The Diabolik Lovers franchise primarily draws inspiration from Christianity and its associated biblical lore. The game and anime use specific religious concepts, imagery, and symbolism. However, this is often in a contrasting or mocking way given the demonic nature of the characters. Due to this, the character representations will be explored.
Yui's rosary on her vanity (DL anime: Sea. 1, Ep. 9).
Religious Details
The Bible and Genesis: Ruki has memorized the Old and New Testaments. He focuses on the story of Adam and Eve with the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. The idea of the "forbidden fruit" and Yui's temptation is a recurring motif.
Jesus Christ and Sacrifice: Yui is a strong believer in God. Her character has been interpreted as a figure who follows the example of Jesus by sacrificing herself for her "enemies," the demons.
Religious Imagery: In games and the anime, a church is located on the Sakamaki Brother's Manor property. The vampires maintain it as a form of mockery to God. This highlights the contrast between human faith and demonic existence. (DL anime: Sea. 1, Ep. 4).
The Demon World: The series mentions a "Demon World" (makai) and references to "Eden" within it. Specifically, Karlheinz lives in the Demon World inside a gothic castle he named Eden. Somewhere in the castle is an apple tree, which is similar to the Fig Tree of Wisdom in the tale of Adam and Eve.
Supernatural Creatures: Vast separate merchandise feature all the thirteen male love interests in themed attire. They've been showcased as angels, devils, fallen angels, and ghosts/spirits. In another case, the demons outright dress as priests.
Sakamaki Brothers: Seven Deadly Sins
Shu: Sloth
Reiji: Envy
Laito: Lust
Kanato: Gluttony
Ayato: Pride
Subaru: Wrath
Kino (technically): Greed
Mukami Brothers: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Ruki: Evangelism/Conquest
Kou: Famine/Hunger
Yuma: War/Violence
Azusa: Death/Epidemic
Yui visits the sacred apple tree in Eden. (DL anime: Sea. 2, Ep. 9).
Tuskinami Brothers: Root of All Evil
Carla: Lucifer –Carla is a First Blood King who's incredibly powerful. This is much like how Lucifer was God's most powerful angel as one of the first angels created. Upon becoming fallen, Lucifer loses much of his influence, like how Carla's powers are weakened.
Shin: Satan –Shin is always chasing power and trying to influence humans. The devil is bitter about being weaker than his angel brothers. This is much like how Shin is always chasing after Carla's title and trying to force Yui into being his. Shin dislikes being weaker and beneath Carla.
The sacred Tree of Knowledge & Wisdom in Eden. (DL anime, More Blood: opening).
Other: Significant People
Karlheinz: Abel –Karl is the stronger and adored elder brother. Likewise, Abel is the stronger and favored older brother. Thus, both have a rivalry with their younger sibling.
Richter: Cain – Richter is the weaker and unimportant younger brother. Likewise, Cain is the weaker and less favored younger brother. Thus, both desire to kill their older brother to gain everything they have.
Yui: Eve –Yui is addressed as "Eve," due to her role in Karlheinz's project. She's the first human woman, as the official sacrifice. This is similar to how Eve is the first woman. Technically, Yui is the second "Eve" as Cordelia was a failure in the project. Like Eve, Yui is submissive to her spouse, unlike Cordelia.
Cordelia: Lilith –Cordelia was the first wife of the intended "Adam," Karlheinz, like Lilith was the first woman. Lilith was also the first female demon, as Cordelia is part First Blood demon. Finally, Cordelia is a half Vibora (serpent demon); a nod to the Serpent which is the root of all sin.
Yui holding an apple under the sacred tree. (DL anime, MB: Opening).
What do you think? Are these interpretations accurate to the characters? If not, how do you think it should have been labeled? Please share with me!
All intellectual property belongs to Cybird. I fan translate for fun. I am not fluent in Japanese, so translations are not 100% accurate. Please expect grammatical errors. Creative liberties are taken. Re-blogs are appreciated, but please do not post my translation elsewhere, claim them as your own, or use them without my permission. Thank you for your support!
ᝰ MDNI/NSFW
Jude slammed his hand loudly against the window, blocking me in.
Then, veil and all, he gripped the back of my head.
Kate: Ngh….Jude?
After the wedding, which had been held under tight security with no one allowed to enter, I offered to go thank the Crown members who had helped with the preparations.
Instead, Jude whisked me away to his room before I could even take off my veil.
Jude: We ya plannin' on parading how ya look in that dress to that lot?
Jude: Even though ya signed our marriage contract s’easily……
Jude: Y’aint gotta clue about the kinda man ya married.
