After dinner and a brief chat, Cline settled onto the single armchair in the living room, unfolded the recently delivered *Ahovawa Evening News*, and began to read leisurely. Bensen sat across from his sister, his face showing clear discomfort, with a neatly wiped table before him—stacked with law textbooks, classical literature, accounting manuals, and pens and notebooks—just as Melissa had a similar array of textbooks and stationery, including pens, paper, rulers, and compasses. "This makes me feel like I've stepped back to over a decade ago, when I was still a student at the church's Sunday school," Bensen remarked, though he kept his head down and focused intently. Indeed, this scene gives me a real sense of being a parent—Cline smiled. "Knowledge changes destiny; effort creates brilliance." The second part was something I just made up—I'm not sure if Roselle ever said it before. He quietly mused to himself. The room quickly grew quiet, with only the sound of the pen moving across paper and pages being turned. Bella had already washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen, and returned to her bedroom on the first floor—originally the small guest room. Cain read the newspaper, occasionally sipping his Sibe tea, and chatted a few sentences with his brother and sister, enjoying a most comfortable moment. Suddenly, the gas lamps in the living room and dining room dimmed simultaneously, as if they had lost their supply of fuel. Both Benson and Melissa raised their heads, looking toward the lamps, trying to determine the cause. Cain also turned his gaze in that direction. At that moment, he felt something gently brush against his arm. Something in the otherwise lifeless living room had touched his arm! His hairs stood on end, and he pulled his arm slightly, then turned to see five slender, pale fingers extending from the tip of a red tongue, beneath which were irregular, sharp teeth. Klein first reached into his pocket, where the "Sleeper" and "Soul-Calmer" talismans rested, then noticed five infant-like fingers grasping a neatly folded sheet of paper. A letter... A messenger! Klein exhaled in relief. At that moment, the five pale fingers gently brushed against his arm once more. Klein glanced toward Melissa, who was about to rise to check the gas lamp, and with a swift, delicate motion, caught the letter in his left hand before quickly withdrawing it, hiding it beneath the newspaper. Then, in his peripheral vision, he saw the pale fingers, the crimson tongue, and the irregularly pointed teeth suddenly fade and vanish. A thought struck him. Klein lightly tapped his left tooth, quietly activating his spiritual sight. Now he saw the five slender, unusually fine fingers, the long red tongue adorned with white teeth, and watched as they retracted into the transparent, eyeless and noseless faces lying on the ground. A moment later, the figure disappeared into the ground, and the gas lights in the living room and dining room resumed their normal glow. "Strange..." Melissa murmured, carefully inspecting for a long time without finding any issue. Why should it be the women in our household who handle such matters, while the men simply watch? Klein shook his head, smiling slightly, and closed his spiritual sight. When spirit beings are willing to be seen and possess the corresponding abilities, ordinary people can also perceive them—this very instance was proof. After exchanging a few remarks about the gas lights, the Moretti household grew quiet once again, and Bensen and Melissa once more dove into the world of knowledge. Klein, using the newspaper as a shield, unfolded a letter with one hand and inserted it between the pages, reading the reply from the "Spirit Guide" Daili: "...I must emphasize once again that I prefer the title of 'Spiritualist.' "Regarding your inquiry, I confirm that yes, 'telepathy' can indeed be applied to living organisms—not merely to living humans..." "However, this process will be quite cumbersome and entails significant risks. The spirits of the deceased are pure, free from impurities and chaotic thoughts, allowing seamless communication, clear questioning, and straightforward answers. Of course, you may enhance this stage with the technique of 'dream divination,' enabling you to directly visualize the corresponding scenes." "Living humans, on the other hand, present a different challenge— their own will remains active and resistant to the unmediated exchange between spirits." "Seeing this, Caine's lips slightly twitched, confirming that the correspondent was Daili herself: no protective communication... truly her style. He glanced at his sister and brother, then continued reading the rest: 'In such a situation, we have only two options: first, rely on our strong spiritual essence and refined spirit-communication techniques to overcome the other's will and engage in direct, forceful communication; or, second, use certain medications to help the other relax. My most frequently used ones are the 'Amande' pure essence and the 'Eye of Spirit' potion—ah, I'm sure you'll recall them well.' 