Recaps

Iver learned that his upcoming Advancement Instance would pair him with eight people from other Paths, then received a powerful Grimoire and an invitation to the Bureau of Supervision’s awards ceremony. He agreed to attend as a consultant, recognizing that his name and reputation gave him leverage to demand fair compensation.

• Iver reasoned that tomorrow’s full-moon Advancement Instance would require cooperation among nine candidates from different Paths, including himself and Sherlock.
• Sherlock delivered the Grimoire Shepherd's Secret Covenant from Director Kent, and Iver confirmed that he could open it.
• Sherlock invited Iver to an awards ceremony where the Bureau would give him a Crystal Cross Medal, while asking him to publicly connect his investigation of the Pelican Bar to the Bureau.
• Iver understood that Kent was offering benefits in exchange for his support, and Sherlock offered him a consultant position with no substantive duties.
• Iver agreed to attend the ceremony and realized that, unlike when he had been a player, his identity gave him the power to claim rewards rather than let others take them.

Iver treated Yulia’s pain with Illumination Spell and reflected on their shared childhood at the orphanage and how James adopted them both. When Iver touched the Shepherd's Secret Covenant after healing Yulia, he sensed it had become scorching and strangely textured, while Yulia felt nothing; he planned to investigate it after dinner.

• Yulia waited for Iver to return, and Oswald cautioned her to stay away from the cold winter air.
• Iver recalled that Yulia carried the juvenile Phantom Demon Paradox Flame Butterfly and that they had grown up together in an orphanage before James Moriarty adopted them both.
• Iver used Illumination Spell to ease Yulia’s pain and improve her condition.
• Iver sensed that the Shepherd's Secret Covenant felt scorching and like skin after he had used Illumination Spell.
• Iver asked Yulia to take the book to his study, and she felt no unusual heat as she carried it away.

Iver read the Shepherd's Secret Covenant and learned the Art of Shepherding, an ancient practice that fed humans to phantasmal demons and used the demons' power to strengthen followers. He understood that the Shepherd's attempt to take the Fallen Angel's power for himself had broken the Dedication Path and led to his death.

• Iver finished reading the Shepherd's Secret Covenant at dawn, absorbing its knowledge as strange purple patterns and heat overtook his body.
• Iver learned how the profession system preserved Path inheritances and that the Art of Shepherding required balance between the Dedication Path and the Path of Transcendence.
• Iver witnessed the Shepherd raise phantasmal demons by feeding them human flesh, then give their power to followers who gathered sacrifices and wealth for him.
• Iver saw the Shepherd sacrifice his followers to empower powerful phantasmal demons when a coalition army surrounded him.
• Iver saw the Shepherd try to infuse the Fallen Angel's power into himself, lose control when the art failed, and die after the Fallen Angel struck back and an assassin attacked.
• Iver concluded that the Shepherd had deviated from the Dedication Path by trying to claim the power he had shepherded.

After reading the Shepherd's Secret Covenant, Iver learned the Art of Shepherding and realized the forbidden book could draw a hidden enemy to him. He tested the art by feeding his blood and mana to the Shadow Demon, then had it destroy the book before collapsing from exhaustion.

• Iver understood that the Art of Shepherding combined Dedication and Transcendence, and worried that someone seeking the Shepherd's legacy might track the book to him.
• Iver gained Shepherding abilities and realized he could use his own flesh and blood to nourish Phantom Demons, healing himself with Fire Offering afterward.
• Iver decided to destroy the Shepherd's Secret Covenant and summoned the Shadow Demon to dispose of it.
• Iver performed a Shepherding ritual, offering his blood and mana to the Shadow Demon, which eagerly accepted the sacrifice.
• The Shadow Demon destroyed the book after its first attack failed to overcome its fiery defense.
• Iver became dizzy and exhausted from the ritual and collapsed unconscious on his bed.

Hai Na returned to Royal Law University, where Dean Meg praised her growth and revealed that her investigation into the Pelican Bar had uncovered a smuggling route for powerful alchemy bombs. Meg temporarily authorized Hai Na to investigate the threat and offered her the chance to become her final disciple if she found important information.

