In the spacious living room, Anna and Joyce, having finished their embrace, sat on separate sofas, separated by their mother-in-law's presence. Joyce sighed with contentment: "By the steam, I'm so fortunate to have made it back alive and to see Anna again." "My dear Joyce, what on earth have you endured?" Anna could no longer contain her concern and inquired with warmth. Joyce glanced at her fiancée, her expression growing serious: "I still feel afraid, often waking up in a start from my dreams. Five days after the *Fescennine* left Caesar Harbor, we encountered pirates—terrible pirates. The only thing to be grateful for is that their leader was named Nastor." "The sea pirate who claims to be the 'King of the Five Seas'?" Mr. Wayne, Anna's father, exclaimed in astonishment. Though Joyce had come to visit half an hour earlier, he never elaborated on his own experiences, remaining hesitant, nervous, and uneasy until Anna returned and gave him a hug, after which he seemed truly to have emerged from his difficulties. "Yes," Joyce recalled, "King Nast, the 'Lord of the Five Seas,' claims to be a descendant of the Kingdom of Solomon and upholds the virtue of never killing prisoners. Because of that, we were only robbed of our possessions and not harmed in any way; in fact, his men even left us with sufficient food." His body gradually grew tremulous, yet he persisted in describing the deepest, most profound nightmare: "I lost only a modest amount of property. I had thought misfortune had passed, but during the subsequent voyage, the passengers and crew of the *Althaea* erupted into fierce internal strife—beginning with arguments, escalating to physical fights, then to duels with revolvers and straight swords, culminating in mutual slaughter. For those days, my vision was filled with blood; one after another, my companions fell around me, their eyes wide open, never closing, their limbs, hearts, and intestines splattered across the deck." "We, who had refused to become beasts—those who clung to reason—had no place to hide, no path to flee. The deep blue waves surrounded us, the ocean stretching without limit. Some wept, some pleaded for mercy, some even sold their bodies, yet their heads remained suspended on the masts." "Anna, I was utterly despairing at the time, convinced I would never see you again. Fortunately, even within this nightmare, heroes emerged—Captain led us to the sturdy lower decks, where we survived on the fresh water and provisions we had prepared, holding out until the frenzied crew reached their breaking point. Mr. Triss inspired us, stepping forward with courage and leading us boldly into battle against those murderers..." "After a battle I will never forget, we survived, though the 'Althaea' had drifted off course, and the sailors were reduced to just one-third of the original number." ...When recalling the most terrifying and darkest aspects of human nature, Joyce couldn't help but think of that 'hero'—Mr. Triss, the self-proclaimed hero—whose face was round and gentle, whose demeanor was shy, almost girl-like, always preferring to stay in the corner. Only those who knew him well could appreciate how remarkably talkative he truly was. Yet it was precisely this unassuming boy who, at the very moment of greatest adversity and despair, stood firmly at the forefront of the crowd. "Oh, by the steam and the machinery, my dear Joyce, what a poignant ordeal you've endured! Thank God, thank the divine, that we are not separated." Anna's eyes glistened with tears, her hands continuously tracing the triangular steam-and-mechanical saint's emblem upon her chest. Joyce offered a slightly pale smile: "This is our faithful return. The *Alfalfa* weathered storms, navigated through disorientation, and passed through one trial after another, finally reaching the port of Enmatt." "Because of the severe bloodshed aboard, the survivors were placed under police custody and questioned separately, with no opportunity to send telegrams home to inform our families. Only today, after everything concluded, did I immediately borrow money from a friend and board the steam train back to Tingen. Thank God, I have once again set foot upon the land of Tingen, and am able to see you all once more." "Having said that, he looked at his fiancée with a touch of puzzlement: "Anna, I can feel your joy and surprise whenever I see you—but I don't understand why, after you got off the carriage, you rushed so eagerly toward the door. Honestly, I had planned a grand surprise for you." Anna recalled her experience, still unable to believe: "There's nothing to hide, Joyce. I went to the only fortune-telling club in Tingen today, concerned about you, and the fortune-teller—no, the seer—told me that your fiancé had returned, specifically to the house with the toy windmill." 