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iphigeniainaulis · 2 years

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Summary: nothing important, just my personal opinion on the symbolism of eyes, accessories and the Moon in Ikevamp

Warnings: minor spoilers for all routes, mild spoilers for Shakespeare and Faust

I just want to say that Ikevamp is probably one of the best otome games in terms of character design. So many tiny details, and the more you read, the more hints you actually find.

Let's take, for example, Shakespeare. The Act 1 suggests that the Bard of Avon is the main villain of the story. He knows about the revival of the Duke of Wellington and Antonio Salieri, plays a major role in Vincent and MC’s separation, helps Gauguin to bring Theo to the cliff where they play cops and robbers and just acts suspicious in Leo’s route. Many routes include this chapter where Comte rushes to Will’s private villa and asks whether he is behind the drama with historical figures being brought back to life.

However, Act 2 slowly but gradually dents our confidence. Here we get a chance to meet with the mysterious ‘shade’ in church and find out that during all this time Will has been a double agent. As the story unfolds, Shakespeare’s portrayal also begins to change, especially in terms of his attitude towards Vlad’s ambitions and methods used to achieve them. William from Act 1 acts like a mad genius who is in desperate need of a tragedy that can move everyone's heart, and he won’t hesitate to do everything he can to create his masterpiece. But Will in Act 2 reveals the duality of his soul, showing us that behind that mask of evil goodness there is room for fears, questions doubting the fundamentals of his lord’s moral views and actions Will has to perform himself as his agent on the way to building ‘a perfect future’. In Jean’s route, for example, William is genuinely frightened with Vlad using his power to control Gilles de Rais’s mind, driving the former solder to the point of madness, and Dazai’s route proves that this feeling of pure horror further leads to triggering Will’s psychological trauma as he receives the greater vampire’s ‘gift’. Shakespeare’s own route puts an end to Will’s moral searches, giving an answer regarding what side the writer chooses to be on.

The looks and costumes help us to follow the character’s story. The most catching part of Will’s appearance seems to be his famous heterochromia, the symbolism of which has been probably discussed earlier, so I'll point at the key moments. The bard’s right eye is the color of gold while his left eye is crimson red. And for a good reason.

The red color is considered to be polysemantic. In some cultures it is used to describe love, energy and the welcoming heat of fire, in others — it stands for blood which reminds of wars, danger and violence. There is, however, one thing that unites all these feelings, and it is called passion. Passion can give us energy and strength to move forward, but it can also blind us with anger and jealousy.

Shakespeare is blind both physically and metaphorically. His red eye is blurry with blood as a result of a childhood’s disease, thus he can’t see anything with it. At the same time, William’s mind is obnubilated with the fear of being not good enough — which is basically the main symptom of the impostor syndrome, hence his desire to write the best tragedy possible in order to prove everyone, himself included, that he does have the talent many praise him for.

The other eye is golden. Here my guess is that this color is mentioned as the opposite to the darkness caused by William’s half-blindness. Golden is another word for ‘light’ desired by Shakespeare’s kind side. This bright side of him makes Shakespeare cherish and enjoy his friendship with Vincent (though it still doesn't prevent him from using the painter as the main source of information coming from the mansion). This kindness dictates Will to help MC when she is attacked by those bastards in the first chapters of his own route. And this very gentleness of his heart is a driving force for his inner protest to Vlad’s wish to kidnap MC in Comte’s route. As you remember, Shakespeare obeyed his lord’s command only under the brainwashing spells and later expressed sincere regrets regarding not being able to stop the pureblood.

The combination of good and evil, red and golden is an allusion to William's connection with both Vlad (whose eyes resemble crimson moon) and Comte (in the prologue MC describes his gaze as ‘spun gold’).

Why do I mention the character’s costume at the beginning? Because it enables us to answer what side Will is on even without reading his story.

If we look at the attire of the Evil Trio, we can actually see that everyone wears a small crescent moon shaped brooch — a particular sign of belonging to their secret community.

William doesn't have one.

��

This is where I was originally planning to stop. In spite of it, I got really interested in the meaning behind those brooches, so I decided to delve a little bit deeper. Again, these are only my own speculations. Probably, Vlad’s route contains the explanation, and I'm dumb. But I haven’t read it yet, so let’s continue.

In general, we can analyze the symbolism behind the crescent moon in two different ways, relying on our knowledge of either mythology or heraldry.

The crescent symbol has been used in various legends as a divine attribute. In Ancient Greek and Roman mythology the crescent moon is said to represent Selene/Luna, lunar goddess, and some stories suggest that the curves of the crescent shape remind the bow used by Diana, the goddess of hunt. In ancient Egypt people honored the moon god Khonsu whose name can be translated as ‘a traveler’ — a pretty interesting coincidence, considering Vlad’s abilities to travel through times and spaces as an immortal vampire and by using the door. Thus, the crescent shaped brooch may point at the pureblood’s divine origins, explaining on of the reasons why other immortals call him ‘the son of God’.

On the other hand, the brooch can be a reference to Vlad’s homeland.

This picture illustrates the coat-of-arms of the Hunyadi family from which, according to some historians, comes the coat-of-arms of Wallachia, the region ruled by the House of Draculesti. A black raven is depicted in the center with a ring in its beak. Later on, the Hunyadi coat-of-arms was added with the image of the crescent in the top right.

This tradition was further fixed during the reign of Mircea I, the grandfather of Vlad the Impaler, though it slightly differed from the original image as we can see the cross occurring in the central part of Mircea’s seal.

The same image was on the seal of Radu IV, Vlad’s nephew, with the moon replaced to the left.

Not only that, during the period when Vlad was the Voivode of Wallachia he ordered to mint new trade coins. Up until today only two such coins were described in Romanian numismatic papers. This is one of them with the image of Vlad’s coat-of-arms inside the inner linear circle. Inside the first field there is a waxing half moon and a six ray star below it.

Curious as it is, if we overlay the shapes of a moon and a cross one another, we’ll get the image most close to the original version of the Trio’s brooch.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't dismiss the third idea that the crescent brooch represents fate that brought everyone together in the XIX century.

To begin with, the moon plays several roles in the game. Visibly, it acts as a mirror reflecting MC’s feelings and inner thoughts. The prologue shows how much she is frightened of the sudden changes in her life and the prospect of not being able to go back home. XIXth century France is dangerous, and this specific view of the world is emphasized with the nature descriptions. That's why in Arthur’s route the crescent moon is written as a ‘gibbering madman’s smile in the dark sky’, in Vincent's route — as a ‘mocking grin’ fueling MC’s anxiety.

The Moon in Ikevamp universe, however, is often described as a silent embodiment of fate, the theme of which runs through the story like a golden thread. The crescent moon takes the role of a powerful force, guiding MC through the door (in Isaac’s route MC even asks herself, 'Had that moon guided me? Was I under its sway?'), dominating behind the walls of the Musee du Louvre (in Leonardo’s route MC thinks, ‘I wound up in an eventime world ruled by a crescent moon’).

The epilogues of some of the stories contain the scene where MC is shown to enjoy the view of the sky and remembers how the same crescent she saw on her very first night in the mansion was a harbinger of a major turning point in her life. A very clever choice of structuring writing as it allows to logically loop the plot.

🌗

This is where I need to stop, but I want to say just a few more words about two other members of the Trio. Faust and Charles. What does the crescent mean for them?

Now, I’m not a huge fan of searching for a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no one there. This is the exact reason why I had to abandon the theory about the link between the brooch and Charles's past as an executioner. It's too far-fetched whereas we have a far more satisfying answer. Wearing the brooch, Faust and Charles show loyalty to their sire. At least, in the case of Charles it does seem true, taking into account his obsession with Vlad.

But with Faust it's a bit more complicated.

The central conflict in his route is called 'man against self' or, more precisely, a priest searching for and finding the lost faith. These searches stem from a plethora of moral dilemmas such as the right of a man wearing a cross to rebel against God watching the injustice of the world; the existence of so-called ‘fair sacrifice’ when in order to save hundreds of lives you have to kill one or vice versa.

