Among the vitae present, even if Emlyn weren't the most unusual of his kind, he certainly ranked in the top ten. As a race born with long lifespans, it was common for members to cultivate one or more hobbies to pass the time—many loved dolls besides Emlyn. Yet the issue lay in Emlyn's behavior: he rarely left his home, only going out when purchasing new dolls and outfits or visiting the hospital to drink blood. He seldom interacted with fellow vitae unless he specifically sought fresh blood or needed to learn historical knowledge in exchange for materials or goods. His lifestyle was nearly as static as that of a few senior figures who had grown frail and now barely maintained their lives within specially designed coffins. To the others, Emlyn simply appeared as an unremarkable young vitae, and thus naturally became a frequent topic of conversation at gatherings. For so many years prior, people had only casually mentioned it, making private jokes about it, much like they would discuss the various oddities in Bekland. But once it was said that Emlin, having "lost his way," had wandered into the Harvest Church on his own and been captured by the bishop of the Earth Mother, and then imprisoned underground—his reputation began to slip steadily toward the status of a source of shame for the bloodline and a constant subject of ridicule, with little hope of recovery. Yet, despite this, this very figure who had brought disgrace upon his clan had managed to successfully hunt down three "Primal Moon" believers—none other than artificial vampires! Could it be that he had enlisted the help of clerics from the Earth Mother's Church? Or perhaps hired exceptionally skilled bounty hunters? Various thoughts flashed through the minds of different bloodlines, as they speculated on the means by which Emlin had achieved his victory in the competition. At that moment, Casimir cleared his throat and said: "Emlin himself has gathered the relevant heritage traits and has now attained the rank of 'Baron.'" Baron... When each of the bloodline members turned to Emlyn again, their expressions were no longer bewildered or doubtful, but filled with astonishment, surprise, and disbelief. For the first time in his life, Emlyn had been regarded by his kin with such eyes, and suddenly he felt as though his body were light and floating, his mind brimming with joy. He longed to lift his chin with pride and say, "You should call me Baron." This sense of fulfillment was much like the satisfaction one feels when after saving up for a long time, finally purchasing the doll one has longed for. Emlyn silently admired the moment, holding back the words that surged to his lips, smiling gently, slowly surveying the room before slowly buttoning his coat and rising to walk toward Casimir Odrada. Only when the other bloodline members had recovered and cast complex glances at the two barons did Casimir finally speak: "The winner of this hunting competition will be directly entered into the list of candidates for Viscount, and will receive free ritual assistance." "Additionally, he will receive a ring crafted by the Primordial." As he spoke, Cassim pulled out a silver ornamental box engraved with intricate patterns from his clothing pocket and opened it with a crisp snap, displaying it to all the vampires present. The ring was translucent throughout, resembling pale amber, with a blood-toned gemstone set at its top—about the size of half a fingernail—emitting a soft, glowing light. "It is called the 'Lilith's Ring,' which enhances the wearer's charm and keeps them in optimal condition during the full moon," Cassim explained briefly. "It also extends the full moon effect to those around them, greatly amplifying their supernatural abilities, and it can project a portal to the deeper realms of the spirit world." Cassim paused and added, "This portal is known as the 'Call Portal,' allowing beings from the spirit world to enter the mortal realm—though only once within a specific time period." Spirit beings that pass through this door enter into a corresponding agreement with the wearer, serving them for a certain period—typically five minutes. If longer service is needed, the wearer must personally communicate with the spirit being and renegotiate a more extended contract. Under normal circumstances, the summoned spirit being possesses strength equivalent to slightly above that of the wearer, though both weaker and stronger beings are possible. Once, a count successfully summoned a divine-level spirit being through this ring. The stronger the spirit being, the more capable it is of resisting the terms of the "Gate of Summoning," potentially threatening the wearer. In such cases, it is essential to decisively terminate the projection and dissolve the summoning. The spirit being suffers from a negative effect known as "hemorrhagic thirst," requiring at least one human blood bottle consumed every hour to alleviate symptoms. Otherwise, its own blood begins to boil and evaporate, and if this condition persists beyond one hour, a count will perish. "I'm not averse to this at all—I actually look forward to drinking blood regularly. The issue, however, is that I can't seem to get enough blood... Emlyn controlled his excitement and joy, thinking about how to address the negative effects. At that moment, Casmir glanced at him and said, 'Additional blood needs are provided by the clan.' So now the question becomes how to modify the bottles and carry enough blood with me... Emlyn glanced at the other vampires, whose faces showed clear admiration and envy, and asked proactively, 'Would I develop a "thirst syndrome" if I removed the ring without wearing it?' 