Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Abner’s Dinner Gathering”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Melissa accepts Mr. Brain’s proposal, motivated by her desire to obtain Beyonder powers and her passion for machinery.
• Because she has not yet entered Backlund University of Industry and Technology, Abner writes her a letter of recommendation to Bishop Linton, hoping the Church of the Evernight Goddess can provide her with laboratory facilities. Melissa also carries the blueprints for a projector.
• After Melissa leaves, Benson warns her that Mr. Brain may be handsome, wealthy, and amiable, but is better suited as “just an ordinary friend.” Melissa hides the supernatural aspects of the situation from him, increasing his concern.
• Leonard attends a gathering of the Fate Hermit Society, an anti-Amon alliance linked to Marauder families. The group meets inside a hidden treasury created by a High-Sequence Apprentice.
• A member offers a large reward for information about a Mystery Pryer Beyonder characteristic. Leonard suspects the requester may be connected to the Intis Embassy and learns from Pallez that the dangerous matter may involve the evil spirit of Richelieu, a former Pope of the Eternal Blazing Sun.
• At Abner’s villa, Abner, Xio, Hazel, Helene, and Fanny discuss their film company but soon turn to Mr. Sarr’s disappearance and the Intis Embassy conspiracy.
• Fanny reveals that confidential secretary Johnsen deliberately removed military officers loyal to her grandfather and belongs to the powerful Fules Family, which is politically suppressing the Sari Family.
• Xio reports that the Nighthawks have handed the investigation to the Machinery Hivemind, whose attention is distracted by a recent Numinous Episcopate incident. This leaves Mr. Sarr’s disappearance largely uninvestigated.
• Abner suspects the Numinous Episcopate incident was deliberately arranged to obstruct the investigation. His attempt to use the Pure White Eye to locate Mr. Sarr fails, leaving him deeply uneasy.

Character Developments

• Melissa commits herself to the Beyonder path and begins pursuing her mechanical ambitions, while cautiously concealing the supernatural truth from Benson.
• Benson becomes suspicious of Mr. Brain’s intentions and worries that Melissa may be emotionally involved with him.
• Leonard continues to grow more curious and willing to investigate dangerous matters, despite Pallez’s repeated warnings. He also gains more historical knowledge about the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun.
• Pallez reveals important information about Richelieu and the mysterious deaths of three Popes, further hinting at the dangers surrounding the Sun Chaser evil spirit.
• Abner demonstrates strong leadership and analytical ability. His concerns about a wider conspiracy intensify when his prophecy fails.
• Fanny becomes more actively involved in political and family intelligence, uncovering Johnsen’s deliberate actions and the Fules Family’s connection to the case.
• Xio contributes practical investigative information and helps clarify the authorities’ lack of action.

Significant Themes

• Trust and secrecy: Melissa hides Beyonder-related information from Benson, while the various factions at the Fate Hermit Society conceal their identities and motives.
• Conspiracy and political manipulation: The disappearance of Mr. Sarr, Johnsen’s actions, and the conveniently timed Numinous Episcopate incident suggest a coordinated plot involving Intis political forces.
• Dangerous curiosity: Leonard’s interest in the Mystery Pryer characteristic contrasts with Pallez’s warnings, emphasizing the risks of pursuing forbidden knowledge.
• Power and institutional obstruction: The Churches and official organizations are distracted or manipulated, allowing hidden forces to act with relative freedom.
• Fate and uncertainty: Abner’s failed prophecy suggests that Mr. Sarr’s whereabouts are being concealed by powerful forces or protected by unusual circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Benson speaks protectively but suspiciously to Melissa about Mr. Brain, while Melissa gives him a deliberately vague reassurance.
• Leonard consults Pallez about the Fate Hermit Society’s hidden treasury, the Mystery Pryer characteristic, and Richelieu’s history.
• Abner coordinates a discussion with Xio, Hazel, Helene, and Fanny, shifting their attention from the film company to the more urgent investigation.
• Fanny provides political intelligence, while Xio supplies information about the Nighthawks, Machinery Hivemind, and the Numinous Episcopate incident.
• Abner’s interactions with the group show him functioning as the central organizer, but his failed prophecy ends the chapter on a note of growing danger and uncertainty.

Chapter Summary: “Abner’s Plans”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner analyzes why his prophecy concerning Mr. Sarr’s location failed. Since the Pure White Eye normally reveals the future, he concludes either:
  • the matter is too significant for his current level of Prophecy, possibly involving an Angel; or
  • Mr. Sarr has already died or is about to die, meaning he may have no meaningful future Fate.
• He makes a second prophecy concerning the location of the Beyonder Characteristic Mr. Sarr would leave behind. The revelation points to Tosk, strongly suggesting that Mr. Sarr is already dead. However, because Tosk is a large city, the result is too vague to help Abner locate the characteristic precisely.
• At the Fate Hiddens Gathering, a masked man—whom Leonard suspects is connected to the Intis Embassy—offers an Astronomer Beyonder Characteristic for 12,000 pounds. A foreign-accented woman purchases it.
• Leonard concludes that Mr. Sarr has likely died. Pallez warns him that the situation is more dangerous and complicated than expected and advises him not to investigate further.
• At Abner’s villa, he decides not to immediately tell Fanny about the probable death of Mr. Sarr, believing she needs time to emotionally prepare. Instead, he redirects the conversation toward his Film Company.
• Princess Vera plans to invest in the Daily Observer, greatly improving Abner’s potential access to publicity for his films. Hazel also offers to seek investment from her father and help renovate theaters.
• Abner outlines plans to establish the Film Company’s headquarters in Trier, create branches across several countries, and potentially develop a Backlund branch using the Daily Observer and Xio’s cinemas.
• He intends to use films not only for entertainment but also as educational tools. By recording teaching videos for Free Schools, he hopes to spread practical “Secret Arts,” improve education, and gain Acting feedback.
• Fors obtains the Spirit Warlock potion formula from Dorian and informs The Tower through Mr. Fool.
• Abner commissions inventor Rappard to produce non-mystical versions of the camera and projector, keeping him as a backup to Melissa’s work.
• When Abner visits Dunn at the end of the chapter, he is shocked by how physically weakened Dunn has become over only a few days, raising concerns that Dunn’s mental or physical condition has deteriorated.

Character Developments

• Abner becomes increasingly convinced that Mr. Sarr is dead, though he struggles with the implications and deliberately protects Fanny from the immediate shock. His ambitions also expand: he sees the Film Company as both a business venture and a way to influence education and Acting.
• Fanny continues hiding her anxiety while working on the Film Company and drafting Emlyn’s employment contract. Her concern for Mr. Sarr remains evident despite her attempt to appear cheerful.
• Xio demonstrates her close understanding of Abner by noticing that something is troubling him even though he conceals the prophetic result.
• Leonard gains confidence in his deduction that the masked participant is linked to the Intis Embassy, but Pallez’s warning suggests that his curiosity may be drawing him into a dangerous conspiracy.
• Pallez becomes notably more serious, indicating that the mystery surrounding Mr. Sarr involves forces or stakes greater than previously believed.
• Hazel shows increasing enthusiasm for Abner’s film project and offers practical financial support through her family.
• Fors advances her Beyonder progression by obtaining the Spirit Warlock formula.
• Dunn appears alarmingly weakened, creating a new mystery and concern for Abner.

Significant Themes

• The limits and dangers of prophecy: Abner’s failed prophecy illustrates that Fate cannot always be observed, especially when powerful beings, death, or high-level secrets are involved.
• Death and the loss of possibility: The idea that Mr. Sarr may have no “future” emphasizes death as the severing of a person’s path through Fate.
• Conspiracy and hidden power: The gathering, the suspected Intis connection, and Pallez’s warning suggest that Mr. Sarr’s death is part of a larger and more dangerous scheme.
• Knowledge as a tool for social change: Abner’s plan to use films to teach students reflects his belief that mystical principles can be transformed into practical knowledge and broadly shared.
• Balancing truth with compassion: Abner chooses to withhold the painful prophecy from Fanny temporarily, showing his concern for her emotional well-being.
• Modernization and mass communication: Film, newspapers, cameras, and projectors are presented as technologies capable of reshaping business, education, and public influence.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Fanny work together on the Film Company, though Abner carefully avoids revealing his grim discovery about Mr. Sarr.
• Xio communicates Princess Vera’s investment intentions to Abner, linking political influence with his commercial plans.
• Hazel contributes to the discussion by offering potential support from her father and proposing theater improvements.
• Leonard consults Pallez about the masked man and Mr. Sarr’s apparent death; Pallez responds with unusually grave caution.
• Fors reports her progress to The Tower through Mr. Fool after acquiring the potion formula.
• Abner collaborates with Rappard on developing practical camera and projector equipment.
• The chapter ends with Abner encountering Dunn, whose sudden weakness suggests that another serious development is unfolding.

Chapter Summary: The Respreading of a Certain Secret Art

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner visits Dunn and immediately notices that Dunn is physically exhausted and unusually cheerful. Using his Pure White Eye and Scene Replay, Abner discovers that Dunn and Daly have spent the past several days together in an intimate relationship.
• Abner teases Dunn about needing “Mummy Powder” from an Apothecary, while Dunn tries to conceal his embarrassment and change the subject.
• Daly reveals herself from concealment in Dunn’s home. She is dressed casually and appears younger and less mysterious without her usual makeup.
• The three discuss the recent change in Dunn and Daly’s relationship, which Abner recognizes as a breakthrough. Their interaction also shows that Abner and Dunn have become close enough to joke openly with each other.
• Daly attributes their success to “Mr. Fool’s favor,” causing Abner to realize that Klein may know about Dunn’s resurrection and that Daly has acquired information about Mr. Fool through another channel.
• Daly explains that Stewart created a Secret Art for communicating with the Church of Steam’s Sealed Artifact, “2-111.” She asks Abner about Mr. Fool’s relationship with the orthodox Gods.
• Abner refuses to answer freely and instead demands the principles and structure of the Secret Art as payment. Daly agrees.
• After learning the basics, Abner carefully describes Mr. Fool’s divine alliances and connections:
  • Mr. Fool is allied with the Earth Mother Goddess.
  • The Earth Mother Goddess has sent favored followers to serve Mr. Fool.
  • Mr. Fool is friendly with the Evernight Goddess and shares authority related to night and concealment.

