Chapter 21

    Power That Comes With Problems

    Everyone born in this world receives a blessing from the gods.

    A newborn child is bestowed with a beautiful light dusted with the symbol of the deity granting the blessing. In most cases, it is the gods who hold influence or are widely worshiped in that region who grant these blessings.

    The blessings of the gods are divided into only two levels: common blessings, which are widespread, and high-level blessings, which are rare and granted to only a few.

    For one to truly understand the rank of their blessing, their power must first awaken upon leaving childhood behind. Only then will their unique abilities be categorized by human society.

    The gods never dictate which power is useful or useless—it is humanity that makes such judgments based on the state of society.

    Thus, a blessing from the God of Agriculture may be invaluable in a farming community but completely useless on a rocky mountain or in the desert. A blessing of the forest may be beneficial in Redwood but meaningless in a coastal city. Even the blessing of the God of Light… if you are never sick, there is no need for healing, and the power of light may serve only to illuminate the night.

    Since each region has its own needs, the faith and blessings received by its people differ. However, all must still pay respect to the four principal deities—those governing earth, water, wind, and fire—for none can survive without these essential elements.

    For a child to receive blessings from more than one god is also an extremely rare phenomenon. According to the records of the Seris Kingdom, among every thousand newborns, only 1 to 5 children receive the blessings of two gods. As for those who receive blessings from more than two deities, they are dozens of times rarer.

    Thus, Kit's examination results left everyone in awe—especially the visiting priests.

    Not only had he received the blessings of three gods...

    One of them was none other than the great Lord Gaiel, who granted blessings to only a very select few.

    In the hundreds of years of Seris' history, there had been only nine recorded individuals blessed by Lord Gaiel...

    Kit was the tenth.

    “This is a matter of great importance... We must report this to the Church immediately!” Father Jacob was the first to regain his senses after the Godstone’s light had faded.

    “The kingdom must be informed as well. We need to relocate this child as soon as possible—I fear that…” Matthew hastily added his opinion.

    “That won’t do, Matthew, Jacob…” Jackson, the most senior among the priests, shook his head in resignation. “You haven't forgotten about the Enos Order, have you?”

    “This child is too important. Besides those who worship the God of Darkness, there are also power-hungry forces in the capital. I’m truly worried. Sigh…” Sister Anne let out a heavy sigh.

    Ever since she and Lisa had received their vision, they had debated many times over how to handle this situation. Yet the more they sought a solution, the more obstacles arose… whether it be the cult of darkness with its bad reputation and filled with curses or the murky politics of the Seris Kingdom. There were also threats from neighboring nations to the south and the western front.

    The prophecy of the impending drought earlier that year had made Kit even more significant. If this news were to spread, every major power would surely begin to move.

    Perhaps... receiving too much favor from the gods could also invite danger from humankind.

    For now, all they could do was wait for the important child to wake up. The location was moved from an empty church to the residence of the other children instead... However, they did not have to wait long. Just a few hours later, Kit stirred awake—his nose twitching at the scent of dinner, which soon caused his small stomach to grumble embarrassingly.

    (Hmm... Where did everyone go?) The young boy glanced around the shared bedroom, now empty except for himself. Then, he got up and stretched lazily out of habit while recalling the events that had just taken place.

    (Desserts, a festival, and liquor... Mm, it doesn’t seem too difficult. But what was the trouble Lady Foris mentioned?)

    Just moments later, he was met with the five elders who entered through the door. Their expressions were visibly serious, and thus began a discussion about the extraordinary event.

    “How is your body feeling, little one?” Father Jackson offered him a warm smile. Once he had confirmed that the young boy was still in good health, he felt relieved.

    “Do you realize that you have received blessings from three gods…?” Lisa's words made the child nod.

    “Yes, Lord Gaiel, Lady Foris, and Lord Landbruh. Uh...” The five priests stood frozen, eyes widened, prompting Kit to elaborate further. “I happened to meet them in a vision and made several agreements with them...”

    As the elders remained silent, Kit continued explaining. He conveyed the gods' requests regarding the festival, the desserts, and the alcoholic offerings in exchange for their blessings, ensuring that everyone was now informed.

