Analysis / Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

• Folsense as a town can very well be considered cursed, with Anton's arc being the lifting of the curse towards the end of the game. Firstly, the history of the town is connected to the Herzen Bloodline and it's wealthy gold-mining industry, which led to the town's growth and prosperity. However, the lingering greed of the Duke and the citizens led to the destruction of the castle grounds (evidenced by the pit-mine underneath the castle itself), and the eventual toxic gas which killed many in the following decade. This gas can symbolically be known as the "curse" which befell upon the town through the endless greed of the Duke and Anton's ever-increasing vengeance towards those who mistrusted him. For well-read players, this is actually clearly telegraphed throughout the game, as the residents of the city occasionally mention a "bad feeling" lingering throughout the dark corners of Folsense. After the eventual desertion of the town, Anton was the only person left, betrayed by his people and Sophia for leaving him to rot within the castle. Because of this, he takes the role of a vampire and is a shadow of what the Duke was, which is his way of coping with the effects of the curse. When the Professor and Katia tell him to let go of it all and start anew, he angrily destroys Herzen Castle, allowing him to let go of the past and leave his family bloodline forever. It is through this transformation that the curse is ended, with the truth of the Box finally revealed, allowing him to start a new chapter with Katia and Beluga. Anton's arc is therefore, the ultimatum to the curse of the town and his family name.