Chapter Summaries

Li Ang recovered from his wound and shared a meal with Wendy, who imagined a future with him and grew closer to him. He recalled a dream in which a young white dragon and a woman named Althea discussed his memories, and he realized Althea was the twin sister of Avadain, the first king of the Noldo Elves.

• Li Ang dressed, told Sammer to have the men eat and return to Seven Forks Fortress, and said he would repay Agasong for stabbing him.
• Kloze shared gossip about Li Ang with the old brothers, who speculated that an officer's memoir had improved their lord's romantic prowess.
• Wendy reflected on her feelings for Li Ang and imagined becoming Noldo Queen so she would not have to wait twenty years to reach adulthood.
• Li Ang brought Wendy mare's milk and fried eggs, and they ate from the same plate as Wendy addressed him by name.
• Li Ang remembered dreaming of a young white dragon and a woman named Althea discussing his memories and seeing a crystal ball that showed his former world.
• Li Ang connected Althea's name to a game background story and recalled that she was Avadain's twin sister.

Althea’s memories revealed that Dragon Tears formed when Kualis experienced her grief, and Li Ang realized they could heal and empower those connected to her bloodline. After Wendy’s blood helped him recover, he tested her heartbeat, misunderstood the result, and was beaten onto the carriage couch.

• A thousand years earlier, Althea grieved over her isolation, and the Oracle let Kualis experience her sorrow, causing the dragon to shed sapphires called Dragon Tears.
• The Oracle told Althea to gather the tears and suggested they could prove useful, while Althea remained forgotten by the Noldo Elves she had sacrificed herself to protect.
• Li Ang recalled the scene and concluded Dragon Tears were meant to connect Althea to her people and could harm anyone who lacked her bloodline.
• Li Ang inferred that Wendy’s blood as Avadain’s direct descendant had activated the Dragon Tear and healed him, while Alaric’s human blood had only brought him suffering.
• Li Ang checked Wendy’s pulse and mistook his own slow heartbeat for illness, so he asked to lie down and Wendy beat him onto the couch.

Li Ang recovered from Agason’s assassination attempt and returned to Seven Forks Fortress to confront him, while Agason prepared for a fatal duel and offered his broken sword as an apology. The chapter ended with Li Ang declaring that he had come to stab Agason and thrusting at him.

• Agason agonized over stabbing Li Ang during negotiations and feared Li Ang had died when the Griffin banner returned to Seven Forks Fortress.
• Li Ang recovered quickly, led his army back to the fortress, and threatened to march into the Bacchus Empire unless Agason came to dinner in his camp.
• Agason broke the sword he had used against Li Ang and sent it as a funeral gift and apology, then agreed to attend the banquet that night.
• After realizing Agason intended a fight to the death, Li Ang rode to the fortress to ask him why, hoping not to kill him.
• Agason met Li Ang outside the eastern gate, and Li Ang said he had come to stab him before thrusting with his sword.

Li Ang turned Agason’s failed assassination attempt into a debt and proposed a bargain: the Bacchus Empire would help him take Aishikeman in exchange for the port and territory. After Agason burned Seven Forks Fortress, Li Ang’s army advanced toward Sava Fortress and Turdah Fortress.

• Li Ang captured Agason, fed him his terrible steak, and declared that the general owed him for the sword wound and Wendy’s blood loss.
• Agason asked whether Li Ang would attack the Bacchus Empire, and Li Ang explained that he planned to seize Aishikeman and hand it to the Empire in exchange for land and military support.
• Li Ang told Agason to bring his demands to Emperor Marius and offered to make Agason an imperial hero if he burned Seven Forks Fortress.
• Agason burned Seven Forks Fortress the next day, reducing the undefeated stronghold to ruins and alarming the citizens of Lion City.
• Li Ang reassured Lion City’s residents and then led his army toward the area south of Sava Fortress and east of Turdah Fortress.

Emperor Marius learned that Titus had detained the wounded Agason and was forcing his troops to swear loyalty, so he ordered the Empire’s forces to gather at Fort Lela and planned to meet Li Ang. Titus, stripped of his command and made a new Phoenix Knight, was escorted away from Fort Lela while vowing to reclaim Sava Fortress and Calundru Castle.

