Chapter Summaries

Richard strengthened and tested his "Accelerated Recovery" spell, then met Macbeth in the inn hall, where Macbeth revealed that his dead Wizard attendant had loved salted Orange Jam. Richard left after Macbeth ordered him to keep the story secret.

• Richard improved Ring No.1's "Accelerated Recovery" spell and tested it by cutting his arm, confirming that it rapidly healed flesh wounds at the cost of bodily energy.
• After repeated tests left him ravenously hungry, Richard paid the inn attendant to arrange a large midnight meal and ate until his hunger passed.
• Richard spotted Macbeth alone in a dark corner of the hall and joined him after Macbeth asked him to listen to a story.
• Macbeth said his former Wizard attendant had died in an accident and had loved yellow irises, gold coins, and salted Orange Jam.
• Macbeth ordered Richard not to tell anyone what he had said, and Richard returned to his room.

King Khufu attended the youth swordsmanship finals despite warnings that enemies might be coming for him, and he ordered the match to begin without delay. When the finalists from Pompeii City did not fight, Macbeth appeared and asked to explain the situation to the King.

• Minister of Intelligence Chekel warned King Khufu that people seeking to harm him might have reached the island and advised him to stay out of public view.
• King Khufu agreed to skip the Adult Group Swordsmanship Tournament but chose to watch the youth final, and Chekel assured him the enemies were not in Cairo City.
• King Khufu told the host to start the match and skip the introductions, and the host tossed down a handkerchief to begin it.
• The two finalists met in the arena but chatted instead of fighting, prompting a spectator to shout that they were on the same side.
• King Khufu asked why the swordsmen were not fighting, and Macbeth appeared outside the noble viewing platform to offer an explanation.

Macbeth revealed his intent to kill King Khufu after asking which wizard organization supported Pu Egypt’s ambitions. He defeated the guards and cornered King Khufu and Cheerk in the escape passage.

• Macbeth introduced himself to King Khufu as Jones from Pompeii City and offered the two tournament finalists as the king’s protectors.
• Macbeth asked which wizard organization backed Pu Egypt, naming several groups before declaring that he had come to kill King Khufu.
• King Khufu fled with Cheerk while the guards attacked Macbeth, but Macbeth turned them into ice sculptures.
• Cheerk tried to hold Macbeth off, but Macbeth struck him aside and an illusion blocked King Khufu’s escape.
• Macbeth reached King Khufu, confirmed that the figure in the passage had been an illusion, and placed a hand on the king’s shoulder.

Macbeth killed King Khufu in Cairo City and left with Richard and Nancy. As rival forces pursued them, Macbeth explained that defeating the cavalry would help secure Pu Egypt Kingdom for the White Stone Tower, then unleashed an icy spell against the charging soldiers.

• Macbeth froze King Khufu and shattered the ice sculpture, killing him, then told Chekel to blame White Shadow from Deep Blue Fort.
• Macbeth left the arena with Richard and Nancy while the shocked spectators watched them go.
• Macbeth explained that Khufu had been backed by a rival Wizard organization and that crushing the pursuers would support a government friendly to the White Stone Tower.
• Macbeth sent Richard and Nancy away as a large cavalry force caught up with him beyond Cairo City.
• The cavalry fired arrows at Macbeth, who stopped them and sent them flying back into the ranks.
• Macbeth froze the front cavalrymen into an Ice Wall, causing the charging riders behind them to crash into it.

Macbeth annihilated Pu Egypt’s cavalry and rewarded Richard and Nancy after completing the mission. The three rode toward the Giant Ship and White Stone Tower, while Richard considered studying the Spartan Heroic Potion he had received.

• Macbeth shattered the Ice Wall and killed the cavalry commander, causing the remaining soldiers to flee.
• Macbeth used a silver spike to kill the fleeing cavalrymen, then returned to Richard and Nancy.
• Macbeth gave Nancy the silver spike and explained that its power depended on the wielder.
• Macbeth gave Richard a tube of Spartan Heroic Potion and described its effects and rarity.
• Richard recognized the potion from a formula found aboard the pirate ship and considered studying and producing it.
• Macbeth, Richard, and Nancy rode toward the Giant Ship and White Stone Tower.

Richard, Nancy, and the others neared the mainland as the giant ship encountered a fleet from the Aegean Kingdom delivering taxes to White Stone Tower. Richard explained the political divisions behind the sea taxes, and the chapter ended with the mainland appearing on the horizon.

• Dempsey and Macbeth led their apprentices onto the deck as nine sky-blue warships approached the giant ship.
• Earl Zorro boarded with a Wizard and soldiers, then asked Dempsey to deliver the Aegean Kingdom’s crystal coin taxes to White Stone Tower.
• Dempsey accepted the tax payment without inspecting it, and Zorro departed with his fleet.
• Richard explained to Gelo that Wizard Countries hostile to White Stone Tower taxed its ships when they could, while allied countries supported it.
• Nancy asked Richard about White Stone Tower and the mainland, and Richard pointed out a dark line on the horizon.

