Reserving a magical item? Aljer, the "Turner," paused a moment before catching up with what Miss Justice was saying. His mental boundaries instantly expanded, and he sensed an opportunity for leverage: "In a sense, the extraordinary trait entrusted by 'The World' has already been sold—there's a clear endpoint for the item. I could streamline the process and make things easier for myself. That means I no longer need to sell it to the 'Craftsman.' Instead, I should opt for a commission-based arrangement. This way, I won't worry about whether the trait will find a buyer, I'll secure the commission from 'The World,' and gain additional profit from Miss Justice. The only upfront cost would be the processing fee for commission. Of course, I must also consider the risk that the 'Craftsman' might fail to meet his commitments..." A series of thoughts quickly formed. Aljer swiftly weighed the pros and cons and made his decision. "No problem—I'll handle this matter." He looked at the "Justice" lady and felt her golden glow was so intense it was impossible to meet her gaze directly. Even after joining the Storm Church and drifting across the seas for years, he had never seen anyone like her before. The sea merchants were known for their extravagance, and many were wealthy, but none had truly come to value money as little as she did. How had the "Justice" lady's financial situation improved to this point? Even the "Fool" Kline was astonished. For a brief moment, he wanted to speak up, urging her to settle the 2,000 pounds owed to his followers promptly. Yet, remembering that he had already promised to delay repayment until late February or early March, he remained silent, motionless, to preserve the "Fool's" image. At least the unique properties of the "Faceless" man will soon be available, with the speed depending solely on how the "Hangman" gentleman connects with a particular "Craftsman" and how swiftly that Craftsman produces the magical items... Unfortunately, for now, it must rely on the "Hangman" reaching out to the "Craftsman"—otherwise, the properties could be directly sold to the "Justice" lady without any commission fees. Reflecting on this, Caine found his emotions somewhat complex. After securing a major deal, the "Hangman" Aljere silently exhaled, feeling his financial situation gradually improving. He paused for a few seconds, then asked: "Ladies and gentlemen, who among you has a method or object that can make everyone aboard a single ship fall asleep simultaneously?" Aljere had not yet ventured to the primitive island to hunt the Blue Shadow Falcon, because he hadn't yet conceived of a way to leave the "Azure Avenger" without drawing suspicion from the approximately dozen church sailors and crew members. Could he make all the people on a ship fall asleep at once? Klein first thought of the "biological toxin vial," but its effects were completely uncontrollable, and the scene would likely be unimpressive. Then he remembered the "nightmare" soul from "The Hunger," which induced sleep and pulled people into dreams—something that was a specialty of this extraordinary profession. "The problem, however, is that the 'nightmare' can't simultaneously put so many people into dreams; its effective limit is no more than ten individuals. To meet the requirements of Master Inverted, we'd need at least a Sequence 5 pathway, or possibly someone of half-divine, half-human strength..." Klein dismissed the idea and didn't let the "World" speak. Meanwhile, "Justice" Odile, "Magician" Folsyth, and "Sun" Deryck either shook their heads in response or answered with "no." "Moon" Emlin recalled: "I can ask around—perhaps there's a magical item within our bloodline that has a similar effect." "Always talking about 'our vampire line'... we can build on this point further to persuade..." The "Turned Over" Aljer nodded with a smile, acknowledging the insight. "Thank you." As the transaction drew near its close, Caine quickly asked the "World" to highlight the latest requirements: "Ladies and gentlemen, could you please keep an eye out for the residual spiritual essence of the ancient spirits and the eyes of the six-winged stone giants?" Regarding the auxiliary materials beyond these, he believed they weren't particularly difficult to procure and didn't require involvement through the Tarot Circle. "Understood," responded "Sun" Deric first, then added with some hesitation, "Mr. World, the method you're seeking to achieve exceptional spiritual contamination within the extraordinary traits will need a bit more time—my promotion to Sequence 7 should be accomplished fairly soon." He then glanced toward his neighbor: "Mr. Turned Over, as soon as I return to Silver City, I'll compile a list of the common monsters found in the surrounding areas." "For every item he owes someone, and every promise he made but never fulfilled, he carries it in his heart, feeling restless even in sleep." "The gloomy 'World,' however, responded with little concern." Klein wasn't particularly eager either—his 'Faceless Man Principles' were still being refined, and his digestion of the potions had only just begun, with more months ahead. Thus, his plan wasn't to head straight for the Galgas Islands, but to move among the various colonial islands in the region, embodying the roles of an 'adventurer' and a 'traveler,' occasionally shifting his identity to immerse himself in daily life and refine his 'Faceless Man Principles.' During this journey, he would gather more detailed information about the merfolk—knowing that the Goddess's Church nurtures such spiritually attuned beings and possesses high-tier potion recipes for the 'Seer' path, Klein remained cautious, fearing that the Galgas Islands might harbor hidden traps for each aspiring 'Faceless Man' seeking advancement. That is to say, Klein would have to spend two or three months—possibly even longer—travelling and adventuring across the Sunia Sea, a period long enough for "Sun" to secure the elixir recipe, gather the necessary materials, and ascend to the rank of Sequence 7, becoming a "Sun Divine." With the transaction now concluded, the members of the Tarot Circle entered a phase of free exchange. "Justice" Audrey