Each person could only use this public testing area for a maximum of one hour.
Colin had also heard that typical Professors at the Black Tower had their own private research labs, which they could use for as long as they wanted. They also received a certain amount of research funding—the main reason those Mage-Professors were constantly vying with one another.
Even stronger Mages could have their own Mage Towers.
A so-called Mage Tower didn’t necessarily have to be a "tower." Simply put, it was a Mage’s stronghold.
This stronghold would have comprehensive research facilities and an independent source of magical energy, enough for a Mage to stay inside and research Magic until the end of the world.
Achieving these two things ant exorbitant costs, so Mages would also add many defensive asures to their Mage Towers, such as installing Steel Golems and the like.
A Mage Tower was essentially a symbol of whether a Mage could stand on their own. Everything inside was incredibly expensive.
Colin couldn’t be bothered to calculate such a sum right now.
’With my current knowledge, I probably couldn’t figure it out anyway.’
"Colin? Finally found you."
Just as Colin was walking down the hallway, Morel approached from the opposite direction.
The man was wearing a robe and holding a cup of coffee, still with that sa lazy deanor. It made one wonder how he had managed to secure a position in the Black Tower, which was known for not tolerating idlers.
"What’s up?"
"We’ve heard from Edwin. You have nine days to get to Torrent Bay." Morel yawned. "A ship called the *Beauty Maiden* will take you to the White Tower. The other squads heading over will be with you."
"What about the job of dealing with the Evil Demon?"
"He hasn’t ntioned that yet. Just head over there first," Morel said. "I’ll notify you with Magic when the ti cos, so don’t worry."
’The real business is finally here.’
’Learning Magic is incredibly expensive, so I have to make a lot of money on this trip south!’
"Got it. We’ll set out in the next couple of days," Colin said with a nod.
That night, he inford the rest of the team.
-----------------
Early the next morning, Colin and Ale walked together to the south gate of Thousand Masts City.
The weather was terrible that day. The entire sky was shrouded in grayish-white clouds, looking like a silver shield.
It had also been snowing heavily for the past few days.
Colin stopped and kicked at the snow, which ca up past his calves.
The white puffs of his breath drifted upward, and the cold air he inhaled made his nostrils dry and ache.
He looked back at Ale.
The young girl was wearing a long, white, one-piece woolen dress, paired with a short jacket that had a fur collar.
’That outfit looks very high-class. It must be worth a lot of money.’
Colin asked curiously, "Aren’t you cold wearing that?"
"Not at all," Ale said. "I’m probably just used to it. The Silver Star Court is quite cold itself. The Supre Forest blocks a lot of the cold winds blowing south, so the forest isn’t actually very warm."
"That sounds pretty rough," Colin said, rubbing his hands together. "Do only Elves live in the Silver Star Court?"
"Other races make up about half the population," Ale said. "As for Elves, most are Silver Elves. There are slightly fewer Copper Elves, and the least common are Golden Elves."
"So which kind are you?" Colin asked with a nod.
"My mother is a Golden Elf, and my father is a Silver Elf."
"Both are Elves?"
Ale hesitated for a mont, then said softly, "My father is a Half-Elf, so I have a quarter human blood..."
Like Dwarves, Elves were also divided into many different types.
Due to their long history, these Elven subspecies had many nas.
Silver Elves, also called Moon Elves, were the most common type of Elf in the Northern Lands. Just as Langgrin had ntioned before, they loved freedom and hated restraint. It was said that this type of Elf was a bit easier to get along with and not as arrogant.
Copper Elves were the ones found around Moss Stone Village. They were also called Wood Elves, loved Nature, and had a strong sense of territory.
Golden Elves, also called Day Elves or High Elves, were, as their nas suggest, the most arrogant type. Most of them still lived in the south; very few Day Elves would co to a "backwater" like the Northern Lands to adventure.
As they were chatting, Kase’s figure appeared down the street.
Colin shouted over to him, "Does Bob have a caravan?"
"No! The snow’s been too heavy lately. Not many rchant caravans are willing to set out in it!" Kase called back.
Colin said, "Then let’s just go on our own. This job is pretty urgent."
It would take about five full days to reach Torrent Bay on foot, and Edwin had only given them a week. The road conditions weren’t great, either.
"Did you buy the Antiseptic Oil and other stuff?"
"You can count on ." Colin pulled off his backpack as he spoke, placed it on the ground, and unfastened the clasps.
Kase ca closer, hollering, "We’ve gotta help you inspect it. We’d be screwed if you bought fakes."
Colin had found so ti to prepare their adventuring supplies during this period.
After all, no one else on the team was any good at shopping. Even Ale, despite her distinguished appearance, wasn’t skilled at haggling. She herself had admitted she only knew the prices of luxuries like Gemstones and furs and had no idea how cheap goods like these were sold.
’If she went to buy them, those crooked rchants would probably laugh their heads off.’
"First, a [Healing Potion] and a [Weak Antidote]. I got one of each for everyone." Colin handed two Potions to Kase. "Put these in your dicated Bandage for now. You never know when you’ll need them."
"We can afford to use stuff this expensive now?" Kase asked.
"These are Ale’s," Colin said, pointing to the Half-Elf standing nearby. "She had no use for her six [Healing Potions], so she’s essentially selling a few to the team."
"But I still haven’t finished the weak one I have."
"Just carry it for now. You can drink two in a row if you have to," Colin said, then took out a few clay jars. "This is the new Antiseptic Oil. Four jars in total. Should be enough to last us a long ti. This stuff works pretty well."
"Orelia’s coming," Kase said, looking toward the city gate.
Turning to look, Colin indeed saw a tiny figure struggling forward through the snowdrifts.
The Tiefling was bundled up extravagantly.
She wore a thick felt hat on her head, a thick, brown, long leather coat on the outside, mittens on her hands, and a pair of studded Leather Boots on her feet. She once again looked like the little penguin who had waddled about in Snow Deer Valley.
She was staring intently at a few sheets of paper in her hand, her brow tightly furrowed.
Then, before she had taken two more steps, she tripped on sothing and face-planted into the snow.
Seeing this, the others hurried over and pulled her out of the snowdrift.
"Ptooey, ptooey..." Orelia spat out two mouthfuls of snow.
"What are you doing?" Colin picked up the papers that had fallen on the ground. A closer look revealed they were the evaluation forms they had written.
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