That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Onstage

{Inside one of Scotland Yard's evidence rooms...}

"...I must say... Lord Randall's absence is quite a boon for us," Ciel said as he glanced around at all the neatly organized files lining the shelves of the room.

"Yeah, normally, we'd have been kicked out by now," Chêne said as she helped Sebastian read through the police files and take notes on things they thought might be important. However, just because Lord Randall wasn't there, didn't mean the three of them were left alone in there.

"Please, I'm begging you! If the Commissioner found out about this..." Abberline pleaded nervously with Ciel, fretting as he watched the two servants skillfully and efficiently scan over the classified documents. This room was supposed to have restricted access––not even most policemen could freely come and go in this room!

"It would be better if you didn't leave him to find out," Ciel advised the detective carelessly, as though their actions were no more serious than taking a leisurely stroll through the park.

"First of all––!" Abberline interjected. "How in the world did you manage to get into the third floor file room!?" he demanded incredulously, clearly not taking notice of the open window behind them.

"... Was it supposed to be hard?" Chêne asked innocently. The window hadn't even been locked...

"Miss LeBeau––!?" Abberline exclaimed, looking rather scandalized that such a sweet girl could say something so terrible so easily.

"Ah, it's actually 'Mrs. Michaelis' now," Chêne corrected him, smiling brightly, like an angel.

"Y-You don't say...?" Abberline asked weakly, looking like he just had his heart broken. "I suppose 'congratulations' are in order, then..."

"..." Sebastian and Ciel said as they glanced at the crestfallen man. Sebastian was really glad he had snatched Chêne up while he had such a perfect opportunity. It seemed Chêne had even more secret admirers than he had realized...

"Well, Sebastian?" Ciel asked, moving on to a less awkward topic, by prompting his butler to explain what he and Chêne had found so far.

"Of the children we have been asked to investigate, not one has been found dead," Sebastian reported.

"We're leaving as soon as you've copied it all down," Ciel said decisively.

"Yes, sir," Sebastian replied dutifully.

"Perhaps we ought to borrow the photographs just in case?" Chêne suggested. It would make identifying the children so much easier.

"That would be most troublesome!!" Abberline objected strongly. He was already in enough trouble for letting them see the files in the first place!

"If their loss is discovered, feel free to say I made off with them," Ciel said boredly.

"I'll get even more of a scolding!" Abberline protested, paling slightly at the thought.

"Don't worry, Mister Abberline. We won't keep them long. They'll be returned once I've had a chance to copy them all," Chêne reassured him.

'Ah, that's right... this girl is an artistic genius...' Abberline thought, sweat dropping. She could probably duplicate the likeness of those photographs perfectly.

"You... erm, Master Underline?" Ciel addressed Abberline tentatively, as he turned to face him after taking Sebastian's stack of notes.

"It's Abberline," Abberline deadpanned, chagrined, as he sweat dropped again. Hadn't Mrs. Michaelis just said his name correctly a moment ago? Was he really so far beneath the earl's notice that he couldn't even remember his name over the span of a couple of seconds...?