Chapter Summaries

Shade captured Young Mr. Gilott’s murderer and brought him to the cemetery, where he helped the dead son choose whether to face his father in the Underground Tomb Area. Young Mr. Gilott left to see his father, while Illustrious Miss asked Shade how he would judge the unconscious murderer.

• Shade stored Young Mr. Gilott’s soul in a crow skull and took it with him and Illustrious Miss to the Lower District underground casino.
• Shade found the balding murderer, knocked him unconscious, and carried him to Young Mr. Gilott’s gravestone.
• Young Mr. Gilott admitted he felt ashamed to face his father, who had died after seeking vengeance for his son.
• Shade offered to release Young Mr. Gilott permanently if he refused to see his father, and the soul accepted the crow skull and walked toward the Underground Tomb Area.
• Illustrious Miss explained that Shade had helped the father and son find a way forward, then asked him to judge the unconscious murderer.

Shade completed the fourth task by killing the man responsible for two deaths, and Illustrious Miss gave him a final task: save a little girl in a distant place only he could reach. After she vanished, Shade dined with Galina and learned her Love Charm had backfired, leaving her even more in love with him.

• Shade hanged the unconscious man from a tree in the cemetery, completing the fourth task.
• Illustrious Miss asked Shade to save a little girl who was never meant to be born and was already dead, then promised his dream of owning a ship would be fulfilled after the trial.
• Illustrious Miss told Shade that power in the sewers had strengthened the Black Cat's soul and warned that it would have been corrupted if he had not helped it.
• Illustrious Miss vanished after telling Shade to complete the final task, and Shade later asked Galina why women seemed so attracted to him.
• Galina used her Love Charm on Shade, but it backfired, and she declared that she loved him even more and would stay at his home that night.

Shade returned to the lightless sea to continue the fishing attempts, where he learned that a strange song had nearly driven the others to dance into the water. He sensed the Seven-Tailed Player’s power beneath the sea and feared the Ancient Evil Being was hidden there.

• Shade reviewed the summoning ritual materials, left Mia with him as a toy, and entered the Time Corridor for the shipwreck disaster in Fifth Epoch 5180.
• Shade swam through the storm to the floating board, where the Dream Giver asked whether he had found the truth about the sinking and Miss Maron.
• Shade used Mia’s reaction to confirm that Miss Maron’s scent matched the Illustrious Miss he had met in the cemetery.
• Theresa and Maxim told Shade that strange music had awakened them and made Professor Evans and Miss Maron dance at the board’s edge before a huge shadow appeared beneath the sea.
• Shade sensed the Seven-Tailed Player’s power beneath the floating board and asked whether the Ancient Evil Being was hidden in the sea.

Shade rescued the Witches from their false bodies and suspected the Radiance Messenger’s sacrifice had brought an Ancient Evil Being into the Sea of No Light. He used Professor Sarah Evans’s ring to fish up a memory, where he helped her identify an illusion and began uncovering her regret.

• Shade told Miss Teresa and Miss Maxim that the Radiance Messenger’s ritual may have succeeded and that the Ancient Evil Being had entered the Sea of No Light with them.
• Shade woke Professor Evans and Miss Maron, then went to God and sensed that Miss Maron possessed the power of a dragon.
• Shade cast his Fishing Rod using Professor Sarah Evans’s ring as bait and pulled a memory from the sea in the form of a white porcelain teacup.
• The teacup revealed Professor Evans talking with the retired Witch Professor Enzo, who challenged her to identify an illusion among three roses.
• Shade used Little Mia’s intuition to pick the right-hand rose and handed it to Professor Evans, who asked Professor Enzo if she was correct.

Shade rescued Professor Evans from her false body and pieced together how the Dragon Devouring Order used the Radiance Messenger to summon a deep-sea evil creature. The group gathered around the campfire to examine the remaining mysteries, which Shade believed could be explained by Miss Maron’s lost memories.

• Professor Evans told Shade that the Dragon Devouring Order had recently come to the city and might be targeting the Radiance Messenger.
• Shade realized that the Fifth Epoch incident was linked to the Dragon Devouring Order and its focus on dragons, then pulled Professor Evans from the sea.
• Shade freed Professor Evans from the pale false body, and Miss Maxim helped her recover beside the campfire.
• Shade explained the clues connecting the Dragon Devouring Order, the ship, and the summoned evil creature to the witches.
• Miss Maron confirmed that the wall patterns Shade showed her matched the markings she had seen in the boiler room.
• Shade questioned why Miss Maron had lost her memories, why her bedmate had vanished, and why a passenger had reported a stolen antique.

