After walking for nearly half an hour, they still hadn't reached the North China School of Sorcery. The thin air at this altitude, combined with the constant movement, had left the little girl utterly exhausted. Unable to take another step, she was promptly scooped up by Glenn and carried on his back.
Without a word, Glenn cast a Bubble-Head Charm over Hermione's head. The pale-faced little girl, upon realizing this, looked even more frustrated. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you wanted to train yourself as Grandmother suggested, so you subconsciously ignored this option," Glenn replied calmly, his breathing steady as ever.
Glenn knew Hermione all too well. Since his grandmother had mentioned that the school was built atop a mountain to train students' cardiovascular endurance, the determined little girl would naturally push herself to follow that advice.
But precisely because of Hermione's personality, she often didn't know her limits. She had been gritting her teeth and pushing forward, even as she was on the verge of fainting.
It was Glenn who couldn't stand it any longer and decided to carry her.
Walking ahead, Lin Yingqing didn't turn around or show any reaction, but her mind was in turmoil.
What's going on with these two kids? How are my grandson and his little wife so physically fit?!
In reality, the distance between the teachers' rest areas and the North China School of Sorcery wasn't as far as the distance they had just walked.
After all, the school had an anti-flight field, and walking was the only way to move around. No teacher would voluntarily choose to walk such a long way back to their quarters.
Lin Yingqing had merely played a small trick, extending the staircase infinitely to test the physical fitness of the two youngsters. This would help her arrange suitable training for them.
Since Glenn and Hermione were here, as the Vice Principal of the North China School of Sorcery and the Dean of the Artificer Academy, Lin Yingqing naturally wanted them to explore and try out the various courses offered by the school.
This way, her grandson and his wife could learn from both the British and Dragon Kingdom systems, gaining a broader range of knowledge. After all, learning more is never a bad thing.
Who knows, she might even have a chance to lure the two of them to stay here in the future.
However, as the two youngsters continued climbing the seemingly endless staircase, Lin Yingqing's composure began to crack.
Take Hermione, for example. Her physical performance was already comparable to the top-ranked third-year students in the Battle Arts Academy.
As for Glenn, Lin Yingqing decided that normal standards couldn't be used to measure him.
Even now, Lin Yingqing, despite being an adult who hadn't neglected physical training, felt her breathing becoming uneven. Yet Glenn's breathing remained steady, as if he were taking a casual stroll.
And he was carrying a little girl on his back, though she wasn't exactly heavy (cue little girl's threatening glare).
Glenn truly wasn't tired. His body functioned like a finely tuned machine, adapting to the environment and conditions around him. He instinctively optimized his movements—adjusting his posture, the placement of his feet, how he exerted force, and how he conserved energy. Everything was calculated.
Even the black mist within his wand continued to slowly enhance his body, making his energy recovery faster than his energy expenditure. If he kept walking, he might only stop when his stomach was empty, and all his stored energy was completely depleted.
There was no need to continue this test. Lin Yingqing decided she could directly assign Glenn the highest-level physical training regimen from the Battle Arts Academy.
Composing herself, Lin Yingqing dispelled the enchantment. After just a few more steps, the three of them arrived at the North China School of Sorcery.
"Finally, we're here. Goodness, that staircase was way too long. Glenn, are you tired?" Hermione, having rested for a while, had regained some energy. She patted Glenn on the back, looking at him with concern.
Glenn shook his head. "I'm fine."
The little girl insisted on being put down. Glenn complied, crouching slightly so Hermione could slide off his back.
Now free, the two of them finally had a chance to take in their surroundings.
They realized they were likely at the edge of the North China School of Sorcery. Looking back, they noticed that their grandmother's rest area seemed to be surrounded by similar peaks, likely the quarters of other teachers.
Surveying the area, they discovered that the teachers' rest areas formed a vague circle, encircling the entire North China School of Sorcery.
Lin Yingqing, noticing their observations, explained, "The teachers' rest areas are actually nodes in a magical defensive array designed to protect the school from external threats. Although the Dragon Kingdom is now in an era of peace, if any foolish intruders ever dared to target our school, the teachers and this defensive array would serve as the first line of defense."
The three continued walking toward the library.
Since it was summer vacation, the school was quiet and deserted, which was ideal for Glenn and Hermione, who were only here to explore and read.
