Chapter Summaries

Fors and Xio discovered two ancient evil spirits haunting the underground hall and defeated them using Xio’s attacks and Fors’s Lemano's Travel Notes. As the hall fell silent, banging began behind the bronze doors.

• Fors used Lemano's Travel Notes to escape a hallucination near the bronze doors, then she and Xio extinguished the light and spotted two spirits.
• Fors spoke with the spirits and learned that the woman was searching for her husband, a knight guarding the doors, though the pair could not see each other.
• When the spirits noticed Fors and Xio, they attacked, but Xio broke free of their freezing influence and struck the woman with Spirit Lash.
• Fors restrained the knight with Abyss Shackles and struck him with lightning and sacred light, while Xio kept the woman occupied.
• Fors and Xio defeated both spirits, then heard banging from behind the bronze doors.

Fors and Xio escaped the abandoned castle after defeating two Ancient Evil Spirits, but the power behind the bronze doors corrupted them. Fors reached Mr. Fool for help, and Xio joined his gathering as a new member, drawing the Judgement card.

• Fors and Xio collected the Ancient Evil Spirits’ remains, and Fors buried one cursed object and a pile of dust with an epitaph for the spirits.
• Fors and Xio fled the castle when the pounding behind the bronze doors grew louder, and they discovered black patches spreading across their bodies and blood running from their noses.
• Fors recited Mr. Fool’s honorific name and was purified, then returned to Delaire Forest and instructed Xio to do the same.
• Xio entered the gathering above the gray fog, met Mr. Fool, and asked to join the gathering.
• Mr. Fool accepted Xio, who drew the Judgement card as her code name.

Xio learned the rules of the Tarot Club gathering and was warned by the Fool to avoid the ancient castle until Sequence 4. Meanwhile, Klein arranged an arms deal with Haggis, met Luca Brewster as Gehrman Sparrow, and then continued toward his destination with Haggis.

• The Fool explained the Tarot Club’s meeting schedule and warned Xio not to return to the castle before Sequence 4.
• Xio returned to the real world with the corruption fading, and she and Fors headed back to town.
• Klein considered the Pitch-Black Door’s possible connection to the Abyss, divined that the castle posed no immediate urgency, and decided to have Emlyn investigate its history.
• Haggis delivered a deposit of ten thousand pounds to Dawn Dantès and arranged to leave with him the next morning.
• Luca Brewster visited Dawn Dantès, recognized Gehrman Sparrow as a likely Bizarro Sorcerer, and heard Gehrman say that Zaratul had returned.
• Dawn Dantès and Haggis stopped at an inn to rest before continuing their journey.

Leonard and Xio joined the Tarot Club, where the members introduced themselves and began trading. The gathering revealed that the Rose School of Thought had taken control of the Artisan, and Alger had left the matter with Cattleya.

• Audrey noticed that the new male member was watching Gehrman Sparrow, while she recognized the new woman as Xio.
• Klein introduced Leonard as The Star and Xio as Judgement, and the newcomers assessed the other Tarot Club members.
• Cattleya told the gathering that she had received no pages of Roselle's Diary, and Klein began the trading.
• Fors asked Alger about having the Artisan turn a material into a mystical item, and Alger said the Rose School of Thought had taken control of the Artisan and that he had handed the follow-up to Cattleya.

At the Tarot Gathering, Cattleya and the other members offered help as Leonard sought an offensive mystical item, while Derrick shared news about the City of Silver’s coming exploration of the Giant King’s Court. The gathering ended with Xio warning Gehrman Sparrow that Military Intelligence Section 9 was investigating his origins.

• Cattleya suggested waiting a week or two for someone to make Fors a mystical item, and Gehrman Sparrow offered to help if needed.
• Leonard asked the gathering to find him a discreet, low-impact offensive mystical item around Sequence 6 or Sequence 5, and Alger agreed to look for one.
• Derrick announced that the City of Silver planned to explore the Giant King’s Court and confirmed that he had obtained the materials for advancing to Light Priest.
• Emlyn explained that the Giant King’s Court was in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, and Derrick recounted what he had encountered in the Ancient City of North.
• Xio told Gehrman Sparrow that Military Intelligence Section 9 had been investigating his origins.

The Tarot Club discussed Gehrman Sparrow’s identity, his plans in Backlund, and Ince Zangwill’s death. The Fool revealed that Adam’s advance toward godhood had changed the times.

