Chapter Summaries

Uchiha Hiko agreed to investigate people of unknown origins for the Eldest Prince, then told him that the Second Prince wanted to help him. The Eldest Prince decided Uchiha Hiko should test the Second Prince on his behalf.

• The Eldest Prince warned Uchiha Hiko that people of unknown origins could threaten him and asked him to investigate them.
• Uchiha Hiko accepted the investigation and received a document from the Eldest Prince.
• Uchiha Hiko told the Eldest Prince that the Second Prince wanted to help him and suggested giving him a chance.
• The Eldest Prince asked Uchiha Hiko to test the Second Prince, and Uchiha Hiko asked him to explain how.

The Eldest Prince sent the Second Prince to investigate alongside Uchiha Hiko, hoping to test him and rebuild trust between the brothers. The Second Prince eagerly accepted, and he and Uchiha Hiko agreed to work together, leaving the investigation ahead of them.

• The Eldest Prince asked Uchiha Hiko to investigate with the Second Prince and report back, and Uchiha Hiko agreed to inform him.
• The Eldest Prince privately considered the Second Prince’s upcoming assignment a test of whether he could return to his former place.
• Uchiha Hiko told the Second Prince about the assignment, and the Second Prince celebrated his chance to take part in national affairs.
• The Second Prince confided that he was worried about his lack of experience, and Uchiha Hiko offered to guide him as they worked together.
• The Second Prince agreed to assist Uchiha Hiko and called him senior, while Uchiha Hiko encouraged him to keep working hard.

Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince headed north to find residents without identities and discussed the region’s neglect and poverty. Uchiha Hiko accepted his authority to manage the north and hoped he and The Second Prince could work well together.

• The Second Prince pointed toward the northernmost part of the kingdom as the place where the residents were likely staying.
• Uchiha Hiko questioned how The Second Prince knew their location, and The Second Prince explained that he had explored the kingdom since childhood.
• The Second Prince said the north was neglected, leaving its people without enough food or warm clothes and its springs below acceptable standards.
• Uchiha Hiko urged caution, while The Second Prince suggested hardship had driven people to wrongdoing.
• The Second Prince reminded Uchiha Hiko that The Eldest Prince had given him authority to make decisions in the north.
• Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince agreed to work together and adapt to each other’s different strengths.

Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince investigated the muddy northern region, where impassable roads and swampy ground suggested something had changed. The Second Prince struggled to move in his fine cloth shoes, and Uchiha Hiko left determined to learn what the region had been like before.

• Uchiha Hiko praised the northern scenery as he and The Second Prince continued their investigation over badly built roads.
• The Second Prince complained that his cloth shoes could not handle the muddy swamp, and Uchiha Hiko urged him to explain what the area had been like before.
• The Second Prince said he did not know who had caused the changes and suggested that was why they had been sent to investigate.
• Uchiha Hiko suspected sabotage and accepted that uncovering what had happened would take time.
• Uchiha Hiko mocked The Second Prince for being unable to walk, recalling that he had run well the day before.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince crossed a swamp while arguing about the prince’s sheltered upbringing and reluctance to change. They set aside the argument to focus on investigating the identities and whereabouts of the missing people.

• Uchiha Hiko helped the Second Prince remove his shoes so they could cross the shifting mud without ruining them.
• Uchiha Hiko criticized the Second Prince’s Father Emperor for never teaching him practical lessons, and the Second Prince warned him not to insult his father.
• Uchiha Hiko urged the Second Prince to learn from the Eldest Prince and change his behavior, but the Second Prince resisted his advice.
• The Second Prince redirected their attention to investigating the missing people and those whose identities were unknown, as the Eldest Prince had assigned them.

Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince reached an isolated village and went to question its chief, but no one answered the door. The chapter left them debating whether to force their way inside.

• Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince found a village hemmed in by mountains and marsh, and Uchiha Hiko wondered how anyone could enter or leave.
• Uchiha Hiko led The Second Prince to the village chief's large, dilapidated house and let him knock on the door.
• The Second Prince knocked three times, then retreated behind Uchiha Hiko when the chief did not immediately appear.
• Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince waited without hearing any movement, and The Second Prince suggested smashing the door open.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince searched a village for information and were invited into the village chief’s home. When the village chief learned the Second Prince’s identity, he knelt, and the two guests urged him to stand and treat them as equals.

• Uchiha Hiko reminded the Second Prince to respect the rules and set a good example.
• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince decided to search the village after their initial discussion proved unhelpful.
• The village chief opened his door, recognized that the two men had come from the south, and invited them inside.
• Uchiha Hiko told the village chief that he and the Second Prince had come to investigate something.
• The village chief nearly dropped his kettle when he learned the guest was the Second Prince, then knelt before him.
• The Second Prince and Uchiha Hiko asked the village chief to rise and treat them as equals.

