What? Make me investigate myself again? Kline almost suspected that the other was deliberately testing him. The organization using tarot cards as a symbol is indeed fascinating—I share that view—but I don’t want to expose myself. By the way, Cardin’s case clearly isn’t simple; he’s protected by four extraordinary individuals, so there must be a significant force behind it. Isn’t that just like getting drawn into the power struggles among the elite? Hmm, this isn’t something Sherlock Moriarty should know about. Kline settled into a thoughtful expression and carefully remarked, “It’s not easy to uncover a mysterious organization, and it’s extremely dangerous.” Talim seemed to have anticipated his response, chuckling warmly: "Sherlock, you don't need to take any risks. All the important person wants is for you to pay close attention and gather relevant information or hearsay. Here's five pounds in cash—this is your activity budget. Even if you return with nothing of value, you won't have to repay it. Once you secure useful leads, he'll pay you individually for each one, and cover all your expenses throughout the process." Such excellent terms! Clearly, this important figure values the matter greatly... Is he connected to the forces behind Carpin, or does he hope to find a mysterious organization operating under the code of Tarot cards to assist him? Coverage of expenses... It's been a long time since anyone has promised me something like this. With someone saying these things, a private detective who still refuses would indeed appear suspicious. Moreover, investigating his own affairs should naturally be under his own control. After a moment's hesitation, Caine said: "Very well, I'll do my best." He didn’t hesitate to take the five £1 banknotes Talim offered, intending to provide a vague clue in about two weeks’ time. Didn’t the “Aurora Society” want to find the “Knight”? The “Knight” was clearly one of the Tarot cards! He hoped the important figure would keep pursuing the matter, eliminating Mr. A along the way. Little by little, Klein began to form some thoughts. Leonard combed his hair with a hand, smiled, and said: "First, follow the earlier line of reasoning in reverse—track down the people or organizations that have been seeking out the followers of 'The Fool.' They might have some insights. Second, re-examine the two previous cases, and include every single person involved in the cases, regardless of whether they appear suspicious or not. Then, leverage the 'Nightmare's' ability to interview and eliminate suspects one by one. The devil, perhaps, is hiding in the details, in the seemingly unlikely individuals." Sostre chuckled: "I've reviewed the case files. The two cases involve a large number of people spread across different locations. Reinvestigating them all would be quite challenging. Moreover, several of these individuals are themselves extraordinary figures active in the underground world—skilled at concealing their identities. We simply can't keep track of their movements. If we follow your approach, we won't just need our small team—we'll require at least five Sequence 7 Watchers from the Church, along with their supporting staff." "Our focus has been on the cases involving the summoning of demons," another Red Glove reminded Leonard. Leonard didn't show any annoyance; he merely chuckled: "I know that. I'm only offering my opinion—whether it's adopted, and to what extent, is entirely up to Captain Sostre." He paused, expressing a look of puzzlement: "I find it hard to understand why the two Tarot ritual-related cases aren't given higher priority. The first one even involves a divine entity attempting to descend—far more serious than a mere demon summoning." Sorst took a slow sip of his coffee before responding. "Our night-watch team is limited in manpower, so cases must be prioritized accordingly. To date, the secretive organization—represented by the tarot cards—hasn't shown any clear hostility toward us. On the contrary, their actions have, in many ways, aided us. For instance, they disrupted the arrival of the 'True Creator,' and they've revealed that Capin, the human trafficker, is far more complex than we initially thought, with significant secrets hidden behind his facade." He smiled slightly. "Perhaps they can help us uncover even more troubling revelations. Of course, we'll need to conduct essential investigations—no one can be certain that this secretive organization won't turn against us at some point." "I understand, Captain Sorst. Let's focus our discussion on the case involving the summoning of the demons," Leonard said earnestly. ……… The winter in Beckett is always intertwined with hearths and mist, and time seems to fly swiftly in that consistently cold, gray atmosphere. It feels as though only yesterday that the New Year still lay just half a month away. Caine extinguished the logs in the fireplace and donned a woolen dressing gown over his deep-red wool vest. Three weeks ago, Raphad had finally secured a patent for his bicycle and began seeking suitable second investors; steam-powered vehicle magnate Franmi Ketch expressed interest. After several meetings, the