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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Round Table Discussion with the Cover Illustrators

Entr’acte of Evil, page 142-145

--First, everyone please introduce yourselves.

Ichika: I’ve been responsible for the first cover and the illustrations for the series. My name is Ichika.

Suzunosuke: I am Suzunosuke. I normally just draw what I want to. I was able to make the cover for the second book.

You: I am You, and I was charged with the cover for this book. I’m really nervous, but I look forward to being able to do this interview with you.

--When did you all first start making illustrations?

Ichika: Since I could first remember. I don’t recall it all that clearly, but by the time I was in first year I was already drawing.

Suzunosuke: I think it was about middleschool. Apparently when I was a kid my parents were consulted by my teachers on the fact that I couldn’t actually draw pictures.

--You couldn’t draw pictures?

Suzunosuke: Even when I was made to stay behind by myself in kindergarten, the only things I drew were like little pictures of flowers on my drawing paper. It wasn’t that I was sick or anything like that, I was just a normal kid who couldn’t draw.

--I see, that’s very unexpected. What about you, You-san?

You: I don’t clearly remember when I first started drawing as a hobby, but my first picture was when I was three years old, and was a portrait of my caregiver in nursery. Back then I always wanted to use every color of crayon I had, and I guess the fact that I’m still always using rainbow colors even now just goes to show that what you learn in the cradle you carry to the grave.

Suzunosuke: I think that’s cool.

--Incidentally, when did you start making pictures related to VOCALOID?

Ichika: I think around 2007…maybe? I remember the first time I drew Miku was after listening to Yuuyu-P’s “White Season”.

Suzunosuke: I don’t remember how many years ago it was, but I feel like the first thing I drew was Kurousa-P’s “Cantarella”.

You: I listened to VOCALOID the first time in the winter of 2007, so I think it was probably around that time.

--So then, when was the first time you encountered AkunoP’s work?

Ichika: It was right after “Daughter of Evil” was posted on Piapro. I had just finished up making a PV, and when I was looking for new content on Piapro I got drawn in by the title and started listening to it.

Suzunosuke: The “Servant of Evil” was on NicoNico Douga’s rankings, and when I opened up the PV it had a tag saying to watch it after “Daughter of Evil”, so I watched them in order of “Daughter of Evil” and “Servant of Evil” for the first time.

You: Like Suzunosuke-san, probably in the autumn of 2008. The “Daughter of Evil” had a lot of buzz when it was first uploaded! I saw it in so many places with Ichika-san’s illustrations~ It feels so strange to see it having taken this form so many years later.

--Suzunosuke-san and You-san, this was the first time you’d seen a song that used Ichika-san’s illustrations, wasn’t it?

Ichika: I’m sorry for being alive…

Suzunosuke: Sorry, haha

You: Hey, hahaha

Ichika: I’m honestly really shaking here, haha

Suzunosuke: Maybe we should reply with “You’re a very wonderful person” ha ha.

-(Laughs) So what was everyone’s thoughts on the work when they saw “Daughter of Evil” and “Servant of Evil”?

Ichika: I think the imagery in it was really easy to get emotional about. I also thought it was a really interesting concept that although “Daughter of Evil” and “Servant of Evil” had a really different feel to them, they still felt like part of the same story.

Suzunosuke: All else aside I thought it was really sad, and I kept getting stuck on the fact that Allen couldn’t be saved. Still, it was because it was such a sad story that I was captivated by it. It also really made me feel the potential of the VOCALOID genre. It’s a derivative work, but also original content.

You: At the time I had thought it was really interesting and unusual to make a work with such dark fantasy elements using VOCALOID. I also really liked how catchy the tune was. It was also really impressive with all the derivative songs and fanart that got uploaded as things went on. I think it’s a work that shouldered a main pillar of the VOCALOID community in its heyday. And it’s really cool that it’s continuing to spread around the world even now.

--What image do you get of its creator, AkunoP?

Suzunosuke: Given he’s got “Akuno” (of evil) in his name, I thought he might be a scary person.

Ichika: Generally the people who do DTM have a kind of science-y image, so there’s that. And when we actually met, I remember he was a lot like that image. Though he was a bit thinner than I had imagined. Maybe if Akuno-san had shown up to our first meeting with his sunglasses look I’d answer that his image was different, haha.

You: Before I met him offline…He made a lot of romantic-type works, so I actually wondered if maybe he was a woman. When we actually met, it was apparently right after he’d changed his look, so I was a little amused to see him wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses.

--Have you all met AkunoP-san wearing sunglasses?

Suzunosuke: I actually just brushed him off because I didn’t know who he was for a second. As a fan the way he is now is probably close to his image as AkunoP, I would think.

Ichika: I also brushed him off.

You: Everybody brushed him off!

--Well that was an unexpected outcome, haha. Next, do you have a favorite AkunoP work?

Ichika: I actually really like “Clockwork Lullaby”. I prefer the quietly compelling melody and lyrics. Aside from that, I remember when I listened to “Daughter of Evil” I was really drawn to it, wondering what other kind of work he’d done, so that left a significant impression.

Suzunosuke: I think that might be “Re_Birthday”. The flow of sin and rebirth is so painfully beautiful, and I always get misty-eyed no matter how many times I listen to it.

You: Like Suzunosuke-san, I like “Re_Birthday”. I really love the music, and as for the story of it I think it’s really great it has that theme of salvation.

--I see. I had thought that Suzunosuke-san might say “Lunacy of Duke Venomania”, so that was surprising.

Suzunosuke: I could also say “Lunacy of Duke Venomania”, but I don’t want people to think I’m someone who likes erotic content, haha. But that’s also another song that I really like.

About the Novel Illustrations

--How did you feel when you heard about the “Daughter of Evil” becoming a novel?

Ichika: I was simply surprised.

Suzunosuke: I thought it was awesome.

You: I thought it was awesome for Akuno-san. I thought there must have been so many fan’s voices there, and that kind of invisible strength was deeply moving.

--Ichika-san, in the first book you did the cover illustration as well as the ones in the book itself—What was something that was hard about that?

Ichika: I’d have to say highlights.

--Highlights…! Certainly you had to do quite the interaction there… Honestly, was there any point where you were like, “I hope these editors step in dog crap”? haha

Ichika: Nah, ‘cause ever since I’ve become able to put in highlights more seriously, so I’d say it was good practice, haha.

--Suzunosuke-san, you were asked to do the cover for the second book; how was it when they approached you for that?

Suzunosuke: I had thought for sure that they were going to have me just do a pinup on the inside of the book, so then I was kind of like, “Now what?” The others who’ve been involved in it are such amazing illustrators, so I wondered if I’d be good enough for it.

--Was there anything you had trouble with?

Suzunosuke: Drawing the two of them to be just adorable was a little hard.

--I understand you had a bit of revision going on…?

Suzunosuke: Oh no, I saw that as being good training in a lot of ways, so even now it’s a good memory for me.

--You-san, you’ve been asked to do a lot of color illustrations each time, and in this guidebook you were entrusted with the cover illustration. How did you feel after finishing your work?

You: I really like doing the pinups, and I’ll generally paint them as I like, but I dealt with the cover with some different feelings in mind. As a fan I thought that Ichika-san would be given preference for sure. And I’ve refined on my composition a bit looking over past work. I wanted to emulate the flow of things up to now, so like Suzunosuke-san’s work I made it very horizontal.

--Who are some characters that were fun for you to draw in this novel series?

Ichika: All the characters are fun to draw, but if you’re gonna make me choose I’d say Elluka…I had this sense of security while drawing her, like it wasn’t an issue if I made her look a little bit like a villain.

Suzunosuke: I’ve only drawn two characters, so that would be the harmonius Clarith and Michaela. That pair so really cute, so I like them a lot.

--Suzunosuke-san, are there any characters that you would like to draw?

Suzunosuke: I love old man figures, so I’m a bit intrigued by Leonhart. Though I know that’s probably not what you were looking for, haha.

Ichika: (after half a second) It is!

Suzunosuke: Yay, haha

--You-san, you’ve probably drawn all of the main characters at this point; are there any that you’re fond of?

You: Everyone’s fun with how cute they are. I think Riliane-chan is really precious with how her hair is done up. And then there’s the princely Kyle-san—for some reason I’m always grinning when I draw him.

