The Fool, Kline, merely nodded with a soft "hm," neither confirming nor denying the suggestion that the woman might be the "Queen of Calamities," Highshinam. After all, he couldn't very well produce a coin on the spot and perform a divination in front of the other. The "Turner," Aljer, waited a few seconds, seeing that the Fool had not offered a clear response. Then he elaborated further on the content of his earlier prayer, beginning with the woman's rumored elven lineage and continuing through the promise of becoming a half-god, the potential resurgence of the Western Continent, and the key to fulfilling the pact. After delivering the entire account verbatim, Aljer closed his mouth, lowered his head, and dared not directly ask the Fool for his opinion, instead patiently waiting for the great presence to speak on his own. Some elven lineages... have transported something from the Book of the Plague to the Western Continent... The Western Continent that vanished might yet reappear... The Western Continent... Klein, the Fool, listened quietly and then closed his eyes, speaking calmly: "This is dangerous—but it is also your opportunity." He now has a firm grasp of the Source Citadel, capable of summoning forces at the level of Sequence 2 angels, and Highshinam, the Queen of the Plague, does not surpass this rank. Klein is therefore confident in countering the various surprises brought by this elven queen. It is precisely for this reason that he can call this an opportunity for the Hangman. Of course, this opportunity hinges on the Hangman not being rash or overly ambitious, but remembering to seek protection at every turn. That is why Klein specifically emphasized that "this is dangerous," urging the Hangman to pray to the Fool before taking any decisive action. — Such a brief phrase carried two layers of meaning, yet Klein believed the "Emblem of the Pendulum" surely would understand. Aljere was delighted and began to emulate the "Sun," responding earnestly: "Only by faith in the ' Fool'!" This response made Klein feel uneasy, and recalling the relentless torment of being overwhelmed by endless lightning, he merely smiled and said nothing. After a moment's thought, the "Emblem of the Pendulum" Aljere took the initiative to ask: "Respected Sir Fool, what is the incantation or passphrase required to enter the Western Continent?" I too would like to know... Klein sighed internally: "Not yet is the time for you to know." "Yes, Sir Fool." Aljere bowed respectfully and did not press further. Upon returning to the real world, he immediately stepped out of the tent, gathered the sailors, and, under the morning light, took some time to reach the elven sanctuary. The scene here matched exactly what he had seen in his dreams: yellowing vines covered the decaying wooden structures, with inscriptions peeking out in certain spots. The air felt thick and still, as though it had not been disturbed for a long time. After taking a careful survey of the surroundings, Aljer suddenly found himself asking a question. Specifically, once he truly became a being half-divine, half-human through the power of the "Queen of Catastrophes," how would he face the Church? Could he simply rebel and rise as the fifth, or even sixth, ruler of the Five Seas? But then, he would lose the opportunity to engage with the "Book of Catastrophes"—unless he orchestrated events that compelled the Church to use this seal, which, despite its potential status as a "0" level artifact, might not even be officially recognized. That would be extremely difficult, and he would need to embody both the "King of the Seas" and the "Queen of Catastrophes" to succeed… Ah, he could ask the "World" for assistance. If he wished to remain within the Church, he would need to offer them a reason so compelling and irrefutable that they could not possibly refuse To the sailors who followed him, this was a sign of lack of confidence in the ruins. As his thoughts stirred, Aljer gradually formed some ideas: "Many church records speak of powerful individuals who became half-gods through extraordinary encounters. Of these, two-thirds were eroded by demonic forces from the evil gods, ultimately losing their lives during purification. Yet one-third passed the trials and rose to become high stewards or cardinals. "Now that the war has fully erupted and Roon's situation is tense, as long as no issues are uncovered, the church should not mind having an additional Sequence 4 half-god serve as a sacrificial figure—then, step by step, rebuild trust. "This all hinges on the fact that the 'Queen of Calamities' has not attempted to contaminate me, nor has she left any mark upon me. "Given the church's numerous seals and protective measures, it will be necessary to seek the protection of the 'Knight of Foolishness' in advance. As the 'Justice' lady mentioned, the 'Bearer of the Angels' is particularly effective at shielding against trials involving the mind and dreams." With the members of the Tarot Circle already advancing to half-god status or on the verge of doing so, Aljer truly did not wish to settle for being the last one—just as With determination, Alger immediately led his sailors into the ruins, following step by step the route he had seen in his dream. This time, he did not divide his men into small teams—partly out of concern for unforeseen emergencies, and partly because he wished for them all