Gold Roland's Choice and the Stars' Guidance

The Imperial Capital's early morning still held a trace of the night's lingering chill. Leon, having just finished Captain Hans's latest near-brutal morning training, dragged his nearly falling-apart body back to Count Strauss's Mansion. Just as he was about to collapse onto his bed, a butler with a solemn expression appeared before him, holding a metal letter box sealed with magic runes.

"Young Master Leon, the Hohenzollern Family from the Northern Territory has sent a letter and item via expedited magical transmission. You need to personally sign for and inspect them." The butler's voice was as steady as ever, but his eyes held a subtle scrutiny. An urgent letter from the Northern Territory, at this sensitive time, always sparked speculation.

Leon's heart leaped! It's here! He suppressed his excitement, doing his best to maintain a weary and indifferent expression, and took the letter box. He casually signed his somewhat sloppy name in the receiving log.

"Understood." He waved his hand, dismissing the butler, and then practically rushed back to his room, locking the door behind him.

Leaning against the cold door panel, Leon took several deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He carefully examined the magical seal on the letter box—it was the Hohenzollern Family's unique mark, intact. He channeled the meager Battle Qi within him (though shallow, it was enough to break this non-combat family communication seal) and gently touched it.

"Click." With a soft sound, the letter box opened.

Inside, three items were neatly arranged: two letters sealed with wax, and a shimmering crystal card bearing the Hohenzollern Family's lion crest and the Star Radiance Merchant Guild's mark.

Leon picked up the crystal card first. This was a common anonymous magic stored-value card used by the Empire's major merchant guilds, allowing cash withdrawal or large transactions at designated guild outlets via a special magic array. The card felt warm to the touch, its edges marked with subtle magical patterns indicating the amount—three hundred Gold Roland!

Three hundred! Although it was a discount from the five hundred he had requested, it was still a colossal sum! Enough to solve his immediate crisis, and even leave him with a surplus!

Joy instantly overwhelmed Leon! He clutched the crystal card tightly, its cool touch grounding him immensely. With this money, he wouldn't have to worry about Elisa's gift anymore, nor would he have to fear embarrassing himself at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony! More importantly, his secretly planned "newspaper project" now had sufficient startup capital!

After his excitement subsided, he forced himself to calm down and picked up the two letters. One wax seal bore his mother Madame Sophia's lily crest, and the other featured his brother Karl's sword emblem.

He opened his mother's letter first. The paper held her familiar, elegant handwriting tinged with worry. Madame Sophia, as always, expressed her deep concern, reminding him to take care of himself in the ever-changing Imperial Capital weather, to listen to Aunt Margaret, and to get along well with Elisa... Regarding the money, she vaguely stated that the family had done their best, hoping he would "use it prudently and not disappoint the elders' expectations," her words filled with maternal affection and helpless support. At the end of the letter, she secretly added that his grandmother had sent some specialty preserves from the Northern Territory, which would be sent with the next batch of supplies.

Reading his mother's letter, a complex warmth and a twinge of guilt welled up in Leon's heart. He could imagine how his mother must have argued for him in front of his father. This unconditional love was a rare warmth in his cold world, yet it also felt like a chain, reminding him of the responsibilities on his shoulders.

Putting down his mother's letter, he took a deep breath and opened his brother Karl's letter. Karl's handwriting was bold and powerful, each character imbued with undeniable force. The letter was concise:

First, it clearly stated that three hundred Gold Roland had been allocated and deposited into the merchant guild crystal card, designated for "expenses related to betrothal ceremonies," with the family's guild manager overseeing its usage. This meant his difficulty in diverting a large portion of the funds for the "newspaper" had increased.

Second, it sternly warned that this was the last time such a substantial sum would be provided for his personal affairs, and any unreasonable demands or misuse of funds would be severely punished.

Finally, it mentioned the Metternich incident, affirming Aunt Margaret's handling of the situation and advising him to "not provoke trouble, but also not fear challenges," emphasizing the need for discretion.

At the end of the letter was only Karl von Hohenzollern's cold signature, without a single word of greeting. Oh, wait, below the signature were two almost imperceptible characters: "Take care."

Leon held the letter and remained silent for a long time. Karl's attitude was within his expectations. His brother was like the ice mountains of the Northern Territory, outwardly cold and stern, but perhaps deep down, a trace of twisted concern for his blood relative remained. These three hundred Gold Roland and this warning letter were the most direct manifestations of this complex emotion.

