Recaps

John announced the Swordsmanship Class results and awarded recommendations to the Swordsman Society. Fran declined hers to explore other schools, so Mason received the final recommendation and gained a chance to become an Advanced Apprentice.

• John announced that Fran, Bela, Mason, Lit, and Lotus had earned outstanding marks.
• John named Fran, Bela, and Lit as the three apprentices recommended to the Swordsman Society, disappointing Mason.
• Fran told John she did not want to join the Sword Chant School yet and wanted to learn about other schools.
• John respected Fran's choice, awarded her four Contribution Points, and offered her recommendation to the fourth-place candidate, Mason.
• Mason was overwhelmed with joy when John named him as the final recommendation recipient.

Fran exchanged for the Divination Art at the Night Sky Reading Club and used it to glimpse a future after killing Richter. The vision showed her burying the bodies near a gate at Cuilan Academy, but she remained uncertain why she seemed so carefree.

• Fran visited the Night Sky Reading Club to examine its spells and clarified that she had not joined the Sword Chant School.
• Lai explained that the Divination Art could extend a prediction only when the caster accurately imagined the immediate event, and Fran bought the spell.
• Haya told Fran that mastering the Divination Art was a prerequisite for the Prophecy Art and could lead her to the Astrology School.
• Fran used the spell to see herself burying Richter and the others near a gate at Cuilan Academy, then suffered a sharp headache.
• Fran wondered whether her future confidence came from school protection or from predicting her own actions, and considered whether the burial site itself was special.

Compat became president of the collapsing Pharmacist Association and tried to profit from its recovery, but theft and a rival supply of Energy Potions left it doomed. On the Association’s final day, he approved a land-development application for his friend, while Richter prepared a meeting connected to a secret about an apprentice’s sudden change.

• Compat was unexpectedly elected president after a dispute over embezzled funds, and his efforts to manage Energy Potion supplies briefly made the Association seem likely to recover.
• Compat discovered that money, ingredients, and potions were being stolen, while nearly two hundred cheaper Energy Potions appeared at the Apprentice Market and undercut the Association.
• On what he believed was the Association’s last day, Compat approved his friend’s application to develop a plot of land, unaware that two Construct School members were set to begin work there.
• Richter returned from the examination in forty-sixth place and confirmed that the land arrangements and delivery of an item to an apprentice were complete.
• Richter told his apprentice that he expected the recipient to come investigate his letter about the secret behind her sudden change, though he was prepared to find her himself.

Richter lured Fran to the wasteland and accused her of being an evil spirit inhabiting a body that had died once. Confident that his ranking and the Transmutation School’s magic made him superior, he threatened her and demanded the secret of her immortality, leaving Fran ready to fight.

• Richter dismissed Fran’s victory over a Sword Chant School teacher and told his apprentice that school-trained mages were far stronger than ordinary apprentices.
• Fran found Richter’s note, went to the wasteland, and recognized Richter and the apprentice waiting there.
• Richter showed Fran a Spirit Driving Scroll and accused her of being an evil spirit that had taken over a body after its original owner died.
• Fran realized Richter had sent the apprentice to kill the original owner and drew her sword, intending to deal with them.
• Richter showed Fran his Advanced Apprentice badge, boasted about his ranking, and demanded that she reveal the secret of her immortality.

Fran killed Richter and another apprentice, looted their bodies, and buried them in the wasteland. The next day, two Construct School apprentices arrived to compact the ground, noticed the disturbed soil, and decided not to investigate.

• Richter recognized that Fran knew his identity and, fearing she had prepared for him, summoned skeletons and attacked her.
• Fran boosted her strength, cut down the skeletons, and swiftly slashed Richter and the apprentice beside him across the neck.
• Fran waited until Richter was dead, searched both bodies for valuables, and buried them in pits.
• Two Construct School apprentices arrived the next day to compact the wasteland soil and noticed patches that looked recently dug.
• One apprentice warned the other that uncovering a corpse could make them scapegoats, so they chose to finish their work and leave.

