Last Gun Alchemist

"Alchemists can also fine-tune their Alchemy Strategy."

Ezra replied calmly.

"That’s one of the greatest advantages of being an Alchemist."

His expression remained as blank as ever.

There wasn’t the slightest change on his face despite Harlan’s attempt to corner him.

He slowly turned back toward Harlan.

"As for the superior quality you mentioned..."

He paused briefly.

"It’s not a factor that deserves as much attention as you’re giving it."

His words were simple.

Yet they immediately drew everyone’s attention back to him.

"The Colt does fall behind certain firearms in individual categories."

Ezra pointed toward the comparison chart.

"It has lower destructive power than some Novice rank guns."

He moved his finger toward another section.

"It consumes more Cognis than the Short Revolver and the Basic Revolver."

Another swipe.

"And it weighs slightly more than several existing Novice firearms."

He calmly admitted every disadvantage himself.

Many people blinked.

Several Elders nodded unconsciously.

None of them expected Ezra to openly list the Colt’s weaknesses instead of avoiding them.

"But..."

His voice remained steady.

"At the end of the day, the Short Revolver and the Basic Revolver only surpass the Colt in two areas."

"Lower Cognis consumption and lighter weight."

He pointed toward the Colt once more.

"In return...The Colt 1911 provides significantly greater combat flexibility. It delivers higher stopping power and more importantly...It dramatically improves continuous combat efficiency."

His hand shifted toward another comparison.

"As for the Big-4 Revolver and the Acu-Vector Mk.I...They possess greater destructive power than the Colt."

He nodded slightly.

"I acknowledge that."

The audience quietly listened with nobody interrupting.

"But...The Colt is lighter, consumes less Cognis and it remains considerably easier to operate throughout prolonged combat."

Ezra finished his explanation without adding unnecessary words.

Naturally...

Vera stepped forward.

The transition between them continued to feel seamless.

"In every category we’ve discussed..."

She calmly looked toward the floating comparison charts.

"The Colt doesn’t dominate every statistic."

Her blank black eyes swept across the audience.

"And that’s exactly what makes it superior."

A few craftsmen frowned thoughtfully, while many Gun Alchemists immediately understood what she meant.

"The Colt is balanced."

She folded her hands behind her back.

"It possesses better overall balance than even the Long Revolver and it is the most practical firearm for ordinary Novice Gun Alchemists."

She pointed toward the combat efficiency graph.

"Because instead of maximizing only one strength... it raises your overall combat capability."

She then raised one finger.

"And let’s not forget. The Colt wasn’t designed only for Gun Alchemists. It was also designed for Britannia’s ordinary soldiers."

Several military officers seated among the audience slowly nodded.

That point alone greatly increased the firearm’s military value.

"The key..."

Vera continued.

"...has always been the reload speed."

She looked directly at Harlan.

Her expression remained exactly the same.

Completely blank.

"Does that answer your question..."

She tilted her head slightly.

"...Second-rate Craftsman?"

Silence.

The entire Council Hall froze.

Many people blinked.

Several servants quietly lowered their heads.

Even a few Elders looked away.

They knew Vera wasn’t smiling nor was she mocking him.

She simply said exactly what she believed.

And as always...

That made the words hurt even more.

Harlan’s innocent smile completely stiffened.

The answer Ezra and Vera had given had already dismantled the doubts he had carefully built around the Colt.

Now...

Vera had delivered the finishing blow.

Calling him a second-rate craftsman in front of the Ashcraft Department’s board members and the Family’s senior leadership made the humiliation even greater.

His fingers slowly tightened behind his back.

The veins on the back of his hands faintly bulged.

Yet...

He forced himself to maintain his harmless smile.

"Y... Yes."

He answered quietly, his voice remaining controlled.

Only after receiving his response did, he slowly sit back down.

Not far from Harlan’s row...

Keith immediately covered his mouth.

His shoulders shook slightly.

He was trying his hardest not to burst into laughter.

Beside him, Bale wore a grin that grew wider by the second.

He wasn’t even trying to hide how pleased he was.

Several members of the Ashcraft Department exchanged awkward glances.

Some looked toward Harlan.

Others looked toward Vera.

Then silently looked away again.

The atmosphere had become strangely uncomfortable.

Many people shared exactly the same thought.

Did Lady Vera really have to say it like that?

Meanwhile...

Ezra remained completely unaffected.

He neither looked at Harlan nor reacted to Vera’s comment.

Instead, he calmly looked across the Council Hall.

