Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Three-Element Hybrid Big Wolfdog, Such a Familiar Scent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Merkel reveals the historical rivalry between his Earth Law Magical Beast bloodline and the Wolf God’s moon-faction origins. Although the Wolf God claimed the title of king of all Magical Beasts, Merkel’s ancestors remained resentful of him.
• After learning that a later Silver Wolf has ascended, Merkel realizes he must advance soon. He fears that suppressing his advancement any longer may prevent him from fully inheriting his ancestors’ power and memories.
• Merkel gives Alice to Hill, predicting that she will reach the Legendary realm when she awakens. Alice has been rapidly growing stronger from the benefits of staying near Hill and Nature’s accumulated rewards.
• Hill learns that Alice’s sudden power increase coincided with the deaths of the Hunting Goddess and the Moon Elves’ Lord. Merkel explains that the first Moon Elf was merely created from Silver Moon’s Moon Tree, not truly a divine child, and that Silver Moon only briefly awakened after sensing something unusual.
• Merkel clarifies the Wolf God’s origins: he possessed Earth Goddess bloodline, Snow Mastiff bloodline, and moon-faction wolf bloodline, making him a powerful three-element hybrid. His relationship with the Water Law goddess Lakewater gave him influence over Water Law Magical Beasts.
• Contrary to common belief, the Wolf God was not primarily an Earth Law Demigod. He knew only two Earth Law techniques and relied mainly on illusion spells from the moon faction. He deliberately disguised these spells as Earth Law abilities, allowing him to kill enemies through surprise attacks.
• The later Silver Wolf was not the Wolf God’s biological brother, but likely a relative from another branch with purer moon-faction bloodline.
• Merkel explains why the Wolf God once united so many Magical Beasts: Lakewater could heal wounded beasts and return them to battle, while even powerful sea creatures respected him because of his connection to a Water Law goddess.
• Hill leaves Alice in the Mage Tower and returns to rest. He reflects on the Oak Divine Artifact in his Mental Sea and plans how to preserve control of the valley if he eventually leaves.
• The Oak explains that it can integrate the valley’s magical arrays through its roots, while Hill intends to develop Liszt into a Semi-Divine Artifact and leave behind a copy of him to manage the Mage Tower.
• The Moon Tree Seed has planted itself on the highest mountain in the Oak’s inner space, but its growth depends on whether Silver Moon chooses to acknowledge the Moon Elves again. Without her support, it may take thousands of years to sprout.

Character Developments

• Merkel: His normally restrained personality gives way to anger, melancholy, and ancestral pride. The Wolf God’s ascension awakens his bloodline’s old rivalry and forces him to prepare for advancement. He remains confident that he can inherit his ancestors’ power without losing control of his mind.
• Hill: He gains a deeper understanding of the Wolf God’s true nature and recognizes the political and bloodline complexity behind the Magical Beast factions. He also becomes increasingly cautious about the Oak Divine Artifact’s ability to observe or affect him.
• Alice: Though asleep throughout most of the chapter, she is revealed to be on the verge of advancing to Legendary rank due to her time with Hill and the influence of Nature’s power.
• Liszt: He continues developing as a Tower Spirit and shows his usual blunt, literal personality. Hill considers upgrading him into a Semi-Divine Artifact so he can remain behind and manage the valley.
• The Wolf God: His history is reframed. Rather than being a straightforward Earth Law powerhouse, he was a highly adaptable hybrid who used deception, illusion, bloodline advantages, and alliances to become the strongest possible candidate for king of the Magical Beasts.
• Silver Moon: She is portrayed as distant and unpredictable. Her relationship with the Moon Elves is uncertain, and her future decision will determine the Moon Tree’s fate.

Significant Themes

• Bloodline and ancestral inheritance: Merkel’s advancement is tied not only to personal strength but also to the unresolved emotions and power of his ancestors.
• Deception and hidden identity: The Wolf God’s success came partly from concealing the true nature of his abilities, demonstrating how misinformation can be as powerful as strength.
• Power and political unity: The Wolf God united divided Magical Beasts through personal strength, strategic alliances, and Lakewater’s healing abilities, but that unity disappeared after the deaths of the main figures.
• Consequences of relationships: Lakewater’s devotion helped elevate the Wolf God, yet her influence and the decisions of those around her also contributed to the destruction of their era.
• Divine abandonment and uncertain loyalty: The Moon Elves’ future depends on whether Silver Moon still recognizes them, emphasizing the instability of divine protection.
• Preparation for separation: Hill begins planning for the possibility of leaving the valley, ensuring that the Oak and Liszt can maintain it without him.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Merkel: Hill brings Merkel news of the Silver Wolf’s ascension, unintentionally triggering Merkel’s ancestral anger and determination to advance. Merkel responds by entrusting Alice to Hill.
• Hill and Alice: Hill takes responsibility for Alice while she undergoes her advancement, recognizing the benefits she has gained from remaining beside him.
• Hill and Merkel discussing the Wolf God: Their conversation reveals the Wolf God’s mixed bloodline, secret combat methods, family relationships, and former influence over Magical Beasts.
• Hill and Liszt: Hill praises the Mage Tower’s newly decorated room, only for Liszt to bluntly credit Martha and Adrian’s influence, embarrassing Hill. Their exchange highlights Liszt’s literal and unintentionally cutting personality.
• Hill and the Oak: Hill considers how to use the Oak’s roots and internal space to preserve the valley’s defenses. The Oak explains its connection to the Earth Goddess’s World Tree and the uncertain future of the Moon Tree Seed.

Chapter Summary: The King Who Lived in a Tree

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reflects anxiously on the Moon Elves’ uncertain fate, especially whether the awakening Silver Moon Goddess will forgive them. He suspects the Hunting Goddess’s lack of faith may have contributed to the Moon Tree’s unusual circumstances.
• After finally resting, Hill wakes the next morning and considers the larger political and divine situation of the world:
  • The three native Gods are not dead, only asleep.
  • The Elves and Dwarves may have entered the world as fugitives or outsiders and sought to seize its divine authorities.
  • The Moon Elves once welcomed these outsiders, but eventually became extinct.
  • Humanity may have survived only because the God of Space-Time summoned the Undead to counter demonic domination.
• Hill theorizes that the World Will, the Legendary Mages, and the God of Space-Time may all have been acting to prevent the world’s destruction.
• He reinterprets several past events:
  • William’s hostility toward the Hunting Goddess was likely based on knowledge of the Elves’ dangerous agenda.
  • The God of Nobles was primarily opposed to the Wolf God and the Magical Beast Kingdom, rather than being a true ally of the Elves or Dwarves.
  • The God of Nobles, Springwater, and other factions had cooperated temporarily but did not share identical goals.
  • The God of Nobles gradually became more evil and irrational, though Springwater bore greater responsibility for summoning Demons.
• Hill decides that his immediate priority is advancing to the Legendary realm. He plans to spend a year developing another Wind Law spell while hoping the world remains peaceful.
• The chapter shifts to Salar, where William has established an unusual royal residence: a small house and throne positioned in the branches of the enormous Ginkgo Treant.
• William uses Ginkgo to carry him around the palace and inspect government departments. His ability to observe officials directly makes them extremely nervous.
• William’s anger becomes visible to the entire government, and his pressure is so frightening that at least one low-level professional faints.

2. Character Developments

• Hill: Becomes more politically and historically perceptive, connecting divine conflicts, the World Will’s actions, and humanity’s survival. Despite his broader understanding, he recognizes the limits of his ability to judge divine affairs and refocuses on becoming Legendary.
• William: Is shown as a highly informed and intimidating ruler. His harsh attitude toward the Hunting Goddess appears justified by his understanding of the Elves’ threat. In daily life, he is also eccentric, using Ginkgo as a mobile royal court.
• The God of Nobles: Is portrayed as morally corrupt but not necessarily the mastermind behind every disaster. His goal was chiefly to eliminate the Wolf God, though his prolonged descent into evil damaged his judgment.
• The Hunting Goddess: Is characterized as naïve and foolish for trusting the God of Nobles and failing to understand the larger political situation.
• Adrian and the officials: Their fear of William’s constant presence highlights the psychological pressure of serving an all-seeing king.

3. Significant Themes

• Survival versus invasion: The world may tolerate refugees but resist outsiders who seek to seize its powers.
• Hidden motives and historical reinterpretation: Hill realizes that past actions by Gods, nations, and the World Will had deeper purposes than he initially understood.
• Moral ambiguity: Even evil figures may have understandable objectives, while apparent allies may pursue fundamentally different agendas.
• The burden of knowledge and leadership: Gods and rulers make decisions affecting entire races, while ordinary people remain unaware of the forces shaping their lives.
• Power and surveillance: William’s ability to see and inspect everything turns royal authority into an oppressive, ever-present force.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: Hill chooses personal growth and careful preparation despite the possibility of approaching catastrophe.

4. Character Interactions

• Hill mentally contrasts the Silver Moon Goddess with the Hunting Goddess, questioning whether the former will forgive the Moon Elves.
• He analyzes William’s past conflict with the Hunting Goddess and concludes that William likely understood the Elves’ threat better than she did.
• The God of Nobles’ relationship with Springwater is presented as an uneasy collaboration: Springwater initiated the demonic scheme, while the God of Nobles became an accomplice and accepted the consequences.
• William’s interactions with Salar’s officials are mostly indirect but highly intimidating; his habit of appearing outside their windows and observing their work leaves them terrified and embarrassed.
• Adrian sympathizes with the officials and witnesses the overwhelming effect of William’s anger firsthand.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian continues overseeing the reconstruction and design of the Salar Royal Palace under William’s authority. William insists that the palace embody a distinct Salar aesthetic rather than imitate designs from another world, leaving Adrian struggling to recreate the traditional gold, silver, and black appearance using new materials.
• Falan, now a Legendary Alchemy Grandmaster, is preparing to inscribe the palace’s extensive Divine Art Arrays and integrate the existing Mage Towers into the new structure. His expertise is essential because Adrian cannot control the power of the palace’s highest-level magical formations.
• William becomes enraged after learning that members of the Salar Royal Family and officials in Obastian exploited citizens over a minor land dispute. A young female homeowner, a follower of the God of Space-Time, killed herself by striking the gates of the Space-Time Church.
• William orders the prime minister to resolve the matter within three days. He threatens a complete investigation using Faction Detection, exile for less serious offenders, and execution for everyone directly involved. He also orders the corrupt mayor of Obastian removed.
• Adrian presents the palace design drawings, but William postpones reviewing them because of his anger.
• William asks about Hill’s condition. Adrian explains that Hill is preparing to enter seclusion and pursue Legendary advancement.
• William reveals that he noticed Hill’s Wind Law magic when Hill briefly used it within William’s territory. He asks whether the technique can be taught to someone else.
• Adrian also explains that Hill awakened the Silver Moon Wolf God and accompanied him to the Wolf God Altar until his ascension. Hill received two minor Divine Artifacts—the Dwarves’ Earth Shield and a moon elf Druid’s Seed Bag—but neither is especially useful to him.

