Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner reveals to Klein that he has deliberately brought Amon into their plans. He believes Amon’s involvement will:
  1. Keep Amon from observing events from the shadows,
  2. Increase Amon’s conflict with the Loen Royal Family and reduce the attention on Klein, and
  3. Force Klein to confront Amon sooner, since their fates are inevitably connected through Sefirah Castle.
• Abner suggests that Klein disguise himself as a Bizarro Sorcerer of the Church of Evernight, using the Goddess’s protection to conceal Sefirah Castle’s aura from Amon’s avatar. Klein decides to perform a divination before answering.
• Abner predicts that “Hvin Rambis” will inspect Audrey at Viscount Glaint’s residence on Wednesday afternoon. He reveals that he has been monitoring Hvin through a projection of the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact 0-08, which he knew well from his earlier identity as Alvin Abraham.
• At Glaint’s residence, Audrey prepares to maintain the appearance of still being under Hvin’s hypnosis. Hvin unexpectedly appears beside her and tests whether she remembers his previous command not to fear him.
• Hvin begins to Manipulate Audrey again, but Klein and Sharron arrive at the planned moment. Klein creates a nighttime environment and uses Sharron as a marionette modeled after Hvin.
• Sharron transforms into a cursed version of Hvin and fires the Death Knell into her own head, transferring the injury to Hvin through the Marionette pathway’s Source of Curses ability.
• The Hvin under Abner’s control transforms into a Dragon-like Mythical Creature Form and survives the attack, though his head is shattered. Klein then uses Spirit-Control Bullets, freezing Hvin’s body and further incapacitating him.

Character Developments

• Klein remains cautious and analytical. Rather than immediately accepting Abner’s proposal to confront Amon, he insists on divining the matter first. He also demonstrates increasing confidence and tactical skill in coordinating a dangerous ambush.
• Abner shows extensive preparation, manipulating events, monitoring Hvin with 0-08, and understanding both Amon’s personality and Hvin’s behavior. His casual, teasing manner contrasts with the depth of his planning.
• Audrey displays strong psychological discipline. Despite Hvin’s sudden appearance and renewed attempt at Manipulation, she convincingly imitates confusion and fear while controlling her genuine emotions.
• Hvin Rambis appears unusually bold and overconfident. He ignores the possibility of an ambush and approaches Audrey personally, but his confidence leads him directly into Abner and Klein’s trap.
• Sharron demonstrates the frightening effectiveness of the Marionette pathway, willingly using herself as a cursed weapon to inflict fatal damage on Hvin.

Significant Themes

• Fate and inevitability: Abner emphasizes that Klein and Amon’s destinies are bound together, making eventual confrontation unavoidable.
• Strategic manipulation: Nearly every major character is using deception, hypnosis, disguises, or carefully arranged information. The chapter presents conflict as a battle of preparation and psychological control.
• Risk versus initiative: Abner argues that confronting Amon proactively is safer than waiting for Amon to strike. Klein’s hesitation reflects the danger, while his eventual resolve suggests growing willingness to face powerful enemies.
• Identity and concealment: Klein’s disguises, Abner’s hidden history as Alvin Abraham, Hvin’s controlled body, and Sharron’s transformation all reinforce the instability of appearance and identity.
• Ruthlessness and dark humor: The characters treat horrific injuries and supernatural violence with grim practicality. Abner’s teasing and the final complaint about being shot and frozen underline the chapter’s macabre comedy.

Character Interactions

• Klein and Abner: They debate whether involving Amon is wise. Klein is skeptical but respects Abner’s reasoning and preparation; Abner mocks Klein while offering genuine strategic advice.
• Abner and Amon: Abner manipulates Amon indirectly, exploiting his curiosity and confidence while deepening his hostility toward the Loen Royal Family.
• Audrey and Hvin: Hvin probes Audrey’s emotional reaction to him, attempting to expose whether she has escaped his hypnosis. Audrey counters by carefully performing the behavior he expects.
• Klein and Sharron: They execute a coordinated ambush, combining Klein’s Bizarro Sorcerer abilities with Sharron’s Marionette and curse techniques.
• Klein and Hvin: Klein attacks Hvin through layered supernatural tactics, first using the cursed marionette’s reflected injury and then Spirit-Control Bullets to immobilize him.

Chapter Summary: “The ‘Couple’s’ Tag-Team Attack”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Klein attacks Hvin Rambis with a Spirit-Control Bullet, enhanced by the power above the Gray Fog. The bullet can temporarily paralyze even a Sequence 3 Saint.
• Klein realizes too late that Hvin is only a Marionette. The real danger comes from Hvin’s concealed Spirit Body Threads, which Adam had manipulated so others would overlook them.
• Hvin’s Mental Plague infects Klein, triggering rage, confusion, and intrusive thoughts. Klein identifies the attack as a contagious High-Sequence Spectator ability, transmitted through Botis’s Spirit Body Threads.
• Sharron hides herself and her Mind Island using an advanced form of Concealment, but Abner—acting through Hvin—uses Dragon’s Might to expose and suppress her.
• Klein cures himself by using a recorded Soothing ability from Miss Justice. He then protects Sharron with an Illusory Door, redirecting the mental attacks into another world.
• Klein and Sharron resume their coordinated assault. Klein fires a Fortune-Stealing Bullet at Hvin, temporarily stealing control of the Marionette’s Spirit Body Threads.
• Enuni, Klein’s other Marionette, uses Creeping Hunger’s Amplification ability, further weakening Hvin. Klein seizes control of Hvin’s Spirit Body Threads before the bullet’s effect expires.
• When control ends, Klein senses the presence of the original owner behind Hvin and recognizes the familiar aura of Zaratul.
• Elsewhere, Jossena detects that Hvin has been defeated and attempts to flee, but a blond woman with a monocle—an Angel of the Marauder Pathway—captures and influences her.
• Through Jossena’s thoughts, the larger scheme is revealed: Hvin was bait meant to delay Abner and his allies while Zaratul and Hermes moved to intercept Alvin and prepare a massive Sacrifice in Beldan.
• A woman outside Beldan realizes Hvin has fallen and that Jossena’s capture may have exposed the plan. She concludes that the Sacrifice must begin immediately.

Character Developments

• Klein demonstrates exceptional combat adaptability. Despite being infected by the Mental Plague, he quickly diagnoses the problem, uses a recorded countermeasure, protects Sharron, and exploits Hvin’s vulnerability with a Fortune-Stealing Bullet.
• Sharron shows advanced mastery of her Wraith abilities, especially Concealment and self-Imprisonment, though Dragon’s Might still partially reveals and suppresses her.
• Abner, operating through Hvin, reveals himself as a powerful and highly versatile combatant. He uses Mental Plague and Dragon’s Might but is ultimately forced to withdraw when Klein’s layered tactics exploit the Marionette’s weakness.
• Hvin Rambis is exposed as a disposable Marionette rather than the true opponent. His defeat becomes the trigger for the next stage of the enemy’s plan.
• Zaratul is confirmed to be connected to Hvin and the broader conspiracy. His presence inside or behind the Marionette is detected by Klein.
• Jossena is captured and effectively compromised by the Marauder-pathway Angel, causing the enemy’s strategy to be partially exposed.

Significant Themes

• Tactical intelligence and adaptability: The battle is won through combinations of abilities, timing, and exploiting weaknesses rather than raw power.
• Identity and hidden control: Hvin’s apparent identity conceals a Marionette structure, while multiple characters—including Abner, Zaratul, and Jossena—operate through proxies or manipulated bodies.
• Cooperation and synchronized combat: Klein and Sharron fight with near-perfect coordination, combining their abilities in a way that earns them the sarcastic “couple” label.
• Mental influence and resistance: The chapter emphasizes the danger of Spectator-pathway abilities and the importance of maintaining control over one’s mind.
• Larger conspiracies and sacrifice: The personal battle is only a distraction within a broader political and supernatural scheme involving Zaratul, the Loen Royal Family, Alvin, Hermes, and a planned Sacrifice in Beldan.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein vs. Hvin/Abner: Klein counters the Mental Plague, identifies Hvin’s Marionette nature, and ultimately seizes control of his Spirit Body Threads.
• Klein and Sharron: They repeatedly support one another—Klein cures himself and protects Sharron, while Sharron helps maintain pressure on Hvin.
• Klein and Enuni: Klein coordinates with Enuni, whose Amplification ability compounds the effects of Klein’s attack.
• Abner/Hvin vs. Sharron: Dragon’s Might pierces Sharron’s concealment and forces her hidden mental state into view.
• Jossena and the Marauder Angel: The blond woman uses a monocle and psychological manipulation to seize control of Jossena and extract information about the conspiracy.
• Klein and Zaratul: After taking control of Hvin’s Threads, Klein senses Zaratul’s presence, linking the defeated Marionette to the larger enemy operation.

Chapter Summary: “Who Betrayed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ushaha Cheek, the Demoness Sect’s “Purple Saint,” has spent months undercover in Beldan as the wife of a mediocre doctor. From this position, she secretly monitored the construction of the city’s central altar and preparations for the “Sacrifice” ritual.
• Because she feared Abner’s “Insight,” Ushaha avoided direct action and remained hidden, even when Demoness Sect agents interfered with the construction.
• With Abner and Alvin supposedly delayed and the ritual nearly complete, Ushaha revealed her true form and prepared to personally activate it. She donned a purple gown, wielded an ink-black liquid scepter, and placed a crystal laurel crown on her head.
• Using the crown, she established a “Starlight Bridge” over the terrifying castle at the center of Beldan. She merged the scepter into the castle, uncovered a horrific statue of the Primordial Demoness, and began chanting praises.
• The ritual triggered violent tremors, darkened the sky, and released an aura of Destruction. However, Ushaha soon realized that the lack of opposition was suspicious.
• She correctly deduced that the apparent Beldan was a mirrored illusion and attempted to escape. Her movement was blocked because the space had been sealed by the Hand of Order within the Spectral Empire.
• The “Blue Saintess,” Veronica—actually possessed by the Succubus Progenitor Monica—appeared and revealed the trap.
• Five other Saintesses then emerged: Natalia, Medea, Katarina, Margaret, and Sigrid. The Demoness Sect’s Seven-Colored Saintesses had been assembled, with several no longer under their original control.
• Monica accused Ushaha of being the true betrayer, revealing that she was surrounded six-to-one.

