The 49th Name

The 49th Name (四十九番目の名前, Yonjuukyuu-banme no namae) is the second chapter in the second volume of the D.Gray-man: Reverse novels. It focuses on Lavi and his struggle to maintain his impartial outlook as a Bookman. It takes place shortly before Lavi and Bookman meet Allen and Lenalee in the Rewinding Town.

Plot
Lavi, as he is contemplating his duties as a Bookman, is given an assignment to investigate strange activity in a town north of Paris, Elysee. He travels there with Bookman and meets the finder, Doug, who he had gone on a mission with a little over a year ago. They warmly greet each other, Lavi teasing Doug for his short stature and Doug showing Bookman respect. They decide to go to a local tavern to talk and as they walk, Doug mentions to Lavi that Lavi seems to have changed and he is now comfortable with meeting Lavi's gaze. Doug's obvious trust in Lavi fills him with warmth.



While they eat, Doug briefs them on what has been occurring. Doug explains a local rumor that if you pray to the Statue of the Dawn Goddess in the forest, people will be miraculously brought back to life. Doug, however, has not yet found it, as no one seems to know its precise location. Doug also notes that in the past month, fourteen people have disappeared, and those are only the ones he has been able to confirm. Lavi agrees that this may be relevant, but points out that many people leave their homes to find work in Paris. Finally, the wife of Jerome Dreselle, the richest man in town, died last month, right around when all the strange occurances began. Her husband has since fallen ill and is bed-ridden yet rumors say he wanders the forest at night. Her son, Serge, has become a violent drunkard, and the young maid working at their estate has also experienced a complete personality change. With all three of these things linking together, Lavi and Bookman agree that these are grounds for investigation and they all travel to the family's mansion.

There, they are greeted by a ten-year-old maid, Colette. Although they ask to speak to her master, she is cold and unfriendly and out-right refuses to let them in. The son, Serge, however, notices them and realizes that they are members of the Black Order. He invites them inside and offers them tea while they ask him questions. Serge, however, is unable to offer much information. They learn that Colette has come to work for his family to pay off a debt that her family owes them and that she was very close to the mistress of the house before she passed away. They also learn that many people have come to the mansion seeking the family heirloom, a 300 karat diamond.

Deciding that they've learned all they can, the three leave the mansion. Doug notes that Serge seemed to be hiding something and that he also seemed to have a short temper. As they are leaving the premises, they encounter Colette again and Lavi, remembering that her personality is said to have changed, suspects that she may be an akuma. Deciding to find out quickly, he makes to strike at her with his hammer, stopping just before he can harm her. When she doesn't transform into an akuma body and instead bursts into tears, Lavi is satisfied that she is human, but Doug is furious at him for frightening her. They both attempt to comfort her and offer to help her with groceries as an apology.

As they walk with her Colette, still bitter at Lavi, asks why he wears an eyepatch. Lavi becomes uncomfortable and simply states that it's not an injury. Colette, sensing the tension, drops the subject, leaving Lavi to bitterly muse on what is hidden behind it and how it determined that he would be heir to the Bookman clan.

During their return to the mansion, Lavi notices that Doug bought a white ribbon and questions him about it. Doug reveals that he learned that Colette's birthday is the next day and he wanted to get her something. Serge, meanwhile, notices Lavi, Doug, and Bookman lingering around the mansion and hires thugs to kill them.

That night, while observing the mansion, they see the master of the house leave and head into the forest. The three quickly follow him, but are stopped by Serge's thugs. Lavi instructs Doug to head on while he and Bookman fight. Doug continues on until he reaches what appears to be a shrine and runs into Colette. When she asks him what he's doing here, Doug moves to place a hand over her mouth to keep her silent and she flinches, begging him not to hit her. Realizing that Serge has been abusing her, Doug, already very fond of her, becomes determined to help her find a better life.

Meanwhile, Serge accosts his father at the shrine and accuses him of murdering several townfolk and threatens to reveal this if he does not hand over possession of all his assets--diamond heirloom included--to him. His father, however, transforms into a level-two akuma and begins to attack. When Serge's thugs arrive, who have retreated from the too-strong Lavi and Bookman, they are promptly killed by the akuma. Doug does his best to keep Colette safe, telling her that soon Lavi will arrive to help them. She expresses doubt, however, saying that even though Lavi is always smiling, his heart is cold. Doug replies that he understands what she means, but says that last year while on a mission with Lavi, Lavi had rushed into a collapsing building to rescue Doug without a thought about his own safety. Doug says that although Lavi distances himself from others for reasons that he cannot fathom, he still feels for others and will not abandon them.

As Doug predicted, Lavi soon arrives with Bookman and after a brief struggle, Lavi defeats the akuma, destroying the Dreselle family's diamond heirloom in the process. Mission finished, Lavi returns to the Order with Bookman while Doug stays behind to make arrangements for Colette.

Back at the Order, Lavi is eager for Doug to return, wanting to know all about Colette and her reaction to recieving a gift from Doug. His contemplations, however, are interrupted when he hears screaming. Rushing toward the source, Lavi finds a number of finders killed as if impaled by the spikes that the akuma in Elysee used. Confused as to how it could have survived and how it could have gotten passed the gatekeeper, Lavi attempts to question one of the survivors, but is only able to discern that Doug was seen going down a hallway before the survivor dies.

Rushing down the indicated hallway, Lavi finds Doug. He is horrified, however, when he looks into the boy's eyes and realizes that he is an akuma. He learns from one of the Earl's accompaning golems, Dobi, that Serge thought that Colette had stolen the diamond that Lavi destroyed and strangled her to death. Doug, finding her body, was overwhelm by grief and took her body to the shrine and prayed for a miracle, but instead became an akuma.

Grief-stricken, Lavi watches as Doug becomes a level-two akuma and hesitates when the akuma attacks becoming injured. Eventually drawing on enough resolution, Lavi is able to tearfully defeat Doug. Bookman, who had observed the battle, congratulates Lavi.

A few days later, Komui calls Lavi and Bookman to his office to send them to the Rewinding Town to aid Allen and Lenalee. Komui notices Lavi's exhaustion and apologizes for not allowing him time to rest after killing Doug, but Lavi simply states that death is a part of war. Concerned, Komui comments on the white ribbon that Lavi is holding and Lavi replies that he wants to put it on the grave of the one it was intended for.

As he and Bookman depart from the Order, Lavi once again recites his duties as a Bookman in his mind.

Trivia

 * To date, this is the only canonical confirmation that Lavi wears an eyepatch for non-injury related reasons.