• Hai Na strolled around campus until Dean Meg appeared behind her and praised her for sensing danger.
• Meg acknowledged Hai Na’s role in the recent case and explained that her obedience to Iver matched the principles of the Path of Authority.
• Meg learned that Hai Na’s roommates had visited the Pelican Bar to buy cosmetics and revealed that the bar was linked to contraband alchemy goods.
• Meg told Hai Na that portable alchemy bombs capable of destroying the Red Queen District had been smuggled into Avalon through the Pelican Bar.
• Meg gave Hai Na temporary authorization to investigate the bomb shipment and offered to consider her as a final disciple if she uncovered important information.

As Isabel prepared for her Promotion Ritual, she worried about her royal responsibilities and decided to arrange the ritual herself with Master Osborn assisting. Meanwhile, Iver woke with a premonition that something important was happening, used a candle to restore his vitality, and set out to find food before preparing his own ritual.

• Sherlock Holmes checked the materials for his Promotion Ritual while Isabel nervously recited her own ritual supplies.
• Yanis reassured Isabel, whose fear of failing reflected the pressure of becoming a potential heir amid the royal family's deaths and Avalon’s conflict with Stibium.
• Isabel decided to prepare her Promotion Ritual herself and asked Master Osborn to assist her.
• Iver woke at Moriarty Manor with a premonition, lit the healing candle Oswald had prepared, and felt his vitality return.
• Iver realized he was hungry and planned to find food before preparing his Promotion Ritual.

Iver performed the advanced ritual and successfully entered a mysterious gathering, where he found three others already seated in a circle of nine chairs. He recognized Sherlock among them, while the other participants remained unidentified.

• Iver prepared the ritual with silver jewelry, essential oils, disliked foods, and a White Crystal pendant.
• Iver invoked three Paths he rejected, fumigated the ritual array, and called on the six Pillar Gods who would protect him.
• The ritual succeeded, and Iver put on the pendant before letting its drowsiness draw his consciousness away.
• Iver awoke in a dark space with nine chairs arranged around a giant Hourglass statue and saw that three people had arrived before him.
• Iver recognized the young man in a brown coat and top hat as Sherlock by his familiar voice and distinctive outfit.

Iver joined a gathering in the Dream Realm, where Sherlock explained the dangers of revealing identities and the group chose code names and shared their Paths. As the introductions ended, the ritual’s host, Erlini, appeared and announced herself as Lord Hourglass’s apostle.

• Sherlock deduced Iver’s background and warned the newcomers not to reveal their real-world identities or share too many details about their Dream Realm experiences.
• The group agreed to use code names, and Sherlock introduced himself as Detective of the Path of Wisdom while Iver chose Fox of the Path of Dedication.
• Knight, Lu Lu, Luo Le, Cheese, King, Ke Ke, and Bone Carver introduced themselves and shared their Paths or professions.
• The stone hourglass regained its color, and Erlini appeared, identified herself as Lord Hourglass’s apostle, and began hosting the ritual.

Erlini explained the rules for the Promotion Ritual, which would test the participants in a fictional version of history. As the ritual began, she introduced a horrifying series of murders in Avalon’s capital in 1884, and the participants disappeared from Legal Square.

• Ke Ke asked whether the apostle was an angel, and Sherlock and Ke Ke explained what apostles were and how Promotion Rituals worked.
• Sherlock warned that a ritual’s presider and compiler could influence its challenges and favor or disadvantage certain Paths.
• Erlini explained that the participants would complete objectives for points in a fictional historical scenario, with cooperation restricted by opposing Paths and the three lowest scorers eliminated.
• Erlini said the ritual was safe and that Amber had created the dream, while the Lord of Scales and Feathers had set its tasks, roles, and scoring rules.
• As the Hourglass ran out, Erlini began describing a horrifying series of murders in Avalon’s capital in 1884, and the nine participants vanished.

Iver entered a ritual set in 1884, where he had to play his father, Priest Julio Alexander, and protect his four-year-old self from a threat. He recognized Lu Lu playing Anne and told her he was Fox and would protect her as they faced their tasks.

• Iver read his tasks and realized he was living through the year his parents died, playing Priest Julio Alexander while protecting his son, Iver Alexander.
• Iver asked Little Iver about his headache, used an Illumination Spell, and realized the boy was suffering from something he could not detect as an illness.
• Anne suggested that the threat might involve a curse, prompting Iver to recognize her as Lu Lu.
• Iver pulled Lu Lu close, told her to stay in character as his wife, and introduced himself as Fox, promising to protect her.

Iver dispelled the curse on Little Iver and helped Lu Lu settle into her role as his wife and the child's mother. He led them into a small chapel, where Lu Lu held the boy and prepared to sing him to sleep before they left.

