Chapter 181: Striking two Birds with one Stone

Rogers led Ezra and Lucy into the guest living room connected to the workshop while his disciple struggled behind them dragging two heavy crate boxes on a work cart.

The wheels screeched loudly against the wooden floor as the boy pulled with all his strength.

"So..."

Rogers comfortably dropped himself onto the sofa afterward.

"How’s your relationship with Vera going?"

A teasing smile slowly appeared on his face.

"We aren’t in the type of relationship you’re thinking about."

Ezra calmly corrected him while still sounding polite despite the flat tone of his voice.

"It’s strictly business."

Rogers stared at him strangely for a few seconds.

"You know..."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"You’re the second person I’ve met capable of speaking flatly while still somehow sounding polite."

Boom!

The disciple finally pushed the crates fully into the room before collapsing dramatically onto the floor.

His chest rose and fell heavily while sweat rolled down his face.

"Finally done..."

He laid there like someone whose soul had almost left his body.

"You’re so weak."

Rogers immediately sneered at him.

"You should eat more protein and build more muscles properly like me."

He proudly flexed his arms afterward.

Even at his age...

His body still looked surprisingly fit and heavily sturdy, clearly showing years of proper care and physical work.

The disciple immediately groaned in annoyance.

"Why would I eat those disgusting bitter things you call food?!"

He barked back from the floor.

"Huh?!"

Rogers instantly fired back louder.

"You ungrateful brat!"

He pointed angrily toward the boy.

"Do you even understand what those healthy meals have done for your body?!"

"What have they done except bring me one step closer to meeting my grandmother in the Scholars’ Realm?!"

The boy immediately pointed back angrily too.

"Every time I eat that cursed thing, I can see her standing there smiling and calling me over!"

He dramatically bit his fingernails afterward while acting terrified.

Both Ezra and Lucy silently narrowed their eyes while watching the master and disciple argue with complete seriousness.

"You’re overreacting."

Rogers sat back down dismissively.

"When I eat it..."

A nostalgic smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"...I only see my late wife asking me to dance with her."

He looked genuinely touched by the memory.

"Ahh...What a beautiful experience."

The old man smiled to himself happily, then his eyes suddenly brightened.

"Do you two kids want to try it too?"

He looked excitedly toward Ezra and Lucy.

"NO!"

Both immediately replied at the same time.

"We’re full already."

Lucy hurriedly waved both hands.

"Ehnn..."

Rogers looked disappointed.

"For a weak-looking boy like you, just a few servings of my muscle-building meals and you’ll become bulkier than a bear."

He stared at Ezra seriously.

Lucy almost busted into laughter thinking about how her master would actually look if he was that bulk, but she stopped herself from laughing, feeling Ezra’s narrowed gaze at her.

"It wouldn’t work for me."

Ezra calmly replied, turning to Rogers with an innocent smile.

"My body digests food too quickly and honestly..."

He glanced at his own frame.

"I’m already fine with how my body looks."

"Okay, if you say so."

Rogers sighed helplessly.

Although he still felt it was unfortunate for such a skinny-looking child to miss out on peak fitness...

He also understood Ezra was an Alchemist.

Meaning he could simply strengthen himself through Cognis anyway.

"That’s your goods over there."

Rogers pointed toward the crates.

"I honestly don’t know how you plan carrying all that, but if you need help, I can arrange something."

But instead of answering...

Ezra simply stood up, Cognis quietly flowed through his body gently, then he lifted the first crate effortlessly before placing it directly into his space bag.

Then the second.

Smoothly.

Without looking strained at all.

Both master and disciple stared at him in shock afterward.

"Wow..."

The disciple’s eyes sparkled brightly.

"That’s an Alchemist for you."

"Humph." Rogers folded his arms. "I could carry both at once."

Though his expression looked displeased...

The slight twitch near his mouth showed he was also impressed.

"Sir..."

Ezra suddenly turned toward him with his innocent smile returning to his face.

"Please can I ask one favor?"

He carefully placed another bag onto the table.

