Recaps

Velin returned to Xuemiyya after his adventure and told her about the Demiplane and Kyle’s past-life connection to the mermaids. They learned the Ilia Kingdom had been summoned to a Faith Holy War, and Velin decided to participate.

• Velin returned to his residence, greeted Hilda, and reunited with Xuemiyya in her study.
• Velin gave Xuemiyya six Top-grade Purple Mermaid Pearls and recounted how he had obtained a Demiplane and encountered Mermaid Pontiff on the La Romana Islands.
• Xuemiyya told Velin that the Ilia Kingdom had to assemble at least eight hundred thousand troops for a Faith Holy War in the Metagea Plane, alongside the North Ixi Kingdom and auxiliary forces from smaller worlds.
• Xuemiyya shared that the expedition would involve several deities competing over the Nangexia Continent, and Velin concluded that the conflict would divide its faith regions.
• Velin decided to join the Faith Holy War because his Demiplane would let him transport whatever valuables he acquired.

Velin discussed his upcoming campaign with Xuemiyya, who urged him to have a child before advancing to Soul Intent. Meanwhile, Kyle returned to Star Moon Fort with Yala and the Rita sisters, reunited with Xiya, gathered his subordinates, and spoke privately with Blue.

• Xuemiyya questioned Velin about the size of his planned force, and he said he would take two-thirds of the army while relying on the Teleportation Array and Cadro Province's legendary protector to defend Qixing Territory.
• Xuemiyya worried that she would soon become a Soul Intent Arcanist and that their chances of having children would dwindle, so she urged Velin to get her pregnant within ten years.
• Kyle brought Yala and the Rita sisters to his residence, where Xiya greeted him and told him she had been studying with Green and playing with the griffin cubs.
• Kyle summoned his subordinates to Star Moon Fort, gave Purple Mermaid Pearls to Gray, Blue, Phantom, Green, An, and Sin, and briefed Light and Wind on Qixing Territory.
• After dismissing everyone but Blue, Kyle asked about her four trainees, and Blue reported that Lucia and Molly had reached Low-level Silver Wind Dancer Attendant while Anna and Blanche remained at High-Bronze Tier.

Kyle reassured Lan that he would not abandon her and let her remain his only maid. Velin met Anastasia in the Frozen Zone to mark the end of her thirty-year protection of Qixing Territory, and she gave him an enhanced Command Token before leaving to pursue her truth.

• Lan feared Kyle was sending her away, but he embraced her and promised she would always remain his retainer.
• Lan asked to keep her identity as Kyle’s maid and prevent him from taking new maids, and Kyle agreed.
• Velin decided to give Anastasia three Seven-Colored Life Flowers as a farewell gift for protecting Qixing Territory.
• Velin and Kyle traveled to the Frozen Zone, where Velin sensed the power of Anastasia’s Legendary Domain as they approached her Ice Castle.
• Velin offered Anastasia the flowers, and she said she would leave to pursue her truth now that their thirty-year agreement had ended.
• Anastasia strengthened Velin’s Command Token into the Legendary Spell Ice World, which could withstand a full-force strike from a Low-Legendary powerhouse.

Anastasia prepared to leave Qixing Territory after thirty years, while Zephirin chose to stay and keep her promise to Velin. Back at Star Moon Fort, Velin began planning how to develop his Demiplane as a magic potion production base and transit hub.

• Anastasia told Velin she would leave in three days, praised his growth, and promised to visit him again after leaving the world.
• Anastasia asked Zephirin to leave with her, but Zephirin chose to stay; Anastasia gave her a Seven-Colored Life Flower and entrusted her with managing the Frozen Zone.
• Anastasia revealed that she had left sixteen Soul Intent grade ice spells and three Legendary Spells beneath the Ice Castle for Zephirin to access when she reached Soul Intent rank.
• Velin returned to Star Moon Fort and told Kyle to ask Gregory's tribe about moving to the Demiplane, have Lahael select loyal personnel for a Magic Potion Plantation, and see whether Green could relocate his experimental Manor.
• Velin put off deciding what to do with the Treasure Vault and planned to use the Demiplane as a potion production base, barracks, and material transit hub.

