Ezra stared at the sealed boxes of ores and blacksmithing equipment that Vera had brought.

The boxes were stacked neatly outside the workshop entrance, occupying almost the entire stone pathway that led into the building. Some were as large as wardrobes while others were small enough to be carried under one arm. Thick ropes wrapped around them tightly, and labels from the Grand Lumithar Shopping Complex were attached to the sides.

The afternoon sunlight reflected off the metal corners of the crates, making them shine faintly.

"With this..."

Vera spoke while the two maids accompanying her moved toward the steam-carriage.

The servants opened both carriage doors at the same time.

Click.

A mechanical sound echoed softly.

Several gears rotated underneath the carriage, followed by a series of metallic clicks as a staircase slowly extended from the lower section of the vehicle.

Steam escaped from a nearby vent.

"The favor I owed you is finished."

Vera stepped onto the staircase.

Her long black coat swayed lightly behind her as she climbed upward.

"How is your gun idea going?"

Ezra suddenly asked.

Vera paused.

One foot remained on the stair while she turned slightly.

"It’s fine."

Her blank eyes settled on him.

"All fine."

She paused.

"Super fine."

The flatness in her voice somehow made the words sound sarcastic.

"Although I’m quite a patient person, I’m not the type of woman who will keep waiting forever."

Ezra looked at her blinking twice, though his expression remained unchanged.

Yet there was visible confusion in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

Vera turned fully toward him.

The sunlight illuminated the side of her face, showing the contrast between her pale skin and dark clothing.

"I’m saying time is ticking."

Her words came out quickly.

"Soon we will have to reveal the modified version of the Baske 1945 to the family."

She folded her arms.

"And the only reason I haven’t done that yet is because I want you to execute your first plan."

Her gaze sharpened slightly.

"Because you obviously have something else occupying your thoughts right now."

She pointed directly at him.

"So occupied, in fact, that you forgot we still have to reveal the Baske sooner or later."

The words came out so quickly that Lucy, the maids, and even the guards found themselves unconsciously focusing on Vera’s lips and even after hearing everything, most of them still had no idea what she was talking about.

"I didn’t forget."

Ezra replied flatly.

His tone carried no emotion.

"But you haven’t set a time."

Vera descended the staircase again.

Step.

Step.

Step.

She stopped only a few feet away from him in a hurried manner.

"Imagine I suddenly decided to present it myself."

She tilted her head.

"And take all the credit for your hard-earned work."

Ezra stared at her.

The wind brushed through the yard, causing the leaves of nearby trees to rustle softly.

Then he answered.

"I know." His voice remained calm. "And you know you would never do that."

Vera tilted her head to the other side, then she nodded.

"Yes."

Her tone remained completely flat.

"You’re right."

She placed a hand against her chest.

"Because I’m exactly that kind of person. I am the type of woman who wouldn’t steal another person’s work."

She raised her chin slightly.

"Even if it were a masterpiece."

A brief pause followed.

"Because that’s who I am."

Ezra stared at her silently, then he sighed.

"Well... that’s a good quality, I guess."

"It’s not just a good quality."

Vera immediately corrected him.

"It’s a spectacular quality."

She raised one finger.

"A diamond-level quality."

Another finger.

"A golden-level quality."

Then she folded her arms again.

"Count yourself lucky, Ezra."

The guards nearby and the maids all narrowed their eyes taking glances at each other, even Lucy rubbed her forehead.

All because none of them could understand whatever strange conversation the two of them were having, but they could feel the awkward air building slowly.

"Ah..."

Ezra rubbed his forehead.

"Why am I being dragged into a conversation like this?"

Both guards and maids immediately shared the same thought.

Honestly...

I’m even surprised you can follow up with her in a conversation.

Vera tilted her head slightly to the left again, her eyes never leaving Ezra for even a second.

The afternoon sun shone a little brighter at that moment, filtering through the trees around the property and casting streaks of golden light across the courtyard. The light landed on her pale skin, making it appear even fairer against the black clothing she wore.

"So..."

Her voice remained flat.

"What big-brain plan are you planning to showcase to the whole of Britannia... Ezra?"

Her black eyes stared directly into his.

Not aggressively.

Not curiously.

Just staring.

The kind of stare that made it impossible to tell what she was actually thinking.

"I don’t know yet."

Ezra replied with the same plain tone.

His expression didn’t change.

Not even slightly.

"And even if I do know..."

His eyes drifted toward the sealed boxes stacked outside the workshop.

The boxes contained ores, tools, and materials that would become important pieces of whatever came next.

After a brief glance, he looked back at Vera.

"You’ll find out when the time comes."

He shrugged lightly.

"And after the release, we can move on to the next thing."

His answer was simple and direct, it was the type of answer that revealed absolutely nothing to anyone listening.

Vera stared at him.

Ezra stared back.

Neither spoke.

Neither looked away.

To anyone watching, the scene was strangely awkward.

It felt like two mirrors had been placed in front of each other.

The same blank expression.

The same calm eyes.

The same lack of visible emotion.

Even Lucy, who had become somewhat accustomed to Ezra, felt the atmosphere becoming harder to endure.

