Chapter Summaries

Fran traded gold with Ivan and Alwen for Profession advancement knowledge, then returned home to find Iris using her house as a secret laboratory. Iris recruited Fran to assist with a confidential Alchemy School project involving the Cult of the Sky Dragon.

• Fran used an All-Spirit Contract and Drops of True Knowledge to verify the advancement knowledge Ivan and Alwen provided in exchange for gold.
• Ivan and Alwen finished counting their payment as the banquet ended, and Fran flew back to her residence.
• Fran found Iris conducting experiments in a secluded laboratory built inside her house and agreed to assist her.
• Iris gave Fran a heavily redacted document and limited her clearance to the instructions on page seventy-nine.
• Iris told Fran the secret project concerned the Cult of the Sky Dragon and that Fran would encounter it later.

Fran tested a coating designed to detect a Deity and discovered that treating it with Sacred Binding Word made it far more sensitive. She suspected The Alliance was preparing to attack the Sky Dragon and wondered if Number Nine Floating City was moving toward the Deity instead of the other way around.

• Fran tested the coating against spells and Divine Power, but only Sacred Binding Word caused it to react.
• Fran visited the Divine Temple, where the Lord of Radiance used Divine Power to identify a treatment that could improve the coating.
• Fran followed the Lord of Radiance's advice and found that turning the coating gray made it heat up and turn blue near the Divine Statue.
• Fran connected the Alchemy School's work to a possible plan against the Sky Dragon and considered whether The Alliance was preparing to strike first.
• Fran decided to investigate Number Nine Floating City's movements and the locations of the Cult of the Sky Dragon's Floating Isles to verify her theory.

Fran entered her sixth Duel Arena match against Edmund, who tried to counter her fast casting with a shield ring and an acid spell. She trapped him with Heart of Quicksand and revealed that she could fly, leaving Edmund certain she would win the duel 3–0.

• Jasper's friends waited outside the arena, and Jasper kept quiet about Fran's easy 3–0 victory over him.
• Fran met Edmund in the familiar arena, where he asked about her five straight wins and learned she cast quickly.
• At the start of the duel, Fran's Greater Fireball triggered Edmund's Elemental Shield ring before he could finish channeling Powerful Acid Stream.
• Edmund fired his acid spell through the smoke, but Fran caught him in Heart of Quicksand while he searched for her.
• Edmund spotted Fran hovering overhead as the sand engulfed him and realized she would defeat him 3–0.

Edmund described how Fran defeated him 3–0 with fast spells and effortless flight, convincing the other mages they could not beat her. Fran learned that her high point total might leave her without an opponent the next day, so she arranged to challenge again the afternoon after that.

• Edmund told his friends that Fran's rapid casting and flight had overwhelmed his defenses and won all three rounds.
• The mages discussed possible counters, but agreed that their own flight and defenses gave them little chance against Fran and decided to stop booking duels for a few days.
• Jasper asked his friends to pay him the gold he had won betting against Edmund.
• A Duel Arena staff member told Fran that no nearby mage was likely to accept her challenge the next day because her points had risen so high and others had booked matches.
• Fran asked to book a duel for the afternoon after tomorrow with the same challenge request, and the staff member agreed.

Fran reviewed the Profession promotion methods she had collected and assessed which ones she and Anna could pursue. She planned to seek a Ranger-oriented method for Anna, while considering several other promotions for herself.

• Fran accepted that she could not duel that day and noted she needed thirty consecutive 3:0 victories to qualify for the Main Tournament.
• Fran reviewed Alwen’s Alchemist methods and prepared to pursue Esoteric Lore Alchemist by recording valuable hidden knowledge in a booklet.
• Fran learned that the heretical Secret Wordspeaker ritual could unlock another Profession, but decided to wait until she reached Third Order.
• Fran rejected Destruction Knight, considered training for Passionate Warrior, and identified Elemental Scout as a practical advancement for Anna and herself.
• Fran examined the Sword Saint requirements and realized she would need to raise three sword arts to Extraordinary, despite only having Elven Swordsmanship at Mastery.

