The Eminence in Shadow. Complete RPG.

1. The Great Villains: The Cult of Diablos. The organization that controls the world is divided into a rigid hierarchy, with the leaders known as the Knights of Rounds (a round table with 12 seats).
   The Rounds: They are high-level immortal warriors and politicians who use Diablos' pills. Among the most famous are Garnet, Fenrir, Loki, and Petos.
   The Children of Diablos: Children kidnapped and modified by the Cult. They are divided into classes: First Class (powerful and retain their sanity), Second Class (strong but unstable), and Third Class (disposable, used as monsters or suicide soldiers).
2. Key World Arcs: If you're going to read or watch the work, these three scenarios greatly expand the lore:
   Lawless City: A megacity without a government, divided among three powerful monarchs. It's the setting for one of the most famous story arcs, where Cid confronts the Vampire Queen Elizabeth during the "Blood Moon." It's also where Shadow Garden recruits new allies and Zeta carries out her most brutal missions.
   The Great Financial Crisis Incident:
   Cid assumes the guise of a stylish mercenary named John Smith (using slime threads and an elite mask). To make money for himself, he pretends to betray Shadow Garden and conspires with a rival guild to counterfeit currency. His plan nearly destroys the world economy and bankrupts the Mitsugoshi Corporation itself, leading to a dramatic battle against Alpha, who believed Cid had abandoned her.

Whenever the Cult of Diablos or a monster attacks the school, the two panic completely and flee, allowing Cid to use these distractions to disappear, don his Shadow costume, and save the day without anyone suspecting.

Cid's two best friends at school are Hyoro Gari and Jaga Imo. Cid handpicked them because they are the perfect definition of "mediocre extras," serving as the ideal disguise to make him appear as an ordinary, unimportant student.
The trio is known at the academy for being the group of students who are the most unsuccessful, indebted, and lacking in talent when it comes to fencing.
Hyoro Gari:
His name is a Japanese pun meaning "skinny" or "weakling." He comes from a low-ranking noble family.
Appearance: Tall, thin, with spiky light brown hair and an expression that suggests he's always plotting something that's going to go wrong.
Personality: Arrogant, a wannabe ladies' man, and incredibly stupid. He loves to boast about a noble status he doesn't have and constantly tries to get girls' attention, failing miserably every time.
His role: He's the "leader" of bad ideas. He's the one who convinces the group to gamble money they don't have, get involved in get-rich-quick schemes, or accept absurd challenges (like the one that made Cid confess his false love to Princess Alexia after losing a bet).
Jaga Imo's name is a Japanese pun for "potato." He is also a low-class nobleman.
Appearance: Short, chubby, with a rather strange bowl haircut and round eyes.
Personality: Cowardly, materialistic, and easily influenced. He is the most realistic of the group and often complains about Hyoro's ideas, but ends up participating in everything due to pressure or greed.
His role: He serves as the visual comic relief and Hyoro's loyal follower. He has an obsession with snacks and saving money, but always ends up losing his savings in the trio's failed schemes.
The Dynamics of the Trio:
Cid has no real emotional attachment to them, but studies them as if they were scientific specimens. He uses Hyoro and Jaga's predictable, selfish, and pathetic behavior to gauge his own "secondary character" reactions.

2. The Academy's Combat Style: The school focuses almost entirely on physical development associated with mana, teaching techniques for body hardening and blade coating.
   The Bushin Method: The curriculum is centered on the kingdom's traditional fencing style. Recently, the institution adopted the Royal Bushin Method, a modern variation with optimized movements popularized by the feats of Princess Iris Midgar.
   Student Level: Students like Claire Kagenou and Princess Alexia are among the elite combatants at the academy (the "top 1%"), possessing refined skills that rival those of the kingdom's professional knights.
3. The Standard Uniform The students' clothing is iconic and designed to maintain an aristocratic air:
   Men's attire: Composed of a white dress shirt, a loose black tie (which Cid keeps slightly disheveled to appear sloppy), dark blue trousers, and a navy blue blazer decorated with epaulettes and gold details on the shoulders.
   Female: Follows the same color scheme and blazer as the male uniform, but replaces the trousers with a short pleated skirt paired with tights or high boots.
4. Incidents and Infiltrations By bringing together the heirs of the world's most influential families, the Midgar Academy is the perfect target for the Cult of Diablos, becoming a true haven for conspiracies.
   The Kidnapping of Alexia: The Cult went so far as to infiltrate teachers (like instructor Zenon) to kidnap Princess Alexia from within the school grounds for blood experiments.
   The Shadow Impostor Attack: In one of the most striking arcs, terrorists funded by the Cult invaded the academy using a barrier that nullifies the mana of all the students. They impersonated Shadow Garden to tarnish the organization's name, taking the students hostage and forcing Cid to use his creativity to kill the invaders without revealing his powers.

