Chapter 271: Into the Shadows Part – Six
Ezra’s suspicion hadn’t begun because of the debt scandal.
It had started much earlier.
Long before they arrived at this hidden construction base.
Long before they even met Baroness Orvain.
Being cautious had always been Ezra’s way of living.
Ever since surviving the Trial of Steel...
That mindset had become even more deeply rooted within him.
No matter who stood before him...
Friend.
Enemy.
Or someone who appeared harmless.
Ezra never trusted anyone completely.
Even those who had already grown close to him.
He simply behaved the way an ordinary person should during ordinary conversations.
He smiled when appropriate.
He answered when necessary.
He listened more than he spoke.
That was the rule he had set for himself after realizing the life of his pervious life and his present life wasn’t different.
He would interact with people naturally...
But never carelessly.
Because of that...
Gwen and Blake had never been an exception.
The very first moment he met her...
His mind had already begun collecting information.
He remembered clearly.
Gwen had been tightly hugging Lucy while crying.
Afterward, they learned what had happened to her and Blake before meeting them.
At first glance...
Nothing seemed strange.
Yet...
The very first thought that crossed Ezra’s mind had been...
Isn’t there more to this?
According to Gwen’s explanation...
She and Blake had already been close to leaving the area.
Lucy and Ezra had also walked away not long before.
Then...
Out of nowhere...
A group of thugs suddenly appeared and attacked them.
Was it impossible?
No.
Things like that certainly happened.
However...
Ezra had never been the type to dismiss details simply because they looked ordinary.
To him...
Every piece of information was like another fragment of a complicated puzzle.
Even if a piece looked meaningless...
It could still become important later.
So...
He quietly stored the incident inside his memory.
He didn’t investigate further.
He simply remembered it.
Later...
After listening to Lucy tell the story of her childhood...
Another question quietly surfaced.
Gwen had risked her own life to save Lucy.
She had been shot.
Lucy herself only escaped because she had fallen into the river and later encountered the Ashenlocke guards.
If that was the case...
Then...
How did Gwen survive?
More importantly...
How did she leave Mercurialis and travel all the way to Velcryon?
Ezra never asked those questions aloud.
There wasn’t enough information.
Making conclusions without evidence wasn’t his style.
Still...
He quietly remembered them.
Judging by how close Blake and Gwen had become...
She had probably spent nearly three years living inside House Wellston.
That alone wasn’t suspicious.
But...
It became another piece added to the growing puzzle inside Ezra’s mind.
The next clue appeared during their first proper conversation.
It wasn’t anything major.
Just a few simple words.
At the time...
It would’ve been easy for anyone else to overlook.
But Ezra didn’t.
Gwen had shown obvious hostility toward him.
Naturally...
That could’ve been explained by her desire to protect Lucy.
Even Ezra considered that possibility.
However...
That wasn’t what truly caught his attention.
It was something Gwen quietly muttered while dragging Blake away from his workshop.
"...He’s still a noble."
Most people would’ve missed it.
The words had been spoken softly.
Almost beneath her breath.
Unfortunately for Gwen...
Ezra’s hearing had already reached a frightening level.
Not a single syllable escaped him.
Those four words quietly settled inside his mind.
He’s still a noble.
That sentence immediately suggested something.
Gwen clearly carried prejudice toward nobility.
Yet...
Her actions toward Blake completely contradicted that prejudice.
She treated him kindly.
Protected him.
Looked after him.
The contradiction itself became suspicious.
Ezra had long since learned something.
People weren’t defined only by the good they openly displayed.
Sometimes...
The actions they carefully hid revealed far more about who they truly were.
It was clearly how he acted towards the other people around.
Because of that...
He never judged anyone using only one side of their personality.
He always considered both possibilities.
The kindness they showed.
And...
The darkness they might be hiding.
He did the same thing with Lucy.
With Gena.
With Veda.
With Bobby.
With everyone he met.
It wasn’t distrust.
It was caution.
The kind of caution that reminded him every single day...
Never place complete faith in someone you barely know.
Then...
Everything finally connected after Baroness Terenza appeared.
Ezra carefully observed her from beginning to end.
The more he watched...
The stranger the situation became.
Terenza certainly looked selfish.
Cruel.
Greedy.
Yet...
She didn’t strike him as the type of person capable of planning something this elaborate.
She resembled someone who preferred hiding her claws while quietly manipulating others.
Not someone willing to openly provoke four Baron Houses at the same time.
The scheme surrounding the debts...
Was too bold.
Too reckless.
Too exposed.
It almost looked as though someone else had designed everything...
While Terenza merely played the visible role.
Then...
A familiar saying quietly surfaced inside Ezra’s mind.
A thief recognizes another thief.
A killer recognizes another killer.
Throughout the Trial of Steel...
He had already encountered people like Vera...
Felix...
Gareth...
And several others whose minds naturally leaned toward manipulation.
He had observed how they thought.
How they spoke.
How they acted.
Because of those experiences...
He became certain of one thing.
