Recaps

Charles met with Elendil in the Verdant Crystal Domain and agreed to seek the title of Silverleaf lord, while Elendil promised to recommend him to the Queen. At the banquet, Selena invited Charles to dance.

• Elendil learned that Charles had become a third-circle wizard before fighting the Howling Children of the Wasteland.
• Elendil offered to recommend Charles to the Queen as a Silverleaf lord, and Charles accepted.
• Elendil said the Queen might grant Charles his title when she visited Confluence City, and Charles promised to expand his territory.
• Charles and Elendil discussed his plans before Selena told them the banquet had begun.
• Charles attended the extravagant banquet, where Selena danced among the guests.
• Selena invited Charles to dance, and he accepted.

Charles spent more time cultivating in Verdant Crystal City, leaving Selena longing for him, while the Moonshadow Queen completed her tour of the Avenor Elven Court and approached Confluence City. The chapter ended with the Queen admiring the decorated city from her carriage.

• Charles danced with Selena, who felt overjoyed but became embarrassed when her mother and other wood elves watched them.
• Charles grew bored with banquets and devoted himself to cultivation, while Selena missed spending time with him.
• The Moonshadow Queen finished inspecting the kingdom and traveled toward Confluence City with a guarded convoy and noble retinues.
• Confluence City prepared a grand welcome, decorating its riverside streets as pegasus knights patrolled overhead.
• The Moonshadow Queen looked out at Confluence City and remarked on its scenery and the effort made to welcome her.

Charles attended the Moonshadow Queen’s arrival ceremony in Confluence City, where his conspicuous Sun Elf disguise drew widespread attention. He asked the Book of Causal Paths to ensure his safe departure, but it warned that its limited power could not shape events involving a fourth-rank being.

• Confluence City’s leaders and clergy gathered outside the city to welcome the Moonshadow Queen, and Charles arrived with Elendil to watch the ceremony.
• Charles noticed that he was the only Sun Elf among the nobles and clergy, while half-elven noblewomen nearby admired him and discussed pursuing him.
• Elendil teased Charles about his popularity, and Charles said he had no interest in the local women, leaving Selena relieved but uneasy.
• Charles worried that his rare Sun Elf identity made him too conspicuous, but the Book of Causal Paths assured him that his disguise could not be exposed without a blood test.
• Charles asked the Book of Causal Paths to weave a future in which he could leave Confluence City safely and gain benefits, but it said it lacked the power to influence a fourth-rank being.

Charles watched the Moonshadow Queen arrive in Confluence City with an elaborate procession and reflected on her beauty and the cost of the welcome. After briefly noticing Charles, the Queen entered the city, leaving him to marvel at the extravagant preparations.

• The Moonshadow Queen's elite guard cavalry arrived in Confluence City, and Charles noticed a third-circle elven grand wizard among them.
• The Moonshadow Queen's carriage, drawn by twelve white Giant Deer, reached the welcoming party as the city celebrated with wizardry fireworks.
• The Moonshadow Queen emerged from her carriage, greeted the gathered dignitaries, and briefly remarked that Charles was a rare Sun Elf.
• The Queen returned to her carriage and proceeded toward Confluence City along a flower-lined road guarded by half-elven soldiers and knights.
• Charles estimated that the decorations and displays for the Queen's arrival had cost more than a million Magic Stones.

The Moonshadow Queen arrived in Confluence City and met with Felenlos, a Sun Elf wizard sent by Anarion Sunwing. After receiving a box from him, she asked about an unusually powerful young Sun Elf she had seen in the welcoming ranks, but Felenlos said he had never seen him in Lotheran.

• Charles estimated the cost of the Queen’s arrival and reflected that the elves’ extravagance could benefit him if he conquered them.
• The Moonshadow Queen arrived in Confluence City, where her attendants postponed the welcoming banquet so she could rest.
• The Queen met Felenlos in her temporary palace and asked after Anarion Sunwing.
• Felenlos delivered the box Anarion had sent, and the Queen put it away.
• The Queen asked whether a young, powerful Sun Elf she had seen was Anarion’s prince, but Felenlos said he had never seen him in Lotheran.

The Moonshadow Queen read the letter Felenlos had brought from the Tree Sea, while Charles learned that she and Lotheran’s Sun King had once been lovers. The story left Charles judging the Queen’s choices as a ruler and fearing that her lack of an heir had endangered her kingdom’s future.

