Chapter Summaries

Klein’s Tarot Club discussed a serial killer’s Demon advancement ritual and the dangers facing Silver City, while Xu Yue advised Fors about approaching the Abraham family. After the meeting, Xu Yue revealed his visit to Origin Castle to Medici and gave Fors an ability to resist divination, leaving her to decide whether to take the risk.

• Alger told Klein he might find the remaining materials at a pirate gathering and mentioned the new Pirate General, the Girl of Sickness.
• Little Sun explained the Demon advancement ritual behind the Backlund serial murders, then was shaken when Klein warned him about the True Creator’s statue discovered near Silver City.
• Fors asked the Tarot Club for advice about delivering items for someone connected to the Abraham family, and Xu Yue warned her about the family’s distrust and mentioned that Sequence 7 of the Apprentice pathway was Astrologer.
• After the gathering, Xu Yue told Medici he had visited Origin Castle at its owner’s invitation, then persuaded the evil spirit to cooperate with the Clown doll.
• Fors visited Xu Yue to ask about joining the Abraham family, and he gave her a paper-cut figurine’s protection against divination while leaving the choice to her.

Klein invested in a bicycle venture after discovering Xu Yue had already taken control of most of it, then advanced to Sequence 7 as a Magus with materials from Alger. The chapter left Klein with a new commission to protect a wealthy man's child, interrupting his plan to visit Xu Yue.

• Fors decided to fulfill her promise to the Abraham family because she bore them no ill will.
• Klein visited inventor Lopad to invest in bicycles and found Xu Yue riding the prototype; Xu Yue offered Klein a 5% stake and promised Church of the Evernight support.
• Xu Yue told Lopad about Emperor Roosevelt's upcoming memorial exhibition and suggested consulting the emperor's manuscripts, prompting Klein to consider searching for a Desecration Card clue.
• Alger supplied Klein with the final potion ingredients, and Klein concocted the Magus potion and advanced to Sequence 7.
• Klein began adjusting to his new Magus abilities, then received a commission to protect a wealthy man's child and postponed visiting Xu Yue.

Klein learned that the white feathers from his protection assignment might be tied to the Spirit Church’s Artificial Death God project, then joined a detective gathering with Xu Yue to discuss the serial murders. Afterward, Klein pursued a clue to an Apothecary formula at Harvest Cathedral, with Xu Yue following him.

• Xu Yue warned Klein that the grease-stained white feathers might be connected to the Artificial Death God project and advised him not to investigate further.
• Xu Yue told Klein that the official Churches were watching the serial murders, and agreed to join the investigation through Aisinger’s detective gathering.
• Klein presented his theory that the murderer had committed serial killings before and might have been less careful when he was inexperienced.
• Xu Yue warned the detectives that the authorities considered the murderer dangerous and told them not to attempt an arrest themselves.
• Klein told Xu Yue he had found a clue to an Apothecary formula and headed to Harvest Cathedral, while Xu Yue followed him.

Klein and Xu Yue visited Backlund’s Harvest Cathedral, where Father Utrasky offered an Apothecary formula as payment for defeating the evil persona buried in his heart. Klein accepted the dangerous commission and defeated the Sequence 6 Dawn Knight persona with a carefully prepared chain of Magus tricks, leaving him with a clearer sense of how to act as a Magus.

• Klein and Xu Yue arrived at the Harvest Cathedral and learned that the Earth Mother Goddess’s church controlled the Apothecary Pathway despite interference from Outer Deities.
• Father Utrasky explained that he wanted someone to kill the evil persona from his past, which he could confront using the Inner Demon Candle, and offered an Apothecary formula as payment.
• Klein accepted the commission and asked Father Utrasky about the Dawn Knight’s abilities and strength.
• Klein entered the priest’s mind and used the Magus’s tricks to close in on the evil Dawn Knight persona.
• Klein finished the fight with a snapping kick that shattered the persona’s temple and dispersed him.

Klein completed Father Utrasky's mission, received The Fool's Key, and shared the Apothecary formula with Xu Yue. On their way home, they encountered the Summers, whose banquet plans were upstaged when Xu Yue revealed his invitation to Mrs. Mary's ball, though he chose to dine with Klein instead.

• Klein told Father Utrasky that his victory had depended on preparation, then claimed The Fool's Key as payment and showed signs of digesting his potion.
• Klein gave Xu Yue a copy of the Apothecary formula and invited him to dinner at his home.
• Mrs. Summer and Mr. Luke told Klein and Xu Yue that Mary had joined the Kingdom Air Pollution Investigation Committee and that they were going to help prepare for her ball.
• Xu Yue revealed that he had invested in Coym Company and had received a premium invitation to Mary's banquet, surprising the Summers.
• Xu Yue declined to attend the banquet and chose to accept Klein's invitation to dinner instead.

