Chapter 629: First Group Meeting

Once the Duke left the hall, the celebrations fully resumed.

A gentle melody filled the General Ashenlocke Hall as the orchestra continued playing.

The music spread through the gathering, blending with the conversations of the nobles and the occasional clink of glasses.

The tension that had accompanied Duke Valentine’s announcements gradually eased, allowing the guests to return to the purpose of the gathering.

Servants of Ash moved between the guests, carrying trays filled with different varieties of wine and fruit wine.

Most of the drinks intended for those below eighteen were non-alcoholic fruit wines, prepared for the younger members of the Family.

At one end of the hall, a long buffet had been arranged with an assortment of first-class dishes. The desserts occupied a separate section, where cakes, pastries, and other sweets had been neatly displayed.

The main dishes included meat from popular domestic animals, along with a few rarer varieties and high-quality edible Monster meat.

The guests gradually gathered around the buffet, collecting plates and choosing what they wanted to eat.

The servants assigned to the section remained nearby, serving the dishes and replenishing the trays whenever necessary.

Lucy was among the servants working there.

She belonged to the Servants of Ash, and the section was being coordinated by Head Maid Agata.

After collecting their food, the guests made their way towards the dining area arranged at the far end of the hall.

Tables and chairs had been placed in orderly rows, leaving enough room for people to move between them without disturbing those already seated.

The hall soon became lively again.

However, the attention surrounding the children who had participated in the Grand First-Year Combat Festival had not disappeared with the Duke’s departure.

Ezra calmly made his way through the crowd, carrying himself as though the attention he received was nothing unusual.

People continued approaching him to offer congratulations and discuss the rewards he had received from Valentine.

Some were curious about his two signature firearms, while others wanted to speak with him about his performance at the festival.

He answered when necessary, maintaining his usual calm expression as he moved through the gathering.

Vera was experiencing much the same situation.

In fact, she seemed to have attracted even more attention.

Her achievement with the V-01 VOLT had already made her the subject of discussion, and Valentine’s decision to make the firearm her signature Gun Alchemy had only increased the interest surrounding her.

People approached her from different directions, hoping to congratulate her or learn more about the weapon she had created.

Vera received their attention without making much of a fuss, although the number of people gathering around her left little room for her to move freely.

Veda also had people approach him as the evening progressed, as usual.

Since he’s the current Young Lord of Ash.

It was obvious he would receive a good amount of attention

The celebration continued as the orchestra played and the guests enjoyed their meals.

Conversations shifted from the Duke’s announcements to the children’s performances, their future prospects, and the events that had taken place during the festival.

Time passed, and evening gradually gave way to night.

One by one, the guests began taking their leave.

Those who had travelled from distant cities had been assigned guest houses where they could spend the night before continuing their journeys home.

Others prepared to return to their own residences within Lumithar.

Ezra was among the first to leave the hall once the appropriate time arrived.

However, he did not immediately depart from the area.

Instead, he remained inside the Royal Steam Carriage that had brought him to the celebration.

The carriage had been assigned to him for use during his stay at the Ashenlocke Estate.

He could also use it to travel around Lumithar and other cities not too far from it, making it convenient whenever he needed to leave the estate.

Ezra sat comfortably in his seat, holding his Starlix 11 as he scrolled through his messages.

Among them were several messages from Gena.

She had been present at the hall throughout the celebration, but the crowd of Highline nobles surrounding Ezra had made it difficult for her to approach him. Even the Baron and Baroness of Miles, her parent’s, had been unable to greet him personally.

Ezra glanced through their messages before moving on to those sent by Blake Wellston.

Most of Blake’s messages were congratulations, though his excitement was apparent even through the short texts.

A few minutes passed.

Then those minutes stretched into hours.

By that time, the General Ashenlocke Hall had become much quieter.

Most of the guests had returned to their assigned guest houses, leaving only a handful of people in the area.

The remaining servants of Ash were busy cleaning the hall and putting away the items used during the celebration.

Tables were being cleared, dishes collected, and the decorations checked before the servants could finish their duties and leave for the night.

From his position inside the carriage, Ezra continued waiting.

Eventually, Lucy’s voice rang out from the entrance of the hall.

"Good night, guys!"

She waved at her fellow members of the Servants of Ash with a bright smile before leaving the building.

Having finished her duties, she walked towards the Royal Steam Carriage where her master was waiting.

Click. Clack.

The sound of the opposite door opening echoed softly through the carriage.

"Sorry, I’m late, Master."

Lucy lowered her head before climbing inside.

