Carlos Marlon

**Carlos Marlon**, later taking on the name **Karl Lions**, was the third prince of the Kingdom of Marlon and a cook for Banica Conchita. Engaged to Banica as a child, their marriage was cancelled due to Banica's terrifying behavior. Having grown attached to his former fiancee, Carlos took on a false identity in an attempt to steal the duke's red wine glass for the mage ABELLONE. While serving as her chef, the prince aided her in preparing grotesque meals for others and herself, only to later be trapped by her temperate will.

## History

### Early Life

Born in EC 296 in the Kingdom of Marlon, Carlos was a prince of the Marlon Royal Family and the third son of King Charon and Queen Millicent. Due to his weak constitution, he was often unable to excel academically, carry out public duties, train his swordplay, or even play around with other children. Because of this, as well as being third in line for the throne, he was ignored by his family and peers in favor of his older brothers.

In order to cure his physical condition, Carlos would regularly take a medicine passed down through his family, consisting of shavings from their family heirloom Grim the End and the ink of the ziz tiama. As he grew up, Carlos heard stories from his father about how the golden key had been used by their ancestor Karchess Crim to kill the demonic Duke Sateriasis Venomania.

### Royal Engagement

In June of EC 311, Carlos was engaged to the Beelzenian Duke, Banica Conchita. After learning of this news, Carlos argued with his father over the matter, frustrated that he was to be suddenly married, and to a previously disgraced noble family. After a lengthy argument in the palace audience room, he begrudgingly accepted his fate after being threatened with disownment. The next day, in the company of his parents, he was introduced to Banica by her head retainer, Ron Grapple, and behaved sullenly during the meeting.

After Banica and her entourage, including her young servants Arte and Pollo and her personal chef Josef Cucino, had departed, Carlos complained about her gaunt appearance. As he argued that it was insulting for the family head to not greet them as well, he was interrupted by Ron Grapple reentering the room, having overheard. Carlos then listened as Ron explained the circumstances of the Conchita household being due to an awful disease, with Banica's physical appearance being a result of this. Learning of the girl's tragic and lonely childhood, Carlos began to empathize with her plight.

After discussing the matter further with Ron, the prince decided to show Banica around the capital. The next day, as Banica and Carlos toured the city, Carlos asked about Banica's impressions of it before speaking passionately about the war between Marlon and Lioness. As he shared his dream of a unified Marlon, he learned about Banica's dream to travel the world and bring foreign cuisines to Beelzenia. Afterwards, the two returned to the palace and had dinner together; the prince was later surprised by Banica's food expertise when she improved the flavor of their soup with only a drop of Jakokuese sauce.

As the months passed, Carlos warmed up to the idea of marrying Banica and even entertained ideas of traveling the world with her. In February of EC 312, Carlos attended a dinner party celebrating his engagement being made official, although barely paying attention to the political discussions between his parents and Empress Juno Beelzenia. He then noticed as Banica became fixated on a red wine glass that belonged to a mage that had just been captured by his brother Cult.

Once the meal was over, Carlos was horrified as the traumatized Banica, fixated on the amount of leftovers the other guests left behind while all her food had been eaten, began to violently force herself to expel what she had eaten. Not long after, the engagement was cancelled and Carlos was separated from his former fiancee after she returned to Beelzenia.

### Service to the Duke

As time went on, Carlos heard about Banica's culinary exploits and later learned that she had become reinstated as one of the Five Dukes. Desiring to stay close with her, he studied cooking under one of the palace chefs, gaining a degree of skill. Around EC 324, Carlos was captured by ABELLONE and imprisoned by the mage's master, Lord Somi Hedgehog.

He later overheard the mage discussing with the phantom thief Platonic about the latter's failure to retrive the red wine glass from Banica due to her twin servants. Alarmed by their rumors that Banica had gone mad, Carlos called out to them and volunteered as a spy to help steal the glass for them. Using the Venom Sword, ABELLONE then changed Carlos' face so he wouldn't be recognized, with the prince passing out soon after.

Awakening under Platonic's care, Carlos was shown that his appearance had been changed, reassured that this wasn't permanent; he then heard her remark that it was a good thing, since his original face was much nicer and even slightly familiar to her. Carlos soon after became hired as Banica's chef and began cooking meals for her and her constituents in her mansion. Though inwardly disturbed by the ingredients he was forced to incorporate, using the body parts of his master and her victims, he continued his duties without complain. During this time, he was also regularly harassed by Arte and Pollo.

On one occasion, Banica spoke with him while she was having a small lunch; upon returning to the kitchen, Carlos took some of his medicine to treat a coughing fit, as his illness had been flaring up due to the stress. Eventually, Carlos became used to the duke's strange mannerisms and orders, although run ragged by the amount of food he had to prepare. As he saw traces of her old enthusiasm for food and was stunned by her new appearance, Carlos found himself happy to be reunited with her despite the circumstances.

