NoveLight ™
In a Corner of the Divine Realm
Click.
Psssshhh!
In a dimly lit room, a bespectacled man pulled a lever on a complex device, releasing a billow of smoke.
Whiiirrrrr!
The machine roared to life, divinity coursing through it in fluctuating waves.
And then—
Whirr…
Bang!
The device halted, followed by an explosion of black smoke.
“Damn it!”
Surrounded by a shield of divinity, the man slammed his fist on the desk, his frustration palpable.
“Another failure!”
Unable to contain his anger, he kicked the contraption repeatedly.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
“Why?! Why doesn’t it work? I fixed everything!”
After a moment of unbridled rage, the man clutched his head, as if trying to contain the storm brewing within.
It was happening again.
The uncontrollable anger clouded his mind, spreading rapidly and blurring his rationality. Instead of advancing his research, he had wasted precious time and destroyed the very device he had been perfecting.
With a grimace, he stepped out of the laboratory, desperate to cool his head. Perhaps a bit of fresh air would calm the tempest within and help him regain focus.
As he emerged, the crisp breeze of the divine realm greeted him, a welcome change from the stifling atmosphere of his workshop.
“Hmm?”
Strolling aimlessly through the streets, he noticed a group of gods huddled around a single signboard.
It was an odd sight. Gods, with all their arrogance and self-importance, rarely gathered like this, let alone in such an undignified manner.
Intrigued, he approached.
At the center of the cluster, the sign bore a childlike scrawl:
“Looking for the next protagonist of [Akashic Archive]!”
The announcement sought a god to feature in a popular game on the mortal plane.
“So, Sloth got a role as the protagonist in that game and gained amplified divinity?”
“Indeed. She became the central figure of an episode. It seems the perception of her in the game significantly influenced her divine resonance.”
“Imagine—a mere mortal amusement, a trivial game, causing such a dramatic flow of divinity.”
The bespectacled man listened to the gods’ murmurs.
“While precise figures are unavailable, estimates suggest that in just seven days, Sloth generated more divinity than Blessing, the usual frontrunner.”
“Sloth was already one of the Seven Heroes, symbolizing sacrifice, so her baseline was strong. But even so, she used to barely scrape the top ten.”
“She was pulling in less than a tenth of what Blessing typically earned, and now she’s surpassed them in just a week?”
“Incredible…”
The man stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Sloth, a god who had once languished in obscurity, holed up in her sanctuary, had now risen to the top through the influence of a single game.
“So, just by participating in game production, I could achieve what Sloth did?”
For gods, divinity was life itself—a source of strength and vitality. Greater worship and faith meant greater power, something all gods craved.
“Be careful,” one of the gods interjected. “You don’t know how they’ll depict you. Sloth was portrayed positively, but the wrong image could tarnish your divinity instead of enhancing it.”
A god’s authority rested on their image.
If their portrayal diminished their dignity, they risked losing their followers—and their power.
“That’s true. Tempting as it is, it’s a gamble.”
For gods, risking their divinity was akin to wagering their very existence.
“So, none of you have the courage, huh?”
The bespectacled man’s muttered words silenced the murmuring gods, who turned to look at him.
“Wrath?”
“What are you doing here?”
The sight of him made the gods recoil, stepping back instinctively.
“What? Am I not allowed outside?”
Adjusting his glasses, Wrath regarded the cowering gods with a faint smirk.
The irritation that had clouded his mind just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a newfound clarity.
He had found a path forward.
The possibility of using the game to reach her filled him with exhilaration.
“If none of you have the guts…”
The idea of advancing his stalled research brought a gleam to his eye.
“I’ll do it.”
***
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer wishes to collaborate with you.]
When I saw the name of the Constellation speaking to me through the communication interface, I couldn’t hide my shock.
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer].
On the continent of Reiphania, there are many Constellations revered as gods.
Among them, some stand out for their influence and following, collectively known as:
These are the most legendary figures, remembered for their immense contributions to the continent or their respective domains.