Character Developments

• Adrian demonstrates increasing responsibility and competence as the palace’s chief planner, though he remains aware of the limits of his own magical abilities and avoids investigating secrets beyond his level.
• Falan is portrayed as highly respected and uniquely qualified to construct the palace’s foundational magic arrays. His advancement to Legendary rank has also changed his attitude toward William, though the reason remains unexplained.
• William displays his authoritarian leadership and strong sense of justice. Despite his usually playful personality, he reacts violently to corruption and exploitation, especially when citizens suffer because of aristocratic greed. He also shows continued interest in Hill’s unusual abilities and circumstances.
• Hill is progressing toward Legendary rank and is developing distinctive Wind Law magic. His nature as a Nature Sorcerer shapes his refusal to use the soul-based Earth Shield.
• The Salar Royal Family and Obastian officials are shown to be politically opportunistic and corrupt, relying on William’s restraint and former loyalties to exploit ordinary citizens.

Significant Themes

• Power and responsibility: William’s authority is nearly absolute within Keslote, but the chapter emphasizes that such power carries the responsibility to protect citizens from abuse.
• Corruption versus justice: The land dispute exposes how aristocrats, officials, and subordinates can collectively exploit the weak. William’s harsh response reflects his determination to preserve public trust.
• Limits of knowledge and ability: Adrian accepts that unexplained matters—such as Falan’s changed attitude—are beyond his current understanding, reinforcing the idea that secrets are often guarded by differences in power.
• Identity and cultural style: The palace debate explores what truly defines Salar’s cultural identity, especially when its traditional architecture originated from an accidental combination of materials.
• Individual nature and moral principles: Hill’s rejection of the Earth Shield because it was created from the souls of Magical Beasts highlights his commitment to nature and ethical consistency.
• Contrasting personalities: William humorously distinguishes himself from the grave and tragic God of Space-Time, presenting himself as cheerful because of his happier life and death.

Character Interactions

• Adrian and William interact throughout the chapter, with Adrian carefully navigating William’s volatile mood while delivering the palace plans.
• William confronts the prime minister and nobles over the Obastian scandal, demanding swift action and threatening severe punishment.
• William jokingly pressures Adrian to discuss Hill’s misfortunes, while Adrian remains wary of William’s irreverent comments about the God of Space-Time.
• Adrian provides William with updates on Hill’s advancement, Wind Law magic, encounter with the Silver Moon Wolf God, and the Divine Artifacts he received.
• William’s interest in learning or reproducing Hill’s Wind Law magic establishes a likely future connection between Hill’s unique magical development and the king’s broader plans.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William discusses the possibility of forming an offensive and defensive alliance with the Silver Moon Wolf God. He argues that the Wolf Clan’s ancient conflict with the Dwarves should not prevent cooperation with humanity.
• William reveals that the Goddess of Springwater, rather than the God of Nobles directly, opened the Abyssal Gate. He suggests that the God of Nobles merely manipulated events from behind the scenes and has already paid a heavy price for his actions.
• William asks Adrian to obtain seeds from Hill’s Seed Bag, recognizing that Hill, as a Nature Sorcerer, would value and cultivate unusual crops.
• Adrian reports his conversation with William to Falan. Falan explains that the Mage Association may fracture because the conflict with the Elves and Dwarves has exposed deep divisions among human mages.
• The Sorcerer Tower has closed its borders and refuses to let the Mage Association represent Sorcerers. Many Legendary Sorcerers are heading to Dillant to establish an independent Sorcerer Association.
• Falan clarifies that the alliance at Dionysio exists mainly to prevent corrupted beings from escaping, not to attack the God of Nobles directly.
• The God of Nobles is viewed as an enemy by Magical Beasts, but humanity does not necessarily consider his earlier political manipulation a crime. His true major mistake was becoming involved with Demons and allowing himself to drift toward complete corruption.
• Falan argues that the Love Goddess may not truly hate the God of Nobles. Her apparent betrayal was likely a desperate attempt to preserve her divine authority, while still hoping he would recover his sanity.
• Falan reprimands Adrian for paying too little attention to world affairs and urges him to study political and military developments if he wants to advance to the Legendary realm.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates a pragmatic and politically flexible approach. He is willing to ally with the Wolf God despite historical conflicts and sees the God of Nobles’ past actions with considerable nuance. His closeness to the God of Space-Time is also evident.
• Adrian becomes increasingly aware that he has misunderstood the larger political situation. He is surprised by William’s revelations and realizes that his habit of relying on the Tower Spirit for “important” information has left him poorly informed.
• Falan acts as a knowledgeable political analyst and mentor. He explains the ideological divisions among mages, challenges Adrian’s simplistic assumptions, and pushes him to broaden his perspective.
• Hill is characterized as a Nature Sorcerer whose interest in seeds and plants is stronger than any political or romantic concern. His lack of affinity for Elves, despite his Elven blood, is emphasized.
• The God of Nobles is portrayed as morally complicated: politically manipulative and increasingly evil, but not necessarily irredeemably corrupted. His fate depends on whether he can retain his original will or fall completely to the Abyss.
• The Love Goddess is presented as a conflicted figure who may still care about the God of Nobles, even after distancing herself from him.

Significant Themes

• Political allegiance versus racial identity: Human mages must decide whether to side with humanity or with the powerful Elves and Dwarves who have influenced and educated them.
• The danger of ideological dependence: Many mages have become detached from humanity because they were raised to worship authority, pursue magic exclusively, and rely on Elven or Dwarven power.
• Moral ambiguity: The chapter rejects simple divisions between good and evil. The God of Nobles, the Love Goddess, and even the Magical Beasts’ enemies are examined according to motives and consequences rather than labels alone.
• Corruption and personal responsibility: The central concern is whether the God of Nobles can remain a rational Evil God or whether the Abyss will completely consume him.
• Information and perspective: Adrian’s limited understanding highlights how dangerous it is to focus only on personal interests while ignoring broader political, military, and divine developments.
• Changing institutions: The Mage Association’s possible collapse and the formation of an independent Sorcerer Association signal major shifts in the balance of power.

Character Interactions

• William and Adrian discuss alliances, the history of the Wolf Clan and Dwarves, the Abyssal Gate, and the value of Hill’s Seed Bag. William also teases Adrian about his close relationship with Hill.
• Adrian reports everything to Falan, who responds with a detailed explanation of the Mage Association’s internal divisions.
• Falan criticizes Adrian’s narrow focus on alchemy and gossip, urging him to read political intelligence and understand the wider world.
• Falan uses Hill’s attitude toward Elves and the Love Goddess’s relationship with the God of Nobles as examples to challenge Adrian’s assumptions.
• The chapter ends on a lighter note with Adrian sheepishly accepting his teacher’s criticism, while the author requests reader support for the ongoing double update.

Chapter Summary: “Chaos Had Actually Affected Hill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian reflects on Hill’s imminent advancement to Legendary status. He concludes that Hill’s strength comes not only from being a Nature Sorcerer but from his firm principles, self-control, and refusal to compromise his values.
• Adrian recognizes that Hill deliberately avoids actions that could undermine Adrian’s authority, such as participating in the royal palace’s construction. Hill even publicly demonstrates their close relationship to reassure Adrian and prevent nobles from favoring Hill as Falan’s “true heir.”
• Hill’s Space-Time Church and Teleportation Array remain unique among private territories. Although they have benefited Falan and attracted wealthy Undead visitors, most nobles fear adopting them because the God of Space-Time’s Neutral Good Alignment demands a level of moral consistency they may not be able to maintain.
• Adrian compares Hill’s decisiveness with his own weakness, admitting that Hill can reject temptation and unwanted attention without hesitation. This leads Adrian to reconsider his own future path toward Legendary status.
• Meanwhile, Liszt reports that the villagers who followed Olivia have all died. Olivia allegedly gave them to members of the Salar Royal Family to serve as guards, and those people were later treated as Evil-aligned criminals and executed.
• Olivia had gone to Obastian because the Space-Time Church there had openings and little influence, making it easier for her to advance. She may also have hoped to marry into the Salar Royal Family, potentially becoming the mother of a future king.
• Hill is disturbed that people trained under him as Neutral Good Knights were apparently corrupted so quickly. He orders Liszt to commission the Undead to investigate what happened.
• Hill suspects Olivia may have been manipulated or controlled, since he does not believe she would recklessly waste her own resources or sacrifice her followers without reason. If she is being controlled, he orders that she be rescued and taken to the Space-Time Temple in Keslote.
• Liszt organizes a bounty mission for the Undead. Investigators who uncover the truth first will receive the greatest rewards.
• At the end, Hill reflects on the danger of becoming detached from humanity. Though he has resisted the influence of his Earth Bear bloodline, he now worries that Nature Consciousness could gradually transform him from Nature’s Favored into a Nature Spirit.

Character Developments

• Adrian: Gains a deeper respect for Hill’s moral discipline and recognizes that his own concerns, desires, and susceptibility to temptation may be obstacles to reaching Legendary status. He begins seriously considering his personal path forward.
• Hill: Reveals a strong but practical moral code. He is not motivated by lofty ideals so much as a desire to avoid trouble, preserve personal freedom, and refuse unfair emotional or political pressure. Despite his irritation with Olivia, he distinguishes ambition from evil and seeks justice rather than simple punishment.
• Olivia: Is revealed to be highly ambitious and willing to pursue marriage into the Salar Royal Family if it offers her advancement and independence from her family. However, her apparent willingness to sacrifice her followers raises questions about whether she has been manipulated.
• Liszt: Acts as Hill’s administrator, relaying the situation and carrying out Hill’s orders to organize an investigation.
• The Undead: Continue functioning as wealthy, highly active adventurers who eagerly accept bounty missions and provide Hill with an efficient means of investigating distant events.

Significant Themes

• Moral integrity and advancement: The chapter suggests that becoming Legendary requires more than talent; it demands the ability to remain true to one’s principles despite temptation.
• Ambition versus evil: Hill believes ambition is not inherently wrong. The moral boundary is crossed when people harm others or pursue success at any cost.
• Freedom and personal boundaries: Hill’s refusal to entertain unwanted romantic or political demands reflects his belief that affection and loyalty cannot be forced.
• Power, bloodline, and legitimacy: Adrian worries that nobles may value Hill’s bloodline over his own authority, while Olivia seeks status through marriage into the royal family.
• Humanity versus nature: Hill must remain engaged with human society to preserve his judgment and identity, rather than becoming increasingly dominated by Nature Consciousness.
• Consequences of influence: The chapter questions how quickly people can change under political pressure and whether apparent corruption is truly voluntary.

