On a Saturday evening, at 8 o'clock. Caine arrived at the Mahert议员's home at 39 Berkland Street in just two minutes and a half, riding in his own elegant carriage. Glancing at the fountain, its water cascading against the illuminated lights, he began buttoning the buttons of his tailcoat as he stepped down from the carriage and walked steadily toward the main entrance of the house. Richardson, carrying a beautifully packaged bottle of South Wiltshire red wine, followed closely behind his employer. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Caine spotted Senator Morrie Mahert and his wife, Lady Liana, approaching. The former wore an olive-green uniform of a military officer, adorned with a bright orange sash and several medals—among the customs in the kingdom, active or retired officers often wear their uniforms to formal galas. The latter wore a yellow, non-stand-up dress, embellished with numerous frills and featuring a rare, refined lace pattern, differing from that of an unmarried lady, yet still revealing a fair neck and half of her shoulder. Caine took the bottle of Navel Red wine from his personal servant, Richardsons, presented it to the Member of Parliament, Mahert, and then bowed, saying, "I'm sorry, I've been a few minutes late." This is actually a common occurrence at Ruin banquets—guests would rather arrive late than early, since the host might still be making final preparations, and it would be inappropriate to entertain guests at that moment. Of course, delays are usually kept within ten minutes. Without Wahana's specific instruction on this matter, Caine would have politely arrived early. "No matter," Mahert said, glancing at the Navel Red wine in his hands, handing it to his own personal servant, and nodding gently. At Ruin's upper social circles, when attending a banquet hosted by someone for the first time, one must present the host with a small gift—wines are especially popular—but it's essential to remember that the first gift should be a domestic product. After greeting the host, Caine turned to Lady Lyana, noticing that she raised her right hand. He stepped forward, took her hand, and bowed slightly, kissing it gently: "Your light illuminated the entire ball." In the realm of Roon, it was a rare occasion at formal gatherings for a guest to offer such direct praise to the host without reservation. Unlike in Indest, where the customary hand-kiss required the lady to initiate the gesture, in Roon, failure to do so would be considered a serious breach of etiquette. "Your arrival has done the same," Lady Lyana replied with a smile. Then, the couple led Doun Tanghates through the hall arch into the main hall, where the melodic strains of music had already begun to resonate. A few steps ahead, Morit Machet pointed to a young woman dressed in a sky-blue gown. "My daughter, Heiru." Caine turned to gaze at the girl, and his eyes instantly narrowed. He recognized her! More precisely, he had seen her image before. When he asked Arōdes where he could find magical items capable of stealing others' extraordinary abilities, a scene portrayed by the "Mirror" showed an elegant young lady wandering through the sewers—none other than Hayōr Mākht, a lady with wavy, emerald-green hair and deep, bright brown eyes! Did she possess the magical item corresponding to the "Thief of Fire"? Given her family background, how could she be wandering through the sewers? Was this her remarkable encounter? Was she searching or waiting for something within the sewers? Had she already become an extraordinary being? How had she become one? Did a grandfather reside within her very body? Might that grandfather, like the "Defiler" Amon, sense the presence of the gray mist? Clain, wearing the skin of Dauin Tanghès, instantly found himself wondering numerous questions, yet remained composed, bowing gently to his chest and saying: "Good evening, Miss Hayōr." During this process, he glanced subtly at the face of Hai Rui'er Mahert and noticed that the young woman maintained a composed expression, her gaze proud, and only offered a polite smile in response: "Good evening, Monsieur Tang Taise." Her lack of any unusual reaction indicated that at least she was not perceiving the gray mist—whether or not she harbored the elderly gentleman's parasitism remained uncertain and would have to be observed further. Caine then sat up, took a glass of pale golden champagne from the tray carried by a serving attendant, and turned to engage in conversation with Mr. Morrie Mahert: "I didn't expect you to have once been a major." This was evident from the insignia on the gentleman's shoulder. If he had been a colonel, Caine would have suspected that he too was a special individual; but a major was not particularly remarkable. "Ah, that's nothing at all—there are so many opportunities to earn distinction in the eastern Bayland." "Mori Machet responded with humility, 'Of course, the climate there is quite unfamiliar—我一直向陆军高层建议，为东西拜朗地区设计专门的军装，摒弃传统的深色制服，否则军官们会觉得自己像烤架上的牛肉.' As for the enlisted personnel, they typically wear red tops and white bottoms." "Yes, the climate there is entirely different from that back home—even the Desei Gulf isn't quite so hot," said Kline, subtly indicating that he had visited the southern continent and one of the eastern or western Baylands, thus corroborating his earlier mention of a hunting expedition. After a few minutes of small talk, Senator Machet apologized and, with his wife, Liana, walked toward the staircase, reaching the second floor. At the railing directly facing the entrance, he raised his glass of red wine and said: "Thank you all for attending this evening's ball. First, let us praise the gods—source of all that is beautiful." He and Madame Liyan gently tapped their chests four times, softly praising the goddess, while the guests in turn expressed their own reverence for their respective deities. Member Mahert still held his glass aloft, smiling and continued: "Second, we praise the Kingdom—this is the foundation of stability." "Praise the Kingdom," said Caine, lifting his glass of champagne, joining the guests around him. Then, Mahert glanced around with a pleasant, inquisitive tone: "And finally, what should we praise?" Caine thought for a moment, then exclaimed with a bright smile: "Let us praise the improving air of Bekkanth." Mahert paused, visibly delighted, and responded: "Excellent—this is a splendid suggestion. Let us praise the improving air of Bekkanth, a symbol of our better lives. To health and well-being!" "Air quality improvement has been the consistent political principle of this Member of Parliament, and he has consistently championed relevant legislation across various platforms, playing a significant role in environmental enhancement. Thus, praising the improvement of Beckland's air quality is equivalent to honoring him—more subtle, yet more dignified. The guests warmly responded, raising their drinks. Immediately afterward, Member Mahert took Lady Liyan's hand and descended to the main hall, where they began their opening dance to a soft melody. The gentlemen began to seek out their first dance partners. Klein refilled his glass of champagne and leisurely surveyed the guests. Oh, Lady Mary has arrived as well... He glanced around and spotted a familiar face: Lady Mary, a major shareholder of Coyum Company, worth several thousand pounds, who had previously commissioned Sherlock Moriati to handle a scandal." She is a member of the Committee on Air Pollution, and it's entirely natural that she is close to the junior members who support this cause... Cline didn't try to invite her to dance, because now he is Daven Thantès and simply doesn't know any women beyond the neighborhood. He shifted his gaze, looking elsewhere, and spotted Héloïse Machet holding a glass of white wine, standing slightly apart, offering a somewhat reserved smile as she watched the men each settle on their chosen partners, preparing to dance. The lady was actually quite attractive—graceful and elegant, and should have been a star of the evening. Yet her aloof, slightly superior demeanor caused each man who had initially turned toward her to eventually shift their attention elsewhere. This gaze—I’ve seen it in certain exceptional ones who believe themselves no longer ordinary, who feel a strong sense of superiority when facing common people… Hmm, this suggests that Miss Haiyuer is likely exceptional indeed… Yes, if she weren’t exceptional, how would she dare wander through the underground passages? She’s a "thief" by path, isn’t she? Yet, how can she embody the grace of a "thief" or a "fraud" with such an air of lofty pride? It’s hard to imagine. As the couple’s opening dance was nearing its end, Caine began seriously considering whom to invite next. D’Ouen Thonard, in his early forties, had invited a young lady for his first dance—rather unorthodox, unless she were a clearly established younger relative. After all, the wives typically danced their first dances with their husbands. Ah, so he should invite someone he knew well—or perhaps the hostess herself. Caine scanned the dance floor and found only one lady familiar to D’Ouen Thonard: the etiquette teacher, Wahana. To invite her? No, she must have already known about the behind-the-scenes assistance. Inviting her to dance the first dance now would easily cause misunderstanding—perhaps even affect the harmony between her and her husband—and bring unnecessary complications for D'Artagnan's identity. I'm not a emperor who only loves a devoted wife; no, he has many preferences—whatever the case, if there's a need to avoid any appearance of favoritism, then that's what must be done. As克莱恩's gaze shifted, he noticed the music had changed—from gentle to lively. This was a popular folk tune from the central countryside of Rouen, beloved by the nobility and often paired with the first dance. With the shift in melody, the gentlemen began moving toward their chosen ladies or wives, yet克莱恩 observed that no one approached Haydée Machet. She is one of the hosts of the ball...and she can be observed up close...ah, if she truly belongs to the exceptional path of the "Theft" archetype, then it suggests that the Gray Mists also exert a certain "attractiveness" toward the "Seer" path...Caine smiled gently, moving steadily toward the proud young lady. "Miss Haygur, would you allow me to dance with you?" D'Orn D'Ante, whose hair at the temples had turned white, bowed with precise form. Haygur glanced at him, then remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "This is my pleasure." She then extended her hand. Caine politely took it, and they entered the dance floor, moving to the lively and spirited rhythm of the music. Gazing at her graceful yet expressionless face, Caine smiled with a touch of curiosity: "I've noticed several young gentlemen eager to dance with you, yet none have managed to muster the courage." "Hai Xiu'er slightly raised her head, her gaze sweeping across, saying, 'Mr. Tang Taise, this is not a polite topic.' ...Klein was suddenly caught off guard, unsure of how to continue."