Nekohiko

•  Also known as Kinouchi Nekohime and Kitten in the past and Abi Itsuki in the present.

Full name

• Wakayamato Nekohiko Ōbibi no Sumeramikoto (稚日本根子彦大日日天皇, with the literal translation being -- Young Sun Core (or Young Japan) Tree-root Prince Great Day Emperor). Yes, legendary Japanese Emperor names were extremely majestic ^^. 

• But in the book, you only need to remember Nekohiko and Itsuki (when others call him that) as he never refers to himself other than "Nekohiko".

Appearance

• Sickly-pale, thin young man of sixteen years. Black hair and eyes with a cooler hue. (I draw him as purple-haired and eyed, but that's a fanart concept).

• Usually has his hair down or slightly done with braids or pins, and even so -- only when forced.

• Wears whichever official colors and uniforms that are imposed on him.

Personality

•  Naturally introverted and emotionless.

• He has learned to act in more gentle and socially-accepted ways while growing up, but at the core of things, he is still a bit too cold and aloof for it not to impact most of his relationships in a negative way sooner or later.

Interests

•  Just ruling his Empire in peace and quiet.

• Ideologically obsessed with their state religion/magic system (Spiritway) and the improvement of his country. Everyone who stands between him and that goal is going to be removed. Not necessarily in a violent manner (though that happens, too) but imminently and without regard.

• Favorite tree -- Emerald Fir.

Romantic [BL ^^] Stuff

• Both asexual and aromantic which makes him kinda lean to the shou/uke type, but almost never used in that manner due to... Spoilers about the romance part and the main couple relationship, sorry! Sex will happen but on MC's terms only.

Crucial Backstory Info

The true Emperor of the Akitsushima Empire and the heir of the Imperial line to the Emerald Throne in Nara. Had been hidden away since birth to protect him from the pursuit of his uncle who has usurped the throne from Nekohiko's father. Most of his young life, had been cross-dressing as a girl (Kinouchi Nekohime) to avoid persecution.

Has a best and only friend -- Abihiko.

...who, in the very first chapter of this story, slits his throat at the cusp of Nekohiko's coronation. And that results in Nekohiko's death and reincarnation as a...

Nekohiko at the end of Chapter One.

• A wooden log of an Emerald Fir tree. Works through symbolic magic. If an eye is drawn on the log, Nekohiko can now see. If an ear is drawn -- he can hear, etc.

• As all conifers, smells heavenly.

Nekohiko from Chapter Fourteen onward.

Nekohiko from Chapter Fifty-Three onward.

Abihiko

The picture of him in the present as the Emperor.

The picture of him as a youth (only for the Chapter One).

•  Also known as the Supreme Divine Emperor, His Heavenly Majesty, and Demonic Prince Abihiko.

• The current Emperor of the Akitsushima Empire and the leader of the Abi family as well as the only ward of Lord Hira Okinaga.

Full Name

• Abi Ametarashihiko Kunishihito Abihiko (天足彦国押人命 安日彦 -- Heavenly-Step Son (also bizarrely translated as Tentacle Son >_<) Leader's Destiny Peaceful Day Prince). As usual, ancient Japanese royalty names were very... extravagant.

• Like with Nekohiko, Abihiko is not referred to as anything other than "Abihiko" or, rarely -- with the shortened variants (Abi, Abio, Abiko).

Appearance

• Pale skin, black hair and eyes with a slight warm tint (in my fanart, he usually has brown or reddish hair and eyes).

• Like all descendants of Abi family, has distinctly-red lips which, in myths, is explained by them being bloodsucking demons ^^.

• Taller than Nekohiko, though slightly younger.

• Usually wears his hair up in ponytails either supported by a red ribbon or by the Emerald Throne Crown. Has a very strong preference for anything red and attention-grabbing.

Personality

• Extraverted and easygoing and popular and beloved by many due to that. Is very charming and attractive by most people's standards which he uses to his advantage when he needs it.

• Oblivious and forgiving about most things, including the negatives, whether they come from his actions or from the actions of others, but is fiercely loyal and serious about things he truly cares about.

Interests and Hobbies

• Whatever, literally. Like a magpie. Is very gifted in this world's magic, so always has a room for polishing those skills in particular, unless something flashier catches his eye for a few days/weeks/months.

• Favorite Tree...s (because he obviously can't pick one) -- Emerald Fir because the MC likes it, and Fuji Appletree (because it's the tree of his hometown and because it's red) and Japanese Maple (because it's red -_-).

Romantic [BL ^^] Stuff

• 1000% confident gay. Due to the "magpie" attention deficit in all his interests, has a lean toward going after many men at once. But once he does fall in love, it's only one person, and for life.

• Has a natural tendency for seme/gong type but... spoilers, sorry >_<.

• Sex scenes will happen but will require a lot of development and attachment formed before it.

Crucial Backstory Info

The best friend, lover, traitor, and then murderer of the MC. Then his Throne-stealer. Deserves no mercy from the MC's point of view. His motivations for doing all that are unclear to the MC, especially because Abihiko has no real interest in the Throne, or the Empire, or even the power or money. So MC's story is mainly devoted to getting to the crux of Abihiko's tangled motivations behind the eventual betrayal and murder and the MC's revenge based on that information.

Because the premise is, therefore, very ambiguous (it might be unclear whether it's a revenge plot or a romance), here's the rundown of what to expect from the story after the mystery is revealed:

• HE, 1x1. 

• No manipulations, no rape, not even jealousy between the main couple.

• Misunderstanding as part of the mystery puzzle but not one based on their romance but one based on clashing ideological and philosophical differences between the two and how to walk very thin lines when the entire world wants to abuse the two of them.

• Betrayal and murder at the beginning of the story will not go forgiven or "swept under the rug", though. Everything resolves according to character trajectories and personalities, and part of MC's identity is that he is a very unforgiving person when his Empire is involved.

