Chapter Summaries

Arthur negotiated with a mysterious stranger who had his Medium's Case and wanted to learn Miss Caesar's whereabouts and find the Herke Laboratory. After Arthur's booby-trapped case exploded without harming the stranger, the stranger seized Arthur and fled, while Harris noticed a pair of red eyes behind him.

• Arthur admired the Blood Descendant's loyalty, then approached the overturned carriage to retrieve his Medium's Case.
• A hooded stranger holding Arthur's case demanded Miss Caesar's whereabouts, and Arthur offered three answers to questions instead.
• Harris hid nearby, recognized Arthur's mention of the Herke Laboratory, and grew greedy for what it might contain.
• The stranger asked where the Herke Laboratory was, but Arthur refused to use Malinda as a bargaining chip.
• Arthur's Medium's Case exploded, but the stranger emerged unharmed, grabbed Arthur, and rushed away.
• Harris prepared to pursue them, then turned toward a pair of eyes glowing red.

Arthur, controlling the Blood Scion Auben, killed Harris and confronted the last surviving Blood Clan member before he could pursue Arthur and the abducted Arthur Credos. He began manipulating the man by posing as his elder brother, but Auben suddenly acted confused and questioned his identity.

• The Blood Clan member chased Harris, who escaped through shadows, but a Frost Shortsword struck him and appeared to leave him shattered.
• Arthur, controlling the Blood Scion Auben, found the wounded Harris and cut off his head while Fuginn and Muninn watched for signs of life.
• Arthur placed Harris's body in the [Athos Box] and brought his head to the Blood Clan member to stop him from disrupting the plan.
• Auben scolded the Blood Clan member for abandoning his ancestors' decision, then clutched his head and asked who he was and why he was there.
• The Blood Clan member realized something was wrong with Auben.

Arthur used the Blood Scion to convince Byrne that he was a lost Blood Clan elder suffering from amnesia, while Byrne believed he could become the new Blood Marquis. Freeman and Amuel encountered people on Shaded Lane, but Freeman fled after sensing danger.

• Arthur made the Blood Scion pretend to suffer from amnesia, and Byrne remembered the Blood Clan’s calamity and the Marquise’s prophecy.
• Byrne decided Arthur was a powerful backup heir and resolved to help him become the new Blood Marquis, though he worried about returning to the dangerous Clan Grounds for treatment.
• After Arthur asked who he was, Byrne identified himself and mentioned the Marquis’s secret personal guards, prompting Arthur to act confused and flee into the shadows.
• Byrne chased after Arthur, blaming himself for upsetting his brother and fearing the horror had affected him too.
• Freeman led Amuel along Shaded Lane toward a sensed blood descendant, then spotted people ahead, announced that anyone in his way would die, and immediately ran away.

Amuel and Freeman were pursued through the woods by a horde of leprosy sufferers sent by the Death Poetry Society. After Amuel used Freeman’s blood to unleash Bloodfire, a Society member confronted them and threatened Freeman, who cried out for his “father” to save him.

• Amuel recognized the leprosy sufferers as a diversion by the Death Poetry Society and joined Freeman in fleeing into the woods.
• Freeman carried Amuel through the pursuing crowd while she threw potions at their attackers.
• Amuel stabbed Freeman and used his blood to ignite Bloodfire, which struck the leprosy sufferers.
• A Death Poetry Society member appeared and threatened to torture and kill Freeman, dismissing the chance that his father would help.
• Freeman called out for his father to save him, and a fierce wind erupted.

Arthur arrived on a Blood Bat to rescue Freeman and Amuel, then unleashed devastating sonic and ice powers against the fleeing Death Poetry Society member. The chapter ended as Arthur launched a two-meter ice spear through a sudden storm of snow.

• The Death Poetry Society member recognized the Blood Bat and saw the Blood Scion, Arthur, on its back.
• Amuel and Freeman knelt and begged Arthur for protection, and Amuel revealed that the Death Poetry Society had helped attack the Blood Marquis.
• The Death Poetry Society member fled, so Arthur ordered the Blood Bat to attack with ultrasound, shattering the surrounding landscape and forcing his opponent to escape with a Mystic Art.
• Arthur unleashed an intense cold that froze the woods and brought snow, while Amuel and Freeman reacted with fear and fanatical admiration.
• Arthur formed an ice spear and launched it at the Death Poetry Society member as ice and snow covered the area.

