Ludwig's jaw dropped. "Yor, you're a monster. Now you've really gotta put that to good use."
Is this a bug?
My brain doesn't believe it… but my eyes say otherwise.
"Actually, I take it back. Don't report it,"Ludwig said flatly.
"Just help your mom."
"That's... that's not fair," Yor whispered, then sank down onto the rough, cobbled stone. His limbs felt weak.
"It's not like you're using it to grief other players," Ludwig said. "Life's never been fair anyway. You're always the one trying—finding ways to make things work. Your dad's an alcoholic, your mom's bedridden... and meanwhile, other people get to live without a care."
He sighed, voice quieter now.
"Maybe this is life throwing you a bone. It's not much, but you can actually use this—to make money, to survive. Or are you really gonna sit there and say, 'It's unfair, I won't use it,' while your mom's bedridden?"
"This is the biggest game in the world right now—hundreds of millions of players! You won't find a better way to make money, man."
"You could finally afford to get your mom the treatment she needs."
"Now stand up. We're heading to the nearest church."
Ludwig grabbed Yor under the arms and helped him to his feet.
They wandered through the street, asking NPCs for directions.
"Excuse me, could you tell us where the nearest church is?" Ludwig asked politely.
He had stopped a frail old man—his back hunched, leaning heavily on a wooden walking stick. Each breath he took sounded like it might be his last.
"The church, huh…" the old man rasped. "Been a long time since I thought about that place. Back during the Great Kingdom War, I served as a knight. But I'll tell you now—it wasn't easy."
He paused, eyes distant.
"I got real sad when my friend died. Shot through the head by a pretty elf woman— uughu" He coughed pleghm.
"Funny thing is, he used to say if he couldn't be rich, at least he wanted to die at the hands of a beautiful elf. Guess he got his wish."
He chuckled, then added, "I stopped believing in the gods after that. Haven't been to the church in years. Forgot where it even is. Might remember… if you get me a cigarette."
Ludwig frowned. "Cigarette? Old man, you can barely breathe."
The old man laughed
It was crispy as hell.
"Well then, I guess I'm not telling."
He hobbled off, laughing to himself, while Ludwig stood there silently—clearly irritated, his face stiff with restrained annoyance.
Yor called out from across the street. He'd been asking other NPCs for directions while Ludwig dealt with the old man.
"Hey, Ludwig… I know where it is now."
The church was located west of where they stood—tucked away from the bustling parts of the city, in a place that wasn't easy to reach on foot.
To save time, they hitched a ride on an empty supply wagon heading back to Gale Mores, another city within the Kingdom of Highmere known for being a major source of food and supplies.
"Thank you, sir!"
"Thanks!"
The wagon creaked as it rolled away, continuing on its route.
The two of them turned their eyes toward the church—and were stunned by the sight.
It was massive. The entire structure bloomed like a colossal flower, with thirteen curved, petal-shaped roofs arching outward from a majestic central structure.
It was massive—shaped like a colossal flower, with thirteen petal-like roofs arching from a grand central tower.
Birds drifted near the highest point, tiny and distant, like flecks of dust in the sky.
"Cool! Lets get inside!" Ludwig said with excitement.
They stepped through the grand entrance and were greeted by a figure who seemed to serve as the church's guide.
He wore a long, navy blue coat with dark layered shoulder guards. A star-shaped clasp held his collar shut.
"Good day, gentlemen. May I know your reason for visiting the church?" the guide asked politely.
"Oh yeah, hold on." Ludwig opened his inventory and retrieved three Divine Tomes.
"For this," he said, holding them up.
[Divine Tome]
[A sacred book granted by the gods, filled with raw magical essence waiting to be shaped.]
"T-three?!"
"Excuse me." He cleared his throat. "You're another one of the lucky ones. And how many gods blessed you?"
"Seven," Ludwig said.
"Seven?!" the guide repeated, eyes wide.
"You've got the same— I mean, there was another girl who came here before. For Viseration."
"Viseration?" Ludwig raised an eyebrow. "Who made that up?"
"It's the process you're about to go through, right?" the guide replied, already turning. "Follow me."
They entered the grand hall—vast, silent, and echoing with each step on the marble floor.
Near the lobby, waist-high cubicles held offering tables tended by church servers. Ahead, towering doors bore the insignias of different gods.
"We're here."
In front of them stood a tall door with a plaque etched with an old-fashioned quill.
Inside, the room looked like a classroom—no chalkboard, no teacher's desk—just two familiar faces from the war at Oris Mons.
"Yo," Ludwig greeted them.
"Hey!" a guy replied.
"Viseration too, huh? I'm stuck trying to imagine what kind of skill to make," one of the guys said.
"I'm thinking something crazy, like... a skill that instantly kills anyone with infinite damage. Or maybe one where I just look at people and they drop dead."
The guide cleared his throat.
"Keep in mind—if you try to create an overpowered skill like that, the gods will impose a downside to maintain balance. And even if you try to counter it with another skill, I doubt they'd approve it."
"Oh..."
Ludwig walked toward the desk with a glass full of quills and picked one up, his tomes resting in his other arm, pressed gently against his side.
The guide glanced at Ludwig, gave a small nod and walked away.
Ludwig and Yor took seats beside the two other guys.
"He's right, though," Ludwig said. "It's like in games—bosses with insta-kill mechanics always have a catch. There's usually a mark that warns you it's coming, it's triggered under certain conditions, has a long cooldown, or only has a low chance of hitting—stuff like that."
"I agree," one of the guys said with a nod.
"I gotta erase this stuff I wrote then" He aggressively scratched out words with a frown.
"Yor, I need your help coming up with skills," Ludwig said.
Yor nodded and leaned in closer.
"What kind are you thinking? Something sneaky—like an assassin type or something?"
"Well, I kinda already have a vision."