Raphael returned to the real world, to the beach on that unknown island. At last, his body no longer collapsed as it had just moments before.
The hallucination of Roselle returned to the real world with him.
Rubbing his hands together, he grinned. "I heard you've slept with a Demoness too. How was it?"
Raphael took a deep breath and slowly took out the Demon Beyonder characteristic he had prepared long ago, along with the corresponding supplementary ingredients.
The Demon Personality spoke up. "Buddy, have you noticed? These hallucinations are different. Before, if you ignored them, they soon disappeared. But this time, everything these hallucinated people say drills straight into your head. Even if you ignore them, they'll still affect you."
Raphael raised a hand. "Quiet. I've noticed. Do you have any ideas?"
The Word Eater he had killed just a few days ago offered a suggestion with a wicked grin. "Why not try puncturing your eardrums? Maybe that'll work."
Raphael glared at the Blatherer. "Get lost!"
The Word Eater roared with laughter. "You're about to advance using a characteristic I once used. How can you have the nerve to tell me to get lost?"
The Demon Personality said, "Looks like deafening yourself won't work."
Raphael looked thoroughly irritated. "Stop coming out to make things worse. Let me focus on brewing the potion first."
He took out the large pot he had used that afternoon. While shooing away the hallucinated figures around him, he kept repeating, as though hypnotizing himself, "Focus and stay calm. Focus and stay calm."
He finally managed to scrub the pot clean. Then he took out the bottle of Desire Demon blood and uncorked it. Just as he was about to pour it in, a pale hand suddenly seized his wrist.
Raphael jumped. Looking up, he