Clink.

A metallic sound echoed softly through the room.

Rogers slowly raised a brow while Ezra unzipped the bag.

Inside...

Several carefully arranged gun parts rested quietly.

The moment Rogers saw them...His eyes narrowed seriously.

Although he instantly recognized it as parts belonging to a sniper rifle...He still couldn’t determine the exact model which piqued his interest but...

"Boy." His tone became calmer. "I remember saying I’m retired."

"I know." Ezra nodded. "But please..."

For once...

His usual plain face actually showed traces of genuine pleading.

"I probably won’t get another opportunity like this again."

"You know you could simply ask one of the blacksmiths in the family to help you instead, right?"

Rogers looked at Ezra with narrowed eyes, clearly not buying the pleading expression on his face.

"I’m a Lowline though."

Ezra replied flatly.

"Ehn..."

Rogers tilted his head again.

"You’re a Lowline? Not even a Highline? And you managed to rank sixth in the trial of steel..."

He blinked twice in genuine surprise while staring more carefully at Ezra’s face.

"I’ll pay you properly if you help me with this."

Ezra added calmly.

"Kid..."

Rogers slowly stood up afterward.

"Do I seriously look like someone who needs your money?"

His expression remained serious without changing much.

"The only reason I’m even agreeing to help you..."

He pointed directly at Ezra.

"...is because you came from that little brat Vera and honestly..."

A faint interested look appeared in his eyes.

"I’m curious about a Lowline ranking sixth among all those Mainline and Highline children."

"But I’m not the only Lowline."

Ezra calmly zipped the bag closed again.

"You’re the only one I’m currently seeing."

Rogers immediately countered back.

"And more importantly..."

He pointed toward his disciple afterward.

"Carry the bag."

Then the old man started walking back toward the workshop while continuing to speak loudly.

"You know, Vera has never written me a letter asking me to help another person before. Not once, even when Palmer was still alive, she never did something like this."

Rogers glanced sideways toward Ezra afterward.

"So that means she must genuinely like you."

For someone like Vera...That probably meant something completely different, also who is Palmer?.

Ezra quietly thought to himself while following after him.

His expression however remained unchanged.

The disciple placed the bag onto a nearby worktable afterward before carefully unzipping it.

One by one...

He slowly removed the parts of the Barrett Sniper M107.

Although neither he nor Rogers fully recognized the exact sniper model...

Both immediately understood one thing.

This weapon was absurdly complicated.

"You made this through Alchemy?"

Rogers carefully picked up one of the components while analyzing the structure closely.

His experienced eyes slowly scanned every groove, screw line, internal chamber, and mechanical design.

"This sniper must be insane..."

He muttered unconsciously.

"For the parts alone to look this complicated even to someone like me with decades of experience..."

Excitement slowly appeared across his face afterward.

It had honestly been a long time since he encountered something that genuinely sparked his interest this much.

"It was created through Joint Alchemy."

Ezra replied while standing quietly inside the workshop.

The warmth from the furnace made him look slightly more alive compared to earlier.

"That explains it."

Rogers nodded confidently afterward.

"The way I’m looking at the overall structure and design..."

He carefully rotated another sniper component beneath the workshop light.

"...this thing should possess enough power to instantly kill with a single shot. That means it should at least belong among Arcanist-ranked firearms."

"No."

Ezra corrected calmly.

"The design and firepower approach that level slightly..."

He looked toward the sniper parts.

"...but its overall practical use still remains within Meister rank."

Well, that’s because I still haven’t fully converted the complete Barrett M107 structure into a perfect Alchemy circle.

Ezra silently thought to himself.

Although the fully completed version is already complete, but, the problem is...with my current Alchemy level, I can’t create it, but if this version gets properly maintained and reinforced...

My overall firepower will increase massively.

Ezra’s eyes quietly remained fixed on the sniper parts resting across the worktable while the furnace flames reflected softly across the metallic surface.

"Oh..."

Rogers stared at the sniper parts with complete focus now.

The earlier teasing look on his face had already disappeared.