Character Developments

• Ushaha Cheek/Purple Saint: Demonstrates patience, caution, and strategic ability through her months-long disguise and surveillance. Her confidence collapses into suspicion once the ritual proceeds too easily, showing her sharp instincts. She is ultimately trapped and confronted by forces she believed were allies.
• Monica/Succubus Progenitor: Operates through Veronica’s body and appears to control the ambush. Her mocking response reverses Ushaha’s accusation and frames the Purple Saint as the isolated traitor.
• Veronica/Blue Saintess: Is revealed to have effectively lost control of her body, which now serves as Monica’s vessel.
• Natalia/Yellow Saint: Her body is being used as Alvin’s Marionette, indicating that she too has been removed from the Demoness Sect’s original chain of command.
• Sigrid/Gray Saintess: Her soul has been imprisoned by Tolzna, while her body is used by the King of Angels.
• The remaining Saintesses: Their presence confirms that the Sect’s leadership has been fractured and that multiple powerful factions are exploiting the Saintesses’ bodies or identities.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and shifting loyalties: The chapter centers on the question of who has betrayed the Demoness Sect. Ushaha assumes Monica and the others have betrayed the Primordial Demoness, but the ambush suggests that she herself has been manipulated or isolated.
• Deception and false realities: Ushaha’s peasant identity, the mirrored Beldan, and the Spectral Empire’s reversal of reality all emphasize concealment and the danger of trusting appearances.
• Possession and loss of identity: Several Saintesses remain physically present but are controlled by other beings, raising questions about whether allegiance belongs to the body, soul, or the occupying force.
• Patience versus overconfidence: Ushaha’s long-term caution allows her to survive undetected, but her belief that the ritual is proceeding normally leads her into the trap.
• Power struggles among supernatural factions: The ritual, the Primordial Demoness, the Hand of Order, the King of Angels, Alvin, and the Succubus Progenitor all reflect a larger conflict involving competing authorities and attempts to control powerful vessels.

Character Interactions

• Ushaha secretly observes Abner’s forces but avoids confronting them because of his Insight ability.
• She performs the ritual in the castle and calls upon the Primordial Demoness.
• Monica confronts her from above after sealing the space, openly taunting her.
• Ushaha accuses Monica/Veronica of betraying the Demoness Sect.
• Monica turns the accusation back on Ushaha, pointing out that the Purple Saint is surrounded by six hostile figures.
• The assembled Saintesses visually and symbolically expose the Sect’s internal collapse: some are controlled, imprisoned, or replaced, while Ushaha stands alone at the center of the trap.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ushaha Cheek, the Purple Saint, is surrounded inside the Spectral Empire by the Demoness Sect’s upper ranks, including the other Saintesses and Angels Medea and Natalia. Despite the overwhelming odds, she refuses to surrender.
• Ushaha relies on her two powerful Sealed Artifacts:
  • The Warlock’s Crown, which can reproduce powerful “Secrecy” events.
  • The Discerner Robe, which can identify weaknesses in rules and create a Dream Labyrinth.
• She attacks first, using the Warlock’s Crown to:
  • Trap Natalia in a cage that weakens and distorts Beyonder abilities.
  • Bind Medea with moonlight that interferes with her Spirituality.
• She then uses the Discerner Robe to engulf the other Demonesses in a Dream Labyrinth.
• Abner, controlling Natalia, recognizes the origins of Ushaha’s spell and begins analyzing it rather than immediately breaking free.
• Ushaha realizes too late that the surrounding enemies are not truly alarmed. Her body and soul have already been corrupted by an Abomination, turning her body into a prison for her mind and preventing her from moving or using her artifacts effectively.
• The Demonesses had deliberately delayed attacking so Ushaha’s corruption would fully take effect. She loses consciousness, suspecting they are keeping her alive because killing a child of the Primordial could trigger the Primordial’s awakening.
• Elsewhere, Klein uses his Marionette Hvin Rambis to treat the Mental Plague he contracted. A recorded ability from Audrey helps separate and remove the infected consciousness, though the process causes intense spiritual pain.
• Klein fully purges the mental virus and restores Hvin’s injured spirit. Arianna then extracts Hvin’s soul, but finds it too heavily tampered with to provide useful information.
• Arianna reveals that an Angel had attempted to transmit power earlier, but she blocked the attempt. Klein suspects the Angel was Zaratul, leader of the Secret Order.
• Arianna confirms that the Royal Family has discovered officials collaborating with the Secret Order and the Psychology Alchemists and has begun an internal investigation.

Character Developments

• Ushaha Cheek: Demonstrates courage, strategic intelligence, and confidence in her artifacts, but is ultimately defeated by a hidden corruption she failed to detect. Her final thoughts reveal both her desperation and her importance as the Primordial’s child.
• Abner: Shows his analytical nature by studying Ushaha’s spell instead of reacting impulsively. His control over Natalia also confirms his continued involvement in the operation.
• Medea: Despite having once been captured herself, she initially pities Ushaha but eventually views her fate with mockery, recognizing that Ushaha has no chance of escape.
• Klein: Endures severe spiritual pain to recover from the Mental Plague and successfully purges the infection. He also displays growing awareness of the larger conspiracy involving Zaratul.
• Audrey: Remains protected during the dangerous battle and reacts shyly when exposed to Hvin’s transformed, partially uncovered body.
• Arianna: Demonstrates her power by blocking an Angel’s intervention and extracting Hvin’s soul, though she concludes that the damaged soul cannot yield meaningful intelligence.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power versus hidden preparation: Ushaha’s impressive artifacts and tactical opening are rendered meaningless by a corruption already planted in her body.
• The body and mind as prisons: Ushaha’s realization that “the body is the prison of the mind” reflects the chapter’s focus on spiritual corruption, loss of control, and the fragility of identity.
• Secrecy and manipulation: The Demonesses conceal their true advantages, allowing Ushaha to misjudge the situation. The chapter repeatedly emphasizes hidden identities, substituted forces, and concealed attacks.
• The danger of Primordial powers: Ushaha’s survival is tied not merely to her strength but to the threat that her death could awaken the Primordial, making her both a target and a dangerous political hostage.
• Endurance and recovery: Klein’s suffering while removing the Mental Plague highlights the cost of spiritual healing and his increasing ability to withstand extreme pain.
• Expanding conspiracy: The suspected involvement of Zaratul and the Secret Order, along with corruption within the Royal Family, shows that the conflict extends far beyond the immediate battle.

Important Character Interactions

• Ushaha confronts Medea, Natalia, and the other Saintesses, attacking them before they can act.
• Abner, through Natalia, directly experiences Ushaha’s Warlock’s Crown and analyzes its origins.
• The Demonesses collectively manipulate Ushaha into exposing herself while her hidden corruption takes effect.
• Klein works through Hvin Rambis to remove the Mental Plague, with Audrey and Qonas present nearby.
• Arianna arrives afterward, examines Hvin’s soul, and exchanges information with Klein about the attempted Angelic intervention and the possible involvement of Zaratul.

Chapter Summary: The Church’s Acquiescence and George III’s Calculations

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Hvin Rambis’s death, Klein asks Lady Arianna how the Church of Evernight will respond to the Royal Family’s implausible explanation.
• Arianna reveals that the Church will accept the explanation, alarming Klein. He realizes that George III had likely used Hvin’s actions to test the Church’s limits, and the Church’s acceptance effectively confirms the King’s conclusions.
• Arianna warns Klein not to turn Hvin into a Marionette or use his Beyonder Characteristic before its mental imprint is removed, since doing so could attract Zaratul or Adam.
• Klein releases Hvin from his Marionette state. Arianna then uses Secrecy and reverse Secrecy to erase Hvin’s corpse and extract his Manipulator Beyonder Characteristic, removing all dangerous mental imprints.
• Arianna departs, and the hidden garden beneath the Red Moon collapses. Audrey approaches Klein, visibly relieved and happy to see him, but Klein—currently controlled by Miss Temperance—only acknowledges her before departing with his Marionettes.
• At Sodela Palace, George III receives a report confirming that the Church is no longer strictly opposing his plans. He concludes that Hvin’s death successfully revealed the Church’s attitude.
• George discusses Jossena’s capture by Amon and acknowledges that Amon has likely gained information, though he claims that the information was deliberately limited.
• George identifies Amon as his principal enemy and believes that Gehrman Sparrow and other hidden agents of the Church are only secondary threats.
• He also interprets the failure of the Purple Saint’s plan in Beldan as evidence that Abner’s faction may understand his message: George claims to have sacrificed Hvin as proof of goodwill and continues trying to maintain a conciliatory relationship with Abner.

Character Developments

• Klein remains cautious and strategically minded. Though concerned by the Church’s acquiescence, he is not surprised by Amon’s involvement and trusts his own divination and Abner’s discretion. His decision to release Hvin demonstrates both foresight and restraint.
• Lady Arianna acts decisively and protectively. She prevents Klein from recklessly using Hvin’s remains, removes the dangerous mental imprint, and claims the Beyonder Characteristic safely through her authority over Secrecy.
• Audrey shows clear relief and happiness upon seeing Klein, suggesting her continuing emotional concern for him. However, their interaction is cut short because Klein is still operating under Miss Temperance’s control.
• George III is revealed as calculating and emotionally detached. He treats Hvin’s death as a successful political experiment and shows little regret over Jossena’s fate. At the same time, he is careful not to antagonize Abner because of Abner’s influence over powerful entities.
• The Duke of Southville supports George’s interpretation of events and reinforces the belief that Amon is the major threat.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and testing: Hvin’s death is not merely a loss but a deliberate test of the Church’s boundaries and willingness to tolerate George III’s plans.
• Strategic sacrifice: George views people such as Hvin and Jossena as expendable pieces in a larger struggle.
• Secrecy and hidden power: Arianna’s extraction of Hvin’s characteristic emphasizes the importance of concealment, mental imprints, and unseen spiritual dangers.
• Shifting alliances: The Church’s tolerance, George’s attempted conciliation of Abner, and Amon’s cooperation with Church forces demonstrate that loyalties are flexible and largely determined by broader strategic interests.
• The dangers of advancement: George’s Black Emperor ritual is central to the conflict, attracting Amon and forcing the Churches and hidden powers to calculate whether opposing or exploiting his ambitions is preferable.

