Caine certainly couldn't have started by mentioning the "mind-reader" formula right away, but he also didn't conceal his own intentions—after all, his counterpart was a "spectator," not easily deceived. "Has there been anything unusual about Hude Egen lately?" he asked first, referring to the eccentric patient at the asylum who had been cultivated into a member of the Psychological Alchemy Circle. Dastor observed Caine's gaze, expressions, and gestures, then replied, "No, he's as usual. To be honest, I believe if he truly wished to leave the asylum, he could have immediately demonstrated clear signs of health and normalcy—yet he hasn't done so. He remains there, as though trying to heal each patient, one by one. Some of the patients—those with disordered thoughts, outbursts, or mental disturbances—have shown slight improvement. Perhaps, perhaps Hude Egen is using this very process to refine his extraordinary abilities." A Sequence 7 "Psychologist"—the "Spectator"? Perhaps even higher... Since Hude Egen didn't merely serve as a psychiatrist but transformed himself into a patient, entering the asylum, it suggests he hasn't fully mastered the art of "playing a role." As Dast had suspected, he is actively cultivating an extraordinary ability—one that closely resembles the art of role-playing and, to some extent, mitigates the negative effects of the potion. Thus, Hude Egen has simply chosen to make the asylum his home. Klein openly demonstrates his deep reflection on Hude Egen's matter, as this will make Dast Gudrian feel that he knows much, understands deeply, and is profoundly insightful. Thinking about this, Caine also deduced another point: the Psychological Alchemists had not yet mastered the "Method of Performance." After all, even a strong member of at least Sequence 7—considered a mid-level figure in this era of rare and exceptional individuals—was still unclear about it. In any secret organization, a Sequence 7 member was at least a solid mid-level figure, capable of knowing certain key matters, especially those that effectively helped members manage loss of control. Indeed, the Psychological Alchemists, a relatively recent secret society established only in the last few centuries, or even later, were not surprising in not having developed or consolidated this method. Currently, only the Monastic Order explicitly outlines this approach—the Monastic Order, a venerable body with a history exceeding 1,500 years, tracing back to the previous age! Yet, the Divine Church is even older than the Monastic Order. Its historical records in the "Book of the Night Revelation," specifically the "Letters of the Saints," alone span over three millennia—without counting the earlier mythological traditions. So, why has such an ancient church failed to discover the "Method of Performance"? Throughout this long history and within such a vast organization, there will always be members with unique ideas, unconsciously or with a mindset of experimentation, trying out various possibilities—much like Dailie, the seer. Though they may not have explicitly formulated the "performance method," they have already begun on the right path by starting from the names of potions, gradually discovering elements through positive feedback, and thus, over generations, accumulating examples and case studies. Unless the leadership consists entirely of curly-haired baboons, it would be impossible to distill the "performance method" from such a body of work! Klein believed that within the long history of the Night Goddess's Church, Dely was by no means the first member to have rapidly mastered low-sequence potions through a method akin to role-playing—she might even rank outside the top ten, or even the top fifty. "That doesn't make sense from a probabilistic standpoint... unless Dely didn't develop her role-playing method on her own, but rather received guidance from others. In that case, the Church's failure to establish a 'role-playing method' could be attributed to the limitations of its traditional pathways. All members adhere strictly to past traditions, trusting in the experience of their predecessors and hesitating to deviate—any deviation often leads to instability. Indeed, that's one explanation. Another possibility is that the Church's leadership has deliberately concealed the existence of the 'role-playing method'." "I need to review the relevant records, search for instances of other extraordinary members of the Church who quickly mastered potions through role-playing, and investigate what happened to them afterward." Klein pondered seriously. Dastar watched his expression, waited a minute or two, and asked with concern, "Officer Hude Egen seems to be having any issues?" "Nothing immediate," Klein replied with a smile, setting the doubt aside. "I'm just thinking of other matters." He then asked, "Has the Psychological Alchemy group been active recently?" "There hasn't been much—only a small gathering in the Ahova County exchange of goods and experiences," Dastar answered openly. Klein nodded gently. "And how are you holding up yourself?" Dastar controlled his expression carefully. "Not great. I still frequently hear murmurs and experience hallucinations. If I weren't a psychiatrist, I'd actually think I were developing some kind of illness." "As he spoke, his expression grew more serious: 'Following the advice of Hude Egen and you, I've tried to ignore those hallucinations and murmurs, which has made me feel much more at ease. Yet they still disrupt my sleep, making me irritable, impatient, and increasingly unlike myself—almost as if a new version of me is growing within me, or perhaps a completely new personality is emerging. I'm deeply concerned and afraid that one day, I might suddenly lose control.' As I had anticipated—even without the need for divination...