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Introduction
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Jean-Jacques — The Vampire of the Chastels (Part One) is the thirty-fourth chapter of Jun Mochizuki's The Case Study of Vanitas.
This article contains plot and/or ending details for The Case Study of Vanitas.
Read at your own risk.
Summary[]
Vanitas, Jeanne, Dante, and Johann run through the Silver Forest as fast as they can, all the way they fight off the mass of wolves chasing after and attacking them. Vanitas says with certainty: this is not the world of the past, and Dante is bewildered, as last time Vanitas had said they were in the eighteenth century. Vanitas denies this, that all he said was “Antoine,” as in François Antoine, was the name of Louis XV’s first Gun-Bearer. Dante’s expression goes blank at this as he realizes this is true. Vanitas continues to explain: François Antoine was first sent to Gévaudan in June of 1765 and left in September, and there is no record of so much snowfall during that period of time. Dante calls Vanitas creepy for remembering so much information, and Vanitas insults him back. What this means is that what they’re standing in is either a different version of the past they know, or a world created by someone there. Johann calls for Dante to look behind, and down below they see—the exact same dragoons from last time, having the exact same word-for-word conversation as last time. Dante is baffled as he clearly remembers those men getting killed before. Vanitas slashes with his two knives and kills the two wolves attacking them. Vanitas takes note of this, a repeating world, and realizes what Malnomen it is. He declares that they’re in a closed world created by a curse-bearer.
Jeanne absorbs these words with a troubled expression. Softly, she calls Chloé’s name. A burst of energy rips up the earth in between Jeanne and the rest of the group, catching Dante and Johann off-guard. Jeanne charges up her Crimson Gauntlet and aims its fire to the ground beneath her, causing a shockwave of energy to send the wolves around them flying back. The force of her attack shoots her directly into the sky, where she hovers in the air and looks out over the entire layout of the Château d’Apchier. In a building towards the back, a single beam of light is emitted from ground to sky. A voice behind Jeanne remarks how interesting it is that she can use her weapon in such a way. Jeanne whips around and finds Vanitas having clung to her back when she shot herself upwards. Vanitas tells her to make for the Château but Jeanne snaps at him to get away from her. Jeanne growls that she’ll kill the Beast, and Vanitas cheekily grins while proclaiming he’ll save it. Jeanne grabs him by the shirt to throw him off her and tries to say she already repaid her debt to him yesterday so—
Vanitas asks if that’s what she really wants. Jeanne wavers. She thinks back to the past, to her mother and father’s beheadings, to Ruthven’s injuries from that time. Jeanne says that she is a Bourreau. In her mind appears the respective smiles of Chloé and Luca, both calling her name lovingly. Jeanne, filled with emotion, says she can’t cause anymore trouble for Ruthven and Luca. She tosses Vanitas away, wherein he lands on a snowy rooftop down below, and continues on by herself. Vanitas stands on the rooftop and is exasperated to see wolves even in this place. He wields his knives, and wonders where “that idiot” is.
Noé stumbles and falls over to his knees. Jean-Jacques responds mildly, that the potion he’d used at Chloé’s insistence took longer to work than expected. Noé realizes that his food had been spiked, as Jean-Jacques grabs Noé by the collar and drags him to a nearby room. Jean-Jacques tosses Noé into the room and gently places Murr inside with him. Jean-Jacques warns him that if Noé tries to get in the way, Jean-Jacques won’t hesitate to kill him, so he asks that he sit in here until everything is over. Noé frantically tries to plead with Jean-Jacques—Jean-Jacques scratches his own wrist with his claws and causes blood to spill out. Noé stares at him, pale with fear and confusion. Jean-Jacques approaches Noé with his bloodied wrist and says that he heard from Chloé about his being an Archiviste. Noé looks up at Jean-Jacques with a stricken expression. It was when they had put him to bed, where Chloé took note of Noé’s pale hair and dark brown skin, meaning he’s an Archiviste who inherits the memories of the person whose blood he drinks. Jean-Jacques had heard this information, and while clutching his then-bleeding arm, came up with a wish. He wants, even if it’s only one person, for somebody to remember them. Noé looks at the other with distress. Jean-Jacques smiles down at him and apologizes. Jean-Jacques feeds his own blood into Noé’s mouth.
