Stardust Bracelet and Hidden Resonance

Clutching the two hundred Gold Rolands his Aunt Margaret had given him, Leon felt his back straighten considerably, as if he had gained an invisible layer of confidence. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, he couldn't wait to leave Count Strauss's Mansion. With that "fortune" in hand, he headed straight for the headquarters of the "Star Radiance Merchant Guild," renowned for its excellent reputation and high-quality goods, located in the heart of the Imperial Capital's commercial district.

The Star Radiance Merchant Guild's building was exceptionally grand. Its massive archway was carved from a single block of white magic stone, inlaid with countless tiny magic crystals that formed a vast celestial map, emitting a soft glow even in daylight. The interior was spacious, with floors so polished they reflected light. Attendants in matching silver-gray uniforms moved silently, their demeanor elegant. The air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood and magical incense, creating a tranquil and solemn atmosphere. Leon presented Aunt Margaret's credentials. After a careful inspection by a sharp-eyed old steward and a tedious registration process, he finally received two hundred brand-new Gold Rolands in a heavily guarded inner hall. They were crisp, with sharp edges, and gleamed with an alluring golden luster. He carefully placed the coins into a pre-prepared, unremarkable old leather pouch and tucked it close to his body, finally feeling a sense of relief.

Without any delay, he immediately immersed himself in the Imperial Capital's largest and most famous trading center for magic materials and rare artifacts—Starlight Plaza.

It was less a plaza and more a magical item labyrinth, composed of countless intersecting streets, densely packed shops, and a myriad of stalls. As soon as he stepped onto the plaza's edge, a cacophony of sounds and a complex mix of smells assaulted him. The fresh scent of herbs, the earthy smell of minerals, the gamey odor of monster materials, the strange smells from various magic potions, the din of human voices, the arguments of haggling, the loud cries of vendors, and the occasional subtle magical fluctuations caused by unstable items... all of it blended together, creating a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere. Mages in robes of various colors, adventurers with weapons slung over their shoulders, shrewd merchants, servants sent by noble families to procure goods... a constant stream of people flowed through.

Leon took a deep breath, suppressing his slight apprehension, and merged into the bustling crowd. His objective was clear: to find a gift for Elisa that matched her criteria of "purple, quiet, and useful," was related to stars or the moon, could genuinely aid her magical cultivation, and ideally, was one-of-a-kind. These were not low standards, especially within his limited budget.

He first chose to visit the large shops with grand facades and luxurious decor, which appeared to be reputable. These places had good merchandise, but their prices were often prohibitive.

In a luxurious shop called "Heart of Elements," a smiling clerk in a velvet vest enthusiastically showed him a silver brooch inlaid with a "Moonstone." The Moonstone lived up to its name, emitting a soft, moon-like glow. The clerk spoke eloquently about how it could calm the mind and aid meditation, making it an excellent gift for a female mage. However, when Leon focused his half-baked magical senses to investigate, he found the magical fluctuations within the stone to be almost negligible. It was more of a decorative item with a mild soothing effect, yet it was priced at eighty Gold Rolands. Leon inwardly shook his head; it was far from the "magical artifact" that could truly enhance power, as he had imagined.

He then entered a more high-end establishment, the "Arcane Marvel Pavilion." The items displayed here were bizarre and their energy fluctuations were significantly stronger. The prices on the tags made Leon's eyes twitch. An "Ice Soul Crystal," said to be from beneath the permafrost of the extreme north and containing pure frost power, caught his attention. The crystal was transparent and emitted a visible chill, making one feel invigorated upon approaching it. However, the experienced shop assistant frankly informed him that this Ice Soul Crystal was more suitable for ice mages to instantly enhance the power of specific spells. For a mage like Elisa, whose research focused more on elemental form changes and pursued precision control and theoretical depth, such volatile energy might be counterproductive. Furthermore, its power would rapidly diminish with each use. Price: one hundred and twenty Gold Rolands. Leon gave up again. Not only might this item be impractical, but it also sounded like a disposable consumable, failing to meet the "quiet and useful" criteria.

