Chapter 661: The Journey to Thornwick

The journey back to Metallica, particularly the Ashenlocke Estate, went smoothly.

After the long party, Ezra was resting on the bed in his suite.

His upper body leaned against the headboard while one hand held a golden card in front of him.

The Royal Crest of Britannia was faintly imprinted on its surface.

Even without looking closely, anyone could tell that it was not an ordinary card.

A letter had been placed beside it.

Ezra lowered the card and picked up the letter again.

He had already read its contents once, but he went through them a second time, his eyes moving steadily across the lines.

***

Since I cannot be your mother or help you openly,

I can still find ways to give you more confidence in your future choices.

With this card, you can visit me anytime to speak, ask for advice, or discuss anything else you want.

As long as I can help without causing any problems for you, I will surely help.

Basically, this is how I will be watching you closely.

If you ever change your mind,

I will be happy.

***

Ezra paused at the last line.

He looked at the letter for a moment before lowering it onto the bed.

Then he picked up the Golden Card again, turning it slightly between his fingers.

It had come from the Queen.

Ezra looked at the Royal Crest again.

One of the Royal Alchemist Heads must have placed it in my pocket without me noticing.

That was the most likely explanation he could think of.

He had not remembered receiving the card directly, yet it had somehow ended up with him.

Ezra did not dwell on the matter for long.

Instead, another thought came to mind.

“Wait.”

Ezra moved his body forward and sat up properly.

His gaze shifted toward the space bag resting on the bed.

“How many important cards have I been given now?”

He looked down at the Golden Card.

He already possessed a Black Card from The Eclipse.

Now, he had the Golden Card of the Queen of Britannia.

One was connected to a major vehicle production company.

The other gave him a means of contacting the Queen herself.

Ezra considered the two cards for a moment.

They were both useful, though in different ways.

He did not need to think too deeply about the matter to understand that having access to such people and organizations could be helpful in the future.

Still, before he put the Golden Card away, there was something he needed to do.

He reached into his space bag and took out a dagger.

Holding it carefully, Ezra brought the blade to his little finger and made a slight cut.

The wound was small, just enough to draw a tiny drop of blood.

He held the Golden Card beneath his finger.

The blood fell onto its surface.

A golden glow flashed across the card several times.

Ezra watched as ripples spread over the surface, moving outward from the point where his blood had landed.

An interface began to form, and the registration process started.

The system traced his blood on the Skynet to the Ashenlocke House database, bringing up the recorded information associated with Ezra Ashenlocke.

The display continued processing the information.

Ezra waited without moving the card.

His eyes followed the changes on its surface as the system checked the blood against the recorded identity.

A short while later, the registration was complete.

The golden glow gradually faded, leaving his full name displayed in small letters along the lower section of the card.

Ezra Ashenlocke.

He examined the result for another moment.

The registration had gone through without any problems.

Ezra put the dagger away, then placed the Golden Card inside his space bag.

With that settled, he leaned back against the headboard and returned to resting.

There was no reason to spend more time examining the card.

If he needed the Queen’s help, he now had a way to reach her.

For the time being, that was enough.

Hours passed…

The Ashenlocke Private Royal Steam Dirigible finally arrived at the airport of the Ashenlocke Estate.

After the long journey, the airship completed its approach, and the welcoming party was already waiting to receive the Ashenlocke members who had attended the Royal Academy’s First Semester Ending Party.

As the passengers began disembarking, the waiting members of the household moved forward to receive them.

Some of the returning Ashenlockes exchanged greetings before making arrangements to leave, while others were already thinking about getting some rest.

The journey had taken another day.

Understandably, many of the family members did not intend to remain at the estate for long.

Some headed to their own Mansions, while others went to their guest houses to rest after the trip.

Ezra and Lucy, however, had a different destination in mind.

After receiving permission from the Duke of Ash, Ezra was allowed to use a smaller Ashenlocke Private Noble Dirigible.

He had already informed the Duke about his plan to visit The Eclipse Headquarters, and the permission had been granted.

Before departing, Ezra and Lucy packed a small amount of luggage, after returning the things they would not need to the guest house assigned to them at the Ashenlocke Estate, making sure they were not carrying more than necessary for the trip.

Their destination was Thornwick, specifically Solcrest, the capital city of the region ruled and governed by the Duke House of Burnwick.

It would be Ezra and Lucy’s first visit to the Dukedom and city.

And more importantly, it was where The Eclipse Headquarters was located.

Once their luggage had been prepared, Ezra and Lucy boarded the smaller Noble Steam Dirigible.

The crew completed the necessary preparations, and the airship began its journey toward Solcrest.

The trip would take some time, so there was no point in rushing.

Inside the Dirigible, Ezra and Lucy settled into their assigned suite.

The room was smaller than those found aboard larger Noble Dirigibles, but it still offered enough space for them to rest and work.

The bed was set apart from the study area, though both sections belonged to the same room.

The available furniture and equipment were arranged neatly, making good use of the space.

It was clear that this was still a top-tier suite for a small Noble Steam Dirigible.

Lucy had barely settled down before curiosity got the better of her.

She wanted to know how long the journey would take.

Leaving the suite, she made her way toward the control room.

The captain was there, looking out at the sky as he attended to the Dirigible’s journey.

Lucy approached him politely.

“Captain, how long will the journey to Thornwick take?”

The captain glanced at her before answering.

“It will take just two and a half days in total.”

Lucy nodded.

