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Protagonists
In General
The protagonists of the story, consisting of the desperate necromancer Victor, the grieving heir Enrique, and the undead lover Mercedes.
- Amnesiac Dissonance: Mercedes is initially The Ingenue upon her resurrection due to having no memories of her past life. She's naive and confused and clings to Victor as the one person who can understand her. But as time goes on and she regains some of her memories, Mercedes' personality becomes closer to that which she had in life, namely being a determined, headstrong, and passionate woman.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: Enrique's relationship with Victor is inherently lopsided because Victor needs Enrique's money and connections to have a chance at escaping San Guadario and starting over somewhere else. This means that Enrique wields a great deal of power over Victor, who has his fingers crossed that Enrique can keep his promises. Lampshaded when Victor gets love-life advice from a psychic, who warns Victor to beware of falling into relationships with people who take advantage of his vulnerability and make promises they can't keep. Victor instantly shoots an embarassed Enrique an unimpressed look, as the psychic just described their relationship to a T.
- Betty and Veronica: Victor and Enrique are this for Mercedes. Victor is bound to Mercedes due to the spell used to resurrect her and is sweet, wholesome, and constantly patient with her despite her outbursts toward him. He quickly becomes someone she relies on for support due to her lack of memories, but is unsure of himself and doesn't believe she'd like him if it weren't for the spell binding his heart to hers. Meanwhile, Enrique was her fiancee prior to her death and is everything Victor is not: suave, cultured, rich, and conniving. He is jealous of how close Victor gets to her and struggles to show Mercedes affection in public due to their circumstances. But his love for her is ironclad and he's willing to throw away everything to be with her. That said, the triangle ceases to be a triangle when Enrique falls for Victor as well over the course of their ordeals, turning the group into a tresalma.
- Chained Heat: Due to the spell that restored Mercedes to life, she and Victor are bound together as his magic is what keeps her alive. She would likely drop dead if he left her for an extended period of time. This causes a great deal of misunderstanding and conflict between the two of them, as Mercedes feels trapped as a scarred, misshapen monster to a man she believes is brainwashing her to love him. Meanwhile, Victor wants to leave San Guadario because his very existence is a sin in the eyes of the Church of Life and he believes that Mercedes would want nothing to do with him if she had a choice.
- Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Inverted Despite being in very good shape, Victor doesn't have the constitution or the training to brawl his way out of tough situations. The resurrection spell gave Mercedes a number of powers, including Super-Strength if Victor empowers her with his magic, so she is the muscle of the team. But Victor is far from helpless, as his creative use of magic is essential for getting out of sticky situations.
- Happily Married: Enrique defied his parents' attempts to arrange a marriage for him to Mia in favor of marrying Mercedes, whom he loved more than life itself. Flashbacks to the days before their wedding show that they were madly in love with each other and couldn't dream of marrying anyone else. Her death on their wedding day shattered Enrique, leaving him desperate enough to hire Victor to resurrect her despite the consequences.
- Ship Tease: Sombra makes jokes about how Enrique, Mercedes, and Victor are a lovely threesome and teases Enrique by making comments about him and Victor being lovers. It ceases to be teasing when the trio all fall in love with each other and become a tresalma for real.
- A Threesome Is Hot: Both Mercedes and Enrique gradually develop feelings for Victor because of his kindness and patience. But given that Mercedes and Enrique were already married to each other and the imbalance in their relationships with Victor, both of them are reluctant to admit it. When they learn that Victor needs a tresalma, a romantic trio between a necromancer and their lovers, to survive the spell he used to resurrect Mercedes, she and Enrique agree without hesitation.
- Unequal Pairing: Victor believes that the very idea of pursuing a relationship with Mercedes is inherently unfair, as the spell keeping her alive will fade if he's ever separated from her for a prolonged period of time. He's also convinced that her affections for him are another side effect of this and refuses to act on his feelings for her because she's already married to Enrique.