Right now...

He looked exactly like an old craftsman who had suddenly found a treasure worth studying for years.

His disciple moved quickly afterward and activated the steam-powered furnace beside the workshop wall.

Clank!

Hissssss!

The machine roared loudly the moment it came alive.

Steam burst violently from several pipes connected around the furnace while the flames inside rapidly intensified.

The entire workshop instantly became hot.

Heat spread through the room in waves, mixing with the scent of burning coal, metal, and oil.

Lucy adjusted her clothes slightly from the sudden warmth pressing against her skin.

"You can stay outside if you want."

Rogers spoke while walking toward the neatly arranged smithing tools hanging along the workshop wall.

Hammers, tongs, carving tools, chisels, and strange metallic instruments were all organized carefully in their proper positions.

"Judging from how complicated these parts are..."

He glanced back toward the Barrett pieces.

"...you might end up staying here for several days."

"So, I’ll have my boy prepare rooms for both of you."

"It’s okay."

Lucy immediately replied politely.

"Just show me where the rooms are and I’ll arrange everything myself."

The disciple nodded before leading her away from the workshop.

Ezra however, didn’t leave the place, even though the furnace heat kept rising...

He remained there not feeling anything while standing quietly inside the workshop.

The heat didn’t make him uncomfortable at all.

Instead...

For the first time since arriving in this frozen place...

He actually felt warm.

The warmth slowly spread through his stiff muscles and freezing bones, easing the discomfort buried deep inside his body.

"You aren’t going?"

Rogers glanced sideways at him while preparing his tools.

"I’m honestly curious about this blacksmithing that you do, sir."

Ezra replied calmly.

His eyes remained locked onto Rogers’ movements carefully without missing anything.

At the same time...

Inside Ezra’s mind...

The Book of Memories had already opened automatically.

Several pages slowly flipped one after another.

Information regarding metal refinement, furnace temperatures, forging pressure, structural balance, and blacksmith principles continuously appeared before his eyes.

"Why would an Alchemist like you be interested in smithing?"

Rogers asked while putting on thick protective gloves.

"I just feel like..."

Ezra paused slightly while observing the furnace flames.

"...if I understand this properly, my Alchemy skills will probably become deeper."

He answered genuinely.

Silence slowly settled between the two afterward.

Only the sound of steam pipes, roaring flames, and crackling fire echoed throughout the workshop.

"Puff..."

Rogers suddenly burst into laughter.

"Haha... Haha!"

The loud laugh echoed throughout the workshop walls.

"You really are amusing."

He pointed toward Ezra while still laughing.

"Just like Vera."

A nostalgic smile slowly appeared on his aged face afterward.

"She said almost the exact same thing when we first met and she practically forced me into teaching her blacksmith forging."

Rogers shook his head helplessly while remembering the past.

"That little brat was unbelievably stubborn. Once she became curious about something, she wouldn’t stop until she learned it."

The old man chuckled again softly.

Ezra silently listened while feeling slightly surprised internally.

So, Vera actually learned blacksmith forging huh...

"Ezra."

Rogers suddenly pointed proudly toward himself.

"From now on, stop calling me sir and call me Uncle Rogers instead."

A large smile spread across his face so widely that even his teeth showed clearly.

Ezra stared at him briefly.

He could already tell...

Refusing would only make the old man insist repeatedly until he accepted anyway.

"Okay."

He calmly nodded.

"Good!"

Rogers immediately looked satisfied afterward.

"Now then..."

He picked up the heavy tongs resting nearby.

"Let’s properly repair your sniper and while we’re at it..."

A craftsman-like excitement slowly appeared in his eyes again.

"...I’ll add several Cognis flowing circuits too and improve the weapon’s efficiency."

Carefully...

He used the tongs to pick up the first sniper component before placing it slowly into the blazing furnace.

The metal immediately began glowing beneath the intense heat.

Then...

One by one...

Rogers carefully continued placing the remaining Barrett M107 parts into the furnace while Ezra silently observed every movement with complete focus.