Arthur used the Blood Scion to unleash a costly frost attack that killed a Death Poetry Society member and the remaining watchers, establishing the Blood Scion’s power. Byrne arrived hoping to join his brother, while Arthur noticed Freeman’s unusual bearing and realized someone had taken the bait.

• The Blood Scion froze and shattered the fleeing Death Poetry Society member with a frost attack powered by gold coins from the [Athos Box] and Oak Manor.
• Arthur watched through the Blood Scion, reflected on the attack’s cost and Arcana-level power, and let some witnesses escape to spread the news while the rest were killed.
• Byrne arrived, excited by the Blood Bat and the Blood Scion’s strength, but dropped to one knee when he noticed his brother’s displeasure.
• Arthur turned his attention to Freeman and Amuel, suspected something unusual about Freeman, and realized someone had taken the bait.

A mysterious figure abducted Arthur and tried to take him out of South Los, but Arthur poisoned them and escaped before Grover confronted him. Grover threatened to interrogate Arthur about Herke Laboratory and his aura of death, until Malinda revealed herself and stabbed Grover from behind.

• A mysterious figure carried Arthur toward a hidden boat on the South Los Inland River, and Arthur poisoned them with a punch.
• Arthur fled from the boat when a poisonous mist appeared and met Grover, a member of the New Death Poetry Society.
• Grover asked Arthur about Herke Laboratory and his powerful aura of death, then threatened to force the answers from him.
• Arthur backed toward the river as Grover approached, but the poisoned figure rose and stabbed Grover from behind.
• Grover tried to explain himself, then fell silent when the figure revealed herself as Malinda.

Arthur and Malinda exposed Grover’s false claims and captured him, then discussed their mutual suspicions and the danger posed by an Arcana Rank Blood Scion. The chapter ended with Arthur declaring that he would ride the rising wind in South Los.

• Grover learned that the Herke Laboratory news was fake, though the Blood Clan member and the plan to lure him out were real.
• Grover tried to summon his Plague Legion and the Pure White Reaper, but nothing appeared, and Malinda accused him of fabricating his claims.
• Malinda slapped and stabbed Grover until he could no longer resist, then used smoke to make him vanish into her Spatial Equipment.
• Arthur and Malinda exchanged suspicions about their motives, and Arthur gave her the Illusion Realm Pearl as payment.
• Malinda warned Arthur that an Arcana Rank Blood Scion was more concerning than the captured Society members, and Arthur declared that he would ride the wind and rise.

Arthur told Malinda he would cooperate against the Countess and received a Magic Poker Box as payment for helping uncover a Blood Clan member. He headed back to South Los, unaware that Malinda watched him leave, and then began controlling the Exquisite Puppet.

• Malinda asked Arthur how he planned to deal with the Countess, and Arthur used his contract to signal that he would cooperate with her.
• Malinda gave Arthur a Magic Poker Box and told him to use his name if the Count's guards questioned him in South Los.
• Arthur tested the box's flying and changing cards, then set off toward South Los.
• Malinda emerged from the mist after Arthur had gone and called him childish.
• Arthur suspected Malinda had given him the box to test his ambitions and began controlling the Exquisite Puppet.

The Blood Scion left the snowy scene, and Arthur used his control of him to stop Byrne from revealing the Blood Clan’s secrets after [Death Intuition] warned of danger. Arthur secured a way to contact Byrne, recovered the [Athos Box], and headed toward Garden Street before dawn.

• The Blood Scion walked away through the snow, while Freeman and Amuel abandoned their mission and returned toward Whitebird District with new plans.
• Arthur sensed an unexplained threat through [Death Intuition] and asked Byrne if he was trying to escape by revealing Blood Clan secrets.
• Arthur told Byrne to seek him through The Horn Newspaper under the name Dracula, and Byrne gave him the Blackbeard Tavern as his own contact point.
• The Blood Scion departed on Blood Bat, and Arthur had Fuginn keep watch on Byrne after he left.
• Muninn retrieved the [Athos Box], and Arthur took it before heading toward Garden Street to complete one last task before dawn.