Important Character Interactions

• Klein and Arianna: Arianna reassures Klein about Zaratul, warns him against using Hvin’s remains, and safely removes the Beyonder Characteristic’s mental imprint. Their exchange reflects mutual trust and careful cooperation.
• Klein and Audrey: Audrey approaches Klein with visible joy, but he can offer only a restrained acknowledgment before leaving, creating a brief but emotionally significant separation.
• George III and the Duke of Southville: They analyze the Church’s reaction, Jossena’s capture, Amon’s threat, and the failed Purple Saint operation. Their conversation reveals George’s broader strategy and his effort to manipulate both enemies and potential allies.
• George III and Abner: Though they do not meet directly, George attempts to communicate that Hvin’s death was a deliberate gesture rather than an act of hostility, preserving a potentially valuable relationship with Abner.

Chapter Summary: “Spoils”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside Alvin’s Palace, Abner examines Ushaha, the Purple Saint, after she is captured and delivered by the six Demonesses.
• Medea jokes that the gathered Demonesses effectively form the former Demoness Sect, now renamed the Pleiades Maid Group, referencing the Seven-Colored Saintesses and the Pleiades star cluster.
• Abner inspects the three powerful Sealed Artifacts taken from Ushaha:
  1. The Discerner Robe — a Grade 0 artifact containing a Sequence 2 Spectator Pathway characteristic.
  2. The Warlock’s Crown — a Grade 1 artifact containing powerful Prophecy abilities and twenty-four Mystical Reenactment spells.
  3. The Cataclysm Scepter — a Grade 0 artifact made from part of the Primordial Demoness Cheek’s body and capable of supporting her resurrection.
• Using the Pure White Eye and Rewind, Abner uncovers the artifacts’ origins, abilities, and hidden drawbacks.
• He realizes that Ushaha’s extreme caution was partly caused by the Discerner Robe, making her more vulnerable to the trap that led to her capture.
• The chapter ends with Abner noting that Ushaha’s prayers to the Primordial Demoness have been intercepted and distorted by Vera, preventing her from borrowing Cheek’s power.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates his growing ability to analyze and understand high-level Sealed Artifacts. His planning and manipulation are confirmed as major factors in Ushaha’s defeat.
• He also displays his characteristic dry humor, particularly when speculating about Cheek’s personality and mocking the unfortunate combination of Ushaha’s artifacts.
• Ushaha is revealed to have repeatedly altered the personality trait imposed on her by the Discerner Robe. Her current cautiousness, though seemingly beneficial, has been steadily amplified and contributed to her downfall.
• Medea maintains her sharp, teasing attitude toward Abner, suggesting possible lingering irritation over his previous payment—or simply enjoying the opportunity to mock him.
• Cheek is further characterized as both immensely powerful and deeply connected to the artifacts. Several of the items were once her possessions or were created from her body.
• Vera emerges as a significant disruptive force by hijacking and Distorting Ushaha’s prayers to Cheek.

Significant Themes

• Power and consequence: Every artifact offers immense abilities but carries severe risks, showing that supernatural power is never without a price.
• Personality and corruption: The Discerner Robe illustrates how external powers can gradually reshape a person’s identity. Even a positive trait such as caution can become destructive when amplified beyond reason.
• Fate and misfortune: The robe’s hidden connection to Despair and Affliction, combined with the Warlock’s Crown’s luck-lowering effect, suggests that Ushaha’s downfall was influenced by both her choices and the artifacts’ curses.
• Inheritance and identity: The artifacts preserve Cheek’s influence through her possessions, powers, and even her physical remains, emphasizing the enduring reach of powerful beings.
• Manipulation and control: Abner’s careful preparation, Tolzna’s control over Ushaha, and Vera’s interference with prayer all highlight the importance of controlling information, communication, and circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Medea teases Abner about the group’s former identity as the Demoness Sect and the new “Pleiades Maid Group.”
• Abner silently reflects on whether Medea is still dissatisfied with his previous payment, but avoids responding.
• Tolzna’s control forces Ushaha to surrender the Discerner Robe, allowing Abner to inspect it.
• Abner mentally evaluates Ushaha’s weaknesses and recognizes how her caution and reliance on the artifacts helped draw her into his carefully prepared trap.
• The artifacts’ histories connect Abner indirectly to Cheek, Aglaia Constantine, and the wider conflicts among the Demonesses and other high-level beings.

Chapter Summary: “Disposal and Amon’s ‘Discovery’”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner analyzes the Cataclysm Scepter and concludes that, aside from possibly attracting the Primordial Demoness, its main danger is that prolonged contact may cause the user to become unnaturally attached to it.
• He determines that the scepter and two other items are all closely connected to Cheek and therefore cannot safely be destroyed, since doing so might awaken the sleeping Primordial Demoness.
• Abner discusses how to deal with Ushaha, the Purple Saintess, who is too closely related to Cheek to be safely killed or converted through corruption, hypnosis, or Moon Pathway abilities.
• Tolzna explains that controlling both Ushaha and Sigrid indefinitely would be difficult, especially while guarding against the Mother Tree of Desire.
• Helena, the remnant soul of the Goddess of Wealth and intelligent butler of Alvin Palace, proposes separating and storing Ushaha’s body and soul. This would prevent her from alerting the Primordial One while allowing her body to be used for combat when needed.
• Abner accepts the plan and briefly speculates that the Unknown may once have stolen part of Primordial Hunger’s authority, possibly explaining later conflicts involving Primordial Hunger’s offspring.
• After the meeting, Abner stops Helena from immediately storing Katarina and Ushaha, ordering her to first extract the Fountain of Youth from Ushaha.
• Later, Audrey prepares and successfully consumes the Dreamwalker potion. With Mr. Fool’s blessing and Angel’s Embrace, she advances safely and gains the ability to remain lucid and escape from dreams.
• Audrey chooses to rest rather than test her new powers immediately.
• In the collective subconscious of Empress Borough, a mysterious girl wearing a monocle and carrying a parasol encounters a Nightmare region. She realizes that it may be guarding either the nobles or the Fool, and begins suspecting that the holder of Sefirah Castle is connected to, or hidden within, the Augustus Family.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates caution and strategic thinking. He recognizes the dangers of both destroying Cheek-related artifacts and mishandling Ushaha, and seeks a solution that preserves control without provoking the Primordial Demoness.
• Helena shows increased independence and usefulness. Her proposal allows her to preserve and potentially use Ushaha while also solving the limitations caused by relying on Historical Projections.
• Audrey successfully advances to the Dreamwalker Sequence. Her faith in Mr. Fool deepens, and she displays growing confidence and discipline by postponing experimentation until she has recovered her Spirituality.
• The mysterious monocled girl demonstrates sharp investigative ability, quickly connecting the Nightmare region, the Fool, Sefirah Castle, and the Augustus Family.

Significant Themes

• Control versus destruction: Powerful beings and artifacts cannot simply be eliminated without risking greater consequences; containment and management become essential.
• Dangerous connections and bloodlines: Ushaha’s relationship with Cheek makes ordinary methods of corruption or control unreliable, highlighting how lineage can create both power and vulnerability.
• The limits of power and knowledge: Abner’s theory about the Unknown and Primordial Hunger is intriguing but speculative, showing how even powerful characters must reason from incomplete information.
• Faith and divine assistance: Audrey’s advancement is made safer and more effective through Mr. Fool’s blessing, emphasizing the benefits—and dependence—created by divine protection.
• Hidden identities and investigation: The final scene suggests that the Fool’s identity and Sefirah Castle may be under investigation, raising the threat of discovery.

Character Interactions

• Abner consults Tolzna and the Demonesses about how to contain Ushaha and Sigrid.
• Helena negotiates directly with Tolzna and assumes responsibility for storing Ushaha and Katarina.
• Abner asserts authority by ordering Helena to extract the Fountain of Youth before storage.
• Audrey relies on Mr. Fool’s blessing during her advancement and is protected by Susie while performing the ritual.
• The mysterious girl’s encounter with the Nightmare region links her investigation to the Fool, Sefirah Castle, and potentially the Augustus Family.

Chapter Summary: “Laws”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On a small island outside the port city of Laws, Abner—disguised as the “Professor”—meets Countess Xenia, also known as Madam “Greed,” to oversee the shipment of supplies to Morning Star City.
• Xenia has spent over a week secretly gathering ores and provisions, which are stored in modern shipping containers. Abner offers to reimburse her, but she instead asks him to accompany her as her male partner to an upcoming imperial ball.
• The ball, scheduled for October 13 at Aurmir Palace, arouses Abner’s suspicion. He recognizes the date as the likely beginning of a major Feysac attack on Backlund and suspects the Empress intends to announce the empire’s decision to go to war.
• Abner accepts Xenia’s invitation, planning to attend through a personality avatar rather than his true body.
• At exactly 10:00 p.m., the “Queen of Stars,” Cattleya, arrives with a fleet led by the Future. Xenia is surprised that Abner’s transport “friend” is a newly established pirate king.
• Cattleya uses starlight to form a bridge from her ship to the pier. Her crew, including Jane Grant, unloads the supplies using spirits and corpses.
• To avoid exposing Xenia’s cooperation with a pirate king who recently humiliated the Feysac Navy, Cattleya brings only the Future’s officers. The crews of the accompanying vessels remain on shore leave.
• This is only the first shipment; Abner intends to arrange additional deliveries before war makes transportation more dangerous.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates foresight and strategic planning by stockpiling resources for Morning Star City before the expected war. He remains cautious about disguises, political developments, and the secrecy of his alliances. He also agrees to play Xenia’s public companion at the imperial ball.
• Xenia/Madam “Greed”: Shows her effectiveness as a Manipulator by deceiving numerous people and secretly organizing the supplies. Her invitation to Abner suggests both a practical need for appearances and a desire to strengthen their association. Her confusion about the political significance of the ball indicates that she has been excluded from the empire’s inner circle.
• Cattleya, the Queen of Stars: Appears increasingly powerful and established as a pirate king. She fulfills her agreement with Abner and brings an efficient, carefully controlled transport operation. She has also created several Mystical Reenactment spells based on Abner’s story, though they are less effective than expected.
• Jane Grant: Her advancement to Gatekeeper and possession of the Ring of Death allow her to command a huge number of spirits and corpses, making her highly valuable in transporting the cargo. She fails to recognize Abner because of his comprehensive disguise.