three parties had agreed to finalize their negotiations today. In the past month, Caine's life had remained calm and uneventful, gradually absorbing the complexities of the potions through steady, routine investigations—now, only a more significant, active demonstration remained before the process was fully complete. If there's no particularly urgent matter, one needn't take risks—another month, and it would be quite sufficient. . . . Caine's thoughts drifting, he took down from the hat rack a half-high silk hat, brushing and smoothing its creases with a brush and handkerchief, removing the dust. He didn't feel particularly compelled to attend the gathering on January 4th, bequeathed by Lan'uris. During this period, the "Tarot Circle" continued meeting once a week, and Caine had obtained several pages from Rossel's early journal, bearing witness to the transformation of the once-imaginative but hesitant young man into an active hunter of opportunities. Beyond that, he had few other gains. Although the "Lupine" trait had been transferred to the "Hanged Man" for sale through the "World," securing business deals exceeding a thousand pounds remained notably difficult, and the "Lupine" curse itself had caused many potential partners to hesitate. However, at the tarot gathering a few days ago, "The Hangover" communicated to "The World" that he had connected with a craftsman from the Steam Church—the latter clearly showed interest. "I hope to finalize this this week... yet still have no leads on the 'Windsinger' formula that 'The Hangover' gentleman needs." Klein packed up his belongings, took his staff, fastened his hat, and stepped out the door—the 'Windsinger' potion formula belonged to Sequence 6, not easy to encounter; "The Hangover" Aljer had waited over a month without hearing any positive news. "Justice" Audrey, after enduring prolonged observation and trials, finally earned recognition from the "Psychological Alchemists." She reported to "The Fool" that she should officially join the secret organization this week and requested early protection in case of unforeseen events. For this purpose, she planned to collect at least ten pages from Roscel's diary from the "Psychological Alchemists" and present them to "The Fool" gentleman, without expecting any compensation. As for the colossal dragon specimen in the Duke of Nigan's treasury, she has confirmed it is indeed the "Huntress of a Thousand Faces"—yet the issue lies in the fact that it is merely a specimen, lacking any extraordinary properties or flowing blood. Her obligation of 2,000 pounds to the "Fool" gentleman, due to the patrons, will not be settled until early to mid-next year, since although she formally attains control over a portion of her estate at her birthday ball in the new year, she remains under her parents' supervision and cannot freely sell assets, and furthermore, she still owes the final balance to the Viscount of Glairint, thus requiring ample time to discreetly accumulate the funds. Through the assistance of the "Hangman," the "Magician" Firth finally secured the "deep-sea gunfish's blood," paying 320 pounds to the latter, which reduced her balance to 120 pounds. To make up for the losses, to satisfy the appetite of the Spirit-Eaters, she began frantically drafting new manuscripts, swiftly shaping a story that wove together adventure, romance, travel, storms, and pirates. Her correspondence with Dorian Gray remained uninterrupted, and recently, he expressed his intention to visit Beckland to pay tribute to Anelisa, Labro, and Lawrence. The "Aurora" gentleman's search for the "Fool's" followers and devoted adherents had yielded no valuable leads under Klein's deliberate efforts to remain low-key. Those exceptional beings who knew the name of the "Fool" understood well not to casually mention it—without being utterly desperate, they would never have dared to pray to a figure suspected of being a malevolent deity. "Emlyn last mentioned having leads on relevant materials—perhaps we'll confirm them soon—but the issue is, I simply don't have enough money right now..." Klein murmured quietly, holding his cane and walking toward the door of lawyer Jurgen. After ringing the bell, he instinctively stepped back two paces. Not long afterward, the door opened, and the elderly Mrs. Doris, vibrant and energetic, extended her arms to warmly embrace Klein. "Oh, that doctor you introduced me to last time was absolutely wonderful! My health has been this good for nearly ten years!" Dorothy, seeing the detective standing at some distance, had to fold her arms and instead express her delight and feelings through words. Crain found himself both amused and helpless, sighing, "Mrs. Doris, you've already said this ninth time." He noticed the black cat, Brody, perched at the top of the wardrobe behind him, seemingly unsteady yet maintaining his balance. "I can do that too," Crain assessed himself. "Really?" Dorothy asked, puzzled. She promptly set the question aside and smiled warmly, "Coming to see Jurgen?" Crain immediately brightened. "Yes." He knew that such negotiations would certainly require the help of a professional lawyer.