Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Return to Asura”

Plot Points and Events

• Hilde brings Paul to the Latreia Family and informs Grandma Claire that Paul will be leaving for Ars City. She asks Claire to protect Lilia, Zenith, and the others rather than taking them into the politically dangerous royal capital.
• Claire offers the Latreia Family’s assistance, but Hilde refuses because involvement by a powerful foreign noble family could make Ariel’s faction appear guilty of colluding with outside powers.
• Hilde and Paul travel to a villa in Ars City’s noble district, where Rudeus has begun constructing a Magic Eye Annihilation Barrier.
• The barrier is intended to block Hitogami’s observation and hinder possible attacks by Man-God Apostles. Hilde believes it is necessary to protect Paul before Ariel openly moves against the Notos Family.
• Paul reunites with Rudeus and meets Eris and Sylphy. He recognizes Eris but initially fails to realize that the disguised Sylphy is actually the childhood friend he believed was dead.
• After the emotional and awkward reunion, Hilde redirects everyone’s attention to the barrier, which Rudeus expects to finish by that night.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates caution and political awareness. She prioritizes the safety of Paul’s family and understands the risks of involving the Latreia Family or Ranoa connections in Ariel’s succession struggle.
• Paul remains a capable swordsman but is clearly uneasy about confronting his brother Philemon and the potential danger posed by Darius or a Man-God Apostle. His warm, teasing behavior toward Rudeus shows that their familial bond remains strong.
• Rudeus has become more mature and established, taking responsibility for protecting his family and allies through the construction of the barrier. His multiple marriages create an awkward but humorous moment when Paul mentions Sylphy.
• Eris is nervous but makes a sincere effort to greet Paul respectfully, showing growth and consideration despite her usual bluntness.
• Sylphy is emotionally affected by reuniting with Paul and remains shy about revealing her identity. Her disguise highlights how dramatically she has changed since childhood.

Significant Themes

• Political caution and neutrality: Even potential allies must be kept separate from Ariel’s faction to avoid accusations of foreign interference.
• Family protection: Hilde chooses to leave vulnerable family members behind, emphasizing that love sometimes requires separation for safety.
• Threat of manipulation and surveillance: The barrier represents resistance against Hitogami’s influence and the hidden dangers of political conflict.
• Reunion and change: Paul’s difficulty recognizing Sylphy underscores how much the characters have changed since their earlier lives.
• Humor amid tension: Paul’s teasing about Rudeus’s relationships provides levity despite the serious political and supernatural dangers surrounding them.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Claire discuss whether the Latreia Family should intervene, with Hilde firmly rejecting direct assistance.
• Paul and Rudeus share a warm father-son reunion, including Paul’s familiar teasing and physical affection.
• Paul awkwardly meets Eris and then discovers Sylphy’s true identity, reacting with surprise and amusement.
• Hilde interrupts the family conversation to keep everyone focused on completing the protective barrier.

Hilde completed preparations to protect Paul and visited the Water God Style dojo before returning to the villa, where she discovered an intruder. The intruder escaped her attack and filled the courtyard with smoke, leaving Hilde fearing Paul was in danger.

• Hilde and the others set up a Magic Eye Annihilation Barrier around the villa to guard Paul.
• Hilde demonstrated her swordsmanship at the Water God Style dojo and learned that Water God Leda had still not returned.
• Hilde returned to the villa and found Eris guarding its gate.
• Hilde sensed an intruder in the courtyard, but the figure dodged her Rock Lance and threw a smoke sphere.
• Hilde realized the intruder might be targeting Paul.

Chapter Summary: “Peacock Sword”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A sudden explosion creates a thick dust cloud at the villa, obscuring Hilde’s vision.
• Hilde quickly realizes the attack is likely aimed at Paul, whose death would weaken the Notos Family just as Ariel prepares to move against them.
• When Hilde attempts to clear the dust with wind magic, an attacker uses a Mana-Absorbing Stone to cancel it and throws a dagger at her. Hilde catches and returns the dagger, but the enemy escapes before she can retaliate.
• Hilde warns the villa of an enemy attack and rushes to protect Paul. She orders Eris to remain at the front gate and prevent anyone from escaping.
• In the backyard, Paul is approached by several guards who claim they will escort him to a shelter. Paul notices something suspicious when one “guard” has an unfamiliar voice.
• Paul tests the suspicious guard by attacking him without warning. The disguised enemy evades the strike, kicks Paul hard enough to injure him, and defeats the other guards.
• The attacker reveals himself as a powerful, clown-like swordsman with peacock tattoos and red-and-white hair. He overwhelms Paul in close combat, disarming him in only a few exchanges.
• Just as the attacker is about to kill Paul, Hilde arrives and punches him away. The swordsman survives the impact by skillfully dispersing the force and lands unharmed.
• Hilde identifies him as Auber, known as the Peacock Sword, though he denies it. She decides to capture him, launching the North God Style secret technique Three Thousand Lightning Movement.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates sharp tactical judgment, immediately identifying Paul as the likely target and prioritizing his protection. Her battle instincts allow her to detect the enemy’s ambush and recognize the use of a Mana-Absorbing Stone. She also shows strong confidence in confronting an opponent powerful enough to defeat Paul.
• Paul displays heightened suspicion and decisiveness. Rather than blindly trusting the guards, he tests the unfamiliar one with a sudden attack. Although he is badly injured and quickly overpowered, he continues defending himself with Water God Style techniques.
• Eris shows eagerness to join the fight, but Hilde assigns her the defensive responsibility of guarding the gate, emphasizing Eris’s role in containing the threat rather than pursuing it.
• Auber is established as an exceptionally dangerous swordsman. He relies on deception, speed, physical strength, and refined defensive techniques, appearing stronger than even Ghislaine in Paul’s estimation. His employer’s orders indicate that the attack is part of a larger operation.

Significant Themes

• Deception and infiltration: The enemy disguises himself as a guard and exploits the villa’s security system, showing that danger can come from within rather than only from outside.
• Political maneuvering and assassination: Paul’s attack is connected to the wider conflict surrounding Ariel and the Notos Family, suggesting that personal violence is being used to influence political power.
• Battle instinct versus raw strength: Hilde and Paul both rely on rapid judgment, while Auber combines overwhelming strength with sophisticated technique.
• Trust and vigilance: Paul’s refusal to accept the supposed guard at face value prevents an immediate assassination, reinforcing the importance of suspicion during a crisis.
• Protective responsibility: Hilde takes command of the situation, assigning Eris to secure the gate while personally defending Paul.

Character Interactions

• Hilde warns Eris about the enemy and orders her to remain at the gate, creating a clear division of defensive duties.
• The disguised Auber attempts to manipulate Paul by posing as a trusted guard, but Paul challenges him directly.
• Auber defeats Paul and the surrounding guards before Hilde intervenes.
• Hilde helps Paul recover, confirms that he is alive, and then confronts Auber directly.
• The chapter ends with Hilde launching an attack on Auber, setting up their imminent battle.

