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#Character #Royal

Paulo Duwirth-Warpine

A relatively low-ranking member of the Royal House Duwirth-Warpine who was manipulated by Kaiser, came to support Zet's cause, and was executed by Qyvin Warpine for treason in Chapter 37. His dead man's switch message to Zet revealed crucial intelligence about Kaiser's identity and methods.

Background and Manipulation

Two days before his execution, Paulo was contacted by a man known in the Royal Community as "Kaiser" (real identity unknown, using aliases including Ingo Fringe, Frederick Korough, and Thuntro Perind). Kaiser convinced Paulo to serve in plans to "take down Zet" by assembling his family's drone fleet, with explicit orders not to use it under any circumstances unless told to.

Paulo did not strike observers as "the kind of man who even knew how to command a drone fleet," suggesting his family's resources exceeded his personal military expertise.

Ideological Shift

After Zet's Manifesto was released (September 23rd, 8044), Paulo's views on Zet changed. He came to believe that "maybe, it didn't need taking down." When the Cities of Perind city of Izon was attacked, Paulo made an independent decision to mobilize his drone fleet to defend it.

Paulo's Realization:
"I learned too late that that was exactly what Kaiser had banked on — somehow, he'd known I'd decide to do that. Realising that was the case terrified me."

Kaiser had predicted Paulo's ideological evolution and drone deployment, using Paulo as an unwitting pawn in a larger strategy. After Paulo's intervention nearly caused "a terrible catastrophe" (prevented by Zet destroying the attacking Lightstinger), Kaiser assured him he was not in trouble and that this was "exactly what he'd wanted to happen."

Trial and Execution

Paulo was brought before Emperor Qyvin in the throne room, accused of betraying the Crown and abetting Zet in combat. Ribo Mire witnessed the proceedings and immediately recognized Paulo as "clearly a fall guy."

Paulo remained completely silent throughout Qyvin's interrogation, refusing to answer any questions. He showed no indication of being afraid for his life and stared directly back at Qyvin during the confrontation.

The Execution:
When Qyvin sentenced Paulo to death, the Royal Knights present refused to carry out the order — they required Qyvin to invoke his brother the King's status by name (as Qyvin was only a regent, not the true monarch). Qyvin refused, saying "Fuck that," and personally shot Paulo in the heart with an energy pistol. Paulo dropped to his knees and fell face-first onto the throne room floor.

Title Stripped:
During the trial, Qyvin began addressing Paulo as "Paulo Duwirth" rather than "Paulo Duwirth-Warpine," implicitly stripping him of his Royal title before the execution.

Dead Man's Switch

Paulo had configured a dead man's switch message to be sent to Zet if he did not return home from the palace hearing. The message revealed:

  1. Kaiser's true identity and known aliases
  2. Kaiser's manipulation of Paulo and prediction of his ideological shift
  3. Kaiser's negligent acceptance of mass casualties
  4. Paulo's terror at realizing he had been manipulated so precisely

Paulo's Hope:
"I have been summoned to the palace, and some part of me hopes that he is correct — and if he is, saying anything would only cause trouble. However, should I not return from this hearing, I want you to know what I know. I hope you can make use of it."

Paulo prioritized brevity in the message ("There is lots that I could, and would want to say — but in the interest of highlighting the most important details, I shall keep it brief"), a choice Zet found "unnecessary" and "regrettable" but "understandable."

Zet's Regret

Upon learning of Paulo's death and his message, Zet deeply regretted not knowing about him earlier:

"I found myself regretting Paulo's fate. If he had come to realise that Kaiser could not be trusted even a little bit, he might've spoken up at the hearing, thus giving him a chance to save his life. As it were, not only was another inherently valuable human life lost, but it was one that could have been very useful to me. An ideological ally within the Royal Community… I wish I'd known."

Zet recognized Paulo could have recruited other Royals to the cause and represented a lost strategic opportunity.

Personality

Character Assessment

Ribo Mire's immediate reaction: "This man was clearly a fall guy. That was obvious to everyone, right?"

Paulo was used by Kaiser as a disposable asset in a larger scheme, manipulated through psychological prediction into deploying his drones exactly when and where Kaiser wanted. His execution served both to eliminate a potential Zet ally within the Royal Community and to demonstrate Qyvin's willingness to bypass legal protocol.

Sources

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