Such generous terms… Caine nearly couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Though the most valuable assets—the exceptional traits left behind by the Sequence-5 extraordinary and the powerful sealing items—had gone to the other side, the rest were far from mediocre! A Sequence-5 powerhouse couldn’t possibly carry only seals imposed by the organization, and having even one of either a Sequence-6 “wight” or a Sequence-7 “werewolf” would be a substantial gain! Caine leaned back slightly, adopting a thoughtful posture to suppress the sudden surge of ambition welling up within him. "Your terms are indeed very satisfactory," he replied, then asked, "Who is King Karalman? What does his *Book of Secrets* cover?" Marijch rubbed his temple. "A king of wizards can refer to either a high-sequence professional or an outstanding figure who commands mastery over domains such as darkness, the moon, or the strange—the former or the latter. Karalman embodies both." "He was active in the early Fifth Age on the southern continent, and then completely vanished—perhaps eliminated by the Church of the Dead or by our own secretive organization, or perhaps he simply died of old age in some obscure, little-known place." His *Book of Secrets* encompasses esoteric knowledge, rituals, alchemy, astrology, symbolism, and natural interaction techniques. Even ordinary individuals who obtain it could become experts in the field of mysticism, and even accomplish a few extraordinary feats without consuming any magical potions—though at the cost of gradually developing mental health issues, a burden that the spirit itself may find difficult to bear." That sounds quite promising... exactly what I need. Yet this task is not only challenging in itself, but also comes with considerable post-implementation complications—after all, it's a secretive organization with a history spanning over a thousand years. After pausing for several seconds, Caine finally chose to follow his inner conviction: "I would like to have some time to consider this." "This is a very significant and very dangerous matter—I cannot act impulsively." "I'll respond to you at nine in the morning tomorrow. Come to my home, you know the address." He said the last part while looking at Sharon, and then suddenly felt uneasy and tense: Having revealed so many important secrets, even touching on their vulnerabilities—what if he didn't commit to a decision right then and was simply eliminated? Or would they follow him continuously until he made his choice? Then how could he possibly go to the Hazy Heights for divination? Sharon, dressed in a black court gown, quietly gazed at Caine. Her deep blue eyes showed no anger, no doubt, no emotion at all. Suddenly, she reached into one of the hidden pockets and pulled out a folded sheet of paper, unfolding it into a rectangular shape. The paper was uniformly orange-yellow, adorned with numerous symbolic motifs, including those representing the sun. These symbols and emblems enclose a blank space, creating a warm and secure feeling. As soon as he saw the paper, Caine recognized what it was and set down the fluttering weight in his chest. This too came from the Master of Secret Figures, Rosagho—it's a deed of certification! It was one of the magical items assigned to Sharon during their initial distribution of spoils! The pale yet refined Sharon handed the deed to Caine, speaking with concise precision: "Seal it here." "I pledge not to disclose what I have just heard." Inhale… Caine exhaled, nodded firmly: "Understood." Following the instruction, he took the deed, placed his palm on the blank area, and then said carefully: "I promise to keep confidential everything I learned from Miss Sharon and Mr. Marich." As he spoke word by word, the symbolic signs and magical emblems surrounding the certificate one after another illuminated, glowing with bright, warm light. When everything was complete, the glows coalesced into an image resembling an official seal, pressing down onto the palm of Kline and passing through to cover the blank space. A warm current flowed briefly, and Kline suddenly felt an invisible, subtle connection forming between himself and the certificate. Indeed, the elder "Eye of Wisdom"’s simulated ability had truly belonged to the role of a "notary." He suddenly recalled a past incident. "I'm ready," Kline said, returning the certificate. Sharon nodded calmly, said nothing further, and her composed figure gradually faded, disappearing within the carriage. Mariqi still suppressed the malice hidden deep in his eyes, gently tapping the wooden wall of the carriage with his fingers. Instantly, the carriage came to a slow halt, and the carriage door opened. This is a corpse driving the carriage, a shadow serving as a waiter—indeed, it's quite characteristic of Marić's style. With his eyes open to the spiritual realm, Kline gently removed his baseball cap, pressed it to his chest, bowed slightly, and then leapt down from the carriage. The street was quiet and secluded, with several gas lamps already out, yet no one had come to repair them. Kline first walked through the one-bedroom apartment in the eastern district before returning to No. 15 on Minsk Street, where he feigned performing two divinations in the living room—one to determine whether to accept the commission, and the other to assess the commission's risk, both in terms of severity. Yet he never actually examined the results, because the "vengeful spirits" among the extraordinary beings could transform into ethereal forms, directly interfacing with the spiritual realm and acquiring information—thus, by nature, they possessed both the ability to interpret and counteract divinations. As a result, whether it was Sharon or Steve, the intended recipient, the insights conveyed