That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Victorious

"I... lost..." Agni mumbled, shocked. He looked so stricken, like a man who'd just been given a death sentence.

"Master Agni... is that right?" Queen Victoria asked as she turned to address the Indian man. "Your curry most certainly did not lose on the criteria of taste. It was a curry I should like to enjoy at leisure at my manor on the Isle of Wight," she said graciously, smiling kindly at him.

"I do not deserve... such kind words," Agni said regretfully, unable to look her in the eye.

He had failed... He had failed his prince, and now...

"My plan... My Royal Warrant..." West mumbled numbly. Agni flinched, startled, when he saw what had become of West.

The man had turned blue with shock, and was stumbling around the room, wobbling back and forth, threatening to topple over with the faintest hint of a breeze...

Chêne tiptoed up to West and blew on him. Sebastian smirked slightly as West started to fall. He might be a bad influence on that girl after all... She'd been acting rather mischievous lately.

"My Lord!" a woman cried out as she rushed forth from the crowd to support West.

"!!" Soma gasped, his eyes widening in shock when he saw the woman.

He'd recognize those silky black locks, glowing brown skin, and beautiful amber eyes anywhere—It was her!

"Mina!?" Soma yelled anxiously.

"Eh...?" Mina said, pausing as she turned to look at him, stunned.

"Ha!" Agni gasped in realization. This...!

"Prince... Soma...?" Mina asked hesitantly, as though she couldn't believe her eyes.

Sebastian, Chêne, Ciel, and Lau stared at her, with varying degrees of surprised looks on their faces, as Ran-Mao munched away on a curry bun. So she had been there the whole time...!?

"I've... finally found you...!! Mina...!!" Soma cried as he threw his arms around Mina, embracing her.

Sebastian glanced at Chêne when he heard sniffling. Somehow she had ended up right next to him on the stage without anyone noticing...

"... Are you... crying?" Sebastian asked her, raising an eyebrow. Was there something the matter with her?

"I-I just can't help it, okay! I'm weak against stuff like this—I always cry whenever Sarah gets reunited with her father in The Little Princess, too!" Chêne said defensively as she patted her face with her handkerchief.

"I see..." Sebastian said, smiling wryly, as he sweat-dropped and patted her on the head. Chêne could be so mercurial sometimes... just like a whimsical little kitten.

"I've been looking up and down and all over for you. I was so worried when you were taken away to Great Britain. At long last... I'm so glad I found you," Soma said as he held Mina close to him, causing the Indian maid to blush slightly. "You have nothing to worry about anymore. Let's go back to the palace together!" Soma said, smiling in relief now that he had Mina back safe and sound again.

"Prince...!" Mina said as she gazed up into his eyes. "Are you an idiot?" she asked bluntly as her attitude suddenly changed completely, and she stared contemptuously at Soma as a vein throbbed on her forehead, her eyes full off disgust.

"Eh...?" Soma asked, shocked, as he stared back at his loving (?) wet-nurse. What was this...? This... This was Mina, wasn't it? Why was she looking at him with such hateful eyes? His sweet, beloved Mina...

"Here you are, hunting me down all the way in England and making a fine nuisance of yourself. Who do you think you are!?" Mina shouted, outraged, as she pulled away from Soma and moved closer to West again. "'Let's go back together'? Don't make me laugh. Who in their right mind would want to go back to a place like that?"