Well… the deities of the Second Age truly are outstanding. There’s Heraberg, the "Dragon of Wisdom," and then there’s Salinger, the "God of the Dead"—both of whom have ascended to the rank of Sequence 0 and reached the divine throne. Of course, Heraberg’s status is still uncertain, though he certainly appears to be of considerable stature. Then there’s Baderhail, the "God of Dawn," and Ombelara, the "God of Abundance"—neither of whom is ruled out from having lived well into the Fifth Age. As for Tolzna, the "God of Spirits," and Amannexis, the "God of Misfortune"—did either of them survive the divine conflict at the end of the Second Age, when the Master of the Silver City reclaimed authority? If they did survive, what roles did they play in the Third or even the Fourth Age? Kline was left stunned, and quietly murmured a few thoughts to himself. Reflecting upon the betrayal of the Angelic Kings in the Third Age, he couldn’t help but mutter under his breath: Fire, theft, and protection from deities! At this point, Audrey, who knew little of the true names and authorities of the gods, remained emotionally steady, embodying one after another of the female spirits remembered in Chastel's recollections, and engaging in constant conversation with her, gradually prompting her to recount the second age's events as she had personally experienced and known. According to Chastel, the chronicles of the elves never mentioned the First and Second Ages. In the earliest years, time was chaotic, dark, and frenzied, with little written record surviving. Only as the transcendent races gradually attained a measure of rationality and developed their own writing systems did beings begin to develop a sense of historical awareness. During that era, the ancient gods emerged one after another, and the sky, land, seas, and earth gradually transitioned from absolute disorder into a more structured order. Yet, aside from the ancient gods themselves, who were often characterized by their cruelty and madness, no one could determine how many years this period had lasted—only that it was an exceedingly long time, known across the various transcendent races as the "Age of Emergence." Following the "Age of Germination" comes the "Age of the First Radiance of Fire," when the Eight Ancient Gods divided and fought against one another—a period equally distant from the birth of Xatass. Through the clan's chronicles, she learns that during this time, humanity existed as vassals or even slaves to the giants, elves, and bloodline dynasties, defending against the pollution and encroachment of demons and magical wolves. While the duration of the "Age of the First Radiance of Fire" varies across records, it consistently spans less than a millennium. This is because the essence of the Ancient Gods is inherently mad, violent, cruel, and cold, often driven by instinct. With the fall of the bloodline progenitor Lilith, the king of the otherworldly beings Kvaishthun, and the "Destroying Wolf" Fregrala through a betrayal, the "Age of the First Radiance of Fire" comes to an end. Wars become frequent, the world suffers extensive damage, and the conflict never ceases for several centuries. During this period, the giants and dragons were relatively dominant, a time known as the "Age of Duality." When the five great races established a new balance, and when the Northern, Southern, Eastern Continents and the Five Seas regained a certain peace, Chastas was born and grew up during this era, until she entered the *Grosel's Travels*. In the historical accounts she provides, two key points stand out: first, the Eastern Continent indeed existed and was the home of the "Giants' Royal Court"; second, following the "Age of Germination," the various extraordinary races developed their own civilizations, rather than being as irrational as later generations often suspected—though tendencies toward cruelty, harshness, coldness, and violence were widespread, suggesting that all of them remained at least partially uncontrolled, until the "Age of Duality," when the new generation of elves and the new generation of giants became more rational and emotionally attuned, like Chastas and Grosel themselves. "The Eastern Continent seems to be the 'Land Abandoned by the Gods'... was it indeed abandoned during the Great Cataclysm?" This thought arose simultaneously in the minds of Caine, Leonard, and Odile. They were deeply interested in these matters, yet Chastel had always lived within the divine court of the King of the Elves, making only occasional sea voyages and never setting foot on the Eastern Continent, thus lacking sufficient familiarity. Influenced by "Justice" Odile, Chastel's dreams began to reflect the customs of the Elven people and the origins of their language. According to the legends heard by the Queen's attendant, the Elven language was created by the King during the "Age of Emergence," with each word emerging alongside the birth of a first-generation Elven being—there being as many first-generation Elven beings as there were Elven words. However, Elven customs were far from uniform and heavily dependent on their surrounding environments—Elves dwelling in the sea and those living in the forests exhibited striking differences in their customs. What they shared more commonly was a belief in the ancient deities—the King and Queen of the gods—and a fondness for preparing meals using the blood of their prey. Grilling was widely practiced, even among sea elves, who often gathered at rocky outcrops for a "campfire gathering." They were deeply connected to nature and skilled in utilizing a variety of herbs and spices. They admired strength and prided themselves on acting swiftly rather than thinking deeply. Myth and reality intertwined, making it difficult to distinguish what was true from what was merely imagined. Their daily customs, however, had shattered some of my earlier assumptions. Kline listened with a seemingly unchanged expression, rapidly analyzing each of夏塔丝's statements in his mind. Once the relevant details were clarified, Audrey, focusing on the keyword "West Continent," prompted changes in夏塔丝's dream, revealing memories buried in her subconscious. The coral palace once again appeared in the eyes of