As the captain of the *Future*, Gathelya had a deeper, more profound understanding of Frank Lee's potential threats than anyone else. She knew that Frank's imaginative ideas—sometimes brilliant, sometimes wildly unpredictable—could lead to terrifying, even mad outcomes. If those creations hadn't yet gained the necessary momentum and spread, Gathelya was certain the world as she knew it would have already been transformed. Of course, should such a day ever come, she would certainly act first—she would dispatch Frank Lee into the sea to feed the fish! Without divine qualities, certain successes would remain confined to narrow circles, unable to spread and thus causing widespread disaster. A mere promotion to Level 5 would bring no fundamental transformation. In recent times, Frank had also grown more restrained, focusing intently on studying plants that could survive in darkness or thrive by feeding on the corpses of monsters. As these thoughts circled and evolved, the quiet, steadfast Gathelya finally made her decision: "How much will you offer for it?" "She had a vague sense that," said Garth, "the world of Germain Spalro lately seems to be running short on funds. 'With a large quantity of gold coins, we can offer a discount on eight thousand pounds.'" Klein subtly exhaled a sigh, guiding the dummy "World" to respond. Thinking of Frank Lee's ability to come up with such an amount, and certainly unable to refuse the extraordinary qualities of the "Druid," Gauthier paused for two seconds before saying, "Agreed. I'll need one week to raise the funds." "Understood," Klein then had the dummy Germain Spalro withdraw his gaze. This journey to the original island—had it not been for the final attention drawn from the presence deep within the church—Klein now felt he could rate it a perfect score. In less than half a night, he had secured an intangible "Card of Profanation" of immense value, a magical item worth no less than ten thousand pounds, and possibly sixteen thousand gold pounds, all without tax, and without even having to go to a bank! Alas, the original island has vanished—otherwise, when they were short on funds, they could have gone up there for a visit. As Klein's thoughts drifted, he noticed Miss Justice turning toward Mr. The Hangman, with hopeful anticipation asking, "Do you have the fruit of the dream-bell tree?" Audrey had already anticipated the answer, given that Mr. The World had accumulated so many Sequence-5 extraordinary traits recently, and that Mr. The Hangman had reportedly been in private collaboration with him just over the past week—so it was unlikely he'd come away empty-handed. This could be inferred from Mr. The Hangman's confident, satisfied demeanor. Miss Justice's own observational skills were growing more assured. Mr. The Hangman chuckled warmly, "I was just about to tell you—I've secured the fruit." Wonderful! Audrey managed to keep her composure, refraining from showing overly enthusiastic reactions. This means she has gathered all the ingredients for the "hypnotist's" potion and is now only waiting for the "psychologist's" potion to fully digest before she can attempt her promotion. And this won't take long! In her mind, Audrey, who has already become a well-known listener and counselor among the noble circles of East Chester, is firmly convinced. To be honest, without deliberately guiding the nobles to speak, Audrey simply couldn't have imagined that the polished, always-smiling members of the society were enduring significant pressure and suffering—pain that others could hardly comprehend. The changing times and shifting social trends have made many of them constantly anxious about the future of their families and themselves, a situation naturally tied to their status as neither top-tier nobility nor those with abundant resources. These experiences have allowed Audrey to truly grasp the concept of "personality masks," understanding that people wear different masks depending on the audience they're addressing. After summarizing the situation, her "psychologist" potion was quickly absorbed, and progress noticeably accelerated. Perhaps in two weeks, maybe a bit shorter or longer—whatever—the point is, by the time I return to Beckett, I should be able to claim the title of "hypnotist." "Justice" Audrey, her eyes bright, looked steadily at "The Empress" Aljer and asked, "What would you like in return?" Aljer, who had just been promoted to Sequence 5, now holds the key to the semi-divine gate, and is about to receive a powerful magical artifact, currently most lacking in funds, immediately responded, "Two thousand pounds." "Deal," Audrey replied with ease. The amount was something she could simply draw from her own resources without needing to claim reimbursement. After sealing the agreement, Audrey couldn't help but take a deep, long breath—finally, no longer feeling the pressure of falling behind. Ever since then, she had watched helplessly as Folsom ascended to Sequence 7, as the "Hanged Man" drew closer to the higher sequences, as the "World" gentleman eliminated one after another of the Sequence 5s, presenting them with corresponding extraordinary traits—while herself still remaining at the "Psychologist" level, stuck at Sequence 7. The pressure had built up, and she had grown increasingly impatient, relying solely on self-soothing and Susan's encouragement to keep her emotions stable. Now, at last, she could take that decisive step forward and move toward Sequence 6! With her mind at ease, Audrey enjoyed the gathering even more. Hearing the "Wise One" lady say to the "World" gentleman, "Regarding the matter tied to that mythical blood, I can now provide my response." "Do you need to speak privately?" asked the " Fool" Kline, curiously manipulating the "World" gentleman, Germaine Spalro. If this is a knowledge exchange, I'm