Chapter 540: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: One Day Break II

After Patrick and Professor Natasha made the closing announcement, the spectators slowly began taking their leave and returning to their guest houses and hotels within the Royal Academy’s Main Administrative Center.

The enormous Arena, which had been filled with the voices of hundreds of thousands of people only moments earlier, gradually became less crowded as families, students, nobles, and other guests made their way toward the exits.

However, not everyone returned directly to their accommodations.

Some families had come to enjoy more than the Combat Festival itself.

The Grand First-Year Combat Festival had turned the Main Administrative Center into a place filled with activity, and with the day only beginning to approach evening, there was still plenty for the visitors to do.

Some moved from stall to stall, buying snacks and drinks while discussing the matches they had just watched.

Others stopped at restaurants to eat.

Some went to places where previous rounds of the Combat Festival were being replayed, allowing people who had missed certain fights to watch them again while discussing the techniques of the young Alchemists.

But even while they enjoyed themselves, one subject continued appearing in almost every conversation.

The possible matchups between the remaining First Years.

Everyone wanted to know who would face whom in the Ninth Round.

And since Patrick had deliberately refused to reveal the matchups, the uncertainty only made people more curious.

***

Ezra, as usual, went straight back toward his residence.

Cyrus followed him.

During their ride in the Mini-Streamliner, which carried the First- and Second-Year students toward their Academy Year districts where they could then board their ordered or private vehicles to return to their residences, the two Young Alchemists once again attracted plenty of attention.

A lot of eyes were glued to them.

That had already become normal.

The Mini-Streamliner moved smoothly along the railway, passing other Mini-Streamliners that were traveling at almost the same speed.

The scenery outside the windows blurred slightly as the train moved forward, while inside, the passengers could barely feel the speed.

It was exactly what one would expect from a First-Class Mini-Train.

The ride was smooth enough that students could talk, eat, read, or simply relax without being disturbed by the movement.

Ezra and Cyrus sat together in one section.

Several students nearby kept glancing toward them.

"I still always get goosebumps knowing that Ezra Ashenlocke boards the Mini-Train like us."

A First-Year girl said this to the group of friends sitting with her.

They were close enough to Ezra and Cyrus that she had to lower her voice slightly, although she still kept glancing toward Ezra while speaking.

"Isn’t it because Ezra Ashenlocke isn’t of a High Noble Status? That’s why he doesn’t have a private vehicle, and he can’t follow those Mainlines of Ash who took the mini-sized private Dirigibles to the airport of their Academy district."

The second girl in the group explained her thoughts.

Most of the other students riding the Mini-Streamliner were Non-Nobles of a mid-wealthy status or children from Baron to Low-Ember Houses, so her explanation made sense.

Her reasoning wasn’t wrong.

Ezra was a Lowline Noble of the Duke House of Ashenlocke.

He didn’t possess the same privileges as the Mainline families of Ash.

Although, now that he had the privileges of a Highline of Ash... But that privilege was only effective within the Ashenlocke family.

The first boy in the group moved his right hand slightly as he joined the conversation.

"Although, don’t you think Ezra should already have a private vehicle since he is the Creator of the Phantom Rolls?"

He glanced toward Ezra.

"I mean, even though he doesn’t have the rights anymore to the vehicle... it’s still his creation."

The others nodded in agreement to his reasoning.

The conversation continued.

And it wasn’t the only group talking about Ezra.

Similar conversations could be heard throughout the Mini-Streamliner.

Some discussed his creation of the Phantom Rolls.

Others discussed his performance in the Combat Festival.

Some were still talking about his fight against Lady Willow Derlis.

A few were more interested in the fact that someone who had created a vehicle capable of changing Britannia’s transportation industry was still sitting among ordinary Academy students on a First-Class Mini-Train.

Of course...

Cyrus Burnwick’s name also appeared in conversations from time to time.

However, the discussions about him weren’t nearly as positive.

The Mini-Streamliner continued racing along the railway, passing other trains moving in the same direction.

The smooth ride kept the movement from becoming uncomfortable for the students of the Royal Academy onboard.

A group of five noble boys sitting together were talking about Cyrus Burnwick.

"I can’t believe he just surrendered like a coward."

One of them spoke in a low, annoyed voice.

His eyes shifted toward Cyrus.

Cyrus was sitting nearby with his eyes closed, listening to calm music through his headset.

Ezra, who was sitting beside him, had no headset yet.

He simply sat with his arms folded, allowing his body and mind to relax during the journey.

The boys continued discussing Cyrus’s surrender.

Two defended his decision.

The other boys immediately argued against them.

Their conversation became another small debate among the many conversations already filling the Mini-Streamliner.

Both Ezra and Cyrus could hear it without effort.