Aomi

Abi Aomi

• A lithe, black-haired and black-eyed girl with red lips (though in my fanart, she has the same coloring as Abihiko). Fourteen-years-old.

• Has a strong preference for dark and dramatic clothes and a very loud attitude of attention-seeking behaviors.

• Nonetheless, is a very quiet, even sinister person when alone or driven out of her comfort zone.

• A smart, cunning mind that refuses to engage with others unless it's on her terms only.

• Is also an "interest and hobby magpie". Would be drawn to anything remotely interesting but with no real loyalty to it.

• Favorite tree depends on the day of the week and phase of the moon.

• Spoiler

  Abihiko's and Kataji's little sister kept far away from the capital for her safety.

  • Forms a bit of a one-sided yet codependent relationship with Nekohiko due to her propensity to seek out new knowledge which she believes he should also pursue. Her drive to uncover secrets is one of her primary features and one she tries to enforce on many others around her, believing that nobody would have any issues or misunderstandings with other people if only they cared to learn more about each other.
    
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Kataji

Abi Kataji

• A frail-looking, slightly pretentious young man of seventeen years. Has black hair and eyes and distinct red-hued lips (though in my fanart, I draw him with Aomi and Abihiko colors -- warm-toned browns).

• A woodcarver sculptor and a dummy-maker obsessed with carcasses and structures and mechanisms that make things "tick".

• Has preference for either his work clothes for woodcarving, complete with his ever-present protective eye goggles or the strict and respectable aristocratic robes in sensible colors.

• A very haughty, indignant personality. A reclusive, very emotionally-fragile person with introverted tendencies and a lot of pent-up emotional baggage about being constantly forgotten or abandoned in the backwater by his family members and loved ones.

• Favorite tree is anything that has good, smooth grain fit for carving.

• Spoiler

  Abihiko's little brother and Aomi's big brother kept far away from the capital for his safety.

  • Like Aomi, Kataji also forms a very codependent and slightly creepy relationship with Nekohiko due to the fact that he is the creator of Nekohiko's wooden bodies and thus fails to the common 'Pygmalion" issue with the creator "falling in love" with his creation. But like everything social around Nekohiko, this relationship is also not reciprocated because Nekohiko cannot allow himself to. Which, in turn, causes Kataji great misery.
    
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The Head Priest

The Head Priest of Spiritway

• Also known as Suminoe.

• Is the Head Priest of Spiritway religion and magic system (Shinto, the ancient and contemporary Japanese religion, literally translated as the Way of Spirits).

• Holds his office in Izumo Shrine (the most ancient Shinto Shrine in Japan) and is both the Head Priest there and the headmaster of the Shrine School for children learning to Bind Spirits (local magical system).

• A tall, very aloof and even harsh-looking man with striking, majestic features. Black eyes and hair (albeit I draw him with grey-toned browns in my fanart).

• Wears the black-and-white garments of the Spiritway priests and carries around a sacred wooden baton for symbolic purposes (the baton is generally useless).

•  Is very cold and calculating, sometimes appearing downright inhuman. As all Izumo Head Priests, is the Empire's main ambassador in the Spirit world. Communicates with Spirits and prefers them to humans, thus only highlighting his indifferent and even callous treatment of mortal people.

• No interests other than Spirit stuff, which to most people means he has no humanly-understood interests or desires.

• When Nekohiko was a child, the Head Priest Suminoe was his primary guardian and role model.

• Has a Spirit companion in the nine-tailed white fox Deity named Ashflake.

• Favorite tree -- camellia.

Nagare Kasuga

• Also known as Queen of the Skies, Nagare Queen and Lady of the Skies (in the old title convention).

• Slender, frail-looking girl of fifteen. Black hair, slightly shorter than shoulder-length, black eyes that flare up with blue, green, and purple when she's in her Queen of the Skies mode.

• Dresses up in military Nagare uniforms which are dark grey or black with magpie feathers on epaulets or shoulders. The feathers have blue, green, and purple highlights as well.

• Lightnings is her primary symbol, usually backed up by the Black Bow Netsuito (熱糸, here "heart string", or "passion/fever cord"), one of the Five Legendary Weapons.

• The title of the Great Lady of the Skies also gives her control of the Bizarre Beast Suzumegara (bizarre beast here is the literal translation of "kaiju" while Suzumegara's literal translation would be "hawkmoth monster").

• Her personality is not cold, merely incredibly busy. Kasuga has no time for shit, being a child soldier responsible for her entire Kingdom and family.

• That said, she doesn't have warm relationships with her blood relatives due to their hatred of her adoptive little brother, Nagare (Taira) Mikawa as well as Mikawa's late father -- and Kasuga's second father -- Nagare (Taira) Yakabe.

• Kasuga and Mikawa have no blood relation, but they both were raised by Kasuga's blood father -- Lord Nagare Kazuragi and his husband, Lord Nagare Yakabe, previously Taira Yakabe. Kasuga has incredibly respect and admiration for both her fathers and doesn't tolerate anyone who insults either of their names.

• Kasuga has only one real interest -- war and national security due to her family's power being at the forefront of the Empire against any intrusion. She has other interests deep at heart, too, but has no time for them.

• Her entire personality is therefore built around the idea of sacrificing her identity and well-being for the sake of war, which does influence her views of the world in bleaker, darker tones. She can never allow herself to relax or have fun.

• Favorite tree: ... Lichtenberg Tree, probably, lol.

Nagare (Taira) Mikawa

• Is the second half of the current Lord of the Skies, the other half of which is Nagare Kasuga, Mikawa's elder sister.

• While Mikawa's father, Lord Nagare (Taira) Yakabe belongs to a different family tree, by his marriage to Lord Nagare Kazuragi -- both Yakabe and Mikawa count as members of House Nagare.

• Thus, Mikawa also counts as son of Lord Kazuragi while Kasuga counts as daughter of Lord Yakabe. While not blood-related, little Kasuga and Mikawa have been raised together and so view each other as closely as they would a blood sibling.

