Recaps

Rudeus and his companions fought the Hydra to reach Zenith, discovering that close-range magic could pierce its scales and fire could stop its heads from regenerating. The battle left four heads destroyed, two regenerating, and three active as the Hydra gathered a combined attack aimed at the crystal encasing Zenith.

• Paul and Eris attacked the Hydra while Rudeus and Roxy tested its defenses, and they learned that only point-blank magic could damage its scales.
• Rudeus realized that burning the Hydra’s severed neck stumps stopped its heads from regenerating, and the group began cutting off and burning them.
• Rudeus used his Demon Eye of Foresight to warn Roxy about an incoming lightning strike, while the Hydra unleashed attacks from several elemental heads.
• Paul, Eris, Rudeus, and Roxy destroyed more heads, but the Hydra turned its remaining three heads toward Zenith’s crystal and began gathering a powerful combined attack.

Rudeus, Paul, and Eris rushed to stop the Hydra from firing at Zenith’s crystal, and Eris struck one head’s joint to deflect the beam. The Hydra fell, but Paul lost his left arm and Rudeus lost his left hand; Zenith’s crystal began to crack and release her.

• Rudeus and Paul charged toward the Hydra’s three heads as they gathered light to attack Zenith’s crystal.
• Eris raced ahead of Paul and stabbed the joint at the base of one Hydra head with the sword Paul had given her, diverting its beam into the rock wall.
• The Hydra’s tail struck Paul’s left arm as he shielded Eris, breaking it severely, while another head crushed Rudeus’s left hand in its jaws.
• Rudeus learned that Paul was alive, and Roxy treated Paul’s wound but could not reattach his arm.
• The Hydra collapsed, and Zenith remained safe inside the crystal as cracks spread across it and light began to shine through.

Rudeus and the others freed Zenith from the crystal, but she awoke with an empty, unresponsive gaze, while Rudeus lost his left hand. After a small movement from Zenith and Roxy’s promise to explore a working prosthetic, Rudeus and Eris left the chamber together to go home.

• The crystal crumbled, and Paul caught Zenith as she fell, but she showed no awareness despite being alive.
• Roxy confirmed Zenith’s body was stable but her consciousness had not recovered, and she could not restore Rudeus’s crushed left hand.
• Rudeus fashioned a crude earthen hand, and Eris apologized for his injury before he reassured her and thanked her for saving Paul.
• Eris felt Zenith’s fingers curl faintly, then told Rudeus they should go home.
• Roxy proposed making Rudeus a moving prosthetic hand using mana circuits and magic item technology, and Rudeus agreed to let her examine it.
• Rudeus and Eris took each other’s hands and walked into the passage without looking back at the Hydra.

Eris and Rudeus’s family reunited in Rapan City as they recovered from the labyrinth and prepared to leave for Sharia. After Aisha arrived and helped bring the family together, the group set out for their new home.

• Eris changed Rudeus’s bandages, and Norn thanked her for bringing Zenith back.
• Eris visited Zenith, who gently touched her cuff before she left the room.
• Aisha arrived in Rapan after traveling alone from Shirone, reunited with Rudeus and Lilia, and volunteered to care for the family.
• Aisha cooked dinner, and Paul comforted her until she broke down and cried in his arms.
• Eris and Rudeus shared a kiss in the courtyard and agreed to look for Rujierd once things were settled.
• The family left Rapan City by carriage, with Sharia ahead of them as their new home.

Rudeus and his family settled into their new home in Sharia, where they shared their first dinner together after reuniting. Rudeus received an invitation to enroll at Ranoa University of Magic next spring and planned to grow stronger, while he and Eris looked ahead to life together.

• Paul brought Rudeus and the family to their new house in Sharia, where they began moving in.
• Rudeus found an invitation from Ranoa University of Magic to enroll as a special student in the spring of Armored Dragon Year 422.
• Zenith gently placed her hand over Paul's, then smiled at Norn when Norn sat beside her.
• Aisha served dinner, and the family gathered around the table while Norn held Zenith's hand.
• Rudeus and Eris stood beneath the crooked tree, discussed their future, and went back inside together.

