Above the gray mist, the deep red star representing "the Stars" also began to swell and contract. The ripples it cast gradually overlapped with those generated by the other three stars, merging into a tide that surged and rippled throughout the entire mysterious space, causing a subtle vibration. After recounting the events related to Klein, Leonard concluded his prayer and waited for a response from the "Fool." Yet, after nearly a minute had passed, he still received no feedback. "The 'Fool' has always responded promptly," Leonard murmured, almost to himself. Inside his mind, Palais Soloyasde remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke in a slightly aged voice: "Recall what the 'Fool' has said recently." Leonard thought carefully and replied slowly: "During the week, He reminded us not to venture into the forests to the northwest of Beckland... Ah, He seemed to suggest that the gathering next week might not take place as scheduled." "Indeed." "Palis Soloyasde sighed, "The 'Fool' had some anticipation of Amun's arrival. They might now be engaging in covert struggles across different realms—one seeking to preserve the 'Source Citadel,' the other aiming to become its new sovereign. Your former colleague has unfortunately become entangled in this matter." "Did the 'Fool' anticipate this? Is this a trap specifically laid by Him for Amun?" Leonard's eyes brightened, and he asked aloud. Palis seemed to take some time to think, his speech slowing noticeably: "It might very well be so—though perhaps Amun has exploited that very trap and taken the initiative. Do not underestimate a 'Disbeliever.' A powerful King of Angels." In Leonard’s current understanding, the Sir Fool is either the slowly reviving lord of the Source Citadel—whose historical divine counterpart remains unknown—or an embodiment of the Source Essence, still struggling to fully command his own authority and powers, requiring further transformation. Regardless of which scenario holds true, the Sir Fool currently falls short of attaining true divine rank and is likely on par with the Archangels. Under such circumstances, it is entirely normal for the Sir Fool and that formidable "Sinner" to engage in fierce, protracted struggles where neither can decisively overcome the other, given that the Sinner is among the strongest of the hidden beings beneath the divine realm—more powerful even than the often-categorized "Hidden Sage," a figure traditionally grouped among the infernal deities—and even the gods themselves hold a certain degree of reverence for him. "...” Leonard’s spirit could not help but tighten, and he asked quietly, with growing concern, “Old man, do you have any way to offer some assistance?” Amon isn't your greatest enemy, is he? The assistance might be limited, but it should be enough to pull Caine out of this whirlpool. Palis Soloyasda smiled, with a clear note of self-deprecation: "Perhaps you've been holding too many unrealistic expectations of me. Indeed, if Amon secures the 'Source Keep,' I will surely die at His hands—possibly even before this winter passes. And if the 'Source Keep' remains with the 'Fool,' I might still have a chance to survive. But can I, a mere old man just recovering my Sequence 2 strength, influence a struggle of this magnitude? Even with the 'Reverie of Yesterday' spell, what can I accomplish in just a few seconds? Yes, yes—perhaps at a critical moment, this could help the 'Fool' shift the situation. Yet right now, I don't even know where they are fighting. How can I seize the opportunity?" Leonard fell silent under the old man's stream of words. He then lowered his head, raised both hands, and pressed them against the sides of his head, murmuring softly: "Could it be... I'll have to watch all this unfold again and again..." Palis sighed and said: "Patience—this is all we can currently offer. The 'Fool,' along with night and certain deities, the Angel Kings, likely shares a mutual understanding, even a cooperative relationship. They will not allow Amen to take the 'Source Fort.' We simply need to wait patiently—perhaps we won't have to wait long before seeing an opportunity." Leonard half-rose, leaned back, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly: "I understand." ... Off the coast of Sunya Island, the "Blue Revenant," which had been dispatched by the Storm Church to attack the port and the Vaskar merchant vessels, now concealed itself just beyond the safe channel. Aljer Wilson stood behind the window of the bridge, using his exceptional long-range vision to gaze at the coastline still far ahead. To this "newly minted" "Ocean Singer," several of the "captains" who had accepted similar assignments were outstanding performers among the mid-tier officers. Their coordinated operation would undoubtedly disrupt Fasak's maritime supply lines. Consequently, Fasak's counteroffensive would likely be fierce—possibly led by half-gods of Sequence 4, and potentially involving Sequence 