Chapter Summaries

Romon continued cultivating in the Northern Lands and had Lightning catch snowbirds for a meal with Harvey’s family. Returning to town, he found the streets unusually tense and frightened, though he did not yet know what had happened.

• The children and some athletes began an impromptu skiing warm-up when the snow briefly stopped on November eleventh.
• Romon met Lightning beneath a flock of snowbirds, and she knocked five birds from the sky for him to collect.
• Lightning told Romon she wanted to visit Xiao Ya, the mischievous tree spirit, in the Shennong Horn Space.
• Romon reflected on how winter cultivation had strengthened his twelfth-level Druid abilities and stabilized his natural divine grace.
• Romon returned toward Harvey Inn with the snowbirds and noticed that townspeople looked frightened and hurried through the streets.

Romon learned that sea beasts had injured people outside the city and discovered that Josie was among the gravely wounded. After healing her with a Druid spell, he agreed to help treat the other victims, revealing his powerful abilities to the exhausted priests.

• Romon learned from an older man that sea beasts had attacked people training outside the city, not demons.
• Romon returned to the Harvey Inn and found Aunt Harvey distraught because Josie had been badly injured on a mission.
• Romon hurried to the Temple hall, where he found Uncle Harvey beside Josie and learned that the priests had not yet reached her.
• Romon used Cure Moderate Wounds to heal Josie, then revealed that he was a Druid and agreed to treat the other injured people.
• A priest recognized that Romon’s healing spell meant he was a Druid above the eleventh level.

Romon organized emergency treatment for the injured townspeople, then returned to the inn and learned from Peipu that a Spiny Sea Dragon had attacked the coast. The Royal House was expected to respond, but Romon remained unconcerned with the kingdom’s affairs.

• Romon taught the priests and townspeople to stop bleeding by stitching wounds before using minor healing spells, and he treated the patients with internal bleeding himself.
• Weisnuo, the priest, and Sir Fanboxiao arranged blankets, a fire, and a warm place for the injured, while Romon left to rest at the inn.
• Romon examined the divine power in Lunae’s statue and reflected on how his heightened perception let him see hidden forces and his upgraded Fire Domain made him resistant to cold.
• Romon freed the snowbirds, prepared food and wine by the fireplace, and welcomed Peipu back from investigating the sea beast attack.
• Peipu told Romon that a Spiny Sea Dragon had attacked and that the Royal House would likely gather fighters to hunt it, though the creature was especially dangerous in the Ice Sea.

The Spiny Sea Dragon attacked the coast, overwhelming local defenses and flooding the temple with wounded people. Romon helped save Uncle Harvey’s daughter, revealing that he was a High-Level Druid, and returned to the inn to find the family preparing a celebration in his honor.

• The Spiny Sea Dragon evaded a thunderbolt attack and struck another stretch of coast, forcing townspeople to flee.
• Queen ordered the temple to treat the wounded, but Priest Xiluojin explained that the temple lacked enough priests and healing power.
• After learning that a High-Level Druid had offered help, Xiluojin and the officials discussed recruiting other people with healing abilities under the queen’s authority.
• Romon accepted that helping Uncle Harvey’s family had exposed his identity and ended his quiet vacation.
• Uncle Harvey thanked Romon for saving his daughter, and Auntie Harvey urged the inn to begin celebrating his return.

Chapter Summary: “Celebration (Part Two)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Northern customs emphasize the meaning of shared drinks:
  • One cup represents friendship.
  • Two cups signify shared hardships between equals.
  • Three cups express deep respect, gratitude, and loyalty.
• Innkeeper Harvey honors Romon with three cups, thanking him for saving his family and swearing lifelong friendship and assistance in the name of the Ice and Snow God.
• Harvey’s daughter Josie also offers Romon three cups despite her recent recovery. Romon accepts both toasts to avoid offending them.
• Harvey declares free beer for the day, and the inn’s patrons celebrate Romon’s deeds by drinking and toasting him.
• Romon’s Druid abilities allow him to drink excessively without becoming intoxicated.
• Later, Romon watches the darkening sky alone, but a group of children approach him. They ask whether his new fame and status will change him and whether he will still play with them.
• Romon reassures them that he remains the same person and agrees to build snowmen. His participation draws the adults into the game, turning it into a communal celebration that lasts through the day.
• That evening, an impressive carriage arrives at the inn carrying an envoy from the Queen.
• The envoy presents Romon with a sealed invitation to meet the Queen in three days, along with a royal identification pass granting him one-time access to the palace.
• Romon responds courteously and promises to attend. After the envoy leaves, he realizes that his quiet life is ending and that he is entering the sphere of royalty and political intrigue.

Character Developments

• Romon: Demonstrates humility, social awareness, and loyalty. He accepts Harvey’s ritual toast respectfully, welcomes the townspeople’s attention, and remains approachable to the children despite his growing reputation as a powerful Druid and nobleman. However, he recognizes that his elevated status has begun to create distance between him and ordinary people.
• Harvey: Shows profound gratitude and loyalty toward Romon, formally declaring him a permanent friend of the family. His warm celebration also reveals his affection for Josie and his role as a caring father.
• Josie: Participates in honoring Romon despite her recent injury, suggesting gratitude and personal respect. Her glance at Romon before resting hints at a continuing emotional connection.
• The Children: View Romon as both a heroic figure and the familiar man who once played with them. Their questions highlight the community’s uncertainty about whether fame has changed him.
• The Queen’s Envoy: Acts with courtesy and professionalism, treating Romon respectfully and emphasizing the importance of the royal summons.

