Throughout the day, Colin's buttocks had scarcely left the sofa in the reception room.
He finally gained an intuitive understanding of the complex power relations within the Tin Saint School.
It was noteworthy that among these thirty-plus wizards, some were from the same faction but supported by different backers.
"Thank you for the Ausmon family's congratulations. I will consider it seriously."
As he stood up to see off the slim Witch from the Ausmon family, the sunset was nearing outside, with the orange sun hanging low in the west, soon to sink below the horizon.
Colin couldn't help but rub his face.
After a day of forced smiles, it felt as though there were even more wrinkles on his face.
If it weren't for the recent shortage of Magic Stones...
Shaking his head, Colin turned, planning to go to the study to check the gifts received that day. However, Renee informed him that another visitor was waiting outside.
— A visitor from the Hidosh family.
"Let her in," Colin struggled for a moment but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of the gifts and settled back onto the sofa.
Soon, the door to the reception room was pushed open, and Colin slightly raised his eyebrows.
This time from the Hidosh family was not the gentle and mature witch as before but a young Witch with a golden ponytail and a broad chest.
The Witch's appearance was lovely, her slim waist accentuated by her broad chest, making her look even more delicate.
However, after a day of continuous temptations by the beauty of the Pureblood families, Colin, who was already of modest desires, didn't even have the interest to look twice. He just wanted to end the meeting swiftly and accept the gifts.
As usual, there were pleasantries, and although he was weary inside, his outward demeanor remained flawless.
After a moment, the Witch initiated the main topic.
"Lord Colin, my family sent me to not only congratulate you on officially obtaining the Golden Feather Token but also to inquire about your thoughts on the previous invitation from our family?"
The Witch's smile was sweet, and her disposition inviting, but Colin had no interest in appreciating it and, after a moment of silent deliberation, he cautiously said,
"The conditions offered by the Hidosh family are truly tempting, perhaps one of the most generous among my school's factions." Colin's tone was sincere, but then he shook his head as he continued,
"But I've always enjoyed freedom since I was young and do not plan to join a faction. I only intend to remain stable within the school and cultivate slowly."
The smile on the Witch's face paused briefly, then she asked, puzzled, "Does this mean, Lord Colin, that you do not intend to join any faction?"
The Witch was somewhat incredulous, recalling Colin's previous conflicts with her family, she suspected this might be an excuse.
"Yes," Colin nodded, noticing her skepticism and added, "I do not decline to join the Hidosh family because of those conflicts, but rather because I truly dislike being constrained."
This statement was half-true—after the Hidosh family had severely punished those wizards, his resentments had largely dissipated.
But if he had to join a faction, he would never consider the Hidosh family.
He was not so forgiving.
The sea of flowers created by Marjorie, his senior, still bloomed next to the windows of his mentor's study.
Although those involved in the attempted assassination of his mentor and later the Black Castle Inspectors had received their due punishments,
he still had a gut feeling that there might have been another collaborator behind Yasi.
Considering Yasi's unfavorable position within the Hidosh family, it was highly unlikely he could persuade a manager with real power over the Witch Array to assist him in assassinating Atbolde.
This suspicion had always been in his mind, but Colin knew it was no small concession for the Hidosh family to make such an offer.
And even if spoken out loud, there was a greater likelihood that nothing would come of it without evidence.
The surprised witch confirmed several times before leaving with a shocked demeanor, her steps hurried, probably planning to report back as soon as possible.
Colin stood by the window facing the courtyard, watching as the Witch swayed away until she faded from view, then he turned to glance toward the horizon.
The orange sunset had mostly sunk, and the night's black-blue hues descended visibly.
A subtle worry flickered in Colin's eyes, but it was fleeting and soon vanished, leaving behind calmness.
Refusing to join a faction was an inevitable choice, and he would not regret it.
After all, the prospect of a decades-long binding contract was unbearable; had he signed in a moment of folly, his regret would have been even greater.
There were precedents within the school—though few, wizards who never joined a faction had always existed.
In the Tin Saint School, apprentices' mentors were usually First Rank Wizards, so once they advanced to Official Wizards, they were no longer under their original mentors.
At that point, they usually had two choices.
The first was to remain within their original faction and possibly be taken on by an Advanced Wizard as a student if their Talent and luck were good.
The second was to choose to leave the faction, becoming an independent Wizard within the school, only bound by the school's annual mandatory tasks and some enforced conscriptions.
The drawback was that they had to earn all of their resources independently.
'But freedom is more precious.'
Night had fully fallen. Colin smiled, turned, and went back inside to tally the gifts he received that day.
…
Deep within the Tin Saint School.
In the area belonging to the Hidosh family, inside a study.