"The Twilight Hermit... What organization is this? I've never heard of it. When Mr. The Hanged Man explained the general background of the various factions, he mentioned not a single thing about it..." Audrey was both astonished and puzzled, and then noticed the gray mist gradually thinning out. The dignified figure of Mr. The Fool had vanished. Her eyes flickered, and she quickly formed a hypothesis: The organization known as the "Twilight Hermit Society" sounded more mysterious and less known than the underground groups like the "Aurora Society" or the "School of Life." In fact, even the well-informed and knowledgeable Mr. The Hangman, who had close ties with the Storm Church, was unaware of its existence. Their planned actions were directly aimed at the kingdom's great nobility—one of the most powerful factions in the world. They might very well be the deepest observers and true architects of the extraordinary world, shaping the political landscape across the northern and southern continents—hence, it's no surprise that Mr. The Fool has taken such keen interest in them. The last time Mr. The Hangman requested the aid of His followers, the success wasn't due to the generous compensation offered, but because Mr. The Fool himself was actively targeting the Twilight Hermit Society. This organization is just as enigmatic as our own "Tarot Society." Audrey felt an unexpected surge of excitement, which somewhat softened the impact of the Duke of Niggen's sudden death. Few extraordinary beings are aware of the existence of the "Evening Hermit Society," and I am one of them. Indeed, our Tarot Circle is specifically targeting them! Audrey stood up and walked to the full-length mirror. Her chin, slightly raised, formed an exceptionally beautiful curve. Gazing at the green-eyed young woman reflected in the glass, Audrey gradually calmed down—her first realization of a strong desire to elevate her own rank, beyond mere interest: "Even the extraordinary beings under strict protection, such as the Duke of Nigan, are being assassinated. How much more so when it comes to just an ordinary man like my father? "Although the condition of the treasury suggests that there are undoubtedly many extraordinary beings within the family, and the Goddess's Church provides additional protection, this still doesn't offer sufficient reassurance—Nigan Duke's guard is no less formidable. "Hustle, Audrey! Reach Sequence 7, then Sequence 6, and remain hidden, serving as the final line of defense for your father, mother, and brother!" ………… The capital of the Rosedale Isles, the city of generosity. The "Azure Avenger" passed by once again, moored at the harbor, offering seamen a chance to relax and vent their energies. Alger Wilson donned a long robe embroidered with storm patterns and made his way to the largest church on the island—the Church of the Waves. Classical in style, it features an abundance of columns and arches, a lofty central dome, and two bell towers. In the early colonial period, settlers often lacked the time to build churches, which proved to be a severe consequence. Amidst tribal communities, dense forests, and ancient structures, even after they had conquered the local populations, they would frequently die mysteriously—large numbers of them, without clear cause. This widespread phenomenon, which had caused immense alarm, gradually diminished and became a rare occurrence once churches were established across the region. Standing at the church door, Aljer didn't hurry inside, but instead studied the dim, mysterious atmosphere within, illuminated by the narrow beams of light filtering through the high windows, and the warm candlelight that traced out the areas of human activity. A few seconds later, he stepped into the great chapel, raised his right fist, and struck his left chest, then addressed the bishop facing him: "Storm with you!" "Storm with you!" The bishop responded in the same gesture. Before Aljer could speak, the bishop of Seawave Church produced a telegram: "You've come at the perfect time. The Cardinal Council has issued orders—please review this before praying." "What orders?" Aljer asked as he reached for it. The bishop spoke with serious demeanor: "Duke Nigen has been assassinated. The Council has instructed all penitents and clergy to pay close attention to the activities of the knight-robber known as 'Black Emperor,' as well as to all events related to the Tarot ritual." "The knight-robber 'Black Emperor'?" Aljer expressed his astonishment clearly. He already knew that the "Black Emperor" was one of the "Fool" gentleman's followers. The bishop nodded gravely: "The demon of sequence 5 was responsible for the assassination of Duke Nigen, but during its flight, this demon was slain by the rogue knight, the 'Black Emperor.' This is exactly the same fate as that of the 'Hurricane General' Zilings, whose attempt also failed." Not only in form, but in essence as well—those who killed Zilings were also followers of the 'Fool' gentleman. Was it truly the 'Fool' gentleman who desired Duke Nigen's death? No. If so, then during the previous incident, He would have reminded Zilings to take special care of the 'Justice' lady, thus preventing his identity from being exposed at the moment of failure. The 'Fool' gentleman was observing the hidden truth behind the assassination, the true perpetrator. Who—or which organization—was so significant to the 'Fool' gentleman that He would pay such close attention? Aljé instantly recalled numerous