After killing Richter, Fran examined the spoils he had left behind and considered how her foresight might have influenced the fight. She studied his Notebook, gained Transmutation Studies, and discovered that his examination reward was a Guide of the Spirit Realm.

• Fran decided to find a new place to live because her dorm was crowded with scrap, potion materials, and rubbish.
• Fran received a Star Gazing Art proficiency increase after killing Richter and wondered whether following her visions had boosted her power.
• Fran inspected Richter's three pieces of magical equipment, found that they worked, and put them aside rather than wearing or selling them.
• Fran read Richter's Notebook, learned about Transmutation techniques, and gained Transmutation Studies on her Panel.
• Fran opened Richter's Apprentice Examination Ranking reward and found a paper identifying its blue-glowing stone as a Guide of the Spirit Realm.

Fran asked Elan about mage schools and the Spirit Realm, hoping to learn enough to choose a path toward becoming a Formal Mage. Elan then told her that several new associations had been established, revealing a major development in the potion business.

• Fran asked Elan about his former school, and he said the Law School would not recruit for several years.
• Elan urged Fran to join the Sword Chant School, but Fran decided to investigate other schools before choosing one.
• Fran asked about the Spirit Realm, and Elan recommended that she take the Spirit Realm Inquiry course to learn about that path to becoming a Formal Mage.
• Elan took Fran to their secret meeting room and asked why she had not discussed the potion business with him.
• Fran mentioned the Pharmacist Association's shutdown, and Elan told her that several new associations had been established.

Elan told Fran that apothecaries were forming new associations after the old Pharmacist Association collapsed, then proposed starting one with her. When Fran said her supposed friends had joined other groups, Elan offered her orders for Healing Potions and Strength Potions from Antir nobles preparing for war, and Fran agreed to fill them if he supplied the materials.

• Elan explained that apothecaries faced higher material prices and were organizing new associations after the Pharmacist Association collapsed.
• Elan proposed that Fran gather her skilled friends and start an association, but Fran admitted they had apparently joined other groups.
• Elan revealed orders from Antir nobles preparing for war and explained that the orders called for Healing Potions and Strength Potions at profitable prices.
• Fran reviewed the quantities and deadlines, accepted the orders, and asked Elan to help obtain the materials.
• Elan agreed to provide the materials and began discussing how they would split the proceeds per potion.

Fran revised her crowded course schedule and chose an Elven Swordsmanship class through Bela’s access to the Sword Chant School’s courses. After Lai told her that the Weapon Forging class was recruiting for the first time in the City of Apprentices, Fran considered spending Contribution Points to get in.

• Fran dropped conflicting classes until eleven remained, then compared schedules with Bela and Lai.
• Bela explained that she had chosen four courses because Sword Chant School members focused on subjects needed to join their school.
• Bela showed Fran the school’s restricted instructional courses, and Fran replaced a general combat class with Elven Swordsmanship Instruction.
• Fran explained that she wanted to learn many skills and explore different schools before choosing one.
• Lai told Fran that Weapon Forging was recruiting for the first time in the City of Apprentices, and Fran learned she could use Contribution Points to join the full class.

Fran raised her Pharmacy to Extraordinary, discovered that she could brew stronger potions, and then used Star Gazing Art to glimpse herself building a Steam Engine in the future. She was left wondering why she would make an outdated machine when Magic Engines were far more powerful.

• Fran brewed three Strength Potions at once and raised her Pharmacy to Extraordinary, gaining the Miraculous Alchemist trait.
• Fran tested her new brewing ability, found that she could make potions more effectively, and produced a Strength Potion with about thirty percent greater effects by spending Mental Power.
• Fran decided to seal away the enhanced potions because there was no established market for them, then made part of the potion order.
• Fran used Star Gazing Art and saw a future scene of herself operating a Steam Engine.
• Fran stopped herself from using Divination Art because the vision was from too far in the future and left the reason for building the Steam Engine unknown.

