Schmelman Bach

Schmelman Bach (シュメルマン=バッハ Shumeruman Bahha, lit: Shumerman Bach), known as Schumelmann Bach in Funimation's official English translation, is a character and the main antagonist introduced in Plunderer. He is the Field Marshal of the Special Service.

Appearance
Schmelman is a young man with long blonde hair and his eyes often closed and only open when showing hostility, possibly a habit left over from his younger days as his mother would beat him if he showed her his eyes. During the period seen back in time, Schmelman can be seen wearing a uniform similar to his current one albeit different insignia and the rank of Major. After the Abandonment War, Schmelman can be seen wearing the Special Service uniform and bearing the Generalissimo title. Schmelman is also seen wearing a monocle though it is unknown if he has vision problem or just to hide his eye that had been injured when he was young.

Personality
Being the Field Marshal of the Special Service, Schmelman is an expert in planning and leading his troops often through radio or through specialized infiltration troopers. Schmelman is generally portrayed as a calm and collected individual, rarely let his emotions surface and able to adapt to situations. However, despite the fact Schmelman showed himself to be calm and always smiling, he is also extremely violent once his bloodlust has taken over as demonstrated when he killed his mother. Prior to the Abandonment War, Schmelman displayed genuine concern for members of Class A by went out of his way to train them individually. Schmelman is also very fond of children by his affection toward Class A and the children in the church managed by the Special Service. After the Abandonment War, Schmelman's personality took a drastic change as he is now more sadistic and manipulative towards his former students and other Barons by setting up plans to render the Barons unable to fight back against him.

Past Event
In Schmelman's childhood, due to his fathers divorce, his mother hates him so much. His mother always got herself drunk and beat him for having the same eyes as his father. Schmelman, for not got himself on trouble, he try to closes his eyes so that his mother won't beat him. Then, eventually she grabs a knife to gouge them out, managing to get one. At that time, Schmelman's gene awaken which caused him to kill his mother by accident. After that incident, Schmelman was sent to the orphanage.

As Schmelman grew older, he become a soldier and married a women. His dream was to have a lovely family and reading a storybook to his child. One day, when Schmelman returns home, he discovers that his wife committed suicide and saw a bunch of papers that was written sorry to him, as she can't get pregnant and raise a child for him. Although it's revealed that Schmelman's body might have some problems that can't produce children.

Sometime later, Schmelman moved to Japan and become one of the instructors of 13th Special Military Forces School.

During the enrollment ceremony, Schmelman shown up and reads a storybook for the newbie soldiers. He soon stops reading the storybook after Alexandroff Grigorovich "killed" Ichinose Saki. After some riots was happened, Schmelman was "captured" by Sakai Rihito. He asks Rihito that if he will kill him with the tree branch or not. Rihito then shows his magic to him and scared because he have no weapon to uses. Schmelman teach him how to snap his neck and tell Rihito to kill him. Rihito stated he won't kill him because it's not good for violence. Schmelman then stated he have no choice but kill everyone in the ceremony. Before he could do so, it's stopped by Firenda and reveals that it's all acting. Schmelman told Firenda and Alexandroff that he still haven't finish reading the storybook yet, but Alexandroff tell him that they don't have much time to do it so the ceremony can be ended. After everyone went to eating lunch, Schmelman tell Alexandroff that there's "rare" warrior exists here, Alexandroff thought he was talking about Sakai Tokikaze but he was actually referring Rihito. He then asks Schmelman what should he do now and he said that he wants to gives the newbies a fun school life.

Later after Alexandroff done his investigation to Hina's group, Schmelman went to see him for a "small" request, that they will have exchange their classes for teaching. Alexandroff agreed with his request and he was changed to teach the other class. When Alexandroff arrived on Class A, he introduced himself and reveals he were originally the one who will teach the class, but due to a request the job was changed to Schmelman instead. He then told Schmelman that he will watch over him and don't causes some messes. As the class started, Schmelman stated he originally wanted to read some storybooks to the students, but he must explains the rules of the school and explains that anyone without a star will result be expelled from the school. For unknown reason, he did not gives Rihito any star and told him to steal it from other students.

