Once Caine had finished speaking, Albe asked a few more targeted questions based on his description, checking whether certain details matched. Without a doubt, he received satisfactory answers. "Thank you for your cooperation. I hope you have a restful night," Albe smiled, rose, and bowed, at the same time using his "nightmare" ability to subtly influence Doane Thénardier so that upon waking, he would only vaguely remember the general nature of his dream, unable to recall its specifics. Having completed all this, he turned and walked toward the door, turned the handle, and left the dream behind. Indeed, the "night-watchers" still place too much faith in the power of "nightmares." If I were in charge of this matter, I would certainly have designed a series of questions from various angles and perspectives, cross-referencing them to uncover inconsistencies and gaps. Ah, the best approach would be to collaborate with Miss Justice, preparing several professional psychological assessment questionnaires for the target to complete entirely within his dreams. If he is attempting to conceal anything, there would surely be contradictions between his actual psychological state and the image he wishes to project—unless, of course, he himself is a psychological expert capable of recognizing the underlying intent of each set of questions. Kline leaned back against the sofa, his gaze fixed on the window. In the hazy gray and black landscape, the gas streetlamps emitted a dim, pale glow, casting a solemn, eerie stillness around. Kline watched quietly for several seconds, then gently curved his lips into a self-mocking smile. And beneath the Saint Samuel Church, upon seeing Albe awaken normally and hearing his report, Leonard first exhaled a sigh of relief, then grew increasingly wary of the immortal Quaternary monster. He involuntarily recalled the days spent at the afternoon town camp, when he encountered only a handful of human beings each day—most of the time confined within sturdy yet cramped buildings, while outside, monsters remained hidden in darkness, emerging again and again, swept away only to reappear from unknown places. This constant cycle left every member of the exploration teams with a deep, intrinsic sense of helplessness, as if no matter how hard they tried, true security remained elusive, and they could never feel at ease, always having to give their utmost effort without the slightest relaxation. No ordinary creature could sustain such a state of high alert and vigilance for long. Thus, Silver City established a well-developed rotation system. The journey back from the afternoon town to Silver City did not take the first exploration team long, but subsequent isolation, observation, and rest periods were inevitable. Only today had Deric finally adjusted, feeling confident that his mental state could withstand the negative impact of the promotion process. He had previously reported to "Chief" Colin Iliad that he had obtained the potion formula from the "Notary" and was granted the right to exchange this achievement for the corresponding extraordinary materials—specifically, the tail feathers of the Qilin bird. As for the things he owed to "the Moon," they had already been gathered through patrols around the town during the afternoon and were now being passed on to the recipient via the "Fool." With his promotion, he now qualified to select a magical item of non-high sequence... Daryl thought of this with a touch of quiet anticipation, quickening his pace and making his way to the Twin Towers in the city's northern district. Although the material storehouses and magical items were housed within the Round Tower, under the watchful eye of the "Six-Body Council," Daryl's destination was the Spire, as it housed the merit exchange point. As he was about to enter the Spire, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he instinctively raised his gaze toward the upper levels of the Round Tower, where he spotted a woman in a robe of deep black with purple patterns standing behind a window, gazing down at him. She had silvery wavy hair, pale gray eyes, and a striking face—none other than Loïva, one of the members of the "Six-Party Council," the "Shepherd!" Upon making eye contact, Loïva's gaze seemed to penetrate right through to one's soul, yet her expression remained unchanged; she merely nodded slightly, as if greeting. She wasn't greeting me—she was greeting the person standing behind me. It suddenly struck Dricik. This insight had grown gradually through the experience and teachings he had received from the Tarot Circle members. He nodded in response, returned his gaze naturally, and walked steadily into the tower. During this period, he has been extremely comfortable here, receiving high honors as a special envoy bringing military supplies, grain, and a few exceptional materials. Each day, he has either been drinking wine and feasting on meat or boasting and hunting, and he has even been invited to witness the ritual in which the "Sea God" bestows blessings upon his devotees. After observing these events, he suddenly gained a clear insight: Bayam, or indeed all the colonies, would experience intense conflicts that would only subside after several decades or even centuries. Therefore, Daniz decided that on his next visit, he