克莱恩 smiled calmly and prepared. 'You needn't worry. You are already a member of the outer circle of the Night Watch, entitled to your own benefits. As an ancient organization, we have developed several methods to prevent such a loss of control. They may not guarantee a hundred percent success, but they will certainly help you.'" "Also, privately, I'd like to share with you my own experience. You know, the man standing before you—within just one month, he completely eliminated his hallucinations and murmurs, making them disappear entirely. You must have heard from Hude Egen and the others just how difficult that truly is." For the "Audience" corresponding to Sequence 8, the "Mind Reader," Klein slightly boasted, and did so openly and honestly. "Officer, there are lies in your words, but the core of what you say is true." Dast suddenly spoke with calm clarity. "What do you hope to gain from me?" The "Audience" truly is hard to deceive... Klein replied with a smile. "Not merely what I hope to gain." And there's also the "Justice" lady... Of course, he knew Dast would assume it was the Watchers' team seeking something. "If your method indeed proves effective, and if the items or information you seek are within my reach..." Dast paused, carefully wording his response. "I'll advance you the benefits," Cline said openly. "We want the 'Mind-Reader's' formula." He wouldn't hide this potion recipe—he would hand it over to the captain, claiming that Dast had secured it in exchange for his own experience in potion-making. Throughout this process, Cline would certainly verify the formula and, inevitably, remember it himself. Additionally, the formulas gained through his personal experience would accumulate further merit for him. Eventually, combined with his previous achievements, he might not even need to work extra hours to secure the 'Clown's Formula' along with its primary ingredients. A single formula serving two transactions—what a bargain! Cline thought warmly. Dast stared into his eyes, paused, then said: "You're very open-minded. I'll make every effort to obtain this formula, but I'm not sure how long it will take. If it proves too risky, I'd prefer to receive alternative compensation." "No problem." "Klein didn't intend to press the matter too hard. Instead, he subtly described the 'theory of embodiment': "The key to countering loss of control lies in the name of the potion. We must understand it, grasp its true meaning—this cannot be achieved merely through thought. It requires genuine experience. For instance, as an 'observer,' you must realize that you are merely an 'observer,' not an 'actor.' You must then explore what an 'observer' truly is—by living it, experimenting with it, and gradually distilling its 'behavioral principles,' and then rigorously applying them to yourself." Dastar listened intently and only after a while said: "What a fresh theory! I'd be inclined to call what you just said a theory—something akin to the theoretical framework linking stage actors and opera performers. I'll give it a try and hope for positive results." "If it proves effective, I will do everything I can to help you secure the 'mind-reader' formula!" "May the goddess bless you." Klein drew a crimson moon on his chest. He didn't include the "psychologist" potion recipe, because he knew it was definitely beyond the current capabilities of Dastur—any slight misstep would reveal it. Thus, he decided to proceed gradually, helping Dastur earn higher positions step by step within the Psychological Alchemy Circle. This way, the long-term benefits would be exceptionally rich. Klein didn't linger further. He first observed the outside world through the hole in the door, then quickly departed, heading toward the smaller target range reserved for the night watch. Upon entering, he locked the door behind him, and his expression grew even more serious. In his earlier speculation about the "role-playing" technique during the encounter with the goddess's church, he now recalled a detail he had previously overlooked! He had overlooked it because two related events, due to the reversal of their acquisition sequence, had not prompted him to make deeper connections. The first event was that the Antigonus family had been destroyed by the Church of the Night Goddess. The second point is that the Antigonid family controls the "Seers" lineage, or at least a significant portion of it. Since Caine has known these two facts for such a long time, he has almost never analyzed them together, and thus has overlooked the oddity that now becomes quite apparent when these points are laid out side by side. Given that the Antigonid family controls a substantial part of the "Seers" lineage, how could the Night Goddess Church—completely wiped out—have received only Lineage 9, the "Seers"? The spoils of war could not be limited to that! Simply members of the "Aurora Circle" who have acquired a single magical notebook from the Antigonid family can already access the "Clown" formula—how then could the Night Goddess Church, which has destroyed the entire Antigonid family, have received only the "Seers" lineage? Even though the Antigonid family had been well-prepared, hiding their most valuable assets deep within the main peak of the Hōnachis Mountains, the Night Goddess Church should have reaped far more than just a modest harvest. After all, they had slain numerous members of the Antigonid family—and the dead can speak! P.S.: I'll finish this today at three installments. Please support with your monthly subscription! Um, I'll slow down a bit for a few days, posting two installments regularly, then adding extra ones. On Mondays, my two installments will be at midnight and 12:30 PM; after that, the schedule will remain fixed at 12:30 PM and 7:00 PM.