--Please tell us the impressions you were left with as the story has developed.

Ichika: I wasn’t expecting the romantic love between Michaela and Clarith, so that surprised me a bit.

Suzunosuke: I was actually really surprised that the base for Michaela and Gumillia’s appearances were those characters in those other songs.

You: I was also surprised at Michaela and Clarith. I felt the books complemented the content that wasn’t expanded on in the songs, which made them have a lot of interesting points. I think it’s also pretty great that I can now listen to the songs with a fresh perspective.

--Conclusively, how do you think the story will develop in the third book?

Ichika: I think Kyle’s mom is gonna be the final boss.

Suzunosuke: Hmm, I think all of the countries might get wrapped up in the fires of war. All the preliminary announcements have a pretty foreboding feeling to them.

You: All will go according to the will of god (AkunoP).

--Please let us know any final thoughts you have.

Ichika: Thanks for having me here. I don’t know yet how the third book is going to go, but I look forward to being able to go through the novels again with you.

Suzunosuke: I’d be really happy if I could be with you on the sidelines. This interview has been great!

You: I’m really happy to be linked to this series and involved in the work in this way. Thank you very much!

--Thank you very much for joining us everyone!

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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Afterword

Afterword to Retrouver of Silver (Caffein)

Long time no see.

This is CAFFEIN (kah-feh-een).

For those I have met yet, nice to meet you.

This time it’s a spinoff of the main novel.

I got to make a manga of the Mariam vs Chartette part.

There wasn’t a whole lot written on the original plot,

So I expanded on it a bit on my own.

Pardon me.

It was my first time drawing a fight scene,

So it was a bit hard, but it was also really fun.

By the way, I specifically bought Ko/suta for this

And then in the end I would up doing it all in SAI like I normally do. What a waste.

To AkunoP and everyone else involved in the Akuno series,

The editors, everyone who read the work,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And I hope to see you again somewhere.

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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Retrouver of Silver

Entr’acte of Evil, page 123-139

*I have a general policy against people reposting my work elsewhere, but to be more specific here, I request that anyone who enjoys this translation please do NOT use this to create a public “scanlation” of this manga. The purpose behind keeping this in a purely script format is to encourage people to buy the novel that it comes from to see the artwork. I have uploaded this translation not just to share more Evillious content with fans, but so that such people can read the content that they have purchased. Thank you.

Page 1

Title: Daughter of Evil: Retrouver of Silver

Mariam: …

Ah—

It can’t be, you

You’re…

An enemy!?

Chartette: This’s a bit awkward on account of you taking care of me back then, but…

For the revolution I gotta do it, yannow!

Page 2

Ain’t this a maid showdown.

It’s you an’ me, Head Maid!

Mariam: Chatette…!

Title: Daughter of Evil: Retrouver of Silver

Original work: AkunoP (mothy)

Manga: CAFFEIN

Page 3

Narration: The Lucifenian Palace, the Heavenly Yard

During a melee between the revolutionary army and the palace soldiers…

Mariam: I think it’s quite uncouth for a lady to be swinging such a thing around, Chartette.

Page 4

There’s no way I’d be able to take a blow from that.

Page 5

Hey

Why did you join the revolutionary army? You were a maid here.

Was it money?

Or do you crave advancement?

Chartette: …I might not get the complicated stuff,

But the way things’ve been,

Everyone in the country’s gonna be miserable, yannow!

All I’m doing…

Page 6

Is actin’ on what I think is right!

Mariam: …How simple.

I’m a little envious.

However

Chartette: !?

I missed…

Page 7

Mariam: Naturally,

You do realize don’t you,

That your actions will make Riliane and her allies miserable?

HAH!

Chartette: Wha…

Page 8

…

Guh…

Page 9

Mariam: Now that you’ve shown yourself to be an enemy of the palace,

I can’t afford to let you live.

I am sorry,

Chartette!

Page 10

Wha…

Chartette: Dad…

You did good, yannow…

It’s my party-stoppin’ ace in the hole!

The rocket glove!

Page 11

Mariam: S…so absurd

ack

This isn’t good.

I can’t move…

Chartette: Here is our farewell, yannow.

Head Maid.

No.

Mariam!

Page 12

Flashback: “Naturally,

You do realize don’t you,

That your actions will make Riliane and her allies miserable?”

Too careless again…

Mariam: The vase wasn’t expensive, so it’s alright, but…

Chartette: My bad…Er-my humble ‘pologies.

Guess I’m not cut out to be a maid after all, yannow…

Mariam: You might be a bit thoughtless, it’s true…

But you’ll get the hang of it, I’m sure.

Page 13

Do your best,

Chartette.

Bystander: Chartette!

Page 14

Chartette: A smokescreen!?

Where are you, Mariam!?

Where did you go!?

Dammit…

Mariam!

Soldier: That wasn’t a battle between humans…

Other Soldier: Sure wasn’t.

Narration: They got caught up in it.

Page 15

Mariam: Such a distasteful weapon…

Her father must have made it.

That aside, to think that one of the Three Heroes like myself

Would suffer such an embarrassing defeat to a novice like her.

Elluka…Leonhart.

The times really are changing…

Ney: Mother!

Mariam: Ney!?

Ney: I came back…I was worried about you.

Mariam: I see… Whatever your reasons, this place is dangerous.

We need to flee before the revolutionary army—

M—

Page 16

Wha…?

y…?

Ney: Everything is for her.

Narration: And so…

One of the Three Heroes

Mariam Phatipe

Dies betrayed by everyone.

Page 17

Just who was it who drove fate mad?

Who will be left in the end?

Unfortunately, she won’t be able to see the outcome.

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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Afterword

Afterword of Twiright Prank & mothy afterword for Retrouver of Silver

Ichika

Nice work on publishing of this Daughter of Evil Guidebook. I had a lot of fun drawing these characters and scenes that haven’t shown up until this point. Thank you very much!

AkunoP (mothy)

“Twiright Prank”

The main characters who show up in this are all middle-aged or elderly. There…there isn’t enough youth!! Well, hopefully the manga part with a young Allen and Riliane makes up for that. Also, I forgot to write about Minis.

“Daughter of Evil Retrouver of Silver

Failing in pretty much all of her supposedly-highly skilled spy work…Falling to a novice and a former subordinate at that in a duel…Ultimately getting killed by her adoptive daughter…AkunoP believes in you, Mariam!!

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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Afterword

Afterword of Adventure of a Boy and Girl

Yoshida Dondorian

Those characters that featured in that story created somewhere before

Are now the protagonists here, and

Draw closer to another story…

The more I work in the “Of Evil” world

The more I am drawn in. Ahh, I had a lot of fun drawing this story

As well as the previous thing elsewhere

I look forward to the next story.

AkunoP (mothy)

This is a story that depicts the meeting and adventures of the boy/Allen and the girl/Germaine. And at the same time, it shows the reason for why Chartette has such trouble in forests, as well as her experiences in reforming Eugen, who was a disgraced soldier fallen to banditry. I’d like to make it a song someday…

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entracteofevil · 4 years ago

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Character Introductions

Entr’acte of Evil, page 14-36

“Come, kneel to me!”

Riliane Lucifen d’Autriche

(Kagamine Rin)

The princess who rules the Kingdom of Lucifenia. For her arrogant behavior and proud personality, she is despised by her people, called the “Daughter of Evil”. She and her servant Allen are twins, but as she’s lost her memories of when she was young she doesn’t remember him. Her life was endangered in the civil war with the revolutionary army, but with Allen’s help she escaped from the palace, and later came to live in a monastery.

AkunoP’s comment

Her character isn’t very complicated in construction, following the template of the ‘willful girl’. I guess she’s developed a bit more than her portrayal in the song. Though I did want to write more on how she grows after joining the monastery (haha). I do regret not being able to do that. It’d be nice if I could write about that somewhere.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 02 Kagamine Rin of “Kagamine Rin/Len” published by Crypton Future Media.

-Her monastery outfit is cinched together by a strap tied at the left side on her waist. Her back is the same design as her front.

-These are the accessories that Riliane wears on her person (rough depiction). There’s a lot of simple items that just have a gem in the middle, but they are still quite expensive.

Ichika’s comment

*Princess outfit: She has a kind of light and fluffy dress design with a lot of lace and ribbons to show her more adorable side. There’re a lot of rose motifs on her decorations. I wanted to have her hold onto some connection with her and Allen’s parent, so I drew her necklace to look like it was it was made out of something Queen Anne wore.

