Nikaido

Living… in a city so dismal, it is known only as “Hole”. It can seem like a grim place to live, with rampant crime and nothing but decrepit apartment buildings that reach up into the sky. What’s worse, Hole has become a playground for sorcerers to train their magic in, with little regard for the effects said magic experimentation has on the locals. If the sorcerers’ testing doesn’t outright kill the unfortunate test subjects of Hole, the citizens are often left with permanent alterations to their bodies—a living reminder to those around them that seemingly no one is safe from the exploits of the sorcerers. 

Profession… owner of her own restaurant called Hungry Bug, which she runs as a one-woman show, doing the cooking, cleaning, and shopping for her establishment. Her only regular customer seems to be Caiman, and he rarely pays his tab. Still, it’s nice to have at least one regular. It’s lucky that she has any at all, given the fact that Hungry Bug is in a part of Hole that is apparently notorious for its sorcerer activity, meaning that many civilians don’t go anywhere near it in fear of being magically experimented on. Other than running Hungry Bug, Nikaido helps Caiman hunt the sorcerers that pop into Hole, assisting him in his search for the sorcerer that gave him a lizard’s head. 

Interests… cooking. She loves making food for Caiman within and outside of Hungry Bug. She usually makes Caiman gyoza within Hungry Bug, but when they’re out adventuring together, she has no trouble hunting down ingredients and making something delicious to eat on the fly, even without her usual kitchen appliances. Other than cooking, Nikaido is often seen getting around Hole on her skateboard, even hauling groceries at the same time. When it comes down to it, much of Nikaido’s time is spent at Caiman’s side. 

Relationship Status… single. Although Nikaido obviously cares for Caiman enough to want to help him hunt down dangerous sorcerers, it doesn’t seem like there are any romantic feelings between them. Still, it’s obvious that Nikaido and Caiman are the definition of best friends, devoted to one another to the end. Nikaido wouldn’t hesitate to stick her neck out for Caiman, because she knows that Caiman feels the same way about her. 

Challenges… going through the occasional dangerous fight alongside Caiman. Caiman has become notorious amongst the sorcerers for his immunity to magic and his habit of killing any sorcerer he comes across, and high-ranking sorcerers have started sending deadly “cleaners” to try and kill Caiman and herself. Though they’re getting closer by the day to discover what happened to Caiman, the extra eyes on Nikaido threaten to disturb the little slice of Hole that Nikaido has cut out for herself. Though Caiman is the more physically imposing of the two of them, Nikaido is more than capable of fighting by herself. After leaving Caiman at a campsite to go look for food, Nikaido is quickly surrounded by a group of bandits, who demand everything she has. Not daunted despite the fact she’s outnumbered and weaponless, Nikaido pushes off her hood and drops her grocery bagging, telling the bandits: “Fine, you asked for it. I guess I’ll let my game on, then.”

Personality… generous, loyal, and fearless. In a place as ruthless as Hole, having a friend as kind as Nikaido is a rare find. Even if someone isn’t outright violent, many denizens of Hole, such as Vaux, are generally downcast, aggravated, and in a permanent foul mood, quick to lash out at those around them. Not Nikaido, though. Willing to help Caiman with his amnesia and hunt for the sorcerer that transformed him despite not knowing who he is, it’s immediately clear that Nikaido is a shining diamond of kindness in the rough that is Hole. Since seemingly everyone in Hole is barely scraping by, Nikaido letting Caiman eat at her restaurant for free is a shining example of uncharacteristic generosity for a citizen of Hole.