Terenza wasn’t the mastermind.
She lacked that level of calculation.
Which meant...
Someone else existed.
Someone who understood every Baron’s habits.
Someone who knew when they gathered.
Someone who understood exactly how to manipulate each family.
Piece by piece...
The scattered puzzle slowly assembled itself.
By the time everything connected...
Ezra reached only one conclusion.
Don’t trust Gwen.
It wasn’t because he already knew she had created the drug.
He didn’t.
Instead...
He simply became far more observant whenever she was nearby.
Every word Gwen spoke...
He quietly analyzed.
Not just what she said...
But why she chose those words?
Every movement.
Every glance.
Every expression.
Nothing escaped his attention.
Whenever everyone else believed Ezra had become silent...
Whenever Lucy...
Blake...
Gena...
Or Gwen continued chatting among themselves...
Ezra wasn’t simply relaxing.
He was watching.
Quietly.
Patiently.
Without anyone noticing.
Eventually...
He caught it.
A tiny movement.
One hand briefly shifted beneath Gwen’s clothing.
Toward what appeared to be a hidden communication device.
The movement lasted barely a second.
Almost impossible for ordinary eyes to notice.
Immediately afterward...
Her expression subtly changed.
Not enough for anyone else to realize.
But enough for Ezra.
That tiny change...
Confirmed everything.
Back in the present...
Ezra slowly turned.
His blank black eyes settled upon Gwen.
Then...
They shifted toward Lucy.
Lucy stood completely frozen.
The composure she always displayed during dangerous situations had disappeared.
Her heart had already been shaken long before the guns surrounded them.
She wasn’t frightened by death.
She was devastated by betrayal.
Seeing her childhood friend standing beside the enemy...
Had shattered something inside her.
"Ezra Ashenlocke."
The mysterious man calmly raised one hand.
His voice echoed throughout the workshop.
"I’d like to make you an offer."
Ezra slowly looked toward him.
His expression remained as plain as ever.
"Sign a Blood Contract."
The man reached inside his bag.
He slowly produced a small dark vial.
"And swear your silence... along with your allegiance to us."
He gently shook the bottle.
The black liquid inside swayed quietly.
"Then... You’ll drink this poison. I will be handing you the antidote monthly."
Silence filled the room.
Ezra calmly looked at the vial.
Then...
He asked only one question.
"What about the others?"
His voice remained completely flat.
Almost as though dozens of guns weren’t currently aimed at him.
"It’s obvious..."
Ezra spoke calmly.
"You can’t recklessly kill the child of a noble family."
He pointed toward the mysterious man with the poison.
"Especially when two of them are the heirs of important Baron Houses."
His expression still didn’t change in the slightest.
Even with dozens of Kalthoff Repeaters aimed directly at him...
Ezra neither panicked nor hesitated.
His breathing remained steady.
His voice stayed as flat as ever.
"...Besides."
He lowered his hand.
"Your organization appears to be one that prefers operating from the shadows."
He paused briefly.
"...At least for now."
The words came out in the same emotionless tone.
Yet...
The moment they reached the ears of the two masked men...
Baroness Terenza...
And Gwen...
All four of them reacted.
Their eyes twitched almost at the same time.
It lasted for only an instant.
But Ezra noticed it.
"...How did he know?"
Terenza’s eyes widened.
She immediately turned toward the masked man holding the poison.
Her heart skipped a beat.
No one outside this place should have been able to guess that.
The masked man stared quietly at Ezra.
Then...
A faint laugh escaped beneath his mask.
"Heh... You truly are dangerous, Ezra Ashenlocke."
There wasn’t much killing intent in his voice.
Instead...
There was admiration.
Admiration toward someone who could piece together so much information with almost nothing to work with.
Before he could continue...
"Let me make you an offer instead."
Ezra calmly interrupted him.
His flat voice completely cut through the man’s words.
The masked man stopped talking.
Curiosity appeared in his eyes.
Ezra slowly raised one finger.
He pointed directly at Baroness Terenza Orvain.
"Baroness Orvain."
His blank black eyes met hers.
They carried no anger.
No hatred.
No intimidation.
Yet...
The moment their gazes met...
A cold chill ran down Terenza’s spine.
Without realizing it...
She unconsciously took a step backward.
She herself didn’t notice she had moved until her heel touched the ground.
Ezra continued speaking.
"Revoke every agreement the Barons were forced to sign."
His tone remained calm.
"Return every gold coin you stole from them."
He spoke as though discussing an ordinary business transaction.
"Do that... And I promise not to reveal anything about what happened here."
He slowly glanced around the workshop.
"Everyone present will remain silent. This incident will disappear as though it never happened."
He shifted his gaze back toward Terenza.
"You can continue hiding."
His voice remained unchanged.
"The only person who will answer for these crimes... is the Baroness herself."
Silence filled the workshop.
Even several guards unconsciously looked toward Terenza.
"What?!"
Her composure immediately shattered.
She stepped forward angrily.
"Are you kidding me?!"
