Lester DeRosso



Lester DeRosso is a character in Bravely Default. He is 2400 years old, and he is the Vampire who knows the truth behind Airy alongside his rival Sage Yulana.

Appearance and Personality
Lester has dark, slicked back hair and very pale skin. Since being branded a vampire by the Crystal Orthodoxy, he has gone to some lengths to try and fit this image, learning how to grow fangs with magic. He wears a white shirt with elbow length sleeves with a cravat, a dark green vest, grey pants and a vampire cape.

Story
Many centuries prior to the events of the game, Lester DeRosso was a clergyman of the Crystal Adventists. When the Orthodoxy came into power, he joined and attained the rank of cardinal, though this did not last as he was forced out of his position for refusing to vote for a corrupt leader. After this, his lands fell under siege from the Orthodoxy, and Lord DeRosso was forced into handing his mother over to them in exchange for his people's safety. However, the Orthodoxy killed Lord DeRosso's mother and poisoned the wells, trapping him and his people inside the mansion to suffer a lingering death by starvation. Eventually, only Lord DeRosso remained alive, and he set his home alight, intending to go down with it. Just as he was about to die, he heard a voice call out to him: "Accept me and I shall grant life everlasting. Though it shall be filled with grief, thou shalt have all eternity to wreak vengeance upon thine enemies".

For the next few centuries, now a vampire, DeRosso battles the Orthodoxy from the shadows and engaged the order's High Inquisitor Yulyana in an epic battle 1800 years prior to the story. However, their fight ended when an "angel" descended from the heaven and they attempt to save her from dying of her injuries, learning of the Evil One who would destroy Luxendarc by piercing the world's boundaries and of the events that would foretell its coming. Entrusted by the angel with a task only he can fulfill as an immortal before she died, DeRosso and Yulyana spoke for three days and nights before ultimately joining forces to prepare for the coming doom. From that point on, his death faked to work in the shadows, he and Yulyana have worked together behind the scenes to try and stop the Harrowing.

After he is defeated, he shows the final painting and explains that it is of the angel that descended from the heavens during his final battle with Yulyana 1800 years ago. He tells of how both he and Yulyana were captivated by her and stopped fighting in order to tend to her, and that before she died, she warned them of the evil one who would destroy Luxendarc by piercing the world's boundaries and of the events that would foretell its coming. He tells the party that the angel entrusted him with a task that only an immortal could fulfill, but refused to elaborate as she had sworn him to secrecy. After the angel died, he and Yulyana spoke for three days and nights, ultimately joining forces to prepare for the coming doom.

They attempted to do so by establishing the Anti-Crystalism movement, but Braev Lee took control and made DeRosso archduke of Frostcoffin Castle so he would not interfere. Fifteen years later, when the event and Yulana waited for begins coming to pass, DeRosso knocks the Wind Vestal's group out at Eternian Central Command and hands them over to Alternis Dim, stating that it is a matter of friendly concern. He expresses an interest in Edea to Alternis, telling him that he may throw the other three in the dungeons if he wishes and informing him of Victor and Victoria's deaths at the hands of the party, lamenting that he never had the chance to meet them.

Next, he is seen in the chamber of the Council of Six, with Braev Lee walking in and expressing surprise at seeing Lord DeRosso here, since he had not been there in fifteen years. Lord DeRosso responds by saying that Braev has become a fine Grand Marshal, and that for an immortal such as him, fifteen years seems like a fleeting moment in time. He recalls the day fifteen years ago when he gave his position of head councilor to Braev, who then proceeded to 'rid himself of him' by naming Lord DeRosso archduke. He asks Braev if he is content, recapping Braev's actions to claim the crystals and use them to further society and praising him for doing what he and Yulyana failed to accomplish and for acting valiantly. He then goes on to tell Braev that he has been too hasty.

He then reappears after the fight between the party and Braev, assuring the distraught Edea that her father is not dead, merely unconscious. He says that Braev's wounds will heal, in time, and that he may never wield his sword again. He explains to Edea that her fears concerning awakening the Earth Crystal are misplaced, formally introducing himself and informs the party that Braev has advanced science and medicine in Eternia by a hundred years, and that while they cannot cure Mahzer Lee, they can still treat her even if the Earth Crystal were to be awakened. He then goes on to say that it is ironic that he would be the one to urge them to awaken the crystal. He tells Edea that she reminds him of her father in his youth, but there is still much that she cannot fathom. He mentions of some of the things he has seen along the course of his immortal life, the rise and fall of the Orthodoxy being one of them.

After defeating Braev Lee, the party can go to Frostcoffin Castle, known by many as Vampire Castle, where upon attempting to enter, Lord DeRosso's voice tells the party that if they wish to enter, they should seek the six keystones scattered across the lands to prove themselves worthy. When the party returns after acquiring all the keystones, they are granted access to the castle, speaking with Lord DeRosso about important paintings about his life on each floor, learning his backstory and eventually fighting him on the final floor. Defeated, DeRosso reveals his alliance with Yulyana to combat the doom that is to come.

Alternate versions of him can also be encountered in later chapters, offering a deeper insight into his backstory. In the final world, with Ouroboros's arrival into his reality, the reality's version of DeRosso carries out his promise to the angel by merging into Ouroboros. Using his own immortality to negate Ouroboro's regeneration, DeRosso died with the monster when he was finally destroyed.

Battle
Lester DeRosso is only fought during sidequests from Chapter 4 onwards, and gives the Vampire asterisk upon defeat. In the final chapter of the game, he can be fought alongside Yulyana. Defeating him in the final chapter also unlocks the Dimensional Hasp, where Yulyana sealed away the most powerful weapons in the game.