With a soft suckling sound, he tenderly marked my shoulder before adding,
Jude: Don’t worry, I’ll make ya understand.
And then, as if betraying that tenderness, he mercilessly bit into the back of my neck.
Kate: Hngh!!
With his teeth digging deeper, a bolt of pain crackles through me, and a river of honey starts to overflow from deep within.
It’s proof that I’ve come to understand, down to my very bones, that this pain is what it means to be loved by him.
Jude: Heh, left a pretty lil’ mark, didn’t it….?
Narrowing his cruel, amethyst eyes to admire the bite mark reflected in the windowpane, Jude deftly unlaced the ribbons of my dress.
Jude: Yer husband’s a jealous, vindictive bastard.
Jude: Won’t be satisfied ‘till I’ve marked ya as mine, even if it means scarring yer body up like this.
Jude: And as for this dress yer wearin' for me, if some other bloke’s gonna gawk at'cha in it.....…
Jude: I’d rather rip it to shreds, understand?
The cold, arrogant whispers against my ear ring out like declaration of love, testimony that I am under his curse.
(I had only just sworn to belong to him alone, yet...to think he’d be jealous over something like this…)
(I’m so deeply and heavily cursed by his love.)
The thought fills me with such euphoria that it leaves me breathless.
Kate: I’m sorry, Jude….
Jude: Don’t want some glib apology.
Kate: I know….that’s why…
[Tap Point -Jude’s Chest]
Jude: ….Mmh.
I gently touch Jude's chest through the opening of his dress shirt.
All so that my ruthless husband might ravish me with his love.
Kate: Bite me harder, torment me.….Carve marks into me to prove I’m yours.
Kate: Please…..make me your woman, Jude Jazza.
Jude: Hah.
His amethyst eyes narrowed sadistically with delight.
Jude: Mark ya where?
Jude’s hand, which had been resting on the window, caressed my shoulder enticingly.
I took his hand and guided it over the contours of my curves through the fabric of my dress.
Kate: Here. And here…..here too.
I trailed his hand down my neck, to my chest… and all the way to my stomach.
Jude: Whadda naughty lil’ bride.
Laughing mockingly, Jude lifted the hem of my dress.
Kate: Ahh..!
As the delicate fabric tore, his fingers sank into the heat of my wetness.
Kate: M-My dress..…Ahn!!
Jude: Hm? What was that?
Kate: Nhhh!
While I arch my back from the pleasure of him roughly churning inside me, he clamped his teeth down on my throat, all the while yanking the bodice of my dress down with his other hand.
The sound of tearing fabric echoed out.
As he bites my breast, my legs give out and I nearly collapse, but-
Jude: Yer the one who told me to carve ya up, aren’tcha?
Kate: Ah, ah, ahhhn!
Pressing his long fingers firmly against my aching clit as if punishing me, honey poured to the floor.
He catches my swaying body still awash in the afterglow of climax, and when I look up at him within his embrace, Jude is smiling.
A loving smile that was tinged with a hint of pain.
Jude: Dress’s shredded up, and ya’ve been bitten all over, but…..
Jude: You were already my woman long before we ever got hitched.
(Jude…..)
[Narrative Flashes to Wedding Chapel]
Jude knows all too well the suffering of being bound by promises and love.
All the same, a man like that promised a future with me and swore his love.
Just thinking about it fills me with such overwhelming joy that I feel like crying. How can I possibly express that in words?
[Narrative Flashes back to Jude’s Room]
(I know exactly the kind of man I’ve married.)
A man who turns my life upside down.
A terrible man who bites and tears my dress to shreds.
A man who will never let go of me, not even if it means dragging me down to hell with him.
He gives my hand a gentle tug, beckoning me toward the bed.
As I pulled him closer by the nape of his neck, craving a kiss from him, Jude leaned over me in response.
Kate: I’ve been your woman for a long time now.
Kate: So, I want it…. prove to me that I’m yours….
Jude: ….Ya really are a hopeless woman, aren’t ya?
The moment our lips met, the heat I’d been longing for seared deep within me.
[Screen transitions to sometime later]
Kate: ….!!
Another burst from his cock erupts deep in within me.
I’ve lost count of how many times he’s etched his love upon me since then.
Cast to the peak of pleasure and unable to even cry out, I looked up at Jude, clinging to him...
Jude: Haah…Hah….
His amethyst gaze was fixed on the space between my widely spread legs...
As my eyes were drawn to follow his, Jude slowly withdrew his cock, and the overflowing evidence of our love flooded out onto the sheets.
(Oh….)
Kate: …..What a waste…..