*Monastery outfit: She’s a novice nun, so her skirt length is a little short. It’s a simple outfit that’s just overall a bunch of sewn together cloth, but as she’s a former princess she has the kind of setup of wearing it well. Though she’s probably a bit bad at her work. Or maybe I should just say she’s not used to it.

“How’s the flavor, Princess Riliane?”

Allen Avadonia

(Kagamine Len)

A boy who works as a common servant in the Lucifenian royal palace, despite possessing substantial skill at swordplay and horseback riding. He has a very mature personality, but occasionally he’ll show a bit of boyishness in his expression. He is actually Riliane’s younger twin brother. He wishes for Riliane’s happiness more than anything. He helps Riliane escape during the civil war with the revolutionary army and takes her place, being executed as the princess.

AkunoP’s comment

He was the hardest character to write (haha). Despite being a protagonist. Mostly in that I would worry that I was making him seem too young (though he is young), and that his youth in itself was a bit difficult to write. Fourteen-year-old boys are tricky. Even now I don’t think I’ve really got a handle on it (haha). There were a lot of parts where I felt like I messed up.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 02 Kagamine Len of “Kagamine Rin/Len” published by Crypton Future Media.

-The ribbon that ties his hair back looks to be a butterfly knot. His shoes are a simple loafer design.

Ichika’s comment

*Servant outfit: He’s a servant, so he has clothes that are easy to move in. In order to show a bit of his boyishness I made the lower cuff of his outer jacket a bit too big for him. His pockets are decorative. I think he should take off his upper coat when doing more strenuous work.

*Traveling outfit: I made his coat a little bit loose, so that it could be worn as-is above his normal clothing. I was thinking about various things when I drew it—like making sure he has a relaxed formal air even when he’s attendant on the princess, that he’s alright even if it rains as he has a hood, that it’s one-size-fits-all, etc.

“To me, you are a very wonderful person.”

Michaela

(Hatsune Miku)

A servant who serves Lord Keel, and originally a spirit that lived under the great earth god, Held. She has an inquisitive personality, and her hobby is people-watching. She chose the appearance of the ‘original sinner’ as her human form when she reincarnated. She is beloved by everyone for her kind and sociable personality, as well as her beautiful looks and singing voice. She’s always worrying about her dear friend Clarith, and also this “love” that humans have.

AkunoP’s comment

This one was also hard to work with (haha). On a fundamental level, she’s less the “of Evil” Miku and more just straight up “VOCALOID Miku”. Like the whole “Miku is an angel” thing from the early days. I think it was through her relationship with Clarith that she was finally able to set herself apart as the “of Evil” Miku. I’ve still got a few more developments for her yet (haha).

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 01 “Hatsune Miku” published by Crypton Future Media.

-The sleeves of her town outfit are lined with lace. They are three-quarter length.

Ichika’s comment

*Town outfit: Given that she’s meant to be adorable, her outfit was made with a kind of fluttering look in her sleeves and such. There are a lot of parts where two sleeve ends overlap. I drew her to be more of a diva than a servant in appearance. Also, while her pendant is a scallop in shape, its size is close to that of the end of her thumb.

*Village outfit: As she’s sort of German in style, I drew her with the image of the German Fairy Tale Road in mind. As I have the personal idea that it’s a hand-me-down from Clarith’s mom, the skirt for her dress is a little too long. I didn’t get the idea that she was dressed all that fashionably in the village, so I made it so that this one had no ribbon.

“I—I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”

Clarith

(Yowane Haku)

A servant who works at the Keel estate alongside Michaela. She’s a Netsuma girl with white hair and red eyes, and she has suffered persecution from the Elphe people due to being an ethnic minority. It’s because of this that she developed her catchphrase, “I’m sorry for being alive”, and her pessimistic personality. On a fundamental level she’s clumsy and not really good at anything, but she does have skill in cooking. She also likes plants and animals, and she takes very good care of saplings.

AkunoP’s comment

She’s the character that’s the closest to my “real self”. “I’m sorry for being alive” is actually my real life catchphrase (haha). So she’s easy to empathize with. She has a few odd points but she’s really the most normal, “everyman” character in the story. Haku herself was originally conceived not as a VOCALOID but as a “master”(song producer), you know.

*This character was based on “Yowane Haku”, a derivative of the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 01 Hatsune Miku published by Crypton Future Media.

-The length of her hair goes down to slightly above her knees. She also tends to use the bangs on the side of her face to hide her ears.

Ichika’s comment

*Town outfit: On the whole she’s like Michaela, but I made her design more simple to express a grown-up and “in the background” air. I didn’t see her as someone to wear particularly girly clothes, so her collar is a bit more masculine. I think four out of five times she’d have Michaela help out with the ties on her back.

*Monastery outfit: I designed her sleeves to be neat so that it would be easy for her to cook, which is her main strength. As they don’t have any ostentatious stuff like hair decorations at the monastery I tearfully cut down on her ribbon… It’s a useless detail but her waist sash is supposed to be in a granny knot.

*Village outfit: I put her in a simple, full dress that’s easy to put on. I had intended for her outfit to both show that she was an outsider and be something that Clarith herself picked out to not stand out in a village, which ultimately gave me this image of a slightly overdressed outfit. Hence her design coming out like this.

“I ain’t broken the fountain yet, yannow!”

Chartette Langley

(Kasane Teto)

A maid who serves in the palace, and Allen’s childhood friend. Due to her frightening strength she excels at heavy work, but struggles with more delicate tasks and is often breaking things inside the palace. The princess is fond of her for her outgoing personality, and they will sometimes take tea-time together. During the revolution she engages in a duel against Mariam, one of the Three Heroes, using a broadsword larger than her own height.

AkunoP’s comment

I like this character (haha). She was easy to work with. I wish I could have had her do more. She didn’t get to do anything in the second book, so I’ve been thinking about maybe having her show up in the third book.

*This character is based on “Kasane Teto”.

-During the duel she took on the style of wielding a sword larger than her own body. For that reason her outfit was made to show ease of movement.

-The broadsword is of a simple design, but that’s overpowered by its sheer size. It sort of has the image of a blunt weapon more than a slashing implement.

Ichika’s comment

*Maid outfit: The ends of her sleeves are precisely folded back. The hem of her skirt is frilly and puffs out a bit, as the style of the maid outfit in the country of yellow. The hem is also slightly short, as she does a lot of running around. The ribbon at her collar had been red at first to match her hair, but I figured that it wouldn’t be red in the country of yellow so I changed it to yellow.

* Resistance outfit: She’s a peasant, so she has light armor on her casual wear. The coverings for her wrists were a bit more unrefined at first. I drew her leg armor in to serve as a sort of counterweight for when she swings her sword around. As such, they’re supposed to be much heavier than they look. She could probably mortally wound someone with one kick.

“Please…keep what I’ve said a secret.”

Ney Phatipe

(Akita Neru)

A maid who serves in the palace, and the adoptive daughter of the head maid and one of the Three Heroes, Mariam. She does all her work flawlessly, but it’s countered by her being a gossip and loose-lip, which results in some turmoil occurring. She’s favored by Riliane, and becomes a source of information for her. Her true identity is that of Marlon’s thirteenth princess, Ney Marlon.

AkunoP’s comment

Like Clarith, Ney is a character that I had a concept of since the very beginning. She was originally a childhood friend of the twins who stood in a sort of “big sister” role, and wound up becoming “another servant”. She’s the character who’s changed the most from how she was in the beginning. I actually had plans to make her into a joke character (haha).

*This character was based on “Akita Neru”, a derivative of the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 01 Hatsune Miku published by Crypton Future Media.

-I considered several different ways of her tying her hair when she’s an assassin, but how she ends up being in that situation is a secret.

Ichika’s comment

*Maid outfit: The basics are the same as Chartette’s maid uniform. Only the hem is longer, to show the difference in work and her personality. She feels like the kind of person to wear her maid uniform so well that she could do her work from start to finish all day without anything out of place. She was trained by her adoptive mother.

*Assassin outfit: She’s doing espionage activities, so it’s an entirely black uniform. The main focus was ease of movement. The boots are made of a soft fabric to make it harder to hear her footsteps. Her ponytail can be bundled up and pushed under her clothing depending on the situation. It probably just barely gets in. –Fits in.