Significant Themes

• Preparation for war: The chapter emphasizes the urgency of gathering supplies before the anticipated Feysac attack and the difficulty that wartime conditions will create.
• Political secrecy and marginalization: Xenia’s exclusion from the empire’s true decision-making circles reveals how noble status does not guarantee political influence, especially given her family background.
• Disguises and public appearances: Abner’s transformation and Xenia’s request for a male companion highlight the importance of reputation, social performance, and concealed identities.
• Unusual alliances: A noble countess, a disguised investigator, and a pirate king cooperate for a common purpose, showing how political and personal interests cross traditional boundaries.
• Knowledge and adaptation: Cattleya’s attempt to convert Abner’s story into Mystical Reenactment spells reflects the value—and limitations—of translating knowledge from one context into another.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Xenia negotiate reimbursement and the terms of their relationship, with Xenia using the imperial ball to request his assistance.
• Abner subtly warns Xenia that the Empress’s ball may precede a major political announcement, though he does not reveal the full extent of his knowledge.
• Xenia and Cattleya exchange a formal acknowledgment, while Xenia discreetly hypnotizes her servants and guards so they will ignore the pirate king’s arrival.
• Abner and Cattleya discuss the cargo, future shipments, and the need to keep Xenia’s involvement secret.
• Jane Grant obeys Cattleya’s orders and directs the spirits and corpses in unloading the supplies, remaining unaware of Abner’s true identity.

Chapter Summary: “The Tarot Club and the New Pirate Admiral”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tarot Club meets above the Gray Fog on October 10.
• During the transaction phase, Alger asks Abner about the ingredients needed for the Cataclysmic Interrer potion. Abner reveals that Hosenam can provide them, provided Alger acquires a suitable Sequence 1 mind-domain Sealed Artifact.
• Abner identifies the Fallen Flute, held by the City of Silver, as a possible artifact. Derrick explains its abilities and admits he lacks sufficient contributions to exchange for it himself. Alger asks Derrick to find out what the City of Silver’s leadership requires in return.
• Derrick announces that the City of Silver will soon explore the Giant King’s Court. Abner agrees to bring Groselle there.
• Abner checks on Cattleya’s fleet, which is transporting supplies to a secret destination marked on his nautical chart. He hints that an acquaintance will receive her fleet, leaving Cattleya curious about the identity of this person.
• The members briefly discuss their current circumstances, but few have immediate requests because most are focused on digesting potions, accumulating contributions, or advancing through their respective organizations.
• Audrey prepares to discuss Hvin’s death but hesitates, worrying that some members might feel excluded from the information.
• Alger instead shares news that two new Pirate Admirals have appeared, restoring the number of Pirate Admirals to seven:
  • The former Lady Dragon’s Might has become Vice Admiral Dragon Rider, using the flagship Black Throne to transform into a powerful knight.
  • A Rose School representative has taken the title Ghost Admiral.
• Cattleya immediately corrects him: the Ghost Admiral has already been killed by Jane, who has begun taking revenge against the Rose School.

Character Developments

• Alger/Hanged Man becomes increasingly anxious about falling behind the other Tarot Club members. His desire for status, power, and recognition intensifies as he seeks the Cataclysmic Interrer potion and a path to Demigod advancement.
• Derrick/Sun demonstrates greater responsibility and access to City of Silver resources. His upcoming involvement in the Giant King’s Court expedition may deepen his connection with Abner and Groselle.
• Abner/Tower continues acting as the club’s major source of information and logistical support. He has connections to powerful figures and organizations, arranges the fleet’s secret mission, and facilitates Groselle’s journey.
• Cattleya/Hermit has digested roughly two-thirds of her Potion and benefits greatly from the mystical knowledge shared by Abner and the Tarot Club.
• Jane advances to Sequence 5 and immediately strikes at the Rose School, killing the newly appointed Ghost Admiral as part of her revenge.
• Audrey/Justice, Xio/Judgment, Leonard/Star, Emlyn/Moon, and Sharron/Temperance are all progressing in their own paths, though none currently needs help from the club.
• Audrey’s hesitation about sharing Hvin’s death reflects her growing sensitivity to group dynamics and her concern for the inclusion of less-informed members.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and fear of falling behind: Alger’s frustration highlights the differing rates of advancement among Tarot Club members and his growing desperation to become a Demigod.
• Cooperation and mutual support: The members exchange resources, information, and opportunities, with Abner serving as a crucial connector between them and external factions.
• Secrecy and hidden identities: Abner’s undisclosed plans, Cattleya’s mysterious destination, Alger’s concealed advancement, and Jane’s secret assassination all emphasize the importance of concealed motives and information.
• Revenge and escalating conflict: Jane’s killing of the Ghost Admiral marks a concrete step in her campaign against the Rose School.
• Changing power structures: The emergence—and immediate disappearance—of new Pirate Admirals shows how unstable the sea’s political balance remains.

Character Interactions

• Abner provides Alger with a lead for obtaining the Cataclysmic Interrer ingredients and directs him toward Derrick and the Fallen Flute.
• Alger and Derrick cooperate on determining how the City of Silver’s artifact can be obtained.
• Abner and Derrick arrange for Groselle to participate in the City of Silver’s exploration of the Giant King’s Court.
• Abner reassures Cattleya about her fleet’s destination while deliberately withholding the identity of its future recipient.
• Audrey’s internal hesitation contrasts with Alger’s initiative in steering the information exchange.
• Cattleya interrupts Alger’s report to reveal Jane’s successful assassination of the Ghost Admiral, demonstrating that her knowledge of hidden affairs exceeds that of the other members.

Chapter Summary: “Don’t Ask How I Guessed It”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner reflects on Miss Gwen’s rise to the position of Pirate Admiral. Her fleet has gained immense strength through:
  • Gwen’s Black Throne-enhanced abilities, including her new Mecha Dragon form.
  • Lydia’s advancement to Sequence 6 and Tran’s advancement to Sequence 7.
  • Support from the Sari and Soren Families, Abner, and other powerful allies.
• Abner realizes that his influence now extends across a vast portion of the world. His connections include:
  • Most of the Pirate Admirals and pirate kings.
  • Major secret organizations such as the Demoness Sect, Secret Order, and Psychology Alchemists.
  • The Abraham Family, Morning Star City, Bernadette’s Element Dawn, the Moses Ascetic Order, Lilith’s Sanguines, and Hosenam’s Elves.
  • The backing of three orthodox gods.
• He speculates that his “former self,” the Goddess, Lilith, and others may have intended him to serve as a unifying force among the world’s factions before the Apocalypse.
• During the Tarot Club gathering, Abner becomes distracted and misses Cattleya’s explanation of the new Rose School-backed Pirate Admiral, who has already been killed by Jane.
• Emlyn privately approaches Klein, using several potions to request help. Klein asks Abner to persuade the Chained God to stop taking Emlyn’s dolls.
• Abner explains that the Chained God’s angel, Tolzna, recently took one of Emlyn’s dolls because it was actually a disguised Moon Emissary, a dangerous Beyonder item created through centuries of bloody rituals by Primordial Moon believers.
• Abner reveals that Primordial Moon still retains some influence despite Lilith having taken over much of its symbolism, particularly after a mutation involving Suah.
• He suggests that the Moon Emissary was deliberately placed in Emlyn’s possession to corrupt him or endanger Klein through his connection to Sherlock Moriarty.
• Klein suspects that powerful enemies may have discovered a flaw in his identity and used Emlyn as a test. Abner guesses that Zaratul was responsible.

Character Developments

• Abner: Recognizes the extraordinary scale of his power and influence, effectively becoming a central figure capable of coordinating many major factions. He also demonstrates increasing awareness of hidden conspiracies and the motives of powerful entities.
• Miss Gwen: Has become a Pirate Admiral-level figure. Although she dislikes the title “Dragon Rider” and prefers “Dawnlight,” her Black Throne-enhanced Mecha Dragon form has made the title appropriate.
• Lydia and Tran: Both have advanced significantly, helping Gwen’s fleet reach Admiral-level strength.
• Klein: Continues to conceal his embarrassment regarding Emlyn’s potions and remains highly alert to threats involving his identities and connections. He quickly recognizes that Emlyn may have been used as bait or a test.
• Emlyn: Unknowingly obtained a dangerous Moon Emissary disguised as a doll and now seeks Klein’s assistance. His situation reveals that he may have been targeted because of his relationship with Sherlock.
• Tolzna/Chained God: Her theft of Emlyn’s doll is reframed as protective intervention rather than mere retaliation.
• Zaratul: Is identified by Abner as the most likely individual behind the Moon Emissary plot, though this remains an informed guess.

Significant Themes

• Accumulation of influence and power: Abner’s network has grown so large that he may rival major nations and global organizations in practical influence.
• Unity against the Apocalypse: The chapter suggests that Abner may be intended to act as the “adhesive” binding together otherwise distrustful factions.
• Hidden manipulation and conspiracies: The Moon Emissary incident demonstrates how powerful beings use seemingly ordinary objects and personal relationships to conduct covert tests or attacks.
• Corruption and divine influence: The lingering influence of the Primordial Moon shows that divine symbolism and authority can persist even after apparent replacement.
• Humor amid danger: Klein and Abner’s teasing exchange about Emlyn’s potions contrasts with the serious threat posed by the Moon Emissary.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Cattleya: Cattleya discusses the pirate situation, though Abner is distracted by thoughts of his growing influence.
• Klein and Abner: After the Tarot Club disperses, Klein asks Abner to intervene with the Chained God. Their conversation mixes teasing with serious investigation.
• Klein and Emlyn: Although they speak privately during the gathering, the exact nature of Emlyn’s request is only indirectly revealed. Emlyn’s actions ultimately lead Klein to suspect a larger conspiracy.
• Abner and Tolzna: Abner explains Tolzna’s actions and defends her removal of the dangerous doll.
• Klein and Zaratul/Amon: Klein considers whether either figure may have discovered a weakness in his identity and manipulated Emlyn as part of a test; Abner favors Zaratul as the culprit.

