Marx Felix

Marx Felix was a doctor in the Kingdom of Elphegort and the head of the Felix family. After the death of his wife and miraculous resurrection of his daughter Margarita, Marx raised the child on his own and investigated her Sleepless condition in an attempt to find a cause and cure. He later collaborated with Marquis Karl Blankenheim to have their children unite in a political marriage for both their benefit.

Early Life
Sometime during the EC 500s, Marx was born into the Felix Family in Toragay, Elphegort. Later, Marx became the head of his family and earned his medical license, becoming the local doctor. Over the years, Marx became extremely successful in the medical field, amassing a large fortune for himself; during this period he became a frequent customer of Egmont's pharmacy the La Bula. the end 6th century EC, Marx fell in love and married. After his wife became pregnant, Marx asked his acquaintance Rita Flohn to help deliver his daughter and the midwife agreed.

In EC 593, the doctor witnessed his wife go into labor and called Rita over to the Felix manor. As Rita began to deliver the child, Marx witnessed lightning strike near the mansion and his wife's resulting death. With the child Margarita born dead, the sobbing Marx clung to his dead wife when a mysterious cloaked woman with a red cat walked into the home and silently put a hand to the stillborn child in Rita's arms.

After the woman replaced the baby with the Clockworker's Doll and left, the doll's hypnosis caused Marx to believe it was the same baby. When "Margarita" suddenly began crying, Dr. Felix became overjoyed by his child's miraculous resurrection. Soon after, Marx discovered that his child never slept and fruitlessly researched her "condition" and a means to cure it over the years. After around ten examinations, the man concluded it was some "odd mutation" and lost interest in the child's sleeplessness.

Marriage Alliance
During Margarita's youth, Marx began making arrangements with Marquis Karl Blankenheim to have her betrothed to his son Kaspar, hoping to retore the Felix family's lost nobility in exchange for connecting the Blankenheims to his fortune. Later on, as part of the alliance, Marx brought the young Margarita to the Blankenheim mansion to live with the aristocrats for a time.

Some time later, Margarita returned to the Felix estate and helped Marx with his medical work as she grew up, eventually earning a medical license herself. After Karl's demise and Kaspar's inheritance of his title and property, the new marquis agreed to Marx's earlier marriage agreement with his father. When Margarita married Kaspar in July of EC 608, Marx celebrated the occasion with the rest of the townspeople.

As time went on, Kaspar wasted Marx's fortune on women and fine tobacco for himself. At some point, the doctor learned of Marquis Blankenheim and Margarita's collaboration with a mysterious cloaked woman, discovering she was apparently First Santa Claus and that they were in league with her in the criminal organization Père Noël. Around summer of EC 609, Marx learned Kaspar was suffering from insomnia and began repeatedly visiting the mansion to check his physical condition.

Stumbling upon Murder
On the early morning of August 31 of EC 609, Marx went to the Blankenheim mansion to visit the couple and check up on Kaspar again. Finding the gate unlocked, the doctor used a spare key to get inside and found Margarita alone. The two of them then went to Kaspar's bedroom together and saw the marquis in bed with his mistress. As he approached, the doctor noticed they weren't breathing and confirmed both their bodies had gone cold, noticing their necks were blue and swollen.

After Margarita explained her murder of Kaspar with her Gift poison, Marx conceded to cover for his daughter's crime. Once he reported Kaspar's sudden death to the World Police, they waited at the mansion for the police to arrive when a knock came to the front door. Marx eventually decided to send Margarita to another room and slowly went to answer the door.

Faced with seemingly an Elphe woman once he opened it, the doctor asked what her business there was. The woman immediately inquired if he was the man of the mansion and Marx hesitantly thought about it before deciding he was. Once she stated her intention was to meet with Kaspar, he asked if she was his acquaintance and the woman vaguely answered she was. Marx finally told her that the marquis had died and the shocked woman fervently asked when and how he ended up dead.

Marx politely told he to calm down and demanded to know her proper identity first. Once the woman confirmed she was Hanne Lorre, a Shuburke Newspaper reporter, the surprised doctor became visibly bitter and demanded she leave, citing they had nothing to say to her. Hanne then ranted that it was a huge newsworthy story and threatened to "reluctantly" write a biased article if she didn't receive the details, questioning if the headline should be "Marquis Blankenheim, Killed!".

Marx immediately interjected for her to wait. After admitting something did kill Kaspar, the doctor quickly stated it was illness before confidently reaffirming he definitely died of disease. The smiling reporter then bullishly answered that she was sure the rest of the neighborhood would like to hear about it. Marx then gave up trying to send her away and made a sigh, welcoming Hanne inside.

Interview with the Reporter
"Please wait a moment. Didn't you find the marquis was dead this morning? Isn't it too early to judge that and should be investigated again?" "As I am, I'm Toragay's good doctor! I've spoken. The cause is respiratory failure due to tobacco. This's what I've determined!"

- Hanne and Marx

Once they sat down across from each each other in the living room and the man introduced himself, Hanne asked about his relationship to the marquis and Marx confirmed his daughter was Kaspar's wife and therefore his father-in-law. He then related his position as a physician and his frequent visits to check on Kaspar's recently exhausted physical condition, including that morning.

After relating his experience discovering Kaspar's corpse in bed with the woman next to him, Hanne questioned if that meant his wife was also dead and Marx shook his head, confirming it wasn't his daughter but another woman. When Hanne began to suppose the implication he was cheating, Marx confirmed it was as she had guessed, asking she keep that part out of her article if possible; Hanne nodded in compliance with his wish.

