After leaving Isidore's residence, Colin plunged headfirst into the laboratory.
The problem with Miracle was simple—it required adding a structure that could independently extract energy from the outside world to sustain itself.
However, the actual operation was extremely complex, requiring attention to numerous details.
Such elemental puppets were equivalent to humans without the ability to eat, lacking esophagi, stomachs, or intestines.
—And they did not exist at the genetic level.
It was no easy feat to add a self-consistent and stable energy extraction structure to them afterward.
Colin sat behind the silvery-white laboratory table, closing his eyes to inspect the Summoning Ice Element crystal.
Somehow, he felt he was growing fonder of studying witchcraft.
Challenging commissions like Miracle's didn't deter him; they instead stimulated his interest.
A smooth, uneventful life and a life that could be seen from beginning to end were equally dull.
Some challenges were more exciting!
However, Colin soon encountered his first problem.
The next day, at Isidore's residence.
Colin frowned at Isidore, paused, then spoke gravely,
"If I cannot access Miracle, I cannot proceed with my research."
Isidore appeared normal at all other times, except when dealing with matters related to Miracle—he was particularly...pathological.
He actually didn't want him to access Miracle?!
Without access to the target in need of aid, how could he possibly provide help?
Isidore gave a smile, but didn't relent, simply saying,
"Lord Elf, Miracle's physical structure is no different from a normal Ice Element.
Any method effective on a normal Ice Element should work on Miracle; the witchcraft you have previously delivered has already proven this."
"If you need actual research materials, I have given you the Summoning Witchcraft; you can summon the Ice Element yourself for study.
Of course, if you need my help with the summoning, that's fine too, it just needs to be scheduled."
Colin scrutinized Isidore and asked again,
"There isn't much time left for Miracle; this approach might work, but it will inevitably waste more time."
"Moreover, as you say, even if Miracle's body is like that of a regular Ice Element, its spirit is fundamentally different.
With this difference, there might be effects, and eventually, even if experiments succeed on an Ice Element, no one can ensure they will succeed on Miracle. If they do not succeed, then we still have to..."
"I understand, Lord Elf," Isidore interrupted him.
He glanced back at the ice column, his pale gray eyes beneath white eyebrows filled with a pathological love and indifference.
"But let it be; if everything works on an Ice Element but fails on Miracle, then it must be fate."
Colin relaxed his brow, not saying anything further.
If the client was willing to accept such risks, he as a paid Wizard, what could he say?
Colin finally cast a deep look at Miracle within the pale blue ice column and turned to leave.
The figure of the young girl, Miracle, with her eyes tightly closed, floated within the ice column, her crystal blue hair spreading like seaweed...
*
*
*
In the subsequent time, Colin temporarily paused his research, prioritizing learning Summoning Ice Element.
Having Isidore help summon Ice Elements for research was not a long-term solution; he ultimately decided to learn to summon Ice Elements himself.
Only by summoning Ice Elements could he have the materials needed to conduct research.
With the Golden Paper, about ten days later, Colin was able to recite the Spell and summon Ice Elements, finally starting his research properly.
But on this day, another piece of good news arrived—
Lillian had successfully advanced to a Second Rank Wizard!
March 11 of the Yanan Calendar, at Atbolde's residence.
Time swiftly reached March; the chill of deep winter gradually receded, replaced by the breath of spring, and the trees in Neustadt City started to sprout.
Of course, the same was true at Atbolde's residence.
The originally snow-covered, yellow-brown grassland revealed its dark brown nature again, dotted with tiny new greens that were vibrant, bringing joy to anyone who saw them.
Outside the wooden house, Atbolde set up a simple grill, next to which stood a long wooden table that seemed to have grown from the ground itself, filled with various ingredients.
Colin couldn't help but think back to the monthly gatherings of the Rudolph Faction.
Back then, the mornings were just as sunny, and they, the apprentices, would gather on the third floor of the villa, eating some food, chatting, asking the mentor questions, and occasionally gazing up at their senior, the Official Wizard Lillian.
Now, only the sunshine remained the same.
"Good morning, mentor, senior."
Colin took a deep breath, a smile forming as he greeted them.
"Good morning." Atbolde smiled and turned around, behind him, a field of flowers swayed in the breeze.
Lillian also turned and smiled back at him.
Colin always felt that somehow, Senior Sister Lillian seemed to look a bit older now.
Before, she usually only appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old at most, but now she seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister, on your successful advancement to a Second Rank Wizard!"