The newcomers arrived at White Stone City and saw the imposing White Stone Tower Academy, where they would begin their wizard training. After Dempsey brought them to the academy, receiving instructor Modesty welcomed them.

• The newcomers learned that White Stone Tower was inland and that its academy would be a harsh arena where most people would be eliminated.
• Several days after landing, the newcomers traveled by carriage toward White Stone City and admired its buildings and six white towers.
• Richard studied the city’s architecture while Gelo and Nancy watched the sights, and Richard woke the sleeping Pandora as they neared the academy.
• The carriages passed through a white-stone arch into the academy’s core area, where Dempsey ordered the newcomers to get off.
• Modesty introduced herself as their receiving instructor and welcomed them to White Stone Tower.

At White Stone Tower, Modesty tested the newcomers’ Wizard talent and assigned identity plates to those who qualified. Nancy became an Elite Student, while Modesty renamed several male students before the chapter ended with one receiving the name Johnson.

• Modesty led the newcomers to a stone house and began testing their Wizard talent one at a time.
• Nancy received a golden identity plate and became an Elite Student after her talent tested high-grade.
• A male student with medium talent was made a Formal Student, but Modesty replaced his long name with John.
• When another student said his name was John, Modesty renamed him Bacon instead.
• Modesty gave the next nervous male student a Silver Nameplate engraved with Johnson.

Modesty assigned low- and no-talent recruits the status of Auditing Students and gave them numbered Black Nameplates, while Richard concealed his abilities and received one as well. After orientation, Richard and the sleepy Pandora headed to their assigned dormitory, A-233, which appeared shabby and neglected.

• Modesty told the first recruits that low- and no-talent students had no personal names at White Stone Tower Academy and were collectively called Auditing Students.
• Modesty gave the fourth boy a numbered Black Nameplate and warned him not to speak again.
• Richard passed the doorway scan without revealing his mana fluctuations and accepted a Black Nameplate from Modesty.
• Modesty ended orientation and sent the Auditing Students to find dormitories using their nameplate numbers.
• Richard took Pandora toward dormitory A-233 and noticed the old, dirty building ahead.

Richard moved into a filthy dorm room at White Stone Tower Academy and cleaned it himself while Pandora pretended to sleep. On his way to dump the dirty water, a girl in the co-ed dormitory asked him to clean her room for a reward.

• Richard found his assigned room, A-233, in terrible condition and decided he would eventually move out.
• Pandora refused to help clean and crushed a black scorpion that crawled onto her bed with a slap.
• Richard used spells to clean the room and carried the bucket of dirty water into the corridor.
• Richard saw a girl leaving another room and learned that Auditing Students were assigned to co-ed dormitories with little oversight.
• The girl called Richard over and offered him a reward to clean her room.

Richard received White Stone Tower Academy’s course schedule and learned how its fees and treatment divided Elite, Formal, and Auditing Students. The girl who had first asked him to clean her room offered him paid work, unaware that he had enough money to afford his courses.

• Richard refused the girl’s request to help clean her room and returned to his own room.
• The girl brought Richard a copy of the Academy’s course schedule and criticized him for refusing to help her.
• Richard read about the Academy’s required courses, paid electives, student discounts, and unequal treatment of Auditing Students.
• The girl assumed Richard could not afford electives and offered to pay him to clean her room.
• Richard considered her offer without revealing that he had enough crystal coins to support himself.

Richard considered the wealthy girl’s offer to pay him to clean her room, but he refused despite her escalating the payment to ten Gold Coins. The chapter ended with the girl protesting his refusal.

• Richard reflected on how White Stone Tower Academy’s high fees forced Auditing Students to earn large sums just to live and study.
• Richard considered the many ways students and Wizards paid others for labor, including cleaning rooms and handling dangerous materials.
• The girl offered Richard one Gold Coin to clean her room, then raised the price repeatedly.
• The girl offered ten Gold Coins and insisted Richard accept, but Richard said he was not interested.

Richard traded insults with a senior student at White Stone Tower Academy, whose two years as a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice left her facing possible elimination. After she tried and failed to clean her room, she asked Richard for water, but he refused to fetch any for her.

• Richard told the girl that her long stay at the academy and lack of advancement were nothing to boast about, explaining the academy’s time limits and elimination rules.
• The girl became upset and insisted she could clean her room, so she went back to try while Richard shut his door.
• After hearing crashes and cries from her room, Richard found the girl covered in dirt when she knocked again and asked to borrow water.
• Richard said he had no water and refused to carry any upstairs, so the girl went downstairs while threatening to get revenge.

Richard studied magic in the White Stone Tower Academy library, where Old Malun’s ring briefly grew scorching hot for no apparent reason. He then attended an apprentice-level swordsmanship course taught by Moke, a former Wizard whose level had fallen after an injury.

