**Explanation**
In the words of Saint Germain himself: "Interesting... Most interesting! Yes, it is quite possible!"
The only thing I'm not really keen about is the color-coding on his clothing being a hint, and indeed I think you're reading too much into it. YET I still find even this interesting and how you strung all this together. Nice.
The thread you referenced was written by me. It's this one:
http://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php/topic,7585.msg169532.html#msg169532 (http://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php/topic,7585.msg169532.html#msg169532)
This thread was already a "study" I was doing on the series to start writting Umbra's plot. I don't necessarily agree with some things in it anymore, but the meat of it - Saint Germain and causality - still is the same conclusion I reach today :P
I might send you one or two snippets about Germain's role on my project to see what you think, but this is besides the point.
I thought Death just served the Castle's master. This is one of the reasons I have believed Walter's Castle was in fact the first incarnation of Castlevania. However is the manga supposed to be canon? I wonder. Who actually wrote the manga and was Konami or any of the staff involved? I tend to follow the games so for now I will stick to my guns that Death follows the Castle's Master. Regardless he would have served Mathias post-acquisition of the Crimson Stone.
I forgot to mention that I also don't reaaaaaally trust this comic as a source of canon information, but there are some things in it that do make sense, and some things that I consider before completelly disregarding the comic as a totally non-canon source.
To begin with, no, it was not done by someone from the staff. HOWEVER it was supervised by IGA (source in the screenshot attached). Some plot details are different from how they transpired in the game, but I try to be lenient about this because had it gone the exact same route from the game, we'd have panels over panels of Leon doing nothing but running on hallways lol
I try to keep an open mind to certain plot details that actually do not exist in the game, and they deal with Walter's origins. Whenever the manga conflicts with the game, I favor the game. But there is not conflict with Walter because the game barely gives us anything about him.
In the game, there is zero mention about his origins or even Death's origins (Death simply appears out of nowhere having formed an allegiance with Mathias and "betraying" Walter for no specified reason). However, in the manga, this is expanded upon - Walter's soul was sold by his mother to a "demon" so she'd survive an attack by their traitorous servant. However, just before the pact is sealed, Walter does it first from the womb, selling his mother's soul to the demon and becoming a vampire. The "demon" in question is Death himself. I only know it's Death because it's said here:
Here are both sources about IGA's supervision and the demon being Death himself:
(http://i.imgur.com/YN108Uc.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/tc4M0J8.png)
And I'd say someone save this and post over the Castlevania Wiki because this page DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE! I took a print of it because it's still on Google's cache. But it's not forever!
But that's pretty much it, man. I can't even blame anyone who chooses to not follow this manga's plot because it simply disappeared on thin air, as if it had never existed. Such a shame.
I use it only to base the statement I made up there: Walter became a vampire through anormal means, like Dracula. Therefore he's a vampire without a master to submit to.
@plot I don't know what you mean about "after" LOI's release, is it the fact the game was no longer called Akumajo Dracula?
No no, that's not it.
During development, IGA referred to Walter's castle as "Dracula's castle" and "Demon castle". However, after LoI was out, the castle was not officially called anything if I remember well (not even "Walter's castle).
I appreciate the thought into the response, but when does the Castle canonically ever crumble in POR without Dracula being destroyed? Brauner was simply cutting off the Throne room from the rest of the Castle's power. Therefore he was pseudo-master temporarily but he was never the Castle's real Lord.
Even though the bad endings are not canon, they STILL are "What if?" scenarios that follow the rules of the world they are set in. In Portrait's case, after defeating the sisters, Brauner decides to abandon his quest and the castle DOES crumble under his will, with Dracula having no say in the matter (he isn't even revived by then).
About Brauner being the master of the castle (albeit temporarily, of course):
Conversation with Wind:
Jonathan: Sounds good to me.
Wind: Oh, one more thing... Regarding this castles's lord.
Charlotte: You mean Dracula right? I've read books about
him.
Wind: Dracula isn't this castle's lord.
Jonathan: What do you mean? That's why they call this
"Dracula's Castle".
Wind: It is indeed Dracula's Castle. However, the castle's
lord is a vampire by the name of Brauner.
Charlotte: I've heard nothing about that!
Wind: As one would expect. His identity has been kept secret
for years, after all. He infuses magic into paintings to
increase his power. You will undoubtedly come across
these paintings in this castle. Search for these paintings.
Charlotte: He's using the paintings to make the castle's power
his, isn't he? Still, he isn't Dracula, after all, so
we're safe for now.
Conversation with Brauner:
Jonathan: You must be Brauner.
? ? ?: How dare you! Show my father some rspect!
Brauner: Calm yourself, Stella. What could they possibly know
about respect? They're just humans, after all. Indeed,
I am Brauner. Master of this castle.
Death's statement is NOT trusthworthy. He says that the one who owns the castle is Dracula "of course", and makes it clear that this is because he hasn't perceived Brauner yet (and this is not a bluff. Brauner later confirms that he's evading Death's detection).
Stella: Father, you need not waste your time on such insolent
pests.
Jonathan: What did you say?!
Loretta: Yes... Allow me to demonstrate how utterly pathetic
they are.
Brauner: Well, no need to be hasty, dear. At the moment,
Dracula's faithful servant is sniffling around MY
castle. Disposing of him is our first priority.
Stella: But, father!
So, even though the castle is Dracula's, Brauner has managed to usurp him and take ownership of the castle for himself. And in the bad ending, the castle crumbles by Brauner's request/retreat.