Oh, what a magnificent corpse! Such an exquisitely brutal murder!
Instead of hiding these wounds, wouldn’t it be better to highlight them in the shape of a petal by dying them pink?
It is fun, so much fun, being an undertaker.
Now then, the next one is…
This corpse is really third-rate.
On second thought, make that fourth-rate.
It is not a drowned body; furthermore, the mouth shows absolutely no sign of agony…
What did you just say?
His Butler,
Dedi
cated
This morning, you are scheduled to have a dancing lesson with Mrs. Bright.
This afternoon, you have an appointment with Lord Winsler, who runs a trading business.
Are you paying attention, Young Master?
Didn’t I tell you I’ve had enough of dancing?
It doesn’t suit me.
You are too modest.
Your steps, Young Master, have the power to satisfy spectators’ hearts.
By letting them have a hearty laugh? Is that what you mean?
No, no. Of course not.
Look, Tanaka-san, I’ve got three stems floating upright!
A most auspicious sign that today will be an excellent day.
You are Her Majesty’s butler!
Master Ciel.
I am sorry such an unsightly thing occurred in your presence.
How is it that Her Majesty’s butler came to be drinking tea in my mansion?
You may not be aware of this, Young Master,
but Mr. Ash has always been the one to deliver Her Majesty’s orders.
Is that even a butler’s job?
As a butler,
it is only natural to be able to investigate applicants for an audience with Her Majesty using the Domesday Book,
deliver an envelope to Lord Phantomhive shortly thereafter and relish some tea with Mr. Tanaka while about this business,
conducting it during Her Majesty’s afternoon nap.
Well, you could do without tea…
So, Mr. Ash, what can we do for you this time?
Well, now.
There is a Catholic monastery on the outskirts of Preston
that was set on fire during the Reformation, and is currently disused.
A religious society preaching a heretical doctrine has begun assembling there.
Rumour has it that the founder of this society possesses the Domesday Books of all his followers.
You mean the land register? Where things like livestock and property appear?
Even if he has all that information, what good is it to him?
Not Domesday, Doomsday. These books they are worshipping are quite different from what you have in mind.
Note: The Domesday Book was a record of land ownership, pronounced “dooms day”, hence the confusion.
Doomsday: the Day of Judgement.
Indeed, it is a register, but of the sort you need when flung before the Throne of God.
They say all of your offences, virtues and vices are engraved on its pages.
Yet another encounter with the occult…
It would also seem they are planning an uprising against the government.
The residents of Preston are frightened by this heretical menace,
and Her Majesty the Queen is deeply saddened by it.
Does this mean they are to be dispersed,
or rather, eradicated?
I will leave that to your judgement.
Very well.
Pluto!
Who is he?
Just an employee.
I see. He seems interesting.
So, where shall we start?
Victoria Sponge Cake
According to Mr. Ash,
the monastery is heavily guarded.
That would make it difficult to infiltrate directly.
By the way, he also mentioned
a considerable number of coffins have recently been transported into the monastery.
Coffins, eh?
May I come in?
Welcome.
Undertaker, I have a favour to ask of you.
If that is the case,
let my humble being relish this most excellent romance!
Greil!
Hi, Earl.
Undertaker!
He had the impudence to speak disrespectfully about a Death God,
so I pickled him in salt.
Oh, the sensation of moisture slowly leaving the skin…
It is out of this world!
What a dangerous pastime.
What are you doing here?
Investigating something on Will’s orders.
However, I did not find much information, and I got hungry and sleepy.
Having a restorative afternoon nap in a field of flowers, I somehow ended up being carried here.
It could have been a mistake not to breathe while sleeping.
And there I was, waiting for a prince to wake me up with a nice, long tongue kiss.
The subject of your investigation…
Certain Cinematic Records
have been stolen of late.
Cinematic Records?
No need for a brat like you to know about them.
It is a film upon which the memories of a person’s life are recorded.
A Death God extracts it from a person doomed to die,
and passes judgement on his life and death after watching it.
Let me make this very clear: you humans can only see it on the brink of death.
Stolen? They are something that can be stolen?
Well, yes.
They are kept in the library when not in use.
The past of all living things – that is to say, of everything that is doomed to die –
all the sins they commit are carefully recorded in the shape of a book.
A book created solely for the purpose of Doomsday.
A familiar story, is it not?
Undertaker, I need you to help me with something.
If so, bestow the finest laughs upon…
On second thought, my service will be free this time.
I am here to deliver a coffin, as per the order.
A coffin?
I didn’t hear anything about that.
I have it here.
Where did I put it?
Here? No, was it here?
All right, you may enter.
Same goes for the people over there.
Well then, I must be going now.
I have played my part.
Is that so? Thank you for your trouble!
May your soul be purified.
Hey, wasn’t the infiltration supposed to be difficult?
Yes, indeed it should have been.
Impeccable smiles, aren’t they?
Rather instructive for you, Young Master, who forgot how to laugh long ago.
Don’t be ridiculous. Those are false smiles.
Young Master?
Good evening!
Today was a wonderful day again, don’t you think?
Oh, they are so cute!
I have no interest in kids, though.
