Chapter 219: Master and Disciple

Ezra replied to the message from the BNC Broadcasting Group.

His fingers moved calmly across the screen.

There wasn’t much excitement on his face.

If anything, he looked like he was replying to an ordinary business message rather than communicating with one of the most influential broadcasting groups in Britannia.

’It’s an honor to have a big group like yours messaging me.’

Ezra_Ashenlocke

After sending the message, Ezra quietly watched the screen.

The reply arrived only a few seconds later.

’The pleasure is ours.’

BNC_Group

’Let me get straight to the point.’

BNC_Group

’Ezra Ashenlocke, we have reviewed your invention, the Phantom Rolls, and we believe it has the potential to completely transform the field of Steam Carriage exterior design.’

BNC_Group

’Honestly, you made an excellent observation. If the decorations are removed from Noble and Royal Steam Carriages and they are compared to ordinary Steam Carriages, the exterior structure is practically the same.’

BNC_Group

’However, with your invention, not only does that problem disappear, but Britannia may also enter a new era of simple yet elegant carriage designs.’

BNC_Group

’So, without further delay...’

BNC_Group

’We would like to hold an Invention Auction for you, if you are interested.’

BNC_Group

Ezra’s eyes moved across the messages one after another.

His expression remained unchanged.

The group continued.

’This Auction will be dedicated entirely to your invention. It will allow you to properly present the Phantom Rolls before many of the largest industries and companies in Britannia.’

BNC_Group

’There is even a possibility that Royal Industries may participate in the event as well.’

BNC_Group

’Please do not worry about travel and hotel expenses.’

BNC_Group

’We will personally handle your transportation and ensure you have a smooth journey to Northwick.’

BNC_Group

’What do you think?’

BNC_Group

Ezra read everything carefully.

Only after reaching the end did he begin typing.

’I am in your care.’

Ezra_Ashenlocke

The moment he sent the reply, the three-dot typing indicator appeared.

’Amazing choice.’

BNC_Group

’Regardless of what decision you make during the Auction, whether you decide to sign a contract or sell the rights to your invention...’

BNC_Group

’You will gain a great deal from this opportunity.’

BNC_Group

’A document will be sent shortly. Please fill in your information, sign it, and send it back to us so we can begin preparations immediately.’

BNC_Group

’Okay.’

Ezra_Ashenlocke

’The event date will be sent to you once the planning process has been completed.’

BNC_Group

’Alright.’

Ezra_Ashenlocke

’Thank you once again for choosing to work with us, Ezra Ashenlocke.’

BNC_Group

’Thank you as well for giving me this opportunity.’

Ezra_Ashenlocke

Ping!

A notification appeared.

The document arrived immediately.

Ezra opened it and carefully read through every section.

Names.

Addresses.

Signatures.

Participant information.

Terms and agreements.

Several minutes passed before he finally sat upright.

"Lucy."

He called her name.

Lucy, who had been reading through the comments under the Phantom Rolls post, immediately looked up.

"Master, you called?"

She placed her phone on her lap.

Lenny and Rogers, who had been standing behind her reading the comments together, also straightened their backs.

Rogers walked toward a nearby couch and sat down.

"We’re heading into the city."

Ezra stood up.

His Starlix disappeared into the middle pocket of his black cardigan.

"I need to visit the print shop."

"Okay."

Lucy nodded immediately.

She stood up and adjusted her maid uniform.

"I’ll get ready."

As she headed toward her room...

"If you guys are going out..."

Lenny suddenly raised both hands.

His eyes brightened.

"I want to come too."

The excitement in his voice was impossible to miss.

"No way!"

Rogers rejected the idea instantly; his arms were folded tightly across his chest.

"Huh?"

Lenny stared at him.

The disbelief on his face was obvious.

"They’re going out to work, not to play around."

Rogers waved dismissively.

"Don’t disturb them."

"Disturb them?"

Lenny frowned.

"I would never do that. I’m just following because I want to properly see the city."

His voice grew more serious.

"I want to see what life outside the workshop actually looks like."

Rogers looked at him, then sighed.

"What exactly do you want to see?"

He shrugged.

"Food?"

Before Lenny could answer, Rogers continued.

"Ezra and Lucy can bring food back for you."

"It’s not about food!"

Lenny protested immediately, with frustration starting to appear on his face.

