In the ancient palace rising above the gray mist, after the words of "World" Germain Sparo concluded, there was a brief silence—no one spoke. The scene remained utterly still. The psychological alchemy circle, which had been collaborating with the royal faction to investigate my and Houx's psychological dynamics, was founded through the excavation of Hermes' ruins. Hermes was a member of the "Dusk Hermit Order," whose leader was "Angel of Idealism" Adam... and we had mentioned Adam in our conversations about the real world. So, now, we are being watched by a King of Angels? This, this, this—within the realm of esoteric traditions, is it truly so dangerous that even a minor mistake could lead to such a perilous situation? "Magician" Fols was entirely absorbed in the points Germain Sparo had emphasized, her mind filled with fear and agitation. Though she had faced many challenges in the past, she had never before so clearly perceived the thorns and obstacles along the extraordinary path, where even a single misstep could result in catastrophic consequences. …be even more cautious, more cautious, even more cautious… of course, provided that we survive this incident under the watchful gaze of King Adam, the Angel of Kings. May the "Fool" be with us! Folshe sincerely reflected, silently praying. Regarding the recommendation made by the "Justice" lady at the outset, her feelings were quite complex. On one hand, she knew that the other person's appreciation for the Tarot Circle stemmed entirely from goodwill. On the other hand, she felt utterly bewildered—being observed by someone so discreet and seemingly invisible. Fortunately, it was the "Knight of Cups" who had been watching over her; otherwise, she would have been utterly devastated, perhaps even unable to find peace in her soul. Indeed, it was likely that she had willingly invoked the name of the "Knight of Cups" that drew her here—there was no compulsion. Ultimately, she had come to this place primarily through her own choices, not because of the "Justice" lady's influence. Moreover, without her recommendation, she might never have had the opportunity to grow, to pursue the truth... She pressed her lips together slightly and took a quiet, barely perceptible breath. Audrey, the embodiment of Justice, was well-informed about the matters concerning the "Twilight Hermit Circle," Hermes, and Adam. At this moment, she remained remarkably composed—though she hadn't anticipated that Firth and Hugh, having merely casually mentioned that "visionary angel" once, would actually be noticed at all. This truly revealed to her, in a way she had never experienced before, the profound terror embedded in the phrase "whenever something is spoken, it is surely known." After a moment's reflection, Audrey turned to "World" Germán Sparrow, attempting to interpret: "Does the ' Fool' mean that He currently does not wish to confront the 'Twilight Hermit Circle directly—meaning, indirectly?" Klein nodded gently: "That seems correct." "Does 'indirectly' include interference in divination, observation, and prophecy?" Audrey asked, pondering. At this small gathering, "World" Germán Sparrow stood as the embodiment of the 'Fool's' will. Klein smiled softly, his voice low and resonant: "Perhaps even a bit more indirect." He responded rather vaguely, since the "Cleric" still hadn't decided what to do. The exchange between the two seemed to have inspired the "Hanged Man" Aljere, who glanced successively at "Justice," "The Magician," and "Judgment," then asked, "Among you, who is a follower of the 'Goddess of Night'?" He was nearly certain that at least one of these three ladies was devoted to the "Goddess of Night," given that the combination of conditions—Ruunians, Beckett residents, women, and educated—would eliminate many other deities. "I am," said "Judgment" Hugh without hesitation. "Justice" Audrey then slightly raised her hand. Seeing this, "Hanged Man" Aljere nodded slightly: "We can try to mislead the situation so that the actions taken against Hervin Lembis appear to have been carried out by the Church of Night, rather than by the Tarot Circle." "As he said this, Algie subtly shifted the pronoun, though he had been invited only as an 'advisor' with no actual involvement—expected to speak of 'you' and 'your' actions, yet he used 'we' throughout. He had effectively passed the responsibility onto the Night's Church... this line of thinking felt so familiar. Even the transformation of the 'World' itself, Gérard Spaloff, now seemed a bit comical. 'Then, how do we mislead?' Audrey, embodying 'Justice,' gently turned her gaze, eager to ask. "Emmanuel" Alje surveyed the room and said, "Hewin Lambis merely hypnotized you, not sought your protection, nor placed you in a key position during the major midnight Mass where you would have been baptized—yet he did not prevent you from meeting the Archbishop of the Midnight Church. You could have easily created an opportunity to meet him, without saying a word. Thus, when Hewin Lambis dies or goes missing, the Psychological Alchemy Circle will likely suspect that the Midnight Church has detected something amiss in you, and will thereby set a trap." "Before the Lady Justice could respond, he turned to the Lord of Judgment: 'After your hypnosis, before you leave Beckland, visit a church dedicated to the Goddess of Night, and offer a sincere prayer—perform it as though you were a spy sent by the Church of Night to the Tarot Circle. This will make the Psychological Alchemists believe that the matter of Hervé Lanbis appears to be our doing, when in fact it is merely a diversion, with the true orchestrator being the Church of Night...' Acting as though you were a spy sent by the Church of Night... Hmm... Kline felt unexpectedly uneasy. He wasn't faking being a follower of the Goddess of Night! And neither was Leonard pretending to be the 'Red Glove'! In truth, the convenor and host of the Tarot Circle, the 'Fool' himself, also draws the crimson moon upon his chest. Kline quietly murmured to