Recaps

Sylutia arrived in Mishir District as Hedra and met the local Mage Tower staff, whose members were dazzled by her impeccable noble manners. Master Segna gave her a month to study his research materials before he would assign her a task, while arranging her residence and work at the Mage Guild.

• Sylutia arrived in Mishir District dressed elegantly and introduced herself to the staff sent to receive Hedra.
• When the staff had too few vehicles for her entourage, Sylutia sent attendants to arrange more and learned about the district while waiting at a café.
• Sylutia learned that four other young assistants worked under Master Segna and traveled with her entourage to the Mage Guild.
• Master Segna met Sylutia, explained that he was seeking a successor to preserve his industrial research, and gave her three Memory Gems to study within a month.
• Master Segna assigned Sylutia assessment and scoring work at the Mage Guild, arranged a mansion for her, and returned to his workshop.

Sylutia spent a month studying Master Segna’s locomotive designs and impressed him with her knowledge and practical skill, earning a second test: improve one of his five models and build a finished vehicle within three months. As she learned how Mishir District’s Sculpting Locomotives could fall behind rival schools, Lord Pavis and other assistants plotted to undermine her during the next test.

• Sylutia organized her companions to investigate Mishir District while she studied Master Segna’s materials and consulted local experts.
• Sylutia passed Master Segna’s assessment by explaining the Lion Head chassis and crafting a Blue Sparrow Feather side panel.
• Master Segna gave Sylutia a three-month assignment to improve one of five locomotive models and produce a finished vehicle, promising to teach her secret techniques if she succeeded.
• Master Segna explained the strengths of the Alliance’s four main locomotive centers, and Sylutia recognized Mishir District’s lack of an irreplaceable advantage.
• Lord Pavis and the other assistants decided to plant people in Sylutia’s workshop and gather false evidence that she cheated.

After taking a few days to rest in Mishir District, Sylutia began Master Segna’s second assessment: improving the Mockingbird steam locomotive with the help of Sheria Workshop. As she started her work, the Inspection Department caught people secretly recording her and uncovered interference from other deputies.

• Sylutia shopped with Cheris, bought gifts for the Griffin family, and mailed them back to Quebes.
• After three days of rest, Sylutia went with Cheris and her team to Sheria Workshop to begin the Mockingbird locomotive assessment.
• Sylutia toured the workshop and learned about its staff, production process, and the Mockingbird locomotive’s design and capabilities.
• Sylutia spent a week studying the production process, then began putting her improvement plans into action two weeks later.
• The Inspection Department caught people attempting to record Sylutia and learned under interrogation who had directed them.
• Sylutia realized that the other deputies might be the greatest obstacle to completing the assessment.

Sylutia uncovered that Pavis had likely ordered three apprentices to spy on Master Segna’s workshop, then discreetly handed them to the Mage Guild and informed Master Segna. With the workshop temporarily quiet, she reconsidered her locomotive research and chose an Astral Realm force-field design for a new vehicle called the Levitation Flyer.

• Sylutia learned that three workshop apprentices had been recruited by Pavis of the Sculpting School to record information, and she sent them blindfolded to the Mage Guild for investigation.
• Sylutia reported the incident to Master Segna, who gave her a handmade Silver-Maned Lion Chariot before hurrying off to question the other assistants.
• Sylutia received word that Master Segna had assigned tasks and assessments to the assistants, leaving her time to research a new Steam Locomotive.
• Sylutia struggled to improve the Mockingbird design until she learned how other assistants had incorporated their own schools’ strengths into their locomotives.
• Sylutia devised several possible designs and chose to develop the Levitation Flyer, which would briefly float using an Astral Realm force field.

Sylutia completed Mockingbird: Starry Sky, an advanced levitating steam locomotive, and impressed Master Segna enough that he chose her as his successor. After the Sculpting School protested her appointment, Mithril Clock leaders secured the transition with a show of force and generous promises, and Sylutia formally became Mishir District’s Tower Guardian Mage and Mage Guild head.

• Sylutia finished Mockingbird: Starry Sky and demonstrated its quiet operation, levitation, smooth handling, and advanced instrument panel to Master Segna.
• Master Segna praised Hedra’s work, asked her to take over his positions and protect the Sculpting School’s interests, and told her to prepare the academy for the transition.
• Three days later, Master Segna announced that he was retiring and appointing Miss Hedra as Tower Guardian Mage and head of the Mishir District Mage Guild, prompting fierce protests from Sculpting School members.
• Master Segna and Mithril Clock masters used mental pressure to quiet the meeting, and Master Bennett promised the Sculpting School continued appointments, subsidies, shared technologies, and a share of profits.
• Sylutia ascended the dais and received the staff imbued with Castle Aspect Power from Master Segna.

