Recaps

Sylutia received guidance on choosing a path to the Third Order and was offered Knight Order missions and rewards. The next day, Serophi began planning her studies, introducing her to Sophitina and showing her a costly list of optional courses.

• The Knight Commander explained the importance of the Third Order and told Sylutia she could explore different schools before choosing a path.
• The Knight Commander assigned Sylutia an Alfalfa supply mission and offered bonus rewards for wheat, raising foals, and mastering Knight swordsmanship.
• Sylutia returned to her Association room for the night, then met Serophi and his daughter Sophitina at a teahouse the next day.
• Serophi tested Sylutia's knowledge and told her she would attend his classes three days a week to study the hidden history and secret arts of the deeper world.
• Serophi gave Sylutia a list of paid courses, and Sophitina explained that the Association's prices were discounted.

Sylutia received an Outstanding assessment and learned that the Association planned to send her to a border outpost for field training in about six months. Back in the valley, she organized alfalfa silage production, rewarded the toads with exceptionally nutritious buns, and recorded her next goals.

• Serophi awarded Sylutia a valuable badge, double supplies until the Fourth Order, a custom Third Order item, and free lessons after her Outstanding assessment.
• Serophi told Sylutia to spend the next six months preparing for an assignment to a World of Shadows border outpost, where she would learn how to establish new settlements.
• Sylutia returned to the valley, revived the alfalfa fields, and led the toads in harvesting forage and sealing it with wheat stalks to ferment into Silage.
• Sylutia made Alfalfa Steamed Buns with rare-quality flour, and the powerful food left most of the toads asleep from fullness.
• Sylutia saved the remaining buns and wrote down goals to grow more crops, study intermediate Secret History Knowledge, and learn about her future advancement.

Sylutia cultivated her wheat fields, trained her Radiant Moon abilities, and reflected on her progress during her first year in the Woodland. She remained unsure which secret art to choose for her Third Order advancement, but felt content with the life she was building in the valley.

• Sylutia reviewed her Emerald Nectar and Radiant Moon abilities and decided to study with Scholar Serophi before choosing a secret art for her Third Order advancement.
• Sylutia used her gardening skills to improve the quality of her wheat and gained a small amount of Emerald Nectar Aspect Power in return.
• Sylutia told the croakers to delay watering the fields and had them prepare sacks of wheat for a trip to the city the next day.
• Sylutia trained her Meditation Technique, Moonlight Breathing Technique, and Sylutia's Clear Spring together, increasing her abilities and estimating her mental strength at about 18.
• Sylutia purified the pool water with Sylutia's Clear Spring and walked through the moonlit fields, feeling at peace with her life and future plans.

Sylutia brought Rare-grade wheat to White Stone Citadel and negotiated a large supply deal with Fred the Baker, leaving with a signed contract and the first delivery completed. With the payment secured, she planned to choose courses from Scholar Serophi’s offerings.

• Sylutia arrived at White Stone Citadel with 3,000 jin of wheat and visited Fred the Baker at his bakery.
• Sylutia showed Fred Rare-grade flour and explained that she could supply Rare- and Perfect-grade wheat before leaving the Golden Radiance Plain next year.
• Fred saw Sylutia’s Mithril badge and proposed an initial order of 5,000 jin of Rare-grade wheat and 300 jin of Perfect-grade wheat, with possible purchases totaling 15,000 jin.
• Sylutia and Fred agreed on prices, signed a contract worth 1,200 gold, and Sylutia delivered the 3,000 jin of wheat from her wagon.
• Fred praised the wheat’s purity and imagined it could help the bakery’s staff advance, while Sylutia asked him to sign the receipt.
• Sylutia considered using her new wealth to take courses from Scholar Serophi.

Sylutia arranged her studies in White Stone Citadel, signing up for additional classes and deciding to find a place to stay with Sophitina. As they searched for housing, Sophitina explained the abilities of the Secret Speech Aspect Power and Sylutia described why she had chosen Emerald Nectar.

• Sylutia agreed to study with Serophi from Tuesday through Thursday and signed up for Fairy Language, Elven Language, Basic Runes, and Luo Bai's Garden, choosing to pay her tuition without taking a loan.
• Serophi suggested that Sylutia find a place in the city with his daughter, Sophitina, and Sylutia agreed to look for one.
• Sylutia and Sophitina walked through White Stone Citadel, introduced their backgrounds, and discussed Sophitina's studies and Secret Speech Aspect Power.
• Sylutia told Sophitina that she had chosen Emerald Nectar because tending flowers and watching them bear fruit appealed to her.
• Sylutia and Sophitina arrived at the citadel hall and began searching for a suitable home.