Noé is instantly plunged into Jean-Jacques’s memories, like being dropped into deep water and pulled down into the depths, no sign of air. Countless images flash by and swirl around him. Chloé’s surprised expression. A young Jean-Jacques shyly hiding. A young boy’s hand gripping a young girl’s hand. Noé’s own face as he complimented Jean-Jacques, an older man’s fist striking a young boy, Jeanne glaring with murderous intent, the barrel of a gun staring him down. Noé falls further into the memories as if drowning and reaches his hand up as more images appear. Chloé clutching a bloodied Jean-Jacques to her chest in grief. A young Jeanne dressed in armor and looking down in horror amidst a gentle snowfall. The hateful eyes of the Beast. The darkness of the memories consume him and leave him with no air. Yet, Noé is barely able to grab onto Jean-Jacques’s retreating feet and asks why he saved Noé. Jean-Jacques replies: because Noé had saved him from Jeanne. Noé recalls kicking Jeanne’s attack away from the Beast in their previous fight. The door closes and Noé is left alone.
Jean-Jacques walks through the dim corridors of the Château. His eyes are dark as he reminisces on his past. It was only ever Chloé, no one else ever protected him. Once Jean-Jacques had awoken as a Vampire, his mother refused to even look at him and his father would beat him everyday. He didn’t care for the reason, all he knows is that someone wanted to protect him, and that alone made him happy. A twisted voice calls to him. Naenia’s shadowy form appears above Jean-Jacques and grips his shoulders as he walks forward. She tells him that Chloé is already acting, and Jean-Jacques confirms this. Naenia asks if Jean-Jacques hates the world. Jean-Jacques, his fangs bared, says he does. He hates the humans who would look down on Chloé; he drops the candle from his hand. He hates the Vampires who had abandoned Chloé; his fingers sharpen into claws and fur grows on his fingers. His jaw stretches out to display a row of animalistically sharp teeth, and his eyes now bearing three pupils shine with a vicious light. Jean-Jacques will devour them all.
“It had a hugely twisted mouth, pointed ears, and sharp claws. Its whole body was covered in red fur—a beast that looked like a wolf.”
Jeanne is running into the Château towards the beam of light. A huge shadow passes overhead and she stops in her tracks. Before her lands the Beast of Gévaudan. “That… is me,” Jean-Jacques says as he growls down at Jeanne. And Jeanne wields her Gauntlet and stares back with just as much determination to fight.
Characters[]
- Vanitas
- Dante
- Johann
- Jeanne
- Éric (Mentioned only)
- Louise (Mentioned only)
- August Ruthven*
- Luca Oriflamme*
- Noé Archiviste
- Jean-Jacques Chastel
- Murr
- Chloé d'Apchier*
- Jean-Jacques Chastel's Mother*
- Jean-Jacques Chastel's Father*
- Naenia
- Beast of Gévaudan
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Terms[]
Trivia[]
- In Volume 6, this chapter is combined with Mémoire 34 Part Two to make a single consolidated version of Mémoire 34.
- François Antoine was a historical figure who served as Gun-Bearer to King Louis XV and Lieutenant of the Hunt. He is most notable for having pursued and slain the real Beast of Gévaudan.[1]
- Louis XV was the King of France reigning from September 1st 1715 until his death on May 10th 1774. During his reign was when the real Beast of Gévaudan incident occurred.[2]
- Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat with swords and firearms from horseback.[3]
References[]
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| v - e - t | The Case Study of Vanitas Chapters |
|---|---|
| Parisian Excursion Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 |
| Bal Masqué Arc | 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 |
| Hunters of the Dark Arc | 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 |
| The Beast of Gévaudan Arc | 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 34.5 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 38.5 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 |
| Amusement Park Arc | 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 54.5 • 55 • 55.5 • 56 |
| Miel Incident Arc | 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 61.5 • 62 • 62.5 • 63 • 64 • 65 |
| Intermissions | 15.5 • 46.5 • 51.5 • 60.5 |
| Volumes | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 |
| Omake | Vanitashu no Karute • Romance is a✰LOVE MISSION • Confessional Counseling Office |
| Other | Author's Notes |