| Latham’s Rich Men | |
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 Picture not available | |
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Japanese Name |
ベントリー |
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Romanized Name |
Bentorī |
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Nickname(s)/Alias(es) |
- |
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Debut |
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Voice actor |
- |
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Status |
Deceased |
Bentley, Lord Haycroft, Smythe, Vernon and McGuigan’s father were rich men responsible for the development of the Latham Archipelago. They are part of the Book of Humanization and Paradise stories.
Background[]
They were ordinary men who became rich by doing business with the military. The five men allowed the disposal of metal tanks filled with chemical weapons on the Latham Archipelago. Later, the tanks leaked poison gas into the water, killing every local sea devil, except for Lecia.[1] Years later, Oriana found the map pointing to the location of a supposed treasure at her father Haycroft's study. She gave it to her lover Dean, a fisherman who was looking forward to buy his own boat. However, he and other young men found only a cave filled with poison gas. The place was walled up by the military, so no one knows the details about the tragedy.[2]
The five men used the acquired fortune to turn the island into a famous resort, boosting the local economy, although not everyone was able to keep up with the changes. In the past, there were only fishermen around. Now, the place was welcoming many tourists. The five men became famous and influential. Rumors say that the men became rich after killing the sea devils and stealing their treasure.
Fifteen years later, after the death of McGuigan’s father, the four remaining men accepted doing business with the military once again. They started a movement which ended up stopping the development of the southern part of the island. They earned many haters because of that. Publicly, they affirmed that they wished to preserve the ecosystem. However, they were only trying to make space for the disposal of more chemical weapons.
McGuigan decided to kill the four men to prevent history from repeating itself. He used an anti-tank rifle to eliminated Smythe and Bentley from a distance. Smythe was aboard one of his ships when McGuigan shot his head off. Smythe had a heavy security around him. Bentley was fishing on a personal yacht with his friends. Bentley was left alone for a couple of minutes, so McGuigan used the opportunity to kill him. A huge hole was opened in Bentley’s stomach. Due to the circumstances of their deaths, it’s rumored that both were killed by sea devils.[1] Haycroft arranged Bentley’s funeral.[2]
Smythe owned a large shipyard where steam-powered vessels are built. He had many passenger and cargo ships, including one which used to leave the capital and reach the Latham Archipelago within one hour. He had an unmistakably watch which he bought for a fortune. Vernon had a cargo ship named Blue Coral (ブルー・コーラル Burū Kōraru). Haycroft lived in a rich area, on the highest hill of the island. He had a large, remarkable, snow-white house surrounded by an impressive garden and with many luxuries such as expensive vases, sculptures and painting. Golden leaves are used as ornaments in wallpapers and handrails.[1] He was the head of the fishermen’s union in the Latham Archipelago. He also ran a large farm in the island. He’s usually surrounded by strong bodyguards. He knew about the existence of the Biblioprincesses.[2]
Haycroft’s daughter Oriana disappeared. After the death of her lover Dean, she left home in search of the place created by the Book of Paradise, where she will be able to relive the happy moments she had with him. Haycroft’s subordinates vanished while looking for her. In order to find her, Haycroft requested the services of a Book Burning Officer.[2]
Personality[]
Although he looks like a gentleman interested in the island’s development, Haycroft is a cold and cruel person who only cares about his financial success. He hurts McGuigan and Lecia without hesitation. He has no sympathy for the sea devils, deeming them as bothersome monsters. He spends his fortune with fanciful, luxurious and tasteless possessions.[1] Islanders have no good opinion of him. The cunning man speaks majestically.[2]
Appearance[]
Haycroft is a grey-haired, old gentleman with a kind, calm and energetic expression.[1][2]
Plot[]
Paradise[]
Haycroft requested the services of a Book Burning Officer. Aboard the ship to the Latham Archipelago, Hal learns that Haycroft became rich after finding the treasure of the sea devils, as rumors say. The Lord is responsible for the island’s development. Hal and Flamberge easily find Haycroft’s luxurious house. A servant takes them to the reception room. After half an hour, Haycroft shows up, protected by bodyguards. The Lord apologizes for the waiting. He was arranging the funeral of one of his acquaintances.
Haycroft recognizes Flamberge as a Biblioprincess. He tells the couple about the disappearance of his daughter Oriana. She had left home to search for the Book of Paradise. The Phantom Book creates a paradise said to be the Holy Land of the Sea Devils. Haycroft describes the creatures with displeasure. He had sent his subordinates to find her, but they never returned. Hal decides to search for the Phantom Book. With luck, he may also rescue Oriana. Haycroft waves his hand. His bodyguards give a metal box with Oriana’s possession to Hal and Flamberge.