Rudeus and his family settled into their new house in Sharia, sharing their first meal together and making it feel like home. That night, he watched Eris practice beneath the yard’s tree while thinking about his university admission and the months ahead.

• Rudeus woke in the new house and saw Paul gently brush Zenith’s hair while the family arranged the rooms.
• Rudeus welcomed Eris inside and reassured her that the house was her home too.
• Paul assigned rooms, and Eris hesitantly discussed whether she would share a room with Rudeus.
• Aisha prepared stew, and the family shared their first proper meal in the house as Paul said they were all together.
• Rudeus watched Eris practice sword swings beneath the moon and thought about preparing for Ranoa University of Magic.

Rudeus watched Paul struggle to adapt to life with one arm as he chopped wood, taught Norn, and cooked with Lilia’s help. Paul asked Rudeus to make him an earth-magic prosthetic, and Rudeus agreed to try the next day while the Ranoa University of Magic invitation remained on his mind.

• Rudeus found Paul chopping wood before dawn and noticed his injured right hand, but Paul refused his offer to help.
• Paul began teaching Norn swordsmanship, patiently correcting her stance and showing her how to swing one-handed.
• Lilia steadied the pan and helped Paul cook, and they worked together without fuss.
• Paul examined Rudeus’s earth-magic prosthetic and asked him to make one for his own amputated arm.
• Rudeus agreed to try making Paul a prosthetic the next day, then sat thinking beside the Ranoa University of Magic invitation.

Aisha reflected on her escape from Shirone and her reunion with Rudeus as she described her life serving the family. At dinner, Paul asked when Rudeus and Eris would marry, leaving Aisha troubled by her own jealousy and feelings for her brother.

• Aisha recalled escaping Pax's tower, crossing the sea and desert, and finding Rudeus in Rapan with a missing hand.
• Aisha declined Norn's invitation to practice swordsmanship and focused on cooking, believing her place in the family was as a maid.
• Aisha brushed Zenith's hair, saw her smile, and resolved to help her recover.
• Rudeus thanked Aisha for her work and ruffled her hair, stirring feelings she tried to suppress.
• At dinner, Paul asked Rudeus when he and Eris would marry, and Aisha silently felt hurt.

Eris and Rudeus married in a small ceremony at home, surrounded by their family. The chapter ended the next morning with Eris greeting Rudeus as her husband.

• Eris watched Norn, Lilia, and Aisha prepare the yard for her wedding to Rudeus.
• Norn gave Eris a flower crown, and Aisha gave her a protective charm before Rudeus joined her.
• Paul officiated as Rudeus and Eris exchanged vows, while Norn interrupted him before he could tell them to kiss.
• The family celebrated with dinner and a cake, then left Eris and Rudeus alone in the yard.
• Eris and Rudeus spent their wedding night together, and Eris greeted him as her husband the next morning.

Rudeus and Eris furnished their new home and visited a magic item shop, where Rudeus learned how to begin improving his artificial hand. Back home, Roxy showed him her research and told him the university would likely test him in a mock battle against Fitz.

• Rudeus and Eris bought a desk and wardrobe, and Rudeus bought Eris a wooden practice sword she had admired.
• At a magic item shop, a dwarf explained that Rudeus needed mana circuits, joints, and precise control to make his artificial hand move, then gave him a crystal ball to practice with.
• Walking home beside the river, Eris recalled Ghislaine and the wheat fields of Fittoa before telling Rudeus that wherever he was would be home.
• Rudeus returned home and found Roxy’s research drawing for adding mana circuits to his artificial hand; she told him to practice miniature magic with the crystal ball.
• Roxy explained that Rudeus would take an entrance mock battle against Fitz, a student known for using voiceless magic.

Rudeus began training with Master Roxy to improve his prosthetic hand through Miniature Magic. After practice, he recognized the white-haired boy in Roxy’s photograph as likely being Fitz, Princess Ariel’s bodyguard and Rudeus’s upcoming entrance-test opponent.

