Leonhart Avadonia

"The people are starving. The Captain of the Royal Guard shouldn't indulge himself in such things, should he?"

- Leonhart Avadonia

Leonhart Avadonia is the Captain of the Royal Guard and one of the Three Heroes of the Kingdom of Lucifenia. He is the foster father of Germaine and Allen, an advocate of the Lucifenian people, and Princess Riliane's most inflexible opposition.

Early Life
Born in EC 462, Leonhart entered the Lucifenian military and became the Captain of the Royal Guard, serving King Arth. After meeting Queen Anne, Leonhart developed a crush on her, but eventually recognized her fealty to Arth and discarded any notion of a romance with her. In EC 475, the Kingdom of Lucifenia declared war on Asmodean and the Beelzenian Empire, with Leonhart leading many conquests to victory. At some point, Leonhart met the local blacksmith of the Langley family and visited him regularly to repair his weapons and armor. Seven years into the war, he found and adopted a child, Germaine.

During one battle, he encountered Gast Venom and dueled him. Observing his swordplay, Leonhart learned and exploited its weakness, defeating the "Demon of Asmodean" but sparing his life. By EC 490, Leonhart, along with his comrades Mariam Futapie and Elluka Clockworker, became known as the Three Heroes, spearheading the kingdom's expansion and securing its new lands. After Arth's death in EC 491, the war ended and Leonhart continued his service in the Royal Guard under Queen Anne.

Twiright Prank
"I already asked Mariam to help with the investigation. And... I have a request for you."

- Queen Anne

In December of that year, the political dispute caused by Minister Presi over the right of succession escalated as rumor spread that Anne and Prime Minister Genesia were doing something immoral, angering Leonhart. During the event, some of his soldiers reported that Presi had been meeting secretly with a suspicious old woman. Called to privately meet with Anne in the Hall of Sounds, the Hall was cleared out and the swordsman kneeled before his Queen. The warrior was then asked if he was aware that Presi was advocating for Riliane as the documented successor. Leonhart affirmed that he was probably trying to counter his rival, Genesia, criticizing how the effort was foolish and would only lead to unnecessary confusion. When Anne commented how the will Presi presented was likely a fake, Leonhart added that the rumor about her and Gensia was also circulating.

Cut off by Anne, the Queen asked if he thought it was true; he denied it, mentally cursing his momentary suspicion, and remembered how Arth was her sold love while he simply served near her. Clarifying his statement, he said that if Presi's words were lies, then he would fail once the truth was made clear and she needn't worry. When the Queen voiced her surpise by his simplistic thought-process, Leonhart apologized but she noted how she and Mariam thought too much about it and envied his impulsiveness. After expressing his gratitude, Anne mentioned how Riliane had suddenly become interested in becoming the heir and Leonhart noted it had to have been Presi who planted the thoughts in her head. When she described how her son, Alexiel, would never do anything even if Riliane hit him, Leonhart said it wasn't odd for young siblings to fight, bringing up how his daughter was constantly getting in fights with guys.

Anne then mentioned that Riliane was behaving strangely and Leonhart asked what she meant, told to go to the kitchen and see for himself. After Anne explained Elluka suspected Presi was plotting something and Mariam was sent to investigate, she requested the war hero protect her son. Not long after accepting the assignment, an assassination attempt was made on Alexiel's life and Leonhart foiled it. After Presi's treason was discovered and he was promptly defeated by Elluka and Mariam, Anne accepted Alexiel's request to be adopted by Leonhart to avoid further political problems.

Father of Two
"We, the three of us, can live happily together, just like before!"

- Germaine, recalling her and Allen's childhood with Leonhart

With "Alexiel" dead, Leonhart adopted his new son "Allen" and Leonhart took the prince home, introducing him to Germaine. Around this time, he heard how Mariam had also recently adopted a child. He later met with her and Elluka at the royal palace and joked how he, the bachelor, ended up getting a child. When asked by Mariam how he planned to now raise two children, Leonhart said they'd manage and that, since Allen was a boy, he'd be easier to manage than the tomboyish Germaine, and laughed again. Noting how she too suddenly began taking care of a child, Mariam explained how she found Ney and refused to abandoned the amnesic girl.

A few days later, when Chartette Langley had gone missing, he, like the other adults, gave up on finding her and assumed she was dead. Later discovering that both Allen and Germaine had gone into the Forest of Bewilderment and fought off bandits to rescue her, he became furious, hitting Allen in a drunken stupor and lecturing them for their dangerous actions; after shedding tears, the three laughed it off. As time progressed, Leonhart began taking his young foster son to the royal palace to practice fencing, training him in the art of swordplay as well as horseback riding. At some point, while drinking with Germaine, he amiably related his fight with Gast Venom, describing the difficulty of the battle and Gast's tendency to aim for the neck.

