Chapter 717: Simple Minded

Ezra nodded once, then stood up, adjusting the sleeves of his white shirt.

He straightened the cuffs before turning towards the podium.

The attention of the students followed him as he left his place on the stage.

Some watched him in silence, while others whispered to the people standing beside them.

A few stopped talking altogether when they noticed him moving.

The atmosphere hadn’t improved.

If anything, the demand for his expulsion had made the situation even more uncomfortable.

Ezra walked at an even pace.

He didn’t rush, nor did he appear to be dragging his feet.

His expression remained plain as he approached the podium, seemingly unaffected by the number of eyes following him.

Before Tristin returned to his chair, he made sure to walk past Ezra.

"I told you I would make your life miserable for daring to hit me in the face."

Tristin whispered to Ezra with a faint, smug smile.

"After you get expelled from the Academy, I will make sure the Ashenlockes also kick you out of the family. Nowhere to go, and you won’t have Lady Vera protecting you again... Haha... Haha..."

He laughed mockingly.

"You are finished."

He said confidently.

Ezra looked at him plainly for only a brief second.

He didn’t answer.

Tristin’s smile remained as he waited for some kind of reaction, but Ezra simply continued walking.

There was no change in his expression, and he didn’t even turn his head to look at the Prince again.

He just passed him after the Prince finished speaking.

"Tsk."

Tristin clicked his tongue.

"He’s still trying to save face even though his life is ruined."

He gritted his teeth, irritated that Ezra wasn’t affected by his words.

"I want to see you try and salvage this. Every student is already looking at you warily, and you think you can beg your way out of this? You don’t even have the right to speak about the incident. Even though your Ashenlocke members have tried their best to explain what they know about the incident, the fact that you still killed all those people shows how much of a psychopath you are. Not that I believe you were even capable of doing something like that, but as long as you get ruined, I’m fine with that."

Tristin muttered to himself.

His expression had changed from the smug look he had shown Ezra.

His teeth remained clenched, and his eyes followed the young Alchemist as he continued towards the podium.

The Prince had wanted to provoke him.

He had even gone out of his way to whisper those words while passing him.

Yet Ezra hadn’t given him anything.

"After I’m done with you..."

Tristin turned towards where Cyrus stood among the crowd of students.

Cyrus had his arms folded.

Lucy stood beside him, her hands held together in front of her body.

She wore a worried expression as she watched Ezra approach the podium.

Tristin’s gaze settled on the two of them.

"You will be next, Wax Light of Burn."

He said with a faint, sinister smirk.

Ezra finally arrived at the podium.

He stopped before it and faced the students below the stage.

He could feel the gazes.

The exact gazes that his past-self had.

They were not unfamiliar to him.

The way people watched him, the distance they kept, and the uneasiness that showed in their eyes.

Some were curious, others suspicious, while a few seemed to have already decided what kind of person he was.

There were many people standing before him.

Their attention was fixed on the podium, and even those who had been whispering moments earlier had become quiet.

Ezra could see their expressions from where he stood.

Some looked at him directly, while others watched from the corners of their eyes.

"He shouldn’t even be given the chance to speak when it’s already a proven fact. He should be held in the Academy holding center and kept there until the Academy Board r..."

Prince Daniel Aethelmont spoke mockingly.

He was seated on a foldable chair with one leg crossed calmly, while his followers stood around him.

Daniel’s posture hadn’t changed much since he made his demand for Ezra’s expulsion.

He appeared comfortable, as though the matter had already been settled and the current discussion was nothing more than an unnecessary formality.

One of his followers stood close to his chair, while the others remained around him.

They didn’t interrupt Daniel as he spoke.

But before he could finish his words...

"Daniel, would you mind keeping your mouth shut?"

Prince Aldric Aethelmont said coldly.

"This is not your time to speak, nor is this an event where your voice is needed."

He said, stiffening his face as he looked at his brother with displeasure.

Daniel’s eyes moved towards Aldric.

"Okay, okay. I’m just saying this is a waste of time."

Prince Daniel raised both hands slightly as he spoke.

He laughed faintly under his breath, finding the whole addressing of Ezra hilarious.