to Kline would inevitably be mistaken or divergent. After completing his divination, he methodically read the newspapers and books, practiced his extraordinary abilities in the living room, then washed up and went to bed, showing no unusual signs. At 4:10 a.m., Caine suddenly awoke, got out of bed, and turned over! He found a candle, established a spiritual wall, and quietly began the ritual of summoning himself. Then, he walked backward four steps into the gray mist, but did not immediately respond to his pleas. Sitting in the high-backed chair belonging to the Fool, Caine gazed steadily at the surface of the bronze long table, where he saw the "Eye of Total Blackness," the Azk copper whistle, the "Black Emperor" card, and the image of Roxel, dressed in black, holding a staff with regal dignity. His lips twitched momentarily, and then, with his right hand, he flipped the "Card of Desecration" over, so that it faced downward. Out of sight, out of mind! After materializing the paper and pen, he removed his yellow crystal pendant and repeated the two divinations he had previously performed. The first reading showed the pendulum rotating smoothly and steadily in the direction of time—indicating that the commission should be accepted, though not necessarily so. The second reading revealed the amber pendant rotating counterclockwise with a faster pace and greater amplitude, which Klein interpreted as a significant risk, though not yet life-threatening, provided the situation was managed appropriately. Hmmm. After pausing for a few seconds, Klein recalled an earlier hypothesis: perhaps every "magician" needs to perform. Otherwise, the name of the elixir should have been "wizard," not "magician." The essence of "performing without being unprepared" lies not only in thorough preparation but also in the act of performing itself... and this may extend well beyond mere combat. The assumptions of "diverting the enemy's attention" and "winning the audience's applause" likewise require a performance as their foundation. As long as the methods are sound, the disguise is convincing, and the aftercare is handled properly, the Rosicrucians will find it difficult to detect me. A multitude of thoughts flashed through Kline's mind. Synthesizing the insights gained from the recent divination, he quickly made his decision, leaned back against the high-backed chair of "The Fool," and gazed upward at the majestic, ancient palace and the boundless gray mist, a smile forming on his lips. "Then, let us stage a grand performance," he said. With that, he donned the "Eye of All Black" and the Azkhan copper whistle, responding to his own invocation. The following day, on a Thursday morning. Klein had gone early to purchase the ingredients, and now he had prepared a homemade fennel pasta that closely resembled a meat sauce pasta. At the door, he retrieved today's newspaper from the mailbox. While eating and reading, he learned from the *Becelands Morning Post* about an extraordinary gathering. Indeed, once the tense atmosphere had eased, the meeting had been called—Klein smiled to himself. By nine o'clock, he pulled out his gold-case pocket watch, opened it and checked the time, then addressed the empty living room, looking through the slightly bulging window: "I'm willing to offer my assistance." "On the conditions you've mentioned." "But only if I have a few more days." He paused, smiling. "I need to make some preparations." Suddenly, a faint, ethereal voice echoed in the living room—no one else was present: "Very well." "Once your preparations are complete, come by the bar." "……In the Lord Grelinth's study, Audrey sat on the chair, reaching to smooth Susie's hair behind her head, and addressed both Fotherse, who was savoring an Ormil wine, and Thow, who sat quietly beside her: 'Do you have something urgent that you'd like to tell me?' Though this was the first time she had seen Fotherse and Thow since the Larnus incident, she had already paid them their fees through Susie. Indeed, since joining the Tarot Circle, Fotherse seemed unchanged—still languid, still fond of undermining Thow—but beneath the surface, something had shifted. Previously, she would occasionally appear listless and melancholy, disheartened about the future; now, that aspect had completely vanished. Audrey's smile was light on the surface, yet her mind remained calm, observing Thow's composed demeanor with steady attention." Verlaine finished off the remaining wine and said, "Indeed, it is Aurmil—quite undoubtedly the most renowned wine. It surpasses every other wine I've tasted in the past, with distinct layers, each offering a unique sensation." She set down her glass and added, "The gathering that might reveal the 'audience' formula and clues from the psychological alchemy meeting is being convened this afternoon." "Ah, so it's urgent then?" Odile asked, slightly puzzled. Verlaine smiled and explained, "Because the serial killer has disrupted everyone's schedules, and since the venue is in the outskirts of the northern district, the night watch is typically most relaxed during the afternoon." "Mm," Odile nodded gently, choosing not to press further. Meanwhile, she glanced around and silently sighed: "As always, compared to the present Verlaine, Hugh has been much quieter lately..." At that moment, the Viscount Graylin chuckled and said, "Odile, I'll be joining you." "Why?" Audrey asked deliberately. Gleinert cleared his throat. "I've obtained the 'pharmacist's' formula, but I need to trade for certain materials. Our household store doesn't have the exact two ingredients required." "Hmm, Firth sold me those for 300 pounds—she guaranteed they were genuine." 300 pounds... I remember you paid only 230 pounds to Mr. World... Audrey couldn't help but glance at Firth.