Golden S Badge

*"The Golden S Badge. It is given to one person out of every 100 butlers in an Advanced Butler's Academy. Only one person receives it every 10 years. Only a butler of S Class can receive that badge."*
—Izumi Ryuonji describing the Golden S Badge.

The **Golden S Badge** (sometimes referred as "**Golden Badge**") is the highest badge a butler can obtain and only the most elite S-Ranked bulters can receive this prestigious brooch. According to Izumi Ryuonji, only one butler out of a hundred butlers can obtain the badge and this only occurs every 10 years. In the franchise, only a bunchful of butlers have been noticed to possess the Golden Badge, the most notable butler who possess the Golden Badge is none other than Rihito Shibata.

In her earliest years of her childhood, Mei Hongo (when she apparently lived in the Hongo Mansion) would remember being rescued by an unnamed butler who had a Golden Badge on his chest, by calling it a "*shimmering brooch*". The emblem of the Golden S Badge is also considered as the "official logo" of the Mei-chan no Shitsuji franchise.

## Notable S-Rank Butlers

* **Rihito Shibata** (S-Ranked, Active): Mei Hongo's butler. The most popular and well known S-Rank butler, the first butler introduced in the franchise to possess a Golden S Badge (besides the hypothetical Unknown Butler's existence). Currently active and serves as his lady's personal butler. Rihito is arguably the strongest S-Ranked butler so far in the series, possibly rivalling or surpassing other powerful butlers such as Alfred, Sakuraba and his grandfather during his prime.
* **Hideto Shibata**: (Former S-Ranked, Retired): The grandfather of the Shibata Brothers, Kento and Rihito. He was among the Hongo Estate's first generation of butlers, formerly the second head butler of the Redford Ducal Residence. According to his grandson, Hideto is said to be excellent in his butlership. However, he betrayed the ultimate rule of butlers: falling in love and marrying the lady he served.
* **Unnamed Butler** (Status Unknown, Possibly S-Ranked): The very first butler to be introduced in the franchise, who also appears to have a Golden Badge on his suit (if we discard the theory of this butler is also Rihito). Little is known about him, fans believes this butler might be Rihito.
* **Alfred** (S-Ranked, Active): The Redford Ducal Residence's current headbutler, Alfred is quite popular and well appreciated among butlers and maids of the Redford Residence. Initially, he was tasked to capture Kento from his escapes and would later become the young duke's tutor in the ways of butlership.

## Possible Candidates

* **Kento Shibata** (Current A-Ranked, Silver Badge): Currently trains for becoming the best butler for Mei, rivaling his older brother's ideals as well. He is currently in the A-Rank, with a Silver Badge. Additionally, Kento is the "son" of Chris Redford, therefore becoming the Redford Residence's future duke. One of his flaws is due to being a butler AND a young master, which is why his dependency is low. And his overall low temperament is also problematic for Mei, being also arrogant and cocky in general is a problem.
* **Aoyama** (Current A-Ranked Silver Badge): He is the first butler A-Ranked to be seen in the first manga and some fans believes Aoyama can obtain the Golden S Badge if he ever become a S-Ranked butler. Aoyama has already shown some potential to become S-Ranked, his skills being excellent to become a candidate for having a Golden S Badge.
* **Sakuraba** (Possibly S-Ranked): Sister Rose's personal butler. Though his rank and badge are unknown, it's very plausible he possess a Golden Badge with the intelligence, knowledge and skilled feats attributed to him. Sometimes he even questions his lady's rebellious behavior.
* **Zaki & Jin** (Current A-Ranked, High Potential): Both butlers who serves for Prince Irfan. The International Butlers Association currently classed them as A-Rank, but with Zaki's high intelligence quotient and Jin's athletic abilities combined together are considered to be on par with a S-Rank butler. Speculations believes if both train to become S-Rank butlers, they'll become even more stronger and their combination will surpass a S-Rank's abilities.
* **Shinobu** (Unranked): The mysterious doctor clad in white serving his lady, Lucia Hongo. Since he isn't a real butler, he cannot wield any badges and cannot receive a rank, though his skills and abilities are not to be ignored as he seemingly on par against Rihito's skills. Despite being a doctor, Shinobu also acts as a "bodyguard" for Lucia Hongo.
* **Taizo**: Like most butlers within the Hongo Domain, Taizo's badge and rank is unknown but the Hongo Domain is known to train the best butlers and maids in Japan, it is possible Taizo is an S-Rank butler with a Golden S Badge. The fact he is the headbutler also proves further the possibility.

## Trivia

* The Golden S Badge is the iconic logo for the Mei-chan no Shitsuji's franchise, appearing on every cover of the volumes as well inside the first pages of the mangas.