That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Colluding

"Did you say... Derrick...?" Gregory asked, breaking the tense silence. The P4 stared at Ciel as if he had said something dangerous.

"Er...! Well..." Ciel said uneasily. 'The mien of the P4 has suddenly changed!?'

"If I recall, Derrick Arden is the son of Duke Clemens, right?" Edward said casually, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Y-Yes," Ciel said, surprised he could be so laid back when the P4 was so on edge.

"I didn't expect you would know him," Edward said.

"We played together many times when I was little," Ciel said.

"Hohh?" Cheslock said.

'The P4 clearly became uneasy the moment I mentioned Derrick's name. But their fags don't seem particularly concerned...?' Ciel thought, watching Edward and Cheslock talk to each other like normal. 'I'll try pressing them a little more.' "In Derrick's letters, he said that he was residing in Red House... so upon my arrival here. I was surprised to learn that he had been transferred to Purple House."

"..." Edgar gazed coolly at Ciel.

"It took us some time to notice his true personality, you see," Lawrence said, pushing up his glasses.

"He was my fag for a time as well... a very capable fellow," Edgar said.

"Quite. He was certainly talented..." Herman said. "However..."

"He was peculiar, at the very least," Gregory said.

' 'Peculiar'? The letter from the queen mentioned nothing of the sort...' Ciel thought. "I see. Purple house does take in eccen... that is, students who excel at one particular thing, after all. What might Derrick's gift be?"

"I can't be entirely certain, but in all likelihood, it is..." Lawrence said, shutting his book as the P4 all answered at the same time:

"Memorization," Lawrence said.

"Cricket," Herman said.

"Song-writing," Edgar said.

"Embroidery," Gregory said.

"Hunh?" Ciel said, taken aback. "Er...?"

"In any case! It was the headmaster's decision to transfer him," Edgar said.

"No order from the headmaster is ever wrong," Herman said.

"..." Gregory didn't disagree.

"And... the headmaster's decision is absolute!" Lawrence said.

"...!" Ciel said.

"—By the way, in regard to the fourth of June ceremony..." Lawrence said.

'—How very odd,' Ciel thought while the prefect talked. 'However much you chalk it up to tradition... for the prefects to not even know the reason... And taking into account their reactions at the sound of Derrick's name... I have no doubt. The P4 is attempting to conceal something!! But if I continue to hound them, I'll arouse their suspicions. Perhaps it's best if I drop the matter here.'

"..." Gregory drew a new picture. This time it was Ciel, being stalked by the Jabberwocky.

=†=†=†=†=†=

"Mei-Rin... How exactly did this happen?" Chêne asked wearily, holding a hand to her aching head while she stared at a leather armchair, which had been completely ruined.

"Well, I, uh, don't know..." Mei-Rin said, fidgeting nervously. "There was a stain on the arm of the chair, so I used bleach—"

"You used what?" Chêne asked, squinting at how stupid the mistake was.