Chapter 693: New Royal Phantom Rolls

Ezra opened his eyes.

Above him, the crystal-glass chandelier hung from the ceiling, its edges catching the faint light that slipped through the curtains.

He remained on his back for a brief moment, staring at it without moving.

He remembered what he had seen.

Yet his expression remained unfazed, as though the scene that had occupied his mind had been nothing more than an ordinary occurrence.

A new memory.

Ezra thought silently.

It has been a while since I had a new memory, or even dreamt about my past-self’s life.

He raised his right hand and examined his palm.

The room was still dark, with only a little light entering through the curtains.

To an ordinary person, the darkness would have made it difficult to see the details of their surroundings, but Ezra’s sharp eyes could make out the shape of his fingers and the faint lines running across his palm.

He turned his hand slightly, then closed it into a fist before lowering it.

There was nothing unusual about his hand.

Ezra sat up and moved his left hand towards the lamp beside his bed.

His fingers found the switch, and he turned it on.

A soft light spread through the room, revealing the furniture, the neatly arranged belongings, and the curtains covering the windows.

The glow also reached the chandelier above him, making the crystal pieces reflect small points of light across the ceiling.

He looked towards the clock.

The hands showed 5:20.

Ezra stared at it without much interest.

It was still too early for his usual morning routine.

He normally woke up with enough time to prepare himself before leaving for class, but there was no reason to get out of bed now.

He switched off the lamp and lay down again.

After adjusting his pillow, he closed his eyes.

There was still time to sleep.

A few hours later...

The sun rose over the Royal Academy.

Snow fell gently across the academy grounds, covering the edges of the paths and the rooftops of the surrounding buildings.

The main Academy building stood ahead, its tall windows reflecting the morning light.

Students crossed the courtyard in groups, their space bags hanging from their shoulders as they made their way towards their classrooms.

The start of the new semester had brought life back to the academy.

Steam Vehicles filled the parking lot, their polished bodies lined up in neat rows.

Some had already been parked, while others were still arriving through the academy gates.

Their engines released faint clouds of steam into the cold air, which soon drifted away above the vehicles.

The Royal Academy’s security staff stood near the entrance to the parking area, directing the incoming vehicles towards empty spaces.

Servants accompanied their young masters and mistresses, helping them with their academic bags and carrying other belongings that the students had brought back for the new semester.

Some servants opened vehicle doors and waited for their masters to step out, while others followed behind them towards the entrance of the Academy Building.

Despite the cold, the atmosphere was lively.

Students gathered around their friends, exchanging greetings and talking about what they had done during the holiday.

Others were more interested in the students who had attracted attention during the previous semester.

Whenever one of those students appeared, a few people would approach them, hoping to exchange a greeting or start a conversation.

"Congratulations, Prince Tristin Aethelmont, for becoming the first-year representative of the Royal Blue Faction."

A non-noble boy spoke with admiration as he walked beside Tristin and his group.

Tristin moved through the academy grounds with the ease of someone who was used to receiving attention.

Felix Ashenlocke was walking at his right, while Gareth Ashenlocke followed behind the prince.

Basil Evermont occupied his left, and Desmond Derlis walked beside Gareth with his hands tucked into his pockets.

Several other young nobles and non-nobles moved around them, joining their conversation from time to time.

"It was bound to happen."

Tristin replied with a smug smile.

He did not appear surprised by the congratulation.

If anything, he seemed to regard his position as something he should have received from the beginning.

The boy who had congratulated him nodded, clearly pleased with the prince’s response, before falling a little behind the group.

"Hey, Felix. Weren’t you telling me that you were planning something with your people back at the Ash Academy to get back at the one who made the Steam Bicycle?"

Desmond asked.

He turned his head towards Felix, his expression carrying a hint of curiosity.

Felix glanced at him but did not answer immediately.

His eyes remained on Desmond for a moment before he looked ahead again, as though deciding whether the question was worth answering.

"My business back at home isn’t any of your business."

He replied firmly.

"Ehnn... but I heard that the boy who made that cool-looking bicycle stated that Ezra had a hand in helping with the production of the invention."

