Back in the room with the large balcony, Fotheringhame turned to Dews, who was leaning against the wall, and spoke softly, "Guess what I just saw? The footman—Thonstad's personal attendant—was actually a believer in the Death God, just now performing a spiritual dance in prayer!" Dews suddenly widened his eyes, then relaxed: "For Mr. Thonstad, this is merely a matter of secondary importance. "Hmm. Richard, the footman, clearly has South Continent origins—possibly born there—so it's no surprise that he quietly worships the Death God." Fotheringhame smiled and added, "I know that. I just find it interesting—doesn't it seem like there are too many secrets hidden within the circle of wealth around Doun Thonstad?" "If one day discovers that within this house, not only he but also the housekeeper, the maids, the gardener, the coachman, the earthworms, the insects, and the mice—all of these beings—are somehow connected to the mysterious and extraordinary, I wouldn't find it surprising at all—I'd easily accept it." Hugh gave his friend a withering look: "If that were truly the case, then Monsieur de Nuncieux wouldn't be anything ordinary. Surrounding himself with extraordinary people and beings suggests he might be a descendant of a deity or an angel of the earth." Before Foulis could let the topic drift further, Hugh turned and asked: "You just mentioned having a very strange dream involving a treasure—why aren't you curious at all? Why haven't you considered what it might symbolize, or whether it might actually exist?" Foulis chuckled and replied: "Such dreams usually portend significant trouble and danger. We can consider the symbolism when we actually encounter the symbol itself." "She said this out loud, but her true thoughts were: 'This dream isn't without issues—who knows if there's a plot behind it? Maybe I should head over to the Tarot gathering next week and consult with Mr. The Hanged Man, Ms. The Hermit, and, well, Mr. The World. They're all experienced and powerful extraordinary ones—perhaps they've faced something similar before.' 'You've matured quite a bit,' Hugh nodded slightly, pushing off the wall with a firm back and walking toward where Folsie had been sleeping. 'Matured?' Folsie chuckled, drawing closer to her friend and straightening her posture, gazing down at Hugh's hair. Before Hugh could grow irritated, she sighed again: 'You've truly matured. I still remember at this time last year—you relied on instinct, settled disputes with fists, and often stumbled, getting lost or making mistakes. Now, things have improved so much.' "He paused, lay down on his side, wrapped the thin silk blanket around himself, turned his back to Forse, and mumbled, 'The main reason I've been lost has always been your constant hindrance.' Forse chuckled dryly, nodded thoughtfully, and said, 'This is inherent to the "apprentice" path—nothing to do with me, really!' Seeing that He was settled, she walked to the wall adjacent to the master bedroom and began to take on her duties as a bodyguard seriously. As night faded, the sky gradually brightened. Klein rose, had breakfast, and received visits from two waves of police officers and a group of journalists—some coming for further investigation into the case of Caron's suicide, others seeking more details about the attack on the Member of Parliament, Mahert. Under the arrangements of the butler, Walter, Dauvray Thonard met with them one after another and swiftly handled all the matters. By mid-afternoon, Mahert suddenly arrived at his door, speaking in a hurried tone and said, 'Will you accompany me to the club for a game of tennis?' " He joined several clubs, but only one had any overlap with Daven Tout: the East Blyth Officers' Club! Was this the move to secure the arms deal? Clarice instantly grasped the underlying meaning in the other man's words. He immediately asked his personal servant, Richard, to fetch his coat, hat, and cane, and took his own carriage to follow the member all the way to the distinctive yellow sandstone building in the Hillsdon district. Calvin nodded with satisfaction and said thoughtfully, "We won't need two hundred thousand pounds right away. The batch of guns, ammunition, and a small number of cannons you're expecting will be stored in one of the warehouses in East Baring. The quantity is relatively modest, sufficient to equip only three or four thousand men. At scrap value, they'll fetch no more than one hundred thousand pounds. Of course, you'll have to pay me fifteen thousand pounds." He spoke without reservation, as if this had become the norm within the Ruen military establishment. "No problem," Kent replied calmly, nodding. Calvin chuckled immediately. "Excellent—Macht has a keen eye. If you're to succeed in this line of business, you must never be stingy. The military supplies in West Baring are worth at least two hundred thousand pounds. If you can find suitable buyers and leverage your experience there, you could very well sell them for thirty thousand pounds or even more. By the way, you'll be responsible for all transportation and storage costs. We'll only send two or three personnel to assist you." Indeed, there will be overseers... Caine listened steadily, feeling it necessary to urge the "Stars Above" and Daniz to provide him with timely intelligence about his situation in Xibaran. After a moment's reflection, he asked, "By when should we begin?" "...Outside the Dong Bailang Retired Officers' Club, Hugh and Foresythe were concealed on the rooftops of nearby buildings, keeping a watch on the bustling activity around them. — Hugh knew there were many extraordinary individuals within the club, so he had not dared let Foresythe bring her in with them to provide close protection for Daven Thonatès. They had to remain outside instead. 