Characters / The World is Still Beautiful

Here is a list of character in The World is Still Beautiful. Beware of unmarked spoilers.

---

Protagonists

Nike Remercier

Voiced By: Rena Maeda

Nike Remercier is the fourth and youngest princess of the Rain Dukedom and Livius's wife, the queen. She is also the female protagonist of the story. Nike has the ability to make it rain.

---

• All-Loving Heroine: Although she has a bit of a temper, Nike cares greatly for everyone, and doesn't hold grudges... until chapter 93.
• Anguished Declaration of Love: Nike boldly proclaims how much she loves Livius before going off to use her powers to deal with the poison smoke ploy being used by the Claus group. Although Livius saw the power meltdown coming, there was nothing he could to do prevent it.
• Apocalypse Maiden: If she loses control of her powers, she could easily destroy the world...
• The Baby of the Bunch: The youngest of four, The Hero of the story, and the one with the most powerful singing of them all.
• Battle in the Center of the Mind: Her kindness and her intellect are in a battle with her rage in chapter 97. Her rage is bigger, stronger, and winning...
• Beware the Nice Ones: She's very friendly. And you would like to not anger her.
• Blow You Away: Part of her Weather Manipulation powers. She's a skilled sorceress capable of blasting people away with wind.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Played With. The gentle girl to Livius's brooding boy, in her methods of coaxing him out of his moods, though she is rather more fiery about it than most.
• Buxom Beauty Standard: Nike is notably busty, and this gets her a lot of attention, such as when she disguises herself as a maid and a guard gleefully remarks over how much of an hourglass she's become.
• Chickification: By the time of chapter 200, her tomboy nature where she won't take crap from anyone has been all but completely beaten out of her, and she's grabbed the Distress Ball for dear life!
• Clingy Jealous Girl: She is every bit as jealous to Livius as he is to her. It just takes her a bit of time to realize it, as she didn't have competition until Cassandra showed up.
• Dude Magnet: Just ask Livi, Kitora, Prince Taishi, and Nephero.
• Fiery Redhead: Extremely so. She has orangish-red hair and has quite a temper, especially when pushed by Livius.
• Hard Work Hardly Works: Averted. Given what Nike's capable of doing from the beginning of the manga and anime, you'd think that she was born as an already extremely gifted Rain Singer. However a later manga chapter reveals that, among her sisters, Nike was the only one who couldn't innately influence the weather. It took her years of hard training under her grandmother for her to reach the point of proficiency she displays in the series.
• Heroic BSoD: The events of chapter 93 leave her far too traumatized to listen to her instincts regarding her unknown savior. Instincts that are telling her to get the hell away from him with blazing sirens.
• The High Queen: She's still a princess in her own nation, but is the queen of the Sun Kingdom.
• I Can't Dance: And she constantly steps on Neil's foot.
• It's All My Fault: When it really isn't. It takes receiving a bit of Brutal Honesty to make her realize that the damage brought on the Grand Duchy was clearly not her fault in any way, shape, or form.
• Living Emotional Crutch: To Livius. Prior to her coming into his life, he needed to be sedated to sleep soundly through the night.
• Magic Music: Her Weather Manipulation powers manifest with songs, though with wind she tends to whisper it.
• Modest Royalty: Nike, and indeed the rest of her family, don't dress any different from the people they supposedly rule over. Lampshaded by Kara when she greets Livius and Neil (and Nike in the anime) with a Hawaiian flower necklace and jacket over her normal outfit, pointing out to the embarrassed Nike that it's her most formal attire.
• Morality Pet: Numerous characters have pointed out that Nike makes Livius a better person.
• My Fist Forgives You: When the "pope," Arestes, of the church of the Sun kingdom tries to have her assassinated by tampering with the bridal rite of passage, and she's given the option to retaliate, she decks him and calls it a day.
• Nice Girl: Although she has a temper, Nike is a kind person that gets along with most people.
• Person of Mass Destruction: Believe or not, Nike. As her mother tells Livius, in the past the rain singers of the kingdom had the power to literally bring ruin to entire nations, and in fact was the cause of the destruction of the ancient empire that once united the continent prior to the Sun Kingdom. It is THIS reason why Nike's grandmother wanted to keep Nike away from Livius; as the most talented rainsinger in generations, Nike was taught this most secret and destructive of melodies, and if Livius decided to use it for ill, the consequences would be devastating.
• Pink Girl, Blue Boy: The Pink Girl to Livius's Blue Boy.
• Princess Classic: Averted despite her ability to sing.
• Rape as Drama: In chapter 93, she is pinned down, gagged, and tied to a bed, then the arc's antagonist starts having his way with her...
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: She is frequently seen mingling with the commoners of the Sun Kingdom and they universally adore her. Whenever there's a problem, they can count on her to handle it personally.
• She Cleans Up Nicely: Due to Nike's somewhat modest upbringing, it's not in her habit to pay attention to her appearance. However, when she does make an effort, she can be quite stunning, as evidenced by the slack-jawed surprise of many ambassadors, some of whom heckled her earlier in the day for being a "bumpkin princess".
• Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: Green eyes, orange hair, and the main protagonist.
• Squishy Wizard: Although athletic, she is vulnerable if she can't sing or is too hungry to use her powers. Later Livius at 13 is able to pin her down, when angry.
• Sweet Polly Oliver: For a while starting from Chapter 31, Nike goes under disguise as "Vice Captain Kanaris Micaine" of Livius' army to pretend to be Luna's lover so they can stop her unwanted arranged marriage to Marquis Fortis. It fools everyone but him, so it turns out. It actually ends up backfiring because when she overexerts herself while her chest is bound, she passes out.
• Taking the Bullet: The reason she gets poisoned, is that she intercepted a knife attack aimed at Livius.
• Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: Justified with Livius given the age difference between them has him shorter than her. He's getting taller though.
• Tomboy Princess: In the first chapter, she gets into a fight with the guards and tends to dress rather casually.
• Tomboy with a Girly Streak: Although she doesn't like the corsets, she has no problem with dresses, cooking, cleaning, or singing.
• Too Desperate to Be Picky: In chapter 94, despite all her instincts screaming at her with sirens and warning bells that her "savior" is clearly not trustworthy, she goes with him anyway because the alternative is sticking around in Nephero's custody and facing Attempted Rape.
• Took a Level in Badass: According to her father, Nike was the Black Sheep of the family because of her inability to make it rain when singing. The harsh training from her grandmother and Nike's own determination helped transform her into the best singer of the country she is now.
• Turn the Other Cheek: Both justified and deconstructed. As the future Queen of the Sun Kingdom, if she retaliated in full to the crap the arc antagonists put her through, kidnapping, assassination attempts, etc., she'd be starting wars and that not only serves to worsen the underlying conflict and grudges, but would drag many innocents into the suffering, something Nike wants to avoid at all costs. On the other hand, since she doesn't retaliate as strongly as she could, and possibly should, the schemes, tactics, and offenses people bring against her become more despicable and more damaging. By chapter 93, sexual assault and outright rape come into play.
• Vague Age: Nike's age is never directly stated, however, it is heavily implied to be in the range of 16-18 as the author depicts Nike's alternate modern counterpart, in the extra chapters, to be that of a higschool student in which the age range for japanese students throughout highschool is 16-18 years old(10-12th grade). Meaning there is a 4-6 year age gap between her and Livius.
• Weather Manipulation: Her powers, that allow her to make it rain.
• Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Invoked. By the time chapter 96 rolls around, Nike's been through a lot of crap, both physical and mental, that would break many a lesser person, easily. Then she's shoved into a ritual chamber and forced into the role of a Living Weapon. Cue Apocalypse Wow.