Character Developments

• Dunn Smith: His resurrection and relationship with Daly have restored his emotional openness. He is no longer as restrained or depressed as before, appearing confident, cheerful, and more like his former self.
• Daly Simone: She has become closely involved with Dunn and is willing to conceal herself and take risks to protect their privacy. Her interest in Mr. Fool’s alliances also reveals her growing involvement in larger supernatural and political matters.
• Abner: His friendship with Dunn has deepened, allowing him to tease him freely. He remains highly perceptive and politically cautious, using the conversation to investigate what Klein and the Nighthawks know. He also continues acting as a Mysticism Mentor by acquiring and studying new Secret Arts.
• Klein/Mr. Fool: Though absent, Klein’s influence dominates the chapter. His connection to Dunn’s resurrection and Daly’s actions suggests that he is beginning to interact more directly with the Nighthawks.

Significant Themes

• Resurrection and renewed life: Dunn’s restored vitality and emotional freedom demonstrate the personal consequences of his resurrection.
• Love and healing: Dunn and Daly’s relationship represents emotional recovery after trauma and loss.
• Secrets and information exchange: Knowledge is treated as a resource and traded carefully. Abner refuses to reveal divine secrets without receiving valuable mystical knowledge in return.
• Political and divine alliances: The chapter hints at complex cooperation among Mr. Fool, the Earth Mother Goddess, and the Evernight Goddess.
• The spread of forbidden or dangerous knowledge: The Secret Art connected to Sealed Artifact 2-111 is presented as powerful knowledge that can be rediscovered and potentially taught to others.
• Humor amid danger: Abner’s teasing and observations provide comic relief, contrasting with the serious implications of resurrection, divine schemes, and Sealed Artifacts.

Character Interactions

• Abner humorously confronts Dunn about his exhaustion, while Dunn attempts to maintain dignity and conceal his relationship with Daly.
• Abner and Dunn’s banter demonstrates their increased trust and familiarity.
• Daly and Dunn act as a united pair, jointly investigating Mr. Fool’s nature and alliances.
• Daly negotiates directly with Abner, exchanging information about Mr. Fool for his knowledge of the Secret Art.
• Abner presents a carefully worded, politically sensitive account of Mr. Fool’s relationships with other Gods, revealing information without exposing the full truth.

Chapter Summary: “The Incident”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner reveals that the Goddess and Mr. Fool have a cooperative relationship and may share authority over fate, shocking Daly and Dunn. He also clarifies that the Fallen Creator is Mr. Fool’s enemy.
• Abner withholds further claims about the Lord of Storms, fearing that the god has not shown him enough goodwill to justify such a statement.
• Dunn asks why a god has taken an interest in him. Abner honestly claims not to know, avoiding any revelation that could expose his transmigrator knowledge or make Klein suspicious.
• Abner completes his transaction with Dunn, exchanging the Spirit Warlock formula for the Beyonder characteristics of an Astrologer and a Rose Bishop.
• The Machinery Hivemind reviews Sealed Artifact 2-111’s record of Sherlock Moriarty’s actions during the Great Smog incident. They observe Sherlock disrupting the ritual and witnessing Mr. A’s mysterious disappearance, which appears similar to abilities associated with the Demoness and Dragon Knight pathways.
• A separate investigation reveals that Archbishop Ramil Sari died in Tosk, while his relative Corton Sali disappeared. Evidence implicates Johnsen Fules and possibly the Fules Family in the attack.
• Archbishop Horamick orders Ikanser to arrest Johnsen, but Johnsen has already fled toward Intis with Earl Maca. Horamick launches himself westward in pursuit, concerned that the Fules Family’s connection to the Eternal Blazing Sun will shield them.
• At Abner’s villa, Fanny learns of Archbishop Sari’s death and becomes increasingly worried that her family is connected to the incident. Abner offers to teach the group a newly acquired Secret Art that may help uncover the truth, though he cannot use it himself.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates caution and strategic thinking, carefully controlling how much he reveals about the gods and his own knowledge. He remains concerned about protecting Klein’s secrets and avoiding divine retaliation. His acquisition of the Secret Art also places him in a position to help Fanny, Xio, and Hazel investigate the larger conspiracy.
• Daly and Dunn: Become deeply unsettled by the implications of Abner’s revelations concerning the relationships among the gods. Their trust in his testimony remains intact because of his connections to both the Earth Mother Goddess and Mr. Fool.
• Dunn: Shows personal concern about why a god is interested in him, suggesting that the matter weighs heavily on him and may be linked to his unusual fate.
• Horamick Haydn: Acts decisively after learning of Archbishop Sari’s death, prioritizing the arrest of the suspected perpetrators despite the diplomatic and political complications.
• Ikanser: Continues investigating Sherlock Moriarty and the embassy murders, but is forced to act quickly when Johnsen escapes.
• Fanny: Her suspicions and anxiety increase as evidence accumulates that her family’s affairs are connected to the deaths and political conflict surrounding Archbishop Sari.
• Xio and Hazel: Remain part of Abner’s investigative circle and are positioned to help use the Secret Art.

Significant Themes

• Divine alliances and hidden power structures: The apparent cooperation between the Goddess, Mr. Fool, and possibly other gods challenges simplistic divisions between opposing divine factions.
• Secrecy and dangerous knowledge: Information about gods, transmigration, and hidden identities carries immense risks. Abner must constantly balance honesty against the danger of exposing too much.
• Political and religious conflict: The investigation into Ramil Sari’s death reveals tensions involving the Machinery Hivemind, the Fules Family, the Intis Embassy, and the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun.
• The limits of evidence and authority: The Machinery Hivemind must act on incomplete information, while the Fules Family’s influence allows suspects to escape before formal justice can reach them.
• Fate and predetermined roles: Dunn’s mysterious connection to divine attention, the gods’ shared relationship with fate, and the repeated references to hidden arrangements reinforce the theme that individuals may be caught in larger designs beyond their understanding.

Character Interactions

• Abner, Daly, and Dunn: Abner shares carefully selected divine intelligence, while Daly and Dunn react with shock and unease. Dunn then questions Abner about his own significance, but Abner refuses to speculate.
• Abner and Dunn: They complete their planned Beyonder-material exchange, strengthening their practical relationship despite the dangerous subject matter.
• Horamick and the Machinery Hivemind: Horamick leads the review of Sherlock’s actions and later directs Ikanser to arrest Johnsen, demonstrating the Church’s institutional response to the crisis.
• Ikanser and Horamick: Ikanser questions the arrest order because of its diplomatic implications, but Horamick explains that the death of a Saint demands immediate action.
• Abner, Fanny, Xio, and Hazel: Abner recognizes Fanny’s growing concern and offers the Secret Art as a possible means of uncovering what happened, bringing the chapter to a point of renewed investigation.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Abner brings Fanny, Xio, and Hazel into a bedroom and helps Fanny summon the magical mirror Arrodes. He modifies Stewart’s ritual so Arrodes will cooperate more safely, then reminds Fanny to ask open-ended questions. Fanny first asks why Johnsen Fules targeted her and her grandfather. Arrodes reveals that Johnsen wanted to secure the Intis ambassadorial position, eliminate his rival Corton Sali, and use the Sali family as scapegoats in the Duke Negan assassination and Great Smog conspiracies. Johnsen had also arranged Fanny’s capture to pressure her grandfather into accepting the blame.
Fanny then asks where her grandfather is. Arrodes shows that Johnsen sabotaged the embassy’s ritual room, enabling a powerful woman with a holy aura to attack Corton. Corton’s Beyonder characteristic was later sold and eventually transported to an underground location in Tosk. The images confirm that Corton was killed, devastating Fanny.

Character developments

Fanny moves from cautious hope to rage and grief after learning the truth, but Abner catches and comforts her, helping her regain perspective. She realizes that revenge against the Demigod Demoness responsible would be impossible alone and that the Church of Steam may pursue her. Abner remains composed and protective, though he becomes increasingly anxious about Arrodes exposing his secrets. Hazel’s fascination with mystical objects is evident, while Xio reacts with more experience and skepticism due to her MI9 background.

Character interactions

Abner guides the women through the ritual and advises Fanny throughout the questioning. Arrodes forces each questioner to answer one of its own, revealing that Fanny had an erotic dream involving Abner. This embarrasses Fanny and makes Xio suspicious that Abner may have been connected to similar dreams experienced by her and Fors. Hazel also becomes suspicious, though Abner’s calm demeanor and his absence from Backlund at the time make her uncertain. After Fanny learns of her grandfather’s death, Abner supports her emotionally.

Themes

The chapter highlights political corruption, ambition, scapegoating, and the devastating consequences of powerful factions manipulating ordinary people. It also explores grief, the danger of despair, and the importance of emotional support. Arrodes provides comic embarrassment amid the darker revelations, contrasting supernatural truth-seeking with personal vulnerability. The chapter ends with Arrodes asking an even more intimate question, leaving Fanny humiliated and the others shocked.

Chapter Summary: “Derrick’s Growth”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The exploration team returns to the City of Silver during the lightning-filled “day.” Derrick feels strangely detached, as though years have passed.
• Colin Iliad remembers the Gear Book Derrick previously gave him, including its connection to the mysterious existence behind Derrick and its ability to resist the Angel of Fate’s influence. He begins to reconsider the book’s significance and Derrick’s intentions.
• Derrick visits the City of Silver’s library to find records about the Sanguine, hoping to prove to Mr. Moon that the city’s historical accounts are accurate.
• He encounters Elder Lovia, who has been released from isolation. Rather than feeling fear, Derrick calmly recognizes her release as an anticipated political signal.
• Derrick concludes that the Chief and the City of Silver’s leadership may be seeking contact with the powerful existence connected to him. He abandons his research and returns home.
• Colin learns that Derrick went directly home after meeting Lovia and acknowledges that Derrick has matured. He orders that surveillance of Derrick and Lovia be reduced, while maintaining basic precautions.
• In Backlund, Abner uses Arrodes’s Mirror Divination to question Fanny. Fanny refuses to answer because Xio and Hazel are present and accepts the artifact’s punishment instead.
• Abner quickly heals Fanny with Vaolit’s Perfect Restoration. Xio and Hazel lose interest in trying the ritual themselves, though both memorize its symbols for possible future use.
• A telegram from Mr. Gaston summons Abner to Damir. Abner suspects that his Transformation Wand may have been sold and that Gaston may have obtained the secret information he was seeking.
• Derrick reports the City of Silver’s situation to Klein through the gray fog. Abner realizes the approaching contact with the City of Silver provides an opportunity to use Gaston’s workshop to create a one-time healing item.
• Klein’s ship, the White Agate, arrives at Damir Port.

