Some time went by, allowing my mom to reach home finding us on the sofa, speaking to one another happily. Noticing his wife, Luke let out a small shout calling for her while gesturing to come closer to us. Upon shortening the distance, she raised her hand, waving it to the sides, very much like a hello.

“What have you two been up to?”

“Welcome back!”

We shouted in unison happily, granting a smile to Rosaline’s beautiful appearance. After that, I started speaking, unable to hold the excitement as my father promised to teach me a lot of things once my mother returned.

“I’ve been mostly handling the field today, still at the digging and plowing phase like dad called it. Removing all the weeds and the grass out of the way.”

My mother’s hand came for my hair, patting it softly as a compliment escaped her lips.

“Sounds like you’ve been working very hard. It makes me happy.”

I smiled happily, rubbing my head on her hand, enjoying her gesture to its fullest as if I was a kitty. 

“Yes, I’ve been doing my best!”

Suddenly, Luke got up and went to the kitchen without saying a word, returning swiftly.

Rosaline, upon noticing what was in Luke’s hand, let out a smile after muttering a few words.

“So that time has come...”

“Exactly so. Today we shall test our beloved daughter’s affinity for this world’s various elements.”

Both of them looked at me who in turn remained silent, confused with the new term but filled with curiosity to the brim nonetheless. I wanted to partake in whatever it was about. 

They chuckled, taken by my adorable face, and then started the ritual which had been passed down from the very beginning of the implementation of the system. Thus, they went to the kitchen and returned briefly, repeating this a few times as they brought glasses filled with water and positioned them on the wooden floor.

“First thing is for you to sit in the middle.”

As I did, they readjusted four cups of water in each cardinal point around me, making a circle of sorts.

Rosaline then added a similar layer, creating an external circle around the first one, and once finished, my father added a third one. They explained to me that each one resembled an elemental tier, which started from basic to rare, and then to unique. The further from the center, the more distinct it turned out to be. The initial and secondary circle had both four glasses, leaving the last one with 8. Apparently, this meant that the world comprised possibly of 16 distinct elements. Since the number increased whenever a new discovery happened. As soon as everything was ready, Luke added some words with a soft and amiable tone.

“Neither of us expects this to go well on the first try. Much less when you haven’t trained in the control and knowledge of using mana, but it is something doable.”

I nodded happily, reassuring them it was alright. My father then took a lot of steps all the way to the furthest wall and exclaimed, so his voice crossed the entire room.

“First, you concentrate on expanding the surrounding mana wildly and then focus on keeping the flow going. The aura that it’ll create will reach the different water cups, taking specific effects and depending on them. We’ll know what affinity, one or more, you possibly have.”

Light blue mana started spreading through Luke’s body as he made himself an example containing it within 2 centimeters of his skin, allowing a sort of barrier to become visible to me. My vivid green eyes started twinkling with interest but also with a pale yellow hue from the glow. After some seconds he got up and dispersed the aura, allowing the mana to return inside of his body, and then approached me.

“That will be the goal. Now close your eyes and concentrate on the darkness inside of you. Somewhere deep inside, you will find a stream.”

To that explanation, who felt vague for my mother, she added some words to guide me.

“You can even imagine the river we have nearby. Let its flow lead your way...”

Soon after I shut my vision, the familiar solitude and darkness embraced my mind. Thanks to my past life, the time I spent alone concentrated on reading books and their multiple scenarios allowed me to grasp some control over their request. It didn’t take long to imagine a blue light sprouting in the blackness. In fact, compared to my parents when they were younger, I was a tad faster in achieving it, surprising them a meager bit.

Slowly, something inside appeared to sparkle. Gently, the sound of water running could echo in my mind as I created a small line. One, two, then in total three small streams joined, creating a bigger one. On the outside of my conscience, the aura had manifested, flowing around, caressing the fresh cups that were filled almost to the top. With it connected to the four cups within the first circle, my mother smiled kindly, realizing I had the same affinity as her. The color became a vivid blue, pouring out more water than it was initially, even wetting the floor.

Notice: You have unlocked an element in status. 

System: You have received the title, heritage.

“Seems like she inherited your element...”

They gazed at one another happily and then strangely; the water stopped flowing from the cup and instead, an icy chill started propagating in one of the cups from the second circle, surprising them greatly as neither possessed it. The surrounding area became colder causing them to feel nervous.

System: You have received the title, amalgam.

“T-this is!? Amalgam? The mutation into the ice element!?” my father shouted, unable to hold his excitement down, having read about this title before in a book.

Once it made the entire cup solid after my parents’ noises. I opened my eyes initially to see what the fuss was about. Upon noticing it, I smiled happily, proud that I did something as beautiful as that tiny ice.

However, uncontrollably and enchanted I became. Upon gazing closer onto its surface, leaning softly into it out of interest, as if being pulled by it by fate, staring deeply into it. Slowly, I found my reflection in it. The miniature image in the clear ice grew and, without a doubt, there they were, the strange light blue eyes coldly gazing back at me.

As my emeralds matched the sapphires, an ominous menacing smirk was shown in it, followed by a brilliance that filled a cup in the third layer. The water inside it was devoured by darkness leaving nothing but emptiness, going as far as to crack the glass. This caused my parents to fret in astonishment. 

Notice: Your soul has reacted. You have unlocked Soul-bound in status.

As the mana from my body dissipated from depletion for exhausting it on two distinct elements, I fainted. Luckily being grabbed in time by my mother, who was close by, avoiding my body to fall on the cups.

It was the only expensive set of twenty glassy cups they owned, a gift from a far away friend.

