Krul Tepes (Anime)

Krul Tepes (クルル・ツェペシ) is a third progenitor among the vampires and the vampire queen of Japan in the Seraph of the End anime. She is a secondary major character who is responsible for turning Mikaela Hyakuya into a vampire. She is one of the highest ranking members of the Progenitor Council, and plans to destroy armed human organizations deemed a threat such as the Japanese Imperial Demon Army.

Appearance
She has the appearance of a preteen girl and calf-length rosy pink hair, partially done up into three pigtails held with black hairpieces that resemble bat wings. The black headdress is connected by a black headband, and she also has what appear to be short black horns at either temple.

Like all vampires she has red eyes, hers are large, sharp and somewhat slanted. Her other vampire traits are fangs and pointed ears.

She wears a short black, frilly style dress with a layer of white ruffles over black ruffles of the skirt. The top has a raindrop shape opening over her chest, and the straps of the top cross before reaching her neck on either side. The top has an open back with two x-shaped crossing stitches tightening it at her waist. A strip of pink goes down either side at the front of her top and ends with red bows above her ruffles. Five golden buttons in a vertical parallel design are distributed on either side between the pink strips.

She has a white collar of lace parted in the center of her neck that reaches over her collar bone. It is bound by a pink ribbon with a large bow on the right side of her neck. It has a golden oval decoration in the center and a pair of ribbons trailing from it that reach her hips.

Krul wears detached, loose black sleeves that are puffed up under her shoulders run past her hands, becoming wider toward the end. It has two gold buttons at the cuff. A black ribbon is tied into a bow at the top outermost sides of these sleeves, and its tails reach the length of the sleeves. White lace frills decorate the tops of the sleeves, and longer white frills hang out under the sleeves. The white also extends in a area at the puffy part of the sleeves under either ribbon.

Under these sleeves, she wears a pair of black gloves that are tighter against her skin and reach her knuckles. Each one has a pair of pink stripes running down from her knuckles to the end of the glove. They can only be seen when the loose sleeves over them are slid back.

She wears tall black boots that are initially folded below her knees, but they become unfolded after she attacks Ferid. After unfolding, they reach mid-thigh and have a slit down to either knee. They have tall golden stilettos.

On certain occasions, she may wear a black cloak underneath her skirt. It runs from her waist down to her ankles and is split down the center. The inner lining is pink.

Personality
An effective leader in retrieving surviving human child to ensure vampires retain a blood supply, and in issuing orders. If her words are not heeded, Krul often acts as if physical violence is a be all and end all of a dispute which whilst effective, it is not always so. After beating Ferid she let him leave for him to later reach a point where he had enough information on her to manipulate her. She took the same approach in verbally threatening Lest Karr without fully comprehending what he may have meant when he said he might have been planning to pick a fight with her when he has the ruling of Japan in mind. Her swift approach to settling matters and not really registering the long-term impact that scheming against her can do would result in her downfall as it allowed her to fall and lose her position to Ferid.

Orchestrating her own grand designs, Krul is willing to lie to the entire progenitor council regarding the status of children who bear the seraph gene. She kept some alive for a plot she is deeply invested in. Krul would send Mika on a secret mission to this end. Both to maintain appearances and deal with the rising threat to vampires that the Japanese Imperial Demon Army presents, Krul's solution was to kill them. Krul travelled to Nagoya to see this through to the end.

Unlike the vast majority of vampires Krul has other interest aside from blood. She is affectionate to Mika and appears happy to see him, she did not mind being lifted up and drank directly from. Krul is patient and takes time to help him understand matters. In addition she has been preparing her own blood for Mika to live off of.

History
At some point she became the queen of Japan.

Prologue
Krul Tepes leads an army of vampires and they move throughout a burning city. They are here to reclaim the humans who have survived the apocalypse. An announcement states that those aged thirteen or younger are not affected by the virus, and the children are currently being collected by the direct unit of the third progenitor, herself.

Events of 2020
She is mentioned by Lacus Welt as he questions Mika on his connection to the third progenitor. It is remembered that four years ago when Ferid Bathory murdered the orphans from the Hyakuya Sect and Yūichirō Hyakuya escaped, Krul came across the scene. She ordered a vampire with his foot raised over Mika to hold it right there since she had an interest in the blond one.

