𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐅 | 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗥

"Oh, please, Ciel!" Madame Red begged, clasping her hands as she leaned toward him. "Sebastian is a wonderful butler. It would do Grell and me some good if she stayed here for a few days and learned Sebastian's ways. She will not be a bother, I promise!"

Her pleading grew more dramatic with every word. She praised Sebastian's skill, his calm manner, and his perfect attention to even the smallest task. Grell, meanwhile, stood nearby with her hands folded and her head slightly bowed. She kept up her shy and harmless act, wearing the same innocent expression she used whenever Madame Red needed others to trust her.

Ciel watched the exchange with growing annoyance. He had already guessed where this was going. Madame Red would continue begging until he gave in, and refusing her would only waste more time.

With a tired sigh, Ciel waved one hand.

"Fine," he said. "But only for a few days. I do not need Sebastian falling behind because your servant does not know how to do her job."

His sharp words did little to change his expression. He already knew Sebastian would not fall behind. Sebastian could complete several tasks at once without showing the slightest sign of strain. Still, Ciel had no wish to let Madame Red turn his household into a training school without setting limits first.

Madame Red brightened at once. "Thank you, Ciel! You will not regret it."

Ciel gave her a doubtful look. He was certain that he would.

Sebastian accepted the arrangement without complaint. His face remained calm, and his posture stayed straight as he listened to Madame Red explain Grell's flaws. According to her, Grell's tea was either too hot or too cold. It also lacked flavor, no matter how much tea she used. The problem had become so common that Madame Red had stopped expecting a good cup from her servant.

Ciel had no wish to hear more about it. Instead, he ordered {{user}} to accompany Sebastian during the training.

"If Grell is going to learn, she may as well have more than one person watching her," Ciel said. "Stay with Sebastian and make sure she follows the instructions."

That was how the lessons began.

The first lesson concerned tea.

It sounded simple enough, but a proper cup depended on several small steps. The pot had to be warmed before the leaves were added. The water needed to reach the right heat. The leaves had to steep for the right amount of time. Skipping one step could leave the drink weak, bitter, or unpleasantly cold.

Madame Red had complained that Grell managed to get almost every part wrong. Sometimes the water was poured too soon, before it had fully boiled. Other times, Grell left it standing for too long. By the time the tea reached the table, it had lost its heat and most of its flavor.

In the kitchen, Sebastian stood beside Grell and watched her prepare the next pot. He kept his hands behind his back, allowing her to work without help. His eyes followed each movement with careful attention.

{{user}} stood a short distance behind them.

Grell lifted the lid from the pot and reached for the tea leaves. The water had begun to tremble with heat, but it was not ready. Small bubbles clung to the bottom, while the surface remained mostly still.

"Please wait," Sebastian said.

Grell paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"You must warm the pot before steeping the leaves," he explained. "If the pot is cold, it will draw heat from the water. The tea will cool too quickly, and the flavor will suffer."

Grell looked down at the pot as if she had never seen one before. "But the water is already getting hot."

"Getting hot is not the same as boiling," Sebastian replied. "The water must reach the proper heat before the leaves are added. If you place them in too soon, they will not release their full flavor."

He pointed toward the kettle. Steam began to rise from the spout.

"Wait until the water is fully boiled. Then warm the pot first. Only after that should you add the leaves and pour in the water."

Grell nodded, though her expression showed that she had already lost interest. She had no desire to spend the day learning the correct way to prepare tea. The task seemed dull, and Sebastian's lessons made every mistake sound like a crime against good service.

She had other matters on her mind. Madame Red had brought her here to improve her skills, but Grell cared far more about helping Madame Red with her secret work than learning how to serve tea. Each day spent repeating small household tasks tested her patience. The more Sebastian explained, the more irritating his calm voice became.

Still, Grell kept her innocent act in place. She lowered her eyes and gave a small, shy sigh, as though she felt ashamed of disappointing him.

Sebastian continued before she could speak.

"The leaves also make the pot lose heat more quickly if they are added before the water is ready," he said. "That is why your tea has been turning cold. The water begins at a lower temperature, and the pot cannot hold enough heat to correct the mistake."

Grell stared at him.

For a moment, she imagined throwing the tea leaves at his face. Instead, she folded her hands over her chest and forced herself to smile.

"I still do not quite understand," she whined. Her voice rose higher than it naturally did, making her sound younger and more helpless. "You explain it so well, but I am afraid I am still confused."

Sebastian's eyes rested on her without changing. He knew she was pretending. Grell could tell from the faint pause before he answered.

She hid her growing smirk behind one pristine glove.

"Perhaps {{user}} would explain it to me," Grell suggested. "I might understand {{poss}} instructions better."

The request was sweet on the surface. Beneath it sat a clear attempt to cause trouble. Grell wanted to see whether {{user}} would repeat Sebastian's lesson, correct him, or become flustered by being placed in the middle. Any result would give her something to enjoy.

Behind her, the water finally began to boil. The kettle gave a soft hiss, and a steady stream of steam rose into the air.

Sebastian turned his attention toward it.

"That is enough," he said. "Now we can begin again."

Grell lowered her glove and glanced toward {{user}}, her false innocence still firmly in place. The corner of her mouth lifted for only a second before she hid it once more.

"Please," she said sweetly. "Tell me what I did wrong."

.