Chapter Summary: Night of the Full Moon

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner secretly uses the aliases of Hvin, Zaratul, and others to arrange defenses against the Fool. These preparations are actually an application of the Authority of the Wheel of Fortune, allowing him to occupy a favorable branch of fate before Amon and Klein converge.
• By altering the flow of fate, Abner prevents the disastrous future in which Amon captures Klein. Amon might have been able to decipher the manipulation if he understood the Wheel of Fortune’s nature, but its Uniqueness remains hidden in the Land of Unknown.
• Klein becomes alarmed when he learns that “Zaratul” may have targeted Emlyn, fearing that Melissa and Benson could also be endangered because of Melissa’s recent interactions with Emlyn. Abner reassures him that both siblings are safe, though the reader knows that Abner himself is secretly the “Zaratul” involved.
• In the eastern Sunia Sea, Cattleya’s ship, the Future, encounters a previously unseen island surrounded by a Barrier. She discovers that it is actually Morning Star City, a massive sea fortress disguised as an island.
• Morning Star City has been forced to land because its immense power consumption exhausted the Book of Calamity, which Abner left as its replacement energy source after the city lost Storm’s divine power. The city is now suffering from a lack of supplies and requires raw ore.
• Cattleya uses her Mysticologist abilities to observe the fortress through a seabird and sees Queen Mystic Bernadette inside. She then brings the Future to the city and is welcomed by Annik, a council member.
• The city’s leaders have begun creating simulated human skin to conceal their mechanical bodies, fearing that outsiders will reject or fear them if their true forms are revealed.
• Cattleya meets Bernadette, who explains that Morning Star City is the Floating City from the dreamscape in the waters east of the God War Ruins—a place Cattleya has encountered before.
• Meanwhile, Pale Admiral Maria arrives in Beldan and tells Abner that the night of the Full Moon has arrived and that she has come to honor their appointment.

Character Developments

• Abner is revealed to be manipulating events on a large scale through the Authority of the Wheel of Fortune. He acts covertly, protecting Klein and others while allowing them to believe that “Zaratul” is an external threat.
• Klein remains vigilant and protective of his family. His immediate concern is not for Emlyn, who has several powerful forms of protection, but for Melissa and Benson.
• Cattleya demonstrates increased caution and capability. She investigates the mysterious fortress before approaching and uses her spiritual powers creatively to scout it without exposing herself.
• Bernadette continues to guide and protect Morning Star City, though she appears burdened by the city’s difficult situation and its dependence on scarce energy and materials.
• Annik has adapted his appearance to interact with ordinary humans, showing the city’s growing awareness of social prejudice and the need to integrate with the outside world.
• Amon remains a major unseen threat, but his inability to understand the Wheel of Fortune’s essence limits his ability to counter Abner’s plans.

Significant Themes

• Fate and manipulation: Abner’s intervention shows fate being treated as something that can be strategically occupied and redirected rather than merely endured.
• Secrecy and hidden identities: Abner’s impersonation of Zaratul, Amon’s incomplete understanding of his opponent, and Morning Star City’s disguises all emphasize concealed truths and uncertain appearances.
• Protection and responsibility: Klein’s anxiety over Melissa and Benson highlights his continued emotional attachment and willingness to worry about ordinary loved ones amid divine-level conflicts.
• Otherness and acceptance: Morning Star City’s mechanical inhabitants disguise themselves to avoid being rejected, reflecting the fear of outsiders and the pressure to conform.
• Resource scarcity and survival: The Floating City’s forced landing and need for raw materials reveal the practical costs of maintaining extraordinary power.
• Revelation of the past: The identification of Morning Star City as the Floating City from Cattleya’s earlier dream connects present events with mysterious locations and forgotten history.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Klein: Abner reassures Klein about Melissa and Benson, quietly concealing that he is the “Zaratul” behind the threatening arrangements.
• Cattleya and Annik: Annik formally welcomes Cattleya to Morning Star City, while Cattleya carefully observes the city and its inhabitants without immediately exposing that she recognizes their mechanical nature.
• Cattleya and Bernadette: Bernadette explains the fortress’s origin, resolving Cattleya’s confusion and confirming its connection to the strange eastern dreamscape.
• Amon and Abner’s unseen conflict: Abner manipulates fate against Amon, while Amon struggles to decipher the nature of the force opposing him.
• Maria and Abner: Maria’s arrival signals that a previously arranged plan or meeting is about to begin on the night of the Full Moon.

Chapter Summary: “Survivors”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner prepares to recreate the ritual performed eleven years earlier, fulfilling the long-term mission given to him by Lilith.
• Pale Admiral Maria finally arrives after delaying the ritual for several Full Moon nights. She has removed herself from her sword, Pale Justice, because it suppresses the entity inside her and could interfere with the ritual.
• Maria explains that Emperor Roselle had foretold Abner’s plan. The ritual may free her from the entity within her and prevent her from becoming either its vessel or the mother of a vessel.
• Abner begins gathering the other surviving girls connected to the original ritual:
  • Bianca, a Warlock living peacefully as Abner’s butler in Intis.
  • Abby, formerly an Emissary of Fertility in the Naturism Sect, now living quietly in Groselle’s Travels.
  • Lophia, formerly Miss D of the Aurora Order, residing in a small world within the Spectral Empire.
• Abner explains the ritual’s purpose to Bianca, revealing that their unusual constitutions may come from an evil god or Outer Deity seeking a vessel through them or their children. Bianca agrees to cooperate despite her fear.
• He informs Abby that the ritual is about to begin. Abby accepts, though she remains wary of Abner and his harsh teaching methods.
• Abner retrieves Lophia from the Go club where she has been using her Restart ability to reverse moves. Though hostile toward Abner, she does not attack because of his overwhelming strength.

Character Developments

• Abner shows a more measured and merciful attitude. He has stopped viewing Abby and similar corrupted individuals as people who must simply be killed, instead considering whether they can atone through good deeds. He also takes responsibility for organizing the ritual and protecting the survivors.
• Maria demonstrates preparation and agency by severing her connection to Pale Justice before arriving. She is determined to escape the entity within her and avoid becoming part of its scheme.
• Bianca confronts the truth behind her powers and realizes that the force she despised may have protected her from the evil god’s influence. Her painful past has strengthened her resolve, and she willingly joins Abner’s plan.
• Abby has adapted to a peaceful life after escaping the Mother Tree’s influence. Though she still fears Abner’s methods, she accepts that the ritual must eventually be completed.
• Lophia has become more settled and capable in her new environment, mastering Go and using her unique Restart power. She remains distrustful and resentful toward Abner but is restrained by awareness of his power.

Significant Themes

• Freedom from corruption and destiny: The survivors seek liberation from the entities that have controlled or contaminated them.
• The burden of the past: The ritual from eleven years ago continues to shape the characters’ lives, forcing them to confront what happened.
• Humanity amid evil: Abner’s changing view of Abby emphasizes that people who have committed wrongs under unbearable circumstances may still retain humanity and deserve the chance to atone.
• Agency and choice: Maria, Bianca, and Abby each choose to participate in the ritual rather than remain passive victims of supernatural forces.
• Protection through suffering: Bianca’s hated power, and perhaps the contamination affecting the survivors generally, has sometimes protected them even while causing immense pain.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Maria: They discuss the ritual’s purpose and Maria’s preparations. Their relationship is cooperative, though Abner carefully evaluates her condition.
• Abner and Bianca: He reveals the ritual’s connection to her origins and possible future as a vessel. Bianca responds with determination and agrees to help.
• Abner and Abby: Their interaction mixes authority, fear, and reluctant trust. Abner offers her a chance at redemption rather than immediate execution.
• Abner and Lophia: Lophia reacts with hostility when Abner forcibly brings her away from the Go club, but his strength prevents confrontation.
• The survivors collectively: Though they have lived very different lives, all are tied together by the same ritual, contamination, and threat of becoming vessels for a higher entity.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• No in-story plot events occur in this chapter.
• The author explains that the upcoming plot is complex and spent the evening rereading previous material instead of making much writing progress.
• Because of an early-morning mass screening, the author decides not to stay up late and promises to compensate by writing more the next day.
• The chapter ends with a request for readers to vote using monthly tickets.

Character developments

• No fictional characters are developed or featured.
• The author’s own situation is emphasized: they are preparing for future plot developments, managing limited time, and prioritizing rest before the screening.

Significant themes

• Writer’s block and preparation: Progress may slow when an author needs to review earlier chapters and organize a complicated upcoming storyline.
• Balancing responsibilities: The author chooses sleep and an early obligation over forcing additional writing.
• Reader engagement: The voting request highlights the ongoing relationship between the author and audience.

Character interactions

• There are no fictional character interactions.
• The only direct interaction is between the author and readers through the appeal for monthly-ticket votes.

