Until he left the underground area of the O'Drury household, Emlin White still felt dazed, unable to believe he had so easily secured the 7,000-pound reward. The check in his hands was light, almost weightless, yet it conveyed a profound sense of absurdity. The "Hanged Man"’s strategy truly worked—Lord Nibais had neither exposed nor punished him, but instead granted him a generous reward, simply by pretending not to know, encouraging him to keep trying so as to observe him quietly in the background. How complex were the thoughts of the bloodline indeed? Emlin found himself alternating between bewilderment and admiration. Soon, he gathered his scattered thoughts and refocused on the 7,000-pound reward: "With this, I can purchase the late baron’s estate from the 'Hanged Man' and prepare the necessary elixirs. 'I shall soon be a baron,' Emlin White, Lord of the Bloodline!" His eyes sparkled, and his steps grew lighter. Within the House of the Blood, unless a senior member bestows a gift or a proper ceremony is performed, one's rank at birth remains fixed—almost impossible to elevate through time and personal effort. Among the bloodline members of Ermin's age, aside from those exceptionally fortunate—whose ancestral lines have reached the very limits of longevity and thus have been compelled to bestow strength through ceremony—most remain firmly within the concept of "maturity," with little chance of attaining a "title" within the next few decades. Ermin's parents, who have lived so long, still haven't achieved the rank of Baron, and there seems to be no foreseeable hope for that. As Ermin stepped out the door, he couldn't help but glance at his companion, Casimir Odrade. This seasoned bloodline member, once active during the era of Rosel, has thus far only attained the rank of Baron—while I, on the other hand, am on the verge of reaching it! One day, I will become a Count like Niabes, or even a Duke—perhaps even a Prince! Only then could he truly shoulder the responsibility of being the Blood Clan's savior... Well, the Baron's estate is worth just over four thousand pounds—there will still be plenty left, enough to buy a few more statuettes and furnish them with new clothes... Emlyn straightened his posture unconsciously, walking with ever greater determination. He skillfully and methodically presented to the Sovereign above the gray mist the gastric sacs of the Spirit Beings required by the "Magician" lady and the extraordinary materials designated by the "Hangman" gentleman. The walls of the Silver City, though marked with numerous fissures, were filled with dense, dark soil, upon which thickets of fine grass swayed gently in the wind, much like human hair. Suddenly, all of them rose, as though reaching for something, only to fall without any point of contact. ... At dawn, the Church of the Sea. Alger Wilson, coming to claim his reward, heard from Bishop Jogori a significant announcement: Latricia Dorila of the "Moses Monastery," having concealed her true identity as an archaeologist, had ventured deep into the jungle of West Simm. Through some unknown action, she had severely damaged the long-protected "Sea God" Cavitua, whose prolonged concealment was now crumbling, and who was now wildly searching for a means to sustain his very existence. It’s said that this self-proclaimed "Sea God" spirit was defeated centuries ago, shortly after the discovery of the Rosedale Islands, by a combined force of two cardinals and military strongholds, using appropriate sealing artifacts—only managing to escape and hide thereafter. This situation had remained unchanged for over a hundred years. How then, has it suddenly begun to falter, on the verge of collapsing and unable to sustain its very existence? Aljer furrowed his brow, pondering what recent developments might have differed from the past. "Could it be a deliberate strategy orchestrated by the 'Moses Monastery'? But why hadn’t they done so before, over the past hundred years? To align with their other, separate plans?" As speculation and questions alternated, Aljer suddenly realized a crucial factor. The most significant and fundamental difference in the past century is: "The World" has now arrived in Bayam! The followers of the "Fool" have reached the Rosedale Islands! Wherever the Fool appears, that very place signals the onset of major events or significant developments. There was the great smog of Bekland, then the anomalies at Banzhong Port, and now the dying struggles of "The Sea God" Cavitua and the unknown schemes of "The Moth Monks"... No, more accurately, whenever significant events are brewing or about to unfold, the followers of the "Cardinal" arrive at those very places! They accept the Cardinal's assignments and pursue the activities of secret orders, celestial angels, and other hidden forces. With this new perspective, Aljer suddenly saw the light, feeling that he had grasped the truth. It's not that the "World" itself brings calamities wherever it goes—rather, the "World" appears precisely where events are about to unfold. What benefit does this bring to the "Cardinal"? Is it purely to disrupt the plans of rival forces, or does it also help Him break His seals and reveal greater power? Aljer suppressed his questions and decided to