Colin continued to congratulate her, walking over to the table to help with the food preparation.
"Thank you." Lillian pursed her lips into a smile, then looked at Colin and asked, "How are you doing with your points accumulation, Junior Brother? Do you need any help?"
Colin paused slightly in his task, smiling and shaking his head, "I am gradually accumulating points. I just advanced to First Rank not long ago; there's no rush. During this period, I plan to focus on learning and consider advancing when the time is right."
"That's good, the realm is not the real foundation of a wizard, knowledge is," Lillian nodded, then playfully added with a smile:
"If you need help, feel free to ask me... after all, maybe it won't be too long before you surpass me again."
Though she said this, Lillian believed that even if it wouldn't take too long, it would still take Colin a year or two to surpass her again in strength...
She looked up at Colin.
At least for the next year or two, she could still maintain the dignity of being a Senior Sister and help Colin a bit.
The celebration was simple, just everyone sitting together, barbecuing, and chatting casually.
Sometimes, fewer people can make it warmer, more people can make it lonelier.
Now, only the three of them and a field of flowers remained in the Rudolph Faction, yet the atmosphere of the gathering was livelier.
As the charcoal heated and the aroma of the food wafted around, halfway through the event, Atbolde suddenly paused and said:
"There are people from Black Castle coming."
Colin frowned slightly; he didn't have a good impression of Black Castle.
However, this time the guests from Black Castle brought good news.
"Lady Lillian," the visitor was an apprentice, bowing his head respectfully as he handed a Silver Feather Token to Lillian, "Please keep this Silver Feather Token safe."
Lillian took the Silver Feather, and the apprentice took his leave.
"But I took quite a bit of time to advance to Second Rank Wizard, why did I still receive a Silver Feather Token?" Lillian looked at the Silver Feather Token, puzzled.
Atbolde laughed and seemed unfazed, "Because you are of Elf descent, your lifespan is many times that of a regular wizard. If we convert it to human ages, the time it took you to advance to Second Rank isn't considered long."
Atbolde's eyes held a hint of remembrance, "I never told you before, but in the earlier days, members of the Rudolph Family, were at least Copper Feather.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister," Colin timely offered his blessings.
Lillian revealed a smile and put away the token.
Regardless, the benefits brought by the Silver Feather were tangible—an unexpected joy!
The trio returned to the barbecue grill.
"Lillian, if you want to go further, you might consider joining a faction next," Atbolde suddenly said.
Colin paused slightly, Atbolde had mentioned something similar to him before.
He turned his head to look towardsLillian.
She also paused, setting down the forked meat, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "That depends on whether I can find a suitable faction."
"You are already a Silver Feather, you have much more choice than before," Atbolde added.
Lillian looked somewhat disheartened.
Atbolde did not avoid Colin and continued, "The Rudolph Family is a thing of the past, but you need to keep moving forward, Lillian."
Then Atbolde turned his head towards Colin and continued, "Colin, the same goes for you."
"As you climb higher, you will find resources are scarce and the journey challenging..."
The charcoal in the grill burned, Atbolde's voice lingering.
After a while, Lillian remained silent for a moment and then nodded, "I understand, Grandfather."
Was the glory of the Family possibly irrecoverable?
Lillian didn't know, but she cherished the memories of when her parents were around, during which the Rudolph Family, even at its weakest, was greater than others; moreover, with her father being a Golden Feather, there seemed to be signs of a resurgence...
But all vanished like a fleeting dream, disappearing without a trace.
For the subsequent decades, Lillian lived under the discrimination against mixed blood, with occasional kindness often tainted with malicious intents.
"The Rudolph Family will not disappear," she silently affirmed to herself, the joy of advancing to Second Rank Wizard suddenly transforming into a heavy responsibility.
Perhaps Grandfather Atbolde no longer yearned for the family to regain its former glory, and she might also not be able to restore the Rudolph Family's past honors.
But at the very least... at the very least, she wanted to prove to those people that she could still become a High Rank Wizard, that being of mixed blood didn't inherently make her inferior!
Lillian's complex psychological turmoil was, of course, unknown to Colin.
He merely sensed Atbolde's gaze and nodded in agreement.
After all, Atbolde had no other intentions but to hope that they could continue moving forward, living better and climbing higher.
However, only Colin knew his own situation.
He had not changed his mind.
Compared to the path of joining a faction, which for most meant an easier route, the path he was currently on was the better one for him.