Since being personally invited by Dumbledore to study magic at Hogwarts, the half-month wait had felt exceptionally long.
However, after visiting the "Leaky Cauldron" in advance and encountering a mysterious figure in black robes, he dismissed the idea and chose to stay in the orphanage, refusing to go out.
Ian shuddered at the thought of the darkness that might exist in the magical world.
He was an adult soul.
But as a college student... how could he withstand that kind of situation?
He could only behave himself.
[Successfully read Roman language, language proficiency +1]
[Successfully read Roman language, language proficiency +1]
[Successfully read Roman language, language proficiency +1]
At his desk, Ian flipped through the books on the table. He frowned from time to time, pondered, jotted down words in his notebook, and whispered them aloud.
Self-study always requires strong self-discipline.
Even with the attribute panel, this could not be changed.
Each increase in proficiency signified that Ian had truly learned something. Each increment represented a small enlightenment.
But the premise of this enlightenment was diligent study.
Of course, leveling up felt like a kind of "understanding," akin to a major epiphany.
Ian was studying.
And just then—
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock at the door interrupted his rhythm. He turned his head and responded, "Come in."
Click.
The door opened, revealing Catherine. She leaned against the doorframe, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Ian, do you want a chicken leg? The cook said there are extra tonight!"
She held up a chicken leg as if offering a rare treasure.
At Catherine's feet, a white short-haired cat darted in, its lithe figure leaping onto the table and crouching down.
Catherine was startled and stopped in her tracks. After seeing the cat clearly, she frowned.
"Gilly! You little pest!"
Ian tapped the cat's backside, picked it up from the table, and comforted Catherine. "Alright, Catherine, I've already taught it a lesson."
Catherine nodded, still looking slightly annoyed at the cat.
Ian smiled and reassured her. "Gilly didn't do it on purpose, Catherine. Relax."
"Okay, Ian."
Children's tempers always come and go quickly.
Catherine finally couldn't help but ask curiously, "Ian, when can we go to the magic academy?"
Ian smiled at the little girl.
Indeed, no one could resist the temptation of magic, but he still had to remind Catherine.
"Catherine, we made an agreement. Remember to keep it a secret."
Catherine immediately covered her mouth. "Ian, I..."
Ian chuckled. "Of course, it's okay to tell only me. But if you want to study magic, you might have to wait a few more years."
"Yes, yes! I'll eat more and grow up quickly. Ian, let's go find Norn and the others to play!"
Faced with her expectant eyes, Ian shook his head and smiled helplessly, glancing at the language book on the desk.
Originally, he had planned to raise his language skills to level 5 and comprehend extraordinary characteristics.
But now, after Catherine's interruption, he was no longer in the mood to study. Forcing himself would likely be inefficient.
He checked his attribute panel:
Name: Ian Prince
Occupation: Bloodline Sorcerer
Magic Power: Level 4
Skills:
Language Mastery (Level 4): 500 / 800
Biological Anatomy (Level 5): 64 / 1600
Free Combat (Level 3): 85 / 400
Psychology (Level 6): 42 / 3200
Extraordinary Characteristics:
Psychology: Thought Perception
Biological Anatomy: Butcher Instinct
After days of intense study, his Language Mastery had reached level 4—only 300 points away from level 5.
As for the other skills, they had stagnated. He hadn't gone out to tell fortunes lately, so Psychology hadn't improved. The same was true for Biological Anatomy. This was why his language skills had advanced so quickly.
After all, time was limited.
"Let's go."
Ian put down the cat.
The white cat immediately slipped out of the room, and Ian followed Catherine outside.
In the yard, the children were playing football. Seeing Ian, they cheered—he often took on a parental role despite being not much older than them. He wasn't strict but offered them care and guidance.
"Hey! Ian, join our team!"
"No, Ian should be on our team! Then we'll win!"
Unexpectedly, the children almost started fighting over him.
Ian chuckled. "Okay, okay, I'll be the goalkeeper!"
There weren't many days left before he would leave the orphanage for Hogwarts. Ian felt a growing reluctance to part with these people and this place.
—
That night, under a sparse starry sky, Ian lay on his bed after washing up. Though the day had been fulfilling, his longing remained.
"When will I finally be able to practice magic..."
Soon, drowsiness swept over him, and he drifted into a sweet dream.
The sky above was like a freshly washed sapphire—crystal clear. White clouds, like sculpted cotton candy, floated leisurely. Sunlight filtered through them, casting mottled light and shadows, as if playful elves danced among them.
Here we go again—the Misty Realm.
Ian opened his arms, took a deep breath, and relished the tranquility.
Beneath this picturesque sky stretched a fairy-tale forest. The lush trees rustled in the breeze, whispering ancient secrets. Small animals scurried through the undergrowth, butterflies and bees flitted among the flowers, and a winding stone path led into the depths of the forest—toward darkness.
This time, Ariana was nowhere to be seen.
Ian was already accustomed to the inconsistent passage of time between the two worlds.
Only seven minutes had passed in the real world, yet here in the Misty Realm, half a day had elapsed.
Each time he entered, days—sometimes even months—had passed in the realm. The time difference followed no fixed pattern.
Meeting Ariana last time had been a mere coincidence.
He walked along the grassy path. Strange creatures occasionally peeked at him from the bushes before vanishing. The sunlight filtering through the leaves created speckles of golden light on the ground.
Who knew how long he walked before he arrived at a small town hidden in a valley.
Though small, the town's facilities were complete. An old post office stood quietly, a tavern sign swayed in the breeze, and a church spire pierced the sky, solemn and majestic.
Everything seemed normal—except that the town lacked life. All the shops were tightly shut, their interiors empty.
It felt like a setting from a horror movie, only missing the eerie, sinister undertone.
"Town of the Dead."
Ian recalled what Ariana had once said—people used to live here, but they had gradually left. Perhaps their souls had forgotten their obsessions or fulfilled them, moving on to the next, more mysterious adventure.
"A place without people truly feels lonely."
He walked through the deserted streets and arrived at Ariana's cottage.
"Huh? Where is she?"
The door was shut. Ian peeked through the window—silent and lifeless, like the rest of the town.
Ariana had never left the area before. This was the first time he couldn't find her.
Could it have something to do with the mark she gave him last time?
Just then, an elegant, icy voice broke the silence.
"Oh, heartbroken little boy, are you waiting for that poor girl?"
Ian was startled by the sound and quickly turned around.
A woman stood in front of him, her eyes like deep black jewels, the corners of her eyes slightly raised, and thick eyelashes covered her beautifully curved eyes like fans.
This was an elegant and incomparably beautiful… young woman? The woman was wearing a black robe with gold trim, her temperament was aloof and solemn.
However, such a gorgeous appearance and shape seemed out of place in this simple town.