Prince Edessauc Augustus? What perilous event—something capable of causing a tragedy—could be connected to him? Moreover, it seems that Mr. The Fool himself has been observing this matter closely! Instantly, Audrey of Justice matched the name with the person, feeling profound concern and confusion. In her perception, matters observed by Mr. The Fool are either extremely dangerous, profoundly secret, or of far-reaching consequence—never simple. For instance, the True Maker’s attempt to bring about the downfall of Beckland through the conditions in Larnus and the East District industrial zones; the "Black Emperor" card of Emperor Roscel; the Duke Nigan’s death and the "Dusk Hermit Circle." Drawing parallels to these examples, Audrey was fully justified in believing that should this matter involving Prince Edessauc be mishandled or overlooked, it would inevitably unleash an exceptionally, extraordinarily, and profoundly terrifying storm! Hmm... Prince Edsack hasn't pursued me for a long time, and I simply felt grateful, never really thinking much about it. Now that I reflect, it seems there might be something amiss. At the previous ball, he had eagerly stopped me to chat about dull topics, playing off his own clumsy, self-satisfied humor—only a couple of days later, he had grown notably cold, even deliberately avoiding me. I need to find an opportunity to ask my father about him, but I mustn't show too much curiosity, or else he might very well agree to the royal marriage proposal. Audrey recalled some specific details and suddenly felt her shoulders grow heavy. — She has always disliked Prince Edsack and his two brothers, never considered herself a suitable candidate for queen. The reason is simple: the followers of the Goddess of Night cannot accept successive generations of Augusti who revere the Lord of Storms. That implies a deep-seated arrogance, self-importance, and disregard—often even prejudice—toward women, rooted so firmly in their beliefs that it's difficult to change. This is precisely what Audrey finds most intolerable. The thought of becoming queen and being immersed in an ancient, rigid, and extremely conservative environment fills her with dread; she feels certain she will go mad and flee without hesitation. Thus, despite the Prince's and his brothers' attentive courtesies, she feels neither touched nor even inclined to welcome them. Edsack Augustus… the surname suggests royal lineage. I vaguely recall that he is a prince. What exactly does he intend to do? I simply can't reach him at all... Oh, I could ask Miss Audrey and Viscount Glarington for help, but I need to have a solid reason prepared—something that won't make them suspect anything. "The Magician" Firth furrowed his brows, interpreting the words of "The Fool." "The Hangman" Aljer found the matter quite intriguing, yet hesitated to ask the "Fool" directly, who seemed to offer only subtle hints. After a moment's pause, he addressed "Justice," "The Magician," and "The World": "The atmosphere above the sea is also restless—perhaps this is linked to Beckland, much like those machines." This statement was entirely speculative, offered merely to amplify the sense of urgency and encourage the three members of the Tarot Circle currently in Beckland to take active steps. ...Indeed, "The Hangman" has been most cooperative. Watching from the sidelines, Caine immediately abandoned his plan to have "The World" express similar sentiments. He mentioned only Prince Edessa and not the woman—wearing a sapphire ring, suspected to hold a "0"-level seal item—who might have become involved in the matter, nor did he speak of "0–08" and Inzinger Zangewell, possibly also entangled, because he lacked a full understanding of the most powerful seal items—those capable of even destroying an entire nation—relying instead on only subtle clues to form tentative hypotheses. He feared that if he directly revealed these critical points to Miss Justice and Miss Magician, just as they began targeted investigations, the targets would become aware of their efforts. This was also the reason why Caine did not proactively inform the "Mechanical Heart" of his own experiences. Based on certain speculations about the seal item "0–08," he suspected that upon leaving the Minsk Street, taking the carriage to either the Lever Church or the Steam Church, he would face an unforeseen, utterly insurmountable assault—such as a major uprising of seal items deep underground, or a decisive strike from a high-sequence entity. Only the gray mist's shielding allows Caine to remain unconcerned about such issues, enabling him to inform "Justice" and the "Magician" lady—through them—of the matter in a more gentle, indirect, and less detectable manner. Beyond that, Caine has another plan: to gradually fade out the secondary characters, step away from Bekkan, transform his appearance unnoticed, and quietly return, establishing contact with the "Heart of Mechanism" outside the line of sight of the Level-0 seals. He hopes for success, and hopes to finally uncover the truth behind Ins Zangwei's actions. Well, assuming he actually took part in this... Wait, during his investigation into Ins. Zanggwei, Mr. Azk had clashed with MI9, even facing covert pursuit—MI9 has traditionally been seen as the royalist faction within the military. There are a series of coincidences surrounding Prince Edsack, which mirror the characteristics previously exhibited by the sealed object "0–08." This seems to indirectly confirm Ins. Zanggwei's existence. Kline closed his eyes, and once again, the image