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Pre-Game LifeEdit

Fifty years before Diabolical Box, Anton fell in love with a young lady named Sophia. They first met at one of Duke Herzen's parties, and soon afterwards became engaged.

Not long afterwards, however, a horrible disease struck the town. Anton wrote in his diary that he could have coped with the disaster so long as Sophia was there by his side. But, unknown to Anton at the time, Sophia was pregnant, and ran away from Folsense to protect their child from the fatal disease.

Soon after her departure, Duke Herzen died from the disease, handing his title to Anton. Anton, being the current duke, remained in the castle for years, living alone (except for his butler, Nigel) severely depressed and angered, thinking that Sophia had left him for another man.

When news came that thieves were stealing his family gold from the mines, Anton decided to play the part of a monster. Anyone who came too close to the mines or his castle

was caught and locked in the cellars, then let loose after they had been thoroughly frightened so they could spread rumors around Folsense of the vampire living in Herzen Castle. Almost all of the nobles and old families who knew the Herzens beforehand had evacuated or died, so there was no one left to disprove the rumors.

Before Sophia had left, he had the Elysian box made for them, appearing to be a simple jewellery box. It had a secret compartment in the base that only he and Sophia could open, the lock inspired by an old saying. When Sophia left, Anton decided to put a message for her in the compartment, and asked a passing traveler to take it to her. But unfortunately, because of the value of the box, it was stolen multiple times, and Anton gave up hope of it ever reaching her.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical BoxEdit

Chapter Seven: An Encounter at the End of the LineEdit

When Professor Layton and Luke decided to head to Herzen Castle to solve the mystery of Folsense, Nigel was at the castle to greet them. He took them to Anton, who offered them food and drink. After a short talk about the Elysian Box, of which Anton claimed not to know much, he allowed the two to stay the night.

As Layton and Luke slept, he tied them up (poorly) and locks them away in one of the storage rooms in the castle cellars. When they woke up, he "proved" the vampire rumors, and left them to spend their last hours together.

When Anton found them and Katia running for the exit in the great room, he doesn't act too surprised, until he noticed how Katia resembled someone. He mistook her for Sophia, believing that Layton was the reason that she left him. Anton threatened Layton, ordering him to pick any sword off the display to fight back, but that only one of them was real. He hinted to Layton about the real sword, that "A true warrior always keeps his blade in hand." Layton, realizing the clue, drew a

sword from a suit of armour's hand and faced Anton in a duel.

The two had a fierce battle across the grand room. In the climax of their fight, Anton quickly lost his breath and nearly collapsed, despite looking so young. Katia begged her grandfather to stop, shocking Anton, who believed it was impossible for him to be a grandparent. Layton told him the truth of Folsense; how it was an illusion of fifty years ago created by hallucinogenic gas from the mine, while Katia explained that Sophia had left him because she was pregnant with her mother; Anton's daughter, who died soon after Katia was born. Sophia had wanted to protect their child from the illness spreading around the town.

Katia then told him that Sophia had passed away a year ago, causing Anton to fly into a rage of disbelief, slicing through a pot and a pedestal. He attempted to swipe at Layton,

accidentally cutting a chain holding the massive chandelier. It crashed into the floor. Because of the castle's delicate foundations, it began to collapse, and the hole which lead to the mines was blocked by the debris. With the rubble of Herzen Castle filling the pit of the mine, the illusion of Folsense lifted, and Anton's true form was revealed: an old man. He realized the mistakes he made. Layton gave the Elysian box back to him,

and Anton said that he put a hidden message for Sophia in a secret compartment, the way to unlock it being from an old saying: "The sun rises when you and I meet, and when the wind blows, you will know my heart."

Luke solved the puzzle and opened the box. Anton, expecting the letter he had sent, was shocked to find a reply from Sophia, written days before her death. In the letter, she expressed how he had never left her thoughts, why she had left, and that her time in the world was drawing to a close. She wished for Anton to spend his remaining years with Katia, and that she will be waiting for him.

Greatly moved, Anton looked toward the sky, and asked for Sophia's forgiveness. He said that he has to keep her waiting a little while longer so he can get to know a certain somebody. He looked away with tears in his eyes. After fifty years of sorrow, Anton finally had a reason to delight in life again.