Told he is losing a lot of blood, Krul sees it as well. Sliding her fingers through it then tasting the blood, Krul states at this rate he will not last much longer. She wonders how these children managed to catch lord Ferid Bathory by surprise, aware that he can hear her as he lies supposedly unconscious nearby. Thanking him for his complimentary rhetoric, Krul replies that Ferid’s grin is just as smug and nauseating as she remembers. Unconvinced by his declared affections for her, Krul feels the only thing Ferid really loves about her is her power. Baffled that Ferid could be attacked and injured by human children, more so because he is a seventh progenitor, Krul then considers whether this is a joke. Hearing it is not she dryly answers she sees, and Krul did not think Ferid was that funny. Aware that one of her seraphs has escaped, and noting the other one is dying barely clinging to life, Krul says if Ferid would like to explain his actions now is the time. Her eyes narrow as Ferid counters that she has some explaining to do, to which Krul queries what he said when Ferid raises how fiddling with the curse of the seraphs is against the law, plus how the Progenitor Council would be furious if they knew. With nothing lost on her, Krul whirls towards Ferid and boots him far across the hall with a single kick. Charging towards him again, Krul slices his right arm off and kicks him to the ground. With her food on his throat, Krul did not quite catch what Ferid was saying and would like to hear it one more time. With Ferid feeling the pain despite being able to heal himself, Krul replies he is lucky all she ripped off was his arm. Glaring at him as Ferid says he will keep her secrets, Krul removes her foot and replies that Ferid’s lips had better be sealed because if he pries into this matter again he will regret it. She watches him leave before walking over to Mika and addressing him as human, Krul asks if he wants to bleed out. Seeing that he wants to die like the rest of his friends, Krul states unfortunately he does not have much of a choice. On top of Mika she tells him once he drinks her blood he will become something far superior to a human before Krul transfers her blood into his mouth.

Shinjuku Arc
Four years later Krul is seated on a throne as an announcer states that today they have gathered all nobles with the progenitor’s blood to address a growing concern, of humans. Specifically how the Japanese Imperial Demon Army have been active in Northern Tokyo. With concerns of experimenting on the seraph of the end, and another plague that occurred eight years ago at hand, Krul joins in the speech to say those before her need not worry about that because they are exterminating the Japanese Imperial Demon Army by going to war. It is remembered that Krul had her familiar Arukanu on the arm of her throne with Mika as a child before her. A human child was brought in unconscious for Mika to drink from. She persuaded him to just drink his blood and accept that this is his life now, she promised him that he will start feeling better. Doing so will finally transform Mika into a complete vampire with an immortal body and strength far beyond that of a human. Giggling when Mika refused to become a vampire, she replied he says that now but his body must be craving blood. Krul bets every muscle Mika has is in pain, thirsty and crying out for a sip. She held up his chin as she questioned why he fights it, and entices him to give his body what it desires.

Being told to shut up, Krul says he is going to waste away. Considering he may have the right idea since immortality is not as glamorous as one might think, Krul states there is one problem. Since she has changed Mika he cannot die normally and if he does not drink then he will become “a hideous monster” with no will or mind of his own. Hearing that Mika will never become a monster like her, Krul will give Mika another option then. She brings a glass over and fills it with blood from her wrist. She entices him to drink his fill of her blood, it is the only other way Mika will survive. As she fills the glass she says there is absolutely no reason for Mika to refuse this and tells him to have a little taste. Having the glass knocked out her hand, Krul stands to move away not caring about the blood dripping from her. Pleased that Mika has taken a hold of her arm and is drinking her blood, Krul encourages him to drink deep. Seating herself she contently says Mika is hers now and will never be able to leave her. For all eternity her pet and servant, Krul hugs Mika close.

Krul is mentioned when Ferid remarks that he may have a chance to see Mika, her favourite servant in action as the vampires invade the city of Shinjuku. After units return from the lost battle of Shinjuku, an announcer calls for Mika to join Krul in the royal audience chamber. Krul is seated on a throne with Arukanu beside her and Mika opposite after he has returned from the battle of Shinjuku where he met Yu again. The vampires were forced to retreat after the arrival of the main force of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army led by Lieutenant General Kureto Hīragi and Major General Shinya Hīragi.