Fran recognized that Ren and Aboyue were trying to provoke her into breaking Burnett’s rules so she would lose favor with the instructor. She avoided their trap during the Elven Swordsmanship lesson, leaving Aboyue’s plan unresolved.

• Ren swung at Fran and tried to bait her into retaliating, but she stood her ground and did not draw her sword.
• Fran asked Bela about Ren and Aboyue, then learned Aboyue had performed poorly in the assessment and suspected he had directed Ren’s provocation.
• Aboyue told Ren he wanted Fran to strike back so Burnett would think less of her, hoping to secure another year of individual training.
• Burnett warned the class that anyone who settled disputes through unauthorized fights would be barred from the course, and Fran understood the trap Ren had set.
• During Burnett’s demonstration of Elven Swordsmanship, Ren and Aboyue crowded Fran’s practice space, but Fran publicly asked them to move and Ren apologized.

Fran provoked a match with Aboyue after obtaining Elven Swordsmanship, and they agreed to settle their conflict with a Sword-Grip Duel. The match began with Aboyue taking a defensive stance while Fran launched an unorthodox jumping attack using Elven footwork she barely understood.

• Fran gained Elven Swordsmanship proficiency after Aboyue and Ren harassed her during practice.
• Fran struck Aboyue and requested a match, claiming they had a personal grudge.
• Fran chose a Sword-Grip Duel, and Aboyue angrily accepted.
• Burnett canceled class and warned them not to kill or permanently injure each other.
• Aboyue adopted his family's Iron Wall Swordsmanship stance, but Fran jumped forward with a forceful thrust that puzzled the watching apprentices and Burnett.

Fran practiced Elven Swordsmanship during her spar with Aboyue, then used its newly mastered aerial movement to defeat him. Burnett recognized her technique as Elven Swordsmanship.

• Fran used the spar with Aboyue to raise her Elven Swordsmanship proficiency while her attacks barely affected his defenses.
• Aboyue countered Fran with Triple Strike, but Fran blocked all three attacks using her quick reflexes, Breathing Technique, and Mental Power.
• Fran completed Elven Swordsmanship and gained the Elven Combat Style trait.
• Aboyue activated the Sword Chant School’s Sword Dance and prepared to counter Fran’s next attack.
• Fran changed direction in midair, struck Aboyue’s hip, and knocked the sword from his hands.
• Burnett identified Fran’s technique as Elven Swordsmanship, and Aboyue realized he had lost.

Fran defeated Aboyue but declined Burnett’s offer to join the Sword Song School, while Burnett mistook her sudden mastery of Elven Swordsmanship for a sign of elven blood. Ren then exposed Aboyue’s scheme to Burnett, who expelled him from class, leaving Ren free to compete for Burnett’s attention.

• Burnett asked whether Fran had elven blood and offered to teach her in the Sword Song School, but Fran said she wanted to see what the other schools were like first.
• Burnett made Fran and Aboyue apologize to each other and dismissed the apprentices after their sparring match.
• The apprentices discussed Fran’s victory as Aboyue waited for his injuries to ease, hoping she would join another school.
• Ren told Burnett about Aboyue’s scheme, and Burnett expelled Aboyue from class for framing a fellow apprentice.
• Ren watched Aboyue leave, believing his betrayal had removed his main rival for Burnett’s special attention.

Celine warned Elan that the Transmutation School believed Richter was dead and would investigate his missing Notebook, then urged Elan to join Harbos Roins’s newly founded Forge School. She proposed that Elan use his title as dean of Cuilan Academy to gain control of the City of Apprentices, beginning the Law School’s return there.