• After Felenlos left, the Moonshadow Queen opened the box from the Tree Sea, removed its contents, and read the letter in private.
• In Confluence City, Elendil, Charles, and Selena discussed the Moonshadow Queen after returning from the banquet.
• Elendil told Charles and Selena that the Moonshadow Queen and Lotheran’s Sun King had once been lovers but had lived apart for centuries.
• Elendil explained that the Queen had no husband or children, while the Sun King had a queen, consorts, and several children.
• Selena compared the Queen’s loneliness to her own feelings for Imril, while Charles privately criticized the Queen for leaving her kingdom without an heir.

Elendil brought Charles to a banquet hosted by Kaland Riel, a powerful Moon Elf wizard and the Queen’s relative, whose invitation carried possible political significance. Charles met Kaland Riel after attracting the attention of the other guests, and the chapter ended with the Ancient Tree Lord recognizing him as Imril.

• Elendil told Charles that the Queen had agreed to grant him the title of Lord of Silverleaf.
• Elendil explained that Kaland Riel served as the Queen’s spokesperson in the Thirteen-Person Regency Council and that his invitation might carry deeper meaning.
• Charles attended Kaland Riel’s banquet with Elendil and Selena, where many elven nobles sought his company.
• Selena grew jealous of the female elves who approached Charles, then felt pleased when he showed little interest in them.
• Elendil introduced Charles to Kaland Riel, who guessed that Charles was Imril.

Charles attended the banquet hoping to learn when he would receive his investiture, but the Queen’s arrival—and the presence of Felenlos Sunwing—made him fear his Sun Elf disguise would be exposed. The Queen summoned Charles and Elendil, then invited Charles to dance with her.

• Charles danced with several female elves as the banquet’s wine reception and festivities continued.
• The Moonshadow Queen arrived with Felenlos Sunwing, alarming Charles because he had been impersonating a Sun Elf and feared Felenlos would recognize him.
• Charles hurriedly studied the knowledge he had bought about the Lotheran Elven Court and the Eternal Forest while the Queen spoke with the other guests.
• A Queen’s attendant summoned Charles and Elendil, and led them to the Queen, Felenlos, and Kaland Riel.
• The Queen mistook Charles’s appearance for a reminder of Anarion Sunwing, praised his looks, and invited him to dance.

The Moonshadow Queen invited Charles, who was disguised as Imril, to dance, astonishing the elves at the banquet. Afterward, Charles joined the Queen and the Ancient Tree Lords in a conversation about Lotheran, leaving Felenlos increasingly puzzled by Imril’s knowledge and identity.

• The Moonshadow Queen invited Imril to dance, surprising Charles and the watching elven nobles.
• Charles danced with the Queen and realized her unfocused gaze suggested she might be seeing someone else in him.
• After the dance, the Queen praised Charles, and the elves watched them with envy and curiosity.
• The Queen, Charles, Kaland Riel, Felenlos, and Elendil discussed stories about Lotheran and the royal court.
• Felenlos grew more confused as Charles showed extensive knowledge of Lotheran.

At the banquet, Charles believed his disguise as Imril Goldtree had passed the elves’ scrutiny, but the Moonshadow Queen summoned him privately and exposed that he was not from Lotheran. Charles was left wondering whether he could still salvage the situation.

• After the Moonshadow Queen danced with Charles, he became popular with the elven nobles and turned down several male nobles who invited him to dance.
• At the end of the banquet, an attendant summoned Charles in Lord Kaland’s name, and Charles suspected the queen was behind the invitation.
• The Moonshadow Queen entered the lounge alone and asked Charles whether Imril Goldtree was his true name and whether he really came from Lotheran.
• The queen explained that Felenlos would have recognized an exceptional young Sun Elf from Lotheran, since the Sun Elves were few and closely connected.
• Charles realized the queen had seen through his disguise and regretted choosing to pose as a Sun Elf, but he hoped her continued conversation meant he still had a chance.

Charles convinced the Moonshadow Queen that he was Imril Starlight, a Sun Elf from a homeland among the stars who had been stranded in Osela. The Queen believed his story, sympathized with him, and asked him to describe the void and stars further.

