A hazy, silvery mist permeates eternally, with deep red, ethereal stars hanging at varying distances. Caine sits within the grand palace, resembling the dwelling of a giant, quietly gazing at the familiar scene before him. After a few seconds, he withdraws his gaze, causing a yellow-brown vellum to float into view before him, and then takes up his pen to write down the revised incantation of his summoning ritual: "Light a candle, symbolizing yourself;" "Construct a sacred atmosphere using the Wall of Spirit;" "Pour onto the candle flame the essential oils of the full moon, the distilled essence of chamomile, and the sleep powder (note: at this stage, precision is not essential, as the summoning is of oneself);" "Recite the following incantation:" "I! (in ancient Hermes, giant, dragon, and elf tongues—must be loudly proclaimed)" "I summon by my name (in Hermes tongue):" "The fool of a time unbound, the sovereign of the misty gray, the King of Fortune, of yellow and black. "... Carefully reviewed it three times, Kline wrote the divinatory sentence at the very bottom: 'Performing the above ritual outside poses a risk.' He exhaled, set down his pen, unfastened the silver chain from inside his sleeve, and held it in his left hand. When the yellow crystal pendant gently hovered above the parchment, just about to touch the divinatory sentence, he focused his mind and entered a meditative state. 'Performing the above ritual outside poses a risk.' 'Performing the above ritual outside poses a risk.'... After silently repeating it seven times, Kline opened his eyes, nearly black with focus, and observed the yellow crystal pendant rotating counterclockwise. This indicated a negation—meaning, no risk at all! 'We can proceed,' Kline quickly caused the now-materialized objects before him to vanish, extended his spiritual aura to envelop himself, and simulated the sensation of a sudden, rapid descent. After returning to the bedroom, where he had earlier sealed the entire room with a spiritual wall, Caine immediately cleared the desk and placed a candle with a mint scent at its center. With his right hand lightly pressing against the wick, he instantly ignited it through a spiritual friction technique. In the swaying, golden light, Caine dripped essential oils, distilled water, and herb powders into the flame. The serene, lingering fragrance spread throughout the room, causing it to alternately brighten and dim. Stepping back two paces, Caine gazed at the candle symbolizing himself and uttered in the language of the Giants: "I!" Then, switching to Hermes' language, he said: "I summon by my name: the Fool of a time unbound, the mysterious sovereign above the mist, the King of Good Fortune, of yellow and black." As soon as he finished speaking, the swaying golden flame merged with the tranquil fragrance, forming a vortex that rapidly absorbed his own spiritual essence. "The deep slumber belonging to the Red Moon, please pass your power through my incantation..." Kline endured the discomfort of his spirit being siphoned away, finishing the remaining words of the spell. At that moment, he noticed the candle flames ceased their trembling, standing still and quietly, their hue turning gray-white, spreading out to the size of a palm. "Nothing has been summoned... Ah, perhaps I need to respond from above the gray mist... It's rather troublesome to summon myself..." Kline gently pressed his fingertips against his weary, aching forehead, murmuring silently to himself. After pausing for several seconds, he stepped backward four paces, returning to the expanse of gray mist, and observed a series of radiant patterns radiating outward from the head of the ancient long table. These patterns originated from an unusual symbol behind the high-backed chair—one composed of the secret element, "Eye of the Unseeing," and the element of transformation, "Twisted Line." Kline simply made the gesture of reaching out, and instantly, a voice resonated in his ears: "I!" I chanted the incantations—"The Fool who does not belong to this age," "The Enigmatic Sovereign above the Gray Mist"—and witnessed the converging spiritual essence and rippling light patterns blend into a shimmering, yet formless gate. This gate swayed, striving to open, and immediately, Caine conceived an idea, channeling a strong intention to push it open. Almost instantly, the boundless gray mist and the magnificent palace were drawn into subtle ripples, which then propagated outward, one wave following another, toward the ethereal, unformed gate. Yet, no matter how vigorously Caine pushed, the gate remained stubbornly closed, and all the movement eventually settled into stillness. "Because the 'Gate of Summoning' has not fully taken shape?" Caine withdrew his intention, furrowing his brows to analyze the failure. —He had casually named this spectral gate the "Gate of Summoning." "Hmm, it's just that my spiritual essence is still insufficient to fully construct the 'Gate of Summoning'... Once I reach Sequence 8, become the 'Clown,' and survive the initial perilous phase, I'll try again—perhaps then everything will work out perfectly..." Klein nodded gently, now clearly understanding what had gone wrong. This experiment had given him immense confidence and strong encouragement, as it marked the first time since the event involving the Eternal Scorching Sun that the mysterious space above the gray mist had responded differently to his efforts! "There will surely come a day when I uncover all the secrets here!" Klein declared to himself with growing excitement, then sank into the boundless gray mist under the influence of his spiritual essence. ........ Upon returning to his bedroom, Klein quickly extinguished the candle, concluding the ritual, then cleared his desk and removed the spiritual wall. As a sudden breeze swept through the room, he yawned, lay down on the bed, and, just as he had tucked the blanket around himself, fell asleep. In the hazy, fragmented dreams, Kline suddenly woke up, finding himself seated in his living room, holding a copy of the "Tinggen City Honest Citizen." ...Could the队长have come again? He was first startled, then looked out at the bulging window with a mixture of irritation and amusement. With a soft creak, the front door opened, and Dunn entered, wearing a black overcoat that reached his knees, carrying a cane and a pipe. He moved slowly and gracefully. He still wore his half-high black hat and had his deep gray eyes. Dunn settled into the armchair, casually resting his right leg over his left. He set down his cane, removed his hat, leaned back slightly, and sat quietly, gazing at Kline as though thinking. Captain, what would you like to do today? Kline felt momentarily bewildered. To avoid revealing that he knew this was a dream, he pretended not to be affected and resumed reading the newspaper. One minute, two minutes, five minutes—he looked up at Duan on the other side and noticed the captain was still quietly gazing at him, as though deep in thought. Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes—having turned the newspaper over and over, Kline caught Duan’s steady, thoughtful gaze with his peripheral vision. Captain, this makes me so uncomfortable… Kline grew restless. He folded the newspaper, set it aside, nodded politely to Duan, then went to the kitchen, fetched a cloth, and pretended to wipe the table and the sideboard with practiced care. Captain, look—my dreams are so simple, so ordinary, so boring, nothing remarkable to observe. Just go! Otherwise, you’ll have to become a ghost, and I’ll pretend to be startled so you can complete the “nightmare” achievement! He prayed silently, yet when he looked up, he found Duan’s deep, thoughtful gray eyes fixed on him. Under this silent, unchanging gaze, Crane wiped down the furniture, cleaned the room, and grew utterly exhausted from the effort, even in his dreams. What drained him most was the steady, thoughtful silence of Dunn Smith, who simply watched him without a word. After a while, he finally saw the captain lower his right leg, stand up, take up his cane, put on his hat, and walk toward the front door. Crane held his breath, watching Dunn leave his home all the way. Without thinking, he raised his right hand and made a wave of farewell. Ah... when everything finally returned to normal, Crane exhaled deeply. What a nightmare that had been! He thought, overcome with emotion. ........ Beckland, West District, Philip Department Store. This is the most upscale department store in the kingdom of Luon, open exclusively to nobility and wealthy members. Elegant carriages with distinct badges are always parked outside, making it not only a premier shopping destination but also a well-known social hub, thanks to strict attendance limitations. Audrey, accompanied by her maid Anne and her golden-haired dog Susie, stepped down from the carriage and entered the entrance, greeted warmly by the attentive staff. Along the way, she frequently spotted viscountess, countess, or young ladies from distinguished families. With graceful poise, she maintained a polished yet natural etiquette, engaging briefly with various nobles through tailored conversations—such as praising a countess's new dress for its impeccable fit, or commending a countess's husband for his outstanding performance in the House of Lords. In the past, Audrey often struggled with these interactions, being overly self-assured and impulsive; but now, she effortlessly handles them with ease, requiring little thought or effort. To the eyes of the audience, the emotions and thoughts of most noble women were as evident as written on their faces. Upon reaching the second floor, Audrey turned toward the store selling ready-made garments. The attendant inside was a young, petite girl dressed in a gown of alternating black and white, with a determined cascade of golden hair—none other than the "Arbiter," Hū Dírcha. Audrey gave the large dog, Suzie, a quiet glance without altering her expression, and instantly, Suzie understood, joyfully bounding off toward another counter. The housemaid, Anne, had to hurry after her, trying to draw Suzie back. Well done! Audrey silently praised herself, then walked over to Hū Dírcha, pretending to browse through the various dress styles. "…What is it that brings you here today?" Hū introduced the garments loudly while softly asking. Her voice was fresh and childlike. "Where is the original attendant?" Audrey didn't answer—she simply asked. He observed the surroundings and said, "I convinced her. She's delighted to rest for the morning." Audrey glanced at the various dresses and, from the small leather satchel she was carrying, produced a folded sheet of paper, subtly passing it to He. "The 'Stormborne' Zilinger has secretly entered Beka Land. Here's his portrait. I hope you can help me locate him—mind not to disturb him." He took the paper and quickly unfolded it, noting the lifelike sketch of a man in his thirties with a distinctive broad chin. "I'm often praised by my teacher for my drawing skills..." Audrey glanced at He, then slightly raised her head. "The kingdom has offered a reward of one thousand pounds for Zilinger. If we manage to capture him—even just by providing leads—someone will surely receive at least several hundred pounds." As soon as she finished speaking, He's eyes sparkled as expected.