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The storm was pouring down hard as thunder booms from far away, Detective Kirigiri enters the Ludenberg Manor, a silent servant approaches and holds their pale hands out to receive her umbrella and coat. Kyoko hands them over before walking deeper into the manor grand foyer. The detective was invited to the manor due to her help with finding a stolen Ludenberg Pendant, her additional reward on top of being paid was apparently and wonderful dinner, and the Mistress of the House refused to pay her unless she agreed to dinner. As Kyoka approaches the duel staircase a regal voice with a vaguely European most likely of French origin accent, calls out from the top of the staircase.
"Hello my dear, I'm so glad you have joined us for dinner" From above her looking down from the banister is the Mistress of the Manor, and the Lady of House Ludenberg. Celestia Von Ludenberg.
Celestia descends gracefully from the stairs, before giving a graceful curtsy. Kyoko simply nods in response.
"Hello Mrs. Ludenberg" Kyoko responds.
"Please my dear, you may call me Celestia, or Celeste. I hope you weren't to unnerved by the servants, they are trained to be silent and ready to serve at anytime." Celestia explains in a pleasant tone.
"Its fine" Kyoko explained. Celestia chuckles to herself and leads Kyoko to the dinning hall.
The room is quite large, with 3 chandeliers hanging above the long dinning table, all the chairs at the table look quite expensive, they are in the Victorian style with dark brown wood and golden accents, with plush velvet cushions built in the seats. The chair at the head of the table was even more regal, the chairs back is 4 feet tall, with curved wood at the top of the chair back in curved like horns, the chairs wood is a pure black, with the plush cushion and backing of the chair being a blood red color.
"Come my dear, take your seat near the head of the table, it would be quite bothersome if I needed to shout to you as we ate our dinner." Celestia says as she sits at the head of the table, the chair is a bit big for her, leaving a few inches of space on either side of her, Kyoko sits down 2 chairs away from Celestia on the left side of the table. Celestia claps her hands and 5 servants enter the room, all of whom are as pale as the butler from the entrance, three butlers set the table as two maids stand at Celestia side, one of the maids approach Kyoko and places down a menu in front of her and stands silently in wait. Kyoko and Celestia makes their orders and the servants disappear into what Kyoko presumes to be the kitchen.
"So my dear, I once again must thank you for finding my pendant, that has been in my family since my grandmother was a little girl, so thank you for finding that madman who took it. Hah, to think that man claimed to be a hunter and I a beast for him to slay. Oh, how I do pity those unfortunate souls that have gone mad" Celestia sighs wistfully. Kyoko hums in thought.
"I thought you said that you didn't give any attention to those below you?" Kyoko asks. Celestia giggles and explains.
"For those in the clutches of madness it is a different story, after all my late father fell into madness, believing this place to be a prison and my late mother the warden, wishing to escape with me. That poor man, after some time of this delusion, he became the reason my mother is now my late mother, rest their souls" Celestia explains with melancholy in her tone, before looking back to Kyoko.
"But do not worry about me, my dear. That was many years ago and I have recovered from the grief, what about you? How is your relationship with your family?" Celestia asks curiously.
"I do not speak with my family anymore, that is all you need to know" Kyoko coldly state, making Celestia hum with amusement.
"No need to be so cold, my dear, but if you wish to keep your family matters private, that is your discission. Then is there anything you wish to talk about as we wait for our food?" Celestia asks.
"No" Kyoko states. Celestia sighs with a soft smile on her face.
"Well my dear, then let us talk about some of your exploits, I'm sure there are many stories you could tell me?" Celestia asks, Kyoko sighs in resignation.
"Someone stole a legal document, I found them and arrested them, the end" Kyoko tells the riveting tale. Celestia chuckles to herself.
"I can see your not a story teller, that is fine. Then I'll tell you a story" Celestia gives a small 'ahem' before beginning.