After the death of Queen Anne in January of EC 499, Leonhart attended an assembly of ministers and Princess Riliane in the Hall of Sounds, hearing Riliane proclaim her birthright to the rule the nation in place of her mother. After the meeting ended, he met with Elluka and Mariam and voiced his criticism of the young and inexperienced Princess governing the Kingdom, although recognizing she was the only appropriate contender for the throne. Elluka then suggested Allen assume the throne and Leonhart noted that Prince Alexiel's return would only repeat the incident of seven years prior, adding that Riliane had no memory of him anyway. At the mage's remark that their reunion may spark her memory, he questioned if she was serious and Elluka admitted it was a joke.

Once the mage elaborated that they could go with their original plan and have the ruler decided then and there, Leonhart criticized the irresponsibility of such actions and Elluka reminded them that the Three Heroes weren't created from politics. Silenced by the mention of their wartime exploits, Mariam spoke up and suggested Leonhart bring Allen in as a servant. Taking a liking to the idea, he agreed and the maid told him to assure Prime Minister Minis was aware of the situation.

When Mariam said she'd leave, confident Chartette had already broken something, Leonhart noted the severity and Mariam qualified she was a good-natured child, despite her clumsiness. Once she left, Elluka said she'd retire as well, hoping to catch up on a beauty sleep. Leonhart said that was good, since her eyes looked swollen; mortifying the mage, Leonhart revealed it was a jest and expressed his relief if things remained the way they were. Elluka remarked that she knew more than anyone about death, and Leonhart pointed out it was natural for her to be sad, bluntly stating her long life didn't forfeit her right to grieve. The mage immediately kicked him in the shin, calling him an idiot.

After alerting Minis of their plan, Leonhart announced to his foster children that he was taking Allen back to the palace as a servant. That night, Germaine argued with him about the decision till dawn the next day. That morning, he took his beloved son to the palace. While walking through the halls, Princess Riliane approached them and asked who the boy was. After explaining he was a new servant, Leonhart stopped the excited Princess from immediately taking him with her, insisting Mariam dress him up in proper attire before being beside her. Riliane complied and, after she left, the warrior told his son how she was his sister, surprised to hear Allen's happiness to see her smile.

Later, he requested Ney find her mother to inspect the boy. Ney complied and soon after brought the Head of Maids to examine the former prince. After Allen had been brought in as a chamberlain, Leonhart instructed him to keep their relationship secret from Riliane. Sometime after, Allen asked Leonhart about Mariam and he simply replied that there were all kinds of women in the world. At some point, he came in contact with King Kyle and the two collaborated with each other in secret.

Reign of Evil
"The Princess doesn't understand the value of things. She doesn’t realize that the food her people put on the table every day is far worse than the feed of her beloved horse. That sheltered girl’s not even capable of looking around her."

- Leonhart voicing his dissatisfaction

In December of EC 499, in response to the poor harvest yields and starvation throughout the kingdom, Leonhart ordered that he and his daughter abstain from drinking alcohol until the people’s suffering had ended. The day before Riliane’s 14th birthday, Leonhart, concerned about the citizens’ welfare, asked the princess if she could distribute the palace’s food reserve to the people to compensate for the famine. In response, she ignorantly provided a solution: let them eat cake since they couldn’t eat bread. The conversation evolved into a heated squabble, with Leonhart unable to convince the selfish princess to provide proper assistance. Later that day, he witnessed Germaine pummel a couple of guys and curse them out, much to his embarrassment.

The next day, while passing by the stables around 3 o’clock, Leonhart noticed Josephine, the princess' horse, was missing, and wondered if Riliane had gone out for the day. Seeing Allen and Chartette cleaning the Heavenly Yard, he approached them and asked if they were working hard. Ruffling his son's hair, Leonhart noted he seemed to be having trouble being a servant and Allen politely responded that his work was harder. Disappointed, he reminded Allen he could call him “Daddy” whenever he wanted to but the servant stated he was used to addressing him formally, earning Leonhart’s confusion. Once he asked how the boy was doing after a year of servitude, the boy brushed it off and asked about Germaine.

