Teffania’s hand trembled as she stared at the mark on the back of her left hand.
Meanwhile, Ludo hovered near the window, his presence muted to almost nothing. He’d drifted backward through the wall when she’d first become startled, but he’d ventured back inside now.
Hm? What is that?
On the back of Teffy’s hand was a black circle with a crown inside it. The same symbol on the brooch of his jacket. Ludo recognized it immediately. He’d seen it often enough in the reflection of windows and polished metals.
That was when Teffania’s finger pressed against the dark lines.
A panel, similar to Ludo’s own, snapped open above her hand. It hung in the air, looking quite solid compared to her god’s. Teffania understandably jerked backward on the bed, and her shoulder hit the wall. The dull thud caused Lusa to stir in the other bed but luckily she didn’t wake up.
Teffania’s breathing became fast. She held still for a while, then leaned forward again.
The panel listed her name first, and below it came:
LEVEL 1
STRENGTH: 2
ENDURANCE: 4
PERCEPTION: 7
INTELLIGENCE: 6
WISDOM: 2
CHARISMA: 5
LUCK: 7
Ludo drifted closer. The luck score caught his attention first. Seven felt like a rather high number. Higher than he’d expected for someone who’d spent years scraping by in a village that barely had enough to go around. Then he saw the line beneath it.
PERMANENT EFFECT: LUDO’S CHOSEN. +5 LUCK.
Now it makes sense, but… when did she even get that?
He hadn’t known the System would do that. Or maybe it was the process of being made into a player.
Hm, or could it be, because I answered her prayer back then?
Either way, he hadn’t known it would brand her with his name.
Teffania’s finger hovered over the words. She didn’t touch them. Her hand was still trembling.
“What,” she said in a thin, wispy voice. “What is this?”
She wasn’t talking to him. Ludo knew that. It was just one of those things people did when they were shocked. Speaking out loud that is.
Ludo decided it was time to show himself, and eased up on holding his presence back.
Apparently he didn’t have as much control yet as he thought he did. A faint golden light gathered around where he stood. Naturally, Teffania’s head snapped toward it.
He took shape in her eyes slowly. His shoulders appeared first, then the outline of his coat, the fur trim at the collar, the crown-brooch pinned at his chest. Next came his face and finally, his familiar green eyes and thick black hair.
Teffania scrambled backward, her head hitting the wall.
“What the hell, Ludo? When did you come in? No, wait, how long have you been there?”
“It’s all right,” Ludo chuckled. “I just got here. You don’t need to panic, Teffy.”
“Teffy?” she raised an eyebrow at the nickname he’d never said aloud.
“Ah, don’t mind that,” Ludo waved a hand at her rather sheepishly. “So, what do you think of my gift?”
She stared at him. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. Then she looked down at her hand again with a deep frown.
“I should’ve known,” Teffania groaned. “What did you do to me?”
Ludo folded his hands behind his back. The posture felt right somehow. A sort of formal stance for a god to declare something important. At least, that’s what Ludo thought.
“I’ve named you as one of my Players,” he said.
“Your Players.”
Oh, right. How do I explain this? Ah.
“It’s my term for my believers.” He paused. The word felt wrong as soon as it left his mouth. Followers was what the System called them. “Well, my chosen followers anyway.”
Teffania’s gaze dropped to the panel again. “And this?”
“This is called a status screen. It’s a great reward.”
“A reward? I don’t see how having a tattoo and some writing can be a reward.”
“Ugh,” Ludo felt his momentum slip away from him right then.
Right, I have those memories of all those stories where people got systems. But I never wondered why they’d see it as something great to have since I’m a gamer myself. It just sort of… made things easier to understand?
“Well, isn’t it good to know where you’re lacking? Not only that, but this can tell you if you’re ill or if something else is wrong with you.”
“Really?” She stared at her status screen with a dubious expression.
“Sure can,” Ludo grinned again. “It can also help you get…”
Ludo coughed.
What the hell? Why’s there no experience bar?
“It can also help me get… what?”
“Ah, never mind that. I was getting ahead of myself.”
