Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Breaking Free”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yaluolan and Hosenam confirm that their conflict will finally reach a resolution. Abner prepares to help Hosenam escape her former circumstances.
• Abner gives Hosenam the blood of Margaret, the Red Saintess, which is required for the ritual.
• Using a signal from Abner, Alvin coordinates with the elf Shatas and the “Great Elder,” Emily. The elves perform the Song of Calamity ritual in Whistling Town, dancing around cauldrons of boiling water and blood while singing praises to Hosenam.
• The ritual’s influence spreads across the South Sunia Sea. Sailors, particularly Beyonders of the Sailor Pathway, hear an eerie and powerful song. Captain Alanson mistakes it for a possible supernatural attack and reports the phenomenon to the Church of Storms.
• Inside the Trial Temple, the ritual reaches its climax. Hosenam pours Margaret’s blood into the Golden Chalice and scatters it into the lightning beneath the temple’s crystal dome.
• The ritual severs Hosenam’s connection to the Trial Temple and the elves. Her soul weakens temporarily, but she successfully transfers herself into the artificial body Abner prepared.
• Hosenam declares that she is no longer connected to the elves or her former identity. She refuses to reclaim the Book of Calamity or become an Angel under the Tyrant, choosing instead to pursue a change of Pathway.
• She reveals that her target is the strange Ancient Dragon in Whistling Town—another identity or fragment connected to herself and apparently created through Abner’s past actions.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates his growing ability to organize complex supernatural plans, coordinate allies across great distances, and create a suitable transitional body for Hosenam. He remains cautious but is increasingly entangled in the consequences of Oliver’s legacy.
• Hosenam achieves her long-awaited freedom from the Trial Temple, the elves, and her former divine identity. She becomes more independent but also more threatening, hinting that she may eventually turn against Abner or use him for her own purposes.
• Yaluolan acts as an observer and intermediary, showing familiarity with the stakes of Hosenam’s liberation while leaving Abner and Hosenam to complete the ritual.
• Alvin, Shatas, and Emily successfully coordinate the ritual from afar, demonstrating the growing cooperation among Abner’s allies.
• Captain Alanson functions as an ordinary supernatural observer who recognizes that the Song of Calamity is dangerous and reports it rather than ignoring the omen.

Significant Themes

• Freedom through severance: Hosenam gains independence only by cutting herself off from the Trial Temple, the elves, and her former identity.
• Identity and fragmentation: Hosenam’s existence appears divided among multiple identities or forms, raising questions about what constitutes the “real” Hosenam.
• Power and allegiance: Hosenam rejects the Tyrant and the traditional route back to Angelhood, preferring an uncertain change of Pathway and a possible alliance with Abner.
• The consequences of the past: Abner’s current actions are shaped by Oliver’s history, and Hosenam suggests that past creations and identities will continue to affect him.
• Ritual and collective belief: The elves’ song, the blood sacrifice, and the reactions of distant sailors show how supernatural rituals can influence both mystical forces and ordinary people.

Character Interactions

• Yaluolan and Hosenam exchange a tense acknowledgment that their long-standing conflict is nearing its conclusion.
• Abner and Hosenam cooperate transactionally: he provides the blood and body needed for her escape, while she reveals her plans and possible connection to his past.
• Hosenam’s ambiguous warning that Abner may not remain separate from Oliver suggests potential future hostility or manipulation.
• Hosenam and the elves are permanently separated after the ritual, ending their former relationship.
• Hosenam identifies the Ancient Dragon in Whistling Town as another version of herself, implying a future confrontation involving Abner and one or more of Hosenam’s fragmented identities.

Chapter Summary: “Wisdom Angel,” the Key Sequence

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hosenam explains that Hydra, the Mind Dragon encountered in the Sea of Collective Subconscious, was originally sent by the Elves to infiltrate the Dragon Court. He temporarily became the Dream Dragon, a subsidiary god of the Dragon of Imagination, before Ankewelt discovered his identity.
• Hydra later returned to the Elven Royal Court, where he became its guardian of dreams. Hosenam reveals that Hydra had been under her domination since birth and was effectively an extension of her mind.
• She clarifies that Elves could dominate dream creatures because their ancient powers were broader than those of modern Sequence 0 Beyonders. This ability helped protect them from Dragons and the Mental Plague.
• Hydra’s creation depended on the power of “Unknown,” and he is now severely contaminated by the influence of a Sefirah, likely connected to the River of Eternal Darkness. Hosenam admits that taking on Hydra’s identity would worsen her own contamination.
• Abner warns that Ankewelt will eventually be challenged by Adam, who is likely to become a god. Hosenam explains that Hydra remains an Ancient God rather than belonging to the conventional Dragon Pathway, and that the protection of Unknown prevents her from immediately falling into madness.
• Hosenam and Yaluolan state that Abner will understand how to become a god once he advances to “Wisdom Angel.” This confirms Abner’s suspicion that the sequence is a crucial step in his future plans.
• Abner realizes that Unknown—especially through the Calamity Seal—may have deliberately obstructed his acquisition of the Wisdom Angel formula and characteristics. He also suspects that his subconscious instinctively delayed entering the deepest part of Miracle City to claim the Dream Labyrinth Tower because of hidden dangers.
• After being freed, Hosenam says she wants to travel across the continent.
• In Backlund, Trissy prepares to move to another safe house. She considers attending Viscount Loveland’s illegitimate daughter’s ball because one of her targets will be present, but worries that another Demoness may attend.
• Trissy asks the Old Man in her mind to conceal her Demoness aura. Their exchange shows that she is becoming more comfortable relying on him.

Character Developments

• Hosenam is revealed to possess an unusually intimate connection with Hydra and to have inherited or retained powerful ancient Elven abilities. She is cautious about becoming Hydra because of the worsening influence of Unknown, but she also shows a desire for freedom and ordinary experiences by wanting to travel.
• Abner gains important information about Hydra, Unknown, and the significance of the Wisdom Angel sequence. His suspicions about hidden manipulation deepen, and he becomes more aware that his advancement path may have been deliberately obstructed.
• Yaluolan continues to act as a blunt, skeptical counterpart to Hosenam, correcting misconceptions and emphasizing the danger of Unknown’s influence.
• Trissy displays growing confidence and independence. Although she still seeks the Old Man’s assistance, she is increasingly willing to make her own decisions and regards him as a useful companion rather than merely a threat.
• The Old Man demonstrates a teasing but cooperative relationship with Trissy, agreeing to help conceal her identity while encouraging her to decide for herself.

Significant Themes

• Identity and transformation: Hosenam’s possible transition into Hydra raises questions about whether identity can be separated from power, contamination, and inherited roles.
• Ancient power versus modern limitations: The chapter contrasts the expansive authority of Ancient Gods and multi-Pathway beings with the narrower abilities of present-day Sequence 0 entities.
• Corruption and hidden manipulation: Unknown’s contamination affects Hydra, Hosenam, Yaluolan, and potentially Abner’s advancement. The characters must act without fully understanding how deeply they are being influenced.
• Knowledge as power and danger: Reaching the Wisdom Angel sequence promises the knowledge needed for godhood, but obtaining that knowledge may itself be dangerous or deliberately prevented.
• Freedom and agency: Hosenam’s wish to travel and Trissy’s decision to attend the ball both represent attempts to exercise personal choice despite supernatural control and political danger.

Character Interactions

• Hosenam explains Hydra’s history and abilities to Abner, while Abner questions the logic behind Hydra’s name and contamination.
• Yaluolan interrupts to correct Hosenam and Abner’s assumptions, creating tension between her and Hosenam, who senses something strange about her former self.
• Abner warns Hosenam about Adam’s future rise, prompting discussion of Hydra’s status as an Ancient God and the risks of Unknown.
• Hosenam and Yaluolan jointly identify Wisdom Angel as the key to Abner’s path toward godhood.
• Trissy and the Old Man have a more trusting, familiar exchange. She tests whether he will help her, and he responds by urging her to make her own decision while agreeing to conceal her aura.

Chapter Summary: “Eve of the Ball”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner brings Hosenam, the former Queen of Calamity and Elf Queen, to Fragrant Manor in Bayam, a residence he prepared for her after her escape from the Trial Temple.
• Hosenam approves of the manor’s comfort and modern facilities, though she decides not to bring Elves from Whistling Town as servants. She wants to sever herself completely from her former identity and avoid renewed contact with Elven society.
• Abner mentions Shatas, who has chosen exploration and may eventually become a Pirate Admiral despite being married to Mobet. Hosenam insists that Shatas’s future is no longer her concern.
• Abner hints at the manor’s connection to the former cooperation between the God of Luck and the Queen of Calamity. Hosenam interprets his question about staying overnight as suggestive, creating an awkward exchange.
• Abner refuses because he must attend Miss Amon’s coming-of-age ball. Hosenam then criticizes him for distrusting her and implies that she would choose him over the God of Luck—even though both identities are connected to him.
• Hosenam explains that, by abandoning the identity of the Elf Queen, she must also abandon the Elf Queen’s former emotions and attachments.
• Later, on Sunday night, Abner escorts Yaluolan, a Sage and former incarnation of Hosenam, to Miss Amon’s coming-of-age ball at Viscount Loveland’s grand residence in Empress Borough.
• Yaluolan jokes about provoking jealousy among the women connected to Abner, while Abner warns that the ball may involve danger and that many Demonesses are likely to attend.
• Yaluolan counters that she was once Hosenam and that one of the Witch Family’s founders is effectively their “daughter,” suggesting she has her own connection to the Demoness faction.
• Upon entering the lavish villa, Yaluolan immediately abandons Abner to enjoy the abundant food and wine.
• Abner’s intuition is suddenly triggered when he notices a blonde girl with a black cat watching him from the second-floor corridor. A fleeting monocle appears over her eye, strongly identifying her as Amon and foreshadowing trouble at the ball.

