5:00 PM, Olive Tree Avenue, Pamé's Divination Cottage. Alger Wilson pushed open the tea-colored wooden door, framed by a glass panel, and stepped into the mystical café. He ordered a Fairmer coffee from the Pas River Valley of the Starry Highlands on the Southern Continent, placing the tarot deck he had purchased beside his cup, with the "Emperor" card—the one depicting an angel with hands bound and suspended upside down—on top. Unlike in the morning, he had changed his attire: now dressed in a classical dark robe and wearing a soft hat reminiscent of a clergyman's, he appeared as though he had stepped straight out of a folk legend, a wizard or a magician. He took a quiet breath and sipped his coffee slowly, neither anxious nor waiting for anyone. About five to six minutes later, the tea-colored wooden door, framed by thick glass, opened once more, and a young man in a black wool coat and a half-high silk hat entered. The gentleman's outward appearance suggested he was under thirty—lean, with a sharp, defined face, embodying both maturity and a certain melancholy. This was Klein, subtly refined in appearance and slightly adjusted in persona. He did not wear his gold-framed glasses, yet his vision remained unimpaired; with a casual glance, his eyes settled on Aljé's deep blue hairline. His gaze then drifted downward, landing on the "Hanged Man" card positioned at the very top. Without a word, he walked over, removed his hat, and sat across from Aljé, his expression grave and amused. "I'd like to make a divination." As he spoke, he had already taken in the visage of the senior member of the Tarot society: his features were deeply carved, his outline rugged, with clear signs of having weathered storms and constant travel—definitely someone who was both resilient and frequently on the move. His skin was a warm copper tone, yet distinct from the local population, as though the result of years of consistent sun exposure and rain exposure typical of a pure Roon native. Yet his deep blue hair stood out—unlike the Roon type, it resembled that of the colonists from the coastal regions near the turbulent sea of Dese. Mixed heritage—Clayne made that judgment in his mind. Alger looked at the man across from him, slowly overlaying his image onto the concept of "The World," then laid out the Tarot cards, speaking in a low tone: "This requires you to shuffle and cut the cards yourself." Clayne reached out, picked them up, spread them out to examine them briefly, then folded them together and performed a smooth shuffling motion. He cut the cards several times, drew out three, and arranged them into a triad representing the past, present, and future. Klein slowly leaned back, yet his right hand flipped over the card in the center—depicting a bare woman wrapped only in a purple ribbon, surrounded by green rings resembling a doorframe. This was precisely the Twenty-First card, "The World." The Twenty-Second returned to zero, symbolizing "The Fool." " How should we interpret this?" Klein asked deliberately. Although "The Hangman" had not explicitly stated that "The World" was "The Fool's" domain, Klein believed there was no need to hold out hope on this point; openly expressing his confidence would strengthen his image. If the other party hadn't yet guessed, it would demonstrate sincerity and assurance. Should Aljere already know, it would lend a sense of composure to "The World," suggesting that all was under his control. Did he already know I knew? Hadn't he believed I would have sensed it before he even raised the topic in the gray mist? Wow... Aljé was taken aback, responding in a steady, measured tone: "Reversed, this indicates failure due to insufficient preparation." "Then, what specific preparations should be made?" Klein nodded thoughtfully, asking in return. Aljé gathered all the cards except the 'World' card, skillfully reshuffling and cutting the deck. Then, he turned over the top card. It was the 'Pope'! Aljé's voice remained low: "You will need advice, guidance from faith and religious support, to avoid veering off course." Before Klein could speak, Aljé proceeded to reveal the second card, depicting the 'Moon' gazing down upon the earth: "You will feel confused, you will face obstacles, and you will wander in dreams—yet this will only be temporary." Next, he presented the third card, the 'Sun': "Everything will pass; the light will eventually shine upon the land," he said, speaking with the air of a seer. Klein remained silent for a few seconds, confirming with a question: "The Church, dreams, the sun?" A smile appeared on Aljer's face as he gently nodded. "Exactly." In the tarot reading earlier, he had subtly embedded hints about his future plans. Actually, given his current position—uninvolved, not even noticed in the card layout—there was no need to be so indirect; he could have simply presented the details directly. But Aljer felt it was worthwhile to test the intelligence of the "World" patron, to see whether he possessed sufficient mental acuity, rather than relying solely on force. If both parties shared a similar level of