Francis Midford (Black Butler)

Alexis Leon Midford (husband)

Edward Midford (son)

Elizabeth Midford (daughter)

Vincent Phantomhive † (brother)

Rachel Phantomhive † (sister-in-law)

Ciel Phantomhive (nephew)

**Francis Midford (or "*Marchioness* Francis Phantomhive-Midford")**, is a Supporting Character in **The Persona Record Series**, is the wife of Alexis Leon Midford, mother of **Edward** and **Elizabeth**, sister of Vincent Phantomhive, and aunt of **Ciel Phantomhive**.

## Appearance

Francis is a middle-aged woman who keeps her light-brown hair in a tight bun, save for a slightly curled cowlick at the front. She is reputed to have retained the beauty of her youth, and she is well-toned due to her intense physical training. Francis often wears ornate dresses with white gloves and a short beaded necklace.

## Personality

Francis is a proud, austere individual who exhibits decorum and a candid critic of those who do not; she frequently upbraids others for their slovenly appearance or their unseemly behavior and may take it upon herself to correct said appearance or behavior. A fastidious person, she is attentive to detail and cleanliness, and she believes that a disorderly home environment will ultimately lead to moral decadence. She strictly observes rules, and she compels the observance of such in others. Additionally, she tends to arrive at destinations earlier than expected or planned.

Moreover, Francis's prowess as a swords-woman is exceptional. She continues to train rigorously and with unflagging dedication even after marrying Alexis Leon Midford.

## Background

Francis first encountered Alexis Leon Midford when she defeated him in a fencing tournament held by Queen Victoria. She chided him for being weak, despite his position as England's lead knight. Francis eventually got married to Alexis and they had two children together: Edward and Elizabeth.

At some point, Francis started to train her nephew Ciel Phantomhive, who was expected to become the Queen's Watchdog one day, in fencing. After an unsuccessful training session with Ciel, Francis went to her brother's office to talk to him about what should be done if anything were to happen to Ciel. In this case, his younger brother would have to take his place as Phantomhive heir after all, and she did not want a child as sickly as Ciel to be burdened with such a strenuous legacy. To her annoyance, Vincent did not want to give this matter much consideration though.

In March 1886, Francis attended Ciel Phantomhive's titling ceremony as the Earl of Phantomhive.

### Francis, One Month after the Jack The Ripper Case

One month after Angelina Dalles' death, Francis and her daughter, Elizabeth, pay a visit to Phantomhive Manor. When she arrives, she is disappointed by Ciel and Sebastian's lackluster appearances, commenting that they should learn from Tanaka, and insists on an inspection.

Although Sebastian had prepared everything for her visit, Baldroy, Mey-Rin, and Finnian accidentally destroyed all of it, which causes him to change his mind and propose many different destinations in the manor; in response, Francis reprimands him for being "indecisive." As a backup plan, he leads her out to the horse stables, where she challenges Ciel to a hunting competition so that she can determine his level of capability. Sebastian outlines the objective: kill the most animals in a twenty-five-kilometer range of the forest in three hours. They, then, set out.

At the end of the competition, Francis and Ciel tie with fifteen animals each, and they agree that they cannot leave it at a draw. While eating lunch, a bear comes out of the forest and attacks Elizabeth, and Ciel hastily dives over to protect her. The bear is swiftly dealt with, and since Francis has her gun out, Ciel concedes that she killed the sixteenth animal; thus, she is the victor. Francis says it will take Ciel ten years to defeat her, yet she commends his bravery for shielding her daughter. She acknowledges his qualification of becoming her future son-in-law, and they decide to return to the manor.

While on the way there, Francis addresses quietly to Sebastian, who is carrying the carcass of the bear. She returns the knife that he has "left behind" in the bear's head, and reveals that she was so flustered by her fear for Elizabeth's safety that her shot missed. She then questions why Sebastian did not allow Ciel to take glory for his killing of the bear, and Sebastian replies that because Ciel has a lot of ambitions, he must learn some humility. He adds that while Ciel is the head of a house, he is just a child; therefore, he thinks Francis would be a good, adult role model. Francis is impressed by his judicious character and remarks that he is the type that will never be taken advantage of.

At the manor, the other servants have prepared a surprise party for Ciel, and Francis discloses that his thirteenth birthday is the real reason for their visit. She pats Ciel's head, wishes him a happy birthday, and then relies on the servants to take care of Elizabeth and Ciel in the future. Afterward, she thanks Sebastian for everything he has done, and reveals that she is aware of the smashed tea set, the ruined and bare garden, and the burnt dinner that he had earlier tried to conceal. Later, she, Ciel, Elizabeth, Finnian, and Tanaka admire the snow.

