Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “What Do You Call Her?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther’s body dissolves into an enormous Blood River, far exceeding the amount of blood a human body could contain. The river attacks Mr. A, filled with malicious blood-colored figures and the spirits of dead Beyonders.
• Mr. A initially struggles against the river. He uses Devil Transformation, a Magma Longsword, and violent storms to defend himself, but a female-looking Beyonder’s mental scream knocks him back into the corrosive blood.
• To overcome the attack, Mr. A invokes the True Creator by stabbing the Rose Holy Emblem carved into his chest. A terrifying, blood-red eye opens within the emblem, channeling the True Creator’s madness, Degeneration, and Distortion.
• The True Creator’s gaze destroys the Blood River’s manifestations and forces Luther’s body to reform. However, Luther’s protective “Tide” can no longer shield him from the god’s influence, leaving him exposed to the True Creator’s ravings.
• Luther resists the madness and rejects Mr. A’s demand that he submit to the True Creator. Mr. A attempts to attack him, but the black-haired girl suddenly appears and stabs the eye in his chest, causing it to wither.
• Mr. A knocks the girl away and prepares to attack her. Luther shields her, calling her his “sister.”
• Mr. A reacts with confusion and then amusement, ending the chapter by asking Luther, “You call her... your sister?”

Character Developments

• Mr. A: Reveals his extreme devotion to the True Creator and his willingness to mutilate himself to invoke divine power. After receiving the god’s gaze, he becomes more detached, fanatical, and confident, though the destruction of the eye enrages him.
• Luther: Demonstrates remarkable resistance to the True Creator’s influence despite severe mental torment. His instinctive decision to protect the girl and identify her as his sister reveals a strong emotional bond and perhaps a hidden truth about their relationship.
• The black-haired girl: Shows courage and precision by attacking Mr. A at the crucial moment. Although she is overwhelmed by his superior strength, her intervention saves Luther from immediate danger.
• The True Creator: Is portrayed as an incomprehensible and corrupting power whose presence causes madness, distortion, and spiritual destruction.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus sanity: Mr. A’s religious devotion appears indistinguishable from madness, while Luther’s refusal to worship the True Creator preserves his individuality.
• Identity and relationships: Luther’s declaration that the girl is his sister raises questions about who she truly is and what their bond represents.
• Sacrifice and fanaticism: Mr. A’s self-stabbing demonstrates the horrifying lengths to which religious fanaticism can go.
• Corruption and resistance: The Blood River, the True Creator’s gaze, and Luther’s mental struggle emphasize the dangers of supernatural corruption and the effort required to resist it.
• Distortion of reality: Bodies, blood, spirits, and divine manifestations constantly change form, reflecting the unstable and irrational nature of the forces involved.

Character Interactions

• Mr. A attacks and attempts to overpower Luther through the Blood River and the True Creator’s gaze.
• Luther mocks and rejects Mr. A’s faith, refusing to be converted despite the god’s influence.
• The black-haired girl interrupts the confrontation by stabbing Mr. A’s holy emblem.
• Luther protects the girl by standing between her and Mr. A, calling her his sister.
• Mr. A’s final question casts doubt on the girl’s identity and suggests he may know something significant about their relationship.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. A confronts Luther and claims that “Cecilia” is not truly his sister but a Flesh Puppet created from Luther’s own body. Luther rejects the accusation, believing Mr. A is merely trying to destabilize him.
• Mr. A uses the Hermes command “Release”, which cancels control over Flesh Puppets. Cecilia immediately collapses and melts into flesh and blood, proving that she was not a real human being.
• Ms. M tells Luther the truth: Cecilia died long ago. The “sister” Luther had been protecting was an artificial body created from his flesh and given a personality based on his memories.
• Luther’s suppressed memories begin returning. He recalls the symbolic exchange between a father and son asking, “Where is the lamb for the Lord’s sacrifice?” This triggers his collapse into a grotesque mass of flesh and shadows.
• Luther awakens inside an illusion resembling the theater in Tingen, where he had once taken Cecilia. He attacks the woman resembling Ms. M, demanding to know what happened to his sister.
• The woman reveals that she is not the original Ms. M but a split personality created by Luther himself during a period of extreme mental anguish. Luther had asked her to seal away his memories so he would no longer suffer.
• The theater becomes filled with people from Luther’s past, including many individuals who died or were killed because of him. A stage performance then reenacts the truth of his past:
  • Luther had died or nearly died after witnessing Cecilia’s death.
  • He resurrected in torment and tore apart his own mind to remove the memories.
  • The fragment of his mind became the personality resembling Ms. M.
  • He used his own flesh to create a body resembling Cecilia.
  • Using the authority of the Sea, he implanted a personality based on his memories, making the puppet behave like his sister.
  • Still aware that the girl was not truly Cecilia, Luther begged the split personality to make him forget again.

2. Character Developments

• Luther: His self-image collapses as he is forced to confront the fact that his “sister” was an artificial creation and that he deliberately erased his own memories to escape unbearable grief. His denial gives way to confusion, pain, and psychological breakdown.
• Cecilia: She is revealed not to be the real Cecilia, but a Flesh Puppet formed from Luther’s body and memories. Her apparent personality and relationship with Luther were constructed rather than genuine, though she still represented his love and grief for his deceased sister.
• The Ms. M-like woman: She is exposed as a split-off aspect of Luther’s own psyche, created to suppress his traumatic memories. Although she appears to be an enemy, she has actually been protecting Luther from his pain.
• Mr. A: He acts as the brutal catalyst for Luther’s revelation. His mockery and use of “Release” destroy Luther’s comforting delusion.
• The dead figures in the theater: Their appearance represents Luther’s accumulated guilt and the consequences of his actions, surrounding him as witnesses to the “performance” of his past.

3. Significant Themes

• Denial and self-deception: Luther constructs an elaborate reality in which Cecilia remains alive, refusing to acknowledge the truth even when evidence appears before him.
• Trauma and repression: His mind fragments under unbearable grief, creating a separate personality to seal away the memory of Cecilia’s death.
• Identity and artificial existence: Cecilia’s puppet body possesses memories, behavior, and apparent emotions, raising questions about whether an artificial being can still be regarded as a real person.
• Grief and guilt: Luther’s resurrection and continued suffering are tied to his inability to accept Cecilia’s death and the burden of the people who died because of him.
• Self-punishment and psychological survival: Luther both creates and destroys parts of himself, using supernatural abilities as a means of surviving emotional pain.
• Religious sacrifice imagery: The repeated question about the lamb for sacrifice parallels Luther’s loss of Cecilia and suggests themes of sacrifice, suffering, and the cost of resurrection or salvation.
• Theater as metaphor: The theater presents Luther’s memories as a staged performance, turning his past into something he must watch helplessly, like an audience member confronting his own guilt.

4. Character Interactions

• Luther aggressively rejects Mr. A’s accusations and physically shields Cecilia from him, demonstrating his protective attachment and denial.
• Mr. A taunts Luther and exposes the truth by using the Flesh Puppet command, while Ms. M silently observes with apparent pity.
• After Cecilia disappears, Ms. M tells Luther directly that his real sister died long ago, becoming the first person to force him to face reality.
• In the illusion, Luther attacks the Ms. M-like woman, blaming her for Cecilia’s disappearance. She refuses to retaliate meaningfully and instead explains that she is part of Luther, emphasizing her role as both victim and protector.
• The staged flashback shows Luther creating both the Ms. M personality and Cecilia’s puppet body, revealing that his most important relationships in the present are products of his own fractured mind and desperate longing.

Chapter Summary: The Last Shepherd

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The stage reenacts the destruction of Tingen in reverse chronology, showing the aftermath of Ince Zangwill’s attack on Blackthorn Security Company. Klein and Captain Dunn are dead, Leonard is unconscious, and Saint Selena’s ashes have been stolen.
• Luther is revealed to have survived the battle, though he is catastrophically wounded. His body is failing after consuming the Sequence 5 Potion, enduring a Sun Charm, and being ambushed by Ince Zangwill.
• The Shepherd advancement ritual has failed. The Potion is causing Luther to lose control and transform into a monstrous creature capable of devastating Tingen.
• Ms. M and her subordinates, whose flesh is connected to Luther’s, attempt to seize control of his body and complete the ritual through him.
• Luther’s sister, Cecilia, arrives and realizes that her brother cannot survive without additional help. She sacrifices herself by stabbing herself through the heart and merging with Luther.
• Cecilia’s living flesh overwhelms Ms. M and the other invading personalities, allowing Luther to regain control. However, the transformation leaves him as a nearly lifeless, charred corpse, with Cecilia absorbed into his body and soul.
• Luther is devastated by Cecilia’s death and vows to destroy the True Creator, the Aurora Order, and the believers who serve the evil god. He declares that he will become “the last Shepherd.”
• In Backlund, Mr. A interprets Luther’s apparent praise of the True Creator as a sign of conversion and summons the True Creator’s influence to possess and reshape Luther’s mind.
• Luther initially repeats the Shepherd’s prayer but twists it into a declaration of rebellion, promising to usurp the True Creator, destroy his kingdom, and blaspheme him.
• Luther then invokes the Fool—“the Fool that doesn’t belong to this era” and “the King of Yellow and Black”—asking for salvation and the destruction of the True Creator. The Fool responds and descends his gaze upon Luther.

