As Charlotte paid for her purchases, Aurelia noticed something that caught her attention—a ring displayed in the middle of the room.
"Eh, Charlotte, look at that. Isn't that perfect for Grace to give to Ryutaro?" Aurelia said.
"Where?" Charlotte asked.
"In the middle of the room, there's a ring on display," Aurelia pointed out.
Charlotte turned to look at the display and was immediately captivated by the ring.
"You're right. It does seem like something Grace should give to Ryutaro," Charlotte agreed.
Aurelia then asked Charlotte for her opinion on whether they should buy it immediately or wait for Grace to join them.
"Charlotte, what do you think? Should we buy it now or wait for Grace to come here?" Aurelia asked.
"Hmm… if it were up to Grace..." Charlotte pondered.
A Few Hours Earlier
Charlotte and Aurelia were preparing to go to the city of Independencia to buy a gift for Ryutaro.
"Alright, shall we head out now?" Aurelia asked.
"Yes, we should leave before Ryutaro wakes up," Charlotte replied.
Just as they were about to leave the house, Grace called out to them.
"Hey, you two, wait a moment!" Grace said.
They both stopped in their tracks.
"What is it, Grace?" Aurelia asked.
"Is there something wrong?" Charlotte added.
Grace handed them some money along with a request.
"You two are going to buy some small gifts for Ryutaro, right?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, we're planning to get him a few things," Charlotte confirmed.
Grace handed them some money and made a request.
"Take this and buy something for Ryutaro from me as well," Grace said.
"What do you want us to buy?" Aurelia asked.
"Just pick something that you think would be nice and suitable for a couple," Grace replied.
"Hmm… okay," Charlotte nodded.
After giving them the money, Grace left them with one last instruction.
"But if you find something really special, call me, and I'll come there right away," Grace said.
"Alright, but how do we call you?" Charlotte asked.
"Oh, that's easy. Aurelia, you have telepathy skills, right?" Grace turned to Aurelia.
"I do. Why?" Aurelia replied.
"Just use your telepathy to call me, and I'll teleport there immediately," Grace explained.
"Oh, got it. I'll remember that," Charlotte said.
With that, the two of them set off for Independencia.
Present Time
"Hmm… Grace said that if we find something really special, we should call her immediately," Charlotte recalled.
"Alright, I'll step outside for a moment," Aurelia said.
Aurelia stepped out of the store and activated her telepathic skill.
"Hello, Grace, can you hear me?" Aurelia called out.
At Ryutaro's House
Grace and Ryutaro were preparing to have breakfast when suddenly, she received a message from Aurelia.
"Grace, can you hear me?" Aurelia's voice echoed in her mind.
Grace quickly excused herself and headed toward the bathroom to respond.
"Sorry, Ryutaro, I need to use the bathroom for a moment," Grace said.
Ryutaro, who was eating, looked at her in confusion.
"Didn't you just go to the bathroom a few minutes ago?" Ryutaro asked, chewing his food.
"Oh… um… it just hit me again," Grace said awkwardly.
Ryutaro gave her a suspicious glance but decided to ignore it.
"Alright, I'll wait," Ryutaro said.
While Ryutaro continued his meal, Grace went to the bathroom.
"Yes, I can hear you," Grace responded.
Aurelia, still outside the store, quickly replied.
"As per your request, we've found something really special that might be perfect for Ryutaro," Aurelia said.
"What is it?" Grace asked.
Aurelia described the item in detail, explaining what she had seen.
"So, you think this ring is perfect for Ryutaro?" Grace asked.
"Yes, I truly believe so," Aurelia confirmed.
"Alright then, wait a moment. I'll be there shortly," Grace said.
"Okay, I'll inform Charlotte," Aurelia said.
Aurelia ended the telepathic connection and returned to the store, while Grace exited the bathroom and returned to the dining table.
"All done?" Ryutaro asked.
"Yeah, all set. By the way, after breakfast, I'll be heading out to meet them," Grace said.
Ryutaro was surprised by her words.
"Why? Did something happen? I thought they were just buying some gifts for me?" Ryutaro asked.
"Yeah, but there's another reason," Grace said.
"And what is that?" Ryutaro asked.