• Unlike Kasuga, he has no power over Suzumegara (the Nagare family's Bizarre Beast) or Netsuito (the Nagare family's Legendary weapon). But he can communicate with Suzumegara easily and has her trust.

• Has almost all the usual powers of the Lord of the Sky but unlike Kasuga who focuses on the more offensive aspects of Nagare powers, Mikawa focuses on the calmer, passive ones. His specific quirk is Wind Whisper spells that allow him to "eavesdrop" and listen to what everyone says where his Winds are allowed to go. Likewise, he can use his Winds to "feel/touch" objects and gain intel about their surroundings easily.

• A timid, introverted, traumatized young kid, Mikawa is usually bullied in Nagare Castle by the other Nagare family members. The only person who can save him from that is Kasuga, his sister. But due to her being busy with ruling, she cannot know everything bad that happens to him and he would never tell her, afraid to bother her.

• Like Kasuga, Mikawa had become an orphan early and thus is vulnerable to any adult who shows him kindness.

• Due to being very sheltered and abused through his childhood, Mikawa has almost no interests other than observing others and hiding from other people's attention, believing he doesn't deserve any.

• Favorite Tree: probably the same as Kasuga's, but only because he hasn't seen much other than the little corner in which he hid for the majority of his life.

Abihiko (left) and Nekohiko (right) in their first year in Izumo.

At the beginning of 1st year.

At the end of the 1st year ^^.

2nd Year.

3rd Year.

The Cheat-sheet of Characters Who Appeared in the Story Even Once

(and where and why)

All characters that are plot-relevant, even if they disappear for a while and then reappear chapters later, will be described in the book in such a way that you won't be too confused who they are. Nonetheless, the list might help since web novel format can get somewhat spread-out).

In Order of Appearance:

Before Reincarnation

• Nekohiko (the Main Character)
• Abihiko (the Antagonist)
• The Usurper (MC's uncle who had stolen his throne and sent assassins after him)
• Lord Hira Okinaga (MC's ally, one of the Five Great Lords, Abihiko's guardian)
• Daichi (only mentioned by name later, MC's bodyguard)
• Etsuko (only mentioned by name later, MC's bodyguard)
• three other MC's bodyguards (only mentioned by name later)

After Reincarnation

• Emperor Abihiko (the antagonist who is the Emperor in the present)
• Aomi (Main Cast character)
• Kataji (Main Cast character)
• Great Aunt and Uncle (Aomi's and Kataji's old relatives only referred to as "Auntie" and "Uncle")
• Itsuki (MC's alias in the present)
• Tenma (MC's made up name for Abihiko in order to talk about him without exposing his real identity)
• Emperor Jimmu (legendary originator of MC's family)
• Demonic King Abihiko (legendary originator of Abihiko's family)
• the Lumber-Devouring Spirit (malevolent Spirit preying on lumber)
• Five Great Lords of the Empire (mentioned by names only -- Hira, Utsuro, Nagare, Towa, Hisome. The political leaders of the Empire directly under the Emperor, currently called "Kings" not "Lords" because of the separation of their Lordships from under the Imperial rule)
• Hira Okinaga (current King of the Mountains)
• Metori (an old woodworker who makes human dolls in Sai)
• Daichi (the former bodyguard of the MC, currently an ambassador to Utsuro King)
• Cat Sister (the neutral Spirit-deity connected to cats)
• Sakami (a young woman of Hisome Family, currently resides in Emerald Palace, is known by MC from the flashbacks)
• Hisome Morokata (current King of the Mists)
• Lady Kakari (the housekeeper in Emerald Palace)
• Rokuro (an NPC servant in Emerald Palace)
• Nagare Kasuga (current Queen of the Skies)
• Suzumegara (the Bizarre Beast of Nagare Family, a giant Spirit of a Hawkmoth)
• Commander Etsuko (one of MC's ex-bodyguards who allowed his assassination to happen, currently a Commander in Nagare army)
• Arata (only mentioned by name, the third of MC's ex-bodyguards)
• Chinatsu (only mentioned by name, the fourth of MC's ex-bodyguards)
• Hibiki (only mentioned by name, the fifth of MC's ex-bodyguards)
• Lord Nagare Hinoo (Legendary ancestor of Nagare Family who defeated thousands of enemy ships when they attacked the Empire)
• "Ringleader of Nekohikos" (one of male courtesans sent to Abihiko by King Morokata to seduce him)

Flashbacks

• Saho (female), Hachiro (young male), Kusaki (elderly male) (MC's retainers who had raised him)
• The Head Priest of Izumo (the religious leader of the Empire and the headmaster of the Binding school)
• Suminoe (the Head Priest's name)
• Kinouchi Nekohime (a failed attempt to give MC an alias)
• Kitten (a successful attempt to give MC an alias)
• Kotone (MC's "older sister"-type friend in school and the girl responsible for all the little girls in the first year class)
• Takara (Abihiko's "older brother"-type friend in school the boy responsible for all the little boys in the first year class)
• Koki (Abihiko's bully friend)
• Sakami of Hisome Family (the little girl MC accidentally pushes and "bullies" on his first night in school)
• Hisome girls (girls who bully the MC because of Sakami)
• Hira boys (boys who bully the MC "just because")
• teacher Kumikata (first year introductory class teacher of Binding)
• Asazuma (Abihiko's mother)
• Ashflake (the Head Priest's animal Spirit companion, a nine-tailed fox deity)
• the Bamboo-Hat Woman/the Dark Sister (an assassin sent by the Usurper to kill the MC with ghouls)
• Shirogane (one of the teachers)
• Hifumi (an older adept pupil in school known for his good looks)
• Hisome Morokata (an older adept pupil in school famous for his good looks, future Great Lord of Hisome)
• Yatsuri (Abihiko's classmate)
• Juro (Abihiko's classmate)
• Iokirihime (an older adept pupil in school, future Great Lady of Towa)
• Lord Taira Yakabe (the Lord of the Skies and the husband of Lord Kazuragi, responsible for Divine Thunder)
• Lord Nagare Kazuragi (the Lord of the Skies and the husband of Lord Yakabe, responsible for Divine Lightning)
• Haehime (The Izumo Shrine Maiden, a young girl who oversees the rituals in Spiritway)

Setting

• The story takes place on alternative Japan's main island (Honshu) and is called Akitsushima Empire (秋津島) -- one of the classical Japanese names of their Empire, which, in the case of my story is translated as "Dragonfly Island" Empire.

