After responding, "Star" Leonard finally woke up fully and grasped the underlying message in Klein's earlier request: had the old man actually seen something like the "Sacred Stone"? Before Leonard could ponder further, "World" Germain Spalro surveyed the room and shifted to another matter: "The Night Church has received intelligence from Colonel-Counselor Qunus Colg of MI9, confirming that King George III of Roon is hiding a secret—he has secretly commissioned excavations of the 'Blood Emperor's' ruins, and has forged alliances with the Order of the Magi and the Psychological Alchemy Society." Klein manipulated the dummy, recounting in greater detail the events he had previously shared with the "Justice" lady, and concluded with a few specific remarks: "The three churches appear to lack sufficient evidence; with the disappearance of Hervin Lambis, the matter has seemingly settled on the surface. There is a strong reason to suspect that among the senior ranks of the three churches, there may be traitors." "...Could it be that such a significant event has unfolded in Beckland this week? It seems that Klein is still relying on intelligence gathered from the Church... How come I'm completely unaware of it? As he listened, "Star" Leonard glanced somewhat oddly at "World" Germaine Sparrow, momentarily feeling a bit disoriented, unsure whether Germaine was the Church's 'Red Glove'—the rising star poised for a high-level appointment. Though he had a vague sense of something emerging over time, he couldn't quite grasp it firmly, let alone shape it into a clear idea. Originally intending to share the details of Viscount Stedford's ordeal and testimony during this Tarot gathering in hopes of gaining support, "Judgment" Hugh was startled to find that the inquiries pursued by "World" Germaine Sparrow overlapped significantly with his own objectives. Had I known it would turn out this way, I should have asked Mr. World for assistance when I was tracking the Viscount of Stewardford to the warehouse in the dock district—then perhaps I could have bypassed the restrictions and gathered even more clues. Hugh glanced to the side, weighing his words, preparing to speak. At that moment, Aljer, the "Hanged Man," recalled several Tarot gatherings held three or four months earlier, when "The Star" and "The Judgment" had not yet joined. Back then, Mr. World, Germaine Sparo, had asked the members of the Tarot circle to keep an eye on information about Chounas Colg and had pointed directly to Hewin Lambis as the hidden mastermind behind the Caron suicide case. Indeed, a simple Caron suicide case wouldn't have warranted such significant investment from Mr. World. The people he was investigating were likely involved in secrets that could influence world affairs. Moreover, could there be a traitor among the senior figures of the three Churches? Which cardinal or senior steward might this point to? Aljere sensed the rising currents and smelled the aroma of opportunity. Typically, as a storm-church member who wasn't particularly esteemed—a renowned adventurer who had spent years abroad as a pirate—his best outcome would be to earn recognition, rise to become a Sequence 5 "Sea Singer," and return to the church to serve as an assistant to the high-ranking penitents, with little chance of wielding the sacred relics and becoming a half-divine figure. Only when circumstances shifted and events unfolded rapidly could he leverage his alliance with the Tarot Circle, demonstrate sufficient talent, achieve significant accomplishments, and be recognized as a potential successor. Similarly, the "Hermit" Gauthier appeared to perceive the gathering clouds and building winds over Bekkanth, beginning to understand why the Queen had remained there for the past six months. Meanwhile, the "Moon" Emlin frowned once again, sensing that Bekkanth was no longer a suitable home for the bloodline. I hope this doesn't disrupt the activities of key members of the Hunting Roses school... And, ideally, I'd like to avoid being as busy as last year during the severe smog—when I and the priest were constantly on the move. Emlin's brow furrowed further as he recalled the past. Glancing at the "Sun" beside him, he noticed the young man sat upright yet appeared quite茫然, and couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh in his mind. "I'll keep an eye out for any movements by Herwin Lembis." "Justice" Audrey broke the brief silence and spoke up first. "Judgment" Thu then turned to look at "World" Germain Sparo: "I'm investigating something that also involves the king's secrets. Please don't hesitate to ask me for any assistance you may need." She briefly mentioned the issues concerning the Sherman monitors. "Good." "Klein was certain it was the witch Trist, so the dummy representing 'World' nodded and offered a low, husky smile. "Whether you're keeping an eye on Herwin Lambis or investigating the king's secrets, pay close attention to whether there are too many coincidences in your own circumstances. If so, inform me immediately," he said. He didn't directly mention the 'Sunset Hermit Circle' or Adam, fearing that the 'Justice' lady and her associates might find themselves overly preoccupied with speculation, becoming unnecessarily tense and thus revealing the issue. Too many coincidences... The members of the Tarot Circle, including the 'Magician' Firth, repeated this phrase in their minds, each forming their own thoughts. After a quiet pause, Driek, the 'Sun,' spoke up: "With a little more time for adjustment and