The Midgar Academy for Dark Knights is the most prestigious institution on the entire continent for training magical swordsmen. Located in the capital of the Kingdom of Midgar, it serves as the main civilian setting for the story and the stage where Cid Kagenou performs his greatest "extra" skits.

1. Rules, Structure and Operation: Mandatory Enrollment: All royalty and nobility of the kingdom who possess magical powers are required to enroll in the academy as soon as they turn 15 years old.
   Duration: The compulsory academic period of study is 3 years.
   Class Division by Status: The campus reflects the social inequalities of the kingdom. High-ranking nobles and highly skilled students gain the right to live in luxurious residences near the school. Students from lower families or with less magical ability (like Cid himself) are relegated to common dormitories away from the campus.
   Technological Fusion: The academy complex is massive and shares the same grounds as the Midgar Academy of Sciences. There, civilian researchers develop everything from modern steam-based technologies (such as train engines) to the in-depth study of ancient magical artifacts.

Shadow Garden and the Mitsugoshi Corporation: To combat the Cult, the Seven Shadows created an empire that changed the structure of the world through modern knowledge.
The Earth Connection: Cid used to tell the girls stories and concepts about modern Japan when they were children (physics, economics, chocolate, literature, jeans, paper notes). They thought it was "ancient divine knowledge from Shadow."
Mitsugoshi: Gama used these ideas to found the Mitsugoshi Corporation. Within a few years, they created the world's first department store chain, invented paper money (a credit banking system), and monopolized global trade, bankrupting traditional trade guilds and funding Shadow Garden with billions of gold coins.
4. Technological and Supernatural Elements
Ancient Artifacts: Relics left behind by highly advanced past civilizations. They can create barriers that nullify magic or open portals to other dimensions.
The Sanctuary of Lindwurm: An interdimensional space created by the Cult to store memories of the past and cores of magical energy. It is where Aurora's soul was imprisoned.
Slime Technology: The most dangerous technological advancement created by Shadow Garden. The magic-conducting slime ignores the laws of traditional swordsmanship, allowing it to create malleable defenses and attacks that no metal armor in the world can stop.

Demon Possession is the dramatic core of the world. When a descendant of the heroes (almost always women) tries to concentrate too much mana, the energy flow gets out of control and begins to rot the living flesh.
The Church's Deception: The Church of the Holy Three teaches that possession is a curse from the devil and that the victims are sinners. Affected girls are exiled, hunted, or sold for experiments.
The Truth: It's just a severe mana blockage caused by genetic instability. Cid discovered that by injecting and rebalancing the energy flow externally, the rotting flesh regenerates, transforming the victim into a perfect warrior of pure mana. All the girls from Shadow Garden were saved this way.
3. The Hidden Forces: Secret Cold War: The entire world is controlled behind the scenes by two organizations waging a war invisible to the eyes of the civilian public.
[THE CIVIL WORLD]
(Kingdoms, Kings and Academies)
/
/
[ CULT OF DIABLOS ] <---> [ SHADOW GARDEN ]
(Political Control) (Industrial Revolution)

The Cult of Diablos:
An ancient cabal of nobles, bishops, and powerful warriors operating in the shadows of all governments.
Objective: To obtain immortality and absolute power by resurrecting the demon Diablos.
Mode of Operation: They kidnap children possessed by demons to extract their blood and produce Diablos Pills, which grant temporary power and eternal youth to their leaders, known as the "Knights of Rounds." Shadow Garden and the Mitsugoshi Corporation:
To combat the Cult, the Seven Shadows created an empire that changed the structure of the world through modern knowledge.
The Earth Connection: Cid used to tell the girls stories and concepts about modern Japan when they were children (physics, economics, chocolate, literature, jeans, paper notes). They thought it was "ancient divine knowledge from Shadow."