2. Character Developments

• Luther moves from physical survival to emotional collapse and finally to defiant rebellion. Cecilia’s sacrifice breaks him psychologically, but his grief becomes hatred and a determination to overthrow the True Creator rather than submit to him.
• Cecilia demonstrates absolute loyalty and self-sacrifice. She willingly gives up her life to save Luther from losing control, fulfilling their promise that he must live on.
• Ms. M is shown as the force behind the failed ritual and as an internal enemy trying to use Luther’s body to advance to Shepherd. Cecilia’s sacrifice drives her and her subordinates out.
• Mr. A remains fanatically devoted to the True Creator. He misreads Luther’s words as repentance and is shocked when Luther turns the Shepherd prayer into open blasphemy.
• The True Creator attempts to exploit Luther’s weakened mental defenses and convert him into a faithful servant, but Luther resists.
• The Fool is established as Luther’s last hope and as a power capable of answering his desperate invocation.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and familial love: Cecilia’s death is the emotional center of the chapter, showing love expressed through the ultimate sacrifice.
• Grief transformed into rebellion: Luther’s mourning becomes rage against the forces responsible for Cecilia’s fate and against the religious system that caused the tragedy.
• Loss of control versus self-determination: Luther struggles against the Potion, Ms. M, and the True Creator’s mental influence, repeatedly fighting to retain his identity and choices.
• Religious fanaticism and manipulation: Mr. A’s certainty that Luther has been “saved” contrasts with the reality that Luther is preparing to rebel. The True Creator’s followers interpret suffering and submission as salvation.
• Theatrical reenactment and trauma: The staged performance forces Luther to relive the worst moment of his life while the audience applauds, emphasizing the cruelty, distance, and unreality of remembered tragedy.
• Defiance against divine authority: Luther’s corrupted Shepherd prayer becomes a revolutionary oath to overthrow the True Creator and replace him.

4. Character Interactions

• Luther and Cecilia: Their sibling bond drives the chapter. Cecilia sacrifices herself to save Luther, while Luther desperately tries to stop her and later mourns her loss.
• Luther and Ms. M: They struggle internally for control of Luther’s body, with Cecilia’s arrival ultimately turning the contest in Luther’s favor.
• Luther and his female personality: She explains the meaning of Cecilia’s sacrifice and observes Luther’s transformation from despairing survivor into a vengeful rebel.
• Luther and Mr. A: Mr. A assumes Luther has returned to the True Creator, but Luther deceives him by turning a prayer of submission into a declaration of revolt.
• Luther and the True Creator: The True Creator attempts to overwrite Luther’s mind, while Luther resists through hatred, blasphemy, and a final appeal to the Fool.
• Luther and the Fool: Luther invokes the Fool as an opposing power, offering his soul and life in exchange for help. The Fool’s descent at the end marks a major turning point.

Chapter Summary: “Mutated Pain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• As Luther prays, both the True Creator and the Fool turn their attention toward him.
• The True Creator’s will descends into Luther’s mind, overwhelming him with maddening whispers.
• The Fool intervenes by sending three black-and-gold, twelve-winged Angels into Luther’s spirit. Working together, they force the True Creator’s will out of Luther’s mind.
• Luther reconstructs his body from the mass of flesh threatening to consume him and confronts Mr. A.
• He reveals Mutated Pain, a Beyonder Item created from a fused rib, the Pain Demoness’s and other Beyonder Characteristics, and the Evil God’s Offspring’s Divinity.
• Luther stabs the bone into his own chest, activating its power. The item makes his body extraordinarily sensitive and magnifies his perception of pain to an almost unbearable degree.
• Because the item’s Pain Aura affects others, Mr. A experiences the same overwhelming agony.
• Luther deliberately drives the bone fully into his body, enduring tremendous suffering in order to strengthen the effect against Mr. A.
• The item’s second power activates: it stabilizes and fuses the pure Divinity within Luther’s body, increasing his status and giving him much greater control over his Shepherd characteristics.

Character Developments

• Luther: Survives the True Creator’s possession and emerges more powerful and composed. Despite near-unbearable pain, he willingly sacrifices his own body to weaponize suffering against Mr. A. His contempt, cruelty, and willingness to endure pain demonstrate his growing determination and confidence.
• Mr. A: Initially furious and certain of the True Creator’s superiority, he is shocked and humiliated when Luther rejects divine control. He becomes increasingly incapacitated as Mutated Pain forces him to experience Luther’s agony.
• The Fool: Demonstrates immense power and influence by dispatching three Angels to protect Luther’s spirit and repel the True Creator’s will.
• The True Creator: Is enraged by the Fool’s interference but is ultimately forced out of Luther’s mind.
• Aiur Moria, the Red Light: Though absent, his earlier instructions about returning the rib to Luther’s body prove crucial to activating Mutated Pain.

Significant Themes

• Pain as power: Luther transforms unbearable suffering into an offensive weapon, turning vulnerability into strength.
• Divine conflict and protection: The struggle between the True Creator and the Fool reveals the immense forces competing over Luther and his significance.
• Self-control versus corruption: Luther resists possession and maintains his identity despite divine whispers, madness, and the dangerous fusion of Characteristics and Divinity.
• Sacrifice and transformation: By willingly harming himself, Luther unlocks greater power and advances toward a higher state.
• Shared suffering and psychological warfare: The item forces Mr. A to experience Luther’s pain, making empathy—or at least mirrored agony—a weapon against him.

Character Interactions

• The True Creator’s will invades Luther’s mind, while the Fool counters by sending three Angels to protect him.
• Luther and Mr. A engage in a psychological confrontation: Luther calmly taunts Mr. A while intensifying his own pain, and Mr. A reacts with disbelief and rage.
• Luther’s question, “Do you like it?” emphasizes the reversal of power between them. Mr. A, once the aggressor, is forced to share Luther’s suffering.
• Luther’s use of Mutated Pain leaves him stronger, more stable, and better able to control his Shepherd powers as the confrontation continues.

Chapter Summary: “You Are the Fool?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After their prolonged battle, Luther undergoes a dramatic transformation. His previously chaotic soul becomes perfectly unified, and the lamb-like souls within him submit completely to his control. Mr. A, a fellow Shepherd, is stunned because even he has never achieved such mastery.
• Realizing he may be unable to defeat Luther, Mr. A attempts to escape using a recorded teleportation ability. Luther interrupts him by stabbing himself with Cecilia’s dagger, transferring the pain to Mr. A and disrupting his concentration.
• Luther then shoots himself in the head with a silver revolver, inflicting overwhelming pain on Mr. A. Although Luther is also severely injured, he uses his empowered shadow to overpower and bind Mr. A.
• Luther forms a magma greatsword and beheads Mr. A. Even after decapitation, Mr. A remains conscious and curses Luther, insisting that the Lord’s Angel will eventually kill him and the “Fool” he follows.
• Luther senses a powerful figure approaching—likely one of the authorities drawn by the battle and the summoned deities—and immediately flees into the Shadow World. He conceals Mr. A’s body and head within his blood-red robe.
• While escaping, Luther notices a dying black kitten beneath a streetlamp. He recognizes it as the cat he once encountered with Cecilia and risks capture to save it, carrying it away within his shadow.
• After reaching a safe alley in the East Borough, Luther is suddenly transported through crimson light to a mysterious realm above a sea of gray fog. There, he sees an ancient bronze table, a magnificent palace, and a mysterious figure seated at its head.
• Recognizing the setting from his earlier vision, Luther bows and asks, “You are the Fool?”

Character Developments

• Luther: Demonstrates an extraordinary breakthrough in controlling his fragmented soul, apparently reaching a state associated with much higher-level beings. He fights with ruthless self-sacrifice, using pain inflicted upon himself as a weapon against Mr. A. Despite his brutality and apparent madness, his rescue of Cecilia’s cat reveals lingering compassion, loyalty, and emotional attachment.
• Mr. A: His confidence collapses as he witnesses Luther’s transformation. Though fanatically devoted to his Lord, he recognizes that dying without harming Luther would be meaningless. His desperation leads him to attempt escape, but he is ultimately defeated and killed while remaining defiant to the end.
• Cecilia: Though absent from the battle, she remains emotionally significant through the dagger she dropped and the cat connected to her. Luther’s memories of her intensify his grief and motivate him to save the animal.
• The Fool: Remains mysterious and distant. Luther’s arrival before him marks a major turning point, suggesting that the identity and nature of the Fool will soon be revealed.

