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Ribhu
Ribhu-haruka4
Character Information
Birthday:
September 20
Age:
25
Height:
187 cm (6'2")
Bloodtype:
O
Family:
Grandfather
Father
Mother
Mithra (older sister)
Malika (younger sister)
Bimo (younger brother)
Manu (younger brother)
Occupation:
Asvin's servant
Innate Element:
Water
Celestial Stem: Gui
Dominate Hand:
Unknown
Hobbies:
Serving tea
Habit(s):
Scratching his head and hair,
Saying "Ya" or "Ha" before he speaks
Voice Actor(s):
First Appearance: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4
Only voiced in drama CDs and Aizouban port.

Ribhu (リブ) is a secondary character in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. He joins the main party in any timelines his master joins.

Role in Game[]

Unlike the other central figures of Tokoyo no Kuni within the game, Ribhu is a commoner. He is not physically strong nor is he one of prestige. In the eyes of royalty, that makes him an expendable asset who can be assigned fatal tasks with no consequence. He witnessed the Raja's fall to the Black Dragon, thus he was under a close vigil to safeguard the secret from the public.

When he was twenty-two, Ribhu met Asvin for the first time. The game states he was ordered by Surya to go to Asvin; the drama CD story says it was a corrupt minister named Varaha who gave the order. In either scenario, he was ordered to be a spy within Asvin's ranks. The prince deduced Ribhu's purpose and quickly sought to slay him. Ribhu lived due to the armor he wore underneath his clothing, an invention of his which fascinated Asvin. Ribhu, who was saved from execution, was amazed by the prince's honesty and dedication to his soldiers. Even when Ribhu was still loyal to his previous master, Asvin personally rescued him. Recognizing Asvin as the true ruler, Ribhu pledges his loyalty to him. He uses his creative talent to invent mechanical weapons and other useful creations for Asvin's army.

As the prince's trusted assistant, Ribhu accompanies him everywhere and at all times. Asvin confidently assigns him tasks related to war preparations and gathering information. Since Ribhu is not skilled in combat, he often supports the army from the back with his inventions.

Personal Route[]

Asvin gathers info on Levanta and attracts Chihiro to follow. The princess asks about his plan to conquer Levanta but hesitates to agree. Ribhu suggests she consult with others before acting. Asvin dismisses their meeting abruptly.

Chihiro visits a smithy and finds Ribhu making weapons for the army. Despite the dark topic, she supports Ribhu's inventiveness. They end positively.

Asvin forms an alliance with Chihiro, but Kumano ministers criticize him for not predicting Tokoyo no Kuni's movements. Asvin is unfazed. Chihiro expresses concern, unintentionally pushing him away. Ribhu explains Asvin is brooding but will recover.

Mudgala falls and the Nakatsu Kuni army presses onwards to their capital, Kashihara. Chihiro is supposed to ritually pray for the dragon god's blessings yet she still feels traumatized by Mudgala's death. Her anxieties regarding the lives lost for the war catches up to her, and she mulls over her thoughts within the flying ship. During her wandering, she happens to encounter Ribhu, who is in the midst of preparing the troop's equipment. Since they are the only ones present in the area, he halts his duties and offers her a chance to express her personal doubts freely. He serves her a cup of tea while he sympathetically listens to her. She thanks him for the support, saying that her time spent with him has helped change her perceptions of the people within Tokoyo no Kuni.

Her response perturbs him, causing him to look for her the night before the final battle. When they meet, Ribhu repeatedly asserts his sole loyalty to Asvin. Through these attempts, Ribhu fails to successfully voice his real thoughts for Chihiro. She confuses his declarations as staunch loyalty for his homeland and is pleased that he has a goal for himself. Despite Ribhu's claims to care only about Asvin, he bravely uses his machinery to break the third gate of the palace for Chihiro –thereby negating a battle for the player at Kashihara. He wishes the princess fortune as they proceed to fight the Black Dragon in Tokoyo no Kuni.

In his epilogue scenario, Ribhu had returned to Tokoyo no Kuni and Chihiro reigns as the Queen of Nakatsu Kuni. They both have a free day from their duties, so Ribhu hurries to Kashihara. He invites Chihiro to see his restored homeland and shows her his inventions being used to help the people. As she marvels over the land's beauty, he finally gains the courage to confess his infatuation for her. Ribhu serves a cup of tea to soothe her surprise, all the while stating his earnest feelings for her.

His Aizouban extra event takes place six months after the end of the wars. Chihiro wants to pay a visit to Tokoyo no Kuni's workshop so Ribhu is her guide. As he explains the area around her, the elderly master and son of the workshop greets them. It is from them that she learns they are Ribhu's grandfather and father, and that she had been walking through Ribhu's home.

Chihiro is gradually introduced to the rest of his family. She initially mistook his youthful mother for his younger sister; his younger sister acts coldly towards her; his twin brothers approach them as they bicker with one another; his older sister runs in huffing over another failed arranged marriage prospect. As his older sister whines for her brother to introduce her to someone she notices the queen's expensive attire and mistakes her as Ribhu's fiancée. His family become excited by her outburst and immediately prepare to make appropriate accommodations for their future addition to the family.

