Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Two Preparations”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa reads intelligence gathered by the Watchers about George III’s planned godhood ritual.
• The ritual will occur on the first Saturday of December 1350, leaving roughly two months for preparations. George III will give a nationwide speech, using crowds gathered in public squares as part of the ritual.
• The Royal Family has several mausoleums, including possible locations in Awwa County, East Chester County, near the Tussock River, Tingen, and the outskirts of Backlund. Destroying these mausoleums could destabilize the ritual.
• George III has prepared a defensive contingency: at the critical moment, he can distort space and isolate his chosen mausoleum from the real world. Breaking through this isolation may require the power of a True God.
• The ritual will be protected by numerous powerful figures, including members of the Royal Family and external allies such as Zaratul, Hermes, and high-level Beyonders capable of summoning Historical Projections.
• The Watchers reveal that a Demoness in the East Borough, likely Trissy and a vessel of the Primordial Demoness, seeks revenge against George III and might cooperate with those attempting to stop him.
• Sifa concludes that destroying the mausoleums he knows about may be enough to prevent George III’s ascension, even without locating every site.
• He realizes that he cannot oppose George III alone and plans to cooperate with Klein, while also considering an alliance with Trissy.
• Since Feysac is expected to begin a war soon, Sifa plans to use the battlefield to digest his current potion while simultaneously preparing the ritual required for his advancement to Sequence 2. These are the chapter’s “two preparations.”
• After ending the communication session, Sifa develops a broad plan, recognizing that the details must be worked out through future actions.

Character Developments

• Sifa becomes more determined and strategically minded. Although overwhelmed by the number of Angels and other high-level enemies involved, he does not retreat. Instead, he identifies possible allies, evaluates the ritual’s weaknesses, and commits to pursuing two paths toward advancement.
• Klein is identified as a crucial potential ally because of his knowledge and abilities, particularly his connection to the projection 0-08 and his capacity to help influence George III’s ritual.
• Trissy is reframed from a former enemy and victim into a possible partner. Her personal hatred of George III gives Sifa a practical basis for cooperation.
• George III is shown to be exceptionally cautious and well prepared. His ritual involves nationwide participation, multiple mausoleums, powerful guardians, and emergency measures to preserve the ritual even if his preparations are attacked.
• Enilu is emotionally affected by Sifa’s letter. Though Sifa has formally severed ties with his family, his concern for her and his younger siblings reassures her that he still cares.
• Bison receives news that he has been selected for the House of Lords. He credits Sifa’s influence and feels proud of his son, but remains focused on advancing his own political ambitions in Backlund.
• Sifa’s family continues to experience the consequences of his separation from them. Enilu considers returning with the younger children to Enqi Town for the winter, while Bison chooses to remain in Backlund.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and risk: The chapter emphasizes the necessity of preparing for multiple possible outcomes. Sifa must prepare both a godhood ritual and for war, while George III has constructed layers of defenses and contingencies.
• The scale of power: The list of Angels, Sequence 3 Beyonders, and Historical Projection abilities highlights how dangerous and unequal the coming confrontation will be.
• Cooperation among former enemies: Political and supernatural circumstances may force Sifa, Klein, and Trissy to cooperate despite their different histories and motives.
• Family bonds and sacrifice: Sifa’s estrangement from his family is presented as protective rather than purely rejecting. His letter shows that emotional ties remain despite the distance.
• Fate versus agency: Sifa can formulate plans and exploit weaknesses, but ultimately acknowledges that success will depend partly on fate and circumstances beyond his control.
• Political ambition: Bison’s impending elevation to the House of Lords contrasts with Sifa’s secret supernatural struggle, showing how the family’s worldly fortunes are rising even as Sifa faces increasingly dangerous threats.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa and the Watchers: Their messages provide Sifa with vital intelligence about George III’s ritual, defenses, allies, and possible weaknesses.
• Sifa and Klein: Though Klein does not appear directly, Sifa plans to contact and cooperate with him, recognizing that their combined abilities may be necessary.
• Sifa and Trissy: They have not yet met in the chapter, but Sifa identifies their shared hostility toward George III as the foundation for a potential alliance.
• Sifa and Enilu: Sifa sends an unsigned letter urging Enilu to take the younger children back to Enqi Town for the winter. The message reassures her that he still cares about the family.
• Enilu and Bison: Enilu proposes returning to Enqi Town, but Bison declines because he wants to establish himself politically in Backlund and become a House of Lords member.

Chapter Summary: “Pressure”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The scene takes place above the Gray Fog, where the Tarot Club members gather at Sifa’s request.
• Sifa organizes the meeting to share intelligence about King George III’s plan to advance to the Black Emperor pathway’s godhood, hoping the group can work together to stop him.
• He reveals that the advancement ritual is expected to occur on the first Saturday of December, only about two months away. The Loen Kingdom is also expected to make a nationwide broadcast that day.
• Sifa identifies the likely protectors of the ritual:
  • William Augustus, the founding father and a Sequence 1 Hand of Order
  • Duke Dlink, a Sequence 2 Balancer
  • Prince Grove and Duchess Georgina, both Sequence 3 Chaos Hunters
• He also reveals possible outside assistance from:
  • Zaratul, a Sequence 1 Attendant of Mysteries and leader of the Secret Order
  • Hermes, a Sequence 2 Discerner and creator of Ancient Hermes
• Sifa stresses that his information is reliable and that he has revealed everything he knows so Klein will not underestimate the enemy.
• The revelation leaves the gathering in a tense, oppressive silence. Audrey realizes that the seemingly long-dead founding father and other royal figures are still alive because they are Angels.
• The members infer that the person being protected is almost certainly King George III, the current ruler of Loen.