Velin arranged for Zephirin to govern the Frozen Zone after Lady Anastasia’s departure and agreed to organize a separate army from the small nobles of Cadro Province for the Faith Holy War. After Belder secured Velin’s permission to recruit two Knight Academy talents as clerks, Velin left Star Moon Fort with Xuemiyya for a two-month journey.

• Velin refused to change the Frozen Zone’s administration and said Zephirin would become its governor after Lady Anastasia left.
• Belder reported that small nobles were sending troops to the Church of Life’s recruitment stations and asking to serve under Velin, who agreed to form a separate army with set recruitment requirements and a gathering date.
• Belder updated Velin on Qixing Territory’s development and persuaded him to let him compete with Devonshire for two promising Knight Academy talents as clerks.
• Velin asked Kyle to look after Star Moon Fort, and three days later he and Xuemiyya silently wished Lady Anastasia well as she departed.
• Half a month later, Velin and Xuemiyya left Star Moon Fort for a two-month trip through the Underground World, Gray Fog Space, Zeferus Territory, and nearby provinces.

Velin gathered more than four thousand warriors sent by lower nobles and placed them under Cassius’s command for thirty months of training before the Faith Holy War. Cassius began reorganizing the recruits through demanding physical drills and appointed commanders, while the spellcasters and priests departed to train separately.

• On June 15, 9750 of the Radiant Calendar, forty-eight of Cadro Province’s fifty-five barons sent qualified warriors to Qixing Territory, where Velin surveyed the armies gathered outside Star Prayer City.
• Velin addressed the recruits and announced that Cassius would train and reorganize them for the next thirty months, then left the camp.
• Cassius sent the Star Prayer Camp to Training Ground Three, sealed the gates of Training Ground One, and ordered the lower nobles’ warriors to remove their armor and weapons.
• Cassius assigned running or hopping drills to the recruits according to their ranks and ordered Silver-White Professionals and Spellcasters to stand aside.
• Cassius appointed five brigade commanders, including Valk Charles, and told the commanders to choose their subordinates from among the remaining recruits.
• Cassius placed the Spellcasters and priests under Hobart’s command and allowed them to train separately at Training Ground Six.

Velin received Milada’s report of a sealed Magic Crystal Mine and abandoned Teleportation Array in Viscount Clever’s territory, then sent Kyle to investigate and negotiate how to divide the mine’s benefits. Kyle’s reply revealed reserves of 990,000 Low-Grade Magic Crystals, leaving Velin convinced Viscount Clever’s rise was inevitable.

• Milada wrote to Velin that the Rose Flower Adventurer Group and Viscount Clever’s troops had found a sealed Magic Crystal Mine and an abandoned Teleportation Array southwest of the Islet Territory.
• Velin summoned Kyle and laid out different plans for dividing the mine’s benefits based on its reserves, explaining that Viscount Clever had made a wise choice.
• Velin sent Kyle to Dany Province with Light and Wind to investigate the mine.
• Kyle left Qixing Territory with two retainers, and half a month later Velin received his reply.
• Velin read the reported reserve figure of 990,000 and remarked that Viscount Clever’s rise was inevitable.

Velin secured a twenty-thousand-troop quota for the Faith Holy War and assigned units and supplies to prepare his forces and support his cousin Brian. He then asked Iden to help train the struggling Ninth Battalion and mentor its commander Midiya.

• Velin read the kingdom’s Faith Holy War notice, which listed 1,638 participating nobles and an army of 800,000 troops.
• Velin increased his troop quota from three thousand to twenty thousand with support from Duke of Moravia and Blood Moon Count.
• Velin selected Hebrew’s Second Camp, Greg’s Fourth Camp, Doxius’s Fifth Camp, and Imogen’s Eighth Battalion, and gave 1,500 slots and military supplies to Brian.
• Velin assigned Iden to help Midiya train the Ninth Battalion and teach him military skills, hoping the two would become friends.
• Iden agreed to teach Midiya everything he knew.

