The dense forest was quiet and serene.
Beneath the shadows of the trees, Garna and Bale seemed to be communicating.
Even so, their focus never left Colin, who was half-lying on the ground.
Colin was doing the same, waiting for the next move from Garna and Bale.
He had already prepared for the worst. If Garna and Bale decided to attack, he would have to face them no matter what troubles might follow!
From a distance, there were prying eyes from Renee, Demi, and Nasi.
Garna and Bale paid them no attention, just as they had not chosen to deal with these maids first—it would just be a matter of convenience once they handled Colin.
"Hand over anything of value you have, and maybe we'll spare you."
After a brief silence, Garna, disguised, watched Colin and spoke in a mechanical voice that revealed no gender.
Colin sighed with relief upon hearing this… the situation was moving in the direction he had hoped.
The real purpose of Garna and Bale was to obtain Joyce's non-existent legacy, but that premise held only if he was the murderer of Joyce.
However, at the moment, he appeared defenseless, hardly looking like someone capable of killing Joyce.
Thus, Colin speculated that once Garna and Bale realized he was probably not Joyce's killer and there was no rightful benefit or reason,
they would likely refrain from getting involved in the karma of killing a member of the Golden Feather.
Though his mind raced with thoughts, time in reality was just a moment. Colin stayed silent, continuing to watch the two.
"Hmph!" Bale suddenly snorted and waved his hand, grabbing the Storage Ring from Colin's hand.
Colin wanted to resist, but Garna released an attack just in time.
Thus, Colin could only watch as the Storage Ring was taken away.
"Just over a thousand Magic Stones, and some junk..." Bale sneered inwardly, thinking this was the poorest member of the Golden Feather he had ever seen!
Storing the Storage Ring away, he exchanged glances with Garna.
In the next moment, both of their figures vanished from sight, leaving behind only the remnants of witchcraft and the rugged ground in the quiet forest.
Of course, under the surveillance of the Frost Shadow hidden on Garna, Colin knew that Garna and Bale hadn't left at all, but had merely concealed themselves again.
"Hisss—"
Seeing the two had left, the "diminished" Colin on the ground visibly relaxed and let out a soft cry of pain as he began casting Healing Magic on himself.
"Master, are you alright?" Renee, pulling Demi along, ran over in urgency.
It was the first time they had seen Colin so injured; the sisters quickly pulled out their handkerchiefs to wipe the fresh blood from his face.
"Poor Colin..." Nasi came to Colin with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Colin said with a forced smile, trying to reassure them. But seeing Renee's anxious face and Nasi's tearful eyes, his anger deepened.
Yet outwardly, he continued, appearing grateful,
"Those two wizards have left... fortunately, they were only after wealth. Once I recover a bit, we'll continue our journey and make haste for the Roon Kingdom."
"Of course, Master," Renee nodded.
Five minutes later, a somewhat recovered Colin led Renee and Demi up, resuming their journey toward the Roon Kingdom.
Thus, about ten minutes later, while Colin's figure flew relentlessly, his expression subtly changed.
Garna and Bale had finally truly departed.
Colin's expression gradually darkened.
'Because I have no backing, so they can bully me at will?'
The recklessness displayed by Garna and Bale truly sent chills down his spine.
No evidence, just suspicion, and the mere possibility of Magic Stones justified their assault.
Garna and Bale had never considered what if their assumption was wrong.
If Joyce's death truly had nothing to do with him, if he was just an ordinary First Rank Wizard,
wouldn't today's injuries have been endured in vain?
If it weren't for the Storage Ring prepared to confuse them, wouldn't today have meant getting beaten while also losing wealth?
The gloom on Colin's face gradually eased as he suddenly let out a light laugh:
"Unfortunately, the one who killed Joyce was me... My real strength is indeed not just a First Rank Wizard."
After about half an hour.
"Damn it!"
As he was nearly reaching the border of Neustadt Kingdom, Bale still felt somewhat chagrined.
"Just over a thousand Magic Stones... Such a waste of effort!"
Gna's expression also looked somewhat displeased as he took a deep breath and reassured himself,
"It's okay, we weren't sure, it was just conjecture."
"If he wasn't from the Golden Feather, I would have certainly killed him today to soothe my resentment!" Bale gritted his teeth as though he had suffered a great injustice.
Gna nodded, then shook his head, "No benefit in it, simply bearing the risks of killing a Golden Feather was not worth it.
Now, at least we have over a thousand Magic Stones as profit, and not too much risk... Since the Golden Feather survived, the School won't stir up trouble. With how much the Golden Feather is esteemed, nothing will come of this matter."
"I'm still quite upset," Bale frowned.
Gna nonchalantly said, "If you want, and don't mind the trouble, you can teach the Golden Feather a lesson like today in the future. He's only a First Rank Wizard after all, as long as you don't actually kill him, there won't be a big problem."
"But I'm not really interested. By the way, did you cancel the backup you left for the Family?" Gna asked again, "I have already cancelled it because if the Family knew now, there would be concrete evidence of our attack on a Golden Feather today."
"Of course I cancelled it," Bale nodded, his hastiness in doing things didn't mean he was foolish.
Their conversation seemed to trigger some keyword, as suddenly a strange energy fluctuation appeared around them.
"What is that?"
Gna was the first to react, frowning and quickly bolstering himself with Defensive Witchcraft.
Bale, taken aback, also employed Defensive Witchcraft on himself.
Swipe!
Swipe, swipe, swipe!
Following that, six large frost-blue monsters surrounded them.
Feeling the strong energy fluctuations coming from the six monsters, Bale and Gna's complexions both turned deathly white.
"Six Second Rank Peak Frost Monsters... How is that possible?" Bale's lips trembled.
But the Frost Shadow would not hesitate for a moment, a blanket of attacks suddenly rained down on them.
Boom!
Under the attack equivalent to six Second Rank Advanced Wizards, Gna and his companion had no chance of resistance. After just one round of attacks, they were left barely gasping for breath.
Colin, hidden in the dark about ten miles away, did not show himself. He was about to continue commanding the Frost Shadow to attack, but then he heard the words of Gna, who was struggling for breath:
"Sir in the shadows, could there be some misunderstanding? Both he and I are members of the Pureblood Family from Neustadt City. Could you let us go and surely there would be repayment afterward!"
If it weren't for Gna simply speaking into thin air, Colin would have thought he had been exposed.
He chuckled lightly and then, controlling one of the Ice Elements, he said in a deadpan voice:
"Hand over everything valuable on you, or maybe I will let you go."
The barely alive Gna and Bale were stunned.
A robbery? Beating someone half to death and then robbing them. Is that how you rob?!
"Hope sir's word can be trusted."
But they had no other choice. Mustering the last of their strength and after speaking, they honestly threw over their Storage Rings.
However, the next moment.
"Sir... How can you not keep your word."
"You cheat!"
"No!"
The only traces left of Gna and his companion in this world were their echoing screams.
Two hours later.
An easy and happy Colin, with his specially unhealed wounds, arrived "bedraggled" in the Roon Kingdom.