Recaps

Shade reunited with Daniste at the Academy Library before returning to Vesta Woodland, where the witches discussed their plans to leave. He invited everyone to celebrate the Year-End Festival at his home, though not everyone accepted.

• Daniste sent Emilia back to her dormitory, then changed into her eighteen-year-old form and shared an intimate farewell with Shade, giving him an Eternal Fire Mark.
• After Shade left, Daniste opened Flora's letter and reacted with an angry roar.
• Shade returned to Vesta Woodland, where Flora reported that Anthony Winslet had awakened and the rescued Time Travelers were undergoing identity checks.
• The witches discussed their departure plans: Grandma Cassandra would leave the next day, Bella and Sylvia would leave later, and Megan would travel south to help contain an Unknown Level Relic.
• Shade invited the witches to celebrate the Year-End Festival at his home, and Galina said their group had made progress on expanding 6 Saint Derain Square.

Shade arranged the Year-End Festival plans with the witches, then received Galina’s invitation to meet at the Moon Sanctuary after she learned how Miss Blaine Olanode had ascended to demigodhood. He left the ship and reached the witches’ hot spring, where Galina and the others were waiting.

• Sylvia, Grandma Cassandra, Grace, Helen, and Vanessa said they would not join Shade for the Year-End Festival, while Megan, Audrey, Bella, Flora, and Sivie planned to visit him.
• Shade considered his remaining work in Vesta Woodland, including sealing Tree Hollows, meeting the Crescent Moon Secret Society’s sorceresses, and investigating Professor Yuke Wood’s office with Doctor.
• Tifa led Shade to her cabin, teased him about a secret affair, and gave him Galina’s letter inviting him to the Moon Sanctuary.
• Shade told Luvia he was leaving for the night, and she warned him that the witches would be eager to see him and told him to leave Little Mia aboard the ship.
• Shade traveled through the winter woodland and reached the warm, brightly lit hot spring.

Shade reunited with the Witches after their night at the hot spring, and their experiment did not trigger Witch's Delight or affect Blaney's advancement. The group returned to the Radiance Messenger, where they prepared to seal the Tree Hollow and meet the Elves, while Grandma Cassandra planned to inspect her auction house branches.

• Galina, Vanessa, Megan, and Audrey welcomed Shade to the hot spring and spent the night with him, testing whether the experience could trigger Witch's Delight.
• Luvia and Dorothy greeted Shade and the three Witches the next morning, and Vanessa confirmed the experiment had not worked.
• Shade agreed to help The Church seal the Tree Hollow before meeting the Elves, who wanted to discuss him becoming Elf King.
• Shade, Luvia, Dorothy, and the Witches headed to breakfast, where they would bid farewell to Grandma Cassandra and her companions.
• Grandma Cassandra planned to travel through central and western Kasonlik with Miss Swift to inspect Cassandra Auction House branches, while Grace and Helen planned to return to Sikar Mountain.

Shade sealed the Church’s collected Distorted Tree Hollows in Vesta Woodland and rejected the elves’ offer to become their king. He left the meeting with Grandma Qishala having pledged friendship and formed an alliance with the Elf Race.

• Shade and Vanessa arrived at Throne Land, where Miss Maria Ingram explained the Church’s plans to maintain the crystal seal and contain the Tree Hollows.
• Shade crystallized the Church’s twenty-one Distorted Tree Hollows, finding that Throne Land reduced the cost of his spell.
• Grandma Qishala thanked Shade for protecting Emilia and asked him to become the Elf King, but Shade refused and said Emilia Sinode was better suited to lead the elves.
• Shade promised to help Emilia if she became Elf Queen and agreed to ally with the elves, while Grandma Qishala vowed that the Nine Great Elf Clans would not betray his trust.

Shade declined to marry Emilia for now but left open the possibility, then traveled with Flora to meet the Crescent Moon Secret Society. On the way, Flora told him about her mother's death and her resentment toward her father, and Shade offered to visit her mother's grave before the Year-End Festival; they arrived at the Hermits' camp to find the Sorceresses already waiting.

• Shade told Grandma Qishala he would not marry Emilia for the time being, though it might happen in the future.
• Flora accompanied Shade to the Hermits of the Forest camp for a meeting with the Crescent Moon Secret Society and discussed her family's inheritance struggle.
• Flora explained that she resented her father because he had been away on business when her mother died and had failed to return before her death.
• Flora said she wanted to stop her father from inheriting the family title, though family matters had become less important after Vesta Woodland.
• Shade offered to visit Wilundell before the Year-End Festival and place flowers on Flora's mother's grave, and Flora agreed.
• Shade and Flora arrived at the camp, where the Crescent Moon Secret Society's Sorceresses were already waiting.

