get-shopping Chapter 127, Section 126: Guardian Angel Spell? Guardian Knight Spell!
Chapter 127, Section 126: Guardian Angel Spell? Guardian Knight Spell!
Chapter 127, Section 126: Guardian Angel Spell? Guardian Knight Spell!
Ian always finds great rewards in his interactions with legendary witches, but he also needs to be careful, as the mind of a wicked woman who has lived for thousands of years can change in an instant.
For example, right now.
The witch had just fulfilled Ian's wish to ride a giant bone dragon, and Ian had quickly showered her with compliments, but the witch immediately began to rigorously examine his progress in alchemy.
Although Ian had successfully repaired the iron lumps at the gate and upgraded their equipment, even replicating some of the Deathly Hallows' functions, the legendary witch Morgan seemed still not satisfied with his progress in learning alchemy.
"At your current incredibly slow learning pace, it will probably take at least three years to fully understand the knowledge I'm teaching you."
Morgan was probably the first wizard to be dissatisfied with Ian's learning speed. It wasn't that she thought Ian lacked talent, but rather that she used this to criticize Ian for spending too much time sleeping.
"If I had had such a superior learning environment as you, I would definitely only sleep once a month. Wizards have many ways to avoid the punishment of fatigue." Perhaps according to Morgan's unique entrepreneurial ecstasy, Ian's way of studying only during the day is indeed not considered very diligent.
but.
Ian, who was obsessed with growing to at least 1.88 meters tall, could only avoid the problem by reflecting on his own actions. He didn't want to suffer from developmental defects due to lack of sleep.
It's one thing to stay up late occasionally.
If you stay up all night every day, the only way to grow taller is probably to drink magic potions, but that method is too artificial and not much different from getting plastic surgery in the Great Cold Kingdom.
"Teacher, the final answer to the alchemy assignment you gave me should be a time converter, right?" Ian immediately changed the subject after his self-reflection.
This was his judgment while studying Morgan's alchemy work. However, as his alchemy skills improved, he felt that the alchemy process Morgan provided was more and more complicated.
of course.
This was just a judgment Ian made based on his limited understanding of time converters. Even though he had specifically searched for information, there weren't many books in the library related to time converters, and those containing substantial content were as rare as those that mentioned the Three Deadly Sacraments.
Many questions cannot necessarily be answered by books. This is partly because the authors themselves may not know the answers, and partly because many sensitive books disappear silently in the flow of history.
There was deliberate concealment.
It is also covered by the dust of history.
Although Hogwarts' library has a vast collection of books, the current restricted section is merely a collection of incomplete and prohibited books, and naturally, it does not contain any books that explain the detailed principles of the Time-Turner.
The books I could find mostly mentioned how to use it and how it felt.
The time converter looks like a small, shiny gold timer with a long, delicate gold chain. Each time the time converter rotates, it can go back one hour.
When using the time converter, the user will feel as if they are flying backward very quickly, with various blurry cloud shapes flashing before their eyes, and something knocking in their ears while they cannot hear their own voice.
"You should call it the Hourglass of Fate," the witch Morgan corrected Ian, clearly indicating that it wasn't just a difference in name, but also a difference in the power it contained.
"Can it overturn fate and change the past?"
Ian's eyes lit up immediately.
The name "Hourglass of Fate" naturally gave him pause for thought. After all, one of the rules governing the use of time-travel devices has always been that you can only witness history, not change it.
Nothing that has already happened can be changed using the Time Converter, not even by Dumbledore. Therefore, the Time Converter can only be used to understand the truth of certain things to a large extent.
And — students use it for learning.
In her third year at Hogwarts, Hermione received this magical artifact from Professor McGonagall, which allowed her to go back several hours to attend more of her lessons.
In order to obtain a Time-Turner, the professor had to write various letters to the Ministry of Magic, telling them that the owner was an exemplary student and would never use it for anything other than studying.
Of course, regardless of the regulations, the fact that such a magical time-changing device was given to a student already indicates that the time converter's use is definitely limited.
"It only contains the power of fate and time, but if you try to use it to win back lost love and family, all you will get in the end is disappointment."
After Morgan led Ian into the castle, she sat down in Ian's chair, munching on the snacks Ian had "pooped out," and answered Ian in a flippant tone.
