So the overarching theme here appears to be "does/should your talent/blessing define you?"

Ruti and Ares are the negative examples of this, being unwilling (or unknowing) slaves of their expected roles, while Red and Rit took the self gratification route and appears happier for it.

I'm afraid I'd fall more on the 'bad' side of this debate, essentially calling Red selfish and negligent to not return to the party trying to save the world now that he knows the gaping hole he left, just so he can keep playing house in the boondocks. This is young adult fiction, so I certainly expect the morality to be framed as it was, but it is sad, when I take a step back, to imagine such power/responsibility being in the hands of practical children. Not like this is the first time anime has given the big middle finger to societal expectations, but the attitude in this series towards it feels frivolous considering what's supposedly at stake.