With a worried look, my father lifted me, carrying my body to the room along with Rosaline who followed him silently, worriedly. Once he placed me on the bed, the sheets followed through all the way to my chin. Luke then mana channeled a portion of his energy just in case.

Notice: Someone restored 69 mana.

“Everything’s alright honey, I checked with my skill, she just exhausted her mana.”

With trembling hands, she whispered back softly in a thin voice, “I’m glad...”

Her eyes then gazed at him and continued speaking, now in a clear, fearful, and still worried tone.

“That unique grade element... was it truly the darkness one?”

He placed his hand on her shoulder, nodding.

“It is unexpected for her to receive that. It’s not something she should have gotten... it makes no sense... the bloodline for that element perished long ago...”

“Very rarely, the element mutates going up a tier... in this case, it was from water to ice. But I haven’t heard of anyone receiving one outside their parent’s lineage.”

With a sorrowful and disappointed expression, he looked at Rosaline.

“Yes... Why couldn’t it have been my light element?”

Luke punched his leg as he wanted to teach me how amazing it was to heal and support other people. If it was meant to be, then his own affinity should have been the one, but sadly, it was not.

Noticing the sadness in Luke's eyes, his wife grabbed his harmed hand, caressing it softly, whispering, “what’s not normal is on top of that, is that she received an extra one without losing the ice...”

The frozen glass didn’t stop as the darkness happened, allowing my parents to know I gained both. Unlike what happened with the water’s affinity. 

“A rare blonde hair like mine, green eyes that only the Saintess owns, and two affinities, one being hated by the church...”

She chuckled at the irony, relieving the heavy mood even if by a tiny bit.

“We’ll keep it a secret to protect our child.”

With sweat falling from his forehead, Luke resumed his words.

“I’ll train her the best I can in mana control, slowly to not make her tired of it, and when she has a good enough base. I’ll try to teach the ice element the best I can.”

She stared at him with resolute eyes, knowing that I was more important to her than the church and the consequences such an organization could bring if my element became known.

“I understand, honey. I’ll teach her everything I know about swordsmanship and prepare her physique, so it grows stronger.“

They approached their foreheads onto another one, closing the space between them, feeling the warmth of each other for a while.

After a few minutes passed, they regained their composure letting out a long sigh, exasperating everything bad away.

“We got this Rosa.”

“Yes, we’ll be fine!”

They left the room while holding each other hands tightly, leaving me to rest. Upon closing the door of my room softly, they gave each other a firm hug and then began saving the used water containers in the kitchen.

“I’ll leave this frozen cup to you...”

The wife extended it to the husband, who grabbed it and replied straight away.

“Alright.”

His light element started warming the recipient, making the ice melt back to liquid. Not as effective compared to owning the fire affinity, but nonetheless, for something simple as this, it was plentiful. 

“Sometimes I wouldn’t mind having lots of affinities like our daughter. I barely use my water one.”

“You became a swordsman because you didn’t like to use it, but it is a good element to play in the river, and also if you ever feel thirsty.”

“It has its uses surely, but from all the elements, it felt like one of the weakest.”

She complained due to handling it during her learning experience with the sword in the past, against other students who had better ones.

“I suppose the goddess didn’t create all of them to be used in combat or you didn’t find a useful way to apply them.”

They exchanged glances, and Luke quickly noticed the angry expression on his wife. The man then smiled nervously, adding other words to repair what he said, regretting it instantly.

“Well... you know... I’m sure you did what you could.”

With a humph sound, she took the leftover cup from his hand and left him in the living room. Luke smiled awkwardly at the situation he got himself into, and then followed through by entering the kitchen, embracing her from behind, and apologizing.

Two hours passed, and the father went to the village to work. A bit later, my mother seated next to my bed on a chair she took from the kitchen, muttering and watching over me. 

“To think Iris would be this blessed...” she started patting my hair tenderly.

“And being so smart for her age, I really couldn’t ask for a better daughter. It almost sounds like a similar existence to the Saintess, except if that was true, her element would have been the divine one, granted solely to those who have a direct contract with the goddess, like the heroes.”

My face remained towards the window with my back to her. I kept my eyes closed for a bit, listening to her continuous murmur. And then, out of curiosity, I dared opening my mouth. 

“How strong is she?” I turned my body around, facing her. 

“Iris! How are you feeling?”

With a less pale face compared to when I fainted, my lips trembled promptly, still tired, “I’m okay now.”

To that, she smiled kindly, warming up my heart, and showing how cared I was.

“I’m relieved to hear that, we were so worried about you.”

Embarrassed and without knowing what to reply to her, I added simple words of gratitude to convey my inner feelings.

“Thank you mom. It’s good to feel taken care of.”

In a mix of surprise and happiness from the mature words. She opened her mouth and then closed it, opening it yet again after rethinking her words.

“The Saintess is powerful, but not omnipotent. However, her existence is one of the reasons we humans haven’t perished from this world.”

I sighed at those words, realizing that not even a prestigious person like that was an ideal match for my ambitions.

“I told father earlier that my goal was to be strong enough to protect you two. But he said it’s unlikely to reach that stage, since no matter how strong an individual is, they end up being nothing in front of an army.”

She placed her hand on my right cheek hesitantly.

“That’s certainly true... but you have talent, so no matter what, don’t give up on your dreams.”

I sighed once more, feeling the caressing from her touch, smiling softly.

“And we decided to do our best to support you. After all, you are our precious daughter that we love so much.”

Tears ran down my eyes as I nodded at her, relieved from hearing such words, causing a beautiful smile filled with hope and happiness to surge, melting my mother, who went in awe.