Above the gray mist, within the ancient palace, Klein's figure emerged. At the high-backed chair belonging to "The Fool," a figure enveloped in gray-white mist sat. As Klein returned to "The Source Castle," this figure instantly dissolved, transforming into translucent, writhing "spirits" that flew to Klein and penetrated into him. Fortunately, the "0–02" restriction only prevented disclosure and return—my connection with these "spirits" stationed at "The Source Castle" had not been severed, otherwise they would have become uncontrollable monsters by now... Klein quietly mused as he settled into the "Fool's" seat, taking up the "Fool" card that had been offered as a sacrifice earlier. Since the "Sacred Card" had already been activated, Klein needed no additional incantation—merely channeling his spirit was enough to witness the corresponding transformations unfold. The " Fool " card swiftly transformed into a compact, ethereal book, flipping backward with the guidance of Caine's intent, until it reached its final two pages: "Sequence 1: The Mystic Servant. This is an angel devoted to the mysteries, who has initially acquired authority within its domain. It can awaken the 'soul threads' inherent in objects, and combine numerous tangible items or abstract concepts together... The potion recipe is as follows: Primary ingredient: One instance of the extraordinary trait of the Mystic Servant; Auxiliary ingredients: Nine rare items from the Spirit Realm; Ascension ritual: Establish a town composed entirely of secret figures (mimics), and design each mimic's unique life path. Through their interactions, let them unfold a vivid, authentic tapestry of daily life, thereby giving rise to a corresponding region within the Spirit Realm. The greater the town's scale, the more mimics there are, the more refined the daily routines, and the more dynamic and enduring the life paths, the more profound and effective the ritual becomes." "Sequence 0: The Fool." "This is a true deity—indeed, in a sense, it is the embodiment of authority itself... It excels at deceiving all things in myriad ways, manifesting countless marvels beyond comprehension. The potion formula is as follows: Primary ingredients: The 'uniqueness' of the 'Fool,' and two additional extraordinary traits from the 'Mysterious Servants' beyond its own essence; Auxiliary ingredients: Mastery over at least a quarter of the historical fog; Ritual of advancement: To deceive time, history, or fate once. "Mastering at least a quarter of the historical fog still feels manageable to me. On one hand, I've accumulated a substantial amount of knowledge about ancient secrets, and there are many historical fragments now illuminated. On the other hand, I can directly influence the historical fog through 'The Source Keep.'... As for the issue of becoming 'The Fool,' I'll set that aside for now. My current focus is on the 'Mysterious Servant.' Ruth is progressing step by step—well, of course, some fortunate individuals can simply soar. The nine unique spiritual products are quite easy to locate, whether by asking the courier lady or consulting the Seven Lights. This isn't a challenge at all. The promotion ceremony aligns closely with the circumstances surrounding Chalatou and the Antigonus family ancestors, and it resonates with the Seven Lights' description of 'close ties to the spiritual realm.' This suggests it's genuinely authentic." With this thought, Caine removed the yellow crystal pendant wrapped around his left wrist and used divination to verify the authenticity of the 'Mysterious Servant' potion formula. It's not that he doesn't believe in the Emperor Roscel, but that the native, before the "Card of Desecration" was even created, had already been influenced by the Man of the Door, journeyed to the Moon, and suffered contamination and erosion from the "Mother Goddess of Fall," with his corresponding memories distorted. Precisely because of this, it is entirely plausible that, during the final phase, the Emperor Roscel would have hidden certain traps at crucial points within the "Card of Desecration." This has always been Clain's consistent approach—cautious and meticulous. "As for the very essence of the 'Primordial Moon,' the most powerful of the ancient 'Mother Goddesses of Fall,' does it not seem possible that the Emperor himself has, unconsciously, been tainted over time? On the Moon, there may be many brothers and sisters—perhaps without clear gender distinctions—that Bernadette has never seen. "The Rite of the Mystic Servant" requires spirit-figures, which can be drawn from the abandoned lands of the gods, where the monsters are numerous—an added advantage. Moreover, I have already gathered quite a collection of such figures over time. As Klein's thoughts drifted, he turned his gaze toward the other side of the ancient palace, and the gray-white mist hovering beside the cluttered area instantly cleared. With the mist retreating, a row of warm-brown seats came into view, each occupied by a figure. Among them were giants clad in silver armor, humans dressed in linen with distorted features, and massive blocks of flesh dotted with eyes. They sat quietly in their assigned places, their eyes dull and expressionless, fixed steadily on the weathered long table, one row after another, one section after another. These were the secret figures Klein had gathered throughout the God-Abandoned Lands. Whenever he needed to relocate and couldn't carry too many with him, he would offer a batch to the gray mist above. Of course, this had nothing to do with environmental awareness—it was simply a gut feeling, shaped by the experiences of the mist town and the scenes presented by Chalatu, that a significant ritual