Klein asked the Tarot Club for information about the Demon and Guardian pathways and a soul-devouring glove, while trying to expose Xu Yue as Mr. The Lovers. Fors then revealed that she had joined the Abraham family as a disciple and asked whether doing so threatened the Tarot Club’s secrecy.

• The Sammers left the banquet disappointed and considered asking Charlotte to connect them with Mr. Franklin.
• Klein defended the Sammers to Xu Yue, ate the meal Xu Yue had prepared, and said he was leaving for a secret Beyonder gathering.
• At the Tarot Club, Klein asked about the Demon and Guardian pathways and a glove that devoured souls, and Miss Justice identified it as possibly Crawling Hunger.
• Derrick exchanged information about the pathways for knowledge of the Fallen Creator, and the members shared information about the Seven Gods and ancient gods.
• Fors said she had received a blessing that concealed divination and become a disciple of an Abraham family member, then asked about possible dangers to the Tarot Club.

After the Tarot Club meeting, Klein searched for Xu Yue but found him away, then investigated the Portkey and a serial murder case before discovering a clue to a Desecration Card at Emperor Roosevelt’s exhibition. The chapter left Klein considering whether to investigate the clue himself or ask Xu Yue for help.

• Klein ended the Tarot Club meeting and went to Xu Yue’s home, where Dunn told him that Mr. Franklin had gone to the Church of the Evernight for several days.
• Klein resumed investigating the serial murders and suggested to Detective Aisinger that the killer might have practiced on animals first.
• At Harvest Cathedral, Klein met Emlyn White, the vampire who had originally owned The Fool’s Key, and learned that he had found it after getting lost in a hospital blood bank.
• At Emperor Roosevelt’s traveling exhibition, Klein found a bookmark depicting Roselle in imperial robes inside a manuscript of Roselle’s future plans.
• Klein considered investigating the bookmark’s connection to the Desecration Card and ultimately leaned toward asking Xu Yue for help.

Klein recruited Xu Yue to investigate a bookmark that might be a Desecration Card at a special Steam Church exhibition, while Klein planned to steal it afterward. Audrey also arranged to attend the exhibition, hoping to read Roselle’s diaries for Mr. Fool.

• Klein waited outside for Xu Yue, then asked him to help investigate a possible Desecration Card in exchange for 300 pounds.
• Xu Yue agreed to attend the Steam Church’s special exhibition, identify whether the bookmark was a Desecration Card, and assess its security.
• Klein planned to use Mr. Fool’s help and his own abilities to steal the bookmark after Xu Yue reported back.
• Audrey prepared to visit the Roselle Memorial Exhibition and hoped to obtain diary information for Mr. Fool.
• Count Hall arranged a private half-day exhibition for Audrey and her friends, giving her an opportunity to examine the diaries.

At the Kingdom Museum, Xu Yue drew the Steam Church’s interest while Audrey secretly read the diary and watched the gathered Beyonders. After Xu Yue passed security information to Klein, Viscount Glelinte approached him, and Audrey joined their conversation.

• Max Levimoore, disguised as a security guard, watched Xu Yue and sought a meeting on behalf of the Steam Church.
• Audrey observed Max Levimoore and Xu Yue, then studied the museum exhibits while gradually reading and memorizing the diary.
• Xu Yue accepted Max Levimoore’s invitation to meet, while making clear that he intended to honor his contract with the Church of the Evernight.
• Xu Yue reported the security arrangements, the Desecration Card, and the hidden Beyonders’ patrol patterns to The Fool, who relayed the information to Klein.
• Viscount Glelinte greeted Xu Yue, and Xu Yue warned him to avoid public places until the aura from his recently consumed potion faded.
• Audrey finished memorizing the diary and asked Glelinte to introduce her to the gentlemen.

Audrey met Xu Yue, known as Instructor Franklin, at the museum and grew interested in his unusual status and connections. After arranging to attend Viscount Glelinte’s salon, Xu Yue began negotiating with a Steam Church deacon over sharing his training techniques, while Klein prepared to infiltrate.

• Audrey joined Viscount Glelinte and Xu Yue at the exhibition, where she learned Xu Yue was an influential figure in the Church of the Evernight.
• Xu Yue allowed Glelinte to reveal that he was a Beyonder and cautioned him against unknown entities and rituals.
• Audrey and Glelinte agreed to attend a small salon in a few days, and Audrey noticed Xu Yue stayed behind with a museum security officer.
• Max introduced Xu Yue to Steam Church Deacon Ikonso Bernard, who was to negotiate with him about the training techniques.
• Xu Yue indicated he was willing to teach the techniques in exchange for sufficient payment or privileges, while Klein began preparing to infiltrate using the Red Priest card.