### Francis On The Campania

Francis, Alexis, Edward, and Elizabeth plan to travel to New York on the luxury passenger ship *Campania* for three weeks from April 17, 1889. Alexis has Elizabeth invite Ciel on their family trip.

On April 17, Francis, Alexis, Edward, and Elizabeth board the first-class passenger deck of the *Campania*, where they encounter Ciel and his servants, Sebastian and Snake. When Elizabeth hugs Ciel out of joy, Francis scolds her for displaying indecent behavior in public. When Alexis also hugs Ciel, Francis scolds him as well. Afterward, Francis, her family, and Ciel eat together on the ship. Francis has Sebastian and Snake comb their hairs back.

Three days later, the Bizarre Doll invasion begins. At the elevator hall, Francis defends a few passengers from the Bizarre Dolls. She stabs one of the Bizarre Dolls in the chest, but it survives the blow, to her surprise. Sebastian arrives, killing the Bizarre Doll, and informs Francis that the only way to defeat the Bizarre Dolls is by smashing their heads. With that piece of information, Francis is able to eliminate a number of Bizarre Dolls, with Sebastian fighting alongside her. She, then, tells Sebastian that she will excuse his slovenly face and hairstyle, because of the advice he imparted.

In subsequence, Alexis and Edward rush in. When Edward asks Sebastian where Elizabeth is, Sebastian says that Elizabeth is with Ciel, to Francis's and Alexis's relief, for they are certain that Ciel will protect her at all costs. When Sebastian offers to escort them to some place safe, they refuse to go; Alexis declares that the Midfords have guarded England for generations and that, as knights, they would never abandon their people; Edward adds that, as English knights, they protect the weak. Both Alexis and Edward, then, turn to Francis for her approval, which she gives.

Francis, Alexis, and Edward prepare to fight the Bizarre Dolls, while Sebastian is about to leave. Suddenly, the ship violently shakes, shocking them. After running to the first-class deck, they discover that the ship has crashed into an iceberg and Sebastian dashes to the wheelhouse.

Later, Francis, Alexis, and Edward arrive at the first-class lounge; they encourage the passengers there to persevere and kill the hostile Bizarre Dolls, thereby saving the passengers. Afterward, they head to the first-class deck, where Edward helps direct the passengers into lifeboats and Ciel returns Elizabeth to him. The Midfords are in lifeboats, by the time the ship heavily tilts and breaks in two. A rescue ships comes at dawn, and the Midfords return to London.

### Francis Dragging Edward offstage

The week after Edward and Elizabeth attend one of the Sphere Music Hall meetings together, Elizabeth tells Francis that she received a dinner invitation from a friend and leaves with Paula. Francis informs Edward of this, when he later questions her about Elizabeth's whereabouts, while she is eating dinner with Alexis. The same event occurs the following week.

During a Phantom Five performance, an angry Francis drags Edward off the stage, scolding him for "cavorting" while Elizabeth is in "dire straits." When Edward claims that there is a good reason for it all, Francis states that, regardless of the reason, no son of hers will engage in such "indecent" behavior. Since then, Ciel has put the Phantom Five on a hiatus.

### Events in The Persona Record Series

In Chapter 5 of Persona Record: On a Road of Time, Francis finds herself along with her Maid Paula, and her Son and Daughter Edward and Elizabeth, In the Wrong Era and The Wrong Country, Francis While Looking at 21st Century Clothes Comments how some of the outfits for Lady's were inappropriate, But Elizabeth Said some were Cute and Paula agreed, During a Misunderstanding Where Elizabeth Thought Ciel was Cheating on her with Iroha Tamaki, She Chases after Elizabeth as Elizabeth Chases Down Ciel and Iroha, She is able to Grab Lizzie Apologizing to Everyone involved, She Becomes Antiqued with Ann Takamaki who speaks English too her sense she could not understand what the other have said sense they Spoke in Japanese to her, Francis Joins Them in order for her to get back to her Era, at The End she Returns with her Family with their Memories Being Erased of the Events.

## Trivia

* Francis is not included in the Phantomhive family tree from Sascha's files because it only shows Ciel's direct lineage.
* Her Creator, Yana Toboso draws her characters with the typical image of "girls take after their father, boys after their mother" in her mind, Francis takes after her father in appearance.
* "Francis" is the English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus which means "Frenchman."
* "Midford" comes from the place name Mitford in Northumberland and means "ford at the junction of two rivers." These two rivers are the River Font and the River Wansbeck.
* Francis English Voice Actor also Voices Sae Niijima, Makoto Niijima Sister who is voiced by Elizabeth's English Voice Actor.