In the luxurious manor of the Count Hol, Queens Borough. The finest coffee from Feneport Saint Desiré mountains drifts with a rich aroma, blending harmoniously with the delicate taste of the Queen's afternoon tea, creating a captivating sensory symphony that curls around the elegant three-tiered stand, enhancing each beautifully crafted and exquisite dessert. This is Audrey's afternoon tea. Her noble friends from the world of mysticism have gathered, sitting together in warm conversation. Under Audrey's quiet guidance, Jane, Murray, and others have grown deeply interested in the mysterious knight-thief known as "The Black Emperor" from last night, and their eyes have turned to the noble young man, Constance Lirsen, who has recently joined MI9. "Does this 'Black Emperor' truly possess extraordinary abilities?" asked Christine, her lovely features expressing genuine curiosity. Their fathers were at least viscounts, giving them sufficient status and access to learn about extraordinary powers and potions through the study of esoteric sciences—yet, like Audrey had been at the beginning, they were unwilling to join the Watchers, the Penitents, the Heart of Mechanism, or MI9, refusing to spend large amounts of time on routine duties. Moreover, their families traced their lineage back only to the more recent centuries, even to the ancient noble houses of the fourth century of Rûn, which had not remained fully loyal to the crown or risen to high military ranks, and thus had never received the recipes, even if they possessed extraordinary materials—often failing to recognize them or knowing how to use them once identified. This limited the potential of Murray, Kristin, and others to become extraordinary beings, leaving them only to aspire, rather than take the decisive step. As for whether their elders have quietly gathered magical recipes and cultivated a few exceptional members belonging to the family—well, that is something they themselves cannot know, since it is strictly forbidden. Should the king catch hold of such evidence, he could very well use it as grounds to strip them of their noble title. Indeed, at the moment, two traitors already reside in the drawing room: Audrey, now promoted to Sequence 8 as a Mind-Reader, and Lord Grelint, who has secured a rare exceptional material and is on the verge of becoming a Pharmacist. The slender, tall young gentleman, Constance, sipped his coffee and said, "I won't offer a direct answer. I'll simply share some facts: In the dining hall where the battle took place, in addition to the traces of gas explosion, various elements were detected—including toxins, doppelgängers, spectral wails, and bullets imbued with sacred power. Oh, and that so-called 'Black Emperor,' no, that daring thief, is currently in a spectral state." "It's not like the one who defeated the 'Storm Herald' Qilin-gus, nor like the one who took down Lan'ur-us in the sewers... Is it the third of the 'Fool's' followers who orchestrated the 'Black Emperor' case by stealing the 'Black Emperor's' card? Even within Beckland alone, He has at least three followers... How many followers does He have in total?" Audrey's mind sparked with a thought, and deliberately asked with a look of bewilderment, "Was there a fierce, extraordinary battle there?" Guided by her, Murray pressed further, asking, "Did the Carpini family have extraordinary individuals? Stronger ones? Even more than one?" "He's just a human trafficker," the Viscount Glarint remarked, expressing his own surprise. Audrey maintained a gentle smile and curious gaze, patiently waiting for Cons's response. Cons chuckled and replied, "Murray's assumption is correct—this is all I can share. Do you really intend to have me confined to my office by the team leader?" "There are several powerful extraordinary beings in the Capin family... Indeed, he's no ordinary human trafficker—he may be involved in numerous mysterious events... Human trafficking... Could it be that he's connected to cult rituals? Was it precisely because of this that the followers of the 'Ace' made their move? The case of Lan'urus was similar—involved a cult, rituals, and the descent of the 'True Creator'... So, behind Capin there must be some obscure cult or deity... It seems the 'Ace' has always been targeting these deities... Is this truly a game of divine rivalry? Hasn't he already disrupted countless divine affairs? Odile suddenly recalled many connections, her heart gradually swelling with excitement: Our Tarot Circle's enemies are the deities! Nothing else is even close! Does the 'Ace' wish to earn the title of 'The Deity's Nemesis'? Odile pressed her lips together, a quiet smile forming in her mind. Immediately, she collected herself and murmured a quiet regret: Audrey, how could you do this? How could you make fun of Mr. The Fool... By midday, Crain returned to Minsk Street and, as expected, found a letter delivered by a carriage driver to his mailbox— their agreed-upon method of emergency communication. Of course, Crain had anticipated that the elderly Koller, unfamiliar with words, would simply use simple symbols to indicate when and where to meet him. Yet, upon opening the letter, he was struck by neat, well-formed handwriting. A glance was enough to confirm that the script matched exactly the handwriting on Daisy’s word list. It seemed that the girl had helped Koller write it. The paper showed no sign of dampness—perhaps Koller had specially purchased it, precisely for such urgent communication. As