The City of Generosity, Baim, at the Consulate of Tis. Eileen sat before the dressing table, gazing at her reflection—beautiful, yet slightly worn—staring into the mirror for several minutes, lost in thought. The period since she had escaped the Black Death ship had been both full of anticipation and deeply taxing. She feared that at any moment, she might be discovered by pirates or adventurers, captured by the "Disease Commander" Tracie, and returned to her homeland, where she would lose her freedom forever and never again return to her former life. Only after securing a passage off the sea through her family's remaining connections and finding refuge within the consulate of her homeland did she feel a little more at ease. Yet even then, her heart remained unsettled. She believed that only upon truly setting foot on the northern continent would everything finally come to an end. Thinking of this, Eileen lifted her right hand and gently touched the cheek skin—though not particularly rosy, it was certainly healthy—and was struck by how much finer and smoother it had become since her days as a sea trader. It felt as though time itself had reversed, and she had stepped back into her youth. In fact, once inside the Intis consulate, she had another option besides fleeing the sea: to collaborate with the Storm Church, the Roon military, and certain consulate spies, using herself as bait to capture the "Disease General" Tracie. Yet after much deliberation, she ultimately abandoned this plan—and even asked her family elder, who served as the consulate's military attaché, not to inform anyone about her hiding here. No matter what, she had never inflicted any real harm upon me; on the contrary, she had often yielded to me, accommodated me, and satisfied my needs. Eileen slowly inhaled, then exhaled deeply. She shook her head, allowing her yearning for freedom, her affection for her homeland, and her longing for her family to once again take hold of her heart. She looked once more at her reflection in the mirror, gently braiding her cascading red hair into neat coils. Then, she darkened and straightened her eyebrows, deepening the shadows to make her features more defined and her lines more pronounced. After this careful makeup, Eileen appeared more neutral, with a striking, composed elegance. She removed her garments, smoothing out her chest with strips of cloth, then donned a white blouse, a dark vest, men's trousers, and a double-breasted formal suit. Finally, she took off her silk hat and placed it upon her head, fully concealing her coiffed red hair. In the mirror, she now appeared more like a handsome young man than a woman—especially her emerald-eyed gaze, which seemed especially suited to this appearance, radiating a captivating depth. Eileen patiently waited until someone knocked on the door. She then picked up her luggage, opened the door, and followed the family elder's friend to the side entrance of the Consulate's garden. A carriage had already been waiting there, to take her to the port, where she would board a passenger ship bound for the city of Priz in the kingdom of Ruhn, and from there, take a detour back to Intis. Eileen possessed exceptional skills in evading detection, carefully observing her surroundings, including the coachman. A local native, lean and sturdy, rarely wore a hat, with little change in facial features compared to when she had seen him before—his expression was slightly tense, which was entirely natural. After confirming everything, she thanked her elder family friend, took her luggage, and boarded the carriage. As the wheels rolled, she glanced out the window, watching the rows of Tinst梧桐 trees swiftly recede. For a moment, she felt as though she had returned to Trier. That city, nestled between the Lien and Serenzo rivers, was a bright, sun-drenched metropolis renowned for its beautiful gardens and diverse rose varieties, flourishing in arts and culture—its haven for painters, musicians, and novelists. It was the capital of Tinst, the first true world city rebuilt by Emperor Rosel, and also the place where Elain had grown up. From childhood, she had often dreamed of it, weeping whenever she thought of it. It wasn’t clear how long it had been before Elean suddenly felt something was off—the streets around her were growing quieter, more remote. Though she had spent years as a sea trader navigating the misty seas, she wasn’t particularly familiar with Bayam in the Sunia Sea. Still, as a Sequence 9 "Hunter," she possessed sufficient alertness. "Is this route correct?" Elean shifted slightly, cautiously asking the coachman. She was always ready to alight, to summon a fireball at any moment. The coachman didn’t turn around, gazing ahead with a pleasant, deferential smile. "Madam, this route is shorter and less prone to traffic congestion. As you know, Bayam has been established for many years. Back then, there weren’t as many people or carriages, and many streets were narrow. In