( Annotation for Readers )- The sole purpose of this Prologue is so that you can understand the basic groundwork of this world: the laws of Gift, the Rite of Dawn, and the distinction between the nobility and orphaned children. It isn't quite the story of Lith ( MC ), but it most certainly is the world he has to exist in. If you'd like you can just skip or read the Chapter One if you wish, but having read this part will provide you with a key to navigate your way through the rest of the story.**"In the beginning, there was only light—and from that light, came mercy, and judgment alike."They still whisper that in Arathia, though the gods who spoke it have long gone silent. Once, their radiance flowed through every mountain, seas, and soul—rivers of creation called Divine Veins. But light faded. And when it did, men built their own order, not by crown but by the Gift. Fragments of godhood carved into mortal flesh. Each year, when the fifteenth dawn arrives, every child kneels before

The crowd split in two—nobles lingering by the dais to make their choices, while commoners hurried back to their daily lives. The air still whispered deals floating like sparks in the breeze."Did you catch that boy with Steelborn Strength? Duke Varlen nearly jumped out of his seat.""And that girl with Gale? The Marquess himself was leaning in to talk to his steward.""It's a shame for the others... but even a modest gift can bring in some coin."Lith absorbed it all from his spot at the back, his robe pulled tightly around him, trying to shrink away as if that could somehow erase what had just happened. The sigil on his chest still glimmered faintly—warm and alive—but to everyone else, it was just a useless flicker.So, he kept his gaze fixed on the ground.One by one, the nobles made their picks. The boy with Steelborn Strength was snatched up by House Damar before the dust had even settled, whisked away in skills and promises. The girl with the Gale affinity found herself surround

The world outside the orphanage felt colder than Lith had expected.The air clung to his skin, moist with mist, and every breath left his lips in a thin white puff. The stars remained hung stubbornly above the horizon, blinking downward like tiny, apathetic eyes. His boots crunched softly across the gravel road, the only sound aside from the occasional hoot of an owl hidden somewhere in the trees."Creepy..." Lith mumbled under his breath, trying to mask the lump in his throat with humor. "Five minutes out of the orphanage, and I already feel like some monster's about to gobble me up. Great start, Lith. Just amazing."He chuckled at his own joke, but the sound fell flat against the silence. He hugged the strap of the tiny bag tighter to his chest, as if squeezing it might ward off the loneliness creeping in. Behind him, the orphanage's bell tower stood like a fading silhouette, shrinking with each step.Don't look back. If he turned around, if he caught one last glimpse of that warm l

The first sensation that greeted Lith was pain, which gnawed at his bones, throbbed in his chest, and made each breath feel like knives scraping against his lungs. His body felt heavy, weak—almost broken.Am I...still alive?He forced his eyes open. Above him was a canopy of leaves stretched out, with sunlight starting to filter through. Morning had come. He found himself lying on the forest floor, damp soil clinging to his clothes.And then—A figure knelt beside him, watching in utter silence like a guardian statue.Her violet eyes glimmered in the dim light, fixed on him. Her long dark hair flowed over her shoulders, swaying gently as if caressed by the wind. She didn't blink or breathe audibly.Lith groaned and tried to sit up, wincing at the ache in his ribs. The figure tilted her head, almost curiously, as if she were examining a wounded animal.It was only then that Lith's blurred vision cleared—and his entire body froze.The girl...was completely naked.Lith's mind went blank

The sun dipped low, painting the square in amber and rose. Lith sat slumped on a bench, hands trembling, skin pale from hours of healing. He had been healing since midday—burns, wounds, fevered children, weary elders. Each touch of his gift left him weaker; each smile carved exhaustion deeper. Yet despite the sweat and the blood at the corner of his lips, he could not stop smiling.So this is what it feels like... To actually help people.Across from him stood Nyx, tall and still, with violet eyes cutting through the fading light. "You should stop," she said, her voice cool and detached. "One more, and your body will collapse."Lith turned his head toward her, forcing a grin through his weariness. "It's fine. Just look around." He gestured weakly to the square, where children were laughing, women were weeping with relief, and men clapped each other's shoulders. "Everyone's smiling again. I never thought my gift could bring this much joy."Nyx's reply was as sharp as frost. "You are li