Significant Themes

• Cultural meaning and social bonds: The Northern drinking customs show how rituals can communicate friendship, equality, respect, gratitude, and lifelong obligation.
• Community and belonging: The celebration unites nobles, innkeepers, adults, and children, showing Romon’s ability to connect with people across social divisions.
• Changing identity and social status: Romon’s rise as a powerful Druid and Viscount has altered how others view him, even though he insists that he has not changed internally.
• The end of simplicity: The Queen’s invitation marks a transition from Romon’s peaceful, informal life into a more dangerous world of royal politics and hidden complications.
• Duty and gratitude: Harvey’s oath and the Queen’s summons both frame relationships in terms of obligation, loyalty, and service.

Character Interactions

• Harvey and Romon share a formal, culturally significant toast that transforms gratitude into a lasting bond.
• Josie reinforces her family’s gratitude by personally drinking with Romon, though he worries about her health.
• Romon and the children interact playfully, with his reassurance restoring their sense of familiarity with him.
• The children’s invitation draws the wider community into the snowman-building game, creating a rare moment of collective joy.
• Romon and the Queen’s envoy exchange formal courtesies, signaling his first direct step toward royal society.
• After the envoy departs, Romon reflects that the Queen may soon learn both his true power and noble status, potentially drawing him into the kingdom’s internal conflicts.

Josie’s growing affection for Romon became apparent as she baked him pastries, while Romon remained mindful of his family and obligations. Before his audience with the Queen, a court attendant delivered a richly enchanted Druid Robe bestowed upon him by Her Majesty.

• Mrs. Harvey noticed Josie’s unusual behavior and worried that her daughter had fallen for Romon, while Harvey encouraged her to let Josie decide for herself.
• Josie used a Reconnaissance Spell to overhear her parents, then recalled how Romon had saved her life and baked him pastries.
• Josie brought Romon pastries and side dishes; he praised her baking, though he privately knew he could not return her feelings.
• Romon remembered that he would meet the Queen at the royal residence the day after tomorrow.
• A court attendant delivered the Queen’s Druid Robe to Romon, who discovered it was made from durable golden silkworm silk and carried permanent Underwater Breathing and Nature’s Favor enchantments.

Romon put on the costly Druid Robe and set out to inspect the Spiny Sea Dragon, while Aivisi and Luo Laike dealt with Orcs and Underground Elves. In Tatshaw Territory, Eileen and Owenna discussed the benefits of road-building and the territory’s growth as they traveled toward Far-Sail Town, where Eileen’s thoughts turned to Romon.

• Romon admired the Druid Robe, wondered why he had been given such an expensive gift, and flew off on Lightning to see the Spiny Sea Dragon.
• An eight-legged spider discovered Luo Laike and Aivisi’s group slaughtering Orcs underground, then fled as the last Orc fell.
• Luo Laike asked Aivisi whether she had persuaded the Underground Elves, and she said their lord would come to purify those tainted by demonic influence.
• Eileen and Owenna discussed how road-building had created jobs, increased trade and customs revenue, and improved villagers’ access to goods and income.
• Owenna reflected on her reduced but stronger Rose Knight Order as the carriages approached the prosperous harbor town of Far-Sail Town.
• As Far-Sail Town came into view, Eileen admired the territory’s progress but felt her spirits sink when she thought of Romon.

Summary: “An Audience (Part One)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon is escorted from the Harvey Inn to the royal residence for a formal audience with the Queen.
• His appearance in an impressive Druid robe, accompanied by an armed Knight and a guarded carriage, astonishes the inn’s residents and confirms rumors that he is a person of considerable status.
• After Romon leaves, the inn’s customers speculate about his identity. Josie is visibly saddened, fearing he may not return. Inspired by him, she declares that she wants to become a higher-level mage.
• At the royal residence, Romon observes the palace’s immense defenses and realizes that its central tower channels powerful Holy Power. The palace could apparently transform into a formidable weapon, and only a Legendary-level individual might survive an assault there.
• Romon passes an identity check and is guided through the palace by a female official. His calm manners and courtesy impress the officials and maidservants.
• He is brought before the Queen, who thanks him for saving many of her subjects during the recent crisis.
• The Queen awards him the Ice and Snow Medal. She then grants him unusually extensive privileges: treatment equal to a noble, protection from punishment by anyone except the Royal House or Ice and Snow Church, permanent residency rights, and protection of his interests within the kingdom.
• Romon is surprised that the reward is far greater than expected and suspects the medal and privileges may serve a political purpose beyond simple gratitude.

Character Development

• Romon: Displays confidence, dignity, and self-control throughout the journey and audience. Although initially disappointed by the medal, he quickly accepts it without resentment. His sharp perception of the palace’s defenses and the Queen’s motives shows his growing caution and political awareness.
• Josie: Develops stronger ambition after witnessing Romon’s status and departure. Though emotionally affected by the possibility of losing contact with him, she responds by resolving to improve herself and become a more powerful mage.
• Harvey and his wife: Remain humble and restrained despite realizing that their inn hosted an extraordinary figure. Harvey recognizes Josie’s feelings and quietly comforts her.
• The Queen: Presents herself as gracious and appreciative, but her unusually generous reward suggests that she may have strategic reasons for securing Romon’s loyalty.
• Female officials and servants: Their initial formality shifts into admiration because of Romon’s courtesy and composed bearing.

Significant Themes

• Status and public perception: Romon’s clothing, escort, and bearing dramatically alter how others perceive him, transforming rumors into accepted belief.
• Ambition and self-improvement: Josie’s sadness becomes motivation to pursue greater magical power.
• Power hidden beneath ceremony: The elegant palace and formal medal ceremony conceal immense military, religious, and political power.
• Gratitude versus political calculation: Although the Queen frames her reward as thanks, Romon recognizes that the privileges may be intended to bind him to the kingdom or secure his cooperation.
• Composure as influence: Romon’s calm, courteous behavior earns respect and strengthens his position even before he receives formal recognition.

