A little over two months later.
As the scenery rushed past, Arthur stood on deck, quietly gazing into the distance.
Behind him, a group of apprentices stood together in silence.
There were many more people aboard now than when Arthur had first boarded.
Over the past two months, the ship had stopped at more than a dozen places. At each stop, it had taken aboard anywhere from three or four apprentices to seven or eight, gradually swelling their numbers.
However, just as Andrew had said, very few of the apprentices who had boarded later had outstanding aptitude. Among more than a hundred of them, only one had Third-class aptitude, and he had ultimately been assigned to stand near Arthur and the others.
"This is the last stop. Once we leave here, we'll reach our destination in just a few days."
Beside Arthur, Andrew held a cup of fruit wine and spoke with evident excitement.
"Yeah, it's almost over." Arthur echoed him with a sigh, then said nothing more.
For a while, the conversation fell quiet, until another voice broke the silence.
"Arthur, which academy are you planning to join once we get there?"
A woman's voice sounded beside him. It seemed like a routine question, delivered rather stiffly.
Arthur turned to look. Sisti stood at his right, gazing quietly at him.
The red-haired girl wore a conservative red-and-white robe, her expression somewhat cool and stiff.
At that moment, someone tapped Arthur's left hand.
On his left, Andrew flashed him a dazzling smile, with a hint of meaning in it, as if urging him on.
"I'm not sure yet. Is there anything I should know?"
Looking at the two beside him, Arthur smiled warmly and shook his head.
Beside him, Sisti gave a stiff smile at his response. "Of course there