At 18:00 PM, along with other instructors standing beside the school gate, to checking which students will expelled from school. Soon, when Douan Taketora almost punches Jail Murdoch, Schmelman went to stop them and asking Taketora about his stars. Which Taketora shown his stars, it's revealed that the stars was fake and was stolen by Rihito. Because of Taketora only owns two stars, Schmelman told him to stay on school. Then, he gives Jail some stars and explains it was originally Rihito's, as he wonders how will Rihito handling the situation so he didn't gives the stars to him. He also stated that he will gives Rihito the stars once the time reach 18:00 PM but it was unnecessary now since Rihito already steals Taketora's stars, so he give it to Jail instead and said that he deserved to become a soldier.

After a few weeks, as the other classes started their training, Schmelman only keep reading the storybooks without training the students even once. During the class, Schmelman mentions to the sudents that there's a stalker who always peeping in woman's bath. Because of this, Alexandroff tries his best to capture that stalker without sleeping even once.

Few weeks after the stalker was revealed to be Rihito and the class receives a punishment, the Class A was "thrown" into the forest by Alexandroff as a "prize". Schmelman asks Alexandroff where's his students and he only replies he "threw" them away, which makes Schmelman went to finds them himself. As Saki stated they must kills their enemies in order to become soldier, Schmelman said that they can forms the "Non-Killing Army" while they can still becomes a soldier. Saki asks him that if it's possible to forms that kind of army and he answers with yes, as long as the Class A really wanted to do so. With this, Class A decided to forms the "Non-Killing Army" under Schmelman's suggestion. While the Class A was happy, Jail stated that he feel something's odd on Schmelman's words.

After the Forest Survival trip has ended, Class A's training is finally started. Schmelman stated that he won't train them as hard as Alexandroff did and revealed that the culprit who peeping on women's bath in the first day, is actually not Rihito but Schmelman himself as he wants to know their talent. Soon, he gives Class A students a weapon that suit them. Asumi wonder why Schmelman didn't give them guns but melee weapons instead, he explains that they don't have enough resource to create more guns, and he predicts that the world won't uses guns or gunpowder for the upcoming war. Then, Schmelman made a personal request for having them call him a teacher instead of either instructor or major, as he always wanted someone to call him a teacher. After the explanation, Schmelman told Class A try to hit him in a training battle. Although nobody except Lyne Mei able to hit him, the training has begun.

After three weeks, during midnight, Schmelman went to a factory under the school, to have a meeting with other instructors. During the meeting, Schmelman asks Firenda if she able to reproduce the Ballots or not, while she said she can't but she can reproduce the unknown power comes from the Althing. Schmelman asks Alexandroff if the upcoming war will happen or not, Alexandroff said that the war will most likely gonna happen and Schmelman's prediction about the war will be melee is also right. Lastly, Schmelman asks Davi if he determined the people who knows about Althing, Davi said he did and stated they'll kill them when the time's come. Davi asks Schmelman if he still remember the promise about they will take him once they completed their "utopia", Alexandroff stated they will take Davi alone once they completed the Clone Technology and cloned him if he was dead. Then, Schmelmanasks other instructors the progress of the "Aerial Ace Project", Firenda stated that the surgery is successful but for unknown reason the rats becomes more brutal. Soon, Schmelman gives that berserked rat a Ballot while caused it's strength increased rapidity. Schmelman then freezes the rat with his power and said it's amazing. While releasing his "evil" aura, he told Firenda keep her research and said they'll gives Class A students the surgery, once the "Aerial Ace Project" is completed.

Sometimes later, Rihito found Schmelman playing with dolls and asks him what's he doing, Schmelman claims that he didn't playing with dolls but he treats the dolls as his children. Schmelman explains his past to Rihito about how he accidentally killed his mother and how his wife committed suicide due to she can't pregnant. Soon, Rihito called Schmelman by dad and said Tokikaze's grandmother told him that he can find his own father. Then, Schmelman being blush and asks Rihito to call him "Papa" instead of "Dad". This shocked Rihito and he embarrassingly called him "Papa" once. Soon, Schmelman went to hug Rihito and started crying. After this, Rihito becomes Schmelman's adoptive son.

Schmelman keep continue to training Class A students for a few months, until Davi was killed by the terrorists. After hearing Davi's last words, Alexandroff wonder what does Davi means by "deceived" but the other instructors don't know what's it means. Then, Firenda told Schmelman that it's time for them to excuse the "Aerial Ace Project", which shocks him and Alexandroff as the project is still incomplete. After heard Firenda's prediction that their projects might be leaked, Schmelman asks her who will be chosen for do surgery and she said Rihito is the perfect candidate for this project. This angered Schmelman and tried to freeze her, she then points out that the reason why the rat's brutality increased is due to Schmelman's bloodlust gene that he can't control himself. Firenda also stated that they must experiments on human now or she will abandoned the project and letting the students killed by the terrorists, which Schmelman have no choice but give Rihito do surgery and stopped his action on freezing Firenda.

In the next day, the surgery was started. As Schmelman's genes successful injected into Rihito's body, the Abandonment War is started by the school took a surprise attack. After the surgery is finally completed, Schmelman give Rihito a Ballot Replica. He explains the Ballot won't start functioning until he set his counts. Rihito said he don't know how to uses sword and Schmelman explains it's not matter as long as he has the superhuman power now. He also told Rihito that while he wasn't as strong as Taketora and Tokikaze, after the surgery his strength are now surpassed and stronger than every humans. After the explanation, Schmelman told Rihito to saves everyone from United Nations Force's attack and forms the "Non-Killing Army".

It's not clear when did Schmelman's personality was changed, but it's believed the Abandonment War is what caused him became evil. On the last day of the war, after the Barons collected all seven original Ballots, the instructors uses Althing to approved the permanent banned of nuclear weapons and created a sky island named Althea. As Tokikaze steals one of original Ballot, Schmelman orders Firenda to releases Rihito to kill Tokikaze and take back the original Ballot, so that Rihito will forever be despaired and Tokikaze will blinded by revenge. Schmelman also gives Sonohara Mizuka a lot of drugs to make her enjoy it, so that both her and Taketora won't betray him and the Special Service faction.

Story Event
Schmelman's name was first mentioned at Chapter 9, when Nana Bassler explains the truth about Licht (Rihito's second name) and how the Red Barons was created. He later made a his debut in near the end of Chapter 11, reading a storybook about a tortoise kills a haze to the children. Soon, Nikola went to see him and informs him about the situation of the Flash Baron.

After Taketora killed Licht and captures Hina and the others, Schmelman went to meet them in Taketora's mansion. When he arrived, Schmelman noticed there's something wrong with his memory and soon realized it's Nana's time travel ability changed his memory. Lyne asks Schmelman why he betrayed Licht and the Class A, he answers it as they're served as a experimental for the "Aerial Ace Project" and the Class A was a failure as a soldiers. Schmelman then stated that since Hina and the others once studying on the training school before, he give them a "chance" by giving them a Baron's surgery. As he ordered his subordinate to gives the drugs to them, he leaves Taketora's mansion and teleport back to his main base.