Good evening, Mr. Unclean.
You really are dirty, through and through.
What?
Did something happen, Mr. Unclean? Are you feeling unwell?
You brat! Leave the “unclean” out, understand?
Ah! I was touched by an Unclean!
You must be cleansed! You must be cleansed!
Wait, you…
Creepy. It’s that Unclean again!
After a certain age, all people are considered impure.
Judging by your clothes, you are a recent convert.
Don’t worry,
once initiated into the teachings of the Founder, you will be purified.
Hey, this place…
Impure? That is strange to hear.
Such a beautiful lady as yourself could not possibly be tainted.
I know close to nothing about this religious society.
Could you please explain it to me in detail?
Of course… But then, what are you…
A bug.
You will explain it to me, won’t you?
Ah, stop it! I’ll become unclean! I’ll become unclean!
Where? In what…
way unclean?
So, he can even use that approach.
She is definitely going on my “Doomed to Die” list!
Hey.
Ah, I can… see it! The gate to Heaven!
Something stinks, at any rate.
Eh?
The Doomsday Books of those who live a long life become tainted.
The Founder purifies a part of the taint recorded in the Book for us.
He also says
the Doomsday Book contains a record of both the past and the future.
Oh? The future, he says?
Yes.
However, the only ones to learn about that are the children chosen for Heaven’s Choir.
Heaven’s Choir? Are they singing hymns or something?
The nuances of it are probably somewhat different from simple singing.
They let their beautiful voices be heard from the Founder’s bedroom.
As only boys are being chosen for Heaven’s Choir,
the young master is the only one who could get close to the Founder.
Really?
Entering Heaven’s Choir is something even I can do.
So? Does it suit me?
Wah! I‘ll become unclean!
You…
Ah, the time of the Founder’s purification ceremony has come!
Purification?
As I said, something really stinks.
Is something wrong?
Nothing.
I just perceived the stench of an apple that has fallen to the ground and rotted through.
Tonight,
all sinful uncleanness will be purified here.
Are those Cinematic Records?
We’re too far away to be sure.
Let us read from the Doomsday Books of these impure, stray children.
Jill Peasant, born the second daughter of a farmer, fell pregnant at the age of 15.
Thomas Atkins. Though he hasn’t committed any noticeable evildoings,
he let the years pass meaninglessly, and this is a grave sin.
Hey!
This is…
Get rid of the immoral! Get rid of the useless!
Get rid of the barren! Get rid of the unclean!
Well, now there is no impurity on this platform.
What shall we do with those washed clean?
Founder! Founder!
Thank God!
This is strange.
The books that guy was carrying weren’t Cinematic Records.
That should mean he has no power to see the past.
Ah, you are still here!
Heaven’s grace has been bestowed upon you!
It’s fine. I can do it myself, okay?
You can’t! Being chosen for Heaven’s Choir
means you must be cleansed down to your fingernails!
Such impeccable skin!
Don’t touch me!
Don’t worry,
we have already been cleansed.
That’s not the…
I beg your pardon. You can leave the rest to me.
That won’t do.
You are still unclean.
I am unclean?
Maybe you are not.
No. It can’t be!
You’re probably very proud of yourself today.
Not at all. I just wish for this matter to proceed smoothly.
I do not intend to put my young master in danger.
To hear those words come out of your mouth…
Even though the Doomsday Books used in the recent ceremony were fake,
that doesn’t change the fact that this Founder possesses some strange power.
Unclean.
That’s what that puppet called me.
And there is also this.
This pattern, which brought me all the way down to Hell,
is the sole spider’s thread I have left.
Do you really believe
that you can escape from Hell by taking hold of it?
No. I am not going to escape.
I will seize the spider’s thread and pull down whoever is holding the other end
into the Hell I am experiencing.
How like my master.
I only expect you to say one thing in such a situation.
Yes, my Lord.
I brought him with me, Founder.
You may leave now.
How lovely you’ve become, Ciel.
This way.
It is a great honour to have been chosen by the Founder himself.
Let me read from the book for you.
Founder, speaking of this Doomsday Book…
Let me read you a book
until you fall asleep.
Tonight is special.
Mother said she would read me a book today, and let me sleep in her bed.
And then…
I will read you a book until you fall asleep.
It is your birthday, after all. Tonight is special.
What is this?
This hand…
Let us erase it;
the sin you have personally given birth to,
let us erase it here and now.
This is…
not how it should be!
Sebastian, this is an order:
kill him!
Yes, my Lord.
As I expected.
You were behind this, Angela!
W—Wait a minute!
What is an angel doing in this world?
Young Master!
That one! That’s a real Cinematic Record!
Greil, use your Death Scythe!
Don’t be so hasty. I’m on it.
What are those?
There’s nothing I can do about it.
My Death Scythe was confiscated by Will the other day.
Let all the light and the darkness of your past
be revealed.
Young Master!
I’ve cut them!
I am on my way.
It would appear that Baron Basquash
will have his appearance at this hour from today onward.
Let us give him a hearty welcome!
“Damu-damu!”
Next time:
His Butler, Redirected.
Preview
His Butler, Redirected
After all, I am one hell of a butler.