Accompanied by the deep and robust sound of the steam whistle, the massive cruise ship set sail. This sound startled flocks of seabirds, and they flapped their wings in celebration of this distant journey. The cruise ship plowed through the waves, its propellers churning the sea, creating layers of white foamy splashes.
Its speed increased steadily, leaving long ripples in its wake. However, Cyril felt no hint of the ship's rocking in his room; it was as stable as if he were on solid ground. If it weren't for the view of the sea outside the window, it could have given him the illusion of still being at the Rose Manor.
As the cruise ship began its journey, Cyril was reading, "The Color-changing Octopus, the Wizard's Good Friend! Firm flesh, a delightful texture, tender and juicy, and, most importantly, affordable! At market prices, five wizard crystals for a big basket. If you catch it yourself, we recommend using the 'Itchy Curse' to stimulate the octopus to change colors and release ink. Hit it with the 'Daze Curse' at the moment it squirts ink."
Next to the text, there was a vivid illustration of the color-changing octopus. Its round and pliable body had eight long and plump tentacles, each adorned with intricate suckers. The whole octopus looked... exceptionally succulent.
Cyril knew he should stop reading here and turn the page to look at the introduction of the next creature. However, he couldn't resist, and his gaze continued downward to the recipe section.
"Simple Preparation: Cold Octopus Salad. Remove teeth and eyes first, then clean the innards. Blanch in hot water until tender, being especially careful with the timing; overcooked octopus loses its appeal. Wait patiently for a moment, cut into small pieces after cooling, and mix with various seasonings like lemon and pepper."
"Recommended Preparation: Sauced Grilled Octopus. Slice and marinate it for flavor, then grill over high heat. When it's fragrant, pour on our secret sauce (see the condiments section)! It's fresh, fragrant, and you can easily eat ten in one go!"
Cyril instinctively licked his lips, realizing that he was feeling a bit hungry. It wasn't proper to skip meals; he glanced at the wall clock—it was already noon. It was indeed time for lunch.
So, Cyril put down the book and left his room happily, heading to the restaurant on the cruise ship. The restaurant was strangely quiet at this moment, with occasional whispers from fellow diners. Cyril was surprised to notice that people's expressions seemed off.
The faces of the young men and women displayed a mix of indifference, seriousness, embarrassment, and helplessness. Suddenly, Cyril had a bad feeling.
Cyril quickly surveyed the area where the dishes were displayed in the restaurant and then froze. On the long, clean table, various dishes emitted enticing aromas, and delicate golden vessels were adorned with fruit decorations carved like flowers.
An array of fresh seafood was displayed prominently, drawing everyone's attention. For instance, there was a plate of red conch emitting red flames; at the bottom of a gold-edged porcelain plate lay a layer of sparkling ice, and the red conch was perched on top of it. The thick and elastic conch meat had a bright flame dancing above it, which was dazzling.
Then there were some salt and pepper mantis shrimp grilling on a delicate charcoal stove. They were coated with a layer of oil and roasted over a flame, looking crispy and tempting, with white and red meat emitting a delightful aroma. The wire mesh of the small charcoal stove was flipping automatically.
However, these delicious dishes were covered with a faint white light, as if they were under a glass dome. Each glass dome displayed a different price, ranging in size.
Next to the long table stood a brass bulletin board with a clear message: "Black Bread and Water Pipes are free (reminder: no food wastage allowed). For other dishes, please pay according to the prices indicated in wizard crystals. Servers can accept both gold coins and wizard crystals at a rate of 1 wizard crystal = 100 gold coins. No bargaining allowed. Friendly reminder: The casino is located on the lower floor of the Black Rose. High risk, high return, welcome!"
Cyril's face froze. The rules on this ship were strange and didn't align with the strenuous activities they had been subjected to at the Rose Manor. And what's with this "1 wizard crystal = 100 gold coins" rule? Wasn't the common exchange rate on the Wizard Continent "1 wizard crystal = 10 gold coins"? How could it be increased tenfold without anyone knowing?
Beside the brass bulletin board stood a waiter puppet dressed in a black vest and white shirt. Despite being alone, he didn't appear to be taken lightly. He held an exceptionally sharp knife in his hand, and the crystal chandeliers in the restaurant reflected a dazzling light off the polished blade. Maintaining this kind of shine should be no problem, right? Cutting iron without making a sound should also be fine, right? Killing should be as easy as chopping vegetables.
Cyril's gaze shifted from the formidable waiter puppet to the paid dishes. He found the "Color-changing Octopus" he had just seen in the book's illustration.
Coincidentally, there were perfectly grilled octopus slices on the plate, beautifully arranged, and a small dish of sauce on the side. It seemed to be prepared according to the recommended method in the "Strange Creatures Cooking Manual."
Cyril's eyes moved up, and he saw the price of this dish—"50" wizard crystals.
His pupils dilated. The "Strange Creatures Cooking Manual" clearly stated that you could buy a large basket of fresh color-changing octopuses for just 5 wizard crystals! This plate of grilled octopus slices, while beautifully presented, could only contain a single color-changing octopus.
