Last Gun Alchemist

”Ahhh...”

A girl’s tired voice echoed softly through the forest as she let out a long breath, her shoulders slumping slightly as she walked.

”The first wave was really hard... and scary,” she complained, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

”Yes, it was,” another girl replied quietly from beside her.

The voices grew clearer as they moved closer.

From where Ezra was hidden, he could hear everything.

The sound of their boots pressing against the ground, the faint crunch of dry twigs snapping underfoot, and the soft rustle of leaves brushing against their clothes.

Even the light crunch of snow patches hidden beneath the grass could be heard.

Ezra didn’t move.

He stayed completely still within the bushes, his breathing controlled, his presence suppressed with Cognis.

Six people.

He counted them silently in his mind as their figures slowly came into view near the stream.

The group stepped out from between the trees, their forms becoming clearer under the soft daylight filtering through the forest canopy.

”Fay,” one of the girls called out, her voice carrying a trace of worry.

”Are you sure there won’t be anyone else around here?”

Her eyes scanned the area nervously.

”Yes.”

The girl with long white hair flipped it back over her shoulder with a slightly annoyed expression.

”How many times do I have to say it?”

She stepped forward and crouched beside the flowing stream, dipping her hand into the water.

”We’ve already scouted this place multiple times. There’s been no sign of anyone.”

She paused.

”...It’s cold.”

”I’ve also scanned the area again,” another girl added as she placed a reassuring hand on the worried girl’s shoulder.

”I don’t sense anyone hiding nearby.”

From his position, Ezra watched them carefully.

After hearing the name ”Fay,” he immediately understood.

These people are from Bale’s group, then he noticed something else.

The way they stood around the stream.

The way some of them were already loosening parts of their clothing.

Ah...

He understood what they were about to do and, in that moment ...

Ezra stepped out of hiding.

”Wait, wait, wait.”

He raised both hands slightly as he spoke.

The reaction was immediate.

The moment the first ”wait” left his mouth...

Fay and three other girls instantly pulled out revolvers from their space bags and aimed directly at him.

Their movements were sharp and practiced while the other girls that were already removing their skirts, adjusted it back in place.

”Give me one reason,” one of the girls said coldly, her eyes filled with disgust, ”why I shouldn’t blow your head off, you pervert.”

The muzzle of her gun pointed straight at Ezra’s face.

Ezra didn’t flinch.

He simply looked at them calmly.

Then...

”Wait... aren’t you the friend of Sir Bale that we met in the market district?”

Fay suddenly spoke, narrowing her eyes as she studied his face more closely.

”...Yeah,” another girl added slowly.

She was one of the girls who had been there that day.

”Ezra,” she said, recognizing him.

”Ehhh... that doesn’t change anything,” the girl with the strongest killing intent snapped.

”The fact that you’re here right now still makes you a pervert.”

”I’m not here for that, it was just a coincidence that I got into a situation like this” Ezra said calmly.

His voice was flat, unbothered.

”Then what are you here for?” she pressed, tightening her grip on the revolver, her finger already resting against the trigger.

”I’m obviously here to scout,” Ezra replied.

”But why are you alone?” another girl asked. ”What about the rest of your group?”

Ezra narrowed his eyes slightly.

”Does that matter?”

The girl’s expression twitched in irritation. Her grip tightened further.

For a moment, it looked like she might actually pull the trigger.

”Okay, okay, that’s enough.”

Fay stepped forward, positioning herself slightly between Ezra and the others.

She lowered her gun first, then gestured for the others to do the same.

”Let me guess,” she said, closing one eye as she pointed at him.

”You came out here alone to scout, heard our voices, and decided to hide so you could figure out whether we were enemies or not.”

She paused briefly.

”Then it turned out to be six girls who just wanted to use the stream to bathe... which means you almost ended up seeing something you shouldn’t.”

She finished everything in one breath.

”I’m right... right?”

”You’re not wrong,” Ezra replied.

”Ehh...” one of the girls chuckled. ”What a lucky boy.”

The others slowly lowered their weapons and returned them to their space bags.

”If it was any other guy,” the same girl continued with a mischievous smile, ”they would’ve stayed quiet and enjoyed the view, but you didn’t.”

She leaned forward slightly.

”You sure you’re not into men instead?”

Ezra didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at her.

”Fay, right?” he asked instead.

”Yes,” she answered.

”Up ahead is your group’s base,” Ezra said, folding his arms.

”So, who’s your neighbor on the other side?”

Fay’s expression shifted. ”Why should I tell you that?”

”Because I’ll tell you who our neighbor is, fair trade,” Ezra replied.

Fay paused, thinking.

”Hmmm...”

”Let’s tell him,” The girl from the market suggested.

”We do need to know their neighbors too, just in case something happens.”

After a moment, Fay nodded.

”Alright.”

She exhaled lightly.

”On our other side is Lady Priscilla’s group. They’re not exactly right beside us, but they’re the closest.”

”And of course... Sir Veda’s group. Your group” she added, looking at Ezra

Ezra nodded.

”Okay. On our side, it’s Henry’s group,” he replied.

Did he just call Sir Henry without using Sir? Some of the girls glanced at each other, confused.

”Although we don’t know who’s on his other side yet.”

The girls visibly relaxed.

”Ah, thank God it’s Sir Henry,” one of them said, placing a hand on her chest.

”I was worried it might be Sir Felix’s group, that would’ve been bad.”

”We already used the fact that Sir Veda is nearby to keep Lady Priscilla in check,” Fay added.

”But if Sir Felix had been your neighbor...”

She shook her head.

”Sir Veda would surely be busy fighting him, and we’d be left alone to deal with Lady Priscilla’s assault especially if she found out that Sir Veda wouldn’t be able to back us due to being busy with Sir Felix.”

”But you didn’t even try to negotiate with Veda?” Ezra asked.

”That’s because Sir Bale refused to ask for help,” one of the girls replied with a small laugh.

”I see. Thanks for the information.”

Before they could say anything else...Ezra turned and ran.

His movement was sharp and fast.

In seconds, he reached a tree, climbed it, and began jumping from branch to branch.

”He’s gone,” one of the girls said, watching his figure disappear.

”He’s fast,” another added.

”Fay...”

One of the girls turned toward her with a worried expression.

”Was it really okay to let him go like that?”

”Did you want to fight him?” Fay asked calmly.

”No... I mean, I’m not sure,” the girl said, hesitating as she tried to gather her thoughts, her fingers tightening slightly against her sleeve.

”But I remember that name... he’s the one people said caused Aliya’s death.”

Her voice lowered a little as she spoke, like she wasn’t fully confident in her own words, yet couldn’t ignore the thought.

”I know Lady Vera said it was a scheme from Sir Felix’s side,” she continued, glancing at Fay and the others, her brows slowly pulling together.

”But he’s a lowline... and I don’t understand why Lady Vera would stand up for someone who isn’t even part of her group.”

She paused mid-sentence, her thoughts tangling together.

It was like she was trying to convince herself and failing at the same time.

”What I’m trying to say is...”

She swallowed lightly.

”The way he stood there... when we aimed our guns at him...”

Her eyes dimmed slightly as she remembered the moment.

”He didn’t react at all. It felt like... like he was confident that even if we fired, he could deal with all of us.”

She looked down briefly, then back up.

”I don’t trust him. He might be lying about Sir Henry being their neighbor and who knows, he might have actually killed Aliya, also what if he’s actually working with Sir Felix and planning to hurt Lady Vera, Sir Veda and Sir Bale.”

Silence followed her words.

Fay and the other girls looked at her, their expressions shifting slightly. Some of them, without realizing it, began to consider her words.

The forest around them felt quiet again.

Only the soft sound of the stream flowing nearby could be heard.

”You’re thinking too much,” Fay said suddenly, letting out a light laugh as she reached out and tapped the girl gently on the shoulder.

”He doesn’t gain anything from lying to us.”

She spoke calmly, her tone steady.

”I mean, even if Sir Felix was actually their neighbor, it wouldn’t affect us right away.”

She crossed her arms slightly.

”Sir Veda’s group would be the first to deal with that situation, not us.”

”So, there’s no reason for him to lie about something like that.”

Then she tilted her head slightly, thinking for a moment.

”And about that confidence you mentioned...”

She glanced toward the direction Ezra had left.

”He’s ranked, even if he’s low-ranked, he’s still ranked.”

Her voice became more serious.

”And we all know what that means.”

She looked back at the group.

”Remember what Sir Bale told us?”

”Don’t underestimate lowlines just because they are lowlines.”

”In this trial, everyone has the same opportunity.”

She paused.

Not because she didn’t know what to say...But because she wanted them to understand it properly.

”Maybe not the same starting advantage...”

She looked toward the trees again, her eyes narrowing slightly.

”But as time goes on...”

”There might be some lowlines who rise up and stand among the best in this Trial of Steel and you truly think anyone could deceive Lady Vera?” She laughed

The worried girl blinked.

Her tense expression slowly softened, the doubt in her eyes faded bit by bit, replaced with something lighter.

”...You’re right,” she said quietly.

The others nodded as well, their thoughts settling.

”Alright,” Fay clapped her hands once.

”Let’s stop thinking about all that.”

She pointed toward the stream.

”We’ve already wasted too much time.”

”Let’s bathe quickly.”

Meanwhile...

Ezra had already returned to the base.

The moment he stepped back into the castle’s surroundings; the familiar scene of work greeted him.

People were still busy.

The air carried the mixed smell of soil, sweat, and the faint lingering scent of blood.

Several members were finishing up the burial of the Silverback Dire Wolves, their shovels digging into the earth with steady rhythm.

They were almost done.

On the other side, the trap team had already moved to the left side of the castle, the same direction Ezra had just come from.

Wooden logs lay scattered across the ground.

Some people were cutting down trees.

Others dragged the heavy trunks across the dirt, their boots digging into the ground as they pulled.

A separate group worked on shaping the logs into sharp stakes, scraping and carving the wood with focused movements.

Then those stakes were carried and driven into the deep holes that had been dug earlier.

The front side of the castle was already completed.

Now the left side was being reinforced.

Farther ahead, markings had already been drawn into the ground—clear outlines showing where the next set of traps would be placed.

Ezra walked past all of it without stopping.

He made his way straight toward the tower.

Inside the control room...Veda stood near the stored belongings, watching over the items left behind by the scout team, discussing with Mariam.

Ezra entered and gave his report.

He explained everything he had seen in detail.

The stream, the location of another small mountain where they could farm more boulders from, meeting Bale’s group, their neighbors, and what he thought about their condition with Lady Priscilla’s group.

Veda listened without interrupting.

After Ezra finished, Veda nodded slowly.

”I need you to supervise the trap setup,” Veda said.

”I’ll have Nickolas go check on the weapon team instead.”

He crossed his arms slightly.

”Before the end of today, we need to finish assembling the catapults and the machine gun.”

”They have to be placed in the right positions.”

Ezra didn’t say much. He simply nodded once, then he turned and left.

The work continued.

No one slowed down, no one stopped.

Time passed quietly as the sun moved across the sky.

The sounds of chopping, digging, dragging, and hammering filled the air.

Step by step...The castle became more prepared.

More dangerous, more ready and just like that...

By the time the day came to an end...Most of the work had already been completed.