At the port, Hal and Flamberge see a crowd looking at some policemen who were carrying the body of Smythe from a ship. Smythe apparently was killed by sea devils. However, the couple does not investigate. While interrogating the owner of the Driftwood Pavilion, Hal learns that not everyone benefited from the development made by Haycroft and his partners. Many fishermen lost their jobs after demand for fish disappeared. Some used Paradise Pieces to live in the past. It's also revealed that Dean, Oriana's lover, wished to find the same treasure that Haycroft and his partners supposedly took from the sea devils. Oriana found the map with the location at her father's office and gave it to Dean. He and other young men followed the map but, in their last moments, found only a cave filled with poison gas. No one knows the details, since the place was walled up by the military.[2]
Book of Humanization[]
Instead of using a large, nice vessel as planned, Hugh and Dalian had to board a small, old ship to reach the Latham Archipelago. At the port, they learned the reason for the inconvenience. Smythe had died aboard his own ship, the one which takes people from the capital to the island. The headless body is removed by policemen. Lucrece recognizes his expensive watch. According to her, Smythe was a rich man, famous locally, owner of a large shipyard. People around believe that he was killed by sea devils. Inspired by the mystery novel she’s reading, Dalian suggests that Smythe was killed by someone from his own crew, someone who was after money.
Later, McGuigan tells Hugh that Smythe was not the only victim. A few days ago, Bentley went fishing with his friends on his personal yacht. Bentley was left alone for a couple of minutes. When the others returned, they found Bentley’s corpse with a huge hole in the stomach. Next to the port, Lucrece also shares some information that she heard at the hotel. It’s said that Smythe, Bentley, Vernon, Haycroft and McGuigan’s late father were ordinary men who suddenly became rich. Apparently, they killed the local sea devils and stole their treasure. That’s how they boosted the island’s economy fifteen years ago. Due to the circumstances of their deaths, it seems like only sea devils would be able to kill them. Perhaps the monsters returned to have their revenge. Lucrece also reveals that Smythe and the others have many haters. After all, the men were part of a movement who prevented the development of the southern part of the island. Officially, their reason for doing that was to preserve the ecosystem.
Suddenly, fishermen surround a lifeboat on the shore. Inside it, there’s a sailor in bloody clothes. Hugh questions a fisherman about what happened. According to the man, Vernon was afraid of becoming the next victim, so he tried to escape to the kingdom. However, his ship sunk. The sailor was the only survivor.
In the evening, Hugh, Dalian and Lecia return to McGuigan’s castle, but the place is stormed by Haycroft’s men. An explosion makes the fortress around the building collapse. Another one destroys part of the castle. The attackers manage to kidnap Lecia, who is revealed to be a sea devil during the shooting. She’s taken to Haycroft’s house. After the confrontation, McGuigan explains that Haycroft wants to publicly expose Lecia as the killer of Smythe and the others. McGuigan also reveals that, fifteen years ago, his own father partnered with Haycroft and the others to deal with the military, who was looking for a place to bury metal tanks containing chemical weapons. Haycroft and the others received a large sum of money. However, eventually the tanks leaked poison gas into the water, killing the local sea devils, except for Lecia.
Hugh unexpectedly asks why McGuigan had killed Smythe and the others. It’s revealed that McGuigan used an anti-tank rifle to kill the men from his own room, which faces the sea. The victims were aboard their ships, drifting slowly along well-defined routes to avoid the rocks around the island, so they were easy targets. McGuigan also used his seaplane to sink Vernon’s ship. McGuigan flies off to rescue Lecia. Hugh, Dalian and Lucrece go after him. The trio easily finds Haycroft’s house, since the place started to burn after McGuigan attack. Hugh gives some documents to Lucrece. He tells her to leave for the capital immediately and sent the documents by mail. Inside the house, Hugh and Dalian hear a gunshot.
Hugh and Dalian find McGuigan bleeding on the floor of a large room. Haycroft is sat on a sofa, holding Lecia at his feet as a hostage. She had been tied with chains. Hugh introduces himself as a friend of McGuigan and Lecia. Haycroft can’t understand how someone can befriend a monster. As Hugh deduced, Haycroft and the others have been contacted by the military once again. That’s why Haycroft and his partners stopped the development of the southern part of the island. McGuigan was trying to prevent history from repeating itself. Haycroft doesn’t care if the chemicals leak once again. In fact, according to him, it will be a good thing if more sea devils are killed.
Haycroft affirms that the chemicals will be buried on the island no matter what. It will be a cheap disposal method for the military, after all. Hugh tells Haycroft that he can still give up. Documents about the events from fifteen years ago are about to reach a journalist in Jutland. Even the military can't censor foreign newspapers. Haycroft refuses. Six veteran soldiers at his service surround Hugh and Dalian. They are the ones mediating between Haycroft and the military. Satisfied, Haycroft shoots McGuigan’s foot to convince Hugh not to go public.
Haycroft almost falls when a high-frequency sound fills the air. Lecia cries, making the same noise. Haycroft steps on her head to stop her. Dalian explains that Lecia is not the only fantastic creature using the Book of Humanization to take a human form. Haycroft drops his revolver when a tentacle easily breaks his arm. Haycroft and his soldiers are restrained by sea devils, including Lucrece. Haycroft screams. He dies suffocated, with an expression of horror frozen on his face. Lucrece tells McGuigan to blame the sea devils for the deaths. However, McGuigan is decided to reveal the truth.[1]
Trivia[]
- Haycroft is referred as "nouveau riche", meaning "new rich".[1][2] It's a term used, usually derogatory, to describe those whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. It describes the vulgarity and ostentation of the newly rich man or woman who lacks the worldly experience and values of inherited wealth, such as nobility.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 3, light novel 6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 4, light novel 6.
- ↑ Nouveau riche. (2020, March 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:15, June 20, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nouveau_riche&oldid=943847647