• Lu Lu recognized Iver as Mr. Fox after he proved his identity with an Illumination Spell.
• Iver dispelled the locating curse on Little Iver with a sustained spell cast through his right hand.
• Iver warned Lu Lu not to ask about matters in the real world and told her to follow his lead as his wife.
• Iver took Lu Lu's hand and led her from the cathedral's main hall into an empty small chapel.
• Iver handed Little Iver to Lu Lu and told her to put the child into a deep sleep with a lullaby.

Iver used Lu Lu’s singing to calm them and learned more about her abilities while reasoning through their mission to leave the Grand Cathedral. He planned to head to the Pelican Bar, where he expected Sherlock Holmes to join him and Knight as their combat-capable companion.

• Lu Lu sang to soothe Iver and revealed her talent for the opera Lulu's Magic Flute, while her music strengthened their speed and balance.
• Iver recognized Lu Lu’s powerful Path of Beauty abilities and suspected she was Princess Isabel, then instructed her to act as Annie and call him Julio in public.
• Iver learned that Lu Lu’s mission was to leave the Grand Cathedral for Legal Square and argued that they should depart early to prepare weapons.
• Iver explained that Bishop Mathers might not be available to protect them and decided they needed a combat-capable companion instead.
• Lu Lu realized that the child she carried was Iver, and Iver revealed that he expected Sherlock Holmes to meet him and Knight at the Pelican Bar.

Iver took Lu Lu and his son to Gallows Square, where Lu Lu confronted the sight of executed corpses and explained why she had chosen the Path of Beauty. A newspaper boy warned her that her chosen path was dangerous and would demand that she abandon her humanity.

• Iver told Lu Lu that Legal Square was called Gallows Square and explained its grim history as they passed rows of hanged corpses.
• Lu Lu recoiled from the bodies, while Iver described the executions and punishments that had taken place there.
• After their carriage stopped, Lu Lu paid the coachman extra because she felt compassion despite knowing their surroundings were false.
• Lu Lu told Iver she had chosen the Path of Beauty because she wanted to follow its principles and do what she believed was right.
• A young newspaper boy approached Lu Lu and warned her that the path of transcendence would require her to abandon her humanity.

Iver, Sherlock, and Lu Lu gathered near the Pelican Bar and reasoned about Bone Carver and the other ritual participants. After three people died in rapid succession, Iver abandoned the plan to go to the bar and led the others toward a secret passage to hide.

• Sherlock explained why he expected the others to gather at the Pelican Bar and deduced that Bone Carver's staff was made from a human spine.
• Lu Lu suggested Bone Carver might be Old Lars Graham, and Sherlock shifted to protecting her and Iver.
• A death knell revealed that two participants had died, and Sherlock and Iver considered whether they had been ambushed or encountered local criminals.
• Iver and Sherlock disguised their conversation as an offer to buy a child milk while agreeing to head for the Pelican Bar.
• Another death knell sounded two minutes later, and Sherlock realized the deaths were happening too quickly for the ritual's expected difficulty.
• Iver decided the Pelican Bar might be unsafe and led Sherlock and Lu Lu toward a nearby secret passage to hide.

Iver led Lu Lu and Sherlock through a hidden passage toward an abandoned chemical plant and explained how Lloyd's used its newspaper business to disguise loans, intelligence sales, and other criminal dealings. He urged Sherlock to investigate the Sweater Brotherhood, secretly hoping to prevent a dangerous dungeon from becoming a threat and keep attention away from the people behind Pelican Bar.

• Iver guided Lu Lu and Sherlock across a sewage creek and explained that the passage led to an abandoned chemical plant occupied by the Sweater Brotherhood, a gang of stranglers.
• Sherlock and Iver explained to Lu Lu that Lloyd's used overpriced Lloyd Weekly subscriptions to collect loan interest and payments for intelligence and investigative services.
• Lu Lu inferred that Lloyd's newspaper scheme helped it pay taxes and gain protection, and Iver explained that its legal standing and control of criminal markets pushed rival gangs toward crimes that attracted official investigations.
• Iver revealed that Lloyd's also fenced stolen goods and issued some assassination and theft contracts, prompting Sherlock to question Iver's identity and familiarity with the district.
• Iver encouraged Sherlock to arrest the Sweater Brotherhood after dealing with the Bone Carver, warning that its members had killed repeatedly and might be connected to the people behind Pelican Bar.
• Iver privately recalled that the Sweater Brotherhood was linked to the Noble Red Society and a dangerous ritual, and he wanted Sherlock to eliminate the threat before it could complicate his investigation.