details and formed an initial judgment. He looked down at the telegram and noticed that the Church had established a special investigative team to handle the assassination of Duke Nigan, with each member being an elite representative from the group of designated penitents. Should he apply to join and stay informed of developments? Aljer hesitated for a moment. In the end, he decided to follow his original plan and proceed with a quiet, steady course. ……… On a fresh morning, Caine woke naturally, rose slowly, and took his time getting ready, then went downstairs to freshen up. He didn’t rush to prepare breakfast, but instead opened the door habitually, stepping into the morning mist and retrieving today’s newspaper from the mailbox. “What is this?” Suddenly, he noticed a thick envelope tucked inside the newspaper, noticeably heavy. He pressed gently on the surface, and instantly recalled the scent of fresh banknote ink. His intuitive sense told him that the envelope contained a substantial sum in cash. With care, he opened it and extracted the stack of gold pounds. After counting them, he confirmed there were exactly 1,000 pounds. "It's the reward from the 'Heart of Mechanism'... That's what they call a secret gift, isn't it? How can they be so certain? Just leaving it in the mailbox like that? What if it's stolen?" said Kline, a bit exasperated with delight. With this money and no longer under the hidden protection of the 'Heart of Mechanism,' he could now go find the vampire Emlyn White and complete the previous transaction! After breakfast, Kline quickly put on his coat, hat, and carried his cane, taking a newspaper with him. As he walked toward the public station, he saw Mrs. Staline Summer, the landlady, directing her maid to load the suitcases into the horse carriage outside the door. "Good morning, Mrs. Summer," Kline smiled and greeted her. Mrs. Staline returned a composed smile and exchanged a polite greeting. Her spirits seemed to have recovered... he wasn't sure what had happened before. Curious, he asked, "Where are you going?" "New Year is approaching, and Mary has already given Luke some vacation time. We're planning to head to the Dici Gulf to welcome the new year," Stella said enthusiastically. "By the way, we've visited several cities there, as well as the well-known seaside towns. This time, we're heading to Feneport—supposedly, the scenery in Sevaya City is absolutely stunning." Crain responded smoothly, "That sounds truly admirable." "And you, Detective Moriaty? Where are you planning to spend the New Year?" Stella asked with a warm smile. "I'm likely to stay local—by the way, I need to prepare tools and repair the walls that Stuart damaged earlier..." Crain added with a slight upward curve of his lips. "Back to the Intersea region—the winter there has a unique charm." Stella's smile grew even more evident. "I hope to see you at the Dici Gulf during future New Years." ... In the Southern District of the Bridge, on Rose Street, at the Harvest Church. Just as I spotted Sherlock Moriarty in his black wool coat entering, Emlyn White, who had been carefully polishing the candlestand, broke into a smile. He combed his hair, held his head high, and walked toward him, lowering his voice: "We have intelligence on Jason Beleia—there's a vampire who knows him." "I do too," said Kline, smiling, and passed him the newspaper. The front page read: "Yesterday, the esteemed Duke of Negan was assassinated, and the true demon began to ravage the land." Below the headline was a detailed account of the assassination, identifying the killer as Patrick Jason, a banker, who had been struck down and killed on the spot, with the terror organization, the Aurora Society, claiming responsibility. When Kline had first seen the news during breakfast, he had nearly choked on his milk. Initially, he thought the A gentleman of the Aurora Society had gone mad—wouldn't they take such a responsibility for something so dramatic? But upon reflection, he believed this was more likely a deliberate cover-up by the official narrative. If the "Twilight Hermit Society" is indeed the ancient organization founded by Emperor Roscel, they should be deeply hostile toward the Aurora Society, since they hold the "True Creator" in contempt... Clive suddenly had this thought. Emlyn stared blankly at the newspaper, repeatedly, and spoke in disbelief: "So it means my intelligence reports are useless?" "Theoretically, yes," Clive said, sympathetically glancing at the vampire. "However, the official bodies are still investigating the mastermind behind Jason Belia. If your reports point toward that direction, they should still be marketable." As for Clive himself, of course, he had no intention of getting involved further. "No... he merely knows Jason Belia and is familiar with some of his hobbies," Emlyn sighed. Seeing his reaction, Clive chuckled and asked: "Don't you read the newspapers regularly?" How could he not have heard about such a major development? Emlin glanced at him oddly, "Why are you reading the newspaper? I'm busy." Busy cleaning at the Harvest Church, busy returning home to attend to those dolls, busy figuring out ways to trick people into drinking my blood... You're truly a modern vampire. Klein opened his mouth, using his "clown" abilities to suppress the laughter that was about to burst out. He didn't tease Emlin White. Instead, he spoke seriously, "I've already gathered the gold pounds needed for the two materials. When can you deliver them to me?"