Livius Orvinus "Livius I; Sun King" Ifrikia

Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Haruka Kudō (younger self)

Livius is the current king of the Sun Kingdom. He conquered the world within three years after his enthronement. While he is rumored to be a monster of some sort, he is actually a young boy. His father was the former king and his mother was a commoner. When his mother was still alive, he and her lived an isolated life in the castle because of his mother's low social status. After his mother's death, Livius grew cold and cruel and became distrustful of everyone around him, and began to conquer the lands until the whole world was conquered. His abilities as king are considerable as he cleansed his kingdom's government of corruption and he suppressed each opposing nation one by one. It's been noted by Nike, that while Livius is just a boy, his eyes are like that of an adult. He has a loyal butler who seems to understand him. He granted the Rain Dukedom autonomy, but in exchange, he told them to send a princess. Nike,after having lost a round of rock, paper, scissors to her sisters was sent to the Sun Kingdom. He is fond of Nike and grows to love her as time goes on.

---

• The Ace: This is the guy who managed to put all the other countries on the continent under his dominion, and his only real weakness is the fact that, as he's barely gone past puberty, any adult would be able to overpower him in tests of strength — see his annoyance at how he's unable to properly draw a bow in chapter 8.
• Affectionate Nickname: Livius is affectionately called "Livi" by Childhood Friend Luna, uncle Bardouin and eventually his wife-to-be Nike.
• Amazon Chaser: One of the many things he likes about Nike is that she has the nerve to stand up to him.
• Bedmate Reveal: He loves sneaking into Nike's bed at night. On several occasions, she's been shocked to find him there in the morning, naked. She eventually gets used to it, to the point that she gets lonely when he's not there in the morning.
• Berserk Button: Seeing a memento, like a medicine box, with the sigil of the Winter Kingdom will drive him into a panicked rage.
• Blue Is Heroic: While the "heroic" part can be debatable at times, he is the deuteragonist who takes his job as king very seriously.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Played With. The brooding boy to Nike's gentle girl, in her methods of coaxing him out of his moods, though she is rather more fiery about it than most.
• A Child Shall Lead Them: The 11-year-old Livius the Sun King, much to Nike's shock.
• Crazy Jealous Guy: Livius considers Nike his, and his alone, and will go to any length to shoo off any other guy interested in his future queen. Violently. Even if it's his uncle. The threats of violence gradually lessens over time, however.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Aside from the assassination of his mother, and the frequent attempts on his life, as child, something happened between the Sun and Winter Kingdoms that still gives him nightmares years later, and even seeing an innocent medicine box with the emblem of the Winter Nation sends him into a panicked frenzy.
• Deadpan Snarker: Livius is a very snarky young man. Oddly enough, he only seems to be this way with Nike.
• Deuteragonist: The second main focus after Nike.
• Dirty Kid: For his age he makes a lot of perverted comments about his wife, such as suggesting for his birthday she wear only a ribbon and say that she is the gift, and he wasn't joking about it either.
• Eek, a Mouse!!: He cries out in terror upon encountering a bug's nest while cleaning Cassandra's room.
• Expecting Someone Taller: With titles like the Ruler of the World and the Sun King, Nike's sisters obviously expected someone more... impressive, when Livius finally made a visit to the Dukedom of Rain. It's no wonder he wasn't pleased when they mistook Neil for him.
• From Bad to Worse: First, his mother is killed by assassins purely out of Fantastic Racism by the very people ruling his country, and they try to kill him as well, as a small child. Then in chapter 50, he learns his wife is suffering from a slow-acting poison with no known antidote, intended for him, which not only turns her body as cold as ice, but messes with her heartbeat, gives her massive and painful seizures, and putting her into a coma is only a temporary measure. In both cases, there was nothing he could do to prevent it.
• Hidden Heart of Gold: Turns out the reason Livius lashes out and projects the image of a cold, cruel, and ruthless king is that he's actually a very, very scared little boy, and Nike's the first to ever see through it.
• Improbable Age: King Livius, the Sun King, the ruler who conquered the world in a mere three years after ascending the throne... is an eleven-year old boy. Nike is as stunned as anyone when she meets him.
