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Introduction
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La Ruche — The Beehive is the the sixty-fifth 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[]
The boundaries that separate inside from outside, human from demon, and set “that day” apart.
Dante’s mother had always told him to “be a ‘good boy.’” He worked his hardest to fulfill this; studying intensely as instructed, never leaving his room without permission, and never once asking about his father. And on that day, where she took him very far from their home, when she told him to wait for her he did. Even though the moment he’d sat on that streetside, he already knew his mother would not come back for him. The young Dante sat there alone, cold, scared. He clenched his fists in his lap as tears rolled down his face and thought about his life. Obeying his mother’s every word did nothing to stop her from getting rid of him—all of it that he did was pointless. Then Dante wiped the tears from his own face with his own hands and told himself no. He got rid of her. He didn’t need her anymore. And, tears dried, he steeled himself for his life moving forward.
Dante soon realized just how lucky he’d been to receive an education. He knew how to talk to people and thus negotiate business transactions, and he knew arithmetic and writing allowing him to protect himself from being scammed. It had helped him to survive. Even with these skills that heightened his chances on the streets, there was still the aspect of him that had people scared and running at the sight of his eyes glowing an unnatural gold. He was a “Dham,” which he knew from reading of them in books, the accursed union of a human and a Vampire. This realization had settled within Dante matter-of-factly, the boy simply deducing it would be more difficult to kill him due to the toughness of his race. The tell of his eyes changing color at random was at most bothersome to him, who continued using the glasses his mother had given him to hide those eyes.
That night Dante had looked out onto the cityscape under a starry night, golden lights above and below everywhere to see. He’d heard that Vampires used to be plentiful in the world, and so he reasoned that other Dhams must have existed as well. Others whom the world loathed and refused the existence of as well. Others who, in spite of that, persisted to survive out of sight of anyone else. Others like him.
Dante continued to survive. While carrying these thoughts with him, through either fate or happenstance, he indeed found others like him. On a rainy day amidst a bustling and uncaring crowd, he found a small and dirty and young figure curled up in the dark shadows of an alleyway, shivering in the cold and wet underneath a filthy blanket. He’d given Riche his glasses, forgoing that layer of protection for himself, and in turn she never stopped following him to the current day. Another time, also in the unseen darkness of the alleyways, hidden away from sight, they found a lanky figure with pale hair stained with dirt. They embraced him just as eagerly into their lives. Dante, Riche, Johann. Dhampirs hated by the rest of the world, finding one another, making a place for each other, not letting themselves be erased. Their little family grew even further, more and more young ones rejected by the world. Dressed in scraps and staying in the shadows, they survived with each other.
One day when the three of them were out together, two larger and taller shadows fell into step behind them. Dante turned around to face them. He was unsurprised.
Marquis Machina addressed Dante as the Dham who had caught everyone’s attention. Dante stared back up at her defiantly, even as he knelt bound at her feet and Riche and Johann were both similarly at the Vampires’ mercy just behind. Ruthven next to Machina sighed and complained about being dragged out for something supposedly “interesting” only to be met with this sight. He then asked for and received Dante’s name.
And Riche, young and terrified beyond comprehending in that moment, considered Dante her hero.
Walking along the streets of Paris, Vanitas, Dominique, and Noé listen as Riche explains the Dhams’ past, nostalgic smile warming her face. Vanitas and Dominique perk up, smarmily and excitedly respectively, at the emotion in Riche’s tone when she speaks of Dante. Meanwhile Noé, not once thinking, notes out loud bluntly the past tense Riche uses when calling Dante a hero to her. Vanitas and Dominique turn to him blankly. Riche scrambles, unable to answer. Dominique sternly instructs Noé to keep quiet and stop interrupting Riche’s love story—she corrects, Riche’s explanation of the Dhams’ pasts. Noé is confused but obeys.
For Riche herself, she had been sold off then had run away from those who purchased her. All she could do was scrounge for what she could in garbage and scraps of food. Surviving day by day took so much out of her that she nearly lost the will to live. But Dante, she recalls, had always been different. He would earn and save up money by taking on small, menial jobs that didn’t require much skill or labor, and used his intelligence and education to listen to people, study further skills, and negotiate his way forward. In spite of the odds against him, and the various types of danger and failures he would tumble into, Dante persevered and found his livelihood growing steadily. Riche would watch him march forward in their misfortunate lives with eyes that shined in admiration, and as she recalls their story a warmth filled her from heart to voice.
