Line #38 Characters/TheFirstNightWithTheDuke


1	[[foldercontrol]]
2
3	!Main Characters
4
5	[[folder:Ripley]]
6	!!Ripley de Liverpool
7	[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ripley.jpeg]]
8	[[caption-width-right:200:Ripley de Liverpool]]
9
10	The main protagonist. She’s a 22 year old college student who found herself in the body of a count’s daughter, and an extra in the novel she was reading. Excited to watch the novel come to life, she instead has a drunken one-night stand with the male lead, Zeronis, and ends up engaged to him due his insistence on her “taking responsibility”.
11	----
12	* BigEater: The new Ripley loves food, which is one of the main differences between her and the original Ripley. Her favorite breakfast is “a freshly baked bagel with crispy bacon and a bowl of fresh salad. Also a sunny-side up egg and a cup of black coffee.”
13	* EatingTheEyeCandy: As much as she loves food, Ripley has a bigger appetite for Zeronis' good looks. She stared at the sleeping Zeronis during [[spoiler:their honeymoon]] and squealed over the fact that this attractive man is [[spoiler:her husband]].
14	* FieryRedhead: Ripley is loud, outgoing, and regularly explodes whenever things go wrong. Zeronis is heavily into that.
15	* GenkiGirl: Ripley is enthusiastic about everything and is always keeping herself busy, from her business to parties.
16	* InsecureLoveInterest: This is the main reason why Ripley is initially uncomfortable with getting into a relationship with Zeronis; she viewed the original text as law, and so she believed she should not take the “heroine” position from Etoile, even if she does slowly fall in love with Zeronis.
17	** It also stems from her backstory before transmigrating into this world: her friend’s boyfriend flirted with her, causing the couple to break up. Her friend blamed the protagonist and caused her to become a pariah at their college. Ripley therefore doesn’t want to take anything that she doesn’t view as hers, including people like Zeronis.
18	* ObliviousToLove: She '''really''' doesn't comprehend Zeronis' flirtations. Usually her mind is distracted by either food or her business, much to Zeronis' chagrin. She's not too dense when it comes to other men's flirtations, however, since she could tell Prince Sharman was trying to earn her affections; though that was thanks to both Zeronis and Etoile warning her to be cautious around him.
19	* PoorCommunicationKills: Ripley is the queen of this trope. She causes misunderstandings left and right due to her tendency to recklessly jump into things and not explain herself properly. This has been the catalyst for her biggest fights with Zeronis, since she tries to do things on her own and he is too obsessive to let her go so easily.
20	* ShipperOnDeck: Once she realizes that Etoile and Wright can become a couple in this new reality, she does everything to get them together.
21	* SignificantGreenEyedRedhead: Ripley has flaming red hair and bright green eyes, standing out amongst the majority of blond-haired, blue-eyed cast.
22	* StartMyOwn: Ripley starts selling Etoile's healing ointment, with the latter and her father as her business partners. Initially the venture falters, but after the royal family purchases the ointment for the war, sales explode.
23
24	[[/folder]]
25
26	[[folder:Zeronis]]
27	!!Zeronis de Inglid
28	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e9df1dab58d82c3c92d0eab3d691f67c_2.jpg]]
29	[[caption-width-right:350:Zeronis de Inglid]]
30
31	The male lead, of both the original web novel and this story. He is a man shrouded in mystery, though everyone knows he is a ruthless, cold, unfeeling bastard. After spending a night with Ripley, Zeronis gets engaged with her right away and acts lovey-dicey with her.
32	----
33	* BeneathTheMask: Underneath the MagnificentBastard persona he puts on for the public, Zeronis is a BrokenBird who suppressed his emotions and became "strong" in order to become the powerful Duke he is today. Ripley was the first person to knock his walls down, allowing him to experience the intense emotions he locked away. Wright believes this is a good thing, as Zeronis seems much happier as he is now compared to back then.
34	* BigDamnHeroes: He's saved Ripley a number of times, usually in a flashy way.
35	* CrazyJealousGuy: Played both for drama and comedy. In the original novel, Zeronis is a Yandere who won’t let Etoile go because of his desire for her. With Ripley, however, he comes off more childish than anything, with most of his jealousy coming from seeing Wright and Ripley together (who always have an explanation as to why they’re together). He can get dangerously possessive at times, however he’s not nearly as bad as he was in the original novel.
36	* DeathGlare: One of his favorite expressions. Either you’ve done something bad and now he’s going to punish you, or Lord Wright is with Ripley again (it’s always a misunderstanding though).
37	* DevotedToYou: Once he finds love, he becomes loyal and unwavering in his devotion. With Ripley, he can't even try to make her jealous through flirting with someone else, because he is just too much in love with her to do it properly.
38	* MagnificentBastard: Though he's the male lead in both the original story and this story, Zeronis is no GuileHero. He's a charismatic, devious, noble who manipulates and threatens his enemies and allies alike, with the singular goal of protecting the person he loves. Ripley's appearance softened his more malicious traits, but he's still quite good at playing others and getting what he wants from others using his wits and charm alone.