• King Incognito: In order to secure the services of the legendary alchemist in his attempts to aid Nike, he needs to enter the forbidden forest alone, to that end, it's best if the world at large doesn't recognize him, as he's still barely out of puberty, and wouldn't be a match for even a single bandit in combat, not to mention the terrorist band of the former Winter Kingdom.
• Likes Older Women: He has no feelings for Ameluna who is his own age, but falls head over heels for Nike who is 4-6 years older than him. In fact, the reason Nike is there in the first place is that he specifically ordered a vassal nation to send him a full-grown woman to become his bride.
• Murder Is the Best Solution: While Livius' rule has brought stability to the Sun Kingdom, there are many that would just love to see him out of the way. It's gotten to the point that he's not even surprised anymore when someone is out to get him. In fact, he and his mother basically grew up in a prison because both were frequently targeted by assassins as he was growing up.
• Pink Girl, Blue Boy: The Blue Boy to Nike's Pink Girl.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: To the commoners, not so to the nobility, to whom he is usually much more brutal, often with more than ample justification.
• Reluctant Ruler: He never wanted to be crowned king. His father forced him into it, angering the entitled nobles who were favoring one of his elder siblings.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: He is very "hands on" in ruling the Sun Kingdom, and when it comes to Nike, he will intervene, personally.
• Sherlock Scan: He's able to diagnose with a glance all of Cassandra's chronic injuries. She's pretty much a cripple on her left side.
• Sins of Our Fathers: Chapter 92 reveals that Livius was forced onto the throne of the Sun Kingdom upon his father's death, at six years old, made to clean up the aftermath of all his father's wars and woes, and endured countless assassination attempts in the process. Even in the current day, people who bore a grudge against his father continue to target him and those he cares for...
• Sleepwalking: A downplayed example occurs in chapter 42. Nike tries to wake him so he can prepare for his birthday party, coming in just three days, and he suddenly sits upright to start shouting complete nonsense like it's royal decree. Nike is suitably flabergasted.
• Son of a Whore: His mother was a concubine, which is why many aristocrats often targeted him and his mother when he was a small child.
• Strong Family Resemblance: He really takes after his father in both appearance and personality, as well as his taste in women. Which he hates.
• That Makes Me Feel Angry: Nike being kidnapped by Nephero, after Nike had just recovered from a near fatal assassination attempt, had Livius really wanting to round up an army to burn the Grand Duchy to the ground. Should he ever find out what Nephero did, and the fact that Nephero's completely unapologetic....
• Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: Justified with Nike given the age difference between them has her taller than him. He's getting taller though.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: The impression of both Princess Amaluna and Duke Bardouin of Livius, from the time he ascended the throne of the Sun Kingdom, three years prior to the start of the story. Take note, before that point Livius was a taciturn and unambitious boy who wanted to find a quiet place in the country to live in with his mother. He becomes less of a jerkass once Nike is in his life.
• Took a Level in Kindness: Livius has become progressively less ruthless, and has gradually become pleasant and even approachable. He's still prone to see the worst in people at times, but thanks to Nike's influence, he now keeps an open mind rather than react to a threat with extreme prejudice.
• Troll: He loves to prank Nike at just about every opportunity. In fact, when they met, he had her arrested, and then taunted her from the other side of the bars.
• Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Livius's dark persona as a ruthless king terrifies grown men and his wife.
• Violently Protective Girlfriend: Gender-flipped. Harming Nike is a sure-fire way to piss off Livius.
• Used to Be a Sweet Kid: In his childhood, he's always seen with his mother who stays and cuddles him with love until she was assassinated, it twisted him into a bitter and tyrannic king over three years until Nike comes into his life.
• Wholesome Crossdresser: All he needs is a long-haired wig and a dress, and he can easily impersonate a young girl. This becomes a Chekhov's Skill in chapter 56, as he's able to secure a room at an inn and information to the forbidden forest without revealing his true identity.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Livius is actually a very capable ruler despite being so young. However, the fact that he had to shoulder so much responsibility at his age made him extremely cynical, at least prior to Nike's arrival.
• Yandere: While it's not shown often, Livius did threaten to execute Bardouin when he thought that his uncle was having an affair with Nike.

