Chapter Summaries

Arthur forced Miha and Yilo to agree to serve him for three hundred years, and the twins separated their hostile counterpart from themselves. After taking in the sisters, Arthur entered his bedroom and smiled at the text before him.

• Arthur threatened Miha and Yilo with [Spider's Blood Claw] until Miha agreed that both sisters would serve him for three hundred years.
• Seven Contracts appeared, granting Arthur extensive rights while allowing Miha and Yilo to retaliate if he harbored improper intentions toward their bodies.
• Miha and Yilo explained that sharing the damage would let them survive separating 'it' from themselves, then used a flash of light in their [Spiritual Space] to produce a Blood Crystal.
• Arthur told Miha to call him Master, gave the twins clothes, and assigned them chores and a lesson at daybreak.
• Arthur entered the bedroom with the Blood Crystal and smiled when he looked at the text before him.

Arthur used Mikhailo's Severing (Perfect) to restore Abel's body, but Abel's memories remained erased, leaving it furious and despairing. Arthur reassured Abel that it had no wife or children.

• Arthur examined Mikhailo's Severing (Perfect) and decided to use it to restore Abel through Devoted Blood.
• Arthur warned Abel to be cautious, then placed Mikhailo's Severing on Devoted Blood.
• A phantom fish attacked Abel, but Abel dodged its bite, burrowed beneath its scales, and devoured most of it.
• Abel smashed and consumed the remaining fish, restoring its body as its memories appeared to be repairing.
• Static disrupted Abel's memories, which seemed to have been erased, and Abel raged at whoever had tampered with them.
• Abel wondered whether it had a wife or children, and Arthur assured it that it had neither.

Arthur and Abel realized Abel had been used as bait in a scheme whose purpose remained dangerous to investigate. The completed Devoted Blood gained powerful new abilities, and Arthur vanished after seeing a path forward.

• Abel demanded to know why he could not have a family, and Arthur explained that Abel was serving as bait.
• Abel cursed the Blood Marquis, but Arthur reasoned that the Blood Clan’s destruction could mean the Blood Marquis had been caught in someone else’s scheme.
• Abel realized his purpose might involve the Blood Marquis’s son, then stopped thinking when he sensed danger and returned to the Devoted Blood.
• The Devoted Blood became a legendary ring with enhanced Blood Clan powers and new Blood Slave abilities, including disposable Blood Slaves.
• Arthur read the ring’s notes, felt that he had found a way forward, and vanished.

Mr. Gwen waited with Mrs. Gwen at the Inner River God Cult’s camp outside Pult Harbor, expecting news about the Church’s next move. When Grindelwald arrived, Mr. Gwen took it as a sign that events had gone well, while Mrs. Gwen quietly prepared supplies in case they had to flee.

• Mr. Gwen warmed himself by the brazier as Mrs. Gwen brought him hot cocoa and fresh supplies arrived at the camp.
• Mr. Gwen reasoned that the Inner River Church’s next step involved either allying with or killing the Marquis of Einhaas, and considered escape plans for himself and Mrs. Gwen.
• A young messenger told Mr. Gwen that Grindelwald had arrived at the High Priest’s request.
• Mr. Gwen kissed Mrs. Gwen and went to meet Grindelwald, relieved that the Marquis’s cavalry had not appeared.
• Mrs. Gwen hid dried meat and salt in their luggage so they would be prepared for possible setbacks.

Toran waited with the Inner River Church for Grindelwald’s instructions, convinced that the South Los Medium was a friend of His Eminence. Grindelwald told him the Pult Harbor congregants could return safely and receive divine arts, then prepared to name the chosen candidates.

• Toran waited with the Inner River Church, armed and ready to fight the Marquis of Einhaas if necessary.
• Grindelwald arrived, and Toran offered to attack the Marquis and strap explosives to himself for His Eminence.
• Grindelwald explained that the Marquis was an ally and had allowed the Inner River Church to establish a small church in Pult Harbor.
• Grindelwald told Toran that about a hundred people could learn divine arts as a reward for their service.
• Toran prayed to the Inner River God and asked Grindelwald to identify the chosen candidates.

Mr. Gwen learned that the Inner River Church possessed Divine Arts and pledged himself to its cause as Toran prepared to select a hundred people. Arthur left the tent and headed toward the Inner River, where Nidhogg sensed him and sent him a joyful greeting through their bloodline.