Fran covertly scattered small devices around the Floating City and quickly assembled a Deity-detecting sensor for Iris’s classified project. She also proposed turning the Mana Communication System into a personal messaging and calling network, leaving Forrest excited by its commercial potential.

• Iris assigned Fran ten days to secretly hide light-blue devices throughout the Floating City and told her she might need to make several versions of a Deity-detecting sensor.
• Fran assembled the sensor rapidly using her alchemical skill, and Iris took it away for testing at one in the morning.
• Fran explained to Forrest that selling only the Mana Communication System to societies would not make the project profitable because their storage consumed too much system power.
• Fran presented a plan for a personal messaging and calling network that connected terminals through mana pipelines.
• Fran proposed that users supply mental power when making calls and pay monthly service fees, and Forrest grew enthusiastic about the idea.

Fran proposed building a mana-powered fixed communication network across Number Nine Floating City and planned to use the Felistin Family’s resources to launch it. She secured Camilla’s agreement to assist while continuing to keep Philly away from her family.

• Fran explained the communication network plan to Forrest, who warned that the project was too broad for them to handle alone.
• Fran told Forrest she would enlist the Felistin Family, secure The Alliance’s pipeline approval through the Construct School, and replace the family as a partner after the Champion Mage Challenge.
• Fran arrived secretly at Felistin Manor and used her Second Order mage pressure to make the attendants summon Camilla.
• Camilla asked about Philly, and Fran said Philly was busy with important work and could not visit.
• Fran gave Camilla the project’s assistance terms, and Camilla agreed that the Felistin Family would help while Fran refused to arrange a meeting with Philly.

Lexi reviewed the secret project testing Eternal Shells and learned that Iris had successfully made a Deity-detection sensor on her first attempt, prompting Lexi to investigate her assignment. Fran worked on advancing her Alchemist Profession by recording concealed information and confirmed that her secrets met the required standard.

• Lexi supervised the Eternal Shell project and learned that three newly commissioned Deity-detection sensors, along with one stored device, had passed testing.
• Lexi traced a successful first-attempt sensor to Iris and was surprised to find her listed as an ordinary mage rather than among the Alchemy School's seated members.
• Lexi decided to contact Iris or visit her and considered assigning her additional work suited to a Fourth Order mage.
• Fran returned home to advance her Alchemist Profession and wrote down carefully selected concealed information without including secrets about herself, The Alliance, or her previous life.
• Fran tested her record with black liquid, which revealed a multicolored black surface and confirmed that the concealed information exceeded the required standard.

Fran promoted her Esoteric Lore Alchemist Profession to the Second Order and discovered that Knowledge Control let her attach costs and Divine Power to knowledge recorded in the Hidden Knowledge booklet. Meanwhile, Xiya arrived at Number Nine Floating City and noticed a Gold Coin was missing from her luggage.

• Fran wrote her experimental Skull of the Believer concept in the Hidden Knowledge booklet and advanced to Esoteric Lore Alchemist (Two Stars).
• Fran used Knowledge Control to make readers pay a price for learning her knowledge, discovered that the effect consumed her Divine Power, and considered the trait's uses for sealing knowledge, combat, and tracking.
• Fran decided to treat the profession as a prerequisite for Secret Wordspeaker and planned to learn the Elemental Scout profession next.
• Xiya arrived at Number Nine Floating City with Ruge Felistin and noticed that one Gold Coin had vanished from her luggage.
• Xiya gave up on filing a complaint and continued toward the security inspection as the lost Gold Coin fell beneath the floating city and shattered.

Fran visited the Alliance office in Number Nine Floating City to request expedited approval for building her equipment. While reviewing her records, an Alliance mage discovered her hidden connection to the Antir Region and the Territory Mage research, then considered selling the information for profit.

• Fran flew to the Alliance office and submitted applications to build her equipment throughout Number Nine Floating City.
• An Alliance mage checked Fran’s award record and found her earlier application to claim territory in the Antir Region.
• The mage connected Fran’s Northern Lands Society affiliation and Antir application to the Territory Mage paper and realized she might know its author.
• The mage imagined selling his discovery for ten thousand gold coins but concealed his delay with an excuse.
• Fran told the mage to process her applications within three days and left.