After the Clock Tower explosion, Hite tried to flee South Los with his Golden Canes, but Arthur killed him and took the stash. Arthur then returned to the Shire District Police Department, where Pendragon continued eating through the kibble and lost a whisker.

• Hite hid underground after the explosion at Earta Square, then decided to escape to the Inner Bay with his Golden Canes.
• Hite retrieved twenty-two Golden Canes from his Dale Lane safe house and considered killing Tate before leaving.
• Arthur silently killed Hite with the [Hand of the Void], stored his corpse in the [Athos Box], and took the Golden Canes.
• Arthur cleaned the safe house and headed for the Shire District Police Department to retrieve Pendragon.
• Pendragon monopolized Chief's food bowl while Maltz watched, and a whisker fell as the cat ate.

Arthur collected the sixth whisker needed for the [Cat's Orange] ritual and began planning how to perform it without attracting the watchers around his home. He entrusted Maltz with starting a small coastal trading fleet and left to inspect the loot from Harris's secret refuge.

• Arthur collected Pendragon's whisker and planned to travel to Ymir Manor to carry out the [Cat's Orange] ritual away from watchers.
• Arthur showed Maltz the Golden Cane and asked him to plan their first ship.
• Maltz recommended buying a used cog and two old thirty-oared vessels for coastal trade between South Los and the Inner Bay.
• Arthur put Maltz in charge of the fleet and left to inventory the loot from Harris's secret refuge.

Arthur examined the spoils he had taken from Harris, whose notes revealed the history of the Illusory True Shadow Art and his experiments. Arthur assessed the Mystic Art and Watchlight Lamp, then recognized someone caught by the lamp’s vigilance effect.

• Arthur counted four hundred gold bars and read Harris’s notes about his father, the Illusory True Shadow Art, and his murderous experiments.
• Arthur discovered that Harris had learned to travel through shadows and had traded with Shadow Snake Xiudik before their conflict.
• Arthur assessed the fragmentary Illusory True Shadow Art and found he needed 300 XP to learn it, though he did not yet have enough.
• Arthur identified Harris’s item as an incomplete Watchlight Lamp that could illuminate and monitor a fifty-meter radius.
• Arthur activated the Watchlight Lamp’s vigilance effect over 2 Kirk Street and recognized one of the people it revealed.

Arthur accepted Bernice’s payment and promised to understand his concern about Edith, while secretly arranging her death. Through Muninn, Arthur witnessed Orr kill Edith and two mystical pursuers, then realized Bernice had not been targeted; Arthur suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

• Arthur greeted Bernice, who brought 20,000 gold coins and a ruby as payment and gratitude for his help.
• Bernice promised to keep Edith confined, while Arthur secretly decided she still had to die and sent Muninn toward the manor with a gift.
• Orr shot Edith through her bedroom window with a custom flintlock, then killed two mystical pursuers with explosives.
• Orr waited for Bernice, but when he did not appear, he called him old and disappeared into the nearby hills.
• Arthur watched through Muninn, admired Orr’s skill, and wondered whether Old Charlie’s weapons had helped earn Orr’s approval.
• Bernice noticed Arthur’s sudden reaction, and Arthur exclaimed that something was wrong.

Arthur used Lady "Anna" and eerie sounds to frighten Bernice, who was overwhelmed by guilt-ridden visions that Arthur had not caused. After Arthur snapped him out of it, he warned that Bernice’s misfortune was not over, leaving the terrified merchant pleading for help.

• Bernice grew apprehensive when Lady "Anna" entered the Medium's Hall and whispered to Arthur.
• Arthur made Lady "Anna" twist her head and used sounds to frighten Bernice, who began hallucinating accusations from people he had betrayed.
• Bernice saw charred corpses from his memories and screamed as he flailed in his chair.
• Arthur realized Bernice was frightening himself, then slapped him hard enough to knock out several teeth and topple him from his chair.
• Arthur told Bernice that Lady "Anna" had saved him and that his misfortune was not over, then led him toward the sunlit exit.
• Bernice refused to leave and pleaded with Arthur for help.

Arthur frightened Bernice into believing that ghosts and spirits would bring misfortune upon his family, then watched Bernice leave determined to send Edith away. After Arthur gained XP from newspaper reports, another letter arrived from Ymir Manor, and he found its contents interesting.

