For some reason, Glenn had an exceptionally peaceful sleep last night, waking up to the rare luxury of sleeping through until morning.
The weight on his body was oddly reassuring.
?
Glenn opened his eyes and noticed a lump under the blanket.
Curious, he decided to take a look.
Lifting the blanket, Glenn saw Hermione clinging to him like a koala, motionless.
He laid his slightly raised head back onto the pillow and turned to glance at the clock on the wall.
…7:43. As expected, the time difference was still affecting them. Hermione had gone to bed a little late last night. I'll wake her up at nine, Glenn thought. There's still plenty to do today.
He closed his eyes again.
…
At nine o'clock sharp, Glenn woke Hermione. After freshening up together, they headed to the main dining room for breakfast.
While enjoying their meal, Glenn explained the day's plans to Hermione.
"Grandmother plans to take us to one of the magical schools in the Dragon Kingdom, the North China School of Sorcery. Its library supposedly has spells and techniques that can help me control the Obscurial within me."
Hearing this, the still-drowsy Hermione perked up instantly, cutting Glenn off mid-sentence. "Really? That's fantastic! Let's finish breakfast quickly and head out right away!" She immediately began wolfing down her food.
Glenn sighed helplessly. "There's no need to rush. We have plenty of time. Grandmother will call us when it's time to leave."
Interrupted earlier, Glenn resumed, "It's not just about me. Grandmother seems to have discovered a unique power within you as well."
Hermione, who had been chewing her food in small bites, suddenly froze, her face filled with confusion.
Huh?
Glenn said nothing, waiting for her to finish chewing.
Hermione got the hint, quickly swallowed her food, and began asking questions, oblivious to the sauce still clinging to the corner of her mouth. "A unique power within me? But I've never felt anything like that!"
She looked genuinely puzzled, her brows furrowed, lips slightly pouting, one hand propping up her face while her fingers lightly tapped her cheek.
Hermione couldn't figure it out; this was beyond her knowledge.
Glenn handed her a napkin to wipe her mouth before sharing what his grandmother had told him the night before.
After briefly explaining the concept of the Magus and Obscurial, Glenn said, "Grandmother mentioned that you possess a power called 'Sanctus.' If her guess is correct, it's the opposite of the Magus—a force that's harmless to you."
"Sanctus?" Hermione tilted her head. "A power opposite to the Obscurial?"
Her curiosity was piqued. The unanswered questions gnawed at her, leaving her feeling as if ants were crawling under her skin.
But she didn't even fully understand the Obscurial's power.
This feels like a test on material I haven't studied. How am I supposed to answer?
"If the Magus represents a force that is aggressive, destructive, and highly corrosive, then the Sanctus is its opposite: gentle, serene, capable of soothing and healing all things—including those afflicted by the Magus," Lin Yingqing's voice suddenly chimed in from behind them, answering Hermione's question.
"Good morning, Grandmother."
"Good morning, Grandmother!"
The two greeted her politely, pausing their conversation.
However, Hermione suddenly recalled the events of last night. Her face flushed, and she lowered her head slightly in embarrassment.
"Good morning, Glenn, Hermione," Lin Yingqing greeted them with a smile, waving as she took a seat next to Hermione.
Then, she reached out and pulled Hermione into her arms.
Hermione: ?
Lin Yingqing held Hermione close, resting her chin gently on the little girl's head. Continuing her explanation, she said, "The Magus and the Sanctus are two extraordinary powers born of emotion."
"Originally, scholars in the sorcery world believed that the mystical forces of this world were solely tied to the four fundamental elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. I can't speak for other countries, but in the Dragon Kingdom, most systematic sorcery revolves around these four elements."
"But that's not entirely true. The Magus and the Sanctus should also be included. They represent the elements of Darkness and Light, respectively, but they rank above the basic four elements."
"No matter the country, whether it's sorcery or magic, these practices are deeply subjective. The caster's will is paramount: believe, and it exists; doubt, and it does not. However, there's another factor equally important—perhaps even on par with willpower."
"And that is emotion."
Lin Yingqing wore an elegant ivory glove on her left hand, which complemented her slender fingers beautifully.
