Chapter 222: Master and Disciple Departure
"So, it was Vera who led you into taking Lenny as your disciple?"
Ezra asked while looking at Rogers with his usual calm expression.
The dining room remained quiet after Rogers had finished talking about his past.
The warm light from the chandelier above reflected softly against the polished table.
The scent of the finished meal still lingered in the air.
"She brought up the idea."
Rogers scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
A small laugh escaped him.
"But I chose Lenny because I saw promise in him."
His expression softened.
For the first time that evening, the old blacksmith’s eyes carried pride instead of regret.
"The kid has a lot of talent."
"He really does."
Lucy quietly listened from her seat.
Then she spoke after processing everything he had said.
"But the truth is..."
She rested her chin lightly on her hand.
"You’re scared that if he gets closer to the world and starts building relationships with people he treasures, he’ll end up getting hurt if those relationships break apart."
Her voice remained gentle.
There was no accusation in her words.
Only understanding.
Rogers looked at her.
The old blacksmith remained silent for several seconds.
Eventually, he sighed.
"Well..."
He leaned back against his chair.
"In truth..."
His gaze lowered briefly.
"I don’t want Lenny to fall in love."
The answer came bluntly.
Lucy blinked.
Even Ezra looked at him for a moment.
Rogers rubbed the side of his face awkwardly.
"It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?"
A faint laugh escaped him.
"But the brat is already at that age."
He shook his head.
"The age where boys start looking at girls."
The old blacksmith looked toward the ceiling.
His expression grew distant again.
"For craftsmen like us..."
His hand unconsciously rubbed the silver locket gently.
"When we truly love someone, that person becomes part of our work."
His voice became quieter.
"Our inspiration. Our motivation. The reason we push ourselves beyond our limits."
Rogers slowly placed the locket back into his pocket.
The small metallic click sounded clearly.
"And this world..."
He looked toward the window.
Beyond the glass, the darkness of the night stretched across the mansion grounds.
"This kingdom..."
His voice carried a trace of helplessness.
"People can die at any moment."
The room became quiet with no one interrupting him.
The old blacksmith simply stared into the distance.
As though he could still see the battlefield that had stolen everything from him.
"Aren’t you overreacting?"
Ezra suddenly spoke.
His hands rested calmly on the table, his voice remaining flat.
"It’s not like there’s a war happening right now."
The statement was direct.
Very direct.
Lucy immediately looked toward him.
Only Ezra could respond to something so emotional in such a straightforward way.
Rogers stared at him, then laughed weakly.
"Yes." He nodded. "I know that."
The old blacksmith looked tired.
Not physically, but mentally.
"But I’m worried."
His smile appeared again.
Small and faint.
"I’m worried that my disciple might end up walking the same path I did."
The smile on his face looked lonely.
For Rogers, the fear wasn’t war.
It wasn’t death.
It wasn’t even losing people again.
It was surviving after losing them.
That was what frightened him the most.
"Well..."
Ezra leaned back slightly.
"Uncle Rogers, it’s good to worry about your disciple."
His tone remained calm.
"But you also have to remember that he’s human. He has things he likes, things he dislikes and things he wants to experience."
The old blacksmith remained silent.
Listening.
"I’m sure Lenny understands that you’re worried about him."
Ezra paused briefly.
"Even if he doesn’t understand where that worry comes from."
His black eyes met Rogers’.
"I’m not saying you should suddenly change how you treat him, but you should try trusting him a little more."
Ezra pointed toward Rogers.
The gesture was simple.
Yet his words landed heavily.
"He’s your disciple. You said it yourself. He has a lot of potential. So, worrying about him is normal, but turning that worry into overprotectiveness isn’t healthy."
His voice remained steady.
"For either of you."
Silence followed.
The old blacksmith stared at him.
Ezra’s expression never changed.
"Uncle Rogers."
He stood up from his chair.
"You are a good master."
The words came naturally.
"And I’m sure Lenny already knows that."
With that, Ezra picked up his plate, then he calmly headed toward the kitchen.
Lucy watched him leave.
A small smile appeared on her face.
She immediately stood up.
"Good night."
She bowed respectfully toward Rogers, then gathered the remaining plates.
Then the young maid hurried after her master.
Soon...
Only Rogers remained in the dining room.
The old blacksmith leaned back in his chair, then looked toward the ceiling.
A long sigh escaped him.
"Jane..."
A laugh followed.
Though it sounded more helpless than amused.
"Why are the children of this generation so mature?"
He rubbed his forehead.
"They make me feel like the child."
The old blacksmith laughed quietly to himself.
Little Vera.
Now Ezra.
For some reason, both children had managed to look straight through him.
The feeling was strangely familiar.
A grown man being lectured by children.
The thought would’ve sounded ridiculous years ago.
Yet here he was experiencing it twice.
Eventually, Rogers stood up.
His footsteps echoed softly through the hallway.
Soon...
He arrived in front of Lenny’s room.
The old blacksmith stared at the wooden door.
For some reason, it felt harder to face than an army of Alchemists.
His hand rose.
