Chapter Summaries

Bishop Gillian learned that Orc Tribes had blocked the roads around Snow Bear Territory, trapping the mercenaries and thieves, and decided to keep her followers in Snow Bear City while preparing for an attack. She remained uncertain about the mage working for Blake Snow Bear and whether the Northern Lands Society really existed.

• A Church Warrior told Gillian that Orc Tribes guarded the roads north and west, leaving the thieves trapped in Snow Bear Territory without a Star Gazing Mage to guide them through the forests.
• Gillian ordered a limited search of the territory and decided to keep most of her people in Snow Bear City in case the orcs attacked.
• Gillian reasoned that the orcs were likely guarding the roads to eliminate their competition rather than searching effectively for the thieves.
• Gillian asked what the Church had learned about the mage beside Blake Snow Bear, and the Church Warrior reported that she claimed to be a Battle Mage from the Northern Lands Society.
• Gillian heard conflicting accounts about whether the Northern Lands Society existed and was left uncertain when the Church Warrior could not answer.

Gillian assigned people to investigate Fran and uncover her secrets, while Parkerick and Liam worried that their contract had trapped them in a dangerous conflict. The mercenaries learned Fran might soon fight a Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents member and went to watch.

• Gillian ordered her people to test Fran, search her room, and question servants about what she had revealed.
• Parkerick and Liam discussed how to fulfill their contract without being punished or killed, and decided their safest hope was for the missing item to remain undiscovered for three months.
• Parkerick and Liam feared that Fran might be an Alliance mage whose presence could escalate the conflict across Snow Bear Territory.
• A mercenary reported that Fran was about to fight someone from the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents, and Parkerick and Liam stood up to investigate.

Fran entered a duel with a Church Warrior to study the power granted by the Goddess of Ocean Currents, while Bishop Gillian worried about what the fight might reveal. Blake used the public duel to make the town believe the Alliance was backing him, and the fighters prepared to begin.

• Fran stood in the Duel Arena with her sword lowered, eager to learn how the Church Warrior's divine power worked.
• Bishop Gillian watched Fran uneasily, puzzled that she had accepted the challenge so readily.
• Blake arranged for the duel to become a public spectacle so the town would think Fran, a Battle Mage from the Alliance, supported him.
• Gillian told the Church Warrior to focus on identifying Fran's techniques rather than winning, leaving him nervous about his task.
• Fran remained unconcerned with the Church's suspicions and prepared to see what power another Deity could grant.

Fran dueled a Church Warrior to investigate the abilities of combatants trained by a religious organization. After she overwhelmed him with her strength, he retreated and used a Breathing Technique, leaving Fran to wonder whether Church combatants also needed one to advance.

• The Church Warrior waited cautiously, wary of closing in on Fran, while the spectators watched in tense silence.
• Fran opened the duel with Sword Dance and struck the Church Warrior’s raised greatsword with enough force to make him crouch behind it.
• Fran pressed her attack, forcing the Church Warrior to retreat when his wrists began to ache from blocking her blows.
• Fran judged that the Church Warrior’s basic attributes were around those of a First Order knight and held back from using Sunflame because she wanted to study him.
• Fran noticed the Church Warrior change his breathing and wondered whether Church combatants also needed a Breathing Technique to advance.

Fran fought the Church Warrior as he used divine spells to strengthen himself and attack her. She countered his Torrent Slash with a Counter Shield, whose unusually powerful blast sent the duel toward its end and convinced him she was a Battle Mage of the Alliance.

• The Church Warrior prayed to the Goddess of Ocean Currents and cast Power of Ocean Currents, coating himself and his weapon in flowing energy.
• Fran blocked his wave-assisted charge while considering how believers might offset the cost of divine spells.
• The Church Warrior used Torrent Slash, and Fran cast Shield Spell with the Counter Shield technique to meet his attack.
• Fran's shield exploded with a shockwave far stronger than a normal Counter Shield, and the Church Warrior realized he had misjudged her and identified her as a Battle Mage of the Alliance.