intelligence, Aljer believed they could collaborate more effectively—smart people didn't need to speak much. In that case, he would prefer to keep the "World" involved only when necessary, asking for assistance only when needed, unless the "Knight of the Fool" issued a specific request. Now, the "World"'s response and previous performance had convinced Aljer that the counterpart was seasoned, strong, and deeply experienced. Hm, I'm quite an expert in tarot cards—on this point, Mr. The Hanged Man is only just beginning to grasp the fundamentals. Klein chuckled inwardly, mentally downgrading his counterpart. The Hanged Man's interpretation is surprisingly straightforward: the Emperor card signifies that he intends to inform the Storm Church of the developments involving the "Flame" Daniz and the "Steel" McVitt, leveraging the power of the "Substitute Punisher" to divide and weaken their adversaries, thereby securing his own advantage. This is precisely Klein's usual approach—easy to comprehend. The subsequent cards, The Moon and The Sun, serve as reminders from The Hanged Man: since the "Substitute Punisher" has been introduced, certain precautions must be taken. Based on Aljé's experience, when handling such matters, his colleagues in Bayam are likely to deploy a seal capable of inducing dreams in multiple individuals within a given area. Moreover, given the nature of McVitt's "Steel" attributes, a targeted item associated with the "Sun" domain will inevitably emerge. I hold my dream in check, unafraid of the "Sun"... Caine reached out and rotated the reversed "World" card in front of him halfway, turning it upright—signifying that the plan is viable and that I will be ready. Aljere lifted his head, took a deep breath, and said, "The host here specializes in aromatherapy, using the scents of various essential oils, hydrosols, incense, and infusions to treat specific emotional concerns and soothe an anxious mind. Would you like to try it?" Through the contact point on the Avenue of the Sacred Tree? Caine smiled and replied, "Yes." They looked at each other, neither moving, neither mentioning the aromatherapy again—everything was said without words. Caine didn't linger long. He pulled out his watch, opened it, and glanced at the time before rising slowly. Aljere suppressed his smile, placed a hand on his chest, and bowed slightly, saying, "Let us praise the divine, for all our divinations stem from His revelations." "Oh, you're actually showing loyalty now..." Klein suppressed a smile, mimicking the serious tone of "The Hangman" Aljer, and replied formally. "Let us praise the gods." He took two steps outward, then paused, turning back to Aljer as he adjusted his hat with a quiet chuckle. "Honestly, you don't quite fit this look." Ah? Aljer failed to grasp the "World" gentleman's point. When Klein pulled the door shut behind him, Aljer turned his gaze to the corner mirror, carefully studying his current appearance. He hadn't originally found anything wrong with it, but after the "World" gentleman's remark, he began to see the mismatch more clearly—finally understanding why the remark had been made. A man who looked so rugged and weathered, as if he could summon a hundred seamen at any moment to brawl with someone or wield an axe to fell an entire forest, certainly didn't belong in such a refined, mystical classical wizard's robe. His demeanor felt utterly out of place. … The Seawall Church. Having changed back into his original garments, Aljir followed the worshippers quietly into the hall, using the opportunity of confession to meet with the bishop of the parish, Jogori, through the responsible priest. "With deep reverence, Aljé replied, 'All this stems from divine guidance and is greatly due to your teachings. In the evening, I will identify the right person to convey the message. If I come back to pray, it means that 'Steel' McVity has temporarily taken no action. If I do not appear again, it indicates that he or one of his subordinates has taken control of the situation to prevent the news from spreading—meaning they are now ensnared in the net.' After detailing the specific locations and other matters, Aljé returned to the confessional and left as usual. The man glanced sideways, smiled politely but without warmth, responding, "How could I not know?" "Really? Then 'Flame' has deceived me!" Aljer tapped the bar and took a sip of his drink. "Flame... Danyz?" The man's eyes brightened, and he hesitated. "Yes, that's him!" Aljer looked as though he were gritting his teeth. "I met him at the Coin Casino this morning. This pest claimed 'Steel' was in Bayam—ridiculous! He had the nerve to deceive me!" The dark, slender man's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing. He listened quietly, then stood up, chuckled lightly, and said, "I've forgotten—I still have something to attend to. I'll see you later at the game." He patted Aljer's shoulder, moving with a calm exterior but a steady urgency, and left the bar. Aljer held his glass, half-turning to watch his back, his gaze deep and serious, his lips still without a smile.