Chapter Summaries

Shade accepted a commission from the Lady to retrieve a relic from Blood of Mercury and learned that the Blood Spirit School had sent an Eighth Ring Arcanist to Tobesk. After Shade showed her his three special Rhodes Cards, the Lady reacted with shock when she saw Origin · Silver Moon.

• The Lady hired Shade to collect the Poet Level Relic Mary Jane's Makeup Box from a Friday midnight exchange on Disk Bridge for ten pounds.
• The Lady told Shade that an Eighth Ring Arcanist from the Blood Spirit School was coming to assist Blood of Mercury and shared that the school knew ancient Secrets concerning the fall of the Old Gods.
• Shade received the transaction details and learned that traces of blood remained in a room on the 1st Floor where Mr. Lawrence had vanished.
• The Lady warned Shade not to let his investigation into Mr. Lawrence interfere with the exchange or use it to lead an Orthodox Church Ring Arcanist Squad into an ambush.
• Shade gave the Lady's Black-Haired Maid his three special Rhodes Cards, and the Lady reacted with astonishment when she saw Origin · Silver Moon.

Shade accepted Miss Galina’s commission to use Origin · Silver Moon in a Rhodes Cards match against Duke Lucas, with two positions in the Delarion Navy at stake. Miss Galina promised him payment, protection, and further rewards, and arranged for him to prepare for the match on Sunday night.

• Miss Galina explained that the Rhodes Card would receive its final appraisal in Tobesk on Friday and declined Shade’s offer to sell it.
• Miss Galina offered to protect Shade and hire him to play Rhodes Cards, promising two special cards and additional rewards depending on the outcome.
• Shade agreed to the commission after Miss Galina offered him thirty pounds regardless of whether he won or lost.
• Miss Galina revealed that his opponent would be Duke Lucas and that the match would wager two positions in the Delarion Navy.
• Miss Galina told Shade to keep her identity as a Ring Arcanist secret and arranged for Tifa to take him to The Club for his payment.
• Miss Galina said someone would find Shade on Sunday to provide suitable clothes and etiquette lessons before the Sunday-night match.

Shade collected money from The Club after meeting Miss Galina, whom Miss Bayes identified as Duchess Galina Cavendish, the king’s aunt. Shade and Miss Bayes then prepared to investigate a suspicious room on the first floor.

• Tifa escorted Shade to Mr. Nite, who gave him 50 pounds and welcomed him to The Club on Miss Galina’s behalf.
• Shade delayed returning to Miss Bayes, then found her waiting in the reception room after her investigation.
• Miss Bayes said she had found something unusual in the third room to the left of the first-floor staircase but could not enter it.
• Miss Bayes identified Galina as Duchess Galina Cavendish, aunt of King Larus III and a powerful noble.
• Shade and Miss Bayes set out to inspect the room, with Miss Bayes offering a reward if they found something.

Shade and Miss Bayes uncovered bloodstains linked to Mr. Lawrence’s disappearance at the Lucky Southern Cross Club and identified a way to track them. They agreed to report the clue to Ridgewich Field, and Miss Bayes paid Shade before driving him back to Saint Derain Square.

• Shade used Thaumaturgy to reveal traces of the victim’s movements in the room while Miss Bayes sensed lingering spirit near the cabinet.
• Shade found nearly invisible bloodstains where the wall met the floor, and Miss Bayes confirmed they came from the day Mr. Lawrence disappeared and could be tracked.
• Shade urged Miss Bayes to report the clue to Ridgewich Field rather than pursue dangerous cultists themselves, and she agreed.
• Miss Bayes paid Shade fifteen shillings and gave him a commemorative silver coin as a tip.
• Miss Bayes and Shade rode together in a carriage toward the city center, with her dropping him at Saint Derain Square.

Shade and Miss Bayes discussed poverty and responsibility during their carriage ride through Tobesk, then both fell asleep after being cursed. Shade woke to find Miss Bayes taken and overheard the coachman and another man discussing their identities and their connection to Lake View Manor.

• Shade and Miss Bayes rode through Iron Hammerhead Street and discussed how people could help the poor.
• Shade admired Miss Bayes's belief that people should keep working toward distant goals by helping those around them.
• Shade and Miss Bayes fell into a deep sleep in the carriage, and Shade's Another Me warned him of danger.
• Shade woke in a stopped carriage in a remote alley and learned that Miss Bayes had been taken away.
• Shade overheard the coachman and another man say they had been watched at The Club and that Miss Bayes was a Ring Arcanist from an Orthodox Church.

Miss Bayes used her Balance ability to weaken the headscarf-wearing Fourth Ring Arcanist, who had been sent to kill Shade and seize Lawrence. Shade survived the shot from the carriage and helped disarm the man, but the man fled as Miss Bayes landed.

