"Who are you?" asked Kline in a quite complex yet calm state. The lady dressed in a simple robe nodded gently. "Arina, the Servant of the Hidden." The Servant of the Hidden... Arina... Kline's gaze settled, and he already knew the identity of the lady before him. As a非凡者 born among the Night Watchers, how could he be unfamiliar with the name Arina? The Abbot of the Night Monastery, the foremost among the Thirteen Bishops, a potential future Pope—any one of these titles was a foundational concept in theology and esoteric studies! And the title "Servant of the Hidden," Kline had encountered it in the journal of Emperor Rousel, along with similar terms like "Mysterious Servant." He suspected it pointed to an angelic rank. Drawing upon the Principle of Conservation of Exceptional Characteristics, and considering that Arina could not be a Sequence 1 Angel given the existence of a Sequence 0, Kline concluded that "Servant of the Hidden" most likely referred to a Sequence 2 Angel of the Night Path. Well… the goddess hasn’t been silent—she’s simply responded in a very special way… by sending her own “servant” over. Klein found himself deeply moved, struggling to express his feelings. After a moment of silence, he bowed solemnly: “Good afternoon, Your Highness, Aliriana.” In the various churches, if a half-divine angel of high rank walks among mortals, one adds the honorific “Your Highness” when addressing them directly, showing respect. Likewise, when speaking to the Pope, the Cardinal, or the Patriarch—representatives of divine will—one uses “Your Eminence.” For the heads of churches, one may also refer to them as “The See” or “The Holy See.” Of course, in many cases, “The Holy See” can also denote the seat of the Church itself. Aliriana gently tapped her chest four times in a clockwise motion, a gesture of devout reverence, and replied: “May the goddess protect you.” She then added: “I am a humble monk. You may address me simply as ‘Madam.’” “Yes, Madam Aliriana,” Klein said, without hesitation. Arianna looked at him calmly for two seconds, then asked directly, "Do you intend to confront Amun's incarnation in Beckland?" "Yes, I hope to secure discreet protection," Klein replied openly. At that moment, a sense of unease stirred within him, as it differed from his expectations. He had originally envisioned the goddess bestowing a blessing and offering protection, after which he and Leonard would unite with Palais Soloyasde to eliminate all of Amun's incarnations in Beckland—during this process, Leonard's connection to the 'Theft' and the issue with the angelic path would remain concealed. But now, the protection had taken on a tangible form, actively participating in the battle. Once Palais Soloyasde intervened, his presence would inevitably be revealed, and the outcome would become uncertain! Could they no longer collaborate with Palais Soloyasde? Would the deity merely serve as an information provider, sharing a portion of the spoils of victory? As Klein's thoughts raced, Arianna spoke steadily and clearly: "I can provide a hidden power that ensures nothing will be observed, but I cannot guarantee the complete elimination of Amun's manifestations throughout Beckland." Palis Soloyasde had said He could accomplish this... Indeed, the very path most familiar with Amun remained the same—Sequence 1. Klein thought for a moment, then said, "Madam Arianna, I already have a mature and well-developed plan. You only need to provide the hidden power and need not participate in the actual combat; I will handle the rest." Arianna nodded, raised her right arm, and spread her palm. A gentle, brilliant light emerged, swiftly outlining a medal within the palm. The medal was translucent and luminous, as if forged from black stone, creating the impression that it truly existed when observed, yet vanished when not looked upon. "This is my Nightmark. It doesn't possess any inherent properties or power—its only function is to establish a connection with me once activated, no matter where you are in the real world." Arianne explained simply. "Before you begin your actions, remember to activate it. I will then provide you with hidden strength. If you need more direct assistance, while activating it, recite the name 'Arianne' in the ancient Hermes tongue." This is effectively a fixed altar and ritual dedicated to itself... Ah, at the angelic level, does the range of responsive requests extend all over the world? Kline instantly grasped the essence of this Nightmark. As a 'Weird Mage,' he currently cannot respond to requests—this ability emerges only at Sequence 3. Of course, as both a 'Sea God' and a 'The Fool,' he is already proficient in this regard. Klein accepted the emblem of the Night without hesitation, bowed sincerely, and said: "Thank you for your gift." Then, he tapped his chest four times in a clockwise motion, drawing the Red Moon: "Hail the Beautiful Goddess!" Thus, he could still collaborate with Palis Soloyasde, as long as he did not utter the name "Arianna" in the ancient Hymnese language when activating the Night Emblem. "Hail the Beautiful