It was indeed risky to go out at night to buy a dictionary in this somewhat chaotic city, especially with the appearance of a Tisian. After all, he couldn't keep wearing this glove forever. Danyz paused for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his hand, loosened the glove, and tried to remove it. But just as he reached halfway, he stopped again, glanced at Anderson, and briefly examined the black gloves on the latter's left hand, then smiled dryly and re-fastened the glove. "I believe, in the Southern Continent, here, what matters most is one's own strength," Danyz added, with a polite but restrained smile. Anderson's expression remained unchanged; he continued to stroke his chin. "Then what are your plans?" Danyz pointed toward the staircase entrance. "I intend to visit the hotel manager, borrow his dictionary, and I'm sure he'll teach his children the Tan language, too." "This is just an idea—though even with a dictionary, you won't be able to master it in the short term. Even acquiring just a few words will be quite difficult, since this language belongs to a completely different system from that of the North Continent." Anderson said, nodding appreciatively. "Then let me give you a method instead. Has your captain taught you any of the ritual spells from the domain of the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom'?" "Yes." Daniz replied without hesitation. Anderson then slammed his palms together. "Then I can teach you a new ritual spell. By praying to the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom,' you'll gain the ability to understand, recognize, and write the Tan language fluently within one week." Daniz shook his head immediately. "I worship the 'Lord of the Storm,' not the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom.' Some of the earlier ritual spells worked because of the captain's connection." "With that," he glanced at Anderson, "you weren't born in Segar, raised in Lünburg, and were classmates of the captain, were you? Then you should surely be a devoted follower of the god of Knowledge and Wisdom—wouldn't it be more appropriate and effective for you to conduct that ritual?" Anderson shook his head and smiled. "Even among devoted followers, only a small minority actually receive a meaningful response." He paused, as though pondering, then said, "The best course of action would be to enlist the help of a priest or bishop from the Church of Knowledge, have them prepare some incantations. I recall there are several missionaries from Lünburg in Berlens Port—how about we visit them tomorrow?" Danius was about to respond with "Good," when suddenly a look of suspicion crossed his face. "I always have a feeling you're hiding something—some kind of scheme." Anderson's expression instantly stiffened. ........ On the airship, Klein was fast asleep, securely fastened in his seat belt, a blanket draped over him, leaning against the back of his chair. At that moment, the night outside was deep and black, with sparse lights on the ground, and though the scene appeared slow, it was actually moving swiftly—everything seemed so calm and serene. It wasn't clear how long it had been before Caine suddenly awoke, stretching his neck. ——Because he had been wearing the "Bell of Death," he had drunk a good deal of water, and the bloating in his lower abdomen had woken him up. He lifted the blanket, unfastened his seatbelt, yawned, and walked toward the rest room, heading to the bathroom in the corner of the hall. After finishing his business and washing his hands thoroughly, he turned to leave the bathroom and re-entered the hall, when suddenly he saw a figure standing in a dimly lit area. The figure wore a long, dark robe, with blue eyeshadow and blush, looking as though it had drifted out of a mortuary—like a ghost emerging from stillness. Madam Daili... Caine was certain he recognized her immediately, and reacted with surprise. Dai Li took a few steps, looked up at the face of Daven Tantris, and lingered on his eyes, smiling gently. "Your eyes and your demeanor remind me of a friend of mine—especially your eyes." Crain immediately feigned relief, chuckled. "Madam, if we swapped genders, this would be the classic opening line of a date." Dai Li's gaze didn't waver, and she laughed softly. "No need to swap—gender doesn't change the definition of this behavior. If I'd spoken to you like this at any other time, I'd truly have been trying to seduce you, even all the way to the altar. But now? I have no such intention. I came over simply because your eyes reminded me of him." Talking to Madame Dailly is quite overwhelming... If I don't take the initiative, she might notice that Dunstan Thénardier isn't the well-rounded, charmingly fluent suitor she might expect, but rather someone who feels uncomfortable in the presence of attractive women—someone still inexperienced. I must seize the initiative and steer the conversation. With a sudden thought, Cline approached her with a half-joking tone, directly asking, "Madam, do you like that friend of yours?" Dailly paused for a moment, raised an eyebrow, and smiled gently,低头, "This isn't something to hide. If only he could be as confident as you are—someone who approaches women with ease and knows how to create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Then perhaps we'd already have children of our own." "Unfortunately, he's a conservative