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epicofevil · 4 years ago

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Series Illustrator Interview

Epic of Evil page 71-76

Meeting With AkunoP

--First, please introduce yourselves.

Yoshida Dondorian (hereon: Yoshida): I’m Yoshida. I started working on the series in “Wiegenlied of Green”!

you-ring@Kitano Tomotoshi (hereon: you-ring): I’m you-ring@Kitano Tomotoshi, who got to draw the cover art for “Praeludium of Red” and “Praefacio of Blue”.

You: I’m You. I did the cover for this book, “Epic of Evil”. This is my second interview after the one in Entr’acte of Evil, but I’m a bit nervous this time too.

--You-san answered this question in “Entr’acte of Evil”’s illustrator interview, but you-ring-san and Yoshida-san, what was your first AkunoP work?

Yoshida: I first started listening to VOCALOID around 2009 or so…So I got in around the time all those derivative fan videos of “Daughter of Evil” were coming out.

you-ring: My first AkunoP songs were “Daughter of Evil” and “Servant of Evil” of course. I think it was around the time “Servant of Evil” got uploaded, and I saw all these comments to watch it after watching “Daughter of Evil”, so I did…I remember bawling over it.

--There was a ton of uproar over “Daughter of Evil” and “Servant of Evil” at the time, wasn’t there. What was your impression of AkunoP-san himself?

Yoshida: Didn’t I hear that he completely transformed himself…!?

--Transformed (haha). That’s true, he did do an image change to wearing sunglasses and a beard.

Yoshida: My image of him wasn’t like that at all, so I think I might have been introduced to him pre-transformation at “VOC@LOiD M@STER” (colloquially “VoMas”)!

you-ring: I think I also saw him the first time at VoMas…But I can’t remember when that was lol

Yoshida: Rather than being surprised by him, I remember thinking, “Ah, so this is the guy who made the Of Evil series…!” That sort of thing.

you-ring: For an “Evil” person he seemed very good-natured. …That might count as malicious rumor, hey?

--I wouldn’t think so (haha)

you-ring: Sounds like I’m not getting scolded lol. In that sense, unlike Yoshida-san I was very surprised by him.

Celebrating Series Completion! Most Bittersweet

--Please tell us how you felt when the final and fourth installment of the series came out. you-ring-san, you were the one who worked on the cover for the fourth novel, Yoshida-san you worked on some of its artwork, and You-san you participated in the pinup art.

Yoshida: With all of the plot threads that were being revealed, from the first novel to the last I felt like it was all so very interesting…And also that I really wanted to read more of the “Of Evil” world just a little longer!

You: I had a lot of fun being able to draw art for each installment, and I remember feeling really desolate that we were at the last one. Even now I have the “Daughter of Evil” books piled up on my desk; you-ring-san’s Kyle, coupled with the book’s contents, are very striking, I think.

you-ring: While I felt very uplifted at being able to continue to do the cover art after the third book, at the same time the pressure at it being the finale was immeasurable. Still, in the end, since it was Kyle I muddled through it.

You: Also, it really felt like a collaborative effort, with Yoshida-san’s pictures really connecting the third and fourth books.

Yoshida: Aw, thank you so much!

you-ring: I would find myself going back to look at Yoshida-san’s artwork! I can’t help but sigh in admiration every time I see everyone’s artwork. You-san and Yoshida-san both have such tremendous ability for creating atmosphere in their pictures.

Yoshida: I’m truly honored…!

You: You’re much too kind! So many other illustrators contributed to the Of Evil novels, so it’s really fun in the sense that we get to see various worlds within that. Like, “Ah, that’s another way to go about it too”.

Yoshida: Yeah, I was always looking forward to it, and also every time I would get really nervous about if I’m redundant or not.

you-ring: Concepts and worldviews that I couldn’t put forward…I got a ton of motivation. I also had the same anxiety about being redundant lol, I was doing this work while constantly wondering if it was good enough.

Yoshida: And You-san and you-ring-san made such lovely art and covers from the very first installment, including “Entr’acte of Evil”. They really caught my eye when I saw them at the publisher’s!

--The illustrations for this book turned out pretty gorgeous too.

You: Wow!

Yoshida: Oh! I’m really excited to see it!

You: My heart’s all fluttery now…

you-ring: I’m gonna head over to the publisher’s in a bit! (I haven’t left yet)

You: Though everyone who’s reading this will have seen them already. Sounds great.

--On that topic, Elluka’s finally debuted on this cover.

Yoshida: I love her so much that I picked Elluka-san as my image for the illustrator comments in book four, so that makes me happy! I’m looking forward to that too! You-san’s Elluka is so pretty…

You: I was really happy to be able to draw Elluka-sama prominently, given her unique position. Her general image is really evocative of purple, which is a color you don’t see too much on book covers I think.

you-ring: I got really excited to see it as soon as I heard about it! I wanna see it already!

--On that note, all of the members here are people who’ve drawn a decent amount of characters. Please tell us of any you had fun drawing, or any you particularly like.

Yoshida: The sorceresses, of course! Naturally I love the other more human characters too, but with them having that unique position that got mentioned earlier, I’m just super drawn to these somewhat detached women… Although the frontispiece for this book is my first time drawing them.

You: In my afterwards comments I declared my favorites to be Allen-kun, Elluka, and Gumillia, but the person I get fired up about drawing is Yukina-chan from the third book. Since she’s a character that didn’t get featured in the songs originally, it was very refreshing to be able to draw her. After that, obviously Riliane and Allen.

you-ring: Yukina in the frontispiece for the third book was so beautiful, she was just too precious lol

Yoshida: Same for how you drew her!

you-ring: Out of all the things I’ve gotten to draw, I’ve drawn Yukina the most, and so I’ve become the most attached to her. In this story with so many different characters interwoven through it, I think she’s a girl with a really interesting and toothsome place in it. Also Prim too, actually—she’s comparatively more difficult in terms of time and labor to draw, but she was also pretty fun…

You: you-ring’s Prim is too beautiful, my eyes end up getting drawn to her chest…(haha)

Yoshida: Prim’s chest…and the wrinkling in her clothing under her chest.

you-ring: Wha—we’re talking about her chest now!? Shame on you lol. Yoshida-san, you really surprised me with how differently you were able to depict Yukina, despite her being the same character.

You: That illustration was so amazing, it really felt like it had that feeling of the pen telling the story. I also liked how the character silhouettes were put in with their motif colors.

you-ring: Yeah, the tracing line of the pen was great! I was just stunned at the concept put into such a picture.

Yoshida: Oh wow, thanks you guys! That kind of motif is one that’s very much inlaid into the story, and I just wanted to depict it myself…! The “Of Evil” world is full of setups and amazing motifs like that…So I just get…really excited…!

Yoshida: In that sense I also really look forward to the book binding, too! Like, “What kind of figure will be on the flap?” or “what’ll be the design on the pages this time?”…

You: I got you. The rose-->grape-->feather-->seashell designs were really cool.

--Thank you very much! I’d like you to observe the image of the cover under the dust jacket.

You: Ney-chan…

Yoshida: Praeludium and Praefacio…This is really…amazing! Anyone who hasn’t seen it should go look!

--There’s also a secret trick with Wiegenlied as well!

You: Everyone go look at the under-cover…!

Yoshida: Woah, I don’t think I ever noticed…! What is this…! *Rustle rustle* Aaah! Wow!!

you-ring: I guess everyone went to take off their dust jackets all at once, lol

Yoshida: Woooah! *rustlerustlerustle* …What a fantastic production…

You: Feels like everyone at the publisher’s made this really neatly~

Yoshida: I always get a kick out of seeing the maps and commentary! At the very beginning—if you’ll pardon my saying so—I was really dubious as to how it would turn out, since there weren’t any novelizations of VOCALOID songs at the time. But it was made with such love, and the story is naturally very interesting, I feel very strongly that this work makes for amazing books!

--When you put it like that, all the hard work was worth it!

Any Surprises? Results of the Character Popularity Poll.

--This time around we conducted a character popularity poll!

You: Kyle did very well!

you-ring: Allen had a real strong running!!

Yoshida: Woah…! I wasn’t expecting Clarith’s position…!

--There were a lot of comments from people empathizing with Clarith, it seems.

You: I see…(tears)

Yoshida: I also felt the most moved by Clarith. Congratulations, Clarith…!

--Michaela’s ranking was really surprising. And then there’s Ayn…

Yoshida: Ah, now that you mention it! That’s quite a feat. Surely you’ll put in something commemorative on the cover edges…?

You: Ah! I’ve already completed the cover, so…Everyone, please look at it with your mental eye instead…!

Yoshida: Wha…

you-ring: If I strain my eyes, I see there…

--Ayn has no character design, so you’ll all have to make sure to draw him when you get the chance (haha)

Yoshida: Well then, maybe we could slip him into an illustration… Though he doesn’t have a design…

You: That’s a good idea! Maybe I’ll upload an image to my blog then…lol

Yoshida: Ooh! I’d love to see your Ayn, You-san…! I’ll covertly look forward to it…

you-ring: You mean a festival for the Ayn I came up with!?

You: You’re gonna draw him too, aren’t you you-ring-san?

you-ring: Uh.

Yoshida: Yeah! Ayn’s gotta have this magnificent backstory, right? I feel like Akuno-san would make something like that…

--Various countries were featured throughout the story; are there any that you all would like to go to?

you-ring: It’s not a country, but I’d like to just go see the Millennium Tree at least once, soon. So in that sense, Elphegort?

Yoshida: Oh, me too! I want to go to the Millennium Tree Forest. Also, of course, the place where the story started: Lucifenia.

You: I also think I’d like to see the Millennium Tree. It’d feel like a world heritage spot, don’t you think? Also, I’d want to go to a banquet on the Freezis Estate (though I can’t).

--Held-sama is quite popular then! The Millennium Tree is meant to be a former pilgrimage site, though lately it sounds like not many people go there anymore.

you-ring: It’s an undiscovered gem! I’d just like to go there and take my time idling around, seeing everyting…

Yoshida: I’d love that! Frankly, all the countries sound dangerous…Even the Millennium Tree isn’t safe, but it has a peaceful image I think, so if I went to any of them physically…The Millennium Tree is good.

you-ring: Sorry that you asked us a question about countries and we all answered with a forest lol

And Now, To the “Seven Deadly Sins”

--Now that the “Daughter of Evil” series is complete, let’s hear some nice words for AkunoP-san, if you please.

Yoshida: Congratulations on finishing it. You did such good work! Although, as a reader, there’s still a lot more I want to see. I’m…really really excited to see the “Deadly Sins of Evil” series (chuckle)

You: I’m saying this a lot here, but I want to say thank you for all your hard work, it’s greatly appreciated. I’m very happy at just being able to depict your characters, Akuno-san. I’m also excited for the “Deadly Sins of Evil”. I’ll be in anticipation while listening to the songs on repeat.

you-ring: Always stay evil, yeah? I’m also looking forward to the Deadly Sins Series! And a sincere congratulations on finishing the Daughter of Evil series.

--Please tell us more how you’re all curious about and looking forward to the new “Deadly Sins” series.

you-ring: As a reader I’m very curious as to how the story will be told and how it’ll be released, like if each sin will be published one by one.

Yoshida: The Seven Deadly Sins have a strong impact in various different directions, so I’m really excited to see how it all ties together!

You: I’m looking forward to seeing how the various secrets woven into the work get brought to light. I feel like reading the “Deadly Sins” series will end up making me want to reread the “Daughter of Evil” series again.

--Thank you very much! Now then, please say one last thing here.

Yoshida: I am truly grateful for being able to assist in the “Daughter of Evil” series. It’s a wonderful thing to be involved in this enormous world. The songs, the books, I hope to see even more from here on out!

you-ring: I think this series has let me take part in a truly valuable experience, and it’s been a great honor to take part in it. Thank you very much for inviting me on here!

You: From the very first book to this “Epic of Evil”, thank you so much for having me draw for this series for such a long time. I’ve nothing but gratitude.

--Thank you all for your time.

directory

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epicofevil · 4 years ago

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AkunoP and Ichika Interview

Epic of Evil page 64-70

A Novel Series Started By Feeling it Out

--Congratulations on finishing the “Daughter of Evil” novel series! Tell us what you’re feeling right now.

AkunoP: Looking back on it all again, I’m amazed I actually managed to write four novels.

Ichika: Really I feel this big sense of accomplishment. And then also a little bit of feeling like I’ve screwed up.

--It’s been close to two years since the release of the first book, “Daughter of Evil: Cloture of Yellow”…

AkunoP: There was a lot of trial and error going on at the beginning. Both for me and the people I worked with.

--Do you have any events that left a particular impression on you?

AkunoP: I got pretty flustered when my editor at the time told me they were looking forward to working with me because it was their first time doing a light novel, lol. Like, no, it’s my first time too, haha. And back then there wasn’t really a precedent for doing a VOCALOID light novel, so it felt a bit like we were all moving forward blindly feeling things out.

