Dimness Beneath the Glittering Jewels

After delivering the gift, Leon forced himself to remain calm as he retreated to the edge of the crowd, feeling the formal wear on his back soaked with cold sweat. Elisa's indifferent "Thank you" and the ambiguous gazes of those around him pricked at him like needles. He practically fled to the shadow of a massive Roman column, grabbed a glass of iced champagne from a passing waiter's tray, and downed it in one gulp, trying to extinguish the heat and humiliation in his heart with the cold liquid.

"Finally... it's delivered," he leaned against the cold stone pillar and let out a long sigh. Despite the awkwardness of the process, at least the gift itself was faultless. That Starlight Sapphire brooch was expensive and its symbolism perfectly matched Elisa's temperament. It should at least salvage a little bit of his dignity... right?

He tried to comfort himself this way, but his gaze involuntarily followed Elisa. He saw her casually hand the deep blue velvet box to the lady-in-waiting beside her, her face still maintaining its usual calm and unruffled expression. She showed neither particular fondness nor any hint of disdain for the gift, as if she had received a commonplace item for daily use. The sliver of hope that had just risen in Leon's heart sank again. To her, perhaps even the most precious jewels were merely external possessions.

However, Leon's "ordeal" was far from over. The highlight of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony – the gift-giving segment – had only just begun. This was not only a time to express blessings but also a stage for various powers to display their strength, compare connections, and secretly compete. Elisa Windsor, as the jewel of the Windsor family, the favored disciple of Count Margaret, and the future daughter-in-law of the Hohenzollern family, was destined to receive countless astonishingly generous gifts at her Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

The announcer's loud and rhythmic voice rang out again, and he began to call out names according to the guests' rank and closeness of relationship.

First to step forward were members of the Windsor family and some close business magnates. Most of the gifts were luxurious and practical: necklaces inlaid with large, flawless diamonds, bonsai trees carved from a single piece of imperial jade, warm jade pendants from mysterious Eastern lands that could prolong life, and even the deed to a small island in a warm southern sea, complete with a private beach and magical defenses... With each gift presented, there was a low murmur of admiration and whispered conversations. Elisa nodded politely to express her thanks, handed them over to the lady-in-waiting for recording, her expression remaining largely unchanged.

Leon looked at the dazzling treasures and felt slightly more balanced. Although these gifts were expensive, most of them were rather cliché and didn't entirely match Elisa's temperament. His Starlight Sapphire, at least in its design and magical auxiliary effects, had been thoughtfully crafted.

But soon, the real "main event" arrived.

"Next, we invite Her Highness the Eldest Princess, Elinor Augustus, to bestow her blessings and gifts upon Miss Elisa!" the announcer's voice carried a distinct reverence.

The entire hall fell silent instantly, all eyes focusing on one of the Empire's most esteemed women. Eldest Princess Elinor walked forward with graceful poise, followed by two maids carrying a gift box made of rosewood, carved with the royal eagle emblem.

"Elisa, congratulations on reaching adulthood," the Eldest Princess's voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable authority. "Aunt wishes you to be as radiant as the Stars and that your path in magic will be endless." She personally opened the gift box.

In an instant, the entire hall seemed to brighten. The box was lined with dark blue velvet, upon which lay an object – not a traditional piece of jewelry, but a seemingly ancient scroll woven with some kind of silver thread. However, the soft yet powerful magical fluctuations emanating from the scroll caused the expressions of everyone present who could sense magic to change slightly.

"This is an ancient fragment of the Moonlight Meditation Method," the Eldest Princess's voice clearly carried throughout the hall. "It originates from the Elven Moon God Temple and is immensely beneficial for refining pure Spiritual Power and cultivating moonlight-based magic. I hope it will inspire you."

"Moonlight Meditation Method! An ancient Elven scroll!" Uncontrollable gasps erupted from the crowd! The value of magical texts, especially those passed down from ancient times and related to specific powerful bloodlines or elemental affinities, was far beyond that of ordinary jewelry! This was not only a symbol of wealth but also a manifestation of power and knowledge! The Eldest Princess's gift was undoubtedly telling everyone of the Royal Family's high regard for Elisa, the magical prodigy!

Elisa's usually calm purple eyes, upon hearing "Moonlight Meditation Method" and "Elven," finally showed a flicker of genuine interest that she could no longer suppress! She bowed slightly, performing a standard mage's salute, her voice carrying a rare tremor, "Thank you, Your Highness the Eldest Princess, for your generous gift! This gift is too precious!"

Leon's heart sank completely. Compared to this ancient meditation scroll that might even captivate a Grand Archmage, his sapphire brooch, which merely "contained faint starlight energy" and "helped stabilize the spirit," was as laughable as a child's toy! He could even imagine the mocking glances he was receiving from those around him: Look, the Hohenzollern family's good-for-nothing can only give such flashy, useless stones!

The Eldest Princess's gift, like a massive boulder, shattered the fragile confidence Leon had just begun to build.

But it wasn't over yet.

"Next, we invite the Minister of Internal Affairs, representative of the Duke Soros family, Lord Alexander Soros, to bestow his blessings and gifts upon Miss Elisa!" the announcer continued.

Alexander Soros, that cold-faced intelligence chief, stepped forward with steady strides. His gift was equally unexpected – not gold or jewels, but a seemingly unremarkable, dark wooden token carved with a complex, eye-like rune.