The Sun Kingdom

Neil

Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita

Neil is Livius's butler. He provide several important information to Nike in the beginning of the story. He often accompany Livius during his travels.

---

• Battle Butler: While rarely shown, he can help out in a fight when necessary.
• Butt-Monkey: Often has to put with physical humor along with both Livius and Nike's antics.
• Parental Substitute: Acts as a father figure to Livius.
• Undying Loyalty: Neil is very loyal, considering that Livius allows him to stay near him and accompany him to other places.

Bardwin Cecil "Bard" Ifrikia

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

Bardouin is the prime minster of the Sun Kingdom, biological brother of the late king and Livius's uncle.

---

• The Ace: He's not only an accomplished archer and scholar, he's also quite a charmer, all of this on top of being an accomplished statesman.
• Broken Ace: Bardwin previously felt that his job and status restrained him from enjoying life and was deeply in love with the now deceased Sheila. Then, there's his troubled relationship with Livius...
• Cool Big Bro: Even though he's Livius uncle by blood, he serves as an older brother figure to him caring for his wellbeing.
• Chick Magnet: The ladies swoon over him instantly.
• Hidden Depths: Despite his first appearance, he really cares for his nephew and had a deep love for his sister-in-law.
• Ladykiller in Love: The only woman he ever loved was Sheila.
• Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Long, flowing hair and very handsome.
• Really Gets Around: He constantly flirts with other women, was seen with a woman (presumably after sex) in episode 8, and invited numerous women into the castle after Livius briefly left.
• Walking the Earth: He left the sun kingdom and his position as the prime minister to see the outside world prior to the beginning of the manga. It turns out the real reason for it is because he was afraid of Livius's cold personality after he was crowned the king and the pain of Shelia's death kept coming back to him as he observes the full moon which was the time when Shelia confessed her love to him.

Altera

Livius's half-brother.

• Bastard Bastard: Is Livius's illegitimate half-brother, sired with some one-night-stand, and his horrific childhood has led him to becoming a horrible person with an atrocious personality.
• Cain and Abel: The Cain to Livius.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: He will turn on his allies the moment it's convenient, no exceptions. Nephero learns this the hard way.
• Dark and Troubled Past: He can beat Livius! As an orphaned bastard child of King Antoine, Livius's father, he's faced nothing but hardship, was taken in by Antonia, and treated as a slave, frequently raped, until, one day, broken and bloody, near death, he hears a voice "I grant you life, but in exchange, destroy everything."
• For the Evulz: Puts Livius through a lot of grief purely for his own amusement.
• Freudian Excuse: Was treated as a slave by Antonia, frequently raped by her, and had to see the ugliest side of her abysmal personality.
• Make It Look Like an Accident: Murdered Antonia's son, Orbia, and made it look like the little boy fell off a ledge by accident.
• Not Good with Rejection: He wanted to take Livius and flee the Sun Kingdom, and rightly so. As much as Livius wanted to go with him, there were two glaring problems. 1.) Altera already proved he couldn't be trusted after murdering Olbia, even restraining Livius so he couldn't rescue the boy, and 2.) even if Livius did run, there was nowhere to run to and the Sun Kingdom army would catch them anyway. In response to being told the latter reason, Altera told Antonia that Shiela killed Olbia. The sick bitch believed it as if it was gospel.
• Rape as Backstory: Was raped by Antonia, The High Queen and legal wife of the king, Livius's father.
• The Resenter: Hates it when Livius finds happiness, so plots and conspires to take it away, regardless of the risk to himself.
• Scars Are Forever: Has one on his face, crossing the bridge of his nose from left to right and from top to bottom.
• Strong Family Resemblance: Looks very much like Livius.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Conspiring with Nephero and Klaus Group, he shoves Nike into the chamber to make her a Person of Mass Destruction, but gets caught up in the mess he created, with no way to shut it off.
• Wholesome Crossdresser: For a certain definition of "wholesome." Like Livius, just a pair of glasses and a maid outfit and he can easily impersonate the opposite sex.
• Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: In universe. Suffered an extremely cruel life, and at the moment of death, he hears a voice "in exchange for your life, destroy everything," and he's been scheming to do just that...

Antonia Queen Consort

The High Queen of Sun Kingdom during the reign of Livius's father.

• Fantastic Racism: Loathes Sheila and Livius, purely because of their home country's origins, and justifies it to herself by claiming they're just sucking up for the sake of power and greed, her own motives.
• Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: Bent over backwards to ostracize Sheila and Livius, for no reason, whatsoever, except that they "reeked of poverty." In fact, she even goes and shoves Livius down a grate into a sewer to show how tormented she is by the "greedy little rat that wants power."
• Hopeless Suitor: Wanted the love of the king, her husband. He only married her because he was forced to, for the sake of politics.
• Never My Fault: Has a horrific personality, but yet blames everyone else for the fact that she's not liked.
• Psychological Projection: Since power and wealth is all she thinks about, then that must be what all her self-perceived rivals think about too, which makes it a-ok to send assassins after them, even young children.
• The Resenter: Hates Livius for the fact that he's more talented then her own sons. Her sons don't share this mindset, not even the first prince Romulus.
• Yandere: Was so utterly fixated on the king, that she demanded a lock of his hair as a keepsake, but it doesn't stop there. She forces Altera to sport long hair, so that he looks like a younger version of the king, and then rapes him.

