The murky sky above twinkled with sparse morning stars, the dawn still submerged below the horizon.
Colin had left early and was already in the lab of the True Knowledge Society.
The wondrous transformation compelled him to increase his time spent on Ice Element Transformation.
From the dim morning to the pitch-dark night, often, excluding meditation and sleep, he spent his days researching a remedy for the Miracle.
He didn't want his past efforts to have been in vain, nor did he wish to miss out on the remaining readily accessible 400,000 Magic Stones.
...
Isidore tightly shut the thick black iron door of the basement, activated the double-protection Witch Array, and after carefully checking that it was functioning properly, he turned and prepared to head out.
Stepping outside, he looked around cautiously.
Isidore's courtyard was in a secluded location, deep within the neighborhood, not directly facing the streets and seldom visited.
Yet, at this moment, in the corner of Isidore's eyes, he distinctly saw several figures faintly visible in garb typical of Wizards at the end of the alley.
He smoothed his collar and didn't bother further.
Isidore knew those people probably had their own agendas, but he didn't feel it was directed at him
—such situations had persisted for a long time.
After the lightning-like Crimson Operation, the nine Wizard Cities did not experience the anticipated peace.
Even while staying in the basement, Isidore could still sense the movements of the Law Enforcement Team Wizards occasionally flying overhead.
The effects of losing vast areas of the Sea Domain had only started to trickle into Wizard City today.
The hybrid Wandering Wizards felt it first, as they were the first to notice a rise in the city's prices.
Initially, the increase was slight, but even so, it plunged Wizards barely sustaining their finances into bankruptcy.
Not to mention that the prices continued to climb.
Many Wizards felt as if overnight, they had become unable to afford the costs of living in Neustadt City anymore.
For the unsupported Wandering Wizards, they had the choice to either leave Neustadt City or create new sources of revenue to increase their income.
However, only a few Wizards could diversify their income... and even fewer could do so through legitimate means...
Isidore quickly walked out of the alley and then hailed a public coach that sped off towards Copper Rose Street.
Sitting wasn't exactly comfortable, but with the somewhat familiar cushioning, Isidore felt a moment of nostalgia, as it had been many years since he had last ridden a public coach.
Was it after advancing to First Rank? Maybe precisely after reaching First Rank Intermediate?
Isidore shook his head... he was now a Second Rank Wizard.
Approaching Copper Rose Street, an idea flickered in Isidore's mind, and he retrieved several ordinary-looking Witch Tools from his Storage Ring.
Their energy fluctuations were weak, with the most powerful being merely at First Rank level, their designs among the most common in the market.
These were undesirable but extra income for him brought by shortsighted thieves.
After stowing these ordinary items, Isidore then fondly touched a silver necklace that had slipped from his chest, shaped like a swan with eyes of black, costly crystal.
Rubbing the swan necklace, a clear pained expression crossed Isidore's face.
"Sigh—!"
The public coach slowed to a stop.
"Sir, Copper Rose Street is here."
Isidore stowed the necklace away and slowly stepped down from the coach, eventually entering a modest-looking shop.
Half an hour later, Isidore emerged from the shop and briskly made his way to a hidden house in the adjacent street.
"Has the merchandise I wanted arrived?" Isidore, in disguise, entered and spoke to the Wizard in front.
"It has," the portly Wizard replied with a smile, producing a frost-emitting Ice Ball from his hand.
"Hmm," Isidore nodded, extending one hand to pass over the Magic Stones and the other prepared to receive the Ice Ball.
"Please wait, sir." The portly Wizard didn't take the Magic Stones but instead pulled back the hand holding the Ice Ball and paused to say, "This time, the price has increased."
"What do you mean by that?" Isidore's brows furrowed tightly.
This portly Wizard was a merchant he found who could supply frost materials consistently, and this was his third time here purchasing frost materials.
The previous two times, the price had been stable, but this time...