Character Developments

• Hosenam: Demonstrates her determination to rebuild herself independently of the Elf Queen identity. She rejects former Elven connections and claims she must discard the emotions associated with her past self. At the same time, she reveals resentment toward Abner’s suspicion and shows a more personal preference for him over the God of Luck.
• Abner: Continues to act cautiously and strategically, arranging Hosenam’s residence partly to monitor possible hidden schemes. He remains wary even while helping her establish a new life. His dry internal commentary also highlights his growing familiarity with Hosenam’s personality.
• Yaluolan: Appears playful, flirtatious, and mischievous, using exaggerated expressions and coquettish remarks to tease Abner. Despite her dangerous and powerful identity, she also displays a strong appetite and enthusiasm for human luxuries.
• Shatas: Though absent from the chapter, she is characterized as independent and adventurous, unwilling to settle into conventional married life and likely destined for a career as an explorer or pirate leader.
• Amon: Makes a silent but ominous appearance, observing Abner from above while holding a black cat. The disappearing monocle reinforces her identity and signals that the coming ball may conceal a threat.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-reinvention: Hosenam’s decision to abandon the Elf Queen’s identity raises the question of whether a person can truly separate a new self from former memories, emotions, and relationships.
• Trust and suspicion: Abner’s precautions reveal that he still fears Hosenam may possess hidden loyalties or a contingency left by the God of Luck. Hosenam recognizes this distrust and is hurt by it.
• Past selves and emotional continuity: Hosenam’s statement that she must discard not only her former title but also the Elf Queen’s feelings emphasizes the complicated relationship between identity, memory, and emotion.
• Danger beneath luxury: Both Fragrant Manor and the Loveland residence are comfortable, lavish settings, yet each conceals political, supernatural, or personal dangers.
• Humor amid tension: Flirtatious misunderstandings, teasing, and Yaluolan’s comic enthusiasm for food provide levity while the chapter builds suspense for the ball.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Hosenam: Their conversation mixes practical assistance, mutual suspicion, flirtatious misunderstanding, and emotional confrontation. Hosenam makes clear that Abner’s distrust bothers her, while Abner struggles to interpret her shifting identity and feelings.
• Hosenam and Shatas: Hosenam has formally released Shatas from her influence, while Shatas appears ready to pursue her own adventurous path.
• Abner and Yaluolan: Their banter reflects familiarity and mutual provocation. Yaluolan teases him with seductive behavior, but Abner remains guarded and reminds her that danger may be present.
• Abner and Amon: Their direct interaction has not yet occurred, but Amon’s silent observation establishes an immediate, ominous connection and sets the stage for the events of the ball.

Chapter Summary: “Soothsayer”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner and Amon engage in a subtle confrontation. Amon uses a Worm of Time to steal Abner’s thoughts, while Abner’s Eye of Wisdom destroys it and allows him to eliminate a simulated Spirit Worm that Amon attempts to assimilate.
• Although Amon is stronger, He is operating through a Sequence 3-level avatar and does not use His full power. Abner also withholds the Pure White Eye, resulting in a draw.
• Amon sends Abner a message asking to meet in the back garden after the ball. Abner suspects this is part of a larger plan rather than a genuine invitation.
• Abner identifies several dangerous guests:
  • Medea, the Black Saintess, disguised but recognizable.
  • Trissy, whose disguise is more convincing but whose hidden Eye of Wisdom reveals her identity.
  • Jossena, avatar of the Purple Saint, accompanied by Sauron-Einhorn-Medici, whose body is being controlled by an Angel-level Evil Spirit.
  • Two suspicious men associated with Viscount Loveland; one resembles Botis, while the other deliberately avoids Abner’s gaze.
• At seven o’clock, Angie Loveland’s coming-of-age ball begins. Lady Loveland publicly introduces Angie with apparent sincerity and no signs of parasitism, hypnosis, or suggestion, confusing Abner.
• Angie begins the opening dance with the handsome young man who had been avoiding Abner rather than with her father. This prompts speculation that he may be her fiancé.
• Abner dances with Yaluolan, who reveals that the young man is likely an Angel of the Monster Pathway and is deliberately avoiding Abner because directly looking at an Angel connected to the Monster Pathway could be dangerous.
• Abner and Yaluolan infer that Amon brought the Monster Pathway Angel to identify the holder of Sefirah Castle. If Klein is present, the Angel may be able to recognize him despite his concealment.
• The chapter ends with Abner realizing that the gathering contains too many powerful Beyonders, Sealed Artifacts, and fate-related beings for the event to remain stable. A disaster seems increasingly likely.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates that he can resist and counter Amon even while significantly weaker. He remains cautious, conceals his full strength, and carefully analyzes the identities and motives of the guests.
• Amon: Shows continued interest in Abner and appears to be using the ball as part of a broader scheme to locate or identify the holder of Sefirah Castle.
• Yaluolan: Acts as an informed and playful source of intelligence. She identifies the Monster Pathway Angel and enjoys maintaining an intimate, ambiguous atmosphere while sharing information with Abner.
• Angie Loveland: Becomes the center of attention during her coming-of-age ceremony. Her choice of dance partner hints that she may be connected to a hidden supernatural plan.
• Lady Loveland: Her apparently genuine, unaffected introduction of Angie contradicts Abner’s expectations and creates a new mystery.
• Sauron-Einhorn-Medici: Appears in a host body linked to an Underworld and is associated with Jossena, suggesting convergence among powerful Hunter and Demoness-related forces.
• Klein: Does not appear directly, but his possible presence is central to Amon’s suspected plan.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden identities: The ball is filled with disguised Saints, Angels, avatars, parasitized bodies, and beings concealing their true affiliations.
• Information as power: Abner, Amon, and Yaluolan all use observation, divination, and subtle tests to identify one another’s secrets.
• Convergence and fate: The gathering of Conqueror characteristics and numerous high-level Beyonders may be drawing related forces together, particularly Medici and Abner.
• Power restraint and psychological warfare: Abner and Amon’s clash is less about open combat than testing defenses, stealing information, and sending signals.
• Impending catastrophe: The concentration of Demoness, Hunter, Monster, Error, Soothsayer, and other high-level powers suggests that the ball is a dangerous convergence point where fate may soon spiral out of control.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Amon: Exchange a concealed psychic attack while appearing to flirt, establishing a tense game of mutual testing.
• Abner and Yaluolan: Dance together while discussing the suspicious young man and Amon’s possible objective. Their conversation combines strategic analysis with flirtatious physical closeness.
• Angie and the unidentified young man: Their opening dance draws attention and suggests a hidden relationship or deliberate supernatural arrangement.
• Jossena and Medici: Their apparent companionship links the Purple Saint’s faction with the powerful Hunter-pathway Evil Spirit.
• Lady Loveland and Angie: Lady Loveland publicly embraces and praises Angie despite her illegitimate status, creating uncertainty about whether she is acting freely or participating in a deeper scheme.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After dancing with Lady Yaluolan, Abner approaches the thin man accompanying the Purple Saint’s avatar, Jossena, correctly recognizing him as the Red Angel Evil Spirit composed of Sauron, Einhorn, and Medici.
• Abner confronts the entity about his presence at the ball. Medici initially responds arrogantly, but Abner intimidates him by producing powerful items, including Pale Death and the Quill of Alzuhod.
• The dominant personality shifts from Medici to Sauron, who explains that he is currently helping lead the Artificial Death God Faction of the Numinous Episcopate in Backlund. The faction has allied with Jossena to conduct a sacrificial ritual disguised as part of Beldan’s construction projects.
• Abner realizes that the ritual may be intended to sacrifice Beldan’s entire population, though Jossena has likely concealed that goal from the Numinous Episcopate.
• Sauron reveals that Medici was invited by the mysterious “Little Raven,” whom Abner suspects is Amon. Neither Sauron nor Einhorn knows the purpose of Amon’s plans.
• Abner asks whether the three Evil Spirits want to separate. Medici returns and expresses interest when Abner proposes a “surgery” capable of dividing their shared soul.
• Medici claims that such a procedure would normally require both a Nature Walker and a Beauty Goddess, apparently making it impossible because Lilith has become a god. Abner counters that he can simulate Historical Projections of both powers and potentially perform the separation himself.
• Although Medici distrusts Lilith, he tentatively agrees to trust Abner because of Abner’s past assistance to his lord during the Indo Port incident.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates increased confidence and authority as a Demigod. He remains outwardly calm while using threats and powerful artifacts to control the conversation. His concern for Beldan’s citizens also reveals that his supposed desire merely to “watch the fun” hides a protective responsibility.
• Medici retains his arrogant, aggressive personality but becomes noticeably cautious when faced with Abner’s overwhelming resources. His desire to escape the three-in-one existence is revealed, as is his limited willingness to trust Abner.
• Sauron appears more cooperative and provides important information about the alliance with Jossena. Abner also wonders whether Sauron recognizes him as Rhine Calendia.
• Einhorn remains largely silent and uninvolved, while the chapter implies that Medici is the dominant personality among the three.
• Jossena, the Purple Saint’s avatar, is shown to be pursuing a potentially catastrophic plan in Beldan while maintaining cooperation with the Artificial Death God Faction.
• Amon, referred to as “Little Raven,” becomes an increasingly suspicious unseen force whose invitation to Medici may be connected to a larger scheme.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden agendas: Jossena’s alliance conceals her possible intention to sacrifice Beldan’s population, while Amon’s motives remain unknown.
• Power and intimidation: Abner uses his status, artifacts, and ability to summon Historical Projections to force respect from an otherwise arrogant and powerful Evil Spirit.
• Identity and fragmentation: The Red Angel’s divided existence reflects the struggle among Sauron, Einhorn, and Medici, with separation offering the possibility of individual freedom.
• Trust among dangerous beings: Medici’s reluctant trust in Abner is based not on friendship but on shared history and demonstrated power.
• Responsibility beneath detachment: Although Abner claims to be observing events for entertainment, he is actually monitoring the situation to protect ordinary people.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Yaluolan share a dance, strengthening their private rapport before Abner turns his attention to the Red Angel.
• Abner and Medici engage in a tense verbal confrontation, with Medici’s arrogance repeatedly challenged by Abner’s threats.
• Sauron offers Abner information about the Numinous Episcopate and Jossena’s plans.
• Abner probes the relationship among the three Red Angel personalities and offers Medici a possible way to separate from Sauron and Einhorn.
• The exchange ends with a tentative agreement: Medici may allow Abner to attempt the soul-separating “surgery” using simulated divine powers.

