It was noon. The light flowed through the high window and the stained glass created a solemn atmosphere.

Walking between the long chairs, guided by a woman in priestess attire, were the children who would receive baptism today. The middle-aged woman who guided them was known as The Matron, the head of the orphanage under the management of this temple. She had black hair that grows down her back, wrinkles could be seen in her face, but a few years ago she must look really gorgeous. Her back was straight and her steps were steady.

Behind her, there were sevens children who came to receive baptism. Four in the front came from the small towns and villages near here. They have beautiful clothes and dresses, well in the standard of common wear. They looked excited but also nervous at the same time. The other three were from the orphanage. The children from the orphanage wear all white. It has no particular design, but it all looked clean and neat.

Baptism was a special day because it was the day they received the blessing from the Gods.

Legend says, the mother of earth Gaia, wants to let her children (the humanity) stand in their own feet. Thus she granted the knowledge of baptism and let the children receive special power through it. Sometimes, Gaia and the Three Great Gods will also give their favor and bless the children of their liking with a blessing containing Their name, and those who received them usually became amazing people in the future.

That's how important baptism was for the people. Regardless of what was the outcome, the ability granted in this ceremony will greatly affect the life of the children from now on, thus many of the parents waited in expectation on the long chairs.

In front of the altar, stood an old woman in a long white robe with golden embroidery, and a white hat. Her expression was kind, but her eyes shone with a strong will. She was the Head temple of this branch temple and she would lead the ceremony.

In her left, stood two priests with a different design, they stood tall with a serious expression. They were not from this temple, but priests dispatched from Temple of Light. They only came during baptism, because that was the only ceremony worth noting that happened in this branch temple.

Other than helping on the ceremony, they also came to determine the ability of the children, and offer them a referral if they needed it. Especially for the orphans. Since it was a well-known fact that the orphanage was not doing well at all after the war against King of Chaos.

Fifty years ago, a monster with the shape of a horned devil with eight wings suddenly appeared in the continent of Redlegia. It desires only destruction and massacre and leaded monsters to invade the humanoid territory. It has no rationale at all as if destruction and chaos were the only things it has, and the most dreadful of all, it has monstrous power befit its title King of Chaos. It was the first time the kingdoms across the continent and various humanoid races worked together after the disappearance of the Gods. The four temples stood in the front as leaders, but in the end, the result was catastrophic. Many brave warriors were slain, even the strongest people hailed as heroes, dead a dog death in front of the King of Chaos. The casualties were innumerable.

When humanity finally won, much smaller kingdoms and duchies had disappeared. Many forests turned into a death forest. And the area of last battle became land of death filled with miasma. All of the temples received heavy casualties, with the Temple of Gaia receive the heaviest blow. Almost all of the priests they sent to war did not come back, become the sacrifice of the bloody war.

Due to the huge blow dealt at that time, many of branch temple of Gaia has a hard time to keep their activity, especially the orphanage. Thus the head Temple contact the nearest main temple, the main temple of Temple of Light and they agreed to help.

Although the other temples also received damage, they still fare much much better than Gaia temple, and they also received a benefit from it.

Normally, orphans who received good blessings, especially light and healing related, will be trained under the temple management and become future priest/priestess. But the current condition of most Gaia temple branches has no leisure to train a new generation of priest/priestess, only main temple had enough funds and manpower to do it. And thus, rather than sending them to the main temple of Gaia, the temple of light wished to take them under their wing. They would also help the other children who have good blessings unrelated to the priesthood, like give them an introduction to merchant or production-related guild according to their blessing.

Actually they planned to take over all the orphanage children a few years ago, to light the load of the Matron and the Temple Head, but because some of them already attached to the Matron, they decided to let the children stay at least until their baptism.