They could easily hear all the quiet conversations about them overlapping in the mini train.

But neither of them paid any attention.

Cyrus continued listening to his music.

Ezra remained seated with his arms folded, looking as though the entire discussion had nothing to do with him.

Eventually, the Mini-Streamliner reached the First-Year station.

The students began leaving.

Ezra separated from Cyrus as usual.

He ordered a Noble Steam Carriage through Skynet and boarded it, allowing the vehicle to take him home.

The journey back was much quieter.

For Ezra, the Eighth Round was over, and the next day was a break, which he intended to use properly.

***

The following morning arrived calmly.

Ezra’s plan was simple.

Relax properly.

Then begin preparing for the Ninth Round.

But before he could begin his analytical preparation, there was something else he needed to deal with.

He had to visit the Main Administrative Center and go to the Royal Academy Shopping Complex because he had destroyed a good number of his Gun Alchemy materials during the previous battles.

Especially the Orichalcum and Umbrium bars.

Those weren’t materials he could casually ignore.

After waking up, Ezra followed his usual morning exercise routine.

He trained his body before moving on to the rest of his morning responsibilities.

He then took care of the whole house.

Once everything was in order, he went to freshen up.

Afterward, he entered the kitchen and prepared a quick breakfast for himself.

He ate without taking too much time.

Then he cleaned the dining room and kitchen again before changing into his clothes for the day.

His outfit was casual.

A white shirt was worn underneath a sleeveless black cotton sweater without a hood.

He wore black trousers and black shoes.

A white scarf was wrapped around his neck.

Both of his hands were covered by a black gloves, hiding the white heat-stimulating bandages underneath.

A small part of the white heat stimulating bandage around his neck could also be faintly seen above his clothing, if a person looked very closely.

Ezra stood in front of the mirror for a moment and adjusted his clothes properly.

Once he was satisfied, he picked up his Space Bag and left the house.

His destination was the Main Administrative Center.

The Mini-Train was less crowded than usual.

Most people were either still enjoying the break in their residences or had chosen other methods of transportation.

Ezra sat quietly by himself.

The train moved along the railway with its usual smooth rhythm.

For a while, there was nothing to disturb him.

Ping!

Ping!

The notification sound of his Starlix 11 echoed from his Space Bag.

Ezra lowered his eyes toward the device.

He placed one hand inside his Space Bag and took out the Starlix 11.

The screen lit up.

Ezra tapped his finger several times.

A sent chat opened.

***

’You are to come at this moment to the Guest House we of the Main Family are staying in now.’

Fredricks_Ashenlocke

Another message immediately followed.

’Failure to come within the next ten minutes will mean you forfeit the Combat Festival, and you will be severely punished.’

Fredricks_Ashenlocke

***

Ezra stared at the message.

His plain expression didn’t change in the slightest.

He simply looked at the screen for several seconds.

Even he couldn’t help thinking about how absurd the order sounded.

However, after dealing with Fredricks several times, Ezra was already used to the Elder’s particular brand of stupidity.

So, there was no point in being surprised.

Ping!

Ping!

Ping!

Ping!

Another series of notifications appeared.

Ezra lowered his eyes toward the screen.

This time, the sender was another Elder.

He opened the message.

***

’Good morning, my wonderful rising Craftsman.’

Elder_Ivanhoe_of_Ash

’Hope you slept well?’

Elder_Ivanhoe_of_Ash

’I’m very sure that annoying old man must have messaged you not long ago, making an absurd order.’

Elder_Ivanhoe_of_Ash

’Well, we Elders and some of the High-board members are currently having a stupid argument over having you come and explain what you did during your win against the Flower of Derlis, but many of we Elders and few High-board members prefer if you rest well and prepare properly for the Ninth Round.’

Elder_Ivanhoe_of_Ash

’So, please ignore that annoying old man’s stupid orders and continue with your day. He has no right to threaten you, my boy.’

Elder_Ivanhoe_of_Ash

***

Ezra read the entire message.

His eyes remained plain.

There was no surprise in them.

He had already expected something like this to happen.

Of course, the Elders would want an explanation.

After what had happened during his battle against Willow, it would have been strange if they had simply ignored him.

Fredricks wanted him to appear immediately.

Ivanhoe wanted him to ignore Fredricks and rest.

And somewhere in the Main Family’s designated guest house, the Elders and High-board members were apparently arguing over whether they should drag him over to explain what he had done.

Ezra slowly lowered the Starlix 11.

He looked through the window of the Mini-Train.

The buildings of the Royal Academy districts passed outside as the train continued toward the Main Administrative Center.

His break had barely started.

And already, the Ashenlocke Elders and High-board members had found a way to make it complicated.