Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Brooch

“The value of this item—you know it better than I do, so there’s no need for me to elaborate. You may inspect it as you wish.”
Elvis’s voice was low and subdued now, lacking the clear, resonant timbre he had possessed on stage.

Midir opened the black box, but this time Qi Xiao did not sense that mysterious aura; most likely, it had been confined by Midir within the surrounding space.

There were pronounced lines on Midir’s face—though a formal wizard at his age ought to be in his prime, it was clear he had never bothered with maintenance or protective spells, allowing the passage of time to leave its mark. His hands, however, told a different story: they were as smooth and lustrous as jade, with long, slender fingers and distinct knuckles. Now, those fingers gently touched the pink sphere, brushing lightly across its surface.

After a moment, Midir withdrew his hand, closed the box, and said softly, “No problem.”

Elvis nodded and gestured invitingly. The three wizards rose and followed Elvis out of the private room—Qi Xiao surmised they were headed to settle the payment—leaving only Melanie, who hung idly in midair, stifling a yawn out of boredom.

Qi Xiao’s mind wandered aimlessly. “I wonder if Teacher brought enough magic crystals… But for a master of spatial magic like him, all his possessions are probably stored in some pocket dimension he can access at any time. Even if he didn’t bring them, it wouldn’t take him a minute to fetch them from the island.”

Just as Qi Xiao’s thoughts were about to drift completely, Melanie, gazing at the hall outside the screen, suddenly clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up with delight. “Aha! Everyone must be bored now, right? I’ll go borrow something… wait for me!”

With that, she vanished in an instant. Qi Xiao looked intently and saw that outside the screen, a lavishly dressed witch had stopped at the door, intercepted by Melanie, and the two were now conversing.

A sense of foreboding rose in Qi Xiao’s heart; he had a feeling this bit of amusement would somehow involve him. He considered making an excuse to slip away to the washroom, but he had barely stood up before Melanie reappeared inside, an ornate brooch now in her hand.

“Where do you think you’re going, little Qi Xiao? Didn’t I tell you to wait here obediently? You’re really not behaving.”

Qi Xiao immediately broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, “No, I just felt stiff from sitting too long and wanted to stretch my legs.”

A smile played at the corners of Melanie’s mouth as she scoffed, “All the better, then. I just happen to need a little help from you.”

Her eyes crinkled with amusement as she handed the brooch to Qi Xiao, beaming. “I heard from your teacher that you’re a budding alchemist with exquisite taste. So help your big sister make a matching brooch, will you? It wouldn’t do for me to leave empty-handed after coming all this way. The style can be anything you like, but the finished piece must form a pair with this one.”

With that, she placed a small silver box of materials onto the table, then floated back into the air, propping her chin in her hands as she gazed at Qi Xiao, eyes full of expectation.

Qi Xiao’s scalp tingled, but he managed a strained smile, avoiding the sight of the coquettish old witch as he lowered his gaze to the brooch in his hand.

This brooch, clearly part of a set with the one he had just seen worn by that witch, was crafted from precious winged aluminum alloy. Its surface was smooth and delicate, showing signs of both polishing and sanding—its metallic sheen was natural and full of texture. In its center sat an oval sky-blue gemstone emitting a gentle glow, surrounded by tiny diamonds set in a star pattern, evoking a sky full of stars.

“So that witch is a native of Vestalia after all…”

Because her attire was so extravagant, and out of keeping with Vestalia’s understated style, Qi Xiao had assumed she too was a visitor to the Violet Gold Auction. Only now, holding this brooch, did he realize the truth.

He examined the brooch carefully, then casually opened the silver box. Inside, he found an assortment of extraordinary materials of the illusion school: all manner of true illusions, dream illusions, phantasms, and sound illusions—though, unfortunately, many were unsuitable for alchemy, or more precisely, for the art of gemcrafting.

Materials like mistgrass and rainbow-scale petals might do for potions, but for a brooch they were of little use. Thus, his options were limited, especially with the need to create a matching pair.

A hint of hesitation crossed Qi Xiao’s face. Melanie seemed to realize she might be asking a bit much of a novice and waved her hand, saying, “You may use your own materials as well, don’t worry—I’ll pay for them. Functionality isn’t important; as long as it looks beautiful and pairs with this one, that’s enough.”

The request sounded familiar—Qi Xiao recalled the staff he’d crafted for his teacher. With a helpless sigh, he sketched out a rough plan in his mind, then took out his carving tools and set to work.

He chose “Nature” as the theme, to complement the “Starry Sky” motif of the original.

First, he drafted the design, weaving in elements of leaves, flowers, and vines, along with abstract lines to suggest the flow and growth of nature.

From the silver box and his own stockpile, Qi Xiao selected materials suitable for a natural theme: emerald stones, silvery moon leaves, and small, transparent blue-and-white dreamstones to represent dewdrops.

He used a fine metal known as phantom vine to entwine and connect the various parts of the brooch, symbolizing nature’s interconnection.

For a final touch, he incorporated a feather from a lightwing bird, iridescent and airy, to lend the piece a sense of ethereal grace.

To echo the original brooch, he set a bright green gemstone in the corresponding place, carefully polishing and buffing every detail to ensure a smooth surface that reflected nature’s luster.

Because the two brooches needed to form a pair, Qi Xiao inscribed a few subtle runes in unobtrusive places, enough not to mar its beauty.

Although Melanie had said function didn’t matter, Qi Xiao’s simple tests showed the brooch worked surprisingly well: it calmed the wearer’s mood and slightly enhanced nature-related spells.

He presented the finished brooch to Melanie. Under the lamplight, it radiated natural beauty, harmonizing perfectly with the other brooch—so well matched they might have come from the same alchemist’s hand.

Melanie’s eyes sparkled as she took the brooch, clicking her tongue in amazement. “No wonder Lord Midir praised you so highly, apprentice! To fulfill such a demanding request in under half an hour—and to exceed my expectations by so much—you truly have talent, young man!”

“So you do know your request was unreasonable…” Qi Xiao grumbled inwardly, but outwardly he replied respectfully, “You flatter me. It’s my honor to be of service.”

Melanie tossed him a pouch of coins, smiling. “Here’s your payment. You can keep the box of materials as well. I look forward to seeing your work as you grow—there aren’t many young alchemists left with such a sense of artistry. Don’t let yourself be led astray, now.”