"This is the Tranquility Emblem," Alexander's voice was cold and direct. "The wearer can, to a certain extent, resist mental intrusion and interference. For mages who require deep meditation, it might be somewhat useful." His words were concise and straightforward, but everyone understood that this magic item related to mental defense, presented by the Soros family, had practical effects and symbolic meaning (representing the Soros family's "protection" or "attention") that were absolutely extraordinary! This was also a gift that money could hardly measure!

Elisa once again thanked him solemnly.

Following that, the representative of the Gilbert family, the eldest son of the Marquis, William von Gilbert, presented a gift – a custom-made, lightweight female half-plate armor crafted from star iron mixed with mithril, etched with powerful defensive runes. It was both light and protective, a perfect blend of art and practicality, worth a fortune. This gift was full of the Gilbert family's characteristics, displaying their strength while also showing concern for Elisa's safety (perhaps also hinting at some expectation regarding her warrior identity?).

Afterward, Marquis Roland's family presented the permanent usage rights to a Magic Tower located in the center of the Empire's largest freshwater lake; Marquis Metternich's family, in a stroke of genius, offered a team of garden attendants composed entirely of elemental creatures called "Flower Fairies," capable of cultivating rare flowers and plants and playing beautiful music...

Each gift presented felt like another heavy hammer blow to Leon's heart. His Starlight Sapphire, in the face of these gifts – some with deep heritage, some unique and ingenious, some immeasurably valuable – was utterly reduced to mediocrity, quickly submerged in the ocean of glittering treasures, failing to even make a ripple.

He had originally thought that two hundred and seventy-five gold Rolands were an astronomical sum, enough to make a statement. But now, it seemed that in these top-tier social circles, money was often just the basic entry ticket. True generosity lay in power, heritage, and a unique fit with the recipient's needs!

Leon tightly gripped his empty wine glass, his knuckles turning white from the force. He felt waves of heat flush his face, as if all the eyes around him were silently mocking his overestimation of himself. He stole a glance at Elisa and found that while she maintained her politeness towards these gifts, her eyes were clearly more serious and focused than when she received his gift, especially towards the Eldest Princess's meditation scroll and the Soros family's Tranquility Emblem.

"I'm such a fool..." Leon bitterly mocked himself in his heart. "I thought spending money could buy respect and dignity... In this world, without corresponding strength and status, no amount of money is anything more than a joke in the eyes of others!"

He once again felt the cruel laws of this world. The Hohenzollern surname might save him from being expelled on the spot, but it couldn't earn him genuine respect. To stand firm, he couldn't rely solely on his family's legacy and petty tricks.

Just as Leon's spirits began to flag, the announcer's voice rang out again, and the name called this time made Leon's heart leap, giving him a sense of foreboding.

"Next, we invite Miss Elinor Soros to bestow her blessings upon Miss Elisa, representing the younger generation of the Soros family!"

Elinor Soros! That red-haired girl with whom he constantly clashed and who deeply despised him!

Elinor walked forward with a bright, slightly provocative smile and brisk steps. She held a small but exceptionally exquisite crystal box in her hand. She first cast a meaningful glance in Leon's direction before turning to Elisa and saying in a clear voice, "Elisa, congratulations on reaching adulthood. This is a gift I specifically found for you. I hope you like it."

She opened the crystal box. Inside was not the dazzling jewelry he had imagined, but a book that looked extremely ancient, its cover wrapped in some kind of dark metal, with small magic gems inlaid around the edges. The pages were yellowed but well-preserved, exuding a rich magical aura and a sense of age.

"This is the Elemental Form Evolution Manual from a lost ancient magical civilization," Elinor's voice carried a hint of triumph. "It records many unique insights into the essence and transformation of elements. Although it's somewhat incomplete, I think for someone obsessed with elemental magic research, it might be more interesting than those shiny stones."

Elemental form evolution! This was precisely one of Elisa's current core research directions in magic! Elinor's gift was not only valuable (ancient magic manuals were priceless) but also precisely targeted Elisa's academic needs! Its malicious (or rather, precise) intent far surpassed ordinary precious gifts!

Indeed, when Elisa saw the manual, the brilliance that bloomed in her purple eyes was even brighter than when she saw the Eldest Princess's meditation scroll! She took the crystal box, and for the first time, a faint but genuine smile appeared on her lips, "Thank you, Elinor. I like this gift very much."

This "I like it very much" was like the last straw that completely crushed Leon. Even his nemesis had presented such a perfectly fitting gift that struck directly at Elisa's heart! And what about him? He had given a mere decorative item that could be bought with money, beautiful but soulless!

A tremendous sense of defeat, like icy water, extinguished the last flicker of hope in Leon's heart. He understood that in this Coming-of-Age Ceremony banquet, he was not only a clown with clumsy dance moves but also a failure who couldn't even give a gift that hit the mark. His gift, in the face of true power and heartfelt intention, paled into insignificance and was worthless.

He silently turned away, not wanting to see the dazzling scene anymore, and merged into the darkest corner of the hall. The joyous songs and laughter of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony seemed to be separated from him by an invisible barrier. Tonight, he had lost utterly, not just his face but also his pathetic self-respect.

And his "fiancée," that intelligent and discerning young lady, was immersed in the joy brought by knowledge and magic, perhaps having long forgotten his "mediocre" gift. For the first time, Leon clearly recognized what a vast and insurmountable chasm lay between him and Elisa Windsor.