Nagoya Arc
Krul is lounging in her throne in a pink hued meeting room as Ferid addresses the progenitor council members on screens. Whilst he explains that humans are blinded by their desire to defeat them so have delved into forbidden enchantments, Krul appears shocked at seeing Mika enter the room with a recording to illustrate this. She focuses on the hologram recording of Yu’s violent transformation at the battle of Shinjuku. With Ferid saying the humans have managed to weaponise the seraph of the end, Krul affirms that is right when a progenitor council member interposes she put an end to the human’s experiments when she exterminated the Hyakuya Sect. The program was dismantled eight years ago, she killed the researchers and every child carrying a trace of the seraph of the end with her own hands. That is what she said are her words to Ferid who questions if she is sure she killed all of them. Krul glowers further towards a voice coming from one of the screens. When Lest Karr appears and raises her leadership failing, Krul stands and orders him to hold his tongue or she will have it ripped out and hung on her wall. She addresses him as “little brat” after she tells him not to push her when he mentions it is about time he stepped in as ruler of Japan. With Ferid asking what she would ask them do about the weaponization, Krul asserts this does not change their basic strategy. They will send their strongest units in to destroy the Demon Army. She looks down in silence when a member of the council asks Ferid who the young boy stood behind him is. With the meeting over Krul is enraged and challenges Ferid on what he thinks he is doing. The force from her hand cuts into the floor itself as she says how dare he spring that video on her, and bringing Mikaela along as well. Conspire against her and Krul will end him. Her fury is aggravated as Ferid explains she cannot kill him or the information gathered on her might reach the council. With Ferid having his plots that also place him at odds with the council if they found out, Krul hears their shared secrets leave them little choice to be allies. They might even belong together, and Krul maintains a rather savage glare towards Ferid before leaving. Around the time where vampires are planning to invade Tokyo, Krul sits on her throne where droplets of blood from her wrist are filling a vial. She is happy to see Mika and explains she was just getting some blood ready, but her sentence it cut short when Krul is lifted of her throne and held as her neck is bitten. After a moment she asks is he really that thirsty and tells him to drink his fill. Thrown aside, she turns away before appearing happy again. Krul understands they all get a little ravenous when they have not had enough blood. With Mika requesting a little more of the serum, Krul replies she can give him as much as he wants. Holding his face she tells him he will not last forever on her blood alone, the day will come when he will have to drink from a human. Krul instructs Mika to wait outside for now, she will send for him when she is done. As she tends to a vial she notices Mika has remained so she asks whether there was something else. Krul replies Mika sounds so serious when he raises she was supposed to kill him and Yu, and she says not to tell her that he is worried about her safety. Concerning what she is planning on doing with Yu and Mika, that is information Krul would rather keep to herself. Pushing Mika’s fingers back slightly, Krul asks how exactly is he going to put a stop to this right now, but does not answer what she has planned for Mika and Yu. Continuing that Mika is just her little pet, she says now he is just being dramatic and will eventually realize that the vampires are not as bad as the humans. It is for the better and Krul discloses that she likes Mika and his old friend, and expects him to believe that without question.

Releasing his hand, if Mika is going to start sulking then she will tell him why she kept the two of them alive and why she requires the power of the seraph of the end for herself. Leaning in close to whisper a message that only Mika can hear, Krul then informs him next month they are attacking the humans again. This time she will send in their strongest units and will not stop until every one of them is dead. It will be the final battle between humans and vampires. Turning the topic to saving Yu, Krul elaborates that Mika is going to have to go undercover and hide from both sides of this war and so has a secret mission for him. The consequences of Mika failing it that he would be a traitor to both sides and the whole world will turn on him.

