Wearing a dark black mask with a wide grin, Seth arrived at the Black Lantern on Midnight Avenue and waited.

His outfit was completely different from how he normally looked.

Before coming, he had made his hair look shorter and styled it upward.

He also stuffed folded paper inside his shoes to give himself a little more height...

He looked slightly taller in the mirror— just enough for a stranger not to connect him to his real self.

He had learned these tricks from the detective and disguise books he used to read in his past life.

At that time, he only read them for fun, never expecting that one day they would be useful...

But here, in this new world, every small detail mattered.

He found that many of the methods written in those books were surprisingly practical.

Although he didn't have a watch, he didn't need one.

From the window of the inn across the street, the clock tower could be seen clearly, its hands slowly ticking toward 11:45.

The street was quiet as no one passed by.

The lamps along Midnight Avenue flickered with dim yellow light.

He wondered about the rules...

'Does everyone have their own time to knock? Do codenames decide the schedule? The bee knocks at 11:45… maybe someone with the codename called the raven comes at another time, and the wolf at another.'

It would make sense...

An organization like this wouldn't let all members crowd the door together.

Spreading the times reduced risk... That was Seth's first guess.

When the clock tower finally pointed to 11:45, Seth exhaled.

He deactivated [Null Presence], stepped forward, and followed the pattern Danica taught him.

Knock three times.

Wait for two breaths.

Knock two more times.

For a moment, nothing happened...

Then the suddenly door opened.

A man wearing a bull-like mask stood behind it.

He was tall. Six feet at least, maybe a little more.

His shoulders were wide and thick, almost too big for the door frame.

His presence was quite overbearing, like someone who had spent years lifting cargo or swinging axes.

The bull mask only made him look more intimidating, its curved horns catching the light.

The masked man stared.

"Where did you learn about us?"

His voice was deep and calm.

Seth answered without hesitation.

"I was recommended by the bee."

For a second, nothing moved.

Then the bull masked man gave a short nod and stepped aside.

"Come in."

Seth entered.

The door shut quietly behind him.

Inside, the air smelled of smoke, old wood, and something faintly metallic.

The Black Lantern was dimly lit by hanging lamps with greenish glass covers.

Shadows were everywhere, stretching along the walls and across the floor.

The ceiling beams were thick and dark, giving the place a hidden, underground feeling, even though it was above street level.

A long table with mismatched chairs stood at the center.

Some seats were empty, others had people in masks sitting silently, their faces turned toward Seth as he entered.

The masks were all different— foxes, crows, skulls, cats...

None of them spoke.

On the right side, shelves were packed with bottles, parchments, and strange boxes tied with string.

Behind the counter, a bartender with a dog-like mask was drying cups.

He looked at Seth for a second, then went back to his work.

Seth could hear music somewhere upstairs, faint and slow, like a piano played with only one hand.

The place somewhat felt like a fancy bar...

Seth followed the bull masked man.

He took the empty seat at the long table, acting natural.

More people entered one by one.

Each wore a different mask and quietly took a seat.

No one spoke as of yet.

The only sounds in the room were chairs sliding across the floor and the slow ticking of the clock on the wall.

When the hands finally reached twelve, a voice from the front broke the silence.

"No one else will be coming. Let us begin."

It was a woman's voice.

Seth could not see her face clearly from the shadows, but her presence felt quite calming and intimidating.

Danica had mentioned a powerful stray witch who oversaw the gathering.

From this first impression alone, Seth was almost certain this woman was the one she was talking about.

She lifted a single finger to her lips in a hush gesture.

"Secrets."

The moment she said the word, something invisible spread across the room.

Seth felt the change immediately.

The atmosphere became weird, as if a curtain had fallen around them, separating the room from the outside world.

Sounds from the street vanished and even the faint music from upstairs disappeared...

He could not help but compare that it felt similar to his own ability, [Word of Silence], though far stronger...

'Her sin holds power over the word "secrets," while mine holds power over "silence." Does every sin have a word tied to it?'

The idea made sense...

The relationship between sins and words might be deeper than he initially thought.

"You may now trade," the woman said.

Silence returned.

The members shifted slightly, glancing at each other.

No one wanted to be the first.

Seth somewhat understood why...

No one wanted to expose themselves too quickly.

Speaking first meant showing what you wanted, and showing what you wanted meant revealing a weakness.

It was quite a contradicting fear especially since this was a gathering aimed for exchanges and trading.

Eventually, a thin voice spoke up.

The man who spoke was seated directly in front of Seth.

His mask was shaped like a cracked mirror.

"I would like to trade some money in exchange for knowledge about how to restore someone's sanity..."

No one answered.

Seth stared at him for a moment.

'Knowledge to restore sanity? Brother, you should consider therapy instead...'

The thought made him want to laugh, but he kept his expression hidden behind his mask.

The man's shoulders slumped slightly, disappointed when no one replied.

Then, the woman at the front spoke.

"I do not have exact knowledge for restoring sanity, but I can offer advice that may help prevent further loss of it."

The man lifted his head, hopeful.

"That will do," he said.

"How much will it cost?"

The woman paused before answering.

"No need. It is basic knowledge you will eventually learn anyway."

Seth blinked behind his mask.

Free knowledge? That was good to hear...

His attention sharpened.

If she was willing to give information for free, it meant this advice was something every stray witch needed...

The woman continued, speaking clearly so everyone could hear.

"As stray witches and supernatural practitioners, we often face madness and evil. To protect our minds, we must remain careful."

She lifted three fingers.

"The advice is simple. Cover your eyes, your ears, and your mouth."

The man repeated it under his breath.

"Cover the eyes… ears… and mouth…"

"Yes," she said.

"This practice comes from the saying: 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.' It prevents madness from entering, and keeps the mind stable when surrounded by things that seek to break it."

Seth nodded slightly as he thought deeply about it.

Evil spreads through what people see, hear, and say.

Limiting those things might prevent corruption...

It was not complicated, but it was practical. He liked practical knowledge.

The thin-voiced man bowed his head gratefully.

"Thank you."

The exchange was finished.

After that, more people slowly began speaking.

One by one, members offered requests or information.

The flow of the trading became clear to Seth as he listened.

Those with something to offer spoke freely.

Those who lacked knowledge preferred to trade items.

Some even offered services.

The trades were not always equal, but every offer was quite unique.

Some were paid with coins, others with secrets.

A few with favors that would be collected later...

This system was not random, it was simple but efficient.

Each member contributed something, even if what they offered was only a single detail they knew.

The woman did not interfere unless she needed to.

She watched from the shadows, ensuring the flow was smooth.

Seth tried to understand as much as he could, but many words were unfamiliar.

Incantations, bestowing spells, memory recalls, soul fragments, binding vows...

He tried to remember them all, but he could only catch a portion.

Every term pointed to knowledge he did not have yet.

Every trade reminded him that he lacked experience in this world...

He knew a little about combat, stealth, and observation, but compared to these people—witches and supernatural practitioners—he was still just a beginner.

The only things he could probably offer were certain knowledge about the powers of different sins...

Still, he felt no discouragement.

This gathering was exactly what he needed.

Then, a woman seated on the far right finally spoke, her voice was quite soft.

"I would like to trade knowledge and money for a request."

No one replied at first.

Seth guessed they were waiting to hear what she wanted.

After a brief pause, she continued.

"I need someone to tail a certain person for me. I want information about where they go, who they meet, and what they do each night. I can provide payment, or knowledge in return..."

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