His voice remained as flat as ever.

"Any more questions?"

The simple question echoed throughout the now-silent hall.

Near the Duke’s seating area...

Veda couldn’t help smiling proudly.

Although he still didn’t fully understand every technical explanation involving firearm construction...

One thing was obvious.

His sister and Ezra had completely controlled the flow of the presentation.

As expected...

Those two really are something else.

Although, who knew Ezra was such an amazing inventor.

I was so late to find out about the Phantom Rolls he created, but wow...

He quietly laughed to himself.

Ever since entering his closed-door training to master the Adept-Rank Gun Alchemy techniques and completely rebuild his Alchemy Strategy...

He had been isolated from almost everything happening outside.

His Zphone had been confiscated and every device capable of connecting to the Skynet had been taken away to prevent distractions.

Only recently had he emerged from training, was when he learned about the Phantom Rolls.

And now...

He discovered that another invention of this level had already appeared.

The speed at which everything had moved without him knowing left Veda genuinely amazed.

The Council Hall gradually continued to fall into deeper silence.

Not because every possible question had disappeared.

There were still questions.

There always would be, even if they weren’t negative questions.

But...

Very few people were willing to become Vera’s next target.

Harlan had unknowingly become an example for everyone.

Many craftsmen silently lowered the hands they had almost raised.

Some researchers quietly returned to reading their notes.

Even several younger Gun Alchemists decided it was safer to remain spectators.

Perhaps...

Ending the presentation peacefully wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Unfortunately...

One person clearly had no intention of letting things end peacefully.

"I have a question since no one in the stands wants to ask any questions again."

Elder Fredricks slowly raised his hand.

His voice echoed through the Council Hall.

"Quite a few of them at that."

He rose from his chair with a smug smile, his gaze settling directly on Ezra.

Before he could continue talking...

"Ahhhh..."

Vera dramatically sighed.

The exaggerated sigh echoed surprisingly clearly throughout the quiet Council Hall.

Many people instinctively turned toward her again.

She slowly narrowed her blank black eyes at Elder Fredricks.

Then, without changing her expression in the slightest...

"Are we dead serious right now?"

"Little Vera."

Elder Fredricks spoke calmly despite the awkward atmosphere that had already spread throughout the Council Hall.

"This presentation concerns an invention that could affect the future of the Ashenlocke Family."

He slowly folded one hand behind his back.

"So naturally, I have to make sure it is truly worthy of the Family taking it seriously."

His tone sounded reasonable, which made many people quietly nodded.

At least...

At first.

"And you..."

Vera suddenly pointed at him.

Her blank black eyes remained fixed on Fredricks without the slightest change in expression.

"...actually, think what you just said is valid?"

She slowly tilted her head.

Her arms folded beneath her chest while one foot lightly tapped against the polished floor in a quick rhythm.

"I honestly don’t understand what’s happening here."

She turned toward the audience.

Her voice remained completely flat.

No anger.

No excitement.

No hesitation.

"You all want to keep asking questions about an invention that has already been explained to possess a balanced set of advantages capable of bringing greater recognition to the Family?"

Several members of the Ashcraft Department instinctively looked at one another.

Some awkwardly scratched their cheeks.

Others quietly looked away.

Before anyone could answer...

Vera sharply turned back toward Fredricks.

Then...

She pointed at him again.

"Are you a traitor?"

The words landed like a cannon blast.

Silence.

The entire Council Hall froze.

Even the servants standing along the walls subconsciously stopped breathing.

"How dare you, Vera!"

Fredricks shouted.

His face immediately darkened.

For the first time since the presentation began...

His composure cracked.

The accusation had completely caught him off guard.

Not only him.

Nearly everyone inside the hall widened their eyes.

This girl...

Several Elders silently stared at Vera.

Even Portia blinked once.

Although...

Knowing Vera’s personality...

This somehow wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Ezra quietly looked toward Vera.

His expression remained as blank as ever.

Vera just called her own grandfather a traitor.

The thought quietly passed through his mind.

Immediately...

The Council Hall exploded into discussion.

"What?"

"Lady Vera just called her own grandfather a traitor!"

"No way..."

"Did I hear that correctly?"

Voices overlapped one after another.

The orderly atmosphere built throughout the presentation instantly collapsed into complete chaos.

Vera didn’t care.

She simply continued speaking.

"Aren’t you?"

She looked directly at Fredricks.

"It’s honestly amazing."