"That's not much different from a time machine, is it?"
Ian looked slightly disappointed.
However, it's not that I've lost interest in learning.
After all, being able to create a time converter is definitely a remarkable achievement, a skill that cannot be learned at Hogwarts or anywhere else.
Even the renowned alchemist Nicolas Flamel could not recreate this lost art.
"There is no power of destiny on the time converter." Morgan corrected Ian's point of view again, and she was well aware that much of the knowledge from Ian's time had long been lost.
As for the reason...
Ian, however, believes that the Department of Mysteries deserves immense credit.
There may have been related manufacturing techniques in the forbidden book area, but with the Mysterious Affairs Bureau's monopoly on time converters, all the data on time converters in various regions must have been destroyed or confiscated. According to the ghosts in the school, the Mysterious Affairs Bureau once took away many books from the library.
There's a high probability that there will be books related to the time converter, because it was from that period that Hogwarts gained the right to apply to the Ministry of Magic for the right to use the time converter.
This must be a compromise and deal made between the school's higher-ups and the Department of Mysteries. Therefore,
This also meant that Ian, who enrolled later, never actually came into contact with a real time converter.
He could only speculate on the general principle of the time converter from a limited number of books and his own knowledge; it was definitely impossible for Fangfang to figure it out on her own.
"So, what role can the power of fate play with your hourglass?" Ian offered to massage Morgan's shoulders, which pleased the Black Witch greatly with his flattery.
"Historically, very few wizards have been able to touch the realm of fate. This is something I have painstakingly researched, and it can definitely be considered the culmination of the field of alchemy."
The legendary witch first boasted about herself, then spoke softly in a meaningful voice, "It cannot change the ending, but it can allow those in the past to pluck the strings of fate."
This is perhaps a common problem among older women and men; whenever they talk about crucial matters,
They always like to use a riddle-like tone and language that requires others to understand.
"To manipulate fate?"
Ian seemed to be deep in thought.
The witch's riddle-solving behavior today is not hard to understand.
"When you hand in a satisfactory answer, you'll experience its extraordinary magic." Morgan smiled and turned to look at the little wizard behind her.
"As long as the ending remains the same, the process can be changed?" Ian offered his understanding, speaking frankly.
If that's true, then the so-called "Hourglass of Fate" is indeed an extraordinary creation.
What do you think?
The witch raised an eyebrow.
"If you ask me—teacher, you are truly amazing! You are simply the most powerful wizard in the world!" Ian immediately launched into a barrage of meaningless flattery.
Morgan the witch fell for this.
"There is one thing to be very careful about when using such a tool: when you are manipulating fate, fate will also affect you. Do not try to move a destiny that is more powerful than yourself."
"That won't end well." After accepting Ian's flattery, she offered a reminder, and to be fair, this was exactly what Ian meant by being careful when dealing with a bad witch.
If Ian hadn't flattered her in time, who knows if Morgan the witch's concealment might have turned it into a hidden danger that would later cause him great trouble. Just like the queen who was schemed against by the wicked witch, wicked witches really like to plant seeds of trouble silently when they're plotting against their apprentices.
of course.
She has real skills, and the wicked witch really knows how to teach.
This can only be described as having much in common with the idea that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger.
"Teacher, is it really impossible for us wizards to reverse death that has already occurred?" Ian felt that this limitation did not quite fit his core belief that wizards are gods.
"Do you want to change the way your parents died, or that poor girl in town?" Morgan may not be able to read minds, but she could see the intention behind Ian's question.
"Perhaps both are true."
It was indeed a regret for Ian that he never met his parents, but he felt more sorry for his good friend Ariana, who did not live a truly fulfilling life.
Of course, upon closer examination, the fact that time doesn't allow for changing past rules does indeed make their existence necessary.
After all, if such a thing were to change, the future would undoubtedly be greatly affected or even completely overturned. At the very least, Dumbledore would certainly no longer be the Dumbledore we know today.
and this.
It will already change much of history.
"I regret to inform you that manipulating fate does not mean overturning it. Even if it is you, even if you pay the price to change the process, they will still die at the moment they are meant to die." Morgan's voice sounded somewhat melancholy for some reason. Perhaps the reason she studied the hourglass of fate was to try to change some kind of regret.
