“A what?”

“It is a potent bacterial toxin that is the cause of acute food poisoning. This is called Botulism” Lu Han explained “a potentially fatal illness caused by botulinum toxin— an extremely potent poison produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It is considered the deadliest substance known, for less than one microorganism can kill a human”

“What in God’s name” Theo gasped

“The bacteria live in low oxygen environments and can contaminate food or open wounds, or can be ingested as spores.” Dr Angus voiced “The toxin affects the nervous system, blocking signals to the muscles. Without medical care, victims typically die from paralysis that stops the ability to breathe” he turned to Lu Han “I see you’ve done your research”

Mary Eliza fell on the ground “But he told me… I could finally be free” her expression blank but her eyes were wide open “that no one can bind me anymore”

“Who was he?” Harrison questioned.

She shook her head as tears began to fall “I never met him. But he wrote me letters and all I know is that he knew everything about me and he was called Jack”

“Jack the Ripper” Rhys spoke.

Kris took a seat beside the fireplace “Pray tell”

Mary Eliza inhaled “It was around summer when I first received the letter. I thought it was just a fan portraying his love but his letters were strange. The first letter said ‘Do you want to be free?’ only six words and bellow written in watermark was the name Jack.”

“The next one was when I was casted to the play where I was the main lead. I was so happy that day but when the next day came, my eyes grew in horror. There in the theatre stamped a pamphlet announcing the last slot for audition— the princess’ role. Bewildered, I went inside to confirm it and shock enveloped me as the playwright nodded in response. I went to the dressing room and found a piece of paper lay on the vanity. It was another note saying ‘Too bad isn’t it? Seems like you are still the second’ I was very furious and crumpled the paper then threw it away”

“I didn’t think about the note that much but when tomorrow came, I saw a bottle of wine displayed in the dressing room with another note written ‘You might need this’. It didn’t bother me as to why but it turns out he was right. I was casted as the main lead’s double, and voila! Who was the princess? The famed actress Anise Le Rou”

Mary Eliza’s face darkened as she gritted her teeth. “She had always been the first in everything and I resented her for that. It was like she was mocking me every time our eyes meet, that I’m no match for her.”

“But it wasn’t all” her breath hitched “He was also father’s favourite. I was ten when I discovered father’s scandalous past. He had bedded with a of a woman and that had conceived their child. Anise was father’s illegitimate child, a proof of his sinful deeds. I was born the same time that wretched girl did. Ten years father had kept her in the dark! Once I knew about the truth, I started to hate my face— her very reflection. The same face who took everything away from me and slowly killed me inside”

“It was always about her. She gained more praises than I did no matter how much I tried my best, my suitors would always fall for her by the end as soon as they saw her, and my father’s affection was turned towards her. Anise here, Anise there, it was driving me crazy!” She exclaimed as she gripped her hair

“Then I received another note, ‘Do you wish to be free?’ I had my resolve. Every day I would wait for the mysterious note to reach me. He knew I made up my mind. I followed all his instructions and finally the last stage was prepared. Love’s Labour’s Lost was the perfect play to do my act”

“Anise would be killed and I shall pretend to be her. My father would also die and it will be my happy ending. But you” She turned to Kris, her face full of anger as tears rolled down “You, my lord, stepped in and destroyed the whole play. You weren’t supposed to lead it, you were a mere pawn”

“Oh?” Kris raised a brow

“Jack had prepared the cast. He will be the King and you, along with the two imbecile young officers will be his servants. All of you will play along the King’s orders. I shall be the princess but Anise was hindering it from happening. There should only be one princess. My servants would have been played by Countess Ernest’s daughters. They were two-faced ” Mary Eliza wore a sinister grin “they were so sweet in front of me but as soon as Anise was there, they were excellent backstabbers. My third servant should have been your fiancée” she scoffed.

“Oh how beautiful she was, making you fall head over heels for her. You’ve been cold-hearted towards the ladies yet she could easily sway your emotions as you look at her lovingly. I was jealous of her. Oh!” Mary Eliza gasped “Is it because she was good in bed? Is it because she shamelessly flashed her body in front of you every night? Or how she submissively opened her legs to you?”

“I think that’s enough, Lady Guttenberg” Kris intervened “A lady should not have a foul mouth”

“Ah yes” She countered “because I’m a lady! That’s why you men love women like them, so fragile and soft-spoken. Because bold women are so rash and untamed!” She shook her head “This is ridiculous”

“You were blinded by your jealousy that you killed your own sister and father.”

Mary Eliza was taken into custody in Scotland Yard as soon as the road was clear. The guests were obviously in shock but by far relieved for their hearts were settled. Lord Guttenberg had retreated to his estate in Manchester and isolated himself from society for a short amount of time in order to recover his grief.

