Idle Thoughts on Evelyn and Her Role as a Guide to Freedom
Blame Evelyn and Joseph for being too intriguing in this year’s anniversary story for this post.
So I finally finished the Global Anniversary story. I know I’m terribly behind and I plan to write up a post on the event along with the summer event (again SO SO SO behind), but while I was reading this event, I couldn’t help but think of Evelyn’s role in it and how it compared to recent roles she’s had.
Now, I don’t talk about Evelyn at all outside of my COA IX posts so bear with me since I’m no expert but as usual, I just wanted to get this off my mind.
Stillewald’s Banquet: A Summary
Promotional art of the Global 8th anniversary event featuring Photographer, Gardener, “Faro Lady,” and “Disciple.” Art Credit: CHA_CUBE.
So a quick rundown for those that haven’t done the anniversary story, but it follows Lady Truth to the town of Stillewald known for being THE place to hold your wedding. The town is run by our Madam Mayor, Dance With the Wind aka Evelyn.
And she is certainly…something. Calm, poised, and with a slyness that is both graceful and intriguing, Evelyn is the unfortunate aunt of a niece who was supposed to be wed, but has now gone missing with her husband (who she was married to all but an hour or so) found dead and beheaded.
I love her, but her little hand over mouth giggle reads deviousness here. So suspicious! Looks a little bad out of context, but she is basically saying the groom’s family can’t claim the body is him without a head…still kinda messed up though, girl.
Yet, Evelyn remains calm throughout the whole investigation and while she expresses concern for her niece’s disappearance, it feels practiced and rehearsed. Clearly, she knows more than what she lets on. This is made all the more clear when D.M. (Joseph) shows up and basically ends up forcing Evelyn’s hand in revealing the truth (at least as she tells it):
Joseph and Evelyn discuss the case before them after new evidence emerges that implicates Evelyn’s family in the death and disappearance of the couple.
The bride had run away into the forest and had hidden in a cave where Melly, a florist who works for Evelyn’s family, would bring her provisions. See, the bride, Greta, as told by Evelyn had always longed for freedom from their oppressive family who always watched over her. The wedding was that of convenience and opportunity as Greta is said to have killed her husband, Bernal, and abscond to the woods.
And yet, even though this story came from Evelyn as if she had nothing to do with it, Lady Truth saw through her and pointed out that Evelyn, who ruled over the family and the town carefully and observantly would never be ignorant to Greta’s plans to escape. No, Evelyn may not have killed the ill-fated husband, but she did help Greta’s plans of her great escape.
Now, after finishing the event story, I could help but think how it was similar to Edgar’s essence that just passed.
Season 42 Essence 2: The Eulogy for the Living
Korean subs, but it’s dubbed in English!
See, if you missed the story of that one, I’ll relate it to you in summary:
The essence follows the funeral of a young prince who died prematurely. His eulogy is read out by Evelyn, who is the voice you hear in his essence trailer. As she reads the eulogy, the band plays on led by a conductor with suspicious behavior.
It turns out the conductor is the “dead” prince himself who is weaving in top-secret information into the score. One of the ones who discerned his identity first was Peddler who wanted to seize power out of this new development and yet, as the design notes say, “Sadly, she failed to realize that the true ‘conductor’ at the funeral was the voice hidden behind the gentle eulogy……”
So very interesting stuff because it implies here that Evelyn (despite being only getting a B-tier in this essence) is the true mastermind behind the events playing out in the funeral. With the simple description: “To our beloved little prince, your royal life will be remembered, always” and the fact that she is the one narrating the essence trailer, it’s seems evident that she is aware of the prince still being alive and possibly even helped him fake his death. Her also providing the eulogy could also be her doing her best to manipulate the truth and feign ignorance.
From this shot, we see Evelyn in the back as the men prepare to open the tomb containing a very much alive Edgar.
This is about one for one what Evelyn does in the anniversary story. It seems she steps in to help those seeking some form of freedom, those who wish to break the shackles that bind them from truly pursuing their true self and ideals.
This is interesting when taken in account the canon story where she is juxtaposed by Martha who took matters into her own hands and did break free from Vilhelm Lamb’s legion of faro ladies before trying her best to pursue what she truly wanted (even if it did end poorly).
