Chapter 742: New Partner

Willow looked at Ezra without saying anything immediately.

Her gaze remained on him for a moment as she considered his answer.

She understood, at least to some extent, what had made him say those words.

From her own research and findings...

The young man sitting across from her had fought his way forward despite being treated as a waste by his own family.

He had been abandoned by his own blood family, yet he had managed to reach a position where his future was filled with possibilities.

His growth as an Alchemist was only one part of it.

He had also begun establishing himself through his own abilities and decisions.

Ezra really didn’t seem like someone who would allow himself to be tied down by his family’s rules.

It wasn’t difficult to understand why he would be reluctant to enter another House and subject himself to a different set of restrictions.

Even if that restriction was lighter or seemed better.

A restriction was still a restriction.

"I understand."

Willow nodded her head.

She didn’t try to persuade him again.

His answer was clear enough, and she had no reason to pretend otherwise.

"But it doesn’t stop us from working together."

Ezra leaned against the back of the one-seater sofa.

He held the glass of pineapple juice in his right hand, taking a small sip before continuing.

"As you already know, I plan on establishing my future not just as a possible strong Alchemist, but as a successful person. There should be something we can partner ourselves with that would also strengthen your standing within House Derlis."

He said calmly.

His refusal to become her fiancé didn’t mean he had no interest in helping her.

The two matters were separate.

Helping Willow become the Duchess of Derlis will also help keep that psycho from becoming a nuisance.

Although...

That doesn’t mean his life wouldn’t be hanging by a thread if Lucien truly decided to become one.

Since I could just expose him to his own death.

Ezra thought calmly, analyzing the possible ways he could deal with Lucien.

The problem was that Lucien was far more powerful than him at present.

Their current abilities were nowhere near equal, and Ezra wasn’t foolish enough to ignore that difference.

And to make things worse...

He is a cold, calculating schemer as well.

His ability to manipulate people should also be top-notch.

Ahh...

I already have that one from Evergrey on my neck, and now there’s a bloodthirsty psycho.

I haven’t even started developing the Learning Formula Symbol yet.

Ezra listed his potential troubles plainly.

He took another sip of his pineapple juice.

His expression remained as calm as before, though the number of troublesome things around him seemed to be increasing.

Willow continued looking at him.

"You still want to help me, so I can help you keep Lucien in check."

She said with a faint smile.

"Well, your fellow Flower has placed an unfortunate bounty on my head."

Ezra replied plainly, looking at Willow with a dry expression.

"Haha... Haha... Haha."

Willow couldn’t help laughing.

She lowered her head slightly, her shoulders moving with the laughter.

After a moment, she brought herself back under control and looked at Ezra again.

"Prince-Two, Carmina Bergwyn, my elder brother... But do you know, Ezra Ashenlocke?"

She picked up her cutlery.

A neat napkin had been placed beside her plate.

Willow used it to clean her cutlery before setting the napkin down at the side of her food.

"You know..."

She then looked up at Ezra.

"...you’ve also gained enemies from my own suitors, Diane’s suitors, and Selena’s suitors, all together. You’re quite an unfortunate gentleman."

She said with a teasing smile.

Willow took a small bite of her food, giving Ezra a moment to respond.

"There is always a light at the end of the tunnel."

Ezra replied calmly.

He also picked up his cutlery.

After cleaning it with the napkin, he began eating.

The two continued their meal without rushing.

Their conversation had shifted away from the serious matter of House Derlis, but the partnership they had just discussed remained between them.

"I see. So, you’re a problem solver."

Willow tilted her head slightly to the left as she looked at Ezra.

Well, that’s my Alchemy Strategy Philosophy.

Ezra thought flatly.

Face every situation, whether present or future, as an equation that needs to be solved.

He considered it a simple principle.

Every situation had its own variables, and each variable could affect the final outcome.

The important thing was to understand what he was dealing with and find a way to reach the result he wanted.

That was how he approached things.

He continued eating, not feeling the need to explain the thought behind his words.

"Then let’s raise a toast to our future partnership."

Willow raised her glass of water.

Ezra looked at her before reaching for his own glass.

"Whatever it may be, and..."

Willow paused.

She held her glass up while looking directly at him.

The brief pause drew out the moment before she continued.

"...to me telling you what I’m sure Vera has already told you a number of times."

She continued calmly.

"I will be chasing you visibly from now on, Ezra Ashenlocke. Prepare yourself."

She pointed the fork in her other hand towards him.

Ezra’s black eyes narrowed slightly.

He picked up his glass and looked at her.

"Just don’t make it unbearable, please. I already have a headache with the first letter V. I can’t be adding W to it."

He said straightforwardly.

Click.

The two glasses met gently.

The sound echoed through the VIP room before fading into the quiet atmosphere.

***

Inside VIP Room 120...

Click.

The sound of glass cups coming together gently echoed inside the room.

Soft music played in the background.

The conversations of the young nobles gathered there mixed with it, accompanied by occasional laughter and the clinking of cutlery against plates.

Several Second-Year students were gathered around the table, enjoying their time together.

Their glasses had been filled with fruit wine, and the meal had already begun.

The mood was pleasant, especially for those who had come to celebrate the result of the recent election.

"Congratulations, Louis, on becoming the Second-Year representative and taking over from Clive, who represented us during our first year."

A young Non-Noble lady said with a pleased smile.

She raised her glass of fruit wine towards Louis.

The other three Second-Year ladies followed her example, lifting their own glasses as they joined in the congratulations.

Louis returned their gesture.

"You should all thank Cassian for helping formulate the winning plan."