Faust himself is portrayed as a ridiculously cynical and unprincipled man who doesn't scorn to experiment on corps and sincerely despises any sign of human weaknesses. At the same time, this very man is the one who supplements the citizens with the medicine without taking any money, spends his free time with orphans and despite looking genuinely annoyed cares about their well-being, knowing too well what it's like to be deprived of love and compassion. He’s given up on merciful Heaven because he’s never been a subject of mercy. Still, everyday he goes to church and listens to confessions of his parishioners.

I don't want to spoil other details of his route, but I think it's of particular importance to discuss MC’s words she tells him in the final chapters. As I understand, their meaning is somehow close to

‘your hands are what give others hope’

This is such a beautiful and touching way of saying that despite Faust telling her multiple times that he sees no hope in the future, in reality he carries it deep inside his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't see the point in being revived as a vampire and rebelling the very principles of the world’s existence, he wouldn't listen and give a helping hand to the praying people in church, knowing a common belief that a person can to speak to God via priests as his voice on Earth.

No matter how hard the obstacles were, how painful and lonely he felt, Faust never wanted to lose hope and faith in his abilities to change his destiny by creating a world where everyone’s prayer can be heard.

How on Earth is the crescent moon involved here?

At this moment you should know I am a myth nerd.

The crescent was associated with goddess Hekate in the Roman Time Period and in Late Antiquity. While she wasn't originally a lunar goddess and a part of the Pantheon, Hekate was still known as the deity of dark magic, medicine and necromancy. Faust, as mentioned before, is attracted to alchemy, pharmaceutical and paranormal studies as well as experiments on the dead. According to the legend, he also used to practice witchcraft.

Alongside with that, Hekate had an important mission of guiding the lost souls. A crescent, her attribute, was incorporated in many poems and writings as a metaphor for hope that the moonlight gives to travelers as they try to see the road in the darkness of the night.

So, Faust’s crescent shaped brooch in the game may be another way of proving that in spite of all his bravada and claimed indifference, the truth is he always wears hope on his chest, though he can't see it as he doesn't listen to his heart (that's why the brooch is on the right and not on the left).

Hope drives him forward, makes him use everything he can —knowledge, experience, will — to create a brighter future. Hope creates aspiration, and aspiration nourishes hope. In fact, this is what brings Ikevamp Faust close to Goethe's character.

In Part I Scene I: Night there is a marvelous monologue of Faust addressing the moon.

‘O, may you look, full moon that shines, On my pain for this last time: So many midnights from my desk, I have seen you, keeping watch: When over my books and paper, Saddest friend, you appear!’

He wishes to leave the material world he lives in in order to achieve his greatest goal — to learn the irreversible laws of the universe. As he speaks, the moon becomes something more than a lifeless object, it represents his aspiration, distant and difficult, almost impossible.

‘… And need you ask why my heart Makes such tremors in my breast? Why all my life-energies are Choked by some unknown distress?’

#ikemen series #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp shakespeare #ikevam vlad #ikevam arthur #ikevam leonardo #ikevamp theo #ikevamp faust #ikevamp charles #ikevamp comte #ikevamp dazai #ikevamp jean #ikevamp vincent #ikevamp napoleon

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cirilla-fiona-riannon · 2 years

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Ikevamp Act 2.5

Chapter 16 Dramatic Route

That night, in a mansion built deep in the forest, all the vampires are gathered.

When the three appear with Comte, the residents of the mansion raise their eyebrows.

Shakespeare: "Lord Vlad. And even Faust and Charles."

Vlad: "It's been a long time, Will."

Napoleon: "Vlad. I never thought I'd meet the culprits responsible for attacking us this way."

Isaac: "You're the pureblood that brought Hooke back to life..."

Jean: "Even if you have a good reason, don't think I'll easily forgive you for manipulating Gilles and kidnapping Mitsuki."

Vlad: "I'm not going to defend myself for what I put you guys through. If it makes you feel better, you can put your sword through this chest."

Vlad: "I'm not going to die, though."

Napoleon: ".............."

Vlad's words exude no mockery but rather all the resolve he carries with him.

Napoleon sensed this as he stared at the man in front of him.

Comte: "I'm sorry. I know you guys have your own opinions. But right now, I need you to listen to me."

Mozart: "I guess they're not here to fight. Tell us what happened."

Charles: "We were at the Expo with Mitsuki. And then..."

The bombing occurred at the venue, and Mitsuki tried to save a foreign kid and got separated from them during the explosion.

The residents of the mansion were then informed that they hadn't been able to find her anywhere since then.

Theo: "On top of that, there's a kidnapping. It's getting a little creepy."

Vincent: "Does this mean Mitsuki is involved in this kidnapping? We have to go help her as soon as possible."

Vlad: "We'll definitely save Mitsuki. Along with the kid she saved and his clan, too."

Arthur and Dazai's eyes widened in surprise.

Dazai: "Heh. It looks like you're very fond of Toshiko-san."

Arthur: "I didn't expect a pureblood like you to care about the minority when it comes to saving the world."

Arthur: "You want to save the kid and his clan, even if it means going alone. Why is that?"

Everyone turned their gazes at him...

Vlad: "I guess it's because that kid is a descendant of a Dhampir."

Vincent: "Dhampir?"

Vlad uttered an unfamiliar word, and everyone tilted their heads.

Comte: "A Dhampir is a hybrid between a pureblood vampire and a human."

Pureblooded vampires differ from one family to another in the way they relate to humans.

Some clans consider humans only as their prey and do not interact with them at all. Others hide their true identities and blend in with human society, but some reveal their true identities to humans and seek coexistence with them.

Comte: "Because of the difference in species, it's difficult for humans and purebloods to have children, which is why it's rare."

Leonardo: "But that bambino carried a faint hint of a vampire in him."

Leonardo: "Dhampirs born by near-miraculous odds grow up and procreate with humans."

Leonardo: "I guess the result of that cycle is that bambino."

Vlad: "Nowadays, though, their blood has faded, and they're almost the same as humans."

Faust: "Their ancestral stories were passed down only as folklore, and their true nature as vampires disappeared."

Vlad: "Still, we can say Dhampirs are the result of the coexistence of vampires and humans."

Comte: "Coexistence..."

Arthur: "You can't abandon them because they have the same blood running in their veins―is that what you're saying?"

Vlad: "Maybe..."

Vlad: "This is all my personal decision, including wanting to help Mitsuki. In the end, this is just about my ego."

With a smile, Vlad casts his eyes down in self-mockery for the first time.

Isaac: "So you're telling me that a clan with vampire blood was on display at the Expo?"

Faust: "Yes, to make the lore even more interesting."

Theo: "They spotted a family with unusual lore and brought them to the Expo to make a spectacle of them."

Theo: "It's a world-class event, this kind of thing showmen like to do to get attention."

Vincent: "I wouldn't want that to happen to my family either."

Sebastian: "Furthermore, they displayed them in an exhibit to make them a target for kidnapping."

Vlad: "Not only that but if word spread that they have vampire blood in their veins and the vampire's existence was made known..."

Vlad: "The worst could happen.”

Isaac: "What's the worst that could happen?"

Vlad: "Vampire hunting."

Everyone shut their mouths at the mention of the disturbing words.

Isaac: "B-But I don't think they will believe that vampires exist that easily."

Isaac: "Except maybe if they bite them in front of a bunch of people and sip their blood."

Faust: "But once they see them as heretics, there is a possibility that they will be persecuted."

Jean: "As a heretic, huh? If that happens, their clan will have a miserable end."

Mozart: "I'm sure those of us who are also vampires are no strangers to this."

Vlad: "Fear can spread through the world in the blink of an eye."

Vlad: "I just want to stop it before it happens."

People fear those who are different from themselves. And once fear is ignited, they will be thoroughly eliminated with weapons.

Vlad has seen this side of humanity many times.

Vlad: "Even among humans, the slightest difference is enough to cause hatred and strife."

Vlad: "No one should ever have to experience that kind of sorrow again."

Vlad: "I don't want humans to make such mistakes or commit such sins. That's all there is to it."

