Blast! He's gone into the woods.
The hunt is more fun when they give us a bit of a chase.
Let's go.
Are you mad? Isn't this...
...the haunted wood?
Surely you don't believe that nonsense?
Of course not!
Get out!
These woods are guarded by werewolves!
You'll be cursed if they discover you!
Gadzooks! Who is that crone?
Who knows. Let's hurry on.
R-Right...
You fools!
Ah, there they are!
Where did the fox go?
Why are they barking?
What the hell is that?!
How should I know?!
W-Was that...
...a werewolf?
Herr Reinald.
Welcome back.
Oh, it's just you.
How was your hunt?
Why, Herr Reinald...
Your nose is bleeding.
Herr Reinald?
What's wrong? Stay with me, Reinald!
Wh-What's going on?!
Stay with me, Reinald!
Herr Briegel!
No!
"A pleasure to meet you."
"Ich freue mich Sie kennenzulernen."
That was appalling. Your intonation is all wrong.
Again.
"Ich freue mich Sie kennenzulernen."
Again.
"Ich freue mich Sie kennenzulernen!"
Black Butler
Emerald Witch Arc
"Ich freue mich Sie kennenzulernen."
I have to stop. This is giving me motion sickness.
How undignified.
I'm just no good at German pronunciation.
I can read it. Isn't that enough?
Germany, my lord?
Yes. Her Majesty has ordered me to investigate
a series of suspicious deaths in Germany.
She ordered you to go in person?
The Phantomhives' role is to manage England's underworld.
I don't see why I should have to go to Germany.
"My dear boy—
There has been a series of suspicious deaths in southern Germany."
"I am told that all of the victims were perfectly healthy
before being struck by a sudden deformity and dying."
"My grandson, William, is Germany's emperor,
and Germany is my family's homeland."
"If an epidemic is breaking out, I wish to provide medical support immediately,
but I have been unable to obtain a clear response from Willy or the Imperial government."
"I am terribly worried."
If Germany isn't answering her inquiries, she can't officially send an envoy.
Thus, the task has fallen to you?
We've gone abroad once before in the course of an investigation,
but I can't make out her reason for sending me this time.
Why not ask her for a clearer explanation?
She'd only dodge the subject.
A dog's job is to joyfully chase the bone his master throws, isn't it?
The Phantomhives have an underground information network across Europe and Asia.
Perhaps her intention was to rely on that.
You-know-who is in Germany. I inherited him from my father.
Let's have Chlaus pay him a visit. Set it up.
Very good.
It's been a long time, Chlaus.
I apologize that this job was so sudden.
Nonsense. It's perfectly fine.
Though I must say your butler appears where he's least expected.
It's been a long time.
I was enjoying a sauna in Finland when he popped up. Gave me quite a shock.
Please accept my apologies.
I'm just glad your holiday was relatively nearby this time.
One time, you were on the other side of the world.
Holidays are the only pastime we old men have left to us.
Now, let's discuss the souvenir you requested from Germany.
I called upon him as soon as I arrived in Germany,
but he claimed to be busy and turned me away.
Oh?
I was forced to inspect the scene myself.
It was very out of the way.
I visited several villages and estates where deaths had occurred,
but I didn't see any signs of an epidemic.
What's more, the victims were uninjured and had been in perfect health.
When I asked what had caused the deaths, the answer was always...
"the witch's curse."
Witch?
Whatever it was affected men and women of all ages,
but the victims did have one thing in common.
They had all visited the same forest before their deaths:
the "Werewolves' Forest."
The locals call it forbidden ground, a cursed place, and the like. All very occult.
The Werewolves' Forest?
Yes. Southern Germany had brutal witch hunts from the 14th to the 17th centuries.
Legend has it the surviving witches fled to a forest and settled there.
Then, they unleashed familiars— werewolves—to protect themselves.
That forest has been called the "Werewolves' Forest" ever since,
and they say everyone who sets foot in it is cursed.
People dying of curses? Ridiculous.
I was certain you'd say that.
I'm sorry that was the only information I could gather.
No, I'm sorry to have put you to the trouble.
I suppose I have no choice but to go in person.
Changing the subject, there's something else I'd like to ask.
Undertaker has disappeared.
Undertaker, eh?
You've known him since my father was earl, so you must know more about him than I do.
I'd like information. Any detail could help.
I'm afraid the two of us stay out of each other's affairs.
And Undertaker met Vincent— your father—before I did.
I assume the only person who knew Vincent longer than Undertaker is you-know-who.
They met in school, after all.
Shall we call on you-know-who while we're in Germany, then?
We'll be in the same country.
A fine idea, but German beauties—well, former beauties— aren't easily wooed.
You'll have to turn on the charm, Junior.
I'll have to pray the beauty is in a good mood when I arrive.
Sebastian, arrange our tickets.
Yes, my lord.
Like father, like son. Why are all their requests so troublesome?
Still, I can't believe he's 13 already.
He must look more like his father every day.
Ich will nicht unter dem Fluch der Hexe sterben.
Ich werde nicht gehen, egal wie viel Geld man mir bietet.
Oi, Sebastian. What language is he speaking?
East Franconian.
It's a dialect spoken in southern Germany.
It's nothing like standard German! What was the point of my studies?!
It's always important to grasp the fundamentals, my lord.
Well? What is he saying?
"I'll not be goin' dyin' o' no witch's curse, no fear."
"No sum o' money could convince me t'take ye there."
And so on.
