Autumn turns to winter, and Ix heads to the city of Estosha to fulfill a commission from the local monastery. There, his budding friendship with Shuno, another apprentice wandmaker on the assignment, leads him to reevaluate what it means to be a craftsman. Meanwhile, Yuui and Nova also find themselves in Estosha after the New Order forces the pair to attend a series of theological conferences on Marayist scripture. But what could the New Order want with a pagan like Yuui? As the mysteries of Estosha pile up and a bomb threat rocks the conference, Yuui?s and Ix?s paths cross once again in an encounter that will determine both their fates?