• Judgement Xio reported that Military Intelligence Section 9 had traced Gehrman Sparrow’s fabricated identity to Backlund, and The World dismissed the investigation.
• Justice Audrey asked whether The World would return to Backlund as Dawn Dantès, startling The Star Leonard and Judgement Xio with the connection between those identities.
• Justice Audrey explained that Dawn Dantès was a shared identity used by Mr. World and another of Mr. Fool’s Blessed, and The World said he might need the members’ help in Backlund.
• The Hanged Man Alger reported that Ince Zangwill had become a demigod before he was killed in West Balam, while the whereabouts of Sealed Artifact 0-08 remained unknown.
• The Fool warned the Tarot Club that the times had changed because Adam was closer to godhood.

The Tarot Club learned that Adam had drawn closer to godhood and that Gehrman Sparrow had become a Sequence 4 demigod after helping kill Ince Zangwill. The chapter left Alger wondering what benefit Mr. Fool had gained from Adam’s successful plan.

• The Tarot Club members reacted with alarm, curiosity, and hope when Mr. Fool announced that Adam had drawn closer to godhood.
• The World Gehrman Sparrow identified Adam as the son of the Ancient Sun God, Amon’s brother, and the Angel of Imagination, and explained that Adam had obtained 0-08 to advance toward godhood.
• The World revealed that he and his companions had killed Ince Zangwill, then implied that he had become a Sequence 4 demigod.
• Cattleya, Audrey, Derrick, and Alger reflected on Gehrman Sparrow’s rapid advancement and what it meant for the club.
• Alger wondered whether Mr. Fool and Adam had planned the affair together and what Mr. Fool had gained from it.

The Tarot Club members realized that Mr. Fool had cooperated with Adam in the affair involving Ince Zangwill, and learned that Adam could discover people who spoke or thought about him. The warning left Fors worried about what she had told Xio, while the gathering ended with members considering Adam’s organization and the Abraham Family.

• Alger, Audrey, and Leonard connected Mr. Fool’s involvement to Ince Zangwill’s death, Gehrman Sparrow’s advancement, and the new Card of Blasphemy.
• The World warned that Adam had founded a secretive organization and could learn about people who spoke or thought about him.
• Audrey identified Adam as the likely leader of the Hermits of Fate, while Alger suspected the organization was connected to the primitive island and Qilangos.
• Fors admitted that she had mentioned Adam to Xio, and Cattleya reassured her that Adam was unlikely to investigate unless her Abraham Family ties drew his attention.
• Emlyn viewed Adam’s organization as a possible model for the Tarot Club, and Leonard recalled the Abraham Family’s former importance.

At the Tarot Club, The World shared intelligence about the Red Angel Medici and The Hanged Man advised The Moon on meeting a Sanguine elder. After the gathering, Leonard questioned Pallez about whether Dawn Dantès could have been Azik Eggers in disguise, and Pallez recalled that Azik owned a mask that let him become anyone.

• The World told the Tarot Club that Medici’s spirit had become an Evil Spirit and had been involved in Ince Zangwill’s death, prompting Alger to reconsider the danger around Bansy Harbor.
• The Moon asked how to handle an important Sanguine figure who wanted to meet him, and The Hanged Man advised him to act normally and expect a test or tasks.
• The Magician warned The Moon that a sealed door and corrupting force lay beneath the abandoned castle, and The Moon promised to investigate the faulty intelligence.
• Leonard returned to the real world and asked Pallez whether Dawn Dantès could have been Azik Eggers in disguise.
• Pallez remembered that Azik had a mask that allowed him to turn into anyone.

Leonard learned from Pallez that Adam had sensed a parasite but had not identified Pallez, and that Medici died at the ruins where Alista Tudor became the Blood Emperor. Pallez confirmed the Church had reached a tacit understanding with Mr. Fool, while the chapter ended with Dawn Dantès collecting goods at a border warehouse under the watch of two observers.

• Pallez explained that Adam had noticed Leonard’s parasite but could not identify Pallez because he was sealed and asleep.
• Leonard told Pallez that Mr. Fool had answered his prayer and invited him to join an organization that met every Monday; Pallez guessed at Mr. Fool’s origins but refused to explain further.
• Pallez identified Medici as the Red Angel, said He had died at the underground ruins in Backlund, and explained that He had been captured after confronting the Sauron Family ancestor amid Alista Tudor’s sudden madness.
• Pallez agreed that the Church and Mr. Fool had reached a tacit understanding and outlined possible assignments for Leonard after he digested his potion.
• Dawn Dantès exchanged countersigns at a border warehouse, prepared to inspect and move the goods, and two figures watched him from a nearby building.

Klein, disguised as Dawn Dantès, completed an arms deal with Mesangyes’s representative while Alfred Hall questioned him about his activities and a recent thunderstorm. Meanwhile, Ludwell’s body reappeared in the jungle with Red Angel Medici and the fused Sauron and Einhorn within it, and the group set out through the Spirit World as Klein’s unexplained sense of danger faded.