• Richard read Wizard Torte’s notes while Gelo struggled with a book about becoming a Wizard Apprentice.
• Old Malun’s ring suddenly heated up on Richard’s finger, then cooled before he could discover why.
• Richard and Gelo left for their Swordsmanship Class after the Bronze Bell rang.
• Richard attended the close-combat swordsmanship elective with Gelo, partly to keep up his appearance as an ordinary Auditing Student.
• Moke introduced himself as a former Wizard whose level had fallen because of an injury, then invited students who wanted to learn to follow him into the grove.

Teacher Moke taught his students the basic sword moves Heavy Chop and blocking, then explained how swordsmanship could counter Wizard Apprentices. He admitted that he had once defeated a Formal Wizard as a Third Level Apprentice and demonstrated the extraordinary sword technique that made it possible.

• Teacher Moke warned the students they could still leave, then began his swordsmanship lesson when they stayed.
• Moke demonstrated Heavy Chop and blocking, explaining their techniques and the need for strength, speed, and preparation.
• Moke told the students that swordsmen could defeat Wizard Apprentices by closing in before they cast spells, but that fighting Wizards was unrealistic for ordinary students.
• Moke admitted he had defeated a Formal Wizard as an injured Third Level Apprentice, then warned the students that his swordsmanship was not ordinary.
• Moke swung his sword and cut a thick tree in half with a razor-sharp current of air.

Moke demonstrated his spell-enhanced swordsmanship and offered special instruction to students who mastered his basic moves and paid a fee. Richard began practicing with Gelo, but Baji interrupted to challenge him and was twice disarmed with ease, leaving Richard to demand an explanation for the challenge.

• Moke demonstrated a powerful sword attack, explained that it combined swordsmanship with Wind Spells, and offered extra lessons to students who performed well and paid one hundred Low-grade Crystal Coins.
• Moke gave the students wooden swords to practice with, and Richard agreed to spar with Gelo.
• Baji shoved Gelo aside and challenged Richard to spar, insisting that he attack first.
• Richard blocked Baji’s attack and countered by placing his wooden sword at Baji’s neck, then repeated the feat when Baji demanded another try.
• Richard asked Baji why he had come looking for trouble with him.

Baji told Richard that Ruth had sent him to display his strength, then revealed that her many fiancés were actually debt-bound servants. He explained Ruth’s family was extraordinarily wealthy, and left Richard to pursue her if he wanted to become her real fiancé.

• Baji told Richard he was Ruth’s fiancé and had only just returned to the academy.
• Baji admitted he had failed to intimidate Richard and asked whether Ruth might like him.
• Baji revealed that Ruth had twelve fiancés, who were effectively servants pledged to her over debts.
• Baji explained that Ruth’s family and country were rich from buried treasure, and suggested Richard could profit if Ruth chose him as a real fiancé.
• Baji said he already liked someone else and left, as the bell rang to end class.

Richard and Gelo ate lunch at the Salt and Fire Tavern while Richard considered what he had learned about Ruth, her country, and the ancient ring. As Gelo discussed taking an elective course and repaying Richard, Richard suddenly shoved his head into his meat stew.

• Richard reflected on Baji's claims that Ruth was a wealthy princess from a former Wizard Empire and considered what her country might be.
• Richard remembered that the ancient ring had heated up in the library and wondered about White Stone Tower's secret.
• Richard and Gelo ordered lunch, and Richard tipped the waiter to ensure their food was fresh and properly prepared.
• Gelo asked Richard what he thought of Wizard Apuli's elective course, then admitted he might not be able to repay the High-grade Crystal Coin soon.
• Richard told Gelo he could repay him after becoming a true Wizard and offered to lend him more money if needed.
• Richard abruptly pressed Gelo's head into the bowl of meat stew.

Richard protected Gelo during a tavern brawl, then used his White Stone Tower Academy nameplate to deter the surviving fighters. On the way back to the academy, they met Alex, a former student offering various services, and Gelo discovered his steep exchange rate for Crystal Coins.

• Richard twice shoved Gelo into meat soup to keep him from being hit by weapons flying from a tavern brawl.
• A brawler threatened Richard and Gelo, but backed down after Richard showed his White Stone Tower Academy nameplate.
• Richard and Gelo left the tavern and noticed a man following them; Richard allowed him to approach.
• Alex, a former White Stone Tower Academy student, introduced himself as a broker who could arrange goods and services.
• Gelo asked Alex about exchanging gold coins for Low-grade Crystal Coins, then called him a profiteer when Alex quoted thirteen gold coins per coin.

Richard asked Alex to find him a rental house in White Stone City where he could conduct private experiments. After rejecting several properties, Richard chose a spacious courtyard rumored to be haunted and paid Alex for a year’s rent.

• Gelo accused Alex of being a dishonest merchant over his exchange rates.
• Alex described his services, and Richard asked him to find a rental house.
• Richard rejected multiple properties because they were noisy, exposed to spying, or too small.
• Alex showed Richard a secluded, spacious courtyard rumored to be haunted, and Richard agreed to rent it.
• Richard paid Alex three gold coins for a year’s rent, including one as compensation, and Alex asked him for his name.