--How was it with you, Ichika-san?

Ichika: I hadn’t had much experience with other people looking at my work, or doing corrections on it, so there was a lot of studying for me.

--By the by, what did you mean about feeling like you messed up?

Ichika: By that I meant…The images under the covers for the third and fourth book, lol

--(haha). But those were so popular!

AkunoP: I thought it was interesting that they had a surprise like that under there, haha

--There were a lot of comments in the popularity poll saying they thought Kyle’s demon form was cool, or that Ney’s dress was adorable.

Ichika: Then I succeeded! lol

AkunoP: On that point, that concept was a pretty good idea I think, haha. Thinking on if those had become illustrations, I think it’s pretty interesting to have them have this change in appearance…lol

Ichika: Now that you say that I kind of regret not being able to draw Ney’s dress in the book illustrations proper.

--Now that we’re talking about the book illustrations, is there anything in the four novels and bonus content that you’re particularly fond of?

Ichika: That would have to be the two-page spread in the first book. It’s a scene that left an impression in the song too.

AkunoP: Same for me I think. Every installment has a two-page spread, but the characters are really well matched here.

Ichika: Yeah, for sure!

--I see. The third and fourth novels are the opposite, but it seems like they fundamentally have the cover characters arranged in them.

AkunoP: Oh, yeah. But the five people who were originally in the “Daughter of Evil” movie illustrations (Kagamine Rin/Len, Hatsune Miku, MEIKO, KAITO)+Clarith are all the main characters, so I figure that worked out pretty well.

--It’s you making so many skillfully matched character highlight scenes that makes this production what it is, AkunoP-san!

AkunoP: There are a lot of characters though so it was pretty challenging, lol

--Your hard work is appreciated (haha). So then, do you have anything that you would like to write a bit more on? And Ichika-san, do you have any characters or scenes that you want to draw a bit more?

Ichika: There’s a lot of scenes I’d like to illustrate with Ney, so I guess she’s someone I’d like to draw a bit more.

AkunoP: There’s a lot of minor details I’d want to go over. Like what Germaine was doing between the first book and the third book, and Ney’s past, and so on.

--Ney was really amazing in the third and fourth books.

AkunoP: On the topic of Ney, she actually should have had more of a highlight in the revolution scene in the first book, and it’s really unfortunate that I wasn’t able to write it into the book proper. Though I was finally able to get that done thanks to the manga in the “Entr’acte of Evil” guidebook. My cutting that maid duel out of the main novel proper might have made that last attack Kyle used in the fourth book a bit more inexplicable, I think.

--Ah yes, the rocket glove…Feels like you’ve got no choice but to write a spinoff from Ney’s point of view (haha)

AkunoP: I mean, if we’re talking like that, there’s no limit to what I’d have to write, lol. If I were to dig up the three heroes and write about them that alone would take a whole novel. There’s a whole lot of content I had to cut to preserve the tempo of the story. The third and fourth books ended up being way longer than I’d planned them to be in the beginning, even. I think Leonhart-san ended up getting the most content cut out of all of them, really. Since in the main novel he just ended up getting killed by Allen really early on, lol

--In the character popularity poll we did get some people commenting that they want to see what it was like for Leonhart raising his kids.

Ichika: I’d also like to see that.

AkunoP: Judging by the results I get the feeling he failed pretty spectacularly at his child-rearing, lol. I sort of think that maybe things would have turned out differently if they’d had a mother… I think they both took on Leonhart’s good qualities from him, but that also backfired too in some ways.

--Yes, I see. I get the impression there’s a lot of characters in “The Daughter of Evil” who were strongly influenced by their fathers. And that a lot of them have mother-complexes and father-complexes…

AkunoP: I wouldn’t say it’s meant to be some hidden theme over the whole work, but I did put that component in all of the characters. Historically speaking there been a lot of people for whom their parental influence decides how their life will go.

--Looking at it that way, in a sense that makes Yukina a very special character.

Akuno: She does stand out in a sense as the antithesis to the other characters, Yukina. But ultimately, she does end up going off the rails a bit for her mother’s sake. So from that perspective she hasn’t managed to escape from her fate. The “Seven Deadly Sins” themselves are born out of the reckless actions of a single mother, and if that is the original sin then that means all of the characters of “Daughter of Evil” are continuing to take on the influence of their parents as “penance” to shoulder the burden of that sin…That’s one of the ways you could look at it.

--…This has gotten pretty deep. There’s a lot there that I want to ask about more in depth, but Ichika-san’s dropped out of the conversation (haha)

Ichika: Oh no, sorry, lol. I was so engrossed in listening along that I wasn’t paying attention to my ROM…Personally I’d love if you guys could continue on this topic, lol

AkunoP: We could be at this all day if we kept on this subject, so maybe it’s best to leave it there for now, lol

--Let me switch to a different topic of conversation, then!

The Expected and Unexpected Poll Results

--About the popularity poll that was conducted to commemorate the creation of this fanbook, what do you think of the lineup?

AkunoP: I think it shows that the characters who serve as the protagonists for “Servant of Evil”, “Daughter of Evil”, and “Daughter of White” are pretty strong after all.

Ichika: It’s mostly how I expected it would be, but there are a few characters in it I’m a little surprised over.

--What ones were surprising in particular?

Ichika: I thought Gallerian, Ayn, and Michaela’s rankings were a bit unexpected.

AkunoP: I guess Michaela wasn’t all that popular, lol. Even though she’s been there from the start lol. It’s not just with Michaela; the Mikus in my songs tend to be pretty passive characters in construction a lot of the time. So on the whole they don’t get very popular. It’s like it’s an inversion of the typical VOCALOID ranking that most people have. It’s also funny that Keel, a character who showed up in all four novels, has the same rank as Ayn, a character who only showed up in the second one, lol

--So either Keel’s ranking is low or Ayn’s is high (haha)

AkunoP: And then there’s Lily, who got ranked in between Michaela and Keel. When I first conceived of her she was going to do a whole lot more, but then my plans change and she got the short end of the stick for it, so I do feel a little bad about that.

Ichika: Personally I think I would have liked to see more of Lily’s deeds myself.

AkunoP: Actually, she was originally going to tag along with them to Marlon. But things would have gotten out of hand for me to increase the amount of characters like that, so she ended up having to stay behind and keep an eye on things there.

Ichika: Oh, so that’s how it was!

AkunoP: Conversely, Yukina’s screentime increased a lot from what I had originally planned, so you could say she gained the most out of it. Keel also had a much bigger role than I had planned at first, come to think of it…

Ichika: Keel…At some point I kind of feel bad for how I treated him. I realized that he’s been there since the first book and yet even by the time of the third novel’s illustrations I’d never drawn him once. That’s why I hurriedly picked out a scene where Keel shows up for one of the illustrations.

AkunoP: Well, his initial placement in the story is that of a merely providing support… Everything would be too convenient if I made the rich character stand out too much, so as I was working there were parts where I had to restrain myself from putting him to use. And then there’s the character who ranks number 10 lol I was like ‘hey wait a second there’, lol

Ichika: lololol I feel like number 10 is just sticks out like a sore thumb lol

AkunoP: Gallerian’s more popular than I thought…

Ichika: He’s a character I like a great deal as well. I’ve gotta watch myself with this popularity poll lol

AkunoP: I wanna say, “he’s not even a character from this series lol”. Though well, ultimately it was me who decided to debut him in it.

Ichika: I got so excited when I saw him show up in the plot while you were making it, lol

AkunoP: I agonized over whether to have him show up in the end there or to have everything being told by an adult Yukina. Eventually I figured it was better to debut him to lead into the next series, the Deadly Sins of Evil series…

Ichika: He’s going to be showing up in the Deadly Sins of Evil series, lol

--There were actually a lot of comments to the effect of, “I’m looking forward to the Deadly Sins of Evil series!”, so that was pretty successful (haha). By the way, in the comments for Gallerian we saw a lot of people using words like “fatherly” and “has a kid”…And, incidentally, all of the comments about Keel basically called him a “sappy parent” (haha)

Ichika: Keel, lolol

AkunoP: Keel being a sappy parent is something that must have left a stronger and stronger impression as the series went on…lol

--People like the gap between how he is as a sappy father, how he is as a merchant, and how he is as Kyle’s mean friend. I was also surprised at him tying so closely with Ayn.

AkunoP: Especially considering he’s not a VOCALOID character.

Ichika: But I think he’s a good character nonetheless.

--He’s the sole ranking character out of those that are completely original. I do think though there are other pretty deep characters, like Yarera and Zusco (haha)

AkunoP: Those two wound up getting a surprising amount of screen time, didn’t they lol. I wanted to write more about them, like on their relationship with Gast. I guess there’s not much demand for that, lol

--You mean like the founding of the Venom mercenaries?

AkunoP: I think even if I write it though, it wouldn’t wind up being very interesting lol

--Those two even got described in the fourth novel (haha)

AkunoP: Even now there’s times where I’m not sure which one is Yarera and which one is Zusco lol

--Oh dear (haha)

AkunoP-san and Ichika-san

--Various countries have shown up in this series, from the Yellow Country of Lucifenia to the Blue Country of Marlon. Which countries would you like to travel to, and which would you like to live in?

Ichika: Elphegort, since it seems the most peaceful.

AkunoP: For travel, probably Beelzenia. Elphegort seems a bit treacherous to live in.

Ichika: I’m a shut-in, so that’s no problem…!

AkunoP: It does have a lot of nature, and if you’re in the capital it’s probably relatively easy to making a living there, in Elphegort.

--Where in Beelzenia would you like to travel to, AkunoP-san?

AkunoP: It didn’t really show up much in the main series, but somewhere in its Southern region, in concept it had a lot of historical buildings and such down there. Like the Conchita mansion. Somewhere around there.

Ichika: I’d like to go see historical buildings too.

AkunoP: It’s Conchita’s territory too, so the food’s gotta be delicious.

Ichika: I’d love to go to southern Beelzenia as long as I get to eat delicious food lol

AkunoP: Though it was originally a huge military power, so hopefully it wouldn’t break out in a war while we’re there.

--I see, sounds like it had a pretty amazing structure during wartime. I’ve also heard a rumor that Marlon food isn’t all that good… (haha)

AkunoP: I think Marlon would be the most prosperous to live in. Military, history, nature… I feel like Marlon has the best balance on all of them.

--I think Lucifenia would be a decent place to live to, after becoming a republic.

AkunoP: Still, because it’s in the center of the continent it does get embroiled in conflict with its neighbors after that. And it has a pretty high crime rate, too. To the point where some serial killer shows up 100 years later and causes some kind of scandal, I think.

--(haha). Well then, next up I want to ask the both of you something. Please, tell us your impressions of each other after having collaborated with each other since “The Daughter of Evil” song.

AkunoP: I guess that makes it four years now.

Ichika: …Four years have passed.

AkunoP: We first met face to face about three years ago, and for better or worse I don’t think our impressions have changed much since then.

Ichika: I had a pretty decent impression of him as being a polite person, and even now I don’t think that’s changed much.

AkunoP: I don’t think the two of us have really gotten all that deeply involved with each other. Though conversely that might be a good thing.

--Now that you mention it, I think you did say something about being “unable to get Ichika-san to open up to you”, AkunoP-san.

Ichika: Wha…lol

AkunoP: This is just my own personal image, but I think Ichika-san isn’t the type to like people who come on too strong, so I do try to keep myself in check a bit, lol

Ichika: To be honest, whenever I interact with people directly, for good or ill 80% of the time I get called a weirdo, so I tend to set a boundary more often than not, lol

AkunoP: We might be a bit alike in having that kind of stance towards strangers.

Ichika: I think it’s good to keep a moderate sense of distance, lol. It seems we’re of a similar mind on that subject so that makes me feel better.

AkunoP: Neither of us are really the type to be chattering away in a crowded place, lol.

Ichika: Ain’t that the truth, I’d rather some deserted place with a tiny amount of people. Ah, there’s also the fact that AkunoP-san is older than me, so I’m also trying to make sure I don’t run my mouth and say anything rude lol

AkunoP: I don’t really pay much mind to age-based status relationships myself, but it seems the people around me fuss about it a lot.

Ichika: Depending on the person something like “speak politely with your elders” could even wind up being a bit of a catchphrase. …That’s it, lol

AkunoP: Well, I guess it’s better than being rude, lol

--You seem to be like two peas in a pod (haha). Well then, let’s hear what you have to say to each other, please!

AkunoP: “I hope we can continue to work well together”. I’m not sure I’ve got any more than that. I think there’s a lot that I’m going to do here on out. I think I’d rather save the longer message for our actual final parting lol

Ichika: Thank you for all of the great villain characters each time. I hope we can continue to work well together.

