Upper Deck Cabins

After moving into the upper deck cabins, Charles finally let go of the anxiety that had been hanging over him.

There were quite a few knights here with the combat strength of Great Knights, as well as wizard apprentices and wizards.

If it was dangerous even here, then there was basically nowhere safe on the entire ship.

Here, Charles could finally remove his light armor and wash the body he had neglected for so long in the bathroom.

As he soaked in the hot water, Charles let out a long sigh that made even Molly blush and her heart race.

After washing himself clean, Charles lay down on the bed.

At that moment, he finally felt alive again. Feeling the softness of the bed beneath him, he drifted off into a groggy sleep.

When he woke again, everything around him was pitch-black.

Thunder rumbled all around, and the ship was rocking far more violently.

Charles hurriedly climbed up, lit the candle in the room, and gripped his sheathed longsword in his hand.

Molly was curled into a ball on the soft sofa. It looked like she had washed up as well.

In addition to the fragrance that had already been in the room, there was now a faint new scent in the air.

Charles remarked, "Still, it's much better than smelling like fish and sweat all over."

Having slept for a long time, Charles could not fall asleep now. He listened to the storm outside and the sounds around him.

Fortunately, it was a safe night. No sounds of fighting or killing came from anywhere.

Early the next morning, the faint bells of the upper deck cabins rang out.

Charles, who had somehow fallen asleep again, woke once more.

When he looked at Molly, he saw that she had slept restlessly last night, and her clothes had been pushed up quite a bit. A glance revealed nothing but smooth, snowy-white skin.

Charles could not help stealing a few more looks until Molly hurriedly straightened her clothes.

"Ha ha!"

Charles laughed twice, then washed up and headed out.

The hall looked as if it were hosting a small banquet. The tables in the center were laden with all sorts of delicious food.

Roast whole lamb, stewed beef, fresh fish, and all kinds of vegetables and fruits.

The sight made Charles's mouth water. Ever since boarding the ship, he had basically said goodbye to his former luxurious life.

He had eaten baked beans and bread for over a year.

Only when they occasionally docked could he get some fresh vegetables and meat.

By then, quite a few people had already come out. Most male wizard apprentices had female companions around them.

By comparison, Molly did not stand out among them.

Some were dressed extremely scantily, no less provocative than Delis, the Succubus Charles had seen that night.

There were only a few strips of cloth on their bodies, and Charles truly could not help taking a few extra looks.

There were more women than men in the upper deck cabins, though that did not necessarily mean there were more female wizard apprentices.

It was because many male wizard apprentices brought female companions with them, and some might have brought more than one.

Clearly, the rule allowing only one maid or attendant applied only to newcomers like Charles.

Charles's arrival did not cause much of a stir. To many people, becoming a wizard apprentice only now was already somewhat late.

Some of them had been here for nearly half a year.

Charles led Molly forward and quickly selected their food.

After taking a bite, he immediately felt much more satisfied.

Molly also forgot all about acting ladylike as she dug into the delicious food.

Charles sighed. "The Magic Stones weren't wasted, were they? These dishes alone are worth the price!"

Molly's mouth was nearly stuffed full. She could not spare the breath to speak and could only nod repeatedly. Then, as though she had spotted something, she even forgot to keep chewing.

Charles followed her gaze and saw an old acquaintance.

Doris!

But unlike the Doris he had known before, Doris was not in very good condition now.

The former Doris had been beautiful, with golden hair as dazzling as sunlight.

Now, Doris could only stand obediently behind a female wizard apprentice, with obvious bruises on her face.

Doris had clearly seen Molly and Charles as well, and her eyes were full of disbelief.

The wizard apprentice in front of Doris noticed Charles's gaze. She smiled faintly and greeted him.

"Do you know each other?"

Molly's mouth was full. She wanted to speak and nod, but after looking at Charles, she held herself back.

As for Charles, he picked up a piece of beef, put it into his mouth, and smiled.

"Don't know her. Nothing to do with her."

The faint excitement Doris had felt was now replaced by endless disappointment.

Charles used to be her lapdog, but the current Charles was not.

The female wizard apprentice opposite them turned back to look at Doris and said with a smile, "What a pity. Even if he knew you, you could only follow me! Ha ha!"

With that, she took Doris by the hand and returned to her room.

Doris followed behind her, repeatedly looking back at Charles and Molly.

Unfortunately, Charles's heart was now as hard as stone. He no longer cared about a woman like that.

Molly had lost her appetite. She silently watched the direction in which Doris had left.

Charles asked, "What, do you pity her?"

Molly looked at the food on her plate and asked, "Didn't you used to like Doris the most?"

"How... how can you bear to be like this now?"

Charles shook his head. "The Charles from before is already dead. The Charles now is different from the one before."

"I don't like Doris anymore. What I like now is magic!"

Charles's words carried a double meaning, but Molly did not understand the deeper implication.

He looked at Molly and said, "I remember you still have a bottle of Mental Power Potion. Use it as soon as possible."

"On this ship, everything else is false. Connections, relationships, Magic Stones—they're all false. Only what you gain through cultivation truly belongs to you."

After finishing breakfast, Charles had originally intended to meditate for a while when he heard a knock at the door.

When he opened it, a knight stood outside. In a deep, muffled voice, he said, "Sir, please come with me. The wizard wishes to see you."

Charles's heart tightened slightly, but he still obediently followed the knight.

The knight's footsteps were heavy. Walking behind him, Charles could practically smell the thick, bloody stench of slaughter on his body.

Soon, Charles was brought to a room.

The room was brightly lit, with sunlight streaming in. A wizard in a black robe was writing something at the table before him.

After entering, Charles simply stood there obediently, without moving or daring to make any sound.

After more than half an hour, the wizard, who had been bent over his work the entire time, finally raised his head.

He looked at Charles and asked, "Apprentice, what is your name?"

Charles hurriedly bowed. "Wizard sir, I am Charles, Charles Augustus."

The wizard raised his head, and when Charles saw his face, his heart jolted.

The left half of the wizard's face was covered in dense black scales, and a twisted little horn of bone protruded from the left side.

The wizard smiled. "Charles, not bad!"