39	* MenAreChildish: Zeronis often acts like a clingy boy when it comes to Ripley. One of the best ways to get on his good side is to frequently compliment him or Ripley. Ripley herself calls him ‘adorable’ when he acts like this and compares the younger Prince Chris to him (to his displeasure).
40	* SmugSmiler: His other favorite expression. He smirks at nearly everyone and everything, usually when he's being intimidating or showy with his wealth or power.
41	* {{Yandere}}: Was this way towards Etoile in the original story; he didn’t love so much as he desired her in a twisted, obsessive way. With Ripley, he’s still possessive and prone to jealousy, but Ripley figures out how to get around his “obsessive hero” mode (mostly through flattery and affirmations).
42
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	!!Ripley’s Friends and Family
46
47	[[folder:Sylvia]]
48	!!Sylvia
49	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/485747_6.jpg]]
50	[[caption-width-right:350:Sylvia]]
51
52	Ripley’s loyal maid. Despite her cheery demeanor, she has a sharp tongue and a love for “information” (read: gossip).
53	----
54
55	* BigDamnHeroes: Sylvia has gone up-and-beyond for her mistress several times, including [[spoiler:defending Ripley to Zeronis when the former was kidnapped, and when Rose attacked Ripley during the fire]].
56	* DeadpanSnarker: Sylvia's the one who usually points out the flaws in Ripley's plans, though she does so with a professional grin on her face.
57	* PerpetualSmiler: Is usually seen with a smile, even when she’s snarking or angry. When she drops it, either the situation is serious or she’s close to insanity thanks to Ripley.
58	* ServileSnarker: Sylvia is Ripley’s maid, but that doesn’t mean she’s above teasing her master about Zeronis or ridiculing her various plans and ideas.
59
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Etoile]]
63	!!Etoile de Harley
64	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/etoile.jpeg]]
65	[[caption-width-right:350:Etoile de Harley]]
66
67	The original protagonist of the novel, a former orphan girl who saved the life of a baron and was later adopted by him. She was supposed to meet Zeronis and fall in love with him; instead, she becomes Ripley’s best friend and business partner, as well as Wright’s LoveInterest.
68	----
69	* AllLovingHeroine: She's kind, gentle, and extremely considerate of other people. There's a reason why she was the novel's original protagonist.
70	* BetaCouple: With Wright
71	* TheCutie: She's so lovable and sweet that even Ripley can't say no to her!
72	* HeartwarmingOrphan: Etoile's backstory. She was living a lonely life in an OrphanageOfLove when she saved the life of Baron Harley; he ended up adopting her.
73	* RagsToRiches: Etoile starts out an orphan, before being adopted by a baron and making a killing with Ripley with their ointment business.
74
75	[[/folder]]
76
77	[[folder:Wright]]
78	!!Wright de Brish
79	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0413.jpeg]]
80	[[caption-width-right:350:Wright de Brish]]
81
82	The son of a marquis, Zeronis' childhood friend, and the second male lead in the original novel. He meets Ripley when her carriage is derailed and takes her to the Duke's home in his carriage. Zeronis often believes Ripley and Wright have a thing going on and tries to keep them separate. He is Etoile's LoveInterest.
83	----
84	* BetaCouple: With Etoile
85	* ChildhoodFriends: He's known Zeronis since he was a child, and so he witnessed much of Zeronis' backstory, including his family's death.
86	* NiceGuy: He's a mild-mannered, friendly, and pleasant nobleman. The original Ripley had a crush on him, and the current Ripley wishes that Etoile had gotten together with him in the novel, as he treated her better than Zeronis did. [[spoiler:They end up together by the end of the story, getting married after Ripley and Zeronis]].
87
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	!!Antagonists
91	[[folder:Rose]]
92	!!Rose Jenkinson
93	[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rose_jenkinson.jpeg]]
94	[[caption-width-right:200:Rose Jenkinson]]
95
96	Daughter of Count Jenkinson, she is an arrogant noblewoman with an unrequited love for Zeronis. She was originally friends with Ripley before the protagonist enters her body, but after Ripley meets Zeronis, she becomes jealous and starts antagonizing Ripley.
97	----
98	* AlphaBitch: She’s a prominent member of high society, and had loads of connections and resources thanks to her wealthy father. She asks cordial to most high-ranked people in public, but will become insanely jealous towards anyone aiming for Zeronis, like Ripley.
99	* HumiliationConga: Rose has it rough during the second half of the story, when her desperation to separate Ripley from Zeronis reaches an all-time high. She has Ripley kidnapped and forces her to write a breakup letter to Zeronis, only for him to see right through it and rescue Ripley. He then threatens Rose’s father into sending her to an abbey, a FateWorseThanDeath for her. Finally escaping thanks to her father bribing the abbey, Rose sneaks into Zeronis’s mansion as a maid and tries to stab Ripley and Sylvia, only to set the mansion, and herself, on fire. When Ripley next finds her, she is [[spoiler:living in delirium in the slums with burns so severe she wears a cloak at all times, and spends her days hallucinating that she is a duchess. Ripley only spares her from being executed because the original Ripley wouldn’t want her old friend to suffer (and she’s too far gone for punishment to matter)]].