Shade and the Witches uncovered that Miss Maron’s forgotten past was tied to a dead Dragon Egg and the Radiance Messenger. Their final fishing attempt brought them into a memory of the ship, where Shade met a mysterious blue-haired girl who resembled Miss Maron and let her feel his emotions.

• Miss Maron remembered that the missing antique was a dead Dragon Egg and wondered whether she had been the young dragon inside it.
• Shade reassured Miss Maron that she was alive and led the group to ask the god for one final fishing attempt to uncover her memories.
• Shade used Miss Maron’s blood and hair as bait, and the group pulled a glowing glass goblet from the sea.
• The fishing attempt transported Shade and the Witches to the Radiance Messenger at sunset, where Miss Maron had vanished and a transparent blue-haired girl stood at the bow.
• Shade spoke with the girl about loneliness, and she took his hand and pressed her forehead to his so she could feel his emotions.

Shade and the others cast the Fishing Rod again, drawing them into an illusion of the ship’s final-night ball, where they found another distinct version of Miss Maron. As Shade danced with her, she questioned whether she was alive or dead, and he explained what true death meant.

• Shade encouraged the illusory girl to live on and discover her identity, but she feared the future she had seen.
• Shade and Miss Teresa discussed saving Miss Maron, and Shade kissed Teresa on the cheek before they cast the Fishing Rod again.
• The rod brought up a red high-heeled shoe, transporting Shade and the witches to the ship’s ballroom on the night it sank.
• They found a solid, red-haired Miss Maron dancing alone, and Professor Evans identified her as a different incomplete soul from the earlier versions.
• Shade joined Miss Maron in the dance and told her that true death meant reaching Nether Beach and seeing the Underworld Moon.
• Miss Maron wondered whether she was neither truly alive nor truly dead.

Shade helped Miss Maron acknowledge that she wanted to live, then entered another memory after fishing up an oil painting canvas. In a first-class cabin aboard the Radiance Messenger, he began painting Miss Maron as she posed, while trying to learn what she valued about herself.

• Shade pressed the red-haired girl to admit she wanted to live, and she finally asked him for help.
• Shade returned to the floating platform with Miss Maron and told the Witches that another fishing attempt might reveal what she was.
• Miss Maron helped Shade pull up a waterlogged oil painting canvas, carrying them into a first-class cabin aboard the Radiance Messenger.
• Shade found Miss Maron posing naked on a bed and realized she was solid within her memory.
• Shade let his arm begin painting and asked Miss Maron which parts of herself she valued, learning that she was proud of her bridge, height, paintwork, and hull.

Shade discovered that Miss Maron had formed from two incomplete souls: a ship’s broken spirit and the remnant soul of a dead Blue Dragon Egg. Their shared memories and the paintings revealed how the two fused into one living person, but Miss Maron was left struggling to understand her identity.

• Shade painted the blue-haired and crimson-haired versions of Miss Maron in an illusion, learning that the latter was a Blue Dragon.
• The illusion ended, and Shade returned to the Witches with two paintings hidden together in his hands.
• Shade explained that the two Miss Marons had been incomplete souls who wandered the ship unseen and decided to become alive together.
• Professor Evans and Miss Teresa explained that the two souls had fused, with the Radiance Messenger’s memories dominating because the fusion happened aboard the ship.
• Shade revealed paintings of a cruise ship at sunset and a young Blue Dragon flying over the sea, prompting Miss Maron to remember the two souls’ journey and embrace him in confusion.

Shade helped the newly born spirit accept her identity as Angie Illustrious and promised to retrieve her body before leaving the Childhood Dream. After farewells with the Witches, the god confirmed that Angie’s memories revealed the full truth behind the conspiracy.

• Miss Maron remembered that she had taken the name Maggie Malone from a handkerchief beside a corpse and feared she had no identity.
• Shade named her Angie Illustrious, explained how the dragon egg and the Radiance Messenger had given rise to her, and welcomed her into the world.
• Shade warned Miss Teresa, Professor Evans, and Miss Maxim that something in the sea might prevent their escape and said he would send them out before leaving.
• Miss Teresa kissed Shade goodbye, while Angie asked to go with him and the god explained that she needed a long Slumber to stabilize.
• The god confirmed that Angie had accepted her identity and recalled the clues that exposed the mortals’ conspiracy.