The Rain Dukedom

Tohara

Voiced by: Chisa Yokoyama

Tohara is usually referred to as grandmother by Nike and everyone else in the story. She is also the matriarchal head of Rain Dukedom, as well as Nike's mentor.

---

• The Ace: She is deeply regarded by her people and an expert in Weather Manipulation.
• Badass Teacher: Tohara was the one to teach Nike the art of Weather Manipulation.
• For Your Own Good: Her idea of making Nike happy involved drugging her, trying to drug and send away her husband, and handing her off to her cousin. When said husband saw through the drugging attempt and tried to come to her rescue, she tried to drown him to death if he refused to give up and go away.
• Knight Templar Parent: Her idea of testing Livius's character involves locking Nike up in a tower where she can't use her powers, throwing the key to her cell into a swamp, demanding Livius go after it to prove he loves her, and then summoning a deluge, threatening his life in the process, and calling him an idiot. She's lucky he didn't retaliate by razing the Rain Kingdom to the ground, taking Nike back by force, and killing everyone in his way, especially after finding out that Nike was harmed while imprisoned in said tower.
• Mama Bear: She is willing to go to drastic measures if it means to protect her granddaughter, even if it harms said granddaughter in the process.
• Moving the Goalposts: She throws the key to Nike's cell in a swamp and tells Livius if he wants her back, he'd have to go in and find it claiming it's the only key. When Livius jumps in, she summons a deluge, and threatens his life. Livius understandably calls her a bitch in response.
• Never My Fault: After very nearly triggering full out war between the Sun and Rain kingdoms, a war she knows her people would have lost, handily, the best they could hope for being a Pyrrhic Victory, she doesn't even try to apologize or make amends, she just calls Nike and Livius fools and hides herself away until Nike and Livius have left, and then summons a wind to accelerate their departure once Livius's ships are too far away to shoot her.

Kitora

Voiced by: Takayuki Kondō, Maasa Kobayashi (younger self)

Nike's childhood friend and cousin.

---

• Adaptation Dye-Job: The manga has him with black hair, but the anime has him with green.
• Amazon Chaser: According to Teteru, he adored Nike because she never gave in, not even once, during their rigorous training to make rain fall under her great grandmother.
• Cannot Spit It Out: The primary reason his love for Nike is unrequited is that, despite having plenty of opportunity, he adamantly refused to tell her how he feels because he was too scared of rejection to try.
• Crazy Jealous Guy: His idea of "confessing" to Nike, after she was married to someone else, was to convince her grandmother to let him be the guard of her cell while said grandmother was busy trying to drown Livius, her husband, to death, or make him give up on her, and then having her in an Arranged Marriage to himself so she couldn't reject him. Livius doesn't hesitate to call him out on it once he figures it out.
• Heel Realization: After seeing Nike beat herself bloody desperately trying to break out of her cell to go back to her husband, he realizes there is no way in hell his idea of "marrying" her is going to go well.
• Hopeless Suitor: While Nike only sees him as a dear friend, Kitora is deeply in love with her.
• I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: While he may still harbor feelings for Nike, he wants her to be happy with Livius if that's what she wishes.

The Sand Kingdom

Prince "Taishi"

Irada Ki Aku, is the ruler of the nearby Sand Kingdom, a perpetual desert. He is most commonly called Prince Taishi.

---

• Entitled to Have You: Towards Nike to the point that he's willing to lie to Livius and claim she was lost in a sandstorm so he can keep her to himself. To twist the knife further, he emotionally blackmails her into complying, not only by highlighting the suffering of his people, but threatening open warfare with the Sun Kingdom if she does not.
• Hopeless Suitor: He is on both ends of this. He falls head over heals for Nike, yet is almost completely oblivious to the affections of his primary Bodyguard Babe.
• Make It Look Like an Accident: He tried to claim Nike was lost in a sandstorm, hiding her from Livius, so he could keep her to himself.
• Modest Royalty: He makes even Nike's most modest attire and attitude look decadent.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name is Irada Ki Aku, but everyone calls him Taishi.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy: Living in a desert with basic supplies like food and water being scarce has made him and his people very tribal, nomadic, and more than willing to raid for what they lack.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: He leads his armies from the front lines, as well as coming to negotiate getting an aqueduct from the Sun Kingdom to irrigate his lands personally instead of sending an ambassador.

Uluma

Prince Taishi's younger brother and primary chancellor.

---

• Evil Chancellor: He's the one who gave Prince Taishi the idea to kidnap Nike and claim that she was lost in a sandstorm to coerce her to become his bride and keep her in the Sand Kingdom.
• The Needs of the Many: For the sake of the people of the Sand Kingdom, he was more than willing to kidnap, restrain, and have his brother Prince Taishi emotionally blackmail Nike into staying by force. Her feelings and consent, as well as his own well being be damned.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: For the prosperity of the Sand Kingdom, he convinced Prince Taishi to kidnap Nike and hold her captive to force her to sing the rain to refill their Oasis, fully willing to risk war with the Sun Kingdom in the process.

The Sun Church

They must give their sanction for Livius to get married.

Pope Arestes

The church zealot who tried to have Nike assassinated simply because "rain is a sin."