Sylutia and Sophitina settled into their new home near White Stone Citadel, while Sylutia studied advanced Secret History with Serophi and learned about dragons, humans, and ancient kingdoms. After selling her wheat for 3,800 gold coins, Sylutia deposited her earnings with the Association and decided to save the money for now.

• Sylutia and Sophitina chose a two-story house south of White Stone Citadel, moved in, and shared their first home-cooked dinner.
• Sophitina explained the origins of Dragon Eye Aspect Power, Lizardmen, and the relationship between Elves and Fairies.
• Sylutia studied advanced Secret History with Serophi, learning about the Sun-Rising Wind Eagle, the Swan King Moransa, and the rise and fall of the Blood Dynasty.
• For two months, Sylutia studied with Serophi and periodically returned to the valley to tend her wheat crops.
• Sylutia sold Hearth Bakery fifteen thousand pounds of rare-grade wheat and one thousand pounds of perfect-grade wheat, earning 3,800 gold coins.
• Sylutia deposited her earnings with the Association in White Stone Citadel and decided to save the money rather than invest it immediately.

Sylutia collected her Radiant Gold Longblade, arranged for the blacksmith to forge two more weapons, and sent the blade to Agren and a letter to Florella. Sophitina told her about the students’ gatherings and invited her to one, giving Sylutia a chance to meet her peers.

• Sylutia collected and tested her Radiant Gold Longblade, then paid the blacksmith extra and asked about turning Agren’s Black Goat Horn into a weapon.
• The blacksmith recommended a Black Dream Dagger and agreed to make it along with a narrower longblade after Sylutia brought the horn and paid a deposit.
• Sylutia posted her longblade to Agren at the Dire Wolf Wilderness station and sent a letter to Florella at the Forest Spring Orchard station.
• Sophitina told Sylutia that other students considered her mysterious and admired her rapid advancement to Sequence Two.
• Sophitina explained the monthly student gatherings and invited Sylutia to one she would host the day after tomorrow; Sylutia agreed.

After finishing Advanced Secret History Class, Sylutia began Basic Runes and learned how runes formed the basis of Third Order spells. Sophitina brought her to a student party, where Sylutia made a strong impression and won the guests’ admiration.

• Serophi told Sylutia to begin Basic Runes, explained how runes supported spellcasting, and promised to teach her False Bouquet when she reached the Third Order.
• Sylutia returned home and agreed to attend a party with Sophitina, changing into a dress Sophitina had helped her choose.
• Sophitina introduced Sylutia to about twenty students at a restaurant party, including Rachel, Gran, and Elton.
• Students gathered around Sylutia, and she answered their questions about her studies and gardening while politely rebuffing flirtation.
• Sylutia’s knowledge, beauty, and calm manner won over the guests, turning her quiet corner into the party’s liveliest gathering.

Sylutia assessed her combat abilities and improved her Tree Jade Spirit Sword with an Ice Cup Flower before visiting the Holy White Knight Hall to learn an advanced technique. She chose Spiral Spear and memorized it, but would need to raise it to Stage Three to unlock its full power.

• Sylutia tested her Sickle-Thorn Vine and Wild Vegetation Growth, concluding that they could help against weaker enemies but were limited against stronger foes.
• Sylutia infused her Tree Jade Spirit Sword with a Fireglow Orchid, but the conflicting forces weakened the blade; an Ice Cup Flower instead enhanced its sturdiness, sharpness, and coldness.
• Sylutia returned to White Stone Citadel and asked the Holy White Knight Hall to teach her an advanced sword technique.
• Albert showed Sylutia the combat-art steles, and she selected Spiral Spear because it could be learned with Emerald Nectar Aspect Power.
• Albert transferred the Spiral Spear technique to Sylutia, who memorized it and received the Spiral Spear Lv.1 ability.
• Albert told Sylutia that she needed to raise Spiral Spear to at least Stage Three for it to reach its proper power.

Agren received and admired a finely crafted saber sent by a friend, then told the camp blacksmith he planned to advance and leave Dire Wolf Wilderness. He promised to bring back a third-tier wolf’s head so the blacksmith could make him a Wolf-Head Cloak.

• Agren returned to camp with a wolf’s head and pelt, drank Blood Wine, and fell asleep.
• A Woodland Association member delivered a sealed box addressed to Agren, who later opened it and found a black-sheathed saber.
• Agren tested the saber and took it to the blacksmith, who identified it as an expertly made Radiant Gold blade from the Golden Radiance Plain.
• Agren told the blacksmith he intended to advance, hunt the third-tier wolf king, claim its bounty, and transfer to another outpost.
• Agren asked for a Wolf-Head Cloak and promised to bring the blacksmith a third-tier wolf’s head within two months.