Evelyn saw this as a betrayal but I do believe that while she was and possibly still is upset with Martha leaving, Evelyn understood why she did it. She is too astute and was too close to Martha to be that ignorant.
Evelyn’s New Years Firework’s order and her Wishing Star both refer to Martha. Neither quote holds any sort of resentment or even sense of betrayal, just one who wonders rather wistfully to know of Martha’s fate and destination.
Plus, Evelyn herself was trapped in a contract for a near decade before she was able to finally be free. Technically, she still is as her last task was to find Martha, her protege/successor, if I remember correctly. She knows what it’s like to feel helplessly trapped in a situation you didn’t ask for.
However, while she dutifully fulfilled her role, I suppose seeing someone like Martha just leave probably shook her to her core. Not just the sense of betrayal but I suppose there may have been an inkling in her heart that wish she could’ve done the same and wondered what would be different if she had.
COA IX Evelyn and Her Role in the Holy City
Evelyn and Martha as they appear in COA IX’s story.
But speaking of those two, I could drag COA IX back into this, too. The Holy City itself served to be a cult-like town overseen by the Deity, Joseph. Evelyn herself was a devoted follower until she saw what was happening to her friends and colleagues, including Martha, and realized that the “miracles” were lies and the “holiness and redemption” promised by a full transformation is not what she believed.
Edgar discussing the “miracles” that occurred one year involving Evelyn’s friends and students, including Martha. Side note: Noticing how Edgar and Evelyn share a bond in COA IX similar to his recent essence.
Interestingly, Edgar also says this and it’s quite accurate. It seems Evelyn really can only act as a guide towards rebellious freedom for others while she remains shackled, bound to duty and obligation.
The “shackled sinner” in question being Richard who is shown being freed by Evelyn. It’s thanks to her that someone like Richard can roam freely as the majority of sinners like him end up far worse.
This was truly a restriction of freedom as they faced a force they could barely comprehend fully, and yet, the COA IX survivors still teamed up to try anyway. Similar to how she worked as the mastermind behind infiltrating and escaping in the anniversary story and Edgar’s recent essence, Evelyn also helped Alice gain passage into the Holy City and provided a safe haven for her as they planned out their actions towards the Deity.
I still slightly squirm at those tentacles. Remainder: Florian put that over his “eye”…that freak (ok, tbf his didn’t work so maybe no tentacles but still…)
Side note: Speaking of the Deity or Joseph, I find it interesting that Evelyn and Joseph once again appear side by side with each other in this year’s anniversary event. They are once again on opposing sides as I neglected to mention in my anniversary summary above that Evelyn is in charge of the Vignot family (Greta’s family) while the husband, Bernal, belonged to the Castor family who are retainers of Joseph’s family (basically underlings if you will).
Joseph offering a proposal here to Evelyn after Lady Truth’s questioning of our dear Madam Mayor was hitting a dead end. Evelyn would respond with the fact she was considering it and would later lead them to Greta’s hiding place herself.
It is Joseph who successfully lends Lady Truth a hand in pressuring Evelyn to reveal the truth despite how perfectly composed and calculated she stayed the whole time. While the two didn’t really feel like enemies, they certainly didn’t feel like allies either as the two carefully sized the other up and acted according to their own personal goals.
Anyways, it was just interesting seeing them again in a vastly different context, yet still on opposing sides in a way. Yet, both remaining similar to the point that both their connection in COA IX and the 8th anniversary story feel clear and engagingly interesting.
Evelyn will always be out here partially getting in Joseph’s way, always~
Season 39 Essence 1: A Guide to Freedom From the Shadows of Memory
Promotional art for the essence. By CHA-CUBE.
But yes, going back to analyzing Evelyn’s role in recent storylines, I wanted to throw one more out there: Luca’s essence from last year. Again, a quick rundown:
Luca is a traveler who lost his way in the wilderness and ends up stumbling upon a most glorious manor. Here, the manor owner welcomes him generously and he is bewitched by the feast presented to him until he loses all will and reason.
