Last Gun Alchemist

Ding Dong!

Ding Dong!

Ding Dong!

The bells announcing the end of the club activities rang loudly throughout the Mix Arena.

The sound echoed through the different club buildings, marking the end of another day of activities at the Mix Arena. Doors began opening one after another as students stepped out from their respective clubs buildings and rooms, some already talking about what they had accomplished while others were simply happy that they could finally return to their residences.

The open area outside the Mix Arena quickly became crowded.

Students gathered into different groups as they walked toward the various transportation stations, with friends discussing their club activities while other students talked about the things they had seen during the day.

However, there was one topic that seemed to stand out more than the others.

The Fordliner and the Phantom Rolls.

The reveal of the Fordliner had clearly given the students something new to talk about.

Some were comparing its exterior design with the Phantom Rolls, while others were already discussing whether Silver Wheels could actually compete with the Vehicle that had started the new trend in Britannia’s Vehicle industry.

Cyrus stretched both of his arms above his head as he walked with the group, and a small yawn escaped his mouth.

He quickly covered his mouth with one hand.

The moment he lowered his hand, he noticed several girls looking at him with narrowed eyes.

”Manners.”

Vera said with a strict plain tone.

Her arms were folded as she walked, and she didn’t even need to raise her voice for the single word to carry its meaning.

”Yes... What Lady Vera said.”

Lucy added.

She also narrowed her eyes at Cyrus while the group continued walking toward the direction of the Mini Station.

Other club members and students from different clubs were moving along the surrounding paths, creating a steady stream of people leaving the Mix Arena.

Cyrus looked at the two girls.

”Come on, guys... I was tired, and I had my hands stretched.”

He defended himself.

His expression carried a little helplessness, as though he genuinely believed he had a reasonable excuse.

”He’s right...”

Diane spoke softly.

Her half-lidded light-blue eyes slowly moved toward Cyrus as she walked.

”Today’s club activity was stressful, but even then... yawning like that is wrong.”

She paused.

”That’s what Willow and Selena would say if they were here.”

Her tired expression remained serious as she delivered the statement.

Hermione, who was walking slightly in front of her mistress so she could guide her while they moved through the crowd, nodded in agreement.

Cyrus immediately looked toward Diane.

”Says the girl who was sleeping the whole time. That’s why you aren’t showing the same tiredness I have.”

He pointed at her while accusing her.

”I bet you don’t even know the name of the Vehicle the Silver Wheels company introduced.”

Cyrus spoke with confidence.

He seemed certain that he had finally found something that would prove Diane hadn’t been paying attention during the broadcast.

Diane looked at him.

”Fordliner.”

She answered plainly.

Cyrus froze.

”Wha...”

He blinked.

His expression showed genuine surprise, but he quickly recovered and continued.

”Alright... what was the colour of the...”

”Silver.”

Diane answered before he could finish.

Cyrus’s mouth remained slightly open.

He stared at her.

Diane didn’t even blink.

Cyrus tried again.

”What was the colour of Louis’s sui...”

”Grey and black.”

Diane answered just as quickly.

She didn’t even allow him to finish the question.

”He also wore a grey hat.”

She added.

Cyrus stared at her blankly for several seconds.

His confidence had completely disappeared.

”I give up.”

He turned his head forward and continued walking, apparently no longer interested in defending himself.

Lucy couldn’t help but chuckle.

Hermione also laughed quietly while looking at the sight.

The two maids glanced at each other.

That made them laugh even more.

Cyrus sighed when he noticed them.

”Ahh...”

He rubbed the back of his neck.

”I, a Duke’s son, am being scolded for manners training.”

He muttered to himself.

”I usually got the beating of my life for that kind of thing when I was younger. If I failed to hold my fork properly or bowed the wrong way, I would hear about it for the rest of the day.”

His voice lowered as he remembered his childhood training.

For someone from a Duke family, proper manners were not something that could simply be ignored.

A noble child could be corrected for the smallest mistake when it came to formal etiquette.

Cyrus glanced ahead.

His eyes eventually settled on a silent figure walking calmly in front of the group.

Ezra.

Ezra had barely said anything since leaving the club.

His pace remained steady, and his expression was as plain as usual.

Cyrus quickened his steps until he caught up with him.

”Hey, Ezra.”

Ezra turned his eyes slightly toward him.

”You’ve been quiet for a long while...”

Cyrus grinned.

”Is it because of your new Vehicle rival?”

He spoke in a teasing tone.

Ezra narrowed his black eyes at him.

”How many times do I have to say the Phantom Rolls doesn’t belong to me?”

His tone remained plain.