• The Bus Came Back: He returns at the end of the Cassandra Arc to ensure Rani doesn't annul the engagement between Livius and Nike.
• Moral Myopia: He tampers with Nike's Engagement Challenge, tries to have her assassinated, and when she retaliates with a single punch, doing nothing else, that is awful!
• Rules Lawyer: Being the former pope, he knows the ins and outs of Church bureaucracy, and knows well where all the skeletons are hidden. He uses this information to force Rani to back off from annulling the engagement between Nike and Livius as a result of Cassandra being brought in as a concubine to save Nike's life.

Rani

The ranking bishop who tried to use the Sun Church's influence to force Livius to step down, and let Nike die, by denying Cassandra the right to perform any kind of medical aid.

• Ambition Is Evil: The fringe benefit he wanted most from forcing Livius to step down as king, due to the "sin" of seeking Cassandra's aid? Seizing the Sun Kingdom for the Sun Church, with himself as pope.
• Bald of Evil: Not a hair on his head and he's utterly abhorrent.
• Corrupt Church: His animosity towards Cassandra is purely because he wants to seize and exploit the forest she lives in for his own personal benefit. The Sun Church religion is just a convenient excuse to bolster the nobles he's bribing for help...
• Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": He's most often called "Rani." Rani is his title, not his name.
• The Fundamentalist: As far as he's concerned, The Sun Religion is the only righteousness in the world. Give lip service to the faith, no sin will go unforgiven. Live outside the faith, and you're not human, ergo the religion's precepts won't apply to you.
• Hypocrite: You are evil if you don't obey the tenets of the Sun Church without question, unless you're doing illegal and immoral things in service to him, or benefiting him personally.
• Knight Templar: Either you're a member of the Sun Church and follow its teachings without reservation, or you're inherently evil. Unless you're working under his orders and therefore are exempt, as long as you give lip service to serving the faith...
• Tautological Templar: He believes the religion of the Sun Church is righteousness incarnate, and that all his actions done in the church's name are inherently righteous. Besmirching one means besmirching the other. He's not amused when Arestes brings up his sins, and those of his underlings, to "convince" him to leave Nike and Livius alone.

The Ice/Winter Kingdom.

A nation presumably destroyed in war by Livius prior to the start of the story.

Ursula

One of the survivors of the Ice Kingdom who seeks out revenge against "the false king of the Sun country."

---

• Arranged Marriage: Apparently, she was in one with Livius prior to the start of the story, being put up to it by the very people who constantly kept antagonizing Livius in the war between the Sun and Ice Kingdoms, hoping to use her as a Lady Macbeth, to destroy Livius and his country from within. She deeply resents the fact that Livius saw through it and cast her off.
• Becoming the Mask: Not only does she actively resist it, she ultimately averts it at the end of chapter 43. She infiltrated the Sun Kingdom and pretended to befriend Nike, to try and take her hostage to exact revenge on Livius, but even though she does become quite fond of Princess Nike, especially after Nike goes through incredible effort in saving the life of her beloved pet dog from a swarm of hornets, she still insists on taking out her vengeance against Livius upon her.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: There is but one thing that she cares about more than revenge, her beloved pet dog, Rikka, the last remnant of her family. Nike putting herself in harms way to save it really shakes Ursula's conviction that taking out her grudge against Livius on her is the right thing to do, letting Nike slip through her fingers repeatedly. She and her merry band ultimately decide to attack Nike anyway.
• Everyone Has Standards: Although she's willing to accept aid from those willing to betray the Sun Kingdom, Livius especially, she is utterly disgusted by them, especially when their disloyalty is due to shameless self-promotion, not a noble cause or justified resentment due to mistreatment, as she's seen that despite whatever other faults she thinks Livius has, he doesn't abuse his subordinates or citizens, at least not when he's in his right mind.
• Fallen Princess: She used to be a princess of the Winter Kingdom, now she's little more than a beggar. What's worse is that she acknowleges that it's her own fault, as Livius narrates that he set her up in a palace, and despite refusing the Arranged Marriage, still let her rule the Ice/winter nation as a vassal country to the Sun Kingdom. She claims that she set the palace ablaze herself, and formed the Claus group to go after Livius, no matter what, even though that destroyed her home country in the process.
• Genocide Backfire: She, and her merry band survived the war where Livius annihilated her country.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Giving Nike her medicine box as a gift in return for saving her dog tips off Livius that people from the Winter Kingdom are present and plotting in the capitol.
• Ignored Epiphany: Seeing firsthand that Nike is a good, kind woman does shake her convictions considerably, but she ultimately decides to go through with attacking Nike, thinking revenge against Livius is far more important.
• Never Hurt an Innocent: Although she's desperate to see Livius dead, no matter the cost, purely for her own self-righteous vengeance, she gets enraged to the point of violence if she sees what she considers an innocent party harmed any more than absolutely necessary. Up to the point that she's more distraught that Nike was harmed than that Livius escaped the poisoned dagger.
• Revenge by Proxy: She starts off chapter 42 openly plotting to go after Nike to spite Livius. Chapter 50 reveals that this is a double-layered example as Livius did not start the war between the Sun and Ice Kingdoms, it began when his father was on the throne, and Livius inherited all the resentment and antagonism, and even after Livius did everything possible to mete out a suitable and honorable surrender pact that allowed both sides to coexist, the Ice Kindgom people wanted to be hated, and just keep trying to rekindle the conflict.
• Revenge Myopia: She wants to make Livius suffer the loss of everything he cares about, and is even willing to give him hope just to crush it in his face, and ultimately wants him dead, to avenge the fall of her home nation, the winter/ice kingdom, specifically to avenge their loss in the war with the Sun kingdom, started under the rule of Livius's long-dead father. She completely refuses to contemplate that she destroyed the winter nation with her own hands by torching the castle she was given and launching terrorist acts upon the Sun Kingdom, and the fact that what motivated Livius to take the throne, and take over the world is that he has first hand experience of having everything precious to him taken away, and had his dreams crushed by people who hate him for the "crime" of simply existing.
  • It gets worse. Chapter 106 reveals that her people started the war with Sun Kingdom, by launching a fleet against the Sun Kingdom, taking a city hostage, and then burning the city to the ground when Livius led the Sun Kingdom's army and navy in a counter-attack.
• Tautological Templar: She insists that the Winter Kingdom was inherently just, therefore everything its soldiers did is itself just, and is convinced that her actions to make Livius know the pain of losing his loved ones in avenging her country is the epitome of righteousness. It seems her handlers neglected to mention that Livius already knows the pain of losing his loved ones, namely his mother, and that's what motivated him to go after the throne of the Sun Kingdom in the first place, and that maybe, just maybe, he had damn good reason to go to war with her people.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: When she reenters the story, scheming with Sun Kingdom traitors, she abandons all her scruples, and when Livius and Nike were locked up, proclaims her intention to use Nike as a Person of Mass Destruction on the Sun Kingdom, in another device like the one Nephero found, killing countless innocents, just for a laugh.
• Training from Hell: She sees Nike's "singing lessons" like this, and for good reason.
• Virtue Is Weakness: Strangely enough, she says this about herself. Treating Nike kindly because the latter saved her dog's life at considerable risk and expense leads her to believe she's not "worthy" of pursuing "righteous vengeance" on behalf of the Winter Nation. Sadly, she gets over it.
• Why Won't You Die?: Directed at Livius. She is desperate to see him dead, regardless of the cost. Of course, she fails to realize that killing him will do nothing to help her, her people, or restore her country. Which is exactly how her handlers want it.

