"What is it that gives you, a half-blood wizard, the audacity to order me around?"
Colin remained silent, already hopeless that Yeats in front of him would listen to his words.
Although he did not know why Yeats acted this way, arrogance and prejudice had taken deep root...
Yet Yeats, standing beside him, kept on speaking.
Perhaps he took Colin's silence as acquiescence, or perhaps he was wary of Zehtti, who was also a Third Rank wizard.
Yeats's tone suddenly softened, he light-heartedly continued,
"Atbolde... I remember now, that filthy mixed-blood among the lowly half-breeds—I've heard about it from the Hidosh Family.
If I'm not mistaken, he seemed to be on the verge of death after losing to Yasi Hidosh's challenge?"
"How so? Not dead yet?" he abruptly added coldly.
"?!"
A surge of anger suddenly flared up from Colin's chest; Atbolde was the kindest elder he had encountered in this world, truly a mentor!
But Zehtti, standing beside him, reacted even more strongly!
Zi la!!!
It was as if divine lightning descended upon the mortal realm, Colin only heard a thunderous boom, a blinding flash erupted, and all he could see was a white expanse like snow.
Then, the agonized scream of Yeats rang out!
Afterward, the light gradually faded, and Colin's vision began to return.
The elegant study had been reduced to ruins; broken walls and remnants were all that met his eyes, and the wooden eaves above flickered with flames.
And there was Yeats, blackened and bruised all over, now bound by silver ribbons, kneeling before Zehtti.
"First, I don't like your talk of 'lowly half-breeds.'"
"Second, I like even less your mention of 'filthy mixed blood of an alien race.'"
Zehtti looked down from above with an expressionless face, her tone was calm and measured, coldly whispering,
"And third, I want to make it clear to you that what this young wizard behind me said—is all true!"
Snap!
As she finished speaking, she tossed the pages that Colin had just pulled out onto Yeats's charred and dull face.
'All true?!'
Yeats endured the numb pain throughout his body and instinctively looked down at those scattered pages.
The lightning that had struck so suddenly was nearly Fourth Rank in power, leaving him too powerless to resist and too shaken to muster any anger, only fear remained.
But what was so special about the pages before him?
Yeats couldn't see it, but Zehtti's sure attitude had him partially convinced.
Colin watched this scene, shocked and bewildered!
Yeats, a Third Rank wizard of the Yista School, would naturally be no small force... but at this moment, he was effortlessly subdued by Zehtti.
'The disparity between Third Rank wizards is this great... to think this is but a mere avatar of Zehtti!'
'And moreover... could Miss Zehtti be half of an alien race too?'
"Why has no High Rank wizard come forth?"
At this moment, Zehtti suddenly spoke.
She had assumed that with such commotion, another High Rank wizard from the city should have come to investigate immediately.
But instead, the vicinity only had a few wizards at most of Second Rank, who had gathered around and were hesitantly keeping their distance.
Colin suddenly felt a pang of anxiety; he gazed into the night sky, trying to spot any High Rank wizard.
But it was in vain, all was silent; he could only hear the crackling of flames licking at the wooden eaves above.
The night was silent, draping everything with a black veil that symbolized closure.
The drama had ended... no, or perhaps it had yet to take the stage.
The black curtain before his eyes might not signify an ending, but rather the preparation for the beginning...
Shua——!!
Rumble——!!
Just then, upheaval came from afar...
First came the brightness, followed by the noise.
Dazzling light and deafening noise mixed together, coming from the direction of the Southern Seven Islands in the distance.
Amid this sudden change, Yeats, who had already begun to believe some of Colin's words, suddenly turned pale... as if realizing the grave implications behind it.
'No, it can't be!' His throat swelled with denial, 'The witch in front of me must have been deceived!'
"The war has started up ahead, hasn't it?" Colin's face turned pale as he muttered unconsciously, instinctively turning to look at Yeats.
Yeats saw Colin's pallor and hesitated slightly...
A part of him was relieved that he had chosen to stay on the Parra Islands... No, it couldn't be! How could such an incredible event be true?!
He instinctively tried not to think too much about it and stated coldly:
"To catch the divine side off guard, two days ago, after completely seizing the Parra Islands, the wizards' elite troops, under the guise of regrouping, quietly continued towards the Southern Seven Islands."
"And four hours ago, all wizards of Third Rank and above, except those like me... ahem, who remained on the Parra Islands for defense, had quietly proceeded to the battlefield of the Southern Seven Islands under various pretexts..."
In fact, Yeats had lied; the operation required all wizards above Second Rank to move out... Yeats staying behind was not due to orders but due to fear.
It was after much pleading to Kregi that he was permitted, not commanded, to stay and guard.
Although Yeats never realized this, always having a reason... like the generosity of Pureblood Families not wishing to compete too fiercely for glory.
But in truth, he was never a brave man... Just as upon starting to believe the Elf Clan were traitors, his first thought wasn't about the frontlines but rather a sense of relief.