“…Stop mocking me.”

Kyle Marlon

(KAITO)

The king of the island country of Marlon (the “Country of Blue”), and Riliane’s fiancé. Riliane adores him, calling him her “dear”, but he falls in love at first sight with Michaela when meeting her in the mansion of his friend, Keel, and so breaks off the engagement on his end. He is no match for his mother, Empress Dowager Prim, something he’s a bit ashamed of.

AkunoP’s comment

I’m so sorry, but he’s the one I care about the least (haha). Frankly I seriously didn’t want to write him all that much. These novels aside, don’t expect me to make KAITO this cool overall. Though he’s a pretty toothsome character, with how many turns he gets.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID Character “KAITO” published by Crypton Future Media.

-The basis for his masked appearance is a certain sha[redacted]. It’s a simple outfit, but the decorations it has here and there are gaudy in a minor way.

Ichika’s comment

*Main outfit: As he was designed with a theme of solemnity, his whole appearance is composed with a precise and stiff feel. The collar of his jacket is designed like a suit. His sleeves are meant to feel a bit stern. I drew his outfit with a sort of square image of the country of blue in my head, so he’s light on the curves. Since he’s a male character I put more emphasis on being chic than flashy.

*Disguise outfit: I drew this to feel like the sort of typical outfit of the country of blue. But the quality of the fabric is a grade above that of the average person. If I were to draw in any armor it would let slip what country he’s from, so he’s just got the one sword as equipment. It’s the same sword he wields in his king outfit, but he tries to hide it.

“Let’s go, everyone.”

Germaine Avadonia

(MEIKO)

Allen’s adopted sibling who lives in the town below Lucifenia castle, and the adopted daughter of Leonhart, one of the Three Heroes. She’s dependable and cares about her friends, but that comes with the snag of her being a little crude. In actuality she’s quite smart, becoming the leader of the Resistance and earning the people’s respect.

AkunoP’s comment

At first, I had wanted to make her into a classic, genuinely heroic character…But I guess that got a bit warped. Like Miku, there’s a lot of influence taken from her character as a VOCALOID. I want to write about her past sometime. She’s an unexpectedly pitiable character, who winds up not having a lot of influence.

Ichika’s comment

In addition to being based on Leonhart’s armor, the insignia above her chest is taken from the hilt of his sword, so in that sense it’s like her equipment has inherited her father’s will. It’s lighter armor, given that as she’s a woman there’s more emphasis on maneuverability. As it prioritizes heroism over sex appeal, her legs haven’t been left exposed.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID Character “MEIKO” published by Crypton Future Media.

“You working hard, kids?”

Leonhart Avadonia

(LEON)

Allen and Germaine’s adoptive father, and one of the Three Heroes. He’s the captain of the guard of the royal family, but he clashes with the princess over their different opinions. An unparalleled drinker, he often drinks the night away with his daughter Germaine.

AkunoP’s comment

Among the Three Heroes, he’s the one that came to mind first. He vanishes pretty quickly from the story for someone who was present in the plot of the Daughter of Evil since its original conception… Though I guess he does get to do more in the bonus story, so it’s all good. He’s a bit of an old fogey by the Daughter of Evil era. I did have some other more detailed ideas for him, but ultimately wound up not using them.

Ichika’s comment

He has solidly built heavy armor. The main colors of his outfit are red and white, but there’s a single thread of yellow on his mantle alone to symbolize the people of the country of yellow. The mantle is part of his uniform as captain of the guard; he didn’t have one during his hero days.

*This character was independently made based on VOCALOID “LEON” published by ZERO-G.

“Lucifenia will very soon be overthrown.”

Elluka Clockworker

(Megurine Luka)

A court sorceress who served the previous monarch, and one of the Three Heroes. Her predictions are never wrong, and so there are many who trust in her in the palace. She has lived for a long time, and is carrying out the task of collecting the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” as a favor to the great land god Held.

AkunoP’s comment

It’s the postscript character! (haha) Originally I planned for the sorceress role was going to be played by a different character, but then I swapped her out when Luka was published, resulting in her ultimately getting the best role. Personality-wise she’s similar to how I am when I’m drunk (haha). So, like Clarith, I’m quite fond of her, and she’s easy to write.

Ichika’s comment

It’s a bit hard to tell with the robe on, but despite not looking like it she actually has some degree of exposure. Mostly her shoulders and legs. Her outfit was designed to look bewitching. The jewels at her hip are taken from her VOCALOID image character. After Riliane, she probably has the most accessories out of anyone else.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Character Vocal Series 03 “Megurine Luka” published by Crypton Future Media.

“Yes, the green onion, the Very Amazing, Green Onion.”

Gumillia

(Megpoid)

A sorceress in training who serves in the palace, and Elluka’s apprentice. She is very close with Michaela, and was originally one of the spirits who served Held alongside her. She picked the form of Elphegort’s first female prime minister, Gumina Glassred, as her appearance when reincarnating as a human.

AkunoP’s comment

She hardly got to do anything at all…Since she hasn’t had a lot of influence on the story at present, I think I’d really like to give her more to do in the third book (haha). I think she’s the character with the most potential. She was originally a spirit, and is a sorceress to boot. So, expect great things from her in the future!

Ichika’s comment

As she’s Elluka’s apprentice her outfit design is made to resemble hers, though it also shows a more apprentice-esque childishness in it. But I also see her not changing her outfit even after her training his passed. Like Elluka, she has a single jewel around her hip.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Artist Vocal character “Megpoid” published by Internet Co., Ltd.

“I am one of the Three Heroes, Mariam Phatipe!”

Mariam Phatipe

(MIRIAM)

She once engaged in espionage as one of the Three Heroes, but now she serves as the head maid in the palace. Her personality is extremely rigid, but she has her kind side as well, and there are many who admire her. She prides herself on covert work, like running secret intelligence.

AkunoP’s comment

Her appearance is meant to feel like a gorgeous, cool beauty. In conception she’s this badass secret intelligence operative, but in the end she wound up being a dud spy (haha). She was completely useless, and failed to see what was happening with her own daughter. Her position is sort of that of everyone’s stern mother. Though the “Of Evil” series is full of stern women, and all of them are strong.

Ichika’s comment

She does have a theme of being a rigid, cool beauty. With this sort of masculine air, too. Her outfit is a bit old-fashioned, bearing in mind the image of the previous queen’s reign. I pictured her being able to move a fair bit whatever her uniform, so I think it would always be prim and proper, without anything out of place.

*This character was independently made based on VOCALOID “MIRIAM” published by ZERO-G.

“We have a favor to ask of you.”

Anne Lucifen D’autriche

(Sweet Ann)

The old queen of Lucifenia, and the mother of Riliane, who admired her. She often said she wanted to “build a country where children can live with a smile”, and devoted her energies into the strengthening and expansion of her country. Like her husband Arth I, she passed away from the incurable “Gula” disease.

AkunoP’s comment

She’s sort of like what Riliane could have turned out like if she’d been raised properly. Strong, kind, and popular. Only, I’m sure she must have been more mischievous when she was younger. She probably had reckless adventures and passionate romantic stories, but I’ve got no plans to write any of them (haha).

Ichika’s comment

I drew her with a theme of a queen’s strictness and a woman’s gentleness. Actually, her character design is the one I liked the most on first drawing it. She’s not too gaudy, but I’m really happy her outfit conveys a sense of stability in its place.

*This character was independently made based on the VOCALOID 2 “SWEET ANN” published by PowerFX.

“That’s just common practice among merchants.”

Keel Freezis

(Hiyama Kiyoteru)

A famous merchant who conducts trade in Elphegort, while being an immigrant from Marlon. He serves as the head of the trade association, and is also proficient in handling information. He’s an old friend of Marlon’s King Kyle. He has three children.

AkunoP’s comment

The no.2 super afterthought character (haha). At first I had no plans for him to do anything at all, but when I tried giving him a few more scenes he turned out to be a pretty fun character; I ended up shortening Kyle’s role to compensate (haha). It was a lot of fun to write a character so cheerful. And it was pretty amusing to have him be such a doting parent.