With a graceful motion, her glove emitted a soft glow, and a teapot along with three teacups appeared on the table.
"Have some tea," she said, gesturing again. The teapot floated up and automatically poured tea into the cups.
But it was clear that Glenn and Hermione were more interested in her glove than the tea.
Noticing their gazes, Lin Yingqing smiled apologetically. "Ah, I forgot to introduce this."
Removing the glove, she explained, "This is the Hand of Sorcery, one of the casting mediums used in the Dragon Kingdom."
I see.
The two nodded, their curiosity satisfied. Glenn gestured for his grandmother to continue her earlier explanation.
They were already somewhat familiar with the Four Elements theory, especially Glenn, as alchemy was fundamentally built upon Earth, Air, Water, and Fire.
"Emotion is also a crucial factor in casting spells. You might already know that many spells require strong emotions to guide them. For example…"
Putting her glove back on, Lin Yingqing pondered for a moment before choosing a spell Glenn and Hermione might find familiar: "The Patronus Charm."
With a series of graceful hand movements and a soft incantation, Lin Yingqing pointed her fingers forward, her fingertips glowing with radiant white light. From this glow emerged a lively little rabbit, as elegant as its caster.
The white rabbit circled the three of them, filling them with a warm, joyful feeling. Hermione's face unknowingly broke into a smile.
Glenn remained expressionless.
The corporeal Patronus hopped into Hermione's arms, and she joyfully held it close.
"The key to casting the Patronus Charm lies in your happiness, hope, and other positive emotions. Your Patronus is essentially a manifestation of your positive feelings, combined with your willpower and magical energy. It brings positive emotions to those around you and dispels negativity."
Lin Yingqing took a sip of tea before continuing, "But it's not just positive emotions that can influence spellcasting. Negative emotions can do so as well. Spells that rely on emotions often reflect the nature of those emotions. For instance, anger, fear, and disgust can all fuel certain spells—some of which are exceptionally malicious or destructive. I won't demonstrate those here."
"As for the Magus and the Sanctus, they are the extremes of negative and positive emotions, respectively. However, their origins differ."
"The Magus is born from extreme negative emotions accumulated over time. The Sanctus, on the other hand, cannot form independently. It arises only in response to the Magus, under extremely specific conditions."
"And the most crucial condition is this…"
"…The individual who manifests the Sanctus must harbor an intense positive emotion toward the host of the Magus."
After finishing her explanation, Lin Yingqing looked fondly at her grandson and his future wife. Through her touch, she had confirmed that Hermione indeed possessed the power of the Sanctus.
Smiling, she said, "Glenn and Hermione, you two perfectly meet these conditions."
"First, you've grown up together since childhood."
"Second, Glenn, you were keenly aware of the Magus's danger before it erupted and took steps to suppress it, protecting Hermione from its corrosive influence. After all, the Magus's power is like poison to other sorcerers."
"And finally, the most important reason, Hermione…"
Lin Yingqing leaned close to Hermione's ear and whispered something. The little girl's face turned bright red.
Unfortunately for her, Glenn's sharp hearing caught every word his grandmother said.
"…You love Glenn. And love is the most extreme positive emotion."
Love is a mysterious feeling.
It can drive a mother to protect her child against impossible odds. It can push a little girl to pull someone back from the brink of death, even when faced with the eruption of Obscurial power.
But what does love feel like?
Glenn didn't know.
But he cared.
His parents and elders probably loved him, right?
As for professors and friends, he wasn't sure if they did.
Hermione—he had recently realized she was someone he liked. And according to his grandmother, she loved him.
But it seemed that the meaning of love varied.
Glenn couldn't make sense of it.
But he cared.
The thought unsettled him.
As his mind raced, the violent energy of the Obscurial within him began to stir, leaking wisps of black mist from his body.
But then, something soft pressed against him.
Hermione had been placed in his arms by Lin Yingqing.
In an instant, the destructive, violent black mist dissipated without a trace, replaced by a soft, healing white light.
It lingered for a long time.
The Obscurial within Glenn calmed.
The Magus was effortlessly soothed by the Sanctus.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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