Hearing Gauthier's words, the "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette remained silent for several seconds before saying: "This is your choice, your freedom." Gauthier met the queen's gaze with unwavering determination, and after a while, gently pressed her lips together to say: "I know you've already erased all traces, leaving me no opportunity to follow your path... For you, this marks the end of everything past—regardless of whether or not you return." Bernadette, with her chestnut hair casually flowing, said nothing, maintaining silence as if confirming the "Star Above"’s assumption. Seeing this, Gauthier smiled faintly and said: "I won't keep saying that if you don't return within six months or a year, I'll do everything to find you. All I ask is that, in your most critical moments, you remember to invoke the name of 'The Fool.'" She spoke the title with quiet assurance. The "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette slowly nodded: "I will." Cadryla smiled immediately, her eyes misty as she said, "What items or matters are entrusted to me?" Bernadea flipped her hand, producing an object from somewhere unseen. The object was golden in overall appearance, resembling a miniature kettle, adorned with intricate and mysterious symbols, and a wick extended from its spout. "It is called the 'Lamp of Wishes,' numbered '0–05.' It may have originated as early as the First Age—indeed, even the True Gods cannot shatter it. Normally, it poses no harm nor any visible function, yet it continuously induces you, through dreams and visions, to rub its surface, thereby summoning the Lamp God. "The enigmatic Queen Bernadette simply outlined the origin and function of the item in her hands. 'The Lamp God claims to be eternal and can fulfill any ten of your wishes, though often in profoundly distorted ways—or with extremely dreadful consequences,' she explained. 'My father once said that the holder can use language and preparation to mitigate the risks of the first two wishes, but absolutely cannot fulfill the third.' As she said this, Bernadette stressed emphatically: 'Absolutely not!' 'That sounds quite manageable,' said Gauthier Ysse. 'Once you've granted me two wishes, I'll then grant two more to Frank, and then pass them on to Hes and the others—this could accomplish so much.' She merely used Frank as an example; she had no intention of having him encounter such a perilous object. Bernadette held up the "Lamp of Wishes," giving a barely perceptible nod. "The holder and the owner are different. As long as I am alive, even if you obtain the Lamp of Wishes, you will only be its owner. Your very first wish will simultaneously count as my third wish and your first wish. Moreover, although we can use language and preparation to mitigate the injuries that come with making a wish, this does not mean the Lamp's deity lacks wisdom. On the contrary, He is exceptionally intelligent, cunning, and highly autonomous." Gauthierya murmured, "So, does He have any wishes that He cannot fulfill?" "So far, none. However, if the wish involves the level of a true god, the distortion of the wish will surpass your imagination. Simply put, if you wish to become a true god of Sequence 0, your body and soul will merge with an unknown evil deity. Remember, the Lamp's deity requires the wish to be concise; otherwise, He will reject it and consider your wish fulfilled." "The Enigmatic Queen" Bernadette explained. As she spoke, she sent her intangible servant to carry the dreadful seal, "0–05," flying toward "Star General" Gardeleia. Only after Gardeleia reached out and took the "Lamp of the Wish-Granting God" did Bernadette continue: "If you dream of the Lamp God, and feel enchanted by Him, making wishes for Him, then it means I can no longer return. From now on, you will be its keeper. I hope your first wish is to reclaim all the belongings that Bernadette-Gustave carried when she set out at sea—including her own extraordinary qualities. Oh, and when you make the wish, please specify the exact date." Gardeleia glanced down at the golden lamp and asked immediately: "Can you wish for my resurrection?" After a moment's silence, "The Enigmatic Queen" Bernadette replied: "The resurrected me might merely be a monster. If you truly wish to do so, then I suggest you consult the opinion of the 'Knight of the Fool.' " "Galadrya nodded slightly." "That's all I have brought you and all I wish to convey. The rest I will leave to the Elements of Dawn. They will have a new leader, and will not falter because of the disappearance of one person." Bernadette didn't elaborate further—this was precisely the reason she had summoned Galadrya to the Emerald City. ——The status and rank of the "Lamp of Wishes" were exceptionally high, making it impossible to transmit through a messenger. Before Galadrya could respond, the expression of this "Mysterious Queen" softened slightly. "You've always wanted to share with me all the things you've experienced over the years, haven't you?" Galadrya, the "Star Above," paused, then nodded. "Yes." She then walked to the queen's side, took a chair, and sat down, facing the vast blue sea beyond the Emerald Balcony. Bernadette sat beside her, listening as she recounted her experiences since leaving the "Dawn," just as she had in the past. These things, Gabriella mentioned in her letters, but due to space constraints, she didn't elaborate in detail; some of them were shared with others for the very first time. At some point, Gabriella fell asleep and dreamed back to many years earlier. Then, as a young girl, she had stepped down from