The reporter questioned if his daughter was safe and Marx admitted she was in the back room currently. When the reporter expressed she'd like to hear her story too, Marx interjected an apology and claimed she was currently in shock and he wanted her to be treated gently at the moment. When Hanne then began asking about the cause of death, Marx interjected to reaffirm it was death by disease. She then expressed her desire to know the details like its name.

Marx slowly stood from his seat and took a roll of tobacco from the cabinet on the nearby wall, showing it to her and relating it was the probable cause. When the woman questioned if it was tobacco, the surprised doctor replied a Shuburker Newspaper reporter would know about what's popular, pointing out the New World product was widely used among Elphegort's nobility. He then admitted he personally wouldn't recommend it as a doctor, explaining he believed it was particularly harmful to the throat and lungs.

After relating for that reporter that the marquis was a frequent tobacco user and had died of it, Marx explained the swollen throats both victims suffered were evident to the cause of death. When Hanne questioned whether it was too early to determine that given Marx only found their bodies that morning, the physician exclaimed he was Toragay's doctor and had spoken and determined the cause of death was respiratory failure due to tobacco.

Hanne then inquired if they had contacted the World Police and Marx affirmed they had and explained they were waiting for them before she showed up. He then stated that should be enough and told her she could hear the story from the World Police after they finished investigating or the affiliates at the Freesis Foundation. When the reporter finally asked if she could see the marquis' body, the startled doctor agreed she could before pointing out he looked asleep but was still a corpse, questioning if she would faint.

Hanne stared at him while claiming it was fine since she was used to dead bodies, adding it was part of her job. After Marx led the reporter to Kaspar's bedroom, the World Police arrived and began investigating the incident. During the period, the doctor related his false prognosis to the officers.

Toragay Serial Killings
On September 18, Marx came by the Blankenheim estate and ate dinner that night with Margarita. During the meal, the doctor warned Margarita to stop getting involved with First Santa Claus anymore. He was later given a present of trauben jam on toast by Margarita; after consuming it, the unknowingly poisoned Marx returned home late that night and went to bed, lapsing into a coma.

Discovered by Hanne Lorre the following aternoon, the comatose physician was moved to a hospital in Aceid. Kept under surveillance, his sleeping body was examined for signs of foul play. On October 17, the comatose doctor was visited by his daughter. On October 21, he was again visited by Margarita before she left. Later that night, Marx groaned as he began to awaken, sitting up on the bed. Asking aloud where he was, the doctor groaned again and then noticed a pink-haired woman behind another doctor.

Recognizing the mage was Hanne, he remarked about her changed appearance. When the woman confirmed she had, Marx mused that he didn't know her well nonetheless. Suddenly, Marx's memories and subconscious began to resurge and he came to the realization that Margarita was actually a doll the cloaked woman from years ealirer had replaced with his actual daughter's corpse.

Rambling about that day, Marx placed his hand to his head and began to speak about how everyone had been deceived0. As Hanne urged him to speak further, the doctor suddenly suffered a seizure and screamed. falling out of the hospital bed, he rolled on the floor several times as he violently convulsed. Before the doctors could reach him, Marx stopped moving and passed away from his poisoning.

Legacy
Following his death, Elluka Clockworker confronted Marx's daughter in Calgaround before she ultimately committed suicide, ending her murderous rampage. Marx's words just prior to his death were later used by the mage to help deduce Margarita's true identity. Officially, Marx's cause of death was recorded as due to the result of a mysterious epidemic plaguing Toragay.

Personality and Traits
Marx was a cautious and private man. Deeply attached to his family, the doctor was saddened by the deaths of his wife and daughter. Conversely, he was greatly overjoyed at Margarita's seeming resurrection. After discovering her Sleepless condition, Marx became concerned and put great effort into finding a cure, although unable to produce any results. This concern for Margarita carried over into her teenage years, with the doctor warning her not be involved with Père Noël or First Santa Claus. Additionally, Marx did not being involved with the police or criminal organizations. Marx also desired to bring his family back to its noble status, giving up the Felix family fortune in order to have his daughter married into the Blankenheims.

As part of his love for his family, Marx wished to to maintain the privacy of both himself and his family and was not above lying to do so. Because of this, he was willing to cover up Kaspar's murder by supplying a false autopsy. Despite knowing that Margarita had murdered the marquis, Marx decided to continue supporting his daughter by refusing Hanne from interviewing her.

Aside from his family, Marx also shared an amiable relationship with his fellow townspeople, working as the local doctor of Toragay and generously donating large amounts of money to the town's Charity Institute. Despite being a doctor, Marx neglected his own health, allowing it get worse as the years went by.

Skills and Abilities
A successful doctor, Marx possessed extensive medical knowledge. Although only operating in Toragay, he was able to advance his career and garner a fortune. Marx had a way with people, able to put up a front and establish a rapport with the townspeople of Toragay. Because of this, he was a capable liar, able to convince the World Police of his fudged autopsy. Physically, the doctor was disadvantaged due to his neglected health.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Marx's name is a German derivative of the name Mark and means "border"; Elphegort, Marx's native country, is inspired by Germany.
 * Marx, along with his daughter's father-in-law Karl Blankenheim, may be a reference to the famed German philosopher and sociologist Karl Marx.
 * His surname, Felix, is Latin for "happy".

Appearances

 * Gift from the Princess who Brought Sleep (first mentioned)
 * Deadly Sins of Evil: Gift from the Princess who Brought Sleep (first appearance)
 * Evils Court (mentioned only)
 * Seven Crimes and Punishments (album) (mentioned only)