As she spoke, Eileen slightly lifted her gaze, as though drifting into memory: "At first, I sold the steel and coal transported from the western shore of Imaishi to Feneport, and then brought back the local specialties such as tobacco, coffee, and cocoa from there. This coastal route was relatively safe and highly competitive. To quickly escape my difficulties, I saved capital while steadily advancing in my rank, aiming to establish a thriving colonial trade operation. "Unfortunately, just as I began to grow familiar with the route and earned a solid profit, during my second journey to Xibian, I encountered Tracie—then still known as the 'Disease Maiden' rather than the 'Disease General'—who launched a raid on us. At that time, she had only one ship, yet she was exceptionally strong. Despite our relentless resistance, together with my partners, we were unable to prevent the loss." "She doesn't have a habit of killing indiscriminately—she only seizes the cargo, and, well, me..." No wonder she's such an outlier among the witches... Klein listened quietly, using his clown's ability to suppress the awkwardness, and asked expressionlessly, "How far have things progressed?" "No way!" Eileen protested, "It's all she's forced me to do! I don't want to die—I can only endure, and, and, she's a woman!" Madam, your reaction doesn't need to be this dramatic. If I asked you whether you'd already experienced something beyond friendship, wouldn't you have to leap off this chair? Perhaps I'm still somewhat kind—considering your sense of modesty, I haven't been quite as direct. Ah, the gentleman beneath the frantic Germaine Sparrow mask... That's the most authentic version of me. Klein's expression remained unchanged, and then asked, "What kind of cuisine do you prefer? Any particular dishes? Do you lean toward sweet, savory, or somewhere in between?" "What do you dislike about food?" What do you have allergies to? "Do you have any habits or quirks? If so, what are they?" "...?" These questions sounded to Élaine as though she were dreaming, as if they weren't quite real. She had never imagined someone would ask such questions—like a suitor inquiring about a person's preferences. No, no suitor would ever ask that! Such questions usually came gradually through casual conversation or were gathered from other sources. No woman would enjoy being questioned so directly! This was more like the questionnaire invented by Emperor Roscelin. What on earth did he want? He asked them all with such expressionless composure—she felt afraid. Élaine remained silent for several seconds, then responded one by one, under the steady, cold gaze of Cléry. Cléry kept his forward-leaning posture unchanged and continued: "How do you usually sit? Do you have any habitual gestures or movements?" The more Élaine answered, the more panicked and uneasy she became, with a strange sense that she might vanish altogether. Once the bewildering and unsettling "questionnaire" was completed, she felt a heavy weight settle in her chest, constantly doubting that she might face an unfavorable outcome. Should she take a chance and leap off the carriage when he wasn't looking? Elain seriously considered this possibility. Yet, he showed no signs of moving, which kept her indecisive and gave her hope that things might be resolved peacefully. Having gained a clear understanding of Elain's personality, habits, and interests, Cline redirected the conversation back to the topic of the "sickly knight": "What do you know about Tracy?" Elain remained silent, her lips moving several times without managing to speak. After the carriage had traveled for some time, she finally offered a wistful smile: "She possesses exceptional combat skills, excels in stealth and curses, and can both become invisible and lighten her body." "She mastered the technique of substituting mirrors and wands, as well as the powers of black flame and frost, enabling enemies within a certain range to suddenly fall ill—such as colds, pneumonia, or gastroenteritis. The longer one fights her, the more severe the illnesses become, with some extraordinary beings even dying suddenly from heart failure. She can also generate intangible threads to control her opponents. She has a deep understanding of the human body and can effortlessly induce pleasure through mere contact—particularly in that aspect. She possesses an active ability to enchant and captivate, to the point that many pirates willingly abandon resistance simply to get closer to her." "She's usually fairly kind, at least on the surface, but she's merciless to her enemies—she delights in shattering the things they hold dear, leaving them to suffer profound mental anguish...” Eileen didn't go into specific details about how Tracy had damaged others' cherished things—there were many harrowing stories and even some humorous mishaps. This "girl with the illness" had once incited a pair of enemies to kill each other, and had even orchestrated a betrayal by one of her rivals' wives, having the rival witness it firsthand. Indeed, she was a true sorceress—a Sequence 5 "Sorceress of Suffering," one level above "Joy." Kline had already grasped Tracy's combat style and calmly asked again, "Does she possess any magical artifacts?" "...Yes. There's a bracelet set with diamonds. As long as she wears it, Tracy becomes very difficult to harm." Eileen hesitated, yet still revealed the secret of the "Sorceress of Illness." Klein asked several more detailed questions, straightening slightly from his forward-leaning posture. "Is