The universe of The Eminence in Shadow blends classic dark fantasy, retrofuturistic technology derived from Earth's memories, and a secret geopolitical structure.

1. Geography and Geopolitics: The world is divided into various human kingdoms and beast territories, with three nations standing out in history:
   Kingdom of Midgar: This is the main setting of the story. A feudal kingdom focused on military power and magical swordsmanship. It houses the Midgar Knights Academy, where Cid and the nobles study. It is a highly hierarchical society based on social status and swordsmanship skills.
   Kingdom of Oriana: Known as the "Land of Arts and Culture." Unlike Midgar, it values ​​literature, music, and diplomacy. However, its pacifist leadership facilitated the mass infiltration of the Cult of Diablos, leading the country to civil war and subsequent political collapse.
   Vegalta Empire: A foreign military superpower known for its elite warriors (such as the Seven Knights of Vegalta) and brutal combat arenas. It is an empire focused on the survival of the fittest.
   Territories of the Therianthropes: Wilder regions inhabited by beast-men (such as the wolf tribes of Delta and the feline tribes of Zeta). Many of these tribes live in constant conflict or isolated from human politics.
2. The Magic and Biology System: Magic in this world functions as an invisible energy called mana, present in the atmosphere and in living beings.
   Magical Fencing: Human warriors don't throw fireballs; they channel mana within their bodies to increase strength, speed, and coat their metal blades. The denser the mana, the stronger the knight.
   The Bloodline of Heroes: A thousand years ago, three heroes (Olivier, the elf; Freya, the human; and Lily, the beast) defeated the demon Diablos. Their descendants carry this special blood, which grants massive reserves of mana, but also a biological curse.

Aurora (The Witch of Calamity): The legendary witch whose body was used a thousand years ago to create the demon Diablos.
Appearance: Long, wavy black hair, deep violet eyes, and a mature, mysterious beauty. Her spiritual projections wear semi-transparent purple dresses.
Personality: Flirtatious, provocative, melancholic, and surprisingly kind. She greatly enjoys Cid's company because he treats her like a normal person, not a monster.
Summary of the Story: Her soul was sealed in the Lindwurm Sanctuary. During the goddess's test, Cid temporarily frees her, and the two fight together. Later, fragments of her memories and soul come to reside within Claire Kagenou's body, acting as a spiritual mentor trying to protect the girl.
Annerose Nichtsehen: A renowned foreign swordswoman and former member of the Seven Knights of Vegalta.
Appearance: Short, choppy light blue hair, sharp blue eyes. Wears practical combat attire and a dark cape.
Personality: Proud of her abilities, analytical, but fair. She respects true power and despises cheating.
Brief History: She met Cid when he was disguised as the weak warrior "Mundane Mann" at the Bushin Tournament. She tried to advise him to give up, thinking he would die, but was completely shocked to see his bizarre victories, discovering the power gap between them when he revealed his strength.

Iris Midgar: The first princess of Midgar, Alexia's older sister, and leader of the Crimson Knights.
Appearance: Long, vibrant red hair, red eyes, and an imposing warrior posture. Wears heavy, ornate armor.
Personality: Fair, honorable, serious, and focused on protecting her kingdom. However, she is very rigid and has difficulty accepting realities that are beyond her moral control.
Summary of the Story: Considered the strongest swordswoman in the kingdom, her life changes after being humiliated in combat by Shadow at the Bushin tournament. Unable to accept defeat and the existence of an organization that ignores the kingdom's laws, she becomes obsessed with hunting Shadow, falling into a psychological decline and being manipulated by the Cult of Diablos.
Rose Oriana (666) The former princess of the Kingdom of Oriana (the land of arts) and president of the student council at Cid's school.
Appearance: Long, curly, golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and an extremely graceful presence. As a member of the Shadow Garden, she wears the mask and the black slime costume.
Personality: Romantic, idealistic, courageous, and deeply in love with Cid, interpreting his everyday actions as declarations of eternal love.
Brief History: She abandoned the path of art to pursue swordsmanship. After the Cult of Diablos brainwashed her father to control the kingdom, she killed him to protect him from dishonor. A fugitive, she was saved by Shadow, cured of the possession, and renamed "Number 666" of the Shadow Garden.
Aurora (The Witch of Calamity) The legendary witch whose body was used a thousand years ago to create the demon Diablos.
Appearance: Long, wavy black hair, deep violet eyes, and a mature, mysterious beauty. Her spiritual projections wear semi-transparent purple dresses.
Personality: Flirtatious, provocative, melancholic, and surprisingly kind. She greatly enjoys Cid's company because he treats her like a normal person, not a monster.