Has he seen one of the "cursed"?
Have you seen a cursed person?
'Course I 'as! Right terrible sight.
Faces swell'd up twice 'eir size an' skin all meltin'.
One o' 'em died right there an' th' one 'oo lived went doolally from th' shock.
One survived?
S'right.
'E was shakin' in fear an' cryin' out: "Th' werewolves're comin'!"
Where is this person?
Was some rich boy, son o' the Briegels, as lives on th' outskirts o' th' village, but he i'nt there now.
Law came'n took 'im t'big hospital, same as th' dead man.
Can't go lettin' 'im infect no one.
There is a survivor, but his mind was so deeply disturbed,
he kept saying werewolves were coming for him.
So he actually saw a werewolf?
Officials came and took him to a major hospital, along with another victim who died.
Shall I search all the hospitals in the country?
No need. It's no use conversing with someone whose mind is so confused.
It would be faster to go to the Werewolves' Forest ourselves.
He refuses to drive us there, no matter how much we offer him, my lord.
Then, ask him this:
How much for a carriage?
My arse hurts.
Baldo! That's vulgar, yes!
But we've been sittin' here for over a day.
Pretty unusual for the young master to bring us with him, huh?
Yes, yes.
Excuse me! Give us the ball back, please!
Okay!
Here it comes!
Sorry!
You speak German?
...says Donne.
Yeah, a little.
Everyone.
We've procured carriages. Please load our luggage.
So this is the Werewolves' Forest, yes...
It's so creepy!
I can believe it's cursed.
I see the compass is malfunctioning.
There may be mineral resources underground.
Or there may be a curse.
You're saying that, too?
You're attended by a demon, and you've met grim reapers.
I find it odd you don't believe in curses.
In fact...
What connects the two of us is a curse in its own right.
Still, all the "witches" were mere humans falsely convicted in ludicrous trials.
It's not as though they literally flew around in the sky and summoned storms.
It's odder to believe in supernatural powers like curses.
Or, well... I think it is.
Who can say?
Have you ever met a real witch, then?
Yes. Long ago, I met several individuals called that.
Did they summon you to a Witches' Sabbath and worship you?
I very much doubt demon worship was the purpose of the historical Sabbaths.
Perhaps they were more accurately gatherings of wicked adults who wanted to escape reality
by indulging in debauchery.
No human can summon one of us
unless they are prepared to offer their soul in exchange for their wish.
Some of us have been known to appear on a whim, though.
Are you...
Am I what?
Never mind.
Goodness.
Look, young master. There's a building ahead.
So there really is a village in this forest.
Nobody's here. Was this place abandoned?
No. The houses have been maintained.
There are definitely people living here.
Oi! Is anyone here?
Attention, everyone!
Intruders!
A nice warm welcome.
What are you doing here? How did you get in?
Are there no men in this village?
And the women's clothes are centuries out of date!
Tell them we want to speak with the lord of this land.
At once.
We don't want any trouble.
I'd like to see your lord.
What?
Our lord?
Could Sullivan be their target?
Sullivan?
Oi, what are they saying?
Silence!
You must be informants.
Informants? No, that's not true...
We won't let any informants escape!
Don't let them leave here alive!
Death to the informants!
What's all this commotion?
S-Sullivan!
Forgive us for allowing intruders into our village.
Are you Sullivan, the leader of this village?
Indeed.
I am Sieglinde Sullivan,
the ruler of this forest.
I am Sieglinde Sullivan, the ruler of this forest.
This child is their leader?
Where the hell're you from?
Pardon?
Stop that, Wolfram.
Ow, ow, ow!
I apologize. We haven't had visitors from outside in some time.
And...
Wh-What is it?
I don't know how you got here,
but this is Wolfsschlucht, the "Wolf's Valley."
No outsiders are permitted to stay here.
Now get out!
We'd better withdraw for now and come up with a strategy.
Quite.
We understand. In that case, we'll take our leave—
Halt!
You lot don't seem to realize how lucky you were to get through the forest uninjured.
What might that mean?
Don't act like you don't know.
This forest is under werewolf protection.
May I take that as confirmation that this is the "witches' forest" mentioned in folklore?
Herr Wolfram, these people are dangerous. We must dispose of—
Stop.
Young mistress, that's...
So you won't do as I say?
I will.
Listen closely. If you turn back now, night will fall before you're clear of the forest.
That forest is incredibly dangerous at night.
There's no guarantee you'd make it through safely this time. Rather, you'd stand no chance.
Therefore...
We will make a special exception and allow you to stay for one night.
We'll lend you rooms. Leave here as soon as the sun rises—
Herr Wolfram! You can't invite outsiders into the Emerald Castle!
Hilde, the young mistress asks this of us.
Frau Hilde...
What's happening?
The leader will allow us to stay the night at her estate.
That is my mistress's home: the Emerald Castle.
Follow me.
First, he says "Leave," then he says "Stay." What's this about?
I don't know.
However, this village certainly seems worth investigating.
What is this place?!
It's full of torture devices!
...says Wilde.
Those devices were used during the witch trials.
This is getting more and more occult.
Oi, shorty.
What's your name?
Oh, dear. It was rude not to introduce ourselves.
She's asking your name, my lord.
I'm Ciel Phantomhive.
Somehow, I get the feeling she said something rude to me.
Age?
My young master is 13 years old.
Hmm.
We're up high! Fall from here, and you're dead.
We've arrived.
This is the Emerald Castle.