Chapter Summary: “Ritual (Making Up for Yesterday)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner asks Miss D, Lophia, to help repeat a dangerous ritual. He threatens to dominate her if she refuses, though he offers her freedom afterward.
• Lophia agrees on the condition that Abner help her escape the True Creator’s influence and sever her connection to the Aurora Order. Abner accepts, believing he can block the True Creator’s “gaze” through an Honorific Name.
• Abner visits Doctor Aaron’s home in Backlund and bargains with Will, who is currently in the body of a baby. In exchange for a mutated Spirit Worm, Will removes the Sefirah-related contamination from Philena, a Life School of Thought member whom Abner brings with him.
• Will warns Abner to be cautious of “Lucky,” meaning the God of Luck, suggesting that one of His hidden arrangements may soon affect Abner. This makes Abner question whether the Wheel of Fortune has been secretly manipulated.
• Abner returns to Observer Castle in the Antares Mountain Range on the night of the Full Moon with five survivors from the ritual eleven years earlier.
• Aglaia Constantine, the soul of a former Demoness of the Apocalypse, greets them. Abner confirms that all the ritual’s necessary conditions are now present: the five survivors, God’s Casket, the Full Moon, Observer Castle, and the body of the Origin of the Fallen.
• Abner places the God’s Casket before the coffin containing the Origin of the Fallen and begins the ritual. The blood rivers around the castle surge as he invokes a series of powerful cosmic beings and entities, attempting to continue the ritual that previously failed.

Character Developments

• Abner: Shows increased confidence and authority, coercing Lophia while also negotiating practical arrangements with Will. He remains cautious and analytical, especially regarding the God of Luck’s possible interference. His concern over the ritual’s grim appearance adds a rare touch of humor before he becomes serious.
• Lophia/Miss D: Her resentment toward the Aurora Order and the True Creator becomes explicit. Though still wary and resentful of Abner, she is willing to cooperate in exchange for the possibility of freedom.
• Will: Despite appearing as an infant, Will remains perceptive, powerful, and condescending. He accepts the Spirit Worm as payment and demonstrates his ability to remove the Snake of Mercury’s contamination from Philena. His warning about “Lucky” reveals that he can perceive dangers Abner himself cannot.
• Philena: Remains largely passive, having been hypnotized and affected by Sefirah contamination. Her purification is necessary for her participation in the ritual.
• Aglaia Constantine: Takes a more direct role by appearing openly at Observer Castle and confirming the ritual’s conditions. Her presence reinforces her connection to the castle and the ancient ritual.
• The five survivors: They return to the ritual site and are positioned at the designated altars, suggesting that their past experience and survival are essential to completing the unfinished ritual.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus control: Lophia’s demand to escape the True Creator and Aurora Order mirrors the broader struggle between individual will and domination by powerful entities. Abner himself uses control and coercion while promising freedom.
• Hidden manipulation and fate: Will’s warning raises the possibility that the God of Luck has tampered with the Wheel of Fortune or arranged events beyond Abner’s awareness.
• The cost of power: Abner must barter with Will, rely on dangerous supernatural forces, and manipulate others to prepare the ritual.
• Incomplete history and repetition: The current ceremony is explicitly a continuation of the failed ritual from eleven years earlier, showing how unresolved events return and demand completion.
• Cosmic instability: The ritual invokes multiple terrifying entities representing order, knowledge, destruction, darkness, curses, fate, and corruption, emphasizing the vast and dangerous forces involved.

Character Interactions

• Abner and Lophia: Their conversation is tense and transactional. Lophia challenges Abner’s authority but negotiates a concession, while Abner uses the threat of domination to secure her cooperation.
• Abner and Will: Their exchange is playful but fundamentally a negotiation between powerful beings. Will insists on payment, mocks the Spirit Worm, and then provides the needed purification.
• Abner and Philena: Abner transports and hypnotizes her to ensure that her condition does not disrupt the ritual.
• Abner and Aglaia: They briefly discuss the ritual’s requirements before Abner organizes the participants and begins the ceremony.
• Abner and the cosmic entities: Through the incantation, Abner formally calls upon numerous divine or near-divine beings, setting the ritual in motion.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• As Abner performs the ritual to summon Mr. Door, a Blood Moon appears over Backlund, suggesting that powerful supernatural forces are reacting to the event.
• At Harvest Church, a silver-haired woman observes the Blood Moon and hints that it may expose or interfere with her plan.
• Amon, appearing as a beautiful golden-haired woman, notices the anomaly while speaking with Medici, the Red Angel.
• Amon proposes that Medici abandon the Red Priest pathway and instead pursue the Black Emperor pathway. She argues that this could allow Medici to become a True God and help undermine the Augustus Family’s plan.
• Medici is skeptical but admits that Amon’s proposal is tempting, particularly because the Black Emperor’s resurrection could erase the madness caused by switching pathways.
• On the Future, Sharf reacts strangely to the Blood Moon while Frank continues his disturbing experiments on plants.
• Within Observer Castle, Abner successfully establishes contact with Mr. Door. He hears incomprehensible, highly contaminating ravings and realizes that Mr. Door has been exposed to the influence of multiple Outer Deities.
• Mr. Door identifies himself as Bethel Abraham and recognizes Abner’s Abraham Family bloodline.
• Abner confronts him about the curse that condemned the Abraham Family for more than a thousand years, preventing members from safely advancing along the Traveler pathway.
• Mr. Door expresses shock and regret upon learning that the Abraham Family has nearly collapsed and produced no recent Demigods.
• Abner begins channeling the remaining power of the Origin of the Fallen through their connection, intending to borrow Mr. Door’s power for the Gray Fog Door ritual.
• Instead of welcoming rescue, Mr. Door suddenly becomes frantic and cries out: “Don’t save me!”

Character Developments

• Abner remains cautious and analytical. Although he understands Mr. Door’s identity, he pretends ignorance and confronts him directly about the consequences of his past actions. His willingness to use the Origin of the Fallen’s power shows his growing boldness and access to dangerous abilities.
• Amon demonstrates her usual manipulative intelligence. She seeks to exploit Medici’s ambitions and resentment toward the Augustus Family, offering a seemingly mutually beneficial alliance while concealing her true motives.
• Medici shows greater independence and judgment. She distrusts Amon but seriously considers the possibility of switching to the Black Emperor pathway, revealing that her desire for godhood and revenge remains strong.
• Mr. Door/Bethel Abraham is portrayed as deeply contaminated, isolated, and psychologically unstable. He is surprised by the Abraham Family’s decline and reveals an unexpected fear of being rescued.
• Sharf’s reaction to the Blood Moon hints that the event affects or concerns him, though his motives remain unclear.
• The silver-haired woman and the Blood Moon imply that other powerful figures are monitoring or responding to Abner’s ritual.

Significant Themes

• The danger of salvation: Mr. Door’s desperate rejection of rescue suggests that liberation from corruption may be more complicated—or more dangerous—than expected.
• Consequences of past actions: Abner forces Mr. Door to confront the devastation caused by his curse, emphasizing how ancient decisions continue to affect later generations.
• Manipulation and ambition: Amon uses Medici’s hatred of the Augustus Family and desire for advancement to entice her into a dangerous pathway switch.
• Contamination and madness: Mr. Door’s ravings and the risks of pathway conversion highlight the constant threat of corruption, loss of control, and Outer Deity influence.
• Hidden plans and surveillance: The Blood Moon and the reactions of multiple characters suggest that Abner’s ritual has drawn the attention of powerful beings and may expose concealed schemes.

Character Interactions

• Amon and Medici: Amon proposes that Medici become the Black Emperor and oppose the Augustus Family. Medici mocks her but is privately intrigued.
• Abner and Mr. Door: Their exchange combines accusation, family resentment, and negotiation. Abner demands cooperation while Mr. Door acknowledges the ruin of the Abraham Family.
• Abner and the Origin of the Fallen: Abner uses their connection to channel power toward Mr. Door, initiating the ritual’s next and most dangerous stage.
• Medici and Amon: Their conversation reveals mutual distrust; Medici recognizes Amon’s manipulation even while considering the benefits of her offer.

Chapter Summary: “Reentering the ‘Theater’”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner questions the corrupted Mr. Door about why his alternate self told Roselle about the ritual. Mr. Door explains that the ritual was meant to locate the “special souls” inside God’s Casket connected to major entities and sefirot, including the Mother Nest and Shadow World.
• Abner realizes that the Mother Goddess of Depravity is likely monitoring the ritual. Lilith’s mission may therefore be more than an investigation—it could be a trap intended to lure or expose the Mother Goddess.
• Abner asks about the Calamity Seal’s role. Mr. Door reveals that the Calamity Seal gave him an encrypted Honorific Name and instructed him to recite it at a specific time, though the purpose remains unknown.
• Mr. Door asks Abner to tell his descendants how to free him. The escape requires two rituals:
  1. Sacrificing one Demigod from each of the Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder Pathways.
  2. Using the blood of at least ninety-nine Abraham Family Beyonders to draw a specific symbol.
• Once Abner agrees, the ritual connection is completed, allowing him to borrow Mr. Door’s Authority.
• The ritual in Observer Castle activates. Gray Fog envelops the five survivors and the body of the Origin of the Fallen. The powers and manifestations of several sefirot and Great Old Ones appear, including the River of Eternal Darkness, Nation of Disorder, Shadow World, City of Calamity, Knowledge Moor, River of Fate, Key of Light, and finally the Mother Nest.
• These forces gather within God’s Casket. A magnificent lid bearing seven gemstones materializes and seals the casket, completing it.
• The lid had previously been dispersed among the five surviving women after the failed ritual eleven years earlier. Its return removes their special powers and the Mother Goddess of Depravity’s corruption, effectively redeeming them.
• The survivors react emotionally: Pale Admiral sheds tears, while Bianca and Abby openly weep. Mrs. Filina remains confused after being freed from hypnosis.
• Abner ignores the emotional aftermath and uses the Pure White Eye to examine the seven gemstones. This triggers the Memory Theater once again, drawing him into a higher-dimensional theater.
• The next “story” he enters concerns the special soul linked to the City of Calamity: the King of Elves, Soniathrym.

Character Developments

• Abner becomes increasingly focused and pragmatic. Although he recognizes the survivors’ suffering, completing Lilith’s mission and investigating the gemstones take priority over comforting them.
• Mr. Door reveals further information about his imprisonment and the Calamity Seal’s plans. Despite his corruption and madness, he retains enough clarity to negotiate and seek salvation for himself.
• The five survivors are finally freed from the corruption and burdens caused by the failed ritual. Their emotional reactions emphasize the immense relief and trauma they have endured.
• The Calamity Seal is presented as a mysterious force with potentially benevolent, manipulative, or deeply strategic motives. Its true objective remains unresolved.
• Mother Goddess of Depravity becomes a more immediate looming threat, as her corruption was embedded in the survivors and may have been deliberately targeted through the ritual.