• Miss Bayes awakened and used Balance to weaken the headscarf-wearing man's power when he tried to capture her.
• The man attacked Miss Bayes with the Tattered Veil Sword, but she climbed up the alley wall and pleaded for him to spare Shade.
• A gunshot sounded from the carriage, and Miss Bayes believed Shade had been killed.
• Miss Bayes summoned her Destiny Ring and fought the man, weakening his attacks again.
• Shade appeared behind the man with a revolver and forced him to drop the Tattered Veil Sword.
• The man shoved Shade aside and ran as Miss Bayes landed.

Shade and Iluna Bayes defeated a Blood of Mercury attacker, then discussed the secrets exposed by the fight. Iluna warned Shade that she had used forbidden high-ring divine thaumaturgy, while Shade offered to keep quiet in exchange for her help concealing his unlicensed gun.

• Iluna Bayes used Sunlight Gun to strike down the fleeing Blood of Mercury member.
• Shade explained that he had killed the short man with the Gun of Kindness during their struggle and claimed its trigger had gone off accidentally.
• Iluna introduced herself as a Ring Arcanist of the Church of the Sun and Earth and said they needed to discuss the truth of the world.
• Iluna said witnesses to Ring Arcanist battles normally had their memories erased, but she wanted to ask Shade about what he had seen first.
• Iluna admitted that Sunlight Gun was high-ring divine thaumaturgy beyond what a Low-Ring Arcanist should be able to use.
• Shade promised not to reveal Iluna's secret and asked her to keep the police from discovering the origin of his unlicensed gun.

Shade and Iluna Bayes agreed to keep their encounter secret and cooperate, then Shade counted his newly acquired money at home. On Friday, he went to the Seer Association for the final appraisal of Origin · Silver Moon and checked the market bulletin board.

• Shade persuaded Miss Bayes to form a partnership and asked her to investigate Mrs. Lawrence's murder.
• Miss Bayes took the sword and planned to report the alley incident to the Church, while Shade collected 3 pounds, 5 shillings, and 10 pence from the Corpses.
• Shade returned home, carefully counted the banknotes in his envelope, locked them away, and took Little Mia out to eat.
• Shade went to the Seer Association on Friday in the rain, intending to have Origin · Silver Moon appraised and check the Rhodes Card prices.

Shade brought Founding Silver Moon to the Seer Association for authentication and declined to sell it, choosing instead to use it at Miss Galina Cavendish’s Rhodes Card game. The Association invited him to join the autumn Great City Player tournament, and Shade examined the compensation offer before asking which currency it used.

• Mr. Mark welcomed Shade to the Tobesk Branch’s formal authentication session, where Vice President Rimo and several appraisers examined Founding Silver Moon.
• Shade recognized Miss Annette among the Association’s secretaries, and she reacted with surprise when she saw him.
• Shade declined to sell Founding Silver Moon and told the vice presidents that Miss Galina Cavendish had invited him to a Rhodes Card game with Duke Lucas.
• Mr. Rimo invited Shade to compete in the autumn Great City Player tournament, and Shade agreed after the Association offered to cover his expenses.
• Mr. Rimo showed Shade the proposed compensation, and Shade asked whether the amount was in Gold Pounds or Kassenric Crowns.

Shade signed an agreement to compete in the September Great City Player tournament, then met Miss Annette at his home to learn the history of his Origin · Silver Moon card. Miss Annette explained that it belonged to a mysterious set of thirteen ancient cards called the Myriad Aspects of Impermanence.

• Vice President Mark and Mr. Rimo offered Shade payment to enter the September Great City Player tournament, and Shade signed the agreement.
• Shade returned home and welcomed Miss Annette, who noticed that his house was haunted.
• Shade asked Miss Annette whether she planned to attend the Rhodes Cards match that weekend, and she said she had opera plans with Louisa.
• Miss Annette explained that the thirteen Founding Series cards predated the Seer Association, could not be destroyed, and were believed to bring luck to their chosen holders.
• Miss Annette said the cards were connected to the Thirteen Old Gods and were called the Myriad Aspects of Impermanence.

Shade learned from Miss Annette about the Witch Council, the Ancient Gods, and the requirements for Iluna Bayes to become the Chosen One of Balance. Miss Annette’s divination found no mysterious problem with Shade’s house, and she left after warning him to be careful.

