"Your butler might be studying black magic; Your personal servant quietly believes in the god of death; Among your neighbors, there are people who possess supernatural powers; There may be secrets within the neighborhood itself that cause people to have strange dreams... You should understand certain words—we won’t elaborate further. May the goddess protect you." Whatever else, Miss Thew and Miss "The Magician" are quite kind. The only issue is that I already know all the things they've mentioned—and I understand the circumstances better than they do. Klein mumbled as he searched through and retrieved the mushrooms he had previously hidden. There were four varieties: first, dried specimens that react with water and fish, totaling three; second, a new variety with golden caps releasing a scent of flour; third, white with black spots, voluminous and full-bodied, as if liquid were flowing within, rich in milkiness; fourth, with peculiar gill-like organs on either side and a dense yet soft covering of fine scales on the surface. Klein glanced at these mushrooms, then produced a gold coin, tossed it upward, and caught it steadily. After confirming the results, he removed his ordinary gloves, exposing his bare hands, and reached out to grasp the three fresh mushrooms, attempting to verify certain details that Frank Lee had not mentioned. The texture was normal, and the mushrooms showed no changes at all. Klein immediately breathed a sigh of relief, no longer concerned that their danger had surpassed the threshold of禁忌. He had previously been deeply afraid that as soon as the mushrooms came into contact with any living organism, they would immediately extend their mycelium, engulf and consume the host, and disseminate their spores. "Perhaps it's due to the brighter glow of the gas wall lamps at present, or maybe the mushrooms have lost most of their vitality since being harvested and now require specific conditions to revive—such as the biological environment of a living organism's stomach," Klein noted, adhering to his empirical approach. He pulled the heavy curtains of the master bedroom completely shut and turned off all the gas wall lamps. Then, he once again picked up the new variety of mushrooms by hand, confirming that they showed no abnormalities and had not absorbed any of their own tissue. After completing this, Klein re-lit the wall lamps and set up the ritual, offering the mushrooms as sacrifices to the gray mist. Once he settled into the position of the Fool, he didn't immediately summon "the Crawling Hunger." Instead, he first had a small metal vial containing his own blood float to the bronze long table. Then, he poured a single drop of blood onto the table and placed the three new mushrooms there. In just one second, the mushrooms near the blood suddenly softened, began to move, and enveloped it, sprouting dense tufts of needle-like filaments at the point of contact. "...," Kline observed, his mouth slightly twitching, and directly summoned a small amount of power from the mysterious space above the gray mist to contain all the mushrooms. He then had the drop of blood return to the metal vial, closed the lid, and set it down. Now understanding the mushrooms' nature, he no longer wasted time, and simply waved his hand to summon "the Crawling Hunger" from among the clutter. Holding the thin human skin glove, Kline placed it on the table and released the mushrooms from their containment. Then he saw the "craving hunger" rise up on five fingers of support, retreating swiftly, like fingers playing the piano. Did you feel afraid? Klein smiled kindly, seizing the man's glove with one hand and, as a bonus, transferring a touch of the mysterious power from the gray mist above. With the other hand, he picked up a mushroom and brought it close to the "craving hunger." The man's glove struggled desperately, unable to free itself, and began to tremble noticeably. Klein paused holding the mushroom, and murmured with a gentle smile, "Are you still praising the 'True Creator'?" The "craving hunger" continued to struggle, offering no reply. Klein thought for a moment, then yielded, "I'll allow you one praise each day—either in the morning or in the evening." The struggle of the "craving hunger" eased, but did not cease. Hm... Caine remained composed and continued his conversation, saying, "Then three times a day—during breakfast, lunch, and dinner—we'll offer praise, though I'll need to be reminded in advance." After a moment of struggling, the "craving hunger" suddenly lay flat on the table, motionless. Through further communication, Caine successfully reached an agreement with the "craving hunger" on this matter. However, the requirement that it consume a human each day remained an inherent trait of the object itself—no amount of dialogue could significantly diminish it. Thus, Caine would have to await Azk's provision of an effective sealing solution. For now, Caine could only ensure that the "craving hunger" could be carried without consuming a human, though a meal would still need to be replenished within the 24-hour period. It really is a hassle... Fortunately, after the "thirsty hunger" fused with Mr. A and the mushroom, the living qualities have been enhanced, otherwise it would have been impossible to make such specific communication. Klein reflected deeply, then performed corresponding divinations on the recent events, concluding that his own situation was quite safe and initially confirming that the Karon suicide case was influenced by extraordinary factors. After a busy period, he left the Gray Mist and returned to the real world, continuing to await Mr. Azk's letter. ........ Saturday evening, dressed in formal attire, Klein arrived at Saint Samuel Church by carriage with his personal butler, Richard, to attend the charity gala hosted by the Night Church. After passing through the main entrance, he was guided by the priest to a side hall. There was an altar housing the sacred emblem representing the Night Goddess, with several small crystal chandeliers hanging above it, rows of slender candles arranged in front, and metal circular lids, inverted and filled with oil wax, placed beside them. At this moment, they were all lit up, illuminating the hall with a bright, clean radiance that carried a certain sacred quality. Upon glancing around, Kline saw rows of neatly arranged seats and an array of distinguished guests. The women's attire fell into two clear categories: one group wore dresses that were either vibrant or deep and muted, revealing their arms clearly on either side; the other group wore fresher, more restrained clothing, where even the outlines of their bones were only faintly visible, and in some cases, partially obscured. According to Kline's knowledge of the kingdom of Roon, this distinction signaled whether a woman was married or unmarried—widows and divorced women could choose either style, though the former tended to favor darker tones. Beyond these, Kline noticed a series of gleaming necklaces, finely crafted earrings, and a variety of precious accessories, all of which suggested a more refined and elaborate presentation than the galas and banquets hosted by the Member of Parliament Mahert and himself. As克莱恩 stepped into the hall, he greeted and chatted with several bishops and members he knew, including Mahert. At that moment, a sound came from the entrance, drawing the attention of many guests, who all smiled warmly and approached.克莱恩 turned toward the entrance, his gaze first brightening, then momentarily stilling. She's the "Justice" lady from the Tarot Circle! Back then, when he used the "mirror divination," he had clearly seen her! Suddenly, however, Klein shifted his gaze, unwilling to look any longer. This was an instinctive response—mainly because he knew that the "Justice" lady was an extraordinary one who perceived things through the "audience" path. If she noticed him, she could easily read his true thoughts and hidden secrets through subtle shifts in expression, body language, and aura. The thought flashed through him, and he immediately turned his head again, fixing his eyes on her face. He realized then that his earlier avoidance had been even more noticeable and awkward: How could a gentleman who admired women of different styles fail to glance at a young woman so exceptionally beautiful? At the same time, Audrey noticed something unusual about a certain gentleman: "His hair at the temples has begun to turn gray, and his appearance and demeanor are quite good—there's a sense of depth about him... This must be Mr. Davenant Thomsen, the man who donated over ten thousand pounds with the intention of establishing a scholarship fund for the poor." "His reaction just now was a bit odd—he seemed to be concealing something..." To Audrey, Mr. Davenant Thomsen's act of shifting his gaze was quite normal; she had encountered this behavior many times before—some men, upon seeing her, would instinctively turn their heads and glance toward someone beside her, as if afraid to be noticed, afraid of direct eye contact, afraid to reveal the momentary enchantment that would surface. What was unusual, then, was not his initial glance away, but his subsequent return of gaze. Moreover, what struck Audrey most was that Mr. Thomsen was not particularly struck by admiration, but rather, surprised. "What exactly was he surprised by? And what was he concealing?" Audrey, carrying such questions and a gentle smile, followed her parents and siblings, greeting the crowd that gathered around them. Seeing that the "Justice" lady had stopped noticing him, Kain silently exhaled, thinking to himself: "Now I need to pay closer attention and fully embody the role of D'Artagnan. I mustn't let the audience detect any inconsistencies. 'Hmm... Regardless of whether the 'Justice' lady has noticed it or not, I need to have a clear explanation ready for my earlier unusual reactions. She is indeed a lady from a noble family—though I don't recall her exact surname. I'll have to ask Mother Machet or Bishop Elektra about that later." As his thoughts flowed, Kain slightly furrowed his brow, feeling as though someone was still watching him. He then followed his intuitive sense, glancing toward the door. There, in the shadowed corner, a large golden-haired dog sat quietly, motionless.