Conflict

Knock, knock, knock!!!

The crisp knocking woke Green from his sleep.

Green opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across his lower body.

"Lord Green, your breakfast is ready!" A sailor outside the door had brought him breakfast.

"Is it morning already?" After his breakthrough, Green had been excited for a while before falling asleep.

"No need. Take the breakfast back. I'll eat in the dining hall today." Although the food the sailor brought every day tasted good, there was still less variety than in the dining hall. Having just made a breakthrough, Green naturally wanted to enjoy a proper meal there.

"Yes, Lord Green!" The sailor outside did not ask why. He answered and left.

Green got up, washed up properly, and headed to the deck.

Perhaps because he had been too excited about his breakthrough, Green had risen rather late. The deck was already crowded.

When Green appeared on the deck, everyone's eyes subtly turned toward him. Some people even began whispering among themselves. However, none of those conversations could escape Green's ears now that he possessed the strength of a Grand Knight.

"That's Green, the genius rumored to possess First-Class Aptitude!"

"First-Class Aptitude? Then becoming a Wizard Apprentice is practically guaranteed, isn't it?"

"Didn't you see that his room is on the third level above the deck? It's only one level below those two wizard lords. He even has meals delivered every day. His treatment is completely different from ours!"

"Damn it, why do we have to live in the lower cabins? That place is moldy. I'm the son of a grand duke!"

"He's just a lucky bastard. Once we reach the academy, I'll definitely surpass him."

"If only I had that kind of talent. Then I could earn a teacher's attention."

The wizard apprentices who had passed the selection gathered in small groups, discussing Green. Seeing that Green was alone, they became increasingly unrestrained, their voices growing louder as though they feared he would not hear them. It was as if putting Green down this way could make them seem stronger.

Green ignored them. Geniuses were always envied by mediocrities. Arguing with such people would be the greatest mistake. They had their own set of explanations, and arguing was useless. Only fists mattered.

However, Green had just made a breakthrough and was in a good mood, so he had no intention of resorting to violence. He simply gazed quietly at the azure sky and sea, admiring the seabirds that occasionally flew past. The beautiful scenery soothed his mind.

After looking into the distance for a while, Green left the deck and headed for the dining hall.

Once Green had left, the discussions about him became even more numerous.

Among one group of three, one person watched Green leave the deck with a gloomy expression.

"Robert, if it weren't for that guy, you'd be the brightest star on this ship right now, wouldn't you?" A short, shifty-looking man fanned the flames beside the gloomy-faced Robert.

Robert's expression darkened further upon hearing that.

The tall man beside him saw this, and a sly glint flashed through his eyes. He had to speak up. "Exactly, exactly. That guy doesn't look all that impressive! He just has slightly better talent than you, yet he acts so special, like he doesn't even care about anyone else. He hasn't greeted a single person since he got here. Who does he think he is?"

"That's right. Robert, as the most talented among us, you still interact with everyone. Why does he get to be so special?"

The two played off each other, and after their provocation, the jealousy in Robert's eyes turned into rage. With a cold snort, Robert headed toward the dining hall.

Watching Robert walk toward the dining hall, the two men who had stirred things up exchanged smiles.

"Robert really is a complete idiot. One little provocation, and he goes looking for trouble with Green." The shifty-looking man watched Robert's back and sneered disdainfully.

"Haha, Robert is just some minor noble with no breeding. A little flattery is enough to make him swell up. Making him jealous is far too easy; it takes no effort at all. He can be our vanguard and help us test Green." The tall man wore the same disdainful smile.

"But... won't this cause trouble?" Watching Robert disappear into the distance, the short man suddenly felt uneasy and voiced his concern.

"Relax. Robert is the one doing it. It has nothing to do with us. Besides, from what I know, the Wizard Apprentices of White House Academy split into various factions as soon as they boarded the ship. Green has never interacted with anyone and hasn't joined any faction."

"Go inform Boss Ante. When Robert starts causing trouble for Green, make sure he seizes the timing. He should lend a hand when Green is at his most helpless, put on a little 'hero rescuing the beauty' act, and pull Green into our faction. Robert, that musclebound gorilla, has exceptional talent and is already a Peak Knight Apprentice. He's not very bright, but he's strong enough. He'll make the perfect sacrifice."

The tall man spoke with complete confidence, as though his plan had already succeeded and Green were already his prey.

Green arrived at the dining hall and immediately ordered a large amount of food. After handing over a handful of gold coins, he found an empty round table and sat down.

A few people sat in twos and threes around the dining hall. While discussing things in hushed voices, they occasionally glanced at Green.

The chef worked quickly, and the dishes Green had ordered were soon brought over. Green naturally began eating with gusto.

Bang!

As Green was eating, a palm slammed onto the table. The loudest sound in the dining hall echoed through the room, drawing everyone's attention.

"It's Robert, that Second-Class Aptitude genius. Is he going to cause trouble for Green?"

"Definitely. Robert is extremely petty and can't stand anyone surpassing him. I heard that when he first boarded the ship, an apprentice walked in front of him. The next day, Robert beat him up."

"Is Green in trouble? Robert seems to be a Peak Knight Apprentice. They say he can even challenge a Formal Knight."

"I wonder how Green will handle this. We haven't heard anything about him before, and he doesn't interact with anyone either. Everyone only knows that he has First-Class Aptitude."

"Green, I've taken a liking to your room. Leave within a day, clear it out for me, and move my things into it."

Having had his meal interrupted, Green did not make any excessive move. He picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and stood up.

Green looked at Robert before him. Robert had long golden hair and a muscular build, with a gem-decorated longsword hanging at his waist. However, the sword did not seem to fit him and was slightly too small. It looked like someone had given it to him after he boarded the ship, or perhaps he had taken it by force.