212. The Butler, Heading South

The Butler, Heading South (その執事、南行, Sono Shitsuji, Nankō) is Chapter 212 of the Kuroshitsuji manga.
==Summary==
Ciel and Sebastian take a train on the South Eastern Railway to travel from Reading to Redhill where they need to change trains to get to Brighton for their mission. Because Scotland Yard has stationed police officers at train stations, they are forced to take a detour that doubles their journey instead of taking a direct train of the London and Brighton Railway from London to Brighton.
Soon after their train departs at 7:30 a.m., Sebastian suggests that Ciel has breakfast in the dining car as he has not eaten anything at all since they left London last night. Ciel is unsure about it; after all, he is a fugitive which might make leisurely eating in a dining car rather difficult. Sebastian assures him though that he will be fine because no passenger or staff member would consider that a fugitive might do something so bold. His words convince Ciel, and they head to the dining car.
There, Ciel has a full English breakfast. Sebastian tells him to eat well because he is a mere human "whose thinking and movements become sluggish when they're hungry." Sebastian then proceeds to speak about their travel itinerary and expresses his hope that Scotland Yard has not extended its surveillance to Redhill yet. This makes Ciel wonder how his servants are doing as he worries about them.
Sebastian reminds him that Baldroy travelled to Phantomhive Manor all the way from the USA on his own and that, now, he has Lau with him; a circumstance that astonishes Sebastian as he never imagined Lau would assist them with their investigations. Ciel only laughs at his words and corrects him that Lau is not assisting but exploiting them. Lau was the first to tell Ciel about Karnstein Hospital in April. Ciel remarks that Lau is sharp and does not believe in the occult; after hearing about Karnstein Hospital's resurrections and Sphere Music Hall's blood collections, he must have "connected the dots." Because of that, Ciel is certain that Lau has set his eyes on the Aurora Society's advanced medical technology and that Lau only volunteered to accompany Baldroy as he hopes to find what he seeks at the Athena Sanatorium. At the same time, Ciel trusts Lau for that very reason, and Sebastian agrees that Baldroy the invincible private warrior and Lau the Rising Dragon of the British Concession would "never blunder."
Ciel clarifies that he mainly worries about the other three groups; even Sebastian cannot assure him not to worry about them. While Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao are excellent fighters, they might not make proper maids. Mey-Rin, in particular, has been in Ciel's employment for two years without making any progress with her maid work. Ciel tries to blame Sebastian for that because he suggested employing someone who only worked as an assassin before as a maid, but Sebastian swiftly shifts the blame to Ciel, saying that "his eccentric master" is simply terribly demanding and the manor, as a result, understaffed; Mey-Rin's employment was "a last resort of sorts."
Sebastian then states that Ciel was the first to employ "a curious talent wholly unfit to be a servant" when he decided to take Finnian from an experimental facility in Germany to make him the Phantomhive household's gardener. At that time, Finnian was "like a baby" for he could barely speak. Ciel points out that a baby makes a good servant because they "would never betray nor deceive" him. Sebastian agrees, having seen Finnian's unfaltering obedience and devotion to Ciel first-hand when they were in Germany in August.
Because Ciel picked Finnian for that reason, Sebastian says he was surprised when Ciel took in Snake as well; he even worried that Snake's snakes might bite him one day. Ciel explains that he employed Snake because he did not want Snake to make continuous attempts on his life and because he, unlike the other first-string circus members, was not involved in any kidnappings. His ability to command snakes has been handy too; Snake is even good at his chores, unlike Mey-Rin, Baldroy, and Finnian.
However, even though Ciel says that Snake is "not always dependable," Sebastian is sure that, no matter what and even with their own life on the life, Mey-Rin, Baldroy, Snake, and Finnian will accomplish their missions for the sake of their master. After all, they are servants of the Phantomhive family and able to handle that.
Thereafter, an attendant inquires whether Ciel would like to have tea after breakfast, and Ciel orders some for himself and Sebastian as well. Sebastian, being a demon, might not need to consume human food and drinks, but as he is masquerading as a butler, he needs to keep up his disguise as a human. Ciel also wants to spend the rest of their journey in the dining car instead of in their compartment which he deems, despite being first class, too "cramped." Amused, Sebastian agrees to join Ciel for tea until they arrive in Brighton.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
* Ciel Phantomhive
* Sebastian Michaelis
==Trivia==
* Though Sebastian laments about being unable to take the London and Brighton Railway, that railway line only operated until 1846.
==Navigation==
it:Capitolo 212
ru:Глава 212
Category:Chapters
Category:Blue Revenge Arc