A sense of illusion faded, and Klein once again saw the strange candle in his hands—the black wick and the pale flame. The ground shattered by the Dawn Knight, the chairs overturned, and the candles severed, now restored to their pre-battle state, showing no signs of damage. The Bishop of Utrofski, who had stood opposite, had somehow settled into a chair in the first row, leaning forward with his head bowed, hands tightly pressed against the temples on either side. Drip. Drip. Sweat slid down his face, spreading across the ground, which had now become damp in a wide patch. As he sensed the strange candle extinguished by Klein, Utrofski shivered violently and lifted his head, meeting Klein's gaze. His eyes, slightly hazy, were glistening with tears, streaked with lines of emotion across his weathered face. Yet his gaze was one of deep feeling, joy, and clarity. If, before, this "giant" bishop had seemed tall and heavy, now he carries only the weight of his body, no longer the weight of his spirit. At this moment, Caine feels as though he is witnessing a newborn infant. Those tears are proof of new life. Father Utravský's lips gently curve upward, and with a kind, gentle smile, he says: "You've surpassed my expectations." "No, this is merely because I had a thorough understanding of my opponent and was well-prepared. In contrast, you were not only unfamiliar with your adversary's strengths, but also weakened significantly. If we were to fight in the real world, I would have been more concerned about how to escape than anything else." Caine responds calmly. The prepared magician and the unprepared magician are entirely different concepts... he silently adds to himself. Bishop Utravský does not dwell on this point, instead radiating ease throughout his being, and says: "Thank you, my friend." "According to our agreement, I'll give you the formula for the 'Pharmacist,' and also one more magical item." As he spoke, he pulled out from the pocket of his brown cleric's robe a device combining the features of a needle, tubing, and a container. "You have two options—this is one of them. When I first acquired it, I didn't know its name, and I've never thought to name it. With this, you can draw a tube of your own blood, and at the crucial moment, reinfuse it back into your body. This will eliminate your fatigue, alleviate your illnesses and injuries, and temporarily but significantly enhance your strength, speed, balance, and other physical attributes," the Bishop Utravský said, gesturing to the device. "Then, what are its limitations and potential risks?" asked Kline thoughtfully. Father Utravski glanced at the needle and tubing adorned with an enigmatic pattern, explaining in detail: "After drawing that blood, you will feel weak for a full twelve hours—during which time the transfusion will have no effect. Of course, this timeframe is not entirely precise; it may vary depending on your individual constitution and condition. Moreover, you should avoid frequent use—no more than once per week—otherwise, the returned blood will not only strengthen you but will also temporarily impair your mental clarity. Repeated, closely spaced blood draws will make weakness a defining characteristic of yours." "Beyond these points, there is another issue: once carried for over thirty minutes, you will begin to feel somewhat neurotic." Fortunately, Bishop Utravski had not undergone a blood draw beforehand; otherwise, having previously been able to rely on this transfusion, my chances of victory would have been extremely slim... This thought first occurred to me as soon as I heard it. Immediately, he furrowed his brow, deeply concerned about the negative impacts of the magical object. While brief episodes of irrationality, weakness lasting twelve hours, or mild neuroses seemed manageable, Klein, having witnessed instances of loss of control and heard the divine gods' murmurs, believed that the mental state of extraordinary beings was crucial—long-term stagnation or frequent anomalies in mental condition significantly increased the risk of breakdown, even among those who mastered the art of performance. "What about the second option?" Klein asked after a moment's silence. Bishop Utravaski pulled out a simple, ancient-looking bronze key from another pocket, smiled, and said: "It's called the 'Universal Key.' It can open all locks that lack magical power, as well as a portion of those with extraordinary effects. And where there are no locks or doors, it can still create a passage beyond the realm of reality—well, provided there are no limitations imposed by exceptional powers, and the obstacles aren't too substantial." "Its spirit is deeply contained; when not in use, extraordinary beings often find it indistinguishable from a regular key." Bishop Utravaski stood up again, forcing Caine to look up in admiration. This towering bishop took a step forward, positioned himself in front of the wall on one side of the church hall, and gently pressed the 'Universal Key' against the stone. With a subtle twist, he seemed to sink into water, sending ripples outward, and then passed completely through the wall, emerging on the other side. Then, Bishop Utravsky returned to the church hall, back into Klein’s line of sight, in the same manner. “Have you decided which magical item you’d like?” the tall priest asked, bending slightly. “Hmm, what’s the drawback of the ‘All-Keys’?” Klein pondered. Utravsky smiled gently. “Those who carry it sometimes get