Ijekiel Alpheus/Timeline

## Background

As a child, Roger brought Jennette home where he told Ijekiel to take care of her. The two grew up alongside each other until eventually he was sent to study abroad in Arlanta boarding school. After his encounter with Athanasia, he would often return to the blessed place where they first met, in hopes of meeting her again.

## The Lovely Princess

At Athanasia’s debutante ball, Ijekiel and Roger publicly revealed Jennette as Claude’s ‘daughter’. Ijekiel encouraged Jennette to cheer up and offered her a dance as it was her special day. Eventually, with the emperor’s blessing, Jennette and Ijekiel got engaged to each other. At some point, Jennette introduced Ijekiel to Athanasia at the palace. Ijekiel became enamoured with Athanasia at first sight. After her death, Ijekiel comforted his grieving fiancée and the two supposedly lived happily ever after.

## Story

### **Season 1**

As if by fate, Athanasia descends from the sky and Ijekiel inadvertently cushions her fall, leading to their providential first encounter. He gazes into Athanasia's jewel blue eyes and wonders aloud if he is seeing an angel. Roger drops by to check up on his son and Athanasia scurries to hide. Ijekiel informs his father he is outside searching for Jennette. After his father leaves, Athanasia remains obscured from sight and instructs him to maintain his distance. He nicknames her 'Lady Angel' as her appearance was reminiscent of an angel. Athanasia suggests he should console Jennette as she was upset but Ijekiel confides he is unsure how to comfort a crying girl. Their conversation draws to a close when Athanasia gets teleported back.

At their second encounter, Athanasia tumbles out of the fireplace. He dusts the mess off her dress and notices her red eyes. He expresses concern over her sudden disappearance but was glad she made it back where she came from. Athanasia admits she returned to properly say goodbye to him. To test his knowledge, she instructs him to recite complex theories in several different languages and he astounds her with his erudite intellect. Before they can further familiarise with each other, Jennette calls for Ijekiel from outside the room and insists on going to the greenhouse with him. He concedes before requesting Athanasia to await his return. At the greenhouse, Ijekiel notifies her of his departure to Arlanta for his studies and the two share an emotional farewell.

Several years pass, their next meeting occurs identical to their first encounter but this time he is prepared to catch her. He greets her, telling her he missed her. After promising to keep their meetings a secret, he escorts her to his secret garden to avoid interruptions. Ever since their first fateful encounter, he would always visit the place where they met in hopes of meeting her again. As the wind blows against them, Ijekiel tenderly places a flower in her hair before she is suddenly teleported back again. They become formally acquainted at Athanasia's debutante ball where he asks her for a dance. As they dance, Ijekiel mentions the emperor’s renowned love for his daughter as he can sense Claude directing a cold glare at his back. Despite being aware of Athanasia's true identity as a princess, he behaves as if their prior meetings never occurred. Their dance concludes with Ijekiel stating he looks forward to their next meeting.

After the ball, Ijekiel defends Jennette while she is being reprimanded by his father. He tells him to save the scolding for tomorrow as it was her debutante ball too. Ijekiel next meets Athanasia by trespassing into her private library, he teases Athanasia won’t press charges against him as they are even from the times she infringed on his property. However, once she compares him to his father, Ijekiel apologises for his overt tone of speech. Before he can step closer to her, Lucas interjects in between them. Perturbed by the new arrival, he demands for him to identify himself. Lucas rebuttals that he takes orders from no one except the emperor and the princess. To mediate between the two, Athanasia attempts to mollify the thick tension but evidently takes Lucas’ side. Offended, Ijekiel questions if the magician was hand-chosen as her playmate over him. While returning Athanasia’s book to her, he comments she owns some very interesting books in her library. As he gets closer, he whispers he will be waiting for the honour of an invitation to her tea party, and he takes his leave. At some point, he and Jennette dine out together in a restaurant. He suggests they should check out a ribbon shop nearby as it is not often Jennette is permitted to go out. Eventually, Ijekiel and Athanasia cross paths at a bird shop. He inquires if they met before but Athanasia passes a birdcage to him, swiftly making her escape before he can discern her face. When the shopkeeper asks about her whereabouts, he simply smiles saying she has flown the coop.

