The Imperial Capital, Windsor Family Residence. Unlike the Hohenzollern Family's Northern Frontier fortress style, the Windsor residence was more luxurious, refined, and opulent. Its interior was not dominated by the austere lines of a military stronghold, but instead brimmed with artistic curves. Priceless works of art could be seen everywhere, along with silk tapestries from the East and magical lamps cleverly set into the walls and ceilings to provide a steady light. The air was scented with the delicate fragrance of rare spices. The servants were impeccably dressed and moved in silence, everything proclaiming the family's status as the "Empire's God of Wealth."
But in recent days, the usual serenity of Windsor Manor had given way to a tense, orderly bustle. The servants hurried about, and the steward's voice could often be heard in the corridors as he confirmed various arrangements. The enormous banquet hall was being redecorated, the silverware polished until it shone like a mirror, and wagonloads of the freshest flowers ordered from the royal gardens were arriving. Everything was being prepared for the momentous event to come—the eighteenth Coming-of-Age Ceremony of one of the family's most outstanding daughters, Elisa von Windsor.
In the private study in the manor's west wing, reserved for the family's heirs, Victor von Windsor had just concluded a lengthy meeting with the family's chief steward. He had taken off his smart military uniform jacket and now wore only a neatly pressed white silk shirt, its collar slightly open to reveal his sturdy neck. He rubbed his brow, a trace of exhaustion showing on his face, but his light brown eyes remained sharp as they swept over the banquet schedule, guest seating chart, menu, and gift ledger spread across the desk.
"The guest list has been confirmed. Invitations to the imperial family, the Three Great Dukes, the Eight Great Marquises, and the other important families have all been delivered by magical message or personal courier. We are still tallying the replies, but so far, no major figures have declined," the chief steward reported respectfully. His hair was combed to perfection, and he wore a black formal suit.
"As for security, we've coordinated with the Imperial Capital's garrison and the Ministry of Internal Affairs under Duke Soros, and additional plainclothes personnel have been assigned. I personally adjusted the guards' rotations within the manor to ensure nothing goes wrong," Victor's deputy added, a composed middle-aged knight.
"All the ingredients, wines, and flowers needed for the banquet have been prepared. The crystal grapes from the south and deep-sea bluefin tuna will be delivered by magical cold-chain transport on the morning of the ceremony to ensure they're fresh," the steward in charge of purchasing said next.
Victor listened carefully to each report, occasionally raising questions about the details. "Which section will the Metternich family be seated in? They must be far enough from the Hohenzollern family's table... Review the orchestra's repertoire once more, and remove any pieces that could cause controversy or invite speculation... Lady Elisa's dress and jewelry are to be handled personally by the chief lady-in-waiting. Make sure everything is flawless..."
His mind was meticulous and thorough, displaying a calmness and command beyond his years. This was more than a Coming-of-Age Ceremony; it was an important political and social event, a crucial opportunity for the Windsor Family to display its strength and reinforce its network of relationships. Not a single mistake could be allowed. As the family's future heir, he had to ensure everything was perfect.
But when the discussion of practical matters finally came to a pause and he was left alone in the study, Victor walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed out at the carefully tended garden. The cool composure he wore as the family's heir gradually faded, replaced by a complicated, indescribable melancholy.
His younger sister, Elisa, was coming of age.
The little girl who had followed him everywhere as a child, always wearing a small frown but secretly slipping him healing salve whenever he hurt himself practicing swordsmanship; the genius whose astonishing magical talent had left every elder in the family in awe; the aloof, stubborn girl whose eyes had glimmered as she listened to his stories about knights beneath the stars... In the blink of an eye, she was about to reach a turning point in her life.
For a noblewoman, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was more than a marker of age. It was a clear signal: she was now eligible for marriage and would soon leave her birth family to enter another, beginning a new life.
And Elisa would be joining the Hohenzollern family. She was to marry Leon von Hohenzollern.
Whenever Victor thought of Leon, his brows drew tight and his chest constricted. That dissolute, useless, notorious good-for-nothing! What right did he have? What right did he have to marry his brilliant sister, a jewel among women? Images flashed through Victor's mind: Leon carousing in casinos and taverns, acting arrogantly despite his meager abilities, and, most absurd of all, the scene outside the Knight Academy not long ago, when that idiot had gotten a nosebleed in front of his older sister, Eleanor!
Anger, resentment, and a deep sense of helplessness swept over Victor. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned faintly white. As her brother, how he wished his sister could marry a hero truly worthy of her—a promising young man like Karl Hohenzollern, despite his belonging to an enemy family. Victor could acknowledge his merits. Or at the very least, a decent, ambitious man who could protect and respect her! Not Leon, that useless pile of mud!