• Pagny and Alfred Hall watched Dawn Dantès’s arms deal, and Alfred explained why he had let Klein take the risky job.
• Alfred met Klein and Haggis at the warehouse, exchanged pleasantries with Klein, and asked what had happened at Resurrection Square in Kukwa City.
• Ludwell reappeared in the jungle with Medici, Sauron, and Einhorn, and Medici persuaded the others to pursue Klein before they searched for a Gatekeeper.
• Ludwell entered the Spirit World to travel toward Klein, while Klein felt a brief alarm outside the warehouse but saw no vision.
• Klein handed over the suitcase, asked Haggis for the remaining payment, and surprised Haggis and Alfred by abruptly leaving the planned celebration.

Klein concluded his arms deal, paid Reinette Tinekerr for her help, and prepared to return to Backlund. Meanwhile, Audrey helped students enroll at Backlund University of Technology, and a train journey ended without incident despite the crew’s secret plans for a sacrificial ritual.

• Klein sensed danger after meeting Alfred and left the arms deal, while Alfred returned to Pagny and reported his warning.
• Klein counted 30,000 pounds in valuables, paid Reinette Tinekerr, and calculated that his remaining assets exceeded 40,000 pounds.
• Klein stored the remaining gold bars above the gray fog and decided to return to Backlund.
• Audrey helped new students enroll at Backlund University of Technology and observed the differences between their hopeful outlook and the hardship of poorer students.
• A conductor and a passenger discussed replacing the train attendants and holding a sacrificial ritual at a bridge, but the train reached its port without incident.
• The little girl and her parents left the train as the attendants and several men watched her with smiles showing eight teeth.

Police discovered that the train’s staff had died with identical smiles, while Klein questioned the cultists behind the attempted sacrifice and learned they had followed revelations from a rag doll. He and Enzo disguised themselves among the cultists to watch the doll, which eventually stood up under the crimson moonlight.

• The inspector and his officers found the train staff dead in their seats, then noticed their mouths had mysteriously closed.
• The railway company's duty manager reported that the conductor and a driver were missing, and the inspector ordered searches and an investigation.
• Klein questioned the captured cultists and learned that a sacred object had instructed them to sacrifice many lives in exchange for eternal life.
• The man with the small red swelling produced a rag doll he had bought at a general goods market, and Klein found no obvious sign of anything unusual about it.
• Klein and Enzo transformed themselves into train staff and waited with the cultists as the rag doll slowly stood up on the desk.

Klein disrupted a Moon Primordial ritual and confronted the Demigod who descended through a rag doll, but the enemy escaped after being contaminated by his Death paper figurine. He learned the Saint’s name was Calamity, while the Mandated Punishers later discovered the cultists and suspected a Demigod had led them to the scene.

• Klein controlled the rag doll’s Spirituality Threads, triggering an attack by the room’s objects, then used a mutated Death paper figurine to take the descending Demigod’s possession.
• The Demigod’s power briefly affected the city before the crimson moon brightened and the enemy vanished; Klein concluded the opponent was below Angel level but had powerful Wraith abilities and access to the moon’s power.
• Klein disguised himself as a divine envoy and asked the Moon Primordial believers who had met with them; they named the Saint as “Warlock King” Calamity.
• Calamity appeared aboard a sailboat, endured a strange bodily transformation, and wondered aloud whether he had encountered a Blessed of Death despite Death no longer existing.
• The Church of Storms’ Mandated Punishers found the missing train staff hanging outside a house and arrested the Moon Primordial believers inside.
• The Mandated Punishers captain suspected a Demigod from another church had arranged the corpses to direct them to the house.

Emlyn met Duke Omer, who explained the danger of the abandoned castle in Delaire Forest and assigned him to find important Rose School of Thought members in Backlund. After leaving the Sanguine residence, Emlyn followed Viscount Ernes Boyar, still unsure how to confront him over the withheld warning.

• Emlyn questioned Viscount Ernes Boyar about the castle information, and Ernes admitted Lord Nibes had told him the site was dangerous for anyone below the rank of earl.
• Kasimi Odora brought Emlyn to Duke Omer, who personally offered to purify Emlyn's contaminated artificial Vampire Beyonder Characteristic.
• Duke Omer assigned Emlyn to investigate important Rose School of Thought members in Backlund and retrieve a Sanguine sacred relic left by the Ancestor.
• Duke Omer told Emlyn that the castle was ancient, held something sealed beneath it, and corrupted creatures with the power of depravity.
• Emlyn left the Odora residence and followed Ernes through Backlund, but remained undecided about how to deal with him.

