Hearing the voices of those pools of liquid shadows, a figure instantly came to mind in Caine's mind: an elderly man dressed in a plain white robe embroidered with yellow copper threads, his hair completely white and neatly combed, with striking gray-green eyes. He introduced himself as a clergy member of the Church of Knowledge, responsible for affairs in Xibran, and closely connected with Mesanyes. At that time, he unexpectedly visited Dauin Tangtse, citing a prophecy that he would face a particularly difficult period ahead, during which a certain person he would meet would help resolve his troubles. Caine pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Luca Brust?" "Yes, it's me—how did you remember me!" The liquid shadows from different parts of the ethereal bookshelf responded eagerly and in succession. Their voices no longer uniform, layered and overlapping, resonated continuously, so that even through the secret figures, Caine felt a ringing in his ears and a certain dizziness in his head. This is not a normal sound—it carries a certain sense of disorder or spiritual contamination… Those phantom bookshelves themselves are a form of expression… As soon as Klein had just formed this thought, the black silhouettes—alternately curling and extending—simultaneously spoke: “Sorry, we were rather excited just now and couldn’t control ourselves.” Klein, hidden in the shadows outside the manor, directed the secret figure Quonas. Colg: “You—what happened? Why have you taken on this form?” The black silhouettes sighed in unison: “The military’s ‘Judges’ of Finesse, Bellacoss, and the Archbishop of the Earth Mother’s Church, Martina, launched a joint assault here. Their primary target was me. With no choice, I activated my mythic being form, forcing them to temporarily withdraw. It seems, therefore, that you arrived here undetected—clearly, you were directly ‘transmitted’ here.” "You're also a half-god, so you must know that once you manifest the form of a mythic being, it's not easy to return to your normal state. I've been similarly affected—my mind has been driven wild—and I've nearly lost control. Fortunately, I once served as a 'Master of Secret Arts,' mastering a number of unusual yet effective techniques. At the crucial moment, I performed a self-sealing ritual, which has transformed me into this current state. 'Ah, this condition can only last for a while. The madness continues to erode me. I've already contacted the Papal Seat, and help is expected soon—but I'm not sure if I'll be able to hold on until then. Just now, I was thinking—this must be exactly the difficult predicament foretold in the prophecy. And I wonder whether the person who will resolve this issue will actually appear." "It's truly wonderful that you've come—it proves both my prophecy and my interpretation were correct, which has lifted my spirits considerably..." How utterly devoted a half-god is to the success of his prophecies! If I had simply turned and walked away at this moment, would you not have immediately lost your composure, perhaps even broken down? Klein muttered these thoughts to himself, then turned his attention to the key information Lucan Brust had revealed: The military forces of Feneport and the Church of the Earth Mother are now taking action! Klein then asked his secret companion, Chounas Colg, to produce a coin, tossed it with a crisp sound, and then caught it again. In his mind, regardless of how the seven gods' clergy might differ, they were always committed to maintaining stability and safeguarding their followers. From this perspective, Lucan Brust could not possibly be a demon or a devil. And the impression left by the "Ice Mountain Admiral" and the detective from Esgaroth, Stanton, was fairly positive for Caine—except that they seemed to habitually discriminate against those with lower intelligence or less enthusiasm for learning. Otherwise, their conduct and style were quite sound. That was precisely why they couldn't grow or expand beyond a few small nations. Caine didn't look at the coin toss result; after muttering a few words, he said, "What can I do for you?" "...?" The slightly excited shadows fell silent, and only after a few seconds did one of them speak, "I'm not sure... actually." Caine looked at them, they looked back at him, and for a moment, neither could find words. Maybe I should propose turning you into my secret companions? After nearly ten seconds, Caine quietly muttered this to himself. His thoughts swiftly shifted, and he began to consider how to resolve the issue of Lukas Brust being unable to return to his human form from the mythical creature state. To be honest, his thorough dedication to helping stems not only from a favorable impression of the Knowledge and Wisdom Church and Luca Brust, but also from certain practical motivations. First, the presence of the "God of Knowledge and Wisdom" in the narrative of *Grosset's Travels* remains a key element—Klein currently cannot determine the true deity's intentions, so he feels that demonstrating a certain goodwill might yield unexpected benefits. Second, should there indeed be a return of Roselle, the stance of the "God of Knowledge and Wisdom" would be particularly significant: Based on the tone and demeanor of the "Red Angel" spirit, Klein can already make an initial assessment—compared to the Fourth Age, the current seven gods have shown a marked shift in their attitude toward the emergence of the "Black Emperor," reacting less aggressively and instead leaning toward tacit acceptance, even if that figure is not exactly the one they had envisioned. In this scenario, if Emperor Roscel is to return, the only ones likely to truly oppose him would be "Eternal Sun" and "God of Steam and Machinery," as their figures were faintly visible during the time of Roscel's fall. However, this opposition would not be particularly strong—so long as Roscel remains mentally sound, free from pollution and madness, there is a strong possibility of acceptance, since there is no direct conflict of interest between the "Black Emperor," the "Sun," and the "Universal Knowledge" path. As for the