    “He... He spoke with the gods!” Matthew and Jacob exclaimed in unison, their eyes shining with amazement. Even the most devout saints, who had adhered to religious teachings for decades, had never been granted such an opportunity. The young boy, who had already experienced much in life, was beginning to understand—one of the troubles Lady Foris had mentioned… was surely this.

    An elder like Jackson had to intervene once again, calming the two excited priests who were behaving like children. Afterward, the group began contemplating ways to support Kit's mission.

    Desserts were a luxury only the wealthy could afford, so Kit requested assistance from the leader of the Church of Landbruh to help him find plants with naturally sweet flavors for processing. As for alcohol, in this era, only mead liquor and fresh beer were commonly available, both of which had a bittersweet taste. If he were to present them to the gods, he would need to refine them first. There would be many tasks ahead for him...

    Yet, this was already good news for Kit. As long as he had a supply of fermentation microbes for brewing alcohol, the time needed to develop his drinks would be greatly reduced. As for taste and distillation... he would find a way to experiment on his own.

    However, when it came to the festival of gratitude for the land requested by Lord Gaiel, none of the five priests could provide any assistance…

    “The Church of the Earth, devoted to Lord Gaiel, no longer exists. The last time he granted a blessing to humanity was approximately eighty years ago. The last remaining priest likely passed away over a decade ago...”

    Matthew’s words left Kit feeling somewhat burdened. He also learned that the grand churches of the four elemental gods had collapsed long ago, leaving behind only the traditions that people still honored with reverence.

    (No wonder... Lord Gaiel looked so sorrowful.) Kit could still vividly remember the handsome god’s emotionless expression.

    Thus, the path to organizing a festival in honor of Lord Gaiel would need to be gradual. The young boy made a plan to start small, beginning with this very community. Once the main discussion regarding his meeting with the three gods concluded, the elders then shared the serious matters with an important individual.

    One hour later, the internal affairs of the kingdom, along with the details of the various power factions that were tangled together, were briefly relayed. The child sat at the edge of his bed, massaging his temples. The chaotic matters Lady Foris had warned him about were now crystal clear—thanks to the priests who had just explained them in detail.

    “We have already made everyone present swear an oath not to disclose this information. Therefore... everything now depends on you and what you choose to do next.” Sister Anne and Lisa patted his small shoulders in encouragement.

    Once again... he had to choose how he would live his life. His experienced soul recalled the time when he had graduated from university—when he had sent out dozens of job applications, when he had hesitated in making career choices, and when he had ultimately walked a path filled with suffering and regret.

    It seemed that this world, too, had countless obstacles preventing him from living a simple life. Kit couldn’t understand—why was it so difficult to fulfill his dream of becoming a farmer? At that moment, Lady Foris' words echoed clearly in his mind. Her cheerful voice soothed his thoughts.

    ...The most important thing for everyone is to live happily...

    Then why should he think so much about it? Helping others as much as he could, focusing on his own happiness in this short life, collecting joyful memories to fuel himself forward, solving problems one step at a time within his own ability—that was enough.

    Realizing this, the young boy let out another sigh. But this time, a small smile graced his face. His eyes met those of the elders with newfound determination, a faint light of pale green flickering within them.

    "I still cannot follow you to the Grand Church. My only family is my siblings here."

    "I respect your decision. If you ever need help in the future, all you have to do is ask." Jacob nodded at Kit. Matthew also stepped forward to offer the same reassurance.

    "Such determination. You two have raised this child remarkably well." Jackson praised the two juniors before kneeling down to speak to Kit at eye level.

    "I will not pressure you, but your power should be put to proper use—not neglected, yet not overused... Can you manage that?"

    "I understand. I will certainly do so." The young boy nodded quickly, grasping the meaning behind Father Jackson’s words.

    Kit knew well that his happiness would only be complete if his family and friends were happy as well.

    His mission in this world had now expanded far beyond merely farming or fulfilling his own dreams.

    With his heart now resolute, the young boy walked off to chat and playfully tease his younger siblings as usual.

    Dinner that evening remained just as delicious and heartwarming as ever.