After hearing the "Hangings" recount his story, Crain inevitably found himself recalling the "Red Angel" Medici, and the malevolent spirit within the underground ruins. Yet, he did not share the findings of this expedition—first, it was not yet necessary, and second, the matter involved Miss Sharon. As for the other members, they had already been informed of the destruction of Bancesh Port; the "Hangings" had offered no new information, so there was no immediate desire to respond. Seeing that no one had spoken, Aljer glanced briefly at the "World," then turned away, speaking calmly: "It's your turn now." The "Hermit" Gadeleia immediately turned her head to look at the "Magician" Folshe: "Madam, do you have any further information about Mr. the 'Door'? I am willing to pay the appropriate fee." Folshe, who had originally intended to keep her questions private, hesitated suddenly upon hearing the latter part of the sentence, her expression wavering. Compensation—I have no idea how much the "Reclusive" lady might offer me… I know rather little about the "Gate" gentleman myself… partly due to the words of the " Fool." The "Magician" Folshe again looked toward the head of the bronze long table and said: "Esteemed Sir Fool, may I speak?" Since, every full moon, he sees her, Klein knows the "Magician" lady is not particularly well off, so he smiled and nodded: "Certainly." Folshe breathed a silent sigh of relief and then turned to the "Reclusive" lady, Gauthier. "Five hundred pounds—please arrange for a private conversation." Gauthier made no counterproposal, but thought for a moment and said: "No, just proceed. Speak plainly." She hoped that the other members, upon hearing the "Magician" lady's account, would recall more about the "Gate" gentleman. Vorth nodded, weighing his words. "I once received a magical object that enables one to traverse the spirit realm. However, after using it, whenever the full moon or blood moon appears, I hear strange murmurs—murmurs that bring an almost uncontrollable pain. As the 'Knight of the Fool'先生 explained, these murmurs originate from the 'Gatekeeper'先生." She paused briefly, adding, "He might be reaching out in need." Indeed, Vorth had been silently enduring such pain... yet she always appeared so content, so fully immersed in life. While 'Justice' Odile instinctively felt compassion for her friend, she also reflected on how she had failed to effectively utilize her 'audience' ability to notice Vorth's subtle signs. The magical object for spirit realm travel... the murmurs during the full moon... possibly a plea for help... In her mind, 'Wise One' Galadrienne repeated the key points of the 'Magician'’s words, satisfied, and nodded. "Thank you for your description." Her gaze swept over the other members, only to find that none of them reacted with any additional response. The free exchange continued without ripple, gradually drawing to a close. After watching each member depart and assisting them with the practical execution of several transactions, Caine returned to the real world, settled into the armchair with a sense of relaxed ease, and rested for a while. Then he walked to his desk, took out paper and pen, and wrote a letter to Sharon, informing her that the lucky pendant had been sold, leaving only the "Biological Toxin Vial" and the extraordinary trait of "The Madman." Folding the letter and writing in the address—126 Garth Street, Hillsdon, Mrs. Maria—he once again opened the iron cigarette box, allowing Senyor, the "Spirit of the Blood," to silently materialize beside him. This "spirit" appeared as a devoted personal servant, respectfully picked up the letter from the desk, and then vanished into the room. At a mailbox several blocks away, the letter appeared out of nowhere and settled inside. ……… East Chestershire, within the Hall family's castle. Audrey's bright eyes were unfocused on the mirror, her mind filled with the contents of *The Book of Secrets*. These fragments interwove to form a vivid, imagined book that appeared instantly upon recall and could be turned to any page at will through her intention. This was the result of Caine, having drawn upon a small measure of the mysterious spatial powers above the gray mist, combining the information bestowed with the "seer's" ability to recall dreams. The effect could last from one to two weeks—long enough for Audrey to read through *The Book of Secrets*, and if she needed to revisit any details, she could request further revelations. Suzy glanced cautiously left and right, sniffed thoughtfully, and then spoke: "That's the most standard move during dog training." But you're not quite a proper hunting dog, thought Audrey, smiling. "I thought you'd say something like, 'Audrey, I'm just a dog.'" Suzy replied seriously: "Repetition makes people catch onto your habits and inner thoughts." "Audrey, that's exactly what the psychology book says." ...Audrey found herself momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, she spotted her father, Lord Holborough, accompanied by his personal butler and a footman, ascending the castle stairs. Even though the weather outside was bright and sunny, the hall remained dim and shadowed, with