Shade met the Crescent Moon Secret Society and learned about Miss Bister, a Fifth Epoch werewolf who pursued the Moon. A stone slab bearing a message addressed to Shade convinced him that Miss Bister might still be alive, and he left with the slab while arranging future exchanges with the society.

• Steve Davis welcomed Shade and the Witch Council's party to the Hermits of the Forest camp and thanked them for saving Vesta Woodland.
• Joanna Lavalle told Shade that the Fifth Epoch werewolf Moon Chaser had the surname Bister and gave him information about Bister's Moon Gazing Art.
• Joanna showed Shade a stone slab with a message asking whether he had found his Original Moon, and Shade concluded that Miss Bister was still alive.
• Shade connected Miss Bister's identity as a Moon Chaser to a component needed for his third Core Ling Rune and asked to take the stone slab.
• Shade and Joanna agreed to exchange knowledge through the Witch Council, and she explained what the Crescent Moon meant to the society.

Shade met with the Crescent Moon Secret Society and discovered Miss Bister was still alive after her stone slab turned to dust. As the group prepared to leave Vesta Woodland, the young ladies departed for a hot spring outing while Shade stayed aboard the ship and resolved to spend his free time reading.

• Shade learned that the Hermits had sealed eight Tree Hollows and took Miss Bister's stone slab back to the ship.
• Shade touched the slab, which crumbled to dust as his Wolf Transformation Spell was enhanced and Miss Bister promised they would meet again.
• Shade received Doctor Schneider's letter and announced that he planned to return to Tobesk on Friday.
• Galina told Shade she would go to Saladir County with Tifa before traveling with Bella to Moon Bay, then return to Tobesk within a month.
• Flora organized a hot spring outing at the Moon Sanctuary, and Shade refused to join the young ladies.
• Shade considered visiting Danist or Blaney but decided to read and study instead.

Shade studied for his exams before spending the evening with Tifa, then reunited with the returning women and welcomed Luvia to his bed. In a dreamlike meeting, the Long-haired Girl showed him the Yggdrasil Staff after its enhancement was complete.

• Shade reviewed his coursework until Tifa returned from the Moon Sanctuary and joined him for tea.
• Tifa kissed Shade and invited him to learn more about her before she traveled to Saladir County.
• Galina, Tifa, Bella, Matilda, and Flora returned from the hot springs after midnight and joked with Shade.
• Luvia visited Shade that night, and they slept together after she told him Dorothy was busy with Flora.
• Shade met the Long-haired Girl in the dilapidated home, where she had placed the apparently unchanged Yggdrasil Staff beside her.

Luvia finished the seventh enhancement of the Yggdrasil Staff and asked Shade to choose its new trait before the Year-End Festival. After Vesta City University was evacuated, Shade and Doctor Schneider entered Professor Yuke Wood’s sealed office to investigate what remained inside.

• Luvia explained the Yggdrasil Staff’s expanded powers and asked Shade to choose a time- or tree-related trait for its seventh enhancement.
• Shade and Luvia shared a tender moment in the dream world after discussing the staff.
• On Thursday evening, Shade and Doctor Schneider waited outside Professor Yuke Wood’s sealed office as The Church’s Ring Arcanists withdrew and a protective shield went up.
• Shade and Doctor Schneider put on their Demon Hunting Seals, prepared their weapons, and entered the office.
• Doctor Schneider lit the gas lamp, and Shade saw the office’s old desk, books, and armchair much as he remembered them from 1821.

Shade and the Doctor found a dangerous book containing information about the Great Demon in Professor Yuke Wood’s office, then discussed their fears and promises about the future. Shade wrote a vow to remain with his loved ones beyond the End of Time, and the Moonlight revealed that he had gained new power.

• Shade searched Professor Yuke Wood’s desk while the Doctor found a book called Collection of Soul Stories and a warning letter about its dangers.
• The Doctor explained that the book contained information about the Great Demon and decided to take it away for investigation.
• Shade and the Doctor discussed their fears about keeping their promises until the End of Time, and the Doctor reminded Shade that his loved ones shared the oath with him.
• Shade wrote a poem promising to walk with his companions beyond the End of Time, and a dark gold giant tree briefly appeared behind him.
• The Moonlight affirmed its lasting promise to Shade and told him that he had gained new power.

