In the Beckettland Bridge district, Klein located the man who had been won over by Trist, helping her to "deliver and receive" letters, based on the courier girl's directions. Yet, Klein did not enter the apartment building nor disturb his target. With both hands tucked into the pockets of his black coat, he continued walking forward. Under the glow of the gas streetlights, he eventually reached the intersection and turned into a different neighborhood. During this time, a mouse that had been quietly stealing food inside one of the buildings suddenly trembled. It abandoned the piece of cheese and proceeded along its usual path, moving in the opposite direction from Klein, gradually approaching the target area.
Then, from a hidden corner, the mouse opened its mouth and emitted human voices: "Keeper of the sea and the spirit realm, guardian of the Rosedale Isles, ruler of marine life, master of tsunamis and gales—great Cavoritha..."
As soon as the mouse finished speaking, Crane vanished around the corner, leaving only a swift trail of flame dispersing into the air.
He had used the "flame leap," but not to hasten his journey—rather, to enter his designated hotel room and meet one of his own secret doubles. Thus, there was no need to worry about being detected by Chalatu, nor about encountering an unforeseen mishap, since his destination was clear, the route brief, and he was well protected.
Within the room, under the watchful gaze of his double, Enyuni, Crane reversed his steps and walked four paces, arriving upon the expanse of gray mist.
He sat down at the head of the bronze long table, reaching for the "Rod of the Sea God," and using the "Prayer Light" through his "True Vision" to observe the target—the man who had delivered messages on behalf of the sorceress Triss. After a few minutes, Renette Tiniel appeared as agreed upon at the apartment, collected the coins, and left the envelope on the table. The man was once again startled, trembling, but eventually overcame his fear and picked up the letter, weighing it carefully. An hour later, he carefully removed the dark, paste-like substance, separated a small portion, and applied it to the mirror's surface. Soon, in the dim reflection, he saw the young woman who had occupied all his dreams, and promptly began speaking: "The adventurous traveler just sent a letter—there seems to be something else inside, as per your instructions, I haven't opened it yet." At this moment, the scene that Klein witnessed above the gray mist began to reveal its wonders.
In his gaze, the mirror itself had grown hazy, approaching more like a dim, ethereal, and somewhat unreal passage—connecting with similar elements in its surroundings to form a complex, abstract "web," weaving together a deep and strange "world." With the gray mist granting him a "realistic vision," Kline could just make out the general state, but could not discern finer details, nor knew whether there might be奇异 and terrifying beings hidden within that "world."
In mysticism, mirrors are often symbolized as portals to another "realm," especially associated with horror and suspense—was this the "world within the mirror"?
My extraordinary abilities have absolutely nothing to do with this realm—well, actually, if someone prays to me and attempts a "mirror divination," a fantastical pathway naturally forms, leading toward me, toward the gray mist. "Strictly speaking, the 'mirror realm' isn't a true world at all; it's more like a collection of doors, connecting various mirrors and different mystical kingdoms. If one gets lost within it, they might suddenly appear in the 'Deep Void,' or even in the stars. Of course, a half-god with such abilities could use this to create a reflected world and hide within it. 'A collection of doors'—besides the witches and vengeful spirits, do high-tier practitioners from the 'apprentice path' also possess this kind of ability?"
Does the "secret" in the "Seer of Secrets" indeed point toward the "world within the mirror"—something both mysterious and concealed? Under normal circumstances, even through the "true vision," one cannot directly perceive the "world within the mirror" unless someone activates it.
Klein nodded thoughtfully. Hearing Trist's sweet voice respond, she said, "Throw the letter into the mirror."
"Can it actually go through?" As a low-tier extraordinary being, the man had never witnessed such a marvel before. He hesitated, then held the letter and pressed it against the mirror surface.
On the mirror's surface, an幽暗 suddenly rippled outward, like ripples spreading across still water.
As the man felt the solid sensation lighten, he saw the letter magically penetrate the glass and enter the shimmering, ethereal interior.
Then, drawn by a vast vortex, the letter continued to sink downward, deepening toward Trist's room.