The maids exchanged glances.

The guards looked elsewhere.

Nobody wanted to get caught between whatever silent battle was taking place.

The silence stretched longer.

Then...

"Humph."

Vera turned sharply.

Her long coat swayed behind her as she moved.

"Suit yourself."

She didn’t continue the conversation.

Instead, she walked straight back toward the carriage.

Her boots clicked softly against the metal staircase as she climbed back inside.

Once inside, she sat down comfortably with her legs crossed.

Looking completely at home.

"Let’s go."

She spoke to her attendants without looking back.

Immediately, the guards and maids reacted.

They bowed respectfully toward Ezra, then the two maids entered the carriage and sat opposite Vera.

Two guards moved toward the front section, while the last guard entered through the rear and took a seat beside the maids.

A few moments later...

The steam-carriage came alive.

A low mechanical rumble echoed through the quiet street.

Blue lines illuminated along the engine core beneath the vehicle and up to the front burnet of the carriage.

Steam hissed from several connected pipes.

The sound of gears turning filled the air.

Then the carriage slowly began moving.

The wheels rolled across the stone road as steam drifted behind it.

And just like that...

Vera left.

However, she didn’t just leave Ezra’s home empty-handed.

No.

She had taken something with her.

Information.

Ever since Ezra had asked her to explain the business economy of Britannia to him, Vera had already begun piecing things together.

At first, she thought he was simply curious, but the more they talked, the clearer it became.

Ezra wanted to enter the business world.

The modified firearms.

The ideas he created during the Trial of Steel.

The discussions regarding polymers.

The manufacturing concepts he casually brought up.

Everything pointed in one direction.

Ezra wanted to build something.

Something much larger than simply becoming stronger as an Alchemist.

By now, Vera was almost certain of it.

And after explaining the difficulties involved in achieving such a goal, she knew Ezra wouldn’t simply abandon the idea.

That wasn’t the kind of person he was.

Once Ezra decided on a target, his mind immediately began searching for ways to reach it.

A path.

Then another.

Then another.

Until eventually he found one that worked.

The problem was...

Vera still couldn’t figure out what his first move would be.

Normally, the safest option was obvious.

Lay low.

Enter the Royal Academy.

Graduate successfully.

Earn status and earn the influence needed to help his goal.

Then slowly use it to establish himself.

That was the route most people from low status like Ezra would choose.

Because, it was more safe, stable and predictable.

But Ezra rarely thought like most people.

The moment he realized a path existed; he would immediately begin analyzing it.

And eventually he had reached a conclusion.

Compared to laying low and waiting years to gain status and influence that came from graduating from the Royal Academy...

Showcasing value through invention before beginning life in the Royal Academy was a much faster route.

The logic behind it was simple.

And now that he had completely severed ties with the Sterling Family, his source of support had disappeared.

With no family backing.

No noble allowance.

No hidden reserve waiting for him.

Everything now depended on him.

The reward money he earned from the Trial of Steel had seemed enormous at first.

Began to drop with every purchase reducing the amount available.

The numbers just kept dropping faster than expected.

And if he wanted to continue improving his Alchemy, studying advanced concepts, acquiring materials, and preparing for the Royal Academy...

He needed money.

A lot of money.

Not later.

Now.

More importantly, he needed to begin building an image.

An identity.

Not simply as a talented Alchemist.

But as a genius inventor and craftsman.

Someone Britannia couldn’t ignore.

Someone whose value would continue increasing.

At the end of the day, there is still a mountain of work ahead of me.

Even now.

Ezra released a long sigh.

His eyes followed the steam-carriage until it disappeared into the distance.

Then he turned around.

Lucy was already carrying one of the sealed boxes toward the workshop.

The moment she noticed him looking, she adjusted her grip and smiled lightly.

Without saying anything, Ezra walked over and grabbed another box.

Together, the two of them began moving the materials into the workshop that would soon become the center of everything he planned to build.

The two of them spent the rest of the day moving boxes into the workshop.

One crate after another.

Some contained ores.

Some contained smithing tools.

Others contained specialized equipment that Ezra had specifically requested.

The workshop that had looked almost empty only a few hours ago slowly began to take shape.

Wooden crates were stacked against the walls.

Metal shelves were filled.

Tools were sorted.

Equipment was arranged according to function.

The sound of crates sliding across the floor and metal tools clinking against one another echoed throughout the building.

Many of the materials were heavy enough that an ordinary person would struggle to lift them.

Some of the larger crates would normally require multiple workers just to move a short distance and some would require machines to move them.

Fortunately, neither Ezra nor Lucy were ordinary people.

As Alchemists, their physical strength far surpassed that of regular citizens.

The work that would have taken an entire team of movers several days to complete was finished by the two of them in a matter of hours.

Time quietly passed.

The afternoon sunlight slowly shifted across the workshop floor.

Golden rays entered through the windows before gradually becoming orange as evening approached.

Eventually, the final crate was opened and the last set of tools was arranged.

The workshop finally fell silent.

"Now it just remains to get a furnace."

Ezra glanced around the room.

His eyes slowly moved across the shelves, worktables, equipment racks, and materials.

