Chapter 161: The Graduation Ceremony of the Trial of Steel

Once the candidates entered the hall, many of their eyes widened immediately in shock.

But it wasn’t because of how massive the hall itself was.

It was because of what they saw inside.

"You’ve got to be kidding me..."

Bobby laughed lightly under his breath while tears slowly gathered around his eyes.

"MUM! DAD!"

A girl from Henry’s group suddenly shouted loudly while waving both hands energetically toward the second floor.

Rows of seats had been arranged across the upper level of the enormous hall, and seated there were the parents, siblings, cousins, uncles, and relatives of many of the surviving candidates.

The entire place instantly became noisy.

Happy voices overlapped one after another.

Many candidates who finally saw their families after an entire year immediately waved emotionally.

The same thing happened above.

Parents shouted their children’s names with tears in their eyes.

Some waved handkerchiefs wildly.

Others leaned dangerously over the railings trying to catch a better look at their children.

The atmosphere felt warm and overwhelmingly warm, especially after everything the candidates had survived.

But...

Mixed within that joy...Was pain.

Quiet.

Heavy pain.

Some relatives stared silently toward the candidates below while desperately searching for faces that never appeared.

Mothers cried softly into their husbands’ shoulders.

A few fathers sat motionless with stiff expressions while their eyes remained red.

Some families had come here hoping their children survived, but reality had already answered them.

They simply received the answer too late.

Still...

Even with pain in their hearts...

They clapped.

Because those who survived had become the new lights of Ashenlocke.

Freya and Kyle led the candidates toward the seats arranged around the center platform.

The candidates slowly sat down one after another, but many of them still couldn’t take their eyes off their families above.

To them...

This moment felt more important than the trial itself.

Ezra quietly glanced around at the emotional faces within Veda’s group.

Bobby, who sat beside him, was already crying uncontrollably. His shoulders trembled while he wiped his face repeatedly using his sleeve.

"Thank the Scholars... sob... sob..."

Bobby sniffed loudly while cleaning his tears with his coat.

"You’re making yourself look lame, Bobby."

A boy sitting behind him spoke while trying hard not to cry himself.

His own eyes already looked watery.

"NINA!"

Gena’s loud voice suddenly echoed from Vera’s group nearby.

"I really made it, right?"

She grabbed Nina’s left hand and shook it repeatedly while crying harder.

"Relax, Gena."

Daniella sat nearby with her legs crossed and arms folded.

"You know we still haven’t finished whatever the Tenth Trial actually is yet, right?"

Her tone remained firm, but even she looked relieved seeing her own family amongst the crowd.

"But... but..."

Gena sniffed loudly.

"How can I relax when I’m finally seeing them again after so long?"

She blew her nose into the handkerchief Nina handed her.

Her eyes remained completely glued toward the upper floor.

Her parents had practically stood up from their seats already.

Behind them, one of their maids held a giant signboard with Gena’s face drawn on it while all of them shouted her name the moment they spotted her.

The entire hall became louder and louder.

Meanwhile...

At the upper seats reserved for the Mainline family members, several young nobles sat together while observing the surviving candidates below.

"Look at them crying their eyes out..."

A young man with white hair and pale eyes smiled softly while pretending to wipe away an imaginary tear.

"Makes me emotional."

He wore an elegant suit decorated with silver embroidery that clearly displayed his status within the family.

"I heard the trial started with over a thousand participants."

A young lady with black hair quietly spoke while staring down at the surviving candidates with conflicted eyes.

"If you keep stiffening your face like that, you’ll get wrinkles."

Silvia teased from the side with a smirk.

"Humph."

The girl turned away and folded her arms while sitting down again.

"We should all be happy right now, girls."

The white-haired young man continued speaking gently.

"After all..." He smiled. "Our three step-siblings survived."

His gaze shifted toward Veda, Vera, and Bale.

"And from what I heard from you, Silvia..."

His smile deepened slightly.

"It seems the title of Young Heir will eventually go to either Veda or Vera."

Though his smile looked warm...

Something colder hid inside his eyes.

Both girls immediately narrowed their eyes slightly after hearing him refer to the three as step-siblings.

The black-haired girl sighed quietly inwardly.

Just from those words alone...

It’s obvious how much he disliked them.