Klein stole the target bookmark from the Kingdom Museum but escaped Bernadette only to stumble upon a serial murder scene while fleeing through Backlund. Xu Yue remained at the museum and secured Horamick Haydn’s agreement to his proposal.

• Klein stole the bookmark, but Bernadette trapped him with her power before he dismissed the summoning and escaped to the Gray Fog with the Black Emperor Desecration Card.
• Xu Yue arrived at the exhibition hall with Ikonso as Machinery Heart members investigated the theft, and Bernadette left before they arrived.
• Klein returned to his body, cleaned up the ritual site, and used The Fool's Key to travel through Backlund buildings.
• Klein entered a townhouse where he found a murdered woman and encountered a Demon in the form of a huge Black Dog, then fled while calling for help.
• Horamick Haydn told Xu Yue that the stolen bookmarks might be Desecration Cards and agreed to his proposal, offering to seek comparable benefits from the Storm Church.

Klein told Xu Yue about the mysterious woman pursuing the bookmark, and Xu Yue suspected she was Bernadette. Klein declined to buy Crawling Hunger, while both men became involved in new Beyonder affairs and Xu Yue attended Viscount Glelinte’s mysticism salon, where Madam Norma observed him and Audrey.

• Klein paid Xu Yue 300 pounds, then described the mysterious high-Sequence woman he had encountered; Xu Yue suspected she was Bernadette of the Hermit pathway.
• Xu Yue offered Klein the Crawling Hunger gloves, but Klein refused because he did not want to rely too heavily on external power and had no money.
• At the Crag Club, Klein spoke with Talim about the Prince and the Witch affair, while Dr. Allen’s request led him toward a clue involving the Serpent of Fate.
• Xu Yue attended Viscount Glelinte’s mysticism salon with Audrey, Fors, Madam Norma, and a shy young man.
• Viscount Glelinte demonstrated his Apothecary ability, while Madam Norma watched Audrey and Xu Yue as a member of the Psychic Alchemist Society.

Xu Yue recruited Madam Norma as an informant in the Psychic Alchemist Society, while Klein helped Marich arrange to buy Xu Yue’s Sunflame Charms for a fight against the Rose Sect’s Indulgence branch. After the serial killer’s death, Klein collected two rewards and became a potential target of the killer’s owner, a Sequence 5 Demon.

• Xu Yue broke Madam Norma’s secrecy suggestion, learned about the Psychic Alchemist Society’s interest in Audrey, and bound Norma to report to him in exchange for a concealment blessing.
• After the serial killer was shot dead, Marich asked Klein for Xu Yue’s contact information and explained that the Temperance Faction was preparing to counterattack the Indulgence Faction.
• Klein offered to help Marich and Sharon obtain Xu Yue’s Sunflame Charms, and Xu Yue agreed to sell them while keeping his own strength concealed behind Crawling Hunger.
• Aisinger divided the 2,000-pound bounty among the detectives and gave Klein 300 pounds for his contributions.
• Klein collected a separate bounty for locating Emlyn and became a possible target of the dead killer’s Sequence 5 Demon owner.

Sharon, Marich, Klein, and Xu Yue ambushed the Rose Sect pursuers and killed their team, including the Sequence 5 Wraith Steve. Xu Yue warned Klein not to recklessly divine Beyonder items from the pathway, leaving the group with their spoils and Klein with growing savings.

• Madam Norma continued drawing Audrey into the Psychic Alchemist Society while Klein and the detectives took precautions after Aisinger warned them the serial killer had accomplices.
• Sharon began the plan to hunt their pursuers, and Marich paid Xu Yue 3,000 pounds to help protect them.
• Jason, Tyer, and Steve chased Marich to an abandoned factory, where Sharon possessed Tyer and Klein shot him with an exorcism bullet.
• Xu Yue emerged with Steve's corpse and collected the Wraith's Beyonder characteristic, while Marich, Sharon, and Klein helped kill Jason and divided the spoils.
• Xu Yue warned Klein not to recklessly divine Beyonder items from the pathway because it was dangerous.

Klein and Xu Yue defeated the Rose School pursuers with Marich and Sharon, then discussed selling Beyonder characteristics and reserving Crawling Hunger for Klein. At the Tarot Club, Xu Yue revealed that the missing-person cases were tied to the Aurora Society, the Witch Cult, and gathering negative emotions in Backlund’s East District.

• Klein considered selling the Werewolf and Living Corpse characteristics through The Hanged Man because he sensed they carried hidden pitfalls.
• Marich thanked Klein and Xu Yue for helping defeat the pursuers, and said they would keep a lower profile in case the Rose School sent stronger enemies.
• Xu Yue offered to reserve Crawling Hunger for twenty thousand pounds, and Klein eagerly agreed to save up for it.
• At the Tarot Club, Alger asked about missing people, and Xu Yue offered information for three hundred pounds each from Alger and Audrey.
• Xu Yue said the missing people and the Witch Cult’s cooperation with the Aurora Society were connected to negative emotions gathering in Backlund’s East District.
• Audrey learned that the Aurora Society was distributing food to unemployed workers and promised to investigate and pay for further information.

