Last Gun Alchemist

The days inside the Royal Academy continued to pass peacefully, just as they were supposed to, with classes following one after another and assignments piling up almost every day.

In fact, the amount of work the students were receiving had already become noticeably heavier than what they had experienced during their first week.

Many students complained whenever another assignment was handed to them, while others simply sighed and accepted their fate, because there was really nothing they could do about it.

They were all Royal Academy students now.

This was the life they had chosen, and if they wanted to remain among the students of Royals, then they had to get used to the workload that came with it.

Friday finally arrived.

With it came the time for Club Activities.

Students from the different academy districts began leaving their classrooms and boarding the Mini-Streamliners that transported them toward the Mix Arena.

The mini size train moved along the academy’s railway routes, carrying groups of students toward the same destination.

However, the students of higher status had other options.

Many of the nobles and wealthy Non-Nobles took their private Royal/Noble Steam-Carriages, while the Royal members arrived in their Royal Phantom Rolls, making their way toward the Mix Arena without having to share transportation with the rest of the students.

The Mix Arena was already becoming busy.

Students could be seen arriving from different directions, with groups forming as soon as they stepped down from their transportation.

Eventually, Ezra, Lucy, and Cyrus arrived at the Craft & Research Seekers Club House.

The building was already filled with members from almost every year.

First-years moved through the halls alongside upperclassmen, while some students were already discussing what they planned to work on during the club activity.

All of them were heading toward the same place.

The meeting room.

Once they entered, the members gradually took their seats.

Some sat with their friends, while others moved toward the sections where their usual groups gathered.

Ezra and Cyrus found their seats and waited quietly.

As always, the moment Vera and Diane entered the room, several pairs of eyes immediately locked onto them.

The two girls seemed completely used to it.

They simply walked toward their seats and sat down as though the attention from the surrounding students didn’t exist.

The meeting was supposed to begin soon, but the President, Luke, had yet to arrive.

Because of that, Latisha stepped forward to take over in Luke’s place as the Vice President.

She stood at the front of the meeting room and looked across the members with a bright smile.

”Good afternoon, members.”

”Good afternoon, Vice President.”

The greeting came from almost everyone in the room.

The relaxed expressions on the students’ faces made it clear that they weren’t dealing with the same seriousness found inside their regular classrooms.

This was a club.

They were here because they had chosen to be here.

Latisha smiled before raising her hand.

”So, let’s begin by separating those who want to be in the field of crafting from those who want to focus on researching.”

She pointed her right index finger toward the left side of the room.

”Crafting will be on the left.”

Then she pointed her left index finger toward the right.

”Research will be on the right.”

The meaning was immediately clear.

Those who wanted to participate in the Craft Unit were expected to move toward the left side, while those who wanted to participate in the Research Unit were to move toward the right.

Immediately after Latisha gave the instruction, students began standing from their seats.

Upperclassmen and first-years alike moved through the rows, heading toward the side that matched their chosen unit.

Those who were already sitting on the correct side simply remained where they were.

The room became busy for several minutes as everyone arranged themselves.

Chairs moved across the floor.

Students exchanged places.

Some called their friends over.

Others looked around to see who had chosen the same unit.

Ezra and Cyrus had already been sitting on the right side before the beginning of the meeting, so neither of them needed to move.

Vera and Diane, however, ended up moving toward the right as well.

They found seats close to Ezra.

Vera eventually sat down directly beside him.

Cyrus noticed them and lifted one hand in a small wave.

”Hi, ladies.”

Diane looked at him plainly.

”...”

Her light-blue eyes rested on his face for several seconds.

Cyrus immediately understood what was about to happen.

He had already learned enough about Diane to know that there was a good chance she had forgotten who he was.

So, before she could say anything, he quickly introduced himself.

”It’s me, Cyrus Burnwick... Sasha’s stepbrother.”

Diane blinked.

She stared at him for another moment before her expression suddenly changed.

”Oh, Sasha’s brother.”

There was genuine realization on her face.

Vera looked at Diane plainly.

”You’re always forgetting people, Diane.”

Diane didn’t seem offended.

Instead, she began listing the people she actually remembered.

”But I do know your face, Sasha’s face, Willow’s face, Selena’s face, and Stella’s face.”