Emilia spent a day balancing classes, a picnic with the Dragon Maids, and her weekly lesson with Miss Feliana. At the lesson, a visiting Demigod Witch named Chloe asked to meet Emilia, and the chapter ended as Chloe began introducing herself.

• Emilia attended Professor Tinalis's difficult Aether Theory of Everything class and worried that she was too stupid to understand it.
• At a picnic with Miss Wilde, Gina, and Fiona, Emilia declined Fiona's invitation to explore the Underground World because she was assigned to care for the Little Unicorns.
• Emilia went to Miss Feliana's demiplane for her weekly lesson and learned that a guest wanted to speak with her.
• Fiona led Emilia into the garden, where she greeted Miss Feliana and met the visiting Demigod Witch Chloe.

Shade returned to Tobesk with Dorothy and Luvia after completing his woodland tasks, and settled back into home life while his companions resumed their busy work. He discussed the newly recovered Founding card with the Seer Association and ended the day by telling Luvia that a new doorway at home let him visit Blaney.

• Shade said goodbye to the witches and other companions before returning to Tobesk with Dorothy, Luvia, and the cat.
• Back at home, Shade bathed the cat and learned that Luvia and Dorothy had returned to demanding work schedules.
• Shade asked Vice President Mark to appraise Founding, and Mark invited him to appear as a guest at the Year-End Festival Rhodes Cards Tournament.
• Shade visited Priest Augustus and Old John, then waited for Luvia and dined with her at a restaurant.
• Shade told Luvia that the new doorway created by their pointy-eared friend allowed him to visit Blaney.

Shade used a Time Mission attempt to create a transfer station in the mirrored bedroom where Miss Feliana had once lived, then reunited with Blaine three days after her return to the Fifth Epoch. The chapter left them resting together as Shade explained the station’s rules and Blaine asked whether their meeting could last only three hours.

• Shade told Luvia about exchanging Time Mission attempts for chances to meet, then gave her a love poem before leaving for home.
• Shade entered the Time Corridor and spent an attempt to create a temporary transfer station in the mirrored version of Room Two.
• Shade summoned Blaine three days after her return, and she recognized him after their Moon Marks resonated.
• Blaine embraced and kissed Shade, then shared an intimate reunion with him in the transfer station.
• Afterward, Shade explained the station’s rules and his remaining attempts, and Blaine noted that about half an hour remained in their three-hour meeting.

Shade used the transfer station to reunite with Blaney, who told him about returning to Saint Byron's and her teacher's reaction to her advancement. After their farewell, Shade chose not to use the Time Key again soon and settled in for a quiet night at home with Little Mia.

• Shade and Blaney discussed what had happened since their last meeting, including her return to Saint Byron's and Miss Feliana's reaction to her becoming a Demigod.
• Blaney told Shade that Miss Feliana had guessed the summoned Demigod Time Great Witch did not simply come from the future, and Shade said he could not reveal her true origin.
• Shade and Blaney declined to set a date for their next meeting, shared a formal goodbye, and parted when the transfer station closed.
• Shade refused the offer to reopen the transfer station and decided to focus on finding a real way to bring the people he missed to his time.
• Shade returned home, comforted Little Mia, and spent the winter night reading by the fireplace with tea and biscuits.

Shade spent Saturday visiting friends and discussing a new ability for the Yggdrasil Staff, then went to Saint Byron's Library to meet Miss Daniste. He left the staff's choice undecided and waited in her office for her return.

• Shade exchanged gifts with Smith Old Gentleman, visited Professor Manning, and found Dorothy asleep before she invited him to The Club.
• At lunch, Leisha suggested making the Yggdrasil Staff grow into a Tree House, while Angelina proposed splitting off a subsidiary staff to help restore Emilia's power.
• Shade postponed choosing between their ideas until he could consult the Long-haired Girl in his dreams.
• Shade finished his course papers, visited Luvia, and then went alone to Saint Byron's Library to find Miss Daniste.
• Shade used Daniste's note and the Sorceress's ring to reach her office and waited for her to return.

Shade visited Daniste to ask about his course paper and learn how advancing to the High Ring would affect his abilities. After explaining that he wanted a third Core Ling Rune for his High-Ring Words of Sublimation, he left Daniste asking what kind of power he hoped to gain.