Character Interactions

• Romon exchanges a brief but meaningful farewell glance with Josie, while Harvey comforts her after his departure.
• At the palace, Romon politely cooperates with the Knight and female officials, leaving them with a favorable impression.
• The Queen speaks with Romon through gauze curtains, emphasizing both her authority and the formal distance between them.
• Romon modestly claims that helping the injured was simply a Druid’s duty, while the Queen insists that his actions deserve official recognition.
• Countess Shani formally presents the medal and announces the privileges granted to Romon, prompting him to question the Queen’s deeper intentions.

Chapter Summary: Audience (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon leaves the audience hall with court lady Kasina, who escorts him to a lounge before the royal banquet.
• Kasina explains the kingdom’s banquet customs:
  • Women hold equal status with men, including noble rank.
  • Palace guards in white may magically inspect guests.
  • White-clad attendants are guards, while orange-clad attendants provide food, drinks, towels, and other services.
  • Attendants will accommodate reasonable requests but may refuse excessive demands.
• Kasina shows Romon to a comfortable, elegantly furnished lounge and tells him he has an hour to rest before the banquet.
• Maidservants bring Romon fruit and drinks. While resting, he notices someone approaching the partially open door.
• A young, exquisitely dressed child briefly peeks into the room before fleeing. Romon senses a distinctive aura and realizes the child is likely a half-elf.
• Romon is surprised and intrigued because elves are generally persecuted and killed in this world. The child’s presence in the royal residence suggests he is someone important.
• After an hour, Kasina returns and escorts Romon through the palace to the banquet hall.
• The banquet palace is large, low, colorful, and filled with a sense of vitality. At the entrance, guards recognize Kasina, and the announcer formally declares Romon’s arrival as an honorary lord and Eleventh-Level Druid.

Character Developments

• Romon: Demonstrates humility, social awareness, and adaptability as he listens carefully to Kasina’s instructions without taking offense at her warning about attendants. His Druid nature and elven blood become increasingly significant when he instinctively responds to the half-elf child. His curiosity and suspicion are awakened by the child’s mysterious presence.
• Kasina: Acts as a competent and considerate palace official. She carefully prepares Romon for the banquet and treats him with respect, reflecting the unusual importance the Queen places on him.
• The mysterious child: Though appearing only briefly, the child is portrayed as noble, beautiful, and possibly politically significant. His blue eyes, refined appearance, and half-elven aura distinguish him from ordinary palace children.

Significant Themes

• Social customs and political hierarchy: The chapter introduces the kingdom’s distinctive court etiquette, including gender equality among nobles and the formal structure of palace service.
• Romon’s outsider perspective: His modern, relatively egalitarian attitudes allow him to accept the palace’s customs without rigid prejudice.
• Nature, comfort, and refinement: The lounge’s plants, flowers, soft furnishings, and natural atmosphere reflect both the Queen’s tastes and Romon’s own Druid sensibilities.
• Hidden identity and persecution: The half-elf child’s presence raises questions about secrecy, prejudice, and the treatment of nonhuman peoples in the wider world.
• Romon’s changing nature: His instinctive emotional response to the child confirms that his elven heritage is becoming an important part of his identity.

Character Interactions

• Kasina and Romon develop a courteous, professional relationship as she instructs him in court behavior and escorts him through the palace.
• Romon interacts briefly with palace attendants, treating them respectfully and accepting their role without arrogance.
• His only direct encounter with the child is fleeting: the child secretly observes him, becomes frightened when Romon coughs, and runs away. Romon does not pursue him but is left deeply curious.
• At the banquet entrance, Kasina formally identifies Romon to the guards, reinforcing his elevated status within the royal court.

Chapter Summary: “The Seer (Part 1)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon enters a royal banquet as the main attraction because of his status as a young Eleventh-Level Druid and Honorary Lord. His arrival draws intense attention from nobles who are curious, impressed, or interested in using his influence.
• Count Schott approaches Romon privately and asks him to advise his twenty-eight-year-old third son, a Fourth-Level Druid who has been trapped in a three-year bottleneck. Romon agrees to visit and offer guidance.
• Romon learns that Count Schott is a court noble with limited territory, making the advancement of his non-heir son especially important to the family’s future.
• Viscountess Liao and two other noblewomen join the conversation. Viscountess Liao openly flirts with Romon, while the women question the origins of his title.
• Romon clarifies that he is a genuine landed Viscount from the Aisk Kingdom, ruling Tatshaw Territory, rather than merely a court noble. This revelation significantly increases the nobles’ respect for him.
• Viscountess Liao assures Romon that the Radiance Church has little influence in the kingdom and invites him to visit her. She then leads him toward other nobles eager to meet him.
• The Queen arrives, interrupting the social gathering. She presents Romon with a Kingdom Honor Ice and Snow Medal and publicly introduces him.
• Romon recognizes that the Queen is a descendant of the Ice and Snow God, sensing divine spiritual protection and unusual power around her.
• During their conversation, the Queen directly asks Romon to join the force being assembled to exterminate the dangerous sea beasts. Romon agrees, despite privately feeling pressured by the request.
• The banquet officially begins after the Queen’s announcement.