After taking over Mishir District, Sylutia gained temporary access to the authority of a tower-guarding mage and helped launch the successful Mockingbird: Starry Sky Steam Locomotive. The Alliance Council’s rare public praise and a wave of newspaper coverage made Hedra famous throughout the Mage Alliance, while Sylutia’s beauty became a focus of public fascination.

• After a week of farewell ceremonies for Master Segna, the Mithril Clock School sent assistants to help Sylutia manage Mishir District while she focused on Steam Locomotives.
• Over the following half year, Sylutia studied Master Segna’s records and gradually received full authority over Mishir District from him.
• Sylutia used the district’s scepter to experience the power of a Sixth Order tower-guarding mage, then relinquished it and returned to her usual Fourth Order state.
• At Mishir District’s spring vehicle exhibition, the Mockingbird: Starry Sky drew widespread attention and received more than ten thousand orders within three months.
• The Alliance Council issued a rare announcement signed by five Sages, praising Hedra’s work and prompting even more people across the Alliance to follow her.
• After an early-summer interview captured Sylutia in high-definition images, newspapers published new portraits of Hedra and fueled widespread fascination with her appearance.

Sylutia struggled to meet overwhelming demand for the Mockingbird: Starry Sky as limited production fueled rumors and inflated resale prices. She recruited and trained skilled mages, raising the projected annual output and leaving the Mishir District racing to expand production further.

• Sylutia received another request from a prominent figure to reserve a Mockingbird: Starry Sky and learned that worker training had been delayed by the first production line's demands.
• Cheris explained that limited supply had sparked dissatisfaction and rumors that the Mishir District was deliberately withholding cars or exaggerating its promises.
• Sylutia decided to train successors so she would not remain tied to her position indefinitely, while still fulfilling her responsibilities.
• The Mishir District invited talented mages to help develop and manufacture the cars, and Sylutia assessed applicants and organized their training.
• The new recruits mastered the manufacturing techniques and raised projected annual output from three thousand cars to five thousand.
• Sylutia learned that orders far exceeded supply and that black-market prices topped two hundred thousand gold coins per car, making further expansion urgent.

Aitos visited Amelia, a young Fifth Order mage who had spent her life isolated in the Tower of All Things, and told her about Hedra, whom she hoped would become her companion. After Aitos left, Amelia counted the time until their eventual meeting.

• Aitos entered the Mage Alliance's sealed Grand Library and climbed to the 567th floor, where he found Amelia asleep.
• Amelia woke and called Aitos her master, but he corrected her and then told her about recent events in the Alliance.
• Amelia asked about Hedra, and Aitos said she might become Amelia's companion and classmate, though it could be several years before she arrived.
• Aitos showed Amelia a newspaper featuring Sylutia, and Amelia eagerly asked if she could call Hedra Little Sister Hedra.
• Aitos shared stories about the Alliance and academy before saying goodbye and promising to return in two months.
• After Aitos departed, Amelia hugged a pillow and counted the time until she could meet Hedra.

Sylutia trained new recruits for vehicle production as many Mages advanced through practical work. Meanwhile, Rogers used the secret art she had given him to become a Third Order Mage, then tested his new power in the desert.

• Sylutia divided recruits into twelve classes and trained them for vehicle manufacturing, while experienced Mages helped teach.
• Rogers returned from a desert-lizard mission with two hundred gold coins saved for his advancement and recalled how Sylutia had rescued him and given him a secret advancement art.
• Rogers left the tavern and entered a hidden underground dwelling in the desert to prepare an advancement ritual using obsidian and other materials.
• Rogers completed the ritual, entered Third Order, and formed the Core Card [Obsidian Furnace].
• After resting and stabilizing his power, Rogers emerged from the dwelling and blasted a large crater in a dune with an obsidian spell.

Sylutia received a package and letter from Thetis Academy recognizing her as a fourth-year student and sending advanced study materials, rare gemstones, and a powerful magic staff. The Academy explained her studies and duties, invited her to consider the upcoming competition, and Sylutia decided she needed a better storage tool.

• Cheris brought Sylutia a sealed package from Thetis Academy, and Sylutia opened it to find books, a badge, gemstones, a magic staff, and a letter from Senior Da Vinci.
• Senior Da Vinci told Sylutia that the Academy had waived her assessment, granted her fourth-year status, and sent advanced disciplines and rewards in recognition of her achievements.
• Senior Da Vinci explained that Sylutia would likely remain in Mishir District for another year and could choose whether to prepare for the Academy competition at the end of the year.
• Sylutia examined the six rare gemstones and realized they could provide much of what she needed to advance to the Fifth Order.
• Sylutia inspected Professor Refas's Stars Magic Staff and discovered that it could slow time within a hundred-meter radius for three seconds.
• Sylutia carefully put the gifts away and decided that her Griffin Feather Key was no longer enough storage.

