Lawrence sat in the booth of the café, unable to shake the memories of the Abraham family's struggles over the years. Since the families had broken off into smaller units and dispersed across the regions, the elders' control over the family members had dwindled to its lowest point. Many Abraham family members, seeking to avoid the adverse effects of the curse, had refused to advance, remaining content at Sequence 8 or Sequence 9, and even refrained from aspiring to become extraordinary. They simply wished to live ordinary, peaceful lives—enriched with knowledge and wealth. The elders viewed this as a neglect of family honor, yet they could not enforce strict measures, for such a choice amounted to self-extinction. Under these circumstances, a wave of reform emerged among the upper echelons of the Abraham family, who emulated the mentorship system of the Life School, cultivating non-family members in hopes that upon their ascension to higher sequences, they would return to assist the Abraham lineage in resolving the curse that had plagued them for over a thousand five hundred years and recover their ancestral forebear, Bethel Abraham, who had vanished during the "War of the Four Emperors." The plan initially progressed smoothly; the apprentices, initially unburdened by the curse, rapidly strengthened under the Abraham family's meticulous guidance, swiftly advancing through the ranks. Within just ten years, several of them reached the rank of Sequence 5, while among the direct-line exceptional members of the Abraham family, not a single one achieved Sequence 6. The main trunk remained weak while the branches grew strong—thus, the seeds of tragedy were sown. The ambitious apprentices began to turn their sights toward the several powerful sealing artifacts owned by the Abraham family. Their plans failed, but they also suffered severe aftereffects: all the non-family Sequence 6 and Sequence 5 exceptionalists felt that their standing within the Abraham family did not match their own strength, and that they were distrusted, lacking control over certain seals. Through a prolonged back-and-forth struggle, intense negotiations, and mutual compromises, an unexpected event occurred: one of the Sequence 5 "Travellers," named Butis, was lured by the "True Maker" and joined the Aurora Covenant, triggering a devastating catastrophe. In this catastrophe, nearly the entire upper echelon of the Abraham family perished, and over half of the already scarce powerful seals were lost, leaving only three remaining—Richard, Lawrence’s full brother, died as a result. Butis, on the other hand, reaped substantial benefits: not only did he gather all the necessary exceptional materials, but, with the aid of the "True Maker," he overcame numerous obstacles, ascended to the semi-divine sequence, and became one of the Five Saints of the Aurora Covenant—the "Saint of Secrets." After the disaster, the elders of the Abraham family reflected on their actions over the past several years, yet found themselves without clear solutions. A sense of passivity, despondency, and despair settled over the remaining members of the family. Lawrence, unwilling to remain in such an atmosphere, unwilling to hear daily sighs and feel the weight of suppressed emotions, found a reason to leave the elders' gathering and journey to Beckland in search of his maternal brother, Lobero, and his paternal brother, Sam. Now, he suddenly realized that his father's line seemed to have only him left. At nearly eighty, all of his children had perished in the disaster brought by Butis. Simply recalling these facts stirred within him a deep, unrelenting sorrow. What troubled him most was the absence of hope for vengeance and the fading light of renewed family glory. "I am already quite aged, and I've suffered injuries before—so often that I now hesitate to use my extraordinary abilities unless absolutely necessary, for they risk causing loss of control or summoning the curse... Where, then, is the future of the Abraham family?" Lawrence lifted Fermer's coffee to his lips and sipped it, falling into a long silence. "I encountered the brother of the elderly lady who made me a 'student'—she was apparently a member of some family..." "I've kept the details of the mysterious realm hidden, but I'm concerned he possesses an exceptional ability in divination, capable of uncovering the full truth..." ...At that moment, Caine was precisely above the gray mist. He watched the deep red star representing the "Magician" expand outward, sending ripples through the sky, and heard the layered voices of supplication spreading steadily. After clarifying the specifics, Caine lightly tapped the edge of the ancient long table, murmuring silently: "Quite cautious—knowing to seek the Fool's aid." "And indeed, your assumption is correct: the sequence seven corresponding to 'Student' is known as the 'Astrologer'..." Having recently immersed himself in the *Book of Secrets*, he swiftly devised a plan to use a ritual to assist the other party in disrupting their divinatory efforts. "It has to be said that since ascending to Level 7 and acquiring The Book of Secrets, I have been growing more and more like a true deity above the mist—though, for now, only in form, still a hollow shell. To be honest, I've performed quite a few acts before the Lady Justice, the Sir Hangman, and the others, perfectly concealing my intentions. Yet, I've never received any corresponding spiritual resonance, and the progress of my elixirs has remained stagnant. Is it only in the real world that such feedback is possible? Perhaps the applause of these observers is being blocked by the mist, unable to