Last Gun Alchemist

The morning sunlight shone over Eldenford as snow continued to fall from the sky.

The flakes drifted past the rooftops and settled on the roads, covering the edges of the courtyard in white.

Despite the cold, the area outside the Grand Royal Hall was filled with activity.

Steam vehicles of various designs occupied the large parking area.

Royal Steam Carriages arrived one after another, bringing members of different families whose children attended the Royal Academy.

Their wheels rolled over the snow-covered roads before coming to a stop, allowing the passengers to step out.

Royal and Noble Fordliners were parked in neat rows.

Members of the Count Houses emerged with their families, while servants moved around to assist them with their belongings.

Royal and Noble Winter Rollers also occupied several spaces. Further along the courtyard, Royal Land Sailors stood among the other luxurious vehicles, their designs adding to the grand appearance of the gathering.

The entire outer courtyard was filled with expensive and well-maintained vehicles.

Their polished bodies reflected the morning light, and the snow resting on their roofs and wheels gave the scene a distinct winter atmosphere.

Among them, the Royal Phantom Rolls stood beside several military Steam Vehicles.

Their presence made one thing clear.

The Royal Family had already arrived at the Grand Hall of the Royal Palace.

Unlike ordinary halls, this building had been constructed on a scale that set it apart from the rest. It was the largest and most luxurious hall in the whole kingdom, built with rare materials that could not be found in other luxurious buildings.

The walls, foundation, ceilings, and roads leading to the outer courtyard had all been constructed with great care.

Even the sloping floors and the furniture inside reflected the wealth invested in the place.

Nothing about the building looked like a normal luxurious Hall.

It was the kind of place where every detail reminded visitors of the power and status of those who owned it.

Broadcasting groups had gathered throughout the outer courtyard.

Their members moved from one Noble family to another, holding recording equipment and looking for people willing to give interviews.

Some focused on the children attending the Royal Academy.

Others approached their parents, hoping to obtain their opinions about the event or hear something interesting about their families.

The courtyard was filled with overlapping voices.

Questions were called out, answers followed, and occasional laughter rose above the steady noise of the crowd.

The activity did not stop outside.

Inside the Grand Royal Hall, the hallways were just as busy.

Young Nobles met with their friends and talked about how their holidays had gone.

Some gathered in small groups, exchanging stories and catching up after spending time apart.

Others had already begun moving towards the main hall, where the party would take place.

The event had brought together students from different backgrounds, and the chance to see one another outside the Royal Academy had given them plenty to talk about.

Inside the Hall itself...

Guests were already walking around and greeting other Nobles and Non-Nobles.

Some had taken their seats, while others remained standing near their acquaintances.

Palace servants moved between them with trays, offering fuzzy, colourless drinks to anyone who wanted one.

They carried the trays carefully, making their way through the growing crowd without disturbing the conversations around them.

As time passed, more guests arrived.

The hall gradually filled.

At the main entrance stood the announcers, ready to introduce the important families as they arrived.

Behind them were the enormous doors, made from pure gold and diamonds, with an Alchemy system of defense integrated into their structure for protection.

The doors stood out even among the other luxurious features of the Palace. Their surfaces caught the light whenever someone approached, while the Alchemical system remained in place to guard the entrance.

The announcers began calling out the names of the most important Nobles and a few notable Non-Nobles.

”Welcoming the Count House of Evermont!”

The announcer’s voice carried through the entrance.

Count Evermont walked into the hall with his four wives and several of his children who attended the Royal Academy.

A few guests applauded their arrival.

Others moved towards the family to greet the Count and exchange pleasantries.

Before the gathering could settle, the announcer raised his voice again.

”Welcoming the Count House of Evergrey!”

Several heads turned towards the entrance.

Count Everard Evergrey entered with his family, carrying himself with an elegance that drew the attention of those nearby.

His family followed him into the hall, and their arrival prompted another round of applause.

Some guests had already begun standing to greet them. Others approached as soon as they had the chance.

It became a familiar pattern.

As the important families of Britannia arrived, the announcers introduced them, the guests applauded, and people moved forward to offer their greetings.

However, the attention given to the Duke Families was on another level.

Whenever one of them entered, many eyes turned towards the entrance.

Admiration spread through the crowd, and the conversations around the hall often paused as guests watched the families make their way inside.

The Duke Families did not enter unnoticed.

In the slightest.

Their status alone was enough to draw attention, and their children were no less popular among the younger guests.