Important Character Interactions

• Adrian and Hill: Their close relationship is emphasized. Hill intentionally reassures Adrian of his loyalty, while Adrian privately admires Hill and feels both gratitude and guilt toward him.
• Hill and Liszt: Liszt reports Olivia’s actions, and Hill responds by demanding an investigation rather than immediately condemning her. Their exchange shows Liszt’s role as Hill’s trusted aide and Hill’s cautious judgment.
• Hill and Olivia: Although Hill has previously disliked Olivia’s meddling, he does not view her ambition as inherently bad. He remains willing to rescue her if she has been controlled, but demands an explanation for the deaths and corruption of her former followers.
• Hill and the Undead: Hill relies on the Undead as investigators and agents, using their enthusiasm for missions to uncover the truth in Obastian without becoming directly involved himself.

Chapter Summary: “Familiar News, the Countess’s Trouble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill receives a report from Liszt about a major incident in Obastian, accompanied by detailed images produced through the Transcription Technique.
• He immediately recognizes the central woman as his former stepmother, despite her dramatically altered appearance. She is now a wealthy and beautiful countess from Noah who has sought refuge in Obastian.
• The countess, whose husband has died, approaches her sister—now connected to the Salar Duke—for protection and assistance in establishing silk factories, shops, and other businesses.
• The Salar Duke takes advantage of her beauty and fortune, accepting half the money she offers for help acquiring a commercial street and passing the rest to a Great Knight. The duke’s actual ambition, however, is to marry Olivia for political reasons.
• The Great Knight and his subordinates begin acquiring properties. While the knights from Hill’s territory behave relatively honestly, the others abuse their status, using intimidation and trickery against local residents.
• The situation becomes disastrous when one knight mistreats a young Noah refugee who had bought a small house and worshipped at the Space-Time Church. Desperate and humiliated, the girl runs to the church, publicly denounces Olivia and the duke’s faction, and kills herself at the church gates.
• Olivia is imprisoned by the priests. The Salar Duke, realizing the scandal could damage him, attempts to blame Olivia’s subordinates and have them killed.
• The Space-Time Church rejects this cover-up, reports the matter to the temple, and William orders alignment testing for everyone involved.
• Hill questions the deeper cause of the incident, wondering whether the Noble Church or another faction arranged the countess’s arrival to create conflict between the nobility and the Space-Time Faith.
• He asks Liszt to investigate whether Edgar—the countess’s son and Hill’s former concern—has recently been involved in anything unusual, and to check on the count and another surviving figure connected to the family.
• Hill approves a reward for the Undead adventurer who submitted the report and considers whether investigating Edgar will allow the Undead to connect the countess to Hill’s past.
• He also asks Liszt to notify the people in his territory about the deaths of the former subordinates who were used as scapegoats.
• The chapter ends with Hill deciding not to expose the countess’s identity yet. He wants to observe how many clues the Undead uncover on their own.

Character Developments

• Hill: Displays shock, anger, and reluctant concern upon recognizing his stepmother. Though he has little affection for her, he feels responsible for uncovering the truth because former subordinates from his territory were killed. His curiosity and investigative instincts become central, and he deliberately withholds the countess’s identity.
• The Countess: Revealed as a manipulative, capable woman who has reinvented herself under a new appearance and identity. She uses her wealth and political connections to secure a position in Obastian, but her schemes indirectly trigger a chain of violence and scandal.
• Olivia: Is portrayed as politically ambitious but naïve and easily manipulated. Although she is not the true architect of the abuses, her position allows others to act in her name, and she becomes the public target of the scandal.
• The Salar Duke: Appears greedy and politically calculating. He exploits the countess financially while prioritizing his ambition to marry Olivia, then attempts to sacrifice his subordinates when the situation threatens him.
• Liszt: Acts as Hill’s efficient informant and assistant, providing reports and responding pragmatically to Hill’s questions.
• William and the Space-Time Church: Demonstrate that the faith will not tolerate nobles abusing its authority or framing innocents. William responds forcefully by demanding alignment testing.

Significant Themes

• Political corruption and abuse of power: Nobles and professionals exploit refugees and ordinary citizens, treating wealth and social status as tools for control.
• The consequences of manipulation: The countess, the duke, and the Great Knight each manipulate others for personal gain, ultimately producing violence and public scandal.
• Justice versus political cover-ups: The duke tries to protect his reputation by killing scapegoats, while the Space-Time Church insists on investigating the truth.
• Identity and recognition: The countess’s transformed appearance allows her to hide from nearly everyone, but Hill recognizes her because of his magical abilities and personal history.
• The unintended reach of past actions: Hill’s former subordinates become involved in the crisis, showing how his past relationships and decisions continue to affect events far beyond his territory.
• The Undead as investigators and agents: The adventurers gather information, respond to quests, and may gradually uncover connections that Hill himself is intentionally concealing.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill and Liszt: Hill questions Liszt about Edgar, the count, and the incident, while Liszt supplies information and carries out investigative and administrative orders.
• Hill and the countess, indirectly: Though they do not meet, Hill recognizes her and reflects on her role in his family’s past. He chooses observation over immediate exposure.
• The countess and the Salar Duke: She offers wealth and business opportunities in exchange for protection, but he exploits her resources while remaining focused on Olivia.
• Olivia and the refugee girl: The girl confronts Olivia at the church, accusing her of enabling oppression before taking her own life.
• The Salar Duke and Olivia: The duke’s faction tries to protect Olivia’s political position by shifting blame onto her subordinates, showing how their alliance is built on ambition and self-preservation.
• The Space-Time Church and the nobles: The priests imprison Olivia and report the matter rather than allowing the duke’s cover-up, escalating the conflict between the church and the aristocracy.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reflects on the political schemes surrounding William and concludes that, because William possesses overwhelming power, neither the Noble Church nor any other faction can confront him directly. Hill believes the Undead’s advantage from the World Will makes most conspiracies more likely to become opportunities for William.
• Hill receives news that his biological father, Count Perast, has died. Despite preferring to remain in his sanctuary, Hill must travel northwest to attend the funeral.
• Before leaving, Hill observes a large gathering of Undead luring Magical Beasts. Their exaggerated attempts to interact with the feline beasts provide him with comic relief and help ease his anxiety.
• Merkel completes his advancement to Legendary. The phenomenon indicates that he has become an agile Earth Elemental Law Legendary rather than an Elemental Lord. He emerges physically larger but remains mentally and emotionally unchanged.
• Alice interrupts her advancement sleep to check on Merkel. Hill reassures her and later places her on Merkel’s back, allowing both of them to stay in the Mage Tower while Alice resumes sleeping.
• Merkel explains that the World Will is gradually regaining control over the world and has begun favoring Magical Beasts. As a result, powerful Demigods from the Wilds may soon reappear.
• Hill learns that some Undead have accepted a quest concerning the Count’s death. Liszt has changed it from “Count Information” to “Truth of the Count’s Death,” meaning the Undead will likely investigate the Countess’s suspicious actions.
• Hill suspects the Countess may have arranged the Count’s death after aligning herself with Duke Salar. He views her as an exceptionally capable and dangerous political operator.
• Hill instructs Liszt not to interfere with Edgar unless the Countess contacts him. If she attempts to involve Edgar, Hill wants him told the truth and protected from being pulled into the family’s schemes.

Character Developments

• Hill remains cautious and observant, but his concern for Merkel, Alice, and Edgar reveals his protective side. He also accepts that trouble tends to follow him despite his efforts to avoid it.
• Merkel successfully advances to Legendary without losing his identity or sanity, suggesting that he has overcome the danger of inheriting overwhelming ancestral memories. He becomes more confident and outspoken, particularly regarding the Dwarves and Magical Beasts.
• Alice shows strong emotional attachment to Merkel. She interrupts her advancement sleep out of worry, demonstrating both her impatience and genuine concern for him.
• Liszt continues acting as Hill’s reliable administrator. He adapts the Undead’s quest rather than canceling it and helps prepare Hill’s journey.
• The Countess is characterized indirectly as cunning, ambitious, and potentially responsible for Count Perast’s death. Hill recognizes her as a highly effective but morally suspect schemer.
• Edgar is positioned as vulnerable to manipulation. Hill wants to prevent him from being drawn into his mother’s plans.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power versus political scheming: Hill emphasizes that strategy only matters between forces of comparable strength; absolute power determines survival and negotiation.
• Advancement and identity: Merkel’s successful transformation raises concerns about whether gaining ancestral memories and power will destroy one’s original personality. His unchanged self reassures Hill.
• The World Will and shifting cosmic balance: The World Will’s renewed influence and preference for Magical Beasts suggest major changes in the world’s future, including the possible return of dormant Demigods.
• Family duty and protection: Although Hill is estranged from his family, he still feels obligated to attend his father’s funeral and protect Edgar from the Countess’s schemes.
• Truth as a quest: The Undead’s investigation turns a family tragedy into an opportunity to uncover hidden political crimes.
• Humor amid tension: The Undead’s interactions with the Magical Beasts provide comic relief while Hill faces emotional stress and uncertainty.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill comforts Alice after she rushes to Merkel’s cave, warning that disturbing Merkel’s advancement could be dangerous.
• After Merkel emerges, Hill congratulates him and arranges for him and Alice to stay in the Mage Tower.
• Merkel warns Hill to avoid trouble during his journey, observing that Hill’s involvement often causes situations to escalate.
• Merkel and Hill discuss the World Will, Nature Consciousness, Magical Beasts, the Wilds, and the Dwarves’ ancient conflict with beastkind.
• Liszt informs Hill that the Undead are investigating the Count’s death. Hill then gives him strict instructions about Edgar and the Countess’s possible attempts to manipulate him.

Chapter Summary: “The Count Who Died in Style”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill travels by flying ship to Charles’s territory after learning that Count Perast—their father—has died.
• The Undead passengers speculate about the Count’s death, Manton’s possible involvement, and recent events involving the Undead factions, including Xue Yunfeng’s beating and Duchess the terrifying combat pig.
• Hill concludes that Manton would not have killed their father, since doing so would damage his relationship with Hill and undermine his own position under Duke Charles.
• The ship arrives at Charles’s unusual territory, built around a central mountain surrounded by smaller “petal” peaks. Manton greets Hill and explains the circumstances of the Count’s death.
• Count Perast had been openly involved with a widow from the Kral Family—an inappropriate relationship because she was senior to Manton by family rank and was connected to the family of a man who died defending the territory.
• The Count died in the widow’s bed, creating a scandal and causing the Kral Family to withdraw its support from Manton. Charles even came to inspect the body, amused by the extraordinary nature of the death.
• Hill suspects the widow may have deliberately orchestrated the Count’s downfall as revenge, damaging both the Count and the Kral Family while avoiding directly destroying Manton.
• Hill and Manton bury the Count in a mountain hollow. Because of the scandal, nearly no nobles attend, and even the Count’s illegitimate children show little grief.