• Shade asked Miss Annette about the thirteen Ancient Gods, Witch Emperors, and Chosen Ones, and she explained that the Witch Council’s thirteen Great Witches inherited power from the Fifth Epoch.
• Shade suspected Duchess Galina Cavendish belonged to the Witch Council, while Miss Annette described the organization’s factions and its knowledge of the Murmuring Chapters.
• Shade told Miss Annette about meeting Iluna Bayes, and she explained that Iluna had only begun to access her Chosen One power and that the Upside-down Judge represented Balance.
• Miss Annette listed the three requirements for Iluna to become a Chosen One: obtain a relic containing the Ancient God’s power, understand the qualification, and complete a ritual recorded in the Canticles.
• Miss Annette divined that Shade’s house showed no unusual signs, and Shade offered to help her if she ever faced a grave danger.

Shade studied and translated through the day, then went to Disk Bridge at midnight to collect Miss Galina’s goods. He received a dark red cosmetic case identified as the Relic Whisper, but its lid would not open for him.

• Shade tested Origin · Silver Moon on the orange cat and continued studying, translating Miss Louisa’s book, and reviewing subjects he hoped to take exams in.
• Shade dressed in a mask and robe and traveled to Disk Bridge for Miss Galina’s midnight exchange.
• Shade waited beneath the bridge, then approached the carriage marked by three kerosene lamps at midnight.
• Shade verified his identity with the coachman by repeating the agreed code phrase about Queen Diana and the blue butterfly flowers.
• The coachman handed Shade a newspaper-wrapped wooden box with a red spider lily specimen on its lid.
• Shade found that the box would not open for him, and the whispering voice identified the Relic as Whisper.

Shade collected a makeup case from a Blood of Mercury agent and joined Miss Louisa in a fight against him on Tower Bridge. The agent escaped into the river, and Shade prepared to deliver the case while Miss Louisa continued the search for the Falsified Philosopher's Stone.

• Shade collected the makeup case from the Blood of Mercury agent, who suggested his employer was a Witch Council member.
• A hooded Miss Louisa ambushed the agent, and Shade turned back to help her fight.
• Shade wounded the agent with Silver Moon's Slash while Miss Louisa set him on fire, but he escaped by jumping into the river.
• Miss Louisa followed the agent into the water, while Shade used Blood Echo and discovered the river dispersed the blood trail.
• Shade met the soaked Miss Louisa beneath the bridge, gave her healing water and his robe, and learned she had been tracking Blood of Mercury for the Falsified Philosopher's Stone.
• Shade offered to help search for the escaped agent but said he had only half an hour before he needed to deliver the makeup case.

Shade and Miss Louisa tracked the wounded coachman to an alley, where his out-of-control Relic had transformed him into a Fishman. After Shade removed the Fish Scales spreading over Miss Louisa’s arm, she recognized the Relic and told him to rescue a girl while she dealt with the monster.

• Miss Louisa agreed to help Shade search the riverbank for the injured coachman, and they followed his blood trail into a nearby alley.
• Shade and Miss Louisa found a rotting Fishman, and Another Me identified their contact with a Whisper.
• Miss Louisa recognized the Fishman’s clothes as the coachman’s and realized his Relic had lost control.
• The Fishman broke through Miss Louisa’s flames and attacked, but she knocked it away with a flaming punch.
• Shade used Cindyia's Silver Moon Gift to remove the Fish Scales spreading across Miss Louisa’s arm, and she identified the Relic as Drowned Fishman's Scales.
• Miss Louisa told Shade to save a young girl in the alley while she prepared to fight the Fishman.

Shade and Miss Louisa rescued Sophie Dais from an out-of-control Fish Scale Disease Relic, then escaped the police with the recovered scale. As they returned to Shade’s home, they found his employer, Miss Galina, waiting in a carriage, and Miss Louisa recognized her maid Tifa.

• Miss Louisa froze the Fishman while Shade rescued the unconscious girl, then destroyed the monster with a Drake Type II Integrated Steam Bomb and recovered its scale.
• Shade treated Miss Louisa and the girl, while Miss Louisa explained that the water-contained Drowned Fishman's Scales caused Fish Scale Disease and could transform its user into a Fishman.
• Miss Louisa and Shade learned the girl was Sophie Dais, sent her home with money, and agreed to wait for the Doctor before attempting their operation again.
• Shade and Miss Louisa found a distinguished carriage waiting outside No. 6, and Miss Louisa identified it as belonging to a powerful noblewoman.
• Tifa briefly appeared at the carriage window, and Miss Louisa recognized her before telling Shade to meet his employer alone.

Shade delivered Galina Cavendish’s cosmetic case to her maid, Tifa, who confirmed the commission and revealed that Galina belonged to the Witch Council. Back at home, Louisa recognized Tifa and inferred Galina’s identity, while hinting at her own connection to the royal family.