The [Sacrifice Who Overcame Sloth], Ren, was one of the Seven Heroes—a group of individuals who left indelible marks on history through their heroic sacrifices.
Similarly, the [Wrathful Magitech Engineer] was one of the Three Sages, ranking alongside Ren in stature.
Like Ren, Wrath was known for rarely appearing in public or interfering in the mortal world, despite being the god of magitech and revered by every magitech engineer on the continent.
That made it all the more unexpected that he would be my first "client."
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer grants you full freedom to use his story.]
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer allows you to cast him as a villain, a supporter, or anything else you choose.]
He was giving me complete creative control?
Even when it involved his image as a mortal?
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer sets only one condition.]
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer asks you to etch the image of a single mortal woman into the minds of everyone on the continent.]
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer states that this is his sole requirement.]
“Just that…? That’s all you want?”
Etching one person’s image into the minds of the entire continent was hardly a challenge.
Compared to the freedom he was offering me with his story, it was an incredibly light condition.
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer adds that this woman’s image must remain entirely positive.]
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer clarifies that his own image doesn’t matter, and in fact, he’d prefer to be cast as a villain.]
So, it’s a woman…
Thinking about it, it made sense now.
“I understand. That’s no problem at all. …Can you tell me more about her?”
Truthfully, I had already begun to piece it together.
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer reminisces with a faraway look.]
[Wrathful Magitech Engineer describes her as kind-hearted and gentle, yet decisive and intolerant of injustice. She cared more about others than her own safety—a selfless fool.]
It all clicked.
Wrath was famous not just as the god of magitech but also as a god of unwavering devotion.
After becoming a god, he had devoted all his divine power and life’s efforts to the resurrection of a single mortal woman.
A tale of relentless love that had become legend even among the divine.
***
[Activating Developer Mode.]
After finishing my conversation with the [Wrathful Magitech Engineer], I logged into [Akashic Archive].
It was time to design the episode we had agreed upon.
"His beloved… Kate, was it?"
The tragic romantic, the Magitech Engineer.
His story was legendary across Reiphania.
From a young age, he had displayed extraordinary talent in magitech, hailed as a prodigy. His groundbreaking inventions—golem armors, magitech generators, mana excavation devices—had elevated the field of magitech to an entirely new level.
"No magitech engineer will ever surpass him in the history of the continent."
This was the phrase most often associated with him, a testament to his unparalleled genius.
As one of the Three Sages, he stood as the pinnacle of magitech, alongside the gods of magic and alchemy.
Even after ascending to godhood, he had devoted himself entirely to research and innovation. He was, quite literally, the god of magitech.
But despite all his achievements, there was one person he couldn’t save:
Kate, his childhood friend.
"He asked me to imprint her in the minds of everyone on the continent…"
He’d also specified that her image had to remain entirely positive—without a single flaw.
Why would he make such a request?
Did he plan to use this collective awareness to somehow achieve her resurrection?
I had no way of knowing.
As someone clueless about magitech, I couldn’t even begin to grasp his reasoning.
How could I possibly understand the mind of a god—one who had been hailed as the continent’s greatest genius even in his mortal life?
My job wasn’t to unravel his motives but to create an episode that met his conditions while delivering an emotionally resonant and satisfying experience for players.
In character-driven subculture games like this, there are numerous elements that make or break the experience:
But above all else, the ultimate goal of every element is to evoke a singular feeling in players:
Catharsis.
Whether through the character itself or the story they inhabit, the key is to ensure players feel deeply moved and satisfied.
That was precisely what this first story episode needed to achieve.
A romance between an inventor and his childhood friend.
How could I weave catharsis into this dynamic?
I sifted through memories of the countless character-focused games I had played in my previous life.
Then, a particular villain’s story came to mind—a tale that had left a profound impact on me.
"This is the most selfish thing one could ever do…"
It was perfect.
The ideal blueprint for the Magitech Engineer's story.