Character Developments

• Romon: Demonstrates politeness, composure, and social adaptability in an unfamiliar aristocratic environment. He remains humble about his abilities but becomes more aware of how highly others regard his titles and cultivation. He also shows generosity by agreeing to help Count Schott’s son and loyalty—or at least diplomatic practicality—by accepting the Queen’s military request.
• Count Schott: Reveals himself as an anxious father and politically pragmatic nobleman. His concern for his third son reflects the limitations placed on younger noble children and the importance of producing a powerful spellcaster within the family.
• Viscountess Liao: Emerges as bold, socially confident, and flirtatious. Although attracted to Romon, she is careful not to underestimate him because of his Eleventh-Level strength and noble status.
• The Queen: Appears youthful, gracious, and politically decisive. Beneath her pleasant manner, she is direct and strategic, using the banquet to honor Romon while securing his participation in the campaign against the sea beasts.
• The nobles: Their attitude toward Romon changes from curiosity and speculation to greater respect once they learn he possesses a real territory and is not simply an honorary or court noble.

Significant Themes

• Status versus true power: Romon’s Honorary Lord title initially seems insignificant, but his cultivation level and landed Viscount status give him influence beyond formal rank.
• Aristocratic politics and family pressure: Noble families must find roles and opportunities for younger sons, especially when inheritance laws reserve titles for a single heir.
• Social maneuvering: The banquet functions as a political arena where nobles test Romon’s background, seek alliances, and attempt to establish personal connections.
• Power and obligation: Romon’s strength attracts privileges and admiration, but it also creates expectations. The Queen’s request shows that exceptional ability brings responsibilities that are difficult to refuse.
• Religious and regional differences: The weak influence of the Radiance Church in the Northern Lands contrasts with Romon’s likely experiences elsewhere, while the Queen’s connection to the Ice and Snow God highlights the kingdom’s distinct spiritual tradition.

Important Character Interactions

• Romon and Count Schott: A courteous conversation turns into a request for mentorship. Romon agrees to meet Schott’s son.
• Romon and Viscountess Liao: She flirts with him and attempts to draw him into the social circle, while Romon responds politely but remains somewhat uncomfortable with her aggressive charm.
• Romon and the noblewomen: Their questions about his title expose their assumptions about his status and allow Romon to reveal that he owns Tatshaw Territory.
• Romon and the Queen: The Queen honors him publicly, questions him in a friendly manner, and then secures his participation in the sea-beast extermination campaign.
• Romon and the assembled nobles: His entrance transforms the banquet’s atmosphere, and his reputation makes him the central figure of attention even before the Queen arrives.

Chapter Summary: The Seer (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon attends the Ice and Snow Queen’s royal banquet. The meal is elegant but relatively modest, reflecting the financial obligations and customs of the feudal system rather than extravagant royal excess.
• The banquet includes music, poetry, songs, conversation, and dancing. Romon enjoys the food and entertainment but remains thoughtful about the cultural differences between this world and Earth.
• After Romon leaves, the Queen receives her trusted cousin and minister, Count Shuman.
• Shuman delivers a letter from Peifi, inviting the Queen’s two princesses to Prince Mayidi’s twentieth birthday celebration. The Queen rejects the idea that her daughters need foreign social connections and prefers to arrange marriages within her own kingdom.
• The Queen also learns that unrest in the Feisi Kingdom may be connected to the possible awakening of the Sankangge God, alarming her.
• Shuman presents the completed investigation into Romon, confirming that he is exceptionally powerful and possesses great potential.
• The Queen reveals that her interest in Romon comes from a prophecy made by Grand Seer Laiputa.
• The Queen visits Laiputa in the palace’s high tower. The seer explains that each prophecy provokes the wrath of destiny and has shortened his life.
• Laiputa reveals that Romon will lead the Queen to the underwater city of the ancient Elven Empire. He has secretly placed traces of destiny within Romon’s mage robe to guide him toward the city.
• The underwater city can only be opened by Elven descendants and may anger the Lord of Radiance. The Queen nevertheless intends to pursue it because it could greatly benefit both her kingdom and the Ice and Snow God.
• It is revealed that the Queen has a half-Elven child—the young prince Romon saw earlier. Because the kingdom despises Elves, the child can never be publicly acknowledged as heir and is destined for a tragic life.
• Laiputa suggests that locating the underwater city and opening a spatial gate may be his final prophecy before his death.

Character Developments

• Romon: Experiences a deeper understanding of the world’s feudal culture and its differences from Huaxia. Though outwardly participating in the banquet, he remains inwardly observant and reflective. His importance grows as it becomes clear that his future is tied to an ancient Elven treasure and major political events.
• Queen Dailuanni: Reveals herself as calculating, politically cautious, and willing to make profound personal sacrifices. She prioritizes her kingdom’s interests, especially the potential power of the Elven city, while protecting her daughters from foreign influence. Her hidden motherhood of the half-Elven prince shows the personal cost of her ambitions.
• Count Shuman: Acts as the Queen’s trusted minister and cousin. He is intelligent enough to recognize the importance of prophecy and disciplined enough not to question matters beyond his authority.
• Grand Seer Laiputa: Is portrayed as immensely powerful but physically frail and near death. His prophecies give him extraordinary influence, but they exact a severe price from his body and destiny.
• The half-Elven prince: Though mostly discussed rather than shown, he is revealed to be a tragic figure—born from the Queen’s secret relationship with an Elf and denied recognition because of widespread hatred toward Elves.

