For a fan-favorite character, the lack of Alucard in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse may be somewhat surprising. However, those who actually read the intro to Symphony of the Night will know that after the events that led to Lord of Darkness's first demise at the hands of a Belmont, the dhampir went into what he thought was an eternal slumber to rid the world of his accursed bloodline.
However, he's still in the latest metroidvania adventure... sort of. You see, someone has decorated the main hall with a bunch of Alucard's portraits. One of Dracula's talking statues hints that these paintings have a hidden meaning. So we'll go over exactly what they mean and why you need to seek them out.
Alucard's Paintings hidden meaning
In the Main Hall area of the castle, you'll encounter paintings of Alucard, Dracula's son. They're so important that they even show up on the area map. However, it's not initially clear why there are so many of them. According to a statue in the Servant's Hall, part of the Main Hall, "The Artiste chose to honor one who left your side too soon. The Master's son will point the way, his face still makes us swoon."
The key line is about pointing the way, and that's exactly what Alucard is doing with his sword. Each painting hints at a secret passage: whether it's the hidden entrance to the Artist's studio, a hidden weapon or one of the many relics, the entrance to the Waterworks area, or even the path leading to one of the more complex sidequests in the game.
So if the painting is pointing downward, treat it as if the floor is passable and drop through. If the sword faces upward or to the side, you can enter one of the blank paintings with the Arcane Whip and launch Rose in that direction to reveal a hidden path. Once you know the secret, reading that painting's meaning is as simple as following directions!