Character Developments

• Derrick demonstrates major emotional and intellectual growth. He now evaluates threats calmly, understands political motives, and applies the analytical thinking taught by Mr. Tower and Mr. Hanged Man.
• Derrick recognizes that Lovia’s release is unlikely to be an immediate danger and understands it as part of a larger attempt by the City of Silver to establish communication.
• Colin Iliad develops greater trust in Derrick, realizing that the young man has matured. He becomes willing to loosen surveillance and see what Derrick’s mysterious connections may bring.
• Lovia reenters City of Silver society after her isolation, serving as a symbolic signal of changing relations rather than an active antagonist.
• Xio shows increased self-restraint. She accepts that some truths—especially regarding her father’s death—are currently too dangerous to uncover and remains focused on reaching the Demigod level.
• Hazel continues learning supernatural techniques but prefers to test the dangerous ritual under Bishop Utravsky’s supervision.
• Abner remains resourceful and protective, healing Fanny and immediately connecting Derrick’s report with his own plans.
• Fanny maintains her privacy despite the punishment, revealing her discomfort with exposing personal secrets before Xio and Hazel.

Significant Themes

• Growth through understanding: Derrick’s maturity comes from replacing instinctive fear with analysis and perspective.
• Trust and controlled openness: The City of Silver begins cautiously relaxing its restrictions, suggesting the possibility of cooperation with outside powers.
• Knowledge as both power and danger: Xio and Hazel recognize that discovering certain truths prematurely could bring disaster.
• Surveillance and political maneuvering: Colin’s monitoring of Derrick and Lovia reflects the fragile balance of power within the City of Silver.
• The value of restraint: Several characters choose not to pursue dangerous knowledge or unnecessary confrontation, recognizing that patience can be safer and more effective.
• Connections across worlds: Derrick’s report and Klein’s arrival at Damir show the growing coordination between the City of Silver, the Tarot Club, and Abner’s circle.

Important Character Interactions

• Derrick and Lovia: Their brief, formal meeting highlights Derrick’s newfound composure and Lovia’s symbolic return.
• Derrick and Colin: Though they do not directly converse in the chapter, Colin’s reflection on Derrick’s behavior shows the Chief’s changing perception of him.
• Fanny, Abner, Xio, and Hazel: Arrodes’s questioning creates tension, as Fanny refuses to reveal secrets and the others reconsider whether they want to use the ritual.
• Derrick and Klein: Derrick’s report through the gray fog provides crucial information and prompts Abner to make practical preparations for future contact.
• Abner and Mr. Gaston: Gaston’s telegram creates a new mystery involving the Transformation Wand and potentially dangerous concealed information.

Chapter Summary: “Danitz the Tool Man”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner travels from Fragrant Manor in Bayam to Damir Port, using Teleportation and the Flying Cloak. Delays caused by storms, navigation problems, and attacks from wild Beyonder creatures make him arrive on Saturday afternoon.
• At Mr. Gaston’s home, Abner learns that his Transformation Wand has been sold to Litorio, the third mate of The Black Emperor, who uses it to transform into the “Wind Demoness.”
• The transaction earns an additional 5,000 pounds beyond the information about Vice Admiral Deep Sea. According to their agreement, Abner receives 1,000 pounds in gold and gemstones.
• Mr. Gaston presents Abner with a sealed metal box containing Litorio’s information about Vice Admiral Deep Sea. The box was protected by the King of the Five Seas, Nast, and would allow only three minutes for the information to be read before self-destructing.
• Before Abner can open the box, Flame Danitz arrives unexpectedly. He has been sent by Edwina to find Abner.
• Danitz tells Abner that Edwina foresaw his visit to Gaston’s home and has already obtained a clue from the descendant of Longzel, the soldier connected to Groselle’s Travels. She is waiting for Abner in Tosk so they can meet there.
• Abner realizes that Tosk has repeatedly become connected to unusual events, including the death of a Steam Church archbishop, the theft of Fanny’s grandfather’s Beyonder characteristic, and now the mystery surrounding Groselle’s Travels.

Character Developments

• Abner continues to demonstrate his analytical and opportunistic nature. He quickly understands the mechanics behind Nast’s time-delayed destruction of the information and considers turning the technique into a profitable Secret Art.
• He also becomes increasingly suspicious of the repeated appearance of Tosk in major supernatural incidents, wondering whether convergence or deliberate manipulation is guiding events.
• Mr. Gaston remains outwardly formal and respectable, though Abner recognizes the eccentric and morally questionable nature behind his refined appearance. Gaston proves reliable and generous in fulfilling their agreement.
• Danitz is shown to be insecure and easily jealous. He privately labels Abner a “pretty boy” and becomes uncomfortable when Abner speaks familiarly about Edwina, even speculating that Abner might be her younger brother.
• Edwina is characterized as capable and far-sighted through her use of Prophecy. She has successfully advanced the investigation into Groselle’s Travels and arranged for Abner to join her in Tosk.

Significant Themes

• Information, secrecy, and controlled disclosure: The box’s magical safeguards emphasize the value and danger of secret knowledge, while Abner’s ability to inspect the mechanism reveals his constant search for exploitable knowledge.
• Fate and convergence: Abner notices that Tosk repeatedly attracts major supernatural events, raising the possibility that hidden forces or Fate are drawing people and incidents together.
• Transactions and trust: The chapter centers on negotiated exchanges—money for the Transformation Wand, secrets for information, and messages passed through intermediaries—showing how relationships are often structured through bargains.
• Appearance versus reality: Gaston’s gentlemanly façade hides his strange craftsmanship, while Danitz’s assumptions about Abner and Edwina reveal how little appearances reliably communicate.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Gaston discuss the sale of the Transformation Wand and divide the profits according to their agreement.
• Gaston explains the restrictions placed on the information about Vice Admiral Deep Sea, demonstrating both caution and respect for contractual rules.
• Danitz and Abner meet for the first time in their current identities. Danitz is wary and jealous, while Abner calmly questions him about Edwina’s intentions.
• Through Danitz’s message, Edwina indirectly summons Abner to Tosk, linking the chapter’s commercial exchange to the larger investigation involving Longzel, Groselle’s Travels, and possible hidden manipulation.

Chapter Summary: “Heartless God”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning to Backlund, Abner plans to ask Fanny about her family’s exact circumstances so he can assess his allies and better understand the forces involved.
• Abner gives Danitz an expiring Courage badge as a reward for delivering Edwina’s message. When Danitz refuses, Abner jokingly threatens to tutor him in mysticism and assign him reading, causing Danitz to quickly accept the badge and flee.
• Danitz reflects that Abner controlled their entire conversation and suspects that Edwina may have shown Abner his photograph. He decides to investigate Abner’s identity and reputation at the Flying Fish and Wine bar.
• Abner examines a parchment traded by Litorio. It reveals the history of Vice Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine:
  • Constantine was abused and mistreated as a child.
  • He became a dependent of the sea monster Saugust after discovering a mystical book.
  • He sacrificed his hometown to Saugust.
  • His entire life—including his connection to Saugust—had been orchestrated by the powerful Delien Family.
  • Constantine eventually became the sea monster’s puppet under the influence of the Heartless God.
• Abner realizes that the Delien Family, a major Intisian noble family, has cooperated with Saugust to obtain sacrifices and protect its maritime interests. He resolves to weaken or destroy the family, both to punish its crimes and to improve his chances of obtaining Saugust’s Prophet characteristic.
• In Backlund, White Saintess Katarina returns to the basement at 8 Williams Street and speaks to the mysterious force controlling her. She offers to bring a Gatekeeper from the Numinous Episcopate in exchange for information about her enslavement and the Heartless God.
• The controlling entity warns that knowledge of the Heartless God may itself cause corruption. It explains that Katarina’s bodily desires have become a prison for her heart, making her a puppet. An item carrying the Heartless God’s aura and authority is maintaining the control, meaning only an Angel-level power can oppose it.
• Katarina speculates that the Heartless God may be connected to Abomination Suah, the Chained God, or the Mother Tree of Desire.

Character Developments

• Abner displays his usual manipulative humor and conversational control, while becoming increasingly determined to act against the Delien Family. His motives combine justice, personal suspicion regarding Fanny’s grandfather, and the practical goal of acquiring Saugust’s Beyonder characteristic.
• Danitz remains easily intimidated by Abner but shows greater awareness of Abner’s psychological skill. His admiration for Edwina also becomes evident when he eagerly wonders whether she keeps Abner’s photograph.
• Katarina demonstrates patience and emotional control despite being mocked and controlled. She cautiously seeks information without recklessly exposing herself to dangerous knowledge.
• Howl Constantine is revealed as a tragic but horrifying figure: his suffering and revenge were manipulated from the beginning, ultimately reducing him to a puppet of a higher power.
• The Delien Family is presented as a powerful and morally corrupt faction willing to cooperate with a sea monster and facilitate human sacrifices.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and loss of autonomy: Constantine’s life, Danitz’s conversation with Abner, and Katarina’s enslavement all show individuals being controlled by stronger forces.
• Knowledge as danger: Information about the Heartless God may itself cause madness or transformation, emphasizing the dangerous nature of occult knowledge.
• Authority versus authority: Ordinary resistance is useless against supernatural control backed by divine-level power; only comparable authority can break it.
• The body imprisoning the heart: The chapter explores how physical desire and corruption can dominate the mind and spirit, particularly through Katarina’s condition.
• Hidden alliances and moral corruption: Powerful families, sea monsters, and supernatural entities cooperate behind respectable public institutions, while political influence conceals atrocities.
• Justice and vengeance: Abner’s opposition to the Delien Family is motivated by both moral outrage and personal interests, blurring the line between justice and revenge.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Danitz: Abner teases and psychologically pressures Danitz while rewarding him with the Courage badge. Danitz recognizes that Abner resembles Edwina in his controlled, scholarly, and manipulative manner.
• Abner and the Delien Family: Though they have not directly confronted one another, Abner identifies the family as future enemies because of its alliance with Saugust and possible involvement in Fanny’s grandfather’s death.
• Katarina and the controlling entity: Their exchange exposes the nature of her bondage. The entity mocks her while reluctantly providing information about the Heartless God and the supernatural authority behind her enslavement.
• The Delien Family and Saugust: Their alliance allows Saugust to obtain sacrifices while the family protects its maritime interests and eliminates competitors.