several candleholders lit and set into the walls, casting a soft glow on the steps. "This castle is simply too old," she remarked. "I believe it needs a complete renovation." "The Earl casually complained to his daughter. Audrey nodded with grace: "Yes, dear Earl, that's precisely what I dislike about it—it makes me feel as though I'm slowly decaying." "But actually, I spend £13,000 every year maintaining this place," the Earl remarked with a smile. Audrey glanced at Suzy and smiled at her father. "Father, what is it you'd like from me?" The Earl pointed to the paper in the servant's hands. "A telegram from Beckland—someone is selling a 10% stake in the bicycle company. My dear, would you be interested? I believe this industry holds tremendous promise, and it's far from meeting even its minimum expectations." "Bicycles?" Audrey found the term unfamiliar, her eyes shifting slightly, her expression puzzled. The Earl smiled at his daughter. "A two-wheeled mechanical vehicle for human riding—think of it as the equivalent of a person's horse-drawn carriage." "In Roon, and in Beckett, the largest group isn't the nobility nor the merchants—it's the ordinary people engaged in manual labor. Among them, the next largest segment consists of those with greater technical skills and status—exactly the demographic that bicycle manufacturers target. These people represent a clear majority with solid purchasing power. Even if only 10% of them decide to buy bicycles, the company can still achieve remarkable growth. 'Yes, they hold the relevant patents,' Audrey believes in her father's judgment and understands the earl's vision well, nodding gently. 'So, what would be the approximate value of those 10% shares?" "Based on the initial investigation, Bakerland Bicycle Company is currently worth only £50,000, as the full momentum of product promotion and sales development still needs time to build. Therefore, it would be premature to simply assume that a 10% stake is worth only £5,000. My recommendation is an initial offer of £8,000, with a psychological floor of £15,000—I’ll personally handle this matter for you," Count Hall said succinctly. Around £10,000... I’ve nearly exhausted my cash this month... Audrey said, slightly embarrassed. "Father, I simply can’t come up with this amount right now, and selling off my stocks, real estate, or mineral assets—or waiting for their returns—would all take some time." "Count Hall chuckled heartily, 'No need to go to such lengths. Simply secure a short-term pledge of shares from either the Beckett Land Arms Group or the Prizm Commercial Shipping Company with the bank, and you'll have sufficient cash. Once the matter is settled, then pledge the bicycle company's shares on a long-term basis, using the proceeds to repay the earlier loans.' 'This way, you'll only pay a slightly higher interest rate for a couple of weeks to a fortnight, and the bicycle company's annual dividends will comfortably cover the interest on the long-term loan, allowing you to patiently wait for the value to appreciate—something that's highly likely.' Although Audrey hadn't received a full commercial or financial education, her father being a major bank executive made her familiar with such arrangements. After a brief thought, she nodded in understanding and asked, confirming, 'So, all I need to pay is two or three hundred pounds to acquire a 10 percent stake in the bicycle company?' 'Perhaps even a little less,' Count Hall smiled. Audrey understood her father’s intention. As the largest shareholder of Bavarian Bank and the fourth-largest shareholder of Beckland Bank, he had the means to secure her a short-term loan with reasonable interest. "Thank you, dear Count," Audrey smiled, lifting her skirt and bowing. Under the night moonlight, the sea was deep blue, nearly black, and Algier Wilson stood at the ship’s prow, gazing at the quiet, steady outline of Pasu Island. This was the headquarters of the Church of the Storm—the place favored by the True God! As a mid-level member of the Church, Aljer remembered having come only three times—once when he found the "Azure Avenger" and was promoted to "Navigator," once during last year's performance review, and once much earlier, when, as a mixed-race boy with deep blue hair, he was selected for the children's choir at the headquarters. Though he had no singing talent, he was quickly sent away and returned to the small church on his birth island, where the priest was notably harsh toward his subordinates. Whenever he recalled that experience, his expression grew notably serious, and his desire to rise in status became ever stronger. Amid the wind, the "Azure Avenger" moved quietly and steadily toward the harbor. ........ In the same night, Emlin White, dressed in a crisp suit and wearing a silk hat, crept to the outer courtyard of the manor of another noble bloodline, Rus Bartoli. He believed the other would soon take action, retrieve the bait, and for a vampire, such a night under the red moon was ideally suited for hunting. After an indeterminate length of time, Emlin's eyes suddenly brightened as he saw a figure leap silently from the window at the back of the house and land without a sound.