himself, a mix of amusement and resignation, and found himself inspired in numerous ways." "This will only fool ordinary extraordinary ones. Without the blessing of the 'Fool' gentleman, the upper echelons of the Psychological Alchemy Circle can easily uncover the truth." The 'Hermit' Gauthierya added with a remark. The 'Hanged Man' replied, "Therefore, the key remains the indirect protection of the 'Fool' gentleman. Otherwise, how could we possibly deceive the Angel King Adam, who operates through the 'Audience' path? And, 'Judgment' Miss, 'Magician' Miss—when you visit the church of the 'Night Goddess,' pray to the 'Fool' gentleman for a moment, asking him to help you break free from the hypnosis, so that you don't simply leave Beckland without a trace. Under these circumstances, Beckland will be safer than anywhere else." "Agreed," responded 'Judgment' Hugh seriously. Seeing that the discussion had reached this point, everyone else, including 'Justice' Odile, turned their gaze toward 'World' Germaine Sparrow, awaiting his response. Klein's thoughts were already formed. After a moment's consideration, he cleared his throat and said in a hoarse voice, "In fact, there's an even simpler way to create disruption." "What kind of disruption?" Audrey widened her eyes slightly, asking with concern. Klein turned to the "Justice" lady and pointed to his own head. "As soon as Herwin Lambis leaves, have you burn that feathered hat ornament, then activate the sigil I've given you." That feathered hat ornament—wasn't it the one that could summon a response from the 'Death' itself? The "World" gentleman had hoped to introduce her to disrupt divination, observation, and prophecy... Audrey's emerald eyes shimmered with thoughtful reflection. Nodding slightly, she said, "I know exactly what to do." "At that point, an unseen force would respond to you. Thus, no matter what happened, Adam would only perceive it as the goddess intervening, safeguarding the Hol family—unrelated to the Tarot Circle... He didn't know whether the goddess would send Miss Arianna personally; if so, resolving Herwin Lambis would be straightforward. If not, I'll preemptively equip myself with 'the Embrace of the Angel,' primarily composed of secret figures whose essence is that of the dead—my chances would still be strong. Klein murmured a few thoughts to himself and said nothing more." "Justice" Audrey swiftly refined the plan, speaking to "The Trial" Hugh and "The Magician" Folth as if to herself or in discussion: "You may come to see me again on Wednesday afternoon. That way, I'll have the opportunity to meet with the Grand Abbot of the Night Church beforehand... I'll pray for the blessing of 'The Fool' so that, when I meet with Herwin Lambis, I won't be hypnotized by him—I'll act immediately once he departs. Herwin Lambis is a cautious and conservative man; he will likely continue to meet me along the way, avoiding detection or falling into a trap... ..." Soon, through the discussions of several members of the Tarot Circle, the action plan took full shape. "The World" Germain Sparo declined "The Hermit" Gauthier's offer of assistance, as he couldn't be certain whether truly powerful members of the Night Church would actually participate. As for compensation, all the spoils will go to "the World," and Audrey of Justice will provide one additional service free of charge, as requested. . . . Wednesday afternoon, at the manor of Viscount Glaringt. Having returned from the stables, Audrey, who had taken a detour to this side, wore a simple white blouse, comfortable matching long pants, and sleek knee-length leather boots. Over this, she wore a tailored black riding jacket. Standing in the viscount's study, she looked at Hugh and Fotherse and asked, "Who instructed you to investigate Viscount Sterford and uncover the king's secret?" Her emerald eyes, like an ancient pond deep in the mountains, were calm, profound, and clear—so serene that one found themselves effortlessly drawn into their depth. At that moment, Thew and Forse were truly hypnotized. Thew responded drowsily, "It was myself. I've been investigating the cause of my father's death... Though, I have prayed for the protection of some being..." Audrey asked a few more questions, all of which were satisfactorily answered, and then, in a soft, gentle voice, said, "Leave Beckett, leave this place—this does not belong to you. When you hear my handclaps, you will awaken." As soon as she finished speaking, Audrey lightly clapped her hands, and instantly Thew and Forse's eyes regained their clarity. After a few more polite exchanges, Thew and Forse bid farewell and departed. Audrey then settled to patient waiting. She intended to remain at the Viscount's manor for another half-hour, until Thew entered the nearby church of the 'Goddess of Night,' completed his prayers, and then proceeded to other destinations. In this way, regardless of whether Herwin Lambis appeared en route or elsewhere, she would be fully prepared. Taking the soft hat adorned with a white feather crest, Audrey stepped out of the study, intending first to meet with Suzy and Anne, and then to chat with Glendrury for a while to pass the time. Just as she took two steps forward, a gentle, smiling voice suddenly reached her ears: “Very good.” “...” Audrey’s pupils widened instantly, and she quickly turned her head to see, standing beside the elegant wall lamp bracket across the room, Herwen Lambis—full of silver hair, with soft blue eyes and neatly dressed! The half-god had been waiting right here at Glendrury’s manor for Audrey to complete the hypnosis and receive her answers! And at this very moment, Hugh and Fotherse might still be outside the front door. This completely exceeded Audrey’s expectations and the analysis of the “Turner” card, since it meant that Herwen Lambis was actually on-site—there was no need for Audrey to ask her questions about the targets. The risk of him being present and personally conducting the hypnosis was just as great as if he had been away!