After leaving the "Sweet Lemon" bar, Caine headed straight back to the hotel. As he was packing his luggage, a massive white skeletal messenger suddenly materialized. It had intended to gently tap Caine on the shoulder, but due to its nearly four-meter height and head passing through the ceiling, the gesture failed. It could only throw the letter forward and then dissolve and vanish on its own. Mr. Azk had finally responded—this had been nearly a week in the making… Is the messenger perhaps a new one? It's so much like the original, making appropriate reminders… Caine caught the letter and unfolded it: "I'm sorry it took us until today to respond. "Perhaps because the memories I've regained have exceeded the limits of my physical endurance, I've been asleep for several days, adjusting to the change. "The situation you described indeed aligns well with the characteristics of the 'Thief's Path'; their corresponding Sequence 4 is called the 'Parasite,' and all sequences above that possess extraordinary abilities to parasitize within a human host." As far as I know, there are two forms of parasitism: "In the second state, there is no way to circumvent the dialogue between the 'parasite' and the 'host,' yet there is still an opportunity for clearance—by relying on the 'host's' faith in a particular object. I find it difficult to accurately describe this phenomenon to you; I can only tell you that when the 'host' opens their heart and prays, the object of their faith becomes aware of the presence of the 'parasite' and, through certain rituals, provides feedback, ultimately achieving separation or elimination. Of course, the precondition is that the 'host' themselves has no clear awareness of what will unfold; otherwise, the 'parasite' would inevitably become alert and intervene... Isn't this precisely what happened to the little 'Sun' back then? He prayed to me in a state of confusion, and I observed the presence of Amun's manifestation, then concealed my intentions, teaching him esoteric rituals—through which I successfully purified the 'parasite.' Now, Klein has a deeper understanding of that earlier event. Yet, at present, I am still unable to determine exactly which state the poet is in." In Tingen, he would occasionally speak to himself—this might have been the first sign of a parasitic state. But the issue was, this had now gone on for several months, and perhaps by now the 'parasite' had already achieved complete control. "We must first verify this situation before deciding what to do; otherwise, blind dreaming will only allow the 'parasite' to detect our intentions early, making the problem more serious and harder to resolve." "If it's the second parasitic state, the poet worships the goddess, yet the goddess has millions of followers—she's unlikely to pay special attention to a non-眷者, non-saint like the red gloves." "My own role as the 'Fool' is different—every time I pray, I make sure to check in, often providing one-on-one service." "This is precisely the state of the 'startup phase'." While thinking about it, Kline found himself suddenly moved, with a touch of nostalgia and reflection. He had originally intended to entrust "Moon" Emlyn with discreet monitoring of Leonard Mitchell, to determine whether he frequently whispered to himself. However, considering that the "Spark" gloves matter had already brought Emlyn into Leonard's awareness—and likely into the eyes of the "parasite"—making him a likely target for vigilance and investigation, he ultimately set aside this plan with sound judgment. "The 'Magician' lady is only ranked 8—just a 'Master of Illusions,' not yet capable of monitoring both an Angelic 'Parasite' and the Red Glove. Her identity as the 'Justice' lady is a strong cover, and she too is a devoted follower of the Goddess; however, the issue is that she has returned to her family's territory and won't be back in Beckland until June. The 'Hanged Man' gentleman and the 'Hermit' lady are currently at sea, and even the small 'Sun' has lost connection with the outside world. The members of the Tarot Circle still aren't sufficient, and their respective outlying networks are underdeveloped—there simply aren't enough suitable candidates I can find to help me carry out this task." "Among the people I know, Miss Sharon should be the most skilled and discreet in carrying out such tasks—yet now I can't reach her, not even through Miss the Magician or Emlyn... Ah, back then, when we fled from Beckland, we were so hurried that we didn't think ahead about what came next." Caine rubbed his temple, recalling that Leonard was one of the elite 'Red Glove' night-watchmen, under the watchful eyes of senior stewards and the Church. The 'parasite' wouldn't dare to make any significant moves in the near term. Therefore, he decided