Character Developments

• Sifa/Mr. Chariot demonstrates the strength and reach of his intelligence network. He takes a direct, responsible approach, choosing to expose the full scale of the threat even though the information may frighten the others.
• Klein/Mr. World is deeply affected by the news. He already opposes George III’s advancement because it would likely escalate the war, spread suffering beyond the North Continent, and cause mass civilian casualties. His resolve is rooted in his refusal to accept innocent lives being sacrificed for someone’s ascension.
• Audrey/Justice is shocked by the revelation that major historical figures from the Augustus family remain alive and active. She quickly connects the protectors to the royal family and identifies George III as the likely candidate.
• Fors/Magician instinctively becomes fearful and considers leaving Backlund with Xio, highlighting the danger the ritual poses to ordinary Beyonders and civilians.
• Alger/Hanged Man is impressed by the scale of Sifa’s intelligence-gathering capabilities and recognizes the importance of the information.
• Cattleya/Hermit remains outwardly calm but is visibly affected internally, while Emlyn/Moon struggles to assess the situation because it lies outside his expertise.

Significant Themes

• The moral cost of godhood: Klein rejects the idea of using the deaths of countless civilians as “steps” toward divine power.
• Responsibility and informed choice: Sifa provides complete intelligence so the others can decide whether to act or withdraw with full knowledge of the danger.
• Pressure and fear: The exact date and overwhelming strength of George III’s protectors transform the threat from an abstract possibility into an imminent crisis.
• The persistence of history: The survival of ancient royal figures shows how Angels can remain influential across generations, hiding behind the structures of modern power.
• War as a tool of ambition: The Psychology Alchemists are manipulating nobles and encouraging war, suggesting that the conflict is part of a larger supernatural plan.

Character Interactions

• Sifa formally greets the Tarot Club members before taking control of the discussion and presenting his intelligence.
• Klein, maintaining World’s terse and intimidating persona, questions whether Sifa’s information is reliable.
• Sifa responds with a solemn guarantee, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and his concern for Klein’s safety.
• Audrey openly processes the implications of the royal family’s survival, helping the group identify George III as the intended god-to-be.
• The group’s varied reactions—Klein’s grim determination, Fors’s fear, Alger’s respect, and Audrey’s astonishment—underscore the enormous danger posed by the upcoming ritual.

Chapter Summary: “The Tide of the Times”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Audrey reflects on the Tarot Club’s plan to oppose George III’s ascension to godhood. She realizes that the coming conflict may involve numerous Angels and Demigods, but instead of fear, she feels morally conflicted.
• Through information obtained from the Psychology Alchemists, the group learns that war is approaching. Loen appears to be encouraging war not merely for territorial expansion, but to create the conditions for George III to become the Black Emperor.
• Klein has already resolved to stop George III, though he recognizes that powerful Angels and Demigods stand between the Tarot Club and the king.
• Klein reveals that the Psychology Alchemists secretly support George III because they are controlled by the Twilight Hermit Order and were founded under the guidance of the Angel King Adam.
• Hvin Rambis claimed that supporting George III was “the choice of the times” and part of the inevitable flow of fate. Klein interprets this as evidence that Adam is deliberately creating a world-spanning war.
• Adam’s goal is connected to the Spectator pathway’s ascension to godhood. George III is therefore being used as a tool to generate the “tide of the times”—a massive war that will reshape the world.
• Klein warns the members not to think about or mention Adam or the Twilight Hermit Order after returning to reality.
• Audrey finally gains clarity: opposing George III also means resisting Adam’s plan and helping prevent a devastating global war.

Character Developments

• Audrey moves from confusion to conviction. Her noble identity and hatred of war had placed her in a moral dilemma, but learning that Adam intends to cause a worldwide conflict gives her a clear position. She now considers actively helping stop George III.
• Klein demonstrates determination and strategic awareness. Though he understands the overwhelming power guarding George III, he firmly resolves to break through those defenses.
• Alger feels pride and excitement at the Tarot Club’s growing influence. He realizes that the group has progressed from opposing supernatural disasters to becoming involved in events concerning Angels, Kings of Angels, and a possible godhood.
• Fors reacts with fear and self-preservation. She is alarmed that the Tarot Club may challenge figures capable of destroying them effortlessly and hopes they will not take such a dangerous course.
• Cattleya views Fors’s fear as entirely reasonable. She also recognizes the political significance of the situation and supports any action that might prevent George III from becoming the Black Emperor, which would threaten the Queen’s family interests.
• Emlyn remains largely disconnected from the crisis because it does not directly involve the Sanguine. His thoughts instead drift toward money and buying a new doll, providing brief comic relief amid the tense discussion.
• Sifa helps move the meeting forward by asking for additional information and identifying the connection between the “tide of the times” and the Twilight Hermit Order.

Significant Themes

• The approach of war: War is presented not as an inevitable historical event, but as something powerful figures are deliberately engineering for supernatural purposes.
• The burden of history: Alger realizes the Tarot Club is no longer observing history from the sidelines; its members are becoming participants in events involving legendary figures.
• Moral clarity amid political conflict: Audrey’s uncertainty reflects the tension between personal identity, national loyalty, and opposition to violence. Once she recognizes the broader threat, she finds a principled stance.
• Manipulation and fate: The Psychology Alchemists’ language about following the “choice of the times” masks deliberate manipulation by Adam and the Twilight Hermit Order.
• Power and resistance: Klein’s resolve emphasizes the necessity of opposing vastly stronger beings, even when success appears nearly impossible.
• Hidden motives behind political events: George III’s possible ascension and Loen’s push for war are revealed to be parts of a larger mystical plan rather than isolated political developments.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein’s revelation changes the emotional atmosphere of the gathering and gives Audrey the clarity she lacks.
• Klein and Audrey are implicitly aligned: both now recognize that stopping George III is necessary, though Klein reaches that conclusion through strategy while Audrey arrives at it through moral reasoning.
• Alger’s pride contrasts with Fors’s fear, showing the different ways members respond to the Tarot Club’s increasing involvement in high-level conflicts.
• Cattleya silently supports the plan to stop George III because of its implications for the Queen and her father.
• Sifa’s questioning prompts Klein to disclose the Psychology Alchemists’ connection to Adam and the Twilight Hermit Order, exposing the true scale of the threat.

