Desi

Supporting Monli, Arrow struggled aboard the ship, where a young man of about twenty came forward to greet them.

He wore a gray-black apprentice robe similar in style to Arrow's, except his garment bore the head of an owl outlined in gold thread.

When he saw what Arrow was wearing, he could not help but freeze for a moment.

Arrow hurriedly let go of Monli. Once he had steadied himself, he respectfully performed Wizard Apprentice Etiquette.

"Good day, Senior."

Seeing Arrow's salute, the young man quickly returned it. "Good day."

From the posture of the young man's salute, Arrow immediately made his judgment: he was not from a Wizard Family, and there was even a strong chance that he was not a noble.

Though his salute looked mostly the same as Arrow's, Wizard Apprentice Etiquette had many subtle details.

For one thing, the right hand had to be held straight and open, with the fingers not pressed tightly together.

This was because most apprentices cast their magic through their right hands. Holding it straight and exposing every finger showed that one was not concealing a spell and had no intention of attacking.

Then, the palm had to be placed three finger-widths above the heart, signifying that "knowledge stands above oneself."

Sometimes, because many people had broad palms and there was not enough space between their chests and shoulders for an open hand, they would deliberately raise their little and ring fingers to achieve this.

The left hand had no strict requirements in this etiquette, as long as it was not obstructing anything. But Noble Etiquette used the same right-hand posture, so wizards of noble birth generally followed its requirements as well, keeping their left hands pressed close to their trouser legs.

Even when a superior or elder returned the salute, they would either simply nod, or, if they did return it, their right hand had to assume the same posture.

"You... are the Wizard Family that sent word this time?"

Arrow smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Senior. How could I dare call us a Wizard Family? My Grandfather was merely an ordinary man who emerged from among commoners and barely managed to board the ship."

At those words, the young man's expression became far more cordial. He walked over in a few steps and asked, "My name is Desi. How should I address you, Junior?"

Arrow mocked himself. "Arrow Garner. My first writing teacher called me Timid Arro every day. Could Senior Desi just call me Arrow?"

"Timid Arro?"

Desi immediately burst into laughter. "All right. Don't worry, I'll only call you Arrow."

Putting on a delighted expression, Arrow said, "That would be wonderful."

The two looked at each other and broke into laughter, their rapport taking shape in an instant.

"Oh, right, Arrow. The person beside you is...?"

With his eyes covered and a limp in his step, Monli was indeed rather conspicuous. What Desi found even more curious was how a Young Man in such a state had been allowed to board the ship.

"His name is Monli. He's a companion I met halfway here."

Arrow had met Monli in the nearby Small Town, but to others, his wording meant that he had encountered Monli On the road and the two had traveled here together.

Arrow deliberately switched the concepts, then explained, "Unfortunately... while On the road, he somehow entered a strange place. When he came out, he was like this."

Naturally, Monli would not refute Arrow.

After all, what did it matter whether it had been halfway or not?

This good brother beside him had defied Lord Wizard for his sake and had nearly lost his precious chance to board the ship!

A strange place?

Desi's Eyes flickered slightly as he fell into thought.

"By the way, Senior Desi, judging by your accent, you're not from around here, are you? Where is your hometown?"

Arrow continued chatting with Desi.

During this time, more and more Young Men who had passed the inspection came aboard the deck. When they saw the young man in a gray-black apprentice robe beside Arrow, they mistook him for a Lord Wizard as well and did not dare disturb him. They could only stand at a loss nearby, whispering among themselves as they discussed what they should do next.

"My hometown..."

Desi gazed out at the sea and sighed softly, saying wistfully, "My hometown is very far from here. Have you heard of the Andulu Continent, Junior?"

The Andulu Continent?

He truly had never heard of it.

Arrow's expression did not change. He deliberately Frowned in deep thought before saying hesitantly, "It sounds a little familiar. Senior Desi, could you say a few words in your hometown language?"

"Oh?"

Desi looked at Arrow in surprise, then tentatively said a few casual sentences.

Arrow's heart stirred. Sure enough, it was Yulio Language. From the way Desi's speech had translated earlier, he had already suspected it. He had not expected it to truly be this language.

So Arrow replied in Yulio Language, "Big Brother Desi, I never expected us to be so fated. My Grandfather must have come from the same place as you!"

Even when speaking the same language, their ways of speaking differed slightly, but that was normal. Let alone different continents—even on the "small island" where Arrow lived, the speech of commoners differed a little from one Small Town to another.

"Really? Did your Grandfather ever tell you which city he was born in?"

This was no challenge for Arrow. Whenever he learned a language, he would learn the rough area it covered and naturally memorize the names of several cities as well.

"I think it was called Nomicity? My Grandfather only mentioned it to me in passing a few times, so I don't remember very clearly."

"Nomicity? I know it. It's not far from my hometown!"

With Arrow intentionally flattering him, the two grew more animated as they chatted in the same language. Before long, they were calling each other brothers, only one step short of swearing brotherhood.

Desi's role should not be underestimated. Once he completed this task, he had to submit a report to those above. Ordinary wizard apprentices like Desi might think it did not matter much, but in truth, its purpose was to assess the apprentices' natural dispositions.

The first principle behind the establishment of any organization was surely unity.

That was precisely why Nicole had repeatedly instructed Arrow to Mix In among the Young Men being tested.

Those apprentices who believed themselves unmatched beneath heaven, loved to stand apart, and acted arrogant and overbearing would all be recorded. It counted as a deduction item, and when the Academy assignments were later made, it would create a considerable gap in scores. As for whether such students would like those arrangements, that was another matter entirely.

As Arrow and Desi chatted, the Young Men in the Open Space had also finished their inspections. Nicole did not care whether some rejoiced while others grieved. After stepping onto the deck, she looked at Desi and said coldly, "Settle these people in and maintain order aboard the ship."

After saying that, she held the Black Cat in her arms, turned, and walked into the cabin.

"As you command, Lord Wizard Annelise."

Arrow was not surprised to hear Desi's form of address, because he had long known that his mother was using an alias.

"Everyone, quiet!"

Looking at the more than sixty people remaining on the deck, Desi secretly clenched his fists and put on a stern expression as he Spoke Out. "My name is Desi. I am an Intermediate wizard apprentice. From now on, you may call me Senior Desi."

Arrow noticed Desi's nervousness, but it was hardly surprising. When selecting people for this position, Jungle Home deliberately chose wizard apprentices with softer personalities, making it easier for the new students to reveal their true natures.

"Follow me. We will now assign your lodgings."

This is terrible. The Rising Star Rankings are gone from the mobile Software now. Other than searching for the book title, there is simply no other way to find this book there. Another major display channel has been lost.