Chapter Summary: “Three Conditions”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner discusses his plan to help the Red Angel Evil Spirit, Medici, separate the three entities within him—Medici, Sauron, and Einhorn.
• Medici is skeptical because the Nature Walker Abner intends to involve should have been an ancient figure who existed before the Fourth Epoch. Abner refuses to reveal his method but promises that he can arrange it with enough preparation.
• Medici gives Abner a way to contact him: by reciting the Red Angel’s Honorific Name, which is connected to the War God. The bloody mouths representing Sauron and Einhorn briefly show their displeasure.
• Medici explains that he recovered significant strength after obtaining the complete War Bishop Beyonder Characteristic contained in the armor and weapons of a Soren Family Angel. He claims he seized it during the conflict at Indo Port, though Sauron disputes his version and insists Medici was nearly defeated.
• Abner reminds Medici to maintain appearances because several Angels are present, causing Sauron and Medici to stop openly arguing.
• Medici asks what Abner wants in exchange for helping him. Abner lists three conditions:
  1. He wants the Red Priest Card of Blasphemy in Medici’s possession.
  2. Medici must complete a future task within his capabilities and swear an oath concerning it, witnessed by the True Creator.
  3. Medici must immediately reveal why Amon invited him to the banquet.
• Medici attempts to bargain over the third condition, but Sauron suddenly reveals the answer from within him. Amon told Medici that someone at the viscount’s residence would attempt to summon the True Creator’s power and would need sufficient symbols of Calamity. Medici came hoping the rumored descent would allow him to return to his Lord’s embrace.
• Sauron also reveals that Abner secretly inserted a Virtual Personality or similar influence into Sauron’s subconscious when he briefly took control, enabling Sauron to cooperate with Abner and expose Medici’s thoughts.
• Medici realizes that Abner and Sauron are unusually well coordinated and again suspects that Abner is a resurrected ancient immortal.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates confidence, manipulation, and careful preparation. He turns Medici’s attempt to bargain into a trap, using Sauron’s internal presence to obtain the information he wants without paying an additional price. His knowledge and compatibility with Sauron strengthen the impression that he has an ancient identity.
• Medici/Red Angel: Shows suspicion and cunning but is also willing to accept Abner’s terms because separating the three entities is highly valuable to him. His desire to return to the True Creator reveals a deeper spiritual loyalty and desperation.
• Sauron: Becomes an active participant rather than merely an internal rival to Medici. He exposes Medici’s thoughts, challenges his account of past events, and collaborates with Abner.
• Einhorn: Remains mostly silent, but his presence is acknowledged as one of the entities sharing control of the Red Angel.
• Amon: Appears indirectly as a manipulator who informed Medici about the possible True Creator descent while presumably concealing an additional scheme.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Nearly every character is pursuing undisclosed goals, especially Amon and Abner. Information itself becomes a bargaining tool.
• Trust and calculated cooperation: Abner and Sauron cooperate despite the dangerous circumstances, while Medici must decide whether to trust Abner’s promised solution.
• Identity and resurrection: Abner’s abilities and knowledge repeatedly raise questions about whether he is an ancient resurrected figure.
• Internal conflict and divided identity: The relationship among Medici, Sauron, and Einhorn reflects struggles over control, loyalty, and individuality within a shared vessel.
• Power through preparation: Abner’s confidence comes not from immediate strength but from foreknowledge, planning, and the ability to arrange the right conditions.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Medici negotiate directly, with Medici testing Abner’s motives and Abner imposing a three-part deal.
• Medici and Sauron argue over the Indo Port battle and who truly obtained the War Bishop characteristic.
• Abner interrupts their quarrel to preserve Medici’s public image before the other Angels.
• Sauron unexpectedly assists Abner by revealing Medici’s thoughts about Amon’s invitation.
• Medici recognizes the unusual alliance between Abner and Sauron, deepening his suspicion that Abner is an ancient, exceptionally powerful being.

Chapter Summary: “Behind the Scenes and an Invitation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner uses the Pure White Eye to inspect the guests’ Rivers of Fate, confirming that none of them are facing a major immediate calamity. He concludes that the True Creator’s impending power descent is unlikely to directly endanger the partygoers—possibly because of his own presence.
• Abner suspects that the two men accompanying Viscount Loveland are Boutis, the Aurora Order’s Secret Sorcerer, and an Angel of the Monster Pathway whom Boutis previously betrayed to Amon. He reasons that one or both may be praying for the True Creator’s power in hopes of escaping Amon’s control.
• He also considers that Amon may be deliberately provoking a confrontation with the Fool, perhaps using the True Creator’s descent to force Klein or his allies to act.
• Deciding that the situation is too dangerous to observe passively, Abner begins investigating directly.
• Abner dances with Medea, the Black Saintess, and asks her to investigate Viscount Loveland and his two mysterious companions. Medea explains that she was drawn to the mansion by an ominous aura, suggesting that the real source of danger is within the Loveland family rather than among the guests.
• In the mansion’s basement, Viscount Loveland’s wife performs a blood ritual connected to the Primordial Moon, assisted by her son, daughter-in-law, and servants. They discuss sacrificing family members and framing Angie, Loveland’s illegitimate daughter, for the crime.
• The suspected Boutis interrupts the ritual. He reveals that the viscount himself is not the true source of corruption; rather, his wife and son have fallen deeply into devotion to the “Lord.” He welcomes them as ideal sacrifices to the True Creator.
• After dancing with Medea, Abner approaches Angie Loveland—secretly an avatar of Amon—and invites her to take a walk in the back courtyard. She accepts, setting up a potentially dangerous private encounter.

Character Developments

• Abner: Shifts from cautious observer to active participant. He recognizes that Amon’s plans may have catastrophic consequences and begins gathering information and manipulating events to retain control. His invitation to Angie shows that he is willing to confront Amon directly despite the personal danger.
• Medea, the Black Saintess: Demonstrates both her supernatural instincts and her willingness to cooperate with Abner. She identifies the ominous aura in the mansion and agrees to interrogate the Lovelands and their guests in exchange for a reward.
• Amon: Remains elusive and manipulative. His possible plan to use the True Creator’s descent to draw out the Fool is inferred rather than confirmed. Through Angie’s avatar, he continues observing Abner with apparent amusement.
• The Loveland family: The viscountess and her son are exposed as secret, fanatical followers involved in blood sacrifice and a plan to eliminate rivals while blaming Angie. Their apparent respectability contrasts sharply with their corruption.
• Boutis: Appears openly devoted to the True Creator and views the corrupted Lovelands as valuable sacrifices. His entrance transforms the hidden ritual into an immediate confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Hidden corruption beneath respectable society: The elegant ball conceals ritual murder, religious fanaticism, and supernatural conspiracies.
• Manipulation and counter-manipulation: Amon, Boutis, Abner, and the Loveland family all pursue hidden agendas, making it difficult to determine who is controlling events.
• The danger of passive observation: Abner realizes that treating the unfolding crisis as entertainment could allow it to become a tragedy, prompting him to act.
• Sacrifice and twisted redemption: The Lovelands view blood sacrifice as service to their god, while Boutis presents surrender to the True Creator as spiritual salvation.
• Identity and appearances: Public roles—nobles, socialites, guests, and family members—mask secret identities, allegiances, and supernatural purposes.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Medici: Abner ends their discussion to pursue a more active investigation. Medici privately wonders whether Abner’s popularity with Demonesses suggests a connection to the resurrected Trunsoest.
• Abner and Medea: Their dance serves as a discreet negotiation. Abner requests information, while Medea teasingly asks what reward she will receive.
• The Loveland family and Boutis: Boutis exposes their corruption and declares them worthy sacrifices, turning their secret ritual against them.
• Abner and Angie/Amon: Abner deliberately invites Angie to a private conversation, while Amon accepts with an unreadable smile, signaling the beginning of a tense strategic exchange.

Chapter Summary: “Alliance”

Plot and events

During the ball, Viscount Beldan publicly invites “Miss Angie Loveland”—Amon in disguise—to walk in the garden. The guests interpret the invitation as scandalous and gossip about Amon’s supposed lack of aristocratic refinement. Once alone, Abner demands to know why Amon arranged the meeting and what he is planning at the ball. Amon jokingly threatens to frighten the gossiping guests, then reveals that his primary purpose is to propose an alliance with Abner.

Amon’s proposal

Amon explains that he initially intended to eliminate Abner using the abilities of the “Trojan Horse of Fate,” but those powers proved ineffective because of the support Abner can access in Backlund. Since neither side has suffered a decisive loss and both are interested in locating Sefirah Castle, Amon suggests cooperation. He identifies Zaratul and the Loen Royal Family as their shared enemies: Zaratul is Abner’s rival for the Attendant of Mysteries position, while Amon needs the Royal Family’s apotheosis ritual. He offers to help Abner kill Zaratul if Abner helps him replace Zaratul during George III’s ritual.

Character developments

• Abner remains highly suspicious and refuses to accept Amon’s words at face value. He recognizes that Amon’s apparently reasonable explanation likely conceals a deeper deception. Abner also reveals his strategic sophistication through his past manipulation of Zaratul and the Royal Family using Sealed Artifact 0-08.
• Amon displays his usual playfulness, theatricality, and confidence, but also shows pragmatic flexibility. Unable to overcome Abner directly, he shifts from opposition to negotiation. His disguise and flirtatious behavior emphasize his talent for deception and mischief.