Chapter Summary: “Exchange of Information”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein reveals that George III is preparing to ascend to godhood as the Black Emperor. Although he is not yet a demigod, he has used the Psychology Alchemists’ methods to gain a higher level of existence and begin preparing for advancement.
• George III appears to have developed the dangerous “talent” associated with high-level Beyonders: altering his soul to resemble a powerful ancestor or spiritual imprint. Cattleya explains that this method carries the risk of transforming him into a patchwork-like monster.
• Klein also reveals the existence of a Blood Emperor ruin containing something extremely important to George III. The king intends to obtain or control it through extensive sacrificial rituals, but Hvin Rambis’s memories about the matter were erased.
• Klein announces his decision to stop George III’s ascension and allows members of the Tarot Club to leave if they do not wish to participate. Fors and Emlyn depart, while the others remain.
• Klein explains the Black Emperor’s promotion ritual:
  • Rule a nation and be publicly recognized as an emperor.
  • Establish complex, abnormal laws and architectural conventions.
  • Have nine pyramid-like mausoleums secretly constructed.
  • Conduct a nationwide sacrificial ritual involving most of the population.
  • Consume the Sequence 0 potion inside one of the mausoleums.
• The upcoming nationwide broadcast on the first Saturday of December is identified as part of George III’s ritual.
• Because the group does not know which mausoleum George III will use, Klein concludes that destroying several of the nine sites may be the best way to interrupt the ritual.

Character Developments

• Klein assumes leadership and openly commits to opposing George III, sharing crucial intelligence and organizing the group’s response.
• Sifa considers using the operation as the ritual for advancing to Sequence 2, though he still needs to digest his current potion and doubts he can do so within two months. He also genuinely wants to prevent war.
• Alger stays to increase his contribution in Mr. Fool’s eyes, believing the mission may reflect Mr. Fool’s will.
• Audrey shifts from uncertainty to firm determination, motivated by her desire to protect civilians and prevent a large-scale war.
• Cattleya participates out of loyalty to her teacher, Queen Mystic.
• Fors and Emlyn acknowledge that they cannot or do not wish to contribute meaningfully and leave.
• George III is portrayed as a ruler pursuing godhood through dangerous preparations, secret rituals, and unnatural spiritual methods.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of forced advancement: Mimicking powerful spiritual beings may help someone endure higher-level power, but it risks severe mutation and loss of identity.
• Knowledge as power and danger: Klein carefully decides who should receive information, emphasizing that learning too much can place unwilling participants at risk.
• Collective sacrifice and political power: George III’s ritual depends on an entire nation, turning his subjects and state apparatus into tools for his apotheosis.
• Moral responsibility and resistance: The Tarot Club members choose to oppose George III for different personal reasons, but their efforts unite around preventing war and protecting ordinary people.
• Uncertainty and strategic action: Since the group cannot identify the correct mausoleum, they must rely on disrupting the ritual broadly rather than targeting George III directly.

Character Interactions

• Klein exchanges information with the group and invites them to choose whether to participate, respecting Fors and Emlyn’s decision to leave.
• Sifa shares his understanding of the “talent” theory, while Cattleya provides the more ominous interpretation of its spiritual dangers.
• Audrey questions whether George III was hypnotized, but recognizes that the Augustus Family would likely have detected such interference.
• Alger connects the nationwide broadcast to the sacrificial ritual, and Klein confirms his deduction.
• The group collectively analyzes the nine mausoleums and concludes that destroying several of them could sabotage George III’s advancement.

Chapter Summary: “Planning Begins”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa reveals that he knows the approximate locations of three of the nine mausoleums involved in the Loen Royal Family’s God-Making Plan: one each in Awwa County, East Chester County, and the outskirts of Backlund.
• The information alarms the Tarot Club members, particularly Audrey, who reacts strongly to the mention of a mausoleum near Backlund, and Alger and Cattleya, who recognize how difficult such intelligence would be to obtain.
• Klein confirms that a mausoleum exists near Backlund, known by the Royal Family as “Ruins No. 1,” but explains that the Three Great Churches found nothing when they investigated it. The group considers whether the site they inspected was merely an imagined version of the true mausoleum.
• Sifa asks whether the mausoleums can be destroyed from outside or entered freely. Cattleya explains that external destruction would be ineffective because the ritual’s important components are inside, while Klein states that the mausoleums cannot be freely entered without creating unacceptable loopholes in the ritual.
• Sifa organizes the group’s objectives:
  1. Locate the three known mausoleums precisely.
  2. Discover how to enter them.
  3. Gather enough High-Sequence individuals to defeat their Angel and Demigod guardians.
  4. Avoid detection by the Loen Royal Family and the Twilight Hermit Order before the operation begins.
• Klein offers to investigate the mausoleum locations and seek methods of entry through his connections.
• Cattleya appears prepared to consult Queen Mystic, who may possess knowledge of the Black Emperor ritual and its mausoleums.
• Sifa plans to recruit another Demigod, likely Trissy, while Klein considers asking Queen Mystic to provide an Angel.
• Alger warns that even these reinforcements may be insufficient. Sifa therefore proposes turning Loen’s enemies into temporary allies by revealing the God-Making Plan to Feysac and Intis.
• Audrey worries that informing the two powers could provoke an immediate attack. Sifa argues that war is likely regardless and emphasizes that the timing of the revelation must be carefully controlled.

