Bruno Zero


 * For other uses, see Bruno (disambiguation)

"There are some things I have to report."

- Bruno Zero

Bruno Zero was the leader of PN and the aide of Gallerian Marlon. Born a Maistian slave by the name of Sigurd Zero, Bruno was purchased by the Freezis family and employed as their butler. After his family was killed by Loki Freezis, he formed PN and began plotting revenge against the young man. After successfully having Loki indicted, the man was hired as Gallerian's butler and aide, overseeing the judge's affairs and aiding him in perpetrating his corrupt court tactics.

Early Life
Born as a slave sometime in the tenth century EC in Maistia, Sigurd Zero, along with his mother, father, older brother, and younger sister worked on a plantation in Maistia. At some point, he and his family were bought by the Freezis family, and hoped that their situation would improve. He was instead treated cruelly by the Freezises, forced to sleep in the stables and work around the clock. One day, he and his family were let loose in the forest for one of the Freezises human hunting outings, and his entire family was killed by Loki Freezis, with his younger sister being mounted and stuffed in the young man's room.

As a reward for surviving the hunting, he was made Loki's butler as well as a member of the Association, given the new name "Bruno". During this time, he met the sorceress Ma, who at that time went by the name "Elluka Clockworker". At some point, he also became acquainted with his fellow employees, Shiro Netsuma, Hale Jaakko and Feng Li. Deciding to form a secret organization to overthrow Loki, Bruno recruited his comrades into the group, dubbed "Père Noël" by Hale. Ten years since meeting Ma, he encountered her again after she had faked her death and had begun going by the name "Kayo Sudou". When Ma joined the organization, Bruno and his group obtained access to her underground laboratory, Lunaca Labora.

Seeking Vengeance
In the winter of EC 960, as Loki plotted to kill the young judge Gallerian Marlon during their hunting trip in Pixie, Ma had Bruno arrange to save Gallerian so that he could serve as a legitimate front for PN. He accordingly posted Shiro, who was an assassin for the Freezises and a member of PN, stand nearby in Pixie's hunting grounds. Bruno accompanied Loki to meet Gallerian outside of Alicegrad, introducing himself to Gallerian and arousing Loki's ire for doing it impolitely. Gallerian chatted with him further and Bruno was perplexed to shake his hand, having never done it before, before the three set out for the hunting grounds.

Once they'd arrived, Bruno was made to stand by as Loki revealed to Gallerian his plans to literally hunt him like an animal. When Shiro shot Gallerian to save his life, Bruno went with Loki to the limp body and told him Gallerian was dead, discussing how Shiro was nearby and likely responsible. Before he and Loki departed from the snow fields, Bruno summoned Shiro and entrusted her with taking care of Gallerian, and she soon brought him to Lunaca Labora where the rest of PN had been gathered.

Later on, Bruno got away from Loki and met the other PN members at Lunaca Labora, where Gallerian was recovering from his gunshot wound. Greeting Gallerian, Bruno ended up offering for PN to help him get his revenge on Loki; when Gallerian refused, claiming instead to want to try him fairly, Bruno noted how his attitude matched his intended position as a "front" for PN. Although Gallerian initially refused to join a group he didn't know, Bruno calmly explained how Loki was claiming that he had been killed in a hunting accident, and that the Freezis Foundation would do anything in their power to keep him from being charged.

With Gallerian's life in danger if he left, Bruno offered for him to join PN as their front man; after the group summoned Ma to speak with Gallerian, the young judge officially joined and they began plotting to take down Loki Freezis with the help of the Yarera-Zusco Conglomerate. In the meantime, Bruno visited Gallerian while he stayed in Lunaca Labora; he was shocked to find him receiving a visit from Mira Marlon, and quarreled with him about being so trusting. As Mira went to serve Bruno some food, Gallerian explained how she had been meeting with him frequently in secret.

Their conversation moved on to Gallerian's work, Bruno learning how he was compiling all their info on the Freezises. Upon prompting, Bruno reluctantly shared his own history with the Freezis family and the story of how he founded PN, although refusing to share how he met Ma. They then discussed Gallerian's plans to force the World Police to act by submitting their information to every available media outlet, as well as using the Yarera-Zusco Conglomerate's funds to buy Loki a guilty verdict. Mira then returned to the two and Bruno tasted some of her food.

Six days later, Loki was arrested for his crimes and a month later was to be trialed under Hanma Balledold, a year since Bruno had met Gallerian. Later on during the trial, Bruno appeared as a witness, testifying against Loki. After Loki was given 30 years imprisonment, Bruno assured Gallerian that that was a victory for them, having seriously damaged the Freezises. Upon prompting, Gallerian admitted his dissatisfaction with the outcome since he still saw Loki as a friend.

The following year, Bruno visited Gallerian congratulated him on his life's recent developments. He then learned that Gallerian planned to go with his original intention of convicting only the guilty witches using Ma's knowledge, as well as possibly taking down the Freezises for betraying his mother. The two then discussed the idea, Bruno countering that doing so would be difficult given the Freezises' connections.

