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| Cardinal Albert Simon (Roger Bacon) | |
| Game | Shadow Hearts, Covenant |
| Kana | |
| Romaji | |
Voice actor(s) 
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Daisuke Gōri |
Voice actor(s) 
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*?? (SH1)
|
| Age | ? |
| Eye color | Grey |
| Hair color | Grey |
| Home | London |
| Weapon(s) | Magic |
| Special Arts | Soul Pact |
| Element | Dark |
Albert Simon was the main villain in Shadow Hearts, and appeared in Shadow Hearts: Covenant as a spirit within Yuri's soul. During the first game he posed as the legendary magician Roger Bacon, who had been his mentor. In the second game, he explains his plot to destroy the world was an attempt (albeit misguided) to stop the group known as Sapientes Gladio, and helps Yuri form a bond with the fusion demon, Amon.
Info
First entry (in the guise of Roger Bacon):
"A British warlock who uses powerful magic. He is calm, collected, and calls himself Roger Bacon. If that's true, he's the legendary alchemist, but..."
Second entry:
"He calls himself by his master's name, the legendary alchemist Roger Bacon, and attemps to bring new order to this world. He has the knowledge to do so."
Covenant entry:
"Magician who, in a previous adventure, tried to destroy the world. He was stopped by Yuri, but his true enemy has always been Rasputin, the mad monk."
Personality
Charming, intelligent, and suave, Cardinal Albert Simon personifies the notion of a dapper gentleman. He’s a well learned individual, the kind of man who uses his vast knowledge of the world for nefarious means. Albert is a very thought out fellow, the kind of man who never blindly leads himself into battle without a solid plan. He’s also a manipulative individual who seems to care very little for others despite his good intentions.
In summation, he is Yuri’s polar opposite in everything from his stately manner of speech to his stylish attire. Albert also boasts more patience than his heroic counterpart, usually seeming to have the patience of a saint even when his schemes go haywire. Albert is also very cunning, especially considering he managed to use Dehuai to activate the Valorization. Albert isn’t the kind of fellow who dirties his hands, letting his underlings do the work. He allows the minor villains like Dehuai, Arcane Olga and others deal with the heroes directly while he works behind the scenes to fulfill his goal of destruction.
Albert’s frigid and aloof nature is complemented greatly by the cruelty that he possesses. However, there are times within the story when he’s depicted as comic relief. His charming demeanor sometimes takes a detour when he’s shocked or appalled by the scene before him, such as his surprise when Alice’s Pendant halted his fierce attack on Yuri during the first few minutes of the game.
Bio
Past Life
Seven hundred years ago, during the time of the Crusades, Albert Simon was a devouted pupil of the famous alchemist, Roger Bacon. Roger considered Albert the best of all his students, thanks to his ingenious understanding of Law, Philosophy, Science, Astronomy, and Alchemy. Albert was ahead of his time, a king amongst paupers who yet came from a meager lower-class background. The combination of his lowly birth and vast intelligence caused Albert to question the clash between the rich and the poor.
During an age where nobility alone wielded power, Albert found fault with the Vatican for allowing such wickedness to befall the common man. Albert believed that all men were created equal under the eyes of God, but his peers thought otherwise. He rejected the belief that a person’s place was judged by their birth, a controversial stance during such rigid times. Roger tried his best to convince Albert from expressing his ideals to the Vatican, but Roger's pleas were ignored. Albert soon confronted the Vatican on their wrongdoings, only to be branded a ‘heretic’ by the very Church he served under.
700 years ago, Albert Simon
Tossed away to rot within the dungeons of the Inquisition, Albert was tortured for years prior to his release. Losing faith in the world he saw before, Albert remerged a new man, a man hardened by the hatred he felt. It was then that the former priest began to immerse himself in the Dark Arts for the sake of revenge. Eventually madness claimed Albert once a fiendish plot began to unravel within the Vatican’s walls. With a secret organization called the Sapientes Gladio plotting to take over the world through black magic, Albert figured that the only way he could save the world was by destroying it.
Koudelka
Even though he never made an appearance, Albert was the man who told Patrick of the Emigre Manuscript and then stole it, so Patrick could use the book's rituals to restore his wife Elaine to life.
Shadow Hearts
Cardinal Albert Simon
After release from jail by the Vatican, Albert understood that there was no hope for the world to live in harmony with everyone treated as equals. He believed that the world's only fate was to be destroyed since he only saw corruption in the eyes of humans. His first plan was to use the power of the Seraphic Radiance to bring the world to an end, which led him to kidnap Alice Elliot for her mystical powers, but Alice's father saw through Albert and tried to protect her as much as he could until he could only save her by sacrificing his own life. Then Albert let Dehuai take the spotlight, knowing that once Dehuai failed he could take over the ritual.
However, Albert was unable to do so as the Seraphic Radiance was too powerful, and Yuri absorbed
Albert Simon's Library page
it into his soul. Therefore, Albert then turned to his other alternative: using the power of Koudelka to raise The Float, to summon God to destroy the world. Nevertheless, after his defeat despite transforming into the Messiah, he then admitted that maybe the world could be saved from corruption by the likes of Yuri and Alice.
With the last of his power, he sent them to the God's Throne to face the Other-God.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant reveals that his plan to destroy the world was a misguided attempt to stop Rasputin. He, along with Jovis Abraham, founded Sapientes Gladio. They took in Rasputin as a disciple and taught him many things, including the willpower to make a soul pact with the king of demons, Asmodeus. Rasputin became too strong and Albert abandoned Jovis to seek another way to defeat Rasputin.
Yuri encountered Albert residing in his soul in his memories of Katsuragi Forest. They reminisce and Yuri follows in his footsteps to defeat Rasputin.
If you speak to the fat man in Florence after at least visiting the Vessel once, Tiffauges Castle will appear on the map. Yuri once again encounters Albert in front of the Great Mirror. It is here that Albert made his soul pact with Amon. Albert then states that the world today is still corrupt, and challenges Yuri once more so that Yuri might gain a power that even surpasses Amon. Yuri succeeds and gains the power of Neo Amon.
Gallery
Trivia
- In Albert Simon's concept art he is shown holding a cane which never makes a real appearance in either Shadow Hearts or Shadow Hearts: Covenant.
- The name Albert comes from Old German High Words that mean "noble" or "bright," which fit his attire as a English gentleman and the vast knowledge he possesses. Simon was also the the original name of the apostle Peter, and also the Samaritan sorcerer "Simon Magus" who was converted by Saint Peter.