The place was beginning to resemble Roger’s workshop.

Not completely.

But close enough.

There were still things missing.

Several expensive things.

Specialized equipment.

Rare materials.

Certain tools that only experienced craftsmen would possess.

The reason was simple.

Almost everything currently inside this workshop had been purchased using Ezra’s own money.

Every coin.

Every piece of equipment.

Every tool.

Everything had been paid for by him.

The purchases had all come from the Grand Lumithar Shopping Complex.

The largest shopping complex in the entirety of Metallica, also one of the five largest commercial centers in all of Britannia.

The place was practically a city of commerce by itself.

Furniture.

Clothing.

Steam-carriages.

Luxury goods.

Blacksmithing equipment.

Alchemy accessories.

Specialized tools.

Legal private weapons.

Rare resources.

Almost anything a person could think of could be found there if they had enough money.

Vera’s role had only been transporting the purchases.

However, she had personally provided the ores.

That was her own contribution.

In Britannia, ores were treated differently from ordinary materials.

They weren’t sold casually in regular stores.

Most Alchemists could only purchase processed versions through specially licensed establishments.

Even then, the available selection was limited.

As for the rarest ores...

Those were a completely different matter.

Many of them were controlled by powerful organizations, noble families, and large factions.

The higher one’s status in Britannia, the easier it became to obtain such resources.

The lower one’s status...

The harder every step became.

By the time Ezra and Lucy finished unpacking everything, evening had already arrived.

The sky outside had darkened.

The orange glow of sunset covered the neighborhood.

Lights gradually appeared inside nearby homes.

After leaving the workshop, the two entered the mansion.

Lucy immediately headed toward her room to freshen up before preparing dinner while Ezra did the same.

After spending the entire day carrying materials and organizing equipment, he wanted nothing more than a proper bath.

The moment he entered his bathroom, his eyes landed on the shower.

He reached forward and turned the handle. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Click.

A moment later...

Hot water poured down from above.

Steam immediately spread throughout the room.

The mirrors fogged slightly.

Warm air filled the bathroom.

Ezra simply stood there for a few seconds, then a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Finally."

He exhaled.

"My own home with a hot-water function."

For a moment, memories surfaced.

The Trial of Steel.

The freezing nights.

The constant struggle against the cold.

The miserable baths.

The endless discomfort.

How many times had he wished for something as simple as this?

Now he finally had it.

His own house.

His own room.

His own bathroom.

A heating system that kept the entire building warm.

Even the tiled floors weren’t cold.

The difference felt almost unreal.

"Now that I think about it..."

Ezra stroked his chin thoughtfully while steam drifted around him as he stared at the flowing water.

"Other noble houses can easily afford heating systems like this."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yet I had to spend years relying on heating cream and layers of warm clothing in my former home."

The answer wasn’t difficult to figure out.

Not anymore.

Back then, he had always tried to understand.

Tried to justify, tried to believe things would improve and now, he simply understood.

His father never cared enough to make those improvements.

That was all there was to it.

No complicated explanation.

No hidden reason.

Just indifference.

The thought of it no longer brought anger.

Only understanding.

And that understanding made it easier to let go.

Because that Chapter of his life had ended.

The Sterling Family was gone.

The ties were cut.

The people were dead and the past remained in the past.

Now another path stood before him.

A difficult one.

A dangerous one.

But it was his.

And this time, every step forward would be made by his own choice.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I’m ready."

Then Ezra stepped beneath the hot water.

The warmth spread across his body.

For the first time in a long while, he felt completely relaxed.

After bathing, he changed into his nightwear and headed downstairs.

The smell of food greeted him immediately.

It drifted through the dining room in a warm and comforting aroma.

Ezra walked towards the dining table.

The food had already been arranged neatly.

Lucy stood beside her chair.

Her own meal remained covered, as though she had been waiting.

"Did you wait for me?"

Ezra asked.

"Yes."

Lucy nodded.

"You didn’t have to."

Ezra pulled out a chair and sat down.

His tone remained flat as usual.

"It’s part of our maid protocol."

Lucy sat down as well.

Ezra looked at her briefly before turning his attention toward the covered dishes.

He removed the lid and the pleasant aroma immediately escaped, this time it greeted him more vividly.

The food was still warm with steam slowly raising from the plate.

"Thank you for the food, Lucy."

Ezra looked at the meal.

"It smells nice."

His voice remained calm and his face remained expressionless.

Yet Lucy could still hear the sincerity hidden beneath those simple words.

"You are welcome, Master."

A gentle smile appeared on her face.

The words reminded her of something Rogers once said.

Even when Ezra spoke with a flat voice, even when his face showed almost no emotion.

He still somehow found a way to sound polite when speaking to him.

The memory made her chuckle softly.

Master is really kind.

She lowered her gaze toward her food, then another thought surfaced.

A deeper and more painful one.

Maybe...

Maybe it is finally time I tell Master about my past properly, and about the tattoos engraved on my back.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her utensils as old memories began to resurface.

The memories that eventually led to her being discovered by the Guards of Ash and taken into the Orphans of Ash training program.