Bernadette wore a white blouse in the Indist style, sitting quietly with her chestnut hair flowing naturally, her straight brows slightly arched with a poised elegance that evoked the refined presence of a high-ranking Earth-based professional woman. Indeed, the Emperor's influence on the "Mystic Queen's" aesthetic sense was evident—though it remained somewhat constrained by her surroundings. When Caine removed his hat and placed it gently against his chest, offering a slight bow, he then casually pulled out a chair and sat down. Bernadette's deep, oceanic-blue eyes swept over him, her voice soft and calm: "What is it this time that has brought you to me so urgently?" You're not the 'Master of Prophecy,' then, and haven't received any inspiration at all? Caine thought this to himself instinctively, then felt a bit overly self-important. This should be a lingering effect of having communicated extensively with the malevolent spirit known as the "Red Angel"... His personhood and stature are evident, and naturally, they influence those around him. If He so chose, this influence could absolutely become a form of contamination. Kline quickly reflected upon himself and formed a clear judgment. He paused slightly, then instead of answering, asked: "Have you completed your affairs in Bekland?" Bernadette shook her head slowly: "Not yet. In fact, I'd say they've already failed." "Hmm?" Kline expressed his surprise and bewilderment with a simple interjection. Bernadette glanced at him, speaking at a steady, unhurried pace: "The sequence 2 potion of the 'Seer' path has an unusual name—'The Sage.' To advance to this rank, one must prevent a disaster involving higher-level powers." “The ‘wise ones’… the ‘hidden wise ones’ come from here… At this moment, Caine felt a sudden clarity and was about to ask questions when the ‘Mystic Queen’ continued: ‘I foresaw that such an opportunity would arise in Beckland, so I made preparations here years ago. In recent years, I’ve stayed here continuously. ‘Unfortunately, I predicted the event would unfold in the second half of this year. I wasn’t in Beckland at the end of last year, so I couldn’t prevent the great smog crisis. This time, I’ve made every effort to contribute and achieved some results—yet, unexpectedly, Fasak launched a direct air assault on Beckland, and the disaster still materialized.’ That’s why you say you’ve failed… Caine gave a barely perceptible nod, his voice carrying a quiet sigh. ‘I didn’t expect the war to be initiated by the Fasakians.’ As he spoke, a sense of reflection stirred within him. The ascension of the ‘Mystic Queen’—though difficult to achieve—wasn’t entirely out of reach either; it all depended on one’s circumstances. To be clear, even before he became a half-god, he had already twice prevented the "True Maker" from descending, effectively saving Tingen and Beckland—achievements that unquestionably fulfill the criteria for becoming a "Sage." Yet, under normal circumstances, how many such disasters would occur, and how often would they be so easily averted? This time, his brother at Amun had been plotting for a millennium and a half. Even when King George III encountered difficulties, the war would still unfold exactly as he had foreseen, because the knot of "Death" passing through "Uniqueness" simply couldn't be untied. This made Cline begin to suspect that Mr. Azk had, in fact, lived his entire life on the northern continent under the careful arrangements of his brother at Amun—otherwise, how had he, after losing his memory and his transformation mask, managed to evade the notice of the various churches? Even more significant, in this particular life, Azk had used his true name without any hesitation—yet this fact went completely unnoticed and had not drawn any investigation at all. Is all of this part of your planning? Amun's brother... At this thought, Caine experienced a kind of post-traumatic stress, his body nearly trembling slightly. He inhaled silently, then added to the "Mysterious Queen": "This war involves the Children of the Creator, the King of Angels, and the True Gods—it's nothing you can stop." With Bernadette's experience, perspective, and insight, hearing such a statement brought a subtle shift in her expression. She repeated the key phrases softly: "The Children of the Creator... the King of Angels... the True Gods..." She wasn't overly surprised—there seemed to be a certain foreknowledge, yet even a master of prophecy couldn't truly glimpse the script that Amun's brother had written. After repeating herself, Bernadette remained silent for a few seconds, sighing softly as she murmured, "So that's how it is..." Cline adjusted his seating position and then remarked, "In fact, for you, this war is also an opportunity. There will be many disasters ahead—some arising from direct clashes of angelic powers. I believe you should at least have one 'Zero'-level seal item to intervene at critical moments, though you'll need to choose the right timing and method." Bernadette nodded gently, agreeing with Cline's assessment and implicitly confirming that she indeed possessed at least one 'Zero'-level seal item. Of course, as the daughter of the protagonist of the previous era and the most beloved child of Emperor Roscel, it would have been utterly