Drinking, laughing, and teasing each other. It was what we needed. A good break from our busy divine lives.
For a short while, we were just friends. Not goddesses with responsibilities and powers.
"Speaking of busy," Lucy said, using a little bit of her divinity to switch places with Lora, who was now sitting in her spot, much to the redhead's confusion.
"What the...?! How did you do that?!" Lora exclaimed, looking around, trying to figure out what just happened.
"A little trick I picked up from a friend," Lucy said with a wink. "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your girlfriend... yet."
"S-Shut up!" Lora stammered, her face turning red again. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't," Lucy said, then she turned her attention to me, her expression turning serious.
"Morgana, there is something I want you to check."
With that, she pulled a metallic, round object from her inventory and placed it on the table.
The orb was smooth and polished, with a single, pulsating blue light in the center.
"Is that what I think it is?" I asked, my eyes widening.
"Yup. The 'Gaming System' I designed," Lucy proudly stated.
It was the gaming system that Lucy had been working on for a while now. She wanted to create a system that could hold two of her major concepts. She failed many times, and I suggested that she try to add a third minor concept to act like a bridge and make it stable.
And it appears that she made it somehow.
"So how stable is it?" I asked, my fingers tracing the smooth surface of the orb.
"It's stable... for now," Lucy said, her expression a mix of pride and concern. "I've run multiple tests, and it's holding up. But I haven't pushed it to its limits yet. That's where you come in."
"You want me to test it?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Exactly," Lucy said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "You did say that you'll test it for me."
"Well, I did say that I would test it for you," I said, "but what exactly do you want me to do with it?"
"I want you to integrate it with your world," Lucy said, her tone serious now. "Choose a mortal from your world and use them as a test subject."
"Hmm..." I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. "That's... an interesting idea. Tell me how the system works?"
Lucy flashed a triumphant grin and tapped the orb's surface with her finger.
A holographic interface shimmered to life above the table, displaying complex lines of divine 'code' interwoven with conceptual symbols.
"The core principle is a two-part system," she began, her voice dropping into the lecturing tone she adopted when explaining her creations. "You have the 'Main System,' which is me—well, an extension of me. My concept processes the data, sets the rules, manages the 'game' from my end. The 'Sub-System' is what gets integrated into the host."
Another line of 'code' appeared that—thanks to Herma—I was able to read and understand. It's about how the 'Host' uses the system and how he will get stronger.
Just from the first look, I could see it's one hell of a unique system. If used correctly and given enough time to 'grow,' it can easily reach S-rank.
There are pros and cons, of course. This gaming system isn't as straightforward as the 99% of systems on the Nexus shop. It's more about the Host's creativity and cunning.
How it works is by playing games.
Killing monsters earns Exp, sure, but the main source of power is by playing actual games, board games, card games, or even sports.
Anything that can be considered a game with rules and a winner and a loser, the Host can 'force' his enemies to 'play' that game.
The more creative the Host is with the games, the stronger they get.
"And what about the third concept you added?" I asked, my interest piqued.
"A little something I call 'Game Dungeons,'" Lucy said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It's like I put an 'instance' space that only the Host and their opponents can enter. A pocket dimension, if you will, where the games take place. A place with its own rules and its own reality."
"Interesting." I stroked my chin. "So you're not just giving them power. You're giving them a stage to perform on."
"Exactly!" Lucy snapped her fingers. "It's a way to introduce my divine influence into a world without it being too... obvious. The Host will think it's just a special ability, a unique skill. They won't know it's connected to a goddess."
"You just want to watch them like a player in your own game," Katarina pointed out, a knowing smile on her face.
"Well, yeah, I'm bored as hell," Lucy admitted, not even trying to deny it. "Anyway, the smarter and more cunning the Host is, the more powerful they will be."
"And the cons?" I asked, always one to look for the catch. "Nothing is perfect. What are the risks?"
"Well, for starters, the winner will get a reward no matter if it's the Host or the opponent," Lucy explained. "The loser will get a 'penalty,' but the system will try its best not to kill the Host, and with the shop items, he can reduce the penalty."
She then looked at me.
"You'll be the one who chooses the Host. The system will link to you, to your divine essence, and you'll be the one to decide who gets this power. You'll be the one to monitor them, to guide them if you choose to."
"So I'll be their... 'Game Master'?" I asked, a small smile playing on my lips. But then I realized something. "What if my divine essence somehow altered your system?"
"What do you mean?" Lora tilted her head.
"Morgana is a sex goddess," Kat explained to the drunk redhead. "Her essence can corrupt and change things, so instead of card games, it might end up being strip poker."
"Hey! That sounds fun!" Lucy said, her eyes lighting up. "Maybe we can add that as a feature? The 'R-18 Mode'?"
"No," I said, my tone firm. "We're not adding an 'R-18 Mode' to your system. That feature is for my own system."
"Fine, fine," Lucy pouted. "No R-18 Mode. For now. But seriously, Morgana, I need you to test this. I need to know if it's stable, if it can handle a real-world environment. You're the only one I trust with this."
I looked at the orb, my mind racing. This was a big responsibility. Lucy was trusting me with her new creation, a potential S-rank system. If something went wrong, it could cause a lot of damage, not just to my world, but to her reputation as a goddess.
But at the same time, it was an opportunity.
'What do you think, Herma?' I mentally asked my AI assistant, who was busy analyzing the system.
[The system is... fascinating.] Herma's voice echoed in my mind. [I highly recommend that we test it. It may provide valuable data for our own research and development of your own system.]
'I thought so.' I mentally nodded. 'But what about the Host? Any idea?'
[The Host must be someone with a high 'Game Sense.' A natural talent for strategy, for seeing patterns, for thinking outside the box. Someone who doesn't give up, even when the odds are stacked against them. And most importantly, someone with a strong 'Will' to handle the system's mental pressure. Someone who is also good at bluffing.]
'You have someone in mind, don't you?' I asked.
[Yes, a perfect candidate.] Herma said, her voice filled with excitement. [The Prince of Vandor, Alaric.]
'Oh!' I raised an eyebrow at the unexpected name. 'You're asking me to give the prince of our enemies a divine system that definitely will turn around to bite our asses.'
[But what a story it would make.] Herma countered, her voice filled with glee. [Imagine the drama. The prince, gifted with the power to rewrite reality through games, turning against his own kingdom. The chaos, the betrayal, the epic showdown. It's a masterpiece in the making.]
'You just want to watch the world burn,' I sighed.
[I want to watch a good story unfold that isn't about fucking.] Herma corrected me. [And this has all the makings of a classic. Besides, think of the benefits.]
'Benefits?'
[From what I analyzed at the meeting, Prince Alaric is unlike the rest of the humans from Vandor. He doesn't have the same blind hatred for the non-humans. He's pragmatic. He's seen the corruption within his own kingdom. He's a good candidate for... conversion.]
'Conversion, huh?' I mused, tapping my fingers on the table. 'You want to turn the prince of Vandor into my ally.'
[You already thought of turning him into a woman the moment you saw him; don't deny it.] Herma pointed out.
"..."
"Lucy, I'll test it," I said, pretending not to hear Herma's comment. "And I have the perfect candidate in mind."
"Really?!" Lucy's face lit up with joy. "That's great! Who is it?"
"A little prince who needs to learn how to play."