The End... Although "Justice" Audrey had long heard the prophecy of the End from the half-god of the Knowledge Church, she had always lacked a personal sense of it, often viewing it as mere propaganda designed to deceive the people. Even after experiencing a personal, relatively insignificant war, she still didn't believe the world was merely a decade or so away from the End. Yet here it is—no signs at all! Now, it is the followers of "The Fool" who are delivering the prophecy, and it is "The World," a figure she has always trusted—someone bold enough to challenge even the Angels—who speaks with such unwavering certainty, as if he has already witnessed the events unfolding in a dozen years' time. This immediately instills in Audrey a deep sense of belief, leaving her suddenly weighty with tension and anxiety. Her sense of uncertainty has also begun to fade—there still remain years before the End. Even someone drowning would struggle to stay afloat; let alone a fully healthy Sequence 4 half-god. Apocalypse... As a cardinal of the Church of the Storm, "The Hangman" Aljere had recently examined numerous apocalyptic prophecies. Yet nothing could compare with the serious emphasis placed by "The World" Germain Sparo, whose impact was fundamentally different and far more profound. At the same time, Aljere noticed a specific detail: "The World" Sparo stated that all deities would be destroyed. Aljere's initial reaction was that Germain Sparo was showing disrespect toward "The Fool," since "The Fool" himself was a deity. However, he quickly dismissed this notion. After all, Germain Sparo was "The Fool"'s devoted follower and the most faithful of his devotees; it was possible that other members of the Tarot Circle might inadvertently slight "The Fool" in their words, but Germain Sparo absolutely could not. Based on the two premises—“Germain Spalero would not show disrespect to the Knight of the Fool” and “he said even the gods would be destroyed”—the Knight of the Hangings, Alje, swiftly arrived at another conclusion: in Germain Spalero’s world, the Fool’s personhood surpassed that of the true gods! This Alje never doubted Germain Spalero’s insight, after all, he was a powerful figure who frequently interacted with angels. Such a realization left him both astonished and puzzled, and he could not find a more reasonable explanation. The Knight of the Hangings, Alje, who had ascended to half-divinity through the blood of the Serpent of Fate, occasionally also dreams of apocalyptic scenes—like the seer, Géraldine, of the Sequence 3, the Hermit. Moreover, the Queen of Mysteries, Bernadette, regularly reminds her. Thus, while Géraldine did not feel astonishment or shock at Germain Spalero’s words, she simply sensed the dust that had long settled upon the ground, finally falling to rest. As for the future, this "mystic" was equally uncertain—beyond simply improving herself, she had no clear direction in which to focus. The apocalypse... "Judgment" and "Magician" Folth stared across at the "Wise One" woman, sensing the turbulent waves rising within each other's hearts. Neither of them had ever imagined that their seemingly beautiful lives would endure beyond a few decades under ordinary circumstances. At that point, they would be in the prime of their lives, and even if they never achieved semi-divine status, they wouldn't have to worry much about the accelerating effects of physical aging. Since the one speaking was "World" Germaine Sparrow, both women had no doubt about the authenticity of the apocalyptic prophecy—yet they felt both overwhelmed and deeply apprehensive. Initially, "Sun" Deryck had been struck with a profound sense of disappointment, as the Silver City had just emerged from a divine abandonment, only to face another apocalyptic phase not long after. Soon, he adjusted his mindset and chose to believe in the "Knight of Folly." Since this great being had managed to rescue the Silver City from being abandoned by the gods, he could surely also prevent the coming of the end times. Though I am the savior of the vampire race at the time of the apocalypse, I never expected it to arrive so swiftly—after all, I am merely a Count. "Moon" Emlyn couldn't help but slightly furrow his brow, as if a student who had just begun a few days of classes were suddenly expected to take an exam. Of course, this also filled him with a sense of excitement, for he would soon fulfill his own destiny and demonstrate his greatness before his fellow kindred. "Stars" Leonard, having heard the prophecy of the end times from the old man Palis Soloyasde, though uncertain about the sudden turn of events, had already anticipated such developments. At this moment, he was the first to regain his composure and asked, "Why has the end time suddenly arrived?" There's not a single sign at all... "The World" responded, manipulating the dummy, "you simply haven't noticed the signs yet. 