The Soros Family's Invitation and Schemes in the Shadows

The office of Duke Sebastian Soros, Minister of Internal Affairs, was located on the top floor of the Empire's administrative central building. It was less an office and more a highly efficient intelligence hub and command center. The decor was extremely minimalist and stark, primarily in shades of deep gray and black. The massive floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of most of the Imperial Capital, but were equipped with heavy metal shutters that could be lowered at any time.

The walls were made of smooth, sound-absorbing material, devoid of any decorative paintings. Instead, several enormous crystal screens displayed real-time, blurred magical surveillance feeds from key areas of the Imperial Capital. The air was filled with the scent of disinfectant, old paper, and a faint trace of ozone-like magical energy.

Duke Sebastian Soros sat behind a sleek, cold, black metal desk. He was around sixty years old, slender, and impeccably dressed in a deep black ministerial uniform. His graying hair was cut short, and his face was stern, with high cheekbones. His deep-set eyes were almost pure black, seeming to absorb light and instill a chilling fear in anyone they gazed upon. He wasn't handling official documents at the moment, but sat with his eyes closed, fingertips gently pressing his temples, as if receiving a silent report. The space before him was empty, yet a discreet obsidian stud he wore in his ear was emitting a faint magical fluctuation.

A moment later, he opened his eyes. His black pupils were devoid of emotion. He spoke blandly to the air, "Continue monitoring the Metternich family's cargo ships at the southeastern port. Report any anomalies directly to Alexander."

"Yes," a faint voice responded from an unknown location, then vanished.

Just then, the office door slid open silently (it was not a hinged door). His eldest son, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Alexander Soros, walked in. Alexander was like a younger version of his father, only twenty years his junior. His gaze was sharper, and his movements possessed the agility and dangerous aura of a leopard. He, too, held a gilded invitation from the Windsor family.

"Father," Alexander's voice was deep and crisp, devoid of unnecessary pleasantries. "An invitation from the Windsor family. For Elisa Windsor's Coming-of-Age Ceremony." He placed the invitation on his father's polished desk.

Duke Sebastian's gaze swept over the invitation, but he made no move to touch it. He simply looked at his son with his abyssal eyes, awaiting his analysis. Within the Soros family, all external information had to undergo calm evaluation.

Alexander had clearly given it considerable thought. He began his analysis in a steady tone, "Surface objective: To announce the substantive stage of the Windsor-Hohenzollern marital alliance and demonstrate the solidity of the two families' union. Deeper objective one: To take this opportunity to observe the reactions of various factions in the Imperial Capital to this matter, especially the attitudes of the several princes, ourselves, and families like Grey. Objective two: The Windsor family, particularly the Eldest Princess, may wish to use this occasion to test whether they can draw us, or at least neutral parties, closer."

His analysis cut directly to the core, devoid of any emotional coloring.

"Our stance?" Duke Sebastian asked concisely.

"We must attend, and demonstrate appropriate 'importance'," Alexander replied. "Officially, it is part of the Minister of Internal Affairs' duties to attend important social events, which helps maintain surface harmony and facilitates our personnel's activities behind the scenes. Personally, His Highness the Second Prince (his sister Isabella is the Second Prince's Consort) requires the most direct intelligence. This banquet will gather the Empire's top powers, serving as an excellent stage to observe the dynamics of all parties and capture subtle signals. We can assess the Hohenzollern family's true intentions, observe the Windsor family's methods, spy on the movements of the Grey family (who support the First Prince), and even note any minor actions from those fence-sitters in the Metternich faction."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Furthermore, this is a rare opportunity to observe the 'target' Leon Hohenzollern up close. His public demeanor, his interactions with Elisa, can provide important references for us to judge the internal situation of the Hohenzollern family and the actual stability of this marriage."

Duke Sebastian nodded slightly, approving of his eldest son's analysis. The Soros family's core strength lay in information and surveillance; any large gathering was a rich source of intelligence for them.

"Have Casbert strengthen the Imperial Capital's security deployment on the day of the banquet, especially around Windsor Manor," Duke Sebastian instructed. His second son, Casbert, was the Imperial Capital Governor. "The pretext will be ensuring safety, but actual control must remain in our hands. Arrange for sufficient 'eyes' and 'ears' to be present."

"Understood, I will arrange it personally," Alexander nodded. This was standard operating procedure for the Soros family.

