At 9:30 a.m., in the Beckland Bridge district, Iron Gate Street, the Courageous Tavern. After stepping down from the carriage, Emlyn White stood motionless, gazing straight ahead, almost forgetting to shield himself from the sunlight. At that moment, the tavern's main door remained firmly closed, showing no sign of opening. As a vampire who rarely ventured out, having only visited similar taverns a few times at night, Emlyn had never imagined the establishment would be closed in the morning. Having read the note, he had eagerly turned around and headed straight from the Harvest Church, taking public transportation to arrive here as soon as possible, hoping to receive the latest information promptly. To save time, he had even endured the cramped space and unpleasant odors of the steam subway. Now, Emlyn felt a surge of frustration, yet clearly recognized that it was his own mistake. He only managed to maintain a stern expression, slowly walking around the Iron Gate Street to demonstrate that he hadn't come empty-handed. Just as he was about to approach a rented horse carriage parked by the roadside, his peripheral vision caught a familiar figure. The man was wearing a brown fedora, a slightly worn coat, and a very tattered shoulder bag—none other than Ian, the black market arms and intelligence merchant. "Hey, my instincts are still on point!" exclaimed Emlyn, who had turned from irritation to delight. With both hands in his coat pockets, he strolled calmly past, stepping in front of Ian, and smiled lightly. "Good morning." Ian raised his eyes to the handsome man before him, slightly surprised. "Good morning, Mr. White. You were supposed to arrive in the evening." "Which, now, seems perfectly appropriate," Emlyn replied with a pleasant smile. "Ian, why do you always appear in the same clothes, dressed similarly every time we meet?" Ian responded with a matter-of-fact tone. "It makes me look more mature and understated. Of course, the main reason is that I'm not very well off." He added the last sentence with a touch of humor. "I'm looking forward to seeing you dress this way in the summer, too," Emlyn chuckled. "I'll take off my coat," Ian said as he reached into his worn satchel and pulled out two sheets of paper—rewards previously given him by Emlyn, indicating someone had seen the man in the East District. He handed one of the papers to Emlyn, which listed Argos. Seeing genuine leads from the followers of the "Primordial Moon," Emlyn was delighted and asked, "Where exactly?" Ian didn't answer; he just smiled. Emlyn, having experience with such matters, immediately produced his wallet and counted out 150 pounds to Ian. "That's your fee," he said. Ian smiled and replied, "Still half short." "Half short?" Emlyn nearly wanted to make the black-market arms and intelligence merchant aware of the vampires' strength, since the original agreement had been 20 pounds for an effective lead and 150 pounds to secure a precise location. But he quickly sensed the unspoken meaning behind Ian's words and responded with genuine surprise, "You've found another one?" "Yes." "Ian passed over the remaining sheet of paper," said Ian, "My friend, while observing Argos and determining his residence, discovered that he had met with Mr. Galis Kevin. Thus, we now have the residences of both targets." "...Very good," said Emlyn, as he emptied his wallet and added another 150 pounds to Ian's. He felt unusually joyful, as though both the Primordial and the 'Fool' were watching over him. With only five targets in total, he had already secured one, and now had two more leads. As long as he succeeded, regardless of what the other vampires achieved, he could declare himself the ultimate victor. Ian carefully counted and examined the bills, then spoke softly: "Argos resides on the third floor of the apartment building at 6 Gray Rock Street in the East District, directly opposite the public restroom." "Galis Kevin also lives in the East District, in Room 19 on the ground floor, near the staircase." "I'll verify your information. I believe you won't give up this business for just three hundred pounds," Emlyn nodded gently, half-warning, half-reminding, then chuckled. "How come they're so easy to find?" He didn't plan to head east right away, because even if the daytime operation succeeded, it would be difficult to evacuate quietly without drawing any attention—something that would be quite risky in Beckland, where the likelihood of being discovered by either the "Substitutes" or the "Night Watch" upon returning home was high. After Emlyn's Tarot gathering, he would come between 8 and 9 p.m., and then decide the exact timing for the move. The previous "Original Moon" follower had solid strength, and these two should be no different. While I'm confident, I still feel a bit uneasy relying solely on myself. Emlyn thought through the situation as he waved good-bye to Ian and took a rented carriage back toward the southern district of the