Last Gun Alchemist

After Baron Wellston and his guard left the waiting room...

Silence gradually settled over the room once again.

Lucy watched the door close before letting out a quiet breath.

Without saying anything, she walked toward the serving trolley the maid had pushed into the room earlier.

The faint aroma of freshly baked cookies still lingered in the air.

She carefully picked up one of the white ceramic plates before arranging several pieces of the snacks onto it.

Afterward, she poured a cup of warm fruit tea and carried both over to Ezra.

"Master."

She gently placed the plate and cup in front of him before preparing another serving for herself.

Ezra gave a slight nod.

"Thank you."

Lucy smiled happily before taking her own plate and quietly sitting opposite him.

For the next several minutes...

Neither of them spoke.

Only the soft sound of porcelain lightly touching the wooden table echoed through the waiting room.

Ezra slowly ate one cookie after another.

However...

His attention wasn’t on the food.

His mind continued organizing every piece of information he had obtained since arriving at Baron Wellston’s estate.

Gwen’s explanation...

The appearance of the mansion...

The condition of the servants...

The Baron’s expression...

Even the guard’s reaction at the entrance.

Every detail quietly connected inside his mind.

The more he thought about it...

The more convinced he became.

Something else is happening.

A debt alone shouldn’t be enough to push an established Baron House this close to collapse.

His fingers lightly tapped against the side of the teacup.

There has to be another reason.

Time quietly passed.

Although it hadn’t been an entire hour...

Several dozen minutes slipped by before another gentle knock sounded outside.

Knock.

Knock.

"The rooms have been prepared, Sir."

The familiar maid from earlier slowly opened the door before respectfully lowering her head.

She kept her posture lowered throughout her report.

Ezra calmly stood from his seat.

He gently placed the white ceramic plate back onto the serving tray.

Several untouched snacks still remained on it.

Lucy quietly finished the last sip of her drink before carefully arranging both her plate and cup beside Ezra’s.

Unlike earlier...

Nothing had been left in disorder.

She naturally cleaned up after herself before standing.

"Thank you."

She politely bowed toward the maid.

The maid looked slightly surprised before hurriedly returning the bow.

"This way, please."

She respectfully led them from the waiting room.

Several minutes later...

The maid had guided them to the guest wing prepared specifically for important visitors.

Although Baron Wellston’s household had clearly fallen into financial hardship...

The guest rooms remained clean.

Simple...

Yet comfortable.

After showing each of them their assigned rooms...

The maid excused herself.

"If you require anything..."

She bowed once more.

"Please ring the bell."

With that...

She quietly departed.

Ezra freshened himself up before changing into a fresh set of clothes which he carried with him in his space bag.

Lucy did the same inside the neighboring room.

By now...

This had already become part of her routine.

Whenever they traveled...

She always visited Ezra after settling into her own room.

A few minutes later...

She stood outside Ezra’s door.

Knock.

Knock.

"Come in."

Ezra’s familiar flat voice answered from inside.

Lucy slowly opened the door.

After stepping inside...

She carefully closed it behind her.

Thud.

The soft sound of the door shutting echoed briefly throughout the room.

Lucy looked toward the bed.

Ezra sat cross-legged near its center.

His Starlix 11 rested open before him.

The blue glow from its holographic display illuminated part of his face.

Several articles floated above the screen.

Most contained information regarding Velcryon.

Others displayed records of the noble families currently residing within the city.

Lucy slowly walked forward.

Her hands remained clasped behind her back.

Each step she took was unhurried.

"...Master."

She finally spoke.

Ezra didn’t immediately answer.

He simply continued reading another article before closing it with a light swipe of his finger.

Lucy stopped beside the bed.

"I’ve been wondering about something."

She tilted her head slightly.

Before she could continue...

"You’re wondering..."

Ezra calmly interrupted.

"...why I’m interested in helping Baron Wellston’s family to this extent again."

Lucy blinked twice.

"...Yeah, I already asked the question before."

Ezra finally looked toward her.

His expression remained as calm as ever.

Lucy scratched her cheek awkwardly before laughing softly.

"Well...It’s really been bothering me a lot."

She sat down gently at the edge of the bed.

Her curious eyes remained fixed on Ezra.

"Knowing you...You never involve yourself in problems that don’t concern you."

She hugged one knee lightly.

"At first...I thought you agreed because I asked you to help Gwen."

She smiled helplessly.

"My childhood friend."

Her smile gradually faded.

"But now...It feels like you’re doing something completely different."

She looked straight into Ezra’s eyes.

"It almost feels as though...You’ve already decided to involve yourself with the Wellston Family. You did say you will tell me the reason later."

