In a narrow alleyway within the Beckland Bridge district,休 once again encountered the MI9 officer who had been in regular contact with him. "This is your reward—2,500 pounds in total, and a pleasant bonus of an additional 500 pounds, thanks to your efforts," said the man wearing a golden mask, handing him a bulging envelope. Resting it firmly in his hands without counting the bills, he instinctively gave a sincere nod and said, "Thank you." The man with the golden mask waved him off. "You're welcome. It's also good for me—should you continue to hold onto those past matters, I'm afraid one day I might find myself on a military tribunal." "Will you remain in Beckland for the foreseeable future?" "Yes. I've grown accustomed to city life. Once the war ends, I'll bring my family here." Resting on the words he had already carefully considered. "Let the war end..." The man with the golden mask repeated the phrase, pausing slightly at the middle, and smiled. "May the Lord protect us all until the war is over." Here, "the Lord" referred to "the Master of Storms." "I believe in the goddess," replied Thorne seriously. "I understand what I mean," said the man with the golden mask, waving his hand. "Then, will you still accept assignments from the Nine Departments?" "I won't turn down an opportunity to earn money," Thorne said, brushing his slightly rough hair, speaking both sincerely and with a touch of half-truth. "Agreed," nodded the man with the golden mask. "During the war, our main concern will be dealing with spies from various nations. If there's a task suited to you, I'll find you." "Understood," Thorne replied, then carefully and cautiously stepped out of the dimly lit alley without lingering. After watching her silhouette fade into the distance, the man with the golden mask turned toward the shadow in the corner and said, "She must have simply been exploited by some power—once they stopped investigating the earlier events, they abandoned her." A low, resonant voice emerged from the shadowed corner, "On the surface, it seems that way. But in reality, there's nothing to worry about. Even if she uncovers the truth and spreads it, it won't affect the King's affairs anymore. Indeed, the Night Church has already tacitly accepted this." "That's the best outcome," the man with the golden mask murmured, exhaling silently. She paid 2,000 pounds for the "Judge" potion recipe and 3,500 pounds for the exceptional properties, meaning she still needed 2,400 pounds—money that Foulis would lend her. After making this loan, Foulis’s savings would drop to 780 pounds, but this would not affect her significantly, as she now had both the potion recipes and primary ingredients for her magical preparations, with only occasional expenses, and even had the occasional income from renting out "Leyman’s Travel Notes." "Indeed," Hugh nodded. "I'll complete the transaction as soon as possible and aim to advance to Level 6 early." With her friend's matter now settled, Foulis turned her attention to her own concerns: "My 'Record-keeper' potion still hasn't fully settled in yet. Now that the war has broken out, having the ability to travel will be much safer." "The emphasis of the 'Archivist' is clearly on 'recording.' Once I become a 'Judge,' you'll have a new, exceptional ability to repeatedly record—this should speed up the digestion of the potion." Thura pulled a chair over and sat down, thinking aloud. Folth sighed, "I suspect that beyond the ability to 'record,' you also need to record the landscapes and customs of different regions—only then can you effectively pair with the future 'Traveler.' But now that the war has broken out, traveling inland is manageable; going to other areas will be both difficult and dangerous. Oh, bread prices have risen too—nearly a quarter of a penny per pound, actually more than before the repeal of the 'Grains Act!'” "Indeed," Thura thought seriously and agreed with Folth's summary. The two fell into silence. After a few seconds, Thura suddenly had an idea: "Actually, there's a very simple solution." "What?" Folth sat up slightly and asked immediately. "You can pay him to accompany you on these journeys," Huxley carefully avoided mentioning specific designations or names. "Each time you're dropped off in a new place for three to four days—or even a week—before being picked up again, you'll quickly gather insights into local customs and traditions. Moreover, you can rent magical items from him or them to 'record' extraordinary abilities—this will not only strengthen you but also aid your adaptation." "Indeed!" Folshe brightened at the prospect. She realized now how rudimentary her use of the Tarot gatherings had been. After the initial excitement, however, Folshe's brow furrowed, as this approach meant she'd have to engage frequently with the 'world'—Germán Sparro—whom she found rather daunting to think about. Indeed, nothing