”Hush.”

Vera raised her index finger and gently placed it against Diane’s lips.

”You don’t have to list all their names.”

She said it in the same dry tone she always used.

Diane blinked once.

”I see.”

Vera slowly removed her finger.

”Speaking about faces...”

She turned her attention toward someone standing farther away.

Her finger pointed toward a particular maid who stood beside one of the attendants.

The maid’s attention was completely fixed on her lady.

She watched her closely, almost like a hawk, while also writing something down in her notebook.

The strange behavior had already caused a few of the other attendants nearby to look at her with puzzled expressions.

Vera recognized her.

It was Hermione.

”First time seeing you bring Hermione with you.”

Vera said as she waved lightly.

Hermione’s eyes landed on Vera.

The maid immediately returned the gesture with a small wave before giving a respectful bow.

”Diane.”

Vera called her name without taking her eyes away from Hermione.

She already knew Diane was probably asleep again.

”Hmm...”

Diane slowly opened her light-blue eyes.

She turned her head, following Vera’s gaze until her eyes landed on her maid.

The moment Hermione saw her mistress looking at her, her smile widened.

Diane lazily raised one hand and waved back.

”Hermione wanted to come with me.”

She spoke softly, her voice still carrying the tiredness that seemed to follow her everywhere.

”She said something about wanting to see what my club life looks like.”

After saying that, Diane turned her attention back toward Latisha.

The Vice President was speaking with several senior club members before beginning the next phase of the meeting, explaining why she had separated everyone into the two different units.

Around the meeting room, conversations continued to spread.

Some students were talking about the excitement surrounding Louis Evergrey’s new vehicle invention.

They wanted to know what the vehicle would look like and whether it could really rival the Phantom Rolls.

Others were already discussing their own crafting ideas and research projects, talking with friends and possible future team members about the things they wanted to suggest.

The meeting room was lively.

Unlike the quiet atmosphere of a classroom, the room was filled with different conversations happening at the same time.

Vera turned back toward Diane.

”I see.”

She said plainly.

Diane tilted her head slightly.

”What about you, Vera?”

Vera looked at her.

”I have never seen you bring Becky around.”

Diane continued speaking while looking at her with her sleepy light-blue eyes.

”Unlike Tuesday, when we girls ate together. Even now, Becky isn’t here with you.”

She tilted her head a little more.

Vera didn’t seem bothered by the question.

”She’s always not with me.”

She answered honestly.

Then, without warning, Vera turned her head sharply toward Ezra.

”I know that you are curious too, Ezra.”

Ezra, who had been quietly watching what Latisha and some of the upperclassmen were doing, stopped.

His eyes shifted toward Vera.

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

He hadn’t even been thinking about the matter.

Yet Vera had somehow decided that he was curious.

Before Ezra could respond, Cyrus raised his hand.

”I’m absolutely curious.”

He spoke while removing one earplug from his ear.

Ezra slowly looked at him.

”You had your music volume on low... why?”

Cyrus immediately defended himself.

”I had to stay alert in case the club meeting commenced.”

”Quiet, Cyrus.”

Vera’s voice was sharp, but the dryness in it was far more noticeable than any actual anger.

The few words carried enough weight to make Cyrus immediately quiet down.

Vera didn’t even look at him.

”I’m talking to the Dancer.”

Her eyes returned to Ezra.

She stared at him directly, as though she was trying to force him to admit that he was curious about what she had brought up.

Ezra remained silent.

He genuinely wanted to keep silent.

There was no reason for him to explain himself when he wasn’t particularly interested in the matter.

But Vera slowly leaned closer to him.

The movement was small.

But it was also enough.

Several students nearby immediately began whispering again.

The same whispers about Vera and Ezra that had already started dying down began appearing once more.

Ezra noticed the attention.

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a moment, he finally gave up trying to ignore her.

”Speak.”

Vera stared at him for another second.

Then she sat back down properly in her seat.

”Okay.”

Her reply was softer than usual.

So soft, in fact, that it sounded strangely different from Vera’s normal dry tone.

Ezra looked at her quietly.

He already had a feeling that whatever she wanted to say next was probably going to cause him trouble.

But more than that, something had his mind stunned.