His body begins to waste away and he falls into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by Evelyn who appears to be the only one still awake. She is apparently a figure born from the remnants of his consciousness and under her guidance, he is able to finally fully awaken to make his way out of that accursed manor.
From the trailer of the essence we see Evelyn guide Luca out. Not shown in the GIF is that she successfully leads both of them out of the manor and into the surrounding woods. Note that Luca is confirmed to be the sole survivor of Game 10 and alive as far as we know.
So Evelyn once again being a figure guiding someone to a freedom they needed. The pattern is there but what it all means in the grand scheme of things is anyone’s guess right now.
Season 32 Essence 2: An Inescapable Hotel of Nightmare and Bindings
Evelyn’s own essence when she debuted is the exact opposite from the relieving freedom the others are granted through her guidance. This is because there is no one there to help her.
Quite reflective of her own canonical story really where since day one she had to learn to survive in a world of her own. She does get adopted but her adoptive mother still taught her the skills needed to be independent for her survival.
For those that don’t know this essence’s story, once again, here is a quick rundown:
Evelyn is a young woman who finds herself trapped in a small town by heavy rain. Here she meets a kind man named “Naga” (Weepy) who introduces her to an ancient hotel ran by “Death’s Head Hawkmoth” (Naiad). While her stay at the hotel is pleasant (and rather indulgent I must say), she realizes soon enough that she can’t leave.
No matter where she goes, she feels as if she’s being watched. After she suffers from food poisoning, her health begins to deteriorate. She writes to friends for help but they don’t come.
Realizing she may have fallen into a trap, she does her best to investigate the hotel and finds by accident a hidden compartment by the head of her bed. In it, she finds a book on a fairy tale written by a Tanya Ash and after reading it, she realizes her situation is far worse than she feared.
Evelyn in one of the last shots from her trailer. A very creepy ending showing that she couldn’t escape and was sacrificed.
Interestingly, both Edgar and Joseph appear in her essence as well as B-tiers of animals, a toad and wolf respectively, not to be trusted. I forgot to mention that each character is represented by an animal in this essence.
Regardless, Evelyn could not escape her own fate it seems in her own essence. Yet, in turn, she is able to help others escape what feels like the inescapable. Looking at it like that makes Evelyn a rather bittersweet figure, no?
It’s the Little Things about IDV Lore
The press animation for Alice’s COA IX fit features Evelyn’s care for Alice and some nice fighting from the ladies.
The stories presented in essences, events, and surprisingly sometimes even crossovers hold keys that unlock more aspects of a character and sometimes their role in the canonical story than we realize and give credit to.
Evelyn’s lore is still really small. Only two letters to go on and some deduction notes if we only count canonical lore. Thankfully, unlike say Matthias and Florian, her survivor mates who released the same year as her, Evelyn is already shown to be tied to Martha (duh) and Alice where their relationship is still marked with a “?” though Alice possibly mentions her in Cage of Yesteryear.
“Make people misjudge what they’re willing to sacrifice” sounds like something Evelyn would say. Though, for some reason I remember thinking she was referring to Villhelm Lamb for some reason…
There are theories that abound that suggest Evelyn helped Alice into Oletus (although we see another former faro lady give Alice the information in her character trailer and Ashes of Memory). Still, Evelyn could’ve passed on the info. It is also theorized that Evelyn could’ve helped Alice escape at the end of the “final” manor game. Plausible if this theme of helping those escape towards freedom is anything to go by.
Last still from Luca’s essence. The manor resembles Oletus, but it’s really the gates to me that look really similar.
The last theory is, of course, assuming Evelyn somehow survives her own manor game whatever/whenever it is.
But still plausible if I want to drag COA IX into this again. Namely because I’ve mentioned before how COA groups tend to have connections with each other (ex: Murro brothers in COA IV, Annie and Ganji in COA VI, etc.).
And with the last few COA stories bearing parallels to the main story, especially COA IX with it’s blatant slap to the face of parallels, I gotta say…I wouldn’t be surprised if Evelyn has some role in the “final” manor game outside a mention from Alice.
Exhibit A of being slapped in the face with parallels. If you can’t quite see, this is Richard holding a letter that looks just like the invitational letters sent by the manor in the canon storyline.