surprising if her father hadn't left her one or two 'Zero'-level seal items. More importantly, Bernadette has already begun preparing for the ritual of elevation to "Sage," which indicates she undoubtedly possesses the corresponding Sequence 2 extraordinary traits—something that, in effect, amounts to a Level 0 Seal. After that, Bernadette's voice, once soft and emotionally detached, carried a subtle shift: "Yet, I still do not relish war, though it does offer me opportunities. I once deeply resented him, could not understand him, and for many years failed to call him 'Father'—because in his later years, in his relentless pursuit of the title of 'Black Emperor,' he did so many things that defied the times, harmed the innocent, that I could not accept my idealized hero of a father transforming into a mad, tyrannical ruler... Now, however, after hearing your response behind me, and through my own investigations, I am beginning to understand his situation. I now see the despair, the pain, and the solitude he endures, and I realize he is like a person drowning—struggling instinctively and desperately, fighting with all his strength." "...Klein listened with a deep sense of emotion, his heart stirred. The people in the world who truly understood Huang Tao, Rosel, and Gustav might very well be only these two sitting here. Of course, this heartfelt reflection did not prevent him from noticing that Queen Bernadette, the 'Mysterious Queen,' seemed different today. In their previous meetings, she had never spoken so much, never opened up to such a direct and sincere extent—she had merely blown a musical piece, expressing her sorrow in a reserved and restrained manner. Reflecting further, Klein feigned not having noticed, and instead asked, 'When did the change begin? Do you recall any signs or notable events prior to this?' Queen Bernadette's deep, azure eyes flickered slightly, as though immersed in a long and vivid memory." After a while, she finally spoke slowly: "Not long before that, he had said to me with a touch of pride: 'Have you never wondered what lies beyond our moon and on the other planets? Perhaps one day, our journey will be into the stars and the vast ocean of space.' Stars and space... what lies beyond our moon and on the other planets... While pondering the Queen's words, Klein suddenly recalled a key term and a specific event. The key term was: 'the starry sky!' The event was: Mr. Door had once told Emperor Roscel, that when he had the strength and the opportunity, he could go to the moon and see for himself—this would resolve many of his questions. Did the Emperor eventually make the journey? Was that very passionate diary written after this expedition? (Note 1) Did he, in the end, gradually transform, becoming more rigid, more extreme, without even realizing it?" Klein recalled the relevant details, carefully weighing his words as he spoke under the watchful gaze of the "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette: "By now, you should at least have some awareness that contamination originates from the stars." Bernadette nodded, without pressing further—seeming to know that Germain Spalro on the other side was equally uncertain, that only half-gods of angelic rank could perceive and resist such contamination. After a moment of quiet exchange, Caine steered the conversation toward his purpose: "One of the causes of this war is that King George III of Ruin discovered the nine secret tombs left behind by Emperor Tudor, the 'Blood Emperor,' and developed the idea of transitioning to the path of the 'Black Emperor' to achieve Sequence 0 status—thus, he abolished the 'Grain Act'..." Caine didn't pause to gauge whether the 'Mystic Queen' was familiar with these developments, simply delivering a concise yet comprehensive account, highlighting the key points. At the end, he added, "The 'Black Emperor' indeed possesses the ability to be resurrected; however, once a new 'Black Emperor' emerges, the original one vanishes completely." Here, 'the original one' referred to Emperor Roscel, who may have succeeded but was ultimately assassinated. At times, Caine even suspects that Roxel might have deliberately given others opportunities before falling at that very moment. In this way, when he is resurrected from the Stellar Realm, regains his mastery of "Uniqueness," and draws three Sequence-1 traits, he will no longer retract the traits acquired through other paths—such as "Imperial of Knowledge" or "Scholar of Mysteries"—allowing him to become purer and free from madness. This is a way of surviving through death, but only if Roxel's ritual succeeded, meaning he died during or after the ritual, not before it. Bernadette's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then said, "Enough. I too am striving for things that are far from certain and may very well never come to pass. 'In preventing the reign of George III, we can cooperate.' What a pair of ridiculous people we are..." Clary sighed. "I'll show you how to summon my messenger." "Very well," Bernadette extended her right hand and gently tapped the table. The pen, previously resting at her side, suddenly leapt up as though held by an invisible spirit, moving freely and smoothly across the paper. "This is how I summon my messenger," Bernadette said calmly.