Jude: ……
My mind was so melted from pleasure that my true feelings slipped out, making Jude’s eyes grow as wide as saucers.
Jude: Hah….yer a real spoiled princess.
He calls her a hopeless woman again here, but it sounded repetitive, so I tweaked it.
Kate: Huh…? Kyaahhhh!!
Before I knew it, he grabbed my hips, rolled me onto my stomach, and thrust deep inside me once more.
Jude: If yer gonna cry over what spilled outta ya, then I’ll just pump a new load in ya…..
With every fierce thrust, what he poured in was pushed out of me, dripping onto the tattered remnants of my dress.
While Jude pressed himself over me from behind, he clasped my hands that were gripping the sheets.
Our rings clinked together, making a delicate, fleeting sound.
Kate: Nhh, nhh, nhhh!!
As he bit the back of my neck, driving me to a climax, I felt his cock flooding within me.
After he thrusted deep, grinding himself against me, Jude’s body went limp, and I felt his heavy weight settle against my back.
(Jude….?)
It was rare for him to lean on top of me like this, so I turned my head slightly and found a pair of amethysts, feverish with emotion.
His gaze was absolutely brimming with as much affection as possible.
Jude: Because of you……
Jude: I ended up vowin’ to something as loony as eternal love.
Jude: So ya’d better take responsibility, wifey.
Jude: Ya already know a promise made to me ain’t cheap, yeah?
Kate: Mm….
Tears well up, and my voice catches in my throat.
Kate: Hic….Y-Yes…Yes, I’ll absolutely take responsibility!
Whether the destination is the moon or hell itself.
This promise is a tether that will bind us and curse us, for all eternity.
Kate: I’ll never let you go.
I nuzzled my cheek against his sweat-soaked one.
Jude: The both of us are well past the point of lettin’ the other go now.
Jude kissed me more tenderly than ever before, as if he were waking a slumbering princess.
I just finished Jude’s route for the first time, both endings and the epilogue, and overall I really enjoyed it. Jude quickly became my favorite character in Ikemen Villains. His internal conflict, the way he views himself, and his struggle with happiness were fascinating to read. I found myself deeply invested in his character and would gladly replay the route just to experience his perspective again.
However, I have mixed feelings about the romance itself. At the beginning, I liked the MC quite a lot, but as the story progressed, I started feeling increasingly disconnected from her actions. This is entirely a matter of personal preference, but I tend to enjoy romances where both characters grow together while maintaining their own dignity and agency.
What made me uncomfortable was not her determination, but the feeling that much of the relationship development relied on her continuously chasing Jude and insisting on her feelings despite his repeated attempts to push her away. At times, it felt less like a mutual progression and more like persistence eventually overcoming resistance.
The reason this stood out to me is because I never felt that Jude truly challenged the beliefs that led him to leave in the first place. His conviction that he belonged to “hell” while the MC belonged somewhere brighter remained largely intact until the end. Rather than seeing him fundamentally question that worldview, I felt that he eventually surrendered to the MC’s persistence.
Personally, I think I would have found the romance more satisfying if the resolution had focused less on proving how far the MC was willing to go for him, and more on Jude confronting the possibility that his decision to leave her behind was not necessarily the right one. Not because he suddenly deserved happiness, but because his conclusions about himself and about what was best for her could have been challenged.
This doesn’t diminish my love for Jude as a character. If anything, it comes from how compelling I found him. I was completely invested in his struggles and emotions. I simply wished the relationship itself had felt a bit more mutual in its growth, rather than relying so heavily on the MC’s persistence.
my problem is if i enjoy something enough i will be nitpicking. i Will have things to say about where and how it failed. out of nothing but love straight from my heart. unfortunately this often makes me indistinguishable from a hater who has never experienced joy or kindness. such is the amateur critic's burden.
before yui even knew it, she had developed a ‘bad habit’ that ruki found… particularly attractive.
of course, ruki had taken note of it.
it’s as if she's been under a spell lately, completely and utterly captivated by the sweet poison from the vampire’s lips. when he lets up just enough for her to catch her breath—a brief moment—they part, only for desperate fingers to find their way into the black web on his neck, pulling him back into another dizzying kiss.
to even consider grabbing her master in this manner, eager and wanting, as if livestock like her were worthy of freely kissing whoever, whenever she pleased.
but yui does, tugging on ruki’s choker, not even minding the taste of herself on his tongue—all the mind-numbing notes of bitter, iron, nectar—her senses in chaos as she chased the seductive corruption that beckons her into the abyss of no return.
