Here we are, a demon and a reaper!
I suppose we'll never resolve this.
These feelings that we have are forbidden.
Oh, my! It's just like Romeo and Juliet!
O my dear Bassy! Wherefore art thou my sweet love Bassy?
If you would deny thy master and refuse thy name, I know that we could be happy together...

The moment my master uttered my new name, the word became our solemn contract.
I was re-baptized as his, and his alone.
From that day, I have been Sebastian.
By yonder moon I swear it.

To swear by something inconstant as the moon, how I can believe your words?
Yet I see your eyes and know that they do what your lips and hands long to do.
You caress me softly with your unworthy, devilish gaze!
Oooh! It's too much, Bassy!
I would bear your children if only you let me!

Please stop that... It is revolting.

Urgh, you treat me so coldly.

Beautiful tyrant!
Fiend angelical!
My dove-feather'd raven!
Oh, Bassy!
Bassy my love... If only cruel morning would never come!
Then the two of us might go on like this forever.
Our love permanently lit by the moon's seductive glow.
But, no, I'm afraid our adventure ends here.
Shall we part with a passionate kiss?
No, then good night, my love, a thousand times good night!
There now, surely your Cinematic Record would be far more interesting than any human's!
Mmhmmm... Mmm? Mm?


- Opening -


His Butler, At the Funeral


No... No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Who are these people?! What the hell is this?!

That is what my life has been for the past two years, after all.

I'm not interested in seeing your daily chores, I know all that!
Come on, show me the good stuff!

So sorry, I'm afraid I charge for the juicy bits.

Skinflint!

Look at that, my clothes are ruined again.
This is past mending.

You must be pretty confident to worry about your clothes right now.
But of course you know I always appreciate a sharp-looking man. Well done, Bassy!

There was one technique that I absolutely did not want to use... but I have no other choice.

So, at last you're gonna fight me seriously?
Shall we send the curtain down with the next blow?
I'll miss you terribly, but perhaps we'll meet again.
Farewell!
What the hell?!

That was my finest tailcoat, it was made of the highest quality Yorkshire wool.
Wool is a very tricky fabric. Once it becomes caught in something, it is exceedingly difficult to remove.

How could you do this to meee?!

I acquired that coat at the manor, and I certainly didn't want to use it for something like this...
But you had already ruined it, after all.
So then, fisticuffs, yes? That suits me quite well.
I do have some expertise in that area.

No! Please! Just one request! Not my face!
I said, no face!
Please, just stoooop!

I am sorry. I seem to have misjudged the distance, my lord.

You look pretty awful.

He caused me a little bit of trouble, actually.

I'll show you someday...

Oh, dear. I suppose one can't kill a reaper with bare fists alone.
Well then, I'll just try this, his very special reaper scythe. There, that's unstuck.
Now it should cut right through you.

Wh-What are you thinking?! No, don't!

I must say, this is much nicer.
I prefer kicking to being kicked.

That hurts!

Master, he is revolting but still a divine being.
Are you prepared to accept whatever consequences come of killing him?

Sebastian, do you need me to repeat my order?

No, sir.
We finally found something you're good at: screaming. Very well done.
And as a reward, I shall kill you with this cherished little toy of yours.

Stop it, stop! Don't kill me!

So sorry.

I can tell you who killed the kid's parents!

I apologize for interrupting.
Let me introduce myself: I am William T. Spears, an administrator at the Grim Reaper Staffing Association.
I've come to retrieve that reaper there.

William! Oh, William!
Did you came to save me-- Urgh!

Attention, Reaper Grell Sutcliff, you have violated several regulations.
First, you killed people not on the To-Die list.
Second, you used a death scythe that had been modified without authorization.
And finally, you offered someone strictly classified information regarding the identity of his relatives' murderer.
I apologize for all of the trouble this wretch has caused.
Here, please accept my card.
Honestly... I never thought I'd see the day when I had to bow my head to demon scum like you...
This is a disgrace to all grim reapers.

Then perhaps you should keep a better eye on your minions... so they don't trouble us.
Humans are so easily tempted.
They will do anything when in the grip of utter despair.
They will grasp at any thread that promises to save them from unhappiness, no matter the consequences.
You should know that.

That's a charming bit of hypocrisy.
You demons capitalize on that quality more often than we do.

That I cannot deny.

Right now you seem to be a tame dog; that makes you far less dangerous than the rabid mongrels running around free.
Now, come with me, Grell. We're leaving.
We're already shorthanded, and here you've gone and landed me with even more overtime.
The Board is not going to be pleased.

I assume you want that, yes?

Yes, thank you.
Now, if you'll please excuse us.

I'm sorry, my lord. I allowed half of Jack the Ripper to escape.

It's all right... It's... done.

You're chilled to the bone, master. Let's hurry back to the house now.
I'll make some hot tea to warm you up.

That's a good idea.

Sir?!
But, master?

No. Stay back. I can stand on my own.
I'm fine... Just a little tired, that's all.


- Intermission -


Wait, brother!

Hey, look. The church is really crowded today.

I wonder why?

Don't know.

But you're older than us! Doesn't that mean you should know?

You're stupid!

Hey! I'm still only twelve!
It's not like I'm supposed to know everything yet!

You have a point.
At only twelve, it would be a shame if you did understand what's happening.
Let me explain it.
Today is a special noblewoman's big day.

What do you mean, mister?

Well... it's the ultimate ceremony of any person's life.
The funeral.


She has departed from us now, as all mankind must leave earth, as someday we all must.
Her flesh will turn into ashes, but her spirit will remain with the Lord.