Chapter Summary: The Future Oracle’s First Step

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• In Damir, Danitz examines the wanted posters outside the Flying Fish and Wine bar. He is annoyed that his own bounty remains only 3,000 pounds and notices several recent developments among the pirate world:
  • Wind Demoness and Fire Demoness have received bounties in Loen.
  • Lady Sickle’s bounty has risen after killing an Intis rear admiral.
  • Major pirate figures such as Nast and Admiral of Stars remain highly wanted.
• Inside the bar, Danitz learns that White Shark, the former owner, disappeared at sea more than two months earlier. Mad Fox has taken over and is reportedly connected to Admiral of Blood, possibly intending to capture Lady Dragon’s Might.
• The bartender shares several major rumors:
  • The Royal Navy’s ironclad Pritz destroyed a pirate crew, frightening smaller pirate forces.
  • Admiral of Blood Senor fought Vice Admiral Dusk again and nearly defeated him.
  • A squadron connected to the King of the Five Seas fought the Rorsted Archipelago’s First Fleet. Wind Demoness and Fire Demoness became famous during the battle.
  • Admiral of Stars’s ship, the Future, was pursued by the Intis Navy after robbing a Loenese smuggling ship. Lady Sickle killed Rear Admiral Winks Delien and gained a large bounty in both Intis and Loen.
• Danitz then pays for information about Detective Abner Brain. He hears that Abner is notorious for romantic affairs and is even rumored to have an ambiguous relationship with Lady Dragon’s Might.
• Worried that Abner may be deceiving his captain, Danitz becomes distracted by a staged confrontation in the bar.
• He recognizes that two large men are creating a deliberate disturbance so that Sea Eagle Logan can extort an unsuspecting adventurer.
• Instead, the adventurer proves unexpectedly powerful, violently subdues the bartender, escapes the guards, and leaves.
• Impressed by the adventurer’s strength and direct methods, Danitz uses the Beyonder item Hiding in Shadows to follow him.

2. Character Developments

• Danitz is shown as observant, experienced, and increasingly concerned about matters beyond his own reputation. Although he still cares about his bounty, he focuses more on gathering intelligence and protecting his captain’s interests.
• His suspicions toward Abner Brain reveal a protective and somewhat jealous side. Danitz distrusts Abner’s reputation as a womanizer and worries that his captain may be manipulated.
• Danitz demonstrates practical street knowledge by identifying the bar’s extortion scheme and choosing to avoid unnecessary conflict.
• White Shark’s disappearance and Mad Fox’s rise illustrate the unstable power structure among pirates and suggest unseen conflicts involving Lady Dragon’s Might.
• The unnamed adventurer is introduced as capable, decisive, and unusually violent, immediately attracting Danitz’s interest.
• Sea Eagle Logan and the bartender are exposed as participants in a routine intimidation and extortion operation rather than genuine combatants.

3. Significant Themes

• The changing balance of power: New naval technology, especially ironclads and heavy cannons, threatens to transform piracy and force smaller crews to adapt or disappear.
• Reputation and notoriety: Bounties, rumors, and battlefield achievements determine how pirates and Beyonders are perceived. Several women rapidly gain fame through their actions.
• Information as power: Danitz repeatedly pays for rumors, showing that intelligence is essential for survival in the pirate world.
• Appearance versus reality: White Shark’s strange behavior, Lady Dragon’s supposed “Dragon’s Might,” Abner’s reputation, and the bar’s staged fight all suggest that public appearances may conceal the truth.
• Loyalty and suspicion: Danitz’s concern for his captain contrasts with his distrust of outsiders, especially those who might exploit or deceive her.
• The emergence of a new figure: Danitz’s decision to follow the adventurer hints that this encounter may begin an important new storyline.

4. Character Interactions

• Danitz bargains with and threatens the indifferent bartender to obtain information.
• The bartender explains White Shark’s disappearance, Mad Fox’s background, and the latest international pirate and naval conflicts.
• Danitz mentally connects the rumors to people he knows, particularly his captain, Lady Dragon’s Might, and the wider pirate hierarchy.
• He reacts anxiously to Abner Brain’s alleged romantic connections and questions whether Abner’s behavior is genuine.
• Sea Eagle Logan and his accomplice stage a confrontation to intimidate a target, but the plan fails when the chosen adventurer overpowers them.
• Rather than intervening openly, Danitz observes the adventurer’s actions, then secretly follows him with Hiding in Shadows, setting up the chapter’s concluding development.

Chapter Summary: Arrodes and Its Compatibility with Its Master

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hazel attempts to use a Secret Art in Harvest Church to summon the power of the Sealed Artifact Arrodes and learn how to become stronger. The ritual fails abruptly, possibly because it is being performed behind the Mother Goddess’s church.
• Bishop Utravsky comforts Hazel, telling her that growth must happen naturally and that knowing one’s fate too early may interfere with it. Unbeknownst to Hazel, Abner plans to give her a Mystery Pryer potion formula and Beyonder characteristic as payment for her continued work.
• Fors worries that the Sequence 6 characteristics she received from Mr. Tower are not valuable enough to exchange for the Spirit Warlock formula she wants from her teacher. She considers turning one into a mystical item to increase its value.
• Fors also complains that she has not fully digested her Trickmaster potion and does not want to join a circus. When Xio returns for a mystical item, she offers Fors a Secret Art taught by Abner, secretly hoping it will teach Fors that shortcuts have consequences.
• In Damir, Danitz attempts to recruit a powerful adventurer for the Golden Dream. The adventurer is actually Klein, acting as the terrifying Gehrman Sparrow.
• Klein intimidates Danitz so severely that Danitz believes he is facing a bloodthirsty monster. After Klein withdraws the pressure, he learns that Abner is nearby and decides to seek him out.
• Fors performs Xio’s Secret Art and successfully summons Arrodes. Instead of giving a complicated answer, Arrodes says that the simplest way for Fors to act as a Trickmaster is through the Braine Film Company.
• Arrodes then asks Fors what she did with Xio’s Many-Faced Silk Garment, immediately making both Fors and Xio uneasy.

Character Developments

• Hazel remains frustrated by her weakness but shows patience and renewed faith after Utravsky’s reassurance. Her potential advancement is foreshadowed by Abner’s planned gift.
• Bishop Utravsky acts as a calm spiritual guide, encouraging Hazel to trust in the Mother Goddess and accept gradual growth.
• Fors is shown to be resourceful but somewhat lazy and anxious about appearing ungrateful. Her desire to avoid the traditional Trickmaster acting method leads her toward Arrodes and possibly Abner’s film company.
• Xio displays a playful, practical side. She uses Arrodes as a lesson for Fors, intending to demonstrate that seeking easy solutions can have unexpected costs.
• Danitz is again portrayed as proud but easily frightened when confronted by overwhelming power. His encounter with Klein leaves him deeply wary and prompts him to warn Edwina’s contacts.
• Klein/Gehrman Sparrow maintains his intimidating adventurer persona while quietly pursuing information about Abner and Melissa. He recognizes Abner’s likely Spirit World-related abilities and plans to use his connection to Mr. Fool as a pretext for conversation.
• Arrodes appears intelligent, temperamental, and highly observant. Its answers are brief and cryptic, while its questions reveal that it closely monitors its master’s actions.

Significant Themes

• Growth versus shortcuts: Hazel is told that strength must develop through a proper process, while Fors seeks an easier way to digest her potion. The chapter suggests that shortcuts often carry hidden costs.
• Fate and divine arrangements: Utravsky emphasizes trusting the Mother Goddess’s plans, while Arrodes provides unsettling glimpses of knowledge and destiny.
• Masks and identities: Klein’s Gehrman Sparrow persona terrifies Danitz, contrasting with Klein’s more rational inner thoughts. Fors and Xio also conceal their motives from one another during the ritual.
• Power and fear: Danitz’s reaction demonstrates the psychological force of a powerful Beyonder’s presence, while Arrodes’s authority is shown through its control of the ritual and its probing questions.
• Reciprocal relationships: Characters repeatedly negotiate value and obligation—Fors worries about paying her teacher fairly, Hazel’s future advancement is tied to her work, and Danitz attempts to recruit Klein under the Golden Dream’s terms.

Important Character Interactions

• Hazel and Bishop Utravsky: He comforts her after the failed ritual and encourages patience and faith.
• Fors and Xio: Xio offers Fors a Secret Art as a disguised lesson, while Fors unknowingly exposes herself to Arrodes’s scrutiny.
• Klein and Danitz: Klein overwhelms Danitz with his aura, learns Abner’s location, and confirms that Danitz is connected to the Golden Dream.
• Fors and Arrodes: Arrodes directs Fors toward the Braine Film Company as a possible method of acting, then challenges her with a suspicious question about Xio’s mystical garment.
• Klein and Abner: Though they do not meet within the chapter, Klein decides to find Abner, creating an anticipated connection between their storylines.