lost.” “According to others, it’s random.” Lost? I’m a seer, with intuitive spiritual insight… Klein murmured, his mind gradually forming a decision. A few seconds passed before he spoke. “I’ll take the ‘All-Keys.’” He didn’t want to risk any instability in his mental state, or accumulate the risk of losing control. Alas, the one thing I most longed for remains that peculiar candle… something deeply rooted in the core of my being, in the very foundation of my dreams… he quietly reflected. “Very well.” Bishop Utravaski handed Klein the simple bronze key, in return for the strange candles wrapped like human skin. While examining the magical object, Klein pointed toward the back and said, "The pharmacist's formula is in the room—I'll fetch it. You wait here a moment." Klein nodded in response, and as Bishop Utravaski disappeared into the hall, he withdrew a copper penny from his pocket and performed a divination to check whether the bishop had been truthful about the 'universal key.' After receiving a satisfactory answer, he walked to the wall lined with candles, placing the ancient bronze key against the solid barrier. Infusing it with spirit and turning the key, Klein suddenly felt a moment of dizziness, which then cleared. At that moment, the burning candles, the neat seating arrangement, and the straight walls were gone—replaced by withered grass and muddy ground scattered with trash. To the side, a gas streetlamp stood firmly. "It's truly here." Kline smiled and nodded, then turned around, once again using the "Universal Key," successfully returning to the church hall. After waiting another dozen seconds, Utravskiy entered with a heavy step, holding a scroll of brownish sheepskin. "You may seek verification at any time. Should you have questions, I will always be at the Harvest Church." The Bishop of the "Giant" handed Kline the "Pharmacist's" formula. Main ingredients: the horn of an adult unicorne stallion, 3 grams of crystallized venom from the crown jellyfish... Kline unfolded the scroll and glanced at it, smiling in response. "I'll verify its authenticity." For instance, by consulting the oracle atop the Gray Mist... he added mentally. The Bishop of Utravskiy gently nodded, said nothing further, and then walked over to the "Life Holy Seal" of the Earth Mother. He spread his arms and solemnly recited: "Thank you, source of life!" "Praise you, Mother of all things!" "... Kline folded up the 'Universal Key' and the 'Pharmacist's' formula. After Utrofsky paused, he half-jokingly remarked, 'Was my arrival indeed the divine plan of the Earth Mother? Otherwise, what would there be to thank her for?' Internally, Kline, a pseudo-follower of the Night Goddess, murmured in disbelief. 'Indeed, all of this has been orchestrated by the Mother Goddess. Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard of your request, nor would I have come to Bekland, nor would I have obtained that 'Heart-Phobia Candle.' 'Utrofsky, the bishop, smiled gently, without a trace of anger. A complete and coherent logic—yet... Kline suddenly felt unable to engage with him. He placed a hand to his chest, bowed slightly, and said, 'Thank you for your generosity. I must be going now.' Rising to his feet, he swiftly retreated and vanished into the nave of the church, into the rose street." Ten minutes later, he saw the golden walls of the Harvest Church again from a different direction, his mouth involuntarily twitching. "Won't I be able to return without making a divination?" he murmured to himself, eager to stubbornly rely on his own ability to navigate his way home. But his hands moved faster than his voice, already breaking off branches from the avenue trees to create a temporary divination staff. "The Staff of Divination" could not only find people, but also objects and paths! This time, Caine finally returned home smoothly and verified the authenticity of the recipe and the extent of the hidden risks of the "Universal Key." ………… The following day, on a Sunday morning. After waking up and having breakfast, Caine took out paper and pen, writing a letter to Esengen Stanton, asking him to contact the police department to check on the current circumstances of several suspects from four years ago—the case involving single women with children who were victims of a series of murders. He folded the letter, slipped it into the envelope, affixed a black stamp worth one penny, dressed himself, took up his hat and cane, and stepped out of his front door, ready to deliver it to the mailbox at the end of the street. At that moment, he noticed Mrs. Staline Summer, together with her husband Mr. Luke, stepping out in full dress. A rental carriage had already been parked at their doorstep. "Good morning,"克莱恩 said, slightly surprised, "coming out so early for a dinner engagement?" Mr. Luke chuckled, "It's not exactly a dinner engagement—we're more here to lend a hand." Mrs. Staline raised her chin and added, "Mary has successfully been appointed to the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee, and there will be a grand ball tonight. We need to get there early." Mary's aspiration has been realized? Remarkable indeed...克莱恩 murmured, smiling and saying, "I'd like to extend my congratulations to both of you on Mary." Mr. Summer nodded, "Have you not read today's newspaper yet?" The full list of members of the Air Pollution Investigation Committee has been published. The Chairman is Sir Des Shaw, and the Chief Secretary is Mr. Herbert Hall.