Ezra quietly looked back at her.

For several seconds...

Neither of them spoke.

The room fell completely silent.

Only the faint ticking of the wall clock continued echoing.

Finally...

Ezra answered.

"I’m doing all of this...because I want to recruit Baron Wellston’s son."

His tone remained flat.

"I’m fairly certain I already said that in front of the Baron."

Lucy blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Only then did she remember.

...Right.

Master really did say that.

She quietly lowered her head.

Truthfully...

She had heard him.

She simply hadn’t wanted to believe that was his main reason.

Deep inside...

She had hoped Ezra was helping because of Gwen.

Because of her request.

Instead...

Everything had returned to Ezra’s original objective.

Recruiting talent.

Lucy smiled awkwardly.

I really let my emotions get ahead of me.

Ezra had already returned his attention to the Starlix.

Another article appeared before him.

Lucy quietly watched him.

She didn’t speak again.

Several peaceful minutes passed.

Only after Ezra finished reading another report did Lucy finally gather the courage to speak.

"...Master."

Ezra looked toward her.

"Aren’t you..."

She hesitated briefly.

"...going to ask me about my past?"

Her voice sounded much softer than before.

Ezra remained silent for a brief moment.

Then...

"If..."

He calmly closed the Starlix before setting it aside.

"...you wish to tell me, Lucy."

His dull black eyes quietly met hers.

"I’m listening."

Lucy couldn’t help smiling helplessly.

Exactly as expected.

Master would never force someone to speak.

She slowly lowered her eyes.

Then...

She finally began.

"I was born...in Merc Hollow."

Her voice became much quieter.

"It’s one of the smaller cities within Mercurialis."

She gently rested one hand on her lap while the other supported her body against the bed.

"If you remember...When we were leaving the Trial Base on the bus...I mentioned it once."

Ezra nodded slightly.

"I remember."

Lucy smiled faintly.

"There were many children like me."

Her eyes gradually lost focus as distant memories resurfaced.

"Children without parents. Children...who only had each other."

She quietly let out a small breath.

"Around the small districts of Merc Hollow, small groups were formed. We called them Creeks. Around the district I lived in, there were five different Creeks. Each one had its own leader...Vice leader...And several people responsible for protecting everyone else."

Her smile carried both warmth and sadness.

"Every Creek controlled its own territory."

She continued.

"We had to. If we didn’t...We wouldn’t have enough food. Or a place to sleep."

She lowered her gaze.

"Sometimes...One Creek would invade another, and huge fights would break out because everyone was trying to survive."

A faint laugh escaped her lips.

"I was only five back then. So, I couldn’t fight. Gwen...And two older girls...They always protected me. They treated me like their little sister."

She smiled proudly.

"Although... I still helped whenever I could."

Her smile gradually weakened.

"We stole bread from market stalls. We ran from angry shop owners. Sometimes... when some of us got caught. They were beaten so badly... they never woke up the next morning."

Her fingers slowly tightened around the fabric covering her knees.

"Sometimes children froze to death, because of the cold weather. Sometimes...They starved to death. Sometimes...They simply became sick and died because of it."

Her voice quietly trembled.

"And almost every day...Someone disappeared."

Lucy lowered her head.

"We were only children..."

She whispered.

"So... What were we supposed to do...to survive?"

Lucy gritted her teeth.

Her fingers slowly tightened around the fabric of her nightwear resting on her lap.

The memories she had buried deep inside her heart quietly resurfaced one after another, making it difficult for her to keep the smile she normally wore.

Ezra remained silent.

He didn’t interrupt.

He simply listened.

His blank black eyes stayed fixed on Lucy, patiently waiting for her to continue in her own time.

After several quiet seconds...

"Hahaha..."

Lucy suddenly laughed.

The laughter sounded dry.

It carried more bitterness than happiness.

She awkwardly scratched her cheek.

"I’m getting emotional for no reason."

She forced a smile onto her face, trying to brush away the heaviness that had settled inside the room.

Ezra still didn’t speak.

He neither comforted her nor interrupted her thoughts.

He simply continued looking at her with his usual calm expression.

That silence somehow made it easier for Lucy to continue.

"Well..."

She took a slow breath.

"Everything changed after I turned eight."

Her eyes slowly drifted toward the ceiling.

The plain white surface gradually disappeared from her sight as old memories quietly filled her mind.

The day...

The very day she left behind the freezing streets of Merc Hollow...

Never disappeared from her memory.

It remained as vivid as though it had happened only yesterday.

***

Beneath an old stone bridge...

A small camp had been built from whatever abandoned materials the children could find.

Old wooden planks.

Broken barrels.

Pieces of torn cloth tied together to block the cold wind.