--Villain characters (haha)

Ichika: I love villain characters, so I’m always happy that he keeps supplying me with more each time lol. Sorry I don’t have a more serious message…lol

AkunoP: I also like villain characters. Leave the good guys to someone else lol

Ichika: I feel like I’ve just seen the moment “ZennoP” has vanished…

--Well then, now that the ZennoP component is out of the way (haha) AkunoP-san, please tell us a little bit of the prospects for your new series that you’re gearing up to release.

AkunoP: To quote a common phrase, it’s gonna have a whole new look. There’ll still be VOCALOID characters, but its construction will be a little different to what I’ve done so far. Characters who were good will take on villainous roles and vice versa…And there will be appearing characters who are continuing the roles they had in “Daughter of Evil”. Such as Abyss I.R. who didn’t get much screentime before, there’ll probably be more opportunities to see her deeds.

--Thank you very much! Now then, please say one final thing to all of the readers!

AkunoP: If you all could continue reading just a little bit longer, I hope to meet all of your expectations!

Ichika: Now that “Daughter of Evil” has finished, I’ll be taking a little bit of a break. I look forward to showing my work if you have the chance to see me again somewhere new.

directory

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epicofevil · 4 years ago

Text

Character Popularity Poll

Epic of Evil page 40-62

After the conclusion of the “Daughter of Evil” novels and the announcement of this fanbook, we opened up a character popularity poll! It was held on Twitter between June 16th and June 30th, and we received a ton of votes. Here we’ll tell you the order, as well as share some of the red hot comments they got!

1st place with 89 votes

Allen Avadonia (Prince Alexiel)

(Kagamine Len)

Profile

Age: 14 at death (485-500)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: Orthodox Lucifenian

Religion: Levin, Levia sect

Relatives: Father; Arth I (deceased), Mother; Anne (deceased), Sister; Riliane, Adoptive Father; Leonhart (deceased), Adoptive Sister; Germaine

He’s a servant who works in the Lucifenian royal palace, but in truth he is Riliane’s twin brother, Prince Alexiel. During the revolution he is executed in Riliane’s stead.

-Due to an event that occurred when he was young, Allen as a prince was publicly declared dead. He works as a servant surrounded by his friends.

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

Fan Comments

“The Servant of Evil” is the reason I got sucked into AkunoP-sama’s music in the first place.

Allen-kun is the best!

I was really moved by Allen’s kindness at prioritizing Riliane over himself. I think there are probably some people who don’t think he’s kind because he betrayed so many people, but I think “doing it all for the person you want to protect” is itself a different sort of kindness.

Obviously it’s Allen. His words and deeds made me cry my eyes out.

I love how brave he is, and that he was willing to do anything for Riliane’s sake.

He really struck me with how he protected Riliane to the end. I was also about the same age as Allen when I first bought the book, so I was kinda taken in by him being such a naïve young man.

He’s really cool looking!!!

His level of kindness that he devoted himself to his sole blood relative Riliane and ultimately took her place is really amazing…!

He was alright with becoming evil if it was for Riliane’s sake. He did all that for his sister; for Riliane he used his sword to kill people, he can ride a horse, he protected his sister—he’s just really cool!!

What an amazing loyalty he has…Allen supports his sister and the rest!! He’s so awesome, I wanna be like him!!

Artist’s Comments

AkunoP: I rather expected him to be the most popular.

Ichika: Wow, he really was well received.

AkunoP: Unfortunately, he died in the first book, so I wasn’t really able to delve into his character much from the third book onward.

--Rin probably had also moved on from Allen at that point.

AkunoP: I figured things might get pretty dark if I had too many developments that reflected back on the past. I also thought it might not fit with the feel of the third book onwards. However, there’s no way that Rin forgot about Allen, ever. She’s just hesitant to let it show on the outside. And it wouldn’t be all that good for her to show it to anyone, given her position. She’d get found out, lol

--That’s for sure (haha). How about you, Ichika-san?

Ichika: I think he’s sort of like, the most wholehearted character of the main cast. Like coming to help even after he’d already died.

AkunoP: In a certain way, in the latter half he turns into more of a super character than Elluka, lol

2nd place with 35 votes

Clarith

(Yowane Haku)

Profile

Age: 21--26 (born 479)

Nationality: Elphegort--Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: Netsuma

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Father (died when she was young), Mother (died in 499)

She was discriminated against by Elphe people for being a descendant of the Netsuma clan with white hair and red eyes. She had a negative personality, but that changed when she met Michaela.

--Though she was quite negative, she was able to become a bit more positive through her relationships with Michaela and Rin.

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

Fan Comments

It’s partially because I really like Haku ane-san, but there’s also her earnest devotion to Michaela, her strength for forgiving Riliane despite having every reason to hate her…I’m not Michaela, but you’re the most wonderful person, for me! Especially how cheerful you were after the revolution in “Praefacio of Blue”, Clarith-san!

I want her to be happy

I like seeing her working so hard.

She feels like the only true “everyman”. So I feel like she’s also the character who “grew” the most. Her meeting with Rin at the monastery on the shore was so sad, I was really touched. I think that Riliane was able to reform as Rin because she had Clarith there for her.

Clarith is so precious, being so negative but also caring for her friends!

I wanna try the brioche that Clarith makes!!

I like everything about her!

I admire her for being so strong.

She’s so dedicated and adorable///

Artist’s Comments

AkunoP: I think she’s the character who grew up the most through the whole series.

Ichika: She grew the most as a person.

AkunoP: I wanted a character who could see the revolution and the events around it from the perspective of the average person. That was how I came up with Clarith. Actually, she’s a character I came up with even earlier than Elluka, around the same time as the early four. So I’ve gotten pretty attached to her.

Ichika: It feels really good to see her progression from a passive personality to someone who takes action for herself. Also, her catchphrase of “I’m sorry for being alive” is way too easy to use. I found myself blurting it out once while I was working.

AkunoP: That was originally inspired by Daizai. So that might be a bit dangerous as a catchphrase, lol

Ichika: I make sure I only say it when I’m alone in my room, so it’s alright, haha.

3rd place with 32 votes

Riliane Lucifen d’Autriche (Rin)

(Kagamine Rin)

Profile

Age: 14--19 (Born 485)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: Orthodox Lucifenian

Religion: Levin Levia Sect--Held sect

Relatives: Father; Arth I (deceased), Mother; Anne (deceased), Brother; Alexiel (Allen) (deceased)

The princess of Lucifenia. For her outrageous policies she is reviled as the “Daughter of Evil”. After the revolution she lives at a monastery, hiding her true identity.

--Having survived the revolution, she started a new life in a monastery as “Rin”.

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

Fan Comments

I really love that scene where she accepts whatever Clarith is going to do to her after Clarith learned the truth, because it shows how much Riliane has grown up over the story.

I want her to live and be strong.

In this story with so many feelings intersecting, she is such a cool and strong fantasy girl who fought without being swept away!

I earnestly love her. Just lots of love. From the heart.

She really is kind! And she has a sense of responsibility! And she’s so so cute!! And she was so cute as a small child too, I love her to bits! She did get possessed by a demon and all, but she’s really a good kid!!

I want her to be happy…

I think she’s a character that I’ve come to like as I’ve read through the “of Evil” series. I want to support Riliane with all my might, surpassing so much grief to grow up like that. I mean, what I’m trying to say is that Riliane is really cute.

She’s the yellow flower of evil in full bloom!

Artist’s Comments

AkunoP: I was really unsure of her role in this. I think the people who listened to the original song were largely split into two points of view. That she was just bad from the core, or that it was the fault of outside influences... In the end, she wound up how she is now.

Ichika: I think Riliane’s another character whose personality and general air changed completely between the former and latter halves of the story. There is the change in environment from princess to nun, but I think myself that Allen is the biggest influence.

--Riliane is one of the characters who grew up in a big way.

4th place with 29 votes

Elluka Clockworker

(Megurine Luka)

Profile

Age: Secret♥

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia--Stateless

Race: Leviantan

Religion: Levin Levia Sect

Relatives: NO DATE

A sorceress with a mysterious air about her, and one of the Three Heroes of Lucifenia. Under request of the great land god Held, she is on a journey to search for the “Vessels of Deadly Sin”.

--Are her farsighted values, unwavering strength, and the humanity that she sometimes displays the secret key to her popularity?

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

Fan Comments

She’s so strong and smart, and a beauty on top of that! She might seem irreverent but she pulls through when it counts, and always winds up helping people. I also think it’s adorable how bad she is at being straightforward with what she wants to say. She’s surrounded by so much mystery and I’m just caught up in it! I like her and I can’t help but be curious about her!!

She’s strong, she’s so strong, so strong. And that scene where she fought with Abyss was so cool!

She’s mysterious, and when all is said and done she’ll help you out, so I really like her.

Whether she’s making any S-like scowls or looking like a beauty, I love it all!

She’s got this feeling that she’ll pull through when push comes to shove, which makes her really cool.

I’m really enchanted with how, as irreverent as she is, she gets on task and focused in situations where she needs to toughen up and get focused.

She’s a really amazing woman, with a lot of depth. I kinda like how playful she is.

I love how Elluka’s so suspicious.

She acts happy go lucky, but her past that you can glean from the Leviantan Catastrophe and Recollective Music Box is way too sad.

I love heeeer!

That mysterious feel she’s got really kills me! Though I guess I like how free-spirited she is, lol. I really wanna learn more about Elluka’s circumstances!

Artist’s Comments

--She finally showed up on the cover this time!!

Ichika: Seriously…!

AkunoP: That’s just ‘cause she’s a character that never showed up in the original song. You could say it was inevitable in a sense that she couldn’t come out before this point, lol, but I think the inverse of that is that it’s because she didn’t show up before that she’s been so easy to work with. She’s such a mature character that through the whole series she’s had a sort of feel to her that she’s always got some leeway.

Ichika: Elluka’s been such a steady character this whole series. She’s been alive for such a long span of time that she’s gotta be very well-put together mentally. I like characters like that, so I had a lot of fun drawing her.

--There are a lot of opinions up there that they like how she always comes around to helping people, aren’t there.

AkunoP: Well, she is a bit on in years…Er, nevermind.

Ichika: She does seem very helpful.

AkunoP: She’s got a lot of things on the inside that I haven’t written about yet, probably owing to being a character with a lot of leeway, but in her case I do think that she’ll have a lot of opportunities to show up elsewhere, so…That’s in production, lol

--We’ll wait for the Deadly Sins Series with baited breath! Looking forward to it!

5th place with 26 votes

Kyle Marlon

(KAITO)

Profile

Age: 26(claims to be 22)--31 (born 474)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Father; Previous king of Marlon (deceased), Mother; Empress Dowager Prim, Sister; Ney (different fathers), half-brother; Arkatoir (different mothers), countless other siblings of different mothers (all dead)

The young ruler of Marlon. He’s very vexed at being a puppet of his mother, Empress Dowager Prim. He has a very straight-laced personality with a strong sense of justice.

--Though his status is as a king, he often stands on the front lines and goes out in disguise.

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

Fan Comments

His bravery when it comes to Michaela is just too cute!

That he was able to overcome the temptations of a demon a second time, despite knowing a demon’s power and having been reliant on them before, and went out to fight with his own power was just so awesome…!

He may be a troublemaker(?) who inadvertently glosses over his age, but Kyle-niisama really pulled through when it came down to it, and I love him for it!

I feel like he’s the character that gets messed with the most, but I really like him a lot (haha).

My vote goes to the young king who experienced love and hatred, came vast to face with his weakness, and in the end majorly grew up.

He’s so pitiful it’s adorable~ And I think he’s a relatively tasty character!!

I wanna shout it out! I frikkin’ love him!

No matter how he’s wavered, no matter how he’s tempted by demons, in the end he stood on his own two feet. I just love him for that!!

I really like his personality. His conversations with Germaine were really funny!

Artist’s Comments

AkunoP: I’ll say this now that it’s all over, but in the end I did end up liking this character. Only, I didn’t actually want to write him as being that cool.

Ichika: He participated in the revolution, he fell in love, he transformed into a demon…Now that I think on it, he’s a busy guy.

AkunoP: I feel like he’s the character that single-handedly undertakes the idea of “human weakness”. I mean, I don’t think he’s that cool if you look at just his actions, lol.

--The comments calling him “precious” and “incompetent” really stood out.

AkunoP: That’s cause he’s not a hero at all.

Ichika: Looking at him overall I guess he is pretty incompetent...lol

--There was also a comment calling him the “hunky sad king”(haha).

Ichika: lololol

AkunoP: I think that’s perfect lol

--You can’t even get him to follow-up(haha)

6th place with 25 votes

Gumillia

(Megpoid)

Profile

Age: 1028--1033 (appears 16--24 on the outside)

Nationality: Elphegort--Kingdom of Lucifenia--Stateless

Race: spirit--Elphe

Religion: Levin Levia sect (publicly)

Relatives: Held (lord), Michaela (same race)

A sorceress who was a spirit incarnated into a human. She searches for the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” alongside Elluka as her apprentice. She has a very level and calm personality, but she also has a side that’s very caring about her friends.