directly influence me—just as the Eternal Sun and the True Maker struggle to penetrate the mist and reach this mysterious realm. It seems the mist and this enigmatic space respond in a rather mechanical, lifeless manner, lacking both agility and wisdom. Yet, for me, this is actually a blessing." As thoughts flowed, Caine materialized ancient vellum pages and cast them into the deep crimson star symbolizing the Magician. Suddenly, an endless expanse of gray and white mist filled Folvess's vision, while a translucent, golden-brown sheepskin parchment descended from the sky. She saw knowledge written upon it, and her heart instantly settled. With Mr. Laurence, there was no way he could receive accurate guidance in the divination now—thanks to the "Fool"! Folvess sincerely expressed her gratitude and began preparing the ritual. Though she had witnessed many instances of malevolent spirits causing harm, she didn't place much trust in the "Fool" personally. But the full-moon curse compelled her to rely on him. Even if things went poorly, the worst outcome would be losing her life—without the "Fool"’s assistance, during the last blood moon, I had already lost control and transformed into a monster. Every day I live, I gain a day of fortune, all granted by the "Fool"—he could take it back whenever he wished. Well, perhaps he should just leave it as is. Folvess took a deep breath and lit the two candles symbolizing the Fool. The early steps of this ritual were much the same as those she had previously mastered, until the candles were lit and the essential oils, hydrosols, and herb powders were thrown into the flame. As the delicate, ethereal fragrance filled the room and a thin, translucent mist enveloped the altar, Folvir swiftly adjusted her mind and body, entering meditation and silently reciting the sacred name corresponding to "The Fool," over and over again. This monotonous repetition gradually led Folvir—already calm and centered through visualization—into a state of mental stillness with heightened spiritual awareness. She felt both hazy and vaguely aware, as though her spirit were drifting upward, continuously ascending. This shares some similarities with the process of achieving "sympathetic communion" through external aids, yet differs in many aspects. It is a technique within spirit communication, specifically used to engage with higher-level spirits; at its peak, it enables extraordinary individuals to mentally traverse the spirit realm while maintaining a distinct, clear awareness. Certain extraordinary beings skilled in influencing the mind refer to it as "induced somnambulism," allowing them to use techniques such as hypnosis to induce this state in ordinary people. As a result, ordinary individuals appear to be asleep, yet can answer questions; though their eyes and mouth are closed, they can perceive various spirit entities present and engage in a certain degree of communication. Krause chose not to have Folsom undergo the "sympathetic communion ritual" because such a ritual would only provide knowledge, offer direct effects like purification or erosion, and grant the recipient a unique spiritual experience—yet it would not enable interference with someone else's divination process. In short, the "mystic ritual" directly affects the target's spiritual, stellar, mental, and etheric bodies, thereby clearing any associated positive or negative states. In contrast, the ritual performed under "artificial somnolence" enables Kline to carry out more indirect actions, thus responding to disturbances originating from outside. Dazed, Folsie only felt herself drifting back to the majestic, ancient palace rising above the gray mist, where she saw the "Fool" seated high above, gazing down upon all. Kline, gazing at the silhouette of the "Magician" outlined by deep crimson stars, calmly picked up a paper figure he had found earlier among the clutter in the corner. As a "Seer" who has advanced twice, he has several methods to disrupt others' seership without needing to rely on magical artifacts. At this moment, the mysterious space above the gray mist experienced a slight tremor, as some of its energies flowed in response to the disturbance. Klein pressed the card bearing the "Black Emperor" firmly against the surface of the bronze long table, linking it with his spiritual essence and thereby elevating his status—just as he had previously used the "Yangyan Seal" and Azk's bronze whistle to strengthen his physical form and raise his level. Then, he gave a slight shake of his right wrist, sending the paper figure flying. The figure suddenly expanded, growing twelve pairs of black angel wings cut from paper, their feathers lifelike. It swiftly pierced through the deep red glow and overlapped seamlessly with the ethereal form of the "Magician." Without a sound, it burned out and vanished completely. Meanwhile, Folsen, half-dreaming, perceived a majestic and solemn angel, seeing that the figure wrapped herself in one layer after another of many dark, feathered wings! It wasn't clear how long it had been, but Firth suddenly woke up from her "artificial somnambulism." Before her was a simple altar with three candles burning steadily, and a soft, ethereal mist drifting through the entire room. The familiar, clear, and serene fragrance filled her nose. "Angels..." Firth stared into space, momentarily forgetting to conclude the ritual. Note: The remaining days of this month should have two nights with three candlelight sessions, though I'm not certain which exact days. These past days have been exhausting due to the back-to-back meetings before the adjustment, leaving me utterly drained and sleepy.