He still inquired about "Moon Shadow Gauze" with lingering hope. After asking at several large silk shops and stores specializing in magical fabrics, the shopkeepers either claimed to have only heard of it as a legendary material or presented imitations (woven from Moonlight Butterfly Silk mixed with Mithril Silk, which had a faint luster and magical affinity, but far from the legendary "flowing like moonlight, concealing one's tracks" magical effect). The prices for these imitations were still as high as a hundred Gold Rolands.

The morning passed quickly amidst this constant cycle of hope and disappointment. Leon gradually realized a harsh reality: truly good items, magical objects with unique effects suitable for Elisa, were either already reserved and collected by powerful nobles, top mages, or major organizations, or they simply wouldn't appear in these regularly priced, public shops. They might circulate in more clandestine circles, private auctions, or require special connections and luck to encounter.

The Gold Rolands in his pocket seemed to grow hot. Was he really going to settle for a decent quality but uninspired Tranquil Amethyst or Elemental Crystal? While safe and foolproof, it would offer no surprises and certainly wouldn't reflect the effort he put into trying to "cater to her tastes." This would completely fail to achieve the effect he desired: improving their relationship, or even leaving a deep impression.

Unwilling to give up, Leon began to shift his gaze towards the stalls and small shops that appeared more chaotic and had a more "streetwise" feel, located at the edges of the plaza or deep within alleyways. The environment here was noticeably noisier and more disorganized. The stall owners had more varied appearances; some had eyes as sharp as demons, others bore the weariness and vigilance characteristic of adventurers, and a few even carried faint traces of blood or strange cursed auras.

In front of a stall filled with various bizarre-looking, dirt-covered ores and dried plant roots, Leon's attention was drawn to an inconspicuous, dark, and unremarkable stone. The stone's surface was covered in honeycomb-like holes, and its appearance was poor. However, at a certain angle under the sunlight, an extremely faint, multicolored stream of light seemed to flash from within the holes, vanishing in an instant.

"Boss, how much for this?" Leon squatted down, picked up the stone, and weighed it. Its feel was unexpectedly smooth and warm, not as rough and abrasive as it looked.

The stall owner, a short figure wrapped in a dirty gray cloak, his face obscured, spoke in a voice as hoarse as sandpaper: "Kid, you've got an eye for it! This is a 'Star Remnant.' Legend has it that it's the unburnt core of a fallen star, containing the primordial power of the Stars! Since you recognize its value, I'll give it to you for thirty Gold Rolands, a firm price!"

Star Remnant? The name sounded mysterious. Leon tried to concentrate his senses. He could indeed feel an extremely subtle energy fluctuation within the stone, entirely different in nature from the earth, water, fire, and wind elements he had perceived before. It carried an ancient, dormant quality. But he couldn't determine if it was a genuine celestial artifact or just a rare mineral that the stall owner was hyping up. Thirty Gold Rolands was not a small sum; he didn't dare to take such a risk lightly.

"Too expensive. And who knows if it's real? It might just be a burnt Volcanic Stone." Leon put the stone down, feigning disdain, and shook his head, preparing to leave.

"Hey! You don't know real goods!" the stall owner grumbled discontentedly and paid him no further attention.

Leon continued to weave through the cluttered market. He stopped at a stall piled high with various old, even damaged books, scrolls, and parchments. He hoped to find some obscure notes or fragments about Star Magic, Moon Rituals, or Ancient Magic Theory. Even just a few words, if valuable, might offer some inspiration to Elisa, who was obsessed with magical research. He patiently flipped through several books. Most of the content was shallow, or written in completely incomprehensible, long-lost ancient script, like a heavenly book. Just as he was about to leave in disappointment, his peripheral vision caught sight of a thick, large volume wrapped in black, unknown beast hide, with no title on the cover, tucked away in the farthest corner of the stall. The edges of the pages were severely yellowed and curled, with even signs of insect damage, indicating it was extremely old.

