The Daughter of Evil: Praeludium of Red

The Daughter of Evil: Praeludium of Red is the third The Daughter of Evil light novel, released on December 23, 2011. The novel was written by Akuno-P and illustrated by Yuurin and Ichika. It expands upon the events of the previous two installments, taking place five years after the events of The Daughter of Evil.

Plot Summary
Note: Improved Summary Pending until full translations are acquired. One day, Rin stands at the beach lamenting over her past. As she does so, she observes a rich woman berating her servant over getting them lost. The woman soon recognizes Rin as a girl from the Held Monastery and asks for her aid getting to the place; after Rin agrees, she explains that she is looking to visit her friend, Clarith.

Elsewhere, Yukina Freesis takes in the sights in former-Lucifenia's city Retasan, intending to move through to Beelzenia; during this time she encounters a blonde-haired female soldier. The girl thinks back on the events of the last five years, including how Lucifenia had been forcibly absorbed into the Kingdom of Marlon, and how she had run off from home to find the true story of the Daughter of Evil. When then attempting to pass through to Beelzenia, Yukina is turned back at the gate; she returns to her hotel to eat lunch and in the process meets the soldier she had run into earlier. The two begin to talk over lunch, discussing the source of the tensions between Beelzenia and Marlon and the Marlon Kingdom's imperialist policies; when the soldier is called away, Yukina learns that she is Commander Liliane Mouchet.

Yukina spends more time with Liliane, also known as Lily, over the next five days, learning more of her character and history in that time. Lily discusses how to get Yukina into Beelzenia, before the girl requests to send a messenger to the country. Eighteen days later, Lily hurries Yukina out of Retasan, relating that the messenger's request for the permit to enter Beelzenia has been issued, at the cost of alerting her superiors. After directing the girl to go to Rockbane, the two part ways.

After arriving in Rockbane, Yukina sets out to visit the Conchita Mansion located nearby, thinking back on her research into the Seven Deadly Sins and Elluka Clockworker's relation to them. She remembers how Elluka and Gumillia had stayed with the Freesis family many years earlier, and how the two are now fugitives of King Kyle's Witch Hunt order, along with Germaine Avadonia. The girl encounters Gumillia while exploring the mansion. The next day, the two head out together and catch up; Yukina learns that Gumillia is the advisor to the Beelzenian Emperor, and that Elluka is missing. While following Gumillia to the Langley Troops Garrison, Yukina encounters its commander Chartette Langley.

Chartette escorts the two the rest of the way to the garrison, where she explains the troops' history as former members of the Lucifenian Resistance. At Yukina's request to meet Germaine Avadonia, Chartette takes them first to meet York and Minage. Gumillia departs after speaking with the two for some time, while Chartette is called upon by Minage to aid him in other matters; alone, Yukina steps out and encounters Germaine nearby. She questions the swordswoman over her fugitive status from Marlon and suspected involvement in Michaela's death; after Germaine denies any involvement, Yukina decides to stay in Beelzenia to further pursue the truth.

Much later, after meeting with the Beelzenian Emperor, Yukina takes a tour of the country with her guide, the Duke Oruhari, investigating Banica Conchita. After she learns what she can about the famed warlord, Yukina bids Oruhari farewell and departs with Chartette the next day, hoping to meet Gumillia in the Imperial City. While passing through a cemetery, the two encounter a previous colleague of Chartette's, Ney Futapie, wearing a Marlon uniform. While speaking with Chartette and Yukina, Ney announces that Marlon has declared war on Beelzenia, also revealing herself as the Marlon head of espionage and Mariam Futapie's murderer. She then, inexplicably, brings out a bottle of wine and a glass; dumping the wine from the glass to the ground. Suddenly, the tombstones start to shake and the earth begins bulging. Fearing for their lives, Yukina and Chartette run away towards Rockbane.

When arriving in the town, and while attempting to comprehend what they've seen, the two encounter a pale monster in the streets. After a fruitless attack on the creature, they take shelter in a local bar, finding a drunken Germaine inside. Chartette exits to fight the monster, while Yukina witnesses the bartender recognizing it as her deceased son.

After the monster is defeated, the two take its body to the Royal Palace, where they are followed by Beelzenian troops pursued by an army of the creatures. Afterwards, Yukina meets with Duke Oruhari, who informs her that the monsters are in fact an army of undead soldiers. As a result of the threat, the city is put on lockdown; with Gumillia too busy to speak to her, and Chartette leaving to fight the soldiers, Yukina is confined to her room.

Yukina later escapes the Imperial City to aid the Langley troops in Rockbane. After an attack, she is discovered by Germaine; while chastising the girl, the swordswoman is interrupted by the arrival of Lily, who has left her position as commander of Retasan Fortress and wishes to speak with the Emperor. Later, outside this meeting, Gumillia discusses Ney’s power over the undead soldiers and the Glass of Conchita with Yukina. When Gumillia is called away, Lily returns from her meeting and chats with Yukina for some time; in this conversation Yukina is informed that Ney now commands Retasan and that a counterattack has been issued against the fortress city.

Back in the Imperial City, Yukina requests that the Freesis’ family’s retired butler, Bruno, explain the deadlock between Beelzenia and Retasan as the Empire prepares to attack. After speaking with him further, Yukina visits Germaine in the Rockbane bar, the swordswoman having chosen not to participate in the battle. While there, Yukina witnesses Lily criticizing Germaine for refusing to aid the counterattack, this leading to a heated discussion on the women's views of revenge, as well as Germaine's role in the Lucifenian Revolution. Three days later, Yukina receives another report that Beelzenia’s victory in capturing Retasan is assured.

Two months after the city is captured, Yukina visits Retasan again in hopes of finding Gumillia, who had left some time before to find Ney. She finds the girl just as she prepares to depart to Lucifenia, and learns that she had hired Germaine as a bodyguard for the trip. After inquiring after their motivations and arguing the danger of their plan, as wanted criminals, Yukina invites herself along on the trip to aid them using her family’s relationship with King Kyle.

Meanwhile, in Marlon occupied Lucifenia, King Kyle debates the state of Marlon's new regime with a subordinate, General George Ausdin. Later, he meets with Ney Futapie, along with the rest of the Espionage Task Force; during their discussion, the girl informs him of her plans to return to Marlon for further instruction on wielding the Glass of Conchita. She leaves, giving Kyle the remaining members of the task force under his orders.

Characters

 * Yukina Freesis
 * Germaine Avadonia
 * Liliane Mouchet
 * Gumillia
 * Kyle Marlon
 * Ney Futapie
 * Chartette Langley
 * Held
 * Michaela
 * Mikina Freesis
 * Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche

Conceptualization and Origin

 * The word praeludium is Latin, meaning "prelude", an introductory performance preceding a more important one, referencing its sequel.
 * Originally, Lily was planned as the main character of the story with Yukina as a supporting role but was later changed so that the story would be told from Yukina's perspective.
 * Originally, Leonhart and the Three Heroes were planned to have a much larger role in the novel before the plot of The Daughter of Evil: Clôture of Yellow was finalized, much to mothy's chagrin.

Curiosities

 * In retrospect, mothy considers the original plan to have an entirely new character, Lily, taking the lead somewhat contrived and is satisfied with the change to Yukina.
 * Several of the places Yukina mentioned visiting include the ruined mansions of Duke Venomania and Banica Conchita; these settings would later be featured in the Deadly Sins of Evil series.
 * The novel was complimented by a benefits booklet containing an interview with Akuno-P, a map of Evillious, and concept art for character designs.

Gallery
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