As time passed, Banica continued to ignore imperial messengers summoning her to speak with Empress Juno. When he discussed this later with Arte, he questioned the maid on why her and her brother hated him so much, learning that it was due to his similar appearance as an "evil sorcerer" who had killed the twins' mother.

### Love and Death

One day, Carlos noticed that their wine stock had run out. Heading to the larder to fetch more, he found Banica there slightly drunk. With the twins out, Carlos brought her to her bedroom. As he tried to leave, Banica begged him to stay, revealing that she knew his true identity as her former fiance; touched by this, Carlos gave in and spent the night with her. The next morning, he awoke early and went to the kitchen, joining Arte and Pollo in making breakfast.

Several months later, Carlos listened in as Pollo argued with another messenger; spotting a small unit of Beelzenian soldiers outside, Carlos attempted to diffuse the situation only to find that Pollo had murdered the messenger. As Banica entered as well, he tried to reason with her, watching in horror as she summoned her vampiric slaves to deal with the soldiers. As Carlos questioned the duke, he learned that she intended to help the gods and their kin devour the entire world, horrified as she laughed maniacally amidst the screams of the Beelzenian soldiers.

Terrified on what Banica had become, Carlos attempted to escape the mansion, only to be caught by the lingering vampires that surrounded the estate. Dragged back to his master, he meekly asked if he could take a vacation; although insulted, Banica decided to keep him as a servant and not punish him, though forbidding him from leaving the mansion. Afterwards, Carlos continually fretted about his circumstances and mourned what had happened to Banica, as well as his own failure to help her.

Several days later, as he prepared a new soup recipe for Banica to try, Carlos ruminated on his situation, resolving to save Banica and end her apostasy. Recalling how his family heirloom was capable of killing Duke Venomania, he conspired to use its shavings as a poison to kill both himself and Banica, mixing what he had left of it into the soup. He then brought out two servings and suggested that they try his new recipe together. As the two of them ate, Carlos explained how he had poisoned the soup and intended for them to die together, watching as the poison began to affect Banica. Despite this, she quickly recovered from her initial shock and seemed to be unharmed; his plan a failure, Carlos soon perished from the poison.

### Journey to a New World

Following his death, Carlos' soul was consumed by Banica and resided within her own alongside that of the angel possessing her soon after. When the world was destroyed by "Atonement" in EC 999, Carlos and the angel's souls were freed. Reuniting with his love and speaking with her, he learned of her plans to travel to a new world and create new foods there; resolving to not run away again, he asked to join her. He was then given a mud doll body and joined her and her servants within Evil's Theater II, ultimately traveling to a different world with them.

## Skills and Abilities

Since the time he was born, Carlos had poor health and was prone to spasms and coughing fits due to an unknown illness; due to this, he was physically weak and had little stamina. Along with this, he lagged behind his brothers in education, social skills, and political knowledge.

After regularly ingesting his family's secret medicine, his physical symptoms mostly vanished as he grew up, though occasionally resurfacing when he was stressed. Thanks to the shavings of Grim the End used in his medicine, residual Patience magic had built up in Carlos' body over several decades, severely weakening the Angel of Temperance once he was ingested by Banica.

As he grew up, Carlos attempted to study cooking and gained a small amount of skill; because he was not a professional chef, however, he could not tempt others into eating his food. Conversely, his meals were more than satisfactory for Banica's unusual tastes, although he continued to do poorly in other tasks assigned to him.

## Character Connections

Banica Conchita: Carlos' fiancee and later employer. Although initially resentful of their engagement, Carlos quickly connected with her through their tragic childhoods and was impressed by her passion for food, coming to care for her even after their engagement was broken off. He came to love Banica even more during his time as her cook, eventually fathering a child with her. Despite this, he later grew terrified of what she had become and wished to put an end to their "evil" by taking her life and his own.

ABELLONE: A mage whom Carlos encountered. While he was coerced to follow the mage's instructions, Carlos did not feel any lasting loyalty to him or his affairs after reuniting with Banica.

Platonic: A thief whom Carlos encountered. Although they interacted very little, the prince was impressed by Platonic's determination to do and take whatever she wanted, no matter the cost.

Arte: A fellow employee of Banica. Due to her constant harassment of him, as well as her coldness and rude behavior, Carlos thought little of her or her opinions. However, he began to sympathize with her after learning about her past tragedy. Nonetheless, he was disturbed by how Arte seemed to remain physically and mentally similar to when they met during his childhood.

Pollo: A fellow employee of Banica. Due to the way Pollo continually pestered and pulled pranks on him, Carlos thought little of him or his opinions. He was also disturbed by how Pollo seemed to remain physically and mentally similar to when they met during his childhood, as well as the servant's murderous nature.