Chapter 125: The Galiant Island (1)
51GjTess tried hard to suppress her laughter upon noticing the suddenly quiet demeanor of the two. After being around the robust and straightforward companions from the Swordsmanship Academy, meeting students from the Magic Academy felt like she was dealing with younger siblings, despite being the same age.viF6sgS
dIYYu“By the way, Amy, you’re quite impressive too. When did you master your Schema?”Xah
ZXSbJfZ“Before entering the Magic Academy, I had about 2 years of training.”vYAeq
gy4QE42“Wow, it’s rare to master Schema at a young age. There are many who say it’s not good for growth, right?”uur
uYz“It wasn’t exactly training. It just happened somehow.”g4Vu2E
6oqmI1TFrom Amy’s response, Tess understood. While Spirit Zone prodigies are common due to the mental domain, mastering Schema is challenging at a young age due to the physical strain. However, with the Red Eyes’ self-recollection, it’s possible to precisely control the body without undergoing rigorous training.yDl
Smsh“Ah, youre using Red Eyes that way, huh? That’s really cool.”Vu2
hwlN4GL“It’s nothing great, really. It’s just a bit of enhanced strength without any build. Compared to you, it’s child’s play. You were really fast earlier. If the acceleration had continued, we wouldn’t have been able to cast Teleportation in time.”VGhp
gOjI“Ah, well, I’m a specialist, but you’re a mage, right? And besides, Rian still hasn’t mastered his Schema yet. Now I see why the Karmis family is famous across the continent.”ySeuI
Tq70Shirone, surprised, turned to look at Rian.KBUcj
xIJpqF“Rian, you haven’t learned Schema? Then what about chopping wood at my house? I thought you were using Schema because you didn’t say anything.”g4xq4
SYzQv“Hahaha! Did Rian do that? According to Teacher Kuan, it’s just stupidly strong muscles. You should have seen him at the Swordsmanship Academy during the final exam”7LrjuwS
xAYQ“Ah, really! Why are you so interested in other people’s private lives?”iTv445R
v7VTRian hurriedly cut her off. He didn’t mind others knowing, but he definitely didn’t want Shirone to find out.vdkIBIw
22SfIWSThe atmosphere lightened thanks to the interruption, and everyone started sharing stories from their school life. Despite being in different fields, they were all students, which kept the conversation flowing endlessly.qDqlo
w4QKgThis way, they were getting to know each other better.OWY9p
Oz93u***TzwaNYf
tylNxhUpon arriving at the Creas Harbor, Shirone and his companions looked for a ship heading to Galiant Island.nk8khJ
UcG8qBaA large ship docked at Dock No. 6 was ready to set sail, with its sails unfurled.EF8
rlgwCSince all the kingdom’s schools were on break around the same time, there were more tourists than usual. Swept up by the crowd, Shirone found a spot on the third deck.ii6lrw
ayCMEJAlthough there were passenger rooms below, it was their first time on a ship, so they wanted to enjoy the scenery along the way.zjB
dkiHLThe crashing waves and salty wind welcomed them. It was only after the harbor disappeared below the horizon that they truly felt adrift at sea.xs3NX3s
nzoPtHw“How long will it take?”uS5GbVI
hvzs“I heard it’s about a 5-hour journey by ship from Creas Harbor.”iBs3Sn
BTm“I see. We could have had to leave tomorrow if we were a bit late. There are more people heading to the island than I thought.”07i0x
RxJgAs Shirone mentioned, the deck was bustling with people. Half were merchants, but there were also tourists dressed as nobles, and quite a few from places besides Creas.sxj3
DVtuQ“It seems Rian was right; the island is famous. I wonder what it’s like?”6omu2dO
a4B“I’ve done some research.”3e5Rx
1013Amy, now comfortable with everyone, pulled out a notebook, eager to share. Tess, feeling more at ease, spoke without reservation.MI73AcD
szMP96“Oho? As expected, very thorough.”dpUgtq
fiDnr“Indeed. I didn’t even think to look it up.”H0tN
4TINGShirone awkwardly scratched his head, which made Amy glare at him disapprovingly.Xbj75B
hzJJP2k“Didn’t you say you were going to explore the ruins? You didn’t do any preliminary research?”jyE8L
5sFByB“Haha! Well, that’s”wrJiZ4M
fxId7YThere are two types of travelers: those who leave spontaneously and those who meticulously research before departing.MF7DaSp
uBEThe former seeks the romance of the unknown, while the latter values efficiency. Amy belonged to the latter group.X65f