“Okay, thank you.”

She lowered her head politely and left the control room.

Two and a half days.

It was not a short journey, but she did not mind.

The thought of reaching Solcrest was enough to keep her excited about the trip.

After all, she had been waiting for this.

The Phantom Rolls.

More specifically, the Royal Phantom Rolls that had been arranged to be made for her Master.

The vehicle was not something she could simply pick up from an ordinary carriage maker.

It was a custom-made design, and The Eclipse would be responsible for bringing it to life.

Just thinking about it made her eyes sparkle.

Lucy turned away from the control room and headed toward her master’s suite.

She still had time before they arrived, and she wanted to see what her Master was doing.

When she reached the door, she raised her hand.

Knock.

Knock.

She tapped lightly, then waited.

“Come in.”

Ezra’s voice came from within.

Lucy opened the door and entered.

Ezra was seated at the small study area connected to his bedroom.

His attention was fixed on the holographic screen projected from his Zphone Tablet, which rested on the study table before him.

The screen displayed the Phantom Rolls design he had created for his custom-made vehicle.

He was reviewing the interior layout, checking the details he had drawn and the materials listed for its construction.

His fingers moved across the controls, adjusting the view and zooming in on different sections of the design.

Lucy stepped closer, careful not to interrupt him immediately.

There was more on the holographic screen than the vehicle design, however.

Ezra was also replying to messages from The Eclipse’s administrator, who handled the company’s Linsta account.

The messages concerned the arrangements for his arrival in Solcrest.

The Eclipse was preparing a welcome for Ezra and Lucy once they reached Solcrest Airport.

The administrator had also sent a list of possible hotels where they could stay, along with suggestions for places they could visit while in the city.

It was Ezra’s first visit to Thornwick, after all.

And as a Black Card holder of The Eclipse, the company wanted to ensure that he enjoyed his few days there.

Ezra continued reading through the messages, responding where necessary while keeping the Phantom Rolls design open on the holographic screen.

He did not seem bothered by having to manage both tasks.

Lucy, on the other hand, was far more interested in the vehicle.

She walked behind her master and leaned forward slightly, peering at the holographic display.

“The captain told me we’ll arrive in about two and a half days.”

Ezra did not turn around.

“Okay.”

His reply was plain.

His attention remained on the design and the messages he was answering.

Lucy did not seem bothered by his brief response.

Her gaze had already moved to the interior details displayed on the screen.

The colours caught her attention first.

Then she looked at the design itself and the materials listed for its construction.

Her eyes sparkled.

The more she looked at it, the more excited she became.

The day was getting closer.

The day she would finally get to drive a Phantom Rolls.

Not just an ordinary Steam Carriage, but a Royal Phantom Rolls.

Lucy could already imagine herself sitting inside the vehicle, taking hold of the controls and driving it for the first time.

The thought made her want the journey to end sooner.

She straightened up and looked at Ezra.

“Master, will you inform Sir Cyrus Burnwick about your arrival?”

Her question carried a hint of curiosity.

Ezra’s fingers continued moving across the controls as he examined another section of the design.

“No.”

He answered calmly.

Lucy blinked.

“But wouldn’t that be cool?”

Her expression fell slightly.

“Sir Cyrus Burnwick could take us out and show us the whole of Thornwick.”

She spoke with a serious expression, as though she were presenting a reasonable argument for why her master should contact Cyrus.

Lucy clearly liked the idea of exploring the city with someone who already knew it well.

If Cyrus took them around, they would not have to figure out everything on their own.

They could visit different places, enjoy the sights, and make better use of their time in Thornwick.

At least, that was how Lucy saw it.

She looked at her Master, waiting to see whether he would reconsider.

Instead, Ezra finally turned his head toward her.

“We can’t spend that much time in Thornwick, Lucy.”

His plain black eyes settled on her.

“Not just me. You also need some combat training to solidify your Alchemy Strategy, now that you’re a Binder Alchemist.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly as he finished speaking.

Lucy’s expression changed.

She looked away from his gaze.

The moment Ezra mentioned training, her excitement about exploring Thornwick lost some of its shine.

She had been thinking about the Phantom Rolls and the places she wanted to see, not the combat practice waiting for her.

Her lips pressed together as she avoided looking directly at him.

Ezra noticed her reaction but did not take back what he had said.

Lucy had become a Binder Alchemist, and she needed to solidify her Alchemy Strategy through combat training.

It was not enough to advance in an Alchemist rank and leave the practical side of her abilities unattended.

She needed practice.

And Ezra was not going to let her forget that simply because they were travelling to a new city.

Besides, he had his own plans for the visit. He needed to handle matters at The Eclipse Headquarters, and the Phantom Rolls design still required his attention.

Their stay in Thornwick would be limited.

There would be time to see some of the city, but they could not spend the entire visit sightseeing.

Lucy remained quiet for a moment, still looking away.

The thought of training was clearly less appealing than the one she had entertained a moment earlier.

Ezra turned back to the holographic screen and resumed examining the vehicle’s interior design.

For him, the priorities had already been settled.

They would reach Solcrest in two and a half days.

Then he would visit The Eclipse Headquarters, see to the arrangements for the Phantom Rolls, and make use of the time available to them.

Lucy, meanwhile, would have to use the little time of the visit to prepare her mind for when they get back to the Ashenlocke residence for her training.

Whether she liked that part of the plan or not, it was something she needed to work on.

The Bonus Chapters will be posted around the night today!