• The Moonshadow Queen deduced that Charles was not from Lotheran and asked whether he came from another plane and was a Sun Elf.
• Charles gave his false name as Imril Starlight and invented a story about his ancestors migrating into the void and his homeland among the stars.
• Charles claimed a void storm had stranded him in Osela, where he had lived in Lotheran before traveling to the Land of Chaos to help the elves.
• The Moonshadow Queen accepted Charles's account, called him a poor child, and praised his efforts in the Land of Chaos.
• The Moonshadow Queen asked Charles to tell her more about his homeland and the stars, and Charles drew on Orenis's knowledge to answer her.

The Moonshadow Queen accepted Charles as a resident of Osela, promised to resolve his identity issues, and arranged for him to study wizardry under Caland while granting him the title of Silverleaf Lord. Charles left eager to begin studying, aware the queen might not have long to live, and reassured Elendil that her meeting with him had concerned the title.

• The Moonshadow Queen praised Charles, promised to explain his identity to Felenlos and write to Lotheran, and welcomed him as part of Osela.
• The Moonshadow Queen agreed to confer the title of Silverleaf Lord on Charles and arrange an investiture ceremony with Caland.
• After Charles admitted he lacked suitable combat wizardry, the Moonshadow Queen gave him a warrant to study under Caland.
• Charles asked the Book of Causal Paths why it had said the Moonshadow Queen would die soon, and it explained that the information had come from Ross.
• Charles returned to find Elendil and Selena waiting, then told them the queen's meeting had concerned his Silverleaf Lord title.

Charles visited Calder Riel to learn elven witchcraft, choosing several Third Circle spells for Calder to teach him. Calder prepared to leave him scrolls for further study, while Charles planned to learn the spells with insights ordered through Wuduo.

• Charles visited Calder Riel and presented a writ saying the Queen had directed him to study witchcraft.
• Calder agreed to teach Charles after breakfast and described the spells he specialized in.
• Charles selected Moonfire Scorch, Treant Summoning, Thornstorm, and Soul Healing.
• Calder said he might soon leave Confluence City and would write the spells onto scrolls for Charles to study.
• Charles ordered Calder's insights through Wuduo and left with the spells to study later.

Charles was invested by the Moonshadow Queen as the Silverleaf Lord after swearing to defend the land and its people. At the ensuing banquet, half-elven nobles eagerly pursued him for his Sun Elf bloodline, while Selena watched unhappily.

• Charles attended a grand investiture ceremony at Confluence City's Moon-Speaker Hall, where elves and half-elven nobles gathered.
• Aeliya Silvermoon asked Imril Goldtree to accept the duties of the Silverleaf Lord, and Charles swore his oath before her.
• Aeliya placed a coronet made from a Tree of Life branch on Charles's head and formally invested him as the Silverleaf Lord.
• At the banquet, half-elven women repeatedly invited Charles to dance and boldly sought his attention because of his Sun Elf bloodline.
• Selena watched Charles being surrounded by half-elven women and grew unhappy, while Felenlos recalled his own similar experience and Aeliya laughed at the scene.

Charles prepared to leave Confluence City before the Queen’s death could plunge the Avenor Elven Court into chaos. Before departing, he received spell scrolls from Kaland Riel and urged the Queen to strike at the Giant Empire, then left the temple without risking exposure.

• Charles decided to leave Confluence City, and Elendil agreed to return to his territory after Charles warned that their lands could be attacked.
• Kaland Riel gave Charles combat spell scrolls and offered to answer his questions in the future.
• Charles told the Queen he was leaving to govern his territory, and she asked whether he would punish a hostile neighbor before moving away.
• Charles advised the Queen to teach the Giant Empire a lesson, and she questioned whether he knew something before dismissing him.
• Charles visited the temple but left without entering, wary that the gods might detect his demonic bloodline.

The Moonshadow Queen prepared to leave for the Eternal Forest but chose instead to attack the Giant Empire, using the Sun King’s scrolls to strengthen herself. Charles watched her fly toward the Giants’ capital, where an armored Giant came out to confront her.