Significant Themes

• Redemption through sacrifice and suffering: The completion of the ritual restores the survivors by removing the corruption and powers forced upon them.
• Hidden motives and layered conspiracies: Lilith, the Calamity Seal, Mr. Door, and the Mother Goddess may all have intersecting but concealed agendas.
• Identity and alternate selves: Abner reflects on the Calamity Seal as another version of himself, wondering whether its actions might stem from genuine humanity.
• Knowledge as danger: Discovering the encrypted Honorific Name and examining the gemstones immediately draws Abner into the dangerous Memory Theater.
• Completion and restoration: The sealing of God’s Casket reverses the damage caused by the failed ritual and restores the casket to its true, powerful form.

Character Interactions

• Abner directly interrogates Mr. Door about the ritual, the special souls, and the Calamity Seal.
• Mr. Door bargains with Abner by providing the instructions needed to free him in exchange for Abner’s assistance.
• Abner implicitly identifies himself as one of Mr. Door’s descendants, making the request personally relevant.
• The five survivors react together to the completion of the ritual, with Pale Admiral, Bianca, and Abby displaying intense emotion while Filina remains disoriented.
• Abner’s interaction with the survivors is minimal; his attention shifts immediately to God’s Casket and the seven gemstones, leading to his reentry into the Memory Theater.

Chapter Summary: “Traps and Schemes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner enters the Memory Theater in a higher-dimensional state, observing the life of Elf King Soniathrym as though watching a film.
• He experiments with “descending” into the Elf King’s memories and discovers that he can now choose between observing events and participating in them. By altering memories, he may be able to revise historical information and, indirectly, reality.
• Abner concludes that the Memory Theater can only make limited changes to the history of an Ancient God; major alterations would require a price he cannot afford.
• The Memory Theater presents the histories of several special souls:
  • Soniathrym’s rise, alliance with the Giant King Aurmir and Lilith, death at the hands of the Ancient Sun God, and eventual return to God’s Casket.
  • The Soul Stone’s passage through various owners until Roselle traded it to Yaluolan, who later gave it to Abner.
  • The histories connected to the Knowledge Moor and Shadow World.
• Abner realizes that the Memory Theater is likely being deliberately manipulated. Since it activated twice in the same Ritual Room, he suspects an unseen party arranged it.
• He investigates the special soul corresponding to the Key of Light and identifies its owner as the God of Luck. Because of the danger of being assimilated by the God of Luck, Abner chooses not to enter those memories.
• He instead examines the Night Emperor Trunsoest’s history and discovers several major secrets:
  1. The Prince of Abolition who helped ambush Aglaia was not Trunsoest; Trunsoest later acquired Aglaia’s soul from Cheek and cooperated with Mr. Door.
  2. Trunsoest betrayed the Blood Moon Queen Olynnia not for personal gain, but to obtain outside assistance for Cheek’s godhood ritual.
  3. After Trunsoest’s death, his Soul Stone remained hidden inside the Book of Virtues and was protected by the loyal Priestley Family until it eventually reached Abner.
• Abner deduces that the Book of Virtues is not merely a proof or key for reaching the Nation of Disorder’s Leak Point. The true key is the Night Emperor’s Soul Stone contained within it.
• Since the Leak Point lies inside Trunsoest’s divine kingdom, his Soul Stone may allow passage and create the conditions necessary for his resurrection.

Character Developments

• Abner: Gains greater control over the Memory Theater and becomes capable of manipulating or entering historical “plots.” He grows more suspicious of the forces guiding his discoveries and demonstrates increased caution by avoiding the God of Luck’s memories.
• Elf King Soniathrym: His history is clarified, including his rise to power, alliance with other Ancient Gods, death, and transformation into a Soul Stone.
• Night Emperor Trunsoest: Is revealed to have been deeply devoted to Cheek, possibly valuing her above his wife, Olynnia. His actions were connected to Cheek’s godhood ritual and a long-term resurrection scheme.
• Cheek: Her relationship with Trunsoest appears to have been genuine and influential. Her later alliance with the mad God of Death and role in the Pale Disaster may have been motivated by revenge for Trunsoest.
• God of Luck: Is established as a dangerous rival whose memories could assimilate or replace Abner.
• Calamity Seal: Abner suspects it manipulated events through Roselle to weaken the God of Luck and prepare Abner to oppose him.

Significant Themes

• History and reality: The Memory Theater raises the possibility that altering memories can revise historical information and potentially change reality, though such changes are limited by power and cost.
• Manipulation and hidden schemes: Abner repeatedly discovers that apparent accidents and historical events may have been arranged by powerful beings.
• Resurrection and preparation: Trunsoest’s hidden Soul Stone reveals a carefully prepared resurrection plan requiring the Book of Virtues, his divine kingdom, and the corresponding Sefirah.
• Love, loyalty, and betrayal: Trunsoest’s betrayal of Olynnia is reframed as an act of loyalty to Cheek, complicating the distinction between political betrayal and personal devotion.
• Identity and assimilation: The danger posed by the God of Luck reflects the broader threat of losing one’s identity to a stronger existence.
• Rival versions of Abner: The conflict between the God of Luck and the Calamity Seal—both connected to alternate versions or aspects of Abner—may ultimately create an opportunity for him.

Character Interactions

• Abner and the Memory Theater: Abner shifts from passive observer to active participant, testing the limits of his control over historical events.
• Soniathrym, Aurmir, and Lilith: Their alliance against the other Ancient Gods eventually gives way to suspicion and conflict after Lilith’s fall.
• Trunsoest and Cheek: Their relationship appears to be one of genuine mutual importance, with Trunsoest risking his position and betraying Olynnia to aid Cheek.
• Trunsoest and Olynnia: Their marriage is undermined by Trunsoest’s greater loyalty to Cheek, potentially influenced by the Primordial Demoness.
• Calamity Seal and Roselle: Abner suspects the Calamity Seal used Roselle to arrange the earlier Memory Theater incident.
• Abner and the God of Luck: Though they do not directly confront one another, Abner recognizes the God of Luck as a major threat and deliberately avoids entering his memories.

Chapter Summary: “The Setup”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner continues investigating the identity of the mysterious Prince of Abolition who helped Cheek ambush Aglaia Constantine. He considers whether it may have been Tudor, the future Blood Emperor, or another Sequence 1 of the Black Emperor Pathway.
• He reviews the history of the River of Eternal Darkness and the Phoenix Progenitor, Gregrace. Since the associated Sefirah Imprint may have been altered by Vincent Miranda and later obtained by the Goddess, Abner decides it is too dangerous to investigate directly.
• Abner enters the final memory scene connected to the Mother Nest. The special soul associated with its Sefirah Imprint was Omebella, the Giant Queen.
• Omebella possessed both the Mother Pathway’s authority and a Hand of God, while her son, Badheil—the Dawn God—needed that Hand of God to complete his own advancement. They devised a plan in which Badheil would kill Omebella, allowing her to reincarnate as a purified Nature Walker while he extracted the Hand of God and completed his ritual.
• The plan failed because Lilith had not truly died. The characteristics Omebella relied upon had been tampered with, allowing Lilith to replace Omebella during the reincarnation process.
• Badheil unknowingly killed his mother, believing the woman who would revive to still be Omebella. The lingering resentment and corrupted spirit within her corpse eventually became the Kinslaying Curse of the City of Silver.
• Abner confirms that the God of Combat had been unaware that his mother had been replaced. He also realizes that Olynnia’s suspicion of Omebella and her departure from the Elven Royal Court were connected to broader schemes involving the God of Luck and the Ancient Sun God.
• The memory record suddenly skips from Omebella’s death to the Fifth Epoch, when the Mother Nest Imprint appears in Giuseppe Castiya’s possession. Abner concludes that the Imprint had entered the Land of Unknown and may have been stripped from Omebella’s Soul Stone by another version of himself.
• Abner deduces Lilith’s broader plan: he is meant to choose the Imprint’s apparent storage location in the Memory Theater, after which information will overwrite reality and deceive the Mother Goddess of Depravity.
• He identifies three possible locations:
  1. The body of the Goddess of Life beneath Blue Mountain Island, potentially reincarnated as Frank.
  2. Suah, possibly through Lamia after her capture and death.
  3. The remote prison where Roselle, the Underworld Emperor, and the Black Emperor conducted experiments.
• Abner concludes that the first two locations are likely bait, while the third is the true trap. Lilith probably intends to lure the Mother Goddess of Depravity into sending forces to the prison, where Lilith and the Goddess can ambush her.
• This deception is likely part of the larger Silver Moon Plan, though Abner still does not understand how the plan can restrain an avatar of such a powerful Great Old One.

Character Developments

• Abner demonstrates increasing insight into the hidden interactions between Sefirah Imprints, reincarnation, information overwriting, and the Convergence Effect. He moves from observing history to actively understanding how his own choices may shape reality.
• Lilith is revealed as the central architect of the Mother Nest scheme. Her apparent death, manipulation of Omebella’s characteristics, and long-term preparation show her strategic depth.
• Omebella is portrayed as a tragic figure whose attempt to help her son and preserve her power resulted in her replacement and eventual corruption.
• Badheil, later the God of Combat, is shown to have committed matricide unknowingly. His ignorance becomes a source of tragedy and explains the creation of the Kinslaying Curse.
• Olynnia, the Blood Moon Queen, is revealed to have suspected Omebella but was manipulated into leaving the Elven Royal Court, likely preserving her life before the Ancient Sun God’s attack.
• The Mother Goddess of Depravity is positioned as the intended target of Lilith’s trap, while the High-Dimensional Overseer may be indirectly involved by relaying misleading information.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation of identity and fate: Omebella is replaced during reincarnation, demonstrating that identity can be overwritten even when the victim believes the process is under control.
• The hidden cost of gifts and alliances: Abner recognizes Lilith’s aid as an obligation, reinforcing the theme that supernatural favors always carry concealed prices.
• Information shaping reality: The chapter emphasizes that in the Memory Theater, selecting a location can cause information to overwrite actual history and create a believable but false reality.
• Tragedy born from ignorance: Badheil’s sincere attempt to help his mother leads to her destruction, while he remains unaware of the truth.
• Long-term conspiracies and layered deception: Lilith’s plan has apparently been prepared for ages, involving false locations, manipulated memories, and multiple factions.
• Convergence and inevitability: The possible locations of the Mother Nest Imprint are not arbitrary; they must fit the logic of convergence and existing supernatural connections.