longstanding grievances, while they may not be particularly severe at the divine level, this is merely Klein's interpretation based on ancient history and esoteric traditions. According to his understanding, during the First Solomon Empire, the other six gods were in constant rivalry with one another, amassing countless hostilities, and thus had to individually court the "Black Emperor" for support. Yet, over time, they eventually set aside their past enmities and forged alliances—something that has persisted right up to the present. Even the deities on closely related paths can coexist to some extent, provided that Roscel is truly revived. For a deity who has not entirely fallen, the enmity between him and the "Eternal Sun" and the "God of Steam and Machinery" holds the potential for resolution. Of course, given Caine's deep understanding of Roscel, he will eventually exact his revenge. But as long as Roscel remains sane, is not driven to an absolute impasse, does not grow overly biased or extreme, he will be able to perceive the broader situation, discern what actions are necessary, and understand the value of patience. Under such circumstances, Caine believes that the "Lord of Storms" and the "God of Knowledge and Wisdom" must surely be present—since they share pathways with the "Eternal Sun" that are mutually interchangeable. "Perhaps the pollution originating from the stars isn't as easily resolved. Roscel is now completely transformed into a demon god. But such a situation can only be grasped through step-by-step actions and understanding—only then can one decide at the crucial moment whether to press that 'button'... People cannot simply hesitate due to a relatively low probability of concern; otherwise, nothing would ever get done, and even drinking a glass of water could potentially lead to the arrival of a demon god... Similarly, the intensity of the reactions from all parties to Roscel's return—how passionate, how dramatic—will also need to be observed repeatedly before we can identify the solution that everyone can most readily accept. For now, the most promising path to success remains breaking the ritual at the critical moment." While thinking through these points, Kline glanced at the spreading shadows and slowly spoke: "How long can you still hold on?" Lukas Brust assessed his own condition and replied: "Seven minutes. Seven minutes." "I thought it was seven, six, five, four, three..." Cain murmured under his breath before saying, "I'll have a psychologist arranged for you." As he spoke, he stepped hundreds of meters away from the outer courtyard of the Meisangyes estate, into the shadows, and then began setting up the ritual, offering the "creeping hunger" to the gray mist above. Once everything was complete, Cain sat into the chair of "The Fool" and manifested the figure of Germain Spalro, who swiftly and concisely performed the required prayers. It was now near midnight, and Audrey, who had been busy with her charitable work, had not yet gone to bed. "Treating a half-god showing signs of instability... another contribution accumulated..." Audrey set down her steel pen and donned her white gown with golden embroidery. Just as in the previous task, she orchestrated the ritual, embraced the "thirsty hunger," donned the "lies" transformed into a silvery-white mask, and, under the protection of the "Angel's Embrace," followed the route map provided by the "World" Germaine Sparrow, being "transmitted" to the Mansayes manor in Xibayangukwa City. The difference was that, facing a half-god, Audrey not only wore the mask but also refined her posture, breath, and the appearance beneath it using the power of the "lies." Then, she saw the "World" gentleman resembling Daven Tantris. "The half-god is currently dissolving into pools of black liquid. Avoid direct communication with his mental form, as doing so will expose you to his tendency toward chaos—should it not be treated, I can draw upon your exceptional traits." Klein specifically reminded the "Justice" lady of these points. Audrey didn't explicitly state that she was particularly well-versed in this matter, but she listened attentively and said, "I'll give it a try." She pulled at the cloak wrapping around her body and took a few steps forward, her gaze fixed on the shimmering shelves and the pools of black liquid. "Good. It hasn't fully gone out of control yet," she said softly, her voice calm and steady. With the quiet strength of her words, a subtle, invisible breeze of reassurance began to stir. The rhythmic contracting and expanding of the black liquid pools slowed, and the sense of restlessness gradually eased. Audrey continued with several rounds of reassurance until Lucan Brust's mental state stabilized fully and he was able to engage and cooperate. Only then did she invite him to open his heart and embrace the treatment. In the meantime, she gently opened the "mind-body gate" of the half-god, delivering multiple sessions of reassurance and purification, and planting psychological suggestions—insisting that Lucan Brust now had no issues and could easily return to his human form, shedding his mythical creature shape with ease. — Divided into multiple sessions because Audrey would immediately withdraw if slightly contaminated or affected, addressing her own mental concerns first. Finally, after completing the treatment and suggestions, she stepped back and said, "Sir, you may now dissolve the mythical creature form." As soon as she finished speaking, the ethereal bookshelves in the hall vanished, and the pools of black liquid gathered like living beings, coalescing into human shapes. The blackness swiftly receded, and Luca Brust returned to his original form, remarking with a smile of gratitude, "Thank you so much! I saw a Sequence 5 observer approach—thought she might become the primary material for her transition..." Such a straightforward man... I have no idea how to respond to that. . . Clary glanced at Audrey, the embodiment of Justice, and noticed she had closed her eyes tightly. Hmm... Clary then responded to Luca Brust, "Don't worry—right now, all you need is a set of clothes."