Her voice became slightly faster, returning to the natural rhythm Ezra had grown accustomed to hearing from her.

"An Elder like you has spent his old age trying to suppress the growth of a genius this Family finally produced."

She pointed toward Ezra without even looking at him.

"The same genius the Family wants to nurture before he enters the Royal Academy."

She lightly shrugged.

"And yet...Time after time. Again, and again, and again. This old man has done everything within his power to drag this poor inventor down."

Ezra blinked once.

His face remained completely expressionless.

The crowd, however...

Was anything but calm.

Many people slowly turned toward Ezra.

The murmurs immediately became louder.

"Did Elder Fredricks actually do something to that boy?"

"Lady Vera has never been known to lie."

"Why would an Elder target one of the Family’s younger Alchemists?"

"He’s just a Lowline..."

"Then why?"

Questions rapidly spread throughout the Council Hall.

People gradually shifted their gazes toward Fredricks.

For the first time...

Some of those looks actually carried suspicion.

Fredricks immediately waved both hands.

"This is ridiculous."

His voice became noticeably louder.

"Absolutely ridiculous."

He forcefully dismissed the accusations.

Yet...

The confidence with which Vera spoke caused many people to hesitate.

She looked too certain.

Far too certain.

"The only ridiculous thing here..."

Vera calmly replied.

"...is believing anyone has the right to question this invention after everything that has already been explained."

She looked straight into Fredricks’ eyes.

Her expression never changed.

"We shouldn’t be criticizing this invention."

She spoke matter-of-factly.

"We should be talking about how amazing it is. How incredible. How wonderful. How brilliant it is. And how much value it will bring to the Family."

She folded her arms again.

"Only a traitor...someone who doesn’t want this wonderful project to succeed...would keep searching for ways to question its efficiency."

She finished speaking.

Then fell silent.

The entire hall remained awkwardly quiet.

Several younger nobles quietly looked toward the ceiling.

All the Servants in the hall, heads remained lowered to hide their expressions.

Others simply pretended to admire the architecture.

Nearby...

Harlan slowly scratched the back of his head.

He looked unusually awkward.

"I guess..."

He muttered quietly.

"...I’m a traitor too."

Only those seated nearby heard him.

He awkwardly laughed under his breath while desperately trying to maintain the innocent smile that had nearly become part of his identity.

Unfortunately...

The smile looked far less convincing now.

Silvia glanced sideways at him.

"You should’ve just kept your mouth shut."

Her voice carried clear irritation.

Harlan sighed inwardly.

Somehow...

Being called a second-rate craftsman had hurt less than this.

On the first column section of the stands in the council hall, just behind Harlan, Bale, and Keith’s row...

The Duke’s two wives watched the entire exchange helplessly.

"Ah..."

Hailey softly sighed.

She rested one hand against her cheek while absentmindedly rubbing Bale’s hair with the other.

"Vera really doesn’t know when to stop."

Her tone carried equal amounts of helplessness and amusement.

"But..."

Regina quietly spoke.

Her eyes remained on Fredricks.

"...she actually makes a frighteningly good point."

Even Regina found herself startled by that realization.

If the person Vera had accused hadn’t been Fredricks...

The Duke’s own father...

She might have believed every single word without hesitation.

And judging from the expressions throughout the Council Hall...

Many people had reached exactly the same conclusion.

Sometimes...

The most troublesome part about Vera wasn’t the words she chose.

It was the unwavering certainty with which she said them.

Her blank face never changed.

Her tone never rose.

She simply spoke as though every conclusion she reached was the most obvious thing in the world.

And somehow...

That made arguing against her feel almost impossible.

Nina was enjoying every single moment of the chaos her Lady had created.

The corners of her lips twitched repeatedly.

She almost burst into laughter several times.

If not for Zack discreetly pinching the side of her arm each time, she was about to lose control...

She would have already embarrassed herself in front of the entire Council Hall.

"Ouch..."

She quietly rubbed her arm.

Zack didn’t even look at her.

His face remained perfectly straight.

Only his hand slowly returned behind his back as though nothing had happened.

The message was obvious.

Behave yourself.

At the Duke’s and Elders row section...

Veda covered the lower half of his face with one hand.

Anyone looking at him would assume he was sharing his grandfather’s embarrassment.

After all...

Fredricks was still his grandfather.

Naturally, it would be normal for him to feel uncomfortable.

At least...

That was what everyone thought.

"Master..."

Cole quietly leaned closer from behind him.

His voice barely rose above a whisper.