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

Fan Comments

I really love the way she talks. And I don’t think I’m the only one who got excited at her wearing glasses in Praeludium. Her and Elluka make a really good duo. I’m really looking forward to seeing their actions in the Pere Noel period in the novels to come. I’m guessing she’s the one who made that handgun.

She’s so cool and awesome! Her glasses really suit her!

She’s very blunt but I really like how that contrasts with how caring she is for her friends.

Her clumsy broken speech is just so incredibly cute!! And she’s so strong!!

I’m just…really interested in Elluka and Gumillia’s journey after this!

The fact that she put on glasses…And I’m very intrigued as to this “important person” that she decided to stay human for!

I wish she could have stayed with Michaela forever.

Obviously it’s Gumillia!

7th place with 19 votes

Germaine Avadonia

(MEIKO)

Profile

Age: 20--25 (Born: 480)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia (erased)

Race: Beelzenian

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Adoptive Father; Leonhart (deceased), Adoptive Brother; Allen (deceased)

The adoptive daughter of one of the Three Heroes of Lucifenia, Leonhart, as well as Allen’s adoptive older sister. She is the “red-armored swordswoman” who garners acclaim as the leader of the Resistance.

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

Fan Comments

She’s really stylish. I admire her.

I think it’s so cool that she’s such a gallant woman. I wanted to become someone like her too!!

Those words she said when she came face to face with Rin in the last novel and realized it was Riliane just left me speechless. I really like Germaine’s weak and strong points.

I really love her big-sisterly disposition and compassion. I want her to be happy (。・ω・。)

A woman swordswoman is so cool! She’s so amazing! I feel like she’s the hottest person in all of Daughter of Evil lol. Her line “Just what in the world is evil” in Yellow is my favorite line in all four novels. I want to read how she wound up in Beelzenia after the Revolution.

That line she says during the work about how fast her wounds heal unexpectedly won me over all at once.♪

8th place with 17 votes

Ney Marlon(Phatipe)

(Akita Neru)

Profile

Age: 18--23 (age at death) (482--505)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia—Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Behemo sect

Relatives: Mother; Empress Dowager Prim, Older Brother; Kyle, Several other siblings of a different mother, Adoptive mother; Mariam

Mariam’s adoptive daughter, who takes up a position as head of Marlon’s Special Maneuvers Task Force. From a very young age she was raised by IR as the subject of magical experimentation.

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

Fan Comments

Through the work I thought she was a villain the whole time, but after reading Praefacio of Blue I realized that she was actually just a very sad girl. I wish she could have been happy.

The sad end of her life, continuing to be led around by the nose by Prim and a demon, was just tearjerking.

I love her rampaging in the duel scene in Praefacio.

I would be in utter bliss if Ney stabbed me.

I won’t forgive the people who used Ney like that. She’s just too sad. Even though really she was a good kid…

Her crazed expressions, her outfit, I just love everything about her.

She did a lot of horrible things, but Ney was also a victim of the vessels of deadly sin…Also, I absolutely loved Ney wearing Lady Conchita’s dress!

Her crazy face is the best!!!

9th place with 11 votes

Gast Venom

(Camui Gackpo)

Profile

Age: 39 at death (461—500)

Nationality: Stateless

Race: Asmodean

Religion: NO DATE

Relatives: Little sister; Sarah (deceased)

A skilled swordsman who bears the moniker, “Demon of Asmodean”. He is searching for one of the “Vessels of Deadly Sin”, the “Venom Sword”.

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

Fan Comments

I’m really intrigued by his past. I want to learn more about him, and at the same time I’m hoping we get more info on his excessive sister complex.

You really gotta hurry up with his past mysteries surrounding his sister, Sarah…!! I really like samurai, so I adored the scene where he was fighting with a Japanese sword.

I think he’s really pretty lol. And I liked his how he let Allen hire him because he sympathized with him. During the work I wanted to learn more about the past they alluded to.

It’s too bad he’s only in one book. I wanted to see him do more.

I’m really curious about his sister!

He didn’t show up much but he was really cool!

10th place with 10 votes

Gallerian Marlon

(KAITO)

Profile

Nationality: USE

Race: Marlon

Relatives: Wife, daughter

Kyle Marlon’s descendant. He’s the head judge of the Dark Star Courthouse of the international alliance of USE, founded between the four countries of Marlon, Levianta, Elphegort, and Lucifenia in the year 898. He treasured his daughter, but she passes away in an incident.

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

Fan Comments

I love the greedy juuudge!! Also the fact that he has a kid. I bet he’s a good cook too. I’m really looking forward to the novel for greed in the new series.

He’s so cool! He’s such a kind father, worrying over his daughter! If you want help, show me the money!!!

I really love the corrupt, miserly judge! The fact that he’s a father who’s caring for his daughter that we learned at the end of Praefacio…Makes me wonder if he’s actually a good guy.

I like Gallerian-san.

First of all, I’m just crazy about the middle-aged, fatherly Galle-sama. I can’t help but be enraptured with him as he persists in pushing his own will even until the very end! I hope he can achieve his utopia!

11th place with 9 votes (tied)

Yukina Freezis

(Kaai Yuki)

Profile

Age: 9—14 (Born: 491)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Father; Keel, Mother; Mikina, Little Brother; Shaw, Younger Sister; Aile

The eldest daughter of the Freezis household. She is an exceedingly popular novelist who made her debut as an author at nine years old. She has created a great many popular works, and her name lives on in posterity.

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

Fan Comments

I like how she’s just brimming with curiosity. And that scene where she reunited with Clarith was great.

I love how strong-willed she is!!!

Actually, I was always watching over Yukina’s adventures with my heart racing, like I was her big sis or mother lol

She’s so cute!! I was so excited when I saw that Gallerian-san was reading the books that Yukina-chan wrote in the distant future!!

She’s really grown up… I really wanna read that “Crow” fairytale that got brought up in Praeludium.

11th place with 9 votes (tied)

Chartette Langley

(Kasane Teto)

Profile

Age: 26-31 (Born: 474)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia (erased)

Race: NO DATA

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Father, mother

The head of the Langley unit in the Beelzenian Empire. She is the bearer of extraordinary strength, wielding an enormous sword. She was originally a maid that served in the Lucifenian palace.

*This character is based on “Kasane Teto”.

Fan Comments

She has a very lively and simple personality. I think she’d be a fun person to hang out with.

She’s a power fighter who wields a longsword, and I really like her straightforwardness.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I read all four books just because I wanted to read about her gallant figure in it.

She’s one of the few characters in Daughter of Evil to live for the moment rather than being stuck in the past, and it’s really incredible how she’s more about taking action than dwelling on things!

I really love this dummy. Her appearance is adorable but it’s too bad she isn’t at all in how she talks lol

13th place with 8 votes

Michaela

(Hatsune Miku)

Profile

Age: 1028—1033 (as a human she dies at 16)

Nationality: Elphegort

Race: Elphe

Religion: Levin Held sect (publicly)

Relatives: Held (lord), Gumillia (same race)

She was originally a spirit, but she became known as a “diva” when she was reborn into a human. After ending her life as a person, she continued to watch over the world as Held’s successor.

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

Fan Comments

I want it so she can be happy with Clarith (>_<)

I was really moved by her kindness *

She was so precious, and she was so kind helping out Clarith

I really like her duet with Clarith. I was a little surprised at her being yuri (?)in Wiegenlied, but I think their feelings towards each other, mutually surpassing a friendship, are awesome. I hope she does her best as the new Held god.

I knew she was going to die. I knew it, but, but…I really wish she could have been happy.

14th place with 7 votes

Riliane (Lily) Mouchet

(Lily)

Profile

Age: 25 (Born: 480)

Nationality: Marlon (formerly Kingdom of Lucifenia)

Race: Lucifenian

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Father; Gaston (deceased)

The original commander of Retasan fortress, with a strong-minded personality. She hates the name Riliane, and so goes by “Lily”.

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

Fan Comments

Gosh I love her ♪(　´０´)ノ

I love her strong-willed personality. The whole time I was reading the book I thought, she’s so cool.

I really love that awesome atmosphere she’s got!

I’m sure I’m not the only one that went all, “It’s Lily!!”. I just love this handsome tomboy general, she’s so awesome. I think it’s her remarks that made it so that Germaine was able to move on ahead. I also love her partnership with Yukina-chan. They’ve got such a great height difference, lol

15th place with 6 votes (tied)

Keel Freezis

(Hiyama Kiyoteru)

Profile

Age: 27--32 (Born: 473)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Wife; Mikina, Children; Yukina (eldest daughter) Shaw (eldest son) Aile (youngest daughter)

A merchant who serves as the head of the merchant trade association. He’s also friends with Marlon’s king Kyle. He’s a doting father, and so when it comes to his children he’s relentless.

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

Fan Comments

Love his being a sappy parent and his affection for Yukina. And I’m also intrigued by his conversations with Kyle.

That doting father is just the best!!

The disconnect between his harsh, bad-friend tone towards Kyle and his unending devotion to his daughter is so lovable.

That doting father Keel is adorable lol That scene where he gets furious at Kyle for hugging Yukina was just the best lolol

Him being a loving father is amusing, but his face as a merchant and his friendship (mean friendship?) with King Kyle is also just right on point.

15th place with 6 votes (tied)

Ayn

(--)

Profile

Nationality: Elphegort

Race: Elphe

Relatives: Father (deceased), Mother (deceased)

Notes: A boy from Yatski village. Had an unrequited love for Clarith. After Clarith and Michaela fled to Aceid, he enlisted in the Elphegort military. During the Green Hunting he ran to the forest to help save Michaela and Clarith after they were cornered, but he was murdered by the Lucifenian army chasing after them.

Fan Comments

‘Cause he helped guide Clarith and Michaela until the end. But it was so sad that he couldn’t tell Clarith how he felt about her. I hadn’t been expecting him to write that scene with Yukina and the rest praying before his grave in the third book, so I was really happy for that.

Because even though it was Clarith he really wanted to protect, he protected Michaela, and was so kind.

I wish he could have been happy with Clarith!

He was the hottest guy in the whole work. I wish he could have done more.

17th place with 5 votes

Leonhart Avadonia

(LEON)

Profile

Age: 38 at death(462—500)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: NO DATE

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Adoptive children; Germaine, Allen (deceased)

Allen and Germaine’s adoptive father. He’s one of the Three Heroes, and works as the head of the guard for the Lucifenian royalty. Like Germaine, he likes to drink.

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

Fan Comments

I cried when he died.

His interminably direct personality is so cool.

Those kids have him as a dad, or else this dad has them for kids. They’re a family, even if they’re not related by blood.

I love the older guys ha ha I love him so much, I was so disappointed at how quickly he died in Cloture.

18th place with 3 votes

Anne Lucifen d’Autriche

(SWEET ANN)

Profile

Age: Died at 42 (457—499)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: NO DATE

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Husband; Arth I, Daughter; Riliane, Son; Alexiel

The former queen of the Kingdom of Lucifenia who possessed both strictness and grace, and also Riliane and Allen’s birth mother. She was friends with Empress Dowager Prim of Marlon.

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

Fan Comments

She didn’t get much screentime, lolol but I think she’s great with her dependability and grace.

I would have liked to see a record of her child-rearing work when Riliane and Alexiel were still little ankle biters. Maybe she was an unexpectedly scary mom (and conversely maybe King Arth spoiled them).

I think she was a fantastic queen. I tear up when I think about how the twins’ fates would have changed if she’d still been alive…Also, I’d be really happy if we could see her again in something set in the past.

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

Mariam Phatipe

(MIRIAM)

Profile

Age: Died at 32 (468—500)

Nationality: Kingdom of Lucifenia

Race: Asmodeanian

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Adoptive child; Ney

A very skilled secret agent, and one of the Three Heroes. Also a former associate of Gast’s. Her duel with Chartette during the revolution was talked about as the “Battle of the Heavenly Yard”.

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

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

Aile Freezis

(Tsukuyomi Ai)

Profile

Age: 10 (Born: 495)

Nationality: Marlon

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Father; Keel, Mother; Mikina, Big Sister; Yukina, Big Brother; Shaw

The second daughter of the Freezis family. She takes after her mother in appearance and personality, and so has inherited her mature standing. She’s had a weak constitution ever since she was young, and for a time Mikina would be constantly tending to her.

*This character was based on the VOICEROID character “Tsukuyomi Ai” published by AH-Software Co. Ltd.

