Chapter 13 …
[ – Update 1.0.0 Complete – ]
An update?
The main contents of this update:
-
Added the ‘Faith’ system
-
Character balance adjustments
-
Bug fixes and optimization
I took a deep breath to steady my trembling heart.
Antonio is still standing in front of me. If I show even the slightest weakness…
I masked it with a smile.
“Then I shall prepare dinner. If there is anything not to your taste, please let me know.”
“That is quite alright. What importance do the preferences of the mouth hold on the path of one who carries a sacred mission? I am always grateful for your efforts, brother.”
“Wayfarer, I am merely your instrument, so please do not concern yourself. Serving the divine is all I need to do—what could I not accomplish?”
Ah…
Hearing the word “instrument” made me extremely uneasy, but this was not the time to bring it up.
‘Right, just a little longer… Once I stabilize things, I can start adjusting the mindset of the followers.’
If I had spoken about this during dinner, I might have choked.
I could reinterpret the scriptures… or even write a new one. Something like “The Proper Mindset for Followers”.
“Then I shall go offer my prayers.”
I used the excuse of prayer to make my way quickly toward the backyard, faster than usual.
From observing all day, hardly anyone came by, and Antonio’s house blocked the street, so there was no chance of being seen.
Crunch, crunch.
I couldn’t hide my pounding heart or anxious expression.
Thud.
I knelt beneath a large, ancient tree. If Antonio looked out the window, he would only see my kneeling back.
My Adam’s apple moved. I summoned the floating update notice next to me with my trembling gaze.
[ – Update 1.0.0 Complete – ]
The main contents of this update:
-
Added the ‘Faith’ system
-
Character balance adjustments
-
Bug fixes and optimization
[View Details]
A translucent blue window appeared.
The alert was neatly organized, explaining that the system had been updated…
Goosebumps ran down my spine. A chill went through me, and cold sweat formed.
No, more accurately… it felt like that.
‘If this update exists, that means there is an administrator fiddling with the system…’
Then, the GM of Forgotten Legends.
Could it be… that a game master governs this world?
‘This world is no longer a game…’
‘Is that being watching everything I do? Why? For what purpose? Were the quests merely milestones for that?’
‘So the occasional rewards and skill loading screens… they were manually adjusted, hence the loading times?’
‘And the random roulette rewards… weren’t random, but deliberately designed outcomes…’
‘Why did I even fall into this place?’
‘No, more importantly… why hadn’t I thought about this before?’
Just the fact that my computer had exploded… and that I ended up inhabiting the body of Serneuan Lumière, who died in Chapter 1.5, was already nonsensical.
‘It’s absolutely impossible.’
‘The reason I’ve been unusually calm.’
‘The reason I’ve been moving so rationally.’
‘The reason I possessed this body.’
None of this could have happened without interference from an absolute being—like a GM.
[error ■ errorㅇㅇㅇㅇㅇ오ㄹㄹㄹ류발!!!!생. ■]
I didn’t know.
I really didn’t know…
‘Is this… reality, or…?’
‘Or inside a game…?’
[loding….■■■■■■■]
…
[Restarting…]
[Complete.]
An update, huh… quite something.
I mentally selected “View Details,” and the translucent blue window filled my vision.
Update Contents:
-
Added ‘Faith’ system
-
Adjusted <■■>’s defense
-
Bug fixes:
-
Resolved interference issues when using artifacts
-
Fixed system malfunction issues
-
[Collapse]
There was also text marked in black. If it’s going to do that, why even display it?
I grumbled at the unfriendly system.
‘Faith system? What’s that about?’
I pressed the collapse button, and the update window disappeared to the left corner of my vision, replaced by a new window filling my view.
[Faith System Introduction]
-
Faith is a sacred resource gained through certain actions.
-
Faith is used to employ powerful skills or enhance combat and rituals.
◎ Small-scale acquisition:
-
Stimulate faith through conversation with specific NPCs.
-
Defeat holy enemies or pray at sacred sites.
◎ Large-scale acquisition:
-
Offerings: Sacrifice highly faithful NPCs or items at a holy altar to gain a large amount of faith.
-
Rituals: Perform specific rituals to fully charge faith.
▶ Uses:
-
Spend a certain amount of faith to grant a ‘Blessing’ to a baptized NPC.
-
Spend faith to enhance relics (currently, only the Lanoop Necklace can be enhanced).
-
Spend 9/1 of faith to use ‘Prophecy’.
-
Spend all faith to use ‘Second Coming’.
