Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes-Chapter 58: A Scammer’s Apprentice

After telling Reves to remind his father to visit the bakery so they could plan their escape from the Fractured Reality together, Ivaim glanced at Grandma Neli.

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He hesitated to speak, his gaze lingering as he noted the subtle tension in her expression.

’She avoids talking about the arenas and fighters in Vallgorath... Could it be something to do with her family?’ The thought crossed his mind, tugging at his curiosity.

’Does this tie into the storyline of the Fractured Reality somehow?’

The idea of asking her directly flickered briefly.

’Should I risk being insensitive and bring it up?’

But guilt quickly doused the notion. Shaking his head, he turned back to the kitchen, his hands instinctively reaching for the dough waiting to be kneaded.

As he rolled up his sleeves, a sudden notification appeared before him, glowing faintly.

[You have gained a Believer +1]

[A Believer that is not a Walker has been gained]

[You have unlocked : Blessing]

"Huh?" The sound escaped him before he could stop it. His brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the message.

...

In the dimly lit Streets of Penury, where shadows stretched long and hope felt scarce, Williams stood with a mischievous glint in his eye.

He grinned at the shabby-looking man before him, his smile as sharp as a thief’s dagger.

The beggar eyed him nervously, his hands twitching near the hem of his tattered coat.

"R-really?" he stammered, his voice shaky. "If I believe in the Spirit with Good Luck, I can win in gambling more often?"

Williams leaned closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Not just more often, buddy. We’re talking winning streaks that’ll have the card dealers sweating and the dice rollers cursing their stars. You’ll be the man they all whisper about—the lucky legend of Penury."

The man blinked, skepticism warring with the desperate glimmer of hope in his eyes. "But... how does it work? Do I gotta, uh, do something? Like pray or...?"

"Ah, see, that’s the beauty of it," Williams said, spreading his arms like a traveling preacher.

"The Spirit with Good Luck doesn’t demand much. No fancy rituals, no long-winded prayers. Just belief. Pure, unshakable belief. You carry that belief in your heart, and fortune will start tipping the scales in your favor."

The beggar scratched his scruffy chin, still unsure. "But I ain’t never been lucky. Why would this Spirit care about me?"

Williams clapped a hand on the man’s shoulder, his grin widening.

"That’s exactly why the Spirit cares about you. It’s drawn to the unlucky, the downtrodden, the ones who’ve had the short end of the stick for too long. It sees potential where others see nothing. And let’s be honest, mate—you could use a bit of luck, couldn’t you?"

The man hesitated, glancing at the worn dice in his pocket.

"Well... I guess it couldn’t hurt to try."

"That’s the spirit!" Williams declared with a wink, giving the man an encouraging pat. "You just wait. Tonight’s gonna be the turning point. And when you’re raking in coins, remember who clued you in, yeah?"

The beggar chuckled nervously, the flicker of hope in his eyes now matched by a small, tentative smile.

"Alright... I’ll believe. What’s the worst that could happen?"

Williams’s grin widened, and with a theatrical flourish, he pulled a shabby doll from his pocket and tossed it to the man. The doll was crudely made, its stuffing uneven and threatening to spill from its fraying seams.

One button eye was missing, leaving a hollow crater where it should have been, and its stitched mouth curved in a crooked, unsettling smile. The faded fabric bore odd stains, making it look more like a cursed trinket than a lucky charm.

"Here," Williams said cheerfully, gesturing at the doll as if it were a treasure. "Keep this. It’s the image of the Spirit with Good Luck."

The man caught it awkwardly, holding it at arm’s length like it might bite him. His face twisted in alarm as he examined the disfigured doll.

"I-it looks… demonic," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Demonic?" Williams clutched his chest as if deeply offended, though the mischievous glint in his eye betrayed his amusement.

"Blasphemy! That’s no demon—it’s a symbol of selfless sacrifice." He jabbed a finger at the doll’s crooked features.

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"He looks like that because he sucks up all the misfortune and unluckiness of his believers. Every stain, every tear, every ugly little detail—it’s all the bad luck he’s taken on for folks like you. Don’t you dare shame his looks."

The man gulped, pulling the doll closer to his chest despite his discomfort.

"S-sorry. I didn’t know..."

"That’s more like it," Williams said with a sly smile, patting the man on the shoulder.

"Show some respect. Keep him close, and you’ll start to see the tides turn. Just don’t lose him, yeah? He’s your ticket out of this mess."

The beggar nodded uncertainly, his grip on the doll tightening.

"Okay… I’ll take care of it."

As the man shuffled off, glancing nervously at the doll in his hands, Williams leaned casually against the wall, watching him disappear into the shadows. His smile lingered, but his thoughts were less playful.

’Actually, I just don’t want to spread that Reality Master’s name without sullying it a bit.’

The thought brought a gleam of satisfaction to his eyes.

Williams thought as he glanced towards the system notification as he read out his abilities with great interest.

[User Profile]

Name : Williams Meldrin

Occupation : Reality Walker

Reality Master : The Spirit with Good Luck

Rank : Supporter

[Abilities]

[Honorary Coin Luck Accumulation] (Memory Lower-Tier)

Spreading the name of the Spirit with Good Luck allows you to summon a coin. This coin can be placed anywhere, where it will gradually absorb luck from its surroundings over time.

Williams glanced over his shoulder at the alley where the beggar had disappeared, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

’Hm, the coin I hid inside that doll should start accumulating luck by tomorrow. I’ll swing by and collect it once it’s ripe.’

He stuffed his hands into his coat pockets as he started walking off, his boots kicking up the dust of the Streets of Penury.

The thought of his so-called "ability" lingered in his mind, his smirk fading into a scowl.

’Seriously, what kind of shitty ability is this?’ he thought bitterly, his mood souring.

’Placing coins and waiting for them to suck up luck? What am I, some kind of supernatural piggy bank?’

The memory of his choice flashed in his mind—a faintly glowing inscription offering him the deal.

He had chosen this path, believing in the promises of fortune and influence. But now? Now he was starting to think he’d been duped.

’That guy definitely scammed me,’ he thought, his lips pressing into a tight line.

’I should’ve taken the Minotaur of Chivalry’s offer to be her Walker instead. At least that one sounded useful. Imagine the strength, the respect...’

He sighed heavily, shaking his head as if to dismiss the thought.

"Well," he muttered to himself, "too late for regrets. Guess I’ll just have to make this coin thing work. Maybe someday I’ll scam someone the way that guy scammed me."

With that, Williams’s grin returned, and he picked up his pace, the mischievous glint back in his eyes.