After what seemed like half an hour, Claire finally spoke: “Haneul… my real name… it means ‘sky’ in Seongese but it can also mean ‘heaven’. My mother told me that the name chose me because ‘it was my destiny to bring the Seong clan to the heights of the heavens above all the other clans.’ That it was a name befitting an emperor.” A rare frown pulled down Claire’s lips, and he glared down into the darkness stretching below. He brightened a beat after and scoffed. “The sky is supposed to be free and open, but the name is so oppressive. Suffocating, you know? Can you even imagine a person like that? As an emperor ruling over all these clans? Having to watch their back all the time?”
- Claire, about his name
Yuseong Haneul (Claire) is a True Conductor and a Sagittarian prince. He is Ilseong Jin's nephew. He is the first prince of the Seong Clan. Seventeen years old, he is also a friend of Olive.
Description[]
"The first was a young man with jet-black hair and cat-like eyes. A light blue cloak was thrown over his head and hid the rest of his features. It looked expensive. Like it was made out of silk."
- Olive, describing Claire while stumbling upon him at Marta's conductor store
Behind the Name[]
His name in Seongese, "Yuseong Haneul" (유성하늘) is made up of two parts.
His given name, "Haneul" (하늘) means "sky," while his surname, "Yuseong" (유성) means "shooting star" or "meteor."
History[]
Early Life[]
Claire was often target for assassinations when he was younger due to his potential to inherit the throne. He was once stabbed by a close rival cousin of his during a tea time which was when his connection to Sigrid and Andres began.
His mother put pressure on him to vie for the throne at all costs at an early age and told him that his name, meaning "sky" and "heavens," indicated that he was meant to ‘to bring the Seong clan to the heights of the heavens above all the other clans.’ He told his aunt Jin that he disliked the name and the pressure associated with it, so she suggested for him to change it which he did, thus choosing "Claire" meaning "clear."
Haneul… my real name… it means ‘sky’ in Seongese but it can also mean ‘heaven’. My mother told me that the name chose me because ‘it was my destiny to bring the Seong clan to the heights of the heavens above all the other clans.’ That it was a name befitting an emperor [...] The sky is supposed to be free and open, but the name is so oppressive. Suffocating, you know? Can you even imagine a person like that? As an emperor ruling over all these clans? Having to watch their back all the time?
He appears to be close to his two royal guards: a Conjuror guard with a wooden mask named Felix and a Projector by the name of Soha. He is very affectionate with his younger sister Yuseong Eunji. Claire lives in Sihyeon Villa.
In Aries[]
He was introduced to the story as a strange, somewhat bumbling boy named Claire who Olivier (Olive) Chance met in a conductor store. After one too many unusual encounters, he earns the wariness of both True Conductors Cadence and Werner, to Olive's insistence that Claire is not strange.
His identity as Sagittarian prince Yuseong Haneul is revealed after he manages to use Olive's evidence of Trystan Carter's innocence to interfere in the investigation of the assassination attempt on Olive.
After those series of events, his other, "true" personality is revealed.
Personality[]
“Yes, yes, I get it,” Claire sighed. “I’m actually a prince. I lied. I’m sorry. Seriously, I am. But honestly, I didn’t just approach you just because you were the Ariesian Prince. You’re actually a pretty okay person to hang out with.” He glanced at Olive. His eyes were remorseful but determined—although Olive wasn’t sure how much of either of those emotions were true. “Still, I would do it again. For my country.” - Claire after Olive confronted him, (36) Part I | 6a: Chance Ignition
Claire first appears to be a bumbling, friendly person. Beneath this surface level facade he is shown to be very deceptive, manipulating Olive in order to gain leverage for his country, Sagittarius. He hid the fact that he was a prince and lied to Olive that he didn't have a conductor's license. However, when Olive called him "Haneul," Claire corrected that it was still "Claire," suggesting complications with his role. Claire seems to have big visions for Sagittarius.
“That’s exactly why I want to abolish that clan system in Sagittarius.” Claire chuckled again. “Well that’s not true. I just want to live in a place where I don’t have to worry about problems like that. Where my sister doesn’t. Where other people don’t. Everyone would just be free to do whatever they wanted without dealing with those kinds of expectations. The restrictions. The divisions.”
- Claire, after Olive complained about Sagittarius' government, (56) Part II | 9.2: Olive's Naivety (Sapienza)
True Conductor Circle[]
“You’re a True Conductor?”
“Yes, that’s what I said.” Claire chuckled a bit—almost nervously.
“And… what are True Conductors?”
“People like you and me,” Claire elaborated without really elaborating.
“And who are people like you and me?”
“People who are psychically connected with other people,” Claire said, tapping his temple. “Connected through memory and therefore thought and feeling.” He tapped his chest to finish the statement. “It’s a bit romantic if I say it like that though.”
- Claire, revealing he is a True Conductor to Olive
Claire has been revealed to be a True Conductor. His circle contains the Aquarian Sigrid and the Leonian Andres. When he became a True Conductor is not exactly shown, but he has mentioned that there was a lag between when one person in a circle would think of something and the other would respond; and that "they" - his True Conductor circle - stopped timing it when the lag became less than half a second.