• Marius’s Senate Council discussed Titus’s demands, Agason’s position, and the threat of Li Ang’s appointment as marshal.
• Alina reported that Agason had burned Seven Forks Fortress, survived but was wounded, and had been detained by Titus at Fort Lela.
• After reading Li Ang’s letter, Marius ordered the Empire’s forces to prepare for battle and said he would meet Li Ang at Fort Lela.
• Marius sent word that Titus would join the Phoenix Knight Order and granted him lands around Sava Fortress that Li Ang’s army controlled.
• The Phoenix Knights escorted Titus east from Fort Lela, and he privately vowed to retake Sava Fortress and Calundru Castle.

The chapter explained why Emperor Marius treated Titus more harshly than Kairos and described the Phoenix Knight Order’s history and limits. In negotiations, Marius offered to use the order and Titus as leverage to place Imir under Li Ang’s practical control while keeping it imperial territory.

• The chapter explained that Marius restrained Titus because the Phoenix Knight Order followed Manius III, not Titus, while Kairos’s control of the Shadow Legion made his death dangerous to the empire.
• The Phoenix Knight Order’s origins at Fang Castle and its tradition of passing armor and duty from fathers to sons were recounted.
• After Titus withdrew the order from Sava Fortress and abandoned its civilians, the knights stopped freely obeying him, and he remained at Fort Lela seeking resources from Marius.
• Li Ang and Marius argued over territory, Aishikeman, Sava Fortress, and the destruction of Seven Forks Fortress, while Marius rejected exchanging imperial land.
• Marius proposed establishing the Phoenix Knight Order at Calundru Castle and granting it fiefs around Imir, with Li Ang funding its support and disaster relief.
• Marius said he would make Titus lord of Imir without supplying him, giving Li Ang a pretext to seize the region, and urged Li Ang to help its civilians.

Li Ang and Emperor Marius agreed to attack Aishikeman from land and sea, though Marius warned they might soon become enemies again. After their farewell over wine, Li Ang led his army toward Turdah Fortress and reunited with Ramon to revive their plan to auction off a city lord’s position—or even the throne.

• Li Ang accepted Marius’s terms, securing the land between Wolvun Fortress and Shield Wind Fortress in exchange for joining the attack on Aishikeman.
• Marius explained how Titus’s history and fief at Sava Fortress had created a pretext for conflict, then agreed to attack Aishikeman by sea while Li Ang attacked overland.
• Marius told Li Ang that he would have to recover his lost lands, and Li Ang warned him that drinking wine from a heated lead flask could poison him.
• Marius briefly switched to a ceramic flask, then returned to lead vessels and raised taxes on lead food containers tenfold.
• Three days later, Li Ang camped near Turdah Fortress and met Ramon, tossing him the die and renewing their plan to auction a city lord’s position or the throne.

Li Ang and Ramon joined forces to auction the lordship of Aishikeman and ultimately the throne of Bahad Khan, while Li Ang sent Ramon to recruit bidders and deliver a message to Turdah Fortress. Gaiwan Khan faced mounting attacks from Bacchus Empire raiders and the Inquisition as Li Ang’s army advanced, leaving him unsure whether to flee.

• Ramon welcomed Li Ang as a true brother after Li Ang understood the meaning of his loaded dice, and they agreed to work together without a contract.
• Li Ang explained how to draw customers into a gamble and proposed auctioning Aishikeman’s lordship, then Bahad Khan’s throne, with rulers and claimants as bidders.
• Li Ang tasked Ramon with organizing the auction, selling expensive tickets, recruiting major customers, and sending a message to Turdah Fortress.
• Gaiwan Khan recalled how small groups claiming to judge heretics entered Dexia before armed raiders began landing at Xiheba and stealing horses from local herdsmen.
• An elite force calling itself the Inquisition attacked Gaiwan Khan’s troops, recruited bandits, and burned people who refused to worship Astaria.
• With most of his soldiers gone and Li Ang’s army approaching, Gaiwan Khan considered fleeing Turdah Fortress.