Character Developments

• Sifa/Chariot takes on the role of strategist and coordinator. His extensive intelligence, practical planning, and willingness to form temporary alliances reveal his growing influence within the Tarot Club.
• Klein/World demonstrates caution and expertise, confirming information about the Backlund mausoleum and offering both investigative resources and possible access to an Angel.
• Cattleya/Hermit shows her knowledge of the Black Emperor ritual and implicitly relies on Queen Mystic as a potential source of critical information.
• Audrey/Justice struggles briefly with anxiety upon hearing about the Backlund mausoleum but uses her Spectator abilities to control her emotions. She also displays concern over the geopolitical consequences of Sifa’s plan.
• Alger/Hanged Man remains skeptical and pragmatic, recognizing that the group’s current strength may not be sufficient.
• Queen Mystic/Bernadette becomes increasingly important as a possible authority on the ritual and a powerful ally, though she does not appear directly.

Significant Themes

• Preparation against overwhelming power: Stopping George III requires careful planning, intelligence gathering, infiltration, and a large number of powerful allies rather than a direct assault.
• Hidden truths and deception: The possibility that the inspected Backlund mausoleum was an imagined construct highlights the difficulty of distinguishing reality from illusion.
• The limits of force: Destroying a mausoleum from outside is useless; meaningful sabotage must occur internally, emphasizing the need for infiltration.
• Temporary alliances: Sifa embraces cooperation with enemies when facing a greater threat, reflecting the morally complex politics surrounding the possible birth of a Black Emperor.
• Timing and information control: The success of the plan depends not only on what information is revealed, but also on when it is released.

Character Interactions

• Sifa questions Cattleya and Klein about the mausoleums’ defenses and accessibility, drawing out their specialized knowledge.
• Klein and Sifa briefly debate whether the Backlund mausoleum investigated by the Churches was genuine or an imagined substitute.
• Sifa’s mention of additional allies prompts Cattleya and Klein to consider Queen Mystic, while Sifa thinks of recruiting Trissy.
• Audrey challenges Sifa’s plan to inform Feysac and Intis, leading him to clarify that their intervention is likely inevitable and must therefore be strategically managed.
• Alger’s warning that the current forces are inadequate reinforces the seriousness of the mission and pushes the group toward seeking broader international support.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa, Klein (“World”), and Audrey (“Justice”) discuss when to reveal information about George III’s Black Emperor ascension ritual.
• They decide the news should be released only after they have:
  • Found the mausoleum’s location,
  • Determined how to enter it,
  • Made all necessary preparations.
• If these preparations are completed before December, they will announce the ritual’s exact date on November 30. This timing is intended to force Feysac and Intis to send Demigods or Angels into Loen without giving the Loen Royal Family enough time to strengthen its defenses.
• Sifa reveals that Feysac is still preparing for war despite its previous failed surprise attack. He predicts that Feysac will soon launch an air raid on Backlund, especially targeting the North and West Boroughs.
• Audrey is alarmed and suggests warning the kingdom, but Sifa and Klein explain that war is already inevitable and that vague information would likely be dismissed. Sifa promises to protect civilians in the West Borough, while the North Borough’s churches and nobles provide some defensive strength.
• The group acknowledges the danger posed by the Loen Royal Family, the Twilight Hermit Order, and Adam. They resolve to investigate the mausoleum covertly and create a distraction to conceal their activities.
• Sifa proposes spreading rumors that the Royal Family is secretly abducting workers and vagrants to construct the mausoleum, linking this claim to the workers who disappeared after last year’s unemployment crisis.
• Audrey agrees to use her Dreamwalker abilities to spread the rumors in Backlund, while Klein will help distribute them elsewhere through teleportation.
• Cattleya and Alger take responsibility for spreading the information in Intis and Feysac.
• Before the meeting ends, Sifa warns Klein that Soren Einhorn Medici, the Red Angel Evil Spirit, is still alive and may return to Backlund.
• Sifa leaves feeling relieved that a concrete plan to stop George III’s apotheosis has finally been established.

Character Developments

• Sifa demonstrates strategic foresight and leadership. He carefully balances the timing of the public announcement, the threat of war, the need for allies, and the danger of exposing their plans.
• Klein supports Sifa’s strategy and contributes practical solutions, particularly using teleportation to spread rumors and information across Loen.
• Audrey shows compassion and responsibility toward civilians, immediately worrying about the safety of Backlund’s population. She also takes a more active operational role by agreeing to manipulate public perceptions through Dreamwalking.
• Cattleya and Alger commit to supporting the anti-George III operation by influencing public opinion in Intis and Feysac.
• Sifa’s warning about Medici reminds Klein that previous threats remain unresolved and that the group cannot focus solely on George III.

Significant Themes

• Strategic timing and preparation: Success depends on revealing information neither too early nor too late.
• The inevitability and cost of war: Political powers on both sides desire conflict, making war unavoidable even if its consequences are known in advance.
• Protecting civilians amid political struggles: The characters recognize that ordinary people may suffer because of plans made by kingdoms, churches, and supernatural organizations.
• Deception and information warfare: Rumors, public fear, and divided attention become essential tools for weakening the Royal Family and concealing the group’s movements.
• Alliance and cooperation: Members of the Tarot Club and Sifa coordinate across multiple countries against a common enemy.
• The danger of unfinished threats: Medici’s survival emphasizes that supernatural enemies can remain dangerous even after apparent defeat.

Character Interactions

• Sifa and Klein work as strategic equals, refining the timing and structure of the plan.
• Audrey reacts emotionally to the threat against Backlund, while Sifa reassures her that he will protect the West Borough.
• Klein explains the likely role of airships in Feysac’s planned attack, helping Audrey understand how Backlund could be reached.
• Audrey offers her Dreamwalker abilities, and Klein offers his teleportation, creating a practical division of labor.
• Cattleya and Alger expand the group’s influence internationally by agreeing to spread the rumors abroad.
• Sifa’s final warning about Medici creates a moment of tension for Klein and reinforces the continuing danger surrounding Backlund.