'Once we enter the formal spirit-communication phase, you must pay close attention: unlike communicating with the lingering spirits of the deceased, at this point, you yourself are in a spiritual state. In simple terms, your spiritual essence is now entering the other's spiritual realm.' " "Note that professional 'spiritualists' are well-equipped with self-preserving techniques under such circumstances, but you're not. Even if I share the techniques I possess with you, you simply won't be able to learn them—or apply them effectively." "So you must remain sufficiently clear-minded and rational. Only then can you withstand the storm of the other's chaotic thoughts and reach his spiritual body to communicate with him—this is communication at the 'mental body' level." "At this stage, you also have two options. First, you can employ the techniques to actively retrieve the other's memories, but you must proceed with great caution, because you cannot be certain whether the memories retrieved truly reflect what you're seeking. If a person's vast memory is received without proper discernment, it may overwhelm your own spiritual body, and in severe cases, seriously damage or even destroy the target's soul. For non-professional 'spiritualists,' I do not recommend this approach." "The second option is to gently communicate with the other person's 'mental body.' Whether you've employed forceful measures or relied on medication, at this point the target is necessarily in a state of drowsiness and confusion—almost impossible to lie about. No, you cannot recall your experience! Though I know you're certain you've forgotten it!" "Sorry, Ms. Daire, I was fully awake at the time... Klein smiled to himself and lowered his gaze, turning to the later part of the letter: "This kind of communication can bring you genuine answers, but not necessarily all the genuine ones. I'm sure you understand my point—anyone who's studied journalism has heard the famous quote from Emperor Roscel, though I don't remember the exact wording. The gist, I believe, is that one should speak the truth, speak only the truth, and speak all the truth. In short, spirits don't always remember everything, because much of the memory resides in their unconscious, even in the collective unconscious. Oh, I shouldn't mention this—Dunne refers to it as the evil theory of the Psychological Alchemy." "So you must learn to guide the conversation, to skillfully design your questions—do you understand? Here are some specific techniques..." "All of this is quite normal. But when we're communicating with a truly mad extraordinary being, what should we pay special attention to?" "Still sufficiently clear-minded and rational, with no wavering, because the spiritual sensitivity of extraordinary beings is strong—indeed, the spirit of a mad person is also filled with chaotic thoughts. Let me illustrate: a normal person's consciousness is like an island, while the unconscious is the submerged part of that island beneath the sea surface; collective unconsciousness is the surrounding ocean. The sky belongs to the spiritual realm. For an extraordinary being, there are active, controllable volcanoes on top of their island of consciousness; for a mad person, the volcanoes on their island are erupting, shaking the foundation and polluting the surrounding ocean." "When you come into contact with a mad person's spirit without protection, their chaos is very likely to infect you—just as polluted seawater spreads through ocean currents to nearby regions." "Indeed, in such a case, spiritual connection is akin to linking your own oceanic realm with theirs. Therefore, infection must be given due attention." "For instance, certain 'mediums' have been careless, failing to take any protective measures, and subsequently developed the very mental illnesses they were meant to heal. "Typically, mental illnesses are not contagious, but within the realm of mysticism and among mediumship circles, they indeed can be transmitted." "It is essential to maintain one's own clarity and rationality, unshaken by the other person's disordered thoughts—after that, the art of gently prompting questions to elicit answers becomes key, and even a 'mad' person can communicate effectively." "If you'd like to try, I recommend taking a 'calming tonic' beforehand. The recipe is available behind the Charnes Gate in Tingen, and finished preparations are also available—this will help you stay clear and composed during the mediumship session." "Of course, you may also request assistance from the Beckland parish. I'd be delighted to witness the spiritual state of a Sequence 7 'psychiatrist' who has gone mad." Clear and composed... that's where my strength lies. Even during spirit communication, I remain fully awake and rational. Of course, I'm not overly confident—I still request the "Calming Elixir," the "Amande" essence, and the "Eye of the Spirit" potion! Klein exhaled in relief, feeling eager and excited. He set down the newspaper, stood up, and went to the restroom on the first floor. Using his spiritual energy, he ignited the paper and scattered the ashes into the toilet, flushing them away with a splash. That evening, Klein attempted his own "summoning" ritual once again, bringing the "Yang Flame Seal" back into the physical world and into his bedroom. Meanwhile, he did not receive the expected prompt reply from Mr. Azk, as anticipated. Perhaps he needs time to recall the information. Perhaps he simply doesn't have the moment to write back. Or maybe he's afraid of disturbing my sleep. Klein removed the spiritual barrier, considered several possibilities, and then lay down on the bed. ...The next day, on a Tuesday morning. Cain entered the Black Thorns Security Company and skillfully knocked on the captain's office door.