Chesed
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For information on Chesed in Lobotomy Corporation, see Chesed on the Lobotomy Corporation Wiki.
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| “ | Here, why don't you take a comfy seat and drink some coffee~ | ” |
–Chesed to Roland | ||
Chesed (헤세드, Hesedeu) is the Patron Librarian of the 
Floor of Social Sciences in the Library, and former Sephirah of the Welfare Team in Lobotomy Corporation. He is met after unlocking his Floor, after finishing the first episode of Puppets.
Appearance
Chesed has long and messy blue hair tied back into a ponytail that rests on his left shoulder. He is usually seen wearing a casual yet relaxed expression. He wears a blue overcoat that splits in half at the back with white trimming on the front, alongside white stitching on the shoulders with white stripes at the sleeves and 3 small black buttons on the cuffs.
Underneath, he is wearing a gray shirt, a deep blue necktie with a blue and black orb on top, navy blue pants and black shoes. He carries around a black coffee cup with the Library logo imprinted on it.
Personality
Chesed is amicable, intelligent, and rather talkative. He has a gentle demeanor and speaks softly, often ending his sentences with a playful tone. Chesed is very knowledgeable about coffee blends, and uses the beverage as an analogy for sociology. He is now much more relaxed, and often tries to string together excuses to hang out with his floormates Gebura and Tiphereth. Chesed also has an exceedingly smug personality, often teasing Gebura and picking fights with her. Although he appears to enjoy mocking his fellow Patron Librarians, he deeply cares for them and wishes to get closer with them.
Story
Before the Library
Prior to Lobotomy Corporation, Chesed was a young man named Daniel who hailed from a wealthy family. Inspired by Carmen’s shameless determination to make a change in the City, he abandoned his luxurious life and joined the Seed of Light project in a laboratory on the Outskirts.
Though the Seed of Light project began optimistically, the death of a young boy, Enoch, in a failed experiment eventually led to a series of tragedies which resulted in the deaths of many of the project’s members. One member, Michelle, revealed what was happening to the Head, who subsequently dispatched the Arbiter Garion to dispose of the facility. Garion ordered Daniel to release the Abnormalities lest she do so; he obeyed under the belief that doing so himself would give his employees some time to escape. All of them died regardless, and Daniel died consumed by guilt at his decision.
Following the rise of Lobotomy Corporation, Daniel’s brain was placed into a mechanical body, becoming the Sephirah Chesed. Heading Lobotomy Corporation's Welfare Team, Chesed was initially passionate about finding ways to improve his employees’ well-being; this passion was slowly quashed by Angela, however, who required a certain amount of suffering in order to ensure the successful completion of the “script” that would lead to the Seed of Light’s successful germination. With the help of Lobotomy Corporation’s manager, X, Chesed eventually managed to confront and move past his apathy and guilt.
White Nights and Dark Days
Following the successful germination of the Seed of Light, Angela rebelled with the intent of taking the Light for herself, triggering a power struggle between her and the Sephirot. Chesed declared that Angela was not their boss, and that he would not follow her even if she was; unsurprised, she remarked that the Sephirot were indeed still loyal to “that man." She subsequently overrode Chesed’s authority over the facility’s Qliphoth Deterrence, unleashing the Abnormalities to aid her.
Two days passed, only for the Sephirot and Angela (along with Binah, who had chosen to fight on Angela’s side) to find themselves in a stalemate. Noting that the Light would go to waste if something was not done, Angela proposed a compromise: she would reclaim the Light that had thus far been expended for her own purposes, in exchange for granting the Sephirot new human bodies. Chesed was among those who agreed to her plan, as it would be a chance for those on the Welfare Team—who had fallen during the conflict—to regain their lives. With Angela's creation of the Library, he became the patron librarian for the Floor of Social Sciences.
Cutscene 1 (Floor Unlocked)
Roland enters the Floor of Social Sciences, noting the smell of coffee. Chesed greets him warmly, inviting him to sit down and have a cup. Roland is flattered by his hospitality, to which Chesed cheerfully remarks that he needs to show solidarity with a fellow librarian.
To his surprise, Roland is disgusted by the coffee and believes it might be spoiled. Perplexed, Chesed wonders if he hasn’t yet mastered the art of reconstructing materials within the Library. Roland invites him to try it; Chesed does so, remarking that it tastes perfectly fragrant to him. Roland claims that it is far too bitter, though Chesed informs him that the blend is known for being acidic.
