Master Roan's gift of magical equipment, two sets of spare clothes, and a promissory note for 50,000 gold coins - that was the entirety of Charlie's luggage.
Before departure, Charlie looked into some information about the "Arcane Circle", and was shocked by what he found.
The 'Void Vortex' was located in the northeast of the continent, covering an area of 230,000 square kilometers. It was the site of an ancient magical war, where powerful figures engaged in an earth-shattering battle. The continental plates were torn apart, the void was shattered, and it has not fully recovered to this day. Elemental storms of terror occasionally surge into the continent, and even great mages cannot freely traverse through it.
However, due to these very qualities, the Vortex is filled with elemental energy dozens of times denser than elsewhere on the continent, making it an ideal training ground for mages.
Centuries ago, the mighty figures of the Wagerran continent jointly established the 'Arcane Circle' at the center of the Vortex, standing firm amidst the elemental maelstrom and enjoying the abundant elemental energy. From then on, the Arcane Circle rapidly rose to become the highest magical academy on the continent, attracting countless geniuses from across the land. Various fields developed at an astonishing pace, with more and more great mages breaking through to become Archmages, their influence expanding at a rate beyond imagination.
Over the centuries, the Arcane Circle has become the stepping stone for Archmages. The influx of talent has caused alchemy, enchanting, forging, scroll crafting, and magical jewelry to flourish, monopolizing the high-end markets of the Wagerran continent and becoming the target of courting by various major powers.
In this context, the administrators established the Arcane Circle Archmage Association, forming a Magical Republic that stands equal to the major secular political forces on the continent.
Faced with this colossal entity, Lord Roan and Duke Thomas were powerless to secure any special conditions for Charlie. Everything would have to be relying on his own efforts.
The next evening, Charlie, carrying a large backpack, mingled with a group of unfamiliar youths and boarded a small ocean-going vessel.
Charlie turned back, seeing Yulanda and Brian waving to him from the crowd on the shore. They were among the few friends he had made since arriving in this world. Their time together, though brief, had forged a certain bond, and a complex emotion welled up in Charlie's heart as he waved goodbye to them. Since he had made his choice, he should strive to make a name for himself.
With a few long notes of magical pipes, the ship slowly drifted away from the mooring at Hainess Port. As planned, it would follow the long coastline, heading north and avoiding the perilous Elvin Swamp, Iron Thorn Mountains, and Sogo Wetlands, reaching the Void Vortex's Horizon Port after a week and a half of travel.
The group of 19 youths were crammed into a small room less than 20 square meters. The floor was damp and covered in sticky stains, the lighting was dim, and the air was foul. It was an environment far worse than expected - not only was meditation and cultivation out of the question, even reading a book would be a luxury.
Stuck in such an environment, a sense of irritation inevitably arose. Many had already begun to experience seasickness.
Charlie, however, had no such concerns. After the ship set sail, his chip automatically made some adjustments, allowing him to quickly adapt to the rocking environment. He only hoped these people wouldn't start vomiting, as that would be the spark that ignites a chain reaction - once one person starts, the sour stench would ruin the entire journey.
The youths were around 12 years old, with Charlie being the oldest among them. After entering the cabin, they scattered, leaning against the walls and huddling their belongings, maintaining a wary attitude towards strangers as they rested.
Charlie pondered his current predicament. He had noticed a row of clean, private cabins above the main cabin, numbering up to eighteen. They were unlikely to be for the crew, as this was a magical ship powered by a sophisticated alchemy system that required few sailors. Then, who were these rooms reserved for? Why weren't they given to them?
Looking at the main cabin, the basic infrastructure was not actually that poor - it was the filth that made the environment seem so terrible. Logically, a ship of the Arcane Circle should have maintained a certain level of dignity, like a sacred temple. Why were they so careless? Unless they felt there was no need to bother. Charlie suspected the truth might be harsh and cruel.
Being youths, some began to strike up conversations, gradually becoming more familiar with one another. From their gossip, Charlie pieced together some of the background.
The Arcane Circle held recruitment every year, but only those who passed the entrance exam were admitted as genuine magical apprentices, receiving the academy's high-end education. These students typically had exceptional magical talents and were required to be under ten years old. The group he was with belonged to a lower tier, serving as auxiliary workers and apprentices in a semi-work, semi-study arrangement, naturally having much lower status.
Nevertheless, there were countless youths on the continent who eagerly sought any connection to the Arcane Circle, as it was considered an honor.
Birds of a feather flock together, and after brief interactions, these youths divided into several small cliques. Charlie was undoubtedly the most isolated among them. When he revealed his status as a magical apprentice, the others displayed a disdainful attitude towards associating with him.