Significant Themes

• Self-sacrifice and pain: Luther weaponizes his own suffering, accepting extreme injury to incapacitate Mr. A. Pain becomes both a physical weapon and a symbol of his damaged but determined existence.
• Faith versus determination: Mr. A’s fanatical faith in his Lord cannot overcome Luther’s resolve. The confrontation contrasts blind devotion with personal conviction and direct action.
• Transformation and control: Luther’s harmonized soul represents a profound evolution, while Mr. A’s failure to achieve similar control highlights the gulf between ordinary advancement and transcendent power.
• Compassion amid violence: Luther behaves ruthlessly toward Mr. A but risks his escape to save the kitten. This contrast shows that he has not completely lost his humanity.
• Mystery and identity: The chapter ends by shifting from a physical battle to a supernatural revelation, raising questions about who the Fool is and why Luther has been brought before him.

Character Interactions

• Luther and Mr. A: Their battle is a contest of endurance, supernatural abilities, and willpower. Luther exploits Mr. A’s sensitivity to pain, overpowers his shadow, and kills him despite suffering severe injuries himself.
• Luther and Cecilia’s memory: Cecilia influences Luther indirectly through her dagger and the cat associated with her. His response shows that his feelings for her remain deeply unresolved.
• Luther and the Fool: Their first direct encounter occurs at the chapter’s conclusion. Luther approaches the mysterious figure with recognition and respect, asking whether he is the Fool.

Chapter Summary: [Temperance] Luther

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Phantom Tide in Luther’s mind blocks the Black Knight’s fatal attack, but temporarily loses contact with him. This allows Luther to successfully pray to the Fool.
• The Fool immediately brings Luther to his Divine Kingdom, a palace shrouded in gray fog and seemingly outside normal time.
• Luther learns that the Fool opposes the True Creator, whom the Fool calls the “Fallen Creator.” This raises questions about the True Creator’s connection to the Primordial Creator.
• Luther thanks the Fool for rescuing him from becoming a believer of an evil god, but remains cautious about the Fool’s motives.
• Luther asks whether his younger sister, Cecilia, can be saved. Her soul remains within his body after she sacrificed herself during Luther’s ritual.
• The Fool admits he cannot resurrect the dead, but suggests that Luther may eventually gain the power to save Cecilia by increasing his own level of existence.
• Luther realizes that becoming a True God and gaining the authority to “create” might allow him to construct a new body for Cecilia. His goals of revenge and rescuing his sister become intertwined.
• The Fool invites Luther to join a gathering held every Monday at three o’clock, where members use Tarot cards as codenames.
• Luther draws the Temperance card, interpreting it as a warning to restrain his anger and madness.

Character Developments

• Luther: Becomes more determined and focused. Although he remains suspicious of the Fool, he is willing to accept being used if it helps him defeat the True Creator. His motivation expands from revenge to include saving Cecilia, giving him a stronger reason to pursue advancement and godhood.
• The Fool: Presents himself as calm, powerful, and restrained rather than openly domineering. He is honest about his limitations, refusing to claim the ability to resurrect Cecilia, but offers Luther hope and a path toward greater strength.
• Cecilia: Though physically dead, her soul remains active within Luther. Her presence explains the false Cecilia’s use of Assassin abilities and Luther’s instinctive protection of her.
• The Phantom Tide: Its temporary loss of contact with Luther unintentionally enables him to reach the Fool.

Significant Themes

• Hope amid despair: Luther’s hope of saving Cecilia briefly collapses when the Fool denies being able to resurrect her, but returns when he suggests Luther may eventually save her himself.
• Power and trust: Luther recognizes that divine beings may be powerful without being benevolent. He is willing to cooperate with the Fool while remaining wary of hidden motives.
• Revenge and love: Luther’s hatred of the True Creator and love for Cecilia become mutually reinforcing motivations.
• Self-control: The Temperance card symbolizes Luther’s need to restrain his anger and maintain clarity instead of allowing hatred to consume him.
• Mortality and transcendence: The chapter emphasizes the immense difficulty of becoming a True God and the possibility that only transcendent power can overcome death.

Character Interactions

• Luther formally greets the Fool, but the Fool encourages him to speak more casually.
• The Fool reveals his opposition to the True Creator and reassures Luther that he helps those who pray to him, particularly when the Fallen Creator is involved.
• Luther sincerely asks for Cecilia’s salvation, exposing his vulnerability and deepening his connection to the Fool.
• The Fool gives Luther practical guidance rather than a direct solution, encouraging him to grow stronger.
• By inviting Luther into the Tarot gathering, the Fool offers him access to a wider organization and future allies.

Chapter Summary: “Good Night”

Plot Points and Events

• Luther reveals his drawn tarot card to Mr. Fool, who assigns him the codename Mr. Temperance. Klein chooses the name because it represents endurance, self-control, harmony, purification, and balance—qualities Luther urgently needs after his traumatic ordeal.
• Klein privately regrets failing to recognize earlier that the “Cecilia” Luther knew was an impostor. By the time he understood what had happened, Luther had already been driven into rage and near-madness.
• To give Luther hope and prevent him from losing himself, Klein summons him above the Gray Fog and grants him permission to attend a regular gathering every Monday at three.
• Klein warns Luther that the Phantom Tide within him may resist the summons, so Luther must suppress it beforehand. Luther asks about the Tide’s true nature, but Klein maintains his mysterious persona and refuses to explain, saying Luther will discover the truth himself.
• After the meeting ends, Luther returns to a dark alley in the East Borough. He reflects on his connection to Mr. Fool, the possible relationship between tarot cards and Beyonder pathways, and the mystery of his Phantom Tide.
• Luther notices that the injured black kitten he rescued is still alive. He heals its leg with Flesh and Blood Magic, warms it, and obtains milk for it by using his shadow abilities.
• Caring for the kitten reminds Luther of Cecilia, who loved cats. The memory causes him to break down in grief as he realizes that Cecilia is truly dead and that he is now alone.
• The kitten, unaware of his sorrow, settles comfortably in Luther’s arms and falls asleep, ending the volume on the gentle farewell: “Good night.”

Character Developments

• Klein/Mr. Fool: Shows compassion and responsibility toward Luther, attempting to preserve his sanity by offering him a place among the Tarot Club. Although he lacks complete answers about the Phantom Tide, he carefully maintains his divine persona and gives Luther hope.
• Luther/Mr. Temperance: Moves from uncontrolled rage and despair toward a fragile form of stability. His new codename symbolizes the emotional balance he must develop. His care for the kitten reveals that his compassion and humanity remain intact despite his trauma.
• Cecilia: Though absent and revealed to be dead, she remains emotionally central. Luther’s grief demonstrates the depth of their relationship and the lasting impact of her loss.
• The black kitten: Becomes a small source of comfort and responsibility for Luther, offering him a reason to act kindly even while he mourns.

Significant Themes

• Grief and loneliness: Luther’s sorrow over Cecilia’s death is overwhelming, but his interaction with the kitten provides a quiet outlet for his emotions.
• Sanity and self-control: The name “Temperance” emphasizes the need to restrain rage and preserve one’s mind amid supernatural corruption and suffering.
• Hope amid despair: Klein cannot promise Luther an easy future, but the opportunity to join the Tarot Club gives him a faint possibility of survival and recovery.
• Compassion and humanity: Healing and feeding the kitten shows that tenderness can survive even in a brutal supernatural world.
• Sleep, death, and renewal: The kitten’s peaceful sleep contrasts with Luther’s pain and suggests the possibility of a gentler future, even as the volume closes on loss.

Character Interactions

• Klein and Luther interact as deity and follower, though Klein’s concern is deeply personal. Klein offers guidance, a new identity, and continued contact while concealing his uncertainty.
• Luther questions Klein about the Phantom Tide, revealing his growing curiosity and trust, while Klein preserves his authority by withholding the truth.
• Luther’s interaction with the kitten is nurturing and intimate. Through caring for it, he indirectly confronts his memories of Cecilia and releases his grief.
• The kitten’s innocent dependence contrasts with Luther’s complicated emotions, creating a bittersweet ending in which one wounded being finds comfort with another.

Summary: “Reflections and Outlook for Volume Three”

• Plot and events: The author reflects that Volume Three’s plot became too passive because protagonist Luther’s madness obscured his goals. This made him seem directionless—powerful but impulsive, moving from one act of violence to another. The author believes Luther’s objectives are now clearer, allowing the central storyline to become more focused in the next volume. No new in-story events occur in this chapter.
• Character development: Luther’s instability and bouts of madness are identified as the main reasons for his unclear motivation and erratic behavior. The author suggests that his character will become more purposeful and coherent going forward.
• Themes: The chapter explores narrative structure, the difficulty of portraying madness, authorial limitations, and the gap between creative intention and reader interpretation. The author candidly acknowledges that stronger writing skill is needed to fully convey the dramatic scenes imagined.
• Character interactions: There are no direct character interactions in the chapter. Instead, the author discusses the relationship between writer and readers, emphasizing how meaning can change between what the author intends, what is written, and what readers understand.
• Outlook: The next volume will be titled Justiciar, will remain set mainly in Backlund, and is expected to be relatively short. The author promises that something significant is being planned.