"Your Excellency may not be aware," the hefty wizard sighed, his voice tinged with anxiety, "but everything is rising in price, including my stock, and if I sell it to you at the original price, then I can only operate at a loss. I hope you understand."
Isidore furrowed his brows and after a long pause, he asked morosely, "How much more?"
The hefty wizard grinned, "Not much, just ten thousand Magic Stones."
The room fell silent, and after a long pause, Isidore finally spoke quietly,
"Okay."
When Isidore left the secluded cabin, the Magic Stones he had obtained in exchange for his swan necklace and those ordinary Witch Tools had completely vanished. In their place was a Frost material that could still sustain the miracle for ten days.
'Who knows how the situation is on the wood sprite's side.' Isidore touched his empty neck, his expression solemn.
This was the last of the Magic Stones he could gather, meaning this was the last Frost material.
By the day after tomorrow, the Witch Array would need a new material.
Including today, the miracle had only twelve days left.
Isidore didn't take the public carriage this time; instead, he donned a hood and flew low back to his home.
This was partly to save Magic Stones, and partly to save time.
After a hectic morning, it was nearly noon, and according to their arrangement, the wood sprite would typically come over to discuss things in the afternoon.
Hovering just a few inches above the ground, Isidore moved forward as if he were a ghost.
Although flying was banned in Neustadt City, such skimming was generally unpunishable unless directly caught by the Law Enforcement Team.
Of course, not many would do this—Advanced Wizard Apprentices wouldn't dare, and Official Wizards would not stoop to such an undignified mode of travel unless pressed for time.
Feeling somewhat vexed by the occasional astonished glances from passersby, Isidore was relieved when he finally turned into a familiar alleyway.
After a few turns, Isidore arrived at his front door and paused, surprised at the figure in front,
"The wood sprite, Your Excellency?"
He glanced at the time unconsciously; it was just after half-past ten, early for their usually scheduled meeting at two in the afternoon...
Startled, Isidore quickly contemplated a possibility and hurriedly approached with urgency,
"Your Excellency, the wood sprite, have you come so early because you have already..."
Colin nodded, his expression hidden behind the white mask, but his mechanical voice carried a trace of amusement:
"Yes, just as you thought, Mr. Isidore, I have successfully completed the commission."
Isidore's eyes brightened instantly, excitement surging as his lips faltered, seemingly trying to articulate something, but he eventually just said emphatically, "That's great!"
Taking several deep breaths, Isidore pushed open the door and said to Colin,
"Come, Your Excellency, the wood sprite, let us go inside and discuss this in detail."
Both descended to the basement.
Colin looked at the ice pillar beside him and started, "Mr. Isidore, first, I will demonstrate on regular Ice Element, and then I will modify the miracle."
"Modify?" Isidore waved his hand, "Your Excellency, the wood sprite, you only need to demonstrate on the Ice Element and teach me. As for the modification of the miracle, I will do that personally."
Colin paused briefly, "Are you sure, Mr. Isidore? Mastering the modification will take at least half a month, and even just learning the basics could take a week…"
"I have made up my mind." Isidore merely waved his hand again.
Seeing this, Colin regretfully glanced at the miracle nearby and nodded.
"Alright, Mr. Isidore...if you insist."
Some regret lingered, but that was all.
For Colin, whether he could touch the miracle was secondary. What mattered was securing the remaining four hundred thousand Magic Stones.
As for whether Isidore could save the miracle, that was beyond his control.
Colin conjured an Ice Element and began to demonstrate while explaining.
His chosen approach involved using the original core of the Ice Element as the basis for the upgrade instead of merging it with the Life Cycle Core. This plan was more difficult than simply combining two cores but because it kept the structural integrity of the original Ice Element core relatively intact, the final outcome was more stable and had fewer potential adverse effects.
Colin spoke with focus, and Isidore listened intently.
However, what neither noticed was that the pillar of ice behind them, which had initially been slightly turned away, had at some point turned to face them directly...