[Good, I don't tear...]

May God watch over her eternal soul, and keep...

You're here...!

Is that the Phantomhive boy?

With a scarlet dress...

How inappropriate.

Not so. Think of how she loved the color red.

White flowers and plain dresses didn't suit you in life and they don't now.
You belong in red, the color of passion, color of spider lilies...
Farewell, Aunt An.

♪ London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. ♪
♪ London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady. ♪

Rest peacefully... Madam Red.


The funeral must be going on right now.

Madam Red won't be coming to visit anymore... it'll be so quiet here.

Everyone, we need to get it together.
At a time like this is when the young master needs us the most, ya know.

Yes, you're right!

You bet.

Ho ho ho...
So you've left us, my lady.
You'll be with your loved ones again now.
May you find peace.


What are you still doing here? The investigation is over.

Are we sure? How can we be certain?
The circumstances are also shadowy, I feel it's our duty to investigate further.

Our country has a long and rich history.
And with it comes a certain number of secrets; secrets from which I would advise you to stay away.
It has been decided, boy, this case is part of the underworld and it will be solved in the underworld.

Decided? But by whom?

If you want to know, get yourself promoted.
But I guarantee you'll regret finding out. Some rocks are better left unturned.
Trust me on this, Abberline.


You're not going to report the true identity of Jack the Ripper to the Queen?

I don't think it's necessary. She simply instructed me to stop the incidents.
And now, I have seen to that.

Your world is full of quicksand, and you keep letting yourself sink further and further in.
But even if you reach the point of no return, and all looks lost, you'll still never call out for help.
No, none of us will hear Lord Phantomhive's pathetic screams.
The Queen's dog is too proud for that.
Which makes you a formidable opponent.
I'll have to be careful around you.

Now that you mention it, opium dens are beginning to become a problem.
If you want to get out, now's the time.

If I did that, I'd have to think of another business to run, and that sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

Well, you could always go back to your home country.

Oh, but I haven't exhausted my interest in this country quite yet.
Or for that matter, in you, my lord.
I fully expect more interesting challenges from you.

We have somewhere to go. Come.


This is her?

Yes, indeed it is.
My last customer from the Jack the Ripper.

Apparently she was an immigrant.
She had no family in the country to claim her body.

So our kindhearted earl here hired me to pretty her up, even had this gravestone erected.
A truly noble act on his part, eh?

This isn't noble at all.
The noble thing to do would have been to save her.
And I could have if I put her life first.
But no, I had to catch them.
Apprehending Jack the Ripper was more important.
I knew they intended to kill her.
I knew, and I let her die... along with my aunt.

You regret what you did, my lord?

No, I don't. Jack the Ripper is gone forever, and I've done exactly as Her Majesty asked of me.

Victoria, eh? I don't much like her.
She just sits back and watches while you do all her dirty work for her.
Doesn't seem fair to me.

That's what the Phantomhives do, it's our duty, passed down through generations along with this ring.

That ring reminds me of a collar a master puts on a dog.
You're forever tied to the Queen by the leash of duty.

I chose this life! Stop--!

Lord Phantomhive, you should be wary of the path down which duty will take you; that collar may choke you yet!
And we wouldn't want that now, would we?
Do come by if you should need my assistance again.
You and that hilarious butler of yours are always welcome.

It was noble.

Don't make me repeat myself. What I did wasn't noble...

I thought it was, but you think not, then maybe, it was weakness.

What?!

Tell me, why didn't you kill her?
Your own aunt was threatening you.
It seemed like she was going to take your life.
You could have stopped her.
You could have defended yourself if you wanted to, but you wavered.
Even then, you refused to draw your gun.
Why, master? Were you afraid of killing Madam Red? With your own hands?
Would it have been easier for you if she was a stranger instead of someone who was your own flesh and blood?

I held back because it was your job.
I knew that you would protect me even at the cost of your own life.
That's why I didn't draw my gun on her.
Our contract demands that you serve me, and that you protect me with your very life until I achieve my goal.
Until that time I'm not worried for my safety.
I imagine you demons know nothing of "principles" or "loyalty," but you do know about deals.
And so because of the deal we have made, you'll protect me no matter the circumstance.
Am I wrong?

Of course not, but you stopped me from killing her as well.

When she moved to kill me, there was hesitation in her eyes.
I didn't think she'd be able to do it... not to me, her kin, her sister's son.
One wrong move can cost your life. Just like chess.
She hesitated and lost sight of her next move.
That's all there is to it.
That's why I don't hesitate.

Now that's what I expect to hear.
Always skillfully manipulate your pieces, that's how you survive.
Use me, and Madam Red, any piece within your reach.
Even if the bodies of your pawns pile up at the foot of your throne...
Because if the king falls, this game is over.

I won't hesitate, I won't regret the moves I've made.
Sebastian... you, you are the one person who can never betray me.
And you can never leave my side.
That's an order!

Yes, my young lord.
I will be there, anywhere you wish me to follow.
Even if your throne crumbles, your brilliant crown rusts, and a mountain of bodies piles at your feet... I will stay beside you.
We will sit side by side atop your fallen pawns... until the last bell tolls... I will be there.


- Ending -


My young master has been ordered to develop a certain village into a recreational estate for the Queen.
More too petty a task.
Maybe there is something to that revolting nickname of his, "the Queen's guard dog."
Perhaps it's truer than I thought.
Wag your tail, fetch, good boy.

Next time on Black Butler: "His Butler, Merrymaking."

You see, I am simply one hell of a butler.