Gazing at the convex window glowing with the light of the gas wall, Algier, with his hood drawn and mask in place, was about to open his mouth to inquire about the details of the mission, when suddenly a shadow emerged from the dense darkness beside him, stretching out into a slender, pale, ill-looking young man. "The One Without Blood," Algier instantly recognized him—Hees Dole, the second officer of the *Starborne*. Hees did not look at Algier; he addressed directly to the "Star General," Cadrya: "Captain, they have not noticed any anomaly. The mushrooms have been transformed into a creamy soup, and the main course for tonight is prepared—seared meat and fish." "Excellent," Cadrya removed her heavy spectacles, her eyes, now glowing with a mysterious purple hue, fixed on the dining area beyond the wall. Hees Dole said nothing further, his figure instantly fading into shadow, vanishing into the darkness somewhere. After listening to the two's conversation and combining it with the earlier information provided by the "Hermit" lady, the "Hanged Man" Aljer now has a fairly clear sense of the core elements of tonight's mission: mushrooms! Poisonous mushrooms! Although he doesn't yet know exactly how the "Star General" managed to impair the extraordinary intuitive awareness of the inhabitants, rendering them unable to distinguish between ordinary and deadly mushrooms, Aljer believes this is very much within the realm of the mystical. He hesitates before asking: "Could this lead to the death of the 'Craftsman' Charle?" Since the wild 'Craftsman' is quite rare, Aljer doesn't want to lose such a valued friend—especially when there's still room for maneuver—his ideal scenario being to imprison him and make him the exclusive 'Craftsman' of himself and the 'Hermit'. "No." "Cadryla calmly shook her head, offering a casual explanation, 'Whether it's the intelligence you've provided or the details observed by our crew, there's one consistent point: Charf has a strong aversion to fish—he doesn't just dislike it, he actively detests it, possibly stemming from a childhood incident where fish bones lodged in his throat.' It was precisely because of this that Cadryla ultimately adopted the 'mushroom strategy,' which effectively weakens the enemy's forces while minimizing risks to her own side. The mushroom species capable of absorbing blood and nourishing itself in dark environments was initially ruled out by the 'Stars Above,' as it would allow the perceptive, extraordinary individuals to immediately detect anomalies—much like encountering a toxic substance. Moreover, extraordinary individuals who hold the faith in the 'Primordial Moon' are likely to have deep knowledge of herbs, plants, and fruits; thus, they should be able to visually identify potentially hazardous mushrooms simply by sight." To deceive them, the food itself must be harmless, and only transform through contact with other elements. Frank's earlier creation of mushrooms is perfectly suited for this! Unless both fish and water are present, the mushrooms remain ordinary—they neither kill nor cause diarrhea. Instead, they are gradually digested and broken down into various components, eventually being excreted. By that point, even the presence of fish and water becomes irrelevant. For this reason, Gauthier specifically asked Frank to restart the experiment that had been temporarily abandoned, securing a batch of mushrooms, and promised to hunt a "Rose Bishop" from the Aurora Order for him. "I don't like fish at all..." Aljé murmured, feeling once again that he was falling behind the logic of the "hidden ones." He had asked specifically whether the toxic mushrooms would lead to the death of the craftsman, Charles, but Frank's response had been that Charles wouldn't die—because he simply didn't like fish, and in fact, disliked it deeply. Is there any necessary connection here? Aljer mused silently in his heart, without speaking. He remained silent, deciding to observe and pay closer attention later. Soon, a sudden cry came from within the house, followed by a series of gasps, groans, and vomiting sounds. "Move," Gautherika ordered, exceptionally concise. Her form instantly became transparent, as if transformed into a statue composed of countless stars. The statue shattered, and brilliant starlight surged forth, and suddenly she appeared at the doorway, slipping through the gap. Fragments of starlight reassembled within, and Gautherika's form emerged. Then, she heard the sound of wind rushing, and the sharp thuds of impacts. The doorframe swayed, the door opened, and Aljer, the "Hanged Man," entered the building no slower than Gautherika, the "Star General." He glanced swiftly and immediately took in the state of the restaurant: Charles, the artisan, retreated in alarm, stepping away from the long table; two men and a woman lay on the floor, continuously vomiting mushrooms, their chests and bellies torn open, with mushrooms sprouting one after another. Upon sensing someone entering, they instinctively raised their heads, and white fungal filaments now began to appear on their faces, one cluster after another. Aljere’s face, partially concealed by his mask, involuntarily twitched. Though experienced and well-traveled, not unfamiliar with extraordinary scenes, such a sight still profoundly struck him visually and emotionally. "Star Sovereign" Gauthier had anticipated something unusual, but was stunned by the intensity of the scene, pausing only briefly before using her right hand to clench her mouth and blowing a soft whistle. Fantastical ropes emerged from the ground, coiling