Character Interactions

• Omebella and Badheil cooperate in a desperate plan to advance both of their authorities, but the plan ultimately turns them against one another through Lilith’s interference.
• Lilith and Omebella are connected through the corrupted characteristics and reincarnation process, with Lilith effectively taking over Omebella’s fate.
• Olynnia and Omebella have a relationship poisoned by suspicion, while the God of Luck manipulates events to separate Olynnia from the Elven Royal Court.
• Lilith and Abner are engaged in an indirect strategic exchange: Lilith relies on Abner to make a choice that will determine the battlefield for her confrontation with the Mother Goddess of Depravity.
• The Mother Goddess of Depravity and the High-Dimensional Overseer may share information or cooperate against Lilith, making them important variables in the unfolding trap.

Chapter Summary: “New Messenger?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner decides to use the Memory Theater to transfer the Mother Nest’s imprint to the mysterious Prison island in the western Southern Continent. Through Information Overwrite, reality’s memories and records will be altered so that the imprint has supposedly always been there.
• He reasons that, because he, Bernadette, and Klein possess most of the Cards of Blasphemy, they are the most likely people capable of opening the Prison’s core. He predicts that the remaining cards may be drawn toward them through apparent coincidences, especially Bernadette.
• After completing the Memory Theater’s “plot,” Abner leaves the theater, triggering the overwrite of information across the world.
• On the Future, Sharf briefly reacts violently before collapsing, while Frank calmly feeds him a mushroom that suppresses his behavior. Eye of Wisdom, inhabiting John, relaxes after realizing no immediate attack has occurred.
• Bernadette briefly senses the familiar power of the Memory Theater in Morning Star City, though neither she nor Cattleya can identify anything unusual.
• Lilith reveals that the plan has gone as expected: she believes the Dominator of Mysteries understood her intentions and hopes the being “above” will take the bait. She also considers what reward to give Abner for completing his long-term mission.
• In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, Amon senses that something has changed and speculates that it concerns the Mother Nest.
• After completing the ritual in Observer Castle, Abner discovers that the five surviving women have fainted. Aglaia is invigorated by the aura of Sefirah convergence emanating from God’s Casket.
• Abner fulfills his promise by giving Aglaia the Yellow Saint’s Marionette. Aglaia reveals that she once helped Roselle arrange Natalia’s assassination of Ignacia, the Golden Saintess, so Natalia could advance to Angel.
• Aglaia extracts the Sequence 2 Demoness of Catastrophe Beyonder Characteristic from Natalia. Natalia’s body remains intact, but her power drops to Sequence 3. Aglaia suggests that she may eventually serve as Abner’s Messenger in spirit-body form.

Character Developments

• Abner: Demonstrates increasing mastery of Information Overwrite and strategic planning. He continues to view Aglaia affectionately, regarding her almost as a daughter, and gains a potentially powerful new ally or Messenger.
• Aglaia Constantine: Shows greater stability and renewed vitality from absorbing the Sefirah aura. She proves clever and manipulative in reminding Abner of his promise, while also revealing her deep involvement in Natalia’s past.
• Bernadette: Remains highly sensitive to the Memory Theater’s power, suggesting a lingering connection to it even when she cannot consciously identify what happened.
• Lilith: Appears to be conducting a larger scheme involving the Mother Nest and an entity “above,” with Abner’s actions serving an important role.
• Amon: Detects the effects of Abner’s Information Overwrite or related changes but cannot determine their exact nature, indicating that the alteration has reached a level difficult even for him to perceive.
• The Yellow Saint/Natalia: Loses her Sequence 2 power and is reduced to Sequence 3, but remains physically available as Abner’s Marionette.
• Frank and Sharf: Their odd relationship continues, with Frank casually controlling Sharf’s dangerous biological impulses through mushrooms.

Significant Themes

• Reality and information: The chapter emphasizes that reality can be altered not by changing events directly, but by rewriting what everyone remembers and records about them.
• Fate and coincidence: Abner expects the remaining Cards of Blasphemy to be drawn toward key individuals through “coincidences,” highlighting the tension between planning and predetermined Fate.
• Hidden conspiracies: Lilith, Roselle, Natalia, and the Mother Nest are connected through layered schemes whose true purposes remain concealed from most characters.
• Power and sacrifice: Aglaia’s extraction of Natalia’s Beyonder Characteristic shows that advancement often requires reducing or sacrificing another person’s power.
• Humanity and memory: Abner’s idea of using the Memory Theater for Tarot Club members to share embarrassing memories suggests that confronting memories and vulnerability may help preserve their Humanity.

Character Interactions

• Abner mentally evaluates Bernadette’s and Klein’s roles in opening the Prison and their relationship to Fate.
• Frank casually handles Sharf’s unstable behavior, while Eye of Wisdom observes from a distance and worries about the safety of the Future’s crew.
• Bernadette and Cattleya discuss Bernadette’s momentary sensation of the Memory Theater, though Cattleya cannot detect its presence.
• Lilith indirectly acknowledges Abner’s successful cooperation with her plan and considers rewarding him.
• Aglaia reminds Abner of his promise, receives Natalia’s Marionette, and explains her past connection to Roselle and the Golden Saintess.
• Aglaia and Natalia share a silent, significant exchange through eye contact before Aglaia removes Natalia’s higher Sequence power and returns her to Abner.

Chapter Summary: “A God Comes Calling Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Abner lends Aglaia the Grade 1 Sealed Artifact Warlock’s Crown, formerly given to her by Reinhardt and later taken by Cheek. Although he insists it is only a loan, Aglaia assumes he will eventually let her keep it once he regains his memories.
• Five women previously affected by corruption or contamination awaken after Abner removes their problems. Their supernatural abilities are also stripped away, returning them to ordinary human states.
• Mrs. Filina is teleported back to Backlund. She discovers that four months have passed since her disappearance and realizes that her contamination has truly vanished.
• Lophia, Miss D of the Aurora Order, asks how to avoid the True Creator’s ravings. Abner tells her to pray to the corpse of the Father of Succubi, the Origin of the Fallen, whose dead state supposedly makes invoking Him safe. Lophia reluctantly accepts the solution despite fearing that He may one day resurrect.
• Abner assigns punishments and responsibilities:
  • Abby must oversee the Charity Hospital in Backlund as atonement for her past crimes.
  • Lophia is sent to Morning Star City to assist the people rescued from darkness; her freedom depends on her performance.
  • Bianca is allowed to remain as Abner’s butler.
• Maria, the Pale Admiral, reveals that removing her contamination has made the Demon within her harder to suppress. Abner keeps his promise and helps her complete the ritual to advance to Demigod, with Aglaia assisting.
• Ialdabaoth, the Blood Archduke and follower of the God of Luck, observes Observer Castle and recognizes Abner as the reincarnation of his lord, concluding that Abner is far from ordinary.
• After completing Maria’s advancement, Abner returns home exhausted. He soon learns that Lilith, using the Beauty Goddess’s body as a vessel, has come to visit him again.

Character Developments

• Abner continues acting as a powerful but pragmatic protector and administrator. Although he lacks memories of his relationship with Aglaia, he instinctively safeguards her and manages the others through a mixture of mercy, punishment, and manipulation.
• Aglaia remains devoted to Abner and clearly regards him as her father despite his incomplete memories. She also recognizes similarities between his behavior and that of his former self.
• Abby is freed from her physical corruption but must now seek redemption through service.
• Lophia becomes more cautious and realistic, abandoning hopes of an easy release and accepting both Abner’s dangerous protection and his conditions.
• Bianca has grown attached to her identity as Abner’s female butler and chooses to remain in his household even after losing her special abilities.
• Maria faces a new danger: without the previous contamination suppressing it, the Demon within her is becoming harder to control. Her urgent advancement to Demigod is presented as necessary for survival.
• Filina is relieved that she is no longer dangerous to others, and she begins considering a relationship with Stewart.
• Ialdabaoth becomes aware that Abner’s identity and power deserve serious attention.
• Lilith’s return signals another important divine-level encounter.

Significant Themes

• Identity and lost memory: Abner’s inability to remember Aglaia contrasts with her certainty about their past relationship, emphasizing the tension between memory and inherent personality.
• Redemption through responsibility: The former enemies are not simply forgiven; they are assigned useful work and made to atone for their past actions.
• Power and protection: Abner uses artifacts, divine names, and supernatural arrangements to protect others, but his methods often involve risk and manipulation.
• The danger of divine forces: Even a dead Great Existence remains powerful, while divine contamination, ravings, and demonic influence continue to threaten the characters.
• Reincarnation and continuity: Aglaia and Ialdabaoth both recognize traces of Abner’s former identity, suggesting that personality and destiny persist beyond memory.
• Freedom versus dependence: The women gain freedom from their corruption but become dependent on Abner’s decisions and institutions for their future.

Important Character Interactions

• Abner and Aglaia: He lends her Warlock’s Crown while denying the deeper father-daughter bond she assumes. Their exchange highlights his missing memories and her unwavering loyalty.
• Abner and the rescued women: He explains their healing, sets terms for their futures, and balances compassion with strict judgment.
• Abner and Lophia: He offers protection from the True Creator but does so through a frightening and potentially dangerous divine solution.
• Abner and Maria: Their interaction is direct and urgent; Maria demands the promised ritual, and Abner honors his commitment with Aglaia’s assistance.
• Abner and Ialdabaoth: They do not meet directly, but Ialdabaoth observes him and recognizes his significance.
• Abner and Lilith: The chapter ends with Lilith arriving at his villa, setting up a forthcoming divine conversation.