Character interactions

The encounter is a battle of verbal maneuvering rather than open conflict. Amon tries to control the conversation through teasing, charm, and selective honesty, while Abner repeatedly redirects him toward concrete answers. Although Amon presents the alliance as mutually beneficial, Abner understands that his proposal is probably built on lies or partial truths.

Significant themes

• Deception and mistrust: Even sincere-sounding statements from Amon are treated as potential traps.
• Temporary alliances: Shared enemies and overlapping goals can unite opponents who remain fundamentally distrustful of each other.
• Power and strategy: Both characters rely on information, manipulation, and long-term planning rather than direct confrontation.
• Public appearance versus reality: The ball’s social gossip and Amon’s feminine disguise contrast sharply with the dangerous negotiations taking place beneath the surface.
  The chapter ends with Abner challenging Amon’s logic: if powerful allies already stand behind him, why does he need Amon’s help against Zaratul?

Chapter Summary: “Sacrifice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner and Amon formally establish a loose alliance. Neither trusts the other enough to use a binding contract, but both recognize that their reputations and mutual interests give the agreement some practical force.
• Abner analyzes Amon’s motives for arranging the gathering:
  1. Amon wanted the Conqueror characteristic obtained by the Demoness Sect, likely intending to trade it to the Red Angel as both a transaction and compensation.
  2. He hoped the gathering would attract the holder of Sefirah Castle through the influence of Fate.
  3. He planned to use the True Creator’s power and the resulting chaos to draw out that person.
• Amon confirms much of Abner’s reasoning, but explains that summoning the True Creator also served as a gesture of sincerity toward Abner. The Loveland household was largely corrupted by the Primordial Moon, making its members suitable sacrifices, and the crisis would further enhance Abner’s reputation as a heroic problem-solver.
• Abner suspects Amon has an additional goal: provoking a situation that might force Pallez to act and expose himself, especially since the gathering of Abner and Amon could potentially attract both the Fool and Pallez.
• The Black Saintess reports that the Secret Supplicant has captured Viscount Loveland’s family during an evil ritual and completed a sacrifice to the True Creator.
• A heavy, supernatural curtain descends over the manor, filling the ballroom with an oppressive aura that paralyzes and terrifies the guests.
• As panic spreads, a black cat with a white ring around one eye appears on the second-floor railing and fixes its attention on a young girl, implying that a major confrontation or revelation is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates increased caution and analytical ability. He openly admits that he does not trust Amon while still recognizing the strategic value of cooperating with him.
• Amon presents himself as more pragmatic and politically minded than in the original storyline. His hardships and setbacks appear to have encouraged him to form alliances rather than rely entirely on domination or manipulation.
• Amon and Abner establish a relationship based not on trust, but on mutual calculation, reputation, and temporary shared objectives.
• Pallez remains offscreen but becomes increasingly important. Abner anticipates that concern for his host may force him to reveal his presence or abilities.
• The Black Saintess acts as an active operative, investigating the sacrifice and communicating the developing crisis to Abner.

Significant Themes

• Alliance without trust: The chapter explores cooperation between dangerous individuals who expect betrayal but still recognize the usefulness of an agreement.
• Manipulation and layered motives: Amon’s plan contains multiple purposes, and Abner must continually distinguish between the motives Amon reveals and those he keeps hidden.
• Sacrifice and moral compromise: The corrupted Loveland household is treated as expendable, raising questions about whether sacrificing evil people can be justified for a greater purpose.
• Reputation as power: Abner’s public image as a heroic figure is itself a strategic asset, and Amon deliberately uses the crisis to strengthen it.
• Fate and attraction: The gathering is designed to draw powerful hidden figures into the same location, suggesting that supernatural forces, destiny, and calculated manipulation are intertwined.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Amon: They exchange symbolic flowers while declaring “happy cooperation,” creating a deliberately informal alliance. Their conversation consists of mutual probing, with Abner dissecting Amon’s scheme and Amon revealing only as much as he chooses.
• Abner and the Black Saintess: She provides crucial information through their communication device, confirming that the ritual and sacrifice have occurred.
• Amon and the Red Angel: Though the Red Angel is not directly present in the conversation, Amon’s plan involves using the Conqueror characteristic as both a trade and compensation connected to him.
• Abner and Pallez: Their interaction has not yet occurred, but Abner’s concern that Pallez may act to protect his host creates an impending source of tension.
• The black cat and the young girl: The cat’s sudden appearance and focused gaze suggest recognition, surveillance, or the beginning of a targeted confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “A Petty Amon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A black-cat avatar of Amon observes Trissy being taken into the Mystery Realm. He senses Zaratul, Pallez, and possibly the Loen Royal Family’s involvement, but chooses not to intervene because confronting Pallez and the Demoness would be too risky.
• In the garden, Angie Loveland uses a rose as part of a ritual to reveal a Mystic Saint who has accepted the True Creator’s power. She presents this as proof of her sincerity in forming an alliance with Abner.
• Amon explains that he manipulated events so that Botis, rather than the Soothsayer, would receive the True Creator’s response. His Trojan Horse of Fate blocked normal prayers, leaving Botis vulnerable to a chance response from the True Creator.
• The presence of Demonesses, Medici, and Angie’s Fallen aura increased the likelihood that the True Creator would notice the ritual.
• Amon asks Abner to provide testimony that Angie spent the evening innocently with him and knew nothing about the ritual. Abner agrees, though he suspects Amon has ulterior motives for preserving Angie’s identity.
• Amon then reveals that he has been recording the attendees’ disgraceful behavior with advanced cameras, ensuring that his retaliation against those who insulted him will have lasting consequences.
• In the basement, Botis completes the Sacrifice and receives the True Creator’s power. His mind is nearly destroyed by the divine influence, but he manages to free himself from Amon’s control.
• When Abner confronts him, Botis uses the True Creator’s “Fallen” Authority. Abner deliberately allows himself to appear defeated, revealing that the scene is only a dream.
• Abner summons a strange one-legged child from the Historical Void. The child recognizes the situation and prepares to use “Restart,” setting up the next stage of the confrontation.

Character Developments

• Amon: Demonstrates his trademark manipulation and long-term planning. He carefully controls the ritual, Botis’s prayers, the public narrative, and even the evidence of the attendees’ behavior. His desire to preserve Angie’s identity suggests another undisclosed plan.
• Abner: Remains highly suspicious of Amon and recognizes that nearly every action may conceal a deeper deception. Rather than interrupting the ritual, he chooses to let Botis complete it so the Mystic Saint will become easier to defeat afterward.
• Botis: Gains immense power from the True Creator but loses most of his rationality and self-control. His hatred of Abner remains strong, yet his impaired mind prevents him from recognizing obvious traps.
• Angie Loveland/Trissy: Angie serves as the apparent intermediary for the alliance, while Trissy is secretly extracted into the Mystery Realm. Their situations highlight the complicated schemes involving Amon, Pallez, Zaratul, and the Loen Royal Family.
• The mysterious child: Reappears as an unusual but powerful ally capable of using “Restart,” implying that the battle may be altered or reset.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and layered deception: Amon’s plans operate on several levels, making even his “help” and explanations potentially misleading.
• The danger of divine power: Botis receives the power he seeks, but the True Creator’s influence nearly destroys his mind, showing that divine assistance comes at an enormous cost.
• Identity and reputation: Amon’s insistence on preserving Angie’s identity and recording the attendees’ disgrace reflects the importance of public narratives and social masks.
• Fate and probability: Amon manipulates luck and the possible paths of Fate to force the True Creator’s attention toward Botis.
• Appearance versus reality: Abner’s apparent defeat is only an illusion, while seemingly innocent actions—such as recording a party—become weapons in Amon’s larger scheme.

Character Interactions

• Amon and Abner: Their alliance is built on mutual usefulness and constant suspicion. Amon openly boasts about his schemes, while Abner analyzes every statement for hidden motives.
• Abner and Angie: Angie offers Abner evidence of her sincerity, but their interaction is also part of Amon’s broader attempt to shape Abner’s understanding of events.
• Amon and Botis: Amon’s control over Botis’s prayers and mind demonstrates how thoroughly he has manipulated the Mystic Saint before the ritual.
• Abner and Botis: Their confrontation is driven by Botis’s hatred of “Alvin Abraham.” Botis attacks with the True Creator’s Authority, but Abner counters through deception and preparation.
• Pallez, Trissy, and the unseen factions: Trissy’s disappearance reveals cooperation between Pallez and Zaratul, with possible involvement from the Loen Royal Family, expanding the chapter’s political and supernatural intrigue.

Chapter Summary: “Coincidence?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner, disguised as Alvin Abraham, uses the True Creator’s power to forcibly “restart” Mystic Saint Botis, erasing the recorded Authority of Fallen from Botis’s body.
• Once freed from the True Creator’s influence, Botis realizes the danger and immediately flees through the Spirit World. Abner deliberately lets him escape after secretly smearing Botis’s blood onto Groselle’s Travels, preparing to track or manipulate him.
• Botis is unexpectedly diverted into Miracle City, Liveseyd, near the entrance to the Chaos Sea. There, he encounters the real Alvin Abraham.
• Alvin easily defeats Botis in the confined environment and turns him into a Marionette, despite Botis possessing the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, the Box of the Great Old Ones.
• Alvin inventories Botis’s belongings, considering:
  • Returning the Box of the Great Old Ones to the Abraham Family in exchange for the Scroll of God.
  • Eventually extracting Botis’s Secrets Sorcerer characteristic for Fors.
  • Using or selling the nine Star Worms.
  • Selling the Traveler’s Bag and other materials.
  • Potentially “renting” Botis’s Marionette to Klein.
• Alvin returns to the real world and hands the spoils to Yaluolan, who had been monitoring events at the manor.
• Elsewhere, Red Angel Medici and a Soothsayer escape the pressure of Sauron and Einhorn. Medici orders the Soothsayer to contact the True Creator, but the Soothsayer is revealed to be an Amon Avatar.
• Amon attempts to negotiate with Medici, offering information about a Conqueror characteristic in exchange for knowledge about Abner Braine’s background. Before the exchange can occur, Amon suddenly vanishes.
• At the same time, Miss Angie Amon Loveland realizes that every attempt to investigate Alvin’s secret mysteriously fails. She wonders whether this is due to Alvin’s powerful concealment methods—or a “coincidence” deliberately created by someone.