Just then, the ship came to a stop, and the people in the cabin felt the change, falling silent and straining to listen to the commotion outside.
Strange?
According to Charlie's estimate, the ship should not have left Hainess Port yet, so why had it stopped?
Soon, he heard laughter mixed with hurried footsteps approaching from the distance.
Unable to resist, Charlie stood up and quietly lifted the cabin hatch, peeking through the crack. He saw a group of brightly dressed young men and women, full of vigor, following a middle-aged man and heading towards the neatly prepared cabins.
Ah, I see.
Connecting this to the information he had heard earlier, Charlie understood - the ship had docked at another berth in Hainess Bay, at the departure point for the Arcane Circle's formal apprentices. The real talents had arrived.
Charlie sighed softly, "They're far too young!"
Suddenly, someone coughed, drawing the gaze of the talented youths above.
"Huh? There are people down there?" A young girl in a white and gold-trimmed robe stopped, her lustrous black hair cascading down. With a straight, elegant nose, slightly flushed cheeks, and snow-white, delicate skin, she exuded an irresistibly endearing aura. Her pure, clear eyes pierced through the deck grating, falling upon the group below.
Under the gaze of these bright and confident young men and women, some of the youths below instinctively lowered their heads and shrank back into the cabin's darkness, having lost the courage and self-assurance they had displayed earlier.
Those above were glamorous and self-assured, their every gesture and movement radiating an aura of focus, like arrogant angels from the heavens; those below were plain and dim, cowering and hunched, like humble ants. Even if some were not willing to accept it, they could not change the overall sense of inferiority.
Although the two groups were not far apart in age, the comparison revealed a gulf like the heavens and the earth.
"Qianshu, there's nothing surprising about this. These are just a bunch of auxiliaries. The fact that they're allowed to board the same ship as us is already a great blessing for them. Of course, they should stay in the slaves' quarters and not be allowed to wander around, disrupting our mood," a blond youth said in a surprisingly gentle voice, dismissing them with a casual glance.
Finally, someone couldn't hold back their indignation, especially in front of the beautiful girls. He stood up and pushed open the cabin hatch, angrily retorting, "What did you say? What's so great about you? It's just because your family background is a bit better, that's all! Without your family's support, you'd be nothing! What's there to brag about?"
Before pushing open the hatch, he had been full of momentum, but after his outburst, his spirit immediately deflated. It wasn't that he was afraid of the blond youth, but rather the two girls standing beside him.
Beauty has a powerful allure, no less than ability. The girl called Qianshu naturally needed no further introduction, her radiant presence commanding attention and making others feel inferior just by standing there.
The other girl, wearing a simple short skirt, with naturally curled long hair falling over her shoulders, stood quietly. At first glance, her stunning emerald eyes instantly captivated one's gaze, like gleaming jade gems. If Qianshu's trademark was refinement, then this girl's was perfection. Her features were flawless, beyond the critique of even the most discerning eye.
She was tall, towering over the other talented youths. Her slender, well-proportioned figure seemed to have been meticulously sculpted, the kind of perfect physique that could only be captured by a master's brush, yet the brush could never fully convey the essence of her bearing and aura.
Standing beside Qianshu, she was quieter, easily overlooked. But once noticed, one's eyes were drawn to her and could not be easily averted.
No wonder the youth was flustered. Faced with these two girls, the entire cabin felt a sense of inferiority - not only in terms of status, position, wealth, and ability, but even in their appearance. A few of the chologically fragile ones simply retreated into the darkness of the cabin, quietly observing the young ladies on the deck.
Was it true anger? Or a longing to encounter those above?
Charlie frowned slightly. Causing a ruckus and charging out there would not be a good idea. He closely observed the group leader, who seemed to be from the Arcane Circle and did not appear inclined to intervene in the current situation.
The blond youth raised an eyebrow, scoffing, "What? Touched a nerve with the mention of 'auxiliaries'? Haha! You're right about one thing - I do have a good background. But I don't need to flaunt it to prove that you all are trash!"
The targeted youth's face flushed a deep red. To be so humiliated in front of the goddesses, it was an enormous blow to his self-esteem. Unable to muster the strength at a critical moment, he felt ashamed and wished he could just jump into the sea to escape.
The blond youth swept his gaze across the cabin, seeing the fear in the eyes of the other youths. His eyes lingered on Charlie, who did not exhibit any anger or humiliation, only a faint air of mockery. This gaze made the blond youth feel like a foolish, childish monkey, further fueling his disdain.
The blond youth then turned his attention to Charlie, saying, "What are you looking at? I'm including you among the trash as well - all of you are nothing but garbage!"