Iver, Lu Lu, and Sherlock hid in an abandoned chemical plant and reasoned that the surviving Ascender Ke Ke might have two Paths. Sherlock identified a remote-controlled Iron Hook Demon as their likely enemy and warned that they needed help to survive the ritual, while Iver realized he might have made it harder.

• Iver led Lu Lu and Sherlock into the chemical plant and explained its layout as a place to hide.
• Sherlock warned that Luo Le’s Path of Adaptation made her a dangerous hunter, then reasoned that Ke Ke was likely the fifth survivor with two Paths.
• Sherlock recalled a series of ritual murders and a Demon Scholar who had inherited an Iron Hook Demon from a master believed to be on Glass Island.
• Sherlock inferred that the Iron Hook Demon had killed Luo Le by tracking a curse and warned that the fast, ambushing demon would be difficult to defeat without help.
• Iver touched his nose and suspected that he had accidentally increased the ritual’s difficulty.

Iver, Sherlock, and Lu Lu waited inside an abandoned chemical plant while Sherlock investigated its history and Iver traded stories and arguments with him. The conversation ended when Lu Lu suddenly became violently ill, coughing up blood and black clots.

• Iver and Lu Lu passed the time talking while Sherlock explored the chemical plant and found water, sulfuric acid, and documents.
• Sherlock deduced why the plant had been abandoned, then teased Iver about his smooth talk and praised his knowledge.
• Iver explained his views on sharing wisdom and claimed that he would one day save Avalon and the world from peril, and Sherlock believed him.
• Lu Lu nearly dropped the sleeping Little Iver when she stood up, but Sherlock caught the child before he fell.
• Lu Lu suddenly suffered intense abdominal pain, vomited dark blood, and began coughing up black clots.

Iver and Sherlock treated Lu Lu and drove off the Iron Hook Demon, while Iver realized he could use the Shepherding Method to control it. He left the others behind to draw the demon out and hunt its master, keeping his true abilities hidden from Sherlock.

• Sherlock partially dispelled Lu Lu's curse and restrained the Iron Hook Demon with a Sulfuric Acid spell while Iver continued treating her.
• Sherlock realized the demon's master might curse Iver next, but Iver finished dispelling Lu Lu's compound curse and healed her injuries.
• The Iron Hook Demon was recalled, and Iver told Sherlock and Lu Lu that they had already won because the demon could no longer track Lu Lu.
• Iver took Sherlock's paper knife and left alone, claiming he would sacrifice himself to keep the demon away from Little Iver.
• Iver planned to use the Shepherding Method to control the Iron Hook Demon and uncover its master's identity, beginning his hunt while Sherlock and Lu Lu believed he was going to die.

Iver endured the Fever Curse and pieced together how a desert Curse Master had targeted his family, causing his parents’ deaths while sparing him. As the Iron Hook Demon began to materialize, Iver greeted it and stabbed himself in the neck with a paper knife.

• Iver retraced his route to the abandoned warehouse, where the Fever Curse finally took hold and weakened him.
• Iver deduced that a skilled Curse Master from the desert had used the Iron Hook Demon as a tool to finish off cursed targets.
• Iver concluded that the Curse Master had cursed him as a child and that Bishop Mathers had likely dispelled the Curse, while Julio and Annie had gone to Legal Square and died protecting him.
• Iver realized that the killer’s targets had been Julio or Annie, not him or his cousin, and resolved to confront the Curse Master about his motive.
• As the Iron Hook Demon began to appear in the warehouse, Iver calmly asked whether it hurt or was hungry, then drove a paper knife into his own neck.

With the ritual nearly over, Iver sacrificed his life to the Iron Hook Demon and took control of its evolved form. He used Anti-Summoning to reach the Curse Master, Aziz, learned that James Moriarty had hired him, and left determined to find Aziz again.

• Iver realized there was not enough time to reach Legal Square, so he decided to use the Iron Hook Demon’s summoning link to reach the Curse Master.
• Iver cut his throat and offered his soul and mana to the Iron Hook Demon, which evolved into a Greater Demon called the Deformed Limb Demon.
• Iver awakened inside the Deformed Limb Demon and answered the Curse Master’s call, causing Aziz to use Anti-Summoning and pull him to his location.
• Iver seized Aziz and demanded his name and employer, and Aziz identified himself and named Professor James Moriarty.
• Iver crushed Aziz’s head, warned him that he would find him, and was left troubled by Moriarty’s involvement.

