Chapter 667: Surprise

Ezra looked at Cyrus, who stood behind the shop counter wearing a hair cover and an apron over his casual work clothes.

It was a rather unusual sight.

At the Academy, Cyrus usually dressed according to his noble status.

Even when he looked lazy or showed little interest in what was happening around him, there was still something about his appearance that reminded people he was the son of the Duke of Burnwick.

Here, however, he looked more like an ordinary shop worker.

His apron covered most of his upper body, and the hair cover kept his hair from getting in the way while he worked.

Yet, he still had his headset on.

Ezra stared at it for a moment.

That was enough to make the sight feel familiar again.

No matter what clothes Cyrus wore, he apparently had no intention of giving up that headset.

The shop itself was spacious, with polished floors and neatly arranged displays.

Shelves stood against the walls, holding small figures of people, domestic animals, monsters, and various forms of transportation.

Some were made to resemble ordinary people, while others wore detailed costumes that looked as though they belonged to characters from stories.

A few customers stood near the displays, examining the figures before making their choices.

Further inside, staff members moved between the shelves and counters, attending to visitors who needed assistance.

The air carried a faint smell of polished wood and the materials used to make the toys.

Somewhere in the shop, a small mechanical train moved along a track built into a display, its wheels clicking as it passed miniature buildings.

Cyrus seemed comfortable in the middle of it all.

The tour guide employed by The Eclipse to handle Ezra and Lucy’s sightseeing of Thornwick stepped forward, lowering his head politely.

"Greetings, Sir Cyrus Burnwick."

"Yeah, greetings to you."

Cyrus replied.

He waved his hand in return, his expression relaxed as he greeted the guide.

Lucy stood beside Ezra.

A small smile rested on her face as she lowered her head too.

She greeted him without saying any word, deliberately keeping quiet.

With her mask covering most of her face, there was a chance Cyrus might not recognize her if she avoided speaking too much.

After all, they were not in a place where she had expected to meet him.

She had come to have a figure made, not to run into one of her master’s classmates.

Cyrus returned her greeting with another casual wave.

Ezra also greeted Cyrus without saying any word, and Cyrus greeted him back.

His eyes passed over Ezra’s covered face, but he did not appear to recognize him yet.

With the mask hiding the lower part of his face and the scarf covering his neck, Ezra looked different from how he usually appeared at the Academy.

The hair cover and apron were not enough to make Cyrus look like a completely different person, either.

His familiar headset and lazy manner made him easy to recognize.

Still, the same could not be said for the two visitors standing before him.

Cyrus placed one hand on the counter.

"So, what services would you like to have?"

He asked calmly.

Without waiting for the guide to answer, he reached into the center pocket of his apron and took out a Zphone Tablet.

His fingers moved across the screen several times.

A holographic display appeared above the tablet.

Rows of options unfolded across it, showing the different services offered by Wendy and Ralph Toy Craft.

There were figures of different sizes, costume designs, customization options, and other choices for customers who wanted something more personal than the products already displayed on the shelves.

The guide leaned closer to look through the available services.

"Yes."

He nodded.

"This beautiful young lady would like to have a figure of herself made."

He said, pointing towards Lucy.

Cyrus shifted his gaze to her.

His scarlet eyes rested on the young maid for a few seconds.

He looked at her face, then at the way she stood beside Ezra.

Why does her figure look familiar?

His gaze moved towards Ezra.

And him too.

Cyrus narrowed his eyes slightly.

The young man was standing quietly, showing little interest in the shop’s displays.

His posture was relaxed, and he did not seem bothered by the attention of the people around him.

Yet, something about him caught Cyrus’s attention.

He looked at Ezra’s hair, which was partly visible despite the way he had covered himself, then at his eyes.

I only know one person who has both white and black hair and those plain black eyes.

Cyrus tilted his head slightly to the right.

He continued examining the two visitors, trying to understand why their presence felt so familiar. His eyes moved between them once, then again.

The guide waited patiently, unaware of the small investigation taking place behind the counter.

Cyrus’s expression remained lazy, but his eyes had become more focused.

Then it clicked.

He straightened a little.

"Wait, what the hell are you two doing in a place like this?"

