088. The Butler, Assisting

The Butler, Assisting (その執事、助長, Sono Shitsuji, Jochō) is Chapter 88 of the Kuroshitsuji manga.
==Summary==
Wolfram Gelzer aggressively approaches Sebastian Michaelis, demanding where he has come from. Sieglinde Sullivan, then, hits Wolfram for his insolent behavior, apologizing to Sebastian. When she sees Ciel Phantomhive, however, she lapses into a thoughtful silence. Wolfram says that their village, Wolfsschlucht, does not permit visitors to stay. Ciel and Sebastian decide to leave, in order to think of a plan, but the villagers surround them. Wolfram voices his surprise that they have arrived unscathed from the werewolf that protects the Werewolves' Forest. Hilde Dickhaut wants to dispose of Ciel, Sebastian, and the rest of the Phantomhive household, but Sieglinde whispers in Wolfram's ear. In turn, Wolfram tells them to stay for the night, as it is dangerous to venture through the forest again. Hilde is angry that Wolfram is letting strangers into the Emerald Castle, to which Wolfram responds that Sieglinde has specifically requested it so.
Subsequently, Ciel, Sebastian and the rest of the Phantomhive household follow Wolfram and Sieglinde. Ciel questions their intentions, and Sebastian comments that the village is certainly abnormal. They observe the torture instruments, and Ciel suspects that something occult may be behind this. Sieglinde, then, asks Ciel for his name (Sebastian translates this to Ciel), and then for his age.
They soon reach the Emerald Castle. Finnian is about to touch a flower, but Sieglinde warns him that it is poisonous. The rest of the Phantomhive household remain on the ground floor, while Ciel and Sebastian follow Wolfram and Sieglinde upstairs to the dining room. When Wolfram puts her down to her respective chair, Ciel notices that she practices foot binding; he finds this particularly odd, as he has heard from Lau that the peculiar custom is Chinese. Sieglinde calls for Ciel, and Sebastian informs her that Ciel is not yet proficient in German. They, then, wait for an hour. Sieglinde's stomach growls, and she states that her body needs food; they likewise agree that Wolfram is rather late with dinner. Sebastian volunteers to check up with him in the kitchen, and sets off, much to Ciel's discomfiture, as he does not know what to say to Sieglinde.
Sieglinde, then, inquires about something, and Ciel listens carefully so that he could distinguish some of the words. He explains that Sebastian is his butler. She asks about his parents, and he tells her that they are dead. Ciel inwardly wishes that Sebastian would return soon.
In the meantime, Sebastian goes into the kitchen. He offers to help, but Wolfram refuses, remarking that he has finished weighing the ingredients according to the manual. Sebastian declares that Sieglinde is really hungry, so Wolfram should hurry; hearing this, Wolfram accepts Sebastian's assistance. Sebastian opts to make the German local dish Maultaschen, and when Wolfram does not know how to knead the dough for bread, Sebastian assures him that he will handle it. While leaving the dough in the oven, he goes to prepare the rest of the meal. He asks Wolfram if he has already prepared the soup, to which Wolfram replies the negative, claiming that he would get confused if he were to do everything together. Sebastian offers his aid with this matter as well. Internally, he muses that he should be used to the incompetent, as he works with Finnian, Baldroy and Mey-Rin, but Wolfram is a "new type"—he does not do anything useless, and yet he still manages to be "absolutely inefficient"; he is thoroughly astounded that there exists a person who would prepare a meal one dish at a time, and exaggerates that at this rate, dinner would be past midnight. Finnian, Baldroy and Mey-Rin, then, come to the kitchen and offer to help, but Sebastian firmly tells them to rest.
Afterward, Sebastian and Wolfram serve dinner to Sieglinde and Ciel. Sieglinde marvels at the "gorgeous" meal, and Wolfram admits that Sebastian has lent him a hand. Sieglinde eats ravenously, much to Ciel's and Sebastian's astonishment. Suddenly, however, Hilde barges in, crying that the werewolf has appeared.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
*Sebastian Michaelis
*Ciel Phantomhive
*Sieglinde Sullivan
*Wolfram Gelzer
*Hilde Dickhaut
*Baldroy
*Snake
*Finnian
*Mey-Rin
*Tanaka
==Navigation==
es:Capítulo 88
ru:Помогающий дворецкий
it:Capitolo 88
Category:Chapters
Category:Emerald Witch Arc