Chapter Text
“So this is it, huh,” Dean said, surveying the daunting Phantomhive Manor where it rested in its small valley. The Queen, upon approval from her angelic bodyguards, had gifted them clothes, money, and a free carriage ride to the residence of the Earl, and it was in this carriage that he and Sam currently sat and watched the countryside go by.
“It’s massive,” Sam breathed. “How many servants do you think the Earl employs?”
“Way too many for just one guy,” Dean guessed. “How much you wanna bet this Earl’s going to be a total pain in the ass to work with? He probably just has his people do all the dirty work and takes credit once the case is done, like most rich people.”
“I dunno,” Sam said, “The Queen was pretty adamant about the Earl’s reputation as this time period’s best hunter. The Phantomhives have supposedly done the monarchy’s dirty work for generations; I think that’s a pretty good guarantee that he knows how to hunt, at least.”
Dean opened his mouth to reply, but a knock on the roof of the carriage alerted them to their arrival at the manor’s entryway. The driver helped them unload their bags, but then he was off, speeding away before they could even thank him, looking almost relieved to exit the property.
“Huh,” Dean said.
“That was… weird,” Sam agreed.
Dean turned to the giant wooden doors, raising a brow. “So do we knock…?”
Before he could even raise a hand, the doors were swinging open, revealing the manor’s opulent foyer and, Dean assumed, the servants.
The one who had opened the door was a tall man dressed in a black three piece suit and pristine white gloves, and he smiled as he gestured for them to come in. “Welcome,” he said in a smooth baritone, “to Phantomhive Manor. We have been preparing for your arrival, Masters Winchester. I am Sebastian Michaelis, the Earl’s butler. Behind me are the rest of the servants currently employed in this household: the cook, Bardroy; the maid, Mei-rin; the gardener, Finnian; and our venerable steward, Tanaka-san. Please do not hesitate to call on any of us for assistance during your stay. Now, follow me, please. Finnian, Bardroy, their luggage.”
Heads whirling with all the new information, they thanked Sebastian and followed him up the grand staircase with Finnian, a young blond gardener, and Bardroy, a cook who looked about Dean’s age, following close behind. The maid and the steward bustled out of the room, presumably returning to their jobs.
“Mr Michaelis,” Sam said, curious enough to break the silence, “are you five the only servants in the manor?”
“‘Sebastian’ is a suitable enough name for a butler, Master Winchester” Sebastian said, throwing a charming smile over his shoulder, “and yes, we are the only servants currently in the employ of the Earl.”
“That seems like a lot of work for all of you.”
“We have a very thorough vetting process, you understand; though Tanaka-san is currently in the process of training our new errand boy, if you are that concerned. You will probably run into him later. But please, do not worry yourself over the matters of the Phantomhive staff. You are esteemed guests of the Queen, and we are happy to serve you. …Here we are.”
Their procession halted outside a long, candlelit hallway lined with paintings and sculptures, which Sam took in with wide-eyed interest. “These are…”
“The Earl’s late mother was a bit of a connoisseur of the arts,” Sebastian explained with his ever-present smile. “Most of her original collection was lost, but the Earl collects pieces in her memory. Finnian, Bardroy,” he said, turning to the servants, “please show the Masters Winchester to their quarters.”
“Wait,” Dean said, “what about our meeting with the Earl? We’re here on business. And, uh, food?”
Sam cringed at his brother’s impolite tone, but Sebastian seemed undeterred. “Unfortunately, the Earl is busy reviewing a sponsorship negotiation in his study at the moment, but he will be able to meet with you over supper, which should be ready in—” he paused, pulling out a pocket watch, “an hour. Until then, you are free to acquaint yourselves with your quarters, which the Earl hopes you find to be more than satisfactory. Ring the servants’ bell if you require anything, and please do not roam the hallways. You would not be the first guests to find yourselves lost within the manor. A servant will fetch you for supper. Now, please rest; I am sure your journey has left you tired.”
And with that, Sebastian bowed and left, tailcoats fluttering behind him. Finnian and Bardroy remained straight-backed and stern until the sound of the butler’s footsteps faded, and then their postures completely relaxed into something much more jovial.
“Sebastian run a tight ship around here?” Dean guessed, lips quirking up into a smile.
Bardroy laughed. “Nah, he’s actually pretty forgiving, believe it or not. He just really inspires competency in others, you know?” he said in a surprisingly American accent.
“Sebastian’s really great!” Finnian added. “Even when we mess up. Anyway, we stayed behind so we could meet you! Pardon my assumption, but you don’t really strike us as nobility.”
Bardroy nodded. “We can’t stay for long— dinner’s still being prepared downstairs— but it’s been a few years since I’ve gotten to speak with someone else from across the pond.”
“To be honest,” Dean said, smiling, “I was startin’ to miss the accent.”
“Don’t I know it,” Bardroy chuckled.
“How long have you both been working here?” Sam asked.
“Little over three years now!” Finnian said. “Me ’n Bard ’n Mei. Sebastian hired us all around the same time.”
Sam raised his brows, surprised. “Only three years? Who was working for the Earl before then?”
“Tanaka’s been around since the previous Earl, and I think Sebastian was hired a year or two before we were, but other than that I dunno,” Bardroy replied with a shrug. “Not our business. I didn’t even arrive in England ’til ’86, on account a’ the war.”
Dean, not having the faintest idea which war Bardroy was referring to, wisely nodded his head.
“I see,” Sam said.
“Well,” Bardroy said, “I still need to finish up dinner, and Finny here needs to go cut the roses for table arrangements, so we’ll be leavin’ you two to unpack now before Sebastian catches us. It was nice meetin’ ya, Misters Winchester, and call for us if you need anything!”
“Likewise,” Sam said with a friendly smile, “and please, call us Sam and Dean.”
“In that case,” Finnian said, “you can call us Finny and Bard! We’ll see you around, Sam and Dean!”
Once the servants left, Sam and Dean began unpacking their suitcases into the wardrobe and discussing what they’d learned.
“What d’you think happened to the previous servants?” Sam asked.
“Dunno,” Dean said, “but it seems fishy as hell. I know I was complaining about rich people and their servants on the way here, but five is way too few for a place this big.”
“Six, if you count the errand boy Sebastian mentioned,” Sam reminded him.
“Still,” Dean continued, “it’s weird.”
“Maybe the Earl’s poorer than the mansion makes him seem?” Sam wondered.
“No way,” Dean said. “You saw those hallways full of art. I’m no expert or anything, but those things looked expensive. And didn’t the butler say the Earl was doing business in his office? He seems to be doing just fine with money.”
“Well, whatever it is, I guess it’s not really our business,” Sam said. “We’re not here to investigate the Earl, just work alongside him to find the rogue reaper.”
“And avoid the contract demon,” Dean muttered. “I still think we should do a bit of housekeeping while we’re here, no matter what Cas says. Feels wrong to just… leave a demon to do whatever it wants.”
Sam shrugged. “I don’t disagree with you, but if Cas says to stay out of it, we should stay out of it. It sounds like the demon’s pretty powerful, and we’re not fully equipped to hunt it. Besides, we wouldn’t even know where to start looking for it.”
Dean couldn’t counter that. “Whatever. Let’s just try to figure out how the hell we’re going to get dressed for dinner. I don’t even know what half of this shit is .”