She pointed furiously at Ezra, then immediately turned toward the two masked men.
"You’re not seriously considering what some child just said... are you?"
She waved both hands in frustration.
"After everything I’ve done for this organization!"
Her breathing became uneven.
Her face had already turned red with anger.
The masked man holding the poison slowly stroked his chin.
"Hmm..."
He sounded thoughtful.
"So... your proposal is for us to abandon Baroness Orvain."
He looked toward Ezra with growing interest.
Terenza’s eyes widened even further.
"You’re actually thinking about it?!"
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
"Calm yourself, Baroness."
The second masked man gently raised one hand.
He casually gestured for her to relax.
"There is no need to become emotional."
His tone remained steady.
Gwen quietly stood nearby.
She looked completely stunned.
Her eyes moved between Terenza...
Then the masked men.
Even she hadn’t expected the conversation to move in this direction.
"There is some logic behind the kid’s proposal."
The first masked man calmly admitted.
His voice carried genuine acknowledgment.
"But..."
He slowly looked back at Ezra.
"...there’s one problem."
A faint smile appeared beneath his mask.
"What exactly stops me..."
He casually lifted the small poison vial.
"...from beating all of you half to death... telling Gwen to feed every one of you the drug... making you forget everything... and then have you sign the Blood Contract afterward?"
He smiled playfully.
His tone sounded almost relaxed.
As though discussing a game rather than the lives of four children.
Ezra didn’t even need a second to think.
"I guess... the deal is off."
His answer remained as plain as always.
The masked man quietly nodded.
"I suppose it is."
He smiled.
Even though most of his face remained hidden beneath the mask...
Ezra could still tell.
The slight movement beneath the cloth...
The shape around his cheeks...
The subtle curve near his jaw...
All revealed the smile underneath.
The masked man slowly raised one hand.
His voice instantly became cold.
"Aim for their legs."
He spoke casually.
"And their stomachs. Don’t kill them..."
He paused for a moment.
"Hmm... You may kill the Blake boy."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"But... Leave Gwen’s little friend alive."
The order was delivered without emotion.
As though deciding who lived and who died meant nothing.
After giving the command...
He calmly turned around.
A nearby chair had already been prepared.
He sat down comfortably.
Crossing one leg over the other.
Like a spectator preparing to watch entertainment.
Terenza smiled with satisfaction.
A victorious expression spread across her face.
She looked toward Ezra with open mockery.
"So much for your negotiation."
She softly laughed.
The guards immediately adjusted their aim.
Dozens of Kalthoff Repeaters shifted at once.
Every barrel pointed toward the exact body parts they had been ordered to target.
Legs.
Stomachs.
Shoulders.
Not a single guard aimed for Ezra’s head.
Blake looked around desperately.
His breathing became shallow.
Cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
"...Am... Am I going to die?"
His voice barely escaped his lips.
He didn’t even realize he had spoken aloud.
His knees slowly weakened.
Nearby...
Lucy remained completely silent.
She still hadn’t recovered from Gwen’s betrayal.
Her mind continued replaying every memory they had shared together.
She couldn’t bring herself to raise her weapon.
"...I’m sorry, Lucy."
Gwen quietly whispered.
Her voice carried genuine sadness this time.
Slowly...
She closed her eyes.
She couldn’t bear to watch what was about to happen.
"FIRE!"
The captain of the security team roared.
The command echoed throughout the massive workshop.
Instantly...
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
A violent storm of gunfire erupted.
Flames burst from dozens of rifle muzzles.
Smoke exploded outward.
The deafening sound of repeating rifles merged together into one overwhelming roar.
Bullets tore through the air.
Each one raced toward Ezra’s group with frightening speed.
Yet...
Ezra’s expression never changed.
His eyes never wavered.
Compared to everything he had survived...
Compared to the Trial of Steel...
Compared to the countless moments where one mistake meant certain death...
This situation...
Was simply another problem waiting to be solved.
Ever since creating his own Alchemy Strategy...
He had decided something.
An Alchemist wasn’t someone who panicked.
An Alchemist solved problems.
No matter how impossible they appeared.
No matter how dangerous they became.
Every battle...
Every desperate situation...
Every trap...
Contained an answer.
His duty...
Was simply to find it.
This moment...
Was no different.
Without the slightest urgency...
Ezra calmly slipped one hand into his space bag.
His movements remained smooth.
Almost lazy.
As though the rain of bullets approaching them didn’t exist.
"Gena."
He casually called.
A bright smile immediately appeared on Gena’s face.
"I’ve been waiting."
She answered without hesitation.
Cognis instantly surged through every vein inside her body.
It rushed powerfully into her right leg.
The muscles beneath her skin tightened.
The iron floor beneath her foot groaned.
Just before the bullets reached them...
She lifted her leg high.
Then...
BOOOOOOM!!
Her kick crashed into the iron walkway with terrifying force.
The entire steel platform exploded apart.
Iron plates twisted violently.
Support beams snapped.
The massive walkway shattered beneath everyone’s feet in a single devastating blow.