Above the Gray Fog, Klein asked Leonard for help with dreams while Cattleya sought Queen Mystic’s aid in learning how to enter George III’s mausoleums. In Backlund, Sifa warned the Church of Storms about George III’s plan and received Tracy’s letter revealing Katarina’s operation in the East Borough, which he intended to disrupt without harming her.

• Klein contacted Leonard and asked for his help with matters involving dreams.
• Cattleya wrote to Queen Mystic about George III’s plan to become the Black Emperor and the gathering’s need to enter the mausoleums.
• Sifa prayed at Holy Wind Cathedral and told the Lord of Storms that George III was plotting to ascend, but the church gave no response.
• Sifa received a letter from Tracy stating that Katarina would pursue a target near 13 or 15 Black Palm Street the following night.
• Sifa suspected the Demoness Sect was hunting Trissy and decided he would interfere with Katarina’s operation while keeping his promise not to hurt her.

Chapter Summary: Dreamwalker

Key Plot Points and Events

• Audrey, now a Dreamwalker, awakens in the Hall family villa and reviews her newly mastered abilities:
  • She can guide and manipulate dreams to extract information or influence people.
  • Unlike a Nightmare, she cannot forcibly draw someone into a dream without combining the ability with Hypnosis.
  • She can travel between the dreams of intelligent beings within a five-hundred-meter range.
• After encouraging herself, Audrey enters her mother’s dream, where the family is happily reunited. The dream reflects her mother’s hope that Hibbert and Alfred will overcome their estrangement, despite reality being less harmonious.
• Audrey travels through numerous dreams, witnessing people’s hopes for Loen’s future:
  • Foreign nations becoming dependencies of Loen.
  • Backlund’s smog clearing.
  • Better labor protections and working conditions.
  • Women gaining equality and freedom from discrimination.
• From observing these dreams without becoming emotionally lost in them, Audrey gains insight into the Acting Code of the Dreamwalker: remain an observer, maintain clarity, and remember that dreams are not reality. This causes her potion to digest slightly.
• She enters the dream of a sympathetic reporter who wants to expose the suffering of impoverished East Borough residents. Audrey considers hypnotizing him into reporting rumors about slaves being forced to build mausoleums outside Backlund.
• She rejects the idea because it could lead to the reporter’s arrest or mistreatment. Instead, she decides to find criminals or “scoundrels” to spread the rumor, believing she would not feel guilty about harming them.
• Before dawn, Sifa is awakened by his noisy parrot, Grigor. He uses a minor fire-based ability to silence it.
• Sifa prepares for a busy Saturday:
  • He will receive the king’s investiture at the royal palace.
  • That evening, he plans to sabotage Katarina’s operation in the East Borough and meet Trissy.
  • His mother, Enilu, has accepted his suggestion to return to Enqi Town with his younger siblings and spend the winter at Desi Bay.
  • Bison remains in the North Borough, considered safe unless he is cursed.
• Sifa dresses in his new military uniform. His adjutant O’Neill arrives, visibly excited to accompany him to the palace after being promoted to captain.

Character Developments

• Audrey demonstrates increasing mastery and maturity as a Dreamwalker. She understands both the power and ethical risks of dream manipulation.
• She develops a clearer grasp of her Acting Code by resisting immersion in beautiful or disturbing dreams and maintaining emotional distance.
• Audrey’s moral judgment is emphasized: although she wants to expose the mausoleum construction and the alleged exploitation behind it, she refuses to endanger an innocent reporter.
• Sifa is shown balancing formal military duties, family concerns, and secret supernatural operations. His status is rising, symbolized by his coming investiture and military uniform.
• O’Neill has advanced to captain and is enthusiastic about his new position and proximity to Sifa.
• Enilu accepts Sifa’s advice, suggesting growing trust within the family.
• Audrey’s mother remains emotionally invested in repairing the relationship between Hibbert and Alfred, even if only within her dreams.

Significant Themes

• Dreams versus reality: Dreams reveal hopes, fears, and ideals, but Audrey recognizes that beautiful visions do not make them real.
• Observation and emotional control: The Dreamwalker’s power depends on remaining clear-headed rather than becoming absorbed in others’ dreams.
• Ethics and responsibility: Audrey must weigh achieving a just goal against the potential harm caused by manipulating an innocent person.
• Social inequality and reform: The dreams highlight hopes for improved labor conditions, reduced poverty, gender equality, cleaner cities, and political stability.
• Family and reconciliation: Audrey’s mother’s dream reflects the family’s unresolved tensions, particularly between Hibbert and Alfred.
• Power and political change: Sifa’s investiture and Audrey’s interest in exposing forced labor both connect personal supernatural actions to broader political and social upheaval.

Important Character Interactions

• Audrey silently coordinates with Suzie, who guards the door while Audrey enters the dream world.
• Audrey observes her mother’s idealized family interaction involving Hibbert and Alfred.
• Audrey mentally engages with the reporter’s dream and chooses not to hypnotize him, prioritizing his safety over her immediate objective.
• Sifa interacts humorously but harshly with Grigor, using his supernatural ability to stop the parrot from waking him.
• O’Neill reports to Sifa and prepares to accompany him to the royal palace, revealing his admiration and excitement.
• Sifa’s plans also involve future interactions with Katarina and Trissy during his evening operation.