### **Season 2**

During Claude’s birthday banquet, Ijekiel and his father watch in horror as Claude publicly renounces Athanasia as his daughter. Against his father’s order, Ijekiel pursues Athanasia after she takes her leave. He apologises for his impropriety and tenderly slips her shoe back on. As she begins to shed tears, she pleads for him to not look at her face. He promises her he sees nothing. Upon his return, Roger rebukes Ijekiel for chasing after the princess in risk of angering the emperor. For the first time in his life, Ijekiel asserts himself against his father. He declares he has no desire to see the person he cares about cry again, and he can no longer stand idly by and watch.

Following Rosalia’s subsequent death, Ijekiel consoles the grieving Jennette who is forbidden from attending her aunt’s funeral. He accedes her request to give Rosalia flowers in her stead. Throughout Athanasia’s disappearance, Ijekiel strives hard to locate Athanasia’s whereabouts. He drops by his house to check up on Jennette and informs her he will be departing again the next day. While he is asking around, Anastacius excuses himself past Ijekiel without sparing a glance. Skeptical, Ijekiel ruminates on whether the mysterious man’s sudden appearance at the debut in conjunction with his corresponding sojourn at the Alpheus Residence is all truly a coincidence.

While getting dressed, Athanasia accidentally teleports into his room. With nowhere to stay, Ijekiel offers for her to reside in one of the guest rooms inside his house and make sure no servants come in. Upon Jennette’s return, Ijekiel notifies her of Athanasia’s refuge within the Alpheus estate, unaware that Jennette already knew about her presence. He excuses himself so he and Jennette can discuss about her meeting with the emperor. He politely engages in small talk, and is surprised by Jennette’s downtrodden mood. Ijekiel advises her to be careful with Athanasia as she has been through a lot. He returns to check up on Athanasia where he brings some recommended books for her to read. During her stay at the Alpheus mansion, Ijekiel would often drop by to chat with her. The two go for a stroll through the gardens to lift Athanasia’s mood. Enamoured by her beauty, he reaches out for her but becomes flustered when she asks if there is something on her face.

After Athanasia’s return to the palace, Ijekiel requests an audience with her and she thanks him for everything he has done for her. As the two converse over tea together, Ijekiel expresses he wishes to be of help to her even if it’s just a little. Moved by his benevolence, she mentions she understands why Jennette frequently talks about him. Ijekiel explains he perceives Jennette as his little sister to which she replies he would have helped anyone the same way he helped her. He responds overtly he would have not done this for anyone but acknowledges it is good to help those in need. Surprised by how upfront he is being about his feelings, their conversation falls into an awkward silence which is then interrupted by a significantly taller Lucas entering the room to escort her out. As Athanasia excuses herself, Ijekiel offers to see her out but Lucas places himself between them, warning him he should head back. Lucas shows off in front of Ijekiel by getting intimately close to Athanasia’s face, feigning worry over if she caught a fever. Before they can take their leave, Ijekiel kisses her hand, thanking her for spending time with him. Back at home, Ijekiel is forthright to Jennette about his feelings towards the princess which is very different from his feelings for her. He confesses Athanasia is the most important person in his life right now and Jennette voices her understanding and he leaves the room, unaware that Anastacius was watching over their conversation.

### **Season 3**

Ijekiel cautiously observes Anastacius and Jennette’s conversation from the window as he questions Anastacius’ motive for spending a lot of time with Jennette. Later, Ijekiel reports to Roger there is an informant spreading rumours about the emperor’s debilitating health amongst high society. As Roger nonchalantly dismisses it as unimportant, Ijekiel grows increasingly suspicious of his father’s abnormal behaviour and the bandage wrapped around his father’s hand. Before leaving his office, Ijekiel inquires if Roger wants to fill his empty tea cup with rum to which he agrees much to Ijekiel’s perplexity as Roger never drinks rum especially during work hours.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 81
2. ↑ Episode 21
3. ↑ Episode 22
4. ↑ Episode 23
5. ↑ Episode 25
6. ↑ Episode 26
7. ↑ Episode 31
8. ↑ Episode 34
9. ↑ Episode 37
10. ↑ Episode 38
11. ↑ Episode 40
12. ↑ Episode 41
13. ↑ Episode 51
14. ↑ Episode 52
15. ↑ Episode 55
16. ↑ Episode 58
17. ↑ Episode 62
18. ↑ Episode 63
19. ↑ Episode 64
20. ↑ Episode 74
21. ↑ Episode 75
22. ↑ Episode 78
23. ↑ Episode 84
24. ↑ Episode 85