He asked, looking directly at Ezra.

The sudden question made the tour guide turn towards him.

The guide glanced at Ezra, then at Cyrus, looking confused by the change in his manner.

A moment ago, Cyrus had been treating them like ordinary customers.

Now, he was staring at the masked young man as though he had discovered something unexpected.

Ezra did not seem surprised.

"I wondered if you wouldn’t recognize us."

He replied plainly.

"I guess I was wrong."

Ezra raised a hand to his face and removed his mask.

He then lowered his scarf slightly, revealing more of his face.

His expression remained calm, as though he had expected this to happen sooner or later.

"What a coincidence, Mr. Cyrus."

Lucy said lightly.

She removed her own mask as well, letting it hang in her hand.

Cyrus stared at her.

For a brief moment, he seemed unable to decide which of the two he should react to first.

"Oh, my... is that you, Miss Maid?"

He took a step back.

His eyes moved up and down as he looked at Lucy, taking in her appearance now that the mask was gone.

"Wow."

He could not help speaking in amazement.

Lucy looked at him with a small smile.

She was used to Cyrus’s manner by now, but his reaction was still a little strange.

He had recognized her, yet he was looking at her as though he had encountered someone he had not expected to see outside the Academy.

The tour guide, meanwhile, had become even more confused.

He looked at Ezra, then at Lucy, and finally at Cyrus.

"I’m sorry, but you know the Duke of Burnwick’s son?"

He asked, his surprise clear on his face.

The guide had been assigned to look after Ezra and Lucy during their visit to Thornwick.

He knew Ezra’s identity, of course, and he understood that the young man was someone the people of the city might recognize.

What he had not expected was for the Duke of Burnwick son to know him personally.

"We are classmates. Of course, I know him."

Cyrus replied.

A bright smirk appeared on his face.

He looked rather pleased with himself, as though being able to call Ezra his classmate was something worth mentioning.

Ezra did not react to the smirk.

He simply stood beside Lucy, allowing the conversation to continue.

Lucy, on the other hand, glanced around the shop again.

The shelves, the figures, and the workers moving between the displays had caught her attention earlier.

Now that the surprise of meeting Cyrus had passed, her curiosity returned to the reason she had come here in the first place.

"I didn’t know you had work to do."

She said, looking at the shop.

Cyrus followed her gaze for a moment before rubbing the back of his head with his right hand.

"Haha... I’m just helping out my uncle from my mother’s side with his work."

He replied awkwardly.

His tone suggested that there was nothing particularly interesting about it.

Still, he was standing behind the counter, handling customers and showing them the services on the Zphone Tablet.

It was clear that he had been doing more than simply standing around.

Before Lucy could say anything else, a lady’s voice rang out from the upper floor.

"What is going on downstairs?!"

The shout carried through the shop.

Several customers turned their heads towards the staircase.

One of the staff members paused while arranging a row of small figures, then continued with her work when no further commotion followed.

Cyrus, however, barely reacted.

"I hope you are not trying to convince the customers into doing something they didn’t plan for again, Cyrus."

The lady’s voice came from above once more.

Her footsteps followed, growing louder as she approached the stairs.

Ezra glanced towards the staircase.

Judging by the woman’s tone, she was already familiar with whatever Cyrus tended to do when left in charge of customers.

Cyrus placed his left hand against his chest.

"Whatttt?"

He drew out the word, looking offended.

"Why would you even think that, when I’m not a black-market seller?"

He asked defensively.

His expression made it seem as though he had been accused of a serious crime.

The guide looked between Cyrus and the staircase, apparently beginning to understand why the lady had sounded so suspicious of him.

"Says the person who got four customer complaints just today alone."

The lady finally appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

She looked at Cyrus with a stiff expression.

Her gaze was steady, and she did not seem impressed by his attempt to defend himself.

Cyrus opened his mouth, perhaps intending to argue.

The lady did not give him the chance.

She turned towards Ezra, Lucy, and the tour guide.

Her expression changed at once, becoming polite as she brought her hands together in front of her.

"Please, dear customers..."

She began with a simple smile.

It was the sort of smile a shop worker gave to visitors when she wanted to apologize for any trouble they might have experienced.

