As soon as she heard the "Knight of Fools"' question, Audrey quietly leaned in, settling into the "audience" mode and waiting for the "Sun" to respond. She had always been curious about where the City of Silver stood and what made it special, yet she had been hesitant to ask, as it involved the other's private matters. Now, with the "Knight of Fools" himself posing the question, she felt as though she had finally been able to pick up the second volume of an excellent detective novel after having read the first one for a long time! The "Sun"'s answer did not disappoint her. Their faith was neither rooted in the seven established gods of the mainstream tradition, nor in the Death God of the southern continent, nor in the hidden deities and demons the "Temple of the Hanged Man" had mentioned—such as the Primordial Witch, the Hidden Sage, the Cosmic Shadow, the Bound God, or the True Creator. Indeed, the City of Silver was quite special. They worshipped the "Creator" himself! This was precisely the form of primitive worship described by the "Temple of the Hanged Man." Well, the description of all-knowing and all-powerful sounds a bit strange… Audrey unconsciously glanced at "The Hangover," and noticed that the other was indeed giving a slight nod. As for Caine, he didn't find it at all surprising. With a light, deliberate smile, he asked, "Even if He abandoned you?" Abandoned? The Creator abandoning the City of Silver? "The Hangover" Aljer was startled, instantly recalling a specific term: "The Abandoned by God!" Within the storm sovereign's church archives, in the hidden knowledge accessible to Aljer, a bishop-level "captain," the term "The Abandoned by God" always existed only in name—never in detail—yet clearly pointing toward the far end of the Sunia Sea. As far as he knew, even the cardinals at the church's core levels were unaware of what "The Abandoned by God" truly meant. Only the church's leader—the "Successor" of the Storm Sovereign—had some understanding of it, and it seemed that he was quietly leading the secret efforts to locate "The Abandoned by God." Alger had once made a bold conjecture, equating the true divine presence—the "Sanctuary"—promoted by the auroras with the "Deserted Lands," but alas, the " Fool" had not responded, leaving him uncertain. Now, he was both stunned and astonished to discover that members of the Tarot deck bearing the designation "Sun" might very well have originated from the "Deserted Lands!" The "Fool" had always known precisely where the "Deserted Lands" lay, and had even managed to draw members from there—an elusive and hidden place that the Storm Sovereign Church had long sought in vain! With trembling apprehension, Alger gazed up at the "Fool" seated at the head of the ancient long table, who leaned back against the chair, veiled in a thick mist, as though saying nothing at all. Audrey didn’t feel much about this matter. The only time she’d heard of “the Land Forgotten by God” was during the discussion about the “Emblem of the Pendulum,” yet she hadn’t given it much thought, and thus couldn’t connect it to what the “ Fool” had just said. There was a legend in Silver City about being abandoned by the Creator… Hmm, the “Emblem of the Pendulum” seemed quite emotionally stirred—was he surprised or afraid? Audrey nodded thoughtfully, noting the moment’s details. “Yes, we all believe that eventually we will once again receive God’s favor, perhaps on the day the sun rises again,” Derek Berg replied, not very firmly. “We were once ruled by the Giants’ court, worshipping King Aurlim, the Giant King. Then, we received God’s salvation, and from then on, we will never abandon God.” "...ruled by the Court of the Giant King... indeed ancient... yet it seems to not quite match. At that moment, Aljeron, with a hunch, recalled the hidden passages in the 'Book of Storms' describing the Second Age. This Second Age was also known as the 'Age of Darkness' for humanity. During that time, the dragons, giants, elves, other beings, demons, phoenixes, werewolves, and undead were the dominant forces in the sky, seas, and lands. Yet ultimately, the Storm Sovereign, the Ever-Burning Sun, and the Deities of Knowledge and Wisdom led humanity to triumph over these extraordinary beings, ushering in the 'Age of Radiance' at the dawn of the Third Age—only later did the great catastrophe unfold. The King of the Giants, Orlmire... Klein silently repeated the name. In numerous myths and legends, this being is as powerful as the gods themselves. Even today, in certain regions, worship of him endures—such as the most renowned and costly wine of the Intis Republic, named "Olmir," said to be the favorite of the giant king, who cherished wine as red as blood. Given that the "War God" Church holds the complete sequence of the "Warrior" ranks, once belonging to the court of the giant kings, might Olmir be considered an ancient war god? Caine made a conjecture. He deliberately nodded, without delving deeper into the matter, and then spoke softly: "Are you still offering sacrifices to that all-knowing, all-powerful deity?" "Yes, we continue, but since the day we were abandoned, we have not received a single response," said Drik of the Sun, his tone carrying an unmistakable sense of sorrow. Caine leaned back more comfortably, half-closing his eyes: "Please describe in detail the process of your sacrifices." "Does the ' Fool ' wish to uncover the truth behind the abandonment of the City of Silver? Or perhaps, does He seek to confirm whether the Creator still 'exists'? Suddenly, the ' Hangings ' Aljere feels a surge of electricity coursing through his body, causing him to tremble. He is not only afraid but also exhilarated, for he believes he has touched upon a hidden connection between the divine beings. This experience elevates his very essence! Hasn't my entire pursuit of authority and power been aimed at achieving such a sensation? Aljere leans back slightly, lifts his chin, and luxuriates in the moment. The ' Hangings ' seems rather unwell... ' Justice ' Odile gazes kindly at the other side. Finally, she understands—there may be profound secrets in the dialogue between the ' Fool ' and the ' Sun ' that have caused even the ' Hangings ' to lose his composure." Once my commission with Linzinger is complete, I will pay my fee and exchange with the Sir of the "Hanged Man" for the insights he has gained today—though I'm not sure whether he's willing. Audrey thinks with a mixture of anticipation and concern. As for Derek, the "Sun," he feels nothing amiss and answers straightforwardly: "We have built magnificent altars, adorned with symbols of the Lord. Each time the 'Black-Flowered Grass' yields a bountiful harvest, we hold a sacrifice ceremony." "We capture monsters from the depths of darkness as offerings. After chanting the Lord's name and the appropriate prayers, and after performing the dances that please Him, we slaughter the creatures, allowing their spirits or their impure blood to stain the entire altar. Should we fail to capture such monsters, we use the 'Sinners' held in the deepest cell of the Silver City's prison instead." "Then, we prepare the first harvest of Black-Flowered Grass as food and present it before the Lord." "Finally, as we sing in unison, the ceremony concludes." Since my intention is to make a "sacrifice" to myself, time is flexible, and the altar need not be elaborate... The most crucial step is to open the channel and complete the sacrifice by drawing upon the spirits of the monsters or their blood, which possesses extraordinary power—of course, provided that the ritual elicits a response? What a luxury... Caine, using his mastery of esoteric knowledge, carefully analyzes each step of the silver city's sacrificial rites, and finally asks, "What are the corresponding incantations? In what language are they chanted?" Deryck also hopes to receive clues from the "Fool" about how to break the curse, and recalls thoughtfully, "We use the Giant language, which is also our common tongue." "The corresponding incantation is:" "Your devoted servant implores your gaze;" "Your devoted servant asks that you accept their offering;" "Your devoted servant prays that you open the gates of the realm." "... Kline listened silently, deliberately allowing the gray mist to drift gently around him, nodding thoughtfully without saying a word. What he had picked up—of course, he would not share that. 'The Hanged Man' Aljer found this entirely natural; how could the gods reveal their secrets directly to mortals? 'The Sun' Deric, on the other hand, had made up his mind to grow swiftly, aiming to secure the things of interest to the 'Card of the Fool' and exchange them for guidance. After further conversation, Kline concluded his gathering, watching the figures of 'Justice,' 'The Hanged Man,' and 'The Sun' fade into the distance. He looked down, and there, the boundless gray mist and deep crimson stars seemed to remain unchanged. Yet, since reaching the eighth rank in the promotion sequence, he had discovered he could now connect with more stars—meaning he could bring in more members. At least two—Kline gave a barely perceptible nod." He is not in a hurry to expand his membership. He intends to continue as before—waiting, observing. If the cards "Justice" and "Temperance" recommend someone, then he will assess that person first. "I've noticed several times before that when 'The Sun' prays, there's a clear, pure crystal sphere before him. But after I pulled him into the gray mist, that crystal sphere has never reappeared. Could it be that my condition for drawing someone in—the deep red stars—is that they must have a special object nearby? Or perhaps each deep red star corresponds to a specific object in the real world, and once the connection is made, the person returns to the gray mist? "I wonder whether 'Justice' and 'Temperance' also operate in this way. Assuming this hypothesis is true, then for those without such special objects—when they recite the prayer: 'The Fool, not of this age, the mysterious sovereign above the gray mist, the King of Yellow and Black, who governs fortune'—and I hear their plea, can I also draw them into this realm?" "Maybe we can try that sometime..." Klein didn't linger. With a spiritual aura enveloping him, he simulated the sensation of a sudden, rapid descent, leaving the majestic palace, the ancient long table, and the twenty-two high-backed chairs quietly and steadfastly standing upon the gray mist. Now that he had mastered the outward overflow of the "Clown" potion and mitigated its corresponding negative effects, he was ready to attempt his own ritual! He didn't know what might emerge—passing through the frantic murmurs, Klein thought, filled with both anticipation and a touch of apprehension.