Chapter 1

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The last appearance of the light after sunset shone in the garden of the Phantomhive Manor. The sky was filled with bold, brilliant, and different colors before it was completely engulfed in darkness. The lingering hues painted the clouds with a spectacular display, the likes of which had not been seen for many months. As twilight deepened, shadows stretched and intertwined, casting an almost mystical aura over the ancient estate.

In the corner of that garden was a young child in his teens. His emerald eyes, framed by golden locks, shone as beautifully as the flowers that should have filled the yard. But strangely enough, the piece of land, rather than colorful and adorned with different types of flowers, was filled with mud and scattered, destroyed plants. The barren, forlorn garden stood in stark contrast to the grandeur of the mansion it surrounded.

"Hey, Senna, how many times have I told you that flowers should be treated delicately?! You destroyed the garden again. I just asked you to remove the weeds," an old man with almost the same features as the teen called out as he approached.

"Old man Finny, it’s not my fault, you know. I was really weeding the garden, but somewhere in the middle, I noticed that even the plants were weeded out," Senna replied, his voice tinged with frustration and guilt.

"Don't talk back, you brat!"

Finny gave a gentle, yet firm, whack on the head to the young lad. It remained a mystery to Senna how his more than 100-year-old grandfather was still so strong. Finny could perform his job exceedingly well as the head gardener and caretaker of the abandoned house. His strength was something that could be considered inhumane. Senna remembered how the old man could lift things easily that even ten grown-up men together would find really heavy. He often joked with his friends that his Grandfather Finny was a relative of Superman, which always made them laugh.

"Seriously, I put my heart and soul into beautifying the garden, and this is what you do," Old man Finny shook his head at his hopeless grandson, his voice a mix of disappointment and affection.

"What would the young master say if he saw you like this? If only Sebastian-san were here, fixing this in no time wouldn’t be a problem at all. I will fix this mess early in the morning tomorrow," Finny said, his thoughts drifting to the past.

Again with the young master and that butler, Sebastian Michaelis. Senna sighed. His grandpa loved talking about the two. Apparently, this house, a hundred years ago, was owned by a young lord—a thirteen-year-old child at that. He was incredibly wise, sly, and business-minded, and of course, cute. He was composed and mature, which was hard to believe for a child that age. Most children that age would be running around with snot on their noses or, in this modern age, would be stuck playing video games and watching the internet. And his grandpa almost worshiped the butler's godlike skills.

Perhaps his grandfather was just beautifying his memories of the young master and the black butler, like looking through rose-colored glasses or something, Senna wondered.

He couldn’t blame him, though. When his gramps was a child, the young master had saved and taken him into his manor. For his gramps, the young master was his savior. And he intended to repay them by watching over the manor. This manor was once owned by nobles called the Phantomhives. But the last member of the Phantomhive family, the young master, had died at the early age of thirteen, and the long history of the noble family ended with him.

"I told you, the young master is not dead," Finny said, his voice firm with conviction as he gave another whack on the head to the young gardener.

"Ouch!! Gramps, that’s impossible," Senna protested, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

"The young master will be back. And when that time comes, I will welcome him with all my heart," Finny declared, his eyes shining with a mix of hope and determination.

Senna was confused by Old man Finny’s words but passed it off as some old man’s ramblings. He had heard these stories countless times and had grown used to them, though he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation whenever his grandfather spoke of the young master’s return.

"Come on, Senna, it’s night already. Let’s have dinner," Finny said, his voice softening as he placed a hand on Senna’s shoulder.

"Okay, old man," Senna replied with a smile, grateful for the warmth and care his grandfather always showed him.

The two went inside without noticing that a tall man clad in black was watching them from the shadows. His presence was almost ethereal, his silhouette blending seamlessly with the darkness.

"I'm coming, young master," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling of the evening breeze. As he spoke, the darkness enveloped him, leaving no trace behind. The garden, now quiet and still, seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the return of a time long past, and the secrets that lay buried within its ancient grounds.
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Author's note

I ended up writing this since it's been on my mind for so long, another of my "what ifs" but I don't know if I can continue this story. I have no definite plan n mind.

Well then, bye.

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