Desperate Gamble and the "Heirloom"

The cold night wind outside the terrace felt like knives scraping against his face, but it was far from the chilling shame and burning anger frozen within Leon's heart. The splendor, music, and laughter from the banquet hall, filtering through the heavy glass doors, were muffled and distant, like sounds from another world. He leaned against the cold stone railing, gasping for breath. Eleanor's venomous mockery, the contemptuous gazes of those around him, and Victor's icy warning echoed repeatedly in his mind like specters.

"Useless..." "Brooch..." "Allowance..." "That place..."

Each word was like a brand, searing his soul. He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his palms, bringing a sharp sting of pain that couldn't suppress the despair threatening to consume him. He had lost, lost completely and utterly. He hadn't just lost his dignity tonight; he had lost the last shred of his pathetic self-respect. In their eyes, he, Leon von Hohenzollern, was a complete joke, a good-for-nothing who relied on his family's influence and couldn't even afford a decent gift for his fiancée!

What should he do? Just slink away until the banquet ended? And then tomorrow, detailed reports of his disgraceful behavior tonight would become the hottest topic of discussion in every salon in the Imperial Capital? He could even imagine Eleanor Soros' smug face!

No! Absolutely not!

A stubbornness bordering on madness, mixed with intense humiliation and unwillingness, surged from the deepest part of his heart like magma! He couldn't admit defeat like this! He had to do something, even if it was just to salvage a sliver of his honor, even if the act was foolish and risky!

His gaze involuntarily swept over his bare wrist—where the dull, gray bracelet had originally been. An incredibly bold, even desperate, idea flashed through his chaotic thoughts like lightning!

That bracelet!

The bracelet that even Elisa couldn't see through, imbued with mysterious energy from the Stars, resonating with his soul!

Although it looked unremarkable now, although it might be fraught with unknown dangers, its "unknown" nature itself was a value! An immeasurable value, far exceeding the price of any openly marketed gem or tome!

A crazy plan instantly took shape in Leon's mind: he would claim the bracelet was a family heirloom of the Hohenzollern family! A secret treasure passed down from ancient times, possessing mystical power, forbidden to anyone not a core family member! He hadn't given it earlier because it was too precious, meant to be presented at a critical moment! And tonight, Elisa's Coming-of-Age Ceremony, was the perfect opportunity!

The thought was so absurd, so risky; the consequences of being exposed would be unimaginable! The Hohenzollern family would never admit to such a "family heirloom," Aunt Margaret might see through the deception, and it might even attract the covetous attention of someone who truly knew its worth!

But Leon, at this moment, was pushed to the edge of a cliff. Reason had long been drowned by humiliation; he needed a gamble! A gamble using lies and the unknown to fight against the reality of his shame! Even if it only bought him a moment of stunned silence, even if it only disrupted Eleanor's rhythm, he was willing to try!

"I'm betting on it!" A look of almost frenzied determination flashed in Leon's eyes. He quickly straightened his disheveled collar, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and forced himself to calm down. He needed to concoct a story that was convincing and could withstand brief scrutiny.

He rapidly recalled the historical legends of the Hohenzollern family in the Northern Territory: ancient, connected to the Stars, the ice, and the great bears... Got it!

He took a deep breath, forcing a heavy expression onto his face, a mixture of exhaustion and the final resolve after humiliation. He turned and pushed open the glass door separating the two worlds of cold and warmth, walking back into the bustling banquet hall.

His reappearance immediately drew the attention of those who had been watching him. Especially Eleanor Soros, who was chatting with a few female companions. Seeing Leon return, a naked mockery flashed in her blue eyes, as if to say, "Look, the stray dog is back."

Leon ignored the gazes and walked directly towards Elisa, who was conversing quietly with an elder Archmage by the dance floor. His steps were no longer as unsteady as before; instead, they carried a sense of resolute determination.

His unusual behavior attracted more and more attention. Whispers started again.

"Huh? What does he want now?"

"Still not giving up?"

"Does he have another gift?"