Learning that he was looking for a butler, Bruno offered his services and was hired. Their conversation soon after fell to Loki, Gallerian being uneasy with taking Mira from him and wanting to restart their friendship with him once he had served his sentence. Bruno then made a call to Shiro, claiming he was talking to his girlfriend and asking Gallerian not to listen in. He arranged for Loki's assassination; Shiro was to shoot him in his cell if he refused to kill himself with the gun delivered by Postman. After Shiro completed the mission, Loki's death was ruled a suicide.

Protecting Gallerian
Beginning to work at Gallerian's mansion, Bruno performed various chores, including cooking and caring for Gallerian and Mira's daughter Michelle. In EC 964, Bruno welcomed Gallerian home and was witness to his quarreling with Mira. Suggesting to they go on a vacation on Gallerian's day off the following day, Bruno learned that Gallerian was instead meeting with Ma for a trial, cautioning him for being so close to her.

After discovering that Gallerian and Ma had started an affair, Bruno confronted Ma around half a year since they began, objecting to the affair due to her being Gallerian's mother. As Ma mused on her past and change of identity, Bruno expressed his confusion at her actions and her apparent shifts in personality. As she mysteriously explained her motives for engaging in the affair, Bruno told her to leave the country and never see Gallerian again. After Ma remarked that Bruno cared about Gallerian, he responded that he did due to Gallerian treating him like an equal and that he was charmed by Gallerian's great ambitions. Ma then entrusted Gallerian to him before leaving.

Later on, Bruno became a part of Police Neutrality, the Dark Star Bureau's private police force, along with the rest of PN. In EC 978, after Gallerian suddenly received a letter from Ma, Bruno accompanied him along with Shiro and Tony Ausdin to the Misty Mountains in Asmodean, the latter two seeking Ma's help in the war against the undead. Discussing Shiro's status as a member of PN and her skill on the battlefield.

As the group encountered Ma at the mountain's altar, Bruno angrily asked why she sent Gallerian the letter. After Ma gave her apparent reasons of being whimsical and wanting to meet Michelle, Bruno contested her reasons and asked why she didn't come to Levianta herself. Ma reasoned she needed help carrying her rare books; as Bruno began carrying and the group started heading back, he talked to Ma in private. Asking how she'd explain how she didn't age and telling her not to restart her affair with Gallerian, he was met with the Ma's reassurance.

Following the Titanis Sinking Incident that killed Michelle and Mira, the World Police declared the event an accident and barred Police Neutrality from investigating it. After Gallerian suggested they look into it further, Bruno met with Shiro, Hale, Feng and Postman at Gallerian's mansion and eventually convinced them investigate behind the scenes. Two months later, PN reconvened at a bar in Yatski to share information; Bruno learned that the perpetrator of the incident was a member of the Zeus gang living in the Millennium Tree Forest. After Bruno decided he and Shiro would go after the perpetrator in the forest, Shiro noted she knew the area. Bruno then brought up her past before being rebuked by Hale, apologizing.

Entering the forest through the entrance monitored by the Sisters of Clarith, Bruno and Shiro came upon the address given to them by Feng, arriving at a woodcutter's house. Asking the woodcutter living there about the Zeus member, he began to tell them about her when the house was suddenly attacked by the trees surrounding them, their branches wrapping around them. Directed by the woodcutter to an abandoned house, the two noticed that someone had just been there and found a doll resembling Michelle. Speculating that it belonged to the Zeus member and that her target was Michelle, they asked Postman to bring it back to Hale before continuing the hunt for the Zeus member.

Later on, Bruno was fired by Gallerian along with the other servants. He then went to see Gallerian in his study to tell him that PN had caught the culprit of the Titanis Sinking Incident and that they had done so through his own private investigation. In reply, Gallerian noted his wife could rest in peace and told Bruno he wanted to rehire him, reasoning that "Michelle" got lonely. As Gallerian continued to act as if Michelle was still alive, Bruno began crying. Introduced by Gallerian to the doll they found in the Millennium Tree Forest, Bruno was shocked as his friend seemingly carried a one-sided conversation with it.

Aid to Corruption
Later on, Bindi Freezis was arrested as the mastermind of the Titanis Sinking Incident thanks to PN's investigation. On the day of Bindi's judgment being passed, Feng talked to Bruno at the courthouse, Bruno barely replying to Feng's remarks about the Freezises and Shiro. Upon prompting, Bruno admitted he was worrying about Gallerian's insanity, which Feng countered only seemed to be limited to not accepting Michelle's death. Hale then burst in, exclaiming that Gallerian had gone mad and just declared Bindi innocent.

At some point, Bruno suggested to Gallerian that he expand PN's management group. Later on, Bruno visited Gallerian in his office and was told about the case of the prostitute Medea Col's murder. Asked to forge the evidence so that Nyoze Octo would be the culprit, Bruno completed the task.

