Last Gun Alchemist

”I expected you to refuse a little more.”

Vera said bluntly as she led Ezra through the crowd of guests and students.

The open grounds of the Mix Arena remained crowded despite the number of club display activities taking place in different areas.

Students moved between booths while guests stopped to watch the various activities, and the noise of conversations mixed with the occasional cheers and applause coming from nearby sections.

Ezra walked beside Vera, allowing her to hold his hand as she led him through the crowd.

”And risk having you do something crazy?”

Ezra replied plainly.

Vera stopped walking.

”Are you calling me a crazy lady?”

She turned sharply toward Ezra.

Both of them came to a stop in the middle of the open path. Vera still held his hand, standing close enough that Ezra only had to lower his gaze slightly to look directly into her dull black eyes.

Their gazes locked.

Neither of them moved for a moment.

”I don’t think I spoke a foreign language.”

Ezra replied in an even plainer tone, not wasting any time with his answer.

Vera’s eyes remained on him.

”Well, aren’t you the mysterious one? Who knows if you have some ability that allows you to learn other types of languages?”

She replied sharply, also without hesitating to return his words.

She’s not wrong, though...

Ezra’s thoughts shifted.

My Book of Memories should have information on other languages. Plus, my past-self did know three other languages.

His blank black eyes moved to the side.

They landed on several students standing nearby.

The students had completely frozen.

A first-year holding a stack of club flyers stared openly at the two of them. A few students from his club stood nearby with the same stunned expressions, their attention no longer focused on distributing flyers.

Ezra and Vera had somehow become the center of attention.

Ezra immediately turned away.

”Let’s just continue sightseeing.”

He said before taking the lead.

His hand rotated lightly, and instead of allowing Vera to continue pulling him along, he now took hold of her hand properly and began leading her through the crowd.

”Hey... that was Ezra Ashenlocke and Vera Ashenlocke, right?”

The first-year, who was still holding several club flyers, finally found his voice.

He turned toward the other members of his club, who were also distributing flyers nearby.

”I mean... the rumors.”

One of the club members replied, looking just as stunned.

”They really were that close.”

A female second-year student from another club murmured to herself.

Her face had turned slightly red from the sight.

”What a lucky guy... getting close to one of the Flowers of Britannia.”

A male second-year student said with visible jealousy.

”They can’t be that close.”

A Nobleman who had witnessed the scene said to his wife.

”Lady Vera of Ash knows what her status holds, and even though that boy is on the rise... his status still isn’t something that could lead to being on the same level as Lady Vera of Ash.”

He explained his reasoning as though the matter was already obvious.

His wife looked toward the direction Ezra and Vera had disappeared.

She didn’t immediately agree.

More and more quiet conversations began spreading through the open grounds.

And they were not going to stop anytime soon.

After all, the two people at the center of the discussion were now walking through the Mix Arena while openly holding hands.

”So, what are we supposed to do like this?”

Ezra asked as he looked ahead.

Vera glanced at him.

”Haven’t you gone on a date before... wait, it’s you, so I guess it’s expected for this to be your first.”

She said it with such certainty that Ezra could only look at her.

”Well, I also don’t know what to do.”

Her voice became softer.

”It’s my first time.”

Ezra stopped walking again.

He turned toward Vera and looked at her as if he had just heard something completely unbelievable.

Vera tilted her head slightly to the left.

She wore what she probably considered an innocent expression.

To anyone else...

Even with her usual plain face and dull eyes, they might have actually believed her.

Ezra did not say anything.

He simply turned around and continued walking.

”You just thought something rude about me.”

Vera immediately spoke from beside him.

”Don’t be a coward and say it to my face.”

Ezra remained silent.

”But I’ll let it pass because it’s your first time in a while thinking something like that about me. Still, you should know that I’m not...”

Vera continued speaking in her usual quick tone before pausing for a moment.

She spoke as if she could easily tell what Ezra was thinking about her in his mind.

”...I’m just special.”

Once Vera finished speaking.

Ezra’s mind suddenly came to a realization.