to serve as his personal witnesses. After a minute passed, Alger and his crew reached the massive tree, its soil showing clear signs of disturbance. Before he could even take in his surroundings, a sudden transformation revealed a magnificent palace composed entirely of coral. Above the palace, deep blue waves gently rippled, while towering columns rose dramatically to support an expansive, soaring dome—both grand and imposing, yet shadowed and somber. Alger glanced to his left and right, only to find his sailors completely gone, instantly realizing he had been drawn into some kind of vision. He took a silent breath and stepped steadily into the coral palace. Here stood one after another of the elves, some roasting fish, others adding spices to thickened animal blood, or simply holding food between two branches and bringing it to their mouths, none of them noticing the stranger's arrival. Aljer then turned his gaze toward the nine-tiered staircase some hundred meters away. Upon the steps sat a coral throne inlaid with sapphires, emeralds, and lustrous pearls, where the elven queen, the Queen of the Plague, sat, gazing down upon Aljer. "Well," Highsinam nodded gently, then tossed her finely crafted golden wine cup into the air. A soft yet resilient wind caught the cup, lifting it as if each gust were a tiny elf, forming a procession and swiftly approaching Aljer. Aljer reached out to take it, and upon looking down, he noticed that within the golden cup lay a pool of blue liquid—false, dreamlike, yet somehow unreal. "Drink it, then go to the waters near West Mym Island in the Roshde Islands and find this coral palace, where you will discover what you seek." "Will I not see the palace unless I drink this 'wine'?" Aljer asked thoughtfully. Though facing an angel, he remained relatively composed, for he met a great being every week and had grown accustomed to such encounters. "The Queen of Calamities," Ghisnam nodded. "Yes." "Will this leave an imprint on me?" Aljer asked cautiously. "Yes," Ghisnam replied with a slightly cold tone. "Therefore, until you have obtained the thing you seek, you cannot return to Pasu Island or see the angels under Leoardo's command." The Pope's crown was no easy matter to secure... Aljer breathed a sigh of relief and asked instead: "Once I have obtained the thing, will the effect of this 'wine' vanish?" "The Queen of the Elves replied without any change in expression: 'No, you must directly ingest that trait. At that moment, this cup of 'wine' will transform into a seal, temporarily protecting your body from its encroachment. Afterward, how you prepare the ritual and how you explain it to the Church of the Storm are entirely your own responsibilities.'" First, let the trait belong to me, then conduct the ritual? This might offer a better way to gain the Church's acceptance... Aljer pondered, then raised the cup to his lips. The cool liquid slid down his throat and vanished instantly, and with that, the entire coral palace shattered. Morning light and the towering trees, still tinged with a hint of green, reappeared before Aljer's eyes. No contract established, no oath required? Ah, drinking that cup of 'wine' effectively constitutes the agreement... Aljer turned his gaze, now fully unaware of the sailors around him, and said: "Everything is fine here. Let's explore further." …above the gray mist, within the ancient palace. Cain likewise drew his gaze from the deep red star representing "The Hangman," nodded thoughtfully: "That is the tomb of Chastas and Moberet—the golden wine cup has such a use after all. Indeed, it is Queen Highniam of the Elves. What state is she in now? Half embodied within the *Book of the Plague*, and the other half somehow hidden, influencing reality through the golden wine cup or her own inherent properties? 'The Hangman' has not yet been tainted—when he reaches the Isle of Rosedale, he will need to examine further." Since his essence could only sustain itself within the historical rift for a limited time, Cain did not linger, but returned to a dark, desolate wilderness, continuing to walk steadily with his yellow-glowing horse lantern, step by step, toward a certain destination. As he walked, he glanced back toward the east, where the symbol of Chernobyl stood, and his pace naturally slowed. "Once I've gathered sufficient intelligence about the hidden location of the Umbral Wolf, I'll head east, continuing until I reach the border and confirm the situation—then I'll consider the extraordinary nature of the Miracle-Weaver... Amun surely wouldn't expect me to suddenly withdraw... He must be well-acquainted with the Umbral Wolf's past, so it's unlikely he'd conduct the same investigation as I have... Well, yet he will certainly be tracking me." Kline exhaled slowly, then quickened his pace. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the still, dark-red grassy plain, and the light rain began to fall in steady drops. Kline pulled a black umbrella from the historical fissure, holding it with one hand and his lantern with the other, walking alone. ........ After nearly a week, the "Future" anchored at some point along the long coastline of Roon. "Star Above," Cadrya, holding a stack of tarot cards, said to Chief Mate Nina and the others, "I'll be staying in Roon for the foreseeable future. Keep an eye on Frank and make sure he doesn't carry out any strange experiments."