Character Developments

• Hill: Remains detached from his father emotionally and views the funeral more as an investigation than an act of mourning. He displays sympathy for Manton’s political difficulties and begins questioning the Countess’s motives and Edgar’s parentage.
• Manton: Appears bitter, stressed, and close to emotional exhaustion. The Count’s disgrace has cost him the Kral Family’s support, threatening the future of his territory and political position. Despite this, he retains a degree of knightly honor and has not taken revenge on Edgar.
• Count Perast: His death confirms his selfish and disgraceful character. His final scandal destroys his reputation so thoroughly that even his funeral is nearly unattended.
• The Countess/widow: Though absent, she emerges as a powerful and calculating figure. Her apparent revenge has harmed the Count, the Kral Family, and Manton’s alliances while preserving some limits.
• Edgar: Remains offstage, but Hill increasingly suspects that there may be something wrong with his parentage and that the Countess’s actions may be connected to him.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and disgrace: The Count’s death is humiliating because of where and how it occurred, demonstrating how noble status can be destroyed by scandal.
• Political consequences of personal actions: The Count’s affair affects not only himself but also Manton’s alliances, territory, and future.
• Family estrangement: Hill and Manton acknowledge their father’s death without genuine sorrow, emphasizing the Count’s failure as a parent.
• Revenge and hidden motives: The Countess’s actions suggest a carefully planned retaliation, raising questions about past betrayals and concealed family secrets.
• Death and spectacle: The funeral is treated almost comically by the Undead and Charles, turning a noble death into public entertainment.
• Found family and factional relationships: The lively interactions among the Undead contrast with Hill’s biological family, whose relationships are defined by resentment, duty, and political calculation.

Character Interactions

• The Undead entertain themselves with gossip about Hill’s family and recent factional conflicts, creating a humorous contrast with the seriousness of the funeral.
• Hill and Manton reunite with a mixture of awkwardness, sarcasm, and shared understanding rather than grief.
• Manton explains the scandal to Hill and reveals how it has damaged his relationship with the Kral Family.
• Hill shows quiet sympathy but avoids offering simplistic judgment, recognizing that the Countess may have had legitimate reasons for revenge.
• Hill and Manton jointly attend the burial but deliberately avoid personally filling the grave, reflecting their lack of filial attachment.

Chapter Summary: “My First Dealings with Charles”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reflects on the Earl’s illegitimate children, who had long followed Manton and helped him during his training. Their continued survival in the castle was largely due to their usefulness and to Melanie’s lack of interest in castle affairs.
• After the Earl’s hurried funeral, Manton brings Hill to his small castle. Hill realizes that Manton already acts as the de facto master of the territory, having fought to retain control of the former wolf-infested mountain range.
• Manton explains that the Earl’s death showed no signs of demonic influence, poison, or magical corruption. The suspicious woman involved had been tested repeatedly with instruments from the Space-Time Temple, but her alignment was neutral and no demonic aura was found.
• Hill and Manton suspect that the woman may have had accomplices or that the Earl’s death was part of a larger conspiracy intended to create chaos or entrap Duke Charles. Hill asks Manton to let the Undead investigate after he leaves.
• Manton plans to eventually send his bastard followers into Duke Charles’s future personal army, believing they will have better protection there than if they joined immediately under the Kral Family’s influence.
• The conversation shifts to Duke Charles’s unwillingness to marry. Charles, who has secretly been eavesdropping, finally reveals himself and joins the discussion.
• Charles explains that he avoids marriage alliances with military families because he fears he might mistreat a good wife or become the target of political manipulation if his death were suspicious.
• The chapter ends with Charles joking about King William’s ability to hear his name being spoken, while Hill warns that the many Undead accompanying him may give William an opportunity to punish Charles directly.

Character Developments

• Hill: Shows increasing political awareness and concern for his family’s reputation. Although he dislikes social intrigue, he wants the truth about his father’s death uncovered and recognizes the potential danger posed by the woman and her connections. He also judges Manton as fundamentally decent despite his selfishness.
• Manton: Emerges as practical, loyal, and more responsible than he first appears. He protects his bastard siblings, values their loyalty, and intends to secure their future. He is also troubled by the Earl’s suspicious death and genuinely wants the mystery solved.
• Charles: Is introduced as physically imposing, blunt, humorous, and intrusive, but also thoughtful about marriage and political responsibility. His refusal to marry merely for power reveals a degree of moral consideration beneath his rough behavior.
• The Earl’s bastards: Their past fear and later bravery are explained. Following Manton allowed them to gain strength and become Knights, suggesting that their loyalty has been motivated by both survival and genuine allegiance.
• The suspicious woman: Remains an enigmatic figure. Despite her reputation for seducing and exhausting powerful men, no magical or demonic evidence links her directly to the Earl’s death.

Significant Themes

• Family, legitimacy, and loyalty: The bastard children are treated as inferior by noble society, yet they remain important political and military assets. Manton’s willingness to protect them contrasts with the Earl’s indifference.
• Power and political intrigue: The Earl’s death may involve hidden accomplices, spies, or an attempt to manipulate Duke Charles. Personal relationships are shown to have serious political consequences.
• Moral responsibility in marriage and alliances: Charles rejects the idea of marrying solely for military or political advantage because he fears causing a wife unhappiness or becoming trapped in an alliance.
• Appearances versus reality: The woman appears suspicious and immoral, but magical testing reveals no direct evidence of evil. Likewise, Manton’s selfishness does not make him cruel, while Charles’s crude personality hides sound judgment.
• Reputation and public perception: Hill worries that an unsolved scandal surrounding his father will damage his own reputation, showing how noble families remain tied to one another’s actions.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Manton: They discuss the Earl’s death, the woman’s possible involvement, and the future of Manton’s followers. Their conversation establishes mutual trust and reveals Hill’s growing respect for Manton.
• Hill and the bastard siblings: Hill observes their continued loyalty to Manton and recognizes that their service has helped preserve his position.
• Hill and Charles: Their first substantial interaction is marked by Hill’s calm skepticism and Charles’s teasing, outspoken personality. Hill advises Charles to avoid the dangerous woman and the Kral Family.
• Manton and Charles: Manton is exasperated by Charles’s habit of eavesdropping, while Charles treats the exchange playfully. Their banter suggests familiarity and an uneven but comfortable relationship.
• Charles and William: Although William is not present, Charles jokes about being overheard whenever his name is mentioned. Hill warns that William can communicate with the Undead, implying that Charles’s mockery may soon have consequences.

Chapter Summary: Perast Was Finally a Thing of the Past

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill asks Duke Charles to allow the Undead to investigate freely within his territory, particularly around the Kral Family. Charles agrees, both because he trusts the Undead’s investigative abilities and because he still cares about the Kral Family’s fate.
• Charles briefly considers fighting the Undead but loses interest after Hill warns him that fighting several of them at once would be dangerous.
• Manton explains why he did not immediately deal with the woman connected to the Count’s schemes: he feared being watched and accused of plotting against his father. The Count and the Kral Family had enough influence to make any rash action dangerous.
• Hill advises Manton to hire the Undead to strengthen the castle’s defensive magic arrays. Manton plans to use the Count’s remaining property to improve the territory.
• The discussion reveals that the Count had been manipulated by members of the Kral Family. They convinced him that neglecting Melanie had cost him access to enormous wealth, especially after learning that Hill sold Melanie’s alchemical creations to the Undead.
• The Count later sought another heir and attempted to exploit Hill financially, believing Hill owed him for not withholding Melanie’s belongings.
• Hill realizes that the Count’s apparent interest in wealth was likely connected to Hill’s inventions, manufacturing knowledge, and influence with the King. The Count may have been used by people seeking access to these resources.
• Hill suspects the Countess killed or arranged the Count’s death because she knew more about the conspiracy and wanted to prevent him from becoming a tool. The Count’s death also prevents his soul from potentially falling into demonic hands.
• Manton indirectly warns Hill that the princess connected to the conspiracy may be dangerous. Hill advises Manton to avoid further involvement in political schemes.
• Hill returns home after Manton quickly buries the Count. He reflects on his father, his childhood, Manton’s motives, and the significance of the Count’s death.
• Ultimately, Hill accepts that Perast—the Count and the painful part of his past associated with him—is finally behind him.

Character Developments

• Hill: Displays greater political insight and emotional maturity. Although he recognizes the Count’s cruelty and neglect, he admits that the man provided him with the basic support owed to a noble child. Hill also acknowledges that the Count’s death removes a lingering threat before Hill advances to Legendary. He remains cautious, refusing to forgive or ally himself with Manton simply because they are related.
• Charles: Appears impulsive and childish, eager to challenge the Undead, but he also demonstrates loyalty to the Kral Family and confidence in Hill’s judgment.
• Manton: Reveals himself to be cautious, self-interested, and politically aware. He tries to protect himself while subtly explaining his actions to Hill and indirectly seeking forgiveness for withholding information. His priorities are largely financial and practical rather than emotional.
• The Count: Is portrayed as greedy, vain, and easily manipulated. He neglected Melanie and Hill, then later regretted losing access to Melanie’s wealth and attempted to benefit from Hill’s success.
• The Countess: Becomes a mysterious and potentially decisive figure. Her actions suggest she understood the larger conspiracy and may have killed the Count to stop him from being used.
• The Kral Family: Are shown to be manipulative and opportunistic, exploiting the Count’s greed while potentially pursuing Hill’s wealth, inventions, and political connections.

Significant Themes

• The lasting effects of neglect: Hill reflects on how childhood rejection shaped him, even though society dismisses psychological harm as weakness or mere misfortune.
• Power and exploitation: The Count and the Kral Family treat relationships as tools for obtaining wealth, status, influence, or useful knowledge.
• Political caution and neutrality: Hill emphasizes that involvement in factional struggles is dangerous, especially when supposedly neutral groups secretly favor evil.
• Justice versus emotional closure: Hill does not forgive the Count, but he also does not pretend the man’s death brings simple satisfaction. His relief comes from finally being free of the threat and history surrounding Perast.
• The soul and the afterlife: The possibility of demons claiming the Count’s soul adds a supernatural dimension to his moral corruption and reinforces the idea that evil actions have consequences beyond death.
• Moving beyond the past: The chapter marks Hill’s psychological separation from his father and the Perast family. The Count’s death allows Hill to stop monitoring and managing that part of his life.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Charles discuss the danger of fighting the Undead, with Hill acting as the practical voice restraining Charles’s recklessness.
• Hill and Manton speak openly about the Count, the Kral Family, Melanie, and the reasons behind Manton’s past choices. Their conversation exposes Manton’s defensiveness and Hill’s refusal to rebuild a brotherly relationship.
• Hill advises Manton on defensive magic and political survival, while Manton provides Hill with clues about the princess and the forces behind the Count’s behavior.
• Hill’s internal reflections show his complicated relationship with his father: he recognizes the Count’s neglect and greed but admits that the man did not completely abandon him materially.
• By the end, Hill understands Manton’s indirect message and chooses not to resent him. The Count’s death removes the final major obstacle connecting Hill to his old family troubles, allowing Perast to become only a memory.