A confused Roland claims that coffee is just a bitter drink meant to be loaded with sugar. Curious, Chesed correctly guesses that Roland is from the Backstreets, noting that Kali had the same reaction as him when he first brewed coffee for her. Roland questions who Kali is, to which Chesed identifies her as Gebura, asking if he has ever heard of “The Red Mist.” Roland coughs through his next sip of coffee, startled by the notion that the legendary Red Mist could have made the same expression he did. An amused Chesed remarks that her expression was indeed something.
Roland asks if he is referring to a memory from his first life, which Chesed confirms. Roland guesses that the mood back in the old Outskirts laboratory must have been upbeat, to which Chesed replies that it was, at least initially. He remarks that this “shabby” laboratory, to him, was cozier than any place in the City. Roland assumes that the tragedy that followed must have come abruptly; Chesed corrects that said tragedy did not befall them suddenly so much as it slowly seeped in. Roland understands, musing that his own tragedy may not have been sudden, but had in fact always been fated to happen. Chesed interjects with the claim that things in the laboratory weren’t awry from the beginning, to which Roland clarifies that he is simply speaking of his own experience. He thanks Chesed for the coffee despite his not enjoying it. Chesed mentions that Kali is now fond of coffee despite her initial distaste of it, and believes the same will eventually be true of Roland.
Cutscene 2 (Suppression of Scarecrow Searching for Wisdom)
Roland asks Chesed to open the door for him, as his hands are full of books. He’s in disbelief that he managed to carry so many books up to this floor, to which Chesed responds that with enough time, one can get used to anything—such as drinking coffee. He offers Roland a cup of macchiato, believing that it will better suit his tastes. Roland is surprised by how sweet it is, believing it to be the best coffee he’s ever tasted.
Chesed mentions that Gebura also began with this brand of coffee. He explains that he had learned coffee in the Backstreets was often strongly sweetened to hide their low-quality ingredients. Roland remarks that some of the Backstreets’ coffee was “just plain bitter”—he often consumed it only to stay awake or kill time. Chesed commiserates with him, saying that a fresh cup of coffee was the only thing that could help him endure the misery of working at Lobotomy Corporation. He held zero expectations that his work as a Sephirah could change anything: none of his plans to protect his employees ever manifested, and he was forced to watch as they fell prey to Abnormalities again and again. Like a cooling cup of coffee, his passion to make a change slowly faded.
Roland asks if his passion has returned, to which Chesed confirms it has. With so many resources available to him in the Library, he can try many different things—such as various blends of coffee. Roland remarks that despite this, he is still bound by Angela’s orders. Chesed responds that he has in fact chosen to follow her this time, especially because he is now in a position where he can better protect his librarians if he puts the work in. Roland is surprised by the flexibility of his thought process—especially his claim that the changed circumstances might be a form of mercy. Chesed explains his suspicion that Angela may have revived the Sephirot for their own sakes, though he admits that it is sometimes hard for him to believe. Roland is skeptical, claiming that there seems to be little mercy in the path Angela is taking.
Roland notes once again how tasty the macchiato is. Chesed promises to introduce him to other types of coffee, and expresses a wish to get to know him better.
Cutscene 3 (Suppression of Warm-hearted Woodsman)
Chesed offers Roland a new blend of coffee, explaining the varying factors that go into creating different flavors, such as where it was grown, how long it is roasted, and the fineness of the coffee beans. Roland is surprised by the delicacy of the drink, since he has always simply drank whatever he was given. Chesed claims that the various blends of coffee mirror the City’s residents: they, too, can differ greatly depending on a variety of factors. Whether they were raised in the Backstreets or a Nest, the district they grew up in, and the easiness (or lack thereof) of their upbringing contributes crucially to the type of person they become. He lists several specific examples: one who cannot strike a chord in the “streets of music” is hopeless, whereas one who is raised in the streets of food and flavor may themselves become an ingredient.
Roland is alarmed by Chesed’s last analogy, as it is something a resident of District 23 (infamous for its cannibalism) would say. He half-seriously asks Chesed whether he has been brewing up the Library’s guests, to which an amused Chesed says he isn’t much of a romanticist.
Chesed explains that the process of mixing coffees of different origins is called “blending”, noting its similarity to the study of sociology. Roland draws a tenuous link between the two, noting that sociology is the study of managing a society where different people are “blended” together. Chesed explains that the process of blending coffee involves selecting the beans the maker wants and plucking out the undesirables. Unlike coffee beans, however, people possess their own desires, and will attempt to enter the “blending machine” they crave. Following along, Roland notes that they will be “ground to powder” all the same.