A sealed package from Hedra arrived at the Griffin household in Quebes, where her growing status had elevated the family’s standing. After reading her letter and examining the gifts, Mr. Alanfude and Madam Haye put them away, while another letter was delivered to a solitary tower outside the city.

• A messenger from the Branch-Holding Bird delivered Hedra’s sealed iron box to Mr. Alanfude and Madam Haye.
• Madam Haye recalled how Hedra’s gifts and appointment as a Fourth Order Mage had raised the Griffin Family’s status in Quebes.
• Mr. Alanfude opened the box and found a poetry collection, four protective Magic Orbs, a Light-Washing Elixir, and a letter from Sylutia explaining the gifts.
• Mr. Alanfude and Madam Haye stored the collection, planned to distribute the Magic Orbs, and reserved the elixir for Eliel and Ecol.
• The messenger collected Mr. Alanfude’s receipt and left, while a thick letter was delivered to a solitary tower outside Quebes.

Sylutia reviewed the prosperity her Mockingbird: Starry Sky brought to Mishir District before meeting her old friend Xinke, now a rising Opera School Mage. Xinke explained that she would study Bard arts with the Harp Flower Union for a possible role connecting it with the Mage Alliance, while Sylutia reflected on her Bard ancestor and the possibilities of travel.

• Sylutia reviewed Mishir District’s rising revenues and the profits from her Mockingbird: Starry Sky, then fell asleep at her desk.
• Cheris told Sylutia that Xinke had arrived, and Sylutia went to welcome her longtime friend.
• Sylutia and Xinke reminisced as they walked through the courtyard, and Xinke explained she was traveling with her mentor to perform and exchange knowledge with the Harp Flower Union.
• Xinke told Sylutia that the Mage Alliance planned to exchange schools’ secret arts with the Harp Flower Union and that she might stay there for several years as a liaison.
• Sylutia reflected on her ancestor’s origins as the Bard profession’s founder while Xinke spoke about traveling, learning, and living without limits.

Dusty Gale celebrated the third anniversary of the guidance and secret art that transformed its strength, as leader Meng Jiusi demonstrated its body-inscribed spellcasting. In the months afterward, Dusty Gale grew into a regional power and clashed with Blanur’s other leading factions.

• Dusty Gale’s membership and strength rose sharply after it gained a superior cultivation system, making it one of Blanur’s three strongest powers.
• Meng Jiusi prepared a celebration at Dusty Gale’s headquarters to mark three years since a powerful benefactor taught him the faction’s secret art.
• Meng Jiusi bowed before Dusty Gale’s sacred relic and demonstrated how he used the totem runes on his body to cast spells.
• Meng Jiusi’s wind-pitons destroyed an abandoned house, and the gathered members cheered as a new member recorded the demonstration.
• Over the following months, Dusty Gale challenged the other leading factions, plunging City of Star-Gazing into conflict while Alliance officials ignored the fighting.

Sylutia’s autumn walk inspired a painter to capture her beauty in a painting. After finishing it, he advanced toward a higher rank, and the painting gained Aspect Power.

• Sylutia walked through Mishir District as residents admired her from afar.
• A painter saw Sylutia framed by the evening glow and was seized by inspiration.
• The painter worked for hours, forgetting his hunger and exhaustion as he painted Sylutia and the autumn scenery.
• The painter completed “Hedra in the Late-Summer Wind,” collapsed, and began advancing toward a higher rank.
• The finished painting emitted Aspect Power and was identified as a Fourth Order Secret Speech.

As the Great Serpent’s descent brought colder weather and the coming Season of Sinking Fog was predicted to last sixteen years, Sylutia received the Alliance Council’s order to prepare food and other supplies in the Mishir District. She considered how to raise local agricultural yields while concealing the methods she knew as Sylutia, since she was now Hedra.

• The Alliance learned that the coming Season of Sinking Fog would last sixteen years, prompting widespread food hoarding and preparations for the cold.
• An Alliance messenger delivered the Council’s food-preparation notice to Sylutia, who signed it and told Cheris that the district needed to stock food, clothing, housing, and fuel.
• Cheris explained that the Mishir District barely produced enough food for itself and that wealthy estates occupied some of its most fertile land.
• Sylutia asked about converting those estates to food crops and learned that ordinary fields yielded about one hundred and twenty jin of wheat per mu.
• Sylutia asked whether yields could be increased, then considered the methods she knew but could not reveal while living as Hedra.