"Hmph, what else could he possibly have? Don't tell me it's another piece of junk to embarrass himself."

Elisa also noticed Leon approaching her, a faint flicker of confusion in her violet eyes. She ended her conversation with the mage and watched him quietly.

Leon stopped before Elisa, under the curious, puzzled, and mocking gazes of everyone present. He first bowed deeply to Elisa, a much deeper bow than any before, and spoke in a hoarse voice, yet with a strange solemnity:

"Miss Elisa, please forgive my previous... lapse in composure and haste."

He raised his head, his gaze meeting Elisa's calm violet eyes directly, as if drawing courage from them. "The brooch I presented earlier, while carefully chosen and a token of my affection, is indeed insufficient for this important occasion, nor does it adequately express the importance the Hohenzollern family places on you and this engagement."

His words stunned everyone present. Was this an apology? Or a strategic retreat?

Eleanor scoffed, ready to witness the ensuing spectacle.

Leon's tone shifted, becoming deeper, even carrying a touch of the desolate, wind-and-snow-like aura characteristic of those from the Northern Territory: "Our Hohenzollern family has guarded the Northern Territory for generations, living alongside ice and Stars. Within the family, a token has been passed down through generations, not to be shown lightly except in times of family crisis or for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony of a direct descendant."

As he spoke, he slowly reached into a very close-fitting pocket inside his formal wear (he pretended to retrieve it from there, but it was already prepared). All eyes focused on his hand.

He carefully took out a small object wrapped in old, slightly faded, yet subtly glowing black beast hide. The hide appeared ancient, even worn at the edges.

Leon held the small package with both hands, as if cradling a treasure beyond compare. He surveyed the eavesdropping guests before his gaze fell back on Elisa. In a tone akin to chanting, imbued with ancient resonance, he said:

"According to ancient family legends, this item was obtained by our first Hohenzollern ancestor at the peak of the 'Eternal Frost Holy Mountain' in the far north, on a night when Stars fell. Receiving divine revelation, he forged it with the core of an extraterrestrial meteorite, infused it with the essence of ten thousand years of Northern ice, and it was tempered by the efforts of three generations. Its name is—'Oath of Starfrost'."

"'Oath of Starfrost'?" A chorus of hushed gasps rose from the crowd! The name itself sounded ancient and mysterious! Extraterrestrial meteorite? Ten thousand years of ice? Divine revelation? These words combined instantly elevated the item's status to legendary levels! Far surpassing the "precious" or "practical" qualities emphasized by any previous gift!

Even Elisa's violet eyes showed the first clear, undisguised look of surprise and inquiry. Aunt Margaret, who had appeared nearby at some point, stared sharply with her ice-blue eyes at the beast hide package in Leon's hand, her brow furrowed.

Leon's heart pounded, but he maintained a solemn and reverent expression. He continued to fabricate, forcefully merging his faint perception of the bracelet with the Hohenzollern family legends: "This is no ordinary magic item. It does not amplify magic power, nor does it provide protection. It contains the trajectories of the Stars, the silence of the ice, and... a covenant of time. Only those with a deep bond to the Hohenzollern bloodline, and whose hearts are recognized by it, can vaguely sense its existence and gain... revelations about destiny and origins from it."

His words were vague and profound, precisely fitting people's imagination of a "secret family heirloom"—powerful, mysterious, recognizing its owner, with inexplicable effects.

"However," Leon's tone shifted, carrying a hint of sorrow, "because this item involves ancestral secrets and the fate of the family, and its power is too esoteric, it cannot be wielded by those without a firm mind. Thus, the family strictly forbids its appearance unless absolutely necessary. Even I, before reaching adulthood, only heard its name, never saw its form."

He looked at Elisa, his gaze becoming incredibly "sincere," even carrying a hint of "resoluteness." "But tonight is your Coming-of-Age Ceremony. You and I will form an engagement, sharing the future of both families. After much deliberation, I believe only this item can truly represent my sincerity, and the greatest recognition and expectation the Hohenzollern family has for you. Its value lies not in its form, but in its meaning, in this connection that spans vast stretches of time, linking the destinies and beliefs of two families... a 'covenant'!"

