Daan Maes

*This page might contain spoilers. Proceed at your own discretion.*

## Description

Daan is Tino's cousin. He works as a valet. He doesn't currently have a master, but he is aiming to be Lynt's valet.

## History

Like Tino, Daan comes from the House of Maes. The House of Maes as served the House of Akedia for many generations. Children that are born into the House of Maes are trained to be valets from the moment they start walking. All children of similar age are also required to attend a valet academy run by the House of Maes. They also aim to receive a distinction called the Primi Ordinis. Only the most elite of butlers from the House of Maes receives the title of Primi Ordinis which allows them to serve the ruler of Akedia.

Daan and Tino trained together at the valet academy run by the House of Maes since they were close in age. His skills were exceptional and he was better at Tino at everything. Daan's goal was to become Lynt's valet. However, Tino had the privilege of being the son of Styn who is King Liam's valet. So, it was expected that the position as Lynt's valet would go to Tino. Tino didn't like conflict and disliked competing with the other kids in the House of Maes. He also believed that Daan was better suited to the position and that he would eventually be the one who would become Lynt's valet. Therefore, Tino didn't seriously try to compete for the role of Lynt's valet. There was never a decisive moment where they seriously competed over who would become the head of the House of Maes and gain the title of Primi Ordinis, so both of these things remained in Tino's hands. Daan couldn't accept that since Tino had these things without even trying. He started acting like he was superior to Tino and often hit Tino out of frustration. Daan also only did that when no one else was around. Tino became so traumatized by being hit that he still cowers in fear even from Daan threatening to hit him. In the end, a young Lynt ended up choosing Tino as his valet instead of Daan.

As an adult, Daan still can't accept Tino as Lynt's valet and starts scheming up plans to become Lynt's valet. When a new ruin was uncovered in Akedia, Daan made sure that he was chosen to come to The Isle of Colde to bring Lynt back to Akedia to study the ruins. He briefly stayed at The Royal Academy of Concordia while Lynt was making preparations to return home. He acted as a perfect, elegant, and polite valet in front of all the princes and their valets in order to show that he was better than Tino. This resulted in Daan receiving a lot of praise from all the princes and valets which made Tino feel anxious. However, Daan continued to act condescendingly towards Tino when no one else was around. Lynt then revealed that Daan would be accompanying him as his valet during his return to Akedia to Tino's shock. Dan has a smug look on his face as if he had won over Tino. When MC convinves Tino to speak his mind about wanting to accompany Lynt back to Akedia, Daan yells at Tino. Daan sternly tells Tino that a proper valet wouldn't prioritize their own wishes over their master's wishes.

On the day that Lynt was supposed to return back from Akedia, Lynt doesn't arrive and Tino gets worried. Tino sends lots of letters to Akedia to inquire about Lynt's well-being. However, none of his letters received any replies. A few days later, Daan arrives at the academy without Lynt. Daan tells Tino that Lynt is fine and lies that Lynt had received all of Tino's letters. It is also revealed that Daan had a spy in the academy that told him about how a few students saw Tino surrounded by a magical aura after he fell on top of MC. When Tino and MC chase after Daan to interrogate him about there being no replies to Tino's letters, they end up in the back-alleys of the town. Daan had hired some thugs to grab MC. He also somehow had a crystal artifact that came from the Akedian Ruins. The crystal turns white when someone tells the truth and turns black when someone lies. Daan knew that Tino didn't want to be Lynt's valet at first. So, he used to the crystal and asked Tino if he had always wanted to be Lynt's valet. Tino hesitated in answering. Tino currently loves being Lynt's valet, but he knows that he didn't want to be Lynt's valet when he was younger. Tino ended up answering that he has always wanted to be Lynt's valet and the crystal turns black. Daan then scornfully laughs at Tino and keeps emphasizing how Tino is lying about wanting to be Lynt's valet. He tells Tino that he doesn't deserve to be Lynt's valet since he didn't want to be Lynt's valet at first.

Daan then starts to attack Tino. He uses magic and slams Tino into a wall. MC is able to break free of the thugs and run to Tino's side. She heals Tino's injuries by kissing him. After he sees Tino's injuries heal and how Tino gained a magical aura, he forces MC to kiss him despite her resistance. Tino is angry that Daan touched his paramour, so they start fighting each other with magic. Since Tino was also powered up by MC's magic, the battle between Daan and Tino end up in a draw. But, Daan reveals that he attacked Tino to buy some time in order to prevent Tino from being able to attend the Rite of Devotion ceremony.

The next morning, Tino and MC receive permission from Headmaster Lou to travel to Akedia. They find out that the ceremony is supposed to happen today. Tino predicts that Daan probably had made countermeasures to prevent them from entering through the front entrance of the palace. So, Tino suggests that he use magic to fly himself and MC onto the Akedia Castle balcony where the ceremony is taking place. When they land on the balcony, everyone is surprised. Daan tries to turn everyone against Tino by claiming that Tino was interrupting a sacred ceremony since he couldn't accept not being Lynt's official valet. He exclaims that Tino didn't reply to any of the letters that Lynt sent him and made Lynt worry about him. Daan also claims that Tino was busy spending time with MC instead of being with his master. The crowd of Akedian citizens that were watching the ceremony believe Daan's words and start to criticize Tino. Tino turns to Lynt with a serious face. He tells Lynt that he sincerely wants to be his valet, not just because Lynt had saved him when he was younger, but because he truly wants to be by his side as his valet. Lynt asks Tino if that is what he truly wants and he says yes. Daan then tries to accuse Tino of just wanting to be Lynt's valet for the prestige. Since Daan claims Tino just wants prestige, Lynt tells him to use the crystal artifact he has to see if Tino is telling the truth or not. Daan tries to feign ignorance. But, Lynt says that he got suspicious when Tino didn't reply to any of his letters, so he conducted an investigation. It is implied that Lynt knows that Daan hid all those letters. The crystal ends up turning white which meant that Tino was telling the truth. Lynt then declares that Tino will be his official valet and Daan walks away dejectedly.

## Personality

Daan acts elegant and polite in front of others, but condescending in front of Tino and those who get in the way of his goal. He is also very scheming and will do anything to accomplish his goal of becoming Lynt's valet. When Lynt had gone back to Akedia to study some newly uncovered ruins, he went out of his way to make sure that none of Tino's letters reached Lynt in Akedia. Daan also lied to the royal family and all the Akedian citizens that Tino was the one who didn't reply to any of Lynt's letters. He also hired thugs to capture MC and beat up Tino in order to prevent him from arriving in time for the Primi Oridinis ceremony. This was so that he would be deemed as Lynt's official valet by default.

## Relationships

### Tino Maes

Daan and Tino don't get along very well. During their days at the valet academy, Daan would always be better than Tino at everything. So, Daan started thinking of himself as superior to Tino. From then on, Daan would talk in a condescending way towards Tino when no one else was around. It is implied that Daan also hit Tino a lot as Tino cowers away in fear just from Daan threatening to hit him. When Tino was chosen as Lynt's valet, Daan became jealous of Tino, believing that Tino wasn't deserving of that position. Daan believed that he should be Lynt's valet since he was more qualified to receive the distinction of Primi Ordinis.

## Trivia

* Dan somehow has an round green crystal artifact from the ruins in Akedia. This artifact turns white if someone tells the truth and black if someone is lying.