and it's almost addictive to watch her like this, falling apart in his arms and entrusting her everything to ruki in exchange for how quickly he can bring her from earth to heaven. such a silly little human girl, letting herself slip into her own false pretenses that this would ever stop the rude awakening of the punishment waiting for her. however, disciplinary action would have to wait; only for another moment longer will he even allow for this to go on.
like a true temptress learning from the snake that enticed eve, yui held ruki closer by his neck with one hand, while the other entangled in the black, messy waves of his hair, drawing him in and stealing his breath along with hers. oxygen became an afterthought as she inhaled ruki’s scent and savored his taste, making a shudder run through his body at her greedy noises, and a sudden tightness in his slacks below.
it was only for a few more seconds before yui shifted her grip from his hair to his shoulder, clawing at his blazer. it took a lot for her to release herself from his mouth, gasping for air as tears sparkled in her eyes. a shaky pant was all she was allowed before ruki claimed her lips again, purposefully sinking his fangs into the sensitive skin of her bottom lip, enjoying the way her body jolted at the sharp ache radiating in the lower half of her face.
all she could muster was a strained moan, attempting to turn her head away, only for him to catch hold of her neck.
ruki released his teeth from yui’s mouth, licking over the swollen flesh that oozed bright red, “you seem to be enjoying yourself quite well, livestock…” he murmured, a coo dipped in honeydew, and he kissed her again, tenderly, “however…”
he watched as her tears ran down her temples, delightfully indulging in the sight, “i don't recall this being a pleasurable reprimanding.”
his cold fingers wrapped around her throat tighter, and he could feel her pulse racing underneath his touch, and the warmth that was embracing him in between her legs. something surely must be in the air, because yui never let go of the webs that encase ruki’s neck (from her)—her fingers wrapped around the neckband so she could bring him closer to where she wants him most. and he lets her, but only for a moment does he surrender to his own desires.
whatever trance is affecting her may be affecting him, too.
in the defence of Ruki Mukami - why Ruki's trauma has just as much influence on his actions as everyone else
i am sitting in the chemistry library at uni right now and am going to spend my time on the most useless task ever to avoid doing anything impactful. please don't take this too serious because i can't write meaningful character analyses.
so i've seen a ton of stuff around, because i know Ruki's not one of the best loved characters in the western fandom. well, of all the characters, i see nearly the most Ruki hate. and obviously everyone is entitled to their opinions, whatever. but what DOES bother me is the reason.
a lot of people say that Ruki's trauma doesn't correlate to his actions, or explain abusive behaviour in the same way that the other characters' do. and i would die for Ruki and we know this, but i've thought about it a lot and i have a Theory as for why some people seem to view his character this way. (i have also studied neuroscience at degree level and learnt about trauma and synaptic plasticity)
to summarise for those who perhaps haven't read all the games (my sources for all this is basically Ruki's MB, DF, and LE), Ruki was born as an only-child in Romania to a rich family, and his father was revealed to be a politician during the Ceaușescu period in Romania. they had a lot of servants, all of whom Ruki learnt from a young age to abuse. he admired his father very much and looked up to him, and his mother was good to him and was close to his father. it would seem like a very good, perfect family - although i'll briefly discuss later why this wasn't necessarily the case.
unfortunately, in the DL universe lore, Karlheinz and Ceaușescu were buddy-buddy politicians, and Ruki's father was eventually chased out of his position. during his downfall, Ruki's father became an alcoholic and began abusing Ruki's mother, verbally and physically. Ruki saw a lot of this as well: somebody he looked up to, admired and trusted, becoming an abusive monster in a very short period of time. i think that's part of why Ruki overlooks Karlheinz's crimes and sees him as a good father anyway.
not only that, Ruki's mother - once again somebody who nurtured and cared for him - turned out to be having an affair. and shortly after that, his father committed suicide: something Ruki actually walked out on.
that in itself is a lot more traumatic than i think people consider. a lot of the DL characters have long-term trauma, but intense sudden trauma, such as your "perfect" life falling apart due to an alcoholic, abusive father killing himself and his mother having an affair, has similar psychological impact. remember, these are people who were supposed to care and nurture him, he trusted them a lot, and they both abandoned him abruptly in very extreme ways. that's the number 1 root of Ruki's trust issues. he's been seen to cut Yui off entirely because he's scared of becoming his abusive father.
similarly, living in a "perfect" household as a spoiled only child can be inherently traumatic. i don't know about you guys, but i've met some (only some, not the majority) of very, very emotionally constipated spoiled only-children. a lot of children showered with materialistic affection are missing key emotional maturity developments. their outlook on life is very narrow and they lack the emotional components of attachment; this is part of why Ruki is quite emotionally immature.