• Celine told Elan that Richter had disappeared and was presumed dead, and explained that the Transmutation School was investigating his missing Notebook.
• Celine said Richter was last seen entering his home after the assessment, and Elan joked that the delay would make it difficult to find evidence.
• Celine revealed that Fourth Order mage Harbos Roins had founded the Forge School and opened a Weapon Forging course in the City of Apprentices.
• Celine proposed that Elan join the Forge School and ask Harbos to help him turn his title as dean of Cuilan Academy into real authority.
• Celine told Elan that the Third Seat had approved her plan and that his success could mark the Law School’s return to the City of Apprentices.

Fran attended Ichi’s Spirit Realm Analysis class and entered the Spirit Realm, where she discovered a possible path to becoming a Spirit Realm Mage. The chapter left her consciousness sinking after mysterious writing appeared in a book inside a ruined church.

• Ichi explained the Spirit Realm and guided the apprentices through a Spirit Realm cruise using a Guide of the Spirit Realm.
• Fran arrived in a wasteland instead of the Spirit Realm counterpart of the City of Apprentices and saw a notification for the Spirit Realm Mage Profession.
• Fran headed toward a dilapidated building and discovered that it was laid out like a church, with a Divine Statue at its end.
• A battered book appeared on the table before the Divine Statue, and writing emerged on its blank first page when Fran looked at it.
• Fran’s consciousness began to sink before she could examine the writing.

After returning from a Spirit Realm voyage, Fran questioned Professor Ichi about Guides and the Spirit Realm trial. Ichi explained how the trial could make someone a Formal Mage, warned Fran about its dangers, and described how to find a Trial Key.

• Fran returned to the classroom after the Spirit Realm voyage, and Ichi warned the apprentices to travel only from safe places.
• Fran asked Ichi whether touching an unusual Spirit Realm object could affect her, and he said it might attach itself to her on a future voyage if it did not come back with her.
• Fran asked how to use a Guide of the Spirit Realm, and Ichi told her to touch it while silently reciting an incantation and to consult an atlas to locate its destination.
• Fran asked about the Spirit Realm trial, and Ichi explained that passing it granted a Formal Mage's power but bound the mage to the Spirit Realm and limited their access to spells.
• Ichi explained that a Trial Key appeared after many Spirit Realm explorations and revealed when the trial began, but warned Fran against pursuing the path.

Fran used Richter’s Spirit Realm Guide to enter a trial in a vast cave, where she found a mission to collect three pieces of jade. After discovering that she had taken on an unfamiliar body, she headed toward a distant river and encountered an armed man who attacked her.

• Fran identified the Spirit Realm Guide as a regional trial guide and decided to try it during her free day.
• Fran entered the Spirit Realm and broke out of a covering of dark red fragments in a glowing cave.
• Fran read the book’s mission to find three pieces of jade, with clues pointing to a companion, a dim place, and a river.
• Fran noticed she was taller, had a changed voice, and was wearing a different body, then started walking toward a distant river.
• A combat-worn man appeared, declared that he had found a companion, and charged at Fran.
• Fran formed a Wind Blade and prepared to fight back.

Fran defeated Roger when he attacked her in the Jade Corridor trial, then killed him and obtained a red piece of jade and his short sword. After Roger returned to the Spirit Realm Traveler chamber, he realized Fran had taken his weapon and vowed to expose her.

• Fran dodged Roger's attack, disarmed him in close combat, and pinned him to the ground.
• Roger told Fran that killing him would grant her a piece of jade, and Fran stabbed him in the neck.
• Fran collected the red jade and kept Roger's short sword, which had no enchantments.
• Roger woke in the Spirit Realm Traveler chamber and complained to his friend that a robed woman had tricked and killed him.
• Roger realized Fran had taken his Purple Edge and vowed to expose her in the papers.

Fran entered a dark region in the Jade Corridor and gained the Light Prayer skill from the glowing book she had taken from a church. She used the skill to illuminate the darkness and killed a Gloom Lizard that tried to ambush her.