would sell most of his properties in Bayam, keeping only one or two, and then look for opportunities to purchase homes in the capital of Intis, Trier, the capital of Ruhn, Bekland, and in other serene, picturesque rural areas. This would allow him to return to his hometown of Nocie to visit his father and mother—perhaps he could reduce the number of houses he buys and instead establish a vineyard for them. Daniz once again waved warmly to the enthusiastic rebels. He immediately straightened his posture and proudly addressed "the necktie" Yodsen: "Where is the captain? I'd like to report on what's happened since then." Yodsen scoffed: "Of course, in the captain's quarters." Meanwhile, he inwardly muttered: "Diniz has grown increasingly proud since he's formed a connection with Germaine Sparrow! But that wild adventurer is truly formidable—how he managed to successfully hunt down 'The Blood Above' is astonishing!" "Hey," Diniz chuckled, entering the cabin with a slightly reluctant stride, and greeted "The Ice Admiral" Edwena Edwards. He instantly set aside his challenging demeanor, bowed slightly, and smiled: "Captain, I've completed my mission." "Please tell me the details," Edwena said, setting down her book. Danzel had been well-prepared, offering a detailed account of his experiences during this period and emphasizing his own role more than necessary, concluding with: "Captain, I encountered Germain Spalro. He asked me to inquire whether the remains of the elven singer Chastas and that golden goblet show any anomalies." Edwenna did not immediately respond. Instead, she rose and walked to the corner of the captain's cabin, where a black wooden chest stood. ——"The Golden Dream" would not reach Sunia Island until after this voyage, so Chastas and Mobert's remains remained aboard, carefully stored in a specially prepared chest by Edwenna. Bending slightly at the knee, half-kneeling, Edwenna opened the chest, revealing the interwoven remains arranged within. The golden goblet, mostly flattened, lay quietly within a hand of white bone, showing no signs of irregularity. "No anomalies," Edwenna concluded. Danzig leaned in, took down the answer, and prepared to report it to the great "Fool" when no one was around, asking Him to pass it on to the madman Germaine Sparrow. "...No abnormalities?" Above the gray mist, Caine slightly furrowed his brow, half puzzled, half reassured. According to his assessment, the probability that the golden wine cup was at fault was quite high; the absence of any anomalies came as a bit of a surprise, though he found the answer quite pleasing, since he didn't want to disturb the peaceful sleep of Chastel and Mobert. Perhaps an additional catalytic condition was needed? Hm, hope to always find one... Caine murmured to himself, then turned his gaze toward the volume, "The Travels of Grozsel," stacked among the clutter. Due to the lack of a means to enter the collective unconscious and because his recent focus had been on the Antigonos family's notes, he had postponed his second attempt at exploring the world within the book. Huff—Caine exhaled, shifted his gaze, and prepared for this week's Tarot gathering. It was exactly three o'clock in Beckland time. A deep red glow illuminated the sides of the weathered long table, solidifying into hazy, distinct figures. Audrey was as cheerful as usual—indeed, even more so—since her brother, Hiberth Hall, had sent a telegram confirming that the 10% share in the Beckland Bicycle Company had been finalized at a total value of twelve thousand gold pounds. Moreover, she didn’t need to return to Beckland to sign the documents; she had already signed a full power of attorney in the presence of two lawyers before her brother departed. All she now needed to do was wait for everything to be completed and then sign a confirmation document with him. With a graceful lift of her lips, Audrey stood and addressed the figure veiled in grey mist at the head of the bronze table: "Good afternoon, Mr. The Fool~" May Mr. The Fool bless us with a clue from the dream-bell tree fruits... she silently prayed. One after another, they greeted each other and took their seats. "The Hidden One," Gauthier, did not disappoint Klein's expectations, once again lowering her gaze with the hesitation that seemed to prevent her from meeting his eyes directly. "Sir 'The Fool,' I have three pages from the Emperor Rossel's journal this time." Has the 'Mysterious Queen' still not uncovered the clue regarding the Emperor's assassination...? She continues to rely on the journal provided by 'The Hidden One'... Unfortunately, I've been mostly stationed within my family's territories recently, with limited contact to the Psychological Alchemy Society, so I haven't managed to secure any new journal entries... Hmm, I'll visit the Foundation for Antiquities Collection and Preservation soon—perhaps they have some new finds. "Justice" Odile listened intently by the side. "The Fool" Klein smiled and said, "That's excellent. You might consider making the request." In truth, I know the 'Mysterious Queen' has already informed you of this matter—I'm simply curious about what she's up to in Beckland. Klein's thoughts drifted slightly. Soon, the "Hermit" materialized the three pages of journal and presented them to the "Wise Man."