Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes-Chapter 70: Messiah

The man gave Kalisto a curious look, raising an eyebrow at his awkward demeanor, but shrugged.

"Sure, why not? Just don’t bring bad luck over here," he said, his tone half-joking but with a clear warning underneath.

Kalisto forced a laugh that came out too sharp and quick.

"Wouldn’t dream of it," he replied, slipping into an empty spot at the edge of the table.

He tried to seem casual, leaning back slightly in his seat, but his stiff posture and darting eyes betrayed his unease.

The other gamblers exchanged quick glances, a mix of curiosity and mild suspicion, before turning their attention back to the game.

The room buzzed with the sound of clinking coins, cards being shuffled, and muted conversations.

Kalisto’s gaze, however, stayed locked on the small, battered doll sitting on the table in front of the man who’d spoken to him.

Its tattered fabric looked rundown and cheap, as if it had been yanked from a bargain bin and then dragged through the dirt. The stitching was uneven, one button eye missing entirely, and a faint stain marred its left side.

The man noticed Kalisto’s eyes on it and smirked, picking up the doll and giving it a light shake.

"You’ve never seen one of these, huh?"

Kalisto blinked, trying to cover his interest with a casual shrug.

"Looks... uh, unique. What’s the story with it?"

The man chuckled, his tone laced with pride.

"This little guy’s a miracle worker. Ever since I started carrying it, my luck’s been unreal. Haven’t lost a single game in days."

"Really?" Kalisto said, raising his eyebrows. "That’s... impressive. You really believe it works?"’

The man’s grin widened.

"Believe it? I know it works. You think this is some kind of coincidence? Nah, it’s all thanks to the Spirit with Good Luck."

I knew it... Damn it, we really are dealing with the Spirit with Good Luck, he thought, struggling to keep his face neutral.

His eyes flicked to the man and the doll again, trying to read his demeanor.

’Are they all Walkers like me? If they are, this could get dangerous fast. But... no. From the way he talks, he doesn’t seem like one. Too casual. Too unaware.’

Kalisto’s gaze lingered on the doll, his lips pressing into a thin line.

’But seriously, why the hell are they using these creepy dolls instead of coins? Who thought this was a good idea? Those things look like they crawled out of a horror show.’

He shifted in his seat, suppressing the urge to sigh.

’This is going to be a headache. If these people really believe the Spirit is backing them... well, they’re in for a rude awakening. And so am I.’

"That’s right," the man said, holding up the doll as if it were a sacred artifact.

"You see, this Spirit... it’s not like anything else. It takes your misfortune, absorbs it like a sponge, and gives you all the good luck you’ve been missing out on. It’s like it sacrifices itself for you."

Kalisto furrowed his brow, tapping his fingers against the table in mock thought.

"Huh. That’s... an interesting concept. So, what, you just carry that thing around, and suddenly you’re invincible?"

Another man at the table snorted, leaning back in his chair.

"It’s not that simple, buddy. You don’t just carry the doll—you have to believe in the Spirit. You gotta trust it, respect it."

"Respect it?" Kalisto repeated, his tone skeptical but carefully measured. "How do you even ’respect’ a doll?"

The first man chuckled, shaking his head.

"It’s not about the doll, genius. The doll’s just... like a bridge, you know? A connection to the Spirit. You keep it close, you trust it, and it takes care of the rest. I’ve seen it happen. First night I had this thing, I won three games in a row. Three! You ever heard of luck like that?"

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Kalisto shrugged, his fingers brushing against the coin in his pocket.

"I mean, luck’s... luck, right? It comes and goes."

"Not when the Spirit’s involved," the man said firmly, leaning closer. His voice dropped, almost conspiratorial.

"This thing doesn’t just give you good luck. It shields you from bad luck. You ever sit at a table and feel like the cards are against you, like no matter what you do, you can’t win? Not with this."

He held up the doll again, its tattered fabric swaying slightly.

"It’s like the Spirit soaks up all that bad energy and leaves you with nothing but the good stuff."

Kalisto nodded slowly, keeping his face neutral, though his mind raced.

"And where do you even get one of these?" he asked, his tone laced with feigned curiosity.

The man smirked, leaning back in his chair.

"Simple. You go to the Messiah of the Spirit with Good Luck."

Kalisto blinked, barely managing to hide his confusion.

’The Spirit with Good Luck has a Messiah?’ he thought, his fingers instinctively brushing against the coin in his pocket.

"Who?" Kalisto asked, his voice steady despite the questions swirling in his head.

The man grinned, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Williams! He’s the one who brings the dolls to us. Says he’s blessed by the Spirit himself."

Kalisto tilted his head, furrowing his brow as if trying to piece it together.

"Williams?" he repeated, letting the name hang in the air.

Kalisto opened his mouth to respond, but his thoughts suddenly screeched to a halt.

’Williams... Why does that name sound so familiar?’ Stay updated via novelbuddy

He frowned slightly, racking his brain, the noise of the gambling den fading into the background. Then, like a jolt, it hit him.

’No way... Williams? That’s the guy! The high school kid the Spirit with Good Luck sent me to find and investigate!’

Kalisto’s hand instinctively tightened around the edge of the table as his thoughts spiraled.

’He’s the Messiah? Of the Spirit with Good Luck? How the hell did that kid end up with that position?’

"You alright there, pal?" the man who’d first spoken asked, his tone suspicious. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Kalisto forced a laugh, shaking his head quickly.

"Ah, no, sorry. Just... thinking. That’s all. So, this Williams guy—he’s really the one behind all this?"

The first man smirked.

"Behind it? He’s the chosen one, man. The Spirit picked him, blessed him, and now he’s out here spreading the luck."

The other gambler nodded, tossing the shuffled cards onto the table.

"That kid’s a genius. Knows exactly what he’s doing. You show him you’re ready to believe, and he’ll take care of you. Changed my life, that’s for sure."

Kalisto’s lips twitched into a hesitant smile.

"Sounds like a big deal..."