Charles: "Vovoide."

Vlad gripped his shirt tightly, looking like he was in pain.

Shakespeare: "My lord, your love for mankind is so sad."

Although he parted ways with Comte due to his ambition to control human thought, what he revealed was his purest wish.

Arthur: "Frankly, I think your love of humanity is twisted."

Vlad: "Conan Doyle."

Arthur: "It's a bit arrogant of you to keep people under control because you don't want them to make mistakes."

Arthur: "But regardless of all this talk, it seems our intentions are mutual."

Theo: "All we have to do is rescue hondje."

Theo: "And together, we will rescue the kid and his clan. Regardless if they are human or Dhampir."

Arthur: "Well, there you have it. If all of us put our heads together, I think we can make it work."

Charles: "Yeah, you're right. I mean, we all have these great people here."

Dazai: "The king over there wanted to see if we are good enough to lead the people, huh?"

Dazai: "This is a chance for us to show what we're really made of."

Shakespeare: "Dazai, you work too."

Vlad: "You guys..."

Napoleon, who had been watching the discussion, looked at Vlad and took a step forward.

Napoleon: "Vlad."

Napoleon: "I'm not going to go too deep into the past to see how much you have despaired."

Napoleon: "I'm not even going to try to tell you if your plans are right or wrong here."

Napoleon: "We are former humans. To you, it may look stupid for humans to fight endlessly, but with both stupidity and sorrow etched in our hearts, we have risked our lives for the sake of peace and for those we should protect."

Napoleon: "But isn't that the same for you?"

Vlad: "That's very Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to say."

Napoleon: "I'm not an emperor anymore, though."

Napoleon: "Now, as a man, I have no reason to hesitate if there is something I can protect with my own hands."

Leonardo: "So, that's it. You guys have no objection to that, right?"

Faust: "Yes. For once, let's fight together."

Faust: "In the first place, you will do whatever it takes to save Mitsuki. Isn't that right, Lord Vlad?"

He asked for his confirmation, and Vlad nodded as if it were a matter of course.

Dazai: "It's a strange fate, isn't it? Toshiko-san gave herself up to protect the child of a human and a vampire."

Isaac: "The odds may be astronomical. But for Mitsuki, I'm sure she just acted the way she always does."

Vincent: "Yeah, and I'm sure she's going to say something like this."

Vincent: "You don't need a reason to help someone."

Theo: "Yeah, I can picture hondje smiling like that."

Everyone pictured Mitsuki's smiling face in their minds.

Charles: "I totally get you. I mean, Mitsuki came to our castle herself."

Faust: "I know she's a simpleton, but that's why she's able to go head-to-head with His Excellency Vlad and us."

Mozart: "From what I've heard, it sounds like Mitsuki's meddling was no different for you guys."

Sebastian: "She is also more adaptable than others."

Each time Mitsuki was mentioned, the expression on everyone's face softened.

All of them had only one thing on their minds: unwavering determination.

Late at night, Comte and Vlad were standing shoulder to shoulder on the balcony.

Comte: "I never thought there was a Dhampir bloodline among humans."

Vlad: "Yeah. It's as miraculous as finding a newly formed star out of this starry sky."

Comte: "A star, huh? It's like hope. But..."

Comte: "That's what we've been hoping for all along, for vampires and humans to coexist. Vlad."

Vlad: "Yeah. That's the only thing that hasn't changed since we were kids."

The two of them remembered the lonely but beautiful scenes of their childhood.

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Comte: "Hey Vlad, are humans and vampires really that different?"

Comte: "I love humans so much, so why can't I just stay with them?"

Vlad: "Don't cry. I'm sure one day humans and vampires will be able to live together forever."

Vlad: "In this beautiful world, humans, vampires, and other living creatures live hand in hand."

Vlad: "I wish for a future like that to last forever. Let's keep wishing for it together."

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

On this night, their hearts came together for the first time in hundreds of years, just like when they had shared the same wish and exchanged tears and smiles.

Vlad: "I thought helping only those you can reach won't change this cruel world."

Vlad: "But Mitsuki tried to help that boy."

Vlad: "She put her heart into those who were being showcased."

Comte: ".............."

Vlad: "What Mitsuki says is always beautiful. Still, seeing her never give up makes me want to be close to her."

His crimson eyes reflected the stars as he looked up at the night sky.

Comte also looked up at the starry sky and smiled.

Comte: "It's strange. I never thought I'd see the day we'd join hands again in this way."

Comte: "Mitsuki really connected us."

Mitsuki tried her best to listen and understand both sides between Comte and Vlad as they kept confronting each other.

Comte: "Hey, Vlad. Is Mitsuki your own hope?"

Vlad: "Yeah."

Vlad: "She's the hope that kept me alive."

Comte: "I see. But why her?"

Vlad: "Ahaha. I think I'll keep that a secret."

Vlad: "But this time, I'm going to find her myself."

My consciousness gradually rises from sleep as the cold hard floor touches my cheek.

Mitsuki: "Mm...Huh? Where am I...?"

Boy: "Sis, are you awake?"

Previous Part╏Next Part

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp act 2.5 #ikevamp 2.5 #ikevamp jp #ikevamp #cybird #ikevamp translations #ikemen series

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arsnovacadenza · 2 years

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For the blorbo ask: idk, ikevamp?

Been a hot minute since I played Ikevamp but lets goooo

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most): JEAN. HE'S JUST SO UGH-So baby. So perfect.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped): Torn between Jean and Leo honestly. Leo has the softest, prettiest tiddies expression

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave): I'm actually surprised I don't see a lot of Dazai stans here. Or maybe it's just the algorithm? Either way I was expecting to see a lot of poetic Dazai fanart considering he seems to be a big thing in Bungou Stray Dogs and among lit nerds. But instead I see a lot more of the Terrible Trio which is fine (Vlad is amazing and Charles is an absolute Meow Meow) but there the Dazai stans at? (Seriously, is it Tumblr's fault?)

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week) *deep breaths* Wellington. Wellington deserves more to be than just be a bloodthirsty amnesiac. He has the potential to be this witty, sarcastic Englishman who's super Genre Savvy who knows what the fuck's going on and instead of doing whatever Vlad wants him to do he can drag Napo back to England and live their best (second) life together

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave) Gilles des Rais. Hear me out. Yeah I know he turned into a murdering nutjob but there's just something tragic about his inability to cope with Jean's death. Call me morbid but I do have some fascination with characters grieving over the loss of a loved one. Are they going to cope in a healthy way? Move on? Get pulled deeper and deeper into despair?

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason): Everybody is up for grabs in my fanfic. Everybody gets the angst paddle whether it's Napoleon, Jean, or Isaac and you too my dear readers

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell): The Gacha gods presiding over Ikevam. WHY WILL YOU NOT GIVE ME THAT JEANPOLEON CARD ASLKLKDSFSLF

Let's do this again! I love it! (I kinda forget everyone and everything that happens in my fandom so)

#personal #ikemen vampire

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bartholomeow · 3 years

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i am absolutely outraged

i am angry. i am mad. i am furious. i am absolutely outraged.

spoilers for about all ikevamp eng routes below (jean arthur napoléon isaac theo (maybe? idk i didn’t play his route) mozart euh everyone but vincent and leonardo)

I SWEAR. I SWEAR WHAT THE FUCK AM I PLAYING JUST WHO DO YOU THINK I AM, GAME ? i said nothing for napoléon’s route. nothing for mozart’s. i started wincing at isaac’s. i was a bit angry in theo’s (about what i read at least). i started being really angry in arthur’s. i. am. mad. absolutely. revolted. for just how long. are they. going. to. keep. bringing back. their past rivals. how. long. and who brings them back? shakespeare (im sorry i meant like they are brought back by vlad (i think?? idk im just like a dead fish in a human body i dont get anything) for an obsucre reason related to will but i wouldn’t know bc tbh i don't get anything this man says). every. single. time.

am i william biased? absolutely. do i love william? you bet i do, take my money and my kidneys (both) will, i don’t care. but. please. please i am begging. william. can’t. be. the. bad guy. in every single story. william can’t be the bad guy in every single story because 1) it gets really really repetitive really really fast 2) i think his motive is terrible like what??? the man?? just wants to write plays??? and is going to ruin every. single. route. for that?? i don’t buy, cybird. maybe we’ll discover his real motives in his route and i sure hope we will.