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

Prim Marlon

(PRIMA)

Profile

Age: 48 at death (457—505)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Lucifenian

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Relatives: Husband; Previous King Marlon (deceased), Son; Kyle, Daughter; Ney (deceased), Younger brother; Presi (deceased)

The Empress Dowager of Marlon, and Kyle and Ney’s birth mother. She’s a Lucifenian noble, born from the Rogzé family.

*This character was independently made based on VOCALOID02 “PRIMA” published by ZERO-G.

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

Arkatoir Marlon

(?)

Profile

Nationality: Marlon

Religion: Levin Levia sect

Race: Marlon

Relatives: Father; Previous King Marlon, Mother, Half-brother: Kyle, countless other half-siblings (all dead)

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

Banica Conchita

(MEIKO)

Profile

Age: 29 at death (296—325)

Nationality: Beelzenian Empire

Race: Beelzenian

Relatives: Father; Muzuri, Mother

The figure who serves as the model for the fairytale “Vampiress Vanika”. She earned great distinction improving on Beelzenia’s food culture.

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

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

(--)

Profile

Age: NO DATE

Nationality: NO DATE

Race: Jakokuan

Religion: NO DATE

Relatives: NO DATE

19th place with 2 votes (tied)

The Demon of Gluttony

(MEIKO)

Profile

Race: Demon of Deadly Sin (takes on the appearance of Banica)

Vessel: Glass of Conchita

The demon that dwells in the “Vessel of Deadly Sin, Glass of Conchita”. She is trying to become the “Master of the Graveyard”.

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

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Abyss IR

(?)

Profile

Age: NO DATE

Nationality: Marlon--Stateless

Race: NO DATE

Religion: NO DATE

Relatives: NO DATE

A sorceress secretly working in the shadow of history. She’s the one who taught Prim about the “Vessels of Deadly Sin”, and always carries around a red cat. What is her true identity--?

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Shaw Freezis

(Tsukuyomi Shouta)

Profile

Age: 12 (Born: 493)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Father; Keel, Mother; Mikina, Big Sister; Yukina, Little sister; Aile

The eldest son of the Freezis family, and Yukina’s younger brother. He’s cheeky, but he’s also a young boy who puts his family first. He’s studying know-how on modern commerce as Keel’s heir.

*This character was based on the VOICEROID character “Tsukuyomi Shouta” published by AH-Software Co. Ltd.

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Mikina Freezis

(miki)

Profile

Age: 32 (Born: 473)

Nationality: Marlon

Race: Marlon

Religion: Levin Held sect

Relatives: Husband; Keel, Children; Yukina (eldest daughter), Shaw (eldest son), Aile (second daughter)

Keel’s wife, and mother of three. She has a very good eye for people, but when it comes to her children she turns into a bit of a worrywart.

*This character was based on the VOCALOID2 Artist Engine01 character “SF-A2 codename miki” published by AH-Software Co. Ltd.

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Eve Moonlit

(Hatsune Miku)

Profile

Age: NO DATE (~014)

Nationality: Elphegort

Race: Elphe

Relatives: Husband, children (stillbirth), two adoptive children

The “Original Sinner” who was the impetus for the creation of the “Seven Deadly Sins” and the “Vessels of Deadly Sin”.

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

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Sateriasis Venomania

(Camui Gackpo)

Profile

Age: NO DATE (~137)

Nationality: Beelzenian Empire

Race: Asmodean

Relatives: NO DATE

The duke of Asmodean in the Beelzenian Empire. He used a “Vessel of Deadly Sin” to cause the “Venomania Incident”.

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

26th place with 1 vote (tied)

Trauben fruit

(--)

Profile

Producing area: Entire Evillious region

Classification: Flowering vine

Traits: The fruit grows in bunches, and can be made into things like wine.

We counted 366 votes in all!

Thank you for all the poll responses!!

directory

15 notes · View notes

epicofevil · 5 years ago

Text

Character Aftermaths

Epic of Evil page 140-149

Riliane Lucifen d’Autriche

Then the character:

Hiding her true identity, she received a baptism as “Rin” and formally became a nun of the Held monastery. When she was 43 years old she succeeded the former director and became head of the monastery. In year 562, when she was 77, she quietly passed away while under the watchful eyes of many orphans.

On the surface she was executed during the Lucifenian revolution, and the fact that this was false never became public.

(The princess who had wanted so strongly to be like her firm and noble mother began to quietly walk a double life as a simple girl)

The Held Monastery

This monastery built by the donations of Keel Freezis stood on a hill close to the Anonymous Coast in Lucifenia. As the Levin faith was primarily made up of Levia sect members, there weren’t at the time a lot of Held sect churches (there wasn’t a single one left even as far as the Marlon royal capital of Bariti). There are no statues or anything either, likely as idolatry is forbidden.

It was shown in “Daughter of Fog” that the head of the monastery was named Yvette, and that she was someone who had once used a “Vessel of Deadly Sin”. Perhaps her experiences then served as a catalyst for her knowing myths about demon contracts. It is said that she has a sealed “key” in the monastery, though…

Riliane’s Rough Chronology

485: Born along with her twin brother Alexiel in the Lucifenian Kingdom.

491: Her father Arth I dies from the Gula disease. A dispute for succession between her and Alexiel breaks out. She is possessed by the “Demon of Gluttony” due to the scheming of her guardian Prezi.

499: Her mother Anne dies. She becomes ruler of the Lucifenian Kingdom.

500: The Lucifenian Revolution breaks out due to the Green Hunting. Allen (Alexiel) becomes her body double and dies in her stead. Afterwards, she comes to live at the Held monastery as Rin.

Clarith

Then the character:

She continued to pursue being a disciple as a nun, but this girl, her heart wounded from continuing discrimination against Netsuma people, left the Held monastery and founded her own monastic order. They began to work towards creating a society without discrimination. Eventually their actions spread beyond Lucifenia, becoming world-wide in scope. It’s said she continued to network with Rin (Riliane) even after leaving the Held monastery.

A New Monastic Order

The illusory Michaela had said that “there is meaning in choosing your own path”. That was probably the answer she’d found with all the people that she’d met.

Clarith’s Rough Chronology

479: Born in Elphegort.

499: Meets with the Elphe Michaela in the Millenium Tree Forest, and they begin to live together.

Is hired on as a tutor to Yukina and maid on the Freezis Estate in Aceid.

500: Starts to work as hired help at the Held monastery in Lucifenia after the revolution. Later is officially baptized and becomes a nun.

Michaela

Then the character:

The tree that serves as her divine body as Held’s successor rapidly grew. She became the new guardian god of the forest after Held vanished from the ground world. Though she was a young tree that hadn’t yet actually achieved the age of a thousand years, out of their affection the people of Elphegort called her the Millennium Tree (or, to make a distinction between her and her predecessor, the “New Millennium Tree”).

Winding up stuck spending days far more boring than those of her days as a spirit, when a theater was built by Gallerian Marlon’s direction in which all the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” were being gathered five hundred years later, Michaela began to interfere with it in critical moments

Michaela’s Rough Chronology

Pre-Millennium: She is born as a dependent of the Earth God Held.

001: Witnesses the kidnapping and murder committed by Eve Moonlit.

499: Suffers wounds from an attack by a black Rollam bird at the Lake of Amusement. She is taken in and healed by Clarith.

Is reborn as a human with the appearance of Eve Moonlit by Elluka. She becomes a maid at the Freezis estate in the Elphegort capital of Aceid.

500: Takes refuge in a hideaway in the Millennium Tree Forest to escape from Lucifenia’s Green Hunting, but is killed by Ney.

Her form is changed to a sapling by Held’s power.

505: Planted in the Millennium Tree Forest.

Kyle Marlon

Then the character:

After Lucifenia declares is independence as a republic, Kyle leaves his throne to his younger half-brother Arkatoir and disappears from Marlon. After that he continues to wander various countries, making art as a painter, as was his dream when he was young.

Eventually he reunites with Yukina in Lucifenia and quits his journey, living alongside her. Apparently they did not have a marriage relationship. Though he ultimately never achieved greatness as a painter, in her later years Yukina writes that he “seemed happy nonetheless”.

(With his mother dead and the sister he’d wanted to save dead, Kyle was gripped by desolation. Did his beginning to chase his dreams again have an impact on Yukina?)

Karchess Crim

A pen name Kyle used in his childhood. He did oil paintings specializing in light colors, and he preferred to paint people more than scenery and animals. All the paintings that he made in those days were burned up by his own hand, save for the one that he painted of Ney, which was in Keel’s mansion. He used that pen name when he secretly participated in the Lucifenian Revolution.

Originally that name belonged to Kyle’s distant ancestor from close to 400 years before. He was a noble who saved Queen Marlon when she was kidnapped during the Venomania Incident, and apparently also her lover in an extramarital affair. After that they eloped, and after bouncing from one place to the next they his genes remained in the Marlon royal line.

Kyle’s Rough Chronology

474: Born as the son of Prim and King Marlon in the country of Marlon.

488: Paints a picture of his relative, Ney.

489: His art tutor Margaret kills herself.

Meets Keel.

490: Burns all of the paintings he’s made up to that point.

494: Inherits the Marlon throne.

501: Marlon annexes the Lucifenian Kingdom.

505: Suffers a demonic transformation, taken in by the “Demon of Pride”.

Hears Prim’s monologue in Marlon’s Handbeat Clocktower.

Yukina Freezis

Then the character:

She continues to write novels afterwards, and creates several popular works. The novels she publishes in her lifetime exceed one hundred, but there are many other private works she wrote that went unpublished, and it’s said they’re bought and sold for very high prices among collectors.

(“You must write the continuation of this story”. Yukina left many works in the world, as though in answer to these words she heard on the coast that day)

Yukina’s Rough Chronology

491: Born in Aceid in Elphegort.

499: Meets Clarith and Michaela.

500: Receives a notebook from her mother Mikina for her birthday.

Moves to Marlon.

Publishes her first novella.

504: Goes traveling on her own, against her parents’ wishes.

Riliane (Lily) Mouchet

Then the character:

Despite seeking asylum in Beelzenia before the Retasan coup, she immediately returned to the Lucifenian army afterwards. During the course of the “New Four Horsemen” incident in Levianta she wound up dueling with Germaine, and managed to safely secure victory. She quit the army after getting married, and had two kids.

(Even after Lucifenia became a republic, Lily continued to serve the country in which she’d been born and raised as its female general.)

Lily’s Rough Chronology

480: Born as the daughter of Lucifenian general Gaston

500: Gaston dies, the cause being his duel with the masked man.

503: Is tasked with countering the resistance by King Kyle. Later becomes commander of Retasan fortress after it’s taken back from the resistance.

505: Quits the Lucifenian army and seeks asylum in the Beelzenian Empire.

Returns to the Lucifenian army after the Retasan coup.

Elluka Clockworker

Then the character:

Having collected several “Vessels of Deadly Sin” from Mikina, Elluka once more began her journey with Gumillia seeking out the others. By running across Abyss IR through various incidents, such as the “New Four Horsemen Incident” and “The Toragay Serial Murders”, she learned that Abyss IR’s true identity was that of her younger sister in law, Irina. In the year 611, she challenged Irina to a final battle at Merrigod Plateau. After that, she was next seen in the country of Jakoku to the far East in 842.

(Having gained an eternal life, she takes on different roles in different countries as the ages pass. She says that she’s “just killing time”, but what is her true motive?)

Irina

Elluka once had a fiancé that she loved. His name was Kiril Clockworker. He had a younger sister who was a talented mage, and her name was Irina.

The Leviantan Catastrophe

Occuring in year 013, this was the event that led to the downfall of the Magic Kingdom Levianta. It is said that this occurred during a magical experiment going on in the Royal Research Institute. However, there are some very interesting words noted on this, such as in Wiegenlied of Green Held’s statement of how “The Clockwork Secret Art failed and Elluka destroyed her own country”, and “the ‘Ma’ from 500 years ago survived” in Praefacio of Blue. There’s still quite a few riddles that have yet to be cleared up on this event.

Elluka’s Rough Chronology

013: The old Magic Kingdom Levianta is destroyed by the Leviantan Catastrophe.

015: Tasked with collecting the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” by the great land god Held.

137: Obtains Lukana Octo’s body via the swap technique.

325: Tasked with investigating Banica Conchita in the Beelzenian Empire.

480: Becomes a subordinate of Lucifenia’s king Arth I (the oath of Sanosun Bridge).

491: Purges the “Demon of Deadly Sin” possessing RIliane, seals the mirror that was its vessel.

499: Reincarnates Held’s kin, the spirits Michaela and Gumillia, into human beings and then takes them on as apprentices.

500: Pushed onward by the Green Hunting order, flees Lucifenia with Gumillia.

After retrieving Michaela’s sapling, they obtain the sin vessel “The Venom Sword” from Keel Freezis.

501: Becomes the target of the “Witch Hunt Order” by sneaking into the Lucifenian Palace.