Sarah rejoined Li Ang’s army and revealed how her father, Sharavan Sheikh, had betrayed her family and opposed Kadan. At Turdah Fortress, she persuaded Gaiwan Khan to open the gates, allowing Li Ang’s army to enter Dexia without a fight.

• Sarah and Ansen rejoined Li Ang’s force, and Ansen confirmed that Li Ang was in robust health.
• Sarah revealed that her father, Sharavan Sheikh, had led nomadic resistance against Kadan before giving Sarah and her mother to a tribal chief; Sarah killed the chief and fled Dexia at seventeen.
• Sarah met Gaiwan Khan at Turdah Fortress and offered Li Ang’s goodwill in exchange for opening the fortress and withdrawing its troops.
• Sarah warned Gaiwan Khan that Kadan had allowed the Inquisition to distract him while preparing to seize Aishikeman and eliminate potential rivals.
• Gaiwan Khan withdrew his defenders, and Li Ang’s army entered Dexia through Turdah Fortress without a fight.

Li Ang hurried south while setting the Inquisition against Bahaman’s forces to weaken Aishikeman before merchants arrived. Sarah met Bahaman and offered Li Ang’s help, leaving him to consider his options as enemies closed in.

• Li Ang persuaded Gaiwan Khan to join Bahaman and stay out of the war, then continued south toward Aishikeman.
• Li Ang and Ramon redirected Holy Judge Rasmu de Fatika toward Madhan, where the Inquisition attacked Bahaman’s tribal army.
• Ikram fled the battle at Madhan to seek help from his father, while the fighting devastated the settlement.
• Sarah arrived in Aishikeman and told Bahaman that Li Ang’s army was near and that he was the only nearby leader able to help.

Li Ang persuaded Bahaman to join a bid to overthrow Kadan by offering him a path to claim the Bahad Khan’s throne. Bahaman agreed and offered Aishikeman as his daughter Ruha’s dowry, and Li Ang accepted by promising to hold her a grand bride-selection tournament in Xingar.

• Li Ang’s army reached Madhan Village, while Rasmu’s defeated Inquisition forces fled west and the villagers gathered their spoils as merchants began trading under the army’s protection.
• Bahaman arrived at Madhan Village and discussed with Li Ang whether to oppose Kadan and claim the Bahad Khan’s throne.
• Li Ang urged Bahaman to restore tribal election traditions and promised his support, while making clear he would back whichever candidate offered him the greatest benefits.
• Bahaman agreed to cooperate with Li Ang but asked what Li Ang wanted in return.
• Bahaman offered his daughter Ruha and all of Aishikeman as her dowry; Li Ang refused to marry her himself but accepted the task of arranging a bride-selection tournament in Xingar.

After Li Ang captured Aishikeman, Ulrich learned that a Bacchus fleet threatened the port and ordered Li Ang to hold it while he prepared reinforcements. Malbert urged Ulrich to delay those reinforcements, while Kadan hurried to Xingar to secure Khalifa Tahir’s loyalty and arrived as Ramon announced Aishikeman’s lordship was up for auction.

• Montwo reported that Li Ang had seized Aishikeman, won Bahaman’s cooperation, and faced an approaching Bacchus fleet.
• Ulrich ordered Li Ang to hold Aishikeman and said he would personally lead reinforcements, while Malbert arranged for Montwo to bring back Li Ang’s signed acknowledgment.
• Malbert told Ulrich that Li Ang was probably no longer in Aishikeman and urged him to delay the reinforcements because Long River Town was more valuable than the port.
• Kadan learned that Li Ang had occupied Aishikeman and that Emil Xixis had disappeared, then summoned Dehian forces and hurried to Xingar to secure Khalifa Tahir’s loyalty.
• Kadan arrived in Xingar as Ramon spread word that Aishikeman’s lordship was being auctioned off.

