The Butler, Scheming (その執事、策動, Sono Shitsuji, Sakudō) is Chapter 76 of the Kuroshitsuji manga.
Summary
The first cricket match takes place between Sapphire Owl and Scarlet Fox. The Red House receives permission to bat first, and it is Soma Asman Kadar versus Lawrence Bluewer. Soma energetically bats, and Lawrence is unable to retaliate. Clayton is up next, but also misses the ball. After a few more rounds, the Red House still has the upper-hand.
The servants of the Phantomhive household, Elizabeth Midford, Paula, and McMillan observe as the Blue House repeatedly loses. Baldroy explains to them the rules and practices of cricket. He adds that since cricket is a long game, they have a tea break every two hours. Thus, he has made a special meat pie, and Finnian and Mey-Rin are afraid that Elizabeth might get poisoned if she consumes this.
Edgar Redmond steps up next, and performs an intricate stance which sends the ball flying; Aleistor Chamber expresses his pride in his nephew. Sebastian Michaelis muses that by spinning around he uses the centrifugal force to hit a powerful slug shot.
In the meantime, Lau and Ran-Mao are present; the former judges that Ciel Phantomhive must have a trump card to overturn the one-sided match. He, having set up a gambling booth, receives bets from speculators of the tournament. Sebastian remarks from a distance that he has not changed at all for gambling in the holy school.
At halftime, the Red House has scored 80 runs, and the Blue House has scored 21 runs. Lawrence petitions for approval from the coach, that is Sebastian, to change the strategy, but he is currently not present. Ciel insists on sticking to the original plan and being the next bowler.
Meanwhile, the students of Red House are positive that they will win. They locate the meat pie, that has been mysteriously moved to a different position. Nonetheless, they set out to distribute the pie.
The following match again, with Joanne Harcourt pit up against Ciel. He relentlessly delivers spin balls, which forces Ciel on the defensive. Joanne is about to deal the final blow, but suddenly he and most of the people in Red House crumple to the ground in stomach pain—Sebastian has furtively given them a meat pie filled with strong laxatives as a counterattack.
Due to Scarlet Fox's inability to continue the match, it is considered a forfeit; Sapphire Owl is pronounced the winner of the first match, much to their own shock. Tanaka then approaches Sebastian and teasingly asks him to confirm that they would not get sick after eating it. Sebastian, amused, gives his reassurance, and Tanaka leaves, saying that he will look forward to the next "Miracle of the Sapphires."
Characters in Order of Appearance
- Lawrence Bluewer
- Clayton
- Ciel Phantomhive
- Edgar Redmond
- Joanne Harcourt
- Soma Asman Kadar
- Tanaka
- Snake
- Baldroy
- Finnian
- Mey-Rin
- Paula
- Elizabeth Midford
- McMillan
- Sebastian Michaelis
- Coward
- Aleistor Chamber
- Lau
- Ran-Mao
