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The Light Novel series is the source material for the adaptation of the Anime and Manga series. The information and terminology on the article will be based on the source material rather than the adaptions. |
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Grausam (グラオザム, Guraozamu), also called Giebe Gerlach or Viscount Gerlach, is the governing noble of the Ehrenfest province of Gerlach. He is a member of the former Veronica faction and one of the most adamant followers of Georgine.
He is the father of Matthias[1] and husband of Royella.
Grausam is name-sworn to Georgine of Ahrensbach.[4]
Personality
Grausam is somewhat prideful, placing great stock in his family's high levels of mana. He pressures his son Matthias not to fall behind the archnobles in his class. Matthias also observes that Grausam "puts his all into whatever he sets his mind on".[1]
Grausam is a very cautious person to the point of near paranoia and wastefulness. To his son Matthias he commented that once something has fulfilled it's use it should be destroyed and apparently he does not particularly care whether this item - or person - might have future uses still.
He is also utterly devoted to Georgine whom he has sworn his name to, to the point where he doesn't even hesitate to plan treason.[5]
History
Grausam's mother was one of the archnoble attendants that Lady Gabriele brought with her from Ahrensbach, when moving to Ehrenfest. Due to the political situation, she married down to a local mednoble.[3] As such Grausam has mana levels comparable to some archnobles, despite being a mednoble.[1]
Before she was married off to Ahrensbach, Grausam gave his name to Lady Georgine. Since he was a scholar, he could no accompany her to Ahrensbach, but stayed loyal to her ever since, despite living in a different duchy.
He had a long and close relationship with the former High Bishop Bezewanst until his execution.
According to his son Matthias, Grausam used to have at least three body doubles, during his tenure as Giebe Gerlach[6] and later in the invasion of Ehrenfest, at least one of those doubles is killed, while assaulting the temple.[7]
Story
Grausam conspired with other nobles - including Bezewanst, Gloria and Count Bindewald to kidnap Myne and later Rozemyne on multiple occasions.
He temporarily housed several of Count Bindewald's Devouring soldiers, but transferred supposedly all of them over to Viscount Joisontak some time after Bezewanst's execution and Bindewald's imprisonment. These soldiers were then used in an attack on the Archduke's castle, where Joisontak tried and failed to kidnap Charlotte in a convoluted scheme to gain Rozemyne's favor.
During this attempt another noble tried to kidnap Rozemyne and poisoned her with a potion meant to only incapacitate her, but which almost ended up killing her due to the damage the devouring had caused to her young body.
Grausam is the main suspect to be this second assailant due to his background and his connections to the devouring soldiers. Bonifatius is sure beyond a doubt that Grausam is the culprit, but Sylvester is unwilling to prosecute the Giebe based solely on conjecture and Bonifatius' instinct.
Part 4 Volume 9
After Ferdinand's engagement with Detlinde is announced the bride and her mother Georgine visit Ehrenfest. During the visit the Ahrensbach nobles receive an emergency summoned from their home, which makes them leave prematurely. Even before this surprising emergency message arrive, Grausam leaves the capital and returns to his home province, where he later receives Georgine and her entourage since unexpectantly Detlinde fell ill on the rush back to Ahrensbach.
In truth this meeting had been pre-planned and arranged by Goergine to give her an opportunity to visit Gerlach without raising unnecessary suspicion. There Grausam's two elder sons swear their names to Georgine. Since he has extinguished himself as an honour student Matthias is also summoned to meet Georgine and also give her his name, but he convinces them that due to his mana capacity still rapidly growing, the materials he owns are no longer suited to make a proper name-swearing feystone and he wishes to wait until his mana capacity settles to make one.
Soon after Grausam lends some of his devouring soldiers and a ring to make a new one to Viscountess Dahldolf who uses them in a plan to replace the high bishop's bible with a poisoned fake to assassinate Rozemyne, but ultimately fails in the task. At about the same time Grausam also receives a mysterious package via a teleportation circle and passes it on to Bettina in the same method, after which he burns his circle and advises both his supplier and Bettina to do the same.[5]
Part 5 Volume 3
In the winter of Rozemyne's third year at the Royal Academy, Grausam prepares to assist Lady Georgine in a plot against Aub Ehrenfest, but before they can begin their move, the Aub enacts a purge of anyone name-sworn to Georgine, associated with the former Veronica faction or guilty of crimes against the duchy. When the Knight's Order arrives in Gerlach, rather than being taken alive, Grausam and his closest retainers commit suicide, while his butler stalls the knights lead by Bonifatius. Only Grausam's left hand with his noble ring still attached is left behind in the wake of the explosion, allowing the Ehrenfest forces to clearly identify his remains from both his crest and mana signature.[8]
About the same time that Grausam supposedly died, a mysterious new retainer appears in Georgine's employ in Ahrensbach. Nobody seem to know anything about him or his origins, though judging by his behaviour and appearance Martina and Fatiehe believe he is most likely a scholar. They are however quick to notice that in place of his natural left hand, this man has magic tool prosthesis. They suspect that he is a former Werkestock noble.[9] In truth this is Grausam, who managed to escape Ehrenfest and reunite with his lady.
Part 5 Volume 4
At the end of the winter the Gerlach estate is thoroughly investigated by the Knight's Order with the help of Grausam's son Matthias. Together they uncover evidence that makes it very likely that the former Giebe managed to fake his own death and flee the duchy in some way.[2]
Etymology
| Name | Japanese | Romaji | Assumed Etymology |
Assumed Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grausam | グラオザム | Guraozamu | grausam (DE) | Cruel |
Trivia
- When he was first mentioned in Part 2 Volume 3 he was referred to as Viscount. At his proper introduction in Part 2 Volume 4 his title was given as giebe and remained this way. Since giebe is an umbrella-term for all landowning nobles, including viscount, this is not a contradiction in terms of the Lore.[10]
- Grausam was shown to be the noble conspiring with Wolf in the anime, but it was not specified in the light novel.
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 5. Prologue
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 4. Chapter 8: Changing Surroundings and the Feast Celebrating Spring
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 4. Chapter 11: Reobtaining Divine Protections
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 9. Chapter 10: Viscount Dahldolf's Estate
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 9. Out of Time
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 9. Chapter 1: Gerlach’s Front Line
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 9. Judithe — Those Left Behind
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 4. Chapter 3: Archducal Family Meeting
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 3. Epilogue
- ↑ Noble Titles