"Once there was this young women who worked as a knight, she was intelligent and diligent in her duties, but that came at the cost of her connections, the knight was lonely and reserved, preferring her own company to that of others. One day the fair princess heard tale of this knight, and went to watch one of her exploits, as the princess saw the knight at work, the princess fell in love, and the day her crown was stolen, the princess knew this was her chance to court the knight. The princess had her servant give the knight the order to find the crown and return it to the princess, and when the knight did, the princess invited the knight to dinner. After the dinner the princess invited the knight to rest with her in the palace, and the next night they were married and lived happily ever after." Celestia gives a pause as if waiting for an applause, Kyoko simply nods at the young lady, but that seemed to be enough for Celestia as she softly smiles at the detective.
"Romantic, is it not my dear? I am quite excited for when my love will truly become mine" Celestia admits.
"You have a romantic partner?" Kyoko asks.
"Jealous are you? But no, I will say who my heart belongs too" Celestia teases.
"But on the topic of love, do you have anyone special in your heart my dear?" Celestia asks, Kyoko can hear a slight tensing in her voice, like she is anticipating something.
"No, I don't have a partner" Kyoko answers, she can see Celestia subtly smirk after she heard this, before Kyoko could decide what to do the kitchen doors open and maids bring out their food and drinks.
"Oh, looks like our food is ready my dear" Celestia says with a smile in her voice. The food is set in front of the two women as wine is poured into glasses, their food is steaming slightly clearly fresh. Next to Celestia a silver bell that is set on top of an ornate plate is placed next to her, after all is set in place the servants exit the room.
"I do hope you enjoy, my dear." Celestia takes a sip of her red wine, and takes small, polite bites of her food. Kyoko eats her food normally, as they eat in silence Celestia asks Kyoko.
"You know, my dear. It is raining quite heavily outside, and I do not wish for you be in danger, so I suggest you sleep in my manor for tonight, for your safety."
"Its fine, I've driven through worse storms" Kyoko explains. Celestia has her mouth in a firm line.
"If you insist, my dear. On other news, the townspeople will be holding the harvest festival in a few days, will you be staying for it?" Celestia asks with an inquisitive gaze.
"I will not" Kyoko states, Celestia sighs and chuckles.
"Alright my dear" Minutes pass as they eat, Celestia finishes eating first and then watches as Kyoko eats.
When Kyoko finishes she stands back up and pushes her chair in, Celestia rings her bell and a butler comes out and carries off Kyoko and Celestia's dishes, when the butler passes Kyoko she notices an odd mark on the left side of his neck, two black dots close to each other.
"Well, thank you for the meal. Now my payment please" Kyoko asks. Celestia stands up and claps, a Maid comes out and hands Kyoko her payment. As the maid bows to her, Kyoko can sees a marking on her neck, it looks like two black dots in close proximity to each other, its on the left side of her neck, the same as the butler. All the servants in the house were pale, and two servants with the same markings on the left side of her neck. As Celestia leads Kyoko back to the entrance of the house a butler approaches her and whispers something to Celestia, but as Kyoko strains her ears she doesn't hear even a peep from the butler, and as Kyoko looks she can see two black dots in close proximity on the left side of his neck, that makes three and a likely connection. Celestia looks over to Kyoko with a small frown, her voice portrays disappointment but is hiding hints of happiness.
"Oh no, apparently a mudslide caused by the storm has blocked off the road too my manor, I can get someone to start clearing it up, but only after the storm passes for safety concerns. Oh, but do not fret my dear, you can stay here for the night" Celestia explains to Kyoko.
Kyoko nods "Okay, could you show me the guest room please" Kyoko asks politely, but she is suspicious, first all the servants looking the same and not speaking, then the attempts Celestia made to convince Kyoko to stay, and now a convenient but plausible explanation on why Kyoko can not leave. Celestia leads Kyoko up the stair of the Manor and down the hall.