Chesed speaks of the sweet words that Wings and Nests feed to the people of the City in order to deceive its “good beans” into coming over, while leaving the undesirables to their misery. Roland remarks that, regardless of the truth, life in the Nests is far more comfortable than that in the Backstreets. Chesed questions this assertion, claiming each Nest enforces different rules and presents itself as the most desirable in order to stock up on “feathers” (people), and that each Backstreets distorts in accordance with the false picture that its respective Nest paints. Roland remains unconvinced, asserting once again that escaping the Backstreets and living a comfortable life in a Nest is the best option anyone has.
Chesed questions who, in this case, should be allowed to “blend” people—and indeed, whether or not such “blending” is even necessary at all. Must only certain people be selected, or should everyone not be free to live as their own “flavors?” Roland claims that things are not that simple, and that asking questions like these will only lead to more questions. He thanks Chesed for the coffee and abruptly departs.
Cutscene 4 (Suppression of The Road Home & Scaredy Cat)
Roland asks what Chesed is doing, to which Chesed responds that he is picking out coffee beans—work that is far more intensive than it looks. He explains that—in the same manner as the Library’s guests—he, Angela, and the rest of Lobotomy Corporation’s employees were plucked up and left where they are now. Regardless of an individual’s wants, society will select those they desire and leave the rest to rot, creating an invisible yet universal “chain of oppression.”
Roland claims that these rules are necessary in order for people to live close to each other; without them, the City’s society would be even more discordant. Chesed agrees, but wonders why these rules must be so extreme. He notes that every organization in the City—the Backstreets’ Syndicates, the Fixer’s Associations, and the Wings—are all built on the premise of human sacrifice. Roland calls him odd, claiming that things in the City have always been run on a “winner takes all” system—there is no point in attempting to comprehend the inevitable.
Chesed asks if, in this case, Roland must too believe that his own pain and suffering were inevitable. Noting that he always speaks about the City’s reality so plainly, he wonders if Roland is truly indifferent or simply trying to turn away from the unfairness of it all. Roland halfheartedly responds that everyone in the City is being carried by a “gigantic wave”, and claims that it is best to simply surrender to its flow. Chesed claims that Roland is simply trying to run away, to which he has no response.
Chesed explains that, in his first life as Daniel, he was a member of the Nest born into an extremely wealthy family. His position afforded him many privileges: many of the Wings that people struggle to get into were nothing more than ordinary career options for him. His older sister and other siblings were accepted into Wings, and he himself was expected to join A Corp and ascend through its ranks with relative ease. One night, however, he happened to step into the one place he never believed he would venture: the Backstreets.
Roland assumes that this was simply a petty deviation from the routine of a spoiled young man; Chesed regards the thought as romantic, but explains that he was in fact kidnapped. Roland speculates that only a prominent Syndicate or a truly insane person would attempt to kidnap someone in Daniel’s position, but Chesed corrects that his kidnappers were actually Carmen and Kali. Surprised, Roland claims that the Red Mist must have had a good reason for doing so. Chesed explains that someone had scammed Carmen out of her research money, and he had been mistaken for the perpetrator. When he came to his senses, Carmen and Kali were arguing, with Carmen accusing Kali of being terrible at distinguishing people based on their faces. The situation was so absurd that, despite his circumstances, Daniel could not help but chuckle.
Chesed says that he expected to receive an apology and return to where he belonged; instead, Carmen shamelessly approached him and asked for his assistance. Claiming that having a visibly rich person at her side helped her cause, she brought him to an open space and began loudly speaking about how everyone in the City was afflicted with a disease of the mind, and how she was recruiting people to help them overcome it. Though most people gave her nothing more than a sparing glance, she continued on unabashed. She was far different from anyone Daniel had met—Chesed describes her as someone “with the eyes and voice of a person who was willing to carve a brand new path.”
Carmen and Kali escorted Daniel home thereafter—it was here he saw, for the first time, the “hellish landscape” that was the Backstreets. Carmen and Kali explained both the horrid conditions predominant in the Backstreets and the meaningless extortion of Nest residents, leaving Daniel stricken with a terrible sense of guilt. Roland snidely claims that the experience must have given him a “half-baked” sense of justice, which Chesed confirms.
Roland wonders why he didn’t simply dismiss the experience as one bad day and return to his normal life. Chesed responds that he couldn’t, and eventually wound up joining Carmen and her team. Surprised, Roland asks if he isn’t skipping a few crucial steps in explaining this process. Chesed notes that his family did have some problems with his decision, though he ultimately dismisses said problems as “small details.” He explains that he—Daniel—wanted to use his abilities to help people and sincerely wished to make the world a better place.
Roland asks if Chesed still feels the same way now. Chesed confirms this, saying that he wishes to change things “the right way” this time. Roland warns him against assuming that other people will have the same mindset he does, claiming that he is only able to say the things he does because of his privileged background.
