Ever since Dumbledore personally invited him to attend Hogwarts, the half-month wait had become increasingly unbearable.
After his own attempt to locate the "Leaky Cauldron" led to an encounter with a mysterious figure in a black cloak, Ian had since abandoned all thoughts of venturing out. He stayed locked inside the orphanage.
The thought of what kind of darkness might exist in the magical world made Ian shiver.
He might have the soul of an adult—
But he'd only been a college student. That kind of situation was way out of his depth.
In short, he decided to behave.
[Successfully read Latin. Language Proficiency +1]
[Successfully read Latin. Language Proficiency +1]
[Successfully read Roman. Language Proficiency +1]
At his desk, Ian flipped through the books in front of him. His brow furrowed as he studied, jotting down words in his notebook and softly reciting them.
Self-teaching took discipline.
Even with a skill panel, that part didn't change.
Every bit of proficiency gained meant Ian had actually learned something. Every increment was like a small moment of enlightenment.
But even enlightenment required effort and study.
Of course—
Leveling up a skill did bring a more dramatic kind of "epiphany."
Ian was studying hard—
Until knock knock knock—
A knock on the door interrupted his rhythm. He turned toward the door and replied, "Come in."
Click.
The door opened. Catherine stood in the doorway, eyes sparkling.
"Ian, do you want a drumstick? The cook said there's extra tonight!"
She held it up like it was a treasure, offering it to him.
At her feet, a white short-haired cat darted into the room and sprang onto the desk, crouching playfully.
Startled, Catherine stopped in her tracks. When she saw the cat clearly, she shouted—
"Gilly! You little menace!"
Ian lightly tapped the cat's backside and scooped it up from the desk, offering Catherine a gentle smile.
"It's okay, Catherine. I've scolded it already."
Catherine pouted, still visibly annoyed.
Ian chuckled softly to reassure her.
"Gilly didn't mean it. Relax a little, Catherine."
"Alright, Ian…"
Children's tempers came fast and left just as quickly.
Catherine couldn't help but ask, "Ian, when do we get to go to the magic school?"
Ian smiled at the little girl.
Of course—
Who could resist the allure of magic? But he still needed to remind her.
"Catherine, remember our promise—you have to keep it secret."
She quickly covered her mouth. "Ian, I…"
Ian kept smiling. "It's alright to tell me, but to learn magic, you'll probably have to wait a few more years. You're still a bit young."
"Okay! I'll eat more and grow up faster. Ian, let's go play with Norn and the others!"
Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes—
Ian shook his head and smiled, glancing at the language book on his desk.
Originally, he had planned to get Language Proficiency to level 5 to unlock its extraordinary trait.
But now that Catherine had interrupted, he no longer had the focus for it. Pushing through would just be inefficient.
He checked his status panel:
Name: Ian Prince
Class: Bloodline Warlock
Magic Power: Level 4
Skills:
Language Proficiency (Lv. 4): 500/800
Biological Dissection (Lv. 5): 64/1600
Free Combat (Lv. 3): 85/400
Psychology (Lv. 6): 42/3200
Extraordinary Trait: Thought Perception
Extraordinary Trait: Butcher's Instinct
After a few days of intense study, Language Proficiency had reached level 4. Only 300 points to go until level 5.
As for the others—
Since he hadn't been doing any fortune-telling or butchering lately, Psychology and Dissection hadn't moved much. That was also why his language skill had improved so fast.
There were only so many hours in a day.
"Let's go."
Ian set the cat down.
The white feline darted out of the room, and Ian left with Catherine.
In the yard, the children were playing football. When they saw Ian, they lit up with joy—many of them saw Ian, who wasn't that much older, as a kind of parent figure. Not strict, but caring and responsible.
"Hey! Ian, join our team!"
"No way, he should be on our side today! That way we'll win!"
They nearly broke out into a fight.
Ian laughed. "Alright, alright—I'll be goalkeeper!"
He'd be leaving the orphanage for Hogwarts in just a few days. He was already starting to feel an indescribable attachment to this place and the people in it.
That night, under the starlit sky—
After washing up, Ian lay down in bed. Though the day had been full, his thoughts still returned to what he truly longed for.
"When will I finally get to practice magic…"
Before long—
Sleep overtook him.
The sky above was as clear as freshly polished sapphire, dotted with delicate, cotton-white clouds floating lazily. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the clouds, scattering like playful pixies and bringing the peaceful landscape to life.
He was back—
In the Limbo Mirage.
Ian spread his arms, took a deep breath, and basked in the serenity of this world.
Before him stretched a fairytale forest.
Lush trees whispered in the wind, leaves rustling with ancient secrets. Small creatures darted through the underbrush, butterflies and bees flitting past. A winding stone path led deeper into the forest, vanishing into a shadowed valley.
This time, Ariana wasn't waiting.
Ian wasn't surprised. Time flowed differently between the two worlds.
Seven minutes in the real world could be half a day here.
Each visit seemed to span days, sometimes even months in the Mirage. There was no consistent rule.
Truth be told, running into Ariana last time had been pure luck.
Ian walked along the grass toward the path. Occasionally, strange creatures peeked from the trees, watching him curiously before darting away. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in dappled patterns.
He didn't know how long he walked.
Eventually, he came to a small town hidden in a mountain valley.
Though small, the town had all the essentials: an old post office, a pub with a creaking sign swaying in the breeze, a tall church spire piercing the sky.
Everything looked normal—except…
There was no sign of life.
All the buildings were shut tight. Every shop was empty.
Like something out of a horror movie—minus the creepy vibe.
"The Town of the Dead."
Ariana had mentioned once that there used to be people here. But over time, they left. Maybe the souls forgot their regrets, or maybe they fulfilled them—and moved on to their next journey.
"You can really feel the emptiness when no one's around."
Ian crossed the deserted streets and reached the small house where Ariana lived.
"Huh? She's not here?"
The front door was shut. Ian stepped closer and peeked through the closed window.
Silence.
Just like the rest of the town, the place was still and empty.
Ian frowned.
Over the years—
Ariana had never once left this part of the Mirage.
This was the first time he hadn't found her.
He'd wanted to ask her what that mark she gave him meant… Could her disappearance be related to that gift?
A trace of unease crept into Ian's heart.
And just then—
A voice rang out behind him, shattering the silence.
It was elegant, cool, and commanding—like a queen's.
"Oh, poor little heartbroken boy. Are you waiting for that pathetic little girl?"
Startled, Ian spun around.
A woman stood before him.
Her eyes were deep as black gemstones, her gaze slightly upturned. Long lashes framed those perfect features. She was—
A stunning, regal beauty.
Dressed in a flowing black robe trimmed with gold thread, her presence was imposing and graceful.
But—
She looked completely out of place in this quaint, quiet town.
(End of Chapter)