After Gallerian successfully acquired the wine glass from the Graveyard restaurant by having it shut down, Bruno discussed it with him, remarking on the glass and its apparent demon inside. After beginning to discuss moving the vessels of sin Gallerian was collecting to another, safer location, they heard glass breaking in the living room.

There being no guards at the mansion that day, Bruno picked up a rifle and investigated the noise with Gallerian before they were suddenly attacked by corpse soldiers. Attacked by one of them, Bruno fainted. After coming to, Bruno found Gallerian conversing with one of them, Lich Arklow, compelling Gallerian to decide for himself if he wanted to accept their servitude before hearing Gallerian agree to their offer, on the terms that Lich and Eater would serve Gallerian in exchange for Gallerian protecting the glass from Ma and searching for the Grave Yard.

Report on the Fugitive
"We've found the fugitive Nyoze Octo. It would seem he's in hiding with his lover in Lucifenia's town of Rolled." "I see. Kill him." "Acknowledged. Then... let’s have No. 8 do it."

- Bruno and Gallerian

Once the construction of Evil's Theater was completed in December, Bruno assured the vessels were transferred to the theater. Around that same time, he located the fugitive Nyoze in the city of Rolled, taking refuge with No. 8 as his lover. Bruno visited Gallerian's office at the bureau and reported the theater's completion and the movement of the vessels, including the Clockworker's Doll. He then reported Nyoze's location, omitting the identity of his lover, and suggested No. 8 be assigned to assassinate him. When Gallerian asked Bruno about places for he and Ma to dine that night, Bruno suggested a restaurant at Calgaround's Merrigod Plateau.

As Bruno then prepared to leave, he was asked if he was hiding anything from him and Bruno denied it, finally leaving the room. Afterward, he relayed Gallerian's orders for Nyoze's assassination with a loaded revolver to No. 8 and she successfully completed the mission.

Later Life
While a prisoner by the people's army, Bruno read about Gallerian's death in a newspaper. After the end of the civil war around six months later, Bruno was liberated from prison, only to be put on trial for being the leader of PN, eventually convicted to life imprisonment. Yet again a prisoner, Bruno learned about the myths surrounding the Millennium Tree Forest as the supposed resting place of Gallerian's fortune as well as being a place of no return.

Wanting to investigate as well as prevent anyone from using Gallerian's fortune for ill intent, Bruno escaped prison and headed to the forest on foot, surmising that Lich and Eater were using Gallerian's fortune to resurrect their master. He was arrested and put on trial by the Doll, only to be exonerated in light of his relationship to Gallerian.

Bruno later became the Maistian president's aide, serving as his butler while secretly working as a spy. After the Tasan Party established Nemesis as Elphegort's dictator and threatened to fire Punishment all over the world around EC 993, Bruno and several others headed off to the Tasan Party's headquarters in Elphegort, intending to stop the Führer.

Personality and Traits
"Are you hiding something from me?" "Nothing for your ears, Director sir; only what you’ve judged so. It's inconsequential." "Well, all right. I have faith in you... so long as you don’t bear your fangs at me."

- Gallerian and Bruno

Bruno was a responsible and capable man, fulfulling Gallerian's orders as commanded in a terse and professional manner. He was considered genuinely trustworthy and readily took on Gallerian's more shady and corrupt practices within the Dark Star Bureau. At the same time, the man wasn't above hiding matters from his employer on the assumption they didn't require his attention, preferring to deal with such complications himself. Regardless, his silent attitude caused some friction with Gallerian, though ultimately left to his own devices.

Skills and Abilities
Bruno was a reasonably efficient middle-manager, demonstrating effective management over PN and Gallerian's day-to-day tasks.

Character Connections
Gallerian Marlon: Bruno Zero's employer. Over the course of their working together, Bruno came to hold Gallerian in high regard, in contrast to his previous employer Loki, and when becoming his butler he served Gallerian with complete loyalty which he compared to Allen Avadonia's loyalty for Princess Riliane. Although he was not above keeping details from Gallerian in matters that he wished to control personally, Bruno cared about him deeply, however grieved he became by his master's corruption and seeming insanity.

Loki Freezis: Bruno Zero's former master. Although careful to never show it during his service to him, Bruno despised Loki for what he had done to his family and harbored a thirst for vengeance against him, not satisfied with letting his family's killer serve a lifetime sentence in jail.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Bruno's surname and codename of "zero" refers to his direct overseeing of PN's numbered agents.
 * His original name, "Sigurd", references the famous Viking Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, alongside many other Norse references in the Deadly Sins of Evil: Judgment of Corruption novel.

Gallery
Concept Art=

Appearances

 * Deadly Sins of Evil: Fifth Pierrot (first appearance)
 * Deadly Sins of Evil: Judgment of Corruption
 * Deadly Sins of Evil: The Muzzle of Nemesis
 * Seven Crimes and Punishments (album) (first mentioned)
 * master of the heavenly yard (album) (mentioned only)