He just realized he had not thought of Vera as being really annoying for a while.

Maybe it’s because we’ve both been busy...

He thought.

She hasn’t had enough time to trouble me like before and I have also been very busy, not interacting with her for a while now.

However, another thought suddenly struck him.

Ezra’s expression stiffened slightly.

What if I’m already getting used to her annoying nature?

The thought made him feel strangely terrified.

Ezra slowly glanced toward Vera with his usual blank expression.

Vera noticed him looking at her.

Before she could ask what he was thinking, Ezra raised his hand.

”Let’s go play the games in that club booth.”

He pointed toward a nearby club booth that offered different forms of entertainment as part of its activities.

Vera followed the direction of his finger.

”I thought you said you didn’t know what to do.”

She asked calmly.

”I just saw it and thought maybe that’s what people do.”

Ezra replied plainly.

Vera looked at him for another moment.

Then she allowed him to lead her toward the booth.

As the two approached, the club members standing at the entrance immediately noticed who they were.

Ezra and Vera had become difficult people not to recognize during the tournament.

Before they could enter, however...

They had to pay.

Ezra suddenly stepped behind Vera when the member of the club stretched out his hand to collect the payment.

Then Ezra pointed at Vera.

The club member paused.

Vera quietly turned her head.

Her dull black eyes rested on Ezra.

You are the one who wanted the date.

Ezra returned her gaze.

His expression said exactly what he was thinking without him needing to say it aloud.

Vera stared at him for a moment.

Then...

”Let Big Sister spoil the helpless soul.”

She said calmly before taking out the money and paying for both of their game tickets.

The club member accepted the payment.

Vera took the tickets and handed one of them to Ezra.

The two entered the booth.

It was a ring-disc throwing game.

Several prizes had been placed around the area, ranging from small stuffed toys to more valuable items displayed at the back.

”Do you think it’s a good idea to let someone like Lady Vera Ashenlocke and Ezra Ashenlocke play our game?”

One of the club members whispered to the senior member who had collected the payment.

The senior member looked toward Ezra and Vera.

”It will be fine.”

He replied calmly.

”They’re only strong in terms of combat and studies. Games are completely different.”

He folded his arms.

”There’s no way for them to cause any problems. Just expect them to win a few times after some trials.”

A smile appeared on his face.

He thought he had hit the jackpot.

A few minutes only passed shortly after the entered...

”These games weren’t even a challenge.”

Vera said with an unimpressed expression.

Ezra walked beside her.

”That’s because you kept throwing ring after ring as fast as you could for no reason.”

He replied calmly.

The two had just walked into the game center of the club and in the next minute they were out of the game center.

In their hands were the prizes they had won, including the most valuable prize in the entire club booth, which had also been the main attraction of the game.

Behind them...

The senior member’s mouth remained wide open.

He stood frozen in place.

The other club members inside the booth had similar expressions.

Vera and Ezra had completely crushed the game.

They even deliberately aimed for the main prize, and although one of the senior club members had begged Vera not to take it after realizing how easily she was winning...

She simply didn’t care.

”Which one do you think would be really interesting?”

Vera asked dryly as she looked toward the other club booths.

”There are more club booths with game themes around this whole place.”

Ezra replied as he placed the prize he had won inside his Space Bag.

Vera looked ahead.

A faint smile appeared on her face.

”Then let’s go take all the good prizes from those clubs.”

She walked a few steps ahead of Ezra, placing her hands behind her back as she continued moving forward.

Ezra looked at her.

”That will be our mission on this date.”

Vera added.

The words caused Ezra to narrow his eyes slightly.

However, he still followed behind her.

Around them, the Mix Arena remained filled with the noise of guests, students, and club activities.

Vera walked ahead with a small prize still in her hand.

Ezra followed behind.

And somewhere else in the arena, several unfortunate club members were about to discover that Ezra Ashenlocke and Vera Ashenlocke had made a decision.

They were going sightseeing.

But apparently...

They were also going to win every good prize they could find.