of those fresh, bright boots and the pale hands flashed before him. Leaning back against the chair, he lifted a corner of his mouth and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we'll see each other next week." The good news is that she is about to secure one of the primary ingredients for the "Psychologist" potion. Though she is no longer the naive young woman from the beginning—back when she had spent 1,000 pounds to learn basic knowledge from the "Hanged Man"—who knew only rough prices for extraordinary materials, she is not averse to paying a premium for the mirror dragon’s eyes. Following the Duke of Negan’s assassination, she has developed a strong desire and motivation to rapidly advance her own rank and gain corresponding combat strength. As a result, she no longer wishes to wait and is willing to pay a certain price—provided the material appears and the terms aren’t too unreasonable, she will accept them immediately, to avoid being unexpectedly disrupted. This is much like a precious piece of jewelry highly coveted by numerous noble ladies—much like the rare stallions favored by men, which possess unusual bloodlines—so a corresponding premium is inevitable, unavoidable. At times, the price could even double or triple the original. With Folshe busily managing the connections, coordinating with her teachers, it would be unreasonable for her to waste her time and bear the risks without any return. Hmm... she didn't even know I was the very embodiment of "Justice." Odile thought this matter over indifferently. As for the bad news, without a doubt, it concerns Prince Edsack—this has caused Odile to feel unusually anxious. Fortunately, thanks to the "World" gentleman who was promptly informed and the "Knight of the Fool" who provided timely reminders, the situation might have deteriorated far worse. Odile, with such favorable conditions, you surely can resolve this issue! Cheer up! The girl drew a crimson moon in the reflection before her, striving to lift her spirits. Then, she composed herself, went out to the music room, and prepared to attend the next piano lesson, as if nothing had happened at all. This was because the Earl and Countess of Hall and Herbert Hall wouldn't return home until after dinner, so she had no one to share her news with—she could only remind herself to remain calm, composed, and patient. While waiting for the head governess to arrive, Audrey casually played a piece, letting the beautiful melody soothe her mind. As she finished, she noticed that the golden dog, Susie, had entered through the door at some point, now sitting beside her, still wearing the ornamental gold-framed spectacles around her neck. "Audrey, what's wrong? Your music tells me you're troubled," Susie suddenly said. Oh... Audrey was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to respond. She suddenly felt that having a 'mind-reading dog' in the house might not be such a good thing. . . . . . . Inside the camp, the fire crackled and burned. Derek Berg closed his eyes and quietly recalled the events from the tarot gathering, confirming that he hadn't forgotten the memory of repeatedly living the same life. After an indeterminate length of time, filled with anticipation, he opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. What met his gaze was precisely as he remembered—the flames and his teammates unchanged. At that moment, the "Hunter," Colin, who sat cross-legged against the stone pillar, spoke softly: "Depart after fifty lightning strikes." ...At this instant, Derek was certain that all the experiences he had gone through before were not dreams or illusions. ... Jowood District, 15 Minsk Street. Cain descended to the first floor and settled into the living room, savoring the steady warmth radiating from the fireplace. He sat in the armchair, gently swaying, neither reading the newspaper, nor flipping through magazines, nor turning pages of a book. This stillness and quietness remained undisturbed until the sound of the doorbell rang, clear and rhythmic. Dressed in a casual shirt and a wool cardigan, Klein stood up and walked toward the door, only to find his visitor more surprising than expected. He opened the door and chuckled: "Good afternoon, Emlyn. Isn't it usually your duty to be helping at Harvest Church at this time?" The visitor was Emlyn White, a vampire with a neatly tousled, slightly soft-featured elegance. Upon hearing Klein's greeting, the man with an initially haughty expression froze, struggling to regain composure. "I have something I'd like to consult you about, Sherlock, Moriarty, detective!" Emlyn said, each word pronounced deliberately. After inviting him into the living room, Klein returned to his armchair and smiled, asking, "What is it? The consultation fee is one pound, but no more than one hour." Emlyn White paid no attention to his words, and after a moment of thoughtful reflection, said, "A prominent figure has asked me to undertake a certain task... It will help me address potential concerns, but it also carries significant risk." "I have few friends, and I'm afraid my parents will worry. You, on the other hand, are a remarkable detective with a wide range of experience. What would you suggest? To decline, or to accept?" Regarding the potential issues—addressing psychological influences—Caine pondered. "When it comes down to just the word 'matter,' I can't offer any advice." Emlyn White remained silent for several seconds, bit her lip, and spoke softly, "Something connected to that 'Fool'..." "Ah?" Caine almost reached up to tug at his ear.