Recaps

Galan reassured Amber about hunting Lion Dogs and said he needed to fetch supplies and bring someone along. Meanwhile, the burly A-rank adventurer who had clashed with Galan pressured a guild receptionist into revealing the commission details, then contemplated killing them outside Äußerst.

• Galan explained that Lion Dogs were manageable and promised Amber he would back her up if needed.
• Amber laughed at Galan’s comparison of Lion Dogs to porcupines and felt less anxious.
• Galan told Amber he needed to prepare and bring someone along before they went on the commission.
• The burly adventurer asked the guild receptionist for the general details of Galan and Amber’s commission.
• The receptionist resisted at first but gave him the information after he cited guild regulations and showed his rank badge.
• The burly adventurer thought that he could kill Galan and Amber outside Äußerst without anyone discovering the truth.

Rivale, the Bloodstained War God, arrived near Äußerst and used Mana Detection to confirm that Serie was away. As he settled in to rest, he sensed a faint aura from the city that seemed connected to Serie.

• A burly man examined Galan and his companion’s commission, then left the guild hall with a cold laugh.
• Rivale appeared in the woods, frightening the rampaging Lion Dogs into submission before ordering them to leave.
• Rivale rested while his Mana Detection spread across Äußerst, but Serie’s disciple sensed it and drove it out of the city.
• Rivale confirmed that Serie was absent and reflected that he was still too weak to challenge her, deciding he needed powerful opponents for training.
• Rivale sensed a faint, familiar aura from the city and wondered why it resembled Serie’s when she was not there.

Rivale sensed Galan’s unusual connection to Serie and failed to see through his true abilities, so he decided to follow the trio. As Galan, Amber, and Lia left Äußerst to hunt Lion Dogs, Galan noticed a strange presence watching them and suspected the dangerous guild man might be planning an ambush.

• Rivale used Mana Detection on Galan, Amber, and Lia, discovering Galan’s connection to Serie and finding that he could not perceive Galan’s true nature.
• Rivale withdrew his Mana Detection and slipped into the forest to follow the trio’s route.
• Galan took the sleepy Lia along with Amber to subjugate Lion Dogs, hoping the familiar surroundings would help Lia feel better.
• Amber asked whether Galan and Lia were a couple, but Galan changed the subject to the feeling that someone had watched them outside the city.
• Galan suspected the murderous guild man might attack them on the road and resolved to protect Amber and Lia.

Galan, Lia, and Amber sensed a terrifying presence stalking them along the Forest Path before a Demon appeared and asked Amber about her relationship with Serie. The Demon left them unharmed for the moment, but Amber was stunned and Galan remained on guard.

• Galan, Amber, and Lia walked away from Äußerst while discussing the long lifespans of elves.
• Galan sensed an oppressive presence on the Forest Path, and Lia noticed a shadow ahead as the birds fell silent.
• Galan realized they had been targeted by someone other than the burly man and prepared tools while continuing forward.
• A towering Demon appeared before the three travelers, and Amber recognized him and froze in fear.
• The Demon asked Amber what her relationship with Serie was, leaving her bewildered.

Galan confronted Rivale, the Bloodstained War God, who had sought him out because of his connection to Serie. Rivale revealed that he had given up on challenging Serie after realizing he could hardly imagine defeating her, leaving Galan to face the Demon’s keen interest in him.

• Galan stepped in front of Lia and Amber to shield them from Rivale.
• Galan recognized Rivale as the strongest warrior in the Demon King's Army and realized that escaping with the two women would be difficult.
• Rivale questioned Galan about his connection to Serie and noticed her presence on him.
• Galan asked why Rivale had come to Äußerst despite knowing Serie was there.
• Rivale explained that he had intended to challenge Serie, but gave up after judging that he could not defeat her, then became interested in Galan when he discovered Serie was absent.

Galan fought Rivale after the named Great Demon decided to test his strength, while Amber and Lia watched nearby. Rivale’s overwhelming speed and power left Galan facing a punch he could not safely block.

• Galan told Rivale that he and Serie were ordinary friends and suggested Serie’s Location Magic might explain their connection.
• Rivale judged Galan truthful but chose to fight him while Serie was away, and Galan pushed Amber and Lia out of danger before attacking with Blood Pillars.
• Rivale dodged Galan’s attacks with ease and closed the distance, while Amber feared they would die and Lia decided to stay rather than seek help.
• Rivale’s punch came at Galan too quickly to follow, and Rivale asked whether Galan kept fighting to buy Amber and Lia time to escape.

Galan struggled to hold off Rivale, who became increasingly serious and prepared a potentially fatal attack. Serie arrived just in time to confront Rivale and find Galan still unable to defeat him.

• Galan diverted part of Rivale’s punch with the Blood Pillar but was still driven backward by its force.
• Galan taunted Rivale about avoiding Serie after their previous duel, but Rivale formed a mana blade and attacked him.
• Galan adapted to Rivale’s swordsmanship and briefly held his ground, earning Rivale’s praise.
• Rivale unleashed a far stronger aura, and Galan retreated while warning the two women behind him to run.
• Serie descended and rebuked Galan before angrily confronting Rivale.

Serie confronted Rivale after revealing she had been nearby, and Galan wondered whether she was the real Serie or a clone. Rivale attacked at full strength, and Serie met his punch head-on, leaving their clash unresolved.

• Serie threatened Rivale for making a move against Galan while she was nearby, and Rivale answered with teasing confidence.
• Galan suspected that Serie might be a clone and questioned why she had not answered his mental call.
• Serie admitted her clones could not match her full strength but challenged Rivale's assumption that she was only a clone.
• Rivale launched a full-strength punch, recalling that Serie had defeated him centuries earlier and that the Demon King had saved him.
• Serie used defensive, enhancement, wound-transfer, and fist-strengthening magic, then collided with Rivale's punch and sent a shockwave through the surrounding forest.

Galan fled toward Äußerst with the two women while Serie and Rivale ended their clash after exchanging a single devastating blow. Rivale departed, still uncertain whether Serie was a clone, and hoped to challenge her again.

• Galan abandoned the commission and ran toward Äußerst with the two women to escape the coming battle.
• Serie blocked Rivale’s full-strength punch with Defensive Magic, combining spells to protect herself and counter his close-range attack.
• Rivale’s punch shattered Serie’s magical barrier, and Serie acknowledged that he had grown stronger over the past century.
• Serie said she had prepared three more spells beyond the four Rivale had noticed, while Rivale admitted that defeating the Demon King would mean facing Schlacht and the Seven Sages of Destruction.
• Serie withdrew her remaining dangerous spells, and Rivale ended the match and walked back into the forest, hoping to challenge her again.

A big man who had planned to ambush Galan was caught in the aftermath of Rivale and Serie’s battle and then encountered Rivale on the road. Rivale dismissed him as weak and killed him as he passed, leaving Galan’s fate uncertain.

• The big man emerged from the damaged grove and wondered whether the Demon King's Army had caused the destruction.
• He gave up waiting to ambush Galan and started back toward the city, suspecting Galan had been delayed or killed in the disturbance.
• Rivale approached the big man, who recognized him as a Demon and froze in terror.
• Rivale noticed the big man was connected to Galan and judged him far weaker than Galan.
• The big man claimed he was an A-Rank Adventurer, but Rivale walked past and cut off his head.

Rivale killed a guard and deduced that Galan came from another time and space, then left to seek out Schlacht. Galan and the others reached Äußerst safely, where Serie reproached him for venturing out despite the danger.

• Rivale killed the burly man and reasoned that Galan's unstable existence meant he had traveled through time and space.
• Rivale decided Schlacht would likely already know about Galan and walked toward the forest.
• Galan, Amber, and Lia fled to Äußerst, where the guards questioned them about the Demon.
• Galan explained that Serie had gone to deal with the Demon, and the guards recognized Serie when she arrived.
• Serie reproached Galan for leaving the city while Rivale was nearby, and Galan admitted he had not expected Rivale to come straight for him.

Serie warned Galan that Schlacht might come after him, then chose Amber as her disciple and told her to visit the Palace the next day. Galan accepted that Amber would now study under Serie, while wondering why Serie had shown no interest in Lia.

• Serie warned Galan that the Demons knew about him and that Schlacht might try to eliminate him.
• Serie noticed Amber and praised her talent, then offered to teach her magic instead of swordsmanship.
• Amber accepted Serie's invitation to become her disciple, and Serie told her to come to the Palace the next day.
• Serie vanished before Amber could thank her, and Amber thanked Galan for making the opportunity possible.
• Galan pointed out that he was no longer Amber's master and had not taught her anything.

Galan struggled to explain why Serie and Rivale were interested in him, while Fitz successfully brewed a potion that focused a Recovery Potion’s effects on replenishing blood. Fitz saw the breakthrough as progress toward his Rejuvenation Potion, though the shop owner questioned its usefulness as a product.

