"The folk customs of the Southern Continent are truly quite different from ours." Audrey looked down at the feathered hat ornament inside the gift box and sincerely praised it. "It does, however, align well with my taste." The latter part of her statement was half sincere, half courteous—she genuinely admired the refined craftsmanship of the feather, which she found artistic, yet she also felt its style was too distinct and dramatic, not quite the kind of accessory she typically preferred. This is much like many visitors to ancient ruins who are deeply impressed by unique and mysterious forms, often expressing enthusiastic admiration, yet rarely purchase such items to place at home or use as decorative pieces. Upon hearing this, Kline smiled. "Indeed, there are significant differences among the folk customs of the Southern Continent—those of the East Baylands and the Highlands, for instance, are nearly entirely distinct from one another. Yet they also share certain commonalities, such as the deep reverence for gold, which they believe possesses magical powers." "With that," he pointed to the feather in Audrey's hand, "it's said that those who wear this hat ornament are blessed by the feathered serpent—known as the 'Death God.'" He was subtly hinting at the hidden function of the feather. Audrey, already at Sequence 6 of the "Audience" path, easily picked up the underlying meaning in the "World" gentleman's words—understanding that the ornament would summon a response from the 'Death God' at crucial moments. As for the exact method of operation, it was a foundational element of esoteric knowledge that Audrey had mastered thoroughly and didn't need Mr. D'Artagnan to explain further. With a gentle, toothless smile, she replied, "I truly love it. I'll insert it into my hat at the right moments." Indeed, conversing with the "Audience" felt so effortless.克莱恩 returned a smile and gestured toward the door. "There are still some gifts to be delivered." "Today, you're the most popular person here." Audrey smiled in response, expressing her gratitude in a gentle and indirect manner. At the same time, she felt a little uneasy, hesitating whether to now bring up the matter of Herwin Lambis—something she had been particularly interested in and attentive to since the case of Karon's suicide—during a conversation with the "World" gentleman. Hmm, Monday is approaching; perhaps it's better to wait until the Tarot gathering, when we can discuss it more conveniently. Besides, I'll also need to consult with the "Hanged Man" gentleman and the "Wise One" lady about how to handle the current situation, especially how to guard against the subtle suggestions and hypnosis from high-sequence strong individuals. After all, not every time can I pray to the " Fool" gentleman in advance and receive the angel's blessing. To think of it, such hypnosis is truly frightening—so insidious that one often acts without even realizing it. Audrey's thoughts surged like boiling water, bubbling with one after another of little bubbles. This made her begin to suspect that many in the upper echelons of Beckland's society had undergone hypnosis and had even acted against their true thoughts and intentions. She also gradually grasped something else: every time her parents attended Mass at Saint Samuel's Church, it was always the Archbishop of Beckland who presided over the service—and only a half-god from the Night Church could hold such a position. On occasion, the Archbishop would even visit their home and chat with them. Was this a preventive measure? Therefore, had Herwin Lambis not been so thorough in his hypnosis of her? Audrey watched Donatelle Tanghès leave her office, closed the door casually, and then sat back down, picking up her pen and mindlessly sketching haphazardly on the paper. When she regained her focus, the once-white sheet now bore a series of interwoven circles, and a pair of cold, watchful eyes, along with a face whose lines radiated outward. Just a quick glance, and Audrey felt a sudden surge of energy, immediately using the friction between spirit and matter to ignite the white sheet of paper, burning it to ash. The haphazard drawings she had made earlier had, in some way, reflected her true emotions and intentions! For a qualified "psychologist," interpreting such drawings is a fundamental skill—so Audrey made sure no traces remained. After a while, Cline delivered his gifts, chatted casually with several board members, then entered the room reserved for part-time board members, retrieved paper and pen, sat on the sofa, and began to write: "Dear Mr. Azk—" During his time in the southern continent, Cline had already written letters detailing Adam's achievement of reaching "0–08," as well as his own successful campaign against Inns. Zanggwell, alongside Leonard and Dali, and had summoned the messengers by blowing a copper horn to send these letters to the sleeping Mr. Azk. Undoubtedly, he had not yet received any reply. As for the mention in the letter of Adam and the "0–08" matter, Klein didn't care one bit—after all, that "visionary angel" surely knew about his relationship with Mr. Azk, and sharing certain developments with familiar faces would hardly provoke any strong reaction. This time, the content of Klein's letter touched no extraordinary realms. With a smile and a gentle pen, he provided a detailed account of the charitable scholarship initiatives