“I thought so.” Alse looked at Lance, who had a blissful smile as Bella was working on his little brother with her hand.

“But since he’s caring enough, and shows proper attention, the kind that we need. So I thought of staying. Don’t you think so too?” she asked Bella and received a nod.

‘So it’s not a lie that milfs have greater needs.’ Ardor thought while looking at his clone. ‘You were a great investment!’

“About your status, hmm… how about you help me end 10 of my enemies? Then you can leave your slave status and be promoted to become his servant. After that, it’s up to you to earn his affection and become his concubine, or even his wife.” 

Ardor acted as if he was proposing it, but Alse knew it was a condition set in stone.

<Do you mean it?> Lance woke up from his blissful thoughts as his concubine worked on pleasing him.

Ardor looked at him silently.

<Of course.> Lance understood. <Slaves need to see hope to try their best.>

After placating Alse, and telling her to inform Isabella when she recovers, Ardor discussed more about his future plan with others, and the group retired to sleep.

…

Next day, a seemingly normal ship about 25 meters long wobbled as the waves of the ocean kept hitting it.

Despite not being tied to the pier, it wasn’t floating away and remained in place as multiple teens with baggage boarded it from across a wooden plank.

“It’s surprisingly normal,” Ardor muttered as he led the way in front of his group while Lance nodded behind him. The ladies carried smaller bags as they followed the men inside.

Upon entering the wooden ship, Ardor noticed a difference.

“It’s too big!” Lance exclaimed with stars in his eyes while Ardor and the rest nodded.

From outside, this ship seemed small, but when they crossed the wooden plank, they couldn’t see the front or the back of the ship as it was much longer than expected.

Ardor thought of what he knew about magic and murmured, “Enchantment? It’s like the space inside it expanded!”

“You’re right.” Following the voice, a pair of twins approached the group leaning on the side of the ship. They looked at Bella. The male said, “Aunt, didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you’d remain with that loser for the rest of your life!”

“Lewis!” she exclaimed with some anger. “He was not a loser.”

The female twin asked, “Then why aren’t you with him, aunt? Have you ever seen anyone cross the Endless Ocean and come back? Have you already abandoned him?”

As Bella felt difficulty in answering her niece, Lance stepped forward.

“Gabella Mist, I presume?”

She looked at him.

“Yes, and who are you?”

“The man fit for this beauty in front of you.”

The twins looked between them in some shock and spoke in unison.

“You’re doing that again!”

Lance felt curious. “What?” He looked at Bella.

“N-nothing. It’s really nothing. Let’s go inside.” She fled the scene while dragging Lance with her while Alse, Isabella, and Minnie followed behind them.

The twins looked at Ardor for a moment, then left for their group.

‘So those duke children already made a group around the princess, I see. And why are there so few people?’ Ardor wondered. 

He remembered there were over 20 teens selected to have the required talents, but apart from his group of six, and the princess’s group of six since Edgar joined them, there were only three others.

He watched as they slowly descended the staircase and looked at Jeanne, who had returned to him after exploring the ship for a bit.

“Shall we go inside?” he held out his hand like a gentleman.

She gladly took it with a smile and nodded. They strolled with their suitcases and descended the staircase. Of course, being her loving man, he carried her bag down and handed it over to her.

They noticed the entire floor had a single corridor along the ship’s length with doors at equal length, signifying multiple rooms. They went in opposite directions after glancing at each other, and then Jeanne called for Ardor once she found Lance.

“Tell me… What were those twins talking about?”

Ardor heard Lance say this as he reached Jeanne.

“How long have they been going at this?” he asked Jeanne.

She looked at Lance’s eager face and Bella’s troubled one and replied to Ardor, “They began after settling down their baggage.”

Ardor walked in and saw the decorations in the room. It was arranged like a basic drawing room, and he saw four bedrooms with open doors attached to this room. He stood in front of Lance. “Scoot over,” he said.

When Lance pointed towards the space at his left, Ardor said, “You sit there.”

He sat in the space he emptied for himself and looked at Bella to his right.

“Look, if he forces you to do something against your will, tell me.” After getting hold of Lance in a neck lock, he continued, “I’ll set him straight.”

Bella looked at Lance’s struggling face and noticed how he seemed to have difficulty breathing.

“Stop it!” she soon exclaimed. Then, while looking down, she added, “It’s nothing serious.”

“So tell me!” Lance, who was released by Ardor, asked despite receiving a glare from him almost immediately.

“It’s just some rumors about me,” Bella replied.

After Lance inquired further, he came to know the reason for Bella’s hesitation.

‘To think people spread such extremely bad rumors about her during her wanton youth that she had to escape to another city and marry someone not of her choice. Then Gawyn treated her that way.’ 

Ardor sighed, once again realizing that nobility was not all powerful and happy. There were also a lot of struggles and sorrow behind their fancy clothes and luxurious residences.

After the men and ladies consoled Bella, they got back to the chief topic.

“Can this ship even set sail? I mean, there’s no steering oar to control its direction,” Lance questioned in doubt after thinking of what he saw on the deck.

Bella smiled at his words, but remained silent. Ardor didn’t miss that.

“Come on, tell us. How does it work? You must have seen it the last time this ship set sail.” Ardor asked her.

Bella’s smile grew wider. “Of course I saw it. But I don’t really want to spoil the surprise for you.”

“Oh.” Ardor felt intrigued along with others.

At this moment, a knock sounded on their door, and Minnie instinctively went to open it. A bulky man with a sailor uniform stood outside and said, “Dear guests, the Lord Mage demands your presence in the dining hall in ten minutes. It’s downstairs.” He left.

“Let’s check it out,” Ardor stood up with everyone else and went down after Minnie locked their door and handed Ardor and Lance one key each.

They soon saw the entrance to what looked like a buffet hall at the end of the stairs, and were proven right after entering it. Ardor saw the others were already seated and chose a circular table with enough chairs for his group to sit on.

Soon, the mage entered the room and stood in front of the three circular tables, draped in a white cloth, while the other sailor men set the other tables on the side.

“Looks like nobody’s late.” Lemari had a regretful look on her face. “And I happily thought I could add another frog to my collection.”

Despite the pretty face she was making, the audience sweated, remembering the fate of the one who annoyed her the last time. They never questioned if she would do as she said, since they knew might meant right.

‘Who’d dare go against her? Some Warriors?’ Ardor thought while knowing the answer. ‘Mages are likely the peak force of this world. Even though I’ve never seen her fight, I cannot imagine any common Warrior taking her down.’

“We’ll be going to Shawbrook Island next, named after a pair of legendary mages who were, in fact, brothers.”

As Euphemia Fulgur, the most talented princess of Zoran, raised her hand, Lemari waved her hand down. “You’ll learn more about them once you reach there.”

“For now,” she looked at everyone, “you must decide where to go. There are three major camps in Shawbrook–The Academy of Nutmeth, The Elementary Tower and the Tower Of Vuzax. 

“Once you get in, know that it’s difficult to leave them. For now, my slaves will take care of your breakfast and remaining meals. Know that this is all your talent testing fee will provide,” saying this, she left, not before winking at Lance as she passed by him.

The sailor men, who Ardor learned were actually Lemari’s slaves, brought them the English breakfast that Ardor remembered eating with his family recently, and this time, there was no unpleasantness.

It was simply a great breakfast with a new family, one that would help him.

Once they were done and were returning to their room, Lance looked at Ardor.

<Boss, is it my turn?>