Significant Themes

• Prophecy and fate: Prophecy can provide immense strategic power, but it is uncertain, costly, and dangerous. Even the gods cannot completely control destiny.
• Political ambition and sacrifice: The Queen is prepared to sacrifice her reputation, her child’s happiness, and possibly divine favor for the benefit of her kingdom and god.
• Prejudice and hidden identity: The prince’s half-Elven heritage must remain concealed because of anti-Elven sentiment, highlighting how racial hatred shapes personal and political lives.
• Power versus morality: The potential benefits of the underwater Elven city tempt the Queen despite the danger of angering the Lord of Radiance.
• Cultural difference and social order: Romon’s observations of the banquet emphasize the contrast between this feudal society and his understanding of Earth, especially regarding hospitality, rank, and economic obligations.
• The burden of kingship: Royal hospitality, marriage arrangements, diplomacy, religion, and succession are all treated as political responsibilities rather than personal choices.

Character Interactions

• Romon and the Queen: Their earlier meeting gains greater significance after the Queen’s discussion with Laiputa. She views Romon not merely as a powerful individual but as the key to fulfilling a prophecy.
• The Queen and Shuman: Their conversation demonstrates mutual trust. Shuman reports sensitive political and personal information, while the Queen shares her reasoning about Romon and her daughters.
• The Queen and Laiputa: Their meeting is respectful and solemn. The Queen relies on Laiputa’s prophetic knowledge, while he warns her of the dangers and costs involved in pursuing the Elven city.
• The Queen and her hidden son: Although the prince does not appear directly in the scene, the revelation of their relationship adds emotional depth to the Queen’s political plans and establishes that her ambitions are inseparable from personal tragedy.

Chapter Summary: “Departure (Part 1)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the banquet, Romon is escorted by the female official Kasina through Snow City. The Queen has ordered Kasina to accompany him, show him the city, and cultivate his goodwill toward the Northern Lands.
• Romon briefly looks toward Shata, the Queen’s adopted son, and learns that Shata is the only child living in the temporary palace. Romon finds the boy unusually adorable and delicate-looking, while Kasina reacts subtly but noticeably to his interest.
• Romon is taken to the Royal Estate, where the Queen has arranged a luxurious private residence for him. The estate is beautiful and magically maintained, with enchanted flowers, birds, and a warm climate despite the winter.
• A stern steward named Richard is assigned to manage Romon’s daily needs. Although Romon would have preferred remaining at the Harvey Inn, he accepts the arrangement as a gesture of goodwill and appreciates the quiet environment and abundant spiritual energy.
• Over the next three days, Kasina repeatedly attempts to spend time with Romon and show him Snow City, but Romon politely declines. He also refuses Count Schott’s banquet invitation, explaining that he is preparing for the coming battle against the sea beasts and will visit afterward.
• When the appointed assembly day arrives, Kasina escorts Romon back to the temporary palace. The Queen’s extermination force has gathered, consisting entirely of highly trained professionals. More than a hundred members are at least Fifth Level, over a dozen exceed Tenth Level, and the force is led by an Archbishop above the Fifteenth Level.
• The Archbishop orders the assembled force to depart, and the procession sets out toward the Sea of the Northern Lands.

Character Developments

• Romon: Remains calm, courteous, and difficult to approach. He accepts the Queen’s hospitality without becoming overly dependent on her court. His attention remains focused on the sea-beast crisis and the mysterious summons he is investigating. He also notices Shata’s unusual appearance, suggesting he may be curious about the child.
• Kasina: Becomes increasingly attracted to Romon because of his youth, talent, appearance, wealth, and manners. She recognizes that he could be a valuable political match, yet feels constrained by her position and lack of lineage. His repeated polite refusals frustrate her, but she resolves to continue trying to grow closer to him.
• The Queen: Though she does not appear directly, her influence is evident. She provides Romon with a luxurious residence, assigns Kasina to accompany him, and attempts to cultivate a favorable relationship with him.
• Shata: Is introduced as the Queen’s adopted son and the only child in the temporary palace. His delicate, attractive features draw Romon’s attention, while Kasina’s reaction hints that his identity or appearance may be politically significant.
• Count Schott: Tries to maintain a connection with Romon by inviting him to a banquet, but Romon postpones the meeting until after the sea-beast campaign.
• The Archbishop: Establishes himself as a powerful leader by commanding the assembled force and immediately ordering its departure.

Significant Themes

• Political hospitality and hidden motives: The Queen’s generosity is both genuine goodwill and a diplomatic effort to secure Romon’s loyalty or cooperation.
• Social status and personal fate: Kasina’s thoughts reveal the limited freedom of women without powerful lineage, especially within the palace’s political system.
• Emotional distance and restraint: Romon’s consistent politeness conceals his emotional detachment, contrasting with Kasina’s growing attraction and frustration.
• Power and preparation: The elite composition of the extermination force emphasizes the seriousness of the sea-beast threat and foreshadows a major conflict.
• Mystery and suspicion: Romon’s interest in Shata and his continued concern about the mysterious summons suggest that deeper secrets surround the royal family and the upcoming mission.

Character Interactions

• Romon and Kasina: Their relationship is formally courteous but emotionally uneven. Kasina seeks closeness, while Romon remains respectful yet distant, repeatedly declining her invitations.
• Romon and Shata: They do not directly interact, but Romon observes and praises Shata, prompting a subtle change in Kasina’s expression.
• Romon and the Queen’s household: The residence, steward, and official escort demonstrate the Queen’s effort to honor and influence him.
• Romon and Count Schott: Romon declines the invitation without offending him, preserving the relationship while prioritizing the military campaign.
• Romon and the assembled force: His arrival commands attention, and he recognizes the exceptional strength of the group, especially the imposing Archbishop who leads them.