After the ritual ended, Sherlock promised to investigate Bone Carver and Fox while reporting Lu Lu’s mistakes to the Queen. Iver ranked first with a score of 2900 and received two rare traits, Vessel of Burning and Radiance and Tainted Light.

• In the Brown Hotel, a young gentleman and his maid noted that the ritual was almost over.
• Sherlock told Lu Lu he would report the ritual and her errors to the Queen, and said he would investigate Fox when he could.
• The ritual collapsed, showing images of the participants’ actions before the world turned to sand and returned Iver to the light-filled chamber.
• Iver received his settlement scores, completed the mastermind objective, and ranked first with 2900 points.
• The stag wounded Iver with its thorn, and he received the traits Vessel of Burning and Radiance and Tainted Light.

Iver chose Vessel of Burning and Radiance during his advancement, gaining larger Light and Fire Mana pools and confirming that he could pursue rare traits at his next advancement. After realizing the Advancement Ritual’s trait choices might reflect a participant’s actions and evaluation, he considered testing that theory at the next New Moon Ritual as the other participants woke.

• Iver reviewed the effects of Tainted Light and Vessel of Burning and Radiance, then chose Vessel of Burning and Radiance.
• The Candle Holder departed, and Iver awoke from his dream to find that his Priest advancement to level ten had succeeded.
• Iver checked his new traits and Mana pools, which showed a Light Container at level one and a Flame Container at level two.
• Iver decided he would still try to compete for first place in the next Full Moon Ritual, while taking care not to reveal too much in any highlight replay.
• Iver reasoned that his ritual behavior may have influenced the traits he received and considered testing the idea during the next New Moon Ritual.
• The other participants gradually opened their eyes.

Isabel woke after successfully completing the New Moon Ritual, and Yanis explained how failure could help her prepare for future competition. Isabel told Yanis she had chosen Nimble Voice and asked her to invite Mr. Iver to the Silver and Tin Palace sooner because she wanted to meet him.

• Isabel woke from the ritual and told Yanis she had advanced successfully.
• Yanis explained that early ritual failures could teach Isabel about competition without causing lasting harm, and reassured her that her victory showed her ability.
• Isabel told Yanis she had chosen Nimble Voice as her Path characteristic.
• Isabel asked Yanis to invite Mr. Iver to the Silver and Tin Palace sooner so she could meet and talk with him.

After reviewing the settlement visions, Sherlock identified Lars Graham as a likely suspect and asked Edward Moriarty to investigate the Sweater Brotherhood with him. Edward prepared to go, but James Moriarty instructed him to contain the Pelican Bar investigation, protect Iver and Yulia, and leave the Society’s secrets alone.

• Sherlock recovered from the settlement and studied Lars Graham’s dossier, linking him to the white Maiden Ghost in the seminary uniform.
• Sherlock called Edward and asked him to investigate the Sweater Brotherhood, which might be connected to the people behind the Pelican Bar.
• Edward gathered his weapons and prepared his griffin before James arrived and said he was leaving for the Theocracy for about two weeks.
• James ordered Edward to clean up the Pelican Bar matter, stop searching for the missing letter, and protect Iver and Yulia while he was away.
• James refused to identify the minister connected to the Society and told Edward that Iver had begun his first advancement ritual.

After cleaning his ritual site, Iver arranged for Lily to accompany him to school and attend lessons while pushing his wheelchair. Lily, who had long wanted to continue her education, tearfully accepted, and Iver left her with a chance to pursue a future beyond her life as a maid.

• Iver ground the Dream Realm-tainted White Crystal pendant into powder and reflected on how Forget-Worry Water had once helped him after Yulia's death in the game's main storyline.
• After finishing the ritual cleanup, Iver told Madam Lowe that his room could be cleaned and met his personal maid, Lily.
• Iver offered to take Lily to school with him so she could attend lessons while pushing his wheelchair.
• Lily worried that her father had forbidden her from going to school and that accompanying Iver might invite gossip, but Iver reassured her.
• Madam Lowe encouraged Lily to thank Iver, and Lily tearfully accepted the offer.