On the storm-tossed sea, an ancient three-masted sailing ship was bobbing up and down with the waves. It was neither fast nor large enough, like a withered leaf that had fallen from a tree in this scene of disaster where the sky and sea merged into one. However, no matter how wild the hurricane raged or how terrifying the waves were, it sailed safely without tilting. Alger Wilson stood on the empty deck, gazing at the mountainous waves around him, lost in thought. "It's Monday again..." he murmured to himself. It was the day of the Earth Mother, the beginning of a new cycle of prosperity and decline. But for Alger, it held another meaning, belonging to a mysterious presence always shrouded in gray mist. At least I haven't gone crazy yet... He turned his gaze away and gave a self-mocking smile. At that moment, one of his few crew members approached and asked respectfully, "Your Grace, what is the purpose of this voyage?" Alger looked around and replied in a flat tone, "To hunt down a 'Listener' of the Aurora Society." ... The storm had passed, and fog filled the air. On a strange sailboat with cannons but still out of step with the times, an eight or nine-year-old boy with soft, neatly combed blond hair watched the undisciplined pirates around him with trepidation. He saw them drinking from large barrels of beer, swinging from ropes, and taunting each other, even throwing punches. He turned his head to look at the black-robed man standing in the shadows and whispered, "Father, where are we going?" If it weren't for the oil painting left by his mother that proved the man's identity and the orphanage that was ready to take him in, he would never have left his hometown to follow this almost-stranger who was his closest relative. The man in the shadows lowered his head and looked at his son, his expression kind as he replied, "Jack, I'm taking you to a sacred place, the 'Sanctuary' where the Creator once dwelled." "Is that the realm of the gods? Only those who are blessed can enter it..." Little Jack had been well-taught by his mother and had enough common sense to be both surprised and frightened. The man standing in the shadows had a face with such deep lines that it was unforgettable, like a masterpiece of stone carving. He placed his hand to his ear, assuming a listening posture, and replied in a dreamy tone, "Jack, the concept of 'mortal' is a mistake. The Creator created this world, and He is everywhere. He exists within every living being, so everything has divinity. When divinity reaches a certain level, it can become an angel. The current seven false gods are just more powerful angels." "Look, I can hear the Creator's teachings now. Ah, what an extraordinary revelation! Life is merely a spiritual journey. When the spirit is strong and resilient enough, we can find our own divinity and merge with more divinity..." Little Jack didn't understand this complex description and shook his head, asking another question he hadn't had time to ask before: "Father, my mother told me that after the Creator created this world, He became everything and didn't exist in a physical form. Then why is there still His 'Sanctuary'?" As a child of seven or eight, his logic was clear enough. The man with the chiseled face froze for a moment, tilting his head further as if he heard more whispers. Suddenly, he fell to his knees on the deck, and veins of a bluish-black color emerged on his exposed skin. He covered his head with both hands, his face contorting in extreme pain as he shouted, "They're lying!" ... After lunch, with Old Neil promising to bring him along next time they visited the underground trading market, Klein strolled back to Blackthorn Security Company, pondering whether to read documents and practice his abilities in the clerical staff office or, while Captain Dunn had not yet forbidden it, continue to wander around and play the role of a "Seer" at the Divination Club. However, before he could make a decision, Dunn Smith entered from the outer office, dressed in a black windbreaker and wearing a half-brimmed hat. "Captain, how's the situation?" Klein asked, concerned about the whereabouts of the Antigonus family's notebook. Dunn's gray eyes showed no sign of fatigue as he replied, "Multiple sources have confirmed that the Antigonus family's notebook is in the hands of Riel Bieber, but he has completely disappeared." "I've sent a telegram to all the Night Watch teams, asking them to keep a close eye on all ports and steam train stations. The first batch of printed portraits was mailed out yesterday afternoon and will be published in major newspapers." If only there were telephones, fax machines, surveillance cameras, and big data at this time... Alas, I only know how to use them, and I only have a rudimentary understanding of their principles... Klein let out a silent sigh. "However, no matter what, we have found the whereabouts of that notebook, and this is your achievement. Of course, it still needs further confirmation. I've sent a telegram to the Bickland Diocese, requesting them to send someone to escort Sealed Item 2-049 over. It was once an item belonging to the Antigonus family and can help us determine if Riel Bieber is a descendant of the Antigonus family." A "2" level Sealed Item... Dangerous... Use it with caution and restraint... Klein was about to ask curiously what this Sealed Item was, what special abilities it had, and where the danger lay, but he immediately remembered that he didn't have the necessary clearance level and had to give up helplessly. "May the Goddess bless us." Klein tapped his chest four times, drawing a full moon. As Dunn opened the door to his office, he nodded slightly and said, "The Goddess has always been blessing us, Klein. If you hadn't chosen 'Seer' before, you should be able to become a full member and choose 'Sleepless' once this matter is confirmed. It's a pity... Frankly speaking, I've never understood why you chose 'Seer'. 'Grave Digger' may be repulsive, but you've met Dali, so you should know how powerful 'Medium' is. 'Secret Keeper' is also a good choice. At least with Old Neil as an example, the risk of losing control is very low." Klein had prepared an answer for this question from the very beginning, but Dunn never asked until now. He organized his words and said, "I was thinking that 'Seer' and 'Secret Keeper' are auxiliary extraordinary individuals and don't always have to face enemies, which is too dangerous. And you and Old Neil have also said that in the realm of the mysterious and the extraordinary, curiosity and exploration often bring terrifying consequences. The description of 'Secret Keeper' made me worried, so... Well, you know, I was just an ordinary college student not long ago, and timidity was the only reason for my choice." "Must say, this is an answer that surprised me but also makes a lot of sense." Dunn rubbed his temples and chuckled. He turned halfway and looked up and down at Klein with deep gray eyes: "During this period, you can continue to wander around, not limited to the route from the Welch house to Iron Cross Street. Maybe, maybe you can sense that notebook and help us determine Riel Bieber's whereabouts." "Okay." Klein found that he didn't have to worry anymore. He said goodbye and turned around, beginning to count silently: "Three, two..." "Wait a moment." Dunn called out. Klein turned back and smiled slightly: "Captain, is there anything else?" Dunn cleared his throat and said, "Well, even auxiliary非凡者 will have to face enemies sometimes. Although 'Seer' sounds like it can avoid these, we can't be careless. You must keep practicing with firearms and plan to enhance your strength." "This is exactly what I'm trying to do," Klein pointed outside and said, "I'm going out." "Okay, uh, wait a moment," Dunn called him again, thinking as he spoke, "Maybe I should consider getting you a fighting instructor. Of course, this is on the condition that you become a full member." Klein hummed and asked cautiously, "Captain, is there anything else?" "Nope," seeing Klein's skeptical look, Dunn shook his head and smiled, emphasizing, "Really, nothing else." Klein then left the partition and said goodbye to Rosan, Mrs. Oliana, and others. He first went to the shooting club for practice and then strolled around for a full hour, carefully completing the tasks assigned by the captain. After all this, he went to the divination club and saw the beautiful Ms. Angelica leisurely reading a magazine. "Family..." Klein silently repeated the name and walked over with his cane, smiling and greeting, "Good afternoon, Ms. Angelica." "Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti," Angelica calmly put down the magazine and stood up, "Not long after you left yesterday, Mr. Gracis came. He has just recovered from a serious illness." Klein let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's really good news." Hearing this, Angelica, who had been quietly observing him, couldn't help but lower her voice and asked curiously, "Mr. Gracis said that you are a very, very, very magical doctor, is that right?" What? Klein stared at the lady in front of him in astonishment, wondering if he had heard wrong. How could she tell that I'm a doctor? I don't even know myself...