Chapter Summary: “Authority of the Illusory Sea”

Plot and Key Events

Luther returns to his townhouse carrying a sleeping black kitten and is overwhelmed by hallucinations of his former life with Cecilia. He sees an idealized vision of his sister cooking and sitting by the fire, then remembers that Cecilia was only a counterfeit personality created from his own flesh and blood. The familiar house intensifies his grief and discomfort.
When Emily, the landlady, asks where Cecilia is, Luther lies and says she is still outside. He announces that he and Cecilia are leaving East Borough, claiming they want a better environment. Before Emily can question him further, Luther’s alternate personality—an illusory red-haired, golden-eyed woman—appears and uses her powers to make Emily accept the explanation without resistance.
Upstairs, Luther places the kitten on its cushion and reflects on how his plans to seek treatment from the Psychology Alchemists have been disrupted. He summons the alternate personality and decides to question her directly. Since she resembles Ms. M, he names her “M.” She explains that she is a personality split from Luther and that the original Ms. M was mentally destroyed after looking directly at the Sea. Because M is part of Luther, she can use the Sea’s authority without being rejected by it.
Following M’s instructions, Luther enters the mysterious Sea by imagining its black tide surging out of him and drowning him. He and M arrive in a boundless, mist-covered ocean filled with disturbing murmurs. M explains that the Sea is extremely powerful, protects against mental corruption, and possesses authority connected to the Spectator pathway. She also implies that it enabled the creation and manipulation of the Cecilia personality. However, neither she nor Luther fully understands the Sea’s nature or the other authorities it may possess.
Luther then asks whether he can temporarily sever his connection to the Sea, intending to prevent it from interfering with his attendance at Mr. Fool’s gathering. M asks what he plans to do, leaving the chapter on this unresolved question.

Character Developments

• Luther: Becomes more emotionally withdrawn and burdened by the loss of Cecilia. He begins confronting the nature of his alternate personality and the Sea instead of immediately trying to destroy them. His desire to leave East Borough reflects both practical necessity and an attempt to escape painful memories.
• M: Gains a clearer identity and is formally named. She presents herself as an independent, intelligent personality while confirming that she is fundamentally part of Luther. Her knowledge of the Sea is limited, but she is more closely attuned to it and can use its power more naturally.
• Emily: Remains concerned about Luther and his sudden departure, but M’s influence removes her resistance and causes her to accept his explanation passively.
• Cecilia: Though absent, she remains central to Luther’s grief. Her counterfeit nature and connection to the Sea continue to shape the events.

Character Interactions

• Luther lies to Emily about Cecilia’s whereabouts and their plans to leave.
• M manipulates Emily’s mind, demonstrating her ability to influence ordinary people.
• Luther and M establish a more direct relationship, discussing her identity, her connection to Ms. M, and the nature of the Sea.
• M acts as both a guide and an unsettling reflection of Luther’s own fractured mind.

Significant Themes

• Grief and memory: Luther’s home has become a repository of painful memories, forcing him to leave in order to escape reminders of Cecilia.
• Identity and fragmentation: M’s existence raises questions about whether she is an independent being or merely a divided part of Luther’s consciousness.
• Illusion versus reality: Cecilia, M, and Luther’s visions blur the boundary between genuine people and fabricated personalities.
• Power and corruption: The Sea offers protection from mental corruption but is itself mysterious and potentially dangerous.
• Control and manipulation: M’s influence over Emily demonstrates the ethical and psychological danger of the powers associated with the Sea and the Spectator pathway.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther explains to M that he must attend the Fool’s gathering in the Gray Fog, but the Phantom Tide prevents him from doing so directly.
• M proposes creating a temporary personality with Luther’s memories and personality. This duplicate could attend the gathering, after which Luther would absorb its memories, effectively participating without exposing himself to the Tide.
• Luther explores the immense illusory sea connected to him and discovers that he can draw its seawater into his soul. Doing so grants him temporary abilities resembling those of the Spectator and Sailor Pathways, approximately at Sequence 6.
• Luther realizes the sea may contain additional authorities that he can access as his Sequence increases. He also suspects it may be the True Creator’s Divine Kingdom, which could explain the deity’s unusual attitude toward him.
• He considers testing M’s temporary-personality method by using the sea as a substitute for the Gray Fog gathering.
• After returning to reality, Luther reflects on his goals: saving Cecilia, reviving his sister, avenging himself against the True Creator and Ince Zangwill, and ultimately ending the cursed Sequence system.
• To advance, he plans to digest the Sequence 5 Shepherd Potion by forming a human “Flock,” possibly through helping and gathering followers among the suffering people of the East Borough.
• He also intends to obtain the Sequence 4 Black Knight potion formula and ingredients, potentially from Mr. A, and to destroy the remaining Aurora Order forces in Backlund.
• Luther pulls Mr. A’s surviving head from his abdomen and interrogates him about the potion formula. When Mr. A refuses to cooperate, Luther orders M to torture him.

Character Developments

• Luther becomes more confident after finding a way to bypass the Phantom Tide. His exploration of the sea reveals that he is its holder and may possess significant latent authority.
• He clarifies his long-term ambitions, combining personal rescue and resurrection with revenge against the forces responsible for his suffering.
• Luther begins planning a structured path toward advancement: acting as a Shepherd, gathering followers, acquiring the next potion formula, and dismantling the Aurora Order.
• M demonstrates her creativity and loyalty by devising the temporary-personality solution. She also acts as Luther’s enforcer when he interrogates Mr. A.
• Mr. A remains defiant despite being reduced to a severed head, showing hatred toward Luther and unwavering devotion—or at least allegiance—to the True Creator.
• The little black cat provides a brief contrast to the grim interrogation, waking and observing the disturbing scene with curiosity.

Significant Themes

• Identity and continuity: The temporary personality raises questions about whether memories, choices, and consciousness can be transferred without changing the self.
• Power and hidden authority: Luther’s connection to the sea suggests that his abilities and origins are deeper than he understands, while the sea may be linked to a major deity.
• Ambition and progression: Luther’s plans emphasize the relentless need to rise in Sequence in order to save loved ones and achieve revenge.
• Faith and manipulation: His plan to create a Flock by helping East Borough residents explores the relationship between genuine salvation, religious belief, and Acting requirements.
• Revenge versus salvation: Luther’s goals to rescue Cecilia and revive his sister are intertwined with his desire to destroy the True Creator, Ince Zangwill, and the existing supernatural order.
• Cruelty and moral degradation: The treatment of Mr. A illustrates Luther’s willingness to use brutality and torture in pursuit of knowledge and vengeance.

Character Interactions

• Luther and M discuss the obstacle posed by the Phantom Tide and develop the temporary-personality strategy together.
• M reacts with surprise to Luther’s newly revealed abilities and confirms that the sea contains more power than expected.
• Luther confronts Mr. A, mocking the True Creator and demanding the Sequence 4 Black Knight formula.
• When Mr. A refuses, Luther directs M to torture him, reinforcing their increasingly practical and ruthless partnership.
• The cat witnesses the interrogation, ending the chapter on a darkly comic and unsettling note.

Chapter Summary: Saint Tenebrous

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther interrogates Mr. A through M, who searches the man’s memories for information about the Aurora Order and Potion formulas.
• M cannot find higher-level Potion formulas because Mr. A, as a Sequence 5, lacks access to the confidential information reserved for Sequence 4 members.
• She does uncover the Aurora Order’s organizational details in Backlund:
  • Most members are ordinary believers.
  • Its Beyonders are mainly Secrets Suppliants and Listeners.
  • There are some Shadow Ascetics and fewer than ten Rose Bishops.
  • The Order has been weakened by its earlier conflict with the Goddess Church.
• M reveals that the Aurora Order has a Sequence 4 Saint, Tenebrous Kisma, stationed in Backlund. However, Kisma has recently gone to sea, giving Luther a limited opportunity to act before his return.
• The Order also appears to cooperate with the Demoness Sect, including a suspected Sequence 4 Demoness. The relevant memories are sealed, so Luther decides not to investigate further for now.
• After M finishes searching Mr. A’s mind, Luther kills him by forcing his head back into his stomach.
• Emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed by grief, Luther retreats into darkness and rests with his black cat, using its warmth and companionship as comfort.
• The next morning, Emily discovers that Luther and Anderson’s belongings have disappeared completely, leaving no evidence that they ever lived there.
• Luther, disguised and carrying a suitcase filled with valuable Beyonder materials and items, moves through the East Borough in search of a new residence.
• He visits the Lyman Gang’s headquarters and meets Ciel, the gang’s leader. Luther reveals his identity and asks for Ciel’s assistance.