Tracy assisting the sorceress order in selling off people?" This had been a concern since he first heard it from "Ice Mountain Marshal" Edwena. The sorceress order has partnerships with Inns Zangwei, has ties to the royal family, and is linked to an underground ruin whose location remains unknown. Tracy is helping them sell people. Baron, who has been identified by the "Hanged Man" as orchestrating multiple slave disappearances and the sudden vanishing of native tribes across the southern continent, appears in the upper levels of that ruin. Furthermore, the extraordinary guards surrounding Capin, the largest human trafficking figure in Beckland, belong to the "Arbitrator" path—a path held in the hands of the royal families of Roon and Feneport, as well as the military establishments of both nations. Klein has pieced together these facts into a coherent narrative, yet he still does not know what revelations will emerge. Tracy, the "Disease Marshal," remains the key breakthrough. "Which sorceress order?" Elain asked, puzzled. "You don't need to know," Caine replied calmly. If you realize that the charming, delightful "disease general" who brings you pleasure was once a crude, wild man, I fear you'll lose your composure right then... Thank you, I'm a good person... Caine muttered this to himself. Eileen suppressed her questions and recalled, "Indeed, she has helped transport several shipments of slaves in the past year. The other party in the trade is Captain Conner Victor, the 'Mad Captain.' It's said he has deep ties with many population traders and slave merchants in Roon." Captain Conner Victor... Caine noted the nickname and name. He nodded, his voice no longer as low, but instead soft and gentle: "Have you ever been involved in something similar? Have you ever worked as a pirate?" The polite, warm tone unexpectedly made Daniz shiver, as if the more reserved and detached Germán Sparo were even more intimidating. "No," Eileen shook her head. "I carry the blood of the House of Thrain. I will not allow the family to be humiliated. Moreover, moreover, Tracie always said that she wouldn't let me be exposed to blood or darkness—she would face those things herself." She must have read too many romance novels... Caine pulled out a gold coin, letting it roll and dance between his fingers. He didn't look away from Eileen, performing a divination spell in front of her to verify whether she was being truthful. The result confirmed that she was still honest. Perhaps it's because I didn't specifically ask about her relationship with Tracie—otherwise, she wouldn't have been so open and candid... Caine mused quietly, then tucked the coin away. At that moment, the carriage had turned to the harbor, but not to the spot where Eileen had originally planned. Klein glanced out the window at the scenery, then produced a small metal bottle and handed it to Eileen. "Use the liquid to remove your makeup." "Why?" Eileen asked instinctively. "This isn't a question you should be asking," Klein replied, leaning forward again, his expression impassive. Eileen felt somewhat frustrated and angry, yet didn't want to escalate tensions with him at this crucial moment, so she opened the bottle, sniffed the scent, and tested for any toxicity. "Directly?" she asked. Klein simply nodded. Eileen took a white handkerchief, poured the liquid from the bottle onto it, and began wiping her face, quickly removing the previous disguise. The neutral beauty vanished, and the contours of her face softened, revealing her true self to Klein. After studying her carefully, Klein spoke calmly. "Remove your hat and let your hair down." Eileen's brows furrowed suddenly, as if she sensed an unwelcome command was coming—perhaps something as drastic as undressing. She took a deep breath, removed her hat, and let her piled red hair cascade down, instantly appearing graceful and delicate. Crain straightened his posture, leaned back against the carriage wall, and spoke calmly: "You can redo your earlier disguise." Madness! After all this fuss, they were back to square one? Eileen could only watch in silent frustration, fearing another unpleasant request, so she quickly opened her trunk, pulled out a mirror, and checked her appearance. She had undressed so thoroughly—she paused, then swiftly reapplied makeup and combed her hair. When the carriage came to a halt, she had once again transformed into a handsome young man. Crain gave a barely perceptible nod, turned his head to glance out the window, and slowly added, "One final question." "What?" Eileen asked, her voice tense. Klein lifted his line of sight slightly, his facial muscles twitching. "How large is your chest, really?" "...”Eileen was first startled, then her face flushed—not the shy flush of embarrassment, but the kind that signaled she wanted to punch the man's jaw. Klein met her gaze steadily, calmly adding, "This is an academic question." "...”Seeing no hint of desire in his eyes, Eileen took a deep breath and closed her eyes to answer the question. Klein quietly exhaled, then produced a ticket and a stack of papers. "New identification documents, and a ticket to the port of Thiana. Once you arrive there, purchase a ticket to the port of Priz." Eileen glanced at him with cautious alertness, took the ticket and documents, and with her suitcase, carefully stepped down from the carriage, finally seeing the ship she would board. Klein followed behind her, watching her depart, and in his peripheral vision, noticed that Daniz was struggling hard to suppress a smile.