Instinctively, Leonard glanced around and noticed that none of the other Tarot members were surprised or startled—they were all listening intently. Did they already know? Of course, I’ve only attended this gathering twice, and so much still remains unfamiliar… There are truly many secrets at play here. Leonard returned his gaze, settling back into his previous posture. "Justice," Audrey paused slightly, glanced at "Judgment" Hugh across two seats, then directed her attention toward "Temperance," continuing, "He’s been subtly trying to influence me, encouraging me to interact more with different nobles and gain insight into their genuine attitudes on various matters, then relay that information back to him. Fortunately, 'The Fool' received a blessing from an angel, so I haven’t actually been affected. Well, what should I do next?" Could an angel really still offer a blessing? Leonard glanced around again, still seeing no clear emotional reactions from the other members of the gathering. Of course, he wasn't surprised that there were angels present beneath the seat of the "Knight of Fools"—the title and name of the "High Officer of Death" had been familiar to him for countless occasions. What struck him as unusual was the frequent access the members of the Tarot Circle seemed to have to such high-level assistance, which made him regard the secret organization with even greater esteem. Meanwhile, "Judgment"敏锐ly picked up several key phrases: "noble... psychological alchemy...". Combined with the golden hair and emerald eyes emerging from the faintly outlined figure of "Justice" Miss, she already began to recognize a friend: Audrey Hall! However, she couldn't be certain, since in the noble circles of Ruin, golden hair, black hair, green eyes, and blue eyes were all relatively common traits—each simply paired differently. Moreover, no one knew exactly how many members the Psychological Alchemy Society had cultivated within this elite circle, so based solely on the characteristics just summarized, it wasn't clear that they could definitively point to Miss Audrey. As she attempted to make further observations, "The Empress," Aljer, spoke up: "There's no need to worry about this matter. Major deities' established religious orders have long-standing protective measures in place for their most influential followers, safeguarding them from assassination or hypnosis—this is an accumulated experience spanning thousands of years and is unlikely to be easily disrupted. In fact, if the Psychological Alchemy Society could so easily manipulate the nobility and hypnotize them, then the royal family and the three major churches would no longer hold sway over the nation. Clearly, this contradicts the current reality." "Well, as you said, Herwen Lambis has only subtly suggested that you observe the true attitudes of various noble families during different events—this shows his restraint, as he hasn't gone too far, wanting to avoid leaving unnecessary traces. Moreover, your actual standing within the noble circles seems to be only peripheral, limiting your direct involvement in political affairs. Consequently, your protection and oversight are not as rigorous. That is precisely why Herwen Lambis has chosen you as his focus." "The 'Hangings' gentleman's analysis was so thorough... Although he had often given the younger 'Sun' disciples similar guidance before, it had always carried a certain expectation—hoping to extract useful feedback in return. This time, however, there was no such detail presented at all. Hmm, his suggestions regarding the disciplinary measures just now... Upon reflection, it seems his transformation has been underway for a long time—just less noticeable in the past, and I must have overlooked it. 'Justice' Odile's professional instinct kicked in, and she quickly conducted a psychological assessment of the 'Hangings' gentleman. She soon formed clear suspicions: perhaps the gentleman was undergoing a transition in self-positioning!" Since the "Reclusive" lady joined the Tarot Circle and demonstrated her maritime connections and resources, the "Hangings" gentleman has been subtly seeking change, striving to distinguish himself from her influence... The transformation wasn't yet apparent when the "Craftsman" was still performing well, nor did the "Hangings" gentleman himself fully recognize or become conscious of it—until recently, he seems to have finally clarified his thoughts and gained clarity. Indeed, to maintain his position within the Tarot Circle, strengthening his own capabilities is one thing, but also contributing meaningfully to the broader collective is another. "Justice" Audrey's thoughts swiftly shifted, and she refocused her attention back on the topic at hand. After a moment of reflection, her tone naturally grew more serious: "Does this also indicate that the Holy Church maintains certain monitoring, oversight, and guidance over the influential noble families?" This was an idea she had formed earlier during her visit to the office of the "Rune Charitable Education Fund." The mental image she had unconsciously sketched there precisely reflects her concerns in this regard! In psychology, elements described within similar states often point not to specific, concrete objects, but rather to abstract expressions. The "colder eyes" frequently reflect a fear of being observed, monitored, and controlled by external forces—fear of being watched and managed by the outside world, both in one's own life and within the family. Combining her earlier anxieties about the psychological suggestion she received from Hervé Lambis, and her memory of her parents attending the night Mass of the Divine Church, where the officiant was the Archbishop of Becland, Audrey interpreted that she not only feared the hypnotic influence and suggestion of the Psychological Alchemy Circle, but also feared the Divine Church itself—uncertain whether they wouldn't directly use their extraordinary abilities to implant ideas into important noble members, steering them to act against their