"This is fate; it transcends all living beings, even the gods." She concluded her belief, prompting Ian to sigh with regret.
"What if I wanted to go back to the childhood of some powerful being and strangle him before he became powerful? Surely that wouldn't bring the guy I strangled back to life?"
He still couldn't give up and asked about fate again, even gesturing in front of Morgan as if he were strangling someone, the movement making it look like he was strangling some small animal.
Morgan was clearly caught off guard by Ian's wild ideas.
but.
She remained silent for a moment.
In the end, the voice gave the answer in a low, melancholic tone.
"Then you will never be able to return to your own time, and fate will use you to replace the person you killed, and you will be trapped in a life that does not belong to you under the control of fate."
It's unclear how the witch Morgan knew the answer.
Her tone didn't sound like she was guessing.
Perhaps I've been curious about this before. It's safe to say that the fact that the black witch became Ian's apprentice is related to some of the similarities between them.
"Hiss~"
The witch's answer sent a chill down Ian's spine.
"All right."
He completely suppressed his bold curiosity. Indeed, there was a reason why the more powerful a wizard was, the more he revered fate; he didn't want to become another noseless wizard who would just "crunch" and gnaw on a giant melon.
In fact, given No-Nose's current situation, there's no need to go back in time to kill No-Nose. Ian's question stems purely from his curiosity about the mysteries of fate.
"Has anything like this ever happened in history?" Ian's curiosity was piqued again. He couldn't help it; the wicked witch's tone made him want to let his imagination run wild.
Morgan did not get annoyed by Ian's series of questions.
"If I didn't have it, would I tell you the answer? All my knowledge comes from summaries of practical experience." It was unexpected that Morgan still adhered to the school of thought of scientific witchcraft.
"Could it be a historical figure I know?"
Ian's question had barely surfaced when the witch smacked him on the head.
"Being too curious isn't always a good thing. Sometimes, just 'knowing' about something can backfire. All I can tell you is that it actually happened."
"In the era before you and I were born."
Morgan's words, though somewhat cryptic and tinged with sarcasm, did not completely extinguish Ian's curiosity. However, her powerful dunk made Ian realize that he shouldn't continue asking questions.
"This is the history of magic I want to learn, and it's another day of gratitude to you, teacher." Ian sensed the witch's impatience and immediately began to enthusiastically massage her back again.
After all, the witch is right here.
Many more secrets will eventually be revealed.
The premise is that he doesn't provoke the witch and follow in the footsteps of the Queen's senior sister.
After the limited-time trial card for the Enchanted Realm lasted for half its duration, Ian wanted to go to town to see his friends, and the legendary witch had no complaints about this.
"Tell your friend that you took the dragon, so he still owes me—" She even had Ian act as a messenger to deliver a message to Pandro.
Ian only had guesses and judgments about the past grievances between the two, and he certainly couldn't ask questions, after all, the dragon that almost had half its head strangled was a cautionary tale.
Even if half a soul is strangled off, it can be pieced back together. But if a living person has most of their head chopped off...
That would definitely mean he'd die instantly and then be kept by the teacher forever.
"Of course, don't worry, teacher, I'll even kick his butt for you." Ian was willing to sacrifice his friend's butt health for the sake of the witch's mood.
"We must be ruthless enough in our approach!"
Morgan the witch's smile was radiant; she was clearly very satisfied with the assurance Ian had given. She raised her hand, and the next moment, thorns sprouted from Ian's shoes. As for what the shimmering green sheen on the thorns was, Ian, with his extensive knowledge of potions, couldn't identify it, but he didn't dare to ask.
If the answer he gets is particularly frightening, how could he possibly treat his good friend properly? As the saying goes, if you don't know, you don't know, and not knowing means you can be at ease with yourself.
"The soul will never die again anyway."
Ian mentally prepared himself.
He stepped out of the castle.
"Will you take me back to the human world?"
The giant dragon lying outside immediately came closer and asked curiously.
Morgan gave it to Ian and instructed Ian to inscribe some marks on it.
It had no choice, and it couldn't really be considered dissatisfaction or resistance.