Shade received the Childhood Dream blessing, then joined the Witches in pulling the Radiance Messenger from the Sea of No Light. After Illustrious Miss took control of the awakened ship and it fled into the sky, the Seven-Tailed Player attacked, and Shade transformed into a moonlit dragon to protect it.

• The god gave Shade the Childhood Dream blessing and guided him to make one final cast with the Fishing Rod.
• Shade, Miss Teresa, Miss Maxim, Professor Evans, and Illustrious Miss pulled the Radiance Messenger out of the sea, and Illustrious Miss entered the ship as its soul.
• The Seven-Tailed Player awakened and attacked, so Illustrious Miss made the Radiance Messenger fly while Professor Evans shielded it from Black Thunder.
• Miss Maxim cut at the tentacles holding the ship, while Miss Teresa strengthened the group with her Spiritual Weapon.
• Shade jumped from the deck after turning Little Mia into a toy, then transformed into a moonlit dragon beneath the ship.

Shade, the witches, and Illustrious Miss escaped the rising sea monster by following a divine beam of light, with Little Mia’s flame briefly holding it back. A rescue fleet searching for the Radiance Messenger then saw cracks spread across the sky.

• The god’s light restored Shade, the witches, and Illustrious Miss, and they fled upward while the sea monster pursued them.
• Professor Evans warned everyone to close their eyes when the stone statue surfaced, but a tentacle still struck toward the escaping group.
• Little Mia spat a tiny flame that exploded against the sea monster, buying the group enough time to reach the heavenly light and vanish.
• In Spring, Fifth Epoch 5180, a 158-ship rescue operation led by Witch Emperor Violet searched for the Radiance Messenger without finding its wreck or survivors.
• Witch Emperor Violet questioned the rescue team and learned that the Dragon Devouring Order members’ souls had disappeared.
• Several thousand witches watched cracks spread across the clear sky like a spiderweb.

Shade reunited with Violet and Teresa after emerging from a Spatial Anomaly, then returned to his own time with Mia. He left carrying two leaves and paintings from the journey, and planned to visit Illustrious Miss the next day.

• Violet's maids safely lowered the injured silver dragon and its ship onto the sea beside the Witton Kingdom.
• Violet recognized Shade by Mia on his head, and Shade transformed into silver and orange cats in her arms.
• Shade said goodbye to Violet, Teresa, Professor Evans, Miss Maxim, and Illustrious Miss before the White Fog took him and Mia away.
• Shade scolded Mia for transforming back during danger, then noticed that he had returned to human form without using a potion.
• Shade received two leaves from the Tree Father and found two paintings in his pocket, then decided to visit Illustrious Miss the next day.

After returning from the deep-sea adventure, Shade recovered at home with Miss Galina and told her about the paintings and his encounter with the ancient evil. The next morning, Galina left for Yodel Palace, while Shade prepared to visit Moon Bay and learn the thaumaturgies held in the two leaves.

• Shade embraced Miss Galina, then told her about his adventure with the Witches, the oil portraits, and his escape from the lightless sea with the Radiance Messenger.
• Miss Galina advised Shade to wait until morning before using the leaves, and teased him about his relationship with Illustrious Miss.
• In a dream, Shade realized that the Moon would accompany him into other people's dreams after he received the Old God Dream Giver's blessing.
• A eunuch attendant delivered a letter from Yodel Palace, and Miss Galina left to meet her nephew after telling Shade that Tifa and her Followers would travel to Moon Bay next week.
• Shade framed the paintings of the Blue Dragon and the Radiance Messenger and stored them in the basement before preparing to use the two leaves.

Shade mastered the Thaumaturgies Corrupt Blood Mist and Dragon Roar, then went to Belinder Manor looking for the half-Dragon, half-ship girl but did not find her. The Countess with the Crimson Birthmark told him that people were continuing to melt into light, leaving the Church to investigate the deadly phenomenon.

• Shade learned that Corrupt Blood Mist could corrode flesh and bones, and could permanently transform land into Scarlet Corruption.
• Shade mastered Dragon Roar, which let him control his voice, intimidate listeners, create sonic attacks, and learn Dragon-Tongue Spellcraft by listening.
• Shade went to Moon Bay expecting the half-Dragon, half-ship girl to meet him, but could not find her near Saint George Stone Bridge or Belinder Manor.
• The Countess with the Crimson Birthmark told Shade that another person had melted into light on the street the previous night.
• The Countess said the Church had linked the light incidents to the Headless Serial Murder Case, though it still suspected the murders were man-made.

