"Thank you, everyone who made it all the way here today from all over Metallica."
Duke Valentine spoke calmly, his voice carrying through the Ashenlocke General Hall.
He stood before the gathered guests with his usual expressionless face, showing little of the excitement one might expect from someone who had just reached a new height in Alchemy.
Even as he continued his welcome speech, his posture remained straight, and his gaze moved across the crowd without lingering on anyone for too long.
The guests listened in silence.
Some stood with their hands folded before them, while others held their conversations until the Duke finished speaking.
The Children of Ash were gathered nearby, and the adults who had come from different parts of Metallica filled the hall with their presence. Yet, among those watching Valentine, the Elders of Ash were paying attention to something that had little to do with his speech.
They were observing the Duke himself.