"The human world has changed a lot. Not only can you go back to Hogwarts for a visit, but you can also help me deal with some enemies. Of course, most of the time you just need to support me." Ian also hoped to build a good relationship with this last ancient dragon, since although he could, he didn't like forced enslavement.
"Of course, I can definitely back you up and even help you kill your enemies." The giant ancient dragon was quite shrewd and immediately made a guarantee to Ian.
Its personality was completely at odds with its majestic and massive body; it even had a talkative quality. The dragon's face, with its more detailed features than Snape's, showed an expression of remembrance.
"My skeleton must be really cool too. If possible, I can actually help you teach other young wizards. After all, I always wanted to be the first dragon professor at Hogwarts when I was alive." It expressed that it was an ancient dragon with dreams, not as lazy as Morgan Witch said.
"You know, I've always been in charge of the regular cleaning of the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest. Gryffindor says I'm the steward, and Slytherin says I have the qualities of a professor of dragons."
"But later I realized he was just making empty promises. He never made me a dragon professor before I died. God knows how a human could outlive a dragon."
The chattering dragon's words immediately caught Ian's attention.
Did Slytherins live a long time?
He immediately asked out of curiosity, this was clearly from "Hogwarts: A History of the School" and "Hogwarts:
The later stories of the four giants, which were not mentioned in "The Hidden Secrets".
"Yes, he must have found some kind of potion that can grant immortality. After all, I'm pretty good at potions, and I know that such a potion existed a long, long time ago."
The ancient dragon didn't know why Ian's eyes lit up. It was probably because he had never witnessed the encounter with a Dementor, so he spoke with great pride when showing off his potion-making achievements.
"An elixir of immortality made from golden apples?" Ian was pleasantly surprised by the dragon's practical value, but his assessment differed somewhat from that of Salazar Slytherin, as described by the ancient dragons.
Could it be that Voldemort's creation and use of Horcruxes is a form of atavism? After all, Morgan von Schwarz said before that she cut down all the Golden Apple trees in her time.
"He just lived a long time. He had lost all his teeth by then and it looked like he had difficulty walking. I think if I had tried harder, I could have outlived him."
"He'll outlive me by at most ten or eight days." The ancient dragon's tone was full of certainty, as if it had seen Salazar Slytherin one last time before it died.
"You weren't hatched at Hogwarts, were you?" Ian had actually been curious about this for a while.
Logically speaking, the lifespan of ancient pure-blooded dragons should be extremely long, after all, the little dragons in the wizarding world today have lifespans comparable to, or even exceeding, those of wizards.
"Of course, otherwise Slytherin would never have survived me---" The ancient dragon had probably not communicated with anyone for a long time, and it was not at all reluctant to mention its past of being captured.
"I had lived for a very, very long time before I entered Hogwarts, and unlike my kind who liked to cause trouble, I loved learning even before I started school."
"Other dragons would abduct human princesses and plunder treasures, but I only love studying and reading. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I was able to become the last pure-blooded dragon."
"I remember it was a sunny afternoon, and I was reading as usual. I had borrowed those books, and my saliva paid for them."
"As a law-abiding dragon, I never expected to encounter adventurers who wanted to challenge me. At that time, the four founders of Hogwarts were like the adventurers mentioned in the books, and I was like the adventurers they had to choose. This really scared me, who was well-versed in 'The Causes of Dragon Deaths'."
The dragon, lying prostrate on the ground, showed a look of lingering fear. "I thought I was definitely going to become the new cause of dragon death. Fortunately, Miss Hufflepuff is a very reasonable human wizard."
"She learned about my past and chose to accept me. Miss Ravenclaw also thought I was well-suited to be a Guardian Beast, so I became Hogwarts' first student."
"As a token of my gratitude, I took them to challenge another dragon and helped them complete the adventure they wanted to undertake. It was a hateful dragon that often tried to bully me and also lived in Angloria—" The ancient dragon's words, tinged with a touch of emotion, made Ian's eyes widen.
He sensed a "Royal Army, this way" tone in the dragon's actions.
"Did they slay another dragon?"
Ian knew he was learning about "Hogwarts: The Untold Stories," but he didn't know if writing the book would make him a bestselling author and a fortune.
"Anyway, after that, I became the last dragon in the world." It was really hard for Ian not to notice the ancient dragon moving its eyes to the side.
