The Game Of Fate

Night folded over the town like a quiet conspiracy.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TQSPMqTkh

Ariana pulled her hood lower and slipped through the back gate of the estate.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRFVn7tCTT

No escort.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFrNoCzXw4

No announcement.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtf8dF4Nke

In the game, this event triggered randomly after Chapter 1.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQimszZRzzz

Most players skipped it.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zP6N4N0oG

She wouldn’t.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eRcP6o7vs

The tavern at the edge of town was still alive with noise — laughter, clinking mugs, the low hum of bad decisions.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsHPQoBql3

She stepped inside.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Wp0rsG1SX

The smell hit first.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4Nf1rPG9p

Ale. Smoke. Regret.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1ateCCzJK

Her eyes scanned the room quickly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwpY5rPZPF

Corner table.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2JpVxZpIV

Messy gray hair.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfh4gxGGcBT

Half-empty bottle.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7f9JOSQLj

Muttering to himself while scribbling strange diagrams onto a napkin with charcoal.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVjuzwnL92

There he was.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikjuFwQ047

The drunkard genius.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u9cxAa1hW

In the game his name was barely mentioned until much later.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIh6j3NSyS

Magic engineer.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqkAbeqb52

Specialized in mana circuitry optimization — the art of carving channels into metal, stone, or even the body to increase output efficiency.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy3rIZUtIA

A hidden mechanic.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wTIvJ30bX

A broken mechanic, if you knew how to use it.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOA02U5CNa

She walked straight to his table and grabbed his sleeve.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzJdiprxFg

He blinked up at her, unfocused.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImA6MDIaeJ

“Kid,” he slurred, “unless you’re here to buy me another drink, I’m not inventing fireworks tonight.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWVbwlxxZr

She tightened her grip.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEneQ1FqyB

“I’m not here for fireworks.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zwZFMyYQB

He squinted.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9TNG4V5Vy

She leaned closer.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hPFhP90rJ

“You designed the prototype stabilizer used in the Western Gate incident three years ago.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57dGW05K3O

His expression changed.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCYrsZhgIc

Just slightly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tO25KiqX9

“You drafted mana compression diagrams that were rejected by the royal research council because they claimed it was ‘too unstable.’”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiyVlsmpZC

The bottle lowered from his lips.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvmCtI1riI

“And you wrote a thesis on dual-channel internal circuits that was never published.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXswL89qBi

Now he was staring at her properly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFNnFFnUsP

The tavern noise felt farther away.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlyKUhHeDR

“…Who are you?”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHGoxRHthO

“A future problem-solver,” she replied calmly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWiiMimRvQ

In the game, this was the persuasion check moment.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8l9tOPFiR

Get it wrong and he laughed you off.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutxClaZoyj

Get it right and you unlocked the engineering sub-tree.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJY1Q7JKhl

She didn’t hesitate.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGa8E2s3sU

“I want you to teach me magical engineering.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4ITGf2WVu

He barked a laugh.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPJx6CLpqB

“You can’t even be of academy age.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qTjVyjGO8

“Correct.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw65NQq9h7e

“And you think you can understand mana circuitry?”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETMaEY07xq

“Yes.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNCcYeppTY

He leaned back, studying her.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEn2ONVhPv

“Why?”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZU0xVg9gPu

She didn’t answer immediately.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBV5DL2RjEy

Because the real answer was: to kill Lucifer.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUrrhl4ACz

Instead she said—

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUvjDkQJf8

“Because raw power is inefficient. And inefficient power loses.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsvwMg1OBr

That made him pause.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5dIHOgZOY

He slowly looked at the napkin covered in symbols.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWopCVcvrgg

Then back at her.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx1f1vxvnF

“…You’re not normal.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZUvnPUkkG

“Neither are you,” she replied.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOSYdak2pQ

A long silence.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd4OW4l5af

Then he stood abruptly, wobbling slightly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK2FEgS4Di

“If this is a prank, I’ll curse your lineage.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7oUZrWa4T

“It’s not.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqDrqwIp4r

He grabbed his coat.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxMaRnoA5h

“Fine. But I don’t teach for free.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMobIcODnCA

She placed a small pouch of coins on the table.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUSTsC9Ew7

He stared at it.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQmxGSm2Fp

Then at her again.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVxvYYbYYn

“…You’re serious.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEl7FYsAhL

“Very.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWk9uZsMdi3

He sighed, rubbing his face.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQxTNYs58o

“Do your parents know you’re dragging a disgraced engineer to the royal district at midnight?”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DJAmSS37i

“No.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfxfMdDJht

He chuckled faintly.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwTGPu5UQ7

“Good.”

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy77X0YVEjb

They stepped back into the night together.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwYgq1l8Cq

Above them, the moon hung pale and indifferent.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJfzonymYH

Ariana walked half a step ahead, steady.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrEySRQG1l

Because in the game, magical engineering allowed you to:

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYckcaOO8zY

Increase mana efficiency.

Reduce casting lag.

Reinforce weapons with custom channels.

And eventually — if mastered — disrupt demonic energy patterns.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSM6YIYV8Ov

Most players never unlocked that last one.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yTvyUiYJ1

It was hidden behind obscure dialogue flags.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHDgMvvoa9

She remembered.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yr9WCEA9T

And if Lucifer’s strength came from overwhelming mana density—

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOvV0HCigj

Then she wouldn’t match it.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3NKJBgMF3

She would out-engineer it.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kdqHiAt3Q

Somewhere far north, a demon sovereign whispered about balance.

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUH7Pb8nrs

In the south, under quiet starlight—

114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgo5uzgST3

A girl was preparing to rewrite the rules of magic itself.

ns216.73.216.236da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically