After waiting nearly ten minutes outside the great chapel, Caine and the other attendees of the lunar Mass followed the priest into the interior. Amid the dim, serene atmosphere, they were met by a clear, rhythmic chanting: "The crimson full moon rises, illuminating the earth, 'All are immersed in sweet dreams, dreaming of themselves, dreaming of parents, wives (husbands), and children—this is eternity...' (Note 1)" As the holy, measured voices resonated layer upon layer, the congregants gradually settled into a state of calm, as though they had forgotten their daily worries and no longer concerned about the myriad challenges of the world. Under the guidance of several priests, they found their seats. Before the altar, Bishop Elektra, who was presiding over the great Mass, held the Book of the Night's Revelation and began a simple sermon. When this moment drew to a close, the priests took up the water and bread and distributed them to Caine and the others—this was the favor of the night, the shared meal of the living and the departed. Caine, who had not yet dined, naturally did not waste the ordinary loaf of bread or the water in his cup. Then he saw the candles on the altar one by one lighting up, glowing like stars in the darkness, radiating a comforting light and warmth. At that moment, Bishop Elektra, accompanied by the priests and the entire choir, once again rose in unison to chant: “We will lift our eyes to the night sky, and gently call upon His name: ‘Goddess of Night!’ No other words shall be spoken, but may the Goddess, during the intervals when the angels sing, gather them together with sweet silence, and hold them gently in the tender grasp of her right hand. ‘Goddess!’” If He hears, He will surely respond, "He will surely reveal a pure smile to the departed: 'Come, rest, sleep, my children!' " (Note 2) The quiet, sacred voice seeped into the ears of every believer, resonating with the spirits present, as though uniting all souls in harmony. As a remarkable being of Sequence 5, Caine himself felt as though his spirit were being cleansed, his spiritual essence flowing naturally and calmly. Then, before him, a serene darkness seemed to unfold—silent, utterly still. Within that darkness, bodies lay in peaceful repose, pale yet calm, as if they had not truly passed away but merely entered a deep sleep. Caine walked steadily through this darkness, his mind calm and composed, until he suddenly paused and turned toward the diagonally opposite direction. There, where the moon quietly bloomed, several people slept. They were Dunning-Smith, without hats, wearing their windbreakers; old Neil, still in his black classical robes; and Cohen-Li, short in stature, diligently saving money. They relaxed, eyes closed, with a faint, gentle smile at the corners of their mouths. Around them stood one stone memorial after another, each inscribed with the same word: "Guardian." Cain closed his eyes, and the holy, ethereal voice echoed in his ears: "Cross your hands," "Place them upon your chest," "Make the silent prayer," "And in your heart, call out: 'The only destination is peace!'” (Note 3) Cain lowered his head, eyes closed, raised his hands, crossed them over his chest, and silently repeated: "The only destination is peace!" "The only destination is peace!" ...again and again, until the great prayer hall grew utterly still. Only then did Cain open his eyes, gently rubbing the corners of his eyes with his hands. He exhaled slowly, glanced to his left and right, and, with the light from the candlestand, observed that most of the congregants were wiping tears from their faces without realizing it—indeed, even his personal servant, Richard, had lost his composure, tears continuously streaming down his cheeks without attempting to wipe them. The Moon Mass felt more like a ritual—one imbued with extraordinary power—designed to resonate with each individual's spirit, enabling people in the darkness to see close relatives who had passed, to release their grief, and to find peace... Yes, this was not a phenomenon exclusive to the extraordinary; I can now be reassured. For ordinary people, this would simply be a fleeting illusion and an outpouring of inner emotion, attributing greatness to the goddess without questioning the presence of supernatural forces. The Sequence 5 of the "Night" Path appears to have made significant progress in spiritual mastery. Klein drew his gaze back and formed his judgment in his mind. Immediately afterward, he recalled that darkness once again, and the souls lying within the moon. Closing his eyes, Caine allowed his thoughts to wander: "Is that vast expanse—studded with moons, night-scented herbs, and the deep, sleeping darkness—some manifestation of the goddess's divine realm? And what then corresponds to the source of danger in the god-war ruins at night?" Gradually, in his mind, Caine began to visualize the cool twilight he had seen on the easternmost edge of the Sunia Sea, and the mist that hovered above the sea's surface. Within that mist stood ancient, black spires of churches, crows circling and lingering above them—like mourners, like mourners in tribute—while ordinary homes, simple wooden cottages, gray-white mills, and faint silhouettes of people dotted the surrounding landscape. By rights, this misty scene—so intimately linked with night and dreams—should