"The Duke has a gift for the children."
The moment those words spread through the hall, the people began whispering among themselves.
"I wonder what the gift will be."
"Do you think all the children will receive one?"
"I doubt that. Not everyone will receive a personal gift from the Duke."
"Then it will probably be Lady Vera and perhaps Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke."
"The Young Lord should receive one as well, though."
The conversations overlapped, with one person's guess giving rise to another. Even those who had been discussing the earlier rewards turned their attention towards the Duke, curious about what he intended to offer the children.
They had already received the gifts prepared by the Family, including Ese, Mithril, and the General Prize. Those rewards alone were enough to satisfy many of the younger Alchemists, but a personal gift from Duke Valentine was an entirely different matter.
After all, he was the head of the Ashenlocke Family.