At that moment, the office door slid open again. Eleanor Soros burst in like a gust of wind. She seemed to have just finished her classes at the academy, still wearing her fiery red mage robes, a hint of impatience on her face. Seeing her father and brother, and the invitation on the desk, she pouted.

"Oh, an invitation from the Windsor family? For Elisa Windsor's 'happy occasion'?" Eleanor's tone was filled with undisguised mockery and schadenfreude. "I can't wait to see what expression our esteemed 'Silver Miracle' will have tomorrow night standing next to that good-for-nothing Leon!" Malicious light flickered in her emerald eyes; she clearly still harbored resentment over Leon's embarrassing display at the academy entrance and his loss in the duel with Elisa.

Alexander frowned, displeased with his sister's overly overt emotions, but he did not reprimand her in front of their father.

Duke Sebastian raised his abyssal eyes and looked calmly at his daughter. "Eleanor, your emotions will affect your judgment."

His voice was not loud, but it instantly made Eleanor curb her exuberance somewhat, though the disdain in her eyes remained evident. "Father, I just find it ridiculous. Elisa Windsor, who always acts so aloof, has to marry the biggest joke in the Imperial Capital? Isn't that an insult to those of us who work hard to cultivate ourselves?"

"Marriage is a union of interests, unrelated to personal cultivation," Duke Sebastian's tone was devoid of fluctuation. "Elisa Windsor's value lies in her talent and the political weight brought by the Windsor-Hohenzollern alliance. Leon Hohenzollern's personal character, on a macro level, is a secondary factor, or even..." He paused, a deep glint flashing in his black eyes, "...in certain circumstances, can be transformed into a usable weakness."

Eleanor seemed to understand, yet not fully. She was more concerned about another matter. "So, do I have to go too? I don't want to see Elisa hog the spotlight!" Her tone held a hint of spoiled petulance, a side she only occasionally revealed at home.

"You must go," Duke Sebastian's tone was irrefutable. "This is not just a banquet; it is also a social event for you. You need to observe, learn, and let more people see the strength of the Soros family's next generation. Your talent and status are important assets of the family and must be displayed on appropriate occasions."

He looked at Alexander. "Prepare suitable attire and jewelry for Eleanor that highlights her talent and status, but avoid anything overly ostentatious. Remind her of the etiquette for the banquet."

"Yes, Father," Alexander replied.

Although Eleanor was somewhat reluctant, she dared not disobey her father. She merely mumbled, "Got it." In her heart, however, she was already planning to outshine Elisa at the banquet tomorrow, even if only in appearance and presence.

"What about Raymond?" Duke Sebastian suddenly asked.

"Him?" Alexander's lips curled slightly. "Probably at the Knight Academy, practicing intensely, his mind filled with how to defeat a certain target in the next assessment. I'll have someone deliver the invitation to him. As a family member, he must also attend. It'll be a good chance for him to witness true noble social interactions, instead of just fighting all day."

Duke Sebastian said no more and waved his hand. Alexander and Eleanor understood, bowed, and withdrew from the office.

Silence returned to the office. Duke Sebastian sat alone behind the massive black desk, his gaze falling back on the gilded invitation. Unlike Duke Grey, he did not weigh legal legitimacy. Unlike Duke Windsor, he did not calculate gains and losses. In his world, everything was information, everything was a bargaining chip.

He extended his pale, slender fingers and lightly tapped the name Elisa Windsor on the invitation, as if confirming a data point.

"Elisa Windsor... Leon Hohenzollern..." he murmured, his black eyes without a ripple, only pure, cold calculation. "A mage of exceptional talent, a notorious dissolute noble... what kind of 'sparks' will this union ignite? And what kind of disturbance will it bring to the deep waters of the Imperial Capital?"

He needed to see it with his own eyes, to evaluate it personally. The Soros family was like a spider lurking in the shadows, quietly waiting for its prey to touch the web. And tomorrow night's banquet at Windsor Manor would undoubtedly be a feast of information. He picked up an internal communication crystal and issued a command in a voice devoid of emotion:

"Activate 'Nightingale' plan. Increase surveillance level to B. I want to know every detail that occurs within Windsor Manor tomorrow night."

With the command issued, he closed his eyes again, as if merging with the surrounding shadows. For the Soros family, a banquet in the light was merely the busiest working hours in the darkness. Everyone's performance, conversations, and even subtle expressions would be dissected, analyzed, and transformed into precise weights on the scales of power he held. Elisa's Coming-of-Age Ceremony was destined to proceed under the watchful eyes of countless unseen observers.