Chapter Summary: “Investiture”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa attends a formal ceremony at Sodela Palace with Earl Condon, surrounded by nobles, ministers, military leaders, and royal guards.
• Prime Minister Aguesid publicly recounts Sifa’s achievements:
  • His rise from Second Lieutenant in the Maritime Intelligence Department.
  • His role in discovering and thwarting the Feysac Empire’s planned attack on Pritz Harbor.
  • His military successes in the Southern Continent, including resisting colonial rebellions and obstructing the Rose School.
  • His recent advancement to Sequence 4 and status as a High Sequence powerhouse.
• King George III personally honors Sifa, praising his service and encouraging him to continue contributing to the kingdom. Sifa formally accepts the recognition.
• After the ceremony, Sifa receives a large number of invitations to elite banquets. His new status as a young, successful Demigod makes him highly desirable as a potential marriage match among noble families.
• Rather than accept every invitation, Sifa instructs his steward, Lodnis, to select the five most important events based on the hosts’ influence and social connections. He also orders polite replies and gifts for those he cannot attend.
• That night, Sifa prepares for an undisclosed operation.
• The scene shifts to a rough tavern on Dharavi Street, where an intimidating information dealer named Red meets the bartender, Weiss. Red claims to possess major information about the fate of unemployed workers and missing vagrants, ending the chapter on a suspenseful revelation.

Character Developments

• Sifa: Demonstrates his growth from a former newcomer into a confident, politically significant Demigod. Although he feels the pressure of being watched by the king and powerful officials, he deliberately acts nervous to maintain the image of a young and newly successful military officer. He also shows practical political judgment by carefully managing the flood of social invitations.
• King George III: Presents himself as a supportive monarch who personally rewards military service and values Sifa’s accomplishments.
• Prime Minister Aguesid Negan: Acts as the official voice of the kingdom’s praise, emphasizing Sifa’s military record and usefulness to the state.
• Steward Lodnis: Receives his first major responsibility in Sifa’s household. He is anxious but eager, recognizing that selecting the right invitations could significantly establish his reputation as a steward.
• Red: Appears as a rough, confident information broker who deliberately builds suspense around sensitive knowledge. His claim suggests access to dangerous or politically important secrets.
• Weiss: Serves as Red’s familiar contact in the tavern and reacts skeptically to Red’s boastful manner.

Significant Themes

• Recognition and political influence: Sifa’s investiture marks his transformation into an officially acknowledged power within the kingdom.
• Public image versus reality: Sifa hides his true confidence behind a performance of nervousness, showing how status and political survival depend on controlling appearances.
• Social ambition and marriage politics: The banquet invitations reveal how noble society treats Sifa’s power and potential wealth as valuable social capital.
• Responsibility and hierarchy: Sifa delegates carefully, while Lodnis sees the task as both a burden and an opportunity to prove himself.
• Hidden corruption and class injustice: Red’s knowledge concerning unemployed workers and missing vagrants introduces a darker undercurrent beneath the kingdom’s ceremony and prosperity.
• Contrasting worlds: The chapter moves from the polished royal palace to a crowded, grimy tavern, highlighting the divide between official prestige and the kingdom’s neglected underclass.

Important Character Interactions

• Sifa follows Earl Condon through the investiture ceremony and formally salutes King George III.
• Aguesid publicly praises Sifa’s accomplishments before the court.
• George III personally addresses and honors Sifa, who responds with formal loyalty.
• Sifa assigns Lodnis the politically sensitive task of choosing which elite invitations to accept.
• Lodnis acknowledges the importance of the assignment and offers to recruit assistance.
• In the tavern, Red exchanges banter with Weiss before revealing that he knows what happened to missing vagrants and jobless workers, setting up the chapter’s central mystery and likely connecting to Sifa’s nighttime operation.

Trissy tried to escape Katarina’s hunt, but Katarina and an Imperative Mage cornered her on Black Palm Street. As Trissy prepared to invoke a divine descent, hundreds of fireballs suddenly rained down on the three Demigods.

• Katarina confronted Trissy in her East Borough lodging, and Trissy escaped through a mirror using the Substitution Technique.
• Trissy tried to evade her pursuers with a projection, but the masked Imperative Mage dispelled the illusion and prohibited invisibility.
• Katarina appeared behind Trissy and demanded that she stop resisting, warning that invoking the Primordial’s descent would destroy her.
• Trissy said she would rather cease to exist than be controlled and seemed ready to invoke a divine descent.
• Hundreds of fireballs burst through the mist and bombarded the street where Trissy, Katarina, and the Imperative Mage stood.

The Iron and Blood Cross Order rescued Trissy from Katarina and the royal demigod, then Dean Wengris proposed using her to draw Katarina into a deal. Trissy saw through Dean’s plan, realizing he wanted to lure Katarina out rather than obtain the Demoness Sect’s Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic.

• Dean Wengris and over a hundred Pyromaniacs bombarded Black Palm Street, forcing Trissy, Katarina, and the royal demigod to defend themselves.
• Dean demanded that Katarina and the royal demigod withdraw, and they left rather than risk drawing the Loen authorities into the fight.
• Dean took Trissy to an abandoned warehouse in the Dock District and offered to help her hunt Katarina in exchange for a favor.
• Dean revealed that he wanted the Demoness Sect’s Conqueror Beyonder characteristic, which the sect had received as payment from the Loen Royal Family.
• Trissy deduced that Dean planned to use her to lure Katarina out, not trade her for the Sequence 1 characteristic.

Sifa, acting through Dean Wengris, secured Trissy’s cooperation against Katarina by promising help with her revenge and revealing the royal family’s role in the prince’s death. After Trissy left, Sifa stored her contact substance and planned to use Dean’s projection to draw Katarina into contact.

• Dean Wengris offered Trissy a deal to capture Katarina and obtain the Conqueror characteristic, and Trissy agreed on the condition that he help her exact revenge.
• Dean told Trissy that George III planned to ascend to godhood and that the Demoness Sect had arranged her relationship with the prince as part of the royal family’s scheme.
• Trissy gave Dean a substance that let her contact him through a mirror, then escaped through a cracked mirror.
• Dean returned to Sifa, revealing that Sifa had controlled his projection and steered Trissy toward the truth about her revenge.
• Sifa stored Trissy’s contact substance in the Spirit World Treasure Chest and planned to use Dean’s projection to leave traces for Katarina.
• Sifa used Mr. X’s projection to teleport back to Star-Moon Manor.

