Fortuna's Forgotten Parents: The Story Behind Credo and Kyrie's Parents (Also: Nero's Adoptive Parents)
There's a detail in the Devil May Cry 4 lore that very few fans know about because it only appears in the official novel Deadly Fortune: Kyrie and Credo's parents are never given official names, yet they play a crucial role in understanding the three main characters of the story. Since they have no official names, I'll refer to them here as Benedictus and Hosanna, in reference to the Sanctus—the liturgical hymn that, along with Kyrie and Credo, is part of the Ordinary of the Mass. I found the symbolism fitting: Benedictus carries the meaning of blessing, while Hosanna is literally a plea for salvation. It will all make sense by the end of this post.
A family from Fortuna and devoted followers of the Order of the Sword. They believed in helping those in need, just as Sparda was said to have done according to legend. Because of this, they regularly volunteered at the city's orphanage.
It was at that very orphanage that Benedictus and Hosanna met an orphaned boy named Nero. What first caught their attention was his silver hair—a rare trait, just like the one the legends attribute to Sparda. They were fascinated, perhaps believing there was something special about him. Over time, they grew closer to the boy until they eventually adopted him.
Years later, the two died during an investigation in the ruins of the Mitis Forest, the dense, demon-infested woodland surrounding Fortuna between the castle and the Order's headquarters. They were caught off guard by a sudden demon attack.
However, there was something almost no one knew: those demons had not emerged from the gates of Hell by chance. They were actually members of the Order itself who had attempted a secret ritual known as the "Ascension" ritual—and failed. Those who fail the ritual lose their sanity and become demons. Credo, as commander of the Holy Knights, knew the truth... but he could never bring himself to tell Kyrie.
- Nero, who had never been particularly religious, completely lost his faith in God. He couldn't accept that a just God would allow such kind-hearted people to die that way.
- Witnessing Kyrie's grief after losing her parents was what motivated Nero to join the Order—to protect her from ever suffering such a loss again.
- Credo carried the burden of knowing the truth all by himself, which helps explain the overwhelming sense of responsibility he always felt toward his sister.
In the end, Benedictus and Hosanna—a "blessing" and a "plea for salvation"—sought exactly that through their involvement with the Order: to bless those in need and to believe in a greater salvation. Ironically, it was that very pursuit of salvation—the Ascension ritual—that led to their deaths, in a forest whose Latin name means "gentle"—the least gentle place they could have encountered. A nameless family quietly shaping, behind the scenes, three of the franchise's most memorable stories.
(Note: The images were created with AI, using Credo's design and facial features as inspiration for Benedictus, and Kyrie's for Hosanna.)
I know most people probably aren't familiar with these parents because they haven't had access to the novels—or because they know about them but simply choose to ignore them. I just want to make it clear that this is not a hate post directed at VerLir (Vergil × Lady in Red shippers). It's simply an explanation of my disappointment and my sincere hope that Kyrie and Credo's parents—Nero's adoptive parents—will finally receive the recognition they deserve.
