Part 46: Episode XLIII: The Red Book

Episode XLIII: The Red Book

Music: Deep Crimson Foe (Boss Battle 1)


Meet the boss of the Haunted Manor: Grimoire Rubrum. This is the third and final of the grimoires to survive from the original version of the game alongside Grimoire Noir and Grimoire Weiss.


Rubrum gets its name from the Latin word for Red. This was probably one of the earliest created bosses, seeing as that boss battle music theme we've heard a number of times already belongs to Rubrum in the game's files. That said, it's a really easy boss fight. Indeed, it's so quickly defeated that you pretty much need to hold back your punches in order to hear all the extensive amount of banter during the conflict.


"-attitude?"
"Ho, aren't we clever! As if any mere tome could compare to wonderment that is Grimoire Weiss!"


So, Grimoire Rubrum has a very simple attack pattern. In its first phase, it will summon forth a whirlwind of magical pages and slowly glide about the room.


Once it gets bored doing that, it will shoot all the intact pages like papercraft shuriken toward Nier. And...that's it for phase one... The pages Rubrum summons are functionally reskinned magic orbs. So, any manner of melee attack, magic, or what have you will destroy them. Once all the pages are annihilated, Weiss' cousin will just sort of float around slack-jawed for a few seconds before repeating the cycle.

In addition, as long as Emil isn't lingering about nearby when the whirlwind begins, he'll usually petrify (and shatter from falling to the ground) half of the pages all by himself. And if he is near Rubrum...he'll probably just take half the pages to the face like a trooper before getting smacked to the ground. I like our new stone gaze sidekick.


"How many pages does this infernal book possess?"
"It's gotta be running low by now."


After a long trial of rinse and repeat, finally an attack gauge will show up when the boss' health is depleted to nearly its end.


But, there is no spiced-up Finisher to be found here. No, instead Rubrum just gains an impenetrable shield that not even Emil's stone optic blast can hit.




Before Rubrum can do anything of note, it gets Hadokened out of nowhere and its shield shattered...




Oh hey, look who decided to show up again. And we didn't even have to kill a Hunter (which she inexplicably was terrified against despite killing things ten times its size earlier in the week) to make her show up for the final battle.


"And where have you been, hmmm?"
"Lost. ...Where've you been?"
"Getting our asses handed to us by a floating dictionary!"
"This foe's strength is beyond measure!"
"So what's the plan then!?"
"I am an arcane text, not some manual of combat! You are supposed to deal with such matters!"
"You guys run! I'll hold it off while you escape!"
"Who's this guy?"
"That's Emil. He's the kid that runs this-"
"Fuck, this book is a real asshole!"
"...Yeah, I should've warned you about that, Emil."
"Ah, the sweet dulcet tones of the woman ring in my ears yet again!"
"You guys go! This is my fight. I can't ask you to die for me!"
"Bold words! And yet I see your knees quake like warm butter."
"Save the heroics for when you're older, kid."


"Am I buggin' you, Kainé?"
"I'm just saying, if you bastards wanna have a goddamn civilized discussion on the merits of bravery and sacrifice, we can do it later!"
"Is this your way of encouraging us!?"
"Have we truly sunk to motivational speeches from a woman in her undergarments?
"I guess so!"




Alright then, all the big jerkass book does in its second phase is attempting to ram Nier. If it misses, it will slam into a wall and stop for a few seconds. And...that is all it does... This must be the runt of the Grimoire litter....




Upon its defeat, Grimoire Rubrum flips out a bit before erupting into a fountain of paper. Not the flashiest of ends, but it will do.




Despite a few hundred sheets of shredded paper drifting about in the air toward the ground, a single scrap of text catches Nier's eye.

Nier grabs the page...


"Weiss! This is it!"
"'Annulling a Petrification Curse?' Ah..."


Nier and Weiss also obtain the Sealed Verse "Dark Whirlwind". As the name suggests, it creates a whirlwind of spectral swords around Nier's body. It's a pretty situational magic spell. But, at least it is a touch more useful than the bulk of the Verses we'd picked up the last few dungeons.


"We went through all this trouble to find it, and now..."
"Oh, look. Jeeves is back."


"I shall put all of my efforts into deconstructing this cipher! No matter how long it takes, I will not fail!"
"Sebastian..."
"Ah! So the servant has a name after all!"

Some time later...

Music: Kainé's Theme


Hey, we made it out of a Resident Evil mansion without it exploding. This is a red letter day!


"Emil? Listen to me."
"Yes? What is it?"


"They're part of you. A vital part of you. Do you understand?"

Kainé holds up her arm and lets it go all Shady gassy...






"This arm? This creature? ...It's me. I thought I'd need it only until I found my vengeance."


"But there's a reason I'm alive. ...That my arm is alive. And there's a reason for your eyes, too."
"Kainé...."
"But listen. If this Shade should ever..."




Kainé whispers the rest to Emil. We don't get to hear what she tells him.

Kainé turns and walks away...




"Kainé, I promise I'll never give up! But you can't give up either!"
"....."
"Well, we're off."
"Bye!"
"Listen, Yonah's sick, and she doesn't have a lot of friends. If you could send more letters, I'm sure she'd appreciate it."
"I would be delighted, sir."
"Bye, everyone! Thank you!"
"Hang in there. Next time we meet, perhaps I'll be able to look you in the eye."


Welp, ladies and gents: We have collected all the Sealed Verses. Took long enough!


"I saw you exchange some words with that Emil lad earlier."
"....."
"Hopefully it was nothing...inappropriate for a young man of his age? Hmmm?"
"....."
"Speak the truth, hussy!"
"Book? ...Shut up."
"Yeah. Cram it, Weiss. We've got our hands on all the Sealed Verses now."
"And now all that remains is to find this Grimoire Noir."
"Oh, we'll find him. ...I know we will."











Haunted Manor Conclusion Highlights (Probably worth watching)


Grimoire Rubrum Full Boss Battle




Emil Concept Art