the "Dawn" with firm resolve, unwilling to look back. Suddenly, she awoke to find herself alone, realizing it had grown dark—indeed, dawn had already broken. She reached out and cast a thread that felt somewhat unreal, a phantom strand. This thread rolled into the void, leaving behind a vibrant yarn. Following this yarn, Gabriella moved through the spirit realm as if she had mastered the art of teleportation, eventually arriving at the outer edge of Lachis Island. Standing at the edge of the cliff, she gazed toward the horizon, where the deep blue sea, still tinged with a hint of black, bore a magnificent, grand sailboat, its sails glowing with the warm hues of morning light, sailing steadily toward the sky. Cadrya slowly sat down, leaning slightly forward, her hands folded around her knees, gazing steadily in that direction. The sun began to rise, casting a gentle glow upon her. ………… Beckland, a food distribution point. Staelin Summer, wearing her veil, no longer frequently lowered her head as she had done over the past few months, afraid of being recognized—now she anxiously scanned ahead, worried that before it was her turn, the free food would have already been distributed. Distantly, she seemed to hear the echo of gunfire—whether from the Fasak, Intis, and Feneport forces who had broken through the lines, or from the police handling food thieves, she could not tell. Let it end… Let this war end soon… Today, having visited three relief centers, Staelin prayed silently. At that moment, a staff member a few meters away raised her voice: "The food here has been distributed!" Stalin's face immediately grew pale. She looked up at the gradually dimming sky, and with a sense of both disappointment and numbness, slowly made her way back to the house at 17 Minsk Street. As soon as she opened the door, her two children rushed toward her, their innocent faces lifted in eager questions: "Mom, did you get bread?" "Mom, I'm hungry..." They were twin children—one boy, one girl—both charming and endearing. Moved deeply, Stalin forced a smile and said, "Yes, I did." She then entered the house and retrieved the meager supply of bread hidden away, dividing it equally between the two. Watching the children eat the bread without any regard for etiquette, Stalin's expression shifted constantly—sometimes sorrowful, sometimes painful. Not long after, her husband, Lukas Summer, returned home, but he too held nothing to offer. Since the military took over Coyim Company under wartime legislation, this former manager has been unemployed, relying solely on his savings and government aid to support his family. "I haven't received it yet..." the tall, beard-rough man, embarrassed, lowered his head when he saw his wife's hopeful gaze. "Me neither," breathed Stalina, in her early thirties, still possessing a pleasing appearance. "I'll go out again—there must still be places distributing food!" Without waiting for her husband's response, she rushed out the door. Luke immediately turned around and addressed her back: "I'll go look too!" Stalina didn't stop, walking two blocks until she reached a house with a garden. Not long after, she met the owner, a wealthy man in his fifties. "I'd like to buy some food," Stalina said, producing a stack of crumpled bills. The elderly man with white hair smiled and said, "Why should I sell you something? I remember you turned me down last time." Staelin's face grew extremely pale; she said nothing, lowered her head, and with the other hand untied the belt of her skirt. With a soft snap, the delicate calf leather belt—though once elegant and now somewhat stained—fell to the ground. Luke instinctively stepped back a few paces, then quickly moved closer, checking the pedestrian's breath. His gaze naturally fell upon the paper bag tightly held in the person's arms, and he smelled the aroma of toasted bread at the tip of his nose. Luke swallowed a lump of saliva and reached out to take the bag. As his hand moved, he hesitated, glancing back at the house the pedestrian was approaching, noticing a child-like drawing taped to the bulging window. His movements grew stiff, and after several seconds, he stood up, walked to the house's door, and rang the bell. The housewife and child soon opened the door, seeing the frail father and the bag of bread. The curfew arrived swiftly, and Luke returned to Minsk Street feeling both discouraged and self-conscious. As soon as he opened his own front door, he saw his wife smiling at him and saying, "I've got food!" That was wonderful—Luke breathed a sigh of relief and embraced Stalina tightly. ……… Audrey walked through the streets and alleys, unseen by anyone. She said nothing, simply making her way back to Queens, back to the grand villa, where the fragrant aromas of seared foie gras and other delicacies greeted her. She silently observed the servants moving in and out, then ascended to her room. At midnight, she donned her cloak and entered her parents' bedroom, approaching their beds. She gazed at them for a long time, then knelt on one knee, resting her forehead against her father's hand. One by one, droplets of water fell, spreading across the carpet. Then, the noble young woman with golden hair and blue eyes slowly lifted her head, facing her sleeping parents, and choked out, "Father, Mother, thank you. Thank you for teaching me what compassion is, what kindness is, what virtue is." As soon as she finished speaking, she closed her eyes and suddenly rose, turning toward the door, her face now utterly expressionless. P.S. Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Lunar New Year's Eve!