seize this opportunity to submit an earlier piece of intelligence. He clenched his right hand against his left chest, hesitated, and said: "Mr. Choogari, during my investigation into the remnants of the 'Steel' faction, I've heard a piece of news." "What?" Choogari had intended to assign this bishop-level captain to search for traces of the rebels at sea, but was abruptly interrupted, leaving him momentarily agitated. "Alger recalled," he said, "that someone mentioned Banxi Port—there had been a development there, though the Medici descendants had remained well-hidden, going undetected." Banxi Port, a development... Choogari took a step forward and asked, "What else did they say?" "They said a bishop had fallen at Banxi Port, and that's all," Alger added deliberately. "Mr. Choogari, is the Medici family a dark house of the Fourth Age?" Choogari's expression darkened. "That's not something you should know." "I will immediately report this to Mr. Courtman." "This refers to the storm-church cardinal, the metropolitan bishop of the Rosd region, the senior steward known as 'The Accuser,' and the true ruler of the extraordinary world of the islands, Ayn Cortman. Jogori paused and asked, 'Who mentioned this? What did they look like?' Aljer was well-prepared: 'I never met them, and they have not reappeared since. 'I remember the young man who mentioned Bansi Port and the Medici family—he was ordinary in appearance, with a slender face, a broad forehead, black eyes, black hair, and wearing single-lens crystal spectacles. 'He seemed aware that I was listening, yet didn't seem annoyed; instead, he smiled at me.' The description Aljer gave perfectly matches the 'Profane One,' Amun! He intends to make the cardinals believe that the secret revelations of the Medici family and Bansi Port stem from disputes among the angels of the heavenly court." This is truly an excellent candidate for justification... He will not come forth to defend himself, even if he does, no one will believe him... And clearly, his oracles will prove ineffective... Should extraordinary measures be taken to verify my information source, strong signs of interference—due to the involvement of the "Fool"—will emerge, rendering the answers inaccurate, which would manifest exactly as if Amun had done so. Aljé thought this with quiet confidence. "Find these people and track the rebels' movements," said Qogori gently, nodding. "Yes, Excellency!" Aljé responded with sincere devotion, and raised his right fist to his chest. ... The sky was thick with layered clouds, the darkness so profound it seemed to press down. Rain fell heavily, striking the ground with a steady tap, sending up阵阵 white mist. At Bayam Harbor, the blue sea rose steadily yet firmly, the cargo ships and passenger vessels swaying gently, as if floating like leaves in mid-air. Rain poured without ceasing, the sea level gradually advancing toward the banks, causing widespread flooding within the city and creating an unusually oppressive atmosphere. One after another, locals—passionate yet numb—donned their traditional Talaabas, draped in tattered jackets, came to the cliff edges or levee heights and leapt into the sea. Their flesh and skin rapidly lost moisture, and upon entering the water, they had transformed into dry, weathered corpses. A group of people cried out, clutching a naval soldier who had just stepped out of the base, biting him fiercely with their teeth until he was killed, his body torn and bloodied beyond recognition, chaos spreading across the streets. Crash! Then—suddenly—shattering! The levee collapsed, and the rising tide surged into the city of Bayam. Klein awoke, his mind echoing with the very images he had just dreamed. For a seer, this was a clear and unmistakable revelation. "Kavitova, this 'sea goddess,' finds no way to survive—she abandons completely, goes utterly mad, determined to summon torrential rains, trigger tsunamis, and flood the entire Rosted archipelago, sacrificing countless lives to her cause? Meanwhile, her followers are also engaging in increasingly extreme actions... I've already notified the Church of the Storm—they should be able to intervene in time... No, even if I don't notify them, such a situation would inevitably draw their attention, prompting them to act." In the stillness, a powerful thunderclap suddenly echoed through the sky, swiftly splitting the leaden clouds. The rain that had been falling lost its momentum, and at the dock, everything returned to normal. The morning light spilled across the sky, as if Bayam were bathed in sacred radiance. Daniz drew a breath and murmured, "Aen. Courtman changed the weather..." Aen. Courtman—the Cardinal of the Storm Church and Senior Prelate of the 'Penitent'? He had suppressed Cavitova's power? Klein nodded thoughtfully and turned his gaze away. Daniz exhaled in relief, "I was quite worried just now, honestly, afraid that the nearly collapsing 'Sea God' would create a disaster. 'But here we have Aen. Courtman.' Seeing that Germaine Sparo remained silent, he added, "If we were at sea, even the 'Five Sea Kings' and the 'Mysterious Queen' wouldn't stand a chance against him." "The captain said, the captain said, he was a half-god of Sequence 3, the potion's name was... 'Ocean King'!"