Sylutia and Sophitina experimented with runes and formulas to create offensive spells for Serophi’s assessment. After Sophitina developed a weak but usable spell, Sylutia produced a more powerful Thorn Ring prototype that met the trial’s requirements.

• Sylutia and Sophitina learned that war was likely approaching the Surface World, and Sophitina warned that even the distant Regas Kingdom might see fighting.
• Serophi gave Sylutia and Sophitina an assessment requiring them to build an offensive spell model with five basic formulas.
• Sophitina tested a pale purple spell that missed its target, while Sylutia’s fireball struck it with a power rating of 0.273.
• After further experiments, Sophitina developed a spell with a power rating of 0.376, and the two identified limits in converting their Aspect Powers into fire spells.
• Sylutia created the Thorn Ring spell prototype, which struck and tore through its target with a power rating of 0.723.

Serophi taught Sylutia and Sophitina about Third Order advancement and the creation of a Core Card, while Sylutia discussed her planned gardener path with Sophitina. Meanwhile, Agren fought and killed a giant wolf in the Dire Wolf Wilderness.

• Serophi explained that reaching the Third Order required opening a new slot on the Fate Disk and creating a Core Card through Transmutation.
• Serophi described how Classes shaped a Transcendent’s power, experiences, and way of life.
• Sylutia told Sophitina she planned to pursue the gardener path and likely build an Autumn Garden, while keeping the Radiant Moon Aspect as a secondary priority.
• Two months before Sylutia was due to leave the Golden Radiance Plain, Agren fought a giant wolf in the Dire Wolf Wilderness.
• Agren held the wolf’s jaws apart until it weakened and died, then cut off its head and dragged it away.

As her departure from Golden Radiance Plain approached, Sylutia reflected on her home, her past, and the mysteries of her family while preparing for a dangerous new posting. She received her commissioned weapons and learned that Lord Tristan would provide the protective armor she had earned.

• Sylutia harvested about 33,000 jin of wheat, then spent an evening sharing food and a bonfire with the toads as she contemplated leaving the valley.
• Sylutia wondered about her friends and teachers, her distant past life on Earth, and her powerful family's origins, but decided to let matters take their course.
• Sylutia sent the harvested wheat to White Stone Citadel, planted the valley with Purple Alfalfa, and brought thirty foals from the Holy White Knight Hall to join her two ponies.
• Sylutia collected her Black Dream Dagger and Radiant Gold Blade, paid the remaining 100 gold coins, and had a hidden dagger strap sewn into her skirt.
• Sylutia went to claim the protective armor she had earned for her Excellent evaluation and learned that Lord Tristan had instructed her to visit him directly.

Elf princess Florella discussed her future, the Fragrant Wind Forest, and the storied Mezzalance family with her maids. She left for class curious about the family, whose descendants she hoped to meet.

• Florella returned from picking fruit and asked her maids whether a reply from home had arrived.
• Florella said she did not want to return soon or inherit the throne, and recalled that becoming queen would require the blessing of Luoqinweila.
• Florella and her maids discussed the Mezzalance family's ancient covenant, history, and repeated rises and declines.
• Florella revealed that her mother had once proposed she marry into the Mezzalance family, but she had refused to avoid entangling the Fragrant Wind Forest in First Continent politics.
• Florella headed to class after asking her maids to remind her of the family's name: Mezzalance.

Sylutia arranged for Tristan to make her a custom suit of armor while studying at White Stone Citadel, where Serophi taught her about the Twin Snake Cult. Afterward, Sylutia sparred with Sophitina and accidentally struck her too hard, leaving Sophitina sore.

• Sylutia asked Tristan for mobile armor, and he chose the Flower Battle Armor of the Blood Rose Princess Irentina as his design template.
• Over the next two months, Sylutia studied languages, runes, history, and etiquette under Serophi at White Stone Citadel.
• Serophi taught Sylutia and Sophitina about the Two-Headed Giant Snake, the origins of the Twin Snake Cult, and the danger of its surviving members.
• Sophitina invited Sylutia to spar, and Sylutia's saber strike knocked Sophitina down despite Sylutia holding back.
• Sylutia apologized and helped massage Sophitina, who remained too sore to move.

Anti Kingdom and the Eagle-Scorpion Khanate’s allied army attacked Wind-Cliff City, overwhelming its defenders and destroying the city’s defenses. Two Witches concluded that the Regas Kingdom was likely doomed and left to warn White Cliff City, where their organization might preserve part of the royal family.

