but then I realized a few days back that your family also had a log of your family reserves. I logged all the way back to five years and the numbers don't add up. Should you have been a novice without even relaunching your Funtom toy company your personal account alone should have increased. But they have declined at an exponential rate. That also brings me back to this what happens to your family's share? Over 75 percent of it, is currently missing, did you know that!? Then there's the fact that I narrowed down to who is actually cutting your revenue monthly and where you are losing all your monthly revenue. But that's not the point. I think there's someone in the loop who still has control of your assets Ciel, and I think I know who it is..." Stella explained.

Throughout her speech, Ciel's face turned stone cold. Anger was the apparent expression found in his face which then turned to fury and finally to intrigue.

"How could you possibly figure that out?" Ciel asked.

"I did some research in your library and I came across a log which conveniently has a list of every single person the Phantomhive household has employed to what sort of jobs they did. You had an estate manager by the name of Sir Burton De'Marces he was your last estate manager who has disappeared since the incident and conveniently is the only person who had access to your assets," Stella explained.

"Well that does narrow down the search," Ciel mumbled.

"Wait and it gets better," Stella said with a devious smile,

"My, my, you sure love keeping the young master in suspense. I've got to say I'm also a bit curious," Sebastian commented as he looked at Stella with a glint in his eyes.

Something didn't sit well with Ciel but he brushes it off and told her to continue.

Stella pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket. Unfolding it she displayed the headline to Ciel and Sebastian with a grin.

"Sir Burton of Marces holds the country's largest ball of the Season! This is next week at some place but anyway. What I am getting at is this has to be our guy. Where did he get all the money? His family name is not one that is well known so there's no family inheritance or lordship to follow up on. Then there's the fact that the estate that his little ball will be held at is on a Phantomhive investment land," Stella explained.

"Well, then I guess we have a burglar to catch," Ciel said with a smirk.

"I'm so excited!" Stella said as she clapped in glee.

"We will have to get you something more appropriate of this era, if your planning on actually attending this event," Ciel explained.

"Oh, that's right. But I don't really have any money. I'm not sure how I'm going to pay for it," Stella raised her right hand under her chin as she contemplated her dilemma, "hm, the ball is next week which gives me a total of six days to find a job and work for a dress. It might be feasible...?"

"Oi! Who said your paying for your dress. Your under my care and until I say so I am taking care of you," Ciel stated.

"Awe that's sweet, but it's really weird you know. Since you've already been housing me and providing me with food and all. I feel like I'm taking advantage of you," Stella explained.

Ciel got up from his seat. His steps slow and regal like a panther ready to catch his prey. He closed in on Stella as she moved back in her seat confused. His hand glided over her head and down to her hair before he grasped the ends tightly in his hands. He pulled her hair forward as Stella yelped in pain moving closer to him.

"If there's anyone taking advantage of anyone in this relationship that is me," Ciel stated with a smirk.

Stella stared up gapping like her usual moronic self in confusion.

"Dude sometimes I have to remind myself that you're like 12," Stella mumbled.

Ciel bristled in anger, "I'm fourteen for your information!"

"Sorry!" Stella yelped as she moved away.

"Anyways, tomorrow we will head to Nina's to get something fitted for you both for the ball and also garments for other occasions."