Kline and his companions, as夏塔丝 followed the "Queen of the Cataclysm," Ghisnam, to a window of crystal. She glanced at the queen's elegant and elaborate gown, cast a quick glance at the "divinity" in charge of the celestial calamities, and asked with mild curiosity: "Your Highness, are you looking toward the west?" To the elves, as long as there was no sense of violent pressure, any question would be raised immediately upon arising. "Why do you think so?" Highsinam did not turn around, her expression calm and composed. "I've just heard a legend—our elven lineage traces back to the western continent." Chastas replied. "Your Highness, does such a western continent truly exist? Is it indeed the birthplace of the first elves?" A slight curve formed at Highsinam's lips, and her voice carried a gentle, ethereal tone. "The western continent may exist, or it may not. Every race needs a distinguished origin, a spiritual homeland. Chastas, where is your heart's homeland?" "My homeland?" "Xathas repeated the question, answering with some bewilderment, 'It is the palace where the King and the Prince reside—the palace itself, and the forest it reaches, the one where my parents once lived...' As she spoke, her tone grew increasingly somber, wistful, and melancholy. Clearly, she had been touched by the memories residing deep within her subconscious. She had entered the chronicles, leaving her homeland behind, for more than two thousand years. 'Therefore, to you, the Western Continent does not exist—yet to certain elves, it is absolutely real.' Highshinam, the Queen of the Heavenly Calamity, concluded with calm composure. Xathas did not ask further, for suddenly she remembered that the Queen was not the first generation of elves. This exchange only deepened Kline's sense of confusion and puzzlement. Fortunately, from the Second to the Fifth Ages, the Western Continent had never truly existed, and no significant secrets tied to him were revealed. He had merely sought to learn a little, without particularly high expectations." Ended her subtle guidance of Chatas's subconscious, and since it was nearly noon with no other dreams nearby to transition into, Audrey and Cline, along with Leonard, simply left and arrived at the bedroom of Mobert and Chatas. Glancing at the fourth count, tightly bound and pressed against the uneven edge of the bed, his arms and legs constrained by the elves, Audrey's expression softened, and she spoke with a gentle smile: "They seem quite well-suited this way..." "No, no, no—such a forceful, direct, imaginative wife who's also willing to act—she's absolutely formidable! Only someone like Mobert would find her both appealing and enjoyable," Leonard said, hands tucked into his pants pockets, shaking his head seriously. With that, he murmured thoughtfully: "In reverse, a seasoned 'thief' truly does need a woman of Chastel's type to manage him—well, I wonder what the other members of the elder family prefer in a partner... 'Ah, they don't need us to envy or oppose them; this is simply how they get along,' as King Roscel wrote in a poem once: 'Life is precious, but love is more so.' " (Note 1) Klein listened to their conversation, opened his mouth, then closed it again, not mentioning that Chastel and Moberet had actually already died—only at the very moment of their deaths did he truly feel the love between them. The ones living now were merely copies created within the world of the book. After leaving the couple's home, the trio walked toward Grossel's blacksmith shop. On the way, as they passed down a street, Klein spotted a dragon named Zeler, known as the 'Philosopher.' 'Justice' Odile immediately recognized him as a man from Luon. "Was that the soldier from a century ago?" Audrey slowed her pace and asked. Cain recalled Dragonzelle's longing for his homeland, remembered placing his ashes in the Beckland cemetery, and after a moment of silence, gently nodded. "Yes." The "World" gentleman seemed touched... he was like a calm river on the surface, yet beneath flowed many currents and whirlpools... Audrey barely nodded. "Can you enter his dreams? I'd like to obtain the recipes for the 'Judge's' and 'Reform Knight's' potions." "Absolutely," Cain replied, glancing at Leonard. Leonard still had his hands in his pockets, but his eyes had deepened in intensity. Dragonzelle, seated on the bench, fell into a deep sleep. Soon after, the three of them appeared within his dreams. It was a bustling city, with many wooden buildings, and the pedestrians moving about were mostly from Ruin. Longael, with black hair and blue eyes, stood outside a house, hesitating to approach, gazing at it uncertainly, until a woman in an old, flowing dress emerged from within. Then he rushed toward her, arms outstretched, eager to embrace her. But his arms passed through her, and there was no contact between them. Longael stood frozen, his voice hollow as he called out, "Mother..." Audrey, who had been quietly guiding the dream, watched the scene unfold and then turned to survey her surroundings, noticing the iconic great clock. "Beckland..." she murmured, tilting her head, her gaze softening as she looked at Caine. "Can they not leave the world of the book?" "They have been there for too long," Caine said, his tone like a river gently flowing. "If they leave, they will age, grow old, die, or even fade away. I once sent Longael an item back to Beckland." "This... as an observer, Audrey keenly sensed the hidden harsh realities beneath these words and couldn't help lifting her head, gazing outward from the dream, toward where Moberet and Chastas were. Leonard had intended to ask what item it was, but after glancing left and right, he remained silent. Next, Audrey carefully guided the dream, securing two potion recipes and bringing Dragonzel back home, where he lived happily with his parents, siblings, and brothers and sisters. It was a beautiful dream. After leaving Dragonzel's place, Caine, Leonard, and Audrey soon spotted Groser's home. This would be their final stop on this journey. Once they obtained the unconscious insights of the great Groser, they would then enter the collective unconscious sea of this book world, seeking the secret behind the book's very existence."