have been formed by the lingering essence of the goddess or the devouring wolf Freygar, yet it bears not the slightest resemblance to the corresponding divine realm... Hmm, mortals cannot perceive the gods; perhaps that dark plain dotted with grass that I just saw wasn't actually a projection of the divine realm, but rather a byproduct of the ritual itself... As the moonlit mass was drawing to a close, Caine reached into the inner pocket of his garments and withdrew his wallet. Holding the leather folder, he rose and walked down the corridor, eventually reaching the altar, where he paused before the offering box, guided by the bishop Elektra’s gentle and compassionate expression. With a steady clockwise motion on his chest, he drew the red moon, then deposited all his large-denomination bills into the box. A total of three hundred pounds! At this moment, Caine felt no pang of reluctance or hesitation as he had in previous instances—his heart was calm and composed—because he recalled the ritual when old Neil had returned his debt. On that occasion, under the protection of the goddess, they found a wallet containing over three hundred pounds in cash. Stepping back, he drew a crimson moon again and yielded his place to the donor behind. At that moment, Bishop Elektra approached actively, drawing a red moon four times in a clockwise motion as she spoke: "May the goddess protect you." "May the goddess know that right now, what I most desire is to listen to her teachings," said Caine with a smile. Bishop Elektra glanced toward the side exit of the prayer hall: "If you don't mind waiting for a while, I can give you a sermon in the library." "That is exactly what I have longed for," said Caine warmly. Bishop Elektra then promptly sent a priest to guide the household of Daven Tanet out through the side passage from the main prayer hall, around to the library near the spiral staircase. Here stand one after another large bookshelves, filled with various scriptures related to the Church of the Goddess of Night, and tables and chairs are arranged on either side for priests and bishops to study and preach to the faithful. Fifteen minutes later, Bishop Elektra entered the reading room with a calm, reassuring smile, spotting Daven Tan-Tsai, his hair now whitened and refined in demeanor, standing before a row of bookshelves, intently flipping through a scripture, exuding the quiet grace of a scholar. "What are you reading?" she asked with a smile. Well, lightning isn't within the goddess's domain… Klein reassured himself mentally. Bishop Elektra smiled, took the Book of the Night's Revelation, and said, "From now on, it's not too late." She then invited Doane Thonstad to a table, where she systematically explained the structure of the Book and its key sacred utterances. Richardson, holding his employer's hat and cane, sat a little farther away, quietly waiting while also listening intently to the bishop's sermon. Time passed steadily, and suddenly, Klein, who had seemed so attentive, felt a surge of inspiration. Images of the scene outside naturally unfolded in his mind—his intuitive sense, sharpened by the "clown," amplified by the gray mist! Outside, an elderly man dressed in a clerical black robe passed by, heading toward the spiral staircase nearby. His white hair was still fairly dense, though untidy and uncombed, giving him a rather disheveled appearance. His face was lean, as though his skin were directly enveloping his bones, with a notably cold demeanor and an unusually pale complexion. His eyes were a rare, pure black. The figure soon vanished through the doorway, and gradually, footsteps from a distance grew louder. An internal guard! But not the one I encountered earlier in the Great Chapel—ah, perhaps it's his shift today? Caine focused intently on Bishop Elektra, appearing deeply absorbed in contemplating the contents of the sacred texts. He didn't find it surprising that an internal guard appeared at this time, passed through the library, and entered the chapel—given that the seal's power behind the Charnel Gate reaches its peak at night, making it unsuitable for living beings. Thus, internal guards typically enter at dawn and depart at dusk. And now, it's just fully dark. Remember today's date, the day of the week... and gradually gather more information, becoming familiar with the internal wardens' shift patterns, so that you can assume the right role at the right time. Klein regained his focus, listened attentively, and after half an hour rose to leave. He smiled warmly at Bishop Elektra and asked, "I wonder if I'll still have the privilege of hearing you preach in the future?" "Absolutely not a problem," the Bishop replied, unable to refuse the wealthy patron who had just donated 300 pounds. In fact, she nodded with genuine enthusiasm. "As long as you come to church and I have time." Klein did not press for further details, wishing to avoid raising suspicion, and simply expressed his sincere gratitude before departing with his personal servant, Richard. He returned home and was still not past eight o'clock, just in time to enjoy dinner and spend the remainder of the day leisurely. ... Late at night, in the master bedroom. Klein, who had been asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. His spiritual intuition told him that someone had broken into his house!