Chapter Summary: Hill Brought William Joy Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill returns quickly to the Mage Tower after learning that Count Perast has died under suspicious and highly undignified circumstances. Manton immediately buried the count rather than waiting for Hill’s arrival.
• Hill and Liszt suspect that multiple factions were involved in the count’s death, including the mysterious Salar princesses and a woman connected to the Noble Church.
• Hill worries that the princesses knew about his wealth and wonders whether information about his finances leaked from the royal court. He and Liszt decide to warn Falan and investigate the source.
• Falan sends Adrian to inform King William. The king reveals that the woman responsible belongs to the Noble Church and was likely once the lover of a cardinal stationed in Salar.
• William explains that the woman may have been targeted for knowing sensitive information, but protected herself with evidence and was taken in by the Noble Church. Her actions may have been motivated by revenge.
• The real cause of Count Perast’s death is revealed: the woman possessed a powerful mage-related potion. While the potion stimulates beings whose bodies are partly elementalized—such as certain cardinals—it acts like poison to ordinary flesh-and-blood bodies such as that of a Great Knight.
• William uses the incident to criticize the Craftsmen Church, arguing that it is technologically stagnant, dependent on outdated methods, and incapable of adapting to changing markets.
• The discussion expands into the state of the gods. The Dwarven and Elven gods awakened quickly because they had ancient roots and prepared rituals, while the God of Nobles remains asleep and the God of Craftsmen is unlikely to awaken because he betrayed humanity and aligned himself too closely with the Dwarves.
• Before Adrian leaves, William tells him that the Undead assigned to monitor Edgar now belong to him.
• Adrian returns to Falan, who explains that he has deliberately withheld advanced theories about magical laws and other worlds. Learning them too early could limit Adrian’s future growth and trap him at the initial Legendary level.

Character Developments

• Hill remains observant and cautious, quickly recognizing that the deaths of the count and Prince Edward’s brother-in-law may be connected. He also shows concern for preventing people from dying pointlessly due to poor communication between hostile factions.
• Liszt acts as Hill’s practical partner, helping analyze the political implications and agreeing to investigate how the princesses learned about Hill’s wealth.
• Falan demonstrates both political awareness and care for Adrian’s development. Though he withholds information, he does so to protect Adrian from prematurely adopting limiting magical theories.
• Adrian continues to mature intellectually. He questions the behavior of the Mage Association and reflects on whether Falan’s secrecy is intended to preserve his idealized view of magic.
• William is highly amused by the scandal and shows his usual sharp political insight. He also displays deep contempt for the Craftsmen Church and its stagnant ideology.
• The mysterious woman is characterized as calculating, vengeful, and willing to exploit dangerous knowledge or substances to eliminate her enemies.

Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and information control: The deaths expose how dangerous it is when rival factions fail to share intelligence. Hill realizes that hostile groups may have allowed their agents to die because they did not know the larger situation.
• The absurdity of noble and religious corruption: The count’s death, the woman’s past relationship with a cardinal, and the illegitimate heir reveal the hypocrisy and disorder hidden beneath aristocratic respectability.
• Knowledge as power—and danger: The potion’s true purpose is misunderstood by ordinary people, while advanced magical knowledge can either save lives or cause disastrous deaths. Falan’s warnings also show that knowledge acquired too early can restrict rather than empower.
• Adaptation versus stagnation: William’s criticism of the Craftsmen Church emphasizes that institutions unable to evolve are eventually abandoned, even if they once possessed useful skills.
• The nature of faith and divine power: The fate of the various gods depends on their relationship with believers, political institutions, and the values they represent. Betrayal and dependence leave the God of Craftsmen nearly forgotten.
• Humor amid danger: William finds joy in the scandal, while the narration treats the grotesque deaths and political chaos with dark comedy.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Liszt discuss the count’s death, the Salar princesses, and the possibility of leaked information from the royal court.
• Falan and Adrian coordinate the investigation and debate how much should be reported to the king.
• Adrian reports to William, who reveals the woman’s Noble Church connections and explains the potion’s effects.
• William and Adrian contrast sharply: William laughs at the scandal, while Adrian remains confused by his amusement and disturbed by the implications.
• Adrian later speaks with Falan about the Mage Association and the danger of learning certain theories too soon. Falan reassures him that his secrecy is meant to preserve Adrian’s future potential.

Chapter Summary: Melanie’s Last Resort

Key Plot Points and Events

• Falan explains how the Mage Association gradually became more like a hereditary Mage Kingdom. Powerful mage families profit from selling potions, then cultivate children with magical aptitude for the sake of producing Legendary mages and preserving family influence.
• Many children are sacrificed or forced into family arrangements, especially those whose talent is neither exceptional nor poor. The Mage Association tolerates this as long as the transmission of mage knowledge is preserved.
• The rise of mage schools threatens these families’ control over magical inheritance. This helps explain why elements within the Mage Association oppose Salar and act against King William, despite Salar’s growing importance and William’s future as a True God.
• The Association has agreed to assist in conflicts involving the elves and dwarves, but only under conditions William rejected. He refuses help from forces he considers unreliable or potentially harmful to Salar.
• The elves are in turmoil, particularly the Moon Elves. Some intend to leave the Elven Forest because they sense the despair of their goddess. Their departure causes conflict, and they may eventually target Salar.
• Falan warns that the dwarves will also oppose Salar, viewing humanity’s favored position under the World Will as a threat to their own ambitions.
• Adrian decides to accelerate preparations, including carving a powerful magic array with Falan, while awaiting the coming conflict.
• Falan tells Adrian that Hill’s maternal grandmother has already left and advises Hill not to interfere in the political situation.
• Adrian learns more about the investigation into the duke’s conspiracy and the imprisonment of those connected to it. Olivia’s actions caused severe consequences: her followers became Evil-aligned, while the innocent Noah remained Good and exposed Olivia.
• Olivia’s alignment has only shifted rather than becoming irredeemably Evil, so she will undergo an Atonement Journey instead of being killed. The duke and other conspirators, however, appear likely to die.
• Adrian notices that Perast fathered no children for several years before Edgar’s birth, suggesting that Melanie may have influenced him after discovering Hill’s magical potential.
• Hill receives Adrian’s report and angrily concludes that the cardinal of the Noble Church likely coordinated with the count before pursuing the countess, implying that the affair was politically arranged rather than accidental.

Character Developments

• Adrian becomes more politically aware, understanding the Mage Association’s internal corruption and the motives behind its hostility toward Salar. He also commits himself to preparing for war and refuses to help Olivia’s disgraced faction.
• Falan is revealed as deeply contemptuous of hereditary mage families and their exploitation of children. He remains pragmatic, skeptical of political institutions, and protective of Adrian and Hill.
• Hill continues investigating his family history and the circumstances surrounding Melanie, while reacting with anger and disbelief to the information Adrian sends him.
• Melanie is portrayed as ruthless but possibly capable of limited maternal feeling. Her suspected intervention in Perast’s family life may have been motivated by recognizing Hill’s exceptional aptitude.
• William, King of Salar, is shown to be decisive and distrustful. He refuses conditional assistance from unreliable powers and insists on protecting Salar’s independence.
• Olivia is characterized as foolish rather than wholly malicious, but her association with the conspiracy and betrayal of divine principles has damaged her alignment and reputation.
• Noah is confirmed as genuinely Good-aligned and courageous, having directly accused Olivia despite the danger.
• Hill’s family, especially Perast and the count, appear increasingly connected to long-term manipulation, political marriages, and concealed motives.

Significant Themes

• Institutional corruption and hereditary power: The Mage Association has become a pseudo-monarchy where families preserve influence through bloodlines, political control, and exploitation of talented children.
• Education versus inherited privilege: Mage schools represent a more open method of preserving magical knowledge and threaten entrenched families.
• Alignment and moral consequence: Actions affect not only individuals but also their divine affiliations and even the alignment of the gods they serve.
• Political distrust: Salar’s leaders prefer independence over assistance from allies who may betray them or impose dangerous conditions.
• Fate versus manipulation: Melanie’s schemes and Perast’s family decisions may have shaped Hill’s life, but Falan suggests that such plotting cannot ultimately defeat fate.
• The cost of divine and mortal conflict: Human politics, religious loyalty, and divine interests are tightly connected, making even personal crimes politically and spiritually significant.

Character Interactions

• Adrian and Falan discuss the Mage Association, mage schools, the coming war, and the political threats posed by elves and dwarves. Falan serves as Adrian’s mentor while encouraging him to focus on practical preparations.
• Adrian and Hill remain connected through exchanged information. Adrian sends Hill details about the conspiracy and Melanie’s possible influence, while Hill reacts emotionally to the revelations.
• Adrian and Falan also debate Olivia’s guilt and punishment, with Adrian showing some sympathy but accepting that he cannot intervene.
• Melanie and Perast are indirectly connected through the suspected decision to have more children only after Melanie recognized Hill’s aptitude.
• William and the Mage Association are in an increasingly hostile relationship because of William’s refusal to surrender children to their system or accept conditional aid.
• Olivia and Noah represent opposing moral positions: Olivia’s betrayal and negligence contrast with Noah’s uncompromising Good alignment and willingness to expose wrongdoing.

Chapter Summary: “William’s Test; Hill Passed Another Trial”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill pieces together the truth behind Count Perast’s family scandal. The countess had likely borne Edgar after an affair with a cardinal of the Noble Church, while the count believed Edgar was his own son. As Edgar grew older and failed to resemble the Salar family, the count apparently became suspicious.
• Hill concludes that the countess’s revenge against both the count and the man who wronged her was understandable. Since she had already arranged for one of them to be killed, Hill decides not to interfere in her eventual punishment and plans to tell Manton the truth about his inheritance when necessary.
• William secretly tests Adrian, seemingly to determine whether Hill might be a modern-world transmigrator. Hill realizes William has not entirely abandoned his suspicions, but believes Adrian’s response should finally reassure him.
• Hill reflects on Olivia’s corruption after gaining power. Although she had once possessed the character and talent to become a mage or priest, ambition and arrogance led her to disaster and abandonment by her family.
• Hill considers the qualities necessary for a mage: talent provides the foundation, but willpower, discipline, and moral character determine how far someone can progress.
• Hill wonders what William will do with Edgar. Edgar may be valuable if he remains loyal to Salar and survives this trial; he could potentially join William’s direct army and gain real status, rather than remaining confined to a lower-ranking military position.
• To gather information, Hill asks Liszt to monitor the Undead’s conversations. He especially misses Xue Yunfeng, who is likely stationed in Keslote overseeing the mission involving Edgar.
• After several days without useful news, Old School Striking King finally arrives in Hill’s valley with a group of Undead. Hill immediately positions himself to listen, expecting them to discuss the situation.

Character Developments

• Hill: Demonstrates greater understanding of the noble scandal and chooses a restrained, noninterfering approach. He also examines his own life and reaffirms his determination never to abandon his chosen path. His calmness is clarified as indifference rather than shyness or innocence.
• William: Revealed to still be investigating Hill’s origins and testing those around him, particularly Adrian. His handling of Edgar is expected to be cautious because Edgar is a child and may possess useful potential.
• Edgar: Faces an important trial of loyalty and character. If he remains steady, he could rise significantly under William’s rule.
• The Countess: Reframed as someone seeking revenge after being betrayed and abused, rather than simply a criminal scheming for power. Hill believes her actions are largely justified.
• Olivia: Serves as an example of talent ruined by unchecked ambition. Her desire for greater status after gaining power caused her to lose control and create a major disaster.
• Adrian and Falan: Represent disciplined, principled mages who treat magical advancement as their sole pursuit and avoid shortcuts.
• Xue Yunfeng: Presented as an exceptionally capable commander who can organize the unpredictable Undead despite their impulsiveness and tendency to create chaos.

Significant Themes

• Character over talent: Magical ability alone is insufficient; discipline, willpower, and moral stability are essential.
• The dangers of ambition: Olivia’s downfall illustrates how power can magnify existing flaws and lead people away from their original path.
• Justice and revenge: The chapter questions conventional morality by portraying the countess’s revenge as understandable, especially in a society with its own unconventional rules.
• Identity and suspicion: William’s test reflects the continuing uncertainty surrounding Hill’s origins and whether he is truly a modern transmigrator.
• Staying true to one’s path: Hill repeatedly evaluates himself to ensure that power and circumstances have not caused him to lose his principles.
• Order versus chaos: The Undead are unruly and unpredictable, while Xue Yunfeng’s leadership provides the planning necessary to turn their disorder into successful results.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill mentally evaluates William’s test of Adrian and Adrian’s role in reassuring William.
• Hill considers his responsibility toward Manton and Edgar, especially the need to reveal the truth about Edgar’s parentage and inheritance.
• Hill contrasts Adrian and Falan’s disciplined dedication with Olivia’s uncontrolled ambition.
• Hill relies on Liszt to monitor the Undead and hopes their gossip will reveal William’s plans.
• The chapter ends with Hill waiting to overhear Old School Striking King and the visiting Undead, setting up the next development in Edgar’s story.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill overhears members of the Black Rose Undead discussing the scandal surrounding his family. They conclude that he bears little responsibility: he changed his surname to Bolanio, his father is dead, and his elder brother inherited the disgraced title.
• The Undead reveal what happened to Edgar’s mother, the former Countess. She escaped persecution by disguising herself with a replica Divine Artifact and claiming to be a follower of the Love Goddess.
• After becoming a bishop, Edgar’s mother returned to Salar seeking revenge and her son. She arranged for the Duke of Salar to be exposed as a traitor to the Noble Church, manipulating events so that the Duke would discover an Elven spy.
• The supposed Elven “spy” was actually an innocent girl manipulated by two servants who intended to use her against a powerful Space-Time deity. The girl died because of their schemes, though her death had little effect on the deity, who had never accepted followers or faith.
• Edgar’s mother was punished for her crimes: her properties were confiscated, homeowners were compensated, and she was fined twice the value of the seized houses. However, she remained protected from harsher consequences because she had cooperated against the Duke.
• The Undead discuss Olivia and the disgraced Knights. The Knights were executed for participating in violence, looting, arson, and betrayal, while Olivia was treated as ignorant rather than malicious.
• Hill decides not to interfere with the executions. He concludes that Olivia’s naïve trust and poor judgment had led her into disaster, and that she must undergo a Priest’s Atonement Journey.
• Hill ultimately doubts Edgar’s mother’s story about receiving divine grace from the Love Goddess. He believes she used a Noble Church artifact to impersonate a Love Goddess Priest and deceive the Undead.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes more reflective and analytical. He considers Olivia’s fate, recognizing that although she was innocent of the worst crimes, her foolish trust made her vulnerable to manipulation.
• Edgar’s mother is revealed as both a victim and a ruthless survivor. She suffered exploitation by the Noble Church and the former Count, but later committed calculated acts of revenge and political manipulation.
• Olivia is portrayed as fundamentally naïve. She believed the Knights’ false promises and failed to understand that they sought wealth and pleasure rather than noble advancement.
• The Knights are exposed as selfish opportunists. They abandoned their families and betrayed those who had supported them once a more profitable patron appeared.
• Old School Striking King and the Black Rose Undead provide comic commentary while also revealing important political information. Their gossip demonstrates their familiarity with the unfolding events and their willingness to mock both enemies and allies.
• William and Xue Yunfeng remain influential behind the scenes, with Xue Yunfeng relaying the scandalous information to William through management channels.

Significant Themes

• Naïveté versus political awareness: Olivia’s failure comes from trusting others without understanding their motives, while Hill emphasizes the danger of entering power struggles without caution.
• Victimhood and culpability: Edgar’s mother was genuinely oppressed, but her suffering does not erase the crimes she later committed.
• Manipulation of religion: The Noble Church exploits the Love Goddess’s image and religious artifacts to deceive others, while Hill understands that the goddess’s current relationship with faith and divine grace is fundamentally different.
• The consequences of blind trust: Olivia, the innocent Elven girl, and the Knights are all shaped by manipulation, though each bears different degrees of responsibility.
• Justice and moral complexity: The chapter distinguishes between ignorance, complicity, and deliberate evil. Olivia is spared the death sentence because she lacked knowledge, while those who knowingly committed atrocities are executed.
• The contrast between serious tragedy and comedy: The Undead treat major political and personal disasters as gossip, mocking events that would normally be treated as solemn or horrifying.

Character Interactions

• Hill secretly listens as the Black Rose members discuss him, his family, Edgar’s mother, Olivia, and the political scandal.
• Old School Striking King explains Edgar’s mother’s history while repeatedly scolding the other Undead for interrupting or failing to understand the game’s plot.
• The Undead mock Snow Old Dog and discuss his involvement in monitoring Edgar, while also joking about the former Countess’s disguise and punishment.
• The group ridicules Old School Striking King when she suddenly tries to coax a cat down from a tree, prompting her to beat them despite their friendship.
• Hill’s internal reflections contrast with the Undead’s casual attitude: he takes the moral implications seriously, especially Olivia’s fate and the Love Goddess’s true nature.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reflects on Edgar’s mother, the former countess, who is trying to protect her son by abandoning the Noble Church and presenting herself as a follower of the Love Goddess. Her actions suggest she still cares for Edgar, despite keeping her distance.
• Undead and their Magical Beast companions continue arriving at Hill’s valley. The Battle Domain family selects wild oxen as mounts, matching the beasts’ aggressive charging style with the knights’ Earth-element defensive abilities.
• Hill warns the knights that Demigod Magical Beasts may emerge from the Wilds now that the Wolf God has appeared, though the Undead speculate that further conflict could escalate into a God War.
• Old School Striking King arrives with an enormous female wolverine after apparently fighting and taming it. She is delighted with the companion, and the Battle Domain knights immediately become wary after remembering what happened to Snow Old Dog.
• Old School Striking King explains that wolverines’ Devil Vine-like scent repels other animals and that their defensive stink is extremely potent. She is unfazed because she is accustomed to the smell of Cunlü’s and Duchess’s foul-smelling spells.
• The Battle Domain knights complete their wild ox contracts and leave, relieved not to be grouped with Black Rose’s notorious animal companions.
• Hill realizes that the Undead may soon claim nearly every wolverine and honey badger in the valley. Honey badgers are especially valuable because they raise Honeyguide Birds, effectively providing multiple useful companions.
• Black Rose quickly exploits this discovery. Priests choose wolverines for protection, while Swordsmen choose honey badgers for scouting through their Honeyguide Birds. They devise a plan to monopolize the badgers by occupying the valley entrance and rotating personnel over the next several days.
• Hill observes that the Undead are training more intensely and fighting more frequently, especially in family-versus-family PVP battles. Although Salar itself remains peaceful, Hill senses that the Undead are preparing seriously for war.
• Liszt informs Hill that Yue Xiaoluo is writing a biography or chronicle of Hill Bolanio. She is investigating his past in depth, including interviewing former castle servants and tenant farmers from White Horse City.

Character Developments

• Hill remains observant and pragmatic, balancing concern for Edgar with amusement at the Undead’s behavior. He recognizes their growing military readiness and understands the strategic value of different Magical Beasts.
• The former countess is portrayed as secretly maternal and self-sacrificing. She wants Edgar to live normally and is distancing herself from the Noble Church to avoid exposing his connection to a cardinal.
• The Battle Domain knights demonstrate careful planning, selecting wild oxen that suit their family’s aggressive combat style. They also show growing caution around Black Rose and the Undead’s dangerous companions.
• Old School Striking King proves fearless, wealthy, and eccentric. She eagerly bonds with a powerful wolverine and treats its unpleasant abilities as minor inconveniences.
• Black Rose displays strong organizational skill and opportunism. Its members immediately classify the badgers according to battlefield roles and coordinate a plan to secure them before rival families can act.
• Yue Xiaoluo becomes increasingly interested in Hill’s history, suggesting that his past may soon become public knowledge.

Significant Themes

• Strategic use of Magical Beasts: Different beasts are chosen according to the roles they can fulfill—wild oxen for charges, wolverines for protection, and honey badgers with Honeyguide Birds for scouting.
• The Undead’s competitive nature: Their cooperation is mixed with intense rivalry, resource monopolization, and family-based warfare.
• Preparation beneath apparent peace: Salar remains calm, but the Undead’s escalating training and factional battles reveal broader preparations for future conflict.
• Identity and hidden history: The former countess hides her relationship to Edgar, while Yue Xiaoluo’s investigation threatens to expose Hill’s own past.
• Comic danger and unconventional companionship: The chapter contrasts serious political and military developments with absurd partnerships involving foul-smelling, fiercely combative animals.

