Chapter 254: Meeting an old Friend
Gwen blinked repeatedly in surprise.
The mysterious person standing before her, whose face had been hidden beneath a scarf and hood only moments ago, had suddenly called out her name.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively took several small steps backward.
"...Sorry..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Do I know you?"
Even after being saved...
She couldn’t bring herself to lower her guard completely.
The image of those thugs still lingered in her mind, and the frightening speed with which this mysterious woman had killed them only made her feel even more uneasy.
Lucy immediately noticed the fear in Gwen’s eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation...
"It’s me..."
Her voice softened.
"Lucy."
She reached up with both hands, gently pulling down the scarf that covered the lower half of her face before lowering the hood resting over her head.
Long familiar hair slipped free.
Her entire face was finally revealed.
Gwen’s eyes widened so much that tears immediately began gathering inside them.
"...Lucy?"
She whispered.
For a brief moment...
She simply stared.
As though afraid the person standing before her would disappear if she blinked again.
Then...
"Lucy!"
She covered her mouth with both hands.
Fresh tears overflowed almost instantly.
"You...You’re alive!"
She no longer cared about anything else.
Not the torn clothes exposing part of her shoulder.
Not the blood surrounding the alley.
Not even the corpses lying only a few steps away.
She immediately rushed forward.
The cloth she had been desperately using to cover herself slipped from her fingers and fell onto the snowy ground.
She threw both arms around Lucy.
Her body trembled violently.
"Lucy..."
Her voice cracked.
"Sob... sob..."
She could no longer hold back her tears.
"I really...I really thought I’d never see you again."
She hugged Lucy tightly.
As though afraid that letting go would make everything disappear.
Lucy lowered her head slightly.
She quietly looked at the familiar girl in her arms.
"Gwen..."
A gentle smile slowly appeared on her face.
Countless memories surfaced inside her mind.
The two of them searching for scraps of food together.
Running through the streets to avoid dangerous adults.
Taking turns looking after each other whenever one became sick.
Sleeping beneath broken roofs while hoping tomorrow would be kinder than today.
And the memory of them being forcefully taken away by strange covered Men working for the largest Red House in Britannia.
Those difficult days...
Had become memories she rarely thought about anymore.
Yet...
Meeting Gwen again brought all of them rushing back.
Lucy slowly wrapped both arms around her friend.
Tears quietly rolled down her own cheeks.
"I thought...I lost you too."
She whispered.
The two girls remained locked in their embrace.
Neither of them cared how much time passed.
Not far away...
Ezra silently watched everything unfold.
He sat calmly on an abandoned wooden crate resting beside one of the old stone walls.
The crate had long since been discarded after transporting goods.
Its rough surface creaked faintly beneath his weight.
His expression never changed.
He simply allowed the two old friends their reunion without interrupting.
The quiet moment lasted only briefly.
"G-Gwen! Are you okay!"
A worried voice suddenly echoed through the alley.
The young boy struggled to remain standing.
Blood continued dripping from both his nose and the corner of his mouth.
His right eye had swollen noticeably.
The left side of his face wasn’t much better.
Bruises covered his cheeks while several cuts remained visible across his arms and forehead.
Even so...
He stubbornly forced himself to walk toward Gwen.
Each step looked painful.
His breathing had already become uneven.
That single call immediately pulled both girls out of their emotional reunion.
"Young Master!"
Gwen gasped.
Her face immediately filled with worry.
Only now did she remember the boy who had desperately risked his own life trying to protect her.
She hurried toward him without another thought.
Lucy also turned around.
Only then did she notice Ezra.
Her master remained seated on the wooden crate.
His arms rested calmly across his chest while his usual blank eyes quietly watched everything happening before him.
"...Master."
Lucy scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
A nervous smile appeared on her face.
Lucy, you idiot...
Why did you reveal yourself so quickly?
She silently scolded herself.
Normally...
She would never expose her identity inside a place like this to anyone or in any situation.
Yet the moment she recognized Gwen...
Everything else had disappeared from her mind.
Still...
Her hands quietly tightened.
She lowered her eyes.
I really thought Gwen had died...
I had already accepted that...
Meeting her again had completely overwhelmed her emotions.
Now...
She couldn’t help wondering whether Ezra was disappointed in her.
She slowly looked down at the snowy ground.
For once...
She didn’t dare meet his eyes.
Then...