Victor
Victor is a necromancer born in San Guadario, a city that hates necromancers. Nearly penniless and living on the run for most of his life, he accepts a deal with Enrique Olivarez, the heir to the wealthiest bankers in the city, to revive Enrique's wife Mercedes in exchange for gold and a ticket out of the city that wants Victor dead. But things get complicated when the spell Victor uses may also be a love spell.
- Blood Magic: Necromancers like Victor typically use their magic by shedding their blood. They can then enchant objects with it to telekinetically control via this blood. Victor has also used it to dull pain when stitching people's wounds shut, attempted to pry open bars with it, and even push an entire ship out to sea by manipulating the waves.
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Due to living in abject terror of being outed and killed for being a necromancer, Victor is completely unaware of how good he looks and doesn't believe anyone would be attracted to someone they'd be jailed for speaking to. He's flustered and confused when Gabriela Duenez, his landlord, asks him out to a Romantic Candle Lit Dinner. Mercedes sarcastically refers to his "sparkling eyes" as a charm point of his but is embarrassed when she gets an eyeful of his muscular physique. Even Mia, who's dead set on marrying Enrique, agrees with Gabriela's description of Victor as someone with an "an amazing body", "deep brown eyes", and "dark hair that was always adorably messy".
- Improbable Self-Maintenance: Victor has been living on the run since he was a child as a necromancer born in San Guadario, a city whose religion encourages the people to turn in or murder any necromancers on sight. Despite having little to eat beyond what he can pilfer or find, Victor grew up to be a ripped, Tall, Dark, and Handsome Clueless Chick-Magnet, with "adorably Messy Hair", and a square-jawed face. He also doesn't have any scars to mar his flawless skin even after being doused with holy water repeatedly in his childhood despite it burning him like acid. The only evidence of him living on the streets is him (apparently) having a layer of grime on him that gets washed off when he has his first ever hot bath. Lampshaded by Enrique, who calls Victor's physique impressive for someone who regularly has nothing to eat.
- Insecure Love Interest: Victor has spent his entire life on the run from people out to kill him for being a necromancer. Despite being a kind, helpful, and patient man and extremely good-looking, he's convinced himself that no one would ever willing spend time with him because he's a necromancer. That's why he constantly denies Mercedes' potential feelings for him as being real, believing it to be a side effect of the spell that resurrected her. He also talks himself out of acting on his feelings for her because she was already Happily Married to Enrique prior to her death.
- Kryptonite Factor: Necromancers become sick when near the Church's holy relics, which are supposedly tied to the God of Life. Their holy aura makes necromancers like Victor sick and unsteady in their presence and trying to use magic on them usually ends in Victor's blood drying up before he can do anything to them. Holy water also burns Victor like acid when it's poured on him and his wounds glow with blue fire when he's injured by consecrated weapons.
- Lascivious Beauty Mark: Victor has a beauty mark on his chain and on the side of his face that are often said to be charm points of his that add to his Tall, Dark, and Handsome looks. However, Victor inverts the connotations of these beauty marks, as his horrible self-worth makes him believe that no one would ever love him and he's easily embarrassed around people he is attracted to. Despite this, he takes to the idea of having a tresalma with Mercedes and Enrique fairly quickly and becomes flirtatious with both of them as he becomes comfortable around them.
- Last of His Kind: Victor has never met another necromancer, leaving him entirely self-taught. Due to the Church of the God of Life's desire to exterminate them all, Viktor may be the last necromancer in San Guadario. La Sombra voices the same concern after she brings Victor, Enrique, and Mercedes into her lair.
- Mage Species: Necromancers can be born from ordinary people, but they're considered a separate species and non-human by the people of San Guadario. Necromancers possess blood that glitters gold when exposed to light, acting as a medium for their magic.
- Mr. Fanservice: Victor has had multiple shirtless scenes before chapter eight.
- Mundane Luxury: Living on the run and unable to purchase basic goods and services leaves Victor in awe of Enrique's wealth. But what surprises him the most is how delicious hot chocolate is due to never learning what it is prior to Enrique offering it to him. Victor mistakes it for muddy water and wonders why rich people would drink it until he takes a sip and is instantly hooked.
