The chamber was dimly lit, gold candleholders lining the stone walls as shadows danced in the flamelight.
Overhead, stars shimmered across the ceiling, and a deep red carpet stretched down the center like a path through the night.
Seated on a red-and-gold throne, the Oracle of Pereluna held Ludwig's Divine Tome in one hand, her other tapping idly on the armrest.
"'Ludwig One,' huh?" she said, a trace of amusement in her voice.
"Bold name for a skill. No way you'll forget it's yours." She chuckled to herself.
"Yeah. It lets me become undetectable when I'm in shadows," Ludwig replied, placing a hand on his hip.
"Not bad." Her smile curved. "So, Ludwig One…"
She flipped through more pages of the tome and paused at the sight of crude stickman sketches.
Her brows lifted under her mask—then snorted.
"Pfft."
"I love the effort. I totally wouldn't understand this without the drawings," she said sarcastically, then shut the Divine Tome with a soft thud.
"So at night... you'd basically be permanently invisible and undetectable? That doesn't sound fair at all."
"Yes—"
"No, no. Let's make it a little more balanced," she said, cutting him off with a wave of her hand.
"You'll be undetectable and invisible for five seconds while moving outside shadows. But if you stay completely still within a shadow—day or night—you'll get thirty seconds. No more, no less. As a bonus, I'll allow a movement speed boost while you're under the effect of Ludwig One."
"Oh wait can you add-"
"I hereby approve Ludwig One as Ludwig's skill," she declared.
She placed a hand over the tome and whispered, "Zoldras." The Divine Tome glowed softly with light.
The book floated into the air, then hovered toward Ludwig.
He caught it with both hands.
"No objections accepted. That's final," she said briskly. "Oh, and don't forget your offerings. They're listed on the bulletin board outside."
"See ya, Ludwig." With a flick of her finger, a gust of magic swept Ludwig off his feet and out of the chamber.
"Ma'am—!"
He tumbled out into the hallway, rolled once, and came to a stop. With a groan, he stood up and dusted off his coat.
"On to your next tome—the Goddess of Music, Lyre," the guide said, now suddenly standing beside Ludwig.
--
Lyre, the goddess of music, sat gracefully on a golden throne shaped like a quaver, with her golden harp resting against her knee.
Her fingers danced across the strings, releasing a soft melody that drifted through the chamber like a warm breeze.
Ludwig side-eyed her and scratched his head.
"Am I supposed to sing here?"
She gently stopped playing her harp, letting the final note linger in the air.
"I—I apologize. I didn't notice."
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was Ludwig, even though she already knew he'd be coming to her chamber for Viseration.
"G-Greetings, Ludwig. I heard you received three Divine Tomes—that's pretty rare. Congratulations."
"Yeah, got pretty lucky," Ludwig said with a shrug. "Thanks for choosing me. I mean... I really want to get you."
"Get me?" she echoed, blinking.
Does he mean my body? I may be old, but... it still feels strange hearing that.
"Winter said you're one of the gods who grant Flow-type Divine Tomes," Ludwig went on, unaware of her thoughts. "I need two, so I'm glad I got one from you."
"Here, I hope this tome meets your standards," he added quickly. "I made sure it's not too overpowered. Had a friend help me out with it."
One of the Divine Tomes floated toward Lyre, slowly turning in the air. Its surface bore the insignia of the music goddess herself—a woman singing, her mouth frozen mid-note in radiant detail.
"Right..."
"I shall need to evaluate it first," Lyre said as she caught the tome. She brought a hand to her chin, her movements precise but a little stiff. "My father will be mad if I approve something unbalanced."
"Fair enough. I get it, ma'am," Ludwig replied.
Lyre blinked.
Ma'am?
Her chest tightened a little—just a bit. She wasn't sure why, but she liked the way that sounded.
"U-um, I'm gonna read it now."
She traced the words with her finger, leaning in slightly as her eyes scanned the text. Her lips moved softly as she read.
"Ludwig Two—that's the skill name," Lyre said. "You want it to silence enemies after five consecutive hits, right?"
"I can drop it to three if you'd like."
Ludwig's eyes lit up.
"I hereby grant Ludwig Two as Ludwig's skill—Zoldras," she declared.
"Seriously? You're the best!"
Ludwig stepped forward with a grin, his footsteps echoing lightly across the chamber floor. He reached out, gently took her hand, and leaned in close, his voice low by her ear.
"You're the best goddess, ma'am."
Her heart exploded.
But it was only in her imagination.
The chamber was already empty. The door creaked softly as it shut behind him.
---
The next stop was Leonyra, the Goddess of War and Wrath. Her chamber wasn't flashy—elegant but simple. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls, along with mounted heads of various monsters, trophies from battles long past.
Despite the simplicity, her presence was overwhelming. She sat on a throne draped in bear pelts, her posture relaxed, one hand resting under her chin.
"Is that your true form? The one behind the mask?" Ludwig asked, his curiosity showing. He'd always wondered why gods used Oracles instead of appearing themselves.
"Our true forms cannot be seen by human eyes," Leonyra replied flatly. "Only the gods may witness one another as we truly are. The Oracles are our bridge to the human world—our means of communication with your kind."
"Why? Are you curious about what I look like?" she added, tilting her head slightly.
"Not really," Ludwig shrugged. "Just a little concerned about the Oracles. Don't they have lives outside of being, well… mediums?"
"Their lives revolve around devotion to us. That is their purpose—nothing more," Leonyra said without hesitation.
"Right..." Ludwig muttered, glancing off to the side.
"I approve your skill. No adjustments are needed," she stated.
She raised her hand above the Divine Tome in her hands, and it glowed with a sharp, crimson light.
"I hereby grant Ludwig Three as Ludwig's skill—Zoldras."
---
Ludwig stepped out through the obsidian door with a sigh.
He immediately noticed the commotion—voices rising, bodies jostling, like a storm had hit the bulletin board.
Yor was already there, calmly eyeing the board.
Ludwig pushed through the crowd, nearly tripping.
Then he saw it.
A large, elegant parchment plastered at the center of the board, its gold trim shimmering faintly.
---
[Champion's Arena]
A bloodsport of legends.
Step into the gods' chosen coliseum, where only the bold survive. Champions from every region will clash in front of a roaring crowd.
The world will be watching.
---