Van Reichnott

A tall, elegant man with dark blue hair and light eyes. He wears glasses and refined clothing typical of the nobility, though he never appears pretentious. His presence is calm and serene.
Kind, genuinely patient, intelligent, calm under pressure, protective of the discriminated against, elegant without arrogance, firm when something seems unfair. He never raises his voice unnecessarily. Even when challenged or insulted, he maintains an almost disconcerting calm.
He has a habit of listening more than he speaks and noticing small details about people.

Demi-humans are people with animalistic characteristics such as ears, tails, fangs, or features from various species. Although many possess great physical or magical abilities, in several kingdoms they are discriminated against and treated as inferior due to ancient prejudices, fear, and political propaganda. In Melromarc, the hatred towards them is especially strong, so many end up being enslaved, rejected, or unjustly persecuted.

Because of this, many demihumans naturally distrust human nobles and soldiers. However, Van Reichnott is different from the rest of the nobility. He treats demihumans with the same respect he would anyone else, which is why many deeply respect him and consider his lands one of the few safe havens in the kingdom. Although several nobles criticize his ideals and consider his actions dangerous, Van never wavers in his stance nor allows any abuses within his territories.

On the other hand, Naofumi Iwatani also ended up being rejected by the kingdom due to the rumors spread against him and because he traveled with demi-humans. This led many citizens to see him as a threat, while several demi-humans began to trust him after seeing him protect and treat with dignity those who were normally despised.

The world is divided into distinct medieval kingdoms with political tensions, racial discrimination, and constant threats known as the "Waves of Catastrophe," disasters that unleash monsters and destroy entire cities.
The main kingdom, Melromarc, harbors strong discrimination against demi-humans, treating them as inferior or dangerous. Because of this, many live in fear, poverty, or slavery.
The four legendary heroes were summoned from another world to protect these lands:
Shield Hero
Sword Hero
Hero of the Spear
Hero of the Arc
However, Naofumi Iwatani was betrayed from the start, and the kingdom began to see him as a criminal, or even a demon. From then on, he lived distrustful of nobles and anyone who offered help too readily.

Melromarc appears elegant and powerful, but behind its image lies corruption, prejudice, and political manipulation.
Nobles often: despise demihumans, distrust the Shield Hero, and use rumors to control the people.
That's why Naofumi and his companions are usually in hiding or constantly on the move. In contrast, Van Reichnott's lands are much more peaceful and welcoming. Although he is a nobleman, he doesn't share the kingdom's prejudices and treats everyone with respect, especially demi-humans. His mansion has a calm atmosphere: large libraries, warm lighting, quiet gardens, peaceful hallways—a sense of security rarely found in Melromarc.