Krul and her words are remembered by Mika when she told him that the day will come that he will have to drink from a human. She is also discussed by Lucal Wesker and Esther Lee who received a letter regarding a plan to annihilate the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. There was the rumour she was coming to Nagoya to oversee the operations herself. Krul's power struggle with Lest Karr is known of.17 On board a transport helicopter to Nagoya, Krul sits on a thrown in her own select company of vampires. She hears from a noble that they are approaching Nagoya and will arrive at Crowley Eusford’s territory in a few minutes. Replying okay, Krul glances over to her right to notice that she is being stared at by Ferid and glowers at him. Having landed in Nagoya near where Yayoi Endō and Tarō Kagiyama have been killed, Krul speaks to the host of vampires gathered around her helicopter. Her attention is drawn after Guren is thrown into the ground by a vampire noble. After that noble is instantly severed apart by Mahiru-no-Yo, Krul nonchalantly joins the daunted vampires witnessing this and remarks how she sees who is in control. She knocks Guren away when she is attacked and then lunges into him to take him into a wall. Krul commands the vampires to stay where they are when they mean to help her kill Guren. Speaking privately, Krul regards Guren as Mahiru Hīragi’s messenger and asks where she is. Hearing that Mahiru is dead, Krul replies her deal was with Mahiru before the world ended. If she is dead then Krul has no reason to keep Guren alive, adding that their agreement is null and void in this circumstance. Told that she cannot do it, Krul hears she has already betrayed her kind and needs the humans to bail her out. The seraph of the end experiment has to succeed today or she is totally screwed, in Guren’s words. Striking him, she glances away as Guren chuckles before learning that they will be testing it at the airport. Reacting angrily but not towards Guren, Krul calls for attention from her troops. The humans are re-assembling at the Nagoya airport and she orders all units to move out. Having landed at Nagoya airport, Krul sees a white shining orb with outer colors of purple and gold in the sky. It is surrounding a human girl, Mirai Kimizuki who has been activated as a seraph. Kureto and Aoi Sangū have induced the demon that emerges from her, Abaddon, to create Four Horseman of John. Rather than take part in any fighting, Krul intervenes to catch Mika who whilst unharmed by the proximity to the fire, he has been blown away. She remarks this is bad as Krul views the swirling vortex of flame near by in a separate location in the disaster zone. Krul sees the landscape has been returned to what it was after Yu, filled with the power of the second trumpet, the king of salt has destroyed Abaddon. With Yu falling unconscious, Krul asks whether Mika has healed enough when he says they should go too. Hearing he will be fine, Krul answers good and to not let the humans get a hold of Yu. Before Krul can finish her statement concerning how they have seen what the humans can do, she gasps as a light flickers across her face. She grabs Mika’s arm and pulls him back since Krul has noticed Crowley leaping towards them with his sword. Cutting his off arm, Krul then leaps on Crowley’s back when he announces he is not done yet. She begs to differ and promptly breaks Crowley’s neck. Hearing Ferid behind her say that she has panicked and left her beautiful neck wide open, Krul is powerless to defend against Ferid as she is bitten with his fangs. Cursing him, she futilely slides her fingers across his forehead. Shouting for Mika to forget her, Krul tells him to go now and relays a message for Mika. Krul eventually falls unconscious and is dropped to the ground.

Held up by her arm, Krul is declared to the other vampires as a traitor to their kind for her involvement with the seraph of the end project the humans were working on.

Natural Abilities
Being a vampire, Krul has immortality, immense strength that surpasses humans, and rapid physical regeneration. Her powers as a third progenitor of the vampires makes her stronger than those of a lower station, which is apparent when she easily defeats Ferid, a seventh progenitor. However, she is supposedly weaker than a younger Third Progenitor Lest Karr, though this has yet to be proven. The swing of her arm can easily break into the floor of a room and she uses this base physical strength and supernatural speed even against those with weapons.

As a noble, she also has the ability and permission to turn a human into a vampire, a privilege she exercises on Mika.