101??????.??????Fully handwritten, error-free station "What?" Wayne and Joyce exclaimed simultaneously. Anna covered her face and shook her head: "I don't believe my own experience, yet it truly happened. The steam of life, perhaps there are indeed miracles in this world." "Joyce, the seer took down your name, features, address, and date of birth, claiming to be doing a horoscope reading. Then he asked me whether the family with the toy windmill was ours or yours. After I confirmed, he said, 'Congratulations, Miss Anna—your fiancé has returned, and he's right here at your home. Do not inquire about his journey; simply give him a hug and offer comfort.'" "Good heavens..." Joyce found it utterly unimaginable and hard to comprehend. "Does he know me? Has someone sent him a telegram? Does he know the police in Enmat Port well? No—still, this doesn't make sense. How could he know I had come to your home? How could he be certain that you had arranged to visit the seer? You had not even made an appointment beforehand." "No, I was chosen at random," Anna replied, looking puzzled. "Perhaps a truly skilled seer needs to gather a wealth of information—even if it's not immediately used. Maybe there truly is something magical about the art of divination." "Mr. Wayne sighed and summed up, 'Throughout the well-documented thousand years, and especially during the less-clear Quaternary period, divination has always existed—never vanished. I believe there must be a reason for that.'" Joyce gently shook her head and asked, "What was the seer's name?" Anna thought for a moment and replied, "Cline Moretti." Angelica glanced at the coins and noticed one was a one-penny piece, two were half-penny pieces, so she promptly stepped back, "I've been given an extra half-penny." Klein smiled and gently waved, "Thank you for your attentive service to my guest—she left a small tip, so I feel it's only fair to return one to you." It's also my way of thanking you for your recommendation... he silently added to himself. "Very well," Angelica felt a little intimidated by Klein, and with the reason now convincing, she didn't push further. Klein returned to the conference room, expecting more visitors to follow. Yet by 5:40, he still hadn't seen a single second customer. This wasn't a sign of declining business at the divination club—rather, most people had clear intentions and had already chosen their own diviners. "They must have been referred by someone and already decided who to consult... In short, my reputation still isn't strong enough," Klein self-consciously remarked, using gaming terminology. He finished off the third cup of Tungning black tea, donned his half-crown hat, and carried his silver-handled cane, walking slowly out of the conference room. Angélica, remembering Gracis's instruction, hurried to meet him: "Mr. Moretti, when will you be coming to the club next time? Mr. Gracis would like to thank you in person." "Whenever I have the time, I'll come," replied Caine in the tone of a prophet, fully immersed in his role. Then, regardless of Angélica's reaction, he stepped out of the club and took the public carriage back home. Upon entering the house, Caine saw Bensun reading the newspaper, while Melissa was arranging small gears, bearings, and springs under the warm evening light. "Good afternoon," Caine said lightly, "has Mrs. Shaud come by?" Bansen didn't put down the newspaper; he merely lifted his head. "Mrs. Xiao stayed for a quarter of an hour, bringing some gifts. She was very pleased with our small scones and lemon cake, and invited us to visit her home whenever we have the chance. She's a kind, polite woman who knows how to chat." "The only issue is that the whole family believes in the Lord of Storms and believes girls shouldn't go to school—they should receive only home-based education." Melissa murmured softly. It was clear she was quite dissatisfied. "Don't worry too much," Cain smiled, reassuring his sister. "As long as she doesn't interfere with us, she'll still be a good neighbor." The Kingdom of Rouen is a multi-faith nation, unlike the northern Empire of Fsaak, which reveres only the War God, nor the southern Kingdom of Feneport, which honors solely the Earth Mother. While the followers of the Churches of the Storm Sovereign, the Night Goddess, and the God of Steam and Machinery inevitably have differing perspectives and habits, over centuries of mutual adaptation, they have learned to temper their differences and coexist harmoniously. "Indeed," Melissa said, pressing her lips together and shifting her gaze back to the pile of parts. After dinner, Kline continued reviewing historical knowledge. Only after Melissa and Bensen had taken their baths and returned to their rooms did he tidy himself and enter his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He needed to organize and reflect on what he had learned during this period, as well as the challenges that had arisen, to ensure he didn’t forget or overlook key points. Only then could he approach future developments with a clearer, more coherent mindset. Caine spread out his notebook, picked up his pen, and wrote down in Chinese, word by word: "Why is the key to potion digestion 'to embody'?"