Stacks of worn sacks that served as beds.

The bridge protected them from the falling snow...

But it couldn’t keep away the freezing air that slipped through every crack.

Even so...

To the children living there...

It was home.

Around twenty children gathered beneath the bridge.

The oldest among them looked no older than eighteen, while the youngest had only recently turned eight.

Everyone quietly prepared for another cold night.

A seventeen-year-old boy walked around carrying a woven basket.

Inside...

Only a few small pieces of stale bread remained.

He carefully handed each child a single piece.

No one complained.

No one asked for more.

They had long since grown accustomed to dividing every meal equally.

Two teenagers around his age followed behind him, making sure no one was left out.

Although the bread barely filled half a palm...

Every child still smiled after receiving their share.

To them...

Eating something was already better than eating nothing.

"Ah!"

Little Lucy suddenly pulled her hand out of the shallow stream flowing beside the bridge.

She quickly shook both hands in the air.

"The water is so cold!"

Tiny droplets scattered everywhere.

A familiar voice immediately responded.

"Idiot."

Gwen stood nearby with one hand resting on her waist while pointing directly at Lucy.

"Can’t you see it’s snowing?"

She frowned.

"And you’re still playing with the water."

Her tone carried the impatience of an older sister.

"Humph."

Lucy immediately puffed out both cheeks before turning her head away.

"I wasn’t playing."

She muttered under her breath.

"I was only trying to test something."

She crossed both arms.

"Do I look like a little kid who would play with water?"

Gwen stared at her.

"...Yes."

She answered without hesitation.

"You are still a kid."

Lucy’s eyes immediately widened.

"Stop calling me a kid!"

She spun around and pointed accusingly at Gwen.

"You’re not even an adult yourself. Only two years older than me."

Gwen calmly folded her arms.

A smug smile slowly appeared on her face.

"But...I’m still older than you."

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"You’re not Boss, and you’re not Big Sis either. So, stop acting like you don’t get treated exactly the same as the rest of us."

She proudly stuck out her chest after finishing her argument.

"Huh?!"

Gwen glared at her.

"You little brat."

Just as another round of bickering was about to begin...

"Now... now..."

A soft voice gently interrupted them.

"You two shouldn’t waste your energy arguing."

A teenage girl around fifteen quietly stepped between them.

Unlike the rough atmosphere surrounding the bridge...

Her smile somehow carried a comforting warmth.

She gently rubbed Lucy’s hair.

"The snowfall is getting heavier."

She looked toward both girls.

"You should warm yourselves by the fire before your hands freeze."

"Big Sis!"

The moment Lucy saw her...

Her entire expression brightened.

She happily leaned forward, rubbing her forehead against the older girl’s side like an affectionate kitten.

The older girl couldn’t help laughing softly.

She slowly knelt before wrapping both arms around Lucy.

Lucy immediately hugged her back with a bright smile.

The warmth of that embrace made her temporarily forget the cold surrounding them.

Gwen watched everything unfold before folding both arms.

"See?"

She wore a victorious smile.

"You’re still just a little kid."

Lucy immediately looked back at her.

She stuck out her tongue.

"You’re only jealous because Big Sis likes me more."

"Lucy."

The older girl gently tapped Lucy’s nose with one finger.

"That’s not a nice thing to say."

She smiled patiently.

"I care about every one of you in the creek."

Her voice remained gentle.

To every child beneath the bridge...

She wasn’t simply another member of the Creek.

She was someone who quietly looked after everyone else like the mother of the Creek.

"But we all know you care more about the leader more than everyone."

Gwen said with a teasing tone and a mischievous smile.

"What are you saying Gwen."

The older girl’s cheeks flushed pink of embarrassment.

Standing back up...

She reached for Lucy’s hand, ignoring Gwen’s teasing.

Then...

She stretched her other hand toward Gwen.

Gwen stared at it for a moment.

Although she pretended to look unwilling...

She still reached out and accepted it.

The older girl smiled.

"Come on."

She lightly squeezed both of their hands.

"Let’s go join everyone else. The fire should be warm by now."

"Okay."

Both girls answered together.

Lucy smiled brightly.

Meanwhile...

Gwen still tried to maintain her tough expression.

Even so...

She quietly tightened her grip around Big Sis’s hand just a little more.

One of them smiled brightly.

The other continued pretending to be tough.

Despite the freezing weather...

Despite surviving on nothing more than a few pieces of stale bread every day...

These little moments were enough to make life beneath the bridge feel warm.

Lucy quietly held onto Big Sis’s hand.

A bright smile naturally spread across her small face.

Living together with everyone...Really is peaceful.

She thought happily.