"Well, first let us take a bath, that way we can relax as we settle in for rest, and do not worry about your clothes, my servants will wash them. You can wear one of my nightgowns for your bedwear" Celestia explains as she pushes open the door to the bathing room. It is a large tub of marble takes up most of the room, two towels sit to the side, waiting to be used.
"Come my dear, leave your outfit by the door" Celestia explains as she strips bare in front of Kyoko, leaving her outfit by the door. Kyoko blushes and turns away from Celestia, despite her suspicions of the girl she can't deny the beauty she possesses. Kyoko also strips herself, but leaves her right hand glove on, Celestia looks at Kyoko with a curious gaze as she leaves her glove on, but does not ask. The women settle into the tub, Kyoko leaving her right hand out of the tub to keep her glove dry.
"I can look away so you may clean that hand if you wish, my dear" Celestia suggests, Kyoko nods and Celestia looks away. Kyoko quickly washes her right arm and keeps her hand submerged under the water. Kyoko says that Celestia may look back, and she does.
"So my dear, is the bath to your liking? If you wish I can help you clean your back?" Celestia asks with a small smile.
"The bath is nice, and you don't need to help me clean my back" Kyoko reaches her left arm behind her back and washes herself. Celestia smirks and says to herself.
"Oh, your a flexible one" Kyoko looks at her suspiciously, but doesn't mention anything. As they clean in the tub Kyoko looks over at Celestia, she sees she is pale like the servants, but she doesn't see the dots on either side of her neck. Kyoko decides to begin questioning.
"So Mrs. Ludenberg" Celestia cuts Kyoko off "Celestia or Celeste, my dear" Kyoko pauses before continuing.
"So Celestia, your servants are very diligent, I must ask why they do not speak?" Kyoko asks, Celestia hums pleasantly.
"Oh, it is a tradition for the servants in my family, they are not to talk in my or my guests presence, of course they may if it is an emergency such as the mudslide that happened, but besides events like that they do not speak" Celestia explains. Kyoko hums in thought at the answer. Kyoko decides not to question further while she's in this position, so she finishes washing up and motions for Celestia to turn around so she can dry off her hand. Kyoko exits the bathtub and dries her right hand, placing the glove back on before wrapping the towel around her self, Celestia turns back around and stands back up, stepping out of the tub and drying off as well. After they are down Celestia leads her to the guest room she will be staying in. Inside the room the nightgown is already laid out on the bed.
"I hope you get comfortable my dear, there are still some things I need to attend too, the lights will be turned off for most of the house, please have a lovely time" Celestia bows, giving Kyoko a glimpse of her cleavage before she turns around and leaves, shutting the door behind her.
Kyoko puts on the night gown, noting the tight fit of it, before she begins to investigate the room. Kyoko knows that there is a mystery about this women, and Kyoko will figure it out. She begins by simply investigating the room, she finds a flashlight in the closet of the room, this will help considering how dark it is getting. After examining the room for 2 minutes she decides to sneak out into the hallway while Celestia is still busy, the hallway is almost pitch black, only illuminated by occasional lights and flashes of lightning. As Kyoko walks down the hallway she tries every door, she finds many empty guest bedrooms, so she guess this is the guest wing of the house, as she walks down the hallway she hears footsteps approaching from the other side of a corner. Kyoko ducks into a guest bedroom and listens as the footsteps grow quite as the presumed servant walks down the hall. Kyoko sneaks back out of the hallway and sees that it was indeed a servant, she walks down the corner they came from, she checks more rooms, finding the servants quarters, she makes her way back towards the foyer and walks down the stairs, thankful for the carpet and well maintained stairs to prevent any creaking.
