Sifler looked at the confident young man in front of him and chuckled wryly.

Yes, Cole had grown up.

As one gets older, it's easy to overlook the passage of time.

The little brat from back then had now turned into a strong individual capable of handling things on his own.

The fledgling eagle had grown into a mighty eagle, and indeed no longer needed him to worry so much.

"Then you should make sure you're ready before you go, and be careful in everything," Sifler advised, feeling at that moment that he was truly old.

Cole flashed a bright and confident smile, "Mm-hmm, I'm leaving now, teacher."

Sifler nodded and said, "Upon your return, I will arrange a marriage for you."

Cole gave a wry smile and ran off as if to escape.

He didn't want to be tied down by marriage so early; the years he spent traveling had made him fall in love with the feeling of freedom.

Once one steps into marriage, many things become beyond one's control.

Sifler thought more about it—if Cole wanted to become a Great Mage, talent alone was not enough; he needed sufficient support behind him.

But even the entire Noen Kingdom didn't have the means to cultivate a Great Mage.

The marriage Sifler mentioned was an alliance with the Elf Race.

The Elf Race stood tall above everyone else, rulers of the entire world.

If Cole could marry into the Elf Race, his future would be smooth-sailing, and becoming a Great Mage would just be a matter of time.

However, Cole has always been resistant to marriage, which troubled Sifler greatly.

Sifler sighed, "Sigh, can't be hasty; Cole is still young, let it unfold slowly."

Indeed, the alliance couldn't be rushed; the current Cole might not catch the Elf Race's attention.

Once Cole matured further, if he could become a Magic Master, the marriage would likely succeed.

Sifler had no doubt Cole would become a Magic Master; the only issue was how to convince Cole.

If Cole were to marry into the Elf Race, his status would inevitably be lower; it was uncertain how to convince Cole to accept this.

The Elf Race is a noble and arrogant race; most humans don't catch their eye.

Only someone as exceptional as Cole had a sliver of chance to connect with the Elf Race.

Cole was still young and hadn't understood the importance of resources.

His journey had been too smooth; Sifler hoped that this relic exploration would bring Cole some setbacks.

Life should not be too smooth.

...

A month passed, and Herag had a relatively peaceful time.

Since the adventurers entering the Lime Mountain Range were eradicated a month ago, no adventurers could be seen anymore.

Base 27 still arranged for their patrols, but no one was in sight.

No one dared to come anymore, making the patrol duties a bit dull.

Although Herag found it boring, such days were quite pleasant.

Five months had passed; waiting seven more months would complete a year.

By then, returning to the Wizard Plane would grant him permanent resident status in the Land of Dawn.

So, having peaceful days was naturally the best, slacking off when possible.

During this period, Herag continued to cultivate one step at a time.

The austere base life hadn't affected him at all; for him, it was merely a change of cultivation location.

Herag felt the Plane Coordinate Mark in the palm of his left hand, already filled with energy.

He could activate the Plane Coordinate Mark at any time and head to the Abyss Plane.

But now wasn't the right time.

He was still within Base 27; any action would be noticed by the wizards at the base.

If Herag dared to activate the Plane Coordinate Mark, his disappearance would immediately catch Parker's attention.

A living person disappearing out of nowhere at the base would be too unusual.

When he returned from the Abyss Plane, he would face endless interrogation.

"Let's go, time to head back."

Herag glanced at the sky; today's patrol duty was complete, and it was time for the shift change.

David and Reese followed behind Herag as they headed back to the base.

Since the last time Herag showcased his strength in the valley, David and Reese had become more convinced of his capabilities.

The power and speed Herag displayed had taken them both by surprise.

For wizards, pursuing truth and adhering to the principle of might makes right, the strong naturally earn respect from others.

Herag's strength bolstered the confidence of David and Reese.

They were seen as a unit, always assigned tasks together.

The stronger Herag was, the safer they were.

By the time Herag and his team returned to Base 27, it was already nightfall.

Base activities were numerous, with people coming and going.

Recently, more newcomers had arrived at the base, all wizards from the Land of Dawn.

These wizards had clear factional alignments, quickly finding allies upon arrival, gathering to act together.

The trio from the Barren Land appeared somewhat isolated here.

Fortunately, they weren't oppressed; others simply didn't initiate contact or conversation with them.

Herag and his companions remained earnest and behaved, avoiding trouble and keeping a low profile, managing not to have any conflicts with other wizards so far.

All three were clear about their goals—just getting through the year here was enough, needing to avoid any unexpected conflict.

Upon returning to his cabin, Herag found Asuna engrossed in her reading.

Seeing Herag return, she immediately stood up and bowed, "Master, you're back."

"Hm, how's your learning going?" Herag nodded and asked.

Asuna had been studying the Sivir Language lately and was making rapid progress.

Under Herag's orders, Asuna hadn't left the cabin at all.

Whenever Herag was out on a mission, Asuna stayed in the cabin, resolutely not going out.

She couldn't cause any trouble for Herag.

Asuna understood profoundly that she was able to live because she still had some value to offer.

If she brought trouble to Herag, her chances of survival would be none.

During this time, Herag asked Asuna many questions, learning about her life from childhood.

From Asuna, Herag gained more understanding of this world.

Due to Chatiya's high status, her insights were primarily about the internal affairs of the Elf Race; she knew little about the world's lower strata.

Asuna, being someone who clawed her way up from the lowest levels, was thoroughly familiar with these matters.

"Master, I've already grasped the basics of grammar and vocabulary," Asuna replied in the Sivir Language.

Herag nodded without saying much, sitting down on the bed to rest for a moment.

Asuna adeptly lit a fire, brewed a pot of coffee, and then brought a basin of hot water for Herag to wash his feet.

Asuna, having endured hardships since childhood, was efficient at such tasks and worked diligently.

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