3 figures such as the "War Bishop" or the "Silver Knight." For Aljer, this represented a sufficiently dangerous scenario; he did not wish to find himself entangled in such complications. At the same time, the crew, colleagues, and collaborators keep one another under watch, ensuring no one shirks responsibility. If Alger remains passive, drifting along the edge of danger, he won’t be long before having to decide whether to eliminate most of the crew, declare himself a true pirate, or lose the "Blue Avenger" and return to Pasu Island to face internal judgment. "By the time this mission concludes, fewer than one-third of the current 'captains' will survive," Alger calmly assessed, quickly forming a clear strategy to mitigate risk. At the same time, in the eyes of the crew, he would be a model and an exemplar—a man willing to risk everything and venture deep into enemy territory. Having carefully considered all the details, Aljé immediately gathered the crew and outlined his plan, concluding with: “This will be extremely dangerous. Believe me, extremely dangerous. We won’t be able to move freely as we do at sea, and we may at any moment find ourselves surrounded by the enemy. But this assault will come as a surprise to the Fosac people, and it will achieve exactly the results we seek. ‘Would you rather stay aboard and be seen as cowards, or follow me and become heroes, demonstrating your devotion to the Lord?’” The crew members were stirred to great enthusiasm and spoke up one after another with fervor: “Let’s wipe out the Fosac people!” “Excellent,” Aljé said, beaming with satisfaction and raising his right fist to his chest. “The storm is with us!” “The storm is with us!” the sailors echoed, rising to their feet and shouting it loudly. With this matter settled, Alger felt it necessary to promptly borrow the "Cross of No Shadow" in order to free up the excess "Ocean Singer" extraordinary traits—though he had somewhat exaggerated the dangers of reaching Sunia Island, there was still a definite risk involved, so he wished to restore himself to his optimal state as soon as possible. He had long read between the lines of the "Card of the Fool's" earlier hints and believed that either tonight or tomorrow morning, the "Card of the Fool" would officially announce the cancellation of this Tarot gathering. Of course, deep within, Alger harbored some suspicions, wondering whether each time the Tarot meeting was canceled, the "Card of the Fool" was experiencing a certain disruption in his own condition, and thus he hoped to use this formal prayer as an opportunity to test whether the great being remained fully functional. No, not at all, we cannot test God... This is not a test. "The Fool," Mr. hadn't implied that recent prayers were impossible, and, indeed, the "Cross of No Shadow" is something I truly need to attend to in the past few days. Aljere paced back and forth, unable to make a decision. At that very moment, he heard the sound of the waves rushing, and through the added perspective offered by the ghost ship, saw the sea parting beside the hull, revealing a massive marine creature. This strange, large fish opened its mouth and expelled a small metal sphere, which landed on the deck. Aljere nodded, expressing his gratitude through song. These were marine beings tamed by the Storm Church, serving as messengers between the ships and the controlled islands in this mission. Upon receiving thanks, the great fish shivered, flicked its tail, and swiftly plunged into the depths, vanishing toward the distance. Aljer stared for two seconds, and a breeze swept the metal sphere to the captain's chamber. He unscrewed the sphere, extracted the paper inside, and glanced at it—his gaze instantly grew fixed. "King George III has been assassinated..." Aljer repeated the words with a tone of solemnity, then recalled the reminder from "World" Gelmann Sparo and the subtle hint from the "Fool." This time, he hesitated no longer. He sealed the room and softly uttered the name: "The Fool, not of this age..." At this point, he followed Amun deep into the desolate wilderness, where a grayish-yellow mist hung thickly, several gullies cut through the landscape, and in the deeper darkness, various forms seemed to wander. Unlike the previously quiet, hidden monsters, these creatures here appeared particularly distinct. Amun, wearing a pointed soft hat and adjusting his crystal single-lens spectacles, pointed ahead with a smile. "Just another half-day, and we should reach our final destination." "Half a day? It's barely been one day—didn't you say it would take three days?" Klein's pupils seemed to widen slightly. Amun chuckled. "I meant no more than three days. Even one day counts as no more than three." Pausing here, the King of Angels leaned in with genuine interest, asking, "Has my schedule been disrupted? Has it made you feel more hopeless?" Klein said nothing, suddenly reaching out and grasping at the empty space beside him.