The wizard's journey

Chapter 6 Zerlato Harbor

Half a month later, Grim and his companions finally arrived at the renowned Zerlato Harbor. By this time, their group had gained another member, a wizard apprentice named Binhamson, who was selected by the wizard Arowoz from thousands in the previous two cities for his wizard apprentice qualifications.

However, this fellow turned out to be a chatterbox, and, unfortunately, Grim was the one he latched onto. The reason was simple. During the wizard apprentice qualification test in Tanbrolson City, this fellow was publicly identified by Wizard Arowoz as having the qualifications, causing an uproar. His shouts of joy shattered the originally solemn atmosphere, and he even failed to hear the wizard's command to be quiet.

Out of desperation, Grim, who was closest to him, stopped his excited behavior and had him stand by his side. But this very act had been tormenting Grim these days, to the point where Grim feared he might die from a ruptured eardrum.

"Shh, I'll tell you a secret, and you must not tell anyone. Sherry actually has a birthmark the size of a bowl on her buttocks. I saw it with my own eyes when I was watching her bathe from her rooftop, haha. This secret, I've only told John, Aaron... you're the twenty-seventh, don't tell anyone else." Binhamson whispered destructively beside Grim.

Since Binhamson joined the team seven days ago, Grim had heard no less than a hundred such "secrets" and with his loud voice, almost the entire team could hear, leaving Grim wondering if he had any secrets worth keeping. Moreover, Grim didn't know any of the people involved in these secrets, thus he had no interest.

"Who's Sherry?" Grim asked casually.

Binhamson looked shocked, "You don't know Sherry? Sherry is the mistress of Badara I mentioned to you the day before yesterday!"

Grim was speechless. He wanted to ask again who exactly Badara was, but he dared not ask out loud, pretending to understand and nodded as if suddenly enlightened. Grim figured asking any more would spell trouble for him today, as his head was buzzing non-stop.

Zerlato Harbor, one of the four major harbors of the Eastern Mountain Lake Archipelago, was bustling with activity. The harbor was filled with hundreds of ships, including several hundred-meter-long ocean liners.

"Wow, is this Zerlato Harbor? It's my first time here!" Lafi exclaimed with delight.

The continuous half-month journey had temporarily made Lafi forget the displeasure of heading to the wizard continent. Looking at the numerous ships on the sea, she felt a bit of joy.

Lafi, with a very slender and tall figure, stood at about 1.75 meters, almost the same height as Grim. At this moment, with her eyes closed, she spread her arms towards the sea, a sash tied around her waist, highlighting her graceful figure, which momentarily stunned the few boys present. Grim even heard Wade swallowing his saliva in front of him. Even Grim's heart uncontrollably skipped a beat.

Just then, a sudden voice shattered this peaceful beauty, causing Grim, Wade, and Gilrom to curse inwardly.

"Ah... Lafi, I have finally discovered that you are the goddess of love I have been desperately waiting for. You are the guiding light of my life, the ultimate destiny of my fate. Your beauty makes it impossible for me to extricate myself. I am willing to protect you for life, willing to die for you, ah... please save me from my misery."

Onlookers saw Binhamson gazing at Lafi with deep affection. His embarrassing demeanor was indescribable. Grim couldn't help but slap his forehead, questioning Binhamson's sanity. How dare he provoke someone like Lafi? The others couldn't help but look forward to the drama unfolding, except for Yorklianna, the shy girl, who covered her mouth in surprise, finding the public confession incredible.

Sure enough, Lafi turned around, and after a brief look of surprise, her expression darkened as she stared at Binhamson. The secrets Binhamson had shared with Grim these past few days...

"Hmm, hmm... Save you, huh?" Lafi muttered something under her breath, pointing at the infatuated Binhamson, who was suddenly entwined by a vine that wrapped around him several times, binding him tightly into a large "rice dumpling."

"Witchcraft!" several wizard apprentices exclaimed in shock, unable to believe Lafi could cast spells.

Muffled by the vines, Binhamson tried to speak but only managed muffled sounds. The sudden appearance of the vine and its binding of Binhamson drew a crowd at the harbor, all surprised and pointing.

Lafi was secretly pleased. She had two magical artifacts, both found by her father at great expense. The spell she had just cast was triggered by her magical earrings.

Grim and the others, unfamiliar with magical artifacts or even basic wizarding knowledge, were startled by Lafi's display of magic. Reading the "Meditation Guide" Grim understood that magic required mana, which depended on one's mental strength. Despite his efforts in meditating to refine mana, Grim had never succeeded, unlike Lafi, who had clearly been exposed to some wizarding knowledge through her family, evident when she threw the "Hunting Nose Transformation and Scent Atlas."

After a moment, Lafi withdrew the spell, and the vine disappeared. The group continued on their way with Arowoz, but soon, a group of thirteen knights hurried over, greeting Arowoz and inviting him to a banquet prepared by the duke.

"Welcome back to Zerlato Harbor, Wizard Arowoz. The duke has prepared a feast for you." the lead knight said respectfully.

Arowoz responded nonchalantly, leading the seven wizard apprentices away with the knights, leaving the discussions of the harbor's civilians and travelers behind, meaningless to them.

The banquet was grand, but for the travelers, lavish feasts had become a norm whenever they arrived in a city, so they had grown accustomed to it. Grim, too, had picked up some noble etiquettes, mingling with others who attended the dinner.

This time, the Duke hosting them held a higher status than the Marquesses of previous cities and seemed to be well-acquainted with Arowoz. The Duke casually dipped thinly sliced rare beef, still dripping with blood, into caviar and mustard before savoring it. Arowoz, on the other hand, seemed to lack appetite, idly stirring a colorful mushroom soup with a delicate metal spoon.

Noticing Arowoz's demeanor, the Duke teased, "What's bothering you?"

Arowoz shook his head, sighing, "Things are getting more chaotic there, with frequent secret tales of wizards disappearing. Maybe you were right; no matter the chaos, it won't affect this place."

The Duke chuckled, "How can you compare me with you? I've sought refuge here without any hope of advancement, while you still have the potential to reach higher levels."

As the Duke spoke, he indulged in another piece of beef.

Observing the excited young wizards, he mused, "Seeing these youngsters reminds me of my early days. I wonder how many will persist on the path of wizardry after decades. If anyone manages to advance to wizardry in a hundred years, I wonder if they'll return for a visit.

Arowoz glanced at the seven wizard apprentices socializing with the local nobility, shaking his head.

"What's so special about the Eastern Coral Islands? By the way, which wizard is supposed to take these youngsters?"

"Dilah." the Duke answered nonchalantly.

"Dilah? Well, these youngsters might have an easier time for the next two months. After all, the welfare for wizard apprentices at Lilith Cottage is relatively good compared to other wizard schools, with less fierce competition."

Arowoz added, "I plan to visit the underworld. It is said that a new world rift has been discovered there..."

After the banquet, Grim and the other seven wizard apprentices were escorted to a serene manor by the Duke's servants, where they would stay for seven days until a special ship from Lilith Cottage would transport them.

Opening a window to the salty sea breeze, Grim looked out to the sea just 300 meters away, with a steep cliff beneath. Reflecting on the daunting stories of the wizard continent shared by Lafi, Grim felt increasingly nervous.

Shutting the window against the damp night air, Grim lit all the candles in his room and resumed studying the "Meditation Guide" eager to further understand converting mental strength into magical power during the peaceful days ahead.