not only that, but growing up as an abusive sociopath to "lower" members of society such as servants is a form of abusive on his parents' behalf. they did not teach him proper world awareness. some children are born as psychopaths etc, true, but the majority of "sociopaths" (diagnosed as ASPD) are that way because they were not taught remorse as a child. Ruki would've learnt to treat his servants that way because that was how his parents did (and we see his father being a dick to the servants in LE too i think), and that in itself is inherently traumatic too.
imagine then, with very little capacity for remorse or a concept of societal hierarchy, being thrown into an orphanage. Ruki is a dick to everyone, yes, but the shock of having everything you know challenged suddenly and without explanation or support is going to cause further trauma. i think people just don't like to consider the fact that a lot of "sociopaths" (again, ASPD is the correct label there) were victims too. he went from being the "master" to being "livestock" and that's going to very rapidly alter your young brain chemistry, entering a "master" mindset as a defensive mechanism. that's why he gets angry/upset/confused when it's challenged.
Ruki has a fuck ton of PTSD as well - he's the only character who i've seen literally throw up MULTIPLE TIMES when experiencing flashbacks.
but i think people generally know that, perhaps not thinking about it as deeply. my Theory as to why people don't seem to see this as being as "extreme" as the other boys' trauma goes further than that.
diabolik lovers follows this dynamic between the Sakamaki's vs Mukami's, whereby Yuma, Kou and Azusa (Yuma and Kou more strongly) have this mindset of "the Sakamaki's can't have trauma because they were rich" and obviously as readers, we're supposed to be like "um, no, the Sakamaki's can have trauma too" because they do.
with that said, Kou and Yuma do successfully get to Subaru/Laito and Shu's heads respectively with this narrative. especially Subaru and Shu who get really fixated with this "i was a spoiled, privileged kid" and because of that, naturally we, as readers, lean towards feeling sorry for the Mukami's especially.
obviously, Ruki is the odd one out when it comes to the Mukami's. he had a sheltered upbringing whereas the other brothers were fighting for their lives in poverty/on the streets, victims and witnesses of the civil war and orphan crisis. Yuma particularly pushes this "Ruki had it easy" notion too, and i've definitely noticed that a lot of people who don't particularly like Ruki tend to fall towards that.
this idea of "not enough" trauma has enough to unpack as it is and we won't do that to, but personally i think that all of Ruki's abusive actions are justified. no, they are not an excuse. none of the diaboys' behaviour is excusable, but i think Rejet did quite a good job of giving them enough fucked up backstory to make us as readers at least understand why that might be how they act.
and from what i see, it seems to be Ruki who people think is the exception to this the most, because his trauma isn't in the same vein as the rest of the Mukami's. the "rich people can't have trauma" narrative gets pushed so hard that i think people forget 1) it isn't true and 2) Ruki went through a ton of fucked shit as a kid, and i don't think any of his actions made me feel any differently than the other diaboys' awful behaviour towards Yui.
you can find Ruki boring, not interesting, or just not your type. but he very, very much has "sufficient" trauma to explain his toxic and dominating actions. thank u for coming to my TedTalk.
@yuukanaazu hi there! thank u for your question, i would LOVE to talk about this. i've thought about this so much and i love the who Mukami backstory. i would like to disclaim i'm not a history expert but i've researched this a fuck ton. whilst a lot of the Mukami routes have bits of the Romanian history lore scattered around, the most lore comes from Ruki's MB but especially his LE, so i'm going to be using that as my main source.
putting this under a cut here because it's very long. TW for discussions of the Romanian orphan crisis.
so right off the bat in MB, we see Ruki clearly has this trauma surrounding something which happened in an eastern european nation, as seen in this manga panel when he's sitting in class and the teacher is talking about an outbreak of orphans.
although they don't SAY Romania, it's pretty heavily implied that it's Romania as this was where the infamous orphan crisis occurred and we know the Mukami's met in an orphanage. the REAL confirmation of what actually happened in Romania comes from Ruki's LE.
credit where credit is due, rejet did alright with the Romania lore. in the 1960s, Romania was under a dictatorship by Ceaușescu. Ceaușescu's socialist policies had Romania and its capital Bucharest in declining conditions. wild-spread poverty caused children to run away from home so there were already some children on the streets. Decree 770 was enacted in 1966 which banned abortion and contraception with the hope of population growth directly leading to economic growth.