After Leonhart recounted of her squabble the day before, expressing his doubt anyone would ever marry her, Chartette interrupted, curious if Leonhart came to steal wine from the warehouse. The knight denied the accusation, revealing his refusal to have such a luxury while the people starved. When Allen asked if Riliane’s recent foul mood was the cause, he shrugged and explained how Riliane refused to use the palace's stores to feed the people. Chartette encouraged him to persuade the Princess but he countered with how Riliane answered his pleas, expressing his frustration with her childish and warped sense of reality.

Reminded of the earlier oddity, he asked if Riliane had left, noting Josephine was gone, and Allen questioned if she was stolen; stating it was impossible because of their security, the knight became pallid as Allen suggested they might've been too focused on defending from intruders rather than fugitives. As the realization came over him, a scream was heard and the three rushed inside to find Ney passing between two mirrors, telling them Riliane had escaped from the palace. Led to Riliane's room, Ney explained what had happened and showed them the opened secret passage at the back of the fireplace. Soon after, Leonhart organized the Royal Guard and a group of servants to find Riliane. Returning to the stables, he discerned Josephine’s tracks from the ground and followed them to the Forest of Bewilderment.

The knight commander joined the search party in exploring the woodland, walking by Allen’s side. Leonhart told Allen not to stray too far or he would get lost and, when Allen said he would be fine because he had been there before, he admitted he was right. Soon after, the servant asked if he was sure Riliane went through the forest and Leonhart confirmed that was where the tracked ended, voicing his disbelief in her method of escape. Allen then stated he'd go on ahead and, after the boy confirmed he had a notion where Riliane was hiding, Leonhart let him leave but warned him again to not get lost.

That evening, a beacon was lit at the nearby port town and Leonhart arrived with the search party. As he began berating the Princess for her dangerous actions, Riliane coldly responded that it was their job to prevent such stunts and reminded them of the position they were in. Demanding they all kneel to their absolute ruler, Leonhart obeyed as he barely restrained his anger. Escorting her home, the jaded warrior guarded one of the stairway entrances to the Hall of Mirrors during the celebration, his eyes shifting constantly around the ballroom.

After seeing Riliane’s massive birthday cake presented before the crowd, his jaw dropped and the furious warrior stormed out of the Hall. As Allen attempted to stop him, reminding him of his guard duty, Leonhart stated he was going to make rounds outside, expressing his distaste with how the country he helped Arth create was being mishandled by a witch; saying she was definitely "The Daughter of Evil", Leonhart headed down the stairs. Sometime after he left, he headed home and announced his return to Germaine, asked if he had eaten, to which he replied he had. Awkwardly watching her sniff him for booze, he reinforced his earlier vow they agreed to.

A few days later, he realized he had forgotten Allen’s birthday and went out to buy a mirror similar to the one owned by Riliane, albeit fake. In early EC 500, Leonhart began sneaking into the palace warehouses at night and smuggled out some food, giving it to the starving people. The next day, he was summoned by Riliane and, certain it was because of his smuggling, slipped into a depression; eating dinner with Germaine, she asked what was wrong and he explained his dejection, believing the princess discovered his theft and would have him executed, and declared he wanted her to succeed him if that were the case. With Germaine brushing the idea aside, Leonhart prepared to depart before noting his daughter’s dress, asking if it was the birthday present he got her. Reminded of Allen’s birthday, he ran to his storeroom and picked up the handbag with his gift, explaining to Germaine he would be bringing it with him to the palace.

The next day, Leonhart left for the palace and answered Riliane’s beckons that night. Entering her room, the princess welcomed the commander and he mentioned the impropriety of them being alone together at such an hour. Riliane teased him, remarking she understood that he preferred well-endowed women like her mother. Their conversation continued as they discussed Queen Anne’s crushes before the princess told him she believed it was time they start considering the people’s well-being. Stunned, Leonhart listened as Riliane elucidated how grateful she was for his food eviction at the palace barn, allowing him to freely distribute the food with her permission first from then on.

After a short silence, Leonhart thanked the princess and Riliane offered him a drink in celebration. Grateful, he accepted the liquor and listened to Riliane explain it was Blood Grave, the high-quality wine loved by the fabled Vanika Conchita. Leonhart asked if the princess would like a cup but she denied a taste, not understanding the fascination. The knight told her she was young and would someday understand its excellence, celebrating with her until late at night.

Around three o’clock the next day, the drunk and merry warrior meandered through the empty courtyard until stopped by Allen, who noted his stupor. In response, he barely articulated his excuse, preparing to give the servant his present when the boy drew a sword on him and told him he needed to die. Confused, Leonhart drew his sword and asked who gave him the order and, when Allen refused to say, realized it was all Riliane’s trap. Dueling him, Leonhart cornered Allen when he suddenly felt weak, kneeling to the ground as Allen explained they drugged the wine with chronic anesthesia.