Character Developments

• Abner/Alvin: Demonstrates careful planning and strategic restraint. Rather than fight Botis directly while disguised, he uses Botis’s own escape to lure him into Alvin’s prepared territory. His successful capture of Botis yields valuable artifacts and resources.
• Mystic Saint Botis: Shifts from a powerful, controlled servant of the True Creator to a frightened fugitive, then becomes Alvin’s Marionette. His defeat emphasizes the overwhelming difference between a prepared Angel and a Demigod.
• Alvin Abraham: Appears as an exceptionally dominant and efficient Miracle Invoker, effortlessly subduing Botis and securing the dangerous Box of the Great Old Ones.
• Amon: Continues investigating Abner and Alvin, showing particular interest in the connection between them. His playful interaction with Medici gives way to frustration when his investigation is abruptly interrupted.
• Medici: Remains antagonistic and sarcastic toward Amon but is willing to negotiate when offered information about a Conqueror characteristic. He also begins to suspect that Abner is far more unusual than he appears.
• Angie Amon Loveland: Develops growing suspicion about Alvin’s hidden nature after repeatedly encountering inexplicable failures while probing his secrets.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus direct confrontation: Abner succeeds because he plans several steps ahead, using Botis’s blood, Alvin’s prepared location, and hidden allies rather than relying on brute force.
• Identity and deception: Abner’s disguise, Alvin’s true location, Amon’s possession of the Soothsayer, and the uncertainty surrounding Alvin’s origins all reinforce the chapter’s focus on hidden identities.
• Power and control: Botis’s transformation from an autonomous saint into a Marionette illustrates the vulnerability of lower-level Beyonders before a fully prepared Angel.
• Dangerous artifacts and responsibility: The Box of the Great Old Ones is too hazardous to keep casually, prompting Alvin to consider returning it to the Abraham Family for proper containment.
• Coincidence and hidden causality: The ending questions whether Alvin’s repeated escapes from investigation are merely luck or the result of a deliberate, supernatural force manipulating events.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Botis: Abner manipulates Botis into fleeing, then allows Alvin to capture and control him.
• Alvin and Botis: Alvin treats Botis as a subordinate after turning him into a Marionette and examines his possessions.
• Medici and Amon: Their exchange is mocking and hostile but contains an offer of cooperation. Medici jokes about their shared past, while Amon bluntly pursues information about Abner.
• Amon and Sauron/Einhorn: Amon seeks to question them about Abner, offering a Conqueror characteristic as leverage, but disappears before the negotiation can happen.
• Amon and Alvin: Though they do not directly meet in the chapter, Amon’s repeated failure to uncover Alvin’s secret establishes an increasingly important hidden conflict between them.

Chapter Summary: “Before the Tarot Club”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Viscount Loveland’s residence in Empress Borough, Soest and the Church of Evernight’s Red Gloves investigate the aftermath of the attempted descent of an evil god.
• The investigation uncovers a ritual blood pool and many bones, confirming that the Loveland family had conducted long-term sacrifices to the Primordial Moon. The victims’ souls appear to have been offered directly, leaving no Dead Spirits or Wraiths behind.
• The investigators debate whether the Loveland family served two evil gods. According to Viscount Braine’s testimony, the family worshiped the Primordial Moon, while the newly hired bodyguard and secretary—believed to be connected to the Aurora Order—sacrificed them to obtain the True Creator’s power.
• Cindy questions Braine’s reliability, suspecting that his relationship with Miss Loveland may have influenced his testimony. Archbishop Saint Anthony confirms that Braine is trusted by the Goddess and was personally taken away by Her Highness Arianna, but clarifies that this only proves Braine’s account is reliable—not that the Loveland family itself is entirely innocent.
• The guests from the ball are screened. None appear to have been harmed or obviously corrupted, though they experienced overwhelming terror when the True Creator’s power descended. The investigators suspect Viscount Braine used an extraordinary ability, possibly a “Courage Aura,” to restore their courage after defeating the Mystic Saint.
• Guests who left early or failed to attend remain detained while the Church investigates whether they were accomplices. Despite finding multiple irregularities, Soest’s team discovers no further leads and returns to St. Samuel Cathedral.
• The following morning, Audrey reads a newspaper report about the incident. The article identifies the hero who resolved it as Viscount Beldan and includes blurred but embarrassing photographs of terrified female guests. Earl Hall, a major shareholder of the newspaper, is furious that such images were published.
• Audrey assumes the incident was merely another matter handled by Mr. The Tower, then prepares Roselle’s Diary for the afternoon Tarot Club meeting.
• The chapter ends as the Tarot Club begins, with Audrey greeting Mr. Fool.

Character Developments

• Soest acts as a careful and professional investigator, weighing conflicting explanations and following Church procedure. He remains open to the possibility that the official account is incomplete.
• Cindy shows strong skepticism toward noble testimony and demonstrates an independent, investigative mindset by questioning Viscount Braine’s motives.
• Archbishop Saint Anthony provides crucial authority and clarification. He confirms Braine’s special status while warning that innocence regarding this particular incident does not make the Loveland family wholly blameless.
• Viscount Braine/Viscount Beldan is indirectly portrayed as highly capable and favored by the Goddess. His defeat of the Mystic Saint and possible use of a courage-enhancing ability become central to the Church’s understanding of the event.
• Audrey remains calm and detached from the incident, viewing it as something handled by Mr. The Tower. Her focus is instead on preserving and memorizing Roselle’s Diary for the Tarot Club.
• Earl Hall reveals his influence as a newspaper shareholder and his concern with the publication’s standards and reputation.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus official narratives: The investigators question whether noble testimony can be trusted, emphasizing the difficulty of uncovering the truth behind supernatural and political incidents.
• Partial innocence and moral ambiguity: Saint Anthony distinguishes between being uninvolved in one crime and being completely innocent, suggesting that the Loveland family may still harbor other wrongdoing.
• Institutional investigation and secrecy: The Church’s methodical search, continued detention of witnesses, and cautious conclusions reflect the secrecy and complexity surrounding supernatural organizations.
• The contrast between horror and social appearance: The ritual sacrifices and evil-god descent are juxtaposed with embarrassed aristocratic guests, newspaper scandals, makeup, and social reputation.
• Power hidden beneath ordinary society: A noble residence, a ball, and a newspaper report conceal struggles involving evil gods, secret organizations, and extraordinary powers.

Character Interactions

• Soest and Cindy debate the reliability of Viscount Braine’s testimony, with Cindy challenging the official explanation and Soest responding cautiously.
• Soest, Cindy, and Bob piece together the roles of the Loveland family, the Primordial Moon, the True Creator, and the suspected Mystic Saint.
• Saint Anthony and the Red Gloves discuss Braine’s trustworthiness and the need to continue investigating the Lovelands despite their apparent lack of involvement in the specific incident.
• The Church investigators collectively assess the guests’ reactions and consider whether Braine used an ability to restore their courage.
• Audrey and Earl Hall discuss the newspaper report, with Audrey treating the matter lightly while her father reacts angrily to the publication of humiliating photographs.
• Audrey and Susie silently coordinate their preparations for the Tarot Club, demonstrating their close understanding and routine cooperation.
• The chapter closes with Audrey greeting Mr. Fool, transitioning from the worldly aftermath of the incident to the secret gathering of the Tarot Club.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tarot Club meeting begins, with Klein greeting the members as “The Fool.”
• Audrey observes that Cattleya appears unusually anxious. She speculates that the concern may involve Queen Mystic, though Abner—who has secretly planted an “eye” aboard the Future—knows Cattleya is more likely troubled by:
  • Frank’s reckless plan to advance to Druid by directly consuming a Beyonder Characteristic without completing the required ritual.
  • The worsening condition of the Artisan Sharf, whose spirit body has developed into a disturbing “conjoined twin.”
• Abner confirms through the River of Fate that Frank and Sharf’s problems are still dormant and will not erupt immediately.
• Audrey submits three genuine pages of Roselle’s Diary to Klein. The pages were obtained through the Psychology Alchemists, though Abner was ultimately responsible for supplying them.
• In exchange, Audrey asks whether the lower-sequence Beyonder Characteristics within a higher-level Characteristic can be separated. She hopes to use the resulting materials for herself, Susie, and Escalante.
• Klein explains that an Unshadowed—or an appropriate Sealed Artifact—can perform the separation.
• Cattleya provides no diary pages this time because Bernadette is currently occupied exploring the Spectral Empire rather than pursuing new diary entries.
• Klein reads Roselle’s diary, which describes Roselle’s attempt to recreate Dragon Balls and Shenron using the Knowledge Emperor’s authority. Although the wish-granting process worked, the resurrected beings were only monsters or empty shells. Roselle concludes that the Knowledge Emperor alone cannot overcome contamination and considers using Zaratul’s or Liu Bo’s power to resurrect separated avatars.
• Klein suspects Roselle’s proposed solution may have eventually become the Dream Labyrinth Tower.