His hands lowered again, and he settled back into his chair.

Aldric, on the other hand, didn’t seem interested in continuing the exchange.

His attention returned to Ezra, leaving Daniel with no further response.

The crowd of students looked at Prince Daniel, then at Prince Aldric, and finally at Ezra Ashenlocke, who now stood at the podium facing them.

Many had complicated expressions.

The worry of people who truly didn’t know how to perceive the thought of their fellow student being a murderer.

Some of them had defended Ezra earlier, but the accusations had made it difficult for them to continue doing so.

Others were still considering what they had heard, their expressions changing whenever another student whispered something about the article.

There were also those who simply watched him.

They wanted to hear what he would say.

The atmosphere wasn’t the same as it had been when the debate first began.

The students had gathered to listen to the candidates explain why they deserved the position of General First-Year Representative and answer some questions surrounding them.

Yet the discussion had turned towards a murder accusation, the reputation of the Golden Circle, and the possibility of expelling one of their fellow students.

Even the students who had come to support a particular candidate were now paying attention to Ezra.

Eleanor noticed the complicated atmosphere among the students, especially the First-Years.

Even the number of students who defended Ezra was now finding it hard to speak.

She looked across the crowd for a moment, observing their expressions before turning her attention towards the people seated on the stage.

Well, well, well...

She turned, glancing at Lucien Derlis, who sat at the side of Prince Aldric.

Lucien Derlis waved at her with a soft smile.

Eleanor rolled her navy-blue eyes before they landed on Vera.

Vera was still seated, her expression as composed as before.

She hadn’t joined the discussion, nor had she shown any particular reaction to Daniel’s demand.

Her attention remained on the podium.

Eleanor looked at her for a moment.

I wonder how you feel, seeing your favourite scrutinized, Vera.

Will you still keep quiet, or is this the first time you know you can’t do anything?

I really want to see your ugly, angry face.

Or is this the extent of your feelings towards him?

She glanced at Ezra.

"Ezra Ashenlocke."

Eleanor Tempest called his name, placing the microphone close to her mouth.

"Are you ready?"

She asked.

Ezra’s gaze shifted towards her.

"I am."

He replied calmly, without any hesitation.

No hesitation, huh.

Eleanor thought to herself.

He’s either overconfident or just plain to the situation he has been placed in.

She glanced at Prince Aldric, who sat with one leg crossed and his right hand close to his lips, while he looked at Ezra with a focused expression.

Even our Prince over there knows just how severe this atmosphere is.

Aldric hadn’t taken his attention away from Ezra.

His fingers remained close to his lips, and his gaze was fixed on the young Alchemist.

Eleanor’s gaze returned to Ezra.

"Like I said earlier... what do you have to say about your case?"

She asked calmly.

Ezra looked at the students below the stage.

Normally...

From everything Ezra had analyzed and concluded from the situation he had been placed in, he already had a clear idea of what the third party was truly working on.

It wasn’t pressure or simply turning people against him.

Unlike Prince Daniel, who wanted his reputation ruined so he could get him expelled and continue to damage his reputation, to isolate him completely.

This third party’s main plan was to sow a seed.

And that seed was what sparked the question that made the students look at him with uneasiness.

With that feeling...

All that was needed was a reason to make that emotion truly questioned.

Not as an accusation.

But as a real threat.

His plan was to make Ezra seem like a possible threat to the whole of Britannia.

That’s why Ezra knew he could easily use the method of gaining the emotion of pity by relying on what had already been explained by the Ashenlocke members.

He could easily use this to ruin Felix’s checkmate and reverse the board.

But he already knew...

Pity didn’t actually cancel fear.

It was only a temporary move.

It was a move that would easily play into the hands of the third party’s plan.

So...

What was the move that would cancel everything?

Well, there was no true answer.

Because of the human mindset.

No matter what was said today...

Tomorrow could bring another reaction from them.

A simple-minded person who only followed the line of thought they could understand.

But everyone had forgotten one thing...

They weren’t just nobles of high status or nobles of low status or non-nobles from wealthy houses.

They weren’t ordinary humans.

They were Alchemists.