| Oliver Grosseteste | |
|---|---|
 Picture not available | |
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Japanese Name |
オリヴァー・グロステステ |
|
Romanized Name |
Orivā Gurosutesute |
|
Nickname(s)/Alias(es) |
Chief Inspector (警部 Keibu) Old man (オッサン Ossan) |
|
Debut |
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|
Voice actor |
N/A |
|
Status |
Alive |
Oliver Grosseteste is a chief inspector tasked with catching Mithril at Ben Arkin’s castle and later at the Asquith castle. Grosseteste is Hal and Flamberge’s acquaintance. He also introduces himself as a police officer to Hugh and Dalian, while investigating a case involving the book of the Kasuruhau. He is present in the Phantom Book Thief, Disaster and Temptation and Vignette of Eternal Twilight stories.
Background[]
Grosseteste met Hal and Flamberge in the past. The chief inspector knows about the Book Burning Officers. A few days before the main events of Phantom Book Thief, the police got a warning letter from Mithril, saying that she would steal a valuable Phantom Book from Ben Arkin. The police surrounded Ben’s castle in preparation for catching the thief.[1] Grosseteste knew Wesley, and he knows about the Biblioprincess. The bibliomaniac used to help the police in cases related to Phantom Books.[2] Mithril escaped the police many times. As consequence, Grosseteste and other policemen are reprimanded and their salaries are cut by their bosses.[3]
Personality[]
He has a serious, irritable personality. The inspector is focused on his job. He may lose his temper during the investigation. Swollen veins are seen in his temples. He grits his teeth in anger.[1] He may become quite tired during an investigation, but he shows excitement when his job is over. Grosseteste finds difficult to listen to lies or non-sense, but he musters all his patience to act professionally. He loathes everyone who puts the police on the wrong track. He can be a very polite man. The fact that he’s a smoker makes Dalian especially rude. Her attitude makes him irritated. The inspector doesn’t believe in superstitions or aliens. He admires Hugh for his knowledge about Phantom Books, but at the same time relying on a civilian hurts his pride.[2] Grosseteste is always trying to keep the agressive Harban under control.[3]
Appearance[]
He’s a middle-aged man wearing a tweed hunting hat.[1] He wears himself nicely with a grey business suit.[2]
Plot[]
Phantom Book Thief[]
Hal and Flamberge want access to Ben’s castle, but the police is surrounding the place in order to catch Mithril, the Phantom Book Thief. A detective starts to question them, suspecting the couple. Grosseteste leaves the fortress through the gate to intervene. Hal and Flamberge recognize the chief inspector. Grosseteste ensures his subordinate that the couple has no association with Mithril. Grosseteste tells the young detective that he met Hal and Flamberge in the past. Grosseteste knows why the Book Burning Officer came. Grosseteste tells Hal that Phantom Books aren't related to the case. Grosseteste asks Hal to leave for today.
Soon after, Hal rescues Elisha, Ben’s daughter, from the Scarlet Robe. They bring the unconscious girl to castle’s gates, where policemen and servants were discussing about the abduction. At first the inspector is angry for seeing the couple again. But once he sees Elisha, he decides to allow Hal and Flamberge inside the castle. At the castle’s yard, while Elisha’s health is checked by her personal doctor Yuna, Grosseteste tells Flamberge that the young girl has a poor health. He seems uninterested, since he's there to catch a thief, not to protect Elisha. When Yuna asks about Elisha’s savior, the inspector reluctantly points at Hal.
Six policemen and two servants are killed during the attack of the Scarlet Robe, at the castle’s library. Grosseteste calls headquarters, asking for reinforcements, but that will take time. After the massacre, everyone gathers at Ben’s office. Hal tells everyone what happened, but Grosseteste has difficulty accepting it. According to the Book Burning Officer, Grosseteste’s subordinates were killed by Elisha’s doppelgänger. Hal surprises Grosseteste with the theory that the soul of someone inside the castle is trying to possess Elisha. Everyone run to the guest room after a scream is heard. After regaining consciousness, Elisha saw a bloody dress hung on the wall with a silver knife. Grosseteste explodes in anger. The police should have prevented that. The inspector grits his teeth, noticing the griffin on the handle of the knife. It's another warning from Mithril.
Ben shows the door of the basement where he locked his sister Hildegard thirteen years ago. A young detective, Grosseteste’s subordinate, opens the door, but backs away, struggling with nausea. The inspector, also nauseated, finds out that the floor of the basement is covered with bones. When Hildegard uses her familiars to attack, Grosseteste calls for Hal, as if asking him to do his job. During the combat, Grosseteste’s subordinate reappears to steal Hildegard’s Phantom Book, for the inspector's surprise. The young detective seems a different person. It’s revealed that the man is one of Mithril’s disguises.
After Hildegard’s soul is destroyed, Grosseteste orders the removal of all the remains inside the basement. He registers the skeletons as victims of the serial killer Hildegard. The existence of her Phantom Book and powers never went public. Ben was accused of murdering his own sister and hiding the evidence. [1]
Disaster and Temptation[]
Grosseteste visits Dunstan’s clinic to interrogate the doctor about the strange events surrounding a mysterious book. The inspector had troublesome days, so he is visibly tired. The doctor asks about his valuable book. Grosseteste shows several photographs depicting an old book. The police had found Dunstan’s book, but the item would stay with the authorities during the investigation. The bank confirmed that Dunstan bought the book from a used bookstore in the capital, for a large amount of money. Dunstan’s incredible story tests Grosseteste’s patience. The doctor reveals that the book belongs to the Kasuruhau, a species of aliens from Venus. Dunstan warns Grosseteste that the book curses people who are not blessed by the Kasuruhau. Filled with anger and disbelief, Grosseteste leaves the clinic.
