TV-Series
Description
Justus is an archnoble from the Duchy of Ehrenfest who serves as an attendant and scholar to Ferdinand, one of the most powerful figures in the duchy. He is also the son of Rihyarda, a senior attendant in the service of the archducal family. His position as both an attendant and a scholar is somewhat unusual, but it reflects his unique skillset and the trust Ferdinand places in him.
Justus is defined above all else by an insatiable and all-consuming curiosity. His primary hobby is the collection of information, rumors, rare magical materials, and any new or unusual knowledge he can acquire. This passion drives nearly everything he does. He is not particularly interested in analyzing or utilizing the information he gathers; the act of collecting itself is his reward. This single-minded enthusiasm can sometimes override his sense of self-preservation, leading him into potentially dangerous situations simply to satisfy his curiosity. Despite this eccentric and free-spirited nature, he is incredibly competent and maintains a friendly, easygoing, and surprisingly outspoken personality. He is known to tease even his master Ferdinand and is not easily intimidated by status. However, for all his amiable qualities, he possesses a strong sense of loyalty and holds deep contempt for those who shirk their duties.
Within the story of Part 3, Justus plays a crucial role as one of Ferdinand's most trusted agents. When Rozemyne, the protagonist, becomes more active in noble society, Ferdinand assigns Justus to accompany and observe her, often in the official capacity of a tax official. His sharp eyes and talent for gathering intelligence make him invaluable during expeditions, such as the dangerous Harvest Festival trip to gather ruelle fruit for Rozemyne's jureve. During these missions, he provides Rozemyne with critical advice, protects her from attacking feybeasts, and uses his vast knowledge to aid her, such as when he kept her awake during a tense magical confrontation by telling her fascinating stories about the Royal Academy's library. His pragmatic and sometimes ruthless advice, such as praising the efficiency of taxing commoners rather than executing them, reveals a more calculating side to his personality.
Justus's most significant relationship is with his master, Ferdinand. His loyalty to Ferdinand is absolute and profound. He admires Ferdinand's ability to take his scattered, raw information and use it to outmaneuver political opponents, a skill that ultimately led Justus to choose to serve him directly, going against his own mother's wishes. This loyalty is so deep that he was willing to perform a "nameless dedication," essentially a magical vow of servitude, and even divorced his wife to remain with Ferdinand when forced to choose between his family and his lord. His relationship with Rozemyne is more pragmatic and observational, though he finds her bizarre and unprecedented actions endlessly fascinating, lamenting that there is never a dull moment around her. He often works in tandem with Eckhart, Ferdinand's guard knight, and the two form a trusted pair in Ferdinand's service.
Throughout the series, Justus's development is less about a change in personality and more about a deepening of his established traits and loyalty. His initial role as a background information-gatherer grows into a more active one as he becomes increasingly involved in the chaotic events surrounding Rozemyne. His motivations remain constant: to serve Ferdinand, to satisfy his boundless curiosity, and to collect any and all interesting information he can find. He is more than willing to go to extreme lengths for these goals, donning disguises ranging from commoners to women to infiltrate any location where secrets might be found.
Justus possesses a remarkable array of abilities that make him an exceptional retainer. As an information specialist, his skills are unmatched. He is a master of disguise and mimicry, able to alter his speech, movement, and demeanor to perfectly pass as a commoner or even a refined middle-aged lady. He is also a skilled lip-reader. Despite his primary roles as an attendant and scholar, he is competent in combat, strong enough to accompany Ferdinand on dangerous ingredient-hunting trips and even overpower an archnoble apprentice knight. His competence extends to surprisingly mundane skills as well; to facilitate his cross-dressing disguises, he taught himself to be an expert seamstress, capable of designing and sewing complex outfits with hidden features. As a noble, he can also manifest a highbeast, a magical construct used for transportation, which takes the form of a bahelm, a horned cow-like feybeast. He is also a capable user of magic, able to create ordonnanz (messenger spirits) and support more powerful nobles in magical combat.
Justus is defined above all else by an insatiable and all-consuming curiosity. His primary hobby is the collection of information, rumors, rare magical materials, and any new or unusual knowledge he can acquire. This passion drives nearly everything he does. He is not particularly interested in analyzing or utilizing the information he gathers; the act of collecting itself is his reward. This single-minded enthusiasm can sometimes override his sense of self-preservation, leading him into potentially dangerous situations simply to satisfy his curiosity. Despite this eccentric and free-spirited nature, he is incredibly competent and maintains a friendly, easygoing, and surprisingly outspoken personality. He is known to tease even his master Ferdinand and is not easily intimidated by status. However, for all his amiable qualities, he possesses a strong sense of loyalty and holds deep contempt for those who shirk their duties.
Within the story of Part 3, Justus plays a crucial role as one of Ferdinand's most trusted agents. When Rozemyne, the protagonist, becomes more active in noble society, Ferdinand assigns Justus to accompany and observe her, often in the official capacity of a tax official. His sharp eyes and talent for gathering intelligence make him invaluable during expeditions, such as the dangerous Harvest Festival trip to gather ruelle fruit for Rozemyne's jureve. During these missions, he provides Rozemyne with critical advice, protects her from attacking feybeasts, and uses his vast knowledge to aid her, such as when he kept her awake during a tense magical confrontation by telling her fascinating stories about the Royal Academy's library. His pragmatic and sometimes ruthless advice, such as praising the efficiency of taxing commoners rather than executing them, reveals a more calculating side to his personality.
Justus's most significant relationship is with his master, Ferdinand. His loyalty to Ferdinand is absolute and profound. He admires Ferdinand's ability to take his scattered, raw information and use it to outmaneuver political opponents, a skill that ultimately led Justus to choose to serve him directly, going against his own mother's wishes. This loyalty is so deep that he was willing to perform a "nameless dedication," essentially a magical vow of servitude, and even divorced his wife to remain with Ferdinand when forced to choose between his family and his lord. His relationship with Rozemyne is more pragmatic and observational, though he finds her bizarre and unprecedented actions endlessly fascinating, lamenting that there is never a dull moment around her. He often works in tandem with Eckhart, Ferdinand's guard knight, and the two form a trusted pair in Ferdinand's service.
Throughout the series, Justus's development is less about a change in personality and more about a deepening of his established traits and loyalty. His initial role as a background information-gatherer grows into a more active one as he becomes increasingly involved in the chaotic events surrounding Rozemyne. His motivations remain constant: to serve Ferdinand, to satisfy his boundless curiosity, and to collect any and all interesting information he can find. He is more than willing to go to extreme lengths for these goals, donning disguises ranging from commoners to women to infiltrate any location where secrets might be found.
Justus possesses a remarkable array of abilities that make him an exceptional retainer. As an information specialist, his skills are unmatched. He is a master of disguise and mimicry, able to alter his speech, movement, and demeanor to perfectly pass as a commoner or even a refined middle-aged lady. He is also a skilled lip-reader. Despite his primary roles as an attendant and scholar, he is competent in combat, strong enough to accompany Ferdinand on dangerous ingredient-hunting trips and even overpower an archnoble apprentice knight. His competence extends to surprisingly mundane skills as well; to facilitate his cross-dressing disguises, he taught himself to be an expert seamstress, capable of designing and sewing complex outfits with hidden features. As a noble, he can also manifest a highbeast, a magical construct used for transportation, which takes the form of a bahelm, a horned cow-like feybeast. He is also a capable user of magic, able to create ordonnanz (messenger spirits) and support more powerful nobles in magical combat.