Richard

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Richard von Dalberg (理查德)
Alias(es)	Rick
Species/Race	Human; later remade as a magical being through Axiom Creation, then given a body reconstructed from his parents’ blood samples while retaining Archmage-level strength 572 681
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Imperial Army; Imperial Mage Corps; Empire; later the Alliance 389 639 676
Occupation/Role	Imperial officer; battle mage; Major General; Brigadier General; Border Count of the Dalberg Territory; Chief Mage of the Empire 490 521 639
Status	Alive 681
First Appearance	Chapter 3
Age	Eighteen during Bart’s engagement announcement 140

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Certified first-rank Mage	3	Graduates from the Imperial Royal Magic Academy alongside Rorschach and Bart.
Elite military mage	140	Completes rigorous sea training and circulates internal Aether to stimulate his muscles and blood flow.
Intermediate Mage	463	Had reached Intermediate Mage level before the Second Battle of Fortress Montecchio, but his spellcasting regresses after the battle.
Spellcasting Cloud user	464	Registers the Electric Wave Communication Spell and gains access to advanced tutorials through the Spellcasting Cloud.
Magical being with Archmage-comparable body	572	Rorschach resurrects him with Axiom Creation; his new body possesses exceptional physical strength, Magic Circuit configuration, and abundant Magic Power.
Restored body retaining Archmage strength	681	The Tower of the Forest reshapes a body from his parents’ blood samples, allowing Richard to retain his Archmage-level power.

Background / History

Richard studied at the Imperial Royal Magic Academy with Rorschach and Bart. After passing the mage promotion assessment, he revealed that his father had arranged for him to report to the Imperial Army; he accepted the decision without strong emotion. 3 4

Born into the Dalberg family, Richard was the younger son of an old noble house whose title had become honorary and whose former territorial power had long been lost. His family nevertheless regarded his bloodline and military prospects as important assets. 484 639

He developed into a military mage capable of combining spellcasting with physical training. During elite coastal training, he circulated internal Aether through his body to enhance his muscles and circulation rather than relying overtly on magic. 140

Appearance

Richard is a blond, chiseled-featured young man whose usual reserved demeanor is reinforced by his military bearing. 140

• Blond hair; he temporarily darkened it brown while infiltrating Fortress Montecchio. 140 456
• A scar on his left cheek from a duel, regarded as a symbol of honor among Imperial soldiers and nobles. 389
• Commonly wears Imperial military uniforms, mage insignia, a cloak, and medals. 484
• Was described as handsome enough to attract repeated attention from noble families seeking a marriage match. 484

Personality

Richard is quiet, deliberate, and dutiful. He initially follows his father’s arrangement to join the army, but later repeatedly makes independent political and moral choices—even when those choices place him against teachers, nobles, or the Emperor’s expectations. 4 457 490

He is courageous under pressure and considers himself responsible as an officer, noble, and citizen. During the Imperial Capital unrest, he chooses to intervene rather than remain uninvolved; at Montecchio, he accepts General Karl’s high-risk infiltration assignment without hesitation. 389 487

Though skeptical of prophecy and political factions, Richard can adapt when experience proves him wrong. He accepts advice from an ordinary Rifleman on the battlefield and quickly grasps Rorschach’s Spellcasting Cloud system. 426 464

Abilities & Skills

Battle Magic

Richard’s principal combat specialties are Dragon’s Breath, Cloudkill, and Corrosive Claws. 389

• Uses Dragon’s Breath to attack the core of the Chief Mage’s necromantic ritual. 457
• Uses Cloudkill to conceal and disable opponents while stealing an enemy’s mysterious package with a Storage Ring. 426
• Can cast fireballs in fast-moving close combat. 488
• Uses heat-based magic for emergency wound cauterization. 458

Defensive and Utility Magic

Richard employs defensive, movement, detection, and communication spells in military and political crises.

• Blue Light Barrier — shields himself, allies, and the Crown Prince’s carriage from hostile magic and attacks. 457 486 488
• Gaseous Form — phases through solid walls and enables escape from the Chief Mage; Richard learned it in memory of fallen comrades. 389 457 488
• Mage Hand — remotely manipulates objects, including lifting a suspicious handkerchief-covered basket. 387
• Darkvision and Arcane Vision — used for infiltration, target assessment, and detecting magical threats. 426 488
• Electric Wave Communication Spell — uploaded to the Spellcasting Cloud; supports long-range magical communication. 464 488
• Healing magic — heals Hinch during the Veterans Club confrontation. 486

Martial Training

Richard remains combat-capable when magic is suppressed.