A calm voice broke the silence.
"Is she an old friend of yours?"
Ezra asked plainly.
Lucy slowly raised her head.
She looked toward him.
As expected...
His face remained exactly the same as always.
No anger.
No disappointment.
No criticism.
Only the usual calm expression she had already grown familiar with.
"Yes."
She nodded gently.
Ezra gave a single nod in return.
"Okay."
His answer remained short.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Lucy stared at him for a few more seconds, then she could only smile helplessly.
Of course...
That’s exactly how Master would react.
Master isn’t someone who makes unnecessary comments.
If it mattered...
He would say something.
If it didn’t...
He simply accepted it and moved on.
How could I forget something like that.
Lucy quietly let out a small sigh before looking back toward Gwen.
A soft smile naturally appeared on her face.
Not far away...
Gwen had already reached the young boy.
She immediately supported him before carefully checking the injuries covering his face.
Tears continued falling from her eyes.
"Young Master..."
Her voice trembled with guilt.
"You were hurt this badly because of me."
She clenched both fists.
Her entire body shook.
"You...You should’ve left me behind."
She lowered her head.
"I wasn’t worth risking your life."
"No way!"
The boy immediately protested.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
The sudden shout aggravated his injuries.
He doubled over violently as fresh blood escaped from his mouth.
His vision blurred.
His legs finally gave out beneath him.
He collapsed onto the snowy ground.
"Young Master!"
Gwen cried out in panic.
She hurriedly knelt beside him.
Her trembling hands didn’t know where to begin.
Should I stop the bleeding first?
No! I should carry him back home.
But I don’t have the strength to carry the young master.
Should I just run for help?
Her thoughts became completely confused.
"He’ll be fine."
Ezra’s calm voice reached her ears.
Gwen immediately turned.
Her eyes were red from crying.
"Does he look fine to you?!"
She couldn’t stop herself from shouting.
Her emotions had already reached their limit.
To her...
This strange person had appeared from nowhere, calmly watched everything happen, and was now saying the young master would be fine despite the obvious injuries covering his body.
She simply couldn’t understand him.
"I have to take him to a hospital."
She hurriedly looked around the alley.
Her breathing became faster.
"There has to be one nearby..."
Lucy quietly walked over before gently placing a hand on Gwen’s shoulder.
"Gwen..."
She spoke softly.
"Who is he?"
"Him?"
Gwen looked toward the unconscious young boy, fresh tears still rolling down her cheeks.
"He’s the son of Baron Wellston."
Her trembling hands instinctively grabbed onto Lucy’s sleeve, as though holding onto the only familiar person she could rely on.
"I work as a servant in their household."
Her frightened eyes quivered.
"If... if anything happens to the Young Master..."
She swallowed hard.
"I’ll be held responsible."
The terror on her face wasn’t fake.
It was the fear of someone who had lived under noble authority long enough to understand exactly what could happen if tragedy struck.
Lucy quietly looked at her childhood friend.
A complicated feeling settled inside her heart.
They had only just reunited after believing they would never see each other again...
Yet Gwen had immediately become caught in another crisis.
Lucy slowly turned toward Ezra.
Her master still sat there with his usual calm expression, as though nothing around him had disturbed his thoughts in the slightest.
She didn’t say anything.
Instead...
She simply looked at him.
Her eyes silently begged for help.
Ezra met her gaze for a brief moment.
Without another word...
He stood up.
He slowly rolled back the sleeves of his coat before removing the gloves covering his hands.
His movements remained as calm and methodical as always.
"Hey..."
He called plainly.
Gwen instinctively looked toward him.
"Move aside."
Ezra’s tone remained flat.
Gwen hesitated.
Her hands unconsciously tightened around the unconscious boy.
She didn’t know this strange person, nor did she have an idea on who he was.
More importantly...
She couldn’t simply hand over the Young Master to a complete stranger.
Lucy noticed her hesitation.
She stepped forward with a reassuring smile.
"Don’t worry, Gwen."
She gently squeezed her friend’s shoulder.
"He’s my master."
There was unmistakable pride in her voice.
"And... He’s someone you can trust."
"Your master?"
Gwen looked back and forth between Lucy and Ezra.
Her eyes remained filled with uncertainty.
The young-looking person standing before her looked unusually quiet.
His face was covered and his words sounded blunt.
Yet...
This reassurance came from Lucy.