Emlyn struggled to decide how to deal with Ernes Boyar, while Audrey revealed her advancement to Hypnotist and sought the Psychology Alchemists’ Sequence 5 formula. Meanwhile, Klein returned toward Desi Bay aboard a passenger ship and saw Nast’s Black Emperor approaching through the storm.

• Emlyn considered asking The Hanged Man or The World for advice about Ernes Boyar, but kept the Sanguine matter private and decided to consult Utravsky instead.
• Audrey met Islante Osilika and encouraged her to visit schools and spread awareness of the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation’s work.
• Audrey told Islante that she had become a Hypnotist and asked for the Sequence 5 formula; Islante said she would arrange meetings with Hilbert and Stephen before a council member spoke with Audrey.
• Islante told Audrey that the Sequence 5 Spectator potion was called Dreamwalker.
• Klein, traveling as Dawn Dantès toward Desi Bay, woke aboard a passenger ship and saw Nast’s Black Emperor sailing toward him through the storm.

Klein concealed a passenger liner from Nast’s pirates, then visited the Black Emperor to ask about Emperor Roselle. Nast recognized him as the Bizarro Sorcerer and tried to compel him to sit, but Klein’s marionette resisted.

• The Black Emperor approached a passenger liner, and the captain calmed the panicked passengers by explaining that Nast’s pirates only took valuables.
• Bird Mustang reported that the liner had vanished, and Nast ordered him to change course rather than pursue it.
• A red-headed sea eagle asked to meet Nast, transformed into the bizarrely thin Klein, and entered the captain’s cabin.
• Klein asked Nast about his impressions of Emperor Roselle, whom Nast and his father had met repeatedly.
• Nast told Klein to sit, but Klein’s marionette steadied itself against the command.

Klein questioned Nast about Emperor Roselle’s later years and arranged to seek the Black Emperor Card of Blasphemy in exchange for Nast’s information. After returning to the passenger liner, Klein decided to contact Bernadette, while Cattleya received confirmation that Sharif was descended from Charles and assigned Frank an experimental assistant.

• Klein asked Nast about Roselle, and Nast recalled that Roselle seemed especially suited to becoming the Black Emperor and often gazed west toward the Sonia Sea in his later years.
• Klein agreed to look for the Black Emperor Card of Blasphemy and offer Nast its contents or clues in exchange.
• Klein left the Black Emperor disguised as a red-headed sea eagle, and the pirate ship passed the passenger liner without attacking it.
• Klein decided to ask Cattleya to arrange another meeting with Bernadette when he returned to Backlund.
• Cattleya received Bernadette’s confirmation that Sharif descended from Charles and decided to bring him aboard the Future.
• Cattleya told Frank that she would give him an experimental assistant, and Frank happily agreed.

Emlyn sought Father Utravsky’s advice on how to deal with Ernes Boyar and decided to seek help subduing him without killing him. Audrey prayed to Mr. Fool, saw a newly appeared angel, and met Herabergen Rambis, a Psychology Alchemists councilor, at Stephen Hampres’s home.

• Cattleya stayed near the fishing village with the Future while planning to contact her subordinates in Bayam about Artisan Sharif.
• Emlyn asked Father Utravsky how to punish a relative who had endangered him, and Utravsky advised bringing the culprit to church to hear sermons and labor for his sins.
• Emlyn decided to seek the Tarot Club’s help in capturing Ernes Boyar without exposing his identity or resorting to violence.
• Audrey calmed herself, prayed to Mr. Fool, and saw a golden angel with twelve pairs of wings appear before her.
• Audrey arrived at Stephen Hampres’s home, where Islante led her to Herabergen Rambis, who greeted her and invited her to talk.

Audrey recognized Herabergen Rambis’s covert entry into her Mind World and used the protection granted by Mr. Fool’s Angel to resist his mental intrusion. Rambis explained the Acting Method and assigned her a long-term mission to report Earl Hall’s political views, but Audrey noticed his promise had influenced her belief.

• Audrey saw Herabergen Rambis enter her island of consciousness through the Sea of Collective Subconscious and realized she could control her mind island to resist him.
• Audrey told Rambis that acting as a Psychiatrist had helped her advance, and he identified her method as independently discovering the Acting Method.
• Rambis explained the risks of using the Acting Method too early and said Audrey qualified to apply for the Sequence 5 Dreamwalker potion after completing missions.
• Rambis asked Audrey to relay Earl Hall’s views on political bills and affairs, claiming the information would help mend the rift between the New Party and Conservative Party.
• Audrey realized Rambis had made his unsupported promise seem convincing through mental influence and regained her clarity.