That Butler, New Face

That Butler, In Training

RATTLE. RATTLE. CLUNK. CLUNK.

A noisy cart was making its way down the road, when one of its passengers spotted something amazing.

"Grandpa! Look, Grandpa!" the boy said, shaking the old man driving.

"What is it? T'ain't nothing but ruins over that wa..." the old man said, trailing off as he turned his head to look and saw what was so important. "Well, I'll be... Am I dreaming...?" Where there had only been ruins the day before, there now stood a stately manor house. It had been restored to look exactly as it did before the fire.

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{Later that morning...}

"Ultimately, this morning's breakfast was foul once again," Ciel stated as Sebastian cut his hair.

"I beg your pardon, Sir," Sebastian said. "I am following the recipes word for word..."

"Don't you taste what you prepare?" Ciel asked.

"My palate is different from that of human's, so..." Sebastian said, snipping off more excess hair. "... If you instruct me in how my dishes offend your sense of taste, I shall work to make the necessary improvements."

"In the meantime, I can make some backup meals so we won't starve," Chêne suggested. She was sitting in a chair, watching.

"Can you cook that well?" Ciel asked.

"My usual repertoire may not be as fancy as what you're used to, but I can promise it'll taste good," Chêne replied.

"Do it, then," Ciel said. He was tired of feeling hungry. "Anyhow... we have a great many things to do from today on. There are far too many things I don't know about us Phantomhives... since the previous earl passed away before he could teach me."

"You must learn about the family, of course. But as head of this house, you must also acquire the knowledge and education that will allow you equal standing amongst the best of the adults," Sebastian added. "Polite society is full of evil spirits more disagreeable than even I. A child like you is their ideal prey, Young Master. Languages, economics, marksmanship, riding, to name a few... there are mountains of things you must study. Last night, I discovered governesses had previously been retained for you, so shall I interview and engage new—"

"No," Ciel said. "I don't want to let anyone in the manor right now."

"..." Sebastian and Chêne said. They could understand why.

"While it may be presumptuous of me to ask, would you allow me to stand in for your governess?" Sebastian asked.

"You?" Ciel said, looking back at him.

"One does not live as long as I have to gain only years," Sebastian said, turning Ciel's head back around. "But I am quite strict, I shall have you know."

"I can help, too," Chêne said. "I tutor my little sister all the time... Though it's probably a good idea for me to stay away from the sciences and history, so I don't accidentally teach you something that hasn't been invented yet."

"I can also teach you how to be a proper maid," Sebastian told her.

"Somehow, that gives me an unsettling feeling... but I don't think I can say 'no'," she said, sweat-dropping.

"That works for me," Ciel said. "As earl, butler, and maid... you two and I are still nothing more than imitations." Sebastian put a medical eyepatch on Ciel. "We have to fashion ourselves into the real things quicker than has ever been done before."

"As you wish, Sir," Sebastian said, removing the sheet they had been using as a barber's cape. Ciel stood up, ready to take action.

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