Dorian raised the curtains, dimming the office, then sat down. With his left hand supporting the crystal ball and his right palm gently brushing the top, he murmured softly, as though whispering to himself. Gradually, the sparkling points within the crystal grew brighter and more distinct, as if reflecting the night sky. One by one, the stars traditionally used to determine the course of fate and life paths emerged, forming a three-dimensional celestial chart, interwoven with numerous apparent spiritual symbols and revelations. Finally, Dorian paused, leaned forward, and studied it intently. "She hasn't been lying... the course of events truly unfolds this way... she seems capable of bringing about certain positive changes to the Abraham family." The glow of the crystal gradually faded, and Dorian stood up, already resolved. At lunchtime, in the Four-Winged Bird restaurant. Before Fotheringham, a fish was served, cut into segments, fried and sprinkled with thyme. The skin was crisp and fragrant, the flesh tender and delicious, with few bones—very pleasant indeed. The only oddity was the chef’s unusual sense of aesthetics: he had left two swollen fish eyes protruding, and, through careful plating, arranged them to gaze upward simultaneously, as though expressing an unwillingness to accept death. … Fotheringham pushed the fish head aside, cut off the tail, and thus covered the eye facing upward. At that moment, Dorian Gray, moving his knife and fork with apparent casualness, remarked, "Anissa had a strong interest in mysticism and had studied it to some extent. When you last went through her belongings, did you come across any books, notebooks, or related items?" "There were some notebooks and books," Fotheringham replied calmly. "This has made me a devotee of mysticism, though it is regrettable that I find much of the content entirely incomprehensible." For instance, The Chronicles of the Spirit World is not only bizarre and illogical, but also convoluted and hard to grasp—despite forcing oneself to read it steadily and calmly soothing away anxiety, one finds it difficult to retain any of its content. Once read, it’s quickly forgotten, let alone understood. In his mind, Folshe added. Dorian nodded slightly and chuckled: "Then by all means, you can ask me—I too am an enthusiast of esoteric studies, with a fairly solid grasp of the subject." "Really? That’s wonderful!" Folshe responded enthusiastically. Seeing her genuinely interested, Dorian smoothly steered the conversation toward esoteric studies, occasionally referencing the spirit world and sharing his personal experiences with meditation—having anticipated this exchange, he had deliberately chosen a quiet, less frequented corner of the restaurant upon entering, ensuring their conversation wouldn’t be interrupted by passing guests. At lunch, Dorian spontaneously proposed, "I've always struggled to express my gratitude, and now I no longer have to worry about it. Indeed, though Lawrence has paid you a fee, I believe it falls short of matching your kindness, your generosity, and your reliability. 'Madam沃尔, should you have any questions in the field of mysticism, please feel free to write to me—I offer this modest token of appreciation.' 'That is exactly what I hoped for,' Firth replied without hesitation. From their conversation, she could clearly see that Dorian Gray possessed a solid, well-developed, and systematic knowledge of mysticism—indeed, a true heir to the ancient Abraham lineage. In this regard, however, Firth herself had a notable weakness. While she had acquired a good deal of general knowledge about the extraordinary world, it came largely from a few not deeply studied books and notes, as well as from scattered anecdotes and observations gathered during various social gatherings. It was fragmented, incomplete, and lacked coherence. Upon hearing the other's response, Dorian raised his cup and smiled, saying, "I hope one day we too will possess mysterious, extraordinary abilities." ........ Beckland's Northern District, Saint Samuel's Church. A group of people in black coats, wearing red gloves, entered the underground area. At the forefront was a man in his forties, with gentle facial features and deep, long hair at his temples. He wore an elaborate standard hat and carried a black staff with gold inlay, moving quietly behind the night watchman who led the way into a spacious room. The room featured several shelves filled with volumes of records. A woman dressed in a long black robe, with blue eyeshadow and blush, exuded an otherworldly grace, seated comfortably in an armchair without rising to greet them—she was the former Seer, Dely. "Sostre, the materials you need are all there," Dely indicated with a nod toward the table by the door. The middle-aged man known as Xost laughed, saying, "Daili, how could you have been assigned to guard this post? You should be responsible for more important duties." "Not at all—this is my own idea. I need to settle down, to go through more materials." Daili chuckled softly. "This is about progressing better. Humans are a fragile species; they need a period of calm. No one can