• The time period of the story is the legendary Japanese era which ended with Emperor Kaika. For the purposes of expanding this legendary era, the events take place corresponding roughly to the 11th-15th centuries but with Japan so heavily isolated from the rest of the world, this time period does not matter at all. The time period is needed solely for the correlations with invasions and trade with other countries that occasionally threaten this self-isolated Empire in the story.

• The legendary Emperors and Shinto religion both roughly began in Yayoi Historical Era of Japanese history (Neolithic, or Bronze Age), so I put the beginning of this world's culture there as well. It's just that because they have their Binding Spirit magic, they never needed to advance into the Iron technology age and are completely fine remaining in Bronze.

• All their technology marvels far surpass the neighbors because of the magic, though they are unusable outside of their borders. The borders are treated in this story as ocean bed as well, so no surprises that they can have naval battles while using magic ^^.

• Due to the fact that Shinto does not spread outside of Japan, the magic system of this story also cannot be separated from the land of the Empire and its people. Thus, Akitsushima Empire prefers to be isolated because their magic literally stops working when they leave their islands (though occasional trading relationship with neighbors is not out of the question).

The Actual Places in the Story

• Red Stone (赤石) Coast and Estate: the place where Mc's log body is from Chapter Two till the end of the First Arc. Is the home of Aomi and Kataji and their old Aunt and Uncle. The nearest big town nearby is Sai (佐井). Both belong to the Blue Forest (Aomori -- 青森, literally "blue forest") -- the northernmost part of Akitsushima's Empire, the region most famous for its red apples that in our reality are called Fuji apple (they are deliciously sweet ^^ and you have probably eaten it at some point!). Part of Utsuro Kingdom.

• Nara (楢 -- in this version, the name is etymologically derived from "oak tree"). The capital of the Akitsushima Empire and the place where the Emerald Palace stands. Supreme Divine Emperor Abihiko currently resides there. Is part of the Hira Kingdom.

• Izumo (出雲 -- "out of clouds"). The town, Spiritway shrine, and magic School where the Head Priest resides and the MC and ML had been raised. As in the flashback, its current Head Priest is still Suminoe. Izumo is part of Hisome Kingdom.

• Nagare City and Castle (流れ -- "flow, flux"). The city and castle of the Nagare Family located atop Suzumegara, the giant Spirit of a Hawkmoth. Due to it being mobile, Nagare city and castle do not have a specific location in the Empire but usually drifts above the Nagare region on the west coast of the Empire and above its Alpine region.

• Other locales will expand in the glossary when they become relevant in the story.

Spiritway Binding

• Is inspired by the Shinto (神道) belief system and the way in which all life in Japan is permeated with myriads of Spirits (神 -- kami. Also sometimes called "deities" and not  "Spirits") and Demons (妖怪 -- yokai).

• The Spirits pull things together and keep them in the correct order of things which has less to do with what humans consider "morally right" and "morally wrong" but rather the "Spirit-correct" and "Spirit-incorrect", which becomes a very ambiguous morality when human perceptions are concerned.

• The biggest "Spirit-correct" dogma in this story's world is -- Binding, or keeping things together, in union and peace. Spirits naturally want to keep things in this order, and when a magic user prompts them toward a specific goal, these Spirits can Bind or Fuse together any material or element of his choice:

• ...Water, Metals, Air, Fire, Plant and Animal matter, Bone, Minerals, Wind, Gravity, Electricity, Magnetism, Sound, Motion, Consciousness, etc in various inventive (and sometimes horrifying) combinations.

• Another "Spirit-incorrect" dogma is impurity (whether moral or physical) that leads to curses and tainting of the real world by the Demonic Spirits (yokai) and the murder of Spiritway children (which always attracts the Demonic Spirits with extremely destructive results).

• Because this system of belief has always existed in this alternative world of mythological Japan, the technology levels of these people had no need to advance past Bronze Age (Yayoi Era in Japanese History) -- and instead invented an entirely separate civilization and culture based on Binding of Spirits.

• Like Shinto, Binding does not work outside of Akitsushima Empire's borders which poses unique threats to their life against intruders and their own desire for conquest overseas.

• The magic system has rules and specific orders, but the main one belongs to the Emperor. He is the Greatest Binder who is responsible for drawing together and uniting of all the people under his rule (whether they like it or not). His failure to do so upsets the "Spirit-correct" way of things and may result in turmoil and misery for the entire country.

• The second person in command under the Emperor is the Izumo Head Priest, the ambassador of humans in the Spirit realm.

• Beneath the Emperor and the Head Priest stand the Five Great Lords who each answer for specific orders and magical aspects of the national identity in the Empire.

The Five Great Binding Lords of the Empire

• Are in constant competition with one another and sometimes even direct opposition of their values and beliefs.

• Are separate Kingdoms in the present due to Abihiko's inability to pull them together as intended.

• Are ~vaguely similar to the five regions of the main island of Japan -- Honshu:

• Utsuro (inspired by Tohoku region, far north) -- governed by the current Lord of the Waste, Sakai,

• Nagare (inspired by Chuubu region, west) -- governed by the current Lady of the Skies, Kasuga,

• Towa (inspired by the Kanto region, east) -- governed by the current Lady of the Seas, Iokirihime,

• Hira (inspired by the Kansai region, south) -- governed by the current Lord of the Mountains, Okinaga,

• and Hisome (inspired by the Chuugoku region, south-west) -- governed by the current Lord of the Mists, Morokata.