Desmond moved a little closer to Felix as he spoke.

His tone sounded casual, but there was something about the way he brought up Ezra’s name that made it seem as though he wanted to provoke a reaction.

Felix’s expression changed.

"Does that matter? That bastard didn’t even show his face at the family’s release party."

His voice had grown sharper.

He looked ahead, his jaw tightening slightly as he spoke.

The mention of Ezra had clearly annoyed him, and Desmond seemed to have noticed.

"Can we stop talking about useless people?"

Tristin turned towards them with a displeased expression.

His steps did not stop, but his attention shifted from the path ahead to the two young men walking behind him.

Felix narrowed his eyes.

Desmond did the same.

For a moment, neither of them replied.

The conversation had been about Ezra, but Tristin’s interruption had made it clear that he did not want to hear the name any longer.

"Right now, we should be focused on how I’m going to get the General Representative position."

Tristin’s smug smile returned.

"And with that power, I can use it to make both Ezra and that trash Wax light of Burn Lives miserable. Even that trash commoner."

He spoke with confidence, as though he had already imagined how he would use the position once it was in his hands.

Gareth looked at him calmly.

"You’re the one who said we shouldn’t talk about him again, yet you’re doing the same thing."

His words were delivered without any change in expression.

Tristin turned towards him.

He was about to reply when...

"What the hell is that!"

"Isn’t that a Phantom Rolls?!"

"Look at that colour!"

"Who even owns the vehicle?!"

"That can’t be any of the Royals right?"

Noise erupted from the parking lot.

The sudden shouts drew the attention of nearby students.

Several people turned towards the source of the commotion, while others began moving in that direction before they even knew what had happened.

Tristin and his group looked over.

Students were walking quickly towards the parking lot, some even breaking away from their companions to get a better look at whatever had caught everyone’s attention.

Tristin’s brows drew together.

"Why are these idiots reacting over a Phantom Rolls when I bring mine to the academy every time? Mine is even a Royal version, unlike you Mainlines of Duke Houses."

He looked at Felix with a mocking smile, as though the reaction of the crowd had given him another reason to boast.

Felix did not immediately respond.

His attention had shifted towards the parking lot, where more students were gathering.

"I’m actually curious."

Gareth spoke calmly.

His eyes were already fixed on the direction in which the students were moving.

Unlike Tristin, he did not seem interested in comparing the vehicle with his own family’s possessions.

He simply wanted to know what had caused such a reaction.

"Give us some information if you see what’s making them react like that, Gareth."

Desmond said with a relaxed expression.

Without waiting for an answer, he walked ahead of the group and headed towards the main Academy Building.

His hands remained in his pockets, and his pace was unhurried, even as the noise from the parking lot grew louder.

Behind him...

Tristin continued watching the crowd.

He had no intention of letting a vehicle distract him from his plans for the semester, but the commotion had caught his attention all the same.

At the parking lot...

Lucy opened the door of the Royal Phantom Rolls.

She stepped out and adjusted the black shades she wore, looking towards the crowd that had gathered around the vehicle.

The Phantom Rolls stood out among the other Steam Vehicles.

Its black exterior carried a faint purple shade that reflected the morning sunlight, giving the surface a different appearance depending on the angle from which it was viewed.

The design was clean, with the bodywork and the shape of the vehicle giving it a look that was difficult to mistake for an ordinary Noble Phantom Rolls.

The students surrounding it had already begun discussing its appearance.

"Wait, isn’t that the maid of you-know-who?"

"He really got his own Phantom Rolls. How?"

"Did the Ashenlockes get it for him?"

"That’s a Royal Phantom Rolls!"

"It’s not even on the level of the Princes’ and Princesses’ vehicles from our year."

"No... this is even better than any Royal Phantom Rolls I’ve ever seen."

The remarks came from different parts of the crowd.

Some students stood close enough to examine the exterior, while others remained a little farther away, trying to get a clear view over the shoulders of those in front.

A few servants had also stopped to look at the vehicle, their attention drawn by the gathering and the discussions surrounding it.