'Well, thank goodness we're in Beckland. Even though it's not foggy this season, there will always be cloud cover, and the sun isn't too intense. Otherwise, my skin would surely be turning red again,' Foresythe murmured, huddled in the shade. As Hugh was about to speak, he suddenly spotted a carriage approaching the club's back entrance. The carriage was brown in color, bearing a distinctive emblem—its central motif was a ring." The viscount's carriage... murmured silently to itself, then quickly opened its eyes, focused its attention, and soon saw the familiar yet strange figure stepping down from the carriage, entering the East Brompton retired officers' club under the escort of several bodyguards. "What's wrong?" Furse noticed her friend's unusual demeanor. Hugh did not hesitate, speaking openly: "I saw the viscount—he's also come to this club." "The chief court page?" Furse asked, slightly astonished. "Yes," Hugh nodded firmly. Furse opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't quite find the right words, so she simply glanced around, feigning vigilance over the unusual situation. A while later, they saw Daven Thomas emerge. ... In the afternoon, another visitor arrived at No. 160 Berkley Street. This time, it was Mrs. Coym, a major shareholder of Coym Company. "I'm sorry my request has drawn you into this mess. I never expected Lord Sindralas to do something so drastic—what a pity for Carlon, who was planning to take his family to Winterhold for the summer," Mary Shot said, expressing both apology and frustration. I have no idea what I'll discover... Caine raised his right hand and, in a clockwise motion, tapped his chest four times. "May the goddess protect Karon and rest in peace; the true murderer of him shall surely be brought to justice." Madame Mary responded with the same gesture and then said, "To ensure this matter no longer affects you, I intend to purchase your shares ahead of time, at the current highest price plus an additional premium of 1,000 pounds. Don't worry about my funds—I've been busy securing loans from the bank lately." Caine sighed and smiled. "I truly appreciate your kindness, but if you'd like to discuss the early transfer of shares, you'll need to go to the Church. I've already donated to them and plan to use the proceeds to establish a scholarship fund for the poor." Madame Mary had never heard this before and was momentarily stunned, unable to speak. It took fully ten seconds before she finally exhaled softly and said, "Your character, your generosity, your wisdom—all of them have deeply impressed me." As she spoke, her gaze upon Daven Tancourt carried a touch more admiration. With humility, Caine credited all the achievements to the goddess, then paused, his expression serious as he asked, "Madam Mary, I have one question I'd like your insight on. When you decided to stand against Baron Sindras and safeguard your control over Coym Company, was it purely driven by your inner feelings, or were there external influences that encouraged you?" Madam Mary furrowed her brows and responded frankly, "All the persuasions I've received have been aimed at making me give up." Caine fell silent at this, and without further discussion on this matter, they casually spoke about the recent attack on the Member Mahert, and then saw Madam Mary off to her home at 160 Berkland Street. After dinner, his butler Walter arrived at the semi-open room with a large balcony, and addressed his employer who was seated in an armchair. "Mr. Kline, the two bounty hunters have now been dispatched. Over the course of three days, they've cost us a total of 300 pounds, excluding the meals provided." Finally gone... Kline suddenly relaxed, nodding in agreement with the butler's report. Then, he eagerly made his way to the master bedroom, eager to retrieve the mushrooms sent by Frank Lee and bring them to the Gray Mists to communicate with the "creeping hunger." When he reached the desk where the mushrooms were stored, he noticed a letter pressed beneath a ink bottle. Kline, slightly puzzled, picked it up, opened it, and quickly read through it, his expression soon becoming rather odd. "Mr. Tancred, we are your bodyguards, and over the past few days we have observed certain matters that we believe warrant informing you. Therefore, while you were dining, we entered your bedroom and left this letter behind."