Velin invited Iden to send his eldest daughter to his grandfather’s Floating City and later welcomed Kyle back with hundreds of thousands of Magic Crystals from a mine in Danying Province. On June fifteenth, Velin set out with Xuemiyya and Kyle for Duke Moravia’s territory.

• Velin offered Iden’s eldest daughter a place to study at his grandfather’s Floating City and gave him half a month to decide.
• Velin reflected on waiting for the next Guidance of Fate, then teased Xuemiyya about meeting his grandfather.
• Kyle returned from Danying Province with 241,637 Low-Grade, 3,789 Intermediate, and 196 High-Grade Magic Crystals mined with the Hurricane Legion.
• Velin ordered supplies and personal gifts sent to Milada and the Rose Flower Adventurer Group for helping secure the crystals.
• Kyle reminded Velin that thirteen months of his twenty-four-month leave had passed, and Velin hurried away to handle official business.
• On June fifteenth, Velin traveled to Duke Moravia’s territory with Xuemiyya, Kyle, and part of his guard force.

Velin arrived in Moravia City, met City Lord Uleya, and borrowed a Floating Ship to travel to Kala Floating City. He reached the city and was escorted with Xuemiyya and Kyle to the Central Mage Tower, where his grandfather was waiting.

• Velin learned that Moravia City's Dragon Riders were training for the Faith Holy War and saw two High-Gold mages argue over Mage Tower repair funds at the City Lord's Mansion.
• Velin asked Uleya for dragons to travel to Kala Floating City, but Uleya offered him a Floating Ship because the dragon troops were away training.
• Uleya arranged for Velin to travel to Moravia City's Floating Ship Port, then used the captain of the guards' suggestion to leave the mansion and avoid the mages' dispute.
• Velin boarded a Floating Ship and reached Kala Floating City in less than two hours, where he sensed the dense mana produced by its Large Element Pools.
• Two Magic Puppets met Velin at Port Number Three and guided him, Xuemiyya, and Kyle toward the Central Mage Tower, while the guards were taken to a designated station.

Velin visited Duke Moravia at the central Mage Tower with Xuemiyya and Kyle, toured the tower, and learned about its vast Magic Puppet reserves. The next morning, Moravia took them to his first Demiplane, a plantation filled with magical plants, and offered them Tree Pear Fruits.

• Velin introduced Xuemiyya and Kyle to Duke Moravia, thanked him, and explained that he also wanted to ask about the Metagea Plane and deliver a letter.
• Moravia praised Velin, teased him about his parents, and agreed to consider visiting his daughter and putting pressure on Angus.
• Moravia guided Velin, Xuemiyya, and Kyle through the ten-floor central Mage Tower, including its enormous underground Magic Puppet storage.
• Velin and Xuemiyya rested in the tower while Kyle admired Kala Floating City from another guest room.
• The next morning, Moravia brought the three visitors through a Demiplane passage to his first Demiplane, a 3,533-square-kilometer Magic Potion Plantation with 6,833 kinds of plants.
• Moravia plucked Tree Pear Fruits and offered one to each of them.

Velin continued touring Duke of Moravia’s demiplanes and witnessed his grandfather discover a forbidden experiment being prepared by Klarins. The chapter ended with Klarins defying Duke of Moravia’s order to stop, despite the threat of imprisonment.

• Velin asked Duke of Moravia to continue the tour, and they entered his second demiplane with Xuemiyya and Kyle.
• Duke of Moravia caught Balke after an explosion, then learned from him that Klarins was preparing a forbidden experiment using succubi and balrogs.
• Velin offered to accompany his grandfather to Klarins, and Duke of Moravia took them to Klarins’s hidden underground room.
• Duke of Moravia destroyed Klarins’s thirty-three Gold-grade demons and demanded an explanation for the forbidden ritual.
• Klarins said he sought the final threshold to advance toward perfection, but Duke of Moravia forbade the experiment and threatened to imprison him.
• Klarins challenged Duke of Moravia to act, refusing to back down.

Velin stopped the Duke of Moravia from punishing Klarins and gave him a Memory Crystal from Isidor, whose message helped Klarins reconsider his choices. Klarins reconciled with his teacher and decided to join the Annatas Empire's Astral Fleet next spring.

