Marjorie looked up blankly, thinking she must have been hallucinating.
But seeing Colin's earnest expression, she knew it wasn't an illusion and murmured with emotion,
"Junior Brother Colin…"
"We mustn't delay, Senior Brother Marjorie," Colin urged in a serious tone.
He held the Ancient Tree Heart Necklace in his palm, a glint of cold light flashing in his deep blue eyes.
Seemingly reminded of something, Colin turned around again, ready to collect the corpses of the two pitch-black creatures they had just dealt with.
Neustadt City maintained order; actions such as wantonly taking the lives of Apprentices, transforming them, and attacking a Wizard Apprentice couldn't be done openly.
Of course, for the lofty Schools and Pureblood Families, even if such deeds were exposed, they were inconsequential.
This was also why Marjorie, after deducing that Yasi intended to harm Atbolde, had not even considered reporting it to the School.
Those Pureblood Families held most of the power within the Schools, deeply interconnected. A mere Apprentice reporting such things would most likely result in a quiet disappearance.
But in the vast Neustadt City, who else could they, unsupported and alone, rely on other than themselves?
Therefore, even if it only added a little bargaining chip, it was crucial to hold onto it tightly.
However, before Colin could extend his hand,
Sssss.
The two pitch-black creature bodies on the ground turned abruptly into fine dust and then, at an astonishingly rapid pace, dissipated into black mist in the air.
"Truly ruthless," Marjorie was startled inwardly.
They didn't just turn people into half-dead monsters; even after death, not even a corpse was left, pulverizing to ashes completely!
"Let's go," Colin paused, his extended arm hesitating before he withdrew his gaze, ready to head downstairs.
"Wait, Junior Brother Colin!" However, at this moment, Marjorie grabbed hold of him.
"What's the matter?" Colin turned back and asked, puzzled.
He scanned the surroundings.
Thanks to the Silent Spell cast earlier, all commotion had been concealed; the hallway was now utterly silent, with no one coming out to investigate.
"We can't go," Marjorie said, taking a deep breath, sadness still evident in his face but now with a changed mind.
"Yasi Hidosh is a Second Rank Wizard, even though only at the Basic Level, but with our strength, trying to confront him is like throwing an egg against a rock—even with the mentor, it's no use; you should be clearer than I am about the mentor's condition."
"Junior Brother Colin—" Marjorie looked at him with reddening eyes, trying to keep his tone steady, "With your Talent, you have a bright future ahead, and you shouldn't perish tonight."
"If... if you're willing to remember the mentor's hatred, then as long as you're alive, there will come a day in the future when you'll surpass Second Rank!
One day, you'll avenge the mentor and wash away the hate!"
He clenched his teeth, his voice seeming to burst from the gaps between them.
"But the mentor is not coming back to life, is he?" Colin said.
Marjorie's face of hatred froze, his brows and eyes lowering, his complexion gradually turning somber.
"Senior Brother Marjorie—" Colin looked at him and paused before continuing calmly,
"Mentor Atbolde will not die."
"At least, not tonight."
Marjorie lifted his head again.
He looked at Colin.
The young man spoke with a calmness as if discussing the most mundane matter,
Yet it brought tremendous comfort.
A glimmer called hope, which had almost been extinguished in Marjorie's heart, began to shine once more, his eyes gradually brightening.
Colin spoke no further and turned, striding quickly downstairs.
Hearing Marjorie's following footsteps, Colin had a thought.
But the next moment, he dismissed the idea that had just surfaced.
He wanted to tell Marjorie to stay here and wait for news, since he was just an ordinary Advanced Wizard Apprentice.
It was clear, however, that this was as meaningless as Marjorie's words urging him to stay—it made no sense.
Not all decisions in this world could be persuaded logically, no matter how much more sensible they may seem...
Stepping out of the rental building, Colin took a deep breath of the cool air.
Neustadt City had its streetlights, too, but they weren't powered by electricity; rather, they were plants that had undergone special modifications.
They absorbed sunlight during the day and emitted light at night.
Now, under their dim yellow radiance, he keenly perceived tiny, sparkling flecks drifting down from the sky.
Colin paused slightly.
"It's snowing," Marjorie said softly, looking up from behind.
"...Yes."
Withdrawing his gaze, he took off with Marjorie towards the direction of the School.
The cold wind whistled through the streets as the snowflakes swirled in the dim light.
If he remembered correctly, this was the first snow he had encountered since arriving in this world.
The crystalline snowflakes kept colliding with the invisible Protective Shield, not unlike snowflakes hitting a car windshield in his former life.
Colin glanced up at the dark sky.
In his previous life, he wasn't an indifferent person, at least... not a bad one.
Although he wasn't keen on socializing, he still harbored the most basic kindness.
Yet since arriving in this dangerous world, everything around him pressured him to remain indifferent, to keep his distance.
This approach was indeed correct, and precisely because of it, he had been able to escape from Blackstone Island and survive in McIntosh's experiments.
Even so, there were still some lines that couldn't be crossed.
Vengeance must be taken.