OVA
Description
Cliff Cloud is the protagonist of the story, a young man who takes on the role of a wandering bard. Physically, he appears as a male teenager with blue eyes and brown hair that is cut to ear length.
His background is that of a traveler. For three years before the story begins, Cliff journeyed through various lands as a minstrel, living the life of a wandering performer and honing his craft. His travels eventually come to an end when he receives a letter from his younger sister, prompting him to return to his hometown in the Symphonia Kingdom. Upon his return, his parents are absent from the home, leading him to stay in the guest rooms of the inn where his sister resides.
Personality-wise, Cliff is described as having a fundamentally lecherous streak, a trait that frequently lands him in unnecessary and troublesome situations. His character is marked by this combination of worldliness and a tendency toward mischief, which is often contrasted with the more earnest personalities of the women around him. He is the kind of person whose quips and desires for things like love potions lead to comedic conflict and, on at least one occasion, being tied to an apple tree for three days as punishment for his schemes.
His central role in the story is as the narrative's anchor. The plot is set in motion upon his return when he encounters the kingdom's princess, who is fleeing from the castle guards. He makes the choice to help her hide, a decision that has massive consequences for his simple life as a returnee. As the protagonist, all events revolve around his actions and decisions, which determine the course of the story. Because he helped hide the princess, he is tasked with the unique responsibility of educating her about the outside world as she works undercover at the inn. As the player character in the original visual novel, his choices dictate which character's story path is followed, leading to different endings.
His key relationships form the core of the narrative. He shares a close bond with his younger sister, Shilphy Cloud, who works as a novice nun at the local church and is the one who called him back home. He maintains a complicated friendship with Eleanor Fortworth, his childhood friend who now serves as a knight guarding the princess. She regrets that he abandoned the practice of swordsmanship, creating a point of tension between them. He also lives and works alongside the princess herself, Leticia, who hides her identity under the false name Leticia Apple at the inn called the Rolling Apple Pavilion. Other significant relationships include Rachel Harvest, the inn's waitress who acts as an older sister figure, and the mysterious witch Lapis Mercurius Freya, who lives by a lake and is known for her extensive knowledge and potion-brewing abilities.
Regarding his development, Cliff experiences the consequences of his actions in a very direct and often humiliating way, which serves as the primary driver for change. His schemes to acquire potions from Lapis for his own benefit frequently backfire, exposing his base desires and leading to comedic punishment. He is also confronted with the gap between his wandering lifestyle and the expectations of those who stayed behind, such as Eleanor's disappointment in his abandoned fighting skills. Nevertheless, he ultimately grows to accept the serious responsibility of protecting the princess and educating her, indicating a maturation beyond his initial lecherous nature.
His notable abilities are tied to his profession as a wandering bard. His primary skill is playing the lute, which he uses to provide musical accompaniment for the princess when she sings at the inn. He also possesses some knowledge of the world gained from his three years of travel. While he does not appear to be a skilled fighter on the level of the knight Eleanor, he has enough combat ability to survive his travels, though his true talents lie in performance and charm.
His background is that of a traveler. For three years before the story begins, Cliff journeyed through various lands as a minstrel, living the life of a wandering performer and honing his craft. His travels eventually come to an end when he receives a letter from his younger sister, prompting him to return to his hometown in the Symphonia Kingdom. Upon his return, his parents are absent from the home, leading him to stay in the guest rooms of the inn where his sister resides.
Personality-wise, Cliff is described as having a fundamentally lecherous streak, a trait that frequently lands him in unnecessary and troublesome situations. His character is marked by this combination of worldliness and a tendency toward mischief, which is often contrasted with the more earnest personalities of the women around him. He is the kind of person whose quips and desires for things like love potions lead to comedic conflict and, on at least one occasion, being tied to an apple tree for three days as punishment for his schemes.
His central role in the story is as the narrative's anchor. The plot is set in motion upon his return when he encounters the kingdom's princess, who is fleeing from the castle guards. He makes the choice to help her hide, a decision that has massive consequences for his simple life as a returnee. As the protagonist, all events revolve around his actions and decisions, which determine the course of the story. Because he helped hide the princess, he is tasked with the unique responsibility of educating her about the outside world as she works undercover at the inn. As the player character in the original visual novel, his choices dictate which character's story path is followed, leading to different endings.
His key relationships form the core of the narrative. He shares a close bond with his younger sister, Shilphy Cloud, who works as a novice nun at the local church and is the one who called him back home. He maintains a complicated friendship with Eleanor Fortworth, his childhood friend who now serves as a knight guarding the princess. She regrets that he abandoned the practice of swordsmanship, creating a point of tension between them. He also lives and works alongside the princess herself, Leticia, who hides her identity under the false name Leticia Apple at the inn called the Rolling Apple Pavilion. Other significant relationships include Rachel Harvest, the inn's waitress who acts as an older sister figure, and the mysterious witch Lapis Mercurius Freya, who lives by a lake and is known for her extensive knowledge and potion-brewing abilities.
Regarding his development, Cliff experiences the consequences of his actions in a very direct and often humiliating way, which serves as the primary driver for change. His schemes to acquire potions from Lapis for his own benefit frequently backfire, exposing his base desires and leading to comedic punishment. He is also confronted with the gap between his wandering lifestyle and the expectations of those who stayed behind, such as Eleanor's disappointment in his abandoned fighting skills. Nevertheless, he ultimately grows to accept the serious responsibility of protecting the princess and educating her, indicating a maturation beyond his initial lecherous nature.
His notable abilities are tied to his profession as a wandering bard. His primary skill is playing the lute, which he uses to provide musical accompaniment for the princess when she sings at the inn. He also possesses some knowledge of the world gained from his three years of travel. While he does not appear to be a skilled fighter on the level of the knight Eleanor, he has enough combat ability to survive his travels, though his true talents lie in performance and charm.