like serpents and securing the three devotees of the "Primordial Moon." "Can we halt this?" "Cadryla turned her head toward the shadow in the corner. After a moment of silence, His. Dole's voice emerged from there: 'Frank says he hasn't yet found a way to halt the process—he can only cremate.' Cremation... Cadryla's eyebrows slightly lifted, and immediately reached into her inner pouch, pulling out a handful of powder and tossing it forward. The powder seemed to possess its own vitality, landing precisely on the three 'Original Moon' devotees and each mushroom. Without a sound, a deep crimson flame rose, quietly burning everything it touched. The artisan, Chalfe, had been frozen in shock the moment he witnessed the transformation. When someone entered, he had initially intended to resist with his array of magical items. But soon recognizing the visitor as Cadryla, the Starborne General, he abandoned his sense of reason and stood firmly in place, waiting. He questioned whether he still held significant value—no matter where he went, he wouldn't be directly killed, and the Starborne General had never been known for any ill will." The worst case scenario would be joining the Star Pirates...and this pirate admiral, personally, looks better than the portrait on the wanted poster—completely a different air. Charle adjusted his wolf-tooth necklace, smiled warmly, and waited for the visitor to state his purpose. Gardelie glanced at him, studied his features carefully, and could only confirm he was typical of an Indis—she didn't see any resemblance to the Queen. This pirate admiral paused before speaking: "I originally came through a friend's recommendation to have you craft magical items. But then I learned you've been working closely with the followers of 'The Original Moon.' Their three members aren't particularly strong—they simply can't keep up with you. So, why are you still here?" One of the primary hypothetical adversaries in Gardeleia's current campaign is, in fact, the artisan himself—since he cannot be killed, must be contained, and possesses numerous well-matched magical items that make him an exceptionally formidable opponent. Yet, surprisingly, the situation has unfolded so smoothly. Charlaf, the craftsman, smiled gently: "During the time they controlled me, they told me that as long as I upheld the faith in the 'Primordial Moon,' and performed certain rituals, I could cure my chronic illness. I couldn't resist the temptation and tried it—indeed, it worked. I've regained a sense of being a man again..." He paused abruptly, realizing he had revealed too much, exposing his hidden condition. Was it that, in being overly indulgent with women, he had gradually lost his vitality? Aljé silently exhaled a breath of mild surprise. Charlaf looked at the two across from him, noting no one had offered a mocking remark, and thus cleared his throat lightly before continuing: "It wasn't merely a matter of medication—it was a genuine return to the state I was in when I was young. Afterward, I had two dreams featuring a moon that appeared both vividly blood-streaked and intensely alluring. I believe I have truly become a devoted follower of the 'Primordial Moon.' Therefore, I no longer dare to flee." Cadry and Aljeh exchanged a silent glance, and in their hearts both pronounced the verdict on "the artisan": Once a person truly believes in the evil deities or certain hidden entities, unless they are willing to remain steadfast and gradually become fervent, even if they later regret their choice and are protected by official powers, with no major incidents for years, they may still pass away quietly and without a sound in their sleep after a few years. This condition is nearly insurmountable—unless they receive the blessing of the high-ranking earthly angels, such as the papal bishops of the various churches, or are permanently isolated through specific seals and live underground. Of course, many ordinary people simply live out their lives without intervention and die naturally in old age, often overlooked by the evil deities and hidden entities. But Charf, as a "craftsman," is a particularly valuable asset. Cadryl no longer brings up the matter of the "Original Moon" followers. To her, whether the "Craftsmen" believe in the evil deities isn't a major issue—so long as they can communicate, reach agreements, and don't go crazy from time to time, collaboration is possible. Other concerns are not something a pirate needs to worry about. Instead, she said, "What magical items do you currently have? I'll select some and leave a few for you." The "Craftsmen" Charlefe found this development entirely unsurprising. After all, he was dealing with a pirate, not a police officer; it was entirely natural that the pirate would seize a few items at will. In fact, he felt genuinely grateful simply to have several items left for him. Though, given his own level and the quality of his possessions, he might have managed to escape with a combination of items—yet he lacked the courage to attempt it. "Very well." "Charle first withdrew a pair of gray-and-white-framed glasses from his chest pocket," explaining, "Gnome glasses—whenever eye contact is made, the person is instantly paralyzed, as if turned to stone. There are two drawbacks: first, if worn while looking in a mirror, the wearer also becomes paralyzed; second, the body grows heavy and movement becomes sluggish." Isn't this exactly the item I had reserved? It seems it has already been crafted. Gazing at the artisan, Aljere, his eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly.