OVA
Description
Étoile, born Estelle or Esther de la Fano, adopts a male identity to serve as a knight in the Lusitanian army, where only men are permitted. Disguising herself under the name Étoile, meaning "star" in French, she cuts her hair and wears standard Lusitanian soldier attire, including a helmet and chain mail cloak. Her motivation is participation in her homeland's religious beliefs and protecting Count Barcacion, who raised her like a granddaughter.
Captured and enslaved after the fall of Saint Emmanuel Castle, Étoile unknowingly kidnaps Prince Arslan during an escape attempt, mistaking him for a pampered noble. Though Arslan distracts his retainer Daryun to spare her life, this encounter shapes Arslan's awareness of Parsian social inequalities. Étoile declares "All men are equal!" during their interaction, reflecting Lusitania's egalitarian ideals.
Reuniting with Arslan three years later, Étoile serves as a page under Lord Guiscard, brother of King Innocentis VII. She searches for enslaved friends but learns from Arslan they were executed after her escape. This revelation shifts her demeanor; she gifts Arslan a Lusitanian Bible, urging his conversion while offering hospitality. Arslan's explanations of his vision for a just Pars challenge her rigid beliefs.
Characterized by fervent religious patriotism, Étoile initially views Lusitania's invasion as divinely ordained and foreign religions as heresy. She believes death in service guarantees divine ascension, even for civilians. However, manipulation into aiding Guiscard's assassination plot against Innocentis VII brands her a traitor facing execution. This forces her to acknowledge Arslan's claims about Lusitanian leaders exploiting faith for power, culminating in disillusionment and acceptance of Pars's perspective on her nation's corruption.
Her gender identity is central. She exhibits visible discomfort when presenting female, reacting negatively to remarks about her femininity. When Arslan references seeing her "true self" during a female-presenting infiltration in Peshawar, she angrily asserts her identity as a knight, rejecting her birth name Estelle as "a woman's name." Her mannerisms, movement, and male-coded clothing consistently reflect her masculine identity, though some characters misgender her as a "tomboy."
Relationships evolve significantly. Initially hostile to Arslan's allies, she bonds with Alfreed and Farangis, developing a sisterly rapport despite differing nationalities and beliefs. She struggles socially, preferring solitude and hesitating to accept help, flustered by Elam's medical aid. Later, she warns Arslan against recklessness in battle and prays for his safety, indicating growing mutual respect.
Étoile's tactical role includes infiltrating Parsian strongholds like Peshawar in disguise. During key battles, she temporarily withdraws under Arslan's promise of non-enslavement for her people and later convinces Lusitanians to halt mass suicides after defeats. Manipulated by Hilmes to distract Arslan, she inadvertently endangers him but redeems herself by aiding Arslan against Hilmes with fire arrows, vouching for his victory when her ammunition depletes.
Captured and enslaved after the fall of Saint Emmanuel Castle, Étoile unknowingly kidnaps Prince Arslan during an escape attempt, mistaking him for a pampered noble. Though Arslan distracts his retainer Daryun to spare her life, this encounter shapes Arslan's awareness of Parsian social inequalities. Étoile declares "All men are equal!" during their interaction, reflecting Lusitania's egalitarian ideals.
Reuniting with Arslan three years later, Étoile serves as a page under Lord Guiscard, brother of King Innocentis VII. She searches for enslaved friends but learns from Arslan they were executed after her escape. This revelation shifts her demeanor; she gifts Arslan a Lusitanian Bible, urging his conversion while offering hospitality. Arslan's explanations of his vision for a just Pars challenge her rigid beliefs.
Characterized by fervent religious patriotism, Étoile initially views Lusitania's invasion as divinely ordained and foreign religions as heresy. She believes death in service guarantees divine ascension, even for civilians. However, manipulation into aiding Guiscard's assassination plot against Innocentis VII brands her a traitor facing execution. This forces her to acknowledge Arslan's claims about Lusitanian leaders exploiting faith for power, culminating in disillusionment and acceptance of Pars's perspective on her nation's corruption.
Her gender identity is central. She exhibits visible discomfort when presenting female, reacting negatively to remarks about her femininity. When Arslan references seeing her "true self" during a female-presenting infiltration in Peshawar, she angrily asserts her identity as a knight, rejecting her birth name Estelle as "a woman's name." Her mannerisms, movement, and male-coded clothing consistently reflect her masculine identity, though some characters misgender her as a "tomboy."
Relationships evolve significantly. Initially hostile to Arslan's allies, she bonds with Alfreed and Farangis, developing a sisterly rapport despite differing nationalities and beliefs. She struggles socially, preferring solitude and hesitating to accept help, flustered by Elam's medical aid. Later, she warns Arslan against recklessness in battle and prays for his safety, indicating growing mutual respect.
Étoile's tactical role includes infiltrating Parsian strongholds like Peshawar in disguise. During key battles, she temporarily withdraws under Arslan's promise of non-enslavement for her people and later convinces Lusitanians to halt mass suicides after defeats. Manipulated by Hilmes to distract Arslan, she inadvertently endangers him but redeems herself by aiding Arslan against Hilmes with fire arrows, vouching for his victory when her ammunition depletes.