the morning, midday, and in the late afternoon, they often became congested—walking could even be faster than riding a carriage." Ah, yes. Elean thought it over and found the explanation convincing, having encountered similar situations in numerous cities. Trier is still better. When Emperor Roscel was renovating the old town, he showed great foresight in expanding the roads—something that remains sufficient even today. Just as Eileen had formed this thought, she suddenly heard the draft horse snorting, as though in pain. "Hold on," the driver said, stopping the carriage and stepping down himself. Eileen hadn't noticed anything unusual at first, but when she glanced at the corner of her eye, she saw it was a quiet alley with no one around. Her heart instantly tightened, and without hesitation, she surged forward, breaking through the carriage roof and rolling out onto the street. Whether this was an overreaction or not, she felt it was essential to act. At that moment, a deep, sudden fear surged within her, as though she were being watched by a creature starved and desperate. This spiritual pressure made her hesitate, unwilling to act hastily. Then, she heard a low voice: "I will not harm you. I have a few questions to ask." Eileen's thoughts raced, swiftly weighing the various options available to her. Instead of blindly retreating under the immense, overwhelming pressure, she settled back into her seat. She intended to adjust her plans incrementally, depending on the situation. The carriage door opened, and the lean, sturdy native driver stepped in, taking the seat opposite Eileen—none other than "Faceless" Kline. ——He had specifically practiced how to handle horses and vehicles in order to embody the role of a driver, a skill that the Tingen Vale Night Watch team had not yet fully mastered. Due to the pressing time constraints, his proficiency remained only partial, so he relied on the subtle presence of his "Crawling Hunger" to successfully calm and guide the horses. Meanwhile, Daniz, who had been concealed nearby, hurried over and took the driver's seat, taking control of the vehicle. His round-brimmed felt hat was low on his head, and his appearance was that of a genuine driver. Eileen remained alert, slightly bending her posture, ready to spring into action like a leopard at a moment's notice. She felt the man across from her gaze slowly sweeping over her forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, neck, chest, waist, and legs, making her extremely uncomfortable. She had seen this kind of gaze, this manner of appraisal, before—during her time in Intis, in Trier, and while traveling by sea—typically associated with rough, unpleasant types, driven by lust. Yet this time, she found herself strangely unoffended. She didn’t feel disrespected, nor did she think he intended to tear away her clothes or imagine some unusual scene between them. Instead, it felt more like he was studying a meal—as though a cold, smooth snake were gliding along her skin. Finally, Eileen could bear it no longer and spoke up: "What would you like to ask?" Eileen paused for a few seconds, then firmly shook her head in denial. She furrowed her brows, puzzled and asked, "Did you perhaps find the wrong person?" "He's a wealthy businessman, one who enjoys collecting—have you heard of such a person from Tracie?" Klein asked again. Tracie... Eileen sighed quietly and replied seriously, "No, she never mentioned a businessman who enjoys collecting." Klein looked steadily into the red-haired woman's eyes, speaking calmly and evenly, "Then does her room contain ancient documents from the southern continent's Baylang Empire?" "No, she doesn't enjoy reading such materials at all. She hates books—she even has to have me read novels aloud to her." Eileen offered a wry smile as she spoke. "What kind of novels does she like?" Klein asked, maintaining his steady tone. "The classics by Roselle, and the current romance novels." Eileen answered openly. Klein nodded. "Does she have a dedicated collection room?" "Yes, but except for her and a few mysterious visitors, no one else can enter—including me," Eileen recalled. Klein remained silent for a few seconds, maintaining his posture and said: "Tell me your story." "Mine?" Eileen pointed to herself in surprise. Klein nodded gently and didn't repeat himself. Eileen paused a moment, then said: "My story is quite simple. My father was a member of the former royal family of Intis, the Soren lineage, and inherited a substantial fortune. However, he became deeply immersed in alcohol, mistresses, marijuana, and gambling, eventually leading to bankruptcy. To settle his debts, I accepted certain conditions from the family and became a special one—later, I embarked on a career as a sea merchant." PS: Finally, I've recovered now—considered fully healed. Since I had no backup drafts, this chapter is a bit shorter and hasn't been revised yet. I'll need to catch up on the drafts over the coming days.