After all, its eyeballs are much bigger than Ian's.
"You really are—? Clever."
Ian expressed his heartfelt feelings.
The truth that "better to die than to die" is gaining increasing value. The ancient dragon clearly realized the meaning behind Ian's words, and knowing it couldn't hide its slip of the tongue any longer, it immediately began to defend itself.
"It's not my fault. It's a real evil dragon. It not only did a lot of bad things, but it also tried to force me to reproduce with it. It absolutely deserves what it got."
The ancient dragon raised the volume of its voice through its nasal passages, its emotions somewhat agitated. It was clear there was a reason why it could still be so emotional after being dead for so many years.
"Both of us are male dragons!"
What an agonizing lament that evokes such empathy in an instant. It just goes to show that the land of Anglo-Saxon is truly remarkable; some things have existed since ancient times and transcend species.
"Did it ever succeed?"
Ian's focus was always sharp and unique. His question immediately made the ancient dragon's eyes widen, and its heavy breath sent Ian flying.
"Of course not!"
Perhaps the dragon's denial is indeed the truth, but that doesn't stop Ian from speculating wildly. After all, only the dragon itself probably knows the truth.
"In short, that evil dragon deserved it, and I stayed at Hogwarts—" After emphasizing the legitimacy of his revenge, the ancient dragon gave a poignant summary of his life, "I am the last dragon, and after my death, my four professors also became the last legends."
This confident summary made Ian raise an eyebrow.
"How do you know for sure that no more legends will be born in the future?" He seemed to have guessed something, but he still needed to verify it with someone in the know.
"Legend is not just a title of honor, but also a realm that humans cannot reach. It is harder to achieve than to become a great person, and slaying a dragon is precisely the necessary path to becoming a legend."
"Bathed in our blood, drawing upon our innate runes, humanity can break through its limits, and the path to legend will be revealed." The ancient dragon's answer confirmed Ian's suspicions and also explained why human wizards were always happy to team up with others to challenge dragons.
"This is truly—rare knowledge."
Ian digested the information he had gained from the dragon. The pure-blooded dragon's ability to help humans break through their limits was clearly similar to the ability of the invisible beast's hide to make an invisibility cloak.
As the saying goes, "Possessing a treasure is a crime."
Their extinction was clearly related to this situation.
Admittedly, the power of ancient dragons far surpasses that of ordinary wizards, but for a creature like humankind...
If the rewards are great enough, even the most treacherous mountains will eventually be conquered.
This is not.
Ancient dragons became extinct.
These hybrid dragons might be the last proof that the ancient dragons ever existed. Realizing this, Ian couldn't help but feel a strange, inexplicable sigh.
"It has to be the terrifying upright ape."
While expressing their feelings.
Ian also realized a problem.
"The traditional dragon of England was killed by the four giants, and you've died of old age. Rounding it up, didn't those four venerable founders cut off my path to becoming a legend?"
Just like I said before.
The little wizard's focus can be so peculiar at times.
I learned the secret.
He said a few words to the founder.
Ian bid farewell to his future number one mount and followed the winding, rocky, moss-covered road from the gloomy castle to the fairytale-like forest.
Compared to the perpetually dark witch's dwelling, the boundary between the castle and the town is remarkably distinct, as if some strange force separates the gloomy world from the sunny town.
soon.
Ian then arrived at the border.
At this juncture, the somber atmosphere of the castle and the bright sunshine of the forest seem to be sharply separated by an invisible line.
On one side is the weight and profundity of history, and on the other side is the lightness and dreamlike quality of nature.
Ian took a step forward.
He arrived at Ariana's side of the world, still clutching the still-warm sliver of Morgan's dress that she had recently torn off. He was making the most of his travel time by studying.
The advanced spell of 【Soul Seizure】 is called 【Spirit Binding】. This kind of magic, which truly involves the soul, is extremely profound. No wonder the Queen Sister could not comprehend new realms in her entire life.
"I bet there's something else inside."
There was a reason why Ian couldn't help but take it out and study it while traveling.
The witch Morgan gave her apprentice a new assignment, and even before he had begun learning, Ian could tell that the assignment contained more than just the magic of using the soul of an ancient dragon to revive a bone dragon.