Li Ang brought his forces to Fangdal to disrupt Dexia’s recruitment base before marching on Toba, while his plan relied on the great Dexian lords gathering elsewhere over the Aishikeman auction. Ikram tried to capture Li Ang to win honor and autonomy for the Gazi herders, but his rash attack met Li Ang’s armed guard.

• Li Ang led most of his forces southwest from Aishikeman to Fangdal, intending to weaken Dexia’s ability to recruit warriors and horses.
• Li Ang and Ramon’s plan used the Aishikeman auction to draw Kadan and the other Dexian lords away from Toba, leaving Li Ang room to seize the city.
• Ikram resented losing his inheritance rights to Aishikeman and felt humiliated by his role as Li Ang’s guide.
• Ikram brought Li Ang to the Gazi herders and urged them to seize him, promising them a khan of their own and self-rule under Bahaman.
• Nearly a hundred herders rushed Li Ang, who was accompanied by about twenty guards, including Kloze, Sarah, Risadiran, and Wendy.

Li Ang’s plan to deal with the nomads escalated after Ikram vanished and his people attacked, so he sent Sarah to summon Agason and Sigismund to seize the warhorses beneath Gazi Mountain. As Agason fought a growing force of Dexian worshippers at the burning temple, Li Ang reached Toba City and prepared to wait for Ramon’s men.

• Li Ang’s guards defeated the nomads’ attack, but Ikram escaped with the fleeing riders, leaving Li Ang convinced that peaceful dealings with the local Dexian nomads were no longer possible.
• Li Ang sent Sarah to tell Agason that burning the Temple of God Vata would draw the nomads away and leave their horses at the mountain’s foot; Sigismund went with her to assist.
• Three days later, Sigismund set fire to the temple, and Agason defended the mountain against the nomads who charged up to extinguish the flames while his troops gathered the horses below.
• Li Ang arrived with his army near Toba City, whose gates were shut and defenses prepared, and he ordered Forster’s knight to patrol the desert rather than scout the city.
• Li Ang’s army made camp north of Toba City, where he planned to wait for Ramon’s men.

Li Ang uncovered Ediz’s false warning about a hidden gate and learned that Brigi had captured Ramon’s spies and planned to drug Li Ang and seize control of his army. Ediz agreed to help Li Ang oppose Brigi, who had nearly two thousand followers in Toba City, and Li Ang asked how much Ediz owed him.

• Ediz arrived at Li Ang’s camp claiming Ramon had sent him to reveal a hidden gate into Toba City, but Li Ang grew suspicious and had Risadiran restrain him.
• Li Ang identified Ediz as Brigi’s associate after finding opium ointment on him, and Ediz admitted Brigi had sent him to lure Li Ang into an ambush.
• Ediz revealed that Brigi had captured Ramon’s men, who had died in Toba City, and that Brigi wanted to capture Li Ang alive and control his army with drugs.
• Ediz explained Brigi’s drug-based religion and said Brigi commanded nearly two thousand men while recruiting more followers in Toba City.
• Li Ang offered to help Ediz break free of his addiction if he helped defeat Brigi, then asked how much money Ediz owed him.

Li Ang used Ediz and three thousand denars to convince Brigi that the Lionheart forces would attack Toba City through its hidden gate. Brigi spent the night guarding the gate while Li Ang’s army prepared siege equipment, leaving Brigi’s forces exhausted for the coming assault.

• Li Ang gave Ediz three thousand denars and instructed him to tell Brigi that Li Ang would attack through the hidden gate the next night.
• Risadiran confirmed that the hidden gate could admit horses and carriages, while Li Ang explained that the money was meant to make Brigi believe Ediz’s story.
• Brigi took Ediz’s money, whipped him, and ordered an Omen Seeker to drug him while demanding to know where he had hidden more denars.
• Ediz escaped from Toba City’s prison the following afternoon while Brigi focused on setting an ambush near the hidden gate.
• Li Ang’s army advanced in the afternoon and built siege equipment, convincing Brigi that Li Ang would use the hidden gate instead of attacking from the front.
• Brigi and his elite troops spent the night guarding the gate as Risadiran led a group of recruits back and forth nearby without entering.

