Cabin Conflict

Zerato Dock was packed with cheering people.

Green and the others stood at the edge of the Hailun's deck, excitedly waving goodbye to the crowd. Only Lafi seemed somewhat downcast, a trace of sorrow flashing across her delicate brows.

Once they left, they might never have another chance to return in this lifetime...

On the dock, Duke Zerato, Arowoz, and Dila stood together.

Unlike the mysterious Arowoz beside him, who seemed perpetually shrouded in a thin mist, Wizard Dila, who was responsible for escorting children with Wizard Apprentice aptitude, had a more ordinary appearance.

Beneath Dila's wide gray wizard robe, the people on the dock boldly stared at his wrinkled face, slightly pale beneath the sunlight. His right eye was covered by a black eyepatch, making him seem like a one-eyed blind man.

"Hehe, I didn't expect you to be the one escorting these little fellows this time. How are things on the other islands?"

After exchanging wizard etiquette with Dila, Arowoz asked.

Croak, croak, croak...

The red-eyed frog in Arowoz's hand puffed out its white belly and croaked a few times as well.

Dila had a habit of floating slightly above the ground whenever he spoke to others, as if to conceal the fact that he was short.

After smiling at the red-eyed frog, Dila took out a magic stone. The frog's tongue flashed out, curling it away in an instant. Only then did Dila smile at Arowoz.

"Not bad. There are quite a few more qualified Wizard Apprentices this year than in previous years. Looks like I'll make a fine profit from this mission. Hahaha."

Dila spoke jokingly.

"Mm, there are indeed a few more than usual..."

Arowoz sighed as well.

Dila did not seem particularly concerned about that. Instead, he looked toward Duke Zerato beside him.

"You old bastard, you make such a huge spectacle every time I come here. Be careful those little fellows don't get themselves killed because of pride."

The spectacle Dila referred to was naturally the cheering crowd on the dock.

Though part of it had been deliberately arranged by Duke Zerato, the people living in the remote region of East Coral Island were more than willing to gather and witness the legendary wizards up close.

The duke turned the ruby ring on his right thumb with his left hand, his smooth, baby-like face swaying slightly.

"Ah, I'd rather they be proud than forget this place in the future. If one of these little fellows advances to become an official wizard decades from now, they might come back for a visit."

Dila gave a snort of laughter and swept his gaze across the Wizard Apprentices on the deck bidding farewell to the cheering crowd. He said disdainfully, "In past years, it was already good enough if a single ship produced a few official wizards. These little fellows do not have much of a chance."

Clearly, this wizard did not think highly of Green and the others. Having experienced the difficult years of being a Wizard Apprentice himself, Dila knew exactly how hard it was to become an official wizard.

Just then, Dila seemed to recall something. Somewhat excitedly, he said, "Right, there are two little fellows aboard with more than fifteen points of spiritual power and Innate Manifestation Talent. Even I was tempted to take them as disciples. If not for the fact that they have some backing over there..."

After hearing Dila's description, the duke revealed a somewhat surprised expression.

Arowoz, however, shook his head. "For wizards, knowledge is the foundation of everything."

Dila curled his lip. "Good talent and acquiring knowledge do not conflict."

The three continued talking for more than half an hourglass. Dila glanced behind him and saw that the sailors replenishing supplies had nearly finished loading the cargo.

It was time to set sail.

Although wizards possessed the same emotional fluctuations as ordinary humans, they had learned to control their most superficial desires. Their long lives had given them excellent self-control, so they did not reveal much reluctance to part.

"Then, farewell."

Dila performed a wizard's parting salute toward the two men.

"Mm. If this trip to the Underground World goes smoothly, I'll return to the academy in twenty years and see whether those old geezers have trained any decent students to participate in the Holy Tower Qualification Battle."

Arowoz joked.

A short while later, as the giant ship carrying the Wizard Apprentices slowly departed, the people on the dock gradually dispersed. Yet their conversations still revolved around wizards.

Clearly, ordinary people were deeply curious about and reverent toward these mysterious wizards.

Meanwhile, aside from the sailors bustling about on the Hailun's deck, the seven Wizard Apprentices quickly discovered during Dila's lecture that they were not the only Wizard Apprentices aboard.

"The first thing you little fellows need to remember is this: while competition is an eternal rule of the Wizard World, Lilith's Cottage Wizard Academy forbids wizards within the academy from killing one another. So if any of you causes a death on this ship, I'll hang you from the mast for seven full days before throwing you into the sea to feed the sharks."

Dila swept his gaze viciously over them, leaving the Wizard Apprentices with no doubt about his resolve.

"Hmph. Second, do not disturb me unless someone dies."

This wizard apparently had little interest in wasting words on a few little fellows who were not even proper Wizard Apprentices yet. He headed directly toward the best room on the deck, not forgetting to shout.

"Balon, assign room numbers to these fellows. Keep an eye on these little things. Just make sure they don't tear the ship apart."

"Understood, Master."