3) in. every single. route. there is. 1) william shakespeare ruining everything for his stupid plays (i’m trying really hard not to start writing an essay about why i think this motive is stupid) 2) their ancient rival is brought back 3) they want revenge/to see the main character 4) they kidnapp mc who is certainely desperate because they think the suitor doesn’t love them.... or sth like that 4.1) bonus point if the place they’re going to is a theater 5) the suitor arrives like MC!!! 6) mc is surprised because they are absolutely clueless about literally everything 7) it’s moral time! probably going like ‘i’ve always admired you.... and respected you....’ 8) they forgive each other, someone is surely crying, suitor is like ‘mc are you hurt?????????’ then they go back to the mansion and they have sex.

if this happens in jean’s route.

i will be mad. (threat level: maximal)

i am sorry for any english mistakes btw today i had an english oral exam and it was terrible. terrible terrible i just straight up forgot the entirety of my third part i was sitting like??? i had a third part but i forgot literally anything i’ve ever said in it what is happening to me??

also it was not in every single route. it was happening exactly exactly like this in mozart’s, arthur’s, isaac’s, there was the ancient rival brought up in napoléon’s (and in theo’s but i didn’t read it so i don’t know what happens exactly), and kidnapping at the theater + moral in leonardo’s as well.

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp jean #ikevamp jsp #i am really mad #like #absolutely outraged #i really did not think things would happen again in jean's route #but i guess #i hate the idea of mc kidnapped by ancient rival + moral about forgiveness and admiration #déjà que.#je n'ai rien dit sur jean d'arc #qui aurait très bien pu etre jeanne d'arc mais bon bref standards hétéocentrés etc #bon voila quand comte a mentionné gilles de rais je me suis dit non #quand même pas #ils ne vont pas oser #mais si #gilles de rais kidnappe mc et fais la morale à jean je jure j'ouvre plus jamais le jeu #jusqu'à ce que la route de shakespeare sorte #hinhin qui va foutre la merde maintenant

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weird-profiterole · 9 months

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What jobs do Wellington - Gilles and Michelangelo do in the 19th century IkeVamp ? 🤔🤔

Michelangelo is still a sculptor, and making people so amazed by his works is so good for his God complex. He's super loaded thanks to his work but also to an inheritance. He also models for art classes (but not naked).

Gilles is a black smith. He likes doing a manual job and sometimes he got wine from customers, he sells some of his stuff to Jean. Sometimes he helps Jean at the weapon shop, because he still knows how to wield different weapons, obviously.

As for Wellington, he works in a tea shop - library. He even owns the place. The place is very classy and cosy, Michelangelo bakes pastries from time to time, because Wellington can't stand sugar so he can't do it. It happened a few times that Napoleon baked pies for the shop too. He wanted to make crepes, but they aren't sophisticated enough for the shop, and Wellington doesn't want anything you can eat with your fingers to keep the books clean.

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ambrosiallkiss · 3 years

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Have to thank Jean’s route for giving me:

Mozart bestie content (reminder why he’s a diamond)

Overall more Comtent/Ch.22 Comte!

the dark comedy duo of Gilles/MC

Troubled/vulnerable Will

#rambles #ikevamp #alas we are not meant to be #though as a cap I get his weaknesses and all #if I had time and talent I'd want to draw a morbid/funny situation with comte and jean #where jean has like three swords piercing comte #and comte is just exasperated as he pulls out one sword #if he healed quickly i guess it'd be as annoying as getting continuous papercuts #still going to think about ch. 22 comte for a while #also don't purposely think comte is the reason will has one blind eye #comte's threat should really apply to a monster like gilles

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incorrect-ikevamp-quotes · 3 years

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why does jean warn up to mc so quickly? ikevamp makes it clear that jean is a pretty reserved person and doesn't open up or let people in easily but he seems to let mc in quite quickly and it confuses me quite a bit.

Oh boy, where to begin with this one.

Well, I have a lot of Feelings^TM about this, but I'll try to be concise. Essentially, I think Jeanne doesn't recover in the other routes--or the general storyline--largely because he's just a lot to unpack narratively speaking. And without some pretty direct intervention, he has a hard time healing. MC’s direct intervention was meaningful because it was focused, consistent, and adapted to Jeanne’s specific needs. She also doesn’t make light of his experiences which is key; she fully understands that she can’t fathom what he’s been through. There is a very weighty respect and acknowledgement, a seriousness with which she treats his wounds that’s important.

It’s easy to make this a “why is MC nOt LiKe ThE oThEr GiRlS” but honestly that’s just not the sense I get when I look at all the information available to us.

That being said, I also just feel like every person's recovery from traumatic events doesn't really look the same? I mean Leonardo’s cptsd isn’t going to operate the same way Jeanne’s wartime/Inquisition cptsd is going to operate. Some people require very individualized healing, others will often require a large scale group effort to lift them up.

Typically people don't ever just get over what happened to them and never worry about it again, either. It's usually a process of coping; the hope is that with time you find healthy ways to deal with grief and move forward. Therapists aren't magicians, they just help people process painful experiences/thoughts. It's honestly up to individuals to find meaningful ways to implement these tactics.

Tl; dr: My contention is that Jeanne doesn’t open up or choose to stay alive because MC magically heals him, rather his recovery is a convergence of many people’s efforts and hopes that he stays alive. Gilles (he insists that Jeanne must live, asks him to promise), MC (affirms and bolsters that promise), Comte (makes a second life and recovery possible)--and in no small measure Mozart and Napoleon--all make an active effort to buoy him. As people often say, it takes a village to raise a child.

While Jeanne seems to respond most powerfully to MC’s attempts, it feels more like a product of chemistry/compatibility than it does a random cop out. There is no insinuation that only romantic love can heal; after all, MC gets close to him without any romantic intentions at first. They’re just good friends? It’s more that their feelings simply moved in a different direction after a point, which doesn’t necessarily happen all the time. Jeanne is also incredibly moved by Mozart’s love for him as a friend, Comte’s love for him as a father, and even Gilles’ love as a comrade to an extent. If anything, without their input Jeanne’s capacity for romantic love would be questionable at best.

Now, because I can never for the life of me stop analyzing, I have a more large scale outline of my thoughts below. Spoilers for Jeanne’s route:

If we look at Jeanne's life history, he has pretty specific trauma. Most of the harm he endured was a direct result of human rights violations after the war itself. He didn't enjoy fighting and killing people, but he's also very much a man that sees the reality of his position: it's either kill or be killed. His entire goal was to defeat the enemy as efficiently as possible in the hopes of ending conflict, and with his enormous resolve turns the tide. He had no innate interest in inflicting harm, or lack of control when engaging. He isn't pathological about it, and doesn’t dehumanize the other side. He was more "this was an act of necessity, but those are still human beings." So as far as I can tell he has a very strong moral compass and sense of duty, he doesn't show much delusion/confusion in that regard. (Also evident in his conversations with the young orphan boy.) Furthermore, he has been shown to have a sense of humor--cracking jokes with Gilles and boosting morale for his fellow soldiers.

His childhood abandonment is significant (he left his home because he was "not an adequate farmhand and they had no ability to feed all their children") but I don't know if I would consider it a huge trauma point for him. It seems as though he deemed it an act of necessity--not spite. It was simply the way of things, and he couldn't help his wiry constitution. You'd be surprised how common that was once upon a time, tbh... While it's certainly not right or fair, it does appear that in his perception it was the choice he made and he moved on after he became a soldier. Just focusing on what he could do, rather than everything he lacked. For people in his position, they often feel it is useless to linger on what should have been. There’s no time to linger or doubt, life hangs in the balance.

That leaves us with his time under the Inquisition, just before he was slated to be burned alive. I think this is the keystone trauma point for him, because there are a lot of moving parts to his powerlessness here. The first part is that his entire life's mission--ending the war so that people would no longer have to die and/or starve as a result of senseless violence--was just sabotaged. All those years of doing things he never wanted to do (wartime violence) and being forced to leave his family to ensure they didn't all starve, all of it treated like some kind of joke. Like he didn't sacrifice years of his life and sanity to protect a people who were happy to call him a monster and watch him burn alive. The second part is the overt gaslighting and rewriting of Jeanne's personal history (and overall French public perception) for the sake of the King's political agenda. To call him a treasonous danger to the country when he was once lauded a hero. The third portion is the actual physical helplessness of being arrested, starved, and continuously maimed for no reason beyond pure malice. While it's never right to do that to any human being, this was done to a man who prided himself on his stalwart moral code. To abuse and torture him for something egregious that he would never do (at the risk of death) is just another slap in the face to everything he is and believes in.

I just feel like the context clarifies why that period of time would be the tipping point. His entire moral code and life’s work is being called into question and swept aside, as well as his agency? He believes very powerfully in a sense of right vs wrong, what's fair and what isn't fair. Somebody else deciding that for him--and deciding in a way that is openly unfair/incorrect--further makes him lose himself and his sense of reality. A person in that situation begins to doubt if they are good or bad. His belief in god all the more pressing; if he was a good person, why would fate bring him so much suffering? Honorable soldier or not, his blade has drawn so much blood...

People often reference his stilted social skills (and I am of the belief that he is on the autistic spectrum) as a reason why he is so "people-adverse" but tbh? I don't agree. His memories before the onset of this trauma reveal that he was actually a very warm person, and that people were more than willing to fight under his banner. He had friends, and he had comrades--his country loved him. He was the picture of well-meaning civic duty. Just because he doesn’t integrate smoothly into larger social groups or adapt well to socially shifting circumstances, doesn’t mean he just hates people lmao. When people give him the space to exist within his comfort zone and don’t take advantage of him, he thrives. Compounded by that, we also have his actions in the present to further prove what is true and what isn't.

While he is stern with the orphan boy (I'm sorry I can't remember his name, damn it) there is no malice or cruelty in what he has to say. He doesn't punish the kid or do anything out of line. It may not be fair in terms of the adult level of discretion he asks of him, but the kid also didn't have a lot of options realistically speaking lmao. Same thing with MC, she and the orphan boy are nearly identical in how Jeanne treats them. He's a little rough, but the route reveals that his intentions are just a reflection of what he's been through. He truly believes that if a person isn't strong, they won't survive--because his entire life was a series of trying to be strong/reliable because nobody else would. There was nobody to protect him, and nobody to care for him went things went south. It was him and his sword against the world, and even his exceptional skill as a fighter did not protect him from the Inquisition's arbitrary torture. He has lived in a world where good acts can become absolutely meaningless, where following rules and helping people still gets you slaughtered. That's going to take a considerable toll on his mental health: where do you find the will to go on when the next second of your life could mean the devastation of everything that matters to you?

Spoilers: you don't. Or if you do, every minute of the day is a fight to stay alive. That is the point at which we meet Jeanne. Caught in the hellish whirlpool of wanting more, wanting better--but being terrified of the cost. The cost of hoping, only for his entire world to go up in flames again. It's not a small thing, in my view.

If you have any doubts as to whether or not that is the case, I direct you to literally every singular instance in which Jeanne's emotional sensibility goes visibly dark/south. When do these instances happen? When it rains, for one. And when Shakespeare deliberately starts pressing on his sensitivities: about the soldiers he was forced to kill, about the nation that spurned him, how he's truly "wicked" at heart and doesn't deserve to be happy--seconds before flames erupt for the festival. Does that really sound coincidental? I mean lmao. The rain is a painful reminder, but MC transforms that memory into something a little lighter with her bet. He has nothing to lose in her game, all she does is ask for time with him or offers him something if she loses. There's a playfulness there, a restoration of agency and ease that's invaluable to his recovery.

As for Shakespeare's deliberate retraumatization...I can't even begin to explain how damaging that event was. Shakespeare is undermining Jeanne's agency in that he--not unlike the corrupt monarch of Jeanne's era--is twisting Jeanne's beliefs to work against him. He knows full well that Jeanne doesn't feel like he deserves somebody so bright and understanding (we need to remember it's not really a luxury he's had much in life, especially after the war ended). He knows Jeanne has a tendency to impose that strict moral code on himself even more than he does on others. To reaffirm his every worst fear and lurking terror only throws Jeanne into a vicious downspiral. Jeanne doesn't reject MC out of disgust or hate. He rejects her because he literally cannot handle the concept of trying to be happy again, or of burdening her with his constant struggle to move on while he’s in the middle of a bad episode. He knows he won’t be able to stop reliving the past, that every second of his life and breath will be colored by his gruesome memories. He's trying as hard as he can to keep the intrusive thoughts quiet, to move on. But I'm not going to lie to any of you, that is incredibly difficult to do alone.

The next obvious question is, well why can't the other men help him? This isn't to say that they can't--we see how much solace Jeanne finds in Napoleon and Mozart. Even Isaac is gentle with the veteran. But there are limits to how much they can do. Napoleon is struggling with his own wartime trauma, and it's not identical to Jeanne's. Plus there’s a distinct difference in their sensibilities? Napoleon is the type to habitually seek comfort in helping others when he can't help himself, he's not as in tune with answering his own personal feelings and regulating them. (I mean just look at his new ES: he knows what he wants, but it takes a nudge from Isaac for him to go through with it.) He’s very communally reliant in ways Jeanne isn’t; Jeanne is a very private person, and typically prefers one on one from what I can tell.

Mozart is the definition of repression, and if you look at their interactions it's usually Jeanne that's smoothing over Mozart's rough edges. Mozart says as much himself: that he feels like a rotten friend because he knew Jeanne was struggling with a lot of intense trauma, but he didn't know how to unravel it without hurting him in the process. Mozart calls it personal cowardice, but honestly I just feel like they both had too much going on to be able to help each other effectively. (And Jeanne expresses this sentiment too? This idea that he's not angry with Mozart? He knows they're both carrying a lot, he's just touched Mozart cares about him in return.)

Okay, briefly unrelated, but like. Am I the only one that wheezes uncontrollably when Mozart is like "?????? Idk what it is about MC...I don't want her to be scared of me..." in his own main story in the baths. And Jeanne. IS TRYING SO HARD. NOT TO SPILL THE BEANS ABOUT HIM O B V I O U S L Y BEING IN LOVE. THE HILARITY I CAN'T DO THIS. Jeanne was like "yeah....yeah that's rough buddy.......[screams internally, give your boy time Jeanne he's fragile]"

Honestly? That's the thing about Jeanne too--he has incredible self-awareness and hyperarousal-related (I mean the PTSD kind, get your head out of the gutter) awareness to the people around him. He's very, very conscious of the fact that he is surrounded by geniuses when he can't even write his own name. Just because he has the fortitude not to lash out with his insecurities, doesn't mean he never feels stupid or inferior. And it doesn't help when there are people in the mansion who call him--a fucking war veteran from 500 YEARS AGO--nAiVe. He's not naive lmao. He just doesn't know how the world works so many years later, and it's a ridiculously steep learning curve? Leonardo and Comte are nearly 500 years old, but they lived throughout every hour of that time in a linear fashion. It is a big deal to be moved from 1430 to 1890 in the span of a second asynchronously, and then be expected to function without a hitch??? Given the circumstances he adapts well.

That atmosphere--this constant impatience with what he doesn’t understand, his inability to be caught up to speed quickly--is going to hinder his recovery lmao. He feels like a burden most of the time, and agency and freedom are crucial.

