Last Gun Alchemist

Two days had passed since the installation of the Steam Furnace.

Unfortunately, Ezra had run into a problem.

A surprisingly stubborn one.

The library was unusually messy compared to its normal state.

Sheets of paper were scattered across the floor.

Some were covered in notes.

Others contained rough sketches.

Several books lay open in different places, as if they had been abandoned halfway through being read.

In the middle of all the mess, Ezra lay flat on the floor with a blanket beneath him.

His hands rested behind his head while his eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.

His expression was blank, but his mind was not.

Lucy was also inside the library.

Unlike Ezra, she looked perfectly comfortable.

She sat quietly on a nearby chair with a novel resting on her lap, occasionally turning a page whenever she finished reading.

Eventually, she lowered the book.

Her gaze drifted toward Ezra.

For the past hour, he had barely moved.

The lazy look in his eyes had become increasingly obvious.

”What’s the matter, Master?”

Lucy closed her novel and walked over.

When she reached him, she bent down slightly while adjusting her maid skirt.

Her brown eyes studied Ezra’s face.

”Ahhh...”

A long sigh escaped him.

Lucy blinked.

The faint scent carried by his breath reached her.

Warm and clean.

Mixed with a slight vanilla fragrance from the soap he used.

He smells nice.

The thought appeared suddenly.

Lucy immediately ignored it.

Her expression remained unchanged.

”I don’t know what to invent.”

Ezra’s answer came out flatly.

Lucy tilted her head.

”No ideas?”

”Not that.”

Ezra lazily waved a hand.

”If it’s ideas, I have too many.”

”Then what’s the problem?”

Her gaze shifted toward the countless crumpled papers scattered around him.

Ezra folded his arms.

”No idea fits my low-key but still groundbreaking invention plan.”

Lucy stared at him.

Then stared a little longer.

Finally...

”Master.”

”Hm?”

”Those are two completely opposite things.”

She pointed at him.

”How exactly do you plan to make something groundbreaking without attracting attention?”

Ezra slowly turned his head.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

”I’m not explaining what I meant by that to you.”

He sounded tired.

”It feels stressful.”

Lucy puffed her cheeks.

”Hmph.”

She looked genuinely dissatisfied.

Still, she knew better than to push him when he entered one of his thinking moods.

After a few moments, she spoke again.

”Then what are you going to do?”

She sat down beside him.

”I remember Lady Vera saying something about time ticking.”

At the mention of Vera, Ezra’s eyes twitched slightly.

”I’m thinking.”

He paused.

”But honestly, Vera’s deadline isn’t what worries me.”

Lucy blinked.

”Then what does?”

”We’re running out of money.”

His tone remained calm.

Almost too calm.

Lucy stared at him.

Running out of money?

When, Master still has over eight hundred thousand gold coins...

The number alone was enough to make most people faint.

Yet somehow, Ezra sounded as though they were one meal away from starvation.

Lucy picked up one of the crumpled papers lying nearby.

Curious, she unfolded it.

The moment she saw what was drawn on it, her eyes widened.

”Wow.”

The word escaped her mouth naturally.

”What is this?”

She held the paper up.

A large mechanical walker had been sketched across it.

Metal legs.

Heavy armor plating.

Twin machine guns mounted on both sides.

The design looked intimidating even on paper.

”This is so cool!”

Lucy’s eyes sparkled.

Ezra stared at her expressionlessly.

”Although...”

She tilted the page.

”It doesn’t really look like the Ironstride Walkers I’ve seen on Linsta.”

Her brows furrowed.

The more she studied the drawing, the more confused she became.

Several seconds passed, then she lowered the page.

”Yeah.”

She shook her head.

”I don’t understand anything.”

A second later...

”But it still looks cool!”

Her voice echoed through the library.

”Quiet down.”

Ezra rolled over.

His face pressed against the blanket.

”You do know this is a library, right?”

Lucy coughed awkwardly.

”Sorry.”

”I know the design is amazing.”

Ezra’s voice remained muffled against the blanket.

”But it doesn’t fit my theme.”

He finally rolled onto his back again.

”If I create something like that, the amount of attention it attracts would completely ruin my plans.”

Lucy looked down at the sketch once more.

Then she slowly nodded.

He wasn’t wrong.

Even she could tell that such a machine would shake Britannia.

A war machine capable of dramatically increasing the combat effectiveness of ordinary soldiers.

The military alone would go mad trying to acquire it.

And the Ashenlocke Family?

Lucy had no doubt they would lock Ezra in a room and force him to explain every single detail behind the design.

”What about inventing a gun?”

Lucy suddenly raised her hand.

Her fingers formed the shape of a pistol.

”Pew...Pew.”

She enthusiastically pretended to fire.

Ezra looked at her, then looked away.

”Still attracts too much attention.”

Lucy lowered her hand.

”An invention that demonstrates obvious complexity will naturally attract attention.”

Ezra folded his arms.

”What I need is something simple.”

”Maybe improving something that already exists?”

Lucy guessed while unfolding another paper.

”Something like that.”

Ezra nodded.

”But even that’s dangerous.”

His gaze drifted toward the ceiling.

”Improving existing technology can sometimes create a bigger impact than inventing something new.”

Lucy quietly listened.

At this point, she had given up trying to fully understand how Ezra’s brain worked.

”Hmmm.”

She unfolded more sketches.

Then more.

And more.

Her eyes widened repeatedly.

Everything she looked at seemed completely unfamiliar.

Some resembled machines.

Some resembled food.

Others looked like concepts she couldn’t even identify.

I’ve never seen anyone think of things like this before.

Lucy stared at another sheet.

Then paused.

A perfectly drawn burger.

She picked up a second page.

Fried coated chicken.

Lucy blinked.

Then blinked again.

”Did you think about creating a new food recipe?”

She held both pages up.

”No.”

Ezra replied flatly.

”Those are for us.”

The room became silent.

Then...

”Really!?”

Lucy’s eyes immediately brightened.

The excitement in her voice was impossible to hide.

Although she had no idea what a burger was or how it actually tasted like, she knew exactly what fried chicken was.

A faint memory surfaced in her mind.

Back in the Red District, fried chicken had been one of those meals she could only smell from afar.

She remembered carrying trays through crowded rooms while wealthy customers laughed, drank, and ate dishes she could never afford.

The scent alone had often been enough to make her stomach growl.

Yet she had never once been given the opportunity to taste it.

The only chicken she had ever eaten during those days was boiled chicken.

No special seasoning.

No sauce.

Sometimes only salt.

Sometimes not even that.

Compared to the meals served to nobles, it might as well have been a completely different food.

Of course, that life was long behind her now.

Ever since becoming Ezra’s maid, everything had changed.

The quality of food she ate had improved dramatically.

She had tasted dishes that would have been unimaginable during her days in the Red District.

And now...

Without even realizing it...

She was about to experience food recipes from an entirely different world.

The thought alone made her curious.

”But seriously, Master.”

Lucy carefully gathered the crumpled sketches scattered around the floor.

Unlike before, she unfolded each one properly before stacking them together.

Every sheet contained something different.

Machines.

Weapons.

Strange objects.

Concepts she could not fully understand.

Yet every drawing looked incredibly detailed.

”Your drawing skills are amazing.”

Lucy genuinely meant it.

Even though she couldn’t understand half of what she was looking at, the precision alone was impressive.

The proportions looked correct.

The lines were clean.

Even the smallest details had been carefully sketched.

Standing up, she held the stack against her chest.

”I’ll put these inside your table drawer.”

Walking toward Ezra’s personal desk, Lucy gently opened one of the drawers.

She carefully arranged the papers inside instead of simply tossing them in.

Only after making sure everything was neat, did she close the drawer.

Click.

The small sound echoed softly throughout the library.

Meanwhile, Ezra remained on the floor.

His eyes were fixed on the ceiling.

The scattered thoughts inside his head felt like tangled threads.

Every time he focused on one idea; another would appear.

A weapon.

A machine.

A product.

A design.

Too many possibilities.

Too many directions.

The problem wasn’t a lack of ideas.

The problem was choosing the right one.

Several moments passed.

Then suddenly...

Ezra sat upright.

The blanket slid from his shoulder as his posture straightened.

Let’s focus properly.

He folded his legs beneath him.

His breathing gradually slowed.

The noisy thoughts filling his mind began settling little by little.

Apart from Box Breathing, the Book of Memories contained many other breathing methods his past-self had studied.

Some improved concentration.

Some reduced anxiety.

Some helped maintain composure under extreme pressure.

Military operations often demanded clear thinking in situations where panic could mean death.

Because of that, his past-self had spent years studying methods capable of improving mental performance.

The breathing method Ezra chose this time was one specifically designed for creative thinking.

Creative Breathing.

The moment the thought appeared; the Book of Memories responded.

Within his mental world, the enormous book materialized once more.

The familiar pages began flipping rapidly.

One page after another.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

The sound resembled a strong wind moving through paper.

Eventually, the pages slowed.

Then stopped.

The correct entry appeared before him.

Creative Breathing.

Ezra silently focused his attention on the information.

The library around him gradually faded into the background.

The sounds of turning pages.

The distant ticking of a clock.

Even Lucy’s movements.

Everything became less important.

At that moment, his entire focus rested on finding the solution hidden somewhere among the countless ideas inside his mind.

***

[Creative Breathing]

A breathing method used to improve idea generation, problem-solving, and mental clarity.

Unlike combat-oriented breathing techniques, Creative Breathing focuses on reducing mental interference rather than increasing alertness. By slowing respiration and relaxing unnecessary tension, the mind is allowed to process information more freely.

The recommended rhythm consists of a slow inhalation through the nose, followed by an equally slow exhalation. No breath retention is required. The objective is not control, but flow.

When practiced for several minutes, distractions gradually diminish, allowing connections between seemingly unrelated thoughts to emerge more easily.

Applications: creative writing, invention, planning, research, worldbuilding, and strategic thinking.

A calm mind often discovers solutions that an agitated mind cannot perceive.

***

Ezra immediately began practicing the breathing method.

Slow inhale.

Slow exhale.

His shoulders gradually relaxed.

The tension that had been building inside his mind over the last two days slowly began to loosen.

The countless ideas floating through his head no longer felt like a tangled knot.

Instead, they started separating from one another.

One by one.

First, I need to filter out all the large-scale ideas.

He slowly released another breath.

The air left his lungs in a steady stream.

I don’t need them right now.

Ideas about military vehicles.

Advanced weapons.

Industrial machinery.

Large-scale manufacturing systems.

All of them were valuable.

All of them had potential.

Yet none of them suited his current situation.

What I need is something simple.

Something people can understand at first glance.

Something useful enough to generate publicity, but not so shocking that the entire Kingdom starts staring at me.

He inhaled again.

The rhythm remained slow and natural.

The purpose of Creative Breathing wasn’t to force the mind to work harder.

It was to remove the unnecessary noise that prevented ideas from connecting together.

I need something that will make them wonder why nobody thought of it sooner.

Something traditional thinking caused them to overlook.

Most importantly...

Something that won’t shake Britannia overnight, is what I need now.

Ezra gradually focused deeper on the Book of Memories.

The giant tome floated silently within his mental world.

Its pages remained open, waiting for his thoughts to guide it.

My first thought was women’s products.

His mind moved toward that category.

To be honest, it’s not a bad path.

Women do make up half the population and the demand would be enormous.

If I search deeper through the Book of Memories, I’m certain I could find products that don’t exist in Britannia yet.

His thoughts lingered there for a moment.

Then he slowly shook his head.

No.

That path drifts too far away from my main direction.

It’s the same reason I pushed food aside.

Food does have the potential.

A lot of it.

The burger and fried coated chicken alone could probably become successful businesses.

But neither of them aligns with what I actually want to build.

Ezra’s breathing remained calm.

Steady.

His thoughts continued flowing naturally.

I’m pursuing Gun Alchemy.

Weapons manufacturing and Industrial businesses connected to military production.

That has always been the main path I’ve been following.

However...

His eyes narrowed slightly.

The moment that thought surfaced, memories from his previous life appeared.

Large corporations.

Massive companies.

Business empires.

Some focused on a single field.

Others expanded everywhere.

Technology.

Food.

Fashion.

Medicine.

Entertainment.

Transportation.

Many of the largest companies in his past-life previous world had never restricted themselves to a single industry.

They grew by branching outward.

Creating opportunities wherever they found them.

That’s why I don’t want to chain myself to Gun Alchemy alone.

If an opportunity appears, I should take it.

A business doesn’t need to be connected to weapons to be valuable.

The Book of Memories responded to his thoughts.

Its pages began flipping again.

Faster this time.

Page after page turned.

Soon images appeared.

Men’s clothing.

Women’s clothing.

Formal wear.

Casual wear.

Military uniforms.

Accessories.

Different fashion styles from different countries and eras.

Ezra quietly observed them.

My past self really did research a ridiculous number of things.

The thought appeared naturally while his gaze continued moving through the pages.

The fashion industry of Britannia isn’t lacking.

Compared to the clothing I remember from my previous life; they’re already doing quite well.

We Nobles dressed elegantly.

Meaning the Tailors are highly skilled.

Luxury brands also already exist.

Trying to revolutionize clothing itself would be difficult.

Another page turned.

Then another.

Ezra continued thinking.

Fashion.

Clothing.

Luxury products.

Fashion.

Clothing.

Luxury products.

The words repeated inside his mind.

Then suddenly...

His eyes widened.

His breathing stopped for half a second.

Wait.

Fashion isn’t only about clothing.

The realization struck him immediately.

His entire body straightened.

The scattered thoughts that had been floating around his head suddenly connected together.

Like puzzle pieces finally falling into place.

That’s it.

That makes perfect sense.

Why didn’t I think of that earlier?

His mind raced.

Not with confusion, but with certainty.

Fashion wasn’t limited to clothes.

There were accessories.

Appearance products.

Personal grooming products.

Luxury items.

Thing’s people used every day without realizing how important they were.

And among those categories...

There was one particular item that immediately stood out.

An item simple enough.

Useful enough.

And Profitable enough.

Most importantly...

An item that fit perfectly into his plan.

Ezra’s eyes opened.

The Book of Memories faded from his mental world.

Without wasting another second, he reached for a blank sheet of paper.

His drawing pen followed immediately afterward.

The previous laziness was gone with the frustration he felt.

Even the uncertainty that had plagued him for days had disappeared.

His hand moved across the paper.

Lines appeared one after another.

A rough design gradually formed.

”Yeah...”

A small smile threatened to appear on his face.

”This should be it.”

Then Ezra completely immersed himself in sketching the design of his invention.