The notes Mary Eliza spoke of had been burned as she was instructed to dispose all of their connections by every possible means every time he sends to her. There were no lingering evidence left of Jack the Ripper.

Kris and Lu Han returned to the manor along with Kevin as they were greeted by three men who stood on the entranceway. All three of them bowed and greeted Kris as soon as the young master approached them.

“Welcome back, young master” A man with blonde locks spoke. He was as tall as Kevin but his body was far more built than the rest of them.

“Lu Han” Kris spoke as he gestured to the blonde man “This is Eli, the butler of the household”

Eli bowed in recognition.

Kris then motioned to the two younger men beside Eli. Lu Han did not need any reason not to believe the two raven-haired lads are twins “These are Kieran and Aidan”

“Hello” they both chorused

Lu Han smiled “Hello”

“Young master” Eli spoke “I have prepared everything and you and master Lu Han can now rest”

“Please” Lu Han intervened “Lu Han is fine”

Eli nodded “Very well”

“Can we call you big brother?”

Lu Han turned around; it was the twins “Hm?”

Lu Han was wandering around the house after a good two-hour rest. He still had a faint headache and decided to rummage through the kitchen for some cold medicine. He spotted the four servants discussing something on the kitchen table when Kevin greeted him and asked him to come over.

“I’m Kieran” the other twin spoke “and this is Aidan” he motioned to his brother who playfully waved his hand “I know you must have trouble varying each of us at first but” he continued “our eyes are different. I have blue eyes and Aidan has green ones so it’ll be easier for you to distinguish us now”

“I see” Lu Han commented sounding impressed “that saves a lot of time”

“Then will you allow us to call you big brother?” Aidan spoke.

Lu Han hummed “I don’t see why not”

Both of them cheered in which Lu Han found adorable.

“Careful Lu Han” Kevin grinned “they might look like that but they were the ones who blew up the entire mansion in Italy”

Lu Han turned to Eli “I thought it was you?”

Eli shook his head “I only suggested it. I’m not into heavy weapons”

“What do you mean?”

“You see” Eli shifted in his seat “we have individual roles in this this household. Kevin is into intelligence and tactical logic, Kieran and Aidan handle all kinds of weaponries, and I do long range shooting and close combat”

Lu Han was impressed “You all amaze me”

Kevin scoffed “Tell that to our employer”

“How did he find all of you, anyway?”

“In my situation, I’m the grandson of his father’s butler and I’m here because I want to annoy the bloody hell out of him” Kevin replied but as soon as he saw Lu Han’s puzzled face, he chuckled “Just kidding. We are indebted to him so I am just returning the favour for my late grandfather”

“Yet he’s bloody smart” Eli commented “you should have seen his room, it’s like an untidy library” in which Kevin elbowed him saying ‘untidy was unnecessary”

“What about you?” Lu Han asked Eli

“I went here to employ myself. My father had a friend who is hired to be a gardener here once in a while and told my father the master of this house lives alone and is thinking of hiring” Eli said “I never thought he’d be younger than me as I pictured out an old man but as soon as we met, well you know, the usual observation and all, I was awestricken. I worked for the U.S. army in a while before going back to England and he told me my military experience would be very useful for the job. At first I didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about and thought I might be safeguarding the house but it turned out to be useful indeed”

“And you two?” he turned to the twins

“Well” Kevin intervened “the two of them were originally from Russia. They are trained spies since they were young”

“We were orphans” Aidan spoke “Kieran and I have been planning to escape from that hell of a training ground since we could remember. We finally found a chance when they shipped us off England to do our mission but the two of us successfully separated from the group”

Kevin sighed “Young master found them interesting and decided to shelter them, helping them strip off their real identities— proclaiming them as dead. From then on, we had done most of master’s orders without fail”

“What about you, Lu Han?” Eli questioned.

Lu Han gulped contemplating if he should tell them the truth or not but before he could say anything, a voice emerged

“He tried to kill me”

All of them turned around.

“Lu Han, you did what?” Kevin exclaimed.

Lu Han sighed “Look, I was tricked into it. People hire me to kill someone for they didn’t want to dirty their hands. I made a small slip and here I am”

Eli looked amused “So there are people who want to kill young master”

“You should have just blown the mansion” Kieran said to Lu Han while Aidan nodded.

Kris turned to the twins “Do you wish to pay the damage? This is the Queen’s property, you know”

Both Kieran and Aidan sighed in defeat.

He clicked his pen as he continuously scribbled on the papers nonstop. His sinister smile never faded, he found them very exciting.

He waltzed around the room as he graced his fingers along the map of England. A map full of marks and photographs, it was his passion.

Grabbing the envelope, he pulled out various photographs of two men he found to be amusing— his new company. He paced around the map as if contemplating before sticking a photograph in the location on the Buckingham Palace.

“Marquis Kristoff Wellesley, how will you entertain me?” he smirked.