Ichika’s comment

As he’s a merchant, he wears shoes and an outfit that are both easy to walk in. His uniform base is the country of blue. Fundamentally his robe is for use in business discussions, and is supposed to easy to remove when it gets hot or gets in the way. I would imagine he probably dresses down a bit outside of occasions where he’s conversing with royalty and nobles.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Vocaloid teacher “Hiyama Kiyoteru” published by AH-Software Co. Ltd.

“Tell me the story of the ‘Daughter of Evil’!”

Yukina Freezis

(Kaai Yuki)

The eldest daughter of the wealth Elphegort merchant Keel Freezis. She’s very attached to her servant Clarith, and often has her wrapped around her little finger, being both naïve and mischievous. She has a hobby of writing stories, and excels at it despite her young age.

AkunoP’s comment

She’s going to be more active in the third book. She’ll be a main character!! (haha) She becomes the author of the Freezis Fairytales, and the official teller of the story. Come to think of it I did buy the Yuki software the other day, so I might make a song for her after this.

Ichika’s comment

Frankly she’s the most fun when drawing. While heavily basing her off of her original character image, I also gave her a more chic and mature air befitting a merchant’s daughter. I’m happy I was able to make her appearance show how doted on she is by Keel.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Vocaloid student “Kaai Yuki” published by AH-Software Co. Ltd.

“I was the same as you…Evil.”

Gast Venom

(Gackpoid)

A skilled mercenary who heads a mercenary band, called “The Demon of Asmodean”. During the revolution he stays at the palace until the end under Allen’s request, and fought against the revolutionaries using a weapon called a katana, something unfamiliar to the Evillious region.

AkunoP’s comment

He’s got a mystery for so few appearances (haha). I’ve given him a ton of backstory but I haven’t shared any of it. Like that he’s a descendant of Venomania, that he isn’t actually [redacted], none of it’s been shown in story. And he got killed by an amateur girl (haha). In that sense I guess he’s more pathetic than Kyle. I’d like to get some of it out someday though.

Ichika’s comment.

I made him more Japanese in style to give him a foreign feel. I drew his outfit and his equipment to be like the protective armor of a swordsman. His outfit’s meant to have a slightly feminine component to it, like having a feminine sash at his waist. He’s got a decent amount of layering in his clothing. His physique is meant to feel pretty lean.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID 2 Artist Vocal character “Gackpoid” published by Internet Co., Ltd.

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entracteofevil · 5 years ago

Text

AkunoP Question and Answer

Entr’acte of Evil, page 146-149

A raging barrage of questions concerning the “Daughter of Evil” novels directed to AkunoP!! Were your questions answered?

Q: Please tell us how you felt when the “Daughter of Evil” novels were made into a book.

A: Oh, not too shabby for me!

Q: Between Cloture and Wiegenlied, what is your favorite scene?

A: The scene where the princess and the servant switch clothes…would be too predictable for me to say, so instead it’s the scene where Clarith says goodbye to Yukina. I think it really shows how much Clarith has grown.

Q: The fans have all made their own theories considering the songs that have been uploaded; what do you think about those?

A: I think they’re quite interesting. But occasionally their theories are a lot closer than they think, and I get a bit nervous.

Q: Please tell us some plans you have for the third installment that you’re preparing to release.

A: There are characters that didn’t stand out much in the previous works who will play a greater role, and some where that’s not the case.

Q: Give a brief comment to all your readers!

A: Take it easy and enjoy the work!

Regarding demons, magic, and religion

Q: To what extent are the vessels of deadly sin and the existence of demons known about to the world at large?

A: Among the average person they are hardly acknowledge at all as things that actually exist; the situation is largely that either they are completely unknown, or else they are known only as fairy tales. However, amongst the nobility, royalty, and those related to the church there are a few people who are well versed on these things.

Q: Is there some reason why you changed the spelling of “Gluttony” in the Seven Deadly Sins from “boushoku” to “akujiki”?

A: There were various reasons to it, such as “akujiki” having a nicer sound than the other, but the main and simplest answer to give would be just, “I made a goof, tehee ♥”.

Q: The demons are composed of both their real body and the vessel—does that mean that even if the vessel is destroyed via some means, as long as their real body exists they haven’t been definitively dealt with?

A: It’s rather more that, strictly speaking the demon’s true body is always in the vessel, and what rampages outside of it is little more than an offshoot of that. By all rights if you destroyed the vessel, or else sealed it, the demon itself would similarly lose its powers; thus, while the offshoot outside would maintain its powers for a time, eventually it would degrade.

Q: Do the demons of deadly sin have some sort of goal?

A: Originally the demons had no defined loyalties or goals, simply existing to cause disasters; interestingly, however, by possessing human beings the demons have a slight influence on their own minds, and start to change. I can’t deny that there is a possibility that this has caused each demon to have their own goals.

Q: At the end of the day, just what sort of technique is the “Clockwork Secret Art”?

A: A secret one♥

Q: Religious factions like the Held Sect and Levin Sect were mentioned in the work; are there any other religions?

A: As for other sects at least, there is the “Behemo Sect”. It’s a religious faction that’s only in one region of Asmodean. It has a very strong trend towards demon worship, and there are few countries that publicly accept it. Practicing it in countries outside of Asmodean is a crime.

Q: How was Elluka going to use the “Very Amazing Octopus” if there hadn’t been that big fire?

A: Curiosity killed the cat, you know.

Q: Regarding the “Very Amazing Green Onion” that showed up in the story, are the magical tools something that sorcerers made?

A: The simple ones were made by sorcerers at large, but the production and repair of a high-grade magical tool like the “Very Amazing Green Onion” is only possible for people of the “clockworker” profession. Incidentally, the very existence of “clockworkers” is unverified by this time period. In other words, Elluka can’t repair an expired “Very Amazing Green Onion”.

Q: Are deadly sin vessels that have the demon sealed a type of magical tool?

A: The deadly sin vessels didn’t come about artificially, so they aren’t magical tools. With one exception…

Regarding the world

Q: In the story, each country is given a nickname that’s a color; ex, Elphegort has “Country of Green”, Lucifenia has “Country of Yellow”, Marlon has “Country of Blue”. Do Asmodean and Holy Levianta have a particular nickname and hair color to them?

A: The link between the country’s nickname and hair color is the case for “The Country of Green” Elphegort only. Lucifenia does have a lot of yellow haired people in it, but there is a very strong theory that the origin of “Country of Yellow” lies in the fact that the soldiers led by the country’s founder, Lucifenia I, wore matching yellow armor. “Country of Blue” is simply because the country is surrounded by ocean. Asmodean and Levianta don’t have any particular nicknames.

Q: Chartette has a scene where she’s insisting to Riliane that a book is really interesting; what is the average entertainment like in this world?

A: Works like poetry and books are favored by those of high status. It’s a bit unexpected for a commoner like Chartette to be engrossed with one, but as she serves at the palace she’s been able to study texts, I would imagine. Music and opera are popular among both the poor and the wealthy.

Patronage for the arts has flourished in Elphegort in particular, to the point where those of high skill are supplied with stipends from the country itself. Keel having Michaela work as a diva was perhaps done with those stipends in mind.

Q: Are there other gods like Held and spirits in other countries?

A: It’s thought that there aren’t. Held leaves the ground world later, and so that means that it has completely pulled away from the hands of the old era gods.

Q: There aren’t a lot of sorcerers around, but are there different varieties and rankings like Elluka’s “Court Sorceress” rank?

A: There are stories that in the old “Magic Kingdom Levianta” they were finely divided up into rank depending on their abilities. In the present era they just arbitrarily come up with names as they want.

Regarding the characters

Q: Who is the character that you like the most, and please tell us the reason why.

A: That would be Miss Mariam, who was conceived as such an excellent character by being one of the Three Heroes, and yet in practice was hardly of any help at all.

Q: The sorceress Elluka has lived a very long time—how did she obtain the large amount of money that she handed to Michaela, or her own travel fare?

A: It stands to reason that because she is in an upper-class position in Lucifenia (one of the Three Heroes), she naturally receives a high salary. Aside from that she has her own connections in other countries and patrons, though there’s little chance of her using those with her current standing.

Q: Keel and Kyle seem to have a fairly friendly relationship; please tell us about their friendship and how they met.

A: A still surly Keel, and Kyle in the peak of his rebellious years. The two are swept up into an action adventure in Marlon the likes of which has never been seen before!! –There was that sort of thing, though that’ll have to wait for another time.

