Irene

Irene Hermes (アイリーン・エルメス) is an optional playable character in Zill O'll who can be recruited by the protagonist. Her relation with the main character depends on their gender and origin story. If the player chooses to create a male hero, Irene is his childhood friend in the "Large Castle City" scenario.

She is 17 years old when the story begins.

Role in Game
Irene was born in Rostorl, a kingdom in the south which is defended by a legion of reputed knights. She has idolized the memory of her departed father since childhood and wishes to follow his footsteps into knighthood. She is colloquially trained by the knights' sword mentor, Osshi, with hopes of living up to her dream. Women are not accepted into Rostorl's knighthood, however, so her mother pesters her to give up her aspirations. After giving her future considerable thought, Irene decides to be true to herself. The young woman runs away from home and becomes an adventurer with hopes to join another kingdom's knighthood.

If the protagonist is her childhood friend, she gladly accompanies him in his search for the missing chalice. Any other scenario has her leave Rostorl because of her friend's death. He dies protecting her during one of their misadventures as squires. Irene wants to become a knight as soon as possible for his sake and searches for the chalice with hopes of becoming famous. She asks the hero/heroine to aid her search with any news of the talking goblin group. If the male hero is not her childhood friend, she is startled by the resemblance between the two figures. Protagonists can build their ties with her by repeatedly visiting her in random towns.

Regardless of whether the chalice is recovered or not, a continental war breaks out in Vyashion. Irene becomes acquainted with Karula and quickly enlists under her. Her dream of knighthood has been fulfilled, even if it means she will someday need to invade her own home. She leaves her childhood friend to fight for the Dyneskal army. If the hero chooses to join Dyneskal, Irene may be persuaded to return to him again. Any other hero/heroine can recruit Irene if they are simultaneously friendly with Karula and fight for Dyneskal.

Choosing to side with Dyneskal's enemy, Rostorl, cuts off early opportunities for Irene's recruitment –even if she is childhood friends with the main character. She sacrifices herself for Karula's escape during the second Rostorl invasion. The protagonist will be forced to fight her, and they may choose to accept her challenge or retreat. Winning the fight against her results in her death. Her last words are spent apologizing to her mother and mentor. Xenetes shares his condolences with the mourning protagonist but urges him/her to keep moving.

Retreating spares her life and causes her to question her beliefs. As she gazes at the devastation caused by Dyneskal's army in Liberdam, Irene is shell-shocked. She feels she should have had an honorable death in the name of duty rather than live in cowardice. Desiring to find validation for her survival, Irene leaves her post and, in her fragile state, she decides to pursue a demon for help. Karula is aware of her anxieties and issues a request for the protagonist to bring her back to Rocen.

If the protagonist chooses to do so, he/she will eventually track Irene to the abandoned town, Oswald. She chats with Vashtar, who assesses that her mind will only be put to rest with more bloodshed. Irene protests, but her pride is too vulnerable to resist his manipulative powers. Vashtar puppets Irene's body and forces her into a death match with the protagonist. Winning the fight frees her spirit but ends with her demise.

She can be spared by fleeing from the duel. Vashtar is amused by the hero's valor and merciful decision, as he is able to sense his/her pure intentions to save Irene. He rewards him/her by releasing Irene from his influences and withdraws without conflict. Irene is perplexed by the demon's actions, yet the experience teaches her to think beyond the idealistic chivalry she strictly worshiped. The protagonist escorts her to Rocen to report back to Karula. Regardless of whether her superior joins or not, she chooses to abandon a military life to find a new future for herself and travels with the protagonist thenceforth.

Irene only shares her personal ending with her childhood friend. They return to her home in Rostorl after the final battle and resume their daily life prior to the war. Due to her service in the continental war, her worth has been acknowledged by the Rostorl nobility. She has been ordered to serve as a paladin within Rostorl's royal guard. Irene, however, feels she will never be worthy of the rank until she bests her friend in a duel. Until then, she is content to spend her days rigorously training beside him.

In infinite's ending with the entire playable cast, Irene is part of the group of women too embarrassed to approach the protagonist directly. She criticizes the integrity of their indirect scheme, thinking that it would save time to be honest with their desires. The other women comment that she is over-thinking their intentions and is being too serious. When Irene apologizes, her disparaging countenance lowers the morale of the group. As the women brood over the silliness of their plot, they fail to notice the protagonist running past them.

Personality
Despite her noble origins Irene is a practical and adventurous spirit who interacts with the peasantry. She feels more at ease holding her father's blade than she does cooking at home. Irene loves her mother but refuses conforming to her parent's wish to be a future housewife. Though she is sometimes ridiculed for acting against stereotype with her masculine chivalry, no one can berate her fighting potential. Irene can easily beat the squires with her swordplay and could have easily been knighted if not for her sex.

Irene thinks her childhood friend is a hopeless hothead, a boy who is too straightforward and honest to realize when he is walking into danger. She enjoys teasing him when he pouts and acts as his supportive elder sister. Since he is weak and foolhardy, Irene wishes to protect him with her strength. If she stays beside him long enough, she will appreciate their close ties and may even fall in love with his daring. She accepts him not as a person who needs her protection but as the man she always knew he would become. Should he die protecting her, Irene will realize her deeper affections for him too late and is left heartbroken by the loss.

Since they share similar origins and share the same desires to fight, Irene is particularly close to Karula. They both appreciate one another's company and trust one another with their lives. She is so faithful to her commander that they are called "Sisters of War" by the Dyneskal troops.

Fighting Style
She begins six levels higher than the hero in the "Large Castle City" and is stronger than him at the start. Irene's strong physical attacks can help him catch up to her. She is at her best with Brave dominate Souls with average AGI and DEX ratings. She may not be as strong as other characters, but she is an efficient alternative fighter for the party.

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