Samuel agreed to test wheat and fertilizer on his estate after learning about Sylutia's plan to prioritize food crops in Mishir District. Sylutia expanded local grain production and considered new fertilizer suppliers and a possible grain deal with the Woodland Alliance as the Silver Bell Festival approached.

• Samuel learned that Lord Hedra's proposal called for Mishir District fields to grow storable food crops, and he agreed to plant wheat and test fertilizer on his estate.
• Sylutia offered subsidies and grain purchase contracts at three times the usual rate, while explaining to Cheris that higher prices could encourage estate owners to resell grain from elsewhere instead of increasing local production.
• Over the next two weeks, Mishir District authorities took over fields, compensated their farmers, and raised projected grain production by about fifty percent with fertilizer from the Northern Grasslands.
• Sylutia considered buying fertilizer directly from Orcs and decided to write to Silis about handling the purchase, possibly sending her a new automobile as a gift.
• As the Silver Bell Festival neared, Sylutia considered asking about grain purchases from the Woodland Alliance but recognized that the decision involved complex political considerations.

At the Silver Bell Festival, Sylutia met Amelia, Sage Aitos’s sheltered adopted daughter, and agreed to keep her company. Sylutia introduced Amelia to the festival and its guests as they watched from a private VIP room, and the two grew closer.

• Sylutia arrived at the Mithril Clock faction’s VIP platform and met Sage Aitos, who introduced her to Amelia.
• Aitos explained Amelia’s exceptional talent, limited experience with the outside world, and need to remain out of public view, then asked Sylutia to accompany her.
• Sylutia led Amelia to a private VIP viewing room and offered her pastries, which Amelia tried for the first time.
• Sylutia and Amelia watched the festival together as Sylutia explained the factions, organizations, and guests, and Amelia asked questions.

At the Silver Bell Festival, Sylutia watched Herabro of Erimo Academy lose to a Ropeweaving School student after revealing powerful Bionics School spells. As spectators discussed the Bionics School’s decline, the new-student matches ended and the triennial academy competition began.

• Sylutia and Amelia watched Herabro enter the arena, and Amelia explained the meaning of his name and discussed her knowledge of languages.
• Herabro broke free from the Ropeweaving School student’s vine bindings with Blood Wolf Bite and countered another attack with Tiger Blood Claw.
• Herabro’s opponent trapped him in a reinforced Sealing Net that suppressed his Aspect Power, and the referee declared the Ropeweaving School student the winner.
• Spectators discussed the Bionics School’s poor standing, its lack of a successor to Master Glando, and the risks of Blood Law Aspect Power.
• The new-student matches ended, and the host declared the triennial academy competition officially open.

Sylutia dressed Amelia in a Thetis Academy uniform so they could leave the viewing chamber without drawing attention, then took her to check the tournament schedule and find food. Along the way, Amelia shared extensive knowledge of the Star Palaces and the Star-Gazing School, and the two arrived at the Feast School’s exhibition hall.

• Sylutia helped Amelia change into a Thetis Academy uniform and covered her azure hair with a hooded windbreaker.
• Sylutia checked the tournament schedule and learned her mechanical construct competition was more than an hour away, while the final inter-school matches would begin after dawn.
• Sylutia took Amelia to look for food after realizing they had not eaten for more than six hours.
• As they walked beneath the stars, Amelia explained the Star Palaces and revealed her knowledge of the Mage Alliance’s hidden lore and the Star-Gazing School.
• Sylutia and Amelia reached the Feast School’s exhibition hall, where Amelia eagerly watched the freshly prepared dishes.

Sylutia toured the Feast School exhibition with Amelia, then entered the mechanical creations competition and began tackling its five Winter Night Stroll challenges. She finished a powerful hunting pistol and a mist-piercing lamp, while the remaining challenges were still ahead.

• Sylutia introduced Amelia to unfamiliar foods at the exhibition, and Amelia enjoyed grilled lamb and colorful glutinous ice balls.
• Sylutia left Amelia safely in the viewing room with a communication Magic Orb and went to compete for Thetis Academy.
• The judges announced five challenges involving a hunting gun, a mist-piercing lamp, a courage-raising horn, a warming device, and an ice-breaking sled.
• Sylutia assessed the challenges, chose Xi Gold and a Thermofusion Crystal, and used Steel Shadow Demon Hands to craft a Fourth Order: Excellent hunting pistol.
• Sylutia made a Third Order: Rare Moon-Waiting Lamp that illuminated an area nearly a thousand meters across, impressing spectators.

