Anastasia instinctively moved closer the moment another wave of camera flashes illuminated the entrance.

The constant bursts of light made her shoulders tense slightly, and before she realized it, she had already stepped behind Maxwell, using him as a shield from the countless eyes focused on the royal procession.

Her fingers lightly clutched the back of his coat.

"Anastasia..."

Maxwell scratched the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

"I told you not to call me ’Sir.’ Haha..."

His smile remained as easygoing as ever.

Turning his head slightly, he glanced toward the frightened girl hiding behind him.

Anastasia immediately lowered her eyes.

She didn’t let go.

To her...

Standing behind Maxwell somehow felt much safer than standing anywhere else.

Princess Stella quietly observed the two of them.

A faint smile briefly appeared in her eyes before disappearing just as quickly.

Without saying anything else, she gracefully continued forward with the rest of the royal entourage.

The nobles accompanying her naturally followed behind.

Soon...

The royal procession blended into the crowd as students continued greeting them with respectful bows and enthusiastic applause.

Near the center of the ballroom...

The two News Club hosts looked at one another before turning back toward the recording cameras.

The female host let out a small laugh.

"That...Was certainly an entrance."

Even now, she still couldn’t understand how an ordinary commoner had managed to walk beside a Princess of Britannia without anyone stopping him.

The male host suddenly raised one hand.

"Wait."

His expression changed.

The small communication plug hidden inside his right ear crackled softly as someone from the broadcasting team relayed new information.

His eyes widened.

"...Wow."

His voice unconsciously rose.

"I’ve just received confirmation that the Royal Family arrived today... inside the Royal Phantom Rolls!"

The moment those words echoed through the microphone...

The entire ballroom fell into stunned silence.

Only for a single heartbeat.

Then...

The hall exploded.

"What?!"

"Seriously?!"

"The Phantom Rolls is here?"

"You mean it’s actually inside the academy grounds right now?"

"I’ve only watched videos online!"

"My family couldn’t even afford to buy one!"

"I’m going outside!"

"Let’s hurry!"

Excited voices erupted from every direction.

Students immediately abandoned their conversations.

Groups that had been chatting only moments earlier quickly rushed toward the ballroom entrance.

Many first-years had never even seen a Phantom Rolls, live with their own eyes.

The vehicle had only been released shortly before the academy semester began.

By the time most students arrived at the Royal Academy...

The auctions had already ended.

For many Low Nobles...

Even the Noble Phantom Rolls was something far beyond their family’s wealth.

As for Non-Nobles...

Owning one remained nothing more than a distant dream.

Within moments...

Streams of students flooded toward the exit.

Among the crowd...

Someone calmly walked toward Ezra.

"Yo... Ezra."

Veda greeted him with his usual relaxed smile.

Nickolas followed closely behind, raising one hand in greeting.

Linda and Tracy naturally came along as well.

Just like old times...

The familiar group that had once fought together during the Trial of Steel had quietly gathered once again.

Ezra looked toward them before giving a respectful nod.

"Greeting, Young Lord."

He bowed politely toward Veda, then he turned toward the others.

"And... His friends."

He lightly raised one hand.

Tracy immediately copied his gesture.

"And... His friends."

She repeated his words before bursting into laughter.

"You really haven’t changed at all, Ezra Ashenlocke."

She smiled warmly.

"It’s been a long time since we’ve actually talked."

"Hmph."

Linda folded both arms across her chest.

"I doubt he’s even bothered that we haven’t spoken after everything our group went through together."

Her eyes shifted toward Ezra with obvious dissatisfaction.

"He’s even become friends with a Burnwick."

She clicked her tongue.

"Looks like he’s already forgotten his roots."

Ezra looked at her quietly.

His expression remained unchanged.

"Who told you that?"

He asked in the same calm tone as always.

Tracy immediately grinned.

"Of course, she would know."

She pointed straight at Linda.

"When she was clearly stalking you."

"Tracy!"

Linda’s face instantly turned red.

She stared at her friend in disbelief.

"I can’t believe you actually said that!"