bridge. Wait, I'll send someone to Associate Professor Michelle to let her know I'll be visiting the Museum of Antiquities and Conservation Foundation tomorrow... I hope they've already acquired some items with something extraordinary about them... Audrey thought idly, a proud smile tugging at her lips, reflecting on her initial decision to establish the foundation. Her beautiful, jade-green eyes shifted to the wall clock, and she quickly gathered her thoughts, turning back toward her bedroom. In a corner of the bedroom, the golden-haired dog, Suzie, lay flat on the floor, her front legs crossed in a graceful posture. A book lay open before her, filled with dense rows of words. Suzie occasionally lifted one front leg to gently turn the pages, reading with great concentration. Every time I saw her like this, I felt a little embarrassed... Audrey, you can't afford to relax in your studies! Audrey encouraged herself, took a slow step forward, and prepared to have Susie stay at the door. Susie lifted her head, glanced at Audrey, and promptly stood up, saying, "I understand!" Then she light-footed trotted out of the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind her. "...I haven't even said a word yet," Audrey blinked, murmuring softly. She'd given similar instructions many times before, carefully creating the appearance of gatherings or periods of solitude at other times of the week—specifically, pretending to have events or to be alone—so that Susie wouldn't notice that every Monday afternoon from 3 to 3:30, Audrey would be alone in the room, untouched by people or the dog, and would maintain a consistent pattern of both order and chaos. Undoubtedly, Susie's presence has significantly enhanced my motivation, efficiency, and the precision with which I handle tasks... I cannot allow myself to fall short of a dog! Yet, calling someone better than a dog seems rather unimpressive... Audrey chuckled, puffed out her cheeks, and settled herself by the bed, waiting for the Tarot gathering to begin. At 3 p.m., above the gray mist. Deep red figures rose simultaneously from either side of the bronze long table, then solidified into a blurred state. "Good afternoon, Mr. The Fool!" Audrey, embodying The Justice, rose gracefully and bowed. The others followed suit, receiving a nod of acknowledgment from the figure seated at the head of the weathered table. As she settled down, Fothering, representing The Magician, glanced down at The World, wondering how she would begin her remarks. In addition to relaying the teacher’s response to the "Mystic" lady, she also intends to undertake a few actions. First, she will inform the "World" gentleman that, given the complexity of the task, she is willing to offer an additional fee—though this will require some time, as property sales rarely proceed swiftly. Second, after careful reflection, she has devised a dual-benefit strategy—both profitable and personally enriching—inspired by the "World"’s actions: renting out the "Leymano Travel Notes!" When members need such items temporarily to enhance their combat effectiveness in specific situations, they can lease the "Leymano Travel Notes" from her. The rental fee consists of two components: a cash payment, which is modest, and a contribution of the exceptional abilities recorded in the notes. In other words, the lessee must commit to returning the magic book with several additional, fully written chapters. Certainly, as the provider, Forth will record the "apprentice's" useful capabilities—such as "opening the door"—on the above, enabling the lessee to receive corresponding support. The most likely point of failure in this transaction is that the lessee might fail to return the item, but there is Mr. The Fool present as a witness within the Tarot, and Forth believes no one would be foolish enough to hold onto it out of greed. Should the lessee pass away and the "Travel Notes of Leiman" be lost, such an unforeseen event is rare—especially once everyone knows they can turn to Mr. The Fool for assistance in times of crisis, making it a rare occurrence among the rare. Business inherently carries some risk... Ah, but one must coordinate with Mr. The World to confirm the desired time period, to avoid any scheduling conflicts... Forth withdraws her gaze and hears Mrs. The Hermit speak: "Esteemed Mr. The Fool, this time there are two pages from the Rosel diary." "Since we've made contact with the 'Mysterious Queen,' the acquisition of the journal has been remarkably stable... Kline nodded slightly, then smiled lightly and said, 'Excellent.' After a brief silence, the 'Keeper' Gauthier materialized two yellow-brown sheets of paper, which then leapt toward the 'Fool' with the fluid grace of spirits passing through the realm. Kline then slowly lowered his gaze, fixing his attention on the journal in his hands: 'December 29th—another year drawing near. All the tombs are now complete. No more turning back once the bow has been drawn.'