Ruki's father was supposedly a politician during the time of Decree 770 being enacted. it is implied Karlheinz convinced Ceaușescu to impose Decree 770 to cause wide-spread casualties particularly in children and use these for ghoul experiments. Karlheinz also convinced Ceaușescu to impose higher taxes and embezzle public funds.
it's unclear exactly when Ruki's father was dismissed from his political position, but we see it happen in LE and he becomes an alcoholic. over the next few years, birth rates would increase substantially, especially over 1967, 1968 and 1969 when the policy was still knew. parents who were unable to take care of their children gave them up to orphanages. by 1977, parents were taxed for being childless. potentially this is when Ruki's father dies and they all enter the orphanage.
children ran away from home due to parents being overloaded with children and poverty stricken. by the 1980s, conditions in the orphanages had significantly declined. Ceaușescu was killed in December 1989. supposedly, Kalrheinz was assassinated at the end of the revolution too, and was hung in public, but his corpse disappeared.
conditions in the orphanages were as follows:
Children did not have access to food, water, medicine or basic needs
Many were not educated and were illiterate
Hygiene was below standard and sexual assault common
HIV/AIDS spread throughout orphanages particularly in the 1980s
Military run orphanages often saw violent child abuse
Children self-harmed and abused aurolac, a type of paint inhaled as a solvent (commonly distributed around Bucharest during this period right through to common times)
Gangs were formed inside and outside the orphanages which led to further violence
There weren't enough beds
Some children were sold off as slaves for money or to be abused (Kou is an example of this)
Disabled children were sent to special places and were treated the worst
the Mukami's lore is mostly implied from theories, and the bullet points i'm about to drop are only my perspective. though it is based off canon events.
here, we are going to assume the timeline matchup or make some kind of sense…
it DOES kind of make sense if you imagine the Mukami's to be born in 1966/67 due to the abortion ban
thus they would be around age 10-11 in 1977 when they all entered the orphanages
obviously the orphanages were overcrowded by this point in time, hence the conditions were so bad
Azusa was at the orphanage first and when Ruki arrived, he followed him around
Ruki was creeped out at first but eventually came to see Azusa as a younger brother
then Ruki meets Kou when he's in the middle of trying to kill himself and calls him a loser
Yuma joined the orphanage last, and became friends with everyone after meeting Kou in the punishment cell
so the order is Azusa, then Ruki, then Kou, and then Yuma
Ruki
Ruki's father was a politician… until he wasn't
when Decree 770 was enacted, he turned into an alcoholic and began abusing Ruki's mother
it's explained in Ruki's LE Maniac Epilogue and it's a bit vague but I do think the implication is that Ceaușescu imposing higher taxes (potentially the childless tax in 1977) is what caused Ruki's father's dismissal
this means Ruki was a baby when Decree 770 was first enacted but he was pampered so he didn't know that was going on in the real world
1977, Ruki's father was fired then committed suicide, his mother had an affair and ran off, and Ruki entered the orphanage
he was beaten up a lot for being an ex-aristocrat
Kou
Kou was born to an aristocratic family but they were exiled when he was still young
(i headcanon his parents being from another country, possibly Italy considering his name was Emilio)
he was off-handed to a nanny but she abandoned him when he was young
she potentially abandoned him due to having to care for too many orphans (early 1970s)
kou spent most his childhood on the streets, at which point he was shown to beg for food and money
he exchanged this (IN CANON!!) for aurolac (which i write about here)
eventually he was taken into the orphanage, right when some army officers shot some people in front of him
there he was sold off to aristocrats, aka slavery, and gouged out his eye
continued using aurolac in the orphanage
Yuma
i will assume he ended up in Bucharest around mid-1970s
his farming family in the village which burnt down was poor due to socialist policies and higher taxes
he was in a gang as the name Bear and was one day thrown into the orphanage when everyone else was shot
his leader Lucks had been shown to be prostituting himself to get money for the gang
Yuma steals food from the orphanage and got into a lot of fights due to people insulting his gang
Azusa
Azusa was raised by Romani people
it isn't clear whether he was born into a Romani family or whether he was born accidentally and abandoned and then taken in by the Romani people
i personally headcanons the former
he was weak compared to everyone and Justin, Melissa and Christina beat him up a lot
one day they were killed for burglary and Azusa cried
then he passed out in front of a shop and was sent to the orphanage
he enjoys getting beaten up at the orphanage and that's when he meets Ruki
i am sorry that this is SO LONG. if you made it to the end, thank u and congratulations. i love this lore. if you want it saved somewhere, i have it all here (+ more information).