• Mr. Gwen inferred from Toran’s mood that the situation in the Einhaas Fief had improved, then entered the tent.
• Arthur vouched for Mr. Gwen as the catalyst for the Church’s destiny, and Toran resolved to protect him.
• Toran told Mr. Gwen about the Divine Arts, and Mr. Gwen pledged his life to His Eminence.
• Arthur left Toran and Mr. Gwen to make arrangements and headed toward the Inner River.
• Nidhogg sensed Arthur and conveyed joy through their bloodline, surprising him.

Nidhogg evolved into a gigantic legendary mystic creature after digesting Imora, and Arthur discovered it had brought him the Crown of the Barbarian King. The crown could complete and maximize the Ritual of the Barbarian King, but Arthur decided to save it for later and was left worrying about the enormous XP cost.

• Nidhogg revealed its new form and abilities to Arthur, including its eighty-meter length, powerful armor, and ability to command snakes.
• Nidhogg carried Arthur a crystal identified as the single-use Crown of the Barbarian King, whose power had accumulated through Imora’s sacrifices and ambitions.
• Arthur learned that the crown could raise the complete Ritual of the Barbarian King to its maximum but could not break through the ritual’s stage bottleneck.
• Arthur decided to spend XP to improve and complete the ritual before using the crown, hoping it might eventually help him reach demigod level.
• Arthur considered the steep XP costs and felt renewed urgency to find ways to gain more XP.

Arthur planned to claim the followers of former demigods by presenting himself as a reincarnated god, while secretly creating a codebook to maintain his deception with Miha and Yilo. At Riverside, Grindelwald welcomed a hundred River God devotees who had passed Toran and old Mr. Gwen’s loyalty test, then chanted a call to Credos’s former followers, startling the historian.

• Arthur considered claiming the believers of former demigods such as Heber the Blood Drinker and Imora the Devourer, but remained wary of using death or war as his supposed authority without more information.
• Arthur used South Los Nursery Rhymes as inspiration, then began making a codebook to keep up his act with Miha and Yilo.
• Toran and old Mr. Gwen brought a hundred people to Riverside after testing the River God’s followers and killing those they judged disloyal.
• Grindelwald apologized to the survivors for the test, while old Mr. Gwen and Toran declared that those who failed deserved to die.
• Grindelwald chanted a call from Credos to his former followers, and old Mr. Gwen recognized the significance of the titles and the word “followers.”

Old Mr. Gwen concluded that Arthur Credos was a supreme figure revered even by legendary deities, and he and the gathered believers knelt to honor him. At sunrise, Arthur appeared atop Nidhogg and used Abel to bless the believers with powers suited to their abilities.

• Old Mr. Gwen connected Arthur Credos to Icarus and the legends of the Twenty-Seven Heroes, then knelt and chanted Arthur's titles.
• The hundred people, including Toran, followed Gwen in kneeling and praying to Arthur.
• Nidhogg emerged from the Inner River at dawn, and the believers prostrated themselves before the enormous serpent.
• Arthur appeared on Nidhogg's head and raised his hand, allowing Abel to take small amounts of the believers' blood while granting them mystic arts.
• Abel matched powers to the believers' abilities, such as strength arts for the muscular, Memory Art for the clever, and Fire Arrow for a chef.

Miss Windsor prepared for Arthur’s arrival in Pult Harbor while considering how to secure his safe passage through the Inner Bay. As Arthur came ashore, the Old Count spotted something that shocked him.

• Miss Windsor considered purging the Darnell family and managing other noble successions while planning how to help Arthur leave the Inner Bay safely.
• The Eastern arrived at Pult Harbor, where Inner River Church members and townspeople welcomed Arthur as watchers recorded the gathering.
• The Marquis of Einhaas ordered the Shadow Guard to deal with the watchers while he and the Old Count discussed the Old Lion’s power and the mystery of the battle that had killed the Marquis’s father.
• Arthur walked down the gangplank, and the Old Count froze at the sight of him.

Arthur arrived in Pult Harbor after killing the demigods Imora and Heber, gaining XP and strengthening his influence through the Inner River Church. The Marquis of Einhaas resolved to pursue his own path to becoming a demigod, while Greisa Hamlet’s anger at Arthur gave the three sons of Count Bette an opening.

