Phipps' Report: Phipps' Anger

The first thing Linnea finished, was the Dishwashing Soap she had Bard test.

It smells of lemons, and makes a lot of soap suds...and easily washes away oils the blonde was extremely happy. The compromise was he has to make sure everything is washed well as the soap is very concentrated so its hard to rinse off, even in hot water.

'Well, I finally did it after so many guinea pigs...' Linnea sighed tiredly.

'You made me buy you silverware nobody will miss, give you our old glassware, anything with gold leaf and then some cookware as test dummies because some chemicals can ruin the surfaces of these items until you made a product that will not harm any of them, as well as non-toxic and skin allergy effects.' said Ciel as he looked at the bottle before him on his desk, and some papers in handwritten reports. 'So this is the final dishwashing product?'

'Yeah. The laundry detergent will take me a while longer.' said Linnea. 'I'm still studying test dummies of various fabrics of many dyeing techniques so I can respond in kind since England uses so many techniques a soap could possibly ruin...if the social classes have a determined set of dyeing techniques on fabrics, half my problems would be cut off by now.' she pouted. 'That bottle will last a housewife a month, if used wisely because its so concentrated.'

'I see...then I shall gather reports about the matter.' said Phipps.

'I'll be grateful.' Linnea sighed.

'Well, once we fully read your reports, we can finally launch production.' said Ciel. 'Good work, Linnea.' Linnea bowed before leaving. 'Well, one of her tasks down, the final hurdle will be the laundry, eh?' he chuckled.

'That's good to know.' said Phipps. 'You have a real genius maid Earl Phantomhive. This genius would not shine if she never ran away from her family, yes?'

'Indeed it never will.' said Ciel wryly. 'And many other geniuses are shining in the Academy I opened it really makes you wonder doesn't it?'

'Indeed it does.' said Phipps. 'So many beauties too among these poor students.'

'Yes. We ensure they are trained well to avoid being tricked into becoming Human Trafficking Victims and avoiding being forced to slavery.' said Ciel. 'The first generation will graduate in about seven more years I think since I just opened that school recently three years ago. Then their test of competence will come as soon as they leave the premises.'

'True, that.'

xxx

Phipps felt that despite his experiences, the Phantomhives still remain a mystery somehow.

The Phantomhives, and the academy students all have one thing in common; beautiful white skin, and healthy, vibrant, silky-smooth hair, as well as being slim and slender for women, and both genders are taller in the Academy. Even the hired teachers who were once 'a bit brown', became lily-white too.

They say its because of the food since the Academy has a set menu for malnourished poor children...other teachers say its the beauty products everyone was made to take and only they are allowed to have some by Director Phantomhive.

When he asked Ciel why he was not marketing it as Phipps felt nobility should have some, he says 'Its to give the poor a chance to appeal and endorse themselves by looking more attractive and thus have better chances of employment.' so it was why he's not marketing it. Not only that, for older graduates, by being 'attractive', chances of marrying into a good family also rose! The gentry will gladly marry you because of your looks however shallowly-stupid the reason was, but the point was, the graduate will have the chance to get his/her family out of poverty, ending their future of poverty and child labor prospects. As for little kids who graduate as teenagers, they can get employment.

The Funtom Academy takes in students as young as five years old to keep them off being exploited as Child Labor. The appeal to families is that their children will be educated and well-cared for while knowing they will rack up a debt as years go by to Earl Phantomhive. But in the school, there is no set age by year level that even little children will share a classroom with teenagers. Graduation age also varies as a result as education lasts a decade.

Thus in Earl Phantomhive's territory, there will be an increase of 'beautiful, capable people' once the first ten years ends.

And if the poor marry into the gentry, there's even a possibility of marrying into nobility, bringing in intelligent, capable beauties into the family, not to mention new blood.

And Linnea was the brains behind this school, Earl Phantomhive just financed and built it for ending generations of Child Labor/Selling Children to Slavery out of Poverty and production purposes by releasing competent and healthier people out in the world capable of getting employment and with better employment prospects. He also introduced new 'occupational courses' for job training since not everyone will be employed in a rich mansion after all. They would be employed in other industries.

