Concept Art 020: Albert Norwich (Patreon)

Starting with side characters as promised, and since it's been a while since I showed a hot guy, here is Albert to kick things off.

Albert is a character from Kaius' character arc, he used to be a close comrade and friend during their time in the Exicom army but after the incident in which Kaius and his troop got involved took place, things drastically changed. The rumors of Kaius being a corrupted monster afflicted with a contagious curse started rapidly spreading between the townsfolk. While everyone was scared of these rumors, the disdain and resentment Albert feels towards Kaius don't live in the world of fiction or childish rumors. On that fated night in which Kaius and his troop were annihilated by an unknown corrupted monster, Albert's little brother was there serving under Kaius's command and Kaius was the only one that survived.

Albert knew Noah was too young for that mission but Noah was infatuated with Kaius, he admired him for being the mightiest knight of the army and becoming the midnight blade that represented the whole kingdom, Albert's worries were useless against Noah's determination and excitement. He didn't know the extent of Noah's interest in Kaius but he felt something was odd. Albert didn't know at the time but Kaius was in love with Noah, and while we don't know what Noah felt for sure, it seemed he reciprocated said feelings. Kaius didn't want to make any moves with his friend's little brother( Noah was already a young adult), especially knowing how religious Exicom as a kingdom can be, He knew Albert would never approve it, so he always tried to put boundaries with Noah, yet, in the end, Kaius could not ignore that for the first time he felt he could be happy with someone and started to open himself to Noah.

Sadly that hope for a happy romance vanished that fated night, Kaius might have lost the person he started having all these feelings for but Albert lost his little brother. Since then Albert has been unable to forgive Kaius for letting his brother die, he doesn't believe the rumors but he does think Kaius is unable to protect anyone and is unworthy of his trust. It's a possibility that the almost relationship Noah and Kaius had, might have gotten to Albert's ears through the malicious words of the other knights in the army that dislike Kaius. So not only did Kaius let Noah die, but in the eyes of Albert, he was also "persuading" Noah into taking part in "immoral acts" with him, corrupting his little brother.

Of course, the rumors are not the whole truth but people believe what they want to believe, Kaius was never given the chance to tell his side of the story, even when he tried to explain what he experienced at first, nobody listened to him, they just ostracized him and his Mother cuz it was the easiest thing to do. We also can't ignore the fact that the loved ones of many other people might have been part of the troop Kaius led, so they are in their right to feel a certain way against Kaius.

Albert meanwhile, was promoted to higher ranks, and now he is training to become the commander and substitute Commander Joaquin when he retires. This obviously puts Kaius under Albert's command and he has no intention to treat him fairly or mediate the harassment Kaius gets from the other knights, Albert's presence only makes things worse for Kaius.

That's pretty much the relationship they have, of course, there is a lot more to talk about Kaius and what truly transpired that night. Tomorrow I'll show you Commander Joaquin and maybe we can talk more about those details and the story  Joaquin had with Kaius' family that led Joaquin to become a sort of paternal figure and one of the only people that care for Kaius.