Some Young Nobles and Non-Nobles could not contain their excitement when they saw their favourite people arrive.

A few even called out names loudly, hoping to catch the attention of the person they admired.

The reactions became particularly noticeable when the Derlis family arrived.

Lucien Derlis, Willow Derlis, and Desmond Derlis were among the most popular names among the Royal Academy students.

As soon as they entered, several children approached them with bright expressions, eager to greet them.

The same thing happened when the Galehart family arrived.

It happened again with the Burnwick family.

Then the Bergwyns.

And the Drakes.

Each Duke Family received its share of attention, and the crowd continued to grow as more guests gathered inside the hall.

Finally, the announcer called out the last name.

”Welcoming the Duke House of Ashenlocke!”

The Ashenlocke family entered together.

Their traditional black-and-gold colour theme stood out among the guests.

The men wore suits, while the women arrived in ball gowns that followed the household’s chosen colours.

Some of the adult women who had come to watch the event wore suits designed for women instead of gowns.

Their clothing differed in style, but the black and gold theme remained clear.

The other Duke Families had also arrived in their own traditional colours.

These distinct themes made it easy to recognize the major houses even in a crowded hall.

There was a certain elegance to the way they dressed and carried themselves. Their presence reflected the status they held in Britannia, and the attention they received was hardly surprising.

After all, they were Duke Houses.

Once the Ashenlockes had entered, the hall gradually returned to its steady flow of conversation.

Soft music began to play.

The Golden Matching Order Band had started performing, filling the Grand Royal Hall with a gentle melody.

The music spread through the room without drowning out the conversations, giving the gathering a relaxed atmosphere.

Guests continued greeting one another while the musicians played in the background. Some stood in small circles and talked, while others listened to the music as they enjoyed their drinks.

Among the guests was Lady Selena Galehart.

She was surrounded by her usual fan girls who seemed eager to speak with her about something.

”Lady Selena, will you be performing today?”

One of her close fans asked.

Her face showed how much she was looking forward to hearing Selena perform a musical score.

”Yeah... It’s been a really long time since I’ve heard you play.”

Another girl chimed in.

She even whined a little, almost like a child who had been deprived of something she wanted.

The third girl leaned closer.

”What I want to know is when you’ll release a new music score. I want to save it on my phone.”

Selena listened to their questions with an elegant smile.

She replied to the girls around her, maintaining the pleasant expression they expected from her. From the outside, she appeared perfectly content to spend her time talking with them.

Her mind, however, was somewhere else.

Perform?

The thought alone made her hesitate.

If I perform, I won’t get the chance to dance with Sir Ezra.

Nooo...

She almost wanted to whine aloud, but she held herself back.

Selena had no intention of wasting the opportunity to dance with Ezra, when she was already certain that Vera would have booked him for a dance, so she needed to act before the chance slipped away.

I have to ask him to be my dance partner for the second Dance Core.

Her smile remained on her face as she glanced around the hall, searching for Ezra.

Unfortunately, the number of people surrounding her made it difficult to see very far.

Other guests were crowding around the important families, and the hall was full of people moving between conversations.

She could not easily spot him.

Nor could she simply enhance her eyesight with Cognis to search the crowd.

Doing so would not be appropriate in the middle of the gathering.

Selena continued looking, hoping to catch sight of him between the people.

She had no idea that Ezra was already inside the hall, standing some distance behind her.

Ping.

A notification sounded from Ezra’s Starlix 11.

The sound was faint.

An ordinary person would have had difficulty hearing it amid the conversations and music, and even a low-ranking Alchemist between the Novice and Binder ranks might not have noticed it so easily.

Ezra heard it clearly.

He was surrounded by several of his fellow First Year students, along with some Ashenlocke members who were in the Second and Third Years of the Royal Academy.

Veda, the Young Lord of Ash, was also with him.

Their conversation had been going on until the notification interrupted Ezra’s attention.

”Please excuse me.”

Ezra spoke calmly to the people around him.

He reached into the pocket of his black trousers and took out his Starlix 11.

After looking at the screen, he tapped it once, then selected the notification.

The device opened his chat with Cyrus on Linsta.

A new message appeared.

***

’Please, my Lady Ezra.’

Flame_00:

’Bring the Young Lord of Ash with you to this location.’

Flame_00:

***

A picture had been attached to the message.

Ezra studied the screen.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the message and its accompanying image.

He already knew what Cyrus was scheming.