• Shade visited Daniste, who complained that Flora had used the Hide and Seek Wardrobe to secretly draw an intrusive picture and promised to confront her at the Year-End Festival.
• Shade asked Daniste for help with his course paper, and she lent him reference books and explained how High-Ring advancement enhanced Thaumaturgy and enabled material-free casting.
• Daniste invited Shade to consult the Canon of Sublimation and suggested he use Silver Moon for his third Words of Sublimation.
• Shade told Daniste about the Newborn Ritual and said the ancient Tree God had instructed him to pursue a new Core Ling Rune.
• Daniste asked what kind of Words of Sublimation Shade wanted, while Shade doubted he could find a stronger summonable target than Long-Haired Luvia.

Shade and Luvia discussed Emilia’s return to study and created a weaker staff from the Yggdrasil Staff for her to use. After returning to Saint Byron’s Library with Little Mia, Shade found Daniste there.

• Shade and the red-haired girl agreed that Emilia would write a paper on Luku Bird Breeding to make up credits, though she planned to tell Emilia only after she had studied for a while.
• Shade picked Luvia up from the Seer Association, where she had begun formal numerological divination work, and they returned home together.
• In a dream, Luvia advised Shade to give Emilia a branch of the staff rather than create a portable Tree House, and she split the Black Key to make a Tree Staff.
• Luvia granted Emilia permission to use the Tree Staff and kept the ability to reclaim it, while Shade refused to let her restrict Emilia’s spellcasting.
• On Sunday morning, Shade took Little Mia to Saint Byron’s Library and found Daniste drinking tea in her office.

Shade gave Emilia a Tree Staff made from the dead World Tree and helped her fuse it with her Destiny Ring. The fusion restored some of the ring’s missing power, and Emilia expected to grow stronger as she infused it further.

• Miss Danist told Emilia that the Nine Great Elf Clans had completed preliminary negotiations and that she would need to display her power when formal talks began.
• Shade gave Emilia the Tree Staff, which transformed from a Black Key, and she tested its spells and abilities.
• Emilia tried to incorporate the Tree Staff into her Destiny Ring but could not make them resonate, even after using her blood.
• Shade joined Emilia in holding the staff and dial, then used his blood and granted her permission to wield the Tree of Old Days’ power.
• The Tree Staff fused into Emilia’s dial amid a bell toll heard across Academy City, leaving vine-like decoration around the dial and restoring some of its power.

Shade attended the group's meeting at Doctor Schneider's clinic, where the members discussed rising dangers, increased Academy rewards, and a possible new mission. Later, Shade gave Dorothy an ancient pendant that could become a Red Butterfly Card, and she told him that she and Leisha wanted to find a way to meet him more often.

• Doctor Schneider reminded the group to prepare for year-end exams and announced that the Academies would increase mission rewards and access to relics and knowledge.
• Luvia and Dorothy discussed how dangerous incidents and relics had become more common, while the group recalled losing Physician's Severed Hand.
• Doctor Schneider proposed choosing a group mission equivalent to containing a Sage Level Relic, and everyone agreed to take part.
• Shade gave Dorothy an ancient pendant from Professor Yuke Wood's office that might be linked to the Ancient God Upside-down Judge and could become a Red Butterfly Card.
• Dorothy told Shade that she and Leisha wanted more freedom to meet with him than their current arrangement allowed.

After the Woodland War, Shade spent a snowy night with Dorothy and Leisha, then began a relaxed Monday at home with Emilia, Iluna, Luvia, and Little Mia. Emilia delivered an ancient treasure from the elves, and the chapter ended as she opened its box.

• Dorothy and Leisha took turns meeting Shade at the Moon Sanctuary, and Dorothy was waiting for him at home after he returned.
• Iluna arrived at Shade’s home and found Emilia there to spend the day studying with him.
• Luvia joined them, and Dorothy arranged a lavish breakfast delivered from Yodel Palace.
• Emilia told the group that Grandma Qishala was pleased Shade had shared the Tree Staff with her and that she had brought an elven gift for him.
• Emilia explained that the gift was an ancient treasure treasured by the Longleaf Clan, then opened its small red-velvet box as everyone watched.

Shade and his companions examined Moon Tear, a divine artifact containing a fragment of the Original Moon that the elves had given him. After Shade decided to take it to Black Night Spirit Temple before choosing whether to wear it, the group discussed the elves’ other gifts and invited Emilia to spend the Year-End Festival with them.

• Emilia explained that the Longleaf Elves called the silver fragment Moon Tear and that it came from the Original Moon; Shade confirmed that it was genuine.
• Emilia described Moon Tear’s restorative powers, and Shade accepted it as a joint gift from the elves while recognizing that he owed them a favor.
• Shade hesitated to wear the earring, but the women agreed he should keep it; a voice told him to take it to Black Night Spirit Temple that night, and he agreed to go.
• Shade invited Emilia to the Year-End Festival, and she said she would come if Miss Danist attended.
• Iluna and Luvia welcomed Emilia, while Shade noted that the Duchess had arranged a way to expand 6 Saint Derain Square for the festival.