• Each of the Lords and their respective magic ideology and values will be explored in the story when necessary for the plot and the advancement of the mystery. This Glossary will expand according to the Lords' appearances.

A List of Items, Magical Terms, and Inventions Named in the Book

Terms

• Binding (magic system of this story)
• Spirits (the foundation of magic system in the story)
• Binder (the practitioner of Binding)
• Bound anything (an item or mechanism made with the use Binding magic)
• Bound Servants/Dummies/Guards (humanoid mechanisms)
• Dead Matter Wood (the name MC came up with to denote parts of his log form that are cut off him without preserving his consciousness inside)
• Live Wood (part of MC's log form that keep his consciousness inside)
• Fusion (the first Binding technique -- the most banal form of uniting two separate elements together)
• Nagare (the second Binding technique that fuses emotional conflict of the user with the outside elements like wind, ground, or matter in order to manifest bolts of energy for attacks. Is named after one of the Great Lords -- the Nagare Lord of the Skies)
• Aspect (one element of a certain concept (like heat, pain, stiffness, flexibility, color, shape of a thing) fused with another for Binding purposes -- like giving the plant leaf durability of a rock so that it cannot be torn)
• Purity (whether physical or moral -- is the concept in the magical system that repels malevolent Spirits. Its opposite is Impurity)
• Binder's Aura or Imprint (other Binders can sense each other and even distinguish each other's traces in the Spirit realm if they're capable enough. A spell cast by Binder emits a very strong aura and can be easily traced back to its origin)
• Binding Seals (ways to restrict one's Binding, usually done by parents or with the consent of one's parents to a child to prevent the child from using their powers unknowingly)

Spells

• Pearlescent Dome/Barrier (the Head Priest's signature move that restricts the movement between two sides that the Barrier designates. Uses mists as a foundation)
• Fox Thread (the Head Priest's "allegorical" yet physical representation of how bonds work between people. Uses mists as foundation)
• Spiritside Phasing (movement between the mortal world and the Spiritside that only the most potent Binders can do)

Names of Locations and Landmarks

• Shrine School (where the MC learned magic)
• Izumo (town and Shrine where he lived after 10 years old)
• Emerald Palace (the Imperial Palace)
• Emerald Fir (very bright and sharp fir tree. One of such trees is imbued with Spirit essence of MC's ancestors and grows in the center of the Emerald Palace)
• Tanzawa Mountains (the place the MC grew up in)
• Spiritside (the realm of the Spirits where people aren't generally welcome)
• Red Stone Estate and Coast (Aomi's and Kataji's residence)
• Sai (nearby town to Red Stone)
• Shimokita (peninsula where Red Stone is located)
• Blue Forest (region of Utsuro kingdom where Red Stone is)
• Nara (the capital where the Emerald Palace is located)
• Nagare city and Nagare castle (the capital and the seat of power of Nagare Family, located atop Suzumegara -- the Nagare Family's giant Spirit)

Spirits

• the Lumber-Devouring Spirit (a malevolent Spirit preying on lumber)
• Cat Sister (the neutral Spirit-deity connected to all cats)
• Ashflake (the animal Spirit companion of the Izumo Head Priest)
• the Shrimp Spirit (the Savage Spirit driven mad by the human confrontations and hostility in the land)
• Suzumegara (the Bizarre Beast (which just means it's enormous since "bizarre beast" is a literal translation of "Kaiju". Belongs to the Nagare Family)

Items

• Chifude (the Legendary sword of Lord Hira Okinaga)
• Emerald Throne (the seat of Emperor's power)
• the Kitten Paw's Seashell (a seashell very important to Abihiko, the antagonist)
• Netsuito (the Legendary Black Bow of Lord Nagare Kazuragi and later his daughter Nagare Kasuga)

Mechanisms

• The Line (a train-like vehicle to travel long distances inspired by the millipedes and made of giant plates of metals and wood)

Contains spoilers, duh.

I mainly wrote this to help those who had actually read the book and need to remind themselves what happened in which chapters and why. Because, this being a mystery book, the plot gets seriously tangled and intrigue-heavy. In a web novel serial format, it might get difficult to keep track of all the characters and their motivations across many months of reading where some plots fade in memory after a while.

Hence this summary ^^. Hope it helps with keeping track of the book's tangled plot.

All Flashback Chapters are marked by [FB] beside the title.

ARC I

• 1. Mad

Prince Nekohiko (MC) sacks the Imperial Palace where he will be crowned the true Emperor. The battle is gruesome and leaves him weak and depressed after all he'd seen. He relies on his best friend, Abihiko (ML) to help him walk to the throne room. There, Abihiko hugs him and congratulates him, then slits Nekohiko's throat with a knife.

Yet instead of dying, five years later, Nekohiko finds himself "reincarnated" as a wooden log with the Emperor's stamp on him.

And the name of the new Emperor -- Abihiko.

• 2. Majestic Conifer

Nekohiko gets found out as a live being inside a log by a young girl named Aomi and her older brother Kataji after his log is brought to Kataji's wooden workshop. His ability to communicate with them is restricted (can't speak).

• 3. Inconvenient

At first, wanting to get rid of Nekohiko because they mistake him for a malevolent Spirit, Kataji pities him after he sees Nekohiko crying and realizes that Nekohiko is a being capable of feeling pain and sorrow. Kataji helps him lift the restriction on speech and demands to tell him who/what Nekohiko is.

• 4. Now He Sees It 

Nekohiko lies to Kataji about his identity but tells him the truth about him being murdered by his best friend. Kataji is very sympathetic and offers to help carve him a wooden body of a human dummy so that Nekohiko can have a second chance at life.

After Kataji, young Aomi also takes interest in Nekohiko, albeit her curiosity has dark undertones.