preparation, I'll join the exploration team to the afternoon town camp. This time, we're likely to attempt entering the 'Kingdom of the Giants.'" To Audrey and the others of "Justice," this was no great surprise—having long anticipated that following the "Sun's" advancement in the fifth rank, the Silver City would likely initiate similar actions. Thus, instead of being astonished or stunned, they felt a sense of finally arriving, as though an ancient myth was slowly unfolding before them, being revealed in its true form. "The Pendulum" Aljere thought for a moment and gently suggested: "When the time comes, follow your chief's guidance and pray frequently to 'The Fool.' Should you encounter difficulties, you may request a small-scale discussion, as 'The Moon' did." "Understood, Sir 'The Pendulum,'" replied "The Sun" Deric, who found no difficulty in this—this was precisely what he had been doing or planning all along. After discussing this matter, Algier, the "Hanged Man," turned toward the head of the bronze long table and bowed with reverence: "Respected Sir 'The Fool,' the matter you previously asked me to investigate now has its answer." With the members watching in curiosity and wonder, he continued: "There were five Farsak Imperial colonels who participated in the naval battle of Cunoto in 1338. Two of them died in that battle, one retired due to age afterward and passed away from excessive drinking two years ago, one was promoted to major and transferred to the Royal Naval Academy, where he now serves as deputy director, and one has now risen to the rank of lieutenant general, currently commanding the second division of the Farsak Conquest Fleet." As soon as he finished speaking, Algier requested access and materialized a white sheet of paper filled with more detailed information. "The Fool," Klein, caused the paper to glow and appear in his hands, then quickly scanned it. He tasked the "Hangman" with investigating the Farsak imperial colonel from the Battle of the Sea of Cunoto in 1338, primarily in search of the original owner of the "Thirsting Hunger"—that naval officer, who captured the second mate of the "Enmater," Andy Haddon, and held him in pasture, proving to be one of the decisive victors, thus making it impossible for him to have died on the spot. Subsequent discoveries and encounters made by the "Hangman" on that primitive island led Klein to suspect that it was the "Sunset Hermit Order" that had bestowed the Zilinger gloves upon him. Whether formal members or peripheral ones, it would hardly have been easy for them to die—especially from excessive drinking... of course, it's not out of the question that this was essentially a case of being silenced. Klein thought it over and jotted down the three names on the white sheet: "Boleslav... died in 1347, cause of death: excessive drinking. "Suздal... 48 years old, major general, deputy head of the Royal Naval Academy of Fyodorov. "Demidov... 45 years old, lieutenant general, commander of the Second Division of the Fyodorov Conquest Fleet." Shifting his gaze, the "Fool" Klein gently nodded to the "Hanged Man": "You continue gathering detailed information on the last three, and clarify their life experiences." "Yes, Sir," the "Hanged Man" Aljere responded without hesitation. To him, it was equally an opportunity—once the task was completed, he could begin applying for the cross. They chatted a bit more, and the Tarot gathering of the week came to an end. "The Star" Leonard returned to the real world. Sitting on the sofa, he hesitated a moment before setting his legs on the coffee table, then lowered his voice: "Old man, have you ever seen the second Tablet of Desecration?" Inside his mind, the voice of Palis Soloyasde, slightly weathered, resonated: "No, the second Tablet of Desecration was seen by my grandfather. Oh, who mentioned this?" Leonard didn't answer Palis Soloyasde's question; instead, a series of thoughts surged through his mind: "The Tablets of Desecration truly exist! My grandfather personally witnessed the second one! That's why He can be an Angel!" After a brief pause, Leonard asked with a mix of curiosity and anticipation: "Old man, do you know the magical recipe for the Watcher's elixir?" "Palis Soloyasde smiled with a dry laugh: "How naive! According to my grandfather, at the time the situation was urgent and opportunities limited—the 'Defiled Tablet' could have spontaneously manifested and departed at any moment. Every sensible person understood that it was best to first secure a complete, exceptional path, then explore the others. Moreover, the knowledge on the 'Defiled Tablet' was presented in essence, not in written form; each visitor needed time to interpret it. By the time the 'Defiled Tablet' was removed, not everyone had truly memorized a complete exceptional path—let alone manage others as well. "I do have several other exceptional potion recipes, but they were gradually collected over generations by the family, and the higher-sequence ones are rather few." "Ah, so it is..." Leonard chuckled dryly, then asked, "Who took the second 'Defiled Tablet'?" "Palais Soloyasde paused and said, 'If my grandfather's description is accurate, then it should be Adam, the King of Angels.' 'Six gods, not seven—wasn't one of them involved in this?' Leonard asked, expressing his surprise. Palais Soloyasde gave an enigmatic smile, 'At least, on the surface, not one.' PS: There will be an additional update tomorrow for the August monthly ticket issue, so it will still be two updates in total."