Emma

Emma is a powerful Morning Star rank mage who has earned a terrible reputation under the nickname of the Blood Duchess. She is spoken of with open fear and revulsion: she is infamous for her madness and extreme cruelty, which makes even interlocutors of her own rank, such as Ganlier, go on alert and not conceal their antipathy upon merely hearing her voice. Her appearance in public places such as the VIP boxes of the auction halls invariably generates tension among the mages present. In the context of the plot, Emma figures as one of the influential figures unaffiliated with the protagonist in the world of mages, whose interests and actions intersect with the activities of Leylin Farlier. There is no direct alliance with Leylin: she belongs to the independent forces of the Morning Star, with which the protagonist is forced to reckon as he rises. Her reputation serves as an eloquent reminder of how dangerous and unpredictable high-rank mages can be, and of the threats Leylin must evade or neutralize on his path toward higher heights of power.