#vncspoiler

When it comes to these two French provinces we have a bit of a…. situation. Back in chapter one, Noé, while in (our) France, said that he “lived shut away in the forests of Averoigne for ages [...] it’s terribly deep in the country.” and there is nothing wrong with this until the province of Auvergne is also mentioned in connection to the attacks of the “Beast of Gévaudan”, which also took place in (our) France.

CONFIRMATION

From all things that happened this chapter, this made me really happy.

I really enjoy how in the midst of dealing with vampires and magic and other worlds, at certain points you get hit with something like this - and it reminds you just how close their reality is to ours. It’s so similar yet so different.

This answers my question regarding what the BoV can and cannot affect – apparently the formula manipulation is limited to all things that are connected to the world formula, aka everything affected by Babel – vampires, astermite, the flowers, and possibly other things that we have yet to learn about. The BoV can affect them because they’re connected to the world formula (because they’ve already been altered?). Anything else is out of it’s reach.

This also explains why vampires too can use formula manipulation.

BUT, we know that constitutive formulas can be rewritten. Granted, Babel wasn’t what Paracelsus was aiming at, but what if someone succeeded in doing what the alchemist wasn’t able to accomplish? What if someone is able to rewrite the constitutive formulas at will?

Moreau is a reference to the novel The Island of Doctor Moreau written by H. G. Wells, 1896.

The chandelier fell.

Vanitas kind of went back to his normal self.

He was saved from all the vampires.

Jeanne is craving blood. (obvious)