Church leaders investigated the devastation on Black Palm Street and learned from Arrodes that over a hundred Pyromaniacs had caused it. They began searching for the attackers and investigating the street’s missing residents.

• Randall Valentinus, Saint Anthony Stevenson, and Horamick Haydn arrived at Black Palm Street and recognized signs of a fierce battle.
• Horamick asked Yinkans to use the Magic Mirror Arrodes to identify who had fought there.
• Arrodes showed a foggy scene of Pyromaniacs bombarding the street, then punished Yinkans with a lightning strike when he refused to answer its personal question.
• Anthony, Randall, and Horamick agreed to search their jurisdictions for the Pyromaniacs and investigate who they had attacked.
• The archbishops noted that the street had no casualties and decided to investigate where its residents and vagrants had gone.

Sifa reflected on how he had protected Black Palm Street’s residents from the previous night’s explosion and accepted the risks of leaving clues rather than sacrificing innocents. That evening, he attended Viscount Hill’s ball, where the viscount publicly welcomed him as the kingdom’s youngest naval admiral.

• Sifa read that the authorities had blamed the Black Palm Street explosion on a gas leak, while he considered how his projections and arrangements had drawn residents away from the blast.
• Sifa concluded that acting according to his principles would help him preserve his humanity and anchor himself when he advanced to an Angel.
• Sifa arrived at Viscount Hill’s home with Condon and presented the viscount with white wine from Star-Moon Manor.
• Sifa greeted Viscount Hill, his wife Phoenix, and his sister Monica before joining the guests in the hall.
• Viscount Hill praised God and the kingdom, then introduced Sifa to the ball as the kingdom’s youngest naval admiral, personally decorated by the king.

Chapter Summary: “Charitable Donation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa makes a dramatic entrance under a pillar of light, becoming the focus of attention at Viscount Hill’s ball.
• He gives a charming toast praising Viscount Hill and his wife, Phoenix, which wins the guests’ enthusiastic approval and pleases the host.
• The Hills open the ball with a formal dance. Sifa chooses to remain an observer, avoiding both the dance floor and the attention of several eager young women.
• Phoenix approaches Sifa while taking food from the buffet. She teasingly suggests potential dance partners, including herself, but Sifa humorously avoids the implication by joking that Viscount Hill might challenge him to a duel.
• Viscount Hill interrupts the festivities to discuss the recent gas leak on Black Palm Street. Although no one died, many residents were left homeless and vulnerable before winter.
• Hill calls on the guests to donate to the displaced residents and pledges 2,000 pounds himself.
• Sifa contributes 1,000 pounds, deliberately avoiding overshadowing the host, while planning to provide additional assistance privately through other channels.
• Inspired by the two prominent donors, the guests contribute money and checks. Hill announces that the funds will be given to the Church of the Evernight Goddess for distribution.
• The ball continues late into the night.

Character Developments

• Sifa displays growing confidence and composure in high-society settings. Unlike in the past, he is comfortable being the center of attention and skillfully uses humor and social grace to manage potentially awkward situations.
• His decision to donate reflects his sense of responsibility and guilt: he was secretly responsible for the incident that damaged Black Palm Street and intends to help its residents beyond the public donation.
• Viscount Hill demonstrates both social ambition and genuine concern. He clearly values Sifa’s respect, but his charitable appeal also provides practical aid to the homeless and enhances his own reputation.
• Phoenix, Hill’s wife, shows a playful and possibly flirtatious interest in Sifa, while Sifa politely deflects her advances.
• The guests are influenced by the example set by Hill and Sifa, becoming willing participants in the charity effort.

Significant Themes

• Charity and social responsibility: The wealthy attendees are reminded that their comfortable lives contrast sharply with the suffering of the poor.
• Public reputation versus private motives: Hill’s charitable act may serve both altruistic and social purposes, while Sifa uses public generosity to conceal the greater aid he plans to provide privately.
• Guilt and atonement: Sifa’s donation is connected to his responsibility for the Black Palm Street disaster, suggesting an effort to repair the harm he caused.
• Social performance and influence: Sifa’s toast and Hill’s speech show how eloquence, status, and public example can shape group behavior.
• The fragility of ordinary life: The gas leak and approaching winter emphasize how easily disasters can destroy the security of the poor.

Character Interactions

• Sifa’s toast strengthens his relationship with Viscount Hill and wins the host’s admiration.
• Phoenix engages Sifa in light flirtation, suggesting dance partners and joking about accompanying him herself; Sifa responds with tactful humor.
• Hill and Sifa act as the leading donors, encouraging the other guests to contribute.
• Monica assists with the collection by bringing out the donation box, while Hill promises to transfer the money to the Evernight Goddess Church.

Vice Admiral Sifa arrived at Pritz Harbor to take command of the Royal Navy’s Third Fleet, where the soldiers doubted his youth and noble background. He demonstrated his power by briefly unleashing a trace of divinity that knocked everyone else on the drill ground down, leaving them convinced of his strength.

• Veteran soldiers discussed the arrival of a young admiral and doubted that a nobleman could be a capable commander.
• Vice Admiral Sifa arrived at the base, and the colonel introduced him as the new supreme commander of the Third Fleet.
• The soldiers gave Sifa a lukewarm reception despite hearing about his past military achievements.
• Sifa’s faint trace of divinity overwhelmed the soldiers, officers, and Beyonders, causing them to collapse or become ill.
• Everyone realized that Sifa had caused the shock and no longer dismissed him as a pampered nobleman.

