Chapter 9
Clang! Clang!
The sharp clang of a copper plate echoed through the camp, jolting Adem from his deep slumber. He blinked as sunlight streamed through the small window, landing across his shoes neatly placed beside the bed.
It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed such peaceful rest. During their journey across the wilderness, sleep had been a luxury — short, shallow, and haunted by the threat of beasts or bandits. The Great Wilderness, in particular, had turned every night into a test of vigilance.
As he stepped outside, the morning air was heavy with complaints.
"The conditions here are the worst! There are fleas on my blanket!"
"Ugh, I can't stay another day in this filth!"
The voices came from noble-born acolytes, unaccustomed to anything less than silk sheets and servants. Now, faced with damp tents and moldy floors, they looked more miserable than exhausted soldiers.
Adem, however, felt surprisingly refreshed. He'd struggled to fall asleep at first, but eventually exhaustion took over, granting him deep rest. Now, compared to the others with dark circles and weary eyes, he felt clear-headed and alert — perhaps the only one actually in good spirits.
The entire camp buzzed with activity. Tents were being taken down, and piles of refuse littered the muddy ground. A white-bearded Magus stood in the center, amplifying his voice with a spell that made it ring painfully loud.
"Gather around! Gather according to your academies! Professors, take charge of your students! Do not wander off!"
Adem slung his bag over his shoulder , light as always, containing only spare clothes, travel shoes, and the spear he'd taken from the black-robed knights strapped behind his back . That weapon had served him well for both training and defense on the road.
But something caught his attention, there were no ships at the shore. Not a single vessel waiting by the docks. His brow furrowed slightly. If they were leaving the Chernobyl Islands, how would they cross the sea?
After a moment of hesitation, he decided to ask Professor Margot directly.
He made his way through the busy camp, nodding to familiar faces along the way. Most of the other acolytes greeted him respectfully — almost too respectfully. Word had already spread of his Fifth Grade Aptitude. In a place where aptitude determined destiny, even those older than him treated him with cautious politeness. After all, a Fifth Grade acolyte had a near-certain chance of becoming a true Magus.
When he reached Professor Margot's tent, he stopped outside and called softly, "Professor, may I come in?"
"Enter," came her calm voice.
Adem stepped inside and gave a short bow. "Good morning, Professor."
Margot looked up from the book she'd been reading, her blue eyes glinting. A smile tugged at her lips. "Ah, so it's you, Adem. I wondered which overzealous student would come knocking this early and of course, it had to be our boy genius."
Her teasing tone made him scratch the back of his neck lightly. "Professor, I was wondering… how exactly are we leaving the island? There aren't any ships at the shore."
It wasn't that he wanted to bother her, he simply didn't remember this part clearly. Without an AI Chip like Leylin's, his past-life memories of the novel were fragmentary at best. Some events he knew clearly; others were just vague impressions.
Margot chuckled softly. "Ah, yes. You wouldn't know that, would you? These islands, the Chernobyl Islands, are quite small. To the rest of the world, they're barely more than a remote archipelago."
Adem nodded slowly.
"The continent we're going to," she continued, her voice taking on a tone of distant wonder, "is far larger — the Southern Coastal Region. Even after all my years, I've only seen a fraction of it. Compared to that vast land, the Chernobyl Islands wouldn't even fill a single percent."
Her eyes seemed to glimmer faintly with magic as she spoke. "Because of the environment here, no Magus materials can be found. The soil is barren, and the energy concentration is low. Aside from acolytes and the few Magi who live in isolation, this place holds little for those seeking true power."
Adem listened quietly, his expression calm but his mind racing.
"So," she went on, "we cross the seas, but not by ship. Those waters are part of the Death Sea. Any random fish there could kill a Knight. The larger creatures…" She paused, smiling faintly, "…would consider even a Magus's ship a snack."
Adem's eyes widened. He was a Knight himself, capable of exerting several times the strength of an ordinary human. Yet even he would die to a fish if he entered the ocean? The scale of this world was truly terrifying.
"Then… how are we leaving?" he asked, trying to sound calm.
Margot's lips curved into a knowing smile. "By air, of course. We'll be using dirigibles."
"Dirigibles?"
As if on cue, a low hum rolled through the air. Margot's smile deepened. "You'll see."
Adem followed her outside, and his breath caught in his throat.
Three massive white airships were approaching from the horizon, their hulls gleaming with runes that shimmered faintly in the morning sun. They moved with majestic grace, defying gravity as they descended through the clouds.
A shadow blanketed the entire camp as the ships drew closer. Gasps and cries rose all around.
"My god…"
"They're beautiful!"
"So that's how we're leaving!"
The dirigibles hovered above the coast like floating fortresses, their enormous sails pulsing with magical light.
Margot's voice rang out over the commotion. "Alright, everyone! Pack your things and move toward the dirigibles! Quickly now — I won't have anyone left behind!"
Adem watched as students scrambled, shouting and laughing in excitement. His lips curved into a faint smile as he looked up again.
The gleaming hull reflected the sunlight like a mirror. "This world…" he murmured under his breath, "really is something else."
And with that, he followed the rest of the Wetland Gardens acolytes toward the floating ships that would take them to the true land of Magi.
---
I didn't plan to write any chapter today but I ended up doing so 🙃.
You know the drill leave your powerstones behind if you have any left.
Don't forget to comment if I'm being inconsistent or not no point with the lore.