A chill silence hung between them, only broken when Rina finally piped up.
"What's going on in that head of yours?" she asked, tilting her head in that cute way she did.
"Oh, nothing major," Leo replied, leaning against her. She didn't push him away, which felt nice. "Just thinking about the upcoming Blessing Ceremony."
"The Blessing Ceremony, huh..." Rina said, her face turning thoughtful.
This whole thing was a big deal. It had been over a hundred years since the Great Advent flipped everything upside down, flooding the world with this new energy called Mana. The ordinary days were gone, giving way to a reality that felt like a fantasy. Animals morphed into monsters, and weird new races, known as celestial races, popped up everywhere. And then there was this mysterious figure called "God," the one who kicked off this whole new age.
To help humanity cope, this "God" granted Gifts—special abilities that showed up during the Blessing Ceremony on someone's fifteenth birthday. It was a strict deadline; if you were younger, your body couldn't handle the power, and it could seriously mess you up. That moment pretty much decided your whole future.
But with these changes came some serious threats. Along with the evolved monsters, humanity now had to deal with Void Monsters, nightmarish beings that crawled out from dimensional rifts. Even the weakest of them could wipe out a village, while the toughest, like the Void Dragon, had the power to destroy entire nations. No one really knew where they came from, but some thought they were drawn from a dead world, lured in by our rich mana. For now, it was just a scary theory.
With their fifteenth birthdays and the Blessing Ceremony creeping up in about a month, there was a buzz of excitement in the air.
"What kind of Gift do you want?" Rina asked.
"I'm guessing I'll get something fire-related, like the rest of my family," Leo replied, resting his head against her shoulder. She didn't seem to mind. "Just hoping I can match my big brother's rank."
Gifts weren't always passed down, but elemental affinities often ran deep in strong bloodlines like the Roschilds. They were known for their fire powers, but sometimes other elements snuck in. Leo's brother was a total prodigy, showing off an SSS-Rank Fire Gift—one rank above their dad's SS-Rank ability. Gifts go from D all the way to legendary EX-Rank, and while Leo didn't really dream about getting an EX, he definitely wanted to keep up with his family's high standards.
"I believe you'll get something amazing," Rina said, running her fingers through his hair, and Leo loved that feeling.
"What about you?" Leo shot back, curious.
Rina's family wasn't as flashy as the Roschilds but was still respected, known for their strong Water wielders. Rina's dad had an S-Rank Water Gift that put their family on the map. So, naturally, everyone expected Rina to follow suit.
As for what level her Gift would be, that was anyone's guess. But Leo had a strong feeling she was going to outdo her dad. He just knew her Gift would be something special.
"I'm hoping for an Ice-related Gift. At least SS-Rank," Rina admitted, her pink eyes sparkling like she was chasing after her dreams.
"Ice, huh?" Leo joked. "You don't really scream 'ice queen' to me. More like... the feisty childhood friend next door."
Of course, his teasing got him a quick pinch on the cheek.
"Ow—ow! Have mercy!" he yelped, making her giggle.
Their laughter floated in the warm summer air, blending with the rustling of the leaves. For a bit, they just soaked in the day, enjoying the lighthearted vibe while looking forward to what was coming next.
Out of nowhere, Leo suddenly remembered something.
"Where's that jerk Artur?"
At the sound of his name, Rina went completely stiff, which Leo found odd—something was definitely off.
"He's probably off training or something," Rina stammered, and Leo couldn't help but give her a knowing look. There was definitely something brewing.