"Please come in," said Deneen Smith's warm, resonant voice. Deng held his hands together, suddenly asking, "Could you tell me more?" Klein briefly explained: "He mentioned that before he went mad, someone visited him frequently. That person's name was Lan'uris." "Lan'uris..." Deng raised a hand and rubbed his temple. "I seem to have heard this name before..." "Exactly the fraudster who took away at least 10,000 gold pounds," Klein added. Deng thought seriously, then shook his head, indicating he had no clear memory. Team leader, you're completely insensitive to money! Klein thought to himself, then summarized the key points about Lan'uris: "This fraudster claimed to have discovered and purchased a high-quality, high-yield iron mine, then raised funds privately in Tinggen to develop it. He ended up taking over 10,000 gold pounds. One of my friends at the Divination Club suffered losses, and another young woman was tricked into marrying him, even becoming pregnant with his child." "He visited Hude Egen several times before he went mad..." Dunning murmured, "the extraordinary one from Sequence 8—the 'Fraudster'? The 'Theif' pathway?" Captain, your memory on such matters is truly impressive... Caine chuckled lightly, nodding gently. "That's exactly what I suspected." "Since Lan'urus established his steel company in the southern district, the victims came from all different faiths, so the case never came to us, even though the police noticed some extraordinary traces—it was transferred to the 'Deputy Enforcers' team." Dunning finally grasped the full picture, gazing at Caine with deep gray eyes. "What do you intend to do?" Ah, Captain, don't be so perceptive, please... Caine replied seriously. "I'd like to use the spirit communion ritual to speak with Hude Egen, to find out what Lan'urus wanted from him, and to determine whether this event directly contributed to his breakdown." "Dunne nodded slightly. "Even if you don't apply, once we confirm that Hude Egen is truly gone mad, I'll make a similar attempt myself." "However, Daili mentioned that such endeavors carry considerable risks. Are you certain you're confident in your ability to succeed? Or would it be acceptable to seek assistance from the Beckland parish, delaying the process by a few days?" After pausing for several seconds, Denne Smith leaned back against the chair's backrest and said, "Then prepare an application and go to the Charnel Gate to collect the corresponding potions. Hmm... I'm not sure if there are any finished potions left. If not, simply collect the required ingredients and prepare them yourself." "Good," Klein replied with evident enthusiasm. Yet he did not rise from his seat; his buttocks remained firmly settled in the chair. Noticing this, Denne raised a hand, rubbed his temple, and thought carefully before adding, "Starting this afternoon, it will be my turn to monitor the asylum. We can't simply go straight to Hude Egen—we simply don't know whether any of the doctors, nurses, staff, or patients there might still be members of the Psychological Alchemy Guild, nor whether the Guild itself might be quietly watching Hude Egen. Our actions must remain discreet enough not to reveal that Dastur Gudrian has already become one of our sources." "...We'll go at dawn, and make a secret entry." "Well, I'll stay by your side, on the lookout for any surprises." That's perfect! If Lord Hude Egen is merely pretending to be mad, and yet I perform the spirit-communication ritual on him, wouldn't that be like dancing in front of a tiger—right in the zoo? Relieved, Caine said sincerely, "Yes, Captain!" He stood up and turned toward the door. At that moment, his peripheral vision caught the title of the magazine spread open before the captain: "The sap of the Duningsman tree in the rainforests of the Southern Continent shows a clear effect in promoting hair growth."... Caine sighed with sympathy, turned away, and stepped out of the captain's office. Suddenly, a delightful idea struck him: In fact, extraordinary beings didn't need to go through such a complicated process. If old Neil were still there, he would likely have suggested designing a hair-growth ritual magic, to appeal to the goddess for assistance. As for whether he would eventually grow a full coat of hair and transform into a curly-haired baboon—that would be a different matter altogether. What would the goddess respond with? If it were me, I'd definitely say: mmp... This idea instantly infused克莱恩's joy with a sense of sadness—sadness that felt strangely comic. He entered the clerical office, sat before the Akson Model 1346 typewriter, and tapped out his application with steady keystrokes. Once Dunning Smith had signed and stamped it, he held the document and descended into the depths, walking step by step along the passageway illuminated by gaslight, toward the Charnes Gate. It wasn't until then that克莱恩 realized a question: This would be his very first time stepping through that mysterious gate! "I wonder what lies beyond..." he thought, with quiet anticipation, and quickened his pace as he approached the grand, imposing black iron double doors that invited one to look up. After handing his application to Westa Thaon, who was on duty that day, for registration,克莱恩 retrieved the document with an additional signature and then knocked firmly on the Charnes Gate. The echo that returned from within sounded hollow and distant. After waiting several dozen seconds, he saw the double doors inscribed with seven dark holy emblems slowly swing open, creaking under the weight of their opening—without hearing a single footstep. The Charnis doors halted once they had opened just wide enough for one person to pass through, and with the glow of the gas lamps along the corridor, Caine