he had recently learned about from the board members, including Odile. He concluded with: "…This truly is a meaningful endeavor. I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and joy. Mr. Azk, do you share this sentiment?" "When you wake up, perhaps you can try doing something similar—each time you rise again, you'll be able to see the children you once helped. Though you may no longer remember them, they will surely remember you..." After writing this, he placed the pen down, carefully reviewed the letter once more to ensure everything was correct, then blew the bronze whistle to summon the bone messenger, who took the letter. Next, he accompanied his personal servant, Enyuni, from the "Rune Charitable Education Fund" to the nearby Saint Samuel's Church. In the dark, quiet chapel, he silently prayed for a full hour. As always, he went to the offering box, placed a stack of cash inside, totaling eighty pounds. Taking this opportunity, he met with Bishop Elektra, chatting with her and listening to her sermon. This marked Donatelle Tangates' return to religious social circles. As for the gifts, Caine did not present them face-to-face, since it was within the goddess's church, and privately, the housekeeper Walter would naturally deliver the items to the homes of several bishops. ………… At afternoon tea, Caine, as arranged, left his residence at 160 Berkley Street to visit Dr. Allen Cris—Richardson had already gone by earlier in the morning to inform him and received a positive response. This time, Caine not only met Dr. Allen Cris but also his wife, Wilma Gretis, as well as their newborn infant and their older siblings, who were a few years old. "It's a real pity we couldn't attend, er…" Caine paused deliberately, allowing Wilma Gretis to respond with a smile, "Wilma." He then reorganized his words: "It's truly a shame we went to East Byrnes and missed Wilma's birthday celebration. This is a rather popular amulet from that area, believed to bring good fortune to the child." While speaking, he offered the golden ornament in his hands to Dr. Alan Cris. Not particularly eloquent, Alan didn't hesitate to accept it, simply nodded and said, "Thank you." Then, he grasped the cord and lowered the golden amulet gently into the nearby infant carriage, shaking it slightly and asked, "Wil, do you like it?" The plump infant, wrapped in silver silk, lifted his arm and gave a swift swing, sending the golden amulet flying. It flew out— In the living room, the scene became momentarily awkward. Klein chuckled, breaking the silence: "This is something children often do." At that moment, the maid brought in a three-tiered tray with afternoon tea pastries, allowing the guests to naturally shift the conversation, restoring a pleasant atmosphere. While sipping his红茶 and enjoying the pastries, Klein began to recount the various unusual customs of the village of Blyth, which piqued the interest of Dr. Alan's wife, the couple, and the other two children, who occasionally asked follow-up questions. During this process, Caine suddenly turned his face toward the pram, smiled, and asked, "You seem to not be fond of my gift?" As he spoke, neither the Allen couple nor anyone else in the living room showed any sign of unusual behavior—they all listened intently. The narrative Caine had created in his illusion remained uninterrupted! Upon hearing this, Wil. Aunscite, with his sturdy arms, hummed and spoke in a childlike voice, "What's the point of such a gift? Why not simply give me 'Gualdar'? At least then I can drink it!" Caine nodded, smiled, and then said, "I have a message for you: Ulus has been wounded by someone, and for some time will likely be unable to continue searching for you." He deliberately omitted Adam's name and title, even though he hadn't thought of them much—afraid that the head of the twilight hermit order might notice and thus uncover the whereabouts of "the Serpent of Fate," Wil. Aunscite. As for the description of the Amun brothers, Caine has temporarily set it aside, since no one knows for sure whether Amun is still in Beklanth, and frequently mentioning this "Angel of Time" might just bring about a convergence of fate. Nevertheless, Caine believes that Will. Oncetin should be able to deduce who struck the "Angel of Fate," since only Adam and Amun remain active in the real world and hold a rank slightly higher than Urolus. ——He used the term "someone," which rules out scenarios such as the major angels launching a coordinated assault or deploying a zero-level seal. Will. Oncetin paused quietly and said, "I always knew it would be a good thing in the long run—your shift in fate." After exchanging this information, Caine was about to dissolve the illusion when suddenly Will. Oncetin murmured, "Oh, I suddenly feel like having a 'Gualdar'—preferably with ice." "It's not very good for children!" Klein seriously interrupted the illusion, reaching out to take one of the ice creams just delivered by the serving maid. Then, under the watchful eyes of the Allen and Verma couple, he scooped a portion of ice cream with a silver spoon and smiled, engaging the child: "Will, would you like to try it?" "Would you like to try it?" Mrs. Verma laughed heartily at once. "Our Will doesn't like ice cream." As she finished speaking, Klein promptly dipped the ice cream from the spoon into his mouth. "Oh!" the child in the stroller cried out, sounding quite loud.