• Amber asked Galan who he really was after learning that both Rivale and Serie had come because of him.
• Galan insisted he was ordinary and called on Lia to support him, but both Lia and Amber doubted him.
• Fitz announced that he had brewed a potion that concentrated a Recovery Potion’s effects on replenishing blood.
• Fitz explained that the potion could maintain blood levels during heavy blood loss and that his experiments had advanced his work on the Rejuvenation Potion.
• The shop owner doubted the blood-replenishing potion had broad sales potential but felt satisfied that Fitz had made a worthwhile discovery.

Fitz developed the blood-producing potion Galan needed, but the owner discovered Fitz had tested it on himself and stopped him from risking his life again. Fitz later gave Galan the potion for free, saying the work had advanced his efforts toward making the Rejuvenation Potion.

• The owner realized Fitz had grown important to him and asked how Fitz had confirmed the potion worked.
• Fitz showed the owner the blood-producing potion and revealed scars from testing it on himself, prompting the owner to take away his knife.
• The owner warned Fitz not to test potions on his body again and took him out to eat.
• Fitz brought Galan a box of the potion Galan had requested, explaining that he had tested it on himself several times.
• Galan offered to pay for the potion, but Fitz refused because developing it had helped him pursue the Rejuvenation Potion.

Galan agreed to help Fitz brew potions at his shop, and later settled into winter days as Amber trained in magic and grew closer to Lia. When Fitz sent Lia to fetch him for work, Galan regretted having agreed to the daily brewing.

• Galan offered Fitz a favor in return for the potions and agreed to brew two batches a day at Fitz's shop.
• Galan asked whether the shop's boss would object, and Fitz offered to teach him the shop's Recovery Potion recipe.
• Winter arrived, and Galan relit the fire after snow and wind blew into his room.
• Amber continued training under Serie, improved quickly, and became close with Lia during her visits to the inn.
• Fitz arrived to summon Galan to the shop, and Lia reluctantly went upstairs to fetch him.

Galan continued making potions at the shop while Fitz devoted himself to researching the Rejuvenation Potion. After hearing about Äußerst’s Winter Festival, Galan began planning to take Lia along.

• Galan arrived at the shop with Fitz and accepted breakfast from the boss.
• Galan processed ingredients and began brewing potions while Fitz returned to his storeroom to work on the Rejuvenation Potion.
• Galan voiced concern about Fitz’s unhealthy routine, but the boss said Fitz was too stubborn to change.
• The boss told Galan that Äußerst held a Winter Festival with dancing around a bonfire and young people confessing their feelings.
• Galan decided he could take Lia to the Winter Festival.

Amber told Lia about the Winter Festival and brought her to a shop to help her choose a gift for Galan. Lia clarified that she and Galan were not a couple, leaving Amber to wonder if Galan’s feelings were one-sided.

• Amber told Lia that an assassin had recently tried and failed to kill Serie, but Lia showed little interest.
• Amber explained that the Winter Festival celebrated the new year and promised Lia plenty of special food.
• Amber brought Lia to a household goods shop and suggested she buy Galan a winter gift because she believed they were a couple.
• Lia told Amber that she and Galan were not a couple and that she felt gratitude rather than romantic affection toward him.
• Amber wondered in shock whether Galan’s feelings for Lia were one-sided.

Rivale traveled to Schlacht’s abandoned mansion to obtain the Prophecy Book and learn what Schlacht had foreseen. The butler refused to let him open it before “That Day,” and Rivale pressured him to reveal the other instructions Schlacht had left.

• Rivale arrived at Schlacht’s mansion and found coffee waiting for him.
• Schlacht’s butler appeared and confirmed that he had the Prophecy Book.
• The butler refused Rivale’s demand, explaining that Schlacht had forbidden anyone to open the book before “That Day.”
• Rivale questioned whether the book only concerned that day and accused the butler of lying.
• Rivale unleashed his mana against the butler and demanded the additional instructions Schlacht must have left.

Rivale learned from Schlacht’s butler that Schlacht had warned him not to investigate Galan, who was protected by Serie and would not affect the future. Rivale left the mansion still puzzled by Schlacht’s cryptic message and wondering what he would do next.