"Could this be the ultimate secret of bioalchemy—creating true life?" Ian pondered the whole way.
He knew that if he had only learned the magic of the Resurrected Bone Dragon without comprehending more knowledge and deeper magic, he might not be able to obtain new fragments from Morgan's suit next time.
This is a form of teaching.
It is also a test.
It's always the same.
"Could it be that as long as the corpse is still warm, I can resurrect the dead?" Ian followed the forest path, getting closer and closer to the familiar town. The trees here towered into the clouds, and dappled sunlight shone through the branches and leaves, casting golden patches on the soft moss.
The air was filled with freshness and the fragrance of flowers, and the chirping of birds in the forest was melodious and pleasant, which was in stark contrast to the silence of the ancient castle.
"You guys aren't in town?"
When Ian looked up, he saw Pandro picking fruit, while Ariana was counting fruit under the tree. The sunlight shining on the two of them made it look like a medieval forest gathering scene.
It has a dreamlike beauty.
"Pandero wants to brew some wine, saying he'll have a great use for it next year, but he won't tell me what it'll be used for." The girl looked up at Ian, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"He just likes to talk nonsense like that, all old guys are like that." Ian was quick-witted and rushed to the bottom of the tree just as Pandro was about to swoop down.
Perhaps out of compassion, or perhaps because there wasn't enough time, Ian simply stretched out one of his thorny legs and placed it on the path that Pandro would inevitably take as he slid down from the tree.
"No sportsmanship! They launched a sneak attack!"
Pandro sat down on Ian's shoes with a thud, and the green thorns pricked his buttocks, causing him to gasp and his face to turn bright red.
The redness comes from pain.
Of course, this blushing color didn't last long, because green began to rise from his buttocks, spreading all over his body like ink dripping into clear water.
The Celts, who should have had fair skin, instantly transformed into pure green-skinned humans, their greenish color...
It reminded Ian of the orcs corrupted by fel energy in a game from his past life.
"Are you alright? Holy crap! The teacher is so ruthless!" This turn of events was somewhat unexpected for Ian, and he quickly helped Pandro, who was clutching his buttocks, and asked.
"I won't die, that's for sure, but I've been betrayed by you, and only the finest wines of this world can heal the great wounds I've suffered."
The fact that he could speak so calmly, clearly, and firmly suggested that Pandro was probably not in serious trouble, so Ian immediately released the guy who had tried to blackmail him.
"This shouldn't wash off, right?" Ariana walked forward carrying a large basket of fruit, and even grabbed Pandro's arm with some curiosity and rubbed it vigorously a few times.
It didn't fade.
"There's a situation where you can't disobey your master's orders." Ian sighed, distancing himself from the situation. His despicable behavior angered Pandro, who angrily rebuked him.
"Now, two bottles of fine wine will solve the problem!"
This kind of price gouging is unacceptable.
Ian did not refuse.
"Alright, I admit I'm in the wrong." He still had some conscience after all, so he decided to bring his companions some pearl-grade wine the next time he entered the Enchanted Realm.
Two bottles are too stingy.
Ian decided to be generous and give six bottles directly, since many wines come in cases of six. And how could a jewel of the food industry not be called a jewel, given that it costs twenty pounds excluding shipping?
"Very good, very good, very sensible." Pandro rarely felt Ian's generosity. He nodded in satisfaction and threw the fruit he had been holding into Ariana's fruit basket.
"Would you like to come back to town with us?"
He looked at the little wizard beside him, as if sensing how much longer the little wizard could stay—Ian didn't have much time left before returning to the mortal world after talking with the dragon for so long.
"Of course, the teacher said you went to catch a giant dragon. I saw it, and that dragon was huge." Ian followed the two of them toward the town.
"I was just providing assistance. It was Pandro who was the real expert. He jumped onto the dragon's head and plunged his sword into it. The dragon immediately collapsed to the ground and didn't move."
Ariana smiled modestly, then excitedly recounted her experiences with Pendro to Ian. It was clear that this adventure was quite novel and interesting for the young girl.
"You're pretty amazing too, you cut off all four of its legs, otherwise it wouldn't have been easy for me to climb up."
Pandro immediately launched into a round of mutual flattery, his green face showing a smile that lacked its former sunshine and instead had a creepy, Gargamel-like quality.