He said politely, raising his glass towards Cassian, who sat beside one of the ladies.

Cassian accepted the acknowledgement with a modest expression.

"I didn’t really think you could do it, Young Lord Louis."

Hanna Greyford said straightforwardly.

Louis turned his attention towards her.

"Your expression truly says you didn’t believe in me."

He replied with slight awkwardness.

Hanna didn’t immediately take back her words.

She had been present throughout the events leading to the election, and she knew how difficult it had been to secure the result they wanted.

Cassian, however, continued the conversation.

"Using the population of the Non-Nobles and Low-ranking Nobles, first by stirring doubt, then having you debate against Preston and creating another controversy about how High-Nobles have always taken up the High-ranking positions. I could never come up with something this well laid out."

He said humbly.

He and Louis had indeed come up with the accusation plan directed towards Basil Evermont.

Cassian knew his younger brother very well.

He understood Basil’s temperament and the way he tended to respond when placed under pressure.

Among Tristin’s group, Basil was the best target for their plan.

The accusation had been arranged to draw him into reacting aggressively.

Once he responded, the discussion could be directed towards the issue they wanted to bring forward.

It was a calculated move, and Cassian knew exactly why they had chosen him.

Meanwhile, Louis had made sure that a Non-Noble student reminded everyone about Ezra’s article.

It was a plan meant to ignite an argument over the silent resentment surrounding privileges.

Something that would never fade, even though the Non-Nobles who complained about Noble privileges were all living comfortable lives.

They weren’t even classified as Commoners anymore, not since the ninth century of the Kingdom.

The distinction between the groups had existed for centuries.

However, that didn’t mean the resentment surrounding Noble privileges had disappeared.

It was an issue that could be brought up whenever the right opportunity appeared.

And with Ezra’s article already drawing attention to the subject, they had found a way to use it to their advantage.

"Young Lord Drax also made Clive convince his supporters to vote for me. And now we have the monopoly over the students who will support Clive for his chance to become part of the Student Council, which is good."

Louis said with a pleased tone.

He raised his glass slightly before taking a drink.

The plan had allowed them to secure support from students who had previously stood behind Clive.

It was an important part of their efforts to increase Evergrey’s influence within the Second-Year student body.

The conversation continued around the table.

"Who knew Ezra Ashenlocke would ruin the perfect plan you had set against him to assist Lady Fatima Drakes in winning the First-Year General Representative election?"

One of the Second-Year ladies said, shaking her head with disappointment.

She rested her attention on Louis, seemingly still dissatisfied with how things had turned out.

"It would have been good to keep that Lowline in check. Someone like him shouldn’t be gaining the spotlight from Sir Louis. He wasn’t even anything when Sir Louis began making a name for himself, and now he wants to take all the attention."

She folded her arms, her expression turning annoyed.

"It’s because he has someone as talented as Lady Vera Ashenlocke helping him out."

Another lady added, sounding jealous.

The remarks drew Cassian’s attention.

"Gosh, I want that brat dead, messing around with my Vera and Selena. Tsk. Tsk."

Cassian clicked his tongue in displeasure.

He didn’t seem particularly pleased with the thought of Ezra being too involved with the Flowers.

His complaint came out plainly, with his tongue clicking again at the end.

Hanna looked at the girls, then at Cassian and the other four boys in the room.

There was no way they thought he was just a puppet of the Lady of Ashenlocke.

She thought to herself plainly.

The girls were speaking out of their dissatisfaction with Ezra’s growing attention, but she couldn’t imagine that the boys genuinely believed his achievements were simply the result of Vera helping him.

Hanna turned her gaze towards Louis.

The Young Lord was smiling calmly while replying to the others.

He didn’t interrupt their complaints, nor did he appear particularly bothered by their words.

He simply continued responding to the conversation as it moved around the table.

Young Lord was truly troubled when Ezra Ashenlocke made his speech.

It was truly shocking.

Even I was surprised.

He chose that method, and it actually worked.

Hanna remembered the moment.

Ezra’s speech had changed the situation they had carefully arranged.

Their original plan had been built around the election and the influence they wanted to secure, but his actions had disrupted the direction they were trying to take.

It wasn’t something they had expected from him.

All thanks to the diligent life he has been living in the Academy, that’s why many students’ thoughts about him, reduced almost completely.

Although...

The Young Lord’s plan doesn’t stop there.

Hanna’s attention returned to Louis.

Their goal at that time had been to make him the Second-Year General Representative to increase Evergrey’s influence.

That was the first part of their objective.

Afterward, they intended to help Lady Fatima Drakes return to the rankings, since she was truly the only Drakes who could stand against the top geniuses of her Year.

The two goals were connected. Securing Louis’s position would increase their influence, while Fatima’s return to the rankings would give them another powerful figure capable of competing with the strongest students of her Year.

But everything had nearly been ruined by Ezra Ashenlocke.

Hanna paused her thoughts for a moment, while she looked down at her glass.

I always thought Lady Vera Ashenlocke was the true Ash to fear.

But now...

There are two.

She remained quiet for a moment.

Her gaze stayed on the glass in front of her as another face came to mind.

Lucien Derlis.

Hanna remembered him.

But the truly scary person...

Is him.

The fact that he made Vera pick his sister and also gave the Young Lord a quick answer to getting the supporters he needed to beat Princess Victoria Aethelmont.

Hanna lifted her glass and took a gulp of her drink.

I wonder how far he sees?

She asked herself.

The thought sent a chill through her.

First Bonus Chapter for the Magic Castle!!

Let’s not forget about our goal to hit Top 10 in GT rankings!!