Goddess," Arianna responded with devotion. Her form then vanished, as if erased by a rubber eraser. Was this a transformation into a concealed state of departure? Klein mused, pressing his lips together. At the same time, he found it puzzling that Arianna had arrived so swiftly, since the "Night" path is not particularly adept at transportation—traveling from the Winter County Cathedral to Bekland would certainly take a considerable, though not lengthy, time. My ritual isn't one that seeks a direct descent... Is it truly a coincidence that Lady Arianna happens to be in the surrounding region of Beckland? Doesn't that seem rather remarkable? If it's not a coincidence, then the matter grows far more serious—what could He possibly be doing in the Beckland region? The currents are swirling intensely... Caine withdraws his gaze, patiently waits a moment, and then returns to being D'Artagnan de Thénardier. He retrieves his paper and pen once more, drawing a symbol that blends secrecy and observation. As the final stroke of the symbol settles, the full-length mirror in the master bedroom emits a soft, pure glow—like the steady, quiet current flowing beneath a lake. Immediately afterward, a series of cannons appear within the mirror, firing in succession toward the sky. Gold, silver, red, and blue bursts unfold, forming one word after another: "Welcome home, my great lord!" "My loyal servant Arodos bears witness to your regained authority, trembling at the sight of your gradually recovering strength—he will surely ascend to the highest throne, bringing peace to the entire world under your gaze!" How passionate this truly is... each time, something new emerges... Kline nodded gently, remaining silent. "The 'magic mirror' knows quite a bit, and by the way, it also posed me a question. Kline nodded. 'Yes.' Without pause, Arodes manifested one after another rows of Runes on the full-length mirror: 'The formation of "The Land Abandoned by the Gods" is closely tied to the fall of the Second Age Creator. The dangers of night there stem from variations in two fundamental forces. First, the residual power of the 'Goddess of Night'; second, the influence left behind by that Creator, who himself held dominion over shadows, darkness, decline, impurity, and transformation. The former can cause living beings to vanish without a trace, while the latter directly enables darkness to give birth to monsters.' So the two dangers arise from distinct forces—no wonder they manifest so differently. Arodes refers to the ancient Sun God as the Second Age Creator—this aligns closely with my own speculation. Was it not the case that Amun and Adam's father did not awaken as the Primordial Creator, but rather inherited a substantial 'legacy' from the travelers?" Caine pondered, asking, "So, then, the fall of the Second Generation of the Beings involved the 'Goddess of Night'?" This was something Caine had somewhat anticipated, as the way humanity vanishes like evaporation within the darkness of "The Land Abandoned by the Gods" bore a striking resemblance to the phenomenon of people in the "Sites of the Divine Wars" mysteriously disappearing at night, never sleeping. According to the smaller "Sun," the King of the Wolf-Mages, Freglar, who originally held dominion over "Night" and "Secrecy," had already fallen during the Second Age—thus, it could not have been His doing. Therefore, unless another deity of the "Night" path had emerged in between, it would be difficult to avoid linking both phenomena to the "Goddess of Night." On the surface of the mirror, the silver light swiftly gathered and condensed into a single word: "Yes." "Klein was about to ask further questions when he suddenly silenced himself, remembering his identity—the Keeper of the Night. Even in the absence of witnesses, he must uphold reverence toward the deities and refrain from seeking out their secrets, except in the mysterious realm above the gray mist. As he prepared to return to his earlier inquiries and urge Arōdes, the mirror servant to present solutions, he noticed that the silver words within the mirror were moving and transforming on their own: "Esteemed Lord, my loyal servant Arōdes has a small request: may it please you to no longer discuss the 'Goddess of the Night'?" At the end of the sentence, a simple, drawn silhouette of a person had condensed into a compact cluster. Precisely what I needed... Klein deliberately paused for two seconds before saying: "Very well." On the surface of the mirror, the flow of silver traces suddenly lightened, and words formed one after another: "Your previous question has two solutions: The first is to actively embrace contamination, transforming yourself into a monster dwelling in the darkness—these beings do not vanish spontaneously at night precisely because they are protected by the 'Fallen' authority. In this way, all darkness will be pure and secure. The second is to create a temporary realm of darkness intertwined with dreams, shielding the spirits by the power of 'dreams,' which effectively delays the encroachment of the perilous nights."