Nero

Ursula's primary bodyguard.

---

• Bodyguard Crush: Implied at the end of chapter 43 where he almost embraces Ursula but stops at the last moment.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: He obeys Ursula's orders almost without question.
• Undying Loyalty: To Ursula, to the point that he will utterly brutalize anyone that lashes out at her, even if it's just someone trying to escape kindapping and imprisonment as Violetta found out, the hard way.
• Would Hit a Girl: He pulled on Violetta's arm so hard he dislocated her shoulder.

Grand Duchy: Beware spoilers ahead.

Nephero

The prime antagonist of the Grand Duchy Arc.

• Abduction Is Love: At first, he just kidnapped Nike to use as a Living Weapon, but as he became more and more lustful to her, he came to rationalize his actions like this.
• And Now You Must Marry Me: He grabs Nike at a royal banquet, pins her hands behind her back and loudly proclaims that he's going to take her as his wife, consent be damned.
• Bathe Her and Bring Her to Me: The first thing he does upon crossing the border into Grand Duchy, Nike in a burlap sack and blindfold, is hand her over to the palace servants (after taking her out of the sack) and stating this demand word for word. They comply, forcefully giving her the works in bath and body treatment then putting her in the fanciest ball-gown Nephero owns. Nike's response? Tear the gown to shreds in his presence. Simply to highlight how little she thinks of his "romantic gesture."
• Domestic Abuse: Of the worst kind. His response to any Lust Object trying to run away from his unwelcome advances is rape, and if she does escape, hysterically hunting her down.
• Enemy Mine: He loudly proclaims that he will never abandon his irrational grudge against the Sun Kingdom, but still aids Livius to rescue Nike because his own country's well being depends on it.
• Entitled to Have You: To Nike. To the point that he thinks raping her is okay, as long as she can't show signs of refusal.
• The Farmer and the Viper: How does he reward Nike rescuing him and his most trusted consort, Maxine, from a landslide and hypothermia by being exposed to a fog with biting frost? Order her to marry him, clearly against her will, and when she tries to run away, pin her to his bed and sexually assault her.
• Hedonist: All he cares about is his own pleasure. Anybody who dares to warn him about putting himself or his nation in danger with his foolish acts is just a killjoy to be ignored.
• Gone Horribly Right: He kidnaps Nike to make her into a Living Weapon. He succeeds, and his own country is the first to suffer.
• A Hero to His Hometown: The people of Grand Duchy love him because he does a good job of pretending to care about them, even memorizing their names and personal circumstances, but all he cares about is what pleases him, personally.
• I Love You Because I Can't Control You: The more Nike resists his self-proclaimed "charms," the more infatuated and lustful towards her he becomes. All the women in his country who would happily consent, including his consort Maxine? They're boring.
• It's All My Fault: Combined with Heel Realization. As his country's being ripped apart by a deluge and the path to Nike is blocked by malevolent "black clouds." He curls up into a ball in his tent and completely shuts down, cursing his own stupidity. His brother Cartra has to slap him to snap him out of it.
• Mad Love: He thinks that as long as Nike can't show signs of refusal, ie can't scream, cry-out, or fight back, then it means he's got informed consent because he "loves" her. The moment he sees her crying, he is disgusted and blames her for "ruining the mood."
• Moral Myopia: He kidnaps Nike and her guard, Galadra, knocking them both out with cudgels, then has the nerve to be offended when they hit him upside the head with whatever implements are at hand as they try to escape.
• Narcissist: The only person he truly loves is himself.
• Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: The fanbase has gotten pretty accustomed to seeing Nike getting kidnapped, having assassins come after her, etc., but when Nephero tied her up and pinned her to his bed, so he could have his way with her, the fans universally started wishing for his death.
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: He sides with Claus Group and several other bad actors, planning to launch guerrilla warfare, including the kidnapping of Nike in the process, to prevent a prophecy that some faction would steal his nation's primary water supply, Lake Estralda. In doing so, he invites into his inner circle the very faction that planned to do it, for shits and giggles.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: His actions in chapter 93 lead to Nike falling into a coma, losing control of her powers again and bringing a massive deluge on his nation that threatens to destroy everything with massive landslides.
• What Were You Thinking?: Lampshaded by numerous characters, especially his brother Cartra. Kidnapping a Person of Mass Destruction, and doing everything possible to traumatize and alienate her? And THEN putting her into a ritual chamber to make her into a Living Weapon? WITH NO KNOWN WAY TO SHUT IT OFF?!!