always remain at the peak, constantly enjoying stimulation and delight." "…Your style has never changed. Unfortunately, you never give me a chance," Xost laughed immediately. Daili shook her head seriously, "Clearly, you don't understand me. My interests have become more unusual now. If you could somehow turn into a decaying corpse, or reveal your bone-white skeleton, I'd be genuinely intrigued." She then turned to the "Red Glove" standing behind Xost, "Leonard, what made you choose to join his team?" He's pompous, overconfident, and utterly lacking in courage—always imagining that the woman he likes will simply roll over and wait for him on the bed. Honestly, perhaps that's exactly what a "nightmare" is like. When speaking of nightmares, Daili paused noticeably. Leonard responded with a sigh: "Madam Daili, this is actually Cecilia's arrangement." "Ah, so it is. I can see you agree with my assessment of Sostre." Daili concluded with a slightly hoarse voice. ...Leonard found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Fortunately, Sostre, the "Requiem Singer," didn't seem to mind Daili's remarks. He walked over to the table piled high with documents, picked up a file, and began flipping through it. Leonard and the others soon gathered around, mimicking their own butler. Amid the steady rustle of pages, Sostre casually asked, "Have there been any new developments in Beckettland recently? Anything you'd consider noteworthy?" Dai Li's eyes flickered slightly as she thought for a moment. "Several extraordinary beings we've been working with have sent messages, reporting that recently many people have been seeking out an organization devoted to the 'Traveller,' and have mentioned a specific title..." After reciting the title of the 'Traveller' in Roonese, she smiled lightly. "It seems to me that a whole new sect is emerging—though perhaps it's simply a manifestation of an old friend." "Sostar, what do you think?" Sostar pondered seriously. "None of this has ever come up before. I've never heard of such an organization." At that moment, Leonard lifted his head from the file, murmuring thoughtfully. "Could this be connected to the two Tarot rituals we've been investigating?" "The 'Traveller' is the very first and most essential of the Tarot cards!" Dai Li paused, then nodded thoughtfully. "That's a very interesting idea..." "Yet there's no evidence to support it—just a pure speculation, hardly even a reasoned inference." "Sostre said with some reservation. Leonard smiled slightly, saying, "The Great Roxelan once said, 'Make bold assumptions, but verify carefully.'" "Before Klein could speak, he glanced around and said, 'Sherlock, a prominent figure has expressed great interest in you after hearing about my account of your achievements. They would like to meet you personally—would you be willing?' 'To be honest, this truly fills me with admiration. It's a rare and valuable opportunity.' Wait—what achievements do I have? Helping Mrs. Murray catch her husband in the act? Accompanying Mike the journalist to the brothels? Even after several visits to the East End, I haven't accomplished anything truly remarkable. You might only know that I contributed to a series of murder cases and helped Dr. Allen resolve his nightmares through consultations..." Klein listened, growing increasingly confused. Then, after a moment, he suddenly understood the reason. Certainly, when the prominent figure asked Talim about any outstanding detectives he knew, he could only think of me, and thus actively added some impressive descriptions to my credit—such as the capable detective who demonstrated strong initiative, keen intuition, and precise execution, uncovering the true behind-the-scenes mastermind in the case where the late Mrs. Mary’s husband and his mistress orchestrated the transfer of Coyim Company assets in a series of murders. That’s just plain business flattery—something I’ve quietly reflected upon. After a moment’s pause, he said: “Talim, I’m sorry, but as a detective, I adhere to a principle: I strive to avoid becoming involved in matters concerning the powerful. What might seem like a mere hiccup on the upper echelons could easily become a career-defining crisis for me. I don’t like to label myself, so I won’t be meeting that prominent figure.” This was actually something Klein had decided upon long before he began his career as a detective. Once he became entangled with the upper echelons, people would inevitably dig deep and scrutinize him. Before he became an "unrecognized face," he didn't want to bear such risks. "...You're quite rational," Talim mused. "That prominent figure anticipated this kind of response, believing such a detective to be more trustworthy. Therefore, he'd like you to take on a commission—one that doesn't involve the upper circles." "What kind of commission?" asked Caine. Talim chuckled. "It's exactly the case you and Mike discussed previously—the Cardin incident. That prominent figure is particularly interested in the organization symbolized by tarot cards. He mentioned that similar cases have occurred before, and he'd like you to uncover the relevant leads."