• Count Lyon learned that more than 160,000 Anti Kingdom troops had gathered outside Wind-Cliff City, far more than the city’s 20,000 defenders could face.
• Hundreds of Howling Wind Giant Eagles dropped Blazing Fire Oil firebombs on Wind-Cliff City, and Lyon realized the Anti Kingdom had allied with the Eagle-Scorpion Khanate.
• The attacking army used patterned battering rams to shatter the Gate of Sherilian and breach the city walls.
• Plumed knights advanced through Wind-Cliff City, crushing its defenses and defeating the Transcendents who tried to resist.
• Two Witches watched Wind-Cliff City fall and judged that White Cliff City could not save the weakened Regas Kingdom without outside help.
• The Witches decided to return to White Cliff City and, if the kingdom could not be saved, protect part of the royal family and preserve Regard’s bloodline.

Sylutia read about the rise and decline of the Tirayang Youth Cavalry as the Woodland Association prepared a major expedition into the Dark Mist Mountains. The Association appointed Sylutia to lead a team, and White Stone Citadel's leaders planned to train her before departure.

• Sylutia read about how the Tirayang Youth Cavalry system trained young riders, strengthened the Regas Kingdom, and eventually faded as its purpose and financial support disappeared.
• Cassius told the White Stone Citadel leaders that headquarters had chosen Sylutia to lead a team for the Dark Mist Mountains expedition, despite her being a Second Order gardener.
• The leaders agreed to guide Sylutia during the month before departure, trusting that responsibility would help her mature and noting her victory over a third-order Petrification Lizard.
• The leaders discussed sending Knight Attendants, Gardener Apprentices, and Artisan Apprentices to establish fourteen outposts, watchposts, and resource depots in the Dark Mist Mountains.
• The leaders explained that the Candlekeep School and Violet School would support the expedition, while the White Bird School would handle construction elsewhere.
• The leaders acknowledged that the expedition could help the Woodland Association find resources to counter the growing Mage Alliance.

Sylutia won the Horsemanship Tournament and received a badge before the Woodland Association appointed her to lead an expedition to establish a base in the Dark Mist Mountains. As preparations began, she received her newly completed White Flower Battle Armor and felt moved by the trust and support shown to her.

• Sylutia trained in horsemanship and other disciplines, then rested in Sophitina’s arms before returning to practice.
• A month later, Sylutia defeated her opponent in the Horsemanship Tournament and received a Knight Squire Badge.
• Cassius announced that Sylutia would lead about sixty trainees on an expedition to establish a base in the Dark Mist Mountains.
• The Woodland Association began preparing supplies for the expedition while Sylutia went to the Forged Gold Hammer’s base.
• Sylutia received her White Flower Battle Armor and silently thanked those who had supported her.

Sylutia led the pioneers from Mammoth Town to the foothills of the Dark Mist Mountains to establish a supply outpost. After surveying the site and planning around its harsh conditions, they began building its first defenses and facilities.

• Reginson guided Sylutia and the other pioneers from Mammoth Town across the Black Lion Wilderness toward the Dark Mist Mountains.
• The group reached a sheltered clearing at the foot of the mountains, where Reginson explained that the new outpost would serve as a transit station.
• Sylutia learned that the nearby water source was contaminated and would need to be settled and purified before drinking.
• The scholars and students finalized a plan to build a defensive wall whose stone pattern would resist Distortion, while Sylutia planned crops suited to the dim conditions.
• Sylutia learned that erosion-resistant Filament-Embedded Glass was costly, so she chose ordinary glass for the greenhouse until the outpost could afford an upgrade.
• Construction began on the outpost’s walls, stone houses, towers, and greenhouse, while the Association hall, bar, and inn were postponed.

Sylutia purified the camp’s water supply while Regas Kingdom faced an invasion by Anti and Eagle-Scorpion. Grand Duke Grace sent Jabs and Musa through a secret passage toward the Dark Forest, while he and Leon stayed to defend White Cliff City.

• Sylutia purified the camp’s water and then toured the construction site with her Knight Attendants.
• Grace learned that only three legions, fifty thousand militia, and sixty-seven Fir Knights remained to defend White Cliff City against the allied forces outside.
• Grace dismissed his ministers without deciding whether to flee or surrender as Regas Kingdom’s nobles lost confidence.
• Grace told Jabs and Musa to escape through a hidden passage and seek refuge in the Woodland, while Leon stayed with him to defend the city.
• Jabs and Musa left White Cliff City through the tunnel with their attendants and loyal knights.