"You keep doing this every single time, when you and auntie were coming here, your plan was to leave me back at the workshop, you weren’t even planning on taking me in the first place, if not because I used the favor you owe me for not reporting you to auntie, I wouldn’t have made it here. You really don’t understand how I feel."

"I don’t understand?"

Rogers looked at him as if he had just heard the dumbest thing imaginable.

"You are a blacksmith."

His voice became colder.

"What you need right now is training, what you need more is improving your craft. Not wandering around the city."

Lenny’s face darkened.

Weeks.

Months.

Years.

The frustration of the isolation he had been suppressing suddenly surfaced.

"So, you want me to spend my entire life trapped inside that workshop?"

His voice rose.

"What are you even saying?"

Rogers didn’t answer immediately and that silence only made Lenny more upset.

"Can you even hear yourself?"

Lenny clenched his fists.

"You keep talking about blacksmithing. You keep talking about work. You keep talking about training."

His voice continued rising.

"But what about everything else?"

"Can’t I have one day? One single day for myself? What’s wrong with me wanting to see the world outside?"

"SHUT UP, BRAT!"

Rogers’ voice exploded throughout the living room.

The sudden shout made the entire room freeze.

Even the air seemed heavier.

Lenny instinctively took a step backward.

Rogers had already stood up.

His cold gaze locked onto his disciple.

"I’ve been training you for years!"

His voice carried genuine anger.

"And somehow you still haven’t matured in the slightest!"

Every word landed heavily.

"Look at yourself."

He pointed directly at Lenny.

"Whining because you can’t go sightseeing. What are you? Five years old?"

Lenny lowered his head.

His fists tightened harder.

The veins on the back of his hands became visible.

Rogers continued.

"Look at Ezra wh..."

"Uncle Rogers."

Ezra’s voice interrupted him.

Calm and polite.

Yet carrying enough warning to stop him immediately.

Rogers froze.

His eyes widened slightly.

Only then did he realize what he had been about to do.

Compare his disciple to another child.

A comparison that would have only made things worse.

Silence spread through the room.

Then...

"I’M GOING TO THE CITY WITH EZRA AND MISS LUCY!"

Lenny suddenly shouted.

His voice cracked halfway through.

Tears had already begun forming in his eyes.

"AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!"

He pointed at Rogers.

"YOU CAN DISOWN ME IF YOU WANT! I DON’T CARE!"

The words sounded far more hurt than rebellious, then he turned around and ran.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Moments later...

A door slammed shut.

The living room became awkwardly silent.

Rogers scratched his head.

Then sighed heavily again.

For the first time, he looked less like a loud blacksmith and more like a tired old man.

"I’m sorry, Ezra."

His voice carried genuine regret.

Ezra looked at him plainly.

"I’m not the one you should be saying that to, Uncle Rogers."

The answer came immediately.

Rogers lowered his gaze.

"I know."

He sat down slowly.

"But I was just about to compare him to you."

His voice sounded tired.

Before the atmosphere could become heavier...

Lucy returned.

A space bag rested across her shoulder.

"What’s happening?"

She looked between everyone.

"I heard shouting."

Then she pointed back toward the hallway.

"And I just saw Lenny crying while running into his room."

"Forget about that."

Ezra replied completely unbothered about the whole situation.

"Have you called the cab?"

"Yes."

Lucy nodded.

Though she couldn’t help glancing at Rogers.

His stiff expression told her enough.

Those two fought again.

She thought to herself.

A short while later, the Steam Carriage arrived.

And despite everything...

Lenny still followed them into the city.

The moment they entered the busy districts of Steelhaven, his mood changed completely.

The gloomy expression disappeared.

His eyes widened with excitement replacing sadness.

The city itself seemed alive.

Steam Carriages rolled through the roads.

Horse carriages moved between intersections.

Shop owners called out to customers.

Workers carried goods between stores.

People filled the streets.

While Ezra entered the print shop to handle the BNC documents, Lucy volunteered to show Lenny around.

The young blacksmith quickly forgot about his earlier argument.

Lucy bought snacks he had never tasted before.

Sweet pastries.

Candied fruits.

Fried treats.

Lenny eagerly tried everything.

Afterward, she led him to another district not far from the print shop.

There, the famous Steelhaven Park stretched before them.

Rows of trees stood neatly arranged.

Golden-yellow leaves swayed gently beneath the afternoon sunlight.