Maxine

Nephero's right hand.

• Ignored Enamored Underling: She loves Nephero, unconditionally, and serves him faithfully. He couldn't care less about her well-being, even saying aloud that she's worthless as a hostage when she has a sword to her throat.
• My Country, Right or Wrong: She agreed to spearhead the operation to kidnap Nike, despite knowing how unsavory it is because she believed it was in Nephero's and her country's best interests.
• Only Sane Man: She constantly tries to caution Nephero and company regarding his foolish orders and actions, but goes ignored. While it chafes her to no end, she does her duty and obeys his orders, regardless.
• Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: She is described and drawn as having hair the color of midnight, and skin the color of pearl.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: Nephero does indeed try to rescue her when a landslide traps her at the bottom of a waterworks project, nearly losing his own life in the process. The motivation for this rescue attempt is unclear.

Cartra

Nephero's older twin brother.

• Actual Pacifist: He truly desires peace with the surrounding nations, including Sun Kingdom. His family considered him an Inadequate Inheritor and drove him into exile as a result.
• The Atoner: He aids Livi, despite such an act possibly being considered treason by the Grand Duchy because he knows Nephero's actions are wrong.
• Category Traitor: A citizen of Grand Duchy that wants peace with the Sun Kingdom? His own parents exiled him.
• The Hermit: He lives alone at the edge of Grand Duchy, as an herbalist.
• Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The responsible to Nephero's foolish.
• Polar Opposite Twins: He and Nephero may look alike, but their personalities and ideals are as opposite as they could get.
• Please Kill Me if It Satisfies You: He was willing to lay down his life, after helping Livius rescue Nike, if it would slake Livius's righteous wrath against his home nation, and younger brother.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: To Nephero. After slapping him, Cartra really tears into his younger brother for all the crap he put Nike through.

Others

The Great Witch Cassandra

The herbalist that is Livius's best hope of curing Nike.

• Bedmate Reveal: In chapter 62, Livius finds Cassandra sleeping on the floor right next to his bed, naked.
• Eyepatch of Power: She wears an eye-patch on her left eye.
• The Gadfly: She loves to tease Livius and her adoptive "brother" Jenkins, just to get a reaction.
• Knew It All Along: She got a letter delivered by messanger owl concerning Livius's quest, but pretended to use magic powers to troll him.
• Legacy Character: She inherited the name "Cassandra" and the witch's forest from her predecessor, the one who adopted Jenkins, all to uphold the myth that "The Great Witch Cassandra" has been alive for centuries.
• Like Brother and Sister: By her own admission, she pretty much sees Jenkins as her little brother.
• The Nicknamer: She inists on calling Livius "Chibius." (Chibi+Livius)
• No Sense of Personal Space: She deliberately walks in on Livius in a herbal bath, without notice or consent, and is genuinely confused why he's upset by it.
• Shameless Fanservice Girl: In chapter 62, Livius learns exactly how Nike felt because he wakes up to find Cassandra shamelessly sleeping, buck naked on the floor right next to the bed he's on.
• Trash of the Titans: Her bedroom is a disaster, and her first "test" to Livius is to clean it up, and praise his little heart, he tries.

Jishin

A bandit that Livius meets while trying to reach Cassandra.

---

• Dragged into Drag: For a bit of Laser-Guided Karma, Livius has him disguised as a girl while he's escorting Nike, Cassandra, and himself, all in disguise.
• Handsome Lech: He's quite handsome by the series standards, and he's a hopeless skirt-chaser, falling madly in love with just about any pretty girl he sees.
• Happily Adopted: Cassandra adopted him when his parents were killed in a war.
• King Incognito: He's the leader of the bandits protecting Cassandra's forest.
• Loving a Shadow: Played for laughs. He falls head over heels for Livius's cross-dressed disguise and is horrified when the truth is revealed.