In the room of the senior elder of the "Council of Six" at the summit of the circular tower, Colin Iliath stood with a tall frame—considerably so even by the standards of Silver City. His white hair was messy and poorly groomed, deep lines of expression etched across his face, though his skin elsewhere remained smooth, bearing a few old scars, some twisted, others deeply ingrained. He wore a linen shirt beneath a brown coat, a leather belt with several small squares arranged in a pattern at his waist. His eyes, a soft blue, held a weathered depth, as though they had written a lifetime of stories. After Dric had completed his bow, the "Dragon Slayer" nodded gently and indicated a set of objects arranged on the table to the diagonal side. "Do you remember them?" Dric glanced at the items and his gaze instantly froze, his eyes reflecting two translucent, slender creatures—each no thicker than a child's finger. "The Chrono-creatures!" He saw the transparent rings that marked the Chrono-creatures—descendants of the "Sunderer" Amon! "I remember." Derek remained silent for a moment, instinctively responding, "The things left behind by Amon." Colin Iliad gave a barely perceptible nod. "One of them actually came from your cough." Without waiting for Derek to speak, he said slowly, "You once mentioned that, when possessed by Amon, you were mostly in a dazed state, like dreaming, only occasionally becoming fully awake." Facing the chief's steady gaze, Derek nodded continuously, confirming that he had indeed described such experiences. Colin Iliad shifted his attention to the window, gazing out over the nearby buildings, "I should have told you about what you did during that period. You conducted two rituals—one with the elements of the Covenant, and one resembling a sacrifice—and both received some response. Do you still remember those events?" Indeed, when I asked the "Knight of Cups" for assistance and used the sacramental ritual to purify Amun's avatar, I too had been under observation. Driek wasn't surprised by the Chief's remarks—he had long been guided by the "Hanged Man," following the well-established pattern of the Silver City's elders, who would never simply overlook someone showing signs of anomaly. His conclusion that he had consistently been under surveillance since leaving the dungeon was initially supported by the observation during the sacrifice ritual, when a figure emerged from the shadows to intervene. "I don't remember much," Driek said, shaking his head thoughtfully. Colin, who had only been glancing at him, turned back and sighed, "Try to recall more carefully." "These two Amun's remaining parasites are exceptionally valuable materials—I've been seeking ways to utilize them. If I can secretly incorporate them into some item, it will become a hidden advantage known only to me, capable of playing a decisive role at the right moment." "In the two rituals you've undergone, there may be symbolic elements, ancient incantations, or mystical components that you can draw upon. 'Think about it more carefully.' In the past, Deric would have only understood the surface meaning conveyed by the chief. But now, he can pause for several seconds, translating the corresponding words into the deeper, unspoken sentences that lie beneath: 'I know you still maintain a certain connection with Amun.'" "We're about to open the tomb of the former Chief. I must prepare extra contingencies to protect the Silver City's core assets from any harm by Loviya and the others. You need to try communicating—see if you can secure assistance, or if you can share the details of the previous ritual so I can work it out on my own..." The "Hanged Man" was absolutely right: the more experienced and senior someone was, the more accustomed they were to expressing their intentions subtly and indirectly, using hints rather than direct requests, thus preserving room for both parties to respond and adapt. Dariq suddenly felt as though he had truly mastered a particular skill. Considering the Chief's objective—to contain Loviya, the Elder, and the other representative's "Fallen Creator"—he felt it was necessary to take some action. Yet, he had no clear idea of how to utilize the "Time Worm." He could only consider reaching out to the " Fool" for help. "I'll do my best. I need to recall—yes, I need a quiet room." "Derek's response was intermittent, as he carefully chose his words. Colin Iliad seemed well-prepared, pointing toward the corridor: "Several rooms across the way with doors open are currently unoccupied—choose one yourself." "Yes, Sir," Derek bowed and stepped out, selecting a room at random, locking the wooden door behind him, and then settled into a quiet corner, his eyes softly glowing as he whispered a low prayer. It seemed like a small "Sun"... Caine wiped his mouth and yawned, entering the narrow bathroom, then struggled to walk backward four steps, reaching the gray mist. As he had expected, the deep red star that flickered and sent out ripples was the one symbolizing the "Sun." Spirit spread outward, touching the past, and Caine soon understood what the "Sun" was asking for. The First of Silver City was inquiring of the small "Sun"—no, of the one he believed to be Amun—how to utilize the "Hour-Beetle" sigil... Fortunately, I've had this concern before, and I've already resolved it... Yet, to create a powerful sigil capable of briefly exchanging destinies using the "Hour-Beetle" requires prayer to the "Fool." Wouldn't that directly reveal that the small "Sun" is not Amun, but rather another hidden presence, less seasoned and more obscure? Caine lightly tapped the worn edge of the long table with his right index finger, seriously considering how to respond. Within less than a minute, he shifted his perspective and realized his earlier concerns were entirely unnecessary. First, aside from Elder Lovira, the Shepherd, who might receive certain insights from the "True Creator," no one in Silver City knew the specifics about Amun. They only speculated that He might be one of the Eight Angel Kings originally serving the Creator—the Angel of Time. Thus, even if they learned of the "Fool," they would likely consider Him to be Amun's true essence, or the deity currently serving under Amun. Second, the title of the "Fool" was no longer a secret to the "True Creator," the "Disbeliever" Amun, or Elder Lovira. Therefore, it made little difference if more people in Silver City came to know of it. Once again, the chief named Colin Iliad, though now bearing the esteemed title of "Fool" and possessing a "0"-level seal, remains merely a "Hunter of Monsters"—he still cannot accomplish much. After all, even the "Defiler" Amon or the "True Maker" have not come to knock on my door at midnight. Finally, the chief of the "Council of Six" has long recognized that the young "Sun" is in trouble, and now makes it quite explicit. In the span of a thought, Caine feels compelled to take a bolder stand—perhaps he can leverage this moment to establish a few followers or even establish a network of believers in Silver City, ensuring that the young "Sun" is no longer struggling alone. Moreover, now I—having progressed significantly since my first encounter with the purified Amun duplicate—have accumulated deeper knowledge of esoteric studies, now wield the "Sea God's Staff," and can tap into even greater forces within the mysterious realm above the gray mist, so that I no longer fear any mishaps during the ritual when facing a sequence-4 half-god... as long as I don't recklessly drag someone up into the gray mist. Quickly deciding, Caine transformed the process of crafting the "Stole of the Unseen" into light and shadow, and cast it into the deep red star symbolizing the "Sun." "Colin Iliad nodded calmly: 'Which ones?' 'Designed with pure silver and mercury...' Derek described the initial part of the ritual succinctly, then paused, adding, 'At that moment, I seemed to be softly chanting a title: "The Fool," belonging to a time beyond this era.' Colin's eyes narrowed slightly, and he interrupted suddenly: 'The corresponding symbolic emblem is precisely the one left behind on the candle?' 'Yes,' Derek replied straightforwardly. 'The second part is, the Sovereign of the Misty Veil.' At this point, Colin interrupted once again: 'No other ritual materials required?' 'None,' Derek nodded, slightly surprised. It was then that he realized the Chief had been deliberately interrupting his recitation of the title 'The Fool.' Yes, our common language is the Giant tongue—the language that can stir natural forces. When the name of a deity is spoken directly, unforeseen effects inevitably arise. I've grown accustomed to stating the entire name in one breath because I know that Sir Fool is truly a divine being, worthy of trust; the First Chair, however, is not yet aware of this. Darien paused thoughtfully and continued: "The third section, the King of Yellow and Black, ruler of fortune." Colin listened quietly and nodded slightly. "That's excellent. Though I cannot yet be certain whether the details you recalled will prove useful, this is still a significant contribution—I will have your merits increased accordingly. Return to your quarters, or spend some time in the library." "Yes, First Chair." Seeing no further business, Darien breathed out silently and swiftly exited the room at the top of the circular tower. Colin Iliad watched him go, then moved to the chair behind the desk, and settled his gaze upon the two semi-transparent, segmented creatures. Beside the small insect lay a notebook, illustrating a secret symbol composed of half an "Eye Without a Pupil" and half a "Twisted Line." Colin's gaze remained fixed, as if he had turned to stone. After a while, he slowly rose and produced three candles.