A devilishly good butler is Sebastian Michaelis, who serves as the butler to the head of the noble Phantomhive family. "Devilish" is to be taken literally, as Sebastian is indeed a demon with whom Earl Phantomhive made a pact. Since then, Sebastian has held not only the most important position in the household staff but also serves as bodyguard and contract killer, answering only to his master. The 12-year-old Ciel is the aforementioned illustrious Earl, who not only runs the family business (candies and toys) but is also an important confidant of Queen Victoria in his role as Earl. She relies on the Phantomhives to discreetly and swiftly eliminate any danger. The Phantomhive household is committed to protecting the Empire from criminal and paranormal activities.