About "Louis"

Louis is a wooden puppet crafted by Matthias Czernin's father, and the mainstay of the Czernin family's puppet show. He was created in Paris, France, after the family had moved there by invitation to perform a show, and quickly became the center of attention.

Unlike most puppets, he could move without the use of strings, and seemingly could talk without the help of another.

This, along with his appealing personality, made him a beloved star among the audiences of the Czernin's puppet show. Louis was usually seen as cheerful, talkative, and funny while performing with Matthias' father, but upon Matthias himself taking the role as Louis' partner, he instead presented as slightly more unpleasant, harsh, and with a lingering sense of darkness among him.

Louis' appearance and attitude was inspired by a young Matthias Czernin, his cute, upbeat, and polite demeanor much in contrast to the older Matthias' introverted nature. Over time, Louis began to be treated more like the Czernin's son, beloved by the audience and his parents, while Matthias was instead pushed away, scolded for being unable to perform with Louis properly, and grew to loathe him.

On Matthias' 23rd birthday, Louis was set to perform with his father at a particularly large show. Frustrated at the years of neglect, Matthias waited until Louis was left alone in the storage room, and set it alight in an attempt to destroy the puppet. Despite the collapse of the theatre, a wooden box containing Louis, or a perfect replica of him, would appear at Matthias' doorstep 91 days later in perfect condition. No matter how many times Matthias attempted to rid himself of Louis, he would always be found again at his doorstep, with the intervals between each return growing smaller with every attempt.