Jules

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Jules Dalmans (于勒)
Alias(es)	Uncle Jules; suspected “Corpse Mover” 5 9
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Age	44 3
Affiliation	Supernatural Administration Bureau 16 18
Occupation/Role	Administration field operative; Ye Yan's uncle and housemate 16 18
Status	Alive 50
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 1; first appears on-page in Chapter 12 1 12

Background / History

At age twenty-seven, Jules squandered his inheritance and was forcibly sent aboard a merchant ship bound for America by his family. He later sold oysters aboard a ship before disappearing from public record. 3

At some point, cultists from the Sunset Church forced Jules into a suicide-sacrifice ritual. During the ordeal, he awakened a mysterious ability and formed a bond with the oyster knife that became the Shell-Opening Blade. The blade cut his restraints, killed the ritual leader, and carried him out of the church through a door. 15

The Blade's escape exacted a severe price: Jules's hair turned completely white, leaving the forty-four-year-old looking far older. 15 He later became associated with the Supernatural Administration Bureau, undertaking dangerous field missions to repay his debts. 16 18

Ye Yan locates Jules through their blood relation using the Luck Compass. Jules initially proposes escaping to an undiscovered island in the New Continent, but ultimately supports Ye Yan's decision to expose the Sunset Church's mastermind instead of fleeing. 13

Appearance

Jules is a weathered man whose occult ordeal and hard life have left him looking markedly older than his actual age. 3 15

• Tangled gray-white hair and a gray-white beard. 12
• Wrinkled face, bulbous wine-red nose, and a rough sailor-like bearing. 18 36
• Large, calloused hands and thick arms. 18 36
• Usually dresses casually, though he wears a conspicuously new brown suit for the opening of Samsara Bookstore. 37

Personality

Jules is blunt, unruly, and prone to calling himself a coward for having fled the Sunset Church in the past. His first instinct is often escape or force, yet he cannot abandon Ye Yan when his nephew chooses to confront danger. 13 15

He is fiercely protective of Ye Yan. He attempts to stop Ye Yan from entering the Sunset Church's ritual site, threatens Old Jack and the cultists when Ye Yan disappears through the Shell-Opening Blade's door, and immediately prepares to kill Julie when he learns she attacked his nephew. 15 44

Jules also has a crude, joking sense of humor and a habit of jumping to outrageous conclusions about Ye Yan's relationships. He mistakes Fabre's imminent visit for a taboo romance before learning that Fabre is a scholar Ye Yan admires. 36 50

Abilities & Skills

Shell-Opening Blade Bond

Jules is bound to the Shell-Opening Blade, a Curio that awakened from the oyster knife he had used for nearly ten years. 15

• Can cut through physical restraints and pierce enemies with extraordinary sharpness. 15
• Can slice open “doors” that transport the user elsewhere. 15
• Used the Blade to escape the Sunset Church after killing the ritual leader. 15
• The Blade's unknown doors normally lead to random destinations, making its transport function highly dangerous. 15
• Using the Blade's escape ability severely aged Jules, turning his hair white. 15
• Ye Yan's Guidance-based coordinate ability makes him better suited than Jules to direct the Blade toward a chosen destination. 15

Mysterious Awakening

Jules awakened an unspecified mysterious ability while being used in the Sunset Church's sacrifice ritual. Its exact nature has not been disclosed. 15

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Shell-Opening Blade — A living-seeming oyster knife bound to Jules; covered in white web-like fuzz and capable of opening dangerous spatial doors. 15
• Handgun — Kept polished and ready while Julie is held in the apartment. 46
• Concealed dagger — Drawn immediately when Jules believes Julie poses a threat to Ye Yan. 44
• Hunting rifle — Stored in his room. 50
• Nautical chart to the New Continent — A yellowed map marked with incomprehensible symbols, which Jules believes points to an undiscovered island refuge. 13

Relationships

• Ye Yan / Ewan Dalmans / Newman Easton — His nephew by blood. Jules becomes Ye Yan's housemate, protector, and most outspoken supporter despite often disagreeing with his risks. 13 16 18
• Old Jack — Travels with Jules and Ye Yan during the Sunset Church incident. Jules threatens to fight him if Ye Yan fails to return safely. 15
• Julie — A Witch Lane witch detained after attacking Ye Yan. Jules searches, disarms, chains, gags, and later guards her until Ye Yan's negotiation with May. 44 46
• May / Miss Nightingale — Negotiates for Julie's release while Jules maintains armed watch over the prisoner. 46
• Sunset Church — The cult that forced Jules into a sacrificial ritual and indirectly caused his bond with the Shell-Opening Blade. 15

Story Role / Major Arcs

Seal of the Four-Colored Horse

Jules is initially suspected of being the mysterious Corpse Mover due to his connection to Philip Dalmans and the corpse-moving case. 5 9 Ye Yan eventually finds him through the Luck Compass, confirming their blood relationship. 13

Jules urges Ye Yan to flee to the New Continent, but accepts his nephew's refusal and agrees to help expose the Sunset Church's mastermind. 13 When Ye Yan uses the Shell-Opening Blade to enter the cult's church, Jules witnesses the Blade respond to Ye Yan with a closeness it had never shown him. 15

Samsara Bookstore

After moving in with Ye Yan at Apartment 222, Jules doubts that a bookstore can be profitable but supports Ye Yan's plan to establish Samsara Bookstore. He promises to pull his nephew “back onto the shore” if the venture fails. 18

At the store's grand opening, Jules brings hired muscle disguised as customers to drive away nobles pestering Ye Yan about his supernatural abilities. 37

Witch Lane Incident

When Ye Yan brings the unconscious Julie home, Jules rapidly shifts from teasing his nephew to treating her as an immediate threat. He finds a hidden needle on her, restrains her with anchor chain, and plans further precautions against her spellcasting. 44

Later Activities

Jules continues managing and protecting Samsara Bookstore while Ye Yan pursues studies and occult matters. He takes over the shop when Ye Yan investigates the St. Pancras Church fire report. 49

Notable Quotes

“Don't be afraid of capsizing. No matter where you fall, your uncle will fish you back onto the shore.” 18

“My nephew's gone off to be a stupid savior, but his uncle is a complete and utter bastard!” 15

“I can proudly announce that I am the uncle of the Spirit Detective!” 36

Trivia

• Jules's original oyster knife became a Curio only after years of use and the circumstances of the Sunset Church sacrifice. 15
• He believes a detective can reveal truth through force or charm rather than deduction alone. 36
• Jules is deeply proud of Ye Yan's growing fame in the Mystic Realm, particularly because it improves how the Administration treats him. 36
• His misunderstanding of Ye Yan's admiration for Fabre nearly leads him to consider preemptively assassinating the scholar. 50