Nickolas rubbed his chin thoughtfully before nodding.

"Now that I think about it...That really does sound like stalking."

He looked toward Linda with a serious expression.

"Linda..."

Veda slowly opened his mouth.

His face filled with exaggerated disbelief.

"I never could have imagined...you’d reach this level."

He dramatically took one step backward.

The performance was so overdone that even nearby students glanced toward them.

Linda became even more flustered.

"I wasn’t stalking him!"

She protested immediately.

Tracy folded her arms.

"Then how did you know he became close with someone from House Burnwick?"

She raised one eyebrow.

Clearly...

She wasn’t convinced.

Linda hurriedly defended herself.

"I just happened to see them together during our club hunt..."

She didn’t even finish.

"There."

Tracy pointed at her triumphantly.

"I was with you during club hunting and I didn’t see him."

She slowly nodded.

"Oh, my scholars, my cute Linda...has become a stalker."

She dramatically placed one hand over her heart.

"Where did this mother go wrong?"

She shook her head with exaggerated disappointment.

Veda burst into laughter.

Nickolas followed soon after.

Even several nearby students couldn’t help smiling after overhearing the conversation.

"I said...I wasn’t stalking him!"

Linda grabbed the sleeve of Tracy’s dress.

She looked as though she were only moments away from crying from embarrassment.

"Haha..."

Tracy laughed happily.

She looked completely satisfied after successfully teasing her best friend.

Ezra quietly watched the familiar scene unfold before him.

The atmosphere...

The laughter...

The effortless way they joked with one another...

It all reminded him of the days they had spent together during the Trial of Steel.

Veda’s smile gradually softened.

"...Those really were good times."

He looked at everyone one after another.

"It’s been a long time since we’ve all stood together like this. I kind of miss our old group."

The warmth in his voice naturally spread through the others.

Nickolas smiled.

"So do I."

Linda quietly nodded.

Even Tracy’s teasing expression softened for a brief moment.

Only Ezra remained silent.

He looked at the four standing before him.

The sense of friendship between them hadn’t changed.

It felt exactly the same as it had during the Trial of Steel.

Comfortable.

Natural.

Warm.

Even so...

Ezra still couldn’t picture himself becoming part of that closeness.

Not because he disliked them.

It simply wasn’t who he was.

Or to be more factual...

It wasn’t who he had become.

His silence had never meant rejection.

It was simply the way he had decided to live his life.

"Guys..."

Veda looked around at the group before pointing toward the ballroom entrance, where an endless stream of students continued pouring outside.

"Let’s go and see the Phantom Rolls with everyone else."

A bright smile spread across his face.

"And this time...We’re going together with its creator."

He turned and looked directly at Ezra.

Ezra calmly met his gaze.

"I’m not the creator of the Royal Phantom Rolls though."

His reply came in the same straightforward tone as always.

Without missing a beat...

Nickolas, Tracy, and Linda all narrowed their eyes at him.

"Oh, you know exactly what he means."

The three of them spoke almost in perfect unison.

Ezra remained silent.

Veda couldn’t help laughing.

"Aren’t you at least curious about how it looks in real life?"

He folded his arms as they slowly began walking.

"I know you’ve already seen it through Skynet. But seeing something on a screen and seeing it with your own eyes are two completely different experiences."

Ezra thought about it for a brief moment before giving a small nod.

"Then let’s go. I was already planning to head there anyway."

He casually walked toward the ballroom entrance.

"You heard him."

Veda laughed.

"Let’s go."

The four quickly followed after him.

By then...

The excitement surrounding the Royal Phantom Rolls had already spread throughout nearly the entire academy.

Students continuously poured out of the Grand Ballroom.

Even many attendants and servants quietly gathered near the enormous windows overlooking the academy courtyard.

Some leaned forward to get a better view.

Others simply stood on tiptoe, unwilling to miss the opportunity.

After all...

Very few students in the royal academy had ever seen a Royal Phantom Rolls in person.

Paras, Starlixs, and Zphones of countless high models were already raised throughout the crowd.