Chapter Summary: “The World and the Tower”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fors is forced to participate in Arrodes’s “embarrassing questions” ritual with Xio present. Terrified of the humiliation and possible punishment, she chooses to accept the consequences.
• Before Arrodes can punish her, Fors receives a message from Mr. World through the Gray Fog. He asks her to contact the Abraham Family and find out whether they possess the starting Sequence potion formula for the Savant Pathway. In exchange, he offers any two formulas from several other pathways.
• The intervention of the Fool appears to protect Fors. Arrodes’s punishment is reduced to a harmless ray of light brushing past her hair, after which the mirror abruptly ends the session.
• Fors hides the truth from Xio, claiming that the punishment may vary from person to person. She then attempts to evade Xio’s questions about using the Many-Faced Silk Garment to impersonate her.
• Fors invents an excuse about needing to mail a letter and escapes using her Beyonder abilities. Xio, however, remains suspicious and examines the garment, noticing that it appears to have been washed.
• Meanwhile, Klein, disguised as Gehrman Sparrow, meets Abner Braine in Damir Town. This is their first face-to-face conversation, despite their previous connection through the Tarot Club and the Gray Fog.
• Klein subtly reveals that “Klein Moretti” and he are connected, while Abner already knows that Klein is alive. Abner recalls seeing Klein near the inn before the excavation of Dunn Smith’s grave, unintentionally making Klein uncomfortable with an overly suggestive description.
• Klein asks whether Abner is willing to guide Melissa Moretti onto the Beyonder path. Abner confirms that he intends to help her, believing that her intuition and mechanical talent make her suited to the Savant or Reader pathways.

Character Developments

• Fors: Becomes acutely aware of the dangers of Arrodes’s ritual and experiences intense embarrassment. She relies on the Fool’s protection and deception to escape Xio’s suspicions, showing both her resourcefulness and her continued discomfort with secrecy.
• Xio: Demonstrates increasing suspicion toward Fors. Although she accepts Fors’s explanation outwardly, she clearly recognizes that something is being concealed.
• Klein/The World: Acts cautiously during his meeting with Abner, maintaining Gehrman Sparrow’s cold persona even when embarrassed. His request concerning the Savant formula shows his continued efforts to advance his plans and support those connected to him.
• Abner/The Tower: Reveals that he understands more about Klein’s identity and circumstances than he openly says. He also shows a responsible attitude toward guiding Melissa, emphasizing education and safety rather than recklessly granting her supernatural power.
• Melissa: Does not appear directly, but is established as possessing both spiritual sensitivity and mechanical talent, making her a potential Beyonder.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and layered identities: Klein and Abner communicate through aliases and indirect references, even while fully understanding much of each other’s identities.
• Protection by higher powers: Fors’s escape from Arrodes’s punishment illustrates the influence and protection of the Fool and the dangers of offending powerful beings.
• Embarrassment and social vulnerability: Arrodes’s ritual weaponizes personal shame rather than physical harm, highlighting the psychological danger of exposure.
• Responsible use of supernatural power: Abner believes Melissa should be educated about Beyonders before entering the world, reflecting the importance of preparation and informed choice.
• Trust and suspicion: Fors tries to conceal the truth from Xio, while Abner and Klein exchange carefully measured information based on mutual understanding.

Important Character Interactions

• Fors and Arrodes: Arrodes threatens Fors with humiliating questions but is interrupted before delivering meaningful punishment.
• Fors and Xio: Fors lies about both Arrodes’s punishment and her use of Xio’s mystical garment; Xio remains unconvinced.
• Klein and Abner: Their first real-world meeting combines coded discussion, mutual recognition, and subtle teasing. They discuss Klein’s survival, Melissa’s future, and the Savant pathway.
• Abner and Melissa: Though they do not meet in the chapter, Abner’s decision to guide her establishes a future mentor-student relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Abner’s Reminder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner tells Klein that he will soon leave Backlund and therefore cannot personally guide Melissa on the Beyonder path. He plans to introduce her to Miss Magician and another friend as mentors.
• To ensure Melissa receives the correct starting potion formula, Abner asks Klein to have his brotherly identity provide the Savant formula. Klein agrees to relay the request and intends to obtain it through the Tarot Club if necessary.
• Abner warns Klein about Bansy Harbor, explaining that its former name, “Binsy,” may connect it to dangerous historical secrets involving the descendants of the Red Angel Medici. Klein takes the warning seriously but does not intend to abandon his future responsibilities.
• Klein divines that his upcoming journey contains danger, though it remains within an acceptable range. He suspects the White Agate may encounter pirates and considers how to maintain his Gehrman Sparrow persona if that happens.
• Klein receives a letter and several returned items from Azik, including the Black Emperor Card and Kospsti’s copper whistle. Azik’s letter reveals details about the War of the Four Emperors, the Blood Emperor, the Black Emperor, and the dangers associated with the card and whistle.
• Klein uses Azik’s instructions to practice a sealing technique and places both dangerous objects above the gray fog to prevent accidents.
• Abner sends a one-use item to Mr. Fool, enabling the Secret Art “Vaolit’s Perfect Restoration.” Klein forwards it to the City of Silver along with instructions.
• Derrick receives the item but decides to submit it to the Chief rather than use it himself, since the City of Silver’s leaders may distrust him due to his and Lovia’s unusual circumstances.

Character Developments

• Klein: Demonstrates strong protectiveness toward Melissa while remaining cautious about Abner’s motives. He continues balancing his identities as Klein, Mr. Fool, and Gehrman Sparrow. His handling of the Black Emperor Card and copper whistle shows increasing preparation for dangerous supernatural situations.
• Abner: Acts as a practical intermediary for Melissa’s advancement and deliberately forces Klein to take responsibility for obtaining the Savant formula. His warning about Bansy Harbor shows that he is willing to share valuable information, even while maintaining an enigmatic and somewhat teasing manner.
• Melissa: Though absent, she becomes more directly involved in the Beyonder world. Her future development will depend on guidance from Miss Magician and another of Abner’s acquaintances.
• Azik: His letter expands Klein’s understanding of ancient history and provides useful knowledge about dangerous artifacts, sealing methods, and powerful figures.
• Derrick: Shows caution and political awareness by giving the restorative item to the Chief instead of using it himself, recognizing the City of Silver’s suspicion toward him.

Significant Themes

• Trust and responsibility: Abner’s request makes Klein personally responsible for Melissa’s advancement, while Klein’s trust in Azik contrasts with his suspicion of Abner.
• Hidden history and danger: Bansy Harbor, the War of the Four Emperors, and the Black Emperor Card all suggest that buried historical secrets continue to influence the present.
• Preparation versus fate: Klein repeatedly uses divination, rituals, and sealing techniques to prepare for uncertain dangers, while accepting that some risks cannot be avoided.
• Institutional suspicion: Derrick’s decision reflects the lack of trust within the City of Silver and the difficulty of acting independently in a tightly controlled society.
• Knowledge as power: Information about potion formulas, ancient wars, artifacts, and rituals becomes essential for survival and advancement.

Character Interactions

• Klein and Abner: Their conversation combines polite cooperation with underlying suspicion. Abner lightly provokes Klein by making him obtain Melissa’s formula, while Klein carefully evaluates every request.
• Klein and Melissa: Their relationship is indirect but central; Klein’s concern for her safety motivates his thoughts about suitable teachers and his willingness to secure the Savant formula.
• Klein and Azik: Azik’s returned belongings and detailed letter reinforce their bond of trust and give Klein important historical and ritual knowledge.
• Klein and the Tarot Club: Klein acts as an intermediary by forwarding Abner’s restoration item to The Sun and arranging to seek the Savant formula through Miss Magician and Miss Temperance.
• Derrick and the City of Silver leadership: Derrick’s decision to hand over the item reflects both his obedience and his awareness that the elders do not fully trust him.

Chapter Summary: “Sunday”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After crafting the one-use mysticism item for the Sun, Abner creates two Mysticism Cameras and a synchronized-sound Projector.
• He sacrifices the Powder Box made from the Beyonder creature’s hide to Mr. Fool, then uses a Teleportation Altar to return to his stronghold near Backlund.
• Abner reflects on the limitations of his Teleportation ability and notices that the Pure White Eye performs poorly when analyzing abilities connected to the Spirit World.
• He theorizes that the Land of Unknown may be incompatible with the Spirit World, or that it contains a dangerous secret. He suspects this may explain the Pure White Eye’s distortions, but his attempt to divine the truth fails.
• In the City of Silver, Chief Colin Iliad tests the Powder Box on Jinny, a contaminated woman imprisoned after consuming the flesh of an unknown Monster.
• The powder completely removes Jinny’s tumors, purifies the contamination in her body and soul, and eliminates her contagiousness. She is nevertheless required to remain isolated for further observation.
• Colin realizes the treatment is based on a learnable Secret Art rather than an external divine blessing. He negotiates with Derrick for the Gear Book found in a temple, offering to seek the Six-Member Council’s approval.
• Colin also asks what Derrick needs for his advancement. Derrick reveals that he lacks a Dawn Rooster’s Red Crown and a Radiant Spirit Tree Fruit. Colin personally offers him the Red Crown as thanks for saving Jinny, though Derrick must find the other ingredient himself.
• The following morning, Fors unexpectedly arrives early at Abner’s residence, suggesting that an important matter may have occurred. The next Tarot Club meeting is scheduled for the following day.

Character Developments

• Abner continues experimenting with mysticism technology and teleportation while deepening his investigation into the relationship between the Spirit World, the Land of Unknown, and the Pure White Eye.
• Derrick successfully acts as an intermediary for Mr. Fool and Mr. Tower. He remains trusting and somewhat innocent, but demonstrates increasing political awareness by avoiding open preaching and carefully presenting the Secret Art’s value.
• Jinny receives hope of returning to ordinary life after her contamination is cured. Her reunion with Derrick also highlights the personal tragedies endured by the people of the City of Silver.
• Colin Iliad becomes more receptive to communication with outside powers. His willingness to trade the Gear Book and personally reward Derrick shows both pragmatism and compassion.
• Fors’s unusually early visit creates suspense and implies an urgent development before the next Tarot gathering.

Significant Themes

• Hope amid darkness: Jinny’s cure offers a tangible sign that the City of Silver’s people are not permanently condemned to suffering.
• Trust and hidden alliances: Derrick must represent Mr. Fool and Mr. Tower without revealing too much, while Colin carefully probes the source of the Secret Art.
• Knowledge and its limits: Abner’s failed prophecy and doubts about the Pure White Eye emphasize that some truths remain inaccessible or deliberately obscured.
• Sacrifice and exchange: The characters advance their goals through carefully negotiated gifts, information, and artifacts rather than simple cooperation.
• The burden of the City of Silver: Jinny and Derrick’s discussion reflects the community’s fatalistic belief that its people are cursed, contrasting with Derrick’s growing faith in Mr. Fool’s intervention.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Mr. Fool: Abner sacrifices the Powder Box to Mr. Fool after completing his preparations.
• Derrick and Jinny: Their reunion recalls their shared past and the deaths of Derrick’s parents, while Jinny thanks him for restoring her hope.
• Derrick and Colin: Colin tests Derrick’s intentions, negotiates for the Secret Art’s source, and offers him a valuable advancement material.
• Colin and Shadow: Both verify Jinny’s recovery, with Shadow expressing astonishment and Colin confirming that the contamination has been cleansed from both her body and soul.
• Fors and Abner: Fors’s unexpected early arrival closes the chapter on a note of anticipation.