Chapter Summary:

Hilde vs. Auber

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde confronts Auber of the Peacock Sword, a fellow disciple of Kalman II and one of the most powerful North God Style swordsmen, after recognizing him as the assassin targeting Mr. Shard.
• Although both were trained by the same master, their styles differ greatly: Hilde relies on overwhelming close-range physical power, while Auber emphasizes distance, deception, assassination techniques, and strategic retreat.
• Hilde attacks first, using Crane Control, Dragon Capture, and demands that Auber surrender and reveal who hired him—possibly Darius or First Prince Gravell.
• Auber denies involvement and avoids direct combat, knowing Hilde becomes nearly unbeatable once she gets within one meter.
• When Hilde attempts to exploit a moment of apparent hesitation, Auber reveals a second curved blade and executes the Hazy Cross, severely cutting both of Hilde’s arms. Her Dragon Saint Battle Aura is breached, though her bones prevent the attack from becoming fatal.
• Auber uses smoke bombs to escape. Hilde protects Paul instead of immediately pursuing, while Auber abandons the failed assassination mission.
• Determined not to leave such a dangerous assassin active—especially because he might be a Man-God Apostle—Hilde tells Paul to go to the shelter and pursues Auber.
• Auber flees through the city and enters the sewers. Hilde tracks him from the air using her Battle Aura Wings and prepares to follow.
• Before she can enter, a mysterious hooded figure blocks her path and warns that Auber’s escape may be a trap. Hilde responds by attacking immediately with Eight Extremes Collapse, leaving the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Hilde is shown to be immensely powerful, resilient, and decisive. Even after suffering deep wounds, she remains capable of fighting and immediately chooses to pursue Auber rather than allow him to threaten others again.
• Her protective nature appears when she shields Paul from the smoke and orders him to retreat to safety.
• Hilde also demonstrates a ruthless willingness to eliminate potential threats, deciding that Auber must be killed because of his assassination skills and possible connection to the Man-God.
• Auber proves why he is feared as a Northern Emperor. He combines swordsmanship, deception, hidden weapons, smoke bombs, evasive movement, and careful battlefield judgment rather than relying on brute force.
• He recognizes when the mission has failed and prioritizes escape over unnecessary combat, showing professional discipline and tactical intelligence.
• Paul acts as a concerned father, warning Hilde not to underestimate Auber despite trusting her strength.
• The hooded stranger introduces a new threat or possible intervention, displaying knowledge of the situation and cautioning Hilde against pursuing Auber.

Significant Themes

• Individual adaptation within the North God Style: Shared training does not produce identical fighters; Kalman II’s teachings emphasize adapting techniques and tactics to each disciple’s natural abilities.
• Strength versus strategy: Hilde’s overwhelming physical power contrasts with Auber’s precision, range control, deception, and escape tactics.
• The danger of assassination: Auber’s threat comes not only from direct combat but from stealth, preparation, and the ability to attack repeatedly over time.
• Protection and responsibility: Hilde’s decision to shield Paul and pursue Auber reflects her determination to protect others, even while risking herself.
• Caution versus determination: The stranger warns Hilde not to chase a desperate enemy, but Hilde’s instinct is to eliminate the danger immediately, setting up a conflict between prudence and resolve.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Auber engage in a tense battle marked by verbal probing, with Hilde attempting to force a confession and Auber hiding behind professional secrecy.
• Their fight reveals mutual recognition of each other’s abilities: Hilde understands Auber’s reliance on distance, while Auber acknowledges her extraordinary durability and close-combat strength.
• Hilde and Paul share a brief but important exchange in which she reassures him and orders him to safety.
• The chapter ends with Hilde confronting the hooded figure. Rather than answer their warning, she attacks immediately, suggesting that she views any obstruction as a potential enemy or trap.

Chapter Summary: “North God Style vs. North God Style”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde encounters a mysterious woman blocking her path and immediately assumes she is a Man-God Apostle.
• Believing the woman to be an especially dangerous enemy, Hilde attacks without hesitation using her strongest North God Style techniques.
• Their opening punch, Eight Extremes Collapse, clashes head-on. Both are forced backward, but Hilde’s fingers are dislocated by the impact, revealing that her opponent possesses extraordinary strength.
• Hilde resets her own fingers and adopts her personal opening stance, the Fighting God Style: Intercepting Fist.
• To Hilde’s shock, the mysterious woman perfectly copies the stance.
• The battle escalates into a close-quarters exchange in which the opponent repeatedly anticipates and counters Hilde’s techniques:
  • She deflects Eight Extremes Collapse.
  • She counters Vikrum Hand Blade.
  • She uses Nine Heavens Thunder Double Kick, one of Hilde’s own techniques, and nearly knocks her away.
• Hilde realizes with alarm that she may be fighting someone who can reproduce her entire combat style.
• She avoids a copied Eight Extremes Collapse, uses Battle Aura Wings to kick her opponent away, and follows with Superalloy Rocket Cannon, driving the woman backward and damaging the alley.
• Determined to end the fight quickly, Hilde combines Three Thousand Lightning Movement with Hell Burial Hand Blade and attacks the woman’s neck.
• The opponent suddenly counters while still recovering, using the Fighting God Style technique Listening Bridge, bringing the chapter to a tense cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Hilde is shown as an exceptionally powerful and experienced fighter. She possesses immense physical strength, durability, battle instincts, and mastery of the North God Style.
• Her willingness to reset her own dislocated fingers demonstrates her pain tolerance and determination.
• Hilde’s personal evolution of the North God Style into the Fighting God Style—particularly her unique Intercepting Fist stance—shows her ability to innovate through combat experience.
• Her confidence begins to crack when the opponent reproduces her techniques with remarkable accuracy. Hilde shifts from certainty that she can win to genuine concern that she is facing a mirror image of herself.
• The mysterious woman is established as Hilde’s equal or near-equal in strength and skill. Her ability to imitate Hilde’s movements and techniques suggests a powerful connection, advanced observation, or comparable mastery of the North God Style.
• Despite appearing apologetic after injuring Hilde’s fingers, the woman remains calm and highly effective in battle.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the unknown: Hilde attacks based on assumption, treating the stranger as an enemy before learning her identity.
• Mirroring and identity: The opponent’s copied stance and techniques create the unsettling impression that Hilde is fighting another version of herself.
• Adaptation versus imitation: Hilde’s style was developed specifically for her body and experience, yet the opponent appears capable of reproducing it, challenging Hilde’s belief that her techniques are uniquely hers.
• Escalation and urgency: Hilde has limited time and therefore abandons caution, using increasingly destructive techniques to end the confrontation.
• Mastery through combat: Both fighters demonstrate that the North God Style is not merely a collection of named attacks but a fluid system of counters, timing, positioning, and instinct.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and the mysterious woman communicate primarily through combat rather than dialogue.
• Their first exchange establishes physical parity, while the opponent’s copied stance deeply unsettles Hilde.
• The two repeatedly counter each other’s attacks, turning the fight into a technical contest of anticipation and adaptation.
• Hilde becomes increasingly aggressive, while the mysterious woman remains composed and responds with precise defensive techniques.
• The chapter ends with the opponent taking the initiative and countering Hilde’s finishing attack with Listening Bridge, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Kreika”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde is ambushed in a narrow alley by a mysterious hooded woman whose fighting style is nearly identical to her own.
• The woman matches Hilde’s strength and speed, neutralizes her Dragon Saint Battle Aura, and even uses Hilde’s personal ultimate technique, the Fighting God Style.
• Hilde is shocked because her techniques were developed through her own experiences and should be impossible for another person to replicate.
• She considers two possibilities: the woman possesses a special Blessed Child ability, or she is another version of Hilde—possibly the complete “Fighting God” self from the past.
• Hilde remembers a warning given seven years earlier by a girl claiming to be Roxy and Rudeus’s daughter: if another Hilde ever appeared, Hilde should kill her immediately, or the other version would kill her.
• The hooded woman refuses to reveal her identity but warns Hilde that pursuing Auber is pointless because he has already escaped. She suggests Auber’s flight may be a diversion or that he has prepared an ambush.
• She urges Hilde to return to the villa and make sure Paul is safe, warning that the enemy might attack the residence while Hilde is distracted.
• Unable to defeat the woman quickly and realizing she has already lost Auber’s trail, Hilde withdraws toward the villa. Before leaving, she expresses hope that they will not become enemies.
• After Hilde departs, the mysterious woman’s confident demeanor collapses. She begins writhing in pain and complaining that she is badly injured.
• Another small figure emerges from the shadows, revealing that the hooded fighter is named Kreika and scolding her for engaging Hilde directly. The scene reveals that Kreika’s intimidating display was at least partly a performance.