authentic beliefs. To Audrey, who had grown up under the strict traditions of the Divine Church, this represented a profound violation and a form of rebellion. Thus, when this realization struck her, she immediately burned the paper bearing the drawing. After hearing Miss Justice’s question, the "Turned Over" Alje chuckled: "Isn't this entirely normal? Living in human society means accepting certain monitoring, control, and guidance. I understand what you're afraid of, but think about it—what's the essential difference between control and guidance achieved through power, status, money, and weapons, and the same kind of control and guidance achieved through extraordinary abilities? The difference lies in this: one knows they don't want to do something but is forced to; the other has not even thought of wanting to resist." Audrey nodded immediately: "Exactly. That means the soul and thought are completely deprived of freedom—this is the most terrifying." Alje smiled again: "Can there truly be a soul or thought that is absolutely free?" Having chosen faith and ideals, one naturally becomes bound by them as well. Indeed, within the kingdom of Roon, with its three major churches standing side by side and the royal house adding further weight, a genuine balance of power has effectively taken shape. Should the Storm Church treat any key patron excessively, that patron is entirely free to switch allegiance to the Church of Night. Thus, in most cases, the major divine churches prefer to guide their important patrons through their religious standing and shared beliefs, rather than through extraordinary abilities. Balance... "Justice," Audrey mused on the word, gaining a fresh understanding of the upper echelons of the kingdom and of the world at large—a concept she had encountered before but never truly grasped. In that very moment, she felt her many convictions suddenly matured. "Thank you for your explanation, Mr. The Hermit," Audrey sincerely used the formal title. "Then, how should I approach Hervin Lembis?" "The Pendragon," Aljer said calmly, "isn't in a hurry. You are entirely capable of handling him—offer less critical information, safeguard your core secrets, seek opportunities to obtain the potion formula or even exceptional materials. Wait for the right moment, allow things to evolve, then reassess your strategy. Of course, don't grow complacent—Duke Nigan is a perfect example of that mistake." As he finished speaking, the "World," Germain Sparo, seated at the bottom of the weathered long table, turned to the "Justice" lady and croaked a soft, raspy laugh. "By that time, even if Herwin Lambis were dead, no one would question you." Even if Herwin Lambis were dead... dead... that man was a half-god... Did the "World" have any intention of taking on Herwin Lambis? Well, that's possible. He's been investigating the case of Karon's suicide—even Karin Lembis's true identity was revealed to me by him. "Justice" Audrey's eyes slightly widened, her heart stirred. When she had previously most detested and feared Karin Lembis, she had never considered killing the Psychological Alchemy Council member. She had only thought about how to avoid or deflect the situation—partly because she simply lacked that mindset, and partly because Karin Lembis was a being half-divine, half-human. After all, he represented the very pinnacle of power in both the kingdom and the church. "I understand now what I need to do. Thank you," Audrey said, taking a small, polite breath of air. ...Klein's tone has grown so confident lately. Honestly, he's even aiming to eliminate Amun's counterpart in Beckland—so one Karin Lembis isn't exactly a big deal. "Stars" Leonard looked at "World" Germain Sparo with a sense of complexity. The "Hideaways" such as Galdrya remained silent, each in their own contemplation. After concluding the discussion on the psychological alchemy session, Caine manipulated "World" Germaine Sparrow, prompting him to deliberately turn his gaze toward the head of the bronze long table. "Respected Sir 'The Fool,' I would like to speak privately with 'The Star'." Caine currently intends to keep the other members of the Tarot circle unaware of the elimination of Amun's duplicate—this would be beneficial for confidentiality, as revealing it might反而 draw their attention from Amun. "Certainly," "The Fool" Caine naturally did not hesitate to grant his request. "The Star" Leonard, while expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to have private conversations, summarized the key points of Elder Parvez Soloyasde's response to Caine, including the issue of the fading exceptional properties of "The Time Beetle." This revelation suddenly clarified for Caine how to utilize his own "Spirit Beetle" in crafting sigils or bullets: he should first send out several beetles, kill them, and once their properties return to their original source, the remaining materials could then be used as effectively as "The Time Beetle" itself. The only issue is that killing the "spirit insects" will take a toll on me, since each one contains a portion of my spiritual essence. Indeed, I need to manage the number each time and ensure complete restoration before proceeding to the next. Klein thoughtfully asked the "World," Germain Spalro, to respond: "I'll soon verify whether the Hidden will offer protection and get back to you with a response. If all goes well, we'll each endeavor to gather sealings from the 'Thefters' that reach the semi-divine level—of course, I'll also work on identifying the fate grafts." Currently uncertain whether the "gaze" above the gray mist can perceive the true nature of fate, as it might detect when believers are "hosted," Klein intends to later use the thousand paper cranes to reach out to the "Mercury Serpent," Will Ongestin, to hear the professionals' insights. "Good." Leonard murmured his discontent—had the "Thefters" made it so easy to obtain the seals of the half-divine levels, then surely the old man would have advanced further by now—while giving a slight nod in reply.