My new story The Godfather has been published on Ficbook and AO3.
Thousands of thanks to Katrin-Vates who specially painted this cover.
Since I want to start developing my skills at some point, I will take up the translation of this story first. I consider this style and plot really worthy, so I will be happy to publish it for my English readers.
Please do not post this art to other resources without my permission. If you want to post it on Instagram, make it a repost and give a link to my profile @scarlet_marquis
The action takes place in 1885. Vincent Phantomhive, a loving father and a respectable family man, owns a group of gentlemen's clubs, where debauchery, occultism and satanism flourish. Undermining his activities was entrusted to Sebastian Michaelis, a military intelligence agent. Having infiltrated a network of intrigues, he discovers an unusually strong affection for Vincent's youngest son. The boy is lonely and desperate for love. Sebastian is faced with a dilemma: to fulfill his duty and remain faithful to the crown or save his childhood.
But like, aren’t you guys proud of Ciel Phantomhive?! It takes a lot to come back from that shit. One of the strongest, bravest characters I have ever had the privilege to be way too invested in.
So, I just felt the need to share what’s on my mind right now.
As you probably know, chapter 135 might be the worst chapter in history of Kuroshitsuji for now (I just hope there won’t be any worse than this but something’s telling me we gotta prepare ourselves for more).
Yana made it even more painful for us by showing twins’ happy childhood first.
It ruined me.
But, at the same time it made me see everything in a different way.
Today I want to talk about “Ciel” Phantomhive, a.k.a. Our!Ciel.
I’ve never had so much respect for this boy until I saw everything that he had to go through. Until now, I saw him as merely arrogant and selfish child, who was taking advantage of demon’s power.
But now I understand how strong of a character he is.
Nobody had ever believed in this boy. Since the very birth, he was just a shadow of his twin brother. His spare.
Nobody had ever taken him seriously or thought of him as an individual.
And yet this boy was incredibly smart. He had as much potential of becoming earl as his brother.
His twin, Ciel, was born to already have everything. His future was decided since he was a baby, he didn’t have to do anything for it. And that is only because he was lucky enough to be born several minutes earlier than his brother. From that moment it was clear who of the boys will inherit the title and the power, without even giving the other child a chance to show what he was capable of.
Despite all that, Our!Ciel managed to get where he wanted all by himself. He didn’t abandon his dream of opening a toy store even though he already had the title of earl and the domain.
Yes, he used demon’s power to achieve his goals, but it was his own decision to make a contract with a demon. Not an easy one for a child, especially mentally broken child. He didn’t hide in the corner and cry. He became determined to take revenge on those who did this to his family.
Yet he still couldn’t believe he was worthy to be earl.
He took his brother’s name because it made him more confident, and maybe, he felt that it was right that “Ciel” would live while he, the weaker one, would be considered dead.
He let people bury and forget himself instead of Ciel, and erased all evidence of them being twins as if he had never existed. How brave does one have to be to do something like that?
Just imagine the pain he was carrying in his heart all these years. When Lizzie first met him after that month and hugged him, thinking it was Ciel, he probably thought she wouldn’t be so glad if she knew his real identity. He didn’t tell the truth even to his closest family because he thought it would be easier for them to forget him rather than his brother, who was loved by everyone.
After all, he always cared about his family.
Back in Circus arc, when he ordered Sebastian to kill children hostages, I thought he was too arrogant to think he could decide on their fate only because they have awoken memories of his abduction.
But now I understand. I understand that the pain he went through was so unbearable, he wished he could die rather than live with those memories. And he knew those children will be broken for the rest of their lives, just like himself. He freed them of their suffering.
And more than ever, I understand how much he treasures Sebastian. He’s the only one Our!Ciel can trust. The guardian who can insure something like that would never happen again.
He saved him from that nightmare and helped him get his grace back. That’s why the boy was so scared when Sebastian was seriously injured in Campania arc.
I also see now why he has distanced himself from other people. He doesn’t want anybody to get hurt because of him. He thinks that because of his status as a watchdog, people close to him might suffer, just like he and Ciel suffered because they happened to be watchdog’s children.
He doesn’t want Soma to get too close just because he genuinely cares for him. And he feels guilty that Soma got hurt because of him.
I deeply respect our earl. He managed to get up after all he had to go through, and with that pain inside, he could still smile and care for other people.
He will always be the true Earl Phantomhive for me no matter what.