2. Character Developments

• Audrey demonstrates increasingly refined psychological insight by accurately reading Cattleya’s emotional state and forming a detailed profile of her personality.
• Audrey’s desire to help Susie and Escalante shows her growing sense of responsibility toward those under her protection. She is also actively planning future advancement rather than focusing only on her own needs.
• Cattleya is portrayed as capable and experienced but emotionally vulnerable beneath her calm exterior. Her dependence on Queen Mystic’s protection and her instinctive sympathy for abandoned or mistreated people are emphasized.
• Abner continues operating behind the scenes, influencing the Tarot Club’s information flow while monitoring dangerous situations involving Frank and Sharf.
• Klein maintains his role as the seemingly omniscient Fool, answering questions through information previously supplied by Abner and privately recognizing that Queen Mystic’s absence is probably connected to Abner.
• Roselle, through the diary, is shown as ambitious and inventive but increasingly aware that resurrection and contamination involve forces beyond simple knowledge or wish fulfillment.

3. Significant Themes

• Protection and abandonment: Audrey’s interpretation of Cattleya highlights how past reliance on protection can create an underlying longing for care, while also motivating empathy toward those who have been discarded.
• The dangers of advancement: Frank’s willingness to skip the proper ritual and directly consume a Characteristic reflects the risks of pursuing power without respecting mystical rules.
• Identity and resurrection: Roselle’s experiments reveal that restoring a body or recreating a person is not equivalent to restoring the true individual. Contamination and spiritual integrity remain unresolved obstacles.
• Knowledge versus true power: The Knowledge Emperor’s authority can create convincing phenomena, such as the Dragon Balls and Shenron, but cannot by itself produce genuine resurrection or escape contamination.
• Hidden influence and information networks: Abner’s concealed actions, Klein’s borrowed knowledge, and Bernadette’s independent investigations show how much of the Tarot Club’s strength comes from secrets, surveillance, and indirect cooperation.

4. Character Interactions

• Audrey interacts with the entire Tarot Club by submitting Roselle’s diary pages to Klein and requesting his guidance.
• Klein and Audrey conduct an implicit exchange: she provides valuable historical information, and he answers her question about separating Beyonder Characteristics.
• Audrey silently studies Cattleya and uses her psychological knowledge to interpret Cattleya’s behavior, though she does not confront her directly.
• Abner observes both Cattleya’s hidden troubles and the wider situation aboard the Future, remaining an unseen influence on the meeting.
• Klein notices Cattleya’s silence and connects it to Queen Mystic, while also suspecting Abner’s involvement.
• Roselle’s diary creates a conceptual interaction between his past experiments and Klein’s present understanding, as Klein recognizes a possible connection between Roselle’s resurrection plan and the Dream Labyrinth Tower.

Chapter Summary: “Clearance Sale”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein reviews three diary pages linked to Roselle (Old Huang) and the creation of the Dream Labyrinth Tower.
• The diary reveals that Roselle created “Dragon Balls” modeled after those from his former world. Their wishes failed, but the objects had horrifying side effects:
  • They fused with the wisher’s body.
  • The wisher became pregnant with seven children, regardless of sex or circumstances.
  • The children lived only until age eighteen, then died and transformed into new Dragon Balls.
• Roselle eventually recognized that these negative effects were not accidental. He believed they were a warning connected to something he had encountered on the moon.
• The final entry suggests Roselle had been contaminated or influenced by a lunar entity, but still believed Earth possessed beings capable of opposing it.
• Klein speculates that Roselle’s contamination caused the Dragon Balls’ consequences and wonders whether Roselle intended to rely on a “Sefirah” or other powerful existence for salvation.
• Klein decides to privately question Mr. Tower about what Roselle discovered, then begins the Tarot Club meeting.
• Through the World, Klein holds a “clearance sale” of Beyonder items obtained from a pirate fleet. Justice, the Hermit, and the Hanged Man purchase practical items such as Jumping Match, Bullet Stamp, Spirit Vision Glasses, and Pleasure Threads.
• Abner offers Klein the rental of a powerful Marionette: Botis, the Sequence 4 Secrets Sorcerer and former Mystic Saint of the Aurora Order.
• Despite the steep price—10,000 Gold Pounds per month, with three months paid in advance—Klein accepts immediately because the Marionette will significantly improve his combat and survival abilities.

Character Developments

• Klein: Gains deeper insight into Roselle’s lunar encounter and recognizes the possible cosmic threat behind the Dragon Balls. He also demonstrates growing financial power and strategic judgment by acquiring Botis’s Marionette without bargaining.
• Roselle: Is revealed to have realized that his creations reflected a much greater contamination or warning. Despite fear and confusion, he remained determined to find a way to resist the lunar entity.
• Abner/Mr. Tower: Shows his usual shrewdness and generosity by offering Klein an extremely valuable resource at a price that is costly but reasonable. His ability to obtain Botis confirms his extraordinary strength and influence.
• Tarot Club members: Their reactions highlight how far the group has advanced. They are increasingly accustomed to discussing Saints, Demigods, and powerful Beyonder items, even though some members remain far below that level.
• Cattleya: Is deeply impressed by the Tower’s apparent ability to defeat a powerful Saint backed by the True Creator.
• Alger: Feels self-deprecatingly aware of the gap between his current Sequence and the Tarot Club’s increasingly elevated dealings.
• Leonard: Remains relatively calm because he already knows the Tower’s unusual background, though he reflects on how ordinary Saints have become insignificant within the club’s discussions.
• Justice: Displays strong enthusiasm for the sale, purchasing the most items while trying to leave opportunities for the other members.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of uncontrolled creation: Roselle’s Dragon Balls demonstrate that even seemingly miraculous inventions can carry terrifying, hidden consequences.
• Contamination and cosmic horror: The diary implies that Roselle’s creations were affected by an entity or force connected to the moon, expanding the threat beyond ordinary supernatural dangers.
• Hope amid despair: Although Roselle realizes the severity of his situation, he continues searching for a means of resistance and believes Earth has powers capable of fighting back.
• Power and escalation: The Tarot Club’s transactions show its rapid rise in influence, with high-level Beyonder items and Saints becoming tradable assets.
• Practicality and survival: Klein’s decision to rent Botis reflects his increasingly calculated approach to power, resources, and concealment.

Character Interactions

• Klein internally connects Roselle’s diary revelations to his own fear that the Dragon Balls might once have offered him a way home.
• He plans to question Mr. Tower privately about Roselle, showing his reliance on the Tower’s knowledge.
• The World sells items to Justice, the Hermit, and the Hanged Man, strengthening the Tarot Club’s resource network.
• Abner directly negotiates with Klein, offering Botis’s Marionette and securing a lucrative agreement.
• The other Tarot Club members react with shock and admiration to the revelation that Abner possesses the Marionette of an Aurora Order Saint, underscoring the widening gap between ordinary members and the club’s strongest figures.

Chapter Summary: “Abner’s Reminder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner reveals that he has already sold the Traveler’s Bag to Closia, the Sanguine known as Sloth, before the Tarot Club gathering. He will not sell it again because most members have spent their money on Beyonder items.
• During the Tarot Club’s trading and discussion segment, Emlyn reports that a duke from his clan assigned him to locate Primordial Moon believers hiding in Backlund. He explains that the information provided to him was deliberately incomplete, placing him in serious danger.
• Emlyn survived by using a recorded Demigod ability from Fors’s Travel Notes and benefiting from the unexpected mobilization of the Nighthawks. He apologizes for exhausting the recorded ability and promises to repay Fors in Gold Pounds.
• Emlyn plans to retaliate against the Sanguine who endangered him, but he does not want the person killed. He intends to lure the culprit into an Earth Mother Church, where Sanguines may be converted into clergy and kept under religious supervision.
• The other Tarot Club members help refine Emlyn’s plan. Audrey offers assistance while warning Emlyn not to get trapped in the church himself. Leonard privately realizes that Emlyn is already associated with Harvest Church, making the plan ironically similar to Emlyn’s own situation.
• Under Alger’s guidance, the members finalize the operation. Alger’s involvement also helps him further establish his role and “positioning” within the Tarot Club.
• After the meeting ends, only Abner and Klein remain. Abner warns Klein that Amon may investigate the list of people invited to but absent from the recent coming-of-age ball, since the Nighthawks likely possess the records.
• Abner explains that at least six Angels were present at the ball and tells Klein about the events there, including his deliberately insincere alliance with Amon.
• Klein asks how a Marionette can be transferred. Abner explains that the Error card can use the power of the Gray Fog to “steal” Botis away, noting that this is one of Amon’s characteristic abilities. He warns Klein not to leave Marionettes unattended.

Character Developments

• Emlyn White: Shows greater tactical awareness and responsibility despite his usual arrogance. He openly accepts responsibility for Fors’s lost ability and offers repayment rather than making excuses. His wish to punish, rather than kill, the Sanguine who tested him suggests restraint and growing maturity.
• Fors: Demonstrates practical generosity by accepting Emlyn’s repayment plan without pressing him, while becoming intrigued by his elaborate revenge scheme.
• Audrey: Continues to show concern for the safety of others and offers help, though her innocent interpretation of Emlyn’s plan unintentionally exposes how much she does not know about his connection to Harvest Church.
• Leonard: Recognizes Emlyn’s hidden identity and finds the situation amusing. He also reflects on Klein’s increasingly inscrutable behavior and wonders whether it is a result of Klein’s Clown abilities or his personal growth.
• Klein: Enjoys Emlyn’s unexpected plan while maintaining his usual composure. He remains focused on the larger dangers surrounding Amon and seeks practical knowledge about Marionettes.
• Abner: Acts as a knowledgeable protector and adviser to Klein, warning him about Amon and explaining advanced uses of the Error card and Gray Fog. His secret alliance with Amon is revealed to Klein as intentionally deceptive.
• Alger: Takes on a stronger coordinating role within the Tarot Club, guiding the group toward a finalized plan and improving his standing among the members.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden identities: Emlyn conceals his connection to Harvest Church, Abner maintains a false alliance with Amon, and Klein and the other members continue operating through secret identities and coded language.
• Power and responsibility: Emlyn must deal with the consequences of using Fors’s recorded Demigod ability, while Abner emphasizes the danger of leaving powerful Marionettes unsecured.
• Manipulation and retaliation: Emlyn’s plan turns religious conversion into a form of punishment, while Amon’s ability to “steal” Marionettes highlights the threat of manipulation and loss of control.
• Growing cooperation: The Tarot Club functions increasingly like an organized team, with members contributing specialized knowledge and Alger guiding the group’s strategy.
• Humor amid danger: The serious threats surrounding Angels and Amon are contrasted with the absurdity of Emlyn trying to lure another Sanguine into the very church where he himself is already involved.

