"What are you implying, your Highness?" Claude asked.

"If I can get you a soul that is far better than mine, will you allow me to live in exchange?" Alois asked.

Claude pondered at this for a moment. That was the only way out of a contract with a demon however, but no demon has ever been naive enough to do it. Could there possibly be a soul out there that was any better than Alois'? Ciel Phantomhive being the only exception that Claude could conjure up.

"And who exactly did you have in mind, your Highness?" Claude asked, skeptical.

Alois' grin grew larger as he narrowed his eyes. "Laken." He said.

Claude's eyes widened at the name. "My lord, you don't mean-"

"Yes Claude, that is precisely who I mean." He said, cutting him off.

Laken was the new maid that had been hired to serve Alois. He found that Hannah was incompetent and he grew tired of her, so he sent her away. Laken had been at the manor for a few months now, and Claude grew weary for her.

The smell of her sweet, virgin soul was far more refound than the soul of Alois Trancy. Ever since the first day they had met each other, Claude fantasized about ripping her soul out. It taunted him, almost driving him to madness.

"What do you say Claude? Do we have a deal?" Alois said, snapping Claude from his thoughts.

Claude's emotionless face suddenly turned to a wide, maniacal grin. He sat Alois down onto the roof and knelt down on one knee.

"Yes your Highness, I believe we do." He said.

Alois jumped into the air and clapped his hands together. "Excellent!" He said,  relieved that he was not going to die.

Suddenly, Alois let out a loud scream as a burning sensation came from him tongue. He held his hand over his mouth as the contract symbol disappeared.

After the burning had gone away, Alois found himself confused. "Why did you break our contract now? Aren't you supposed to do that after you take Laken's soul?" He asked.

Claude chuckled as he began to walk away from Alois. "No, I can break it whenever I would like. And the sooner the better, forming a contract with you was regrettably the biggest mistake of my immortal life." He said.

Alois' eyes widened as he spoke. Every word that rolled off Claude's tongue could be compared to tiny daggers stabbing him in the heart repeatedly.

"You don't really mean that, do you Claude?" Alois asked, completely heartbroken.

"Oh yes, indeed I do Alois." Claude replied with another chuckle.

Tears welled up in Alois' eyes as he watched Claude jump from the rooftop, leaving him with that all too familiar feeling. Alois was truly alone again.

How would he even begin to take care of himself? He didn't know how to bathe himself, or cook, or clean. He was absolutely helpless.

He sat down on the rooftop and pulled his knees to his chest. He began to sob quietly as he buried his head between his knees.

"I should have just let Claude have my soul. Nothing is worth loneliness." He cried.

Claude stood on the window sill quietly listening to Alois sob. Usually something like thus would be music to his ears, but something felt wrong.

Claude placed a dramatic hand on his forehead and jumped back onto the roof.

Alois looked up from his knees with a tear stained face. "C-claude? What are you doing?" He asked.

Claude knealt in front of him on one knee and placed a hand over his heart. "I have come back to serve you, your Highness."

Alois scooted back a bit at his words. "Why? The contract is over?"

Claude stood from the ground and scooped Alois up. "I can not just let you die, now can I? Even if our contract is over, I will still remain your faithful butler until I have Laken's soul." He said.

Alois slowly nodded. He hid his head in Claude's chest as a smile crept onto his face. Claude jumped down from the roof and landed swiftly into the room he had originally leapt out of.

He took Alois to his room and sat him down on his bed. Alois watched as Claude opened the wardrobe and pulled out a white nightgown.

He turned back to Alois, only to be met with a saddened expression. "What is the matter your Highness?" He asked.

Alois looked down at his feet. "It's just, when you leave me. I don't want to be alone again." He said as a tear fell from his eye. "I have no one Claude. You're all that I have."

Claude's face remained expressionless, but on the inside he felt a sense of pain for the young boy wash over him. What an odd thing for a demon to feel, he thought. Demons do not feel remorse for helpless humans.

"That is not true your Highness. The triplets will remain at your side." He said.

Alois shook his head. "They will leave when you leave Claude. They are only here because you are."

Claude took Alois' small hands in his own and pulled his chin up to face him. "Your Highness, I will make sure of it that you are not alone. I shall hire you a new staff."

Alois gave him a small smile. "I don't want anyone else Claude, I want you to stay with me."

Claude lightly shook his head. "We both know I can not do that your Highness."

Alois hung his head again. "I know." He sighed.

"But you will be just fine master. You survived on your own before and you can do it again if need be." Claude said.

Alois laid his head down on the pillow and began to close his eyes. Claude began to stand and leave for the door, but Alois stopped him.

"Claude?" He whispered.

"Yes master?" Claude asked.

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" He asked sleepily.

Claude nodded his head and stood by his side.

"You can sit on the bed." Alois said. Claude nodded his head and sat down cautiously.

"Thank you Claude." Alois said, his eyes barely open.

"Of course your Highness."