• The Old Count recognized a new confidence in Arthur, and the Marquis of Einhaas attributed it to Arthur’s victory over Heber; inspired, the Marquis vowed to try his own way to become a demigod.
• Arthur received XP from the Einhaas and West Berlin Fiefs, the Inner River Church, and the deaths of Imora and Heber, bringing his total to 54,000.
• Arthur rode into Pult Harbor beside the Marquis, introduced Pendragon as his family, and joined the public celebration.
• Greisa Hamlet read intelligence about Arthur, denounced him, and smashed a cup in anger.
• The three sons of Count Bette, waiting outside Greisa Hamlet’s cabin, saw his outburst as their opportunity.

Count Bette’s three sons plotted to use Rondohart Port’s fearful commoners against Arthur, the South Los Medium, hoping to win Greisa Hamlet’s favor and gifts. Greisa funded Depro’s plan, while his brothers’ resentment over Depro claiming the treasure grew as Peggy returned to the cabin.

• Depro, Diliven, and Peggy rushed to Rondohart Port after learning Greisa Hamlet had arrived, jealous of the gifts he had given Hayes.
• The three brothers agreed to turn the commoners against Arthur and present themselves as rescuers, believing Count Bette’s power protected them.
• Depro proposed using Arthur’s reputation as Calamity to provoke a confrontation, and Greisa pretended to welcome the plan.
• Greisa gave Depro three chests of gold and jewels, which Depro claimed entirely for himself despite Diliven’s and Peggy’s protests.
• After Diliven and Peggy left the cabin in resentment, Peggy returned before Greisa finished his silent countdown.

Greisa Hamlet secretly arranged for Peggy and Diliven to help sabotage the Eastern in exchange for promises tied to Bette Territory and Rondohart Port. He then revealed to Depro that the plot was a trap intended to provoke the two brothers and seize control of the entire port.

• Peggy agreed to help Greisa kill Depro and Diliven in exchange for half of Rondohart Port, and signed a secret contract to delay the Eastern at the docks.
• Greisa asked Peggy to have a tax collector delay the Eastern with a contraband inspection, and Peggy accepted.
• Diliven returned in disguise and agreed to prevent the Eastern from obtaining any supplies at Rondohart Port in exchange for Greisa's support in killing Depro and claiming Bette Territory.
• Greisa filed Diliven's secret contract beside Peggy's and let him leave without being detected.
• Greisa told Depro that his two younger brothers had taken the bait and that Depro's agents among the commoners were ready to act after they provoked the Medium.
• Depro promised Greisa tax-free trade at Rondohart Port, while Greisa revealed to himself that he intended to claim the whole port.

Hayes refused the Storm Inn’s grotesque breakfast and ate a sandwich Manta had made while explaining how Little Lion planned to exploit the conflict among Depro, Diliven, and Peggy. He arranged for Manta to invite Alvis Hamlet to dinner as a witness for his next move, then waited eagerly for the coming confrontation.

• Hayes declined Jimte and Carral’s breakfast invitation after seeing the chef’s creamy fish-eye and cilantro soup, and Manta served him an egg sandwich and orange juice instead.
• Hayes reassured Manta that Depro, Diliven, and Peggy were locked in a deadly struggle that Little Lion had helped set in motion.
• Hayes reasoned that Little Lion intended to use their deaths to force him to take over Bette Territory, blame Arthur, and profit from the fallout.
• Hayes asked Manta to invite Alvis Hamlet to dinner so Alvis could witness Little Lion’s attempt to pressure him and tell Hayes’s uncle the truth.
• Manta vanished from the carriage to carry out Hayes’s request, while Hayes said he could not wait to see the show.

During a private meal, Arthur used Witcher materials to confirm that the Marquis of Einhaas’s vague question concerned a dangerous secret, possibly involving a deity. Arthur demanded payment for his answer, leaving the Marquis troubled and frowning as he considered what he could offer.

• The Marquis of Einhaas dismissed his valet and chef, then asked Arthur what he thought about an unspecified matter.
• Arthur displayed [Exorcism Salt], [Evil-Warding Brick Powder], and [Barrier Oil], prompting the Marquis to wonder whether Arthur had inherited Witcher knowledge.
• The Marquis and the Old Count privately considered what Arthur’s Witcher materials and caution suggested about his knowledge of the past.
• Arthur drew a circle with [Barrier Oil], ignited it, and asked the Marquis what price he would pay for an answer.
• Arthur insisted that their friendship did not exempt the Marquis from his fair-trade rule, and the Marquis frowned as he weighed what to offer.