x0K4eWjHowever, Shirone didn’t fit into either category. It was his first trip, and everything was new and exciting.oJIg
LR1V“Let me tell you about Galiant Island, where we’re heading. Its area is 1,500 square kilometers. The island is crescent-shaped, with a natural cliff on the north side, so ships must dock at the harbor on the south. The west side has residential areas and resorts mixed together, and the Kergos Ruins are on the east side of the island. The Kergos Ruins are ancient temples built by the Kergos people, who had a civilization 2,000 years ago.”2OV
Uv3“The Kergos people?”gPLqNR
QqcTE“Yes. They’re extinct now, but a few indigenous people still live in a self-governing district in the center of the island. They’re generally dark-skinned, short, with sunken eyes and small pupils. Oh, and they have tattoos praising Ankhara on their faces.”KdH
bq0sw“Who’s Ankhara?”8lrK
qksA“The name of an ancient god worshiped by the Kergos people. And, um the indigenous people chew a tough root called Ruph, which causes hallucinations. They call Ruph ‘the awakening agent of the gods’ and used it for divine communion in a trance. The cause of their civilization’s downfall is known to be religious conflicts, but some believe internal strife arose from excessive Ruph use.”KsNem
KtOuo“Interesting. A hallucinogen led to the downfall of a civilization.”Vky
VTuYLil“Abused under the name of a god, most likely. Right, my brother said the site managers are mostly Kergos people, so we’ll be able to see them. However, we can’t enter the indigenous self-governing district since it’s off-limits to outsiders. Oh, but my brother”lxO16k
3TCzWqZ“Yes? What did your brother say?”UuQ
CetmShirone asked, curious. The brother Amy mentioned was likely Ares, the explorer. Having traveled the world, he was likely well-informed about the Kergos Ruins.hHs
Yk3k8bp“He said this: ‘The downfall of a civilization is not for scholars to decide. If you wish to know more about them, you must offer something more valuable than the entrance fee.’”6Nmnx
NPPgeShirone nodded thoughtfully.TxFNU
IzY“Hmm, does that mean there’s something even more incredible in the self-governing district than in the Kergos Ruins?”g7WU9z
hqF6Vfy“It’s not certain. My brother always talks like that. He thinks he seems more mysterious by being cryptic.”QRyq5
183ob“Haha! I do find this more exciting. Something more valuable than the entrance fee. What could it be?”XmHgZyC
nH1Shirone’s heart raced with excitement. Both from Alpheas and Ares’s words, it was clear the Kergos Ruins were more than just a tourist spot.PXhhyM
duG6huYAs Shirone could barely contain his excitement like a child, Rian was pleased for a different reason. With his lord full of enthusiasm, the duty of a guardian knight became even more significant. Regardless of the secrets hidden within the ruins, Rian was determined to protect Shirone at all costs.eVbLYo
wK16ADW“Shirone, when do you plan to visit? We’re not going straight there upon arrival, right?”xVL6c
MTIyH“Yeah, we should have fun first since it’s a vacation.”WGFN7b7
JFTD2“Then we should find accommodation first. Let’s head to the resort area once we disembark at the harbor. There’s a place on the west beach where we can swim. It’s full of sights to see and famous seafood restaurants.”UaHpRpj
LYRmJEager to explore the southern lands, Tess clenched her fists in excitement, trembling with anticipation.T7sXE
er9gt“Ugh, I can’t wait!”FC8cpq
n0mXpTThere were still over 4 hours left until arrival. But the thrill of travel quickly consumed the time, and soon the island they were longing for came into view.lJbA
hhj“Wow! Look, there’s Galiant Island!”It5kCf7
gNCa7gPassengers at the bow pointed towards the distant island and exclaimed. Responding to their calls, Shirone and his friends rushed to the front of the deck.QSdFU
neFz6rThe northern cliffs of Galiant Island greeted them. The dense foliage seemed split by a sword, revealing a sheer rock face that jutted out abruptly.w2D
sQgajgBThe passengers cheered with excitement.KwvvWSw
PBiz“We’re finally here! It’s really magnificent, isn’t it?”YvNU
LfP4“Wow! The water looks wonderful! I can’t wait to go swimming!”BpkV
NukHowever, the merchants remained sprawled out with their goods, well aware that the harbor was on the southern side of the island, and they still had a 30-minute journey ahead to circle around.jYm2