Q: Leonhart served the country as one of the Three Heroes for many years, and had many conflicts in that; what did he think of Riliane?

A: Leonhart being tough on Riliane was out of a paternal desire to see her become a decent queen someday. He certainly didn’t hate her. Perhaps he rather saw traces of the woman he loved in Riliane. …Though that on its own had the scent of danger to it.

Q: In the finale scenes of “Cloture of Yellow”, Chartette faces off against Mariam, one of the three heroes, in a maid duel with a huge sword in hand; has she done any training in swordplay?

A: She has not. This is her first time wielding a sword. Frankly, she is a prodigy. And there is something a bit off about her father giving her such a massive sword, with that in mind (She is ridiculously strong, albeit).

Q: Ney is in a very key position as the “villain” from novels yellow to green, but did she have any role in the songs?

A: Characters like Ney, Clarith, and Chartette were there from the beginning. But I did a lot of rewriting on their design and roles. Ney was originally conceived as being in the position of the twins’ older step-sister.

Q: Do you have any plans to write about Gast’s younger sister “Sarah” sometime in the future?

A: If I have an opportunity to.

Q: Now that Riliane has become Rin, will she remember all of the sealed memories of her past, including those of Allen?

A: She probably will.

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

Text

Twiright Prank; Scene 6

Entr’acte of Evil, page 117-120

＊ Mariam of the Three Heroes ~At the Lucifenian Royal Palace~

I, Mariam Phatipe of the Three Heroes, will make record here regarding the results of my investigation with regard to this incident, and also the state of Lucifenia afterwards.

Behind Minister Presi's back, I researched about the existence of an old woman named Abyss I.R.. But I was not able to determine her true identity, her goals, or her current whereabouts.

This old woman was likely the true mastermind behind all this; as long as she was left as a loose end, I had to stay on my guard.

Due to these circumstances, and at Prince Alexiel's own suggestion, Queen Anne consented to having Prince Alexiel adopted by Leonhart for the time being.

The prince had said, "If I'm gone, there won't be unnecessary conflict," and then, "Truthfully, I think I would have ended up like Riliane."

The true meaning behind his proposal was something incomprehensible to us adults. But the Queen accepted his wishes without saying anything.

It was decided that Prince Alexiel would change his name to “Allen”, and be raised at Leonhart’s side.

As for the heir situation, it was again decided that until Allen and Riliane came of age, Queen Anne would take command over the government.

Of some concern was the fact that Riliane had lost her memories as a side-effect of the incident. She would need some mental care.

By my own request to the queen, I became a maid attendant on the princess. I had been thinking about retiring from the line of duty soon. So that would be perfect.

"Seems we've both got kids on the way despite being unmarried. Wahaha,” Leonhart said, laughing optimistically.

“Is that alright? That's two now you're taking care of, isn't it?" I asked.

“Hey, I’ll manage somehow or another. And this time it’s a boy. He should be easier to handle than the tomboy I've got at home right now," he replied, laughing again.

He was a simple man. There were times I envied that simplicity, and it was very pleasant to be with him.

Such a thickheaded man as him probably couldn't tell at all that I thought that way about him.

Leonhart reversed the question to me. “Are you alright? It's the both of us that are suddenly taking care of kids."

Yes…it was a personal matter, unrelated to the country, but I had taken into my home to raise as my own a girl that had fainted off the grounds. She had lost all of her memories except for the name “Ney”. That was a kind of destiny too, I supposed. At any rate I couldn't just leave alone a girl with no relatives.

While we were talking, in the corner of the room Elluka was absorbed in a book, in a manner that suggested none of this concerned her.

"What about you? …An adopted child might be out of the question, but what about taking on an apprentice? If you intend not to marry, anyhow,” I inquired.

Without taking her eyes off the book, Elluka merely said, “Unlikely.”

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

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Twiright Prank; Scene 5

Entr’acte of Evil, page 113-116

＊ ??? ~At the Outskirts of Lucifenia~

“...So then, how did things go afterwards?”

We were on a hill in the outskirts of Lucifenia. Abyss I.R. listened to my report as I stood before her, while petting the cat on her shoulders.

"Uncle Presi was really driving Elluka into a corner, but partway through Mariam came to help her--so in the end it seems he was unsuccessful."

"I see. What a pity--he'd been so eager to find success here in Lucifenia."

"You're really something too, tricking that pitiful man and having him possessed by a demon."

"Ho, you've got such adult speech for such a young child. Well then, what about the 'Demon of Gluttony'?"

"After Uncle died, it once again returned to Riliane. But it was exorcised by Elluka, and apparently she was able to retrieve the hand mirror vessel too.

"Making it so no one else would be able to so easily defect like Presi…Well played, 'big sis'."

“...?”

This old woman would say such strange things every so often. Judging from her appearance, no matter how I looked at it Elluka shouldn't be older than Abyss I.R.

"Well, I doubt it's anything to worry about if our foe's gotten her hands on one of the four mirrors. The demon she exorcised wasn't the demon of "Pride" that normally dwells in them, but the demon of "Gluttony" that I'd swapped in. …As long as its normal "vessel" that the Empress Dowager has is fine, we can revive it soon."

In order to completely bind a demon, you had to seal the demon dwelling in the "vessel", rather than the "person". Abyss I.R. took advantage of that. She switched the demon of "Pride" that originally dwelled in the hand mirrors with the demon of "Gluttony".

Even if the demon possessing Riliane was purged, as long as we had its real body...the "Glass of Conchita", we could prevent the demon of "Gluttony" from being completely erased.

Furthermore, the demon of "Pride" had a very special property. While there was only one demon, there existed four hand mirrors as its vessel, so the demon could move freely between the four of them.

Elluka likely didn't know either of those facts.

"This is the consequence of being so preoccupied with your long life that you shirked your studies, Elluka,” Abyss IR murmured, a smile rising to her face.

Elluka was probably convinced that she'd completely erased one of the demons of deadly sin by purging the "demon" and sealing the "vessel".

But in reality she had done little more than seal one fourth of the "Vessel of Pride".

"The real nuisance is of course those Three Heroes, and Queen Anne who holds them together. First…I'll have to do something about her. …It'll take some time, but...Yes, I think I'll use the same methods as I did with King Arth. I'll revive the demon of 'Gluttony' and create its usual pathogen with its power. And then…" Abyss I.R. paced around while muttering to herself. "I ought to keep watch for five…no, seven or eight years."

Abyss I.R. turned to me, as though having settled her thoughts.

“Do you already know the course from here?” Abyss I.R. asked in confirmation.

“Yes. I’ll infiltrate Lucifenia this way.”

“You’ve got the mirror?”

“Yes.”

"This will bear the fruits of all your training up until now. It will take a while, but you must endure it somehow. You need to bide your time."

“Bide my time…How long will that be?”

“Until Queen Anne dies. When she does, plant the demon of “Pride” that's inside of you in Princess Riliane.”

“Understood.”

“We’re counting on you Ney. Everything is for your mother.”

“Yes.”

Everything is for my great mother’s sake.

I turned and began to walk towards Lucifenia.

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

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Twiright Prank; Scene 4

Entr’acte of Evil, page 110-113

☯ Elluka of the Three Heroes ~At the Lucifenian Royal Palace~

The situation was getting urgent. I had to hurry. I ran up the staircase that led to Minister Genesia's room.

A short while ago Prince Alexiel had been attacked by an assassin. He would have been in a great deal of danger had Leonhart not been shielding him at Queen Anne's decision.

I had been planning to wait until the results of Mariam's investigation came forward, but I couldn't say that now.

I arrived before the room. I could hear faint sounds coming from inside.

Our own movements have probably been found out too. I can imagine Presi's taken some strong measures against us…

With a tinge of anxiety in my chest, I flung open the door to the minister's room.

“Excuse me. Are you in there, Minister Genesia?"

There was no reply. Unexpectedly I found something lying on the ground beneath my vision.

…Looks as though I was just a second too slow after all, hm?

I could tell with just a glance that the body sprawled out at my feet no longer had a soul dwelling inside it.

He might have been poisoned. His face had turned a dark red, but then, unexpectedly, his expression was calm, as though he was sleeping.

Genesia…You were a lecherous and disagreeable scoundrel, but what a desolate thing for you to have died.

