Did you ask the Sir of the Fool for assistance? Really? Kadriya, the Lady of the Hidden One, was left utterly astonished. She had no doubt about the Sir of the Fool's stature or capabilities. After having endured her own trials and witnessing how his disciple, Germain Sparo, had grown increasingly formidable, she had long since ceased to question such matters. Even at the very beginning, when the Sir of the Fool had used ancient artifacts to draw her into this realm, thereby enabling her to evade the relentless pursuit of knowledge, she had already recognized him as at least a "Hidden Sage" or a "Primordial Moon"—a being seemingly in the process of revival, whose direct influence on the material world was constrained by various circumstances. What struck her most was the Fool's tangible, practical assistance to the members of the Tarot Order—not merely instruction in knowledge or the occasional convenient invitation. On one hand, it shows that I can directly ask the " Fool" for help at a moment of crisis—something far more dramatic than any ritual. On the other hand, it subtly suggests that the revival of the "Fool" is progressing faster than I had anticipated. The "Hermit" Gauthier instantly went through a series of thoughts. The "Justice" Odile, the "Sun" Deryck, and others were not surprised at all; they had each, to some extent, sought the "Fool's" assistance and witnessed the angels under the great presence of this remarkable being. When everyone's gaze turned to her, the "Moon" Emlyn slightly shrunk back, then raised her chin and said: "I have paid my dues. 'It's a matter of equivalent exchange!' "Equivalent exchange... yet the immediate response and meaningful return from such a great being is truly priceless!" The "Hermit" Gauthier quietly countered in her heart. She didn't directly state the reason because she also hoped, in the future, to have such an "equivalent exchange" opportunity—one that often meant she would live one more life than others! "Magician" Fotherstun found it puzzling that "The Moon" had so deliberately emphasized equivalent exchange, since everyone who had sought help from "The Fool" had already provided corresponding compensation! "The Moon" truly valued appearances—no, the bloodline, indeed. "Justice" Odile carefully observed the subtle shifts in "The Moon" Emlin's demeanor over a short period. The exchange continued, gradually drawing to a close. Back in Silver City, "The Sun" Deric first carefully recalled the strengths and weaknesses of "The Hierophant" as described by the "Person Suspended," before making his way once again to the twin towers in the city's northern district to select magical items. He had previously avoided doing this, as, following his promotion, he had been in an unstable state and feared that interacting with magical items might lead to a loss of control. Inside the circular tower, after completing the necessary procedures, Deric Berg presented his requirements, observed the items selected, and obtained the corresponding documentation. After careful reading and observation, he quickly narrowed his choices to two: one was "Cadri's Ring," modest in appearance, with a uniform iron-black hue and an intricate, somewhat obscure pattern etched upon it—belonging to a long-ago resident of the Silver City. It could help the wearer command and immobilize a target, induce a sense of stillness in the opponent, or temporarily drive a normal human to lose their senses, or awaken a touch of tenderness and memory in dormant, feral creatures, plunging them into a state of self-doubt and confusion within a short time, causing them to cease attacking. The other was "Thor's Roar," obtained from a once-thriving city now reduced to ruins. It was notably heavy, shaped like a massive hammer, with a deep,幽blue surface shimmering with silver-white electric currents, and its handle resembling a living creature's leg bone. In battle, it could emit a sound that instilled terror and chaos in the enemy—like Thor himself descending to earth and continuously roaring. Each strike carried a powerful destructive force, with thunderous lightning never absent. The downside of "Cadmus's Ring" is that the wearer gradually develops an unconscious second self, necessitating regular treatment from a "psychologist." If one or two sessions are missed, the issue becomes severe and difficult to resolve, ultimately leading to a loss of control as the two selves clash. In contrast, "Thor's Roar" presents a less critical risk—it merely accumulates irritability over time, which can be managed through regular expression of emotions. However, it has one additional drawback: the holder is guaranteed to be attacked by terrifying monsters from the depths of darkness whenever the environment is devoid of light. The attack probability is 100%. Seeing this statistic, Dric grew somber, realizing that several residents of Silver City have already vanished for this very reason. They were all former owners of "Thor's Roar." Which one should he choose? It's terrifying to create another "self"—Miss Justice mentioned that this is called personality fragmentation... "Thor's Hammer" doesn't only have the ability to affect enemies' conditions; it also possesses strong offensive power... My "Fury's Axe" has been used so frequently that it should deteriorate earlier than expected... I myself can emit light, so I needn't worry about absolute darkness... Dailik