Night had fallen deep, and the Count's Mansion was once again wrapped in the quiet protected by magic. Leon finished a day of punishing physical training and Spiritual Power meditation, then slipped into Elisa's room again like a thief, his body weary but filled with a strange sense of satisfaction. He knew the way by now.
The air was filled with that familiar, crisp fragrance, cool yet soothing: Breath of Serenity. As if imbued with magic, it quickly calmed his nerves, stirred by the intense training, and eased his aching muscles. Elisa was already lying in bed, still facing away from the door. She seemed to be asleep, breathing evenly and deeply.
Leon quietly took off his outer robe and climbed into the soft bed. Then, out of habit, and with a hint of dependence he couldn't quite explain, he slowly pressed close to her from behind. Carefully, he slipped an arm around her slender waist and buried his face in her fragrant hair.
As usual, Elisa's body stiffened almost imperceptibly the instant he touched her, but soon relaxed again. She neither resisted nor responded, as if accepting the presence of this human body pillow. It had almost become a strange, unspoken understanding between them.
Tonight, however, Leon wasn't thinking only of using her soothing aura to speed up his meditation or simply help him sleep. The two hundred Gold Roland he'd successfully wheedled out of Aunt Margaret that day sat in his mind like a hot stone, keeping him from fully relaxing. He had the money now, but what should he give her?
In the original owner's memories, there was almost nothing about Elisa's preferences. He knew only that she was obsessed with magic, had a cool disposition, and liked quiet. He had no idea what colors she liked, what styles of jewelry she preferred, or what kinds of magical items interested her. The things the original owner had given her before were either ordinary jewelry chosen without much thought, which Elisa usually put away and never wore, or things he thought romantic but that were hopelessly tacky, like spelling out her name with magical fireworks. He had never truly chosen something to suit her tastes.
This time was different. This Coming-of-Age Ceremony mattered a great deal. The gift would affect not only his own reputation but both families, and might even affect the fragile, delicate relationship between him and Elisa. He had to choose carefully.
But whom could he ask? Fili and his pack of drinking buddies? Their taste was even worse than the original owner's. Aunt Margaret? Though she'd suggested asking Elisa to help him choose, she had meant the gift's value and magical properties, not Elisa's personal preferences. And directly asking Elisa, "What do you like?" seemed too insincere, too... calculating.
Perhaps... this was his chance?
In this private space, with only the two of them, the night deep around them and their breaths mingling, in this strange atmosphere between intimacy and distance, would bringing it up casually feel more natural?
Leon's heart began to beat faster, caught between nerves and the curiosity of testing their boundaries. He took a deep breath, filling his nose with that calming, cool fragrance, then gathered his courage and whispered in Elisa's ear, his voice barely audible and blurred with sleep.
"Elisa... are you asleep?"
The body in his arms didn't move, and her breathing remained steady. Just as Leon thought she really was asleep and was about to give up, Elisa's cool voice sounded softly, tinged with displeasure at being disturbed. "What is it?"
She was awake! Leon perked up and quickly adjusted his tone, trying to sound as if he were making idle conversation rather than angling for something. "Nothing... I just suddenly remembered that your Coming-of-Age Ceremony is next month..."
Elisa didn't answer, waiting for him to continue. Silence spread through the darkness, carrying an invisible pressure.
Leon swallowed and continued cautiously. "I was wondering... what kind of gift I should get you... You didn't seem to like the things I gave you before..." He let a trace of "regret" and "confusion" show in his voice.
This time, Elisa was silent for a little longer. Just as Leon thought she wouldn't respond to the subject again, she suddenly spoke. Her voice was still flat, but her words were like a pebble dropped into a still lake. "The gift doesn't matter. It's only a formality."
It was a typical Elisa answer. Leon had expected it, but he wasn't discouraged. He drew his arm a little tighter, bringing them closer so he could feel her warmth and that wonderful, calming aura more clearly. Then he spoke in a tone that held a touch of "hurt" and "sincerity."
"But... this time is different. It's your Coming-of-Age Ceremony. And... I want to give you something you truly like." He paused, then added, as if he had to summon all his resolve, "I don't want to just give you something thoughtlessly, like I did before."