Chapter Summary: “Bansy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fors wakes early to avoid Xio after their recent awkward situation. Abner immediately points out that deliberately avoiding Xio will only make her more memorable, revealing that he has an unsettling ability to perceive or record others’ thoughts.
• Fors explains that Arrodes gave her a hint about acting as a Trickmaster and asks how Abner’s film company might help. Abner gives her a cube-shaped camera, the “Square Canon,” and brings her to a free school in the East Borough.
• Abner has Fors film a performance in which she combines ordinary magic tricks with Beyonder abilities. He explains that a Trickmaster’s Acting method depends on performance, deception, and mixing genuine supernatural effects with tricks that appear explainable.
• The students watch Fors’s performance and attempt to identify how each trick works. Abner emphasizes that the best performance allows the audience to understand some tricks while leaving others completely inexplicable.
• Abner pays Daisy for helping recruit the students, but she refuses to accept personal payment. He instead presents the money as a donation to the school, reinforcing his generosity and concern for the poor.
• Meanwhile, Melissa works on mechanical blueprints in a makeshift laboratory, worrying Benson. Benson notices Abner leaving with another woman and becomes concerned about Melissa’s growing involvement with him.
• The White Agate unexpectedly arrives at Bansy Harbor after encountering the Red Skull Pirates. Danitz comments on the harbor’s ominous legends, while Klein suspects the ship’s detour may be connected to fate or a hidden convergence involving him.
• Klein offers Danitz a chance to escape, but Danitz remains too frightened and uncertain about Klein’s abilities to act.
• Klein secretly travels above the Gray Fog to perform a divination. Before beginning, he receives a prayer from Miss Temperance informing him that the Savant potion formula has been obtained, presumably through Sharron’s assistance.

Character Developments

• Fors begins applying Arrodes’s guidance about the Trickmaster pathway. Abner teaches her that effective Acting requires not merely performing supernatural feats, but deliberately deceiving and manipulating the audience’s attempts to explain them.
• Abner displays his characteristic confidence, teasing attitude, and thought-reading abilities while also acting as a mentor and philanthropist. His concern for the Church’s review of Fors’s film shows his practical awareness of consequences.
• Melissa becomes increasingly absorbed in mechanical research inspired by Abner’s blueprints, suggesting rapid intellectual growth and a deepening connection to machinery and engineering.
• Benson grows more worried about Melissa’s activities and her association with Abner, though he is reassured by the belief that Abner will soon leave on a long journey.
• Daisy is shown to be principled and grateful. She refuses to profit personally from helping Abner, reflecting her modesty, faith, and concern for the school.
• Klein remains cautious about Bansy Harbor, recognizing the danger of fate-driven encounters. His continued restraint and disguise show his awareness that investigating too deeply could expose him to serious danger.
• Danitz is frightened by Klein and the uncertainty surrounding him. Although Klein gives him an opportunity to flee, Danitz lacks the courage to risk provoking him.

Significant Themes

• Acting through deception: Fors’s advancement as a Trickmaster depends on using performance and misdirection rather than relying only on supernatural powers.
• The relationship between truth and explanation: Abner teaches that deception is most effective when people can successfully explain some events but fail to explain others, causing them to doubt their own conclusions.
• Education and social responsibility: The free school and Abner’s donation highlight the value of education for the poor and his willingness to support the community.
• Fate and predetermined encounters: Klein suspects that the White Agate’s arrival at Bansy may not be accidental, raising the possibility that fate is drawing him toward a dangerous convergence.
• Fear of the unknown: Danitz’s hesitation and Klein’s caution both demonstrate how uncertainty—especially regarding Beyonder abilities, fate, and Bansy’s legends—can be more frightening than known threats.
• Romantic and social misunderstandings: Benson’s observations of Abner, Melissa, and the various women around him create comic tension and reinforce Abner’s reputation as unusually charming and flirtatious.

Important Character Interactions

• Fors and Abner: Abner mentors Fors in Trickmaster Acting, teasing her about her thoughts while giving her practical instruction and equipment.
• Abner and the students: He turns Fors’s performance into an educational exercise, encouraging the students to analyze the tricks and learn through entertainment.
• Abner and Daisy: Daisy refuses personal payment, and Abner tactfully reframes it as a donation to the school.
• Benson and Melissa: Benson worries about Melissa’s increasing involvement with Abner’s projects, while Melissa enthusiastically pursues her mechanical discoveries.
• Klein and Danitz: Klein intimidates Danitz but also gives him a chance to escape, creating a tense relationship based on fear and reluctant dependence.
• Klein and the Tarot Club: Miss Temperance’s prayer provides Klein with the Savant formula, demonstrating the continuing cooperation and information exchange among the Tarot Club members.

Chapter Summary: “Another Tarot Club Gathering”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner and Fors visit inventor Mr. Rappard to inspect the camera and projector prototypes based on Abner’s designs. Rappard has improved the camera, adding a phonograph-like sound-recording mechanism capable of capturing over twenty minutes of footage and audio. The projector is nearly ready but has not yet been tested.
• Abner rewards Rappard with 100 gold pounds and begins visiting bishops of the Church of Steam with Fors, preparing support for a future demonstration aimed at nobles, parliamentarians, and Church officials. The superior mystical camera will be used for the actual preview, while the mechanical prototypes will help establish the inventions as legitimate scientific products.
• Fors complains about being exhausted from accompanying Abner. Abner justifies the work as Acting practice for her Trickmaster potion and jokingly says she is also helping with Xio’s weight-loss supervision.
• Abner reflects on the closure of Lina and Shoko’s coffee shop, the disappearance of Prince Edessak, and the missing “stone” from Fors’s bracelet. He suspects the two women may have become associated with Klein and may now serve as Mr. Fool’s cooks.
• In Bansy Harbor, Klein senses danger when Captain Ailan and Donna’s family fail to return to the White Agate. Despite knowing the town is extremely dangerous, he leaves to rescue them. Danitz follows reluctantly.
• Klein successfully brings the captain and civilians back to the ship and remains on guard through the night. However, he discovers that his mystical revolver, Confession, mutates into a spider-like Monster near the local Telegraph Office. He destroys it with fire and the Sun Brooch, but the weapon is ruined.
• Klein concludes that the Telegraph Office contains a power capable of influencing the Demoness and Hunter pathways. Remembering Mr. Tower’s warning not to investigate too deeply, he chooses to report the incident instead of pursuing it.
• Audrey learns that Princess Vera is inviting her to the first showing of a new form of theater. She accepts, eager to experience the novelty before returning to East Chester County.
• At Harvest Church, Bishop Utravsky gives Emlyn a new page of Roselle’s writings as a reward for making potions. Emlyn continues studying the Sanguine and helping at the church, though he realizes he has become unexpectedly involved in its daily work and the care of patients.
• During the Tarot Club gathering, members exchange greetings and diary pages. Emlyn trades six pages of Roselle’s diary for the opportunity to view two Cards of Blasphemy. He learns the names of the Sequence 0 potions associated with the cards and is impressed by the Tarot Club’s resources.
• Fors offers three diary pages and requests the Savant potion formula, looking toward the World—showing that her debt and exchange arrangements are now connected to Abner.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates his practical ambition by combining mystical technology with conventional science and carefully building political, religious, and financial support for his inventions. He also continues guiding Fors’s advancement.
• Fors: Grows more accustomed to Acting and to her responsibilities within Abner’s organization, although she remains sarcastic and easily exhausted. Her request for the Savant formula shows continued progress in planning her Beyonder advancement.
• Klein: Displays loyalty and moral courage by risking himself to rescue people who helped him, even in a location tied to major supernatural dangers. He also shows increasing restraint, resisting curiosity about the Telegraph Office and choosing to report the threat.
• Danitz: Although frightened and incredulous, he follows Klein into danger, suggesting growing trust and loyalty.
• Emlyn: Becomes more serious about researching Sanguine history and maintaining his connection to Harvest Church. His initial reluctance is gradually softened by concern for the church’s patients.
• Audrey: Remains enthusiastic about new experiences while preparing for her return home and hoping to advance to Psychiatrist.
• Rappard: Gains confidence and excitement from contributing to an invention he believes may secure his place in history.
• Utravsky: Continues guiding Emlyn with patience and generosity, attributing his help to the Mother of Mercy.