As Kyoko walks down the left hallway she passes what she assumes to be the kitchen, and cracks open the door to see if anyone is their, the lights are off so she turns on the flashlight, silently shutting and locking the door behind her as she examines the dark kitchen. As she examines the room she finds a wooden hatch, it is out in the open so it clearly isn't supposed to be hidden, she open the hatch and descends the latter, she finds what she can now see is the wine cellar, but interestingly their is a freezer room, she opens it up and it reminds her of a hospitals cold storage with the decor and the temperature of the room. As she investigates the room she finds more wine bottles, but as she examines a bottle she notes that the liquid inside it is slightly more viscose than what wine normally is. Kyoko leaves the cellar and sneaks back out to the hallway to continue her investigation.
As she roams down further in the hallway, she notices a room that still has light in it, as she sneaks over she overhears Celestia talking.
"What do you mean the festival needs to be delayed! Those fucking cows down in that town are lazy enough, and know your telling me that the goddamn organizer of the festival is refusing to pay the workers due to them thinking I should be the one to pay for the festival. That little bitch! Those fucking mud covered pieces of shit are the ones who demanded they should have creative control over this festival, and now that little brat is all grown up and thinks he can make demands of Celestia Ludenberg? Find that pig and bring him to the fucking shed! Teach that arrogant son of a bitch what happens when he dares makes demands of Celestia Ludenberg! And tell the entertainment manager of the festival that he got a got a promotion to Event Organizer" Celestia yells at someone Kyoko can't see, she presumes it to be a servant, she hears footsteps and quickly hides under a display table as a maid walks out of the room, she stays hidden before standing back up and listening out for anything else Celestia might say. Celestia sighs dejectedly.
"Oh how I wish You and Mother were here to help alleviate this burden, oh Father why couldn't you see the love Mother had for you, but do not worry you two, I have found the women I love. She is so diligent and hardworking, not to mention her beauty, we even bathed together this evening, how how I had to hold myself back from admiring her more blatantly than I already was. I do wonder why she choose to hide her hand from me, but I do not need to know, I will eventually once we wed, oh how I wait for that day"
Kyoko stands in shock at what she heard, so Celestia is in love with her, and from how she talked about the event organizer it is safe to assume she will give a violent fate to those who displease her. She mentioned a shed and Kyoko remembers their is a Shed in the garden from when she was investigating about the pendant. Kyoko sneaks away to the back area where she knows about the small service door to the garden. She exits out to the garden, slipping on some work boots and a coat, the harsh rain pelts her as she tracks towards the shed. When she enters the shed, which is more so the size of a small apartment room, she investigates the area, finding a hatch behind and false wall. As she descends the hatch she finds a autopsy desk with iron shackles at the wrist and ankle areas, their is a sink near the back that is stained with a dried rust colored substance. On a desk their is a pair of barber scissors and a Iron box with a tube attached to it, it looks like an Embalming Pump, which is a machine used to drain the blood from bodies during the Embalming process. She examines the table and finds that the drain from where the blood goes in has a slot under it that looks like where a bucket or container would be placed.
As she continues her investigation the lights turn on, Kyoko quickly turns around and sees Celestia Ludenberg standing at the light switch in her nightgown. She has a small friendly smirk on her face.
"Hello my dear. You seemed to have wandered quite far away for a midnight snack" Celestia jokes, Kyoko steps back and stands near the desk with the scissors on it.
"What is this place?" Kyoko asks coldly.
"Well my dear, this is where I train new servants" Celestia snaps her fingers and from the latter the maid from before descends with a frightened man in a gag who is kicking and struggling, the petite maid is only holding him with one arm over her shoulder. The maid approaches the autopsy table and locks him in.
"You see my dear, long ago my great great grandparents fell into a bit of an issue. This goddamn town has always been a criminal cesspool, and the jail ran out of room, so my parents thought up of a rehabilitation method" The man struggles on the table as the maid leans down and bites onto the left side of his neck, the man lets out a muffled scream of pain. The maid lets go and stands back up straight like nothing happened. Celestia takes a few measured steps towards Kyoko, looking elegant as always.
