A three-masted wooden ship loaded with mortal noble smugglers slowly departed from the harbor.
The cabin conditions were far from the cleanliness, tidiness, and complimentary exquisite food and hot water offered on a Wizard Ship.
Locke and Albert shared a cabin with Incinerator Captain Andy Layton, while the two Formal Wizards—Sophia and Gabriel—each occupied the two best rooms on this ordinary vessel.
Apart from them, the ship carried numerous oblivious mortal nobles who remained unaware of the situation or the presence of so many esteemed Wizards from Lilith's Cottage aboard. Naturally, this didn't hinder them from continuing their smuggling operations.
Locke inhaled the musty air mingled with unidentified foul odors as he sat on the damp bed, his brow slightly furrowed.
Due to their undercover mission, they were now prohibited from using Spells.
But this place was truly filthy.
After a moment's thought, Locke retrieved a bottle of Iborg Pepper Water from his Astral Ring. Gritting his teeth against its pungent spiciness, he downed it in one gulp.
The next instant, though nothing in the mortal ship's cabin had physically changed, Locke's vision sharpened into cleanliness, and the scents he detected became far more pleasant.
Iborg Pepper was a special Magic Plant containing natural hallucinogenic magical compounds. With the simplest Potionology techniques, it could be refined into Iborg Pepper Water.
After consumption, it beautified everything one saw, heard, or touched.
Running his hand over the now comfortably warm and pristine linen sheets, Locke gave a slight nod. "Even though we're forbidden from using magic, consuming Iborg Pepper Water—this self-deceptive natural Plant Essence—is still permissible."
Since Iborg Pepper Water was purely natural, even those Cursers who didn't study Potions would detect no trace of its use.
Nearby, Albert, a thirty-something-year-old man seated on a cramped bunk in the four-person cabin, brightened at the sight. "Iborg Pepper Water? Locke, you've got such good stuff on you."
"Give me a bottle too. I'll pay 1 Magic Stone for it."
This cheap concoction typically cost only 1 Magic Stone for several bottles. Some third-class wizard apprentices, unable to endure their living conditions, might develop a habit of regularly consuming such simple Potions.
Thus, its reputation wasn't exactly stellar.
After all, for Wizards, even if Magical Resources were hard to come by, mundane material comforts could easily be maximized.
Under normal circumstances, there was rarely any need for such self-deluding substances—except in special cases like this.
Albert groaned, "I'm dying here. I've never suffered like this in my life."
"I was a king in the mortal world before I abdicated the throne to my younger brother to come to the Southeast Corner Domain. Even there, I never endured such misery. This is truly awful."
Albert looked at the linen sheet in his hand with utter disgust, as if he was about to vomit. "I even have mysophobia. I really want to use a Cleansing Spell to clean this place, then place a cornflower to purify the air with its fresh fragrance."
"And summon a dozen servants to scrub this place from top to bottom."
Locke gave Albert a surprised glance. He had previously thought Albert was quite aloof since the two of them barely spoke to him, likely due to the generational gap between them.
They were friends of his teacher, while he was Sophia the Witch's student.
Though, like them, he was also a First Class Wizard Apprentice.
However, Albert's Mana had already reached 800, and he could break through to become a Formal Wizard at any moment—this was his last mission before that breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Andy's Mana was close to 800, hovering around 780. It was estimated he would need about three more years to fully overcome the final hurdle before attempting to advance to Formal Wizard.
Both of them were actually Wizard Seeds of Lilith's Cottage, just specializing in different fields.
But Locke hadn't expected Albert to seem so easygoing when Sophia the Witch and Gabriel the Witch weren't around—completely different from his earlier impression.
Locke directly took out a bottle of Iborg Pepper Water from his Astral Ring and tossed it to Albert. "Senior Albert, no need to pay. Consider this a gift."
Albert caught the Iborg Pepper Water, uncorked it, sniffed it, then drank it down. "Refreshing."
"Locke, you're a straightforward guy. No need to call me 'senior'—just Albert is fine. We can treat each other as equals."
Seeing Locke hesitate, Albert laughed. "We can keep our own circles. When Gabriel the Witch and Sophia are around, I'll be your elder, but privately, we can be friends."
Locke was taken aback by Albert's casual attitude, but he still couldn't bring himself to casually address a wizard who was his teacher's peer by name.
Moreover, Albert's status in Lilith's Cottage was no lower than Angron's. He had published dozens of A-grade papers with remarkable achievements, and his Mana had already reached 800. His research in Potionology had even begun to exhibit first-tier characteristics.
Even without considering his teacher's connections, Albert currently belonged to the highest echelon among First Class Wizard Apprentices in Lilith's Cottage—one of those competing for Wizard Seed, Potioneering rising star, and Chief Apprentice titles.
There was still a gap between them.
After all, Locke had only been a First Class Wizard Apprentice for half a year, while they had held the rank for over a decade.
Locke said to Albert, "Understood, Senior Albert."
Albert paused, then smiled without further comment.
Locke turned to Captain Andy. "Senior Andy, do you need Iborg Pepper Water?"
Andy had been sitting cross-legged on his bed with his eyes closed. Hearing Locke's question, he forced a faint smile, trying to convey friendliness. "Thanks, but no need."
"As a combat wizard trained by the academy, it would be too frivolous if you can't even endure this little hardship. Locke, although you're a Potionology Master and Breeder working in the rear, you should still try to overcome it with your own willpower."
Andy glanced sideways at Albert and whispered, "Albert, as Locke's senior, instead of setting a good example, you're actually taking Iborg Pepper Water with him."
"If Sophia finds out, she won't be pleased with you."
"You and I are the pillars of Lilith's Cottage in this generation, while talents like Locke are highly likely to become the pillars of the next generation. We need to set the right example."
After speaking, Andy closed his eyes again.
Andy's true appearance was actually that of a shrewd and capable young man. His left eye was also a Magic Eye Prosthetic, apparently crafted by the dwarf Tyne.
But after taking the Thousand Faces Potion, he had transformed himself into an ugly, obese middle-aged noble.
As Andy closed his eyes, Albert secretly made a raised eyebrow and shrug gesture at Locke, mouthing the words: "Typical case of suffering for suffering's sake."
"Don't you dare learn from him."
Locke gave a faint smile. They still had about two weeks left in the filthy hold of this rundown ship. Fortunately, he'd been smart enough to bring some Iborg Pepper Water in advance, otherwise it really would have been unbearable.
All of this was to obtain the Tartarus Cave Worm Spinal Fluid and to help Teacher Sophia.
Locke looked at Albert and Andy. Clearly, these two weren't participating in this mission just to help Teacher Sophia either—they also had their eyes on the Tartarus Cave Worm Spinal Fluid.
That magical resource could not only quickly and safely increase their Mana but also improve their chances of successfully advancing to Formal Wizard status. It was truly the rarest of rare resources.
One must remember how many First Class Wizard Apprentices like Eragabalus's first wife had died attempting—and failing—to break through to Formal Wizard status.
Thinking of this, Locke took out the Giant Tree Heart Potion that he hadn't had time to consume earlier and drank it in one gulp. Closing his eyes, he gradually felt the potion transforming his heart and his control over the Magic Plants throughout his body steadily increasing once more.
Albert gave Locke a surprised look and murmured, "Some unknown potion, huh?"
Andy also opened his eyes after Locke took the potion, glanced at him, then closed them again, beginning to rely on his own willpower to resist the filthy environment he hadn't experienced in over a decade.
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