Shade investigated the worsening Light Melting phenomenon with the Countess and learned it might be an uncontrolled-light disaster suppressed by the Seekers of Light Research Society. After a meeting with his companions and a private discussion with Miss Danist, Shade discovered that he alone was expected to arrange Emilia Sianode and the Unicorn’s arrival and accommodation in Moon Bay.

• Shade and the Countess examined the alley where residual light was slowly turning a mouse transparent, and they suspected the Seekers of Light Research Society had concealed the disaster’s early stages.
• Shade returned to Doctor Schneider’s clinic, where the doctor reported progress on an alchemy weapon intended to fight the Demon and reminded the group about their upcoming examinations.
• Miss Danist summoned Shade to the Academy Library and explained that the Academy would use the World Travel Handbook to send Emilia and the Unicorn to Moon Bay the next morning.
• Shade asked where Emilia and the Unicorn would stay, and Miss Danist revealed that arranging their placement was his responsibility.

Shade discussed the Moon Bay mission with Miss Danist, who would be away pursuing clues about her missing teacher, leaving him to handle the danger there. Dorothy then told Shade that she, Leisha, and Angelina would travel to Moon Bay with the team, and she invited him to take part in a royal birthday banquet opera.

• Shade assured Miss Danist that he would protect Emilia and keep the Unicorn matter secret without the Academy's help.
• Miss Danist told Shade she would leave next Wednesday to investigate her missing teacher's contacts with Laplace Howard and the Believers of the Old God Harmonious Weaver, while Mr. Pigman led the Academy's team to Moon Bay.
• Dorothy told Shade that she and Leisha planned to travel with Tifa's team and use a Dragon Nest waypoint to return home when needed.
• Dorothy explained that Galina and Leisha had decided Angelina should accompany them to gain experience, despite Shade's concerns about her safety.
• Dorothy told Shade that Leisha wanted him to join a Mermaid Princess opera at the King's birthday banquet, where he would play a kind Dragon.

Shade arranged for Little Liana and the cursed Elf Girl to stay at Bella Belinder’s manor, where the witch eagerly welcomed the unicorn. He then left to meet Emilia and the others arriving by train, leaving Little Liana in Bella’s care.

• Dorothy told Shade he would play a small role in her adapted mermaid opera at Leisha’s father’s birthday banquet, and they planned to test the Youthful Immortality Leaf that night.
• Shade brought Little Mia to Moon Bay and noticed two unusual obituaries as the city’s troubles seemed to be worsening.
• Shade asked Bella Belinder to shelter the Elf Girl and Little Liana for a week or more, and Bella eagerly agreed when she learned a unicorn was involved.
• Shade brought Little Liana through a photographic door to Bella’s basement, where the witch and her maids met the timid unicorn.
• Shade left by carriage to meet Emilia and the others at Moon Bay North Railway Station, while Bella offered Little Liana an apple.

Shade brought Emilia to Countess Bella Belinder’s manor in Moon Bay, where she would stay while he investigated the danger surrounding her. Emilia realized that Shade was protecting her for a reason he would not disclose, but agreed to trust him and remain at the manor as he prepared to handle matters.

• Countess Bella Belinder welcomed Shade and Emilia to her manor, and the Little Unicorn joyfully reunited with Emilia.
• Shade explained that Emilia would stay at the manor and asked her not to go out for a week while he dealt with dangerous matters.
• Emilia inferred that she was in danger and questioned Shade, who promised to protect her without revealing the full situation.
• Emilia accepted Shade’s request, urged him not to risk his safety, and agreed to keep Earl Belinder’s matter secret.
• Shade gave Emilia novels to read at the manor and promised to take her along the seaside once everything was over.

Shade prepared to hunt the Vampire Beast by using a Bloodkin secret art to make himself smell like its preferred prey. After confirming that the investigation into the sewer monsters was ongoing, he left for the night’s operation with Mr. Bernhardt and coroner Albert.

• Shade told Emilia and Miss Belinder to watch for anything unusual, then left Little Mia at Belinder Manor with Emilia.
• Mr. Bernhardt told Shade that Wilundell City was not the source of the mixed-blood monsters and that he had narrowed the suspects to local Bloodkin, while confirming Tolomay was uninvolved.
• Shade and Mr. Bernhardt agreed to continue investigating the suspects and to hunt the Vampire Beast that night using a bait plan.
• Shade declined to involve Miss Matilda and asked the Witch for blood that met the Vampire Beast’s preferred prey requirements.
• Mr. Ptolemy Albert and Mr. Bernhardt submerged Shade in a blood ritual that transferred the bait’s scent onto him, preparing him for the hunt.