"My great great grandparents found this one species of bat, and when it bit down on someone, that person would change, and through their research they found that a human bit by this bat would change, their skin would turn pale, they would grow similar fangs to the bat, and they would stop aging. Of course their were drawbacks, but their most loyal butler offered to be turned so that he may serve the family for generations. After the butler was turned, he found he could also change others he would bite, and if they were drained of all their blood, they would become silent servants to the butler, forever loyal and unquestioning, but they would age like normal." Celestia explains.
"When my grandparents found out about this, they decided to solve the problem with the criminals and the problem of them being understaffed. They would take the criminals and have the butler drain them dry, and just like that they would have servants that didn't need to eat, drink, or sleep. Then my great great grandparents died along with my great grandparents not many years after. My grandparents saw their deaths and decided old age and dieses would not take them, and ordered the butler to turn them, but not drain them fully so they may keep their wills. The butler complied, and my grandparents where in their 30's for 120 years. Through the later years of their life whispers amongst the towns people about my grandparents being immortal blood drinking monsters started to spread, and one day a self proclaimed hunter traveled up to the manor and killed the loyal butler, and fatally wounded my grandfather, leaving my pregnant grandmother the only Ludenberg left." Celestia explains, the maid picks up the pump and inserts the tube into the neck of the man on the table, he screams as the pump turns on and his blood is flushed out by a clear fluid as he dies of blood loss.
She fled the town to some far off country for years, and had my mother abroad. That is where my grandmother learned that if she gave birth, the child would already be turned, and that they would grow until the age of 25, where their body would stop ageing. My grandmother lived abroad for 50 years until one day abroad another self proclaimed monster hunter heard she was their and killed her. My mother killed him and turned him into another husk of a servant, she would then travel back to our home country, by then the rumors of the Ludenbergs being blood drinking monsters faded away, and the story became that a madman wandered into Ludenberg Manor and killed the Master and butler of the house, and the Mistress of the house fled due to grief. My mother claimed and provided evidence she was a descendant of the Ludenberg's, though she claimed being a granddaughter instead of the daughter of her mother just so the time frame would match up. Then she took the role of being the Mistress of the House and started to clean up the town into what you see today" The pump is turned off and taken out of his neck after he is thoroughly bled. After a few seconds the man starts convulsing and then gains a blank look on his face. The maid on shackles him and he stands up like the other servants.
"Don't feel pity over him my dear, he is no saint" Celestia steps closer to Kyoko, Kyoko rests her hand on the scissors.
"Don't be afraid my dear, I know you overheard me talking about how I feel towards you, so considering that my confession. I decided that only those criminals who would gain life in prison or the death sentence would be turned into Husks. This maid killed and kidnapped children, this man was syphoning funds from the festival to host a drug ring. They are not good people, so I decided to make them useful. Please, let me bring you back to your room so I may explain it to you" Celestia pleads. Kyoko picks up the scissors and replies.
"You stay in front of me" Celestia sighs in relief.
"Yes my dear, thank you" She begins walking and climbs up the latter, Kyoko follows suit, they walk out through yard and back into the manor.
"Let us stop by the bath so we may be cleaned up, it is quite dirty down in the cellar" Celestia suggests, Kyoko keeps a stern gaze.
"You can get in the bath, I'm staying out and you will answer my questions" Kyoko orders, Celestia nods and leads them to the bathing room. She undresses and enters the bath.
"So my dear, what would you like me to explain?"
"Were you the reason the mudslide that prevented me from driving away happen" Kyoko asks.
"Yes, I tried convincing you to stay, but you were very stubborn about leaving" Celestia answers.
"Is the wine in the freezer cellar blood?" Kyoko asks.
"So you were down there? Yes, it is blood. I do need it to survive, but I can also eat normal food, but I would need blood after a few months" Celestia explains.
"And do not worry my dear, if i ever did run out of fresh servants for blood, I would simply host a false blood drive to satiate myself, I'm not a mindless beast as to kidnap any soul down in that town, that is how my grandfather got killed after all" Celestia tries to reassures Kyoko.