"Young Lady, are you feeling alright?"

The butler standing behind her leaned slightly closer with concern.

"No."

She answered honestly before smiling faintly.

"But it’s nothing."

As the conversations throughout the hall continued overlapping endlessly...

Several minutes later...

A Highline noble finally walked onto the central platform.

The moment he appeared; the noisy hall slowly quieted down.

The man stood tall while staring toward the candidates before him.

He could clearly see the results of the Trial of Steel reflected within their presence.

Their eyes looked sharper, their posture steadier.

The innocence many of them once carried had already been burned away by the trial, even though many of them was being emotional meeting their family, it was clear to feel and see.

"Congratulations..."

His deep voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Children of Ash."

The last few whispers gradually died down.

"You all endured nine trials over the span of an entire year."

His gaze slowly swept across them.

"You shed blood. You suffered and you survived without seeing your loved ones."

A proud smile appeared on his face.

"The trial began with over a thousand participants..."

His voice lowered slightly.

"But sadly...We lost many."

Several family members above lowered their heads again after hearing those words.

"It pains me deeply..."

The noble continued.

"But sacrifices like these are necessary for the greater future of the family."

Ezra narrowed his eyes slightly while listening.

Then...

He glanced toward Veda.

Veda’s fists had tightened quietly beneath the table while his eyes remained fixed on the speaker.

He’s still blaming himself for the deaths caused by this trial.

Ezra thought silently, then he turned back toward the stage.

"Although we lost many precious younglings..."

The noble continued proudly.

"From what I see standing before me now..."

His voice rose louder.

"I can confidently say that Ashenlocke has forged new lights capable of leading this family toward greater heights!"

The hall grew quieter again.

"We were once known as the Spines of Britannia..."

His gaze shifted toward the Mainline seats briefly.

A faint disappointment appeared in his eyes.

"But unfortunately...Our recent generation failed to meet those expectations."

Several Mainline nobles frowned slightly.

"But now..."

The noble suddenly pointed toward the surviving candidates.

"You...The children shaped within flames...The children hammered into steel...Steel forged strong enough to break diamonds!"

His voice thundered powerfully throughout the hall.

"Children of Ashenlocke! This is your era! Rise... And show Britannia the true power of Ashenlocke!"

The second floor instantly erupted into applause.

Candidates also began clapping loudly while pride spread across their faces.

"For Ashenlocke!"

Voices echoed throughout the hall.

Vera clapped slowly while sitting with her legs crossed, her back rested against the chair comfortably.

Unlike the others around her, her face carried that same bored expression, almost as if the speech on stage was only mildly entertaining to her.

Still...

Her hands moved lightly against each other in applause.

The members of her group, however, clapped with far more excitement.

Some smiled proudly, others shouted loudly together with the rest of the hall.

Priscilla’s group also applauded with the same level of energy, and Henry’s group was no different.

The entire atmosphere inside the hall grew louder and louder.

Meanwhile...

Inside Bale’s group...

Only Keith remained seated.

He didn’t clap, He didn’t even cheer.

He simply sat there lazily with his chin resting on his palm while staring ahead with sleepy eyes.

Apparently...

Even clapping felt troublesome to him.

Naturally...

Fay glared at him with twitching brows, clearly trying to pressure him into joining the applause.

Keith ignored her completely.

Bale and several members of the group noticed this and laughed lightly while continuing to clap.

Over at Felix’s side...

His group shouted the loudest among everyone.

Their cheers echoed heavily through the hall while some even stood from excitement.

Though Felix himself lacked that same energy.

The injury around his eye had already healed properly, but mentally...

He still looked unstable.

Like someone barely holding himself together after repeated humiliation.

Gareth and Page clapped calmly with proud smiles on their faces, completely unfazed by the atmosphere around them.

Meanwhile, Veda’s group also applauded loudly.

Veda himself clapped with a relaxed smile, though compared to the others in his group, his expression looked calmer.

Ezra stood alongside the others while clapping as well, but his face remained in its usual unreadable state.

For Ashenlocke, huh...

A faint laugh escaped beneath his breath.

It’s obvious what he’s really trying to say.

Go out there and prove your value.

Become useful tools to the family.

Ezra’s eyes shifted toward the direction the noble glanced earlier while mentioning the failed generation before them.

