The mist before my eyes receded layer by layer, as if space itself were collapsing.
Ian suddenly opened his eyes.
Lying on the crowded little bed, he shifted uncomfortably. The bright moonlight outside the window bathed the room in a silver mist.
A clock hung on the wall.
The hands pointed to 12:07, the second hand ticking steadily.
He had experienced such a vivid and illusory dream, yet only seven minutes had passed in reality.
"Huff..."
Ian took a deep breath and wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead.
He felt dazed—mentally speaking.
Recalling the events of his dream, he subconsciously looked at the back of his hand. A faint white mark was visible.
The dimly lit room relied solely on the moonlight.
Ian sat up, walked to his desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a small flashlight from among various hand tools. He switched it on, illuminating his arm.
"What is this?"
Ian studied the strange gift from his friend.
The faint mark shimmered briefly before fading into his skin.
In the dream, he could bring objects from reality into it—and, surprisingly, bring things out as well. Just like the chocolate he had given to Ariana.
But what purpose did this mark serve?
Ian didn't know.
He tried checking his skill panel.
Name: Ian Prince
Profession: Bloodline Warlock
Mana: Level 4
Skills:
Language Proficiency (Level 3): 23 / 400
Biological Dissection (Level 4): 796 / 800
Free Combat (Level 3): 85 / 400
Psychology (Level 6): 42 / 3200
[Psychology Extraordinary Trait: Thought Perception]
He had some expectations.
However—
There was no mention of the mark on the panel.
It made sense. This gift from his friend wasn't a skill, just as Ian's ability to enter the dreamy illusion wasn't listed either.
Perhaps he needed to check the Hogwarts library? That place supposedly held the most extensive knowledge in the magical world.
As he pondered, he rested his arm on the desk. Soon, drowsiness overcame him, and he returned to bed, drifting into sleep.
Early the Next Morning
When the sun rose, Ian had already been reading language books at his desk for quite some time.
[Successfully read a French word, Language Proficiency +1]
[Successfully read a Roman word, Language Proficiency +1]
[Successfully read a Roman word, Language Proficiency +1]
"Huff..."
Ian exhaled and rubbed his temples.
Learning languages wasn't easy for him. Every word required relying on phonetic symbols for pronunciation, and he had to memorize meanings carefully.
Of course—
Effort always yielded results.
Language Proficiency (Level 3): 35 / 400 (+12)
One morning's practice had already increased his proficiency by twelve points.
The day when this skill reached Level 5 and unlocked an extraordinary trait wasn't too far away. On days without spell-learning opportunities, his practical skill choices were limited.
But what would the extraordinary trait of language proficiency be?
Anticipating the future, Ian began his day.
Afternoon – Fortune-Telling Business
After lunch, Ian dragged his small cart to a familiar place, resuming his daily fortune-telling business.
Calling it deception might be a bit harsh—but in the end, he was simply tailoring his services to the customer's needs.
Sitting at his table, Ian appeared to be shuffling tarot cards. In reality, he relied entirely on his self-taught psychology, reading people's expressions, pauses, and gestures to infer their thoughts.
To be honest—
Even if he truly knew how to divine, from a business perspective, it might not be as profitable as this approach. After all, people didn't always want to hear the truth.
As Ian called out, another curious woman approached him.
He observed her attire, hesitations, and the flicker in her eyes.
With practiced confidence, he spoke as if glimpsing into her very soul.
"Madam, you've been under a lot of pressure lately."
The seemingly mystical statement made the woman nod calmly.
Not a difficult guess.
Ian smiled. "Is it about graduation?"
The woman looked surprised. "Oh, you're right."
Ian continued, "Your tutor has been giving you trouble. You're about to graduate, but if things continue this way, he won't let you pass easily."
Her mouth fell open in shock.
Now, her voice trembled, and her tone toward Ian became more reverent.
"Little fortune-teller, yes, you're right! What should I do?!"
[Successfully observed psychology, Psychology Proficiency +1]
The skill panel improved.
Ian remained composed. The customer was now completely within his "hunting range"...
With his mind-reading ability, he could control her psychologically.
However—Ian was a man of principles.
"Miss, you might need to spend a little money to smooth things over with the headmaster… but it's difficult. If you have an amulet, the goddess of luck may favor you."
The woman, fully trusting Ian now, glanced at the dazzling charms he recommended.
"How much do they cost? Can I buy them all?"
A fat sheep.
Ian kept his composure. "Yes, of course. Each amulet costs five pounds."
He placed twenty talismans on the table.
"I'll take them all! Twenty times the luck!"
Watching the woman purchase all twenty talismans—for a total of one hundred pounds—Ian inwardly celebrated.
Those "handmade" talismans? Nothing more than foreign versions of charms—pieces of yellow paper with the English word luck scribbled on them in messy strokes.
Still, he maintained his act. "May the goddess of luck bless you."
"Thank you!" The woman clasped her hands together in gratitude.
As she left, Ian finally allowed himself a victorious smile.
"Looks like my luck has turned too. I might as well head back early today."
A hundred pounds. A hefty sum. Equivalent to nearly 130 dollars—enough for two months of living expenses.
Packing up early seemed like a good idea.
Return to the Orphanage
As Ian pushed his cart back to the orphanage, he stopped by a restaurant and bought several servings of soup.
The moment he arrived, the children ran over excitedly.
"Wow, Ian! What's this?"
Their eyes sparkled at the sight of the food. Even the older kids couldn't hide their excitement.
"Hey, Ian!"
They greeted him eagerly but didn't touch the food—waiting for his permission.
Ian smiled, placing the soup on the table.
"Alright, everyone—go grab some cutlery. And wipe your drool while you're at it!"
Laughter filled the room.
Soon, the children gathered their utensils and devoured the meal enthusiastically.
Evening – Kitchen Work
In the orphanage's kitchen, Ian wielded a blade, assisting with the slaughtering of chickens and ducks.
The two chefs working beside him praised him.
"Thank you, Ian. With you here, we save so much time."
The children needed proper nutrition, which meant meat was a necessity.
Every night, Ian helped in the kitchen.
[Successfully slaughtered a chicken, Biological Dissection +1]
[Successfully slaughtered a duck, Biological Dissection +1]
This was how he honed his Biological Dissection skill.
But tonight was different.
[Ding! Congratulations! Biological Dissection proficiency is complete. Skill successfully upgraded.]
[Biological Dissection (Level 5): 1 / 1600]
[Congratulations! Skill breakthrough to Level 5. Gained extraordinary characteristics…]