He quickened his pace until he entered the School's domain and felt the power of the Witch Array. Only then did Colin finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Outside, although everyone maintained a respectful demeanor when they saw the black badge pinned to his chest,
he himself was merely a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, and indeed he lacked confidence inside.
The crystal vendor he bargained with was an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice!
Although the vendor was estimated to be over sixty and had probably reached his peak in this lifetime... if the vendor chose so, he could still end his life.
The feeling that his life depended on someone else's whims was indeed somewhat oppressive.
Colin subtly adjusted his half leather armor that had shifted slightly from walking, his face expressionless.
He pushed open the narrow door, tethered his iron staff, then turned to look at the wide door next door.
A few carriages were slowly passing by there.
There were four carriages in total, loaded with goods, and the Coachmen driving were all common people.
On the island, that meant they were slaves.
Leading the way was a Steward, riding a brown horse alone, dressed in a plain gray Wizard Robe.
From the badge on his chest that was slightly different in style but also black, he seemed to be a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, probably around forty years old.
The Steward also saw Colin and gestured for the convoy to stop, then respectfully greeted him.
Colin nodded in response and continued walking.
The road in front of him was singular, and the middle-aged Steward was waiting for him to go first.
After Colin walked in front of the carriages,
the Steward waited a moment longer before signaling to the Coachmen behind to move on, then he dismounted and proceeded on foot.
He didn't seek to converse with Colin ahead, but rather maintained a proper distance, following behind.
At this time of day, Basic Level Wizard Apprentices like Colin were hopeless for advancement.
After being kicked out of the School in three months, his status wouldn't even compare to the Steward's, no longer worthy of currying favor.
Of course, there was also no need to offend, simply maintain respect and keep a distance.
'Is it already April?'
Listening to the clip-clop of hooves behind him, Colin suddenly thought.
Usually, the delivery day for living supplies was the first day of each month.
'But that makes sense.'
He pondered for a moment.
Since the sixth year, their courses had become once a month, arranged according to whenever the instructor was available, and they would be notified in advance or at the last minute.
The last class was precisely at the end of March, and now that a few days had passed, it should be April.
'Now that I think about it, starting today, there really are only three months left...' a sudden surge of anxiety rose from the depths of his heart.
"Cha... mmm!"
Suddenly, a faint shout seemed to carry through the wind, turning instantly into a muffled grunt!
Colin was startled and subconsciously slowed his pace, looking towards the Basic Level Apprentice living area not far ahead.
Although he had been in this world for several days now, he still felt very insecure and was exceedingly cautious about every disturbance.
There was no fence around the living area; the neatly arranged stone houses symmetrically flanked the main thoroughfare.
He glanced over but saw no one.
As the wind continued to blow, he gradually came to a stop and focused his attention on listening.
"Jeff... clear... situation, or... Mutual Assistance Association... this month's living supplies..."
Another person's voice carried over, and he pinpointed the specific location of the sound... it seemed to be on the right side of the main thoroughfare of the living area,
The voice was faint and intermittent, incomprehensible, but there was an elusive sense of familiarity.
"Sir, what's the matter?" The steward, following closely behind with the transport of goods, saw Colin stop and, after a moment of silence, walked up to him, leading a horse and asked proactively.
The distant sound was weak, and since he had been quite a distance from Colin, he hadn't heard it.
"...Nothing, just remembered something," Colin's eyes flashed with an unusual light as he shook his head and explained, then added, "You need to hurry with the transportation of the goods, go ahead, no need to follow me."
"Very well, sir."
The middle-aged steward looked somewhat puzzled, but without overthinking, he signaled to the convoy behind him, then bowed to Colin, mounted his horse, and rode off.
"Giddyap!"
Colin stepped aside to clear the road, standing at the edge of the path, watching as the four-horse carriage passed by at a leisurely pace.
The transport convoy was to deliver supplies first to the intermediate or higher level wizards residing in the distant castle.
The main road in the middle of their residences was the necessary route to get there.
Whatever was happening in the gathering area up ahead, it ought to be just strife among the apprentices and wouldn't affect the convoy... but whether it would affect him was an unknown.
For caution's sake, it was best to let the convoy lead. That way, at least, he would have ample reaction time.
In this strange world, one must be careful in all things.
As the last carriage slowly passed by him, Colin's gaze flickered, and he suddenly quickened his pace, walking alongside the carriage, keeping pace with it.
Because it was laden with a large amount of goods, the carriage was not moving fast, and it was easy to keep up just by quickening his steps a bit.
The coachman on the carriage felt the presence of someone beside the vehicle and turned his head for a glance.
Accidentally making eye contact with Colin, he instinctively became flustered and quickly turned away, but then, in a state of panic, he turned back again, tremblingly mustering a smile.
Colin waved his hand, unconcerned.
Ordinary people, unless they were relatives of a wizard, would always be just lowly slaves on this island.
Soon, the convoy entered the main road of the residential area which was not very wide.
Colin quickened his pace, moving to the middle of the carriage so that his figure was completely obscured; the coachman sitting in front couldn't help but straighten his back, his expression nervous.
The convoy continued on, and using the gaps between the carriages, Colin turned his head to look to the right, from where the sound had come.
His gaze swept over the tightly shut stone houses and empty alleys, seemingly peaceful, as if the earlier voice had been an illusion.
Colin continued to observe. Soon enough, he noticed something unusual.
In the third, dim alley sandwiched between stone houses.
Three figures stood in the middle, effectively shielding the path tightly.
They were all looking at the convoy passing by the alley.
'Charlie, Owen... and that person in the shadows, somewhat hard to make out, the black man Haywood? What were they doing gathered there?' Colin wondered.
'Is that... Jeff?' His pupils contracted suddenly, his heartbeat accelerating.
Behind Charlie and the other two, someone with a bloodied face unexpectedly stood up.
The features of the figure were somewhat obscured by the blood.
But the dismissive scoffing from Jeff during Charlie's speech in class that day, and the sight of him leaving first, remained vivid in memory.
He was certain that he wouldn't mistake it, that was Jeff!
As the scene inside the alley gradually vanished from sight, Colin slowly turned his head back.
'Could it be Charlie taking revenge for the humiliation Jeff caused him that day?' He speculated silently.
Although the logic could match up, something still seemed off to him, 'But why would Haywood and Owen be with him? Did Jeff also offend those two, or were they helpers Charlie found?'
'And the "Mutual Assistance Association"...' Now he remembered the vague voice from the wind earlier, which he suspected was Charlie's.
After following the carriage for a bit more, Colin turned into a small alley on the left, looping back to his own stone house.
Upon returning to his stone house, he set aside the incident in the alley, hastily ate breakfast, and without further ado entered the Meditation Room.
He was about to start crafting a Bright Crystal!