• Elendil admired Confluence City’s prosperity as Charles said Verdant Crystal City might someday become just as prosperous.
• The Moonshadow Queen burned the Sun King’s letter and told Felenlos and Kaland Riel to retreat to the Eternal Forest if they could not prevail.
• The Moonshadow Queen equipped herself, took the golden scrolls from the Sun King, and flew toward the Giant Empire.
• Charles recognized the Queen’s radiance and wished to learn what would happen, but the Book of Causal Paths refused to observe her.
• A powerful orc sensed the Moonshadow Queen passing overhead, then returned to his palace to summon female orcs.
• The Moonshadow Queen reached the Giants’ snow-mountain capital, activated the scrolls, and prayed as an armored Giant emerged to challenge her.

Charles returned to Greenshade City, discovered Scorchflame had impregnated the female snakes in his castle, and announced that he had become a hereditary Silverleaf Lord of the Elf Kingdom of Avenor. He left his officials to spread the news and planned celebrations for the citizens and army.

• Charles returned to Greenshade City after leaving the Verdant Crystal Domain and reunited with Scorchflame.
• Charles found that all the female Magic Beast snakes in his castle were pregnant and praised Scorchflame, promising to find him more mates, including drakes from Isata.
• Charles summoned Erika, Molly, Bruce, Yvenjieling, Elias, Charlotte, and Yuna, then announced that he had become a hereditary Silverleaf Lord.
• Charles told Charlotte to announce his new title to the citizens and officials, declaring that he would protect their future as Imril, the Sun Elf.
• Charles ordered an extra month's pay for every soldier and doubled food allowances for three days so the army could celebrate.

Yvenjieling reported on the stabilized occupied territory and revealed that she had captured a human wizard spying on Charles's Armored Knights. Charles went to the dungeon to question the prisoner and was surprised to find she was a woman.

• Yvenjieling reported that the occupied territory had been restored, bandits suppressed, and its army expanded under her command.
• Charles praised Yvenjieling's work and told her to return to the territory after resting.
• Yvenjieling revealed that she had captured a human wizard among the people spying on the Armored Knights.
• Charles dismissed the others and decided to see the prisoner in the castle dungeon.
• Charles found the woman guarded by four Armored Knights and remarked that the prisoner was a woman.

Teresa, sent to investigate Charles’s Armored Knights, was captured after underestimating Yvenjieling and the knights. Charles brought her out of the dungeon, while the Book of Causal Paths revealed that she had tremendous causal power and might have been important in her original fate.

• Teresa arrived in the former Scorched-Earth Warcry Tribe territory and investigated Charles’s forces, weapons, training, and Armored Knights.
• Teresa tried to abduct an Armored Knight, but Yvenjieling and the knights ambushed and captured her and nearly all her subordinates.
• Teresa repeatedly tried to resist in the dungeon and was beaten, then gave up trying to escape under the watch of four Armored Knights.
• Charles visited Teresa and took her out of the dungeon.
• The Book of Causal Paths told Charles that Teresa had tremendous causal power and had been an important figure in her original fate.

Charles interrogated Teresa about why she had approached his military camp and used her capture to pressure her grandfather, Old Tyler, and Blackstone Bastion Settlement. He revealed that he wanted the settlement’s people to become his subjects, leaving Teresa frightened and pleading for peace.

• Charles brought the battered Teresa to the castle garden and questioned her about her origins and purpose.
• Teresa claimed she was only a merchant and offered to surrender her shipment, but Charles said her captured subordinates had already confessed that she came from Blackstone Bastion Settlement.
• Charles accused Teresa of being sent by Old Tyler to learn about his Armored Knights and warned that he could use the alleged spying to attack the settlement.
• Charles revealed that he was the Silverleaf Lord of the Avenor Elven Court and said he wanted the humans of Blackstone Bastion Settlement as subjects who would pay taxes and provide troops.
• Teresa insisted that Old Tyler would not fight Charles and that her people only wanted to live and trade, while Charles threatened to send an envoy to discuss her fate and the settlement’s future.

Charles kept Theresa close and put her to work while planning to expand his territory amid turmoil in the Elven Royal Court. After Theresa’s capture left Tyler fearing for her, Ross returned to Blackstone Bastion Settlement and confronted Tyler about their people’s fate.