Character Developments

• Hilde: Demonstrates strong combat ability and composure despite being injured and psychologically shaken. She becomes suspicious that the opponent may be another incarnation or fragment of herself. Although she wants to eliminate the unknown threat, she prioritizes Paul’s safety and retreats strategically.
• Kreika: Initially appears calm, overwhelmingly powerful, and mysterious, successfully convincing Hilde that she may be an alternate Fighting God. However, once Hilde leaves, Kreika reveals a much less imposing side by collapsing in pain and panicking over her injuries.
• The blue-braided companion: Acts as Kreika’s observer or accomplice. She appears more practical and cautious, criticizing Kreika’s decision to fight Hilde head-on and implying that the confrontation was unnecessarily reckless.
• Auber: Though absent from the scene, he remains central to the conflict as Hilde’s target and a possible strategist using deception or diversion.
• Paul and the others at the villa: Their safety becomes an immediate concern after Kreika suggests that Auber’s escape may be intended to draw Hilde away from them.

Significant Themes

• Identity and selfhood: Hilde is forced to confront the possibility of meeting another version of herself, raising questions about what makes someone the “real” Hilde.
• The danger of incomplete knowledge: Hilde cannot determine whether Kreika is an enemy, an alternate self, or part of a larger scheme, making every decision uncertain.
• Combat ability versus strategy: Although Hilde is confident in her strength, she recognizes that blindly pursuing Auber could lead her into a trap. The chapter emphasizes the importance of judgment over brute force.
• Deception and appearances: Kreika’s mysterious posture and copied techniques make her seem nearly invincible, but her later collapse undercuts that image and introduces a comedic contrast.
• Protection and responsibility: Hilde abandons the pursuit of Auber to protect Paul and the residents of the villa, showing that her priorities extend beyond personal victory.
• Foreshadowing: Kreika promises that she and Hilde will meet again, suggesting that their relationship and the mystery of her identity will become important later.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Kreika: Their confrontation is both physical and psychological. Kreika mirrors Hilde’s techniques and challenges her understanding of her own identity, while Hilde interrogates her motives and refuses to accept her warnings without question.
• Kreika and Hilde: Kreika attempts to redirect Hilde away from Auber by appealing to her sense of responsibility and warning her about a possible trap.
• Kreika and the blue-braided girl: After Hilde leaves, the companion reveals a more familiar and critical relationship with Kreika, teasing or reprimanding her for the injuries she suffered during the fight.
• Hilde and her absent allies: Hilde’s decision to return to the villa reflects her concern for Paul and her reliance on Eris and Rudeus to defend the residence.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kreika is badly beaten by the young Hilde after attempting to intercept her in the past. Although Kreika initially expects an easy victory, Hilde proves far stronger than anticipated.
• Lala heals Kreika and criticizes her for underestimating Hilde. Kreika had copied the monstrous strength of the Godchild Zanoba Shirone and combined it with battle aura, but the ability’s ten-minute limit left her helpless.
• Kreika’s unique power, Copying Godchild—Left Hand of God, allows her to copy and temporarily store the magical properties of up to three people, including the mutated powers of Godchildren.
• Once her copied power expired, Kreika was forced to surrender by using an embarrassing “ultimate secret technique”: kneeling, hugging Hilde’s leg, calling her “Mom,” and begging for mercy.
• Lala explains that Hilde and Rudeus are known in their era as the Twin Stars of Sword and Magic, making Kreika’s defeat unsurprising.
• Kreika and Lala confirm that they successfully prevented Hilde from carrying out an event that would have worsened the fall of the Asura Kingdom. However, their larger mission is not yet complete, and they must continue traveling through time using Aisha’s Time Magic and divination.
• After leaving Kreika and Lala, Hilde returns to the villa where Rudeus and Paul are sheltering. Eris remains outside guarding the entrance.
• Hilde tells Rudeus and Paul that the immediate threat has departed, then asks Rudeus to inspect the villa in case the enemy sabotaged or tampered with anything.

Character Developments

• Kreika is shown to be powerful but overconfident and impulsive. Her defeat forces her to recognize the gap between her abilities and Hilde’s actual strength. Despite the setback, she remains ambitious and determined to surpass the older generation.
• Lala acts as Kreika’s responsible counterpart, healing her, reprimanding her recklessness, and keeping their mission focused. She appears knowledgeable about their time-travel plans and the historical consequences of their actions.
• Hilde demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, defeating Kreika despite being young in the altered timeline. She is confident, practical, and protective of those in the villa.
• Rudeus is positioned as both a powerful mage and a trusted ally, responsible for reinforcing the villa’s shelter and helping investigate possible enemy interference.
• Paul remains concerned for Hilde’s safety, emphasizing his caring and protective nature.
• Eris follows Hilde’s orders faithfully and guards the villa, showing discipline and loyalty.

Significant Themes

• The danger of underestimating others: Kreika assumes Hilde’s youth means weakness, but Hilde’s natural talent and reputation overturn that assumption.
• Limits of power: Even an extraordinary ability like Kreika’s has strict constraints. Her copied powers are temporary, forcing her to think strategically.
• Legacy and generational rivalry: Kreika and Lala want to surpass the celebrated “Twin Stars,” reflecting the younger generation’s desire to create its own legacy.
• Time and historical intervention: The characters are actively altering the past, weighing immediate victories against their effects on major political events such as the fall of the Asura Kingdom.
• Family and identity: Kreika’s use of “Mom” to surrender is humorous but also reinforces the complicated relationship between the time-traveling younger generation and their famous predecessors.

Character Interactions

• Lala heals Kreika after the fight while mocking her poor judgment; Kreika responds with wounded pride and boasts about their future fame.
• Kreika physically clings to Lala, contrasting her exaggerated confidence with her dependence on her companion.
• Lala and Kreika discuss the success and remaining demands of their mission, revealing their reliance on time magic and prophecy.
• Hilde reunites with Eris at the villa, confirms the situation is under control, and then checks on Rudeus and Paul.
• Paul expresses concern for Hilde, while Hilde dismisses his worry and immediately redirects attention toward investigating the villa with Rudeus.

Chapter Summary: “The Reckoning Begins”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde remains troubled by the mysterious fighter she encountered in the alley. The stranger used techniques based on the same principles as Hilde’s own, making the encounter feel like fighting a second version of herself.
• Concerned about the villa’s security, Hilde and Rudeus inspect the entire building for traps or poison left behind by Auber, who is known for his swordsmanship, tools, and deadly custom poisons.
• They find no poison, but discover that the villa’s Magic Eye Annihilation Barrier has been damaged. Auber’s Mana-Absorbing Stone Gauntlet—made from Magic Stone Hydra scales—had partially destroyed the barrier, creating a possible opening for Hitogami.
• Hilde realizes that Hitogami’s recent actions, including targeting Paul, confirm that their preparations are disrupting his plans. This gives her some confidence that they are proceeding correctly.
• Dilik informs Hilde that preparations for confronting the Notos Family are complete. Three days later, Ariel hosts a politically significant banquet to begin the reckoning.
• Hilde, Rudeus, and their allies establish magical defenses and station guards around the banquet hall. The Magic Eye Annihilation Barrier suppresses Rudeus’s Foresight Eye, but this is accepted because preventing Hitogami from observing events is more important.
• Influential nobles are invited so they can witness the evidence against Philemon Notos and publicly declare their support. The goal is to prove that Philemon illegitimately became head of the Notos Family and pressure the nobles into recognizing Paul as the rightful family head and Duke Notos.
• Philemon arrives with his eldest son and guards. He reacts with hatred and fear toward Hilde and Rudeus but refuses to engage with them.
• When Rudeus mentions Hitogami, Philemon appears genuinely confused, suggesting that he is not directly serving as Hitogami’s apostle. Hilde warns that Hitogami’s enemies include more than just those under direct control.
• Hilde orders Rudeus to prepare Paul, signaling that the public confrontation is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Hilde becomes increasingly determined to end the political crisis quickly. Her anxiety over the mysterious fighter and the damaged barrier is balanced by her confidence that Hitogami’s interference proves their strategy is working.
• Rudeus shows caution and emotional conflict. He recognizes the danger posed by Auber’s anti-magic tools and feels uneasy about fighting a blood relative whose downfall would mean losing everything.
• Philemon is portrayed as hostile, fearful, and politically vulnerable. His apparent ignorance of Hitogami suggests he may be acting from personal motives or manipulation rather than direct supernatural control.
• Dilik demonstrates his role as an organizer and political strategist by completing the preparations for the confrontation.
• Paul remains largely offstage but is positioned to make his appearance and reclaim his family title.

Significant Themes

• Political legitimacy and public recognition: The conflict will be decided not through physical combat but through evidence, testimony, noble opinion, and the authority of public consensus.
• Hidden manipulation and unseen enemies: Hitogami’s influence extends beyond obvious apostles, emphasizing the difficulty of identifying the true source of danger.
• Preparation and countermeasures: The damaged barrier and Auber’s Mana-Absorbing Stone highlight the constant struggle between magical power and tools designed to neutralize it.
• Family versus duty: Rudeus’s blood connection to Philemon conflicts with his obligation to support Paul and the broader political plan.
• The danger of delay: Hilde believes that prolonging the crisis will only create more complications, reinforcing the chapter’s sense that decisive action is necessary.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Rudeus work together to inspect and secure the villa, discussing Auber’s methods and the threat posed by the damaged barrier.
• Dilik informs Hilde of the completed preparations, moving the group from defense to offensive political action.
• Hilde and Rudeus greet the assembled nobles, taking visible roles in Ariel’s campaign to build support.
• Hilde casually confronts Philemon at the entrance, while Rudeus makes a probing reference to Hitogami.
• Philemon’s confused reaction leads Rudeus and Hilde to reassess the nature of his connection to their unseen enemy.
• Hilde ends the chapter by instructing Rudeus to prepare Paul, marking the transition from preparation to the actual reckoning.

Chapter Summary: “North Emperor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Philemon attends a politically hostile banquet despite clearly being coerced by Dilik. The gathering is intended to weaken or eliminate the Second Prince Faction after Auber’s earlier assassination attempt against Paul failed.
• Before the banquet begins, Philemon tries to win over wavering nobles by offering political benefits. Some avoid him, while others show interest, but Dilik has already secured much of the nobles’ support.
• Dukes Zephyrus and Euros arrive as witnesses. Though officially aligned with the Second Prince Faction, they appear to have reached an understanding with Dilik and are unlikely to oppose him.
• Auber unexpectedly attends the banquet disguised as an attendant to a count. He claims to have brought no weapons and denies involvement in the attack on the villa.
• Hilde confronts and attempts to search Auber, but he keeps his distance to avoid being caught within her effective combat range. Rudeus searches him and finds nothing.
• Hilde suspects Auber may have hidden weapons at the venue or arranged for someone else to deliver them. She orders Rudeus to inspect the entire banquet hall while she monitors Auber.
• Eris joins Hilde at the entrance. Hilde acknowledges Eris’s growth and affirms that she considers Eris worthy of standing beside Rudeus, though Eris responds defensively.
• James of the Boreas Family arrives with Alphonse. Their presence confirms the family’s continued political cooperation, motivated partly by their financial dependence on whoever controls the kingdom.
• Ariel begins the banquet with a formal entrance and speech, signaling that the political reckoning is about to begin.
• At that moment, Auber subtly exits through the banquet hall doors. Hilde immediately pursues him, leaving Rudeus, Eris, and Ghislaine to secure the venue.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates strong political awareness despite admitting that politics is not her strength. Her priority is security, and she remains highly suspicious of Auber because of his unpredictable methods and shared training under Mr. Shard.
• Rudeus remains protective and vigilant, especially because Auber previously nearly killed Sylphy and caused Rudeus to lose an arm. He considers killing Auber but accepts Hilde’s judgment that doing so would politically implicate Ariel’s faction.
• Auber maintains his deceptive, theatrical persona. He denies his past crimes, uses impeccable manners to disguise his threat, and carefully controls his distance from Hilde. His unexplained departure creates immediate danger and suspense.
• Eris has matured significantly through her training at the Sword Sanctum. Her relationship with Hilde has softened, though she still reacts awkwardly to Hilde’s praise because of their violent childhood rivalry.
• Ariel presents herself as an elegant and commanding political leader. Her entrance captures the room’s attention and marks the formal beginning of the faction’s attempt to consolidate power.
• Philemon appears cornered and under intense pressure, yet he still attempts to resist by recruiting nobles to his side.
• James and the Boreas Family are portrayed as politically pragmatic, willing to support the faction most likely to protect their interests and restore their finances.

Significant Themes

• Politics as warfare: The banquet is treated as a battlefield where alliances, leverage, and reputation matter as much as physical combat.
• Deception and hidden threats: Auber’s presence, false identity, and unexplained exit emphasize that danger may be concealed beneath perfect etiquette.
• Pragmatism and self-interest: Many nobles support factions based not on loyalty but on survival, financial security, or political advantage.
• Trust and recognition: Hilde’s acknowledgment of Eris reflects the gradual replacement of rivalry with respect and acceptance.
• Security versus political restraint: Although Rudeus and Hilde suspect Auber is dangerous, they cannot simply attack him without damaging Ariel’s faction politically.
• Appearances versus reality: The elegant banquet, refined manners, and calm music conceal coercion, betrayal, and an impending power struggle.

Important Character Interactions

• Hilde and Philemon: Hilde observes Philemon’s desperate attempt to preserve his position but does not interfere, believing Dilik has already secured the situation.
• Hilde and Auber: Their exchange is tense and adversarial. Auber pretends ignorance about the villa attack, while Hilde openly distrusts him and tries to search him.
• Rudeus and Auber: Rudeus searches Auber but finds no weapons. He also suggests killing him, revealing his continuing anger over Auber’s attack on Sylphy and himself.
• Hilde and Rudeus: They coordinate security carefully, with Hilde pursuing Auber while assigning Rudeus to inspect the venue.
• Hilde and Eris: Hilde praises Eris’s growth and confirms that she accepts her as Rudeus’s equal and partner. Eris masks her emotional reaction with irritation.
• Eris and Alphonse: Their formal reunion highlights Eris’s separation from the Boreas Family and her changed allegiance.
• Ariel and the assembled nobles: Ariel’s entrance and speech establish her authority and begin the banquet’s decisive political proceedings.

Chapter Summary: “North God’s Three Swordsmen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the banquet, Auber travels through the city toward the outer district, with Hilde secretly following him.
• Hilde delays confronting him because Auber is an exceptionally skilled North God Style swordsman. Although she may be able to defeat him, killing him or preventing his escape would be difficult without the right location.
• Auber leads her to the knights’ training grounds, an isolated area that Hilde suspects may be a trap or ambush site.
• Once inside, Auber reveals that he noticed Hilde following him almost immediately. He criticizes her stealth, joking that Shard—who taught her—has no real talent for infiltration.
• Auber moves toward weapon racks containing high-quality knight weapons, implying he prepared the location in advance.
• Hilde offers Auber a chance to withdraw: leave the royal capital, stop interfering with her allies, and abandon his current mission. Auber refuses, admitting that fear of death and his desire for fame and profit prevent him from walking away.
• Hilde prepares to kill him, but Auber reveals that he never intended to fight her directly. Instead, another person will face her.
• A knight enters the training grounds, removes a disguising ring, and transforms into his true appearance: Alexander Rybak, North God Kalman III.