When Tokikaze killed one of Schmelman's hechmen and took the phone, he told Schmelman that he must protect his "paradise" from Licht so that the Abyss could taken the whole Althea easily. As Tokikaze took a Ballot from Hina, he and Schmelman have a war in Althing form. During the Althing war, Tokikaze made his first Ballot question that stopping Abyss sent their foods to Althea, while Schmelman is against that question Tokikaze took the majority votes as he have 4 Ballots in total. Then, Tokikaze made his second Ballot question about the removal of Althea's border to uses the modern weapons. With this, Schmelman approved Tokikaze's question as he wanted to have a war against the Abyss. Schmelman told Tokikaze that he already prepared the war against them and stated that they will surely lose in this war, due to they only have immature soldiers and limited weapons. He stated that it's not his intention for Althea's creation and he doesn't want the Abandonment War happened again. He also suggests Tokikaze move their base to live in somewhere on Althea and provide foods as he wished, so that he can pretend this war never happen. Although Tokikaze doesn't want to follow Schmelman's suggestion and said his words cannot be trusted. Soon, Tokikaze made a third Ballot question about the permanent abandon of nukes be annulled, in which the question approved. After the end of Althing war, Schmelman orders Herz Vaalheit to rehire Licht back to the Special Service and reapprove the permanent ban of nuclear weapons.

Later when the White Special Service captured the Abyss children and trying to kill them, Schmelman told Tokikaze this is what happened when he stand against him. Tokikaze stated that Schmelman is the one who caused all the messes in the first place and told him to stop his action already. This annoyed Schmelman and orders his henchmen to kills all the children. Soon, Schmelman went to find Gespenst Zerlegen in Ende, as he discovered Gespenst's true plan and realized he is betraying him not Licht. He freezes Gespenst while told him to drop Licht's original Ballot from his hand. Gespenst stated that this is misunderstood as he just trying to check the Ballot. However, Schmelman claims this is a lie and stated that Gespenst is trying to reveal his trump cards to Licht's groups. He also that he already feel odd on him the moment when he let Herz and her henchmen to captures the other White Special Service members, when he releases the clones to fight against Licht's group and when he ordered to releases the air forces. Then, he asks Gespenst if he know what's he planning to do and Gespenst answered that he can't because he feel like Schmelman has two minds in his head. Soon, Schmelman orders Mizuka to kill Gespenst. but unexpectedly she also betrayed him and tried to took Licht's Ballot back to him. Schmelman tried to orders his henchmen to capture Mizuka but it's stopped by Gespenst. Gespenst stated he will holding Schmelman off from Mizuka before she give the Ballot back to Licht. Schmelman found it interesting and told Gespenst that he will facing a living hell during the time period.

Soon, Schmelman defeated Gespenst effortlessly. As Gespenst is defeated, Schmelman asks him why he chose to help Licht, Gespenst explains it's because of Lyne and his love towards her. Gespenst also stated that he will never let Schmelman destroy her cheerful smile. Schmelman, stabbed Gespenst with his rapier, only asks him that if he seriously thought he can escape his grasp and thinks he will ever meet Lyne again after this, which he stated that he already said farewell to her. After this, Schmelman ordered his henchmen to capture Mizuka by releases the clones.

Later, when the clones returned to their main base, they discovered the healing tank was disabled. Schmelman then appeared behind them and told them they're abandoned due to their defeats. The clones was scared and keep begging Schmelman to not kill them. Soon, the brainwashed Tokikaze appeared and told Schmelman not to kills them, as he mistakenly thought the Class A is still alive. Then, Tokikaze informs Schmelman that he will kill Licht later for "revenge".

Abilities and Power
Schmelman's count is yet to be revealed, but he has the ability to control ice. The cryokinesis ability is strong enough to even freeze flames. Unlike the Barons and Ballot Holders, Schmelman didn't uses any drugs and Ballot Replicas to gain his ability as he already obtained it since he was born. Being a soldier prior to the Abandonment War, Schmelman is also a master at close-quarters combat, able to take out Jail with ease. Schmelman has also shown exceptional skills in swordsmanship, able to draw his saber faster than Tokikaze, physical power on the same level as Taketora as he is able to lift Gespenst and drag him across a room with a single finger and superhuman reflexes on the same level as Licht as noted by Gespenst.

Trivia

 * Field Marshal is the highest military rank, even outranking a five-star general.
 * Although in Yen Press' translation, Schmelman's rank is Generalissimo.