• Rudeus visited Master Roxy’s workshop, where she identified the prosthetic hand’s lack of mana circuits, joints, and precise control.
• Master Roxy explained that she would help design the circuits and joints, while Rudeus needed to develop control through Miniature Magic.
• Rudeus repeatedly tried to channel mana evenly through tiny crystal balls, improving slightly before Master Roxy ended the day’s practice.
• Rudeus noticed a photograph of Roxy with a white-haired boy, and Roxy quickly covered it and refused to explain.
• Rudeus connected the boy’s appearance to Fitz and concluded that Fitz was likely Princess Ariel’s bodyguard and his entrance-test opponent.

Aisha cared for Madam Zenith and noticed small signs that she was responding to the world around her. After Madam briefly touched a bluebell, followed Norn turning pages, and squeezed Father Paul's hand, Aisha resolved to find a way to bring her back.

• Aisha washed and dressed Madam Zenith, then wheeled her into the yard, where Madam touched a bluebell and faintly smiled.
• Norn read Madam a story, and Madam's eyes followed Norn's fingers as she turned the pages; Norn believed their mother had heard her.
• Father Paul told Madam he would find a way to help her, and her fingers briefly tightened around his hand, bringing him to tears.
• Aisha recorded Madam's signs of progress in her diary and vowed to grow strong enough to pull her out of her dream.

Norn began training with a wooden sword, learning the Sword God Style from Father and practical swordsmanship from her sister-in-law. After learning that Rudeus would attend the university next spring, Norn resolved to grow stronger so she could go too and stay by her brother’s side.

• Norn practiced swinging a wooden sword before dawn, and Father corrected her stance and assigned her a hundred swings.
• Norn’s sister-in-law showed her a practical sword technique taught by Rujierd, prompting a disagreement with Father about whether Norn should learn it before mastering the basics.
• Norn asked to learn both styles, and she began practicing the Sword God Style with Father in the mornings and Rujierd’s practical swordsmanship with her sister-in-law in the afternoons.
• Norn’s sister-in-law told her that she would follow Rudeus when he enrolled at the university next spring, and challenged Norn to beat her before going wherever she wanted.
• Norn resolved to become stronger quickly so she could attend the university and stand beside Rudeus.

Rudeus prepared for enrollment at the Ranoa University of Magic while training his miniature magic and planning to improve his prosthetic arm, investigate the Man-God, and build connections. On enrollment day, he left home with Eris to begin his new life at the university.

• Rudeus practiced holding mana in a crystal ball, improving his control to eight seconds before it cracked.
• Rudeus visited the university, inspected the campus and its notices, and learned more about the special student system.
• A blond student sensed Rudeus's mana and questioned him about enrolling as a special student before walking away without introducing himself.
• Rudeus planned to work on his prosthetic arm, search the library's restricted section for information about the Man-God, and build useful connections.
• Aisha gave Rudeus lunch, and Paul saw him off on enrollment day.
• Rudeus left home with Eris, wearing his new academy robe.

Rudeus began at Ranoa University of Magic and passed the special-student entrance test by defeating Fitz in a chantless magic duel. Afterward, he received a private research room and encountered Fitz again, feeling a strange familiarity as Fitz walked away.

• Rudeus entered the university plaza for registration and noticed Eris and Princess Ariel among the students and guests.
• Vice Principal Jinas announced that special-student applicants would face Fitz in a chantless magic mock battle.
• Fitz attacked Rudeus with an Ice Lance, but Rudeus disrupted it with Disturb Magic and shattered the barrier with a Rock Bullet, earning a pass.
• Eris joined Rudeus after the test, and the two left the ceremony together.
• Jinas gave Rudeus a private research room, library access, and a monthly allowance.
• Rudeus passed Fitz in a corridor without sunglasses, felt an inexplicable familiarity, and watched Fitz disappear down the hall.