"It's enough... for now, it's enough." Leon carefully put away both letters and tucked the heavy crystal card inside his clothes. The family's response had solved his crisis but also tightened the reins on him. He had to tread even more carefully with every step.

Now, the top priority was the gift!

He immediately locked the drab, ten Gold Roland "broken bracelet" into the deepest part of a hidden compartment, deciding to temporarily forget this "disgrace." Then, he began to re-plan.

With the "earmarked funds" of three hundred Gold Roland, his options had greatly expanded. He recalled Elisa's preferences (practical, helpful for magic, not troublesome) and the side profile of her looking up at the starry sky.

"Stars... the moon... magic..." he muttered to himself.

A top-tier tranquility gem or an Elemental Crystal? Safe, but lacking surprise, and easily duplicated by others' gifts.

He needed something that was both aesthetically pleasing to nobility, valuable, and could touch upon what Elisa truly cared about (magic cultivation). Ideally, it would also relate to stars or the moon, subtly matching her temperament.

In the following days, Leon, under the guise of "choosing a gift for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony," openly frequented the Imperial Capital's top jewelry stores, magic item auction houses, and the Star Radiance Merchant Guild's curiosity exhibition halls. This time, he felt much more confident, and his gaze was more discerning.

He no longer just looked at the price and dazzling appearance, but focused more on the item's magical energy, historical background, and unique meaning. He even utilized a bit of the newly established information network of the idle rich to inquire if any special treasures related to Star Magic had appeared recently.

His efforts paid off. At a small internal appraisal event hosted by the Star Radiance Merchant Guild, an item caught Leon's attention.

It was a brooch named "Starlight Sapphire." The main stone was a deep, night-sky blue sapphire weighing fifteen carats. Unusually, within the gem, countless tiny inclusions resembling stardust had naturally formed. Under specific lighting, they refracted into a brilliant glow like countless stars. Even more wonderfully, this gem was said to originate from the Eternal Night Mountains in the far north, having been constantly bathed in the power of the Stars. It had been treated by a master enchanter, enabling it to weakly gather ambient free Magic Power. Long-term wear offered subtle auxiliary effects for a Mage's meditation and Spiritual Power stabilization.

It wasn't as conspicuous as offensive or powerful magic items, and its auxiliary effects were relatively mild, not interfering with a Mage's own cultivation rhythm, perfectly fitting Elisa's requirement of "practical and not troublesome." Its deep, star-like beauty and subtle magical enhancement perfectly matched her temperament and pursuits. Furthermore, the brooch's design was elegantly simple, not overly ornate or gaudy, suitable for everyday wear.

Of course, the price was also "beautiful"—the guild's quote was two hundred and eighty Gold Roland! It nearly depleted his "earmarked funds"!

Leon hesitated very little. This was it!

This gift was valuable enough to showcase the Hohenzollern Family's importance, its meaning was profound and catered to her preferences, and its design was understated yet elegant, fulfilling almost all his requirements! Although the price pained him, thinking about its effect made Leon feel it was worth the money!

He utilized the family's guild supervision channel (which perfectly fit the "designated use"), and after some bargaining (mostly for the guild manager's benefit, to show he was "being frugal"), he finally purchased the "Starlight Sapphire" brooch for two hundred and seventy-five Gold Roland.

As the exquisite wooden box lined with black velvet, containing the brooch, was handed to Leon, he let out a long sigh of relief. The biggest stone weighing on his heart had finally been lifted.

The crisis of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was temporarily resolved.

The remaining twenty-five Gold Roland would be used for customizing a matching formal outfit and handling some necessary expenses. As for the "newspaper" plan, he would have to find ways to squeeze it in elsewhere, or wait for the next "income."

Holding the cool, brilliant gem brooch in his hand, Leon's gaze drifted to the distant sky outside the window.

The gift was merely an entry ticket. The real challenge lay after the banquet. He needed to use this brief respite to accelerate his plans. The information network needed to be further woven, magic studies had to be conducted in secret, and that mysterious bracelet... perhaps it was time to find an opportunity to appraise it with more professional methods?

The road ahead was still long, but at least, through his own efforts (though mostly by writing letters for money), he had overcome an immediate hurdle. This faint sense of capability made the flame of his desire for change burn even brighter.

Elisa's Coming-of-Age Ceremony would be his true stage to bid farewell to the past and step into an unknown future. And he had already obtained his ticket to perform.