"Since Dumbledore personally invited Ian to Hogwarts to study magic, the waiting period of half a month had felt excruciatingly long.

  However, after entering the mysterious figure in a bck cloak while trying to sneak a peek at the "Leaky Cauldron," Ian decided to abandon the idea and fine himself to the Orphanage.

  The mere thought of the potential darkness within the magical world made him shudder. He was an adult soul, yet even as a college student, how could he possibly handle such a situation?

  All he could do was be obedient.

  At his desk, Ian flipped through the books in front of him, occasionally furrowing his brows in thought, silently writing down words in his notebook before softly pronoung them aloud.

  Self-study always demanded a great deal of self-discipline. Even with his ialents, this couldn't be ged.

  Eacrease in his nguage proficy signified a new uanding, a small but signifit epiphany.

  But these moments of enlighte were depe upon diligent study.

  Of course, upgrades did indeed provide a sense of "uanding," akin to a profouion.

  Ian was learning.

  Just then,

  Knooock.

  A kno the door interrupted his train of thought. Ian turo look at the door and responded, "e in."

  Creek.

  The door opened, and the person who had knocked was Catherine. She leaned against the door frame, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  "Ian, do you want a chi leg? The chefs said they have extra chi legs tonight!"

  She held out the chi leg like a prized treasure, it to him.

  At Catherine's feet, a short white cat darted into the room. Its agile figure jumped onto the table, half-croug down.

  Catherine was startled at first, then stopped iracks. After seeing the cat clearly, she excimed, "Jilly! You little troublemaker!"

  Ian swatted the cat's rear, picked it up, and forted Catherine, "It's alright, Catherine. I've already given it a lesson."

  Catherine nodded with a slightly pouty expression, still upset at the cat.

  Ian smiled and reassured her, "Jilly didn't mean it, Catherine. Just rex."

  "Alright, Ian."

  Children's moods were always fleeting as Catherine couldn't help but ask, "Ian, when we go to the magic school?"

  Ian smiled at the little girl.

  Indeed, magic held an undeniable allure. But he still o remind Catherine.

  "Catherine, remember, we agreed to keep this a secret."

  Catherine immediately covered her mouth. "Ian, I..."

  Ian smiled and said, "Of course, just keep it between us, it really doesn't matter. But if you want to learn magic, sidering ye, you might have to wait a few more years."

  "Mm-hmm, I will eat more and grow up quickly. Ia's go py with Noen and the others!"

  Fag the little girl's hopeful gaze, Ian shook his head with a smile and turo g the nguage books on his desk.

  inally, he had po reach level 5 in nguage proficy to unlock extraordinary traits.

  However, Catherine's interruption disrupted his focus. If he forced himself to tiudying, his efficy would likely be low.

  He g his attribute panel.

  Name: Ian PrinceOccupation: Bloodline SorcererMagic Power: Level 4

  Skills:Language Proficy (Level 4): 500/800Biological Disse (Level 5): 64/1600Free Fighting (Level 3): 85/400Psychology (Level 6): 42/3200

  Psychology Extraordinary Traits: Mind PerceptionBiological Disse Extraordinary Traits: Butcher's Instinct

  After several days of inteudying, his nguage proficy had reached level 4, and he was just 300 points away from reag level 5.

  In other areas, since he hadn't go to do any divinatioly, Psychology hadn't increased. The same goes for Biological Disse, which is why his nguage skills have improved so quickly.

  Time is limited, after all.

  "Let's go."

  Ian put the cat down.

  The white cat immediately nimbly ran out of the room, and Ian followed Catheri of the room.

  In the yard, the children were pying soccer. When they saw Ian, the kids were very excited. Ian, though not much older than them, often pyed a parental role. He wasn't strict, but he gave them a lot of care and attention.

  "Hey! Ian, e join our team!"

  "No way! Ian finally came out to py, he should be on our team so we win!"

  The kids almost started fighting over him.

  Ian chuckled helplessly. "Alright, alright, let me be the Keeper!"

  Soon, Ian would be leaving the Orphanage fwarts, and he was starting to feel a sense of indescribable reluce for the people and things here.

  …

  At night, under a starry sky,

  Ian finished washing up and y down on his bed. Though the day had been very fulfilling, he still couldn't shake his longing for something he had always desired.

  "When will I be able to practice magic skills?"

  Soon,

  Sleepiness began to wash over him.

  He slipped into a deep and peaceful slumber.

  The clear sky was like a freshly washed sapphire, crystal-clear, with fluffy white clouds like carefully sculpted cotton dy, floating zily in the air. Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the clouds, casting dappled shadows, like fairies pying, adding livelio this peaceful se.

  And again, the Twilight Zoook hold.

  Ian spread his arms wide, taking a deep breath, enjoying the tranquility of this world.

  He saw a fairytale-like forest stretg out before him beh the picturesque sky.

  The trees were lush, their green leaves rustling softly in the breeze as if whispering a secrets. Small animals darted through the underbrush, and butterflies and bees fluttered from flower to flower. A winding stoh led deeper into the forest, its end shrouded in darkness.

  This time, Ian didn't see Ariana.

  Ian had bee aced to this; after all, time flowed very differently betweewo worlds.

  In the real world, only seven minutes had passed, while iwilight Zo felt like half a day had gone by.

  Every time Iaered the illusion, days would pass within it, and sometimes even months of time would seem to epse. The passage of time here had no accurate standard.

  To be ho, the st time he entered Ariana was actually a ce.

  Ian walked along the grass towards the path. Strange creatures occasionally darted out from the bushes, gng curiously at him before disappearing. He tinued down the winding path, with sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, creating scattered spots of light on the ground.

  He wasn't sure how long he had been walking.

  He eventually came upon a small town hidden in a valley.

  The town was small, but its facilities were retively well-equipped; an a post office stood quietly, the sign of a bar swayed gently in the breeze, and the spire of a church reached up into the clouds, solemn and dignified.

  Everything seemed normal, but the town, which appeared harmonious, cked the energy of life. All the shops were tightly shut, and the interiors were empty.

  It felt like a straown from a terrifying movie but without the eerie and simosphere.

  "The town of the dead."

  The se in this town reminded Ian of what Ariana had oold him: that there had once been people here, but gradually, they all left. Perhaps these souls had simply fotten their attats iwilight Zone, or maybe they had pleted their attats and moved on to the mysterious adventure.

  "A pce without popurity, you definitely feel the solitude." Soon, Ian passed through the deserted streets and reached the small house where Ariana lived.

  "Hmm? Where is she?"

  The door to the house was tightly closed, and Ian walked up and peered through the simirly closed window. It was eerily quiet inside, just like the shops— no sound or movement.

  Ian found this odd.

  In the years past, Ariana had never left the area his town. This was the first time Ian couldn't find her.

  He had wao ask Ariana what the mark she had left for him was. Could this disappearance have something to do with the gift she had given him?

  Ian began to feel uneasy.

  At that moment, a voice suddenly broke the silence of the street. It was elegant, yet somewhat aloof— a deep, regal voice.

  "Oh, heartbroken little boy, are you waiting for that poor little girl?"

  Startled by the voice, Ian quickly turned around.

  A woman stood in front of him. Her eyes were like deep bck sapphires, slightly tilted at the ers, with thick shes fanning out like a fan over her beautifully arched eyes.

  She was a, stunningly beautiful erhaps a young woman? She wore a bck robe with golden embroidery, exuding an air of ajesty and solemnity.

  However, such a splendid appearance seemed pletely out of p this simple town.

  (End of this chapter)