Character Developments

• Hilde: Demonstrates caution and strategic thinking by following Auber rather than attacking immediately. She recognizes the danger posed by his mastery of North God Style and attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully before committing to battle. Her confidence remains strong, but she also acknowledges the shortcomings in her self-taught stealth.
• Auber: Shows that he is perceptive, calculating, and prepared. He deliberately chooses an isolated battlefield and arranges for a stronger fighter to confront Hilde instead of fighting her himself. His refusal to retreat reveals his ambition, fear of losing status, and willingness to continue serving his apparent larger objective.
• Alexander Rybak/Kalman III: Makes a dramatic entrance disguised as a knight. His revelation establishes him as the powerful opponent Auber had prepared for Hilde.
• Shard: Though absent, he is discussed as Hilde’s teacher. Auber mocks Shard’s unconventional understanding of stealth, highlighting the contrast between Shard’s direct, overwhelming combat style and Hilde’s attempts at infiltration.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus direct strength: Auber admits he cannot defeat Hilde head-on, so he relies on planning, location, weapons, and an ally.
• Deception and hidden identities: The empty training grounds, Auber’s concealed intentions, and Kalman III’s disguise all emphasize secrecy and manipulation.
• Fear, ambition, and survival: Auber’s decision to continue is driven not by personal hatred but by fear of death, desire for recognition, and pursuit of profit.
• Mastery and limitations: Hilde is formidable but still recognizes the gap between her abilities and those of the highest-level North God Style practitioners.
• Mentorship and differing combat philosophies: Hilde’s self-developed skills and Shard’s unconventional methods are contrasted with Auber’s refined expertise and Kalman III’s legendary status.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Auber engage in a tense verbal confrontation while moving toward battle.
• Hilde offers Auber mercy and a chance to withdraw, but he rejects it.
• Auber taunts Hilde about her poor stealth and Shard’s lack of infiltration ability, creating a brief moment of humor amid the tension.
• Their confrontation shifts when Auber reveals that Hilde will not be fighting him but another swordsman.
• The chapter ends with the dramatic appearance of North God Kalman III, setting up a major battle between him and Hilde.

Chapter Summary: “Kalman III, North God”

Plot and key events

Auber reveals that his real purpose was to lure Hilde to the training ground, where Kalman III—Alexander Rybak, the current North God—has been waiting. Before Hilde can pursue Auber, he escapes using another smoke bomb hidden in his throat. Alexander then blocks Hilde’s path and declares that he intends to kill her. He explains that Hitogami merely told him where to find her, but that he came because defeating the infamous “Head-Chopping Witch” would help establish his reputation as a heroic figure. Hilde rejects his absurd reasoning and attacks first, using the North God Style technique Eight Extremes Collapse. Her Dragon Saint-enhanced punch crushes his chest and sends him crashing into a wall.

Character developments

Hilde remains focused, practical, and decisive. Rather than becoming distracted by Alexander’s entrance, she immediately prioritizes eliminating Auber, recognizing him as a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. Her frustration with Auber’s repeated escape tactics highlights how troublesome he is, even when he may not be the strongest enemy. Alexander is introduced as extremely confident, self-important, and obsessed with the image of a legendary hero. He views Hilde’s defeat as a means of securing fame rather than acting from personal hatred or justice. Despite his formidable reputation, he appears overconfident and underestimates Hilde.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts genuine strength and practicality with theatrical heroism and self-serving ideals. Alexander’s definition of heroism is shallow: he believes defeating a notorious villain automatically makes him a hero, regardless of motive or morality. The chapter also emphasizes the unpredictability of the North God Style, shown through both Auber’s deceptive escape methods and Alexander’s imposing reputation. Hilde’s actions suggest that survival and removing immediate threats matter more to her than labels such as “hero” or “villain.”

Character interactions

Auber addresses Hilde as his junior sister and admits that he used her, then escapes before she can attack him. Alexander introduces himself and calmly explains his intention to kill Hilde, treating her as a stepping stone to fame. Hilde challenges his logic, mocks his distorted sense of heroism, and tries to clarify whether he is acting as a Man-God Apostle. Their verbal exchange ends when Alexander insists on fighting, prompting Hilde to strike him with overwhelming force.

Hilde fought Alexander, who had left the King Dragon Sword behind, and struggled to withstand his refined North God Style swordsmanship. She used a feint to unleash the North God Style Secret Art: Blue-Silver Entanglement, sending rock chains toward him.

• Hilde realized she needed to return to the venue but Alexander confronted her and warned her to prepare for a fight.
• Alexander drew an ordinary sword and attacked Hilde, insisting he was nothing like Auber.
• Hilde deflected Alexander’s sword energy with the Water God Style’s Secret Art but could not find an opening to counterattack.
• Alexander increased his pressure, forcing Hilde to retreat and then thrusting toward her throat.
• Hilde feinted an attack on Alexander’s lower body, struck the ground, and used earth magic to send chains of rock coiling toward him.

Chapter Summary: “Never Fall”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde and Alexander continue a fierce duel in a knights’ training ground.
• Hilde uses her earth-magic gauntlet to restrain Alexander with Blue-Silver Entanglement, but he cuts off his own arm to escape and immediately regenerates it.
• Alexander overwhelms Hilde with superior strength, endurance, swordsmanship, and healing. He kicks her into a wall and repeatedly wounds her as the battle progresses.
• Hilde realizes she must finish the fight quickly because the main conflict is occurring near Rudeus, and Auber has already returned there. She fears Rudeus may lose his composure if he realizes she has not returned.
• Their close-quarters battle continues:
  • Hilde strikes Alexander with the Lushan Rising Dragon Strike, but he recovers almost instantly.
  • She damages his leg with a sweeping kick, yet he ignores the injury.
  • She catches his sword barehanded, breaks the blade, and escapes after kicking him in the groin.
• Alexander simply takes another sword from the training ground, demonstrating how little the loss of his weapon matters.
• Though severely injured and exhausted, Hilde refuses to surrender. Motivated by her duty to Rudeus, Paul, and Nanahoshi, as well as her desire to correct past mistakes and repay her debts, she forces herself to stand.
• Hilde begins chanting a powerful North God Style technique. At the end of the chapter, two enormous doors bearing dragon carvings materialize in the air, signaling the activation of

North God Style Secret Technique: “Three Qi Return.”

Character Developments

• Hilde: Shows exceptional resilience, tactical awareness, and determination. Although physically outmatched and badly wounded, she adapts repeatedly and continues fighting rather than retreating. Her thoughts reveal that her loyalty to her allies is her greatest source of strength.
• Alexander: Is portrayed as a nearly unstoppable opponent. His regenerative Immortal Demon body, practical North God Style swordsmanship, and calm attitude make him extremely difficult to defeat. He treats severe injuries—including a severed arm and broken leg—as minor inconveniences.
• Hilde and Alexander: Their fight highlights the contrast between Hilde’s strategic, technique-based approach and Alexander’s overwhelming physical ability and relentless practicality.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance: The chapter’s central idea is refusing to fall, even when defeat appears certain.
• Loyalty and resolve: Hilde’s memories of those depending on her give her the strength to continue. The dragon imagery in her chant emphasizes loyalty, betrayal, and the courage to act according to one’s convictions.
• Human skill versus overwhelming power: Hilde’s creativity and martial expertise allow her to survive against an opponent with vastly superior regeneration and stamina.
• Sacrifice and determination: Hilde repeatedly risks serious injury—including catching a sword with her bare hand—in order to create openings and keep fighting.
• Time and urgency: The duel is not isolated; Hilde’s need to return to Rudeus adds pressure and makes prolonged combat dangerous.

