Tinggen, Xian Street. Klein is discussing the latest drama with his brother, Bensen, and his sister, Melissa, and sincerely invites them to attend a performance at the grand theater next Sunday evening. "I think the newspaper has already covered it well. 'The Count's Return' is definitely worth seeing in person—it's been running for dozens of performances in Beckland, with every show fully booked. I believe we shouldn't miss this opportunity." Klein is determined not to give up on entertainment, after all, having himself been a fan of theater in his previous life. Of course, if it weren't for image considerations, I'd much rather head to the tavern and play pool... Hmm, renting a court for tennis is also a nice option—something that fits the middle-class lifestyle. With my current physical condition, as long as I don't encounter any extraordinary individuals unexpectedly, I should be able to handle most opponents comfortably... Well, for now, I'll just keep it in mind. In the morning, I'll re-investigate the people and things related to Lan'urus; in the afternoon, I'll focus on combat training, and before heading home in the evening, I still need to inspect a portion of the red chimneys... I truly am a busy person. Klein thought this with a touch of resignation. Seeing that Bassen had already shown interest, Melissa still hesitated, so he smiled and added, "It's said that the most beloved supporting character in *The Count's Return* is a brilliant mechanical engineer." "Well, regardless, I'll have to go see a play at the grand theater at least once," Melissa said, nodding with some reluctance, though her eyes had brightened considerably since earlier. Klein was about to respond when a low hum suddenly filled his ears, causing his head to spin for several seconds. Someone was praying to me… He gently placed his right hand behind his back and smiled. "Then I'll simply wait patiently for the opening of the ticketing day." "Alright, I'll go back to my bedroom and fetch a report." "We'll also have to dive into the ocean of knowledge—hope we don't drown in it," Benson chuckled, turning with Melissa back to sit at the dining room table. Klein ascended to the second floor, locked the bedroom door, and sealed the entire room with a wall of spirit. Then, stepping backward four paces, he recited a spell, rising into the gray mist. Within the majestic palace resembling a giant's dwelling, his figure suddenly appeared at the head of the bronze long table, his eyes reflecting a deep red star that continually contracted and expanded. Klein raised his right hand, extending his spirit, and touched it to the star symbolizing "Justice." With a sudden burst, he saw a distorted, blurred image—Miss Justice, dressed in a pale off-white court gown, seated in a dimly lit corner, her hands clasped against her forehead. At the same time, a delicate, slightly youthful and tense voice, ethereal and layered, echoed and resonated: “O fool who does not belong to this age;” “You are the mysterious sovereign above the gray mist;” “You are the King of Good Fortune, of yellow and black.” “I beg for your gaze;” “I beg for your attention;” … “At the ball hosted by Duke Nigen, I encountered a man who seemed to be from the realm of Zilings. He had disguised himself as Baron Glarmir, with an unclear purpose. From certain details, I noticed that today’s Baron Glarmir differs from his past appearances—this reminded me of the extraordinary ability of Zilings’ magical object to transform one’s appearance.” "... Kline listened carefully, paying close attention, and finally understood what the 'Justice' lady had described: Zinglgers had managed to infiltrate Duke Negan's ball party using the unique ability of 'creeping hunger'! Yet he hadn't anticipated that one of the noble lady guests—specifically, a viewer who remembered the Baron Glarmir's past traits—had unconsciously revealed himself! What was this person trying to achieve? And what should I do now? Over the past few days, I've experimented with sacrifice rituals that don't require spiritual materials, successfully creating something akin to a 'portal of summoning,' but I've been unable to activate it. I've been planning to visit the underground market to purchase some spiritually infused materials for a second trial... The 'Justice' lady attending the ball would certainly not carry any spiritual materials with her. After contemplating this for over ten seconds, Kline began to respond to the 'Justice' lady's request... At the small chapel within the Duke Negan's manor." Audrey pleaded repeatedly, finally pausing, straightening her clothes, and briskly making her way toward the door. She knew she couldn't vanish for long, or else her parents would grow concerned, misjudge the situation, and respond incorrectly. Standing just behind the door, Audrey took a deep breath, her hands trembling with anticipation and unease, and with her right hand, wearing a delicate white glove, unlocked the door. Leaving the small prayer room, she walked down the corridor toward the "dining room," where the guests carrying wine glasses and serving plates were gradually approaching. As they drew nearer, she suddenly felt a hazy mist spreading around her, thick and gray-white. At