"The prayers will start in one hour, after that the pope will oversee the Blessings Ceremony, Till then..." The director said as he stopped walking and looked at us who were following him.
"Behave, or you will face the consequences." He said in a dangerously low voice as we shivered before nodding, "Now then, I have some stuff to do. Don't wander around." He said before leaving us and started walking and...
'Wait, did no one noticed?' I asked myself, looking at the man who just... Pickpocketed the director.
It was strange, more so as I watch in with eyes when a man in red clothes walked past us, without making a sound as no one beside me even give him a look.
He had a long red coat, trimmed with gold, and a wide hat that covered most of his face.
He looked like he belonged in a book, or maybe a wanted poster as he walked without making a sound as he soon reached Director before walking past him with quick but unhurried steps.
And in that one blink, it was done.
His hand just lightly grazed against the director's side from what I could see and just like that, it was gone.
The rings on the director's fingers, simply vanished and so did his golden chain slipped off without a sound.
His wallet? It too disappeared only to be in the hands of that man and as for the director, he didn't even flinch not did he feel a thing when that happened.
Not one of the adults around noticed... Except for me as the Director was robbed clean.
But suddenly, the man in red glanced back at me, probably because he saw me staring at him.
And then… he smiled at me before he adjusted his hat, turned the corner, and vanished into the crowd like he was never there.
I blinked once, then twice before looking around for that man but didn't saw him again.
Did that just happen? In such a crowd? In a cathedral no less. 'Wait… did no one really notice what he just did?' I thought looking around and indeed no one was alarmed about what just happened.
Who was that guy?
.
.
.
For a while, I kept looking around for that person but since I wasn't able to find him.
I gave up on that as it was time for prayers, as the pope finally made an appearance in all that cheers and excitement, through he was just an old man, too much of an old guy infact.
Anyways, after the prayers, it was time for Blessings Ceremony and even the director, who finally realised that he had been robbed, escorted us with a smile.
Anyways, after that, we were escorted inside the cathedral which was as big as it looked from outside, able to have tens of thousands at a time...
Just the ceiling was so high that one could only dream of reaching and even through there were close to a million child here for ceremony so there were many different batches waiting for thier turn, so the ceremony gonna last entire day.
Anyways, after that, we were escorted to a the main hall where the Pope was waiting in the center for us.
All around us were gaint statues, belonging to different gods, from God of Fire Agni, To God of War and even God of Crafting... They were all here.
Moreover, the statues... It felt as if they were looking at us... Am I hallucinating or is it gods?
"Children of this land," Pope suddenly said adjusting his long white robe adored with beautiful golden pattern, as we all suddenly looked at him.
"Today, you stand before the gods. Today, you shall receive their gaze… and perhaps, their favor." He said Raising the long staff in his hand, a staff which looked as old as this building itself.
"Prepare yourselves," the Pope said, lowering his staff to the floor with a soft clink. "Your souls will be seen." He said as we all went in kneeling pose almost instinctively.
Not because anyone told us to or we were forced, but because... Someone ancient, something divine was watching us... In front of that force which was godly, everyone almost kneeled down on instinct.
[You Have recieved Bronze Rank:- 'Low Level Fire Blessing'.]
[You Have recieved Bronze Rank:- 'Low Level Water Blessing'.]
[You Have recieved Bronze Rank:- 'Low Level Wind Blessing'.]
[You Have recieved Bronze Rank:- 'Low Level Earth Blessing'.]
Did I hear something? Well, i don't know but I did feel that something inside me changing. Was it the effect of blessings? I wonder what kind of blessing I recieved.
"You can stand." The voice of Old Pope echoed throughout the room as opened our eyes, "Until next time...." Till the end, the pope never showed a single expression on his face.
He said as we all turned around to leave, as I gave one last look back at the Pope and Gods before leaving as... 'I really want to know what kind of blessings I received.' I thought to myself.
You can know the type of blessing you received either instinctively, with time or with the help of a mage or knight who can send thier mana to check how the mana would react.
You can either keep it a secret, the type of blessing you received or not but being orphans, it's better to try and get sponsers from big rich households so it's better to show your talent rather than hiding it and-
"Hey kid,"
"Whaa?!" I suddenly exclaimed, as I stopped and looked around, before I know it, I was in an unknown pathway.
Where is everyone who were in my batch? What am I doing here or how am I even here? I don't know but...
"Y-You?!" I said,looking at the man in rod coat, who was standing against a pillar with his eyes closed waved at me.
"You are that thief!!"