Fran discovered an unexplained footprint leading into her house and warned Iris that someone might be inside the top-secret laboratory. They found Lexi there, who explained her visit and offered Iris responsibility for coordinating the Floating City's power system.

• Fran spotted a gray footprint leading into her open house, prepared for a fight, and flew to fetch Iris instead of entering.
• Iris rushed back with Fran and used several Wonder Items to immobilize the area, but Lexi called for them not to attack.
• Lexi explained that she had come to see Iris about a completed secret project and showed her identification as its project leader.
• Lexi asked Iris to take charge of coordinating the Floating City's power system, and Iris accepted the important assignment.
• Fran saw an opportunity to learn more from Iris's new responsibility.

Fran received an unusual invitation from the Transmutation School and decided to attend its academic exchange banquet, hoping to gain advanced transmutation knowledge. At the banquet, Xiya found her and sat down to speak with her.

• Iris left Fran to finish scattering devices around the floating city and promised to call her in when she needed help.
• A messenger from The Alliance delivered Fran an invitation to a Transmutation School academic exchange banquet, which mentioned her paper and the Gold Alchemy Award.
• Fran decided to attend, hoping to learn more about advancing her transmutation abilities while keeping a distance from the Transmutation School's Chief.
• Fran won her seventh 3:0 qualifier match with Enhanced Wind Blade and Greater Fireball, bringing her Contribution Points to 85.
• Fran arrived at Silver-Scale Manor wearing her Northern Lands Society robe, and the guests speculated about why the Transmutation School had come to Number Nine Floating City.
• Xiya approached Fran, asked to sit with her, and joined her to listen to the exchange conference.

Fran attended a Transmutation School exchange where Ruge Felistin openly taught his award-winning Winged Dragon transmutation research. The lecture exposed Fran’s prior study of the field and left Xiya realizing Fran had acquired a Transmutation School sequence.

• Xiya asked Fran whether she missed the Northern Lands Society’s open exchange model, and Fran questioned whether the Transmutation School wanted to loosen restrictions on knowledge.
• Fran warned Xiya that open access could let another school surpass the school that developed a technique, while Xiya argued that rank bonuses would protect them.
• Ruge Felistin introduced his award-winning work on transmuting a Winged Dragon and taught the gathered mages Transmutation School knowledge at Vernon’s instruction.
• Fran asked Xiya to explain unfamiliar technical terms, then revealed that she had bought the [Song of the Deep Sea] transmutation sequence with military merit.
• Xiya recognized the Siren’s voice and the fluctuations in Fran’s throat, then froze in shock.

Fran demonstrated her flawless Siren vocal-cord transplant to Xiya, who realized the Alchemy School mage had mastered First Order organ modification with extraordinary speed. Xiya invited Fran to publish her paper through the Transmutation School, and Fran agreed while asking to study some of its knowledge.

• Xiya recognized that Fran had performed a flawless Transmutation Surgery and was shocked that an Alchemy School mage had completed First Order organ modification so quickly.
• Fran told Xiya that she had studied the Transmutation School’s knowledge on her own, and Xiya confirmed that doing so did not violate the school’s rules.
• Fran asked Xiya to explain why she had been invited, and Xiya said her mentor, Vernon, admired Fran’s paper and wanted her to give an academic lecture.
• Fran declined to lecture because she was busy, so Xiya asked whether she would publish her paper through the Transmutation School.
• Fran agreed to publish the paper and asked to view the school’s knowledge; Xiya granted access to some material but said other parts were restricted.

After Fran left the academic conference, Xiya reported to Vernon that Fran had agreed to his conditions and described her unusual talent, prompting him to warn Xiya not to push her to change schools. Back home, Fran found Iris waiting and was recruited to help with Iris’s troubled work in the Floating City’s power department.