That was half true and half false. He truly wanted to change, but practical considerations played a part, too. Yet in this moment, spoken as it was, his words carried a rare sincerity.
In the darkness, Leon could feel Elisa's breathing pause for the briefest instant. She still didn't turn around, but he could "feel" that she was listening.
Seizing the moment, he asked in an even softer voice, almost a whisper. "So... Elisa, could you... tell me just a little about what you like? Like... what colors? Or what kinds of magical items interest you?"
After asking, Leon held his breath, nervously awaiting her answer. It was the first time he'd tried so directly to learn what Elisa liked, and in such a private setting.
Second by second, Elisa remained silent. Leon's heart sank. He must have been too abrupt after all... Just as he was about to give up and laugh it off, Elisa moved ever so slightly. She didn't turn around, but buried her head a little deeper in the pillow, as if avoiding his breath. Then, in a voice barely audible, she murmured a few words.
"...Purple. Quiet. Useful."
Purple? Leon immediately thought of her distinctive violet eyes and the amethyst necklace Victor had given her. So she really did prefer that color? Quiet? Did she mean she disliked noisy, flashy things? Useful... That was broad, but for a mage, "useful" probably meant a magical item that could aid her training and improve her abilities.
Those three short words were like a beacon in the darkness, showing Leon the way! At least he wasn't completely clueless anymore!
"Purple... quiet... useful..." Leon repeated softly, as if carefully weighing the meaning of each word. Then he spoke with a hint of "realization" and "gratitude." "I understand... Thank you for telling me."
Elisa didn't answer again, as if she had no intention of continuing the conversation.
But Leon was excited by this little "breakthrough." He couldn't help leaning forward just a little more, his nose almost touching the skin at the back of her neck, where her cool fragrance was strongest. Almost without thinking, and with a hint of coaxing, he whispered, "I'll make sure to prepare something... that you'll truly like."
This time, Elisa's body stiffened noticeably. Then she abruptly shifted toward the other side of the bed, widening the distance between them. Her voice carried unmistakable coldness and the clear intent to send him away. "It's late. Go to sleep."
Leon froze, realizing he'd gotten carried away and come too close, crossing that invisible boundary. He hastily answered, a little sheepishly. "Oh... okay. Sleep." Then he obediently moved back to where he had been, not daring to move again.
Silence settled over the room once more. But the atmosphere had changed in some subtle way. Leon's heart was still beating fast, but no longer from nerves. Now he felt the smug satisfaction of having a plan—and... a warmth he couldn't quite put into words. Though there had been a small hiccup, he had at least gotten some crucial information. And Elisa had been willing to tell him, even if only a few words. Did that mean... she wasn't entirely closed off to him?
He closed his eyes and began to meditate. With Elisa's Breath of Serenity to help him, he slipped into the proper state quickly. His mental nebula turned slowly, several times more smoothly than when he meditated alone. This time, as he sensed the faint points of elemental light around him, he made a special effort to "focus" on those pale violet ones, which represented unknown, rare elements—perhaps of astral or mental affinity. They seemed... more elusive and harder to catch than the others, yet they had a mysterious, profound beauty.
"Purple... quiet... useful..." Leon repeated to himself. A purple, understated gift with a practical magical effect. That narrowed down the options considerably. Perhaps a piece of amethyst jewelry enchanted with Serenity Spell or Mental Focus? Or an ancient manuscript on some obscure purple-aligned magic, such as Astral Magic or Mind Magic? The latter might be far beyond his budget and abilities, but at least he had a direction to work toward.
As his meditation deepened, weariness washed over him again, and Leon's awareness gradually blurred. Just before he fell asleep, he vaguely felt that Elisa, in his arms, seemed... less tense than she had at first. Or was it only his imagination?
Whatever the case, this night seemed different because of those whispered words by the pillow and those three key words. The gift was no longer merely a task to complete. It had become a bridge, a faint and hidden link between two lonely souls forced together.
And at the other end of the bridge, the frozen continent called Eliza Windsor seemed to have cracked open by the tiniest, almost imperceptible sliver. At least, that was what Leon hoped. Carrying that small hope and his clear "shopping guide," he fell into a deep sleep. In his dreams, violets seemed to bloom quietly.
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