Several young Mainline nobles sat there quietly.

Some looked annoyed, others avoided eye contact entirely, while few didn’t look fazed but his words, they just clapped like the rest.

If we fail to produce the results, they want...We’ll probably end up treated exactly like them.

Wow...

Ezra slowly looked back toward the stage.

What an amazing family.

His thoughts dripped with sarcasm.

Then suddenly...

"ALL RISE!"

A cold and oppressive voice exploded throughout the hall like a military command.

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Every single person stood up immediately.

Mainlines, Highlines, Lowlines, Candidates, Guards and Servants.

Nobody dared move slowly, nobody dared hesitate.

Even the air itself felt tense.

Ezra’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He felt it.

No...

The entire hall felt it.

A terrifying pressure descended upon the area.

It felt like an invisible mountain had suddenly appeared above everyone’s heads.

Heavy, cold and absolute.

Many candidates subconsciously lowered their breathing.

Some even felt their hearts tighten painfully.

Then...

The Eight Elders of Ashenlocke entered first.

The moment they walked in...

The pressure within the hall deepened further.

Their movements were calm and slow, yet every single step carried terrifying weight.

The elderly men and women wore dark ceremonial clothing mixed with military designs unique to Ashenlocke.

Golden patterns reflecting the family emblem stretched across their sleeves and shoulders.

Some carried walking canes.

Others walked with empty hands, but nobody present would ever mistake them for weak old people.

The air around them alone felt dangerous enough.

Their eyes swept across the hall briefly.

Just one glance...

And several younger nobles immediately lowered their heads from instinctive fear.

The Elders calmly walked toward the elevated seats positioned above the Mainline section.

Those seats represented the absolute authority beneath the Family Head himself.

Even after the Elders got to their seats...

Nobody else dared move.

Everyone remained standing and waiting, because the main figure had not arrived yet.

Then...

Astraea entered.

Her deep black hair reflected the hall lights faintly while two guards walked beside her.

Both guards wore the military uniform of Ashenlocke, and on their shoulders rested four stars.

Four-Star Arcanists.

Just their presence alone felt sharp enough to pierce through the hall.

Behind Astraea...

Two women entered side by side.

The first possessed dark gray hair flowing down behind her elegant crimson gown.

Gold jewelry wrapped around her neck, wrists, fingers, and ears, yet instead of making her look excessive...

It only amplified the noble aura surrounding her.

The second woman possessed snow-white hair and calm green eyes.

Her green gown flowed beautifully behind her while gems and gold ornaments reflected softly beneath the hall lights.

Both women carried graceful and overwhelming presences.

Then...

He entered.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became heavier.

Valentin Ashenlocke.

The Family Head.

His full black hair rested neatly behind him while his deep black eyes scanned forward coldly.

He wore the military uniform of Ashenlocke itself.

Not ceremonial clothing.

Military clothing.

As though reminding everyone present what kind of family ruled Britannia’s weapon industry.

The golden Ashenlocke emblem attached to his chest reflected brightly beneath the surrounding lamps while he walked forward slowly.

Every step he took echoed softly through the silent hall.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody even dared breathe loudly.

Ezra could clearly feel the difference between Valentin and everyone else who entered earlier.

The pressure around the man felt monstrous.

Not violent, not wild.

But controlled to such an absurd degree that it felt more terrifying than rage itself.

Several weaker candidates unconsciously trembled, even some Mainline nobles lowered their eyes.

Behind Valentin stood Stoke and another man dressed in Ashenlocke military uniforms.

Both carried sharp gazes like loaded weapons.

Valentin reached his seat first and calmly sat down.

Immediately...

Everyone bowed deeply at the same time.

Only after the two women seated themselves beside him did the Elders finally sit properly as well.

Then..

The entire hall carefully returned to their seats afterward.

Valentin rested the side of his head against one hand while that same arm leaned against the chair handle.

His dark eyes slowly swept across the hall, making many people instinctively avoided eye contact, even some candidates who survived the Trial of Steel felt pressure building inside their chests beneath that gaze, then finally...

Valentin spoke.

"Continue."

His voice came out calm.

Yet the chilling weight behind it instantly silenced whatever little noise still remained inside the hall.