Fors met Dorian, who urged her to become a demigod and investigate the source of his family’s ancient curse. Meanwhile, Yinkans learned that rumors of slaves building mausoleums outside Backlund had spread widely, raising public alarm.

• Fors visited Dorian, who praised her quick advancement and hoped she would become a Sequence 4 Secrets Sorcerer.
• Dorian asked Fors to pray to a hidden being as a demigod and learn what it said, explaining that his family had suffered for generations from an ancient bloodline curse.
• Fors agreed to do her best to uncover the curse’s origin and what would ultimately cause Dorian’s death.
• Yinkans met a Machinery Hivemind member at an East Borough tavern and heard that investigators had found no problems with the circus that had performed there.
• The Machinery Hivemind member told Yinkans that rumors of slaves secretly building mausoleums outside Backlund had spread across the East Borough and that residents and reporters were seeking answers.

Sifa visited the Loen Charity Education Fund to donate to victims of the Black Palm Street gas leak. There, he met Audrey in person and she recognized him as Vice Admiral Sifa.

• After hearing rumors about royal involvement in the use of slaves to build mausoleums, Sifa understood that Miss Justice had spread them to distract attention from the real operation.
• Sifa asked Steward Lodnis where to donate to help the homeless residents of Black Palm Street, and Lodnis recommended the Loen Charity Education Fund.
• Sifa arrived at the foundation with Condon and offered one thousand pounds for the disaster victims.
• Lovisa brought Sifa upstairs to meet the foundation director, Audrey, and Sifa recognized her as Miss Justice.
• Audrey recognized Sifa as the kingdom's new Vice Admiral, and he gave Condon a one-thousand-pound check for the victims.

Summary of “Abnormal Weather”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sifa leaves Audrey’s office after donating 1,000 pounds to the Loen Student Aid Fund. He departs quickly because Audrey is a Spectator who might recognize him, and because he must attend another banquet.
• Audrey reflects on Sifa’s unusual reaction to seeing her. She initially thinks he may have been surprised to discover that Earl Hall’s daughter was involved in such a small charity. However, she also considers that Sifa may be deliberately using the Foundation to establish himself in Loen’s upper society.
• Back at Star-Moon Manor, Sifa receives a mysterious letter from Oswald. The letter explains that Oswald has found no reliable information about the ancient Weather Fairy, which may already be extinct.
• Oswald does, however, report that abnormal weather has appeared in a remote town in Midseashire. Investigators sent there have disappeared, and Oswald’s group plans to investigate the area by airship.
• Sifa immediately accepts the invitation, intrigued by the possible connection to the Weather Fairy.
• The following morning, Sifa arrives at a private airfield disguised as “Duke.” He meets Oswald and boards a large airship belonging to the Antiquities Protection Association.
• Oswald reveals that although Sifa is now a Director of Operations, another team will conduct the official investigation. Sifa and Oswald are accompanying them mainly for personal interest and adventure.

Character Developments

• Audrey demonstrates greater social and psychological insight. Rather than simply assuming Sifa is generous, she analyzes his donation as a strategic attempt to gain influence and visibility within Loen’s aristocratic society.
• Sifa continues to balance multiple identities and responsibilities. He remains cautious around Audrey because of her Spectator abilities, while also pursuing his own investigations into ancient Beyonder creatures.
• Sifa’s interest in the Weather Fairy remains strong enough that he promptly abandons his ordinary schedule to join the Midseashire expedition.
• Oswald is shown as an eccentric but well-connected elderly scholar and adventurer. He has researched the Weather Fairy through books and acquaintances and is willing to investigate a dangerous mystery personally.
• Kardashian, Sifa’s Gatekeeper projection, continues to assist him with practical tasks, while Oswald’s Headless Messenger remains visibly afraid of her.

Significant Themes

• Social strategy and hidden motives: Audrey recognizes that charitable acts may also serve political or social ambitions.
• Identity and secrecy: Sifa must conceal his true identity and manage his interactions carefully, especially around Audrey and other powerful individuals.
• Ancient mysteries and lost knowledge: The Weather Fairy is presented as an extremely old creature, possibly dating back to the Second Epoch and perhaps already extinct.
• Exploration and danger: The unexplained weather and the disappearance of previous investigators establish the Midseashire mission as potentially supernatural and hazardous.
• The tension between official duty and personal curiosity: Sifa uses his position to accompany an investigation that technically falls outside his assigned responsibilities.

Character Interactions

• Audrey and Sifa exchange polite conversation, but both conceal their deeper thoughts. Audrey studies his behavior, while Sifa avoids staying long enough to risk exposure.
• Audrey’s interpretation of Sifa’s donation reveals her growing ability to read social motives beneath outward manners.
• Sifa communicates with Oswald by letter, establishing a trusting friendship based on shared interest in ancient mysteries.
• Sifa’s disguised projection, Kardashian, retrieves Oswald’s letter, intimidating the Headless Messenger when it later arrives to collect Sifa’s reply.
• Oswald greets Sifa warmly at the airfield and treats him as a friend and fellow adventurer, inviting him to join the investigation despite his nominally unofficial role.

Sifa joined Oswald and the Antiquities Protection Association’s team aboard an airship bound for Constant City, then learned their mission concerned abnormal weather in nearby Binger Town. The timing troubled him because the weather change began not long after Bansy Harbor was destroyed.

• Oswald introduced Sifa to Commissioner Mike Herbert and operations supervisor Larkin Joseph, and Mike asked them to observe the mission.
• Oswald privately told Sifa he could act as needed and promised to take responsibility, asking him to share any discoveries.
• Sifa drank with Oswald and encountered Larkin and the team member Hatch, whom Larkin reprimanded for mocking Sifa’s mask.
• The team arrived in Constant City, ate lunch, and set out by carriage for Binger Town.
• Sifa read the mission file and noted that Binger Town’s abnormal weather began shortly after Bansy Harbor was destroyed.