'Do you think the Divine War will erupt for no reason at all?" Seeing the Tarot members stunned and deep in thought, "The World" Germaine Sparrow added, "The precise cause remains beyond your current understanding—mere awareness of it would bring an insurmountable contamination. Only beings of angelic rank or higher can withstand it." This is very much like what the half-divine figure from the Knowledge Church mentioned—it's also reminiscent of the contamination affecting the stars... I seem to have forgotten something important... "The World" appears to have fully grasped the situation. Does he not fear contamination? Has he—has he already ascended to the status of an angel? Is he, is he *The One*? A cascade of thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind, the "Justice," keenly sensing that "The World" Germaine Sparrow may have already achieved promotion and has become a true mythic being. In ancient times, this could even be considered divine—part of the pantheon itself! Subsequently, members of the Tarot Circle, such as Aljer the "Hanged Man" and Gauthier the "Hermit," all discerned this truth, recognizing that "World" Germán Sparo had now reached the pinnacle of the real world, becoming an angel walking among mortals. Some speculated that this was linked to Germán Sparo's prior plans to confront a mythical being, while others believed it signaled further benefits for the Disciples brought about by the resurgence of the "Emperor." Nevertheless, the Tarot Circle had, for the first time, achieved a member of angelic stature—excluding the host and convenor. Of course, the elevation of "World" Germán Sparo to Rank 2 was not particularly surprising to them; they had long grown accustomed to it. Klein orchestrated the "World," having him survey the gathering and said: "Now, you may each reflect deeply on what you intend to do next, and how you plan to proceed." "Judgment" and "The Magician" Folth and other Tarot circle members nodded slightly, indicating they had understood. Then, over the next ten or so minutes of free conversation, the Tarot gathering gradually drew to a close. He is Hugh's younger brother, Lo Dillcher, who has just enrolled in a school preparing students for the bar exam. ——In Beckett, one must first pass the pre-law examination before becoming an associate lawyer, and associate lawyers must work under a senior lawyer for at least five years before being eligible to take the qualification exam and earn their solicitor's license. To advance further and become a senior lawyer, one must then attend the Beckett Law School for university education. Hugh watched his brother dash down the stairs, a gentle smile forming on his face. Then he looked up and said to Furse, "I'm going back to MI9 to make an effort." "I'd like to visit my teacher," Furse replied to the same question. Moments later, the figure of the 'traveler' swiftly faded into transparency and vanished. In just a few seconds, Furse appeared in the rebuilding district of Port Priz, at the front of a house that still stood in good condition. Then she pulled out paper and pen from her inner pocket, wrote a note to inform the teacher that she had finished taking the "Traveler's" potion. She tucked the note into the mailbox at the door. It was not Dorian Gray Abraham's residence, but the agreed-upon spot where Furse and the gentleman had arranged to deliver messages. By the next day, when Furse came here, he would find the meeting place and time specified by Dorian. Donning his hat and holding his cane, the bloodline count with crimson eyes ascended the steps into the Harvest Church, where he saw Father Utzlovsky, now appearing slightly taller, bending over to clean the prayer hall. Indeed, he had been released—quite a protective custody, he mused, shaking his head internally. At that moment, Father Utzlovsky raised his head and glanced at him, saying, "Wipe down the candelabras." "I'm simply pleasing the Mother Goddess," murmured Emlyn, then walked to the back room, donned his brown robe of the Great Earth Church, and began working. Neither Emlyn nor Father Utzlovsky spoke again, each attending to their own tasks, striving to restore cleanliness and peace to the Harvest Church. Soon afterward, a group of people suddenly arrived at the door. Emlin glanced instinctively and spotted Lord Casimir O'Drake, Viscount Eunese Bojal, who had once come to St. Harvest Church to "work," and a host of familiar faces. A gentle smile began to lift at the corner of Emlin's mouth. PS: Here's a recommendation for a dedicated web novel reviewer who's passionate about sharing his love for books—Chi Ji. If you're feeling book-struck, be sure to check out his WeChat public account: "Chi Ji's Book Hunger Relief Station."