He picked it up as if possessed. It felt heavy in his hands. Opening the pages, he found a script he had never seen before, composed of twisted lines and strange symbols, accompanied by diagrams that looked like star charts, orbital paths, and complex human energy circulation patterns, exuding an aura of mystery. He couldn't understand a single character. But as his finger accidentally brushed across a particularly complex star map on a page, with a vortex-like center, the peculiar magic within his body, dormant since his transmigration, actually stirred with an extremely faint tremor!

The sensation was fleeting, so faint it felt like an illusion! But Leon's heart leaped! His magic was reacting to this book?

"Boss, this book... what's it about?" Leon suppressed his excitement, trying to keep his tone calm, even casual.

The stall owner, an old man with gray hair and thick crystal glasses, was engrossed in mending a tattered herb guide. He looked up when he heard Leon, glanced at the black-skinned book in Leon's hand, and said lazily, "That? Dug it out of a collapsed ancient tomb near the southern swamps. Bought it along with a pile of junk. Nobody can read the script, and the drawings are gibberish. Been sitting here for over half a year. If you're interested, five Silver Crowns and it's yours."

Five Silver Crowns? It was practically being given away! Leon's heart pounded faster. But his remaining reason told him that a book the stall owner considered "junk" and no one could decipher was most likely worthless. That tremor was probably just a coincidence, or perhaps a faint residual energy from the book's special material. Moreover, even if the book held a secret, he wouldn't be able to crack it anytime soon. More importantly, presenting an unknown, tattered, completely indecipherable tome at Elisa's coming-of-age ceremony? That would be even more absurd and impolite than giving a gaudy piece of jewelry.

He held the book, his mind in turmoil for a long time, his fingers tracing the rough beast-hide cover. That faint tremor seemed to linger on his fingertips. Finally, he took a deep breath and placed the book back. "Forget it, it's useless if I can't read it." He said, feigning nonchalance, then turned and left, daring not to look back, for fear of changing his mind.

By the time Leon had almost scoured every possible area of Starlight Plaza, and the setting sun began to paint the sky in hues of orange and red, his legs felt like lead, and his heart was filled with exhaustion and frustration. Two hundred Gold Rolands seemed like a lot, but in this world of magical items brimming with true mystery, it felt so powerless. He couldn't even buy a gift that he himself was satisfied with, let alone one that suited Elisa's taste. Was he destined to compromise?

He stood at the entrance of a relatively secluded alleyway on the edge of the plaza, watching the magical lamps light up on the main thoroughfare and the still bustling crowd. He was preparing to head back and try his luck at the largest jewelry stores tomorrow. Just as he turned to leave, his gaze was drawn to an extremely inconspicuous stall deep within the alley.

The stall was pitifully shabby, lacking even a proper storefront. It was simply set up under a protruding eave, with a faded, worn-out dark blue cloth spread on the ground. A few items were sparsely laid out on it: several dull, lusterless raw crystal stones, some crudely carved wooden amulets that looked handmade, and a couple of old booklets with blurred covers. What caught Leon's eye was an object placed in the corner of the cloth—a dull, unremarkable silver-white metal bracelet.

The bracelet's design was extremely simple, with no patterns or carvings, just a smooth circle. Its color was dim, as if coated with a thick layer of dust. What attracted Leon was not the bracelet's appearance itself, but the fact that when his gaze accidentally fell upon it, the peculiar magic within his body, which had been dormant, stirred once again! And this time, it was far clearer and more sustained than when he had sensed the black-skinned book! It was as if a small pebble had been tossed into a sleeping lake, creating clear, visible ripples!

This time, it was definitely not an illusion!

Leon's heart instantly leaped into his throat. He could almost hear the sound of his blood accelerating. Suppressing his excitement, he pretended to be casually browsing and walked over quickly.