November 8th…

Huh…? Three years? Did he say three years?

Ciel found himself rooted to his spot the moment Azik had uttered out those words. And how could he have not? Although a few things were different from what he experienced in his previous life which left him thoroughly baffled, Ciel had never once considered that the changes were far greater than it seemed on the surface. 

He awoke within a coffin… The heavy presence of the NSRA within the outskirts… His location being in the southern region of the outskirts… The sudden growth of his body… Azik's appearance within The Royal Division… 

Those were all which he took note of, yet now, he realized something else. He himself was different. 

Of course, he understood that he was within some strange shattered state and that his body experienced an unusual change after his first full night's rest. However, it was clear now that far more was still wrong with him. Something had been wrong with him since the very moment he awoke. Something so glaringly concerning that he could not find an excuse as to why he neglected it, even as he was now. 

The problem which he unraveled was simple, from the very start he had assumed time and time again that he was within the year 183 AJ. That was the year he aimed for when he first activated his 'Fool' card ability back within that hellish burning land, when Oliver had already succumbed to his injuries. 

However, now that he pondered over it further, had he not shattered before arriving? Why had he assumed then that his destination was not affected by that? Moreover, when he awoke he possessed this overwhelming sense of certainty and took great leisure in confirming something as basic as the date. 

Sure he had asked Simon, but before that, he could have asked Rin, or Neil, or merely glanced upon the date displayed on the corner of the holographic monitor within room twelve of The Hazard Hotel. 

Why hadn't he? Even now he continued subconsciously ignoring everything which displayed the date. Even Simon who he asked Ciel did not recall the year being mentioned. 

Hmm.

Having a sudden ominous premonition, Ciel's chaotic thoughts focused upon one thing. 

I did ask right? 

Ignoring Azik's frightened figure not far from him, Ciel's head snapped towards the burly man, Max, who 

was situated to his side. Then with a cold voice he questioned. 

"Max is it? Tell me the date… What date is it today?"

Max was left somewhat flustered, from the moment Azik had arrived, the scene which unfolded after made no sense to him. However, Ciel's cold glare was simply too frightening. Within that moment he understood clearly that if he did not answer then this person would kill him without hesitation. 

As such, with a fearful voice he answered. 

"I-It's Friday, November 8th…"

Ciel's eyebrows furrowed deeply as his cold voice only intensified. 

"Come again? What is the date?" 

Max grew more fearful upon that moment, his eyes exposing clearly that he did not understand why Ciel was asking this of him. Ciel did not care about his confusion however. 

"It's Friday, November 8th…" 

Ciel's knitted brows quickly turned into a fearsome scowl as a sudden headache assaulted him. It was a truly savage pain that felt like thousands of needles were currently stabbing at his brain. He grasped his head with one hand as he defiantly continued to glare at Max. 

"F-Forget… Forget the day, only the date! Tell me the date!"

Max's feet moved a few paces back, clearly alarmed by Ciel's fearsome demeanor, nonetheless he again answered. 

"November 8th…"

"Again!"

"November 8th…"

"Damn it! Just the year, what year?!"

"....."

It was here that Ciel finally confirmed it. Something else was wrong with him. He saw Max's lips move yet he heard nothing. At the same time, the throbbing pain within his mind seemed to only intensify. While he was not angry or frustrated, he knew that only through harsh demands would a man like Max answer so tamely. Furthermore, he was currently very wary of his own head. The pain was not the problem however, that did not matter, yet what did was that his thoughts were being interrupted by said pain, turning his mind hazy. 

He was forgetting what he wanted to ask, the question slipping away for a second or two before the sight of Azik made him remember what he was trying to confirm. Had Azik not been within his peripheral vision then perhaps he might have already forgotten the issue. 

For that reason his cold mind understood that this was a chance which might not appear again. All this would risk his purpose for being here, his goal… And the goal was everything. 

And so he continued to ask again and again. The more he did, the better his mind seemed to combat the fogginess enshrouding it, yet the pain also rose to greater intensities and slowly hindered his ability to think clearly even further. 

Ciel continued however, ignoring the unimaginable pain which ravaged his mind… Until finally, something changed. 

"One more time…"

"....6" 

"Again!"

"1—86 AJ" 

The moment Ciel at last heard it emerge from Max's mouth, he experienced a sensation equivalent to someone clearing up water which had entered their ears as the fogginess within his mind rapidly dissipated. With it so did the intense agony. 

It all just stopped. 

Suddenly, Ciel was able to think of the date freely and his thoughts returned to its proper capacity. 

"186 AJ… Hmm so that is the date huh, November 8th 186 AJ" 

It had truly not been the time he aimed for but instead three years later. He then gained a sudden conjecture in regards to one of the previous unknowns. The change that had occurred within his body, when he grew to be a few years older, was that because he was 18 years old in the year 186 AJ? 

If correct, then it also explained why he did not continue to grow further upon sleeping the second time. However, it also meant he was truly dead for the last three years. 

At first, he entertained the idea that he had truly been a corpse when he awoke, yet the fact that his body was completely intact made him doubt such an answer. After then hearing Azik's words just a few moments prior, he briefly considered if perhaps his old self faked his death to escape from Azik and The Red Tiger Gang for some unknown reason, then somehow being buried alive as a form of torture before death when he was found out, yet if his body remained at the state which he was when he was 15 years old then it only meant that he had truly died. 

Before he could dive deeper into this direction, Ciel chose to face Azik once again, completely forgetting about the utterly baffled Max. Azik was staring at him with distant eyes, seemingly lost in thought. However Ciel's cold voice soon snapped Azik back into the present as he questioned. 

"Azik, you said I died three years ago, right? Did you have me buried? Have I been buried for three entire years?" 

If yes then things are still not making sense, how could I have died for that long when I have lived past these years before?

Be it the year 183 AJ or 186 AJ, Ciel should have still been alive. And had he not been, then why was he dead? Why had his body not decayed away? Why were so many things different? 

Azik still appeared intensely fearful of Ciel, however he still answered with a wary tone as his right hand twitched slightly. 

"Ciel… A-Are you even human? I– I saw your corpse. Three years ago you suddenly died, your heart was not beating so I know, and also…" 

As if recalling something truly horrifying he continued with newly acquired fear etched into his voice. 

"Y-Your corpse… I couldn't destroy it! Like fuck man what is going on?! W-What are you?! And why the fuck are you here?!" 

Indestructible huh…

Upon hearing this Ciel's thoughts were like that of a furious whirlwind, yet he could not permit himself to ponder this issue any longer. He had already noticed the newly found determination within Azik's eyes. With it also seemed to come courage as well. 

To Azik, who doesn't know of the supernatural, then Ciel must truly appear like a monster. As something unimaginable and terrifying. 

He had answered Ciel yet at the same time was merely distracting him from his slowly moving hand. Ciel knew this person well so he immediately understood. 

Azik Miles was going to try and murder him here and now, uncaring of anything which Ciel had to say. Such had always been his nature, always quick to kill that which troubled him. Much less that which he feared. 

I guess I will not be joining this gang after all. 

Just as Ciel thought such, he took action. Simultaneously so did Azik. Then…

BANG!

BANG!

The sound of gunfire reverberated across The Royal Casino.