Then stopped midway.
The old man frowned.
His courage instantly disappeared.
"Ahhh..."
He scratched his hair violently.
"It’s just Lenny."
He paced once, then twice.
"It’s not Rena."
His voice suddenly became louder.
"Why am I nervous?"
The old blacksmith gritted his teeth.
Then finally...
Knock!
Knock!
His fist hit the door.
"Lenny, you brat!" Rogers shouted loudly. "We’re leaving tomorrow!"
His voice echoed throughout the hallway.
"You think I’d disown you?"
The old blacksmith folded one arm behind his back.
"You of all people? Like hell I would!"
His voice became even louder.
"When we get back, I’m going to train you harder! You hear me?!"
The speech ended.
Rogers stood there breathing heavily.
For some reason...
He felt much better.
The funny thing was that he hadn’t actually apologized.
Not even once.
Yet somehow, he had still said what he wanted to say.
The old blacksmith folded his arms proudly.
Mission accomplished.
Or so he thought.
Because...
No response came from inside the room.
The hallway remained completely silent.
Rogers blinked.
Then waited.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Three minutes.
Still nothing.
Eventually, Lucy walked past carrying folded laundry.
She glanced at Rogers standing outside the door, then continued toward her room without saying anything.
The old blacksmith immediately looked away.
A little embarrassed.
More time passed.
Still no response.
Eventually...
Rogers gave up.
The old man grumbled to himself before returning to his room.
Soon, the mansion gradually fell quiet.
Of course...
Not everyone went to sleep.
Ezra remained inside the library.
The soft light of the study lamps illuminated the room.
His Starlix rested on the table in front of him.
A holographic screen floated above it.
Lines of text filled the display.
Another holographic projection formed a keyboard beneath it.
His fingers moved rapidly.
Typing.
Editing and rewriting.
The presentation for the Auction had to be perfect.
Images of the Phantom Rolls appeared across the floating screen.
Exterior angles.
Design concepts.
Blueprint sections with little details.
And Technical notes.
Every detail that’s needed for the presentation was carefully arranged.
Hours quietly passed.
Only after writing to an extent did Ezra finally return to his room.
Then...
The next morning arrived.
As usual, the day began with exercise.
This time Lucy joined them.
The four jogged around the mansion grounds.
Yet the atmosphere still felt different.
The awkwardness between master and disciple still lingered.
Lenny spent most of his time jogging beside Lucy, while Rogers maintained his energetic pace.
Occasionally glancing toward his disciple.
Occasionally looking away.
Neither spoke.
As for Ezra...
His pace remained perfectly consistent as always.
After jogging, he moved into his Pilates training.
Lucy joined him.
Then both spent time meditating while circulating their Cognis.
Only after completing their routine did they return inside.
Lucy immediately went to prepare breakfast.
Ezra returned to refining his presentation.
Rogers wandered into the workshop and garage.
He inspected the Phantom Rolls one final time.
Meanwhile, Lenny remained inside his room.
Only coming out once breakfast was ready.
The meal passed peacefully, though the awkwardness remained obvious.
After breakfast...
Rogers packed his luggage, then ordered a Steam Carriage to pick them up through his Starlix.
The old blacksmith stood patiently in the living room.
Waiting.
The luggage sat beside him.
Ezra sat on the main couch, relaxed as he watched Lucy finish cleaning the dining table.
The young maid moved efficiently around the room.
Plates were stacked neatly.
The remaining utensils were gathered together.
The scent of breakfast still lingered faintly in the air.
Outside the mansion, the morning sun shone brightly over the courtyard.
Then...
Poooooooh!
Poooooooh!
The loud horn of a Steam Carriage echoed from outside the estate.
The sound traveled through the windows and into the living room.
Rogers immediately frowned.
"That brat."
The old blacksmith folded his arms.
"He’s actually still not coming out."
His eyebrows twitched.
The carriage had already arrived, yet Lenny was nowhere to be seen.
The more Rogers thought about it, the more annoyed he became.
Eventually, he clicked his tongue and began walking toward the hallway.
Clearly, he intended to drag his disciple out personally.
Just as he took a few steps...
"I’m here, old man."
Lenny’s voice sounded from the hallway.
Everyone turned except for Ezra.
The young blacksmith walked out carrying a suitcase in one hand.
His pace was relaxed.
There wasn’t the slightest sign of urgency on his face.
"I was just saying goodbye to all the good things here."
Lenny shrugged casually.
Then, before Rogers could complain, he grabbed Rogers’ luggage as well.
The old blacksmith opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
In the end, he simply snorted.
Lucy couldn’t help smiling at the sight.
Meanwhile, Ezra quietly stood up from the couch.
Together, the four of them headed outside.
The waiting Steam Carriage sat proudly within the mansion courtyard.
Thin trails of steam escaped from several vents along the body.
The driver stood patiently nearby.
Lenny immediately moved forward.
Together with the driver, he loaded the luggage into the rear storage compartment.
Once finished, he stretched both arms above his head.
His joints cracked softly, then he took a deep breath.