Little Sun sought advice about exploring the temple of the Fallen Creator, and Xu Yue warned him that the Rose of Redemption was tied to Kings of Angels and former True Gods. After the Tarot Club ended, Klein arranged to sell the Beyonder items through Alger and considered selling a vampire’s location to Father Utrasky.

• Little Sun told the Tarot Club about the temple’s damaged murals, evil spirits, and the inscription “Rose of Redemption.”
• Alger suggested Little Sun ask Xu Yue for advice, and Little Sun offered to fulfill Xu Yue’s requests in exchange for knowledge.
• Xu Yue warned that the Rose of Redemption included Kings of Angels and former members who became True Gods, and advised Little Sun to avoid the exploration and be wary of Elder Loviya.
• Klein entrusted Alger with selling the Beyonder items and worried about the cost of Crawling Hunger and preparing his next Sequence.
• Klein asked Father Utrasky to let him sell the address of the imprisoned vampire, and the father agreed without taking half the bounty.

Klein visited Xu Yue to study Kallaman’s Book of Secrets, while Xu Yue offered him a Sunflame Charm and warned him about the book’s account of the Primal Moon. At the abandoned factory, Arrodes identified the people involved in the battle and forced Ikonso to face a humiliating question about Bonova Gustav.

• Klein brought the Book of Secrets to Xu Yue’s house, where Xu Yue gave him a Sunflame Charm and offered more for 300 pounds each.
• Fors visited Xu Yue to thank him for protecting her with a paper figurine, then left after finding Klein studying with him.
• Xu Yue warned Klein that true worshippers of the Primal Moon became monsters driven to reproduce, prompting Klein to consider informing Marich and the others.
• Ikonso used Arrodes to identify Steve, Jason, Tyer, Sharon, Marich, and Klein as participants in the abandoned factory incident.
• Arrodes demanded an answer from Ikonso and asked whether he was in love with Bonova Gustav, shocking the Machinery Heart members watching.

Klein accepted Mike’s commission to investigate conditions in the East District, while Little Sun Derrick was imprisoned at the bottom of the Round Tower after feigning a loss of control. There, he spoke with an old prisoner who revealed that the mysterious outsider he had seen was named Amon.

• Klein declined to buy more Sunflame Charms from Xu Yue because he was short on money.
• Mike asked Klein to accompany him to the East District, where Mike hoped to learn about the Dockworkers' Union and its charitable work.
• Klein warned Mike against interviewing the secretive group directly, then accepted the job and planned to ask about Kapin.
• Derrick was imprisoned in Silver City after pretending to be close to losing control, and he heard a neighboring prisoner die after failing to be saved.
• The old prisoner told Derrick he had been confined for forty-two years after encountering an outsider whose companions later lost control.
• The prisoner recalled that the outsider wore a Monocle and said his name was Amon, while Derrick briefly forgot what he had been thinking about.

Xu Yue agreed to attend a Church of the Evernight charity banquet while Klein attended Mrs. Summer's matchmaking dinner. The dinner ended with Starling announcing that Mary had invited her and Luke to a luncheon at Hilbert Hall's home.

• Xu Yue sensed that Amon had awakened and might be planning to parasitize Little Sun, then agreed to attend the Church of the Evernight's charity banquet.
• Leonard told Xu Yue about a Monday luncheon hosted by the Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Committee, and Xu Yue said he would decide about attending later.
• Klein attended Mrs. Summer's family dinner after investigating a washerwoman's family in the East District.
• Mrs. Summer asked Klein about his connection to Mr. Franklin, and Klein said they were from the same hometown.
• Mrs. Summer revealed that Mary had been invited to a Monday luncheon at Hilbert Hall's home and had invited her and Luke to join her.

Xu Yue attended Hibert Hall’s luncheon for the Atmospheric Pollution Investigation Committee, where his influence impressed the Summer family and he met Audrey. The chapter ended with Starling learning that Audrey’s golden retriever, Susie, cost 450 pounds.

• Xu Yue arrived at Hibert Hall’s luncheon, and Hibert personally escorted him inside while becoming wary of his interest in Audrey.
• Starling and Luke Summer saw Hibert greet Xu Yue, and Mary recognized how influential Xu Yue was.
• Starling met Audrey in the banquet hall and later spoke with her on the balcony beside Susie.
• Starling asked how much a hunting dog cost, and Audrey told her Susie was worth 450 pounds.