Arthur and the Marquis of Einhaas argued over what it would take to help uncover the conspiracy behind the Witchers’ incident. After Einhaas offered to spend his life and soul if necessary, Arthur sat back down to give his answer.

• The Old Count explained that Arthur’s complicated expression came from knowing what had happened to the Witchers, and advised Einhaas not to reveal his full offer at once.
• Einhaas promised to act with all his strength once, as long as doing so did not harm the Einhaas Fief or the Witchers of South County.
• Arthur wrote “conspiracy” on the table, then criticized Einhaas for treating the incident as if one Ascendant’s assistance could settle it.
• Arthur started to leave and told Einhaas not to bring up the incident again.
• Einhaas clarified that he would act regardless of the consequences, even if it meant burning away his life or soul.
• Arthur returned to his chair and wrote an answer that astonished Einhaas and Count Bernaken.

Arthur gave the Marquis of Einhaas and Count Bernaken clues about South Los and Earta Square, directing them to investigate a connection to the supposed extermination of the Blood Clan. He suspected Byrne was a contingency in the Blood Marquis’s scheme, then finished lunch and later Alvis Hamlet arrived at a manor where Hayes welcomed him.

• Arthur wrote down South Los, prompting the Marquis of Einhaas and Count Bernaken to realize it was connected to the aftermath of “that matter.”
• Count Bernaken offered Arthur his book collection, while the Marquis gave him a notebook about sword intent and the Sword Body.
• Arthur wrote down Earta Square as a further clue and told the two nobles to investigate the rest themselves.
• Arthur privately suspected Byrne was a Blood Marquis contingency and sought the nobles’ help because the Blood Marquis was too dangerous to investigate alone.
• Arthur asked for more roast meat, and lunch continued cheerfully before night fell.
• Alvis Hamlet arrived at a manor on the outskirts of the Inner Bay, where Hayes welcomed him.

Hayes’s dinner with Alvis was interrupted by news that forced Hayes to return to Bette Territory. He hid Alvis before Greisa arrived and demanded the transfer of Rondohart Port, leaving Hayes facing Greisa’s ultimatum.

• Hayes and Alvis shared a friendly dinner, but Hayes received news that he had to return to Bette Territory.
• Manta hurried in with a message, and Hayes concealed Alvis in a Secret Room before Greisa arrived.
• Greisa sent Manta away and threatened to involve her and her younger sister in Hayes’s affairs.
• Hayes admitted that the Peeping One was his agent and offered to leave the Inner Bay and compensate Greisa.
• Greisa demanded that Hayes sign a contract transferring Rondohart Port in Bette Territory to him.

Greisa forced Hayes to sign a Contract granting him Rondohart Port and preventing Hayes from warning Count Bette, while planning to exploit a conflict between Count Bette and Arthur. Alvis promised Hayes he would reveal the truth, but left with ambition burning in him and an opportunity to act against Greisa.

• Alvis realized Greisa planned to take Rondohart Port and provoke a clash between Count Bette and Arthur, then profit from the aftermath.
• Greisa demanded that Hayes sign a Contract immediately and forbade him from contacting Count Bette.
• Greisa taunted Hayes about his hesitation until Hayes gave in and signed the Contract.
• Greisa left after calling Hayes the new master of Bette Territory and promising to bring him good news.
• Alvis promised Hayes he would tell Count Bette the truth, then departed on foot, eager to seize his chance against Greisa.

Alvis told his father, Barro Hamlet, about Greisa’s involvement in the deaths of Depro, Diliven, and Peggy, and Barro ordered him to use the Shadow Guard to provoke Count Bette against Greisa. Alvis left without noticing that Barro’s apparent scheme had been observed and reported to Greisa.

• Alvis returned to Barro Hamlet and described what had happened to Depro, Diliven, and Peggy.
• Barro saw an opportunity to turn Count Bette against Greisa and ordered Alvis to make sure the count heard that Greisa had personally killed the three men.
• Barro gave Alvis the ring that let him command his Shadow Guard, and Alvis decided not to leak his movements to Greisa.
• Barro resumed his game with the maids after Alvis left, while unseen watchers carried a report of the events to Greisa Hamlet.