Another thing that occurs to me about the mansion's arrangement is that there is a power dynamic, just as any space with people in it has some level of hierarchy (unless you live with miraculously chill people). Jeanne is acutely aware that Comte is the most powerful being in that space, and he is not only hatefully angry at him--but likely afraid too. We have to remember that the biggest betrayal he witnessed in his life was at the hands of a monarch; it was the aristocracy that turned on him and erased the truth. Comte is openly a child that resulted from both that era and that type of lineage, I don't really blame Jeanne for being wary. He intimately knows how willing rich people are to throw normal folks under the bus to suit their ambitions/whims. Comte, while not deliberately threatening, also seems to be painfully aware of this impression he gives off. His "chad persona" as I've mentioned allows him to navigate his life in secret by necessity, but it’s actively damaging to his son. He can't reveal the truth because of Vlad's betrayal, and he's openly unsettled by what it could mean to be honest. Will they wonder about Vlad and find themselves ensnared under his mind control as Charles and Shakespeare are? Will Comte himself be subjected to the mortifying ordeal of being known only to lose them?? That's a risk he isn't willing to take--and that leaves him in a double bind.

What is it that they say, the truth will set you free? This is where MC and Comte come into enormous play when it comes to Jeanne's recovery. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the people in the mansion have their own traumas they're trying to carry, and I feel like a lot of them are unsure how to approach Jeanne. Or if they do, he's very guarded. It takes a lot of consistent effort to get through to him. What does MC do when Jeanne unleashes his harsh worldview on her? She's understandably frightened, but Jeanne isn't malicious (so she chases him around). In fact, he openly avoids and runs away from her--well aware that what he's done is wrong. If anything, he did it on purpose, bringing us right back to Shakespeare's verbal undoing; why does Jeanne attack her in the first place?

LMAO. He attacks her because she essentially says "oh thanks for helping me!" "I am not nice. Watch yourself." "But you seem like a nice guy to me?" "REEEEEE" Does the pattern become a little clearer? When people think kindly of him, his instinct is to shatter that illusion with an impulsive reprehensible act. When people think poorly of him or lash out, what does he do? When that orphan boy starts yelling and screaming, Jeanne is nothing but calm. He explains the situation, and offers the kid a choice, perfectly happy to be the bearer of bad news. This operates on many levels I’m sure, but I have a feeling it has something to do with him being hailed a saint and a war hero only to be tortured and branded a monstrosity (and he probably thinks being a vampire is doubly monstrous). He’s more comfortable being hated because he feels it’s what he deserves in a lot of ways.

Jeanne has a lot of internalized self-hatred because of what he's done, and because of how much harm was inflicted on him outside of his control (he's Catholic and he was tortured, come on this writes itself). If I'm honest, I think that's actually the greater part of why he hates Comte lmao. Comte refuses the very concept of being cruel no matter how much Jeanne lashes out. Sure he lectures him and scolds him, but he never actively limits what's important to him or controls or harms him. Comte fully realizes the tragedy of how Jeanne's life was used by a nation in dire straits, and knows he needs time and acceptance to heal. No matter how dismal or unhappy, Comte doesn't stop--he fully believes Jeanne should have time in his life where he can really live for himself for once. But therein lies the issue, Jeanne doesn't know how to live for himself.

Which brings me to how MC and Comte "heal" Jeanne. I feel like they give him the space he needs to recover, and that's what results in his gentled temperament and happiness. Remember that so much of his main story is MC endlessly chasing after Jeanne. No amounts of his hissing or running or threatening stops her. Even if his refusals are empty of real dislike, they're enough to deter most people. Not MC. She's able to see through to the depths of who he is, and doesn't just use him for her own ends? She actively seeks to teach him (to read and write) to help him settle better in this era, she actively tries to ease his distaste for rain with a well-meaning bet, and she never gives up on him. (Actions mean so much more to him than words in general too, tbh...). Love is more easily defined by work and effort than it is by attraction.

When he has his episode at the festival, sure she's rattled; but that's because she truly believed that he didn't want to be around her anymore. When she notices he really doesn’t want to be followed, she stops like any normal person would. It’s only when she reads his notebook and sees the truth for herself (that he’s given up despite having the same feelings for her) that her determination is rekindled. She doesn't approach him fearfully, doesn't treat him like he's made of glass either. She just wants him as he is--accepts and loves him as he is. Scarred, bloody, exhausted, abrasive, terrified. She doesn't define him by how easy he is to love. That is a huge issue with traumatized people lmao. Because of their maturity, people always just assume they don't need help, or they rely on them to an extent that isn't sustainable. The second they reveal need or that they struggle, people walk away or victim blame them because it’s easier than taking them seriously.

While MC's attempts may be a little more obvious (cherishing his lily field, wearing the hair pin he gave her, careful about his gruesome injury, really listens when he talks about the horrors of his life and accepts that he experienced a level of agony/terror she can never understand, tries to express her feelings no matter his evasion) I think it's also important to consider Comte's large scale effort. I don't say this to undermine MC, I say it because Jeanne's life was defined by a complete lack of security. He left his parents to make their lives easier, he lived in a war that meant life or death any second, and his country's leader branded him a traitor which lead to his endless torture and public execution. Jeanne does not know a life in which safety is the norm. Point blank. He does not understanding going outside and not expecting the worst anymore.

Comte not only understands that level of despair, but treats it with dignity and respect. He fully accepts being hated if it means Jeanne can use that hatred to live on and find a way to heal. And most importantly, when Jeanne begins to move forward with MC and Mozart's help, Comte never once holds it against Jeanne when the truth is revealed. He's not angry, this isn't about reprisal or reparations or revenge. It's just love.

Jeanne doesn't really have a concept of this? His entire life was mostly transactional, defined by strength and efficiency. Nobody gives a damn about your feelings. You either hurl yourself at the problem or die. Nobody is going to help you or carry you or save you. While he may have had a little more support while he was in the military from his fellow soldiers, that support system was ripped away from him during the Inquisition.

One very common sentiment regarding elongated imprisonment and torture is that survival occurs in pairs. It is an undeniable fact that people need others to survive. It is the nature of who we are. Individualism has never proven to be successful, or if it is, its dividends are astronomically minimal when compared to people working together.

What does it mean to be the most reliable, steady person in the room? Usually it just means you don't know how to ask for help when you are no longer capable of maintaining that stance. Napoleon is guilty of it. Leonardo, Comte, and Jeanne all are too. It's part of why MC and Comte's capacity to see what he needs and provide as much as they can is such a big deal. That sort of consistent support (without a constant necessity to beg for help) allows Jeanne to be able to re-integrate into his new reality and find joy. Even if his nightmares and memories never go away, they are now being actively overrun by positive experiences. That's the thing about recovery, really--it tends to be more about drowning out the negative as much as possible and coming to terms with it, than it is about forgetting or never feeling it again. It’s about softening the sharp edges of pain like sea glass.

So is MC magical and randomly got Jeanne to open up? Nah, I don't think so. I think it was a series of persistence and real acceptance of who he is that made him warm up. People really seem to underestimate how deeply affecting understanding is, but that's how damage is undone. Jeanne can't really linger on the idea of his own monstrousness, his unworthiness, a lifetime of misery, when the person in front of him actively listens and cares about him. Makes him laugh and smile and lose himself in warmth for the first time.

If I'm honest, I feel like people also just...underestimate the level of traumatic resurgence that's perpetuated and inflicted by society’s standards in general lmao. This rhetorical structure in which good and bad exist in moral extremes, this idea that people should be able to recover and never experience relapses or periods of sensitivity. The refusal to radically listen to people and their problems, and make active attempts--not matter how small--to mend/ease those hurt feelings. Granted there will always be people in the world who do not want to improve, but I feel like most people want to. It's hopelessness, silence, and stigmatization that remain the true enemies of traumatized/mentally ill people everywhere. And among that population are always war veterans...