Original title: DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE,BLOOD Side Story feat. 無神ルキ
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me privately by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Note: The reader is always referred to by the neutral female 彼女 in these short stories, but I use Yui instead of exclusively 'that girl' or 'her' for practical purposes. This side story appeared in a 2013 issue of the otome magazine B's Log.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
SUMMARY | Ruki has cornered Yui on the rooftop of a transmission tower. Seeing the tears in her eyes in the aftermath of the violence he inflicted on her, the vampire finds himself oddly fascinated.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
—There is a break in the otherwise pitch-black sky overhead, revealing a sliver of blue.
“You know, what everyone’s saying about your blood being special… They were right,” I say slowly, sighing deeply.
In response to my voice, Yui’s body, still sprawled out on the ground, stirs.
“Pitiful Livestock… No matter how much you hate being used, you are already beyond saving, aren’t you? Heh…” I say it mostly to myself, but the girl’s eyes open ever so slightly, gaze unfocused.
Still, I sense the intent behind that gaze.
“Frustrating, isn’t it?” My voice is a whisper.
“Nn…”
Her eyes narrow. Seeing her in this state, I shake my head disapprovingly.
“Better fight back if you don’t like it. You could have tried pushing me off this ledge, at least,” I taunt, willing my voice to sound as cold-hearted as possible.
Tears start spilling from her eyes then, almost jewel-like. I quietly look on as she cries, the tears running down her cheeks and disappearing beneath her blood-stained collar.
I know the reason for those tears, though I have never cried myself. I could never cry the way she does.
No, it’s not that I could not cry—I simply would never allow myself to. Back then, it would have been easy to cry, scream, lament my pitiful state, fall to the ground or stomp my feet in frustration. Considering the mistakes that had brought me to that point, crying about it was simply not an option.
“...Kou already told you crying only feeds our appetite,” I try, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Yui continues to cry in silence.
“Don’t cry, Livestock.” Irritation unconsciously bleeds into my voice. Where did this irritation come from? I had no intention to reproach her for feeling sorry for herself, and yet… “I suppose it’s only natural to feel that way.”
The words were out before I knew it, taking me aback. Such quintessentially human emotions were simply unnerving to me. That must be the cause of my irritation.
“Heh… I must admit I’m a little surprised. Although I suppose that realisation is of no use to you now.”
I trace the girl’s cheek with a finger, catching the teardrops.
“Ah…”
“Don’t give me that look. I did you a favour, and this is how you thank me?” I run my tongue along my finger. Savouring the taste, I edge closer to her. “It’s no use crying now…. because you are already mine. Just give up. Be a good girl and give your blood to me.”
That is the only way to make this easier for yourself, I finally add.
All the while, I think how foolish it is to force someone else to do something that I could not do myself.
Original title: N/A
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me privately by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Note: Again, not 100% sure what merch line these were from, but from what I could find I think it might be from the Bloody Joker★X'mas kuji?
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Well, well. Doesn’t that suit you?
It seems as though my choice was a good one.
What an awfully strange thing to do, giving jewellery to livestock.
However, consider this your collar.
This is the proof of my ownership… I won’t let you take it off so easily.
What is it? You look pleased… I wonder if this is all because of that ring.
If it is, I suppose I have made an excellent purchase.
I never thought something like this would be so suitable for disciplining you.
…Stay that way forever. If you keep being such a good girl, I will never treat you badly.
I will make you lose yourself with my fingers, my lips… and my fangs.
I will love every inch of your body.
So long as you do not talk back and do as I say, that is.
What? Do you want your reward straight away?
Your reward is already on your finger, though.
Are you saying that is still not enough?
I see… If that’s the case, think about it.
What should you do when you want a reward from your master?
DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS SONG Requiem (2) Bloody Night Stellaworth Complete Set Short Stories ☽ Ruki ver.
Original title: DIABOLIK LOVERS Versus Song Requiem (2) Bloody Night ステラワース全巻連動購入特典小冊子
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me privately by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Note: The reader is always referred to by the neutral female 彼女 in these short stories, but I use Yui instead of exclusively 'that girl' or 'her' for practical purposes. Also, please listen to the original mini drama as well, as it provides some context for this short story! (⸝⸝⸝-﹏-⸝⸝⸝) The English translation of the mini drama can be found here (courtesy of @dialovers-translations) and audio can be found here (provided by me).
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
SUMMARY | Ruki makes Yui clean up the aftermath of her escapade with both Azusa and himself, but decides on a different kind of punishment for indulging his brother when he sees her on all fours, cleaning the kitchen floor.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
When I open the door to the kitchen, I am met with the sight of food and utensils strewn all across the floor. The room is so dirty I feel the need to avert my eyes.
Yui peers into the room from behind me, a guilty expression forming on her face. Rightly so, because this woman is the one responsible for this mess.