Character Developments

• Luther: Becomes more ruthless and strategically focused. He abandons his former need to maintain an ordinary appearance, deciding to eliminate the Aurora Order’s local forces before Saint Kisma returns. His grief remains intense, but he suppresses it by planning and acting.
• M: Demonstrates her formidable mental abilities by manipulating Mr. A’s will and extracting information from his memories. She remains efficient and detached, though she expresses mild regret at failing to find the Potion formulas.
• Mr. A: Reduced to a helpless source of intelligence, he briefly regains enough awareness to condemn Luther and invoke the Aurora Order’s god before being killed.
• Ciel: Reacts nervously but obediently to Luther’s arrival, highlighting the unequal and transactional relationship between them.
• Emily: Serves as an outside witness to Luther’s disappearance, emphasizing how thoroughly he has erased his previous identity and presence.

Significant Themes

• Information as power: Luther’s interrogation shows the value of secret knowledge in the Beyonder world, while the sealed memories and restricted formulas demonstrate how organizations protect their most important secrets.
• Strategic urgency: The absence of Saint Kisma creates a narrow window for Luther to attack the Aurora Order before a much stronger enemy returns.
• Moral deterioration and ruthlessness: Luther’s treatment of Mr. A reflects how far he has moved from ordinary human restraint.
• Grief and emotional isolation: Luther uses constant planning to avoid confronting his sorrow, while the cat becomes his only source of warmth and companionship.
• Identity and disappearance: By abandoning his old residence, altering his face, and removing all traces of his presence, Luther symbolically and literally begins a new phase of his life.
• Power struggles and alliances: The Aurora Order’s cooperation with the Demoness Sect suggests a broader network of dangerous factions and future conflicts.

Character Interactions

• Luther and M: Luther directs M’s memory search, and she provides intelligence about the Aurora Order, Saint Kisma, and the Demoness Sect.
• Luther and Mr. A: Their interaction is one-sided and brutal; Luther extracts information before killing him, while Mr. A’s final words express defiance and faith.
• Luther and the black cat: Their quiet interaction offers Luther rare emotional comfort amid his grief and isolation.
• Luther and Ciel: Their meeting revives an old alliance based on mutual exploitation. Luther approaches Ciel not as a friend but as a resource he intends to use.
• Luther and Emily: Although they do not interact directly in the chapter, Emily’s discovery of the empty rooms marks the end of Luther’s previous life and his disappearance from ordinary society.

Summary: “Raid on an Aurora Order Stronghold”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther visits Ciel, leader of the Lyman Gang, and asks how Ciel can help him. When Ciel responds with concealed suspicion and reluctance, Luther decides to control him rather than negotiate.
• With M’s hypnotic assistance, Luther places Ciel under direct mental control. He orders Ciel to provide him with a secluded safe house in East Borough.
• Ciel reveals the location of a private safe house and gives Luther its key. Luther plans to use the Lyman Gang as the foundation of his own “Flock,” exploiting its manpower and organization while keeping its members under hypnosis.
• At an Aurora Order temple in Empress Borough, the cult’s members discuss Mr. A’s disappearance. They assume he has died and begin planning to request a replacement Oracle.
• Luther suddenly appears in the temple carrying Mr. A’s severed but still-living head. He mocks the cult for preparing to replace their leader while he is still alive.
• The Aurora Order members attempt to flee. Luther uses a Hermes-language death curse that kills many of the lower-Sequence Listeners and severely injures stronger Beyonders.
• He then attacks the survivors with compressed fireballs, burning most of the cultists alive.
• Two Sequence 6 Rose Bishops remain and attempt to self-destruct in an act of fanaticism. Luther forbids their self-destruction with an overwhelming command, causing their bodies to deflate and weaken before he kills them with a blue-flaming greatsword.

Character Developments

• Luther: Becomes increasingly ruthless, controlling, and strategic. He abandons persuasion in favor of hypnosis and intimidation, intending to build a personal organization through domination. His abilities are shown to include hypnosis, powerful verbal curses, fire attacks, command-based suppression, and swordsmanship.
• Ciel: Loses his independence after being hypnotized. Though initially wary and defiant, he becomes completely obedient and unknowingly gives Luther access to his secret safe house.
• M: Demonstrates the terrifying effectiveness of the Spectator Pathway by hypnotizing Ciel almost instantly. Her abilities reinforce Luther’s growing understanding of mental manipulation.
• Mr. A: Is revealed to be alive but helpless after Luther defeats him and takes his head. Luther uses him as a psychological weapon against the Aurora Order.
• Aurora Order members: Their confidence turns to panic when Luther appears. Their fanaticism is ultimately ineffective against his superior strength, curses, and control abilities.

Significant Themes

• Control versus free will: Luther treats both criminals and cultists as resources to be manipulated or eliminated, while Ciel’s hypnosis demonstrates the loss of personal agency.
• The terror of Beyonder powers: The chapter emphasizes how frightening Spectator and other supernatural abilities can be, especially when hypnosis, commands, and curses bypass ordinary resistance.
• Fanaticism and helplessness: The Aurora Order members praise their god and accept death as divine favor, yet their faith cannot protect them from Luther’s assault.
• Power and organization: Luther seeks not merely personal strength but a controlled network—the beginnings of his own Flock—using gangs and other groups as instruments.
• Psychological warfare: Luther deliberately displays Mr. A’s living head and taunts the cult, breaking their morale before physically destroying them.

Character Interactions

• Luther and Ciel’s meeting establishes a coercive relationship: Ciel is not treated as an ally but as a controlled subordinate.
• M supports Luther by hypnotizing Ciel, showing their cooperation and Luther’s reliance on her mental abilities.
• Luther taunts Mr. A during the raid, using him to humiliate the Aurora Order and expose its leaders’ eagerness to replace him.
• Luther confronts the Aurora Order collectively, responding to their flight, attacks, and fanaticism with curses, fire, commands, and direct combat.
• The Rose Bishops’ final suicidal attack contrasts with Luther’s absolute control, as he overrides their intentions and kills them before they can sacrifice themselves.

Chapter Summary: “Grazing Mr. A”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther defeats two Rose Bishops by cutting them in half, using Mental Piercing to immobilize them before finishing them with the Sword of Lava.
• The deaths of the Rose Bishops and other Aurora Order members cause their Beyonder Characteristics to manifest. Luther gathers the grotesque characteristics—including those of Secrets Suppliants, Listeners, Shadow Ascetics, and Rose Bishops—and places them on the altar before the True Creator’s statue.
• Luther positions Mr. A’s severed head among the characteristics as a mock offering to the True Creator.
• Although Mr. A’s mouth is sealed with bloodied nails, he tears them free and curses Luther, threatening divine punishment and the arrival of an angel.
• Luther heals Mr. A’s mouth only to seal it shut completely, then explains the personal reasons behind his hatred of the Aurora Order and the True Creator.
• He recounts how their actions destroyed his quiet life, caused the fall of Blackthorn Security Company, and led to Cecilia’s death. Luther vows to exterminate the Aurora Order, its angels, and eventually the True Creator himself.
• Luther taunts the True Creator’s upside-down statue with a deliberately vulgar question, then violently smashes Mr. A’s head into the statue’s crotch until it is completely destroyed.
• Afterward, Luther uses Grazing to extract Mr. A’s soul, which appears as an illusory figure in a blood-red robe.

Character Developments

• Luther: Reveals the depth of his accumulated rage and grief. His actions are no longer merely defensive or tactical; he openly embraces vengeance against the Aurora Order and the True Creator. His calm, mocking demeanor contrasts with the brutality of his actions, showing both emotional exhaustion and a deliberate willingness to desecrate what his enemies hold sacred.
• Mr. A: Reduced from a powerful Aurora Order leader to a helpless captive. His fanaticism remains intact despite his mutilation, as he curses Luther and invokes the True Creator. His inability to speak and violent reaction to Luther’s blasphemy emphasize his dependence on religious faith and hatred of Luther.
• The True Creator: Though absent, the deity’s influence dominates the scene through the statue, the gathered characteristics, Mr. A’s devotion, and Luther’s declaration of future opposition.

Significant Themes

• Vengeance and retaliation: Luther’s violence is portrayed as the result of repeated persecution and personal losses, especially Cecilia’s death and the destruction of his former life.
• Blasphemy and desecration: Luther deliberately turns a sacred altar into a grotesque display and mocks the True Creator’s image, asserting his defiance against the Aurora Order’s religion.
• Loss of humanity: Luther’s growing “madness” and willingness to pursue revenge against an entire faith suggest that his enemies have pushed him toward the same dangerous extremity they embody.
• Power and humiliation: Mr. A’s helplessness reverses the former power relationship. Luther uses not only physical force but also ridicule and symbolic degradation to break his enemy’s dignity.
• Death and supernatural exploitation: The Beyonder Characteristics and Mr. A’s soul are treated as resources, reinforcing the transactional and disturbing nature of the supernatural world.