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp jean #ikevamp jeanne #ikevamp meta #ikevamp saint germain #ikevamp comte #sorry i have a lot of feelings about this topic kjahsflkjhsjkghfd #but yes!#i think mc being able to help him was more about her sensibility and the mental fortitude/space to be able to care about him as he needed #i don't think it's necessarily that she's SpEcIaL #trauma is a sensitive subject--especially considering he's a war veteran #but i also think it's simple and complex at the same time #simple in the sense that people really do just need consistent support and love to be able to care for themselves again #complex in the sense that support can come in so many permutations and some of them are very delicate and multi-faceted #and thus must be handled with extreme caution in some regards #anywho not that i'm any kind of expert this is just what i understand and see #also in case it wasn't clear i love him and cry every day (look away comte it's my whoring hours)#though i hope this helps??? i went off harder than anticipated lakjhglkj #thank you for the ask!!! <3333 #asks #rambles #not incorrect quotes

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hakuoyuki · 2 years

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I'm sorry, I don't really understand Ikevamp 2.5.

Is it a sequel for all suitors?

Okay let me try to explain.

First of all, no. It's not a sequel.

Act 2.5 is "another story" that doesn't follow the story of MC and the suitors falling in love.

Think of it as a parallel timeline story. However, based on the preview Act 2.5 will be containing spoilers for all 15 suitors' main routes since their route was like a character background building and this route adds on to those revelations.

The preview in the app reveals that Act 2.5 focuses on the suitors' relationship with not just each other but also their rivals. All their rivals showed up, as vampires. Be it Duke of Wellington, Antonio Salieri, Adam Worth, Robert Hooke, Paul Gauguin, and Gilles de Rais. Toward the end of the preview we also got a mention of dhampir.

Act 2.5 isn't a full route like all the Act 1 & Act 2 suitors' routes. It's more of a half-route and the format also differed.

The route split at Chapter 14 into Romantic and Dramatic. Romantic and Dramatic is Chapter 15-17 (+ Chapter 18 end chapter? I'm little unsure here due to vague phrasing.) instead of the single end chapter split.

Then at the end of each end, there’s one secret end each that can only be unlocked by having full points (like IkePri epilogues).

That's all we know about Act 2.5 thus far.

Once the route comes out on Dec 24, we shall find out what exactly this is.

→ Ikemen Vampire Act 2.5 Route PV [Translation]

#asks #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp act 2.5 #cybird ikemen series #cybird #ikemen series

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arson-sometimes-writes · 3 years

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Ikevamp really sugarcoated what Gilles de Rais did. I understand why, but damn they made him sound like a care bear picnic compared to what he really did.

#don't look it up it's very disturbing #I had a panic attack when I looked it up so don't fucking do it

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badass-at-fandoming · 2 years

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Being an amateur historian is like, I know enough to be dangerous and stupid and stupidly dangerous. Oh, the LA by Night flashback episode is set July 1789? Didn't the Revolution kick off that summer? Wait, the Ikevamp series, the presumed cishet dating sim, has Isaac Newton in it? The notorious gay man who never slept with a woman? And Arthur Conan Doyle? The guy who wrote one of the most iconic and gayest characters in the Western literary canon and hated said character's guts? Oh shit, is that Comte St. Germain?? Isn't that the serial killer and origin of the Bluebeard fairy tale? No, that's Gilles de Rais, who is a completely different person and century. They mean Comte de St. Germain, who Claire poisons in Outlander and I thought was fictional right until this very moment. I see they leaned into the "Joan of Arc is a trans man/genderqueer" theory, or it's a cisswap. Fictif has a character named Gévaudan? You mean the fucking lion that terrorized Southern France? Oh--hmm, that twist is spoiled for me.

#text post #real disaster zone in me olde head folks #lol

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cirilla-fiona-riannon · 2 years

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Ikevamp Act 2.5

Chapter 16 Romantic

On the night of the Paris World's Fair bombing, I returned to the mansion for the first time in a while.

After some deliberation, I took Halil back with me and showed him to my room.

Mitsuki: "I'm sure you're still in pain, so you should stay here and rest, Halil."

Halil: "Okay. Thanks, big sister."

I left the room and went to the living room.

Isaac & Jean: "Mitsuki!"

There, all the residents of the mansion are gathered around, perhaps being informed of my return.

Mitsuki: "I'm so sorry for worrying you all!"

A large hand patted my deeply bowed head.

Napoleon: "Whatever the case, I'm glad you're safe, Mitsuki."

Jean: "I'm sorry for not noticing you were gone."

Isaac: "Are you hurt anywhere? You're so reckless once you're on your own."

Napoleon, Jean, and Isaac were with me back then, so they must have been worried.

Mitsuki: "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm really sorry. Thank you for worrying about me."

Dazai: "I'm relieved that you're safe, Toshiko-san. By the way..."

Dazai suddenly shifted his gaze.

Dazai: "Who are those three unfamiliar faces over there? Are those who I think they are?"

Leonardo: "That’s right."

Vlad: "This is the first time we've met in person like this."

Vlad: "I'm Vlad. Glad to meet all of Comte's family."

Arthur: "So those two fellows over there are Johann Georg Faust and..."

Mozart: "Charles-Henri Sanson."

Faust: "I never thought we would meet head-on like this."

Charles: "................."

There is a tense atmosphere as everyone is gathered in the same room.

Jean: "So you're the one behind Gilles's manipulation and even Mitsuki's abduction."

Vlad: "That's right. Oh, Will. You're here too, long time no see."

Shakespeare: "Lord Vlad, what brings you to the mansion?"

Napoleon: "You didn't just come to drop Mitsuki off, did you?"

Comte: "Let me explain that to you."

Comte first tells everyone that I was at the World's Fair with Vlad and that I got caught up in the bombing.

Theo: "What are you doing at the World's Fair with these guys again, Hondje?"

Mitsuki: "That's..."

Charles: "I invited her to go. I wanted Mitsuki to smile."

Vincent: "For Mitsuki?"

Theo and Vincent both look surprised, but Comte continues his story.

Comte: "We took a boy into custody at the scene of the bombing. His name is Halil, and we brought him home."

Comte: "He was on display at the World's Fair as an exhibit."

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Halil: "Please, find my sister!"

Halil pleaded with tears in his eyes.

Halil and his wandering clan were forced to participate in the Paris World's Fair after repeated negotiations with the showman.

However, when they were brought to Paris, his sister, who had come with them, went missing.

Halil: "When my sister disappeared, I saw the man who brought us here getting paid by someone."

Halil: "So I thought maybe she was sold somewhere."

(That's, don't tell me...)

Faust: "Human trafficking?"

Leonardo: "That means the showman is connected to the traffickers."

When Halil and his group questioned the showman, he told them that he had left the matter in the hands of the police, and they had no permission to go looking for his sister, so he was forced to work as an exhibit.

Halil: "If anything happens to my sister―to Ulfa, I..."

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

Mozart: "I'm starting to get the story. You want to save the boy and his sister?"

Mitsuki: "Yes. I don't know if the police will act, but I can't just turn a blind eye to this."

(Besides, it might be some kind of coincidence that we are all meeting like this.)

Mozart: "You seem very determined."

Dazai: "It's a very straightforward idea, just like you."

As I felt relieved that everyone was listening, Arthur, with a serious expression on his face, frowned slightly.

Arthur: "I understand how you feel, Mitsuki."

Arthur: "But why do those vampires even want to meddle in this case?"

(I was wondering about that too. Why did Vlad even show up in front of everyone and come with us?)

(He seems like he cares about Halil, though.)

Vlad opens his lips as everyone's eyes are focused on him.

Vlad: "Halil and his sister―they are a little different from other humans."

Vlad: "They are probably a Dhampir, one with vampire blood. A descendant of it."

(Dhampir?)

The fact that Halil has vampire blood and the unfamiliar word is confusing.

Comte: "A Dhampir is a hybrid between a pureblood vampire and a human."

According to what Comte tells us, pureblooded vampires differ in the way they relate to humans depending on their clan.

Comte: "Some of the purebloods made love to humans. Some tried to be together, while others parted, but..."

Comte: "Halil's ancestors probably bonded with a pureblood and miraculously produced a mixed-breed child, Dhampir."

Because of the difference in race between humans and vampires, it's difficult for both to have children, and in most cases, Dhampirs are rarely born safely or grow up to adulthood.

Vlad: "In a way, you could say that Dhampir is the end result of vampires and humans trying to coexist."

(Coexistence...?)