Crain opened the door and stepped into the living room, he began reading the letter. He didn't remove his coat; he merely took off his hat and adjusted his cane, since the fireplace in the room hadn't yet been lit, and the cold of early November was quietly seeping into his bones. The letter itself was simple—after all, Daisy didn't know very many words. She began by thanking the detective for his kindness and good nature, then informed him that she had safely returned home, and finally, gently suggested that he might bring the vocabulary notebook along next time he visited the East District. A polite girl... Clene smiled softly and tapped his finger once, then burned the letter to ashes, leaving no trace. He decided to visit the East District again tomorrow, return the vocabulary notebook to Daisy, and settle the postage and stationery expenses incurred by old Cole. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh and chuckle, saying, "Captain, now it's my turn to have expenses reimbursed by others..." With only a few final details left to attend to, Kline suddenly found himself free. He didn't waste any time and stepped out once more, heading directly to the Crag Club—Dr. Allen was usually there on Friday afternoons, and Kline wanted to check in on the little boy who played tarot cards, Will O'Connell. Upon entering the Crag Club in the Hillsborough district, Kline greeted the red-clad waiter who approached him, saying, "A cup of Earl Grey tea and a dessert, please, to the corner table where Dr. Allen and the reporter, Mike, are seated." "Klein had already seen the well-known外科 surgeon, Allen Cris, who wore gold-framed glasses and was somewhat reserved, the journalist Michael Joseph of the Daily Observer with his captivating blue eyes, and the noble equestrian instructor Talim Dumont, who appeared at the club more frequently than any other except Sherlock Moriarty." "Oh, here comes our great detective—just as I was speaking to you," Talim said, rising with a smile. "Are you going to say something unkind about me?" Klein offered a light remark. Michael followed suit, extending his hand to shake Klein's. "No, I'd like to hire you again." "What's new?" Klein bowed to Dr. Cris and took his seat at the table. Michael chuckled. "You've probably read the newspaper—Captain Cappin has been taken out by the robber 'Black Emperor,' and his crimes have finally come to light. What a pleasant development!" "As a journalist, one must possess sufficient news sensitivity. I plan to request a list from the police department, then go to the eastern district to interview the young women who have been rescued, and present to the readers of the newspaper the most brutal, most inhuman, and most unforgivable aspects of Captain Karpin's actions—of course, the victims will remain anonymous." He paused, lowering his voice: "I also have a hidden objective, or perhaps a thought: through these interviews, I want to find out whether these young women and their families have any particularly close friends. Perhaps, just perhaps, that friend is the daring thief known as the 'Black Emperor'!" You've certainly picked the right person... Caine almost had a twitch at the corner of his mouth. He smiled warmly at Mike: "We've already collaborated on matters concerning the eastern district, and we have a solid level of familiarity and trust; therefore, I have no reason to decline." "Great cooperation!" Mike said, extending his hand with a relaxed expression. "We'll begin either tomorrow or the day after, with the same compensation as before—totaling ten pounds." At that moment, Dr. Allen, who had been listening attentively, spoke up: "Sherlock, I'd like to hire you today in the evening, or after dinner." I've been seeing strong upward momentum lately," said Crane, with a smile. "Will this conflict with Mike's case?" "No," Allen shook his head. "I've been having good fortune recently, which has only deepened my suspicion that my recent misfortunes were due to the reversed 'Wheel of Fortune' card and his remark—something I find deeply puzzling and troubling. I've always treated him with great kindness and genuine goodwill; how could he treat me this way? I'd like to visit his home to confirm that he's not being intentionally dismissive. Yet, I remain afraid of similar incidents, afraid of unforeseen complications. That's why I'd like you to protect me tonight—this won't conflict with Mike's case, will it?" That's exactly what I've wanted to do! Challenging the impossible, and after doing good deeds, my character has truly improved—now I'm truly becoming the King of Good Fortune, the Yellow and Black! Klein was surprised, and with a composed smile said, "No problem—we can discuss compensation now." ... Silver City. Derek Berg once again examined the translucent creature with twelve circular rings, the legacy left by Amun's duplicate. He had originally intended to ask the "Fool" what this was, but having already bothered the divine figure once, and being somewhat reserved, he abandoned the plan and decided instead to inquire of the "Hanged Man" and the "Justice" lady during the next Tarot gathering. After securing the small creature, Derek suddenly remembered something: the small party that had followed the elder Livia, the "Shepherd," to explore the partially ruined temple of the fallen Creator-god, should now be returning—being not too far from Silver City, it was a direction they had yet to venture into. He decided to visit; there he had many acquaintances.