effectively making a profit! He was eagerly thinking this to himself. "The recluse" Cadellia surveyed the room, paused for several seconds, then shook her head. "No. I can offer two forms of payment. First, a reading of the 'Wheel of Fate' card—surely you are familiar with this card, crafted by Emperor Rossel, which symbolizes a profound transgression. Second, a temporary means to restore strength during the period of vulnerability. Please convey these points to the Angel and ask which of these offerings pleases Him." A temporary means to restore strength during the period of vulnerability? "Mysterious Queen"—is this now beginning to hint at a connection with the 'Mercury Serpent'? That seems illogical. The Angel clearly includes the Sequence 2 'Prophet'—why then should the 'Fortune' not have an Angel of Fate serving during its vulnerable phase? It's unclear whether Will. Oncentin fully understands the path to achieving Sequence 0, but if he doesn't, then witnessing the "Wheel of Fortune" card would be an irresistible temptation—though unlikely, given that he has lived so long and is himself a Sequence 1, surely mastering even the rites of deification. Ah, one wonders what image of Roxel appears on the "Wheel of Fortune" card—perhaps a serpent or other creature with the face of a great emperor? While casually pondering this, Kline carefully prompted the dummy figure, "World" to speak: "Very well. Should the transaction ultimately be finalized, you will need to pay me an additional fee." "What would you like?" asked the cautious "Recluse" Gadeleia. "World" Gorman. Sparrow offered a low, resonant chuckle. "I would like to meet the 'Mystic Queen' personally. Don't worry—the matter is quite simple, though it will require her assistance." After a moment of silence, Gadeleia said, "I will do my best to facilitate it, but I cannot guarantee it." "Listening to the two of them speak, Audrey of Justice suddenly felt a sense of unreality: had the Tarot Circle grown this far already? Aside from the part involving the 'Adept of the Fool,' it had started out merely exchanging foundational esoteric knowledge and Sequence 9 potion recipes—now, members were trading items related to the 'Card of Desecration' and mythical creatures' blood... all within less than a year! It truly felt like a dream... I've grown quite a bit too," Audrey mused, while continuing to gaze at Germaine Spalro, the 'Wanderer.' "I have news regarding the magical items you sought through the 'Thief's Path.'" As she spoke, she requested from the 'Adept of the Fool' the manifestation of a utensil resembling tweezers. This 'tweezer' was pale gray, as if crafted from two polished finger bones—otherwise, it was quite ordinary. Gardelia introduced: "It's called 'Finger-Off.' It enhances the stability and dexterity of your wrist and fingers, allowing you to easily steal items from a target's pocket without being detected. The downside is that you'll develop a compulsive tendency to steal while carrying it—costs 500 pounds." Corresponding to Sequence 9, "The Thief"? Hmm, a moderate premium... Caine considered it and then said: "Very well, let's finalize the transaction right away." This way, he can begin to explore the areas beneath the city that have been excavated by Hayourel and eliminate potential risks. Once the conversation concluded, the "Magician" Folshe, motivated by anticipation and a desire to secure supplies in advance, remarked: "I need a relic of an ancient spirit's curse, along with its residual essence. Could you keep an eye out for that?" "After receiving positive responses from the members, 'Moon' Emlyn glanced around, leaned back against the chair, and asked 'Sun' Deric: 'Do you have any exceptional traits corresponding to人造 vampire sequence 5 in your city of Silver?' He didn't want to call the man described as constantly oozing pus by 'Sun' a vampire, so he phrased it differently. In his view, since strange, mutated vampires frequently appear in the darkness surrounding Silver City, acquiring one or two sequence 5 exceptional traits shouldn't be too difficult. Moreover, they clearly lack the corresponding potion recipes for this path and the necessary 'craftsmen,' leaving these exceptional traits to rely solely on luck—on when they spontaneously corrode surrounding objects and evolve into seals... 'Moon' Emlyn tried to convince himself that he was helping Silver City, rather than seeking assistance from a particular 'Sun.' 'Sun' Deric paused, and responded honestly and openly: 'Yes, we do.'" "But, Mr. Moon, do you really want to be covered in pus all over?" Ah... Emlyn's expression seemed dazed, momentarily unsure whether the other was mocking him or simply pointing out something important. "Both of them suffer from severe mental pollution," said Dric, the "Sun," quickly adding, "and without a specific potion recipe, we in Silver City wouldn't waste our efforts clearing these issues out." Ah... that does sound troublesome... Emlyn nodded gently. "I understand." He decided not to delve further into potential trade terms, but instead planned to consult the higher echelons of the Bloodline to better understand the matter of mental pollution within their exceptional traits. The transaction concluded, and the members of the Tarot Circle began to freely exchange greetings and conversations. "Justice," Audrey said, turning first toward "World" Germain Sparo, hesitating slightly, "could I find out where the 'Master of Chaos'’s traits originate? If it's something confidential, of course, you needn't answer." She's preparing to persuade Lord Holborne, and also to avoid unnecessary complications, since the extraordinary beings of the "Black Emperor" path might have ties to the royal family and the military. Kline chuckled softly, letting the "World" respond: "It came from a curly-haired baboon."