Her manner was professional, and she appeared ready to make up for whatever inconvenience Cyrus had caused.

Then she looked at Ezra.

Her words stopped.

The smile remained on her face for a moment, but she no longer seemed able to continue speaking.

She stared at the young man standing in front of her, her eyes fixed on him as though she needed a few seconds to make sure she was seeing correctly.

Silence followed.

Cyrus looked at her.

Ezra waited without saying anything.

The guide also remained quiet, unsure whether the woman had forgotten what she wanted to say or whether something else had happened.

The woman’s hands stayed together in front of her apron.

"..."

She stood still, looking at Ezra.

Lucy leaned a little towards Cyrus.

"What’s wrong with her?"

She whispered.

Cyrus turned his head towards Lucy.

He kept his voice low enough that the woman would not hear him.

"She’s a fan of Ezra. And when I say fan, I mean a crazy fan. She’s been working hard creating different versions of Ezra’s figures..."

He whispered back.

His eyes shifted towards the woman, and the smirk on his face grew more noticeable.

"Shut up, Cyrus!"

The lady suddenly shouted, cutting him off.

Her voice was loud enough to make a few nearby customers glance over.

Cyrus closed his mouth, looking thoroughly unbothered by her reaction.

The lady took a breath and turned back to Ezra.

The change in her expression was almost immediate.

She tried to compose herself, straightening her back and smoothing the front of her apron with one hand.

"Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke, it’s good to se... I mean, it’s good to meet you in person."

She said.

Her voice was almost calm, but her right palm kept rubbing against her apron.

Ezra looked at her.

"Thank you."

He replied calmly.

There was no grand reaction from him.

He did not seem particularly surprised by the lady’s enthusiasm, nor did he make a point of acknowledging it.

His answer was brief and polite.

That appeared to help her regain some control over herself.

She straightened her apron again and looked towards Cyrus, remembering the reason she had come downstairs in the first place.

"So, have you chosen your service yet?"

She asked.

Her eyes narrowed at Cyrus.

He immediately understood what she meant.

Without wasting any more time, he moved away from Lucy’s side and turned the Zphone Tablet towards the woman.

The holographic screen still displayed the options they had been examining.

Cyrus pointed to the service they had selected.

"Oh, so it’s the custom-made figure service."

The lady said.

Her eyes brightened.

For a moment, she seemed to forget everything else.

The thought of creating a custom-made figure for Ezra Ashenlocke had clearly caught her imagination.

Her fingers moved slightly against her apron, and her gaze returned to Ezra with an eagerness she was struggling to hide.

I might actually get to make a figure of Ezra Ashenlocke.

The prospect seemed to have swept away her earlier embarrassment.

Then Cyrus pointed at Lucy.

"It’s her who you’ll be working on, though."

He said.

The lady’s expression collapsed.

The bright look in her eyes faded, and her shoulders dropped a little.

She stared at Lucy, then at the holographic display, as if hoping she had misunderstood what Cyrus had just said.

"Oh."

She said.

The single word carried all the disappointment she had failed to conceal.

Cyrus noticed the change at once.

"At least hide your disappointed expression, woman."

He said quickly.

He looked at her face, clearly entertained by how easily her mood had changed.

The lady turned towards him.

"Get away from me."

She pushed his face aside with one hand.

Cyrus leaned away from her palm, but he did not look particularly bothered.

If anything, he seemed satisfied that he had managed to ruin her expectations.

The lady ignored him and turned back towards Lucy.

"You should handle her while I entertain Sir Ezra Ashenlocke."

She said, her eyes beginning to glitter again.

It appeared that the idea of spending time with Ezra was still far more appealing to her than the work waiting on the tablet.

Cyrus immediately reached out and caught her arm.

"Hold your horses."

He said, drawing her back before she could move towards Ezra.

"Yeah, go get your work done and leave my pal to me."

He added, pushing her shoulder towards the staircase.

The woman resisted, twisting her body to look back at Ezra.

"Wait, Cyrus! Wait, just a second. No, a minute!"

She protested.

Her feet moved reluctantly as Cyrus guided her towards the stairs.

She tried to hold her ground, but she could not resist as much as she wanted to.