"It's a pity, I wish I could have gone too." Ian had always longed for a medieval-style romantic adventure, after all, it was a magnificent scene that could only be learned about from stories and biographies.
"Your chance is coming soon!"
Pandro looked Ian over and said confidently, "I'll lead you around and slaughter everyone, and you'll cover for me while I take you to slay the dragon."
The dragon he was referring to was definitely not the hybrid Ian was familiar with, but an ancient dragon like the one in the castle. It could only be said that perhaps the dragons had already suffered enough in the mortal world and were extinct there, but even in the dreamlike realm, they could not escape some unbearable torment.
"Why are the dragons lingering in the Enchanted Realm? Are they not the same as other magical creatures—" Just as Ian was about to ask Pandro some questions that had just come to mind.
suddenly.
"It's Santa Claus!"
Ariana let out a joyful cheer. A delicate sound rang out from the sky, a tinkling sound like the ringing of a copper bell.
The voices grew closer and closer.
Ian looked up following Ariana's gaze and saw a snowmobile being pulled by two flying reindeer. The white reindeer had no wings but could fly in the sky.
Their antlers also shimmer with a golden luster, dazzling in the sunlight like burning golden flames, creating a dreamlike and fantastical scene.
"I see this every year, but they never give us any presents—." Ian wasn't too surprised, since he could see this every time he entered the Enchanted Realm at Christmas.
The figure riding the reindeer was slightly taller than the fairies, with a thick beard that reached his ankles. He always rode his reindeer snowmobile through the entire dreamlike realm.
"I already said, he's just a wizard with Alzheimer's disease. I think this dementia has penetrated his soul, making him forget that he's supposed to be distributing gifts to us."
Pandroe moved swiftly, picking up a stone from the ground and hurling it into the air. "If we want presents from Santa Claus, we have to do it ourselves!"
In conversation.
The boy's stone hit Santa's snow machine with pinpoint accuracy, knocking down a beautifully packaged gift box. This accuracy and long-range hit, even more precise than an automatic rifle, amazed Ariana.
"You must have been a leader of the kids when you were little." Ian quickly ran towards the gift box that Santa Claus had dropped, but the old man above seemed not to notice and flew away into the distance.
"Damn it! I'm the one who smashed it!" Pandro was a step too late, and Ian picked up the gift box first.
He angrily smashed the tree next to him but didn't ask for anything.
after all.
This is an unspoken rule among the boys.
Whoever gets it keeps it.
"I can't open it!" Ian was getting frustrated when he realized he couldn't untie the ribbon on the gift box.
Pandroh, who had been furious, immediately began to gloat.
"Hahaha! Beg me! Beg me and I'll tell you why!"
His laughter stopped abruptly.
Because Ian stuffed the gift box into his purse, preferring to take it back for himself to study and ponder, rather than let him have his way, the boy's initially cheerful mood suddenly became much more depressed.
"This is your Christmas present."
Ian pulled out another set of armor from his purse. It was a work he had copied and stitched together from several tokusatsu films and anime productions. Apart from the function of automatic wearing, it had no other functions.
but.
Its cool appearance alone was enough to attract Pandelo's attention. His flamboyant personality made him like this kind of thing, and he immediately revealed a beaming smile.
Will I receive a Christmas present?
Ariana approached with great anticipation.
"Of course!"
Ian pulled out a decorated gift box.
"Why was her gift wrapped up?"
Pandro, who was tinkering with the armor, complained rather discontentedly.
"Do you know how expensive cardboard boxes are these days? If I wanted to fit your armor into a cardboard box, I'd go bankrupt!" Ian wasn't exactly talking nonsense.
Like an apple on Christmas Eve.
The unscrupulous merchants of Hogsmeade Village also seize the opportunity to make a fortune during Christmas.
"I can give you this gift box."
Ariana happily opened the beautifully packaged gift box.
Inside is a small train, also an alchemical creation by Ian, which he named the Story Train. By simply providing keywords, various stories will unfold in the train's carriages.
Stories never repeat themselves.
But you can also leave behind the stories you like.
It can be said that it was inspired by Grindelwald's storybook.
"That's a really great idea!"