Character Interactions

• Emlyn apologizes to Fors for exhausting her recorded Demigod ability, and she tacitly accepts his promise to repay her.
• Audrey questions Emlyn about his revenge plan and offers assistance, unknowingly touching on his secret relationship with Harvest Church.
• Fors reacts enthusiastically to the idea of imprisoning and reforming the offending Sanguine.
• Leonard silently recognizes the irony of Emlyn’s plan and observes Klein’s controlled reaction.
• The Tarot Club members collectively develop Emlyn’s operation, with Alger providing the final strategic direction.
• Abner privately warns Klein about Amon and reveals details of the coming-of-age ball, strengthening their confidential partnership.
• Klein asks Abner about transferring Marionettes, and Abner gives him both the solution and a warning about Amon’s signature methods.

Chapter Summary: “Castle Trial”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner meets with Klein and discusses Roselle’s mysterious situation on the moon. Although Abner lacks concrete information, he suspects that Reinhardt’s Observer Castle may contain clues.
• Abner explains that the castle is likely one of the conditions needed to recreate the mysterious ritual performed eleven years earlier, based on the Secrecy analyzed from five survivors.
• After returning to reality, Abner travels to the Hot Spring Resort and meets Greed Xenia and Sloth Closia.
• Abner gives Closia a specially crafted Traveler’s Knapsack made with Star Worms. Rather than requesting money, he asks permission to study Flar, also known as Miss Plant, because he suspects that Lamia’s influence may have caused abnormalities connected to Abomination Suah.
• Closia agrees to ask Flar for consent after their expedition, emphasizing that Flar must decide for herself. Abner promises not to force her.
• As compensation, Closia gives Abner a grayish-white scale containing one of her Personality Avatars. Activating it allows the user to assume another identity so completely that others recognize them as that person.
• Abner, Closia, and Xenia travel to Rustin Town near the Antares Mountain Range to eat before the Full Moon rises and their exploration begins.
• They discover that the town is crowded with young nobles, attendants, and bodyguards from powerful Northern Region families.
• After investigating, Closia learns that Reinhardt’s castle has become the site of a “Castle Trial,” where noble heirs train and obtain Beyonder items.

Character Developments

• Abner continues investigating the moon incident, Roselle, the ancient ritual, and the dangers surrounding Lamia and Miss Plant. His careful request to Closia shows both his strategic thinking and his respect for Flar’s autonomy.
• Klein remains involved in the larger mystery, receiving reminders and information from Abner, though the two still lack a clear explanation for Roselle’s condition.
• Closia demonstrates her affection and protectiveness toward Flar, whom she treats as another daughter. She also shows trust in Abner by considering his request and rewarding him fairly.
• Xenia continues to act respectfully toward Abner because of her connection to Adam, though she remains a quiet participant in the chapter.
• Flar/Miss Plant becomes more important to Abner’s investigation because of her shared essence with Lamia, though her own consent remains central.
• The appearance of numerous noble youths suggests that Reinhardt’s castle and its trials may play an important role in the coming events.

Significant Themes

• Investigation and hidden conspiracies: The chapter advances mysteries involving Roselle, the moon, Lamia, Suah, and the ritual from eleven years earlier.
• Consent and respect: Abner could potentially approach Flar directly, but he deliberately asks Closia first and agrees that Flar must choose whether to participate.
• Identity and disguise: Closia’s Personality Avatar highlights the importance of masks, false identities, and supernatural manipulation.
• Power and social privilege: The Castle Trial has become a training ground where noble families compete for supernatural resources and Beyonder items.
• Trust and exchange: The trade between Abner and Closia is based not merely on money but on mutual respect, favors, and carefully negotiated compensation.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Klein discuss the significance of Observer Castle and its possible connection to the past ritual.
• Abner negotiates with Closia over the Traveler’s Knapsack and asks to study Flar. Closia questions his intentions but ultimately agrees to seek Flar’s permission.
• Closia compensates Abner with a Personality Avatar scale, showing that she does not want the exchange to be one-sided.
• Abner, Closia, and Xenia cooperate while traveling to Rustin Town and gathering information.
• Closia mentally interrogates a young noble to discover the purpose of the crowd: Reinhardt’s castle is hosting the “Castle Trial,” setting up the chapter’s next major conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Infiltration”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Closia’s information reveals that the Castle Trial has been held roughly every twelve years in the Antares Mountain Range for about a century.
• The trial is open only to young nobles from the Northern Region who are either ordinary people with knightly training or Lower Sequence Beyonders (Sequence 7 and below). Mid- and High-Sequence Beyonders are supposedly killed by the castle’s defenses if they enter.
• Abner doubts the official explanation. Based on Gluttony’s memories, he concludes that the restrictions and the trial itself were likely created or manipulated by a hidden faction seeking to attract Lower Sequence Beyonders.
• The trial is extremely dangerous, with many participants dying, but survivors can obtain valuable treasures, including Level 1 Sealed Artifacts.
• Abner suspects the organizers are pursuing or disrupting some kind of ritual. Rather than confronting them directly, he proposes that he, Closia, and Xenia infiltrate the trial by impersonating members of a noble family.
• They choose the declining Iris Family as their cover. Baron Iris is the family’s last Beyonder, a Sequence 9 Hunter, and risks losing his title and fief because a powerful Earl wants his land.
• Baron Iris views the trial as his only chance to acquire a treasure valuable enough to gain protection from a stronger noble.
• He hires three mercenaries to accompany him, unaware that they are actually Abner and the two women in disguise.
• The chapter ends as Baron Iris and the disguised trio prepare to leave for the castle.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates strong analytical ability, using Gluttony’s memories and current information to identify inconsistencies in the official history of the trial. He takes leadership by developing the infiltration plan.
• Closia contributes crucial information through her ability to “read” details about the trial. Her disdain for Feysac’s aristocracy becomes apparent as she criticizes the nobles’ willingness to sacrifice weaker family members.
• Xenia, unfamiliar with the Northern Region’s secrets, relies on Abner and Closia’s explanations and agrees to the infiltration.
• Baron Iris is portrayed as desperate and pragmatic. Though he knows the mercenaries are likely expendable, he depends on the trial to preserve his family’s status and territory.
• Abner, Closia, and Xenia conceal their true identities by posing as mercenaries, setting up the chapter’s central deception.

Significant Themes

• Hidden agendas and manipulation: The Castle Trial may be a carefully engineered trap rather than an honorable noble tradition.
• Class exploitation: High-ranking nobles use collateral relatives, servants, and mercenaries as disposable participants while pursuing wealth and power.
• Decline of aristocracy: The Iris Family’s situation reflects the instability of noble titles and inherited power in Feysac.
• Risk and desperation: Baron Iris is willing to enter a deadly trial because losing his fief would mean the collapse of his family’s future.
• Information as power: Abner’s deductions and Closia’s supernatural reading allow them to see through the official narrative and plan strategically.

Character Interactions

• Xenia questions Abner about the contradiction between Gluttony’s memories and the current Castle Trial, prompting his explanation.
• Closia confirms the trial’s deadly nature and criticizes the nobles who exploit weaker family members.
• Abner persuades both women to infiltrate the trial rather than attack its organizers directly.
• Baron Iris interacts with the disguised mercenaries, treating them as expendable protection while they secretly operate at a far higher level than he realizes.
• The mercenary leader—Abner in disguise—reassures Baron Iris confidently, creating dramatic irony because the supposed mercenaries are actually three powerful Demigods.

Chapter Summary: “Beria”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner, Greed, and Sloth pose as mercenaries hired by Baron Iris. In reality, Baron Iris never hired them; Sloth implanted false memories of the arrangement. Their presence nevertheless improves his chances of surviving the upcoming trial.
• The group travels with Baron Iris to an ancient manor outside town, where a secret gathering of minor nobles and organizers is being held.
• The trial’s organizers include:

Wimbledon Einhorn, the Graycastle Duke

• Dim Star, a Sequence 4 Undying and former member of the Church of Combat
• An unidentified Devil
• Wimbledon reveals concern about Baron Iris’s conflict with Earl Heinrich. Dim Star assures him that Heinrich is unrelated to him except through a distant former life, and promises not to target Iris deliberately.
• The Devil announces the trial’s rules: every participant must provide a drop of blood. When the full moon rises, all participants will be randomly teleported into an ancient castle. Those who survive until the moon disappears will be returned.
• Abner realizes that giving their blood could expose them to curses or divination. He suspects the trial was created by Ialdabaoth, the Terror Duke, and that all participants are effectively being placed under a Demon’s control.
• Abner, Greed, and Sloth use Spectator abilities to create the illusion that they have shed blood, fooling both the Devil and the hidden organizers.
• When the teleportation begins, they successfully enter the Spirit World while concealing the fact that they have not truly been bound by the blood ritual. Their prior knowledge and Abner’s Door card give them confidence that they can locate the ancient castle.
• After the nobles disappear, a group of evil, hooded figures arrives. The Devil identifies the participants as prey and orders the newcomers to enter the trial.
• The Devil is revealed to be the Succubus patriarch of the Beria Family, a figure known for selling most of her own Desire Apostles.

