The following morning, Leoric strode into the wizarding school, his backpack slung over one shoulder, carrying a few simple personal belongings. The heavy iron gate closed silently behind him, casting an eerie sensation, as though he were being confined within a somber concentration camp.

  Attending school was nothing new to him, yet the wizarding academy in this fantastical realm stood in stark contrast to any earthly university. If one were to draw a comparison, it would be to the schools of witchcraft and wizardry depicted in the tales of Harry Potter, bearing an uncanny resemblance to this mystical place.

  It must be noted that though the tuition fee of two hundred gold coins was exorbitant, it was by no means squandered. Within the wizarding school,

  student was bestowed with their own dormitory, complete with a bedroom, living room, and bathroom. By their third year, they could even claim their very own laboratory.

  Three sumptuous meals a day were provided gratis in the cafeteria, boasting an array of dishes to tantalize one's taste buds. During their tenure at the school, students were mandated to don uniforms—specifically, wizard robes—the cost of which was included in the tuition. Upon his arrival, Leoric was presented with five sets of sleek black wizard robes and five gray cloaks.

  The robes bestowed upon the first-year students were admittedly not of the highest quality, yet their tailoring was passable. They lacked enchantments or blessings, but when compared to ordinary robes, their most distinctive feature was the myriad of small pockets sewn discreetly within.

  These pockets served as repositories for storing spell components. In this world, magic was bifurcated into divine and arcane realms. Most arcane spells practiced by wizards necessitated certain materials as conduits to cast effectively, with only a few exceptions.

  Thus, wizards preparing for adventures or battles always carried an extensive assortment of materials, meticulously sorted and stored within the small pockets of their robes. The placement of each material was a matter of personal preference, but all wizards had to commit to memory the exact location of their items. For in the throes of combat, grabbing the wrong component could spell disaster.

  One of the fundamental skills for a wizard was the ability to swiftly and accurately retrieve the necessary components from the myriad pockets in their robe. In the crucible of battle, life and death often hinged on a moment's notice, a race against time. Whoever could extract the right material with alacrity and cast their spell first held a decided advantage.

  As a wizarding school, students were not only issued robes but also wands and spellbooks. A wand, in essence, was naught but a half-person-tall stick crafted from oak. Like the robes, the wands bestowed upon first-year students were not of high quality. Contrary to many fantasy novels Leoric had perused, wands were not indispensable tools for casting spells in this world. In tales like Harry Potter, wizards were incapacitated without a wand, but here, many preferred the tactile sensation of casting barehanded. Nonetheless, the school adhered to tradition and bestowed a wand upon each student.

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  Spellbooks, however, were indispensable tools for wizards—more specifically, for the preparation of spells. To cast a spell in this world, preparation was paramount. Without a spellbook, a wizard could not establish a connection to the magical network, could not extract power from it, and thus could not prepare spells.

  For wizards, a spellbook served as a key to unlock the magical network, albeit not the sole key.

  Clad in black wizard robes, gripping a wand, and clutching a spellbook, Leoric gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "Hmm, I now bear the semblance of a wizard," he mused.

  With his gear in order, it was time to immerse himself in rigorous study.

  First-year students primarily delved into the rudimentary principles of magic and fundamental wizard training. Courses encompassed Magic History, Elemental Studies, Potion Making, Planar Theory, Principles of Magical Mechanics, and more—a diverse and bizarre tapestry of knowledge. Fortunately, the majority of the content was foundational, with the deeper mysteries reserved for later studies, rendering the learning process manageable.

  The veritable challenge lay in Dragon Language Studies.

  In this world, wizards' incantations were articulated in Dragon Language, for dragons, inherently endowed with the ability to cast spells, possessed a language that intrinsically connected with the magical network. Mastery of Dragon Language was indispensable for one who aspired to become a wizard.

  Leoric was not exceptionally proficient in languages, yet he was competent. However, Dragon Language was profoundly intricate—its grammar rules labyrinthine, its vocabulary vast, and many words possessing strange pronunciations that seemed to defy human vocal cords.

  Leoric's classmates, predominantly hailing from wizard families, possessed solid foundations forged through early exposure. Furthermore, Leoric's talent and aptitude in the arcane arts were merely average among his peers. He even discerned a few sorcerers among their ranks.

  Sorcerers, akin to dragons, possessed innate spellcasting abilities. It was believed that those with dragon blood or divine lineage could ascend to the ranks of sorcerers. Generations of intermarriage among the wizards of Shadowdale had occasionally produced such prodigies, almost as though they were genetic mutations.

  While sorcerers were not necessarily intellectually superior, they were natural conduits for arcane energy—they instinctively spoke Dragon Language, sensed the magical network, and could effortlessly tap into it after minimal training, without the need for a spellbook as a key.

  However, innate talent did not guarantee success. Even the most talented individuals required rigorous training to avoid mediocrity. Sorcerers also harbored weaknesses, often being overly emotional and lacking in rational thinking and logical analysis—some harshly likened them to women.

  Despite their innate advantages, sorcerers were still dispatched to wizarding schools for systematic training under the elite philosophy of Shadowdale.

  Nonetheless, being born with an innate understanding of Dragon Language and a natural affinity for the magical network bestowed significant advantages, especially in the nascent stages.

  Fortunately, diligence could compensate for deficiencies.

  Although Leoric's internal cultivation results were not impressive, three years of arduous practice were not entirely in vain. While others required at least eight hours of sleep to avoid being overwhelmed by the challenging Dragon Language, Leoric could maintain mental clarity with mere two hours of meditation, enabling him to study with greater efficiency.

  By dedicating six extra hours to study each day, despite his weaker foundation and average talent, Leoric managed to uphold good grades.