D51TFThe Galiant Harbor.3rAN8v
k1YgThe harbor was bustling with a sea of people. Merchants disembarking from the ship and island merchants rushing towards it tangled up, creating chaos.i6I7XcP
gVlRelative to the traders, tourists had no choice but to disembark later. Shirone and his group also waited for the crowd to thin before setting foot on land.4uedAhZ
VkAaqT5The warmth of the south was immediately noticeable upon disembarkation. While Creas had already entered early autumn, Galiant Island was still basking in summer.ZHE
AvuSEAfter the traders cleared out, the harbor was filled with people from other professions. They were hawkers trying to attract tourists to their stores.XErxeT
Rmk“Come, come to Dolphin Inn! Enjoy a pleasant holiday with the cheapest lodging rates on the island! And my wife’s cooking is to die for!”hVuvR
mGWGn“Want to try authentic southern seafood? Come to our restaurant! We also have carriages ready for a comfortable journey!”F15
QJga“Need help with your luggage? Sturdy porters at your service!”thTsqs
X4SBcSCShirone and his group were overwhelmed by the cacophony of hawkers.ds0i
BNhThough no one had approached them directly yet, they were certainly attracting attention. Being young scored them high marks, and their high-quality clothes and weapons made them prime targets for hawkers.SGBDnxz
VMsvOf course, not all those eyeing them were honest merchants. Across the dock, in a back alley, a few groups engaged in less lawful ways of making money were scouting for potential victims.boKoJ
CQyv85“Hehehe, let’s see who we can fleece today.”8hE
dMmsN0tA boy named Zis scanned the crowd with keen eyes. Behind him, two friends were also surveying the area.teQSIq
P96lPvBThe difference between these hawkers and those outside was that these boys didn’t own shops. They were street urchins making money purely through their wits.5iAKnbL
WhXIsland urchins differ fundamentally from their mainland counterparts. In the vast expanse of the sea, adhering to societal norms won’t get you even a crumb of bread; that was their way of life.L9LRc
lTask4NEspecially Zis, who had been rebellious from a young age, enduring all kinds of abuse. His pride had led to numerous beatings by nobles.s5HNF
bfa8j7But those experiences now served as useful tools for making money.39Yf01i
QP1“Wow, it’s crowded today because of the holiday. Zis, we’re going to make a killing today, right?”fhiB
U0UmxGR“Even so, half of them are penniless. They might look flashy, but you have to choose carefully to succeed.”ROpAR2
pj4MyxZis was cautious in selecting his target. However, his friends, needing to earn their daily quota, were growing impatient.QHfzB
W3tsK2u“Zis, hurry up and choose. Others will snatch them away.”9ImhL63
FrE“Alright, just wait.”nnGI2iQ
oaJ2Zis’s eagle eyes swiftly scanned the harbor but stopped before completing a full sweep. A group of four peers caught his attention, especially a redhead girl who captivated him.QA9TH
nFD9aEven from this distance, her distinct features made her noticeably pretty.GlYxYWY
P9PP“Hey, hey, let’s target that group. See? Two guys, two girls.”KH2qIU
sO7QO“Really? Even with that big guy there? And he’s carrying a sword, you know. Let’s just pick someone else.”chMq9
1RaumT“You guys, seriously. Who do you think I am? The ruler of the harbor, Lord Zis. The bigger they are, the more cowardly they tend to be. Otherwise, who in their right mind would bring a sword to a tourist spot?”nC9Syh
koD“Uh, it seems risky. Don’t tell me, Zis you’re not falling for some girl you just saw, are you? What if he’s a mercenary?”aRdHk
eIfsn“Look, can’t you tell? They’re just students. Students can’t lay a finger on us. We’ll go in strong, so back me up. And don’t grovel to nobles, no matter what. You have to dominate such kids.”KqVClP
MdKmkZis led his two friends out of the alley towards the dock. They were anxious that other hawkers might snatch their prey, but as the girl’s face became clearer, all such worries vanished.tNSu0
nSQQj1L‘What’s with this girl? She’s gorgeous’oLEc3
H8hFFalling for a girl from afar was a natural romance for an island boy. But this was the first time he felt something beyond love, almost a reverence.cI5FZ1
JnAwaxZis quickly composed himself and approached. If he hesitated, another hawker might steal her away.095geZ
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