The comparison with the Royal Phantom Rolls belonging to the princes and princesses had only made the students more curious.

They knew what those vehicles looked like.

Some had seen them during the First-Year Welcome Ball, while others had encountered them around the academy grounds.

The Royal Phantom Rolls were already impressive vehicles, so seeing one that appeared to surpass them was enough to attract attention.

Lucy heard most of what they were saying.

A small, pleased smile appeared on her face.

She had been excited about the Phantom Rolls from the moment she first saw its finished exterior.

Now, standing beside it while the students praised its appearance, she found it difficult not to feel proud.

After all, she knew who the vehicle belonged to.

And she had been the one driving it here.

Lucy turned towards the other side of the vehicle and opened the door for her master.

Ezra was still inside.

He narrowed his plain black eyes on her.

"Just play the part, Master."

Lucy whispered, winking at him.

Her expression was perfectly composed, but the amusement in her eyes made it clear that she was enjoying the situation.

Ezra looked at her for a moment.

He understood what she meant.

The crowd had already gathered around the vehicle, and they were waiting to see its owner.

Since Lucy had opened the door for him, it would only make sense for him to step out instead of remaining seated while everyone stared.

He took out the black shades she had handed him before they began their journey to the academy.

After putting them on, he stepped out of the Phantom Rolls.

His movements were calm and unhurried.

He did not look around to see who had gathered, nor did he pause to admire the attention the vehicle had attracted.

He simply stood beside the open door, adjusting his position before turning towards the entrance of the academy.

"I knew it!!! It is Ezra Ashenlocke!!"

One of the first-year girls shouted excitedly.

Her voice carried over the conversations around her, causing several students to turn their attention towards Ezra.

"This is sooo cool! He’s so cool too."

"I want a Phantom Rolls like this."

"Do you know how much this cost?"

The discussions spread through the crowd.

Some students continued talking about the vehicle, while others focused on Ezra himself.

A few exchanged glances as they tried to work out how he had obtained such an impressive possession.

Others simply watched him, apparently content to see the owner of the vehicle with their own eyes.

The attention did not seem to bother Ezra.

He had already stepped out, and there was no reason for him to stand around any longer.

Lucy closed the door and locked the vehicle.

After checking that it was secured, she turned towards her Master and handed him the key.

"See you later during break."

She said, waving lightly.

Ezra took the key and returned a single wave.

Then he turned towards the academy entrance and began walking.

The students who had gathered around the Phantom Rolls began following him.

Some walked behind him while whispering to their companions, and others tried to get a better look at him as they moved.

Their conversations continued, with the vehicle and its owner becoming the main subjects of discussion.

Ezra paid them no mind.

He kept walking at his usual pace, the black shades covering his eyes as he crossed the academy grounds.

The noise behind him followed for a while, but he did not turn around to see how many people were coming after him.

He had come to the academy to attend class.

That was what mattered.

By the time he reached the main Academy building, the crowd had begun to thin out.

Some students had returned to their own groups, while others headed towards the general classroom after realizing that following Ezra would not give them any new information.

Ezra continued towards the general classroom.

The corridors were already busy with students preparing for the new semester.

Conversations travelled through the halls, mixing with the sounds of footsteps and the occasional movement of servants carrying bags.

Sunlight entered through the tall windows, falling across the floor and illuminating the dust that drifted in the air.

Ezra passed through the corridor without stopping.

He eventually reached the general classroom, entered, and walked towards his usual seat.

"Yo, Ezra!"

Cyrus waved at him.

He was sitting beside an empty space and pointed towards it when Ezra entered.

His face carried a playful smile, as though he had been waiting for Ezra to arrive.

Ezra glanced at him before approaching.

"This is new."

He said calmly as he took the seat.

"You are sitting in my usual space during the general course."

He looked at Cyrus.

The seat was familiar to Ezra, and Cyrus’s decision to occupy it was enough to catch his attention.

He did not sound particularly upset, though.

His voice remained flat, and he simply waited for Cyrus to explain himself.

"New semester, new me."

Cyrus replied with a playful smirk on his face.