Rosie's Games

88  Mercenaries 6

"We will call each and every member of the Lux Family who is qualified to join the awakening ceremony. However, if you have yet to reach the age of eighteen, the color of the orb will not have that many changes. Still, it is enough for us to know if you are the one who received the blessing of the Goddess." Federico's right-hand man continued.

"Once again, you will feel the warmth in your veins as the Goddess gives Her blessing. It will flow to your heart and then into every part of your body. Do not be scared. Instead, embrace the blessing of the Goddess."

"Please… let me start with Marie Lux, the daughter of Nella Lux."

Marie smiled. She got up and looked at her mother who looked extremely proud. It was her moment, the one that she had been waiting for her whole life.

Slowly, she took a step toward the large orb. Her slow yet careful steps made it seem like her white dress was hovering in the air. Then Marie took a deep breath before biting her lip. It did not take her too long for her to reach the orb.

Standing before it, Marie recalled everything that happened in the past. Growing up, they always thought that it was Dorothy who would receive the blessing. They were taught to give her everything that she wanted, to respect her, and even to worship her.

They were taught that she was the one to please as she would soon become the blessed one of their generation.

Those people were wrong.

Dorothy did not receive the blessing.

When Marie heard the news, she immediately knew that it was her time.

In the past, the most outstanding ones in their generation would always receive the blessing. Since Dorothy did not receive the blessing, clearly, the next one in line was… her!

Marie Lux.

With this in mind, she smiled and touched the orb. Then she closed her eyes and waited for the warm blessing to flow inside her veins.

In the books that she read, the blessings were always warm, and comforting.

Soon, she realized that something was wrong….

She did not feel any warmth.

Her eyes flew open.

Frowning, she stared at the orb.

There— was nothing on it.

She swallowed before she closed her eyes once again. She could not understand…. She was the most outstanding one in their generation— aside from Dorothy of course!

Fear flashed in her eyes when she opened it and still saw nothing.

There was… nothing on the orb.

"It seems that your best bet did not receive the blessing of the Goddess, Federico. And here I thought the Blessing of the Light would finally fall into someone's hands." Lachlan Blaize, the eighth generation blessed one of the Blaize, or the Fire, Family  chided when nothing came out of the orb.

"Was it because you are still alive?" Lachlan chuckled. "Perhaps, the Goddess refuses to give the blessing to another member of your family since you already have two blessed ones."

Federico's face immediately turned ugly. "This is just the first member of the Lux Family who touched the orb and you are already celebrating Lachlan. Things like this would always lead to disappointment."

"Hah— I came here a few months ago for another ceremony and I was not disappointed. I am certain that this ceremony would not disappoint me either."

Federico ignored Lachlan and looked at Marie Lux. In fact, he had high hopes for Marie because she was the most outstanding member of the Lux Family only next to Dorothy. Despite the fact that she did not learn as many things as Dorothy, she was a fast learner.

Even the Tutor who started teaching the others when they came back could not help but praise Marie for being a fast learner.

"Continue," Federico uttered. He could not believe that Marie did not receive the blessing as well. The second one came and just like Marie there was no light that appeared on the orb when he touched it.

"Next!" Federico uttered.

"Your Blessedness Federico, I prayed to the Goddess to give another blessing," Miss Jean Hydran uttered, her blue hair seeming to dance in the air as she continued. "I hoped that the Goddess heard my sincere prayer for the blessing of the light."

"It is not about praying to the Goddess," of course, Federico's enemy, Lachlan Blaize did not hesitate to join in the conversation. "It is about faith and faith is personal. One cannot just declare that they are faithful to the Goddess in front of everyone and hope that the Goddess would believe them. It is about what is in the heart."

"Your Blessedness Blaize, what are you trying to insinuate?" Miss Ina Thun frowned.

"Don't you agree with me Ina, from the Family who held the Thunder? A blessing will disappear once the faith is gone. We must remember that a blessing is not just something that our families got because we were good fighters. The Goddess gave us the blessing because of our faith. Would you dare say that I said something wrong?"

Federico said nothing. He knew that the Blaize Family disliked him and his family. The invisible friction between the two families had existed for hundreds of years. Many members of their families had forgotten the reason why the two families disliked each other, but Federico knew it was because of their rivalry.

Fire and Light.

Both have their own allure.

Both have their own power.

But Fire always thought they were more powerful than the rest of the seven families. It can be said that the members of the Blaize Family always see themselves as the leader— the ones who are going to protect everyone with their fire.

However, the light blessing was made to protect everyone. They were not made to fight and kill. They were meant to save and protect.

"Next!" Federico chose to swallow his anger. These are the members of the ninth-generation Lux Family. Surely, someone— anyone of them would receive the blessing of the Goddess!