Dammit. I’ll need to see if I can add more features to it. Come to think of it, mine could do with an upgrade.
“It says my strength is only two,” she said questioningly. “That seems low.”
“Well, it’s not like you’re a fighter. Right? These numbers just reflect how you’ve lived your life until now.”
Ludo felt rather smug at his quick thinking so far. But he was pretty sure if he were still human, then he’d be sweating buckets right about now.
“Hm,” Teffy nodded, accepting his bullshitting at face value while she read through the rest. “Is this right? My Luck is only at seven because of you? I guess that makes sense.”
Oh, thank you, Teffy! Go on, fill in the gaps yourself. I don’t think I can get away with any more excuses.
That was when she looked at him. And I mean
really
looked. A grimace crossed her face as an expression full of reluctance appeared.
“Do I owe you my soul now?”
“Eh?” Ludo was taken aback.
What the hell kind of question is that? Oh my god, what do I say?
Ludo laughed. What else was he supposed to do? The question was just that ridiculous to him. He’d never even thought that’d be a concern for someone. But, of course, this was a medieval world full of magic and actual gods. So it wasn’t farfetched either.
Teffania’s expression grew more concerned. Which was understandable when you’re faced with a god laughing right in front of you. That sort of stuff generally happened right before a big, villainous speech.
“No,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. “The System isn’t going to enslave you. If anything, it’s going to give you rewards.”
“Rewards for what?”
“For playing.”
“Playing what?”
He opened his mouth. Closed it. The question was simple but he didn’t have an answer for it.
That’s right.
What game was she playing?
That all of his future Players would be playing.
The tournament she was in was one thing. Noble had rules. A board. Pieces that moved in ways she understood. But this was bigger than Noble. This was his domain taking shape around her, and he still wasn’t sure what shape it would be.
“Life,” he said finally. “You’re playing The Game of Life. Think about it, life has its own winners and losers. Though what you consider a win might be different to someone else, you’re all playing the same game. The greatest game ever made.”
That should be enough, right? Surely she won’t question that. Oh. Oh, no.
Teffania was staring at him. Her mouth wide open and her eyes sparkling like she’d struck the jackpot in Vegas.
“Wait,” Teffy said, almost gasping for breath. “You’re telling me life is one big game? That’s the meaning of life? How has nobody realised that yet? Oh, my. And you’re the God of Games! Doesn’t that make you, the god of everything?”
What have I done?
Ludo groaned.
If I take it back I’ll probably lose the only two decent people I have as followers.
While Ludo was debating his own dilemma, Teffania was connecting the imaginary dots that didn’t exist. When he realised this, he only had one thought.
I should really pay attention to the things I say. The word of a god can be a terrifying thing.
Ludo sighed as he decided to just go with it. Who knew, maybe he could make it true. One day.
“How many people know about this?” Teffania suddenly asked.
I’ve got to rein this in a bit.
“Just you,” Ludo grinned. “And it’ll be our secret.”
“Why would we keep this a secret?”
“Because…” Ludo hesitated. “The time isn’t right yet. Only the chosen ones will know about this for now.”
Wait. Did I just start a cult?
“Of course,” Teffania said as she tried to calm herself down. “You’d know. You’re a god after all. I can’t believe I actually fell for it when you said you were a new god. Ugh, I was such an idiot.
Well, that was actually true.
Ludo quickly found a very interesting spot to stare at on the wall.
“Why me?” Teffania finally asked once she’d let everything sink in.
Ludo considered the question. But again, he didn’t have a good answer. What was he supposed to say? Because you were the first person I thought of? Yeah, like that’d go down well. No, it had to be something that at least
sounded
profound.
“Because you were already playing the game,” he said. “Before I ever touched the board.”
Hm, I probably could’ve come up with something better if I had more time.
Luckily, Teffy seemed to be reading more into his words than what they actually were.
“So, what happens now?”
“Well, that depends on you.”
She looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time.
And maybe she was. To her, he was no longer the strange god from the tournament. No, he was a god without a temple. A player without a rulebook. And the answer to all her prayers.