After wandering a while alongside Oneas Bojal, Emlin gradually began to consider giving up. He glanced at the steadily increasing rain outside the veranda and thought, with growing frustration: "How shall I punish Oneas? Though he must have acted according to orders or hints, he still seems quite unbearable. As for Lord Nibais... right now, I simply don't have the strength. I'll certainly make him pay when I become a Marquis or a Duke. The Lady Magician has now completed her exploration of the abandoned castle. I'm not sure whether Nibais has dispatched vampire scouts to monitor it. From her tone, her descriptions, and the feedback provided by the 'Fool,' it seems she hasn't. So, has Nibais not sent any vampires to the area around the castle? Then what's the point of testing? Or perhaps, has he missed something? As his thoughts raced, Emlin felt he should seek counsel on how to deal with Oneas Boiar, as he lacked such experience. Subconsciously, the first person who came to mind was "The Hanged Man," a seasoned Tarot member known for his reliability and competence across all matters, consistently meeting expectations without fail. Yet after a few seconds of hesitation, Emlin dismissed this choice, recognizing that revealing internal bloodline tensions to the Tarot members would undermine his pride and the bloodline's overall image before resolution. For the same reason, he ruled out "The World." Of course, he knew intuitively what advice "The World" would offer: execution. But that level of severity was unnecessary. Under his breath, Emlin murmured this to himself, idly trailing behind Oneas Boiar, gradually broadening his circle of potential confidants into the wider world. Then he realized he had very few options left—he hardly had any friends. After excluding his parents, who were also vampires, he could only consider two people: Father Utrovaski of the Harvest Church, and the enigmatic, resourceful detective Sherlock Moriati. "Sherlock hasn't returned from his departure in Beckett yet. Oh well, I'll have to find Father tomorrow, though I can't say it so plainly..." Emlyn quickly made up his mind, bypassing Eneas Bojal, who had just entered the clock shop, and headed toward the end of the covered walkway, where several rental carriages were waiting. Once aboard, feeling the wheels begin to turn, Emlyn casually glanced out the window and saw raindrops increasingly dense and steady, tracing streaks down the glass to the bottom. Through the blurred view, he watched one carriage after another pass by. …Audrey turned her gaze from the rain scene outside the carriage window and glanced at her personal maid, Anne, silently exchanging words with Susie who was crouched beside her. Through her expressions, facial cues, and subtle body movements, she conveyed: We’re nearly home; I’m a bit nervous. Susie shook her tail, raised her paw, and gently adjusted the gold-framed spectacles hanging at her neck, complementing her message with color shifts observed at both the etheric and mental levels: Don’t worry—the Lady Islantr, who appears to be a psychologist but is actually only at the level of a mind-reader, won’t be able to detect your lies. Audrey nodded slightly, watching the carriage enter the grand villa of the Hall family and come to a stop at the covered entrance hall. Since joining the "Rune Charitable Scholarship Fund," she has been spending fewer and fewer hours at home. Originally intending to invite Ms. Islanter Osicelka, the founder of the Psychological Alchemy Circle, to meet at 22 Pasey Street in the North District, it now seems unnecessary—since Mr. Dauin Tangates has moved to the Southern Continent and is no longer based at the Fund. Islandant replied with a composed grace: "I've heard that you've been tirelessly advocating for children eager to learn—your virtue shines as brightly as diamonds." Audrey gestured for the guest to sit, then moved to the single armchair. "Hmm," she said, "the circumstances of these children are something I've never witnessed before. There's always a voice within me urging me to do something, Islandant Lady. If you're free, I'd invite you to join me and the staff of the 'Rune Charitable Education Fund' in visiting various schools and gaining a firsthand understanding of what most children's lives are like." With that, she offered a light, slightly self-deprecating smile. "Apologies—I've recently found myself drawn to discussing these matters, as I hope to engage more nobles and wealthy patrons, encourage greater contributions, and ultimately reach more children." After listening to Audrey's words, Islanth responded with a touch of discomfort: "I'll do that, and I'll also make a donation to the 'Rune Charitable Scholarship Fund.' " "No, I don't want to pressure you into donating. It must be a completely voluntary act, driven by genuine interest. All I ask is that you visit and share with the people around you—the members of the Psychological Alchemy Circle—the