"Secret," Grace smirked.
Ryutaro let out a sigh.
"A secret, huh? Alright then, I'll take care of the house. Be careful," Ryutaro said with a sigh.
"I will," Grace smiled.
After finishing their meal, Grace activated her teleportation and disappeared.
"Alright, I'm off," Grace said.
"Stay safe," Ryutaro responded.
In an instant, Grace vanished from the house, leaving Ryutaro alone.
"Alone again… well, I guess I'll go do some planting," Ryutaro muttered.
Suddenly, Alex, who had been silent for a while, spoke up.
"Hehehe… kid, it looks like you're quite lucky," Alex chuckled.
Ryutaro sighed at Alex's comment.
"I don't know if this is luck or the opposite," Ryutaro said as he walked toward his field.
At the Jewelry Store
Grace arrived in front of the store and walked inside, where she saw Charlotte standing by the staircase.
"Finally, you're here," Charlotte greeted.
"Yeah, I'm here. So, where is the item you wanted to show me?" Grace asked.
"Follow me," Charlotte said.
As they walked deeper into the store, they found Aurelia staring at the ring.
"Oh, you're here, Grace?" Aurelia said, still gazing at the ring.
"Yeah, I'm here. So, this is the item you were talking about?" Grace asked.
"Yes. What do you think?" Charlotte asked.
Grace examined the ring closely.
"Hmm… you're right. This ring is quite intriguing," Grace admitted.
She then called over one of the store attendants.
"Excuse me, could you come here for a moment?" Grace asked.
"How can I assist you?" the attendant responded.
"Can you explain the meaning behind this ring?" Grace requested.
The attendant nodded and began explaining.
"This ring is called the Eternal Bond Ring. It symbolizes an unbreakable connection between two hearts that will never be severed by time or circumstances. 'Eterna' comes from 'eternal,' meaning forever, while 'Bond' signifies a strong connection. This name represents an unwavering promise, a firm commitment, and a love that will endure until the very end. Additionally, each material used in this ring carries its own significant meaning," the attendant explained.
"Hmm… interesting. What materials were used to craft this ring?" Grace asked.
The attendant continued,
Materials:
Platinum – Symbolizes endurance and purity, representing love that never fades.
18K White Gold – Offers an elegant shine and signifies eternity and prosperity in a relationship.
Titanium – Lightweight, strong, and corrosion-resistant, symbolizing an indestructible love.
Diamond or Blue Sapphire – Diamond represents unwavering love, while blue sapphire signifies trust and loyalty.
Grace became even more interested in the ring after hearing the explanation.
"Hmm… fascinating. Alright, I'll buy it," Grace decided.
"A great choice, miss," the attendant said.
The attendant led her to the counter and stated the price.
"The price is 200 gold coins, miss."
Charlotte and Aurelia were shocked.
"What?! That's so expensive!" Aurelia exclaimed.
"Right?! My card's limit is only 20 gold coins, and even that's a lot!" Charlotte added.
While they panicked, Grace remained calm and smiled.
"Oh, just 200 gold coins?" Grace said nonchalantly.
She retrieved an item from her storage magic.
"Would this be enough?" Grace asked, showing the treasure.
The store attendant panicked upon seeing it.
"Wait a moment, I need to call the store owner!"
The store owner soon arrived, shocked by what he saw.
"This item… it's been lost for 500 years!"
"Is it real?" Grace asked.
"Yes, it's authentic… and more than enough to purchase the ring," the owner confirmed.
"Great. Then wrap it up," Grace instructed.
After completing the purchase, the owner handed her a VIP card.
"Take this. With it, you can choose any item worth up to 10 gold coins, three times."
"Thank you," Grace replied.
As they left the store, Charlotte suddenly spotted someone familiar.
What did Charlotte see? Will there be an upcoming battle? And will Ryutaro accept the gift? How will he react when he finds out the price? Stay tuned for the continuation in Chapter 18!
*If I made any minor mistakes that might be distracting, I sincerely apologize. I have done my best for this novel, and if you enjoy it, please consider giving it a like and sharing your feedback, suggestions, or criticism so I can learn and improve. Thank you for reading, and see you in the next chapter!*