did not disappoint the expectations set by "The Hangman"; she rose first, slightly lifting her skirt, and bowed formally to the bronze long table's foremost seat: "Respected Sir 'The Fool,' I would like to know the truth behind the great smog crisis in Beckland—was it purely the result of the heretical sects striving to awaken the 'Primordial Witch' and bring the 'True Creator' into being? Why did Prince Edsack choose to cooperate with them? According to your principle of equivalent exchange, what would I need to offer in return to secure the information I seek?" "If only I had known that things had been completely resolved already... The experienced Caine maintained a relaxed seated posture, chuckling lightly. "No need. "The root cause of the problem hasn't yet been uncovered, but there are already sufficient leads—we hope the people from the three churches aren't too foolish. "The root cause hasn't been uncovered? The issue still isn't fully resolved? Did the 'Fool' leave certain clues for the churches and the military? Odile was quite astonished, yet found it hardly surprising given her earlier concerns and worries. "Thank you for your explanation," she sincerely bowed once again. Is there still danger in Beckland? "The Magician" Folsie suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Once the 'Justice' lady had settled, Caine manipulated the 'World,' and smiled warmly. "Ah, I've found the Baron you mentioned, sir." "The Baron involved in several slave escape cases across the colonial islands?" "The Hanged Man" asked skeptically. "Yes, brown-red skin, South Continent origin, with a Beckland accent, and a false tooth in the third one on the left." "The World" replied hoarsely. "...It should be him." "The Hanged Man" Alje recalled for a moment. "Where is he currently? What is his present status? And, Mr. World, would you like to receive the payment directly in cash, or in equivalent goods?" This was part of the Storm Church's mission—purchase leads were reimbursable—so "The Hanged Man" felt no pressure. Of course, it was cash! The " Fool" Klein, struggling with living expenses, gently guided "The World" to say: "Cash. Baron is in Beckland. Someone saw him meet with a personnel from Military Intelligence Nine, loyal to the royal family. I don't know who exactly, as the person was wearing a mask." "Staff members of MI9 loyal to the royal family..." The "Turner" chewed on these words, suddenly recalling the question the "Justice" lady had just posed: Why had Prince Edsack allied himself with the Aurora Society and the sorceress sect? This too pointed back to the royal family... Could the two cases be merged? Was there a deeper truth involving the disappearance of the slaves? Aljere felt he was beginning to see some key connections. "You're truly a well-connected, informed individual. The 100-pound cash will be paid to you tomorrow." The "Turner" Aljere thanked him calmly and composedly. "Hey." The "World" chuckled, then turned to the "Sun": "Little one, do you know the ancient Hermes language?" Derek didn't hesitate, honestly replied: "I've heard of the Hermes language, but the Silver City doesn't possess much knowledge in that area." During the Second Age, there was no distinction between Hermesian and Ancient Hermesian; only in the Fourth Age, at some unknown date, did Ancient Hermesian undergo a corresponding simplification, making it more practical for daily use, instruction, and dissemination—though it lost its strong, direct ritual efficacy. In other words, the Hermesian spoken by the smaller "Sun" was equivalent to Ancient Hermesian. Indeed, the history of the Silver City mentioned the figure of Hermes. Klein nodded silently. "Unfortunately, I had hoped you could assist me with something." At this moment, "Justice" Audrey recalled a matter from their conversation, originating in the Psychological Alchemy Circle. She had intended to speak directly, but upon glancing at the new member, "Moon," she felt she didn't know him well enough and thus only slightly raised her hand: "Respected Sir 'The Fool,' I would like to report something to you." Klein nodded gently, shielding the others from perception. "What is it?" He asked calmly. Audrey replied truthfully, "I've received some information from the Psychological Alchemy Circle. The most important point is that they were founded through the discovery of Hermes's ruins—the very master of Hermes who created the ancient Hermes language." Hermes's ruins? That man was still alive a hundred and twenty years ago... Was he deliberately guiding the Psychological Alchemy Circle to uncover these relics, or had he already perished in the Roselle incident? Caine was startled, paused thoughtfully, and smiled gently to remind him, "Hermes is a member of the 'Dusk Hermit Circle.'" He hadn't mentioned the possibility that Hermes might still be alive, since that remained uncertain. Hermes is a member of the 'Dusk Hermit Circle'? It's likely that the Psychological Alchemy Circle has some connection with this enigmatic organization. Audrey was startled at first, then exhaled in relief. Thank goodness I have the Tarot Circle behind me, with Mr. The Fool—otherwise, I simply wouldn't have known, and would have been completely unprepared. She praised Mr. The Fool once again with genuine gratitude. At this moment, Caine had intended to comfort the "Justice" lady a little, assuring her that she need not be overly distressed or anxious about the Beckettland smog crisis. Maturity didn't mean abandoning a certain sense of well-being or a pleasant expression—on the contrary, such demeanor could actually help sustain his focus and endurance. However, after careful consideration, in order to preserve the image of the "Fool," he ultimately decided to set aside this advice from his former "Jester." Immediately, he lifted the shielding he had previously applied to the other members, waiting for the concluding exchanges to finish, waiting for the Tarot gathering to come to an end. PS: In the previous chapter, I fixed a bug where the Small Sun's awareness contained only one亵渎石板, without distinction between the first and second ones. I only realized this issue when I revisited that chapter.