Word spread quickly through the Hollow Tavern about cultists claiming they could turn water into wine through prayer. The crowd pressed closer, surrounding the three robed figures as they awaited the bucket of water.
Among the onlookers, three Solarus priests blended with the crowd, drawn by the chance to see the cult humiliate itself.
"Should we arrest them now?" one priest whispered.
"Not yet," another murmured. "Let them embarrass themselves first. It'll make a stronger case."
The third priest scoffed quietly. "Turning water to wine? Utterly ridiculous."
"No magic can alter water's fundamental nature," the first priest explained in hushed tones. "Even the most powerful transmutation spells can only change its temperature or state. Converting it to another substance entirely? Simply impossible."
The tavern buzzed with similar skeptical whispers until workers arrived with the water bucket, slamming it onto the creaking floorboards. "Here it is."
"Now then," the tavern owner's voice dripped with mockery, "show us this miraculous transformation. I'm dying to see it."
The robed figures exchanged silent nods before their leader stepped forward, pulling back his hood. "First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Joshua Tree."
"I was a madman - no future, no money, no wife, nothing," Joshua declared. "The mental hospital couldn't help me. Then my brother prayed to Dionysus for my healing, and now..."
"I am cured!" He spread his arms as his companions applauded.
"This is the good news of Dionysus!"
"He answers prayers!"
The crowd shifted impatiently. "Just turn the water to wine already!" someone shouted. "We don't have all day for your stories!"
The crowd's cruel taunts filled the air.
"You're still mad! Nothing's changed!"
Cruel laughter rippled through the tavern. Even the three priests joined in, their dignified facades cracking. "Three mad cultists with no place in this world!"
Joshua and his companions remained unmoved by the insults. He knelt before the bucket, running his hand across the water's surface. His voice rose clear and strong: "Oh, Lord Dionysus, hear your humble servant's prayer. Transform this simple water into your divine wine, show these people your glory!"
The tavern fell silent, all eyes fixed on the bucket.
One minute passed with no change. Smirks appeared. "Heh, knew it was fake."
"Just another mad cult's nonsense."
"No deity answers prayers so directly," someone scoffed.
Joshua remained still, eyes closed in concentration. I must strengthen my faith! His fingers touched the water's surface, and suddenly he felt warmth spreading through them.
"Thank you, lord! Thank you for answering this foolish mortal's prayers!" he cried out.
The crowd exchanged confused looks. "Why's he thanking? Nothing's happened."
The priests shared knowing smirks at the cultists' apparent failure.
Then a shout cut through their satisfaction: "Look! The water - it's turning red!"
All eyes snapped back to the bucket. The clear water was indeed darkening, transforming gradually into a deep burgundy before their stunned faces.
"This... This is impossible!!!" The tavern owner's shout cut through the silence, his face mirroring the shock on every witness's face.
Joshua rose from his knees with quiet confidence. "Sir, the water has become wine." He gestured toward the bucket. "Why don't you taste it yourself to confirm?"
The owner approached hesitantly. Up close, he could see the deep, rich color of premium wine. His hands trembled as he spoke, "How is this possible?" Cupping the liquid in his palm, he brought it to his lips.
The crowd watched, barely breathing, as he tasted it.
His eyes went wide, prompting suspicious mutters from the crowd. Chapters first released on novel✦fire.net
"Must be poison - look at his face!"
"Probably tastes foul and dangerous."
But contrary to their assumptions, the owner dipped his hand in again, then a third time, each taste more eager than the last.
"This... This is the most delicious wine I've ever tasted!" he exclaimed. "Better than high-grade Galum or Deutschland wines from Evros, even superior to the elven kingdoms' finest from Eden!"
"You're lying!" A priest accused, pointing an angry finger. "You must be working with these cultists!"
The owner shook his head vigorously. "No! I'm no religious man - I believe in magical science, not absent gods! Everyone here knows me - I wouldn't lie about this!"