children's current situation and their potential futures." Audrey shook her head, declining Islanth's proposal. "Very well," Islanth first nodded with quiet agreement, only to then feel a sense of inexplicable absurdity: Audrey's true intention seemed to be to raise funds for the Psychological Alchemy Circle. Yet, wasn't this a secret, esoteric underground organization? Didn't that make it essentially no different from fundraising for the Aurora Circle? Audrey did not return to the topic of the "Rune Charitable Scholarship Fund," but instead said, "Madam Islant, I have something to share with you." "What?" Islant read from Audrey's expression and gestures a sense of seriousness, joy, and pride. Audrey offered a gentle smile. "I have become a 'hypnotist.'" "...” At that moment, Islant doubted she had been hypnotized by Audrey. Though she knew Miss Audrey had previously obtained the formula for the "hypnotist's potion," how long had it been since then? "You should be able to verify that I am not exaggerating," Audrey smiled softly. Only then did Islant regain her composure, asking with both surprise and wonder, "You seem to have an extraordinary series of experiences." "It's simply about applying what I know," Audrey said, speaking with genuine sincerity. Islant furrowed her brows slightly, hesitating before asking, "Do you wish for the potion formula of Sequence 5?" "Yes," Audrey replied, "What would I need to do, or what would I need to offer?" Audrey did not hide her intentions. Islantr glanced at the beautiful lady across from her, with golden hair and bright eyes, and said carefully, "This is not something I can decide on my own. I'll report it up and arrange a meeting for you with Hilbert Arukard, the psychologist and jewelry designer, and Stephen Hampres, the furniture merchant." It was clear that within this group of psychological alchemists, Islantr held a subordinate position. Audrey was not surprised by Islantr's response—yet that did not mean Islantr's handling of the situation was without flaw. In any secret organization, even within the ranks of the Divine Church, a Sequence-6 extraordinary with aspirations for advancement was a member worthy of attention, one qualified to meet directly with the senior leadership! That is to say, after being promoted to "hypnotherapist," Audrey now stands among the elite of the mid-level members of the Psychological Alchemy Guild, and her next goal is to become a near-upper-level member—thus, she should meet with the Guild's Council members, not with Hilbert or Stephen. As the thought flashed through her mind, Audrey deliberately conveyed a hint of displeasure. Islandt promptly picked up on this signal and explained: "Meeting with Hilbert and Stephen is to assess your current status; thereafter, one of the Council members will have a conversation with you. In fact, given your current rank, you were originally expected to lead a team and develop subordinates. However, due to your position, status, and daily environment, we've decided to suspend this plan, as we're concerned it might disrupt your usual lifestyle." Council members... How many Council members are there in the Psychological Alchemy Guild in Becland?... Is it perhaps Mr. Hwen Lembis, the Royal Advisor? Audrey nodded thoughtfully: "I understand, and I'll wait for your arrangements." She then shifted the topic, her eyes glinting with curiosity, asking: "Miss Islanter, do you know what the Sequence 5 potion of the 'Audience' path is called?" Seeing the golden-haired, blue-eyed noblewoman unconsciously displaying a young girl's grace, Islanter breathed a silent sigh of relief: "I once heard Hilbert mention it—its name is 'Dream Walker.'" 'Dream Walker'... that's a bit different from what I expected. Perhaps 'dream' here is merely a metaphor, and the more accurate name should be 'Subconscious Walker'? Audrey didn't hide her thoughts or analysis, and she soon steered the conversation into the realm of psychological concepts. After having Islanter to dinner, she escorted her out of the hall and onto the carriage. At that moment, the night outside was deep and dark, with a howling wind and a steady rain. Amid the rushing rain, the howling wind, and the deep black night, a passenger ship powered by both sails and steam navigated steadily along the turbulent sea's safe route. Caine had left the Southern Continent, returning to the Dici Bay in the guise of Daven Thonstad. As the vessel rocked gently, he awoke suddenly, rose from bed, and walked to the window of the first-class lounge, gazing outward. Amid the dense, rain-swept night, a massive three-masted sailing ship, entirely black, approached quietly. Its sides were lit by one lantern after another, stretching nearly a hundred meters, bearing three dark canvas sails. On the deck, against the hull, stood a weathered stone bench about two meters high—currently unoccupied. This was the *Black Emperor*, the symbol of the *King of Five Seas*, Nastor!