Chapter Summary: “Departure (Part 2)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon and the royal force arrive at the Sea of the Northern Lands, where the once-thriving coastal region is now deserted because of recurring sea-beast attacks.
• The army establishes itself near a fortified coastal castle and prepares to confront the sea beasts and the enormous Spiny Sea Dragon.
• Romon observes the assembly of a powerful magical weapon called the Thunder Sword, a crystal-powered magic conductor shaped like a cannon. It fires concentrated lightning and is designed specifically to injure the Spiny Sea Dragon.
• Archbishop Warner summons Romon and instructs him to attack whenever an opportunity arises, while warning him to remain cautious. Romon accepts without making unrealistic promises.
• The sea beasts begin surfacing and moving toward shore. Their appearance culminates in the emergence of the gigantic Spiny Sea Dragon, whose size and roar shock Romon and the soldiers.
• The Thunder Sword fires its first shot. The Spiny Sea Dragon dives beneath the water and suffers only a minor injury, while several smaller sea beasts are killed by the blast.
• The human forces’ morale rises, and Archbishop Warner orders the griffin squadron into action.
• Romon discovers that the griffins are not ordinary mounts but are equipped for combat by specially trained Griffin Mages. Their griffins carry magical bombardment spells, revealing that the kingdom’s military technology is far more advanced than Romon’s improvised aerial attacks.

Character Developments

• Romon gains a deeper understanding of the kingdom’s military power. He is impressed by the Thunder Sword and realizes that his own bombardment methods are crude compared with the Royal House’s organized magical warfare.
• His cautious and pragmatic nature remains evident when he avoids promising certain victory, recognizing the danger of the mission and the possibility of failure.
• Romon also shows growing awareness of the scale of the threat. The Spiny Sea Dragon forces him to reconsider what truly qualifies as a monster.
• Archbishop Warner is revealed to be a practical military commander. Although he is skeptical about the usefulness of adding Romon to the operation, he gives him a flexible role and maintains disciplined battle procedures.
• The young mage accompanying Romon provides information about the Thunder Sword and Griffin Mages, helping Romon understand the kingdom’s weapons and tactics.

Significant Themes

• Humanity versus nature: The deserted coastline and ruined livelihood of Snow City demonstrate how the sea beasts have disrupted both society and the natural environment.
• The scale of danger: The Spiny Sea Dragon’s immense size and power emphasize the overwhelming forces facing the kingdom.
• Magical technology and militarization: The Thunder Sword and griffin-mounted bombardment systems show magic being organized and weaponized on a large scale, resembling advanced artillery and air warfare.
• Individual ability versus institutional power: Romon is talented and powerful, but the kingdom’s coordinated military resources surpass his personal methods.
• Caution and preparation: The army relies on established formations, concealed deployment, specialized equipment, and carefully timed attacks rather than reckless confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Romon speaks with a mage about the Royal Griffin Formation, learning that griffins are intelligent enough to follow orders without riders.
• A young mage explains the Thunder Sword’s purpose and name, establishing a friendly exchange and highlighting the weapon’s symbolic role in defending humanity.
• Archbishop Warner formally assigns Romon his battlefield role, while Romon responds respectfully and cautiously.
• Romon observes and questions the Griffin Mages’ equipment, learning how balancing rings, levitation robes, and protective harnesses allow fragile-looking mages to fight from the air.
• The chapter ends with Romon recognizing that his previous tactics were only a primitive version of the kingdom’s sophisticated aerial bombardment system, just as the larger battle is beginning.

Romon joined the Royal House’s defense against the sea beasts, only to discover that the Spiny Sea Dragon could coordinate a devastating counterattack and bore divine radiance. The beasts withdrew after an hour of fighting, but Romon sensed something sinister beneath the waters drawing him toward it.

• Romon watched the Griffin Mages bombard the sea beasts, then sensed danger as the beasts disappeared underwater.
• The Flying Arrow Beasts launched coordinated volleys at the Griffins and coastal defenders, while the rest of the sea beasts charged the shore.
• Romon mounted Lightning, received a chest of scrolls, and joined the aerial assault as the defenders fought the advancing beasts.
• Romon used his Divine Eye and saw divine radiance surrounding the Spiny Sea Dragon, then continued attacking the beasts with scrolls.
• After an hour of fierce fighting, Romon exhausted his scrolls and the sea beasts withdrew, while he sensed a sinister presence in the waters.

Chapter Summary: “Divinity (2)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Spiny Sea Dragons launch a much larger and more aggressive assault on the human forces defending the coast.
• Archbishop Warner quickly reorganizes the defense, ordering the first coastal line to hold temporarily before retreating to a second line, while Griffin mages focus their bombardment on the beach.
• Over a hundred Flying Arrow Beasts attack from the sea. Their magical, arrow-like projectiles pierce defenses and inject venom, causing heavy casualties and throwing the human forces into disorder.
• As the humans begin retreating, Romon intervenes. Using his sixth-level Nature Summoning ability, he summons five enormous Tyrant Dragons to block and crush the attacking sea beasts.
• The summoned beasts allow the soldiers to withdraw, while Romon and the mages launch a counterattack against the sea.
• The Spiny Sea Dragon then reveals a terrifying power: it creates a massive tornado by drawing water from the ocean. Romon senses the danger and attempts to escape, but Lightning is immobilized by a powerful suction force.
• Romon manages to store Lightning in his spatial storage before being swept into the tornado and losing consciousness.
• The surviving forces retreat. A search finds no trace of Romon, and Archbishop Warner concludes that the young Druid has likely died.
• The failed operation is reported to the Queen. Rather than reacting with surprise, she focuses on whether Romon was wearing the magic robe she gave him.
• The Queen reveals that Romon’s disappearance matches a prophecy: a storm would carry someone possessing the power of nature into the gods’ palace. She orders Master Laiputa to locate Romon and open a spatial gate in three hours.
• Romon eventually regains consciousness in an apparently dry space surrounded by extremely dense water elements. He realizes that the space itself is encircled by water.

