#TPN 083

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Highly recommend checking out @puff-poff's posts on demon culture for anyone who hasn't read them already for the most comprehensive analysis on subjects in this vein.

(Chapter 90 Bonus Sketch)

Luce having the most ostentatious mask of the poachers as a reflection of him being part of the garish nouveau riche compared to the quiet luxury of Nous, Nouma, Bayon, and Leuvis is a familiar and fitting dynamic given the commentary on class division Shirai leans into.

Regarding being able to reveal their faces, I disagree.

(Chapter 102)

While the two demon brothers have never seen meat from any of the four top class farms—with their bodies completely intact upon serving—we do see a collection of mass production heads in a jar available for sale among the lower classes, probably the most expensive jar in the shop with the value the human brain has among demonkind. (One could argue they meant they never saw it because it was in the very back of the shop in that particular panel, but I'd say it's pedantic for ignoring the intention of this speech to be another nod to the class divide and strife among the demon populace.)

There's also the issue of the horizontal placement of human eyes compared to the vertical placement of demons'.

(Chapter 147 | Chapter 149 | Chapter 150)

Older, classical masks like those of the elder Bayons (compared to those of Bayon II's wife and children), Yverk, and Geelan's clan incorporate a pair of symmetrical, horizontal, and frequently vacant eye holes among their designs. In the chapter 90 bonus sketch, this is mentioned as respecting tradition, which I interpret as a holdover from the days of demons hunting humans, and the intention of that incorporation was to play on pareidolia-enhanced fear among humans who, out of habit, would look toward the horizontal pair of eye holes first when gazing upon demons in combat and would frequently be treated to an unflinching, menacing abyss. It's a good subtle tactic to unnerve them before they take in the rest of the mask.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 7 Q&A)

This is also why I have mixed feelings about the kids' demon masks. On the one hand, I do understand why they wouldn't want to draw attention to themselves and risk having their human eyes being seen through more conspicuous holes.

(Chapter 102)

But I really wish they would have spent a panel acknowledging Gillian, Nigel, and Sonya incorporating nearly imperceptible eye slits or something to clarify exactly how they see while wearing them.

But unrelated to the mask conundrum, there's also the issue of humans having five digits on their hands compared to six that demons have (though I know there's a joke about Sonju having varying amounts of toes throughout the story).

I don’t think it’s been confirmed how well they can smell humans since they had to wear perfume

I'd say them having to wear perfume at all is a good indicator the demons' sense of smell vastly outclasses that of humans.

(Chapter 83 | Chapter 1)

The only reasons the two lackey demons don’t come after Emma and Norman right away in chapter 1 is that they’re caught up in conversation and probably a bit intoxicated off the idea of being able to eat even "just a fingertip" of meat from a top class farm, which is not something for the likes of lowly farm workers to enjoy, though Shirai notes they and even those working at mass production farms do have more prestige than demons of the same class working in other jobs.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 7 Q&A)

interesting hypothesis…

I have made other posts about how demons differ based on what they eat. I thought this scene when Don, Gilda, Emma, Ray, Violet and Zack were searching for the golden water temples was every interesting

We as the readers have seen demons with feet like that! (These are just Bayon cuz his outfit makes it the easiest to see his feet)

i don’t think it has ever been explicitly said that masks are a sign of wealth, we only know that older/richer/ more dangerous demons have masks that are harder to break

but if they are a sign of pride and status then lower class demons that the protags were interacting with would not have seen the faces of rich demons before!

so hypothetically the humans could show their faces/feet and claim they were rich demons that didn’t show regeneration? The poor most likely haven’t seen human faces before because brains are the most valuable part

but I don’t think it’s been confirmed how well they can smell humans since they had to wear perfume