Inside Castle Hall Grandus...

The orchestra started playing a calm and elegant melody. The sound of violins and brass instruments flowed through the hall like a gentle current, blending together with the chatter of nobles and the occasional laughter that rose from different corners of the building.

Warm golden light poured down from the crystal chandeliers hanging high above the ballroom. It reflected off polished marble floors and silver decorations, causing the entire hall to shine brightly.

By now, almost all of the top ten candidates of the Trial of Steel had arrived.

Priscilla entered with Nate and her parents before being guided toward the upper floor reserved for important guests and the main people of the event.

But before they could go there; several noble families approached them.

Many of them carried hidden intentions.

Some wished to strengthen connections with her family.

Others wanted to introduce their sons as potential future husbands.

Priscilla handled the conversations naturally, greeting people with polite smiles while speaking to familiar faces she had met during previous gatherings.

Nate, however, felt completely out of place.

At one point, after standing awkwardly through several conversations he had no interest in, he quietly excused himself and headed toward the upper floor.

"Ahhh..."

He rubbed his forehead as he walked.

One hand rested on the balcony railing while he slowly made his way toward a quieter section of the floor.

"I can never get used to a noble life."

His gaze drifted downward.

From above, he could see Priscilla speaking with several nobles alongside her parents.

She looked comfortable and natural.

Almost as if she had always belonged in places like this.

She’s really liking the high life, huh...

Nate thought to himself.

Just then...

"Welcoming Baron Sterling Zavier and the Rank Six of the Trial of Steel... his son, Zara Sterling!"

The announcing guard’s voice echoed across the hall.

The noise of conversation lowered slightly with many guests turning toward the entrance.

Nate followed their gaze.

His eyes landed on Zara and his father.

"So that’s his father, huh..."

He observed them carefully, which made him notice there was something slightly different about Zara.

Nate narrowed his eyes.

Did he get a bit more muscular after going home?

The thought appeared suddenly.

His gaze lingered on Zara’s shoulders and posture.

The difference was not huge, but he could swear there was a change.

"Maybe he was overfed when he got home..."

Nate shrugged.

After all, he wasn’t interested enough to think deeply about it.

Turning away from the railing, he headed toward the seats reserved for the rankers.

The small doubt quickly disappeared from his thoughts.

Downstairs...

The moment Zavier and Zara entered the ballroom, several nobles immediately approached them.

Smiles appeared everywhere.

People were eager to build connections.

After all, Zara had returned from the Trial of Steel carrying the title of Rank Six.

"Baron Sterling, you must be proud of your son."

A nobleman holding a glass of glowing lime wine stepped forward.

The bubbling drink released a sweet scent into the air.

"Yes..."

Zavier smiled proudly.

"Honestly, I was so worried he wouldn’t make it through the trial that I couldn’t even bring myself to attend the graduation ceremony."

He accepted a glass of wine from a passing servant.

The fruity smell mixed with the expensive perfumes already filling the ballroom.

"No wonder nobody saw you there."

Another noble joined the conversation.

"Ah..."

The surrounding low status nobles suddenly lowered their heads.

Zavier and Zara followed immediately, because the newcomer possessed a higher status.

A Low-Ember noble.

"Greetings."

Zavier bowed politely.

The noble’s eyes shifted toward Zara.

A smile appeared on his face.

"You really gave everyone a scare when you challenged Lord Astraea’s son, Young Sir Felix."

He chuckled.

The words struck Zara like a hammer.

His eyes widened.

Beside him, even Zavier’s grip on his wine glass tightened.

The liquid inside trembled slightly.

Fortunately, both father and son recovered quickly.

"Haha..."

Zara forced out a laugh.

"I simply wanted to test myself against someone stronger."

He bowed politely.

"I apologize if my actions caused such a commotion."

"There is no need for that."

The Low-Ember noble waved his hand.

"In fact, I hope to see you join the Black Cinder Corps someday."

His hand landed firmly on Zara’s shoulder.

Heat spread through Zara’s body.

Not from pride, but from confusion.