Fran defeated the Church Warrior in the Duel Arena, while mercenary leaders Liam and Patrick concluded that the orcs were approaching and planned to exploit the coming battle. Bishop Gillian learned that Fran was an Alliance mage and decided to capture her for interrogation.

• Fran used Counter Shield to wound the Church Warrior, then won the duel and helped him to his feet.
• The Church Warrior recognized Fran as an Alliance mage, but Fran gave a vague explanation that she had come on a Northern Lands Society mission while waiting to advance.
• Liam and Patrick discussed reports that orcs were gathering nearby and believed the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents intended to fight them in the city.
• Patrick urged Liam to rally the mercenary squads, limit their losses, and search for the thing they had been hired to find after both sides were weakened.
• Gillian learned that her investigation had revealed little beyond Fran's Alliance identity and decided to capture Fran and interrogate her.

Bishop Gillian learned that Fran had vanished and that Blake was unprepared for the orc attack, so she ordered the Church to warn him. Meanwhile, Cole collected paper numbers from the Northern Lands Society’s featured selections and secretly stored them in his mana organ.

• Gillian learned that the Church could not find Fran and canceled the plan targeting her.
• A Church Warrior told Gillian that Blake was using most of his soldiers to capture magical beasts and seemed unaware of the coming orc attack.
• Gillian ordered people to explain the threat to Blake and reveal that the factions and orcs were searching for something.
• Cole noticed that Fallen Leaf Selection featured a different paper from the other selections and bought three publications.
• Cole secretly entered the recommended paper numbers into his mana organ’s storage before returning to his lodgings.

Vernon Chase learned that White Dragon Port and the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents were searching the Northern Territory, but he chose not to intervene because the Transmutation School lacked available forces. After reviewing information Cole obtained from the Northern Lands Society, Vernon found no trace of Harbos’s disciple Fran and examined the society’s featured papers, including Fran’s Fireball paper.

• Vernon Chase refused to send forces to the Northern Territory, saying the Transmutation School needed its members to maintain experiments and would stay put unless Third Order professionals were deployed.
• Scott suggested sending Cole to disrupt the other factions, but Vernon said Cole needed to watch Iris and was not capable of handling both tasks.
• Scott brought Vernon papers and mana information Cole had copied from the Northern Lands Society’s system, reporting that Cole had found no sign of Harbos’s disciple.
• Vernon said Iris was likely helping Fran conceal her identity and recalled that Harbos’s paper had stalled decisions on two major awards because the judges were divided.
• Vernon reviewed the Northern Lands Society’s featured papers and saw that Fran’s Fireball paper had one cover recommendation and no other featured recommendations.

Vernon read papers from the Northern Lands Society and found that their cross-school approach to research was superior to the Ocean Society’s restrictions. Fran’s paper, “Mathematical Analysis of Fireball,” caught his attention, and he began reading it with curiosity.

• Vernon read a paper about improving White Star Sand refinement with Soul-Repelling Copper and considered whether knowledge from other schools could help him reach the Fifth Order.
• Vernon dismissed the idea of joining the Northern Lands Society because it offered no teachings from other schools at the Third Order.
• Vernon compared the Northern Lands Society’s papers favorably with the Ocean Society’s, noting that its mages could draw on knowledge across schools.
• Vernon found Fran’s “Mathematical Analysis of Fireball,” became intrigued by its title, and turned to the paper’s text.

Vernon recognized that Fran’s mathematical analysis of Fireball could transform spell research and might help him advance to Fifth Order. He decided to ally with Iris and Harbos, telling Scott to contact Cole and arrange magical communication.

• Vernon read Fran’s Fireball paper carefully and realized its mathematical analysis was groundbreaking.
• Vernon considered how mathematics could make spellcasting more precise and inspire new experiments toward Fifth Order.
• Vernon decided to seek allies rather than promote the method alone within the Ocean Society.
• Vernon told Scott to ask Cole to inform Iris that he would stand with her and Harbos.

