Above an expanse of gray-white mist that seemed to stretch without limit, the scene resembled the ancient palace of the gods. Deep crimson lights surged upward from either side of a bronze long table, solidifying into hazy forms. "Justice" Audrey rose immediately, lifted her skirt gently, and bowed to the highest position: "Good afternoon, Sir 'The Fool.' " Her tone was not subdued, though the recent series of events had made it difficult for her to end her phrases with the light, delicate inflections she once used. Once all the members had bowed and taken their seats, Audrey's glance swept across the room, and she immediately settled into the habit of observation. Almost instantly, she noticed that "The Hermit" woman's demeanor and body language conveyed clear signs of concern. Was it related to "The Queen of the Mysteries"? Or perhaps something else? Or perhaps both? "Justice" Audrey found herself intrigued and curious about the possible causes. Through these repeated Tarot gatherings, she had already painted a psychological portrait of the "Hermit" lady, seeing her as a remarkably paradoxical figure—experienced, knowledgeable, steady and capable—yet at the same time bold and impetuous, as though still carrying the energy of a young girl. Given her relationship with the "Mystic Queen," Audrey interpreted that although the lady had faced many challenges, she had often managed them smoothly only under the protection and guidance of that queen, suggesting that a small, inner child—yearning for care and attention—still lived within her. It was precisely this hidden dimension that led Audrey to boldly speculate that the "Hermit" lady, when encountering someone who felt abandoned yet hadn't committed any serious errors, would instinctively feel compassion, empathy, and a natural inclination to help them. At the same time, based on the information that the woman is active at sea, has reached sequence 5 in strength, possesses numerous magical items, has rich experiences and insights, enjoys wearing a pair of thick glasses, and has interactions with Germaine Sparrow, Audrey believes that simply flipping through pirate warrants and newspapers, she could confidently identify the "Reclusive" lady. Yet, she hasn't specifically gone about doing that—only has a general sense of it. No, the "Reclusive" lady should now be a half-deity at sequence 4; there wouldn't be many things that could cause her such concern. Certainly not due to the outbreak of war—no major sea pirate would be overly troubled by that. As her thoughts swiftly shifted, lacking sufficient knowledge, Audrey, driven by her sense of justice, could only speculate in the direction of the "Mysterious Queen." At this very moment, in the mind of the "Reclusive" Gauthier, two things echoed continuously: Why has the Queen sent over so many diaries all at once? If I hadn’t already become a ‘mystic’ and mastered certain arcane arts, I simply wouldn’t have been able to remember all of it within such a short time—what on earth has happened? Has the Queen found herself in some kind of difficulty? “Frank, this man, refused to hold the ritual and simply took the magical potion to ascend—thankfully, I managed to stop him. But for the ‘Druid’ ritual, it posed no challenge at all. As a wildly enthusiastic biologist already engaged in animal cross-breeding, he’s already thoroughly familiar with the habits and anatomical structures of various ordinary animals and three extraordinary ones. All he needs to do is compile his accumulated knowledge and experiences into written form, which will then serve as part of the ritual—by next week, no, actually within just a couple of days, he’ll be fully qualified as a ‘Druid.’” As her thoughts raced, Gauthier composed herself, turned to the head of the bronze table, and bowed respectfully: “Esteemed Sir Fool, I have collected an entire volume of Roscel’s journal.” "A whole volume... Hearing the 'Hermit' lady's words, including Aljere, the 'Turner,' everyone present clearly froze—this went beyond their expectations. Usually, submissions came in just a few pages at a time, a couple of pages here and there. This time, however, it was an entire volume! Something had clearly happened. Even Deric, the 'Sun,' who had been the least involved and most unresponsive to such matters, sensed something unusual. They all knew that Bernadette, the 'Mystic Queen,' was the eldest daughter of Emperor Roscel, so receiving an entire volume of journals was entirely normal. What was unusual was the fact that she was presenting them all at once. The 'Hermit' Gadeleira didn't notice the collective attention, continuing to speak: "These journals are not consecutive, but all stem from the later years of Emperor Roscel." "Excellent," said the 'Ace' Kline, nodding gently, signaling that the 'Hermit' could begin materializing. One page after another, slightly yellowed journal entries gradually took form, soon stacking into a complete volume. After taking it, Kline flipped through it casually without truly reading it, then set the journal aside and looked at the "Hermit" Gauthierya and said, "You may now ask your questions. That makes ten in total, counting the ones accumulated previously." He hadn't carefully examined the journal because there were so many—over thirty pages—making it impractical to read through thoroughly. If he had, the members of the Tarot Circle would have had to wait too long, which would have affected the image of the "Adept." Therefore, he intended to go through it slowly after the gathering. Ten... Gauthierya immediately felt a bit overwhelmed, as the "Mystic Queen" Bernadette had only assigned her two questions this time. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Respected Adept, may I ask them in batches?" "Of course," Kline nodded with a smile. This was exactly what he had hoped for—asking all ten questions in one go would have been quite a challenge for the Adept. "The recluse" Cadellia sighed softly, saying, "This time, there are two issues. First, why should we be so careful of the 'audience'?" Careful of the 'audience'? "Justice" Odile looked utterly puzzled, momentarily unable to form any hypothesis, even turning to examine herself. Careful of the 'audience'? Members of the Tarot Circle—'Moon' Emlyn, 'Star' Leonard—directed their attention toward "Justice" Odile. 'Wanderer' Kline chuckled gently, speaking with a calm and composed tone: "The 'audience' always operates quietly in the background, manipulating events so subtly that they remain unnoticed and unprepared. Among them, we must especially be vigilant toward 'Angel of Idealism' Adam, whose divine consecration took place as he consumed the magic potion within the imagined currents of his own envisioned era." "Imagined currents of the era... making the course of history align with his own expectations?" "Justice" Odile couldn't help but ask the 'Wanderer' with growing curiosity. Kline nodded gently. "Exactly so." "A war sweeping across the entire world is exactly what Adam desires." That...the members of the Tarot Circle—Alger, the "Turned Over," and Gauthier, the "Hermit"—were overwhelmed by the information subtly conveyed in the Master of the Fool's words, finding it difficult to think clearly. Whether it was the divine consecration ritual or the prevailing currents of the age, both touched upon levels so high they could only be gazed upon in awe. Suddenly, they began to grasp the deeper reasons behind the Psychological Alchemy Circle's deep involvement in the royal intrigues, and those who knew parts of the "Hermit Order" even understood the very essence of what maintaining the age's momentum truly meant. Only someone of the Master of the Fool's stature could comprehend these hidden dynamics and participate in the corresponding strategic maneuvers. Alger quickly regained his composure, quietly reflecting on his growing yearning to become a half-god. He believed this war would bring numerous opportunities—though he still doubted whether he could seize them. The members of the Tarot Circle remained silent, each thinking deeply. Yet Klein, the " Fool," sighed unexpectedly—because this war was one he could not stop. If the "Black Emperor" ceremony of George III had failed, he could reach it with a leap, stretching his arms just a little, and there was still a slim chance. But this war, now firmly established as a tide of the times, even if he were an angel, even if he were one of the first-tier angels, could not be truly influenced. To try to intervene forcefully would only be ground beneath the relentless wheels of history. Even the King of Angels—beyond Adam, the one who has orchestrated the "plot" for over a thousand years—can at best influence local circumstances and rarely counter the broader trends. Only the true gods of Sequence 0 can truly engage in the game of strategy. That's why the Emperor said only by becoming a god can one protect oneself and those one wishes to protect. Right now, all I can do is ensure the resistance forces on the Roßd Islands are well-prepared, hoping they will eventually break free from colonial rule. Klein gathered his thoughts, maintaining a steady, warm smile. He was not someone blindly opposed to war. His education from a previous life, combined with his experiences at sea in the East and West Baring regions, had instilled in him a strong belief in the struggle against colonial domination. In short, what he disliked, what he deeply resented, was an "unjust war." Feeling the gaze of the Knight of Pages, the Hermit Galadrienne steadied the flurry of thoughts rushing through her mind and spoke again: "Secondly, where might the yet-undiscovered royal tomb of Emperor Roscel be located?" A hidden tomb? Still uncharted? The spirit of the Magician, Fols, grew increasingly focused, sensing this was a compelling, well-rounded narrative with all the elements of a bestseller. The Lady of Justice, Odile, and the Knight of the Tower, Aljere, keenly perceived something deeper: the Emperor's eldest daughter might still be unwilling to accept her father's passing, actively seeking traces of his legacy, hoping to uncover clues that could bring the Emperor back to life. Of course, it was also possible that the tomb contained something else of great significance—perhaps that was precisely what the Queen of Mysteries sought. Did Emperor Roscel leave behind such a hidden tomb? What might be within it? This point occupied the greatest interest of the Knights of the Star, Lennard, and the Judge, Hoo. "The fool," Caine had long anticipated, and smiled. "Perhaps within the misty seas, or in the hidden, primordial islands once discovered by Rosel, or deep within the abyss." The abyss... Emlyn felt a subtle flutter at the corners of his eyes. In the bloodline's chronicles, there are numerous accounts of the Second Age demons' ravages—though centuries had passed since those events, he still found himself restless and overwhelmed, as though the very act of reading and the aftermath had left him tangled in disorder. Dariq, the "Sun," shared a similar sensation, though he was less affected. At times, reading certain texts would drain his spirit, subtly altering his mental state—a well-known fact in the Silver City. Thus, one must first undergo general education, receiving the information secondhand from teachers. The abyss... Even Odile, the "Justice," and the "Judgment" figures, found themselves unconsciously repeating the word in their minds. In their everyday lives, "the Abyss" was more of an abstract concept—standing for peril, suffering, decline, and filth. Yet unexpectedly, it truly existed, somewhere in the Mist Sea!