Character Interactions

• Hill and the former countess are connected indirectly through their shared understanding of Edgar’s situation.
• Hill advises the Battle Domain leader to avoid provoking Demigod Magical Beasts.
• Old School Striking King speaks with Hill about her wolverine, while nearby knights comment nervously on the creature and her reputation.
• The Battle Domain knights discuss Black Rose, Cunlü, Duchess, and Snow Old Dog, revealing the fear and amusement these groups inspire.
• Black Rose members coordinate through tablets to deceive rival families and secure the valley’s badgers.
• Liszt delivers the chapter’s final revelation to Hill: Yue Xiaoluo is investigating and documenting Hill’s forgotten past.

Chapter Summary: Prismatic Black, Adrian’s Fury at William

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill learns that the Undead are compiling histories and stories about the Salar Royal Family. He allows them to continue but orders that anything involving gods or sensitive matters be kept in the Mage Tower rather than the territory’s public library.
• Lina has also gone to speak with the Undead after receiving money and revealing information about the past. Hill decides not to interfere, concluding that she can no longer expect to rely on him.
• Hill reflects on the Undead’s origins, their game-like world, and their relationship with William. He realizes that their world is governed by artificial intelligence and that William’s “game” is unusually flexible and realistic.
• Seeking to dispel his irritation, Hill experiments with Wind Law magic. He transforms Wind Blade into numerous small, returning crescent blades and names the spell Blade of Gale.
• Inspired by the mountain scenery and his new breakthrough, Hill creates a powerful wind-and-earth spell called Flying Sand and Rolling Stones, capable of eroding even high-level magical shields.
• With his Mental Sea full and his opportunity for advancement approaching, Hill enters secluded cultivation. Merkel and two Earth Elemental Lords guard his valley.
• Meanwhile, Adrian struggles with William’s unusual demands for the design of the royal palace. William wants the King’s Hall to have a black background that somehow creates a “prismatic” effect through colored crystals.
• Adrian becomes furious and nearly gives up, telling William either to design it himself or ask the Goddess of Arts to produce the desired aesthetic.
• Adrian also oversees the construction of the palace and watches Undead Earth-Element Law mages rapidly convert his earthworks into obsidian structures.
• He considers the political implications of the Undead’s usefulness, the defensive Great Walls being requested by other nations, and the Mage Association’s possible attempts to prevent countries from developing independent magical education systems.
• Adrian trains Salar’s royal mages to maintain the palace’s formations, unconcerned about whether they try to copy his methods.

Character Development

• Hill: Becomes increasingly detached from family drama and outside gossip, choosing to focus on magic and personal peace. His emotional frustration fuels major breakthroughs in Wind Law and combined elemental magic. He is also preparing for a major advancement through secluded training.
• Lina: Her decision to speak with the Undead and discuss the past suggests growing independence from Hill, though it also weakens her position in relation to him.
• Adrian: Reveals a practical, disciplined personality and clear awareness of his artistic limitations. He is patient and willing to teach others, but becomes openly exasperated by William’s erratic and unrealistic demands.
• William: Displays his unpredictable nature and unusual artistic vision. His authority allows him to make strange requests, but he relies heavily on Adrian and the Undead to realize his plans.
• The Undead: Continue becoming an influential force through their labor, historical curiosity, and mastery of elemental magic.

Significant Themes

• Creation through frustration: Hill turns emotional irritation into magical innovation, demonstrating how personal feelings can inspire artistic and intellectual breakthroughs.
• Freedom and belonging: Hill’s valley serves as a spiritual refuge, contrasting with his complicated family relationships and the political world outside.
• The influence of outsiders: The Undead are reshaping construction, warfare, history, and politics, forcing traditional powers to react.
• Tradition versus change: The Mage Association and established magical families resist the spread of Salar’s independent magical education and technological methods.
• Art versus practicality: William imagines an abstract aesthetic, while Adrian is concerned with whether it can actually be executed.
• Knowledge and control: Hill carefully limits what enters the public library, showing the tension between preserving history and controlling dangerous or misleading information.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Liszt: Hill receives updates about the Undead, Lina, and the developing royal chronicle, giving instructions on what should or should not be preserved.
• Hill and Lina: Though they do not interact directly in the chapter, Lina’s actions deepen Hill’s sense of emotional distance and confirm that their relationship is deteriorating.
• Hill and the Undead: Hill observes and tolerates their activities while maintaining strict boundaries around sensitive knowledge.
• Adrian and William: Their central conflict is over William’s demand for a “Prismatic Black” palace design. Adrian’s irritation highlights William’s eccentricity and Adrian’s practical nature.
• Adrian and the Salar royal mages: Adrian teaches them how to maintain the palace’s magical formations, despite their resentment toward an outsider overseeing the royal construction.
• Adrian and the Undead: Adrian admires their extraordinary efficiency in transforming structures into obsidian, even as their growing importance raises broader political concerns.

Chapter Summary: Hill Gently Pushed Open the Door to Legend

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian teaches a group of mages the palace’s magic arrays, but many underestimate Falan’s innovations and listen carelessly. He is particularly contemptuous of their lack of attention.
• William has gathered mages of varying abilities—including only two Magi and many ordinary mages—to learn the palace’s systems, suggesting that he is reducing the Mage Association’s influence over Salar.
• Adrian inspects the palace gardens with Ginkgo, the powerful Treant who will eventually serve as one of the royal palace’s guardians. Ginkgo carefully selects the palace’s plants and asks whether Hill can summon Wood Elemental Spirits to help them thrive.
• While the palace is still being completed, William continues living in the World Tree because the royal rooms are not yet finished.
• Hill continues studying Wind Law spells and reading extensively. He recognizes that his discoveries are possible because of the World Will’s favor and Nature Consciousness’s blessing, though he still needs to compensate for his lack of experience through study.
• Hill visits the Water Law warehouse, where a rare Crystal Flower containing Water and Wood Laws remains. He carefully removes a petal and uses gentle spells to prevent the plant from being harmed.
• After consuming the petal, Hill senses movement from Kais, the Wind Elemental Spirit, and realizes that his Legendary advancement is beginning.
• Liszt seals Hill’s valley and activates its strongest defensive arrays, creating a barrier capable of resisting divine power. Merkel, Cohen, the Elemental Lords, Treants, Magical Beasts, and other creatures gather to protect Hill and benefit from the natural energy released by his advancement.
• Hill arranges the elemental forces around the valley: Kais to the west, Wood Spirits to the east, Water Spirits to the north, and Earth Spirits to the south. He places Shell Pearl’s Exquisite Sphere at the fountain and begins merging his spirit with nature.
• During his advancement, Hill perceives the elemental Laws as colored lines and observes the Threads of Fate connecting him to others. Falan’s Fate Line is the only one firmly connected to him, while Shell Pearl’s uncertain line reflects the debt she owes him.
• The four elemental Law Lines pull Hill toward the Starlight Gate. Despite the backward pull of Fate, Hill reaches the gate and gently opens it, successfully stepping toward Legend.

Character Developments

• Hill grows more knowledgeable and self-aware, recognizing both his natural gifts and his lack of practical experience. His close bond with nature deepens as he prepares for Legendary advancement.
• Adrian demonstrates strict standards and a sharp, judgmental attitude toward inattentive students, while also carefully managing Ginkgo and the palace’s future needs.
• William appears increasingly strategic and politically prepared. His decision to train a broad group of mages reflects his effort to weaken the Mage Association’s hold over Salar.
• Ginkgo shows unusual care and affection for plants, as well as a strong desire to reconnect with nature through Hill’s help.
• Shell Pearl remains connected to Hill through debt and karma, suggesting that their relationship may become more significant or burdensome in the future.
• Liszt, Merkel, Cohen, and the Elemental Spirits demonstrate their loyalty by protecting Hill during his dangerous breakthrough.

Significant Themes

• The path to Legend: Legendary advancement requires more than power; it involves understanding Laws, nature, identity, and fate.
• Harmony with nature: Hill’s advancement succeeds because he unites himself with the valley, its plants, animals, and elemental beings rather than relying on force alone.
• Knowledge and preparation: Hill’s continual reading and research compensate for his limited experience, while William’s palace preparations show the importance of planning ahead.
• Fate, karma, and obligations: The Threads of Fate reveal that emotional bonds, debts, and unresolved grudges can weigh down a person’s progress.
• Mutual benefit and community: Hill’s advancement strengthens the creatures around him, while their presence and support help him reach Legend.
• Natural cycles and renewal: Hill’s vision of rain, forests, seasons, and rebirth reflects his acceptance of nature’s endless cycles and gives him the insight needed to advance.

Important Character Interactions

• Adrian instructs the palace mages and later advises Ginkgo that Hill’s assistance would require William’s approval and payment.
• Ginkgo asks Adrian to arrange Hill’s help in summoning Wood Elemental Spirits for the palace gardens.
• Hill communicates gently with the Crystal Flower before taking one of its petals, showing his respect for living magical plants.
• Hill commands Liszt to secure the valley, while Merkel organizes the Magical Beasts and Cohen guards the surrounding airspace.
• The Elemental Lords, Elemental Spirit chiefs, Treants, and Magical Beasts cooperate to stabilize and benefit from Hill’s advancement.
• Hill’s perception of Fate reveals especially strong connections with Falan and Shell Pearl, foreshadowing future emotional or karmic consequences.

Chapter Summary: “Beyond the Light Gate, Starlight Sparkled”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill emerges beyond the light gate and finds himself in the true starry sky, where his increased soul power allows him to perceive the universe’s vivid colors, constellations, nebulae, and the Divine Thrones of the Gods.
• He discovers that the apparent spiral paths through the stars are illusions; travel to other worlds is extremely difficult, with the Elemental Realm and Space-Time River being the only reliable routes.
• Hill stands near the Golden Sun, a place that rewards beings of Good Alignment with warmth, spiritual healing, and extended life. He realizes that evil beings would have their souls burned there.
• He observes the Divine Thrones and identifies the positions and moral alignments of various deities, including the Goddess of Agriculture, the Silver Moon Goddess, the Knowledge God, the Justice God, and the Forge God.
• Hill concludes that the Elves and Dwarves are being rejected by the World Will because they damaged the world, consumed its resources, and helped open the Abyssal Gate. He predicts they may eventually be driven from the world.
• He understands why the God of Space-Time summoned players: their Soul Projections are a tolerable burden compared with the threat posed by the Elves, Dwarves, and the Abyss.
• Hill examines four elemental law threads connected to him. The Earth, Wood, and Water threads lead toward the Elemental Realm, while the Wind thread remains connected to his valley. These links would allow him to retain his power and find his way home even in another realm.
• Looking back through the World Membrane, Hill sees that his world is catastrophically damaged, with nearly half the planet destroyed. The World Tree supports it, while the protected core slowly repairs itself.
• He realizes that the world’s long recovery, the dangers of the Wilds, and the possibility of total destruction explain why most Gods and Legendary Mages prioritize self-preservation over loyalty to the world.
• Hill also understands that the Wilds are dangerous because of their chaotic laws, which can cause even Gods to lose control, while beings raised there naturally become exceptionally powerful.

