If all thirteen seals had been dealt with by the Five Story Actors, then three people should have handled three seals each, while two handled two each. But now, aside from Stella, the Father, and the God of Misfortune's believer breaking two seals, Mr. Mortis and Old Mr. Charat had each dealt with only one.
Of the remaining five seals, Ellie had broken four, but Shade at the card table did not actually know the exact number.
In any case, his inspiration was warning him that the world beyond this card table was undergoing drastic changes. All thirteen seals had been dealt with. Even if Mr. Snake did not leap out of the seal the next second and come knocking to fight Shade to the death, that snake would eventually break free.
"Gentlemen, ladies, the first stage of the Card Game has ended. The adventurers in the story, striving to become the lead actors of the stage, finally found and shattered all thirteen seals within the Snow Mountain on this blizzard-filled night, after running about for an entire night.
"Now, they have each received different blessings and powers. And after the seals were broken, the pitch-black great snake that had left traces in myths from ancient times, only to be sealed here by the God of Fate for hundreds of thousands of years, is about to break free."
Lady White spoke calmly. Shade had thought she might feel wistful or relieved now that this long task had finally reached its end, but she seemed to possess no such emotions at all:
"Next, the adventurers in the story will head to the story's final stage and complete the last part of the story during the Second Stage of the Card Game.
"During this stage, players may receive only one new card