• Velin gave Klarins the Memory Crystal, and Isidor's projection teased him before urging him to consider those he cared about and pursue his grand idea without obsessing over perfection.
• After Isidor's message ended, the Duke of Moravia's anger subsided, and Velin left the chamber with Xuemiyya and Kyle.
• Klarins told the Duke of Moravia he would stop conducting forbidden experiments, and his teacher accepted his decision.
• Klarins announced he would visit Isidor and then travel to the main continent next spring to join the Annatas Empire's Astral Fleet.
• The Duke of Moravia asked Klarins to tell his senior brother Tatel to return for a visit, and Klarins agreed.

Velin learned the scale of his grandfather’s hidden forces and heard how the gods’ armies would invade Nangexia Continent. Duke of Moravia revealed that he would serve as Chief Mage in Ilia Kingdom’s Expeditionary Army, leaving Velin to wonder what the role meant.

• Duke of Moravia caught Velin recounting his embarrassing past, then took him to tour the remaining three demiplanes.
• Velin and Xuemiyya estimated that Duke of Moravia had at least 1.2 million Magic Puppets and discussed how many demiplanes he might control.
• Three days later, Duke of Moravia showed Velin a map of Nangexia Continent and explained the invasion routes of the armies serving the Goddess of Life, the Goddess of Harvest, and the God of Courage.
• Duke of Moravia told Velin that East would command Ilia Kingdom’s Expeditionary Army while he took the position of Chief Mage.
• Velin questioned what Chief Mage meant, and Duke of Moravia said it was roughly equivalent to the army’s commander without responsibility for directing troops.

Velin learned that a Destiny Card was hidden among a Red Dragon’s treasure and traveled with Xuemiyya and Kyle to the dragon’s island. After planning for the dragon’s escape and defenses, they waited for it to enter their trap.

• Velin spent several days exploring Kala Floating City and visited his mysterious grandmother, whose appearance and their conversation he soon forgot.
• Guidance of Fate revealed that Destiny Card number 7 was hidden as a Gold Coin in a Soul Intent Low-Tier Red Dragon’s treasure vault on an island east of Serton Province.
• Velin left Kala Floating City, stored his guards in the Demiplane, and took Xuemiyya and Kyle toward the island aboard the Star Moon Floating Ship.
• Velin told Xuemiyya and Kyle that they would rob a Soul Intent Low-Tier Red Dragon, then Kyle piloted the ship to the island.
• Velin, Xuemiyya, and Kyle prepared for the Red Dragon’s possible escape and other emergencies, then waited for it to walk into their trap.

Ten days after escaping a Titan, the wounded Red Dragon Kolkrath was captured by Velin and Kyle and taken to their Demiplane. Velin ordered Kyle to interrogate him for his treasure, leaving Kolkrath terrified of what Kyle would do next.

• Kolkrath crashed onto an island after escaping the Titan, relieved that his treasure was safe beneath one of his scales.
• Velin and Kyle ambushed Kolkrath, bound him, sealed his mana, and carried him into the Demiplane.
• Kyle drained Kolkrath's mana and inflicted soul pain after Kolkrath mocked him and Velin.
• Velin asked Kolkrath where he had hidden his treasure, but Kolkrath pretended to be dead and refused to answer.
• Velin left the Demiplane with Xuemiyya and told Kyle to interrogate Kolkrath without killing him.
• Kyle examined the bound dragon for a place to begin, and Kolkrath feared he was about to be eaten.

Velin relaxed on the beach with Xuemiyya while Kyle interrogated the Red Dragon Kolkrath for his hidden treasure. After Kyle joined them for grilled fish, he returned to the Demiplane to resume the interrogation as Velin and Xuemiyya watched.