- Nice Guy: Viktor is a caring person with great patience for others even when they've hurt him. He's understanding of the circumstances that his deal is putting Enrique through and doesn't try to press him or bicker with him even after several brushes with death.
- Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Victor is a necromancer, a person with the ability to perform magic by shedding his blood, up to and including the resurrection of the dead. However, his resurrection of Mercedes is the first and only time he's done this. In practice, he's more like a general-purpose wizard who can resurrect the dead, as his magic can be used for everything from dulling pain and helping heal wounds he stitches shut, repairing broken walls, barring doors, or creating magic lassos that form Instant Knots.
- Rapid Aging: This is later revealed to be the end result of Victor overusing his magic. He starts developing wrinkles and deep shadows under his eyes. When he overuses it even more, he grows gaunt and his hair greys, as if he were aging years in an instant. By the time he expends practically all of it, he's shriveled up and is only saved by the sacrifice of the magic fireball and Ernique and Mercedes sharing their love with him via a kiss.
- Security Blanket: Victor has worn and maintained the same black cloak ever since he escaped the Church-run orphanage when he was thirteen. It was made for him by a girl his age who would slip him food and books to read during his containment. To him, wearing it feels like she's still around and looking out for him.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Victor is only a little shorter than Enrique, has an "amazing body", dark "adorably Messy Hair", and two Lascivious Beauty Marks. He's instantly pegged as hot by anyone who sees him.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: To the people of San Guadario, Victor is not a human and does not get any rights beyond a Kangaroo Court of a trial. The Church of the God of Life makes it very clear that it desires to exterminate all necromancers in existence. San Gaudario celebrates the murder of necromancers to the point that festivals of remembrace have games, food, and toys that all evoke gruesome deaths for any and all necromancers, such as being burned at the stake, drowned with holy water, and crushed into paste. These effigies aren't even given a face, instead being representated by white skulls akin to the candy skulls created for the Day of the Dead in Mexico.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Victor is terrified of bugs and just the thought of one crawling up his neck sends him into hysterics and full-on Color Failure.
Enrique Olivarez
The heir to the Olivarez family fortune as the wealthiest bankers in San Guadario. He was heartbroken when his wife Mercedes died on her wedding day. Desperate to reunite with her, he offers Victor enough gold to last for generations in exchange for resurrecting her.
- Benevolent Boss: Enrique treats his employees well and does what he can to protect them from being taken advantage of, and that includes Victor.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Downplayed. Enrique is clearly pissed that Mercedes is showing clear attraction toward Victor. But he never harms Victor beyond making him extremely uncomfortable at the festival. He acknowledges this later and apologizes to Victor and Mercedes for bullying him.
- Embarrassing Nickname: Enrique's parents refer to him as "Riquito", akin to "Little Ricky" or "Richie". He finds this horribly embarrassing given how badly it contrasts with his image.
- Lonely Rich Kid: Enrique implies that their shared experiences of coming from stifling, controlling families is part of the reason he and Mercedes fell in love.
- Minored In Ass Kicking: Enrique is a skilled fencer, practicing it as a hobby and a way to deal with stress. Despite being a banker by trade, Enrique's fencing training makes him more than a match for most of the members of the Scared Order sent to capture him after his association with Victor is exposed. He calls his pursuers sloppy and incompetent if someone who only fences for sport is trouncing them so badly.
- Nice Guy: Enrique is a Benevolent Boss who treats his employees well and wants to discover the truth behind behind his wife Mercede's death, he realizes that the Church's teachings are wrong, and even when the spell didn't give him the exact result he was hoping for he still starts making arrangements to get Victor to safety.
- Uptown Boy: Enrique, the heir to the richest family in San Guadario, fell in love with Mercedes, an orphaned girl, after they met at church. Enrique did so in defiance of his family's wish for him to marry Mia, as Enrique was drawn to Mercedes' passion, empathy, and determination. Similarly, Enrique intervened on Merecedes' behalf in the past and learned of his kindness, open-mindedness, and bravery as they grew up together.