She seems particularly interested in the "best friend murder" mystery and teases Nekohiko about the reasons he'd been murdered, suggesting that Nekohiko might be the bad guy and his "best friend" -- the good guy instead.

With horror, Nekohiko realizes that Kataji and Aomi are younger siblings of Abihiko, the current Emperor and Nekohiko's murderer.

• 5. [FB] Meow 

10-year-old Nekohiko meets 10-year-old Abihiko for the first time when they both are enrolled in the local magic academy -- the Spiritway Shrine School called Izumo.

But Nekohiko, being the true heir to the Imperial Throne, is sought after by the assassins and thus had to be hidden out of sight. He is given a cross-dressed identity and thus has to maintain the facade of being a little girl for the entire duration of studying magic. Due to the mix-up with his new name and identity, he ends up being bullied by other kids. One of his biggest bullies -- is Abihiko, the popular boy.

• 6. Wood Puns

Nekohiko is suspicious of Aomi but cannot prove that she has ulterior motives in regards to him. He gets used to his new life as a wooden log and tries to find out as much as he can about Abihiko and the 5-year gap while he had been "asleep" inside the log.

Kataji starts working on his carving by cutting him in half which is an incredibly painful experience since Nekohiko's log body can feel every single thing the cutting does to him.

• 7. Splitting Apart

Nekohiko and Aomi try to untangle the potential mystery behind his death: why would a person he knew as his best friend -- ever kill him? What motive could Abihiko have had?

The cutting and sawing of his log body continues, bringing many problems, one of which is that his consciousness cannot split between the wooden parts. All of this causes tension between him and Kataji and the two have a big fight.

• 8. [FB] Bonding

1st year at Izumo.

The next day after Nekohiko gets to Izumo magic School, he ends up antagonizing many people, both girls and boys who now view him as a valid target for their bullying.

In his first lesson of Binding (magic system), he realizes that he isn't particularly talented in it while Abihiko is incredibly gifted on top of being liked by most people. Jealous and frustrated, Nekohiko picks a fight with him which ends up in him losing bitterly.

• 9. The Doll Hypothesis

Aomi takes Nekohiko's log for a ride into the nearby town where the human doll shop is located. Specifically, the sex doll shop.

• 10. Throwback

While in town, Aomi meets a family friend, Daichi who had once been Nekohiko's bodyguard.

Nekohiko realizes that Daichi must have participated in his assassination scheme and probably knows about Abihiko's motives for the murder. Nekohiko's easiest-to-reach goal becomes to question him about the details of his death.

• 11. And Meow Again

Nekohiko and Kataji make up after their fight. They work together to carve him a body sooner. But since Kataji is not very skilled at making humans, he instead makes Nekohiko a wooden dummy body of a cat.

• 12. [FB] Better

1st year at Izumo.

Little Nekohiko is severely bullied and flubbing all his magic studies. When he attempts to run away from School, the Imperial assassins almost catch him.

He gets saved by the Izumo Head Priest and is comforted by an older disciple girl, Kotone, who becomes his only "friend" at School.

Contains spoilers, duh.

I mainly wrote this to help those who had actually read the book and need to remind themselves what happened in which chapters and why. Because, this being a mystery book, the plot gets seriously tangled and intrigue-heavy. In a web novel serial format, it might get difficult to keep track of all the characters and their motivations across many months of reading where some plots fade in memory after a while.

Hence this summary ^^. Hope it helps with keeping track of the book's tangled plot.

All Flashback Chapters are marked by [FB] beside the title.

ARC I (cont.)

• 13. The Kitten's Paw

The cat body is finished, plus Nekohiko and Aomi conjure up and advance a plan to "spy" on Abihiko with a tiny wooden part of Nekohiko's in the form of a seashell pendant -- so that Nekohiko can see everything Abihiko sees and thus find out more about him.

• 14. The Purr-box Is Included

Kataji takes measurements for Nekohiko's real face to make him a human dummy that would resemble him in his "previous" life. The magic-user Binds together a cat body out of wooden parts and actual cat's viscera so that Nekohiko can live a full life as a cat. 

• 15. Weaponized

As a cat, Nekohiko finally has the freedom to move and uses it to manipulate people around him while listening in on their private conversations. He finds out something crucial about Daichi and also about Kataji.

Kataji becomes sad since he starts feeling as though Nekohiko uses him.

• 16. Cat Sister

Nekohiko trains to use his cat body to its fullest. On the night when he knows Daichi is staying in the nearby town, he uses his magic to summon a Cat Goddess to aid him in tracking Daichi and questioning him. And, if worse comes to worst, killing him.

• 17. [FB] His Name Is Suminoe

1st year at Izumo.

The Imperial assassin finally makes a direct attack on Nekohiko in which he is protected by several reliable adult magic users in his life: the Head Priest of Izumo, Abihiko's foster father -- Lord Okinaga, and Abihiko's mom.

Intensely guilty, Nekohiko has a bonding moment with the Head Priest of Izumo named Suminoe, seeing him as his only role model and father figure.

• 18. Monster

Nekohiko tracks Daichi and confronts him about his assassination. But instead of feeling guilty, Daichi doubles down and claims that Abihiko was right in killing Nekohiko. Because, to Daichi's eyes, Nekohiko had always been a villain -- a monstrous, Demonic Emperor Nekohiko who deserved to be killed.

• 19. Impure

Nekohiko is very confused because he had never even murdered anyone in his "previous" life. He tries to ask more, but Daichi attacks him. In the resulting short fight, Nekohiko uses the help of the Cat Goddess and defeats Daichi. Then he disposes of his body by burning it down.

When he comes back home, he is trapped and assaulted by a demonic Spirit attracted by the smell of Daichi's blood to Nekohiko's wooden body.

• 20. The Last Purr Together

Kataji rescues him but is wounded in the process. Nekohiko realizes that Kataji might have feelings for him because he wants to make a perfect human and thus has already begun idealizing what Nekohiko would one day become.

