"Father, I brought you a present for your birthday."
Aldric stepped forward and stopped right in front of Ragan. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small box—no larger than half the size of his palm.
He opened it slowly. In an instant, a fiery red gemstone shimmered into view.
The gem was flawlessly circular, intricately carved with exquisite detail. Moonlight streamed through the large window on the right, dancing across its surface and casting a mesmerizing glow throughout the room.
"That... is that the legendary Arcanite Gem?" One of the noble family heads gasped, his voice filled with disbelief.
The Arcanite Gem was one of the three rarest gemstones in the world.
All three were considered symbols of glory and status. Legend claimed that whoever possessed one would enjoy eternal prosperity.
Of course, that was just a myth—but many still believed it.
The three gems were scattered across the world. Two of them—the Moltrynite and Tenebrium Gems—were held by the Eastern Emperor of the Izanagi Empire and the Holy Emperor of the Holy Empire of Valtanir, respectively.
The Arcanite Gem was believed to have vanished long ago, its whereabouts unknown.
But just a few days ago, rumors began to circulate that it had been secretly auctioned in the Holy Empire of Valtanir and acquired by a mysterious buyer.
And now, shockingly, the gem rested in Aldric’s hands—offered as a gift to the Emperor.
The room fell into complete silence. No one had expected this.
"Tsk! That really is the Arcanite Gem! Prince Aldric is incredibly lucky."
"You’re right. It’s an extraordinary gift—almost impossible to obtain."
The heads of the noble families let out quiet sighs, their eyes tinged with envy.
After all, the Arcanite Gem was one of the three rarest gems in the world—coveted by nobles and the wealthy across many nations.
With the other two gems already in the hands of powerful rulers, the Arcanite Gem had been the last hope for those still dreaming of such a prize.
No one imagined it would end up in Aldric’s possession—let alone be given as a gift to Ragan. Naturally, this stirred envy in the hearts of everyone who witnessed it.
Still, none dared to harbor any ill intent.
Only a fool—or someone eager to meet the god of death—would entertain reckless thoughts about taking the gem.
Standing beside Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, and Cassian looked equally stunned. But it was Adalen who reacted most strongly—his face flushed and his fists clenched tight.
Damn it! So... Aldric was the one who won the auction? How is that even possible? He growled through gritted teeth.
Just four days ago, he had visited the Holy Empire of Valtanir with his mother and older sister to discuss various matters—including the issue of succession and his father’s upcoming birthday.
Ever since he was defeated by the Singularity of Chaos during the previous succession announcement, Adalen’s mother had been consumed with rage and immediately reported the incident to his grandfather.
She had even gone so far as to beg him to kill the Singularity of Chaos without hesitation.
But Adalen knew better than anyone—his grandfather would never resort to such reckless action.
It wasn’t just because he feared the Singularity of Chaos, but also because any open confrontation could bring serious consequences to the Holy Empire of Valtanir itself.
Instead of pursuing direct revenge, his grandfather chose a different path: to suppress and humiliate Elina—the girl now under the protection of the Singularity of Chaos.
As for his father’s birthday, Adalen had held a lengthy discussion with his grandfather and uncle—the Holy Emperor himself.
Two days ago, news broke that an Arcanite Gem had surfaced in the Holy Empire of Valtanir.
Seizing the opportunity, Adalen immediately set his sights on acquiring it, relying on his status as the Emperor’s nephew.
Unfortunately, his request was denied. The gem was owned by the Blue Moon Trading House—one of the most powerful trading firms on the continent.
Left with no other choice, Adalen decided to participate in the public auction.
But his opponent turned out to be incredibly wealthy. After a fierce bidding war, Adalen was forced to concede.
At first, he assumed the mysterious buyer was a noble from the Great Velmora Empire or the Holy Empire of Valtanir.
But to his shock, the winning bidder turned out to be a representative of the Malvain family.
If Adalen had known from the beginning who he was up against, he would have fought tooth and nail for the gem.
Now he realized that no matter what he offered, his gift could never compare to Aldric’s.
"Hahaha! Thank you, my son," Ragan said with a hearty laugh. He picked up the box carefully and gazed at the gem inside with admiration. "Back then, I was always envious of those two Emperors for possessing the other two gems. And now, I finally have the last one. This is truly a magnificent gift."
The two Emperors he referred to were, of course, the Eastern Emperor and the Holy Emperor—his rivals in every sense.
"You’re welcome, Father," Aldric replied politely. "I’m glad you like it."
Ragan gave a small nod, lightly patting his son’s shoulder before handing the gift box to Roswell, who stood beside him.
Next, Cedric stepped forward to present his gift. He handed over a thick book bound in a dark green cover.
There was no title on the front—only a single name: Edward Layard. At the sight of it, Ragan’s eyes widened.
"This book..." he murmured, his trembling fingers brushing over the cover. "Was this written by the wanderer Edward Layard?"
Edward Layard was no ordinary wanderer. He was one of the most renowned writers in the world, and every book he penned never failed to inspire those who read it.
Ragan happened to be his greatest admirer—he had collected every published work by Layard.
Unfortunately, Edward Layard had long vanished from the literary scene. He hadn’t released a single new book in years, and any news about him had simply disappeared.
Ragan had even gone so far as to dispatch a team of investigators to search for him—but the continent was vast, and tracking down a wanderer was no easy task.
And now... Cedric appeared with a brand-new book written by Edward Layard himself.
It was so unexpected that Ragan was momentarily speechless.
"Yes, Father," Cedric replied with a smile, adjusting the center of his glasses. "As it happens, I had a connection that allowed me to get in touch with Edward Layard and commission a book written especially for you. I hope you won’t be disappointed."
"Disappointed? Hahaha!" Ragan burst into laughter as he handed the book to Roswell. "Of course not—I’m thrilled! I’ve been waiting so long to read something new from him. Thank you, Cedric."
The heads of the noble families exchanged surprised glances.
Everyone knew who Edward Layard was—but none of them had expected Cedric to have such a personal connection, enough to receive a custom-written book from the legendary author.
"Tsk! A book by Edward Layard? That’s truly unexpected. I’m honestly jealous of His Majesty," Orlan muttered, letting out a quiet sigh as he shook his head.
As a devoted book lover, Orlan deeply admired Edward Layard’s works—in fact, he had dozens of them in his private library.
If Ragan ever decided to part with the book he had just received, Orlan wouldn’t hesitate to offer a substantial price for it.
But just then, a cold voice cut in from beside him.
"That’s not one of Edward Layard’s published works..."