100	* IfICantHaveYou: Rose becomes increasingly desperate the more her efforts to get rid of Ripley and become the Duchess get thwarted. Eventually, she [[spoiler:breaks into the Duke’s house disguised as a maid, and tries to murder Ripley and Sylvia out of revenge]].
101	* LovingAShadow: Rose antagonizes Ripley because she’s in love with the Duke, as she was in the original novel. But it’s implied that her obsession with Zeronis is more about his title and status than with the actual person. She still shivers when reminded of his intimidating aura like everyone else, only continuing on because she believes she deserves to be the Duchess.
102	* PinkMeansFeminine: She has a fondness for the color pink. This actually is a clue that helps [[spoiler:Zeronis find Ripley when she’s kidnapped by Rose; the breakup letter Ripley is forced to write is in a shade of pink, which was manufactured by one of the Jenkinson family’s businesses]].
103	* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Rose is able to get away with a lot of the offenses she causes because her father is wealthy and has connections. [[spoiler:She literally paid off the abbey she was sent to for kidnapping Ripley so she could escape and try to kill her once more]].
104	* SelfProclaimedLoveInterest: Rose believes she’s the only one for Zeronis, when in reality he sees her as nothing more than another noblewoman vying for his affections.
105	* WeUsedToBeFriends: Rose was friends with the original Ripley, before the protagonist took over her body. That relationship died once Zeronis began pursuing Ripley and Rose's jealousy took over.
106
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Sharman]]
110	!!Prince Sharman
111
112	The crown prince of Erenel. He gets involved with Ripley's business after Zeronis heads off for war, but has ulterior motives for doing so.
113	----
114	* EntitledBastard: He hides this trait decently well, but he is a narcissist who would make a woman pay for dinner when her business goes well, despite being royalty and having the budget to afford a fancy dinner. This extends to his plan, which is [[spoiler:to kill off Zeronis and take Ripley as his wife, so he can become the new Duke]].
115	* EntitledToHaveYou: He acts this way towards [[spoiler:Ripley once he reveals his evil plan of making her his new wife after Zeronis' "death". Since she's now a single noblewoman who is the sole owner of the wealthiest title in the country, of course marrying Sharman would be the best option for her, right? Ripley, of course, disagrees]].
116
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	!!Others
120
121	[[folder:Isla]]
122	!!Isla
123
124	A so-called witch whom the original Ripley was acquainted with. The new Ripley thinks she's a scammer, but her products seem to work a little too well...
125	----
126	* SnakeOilSalesman: Comes off as this towards the new Ripley, but the OG Ripley believed in everything Isla gave to her. [[spoiler:She ends up being right, since the doll OG Ripley used to swap lives with the new Ripley worked.]]
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	!!Side Story Only Characters ('''SPOILERS UNMARKED!''')
130
131	[[folder:Prince Chris]]
132	!!Prince Christian de Valuer XI
133
134	The young crown prince of the Principality of Archen. Ripley and Zeronis save him from drowning in a lake in the secret woods. He has a crush on Ripley, much to Zeronis’ displeasure.
135	----
136	* LoveAtFirstPunch: Chris initially snapped at Ripley when she brought up his parents after Zeronis saved the young boy from drowning. One forehead flick and encouraging speech later, he's smitten with her. Ripley even Lampshades this later on.
137	* RoyalBrat: Subverted. He's actually quite mature and disciplined when he's in public. With Ripley and Zeronis, however, he drops the act and acts his age, mostly by trying to steal Ripley away from Zeronis.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Ibella]]
141	!!Ibella de Peppertz
142
143	The daughter of Baron Peppertz, who works as a schoolteacher. She is the lover of the King of Archen.
144	----
145	* TheMistress: Was the King of Archen's lover for years, even before he got married. She can't imagine not being his lover, even if her and her family's reputation is at rock bottom because of it. She ends the relationship after Ripley invites her to start a new life in her country instead.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:The King and Queen of Archen]]
149	!! King Christian de Valeur X and the Queen of Archen
150
151	The rulers of Archen. While acting cordial in public, it is well known that the king has a lover, which is straining their marriage.
152	----
153	* AbusiveParents: Downplayed. Both of them are neglectful of their young son Chris's wellbeing due their relationship drama and duties to the throne. The King barely acknowledges his presence beyond what's required of him, while the Queen pushes Chris to be the perfect heir to get the King to pay attention. The Queen later apologizes to Chris after Ibella leaves the kingdom and starts paying more attention to him. The King...not so much, but Ripley believes he'll come around eventually.
154	* AltarDiplomacy: They got married as part of an alliance with their neighboring country. It's part of the reason why the King doesn't just divorce the Queen and marry his lover.
155	* ParentalNeglect: Both parents are neglectful of Chris because of their marriage issues due to the King's relationship with Ibella. It gets to the point where Chris believes his father wouldn't care if he died. His mother, however, does regret her actions and apologizes to Chris once Ibella leaves for good.

Context Characters / TheFirstNightWithTheDuke