Significant Themes

• Science and mysticism: Abner seeks to present supernatural inventions as ordinary scientific technology, showing how mystical power can be concealed and commercialized through modern innovation.
• Loyalty and moral responsibility: Klein’s rescue mission demonstrates that personal gratitude and loyalty can outweigh self-preservation.
• Restraint versus curiosity: Klein’s decision not to investigate the Telegraph Office highlights the danger of excessive curiosity in the supernatural world.
• Personal transformation through routine: Emlyn’s work at the church gradually changes him from a self-centered noble into someone capable of empathy and service.
• Exchange and advancement: The Tarot Club’s trading of diary pages, formulas, and information reflects its continuing emphasis on equivalent exchange and mutual advancement.
• Modernization and social change: The proposed film screening, new theater, mechanical inventions, and expanding Church involvement all suggest a society moving rapidly toward technological and cultural transformation.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Rappard: Their inventor-client relationship is mutually beneficial; Abner provides the conceptual foundation, while Rappard contributes technical expertise and enthusiasm.
• Abner and Fors: Their working partnership mixes supervision, teasing, and practical training as Fors gains experience in Acting.
• Klein and Danitz: Klein’s calm determination contrasts with Danitz’s fear, but Danitz ultimately follows him, reinforcing their developing partnership.
• Klein and Captain Ailan’s group: Their cooperation deepens after Klein risks himself to rescue them, despite receiving only minimal material compensation.
• Utravsky and Emlyn: The bishop rewards and mentors Emlyn, while Emlyn slowly becomes attached to the church and its charitable mission.
• Tarot Club members: The gathering reinforces the group’s increasingly organized system of exchanges. Emlyn seeks high-level knowledge, Fors pursues the Savant formula, and the Fool continues managing everyone’s transactions while concealing his own thoughts.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein, acting as the World, fulfills his earlier promise to Miss Magician by giving her the Savant potion formula, despite already obtaining one from Sharron for Abner. He decides honoring the existing exchange is safer than risking Miss Magician making an impossible request.
• Klein reviews the Tarot Club’s newly submitted diary pages. Several are duplicates, while the others mostly contain Roselle’s mundane notes about inventions, money, and investments.
• Abner identifies the “Heartless God” mentioned by the Wind Demoness as the Mother Tree of Desire, an Outer Deity and powerful Great Old One. He realizes the sea monster controlling Vice Admiral Deep Sea has likely received power from Her.
• Abner begins developing a plan to exploit the sea monster’s connection to the Mother Tree of Desire. He hopes to use the Church of Eternal Blazing Sun against the Delien Family and other cultists, while personally killing the sea monster and obtaining its Prophet Beyonder characteristic.
• Abner suspects the Sari Family has hidden importance because of its connections to Tosk, the Church of Steam, Roselle, Groselle’s Travels, and the Calamity Seal. He plans to investigate the Sari, Delien, and Fules Families through Miss Justice.
• Klein studies ancient records supplied by Sun about the Second Epoch’s eight ancient gods. The gods were divided among humanoid, monster, and destructive factions. Klein is especially interested in Lilith, whose depiction in the City of Silver’s records sharply conflicts with the Sanguine’s reverent account.
• Emlyn’s diary submissions are mostly duplicates, but the final entry reveals important information about Roselle’s family and the origins of the Sari Family.

Character Developments

• Klein remains cautious and pragmatic, balancing promises, secrecy, and the preservation of the Fool’s mystique. He also continues questioning the reliability of historical and religious records.
• Abner becomes more strategically confident. Rather than abandoning the Prophet characteristic because of possible contamination, he considers using the conflict between the Mother Tree of Desire’s influence and the major churches to his advantage. He also begins connecting multiple mysteries surrounding Tosk and the Sari Family.
• Fors receives the Savant formula and memorizes it, advancing her progress through the Beyonder sequence.
• Emlyn unknowingly provides a crucial diary entry, despite most of his submissions being copied material.
• Roselle is revealed as both irresponsible and calculating: he criticizes his son Ciel’s behavior but also protects the family’s bloodline and hides a treasure for his illegitimate grandson.

Significant Themes

• Promises and calculated risk: Klein honors an agreement even when it has become unnecessary, prioritizing trust and avoiding unpredictable consequences.
• Contamination and hidden danger: Power from Outer Deities may offer opportunities but carries severe risks, forcing Abner to weigh corruption against strategic gain.
• Unreliable historical narratives: Conflicting depictions of Lilith show how religious factions distort or embellish history.
• Family, legacy, and bloodlines: Roselle’s diary exposes the complicated continuation of his family through Ciel’s illegitimate child and the Sari lineage.
• Secrets beneath ordinary events: Seemingly minor matters—an affair, a family relocation, or a hidden treasure—may connect to major historical conspiracies.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein and Miss Magician: Klein provides Fors with the Savant formula while concealing the fact that it duplicates one already obtained elsewhere.
• Klein and Miss Temperance: Through the World, Klein signals that he will explain the situation to her later.
• Abner and the Tarot Club: Abner plans to question Miss Justice about several influential families and their connections to Tosk.
• Lilith and the transmigrator Liu Bo: The records suggest Lilith had ties to Liu Bo and even sent Emlyn to him as a potential investment.
• Roselle, Ciel, and Bernadette: Ciel’s affair with Bernadette’s friend creates a family scandal. Roselle resolves the matter by relocating the woman and her child to Tosk.
• Roselle and the Sari family: Roselle later discovers that Ciel’s former lover, Sari, is capable and ambitious. He leaves a treasure hidden in her family’s courtyard for his grandson, establishing a direct link between Roselle’s legacy and the mysterious Sari Family.

Chapter Summary: “Transaction”

Plot Points and Events

• Klein examines a rare diary page connected to Roselle Gustav’s family. Roselle mentions that his grandson, who changed his surname to Sari, and the grandson’s descendants might be his “final hope” if his latest plan failed.
• The entry suggests Roselle was already corrupted and mentally conflicted, simultaneously seeking escape while sabotaging his own efforts. Klein also finds a note written by Liu Bo, who claims Roselle’s attempt was destined to fail and mentions someone named Lamia.
• The diary raises questions about the Sari family, Liu Bo’s relationship with Roselle, and the source of the page, possibly the Sanguine.
• Klein ends the diary-reading session and opens the Tarot Club’s transaction period.
• Emlyn confirms that he has obtained the Elder Tree fruit and Mirror Dragon blood needed by Audrey, asking for 750 pounds plus a 100-pound fee.
• Alger offers Emlyn the inheritance of a Sanguine baron for 4,500 pounds, though he secretly obtained it for only 3,200. Emlyn cannot afford it and asks for time to consider.
• Alger presents Audrey with a mystical item made from a Faceless characteristic: a silver-white mask named Lie, which costs 5,500 pounds. Audrey accepts immediately, with the expense likely reimbursable by her father.
• Abner asks Audrey for information about the major families controlling Intis’s political and economic structure. In exchange, he offers to answer one mystical question or obtain something of equivalent value.
• Abner then asks whether anyone knows the history or origins of the Sari Family of Intis, offering a mystical item in exchange.

Character Developments

• Klein becomes increasingly suspicious that the Sari family is descended from Roselle’s illegitimate grandson and may still be connected to Roselle’s plans. His curiosity deepens, but the fragmented diary provides no definitive answers.
• Emlyn is shown to be financially strained. Despite potentially earning money through public exposure or entertainment, he cannot immediately afford the Sanguine inheritance.
• Audrey demonstrates her considerable wealth and decisiveness by purchasing both the ingredients and the mystical mask without bargaining. She also agrees to investigate Intis’s major families.
• Alger acts as an intermediary and negotiator, profiting from the Sanguine inheritance and arranging the sale of the Faceless-derived mask, though Audrey’s effortless spending leaves him uncomfortable.
• Abner prepares for his journey to Intis by gathering political and economic intelligence. His interest in the Sari family suggests that it may be important to his future plans.
• Xio silently compares Abner’s new mask with his previous creations, implying that Abner’s own mystical items have unusually embarrassing or impractical designs.

Significant Themes

• Fragmented history and unreliable records: The diary offers incomplete clues about Roselle, Liu Bo, and the Sari family, emphasizing how difficult it is to reconstruct the past.
• Corruption and self-conflict: Roselle’s contradictory behavior reflects the effects of corruption and the struggle between his desire to escape and forces compelling him to remain trapped.
• Wealth and social inequality: Emlyn’s financial limitations contrast sharply with Audrey’s ability to spend thousands of pounds casually.
• Mystery of inheritance and bloodlines: Roselle’s descendants may represent a “final hope,” linking family lineage to larger supernatural plans.
• Transactions and mutual dependence: The Tarot Club members exchange money, information, materials, and favors, showing how their cooperation supports individual advancement.

Character Interactions

• Audrey and Emlyn complete the transaction for the Elder Tree fruit and Mirror Dragon blood.
• Alger pressures Emlyn with the expensive Sanguine inheritance, while Emlyn hesitates because of his limited funds.
• Alger offers Audrey the Faceless mask, and she accepts it immediately, impressing and unsettling the poorer members.
• Abner and Audrey negotiate an information exchange: she will compile data on Intis’s ruling families, while he will answer a future mystical question.
• Abner appeals to the entire Tarot Club for information about the Sari family, elevating the family’s mystery and suggesting its importance to the coming Intis storyline.

Chapter Summary: “Fors’s Activity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Tarot Club gathering, Klein, acting as The World, trades information with Abner, The Tower, about the origins of the Sari Family in Intis.
• Klein reveals diary information suggesting that the Sari Family was founded by a descendant of Roselle—possibly Roselle’s illegitimate son—and that Roselle may have left hidden arrangements within the family.
• Abner connects the Sari Family’s physical traits, especially Fanny’s chestnut, curly hair, to their shared ancestry with “Old Huang.” He is pleased with the information and decides not to demand an additional magical item from Klein.
• Abner agrees to create a temporary powerful weapon for The World, lasting eight months, in exchange for the intelligence.
• Fors commissions Abner to enhance a Rose Bishop characteristic into a mystical item. Abner charges her 800 pounds, a discounted but still significant crafting fee.
• Fors provides Klein with the formula he wanted. In exchange, she requests the Lawyer potion formula, intending to give it to Xio’s younger sister, Lo Dilcha, as a future goodwill gesture.
• Other Tarot Club members request rare materials, including a Radiant Spirit Tree Fruit, a Demigod Mummy, and a Three-Eyed Thunderbird’s forehead eyeball, but no immediate leads are available.
• Klein reflects on the Tarot Club’s growth: it now possesses a strength comparable to an elite team within an orthodox church.
• During the free discussion, Fors reports unusual tension within the Church of Steam. Miss Judgment then reveals that one of its archbishops was killed by a Demigod Demoness.

Character Developments

• Klein / The Fool / The World: Continues using the Tarot Club to gather information while carefully concealing the connection between himself, Roselle’s diary, and the Sari Family. He is pleased by the Club’s increasing strength but remains self-deprecating about his own limitations compared with orthodox gods.
• Abner / The Tower: Gains important information about the Sari Family and recognizes its connection to his own ancestry and Fanny. He shows generosity by offering Fors a discounted crafting fee and decides not to exploit Klein further after receiving satisfactory information.
• Fors / The Magician: Demonstrates her practical, financially minded nature by negotiating magical-item commissions and carefully choosing the Lawyer formula. Her concern for Xio’s sister reveals a strategic but also considerate side.
• Xio’s sister, Lo Dilcha: Though absent, she becomes relevant through Fors’s plan to obtain the Lawyer formula as a future gift, suggesting Fors is trying to build goodwill and avoid future conflict.
• The Tarot Club: Its members are becoming increasingly powerful and capable of obtaining or commissioning high-level mystical items, marking the organization’s growing influence.