Important Character Interactions

• Hilde and Alexander exchange taunting remarks throughout the battle, with Alexander dismissing her resistance and Hilde mocking his reliance on his strength and his status as an Apostle.
• Hilde recognizes Alexander as a student of the North God tradition and acknowledges that his seemingly simple movements conceal highly refined technique.
• Alexander repeatedly urges Hilde to surrender, while Hilde silently rejects him and recommits herself to fighting.
• The chapter ends with Hilde responding to Alexander’s overwhelming advantage by unveiling a powerful secret technique, setting up the next stage of their confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “The Tables Turn”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde summons two Dragon Gates—one gold and one silver—revealing that she has learned Dragon Gate Summoning Magic from Perugius.
• Alexander is alarmed because this ancient magic was specifically created to counter immortal beings. Its Front Dragon Gate continuously extracts mana from its target.
• Alexander immediately launches a fierce offensive, realizing that his immortal body’s stamina and regeneration will eventually be nullified if he allows the mana drain to continue.
• Hilde retreats while maintaining the Dragon Gates, relying on the Water God Style techniques Flow and Vortex to redirect and defend against Alexander’s relentless sword attacks.
• Alexander’s attacks become increasingly fast and powerful, but Hilde’s near-absolute defense prevents him from breaking through. Although she suffers numerous wounds, she continues to hold out.
• As the Front Dragon Gate drains Alexander’s mana, his strength, speed, stamina, and regenerative ability steadily decline. His physical advantage over Hilde begins to disappear.
• Desperate to finish the battle, Alexander attempts a direct, high-speed thrust aimed at Hilde’s chest.
• Hilde catches the sword with her bare hand, stopping it before it can pierce her heart. She then uses the Rear Dragon Gate’s mana to reinforce herself, crushes Alexander’s sword, and strikes him in the face.
• Hilde declares, “Now, the tables have turned,” signaling that she has seized control of the battle.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates her determination and adaptability. Though she has not fully mastered Dragon Gate Summoning Magic and considers it dangerous, she uses it because the situation demands it.
• She combines Perugius’s Dragon Gate Magic with her Water God Style defense, proving that she can endure Alexander’s overwhelming assault even while badly injured.
• Hilde’s ability to catch the sword with her hand and crush it shows her physical strength, composure, and willingness to endure severe injury to gain an opening.
• Alexander abandons his earlier calm and becomes increasingly desperate once he realizes Dragon Gate Magic can negate his immortality.
• His offensive power and swordsmanship remain formidable, but the mana drain gradually removes the advantages of his immortal body. His desperation ultimately leads him to make a straightforward, risky attack.

Significant Themes

• Immortality’s limitations: Alexander’s immortal body is not truly invulnerable; because it is made from materialized mana, exhausting that mana can eliminate its strength, regeneration, and stamina.
• Preparation and specialized knowledge: Hilde’s prior training under Perugius gives her the precise tool needed to counter Alexander’s greatest advantage.
• Endurance versus aggression: Alexander tries to win through overwhelming offense, while Hilde survives through patience, defense, and carefully timed counterattacks.
• The reversal of power: The battle shifts from Alexander’s apparent dominance to Hilde’s control, emphasizing that superior strength can be overcome through strategy and the right technique.

Character Interactions

• Alexander questions Hilde about her ability to use Dragon Gate Magic, revealing his surprise and concern.
• Their fight becomes a direct contest between Alexander’s relentless Water God Style swordsmanship and Hilde’s defensive Water God techniques combined with Dragon Gate Magic.
• Hilde’s final counterattack—catching and crushing Alexander’s sword before punching him—physically and symbolically reverses their positions in the battle.

Chapter Summary: “Great Enemy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a fierce battle, Hilde defeats Alexander by using Three Qi Return, a Dragon Gate Magic technique that drains nearly all of his mana and physically weakens him. Alexander is left with both arms broken, severely beaten, and unable to fight.
• Alexander blames his defeat on not bringing the King Dragon Sword and on failing to take Hilde seriously from the beginning. However, he ultimately accepts that, according to North God principles, defeat proves weakness and excuses are meaningless.
• Alexander asks Hilde to kill him, but she refuses. She mocks his attempt to maintain a warrior’s pride and tells him that, in his helpless state, he no longer even has the freedom to choose how he dies.
• Hilde spares him as a favor to Mr. Shard, warning Alexander not to let himself be manipulated or used by others. Her mercy leaves Alexander deeply humiliated and emotionally shaken.
• Hilde, herself exhausted and badly injured, buys new clothes and bandages before returning to the banquet hall.
• On arriving, she finds the banquet in chaos. The nobles are terrified, Paul is gravely wounded, Sylphy has lost a leg and is unconscious, and Ariel is protecting her.
• Rudeus, Eris, and Ghislaine are confronting Auber, who stands beside the unexpected presence of Darius Silva Ganius.
• The chapter ends with Hilde recognizing another powerful figure: Leda Lia, the Water God, who has joined Auber’s side.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates both overwhelming combat ability and restraint. Despite defeating Alexander, she refuses to kill him, showing loyalty to Mr. Shard and a personal code that goes beyond simple revenge.
• Her victory comes at great cost: Dragon Gate Magic boosts her physically but leaves her drained once the battle ends, emphasizing the technique’s limitations.
• Alexander experiences a profound defeat. His pride as a North God Style swordsman is broken, and Hilde’s mercy humiliates him more deeply than death might have. Her warning also forces him to confront how easily he has been used by others.
• Paul is shown badly injured but still standing and defending those around him.
• Sylphy suffers a catastrophic injury, losing one leg, while Ariel abandons her usual regal composure to protect and hold her.
• Rudeus, Eris, and Ghislaine are placed under extreme pressure by the appearance of Auber and Leda Lia, suggesting that the banquet’s attackers are far beyond ordinary assassins.

Significant Themes

• Strength and defeat: The chapter reinforces the North God belief that victory determines truth. Alexander’s excuses cannot change the fact that he lost.
• Pride versus humility: Alexander tries to preserve his warrior’s dignity, but Hilde forces him to acknowledge his helplessness and accept the position of a loser.
• Mercy and obligation: Hilde spares Alexander not out of softness but because of her debt to Mr. Shard, showing how personal loyalties influence moral decisions.
• The cost of power: Dragon Gate Magic can overcome an immensely resilient opponent, but its effects are temporary and leave Hilde nearly incapacitated afterward.
• Sudden reversal and vulnerability: The elegant banquet transforms into a scene of bloodshed and terror, revealing how fragile political power and social status are in the face of overwhelming force.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Alexander engage in a bitter exchange after their battle. Hilde ridicules his excuses and false bravado, while Alexander struggles to accept both his defeat and her refusal to kill him.
• Hilde advises Alexander to think for himself rather than act as another person’s weapon, implying criticism of his relationship with those manipulating him.
• At the banquet, Auber appears to have orchestrated the attack and is accompanied by Darius, whose unexplained presence raises major questions.
• Leda Lia addresses Auber critically, suggesting that the two are allied but not entirely harmonious.
• Hilde returns just as Rudeus, Eris, and Ghislaine are confronting this new alliance, leaving the chapter poised for a much larger battle.