Cyrus continued pushing her along, showing no intention of allowing her to abandon the work she had been given.

"Quit it, Latifa."

Cyrus said harshly.

He pushed her upstairs.

Latifa continued looking back for a moment, her expression making it clear that she had not given up on the idea of staying with Ezra.

Cyrus, however, kept her moving until she had no choice but to go with him.

Lucy watched them disappear up the staircase.

Before following, she turned towards Ezra and raised one hand to wave at him.

"Master."

She called softly.

Ezra looked at her and gave a small acknowledgment.

Lucy then followed Cyrus and Latifa upstairs, her figure gradually disappearing from view.

The shop returned to its usual rhythm.

The customers who had turned to watch the commotion went back to examining the figures.

A staff member resumed arranging the display she had been working on, while the small mechanical train continued along its track with a steady clicking sound.

Ezra remained near the counter for a moment.

The tour guide stood beside him, looking towards the stairs before turning back to the young noble.

It seemed the visit had taken an unexpected turn, but the custom-made figure was still going to be made. There was no reason to interfere with the arrangement.

A few minutes passed.

Cyrus eventually returned downstairs.

He had removed his apron and hair cover before entering the customers’ lounge.

His casual work clothes were visible again, and the familiar headset remained in place.

Ezra and the tour guide were now seated inside the lounge.

The room was separated from the main shopping area, giving customers a place to sit while they waited for their orders or discussed the services they wanted.

The seats were arranged around small tables, and the furniture had been kept neat despite the steady flow of visitors.

From where Ezra sat, he could still see part of the shop through the open entrance.

Staff members continued attending to customers, while a few visitors sat nearby, examining their purchases.

A staff member approached their table carrying a tray.

She placed a warm cup of tea in front of Ezra first.

Steam rose from the surface, carrying a light fragrance as it drifted into the air.

She then set a glass of cold orange juice in front of the tour guide.

"Here is your order, Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke."

She said politely.

The staff member lowered her head slightly before stepping back.

Ezra glanced at the cup.

He reached for it and held it in one hand, allowing the warmth to pass through his fingers before taking a small sip.

Across from him, the tour guide picked up his glass of orange juice.

The cold drink left a faint trace of moisture on the outside of the glass as he lifted it from the table.

The staff member remained nearby for a brief moment, checking that they had received everything they needed.

Her eyes kept returning to Ezra.

She tried to remain professional, but her admiration was difficult to hide.

Every so often, she glanced at him before looking away, as though she had caught herself staring.

It was hardly surprising.

Ezra was not an ordinary visitor to the shop.

His performance at the Grand First-Year Combat Festival had made him known to people far beyond the Academy.

Many had watched the competition, and plenty of them remembered the young alchemist who had drawn so much attention.

Some of the other staff members were no different.

A worker passing through the lounge looked towards Ezra as she carried a tray to another table.

Another staff member glanced at him from the main shop floor before returning to her duties.

They did not approach him or interrupt his conversation.

Still, their attention lingered whenever they passed close enough to see him clearly.

Ezra paid little attention to it.

He sat with his tea, his expression as calm as ever.

The tour guide also noticed the staff’s reactions.

He glanced towards the entrance, then back at Ezra, but did not comment on it.

As part of his work with The Eclipse, he was used to meeting important guests.

Even so, the attention surrounding Ezra was difficult to miss.

Cyrus walked closer to their table.

As he approached, the staff members who noticed him lowered their heads respectfully.

Cyrus waved one hand.

They raised their heads and returned to their duties without further delay.

One continued attending to a nearby table, while another carried her tray towards the main shop floor.

The other customers in the lounge also glanced at Cyrus and Ezra.

A few looked at Ezra with recognition, while others seemed curious about why the Duke of Burnwick’s son was sitting with the young alchemist.

Their gazes lingered briefly before they returned to their own conversations and purchases.

Cyrus reached the table and stopped beside his friend.

For the moment, with Lucy and Latifa upstairs and the staff attending to the other guests, he had Ezra to himself.

He looked at the tea on the table, then at Ezra, his familiar lazy expression settling back onto his face.

The unexpected reunion had turned an ordinary visit to Wendy and Ralph Toy Craft into something far more interesting than either of them had planned.