Chapter 404: Turbulence (Happy Chinese New Year's Eve!)
Wizard Erwin was confirmed missing two days after the elk monster appeared.
Before that, what surprised the wizards even more than the traces of Wizard Erwin was—Golden Feather Colin, who had coexisted with them for over two years, had such hidden talents!
Water turns to mud when it reaches the ground and becomes seawater when it meets the ocean, and in the sky, it turns into clouds high above.
For most people in this world, what kind of achievements they can obtain are largely determined by their environment.
This Golden Feather, Colin, came to the Roon Kingdom and lived unremarkably for two years, with no extraordinary actions witnessed... The stationed wizards had almost forgotten his identity as a Golden Feather, merely treating Colin the same as themselves, wizards on the fringes wasting time here without the attention of their Schools.
Therefore, when Welber and Ward vividly described at the gathering how formidable the Fire Element summoned by Colin was, almost all the stationed wizards had a look of stunned silence.
They were shocked to discover that gold is always gold; it may be temporarily obscured by dust, but its brilliance will shine again one day.
However, the next day, with the arrival of three members of the Yista School,
A new piece of shocking news redirected all wizards' attention away from Colin.
The three members of the Yista School gathered all the stationed wizards in the lobby on the first floor of the White Tower.
"Princess Jennifer, you're the last person who saw Lord Erwin. Do you remember him mentioning anywhere he wanted to go?"
A handsome green-haired young man stood on the high platform and softly inquired of the girl behind him, his words polite but his tone very blunt.
However, all the wizards present did not find it strange; this wizard named Com, a Second Rank Wizard from the Yista School, was already quite courteous to merely entertain a Wizard Apprentice.
Jennifer merely shook her head silently, her complexion somewhat pale.
"And what about you, Lord Serass, as a White Tower Guard Knight, did you see Lord Erwin leave?"
"I did not," replied Serass firmly, shaking his head calmly.
"I understand," Com nodded slightly, then shifted his gaze to the stationed wizards in the hall.
"We were originally here on School orders to routinely inspect the Roon Kingdom's preparations for the autumn harvest, but as you've seen—an unexpected discovery that Wizard Erwin has gone missing...
No message left behind, no one seen... Wizard Erwin and the other seven First Rank Wizards from the Roon Family have mysteriously vanished from the White Tower!"
The wizards below had various expressions upon hearing this.
The Official Wizards of the Roon Family lived within the White Tower; it was unforeseen that not only had Wizard Erwin gone missing, but the rest of the Official Wizards residing in the White Tower had disappeared with him?
Welber glanced at Colin subconsciously, recalling that the latter seemed to have mentioned it offhandedly the day before.
It wasn't that he suspected Colin of any wrongdoing, but he couldn't help feeling why he hadn't detected it himself... Is this the difference between an ordinary wizard and a Golden Feather?
"I have already reported this matter to Neustadt, and until we receive orders, everything will proceed as originally planned, but please, everyone, do not leave Roon Kingdom's territory."
Com simply inquired with all the wizards, and after thoroughly understanding the situation, he issued his orders.
As a member of the Yista School and the sole Second Rank Wizard present, his actions seemed quite normal.
Yet Colin still felt something odd.
Previously, when he and Welber went to meet Wizard Erwin, they were told that Wizard Erwin was in retreat.
So why did Com and the others discover the truth of Erwin's disappearance so soon after their arrival?
The three from the Yista School should have received the same explanation.
After all, routinely inspecting the preparations for the harvest isn't a complicated matter, and Erwin could have simply not received Com and the others temporarily due to being busy, delegating some other Kingdom Wizard to lead them for the inspection.
Com and his party couldn't say much more either since wizards sometimes can't afford to be interrupted or disturbed when working on certain research...
"Lord Colin, there is a gathering tonight, will you be attending?"
As he left the White Tower, Welber approached hesitantly and spoke, interrupting his train of thought.
"Everyone is amazed that you can summon a Second Rank Fire Element... If you come tonight, certainly no wizard would be absent."
"…Sorry."
After pondering for a moment, Colin still shook his head in refusal.
Setting aside that Lillian and Shelley were waiting for him, his Flame Shadow witchcraft was also on the verge of breakthrough; he was confident he could successfully create "Flame Shadow" tonight!
Rather than indulging in such pointless socializing, it was better to focus on improving his own strength.
…
The next morning at dawn, just as the sky was lighting up, Colin indeed overcame the final hurdle of Flame Shadow, creating a complete modification model!
However, before he could start modifying the first Flame Shadow, Com issued another summoning order.
Hurrying to the White Tower just in time, the handsome Com stood on the platform where Erwin usually stood, watching them calmly; although he didn't purposefully show off, that intrinsic superiority in his bones was undeniable.
For those in the upper echelons of the Wizard World, there was no concept of water that can carry a boat, can also capsize it.