Chik... Seeing the beautiful young woman before him, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes misty, Klein's gooseflesh on his skin rose uncontrollably, distinct and clear, accompanied by a cold sweat. In that moment, he felt as though he had returned to Tingen, back to the early days at Blackthorn Security, when he had first intended to open his clairvoyance to observe Meiguo and the infant within her. That instinctive fear was so vivid, as if a large hand had firmly squeezed his heart. He finally understood that what was disrupting the gray mist and interfering with divination wasn't merely a Level 0 seal or a magical item of corresponding rank—something far more terrifying lay hidden within Tris's body. The symbol of the End Times, the primordial sorceress! No, she wasn't yet the primordial sorceress; otherwise, simply through this kind of interaction, he would have already lost control, already turned into decaying, pulsing flesh! Her condition was most peculiar... Tristain's brow settled, her eyes regaining focus as she gazed steadily at Caelen, who remained motionless. With a gentle lift of her right hand, she guided the slender, pale fingers slowly down her side, speaking with a blend of wounded dignity, subtle allure, and a touch of playful mischief. "If you can inform the Watchers, the Sentinels, and the Heart of Mechanism of this matter, and I happen to meet you just before they catch me—then I shall not mind showing you what true delight truly is." What am I thinking? What am I seeing? Is this the very essence of the Pleasure Mage's charm? Even if you were once a man, and even if you're a truly refined lady with few past misdeeds—so that I have no reservations—still, I find myself trembling. What if, at any moment, I awaken as the primal Mage, and the Fool himself cannot bear it? Caelen sighed silently, lifting his head with a compassionate gaze toward the wooden planks above the carriage. "Do you truly believe a mere mid-to-lower-tier, ordinary extraordinary being like me capable of escaping the royal pursuit?" "I think they've already realized something's wrong and are about to take action..." Tris felt a surge of pride as Caine dared not meet her gaze. With a light laugh, she continued, "I'll try to escape and draw their main forces away. The remaining ones may still be strong, but they won't be impossible to handle. 'I'm certain you'll fight with all your might for your own life—your determination is bound to be strong!' " And with that, her figure vanished swiftly, as if erased by a clean cloth. This was different from Sharon's return to the state of a "wandering spirit"—it was a direct disappearance into invisibility. Thud! The carriage door first swung open, then closed. A lingering, fresh fragrance drifted into Caine's nose. He withdrew his gaze, his expression darkening. Even now, his arms still trembled slightly, as though he were suffering from some illness. Had he not been experienced—having faced the offspring of the demonic gods firsthand in the real world and knowing exactly what the name "Trisick" signified—he would have been overwhelmed by that terrifying pressure right then, collapsing under it, just as a rubber band snapped when stretched too tightly. It seemed as though Tris still had no awareness of what had happened to her, nor did she understand the significance of the title "Chick." Klein quickly calmed his thoughts, glanced out the window, estimated the distance, and began counting silently. His spiritual intuition and accumulated experiences told him that doing something, no matter how small, was better than doing nothing under these circumstances. Therefore, as the threat of being silenced loomed, he resolved to make a determined effort to save himself! 3, 2, 1... Suddenly, Klein opened his eyes and snapped his fingers. At the roadside, a tree that had only bare branches ignited into a small flame, which quickly rose and swelled. The several matches deliberately set aside in Crane's coat pocket burst into flame, instantly engulfing the black formal dress in a vivid red glow. His figure vanished inside the carriage and emerged from the flames along the roadside. *Tap, tap, tap*—with a series of quick finger taps on his left hand, his form flickered and reappeared repeatedly through the sparse, yellowing forest, swiftly reaching deep into the unseen reaches beyond. Then, he paused, withdrawing the pendant hanging at his neck. He had always been aware that this visit to the Red Rose Manor would unfold with unexpected elements; guided by the "Magician's Rule," he had made several preparations—such as keeping the matches separately stored and carrying certain magical items with him at all times. Among these, the "Biotoxin Bottle" and the "Solar Brooch," items tied to the Kapin incident and the "Spirit of Resentment" event, he carefully left suspended above the gray mist. Likewise, the "All-Black Eye" bequeathed by the master of secret figures, Rosagho, which struggled to pass the estate's guards' inspection, received the same treatment. In the end, aside from the three types of projectiles—purification, monster-hunting, and exorcism—he brought only two magical items. One was the "Universal Key," capable of overcoming obstacles, whose tendency to get lost could be neutralized by the "Divination Staff" spell, and which, under normal circumstances, appeared as an ordinary key and went unnoticed. The other was the Azk Copper Whistle, which