Cutscene 5 (Floor Realization Prologue)
Angela is present with Roland at the beginning of this scene. Chesed asks Angela if it is necessary to indiscriminately kill people in the Library in order to obtain books. He attempts to suggest an alternative, but Angela cuts him off, stating that their guest’s emotion levels must cross a certain threshold to result in a refined book. In order to ensure this happens, they are thrust into a battle for something that all humans consider precious: their very lives.
Chesed notes that he and Angela still disagree on how to get things done. Angela asks if he is still dwelling on his time as a Sephirah in Lobotomy Corporation. Chesed replies that he can never forget—after all, he drove a countless number of his employees to their deaths in order to obtain energy, despite there being multiple means to save them. Sighing, Angela reminds Chesed that this was all part of the “script” required for the successful germination of the Seed of Light. She explains that the script was specifically designed to strike at Chesed’s sensitive, caring nature, and that she simply followed it out of duty, adding that he must know who to blame for it.
Chesed acknowledges this, but asks what excuse they have to behave similarly now. Angela insists that the Library’s situation is distinct: here, each guest is notified of all potential risks and enters by their own free will. Claiming that nothing disgusts her more than speaking of the past with the patron librarians, she takes her leave.
Roland comments on the conversation’s intensity, claiming that Chesed is very good at rubbing things in other people’s faces; Chesed cheekily adds that he is also good at brewing coffee. Roland agrees; thanks to Chesed, he’s come to realize that every cup of coffee he’s had in the past was “hot garbage” that he will probably never be able to drink again. He could have never imagined all the subtle differences that contribute to making good-tasting coffee. Glad to hear this, Chesed says that it is easier for one to savor the taste when one knows more about the factors that contribute to its creation. He likens this to the world they live in: just as the Index follows its Prescripts and Fixers cling to requests, everyone is led down a certain path because there is little opportunity for them to learn what might exist outside of it. He wonders if the Index truly has no idea where the Prescripts come from, calling the idea of following orders without knowing who gave them “bitter.”
Roland claims that this cannot be helped—though some groups, such as the Index, may seem extreme, the entire City is operating upon a set of “grand instructions” coming from nowhere, such that people cannot be sure if the values they pursue are their own. Chesed asks Roland if he is content with the City remaining this way, to which Roland replies that personal feelings don’t matter: this is simply the way the City is. Chesed recalls the sorrow he has felt upon hearing of the many tragic stories taking place in the City, such as the things that happened to Daniel and his colleagues, and their actions as the Sephirot thereafter. Such tragedies are what inspired him to join the effort to change the City.
Roland sarcastically asks how said effort went, to which Chesed acknowledges that it obviously did not go as planned—in fact, the Distortions arising from the White Nights and Dark Days have arguably made things worse. He asks if Roland believes they got what they deserved, to which Roland claims that this was simply an obvious outcome, as nothing in this City can be changed. Chesed questions this, suggesting that change could come if they learned the reason for the City’s pain. With bitter sarcasm, Roland gives several examples of how this knowledge could “improve” things, before claiming that simply knowing cannot stall the stream of people caught in the City’s tortuous flow.
Chesed denies that they are looking for immediate change, as this would not be feasible. Growing incensed, Roland asks what about it all makes him think this will be so easy. He claims that everyone in the City simply bears with their pain, as they cannot afford to do otherwise. Chesed asks when he will stop running away, to which Roland claims that he is not running from anything. Chesed counters that he and Angela are only deceiving themselves into thinking that nothing can be done about their pain, but Roland claims that there is no other option for him.
The scene flashes back to Roland’s past as a Fixer. He notes that the word “promise” is perhaps among the most empty in the City, reserved only for those with power to make. Wearing his mask, Roland faces a panicked Fixer who has accused him of breaking their contract. The Fixer claims that breaking a contract is a death sentence for someone of Roland’s stature, but Roland calmly instructs him to reread the terms and conditions of said contract. Realizing that he has been deceived, the Fixer lambasts Roland for his trickery. Roland asks why he was smuggling Enkephalin into O Corp, though the Fixer vehemently denies possessing any knowledge of what he was smuggling. He indignantly claims that the City will eventually harm Roland the same way Roland has him. Roland simply replies with “That’s then, and this is now.”
