What specifically you did for any of them, how you felt about any of them, whether you ever had any preferences between them and him - because of course such a think would be immensely unprofessional to express, I assume?
Alright, so that's two things on the list, broadly: your opinion of your previous masters, your opinion of him. Either solely or in comparison. Three if you include what you've done for them.
He is aware that my sense of taste is fundamentally different to that of humans, to the point that I cannot tell without outside input what tastes good to a human.
[Cooking was a struggle for Sebastian at first for exactly that reason. These days, he's memorised enough flavours that he can tell by himself if something will be palatable to humans. He still needs help when it comes to completely new flavours.]
I cannot imagine he has considered the matter, because a servant's preferences should be of no concern to an earl, but were it brought to his attention I believe he would not be surprised.
Alright. I think...in a way, it's a particularly difficult, because if there were things you wanted him to know, that you believed were appropriate and necessary for him to know, you'd have already told him, is that right? You don't want to be known outside your ability to perform your role impeccably.
By comply, do you mean that you would put on a convincing performance of enjoying the tea with your habitual level of skill and equanimity, that your actual perception of the taste would change to something pleasurable due to the nature of your Contract, or that you would enjoy...the act of obeying itself, recursively, so that drinking the tea became enjoyable as an element of performing well, but not in a gustatory way?
Okay, so - to the extent that it would be the first, you would actively not want him to know that the performance was a performance, because that would be a failure of the performance required. Obviously, he understands that he has just given an order, but it is up to you to carry it out to such an extent that he takes the results as authentic on some level, or simply takes them for granted. Yes or no?
Mm, well... I would consider it a benefit if my performance came off as genuine to the young master, but even with someone as skilled as I...
The young master does already know I will mould myself into whatever shape he wishes. I would sooner question his intelligence, were he to genuinely believe any of it.
[Ciel does sometimes fall into to very human (especially considering he is a child) trap of assuming Sebastian cares just a little more than what he presents. But that's to be expected... and corrected.]
Alright. So it isn't your place to give your opinion - on tea or on him - but of course you have them.
Relatedly, but perhaps treating it as a separate fact for now: can you confirm that, while of course you perform all your duties exquisitely, some tasks require more effort to do so than others?
[A little uncertain of where this is going. Being a butler is a demanding job, and Ciel is a particularly demanding master. Sebastian has worked hard to be as skilled as he is today.]
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But he doesn't know, at a guess -
What specifically you did for any of them, how you felt about any of them, whether you ever had any preferences between them and him - because of course such a think would be immensely unprofessional to express, I assume?
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And a servant's opinion is irrelevant unless specifically requested, yes.
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Does he know you don't like tea?
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[Cooking was a struggle for Sebastian at first for exactly that reason. These days, he's memorised enough flavours that he can tell by himself if something will be palatable to humans. He still needs help when it comes to completely new flavours.]
I cannot imagine he has considered the matter, because a servant's preferences should be of no concern to an earl, but were it brought to his attention I believe he would not be surprised.
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Alright. I think...in a way, it's a particularly difficult, because if there were things you wanted him to know, that you believed were appropriate and necessary for him to know, you'd have already told him, is that right? You don't want to be known outside your ability to perform your role impeccably.
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I am what my master wants -- or requires -- me to be. To use your example: should he for whatever reason want me to enjoy tea, I would comply.
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By comply, do you mean that you would put on a convincing performance of enjoying the tea with your habitual level of skill and equanimity, that your actual perception of the taste would change to something pleasurable due to the nature of your Contract, or that you would enjoy...the act of obeying itself, recursively, so that drinking the tea became enjoyable as an element of performing well, but not in a gustatory way?
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[Sebastian's not such a Nothing Person that his entire self will be erased at the drop of a hat.]
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That makes sense.
Okay, so - to the extent that it would be the first, you would actively not want him to know that the performance was a performance, because that would be a failure of the performance required. Obviously, he understands that he has just given an order, but it is up to you to carry it out to such an extent that he takes the results as authentic on some level, or simply takes them for granted. Yes or no?
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Mm, well... I would consider it a benefit if my performance came off as genuine to the young master, but even with someone as skilled as I...
The young master does already know I will mould myself into whatever shape he wishes. I would sooner question his intelligence, were he to genuinely believe any of it.
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Have you had masters whose intelligence you did question?
[SURELY]
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Oh yes, very much.
Humans are quite prone to folly.
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[Jedao manages to mostly restrain his grin.]
Alright. So it isn't your place to give your opinion - on tea or on him - but of course you have them.
Relatedly, but perhaps treating it as a separate fact for now: can you confirm that, while of course you perform all your duties exquisitely, some tasks require more effort to do so than others?
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[A little uncertain of where this is going. Being a butler is a demanding job, and Ciel is a particularly demanding master. Sebastian has worked hard to be as skilled as he is today.]