Northern Continent, Backlund.
Raphael returned to his villa and sat there quietly, not moving for a long time.
He knew perfectly well that the Oldest One, God Almighty, and the Celestial Worthy inside him must all have been quietly listening to what the Underworld Daoist had said.
But they could only remain silent now, because any rebuttal would have sounded utterly hollow in the face of the Underworld Daoist's words.
Raphael took a deep breath. Before, he had always felt as though he were fighting the entire world. Only after talking to the Underworld Daoist did he realize that it was actually the entire world fighting him.
The Underworld Daoist's words strengthened his convictions and gave them a theoretical foundation.
He sat quietly for a long time, thinking deeply. Finally, perfectly calm, he poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it slowly.
He knew very well that, from today onward, he was no longer the same as before.
On the surface, he was still Raphael, still the Lord of Evil Desires, still an Oracle of the Aurora Order, and still a Beyonder closely connected to the Tarot Club.
Yet he was different. That change came from his state of mind.
Raphael sensed that his self on the Western Continent had already said goodbye to the Underworld Daoist and left that special dream.
The next time he returned would probably be after advancing to Sequence 3.
He settled himself, focused his mind, and entered the Dark Hut, picking up the Card of Blasphemy that had been offered earlier.
The more Raphael looked at it, the more he felt that Roselle was strikingly handsome. Anyone who looked that good even in prison clothes had to be an honest, trustworthy man.
Thinking things he did not believe, Raphael gripped the Card of