At least...

That’s what the eight-year-old Lucy believed.

"What are you smiling about, Lucy?"

A boy around ten years old walked over with a curious look on his face.

He tilted his head while staring at her.

Lucy looked back at him.

"Can’t I smile?"

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

The boy immediately became flustered.

"Ah..."

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I... I was only wondering..."

His voice gradually became quieter.

"...what made you smile so... cute."

Lucy blinked.

She tilted her head.

"...Cute?"

Her small finger gently rested against her lips as she seriously thought about the unfamiliar word.

"What does cute mean?"

She genuinely looked confused.

Seeing her innocent reaction...

Gwen couldn’t hold herself back anymore.

"Hehehe..."

She burst into laughter.

Pointing directly at the embarrassed boy, she bent over slightly while holding her stomach.

"She doesn’t even know what it means!"

Her laughter echoed beneath the bridge.

The poor boy’s ears immediately turned red.

"Is..."

He looked at Gwen helplessly.

"...Is that really something you should be laughing about?"

Before Gwen could answer...

The other children nearby had already started laughing as well.

"Hahaha!"

"As expected of our dense Lucy!"

Another boy around the same age rolled around on his sack bed while laughing.

"Better luck next time."

Several girls covered their mouths while teasing the embarrassed boy.

One younger boy suddenly walked over before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know exactly how you feel."

He nodded with complete seriousness.

"She did the same thing to me before."

A dramatic tear seemed ready to fall from his eye.

"We’re comrades now."

The older boy looked at him.

Then...

The two boys silently nodded at each other.

It was as though they had just formed some great alliance.

That only made everyone laugh even harder.

Lucy simply looked from one person to another.

She still had absolutely no idea what everyone found so funny.

"...Strange people."

She quietly muttered to herself.

Before another round of teasing could begin...

"Alright."

A firm but gentle voice called out.

The seventeen-year-old leader clapped both hands together.

The sound immediately gathered everyone’s attention.

"That’s enough."

He smiled at the younger children.

"We all need to sleep. We still have a lot to do when we wake up early tomorrow."

"Okay!"

The children answered together.

The laughter gradually faded away.

One after another...

Everyone returned to their sleeping places.

Some lay on old sacks.

Others slept on flattened cardboard.

A few children shared worn blankets because there weren’t enough to go around.

The small fire burning near the center of the camp crackled softly.

Its warmth barely reached everyone.

Even so...

Nobody complained.

Since this was already far better than sleeping outside beneath the snow.

Lucy quietly crawled beneath her thin looking blanket.

Her sleeping place had been arranged beside Gwen’s as usual.

She stared at the underside of the stone bridge for several moments.

Then...

"Gwen."

She whispered softly.

"What?"

Gwen replied without turning around.

Their beds were only an arm’s length apart.

Lucy hesitated for a moment before asking,

"What did he mean...when he called me cute?"

Her voice sounded completely innocent.

Gwen slowly turned her head.

She stared at Lucy.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

The more she looked...

The more annoyed she became.

Ever since Lucy had turned eight...

The boys her age and slightly above inside the Creek had started paying far more attention to her.

Almost every week...

Someone would praise her appearance.

Some even confidently declared that once Lucy became an adult...

She would definitely become a beautiful lady.

The girls would immediately tease her afterward.

Some even joked that perhaps one day she would marry a nobleman and escape life beneath the bridge.

Every single time...

Lucy simply stared back with the same confused expression.

She never understood any of it.

Looking at that same innocent face again...

Gwen suddenly felt irritated.

"...Go to sleep."

She immediately turned her back toward Lucy.

Pulling the worn blanket over herself, she completely ignored the question.

"Gwen?"

Lucy blinked.

She leaned forward slightly.

"Gwen?"

Still...

No reply came.

Lucy puffed out both cheeks.

"...Idiot."

She quietly muttered.

After waiting a little longer...

She finally gave up.

Curling herself beneath the blanket...

She slowly closed her eyes.

Within minutes...

The lively camp beneath the bridge gradually became silent.

Only the sound of the flowing stream and the crackling fire remained.

The children slept peacefully.

Completely unaware...

That danger had already begun drawing closer.

Not far from the bridge...

Several dark figures quietly stood hidden behind rows of snow-covered trees.

Their eyes remained fixed on the sleeping camp.

One man slowly stepped forward.

A crooked smile spread across his face.

"That’s one camp..."

His creepy voice broke the silence.

"...with a whole bunch of kids."

Behind him...

More than a dozen rough-looking men slowly emerged from the darkness.

Each step they took was careful.

Quiet.

Deliberate.

Like predators closing in on prey that hadn’t yet noticed their presence.