After entering, she closed the door and adjusted her maid’s clothes, smoothing out the fabric before settling into her seat.

She had spent several hours attending to the guests, and although she still wore her usual cheerful expression, she was finally able to relax now that her work was finished.

Ezra glanced at her briefly.

He did not seem bothered by the delay.

Once Lucy had settled comfortably, the driver started the engine.

A low mechanical hum came from beneath the carriage, followed by the sound of steam escaping through the steam conduit.

The wheels began to roll.

As the Royal Steam Carriage moved along the road, the lights of the estate passed beyond the windows.

The vehicle carried Ezra and Lucy towards one of the best guest houses assigned to them within the Ashenlocke Estate.

The residence was usually reserved for important guests and major Highline members.

Only.

It offered a higher standard of accommodation than the ordinary guest houses scattered around the estate, though it was still below the residence reserved exclusively for the Royal Family.

That particular guest house was in a class of its own.

For the time being, however, Ezra and Lucy had everything they needed in their assigned accommodation.

After arriving, Ezra arranged his belongings in his room before going to freshen up.

He washed away the weariness of the long day, changed into his nightwear, and returned to the room.

The events of the celebration had finally come to an end, but he still had a few things to attend to before going to sleep.

A few minutes later, a soft sound came from the door.

Knock!

Knock!

Ezra was sitting at the study table when he heard it.

He glanced towards the door, though he already knew who was standing on the other side.

"Come in."

Lucy gently opened the door and entered the room.

She had also freshened up and changed into her nightgown.

Closing the door behind her, she walked towards Ezra’s study table, where his Starlix 11 lay on the surface.

Ezra tapped the screen.

A holographic call logo materialized above the device as the connection began.

Lucy moved quietly to stand behind her master, watching the display as the call went through.

Two small holographic screens appeared above the Starlix 11.

"Ezra!!!"

Gena’s voice burst out of the device.

"Sir Ezra!!"

Blake’s voice followed almost immediately, just as loud.

Lucy hurriedly leaned forward, her expression changing as she looked at the two screens.

"Quiet down, Mr. Blake and Miss Gena. Don’t you two know it’s nighttime?"

Her voice carried a note of urgency.

She glanced towards the door as if the noise might travel beyond the room, then looked back at the screens.

"Sorry! I was just so excited to see Sir Ezra again."

Blake’s voice softened, though his enthusiasm had not entirely disappeared.

"I was also so excited,"

Gena admitted in a quieter voice.

Blake looked at her screen, his expression turning a little more dejected.

"Didn’t you already get to see Sir Ezra when he arrived? How lucky."

There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

Unlike Gena, Blake had not been able to remain in Lumithar to attend the welcome party and celebrate the Duke’s achievement in reaching the Alchemist Scholar rank.

He had wanted to be there, but his circumstances had made it impossible.

Blake was not a member of the Ashenlocke Family, and his family had yet to establish an alliance with them.

The matter remained unresolved because he had not accepted the alliance agreement, choosing instead to sell his rights to his Steam Bicycle invention.

His decision had caused considerable disagreement within the Wellston Family.

The Elders and High-Board members of the Baron House of Wellston had expected the family to become aligned with the Ashenlocke House, partly because they believed Ezra would help make such an arrangement possible.

From their perspective, refusing the agreement was an impulsive decision that could affect the family’s future standing.

They had not been pleased.

Blake, however, had explained to his parents the path he wanted to follow.

He intended to increase the Wellston Family’s power and improve its noble rank through his own efforts, rather than depend entirely on an alliance with another house.

The Elders and High-Board members disagreed with him, considering his decision a child’s dream, one that might bring more trouble than benefits.

Fortunately, his father and mother had supported him.

At least for now.

Neither side had completely resolved the matter, but Blake had been allowed to pursue the path he had chosen.

But who would have known that all this was because he was already a member of the group Ezra was building for the future?

"That’s enough of the excited talk."

Ezra cut into the conversation.

His voice was calm.

He looked at the two screens without any particular change in expression.

Gena and Blake immediately settled down.

Behind him, Lucy smiled softly as she watched her master speak with the others.

The excitement on the screens was still obvious, but at least they were no longer shouting loudly enough to disturb the entire guest house.

Ezra leaned back slightly in his chair.

"It’s good to see that all of you are in good health."

His words were simple, delivered in the same steady tone he used for most conversations.

He then looked between the two screens.

"And it’s also nice to hear that you’re both doing well with your performances at Ash Academy. It shows that we’re all growing at a good pace."