Everyone prepared to either record videos or capture photographs.

The atmosphere outside had become just as lively as the celebration inside the ballroom.

Near the front of the gathering...

Tristin stepped forward.

"Everyone..."

He raised both hands while smiling confidently.

"Guys... Over here."

His voice successfully drew the surrounding students’ attention.

Behind him...

The Royal Phantom Rolls quietly rested beneath the afternoon sky.

The polished black body reflected the remaining rays of sunlight like a flawless mirror.

Its elegant silhouette stood proudly among the surrounding parked Steam Carriages, making every other vehicle nearby appear ordinary by comparison.

The carefully crafted curves of its body naturally blended power with elegance.

The sight alone sent chills through many of the gathered students.

Nobles.

Non-Nobles.

Everyone stared at it with undisguised admiration.

"So... This is how everyone at the auction felt."

One young noble muttered under his breath.

His eyes never left the vehicle.

"...Wow. It’s beautiful."

Someone else nodded repeatedly.

"And that’s the Royal version."

Another student pointed excitedly toward the vehicle.

"Look! The golden lining! And the Eclipse emblem right at the center!"

The polished Eclipse insignia reflected the fading afternoon sunlight.

It shimmered with every slight movement of the crowd.

Tristin noticed the growing excitement around him.

A proud smile slowly appeared across his face.

"This..."

He lightly placed a hand on the roof of the vehicle.

"...is my own Phantom Rolls. It was custom-made specifically for me."

His tone carried obvious pride.

"My elder brother’s and elder sister’s Phantom Rolls were also custom-made."

He continued explaining while slowly walking around the vehicle.

"Every Royal transportation vehicle is built according to the owner’s personal requests. The exterior. The interior. The mechanical parts. And the decorations. Everything can be customized exactly the way the owner wants."

Many students nodded.

Most of them already knew that.

Royal transportation had always been built according to the preferences of each member of the Royal Family.

However...

Among the crowd...

There was one person whose expression looked completely different.

Maxwell.

His eyes remained fixed on the magnificent machine before him.

His expression slowly shifted from curiosity...

To genuine amazement.

"So..."

He quietly murmured to himself.

"Something like this exists..."

His voice carried sincere disbelief.

He had never imagined a Steam Carriage could be designed to such a level.

Compared with the ordinary transportation he had grown up seeing...

The Phantom Rolls almost looked as though it belonged to another era entirely.

Tristin smiled after noticing everyone’s reactions.

He turned toward the driver.

"Driver."

He confidently raised one hand.

"Start her up."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The driver immediately responded.

A few moments later...

The Steam Engine came to life.

A deep mechanical hum echoed from beneath the polished hood.

The sound wasn’t rough.

Nor was it excessively loud.

Instead...

It flowed with remarkable smoothness.

The refined rhythm of the engine spread throughout the courtyard, causing countless students to instinctively hold their breath.

The driver gently pressed the accelerator and the engine responded immediately.

Its smooth growl deepened before settling once again into an elegant, controlled rhythm.

Several students visibly shivered.

Not from fear...

But from excitement.

"It sounds incredible..."

One student whispered.

"So smooth..."

Another unconsciously nodded.

Camera flashes erupted once again.

Many students hurriedly switched from taking photographs to recording videos.

Some zoomed in on the shining Eclipse emblem.

Others focused entirely on the engine while it continued running.

Very few academies across Britannia could ever gather this many influential families in one place.

Only the Royal Academy possessed both the status and prestige to create a scene like this with something this rare and exquisite.

Veda slowly turned toward Ezra.

His eyes shone with unmistakable pride.

"This is amazing..."

He looked almost like a proud father watching his son accomplish something extraordinary.

"I’m proud of you."

He dramatically wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye.

Ezra quietly watched him.

His expression remained unchanged.

Nickolas folded his arms while continuing to admire the vehicle.

"I hate admitting it..."

He smiled helplessly.

"But after seeing it in person...I honestly can’t deny how incredible this vehicle really is."

His voice carried genuine admiration.