man. When we chat, he only talks about work and shares his experiences. As soon as I give him a hint or play a bit too bold, he becomes uncomfortable, always finding excuses to leave. He looks older than he should, his hair isn't well-maintained, and he has a poor memory—he even forgets my birthday. Whenever I think of him, I get angry. I'd actually like to push him right onto the bed, tie his hands to the bedrail...” Klein gazed steadily at the top of Daili's head, sighed, and interrupted her: "Madam, you've said too much." Daili lifted her head, maintaining the same smile as before: "I thought you'd dive deeper into these issues." Klein smiled and said: "Then why haven't you taken any action? It's clear you're not just someone who talks." Daili gave a light "hmm": "You guess." Then, she nodded: "Thank you for not saying I'm being intrusive." As she spoke, she turned around and headed back toward the large lounge where the "red gloves" were gathered. Klein gave a slight smile, shook his head, and walked toward his own cabin. At the entrance of the large lounge, her gaze fell upon a pair of untied leather shoes on the floor. Raising her eyes, she caught the image of Leonard Mitchell—dark hair, green eyes. Leonard glanced at the lounge where Daven Tholos had entered, then lowered his voice: "He has many secrets—not so simple." Dai Li smiled lightly and nodded. "Indeed," she said, then moved with ease past Leonard Mitchell and entered the large lounge. After walking a few meters, she slowed her pace and slightly lowered her head again. Leonard remained standing at the doorway, his shadow stretched out by the lights outside, breathing slowly and silently. In the small lounge, Crane stood by the door, raising his right hand and gently rubbing the temples on either side, as if a statue. Berg House, Silver City. Derek sat on a chair, chewing on bread baked from black grass powder, and thoughtfully reviewing in his mind the various tasks he had yet to complete: "The 'World' gentleman still hasn't received the requested materials on 'weird and strange' phenomena... the merits related to the unique characteristics of the Sequence 5 vampires still need work... I only have three friends—still not enough... the details about the previous Chief's tomb are only a few scattered clues..." As one thought after another passed through his mind, Derek finished his meal, removed his shirt, and produced an open container made of stone. He then carefully applied the thick black liquid inside to each visible bruise on his body. Although only black-faced grass is edible around the city of Silver, the plants are far more diverse—strange and varied—each possessing unique abilities that enable them to thrive and reproduce in an environment devoid of sunlight, illuminated only by lightning and darkness. One traditional practice of the city is to select different plants, pair them with specific organs of the monsters, and prepare various ointments and medicinals, which are remarkably effective in treating most injuries and illnesses, thus preventing many residents from succumbing to minor ailments. ——This tradition has been passed down through generations of "Mages of the Hunt," who have gradually simplified and standardized the magical elixirs, sacred ointments, and essential oil formulations they discovered into more accessible, foundational forms! After applying the ointment, which carried a slightly pungent, fishy odor, Drick was just about to dress himself when he suddenly heard a steady knocking at the door. His spirit instinct immediately tensed. He lifted the "Aesir's Roar," the deep blue great hammer crackling with electric light, and carefully approached the door, ready at any moment to strike down monsters emerging from the darkness. "Who?" Darien asked in a steady voice. A slightly robust voice answered from outside: "Valer." At the same time, clear, bright glimmers illuminated the crevices of the door and the windows—this was the ability of the "Dawn Knight." Darien relaxed and opened the door, greeting warmly: "Valer, didn't you just say you were leading your team on patrol today?" Valer stood two meters tall, a friend Darien had recently made and one he deeply trusted, as Valer often tempered his own strength significantly, always showing great care for his companions. Moreover, it was Valer's team that had recently been assigned to patrol the area including the former chief's tomb. Valer had hair of a similar brown-yellow hue to Deric, with a thick beard, and his favorite pastime was sparring with people. Hearing this, he chuckled: "The 'Six-Member Council' just instructed our patrol squad to bypass the area where the former Chief's mausoleum once stood—this is now the last remaining section of our patrol route. "Come on, let's head to the training grounds and get some movement!" It's no coincidence that the 'Six-Member Council' specifically asked our patrol to go around that area—can they open the main doors of the former Chief's mausoleum today? I wonder what will happen... I hope there's no hidden scheme from Elder Loviya. Deric was suddenly startled, forming a clear connection in his mind, yet unsure of what he could do. As he hesitated, dressing and preparing to leave with Valer for the training grounds, a figure emerged from the shadowed part of the street and spoke: "Deric Berg, the Chief has requested you to meet him at the dome."