In the chair that Minister Genesia normally reclined in (Genesia was a flashy man, so it was a large chair with a backrest that was much too high), a different person was sitting there.

“--! Princess Riliane! What are you doing here…?"

Greedily devouring something meaty while in a daze, that girl no longer had even the slightest bit of the nobility befitting royalty.

Suddenly a preposterous, awful idea crossed my mind.

----The meat she was eating could possibly have been----

“Just a second Riliane. What are you eating!?”

Riliane resisted, but I forcibly snatched from her the meat that she was holding in her hands.

…It’s just game…wild rabbit meat.

"Oh my, if it isn't the great sorceress Lady Elluka. What has happened? What's got you in such a panic?"

The one who appeared from behind the chair Riliane was sitting in was the mastermind behind this whole chain of events.

“Were you perhaps thinking that the Princess was eating Genesia? Hahaha, there's little chance of that. But then, that's the last bit of food left in the room. When she’s finished eating this, what will Riliane try to eat next?...I do wonder.”

“Presi...You’re the one who killed Genesia...”

“Yes, that’s right. I served him poison. Not many lethal poisons make their way into the country, so I went to a bit of trouble getting it."

"I almost can't believe that you did him in yourself. In any case, you’re already finished. Give up now.”

“Finished...? That sooo? Is that a faaact? Hoohoohoo, hahahahahaha...” Minister Presi continued to laugh. The way he looked then, he didn’t seem to be sane any longer. “I’m not finished yet am III? I’ll kill you right here, and Mariam and Leonhart, and when I’m able to locate Alexiel and kill him, I won't be finished yet, will I? Hahaha!”

Around then I became aware of Presi’s bizarre transformation.

As far as I knew, Presi hadn’t been someone who possessed demon powers. But right now his body was hiding an ominous magical energy. It felt equal to, or even greater, than my own power as a sorceress.

“Princeeess! Lend me the 'demon' inside you, for a little whiiile!"

Power emanated from Riliane's body.

Presi was changing the "something" that was possessing Riliane into his own power. That being said, that much magical energy wasn't normal.

“What—what are you carrying in your body...?”

“Bwahahahahaha! It’s what you’ve always been searching for, always, for five hundred years, Elluka Clockworker!”

“--! A demon of deadly sin...”

“If I have this power, I’ll win against you after this, won’t I? What do you think? How is thaaaaaaAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Presi...If your older sister...If Prim saw you as you are now, what would she think?”

“I wonder. I wondeeeerrrr!"

It seemed there was no talking to him now. He had been completely taken over by the demon.

I prepared the staff that I held in my right hand.

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

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Twiright Prank; Scene 3

Entr’acte of Evil, page 108-109

✡ Minister of Internal Affairs, Presi ~At the Lucifenian Royal Palace~

"The demon possessing Riliane had been unplanned, but…in the end it seems it'll turn out alright," I murmured in my room, and then abruptly sighed.

If everything had gone normally, Prince Alexiel would have been possessed, become my puppet, and I would be picked as guardian instead of Genesia. In that case there would be no need to bring about all this confusion, and things would have gone much more smoothly.

"Changing your tactics to fit the situation…You must be proud," Abyss I.R. laughed boldly in the corner of the room.

"Shut up. If you hadn't screwed up then none of this would have…"

"An old hag like me can't foresee the whims of a demon."

Abyss I.R. was grooming her red cat, not looking even the slightest bit perturbed by my criticism.

Honestly, what a conniving old woman.

"By the by…you said that the demon possessing the princess was the demon of 'Pride'."

"Yes I did, what of it?"

"Then what's with the princess' bizarre appetite? It's so strong at this rate she'll eat up everything in the cellars! No matter how you look at it that doesn't seem related to 'Pride'."

"Oh? Mayhap I made a mistake. Well, I don't think that's a serious problem."

The old woman's complete lack of responsibility was very irritating, but in truth, the important thing was just being able to brainwash and manipulate my candidate for succession.

As that was successful for now, I had to admit there was no point in complaining about inconsequential things. I had known that having someone possessed by a demon would cause some abnormality to occur.

That being said, for the time being I tried griping at the sorceress before me.

"It's incredibly hard to hide this from anyone else. Couldn't you do something?"

"That might be difficult. Well, you'll have to get along some way or another. It's just a matter of time before your ambitions are realized. …Just make sure to diligently pay attention to the actions of those louts called the Three Heroes, especially Elluka."

So saying, Abyss I.R. once more vanished from the room like mist.

The Three Heroes, huh? …I have heard that they've been acting suspiciously lately. Could they have figured it out?

I had to free myself from my worries. But…I knew well of the Three Heroes' true strength. If I challenged them directly I could just be stirring up trouble for myself.

Should I just strike at the source of my concerns, rather? If Genesia and Prince Alexiel were gone from this world, then…

I was already someone who had sold his soul to a demon. I no longer had anything left to fear.

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

Text

Twiright Prank; Scene 2

Entr’acte of Evil, page 103-107

♞ Leonhart of the Three Heroes ~In the Lucifenian Palace, “The Hall of Sounds”~

"Leonhart of the Three Heroes--thank you for coming."

It had been a long time since I'd met with Queen Anne with it just the two of us like this. After she'd been married to King Arth, anytime we met I was generally accompanied by the royal guard, and it was common for Queen Anne to have ministers or attendants or someone at her side.

For her to clear the room of everyone but us likely meant this conversation was something she didn't want to go public, and her having this conversation with me, as captain of the royal guard, likely meant that it was some dangerous matter.

In any case, I had been called by Queen Anne, and was currently kneeling before her presence.

Queen Anne remained still, with a weary expression on her face. I had an inkling as to the reason for that expression.

She cut in, "You know that Presi has suddenly begun to claim that Riliane is the legitimate heir, and that he's taken place as her guardian?"

"Yes. It's likely out of animosity towards Genesia, but it's stupid of him. Doing something like this is just uselessly inviting chaos."

“...”

In actuality, thanks to Presi's insubordination, a turbulent air had taken hold of the Kingdom of Lucifenia.

Presi had insisted that the last testament declaring Prince Alexiel to be the heir had been a hoax between Queen Anne and Minister Genesia.

The minister and the other retainers laughed him down. But then Presi had gone as far as bringing forward a will of Arth's that stated Riliane was to be made his successor, of all things.

Furthermore he'd started spreading a rumor that Queen Anne and Minister Genesia were having an affair.

If that was true, it was a big problem. Most of the retainers hadn't believed the rumor, but there were some who took it as the truth among those who knew of Genesia's lustful ways.

I've heard there isn't a woman who won't fall to Genesia.

Maybe even the Queen as well…

Each time I happened to catch people talking about that in the shadows, I was driven by the impulse to strike them.

"That will is most likely a fake," Queen Anne muttered, sitting down in her chair.

I timidly asked her, "And…what about the other rumor?"

“Rumor?”

“That your highness and the prime minister…that is…”

“Do you think it’s true?”

“--! No.”

I felt like an idiot, asking a question like that while remembering my anger at those who believed the rumors.

It was a foolish question. The Queen would not be attracted to anyone outside of the late king. For a very long time now, the only one that she has ever had eyes for was King Arth. That was something I knew very well.

For just a moment, I was awash with memories of my old, bitter love. A noble and a commoner. It was a love that I knew would not be reciprocated.

Even so, there is happiness in itself just from being able to serve at her side like this.

Though it had taken more time than I'd thought it would for me to be able to think so.

"But well, if the will and the rumor are both lies, then I don't think there's anything to worry about. The truth will come out sooner or later, and Presi will just end up losing his standing. I had thought him of quite high merit, but it seems he's really a stupid man."

"How like you to have such a simplistic point of view."

“-Sigh-…My apologies.”

"That was a compliment. The likes of Ourself and Mariam have a tendency to unnecessarily overthink things. There are times when We envy your straightforward personality."

"Thanks a lot."

"Hoho…But We have another problem outside of that."

I could tell that the tone of the queen's voice had changed slightly.

"It's about Riliane…Our innocent and precious Riliane has come to be like a whole other person suddenly." There seemed to be some bewilderment in the way she was talking. "Though she has not had nearly so much interest in it up until now, she's begun to be very assertive regarding becoming heir to the throne…"

"Maybe Presi has dragged the princess into something he need not have."