Claire Kagenou: Cid's older sister and heiress of the Kagenou family.
Appearance: Long, straight black hair, red eyes, and an athletic build. Wears either the advanced school uniform or light combat armor.
Personality: Extremely overprotective, possessive, and aggressive when it comes to Cid. She frequently beats him because she thinks he's weak and needs discipline, but she loves him deeply.
Brief History: One of Midgar's most talented young swordswomen. She was secretly saved from demonic possession by Cid in her childhood. Later, she becomes the host of Aurora's (the Witch of Calamity) right arm, gaining blood manipulation powers without understanding what is happening.
Alexia Midgar: The second princess of the Kingdom of Midgar and Cid's classmate.
Appearance: Short white/silver hair, intense red eyes, and a classic, regal beauty.
Personality: She has a terrible split personality. In public, she's the perfect princess, kind and polite. In private, she's foul-mouthed, sadistic, selfish, and treats Cid like her "pet puppy."
Summary of the Story: She hired Cid to pretend to be her boyfriend just to annoy a suitor. She suffers from an inferiority complex in relation to her perfect sister, Iris. After being saved by Shadow, she obsessively trains her common fencing style and investigates the Cult of Diablos on her own.
Iris Midgar: The first princess of Midgar, Alexia's older sister, and leader of the Crimson Knights.
Appearance: Long, vibrant red hair, red eyes, and an imposing warrior posture. Wears heavy, ornate armor.
Personality: Fair, honorable, serious, and focused on protecting her kingdom. However, she is very rigid and has difficulty accepting realities that are beyond her moral control.

6. Zeta: A therianthrope from the feline (leopard) tribe who leads external operations and secret scouting missions around the world.
   Appearance: Short, dark blond hair with leopard ears and tail, expressive golden eyes, and an athletic build.
   Personality: A lone wolf who acts independently. She is cold, pragmatic, calculating, and doesn't hesitate to break Shadow Garden's internal rules if she believes it will benefit Shadow's long-term goals.
   Skills: Supreme expert in stealth, concealment, and silent assassination. She can move through the shadows without making a sound and uses twin slime daggers in quick combat.
7. Eta A brilliant elf responsible for the research, development, and laboratory division of Shadow Garden.
   Appearance: Long, messy light brown hair, brown eyes, usually seen with deep dark circles due to lack of sleep.
   Personality: A classic mad scientist who lives in her own world. She is constantly sleepy, speaks in a slow, slurred manner, and values ​​science and knowledge above all human life (except Cid's).
   Skills: Genius intellect at a scientific level. She studies ancient artifacts, reverse engineering, and creates new technologies, weapons, and medicines based on modern ideas and scientific theories that Cid shares with her.

4. Delta, a therianthrope (beast-woman) from the wolf tribe who represents the destructive, raw physical power of the organization.
   Appearance: Long black hair, wild yellow eyes, prominent canine teeth, plus furry wolf ears and tail.
   Personality: She has the mentality of a wild and hyperactive animal. She only understands the logic of the strongest and blindly obeys Cid (whom she sees as the ultimate alpha male). She hates studying or thinking and loves hunting and eating meat.
   Abilities: Animal physiology with overwhelming physical strength, hypersonic speed, razor-sharp claws, and superhuman senses of smell and hearing. She molds her slime into a giant sword called "Iron Lump" and fights violently like an untamed beast.
5. Epsilon (Epsilon) An elf known within the organization as "The Precise One" due to her millimetric control of mana.
   Appearance: Long, dark blue hair tied up, blue eyes. She wears a modified slime costume to inflate her bust and curves, as she has a complex about being naturally thin.
   Personality: Proud, competitive (especially with Beta), and highly refined. In the civilian world, she is a famous pianist and composer named Shiron, playing classical Earth music that Cid hummed to her.
   Abilities: Mana control so perfect that he can fire cutting energy beams from a distance with surgical precision and alter the density of his slime suit to use it as whips or sturdy shields.