To make matters worse, this is all the result of her indulging Azusa’s thirst (1), so it is only natural for her to feel remorseful.
“You already know why I brought you here, don’t you? I was even kind enough to wait for you to get back on your feet. Now hurry and clean this up,” I instruct her.
For a moment, it looks like Yui wants to say something, but then she quickly looks away and nods.
“I am right behind you watching your every move, so don’t think about slacking off.”
Without so much as an acknowledgement, Yui brings in cleaning supplies and starts by picking up the broken shards of porcelain. Careless as she tends to be, I expect her to hurt herself during the process, but she finishes the task without a hitch. The cleaning progresses smoothly from then on. Soon, the kitchen is back in its original state. All that’s left now is for her to scrub the floor.
“When you’re done, continue where you left off with cooking and make dinner. Everyone’s waiting, so be quick about it,” I say before heading for the door, but a quick look down at Yui, her back facing me, stops me in my tracks.
Down on all fours, cleaning the floor. The sight of her is pitiful, but even more pitiful is what it stirs deep inside of me—a wretched, sadistic desire.
Change of plans. My brothers will have to wait for just a little longer.
I take out my whip and draw closer. Then, I bend over her as she continues to scrub away, leaning in to whisper in her ear.
“…Time’s up.”
Yui freezes for a moment before moving to look up at me.
“Don’t move a muscle. Hold that position.”
It only takes that much of a sharper tone for her to do as I say. Either she does not understand what I am going to do, or… No, that is just not how this woman is.
Yui is, in fact, eager to be punished.
”Heh… how foolish.” I spit the words and bring the whip down on her back.
The woman lets out a small cry, shivering fiercely.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
It says アズサと快楽を貪る, lit. ‘indulging in pleasure with Azusa’ so… Ruki is clearly jealous as hell lol
DIABOLIK LOVERS White Day Message Card ☽ Ruki ver.
Original title: N/A
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to post and translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Note: I honestly don't know the context of these message cards! The cover image is from Paraselene but I don't think these came with the Paraselene CDs so... maybe one of the White Day kuji prizes sometime around the release of Paraselene?
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Today is White Day, isn’t it? This day is about you.
You actually couldn’t wait for a reward from your master, could you?
Don’t worry. I’ll reward you properly. Thoroughly.
With my mouth (1), of course.
Tonight, I will not let you go until I have returned the favour.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Might’ve taken a little bit of liberty with this choice of words but 口写し means ‘mouth-to-mouth’ (probably as in, feeding chocolates) so... Take this as you will hehehe
Diabolik Lovers More,More Blood Vol. 12 Mukami Ruki ☽ Limited Edition Short Story
Original title: DIABOLIK LOVERS More,More Blood Vol. 12 無神ルキ 限定版ショートストーリー
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to post and translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Strange.
Livestock hasn’t been getting herself into trouble recently.
Of course, that in itself should be a good thing, but the fact that she isn’t even making her usual clumsy mishaps is unheard of.
It is almost as though she is covering up her mistakes by somehow doing everything over—
Realisation struck. The hourglass we received from Him.
That magical hourglass holds the power to rewind time.
It would make sense if she were really rewinding time for every mistake she made.
What a pitiful way of using it. It seems as though I have to discipline her all over again.
Worst of all, I haven’t tasted her blood in a long time. There simply hasn’t been any need to discipline her until now.
That just doesn’t sit right with me at all.
As soon as I can confirm my suspicions, I will carve my presence into the very depths of her body.
I will not let her go until I’m truly satisfied.
Diabolik Lovers More,More Blood Vol. 12 Mukami Ruki ☽ Limited Edition Short Story
Original title: DIABOLIK LOVERS More,More Blood Vol. 12 無神ルキ 限定版ショートストーリー
English translation by @otomehonyaku
Scans provided to me by @karleksmumskladdkaka/@yes-no-maybe-soo with permission to post and translate ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Strange.
Livestock hasn’t been getting herself into trouble recently.
Of course, that in itself should be a good thing, but the fact that she isn’t even making her usual clumsy mishaps is unheard of.
It is almost as though she is covering up her mistakes by somehow doing everything over—
Realisation struck. The hourglass we received from Him.
That magical hourglass holds the power to rewind time.
It would make sense if she were really rewinding time for every mistake she made.
What a pitiful way of using it. It seems as though I have to discipline her all over again.
Worst of all, I haven’t tasted her blood in a long time. There simply hasn’t been any need to discipline her until now.
That just doesn’t sit right with me at all.
As soon as I can confirm my suspicions, I will carve my presence into the very depths of her body.
I will not let her go until I’m truly satisfied.