• Trained to circulate internal Aether through his body to enhance strength and circulation. 140
• Attempts to lead spellcasters against enemy artillery after Mana Deprivation leaves the Mage Corps unable to cast effectively. 417
• Demonstrates enough physical resilience and tactical awareness to operate in frontline infiltration and trench warfare. 389 417

Magical Physiology

After the Oword disaster, Rorschach revives Richard as a magical being using Axiom Creation. 572

• His reconstructed body has physical strength and Magic Circuits comparable to, or stronger than, those of Archmages. 572
• He can access Law Tree magic up to the Ninth Ring. 572
• His magical body is vulnerable to prolonged exposure to Dead Magic Zones; without magical restraint, his soul may disperse and his body may deteriorate. 642
• A later body replacement restores a body based on his parents’ blood samples while preserving his Archmage-level strength. 681

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Storage Ring — used to conceal and retrieve equipment and to seize an enemy package in battle. 426 464
• Gaseous Form crystals — used in attempts to escape the Chief Mage’s ritual chamber. 457 458
• Military dress uniform, mage cloak, and medals — worn at noble functions in the Imperial Capital. 484
• Spellcasting Cloud scrolls — include the New Compendium of Spells and Developer’s Manual. 463 464

Relationships

• Rorschach — academy friend, benefactor, and later mentor-like ally. Rorschach guides Richard’s adoption of the Spellcasting Cloud, revives him after Oword, and remains committed to restoring him to normal. 3 464 572 642
• Bart — academy friend whose later invitation to join the Alliance Richard refuses, distrusting its motives and methods. 3 627
• Libus — Bohemian witch and close companion. They work together to stop the Imperial Capital uprising and protect the Crown Prince; Richard later worries that his magical nature could harm her future. 485 488 573
• William II — Emperor who promotes Richard, later appointing him Border Count and Chief Mage of the Empire. Their relationship is founded on mutual but uneasy trust. 490 638 639
• Chief Imperial Staff Mage — Richard’s former teacher, who attempts to use necromancy to support an immortal Emperor. Richard rejects his teacher’s plan and becomes his target. 457 458
• Captain Schmidt — senior academy alumnus and fellow battle mage who accompanies Richard during the Montecchio infiltration. 389
• Pascal and Paul — fellow disciples who temporarily aid Richard’s escape from the Chief Mage, then later fight beside him in Oword. 457 559
• Lieutenant Colonel Hinch — friend and fellow officer; Richard heals and protects him during the Veterans Club coup attempt. 486
• Alec Vog — a youth Richard rescues from Imperial loyalists and later instructs about the wider Astral Plane situation. 676 670

Story Role / Major Arcs

Academy Graduation and Military Career

Richard graduates from the Imperial Royal Magic Academy with Rorschach and Bart, then enters the Imperial Army under his father’s arrangement. 3 4

Fortress Montecchio

As Major Richard, he joins Captain Schmidt in General Karl’s attempt to breach Fortress Montecchio. The pair use phasing magic to pass through the fortress walls, but Richard later uncovers his teacher’s necromantic ritual and attempts to destroy it. 389 456 457

Conflict with the Chief Mage

Richard refuses to support the Chief Mage’s plan to grant the Emperor immortality through life-stealing necromancy. Though he briefly escapes with Pascal and Paul’s aid, he is captured and subjected to the ritual’s blood pool. 457 458

Spellcasting Cloud and Recovery

Following the fortress battle, Richard’s magic regresses from Intermediate Mage level. Rorschach introduces him to the Spellcasting Cloud, where Richard successfully uploads the Electric Wave Communication Spell and resolves to contribute Dragon’s Breath after recovering. 463 464

Imperial Capital Unrest

Warned by Libus of danger, Richard investigates the Veterans Club conspiracy. He protects Hinch, helps expose the planned kidnapping of the Crown Prince, and fights through the capital with Libus to escort the prince to safety. 485 486 487 488

Imperial Advancement

William II offers Richard the post of Chief Staff Mage, which Richard refuses on grounds of insufficient qualifications and political risk. He is nevertheless promoted to Major General and later becomes a Brigadier General. 490 521

Oword Disaster and Resurrection

Richard leads mages into Oword to investigate dangerous magical fluctuations. He survives the disaster only because Rorschach reconstructs him through Axiom Creation, changing him into a magical being. 559 572

Border Count and Chief Mage

After returning to the Empire, Richard accepts William II’s appointment as Border Count of the northern Dalberg Territory. He is also named Chief Mage of the Empire, responsible for loyal Imperial spellcasters and magical affairs. 638 639

Alliance Operations

Richard later works alongside Caroline and the Alliance to infiltrate an ancient Starship, rescue Alec, and capture Imperial loyalists attempting to enthrone him. 676

Notable Quotes

“There are no cowards here, General.” 389

“Your Majesty, my abilities and qualifications are far from sufficient for such a post.” 490

“No, no, no, why are you apologizing?” 572

Trivia

• Richard was the oldest of the original academy trio: he was eighteen, while Rorschach was seventeen and Bart was between them in age. 140
• He initially treated the word “witch” as derogatory because of Imperial custom, while Libus considered it a title of power in Bohemia. 485
• His magical recovery and later resurrection repeatedly cause him to reassess Rorschach’s true strength. 463 572