Someone she trusted more than almost anyone else.
After a brief hesitation...
Gwen slowly nodded.
"...Please."
She lowered her head.
"Please take care of him."
Carefully...
She released the unconscious boy before standing up.
With one hand, she quickly adjusted the torn part of her clothing to cover herself as much as possible before quietly moving behind Lucy.
Ezra didn’t respond.
There was no need.
He simply crouched beside the injured boy.
Opening his Space Bag, he calmly removed a compact first-aid kit that he always carried with him.
After everything he had experienced in the trial of steel...
Keeping medical supplies nearby had already become a habit.
One by one...
He neatly arranged the tools across the snowy ground.
Alcohol.
Bandages.
Medicine.
Small surgical scissors.
Disinfectant.
Everything was placed exactly where he wanted it.
Only then did he begin examining the young boy’s injuries.
His movements remained steady.
Efficient.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of panic.
Watching him work...
Gwen slowly widened her eyes.
"...Wow."
She couldn’t hide her surprise.
The way Ezra handled the medical equipment looked far too practiced for someone who looked young.
She looked toward Lucy again.
"When you said he’s your master..."
Her curiosity finally overcame her nervousness.
"...Does that mean he’s a noble too?"
"Yes."
Lucy answered immediately.
A proud smile naturally appeared on her face.
"Master isn’t like any noble you’ll ever meet."
She puffed out her chest slightly as though Ezra’s reputation belonged to her as well.
Then...
She quietly removed her own scarf round her neck.
Walking closer to Gwen, she gently wrapped it around her friend’s shoulders to properly cover the torn parts of her clothing.
"There."
Lucy smiled warmly.
"You’ll feel a little more comfortable now."
Gwen lowered her head.
"...Thank you."
Lucy simply smiled in return before another question crossed her mind.
"Gwen..."
She glanced toward the unconscious boy lying beside Ezra.
"What were you doing here? And especially..."
She pointed toward the boy.
"Why were you with your Master’s son?"
Gwen laughed awkwardly.
"It’s actually the Young Master who brought me here."
Lucy blinked twice.
"Seriously?"
She hadn’t expected that answer.
Gwen nodded helplessly.
"Yes."
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"He received information that there might be a Black Market hidden somewhere in Cryden Town."
She let out another tired sigh.
"Although...I still find it hard to believe."
She smiled bitterly.
"Since everyone knows the Black Market is only a myth."
Lucy quietly looked away for a brief second.
If only Gwen knew...
She and Ezra had just walked out of it.
"I tried stopping him."
Gwen continued.
"But once the Young Master becomes determined..."
She helplessly looked toward the unconscious boy.
"...He never gives up until he accomplishes whatever he set his mind to."
Despite everything that had happened...
A small affectionate smile still appeared on her face.
It was obvious she genuinely cared about the boy she served.
Lucy couldn’t help becoming curious.
"But..."
She tilted her head.
"Why would he want to find the Black Market in the first place?"
Gwen gently folded both hands together.
"The Young Master..."
She smiled faintly.
"...is an inventor. Well...More accurately...He’s only beginning his journey as one."
Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward her young master again.
"He admires the young noble from Duke Ashenlocke. The one who created the Phantom Rolls."
The moment those words left Gwen’s mouth...
Lucy nearly burst into laughter, but she quickly covered her mouth with one hand.
Because the person Gwen was talking about...
Was currently kneeling only a few steps away.
Calmly treating her young master’s injuries without saying a single word.
Lucy couldn’t help stealing several amused glances toward Ezra.
Her shoulders even trembled slightly from trying not to laugh.
Ezra naturally heard every word.
He could also feel Lucy repeatedly looking at him.
Even so...
He continued applying the medicine without the slightest reaction.
His expression never changed.
It was as though the conversation had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Lucy finally managed to compose herself.
"So..."
She spoke calmly.
"He came looking for a Black Market...to complete one of his inventions?"
Gwen slowly shook her head.
"It’s more complicated than that."
A weary sigh escaped her lips.
The smile she had been forcing gradually disappeared.
Lucy’s expression also became serious.
"What happened, Gwen?"
She asked softly.
Gwen remained silent for several moments.
Then...
She finally spoke the truth.
"...The House of Baron Wellston..." She lowered her head. "...is on the brink of collapse."
"They suddenly went bankrupt."
Gwen’s voice became much quieter.