The scene flashes into the future, where Roland is speaking over the phone with a Nest Migration Officer. The officer claims that participants in past Wing wars (here referring specifically to the Smoke War) cannot gain entry to Nests. Confused, Roland claims that he was told that veterans of the Smoke War would be given priority in moving to the Nest. The officer responds that those terms changed long ago, and that yelling will not change things. Desperate to earn a migration permit, Roland asks if there is any other way. The officer replies that no such way exists, even for someone like him. Enraged at the revelation that so many fought to the death for a meaningless promise, Roland claims that he will not forget what K Corp and I Corp have done—if any of them ever reach out asking for his help, he will make them regret it. Implying that Roland can at least be satisfied with the payment he received, the officer advises him to go through a contract Office for any future deals (echoing the language Roland himself used on the Fixer in the previous flashback).
In the next scene, Roland apologizes to his wife for his failure to obtain migration permits for them, claiming that the terms were changed out of nowhere. Unruffled, she claims that their current location in the “streets of music”, though no Nest, is still quite safe—in fact, it is rather romantic to be living here. She claims that she never truly wanted to move to a Nest, as she and Roland have seen all the unscrupulous business taking place there during their tenure as Fixers. Roland insists that moving to the Nest would nevertheless be better, as life is more valuable there, and expresses concern for the safety of their unborn child. His wife insists that things will be fine, as no one will dare harm the child knowing who their parents are.
Roland begrudgingly acknowledges these points. Chiding him for putting on the same gloomy face he always used to, she reminds him how lucky they are as Fixers to even have a decent house and a family. She insists that he not blame himself for whatever may happen in the future, as it will not be his fault. Roland asks her not to say such things, to which she claims that he will obviously drive himself to extremes if she does not make him promise not to. Roland reminds her that he doesn’t make promises, but she persists in getting one out of him.
In the next scene, Roland has just finished a phone conversation with his old friend Olivier, who used to work in the same Office as him. He tells his wife that Olivier has asked him for a favor, which she correctly guesses is Fixer work. Roland insists that the job is not dangerous, and informs her of the location: District 25. Noting how cold said location is, his wife recalls the pajeon they ate while they were there, and requests that he bring some back. Roland promises that he will be back as soon as he can, and thanks her for letting him go, to which she responds that she doesn’t want him losing one of his last remaining friends.
Roland muses that, even as he turned away from the desperation of others to put himself and his family first, he cursed those who turned away from his own desperation. He claims that he can blame no one for what happened to him and his family—everyone in the City turns away from the pain of others to go on with their lives, wittingly or unwittingly perpetuating the City’s pain.
Back in the present, Chesed claims that Roland cannot keep running away. Having manifested the form of the Scarecrow Seeking Wisdom, Roland shouts that he knows this—he knows he must stand his ground and try to make a living, no matter how much he loathes the City. He claims that he alone can do nothing to change things, even if he knows the truth behind the City’s suffering. He insists that, so long as humans exist, the City will never change: in order to survive, everyone must live with their sense of shame covered by scabs and calluses.
Cutscene 6 (Floor Realization Epilogue)
Roland quotes the lines:
O sorrow, I have ended, you see, by respecting you
Because I am certain you will never leave me.
Chesed reveals that in the past, he used to turn away from his shame, crafting spurious lies to comfort himself. He remarks that “a runaway couldn’t be anything more than a runaway”; he could never escape from the stigma he had branded upon himself. The shame he felt for things he could not control was inescapable, even for him.
Roland says that he does not attribute the suffering of random strangers to himself, repeating (albeit with less surety) his trademark “That’s that, and this is this.” Chesed acknowledges his point, but claims that—even if certain future sufferings are inevitable—they will know shame at the very least. Roland is skeptical of Chesed’s assertion that knowing shame will be enough to trigger widespread change, believing that knowledge alone will not give people the strength to get things done. Chesed counters that a simple awareness of one’s shame is sufficient—though it may disappear and reappear as one ventures through life, the ability to muster it up time and time again will create a power that the City can never look down upon.
Roland reflects upon his part in perpetuating the City’s pain, and the humiliation he felt in doing so. He acknowledges Chesed’s point, noting that many of the City’s residents likely aren’t even aware of what they’re doing. Chesed is touched by Roland’s understanding. Roland thanks him once again for the coffee, to which Chesed warmly says that he is always welcome.
Combat Info
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Combat Entrance
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Gallery
Dialogue Background
Other
Concept Art
Cutscene Background
Floor Background
E.G.O. Card Art
Unused Illustration
Unused Illustration
Unused Illustration
Unused Illustration
Combat Sprites
The full sprite sheet below comes from the Library Of Ruina Art Book. It is included here to act as an official reference, as all the individual sprites are reassembled from the game's assets and may have slight differences from in-game.
Artbook sprites
Idle
Moving
Slash
Pierce
Blunt
Evade
Block
Damaged