caught a glimpse of the scene beyond. Standing there was an elderly man with deep wrinkles and sparse hair, dressed in a black classical robe, holding a lantern. The yellowish light from the candle streamed through the glass, casting a shifting pattern of light and shadow across his face, and making his pale blue eyes appear as though frozen in ice from centuries past. "The documents," he murmured, the word coming out in a hoarse whisper. Caine had seen this man before—each evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, he and his companion would emerge from the Charnis doors, pass through the watchroom, and walk toward the Church of Saint Serenela. They were the aging night-watchmen, the voluntary internal guards. According to Caine, there were five such guards. "This is my application," he said, handing the documents to the elder standing before him. The internal guard, with his light blue eyes, raised his lamp and carefully examined the papers, then stepped back only after confirming everything was in order, allowing Caine to pass. Caine moved slowly through the Charnes Gate. Before he could even take in his surroundings, he felt an inexplicable cold—a chill that made his spirit tremble. It was not the sharp cold of winter, but a deep, penetrating coolness that seemed to vibrate through his being. Raising his eyes, he saw candle stands along the walls, each holding silver candles intricately carved with patterns, their flames glowing a steady, deep blue, neither flickering nor wavering. Click! The gatekeeper closed the Charnes Gate, and the surroundings instantly fell into profound silence. Before Caine lay a broad corridor paved with ancient stone. On either side of the corridor stood stone doors, labeled "Materials," "Potions," "Documentation," and so on. At the far end of the corridor, there was a staircase descending into darkness, stretching deep into the gloom as if leading toward a chasm. It should connect various sealing points of different objects, reportedly divided into several levels... He didn't know which level held Saint Serenella's ashes. Having just adjusted to the brightness behind the door, Klein suddenly felt as though invisible entities were brushing against his skin, one after another, cold and penetrating to the bone. He shivered and instinctively activated his spiritual sight. Then, he saw threads of black, slender lines filling the surroundings, and indeed the entire area behind the door—gently swaying, sometimes clustering together, sometimes extending out, densely packed with no empty spaces in sight. This... was the sealing power of the door behind the Charnis? Klein nodded slightly, barely perceptible, gathered his thoughts, and followed the guard into a heavy stone door leading to a "Herbal Chamber." Soon, he located "Amande" essence, "Elixir of the Eyes of Spirit," and "Serene Elixir" by their initial letters. The first two he had seen before; the third was entirely new. Inside a semi-transparent glass bottle, a soft blue liquid gently swayed, and merely gazing at it evoked the feeling of returning to his mother’s arms. A label on the bottle indicated the date of preparation and a note that it remained effective for six months. Fortunately, it was usable. Klein collected the three small bottles of liquid, accompanied by the guard, and left the Charnes Gate, escaping the oppressive chill that seeped into his very soul and the eerie sensation of being swept along by slender black threads. When the gate finally closed, he paused to look back, murmuring to himself, “Staying there for an extended period must inevitably affect both body and spirit.” “That’s why the guards have to volunteer…” ………… At dawn, Klein secured his bedroom with a special method, pushed open the rounded window, and leapt down. The height of the second floor posed no danger to him now; he stood steady, without a tremor. The night watch team's carriage had stopped across the way, waiting for him. With no further words, Caine swiftly reached the Tinggen psychiatric hospital in the northern district, following the directions. He rounded to the corner of the wall where there were no streetlights and spotted Dunning Smith waiting there. "Let's go in," Dunning said gently, confirming, "I've checked—there's nobody around." "Alright," Caine replied, stepping close. Entering... as the 'clown,' into the psychiatric hospital... this always reminds me of a saying: just like going home. He made a self-deprecating remark. Following closely behind Dunning, he skillfully and swiftly climbed over the wall's protrusions, moving with agility and excellent balance. Dunning turned to look back, nodded lightly, expressing his approval. The two of them bent low, moving through the shade and quieter areas, crossing the lawns and activity plazas, and entering the three-story hospital building, eventually reaching Hude Egen's room on the top floor. Since Hude Egen had developed a certain aggressiveness after going mad, he was assigned a single-room suite, and the night watch's constant monitoring had not gone unnoticed—they had already copied a key. Click! With a soft sound of the door opening, Dunn stepped in first, and Kline's gaze passed over his figure to see a man sitting on the bed. Hude Egen had a long, lean face with deep-set eyes, his light yellow hair disheveled and flowing loosely. He was gazing steadily at the window with its iron railing, at the crimson moon outside. Kline closed the door, smiled lightly, and asked casually, "Still not asleep?" Dunn paused, then remembered that the other was now a Sequence 8 "Clown," and thus remained silent, stepping back to the corner of the room. Hood. Eugen turned to look at Caine, and smiled foolishly, "I've been waiting for my cake."