After the settlement completed its wall, Sylutia and the students celebrated with an ancient bonfire ritual that lifted their spirits. Facing uncertain food resupply and the need for a greenhouse, Sylutia taught students the basics of glassmaking and helped forge the settlement’s first Water-Pattern Glass.

• The students and Sylutia danced around a bonfire, and the ancient ritual eased the settlement’s gloom and helped everyone sleep soundly.
• Sylutia reviewed the settlement’s food supply and greenhouse schedule, then offered Gran and three other students lessons in the Six-Part Glaze School for 200 gold coins each.
• Sylutia visited the glass workshop and used Scholar Serophi’s teachings to guide experiments with supernatural glass ingredients.
• After a month of experiments, Sylutia and several students forged Water-Pattern Glass that could resist Distortion erosion in the Dark Mist Mountains for one year.
• Sylutia and the students could not yet make Filament-Embedded Glass because they lacked the special metal filaments it required.

Sylutia oversaw the construction of student housing and greenhouses, using Purple Alfalfa to improve the soil while planning how the settlement would secure enough food and fuel. After arranging for everyone to ration supplies until the crops ripened, she left with a twelve-person caravan to visit the front-line settlement and begin trade talks.

• The settlement completed three student apartment buildings, then built greenhouses where Sylutia and the Gardener Apprentice students planted potatoes and Purple Alfalfa.
• Students discussed the importance of quality food for Transcendents, while Sylutia learned that the settlement was running out of firewood and had no nearby source.
• Sylutia decided to send some of the first potato harvest to the front line in exchange for lumber and firewood, and asked the settlement to ration food in the meantime.
• Sylutia left Rachel, Gran, and Elton in charge together and rode out with twelve Second Order Knight Attendants, carrying food and supplies toward the front-line settlement.

Sylutia and the students fought off attacking Bone-Claw Black Vultures on their journey through the mountains. Elsewhere, Prince Jabs and Princess Musa’s fleeing party was nearly wiped out before three otherworldly Beholders intervened.

• Sylutia sensed the Black Vultures’ attack and warned the traveling group to watch the sky.
• Sylutia used a rune-enchanted Spiral Spear to kill several Bone-Claw Black Vultures, driving the survivors away.
• Pursuers attacked Prince Jabs and Princess Musa’s convoy as it fled White Cliff City, killing guards and overturning the lead carriage.
• The remaining knights defended Jabs and Musa with a force field while shadowy assassins closed in and overwhelmed their guards.
• Three Beholders appeared in the forest and fired dark-purple rays at the pursuers.

The Hundred-Eye Cult rescued Prince Jabs and Princess Musa from their pursuers, then took Jabs into the World of Shadows after the Regas Kingdom fell. Meanwhile, Sylutia reached Firestone Fortress, traded food for supplies, and learned about the Dark Mist Mountains’ bases and resources.

• The Hundred-Eye Cult killed most of the pursuers after Princess Musa was wounded protecting Jabs, then promised to heal her and took the prince and his companions with them.
• Witches identified the Hundred-Eye Cult as the group that had taken Jabs and added it to their wanted list.
• White Cliff City fell, and the Regas Kingdom’s division between the Anti Kingdom and the Eagle-Scorpion Khanate became all but certain, though rumors persisted that Jabs and Musa had escaped.
• Sylutia and her group arrived at Firestone Fortress, where she negotiated seven pounds of charcoal per pound of food and learned about the fortress’s resources and defenses.
• After more than a month of evading their pursuers, Jabs reached the World of Shadows with the Hundred-Eye Cult and realized he was beneath the Surface Continent.

Sylutia’s team resumed glassmaking and completed three greenhouses before choosing a dining hall as their next building. A scholar’s account of Regas politics and a disastrous war explained how Iona’s family fell from power, while Sylutia wondered about the mountain tribe behind the defeat.

• Sylutia returned to the base with charcoal, metal, and firestone, enabling her team to resume refining glass and build three greenhouses.
• Sylutia chose to build a dining hall, with its second floor initially serving as an office for the base’s departments.
• Sylutia asked a scholar about the Regas Kingdom, and he described the rivalry between Prince Leon and Prince Sigley and Viscount Callen’s support for Sigley.
• The scholar explained that Iona had once been betrothed to Sigley and was rumored to have excluded Princess Musa because of an old grievance involving Princess Matia.
• The scholar recounted how a foreign force from the Lion-Bite Mountains cut off Regas supply lines and helped defeat Viscount Callen, leading to his disgrace and Iona’s eventual arrival in Scorched Stone City.