Rudeus joined the special students’ class and met Zanoba Shirone, who recognized him as the creator of a prized Roxy figurine and begged to become his apprentice. He also agreed to collaborate with Cliff Grimoire on experimental magic, while Zanoba warned that Fitz had been watching him.

• Rudeus entered the special students’ classroom and met Zanoba Shirone, who became fascinated with his prosthetic hand and earth-magic figurine.
• Zanoba recognized Rudeus as the creator of his Roxy figurine, knelt, and asked to be his apprentice; Rudeus agreed on the condition that Zanoba teach him to paint figurines.
• Cliff Grimoire introduced himself as a genius and invited Rudeus to collaborate on a theory for three-element resonance and self-repairing materials.
• Jinas explained the special students’ rules and resources before leaving the classroom.
• Zanoba told Rudeus that Fitz had passed the classroom twice and watched him, leaving Rudeus wondering why Fitz was interested in him.

Eris met Linia and Pursena, the sisters of Minitona and Tersena, at the university training ground and defeated Pursena with one strike before stopping Linia with her killing intent. After the instructor questioned her combat experience, Eris left for the university gates.

• Eris recognized Linia and Pursena as the older sisters of the girls she had met in Doldia Village and told them she was married to Rudeus.
• Pursena challenged Eris to a match, but Eris disarmed her with an Arm Slash.
• Eris used her Sword Saint Rank killing intent to stop Linia when she tried to run away.
• Pursena promised to improve after Eris pointed out a flaw in her stance.
• The swordsmanship instructor asked Eris about her combat experience, but she declined to explain and headed toward the university gates.

Rudeus found Fitz’s detailed notes on chantless magic and began noticing how Fitz repeatedly watched him but fled whenever he approached. After seeing Fitz practice chantless healing magic at night, Rudeus suspected that Fitz might be Sylphie, though he could not reconcile Fitz’s white hair with her green hair.

• Rudeus discovered Fitz’s handwritten notes arguing that chantless magic depended on the body’s learned flow of mana.
• Rudeus tried to speak with Fitz in the library, cafeteria, training ground, and hallway, but Fitz repeatedly hurried away from him.
• Rudeus recognized Fitz’s hunched, hurried walk as resembling the way a bullied green-haired girl from Buena Village used to run.
• Rudeus saw Fitz practicing chantless healing magic beneath the moonlight and realized Fitz was the third person he knew who could use chantless magic.
• Rudeus studied Fitz’s familiar stance and gestures as he wondered whether Fitz could be Sylphie despite the difference in their hair color.

Rudeus reunited with Sylphiette, whom he had believed dead since the Teleportation Incident, and learned how she had survived and why she had hidden her identity. Sylphie told him that Princess Ariel wanted to meet him.

• Rudeus approached Fitz on the training ground and recognized her as Sylphiette when she removed her sunglasses.
• Rudeus and Sylphiette tearfully confirmed they were both alive and talked about how they had searched for each other.
• Sylphiette explained that she had survived the Teleportation Incident, become Princess Ariel’s guardian mage, and disguised herself to protect Ariel’s political position.
• Sylphiette learned that Rudeus had married Eris and congratulated him, while Rudeus told her he loved Eris.
• Sylphiette told Rudeus that Princess Ariel wanted to meet him because of his chantless magic, his status at the university, and his relationship with her.

Eris helped Aisha prepare dinner before Rudeus came home and revealed that he had met his childhood friend Sylphiette, whom he had believed missing. Eris welcomed Sylphiette into their circle and planned to invite her to dinner, while accepting that she was Rudeus’s friend.

• Eris struggled to chop vegetables with a kitchen knife while Aisha cooked dinner and taught her how to hold it.
• Paul, Norn, and Aisha ate with Eris while waiting for Rudeus to return from the university.
• Rudeus came home and told his family that he had met Sylphiette, his first friend from childhood, who was still alive.
• Eris offered to invite Sylphiette to dinner, and Aisha agreed to prepare a meal for one more person that weekend.
• Eris reflected on Sylphiette’s appearance and decided that Rudeus’s friend was her friend, regardless of the reason for her disguise.

