WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Black Butler: Public School Arc Episode 4, "His Butler, Plotting", now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Black Butler: Public School Arc, serving as its fourth season, has proven to be just as mysterious and enigmatic as its predecessors. This arc delves into a mystery at Weston College, an elite institution steeped in tradition and strict rules. However, the school harbors dark secrets, including the disappearance of students, including Derrick Arden, the son of the queen's cousin, Duke Clemens.

With the government unable to intervene due to the school's autonomy, it falls upon the young Earl, Ciel Phantomhive, and his demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, to unravel the mystery. Ciel must infiltrate the school undercover to uncover the truth, navigating the intricate world of Weston College.

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Ciel and the Prefect 4

Upon arriving at Weston College, Ciel quickly grasped the significance of the Prefect 4. Responsible for overseeing student affairs, Edgar Redmond of The Scarlet Fox House, Prefect Lawrence Bluewer of Sapphire Owl House, Prefect Herman Greenhill of Green Lion, and Prefect Gregory Violet of Violet Wolf represented Ciel's pathway to forging connections not only with other students but also with the headmaster. However, to infiltrate their circle, Ciel realized he needed to become a drudge or underling of the prefects.

Maurice Cole and the Mishap at the Swan Gazebo

In episode 2, His Butler, in Disguise, it is revealed that Ciel’s cousin, Edward Midford, the brother of Elizabeth, to whom Ciel is betrothed, is the drudge for the Green House prefect, Herman Greenhill. Ciel has attracted the attention of the prefects due to his skills at cleaning and making delicious tea snacks, especially impressing Edgar Redmond of The Scarlet Fox House. The prefects decide to invite Ciel to the Swan Gazebo, an exclusive meeting place for prefects and their underlings, considered an honor. Redmond’s drudge, Maurice Cole, a popular boy referred to as the "prettiest boy at Weston College," is tasked with inviting Ciel.

However, jealous of the attention Ciel is receiving, Maurice chooses to sabotage him by telling Ciel to meet there at 4 p.m., instead of the scheduled 2 p.m., making him two hours late. This angers the prefects, and Ciel's cousin, making him a social pariah at the school. In retaliation, Ciel vows to get revenge, realizing he can't be the only student tricked by Maurice. Sebastian begins meeting with students and uncovering more information about Maurice Cole’s past treachery. Other students were misled and broke arrangements with prefects, which led to them being ostracized and falling out of favor with the prefects.

Maurice would promise the boys who helped him that he would make one of them his drudge when he became prefect. With this knowledge, Ciel is now ready to move forward with his plans for revenge. However, since students are not allowed in other houses, Ciel decides he needs another spy to infiltrate the Scarlet Fox House. Knowing only students of high nobility and status are allowed in the Red House, he reluctantly asks Prince Soma Asman Kadar to enroll, much to Ciel's annoyance and dismay. Soma, the prince of Bengal who considers Ciel his friend, arrives, setting the stage for an alliance that will prove pivotal in taking down Maurice Cole.

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Revenge Has Always Been Ciel’s Forte

Episode 3, His Butler, Plotting, begins with Ciel's classmate, McMillion, feeling remorseful that Ciel was tricked and vowing to help him by gathering the other witnesses who heard Maurice tell Ciel about the meeting at 4 p.m. The next morning, Prince Soma arrives on an elephant surrounded by dancers. Ciel tasks him with obtaining information on Maurice Cole, under the guise of trying to make friends. Soma irritates Maurice by persistently asking him to talk to Ciel and eventually ends up crashing his elephant into Maurice's room, leading Maurice to have to sleep in Prince Soma's room. In the middle of the night, Maurice gets up, and Soma follows him, discovering that he is placing cards into various other students' boxes. Soma relays this information to Ciel and Sebastian.

Unmasking Deception and Delivering Justice

Shortly after, Ciel asks Maurice to meet him. He does, and during their conversation, Ciel reveals that he knows Maurice's secrets - that he has been having other students complete his tasks via the cards. This was discovered as Ciel had Sebastian search relentlessly through the trash to piece together ripped cards. Additionally, he reveals the other information obtained by Sebastian. However, Maurice had set up an ambush with other students from the Scarlet Fox House. He steals the cards back from Ciel and destroys them. He confesses that he is the youngest son and does not have prospects and wants to gain recognition and acclaim by becoming a prefect, and he will destroy anyone in his way. The students hold Ciel down, and Maurice uses scissors to cut his shirt and threatens to embarrass him in front of the student body.

Suddenly, Prefect Herman Greenhill of the Green Lion House and Ciel's cousin, Edward Midford, burst into the room and fight off the students. Joining them are also Lawrence Bluewer of the Sapphire Owl House and Prefect Gregory Violet of the Violet Wolf House. Ciel reveals that he rigged the room with thin wires attached to horns, which connect at the Swan Gazebo where Edgar Redmond of the Scarlet Fox House is. Redmond angrily tells Maurice that he is no longer his drudge and he denounces him and any "brotherly" relationship they had. Ciel's revenge is not done there. He reveals that he has embarrassing pictures of Maurice, taken by Sebastian who was following him, revealing that Maurice wears makeup and is not actually pretty. This completely destroys his reputation. All the prefects are impressed with Ciel in how he handled this situation, so much so that the Blue prefect makes Ciel his drudge. They have a ceremony, and Ciel is inducted, getting him one step closer to figuring out what is happening to the students at Weston.

The Takeaway

This episode served as a satisfying conclusion to the events of episode 2. Maurice Cole, initially portrayed as a sweet character, proved to be a compelling antagonist. However, Black Butler's strength lies in its ability to reveal that appearances can be deceiving, and Maurice is no exception. Despite his facade, his true motives and nature were swiftly uncovered, leading to his deserved comeuppance. The dynamic between a boy and his butler proved formidable once again. In classic Black Butler style, this episode was filled with wit, charm, and abundant laughs. While perhaps not as dark as previous seasons, the public school arc within the world of Weston College lays the groundwork for potentially darker narratives to unfold.

The violence shown between Maurice and his fellow Red students offered a glimpse into the sinister undercurrents of the school. Sebastian took on a more prominent role in this episode, highlighting the potential conflicts arising from his position as headmaster. Balancing his duties while maintaining secrecy may lead to nighttime tutoring sessions, alongside daytime responsibilities. Meanwhile, Ciel's intelligence and cunning remain as sharp as ever, with Sebastian faithfully serving his master's every need. With Ciel now a drudge, future episodes hold promise for delving deeper into the intricacies of Weston College's world and rules. Ciel's mission to uncover the truth behind the Queen's nephew's disappearance, as well as the fate of other students, sets the stage for compelling mysteries to unravel. With his demon butler by his side, there seems to be no mystery beyond Ciel's capabilities to solve. Ultimately, the third episode reaffirms that the young Earl, Ciel Phantomhive, and his demon butler, Sebastian Michaelis, continue to excel not only in unraveling mysteries but also in administering their own unique form of justice.

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