That useless trash actually fought Sir Felix?

In front of everyone?

There is no way...

Right?

Yet nobody around him seemed surprised by the story.

Which only made him more uneasy.

"I will."

Zara placed a hand over his chest.

"It is every young Ashenlocke’s dream to become worthy of joining the Black Cinder Corps."

Several nobles nodded approvingly.

"But for now, I am focused on the Royal Academy and seeing how far I can go."

Determination appeared on his face.

The surrounding nobles laughed happily.

"Baron Sterling, your rise is practically guaranteed with a son like this."

One noblewoman smiled.

"Don’t forget us when your status rises, Zavier."

Another noble joked.

More laughter followed.

"But wouldn’t it have been better if your second son had survived?"

A noblewoman suddenly asked.

Her cheek rested against her palm.

"You might have ended up with two promising children within the Ashenlocke Family."

The atmosphere became slightly awkward.

"Yes... yes." Zavier sighed. "It is unfortunate."

His face showed sadness.

At least, it appeared that way.

The conversations continued with more nobles approaching and more greetings followed.

Then...

"Hey Ezra... or should I say Zara?"

A familiar voice suddenly sounded.

Veda appeared from the crowd while waving energetically.

The reaction was immediate.

The surrounding nobles, along with Zavier and Zara, dropped to one knee.

"Greetings to the Young Lord."

Their voices overlapped.

"Thank you, thank you."

Veda awkwardly bowed back.

As everyone stood again, Zara secretly took a deep breath.

Okay.

Everything starts now.

His mind immediately replayed the information Felix had given him.

The personality notes.

The habits.

The way Ezra supposedly spoke.

The way he behaved and the expressions he usually wore.

Not only had Zara dyed part of his hair white to resemble Ezra, but he had also spent days studying how Ezra supposedly acted.

The funny part was that he still couldn’t fully believe it.

Because the Ezra he remembered was weak, cowardly and pathetic.

Yet somehow that same Ezra had become Rank Six.

Even now, Zara found it difficult to accept.

Still...

Whether he liked it or not...

He had to perform perfectly.

"It is good to see you again, Young Lord."

He lowered his head and adjusted his face into the blank expression Felix had described.

"Hmmm..."

Veda suddenly leaned closer.

"Ezra, did you eat well after going home?"

His eyes carefully examined Zara’s face and arms.

Zara instinctively stepped backward.

"I did."

Zara replied while struggling to keep his composure. His face remained plain, but beneath that carefully maintained expression, his nerves were already twisting themselves into knots.

This is scary...

I’m talking to the Young Lord.

And he’s standing this close to me.

Me.

Zara.

He sighed inwardly.

I need to calm down.

Sir Felix already wrote that this trash was part of the Young Lord’s group, which was why they became close, but seriously...

How the hell did that useless fool manage to befriend someone like him?

Tsk...

The thought immediately soured his mood.

That trash really pisses me off.

Even after becoming a ghost, he still somehow gets all the good things while I’m left with nothing.

His eyes remained on Veda’s face.

The plain expression he was forcing himself to wear didn’t change.

Don’t worry, Ezra.

You can watch me take everything back.

Everything that should have belonged to me, everything you stole from me back in the Scholar Realm.

A faint smirk almost appeared on his lips before he quickly suppressed it, but the laughter inside his mind, however, continued.

Haha...Haha...Haha...

"Young Lord, isn’t Lady Vera around?"

Zara asked, quickly changing the topic before Veda could continue observing him.

But...To his surprise, Veda looked genuinely startled.

His brows lifted slightly, then... the surprise disappeared.

A smug smile slowly spread across his face.

The type of smile that immediately made Zara uncomfortable.

"Ehn..."

Veda rubbed his chin.

"Hmmm..."

His eyes narrowed mischievously.

"Already missing her?"

He winked.

Zara’s entire mind immediately froze.

WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT???

For a brief moment, everything inside his head stopped functioning.

His thoughts crashed into one another.

Why is he winking at me?

Wait.