The Second Prince and Uchiha Hiko questioned a village chief about unfamiliar people in the area and the former chief’s disappearance. The village chief understood that they wanted to search the village, and Uchiha Hiko sought his approval to proceed.

• The Second Prince stepped forward to reassure the village chief and ask him to answer their questions.
• Uchiha Hiko explained that The Eldest Prince had sent them to investigate people of unknown identity and showed the village chief a booklet of suspects.
• The village chief said he did not recognize anyone in the booklet and had arrived only a few years earlier.
• The village chief recalled that the former chief had left an envelope and told them never to look for him.
• Uchiha Hiko asked the village chief for permission to search the village, and the chief recognized their purpose.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince entered the village after the village chief agreed to let them proceed, on the condition that they report suspicious people rather than arrest them. As they explored the peaceful village, Uchiha Hiko remained wary of the previous chief’s unexplained departure while the Second Prince remarked that he would struggle to live there.

• The village chief agreed to let Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince enter, but told them to report suspicious people instead of arresting them.
• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince wondered why the current chief did not know more about the village, and Hiko suspected something about the previous chief’s departure.
• Uchiha Hiko encouraged the Second Prince to uncover the truth for himself as they continued toward the village.
• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince reached the village and saw residents going about ordinary daily tasks.
• The Second Prince said he would not be used to living in the village, and Uchiha Hiko challenged what he meant.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince searched a strange village together, with Hiko trying to keep the prince focused. The Second Prince spotted something and stopped Hiko, but the chapter ended before he explained what he had found.

• Uchiha Hiko chose to search the village alongside the Second Prince rather than split up.
• Uchiha Hiko scolded the Second Prince for looking around and distracting him as they walked.
• Uchiha Hiko noticed that the villagers seemed unusually indifferent to the pair and that the village layout was strange.
• The Second Prince called out to Uchiha Hiko, saying he had discovered something.

Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince examined an old pattern in the village, and The Second Prince recognized it as a once-common northern design found in old books. Their search ended when the village chief ordered them to leave before nightfall.

• The Second Prince pointed out patterns near a cluster of houses, and Uchiha Hiko went to inspect them.
• The Second Prince recognized the designs as old northern patterns that had gradually disappeared from view.
• Uchiha Hiko asked whether The Eldest Prince knew about the patterns, but The Second Prince was unsure.
• As darkness fell, Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince prepared to continue searching, but the village chief called them out because outsiders could not stay overnight.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince failed to persuade the village chief to let them stay, so they returned toward the Royal Palace. The chapter ended with Uchiha Hiko pounding on the palace gate while the Second Prince corrected and mocked him.

• Uchiha Hiko asked the village chief for more time, but the chief ordered him and the Second Prince to leave and shut the door.
• The Second Prince suggested sneaking into the village after nightfall, but Uchiha Hiko rejected the plan and said they would return during the day.
• Uchiha Hiko decided to report their progress to the Eldest Prince as they headed back across the swamp with the Second Prince.
• Uchiha Hiko asked the Second Prince why he had fought the Eldest Prince, then teased him as they neared the Royal Palace.
• Uchiha Hiko pounded on the Royal Palace gate, and the Second Prince pushed him aside and said he was using the wrong way to enter.

Uchiha Hiko accompanied the Second Prince into the Royal Palace, where the prince used his royal blood to open the gate. The Second Prince wanted to return to his former room, but Hiko reminded him that he still needed the Eldest Prince’s approval, so he went back to his confinement room.

• Uchiha Hiko told the Second Prince to demonstrate how to open the Royal Palace gate.
• The Second Prince scanned the gate, opened it, and led Uchiha Hiko inside.
• Uchiha Hiko explained that the palace lights made him tired because he had slept poorly the night before.
• The Second Prince asked to return to his former room, but Uchiha Hiko warned that the Eldest Prince had not approved it.
• The Second Prince accepted Hiko’s advice and returned to his confinement room.

Uchiha Hiko told The Second Prince to prepare to report to The Eldest Prince early the next morning, while privately worrying about how to explain the prince’s changes. After a restless night haunted by a strange pattern that became a divine beast, Uchiha Hiko woke and decided to take a walk.