"You’re laughing... aren’t you?"

"No."

Veda immediately answered.

His shoulders suddenly trembled.

"I..."

He paused.

"I’m... feeling... embarrassed."

His voice almost broke apart.

Not because of shame.

But because he was using every bit of strength, he had to stop himself from laughing.

Cole quietly looked at his master’s shaking shoulders.

Then...

He silently looked away.

Young Master...

You really shouldn’t lie.

Meanwhile...

Fredricks remained standing completely frozen for several long seconds...

Not a single word came out of his mouth.

His eyes slowly swept across the Council Hall.

He noticed the Elders.

Several had quietly lowered their heads.

One rubbed his beard.

Another pretended to study the presentation slides.

A few simply looked toward the ceiling.

None of them dared laugh openly.

But...

Every one of them was obviously holding it in.

The humiliation gradually sank deeper into Fredricks’ chest.

His face became increasingly stiff.

"Y... You bra..."

"She’s not wrong."

A deep voice suddenly interrupted him.

The moment those words echoed throughout the Council Hall...

The atmosphere instantly changed.

The earlier awkwardness disappeared.

In its place came a pressure that quietly settled over everyone present.

Valentine slowly turned halfway toward Fredricks.

His posture remained relaxed and his expression remained calm.

"You don’t like the kid."

He stated it plainly.

"There isn’t anything wrong with that. But..."

He folded one arm.

"This isn’t the place...or the time...to let your personal bias affect the Family’s judgment."

His words carried neither anger nor mockery, which made them even heavier.

Fredricks’ expression stiffened further.

"It’s..."

He hurriedly tried to explain himself.

"It’s not the way you think. I...I’m only doing this for the Fam..."

"No one asked you."

Vera interrupted without hesitation, her tone remaining completely flat.

Fredricks’ words stopped midway.

Vera didn’t even look at him anymore.

Instead, she calmly faced the members of the Ashcraft Board amongst the crowd.

"We already have an entire board responsible for evaluating inventions."

She spoke matter-of-factly.

"And Elder Ivanhoe, the Head of Ashcraft, is also here."

Only then did she turn toward the elderly man.

"Elder Ivanhoe."

Her expression remained blank.

"Do you have any questions?"

Every gaze shifted toward the Head of Ashcraft.

Ivanhoe quietly chuckled casually waving one hand.

"My questions..."

He smiled warmly.

"...are far fewer than my praises."

Several craftsmen laughed softly.

Others nodded in agreement.

The atmosphere immediately became much lighter.

"Then..."

Vera nodded once.

"Can we finally move on to the next presentation?"

She didn’t wait for anyone to answer.

She simply turned around and briskly walked toward the table where her Zphone Tablet was placed.

Her pace remained quick.

Almost impatient.

As though she genuinely believed they had already wasted enough time.

Tap.

She activated the tablet.

The holographic interface immediately expanded before her.

Without another word...

She prepared the next presentation.

While Fredricks slowly sat back down with his face remaining dark.

Leaving the Council Hall crossed his mind.

More than once.

But...

Walking away now would only confirm every suspicion Vera had planted.

So, he remained seated.

Silently enduring the humiliation.

The next holographic slide slowly materialized above the center stage.

Its light reflected across the faces of everyone in the hall.

Ezra stepped forward.

He didn’t spare even a single glance toward Fredricks.

Nor did he react to everything that had just happened.

To him...

The interruption had already ended.

"The next presentation..."

Ezra spoke in his usual calm voice.

"...concerns the remodeling of a Binder-Rank firearm."

His black eyes slowly swept across the audience.

"A firearm that all of us recognize very well."

He lightly pointed toward the holographic image.

"For its power. But... also being one of the most difficult Binder-Rank firearms to properly use."

The hall gradually quieted again.

Everyone instinctively shifted their attention back toward the presentation, while Ezra continued speaking as though the earlier commotion had never existed.

His voice remained steady and his expression remained blank.

Not a trace of emotion appeared on his face.

Wow...

Quite a number of people shared the same thought.

This kid...

He can actually continue presenting like nothing happened.

Several Elders secretly admired his composure.

Many younger Gun Alchemists couldn’t help but look at Ezra weirdly.

Most people would still be distracted after witnessing such a fierce argument.

Some would even become nervous.

Others might lose their rhythm.

Yet Ezra...

Simply continued.

As though his only concern had always been the presentation itself.

That calmness alone...

Made quite a few people quietly rethink the young inventor standing before them.

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