• Charles brought Theresa out of her cell, sent word to Ross, and used Theresa to help with experiments and Armored Knight armor.
• Charles planned to annex nearby lands and considered bringing Blackstone Bastion Settlement under his control.
• Tyler learned Theresa had been captured, rejected his assistant’s offer to rescue her, and hoped she would keep the settlement’s identity secret.
• Ross returned to Blackstone Bastion Settlement with his guards and entered the settlement as its people watched him.
• Ross met Tyler on the wall, recalled seeing him there more than twenty years earlier, and asked whether watching over the settlement could change their fate.

Ross brought Tyler to meet Charles and persuade him to discuss Blackstone Bastion Settlement’s future, revealing that Imril had captured Theresa and wanted the settlement. Tyler traveled incognito through Charles’s Domain, observed its strict laws and orderly communities, and arrived outside Greenshade City to watch the Armored Knights train.

• Ross told Tyler that Imril knew about Theresa’s capture and wanted Blackstone Bastion Settlement, then urged Tyler to meet with him.
• Tyler agreed to go with Ross after weighing whether he could defend the settlement from Imril’s forces.
• Disguised as one of Ross’s guards, Tyler passed through Charles’s settlements and saw humans and orcs living and working under strict laws.
• Ross explained to Tyler that the laws protected ordinary residents from bandits and soldiers who might otherwise plunder them.
• Ross brought Tyler to an overlook outside Greenshade City and pointed out the cavalry and infantry camps.
• Tyler watched as more than a hundred Armored Knights rode out with ordinary cavalry to train and charge.

Tyler visited Charles with Ross and saw the strength and prosperity of Charles’s territory, while Ross explained that Charles’s status and ability to repay debts attracted the resources that built it. Charles confronted Tyler over Theresa’s spying and threatened to kill her and conquer Blackstone Bastion Settlement if their negotiations failed, arguing that Tyler’s settlement was vulnerable because it was weak.

• Tyler watched Charles’s Armored Knights and learned from Ross that they were human soldiers equipped with armor made using Ross’s materials.
• Ross led Tyler through Charles’s flourishing city and explained that its peacekeepers were soldiers who had been wounded or failed selection.
• Ross and Tyler waited to meet Charles, while Theresa continued working under Charles’s watch and feared the sleeping third-rank Magic Beast nearby.
• Charles welcomed Ross, accepted his congratulatory gift, and then confronted Tyler about Theresa spying on his military intelligence.
• Charles threatened to kill Theresa and attack Blackstone Bastion Settlement if talks went badly, saying he would target it because it was weak and its manpower would benefit his territory.

Charles pressured Tyler to surrender Blackstone Bastion Settlement peacefully, arguing that it would give its people a future and allow him to build strength before the coming chaos. Tyler remained hesitant, but Ross and Theresa’s accounts of Charles’s rule weakened his resolve.

• Charles urged Tyler to join him and offered to train Theresa, warning that Blackstone Bastion could not grow and would face stronger foes if it ventured beyond its borders.
• Charles demanded that Tyler either hand over Blackstone Bastion Settlement peacefully or face war, then left him time to decide.
• Charles considered how absorbing Blackstone Bastion and the Sons of the Broken Blade would expand his territory, army, resources, and power.
• Tyler asked Theresa about her treatment, and she told him Charles had treated her well and was seriously teaching a human wizard apprentice.
• Ross urged Tyler to surrender, citing the lives humans could build under Charles and his promise that a human might govern the territory.
• Tyler asked Theresa whether Charles would teach her, and she said he probably would, leaving Tyler to sigh as he weighed the choice.

Charles sent Scorchflame to invite Theresa and Tyler to inspect his cavalry camp and gave them two days to decide their next move. Tyler abandoned thoughts of fleeing after seeing the camp’s disciplined Armored Knights and elite cavalry, leaving the Blackstone Bastion Settlement’s decision unresolved.

• Charles ordered Scorchflame to tell Theresa and Tyler they could visit the cavalry camp and had two days to consider his offer.
• Scorchflame delivered the message, and Tyler eagerly led Theresa and Ross to the camp while Theresa warned him to return afterward.
• Scorchflame accompanied them, and Tyler realized he was too powerful to ignore, so Tyler gave up his plan to flee.
• Elias welcomed the visitors on Scorchflame’s behalf and guided them through the camp.
• Tyler watched the cavalry train and was stunned by its size, discipline, and coordination compared with his own army.