Character Developments

• Hill reaches a new level of perception and spiritual power, allowing him to see Divine Thrones, laws, alignments, and the true condition of the world.
• His understanding of the Gods becomes more nuanced. He recognizes that their selfishness is partly driven by fear and the need to survive rather than simple greed.
• Hill gains insight into his own future possibilities: his elemental connections could let him travel beyond his world without losing access to his laws or his route home.
• He becomes more aware of the World Will, the World Tree, and the world’s slow process of healing.
• His curiosity shifts toward concern about the Wilds and the hidden reasons why even Gods fear entering them.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus morality: The Gods’ apparent selfishness is shown as a response to living in a damaged world threatened by the Abyss.
• Consequences of exploitation: The Elves and Dwarves’ abuse of the world has created lasting consequences and may ultimately lead to their expulsion.
• The fragility of worlds: Despite the passage of hundreds of thousands of years, Hill’s world remains badly wounded and vulnerable.
• Alignment and inner nature: Good and evil are not merely labels; they have tangible effects on souls, divine power, and one’s ability to benefit from places such as the Golden Sun.
• Faith and divine identity: Gods who depend too heavily on faith risk losing their individuality, while distance from believers allows them to preserve their own will.
• Exploration and connection: Hill’s elemental threads symbolize his continuing bond with his world and suggest that power and identity can persist across different realms.

Character Interactions and Relationships

• Hill and the Goddess of Agriculture: Hill studies her Divine Throne and recognizes her balanced, Neutral Good nature. He sees that she rewards diligent farmers rather than granting blessings purely according to personal preference.
• Hill and the God of Space-Time: Hill senses an affinity with the God because the deity leans toward Good Alignment. He also understands that the God’s summoning of players serves the World Will’s larger defensive strategy.
• Hill and the World Tree: After briefly seeing the World Tree supporting the broken planet, Hill feels that it acknowledges or greets him, likely because he has previously touched one of its branches.
• Hill and the World Will: Though they do not directly converse, Hill interprets the World Will’s actions—summoning players, opposing the Elves and Dwarves, and protecting the planet—as deliberate attempts to preserve the world.
• The World Will versus the Elves and Dwarves: Their relationship is portrayed as one of growing hostility. The two races abused the World Will’s tolerance and endangered the planet by allowing Abyssal influence to enter.
• Hill and his own elemental laws: The four threads reveal his continuing connections to earth, wood, water, wind, fate, his valley, and the Elemental Realm, reinforcing his identity as a powerful but still world-bound Legendary Sorcerer.

Summary of “Hill’s Two Preparations”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill senses that his time in the Starry Sky is ending and uses the Thread of Fate to return to his body.
• He awakens the inheritance of the Earth Bear Bloodline, gaining immense physical strength, and completes his advancement to the Legendary rank.
• As a Nature Sorcerer, Hill manifests four major laws: wind, water, earth, and wood. These laws become directly responsive to his will, while Nature Consciousness gathers around him.
• Falan and Adrian observe Hill’s advancement from outside the valley and discuss his decision to abandon fire and lightning, the destructive aspects of nature.
• Falan explains that a god of Natural Elemental Law cannot possess both life and destruction without challenging the World Will. Hill’s choice therefore keeps him from pursuing the most dangerous and ambitious divine path.
• Hill tests his new Legendary abilities, discovering that wind can carry him instantly throughout the range of his spiritual power. He also realizes that Falan’s territory remains beyond his reach unless he eventually attains Demigod-level spiritual power.
• Hill welcomes Falan and Adrian into his valley, where animals, Magical Beasts, and magical plants are all sleeping in harmony after his advancement.
• At the Mage Tower, Hill shares a meal with his guests and discusses his plans:
  1. Study the information the Mage Association will send about the Legendary rank.
  2. Read and organize more knowledge.
  3. Eventually explore the Wilds.
  4. Wait until the current situation involving the Elves is resolved.
• Falan warns Hill that the Sorcerer Tower will likely send information and invite him to become an honorary elder. Hill should be cautious about whether their representative belongs to the Elves faction and whether they intend to provoke him.

Character Developments

• Hill officially becomes a Legendary Nature Sorcerer. He gains control over four natural laws, stronger spiritual power, and the extraordinary physical strength of the Earth Bear Bloodline.
• Hill confirms his personality and philosophy: he values freedom, peace, comfort, and natural growth rather than power, godhood, or conflict with the World Will.
• He accepts sacrificing mastery of fire and lightning, choosing a path that feels natural and comfortable instead of pursuing perfect or complete elemental laws.
• Although Hill has become much stronger, he also recognizes his limitations and understands that he must study, prepare, and rely less on luck.
• Falan remains protective and practical, approving Hill’s stable advancement while worrying about the dangers of the path ahead. He continues to see Hill’s unused alchemical potential as a missed opportunity.
• Adrian remains humorous and self-aware. He envies Hill’s freedom from the demanding pursuit of universal alchemy and jokes about the unusual intelligent rabbits in Hill’s valley.

Significant Themes

• Choosing one’s own path: Hill rejects the conventional pursuit of destructive power and perfect laws, following the elements that suit his nature.
• Freedom versus ambition: Unlike those who seek godhood or domination, Hill wants a peaceful and unrestrained life. His strength exists to protect that freedom rather than to challenge heaven.
• Balance between nature and destruction: The chapter explores the division between life-oriented and destructive natural laws and the impossibility of combining both without provoking the World Will.
• Growth and restraint: Hill’s advancement is powerful, but he recognizes the need for study, preparation, and caution. Legendary status does not eliminate danger or uncertainty.
• Harmony with nature: The sleeping creatures and plants in Hill’s valley reflect his connection to nature and his rejection of the usual treatment of weaker magical creatures as food.
• Talent and specialization: Adrian’s potion-making ability contrasts with Falan’s universal mastery, emphasizing that excellence in one field is already extraordinary even if it falls short of perfection.

Important Character Interactions

• Falan and Adrian debate whether Hill’s rejection of fire and lightning is wise. Falan sees it as a limitation, while Adrian defends Hill’s personal choice.
• Falan evaluates Hill’s advancement and approves of the stability of his Legendary aura, though he reminds Hill to remain cautious.
• Adrian teases Hill about the intelligent rabbits in the valley, prompting Hill to explain their rarity, vulnerability, and place in the magical ecosystem.
• Hill, Falan, and Adrian discuss Hill’s future at the Mage Tower. Falan encourages him to study the Legendary realm and warns him about possible political tension involving the Elves and the Sorcerer Tower.

Chapter Summary: “The Elves Make Another Move Against Hill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian is shocked to learn that the Elves may have persuaded a Magus nearing death to risk his life by delivering a provocative message to Hill. Such Mages may be tempted by rewards connected to lifespan extension or valuable treasures.
• Falan explains that the Mage Association has historically used similar schemes against potential enemies. By sending an envoy bearing gifts, they can provoke a proud Legendary Mage into killing the messenger, giving the Association an excuse to exclude that Mage permanently from its council and political circles.
• Falan believes this incident is different because the Elves are clearly behind it. The Mage Association can avoid responsibility, knowing Falan cannot retaliate against the entire organization for an act attributed to the Elves.
• Hill is confused about why the Elves would target him. Falan explains that his Moon Elf bloodline, resemblance to the Elven God-King, and status as a Legendary Nature Sorcerer make him a possible candidate for the Moon Elves’ divine leadership.
• Adrian points out that Hill’s half-Elf identity could actually benefit the Elven God-King. Hill would be easier to control than the powerful, independent Moon Elf Legendary Mages competing for the position.
• The group concludes that the Elves are probably not trying to kill Hill directly. Instead, they are testing his reaction and signaling that the Elven Forest does not welcome him.
• Hill realizes that his reputation as a Neutral Good Legendary makes him an ideal target: the instigator likely expects him to punish or injure an envoy but not kill him, minimizing the consequences.
• Falan warns Hill to remain mentally prepared but dismisses the Elves’ ability to eliminate him as nearly laughable.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes more aware of the political significance of being a Legendary Mage who directly controls laws. He recognizes that his rapid advancement has left him underestimating his own status and influence.
• Hill also reassesses his moral alignment. He understands that being good does not mean refusing to kill under every circumstance, though he still prefers not to abandon his principles.
• He eventually interprets the Elves’ actions more clearly: they are asserting territorial and political hostility rather than preparing an immediate assassination.
• Falan demonstrates his deep understanding of Mage Association politics and his confidence in his own influence as a Legendary Alchemy Grandmaster. He also criticizes modern Elven Mages for being timid and overly dependent on divine authority.
• Adrian provides a practical and sometimes mocking interpretation of the Elves’ motives. He emphasizes that Hill’s status makes him both dangerous and politically valuable, while his morality makes him relatively safe to provoke.
• Falan’s history is clarified: the Mage Association avoided provoking him because he had no intention of joining it and because they might someday need his alchemical expertise.

Character Interactions

• Adrian and Hill repeatedly question Falan about the motives of the Mage Association and the Elves, while Falan explains the political calculations behind the envoy’s likely mission.
• Falan reprimands Hill for failing to understand how threatening his identity appears to the Elves.
• Adrian teases Hill by suggesting that the Elven God-King might consider him an “adorable sweetie” who would be easier to control than established Moon Elf leaders.
• Hill and Adrian debate whether Hill’s neutrality and the Elemental Lords’ independent alignments could allow the envoy to be killed without damaging Hill’s own moral standing.
• Falan ends the discussion by urging caution and redirecting them away from speculation.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and plausible deniability: The Mage Association and the Elves use intermediaries to provoke others while avoiding direct responsibility.
• The burden of power: Hill must adjust to the fact that, as a Legendary Mage, even his restraint and personal morality are political factors others will exploit.
• Tradition versus independence: The Elves still view themselves as the original source of human magical knowledge, while humanity has developed beyond its former dependence.
• Decline of an ancient power: The Elven civilization appears less formidable than its history suggests. Its modern Legendary Mages rely on inherited methods and divine protection rather than independently mastering laws.
• Control of succession and identity: Hill’s mixed bloodline makes him both an outsider and a potential political tool in the struggle over the Moon Elves’ divine position.
• Longevity and desperation: Mages nearing death may accept enormous risks for extended life, revealing how lifespan and inheritance shape magical politics.
• Moral restraint as vulnerability: Hill’s goodness protects him from becoming cruel, but it also encourages enemies to believe they can provoke him without suffering the ultimate consequences.