The peaceful scenery instantly captured Lenny’s attention.

For several moments, he simply stood there.

Watching.

The Park felt completely different from the noisy workshop he was used to.

They walked beside the stream where colorful fishes swam beneath the clear water.

The sunlight reflected beautifully across the surface.

After that, Lucy dragged him into several clothing stores.

Mostly for fun.

Lenny ended up trying on outfits he would never normally wear.

To his surprise...

He actually enjoyed it.

Before he realized it, hours had passed.

By the time they returned to their original meeting spot, he felt completely exhausted.

The two sat on a bench together, with the noise of the busy city filling the air around them.

People passed by.

Steam Carriages rolled through the streets.

Merchants called out to customers.

For a while, neither spoke.

Then...

"Miss Lucy."

Lenny looked down at his joined hands.

"How does it feel to have a master?"

Lucy blinked, then smiled softly.

"I feel lucky."

The answer came immediately.

"Lucky to be serving someone like him."

"You don’t have anything bad to say about Ezra?"

Lenny asked.

His gaze remained on his fingers.

"I do."

Lucy answered honestly.

"I mean..."

Lucy sighed.

"He’s far too difficult to understand."

She leaned back slightly on the bench.

The afternoon breeze gently moved several loose strands of her hair as she looked toward the busy street ahead.

"He never shows what he’s actually thinking."

Her fingers lightly tapped against her lap.

"I’m still not sure whether he fully trusts me."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"And he works way too hard."

A small frown appeared on her face.

"Sometimes I feel like he’s overdoing it, and whenever I tell him to rest, he listens for a day."

She raised a finger.

"Then the very next day, he starts doing the exact same thing again as if we never had that conversation."

The complaints continued flowing naturally.

Almost as though she had been holding them in for a long time.

Lenny slowly turned to look at her.

His eyes widened.

A strange expression appeared on his face.

He genuinely hadn’t expected this.

From the way Lucy usually acted around Ezra, he thought she would only praise him.

Yet here she was listing problem after problem without hesitation.

"He doesn’t even let me properly serve him as a maid in training."

Lucy folded her arms.

"And I’m certain he knows perfectly well that those things are part of my duties."

Her voice carried clear dissatisfaction.

"I know he isn’t like those arrogant nobles."

She shook her head.

"But he’s not refusing because he’s some exceptionally good noble either."

Lucy sighed again.

"He’s refusing simply because he’s Ezra."

That answer somehow made perfect sense.

At least to her.

"I honestly don’t understand what’s going on inside his head most of the time."

Her gaze drifted toward the direction of the print shop.

The place where Ezra was currently handling the BNC documents.

"And don’t even get me started on how willing he is to risk his life."

Her expression immediately sharpened.

The earlier complaints suddenly became more serious.

"The Judgment Order. The Baron Family. Why would he willingly put himself in that kind of danger?"

She looked genuinely frustrated.

"Does he have any idea how risky that was?"

Lucy’s brows knitted together.

"He was facing an entire Baron Family. One mistake., one wrong calculation. And things could have ended terribly."

She exhaled heavily.

Only then did she realize she had been speaking continuously for quite some time.

Lenny still stared at her.

Completely stunned.

Truthfully...

He wasn’t even sure he had heard everything.

The sheer speed at which Lucy had listed her complaints left him struggling to keep up.

Then Lucy suddenly called his name.

"Lenny."

Her voice became softer.

The frustration from before gradually disappeared.

"I have a lot of things I can complain about when it comes to my master."

A small smile appeared on her face.

"So do you."

Lenny looked away awkwardly, because she wasn’t wrong.

He had plenty of complaints about Rogers too.

"But..."

Lucy continued.

Her eyes moved toward the busy streets, then toward the distant print shop once again.

"At the end of the day, just like I said earlier..."

The smile on her face became gentler.

"I’m very lucky to have someone like Ezra as my master."

There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation in her voice.

"He is surprisingly kind."

She laughed softly.

"Even though he doesn’t look like the kind type."

The afternoon sunlight landed gently across her face.

Combined with her smile, it created a sight that caught Lenny completely off guard.

His ears instantly turned red.

Without even realizing it, he quickly turned his face away.

Pretending to be interested in the passing Steam Carriages.

Because for a brief moment...

Lucy’s smile looked brighter than the afternoon sunlight itself.