Character Interactions

• Luther fights and kills the Rose Bishops with calculated efficiency.
• He taunts Mr. A by displaying the corpses and their Beyonder Characteristics as an offering to the True Creator.
• Mr. A curses Luther and promises divine retribution, while Luther responds with indifference and further humiliation.
• Luther confesses his grievances directly to Mr. A, making him the audience for a personal declaration of war against the Aurora Order.
• Luther’s final desecration of the statue and destruction of Mr. A’s head culminate in his use of Grazing to claim Mr. A’s soul.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther extracts Mr. A’s soul after defeating him. Unlike ordinary souls, Mr. A’s spirit contains the souls of the Beyonder “Lambs” he had previously Grazed.
• Luther forcibly turns Mr. A into a Lamb, reversing their former relationship: the Shepherd becomes subject to another Shepherd.
• He successfully Grazes Mr. A and confirms that a Shepherd can control and Graze another Shepherd.
• Luther solidifies three of Mr. A’s abilities: Grazing, Flesh and Blood Magic, and Shadow Magic.
• Through Mr. A’s Grazed souls, Luther discovers several powerful abilities, including:

Demoness of Affliction

Devil

Baron of Corruption

Recorder

Wind-blessed

Nightmare

Judge

• The Recorder ability particularly interests Luther because it can copy witnessed Beyonder abilities, including abilities from higher Sequences, though with limitations.
• Luther decides to release the Devil’s soul and sell its Beyonder Characteristic while keeping the other useful abilities.
• Using Flesh and Blood Magic, Luther revives the corpses of the Aurora Order members as Flesh Puppets.
• He orders them to continue infiltrating the Aurora Order, abducting absent members and gradually replacing or eliminating the organization’s Backlund forces.
• After searching Mr. A’s memories, Luther plans to disguise himself as Mr. A and host his Beyonder gathering.
• Luther also anticipates attending the Tarot Club and hopes to acquire the Potion formula for the Sequence 4 Black Knight.

Character Developments

• Luther grows significantly stronger by acquiring Mr. A’s abilities and Lamb Souls. He becomes more ambitious and strategic, planning not only to exploit Mr. A’s powers but also to infiltrate and dismantle the Aurora Order.
• Luther demonstrates increasing ruthlessness and adaptability. He treats souls, corpses, and entire organizations as tools while carefully avoiding premature exposure.
• Mr. A experiences a humiliating reversal of status. Once a powerful Shepherd, he is forcibly Grazed and reduced to a Lamb, making him subject to Luther’s commands.
• Mr. A’s former Lambs remain trapped within his soul, allowing Luther to access their abilities and knowledge.

Significant Themes

• Reversal of power: The Shepherd becoming a Lamb emphasizes the instability of dominance and the dangers of relying on control over others.
• Accumulation and exploitation of abilities: Luther treats Beyonder powers and souls as resources to be collected, combined, and strategically deployed.
• Infiltration and replacement: The use of Flesh Puppets reflects the theme of hidden corruption, as the Aurora Order is gradually taken over from within.
• Identity and deception: By assuming Mr. A’s appearance and habits, Luther begins using another person’s identity as a weapon.
• Moral dehumanization: The chapter portrays souls and corpses as objects of experimentation, highlighting Luther’s increasingly cold and pragmatic behavior.

Character Interactions

• Luther dominates and subjugates Mr. A, forcing him into the role of Lamb and using his Grazing ability.
• Luther indirectly interacts with Mr. A’s former Lambs through their souls, examining and appropriating their powers.
• Luther commands the revived Flesh Puppets, who obey him as artificial servants.
• He plans to deceive the Aurora Order by using the Puppets to impersonate members and himself to impersonate Mr. A.
• Luther also looks ahead to potential interactions with the Tarot Club and its members, hoping to obtain valuable information and formulas.

Chapter Summary: “Ransacking the Aurora Order”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther leaves the underground chapel and enters the Aurora Order’s building, where he has already hypnotized all the attendants. Their eyes now glow faintly with golden light, and they obey his commands.
• The attendants guide him through the building to Mr. A’s room. The room is dark, sparsely furnished, and covered in blood-red writings praising the True Creator, revealing the extent of Mr. A’s fanaticism and madness.
• Luther discovers an Ascetic’s Belt on the bed, a painful item used to strengthen mental focus, but considers the suffering it causes insufficient.
• He searches the room and finds a large safe. Since the attendants do not know the combination, Luther cuts through it with a Sword of Lava.
• Opening the safe releases a dangerous cloud of blood-red mist. Anticipating a trap, Luther shields himself with a wall of flesh and seals the mist inside it.
• The safe contains more than 3,000 pounds in cash, property deeds, and several pieces of jewelry. Its upper compartment is empty, though traces suggest that valuable Beyonder materials or Sealed Artifacts were previously stored there and taken by a Saint—presumably Saint Tenebrous—as part of Mr. A’s contribution to the organization.
• Luther leaves the hypnotized attendants behind to maintain the appearance that the Aurora Order remains normal. He plans to impersonate Mr. A and host the organization’s gathering in a few days.
• Back at his safe house, Luther prepares to test a method provided by M before attending the next day’s Tarot Club meeting above the Gray Fog. M begins the procedure by embracing him and inserting her illusory hands into his skull, causing his spirit to tremble.

Character Developments

• Luther demonstrates increased confidence, ruthlessness, and strategic caution. He controls an entire building, searches Mr. A’s room without hesitation, and anticipates the safe’s possible trap before opening it.
• His disgust toward Mr. A’s blood-covered room highlights Luther’s moral and psychological distance from the True Creator’s fanatical followers.
• Luther also reveals his growing financial strength and ambitions. Although the haul is substantial, he considers it relatively unimpressive and focuses instead on obtaining high-Sequence Beyonder materials and characteristics.
• M continues acting as Luther’s mysterious helper, beginning a potentially dangerous spiritual procedure intended to help him prepare for the Tarot Club.
• Mr. A, though absent, is characterized through his room and possessions as a deeply deranged and fanatical believer in the True Creator.

Significant Themes

• Fanaticism and madness: The blood-written praises covering Mr. A’s room symbolize religious obsession taken to an extreme.
• Power and control: Luther’s hypnosis of the attendants and plan to impersonate Mr. A show how he has seized control of the Aurora Order through deception and supernatural authority.
• Material wealth versus supernatural value: Luther’s growing fortune is impressive by ordinary standards, yet insignificant compared with the cost of high-Sequence Beyonder characteristics.
• Caution and preparedness: Luther assumes the safe may be trapped and protects himself before opening it, emphasizing the dangers of Beyonder society.
• Identity and performance: By maintaining the illusion that Mr. A and the Aurora Order are functioning normally, Luther increasingly relies on disguise, manipulation, and role-playing.

Character Interactions

• Luther commands the hypnotized attendants, who obediently guide him through the building and answer his questions.
• His interaction with Mr. A is indirect: Luther judges him through the grotesque room, the Ascetic’s Belt, and the missing valuables.
• Luther mentally identifies Saint Tenebrous as the likely recipient of the safe’s former contents.
• M and Luther interact privately at the safe house, where she begins the mysterious procedure he requested, ending the chapter on a tense and uncertain note.

Chapter Summary: “The First Tarot Club Gathering”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther successfully creates a Virtual Personality with M’s assistance. The new personality is essentially an independent consciousness sharing Luther’s memories, thoughts, and mannerisms.
• The following day, Luther prepares to attend the Tarot Club. His Virtual Personality is fused with his spirit and Ether Body, causing severe dizziness and sensory confusion.
• At three o’clock, the summoning succeeds, and Luther’s Virtual Personality is transported Above the Gray Fog to the Tarot Club’s ancient palace.
• The new member appears in the seat beneath the Sun, whose backrest transforms into the symbol of the Hanged Man. This causes Klein, the Fool, to realize that the summoning has worked.
• Klein introduces Luther under the codename Temperance. Luther is surprised that the person summoned is not merely his Virtual Personality observing from outside, but the personality itself—and that he has apparently avoided the Tide’s interference.
• Audrey, Justice, welcomes the newcomer and leads the usual round of greetings. Through this process, Luther learns the identities and personalities associated with the other Tarot Club members.
• Luther is surprised when Justice presents two pages of Roselle’s Diary to the Fool. Klein reads them, prompting Luther to wonder whether the Fool can understand Chinese and whether he might be a fellow transmigrator.
• Alger, the Hanged Man, notices Luther’s unusual reaction to the diary pages.