502: Battles with Abyss IR in Marlon. Her body is stolen, and her spirit moves into Gumillia’s body.

505: Battles with Abyss IR using Gumillia’s body. Secures victory and takes her body back.

Abyss IR (Irina Clockworker)

Then the character:

The cat plushy that was her body was destroyed during the duel on the coast, and she was thought to have died; she showed up again during the “New Four Horseman Incident”. She hijacked Germaine’s body, and one hundred years later founded the criminal organization “Pere Noel” under the name of “Julia Abelard”. She secretly maneuvered behind the scenes in the “Toragay Serial Murders” and the “Lemy the Ripper Killings”. She sent a greeting to Elluka that began, “To my beloved sister-in-law”, challenging her to a duel at Merrigod Plateau.

Gumillia

Then the character:

Continuing the journey on the search for the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” with Elluka, she is caught up in various incidents. However, she disappears from the main stage after the “Duel of Merrigod Plateau”.

(Continuing her magical studies as Elluka’s apprentice, she specializes in magic that controls plants, owing from her position as a former spirit. Where did she disappear to after the duel at Merrigod Plateau…?)

Gumillia’s Rough Chronology

Pre-Millennium: Born as a dependent of the great earth god Held.

137: Asmodean noble Gumina Glassred regularly visits on pilgrimages.

499: Reborn into a human by Elluka using Gumina Glassred’s appearance. Becomes Elluka’s apprentice, and serves in Lucifenia as a court mage.

500: Pushed on by the Green Hunting order, flees Lucifenia with Elluka. She recovers Michaela’s sapling, and contributes to beating up on Kyle.

Stays in Keel’s estate in Marlon for about 5 months.

Challenges Clarith to a bout over Michaela’s sapling.

501: Sneaks into the Lucifenian Palace with Elluka and becomes the target of the “Witch Hunt” order.

502: Encounters Abyss IR in Marlon. With her body stolen, Elluka’s spirit resides in Gumillia’s body.

Pulling on Elluka’s connections, she assumes the role of consultant to the Beelzenian Emperor.

505: Tasked with dealing with the insurgence of dead soldiers by Ney.

Quits being a consultant and travels to the Lucifenian palace. Hires on Germaine as a body-guard.

Clashes with Abyss IR in Marlon. Recovers Elluka’s body.

Germaine Avadonia

Then the character

After the battle with Abyss IR on the coast, she once more set out on a journey with Chartette. Three years later they were caught up in the “New Four Horsemen Incident” in Holy Levianta, which occurred as a result of the “Twin Swords of Levianta”, one of the “Vessels of Deadly Sin”. There, they were reunited with Abyss IR, who they had thought dead. They fought once more, but Germaine was defeated as a result of the wound to her neck she’d suffered back at the coast battle.

After that Germaine had her body stolen by Abyss IR, and a hundred years later founded the criminal organization “Pere Noel” under the name of “Julia Abelard”. In the end, she was terminated at Elluka’s hand at Merrigod Plateau.

Germaine’s Body

Germaine’s body, frequently cutting through the vanguard in battle, apparently had a faster healing rate than the average person. According to Abyss IR, there is a strong possibility she is part of the Conchita bloodline.

Germaine’s Rough Chronology

480: Receives life.

482: Becomes Leonhart’s adopted daughter.

491: Allen becomes her foster brother.

500: Becomes the leader of the Resistance, and spearheads the Lucifenian Revolution. She is dubbed the “Red-armored Swordswoman”.

When the revolution is complete, she leaves Lucifenia with Chartette. She becomes a target of the “Witch Hunt” order.

504: Reunites with other Resistance members at the end of her journey. Joins the Langley Unit of the Beelzenian army.

505: Fights in the Retasan Coup.

Journeys with Gumillia under her employ.

(She handily skewered Abyss IR during the duel at the coast. Her being able to stand despite her wounds is because she was being supported by her “idiot little brother”)

Chartette Langley

Then the character:

Quitting the Beelzenian army, she goes out on a journey with Germaine. As a result of the “New Four Horseman Incident” that occurred in Holy Levianta, she winds up being the caretaker of the Vessel of Deadly Sin, the “Twin Swords of Levianta”. However she is never taken over by the demon inside, perhaps because of her carefree nature. After that she journeys again to protect the “Twin Swords of Levianta” from Abyss IR, and ultimately arrives in the land of Jakoku, to the far east of Evillious. To hide them from Abyss IR, Chartette reforges the “Twin Swords of Levianta”, changing them to scissors.

(She calls Germaine “Big-sis” out of gratitude for having been saved by her when she was young, but she’s actually at least six years older than her.)

Jakoku

And island located to the distant east of the Evillious region. Maintaining commerce with Asmodean, it has a particular culture involving things like kimono and katana. A serial murder case occurs in Enbizaka in year 842.

Chartette’s Rough Chronology

474: Receives life.

492: Is kidnapped by bandits staying in a secret base on the Forest of Bewilderment.

499: Starts to work as a maid attendant on the princess.

500: Participates in the revolution as a member of the resistance. Ultimately goes on a journey with Germaine.

504: Becomes head of the Langley Unit in Beelzenia.

505: Joins in on the Retasan Coup.

The New Four Horsemen Incident

An event that occurred in 508, in the major religious superpower of Holy Levianta. At the time, a hardline reformist sect harshly opposed the Levin church, and were carrying out attacks against them. During all that they came into contact with Mikhail Asayev, candidate for leadership of the church, and with three of his loyal underlings in tow he founded a new political organization, “Neo Apocalypse”. They began to commit acts of terrorism in the country. These actions appeared to be out of “envy” towards his contemporaries, who had surpassed him in advancement in the world, but behind the scenes he was apparently involved with a “Vessel of Deadly Sin”.

The great church requested other countries to provide aid in suppressing the terrorism, which was denied by Marlon and Elphegort, not wanting to get involved in any dispute. The Republic of Lucifenia as well only went so far as to send a single military unit to them. However, the great church’s efforts strengthened resistance to the radical reformist sects, starting with Neo Apocalypse, and this developed into the “New Four Horsemen Incident”, a large-scale terrorist event that sought the capitulation of the church.

When it comes to the basis of the “Neo Apocalypse” name, it derives from the criminal organization “Apocalypse”, which existed in the time of Magic Kingdom Levianta. Apocalypse was also headed by four members; Hansel and Gretel’s mother, Meta Salmhofer, was one of them.

Keel Freezis

Then the character:

The wound he sustained from being attacked by Mikina when she was hijacked by Abyss IR never fully heals, and after-effects remain on Keel’s body. Shortly thereafter he announces his retirement, and his son Shaw takes over his seat as head of the Freezis Firm. Naturally, as they couldn’t completely entrust all of the responsibility to Shaw, still being a child, Keel and his advisers wound up providing assistance for the bulk of the practical business side of things.

The Freezis Foundation established in his later years would end up having a great influence on the political and business establishment long after his death.

(Keel and Mikina had lived half of their lives magnificently, but now they led a quiet lifestyle surrounded by three children. However, that was apparently only how things were on the surface.)

The Toragay Serial Murders

A strange case occurred in the town of Toragay in Elphegort in year 609 wherein many people started dying off, one by one. By the time it came to light that this was a mass-poisoning conducted by Margarita Blankenheim, it was already too late; Toragay was already in a state of ruin, and had become a ghost town. Elluka and Gumillia’s personal investigation into the matter, surmising that “Pere Noel” and a “Vessel of Deadly Sin” were involved behind the scenes, was also after the vessel had already been taken away.

The ones who were tasked by the Elphegort government with investigating into this matter was the Freezis Foundation that Keel had founded. Margarita was the daughter of a doctor, and apparently she had used her poison, “Gift”, while saying that it was a “sleep drug”.

The Lemy the Ripper Killings

A serial-killing murder case that occurred in the Lucifenian Republic’s territory of Rolled in the year 610. It’s derived from the killer’s name and their modus operandi.

The orphan Lemy was adopted by criminal organization Pere Noel’s leader Julia Abelard, and under her brainwashing he would go out every night as “Fifth, Pierrot”, attacking wealthy merchants and committing assassinations. Pere Noel also had other members, such as “Santa”, “The Blue One”, “Sleep Princess”, and “The Samurai”.

In posterity it is said that this case closed with Elluka and Gumillia killing Lemy. At this time it was revealed via a letter that Julia had left behind that she was Elluka’s young sister in law, Irina Clockworker.

Mikina Freezis

Then the character:

After she was released by Abyss IR, she dedicated her life to nursing her husband. After Keel’s death she abandons her inheritance and secretly lives alone in a private house in Marlon. She didn’t want her children to know where she was located, but her son Shaw went looking for her soon before she passed on. Mikina breathed her last before her children, who had all come running for her.

Shaw Freezis

Then the character:

After inheriting the Freezis Firm he gradually showed his prodigious prowess at business, supported by his splendid aides and father, making the firm bigger than ever. However, he did receive some criticism from his employees for allowing Elluka to freely use his wealth and influence after the Freezis Foundation was established.

Aile Freezis

Then the character:

As she grew up her sickly countenance improved, and she led a quiet life after becoming married to a Marlon noble.

Freezis Family Rough Chronology

473: Keel Freezis and Mikina Sfarz are born.

484: Mikina meets Kyle at a dinner banquet for the Marlon royal family.

489: Keel is requested by Kyle to investigate into Margaret's suicide.

491: Keel and Mikina elope to Elphegort.

They birth their first daughter Yukina in Aceid. They open up a general store.

492: Mikina is given the “Marlon Spoon” vessel of deadly sin from Prim.

493: They birth their eldest son Shaw.

494: Mikina’s father visits from Marlon. Shaw is burned by the “Marlon Spoon”.

495: Their second daughter Aile is born.

499: Michaela and Clarith are hired on as maids.

500: They are imprisoned in the Lucifenian Palace by the Green Hunting order. After they are released they temporarily stay with Lucifenian merchant Corpa, before returning to Marlon.

505: Mikina visits the Held monastery in the kingdom of Lucifenia to search for a “Vessel of Deadly Sin”.

Manipulated by Abyss IR, Mikina attacks Keel. She is released from Abyss IR at Lucifenia’s Anonymous Coast.

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16 notes · View notes

epicofevil · 7 years ago

Text

The Daughter of Fog; Scene 3

Epic of Evil page 115-128

<<Letter Addressed to Yukina Freezis by Held Monastery Director Yvette>>

Dear Lady Yukina,

I have been learning increasingly more of your many great efforts.

Thankfully we are all doing well, and everyone is in good health.

…Or perhaps, more accurately, it would be better to say that is true of everyone besides myself.

I feel the time where I will be summoned to God's side is growing closer and closer.

These short sixty five years have felt long, and I have led a happy life as far as it goes.

As for after that, as long as I am able to entrust things to Rin I am not worried. And Clarith is working hard as always herself.

I have no regrets about going to my death this way.

Nevertheless, there is an event from when I was young that has left me with one great regret.

I have never opened up to anyone about this until now. In truth it was something that I had intended to carry to my grave.

But for some reason, now. The moment I realized that my time of death was near. I was spurred on by the impulse that I needed to unburden myself of this secret to someone.

I no longer have any blood relatives. I think of Rin and Clarith as being like my own daughters, but it is for that reason that I feel it would be wrong to speak to them about all of this at this late a stage.

Lady Yukina, starting with you I am indebted to the Freezis family for all you have done for me up until this point. It might be a little strange to say that this is in thanks, but it was with the thought that the memories I will write from here on out may serve as an idea for your works that I picked up this writing brush now.

Perhaps this is not something that would be very interesting to you. Perhaps it may recall memories that you would rather have forgotten. In that cause, you are welcome to discard this letter and forget all about it.

Because this is nothing more than my selfish confession.

When I was five years old my father, who had been a soldier, died in a war.

It happened when I was young, so I honestly don't remember much about him.

I was always walking around with a golden "key" as my treasured item. It was the sole memento that my father had left behind, a strange toy that would turn into a variety of shapes when given heat.

To me, my father was little more than the previous owner of that "key".

My mother would often tell me, "Your father was a brave warrior of Asmodean."

That mother remarried when I was ten. It must have been hard as a single mother, raising a daughter all on her own. At the time and even now it's difficult for me to ascertain if she'd really loved her new spouse or not.

My new father was also a soldier, and a fairly high-ranking one. We ended up living in a home much more splendid and comfortable than before, and at first I was innocently happy.

But as my step-father only loved my mother, he did not treat me kindly. I had two older stepbrothers in the house, but like my father they were cold to me.

Those were painful days. To tell the truth I often thought about running away from home.

But how could a child like me survive, cast out into the world alone? In the end, I just didn't have that kind of courage.

There was also the fact that, though my mother had stopped concerning herself much with me after marrying my stepfather, I loved her, and had no desire to part from her.