• Arthur told Bernice that the dead would bring misfortune and warned him to stay away from Edith, prompting Bernice to hurry back to his manor.
• Arthur watched Bernice's carriage leave and maintained a sorrowful expression for his neighbors, who began to suspect that something was wrong.
• Arthur showed Pendragon newspaper reports praising his role in recent cases and received XP for the coverage.
• Arthur considered what to take on his journey as the postman delivered another letter from Ymir Manor in the Jia'er Mountains.
• Arthur read the letter and murmured that its contents were interesting.

Arthur told Malinda about Bernice and the Evil Spirit Life-Taking Curse while they planted catnip and cat grass, but denied knowing about Sigmund or the Soul School. Malinda offered a lead on Cat Cave Nine Lives, and Arthur left to plan a joint visit to Ymir Manor after showing her a threatening letter.

• Arthur asked Malinda to help plant catnip and cat grass in the yard.
• Arthur recounted Bernice's actions and Edith's involvement, and Malinda identified the curse as the Evil Spirit Life-Taking Curse.
• Malinda questioned Arthur about Sigmund, the Soul School, and the curse, but Arthur denied knowing anything about them.
• Malinda offered a lead about Cat Cave Nine Lives, but Arthur said he could not afford it and went inside.
• Arthur showed Malinda a threatening letter about Ymir Manor, and she guessed he wanted them to work together.
• Malinda accused Arthur of targeting Bernice's family assets, and Arthur wondered whether a particular item was involved.

Arthur connected the Illusion Realm Pearl’s clue about “Cat Cave: Nine Lives” to Baron Novia’s treasury and prepared to leave South Los for Ymir Manor. Before departing, he left Malinda to handle matters with Bernice and warned her about the Old Lion of Inner Bay.

• Arthur reviewed Baron Novia’s brutal rule and suspected the baron’s treasury was connected to the clue about “Cat Cave: Nine Lives.”
• Malinda tried to ingratiate herself with Arthur by sharing tobacco, and Arthur said he would leave South Los for Ymir Manor after Bernice visited.
• Malinda explained that Bernice’s dealings with her could provide an opening with Clay, but warned Arthur to be careful of the Old Lion of Inner Bay.
• Arthur defended the Count of South Los, and Malinda called him shameless before leaving to get back to work.
• Arthur saw Malinda off from 2 Kirk Street, then asked a child from Dale Lane his name; the child introduced himself as Merlin.

Arthur prepared to leave South Los on a long journey, arranging for officers to accompany him and Merlin to care for his yard. Meanwhile, Yevna Camille arrived at Selena's farm in Barney seeking Old Charlie, and Selena and Camille asked each other where he was.

• Scott hurried to Arthur's home before his departure, and Maltz joked that South Los would be safer while Arthur was away.
• Arthur arranged for Simon, Hunter, and Newt to travel with him and hired Merlin to water his plants and keep his yard clean.
• Arthur met Merlin's uncle Gaius and entrusted him with the advance payment for the boy's work.
• Arthur left South Los by carriage with Simon, Hunter, and Newt.
• Yevna Camille arrived at Selena's farm in Barney, where Fent and Desa briefly faced off before Selena came out to greet her.
• Selena and Camille exchanged greetings and both asked where Charlie was.

Camille and Selena searched for Old Charlie after realizing he had come to Barney but was hiding because he was in danger. As they sent messages to allies, Old Charlie intercepted the carrier pigeons, then faced an elderly gentleman demanding back the eighteen hundred years of life Charlie had swindled from him.

• Camille and Selena realized Old Charlie was avoiding them because he feared putting them in danger, so Selena sent over a hundred armed farmhands to search Barney for him.
• After every search squad returned without finding Old Charlie, Selena and Camille concluded he had come to Barney hoping Arthur would seek their protection if trouble arose.
• Selena proposed giving Arthur the Barney Family's Mystic Art, but Camille warned that doing so could provoke rival noble families and argued that Arthur should first earn a legitimate title and land in South Los.
• Camille and Selena sent eleven secret letters by carrier pigeon to allies across several regions, while Old Charlie used his power to intercept and bewilder the pigeons he had bred.
• A white carriage arrived in the shadowy place where Old Charlie stood, and an elderly gentleman accused him of swindling eighteen hundred years of life and demanded repayment.