On a dark night, within the emerald vine forest, Caine closed his eyes, listening to a melody that seemed to come from the horizon. His body and mind were calm and serene, yet a subtle sense of melancholy and sadness was gradually growing, spreading, and resonating. After an indeterminate length of time, the melodic tune finally faded, and a gentle night breeze softly flowed through the hanging bean vines. Caine sighed silently, opened his eyes, and looked upward to see Queen Bernadette, the "Mysterious Queen," handing over a series of hollowed "human skulls" to her servant—part human, part wind flowing from her lower body. "That's all," Bernadette's soft, calm voice said. "Thank you for your assistance," Caine bowed once again, and with a gesture, guided the "spirit of resentment" Senior back to his side. At that moment, the bean vines gradually retracted, fading in intensity, and the emerald forest soon disappeared. Klein and Senior both landed at the bridge entrance, the area quiet and deserted, save for a squad of bridge guards standing a little distance away, facing the opposite direction, unchanged from before. The fairy-tale scene seemed merely a illusion. Only now, after this moment, did Klein have the quiet moment to examine his secret companion and realize he had grown more like a corpse—pale, with a cold, eerie breath, radiating a distinct sense of solemnity and unsettlement. This should be the result of a single, large-scale erosion... If the duty at Charnes' Gate were merely routine—once or twice a week, for a single day at a time—it wouldn't be this severe, nor could it become unsustainable within just two months. If this were truly the case, even the Church of the True Gods could not afford such a toll. Typically, regular internal guards could survive for several years, or even a decade or more, though they were prone to transformation and eventual loss of control. Ah, they must have known this outcome when they chose to become internal guards. Kline sighed, allowing the "ghostly spirit" Senior to project itself onto the gold coin inside the iron cigarette box. Immediately afterward, he consecutively used "Travel," making a circuit of the sea to select suitable food for the "creeping hunger," before returning to the main bathroom of his apartment at 160 Berkland Street. Audrey was sitting at her desk, admiring the magical items she had just acquired. It was a long, black sheer glove reaching to the elbow, exuding an air of noble grace and regal elegance—something befitting a royal. This came from the extraordinary "Master of Chaos" trait sold by "The World," Germaine Sparrow, and was crafted over a specific period of time by the "Artisan."—Audrey had previously consulted her father, Lord Holberg, who had replied, "You can purchase it and use it yourself; that shows real thoughtfulness." So she had specifically requested the "Hanged Man" to create an item that a lady could carry with her. This, in turn, made her wonder whether her father might have something even more remarkable, or whether the goddess's church offered particularly high-level protection. According to the description relayed by the "Emperor of the Pendulum," this sheer glove confers several extraordinary effects upon its wearer: first, it enhances dignity and physical strength, causing surrounding beings to unconsciously lower their posture and seek obedience; second, it grants the ability to distort the target's language, actions, and intentions, thereby establishing certain favorable rules that benefit the wearer; third, through a symbolic form of "bribery," it fosters strong positive feelings in the target, making it difficult for the target to develop hostile intentions—often unwilling to engage in combat with the wearer, and, under suitable conditions, even having a small chance of launching counterattacks against the wearer's allies; as Audrey heard from the "World" gentleman, this is known as the exceptional ability of "bribery—enchantment"; fourth, it induces a state of "confusion" among the designated target or within a certain surrounding area, making attacks difficult to land directly on the wearer and enabling enemies to make erroneous choices. Audrey was very satisfied with these effects, though she was troubled by the significant negative impacts of the Sequence 5 magical items, which stemmed from the "craftsman's" relatively low level: First, it gradually darkened the bearer's mindset, making them increasingly eager to take shortcuts and rely on schemes and unsavory means; second, after wearing it for more than three minutes, the wearer themselves would begin to experience confusion. Audrey had tried this out herself and, during her bath, had unconsciously made several mistakes. The usual process—having the maid pour hot water, adjust the temperature, then remove her clothes and enter the tub, finally completing the washing—was now disrupted. Audrey had first entered the tub, then turned the water cold, and only remembered to remove her clothes once her garments had become damp. Her only relief was that she managed to stay composed and didn't call in the maid to witness her blunder. It made her feel like a tousled baboon! Audrey thought, growing increasingly annoyed. Regarding the first negative impact, she found it manageable, as she was a "psychologist" who could frequently reflect on herself, dismiss some darker thoughts, and also benefit from Suzy's perspective as an observer. But the second one proved a bit too much to bear. The second negative impact was significant—it had to be carried with her at all times, to be worn and used at critical moments. Ah, yes, I still have my "lies," which amplify my emotions. When combined with this glove, the inner darkness becomes especially intense, and right now, I'm not sure I can withstand it. Audrey's bright eyes turned thoughtfully as she