After the children stood in line, the Head Temple started the ceremony with small speech, and then they sang a hymn together. It was the song of autumn, also called the Song of Harvest. In each temple, the ceremony usually similar, the exception was only the song. In the Temple of Gaia, it was the song of autumn, in the temple of light, the song of spring, in the temple of fire, the song of summer, and the song of winter in the temple of water. It represents their belief and view of life, but at the same time, proof that all of humanity stemmed from one root and will need to stand side by side.

The children then kneel in front of the altar to receive their blessing. They get to their knee, joined their hand, and closed their eyes as the head temple prays for their future. When the head temple prayer ended, a powder of light suddenly appears and fall toward the kneeling children. That was the sign of the end of the ceremony, and that the Gods received them as the new children that would shoulder this world's future.

After the children received their blessing the stepped back, and the two priests step up with a crystal ball and placed it in the middle of the room. It was called wisdom orb, it would show the children their blessings.

...

...

The first child stepped forward. He was the children of the town mayor, he has the best build among the children and the most expensive-looking clothes. He placed his hand to the orb and blueish light appear in the shape of words.

"Swordsmanship 3, Strength 1." After asking the child for confirmation, the priest announced the result toward the people inside the temple. It is not actually necessary, but if the parent wants to know the result right away or want to boast about their blessing the priest will announce it. Usually not announcing it on another hand will draw attention.

Nevertheless, that child has good blessings. Any combat-related blessing with rank 3 will allow the child to become a good fighter, in his case a skilled swordsman. His parent must be proud. Strength 1 was more like a bonus. It won't affect him much, only increase his strength slightly. It would be different if the blessing was Superhuman Strength though. However, having two or more high ranking blessing was rare. And for commoner has blessing rank 3 was already amazing.

As the first child went to another priest to record his blessing and receive a recommendation if he ever wants to enter swordsman school, second children went up.

It was a girl this time. "Sewing 2, Cooking 1." Her parents in their seats looked pretty happy. Although the ranks were not that high there were good blessings for a girl.

The third one, "Archery 2, Sharp Eye 1, Silent step 1." Wow, three blessings this time. Although none of them rank 3 or higher, it was also pretty good.

The fourth one, "Fire affinity 3, Mana 2." This time all people inside the temple pretty surprised, that was blessings that would allow that child to become a mage. That boy most likely will receive a recommendation to enter the magic institute.

The fifth one was a girl from the orphanage, her name was Anne. She placed her hand on the wisdom orb.

"Light affinity 5, Water affinity 3, Mana 2." It was more surprising than the previous result. The priests looked very happy. A person with light affinity 5 could easily become a priestess. Additionally, she also has Mana 2, which means she has a bigger mana capacity than others. Her future as a priestess is bright. It was almost certain that the temple of light will bring her back as future talent.

The sixth one was also a girl from an orphanage, her name is Rosi.

"Light affinity 3, mana 1." Again, light affinity. Although not as striking as Anne, she also has the talent to become a priestess.

And because two children from the orphanage have a light affinity, the priests show hopeful gaze toward the last child.

The child's name was Lumie, she was the smallest among the children from the orphanage. Her hair was black, while Anne's was red and Rosi's was orange blonde.

"Light affinity 1, mana 1, strength 1." Three blessings. And one of them was light affinity. But all of them were rank 1.

"This." The priest looks troubled. Normally even for commoners, they would have at least one blessing with rank 2. And that would become their guide to pursue their future. Although the difference looks small, only one rank apart, rank 1 and rank 2 still different.

With only light affinity 1 and mana 1, it was unclear whether she could become a priestess. Strength 1 also pretty useless since a priestess has no need for additional strength.

The second priest in charge of recommendation looked even more troubled. It was not hard to recommend a child with rank 3 blessings. Rank 2 also could be managed, they could recommend a smaller scale place. But since all of them are 1, it was pretty troublesome.

Finally, after some thinking, the priest asked Lumie. "How about you enter the same priesthood training as Anne and Rosi? Even if you could not become priestess, if you could use some healing spell and received an education, you could help to manage orphanage under the temple of light."

Lumie shook her head. "Is it possible to let me stay longer with Matron and Head Temple?"