Henri is a bright-eyed young man from a quiet village where he struggled to feel genuine religious faith. Instead of becoming a priest, he channels his enthusiasm into idolizing Napoleon and joins the military. He serves as Napoleon's personal chef, responsible for preparing his chicken, but quickly begins to grapple with the grim realities of war and the senseless loss of life around him.

Villanelle is a vivacious, androgynous Venetian woman born to a boatman, possessing the mythical webbed feet of her ancestors. She makes her living dealing cards in casinos for tourists while moving comfortably between genders in her daily life. She takes pride in her independence and pragmatic approach to romance until a chance encounter changes her perspective on affection entirely.

Napoleon is the charismatic leader of France whose ambition drives the nation's military conquests across Europe. He commands intense loyalty from his soldiers and citizens, symbolizing France's desire for glory. He possesses an insatiable appetite for chicken and expects unwavering, exclusive devotion from his troops.

The Cook begins his military service preparing meals for the French army. His undisciplined behavior and drunkenness cost him his position when Napoleon demands Henri take over the kitchen duties. Humiliated and ousted from his comfortable role, he harbors a deep resentment toward the younger soldier.

Domino is a good-natured horse keeper in the French army who makes up for his small stature by being a highly capable boxer. He befriends Henri at the camp and shares his pragmatic philosophy of living purely in the present to survive the harsh conditions of military life.

Patrick is a defrocked Irish priest drafted into the French army due to his exceptional eyesight. Removed from the church for spying on women, he embodies the contradictions of faith, continuing to observe religious customs and insisting Henri attend New Year's Eve services despite his past transgressions.

The Queen of Spades is a mysterious, wealthy married woman with gray-green eyes and dark red hair. She visits the Venetian casinos and immediately captures Villanelle's attention, sparking an intense fascination that challenges Villanelle's previously guarded heart.

Georgette is Henri's devout mother, whose unfulfilled desire to become a nun heavily influences her worldview. She reluctantly married Claude to escape her own father's threats of an arranged marriage, raising her son in a quiet household marked by deep spiritual longing.

Claude is Henri's father, a man from a quiet village who harbors a deep, unrequited love for his wife. He offered Georgette shelter when she fled her family, settling into a stable life raising their son despite knowing Georgette's heart belonged to the church.

Josephine is the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. She resides in Paris and enjoys the spoils of her husband's rising power and influence over France.