She lowered her eyes as though the memory itself weighed heavily on her heart.
"The Baron House of Wellston owes another Baron Family here in Velcryon an enormous amount of money."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"And the debt has grown so large that it could completely ruin the entire family."
Lucy quietly listened.
She hadn’t expected something this serious.
Gwen continued speaking.
"That’s why the Young Master wants to follow the same path as his idol."
A faint smile appeared despite the sadness in her eyes.
"He wants to use his invention just like Young Lord Ezra Ashenlocke did. You must know how the Phantom Rolls completely changed his life."
"It earned him recognition... Wealth... And maybe support from powerful people. I’m not sure."
She looked toward the unconscious young master lying beside Ezra.
"Young Master Blake believes he can do the same. He wants to present his own invention to the whole of Britannia. If a major company agrees to sign a production contract with him..."
She slowly clenched her hands together.
"The family might be able to escape this crisis."
Her voice gradually became weaker.
"But...He doesn’t even have all the materials needed to finish his invention."
Another helpless sigh escaped her lips.
"I’ve watched him work every single day. He keeps redesigning it over and over again, but without the final materials...He can’t complete it."
Her shoulders slowly dropped.
The exhaustion on her face became even more obvious.
Throughout Gwen’s explanation...
Ezra remained focused on treating Blake’s injuries.
His hands steadily wrapped another clean bandage around the young inventor’s arm.
Even so...
His thoughts quietly drifted elsewhere.
An inventor...
Ezra thought to himself.
His calm eyes briefly rested on Blake’s unconscious face.
An invention important enough to make a person search for materials inside the Black Market...
It shouldn’t be something ordinary.
He carefully secured the final bandage before checking Blake’s breathing once more.
Everything had stabilized.
Ezra quietly studied the unconscious boy for another moment.
Which means...
He’s probably talented.
His thoughts remained calm.
There wasn’t the slightest excitement on his face.
Instead...
He simply observed.
Like a craftsman evaluating another craftsman’s work before even seeing the finished product.
It wouldn’t hurt to find out how capable he really is.
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
If he’s genuinely useful...
Then I should recruit him.
The thought naturally formed inside his mind.
Ever since deciding to establish his own company in the future...
Ezra had already accepted one reality.
No matter how capable he became...
He couldn’t build everything alone.
A single inventor...
A single craftsman...
Would never be enough.
He would eventually need talented people around him.
Craftsmen.
Researchers.
Alchemists.
People capable of turning ideas into reality.
Someone like Blake...
If he truly possessed talent and usefulness...
Would be worth nurturing.
Finding an inventor still in the early stages of his growth...
Wasn’t much different from discovering an untouched rare ore.
Its true value only revealed itself after proper refinement.
Several moments later...
After Ezra finished applying the final treatment.
He calmly inspected every bandage one last time before giving a slight nod to himself.
"I’m done."
He spoke in his usual flat tone.
Standing up...
He picked up the white cloth lying beside the first-aid kit and slowly wiped the remaining traces of blood from the white gloves he wore before applying the first aid on Blake.
After making sure everything had been cleaned properly...
He neatly packed each medical instrument back into the first-aid kit.
The box disappeared into his Space Bag once again.
"Really?"
Gwen immediately stopped talking to Lucy.
Without wasting another second...
She hurried over and carefully knelt beside Blake.
Her trembling hands gently examined the bandages covering his injuries.
The bleeding had completely stopped.
The swollen areas had already been treated.
Every wound had been cleaned thoroughly before being wrapped with surprising precision.
Even someone with professional medical training would have struggled to find fault with the treatment.
Gwen slowly raised her head.
Her eyes gradually became moist once more.
She looked toward Ezra.
Then...
Without hesitation...
She lowered herself onto both knees.
Her forehead almost touched the snowy ground.
"Thank you."
Her voice trembled with sincerity.
"Thank you very much."
She bowed even lower.
Lucy quietly looked at her friend.
She understood exactly why Gwen was reacting this way.
To Gwen...
Ezra hadn’t simply treated Blake.
He had protected the last hope of Baron Wellston.
Ezra looked down at the kneeling girl.
His expression remained as calm as ever.
"You shouldn’t thank me."
He replied plainly.
Then...
He slowly raised one hand.
His finger pointed toward Lucy.
"You should thank her."
His voice remained flat.
"If she hadn’t wanted to help...I would’ve already been walking home."