Character Developments

• Abner becomes increasingly suspicious and cautious. He correctly recognizes that the trial is likely a trap designed by a powerful Demon and secretly prepares a backup plan with Alvin.
• Greed and Sloth cooperate closely with Abner, helping maintain the illusion that the group has fulfilled the blood requirement.
• Baron Iris demonstrates courage by attending the trial personally, despite his family’s weakness and his feud with Earl Heinrich. His survival depends heavily on Abner’s group.
• Wimbledon Einhorn is shown to be conflicted about the trial’s brutality, despite having helped expand it.
• Dim Star is characterized as an ancient, detached Demigod whose complicated past lives explain his connection to Heinrich and the Iris family.
• The Beria patriarch is revealed as a calculating predator who treats the participating nobles as prey and commands a second group to hunt them.

Significant Themes

• Deception and false identity: Baron Iris’s mercenary escorts are based on implanted memories, while Abner’s group uses illusions to fake the blood ritual.
• Power and exploitation: The noble participants are manipulated by stronger supernatural beings and treated as expendable sacrifices.
• The danger of contracts and blood: The blood offering symbolizes how the participants may unknowingly surrender control over their lives.
• Moral ambiguity: Even the organizers disagree about the cruelty of the trial, while powerful figures casually exploit weaker nobles.
• Hidden identities and layered conspiracies: The organizers’ true nature, the trial’s connection to Ialdabaoth, and the Beria patriarch’s identity all remain concealed until gradually inferred or revealed.

Character Interactions

• Wimbledon and Dim Star discuss Baron Iris and Earl Heinrich, with Dim Star reassuring Wimbledon that Iris will not be deliberately targeted.
• The nobles largely shun Baron Iris because of his feud with Heinrich, leaving him isolated in the hall.
• Abner silently coordinates with Greed and Sloth to deceive the organizers, while Alvin prepares their contingency plan from hiding.
• The Devil gives orders first to the nobles and later to the hooded Beria members, demonstrating her control over both groups.
• The chapter ends by linking the trial directly to the Beria Family and setting up a confrontation between the trapped nobles and their demonic hunters.

Chapter Summary: The Library of Yesteryear

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the Spirit World, Abner and Sloth Closia arrive in an enormous, abandoned library within Observer Castle. The shelves are empty, causing most trial participants to dismiss the area as worthless.
• Abner explains that the apparent “trial” is likely a sacrificial ritual organized by Devils. Its twelve-year cycle, the previous trial’s connection to a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact, and the experiment eleven years earlier that produced five Sefirah-contaminated female survivors all appear connected.
• He suspects the current trial has been deliberately expanded to provide a large number of sacrifices. He also considers whether Ialdabaoth knows about his intention to repeat the earlier ritual and has arranged circumstances to assist—or manipulate—him.
• Using his Rewind ability, Abner locates an apparently ordinary bookshelf that is actually a living creature created by Rhine Calendia. Its greatest treasure is not the missing books but the “dream” contained within it.
• Abner and Closia enter the bookshelf’s dream through Dreamwalker abilities. Inside, they discover a pristine Dream Library containing valuable texts, including a travelogue written by Bethel Abraham during his time as a Wanderer.
• Closia reveals that the dream is likely part of a larger “Dream Castle.” The castle may contain the library’s most important secret on its top floor, although Mr. Gluttony was unable to pass the powerful Monster guarding the staircase to the second floor.
• As Abner and Closia move toward the Dream Castle’s first-floor hall, they repeatedly encounter preserved scenes from the bookshelf’s memories. Each scene depicts Rhine Calendia reading and drinking tea with different powerful women.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates his strategic intelligence and suspicion by analyzing the true purpose of the trial. He remains focused on uncovering the castle’s secrets while also reacting uneasily to the memories of Rhine and the women connected to him. His unexplained guilt suggests hidden ties to Rhine’s past or to the events surrounding the earlier ritual.
• Sloth Closia: Proves observant and knowledgeable, quickly understanding the significance of the living bookshelf and appreciating the value of its dream. She also shows curiosity and surprise when recognizing the powerful women appearing in Rhine’s memories.
• Rhine Calendia: Although appearing only through recorded dream memories, Rhine is portrayed as cultured, influential, and intimately connected with numerous major figures. His ability to give life to the bookshelf reflects his status as a Sanguine Duke and Life-Giver.
• Bethel Abraham: Appears indirectly through his cosmic travelogue, whose “Three Laws of Wandering the Cosmos” offer insight into the dangers of exploring the universe.
• The women in the memories: Leticia Tamara, Yaluolan, and two unidentified women are revealed to have close associations with Rhine, emphasizing his complicated relationships and importance during earlier historical eras.

Significant Themes

• Hidden manipulation and ritual sacrifice: The trial is presented as a carefully engineered event, with the participants potentially serving as sacrifices for a larger Devil-related ritual.
• Memory and history: The living bookshelf preserves scenes from the past, showing that forgotten objects and memories may contain greater value than visible treasures.
• Dreams as concealed reality: The Dream Library is more important than the ruined physical library, suggesting that dreams preserve possibilities, knowledge, and secrets erased from the material world.
• Mystery of identity and fate: Abner’s uncertainty about his past actions and his connection to the earlier experiment reinforces the theme that he may be entangled in plans he does not fully remember or understand.
• Dangerous knowledge: The books and the Dream Castle offer immense power and information, but access is restricted by powerful guardians and cosmic dangers.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Closia cooperate closely, sharing information and investigating the library together while attempting to avoid attracting the organizers’ attention.
• They work jointly to identify and enter the living bookshelf’s dream.
• Closia questions Abner about the women appearing beside Rhine, prompting him to identify Leticia Tamara and Yaluolan.
• Abner becomes visibly uncomfortable when confronted with Rhine’s apparent relationships with multiple powerful women, while Closia reacts with amusement, curiosity, and speculation.
• The chapter ends as they encounter a memory of Rhine teaching two additional women—one red-haired and one with Elven features—suggesting that the bookshelf contains many more revelations about his past.

Chapter Summary: “Blocking the Way”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner and Closia continue moving through Observer Castle’s dream-like historical scenes. They repeatedly encounter images of Rhine Calendia interacting with different women, including figures Abner suspects may be:
  • Aglaia Constantine, an Elf-blooded woman and later founder of the Witch Family.
  • An ancestor of the Soren Family and one of the Triune Evil Spirit’s Red Angels.
• Closia wonders whether Helen might descend from one of these women because Helen’s ancestor was Rhine Calendia. Abner firmly rejects the idea, implying that Helen’s lineage is far more significant than those shown in the visions.
• They enter the castle’s library and reach the staircase leading upward.
• In the real castle, Iris Baron Francis and Miss Greed Xenia evade a Weapon Master and four mercenaries. The pursuers suddenly die in silence, apparently killed by an unknown monster. Xenia suspects they may have been victims of Serial Killers using the trial for practice.
• Francis and Xenia flee toward the second floor, while Abner and Closia encounter a black Dream Tapir blocking the stairs.
• Abner identifies the creature as a divine beast created or replicated by Rhine. He realizes that it is likely the reason Gluttony was unable to reach the upper floors, since the Dream Tapir counters dream-related Elves.
• Rather than attack it and risk collapsing the dream castle, Abner uses the Transformation Belt and Moon card to transform into Rhine Calendia.
• The Dream Tapir recognizes him, approaches affectionately, and allows him to pet it.
• Through contact with the creature, Abner gains Insight into its true nature: it has no Beyonder Characteristic and exists solely through Rhine’s lingering power.
• Abner concludes that Rhine Calendia may not be completely dead, despite more than a thousand years having passed and Lilith having used his corpse as a vessel.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates careful judgment by refusing to fight the Dream Tapir directly. His transformation into Rhine shows both his resourcefulness and his growing ability to exploit historical information and mystical tools. His discovery about Rhine’s continued existence significantly deepens his suspicions about the castle and Rhine’s fate.
• Closia/Miss Sloth: Continues to cooperate with Abner while teasing him, but becomes genuinely wary of the Dream Tapir. Her knowledge of Helen and the Kallenardia Family also highlights her familiarity with important bloodlines.
• Iris Baron Francis: Shows caution and survival instinct by refusing to leave hiding until the danger has been investigated. His shock at the slaughtered pursuers reinforces how dangerous the castle is.
• Miss Greed Xenia: Remains observant and analytical. Rather than simply fleeing, she considers the possibility that the dead mercenaries were killed by organized Serial Killers practicing under cover of the trial.
• Rhine Calendia: Although absent in person, Rhine’s influence remains central. His historical relationships, creations, and lingering power continue to shape events inside the castle.

Significant Themes

• The persistence of the dead: Rhine’s power still sustains the Dream Tapir, suggesting that death has not entirely erased his existence.
• Identity and imitation: Abner’s transformation into Rhine allows him to pass through a barrier that recognizes Rhine, raising questions about whether imitating someone can temporarily restore their authority or presence.
• The danger of knowledge: Abner’s historical research gives him an advantage, but every revelation about Rhine, Helen’s ancestry, and the castle exposes deeper mysteries.
• Survival through caution and adaptation: Both Abner’s refusal to fight and Francis and Xenia’s cautious escape demonstrate that success in the castle depends more on judgment than brute strength.
• The castle as a living legacy: Observer Castle continues to preserve Rhine’s relationships, creations, and influence, blurring the boundary between memory, dream, and reality.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Closia discuss the women associated with Rhine and Helen’s possible ancestry, with Abner concealing how much he truly knows.
• Abner explains the Dream Tapir’s nature and strategic danger to Closia, while she offers to support him.
• Francis and Xenia coordinate their defense from opposite sides of a room, though their intended ambush becomes unnecessary when the pursuing team is mysteriously killed.
• The Dream Tapir recognizes Abner in Rhine’s form and responds affectionately, confirming its connection to Rhine and allowing Abner to uncover the truth about its existence.