บท 27: CH27
"Are you the wizard apprentice preparing to board the ship?" the hooded man asked.
"Yes, sir," Helag replied, feeling the man's powerful magical aura, even though it was restrained.
"Do you have a token?" the hooded man continued.
"Yes," Helag said, pulling out his ring.
The hooded man examined the ring. "Hmm, a token from Moonlight Woodland. This is the second time I've seen this ring. Follow me. Due to delays, we'll only stay here for a day."
"Second time…" Helag thought, guessing the first time was with the red-haired boy's teacher.
It seemed the hooded man had been on this ship for many years.
"I'm leaving," Helag said, turning to bid farewell to his friends.
"Take care!" Emil gave him a strong hug, and Melissa also embraced him.
"Let's go," the hooded man urged impatiently, turning to lead the way.
Helag slung his backpack over his shoulder, took Emil's package, and quickly followed the hooded man.
"My name is Dino, a Level 1 wizard from Dream Island. The ship has five levels. You wizard apprentices will stay on the third and fourth levels. Conditions there are rough, but it's safer than above. The sea is dangerous, so stay below deck unless necessary."
As Dino led the way, he explained some ship rules to Helag.
"Mr. Dino, how many wizard apprentices are on board?" Helag asked.
"With you, eleven. There are two from the Carlson Continent, including you. We'll stay here for a day to see if anyone else joins."
Helag followed Dino onto the deck, realizing it was even more spacious than it looked, almost like a plaza.
Most of the deck was occupied by busy sailors, with five or six young men and women standing by the railings, around Helag's age.
As Helag boarded, they glanced at him briefly before looking away, accustomed to new apprentices joining at each stop.
Dino turned and warned, "Avoid conflicts on the ship. Don't disrupt the voyage or damage the ship, or I'll throw you overboard to feed the fish."
"Understood," Helag nodded.
"Follow me," Dino said, descending the stairs into the ship's interior.
Helag followed, the wooden steps creaking underfoot.
Inside, the light dimmed, with lamps hanging on the walls. The lamps emitted white light from white stones.
The narrow corridors had walls made of special wood with a metallic sheen.
Helag pressed the wood, finding it very hard.
Noticing Helag's actions, Dino said without turning, "This wood is from the Forbidden Magic Forest, the hardest known wood with high magic resistance."
"Forbidden Magic Forest…" Helag tried channeling magic into the wall but felt resistance.
They didn't stop on the first level, continuing down to the third.
"The third level is full. You'll stay on the fourth."
Helag glanced down the corridor, seeing several lit rooms and some dark ones, likely occupied by sleeping or absent apprentices.
The fourth level was narrower, with fewer rooms. Helag counted only five occupied rooms.
Dino led Helag to a room, took a key from a ring, and unlocked the door. "You'll stay here. The fourth level has fewer people, which means fewer conflicts. You're a first-class apprentice, right?"
"Yes."
According to the Starry Sky Meditation Technique, Helag needed to meditate on six stars to reach the second-class apprentice level.
Most people had one to two points of Spirit before meditating. Helag estimated that second-class apprentices needed seven to eight points of Spirit.
Dino confirmed, "This room suits you. The third level has second-class apprentices, more than one. Be careful."
At that moment, the room across from Helag's lit up.
Dino introduced, "That's another apprentice from the Carlson Continent, boarded at the last port. Just stay out of trouble and wait quietly until we reach our destination. The second level is for meals. Go there when you're hungry, and avoid the deck. I don't have time to look after you all."
"Understood, Mr. Dino," Helag said politely.
Dino left, looking busy.
Helag turned to inspect his small room, finding it pitch dark. He found a lamp on the wall.
The lamp was similar to those in the corridor, made of a white stone and a glass cover.
The lamp had a small switch at the base. Helag pushed it up, and the lamp lit up with a soft white glow.
Pulling the switch down, the light went out.
"What kind of stone is this…" Helag examined the lamp, finding its structure simple.
A base, a switch, and the stone and glass cover.
"The secret must be in the base," Helag thought, sensing a faint magic flow inside but not daring to dismantle it, not wanting to be thrown overboard.
With the light on, the room felt warm despite its narrowness.
The room had a single bed, with just enough space for Helag to stand beside it.
A wooden board fixed to the wall could be pulled down to serve as a small table.
Two cabinets above the bed provided storage for luggage.
Helag stored his package, which Emil had filled with preserved meat, dried food, and other long-lasting supplies.
After organizing his things, Helag lay on the bed. The mattress was hard but tolerable.
The bed had a thick blanket, slightly damp to the touch.
Knock, knock…
A gentle knock came from the door. Helag checked his small map, seeing a person outside, likely a woman.
He opened the door to find a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl with long golden hair and delicate features, smiling kindly at him.
"A noble?"
Helag noted her light gold dress and silver-gray coat adorned with gold tassels, which was a typical noble outfit, and she was not from a minor noble family.
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