the heart of the mist stood an ancient high-backed chair, upon which a mysterious figure sat, indistinct in appearance and form, gazing down upon everything. "The Fool!" Audrey almost exclaimed in surprise. Then, she heard a familiar, low voice: "I know now." The sound still echoed, the gray mist had vanished, and before Audrey remained the long tables laden with food and wine, the bustling scene of clinking glasses and lively conversation. Her initial apprehension and unease instantly dissipated; she straightened her posture instinctively, moved with composed grace and light steps into the "restaurant," heading toward the lounge area. ……… Beckland, Joewood District, Saint Wind Cathedral. In a simple, modest room, "The Hanged Man" Aljer Wilson was reviewing the recent investigation reports, trying to find any trace of "The Hurricane's Champion" Zilings. A stack of papers, each filled with twisted symbols, stood diagonally above his right hand. As Aljer leaned back and reached up to rub his eyes, he suddenly noticed the room becoming hazy and ethereal, enveloped in a dense gray-white mist. Deep within this mist, a high-backed chair appeared—always there, seemingly eternal—on which a faint, indistinct figure sat. "The Fool," Aljer thought, and as he did, a blurred figure in a courtly gown emerged from the mist, maintaining a posture of prayer and speaking softly: "At the ball hosted by Duke Negan, I encountered someone who appeared to be Zilings." "He has been posing as Baron Glarmir, with an unclear purpose." "I've noticed several details that distinguish today's Baron Glarmir from his past appearances, which makes me recall the remarkable ability of the Zilinger artifact to transform one's appearance." ... Aljer was first startled, then beamed with delight, placing a hand to his chest and bowing his head. "Hail you, Sir Fool!" As he finished speaking, everything he had seen and heard vanished—as if he had never been there at all. Gazing at the desk holding Roser's journal and the investigation reports, Aljer's eyes narrowed, once again struck by the power of the Fool: Here stood the Saint-Wind Cathedral, the former headquarters of the Storm Church—a site of sacred significance dating back over a thousand years. Yet, the "Fool" had appeared silently and responded without a trace. After a silence of more than a dozen seconds, Aljer picked up the items and turned to leave. He was heading to one of the Cardinal bishops of the Storm Church, the Archbishop of Beckland, "The Singer of the Divine Song," Esen Snack! For Aljer Wilson, personally slaying "Wind General" Zinglungs would have been the ideal outcome—though if that proved impossible, confirming Zinglungs' death would have been acceptable as well! ........ He handed over the description of "Justice" Miss to the Hangman and then left the mysterious space above the gray mist, returning to his own bedroom. He didn't immediately dismantle the spiritual wall, but instead sat at his desk, unfolded the paper, picked up his pen, and began to write: "...According to the urgent intelligence I've received, Zinglungs has used the abilities of 'The Shepherd' to transform himself into the appearance of Baron Glarmir, blending into Lord Negan's ball. His specific objectives remain unclear at this time." "Klein didn't worry at all about Mr. Azk's suspicion. It was only natural that news from recent events in Beckland should reach people in Tinggen so swiftly—after all, there's the telegraph. "I'm not sure if this will interest you, but I believe it's important that you know," Klein concluded promptly, folding the letter neatly. Then he produced the old copper whistle, brought it to his mouth, and blew hard, puffing out his cheeks. The massive, terrifying, ethereal bone messenger reappeared, standing firm as before, completely unbothered by the fact that his head had now been thrust into the roof. Klein resisted the urge to use his 'Clown' ability and didn't transform the letter into a flying dagger; instead, he simply tossed it to the messenger. He blew the whistle once more to conclude the summoning, then calmed himself, mentally reviewing the entire sequence once again. That was all he could currently do!" Although Caine could also use a "summoning ritual" to carry the "Yang Flame Seal" and personally travel to Bekkanth, it would be too dangerous—Zilings was a Sequence 6 "Wind Patron" with the magical item "The Thirsting Hunger" still upon him; too cumbersome—he would first need to transport the "Yang Flame Seal" to the Gray Mists; and too detrimental to his image. Thus, he rationally abandoned the plan. "Actually, it's not a serious issue at all. The Duke of Niggen is the largest noble outside the royal family and a key power behind the Conservative Party. Among today's attendees, there must be many high-ranking officials and distinguished figures. I simply wouldn't believe that there's no strong, exceptional protector in place—especially not from the Countess of Zilings. Second, I don't think it's necessary for him to feign being an ordinary guest, considering the factors involved. Since the Countess has already identified the situation and prepared the nobility accordingly, the matter won't escalate severely or lose control."