• Fran left the conference after finding that the mages’ understanding of Ruge’s explanation was shallow and Ruge had disappeared.
• Xiya told Vernon that Fran had accepted his basic conditions and described Fran’s successful integration of a Modified Organ.
• Vernon assessed Fran as exceptionally promising but told Xiya to coordinate with her without trying to recruit her away from the Alchemy School.
• Fran returned home and found Iris, who asked her to reduce her banquet attendance and become her confidant.
• Iris told Fran to report to the second basement level of the Mage Tower the next morning to help with her work in the Floating City’s power department.

Fran extended her Duel Arena winning streak to nine 3:0 victories and prepared to keep her fighting methods hidden as other mages began countering her style. Warren deliberately arranged to face her, hoping to break her perfect streak and gain fame, while Fran accepted the unexpectedly prompt match without knowing his motive.

• Fran considered future countermeasures, decided to carry a bat and protective Spell Rings, and planned to make rune equipment to improve her speed, stealth, and combat ability.
• A staff member told Fran that her next duel application had been accepted because Warren had arrived to challenge her shortly after she submitted it.
• Warren showed his friends Fran's match record, and Harvey recognized her as the mage with nine consecutive 3:0 victories.
• Warren revealed that he had deliberately timed his application to face Fran and hoped to take one round from her, breaking her 3:0 streak and gaining recognition.

Camilla introduced Calista to the Felistin Family’s new cable-connected communication terminals, which quickly sold out across the Floating City. Seeing Fran’s unusual efforts on behalf of the family, Camilla concluded that Fran was interested in Philly and wanted to separate her from the Felistin Family, though she had no way to act on her theory.

• Camilla demonstrated the communication terminal to Calista, who bought four after confirming cables would reach her residence.
• Calista recognized the terminals’ advantages over other communication tools and expected them to become the Floating City’s main means of communication.
• Camilla learned that nearly eight hundred terminals had sold out in three days and that buyers had already purchased premium service plans.
• Camilla reviewed Fran’s profit-sharing agreement and wondered why Fran had helped the Felistin Family while keeping her distance.
• Camilla connected Fran’s changed behavior to Philly and guessed that Fran was interested in her younger sister and wanted to cut ties with the family.

Fran arrived at Number Nine Floating City’s Mage Tower to help Iris inspect the Magic Inscriptions that supported the city’s suspension and prepare them for high-power movement. After Iris left Fran to supervise the uncooperative mages, Fran sought out the group’s best inscription expert, Henry.

• Fran used Iris’s special identification badge to pass the Mage Tower’s security checks and reached the power department.
• Iris showed Fran a top-secret assignment to inspect the Magic Inscriptions and prepare for the floating city’s high-power movement.
• Iris told Fran that the mages would not properly record their inspections, then left Fran to supervise them while she handled other matters.
• Fran ordered the mages back to work and considered how to make the inspection progress faster.
• Fran asked who was best at Magic Inscriptions, and a mage identified Henry as a nominee for the Construct School’s [Magic Barrier Award].

Fran used Henry’s expertise to learn Magic Inscription while investigating irregularities in the Floating City’s power department. She reorganized the stalled inspections and left the mages with a formal record of their work, while Owen privately reassured them that he would review the results.

• Fran ordered Henry to explain the Magic Inscriptions, and his detailed lecture raised her Magic Inscription proficiency to Mastery.
• Fran studied the wall, noted unusual inscriptions, and designed inspection forms with more than a dozen criteria.
• Fran ordered each mage to inspect at least three walls by six o’clock and warned that the forms would document any failure to obey.
• After Fran left, the mages panicked that she might uncover their wrongdoing, but Owen told them to follow her orders and let him review the completed inspections.

Warren faced Fran in the Duel Arena, hoping to win just one round and earn a reputation that would secure him more funding. After Fran took the first two rounds, Warren planned to unleash three prepared Spell Rings in the third.

• Warren's two friends arrived before the duel and speculated about Fran's age and experience.
• Fran quickly defeated Warren in the first round after he used Steel Skin to test her casting speed.
• Warren drank an agility potion to test Fran's aim, but she anticipated his movements with Enhanced Wind Blades and won the second round.
• Warren concluded that Fran's casting speed and accuracy had foiled his tactics, then prepared three Spell Rings for the third round.