Quotes

 * "Hold it right there. I’ve taken a particular interest in the blond one." - Preventing a vampire from ending Mika's life.
 * "Why thank you, and your grin is just as smug and nauseating as I remember” - Speaking to Ferid.
 * ”You were attacked and injured by human children. You were seventh progenitor for crying out loud. Wait, is this a joke?” - After Ferid had fallen unconscious from being shot in the head by a pistol, Krul becomes skeptic.
 * "Once you drink my blood you will become something far superior to a human.” - Passing her blood to Mika to turn him into a vampire, and deeming them superior to humans.4
 * "You needn’t worry about that. Because we’re exterminating the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. We’re going to war! To ensure that we continue to rule this world, we’ll have to slaughter the greedy livestock resistance once and for all." - Assuring those with the progenitor's blood that humans will not be experimenting on the seraph of the end.5
 * “Come on, Mika, just drink his blood. Accept that this is your life now and I promise you you’ll start feeling better. You’ll finally be transformed into a complete vampire with an immortal body and strength far beyond that of a human.” - Coaxing Mika to drink human blood and become a complete vampire.
 * “I see. I’ll admit immortality isn’t as glamorous as one might think. It can be boring living for thousands of years, never ageing, maybe you’ve got the right idea. There’s just one problem. You can’t die normally anymore. Because I’ve changed you for good. If you don’t drink blood you’ll become a hideous demon. You’ll have no will or mind of your own so you have to drink, Mika." - Krul's view in the moment on immortality, aware that vampires can turn into demons and further persuasion for Mika to drink blood.
 * “Well I’ll give you another option then. Drink your fill of my blood, it’s the only other way that you’ll survive." - A generous offer of her own blood to sustain Mika, which will keep him in his partial vampire state.
 * “That’s it. Drink deep. You’re mine now, Mika, you’re never going to be able to leave me. For all eternity. You’re my pet, my obedient little blond servant. Mikaela Hyakuya." - Pleased with getting what she wanted. 9
 * “This program was dismantled eight years ego. I killed the researchers and every child carrying even a trace of the seraph of the end with my own hands." - Assuring the progenitor council that the Hyakuya Sect's experiments were ended.
 * “Hold your tongue Lest Karr, or I’ll have it ripped out and hung on my wall.” - Strong words for a fellow third progenitor questioning her capabilities.14
 * “Are you really that thirsty? There, there, drink your fill my pet.” - Perfectly fine with Mika sweeping her off her feet and drinking directly from her.
 * “Oh I can give you as much as you want. But you know, you won’t last forever on my blood alone.” - Her dedication to providing blood for Mika, but aware the time will come when he will need to drink from a human.
 * “Fine. If you're going to start sulking then I’ll tell you why I’ve kept the two of you alive. And why I require the power of the seraph of the end for myself.” - Making Mika feel better and showing her role in major world events.
 * “In order to save Yu, you’re going to have to go undercover and hide from both sides of this war. I’m giving you a secret mission. And if you fail then you’ll be a traitor to both sides and the whole world will turn on you.” - Entrusting a secret mission for Mika to undertake concerning regaining Yu.15
 * “Oh I see. You’re the one in control.” - Her comment on Guren with Mahiru-no-Yo after he has sliced a vampire noble apart.23
 * “Now then. You’re Mahiru Hiragi’s messenger. So where is she?” - Who she thinks Guren is, and hearing that Mahiru is dead she replies “My deal was with her, before the world ended. If she’s dead then there’s no reason for me to keep you alive. Our agreement is null and void in this circumstance.” to pressure him for further information, and all the while Mahiru exists inside Guren’s sword as the demon Mahiru-no-Yo.23
 * “Attention men! The humans are re-assembling at the Nagoya airport. All units move out!” - Directing vampires after gaining what she needed to know from Guren.23
 * “Are you healed enough?” - A question for Mika when he means they should go and get Yu, and when Mika replies he will be fine she answers “Good, don’t let the humans get a hold of him.”

Trivia

 * Krul is the first major character seen in the anime.
 * Her surname comes from Vlad Ţepeş, who is more commonly known as Vlad the Impaler, the real-life inspiration for the character Count Dracula. This implies that she is Romanian.
 * The second anime opening shows Krul acting like she is biting into an apple, but vampires cannot ingest anything other than blood. This is most likely a reference to the Tree of Knowledge in the biblical tale of Adam and Eve.
 * Both of Krul's voice actors also voiced Mina Tepes in Dance in the Vampire Bund. Both characters have many similarities to each other:
 * Both were Queen of Vampires.
 * Both have the same surnames of "Tepes."
 * Both have the appearance of a small petite girl with pigtails.
 * Both favor a teenage boy.
 * Krul has many similarities to Rize Kamishiro from the Tokyo Ghoul series:
 * Both are voiced by Monica Rial.
 * Both turn a human teenage boy into a monster of their own race.
 * Both are species that feed on humans and have a war with them.
 * So far, she is the only female vampire who is in the Progenitor Council.