The two have a bonding moment, but Nekohiko tries to push Kataji away because he doesn't want to repeat what he had once experienced with Abihiko.

• 21. [FB] Bondage!

1st year at Izumo.

Because little Nekohiko and Abihiko fight all the time, the Head Priest punishes them by tying them together with a magic thread. The two have to begin communicating whether they like it or not because every time they fight or argue, the magic thread shortens between them, thus forcing them even closer together.

Ridiculous and angsty stuff ensues.

• 22. The Tell-Tail

News of Daichi's murder sweep the place, adding to it the twist: the only thing left unburned in Daichi's inn room -- is a tail of a cat that Daichi had preserved by his magic. Aomi gets suspicious of Nekohiko because, after last night, Nekohiko's tail is gone.

• 23. Slippery

Nekohiko wants to run to escape "police" investigations about the murder but overhears that Kataji dismissed all of Aomi's suspicious by giving Nekohiko an alibi for last night.

Kataji announces to everyone he and his wooden log "project" are leaving for the capital to continue their carving there -- the decision which would protect Nekohiko even from the "police" investigations because he and Kataji would be too far away for anyone to find them.

• 24. Punished

Nonetheless, Kataji only protected him to punish him on his own. Kataji is still mad about the suspicions but never confronts Nekohiko about them, preferring to act passive-aggressively about it instead.

The same happens with Aomi who threatens Nekohiko but never really acknowledges what suspicions loom over his head.

In the atmosphere of distrust and menace, the three of them depart their estate to go to the capital where Abihiko waits for them.

• 25. [FB] Manipulative

1st year at Izumo.

Abihiko and Nekohiko finally start to form a positive relationship while being tied together. They fight, save each other's lives, bond over personal issues, even if at first, it goes very hard.

After the magic thread dissolves, Nekohiko realizes it has all been a scheme by the Head Priest to have Nekohiko and Abihiko befriend each other because Abihiko would be such a big asset for Nekohiko's eventual rise to the throne. 

Nekohiko feels manipulated and depressed. Only Abihiko manages to cheer him up.

End of ARC I.

Contains spoilers, duh.

I mainly wrote this to help those who had actually read the book and need to remind themselves what happened in which chapters and why. Because, this being a mystery book, the plot gets seriously tangled and intrigue-heavy. In a web novel serial format, it might get difficult to keep track of all the characters and their motivations across many months of reading where some plots fade in memory after a while.

Hence this summary ^^. Hope it helps with keeping track of the book's tangled plot.

All Flashback Chapters are marked by [FB] beside the title.

ARC II

• 26. The Emperor and the Seashell

Nekohiko, Kataji, and Aomi travel down the coast toward the capital while being very mean to each other due to Daichi's murder suspicions.

The seashell pendant Nekohiko and Aomi had made finally arrives at the Imperial Palace. Through it, Nekohiko spies on Abihiko:

Abihiko opens a heavily-protected vault in his bedroom inside which there is something (someone) to whom he refers as "Neko" when he enters the vault with a smile.

• 27. My Enemy Is Drowning

Nekohiko spies on Abihiko while Abihiko bathes, finding that Abihiko's health has severely deteriorated, and so did his psychological and emotional state due to all the pressures the Emperor's life put on him.

Nekohiko is left horrified by what he'd witnessed.

• 28. Murder-Proof

Kataji is still pissed at the murder suspicions that loom over Nekohiko. To prevent any such possibilities in the future, he activates a spell in Nekohiko's cat body that prohibits this body from murdering anyone ever again.

Nekohiko understands that Kataji doesn't see him as a person of his own agency but rather an instrument Kataji can mold and fashion into something better than he is. Aomi assumes a neutral position between them.

While Nekohiko is distracted by spying on Abihiko, their "train" is attacked by a giant Spirit, with both Kataji's and Aomi's lives endangered.

• 29. The Waifu

Nekohiko does his best in rescuing both Aomi and Kataji, but he is only a small cat fighting against a giant, Kaiju-like monster. Desperate, he emits a magical call for help of any nearby magic-users, then launches into an attack on the Spirit.

Kataji risks his own life to save Nekohiko's immobile logs. Both he and Nekohiko almost get trampled when the rescue arrives:

One of the future wives of Nekohiko from his previous life. Nagare Kasuga -- a powerful mage specializing in the thunder-and-lightning magic of the Skies.

• 30. Conflict, Turmoil, Passion

Kasuga disposes of the "Kaiju" and saves Aomi and Kataji. She is very suspicious about who was the powerful mage who had summoned her here. She assumes it was Aomi since Aomi is being very flippant and aggressive toward her.

Aomi accepts her conjecture and taunts her with it, announcing to Kasuga and her soldiers that she and Kataji are Emperor Abihiko's blood siblings, so of course their magic signatures would be incredibly powerful as well.

That backfires, because the intrigued Kasuga takes all of them hostage to try and blackmail Emperor Abihiko for her benefit.

• 31. [FB] The Split Sky

2nd year at Izumo.

Nekohiko and Abihiko are now being bullied by other kids, partly because of how close the boy (Abihiko) is with the girl (Nekohiko). Distraught, Abihiko seeks out a meeting with Lord Nagare Yakabe and Lord Nagare Kazuragi -- the famous Lords of the Skies who control thunder and lightning.

During this meeting, Lord Yakabe unknowingly releases Nekohiko's Nagare seal that restricted his magic use. Nekohiko realizes he had never been a magical failure and that all of his powers had been sealed since birth because of how OP they are.

But this ends up in a disaster because the first thing Nekohiko does while defending himself against a prank attack by one of his bullies -- is almost kill a bystander with his overpowered magic.

Horrified, he vows to never abuse his magic again. The Head Priest Suminoe helps him understand his powers and the reasons of why they had to be sealed for so long.