Chapter Summary: The Beast That Called for Love at the Center of the World (1)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde arrives at the banquet after defeating Alexander Kalman III, the North God. Her unexpected victory shocks Auber, who had believed Alexander was more than capable of stopping her.
• She quickly assesses the situation: Paul and Sylphy are injured, Eris and Ghislaine are defending Rudeus and Paul, and Sylphy appears to have been wounded while protecting Ariel.
• Darius has arrived as an uninvited participant, accompanied by the Water God, Leda Lia. Their presence confirms that the banquet has become an attempt to eliminate Ariel and consolidate political power for the First Prince faction.
• Leda is revealed to be aligned with Hitogami, or at least acting as one of his Apostles, though she claims to have personal reasons as well.
• Darius orders Leda to kill Ariel and declares that Ariel’s supposed “collusion with foreign powers” warrants execution. Hilde points out how absurd and politically dangerous this accusation is.
• Rudeus warns Hilde that Leda’s swordsmanship functions like a domain: even a small movement can trigger a devastating counterattack.
• Hilde nevertheless steps in front of Ariel and challenges Leda, declaring that Leda must defeat her before reaching the princess.
• Leda acknowledges that she could potentially defeat everyone present, but hesitates to draw her sword. Hilde’s arrival and apparent victory over Alexander have changed the balance of power.
• Rather than fight, Leda abandons the plan and orders Darius and Auber to flee Ars City and the Asura Kingdom. She explains that Dilik escaped to alert the knights, meaning they will soon be surrounded if they remain.

Character Developments

• Hilde demonstrates a major increase in strength and confidence by defeating Alexander and immediately placing herself between Leda and Ariel. Despite understanding the danger, she refuses to retreat, showing determination and a willingness to sacrifice herself for the others.
• Leda is confirmed as an enemy aligned with Hitogami, but she is not blindly obedient. Her hesitation and eventual decision to withdraw suggest caution, strategic judgment, and possible reluctance to commit political murder.
• Darius becomes increasingly desperate and reckless. He relies on fabricated accusations, threats, and the expectation that political power will erase any opposition. His impatience contrasts sharply with Leda’s restraint.
• Auber is shaken by Hilde’s return and Alexander’s disappearance. His confidence collapses when he realizes he cannot safely confront Hilde himself.
• Ariel is placed in a vulnerable position but gains protection from Hilde. Her reaction shows how deeply she is affected by Hilde’s intervention.
• Rudeus acts as a tactical observer, warning Hilde about Leda’s unusual swordsmanship while recognizing the danger of the confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: Hilde knowingly places herself in danger to protect Ariel, refusing to retreat even when facing a formidable opponent.
• Power versus legitimacy: Darius attempts to use legal authority and false charges to justify a violent seizure of power, revealing how political legitimacy can be manipulated.
• The limits of force: Although Leda appears capable of defeating the defenders, she recognizes that killing Ariel would create consequences that could not easily be controlled.
• Strategic restraint: The chapter emphasizes that victory is not determined by strength alone. Leda withdraws because the approaching knights and political fallout make continued combat impractical.
• Uncertainty and shifting alliances: Hilde’s unexpected victory changes the entire situation, while Leda’s connection to Hitogami raises questions about her true motives and degree of loyalty.

Character Interactions

• Hilde and Auber: Auber reacts with disbelief to Hilde’s return and her defeat of Alexander, exposing his uncertainty and fear.
• Hilde and Leda: Their exchange is respectful but tense, shaped by their past relationship and opposing positions. Hilde challenges Leda directly, while Leda recognizes the seriousness of the confrontation.
• Hilde and Ariel: Hilde physically shields Ariel and makes her protection explicit, strengthening their bond and Ariel’s trust in her.
• Rudeus and Hilde: Rudeus warns Hilde about Leda’s sword technique, showing concern and contributing tactical knowledge even though Hilde chooses to proceed.
• Darius and Leda: Darius repeatedly pressures Leda to kill Ariel, but Leda refuses to follow his reckless demands. Their disagreement exposes Darius’s desperation and Leda’s greater awareness of the political consequences.
• Leda and the group: Leda’s decision to withdraw prevents an immediate massacre, but it also confirms her role as a dangerous opponent whose presence has dramatically escalated the crisis.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Darius realizes that the situation has turned against him after Hilde returns, believing his defeat is imminent.
• Leda reveals that Hilde is severely weakened from a previous battle. Although Leda believes she could defeat Hilde easily, she does not want to kill her because Hilde is her disciple and Isolte connects them.
• Leda decides to evacuate Darius, while Hilde reluctantly appears to accept their departure.
• Hilde secretly calculates that this may be her only chance to kill Darius before he escapes the kingdom. She deceptively calls out to the supposedly present Orsted, distracting everyone.
• Using the North God Style technique Three Thousand Lightning Movement, Hilde launches a lightning-fast assassination attempt against Darius.
• Leda reacts even faster, severing Hilde’s arm before she can reach Darius. Auber then kicks Hilde into the wall, knocking her unconscious.
• To prevent Hilde from being healed and attacking again, Leda throws the severed arm through a window.
• Leda, Darius, and Auber leave the banquet hall. Rudeus and the others are forced to watch because Leda and Auber are too powerful to confront safely.

Character Developments

• Hilde: Demonstrates exceptional courage, tactical deception, and speed despite being gravely injured and exhausted. Her determination to kill Darius remains absolute, but her failed attack leaves her unconscious and maimed.
• Leda: Shows both overwhelming combat ability and emotional restraint. She protects Darius out of gratitude while deliberately avoiding killing Hilde, revealing her lingering affection and responsibility toward her former disciple.
• Darius: Loses his composure when Hilde returns and narrowly escapes death. His fear and helplessness emphasize his dependence on stronger allies.
• Auber: Reacts quickly to Hilde’s attack and decisively incapacitates her, continuing to serve as Darius’s capable protector.
• Rudeus and Ariel’s faction: Their anger and helplessness intensify, especially as Ariel cries out over Hilde’s defeat and Rudeus openly displays murderous hostility toward Darius.

Significant Themes

• Plans versus reality: Leda’s statement that plans cannot keep up with unexpected changes reflects how Hilde’s return disrupts Darius’s preparations, while Hilde’s own plan depends on surprise and timing.
• Loyalty and obligation: Leda protects Darius because of an old debt, even though doing so places her against Hilde, someone she personally cares about.
• Sacrifice and desperation: Hilde risks everything in a final attack despite her injuries, showing how far she is willing to go to achieve her goal.
• Powerlessness before overwhelming strength: The others can neither save Hilde nor stop Darius because Leda and Auber dominate the battlefield.
• Political escape: Darius’s departure threatens Ariel’s future struggle for the throne, making his escape a major strategic setback.

Character Interactions

• Leda and Hilde engage in a tense exchange shaped by their teacher-disciple relationship; Leda asks permission to take Darius, while Hilde conceals her true intentions.
• Hilde uses the name “Orsted” to mislead everyone and create the opening for her attack.
• Leda protects Darius from Hilde, while Auber follows up by knocking Hilde unconscious.
• Ariel reacts emotionally to Hilde’s injury, while Rudeus silently watches Darius leave with intense hatred.
• The chapter ends with Leda, Auber, and Darius escaping together, leaving the opposing faction stunned and unable to intervene.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hilde regains consciousness in the banquet hall after the battle, discovering that her left arm has been severed. Ariel is crying over her, while Rudeus explains what happened after Hilde left to pursue Auber.
• Ariel exposed the truth about the Notos Family succession by producing Amarant’s will. Paul, not Philemon, was the rightful Duke of Notos; Philemon had only acted as lord in Paul’s absence. Once Paul appeared, Philemon was abandoned by the nobles and servants who had supported him.
• Darius arrived with Leda and accused Ariel of being influenced by foreign powers and plotting against Asura. He presented letters as evidence, but Ariel and the Boreas Family countered with proof of Darius’s corruption, financial crimes, and abuse of women.
• As public opinion turned against him, Darius abandoned diplomacy and ordered Leda to kill his opponents. Leda hesitated at first, but Auber soon returned and joined the conflict.
• Darius ordered Auber to kill Ariel and Paul, triggering a battle. Rudeus supported Eris, Ghislaine, and the others with magic while they fought Auber.
• Leda then used her power to immobilize everyone except Auber. She attacked Ariel and Paul simultaneously. Rudeus’s earth walls failed to stop her swords, and Sylphy sacrificed her leg to protect Ariel. Eris and Ghislaine barely defended Paul.
• With Leda and Auber working together, Darius appeared close to victory—until Hilde returned and confronted the situation.
• In the present, Hilde insists that the battle is not over because Darius is still alive and she remains determined to kill him.