Too weak to support himself, the warrior collapsed with his gift rolling out of his arms. Apologizing for forgetting his birthday, Leonhart explained the gift and said he needed to pay attention to his appearance as a palace servant. Allen asked why Leonhart wanted to kill Riliane and, in response to the warrior’s confusion, stabbed him with the sword. Writhing in pain, he mused how his foster son never once called him “daddy” and then asked why Allen had to kill him. Telling the boy he had yielded to “The Daughter of Evil”, the dying Leonhart gave Allen his last piece of advice: to be careful and not to cry. Succumbing to his wounds, the valiant warrior died.

Legacy
"Ah, now I understand, Germaine. You set off the revolution for this sole reason. Hahaha, it’s so ironic. In the name of order and justice, you set up the banner for peace. I was right."

- Allen

Following his assassination, Leonhart's corpse was discovered in the riverbank the next morning and a private funeral was held for him soon after, attended by his subordinates and comrades, including Elluka and Mariam. Although the Lucifenian Palace offered to hold a public ceremony, Germaine refused. Swearing revenge on his grave, his foster daughter later founded the Lucifenian Resistance and sparked the Lucifenian Revolution to bring retribution to her father's murderers. Although the truth behind his assassination was never uncovered, the general populace assumed Princess Riliane's involvement in the scandal and Germaine's vengeful motives for the revolution began circulating in rumor among the public.

Personality and Traits
"My father said that Leonhart Avadonia was a simple, straightforward man which was exactly the reason why he was strong."

- Riliane Mouchet

Leonhart was a straight-forward, caring, and kind-hearted man, dedicated to his family and friends. As a citizen of the Kingdom of Lucifenia, Leonhart was a patriot to his country, serving in the Lucifenian military since his teenage years and loyally serving King Arth during the war against Asmodean and Beelzenia. His devotion to his kingdom and its citizens led to a concern for their well-being and fierce loyalty to maintaining the nation Arth and Anne built up over the course of decades.

As the captain of the Royal Guard, he took his responsibility to the royal family very seriously and believed it was his duty to suffer as the people suffered. Despite this, he was willing to compromise his loyalty to the crown, should he believe the cause was just, and was not above opposing his monarch's policies or ideology if he believed they disregarded the public's best interests. Still, he acted honorable, answering Princess Riliane's call even though he was certain she planned to kill him. Because of his loyalty and sense of duty, Leonhart desired to protect everyone he cared for from harm, although ultimately leading to his demise.

A fierce and brave warrior, Leonhart's actions on the battlefield earned him the admiration and respect of the Kingdom. Preferring a direct approach, the warrior was impulsive by nature and rarely thought too hard on a subject. When confronted with complex situations, he usually provided simple solutions and was notably light-hearted and carefree about most difficulties he would face. This forward way of thinking connected to his sense of honor, respecting upfront confrontations rather than underhanded tactics. Despite being famed as a warrior hero during the war, Leonhart was merciful in battle, refusing to kill either Gast Venom or Allen Avadonia in their respective duels despite having the upper hand.

Possessing a chivalric spirit, Leonhart never hit women, even when drunk, and never plotted to betray to overthrow the monarchy despite Riliane's tyranny. Although admirable, Leonhart was a hopeless drunkard and would sometime lose his temper and lash out at others. He also felt some inner turmoil, often breaking into tears when drunk, as well as becoming maudlin and overemotional. In rare circumstances, the warrior could become depressed, especially when fearing his approaching death.

Although having never married, Leonhart gladly adopted both Germaine and Allen and loved the idea of being their father. As part of the same family, the warrior encouraged his children to refer to him affectionately and was disappointed that Allen never did so. Because of Germaine's tomboyish attitude, Leonhart grew worried she'd never marry and often tried to instill a more feminine appearance and behavior into her. Despite this, he showed no qualms with training her in the art of swordplay and shared his drinking habit with her.

Similarly, he recognized that there were all kinds of women in the world and shared a close relationship with his fellow comrades, Elluka and Mariam. In his youth, the hero developed a crush on Queen Anne and aspired to share a romance with her. However, after realizing Anne's sole love for Arth, Leonhart gave up on his fantasy and resolved to find happiness with just serving near her, although it took him years before finally embracing the notion whole-heartedly. However, because of his simplicity, the warrior was senseless in regards to other people's deeper, untold feelings; in the same circumstances, he could also be very perceptive because of his bluntness, much to Elluka's ire.