Leonardo: "Ancestral Dhampirs grew up and had offspring with humans..."

Leonardo: "I guess the end result of that cycle is Halil and his sister."

Comte: "I don't think he's aware that he has vampire blood in him..."

Comte: "Halil has a very little vampire in him. He wouldn't even need to drink blood."

Vlad: "However, the stories of his ancestors were passed down in the family as folklore."

Vlad: "The showman took note of their different ethnicity and strange folklore..."

Vlad: "I guess he brought Halil and his family along to make a show of it."

Neither the showman nor Halil and the others believe the lore to be true.

Vlad: "But what if they really have vampire blood in their veins?"

(Ah!)

Vlad's words brought to mind a scene I saw at the World's Fair.

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Showman: "This boy here, Halil, is a descendant of the head of a certain family."

Showman: "And it is said that his ancestors once mingled with a fearsome vampire and produced an offspring!"

Onlooker 2: "You have the blood of a monster in your veins? Might as well see if you have any interesting fangs."

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

The sound of the onlookers' mocking voices is not something nice to recall.

Isaac: "Wait, not many people believe in vampires that easily, do they?"

Faust: "But even if there's no basis for it, if it continues to be talked about, as it was at the World's Fair..."

Faust: "The family could be looked upon as an abomination."

Charles: "You mean they will be hated and persecuted...?"

Sebastian: "I have heard that even now, people are being made suspects in bombings simply because they are of a different race."

(Place of birth, environment, race. Minor differences like that can lead to discrimination and suspicion.)

If such negative feelings develop among people, the family may be ostracized in the worst-case scenario.

Vincent: "Vlad, are you saying that you also want to help them?"

Theo: "Are you worried that the vampire's existence might be carelessly exposed to the world?"

Vlad: "Whatever the reason, yes."

(Then everyone and Vlad feel the same way.)

(If we all work together, we can even help Halil.)

If we could join hands as Comte and Vlad did in the past, we would be able to reach out to each other.

Such faint hopes are held in my heart.

Dazai: "Let me ask you something."

Dazai: "If you saved their clan, what will you do with those who preyed on them afterward?"

(----!)

Vlad: "................"

My heart made a sickening sound at Dazai's question.

(Vlad has the ambition to manage thoughts so that humans don't commit stupid sins.)

(He says he's willing to make sacrifices in the process.)

If he follows that belief, Vlad...

Vlad: "I don't need flowers that do evil. I don't need those who have become irredeemably ugly and evil in this world."

Vlad: "I will reap the bud of sin, even if it stains my hands with blood."

Comte: "Vlad!"

Vlad's relentlessness instantly caused everyone's air to tense up.

Mitsuki: "Wait, Vlad! If you keep making sacrifices like that, you will..."

(You'll crush your own heart, more and more.)

Vlad: "I just don't want people to make mistakes."

Vlad: "They hate and kill each other. No one should ever have to experience that kind of sorrow again."

For a moment, Vlad's eyes turn sad and shadowy, but they are quickly drowned out by his strong will.

Napoleon: "Is that your justice, Vlad?"

Vlad: "Yeah."

Napoleon's words poke at a gap that cannot be filled.

Vlad gave only a short reply, stood up, and turned his back on us.

Jean: "Wait. Where are you going!?"

Vlad: "I'm not going to excuse myself for what I put you guys through. You can come after me and put your sword through this chest."

Vlad: "I'm not going to die, though."

His crimson eyes looked back at me, and our gazes locked.

Mitsuki: "Vlad..."

Vlad: "Mitsuki, I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted."

Vlad: "For the future of this world, I will make my choice, even if no one understands it."

Vlad: "Bye-bye, Comte, Mitsuki."

The smile he gave me as he said goodbye was so beautiful it made me speechless.

Faust & Charles: "............"

Faust and Charles also left the room after Vlad, and I just stood there.

(Why it's not possible?)

(Why can't we just go hand in hand...?)

Everyone watched in silence as their footsteps faded into the distance.

Vlad, noticing the presence following him, asks them both without slowing down his steps.

Vlad: "Both of you, do you not want to go to Comte and the others?"

Charles: "Nah, the only lord for me is you, Lord Vlad. Right, Docteur?"

Faust: "I simply prefer the more interesting guinea pig."

Faust: "If I'm going to go after a pureblood, I prefer to dissect an old geezer so creepy it makes me want to peek inside his head."

Charles: "You really are a twisted person."

Vlad smiles unconsciously at the unchanged attitude of both of them.

Charles: "Hey, Lord Vlad, do you want to help that family because you're like them?"

Vlad: ".............."

Vlad: "Pity and compassion may sound kind, but in the end, it's all about my staggering ego."

Faust: "Ego?"

Vlad: "Helping only those you can reach is a stopgap measure. This cruel world will not change."

Vlad: "I know that, but..."

Vlad: "A descendant of Dhampir, born of the coexistence of humans and vampires."

Vlad: "I just couldn't abandon that existence."

Faust & Charles: "............"

Faust: "Everyone's heart is so egoistic."

The conversation melted into the quiet night, and the three disappeared into the woods without looking back at the mansion.

Comte: "Vlad was once treated badly as a child by someone he trusted."

Comte: "Maybe he compared his own circumstances to that family."

Leonardo: "Whatever the past may have been, it's no reason to forgive inhumanity. We have no right to condemn his righteousness."

Napoleon: "But we can't just leave Vlad alone now that he's involved in all this."

(Vlad's heartfelt wish is for a kind world where vampires and humans live together.)

(Why are we so different from each other?)

We understand each other's feelings, but our hearts don't click like we are out of each other's reach.

I feel like I'm lost in a maze with no way out.

As I was thinking about this, I noticed a small shadow peeking into the room.

Mitsuki: "Halil?"

Halil: "I'm causing trouble for everyone. I'm sorry."

Mitsuki: "No, it's not your fault."

I crouch down in front of Halil, who apologetically slumps his shoulders.

He looked at me with big eyes. Suddenly, Vlad's words came back to me.

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Vlad: "In a way, you could say that Dhampir is the end result of vampires and humans trying to coexist."

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

(Existence for coexistence.)

He has a faint hint of vampire blood in him, inherited from his ancestors.

In the distant past, his ancestors, both human and vampire, were united.

Even if they are of different races, live different lengths of time, or think differently, they surely seek to know the other person.

Connecting heart to heart.

(Everyone can be connected. Halil's existence proves it.)

Halil: "Big sister?"

I gently hold Halil's hand.

His slightly warm body temperature, distinctive of a child, overlapped with my own, and I felt encouraged by it.

(Let's believe again that we can hold each other's hands...)

(I'll connect us all...)

(So I'm not going to waver anymore.)

I stand up, still holding hands with Halil, and turn to everyone.

I look over at each person's face and speak my mind.

Mitsuki: "Everyone, I want to help Halil and his clan. And I also want to stop Vlad."

Comte: "Mitsuki..."

Mitsuki: "I know it's out of line to ask you to do this after the attack led by Vlad."

Mitsuki: "But I don't want his hands to be stained with more blood."

(Humans commit sins and mistakes. But if he still says he likes humans...)

(No matter how distorted that love may be, I want to be sincere with him as a human being.)

Napoleon: "Mitsuki, I don't know if your desperation will stop that guy. Do you still want to?"

Mitsuki: "Still. I don't want to give up before I've done anything yet."

Mitsuki: "I know this is all a selfish request. But please lend me your help!"

This is ego, arrogance, and pretense. But still, I bowed my head, knowing everything.

The silence continues for what feels like an eternity.

Comte: "This might be my last chance to find out what's in that guy's heart."

Mitsuki: "Comte..."

Shakespeare: "Lord Vlad himself has made a move. He will not abandon the family like this."

Dazai: "Then I guess there will be another chance for contact, huh?"

Mozart: "You're really reckless."

Jean: "It's not the first time."

The twelve of them smile and nod.

(Everyone...)

I felt our hearts unite, and my chest burns passionately.

I said "thank you" in a hushed voice and squeezed Halil's hand.

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