"The man who stole your Pedant knew you were inhuman, didn't he" Kyoko asks
"Calling me inhuman isn't wrong, but you could try a nicer way of saying it, but yes, he was quite nosy, and then after overhearing a new Husk be made, he broke in, I heard him break in and knew I couldn't just kidnap him, so I heard him sneaking around and talked outload about that pendant being the source of my power, and how it needed to be cleansed to kill me. The arrogant fool believed me, stole it and ran away. I then decided to use this as an opportunity to finally meet my favorite women in the world in person. You shouldn't feel bad we wasn't an innocent man, who in their right mind breaks into someone's home just because they think they are a killer, he could of called the authorities but he didn't. Now he is locked up in an asylum and you are here and know I love you" Celestia explains as she happily washes herself.
Kyoko takes a deep breath, Celestia seems to be telling the truth, Kyoko was debating with herself if she should be okay with what this woman is doing. Kyoko is a detective for many reasons, but one of those reasons is justice and bringing crimes to light, but that doesn't mean she needed to follow the law to do it, that was just the most convenient way to do so, so she doesn't have a problem with what Celestia is doing, if she is telling the truth. Kyoko has only known this women for less than 4 hours, that is not the amount of time needed to get Kyoko to trust someone, but this girl seems to be truthful, truthful enough that Kyoko would give her a chance.
"Alright, why do you love me, we don't know each other" Kyoko asks. Celestia smiles happily as she explains herself.
"Well my dear, I have heard of your adventures for a while now, and so when you came to this country on that country spanning murder case, I knew I had to meet you. So I snuck to where you were investigating and watched you for weeks, don't think of me as some perverted pig, I didn't watch anything private, but what I saw from you in public made me fall in love. Your diligence, your strive and dedication, the way you can handle yourself. All of it made me want to get to know the private you, and get the private you to fall in love with me, I'm not asking for your hand in marriage, yet anyways, and I'm not going to hold you captive here, that didn't end well for mother after all, all I ask is that you give me a chance, let us go on a date tomorrow and let me show you what I can be, what we can be. If you do not find me desirable as I find you, though it would pain me, I would let you go" Celestia explains.
Their is a silent pause as Kyoko decides what to do next, even the sounds of water from Celestia washing herself seems to be quieter. Kyoko takes a deep breath and says.
"Alright, I'll give it a chance" Celestia gains a massive smile on her face, showing off her fangs. "Oh, this is excellent my dear! Come join me in the tub before the water gets cold, your soaked and covered in dust and dirt" Celestia happily asks. Kyoko sighs and strips, leaving her glove on, Celestia turns around so Kyoko can take off her glove and submerge her hand under the water. As Kyoko relaxes in the bath Celestia slowly approaches.
"May I wash you now, my dear?" Celestia asks Kyoko.
"We aren't that close yet" Kyoko denies her advances, Celestia giggles to herself.
"Yes, we aren't that close yet, but we will be" Celestia states like its a fact, and for some reason Kyoko feels like it is. After they wash themselves they dry off, Kyoko quickly placing her right hand glove back on as they exit to the halls.
"If you do not mind me being so forward, may we sleep in the same bed tonight?" Celestia asks teasingly, Kyoko blushes lightly and sighs.
"Okay, but nothing sexual" She sternly says.
"Alright, nothing sexual, but we simply must cuddle, it is a small bed after all" Celestia remarks as she leads Kyoko to the Master Bedroom. Once they arrive Celestia brings out fresh nightgowns for the both of them, they dress into their nightwear before settling into the queen sized bed. Celestia spoons Kyoko, Kyoko blushing at this,
"Good night my dear" Celestia whispers into Kyoko's ear, causing her to shiver.
"Good night Celestia" Kyoko says in a softer voice as sleep claims both of the girls.