'No,' Casmir firmly shook his head. Emlyn then looked at 'Lilith's ring' and asked again, 'If I wear it for 59 minutes and then take it off, would I develop a "thirst syndrome"?' "Kasimir's facial muscles twitched as he said, 'Once you wear the ring, you develop 'hemophilia'—you must drink the blood of one human every hour to calm the condition. During this time, if you remove the ring and reattach it, the 'hemophilia' is reactivated, regardless of whether you've already reached one hour. Do you understand my meaning?' 'Of course, this isn't a complicated matter,' Emlyn remarked with a dismissive sigh. At 10 p.m., atop the gray mist, Caine received Emlyn's sacrificial offering—the "Travel Notes of Leimann"—and learned the function of the so-called "Lilith's Ring." Everything else was straightforward, but the most significant element was the "Gate of Summoning" leading deep into the spiritual realm... Perhaps one day, through that gate, the ancient deity Lilith herself would emerge... of course, subject to numerous prerequisites. While making bold speculations, Caine opened the "Travel Notes of Leimann," reviewing the extraordinary abilities Emlyn had employed and the additional enhancements she had made. “The ‘Lightning Strike’ is all used up, and so is the ‘Travel’—this person truly doesn’t mind spending others’ abilities. A ‘Dark Wings’ has been added, which not only enhances the user’s speed and grants them brief flight capability, but also transforms into a swarm of ethereal vampire bats to attack enemies. One is the ‘Full Moon’—it causes a certain area to enter a full moon state, fostering spiritual growth and strengthening the vitality of the dying. This is recorded on the ‘Lilith’s Ring’. Another is the ‘Corrosive Claws’—the user’s nails grow an additional, strikingly patterned segment with mysterious symbols, sharp enough to cut through steel, and come equipped with powerful corrosion properties that effectively counter scales, skin, and membranes. Then there’s the ‘Animal Sense’—enabling communication with animals, commanding them, and sharing their senses. If used well, this has remarkable effects. Hm, I’ve never seen Emlyn use this before—such a waste! Another is the ‘Deep Veil Chains’—a dark-domain, spell-like ability that causes darkness or shadows to solidify into chains, restricting or controlling enemies. No ‘Gate of He withdrew his gaze, waved his hand to summon the "Rod of the Sea God" and added several "Lightning Strikes" to his notes—a consistent trait reflecting his lack of fear when it comes to firepower. Then, leveraging the "Sun Brooch," he recorded the abilities of "Summoning Sacred Light" and "Creating Divine Water," further enriching the extraordinary capabilities of the "Leyman Travel Journal." After completing these tasks, he closed the journal and took up the "Heart-Phobia Candle." After resolving the secondary persona in the afternoon, he did not immediately return the magical item. Instead, he reasoned that it belonged to the "Audience" domain and might help him explore the collective unconscious vastness within the "Grosel Travelogue," so he decided to delay its return until the halfway deadline to Emlyn. Unbeknownst to him, upon further study, he discovered that the "Heart-Phobia Candle" did not soothe the spirit or alleviate negative emotions. Its function was simply to transport the user deep into the target's mind, where it could plant suggestions or resolve issues. Huff. Caine exhaled, completing the bestowal rite and returning the "Heart's Torment Candle" and "Lehmann's Travel Notes" to Emlin and Folshe, respectively. Back in the waking world, he settled into a comfortable bath, read the newspapers and magazines, then went to bed. Half-asleep, Caine suddenly awoke, sensing someone had entered his dream. Before him, the scene shifted—above, the sky darkened and deepened, studded with brilliant diamonds that evoked a profound sense of reverence and peace. From afar, a chant of sacred verses rose, clear and resonant, reaching deep into his soul. At the same time, the clouds drifted, revealing the red moon partially veiled yet still glowing softly. Everything about it made Caine feel as though he had arrived in the divine realm of the Night Goddess, his body relaxing and his spirit feeling exceptionally at ease. Ah—he suddenly understood what was happening now. These extraordinary members of the Night Court came by at midnight, arriving not in person but through dreams, to soothe Dowager D'Artagnan, who had suffered a psychological injury earlier in the afternoon. Yet you do this, and I find myself unable to sleep! Cline sighed inwardly, feeling helpless.