"She's on very stormy terms with her brother Alexiel too, when they got along so well before. Alexiel is a kind boy, so even if she beats him he won't raise a hand to her…"

"I don't think it's so strange for a boy and girl to quarrel at that age. My own daughter is constantly getting bruises from her fights with local punks."

"But…But! It's not just that…She's been doing strange things, things that seem devoid of reason…"

"Strange things? What sort of things do you mean…?"

"…Go stand in the kitchen and watch, after this. I think Riliane is in there right now."

“…?”

The matter being about her own child aside, it was rare to see the queen so shaken up. It seemed certain then that the princess really had fallen into some terrible predicament.

The queen averted her eyes from me, and gazed at the palace grounds out the window.

After a brief silence, she once again opened her mouth. "At any rate, Elluka has said there's a possibility that Presi is plotting something bad."

Certainly, there were many doubts to be had about Presi's recent actions. I had also received word from a soldier that Presi had been summoning a suspicious old woman to his room every now and then.

And…then there was Anne saying she had consulted Elluka earlier…Did she suspect Presi of using magic on Riliane, or having her possessed by a demon?

"We have already sent Mariam out to perform a personal inquiry into the matter. Furthermore…"

After a short pause,

“We do have something to ask of you.”

The queen gave me a certain command.

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entracteofevil · 7 years ago

Text

Twiright Prank; Scene 1

Entr’acte of Evil, page 90-95

✡ Minister of Internal Affairs, Presi ~At the Lucifenian Royal Palace~

To me, this old woman's suggestion was gospel from god, and at the same time the whisperings of a demon.

She went by the name of Abyss I.R. She wore a shabby black hood, and had a very thin red cat riding on her shoulder. If it hadn't been for her bringing a letter of introduction from Empress Dowager Prim--my older sister, who was married to the king of the country of Marlon--I probably would have refused a meeting between me and her.

In the room, cleared of everyone but just us two, I gazed at the single hand mirror that Abyss I.R. had given to me.

"…Is this the rumored 'Vessel of Deadly Sin'? It looks like little more than a plain hand mirror with nothing unusual about it."

There were careful carvings around its wooden edge, but it certainly wasn't anything showy. The ivory colored coating that had likely been painted on to give the appearance of high quality was faded, and it was tinged with yellow.

Abyss I.R. drew closer to me and pointed at the mirror's surface.

"You must look more closely. Here--you can see what looks like a faint red light, can't you?"

When I peered closely into the mirror, I could see that yes--there did seem to be something red shining in it.

“This is a demon? Suddenly I can’t believe it...”

“Believe or disbelieve as you please. In any case, you don't have time to choose, do you? Minister Presi.”

“...Hmph.”

Indeed as Abyss I.R. said, I was standing in a very delicate position here in the Lucifenian court.

My name is Presi. I serve as the Minister of Internal Affairs here in this “Yellow Country”, the Kingdom of Lucifenia.

I flattered myself that I had greatly contributed to this country's prosperity, but it seemed my reputation among the common people wasn't so good. It was all because that crafty Genesia usurped my achievements, and put the blame on me for his own failures. If it weren't for that rat, my political situation as minister would have been settled.

Right now the structure of the country was greatly changing. The great king, Arth the First, had died of illness.

Arth had twin children. An older sister, Princess Riliane, and a younger brother, Prince Alexiel. Prince Alexiel had been decided on as his successor by Arth's last request, but as he was unfortunately a six year old child, he wasn't at an age where he could be entrusted with ruling the country. So until he was grown, the one chosen as guardian was Minister Genesia, of all people.

Queen Anne, the prince's mother, should be the one to act as guardian. She held as much wit as Arth--more, even, and above all she loved her country more than anyone. In the neighboring country of Elphegort, a female prime minister had once a huge hand in the country's expansion, and my sister Prim was gradually boosting her influence in the country of Marlon. In recent years it wasn't such a rare thing for a woman to have political standing.

Despite all that, Genesia was skillfully able to convince the queen and her retainers into deciding on him as guardian.

At any rate, this was a serious matter for me. Genesia and I were like cats and dogs; we had been rivals at climbing the ladder of success since childhood. I had no desire to lose to him. Even so, if things kept going the way they were now, Genesia's power would be secure. And on the contrary, I would probably get stuck with being restrained in a lower position with that treacherous Genesia's harassment. As someone whose lifeblood has only been able to flow up until now through success alone, it would be an unbearable humiliation.

I was going to get ridiculed by my sister for this again. I was sure that she would stare at me with those cold, scornful eyes. And she'd say, with that disappointed tone,

"You don't have the ability to stand above people."

That alone could not happen. I had to rise up in this country and have my sister take notice of me.

My older sister was a frightening woman. She could probably tell that I was impatient with the way things were now. It was for that reason that she sent me a vessel of deadly sin through this old woman, and was trying to have me carry out this dreadful plan. Naturally, this was not out of affection towards her little brother who was living in another country.

"Finally, the Empress Dowager is trying to take possession of Lucifenia using me."

"Who am I to say? A hag like me knows so little about the politics of countries," Abyss I.R. said, face crinkling with a smile. The cat on her shoulder meowed with her.

"Who even are you, you old bat? I very much doubt you'll tell me you're just a maid of the Marlon royal family."

"Well, one might say I am the 'sorceress' attendant on the empress dowager. Though when I speak of being a magic user, the majority of people don't believe me."

"…On the contrary, I don't know how it is in Marlon, but that's not at all the case in the Lucifenian palace."

I see, a "sorceress"? In that case then it seemed the things she'd been telling me weren't just laughable nonsense.

There was a sorceress with the name of Elluka in Lucifenia, as well. She was a youthful, beautiful, and amazing woman. Up until meeting her, I had firmly believed that things like magic only existed in fairy-tales.

But one by one, she had showed those "deeds from within fairy-tales" before the Lucifenian soldiers and ministers. Such an unreal spectacle had been more than enough to upend all of the values I'd held until then.

I could remember my big sister being very close with Elluka too, when she'd been in Lucifenia. As she had apparently been more taken with Elluka's magic than anyone, Elluka had, on request, given her instruction on some simple introductory arts (and from what I'd heard from Elluka afterward, my sister had magical ability even as she was).

But it seemed those lessons ended halfway through when my sister left for Marlon after marrying.

Knowing well of Elluka's power, my sister wouldn't give the title of 'sorceress' to a mere swindler. At the very least it was certain that Abyss I.R. was endowed with enough magical power to make the plan come to fruition.

Remembering Elluka's voluptuous appearance, I thought to myself that this old woman before my eyes felt much more like a witch.

"That's right, this country has that Elluka in it." In contrast to the old woman, whose expression remained unchanged, the red cat's fur seemed to stand on end a little. "But that might be a bit of a problem."

“Why’s that?

"Should anything happen inside the palace, that sorceress is likely to sense it. We'll have to get the prince outside somehow."

“I see. Although, if that’s the case I have an idea.”

"Oh ho, how is that?"

"I've heard that those twins will sneak out of the palace from time to time, and play at a nearby beach. I don't know how they get out, but it's the work of children after all. If I get one of my subordinates to stand watch, they aren't likely to miss their movements.”

"So you're saying to aim for an interlude when they've gone to the beach all on their own, hm? Excellent, then let's begin preparations shall we? Heheheh…"

"Hey, this plan--will it really go well…?"

When I tried to confirm it all one last time, Abyss I.R. had already left the room, and was nowhere in sight.

What I would be trying to do from this point on would be treason towards my country, and a transgression against morality. With that in mind I wasn't able to stop myself from trembling.

But I can't take it back now.

I would rise to being a central figure in my country. I would win against my loathed Genesia. Even if it meant being used by my sister. Even if it meant giving myself over to a "demon".

For that I needed to have Prince Alexiel possessed by a "Demon of Deadly Sin", and then make him into my puppet.

[What follows is a largely wordless comic portion that shows Riliane finding a black box buried in the beach while she and Allen are playing. Inside the box is a small hand mirror. From the nearby woods, Abyss I.R. activates the mirror with a spell and a demon, the silhouette of a woman, appears before the twins. Riliane walks away from her, but Allen offers his hand to the demon. Taken aback, the demon possesses Riliane instead. When Riliane awakens she says she is hungry.]

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