The regulars exchanged knowing looks. "Known the boss longer than my own wife," one called out.
"Yeah, I know him better than my father who abandoned us," another added, drawing scattered laughter.
Then they surged forward as one. "If boss says it's delicious, it must be! Let me taste!"
The crowd converged on the bucket, hands reaching eagerly for the miraculous wine.
"It's true! This wine is absolutely exquisite!" The first tasters shouted, prompting others to rush forward.
The hesitant ones joined in as enthusiastic cries filled the air. "Delicious!" "I can't stop drinking it!"
The three priests watched in growing alarm as control slipped away. "Everyone, stop! That wine comes from a suspicious source - you mustn't drink it!"
While some paused, many ignored the warning completely. "Tastes too good to pass up!" A patron grabbed an empty bottle and began filling it with the transformed wine.
"That's not fair!" Others protested, scrambling to find their own containers.
The priests watched helplessly, teeth clenched in fury. The first priest signaled to the waiting police officers. "Arrest these three for disturbing the peace!" he commanded, pointing at the Dionysus followers.
But as officers approached, the tavern owner planted himself in their path. "This is my establishment, officers. You can't arrest anyone under my roof."
"You must cooperate!" the priests raged. "Or risk the church's wrath!"
The owner stood firm. "This is my tavern, not your church."
"Yeah!" his patrons backed him. "You can't just arrest people here!"
"They haven't disturbed anything - they've given us free wine!" someone shouted from the crowd.
The priests fumed as the officers shifted uncomfortably, unable to make arrests on private property without warrants.
With a frustrated wave, the first priest stormed out, officers in tow. "Wait until those cultists leave," he hissed to the police. "Then show them no mercy."
The officers nodded grimly.
In his Horn Kingdom mansion, Arthur received yet another prayer for water-to-wine transformation. Joshua's latest display had forced his hand - he couldn't let his devoted follower fail after such a public demonstration.
But these requests had multiplied in recent weeks. His followers seemed fixated on wine transformation, their prayers becoming increasingly demanding.
"This needs to change," Arthur muttered, exhausted from manually tracking and answering prayers with his clones.
He opened his system interface, navigating to the "Divine" section. The "Divine Revelry System" function caught his eye - perhaps now was the time.
The price tag made him pause: 10,000 Divine Points. His current balance of 10,003 points represented weeks of careful accumulation. Despite having 13,000 followers, each generating varying amounts of divine energy, the costs of maintaining their faith ran high.
Every answered prayer drained points, yet he couldn't ignore them without risking his follower base. He'd deliberately hoarded points for this upgrade, rarely spending them on lesser functions.
Now, finally reaching the threshold, Arthur took a deep breath. The Divine Revelry System would give structure to the chaos of random prayers, creating a proper system for followers to earn their miracles. Without hesitation, he confirmed the purchase.
The system would streamline everything, handling routine miracles automatically. His days of micromanaging every water-to-wine request were finally over.
{Divine Revelry System: Level 1 - Sacred Scrolls Phase}
The system interface revealed its first phase: each follower would receive a magical scroll displaying their points, status, and available items from the follower shop. Simple requests like water-to-wine transformation would now require earned points.
Arthur smiled with satisfaction. No more random prayers expecting instant gratification - he wasn't their personal miracle worker after all.
Instead, the new system offered followers specific paths to earn their rewards. The magical scrolls presented job selections: stage actor, musician, bard, dancer, comedian, and more. Through exceptional performances, they'd earn "Faith Points" redeemable in the follower shop.
This change brought Arthur immense relief. While Faith Points were technically weaker than Divine Points and still drew from his power, the system created a buffer. No more direct prayer drain on his resources.
This methodical approach would let him accumulate and manage Divine Points more efficiently. More importantly, it would transform the Cult of Dionysus into something greater - a brotherhood of performers, dancers, and entertainers, all serving their god through their talents.
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