Iluna discussed her High-Ring Words of Sublimation and the strange powers she gained during the Woodland War with Shade and Luvia. She planned to advance to Tenth Ring next week and visit her family, while Luvia reminded Shade that Danist wanted him to choose his own High-Ring Words soon.

• After the other girls started their work, Shade, Luvia, and Iluna reviewed the latest Chosen One story over tea while Emilia and Dorothy studied nearby.
• Iluna revealed her High-Ring Words of Sublimation: “Lucky One Holding Hope, who will ultimately twist the direction of Destiny,” and said she planned to advance to Tenth Ring next week.
• Iluna showed Shade and Luvia her transformed Destiny Ring, the Sunlight Gun, but could not remember what had triggered its appearance during the Woodland War.
• Iluna explained that her brown left eye could see and reconstruct the past, while her golden right eye could dispel some temporal abnormalities.
• Iluna told Shade and Luvia that she planned to take a long leave next month to visit her relatives in her hometown.
• Luvia said she had gathered the Spirit Runes needed for High Ring but still needed a ritual, and reminded Shade that Danist had urged him to choose his High-Ring Words of Sublimation.

Shade visited the Black Night Spirit Temple in Randall River Valley and fell asleep in the snow while trying to use the Moon Tear. He awoke less than two hours later to find the Moon Tear gone and his Ninth Ring of Fate subtly changed beneath the moonlight.

• Shade celebrated the group's progress through the Eighth Chapter with Luvia and Iluna, then spent the day seeing friends and taking Mia to the Golden Dawn Opera Troupe.
• Siris asked Shade to deliver letters to the girls at the Forgotten Church, then told him she wanted to spend the Year-End Festival with him and kissed him.
• Shade delivered the letters in Randall River Valley and went to the Black Night Spirit Temple, where he tried to use the Moon Tear beneath the Silver Moon.
• Shade grew sleepy, fell asleep in the ritual matrix, and dreamed of being embraced by a silver figure beneath the starry sky.
• Shade awoke at half past eight to find the Moon Tear had disappeared and his Ninth Ring of Fate had taken on a faint, silvery jade-like sheen.

Shade absorbed Moon Tear into his soul, gaining an upgraded Moon Fire and new lunar blessings, then spent a quiet week at home as tensions between Kasonlik and Dellaireon escalated. A newspaper report about Miss Bethany's death gave Kasonlik a public justification for war, which Shade believed was only a convenient excuse for a conflict that would eventually erupt.

• Shade learned that Moon Tear had fused with his soul, granting him immortality beneath the moon, greater spirit reserves and recovery, and an offensive Moon Fire thaumaturgy.
• Shade tested Moon Fire by firing a silver beam from his fingertip and asked how to choose his High-Ring Words of Sublimation; She said Destiny would provide the answer.
• Shade dealt with a burst steam pipe, gave an ordinary silk scarf to Little Mia, and spent his newly idle days reading and visiting Flora and the others in Vesta Woodland.
• Shade read reports accusing Dellaireon of murdering Miss Bethany, and he suspected the Anjou Royal Family intended to use public outrage to condemn the Northern Kingdom and the Cavendish Family.
• While Grace fed Shade breakfast, he said Bethany's death was merely a convenient excuse for the inevitable war between Kasonlik and Dellaireon; Grace then scolded Helen for distracting them.

Shade spent time with Grace and Helen, consulted Sister Devlin about the remaining First Fire, and resumed detective work after the Woodland War. Investigating noises beneath a woman's house led him to a corpse-concealment case tied to a powerful figure, and he traveled to Moon Bay City to seek answers from Mr. Feringa and Miss Brown.

• Shade spent a quiet day with Grace and Helen, watched an opera with them, and agreed to plan another date before the Year-End Festival.
• Shade joined Sister Devlin at the Sacrificial Ground and sensed that only three scattered First Fire flames remained to be recovered.
• Shade investigated a woman's report of noises beneath her house and found a hidden chamber containing dozens of corpses.
• Shade followed a sewer map to discover two more corpse-hiding sites and killed attackers who ambushed him.
• Shade used Spirit Communication to learn the case involved a powerful extraordinary figure, then went to Moon Bay City to question Mr. Feringa and Miss Brown.