1. Alpha (Alpha) The first follower of Cid and second in command of the Shadow Garden. She is an elf and a direct descendant of the ancient hero Olivier.
   Appearance: Very long platinum blonde hair, light blue eyes, and perfect elven features. Wears the standard slime outfit or elegant silk dresses.
   Personality: Mature, serious, and extremely capable. She acts as the administrative mind of the organization. She is caring towards her subordinates, but ruthless with traitors and enemies. She deeply adores Cid.
   Skills: Her combat abilities are nearly identical to Cid's, making her the strongest among the seven. She possesses perfect swordsmanship, massive mana control, and great tactical intellect.
2. Beta, the third member of the group, is also an elf. She acts as the official chronicler of the Shadow Garden and works in the civilian world as the famous author Natsume.
   Appearance: Short, light blue hair in a bob cut and blue eyes. She has an extremely curvy and voluptuous body, which she loves to use to tease others.
   Personality: Extremely loyal and obsessed with Shadow, writing exaggerated and poetic tales about his exploits. In the real world, she pretends to be a shy and fragile writer.
   Skills: Specialist in information gathering, infiltration, and espionage. In combat, uses slime swords with agile movements and precise techniques based on quickly reading the opponent.
3. Gama (Gamma), An elf who manages the financial front of the organization, the gigantic Mitsugoshi Corporation, using the modern business ideas that Cid taught her.
   Appearance: Long, dark blue hair, violet eyes, tall and slender build. She usually wears refined business suits or long dresses.
   Personality: Possesses a brilliant mind for economics and business, but is extremely clumsy physically, tripping over herself and having zero motor coordination.
   Skills: She has an absurd amount of pure mana, but terrible technical control. She fights chaotically: throwing her body weight around, etc.

Perception and Extrasensory Senses ("Atomic Radar"): His senses surpass those of humans. He can read an opponent's murderous intentions, track specific mana signatures, and perceive enemy movements in slow motion by manipulating his temporal perception.

Elemental Manipulation: Demonstrates control over air (generating currents and shockwaves), electricity (summoning lightning in the manga), as well as fire and water in the anime. He can also walk on water and climb vertical surfaces.

Nullification and Absorption: Able to break and break free from barriers specifically created to seal or absorb magic.

Mental Manipulation: Is able to inject their own mana directly into a target's brain to induce commands or control their actions.

Created by Cid to ensure he never dies from a nuclear bomb, these techniques concentrate mana into a state of pure fission, destroying everything around it and generating characteristic purple lights.

I Am Atomic: His classic attack. An omnidirectional release of energy that vaporizes villains, barriers, and entire cities, isolating sound and impact in the desired area.

I Am All-Range Atomic: A variation that covers an immense radius of kilometers, designed to clear entire maps and destroy armies.

I Am Atomic Rain: Fires multiple concentrated beams that fall from the sky like a rain of nuclear lasers.

I Am Atomic Recovery: A magical release focused on massive healing and complete purification. Capable of restoring a destroyed environment or healing hundreds of people at once.

Passive magic: absolute luck:
Although it's not technical magic, fate seems to mold itself around him. Every lie Cid invents to appear mysterious reveals a hidden truth of the world. If he throws a random knife at a map, it hits exactly the enemy's secret base.

Cid Kagenou (Shadow) possesses an absurd arsenal of abilities, the result of combining his insane training on Earth with perfect control of mana after reincarnation. He doesn't rely on magical artifacts, as he molds his own magic into perfect frequencies.
Mana Control and Biology: Perfect Mana Manipulation: Possesses massive energy reserves. He can compress and change the density of mana freely to amplify his powers to catastrophic levels.
Absolute Anatomical Control: Can move internal organs to avoid fatal blows, intentionally dislocate joints, and control blood flow.
Biological Immortality and Longevity: Uses continuous magic to slow down aging, allowing him to live for over 200 years, and can even restart his own heart if necessary.
Immunity to Poisons and Diseases: Survived the toxic mist of the Mist Dragon and drank lethal poisons without suffering any effects. Its body also eliminates bacteria and infections instantly.
Advanced Regenerative Healing: Purifies demonic possession and heals severe injuries in seconds. He can also transfer this regenerative energy to other people.
Divine Superhuman Condition: Without using magic, he already possesses the strength and agility of a peak human athlete. With magical enhancement, his speed is hypersonic and his strength is devastating.
Master of Martial Arts and Weapons: Proficient in boxing, karate, kickboxing, wrestling, and advanced fencing (Bushin style). Able to transform any ordinary object, such as a pen or playing cards, into deadly weapons.
Conductor Slime Suit: Utilizes armor made entirely of a special slime with 99% magical conductivity. He molds this suit to create wings, claws, extendable swords, or sharp, high-strength wires.

