Later that day, in Leon's room.
"Mother, Father, what's wrong?" Leon asked, his calm voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere.
Godric flinched as if waking from a nightmare. "Leon… an official from the capital came today." His voice was hoarse with anger and shame. "The King has issued a Special Defense Levy. House Valerius must pay 10 gold coins within a month."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "That seems like a problem for Grandfather, not you."
A bitter, humorless laugh escaped Godric's lips. "That's what I thought. But your grandfather, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that since Marcus is investing in Damian's 'glorious future', they are exempt. The entire 10 gold coin levy… it falls to us."
Gracia finally broke down into quiet sobs. "It will ruin us, Leon. It's nearly everything we have."
As Leon watched his parents, a flicker of genuine anger ignited within him. He had been indifferent to the family's internal politics, but seeing this blatant act of bullying towards the two people who had shown him nothing but kindness stirred something in him.
At that moment, a familiar blue screen popped into his vision.
New General Mission Available!
Mission: The Unfair Burden
Description: A family burdened by debt cannot provide a stable foundation. Your mortal parents are in distress. Alleviating their burden is a worthy endeavor.
Objective: Help your family earn 10 gold coins within the one-month deadline.
Rewards:
Minion Strengthening Scroll (x1)
100 Necromancy Points (NP)
"Ten gold coins…" Godric slumped into a chair, his face buried in his hands. "How could your grandfather do this to us? This is a death sentence."
Gracia knelt beside him, her own eyes red-rimmed. "There must be a way, my love. We can sell my jewelry… We still have some savings tucked away."
"It won't be enough," Godric muttered, his voice muffled. "Not even close."
Leon walked over and placed a reassuring hand on his father's shoulder. "Father. Mother. Look at me."
They both looked up, their faces a mixture of grief and confusion.
"You don't need to sell anything," Leon said, his voice imbued with a calm confidence that was completely out of place in the despair-filled room. "The money I received from grandfather will be enough. I have a plan."
Godric's head snapped up. "What? That pittance? Leon, that's only 300 silver coins! What can you possibly do with that?"
"I am not gambling," Leon replied, his gaze steady. "I am investing. I have a plan. Please, just this once, trust your son."
His parents stared at him, utterly bewildered. This wasn't the timid, emotional boy they knew. This was someone else entirely—someone decisive and fearless. After a long, silent moment, Gracia nodded slowly. "Alright, Leon," she said, her voice filled with a fragile hope. "We will trust you. Do what you must."
Later that night, Leon sat in his room, the pouch of silver on his desk. Kira materialized beside him, her fluffy tails swishing curiously. "What are you thinking so hard about, Leon? You have a scary look on your face."
"I'm thinking about an opportunity," Leon said. "Kira, tell me, what is glass?"
She tilted her head, her fox ears twitching in confusion. "Glass? I don't know that word."
"Let me describe it," Leon said gently. "A material that is perfectly clear and transparent, like a flawless crystal, but you can melt it down like metal and shape it into anything you want. Bottles, windows, beads..."
Kira's eyes widened. "Something like that doesn't exist. The richest human nobles sometimes have windows made of thinly sliced crystal, but they are cloudy and incredibly expensive. And bottles are made from clay or wood. What you describe… it sounds like magic."
A confident smile touched Leon's lips. 'So, it's a completely untapped market.' This was even better than he thought.
Well, this could be big.
The next morning, Leon made his way to the artisan district. It was a noisy, dusty area filled with the clang of hammers and the heat of forges. He approached the largest pottery shop, a place with a massive kiln puffing smoke into the air. The owner, a burly man with a soot-stained apron, looked him up and down.
"I'd like to rent your kiln for a few days," Leon said directly.
His announcement immediately turned many eyes. Some curious, but mostly gloating.
The man who he addressed burst out laughing. "Rent my kiln? For what? I heard you were a dark mage, boy, not a potter. You planning on baking some demons?"
Leon ignored the jibe. "I'm conducting an experiment. I will pay well."
"An experiment with dark magic?" another craftsman chimed in, having overheard the commotion. "Has your brain gone soft to think we will allow something like this?"
The mockery followed him from shop to shop. No one would take him seriously. They saw only the family failure, the "useless" dark mage, and laughed him out of their workshops.
Dejected but not defeated, Leon wandered to the very edge of the district, where the bustling street turned into a quiet, forgotten lane. There, he found a small, dilapidated pottery shop. The roof was sagging, and the kiln looked like it hadn't been fired in years.
He pushed the creaky door open. An elderly couple looked up from a simple meal of bread and soup. They were rail-thin, their faces etched with the lines of hardship.
"Can we help you, young master?" the old man asked, his voice weak.
"I need a kiln," Leon said, his eyes on the dusty, unused structure in the back. "I want to rent yours for one week." He placed his pouch on the table with a heavy thud. "I will pay you 100 silver coins."
The old couple stared at the pouch, then at Leon, their eyes wide with disbelief. 100 silver was more money, and their business was slow..
"A-a hundred silver?" the old woman stammered. "But… our kiln is old. And what could a noble boy like you want with it?"
"I'm running an experiment," Leon said, echoing his earlier words.
The old man looked at his wife, then at the pouch, then at the desperation in his own workshop. He let out a long sigh. "I don't know what you're planning, son. For a hundred silver coins, you can try to bake the moon in there if you like. The workshop is yours."
"But please, do not do something dangerous. It could cost all of us our heads."