Having spoken, he took a deep breath and, under everyone's bated breath, slowly, extremely carefully, peeled away the layers of the old black beast hide.

When the last layer of hide was removed, the entire banquet hall fell into dead silence.

There was no radiant light as expected, no powerful energy fluctuations. Lying in Leon's palm was still the dull, unremarkable, even somewhat rough, Silvery White Metal Bracelet. Under the brilliant banquet hall lights, it appeared so plain, so... shabby.

"Pfft—" In the silence, someone couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, but immediately stifled it.

Eleanor Soros' eyes widened, then her face contorted into an expression of extreme absurdity and mockery. She almost burst into laughter, but restrained herself due to the occasion, pressing her fan tightly against her lips, her shoulders shaking violently.

Even Victor Windsor frowned, his eyes filled with suspicion and confusion. This thing... a family heirloom? What a joke!

However, amidst the eerie silence and the imminent eruption of laughter, a sudden change occurred!

Elisa, who had been quietly observing the bracelet, suddenly unleashed an unprecedented brilliance in her violet eyes! She wasn't looking with her eyes, but "observing" the bracelet with her incredibly keen magical perception!

She could clearly "see" it! Beneath the unremarkable exterior, within the bracelet, flowed a miniature galaxy of silver dots, emitting an ancient and profound aura! The energy fluctuations, though extremely restrained, were of such high caliber and peculiar nature that they far surpassed any magic item she had ever encountered! In fact... was it even more ancient and closer to the... origin than the aura of the Eldest Princess's ancient meditation method scroll?

Meanwhile, Aunt Margaret, standing not far away, also had a flash of extreme shock in her ice-blue eyes! Her strength far surpassed Elisa's, and her senses were even sharper! She not only sensed the strange Stars energy but also vaguely perceived that within the bracelet, there seemed to be an extremely complex seal that even she could not fully comprehend... or perhaps, a fragment of a slumbering "consciousness"?

"This... this is..." Elisa subconsciously took a small step forward, her violet eyes fixed on the bracelet, her face filled with disbelief and shock. She even forgot her manners and reached out, wanting to touch it.

Leon's heart was about to leap out of his chest! He had bet right! The reactions of Elisa and her aunt proved that this bracelet was indeed extraordinary!

He suppressed his excitement and held the bracelet out further, saying in a more solemn tone, "Elisa, please accept it. The 'Oath of Starfrost' chose you; perhaps it is the guidance of fate."

Elisa's fingers finally, gently, with a slight tremble, touched the bracelet's cool surface.

The instant her fingertips made contact with the bracelet--

"Buzz..."

An extremely faint, yet seemingly resonating directly within the souls of everyone present, hum, suddenly appeared! At the same time, the surface of the dusty gray bracelet suddenly lit up with a faint, cold, and pure glow like moonlight! Within the glow, the tiny silver specks of light seemed to be activated, accelerating their flow, vaguely forming a clearer, more complex phantom image of a star map. Though it flashed by in an instant, it caused everyone who saw it, including the nobles who didn't understand magic, to feel an inexplicable tremor!

The entire banquet hall fell completely silent! You could hear a pin drop!

Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the bracelet in Leon's hand that had suddenly "come alive," and at the undisguised shock and fascination on Elisa's face!

The heirloom... was real?!

Eleanor Soros's mocking smile froze completely, turning into extreme astonishment and... a hint of indescribable jealousy? How could that good-for-nothing produce something like this?!

Leon felt the deathly silence and shock around him, and the gazes that had instantly become incredibly complex. A sense of near-exhaustion, wild joy, and lingering fear surged within him.

He had won his bet! At least, he had won for now!

He met Elisa's gaze, which was filled with shock and curiosity, and slowly placed the bracelet into her outstretched palm. Using the last of his strength, he maintained a calm facade and said in a deep voice:

"With the Stars as witness, and the Frost as oath. This item, belongs to you."