• Fran followed the river to a pitch-black area and walked into it with a stolen short sword and the tattered book.
• Fran saw the book glow and gained the mastered Light Prayer skill after a sentence appeared in her mind.
• Fran used Light Prayer to create and throw balls of light, then continued through the darkness.
• A Gloom Lizard pursued Fran, unable to catch up with her until it sped up and charged.
• Fran’s light blinded the Gloom Lizard, and an attack tore it apart; its body vanished and left behind blue jade.

At the end of the river, Spirit Realm Travelers faced a powerful Vine Giant guarding the final jade stone, but mistrust kept them from cooperating. Velint realized a spellcaster and a melee fighter would need to work together, and waited to approach Fran, who had just reached the platform.

• The Vine Giant defeated another challenger and sealed the stone platform whenever it fought, leaving the Travelers wary of both the monster and one another.
• Turner asked who would challenge the Vine Giant, while the others refused to go first or work together.
• Velint observed that melee attacks damaged the vines but barely affected the stone, while fire spells wore down the rock, and concluded that a melee fighter and spellcaster needed to cooperate.
• Fran obtained the blue jade stone, killed several attackers who ambushed her along the river, and found that they seemed unable to talk or dodge until her attacks were already coming.
• Velint waited near the platform to stop newcomers before they reached the hostile crowd, then spotted Fran and recognized her as a likely spellcaster.

Fran, using the name Lai, joined forces with Velint after they compared their jade pieces and discussed the trial’s clues. As they headed for the platform, Fran defeated a Spirit Realm Traveler who ambushed her, while another attacker struck elsewhere in the group.

• Velint argued that the jade clue pointed to companions, and Fran showed her two jade pieces before giving the false name Lai.
• Velint and Fran agreed to work together and walked past the waiting Spirit Realm Travelers toward the platform.
• A Spirit Realm Traveler rushed Fran from behind, hoping to steal her jade and kill her near the finish.
• Fran knocked away his dagger and overpowered him with her sword, leaving him pinned in the dirt.
• Another Spirit Realm Traveler attacked at the same time.

After the Spirit Realm Travelers turned on one another, Fran and Velint teamed up to fight the Vine Giant on the platform. They defeated it with Fran’s Wind Blades, revealing a green jade split in two inside its chest.

• Several Spirit Realm Travelers killed their companions and stole their jade, scattering the crowd.
• Fran picked up the pouch left by her attacker, and Velint asked whether she could cast powerful spells repeatedly.
• Fran and Velint agreed that Velint would cut away the vines while Fran attacked the exposed parts of the Vine Giant.
• Velint and Fran damaged the Vine Giant’s shoulders and stomach, while Velint discovered that Fran was far stronger at magic than she was.
• Fran’s Wind Blade split the Vine Giant apart, revealing a green piece of jade divided in two in its chest.

Fran completed the trial settlement and received a Trial Key and the spell Hardened Scale Rock. She returned to the Material Realm with the key, a short sword, and a pouch of colorful crystals, but the battered book was missing.

• Fran checked the pouch taken from the person who had ambushed her, then recited the incantation to leave the trial.
• Fran read the settlement and received a Trial Key and a random spell, Hardened Scale Rock.
• Fran learned that the Brilliant Dream trial would open in about six months and kept the key without deciding whether to participate.
• Fran returned to the Material Realm and found the key, short sword, and pouch beside her, while the battered book was missing.

Fran delivered Healing Potions to Elan, who told her that battlefield orders now required large bottles of diluted potions. As Fran left the tavern with her payment, modified humans attacked her, and she killed them before Elan came out to offer help.

• Fran brought Elan a box of Healing Potions, collected her payment, and learned that future orders should use large bottles because the potions would be diluted for battlefield use.
• As Fran left the Emerald Heart Tavern, a modified human attacked her with a sword while another fired corrosive liquid at her.
• Fran killed the sword-wielding attacker with Sky Strike and killed the scroll-holder by throwing her short sword.
• Three more modified humans crawled toward Fran, and she stopped them with a Wind Blade.
• Elan came out of the tavern after the fight and asked Fran if she needed help, but she told him she did not.