Chapter 620: Departure from the Royal Academy

The Royal Steam Carriage carried Ezra and Lucy all the way to the Royal Academy Airport, where the Ashenlockes would be boarding their private Royal Steam Dirigible.

During the journey, it felt almost as though they were travelling from one city to another.

The road was busy, with many Steam Vehicles moving in the same direction. Some carried noble families, while others transported Non-Nobles who had come to the Royal Academy to watch the Combat Festival. The vehicles moved along the broad road, their engines releasing white steam as they passed one another.

It was clear that most of the students were also returning home with their parents, who had come to watch the entire tournament.

Up in the sky, several Royal Academy private Royal Steam Dirigibles were flying toward the main airport of Eldenford, carrying wealthy Nobles and Non-Nobles straight from the Academy. There were also smaller Dirigibles belonging to families who owned their own airships, their shadows passing over the roads as they moved through the morning sky.

The journey continued as the Royal Steam Carriage followed the busy road toward the airport.

Minutes passed, then hours passed.

Until finally, they arrived.

Upon arrival, servants wearing the Ashenlocke crest approached the vehicle. Some moved toward the door to help Ezra out, while others went to the boot to collect his luggage.

"Good morning, Sir Ezra Ashenlocke."

They greeted him politely in unison.

Ezra stepped out of the vehicle and looked toward the massive Dirigible belonging to the Ashenlocke House.

The servants began carrying his luggage toward the area where it would be stored inside the airship, while others remained nearby to assist the arriving family members.

The airport was filled with massive private Royal Steam Dirigibles and Noble Steam Dirigibles belonging to different Houses, each displaying the crest of its owner. Servants moved between the vehicles and the airships, carrying luggage and helping their respective families prepare for departure.

Ezra glanced toward the Burnwick Dirigible.

Cyrus was already walking into the massive structure with his headset placed over his ears.

He did not even stop to speak to the people who had already gone inside.

Instead, he continued discussing something with his siblings and the other children of Burnwick House.

Basically, to Cyrus, greeting them earlier was enough.

Ravenor was walking ahead of him, and the two stepbrothers entered the Dirigible close to each other.

"Ezra-boy!"

Elder Ivanhoe called out as he approached Ezra with a bright smile.

He placed both hands on Ezra’s shoulders, looking at the young boy with a clear expression of pride. His smile suggested that he had quite a few things he wanted to discuss with him, and Ezra could already guess that the AK-12 would be among them.

"Good morning, Elder."

Ezra greeted him, lowering his head calmly.

"Good morning, Elder."

Lucy followed with a proper maid’s bow.

"We have a lot to discuss and plan before we begin manufacturing the AK-12."

Elder Ivanhoe said as he began walking with Ezra toward the Ashenlocke Dirigible.

"Both you and Vera."

He added excitedly.

"You called, Elder?"

Vera’s voice came from Elder Ivanhoe’s right.

She had been conversing with Zack, Nina, Lyra, and the other Ashenlocke children from both the First and Second Years.

They had been praising her for ranking as the Number One student, and most of them still wore excited expressions as they talked about her performance during the Combat Festival.

Zack was the only one who continued trying to look cool while praising her, though his efforts did little to hide his excitement.

Vera, meanwhile, seemed quite used to the attention as usual.

"So, when we get back, you and Ezra will be quite busy even before we go to the ceremony in the Palace Grand Hall."

Elder Ivanhoe said, looking at her.

Vera calmly left the group and walked toward him, her expression remaining plain.

"Ehn... Elder, you want to work us to the bone instead of letting us rest?"

She asked, looking at him as though she already knew what his answer would be.

"No... No... No... I wouldn’t try that with my lovely niece and my favourite child of Ash."

Elder Ivanhoe waved both hands, giving her an awkward smile.

Vera looked at him for a moment before turning her gaze toward Ezra.

"We should go on strike if you don’t give us something tangible."

"A reward."

Ezra simply added.

"What he said."

Vera replied lightly.

Elder Ivanhoe stared at the two of them.

For a moment, he seemed to have trouble deciding whether they were serious. After all, one had just ranked first in the Royal Academy’s First-Year ranking, while the other had received a title from the Queen herself. Their performances during the Combat Festival had already brought plenty of attention to the Ashenlocke House.

And now, the two of them were asking for a reward before they had even returned home.

"We are obviously going to give you a reward for this. Honestly, every one of you children will be getting a lot of rewards once we get back home."

He spoke calmly, his smile returning.

"The Duke is finally out of his long seclusion, and he will want to see all of you and congratulate you."

"Father is out, so does that mean we are also going to be celebrating the Duke’s advancement into the Alchemist Scholar rank."

Vera said calmly.

Her expression remained much the same, though the news was clearly worth mentioning.

The Duke’s advancement was an important matter for the Ashenlocke House, and with the First Semester now over, the family had another reason to gather at the Estate.

"The celebration will not be a big spectacle, even though your grandfather and some of the Elders wanted a big celebration."

Elder Ivanhoe explained in the same calm tone.

"I see."

Vera replied.

She then turned her head toward Ezra.

For a brief moment, she looked at him quietly, as though she had something else in mind. Ezra remained where he was, looking back at her without saying anything.

Vera turned her head slightly toward Elder Ivanhoe again.

"Elder, you can leave now. I need privacy with my Inventor."

She said casually.

Elder Ivanhoe blinked twice.

Inventor?

He looked at Vera, then at Ezra.

I did hear that Vera and Ezra were getting closer and closer. But I assumed it was because they worked together to create the Colt 1911 and the E-V 26, which made them this close.

Also, Vera being Vera is normal.

He knew his niece well enough to understand that she could say strange things without changing her expression. Still...

For some reason, I feel like the way Vera sees Ezra is even more than how her relationship was with Palmer before he died.

Elder Ivanhoe looked at the two of them again.

Well, what do I know?

I barely had any love experience when I was their age.

So, I’d rather just mind my own business.

He thought to himself with a helpless smile.

"Okay, I will speak to you kids when we get back to the Estate."

He said with a bright smile before turning and leaving them.

Immediately after he left, Vera turned toward the group she had been speaking with earlier, then looked back at Ezra.

"You guys should head into the Dirigible first. I will join you later."

She said calmly.

Many of the Ashenlocke children nodded, while some glanced at Ezra with jealous expressions.

"My..."

Nina had been glaring at Ezra ever since she first noticed him. Now that Vera had decided to remain behind with him, she looked as though she wanted to protest.

She clearly did not want to leave her Lady alone with him.

However, before Nina could say anything, Lyra reached over and held her mouth shut.

"Hmm?"

Nina glanced backward in shock, her eyes widening as she realized what Lyra had done.

"Sheesh, let’s just head back."

Lyra said quietly, a playful smile appearing on her face.

Nina tried to struggle, but Lyra effortlessly dragged her along as she followed the others toward the private Ashenlocke Royal Steam Dirigible.

Zack stared at Ezra for a while before eventually leaving as well.

Lucy watched the group depart, then looked toward her Master.

"I guess I should also head to where my fellow maids are to pack the luggage."

She said, already knowing that an awkward conversation was about to take place between Vera and her Master.

Although she wanted to remain beside Ezra, she also understood that there were times when staying away was the better choice.

Lucy lowered her head before leaving.

Ezra watched her go, then turned his attention back to Vera.

He looked at her plainly.

What does she want to say now?

He asked himself, already guessing that this conversation was not going to be straightforward in any way.