Character Developments

• Archbishop Warner demonstrates strong battlefield judgment and leadership, successfully coordinating a retreat despite severe casualties. His concern for Romon shows that he values the young Druid and feels responsible for his fate.
• Romon proves his strength and courage by summoning five Tyrant Dragons to protect the retreating army. His action confirms his importance as an exceptionally powerful Eleventh-Level Druid, but it also places him directly in the path of the Spiny Sea Dragon’s attack.
• The Queen appears calm and unusually confident after the failed mission. Her focus on Romon’s magic robe and her knowledge of the prophecy reveal that she expected—or at least hoped for—his disappearance and may have deliberately prepared for it.
• Lightning remains loyal and attempts to carry Romon away, but is restrained by the tornado’s supernatural suction. Romon’s decision to store Lightning safely demonstrates his concern for his companion even in crisis.

Significant Themes

• The unpredictability and danger of nature: The sea beasts and the Spiny Sea Dragon use overwhelming natural forces, culminating in the massive tornado.
• Sacrifice and survival: Romon stays behind to protect the retreating troops, while the army survives only by abandoning the battlefield and its fallen.
• Prophecy and destiny: Romon’s apparent death is connected to a prophecy involving a storm, nature’s power, and the gods’ palace, suggesting that the disaster may be part of a larger divine plan.
• Appearance versus reality: Although Romon seems to have died, the Queen’s confidence and the final scene reveal that his disappearance may actually be a transition to another location.
• Human limits against supernatural power: Despite military organization, powerful mages, and Romon’s summoned Tyrant Dragons, the forces remain vulnerable to the Spiny Sea Dragon’s greater ability.

Character Interactions

• Archbishop Warner directs the soldiers and mages throughout the battle, urging them to hold, retreat, and counterattack.
• Romon takes initiative when the defensive line collapses, using his summoned Tyrant Dragons to shield the army.
• Warner praises Romon’s contribution indirectly and later worries over his disappearance.
• Warner reports to the Queen, who questions him specifically about Romon’s magic robe, hinting that she knows more about Romon’s fate than he does.
• The Queen privately reflects on the prophecy and prepares to send Master Laiputa to retrieve or locate Romon, suggesting a hidden connection between Romon’s mission and the gods’ palace.

Underwater Palace (Part 1) — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Romon is suddenly swept away by a powerful tornado while on the seafloor, possibly connected to the Spiny Sea Dragon. He experiences a strange force that restricts his movement and seems to affect only him.
• He awakens inside an enormous palace-like structure surrounded by seawater. The palace contains vast halls, countless rooms, corridors, and unusual layers of force that separate the interior from the ocean.
• Using his Spirit Eye and Reconnaissance Spell, Romon determines that the palace is likely located deep beneath the sea. Despite its underwater setting, the interior remains dry, and he is largely unharmed.
• While exploring the silent palace, Romon hears footsteps and follows them through a corridor decorated with floral reliefs and crystal lamps.
• He recognizes the architecture as distinctly Elven, similar to the style of ancient temples and ruins he has encountered before.
• Romon discovers dozens of stone golems patrolling and cleaning another palace. When they detect him, they identify him as possessing Elven blood but deny him entry because his bloodline is insufficient.
• The queen’s robe suddenly activates, emitting a signal-like magical power. Romon realizes it may be tracking or transmitting his location and throws it away.
• Reflecting on recent events—the mysterious summons, the queen’s unusual treatment, his forced involvement in battle, and the Elven palace—Romon suspects he has been manipulated or drawn into a larger trap.
• Unable to enter the guarded inner hall, he decides to investigate other areas of the palace and follow the mysterious summons coming from multiple locations.

Character Developments

• Romon remains cautious and analytical despite being transported into an unknown underwater location. He quickly uses his abilities to determine where he is and whether he is in danger.
• His curiosity about the palace gradually gives way to suspicion. He begins connecting the queen, the royal family, the Elves, the summons, and the robe into a possible conspiracy.
• Romon becomes increasingly resentful of being treated as a pawn. Rather than following the intended path, he decides to explore independently and claim whatever treasures or secrets he can find.
• He demonstrates practical survival instincts by checking on Lightning, examining the palace with magical senses, and removing the suspicious robe.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the unknown: Romon’s fear decreases once he identifies the palace’s underwater location, showing how knowledge helps him regain control.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: The robe and the queen’s actions suggest Romon may have been deliberately used or tracked.
• Ancient Elven civilization: The palace’s architecture, magical systems, and bloodline-based security hint at a major hidden connection between Romon and the Elves.
• Magic and technology: The golems function like automated machines, blending magical craftsmanship with effects resembling advanced technology.
• Identity and inheritance: The golems recognize Romon’s Elven bloodline but reject him as insufficient, raising questions about his ancestry and his potential role in the palace.

Character Interactions

• Romon and Lightning: Romon confirms that Lightning survived the tornado, though the creature lost some feathers and needs time to recover.
• Romon and the golems: The golems identify Romon as having Elven blood but mechanically block him from entering the inner hall because he does not meet the required bloodline standard.
• Romon and the queen: Though the queen is not physically present, her robe becomes an important indirect interaction. Romon interprets its signaling power as evidence that she may have intended to monitor or control him.
• Romon and the Elves/royal family: His memories of the queen, the Half-Elf boy, the battle, and the mysterious summons lead him to suspect that his connection to the Elven faction is deliberate and potentially dangerous.

The queen received news from Mage Hadley and ordered him to proceed with the original plan while secretly awaiting a portal to open. As the queen comforted her young son, Hadley prepared an elite force to enter the portal, which began forming under Master Laiputa’s observation.