ever came without a price... To adapt to the magic potion, one had to take risks. In the end, Folshe made up her mind to formally request this arrangement at the next Tarot gathering. ...in an apartment several blocks away from where Houx and Folshe reside. Returning from the Serenzo restaurant, Klein sat at the table, swiftly flipping through today's newspaper, extracting and summarizing the more significant intelligence: "The Fyssak Imperial fleet from the Sunia Sea has evacuated Port Priz, with its destination now unknown..." "Defense Minister General Emirius has stated that coastal defenses will be strengthened, and that the three ironclad fleets need not rush back; instead, they should adopt a more flexible, circuitous approach to avoid ambushes..." "The Fyssak Dual-Giant army has advanced into the Cold Winter Province, entering the Mandara Mountains, where it has encountered fierce resistance and failed to pass several key fortresses..." "The Fyssak Conquest Fleet has attacked the industrial cities along the eastern coast of the Intermediate Sea, including Constanton, sparking a large-scale naval engagement with the Kingdom's Intermediate Sea fleet—both sides have sustained losses..." "Conflict has erupted between the Fyssak and Roon colonial forces in multiple locations in Eastern Baylan..." "The other nations have yet to issue clear statements; within their capitals, ambassadors are actively engaged in urgent diplomatic negotiations..." "Radio waves carry a continuous stream of vital updates, flowing between cities across the northern and southern "So, around the region of Bekeland, and in other parts of the kingdom, there should be eight similar tombs yet undiscovered—likely not as well protected as the first site, which would present a valuable opportunity... The 'Red Angel' spirit may know something, but I can't currently reach Him. Not only might reciting His holy name pose a risk, but simply doing so would reveal my intention to prevent George III from becoming the 'Black Emperor'—a vulnerability that a formidable 'conspirator' could exploit in countless ways. There may be channels and leads through the 'Mystic Queen,' but I can't rely solely on her... As for the Church, at present, they likely have no clear understanding of how many secret tombs exist, or where exactly they are located... What if we target key figures close to the King—such as royal half-gods deeply involved in this matter?" They undoubtedly have the necessary vigilance, and the angels of the Augustan family, along with those of the ancient, secret order, will likely watch from both the light and the shadows... Moreover, as long as one of the royal half-gods meets with an unforeseen mishap, George III will surely sense that someone is striving to prevent His ascension to divinity... "Ah, Catherine, the 'White Witch'—she is likely easier to handle than the royal half-gods, less conspicuous, less likely to draw attention..." "Indeed, theoretically, George III, already granted tacit approval from several major churches, no longer needs to collaborate with the witch orders, nor does he have any such imperative—unless certain circumstances have fully cemented a bond between the two. In that case, his very first priority would be to sever ties with the witch orders. Of course, He would likely not directly sell the sorceress order outright. On one hand, the sorceresses themselves are adept at scheming and would naturally remain vigilant. On the other hand, if He ruffled the feathers of the high-ranking members of the sorceress order, the security of His own "Black Emperor" ceremony—backed by a true deity, a Class-0 seal artifact, and the secret workings of angels—would no longer be assured. After all, this is no ordinary organization; it is a powerful, divinely grounded network. "From the perspective of the witchcraft orders, the matter has concluded, and the major churches have tacitly accepted this development. The 'White Witches' no longer need to hide and evade as thoroughly as they did in the past—they can now move more freely. For me and the 'Mysterious Queen,' this presents a valuable opportunity. 'Hmm,' the 'Disease-Bringer' is likely to reappear again. Based on her appearance and the initial attitude of the 'White Witches,' she appears to have a certain blood relation to Caterina...'" Reflecting on this, Caine exhaled, then turned his gaze toward the window, murmuring silently, "I hope Anderson and Daniz can quickly locate that pirate general... I hope the 'City of Wonders' described in the 'Grosel Travelogue' can effectively counteract the influence of the mental domain..." For now, all he can do is patiently wait. ........ The Stormy Sea, Selos Island. Danzig beamed at Anderson, saying, "I've heard a piece of news—the southwest region, on an atypical route, has an island that lacks abundant resources but is sufficiently concealed."