Above an endless expanse of gray-white mist, within the grand and majestic palace, Leonard Mitchell's figure appeared at the side of the bronze long table and instinctively rose, intending to pay homage to the "Knight of Fools." Yet, upon a quick glance, he noticed the seat was empty—no one seated there. Was the "Knight of Fools" not usually present here? A thought flashed through Leonard's mind as he turned his gaze toward the worn, weathered base of the long table. There, the "World" sat silently, seemingly blended into the hazy, indistinct mist. "…Only us two here—no need to deliberately invoke the image of Germaine Sparrow," Leonard remarked casually as he settled back into his seat. Once he realized the "Knight of Fools" was absent, he instantly felt at ease, no longer as formal as he had been during his previous attendance at the Tarot gathering—only a few inches of his legs now rested casually on the table. "Habit," Klein replied briefly. Leonard nodded thoughtfully: "I've heard that Germán Sparrow is known for being cool, reserved, refined, and courteous—your current demeanor fits that description quite well. Yet, Klein, you weren't always like this. Remember: you're merely playing the role, and you must not let Germán Sparrow's identity shape you." Hey, I pulled you up here to talk about Amun—this isn't a casual chat! Are you really that indifferent to the matters concerning your grandfather? Klein indeed tends to adopt a 'world' perspective in such situations, but after Leonard's remark, he felt somewhat embarrassed to revert to his natural self, simply saying, "Hmm." "Yes," Leonard replied with quiet assurance. The old man looks quite impressive—having shared such crucial and vital knowledge with Leonard... Compared to Him, the previous mouse demi-god truly wasn't well-intentioned. He had barely imparted any fundamental knowledge to Haiyur, and even when he did, he deliberately distorted it. Hah, how could a truly wild and exceptional being, once reaching demi-god status, remain completely ignorant? Even the half-mad sea serpent Kavituvah knew how to respond to rituals, how to demand offerings, and even to bestow certain divine arts. In Leonard’s mind, a clear image of Parès. Zoroastre began to take shape. Still, he hadn’t yet reached a final judgment—after all, one might prepare bait when fishing, and a single event alone doesn’t prove much. Seeing Leonard remain silent, the latter concluded the small pleasantries and moved directly to the point: "Where did you first discover the latest traces of the 'God-Defier' Amun?" "Klein picked up the key points: "I was tracking a near-unstable 'Thief' on a path toward a half-deity, when I encountered Amun outside of Beckland—so I had to rely on the strength of the 'Fool' to escape directly." "Amun's duplicate is indeed still in Beckland..." Leonard remarked, then asked with a mix of curiosity and casual interest, "Why were you tracking that nearly unstable 'Thief' on a path toward a half-deity?" Upon realizing his oversight, he quickly added, "If this involves the 'Fool's' particular plan, I should have asked." Why? Isn't it the 'Watchers' responsibility to handle near- or fully-unstable extraordinary beings? Hearing Leonard's question, Klein sighed deeply. He recalled his experiences in Tinggen once again. In that brief period of more than two months, he had handled several similar incidents—such as the Storm Church's "Substitute Judge" transforming into a monster, Hude Egen losing control, and the elder Neil being contaminated by the "Hidden Sage." Though the total number was not large, these events left a profound impression on him, embedding certain behavioral principles deep within his very bones. Combining his prior knowledge, he analyzed the news of the "Thief" using the pattern of mice going mad and attacking people, deducing that when the "Thief" approached the half-god and neared the point of losing control, he had acted without hesitation—immediately casting a spell downstairs, which was confirmed by Heyourl. Then, without waiting or planning to prepare over a couple of days, he simply performed a divination atop the Gray Mists, formulated a general plan, and promptly launched into action. To him, such an event was simply like putting out a fire. Moreover, Kline had long intended to eliminate the "Thief" who had ascended to demi-god status, as the hostility displayed toward Hayhur was particularly evident, and the latter had also sought to lure the "Magician" lady into the trap concealed within the surface treasure. Had the circumstances then been more favorable—had his own level been higher, his strength more balanced, and had he not been overly concerned about unforeseen complications—he would have acted earlier. Precisely because of this, upon confirming the current state of the "Thief" demi-god, Kline proceeded with his prearranged plan to remove him. His initial objective was to draw the enemy out of the Deer Manor, thus preventing the incomplete demigod form revealed at the moment of death from affecting ordinary people. This proved successful: using himself as bait, he achieved his goal. However, the coordinated barrage of air cannons failed to conclude the battle, allowing the "Thief" demi-god to escape into the thicket and take refuge within a large tree. Klein had originally prepared a second-phase plan, even contingency measures in case his own efforts to purify the target failed. Yet Amun suddenly appeared, forcing him to abruptly halt all plans and flee without hesitation. Klein's contingency was to dispatch a secret automaton from the battlefield, sending a letter to the spiritual order's experimental half-deity, Patrick Bryan, to request his assistance. As a "being who never dies," Patrick should already possess sufficient ability to traverse the spiritual realms. Should any further complications arise, he would summon the messenger lady and handle payment afterward. As memories surfaced, Klein responded to Leonard's question with a sigh: "Secret." Pausing for a moment, he then asked