Cid Kagenou's personality can be summed up in one word: obsessed. He is completely focused on fulfilling his childhood fantasy, without caring about the reality around him.
Main Features:
Childish Megalomaniac: Acts driven by the pure desire to appear "cool" and mysterious, like a hero operating in the shadows.
Out of touch with reality: He has a total disconnect from the world; he thinks that real wars and conspiracies are just theatrical performances by his friends.
False Apathy: Pretends to be a weak and uninterested extra in society, but secretly overflows with energy to plan impactful lines.
Morally Neutral: He doesn't seek to save the world out of heroism or kindness, but rather because defeating villains perfectly fits Shadow's aesthetic.
Accidental Genius: Extremely intelligent in creating fighting moves, techniques, and tactics, although he uses all this genius only to feed his own ego.
Cid Kagenou was a young Japanese man obsessed with being an 'eminence in the shadows'. After dying in a car accident, he reincarnates in a world of magic. To live out his fantasy, he invents a fictional evil organization to recruit allies. Unbeknownst to him, this organization actually exists and threatens the world. While Cid believes he's in a grand game of make-believe with his followers from Shadow Garden, he defeats real villains using absurd powers just to appear as mysterious as possible.

Cid Kagenou's appearance changes drastically depending on which identity he is assuming at the moment. His main goal is to look as ordinary as possible as Cid, and as imposing as possible as Shadow.
Like Cid Kagenou:
Hair: Black, short, and with a generic cut without any striking style.
Eyes: Black or dark gray, with a deliberately blank or bored expression.
Face: Completely average facial features, easily forgotten in a crowd.
Physical appearance: Lean build and average strength (he hides his dense muscles through magic).
Clothing: Standard uniform of the Midgar Knights Academy or simple civilian clothing in neutral colors.
Like Shadow:
Eyes: They glow with an intense blood-red hue when he activates his magic in a serious manner.
Costume: A long, black overcoat made of magic-conducting slime that moves as if it has a life of its own.
Mask: A black mask that covers the upper half of your face to conceal your identity.
Accessories: Neon purple details that glow across the body and a deep hood that shades her features.

Cid Kagenou is the protagonist of the series The Eminence in Shadow. He lives a double life: by day he pretends to be an ordinary extra, while at night he leads the powerful secret organization Shadow Garden under the codename "Shadow".
Character Profile: Age: 15 years old (at the beginning of the main story).
Occupation: Student at the Knights Academy of Midgar and Leader of the Shadow Garden.
Objective: To become the "Shadow Eminence," someone who manipulates global events without ever being discovered.
Double Identity:
Cid Kagenou: He behaves in a weak and mediocre way to avoid drawing attention and to maintain the facade of a perfect extra.
Shadow: An intimidating, mysterious, and extremely powerful persona with unparalleled combat skills.
The Central Misunderstanding:
Fiction vs. Reality: Cid invented the "Cult of Diablos" as a fictional story to play secret agent with her childhood friends.
The Truth: The Cult is real and truly threatens the world. Cid still believes to this day that his followers are merely staging a grand role-playing game to please him.

Shadow Garden is the main secret organization in the series The Eminence in Shadow, led by Cid Kagenou (Shadow) and focused on fighting the Cult of Diablos. It is composed of Alpha, the Seven Shadows, and hundreds of elite female warriors.
Structure and Members:
Leader: Cid Kagenou (Shadow), the founder whose fantasies created the entire premise of the organization.
The Seven Shades: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, and Eta, the first girls saved from demonic possession who manage the group.
Members: 7 women trained in combat and the use of slime suits. Objective and Origin:
Mission: Destroy the Cult of Diablos and prevent world domination.
Real Farce: Cid invented a story about the cult to sound mysterious, but the cult actually exists in the world he reincarnated into, something he continues to interpret as a game of make-believe.