A brief silence lingered between them, broken only when Rina finally spoke.
"What are you thinking about so seriously?" she asked, tilting her head to one side, this action although simple made her look extremely cute.
"Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking about the upcoming Blessing Ceremony," Leo replied, leaning lightly against Rina—who, notably, did not push him away.
"The Blessing Ceremony, huh…" Rina murmured, her expression softening as she contemplated the words.
The Blessing Ceremony was not a trivial matter. Following the Great Advent more than a century ago, the world had undergone an unprecedented transformation. A new energy—Mana—had emerged, altering the very fabric of existence. Its influence was not limited to humankind; animals, too, evolved into fearsome creatures now recognized as monsters. The era of the mundane had ended, giving rise to a world reminiscent of fantasy tales, populated not only by humans but also by newly manifested, enigmatic races, the celestial races.
At the heart of this upheaval stood a mysterious entity known simply as "God." This being was regarded as the harbinger of change, the catalyst of evolution. To aid humanity in adapting to the altered world, it conferred upon individuals unique abilities collectively referred to as Gifts. The nature of one's Gift—and thus one's potential—could only be revealed during the Blessing Ceremony, a rite conducted on one's fifteenth birthday. The rationale for this age threshold was clear: only at fifteen was the human body deemed sufficiently developed to withstand the awakening of its latent ability. Prior to that, the strain of such power would simply prove fatal.
As one might expect, the changes brought by that mysterious entity were not entirely blessings—there were curses as well. Alongside the struggle against newly evolved monsters, humanity was forced to contend with something far more terrifying: beings known as Void Monsters.
These creatures emerged from rifts called Void Portals, and their power was overwhelming. Even the weakest among them possessed enough strength to raze an entire village, while the most formidable—such as the legendary Void Dragon—could obliterate entire nations with ease.
Their origins remained shrouded in mystery. Some scholars theorized that they hailed from a world long since destroyed, seeking either refuge or conquest in this newly evolved realm. With the surge of mana saturating the land, our world was undeniably ripe with energy worth fighting over. Still, such theories remained speculation, unverified and unsettling.
Now almost fifteen, the two naturally would attend the Blessing Ceremony in month time. They couldn't help but look forward to it.
''What kind of Gift you want?'' Rina asked her childhood friend.
''Well, I think I'll get one related to Fire like the rest of the family. I just hope its grade will be same as my Big brother.'' Leo answered still enjoying nestling his head against Rina's shoulder, it was hella comfortable.
While not Gifts aren't hereditary, in most cases they are, in particular for such a renown and powerful clan such as the Roschild's clan, like them they are many of them out there. While the Roschilds are a clan of Fire, they existed some related to other elements as well.
Leo's Big brother hailed as the century genius received a Gift related to Fire like his father. The Flame Prince's ability an SSS-Rank Gift, one grade above his father SS-RANK Flame Giant's Gift. Gifts are ranked from the lowest D to the highest EX-rank, not many have Gift of this rank, they could be counted on one hand.
Leo didn't hope to have an EX-rank Gift but one on the same level as his brother or his father and big sister.
''I see. I have faith that you will acquire a rather awesome Gift.'' Rina said while caressing his hair. It was a nice feeling Leo didn't dislike.
"What about you?" Leo asked suddenly, turning the question on his childhood friend.
Though she didn't belong to a clan as prestigious as the Roschilds, the Ellis family still held a respectable name. Known for their strong affinity with the Water element, the clan boasted a long line of gifted wielders. Rina's father, in particular, possessed an S-Rank Gift tied to water—an ability that had earned their family no small amount of recognition. Naturally, most members of the Ellis bloodline awakened Gifts aligned with water, and it was only expected that Rina would inherit the same.
As for the grade of her future Gift, that remained a mystery. Still, Leo had a strong hunch—it would not just match her father's, but far surpass it. Deep down, he was certain Rina's Gift would be something extraordinary.
"I'm hoping for an Ice-related Gift. At least SS-Rank," Rina confessed openly, her pink eyes shimmering with a mysterious glow as if reflecting her own ambitions.
"Ice, huh?" Leo smirked. "Well, you don't really give off the 'ice queen' vibe to me. More like… the tsundere next-door childhood friend."
Predictably, his teasing earned him a sharp pinch on the cheek. "Ow—ow! Mercy!" he cried out, making her laugh.
Their voices carried with the summer breeze, mingling with the rustle of leaves above. For a moment, the two simply basked in the warmth of the day, sharing laughter while quietly looking forward to the future that awaited them.
Suddenly, as if he remembered something Leo raised a question.
''Where is that asshole Artur?"
For some reason, Rina's body stiffened at the mention of that name which Leo found unusual, there must be something going on.
''H-he must be training or something.'' Rina stuttered as she responded, Leo's eyes turned into a crescent form. There was definitely something going on.