Dominique clenches her chest overcome with emotion as Noé, mouth still clamped shut with that instruction, watches her blankly and Vanitas watches Noé’s expression with mild exasperation. Riche continues; their little Dham family expanded more and more to an entire large group as Dante pulled in any Dham they discovered who had nowhere to go. Vanitas elaborates further; groups of socially disadvantaged people coming together to find companionship with one another would always be common, but due to those exact same circumstances they often could only survive by turning to crime or violence, making them targets to be eliminates by either Vampires or Chasseurs. Noé absorbs this information in silence, mouth still shut.
Riche with an exasperated, affectionate smile confirms this to be true. But Dante, their leader who brought them together, had chosen to connect with humans and Vampires as “business.” That little group of young Dhampirs, piled together tightly surrounding Dante in the center, had listened intently to his ambitions and goals. Humans were unable to cross the Border into Altus, which didn’t apply to Dhams like them. Trading in goods between humans and Vampires were commonplace where regular, everyday people knew nothing of, but those who ruled over Altus didn’t allow any contact with humans. It created an opening that Dante had wanted them to capitalize on. Vampires of low rank who lived poorly wouldn’t care who they traded with, be it even human or Dham, and the human world had resources Altus was lacking. In turn as for humans, Altus possessed what no Vampire wanted but humans desired. Dante’s work had helped them uncover a large supply of abandoned Astermite, perfect for them to use due to the demand of both races. They would handle selecting and processing the Astermite, roll their wages into the price, and work efficiently while offering their customers bargain prices. With Dante at the helm, the Dhampirs had toiled forward determinedly with their newfound livelihoods. As they did, Johann had asked Dante if those in charge would be upset with them for acting so slyly under their noses. Dante had looked into the sky past the windows of their hideaway home and answered that he was waiting for exactly that reaction.
Bringing them to that point. Captured and brought to Machina, their fates left to her whims. Machina appraised how fascinating she found Dante, so bold as to work shamelessly to smuggle Astermite between races and worlds right in her own territory—especially when countless other lords possessed Astermite mines that they had no idea what to do with, much easier and less risky targets. In response Dante stared back, not once averting his gaze. Machina acknowledged this and confirmed her suspicions: Dante was making waves in her domain to catch her attention. Riche was baffled and terrified, unable to understand. Machina continued laughing that she could, on any random whim, decide to lop his head off and nothing could stop her, as Ruthven sighed exasperated next to her. Machina then asked directly what Dante wanted, going through all of that to gain her attention clearly to ask her for something. Dante paused. In that brief hesitation, Machina quickly and preemptively denied any request for her to improve the Vampires’ attitude towards Dhams. Despite her veneration and the rumors of her protecting Dhams as of late, she advised him to treat that as a passing whim—she couldn’t change anyone’s mind.
Dante answered. He wanted a storehouse.
Everyone—Machina, Ruthven, Riche, Johann—was stunned silent. Machina outright vocalized her confusion. Dante explained; he wanted a place to store and process the products they had been dealing with. Be it the human world or the Vampires’, the buildup of that kind of stock would attract attention and they couldn’t expand with just their own power and resources. They needed their own space—their own Altus. A sanctuary for only Dhampirs that couldn’t be taken away from them. Machina and Ruthven continued to stare silently. Dante continued, just because they were standing and breathing didn’t mean they were living and they weren’t intent on being “kept” by someone more powerful just in exchange for protection. They wanted to live by themselves, to one day make humans and Vampire acknowledge their existences properly as Dhampirs. Then Machina asked what she would gain from helping them. Dante stiffened. Machina requested he put himself to the test as the merchant he touted himself as, to offer her a price she would be satisfied with. Dante bit his lip. He sighed. He braced himself and placed his feet under his knees. Then, bringing himself to his feet, he took a blind leap of faith.
He offered to alleviate her boredom a little.
Machina stared in silence. Dante, unwavering as he stood before her, adhered determinedly to his declaration.