Rudeus met Princess Ariel and refused to become her subordinate, offering friendship instead. Ariel accepted, and Sylphie thanked Rudeus before agreeing to visit his home for a meal.

• Sylphie told Rudeus that Ariel had fled Asura after Gravel seized power, losing thirteen of the eighteen people who traveled with her.
• Ariel offered Rudeus money, status, and protection in exchange for serving her, but he refused and offered to be her friend.
• Ariel accepted Rudeus's friendship and explained that Gravel and Darius controlled most of Asura's nobles and army while her remaining supporters were watched or exiled.
• Ariel told Rudeus that Sylphie had often spoken about their childhood and his kindness to her.
• Sylphie thanked Rudeus for treating Ariel as an ordinary person and agreed to visit his home for dinner with Eris and Aisha.

Eris welcomed Sylphie to the family home and learned how important Rudeus had been to her since childhood. After dinner, Sylphie left, while Eris and Rudeus stood together silently on the porch.

• Sylphie visited Eris and brought honey cookies, and Aisha and Norn greeted her.
• Eris asked Sylphie about her childhood relationship with Rudeus, and Sylphie said he was the most important person to her.
• Eris told Sylphie that she was currently the most important person to Rudeus but that Sylphie would always be his first friend.
• Sylphie joined the family for dinner, and Eris urged her to eat more.
• Sylphie helped Aisha wash the dishes before Rudeus walked her to the door.
• Sylphie left, and Eris and Rudeus stood together on the porch without speaking.

Rudeus visited Zanoba’s workshop and saw that Zanoba’s skillful dolls lacked delicate joints and expressive faces. Rudeus agreed to use earth magic to make their skeletons and faces while Zanoba handled their finishing, and left as Ginger privately warned Zanoba about Rudeus’s vast mana.

• Rudeus examined Zanoba’s dolls and explained how ball-and-socket joints and asymmetrical faces would make them more lifelike.
• Rudeus used earth magic to create a precise ball-and-socket joint, then proposed collaborating with Zanoba on doll-making.
• Zanoba accidentally cracked the worktable while celebrating, and Ginger arrived to question whether Rudeus could be trusted.
• Rudeus and Zanoba planned a first batch of five dolls, with Rudeus making a sample skeleton and face within a week while Zanoba prepared clothes and accessories.
• After Rudeus left, Ginger told Zanoba that Rudeus’s mana reserves seemed abnormal, but Zanoba said Rudeus was his friend.

Rudeus and Cliff developed a self-repairing material by combining earth and water magic, giving Rudeus a way to improve his prosthetic hand. After their successful experiment, they encountered Fitz, whose rejection left Cliff impressed by how cool Fitz was.

• Cliff explained his theory that earth magic could buffer fire and water magic and help create a self-repairing material.
• Rudeus and Cliff went to the laboratory, where Rudeus used precise earth magic to build a sample with tiny water-element circuits.
• Rudeus scratched the sample, and the material repaired itself within seconds, confirming Cliff's theory.
• Cliff invited Fitz to join their research, but Fitz declined and hurried away.
• Cliff proposed names for their research project, while Rudeus rejected the name Twin Genius Project.

Eris defeated a succession of challengers at the university training ground, drawing a crowd and the attention of Isolte, a visiting Water God Style instructor. Isolte offered to teach her, and Eris agreed to meet her at the dojo the next morning.

• Eris defeated a third-year swordsmanship student in a wooden-sword match and explained that she trained to kill rather than practice forms.
• More challengers came to face Eris over the next few days, and she beat them all while Linia and Pursena watched and called the odds.
• On the fourth day, Eris defeated a battle-tested third-year student after three exchanges and advised him that his thrust was telegraphed.
• Isolte watched Eris train, introduced herself as a visiting Water God Style instructor, and offered to teach her.
• Eris accepted Isolte's offer and agreed to meet her at the dojo at six the next morning.