”I know, I know...”

Cyrus shrugged, clearly unwilling to listen to the same explanation again.

”You were the creator, so it’s still yours. Who cares about rights, ownership, or whatever?”

He looked at Ezra with a smirk.

”Do I look like the type who thinks about the business economy of this kingdom?”

Cyrus calmly pointed at himself.

”You don’t.”

Vera’s voice came from behind them.

”Because you’re not an idiot.”

She said it with the same cold, plain expression she always carried.

Cyrus’s voice immediately became quieter.

”You didn’t have to say it like that.”

The others at the back began moving closer as well.

Vera naturally ended up walking closer to Ezra’s side.

Cyrus looked at her.

He seemed to want to argue, but apparently decided against it.

”Forget that for a second.”

Ezra turned toward Vera.

His black eyes narrowed slightly.

”Why are you following me?”

He then pointed toward Diane.

”And you too.”

Hermione immediately answered before Diane could say anything.

”My mistress is following Lady Vera.”

She spoke calmly, defending Diane’s actions before her mistress even needed to explain herself.

Diane looked at Hermione.

Then she looked back at Ezra.

”What she said.”

Her answer was simple.

Vera folded her arms.

”My ride is going in the same direction as you.”

She replied without hesitation.

”Besides, you already know why we’re walking together, don’t you?”

Her dull black eyes remained on Ezra, her expression carrying the faintest hint of amusement.

”Or have you already forgotten?”

Her voice carried a soft, dry tone, as though she expected him to already understand the situation.

The moment she said those words, everyone except the two maids remembered what had happened when they reached the exit of the club building.

There had been that annoying presence again.

But this time, however, President Luke had helped them leave through another exit of the club building.

That was how they had ended up walking together now.

Ezra turned his head back toward the direction of his destination.

”And whose fault is that, I guess?”

He said plainly.

Vera tilted her head slightly.

”Are you blaming me?”

Her expression shifted for a brief moment, her eyes narrowing as if Ezra had just accused her of something completely unreasonable.

”That’s rather cruel of you. Ezra, it’s hardly my fault that I happen to have this face.”

She spoke with a serious, completely plain expression.

”But I just have to live with it.”

Ezra looked at her.

”I see.”

His reply carried obvious sarcasm.

Yet his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

Vera narrowed her eyes slightly.

”Why are you even asking, Ezra?”

She continued walking beside him, her pace remaining unchanged.

”It’s not like you’re actually worried about the people after me.”

She paused for a moment, then glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

”Although, perhaps you should be.”

Her tone remained soft and plain, almost as if she were giving him an ordinary piece of advice.

”Very worried.”

She placed both hands behind her back and continued walking, a faint hint of amusement appearing in her eyes again.

”Don’t you think so, Ezra?”

Ezra glanced at her quietly.

He knew exactly what she was implying.

And she wasn’t wrong about him not caring.

But...

”There is so much that could happen from this that would be a headache for me.”

He said plainly.

Vera nodded slightly.

”Then I guess I have to apologize in advance.”

She walked a few steps ahead of him before suddenly turning around. Without slowing down, she began walking backward, keeping her eyes on Ezra as the rest of the group continued moving behind them.

”But looking at you...”

Her dull black eyes remained fixed on him.

”It’s obvious you don’t care about the attention.”

She said it in a dry tone, as though she had already figured him out.

Ezra remained silent.

Vera continued walking backward with ease, her steps matching the group’s pace without needing to look behind herself.

Then...

Ring!

A Zphone suddenly rang.

Vera stopped her backward movement and turned around smoothly.

She reached into her Space Bag and took out her Zphone.

Tap.

She accepted the call.

Instead of activating the holographic screen feature, she left it as an audio call.

She lifted the Zphone closer to her ear.

”We are almost there.”

Vera replied to the caller in her usual plain, calm tone.

The group continued walking toward the Mini Station while Vera listened to the other person speaking through the call.

Ezra glanced at her briefly, before looking back at the front view of the direction he was walking to.

The crowd around them continued thinning as students gradually separated toward their own transportation routes.

The discussion about the Fordliner and Phantom Rolls still continued among groups farther behind them, with some students arguing over which vehicle had the better appearance while others were more interested in the actual crafting behind both designs.

For Ezra, however, the conversation had already become background noise.

He continued walking.

Vera remained ahead of him.

Diane followed with Hermione.

And Cyrus walked a short distance behind them, still looking slightly offended by the fact that he had somehow lost an argument to a girl who had spent most of the club activity sleeping.

The evening had only just begun.

Yet somehow, Ezra already felt that another headache was waiting for him.