Duke Renka
What?! Our Family Descends from an Eldritch God?
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Renka Orich North 4 5 |
| Alias(es) | Duke Renka; Rose Duke, a title associated with the rose on his family's coat of arms 4 38 |
| Species/Race | Human with distant elven ancestry 5 10 |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | North family, whose true surname is Night; Holy Chris Empire 1 12 |
| Occupation/Role | Duke of the Norse Duchy; Eros's father and guide to the family's mystical heritage 1 6 7 |
| First Appearance | Appears directly in Chapter 4; previously mentioned as Eros's father in Chapter 1 1 4 |
Background / History
Family Heritage
Renka belongs to the descendants of the Goddess of the Night. He tells Eros that the nine orthodox gods betrayed their ancestor, divided her essence among themselves, and hunted her followers and descendants to prevent her prophesied return. Despite possessing a complete mystical advancement pathway, the family's strongest living members have reached only Sequence 5—Firebearer. Renka attributes this decline to diluted bloodlines and the deaths of powerful ancestors who protected weaker relatives before having children 7 8.
Three hundred years earlier, an ancestor divided the family, with one branch sacrificing itself so the other could enter a church and hide among its subordinate families. The surviving family adopted the surname North while retaining Night as its true surname. Its concealment relies on the bloodline ability Servant of Secrets and divine artifacts left by the goddess 7 12.
Renka also inherited an account that an ancestor had married an elf. His uncle later admits that he had regarded this story as possible boasting because the family lacked a clear record of the marriage. Eros's baptism by an elven deity confirms that the ancestry is genuine 5 10.
Ducal Household
Renka rules the Norse Duchy within the Holy Chris Empire. His lawful wife is Estelle Eureka North, and their children include Wendy and Eros. Eros is the recognized heir to the duchy, while Renka's children by his mistresses lack inheritance rights under the laws described at the beginning of the story 1 2.
His mistresses occupy a separate courtyard and do not dine with the lawful family. Lady Flolica is one of these women and the mother of his fifth daughter, Irina 5 48.
Introducing Eros to the Mystical World
Eros encounters Renka and Flolica in the library after Renka has dismissed the servants to secure privacy. When Eros asks about elves and supernatural abilities, Renka initially jokes about elven women's beauty, then warns that even knowing about the occult is dangerous. He promises to explain once Eros reaches adulthood and informs Estelle of their son's interest 4 5 6.
The day after Eros's eighteenth birthday, Renka leads him through the estate chapel's basement into the Shadow Realm. There, he explains the hidden mystical world, the family's persecution, and the Sequence system before taking Eros to the ancestral church for bloodline baptism 6 7 8.
Renka directs the elders to begin the ritual and watches proudly as its unusually high consumption of spirit marrow reveals Eros's exceptional potential. When Eros disappears and the Silver-White Moon Wheel prevents anyone from approaching, Renka restrains Estelle and reassures her that the artifact's intervention indicates he should be safe. Afterward, he explains how recording Eros's true name in the Book of the Night will conceal his fate from magical searches 8 10 11.
Departure for the Imperial Capital
When Eros asks to gain experience outside the estate, Renka hesitates and consults the elders. Once Estelle is approved to accompany the children, he selects additional companions for the journey 22 24.
Before their airship departs, Renka tells Eros and Wendy to seek help from their eldest brother and fourth sister, who manage the family's affairs in the Imperial Capital. He has already sent notice through Shadow Crow and arranged for the ducal residence there to be prepared. His final reminders include asking Eros to look after Wendy, who immediately insists that she will protect her younger brother instead 26.
Appearance
Personality
Renka combines playful humor with caution about the supernatural. He deflects Eros's first question about elven abilities with a joke, but becomes serious when discussing the danger of forbidden knowledge. He delays his son's initiation until adulthood rather than refusing to share the family's secrets 5 6.
He is deeply proud of his children, especially Eros's exceptional talent. His delight during Eros's baptism is openly visible, and he gives the household servants substantial bonuses on happy family occasions. He trusts Eros's judgment more readily than Wendy's distracted enthusiasm, though he tactfully praises her promise to care for her brother 6 8 12 26.
Renka reveres the Goddess of the Night and expresses anger and contempt toward the orthodox gods he regards as traitors. His confidence in the family's heritage is tempered by embarrassment over its weakened bloodline and limited present-day strength 7 8.
Abilities & Skills
Shadow Realm Access
Renka can open the concealed passage beneath the estate chapel 6.
- Recites an incantation and gathers murky gray light in his right palm.
- Presses the light against the basement wall, turning it pitch-black and allowing passage into the Shadow Realm.
- The realm itself was created by an ancestor, not by Renka 6.
Mystical Knowledge and Ritual Guidance
Renka instructs Eros in the family's supernatural traditions and oversees preparations for his initiation 7 8 11.
- Explains bloodline tracing, baptism, Spirit, and advancement through the Sequence system 7 8 9 13.
- Directs the elders to prepare the baptism formation using spirit marrow 8.
- Identifies the family's three inherited divine artifacts: the Book of the Night, Moon of Eternal Sleep, and Eye of Eternal Night 11.
- Explains that the Book of the Night prevents even a great being from locating a registered person through spells 11.
Relationships
- Estelle Eureka North — Lawful wife and mother of Wendy and Eros. Renka shares concerns about Eros's occult curiosity with her and reassures her during his baptism 1 2 6 10.
- Eros Renka North — Son and heir. Renka introduces him to the family's hidden heritage, supervises his baptism, and helps prepare his departure for the Imperial Capital 1 6 8 26.
- Wendy Renka North — Daughter by Estelle. Renka asks Eros to care for her during their travels, then humorously endorses her insistence that she will care for Eros 2 26.
- Lady Flolica — Mistress and mother of his fifth daughter. Renka introduces her to Eros after their private encounter in the library 4 5.
- Mishuel Renka North — Eldest son; helps manage the family's affairs in the Imperial Capital 26 30.
- Sivier Renka North — Fourth daughter; manages the family's Imperial Capital affairs alongside Mishuel 26 30.
- Irina Renka Night — Fifth daughter, born to Lady Flolica 5 48.
- Family elders — Senior relatives whom Renka consults about Eros's safety and travel arrangements; they also conduct the baptism he initiates 8 22 24.