Klein had prepared as the core element. In short, when danger becomes too great to handle on one's own, simply call upon a seasoned expert for assistance! Given the encounter just now, regardless of whether or not I recognized Trish, I'm certain to be added to the list of those to be eliminated—and likely already under the watch of "0–08." Seeking out Mr. Azk would no longer carry any negative consequences, yes, if indeed "0–08" has been consistently orchestrating these coincidences... Klein picked up the cold, ancient bronze whistle, placed it in his mouth, and blew gently. In silence, with his spiritual sight activated, he saw white bones surge from the ground like a fountain, and a towering messenger—nearly four meters tall—take form, lowering his head to gaze at him with eyes blazing with dark flame. The imposing presence of the messenger gave Klein a sense of security. He drew out his notebook and pen, swiftly writing a word: "Help!" Then, he folded the paper and tucked it into the messenger's outstretched palm. When the messenger had vanished, he folded his copper whistle, deliberately assumed a prayer posture, and swiftly recited the name of "The Fool": "…the great Sir Fool, my investigation is complete. The woman beloved by Prince Edsack is the 'witch' Trist, now elevated to the rank of 'Fool of Joy,' and has been renamed Tristick by the upper echelons…" Having swiftly concluded his report, Caine didn't bother to conceal himself and immediately reversed his steps, stepping into the gray mist. Then, he retrieved his own "prayer image," cast it into the deep red star symbolizing the "Justice" lady, and, maintaining a lofty, superior "Fool" demeanor, added with a touch of mock tone: "Tristick, hey—this is indeed the true name of the 'Primordial Witch'..." Upon completing all this, Caine instantly returned to the real world, preparing to flee for his life. Just as he took a few steps forward, the light before him suddenly brightened. He instinctively lifted his head and saw several meteorites, blazing with fierce flames, descending from the sky, slicing through the heavens and enveloping the forest! "Wow..." The deep crimson light poured into Caine's eyes, creating an overwhelming sense of helplessness he could not resist. He had never imagined that his counterpart would simply send down meteorites to eliminate him! ... On a notebook glowing with a yellowish hue, a seemingly ordinary quill pen recorded: "Due to unknown and unexplainable reasons, the Dallasko meteor shower arrived on this planet two days earlier than expected. Part of these meteorites landed precisely in the forest where Sherlock Moriaty the detective had been hiding. Indeed, precisely so!" ... On a Tuesday afternoon, in the dedicated study belonging to Odile. The young woman, on the verge of adulthood, listened intently as Teacher Island explained the connections between the concepts of 'audience' and 'mind-readers' and the interdisciplinary field of mystical psychology. Beside her, the golden-haired dog, Suzie, sat with impeccable composure. Suddenly, she saw an endless gray mist, and a vague figure, seemingly in a forest, kneeling in prayer. Then, words reached her ears. "Prince Edsack... the Witch Cult... 'the Witch' Triss... the Joyful Witch... Trisschik..." Audrey automatically filtered out the irrelevant details and noticed the most crucial words. So that's it! Prince Edsack had fallen in love with a witch... and many witches were men who had transformed into women... Why am I finding this so amusing? That must be precisely why he would bring a crisis to Beckland? Well, I need to remind Dad... but how? What excuse should I use? Audrey managed to keep her expression and gaze steady, though her mind kept wandering. At that very moment, she saw the "Knight of Cups" sitting leisurely at the head of the bronze long table, and heard Him speak with a calm tone, laced with a touch of amusement: "Chik, hey, that's the true name of the 'Primordial Witch'..." The true name of the Primordial Witch... the original Witch! A sudden ripple passed through Odile's expression, and it instantly faltered. "What's wrong?" As a "Mind-Reader" with exceptional observational skills, Iseleant immediately noticed Odile's distress. Odile thought quickly and, without hiding her concern, said: "Teacher Iseleant, I just remembered something unpleasant—I should have told my parents earlier, but I forgot. This will lead to very serious, even dreadful, consequences." For instance, Becland would be destroyed, and the hundreds of thousands of people living here—nobles, middle-class citizens, and the poor—would survive only in small numbers... Odile pressed her lips together, her eyes—clear and sparkling like green jade—overflowing with worry. Islandt raised an eyebrow. "Is it still possible now?" "Better than doing nothing, Islandt teacher. Just wait a moment—no, you go first." Odile entered a "spectator" state, calmly making her decision. She then stood up, left the study, and moved down the corridor. Dad had gone to the Upper House... only Mom was at home... but how could she begin? Odile frowned slightly, neither slowing nor speeding her steps, with her personal maid and the large dog, Suzie, at her side. Gradually, a plan formed in her mind, and by the time she reached the countess's sitting room, her decision was firm. Taking a deep breath, Odile felt an unusual weight on her shoulders. Then, without hesitation, she knocked on the door.