Ren sat in his room, staring at the light of the candle that Margaret had lit before leaving him for the night.
After he'd recalled his coming engagement to Lilith, it had felt like everything in this world, from the Minor to the Major Calamities were basically death sentences waiting to happen.
He needed power of his own. Great power.
Gaining power in the game had been easy. Just select a playable character and enjoy yourself.
But here, it wasn't that easy. He actually needed to work for every shred of power and not just kill to get exp.
Fortunately, there was something that could very well tip the scales in his favor and act as a cheat for him.
A divine gift he'd missed out on in the game.
Unfettered Enhancement.
While Bloodbinding was the major magic system in the world of Eternal Souls, Divine Gifts could be said to be the rarer but more powerful pieces every player wanted to get their hands on.
Bestowed by the universe itself, these gifts were the ultimate tools of strength, allowing their wielders to wield overwhelming power and perform extraordinary feats.
Some, like Lilith, were born with them, their powers growing with time.
Others, like the original protagonist of the game, the Penny Prince, stumble upon their gifts in the form of artifacts they can assimilate.
Ren leaned back in his chair, recalling what he knew about Unfettered Enhancement.
It wasn't just any divine gift. It was one of the most versatile and potent ones.
The gift allowed its wielder to grow infinitely in any number of skill or talent, removing all limits to their potential.
A swordsman could perfect their technique to surpass even legends. A chef could cook meals that would make even the most bitter person cry in joy.
If he could claim it, he would have a chance to close the gap between himself and the titanic threats that inhabited this world.
Before he began learning Bloodbinding, he needed to get Unfettered Enhancement.
Fortunately, the location of the gift was burned into his memory.
It was hidden in a grove near the northern border of Ross territory, where the family's knights and soldiers defended against frequent barbarian raids.
The grove wasn't marked by anything special in the game, just a cluster of trees hidden in the Greythorne forest.
From what he remembered, no one in the game had claimed it by the time of the Ross family's downfall, making it a golden opportunity for him.
He paced his room, his bare feet making soft thuds against the wooden floor.
The problem was how a ten year old noble would get to the northern border. It definitely wouldn't be easy.
The Ross territory was large, and he couldn't just wander off on his own. He also didn't have the authority or freedom to make such a journey.
But his father, Lord Abram Ross, was scheduled to visit the border soon. As always he'd spend a few months at the border to boost the morale of the soldiers stationed there and oversee defenses against the barbarians.
"If I can convince him to take me," Ren muttered, tapping his chin, "I'll have a chance to claim it."
However, his father's stern and dismissive attitude towards him would make that difficult. Abram had made it abundantly clear that he saw little value in his youngest son.
But Ren had an advantage. He knew how to frame his request. He didn't need to explain his true intentions. All he had to do was present a reason that would align with Abram's priorities.
He stopped pacing and sat on the edge of his bed, formulating a plan. If he approached the request from the angle of martial training, it might work.
The northern border was a harsh environment, and being there could be spun as a learning experience.
He could frame it as a desire to better understand the soldiers' lives, to learn discipline and the realities of defending their land. It would play into the values Abram respected. Strength, loyalty, and pragmatism.
"He'll think it's about proving myself." Ren said under his breath. "That's exactly what he wants."
Still, there were risks. If Abram dismissed the idea outright, he'd have to find another way to reach the grove.
But time wasn't on his side. Every moment spent without the divine gift was a moment wasted. He needed it to accelerate his growth, to prepare for what was coming.
Six years might sound like a long time, but when one thinks about the Red Plague and the other calamities, it was barely enough.
Ren's thoughts shifted to the grove itself. Even if he made it there, claiming the gift wouldn't be as simple as plucking it from the tree.
Divine gifts were often protected by a guardian and a test, designed to make sure that only the worthy could claim them.
In the game, Unfettered Enhancement had been guarded by the Warden of Roots. While he wasn't an experienced warrior that could fight monsters, he knew exactly how to defeat the guardian even with his frail body.
That would be the easiest part.
He moved to the small desk in the corner of his room and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill.
He began jotting down a rough timeline, mapping out the steps he would need to take. First, he would have to win his father's approval to join the trip to the border.
Once there, he'd scout the area, and locate the path to the grove without drawing suspicion.
Finally, he'd find a way to enter the grove unnoticed and face whatever was waiting for him.
The plan was far from perfect, but it was a start.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the parchment as the ink dried. His thoughts began to drift as exhaustion began crawling over the edges of his mind.
The day had been long, starting with him waking up as Tetrence and now, sleeping with a plan to become more than Terence.
He climbed into his bed, pulling the blankets over himself.
As he drifted to sleep, only one thought echoed in his mind.
The divine gift was the key.