This markup was outrageous!
Cyril then looked at the most ordinary white bread, which was priced at "5" wizard crystals.
Tsk.
A piece of white bread cost ten times more than the treasured potions displayed in Steve's apothecary window on Crescent Street!
Cyril's expression turned cold.
This was a downright swindle.
He only had 2 wizard crystals and 5 gold coins left now. Even if he were to sell everything he had, he couldn't afford a simple piece of white bread.
So, he reluctantly picked up a small piece of black bread. He didn't forget the warning about "no food wastage." He decided to taste it first, just in case there were other traps.
The quality of this black bread didn't seem better than the one he found in the kitchen when he first arrived in this world. It was tough, coarse, and dry.
He softened it with some water before slowly putting it in his mouth.
With the first bite, Cyril almost spat it out. This black bread was a whole new level of awful.
Of course, he wasn't the only one who felt this way. Most of the surrounding students came from noble backgrounds and were not accustomed to such food. Many of them had brought a lot of gold coins, but they couldn't bear the idea of spending 500 gold coins on a single piece of white bread.
This was forcing the students to try their luck in an unknown casino. According to the restaurant's rules, who knew what would happen in the casino?
Cyril couldn't help but miss the delicious free food available at the Rose Manor, and he let out a small sigh.
At that moment, a loud "thud" sounded. Cyril saw a tall young man with brown hair and an overly bushy beard set down his plate, which held a piece of black bread. He clutched his jaw, grimacing with a look that seemed to say, "I'm not eating this."
Philip set down the plate containing the black bread with a firm thud. There was a faint tooth mark on the bread where he had bitten into it without softening it first.
He stood up and walked over to the puppet waiter, trying to suppress his impatience as he said, "Bring me a piece of white bread." He then handed over a brass card to the puppet waiter.
Cyril observed the brass card from afar, his enhanced vision allowing him to see it clearly. The card was exceptionally exquisite, with intricate gears of varying sizes inside. Some embedded numbers were blocked from his view, but he could see the last digits in a frame, which read "9."
The back of the card was partly covered by the person's hand, but it seemed to bear the image of a black rose.
"That's a membership card for the Black Rose Merchant Association. Even ordinary people from outside the Wizard Continent can use it, pre-exchanging gold coins for wizard crystals for transactions with wizards later on," explained Warren, approaching Cyril.
He glanced at the brass card in the man's hand and continued, "My grandfather gave one to both me and Grace."
"I see," Cyril nodded. "So, it's an intermediary for transactions between wizards and ordinary folks. Thanks for the information."
"You're welcome," Warren replied quickly.
Cyril flashed a smile at Warren, appreciating the insight.
At that moment during their conversation, something happened on the side of the puppet waiter.
The puppet waiter, with one hand still holding a cleaver, reached into its pocket with the other and pulled out a similar brass card.
Using its thumb, it slid a few numbers on the card.
Then, it extended its hand and pressed its card against Philip's brass card.
As if receiving a special response, the gears on Philip's card began to turn.
After the gears came to a halt, the numbers on the card had changed.
Cyril once again saw the digit "9" at the end changing to "4."
Following that, the puppet waiter took back its brass card and, from the long table of food, picked up a plate of white bread, placing it in front of Philip.
Cyril noticed that as the puppet's hand passed through the protective cover over the dishes, nearly transparent threads flashed by.
"Why did you deduct 8 wizard crystals from me!" Philip didn't immediately take the plate of white bread but angrily pointed at the number on his brass card, questioning the puppet waiter.
"No food wastage allowed!" The puppet waiter calmly gestured towards the spot where Philip had placed the black bread not far away. In an unemotional, machine-like tone, it continued, "Prohibited."
After explaining, it ignored Philip and, still holding the cleaver with its featureless head that could turn 180 degrees, "surveyed" the new students in the restaurant.
The new students who had been silently watching the extravagant display of wealth by the wealthy individuals were stunned when they heard that last sentence, taking a sharp intake of breath.
When they caught sight of the puppet's turning head, they lowered their heads to look at the coarse black bread on their plates.
This thing was worth 3 wizard crystals! 300 gold coins!
The crucial part was that if they couldn't finish it, they'd still lose wizard crystals!
Who set these prices in the first place?!
If you have the guts to set the prices, do you have the courage to come out and let them see you?
Even if they couldn't do anything physically, couldn't they at least hold a grudge in their hearts?
Cyril struggled to swallow the black bread and gained a deeper understanding of the restaurant owner's sinister intentions.
3 wizard crystals = 300 gold coins = 30,000 silver coins = 300,000 copper coins.
And in Kozwood Town, a piece of black bread only cost 1 copper coin.
This pricing was beyond unreasonable, even more unreasonable than anything they had ever imagined.
"Do you want to go to the casino later?" Warren, imitating Cyril's manner, placed the plate of black bread in the water to soak and soften it.
He looked at the unappetizing black bread in front of him with a pained expression, then turned to Cyril and asked.