Fran encountered an Elf fighting a group of unusually strong skeletons in a forest clearing and watched the woman demonstrate Elven Swordsmanship. Curious about the Elf’s presence in the Northern Territory, Fran joined the fight with a striking display of the same technique.

• Fran found the road to the mine buried in snow and deliberately damaged, so she followed her map through the woods on Black Horse.
• Fran heard a fight nearby and chose the easier path toward it, arriving at a clearing where an Elf fought several skeletons.
• Two metal-boned skeletons charged at Fran while she observed the Elf’s skill against the others.
• Fran realized the Elf was using Elven Swordsmanship and wondered why an Elf was in the Northern Territory.
• Fran drew her sword, leaped into the air, and used Elven Swordsmanship to slash behind the two skeletons, startling the Elf.

Fran and Anna fought the skeletons together, then discussed Anna’s belief that Fran had Elf blood and learned why Anna had come to the Northern Territory. Fran revealed her Alliance commission to hunt an undead creature in the mines, and Anna reacted with alarm when she learned Fran was a mage.

• Fran and Anna defeated the skeletons, and Anna introduced herself as Fran’s kin because she sensed Elf blood in Fran.
• Anna explained that true Elven Swordsmanship used a special organ to sense and manipulate the air, while humans could not use an Elf organ even if it were transplanted.
• Anna said she had come ashore at White Dragon Port and traveled north with a team because she was a Ranger seeking work as an adventurer or mercenary.
• Fran told Anna she was an Alliance Battle Mage commissioned by the lord of Snow Bear Territory to hunt an undead creature in the mines.
• Anna’s hand trembled when Fran revealed she was a mage from the Alliance.

Fran and Anna discussed elven identity and the Alliance before agreeing to visit a mine together the next day. At the mine, Gavin watched the undead grow stronger and received a visit from his comrade Grant.

• Anna explained the Alliance’s history of excluding nonhumans and how elves in the Elven Archipelago and Elven Forest would treat someone like Fran.
• Anna asked to accompany Fran to the mine, and Fran agreed so Anna would have a chance to reveal her reasons for going.
• Fran set magical traps near their camp and fell into a light sleep.
• At the mine, Gavin saw the undead wandering outside and worried over his badly wounded former comrade.
• Gavin opened the door after hearing a secret knock and found Grant, a mage protected by a Shield Spell.

Grant told Gavin to dispose of their badly injured companion and planned to attack the mine at dawn to recover the living azure-blue box. With their squad shattered and the box guarded by a powerful Necro-Skeleton Mage, Grant and Gavin remained trapped in the gamble, while a faint blue glow appeared in Grant’s eyes.

• Grant asked Gavin where Anna had gone, and Gavin said she had fled after attracting the skeletons.
• Grant ordered Gavin to take their injured companion somewhere quiet and destroy the body so their enemies could not use a Prophecy Spell to identify them.
• Grant planned to wait until dawn, attack the undead on the surface, and return to the mine to retrieve the box.
• Gavin recalled how the box escaped their traps, how the skeletons grew stronger near it, and how the squad lost two members during its failed attack on the Necro-Skeleton Mage.
• Gavin stayed with Grant despite wanting to abandon the mission, and a faint blue glow shimmered in Grant’s pupils unnoticed.

Fran and Anna entered the mine to investigate the undead and encountered signs of a battle deeper inside. Fran continued toward the fighting despite Anna’s warnings, and they found seven skeletons guarding a passage.

• Fran and Anna entered the mine after finding skeleton remains scattered outside.
• Fran sensed an unexplained presence in the mine and heard fighting deeper underground.
• Anna sensed more than ten First Order skeletons ahead and urged Fran to retreat and request support, but Fran chose to investigate first.
• Fran dimmed her light as they approached the battle and spotted seven skeletons blocking a passage.
• Fran silently moved close to the skeletons while Anna followed, unable to warn her without giving them away.