- You Are Worth Hell: Enrique loves Mercedes so much that he's willing to throw away his fortune, his status, and potentially his life if it means living together with her. This is why he hires Victor to revive her from the dead despite the risks and is willing to run away from San Guadario forever and become a fugitive if it means smuggling Victor and Mercedes out.
Mercedes
Enrique's deceased wife who died on her wedding day. Her death motivates Enrique to reunite with her by any means necessary, hiring Victor to resurrect her with his necromantic powers. Unfortunately, Mercedes awakens without any of her memories from life and is unable to verbally communicate with anyone but Victor.
- Accidental Pervert: After Victor's and Mercede's escape from the Church, Enrique hides Mercedes in the closet while she's unconscious. She comes to around the time that Victor wakes up without clothes on. She opens the closet as he's trying to get pants on, giving her a good look at his naked lower half.
- Attractive Zombie: Mercedes' body was ripped apart by the members of the Church who were trying to discover the way a necromancer killed her. She was then haphazardly put back together when the autopsy was complete, leaving her skin discolored and marred with stitches. Despite this, Mercedes is still recognized as beautiful by both Victor and Enrique and she's drawn to be almost as beautiful as when she was alive.
- Cover-Blowing Superpower: Frustrated at Enrique's seeming lack of affection for her and bullying of Victor, Mercedes decides to use her Super-Strength to beat Enrique at the "Test Your Strength" Game. Unfortunately, her inhuman strength lets her handle a mallet as large as she is with ease, shocking everyone present. She then breaks the machine even while trying to hold back, drawing the attention of the Sacred Order. Victor has to bribe the game's owner with an enormous bag of gold coins he pilfered from the crypt in the prison to get away and warns Mercedes not to use her strength so flagrantly.
- Exotic Eye Designs: After her resurrection, Mercedes' eyes glow red and develop a yellow star pattern while she's charged with Victor's magic.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: The resurrection spell does not restore Mercedes's memories of her life.
- I'm Cold... So Cold...: Mercedes' unlife is dependent on Victor's magic to continue. Being in contact with him causes him to transfer his magic into her, warming her up again. Conversely, if he's separated from her for an extended period of time or is debilitated by hunger, exhaustion, or holy artifacts, she'll feel cold even in his presence.
- Intelligible Unintelligible: Mercedes can still talk, but her words are inaudible to everyone except Victor, whose necromantic powers allow him to speak to the dead. This makes communication frustrating, especially as Enrique tries desperately to reconnect with her. She later realizes that she can still communicate with others through writing, helping to bridge this communication barrier so long as she has a quill and parchment. After Enrique falls in love with Victor, Victor's magic spreads to him, allowing Enrique to hear Mercedes' voice.
- Ms. Fanservice: Mercedes, even as a reanimated corpse. She has several outfits that expose her legs and/or breasts, and openly flirts with Victor.
- Undeathly Pallor: In life, Milagro was tan-skinned with bright brown eyes. But her skin is pale and discolored while her eyes are bright red after she's resurrected by Victor, both because of her undeathly state and the autopsy performed on her body by the Church.
Gato
Victor's pet cat, whom he met on the night he escaped from an Orphanage of Fear. She is his constant companion and only source of solace while living on the fringes of society.
- Cute Kitten: Despite missing an eye and having her sown wounds giving her a zombie-like appearance, Gato is an affectionate, loving cat and Victor's closest companion prior to meeting Enrique and Mercedes.
- A Dog Named "Dog": Victor has a Familiar/Pet, who is an undead cat named, Gato, which is Spanish for 'Cat'. Oddly enough, Gato would be have to be called 'Gata', due to being female.
- Eye Scream: Gato is missing an eye. Flashbacks show that she lost it shortly before she met Victor, as the wound was fresh and bloody.
- Familiar: Victor unknowingly made Gato his magical familiar during their time together. This first becomes apparent when Gato coughs Victor and Mercedes up like a hairball, while Victor was performing a spell to escape a deadly situation.
- Gender-Blender Name: "Gato" is actually the masculine version of the word "Cat" in Spanish. If Victor would have to call her "Gata" to match her gender.