Ribhu explains that no one listens to him when they're excited so he politely escorts Chihiro into his room to wait for them to calm down. She wonders if it is okay to leave them and he assures her that it's normal behavior for them. He becomes skittish answering her inquiry about treasuring his loved ones. Chihiro is oblivious to the deeper meanings of his words as she comments that she would love to be a part of his lively family. Ribhu warns her that he may seriously take her on the offer, causing her to blush when she finally understands his view. He gently takes her hands in his and explains that he still does not have the resources or obligations he would want to make that future a reality. However, once he does, Ribhu hopes he can be there to properly swear his love to her.

Character Information[]

Development[]

At first, Hiiragi was planned to be Asvin's subordinate. When developers wanted Hiiragi to join Chihiro early within the story, however, they decided to create another character to fill the void. Ribhu was going to be a minister in Tokoyo no Kuni yet Ruby Party members dumped the idea for his servitude to Asvin.

One of the discarded story concepts involved Ribhu constructing a steel flying ship for Tokoyo no Kuni. A scene was planned to have a dog fight with Nakatsu Kuni's flying ship. The Tokoyo no Kuni ship would then be shot down and crash land into the earth. The explosion of the ship was planned to char and devastate the landscape. While the dog fight was omitted, the idea of an arid landscape remained and was altered to be caused by the "black sun god".

Personality[]

Ribhu is a perceptive and humble person, skilled in predicting enemy movements and inventing useful things for Asvin. His honest and observant comments have caused trouble due to his common background, so he rarely reveals his true feelings. Despite their short acquaintance, Ribhu is Asvin's loyal best friend and confidant, willing to protect him at any cost. Initially drawn to Chihiro for her kindness and concern for her people, Ribhu sees similarities between her and Asvin. When he realizes his love for her, he promises to give her everything except his life and loyalty as a servant.

Character Symbolism[]

In Hindu mythology, Ribhu is the name for the Ashvin twins' chariot. They are said to ride it across the sky to rise and set the sun.

Ribhu's symbolic color is kuri-iro, a blackish brown shade known to exist in Japan since the Nara period. Its namesake is supposedly dark, fertile soil found by a riverbed. The color has also been argued to be a dark red or dark yellow rather than brown. It has been used to dye clothing and to blacken women's teeth.

His symbolic flower is one which blooms on the Camellia sinensis, which is used as a common ingredient in most teas within Asia. Like in China, the tree is dedicated solely to the beverage and is literally called "tea tree" in Japan. Its flower has white petals and several yellow stamens. The petals supposedly represents the purity of youth, and the stamens are identified as affection for the petals. Thus, the flower language often interprets it as a blossom of memories or pure love.

Quotes[]

  • "Ya, try to end this before the tea gets cold."
  • "Hmm? The tea's piping hot, but are you sure this is the right time and place?"
  • "Amazingly, you're relaxed enough to sip tea in the battlefield."
  • "Please forgive His Highness and his manners. He does that. Lord Asvin means no harm."
  • "Crafting is fun. Maybe you should try it sometime."
  • "Ha, well, you are a princess. It makes sense to over think everything and to consult your followers."
  • "How about this? Would you like to try ranting now? I won't ask anything. Just let it all out. It's not good to keep everything bottled up, you know. Otherwise, your anxieties will sink deeper within yourself."
  • "Sorry for the inconvenience. I know how busy you are with your new duties, but I couldn't help myself. I just had to see you as soon as possible."
  • "Ribhu, forgive me. I misjudged terribly..."
"Your... Highness?"
"Don't talk. Your wound is still fresh."
"... I'm so sorry. I let your precious troops-"
"It wasn't your fault. You were just following my command. ...And because of me, you ended up like this."
"This... it's nothing. Please don't worry for me..."
"..."
~~Asvin and Ribhu
  • "Ya, let's say there's a situation when you and His Highness are in danger, okay? If that happened, I would risk my life to save him, not you."
"It can't be helped. You've sworn so much loyalty to him and you've known him longer. I can't compare to Asvin in that regard."
"Um... Ya, that's not entirely it. His Highness is an important person to me who I'd give my life for. But you are about the same... How should I say this? If I could split myself in two, the other me would go to you. Yet Lord Asvin will always be my true master."
"Okay, but what does that make me to you? You've made it clear that you won't be loyal to me. So... who am I to you?"
"You are... Ya, maybe this isn't how I should express it. You are on the same level as His Highness to me. Or maybe you're on a level that surpasses him."
~~Ribhu and Chihiro

Special Ability[]

When Chihiro summons him in battle, Ribhu serves the party tea. Each party member automatically restores fifty health each turn. The effect "Ribhu's tea" lasts at least three turns each summoning. The effect is especially useful for long boss fights.

Gallery[]

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