• 32. Enamored With Fictions

Kasuga brings Aomi, Kataji, and Nekohiko to her castle in the sky atop the giant Hawkmoth Spirit monster. There, Nekohiko meets another of his ex-bodyguards -- Etsuko who had also allowed him to be murdered without trying to protect him.

In the Imperial Palace, Abihiko vaguely says something about promises he and Nekohiko had made to each other and that he, Abihiko, had kept all his promises, whereas Nekohiko hadn't kept his yet and that Abihiko is waiting for him to do so.

• 33. The Cluster of Freaks

During dinner, Nekohiko finds out that Aomi has always been a magic-user, but one with all her powers currently sealed. He understands that his relationship with all three Abi siblings (Aomi, Kataji, Abihiko) is incredibly manipulative and laced with lies and guilt.

In the morning, while bickering with Kataji about it, they are interrupted by Kasuga who heard everything due to her ability to control the wind and spy on everyone in her castle.

Kasuga demands they explain what the hell Nekohiko-the-log is.

Contains spoilers, duh.

I mainly wrote this to help those who had actually read the book and need to remind themselves what happened in which chapters and why. Because, this being a mystery book, the plot gets seriously tangled and intrigue-heavy. In a web novel serial format, it might get difficult to keep track of all the characters and their motivations across many months of reading where some plots fade in memory after a while.

Hence this summary ^^. Hope it helps with keeping track of the book's tangled plot.

All Flashback Chapters are marked by [FB] beside the title.

ARC II (cont.)

• 34. Not Dying Is Weird

(!!!big spoiler of the main premise!!!)

Nekohiko and others make up a quick lie that he is their relative reincarnated into a tree. Kasuga tells him that's impossible and that none of Nekohiko's bodily reactions align with those of a real tree.

She and he deduce that he is a human soul forcedly tied to a tree by magic. He had died, but before his soul could dissipate -- it was placed into a tree as its vessel to preserve him there. Thus, the only real question becomes -- who could have cast such a bizarre spell on Nekohiko and for which purposes. Because only the most OP magic user would have been able to do it.

Oddly enough, Nekohiko hadn't known any OP magic users in his "previous" life except for himself.

• 35. The Prettiest Face

Nekohiko struggles to find out who his mysterious "savior" who trapped him in a tree could be. In the Kasuga's castle library, he and Aomi spent days researching books, albeit Aomi cares only about her own private research into which she never invites Nekohiko.

He realizes that Kasuga wasn't the one who spied on him with the winds and that there is another, very well-hidden person beside Kasuga who does that for her.

Through some fluffy hijinks in the castle, he and Aomi finally resolve their issue over Daichi's murder, even though Nekohiko only pretends to agree with her.

In Abihiko's Imperial Palace life, nobles and councilors try to manipulate him with courtesans and orgy parties. Which Nekohiko finds most abhorrent because almost all of the male courtesans sent to Abihiko by the nobles wear magical glamor that makes their faces look exactly like Nekohiko's real face.

• 36. Unexpectedly a Pervert

Abihiko gets rid of the courtesans in a rude fashion, prompting one of them to vow revenge on him for humiliation. Distraught and angry, Abihiko goes to sleep incredibly agitated.

Nekohiko feels very lost and confused and in need to share with someone. He realizes that there is one person in Nagare Castle who listens to him most of the time, so he talks to himself out loud about his sadness. The wind caresses him as though commiserating.

At night, Abihiko has nightmares about Nekohiko, and Nekohiko's seashell soothes him by emitting Nekohiko's own Binding aura. Prompted by the presence of Nekohiko's aura, Abihiko's dream turns from nightmarish into erotic. With obvious results.

• 37. Whispers

Nekohiko tries to find the Wind Listener because he's sure he can befriend him. After some small manipulation, he manages to make the shy boy -- Mikawa -- come out of his shell and hang out with Nekohiko.

Nekohiko overhears how Commander Etsuko talks about using Kataji's life or body (cutting off his limbs) as a means of blackmailing Abihiko in Abihiko's treaty with Kasuga.

• 38. The Heartstring

Nekohiko and Mikawa become closer. At last, Nekohiko feels comfortable to manipulate the boy to send for help to Izumo. Without knowing it, Mikawa summons the Head Priest Suminoe to see Nekohiko.

King Morokata finally makes an appearance in Abihiko's rooms late at night, sending Abihiko into panic.

• 39. [FB] Victim

• 40. Needles

• 41. Fuji in Snow

Contains spoilers, duh.

I mainly wrote this to help those who had actually read the book and need to remind themselves what happened in which chapters and why. Because, this being a mystery book, the plot gets seriously tangled and intrigue-heavy. In a web novel serial format, it might get difficult to keep track of all the characters and their motivations across many months of reading where some plots fade in memory after a while.

Hence this summary ^^. Hope it helps with keeping track of the book's tangled plot.

All Flashback Chapters are marked by [FB] beside the title.

ARC II (cont.)

• 42. He and His Cat and the Snow

The Towa army launches an attack on Nagare cities, so Kasuga has to engage them. Aomi and Mikawa also join the battle to make sure that nothing bad happens to Kasuga, while Kataji is left back in the castle, with only Nekohiko-the-cat to guard him.

Nekohiko almost misses the moment when Etsuko and other Nagare officers come to do as they promised: to blackmail the Emperor and Towa army with Kataji's life by cutting off one of his arms as proof.

• 43. The "Most Epic Battle Against a Cat"

• 44. Avalanche in Fire

• 45. [FB] Rockhard

[Extra]: Asazuma, Okinaga, Abihiko, and Nekohiko go on a Wayfaring mission. There, Nekohiko discovers what his rockhard beliefs should be and also that Abihiko's beliefs seem to depend on his because Abihiko doesn't have his own. [/]

Lastly, in Okinaga's treasury, Nekohiko sees the Kitten's Paw seashell for the very first time and hears the story of its meaning, with Abihiko teasing him about how romantic it is and Nekohiko teasing him back.

• 46. Love and Peace