The catch was not all children could be saved from Child Labor since due to domains governed by aristocracy how they see fit and their tenants' lives are in their hands according to the law. Thus, only a few families were all for Earl Phantomhive's program while others still exploit children, their future-be-damned. But at least, a lot of children are saved. Better few than nothing which was worse.

In Ciel's hands, were his own territorial lands, the city of London(thus no poor children in its streets), and Baron Kelvin's domain as well as his in-laws sending their domain's children to his school and other aristocrats who support the program but very few of them. He also opened factories that solely employ only women with children too young to go to the Academy, and elderly women who function as nannies and governesses to supervise the children while the mothers work.

Phipps also noted that most of Ciel's businesses, were Pro-Children and Pro-Women.

xxx

One of the many tasks of the Phantomhive, is to give surprise visits and random inspections. To this end, Ciel and Sebastian do random spot checks without informing anybody. Earl Phipps came along, as a part of his job.

Inspecting the classes by listening, and making sure nobody is shut in some closet or something through malicious bullying.

They found ten students and people turning a blind eye to it thus as a result...the consequences were brutal.

You are publicly called out on after sundown flag ceremony, as well as the number of strikes incurred with three expelled students.

Ciel reminded all students and employees, that he means business.

Thus he had a talk with the faculty as well to be stricter on discipline and upbringing, or there's more people who can have their job. He also did a spot check on attendances, and making sure the students are actually in school, instead of 'mysteriously disappearing' to fates unknown.

One girl did vanish and investigation led to a teacher's...inappropriate action's discovery...needless to say not only was he fired, he was jailed and all he owns given to compensate the injured party and her family as a means to deduct the girl's Student Debt. It was good the girl wasn't pregnant...

However, Ciel still took steps that made security tighter because these findings utterly upset him and 'put his foot down'. Phipps also has to use his own authority as well because it was his first visit here yet something like this happened!

Considering who he is, the Faculty and administration are much more terrified of him than the young lord considering he is their queen's secretary...and the eye of royalty will be on them from now on. Granted, they knew of the random unpredictable check-ups and yet someone has the nerve to commit offenses and crimes in the Phantomhive Facility...

xxx

Phipps also visited Ciel's many factories.

Well-maintained and well-oiled machines, standards of hygiene and cleanliness top-notch and workers treated well.

Ciel owns many factories of clothes iron, hygiene products such as soap and shampoo, toys, sweets, curry in the form of Curry Roux cubes...

'Oh the curry factory? Its much tastier than the randomly-mixed crap put together in Curry Powder no? Its so housewives can afford to serve curry at home even if they don't know how to blend spices. Unlike Curry Powder bottles which is brewed by a total know-nothing-know-it-all amateur, we have a much more better curry roux recipe blend. Of course, Linnea planned that one out. If you like, you can compare at home. By the way, the blends are so children can enjoy it without crying for how hot it is. Children-friendly. Its currently one of my best-selling brands with the clothes-iron next to it.'

Then there's his Hotcake Factory. Its basically a factory that specializes in making pre-packaged hotcake flours. Standards in this factory are EXTREMELY STRICT. Pure, 100% flour, not 'mystery blends' sold to gullible commoners in Bakeries and such in a bid to cheat them out of their money. Ciel is extremely strict with food standards since his businesses are mostly food-based and he would unleash fiery hell if his employees dared to corrupt his standards just to make a quick buck while tarnishing his name and reputation. He also runs a flour mill with carefully-selected employees who underwent rigorous character tests. Ciel got more strict with security now that he got a Royal Warrant, and to ensure supply, he has several farms, and importing overseas.

At home, Linnea showed Phipps the horrifying difference.

'This, is adulterated flour from a local bakery mixed with alum powder and chalk powder.' Linnea scowled as she had to buy a small pack of it to deliver her point across. 'And our packaged flour, guaranteed 100% cereal grain. For now I took out wheat flour since I like its taste.' she said as there's another package with the Funtom Label. 'We'll make a pancake using two different flours and you can compare the effects.' she said as she and Snake made different batters and Linnea both cooked pancakes.