I worked as hard as I could to somehow be loved by my stepfamily. I ate everything, regardless of whether I liked it or not, I was always clean, and I made sure I was always smiling even when I was sad. That was all I could do at that time, being only a child.

Nevertheless, none of my efforts bore fruit, and I was always treated as an unwanted child.

After four years passed in that fashion, three visitors came to our house.

One of them was a woman with very pretty silver hair, and she had immediately left after handing over a bundle of documents to my stepfather. Then there were two guests remaining. A young man with green hair, and an old woman with a red cat on her shoulders.

They and my stepfather entered his den together. I was playing with the "key" in my room alone like always, but after a short while I headed for the den, being called there by my stepfather.

In the den the green haired man took a good, long look at my face. And then after a moment he and my stepfather started whispering something to each other.

I trembled at the thought that I might be made into that man's plaything that night. I had been always preparing myself that such a day would come someday. Thinking it was something my stepfather was liable to do. But in the end he left without having done anything to me. After my stepfather and the old woman remaining exchanged a glance, I was told to return to my room. So I went back, not understanding what was going on, and fell asleep for the day.

The next day my stepfather came to my room and handed to me documents that that woman had brought over. I was ordered to read them all, and commit them to memory. I did as I was told and scanned my eyes over them.

In them was written the details of the past of the man called Gast Venom.

I imagine you know the name, Lady Yukina. Yes, this was Gast Venom--the master swordsman, "Demon of Asmodean". At that time, he was nothing more than another Asmodean soldier.

That silver haired woman was an intelligence operative of the Asmodean army. It was only much later that I learned that she was none other than the mother of Mariam Phatipe, one of the Three Heroes.

Gast Venom was a descendent of Sateriasis Venomania--Nowadays that fact is quite famous, but back then Gast was still hiding it from those around him.

My adoptive father was a devout follower of the Levin church, and couldn't stand having such a man as his underling. I learned he had directly appealed to the emperor for Gast's expulsion, but evidently he had grown frustrated with the lack of response he was getting.

And so my stepfather told me his plan, and requested that I help him.

It was a foolish and cruel plan.

Seeing my hesitation, my stepfather told me that it would be for the sake of the whole country, and that my big brothers had similarly helped remove such hindrances for him before now.

--Thinking on it now, my stepfather was simply afraid of any young talent jeopardizing his own position.

But in my heart I foolishly was grateful that for the first time he had asked me to do something for him. I believed that if I assisted him in his plan, I would become a part of the family, that I would no longer be an "unwanted child"--and so I accepted his request.

Right around then, the war with the neighboring country of Lucifenia intensified, and the "Golden Dragon Unit" that my father led was being sent out to the capital Lasaland in order to assist the units engaged with the invasion of Lucifenia. Being a subordinate of my stepfather, Gast was, naturally, a member of that unit.

When the Golden Dragon Unit headed for Lucifenia, it ended up passing through the place called the "Misty Mountains". I went before the unit, stayed in the town of Mystica at the bottom of the mountain, and then entered the Misty Mountains when the Golden Dragon Unit arrived in town.

There was an old ruin in the mountains. In the plan, my stepfather would devise some reason for them to station the unit inside the ruins for a short while. He had come up with a fake reason earlier, but he never ended up using it. Some genuine trouble occurred, with the rebellion of the vanguard unit.

In any case, the Golden Dragon Unit ended up on standby in the mountain ruins. I met up with my stepfather, taking care that I wasn't seen by any of the other soldiers, and spent my time during the day hidden in his bed. With my two older stepbrothers participating in the unit as soldiers, the only people who knew I was there was the three of them.

At night, my stepbrothers called Gast over to the altar in the ruins. My stepfather had ordered the soldiers not to go near it, but he knew well that Gast was not the type to loyally follow such orders.

My stepbrothers had only called him there--they didn't go to the altar themselves. In their place, I would wait before it for Gast to arrive. Naturally, this was all part of the plan.

Right before I left from his bed, my stepfather gave to me a peculiar sword. I tried to give it back, saying that I was afraid of blades, but he forced me to carry it. He told me, "You're not going to use it as a weapon. You just need to show it to Gast should he doubt you." I didn't know what that meant, but he looked at me with such a serious gaze that I quietly obeyed.

I waited before the altar, killing time by playing with my "key" like always; soon Gast appeared from out of the fog, a liquor bottle in his hand.

That was the first time I had seen Gast at such a close distance. Up until that point I had only verified what he looked like from afar. If he had learned of my existence before that point, it would have spoiled the whole plan.

Gast should have only been two years older than me, but he looked much more grown up than his true age suggested. And he was a young man with beautiful features, enough that I, a woman, was charmed by him.

As soon as Gast saw my face, the bottle he'd been carrying dropped from his hand. I was confident of the plan's success as I listened to the loud sound of it breaking.

He was thoroughly convinced that I was his thought-to-be dead sister, Sarah.

The green haired man who had come to my home that one day had been a neighbor of Gast's when he lived in Elphegort. When he came to the house he had been surprised to see me, as I resembled Gast's little sister, and he had said as much to my stepfather.

If I had been an adult with a little more discernment, I likely would have never gone along with such an absurd plan so full of holes as the one my stepfather cooked up. Thinking on it now I don't think my older brothers put up much opposition to his plan either. To them their father alone was the target of their respect--or their fear, perhaps.

I became close to Gast, pretending to be the "ghost" of his little sister. Naturally he didn't believe such a nonsensical claim, but he never doubted that I was Sarah.

He must have seen his sister's death with his own eyes. Even so, he didn't venture to doubt me.

Why?

If you've read this far, perhaps you can guess the reason, Lady Yukina.

The sword that my stepfather had lent to me. He had received it from that woman with the red cat.

…It was a "Vessel of Deadly Sin." A "Vessel of Deadly Sin" like what drove Lady Mikina mad, and Abyss I.R.

They were all tied up in this incident.

It's possible that you won't read any further than this, having sullied your mood.

However, it is a fact that it was because the vessels of deadly sin were involved that I felt I wanted to shed light on all of this to you before I died, Lady Yukina.

I will leave the choice to you.

As you know, the vessels of deadly sin are objects that cause disturbances in people's hearts.

Maybe Gast, my stepfather, and even myself, had all gone mad at that point.

But in those two weeks I spent with Gast in the Misty Mountains. Yes, in that short time that was no more than two weeks, I felt the stirrings of affection for him. I would prefer not to think that this was because of the demon.

He was my first love. It took hardly any time at all to be charmed by him, someone who had the strength to live alone in a way that I could not.

Eventually, several of the soldiers were felled by illness, according to plan.

They weren't actually sick--it was nothing but acting from my stepbrothers and their protégés.

My stepfather used to this a pretext to destroy the pagan altar--the one where Gast and I would meet up.

It was my job to make Gast think that he wouldn't be able to meet with his little sister again if the altar was destroyed.

If he tried to obstruct its destruction, Stepfather would take more extreme measures, and then he'd be able to legally kill him as a traitor…That was my stepfather's ultimate aim.

In order to make certain that the plan went that way, he apparently said something to Gast to deliberately stir up his rebellious nature.

But the day before Stepfather would carry out his murder of Gast, Gast told me that he planned to leave the army and desert Asmodean.

Once he was gone, my stepfather would have achieved his goal. I rejoiced, thinking there was no need for Gast to be killed now.

Gast told me that he wanted me to go with him.

That had also been my wish. If I had nodded to his request back then, my life might have become very different than it is now.

However, no matter how I wanted to, I could not take that step forward.

Courage is not something that everyone is endowed with.

I decided to tell him goodbye, as the "ghost" of Sarah. I thought that once I told my stepfather that Gast planned to leave the army, I would be able to persuade him too.

But the "Vessel of Deadly Sin".

It still drove everything mad.

At that time I didn't yet know what it meant to hold that sword. I just had it with me under my adoptive father's orders.

The moment he caught sight of it Gast suddenly changed, and he stole the sword from me. And he told me that he was going to kill Shalgham--my adoptive father--with that sword. In order to protect the altar--to protect me.

I wasn't able to stop him.

That was the moment I learned that the sword had been holding an ominous power inside it.

The next day I told my stepfather that Gast intended to quit the army. I didn't want to let them kill each other, by any means necessary.

But still, he had no intention of giving up on his plans to murder Gast.

My stepfather had been consumed by his hatred for him. Was that a result of his personality, or instigation from that old woman who had been by his side at the time--Abyss I.R.? I still don't know, even now.

Abyss is already gone now, and as for my stepfather, at that time…I killed him with my own hands. Gast had the sword. So I wasn't carrying any weapons. Yet I, fourteen years old at the time, was able to kill my brawny general of a stepfather while brushing aside even the interference of Abyss.

In that moment my heart was filled with a hatred for him, that he would not listen to me. When I realized what had happened, I was gripping a bloodstained golden knife in my hand.

This memento my father had left behind--that "key", was also a "Vessel of Deadly Sin". And it too was strong, strong enough to completely overpower even Abyss' magic…

If it weren't for that "key", I wouldn't have been able to escape from Abyss and my older brothers after that.

And if I hadn't encountered a compassionate Held monk, I surely would not have survived for long.

All during my escape, putting on the pretense of a pilgrimage, I worried about Gast. While acknowledging the danger, I--only once--went to see the Emperor of Asmodean. I'll spare you the particulars, but the emperor's wanderlust proved fortunate, and I was able to meet with him without too much trouble. I was relieved to hear from him that Gast had gotten off without being executed.

For some reason that "key" stopped being able to change shape after that, and it no longer exhibited any great power. Abyss also stopped pursuing me, appearing to have given up.

Each time I heard of Gast's activities at my journey's destination, I puzzled several times over whether or not I should go see him. But I couldn't do that.

To him, I was the "Daughter of Fog". I was a "ghost" who could only exist before that altar in the mountains. I couldn't help but feel that the way things were now was what was best for the both of us.

I didn't know if my decision was correct or not. I still don't know.

Ten-odd years later, when the Held Monastery was founded, I consulted with the monk--then the monastery director--and had the "key" sealed. It was around then too that I strengthened my determination to throw away my past and spend my life as a nun.

During those days where I devoted myself to God, I gradually stopped remembering what had happened so long ago. Before my eyes were children who had not received the love of parents. I ended up dedicating most of my thoughts to saving them.

When I next recalled my past, it was when I'd heard that Gast had died during the Lucifenian revolution. I visited his grave a few times. I felt sorry for him, being laid to rest in a communal grave belonging to the Levin religion he hated so much.

When I thought about his life, I was unable to stop the tears that I had thought long since dried.

That is all I wanted to confess.

If you have read all the way to this point, Lady Yukina, then I know that this is an imposition, but I have one favor to ask of you.

I was certain that that "key" had been sealed inside the monastery. Right until Abyss came to the monastery, borrowing Lady Mikina's body, I had believed that to be the case.

However, the "key" is not in the place where it should have been sealed. It seems that Abyss had known that, and lost interest in the monastery and myself as a result.

That "key" did save me once. But at the same time, that doesn't change the fact that it was a "Vessel of Deadly Sin" with a demon dwelling inside it.

If you can, I want you to seek out this "key", and seal it once more.

Before it brings a calamity upon this world.

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epicofevil · 7 years ago

Text

The Daughter of Fog; Scene 2

Epic of Evil page 97-114

＊ Gast Venom ~At the Misty Mountains~

These are warped feelings. I understand that very well.

But now, no matter what anyone tries to tell me

Sarah, I can't help but long for you.

The "Misty Mountains" was on the southern border of Asmodean. In there was an ancient ruin, thought to be around five hundred years old.

It was said to be the site of a villa for the nobility of the age of the Magic Kingdom, but it wasn't being maintained by the country, not recognized as holding much historical significance. For that reason it felt less like a ruin and more like a simple aggregation of rocks in a wide area.

The unit I belonged to, the "Golden Dragon Unit", was presently advancing along the mountain path to provide backup on the tail of the "Silver Sparrow Unit" headed by Mariam, which was engaged in an invasion of Lucifenia.

Once we crossed through, we could arrive in the Babul desert, where the fighting was taking place. General Shalgham, leader of the "Golden Dragon Unit", had boasted that once our forces converged, we would have nothing to fear from the likes of the Lucifenian army.

But we received an urgent report from a messenger midway through crossing the mountains. They bore the news that there were signs of rebellion in the Silver Sparrow Unit.

Thanks to that we couldn't just recklessly press on ahead before the truth became clear. If the Silver Sparrow Unit really was changing sides to Lucifenia, then they would overwhelm us with their numbers. We would need to request reinforcements from the country proper.

General Shalgham decided to have us bide our time in the mountain range for a short while. He picked the ruins to serve as our garrison, and so we ended up waiting there for further information.

As its name implied, the Misty Mountains were shrouded deep in fog, and it was hard to say that it suited us as a garrison. There was little meaning in sending out reconnaissance, and we would be ill-prepared for an assault by the enemy army.

