Last Gun Alchemist

”Hey...”

Preston called Selena quietly.

The noise of praise and cheering still filled the concert area, with students continuing to clap as they talked excitedly about Ezra’s performance.

”Lady Selena.”

He called her again.

Because of the noise around them, Preston thought she simply couldn’t hear him.

She definitely could.

But...

Selena Galehart was completely lost in her thoughts.

”Lady Selena.”

Preston moved a little closer.

”President Preston.”

Selena finally came back to reality and turned her face toward him.

She looked at him with her usual graceful expression, although something about the look in her emerald eyes made Preston pause.

Not because he was afraid of her.

No...

For some reason, he had simply forgotten what he wanted to say.

”Ehn... what was I about to say?”

Preston scratched the back of his head, and a faint blush appeared on his face as he tried to remember.

”You called me.”

Selena spoke lightly.

”First...”

Preston placed his thumb and index finger against the bridge of his brows and looked away from Selena’s face.

Then, as though he had finally remembered something important, he took out the handkerchief in his pocket.

”Use this.”

He handed it to her.

Selena blinked.

Only then did she finally notice the moisture gathered around her emerald eyes.

”Oh, I didn’t know.”

She spoke lightly.

Instead of taking Preston’s handkerchief, Selena calmly took out her own and gently wiped her eyes.

”Thank you.”

Selena appreciated him in a polite tone.

”You’re welcome.”

Preston replied as he awkwardly took back his handkerchief and placed it inside his pocket.

She didn’t take mine.

He thought painfully to himself.

”You should announce the winner.”

The Vice President looked at Preston and Selena, narrowing her eyes slightly as she noticed the strange little interaction between them.

”I forgot that too.”

Selena laughed lightly.

She then turned away and walked elegantly toward the front of the stage, stopping between the two boys before facing the large crowd.

The applause had yet to completely die down.

Some students were still talking excitedly, while others continued looking toward Ezra as though they had yet to fully recover from the piece he had played.

Selena raised her voice.

”I think we can already guess who the winner is.”

She said with a bright smile.

”EZRA ASHENLOCKE!”

Veda was the first to shout his name.

The crowd immediately followed.

”EZRA ASHENLOCKE!”

”EZRA ASHENLOCKE!”

Nina didn’t even realize when she became part of the people shouting his name.

Her expression remained almost the same as usual, but her voice had somehow joined the cheering around her.

Ezra turned toward Leofirc after Selena announced him as the winner.

”Don’t forget my reward, Senior.”

He spoke plainly before beginning to walk away from the stage.

”Huh?”

Leofirc remained seated.

He was still looking down at his hands.

He couldn’t believe he had completely forgotten that he had stopped playing his piece sometime during the duel.

He had been so focused on Ezra’s performance that he hadn’t even noticed when his own hands left the piano keys.

Was his piece really just that good?

Leofirc asked himself.

His violet eyes slowly moved toward the still-cheering crowd.

Students were calling Ezra’s name.

Others were still discussing the music they had just heard.

The answer came to him without needing much thought.

”Ahh...”

Leofirc sighed.

”I was really beaten badly.”

He stood up from the piano and dusted his clothes slightly before turning toward Selena.

Leofirc raised a hand and gave her a small wave before finally taking his leave.

There was no disappointment on his face.

If anything, he looked more amazed than upset.

Selena, however, was already looking toward Ezra.

She wanted to go and talk to him immediately.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask.

One of the biggest was the name of the piece he had just played.

But Ezra had already stepped down from the concert stage and was walking away from the crowd, while the eyes of many students and guests remained locked on him.

”I didn’t know you were that good at playing the piano.”

Cyrus met up with Ezra with a pleased smile.

Ezra looked at him plainly.

”Since when did you come here?”

He asked.

”I was already out, just exploring the Mix Arena by myself as always until I was seduced by your music piece.”

Cyrus answered in a playful tone.

Ezra glanced at him.

”Hey, what is the name of the piece?”

Cyrus asked excitedly, his eyes still carrying the excitement from Ezra’s performance.

”I haven’t heard it before. I would really like to add it to my playlist.”

”It’s a piece I randomly played when I was small, and I don’t think it is a published piece.”

Ezra replied calmly.

”Hey, Ezra.”

Veda walked toward him and Cyrus, who were already leaving the concert area.

Linda, Tracy, Nickolas, Celestina Cole, and Tracy’s maid followed behind him.

Ezra also noticed Vera walking toward him with Nina and Lyra.

Zack and his butler had joined them.

Henry, Bess, and Fay followed behind as well, while the three of them were accompanied by their attendants.

Before Ezra knew it, a small crowd had already formed around him.

”Ezra, that was really amazing.”

Fay said brightly.

”Yeah, you can say that again and again.”

Nickolas nodded as he folded his arms, agreeing with Fay.

”Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke made me feel emotional in a way I have never felt before.”

Celestina said.

Her left hand rested against her chest while her right hand held Nickolas’s hand.

”Thank you.”

Ezra replied simply.

”I’m also genuinely impressed.”

Vera spoke calmly.

”Saying I’m genuinely impressed feels like an understatement to me.”

She looked directly at Ezra with her dull black eyes.

There was a faint warmth hidden behind her usual calm expression, though the way she spoke made it difficult to tell whether she was about to praise him or tease him.

”You should really be grateful that a lady like myself is giving you this expression.”

Vera lazily raised a finger and pointed it toward Ezra.

”I see.”

Ezra replied as he looked at her.

As if she wasn’t the one who had caused all this headache in the first place.

His plain black eyes narrowed slightly.

Then he sighed.

”Hahaha.”

Veda laughed as he looked at his sister and Ezra.

Once again...

The two had somehow managed to make the people around them feel awkward.

Vera was openly praising Ezra in her own strange way, while Ezra looked like he had already grown tired of dealing with her.

The contrast between them made several people nearby exchange glances.

Then...

”Students of the Royal Academy and our lovely guests who came to see their children, as well as those who came to watch the Club Tournament, I greet you all and appreciate you all.”

Vice Headmaster Godwin Fraser’s voice suddenly echoed loudly across the entire Mix Arena.

The voice mainly came from the stadium.

Everyone gradually turned their attention toward it.

Many activities stopped.

A few conversations came to a pause.

Even the students and guests who had been walking around the arena slowed down as they listened.

”Today marked the 300th Club Tournament, and it has truly been a good one.”

Elder Godwin’s voice carried the tone of an old man who was pleased with what he had watched throughout the day.

”Every student presentation truly showed how much work they put into preparing for this tournament, and I’m even sure the same could be said for the second phase of the tournament.”

He paused briefly.

”Tomorrow, the winners will be announced. For those guests who will be traveling back to their different homes across the kingdom, I wish you safe travels. And for those staying to watch the upcoming Grand First-Year Combat Festival, we will provide you with the best treatment.”

He spoke calmly.

”Today, we close with joy, and tomorrow, we will start with joy. Good night people of Britannia.”

The voice ended.

And immediately after the announcement ended, the atmosphere inside the Mix Arena gradually began to change.

Many guests started taking their leave.

Some had to catch the Dirigibles heading toward their different home regions, and with night approaching, they could no longer afford to remain inside the academy.

Others decided to spend a little more time with their children before leaving.

The various club booths also began closing down.

Students packed up the items they had displayed throughout the tournament, while others carried equipment and materials away from their booths.

The busy tournament grounds slowly began to calm.

Ezra, Cyrus, and Vera eventually returned to their club booth to help with the closing and packing up.