A few minutes later.
Inside the incomparably magnificent, entirely golden palace, Richard sat on a chair that looked as though it had been cast from gold, yet was as soft as skin. Before him stood a rectangular table, upon which rested two Diamond-studded Silver Cups filled with a translucent liquid resembling the juice of some plant, giving off a faintly sweet fragrance.
Richard looked around and saw that the palace was even larger inside than it appeared from outside. Twenty-four massive pillars stood in a ring around it, each more than five meters in diameter and nearly a hundred meters tall, supporting the dome overhead.
An exquisite mural was painted upon the dome, depicting countless angels bowing toward a figure shrouded in light. Setting aside its artistic value, its immense scale, evocative style, and nearly realistic colors were still profoundly striking, making one feel as though one were there in person.
Richard admired the mural for a while, then withdrew his gaze and looked at the Diamond-studded Silver Cup before him, unable to stop himself from shaking his head.
Honestly, everything now was far too different from just moments ago, when he had been preparing to kill Shalier. It felt unreal, as though he had suddenly shifted from one scene to another in a dream, with something missing in between.
But in truth, nothing had been omitted. What had happened was simple: just as he had been preparing to attack, Shalier had calmly said, "Welcome." Then he had stated that the True God already knew of Richard's arrival and invited him into the palace for a meeting.
So Richard had walked in, taken a seat, and waited for the so-called True God to appear, like a guest paying a visit. There was no sign that he had been dealing with