Character Developments

• Hilde wakes severely injured but remains focused, disciplined, and driven by her vendetta against Darius. Her missing arm emphasizes the personal cost of the conflict, but she refuses to show weakness.
• Ariel demonstrates political skill and courage by exposing Philemon’s illegitimate claim and countering Darius’s accusations with evidence of his crimes.
• Rudeus acts as both protector and strategist, supporting the fighters with magic and anticipating Leda’s attack, though he is unable to prevent Sylphy’s injury.
• Sylphy shows extraordinary loyalty and self-sacrifice by throwing herself in front of Ariel and losing the use of her leg.
• Paul is restored to his rightful position as Duke of Notos, though he is forced to witness the violence surrounding his return.
• Philemon is publicly disgraced and revealed as a usurper once the will and Paul’s legitimacy come to light.
• Darius becomes increasingly desperate and ruthless as he loses political control, ultimately ordering assassinations rather than attempting further negotiation.
• Leda emerges as an extremely dangerous fighter with the ability to immobilize others, though her partial resistance to Darius suggests independent motives.
• Auber remains a formidable combatant and returns at a crucial moment to strengthen Darius’s side.
• Eris and Ghislaine act as frontline defenders, fighting Auber and protecting Paul during Leda’s attack.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy versus usurpation: The succession dispute over the Notos Family reflects the importance of lawful inheritance and the exposure of political fraud.
• Political loyalty and opportunism: The nobles quickly abandon Philemon and later turn against Darius when the balance of power shifts, revealing their self-serving nature.
• Power and corruption: Darius’s accusations are contrasted with evidence of his own abuse, greed, and exploitation of others.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Sylphy’s injury, as well as the efforts of Eris, Ghislaine, Rudeus, and others, shows the personal cost of protecting those they support.
• Determination amid loss: Hilde’s reaction to losing her arm illustrates her relentless commitment to revenge, even after suffering devastating physical injury.
• The limits of political order: Once Darius’s authority is threatened, the banquet’s political proceedings collapse into violence, showing how fragile authority can be.

Character Interactions

• Ariel comforts and mourns over the injured Hilde, while Hilde reacts sternly and pushes her away.
• Rudeus reassures Hilde, restrains her so she will rest, and recounts the events she missed.
• Ariel confronts Philemon publicly, using Amarant’s will to establish Paul’s rightful claim.
• Darius and Ariel engage in a political battle of accusations and evidence, with each side attempting to win the nobles’ support.
• Darius commands Leda and Auber to eliminate Ariel and Paul, turning the political dispute into an armed confrontation.
• Rudeus, Eris, Ghislaine, and Sylphy cooperate to protect Ariel and Paul, while Auber and Leda fight on Darius’s behalf.
• Hilde’s return changes the situation again, as her determination to pursue Darius signals that the conflict is not yet finished.

After Darius escaped Ars City with Leda and Auber, Paul became Duke of Notos and Ariel’s claim to the throne was nearly assured. Hilde decided to pursue Darius to repay her debt to Orsted, and Rudeus agreed to go with her.

• Dilik arrived with the knights, helped clear the banquet hall, and reported that Leda and Darius had escaped after Hilde’s defeat.
• Paul was welcomed back by the Notos retainers as the new Duke of Notos, while Ariel gained the support of the other dukes.
• Dilik revealed that Hilde’s severed arm had been burned beyond healing, and Hilde accepted that she had lost it for good.
• Dilik told Hilde that Leda and Auber were taking Darius south toward the Eastern Continent, where he had money stashed.
• Hilde insisted on pursuing Darius to repay her debt to Orsted, and Rudeus joined her, offering to handle Leda while Hilde fought Auber.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Rudeus initially reacts with disbelief when Hilde asks him to fight the Water God, Leda. He considers himself completely outmatched, having previously witnessed Leda effortlessly overpower Eris and Ghislaine.
• Although frightened, Rudeus agrees to accompany Hilde because he fears losing her. He wants to stop merely watching her face deadly situations alone and fulfill his goal of protecting his family.
• Hilde reveals that Rudeus should use the Fighting God Armor Type II, Unit No. 2, which Aisha had prepared for him. The armor may give him a chance against Leda.
• Eris and Ghislaine join the pursuit. Eris wants to support Rudeus and Hilde, while Ghislaine is determined to kill Darius, whom she blames for Lord Sauros’s death.
• Hilde clarifies that their objective is not to defeat Leda and Auber directly. Instead:
  • Rudeus will keep Leda occupied.
  • Hilde, Eris, and Ghislaine will engage Auber.
  • The group only needs to create an opening for one of them to assassinate Darius before retreating.
• Meanwhile, Darius is fleeing Ars City in a carriage escorted by Leda and Auber. He plans to retrieve hidden money in the Shanakia Kingdom, then continue south toward the King Dragon Kingdom.
• Leda tells Darius she can only escort him as far as Red Dragon’s Lower Jaw, while Auber offers continued protection for a negotiable fee.
• The chapter ends when the group pursuing Darius catches up. Leda recognizes one of the pursuers as Isolte, and her reaction is unusually complicated.

Character Development

• Rudeus: Overcomes his fear and self-doubt out of love and loyalty toward Hilde. He accepts that protecting family sometimes requires confronting enemies far beyond his own perceived level.
• Hilde: Demonstrates strategic leadership and confidence in Rudeus. Rather than seeking a direct victory, she develops a realistic assassination-and-retreat plan.
• Eris: Continues to show her fierce loyalty by immediately insisting on joining the battle.
• Ghislaine: Reveals the depth of her unresolved grief and anger over Lord Sauros’s death. Her participation is driven by a personal need for revenge.
• Darius: Is reduced from a powerful political figure to a desperate fugitive. His arrogance remains, but he is now dependent on Leda and Auber for survival.
• Leda: Despite her overwhelming strength, she displays a more personal and complicated reaction upon recognizing Isolte, suggesting an important connection or history.

Significant Themes

• Family and protection: Rudeus’s willingness to fight stems not from confidence or ambition but from his determination not to lose Hilde.
• Courage despite fear: Rudeus is terrified, yet acts because fear does not outweigh his responsibility toward someone he loves.
• Teamwork and strategy: The group acknowledges that brute force is insufficient against Leda and Auber, relying instead on coordination, distraction, and opportunity.
• Justice and revenge: Ghislaine’s pursuit of Darius reflects the lasting consequences of political betrayal and the desire to avenge Lord Sauros.
• Power and vulnerability: Darius’s fall illustrates how quickly political authority can disappear, while Leda’s overwhelming power contrasts with the fugitives’ dependence on her protection.

Character Interactions

• Rudeus and Hilde share a silent emotional understanding: he joins her because he cannot bear to lose her, even though neither states this directly.
• Hilde takes command of the group, and the others instinctively accept her leadership.
• Eris and Ghislaine reinforce the party’s strength, though Hilde still assigns Rudeus the dangerous task of facing Leda alone.
• Darius and Leda exchange sarcastic, hostile banter, revealing Darius’s loss of status and dependence on her.
• Darius also negotiates with Auber for protection, treating the North Emperor as a paid escort.
• The chapter closes with Leda recognizing Isolte, setting up a potentially significant confrontation.