to set this matter aside for now and address it once he had a suitable ally. Perhaps after I've fully absorbed the potion, journeyed to the eastern shores of Sunia to meet the mermaids, completed my promotion, and returned to Beckland—then personally take up the matter. With such experience, Caine made no further hesitation and swiftly resolved to act. “You said Admiral Emirius is setting off today for Bayam?” He held his cigar, rose to ask. His assistant, Sotós, nodded gently. “Just half an hour ago, his fleet departed the harbor, heading toward the Rosted Islands.” “Ah…,” Bilt exhaled, not hiding his relief, confirming that the Admiral had not blamed him. Thinking of how, within just four days, the stand-in, Germán Sparo, had caused such severe losses among the General’s guard—had removed the Admiral’s brother from his governorship, injured the Secretary, and claimed the life of his mistress in the villa—Bilt found himself doubting his own capabilities. Though the blame for these incidents may not have fully rested on Germán Sparo’s shoulders, their cumulative impact still felt like the hallmark of a reckless adventurer. At the very least, he had been extraordinarily unlucky. As the one who had recommended and hired Germán Sparo, Bilt believed he could not escape the consequences and that the Admiral would surely hold him accountable. "Sir, you are no mere mortal—you've remained clear-headed amid your fury. Praise be to the Lord; may the storm be with us." Billt raised his right fist and struck his left chest. At that moment, one of his subordinates hurried back. "Sir, General Gorman Sparrow's gone!" the subordinate reported in a hurried tone. Billt furrowed his brows. "Gone?" "Yes! After checking out, he carried his luggage, walked around the streets several times, and then simply vanished!" the subordinate said plainly. Monitoring an adventurer capable of transforming into anyone is no easy task... Billt sighed. "That's it. We needn't search for him anymore." ... Arriving by carriage at the Orlavi Medical Aid Foundation, Caine entered once again. The registration officer remained the same lady, Juanita, who looked up and asked, "Would you like to volunteer?" "Yes," Caine nodded seriously. Juanita produced a form and asked smoothly, "Name?" Caine smiled and replied, "Sinbad Warren." …… The weather in East Chester in April was pleasant, the vegetation lush and the scenery beautiful—ideal for hunting. Audrey wore a fitted black riding suit, her head protected by a helmet, riding alongside her chestnut mare as she pursued bright-feathered wild chickens. With a sharp *crack*, she released an arrow that struck its mark precisely. Now a "psychologist," her physical condition had noticeably improved, and thanks to her early training in shooting, she was proficient with both firearms and bows. A golden figure leapt forward, swiftly seizing the lifeless prey—none other than the large dog, Susie. "Well done," Audrey smiled brightly, raising her hand in a graceful clap toward Susie. Yet now she was clear that accumulating contributions was itself a process of integrating into the "psychological alchemy circle," earning greater trust, and laying a solid foundation for future access to higher-tier potion recipes. Thus, she patiently engaged in those activities—some interesting, others rather mundane. Of course, Odile had not wasted these two months either. She consistently listened to the words of noble youths and personal maids, guiding them to express their concerns and helping them overcome negative mental states, effectively fulfilling the role of a "psychological physician." In this process, she gradually discovered that through listening, observing, and guiding, she had unconsciously come to understand the personality flaws and habitual thought patterns of those around her. She now believed that, should she need to confront any one of them, she could skillfully make them suffer—either to the point of failure or even collapse—without leaving a trace, or even subtly encourage them to proactively support her own objectives. No doubt, this is actually quite terrifying—like a monster from myth said to command the human soul... As she reflected, Audrey quietly murmured a sigh in her mind. Smyn, who wasn't very used to riding horses, carefully scanned the surroundings. "Professor Michelle from Storn University is a collector. We hope you can purchase a notebook from the twenty-year war period from him." The twenty-year war refers to the conflict between the Kingdom of Roon and the Empire of Fosak between the 621st and 642nd years of the Fifth Age, during which the Kingdom suffered defeat and lost the ancient Elven island—now known as Sunya Island. P.S.: I'd recommend a book—Hai Bo's "The Dream of the Cabinet"—a rather unusual title.