proactively: "Why didn't you previously share the news of Amun's arrival in Bekland with the Night Church?" Leonard quickly went through an explanation, roughly describing the following points: "When the true essence of Amun arrives, a divine presence must descend"; "Amun can observe corresponding changes in fate through the death of his manifestations, thereby identifying the source of disruption and gaining a general understanding of the activities of the hidden forces behind the scenes"; "Amun's style is to maintain a single visible manifestation while concealing dozens, even hundreds of others"; "Amun's manifestations can parasitize within various spiritually attuned beings, and even when such beings are half-gods, they remain unaware of the parasitism." Finally, Leonard detailed the specific example of a manifestation that had stolen away fate, which he had shown to the old man, and conveyed it fully to Caine. Caine found his spine chilled, grateful that he had not acted impulsively against Amun the previous time, otherwise, the 'Fool' might have already been replaced. It's no wonder Leonard hadn't come forward before... Amun had been making such a grand entrance all along—clearly fishing for something, and even more astonishing, there were additional duplicates hidden in the shadows, capable of parasitizing the tiny organisms suspended in the air... Just thinking about it sends shivers down one's spine. The creatures I can currently manipulate simply don't reach this level—especially the smaller ones, where the ethereal threads become less visible and the phenomenon becomes quite exceptional. Oh well, I can't leverage the Church's resources unless there's someone who's unquestionably qualified and should have reported this matter. In Klein's mind, the horror of Amun deepened further, and the impression grew more vivid. In his view, Leonard had been an ideal candidate to report the Night Church, yet his very presence was compromised by the parasitic Paladis-Soloyas, making him utterly unwilling to expose himself to Amun's gaze. Moreover, "The Hanged Man" could shoulder this responsibility, yet could not provide credible intelligence to convince Amun—this indicates a problem, warranting further investigation. One after another, possibilities flashed through Caine’s mind, ultimately settling on himself—on Caine Moretti and on Germán Sparo! As a favored servant of the Night, it is entirely reasonable that I inform the Church of Amun’s presence in Beckland—Amun would surely find no fault with this. And as the "Sorcerer" who fought the "Theft-Seeker" through the half-divine realm tonight, personally witnessing Amun’s arrival in Beckland, I know that Amun’s incarnation has indeed come to Beckland—this is entirely natural and would not raise Amun’s suspicion. Furthermore, as a servant of the Night, Amun, having only lost a few of his incarnations, would likely refrain from retaliation—after all, what awaits him may very well be a trap, a divine intervention! It feels great to have some behind-the-scenes support… though, every gift fate bestows comes with a price already marked in the shadows. Now, Klein has a solid grasp of the situation. Then, as usual, he shifts his perspective and begins thinking about tonight’s events from Amun’s point of view: Amun must be familiar with the “Weird Mage” — just from the ability to manipulate automata and swap positions, I can already tell what path I’ve taken. Since Amun allowed a “Weird Mage” to escape, he must have already prepared to reveal his own movements, even hoping to draw in the very person he’s seeking. I’m presenting myself as Germaine Sparrow, but that doesn’t matter much — the “Faceless One”’s appearance is the least of one’s concerns. Hmm. So, how would Amun recognize me? A powerful figure walking through darkness, a half-deity of the "Sorcerer" path... Due to the Night Church and the Monastery's control over formulas, materials, and merfolk, wild "Sorcerers" are exceedingly rare. The descendants of the Antigonus family have already perished. Thus, a "Sorcerer" is either a member of the Monastery or an unseen agent quietly cultivated by the Night Church. With Beckland as the setting, the answer becomes evident. Given these reasons, Amun's conclusion—that the Night Church will soon uncover his whereabouts and initiate a purge—is entirely predictable. It would be out of the ordinary if he were not already aware of this. Indeed, He will certainly be hiding now, even if he assumes the identity of the "Theft-Path" half-deity. For the foreseeable future, he won't be coming to Berkland Street! With this clear assessment, Klein felt a significant sense of reassurance—he now had ample time to prepare. What about you? Do you have any ideas? "Klein remained silent for a long time after listening to his account, prompting Leonard to break the silence and ask. Klein gathered his thoughts, then instead of answering, posed a question: 'What does Palais Soloyasde suggest?' 'He says that if you wish to counter Amun's manifestation in Beckland, you must first secure a hidden protection.' Leonard reported faithfully. 'Hidden protection...' Palais Soloyasde was clearly testing him directly—half of the symbol behind the 'Ace of the Fool' seat belongs to hidden protection. With the 'Personified Angel,' the 'Red Priest,' and the malleable forces of the mysterious space above the gray mist, I should be able to disrupt Amun's manifestation without difficulty. Yet I'm not sure whether I can effectively block His essence from observing the course of fate. Still, I have the identity of the Night's Devotee, and the goddess holds another title—'Mother of the Hidden.' So, is eliminating Amun's manifestation a payment, or a gift?" I feel like there's something on both sides... Klein thought for a moment, then replied in a steady voice: "Tell Parès Soloyasde that I am a follower of the Hidden One; I will try to pray for assistance." He meant a follower of the "Mother of the Hidden," but Parès Soloyasde will surely interpret it as a follower of the " Fool."