I did say that trash was helped by some noble girl to be able to survive.

I mean he had to somehow seduce one of those highline noble girls.

But...But...But...

IT WAS ACTUALLY LADY VERA?!

THE LADY VERA?!

The Lady Vera Ashenlocke?

No way.

No...

No freaking way.

His chest immediately tightened.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His heartbeat became louder and louder.

Even the noise of the ballroom seemed distant compared to the pounding inside his ears.

The Beautiful Lady Vera!

One of the Flowers of Britannia!

The Jewel of Ash!

The daughter everyone admired!

The person many young nobles were afraid of approaching!

That Lady Vera?

His brain almost short-circuited.

"Ezra?"

Veda waved a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Ezra."

Zara remained frozen for another second.

Fortunately, Zavier noticed something was wrong with him.

The experienced noble quickly excused himself from the nearby conversation and approached them.

"Young Lord, my sincere congratulations."

He bowed deeply.

At the same time, he secretly pinched Zara’s arm.

"Huh?"

The sudden pain snapped Zara out of his dazed state.

His eyes blinked rapidly.

"Thank you."

Veda laughed lightly.

"Also, thank you for taking care of my son."

Zavier maintained a respectful posture while speaking.

"I should be the one saying that."

Veda replied with an easy smile.

"No... no..."

Zavier leaned slightly closer.

"My son might always appear blank and difficult to talk to, but he actually told me quite a lot about you and your strength after returning home."

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh really?"

Veda glanced toward Zara.

The smile on his face remained.

"Well, Young Lord."

Zavier gently placed a hand on Zara’s shoulder.

"We should head to our seats. The event is about to begin."

As he spoke, he slightly tilted his head.

The signal was obvious.

Zara immediately understood.

"Yes..." He nodded. "We should go."

His voice came out flat and controlled. The same way Felix had instructed him.

"Okay."

Veda waved.

"Let’s talk more after the event is over."

The father and son bowed politely before making their way toward the stairs leading to the upper floor.

The crowd naturally parted to allow them passage.

Several nobles continued greeting them as they walked away while Veda watched their departing figures.

The smile on his face gradually faded.

His footsteps slowed slightly.

We...

Something feels off which he couldn’t quite explain, since nothing seemed obviously wrong.

The face was right, the appearance was right and the voice was close enough.

Yet something felt strange.

Like a puzzle piece that looked correct but didn’t truly fit.

"Young Lord!"

Nickolas’ voice suddenly echoed from behind.

The loud call immediately broke Veda out of his thoughts.

He flinched slightly before turning around.

Nickolas and Cole were already approaching.

Nickolas folded his arms tightly across his chest.

"Where the hell did you go?"

His expression clearly showed annoyance.

"The main event is about to begin and you’re still wandering around greeting guests again?"

"Wait..."

Veda raised a palm.

"Calm down."

He tried defending himself.

"I heard them announce Ezra’s name, so I went to greet him and see his parents."

"That boy."

Nickolas raised an eyebrow.

His expression immediately became helpless.

"Tsk."

He clicked his tongue.

"Let’s go already."

Without waiting for permission, Nickolas grabbed Veda by the arm.

"Hey!"

Veda protested.

"Too late."

Nickolas ignored him completely.

"You’re the Young Lord now so act like it."

He continued dragging him toward the section reserved for the heir of Ashenlocke while Cole simply followed behind them while shaking his head.

Veda allowed himself to be pulled forward helplessly with a smile on his face.

As they moved through the upper floor, his eyes drifted toward the direction where Zavier and Zara had disappeared.

Well...

This is definitely a problem.

But...

A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

Unlike before, this smile carried a hint of anticipation, because after everything he had gone through with Ezra during the Trial of Steel...

He had learned something important.

Ezra was the type of person who always seemed to have a plan.

Even when everyone else thought he was cornered.

Even when things looked impossible.

That boy always had something hidden.

Veda looked away from the stairs. The smile on his face widened slightly.

I know Ezra.

If something is really happening...

Then he definitely already has a plan for handling his own matters.