Considering Florian is in COA IX alongside the ladies, Florian who I believe has some sort of ties to the “final” manor game as well thanks to his latest letter, I can dream a little on what could’ve happened in the canonical story line.
The only ones that are a little up in the air where I’m shrugging my shoulders is Richard, Edgar, and Joseph with our dear painter already being tied to his own manor game and is presumably dead due to it. I say presumably because I can’t lie, his recent essence made me wonder…
Then again, it is only an essence and I’m unsure what the purpose of keeping Edgar alive would achieve though despite how “old” all the characters are in his game with all that stacked lore between them, surprisingly it’s a bit hard to really get a full picture of what exactly happened in that game.
His game being one of the ones featured here in Cage of Yesteryear holds the promise it may come sooner rather than later.
In addition, Richard still has no concrete lore outside his essence (he STILL doesn’t have an essence A-tier btw weirdly enough) and deductions along with the basic backstory.
Florian is in Richard’s essence as a B-tier though. Richard…perhaps the one person who appears to be able to piss Florian off. That…that’s truly a feat. Yet, they work so well together in COA IX.
On the other hand, Joseph seems like he may be tied to whatever manor game Antiquarian is in.
From Antiquarian’s 2026 birthday letter.
12-1-1-C has been speculated by others to stand for Joseph’s camera (hence the “C”) as we normally don’t see letters being used in a character’s serial number unless it stands for the character’s tool being used. The only other example I can think of is Wu Chang whose serial number is 5-0-3-U, “U” standing for their umbrella, of course. Their umbrella is said to influence Jose in Game 5.
Joseph’s camera is seen at the end of his character trailer in what appears to be the secret cellar/basement area of Oletus Manor. At the very end of the trailer, a hand that is thought to be “Orpheus'” rests upon it. Basically indicating that yes, Joseph’s camera, at least, is in the hands of the manor.
These two having some sorta hand in the “final” manor game both tickles me and worries me.
So yeah, the only ones I’m certain over is Evelyn and Florian having POSSIBLE ties to the “final” manor game only due to their connection to Alice (well, Florian is a little bit more, but I will end up going on a tangent).
This image from the concept video for Ashes of Memory shows 9 people around Oletus Manor. It’s this image that is the reason many believe there are more individuals involved in the main story than we initially see even into Cage of Yesteryear.
From my own guesses:
1.Frederick (you can see the individual walk with a cane)
2. “Orpheus” (pure guess after crossing out the others)
3. Melly (Closest to the greenhouse and I see a skirt)
4. Norton (the one out there in the woods/away from the others)
5. Alice (GOLD = Protagonist Energy)
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
That leaves 4 people unaccounted for. Who the other 4 are is anyone’s guess at the moment. We just have to wait for more lore to drop.
Looking at the image further, I noticed how 6 is right behind Alice which could indicate that they followed her to the manor. This is plausible as we know from Alice’s deductions that a group had been hired to tail her. Someone could still very well be keeping tabs on her but who?
7 and 8 appear close to each other meaning they could be together. They are the closest ones to each other by far compared to the others.
9 is intriguing cause bro is out there all by his lonesome and not even looking towards the manor.
Are any of these unknowns Evelyn and/or Florian if we believe they’re nearby? If you’d like to think that than sure! If not, then sure! We’re just speculating for the love of the game and theorizing on what could be. This is also my first time having a proper look at this image as I’ve always sort of skimmed it before.
However, regardless of all the theories out there, I look forward to seeing what else they’ll drop on us when it comes to, well, not just Evelyn but everyone I mentioned here since I clearly can’t get passed COA IX’s story and crew. But as I already wrote before, there’s a reason all of them were in a COA story together, a COA story that is perhaps the biggest offender in main story parallels.
I’m very interested in doing more lore theorizing from here on out with these characters through the lore drops provided to us by events, side stories, and even crossovers.
Evelyn is out here having to put up with Florian’s whimsical self again after looking after him and the others in COA IX. Poor woman, but he’s trying his best. Wild if this is a sign they’re in cahoots together or something lol (I joke…unless…)
