In the stillness of the night, Ron stood atop the lookout tower of Ralph Castle, his gaze piercing through the Milky Way, looking into the deep cosmos.
The traits of "Star Projection" were particularly active at this moment, with countless streams of star energy, like gentle rivulets, continuously flowing into his ocean of spirit through some invisible bridge.
When all was silent, with only the whispers of starlight, Ron often contemplated an ancient proposition—the theory of longevity.
As someone who might live for centuries or even longer, he had no choice but to confront this issue.
In the course of long years, how many births and deaths of family will he witness, how many rises and falls of dynasties, how much prosperity and decline of civilizations?
"Not sleeping yet?"
A familiar voice interrupted Ron’s contemplation.
He turned to see Edmund slowly ascending the tower, holding two cups of fragrant hot tea.
"Brother." Ron nodded slightly and accepted the teacup.
The aroma of the tea was heartwarming, it was the sweet flower tea he loved in childhood, a specialty of the family.
"I thought you wouldn’t remember." Ron took a sip, the taste was as gentle and sweet as in his memory.
Edmund smiled: "How could I forget? When you were a kid, you were always pestering old Martin in the kitchen just to have a few more cups of this."
The two stood side by side, looking at the distant starry sky, momentarily speechless.
After a long while, Edmund finally spoke softly:
"When you were fifteen, you stood here and told me you didn’t want to go to the Black Mist Jungle. Back then, I thought you’d leave for a few years at most, then come back with some magic and knowledge to continue living the noble life."
His gaze bore a hint of sentiment: "Who would have thought... you would really become the legendary Wizard."
Ron looked at his elder brother, who was almost a generation older than him and had now passed thirty.
In his perception, due to excessive work, Edmund’s life energy was like a candle burned down to the middle, bright yet starting to wane.
And in just a few short years, his father’s hair had begun to gray, and the marks of time crept into the corners of his eyes.
But he, because of bloodline activation and wizard ascension, found his life energy even more vigorous than when he left, more robust than at fifteen.
This paradox, this essential difference in the essence of life, became so glaring at this moment.
"What are you thinking about?" Edmund inquired, breaking Ron’s thoughts.
"Time." Ron simply answered, his eyes still gazing into the distance:
"To you, it is fleeting; to me, it is almost eternal."
Upon hearing this, a complex emotion flashed in Edmund’s eyes, a mix of longing for the Path of the Extraordinary and resignation to the brevity of mortal life.
"I don’t know whether to envy you or pity you."
He whispered: "Longevity is a coveted gift for most, yet it also means endless farewells."
Ron smiled faintly, a gentle glint in his eyes:
"Every life has its meaning, regardless of length. Briefness doesn’t mean insignificance; on the contrary, it’s because of briefness that it seems even more precious."
Moved by these words, Edmund wiped his eyes, unsure of what to say.
"Brother, I’m going to see Andre at the Royal Palace tomorrow, and then I’ll be leaving the Kingdom, heading for the Central Lands."
Ron suddenly said, his tone calm and resolute.
"So soon?" Edmund was somewhat surprised but quickly understood:
"Indeed, for someone like you, the Kingdom can no longer provide much room for growth."
Ron nodded: "The Central Lands hold more knowledge and power, it’s the real gathering place for wizards."
Edmund was silent for a moment, seemingly deliberating something, finally mustering the courage to ask:
"As a child, we often lay here, counting stars and making various wishes. Do you remember what your wish was?"
Ron closed his eyes, his thoughts returning to that distant night.
A big and a small boy lay side by side on the castle’s top floor, looking at the star-filled sky, making that exceedingly innocent wish.
"I wished that one day I could fly into the sky and touch the stars." He answered softly, a nostalgic smile curving on his lips.
"And now?" Edmund pursued: "What is your wish?"
Ron pondered for a long time, a note of determination flashing in his eyes: "To understand the essence of this world, to become a true and eternally bright existence in the sky."
Edmund nodded slightly, saying no more.
Thus, the two brothers stood side by side, silently gazing at the starry sky until the moon set in the west and the first light of morning rose from the east.
In the twilight of dawn, they exchanged a smile, as if they had returned to that carefree childhood.
Yet both knew that nothing was the same anymore.
The next morning, in front of the gates of Ralph Castle, the family silently stood to bid farewell to Ron, who was about to embark on a journey.
He looked at these familiar yet estranged faces before him, a wave of indescribable emotion rising in his heart.
"Father, Brother, the future of the Ralph Clan is entrusted to you." Ron said, his voice carrying a solemn promise:
"No matter what happens, the Ralph Clan will always have my protection."
The old Count, with tears in his eyes, tightly held his son’s hand:
"My child, no matter where you go, this will always be your home."
Edmund stepped forward, handing over a storage box to Ron:
"This is the family’s memento, inside are portraits of each of us and a lock of hair. May you feel the presence of your family no matter where you are."