Ariana quickly became familiar with how to use the train.
Seeing the girl holding the train with obvious delight, Ian immediately pulled out the Guardian Ring.
He moved closer to Ariana and asked her a question.
"Want to go back to the mortal world and take a look? I've found a special trick to exploit loopholes!" Ian proudly showed off his [Guardian Ring].
however.
The girl simply looked bewildered.
"I almost forgot, when I was researching this thing, you guys were out catching dragons." Ian began to explain the resurrection stone and the inspiration he gained from it to his two friends.
of course.
He didn't omit Lady Ravenclaw's contribution either. Ariana listened with great interest, while Pendro looked utterly astonished.
"My God! You're amazing! You actually managed to get a resurrection stone!"
His wide eyes looked slightly exaggerated.
Ian pushed the guy away and then looked at Ariana again.
"So, you want me to be—"-the brothers' Christmas present?" Ariana had been playing with Ian since childhood, so her perspective on the issue was naturally more shrewd than Ian's.
"??????"
Ian felt there was something strange about Ariana's words, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Seeing the girl raise her hand, he immediately put the ring on her finger.
"Does this really work?"
Ariana's little face was a bit rosy.
"Try it and you'll see!"
Ian pulled out the wand that Morgan had conjured before, but which hadn't yet returned to its original form, and immediately activated Patronus. Silver threads instantly emerged from the ring and wrapped around Ariana.
at the same time.
A large amount of silver light also gushed out from Ian's wand—it finally gathered together, and Ariana, who was completely wrapped in the silk threads, immediately exclaimed in surprise.
"This is truly—peculiar."
She was still clearly standing on the land of the dreamlike illusion, but her head also appeared above Ian's wand. The girl, whose whole body seemed to have a silvery texture, was full of surprise.
soon.
Ariana's "Guardian Spirit Form" had been fully formed, and for a moment, it was as if two Arianas had appeared on the entire grassland, creating a particularly dreamlike scene.
On one side stood different soul entities, and on the other side was a "spirit body" with a bright silver body. Ariana discovered that she even had a sword tucked into her waistband in this state.
She didn't pull it out, but instead tried touching the surrounding trees.
"Your magic will surely make you famous for all time!" Pandro, who had witnessed everything from the side, no longer spoke exaggeratedly, but exclaimed from the bottom of his heart.
"I want more than just this—" Ian really wanted to ask where Pandro was buried.
He thought he might be able to extract the dragon's natural runes from his good friend's bones.
A legendary path indeed.
Who could refuse!
"What kind of look is that! Whatever you're thinking! Stop it right now!" Pandro felt a chill run down his spine and immediately rushed forward, grabbing Ian's head and shaking it violently.
It was as if they wanted to shake all the bad thoughts out of Ian's head.
"Sigh, let's talk about it later. I feel like it's time for me to return." Ian's use of magic in the dreamlike realm would slightly speed up his return to the mortal world.
All I saw was...
The words fell.
His body immediately began to become transparent.
The boundary between life and death has been crossed once again.
From a daze to clarity.
Upon opening his eyes, Ian immediately sat up, wanting to find Dumbledore and give him a surprise. However, he discovered that he was not in the dormitory at all.
"Is this the Room of Requirement?"
Ian was a little confused.
He pushed open the door of the House of Requirement and went outside.
outside the house.
Complete silence.
The eighth-floor corridor was deserted at night.
"Kid, did you brush your toilet? Snape doesn't just talk the talk. If you don't complete the task he assigns, he'll definitely torment you with even more disgusting punishments." The silly Barnabas on the wall suddenly spoke up, his tone full of comfort, as if he was worried about the little wizard.
"What are you talking about? Why would I need to clean the toilet?"
Ian was taken aback.
His mind was a little slow to process what was happening.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten—it was Snape's punishment of you." Barnabas looked at Ian with a strange expression, probably thinking that Ian was pretending to be stupid, after all, who would forget something that happened not long ago.
"Wasn't that something that happened many days ago?" Ian thought that Barnabas might have really been driven mad by the trolls, but his expression suddenly froze when he looked at the clock hanging in the corridor.
A bone-chilling cold.
It surged up from my back.
He suddenly raised his hand.
The mark of the ouroboros is shining silently.