Linda glanced between Ezra and the Royal Phantom Rolls before clicking her tongue.

"Who would’ve thought... that someone with such a blank face was hiding the talent of a master craftsman?"

Although her words sounded sarcastic...

There wasn’t much mockery behind them anymore.

Instead...

There was reluctant acknowledgement.

Even she couldn’t deny what stood before her eyes.

Tracy looked at Ezra with growing curiosity.

"So...Isn’t The Eclipse giving you your own personally made Phantom Rolls?"

She tilted her head slightly.

"Even if it isn’t the Royal version."

Veda’s eyes also shifted toward Ezra.

"Yeah..."

He nodded thoughtfully before speaking.

"I know Father bought several Noble Phantom Rolls. So did Grandfather. Aunty also bought one too..."

He paused for a moment while recalling everyone.

"...Felix’s mother, Elder Portia, also bought one. And Elder Paul. I even heard that the Hidden Great Blacksmith of our family received one as well."

He scratched the side of his cheek.

"My father personally sent it to him. He also kept another one for my master."

Veda smiled faintly before looking back at Ezra.

"So, I thought... Maybe The Eclipse would give you one as a gift. After all... You’re the creator. Although, you refused to sign their contract and instead sold the rights to them. I thought they would honor you as the creator and give you one. Or maybe Father... will gift you one."

His tone remained calm.

To him, it only seemed natural that the company would reward the person who had created something capable of changing Britannia’s transportation industry.

Tracy gently folded her arms.

She let out a small sigh.

"Knowing companies that big... I doubt they’d care much about the creator anymore after buying the rights."

She shrugged helplessly.

"Honestly... I still wonder why you didn’t sign the contract. I feel like that would’ve been the better choice."

Ezra quietly listened to both of them.

His expression remained as calm and blank as always.

Then he answered.

"I’m actually getting a Royal version, and The Eclipse is making one specifically for me."

His voice remained completely ordinary.

As though he had merely mentioned today’s weather.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Veda stared.

Nickolas blinked twice.

Linda froze where she stood.

Even Tracy’s playful smile slowly disappeared.

For several long seconds...

None of them said a single word.

Then...

"Whaaaaat?!"

The four shouted almost at the same time.

Several nearby students instinctively turned toward them after hearing the sudden outburst.

However...

The academy courtyard remained filled with countless conversations, excited cheers, and the continuous sound of cameras capturing the Royal Phantom Rolls.

Their voices were quickly swallowed by the surrounding noise.

No one paid them much attention before returning their focus to the luxurious vehicle.

Ezra remained completely unmoved.

"But... It’s currently on hold."

He continued speaking in the same straightforward tone.

"I still want to give them a better design detail, since I haven’t finished deciding everything I want my Royal version to have."

His face remained as blank as ever.

There wasn’t the slightest trace of excitement in his voice.

It was almost unbelievable that he was speaking about receiving a custom-made Royal Phantom Rolls.

The four simply continued staring at him.

None of them immediately knew what to say.

Their minds struggled to process what they had just heard.

A custom-made...

Royal Phantom Rolls.

Made exclusively for Ezra.

The thought alone left them speechless.

Before anyone could recover...

A clear, elegant voice echoed across the academy courtyard.

"Everyone..."

The surrounding conversations gradually quieted.

Many students instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.

Princess Stella had stepped forward.

She wore her usual graceful smile as she looked over the gathered crowd.

The evening breeze gently brushed against her golden hair, causing a few loose strands to sway beside her face.

She waited until the noise had settled before speaking again.

"I would like to invite... the one person who made this beautiful creation even possible in the first place."

Her gentle eyes slowly searched through the crowd.

Eventually...

They settled upon Ezra, who was still standing together with Veda and the others.

A warm smile appeared on her face.

"I believe everyone would like to hear a few words... from the creator of the Phantom Rolls himself."

She gracefully raised one hand and pointed toward him.

"Ezra Ashenlocke."

For a brief moment...

The lively academy courtyard fell completely silent.

Then...

Thousands of eyes turned toward the same person at once.