Later, the inspector knocks on the door of the Disward estate. He removes his hat, shows his badge and introduces himself to Hugh. Grosseteste knows that Wesley died. The inspector wants advice from Hugh, the grandson of the bibliomaniac. Wesley used to help the police in cases related to Phantom Books. Hugh notices that Grosseteste is holding an old book. The inspector lets out a sad laugh. According to him, the book belongs to aliens, bringing misfortune to its owner.
In the living room, Grosseteste sets fire to the tip of a cigar. She notices Dalian behind a sofa, hiding like a wary animal. In a whisper, she tells him not to touch the book with his smelly fingers. Annoyed, he tries to ignore her. He puts out his cigar after noticing that Hugh is unwell. Dalian notices that Grosseteste is distracted and reaches for the book, but the inspector snatches it first. Dalian angrily returns to behind the sofa. Grosseteste tells Hugh about a case under investigation, disclosing confidential information. Kempson and Hobbes were supposedly attacked by an alien monster. Dunstan was also beaten. All three men were once owners of that book. According to Dunstan, the alien book curses those not blessed by the aliens. Even policemen were involved in bloodbaths while carrying the book. Grosseteste doesn’t believe in superstitions but, if the book is somehow magical, he hopes that an expert like the Biblioprincess can examine it. The inspector goes away, leaving the book behind on the table of the living room.
Hugh eventually returned the book to Grosseteste. The former learned that the smell of the book makes people become infatuated. The inspector returned to the Disward estate one week later to excitingly describe how the police managed to finish the investigation thanks to Hugh’s information. The smell from the book had caused a lot of problem. Grosseteste bitterly remembers how Kempson and Hobbes tried to put the police on the wrong track. The inspector wonders why the book is about aliens. If it works like a love potion, it would make more sense to be a book about romance. According to Hugh, perhaps the book was really written by aliens. Grosseteste laughs, as if he had just heard a joke. The inspector thanks Hugh for the help. Grosseteste admires Hugh and deems him a worthy grandson.[2]
Vignette of Eternal Twilight[]
Hugh and Dalian visit the Asquith castle to search for the Vignette of Eternal Twilight during the Marquise's birthday. However, the police are interrogating everyone at the entrance. Harban argues with Hugh. The tense moment is interrupted when Inspector Grosseteste recognizes Hugh from the distance. He introduces Hugh as the grandson of Wesley Disward. Harban still suspects of Hugh, but Grosseteste apologizes for the harsh behavior. Grosseteste asks Hugh if he knows something about the Phantom Book. Hugh only knows about rumors. Grosseteste explains that the police is guarding the Vignette of Eternal Twilight, although they don't know if the Phantom Book really exists. Mithril had sent a letter to the police, warning them that she would steal a Phantom Book from the Asquith castle.
At the library, Grosseteste and Harban approach Hugh. Grosseteste forces a smile. Hugh empathizes with the inspector. The latter is frustrated because it's difficult to find Mithril, a master in disguise, among so many guests. It's uncertain whether the Phantom Book sought by the thief really exists. Hugh tells Grosseteste everything he knows about the Vignette of Eternal Twilight. For Grosseteste's surprise, Hugh knows that, years earlier, people have disappeared in the Asquith castle while looking for the Phantom Book. The inspector affirms that the police never found a culprit.
If more information about the Vignette of Eternal Twilight is revealed, perhaps catching Mithril would become easier. According to Grosseteste, Mithril uses disguises to hide and escape. Sometimes the thief sends warning letters before the crime. Sometimes the thief pretends to be a police officer. Harban affirms that the police is punished every time Mithril escapes. Grosseteste asks Harban to be quiet. Grosseteste is certain that Mithril is inside the castle. Harban suspects Dalian and Shura. Grosseteste apologizes for Harban's aggressiveness before leaving.
Grosseteste and his subordinates run to the Marquise's room when she's killed by her own daughter Lyfia. The inspector freezes, surprised by the gruesome scene. Having poisoned herself, Lyfia dies soon after. The police prevents a massive panic by letting people exit the castle in a orderly manner. Grosseteste meets Hugh and Dalian outside the castle. The inspector is happy because Detective Marchbanks had captured Mithril. According to the inspector, the thief is locked, without the Phantom Book she uses to change her appearance. However, Hugh reveals that Marchbanks is Mithril's henchman, and that the thief probably escaped. The police had a fake Phantom Book. Grosseteste freezes with his mouth open. He wipes his sweaty forehead. He hastily says goodbye and runs away to find the thief. He stumbles a couple of times before disappearing into the castle.
Hugh didn't told Grosseteste that Mithril was disguised as Shura. Hugh owns Mithril. After all, the thief helped in the destruction of the world inside the Vignette of Eternal Twilight. The real Shura was locked inside a closet, guarded by policemen. Grosseteste forgot to order her release.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 5, volume 4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 1, volume 7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 3, volume 8.