Li Ang’s forces seized Toba City after Brigi’s exhausted, drug-withdrawing troops disrupted the defenses and fought the Dexia Windriders. As Li Ang’s officers entered the city, Twilight Knights ambushed Jocelyn, and an arrow struck Alistair just as he moved to kill him.

• Brigi sent his exhausted addicts onto Toba City’s walls, where they disrupted the Windriders’ defenses and began fighting them.
• Li Ang’s probing force captured part of the wall, so he led the Silver Hand in an assault that seized the walls and opened the gates.
• Li Ang ordered Kloze to secure Kadan’s treasury and Jocelyn to capture the inner castle while preserving Bahad Khan’s royal court.
• Li Ang saw his command banner fall and, when it remained down, hurried toward Jocelyn’s position with Wendy.
• Alistair and the Twilight Knights ambushed Jocelyn in a street, and Alistair overpowered him in a duel.
• A Noldo arrow pierced Alistair’s sword arm as he thrust at Jocelyn’s neck.

Li Ang and Jocelyn were surrounded by Alistair’s forces, who had lured Li Ang into a trap to capture him alive. Alistair revealed that the Dusk Knight Order sought Long River Town and planned to bring the right of first night to the Lionheart Kingdom, while Li Ang suspected the Three Prophets and the queen consort were involved.

• Li Ang joined Wendy on the rooftops, reached Jocelyn, and fought off the Twilight Knights who were trying to capture him.
• Alistair summoned Brigi’s Omen Seekers and the Dusk Thralls, surrounding Li Ang, Jocelyn, and Wendy with several hundred troops.
• Alistair said Li Ang had become a threat to Goddess Eredar’s servants, and Li Ang suspected the Three Prophets were behind the plot.
• Li Ang noticed Alistair’s reaction to the queen consort and suspected she was connected to the Three Prophets.
• Alistair offered to spare Li Ang if he surrendered and revealed that he wanted Long River Town as his territory.
• Alistair threatened Jocelyn with imprisonment and described bringing the right of first night to the Lionheart Kingdom, angering Wendy.

Li Ang feigned surrender to attack Alistair, then escaped Toba City with Wendy, Jocelyn, and Ediz through a dung-cart passage. He returned after Kloze’s forces secured the city, but Brigi and the Dusk Knight Order had fled, leaving Alistair as a captive source of intelligence.

• Li Ang pretended to surrender, then Wendy, Jocelyn, and Li Ang attacked Alistair together, and Li Ang severely wounded him.
• Ediz and Wendy used arrows to hold off the Twilight Knights while Li Ang’s group retreated into a cesspit depot and escaped by dung cart.
• Li Ang’s group passed through the hidden western gate as the Dusk Knight Order fled behind them.
• Li Ang returned to Toba City after Kloze and the Silver Hand had defeated Brigi’s forces, but Brigi had escaped.
• Li Ang ordered troops to search for Brigi and the Dusk Knight Order and kept the captured Alistair for questioning.

Li Ang staged Brigi’s seizure of Toba City to make Kadan believe Brigi had betrayed him and declared himself a prophet, while Li Ang gathered information from Alistair about the forces behind the plot. The chapter left Brigi fleeing through the desert as Li Ang concluded that the Three Prophets and the Dusk Knight Order were preparing to establish a theocratic state.

• Alistair remained too distraught to answer questions, so Li Ang questioned Ediz, who said Brigi had wanted to establish a Divine Kingdom.
• Li Ang ordered Ediz to obtain Brigi’s equipment and told Eric to impose martial law in Toba City rather than purge its residents.
• Li Ang disguised Ediz and several guards as Brigi and Omen Seekers, then let Kadan’s Windrider carry a false report that Brigi had seized Toba City and usurped Kadan’s throne.
• Kadan believed the report, blamed Tahir for trusting Brigi, and ordered a bounty on the supposed usurper while Brigi struggled through the desert unaware.
• Li Ang pieced together from Alistair’s information that Brigi, the Three Prophets, and the Dusk Knight Order were connected to Erebus and might be working toward a theocratic state.