| “ | Adele… She wasn’t taught anything. She’s empty inside. They branded her useless right at the start, and at first, they only used her in human experimentation. Except, during the last half, she helped me out at work quite a bit, so…she seems to feel she’ll be accepted if she kills people. | ” |
–Christopher Shaldred to Vino, 1933 (Last) The Slash -Bloody to Fair- | ||
Adele (アデル, Aderu) is an incomplete ageless homunculus created by Huey Laforet, and a member of Larva. Though ladylike in appearance and timid in demeanor, she is a highly capable spearwoman who carries a special cross-shaped spear with her at all times.
Appearance[]
Adele has short blonde hair and brown eyes. She usually wears a white, sleeveless coat over a black cropped top.
Personality[]
Adele carries herself shyly, preferring to remain relatively quiet and reserving conversation for Huey Laforet, Tim, or other Larva and Lamia members. Though she is not above praising her opponents in battle, she is highly confident in her own abilities and the certainty of victory in combat. This confidence occasionally extended into condescension, as seen during her first duel with Maria Barcelito.
Tim describes Adele as "the only Lamia that he can count on not to take things too far." His assessment has generally proven apt, as she is one of the few Larva and Lamia able to suppress her murderous urges while still incapacitating her foes. However, should she see an opportunity for which murder might be condoned, she may jump at the chance to kill again (as seen when she asks for Tim's permission to kill Eve Genoard).
During the Mist Wall incident, when Felix Walken cuts her cheek like she had done earlier to Chané, Adele utterly loses her composure. Underneath her quiet demeanor, she hides a strong inferiority complex towards her fellow Larva and Lamia; painfully aware that Huey considers her a failure and weak compared to her companions, she compensates by attempting to prove herself as someone who is ruthless and effective. With her cheek cut, she sheds all mercy and self-restraint that she demonstrated in the past and goes so far as to try and murder Jacuzzi Splot simply because he is nearby. However, her unchecked abilities ultimately lose to Maria in their ensuing rematch.
In the year following her defeat, she and Tim re-establish contact with Jacuzzi's Gang. Adele undergoes significant development as an individual during this time; her complex is no longer as potent to her self-esteem as it once was, and she appears to be on amicable terms with Jacuzzi when she and Tim visit the Genoard Family manor in December 1934.
Chronology[]
1933[]
(To be revised).
Adele is first introduced when Tim retrieves Dallas Genoard from the Hudson River in September 1933. The Larva blackmails Dallas into coming with them to Millionaires' Row by threatening to kill his sister, Eve, and he reluctantly obeys. The Larva plans to use him to prove the existence of immortality to Jacuzzi Splot and his gang, which they will offer in trade for their cooperation in infiltrating the Mist Wall. Tim recognizes Jacuzzi's group as capable but open to manipulation, though they are actually much more perceptive than they seem.
She accompanies Tim and Dallas to the Genoard mansion to meet with Jacuzzi, where Adele fights against Maria Barcelito of the Gandor Family. Adele proves herself a very competent fighter, cutting Chané's cheek when she attacks and dueling against Maria. Adele deftly blocks Maria's every strike and causing her to be discouraged in her skills. Adele is about to go in for the kill when Ronny Schiatto intervenes, confiscating both of the women's weapons. Isaac and Miria, who are present at the mansion while on a visit to Jacuzzi, are chatting animatedly, and Adele loses her temper and slices Isaac's ear off.
Isaac's cut heals quickly enough, though Ennis is offended by the attack at her friend and demands that Adele apologize. Adele's question as to Ennis' relation to Szilard Quates is interrupted by Nice Holystone, who defuses the situation by igniting a smoke bomb. Everybody, including Adele and the Larva, flees the mansion under the cover of the smoke. When the Larva later regroups, they receive confirmation from Hilton that Lamia is coming to New York to assist with the Mist Wall operation. Tim is irritated by the change of plans due to the Lamia's unpredictable nature, whereas Adele is looking forward to seeing them again.
Once the Mist Wall operation is underway, she and Tim head to the Mist Wall's Babel Restaurant on the top floor whileChristopher Shaldred, Hong Chi-Mei, and Hilton rampage through the lower levels, murdering every Nebula employee they find. Christopher eventually makes his way to the top floor alongside Chané, Claire, Tick Jefferson, and Maria. Chané recognizes Adele as the woman who cut her cheek, and Claire repays the favor by deflecting one of Christopher's bullets off the tip of Adele's spear to nick the side of her face in the same fashion.
Adele is humiliated, beyond frustrated by her own weakness and status as a failed experiment. Angered and filled with bloodlust, she decides to attack Jacuzzi out of necessity for a target—though Maria intercepts the attempt. The two have a short rematch which Maria ends by stabbing Adele's shoulder; Adele, having never been stabbed before, is barely able to process what has happened.
Later, when Dallas performs a suicide bombing, Adele shields Tim with her own body and suffers worrying burns as a result. Tim and the Lamia (sans Christopher) take her to a local doctor for treatment in the aftermath.
1934[]
She and Tim reunite with Jacuzzi and his gang briefly during 1934 to warn them of potential danger should they return to Chicago, where the Lamia are currently on a mission.
Abilities[]
Like most of the Larva and Lamia, she is a homunculus that is incapable of aging but is still vulnerable to wounds and injuries. It is unknown if she can be devoured. Working in the subdivision of the Larva, she is an accomplished hitman with impressive athletic skills.
Adele's weapon of choice is a long, three-pronged spear. She is a capable fighter, going toe-to-toe with professional assassin Maria twice.
As Tim's second in command, she has some degree of control over the Larva. Though Adele is shy and Huey does not care about her as much as the other homunculi (she is not as strong as Christopher, fast as Frank, or as durable as Rail), she is by no means a pushover.