• Uchiha Hiko sent The Second Prince to bed and explained that they needed to report to The Eldest Prince early the next morning.
• Uchiha Hiko warned The Second Prince that he would wake him early and drag him out of bed if necessary.
• The Second Prince praised Uchiha Hiko nervously after Uchiha Hiko overheard him muttering.
• Uchiha Hiko worried about explaining The Second Prince’s changes to The Eldest Prince and reflected on his unusual freedom and authority.
• Uchiha Hiko dreamed of a pattern transforming into a divine beast, woke in the middle of the night, and chose to take a walk when he could not fall asleep again.

Unable to sleep, Uchiha Hiko decided to explore the Royal Palace’s lower levels and was joined by the Second Prince, who knew the palace well. They set off together after Uchiha Hiko told him to keep quiet.

• Uchiha Hiko left his room because he could not sleep and found a spiral staircase leading through the Royal Palace.
• The Second Prince appeared, explaining that he had followed after hearing Uchiha Hiko’s door open.
• Uchiha Hiko told the Second Prince he wanted to explore the palace and look for clues that might inspire him.
• The Second Prince argued that Uchiha Hiko needed a guide because he was unfamiliar with the palace, and Uchiha Hiko agreed to bring him along.
• The Second Prince celebrated excitedly, and Uchiha Hiko ordered him to stay quiet before they explored below.

Uchiha Hiko followed The Second Prince through the vast underground levels to the library, hoping to find a book containing a mysterious pattern. The Second Prince warned him about a possible abyss below, and Uchiha Hiko ended the chapter asking whether he truly believed in it.

• The Second Prince led Uchiha Hiko farther underground after warning him not to enter forbidden areas.
• The Second Prince suggested they search the library for the book where he had found the pattern.
• The Second Prince guided Uchiha Hiko down four levels of a spiral staircase to the underground library.
• The Second Prince said he did not know how many underground levels there were and mentioned a terrifying abyss at the bottom.
• Uchiha Hiko wondered about exploring the abyss someday, then asked The Second Prince whether he believed it existed.

Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince searched the Royal Palace library for a book about the sealing pattern they had found. They discovered that it described a spell to suppress something, then left with the book so Uchiha Hiko could study it further.

• The Second Prince led Uchiha Hiko into the Royal Palace library and searched for the book while Uchiha Hiko looked around.
• The Second Prince found an old book whose patterns matched those Uchiha Hiko had seen earlier.
• Uchiha Hiko read that the pattern was a sealing spell meant to suppress something, and The Second Prince suggested The Eldest Prince might know more.
• Uchiha Hiko asked to take the book, and The Second Prince agreed to take responsibility if anything went wrong.
• Uchiha Hiko and The Second Prince climbed back up, and Uchiha Hiko glanced down below.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince returned from the sealed underground space at dawn with a book but had not yet learned its secrets. When the Eldest Prince summoned them, they left the book behind and went to explain what they knew, while worrying that guards might have seen them.

• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince reached the upper level at dawn and entered the Second Prince's room with the book.
• Uchiha Hiko urged the Second Prince to study the book before they visited the Eldest Prince.
• The Old Guard arrived and told Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince that the Eldest Prince wanted to see them.
• Uchiha Hiko decided to leave the book behind and tell the Eldest Prince what they knew so they could show they had not gone underground.
• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince found the stairway sealed, and the Second Prince questioned Uchiha Hiko's excuse for being there.

Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince hurried to meet the Eldest Prince and described the strange talisman-like pattern they had discovered. The Eldest Prince suspected it sealed something dangerous beneath it and prepared to explain his theory.

• Uchiha Yan rushed the Second Prince up the stairs to meet the Eldest Prince, and the two arrived exhausted.
• The Eldest Prince gave Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince tea and waited for them to catch their breath.
• Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince described the strange pattern they had found and said they needed to return to the site.
• The Eldest Prince guessed the pattern was a talisman meant to suppress something and warned that the matter could be dangerous.
• The Eldest Prince said he had a rough idea of what was sealed beneath the pattern and drew the Second Prince into a deeper discussion.

The Eldest Prince discussed the sealed divine beast and the threat posed by unidentified outsiders with the Second Prince and Uchiha Hiko. He gave Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince blue-glimmering stones that could enhance their strength, leaving them equipped to face what came next.

• The Eldest Prince reminded the Second Prince of their Father Emperor's story about an ancestor who had suppressed a divine beast.
• The Eldest Prince and the Second Prince worried that unidentified people might try to release or move the sealed beast, which helped suppress evil power.
• The Eldest Prince said he could not delay his duties after ascending the throne, while the Second Prince praised his ability to handle them.
• The Eldest Prince fetched two stones and gave one each to Uchiha Hiko and the Second Prince for self-defense.
• The Second Prince explained that carrying the stones would enhance their strength, while Uchiha Hiko examined their faint blue glow.