• A strange clicking sound disturbed the queen’s rest, and she dismissed her attendants after saying that the long-awaited moment had arrived.
• The queen contacted Mage Hadley through a hidden mechanism and ordered him to proceed according to the original plan.
• The queen welcomed her young son and agreed to tell him a story.
• Mage Hadley instructed an elite force of Knights and mages to enter the portal in an organized first wave.
• Master Laiputa watched the assembled force as a transparent gateway began to form before them.

Romon discovered that the queen’s robe had opened a teleportation gateway into the underwater palace, then furiously looted its treasures to prevent anyone else from using him. He found an altar holding a statue resembling the one from Edge Forest and wondered whether it was a Wind God Statue.

• Romon realized the queen’s robe had opened a teleportation gateway, then decided to loot the palace rather than destroy it.
• Romon used his Shennong Horn Space to strip rooms of their ornaments, elven armor, weapons, Golem parts, and other valuables.
• Romon found the palace treasury and transferred its gold, gems, and surviving powerful artifacts into his space.
• Romon continued looting the palace while the gateway remained open and no one came through it.
• Romon sensed a familiar power behind a door, found an altar and a wooden god statue, and recognized it as resembling the statue he had seen in Edge Forest.

Chapter Summary: Inheritance (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Northern Lands’ palace, the queen tearfully prepares to send her young son, the little prince, away through a spatial portal.
• The prince is instructed to find a crown and offer it to the “great Father God,” suggesting that his mission is connected to an important inheritance or prophecy.
• Serei, commander of the Royal Guard Corps, leads the prince, Knights, and mages through a portal to the underwater palace.
• The group expects Romon to be angry because they used him to reach the palace, but Serei assumes Romon is powerless to stop them or return without their portal.
• The prince’s party reaches the palace’s main hall, but defensive golems recognize his elven bloodline as insufficient and deny him access.
• Serei orders the forces to attack and forcibly enter. Their assault activates the palace’s ancient defenses, awakening numerous golems and a terrifying Spiny Sea Dragon.
• Meanwhile, Romon is transported unexpectedly after touching the God Statue. He is injured by a powerful force and trapped within what appears to be a vast illusion or magical formation.
• Romon finds himself in a luminous underwater palace, where the God Statue is displayed on a crystal table inside a far more magnificent structure.
• The palace doors open on their own, and Romon is compelled—or at least strongly drawn—to enter. He cautiously proceeds deeper into the sacred, ancient complex.

Character Developments

• The Queen: Reveals her deep emotional attachment to her son despite having prepared herself for his departure. Her tears and trembling contrast with her formal command, showing the conflict between maternal love and royal duty.
• The Little Prince: Appears obedient and earnest. He understands his mission in simple, childlike terms and confidently repeats that he will retrieve the crown for the Father God.
• Serei: Is portrayed as disciplined, decisive, and militarily aggressive. He believes Romon is unable to resist them and quickly chooses force when the golems deny the prince entry. His confidence also reveals that he underestimates Romon.
• Romon: Demonstrates resilience and caution after being injured and displaced. Although confused, he quickly reasons that he is inside an illusion formation and recognizes that the God Statue must be extremely important because of the elaborate protections surrounding it.

Significant Themes

• Maternal love versus duty: The queen must sacrifice her personal feelings to fulfill the needs of the kingdom and the prophecy.
• Inheritance and divine destiny: The prince’s mission to retrieve and offer a crown points to a larger succession, religious inheritance, or prophetic role.
• Deception and manipulation: Romon has been used by the royal forces to locate or access the palace, while Serei assumes the situation can be controlled through political pressure.
• Ancient power and hidden defenses: The palace, golems, formations, and sea dragon suggest that the inheritance is protected by forces far older and more powerful than the arriving expedition expects.
• Reality versus illusion: Romon cannot easily distinguish between genuine events and magical visions, reinforcing the uncertainty surrounding the God Statue and the palace.
• Underestimation and overconfidence: Serei assumes Romon is helpless and the palace defenses are decayed, but both assumptions are immediately challenged.

Character Interactions

• The queen and prince share an emotional farewell in which she reminds him of his mission while struggling to conceal her grief.
• Serei reassures the queen that he will protect the prince, presenting himself as both commander and guardian.
• Serei’s forces effectively act against Romon’s interests, despite expecting to resolve the matter peacefully afterward.
• The prince’s bloodline fails to satisfy the palace’s entry requirements, creating tension between the royal party and the ancient golems.
• Romon has no direct interaction with the royal forces in this section, but his unexpected displacement places him on a separate path toward the palace’s inner secrets while Serei’s group attacks from outside.

Romon defeated the palace golems and obtained the God Statue, which triggered a major mutation and upgrade in the Shennong Horn Space. The space became self-sustaining, Romon gained the wind domain and the title Lord of Nature's Judgment, and his attributes increased.

• Romon fought the golems without magic, severed one’s joint, and was badly injured when the last golem struck him.
• The final golem ran out of energy, and Romon returned to the altar holding the God Statue.
• Romon placed the God Statue in the Shennong Horn Space and ordered it absorbed, triggering a mutation and an upgrade that expanded the space.
• The Mother Tree’s further mutation trapped Romon inside as the space transformed, healed his shoulder, and showed him a vision of a newly forming world and a golden spear.
• The space completed its thirteenth-level upgrade, becoming a self-sustaining natural cycle; the Mother Tree became the World Tree and the Space Servants became Nature Servants.
• Romon selected the wind domain, became a level 13 Nature Druid and Lord of Nature's Judgment, and received improved attributes.