The fresh morning air filled his lungs.
"Ahhh..."
A bright smile spread across his face.
It wasn’t forced.
It wasn’t fake.
The trip to Steelhaven had genuinely made him happy.
"What are you smiling about like an idiot?"
Rogers narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
The old blacksmith looked at him as if he had caught him doing something embarrassing.
"It’s none of your business, old man."
Lenny shot back immediately.
His answer came without hesitation.
Rogers snorted.
Yet there wasn’t any real annoyance in his eyes.
Unexpectedly...
"How was the trip?"
His voice softened slightly.
The sudden question caught everyone off guard.
Especially Lenny.
But of course, except for Ezra.
He just kept looking at the two quietly, with his blank eyes and his hands inside his long trouser pocket.
The young blacksmith froze, then slowly turned his head toward Rogers.
For a moment, he wasn’t sure he had heard correctly.
"Eh..."
He scratched the side of his cheek awkwardly.
His earlier confidence disappeared.
"Well..." A smile slowly returned to his face. "It was really refreshing."
His answer was honest.
There wasn’t any exaggeration.
The city.
The sightseeing.
The food.
The shopping.
The Park.
Everything had been a completely different experience from the workshop life he was used to.
Rogers looked at him quietly.
Then nodded.
"That’s good."
The simple response carried more meaning than usual.
Lenny blinked.
Before he could say anything else...
Rogers opened the carriage door.
"We should go on another vacation someday."
Silence.
Lenny’s eyes widened.
His entire expression transformed instantly.
"What?"
His voice nearly cracked.
"Really?"
He immediately stepped closer.
The excitement on his face was impossible to hide.
"You mean it?"
His eyes sparkled.
"When? Where? How long? Can we go to another city? What about..."
"Calm down and get inside the carriage!"
Rogers pushed him away lightly.
The old blacksmith wore a mischievous grin.
The same grin he always wore whenever he planned on tormenting his disciple.
"We’re not going on any vacation until your tempering skills improve to a level that satisfies me."
The words landed like a hammer.
Lenny froze.
Then his face twisted.
"What?!"
He looked completely betrayed.
"That means it’ll take forever!"
His voice echoed through the courtyard.
"You’ve never been satisfied with my skills!"
Rogers chuckled.
The old blacksmith looked entirely pleased with himself.
"Then improve faster."
He climbed into the carriage.
His laughter followed shortly after.
"Hehehe..."
The sound only made Lenny more frustrated.
"You shameless master."
The young blacksmith grumbled.
Then he walked around to the opposite side and entered the carriage.
The moment he sat down, he folded his arms tightly and leaned against the seat.
Lucy and Ezra quietly watched the familiar exchange.
Neither interrupted.
After all...
This was probably the most normal the two had acted since yesterday.
Finally, Lucy stepped forward.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Goodbye, Mr. Rogers. Goodbye, Lenny."
She bowed politely.
Lenny immediately turned toward her.
His earlier frustration disappeared instantly.
A bright smile returned to his face.
He enthusiastically waved both hands.
"Goodbye, Miss Lucy! Goodbye, Ezra!"
His voice carried genuine happiness.
Ezra nodded politely, then bowed his head slightly toward Rogers.
"Safe travels, Uncle Rogers."
He raised one hand and waved once toward Lenny.
The young blacksmith waved back even harder.
Rogers also lifted a hand.
The old blacksmith’s rough face softened slightly.
Then...
The driver started the engine.
Steam hissed from the carriage.
Several connected pipes released pressure simultaneously.
White steam flowed from the exhaust vents before dispersing into the morning air.
The carriage slowly rolled forward.
Its wheels crunched softly against the stone pathway of the courtyard.
Lucy remained standing beside Ezra.
The two watched quietly as the carriage moved farther away.
Inside the carriage...
Lenny continued looking outside.
His eyes remained fixed on Lucy.
Even after the distance increased.
Even after her figure gradually became smaller.
The young blacksmith seemed completely lost in thought.
Rogers noticed immediately.
The old blacksmith raised an eyebrow.
Then another.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Don’t tell me..." He leaned back comfortably. "You like Lucy."
The words struck harder than any hammer.
"Wha...What?!"
Lenny nearly jumped from his seat.
His back slammed against the chair.
His face turned red almost instantly.
The reaction alone was suspicious.
"No way!"
He replied so quickly that it sounded rehearsed.
Rogers narrowed his eyes.
"Ehnnn..."
The old blacksmith stared at him.
The longer he stared, the more uncomfortable Lenny became.
The young blacksmith shifted in his seat.
Then shifted again.
His ears had already turned red.
"I said I don’t like her!"
He shouted loudly.
The denial echoed throughout the carriage.
Unfortunately...
The louder he denied it, the less convincing he sounded.
Rogers simply smiled.
The old blacksmith didn’t say another word.
That smile alone was enough.
Yeah, that seems to be a problem.
Meanwhile, outside...
The Steam Carriage gradually disappeared into the distance.
Its outline became smaller and smaller until it finally vanished from Ezra and Lucy’s sight.