• Tifa opened the cosmetic case, confirmed it was authentic, and told Shade that Galina would not care that he had killed the deliveryman.
• Tifa asked whether Shade had caused the explosion, then revealed that Galina belonged to the Witch Council and arranged for someone to help him prepare for Sunday’s Rhodes Cards game.
• Shade returned home with Louisa and Mia, then recorded the transaction while Louisa changed into one of Detective Sparrow Hamilton’s coats.
• Louisa recognized Tifa as Galina Cavendish’s personal maid and concluded that Galina had met Shade in person.
• Louisa warned Shade to be careful around Galina, speculated that she was a Witch Council member, and hinted that she had a close connection to a royal Princess.

Shade and Miss Louisa discussed the Witch Council, the Fish Scale Disease incident, and their plans to meet again, before she left for the night. The next day Shade finished translating her book and brought it to the Study Group, where the members gathered in the warm afternoon sunshine.

• Miss Louisa told Shade that Galina Cavendish and Tifa Servit belonged to the Witch Council, and she proposed splitting the proceeds from selling or donating the Drowned Fishman's Scales.
• Miss Louisa invited Shade to check on Little Sophie the following night, said she would attend the opera with Luvia on Sunday, and left Shade's home.
• Shade spent Saturday morning translating Chasing the Four Elements: Wind and Fire, then wondered whether Mia was an ordinary cat and reflected on how the book had deepened his perception of the elements.
• Shade brought the completed translation to Miss Louisa at Schneider Psychological Clinic before the Study Group began, and the members gathered as Doctor Schneider rested in the sunlight.

Shade and his companions shared news about the Blood of Mercury’s plan to use Mr. Lawrence as a vessel for an evil god’s descent, while the Church prepared a major operation against the cultists. The Academy’s professors then approved the group’s Lake View Manor report and awarded them a contribution bonus, leaving Shade and his companions with restricted funds for their studies.

• Shade and his companions discussed the Dream Pen, Rhodes Cards, and their findings about the Blood of Mercury, while Miss Annette confirmed that the cultists planned to bring an evil god into the world through a mortal shell.
• Shade deduced that the kidnapped Mr. Lawrence was the shell, and Priest Augustus said the Five Gods Church would launch a joint operation after Sun Church Thirteenth Ring Warlock Hogg Lundell arrived in Tobesk.
• The group exchanged news about recent events and politics before Shade began the ritual to meet Professor Röntgen and Professor Garcia.
• Professor Röntgen said the Academy had verified the Lake View Manor report and warned Doctor Schneider not to use the Words of Sublimation carelessly.
• Professor Röntgen announced that the group would receive a 1,000-pound Saint Byrens Comprehensive College contribution bonus, restricted to Academy and Ring Arcanist expenses.

After the Lake View Manor incident, Shade and his companions received rewards and warnings from Saint Byrens. Professor Garcia then explained the History College’s rewards for Shade’s time exploration, including a choice of two thaumaturgies, and introduced Future Sight.

• Professor Röntgen gave Shade and Miss Annette library catalogs so they could choose thaumaturgies, and Doctor Schneider received twenty-three healing potions.
• Professor Röntgen warned the group about the dangerous Blood Spirit School, asked for information about the Masked Man Under the Silver Moon, and cautioned them about trouble in Tobesk involving a prophecy of an Old God’s revival.
• Professor Röntgen told Doctor Schneider that the Academy’s off-campus internship program would likely begin after the July examinations.
• Professor Garcia praised Shade for his actions at Lake View Manor, awarded him ten Practical Credits, and said the History College had upgraded his time-exploration mission to Angel Level, Level 1.
• Professor Garcia offered Shade a choice of two thaumaturgies from three recommendations and described Future Sight, which could show him a brief, blurry glimpse of the future but carried serious risks.

Shade chose Echoes of the Past and Laguerre's Leap, then learned Time Perception and Echoes of the Past from Professor Garcia. While testing Echoes, he overheard a terrifying voice threatening Doctor Schneider, and the chapter ended with Laguerre's Leap still incomplete because the Academy lacked one required material.

• Professor Garcia explained Echoes of the Past and Laguerre's Leap, and Shade chose both Thaumaturgies over Future Sight.
• Shade learned Time Perception using a century-old pocket watch and a Four-Leaf Clock Flower specimen.
• Shade learned Echoes of the Past using two live Stone Clockworms and immediately used the Thaumaturgy.
• Shade heard Doctor Schneider say he would watch over someone for life, followed by a strange voice threatening to claim Schneider's soul.
• Shade stopped listening after the unfamiliar language caused a violent headache, while the woman soothed him with her laughter.
• Professor Garcia explained Laguerre's Leap, but Shade could not learn it yet because the Academy lacked three stalks of Weather Vane Bluegrass.