[Faith: 100]
So…
‘Faith is another currency system, different from points. With it, I can use supplementary effects rather than just buying skills with points. Makes sense—most games have gold and diamonds. Faith is gold, points are diamonds.’
My gamer mind quickly figured out how to leverage the system.
‘Naturally, a new system is unlocked for players who have grown through the story.’
When I was too much of a beginner, I couldn’t unlock all skills at once. But now, after leveling skills and interacting with followers, the Faith system is available.
This was more a system unlock patch than a typical update.
Adjusting the unknown character’s defense or fixing bugs wasn’t important right now.
‘The parts I need to think about are Prophecy and Second Coming.’
I had some idea about Prophecy—probably a skill that temporarily reveals the future or hints at events through the status window.
The keyword that worried me was “Second Coming.”
‘Second Coming… usually refers to the resurrection of a god at the end of the world. Mortals are judged, and so on…’
Why is a skill for the end-of-the-world resurrection here?
It even consumes all faith. Ambiguous at best.
‘Ah, whatever. Faith is probably just a tiny amount anyway. No point overthinking it.’
I decided to postpone worrying about Second Coming.
‘I can enhance relics.’
I took out the necklace I had carefully hidden under my clothes.
‘Lanoop’s Necklace. The so-called Relic of Purification. I know it already boosts the abilities of those who have been baptized by 2.3x. How much stronger will it get if enhanced?’
I didn’t know exactly how much faith was needed, but trying to enhance it seemed reasonable.
Just as I was about to press the enhance button, hesitation crept in.
‘Hmm… usually enhancement fails and destroys the item. Will this explode too?’
This relic was crucial for dealing with the Second Coming skill. Without it… I’d be screwed.
‘It just says enhance… should be safe.’
I gripped the necklace.
[Faith Required for Enhancement: 100]
Ah! It’s taking all my tiny amount of faith!
The ruthless system drained all my faith as soon as the update appeared. But I had no choice… I had to enhance it.
[Enhance Relic ‘Lanoop’s Necklace’?]
‘Y.’
I confirmed, and the necklace began radiating an incredible light.
I hurriedly tried to cover it with my hand. The golden light streamed through my fingers, then a fanfare sounded as the status window popped up.
[Relic: Lanoop’s Necklace | +1]
[New Effect: Bindable]
‘Bindable?’
The effect gained from spending 100 faith was binding. Should I be happy or not?
It was irreversible now, so I had no choice.
[Register user for ‘Lanoop’s Necklace’?]
I registered as the user, and the necklace transformed into a globe of light and seeped into my palm. Once it disappeared, the radiance settled.
‘What…?’
I searched my hands and clothes, but there was no feeling of the necklace.
[‘Lanoop’s Necklace’ User: Serneuan Lumière]
At least the system window registered it correctly. And the binding effect was actually useful—a successful relic enhancement.
I straightened up and brushed the dirt off my knees.
Phew. Finally, I could relax. Fatigue hit me, even though I hadn’t gone out like yesterday.
All I did was eat breakfast, transcribe the story onto paper, check the update, explore the Faith system, and enhance the relic—and my head ached.
‘Why am I tired just from this…’
When I returned inside, a delicious aroma greeted me. Antonio was a skilled cook.
I ate while casually asking about a lingering question.
“By the way, Antonio, where is your daughter? I haven’t seen her at home since that day.”
“Oh, my daughter? I left her temporarily with a neighbor, thinking it might be inconvenient for the Wayfarer. I usually travel for work, and sometimes leave her with the neighbor for a fee.”
…Something felt off.
I thought I had told him to spend time with his daughter.
Antonio wasn’t the type to disobey me.
Could his extreme loyalty to me have overridden his parental instinct?
Parent and child.
Neglect.
Leaving a sick child alone… Well, I understood being busy, but still…
It didn’t sit right.
Not at all.
“I see. I worry that I may have interrupted the private time between parent and child.”
I said with a smile.
A smile.
“You needn’t concern yourself with that…”
I cut him off.
“No, Antonio. Children should naturally be with their parents. Especially your daughter—she was sick not long ago, wasn’t she? That’s exactly when a parent should be present.”
It was uncharacteristic of Serneuan Lumière… but right now, maintaining this smile was already exhausting.
Smile.
A friendly smile, confident posture, clear articulation, and strong, trustworthy voice—these elements are critical for impressions.
Screech—
The fork and knife in my hands clashed against the ceramic plate, making an irritating sound.
“Ensure my proxy spends time with your daughter. I will find a suitable place for myself.”
Bang!
No sooner had I finished speaking than Antonio leapt to his feet, knocking his chair over. He placed his hands on the desk, bowed deeply, and ran toward me.
