Chương 46: ANNOUNCEMENT

Elias held the fragile smile on his face, the festive sounds of the party now a dull hum in his ears. Elara returned to her seat, her hand still lingering on his shoulder for a moment. He had managed to sell the lie, and a small part of him felt a pang of guilt for doing so. But the turmoil of his past had given way to a quiet, focused determination. His new path was clear, a purpose to anchor his fractured self. The celebratory mood of the hall was a beautiful stage upon which he was forced to play a role.

Just then, he noticed a small, intricate pinky ring among the gifts. He was told that it was a gift from Roric's daughter, with Roric himself providing the meat for their feast. It was a simple silver band with a small, carved to look like the interlocking rings of a chain. For some reason, he found it... cute.

"I like this ring," he said, putting it on and admiring its design. It was then that he noticed his parents whispering and Aina's eyes narrow at his comment. His father's head was nodding vigorously. He looked at the ring suspiciously.

'Arranged marriage?' The thought was quickly dismissed. Surely they wouldn't do that to their seven-year-old son. Right? In any case, he'd thank her for it the next time they met. Aina approached him then, her sharp gaze softening a bit. In her hands, she held a leaf blade dagger. The blade was a seamless stretch of white jade that seemed to be luminicent, its edges a whisper of sharpness. It was inlaid with intricate designs that resembled clouds and seemed to shimmer with a faint, internal light.

It had a vertical ring that formed from the bulge of its sides just above the hilt that served as the cross guard and within it was a round ruby that seemed to glow with reflected light. The moment Elias touched the blade, it cut him. Not deeply but just a scratch.

"Hey, careful." Aina scolded. Elias looked at his finger which was already starting to close up and heal. He looked at the blade reluctantly then took it again but this time it didn't cut him. The Ruby at its center seemed to glow a little brighter as if flowing liquid was in it then dimmed. Aina sized him up for a moment as he looked at the dagger.

"Elias, this is a gift from our family," Aina said, her voice clear and carrying a note of pride.

"What did we learn about artifacts?" she asked.

'Even on my birthday I'm not safe,' Elias thought with an internal groan. He feigned a smile and answered.

"An artifact is a tool of power. In our world, we grade artifacts on a scale of seven to one in relation to the seven stages on the Ladder of Ascension, with seven being the lowest and one the highest, each one having characteristics. That is the resedual essence of the beast from which it was made whuch fits into the four Trait Classes and rarely an Anomaly." Aina nodded in satisfaction while his parents applauded.

"This dagger is a Grade 5 artifact, a tool for a 'Saint' of the Existential Class. Its purpose is unique: it causes a wound that drains Flow from the target. The more Flow is absorbed into the wound, the deeper and more severe the wound becomes. It is called the Jade Fang." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Elias's eyes widened.

'A weapon? For a Seven-year-old?' His mind reeled at the thought, a child's natural wonder mixing with the calculating analysis of his past self. He took the dagger, its weight slightly heavy, yet surprisingly balanced and right in his hands. He felt a profound sense of gratitude that had nothing to do with a simple gift and everything to do with a shield.

'This is definately something that can kill me.' He found himself wondering if he could somehow 'edit' the dagger with his Resonant to make sure it didnt fail, a thought that made his heart pound with a newfound excitement. He remembered his promise to stay alive for a little while for the sake of his parents and his excitment faltered. Next came the gift from his uncle, Ortis, which his mother presented with a slight frown, no doubt still thinking about the letter Alaric had received.

It was a book bound in a strange, unidentifiable material, its cover a deep, shifting velvet texture. It had no title, no markings. When Elias took it, he could feel a faint hum of energy emanating from it.

"Your uncle sends his regards," Elara said, her tone a mix of love for him and annoyance at her brother.

"He said this book is going to help you in your studies." Elias's eyes scanned the blank, unmarred pages. To anyone else, it was just an empty book. But his keen Flow Perception felt the depth of its energy. It was a Grade 4 artifact. He opened its pages and scanned through them, but they were blank. The more he did, the more he felt the Flow of the book extend, as if it was regenerating more pages. He suspected it had the characteristics of a Cosmic Class Trait that had nigh-infinite pages.

By all means, Aina had written to her father and had probably mentioned his curiosity about the world around him. The gift was an acknowledgement of his potential, all rolled into one. Or, Ortis was too lazy to pick something out and threw him an item he himself didn't need. His mother gave him a pristine dark blue coat with a white fur collar and cuffs. Elias hugged her as thanks, and she patted him on the head.

Finally, after Elias had gone through all his gifts, Alaric stood up, his booming voice cutting through the hall's festive chatter. A hush fell over the room as he raised a goblet in a toast.

"To my son, Elias, on his fourth birthday! May he grow to be a man worthy of his lineage, a pillar of strength and honor for the Dukker family!" Everyone present echoed the cheer, raising their own glasses in a torrent of good wishes. When the noise died down, Lord Alaric continued, his voice more serious.

"As many of you know, the Dukker family has a long and storied history of Flow-wielders. We do not rest on the laurels of our past, but build upon them. We believe in preparing our young to become masters of their own destiny, to seize opportunity, and to secure our legacy." He then turned his gaze directly to Elias, his expression proud and firm.

"Son, you are no longer a babe in the woods. You are Seven years old today, a milestone of great importance. You have begun your basic training, but now, a new chapter begins. It is time to prepare for your Rite Of Passage."

'Huh?'