thought for a moment, then pointed his finger at the deep blue great hammer: "I'd like 'Thor's Hammer'." ... At 160 Berkland Street, as soon as Klein stepped out of his main bedroom, he spotted the butler Walter waiting outside, holding several invitations in hand: "Mr. Klein, there are three invitations this week—on Monday, for the afternoon tea on Wednesday, the literary salon on Friday, and the dinner on Saturday—each from different sources..." Klein listened gently and smiled warmly: "Please inform these kind hosts that I will be attending." "Certainly, sir." Walter bowed and left the third floor. Watching his silhouette fade into the stairwell, Kline quietly sighed inwardly: Such an invitation would soon need to be returned—within a week, it would be my turn to invite the neighbors to a ball or dinner. Only after several such back-and-forth exchanges could I truly enter their circles, be introduced to higher-level figures, and join different clubs. Ah, such introductions must surely rest on a solid financial foundation—someone without tangible value would never receive such an introduction. The social life of the upper echelons is truly cumbersome. At least another month would pass before I could even begin to meet the peripheral figures involved in the Beckland smog crisis. The Church, on the other hand, is far more accessible—provided one makes sufficient donations and demonstrates genuine devotion, one can freely enter, attend sermons, of course, as long as one passes the review process. If all goes well, perhaps within a month, I could establish a pattern of the internal wardens' shifts and find an opportunity to enter through the Charnis Gate. Kline pulled himself from his thoughts and instructed his close male servant, Richard, to bring over his coat, hat, and cane. According to plans, he was going to the Royal Theater to see the currently most popular drama, "The Ring of Betrayers." This wasn't merely for entertainment—only by staying informed about current dramas, renowned music, and trending novels could he engage in meaningful conversations at the upper-society gatherings. A well-liked gentleman must surely be exhausted behind the scenes: "It takes minutes on stage, decades off it"—these social events truly took their toll. While murmuring such thoughts, Caine allowed Richardson to dress him and then took a luxurious four-wheeled carriage to the Royal Theater in the West District, settling into a grand box seat to enjoy the performance of "The Ring of Betrayers." "Unlike films and television dramas, theatrical performances are more exaggerated and more forceful—well, that's dictated by the nature of the performance setting, isn't it? The story itself is quite good, yet I feel a strange sense of familiarity; wouldn't you say it's been told before? Isn't the original author, the Emperor Roscel? These individuals must be the well-known stage actors—there have been mentions in the newspapers, and they're reportedly very popular, almost like today's celebrity stars in the Earth's network age. As long as one attends more of the upper-society gatherings, one is sure to meet them." Klein observed the performance, quietly muttering to himself as he always did. He first turned to the theater reviews section, gathered professional critiques, and systematically compared them with his own observations, gradually refining a personal yet deeply insightful experience. Well, at least he could impress those gentlemen and ladies... After completing his research, Klein settled into a relaxed reading of the newspaper, only to stumble upon an unexpected announcement: "10% of the shares of Beckland Cycles have been sold—please do not disturb us!" The deal was finalized? Mr. Esgen's publication of this notice meant he had already received the payment... Klein was initially delighted, but then his brow slightly furrowed. His gaze lingered on the final exclamation point! The content of the notice indeed matched the terms he and Mr. Esgen Stanton had previously agreed upon, yet he found the final exclamation point particularly striking. "The emotion conveyed in this sentence clearly doesn't call for an exclamation mark... Mr. Esgarrouth is someone who pays meticulous attention to details and wouldn't allow the newspaper to exercise free rein. So why did he deliberately include this exclamation mark? Is he issuing a warning?" murmured Caine, suddenly gaining a clear insight. The 10% stake in the Bakersland bicycle company that Mr. Esgarrouth sold was evidently sourced from Sherlock Moriarty, and given Sherlock's character, it would have been unlikely to sell it without a clear reason. This suggests that either Sherlock Moriarty or his representative has already returned to Bakersland. Therefore, a royal faction involved in the Bakersland smog crisis has become acutely aware of the situation and has begun monitoring Mr. Esgarrouth's detective activities, aiming to capture him directly as he goes to collect the cash. How am I supposed to get the money then? Caine glanced naturally at the newspaper, seriously pondering this pressing issue. PS: We'll finalize and revise after completion. I'm taking a day off this afternoon—again, the curly-haired baboon is stuck in the writing flow. It's proving challenging to weave in daily details and background elements in a way that's both engaging and compelling. Honestly, I'm feeling completely overwhelmed.