Sylutia, competing under the name Hedra, crafted five creations for the opening event and narrowly won first place overall. After resting with Amelia, she met Sage Aitos, who invited them to meet several fellow Sages before the harder second event.

• Sylutia drew on a history book to craft an Ancient White Wind Song Horn, then made a Fireglow Lantern and a Steam Locomotive for the remaining challenges.
• Sylutia refined and submitted all five creations before the assessment ended, joining the 31 contestants who completed the full set.
• The judges tested the contestants’ creations, and Sylutia placed second with her Moon-Waiting Lamp, third with her horn, fourteenth with her lantern, and first with her Ice-Breaking Sled.
• Sylutia’s combined score gave her first place overall in the opening event, while Amelia watched and congratulated her.
• After the event, Sylutia returned to Amelia and rested; Sage Aitos praised her performance and invited her and Amelia to meet several other Sages.

Sage Aitos brought Sylutia and Amelia to meet several sages in the aerial courtyard, where they learned more about Amelia’s past and received rare gifts. The visit ended with Hialani offering Sylutia a Youth Potion, which Sylutia hesitated to accept.

• Aitos introduced Sylutia and Amelia to Kaiborn, Fields, Xuelia, Barnes, and Akxio, and Xuelia removed the pressure of her rank from Sylutia.
• Akxio offered Sylutia a rare Gilded Flower Seed to cultivate, but Aitos stopped him from pressing her and later gave her the seed.
• Akxio told Barnes that Sylutia’s horticultural skill and knowledge seemed far beyond a beginner’s, while Barnes defended Aitos’s trust in her.
• Aitos took the girls to Hialani, who recalled helping prepare medicine for Amelia when she was young and asked about her life.
• Hialani offered Sylutia a Youth Potion, but Sylutia hesitated, prompting Hialani to put it away and remark on the Mithril Clock School’s caution.

Meko and Antiphia reunited at the tournament and discussed political changes, powerful Witch factions, and the Mage Alliance’s request for grain. They parted without resolving whether the Woodland Alliance should help the Mage Alliance through the coming long Season of Sinking Fog.

• Antiphia and Meko reminisced about their time studying and adventuring together in the Woodland Alliance, then discussed the Mage Alliance’s rapid progress and the Woodland Alliance’s growing political integration.
• Meko explained that the Forest of Curses was now the Woodland Alliance’s third-strongest Witch faction and that she had been burdened with coordinating the integration of southern nations.
• Meko told Antiphia that Crescent Moon Forest had merged with the Night Dream Tea Party, explaining that both Witch systems descended from an ancient Moon Council faction.
• Antiphia said the Harp Flower Union could use its Cloud Sea trade routes to obtain grain during the long Season of Sinking Fog, while Meko described the Woodland Alliance’s dilemma over whether to help the Mage Alliance.
• Meko and Antiphia said goodbye and went to separate lounges.

While Sylutia slept, Sage Hialani discovered that she was favored by Radiant Moon and proposed that she join Four Salts School. After waking at noon, Sylutia went looking for food with Amelia and ran into Lovier and Aurora, who invited them to join them.

• Sage Hialani examined the sleeping Sylutia and recognized her as naturally favored by Radiant Moon, like Amelia was favored by Secret Speech.
• Hialani proposed that Sylutia join Four Salts School and choose Radiant Moon as her second composite Aspect Power upon reaching the Fifth Order, and Aitos agreed to report the matter to the three Excellencies.
• Aitos took Amelia and Sylutia to a private lounge, where they slept until noon.
• Amelia woke first and gently roused Sylutia so they could go find food together.
• Sylutia abandoned the long line at the dining hall and headed for Thetis Academy's food service area with Amelia.
• Sylutia met Lovier and Aurora, who invited her and Amelia to eat with them.

Sylutia consulted Amelia to deepen her knowledge of war machines and prepared a Fifth Order design for the next competition event. She completed the Gray-Winged Falcon just before the deadline, and the competitive match began.

• Sylutia, Lovier, Aurora, and Amelia shared a meal at Vichia Academy's dining hall and discussed the Silver Bell Festival and the upcoming event.
• After returning to their lodging, Sylutia asked Amelia to explain mainstream war machine designs and their history.
• Amelia organized her knowledge of the Mage Alliance's war machines, helping Sylutia choose a prototype and plan her construction.
• Sylutia tested five power furnace structures overnight, selected one, and built the Gray-Winged Falcon with flight devices, fireline cannons, and wing blades.
• Sylutia finished the Fifth Order war machine shortly before the deadline, and the afternoon competition began.