• Velin cleared the fishmen from the beach and settled down with Xuemiyya, who caught and grilled sea fish for them.
• Velin visited the Demiplane and learned that Kyle had failed to make Kolkrath reveal where he had hidden his treasure.
• Velin suggested searching Kolkrath’s scales and stomach, then postponed the interrogation so he and Kyle could eat.
• Kolkrath secretly removed and swallowed dragon scales while Velin monitored him through the World Elf’s Halo Contract.
• Velin and Kyle made a bet about Kolkrath’s actions, and Kyle won three months of vacation.
• After the meal, Kyle returned to the Demiplane and began stripping Kolkrath’s scales while Velin and Xuemiyya watched.

Kyle stripped Kolkrath of his scales and treasures while the red dragon played dead, then tormented him until he gave up the act. Meanwhile, Xuemiyya found two magic puppets on the island and challenged Velin to find her in an illusion before half an hour passed.

• Kyle ripped off all 31,626 of Kolkrath's scales, then cut open his belly and took the hidden scales while the dragon struggled to resist.
• Kyle mocked Kolkrath and promised to guard his treasures, while Velin told Xuemiyya to keep the incident from Kyle and suggested making the red dragon Kyle's mount.
• Xuemiyya explored the island and found two masterless magic puppets in a cave, which Velin examined and considered using to guard the Inner City District gates.
• Velin joked with Xuemiyya about dismissing guards to save costs, and she teased him about his past and others' opinions of him.
• Xuemiyya used an illusion to appear a hundred meters away and challenged Velin to find her within half an hour, promising to tell him the evaluation if he succeeded.

Velin forced the Red Dragon Kolkrath to choose between losing his treasure and becoming Kyle’s mount, and Kolkrath agreed to serve Qixing Territory. After searching the island for two days without finding more treasure, Velin, Xuemiyya, and Kyle returned to Qixing Territory aboard the Star Moon Floating Airship.

• Kyle told Kolkrath he could reclaim his treasure in less than fifty years if he contributed his bloodline to Qixing Territory, then had him clean up the dragon scales and bloodstained dirt.
• Velin, Xuemiyya, and Kyle searched a mountain of Gold Coins for a Destiny Card but found no sign of one.
• Velin offered Kolkrath his dragon-scale treasure, the Gold Coins, and annual wages if he became Kyle’s mount; Kolkrath accepted.
• Velin had the twenty-four knights of the Guard Team each select a Gold Coin, but none of them triggered anything.
• Velin and Xuemiyya searched the nameless island for two days without finding treasure, then returned to Qixing Territory with Kyle aboard the Star Moon Floating Airship on July 25.

Velin failed to find the Destiny Card in the Red Dragon’s hoard and returned to training after his vacation. At a Noble Council outing, he discussed Qixing Territory’s growth and the preparations for the coming Faith Holy War, which was only months away.

• Velin had his subordinates search the Red Dragon’s gold for the Destiny Card, but none found it, so he decided to keep trying later.
• After his vacation ended, Velin received books on nature from Kyle and studied the revised Azurewood—Faceless Clone combat skill.
• Velin considered making Azurewood—Faceless Clone his second Soul Combat Skill and promised Kyle he would not act recklessly when engraving the Soul Ring.
• Velin spent the following months cultivating while Kyle managed government affairs, and the Cadro Province Noble Council held an outing at Qixing Manor.
• Velin told Olcott, Edgar, and Brian that his subordinates handled most territorial development while he directed the army.
• Brian asked about preparations for the Faith Holy War, and Velin said the Church of Life would handle logistics but advised bringing troops’ weapons and equipment.

Velin inspected the trained army and organized it as the Tenth Battalion for the Faith Holy War. He also spoke candidly with Cassius about leaving the Star Prayer Camp behind, then spent the following half month openly talking with Qixing Territory’s leading figures.

• Velin inspected the four thousand trained troops and learned how far they could march while fully armed.
• Velin appointed Valk commander of the newly designated Tenth Battalion and ordered the other brigade commanders to serve as his warriors in the coming war.
• Velin told Cassius that the Star Prayer Camp would remain behind as a garrison unit, then urged him to speak honestly about his feelings.
• Cassius admitted his concerns, and Velin explained why Qixing Territory needed more than one battle-ready army and general.
• Velin ordered Cassius to train the Star Prayer Camp until every warrior reached at least High-Bronze Tier.
• Velin spent the next half month speaking openly with his Guardian Knights and other important personnel, further strengthening their loyalty.