Klein raised the "God of the Sea Staff" above his head, focusing intently on the letter, striving to pinpoint the location of the witch. At that moment, his "true vision" revealed intense fluctuations within the deep, shadowy "World of the Mirror," blurring everything. When the tremor subsided, Klein had lost sight of both the letter and the witch, Trist.
"'The Primordial Witch's' presence could even disrupt such focused observation..." Klein remained silent for a moment, then exhaled a soft sigh. It was precisely because Trist was so unusual that he had not taken the risk of weaving a strand of his own hair into the material to establish a precise connection—thus making himself vulnerable to a dreadful curse, possibly resulting in immediate death.
To Klein, a sudden death was simply a sudden death—provided the body wasn't crushed, revival was certain. But that would mean he'd miss the opportunity to secure Trist—she would inevitably make a swift move, effectively wasting a precious chance at resurrection. Disheartened, Klein swiftly returned to the real world, leaving the Beckland Bridge region.
In this regard, Cline has always been pragmatic and self-aware: if he can't resolve an issue himself, he simply seeks out someone capable of doing so. As for why he doesn't handle this matter at home but instead goes to Saint Samuel's Church—specifically to observe the conditions along Berkland Street and its surrounding areas for any subtle traces of Amon's arrival—this is because both Heilur and her family have previously encountered Amon, and she herself belongs to the "Thefters" path. Given the convergence of fate and shared traits, she is inherently at a higher risk of encountering Amon. Cline therefore cannot afford any negligence or complacency. His routine is to visit the area periodically to conduct checks.
Similarly, since the "Justice" lady has several times assisted Hayuri with psychological trauma, and Hayuri's condition often affects her, Klein is also deeply concerned about her safety and believes it's necessary to periodically check on her status through the "Deep Red Star"—though he always avoids more awkward time slots. As his thoughts drifted, he had already alighted from the carriage near the Peisfyl Street, sending his secret companion, Enyuni, to quietly recite the sacred name of the "Sea God" at a discreet location. Klein himself exchanged positions with his companion, Quonasa, and, within the enclosed space that had twisted into shape, walked backward four steps to step into the gray mist. Then, using the "Sea God's Staff" to magnify his "True Vision," he carefully observed the conditions along Berkland Street and within the "Rune Charity Scholarship Fund."
"Haihur wasn't 'parasitized'... neither was the 'Justice' lady... nor their maids, pets, or bodyguards... nor the residents of Berkland Street nor the staff of the 'Charitable Education Fund'... there's not a single trace of Amun to be found across any of the streets in this district..." Klein exhaled, returning to the real world. Then, he approached St. Samuel's Church, entered through the main doors, and found a seat in the quiet, dimly lit chapel. He softly chanted the name of the 'Goddess of Night,' then briefly described:
"...The witch Trist has obtained a strand of hair from a descendant of the Abraham lineage, intending to contact a hidden entity on the night of the full moon—though the precise purpose remains uncertain..."
Sitting in silence for a while, seeing no response from the goddess or the archbishop, Klein donned his silk hat and slowly stepped out of the church.
At night, he moved to a new location, using a mouse as a secret vessel and chanting the sacred name of another: "Great God of War, symbol of iron and blood, ruler of upheaval and strife, I would like to meet you..." As before, the moment the mouse finished its prayer, it lost its life, and Caine stepped back. He wished to meet the "Red Angel" and discuss matters concerning the "Gate" gentleman and the "Dark Angel" Sathelir. After waiting a few minutes, Caine, using a second mouse as a vessel, observed that the first one suddenly ignited, spewing out a bright white flame that swiftly traced a short phrase on the ground: "I don't want to see you."... Caine's facial muscles twitched slightly, imperceptibly. After a brief thought, he set aside his reason and departed from the area. Several dozen seconds later, the remaining bright white flame formed new words: "Ask me." And by then, Caine had already moved far away.
In a house within a certain region of Bekland, Sorin Einhorn Medici, dressed in a long robe of black with red patterns and his face pale, stood up from the sofa. He furrowed his brows, murmuring to himself, "Who is disrupting me..."