Character Developments

• Luther/Temperance: Luther successfully separates and establishes a Virtual Personality. The duplicate retains his memories and personality, effectively functioning as another version of himself. His first experience Above the Gray Fog leaves him cautious, observant, and skeptical of the Tarot Club’s true nature.
• M: M successfully assists Luther in creating the Virtual Personality and helps stabilize his condition before the gathering.
• Klein/The Fool: Klein demonstrates improved strength and Spirituality as a Magician, allowing him to maintain Luther’s unstable connection and summon him safely. He remains composed and conceals his concern about the implications of Luther’s arrival.
• Audrey/Justice: Audrey is excited by the Tarot Club’s expansion and immediately observes Luther closely, using her Spectator abilities to assess him.
• Alger/Hanged Man: Alger remains watchful and perceptive, quickly recognizing Luther’s reaction to Roselle’s Diary.
• The Tarot Club members: Luther forms initial impressions of each member: Alger seems calculating, Derrick childlike and impulsive, Fors sees little distinctive, Gehrman/World appears gloomy, and Audrey seems like a well-mannered aristocratic young woman.

Significant Themes

• Identity and individuality: The Virtual Personality possesses Luther’s memories, speech patterns, and personality, raising questions about whether it is a separate person or simply another aspect of Luther.
• Secrecy and hidden motives: Luther suspects the Tarot Club members may be far more powerful or significant than they appear, while the members likewise observe and evaluate him.
• Mystery and supernatural knowledge: The Gray Fog, the Fool’s powers, and the Roselle Diary emphasize the club’s access to hidden history and mystical secrets.
• Transmigration and shared origins: Luther’s speculation that the Fool might understand Chinese hints at the importance of transmigrators and connects Luther to the larger mystery surrounding Roselle.
• Trust and observation: The gathering is polite and orderly, but every member is carefully studying the others and withholding information.

Character Interactions

• M helps Luther create and stabilize the Virtual Personality.
• Klein successfully summons Luther and introduces him as Temperance.
• Audrey welcomes Temperance and facilitates introductions to the other members.
• Luther silently evaluates the Tarot Club members while trying to understand the organization’s purpose.
• Justice gives Roselle’s Diary pages to the Fool, and Klein reads them in front of the group.
• Luther reacts strongly to the diary, drawing Alger’s attention and potentially exposing his unusual knowledge.

Chapter Summary: “Identity of [Temperance]”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A new member, [Temperance] Luther, joins the Tarot Club. His striking blood-red robe and ominous aura immediately draw suspicion, especially from [Hanged Man] Alger.
• Alger associates Luther’s appearance and aura with the Secrets Suppliant pathway, leading him to fear that Luther might be a dangerous Rose Bishop devoted to the True Creator.
• Luther reacts subtly when [Justice] Audrey mentions Roselle’s Diary, revealing that he likely knows about or is interested in Roselle’s writings.
• Audrey deliberately explains that she owes Mr. Fool ten pages of Roselle’s Diary and that she still owes his Blessed 2,000 pounds. This indirectly informs Luther that Roselle’s Diary can be exchanged for the Fool’s assistance.
• Mr. Fool begins the gathering after reading the latest diary entries, which turn out to be merely Roselle’s romantic anecdotes and contain little useful information.
• [Magician] Fors asks Alger about deep-sea gunfish blood, an ingredient for the Apprentice pathway’s Sequence 8, Trickmaster. Alger raises the price from 320 to 350 pounds, partly to punish Fors for potentially exposing his identity and activities.
• [World] Klein requests materials for advancing toward Sequence 6, including the mutated pituitary gland of a Thousand-faced Hunter, Human Skin Shadow characteristics, and Deep-sea Naga hair.
• Audrey offers to investigate a Thousand-faced Hunter fossil in Duke Negan’s treasury.
• Luther reveals that he possesses information about a Human Skin Shadow, immediately establishing that he may be a valuable source of Beyonder-related knowledge.

Character Developments

• Luther/[Temperance] is introduced as observant, knowledgeable, and cautious. He quickly understands Audrey’s indirect message about Roselle’s Diary and begins considering a serious search for additional entries.
• Alger/[Hanged Man] becomes highly suspicious of Luther and decides not to reveal his own plans to purchase the Wind-blessed formula until he knows more about the newcomer. His fear of Luther also causes him to act more defensively during his exchange with Fors.
• Audrey/[Justice] continues to use tactful, indirect communication. She intentionally guides Luther toward understanding the Tarot Club’s methods without revealing sensitive details about the Psychology Alchemists.
• Fors/[Magician] remains practical and focused on obtaining potion ingredients, though she is frustrated by Alger’s sudden price increase.
• Klein/[World] is already preparing for his next advancement despite not having fully digested his current potion. His requests show increasing organization and long-term planning.
• Alger is further characterized as secretive and possibly connected to pirates, based on the source of the deep-sea gunfish blood.

Significant Themes

• Suspicion and concealed identities: Luther’s appearance causes the established members to question his pathway and loyalties, reflecting the danger of trusting unknown Beyonders.
• Information as currency: Knowledge of Roselle’s Diary, potion ingredients, and Beyonder materials is exchanged as carefully as money. The Tarot Club’s strength depends on members sharing resources while protecting their secrets.
• Indirect communication and manipulation: Audrey guides Luther without openly exposing her alliances, while Alger disguises his personal motives behind a price increase.
• Preparation and advancement: Klein and the other members demonstrate the importance of planning ahead in the dangerous Beyonder world, where rare materials may take a long time to obtain.
• Appearances versus reality: Luther’s blood-red robe suggests a terrifying identity, but the chapter leaves open whether Alger’s assumptions are accurate.

Character Interactions

• Alger silently studies Luther and becomes wary of him, while Luther notices the attention but remains more interested in the conversation about Roselle’s Diary.
• Audrey publicly thanks Mr. Fool and mentions her debt, intentionally giving Luther useful information about the Club.
• Fors presses Alger for the deep-sea gunfish blood, and Alger exploits the situation to charge her extra.
• Audrey offers to investigate one of Klein’s requested materials, demonstrating cooperation within the Club.
• Luther’s statement that he has information about a Human Skin Shadow creates an immediate connection between him and the other members and hints that his role in the Tarot Club may be more valuable—and more mysterious—than initially expected.

Chapter Summary: “He Is a Shepherd!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein, through his [World] puppet, asks Luther for information about Human Skin Shadows. Luther reveals that they have been found around a Fourth Epoch noble tomb, which Klein recognizes as likely connected to Amon’s tomb.
• Luther cannot provide further details because the informant who told him about the tomb has disappeared. This leaves Klein concerned but without enough information to investigate immediately.
• Luther then announces that he is seeking the Black Knight Potion formula, a Sequence 4 formula from the Secrets Suppliant pathway.
• The request shocks the Tarot Club because Sequence 4 represents the Demigod level, far beyond the members’ current abilities.
• Alger realizes that Luther is not merely a Rose Bishop but a higher-ranked Shepherd, a Sequence 5 Beyonder.
• Derrick reacts with alarm because Shepherds are associated with the True Creator, an evil god whose followers recently caused him great trauma.
• Luther insists that he does not worship the True Creator. Klein confirms that Luther’s circumstances are special and that he is not a follower of the Fallen Creator.
• To prove his loyalty, Luther openly curses the True Creator, declaring that he wishes to destroy the god and kill His followers. His hatred is so intense that it unsettles the group and convinces them that he is not a disguised believer.
• Luther again asks whether anyone knows where to obtain the Black Knight formula. After an uncomfortable silence, Derrick cautiously says that he may have a clue.

Character Developments

• Klein: Remains cautious about the Fourth Epoch tomb and recognizes its possible connection to Amon. He also carefully manages Luther’s introduction, vouching for him while maintaining the mysterious authority of Mr. Fool.
• Luther: Reveals himself as a powerful Sequence 5 Shepherd and demonstrates an unusual mixture of composure, boldness, and intense hatred toward the True Creator. His abrupt shift from calm rationality to violent condemnation makes him appear psychologically dangerous, even though his intentions are not hostile to the Tarot Club.
• Derrick: Shows lingering fear and suspicion toward Shepherds because of his past encounter with the True Creator’s influence. However, after Luther’s denunciation and Klein’s confirmation, he apologizes and becomes willing to share information.
• Alger: Quickly analyzes Luther’s pathway and realizes the enormous difference in strength between Luther and the rest of the club. He remains cautious and diplomatically questions Luther’s motives.
• Fors and Audrey: Recognize Luther as Kafka Anderson, someone connected to Mr. Fool whom they already consider trustworthy. Their prior familiarity prevents them from reacting as fearfully as the others.
• The Tarot Club: The members become aware that their newest member is far stronger than them, increasing both their sense of security and their unease.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus identity: Although the title “Shepherd” carries frightening associations, Luther’s true allegiance differs from what the others initially assume.
• Trust and verification: Luther must prove that he is not a True Creator worshipper, while Klein’s endorsement serves as the decisive confirmation.
• Power imbalance: Luther’s search for a Sequence 4 formula emphasizes how far above the other Tarot Club members he currently stands.
• Trauma and prejudice: Derrick’s immediate fear reflects how personal experience shapes his judgment, even when appearances may be misleading.
• Hidden dangers of the past: The mention of the Fourth Epoch tomb and Human Skin Shadows connects the club’s present activities to ancient, highly dangerous forces.
• Controlled madness: Luther’s extreme hatred and seamless return to calm suggest a troubling psychological instability, reinforcing the unsettling nature of high-level Beyonders.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein/Luther: Klein questions Luther about the Human Skin Shadows and later publicly supports his status as someone safe from the True Creator.
• Luther/Derrick: Derrick accuses Luther implicitly by reacting to his Shepherd identity; Luther responds by cursing the True Creator and explaining his hatred.
• Alger/Luther: Alger cautiously investigates why Luther wants the Black Knight formula and identifies his true Sequence.
• Fors and Audrey/Luther: Their recognition of Luther as Kafka Anderson causes them to trust him more readily than the rest of the group.
• Derrick/the Tarot Club: After apologizing for his suspicion, Derrick becomes the first person to offer a possible lead regarding the formula, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary

• Luther seeks a Black Knight formula: During the Tarot Club meeting, Temperance asks Sun whether he possesses the Sequence 4 Black Knight Potion formula. Sun explains that the formula belongs to Elder Lovia, a Sequence 5 Shepherd from the City of Silver, who is suspected of worshiping the True Creator. He reveals that Lovia obtained the formula by “accident” and gave it to the City of Silver after being released from imprisonment for proving she had not lost control.
• The City of Silver is revealed: Luther asks where the City of Silver is located, intending to find Lovia and take the formula if necessary. Sun explains that it lies within the Forsaken Land of the Gods, a region inaccessible from the outside world. Alger confirms this, increasing Luther’s awareness of Sun’s mysterious and unusual origins.
• Luther offers a large stock of Beyonder Characteristics: Since purchasing the Black Knight formula and ingredients would be expensive, Luther announces that he wants to sell numerous Beyonder Characteristics through the Tarot Club rather than attract attention by selling them in Backlund. His inventory includes Characteristics from the Judge, Devil, Rose Bishop, Psychiatrist, Shadow Ascetic, Listener, and Secrets Suppliant pathways.
• The Tarot Club is stunned: The sheer quantity of Luther’s collection leaves the members, including Klein, temporarily speechless. Audrey is especially surprised that he describes such valuable materials as merely “a batch.” Alger notices that many of the Characteristics belong to the Secrets Suppliant pathway and questions him about them.
• Luther reveals the source: Luther casually explains that he raided an Aurora Order stronghold and killed all its members, acquiring their Characteristics after their deaths. His detached attitude toward the massacre shocks the others, though he treats it as an ordinary transaction. He offers everything at market value, estimating the total worth at approximately 26,000 pounds.
• A sales list is created: Although no one immediately buys anything—mainly because the members have no current use for the higher-Sequence Characteristics—Alger asks for a precise inventory. Luther initially realizes he has no paper or pen, but Alger teaches him how to materialize objects above the gray fog. Luther then creates and hands over a detailed list.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Luther/Temperance is shown to be powerful, financially motivated, direct, and remarkably indifferent to violence. His casual disclosure that he exterminated an Aurora Order base further establishes him as unpredictable and formidable.
• Sun/Derrick provides information about Elder Lovia and the City of Silver but remains cautious about revealing details of his homeland.
• Alger/Hanged Man acts pragmatically, clarifying the City of Silver’s location and taking the lead in evaluating Luther’s inventory.
• Audrey/Justice responds with surprise and attempts to manage the exchange, but even her usual composure is shaken by Luther’s enormous stockpile.
• Klein/Mr. Fool remains mostly observant, though even he is surprised by the scale of Luther’s gains.

Significant Themes

• Power and danger beneath appearances: Luther’s seemingly ordinary business proposal conceals the scale of his combat achievements and the threat he represents.
• The hidden world’s vastness: The Forsaken Land of the Gods and the isolated City of Silver expand the Tarot Club’s understanding of the supernatural world.
• Moral detachment and pragmatism: Luther’s casual treatment of mass killing and Beyonder Characteristics highlights the morally ambiguous, transactional nature of the Beyonder world.
• Trust and secrecy: The members continue to exchange valuable information while carefully limiting what they reveal about their identities, origins, and capabilities.

Chapter Summary: “Mr. A Is Already Dead”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luther/“Temperance” presents the Tarot Club with a list of Beyonder Characteristics, including their Sequence names, potion requirements, and abilities. The items include powerful Characteristics such as Judge, Rose Bishop, Devil, Shadow Ascetic, and Psychiatrist.
• Alger/“Hanged Man” offers to help sell the Characteristics for a 10% commission. He also suggests hiring an Artisan to turn the more valuable Characteristics into Beyonder Items, which would increase their usefulness and market value.
• Luther agrees to Alger’s proposal, with Alger’s share rising to one-eighth of the profits when Artisan fees are deducted. They decide to sell cheaper Characteristics directly while processing more valuable ones into items.
• Audrey/“Justice,” Fors/“Magician,” and Derrick/“Sun,” through the silent interest of the others, express interest in purchasing the finished Beyonder Items. The items will first be offered to the Tarot Club members before being sold externally.
• During the free-discussion portion of the gathering, Audrey and Fors report that Mr. A, a leading figure of the Aurora Order in Backlund, has issued a bounty for the Fool and his followers.
• Luther reveals that Mr. A is already dead because he personally attacked and destroyed an Aurora Order stronghold in Backlund, killing Mr. A in the process. He explains that Mr. A was also a Shepherd, but Luther had the Fool’s protection while Mr. A relied on the True Creator.
• The conversation turns to the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Derrick reports that Elder Lovia has left the Round Tower after offering the Sequence 4 formula to the Council of Six in exchange for permission to leave.
• Alger argues that Derrick’s chief acted correctly by allowing opposing factions to coexist and maintain balance while the situation remains uncertain. Derrick objects that the True Creator is an evil god.

Character Developments

• Luther/Temperance: Demonstrates his growing influence and power by bringing valuable Characteristics to the gathering and negotiating confidently with Alger. His composure breaks when discussing Mr. A: his memories of Cecilia’s death reveal deep grief, trauma, and an emotional emptiness he cannot overcome.
• Alger/Hanged Man: Shows his calculating and commercially minded nature by arranging the sale and processing of the Characteristics. His desperation to earn enough money to advance to Wind-blessed explains why he accepts the risk of negotiating with a powerful Shepherd.
• Audrey/Justice: Displays enthusiasm for acquiring new abilities and takes an active role in the commercial opportunity. Her willingness to ask her parents for money shows her growing confidence and practical involvement in the supernatural world.
• Fors/Magician: Shows interest in the potential Beyonder Items but remains socially cautious and unable to contribute much news to the discussion.
• Derrick/Sun: Continues to report developments from the Forsaken Land of the Gods. His concern over Lovia’s departure and his moral objection to the True Creator reveal his continued loyalty to his community and his straightforward view of good and evil.
• The Fool: Remains calm and distant, allowing the members to discuss Luther’s actions without offering an explanation. His apparent confidence reinforces his mysterious authority.

Significant Themes

• Power and commerce: Beyonder Characteristics are treated as both dangerous supernatural resources and valuable commodities. The chapter explores how power can be bought, sold, processed, and strategically distributed.
• Pragmatism versus morality: Alger prioritizes survival and advancement, while Derrick focuses on the moral evil of the True Creator. Their disagreement reflects the difficulty of making ethical decisions in a dangerous and politically unstable world.
• Grief and emotional wounds: Luther’s reaction to Mr. A’s death reveals that his actions are connected to unresolved trauma over Cecilia’s death. His inner emptiness contrasts with his outward strength.
• Factional balance and uncertainty: The discussion of Lovia and the Forsaken Land emphasizes the importance of maintaining equilibrium between rival powers when the truth is unclear.
• The cost of supernatural power: Although the Characteristics promise extraordinary abilities, acquiring and using them involves danger, negative effects, financial pressure, and moral consequences.

Character Interactions

• Luther and Alger establish a business arrangement based on mutual benefit but underlying caution. Alger fears provoking Luther, while Luther recognizes Alger’s self-interest.
• Audrey, Fors, and the others quickly position themselves as potential buyers, showing the growing trust and cooperation within the Tarot Club.
• Audrey and Fors react with surprise and concern to Luther’s claim that he killed Mr. A, while the emotional force behind Luther’s statement silences further questioning.
• Alger advises Derrick on political strategy, arguing that his chief’s decision to tolerate rival factions is reasonable. Derrick’s resistance highlights the tension between practical survival and religious conviction.