A tall, dark-skinned man on the distant deck shouted back.

After Dila entered the room, the man named Balon ran over from afar.

Green and the others noticed that although Balon was bare-chested and did not look particularly bulky, his sharply defined muscles gave them a considerable sense of pressure. The facts soon proved that Balon was indeed not someone to provoke.

"I am a Legendary Knight. Although Master has said not to bother him as long as no one dies, you may come to me if something excessive happens aboard the ship. For example, if certain little fellows enjoy harassing pretty girls..."

Balon showed his white teeth in a grin as he glanced at Lafi and Yorklianna.

Green was stunned. A Legendary Knight had actually become a wizard's servant?

One had to know that not even a single Legendary Knight had been born in all of Bissel City. According to legend, they were powerful knights qualified to travel through the Wizard World.

Lafi gave a cold snort.

"If anyone dares harass me, I'll throw him into the sea."

A murderous aura spread through the air. One of the seven Wizard Apprentices instantly stiffened, drenched in cold sweat.

After Yorklianna's little face reddened, she did not know what to do. Yorkris beside her copied Lafi with a cold snort. "Anyone who dares touch my sister will have to get past me first."

As he spoke, he clenched his fists, making them crackle.

Among the seven, Yorkris had the strongest build. At a full 1.8 meters tall with a fairly solid physique, taking on two people at once would probably not be a problem for him.

Green and Kiram came next. As for Wade and Binhanson, they were nobles who had never done much labor, so they had virtually no fighting ability.

Balon seemed to have seen this sort of situation many times before. Without further nonsense, he reached a large black hand into a wooden box on the deck, pulled out seven number plates, and tossed them to the seven.

"These are your room numbers."

After that, Balon ignored them and left.

The Wizard Apprentices lived in the cabins beneath the Hailun's deck, which were divided into five levels.

They soon discovered that the cabins were extremely damp and the conditions terrible. The lower the level, the worse the environment became. On the lowest level, they even had to live with the sailors, making their expressions turn ugly.

Clearly, after living in luxury all the way here, they found the sudden earth-shaking change difficult to adapt to.

Lafi's expression was the ugliest of all, because the number plate in her hand was for the lowest level. Her exquisite little face was practically frozen over, dark and gloomy.

Green did not particularly care. He had drawn a room on the third level, neither high nor low, which was acceptable enough. Besides, he had already grown used to a simple life over the past decade or so.

The happiest among them were the siblings Yorkris and Yorklianna.

The two of them had both drawn rooms on the fifth level. It truly made one sigh at their luck.

The seven searched for their rooms with different feelings. Since the Yorkris siblings were on the top floor, they naturally arrived first. Just as the others were preparing to leave the top floor to find their own rooms, Yorkris's roar erupted through the cabins, causing the other Wizard Apprentices on the fifth level to poke their heads out of their rooms.

"This is the room assigned to my sister. Leave!"

Yorkris coldly shouted at a man occupying his sister's room. Yorklianna was terrified beside him, clutching at her brother's clothes in helplessness. She whispered, "Brother, why don't we let him have it? I'm scared."

The man confronting Yorkris was also a big fellow, nearly the same height as Yorkris, with an utterly fearless look on his face.

When he heard the sister beside Yorkris speak, his arrogance only grew. He sneered, "You say leave, and I'm supposed to leave? Who the hell are you? Room number, my ass. First come, first served. Hehehe... Or your sister can stay with me."

After saying that, the fellow gave Yorklianna a leering glance, provoking Yorkris.

"You're courting death!"

Yorkris immediately exploded as if someone had poked a hornet's nest. Red-faced and thick-necked, he threw a punch at the fellow.

Yorkris and the fellow quickly became entangled in a fight.

Green and Binhanson could not stand by any longer. Although they had been displeased with Yorkris and Kiram's arrogant attitude along the way and had not gotten along particularly well with them, they had to step forward at a time like this. After all, they had come here together.

Only Wade did not move. He seemed to have been frightened senseless by such a crude fight.

Kiram, on the other hand, was even more heartless. After giving a cold snort, he curled his lip and said, "None of my business."

Then he left without looking back.

"You bastard! You're running away even now? Don't let me see you again!" Wade roared at Kiram's departing back, yet he himself showed no intention of stepping forward.

Meanwhile, Green and Binhanson finally pulled the two apart. It had to be said that Yorkris's fighting ability was incredibly high. In such a short time, the fellow fighting him already had a swollen black eye.

This startled Green.

"Fine, fine. Calling people, are you? Calling for help? Sure, I'll call some too! Boss, Rat, stop watching the show and come help!"

The fellow with the swollen black eye shouted into the cabins, glaring viciously at Yorkris as if he wanted to devour him. Yorkris looked utterly fearless and sneered, "Go call them. Call whoever you want. I can take all three of you!"

However, after a commotion rose from within the cabins, Green turned around. His pupils immediately contracted, and his heart sank. This has gotten out of hand. Yorkris is finished...