Then Machina started laughing. Uproariously, boisterously, cackles filling every inch of the chamber with her voice of thinning sanity. That laughter harmonized with the creaking of her automaton suit as she started to step forward. Johann and Riche, their cries of terror drowned out in all this deafening sound, still didn’t stop as she got closer and closer to Dante. Hand outstretched, Machina continued to lean forward until she was right before Dante. Held up by a bravado for the sake of more than just himself, for the sake of everyone he loved and knew, Dante continued standing but couldn’t help closing his eyes to brace himself for whatever was to come.
Dante closed his eyes.
“You splendid boy. ♡”
Machina pet him affectionately, proudly on the head with a bright and genuine smile.
Dante’s eyes snapped open. He whipped his head up, baffled. Machina reached her hand back and praised him for doing his research on her properly. As her automaton suit spun and flapped about, alarming and confusing Dante who could only watch, Machina explained that with the overly long life she’d lived the worst that could and had ever happened to her was being bored. The last time it came down upon her, chronic disease that it was, it had her being alive yet only able to watch the world spin on as if she were long dead. Ruthven listened in silence. Then Machina grinned, the sharpness of her smile and teeth and emotion in her gaze hidden in that suit, remarking how the world could only stay interesting whenever a person like him could appear before her.
Machina agreed. She would grant Dante’s request and give him a suitable storage space immediately.
Dante stared in shaky silence. Then, to Machina’s surprise as well, Dante’s legs gave out underneath him and he collapsed to his knees. The expression on his face as he looked upon the true fruits of his success, the first real chance he and any of them could get to truly live as themselves, was nothing but the purest relief and joy. He was near tears. His eyes glowed golden like the Dhampir he was. Machina gushed at the color of his eyes, which she called “honey,” exuding so much affection that the porthole of her suit turned into a heart. Ruthven stared at her blankly. Then he spoke.
“Una apis, nulla apis.”
One bee is no bee.
Only one bee, all alone, could not truly a bee lest he was with others.
Machina turned to Ruthven and appraised his comment happily, teasing him for the teacher he continued to act as while the man cleared his throat sheepishly. Riche and Johann’s bounds were cut and without wasting a breath they rose to their feet to go running to Dante. They rushed him, throwing him to the floor and crushing him in their embrace, wordlessly relieved and proud and loving towards him. As they did, Machina continue to chat to Ruthven. She decided on a proper name to the Altus she’d give to these children she took in with such endearment. Carrying the hopes for the future of the bees who flew together, Machina gave their home this name.
La Ruche. The beehive.
Where they worked and lived and thrived to this day, tirelessly yearning and trying for an existence that would be acknowledged by the world that rejected them, together.
Dante sits alone and adjusts his clothes, surreptitious in his fidgeting. The Dhams around him notice anyways, a pair of twin boys wearing oversized gentlemen’s clothing fretting if Dante is okay. Johann assures them with a smile and instructs them to help fix supper for them all. Right in front of him the pair mischievously plan to not do so and lie later on, while another young girl nearby overhears and scolds them. As their everyday life bustles on around him, Dante continues to stew in his thoughts. They have only three days left. Unless they could do something, Orlok would make sure they all pay the price regardless of their fault in this. Miel already has all Vampires in Paris on edge, and Chasseur Paladins now have their eye on Dhams. In such dangerous circumstances Dante refuses to send the children of their family out to gather information. That means he and Johann have to somehow find these drug sellers no matter what, just themselves, or everything he had worked and risked his entire life for goes to waste and turns back into nothing, cruelly and pointlessly. Johann watches as Dante puts head in his hands. He has to fix this, he has to—
Riche shouts to interrupt his spiraling. She calls him stupid for looking as though everything has already been lost. Dante looks up to see Riche standing there, armed crossed and determined, matter-of-fact expression shameless on her face. With an uncharacteristic sharpness, Riche demands Dante’s gratitude as she, in lieu of his stubbornness, went out to get the Dhams some powerful help. She gestures to where Dominique and Noé stand to attention, stiff and determined to be of use. Meanwhile Vanitas leans in with a smug and wily smirk, mocking Dante to be relieved at the sight of them.
Johann stares blankly. Dante snaps at them to get out.
Characters[]
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Terms[]
Trivia[]
- La Ruche is literally translated as "the beehive" from French.
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 • 66 |
| 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 |