• Schlacht’s butler explained that he had delayed giving Rivale the message because Schlacht had instructed him to act that way in one possible future.
• The butler told Rivale that Galan’s existence was special, that he would have no effect on the future, and that Serie’s protection would prevent Rivale from approaching him again.
• Rivale questioned whether Schlacht could foresee his next move, and the butler relayed Schlacht’s instruction to remain silent because the answer was in Rivale’s heart.
• The butler sank through the floor, and Rivale left the mansion without understanding Schlacht’s meaning.

On the day of the Winter Festival, Galan visited the shop and learned that Fitz had brewed a potion that warmed the body. Galan bargained with Fitz for several bottles, intending them as a present for Lia, and left Fitz to fetch them after threatening to go on strike.

• Galan arrived at the shop and found Fitz testing his new Potion That Warms the Body without lighting the fireplace.
• The owner returned with a bulging sack, scolded Fitz, and sent him to light the fire.
• Fitz explained that the warming potion was a byproduct of his Rejuvenation Potion research and might soon be sold.
• Galan asked Fitz for a few bottles, but Fitz demanded to know whether Galan planned to give them as a Winter Festival present.
• Galan refused to explain and threatened to stop working at the shop, so Fitz agreed to cover the work before giving in and fetching the potions.

Galan wandered through Äußerst and found Serie arranging flowers beneath Flamme’s statue inside a Barrier. Serie reflected on Flamme’s dream of making magic accessible to everyone and said she now wanted to pursue it herself.

• Galan left the inn and headed toward Central Square to see the Winter Festival decorations.
• Galan noticed the streets had emptied and realized someone had created a Barrier inside Äußerst.
• Galan reached Flamme’s statue and found Serie arranging the bouquets left by the townspeople.
• Galan asked Serie whether the Continental Magic Association’s founding had encountered difficulties.
• Serie recalled how Flamme devoted her life to spreading magic and said she wanted to pursue Flamme’s dream of an era in which everyone could use magic.

Galan told Serie how widely magic was used in the future and reassured her that Flamme’s dream had not been in vain. After Serie left him at the Winter Festival, Amber wondered whether Lia would prepare a gift for Galan.

• Serie asked Galan how close Flamme’s dream was to coming true, and he described how people across the future used magic in everyday life.
• Galan began to connect Serie’s interest in human magic with her choice to let the war continue, but stopped himself before revealing too much about the future.
• Serie used magic to summon a field of flowers before Flamme’s statue, then disappeared and left Galan with a telepathic invitation to enjoy the festival.
• Galan recalled that Flamme had started the Winter Festival, though he doubted that many people still knew its origins.
• Amber asked Lia whether she planned to prepare a Winter Festival gift for Galan, worried that his feelings might go unreturned.

Amber’s question made Lia confront her jealousy over Galan and ask what she should do. At the Winter Festival, Galan watched the celebrations with Fitz, who delivered a pair of enchanted gloves from the boss.

• Amber asked Lia how she would feel if a girl began spending much of her time with Galan, and Lia remembered her distress when she heard Amber might become his apprentice.
• Lia fell silent, then asked Amber what she should do.
• Galan and Fitz watched the Winter Festival from a platform above Central Square and joked about Fitz being thrown out of the shop.
• Fitz told Galan that he had angered the boss by criticizing the Alchemy Gloves and gave him a pair of jet-black gloves the boss had prepared for him.
• Galan sensed that powerful Binds protected the gloves from erosion.

At the Winter Festival, Galan waited with a gift for Lia, who had left earlier and missed the chance to reach the bonfire. She returned dressed elegantly, and after giving her the gift, Galan asked her to dance.

• Fitz teased Galan about the gift box he had prepared for someone, and Galan admitted Lia had gone away and had not returned yet.
• Lia arrived in a white dress, and Fitz joked that she looked like a bride.
• Galan reassured Lia that she was not too late and told her he had prepared a gift for her.
• Galan kicked Fitz away before he could interrupt, then asked Lia why she had dressed up for the festival.
• Lia said she had been looking forward to the festival a little, and Galan invited her to dance.

Lia realized she had grown attached to Galan and, with Amber’s advice, offered herself as his gift while they danced on the rooftop. Galan confessed his love, and Lia quietly returned it as the new year began.

• Lia admitted to Amber that she cared about Galan and worried she had no gift for him.
• Amber advised Lia to change outfits and tell Galan she would give herself to him as a gift.
• While dancing, Lia thanked Galan for his gift and let herself fall into his arms.
• Lia offered herself to Galan, and he told her he loved her.
• Lia replied that she loved him too as the new year began.