would likely require many such figures in the future. Thus, Klein had always been careful and economical in this regard. As for why these secret figures aren't hung up but instead seated within the materialized theater, acting as spectators, it's because Caine found the ancestors of the Antigonus family and Zaratustra's actions a bit eccentric. He had once tried to emulate them, aiming to perform the role, but now that's no longer necessary. "How then could a city composed of such secret figures generate corresponding spiritual information? The spiritual realm is a composite of information from the past, present, and future, yet it doesn't inherently contain such artificial entities... Through the perception of others?" Every action and utterance of each being is reflected in the Ethereal Realm in an abstract form, becoming the source of divination. When certain actions, certain words, or certain strong intentions clearly coalesce to form a secret city, the city's ethereal projection emerges—and becomes "truly real." "The 'interactions' involved here touch upon profound mysteries of the Ethereal Realm," thought Kline, as he gently closed and held the "The Fool" card in his hands, playing with it. Now that he had reached the level of an Angel, he possessed a certain understanding of the creation of the "Card of Desecration": At that time, Rosel could not only draw strength from knowledge, but also bestow tangible power upon abstract knowledge itself! As for the Emperor—what material served as his foundation, and how exactly did he achieve a divine-level reversal of divination and prophecy—Kline had not yet figured this out. After further contemplation, he tentatively absorbed the "The Fool" card into his own being. His state immediately changed—he now wore a vibrant, multicolored garment across his body, and a magnificent headdress adorned his head. Though his aura was profoundly deep and terrifying, it carried an inherent sense of humor, irony, and absurdity, creating a strange and contradictory atmosphere. The space associated with "The Source Citadel" gently trembled, as if bowing to the incomprehensible deity standing before it. "His station has slightly elevated, with no other substantial changes. After all, I am already the master of 'The Source Citadel.' It's just like adding a new piece of attire that enhances one's presence..." Klein shook his head, offering a self-deprecating chuckle. At the same time, transparent, writhing "spirits" began to crawl up his body, then reorganized beside him to form an identical figure. After differentiating himself into a version capable of responding to prayers, Crane returned to the real world, strolling through the city of Beldan, treating people's wounds through the medium of wishes, and learning about one aspect of the war from their stories. "Dogshit!" Daniz exclaimed upon hearing the crew's report, "They actually ate the whale oil? Why didn't you stop them?" While passing through the Galgas Islands, Daniz and his crew had purchased a batch of unrefined whale oil, intending to bring it back to Bayam and sell it at a premium. Unbeknownst to them, a portion had been "stolen" by the "half-giants" of the Silver City. One of the crew members glanced at the envoy and whispered, "They simply don't understand what we're saying, nor do we understand what they're saying. Only the shortest one among them can communicate, though we can't always find him. He's always meditating in sunny spots, and he changes his location each time." Danzel chuckled involuntarily, "That's the fate of illiterates. If you'd mastered as many languages as I have—Ancient Fussak, Giant, Elven, and others—such mishaps wouldn't have occurred. Of course, linguistic aptitude is tied to intelligence, so you needn't feel pressured about it." The crew member glanced carefully at Danzel again. "My lord, the passengers consumed the portion of whale oil you purchased." "...Good heavens!" Danzel reacted, already rushing toward the cabin. After a flurry of activity, Danzel received a Sequence 8 extraordinary trait as compensation—whether he had gained or lost, he couldn't tell, as the foul, viscous bodily fluids of the monster still clinging to the trait made him feel queasy. When the ship settled again, the city of "Generosity," Bayam, came into view just ahead of the Silver City's Explorers' team. Dyrick led Ljaval and Cantis to the deck, where they gazed toward the destination of this journey. Although they had passed through numerous ports without being allowed to disembark, merely watching from afar, they were finally about to set foot on land for the first time. Even so, the vast crowds, the numerous buildings, and the vibrant, resilient spirit that could not be concealed amid their evident struggles—these continued to deepen their yearning for life in the bright world beyond. Of course, accustomed as they were to darkness and lightning, it took them a considerable time to adjust to the outside sun; without their exceptional nature, permanent eye damage might have occurred. Watching the bustling people arriving and departing at the wharf, the flying boats gliding through the sky, and the countless ships surrounding them, listening to the noisy sounds that they could barely comprehend despite their growing familiarity, Darien suddenly felt an unavoidable sense of apprehension, knowing this would be the settlement following the Silver City. In a single glance, he suddenly spotted a man standing at the lighthouse by the seashore. The man wore a long robe embroidered with storm symbols, his hair deep blue nearly black, like tangled sea grass, and his face rugged and deeply marked. As their eyes met, Dric instantly grew calm, no longer uneasy.