As they walked away from the market square, leaving a trail of stunned silence and whispers behind them, Kira floated excitedly around Leon's head.
"Fifteen gold coins, Leon! That's so much money! Why didn't you sell him all of them? You could have gotten much more!" she chirped, her twin tails swishing with glee.
"Because, Kira," Leon said with a knowing smile, "selling too much of something makes them a commodity. Three beads sold for five gold each make them a valuable gift. Scarcity creates demand. Master Mordor will now treat those three beads like the most precious jewels in the world, and by the time he returns for more, the price will be even higher."
Kira blinked her large amethyst eyes, trying to wrap her head around the concept. "Oh! So it's a trick?"
"It's business," Leon corrected gently. "I have other plans for the rest."
He made his way back to his family's wing of the manor. As he approached, he could hear the low, despairing voices of his parents through the door. He pushed it open to find them sitting at a small table, a few pieces of jewelry and a single, ornate dagger laid out between them. They had only managed to gather three gold coins from their savings.
"If I sell my mother's locket," Gracia was saying, her voice thick with unshed tears, "and you sell your ceremonial dagger, Godric… we might just make it to five gold. It's not enough."
"We have no choice," Godric replied, his voice heavy with defeat. "We'll have to beg your brother for a loan…"
"You will do no such thing," Leon said, stepping into the room.
His parents looked up, their eyes filled with sorrow that quickly turned to shock as Leon placed a heavy pouch on the table. He tipped it over, and ten shining gold coins spilled out, glinting in the afternoon light.
"Leon… where did you get this?" Godric stammered, his hand hovering over the gold as if he couldn't believe it was real.
"Is this real gold?" Gracia whispered, picking one up.
"I told you I had a plan," Leon said simply. "This is for the levy. There is more than enough."
"But how?" Godric demanded, his mind reeling. "This is a fortune! Did you steal it? Leon, tell me you didn't do something foolish!"
"I did nothing of the sort," Leon reassured them, deciding on a simplified truth. "I was lucky. I found something in the forest that a traveling merchant took a great interest in." He then took out two of the small wooden boxes he had kept. He handed one to his mother and one to his father. "He even gave me a few of them as part of the deal."
Curiously, they opened the boxes. When they saw the Stardew Beads nestled inside, they both gasped. The swirling, internal light of the gems filled the dim room with a magical glow.
"By the spirits…" Gracia breathed, tears of a different kind now welling in her eyes. "Leon, these are magnificent! They're more beautiful than any diamond I've ever seen."
Godric stared at the bead, his initial awe quickly turning to concern. "Luck? Leon, this is no mere luck. To find something so valuable… that kind of fortune attracts dangerous people. Who was this merchant? What did you find? You must tell me everything."
"It's over now, Father. The problem is solved," Leon said perfunctorily, avoiding the question. "That's all that matters."
"It is not all that matters!" Godric insisted, his voice rising with worry. "Your safety matters! What if this merchant comes back? What if—"
He was cut short as Gracia gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs. She gave him a look that clearly said, 'Let it go.' "Godric," she said gently but firmly. "Our son has saved us. Can we not, for one day, simply be grateful for this miracle and not question it to death?"
Godric looked from his wife's pleading eyes to his son's unnervingly calm face. He let out a long, frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. He was still worried, but he knew she was right. "Fine," he conceded. "Fine."
Gracia's face broke into a radiant smile. "Good! Then we are celebrating. We are going to the Golden Lantern for dinner. For the first time in years, we are going to walk out of this manor with our heads held high." The weight of the levy was gone, replaced by a complex mix of relief, pride, and a newfound hope for the future.
The next day, Leon focused on his next task. "System, show me the materials for Kira's body again."
Ding! Here are the materials, host
Heart of a Sunwood Treant (1)
Tears of a Moonlight Pixie (1 vial)
Core of a Golem (1)
"Kira, have you heard of something called Heart of a Sunwood Treant , Tears of a Moonlight Pixie, or a Core of a Golem?" Leon asked Kira.
"They sound like rare treasures. Unfortunately, I do not think that I have heard of them" Kira shook her head.
My predecessor had never heard of any such materials either. Leon mused. If he had heard, I would have remembered it as well. Well, time to visit the market again, but it might not be that productive...
Leon spent the rest of the day going from one stall to another in the Ashyn market.
"Heart of a what?" one merchant grunted.
"Moonlight Pixies? Boy, have you been drinking?" another laughed.
"A Golem Core? You'd have better luck finding the Queen's lost crown in the clambering woods," an old woman told him, stifling a laugh.
As he had thought, no one had ever heard of such fantastical items. However, Leon kept asking. Finally, a grizzled old adventurer who ran a small cart of monster parts overheard him.
"Those aren't things you'll find in a backwater town like this, son," the man said, cleaning a blade. "Those sound like high-grade alchemy ingredients. Your best bet is to head to a major city and try your luck there."
"Thank you, sir. Could you tell me what would be the nearest city where I can find such items?" Leon asked politely.
"I have never heard of these items myself. However, your best bet would be to start looking at Iridis. It is a major city in the country, just around 100 kilometers from here. It's the biggest trade hub in the region. If it exists, you'll find it there."
Leon thanked the man and returned home. He found his parents in the garden, looking happier than he had ever seen them.
"Mother, Father," he began, "I need to go away for a while."
Their smiles faded. "Go away? But you just solved our problems!" Gracia said, her voice filled with worry. "Where are you going?"
"I need to find some rare materials for my… training," Leon explained. "I need to go to the city of Iridis."
His parents were reluctant, terrified of letting their son leave their sight. But looking at the unshakeable determination in his eyes, they knew they couldn't stop him.
"Just… promise you'll be safe," Godric said, placing his hands on Leon's shoulders. His eyes were misty. "When will you leave?"
"I promise. I will leave tomorrow morning and be back within two weeks," Leon replied.
"Good, good," Godric said, his voice thick with emotion as he pulled Leon into a firm hug. "I used to worry about your future, about you being looked down on. But I was a fool. You are more capable than all of them." He pulled back, a proud smile on his face. "My son has grown up. How time flies."
Gracia stepped forward, her own eyes shining with tears of pride. "Your father is right," she said, gently fixing the collar on Leon's shirt. "Don't ever let anyone tell you what you are worth. You are a Valerius, but more importantly, you are you. Go, find what you're looking for. You will always have our blessings, and you will always have a home to return to."
"Father, mother..."
A drop of tear formed in Leon's eyes. He had never experienced such care and affection from anyone but his master. Silently, he made a resolve.
I swear on my title of "Ironfinger" that this time, I, Leon Valerius, will never let anything happen to my parents or anyone else I care about. we will all live happily ever after.