The engagement had been arranged years ago by their grandfather and the Old Hohenzollern Marquis. It bound the stability of the Northern Frontier to a union between two military and financial powerhouses; any move threatened to affect everything. Even though the Windsor Family was richer than any other, and Victor was already a High Knight with a limitless future, he could not easily overturn an engagement founded on the interests of both families. All he could do was watch his sister leap into a "pit of fire." That helplessness hurt more than facing the strongest enemy.
"Ah..." A sigh, so faint it was almost inaudible, escaped Victor's lips. He remembered how, when Elisa had been hurt by magical backlash as a child, he had carried her through half the manor in search of a healing mage. He remembered the first time she successfully cast a spell: her face had remained expressionless, but her violet eyes had gleamed. He remembered their father resting a hand on his head and saying, "Victor, you're her older brother. You have to protect her."
But how could he protect her now? It seemed all he could do was prepare the grandest, most splendid Coming-of-Age Ceremony possible within the bounds of the family's power and rules, so everyone would see how much the Windsor Family valued their daughter—and so the Hohenzollerns, and Leon in particular, would not dare slight her. He could prepare the most generous dowry for her wedding, giving her enough leverage in her new home. And in the years to come, he could use the Windsor Family's influence to support her behind the scenes, ready to intervene if she was mistreated...
But in the end, that was all external support. His sister's future happiness would depend, to a great extent, on the unreliable Leon! The thought made Victor's heart ache.
"Brother?" A cool voice sounded from the study doorway.
Victor came to his senses with a start, swiftly hiding his feelings and turning around. His usual composure had already returned to his face. Elisa had appeared at the doorway without him noticing. She wore a simple light-blue dress, her silver hair tied back as usual, and looked at him with calm violet eyes.
"Elisa, what brings you here? The ladies-in-waiting are taking care of the preparations. You just need to get ready," Victor said, trying to make his voice sound light and casual.
"I wanted to see." Elisa walked into the study, her gaze passing over the mountain of papers on the desk. "Is it troublesome?"
"It's fine. Everything's going smoothly." Victor moved to her side and looked at his sister's still, unreadable face, his heart a tangle of emotions. She always seemed so calm, as if she were not a girl on the verge of a major turning point in her life. Was she truly at peace, or was she hiding her feelings deep inside? He hoped it was the latter. At least then, it would mean she cared.
"The gift... Has there been any news from the Hohenzollern family?" Victor hesitated before asking. He already knew through his sources that Leon had bought an expensive Starlight Sapphire brooch from the Star Radiance Merchant Guild, but he wanted to hear his sister's reaction.
Elisa's eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly, but her tone remained flat. "Young Master Leon seems to have prepared a brooch."
"Oh?" Victor raised an eyebrow. "He's willing to spend, at least." There was a hint of mockery in his voice. Buying appearances with money was just the sort of thing that good-for-nothing would do.
Elisa did not respond. She merely walked to the window and stood beside Victor, gazing out at the garden. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said softly, "Brother, don't worry."
Victor froze and turned to look at his sister's perfect profile. Sunlight passed through the glass, casting flecks of light across her silver eyelashes.
"The path of magic is long and endless. Marriage is only a brief interlude along the way." Elisa's voice was quiet, but carried an unshakable resolve. "I'll keep going."
Victor was stunned. Looking at his sister, he suddenly understood. Elisa had never been a delicate flower meant to be kept in a greenhouse. She was a young phoenix destined to soar through the heavens, and her world was far broader than marriage and family. Perhaps he was the one who couldn't let go.
A complicated rush of feeling rose within him: relief, concern, and an indescribable pride. He reached out, intending to ruffle his sister's hair as he had when they were children, but stopped halfway. She had grown up.
In the end, he merely patted Elisa's shoulder, his voice low and firm. "Yes. No matter what happens, the Windsor Family will always be there for you. I'll always be your brother."
Elisa turned her head slightly and looked at Victor. The faintest hint of warmth seemed to pass through her violet eyes, but it vanished in an instant. She nodded softly. "I know."
Then she turned and left the study, her figure as cool and upright as ever.
Victor watched the direction his sister had gone, remaining silent for a long time. His melancholy had not entirely faded, but it seemed a new strength had taken its place. That was right. His sister was Elisa von Windsor, a genius destined to become a Grand Archmage. A Coming-of-Age Ceremony and an engagement might be nothing more than footnotes in her legendary life.
All he had to do now was make sure that footnote was written as perfectly as possible. Then he would continue standing behind her, the strongest support she could ever have.
The sunlight outside was lovely, and the garden roses bloomed in a blaze of color. The Windsor Residence remained busy, preparing the most splendid stage for the jewel about to reach the most important moment of her life. But the star at its center had already turned her gaze toward a faraway horizon—the realm of magic beneath the stars.
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