Significant Themes

• Hidden ancestry and inherited legacies: The Sari Family’s origins reveal how Roselle’s descendants may still be tied to long-term supernatural plans.
• Manipulation and divine influence: Klein considers whether Lilith or the Earth Mother Goddess is indirectly aiding him by supplying information through Tarot Club members.
• Information as currency: Knowledge is exchanged for mystical weapons, formulas, and services, emphasizing the economic and strategic value of intelligence.
• The growth of collective power: The Tarot Club is evolving from a loose gathering into a force comparable to a church’s elite supernatural unit.
• Identity and concealed connections: Abner unknowingly interacts with Klein despite being connected to the very family discussed, while Fors similarly fails to recognize the link between Abner and Fanny.
• Political and religious instability: The murder of a Church of Steam archbishop by a Demigod Demoness hints at escalating conflict among powerful supernatural factions.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein and Abner: Negotiate an exchange of Sari Family intelligence for a powerful temporary weapon. Their discussion indirectly exposes Roselle’s possible plans and deepens Abner’s suspicions about his ancestry.
• Fors and Abner: Fors commissions Abner to transform the Rose Bishop characteristic, while Abner’s accurate guess about her request impresses her.
• Fors and Klein: Trade the desired formula for the Lawyer potion formula. Klein privately feels awkward because the formula originally came from him, making him feel as though he has been “fleeced.”
• Fors and Xio’s family: Fors’s request for the Lawyer formula reflects her intention to prepare a gift for Xio’s sister and potentially prevent future resentment.
• Miss Judgment and Abner: Their silent exchange precedes the revelation that a Church of Steam archbishop has been killed, suggesting they share awareness of serious developments beyond the meeting.

Chapter Summary: “Each Had Their Gains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tarot Club discusses the assassination of Archbishop Ramil Sari of the Church of Steam and Machinery, who was killed by a Demoness. The members are shocked that the Demoness Sect would provoke the Church so openly after the Great Smog incident.
• The discussion connects Sari’s death to a prior clash involving Archbishop Horamick and an unidentified Demigod near the Loen–Intis border. The Demigod escaped into Intis, and the group suspects the incident may be linked to the Sari Family and possibly something Roselle had left behind.
• Abner, as The Tower, withholds what he knows because the matter in Tosk was initiated by Edwina and involves a friend’s secret. He refuses to reveal information without permission.
• Derrick, The Sun, reports that the City of Silver’s Chief has asked him to persuade the Six-Member Council to establish contact with the Tarot Club. Abner confirms that the City of Silver’s upper leadership is interested and promises to provide educational materials and gifts to help build trust.
• Alger, The Hanged Man, gives Derrick additional advice, then reports on a naval battle. Admiral Amyrius Rieveldt was injured after being ambushed by the newly emerged Fire Demoness and having his emotions detonated by the Wind Demoness.
• Abner privately suspects the Admiral’s injury may have involved a Sealed Artifact, deliberate restraint, or manipulation by the Twilight Hermit Order, possibly to prevent him from interfering in another matter.
• Klein, through The World, asks permission from Mr. Fool to discuss the events at Bansy Harbor. Mr. Fool allows it, stating that Medici currently cannot threaten Klein.
• Alger explains Bansy Harbor’s tradition of sacrificing people to an Evil Spirit called the God of Weather, noting that similar supposedly eliminated spirits continue to survive in unusual forms. The chapter ends before the full Bansy matter is discussed.

Character Developments

• Abner/The Tower demonstrates discretion and loyalty by protecting Edwina’s secret, even when the other Tarot Club members suspect he knows more about Sari’s death.
• Abner also takes an active diplomatic role by supporting Derrick’s efforts to connect the City of Silver with the Tarot Club. He recognizes Derrick’s apparent innocence as an advantage that can reassure Colin Iliad and the City of Silver.
• Derrick/The Sun shows progress but remains inexperienced. He openly reveals details of the Chief’s request, prompting Alger to worry that he has exposed too much. Derrick is eager to prove Mr. Fool’s benevolence but fears he may fail.
• Alger/The Hanged Man continues acting as a cautious mentor to Derrick, correcting his mistakes and supplying useful intelligence about events at sea.
• Klein/The World carefully manages information about Medici and Bansy Harbor, using Mr. Fool’s authority to present the matter safely without exposing his own involvement.
• Mr. Fool/Klein maintains his mysterious authority and gives subtle reassurance that Medici is not currently a danger.

Significant Themes

• Trust and discretion: Abner’s refusal to expose Edwina’s secret highlights the importance of respecting confidences within the Tarot Club.
• Diplomacy and controlled contact: The City of Silver’s potential alliance with the Tarot Club depends on carefully presenting the Club as benevolent and trustworthy.
• Inexperience versus wisdom: Derrick’s honesty is both a weakness and a strength, while Alger’s experience helps him navigate political and supernatural dangers.
• Hidden manipulation: The injuries suffered by Admiral Rieveldt may be part of a larger conspiracy, emphasizing that apparent coincidences often conceal the actions of powerful organizations.
• The persistence of evil: The discussion of the God of Weather suggests that Evil Spirits may survive even after their apparent destruction, continuing to influence communities and cause deaths.

Important Character Interactions

• Justice Audrey and the others react with concern to Archbishop Sari’s death, while the group speculates about the Demoness Sect’s motives.
• Several members look toward Abner after he asks about the Sari Family, suspecting he may know more about the incident.
• Abner and Derrick discuss the City of Silver’s attempts to establish contact with the Tarot Club; Abner encourages him and promises materials for the Chief and Council.
• Alger privately worries that Derrick has revealed too much, but publicly offers further guidance.
• World asks Mr. Fool for permission to reveal information about Bansy Harbor, reinforcing the hierarchy and mutual caution within the Tarot Club.

Chapter Summary: “Communion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Tarot Club gathering, Fors returns to her home and performs the ritual to sacrifice the Rose Bishop Beyonder Characteristic to the Fool above the Gray Fog.
• She reflects on advancing her Trickmaster potion. Although Abner’s films may help her digest it, she realizes she must actively seek further opportunities to perform. She considers working at a circus or performing for free, but her laziness and comfort at home make her postpone the decision.
• At MI9 headquarters, Xio is summoned by Princess Vera. Vera gives her highly detailed intelligence on the major Beyonder families in Intis, explaining that she wants to support the film company Abner is establishing.
• Vera reveals that she has invited influential noble families, including Earl Hall’s family, to the upcoming film premiere. Xio suspects Vera’s interest in Abner is deeper than mere business investment, but she does not press the matter.
• Vera offers Xio a private mission: deliver a rune-covered box to an abandoned church on Williams Street before midnight. In return, she will try to obtain permission for Xio to enter a controlled Berot Mountain Ape nest, which is necessary for Xio’s advancement to Disciplinary Paladin.
• Xio recognizes the location as connected to Medici the Red Angel and the dangerous secrets buried beneath Williams Street. Vera insists that the mission is safe but allows Xio to consult Abner if she remains concerned.
• Above the Gray Fog, Klein arranges for a radio to be purchased for his use in Backlund. He also receives the Square Canon and Intis pies from Abner, recognizing the device as an occult camera and projector intended to display educational films.
• In the City of Silver, Derrick receives the Square Canon and pies through a ritual. He tastes ordinary food from the outside world for the first time and is overwhelmed by its flavor, comparing the happiness it brings to the Communion described in ancient records.

Character Developments

• Fors understands that becoming stronger requires more than passively relying on Abner’s films. However, her natural indolence and love of comfort conflict with her sense of responsibility, leading her to delay taking action.
• Xio demonstrates growing caution and political awareness. She notices Vera’s unusual concern for Abner and immediately recognizes the potential danger of the Williams Street mission, rather than blindly accepting the reward.
• Princess Vera becomes more closely involved in Abner’s business and future plans. She presents herself as a practical investor and political supporter, but her personal interest in Abner remains suspiciously strong.
• Klein continues acting as the Tarot Club’s organizer and logistical coordinator. He quickly understands the usefulness of Abner’s technological innovations and helps distribute them to other members.
• Derrick experiences a moment of innocent wonder. The pies provide him with an emotional and sensory experience almost entirely absent from the isolated City of Silver, deepening his appreciation of the outside world.

Significant Themes

• Growth versus comfort: Fors knows she must work harder to advance but struggles against her tendency toward procrastination and ease.
• The approaching crisis: References to Bansy Harbor, Medici, Rose Redemption, the Great Smog, and the True Creator’s attempts at descent reinforce that the world is becoming increasingly dangerous.
• Technology as a tool for progress: Abner’s films and the Square Canon offer a modern method of education and influence, showing how technology can affect both Beyonder development and broader society.
• Faith and Communion: Derrick’s reaction to the pies links ordinary nourishment and happiness with sacred Communion, emphasizing the emotional and cultural deprivation of the City of Silver.
• Hidden motives and political maneuvering: Vera’s support for Abner’s company may be strategic, personal, or both, while her seemingly simple mission likely conceals greater significance.

Character Interactions

• Fors and Abner/Xio: Fors plans to consult Abner and Xio about how to pursue acting opportunities, showing her reliance on their judgment.
• Vera and Xio: Vera gives Xio intelligence, discusses the film premiere, and offers her a dangerous mission tied to her advancement. Xio questions Vera’s motives but respects her authority and assistance.
• Vera and Abner: Though Abner does not appear directly, Vera’s investment in his company and efforts to promote its premiere make him a central subject of her conversation with Xio.
• Klein and Abner: Klein receives and evaluates Abner’s Square Canon, immediately grasping its usefulness as an educational device.
• Klein and Derrick: Through the Fool’s rituals, Klein indirectly provides Derrick with the Square Canon and food, strengthening the bond and exchange of resources between Tarot Club members.
• Derrick and the outside world: Derrick’s first taste of Intis food becomes a deeply meaningful encounter with the civilization and comforts beyond the City of Silver.