Velin traveled with twenty thousand troops to Ades Barracks for prewar training and visited Blood Moon Count Miyali, thanking her for assigning Qixing Territory a troop quota. He gave her eight Soul Intent grade Combat Skills and began sharing information about the Nangexia Continent, leaving Miyali astonished.

• Velin left Qixing Territory with twenty thousand troops and arrived at Ades Barracks after traveling through Teleportation Arrays.
• Over the next half month, eight hundred thousand troops gathered at Ades Barracks, while Velin stayed there and planned to visit Zelia after the first meeting.
• Miyali organized the Blood Moon Territory's forces, and Vitris tried to slip away before she ordered him to stay.
• Velin and Kyle entered Miyali's tent, where she teased Velin about his formal greeting and praised his advancement to Soul Intent Knight.
• Velin thanked Miyali for granting Qixing Territory a quota of four thousand troops and gave her eight Soul Intent grade Combat Skills.
• Velin showed Miyali a map of the Nangexia Continent and repeated what his grandfather had told him, astonishing her.

Velin attended a pre-war meeting with the Expeditionary Army’s nobles, where he reunited with Count Rassel and learned that Marquis Bazel was hostile toward him. Saintess Anastasia assumed command of the meeting, and Bradley Silvis arranged the attendees by rank and projected a map of Nangexia Continent.

• Velin reunited with Count Rassel, who warned him that Marquis Bazel bore hostility toward him.
• Velin gave Rassel a document about the war’s intelligence, and Rassel stored it discreetly.
• Duke of Moravia, Duke Ister, Saintess Anastasia, and Bradley Silvis entered the meeting room.
• Saintess Anastasia’s aura captivated Velin and other nobles until she cast Clear Mind to wake them.
• Bradley Silvis arranged the 169 floating chairs into six tiers and projected a map of Nangexia Continent.
• Bradley Silvis yielded leadership to Saintess Anastasia, the supreme leader of the Church of Life’s Expeditionary Army.

Saintess Anastasia explained the Expeditionary Army’s mission, and Duke Ister assigned its commanders, including Velin as Fifteenth Army Commander and nominal Deputy Head of Logistics. Velin learned the appointment came from Anastasia, abandoned his plan to become a warehouse rat after hearing the Inquisitor Knights guarded supplies, and received three Golden Apples from his father.

• Saintess Anastasia outlined the kingdoms’ roles in the holy war and said the Church of Life would handle logistics.
• Duke Ister announced the Expeditionary Army’s organization and appointed Velin Fifteenth Army Commander and Deputy Head of Logistics.
• Duke Moravia told Velin that Anastasia had made him Deputy Head of Logistics, but that the post was nominal and let him collect supplies directly.
• Duke Moravia warned Velin that the Inquisitor Knights would control the Logistics Department, so Velin gave up on becoming a warehouse rat.
• Duke Moravia gave Velin three Golden Apples from his father to celebrate his becoming a Soul Intent Knight.

Velin attended Fourth Legion’s meeting, where the six armies’ organization and troop requirements were established. Afterward, Miyali learned that Vitris had likely gone to the Royal Capital and vowed to punish him when he returned.

• Velin learned that Vitris had delivered Marquis Rodenert’s meeting order before departing for the Royal Capital, and Velin told Miyali he would not cover for him.
• Marquis Rodenert announced the army organizations, and Velin confirmed that his 20,336 troops needed no additional recruits for the Fifteenth Army.
• Count Gulok reported the Sixteenth Army’s troop shortfall and accepted several barons into his command as Marquis Rodenert assigned units across Fourth Legion’s six armies.
• Marquis Rodenert ordered the commanders to submit battalion appointments within three days and gave them three months to reorganize their troops.
• Miyali confronted Velin about Vitris, then threatened to make Vitris crawl out of his tent when he returned.
• At an opera house in the Royal Capital, Vitris felt a chill, claimed he needed to soothe a tiger at home, and hurried away.