pondered solutions. At that moment, she heard a steady knocking at the door. Her personal maid, Anne, spoke from outside: "Madam, the Earl has something to discuss with you." Audrey left the black sheer glove on the table and rose immediately, walking to the door and opening it. At home, the Earl of Hall, dressed only in a shirt and vest, ran a hand over his neat little mustache and chuckled, "Are you not quite ready yet? We'll be returning to Beckettland shortly. Your 18th birthday ball is next evening." As he spoke, he glanced at the maids, Anne and others, and allowed them to step back a little. "Ah, another year of the social season," Audrey nodded with a touch of maturity. (Note 1) The Earl looked at his daughter and smiled, asking, "Have you decided how to use that item?" Audrey smiled gently, "Of course. I'll fold it up and place it in my small bag, and have Suzy carry it." Thus, since Suzy neither wears nor uses it, she won't experience confusion in her actions. Her psychological concerns can be soothed and treated by Odile. More importantly, without the amplification of "lies," Suzy herself—already a "psychologist"—can reflect on her own mental state and periodically adjust her emotional well-being. Lord Hall was momentarily struck silent, then chuckled and praised, "A clever approach." Odile felt particularly pleased, yet remained composed and said with grace, "I intend to name it 'The Hand of Fear." "Dear Lord, thank you so much for your birthday gift!" She added mentally, after a few more days, I'll be able to prepare the potion and begin my promotion process! ………… Sunday evening, 160 Berkland Street. Klein stood on the balcony, gazing through the fabric curtains at the street scene outside, his heart growing increasingly tense. If all goes according to plan, he will soon begin his campaign to steal the Antigonos family's records. Since, with the help of the "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette, he has successfully induced a state of erosion in his own secret doppelgänger, and through regular visits to the church, attending services, and making donations, has thoroughly mapped out the rotation schedule of the internal guards, the only remaining preparatory step for his theft plan is now clear: how to seamlessly and undetectedly take over the target's position. After a period of observation, Caine noticed that the church also held a major Mass on Sundays, since both Sunday and night were symbolic of the goddess. Following the Mass, the servants would become busy, clearing away trash and clutter to the outside. Caine's plan was to seize this opportunity, quietly drugging one of the servants so that he could feign entry into the church and then sleep off in the servants' quarters. For this, he had already purchased a suitable sleeping potion from "the Moon," Emlyn, one that would induce a ten-hour sleep without causing any physiological harm, paying a total of five pounds. Ah… after a few minutes, Caine slowly exhaled, drew the curtains, and returned to his room, taking four steps backward to enter the gray mist. Sitting in the position designated for "The Fool," he reflected for nearly a minute, then materialized a sheet of paper and pen, writing down the divination: "This theft of the Antigonus family's notes carries danger." He placed the dark-red cylindrical steel pen down, then withdrew the pendulum from his left sleeve at the wrist, holding the silver chain in his left hand so that the yellow crystal pendant hung just above the paper, nearly touching it. He entered meditation, closed his eyes, and silently recited the divination phrases seven times in succession. Then, slowly opening his eyes, he observed the pendulum rotating clockwise—modest in amplitude and at a steady pace. There was a risk, but within the normal range—Clayen quickly interpreted this. He was slightly concerned whether it had been interfered with again, as the "Tree of Desire" had once done, though he could neither confirm nor refute this. Nevertheless, once the divination results, contingency plans, and his own preparations all met the necessary conditions, he had already made his decision. Gazing at the yellow crystal pendant gradually coming to a stop, he spoke in his native tongue, in a low, resonant tone: "The arrow is drawn; it must be loosed." As soon as he finished speaking, he allowed his spirit to envelop him, simulating the sensation of descending, and returned to the real world. This time, he intended to carry only three items: "The Thirsting Hunger," "the Senior Gold Coins," and "the Azk copper whistle." All three could fit into an iron cigarette box, shielded by the dual protection of the "Paper Angel" and "Wall of Spirit." The rest of his belongings were likely to fail the Charnes Gate inspection, potentially triggering anomalies in the seal's core. Thus,克莱恩 tossed them all into the gray mist, ready to flee immediately should any issues arise. The 12,800 pounds' stake in the Coym Company—representing 3%—could only be tied to the identity of Dauv. Tanghès. Quickly calming his thoughts, he took a mirror and placed it upon his pillow. Then, he drew the mysterious symbol that summoned the magical mirror, Arōdes. Note 1: Historically, London's social season ran from December, after Christmas, to June. However, in setting this book, considering both narrative scheduling and the fact that the upper class in Rune primarily worships the "Lord of Storms," the period for discussing national affairs has been shifted to the storm-prone months of June through September. As a result, the social season naturally extends from June to the new year. Of course, during the autumn and winter weekends, the nobility will still go hunting in the countryside—just don't confuse these periods. When someone asks you about London's social season, make sure you don't give the opposite answer.