Before them stretched a complex of ancient-style buildings, visibly divided into six distinct sections along the central plaza. Though each area differed in size and layout, the overall design was harmonious, with each section complementing the others while showcasing its unique character.
"Grandmother, you mentioned before that the six main disciplines at the Dragon Kingdom's School of Sorcery include Battle Arts, Spellcasting, Artificing, and Herbalism. What are the other two? And how do young sorcerers here choose their courses?" Hermione, seeing the diverse architectural styles, recalled a previous conversation with Lin Yingqing.
These areas were likely where students attended their respective classes after choosing their courses.
It reminded her of how Hogwarts students also had to select their courses starting in their third year. She wondered how the Dragon Kingdom's system compared to Britain's.
Once Hermione started pondering, her thoughts began to spiral. She was already imagining how she would choose her courses if she were a student here.
"Yes, Hermione," Lin Yingqing replied with a smile. "In addition to the four you mentioned, the other two are Alchemy and Beastmastery. As for course selection, we recommend that every young sorcerer choose at least three primary courses. One of these must be either Battle Arts or Spellcasting, as they cover the core combat techniques for sorcerers. While the other disciplines also have combat applications, they are generally more focused on support and logistics."
"So, students can choose all the courses if they want?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued. Did this mean it was possible to take every course?
The little girl's inner academic spirit ignited, completely ignoring the option to take just one course.
At Hogwarts, wizards could technically take all twelve courses. Percy Weasley, the Gryffindor prefect, had done so.
But what puzzled Hermione was how overlapping class schedules were managed.
Lin Yingqing's response brought the little girl back from her whirlwind of thoughts.
"Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. Normally, a young sorcerer's energy isn't sufficient to master all the courses. Spreading oneself too thin often leads to subpar results. When your abilities are limited, it's better to focus on one area and achieve mastery. This foundation will become the cornerstone of your strength. Once you've achieved proficiency, you can then broaden your knowledge."
Lin Yingqing chuckled, gently ruffling Hermione's fluffy hair. "Another reason is that, beyond these six main disciplines, our school offers over twenty elective courses, such as Divination, Astrology, Painting, Musicology, Mechanisms, Magical Research, Historical Studies, and Elemental Applications. Do you think you could manage to learn all that?"
Hermione's face turned slightly red. She realized it wasn't very realistic.
She marveled at how many courses the Dragon Kingdom offered.
Lin Yingqing laughed softly and continued, "In practice, we recommend a 1+2+3 approach: choose one core discipline—either Battle Arts or Spellcasting—as your primary focus, then select two auxiliary courses from Alchemy, Beastmastery, Artificing, or Herbalism. Finally, pick three elective courses from the twenty-six available options. This combination is considered the most balanced. Of course, we encourage students to tailor their choices to their needs and capabilities, but the only mandatory requirement is to select either Battle Arts or Spellcasting."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully, while Glenn seemed deep in contemplation.
Compared to the other courses, Glenn was most interested in Battle Arts and Spellcasting.
After all, his grandmother had mentioned that Dragon Kingdom sorcerers didn't rely solely on the Hand of Sorcery as their casting tool. Different tools likely corresponded to different combat styles. As someone skilled in using various weapons, Glenn found this particularly intriguing.
In his past life, he had loved maintaining his weapons and honing his combat techniques with different arms.
Of course, Artificing also piqued his interest. His grandmother was one of the Dragon Kingdom's top Artificers, and the magical tools she created were nothing short of miraculous. Despite his knowledge of Alchemy and his ability to perceive magical circuits, Glenn couldn't decipher the workings of her creations.
To him, Artificing seemed to share similarities with Alchemy. Since his progress in Alchemy had hit a plateau, perhaps studying Artificing at the North China School of Sorcery could help him break through.
Shaking his head slightly, Glenn reminded himself that these weren't matters to consider right now. His current priority was to learn about the sorcery of the Sanctus and the Magus.
Ahead, Lin Yingqing continued answering Hermione's endless stream of questions with a smile. Glenn followed silently behind them.
Amid their chatter, the trio arrived at the library.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
New chapter live! Patreon updated to Chapter 185
Join for exclusive content: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Thank you for your support!