Skills and Abilities
"Germaine’s father was one of the Three Heroes, his Highness Leohart right?" "Yes. Leonhart Avadonia, Lucifenia's strongest swordsman."

- Yukina Freesis and Riliane Mouchet

A famed swordsman of his time and among the strongest warriors produced in the Kingdom of Lucifenia, Leonhart utilized a traditional Lucifenian fencing style, with his strength and speed augmenting his capabilities. His favorite move, "Bull Style", had him raised his sword as high as his head momentarily before striking his opponent with great force. Because of his simple way of thinking, Leonhart rarely hesitated in battle and overwhelmed his adversaries with brute force, although he was also willing to employ taunting during fights to unnerve them. Even when drunk, the swordsman was still deadly in battle and acted seemingly unimpaired while fighting; he was also able to resist powerful anesthetics for long periods of time through his sheer will, even while being inebriated, and suffered no apparent side-effects in battle.

However, Leonhart's greatest ability was his skills in observation. In combat, he was able to watch, learn, and adapt to an opponent's fighting style, gaining him leverage against his opponents, which allowed him to challenge the equally legendary Gast Venom in swordplay. Because of his years of combat experience, the warrior was capable of quickly changing his attacks while preparing to strike and could accurately predict his opponents' moves. Despite this, his skill extended to more than just the battlefield. When Princess Riliane had fled from the palace, he was the first to notice Josephine was missing and later discerned her hoof prints from the rest of the earth to follow their trail. He was also a capable mentor, honing both Allen and Germaine's talents and making them excellent swordsmen. While drinking, Leonhart sometimes sang along with Germaine.

Character Connections
Anne Lucifen d'Autriche: Leonhart's former employer. Leonhart had a close friendship with Anne before her death, with the queen trusting him to raise her son and enlisting his aid in political disputes or in wartime. In his youth, Leonhart fell in love with Anne, finding her very attractive; recognizing her feelings for Arth, he learned through many years to be satisfied with simply serving the queen as best he could.

Elluka Clockworker: A fellow member of the Three Heroes. Leonhart and Elluka had a deep friendship cultivated over the course of the Lucifenian Expansion War that would continue to his death. The two enjoyed spending time together and looked to each other's counsel in difficult situations, although Leonhart would sometimes act overly candid in contrast to her evasive nature.

Mariam Futapie: A fellow member of the Three Heroes. Leonhart and Mariam had a deep friendship cultivated over the course of the Lucifenian Expansion War. Finding her to have a unique character, the two enjoyed spending time together and looked to each other's counsel in difficult situations. This friendship continued until his death, however he remained unaware of her feelings towards him.

Allen Avadonia: Leonhart's adopted son. Leonhart cared deeply for Allen as a son after adopting him, acting protective of the boy and wishing to reunite him with his sister, although he was exasperated with Allen's formality towards him; in addition, Leonhart expressed concern for Allen's appearance as a palace servant. Although bewildered by the boy's intentions to kill him, but did not hold it against him after guessing the cause, using his last words to give the boy advice.

Germaine Avadonia: Leonhart's adopted daughter. Leonhart shared many interests with Germaine, including a love of wine and headstrong nature, although he expressed vexation for this when she got into fights in public. He showed a concern for her appearance as well as wellbeing, such as when enquiring after her worn out attire. Nonetheless, he trained her in swordplay and entertained plans to make her his successor if he were to die.

Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche: The child of Anne that he swore to protect. Uneasy about her rule initially, Leonhart only became further infuriated by Riliane's reckless immaturity and overindulgences, as well as her poor treatment of Lucifenia's people. Due to this, he often opposed her both publicly and in secret; although caught off guard and overjoyed by Riliane's supposed attempts to make peace, he correctly guessed that it was she who ordered Allen to kill him.

Kyle Marlon: An old acquaintance of Leonhart's. The Marlon King appeared among those close to him at the slain warrior's funeral, though their relationship was kept secret.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Leonhart's name is derived from Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart; King Richard earned his nickname due to his valor as a warrior and military leader.
 * His last name, Avadonia, seems to be a corruption of Abbadon.
 * Leonhart's name is partially inspired by the name of his representative Vocaloid, LE ♂N , using "Leon" at the start of the name.

Curiosities

 * Among Ney's rumors about Leonhart, he is mentioned as having kidnapped a baby from one of the warring countries he defeated.
 * Originally, the origin of Germaine's birth and how she was adopted by Leonhart was planned to be included in The Daughter of Evil: Praeludium of Red but was cut for convenience.
 * When asked about his favorite character in The Daughter of Evil series, mothy answered that he liked the Three Heroes.

Gallery
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