The adulterated flour pancake is a thin, flat, limp sad pale thing while the pure wheat pancake was much thicker and fluffier, and much browner with a nice wheaty fragrance and taste.

'We gave many hints about food quality and standard malpractice to Scotland Yard over the years as we have our jobs. Their duty is the surface, ours is the Underworld.' said Linnea. 'Since they clearly either didn't get it or don't give a damn,' she said with a cross expression, 'We created a Flour Factory. But due to our guarantee, sadly, only the well-off, gentry and nobility can have it. The poor who can't afford it will sadly, suffer. Not even we can work a miracle about that. The only way to prevent poor children from eating bread out of adulterated flour, was our Funtom Academy and the factories we opened for unemployed women so some of our country's population is spared somehow, and the tenants and towns of Phantomhive Domain are given Funtom Flour as part of their pay for working in the farms so they don't have to buy the crap in London. This is the extent we can do if not everyone is acting on it in their domains. We even endorsed to the Royal Kitchen but the Royal Baker didn't take us seriously even after we got a Royal Warrant, thinking we just sell the same thing under a different name and advertisement, the young master is still a kid and still buys to where the Royal Family buys for generations.'

Phipps looked absolutely furious. Then when he tasted both pancakes, the difference was shocking.

'I-I need to return to the palace this instant.' and he quickly left.

'...he's so upset about it.' said Bard as the man left so fast, while Bard took the adulterated products for disposal.

'Probably because they buy from a store and then he saw the results eerily similar and Master Phipps takes baking as seriously as I do...' Linnea sighed. 'Alum is poisonous over time and chalk, while OK to the human body somehow, has no taste and nutritional value and just added body waste. This adulterated flour has 50% wheat, 20% alum and 30% chalk.' she said, pointing at the 'brand x'. 'Bad for growing kids.'

For Phipps who took pride in being a baker other than his job, he seriously could NOT believe this.

He has been using adulterated flour for years that he worked hard to reach his quality-level to please the queen and then everyone at home and his liege is eating adulterated flour!

No wonder bread and cake at Phantomhive Manor was so delicious. He tried making his usual cakes with their flour in his first few days of stay, and the difference, was huge he often had to re-adjust before challenging Linnea to a bake-off, and his products were much more delicious even if he still lost to the girl.

He has never been so angry.

How upset he was, showed when he made his weekly report in person on Saturday instead of a weekly Sunday letter.

'So that's how it is?' Queen Victoria smiled, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. Phipps said that Ciel took him along for a 'surprise visit spot check' on all his businesses, factories and his academy to show that he has high standards and everything was pro-women and pro-children to ensure the health of his workers and children of his domain. The last stop was the Flour Factory just to deliver their point home since people they gave hints to, are 'either blind, stupid or don't care'.

'I recommend we throw all our flours out as we all apparently, eat adulterated flour for years your majesty. A flour that's part poison and part sand.' Phipps choked out despite maintaining his composure but his pride as a baker made him shake in his fists.

'Very well. We will act on it. Immediately.' came the cool, and furious yet polite response from his liege. 'And we want all our flours disposed of, and we want the sources investigated regarding the flour we have been using for years.'

'Yes, your majesty.' her secretaries answered.

xxx

'Never seen Phipps so angry.' said Earl Gray as he and John Brown got back from the kitchen, ordering them to get rid of their flour and never buy from their usual store again, and order from Funtom from now on.

'Baking is his pride.' said John. 'He reached his level for our queen's sake only to learn he's partly responsible in feeding her poison and the fact that flour he's using isn't really pure flour that we all buy from a place that also has a Royal Warrant.' he said, 'When he tasted the difference, he's shocked, especially as he's been to Funtom Flour Mill in person and saw how their flour is made.'

'Hmmm...maybe we should let Phipps cool off.' said Grey. 'He's scary when mad. If I fly in a rage, he's tranquil anger and it shows in much scarier ways.'

'He's cooling off in Phantomhive Manor isn't he? At least we don't have to deal with his anger.' John pointed out.

'Ditto, that. Come to think of it, Head Knight Midford never touched even a single biscuit in our balls and banquets...noooow we know why.' said Grey wryly.