Fran used the light from her sword to destroy seven skeletons blocking the passage in less than ten seconds, leaving Anna stunned by the Alliance Battle Mage’s strength. With the path clear, Anna reconsidered her plan to seek Alliance reinforcements.

• Fran crept behind the seven skeletons and attacked with her sword, whose bright light melted two of them before they could react.
• Fran pressed forward, killing a greatsword-wielding skeleton and then another with a thrust that caused its blue soulfire to explode.
• Fran swept aside fallen bones and cut down a skeleton armed with twin blades while Anna struggled to recover from the sword’s flash.
• Anna recognized Fran’s strength as a Battle Mage and decided they would need to change the original plan to call for Alliance reinforcements.
• Fran destroyed the shield-bearing and spear-wielding skeletons, clearing the passage as Anna compared her power with that of her former team.

Fran and Anna entered the mine and faced a mutated Necro-Skeleton Mage while Grant and Gavin fought its skeleton soldiers. As Grant tried to use Fran against the undead, Anna shot an arrow through his shield and into his neck.

• Anna warned Fran that Grant and Gavin might attack them and prepared her bow and dagger.
• Fran entered the mining chamber and saw an enormous, mutated Necro-Skeleton Mage with multiple soul fires.
• The Necro-Skeleton Mage unleashed an Undead Shriek, disrupting Grant and Gavin as they fought its skeleton soldiers.
• Gavin proposed that they join forces against the undead, while Grant watched Fran coldly and planned to deal with her afterward.
• A skeleton struck Grant's shield, and Anna's arrow pierced it and hit Grant in the neck.

Anna killed Grant and Gavin to prevent them from taking the item out of the mine and bringing ruin to the families of their dead teammates. She told Fran to focus on the Necro-Skeleton Mage, and Fran turned to face the undead.

• Anna shot Grant in the neck, killing him as Gavin watched in shock.
• A Skeleton Soldier struck Gavin, and Anna then seized him from behind and stabbed him in the chest.
• Anna explained that she had killed Gavin and Grant to stop them from handing the item to its owner or the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents.
• Anna told Fran she had cleared away the people in the way and urged her to kill the undead.
• Fran smiled and pointed her longsword at the Necro-Skeleton Mage.

Fran defeated the Necro-Skeleton Mage and its skeletons by resisting its shrieks, spreading Dragon Flame across its ribs, and destroying its soulfires with her glowing sword. Anna watched the fight in shock and realized the undead had all fallen.

• The Necro-Skeleton Mage commanded its skeletons to attack Fran, but she dodged their strikes and destroyed them with her glowing sword.
• The mage released a powerful Undead Shriek that staggered Anna, while Fran blocked the blue wave with Sword Dance.
• Fran hit the mage's lower chest with a fireball and used Dragon Flame to spread fire across its ribs.
• The mage sacrificed the soulfires of several skeletons to extinguish the Dragon Flame, but Fran leaped in and shattered its soulfires with her sword.
• Fran destroyed every soulfire on the mage and defeated the remaining skeletons, leaving Anna to ask if the battle was over.

After defeating the Necro-Skeleton Mage, Fran confronted Anna over the stolen item hidden in a deep-blue chest. Anna explained the theft and why the item mattered, but the conversation ended when one of her dead former teammates rose again.

• Fran pointed her sword at Anna and demanded to know what she knew about the item sought by the Lord of White Dragon Port and the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents.
• Anna admitted she had joined the team that stole the item and said its pursuers would use a Prophecy Spell to hunt down the thieves and their families.
• Anna explained that Elves were treated as ill omens outside the Alliance and that she had disguised her ears while posing as a mercenary in White Dragon Port.
• Fran lowered her sword and asked what the stolen item was, but Anna sensed danger and warned her to watch out.
• One of Anna's dead former teammates rose with an arrow in his neck, surrounded by a frightening magical aura.