Still, all of the soldiers were comfortable with it, saying that it was better than being made to wait in the middle of a desert.

In the heart of the ruins, there was a shabby altar, crumbling like everything else around it. The altar apparently belonged to a different religion outside the Levin faith, and so out of prejudice against it the first day of our stay there General Shalgham forbid the soldiers from going near it.

But tonight as well I was heading for that altar.

In order to meet with "her".

As I grew closer and closer to the altar, a figure I could see in the mist grew gradually clearer.

Sarah had been loitering around there today as well.

Of course, she wasn't exactly like the Sarah that I had known. After four years apart, she had become an adult. Even so, I had known it was her the moment I saw the pronounced traces of her features yet remaining on her face.

Once Sarah realized I was there, she jogged up to me.

"You came to see me again, big brother," she said, at the same time embracing me tightly.

I gently returned the embrace around her back.

"Are you able to stay here for a little while?"

"Yeah. We still haven't gotten a report from the front lines."

"I see, I'm glad," Sarah said. Her happiness showed itself on her entire face.

Ever since that day we first met, every evening I had come to see her here like this.

What was she doing there at those ruins in the mountains?

How was she alive?

Why had she never tried to leave from the altar?

Hadn't I seen her die in my arms in the first place!?

--When I thought about it rationally, there were a lot of things that just didn't make sense.

Naturally, I tried asking Sarah directly. When I did she replied, as though it was obvious, "I'm, well, a ghost."

According to her, this altar was the cornerstone of a path that connected the hellish yard and the living world, and so she was able to appear here on nights when the fog was thick.

"The mists have been quite strong around here lately, so I've been able to meet with you about every night, big brother."

It was ridiculous. Spirits didn't actually exist.

But no matter how I denied it, Sarah refused to bend on her claim that she was a spirit. Unable to make any progress on that point, I decided not to bring it up to her again.

It didn't matter to me. As long as I was able to touch Sarah once more--the little sister I had thought I would never see again--that was all that I needed.

Any new information regarding Mariam's betrayal had yet to reach our unit. Whatever the circumstances it was too late; two weeks had gone by at that point. There was a strong possibility that our communication routes had been sealed.

Information management and espionage was Mariam's specialty--or rather, it was the specialty of the Phatipe family overall. I had never met her directly, but I had heard that her mother was in the position of administering Asmodean's secret intelligence force.

There was another problem.

A situation had arisen where several soldiers had fallen ill of unknown causes. Perhaps the mountain environment was stealing their strength while they were as yet unaware.

And so, one day, a war council was held with General Shalgham in the center.

The vast majority of the soldiers were of the opinion that we ought to ship out of the area immediately. General Shalgham was of the same mind, and so it was settled that we would wait for some communication for one more day, and if nothing came head out the very next morning.

"However, before that," General Shalgham suddenly cut in at the end of the meeting, "Before we head out tomorrow night we will destroy the altar here."

It looked as though I wasn't the only one who didn't understand the meaning of what he was saying. One soldier stood and asked him, "General, why destroy some old ruins?"

"There have been several people amongst the soldiers whose health has been declining lately, hasn't there?"

"Yes, well. What connection does that have to the--"

"There is a great connection. By my diagnosis, the cause of this illness is a curse of that altar."

I was stupefied.

What an insane fanatic!

I just barely managed to keep from shouting that at him, sharing my opinion with the general while feigning calm.

"General, permission to speak?"

"What is it, Gast?"

"Even if the altar is the source of our illness, as we are heading out the day after next, what need is there to go out of our way to destroy it?"

At my words, the general slammed his fist on the desk.

"You idiot! I can't just ignore a heretic altar like that, even if there is no illness from it. That is my duty as a follower of the Levin faith."

"I don't think too highly of you forcing your personal religious beliefs on the entire rest of the unit."

"…Hmph, defy me will you? That altar venerates demons."

"And that is your own personal --"

"Silence, you descendent of the demon!"

The whole place fell silent at the general's phrase.

"…I don't know what you're talking about."

I maintained my composure, while inside I was extremely agitated.

How!? How did General Shalgham know that?

"Did you think I wouldn't realize? The fact that you're a descendant of Venomania is common knowledge among the top brass."

"…"

"If you hadn't caught the eye of his Majesty the Emperor, you would have been banished long ago! Do you know what we've been calling you behind your back? The Demon of Asmode--"

Ignoring the general's outcry, I left.

Several soldiers ran out of the tent after me and ran to my side, telling me not to worry about it, that Duke Venomania was a hero to this country as well, etc etc, but I don't remember that very well.

--In the end, everywhere was the same.

That night I went to see Sarah.

"I've decided to leave the army," I said abruptly.

When I did, Sarah looked surprised.

"General Shalgham has been made aware of everything. That I'm a descendent of 'Venomania'."

"…What are you going to do after you leave?"

Our surroundings were quiet as always.

But today, for some reason, I felt as though there was a buzzing in my ears the entire time.

"I'm not sure. I don't feel like returning to Elphegort at this point, so maybe Beelzenia--Lucifenia would be difficult, I think, as my face would be known there as an officer of an enemy army. Though if General Mariam has turned traitor, perhaps she would take me in…"

Sarah was silent.

----

The buzzing in my ears seemed to grow slightly louder.

I looked at Sarah's face, and blurted out, "Won't you come with me?"

"…Uh--"

Sarah seemed about to reply, but she immediately clammed up.

After a moment, she opened her mouth again.

"I can't go. I'm a ghost. I can't leave from this place."

"That's enough!"

Sarah's shoulders stiffened with a flinch.

I gently put my hand on her face.

I could feel her warmth through the palm of my hand.

"You're too warm to be a spirit, aren't you?"

"Even so, I can't leave. I'm sorry."

I no longer believed her story that she was a ghost, but Sarah had a reason for having to stay at this place at any cost. That much seemed to be clear.

"…Then I'll keep coming here to visit you. When I come here you'll always be--" Mid-sentence I remembered that General Shalgham planned to destroy the ruins the next day. "Hey. If these ruins were to be destroyed, does that mean I--"

"....Wouldn't be able to meet with me anymore. I told you, didn't I? This place is the path that connects the hellish yard and the living world."

"Not that again…"

----

At some point the buzzing in my ears had grown quite loud.

Sarah's voice was a little difficult to hear.

It had been like this since I was a child. Yes, it was the same as when I had used that sword.

"The altar's going to be destroyed?"

"Yes…That's what General Shalgham has decided."

"Then, I won't be able to see you again, big brother."

At Sarah's words, a shock went through me as though my head had been struck heavily.

Become--unable to see her?

---------

------

That buzzing was too noisy. I wanted it to stop.

It was so loud, it felt like it would burst my eardrums. It gradually started to sound like an eerie whine.

It was a bizarre, genderless voice.

Agh, make it stop.

"I won't allow such a thing," I immediately replied.

"But, the altar's going to be destroyed, isn't it?"

"I'll stop them. Even if I have to kill General Shalgham."

What was I saying?

I didn't even believe that Sarah was a spirit in the first pla--

--Agh, shut up already. What are you telling me to "give over"?

Fine then. Shalgham was a crazed follower of the Levin religion.

If I let him slide, I would probably be killed by him.

I'll kill him before he can kill me.

"Don't do it. You can't win on your own."

Well, I would probably end up contending with more than just Shalgham.

If I had that sword, if I only had that sword--

I suddenly saw a blade in Sarah's hand.

….What is this, Sarah. Were you holding onto that sword?

Come, give it over to your big brother.

"…No, I won't give it to you."

What was she saying?

Hadn't she been always carrying it because she planned to give it to me?

"Big brother…No,

Gast

, you still--"

GIVE IT TO ME.

NOW.

The next night, I waited for Shalgham before the altar.

Tonight, he and his troops would come to destroy it. I had to stop them.

I was vastly outnumbered. But as long as I had my sword, there wouldn't be any problems.

I tightly gripped my partner that I had been reunited with after so long.

For some reason Sarah had not come to the altar today.

What happened? Was she hiding somewhere out of fear?

Well, when this was over I was sure I'd be able to see her again soon.

Wait for me, Sarah.

"…There he is."

I could see a figure on the other side of the fog.

…? One person…?

I had thought he'd come with his troops behind him, and so was a little confused at seeing only one silhouette.

It wasn't Shalgham, and it wasn't another soldier.

It was a single old woman with a red cat on her shoulders.

"Y…you're--"

"Long time no see, Zenon…Or are you going by the name 'Gast' now?"

It was the hooded old woman who had taken the sword from me when I was twelve.

"Why are you here!?"

"What an odd thing to say. Seeing as how that sword is here, what's so strange about me being here, as its owner?"

"This sword belongs to me."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does. This originally belonged to my family."

"I entrusted that to your ancestor a very long time ago. Though you wouldn't know about that. I merely took it back."

"…You're not making any sense. At any rate, this time I'm not handing it over."

"That was alright for a little while." The old woman made a slightly troubled, obviously forced smile.

"But something a little unexpected has happened."

"…?"

"Yvette caused me some difficulty too." The hag lifted up her wrinkled right arm. "But well, as I can see that the 'Venom Sword' hasn't lost its power, I suppose I could say that I've fulfilled my objective, as far as it goes."

Her palm started to dully sparkle vermillion.

I could instinctively sense that she meant me harm.

I could tell she was trying to use some strange power. And I could also sense that it was the same thing she'd used on me a long time ago--

I hastily closed the distance between us, and brought the sword down on the old woman's neck.

The blade caught her there without a sound.

But--

Nothing happened. The old woman didn't give out a scream of death agony, no great amount of blood came pouring out of her neck.

On the contrary, she started cackling, her expression as it was before.

"That sword has no effect on me."

The hag put her hand on my chest, with the sword still stuck in her neck.

"Your family never learns."

The dull sparkle in her palm changed to a bright flash.

"In deference to that beautiful face of yours, I won't reduce you to cinders this time either."

In the next instant, my entire body was engulfed in flame.

I'll be concise about what happened afterwards.

Six months later, after my injuries had healed I was put on trial for suspicion of treason.

The day after I had gotten burned, Shalgham's corpse had been discovered on the outskirts of the ruins; my name had come up as a suspect, having quarreled with him just the day before.

Well, I didn't blame them for suspecting me; it was a fact of the matter that I'd really intended to kill him.

But I denied it.

I was sure I hadn't killed him.

Thinking on it now, when I'd gotten my hands on that sword my thoughts had grown quite maddened. It was true that I had become unable to think logically.

But my memories from back then remain clear to me even now. When I had waited for the bastard to show up at the altar, I'd been attacked by that old woman, and she'd stolen the sword--that was all that happened.

And in the end, they were unable to find any conclusive proof against me.

Even so there was enough of a possibility that I'd be executed. The fact that the "Silver Sparrow Unit" Mariam headed had defected to Lucifenia was a serious blow to the Asmodean army, and so it wasn't out of the question that they might make an example of me to discourage any further uprising.

But, finally, I was given the light punishment--light to me at least--of being deported from the country, due to none other than the emperor's kindness.

Even more fortunately, the altar hadn't been destroyed. I knew it was dangerous, as I had been banished, but I visited that altar several times after that.

However, Sarah never showed herself to me ever again.

When I met Elluka Clockworker, it was one year after I had left Asmodean.

At that time, I had become a mercenary. No matter what I tried, eventually I was unable to live as anything but a soldier, having no redeeming qualities but my swordsmanship skills.

I had been hired on as her bodyguard, Elluka being a staff officer of Beelzenia. I had heard from her about the "Vessels of Deadly Sin".

She told me that the sword--the "Venom Sword"--was one of the "Vessels of Deadly Sin".

What would happen when all of the Vessels of Deadly Sin were assembled?

Elluka hadn't told me that. So I decided to investigate, scraping together as many books on the past as I could. I had learned simple reading during my time as an Asmodean soldier, but when it came to old words or foreign languages I was completely at a loss, so I turned towards hiring a specialist for help. I wasn't able to obtain a lot of information, as there were hardly any texts with record of the "Vessels of Deadly Sin", however I did find a deeply interesting description in a book from four hundred years ago.

--"Resurrection of the Dead". That was written as one of the powers of the Vessels of Deadly Sin.

I started to think that when I had met Sarah back at that altar back then, perhaps she had been a spirit like she'd told me after all.

Sarah, who had appeared from the fog, and then once again vanished inside it.

Perhaps I would rely on these suspicious, ancient documents, if I was able to meet with her again.

Even if there was only a miniscule possibility of that.

But I was fine with that, wasn't I? After all, as a descendent of the sex maniac--Sateriasis Venomania--I had inherited his curse.

I would live for my own desires--as befitting the name of the "Demon of Asmodean".

There should be nothing whatever for me to feel ashamed of about that.

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23 notes · View notes