"Speaking of which, I still have to attend a lecture later. I hope these big shots can behave themselves..."
Charles thought with some concern, "I heard that tens of thousands of academies in the Wizarding World will hold a unified competition this time, gathering the most outstanding young talents for intensive training to cultivate future pillars for the coming war. I hope I can get a chance... No, that's unrealistic. Just getting Saya a spot would be enough..."
When it came to himself, Charles still lacked confidence. In his eyes, he might be decent, but compared to the countless geniuses in the Wizarding World, he fell far short. Only true prodigies like Saya stood a chance to compete with them.
Just as he was pondering how to help Saya secure a spot, a hoarse voice suddenly spoke beside his ear: "You seem worried about something?"
Startled, he instinctively turned his head.
Before him stood an elderly man roughly two meters tall, clad in a black robe that obscured his figure.
Only half of the old man's face was flesh; the other half was composed of brown machinery. Charles could even see the mechanical gears steadily turning within.
Under the old man's calm gaze, Charles felt as if all his secrets were laid bare. Uncontrollably nervous, he hesitated before finally stammering, his face flushed, "I-I'm not worried about anything..."
The old man expressionlessly glanced at the others nearby and said flatly, "Is that so? Perhaps it's true. But as an elder, I feel I should remind you—thinking alone is useless for many things. Human vision and energy are limited, and so are plans constrained by them. There is no perfect solution. The best way to handle anything is always to improve yourself as much as possible. If your skills are sufficient, even the greatest challenges can be overcome."
Charles gritted his teeth and tried to explain, "But—"
"You doubt your own abilities?"
Before he could finish, the old man saw through his words and mercilessly cut him off. "One must never doubt whether they can or cannot do something. Because when you doubt yourself, it means you truly can't. So no matter the outcome, just move forward. Until the final result is reached, never waver or hesitate."
With that, the old man turned and walked away without another glance, leaving Charles behind with his shifting expressions.
———
To prepare for the coming war, the academy abandoned its laissez-faire training approach. Now, students were undergoing intensive instruction under the best mentors.
Even the less competent mentors were pulled into retraining sessions by stronger ones, forced to relearn the basics.
Among them was Charles' rather unorthodox mentor, Todd.
He never dreamed that at over four hundred years old, he'd be living the life of an apprentice again, subjected to the Torment of rote learning!
Sitting in his seat, Charles listened to the mentor's lecture in a daze, unsure of what to think. He felt like a stray dog that had been stepped on—unable to refute the old man's words.
His lack of self-confidence, his uncertainty about the future—defeat weighed heavily on his heart. 'Is this really how my life will be spent...?'
At that moment, a hand holding something quietly reached toward Charles and lightly poked his side twice.
He turned to see that the hand belonged to Saya, who was looking at him with a delighted expression. "Hey, Charles! This tastes really good—I think you'll love it!"
Taking the offered item, Charles took a small bite.
As the flavor spread in his mouth, he stared blankly at Saya's smiling face for a moment before asking, "Saya, do you have any goals in life?"
"Goals?"
Hearing the question, Saya scratched his head in thought before answering:
"Well... if I had to say, I'd like to stand at the top and see the view.
Since childhood, my father and mother taught me to keep climbing, to reach the highest point I possibly can. That way, I won't have regrets in life.
So if I had to name a life goal, it would be to stand at the very top—even if just for a second. I think that would make my life worthwhile!"
"I see..."
After listening, Charles nodded solemnly and said, "I'll help you, Saya."
Since he himself had no life goals or clear direction, he decided he would help Saya achieve his.
If Saya could fulfill his life's ambition, Charles felt he too would share in the joy and glory...
With a casual shrug and a grin, Saya replied, "Well, thanks then!"
To him, that so-called life goal seemed far too distant. After all, dreams were usually just things you imagined in sleep, so he didn't take Charles' words to heart, assuming they were just offhand remarks.
He never imagined his only friend truly intended to act on them.
After finishing their snacks, Saya noticed Charles listening to the lecture with unusual intensity. Though puzzled, he didn't dwell on it—Charles had always been diligent. Still, there was something different in his demeanor now, a newfound solemnity, as if he had devoted himself entirely to some sacred cause. Saya couldn't make sense of it.
'???'
After a brief, confused contemplation, Saya decided to stop overthinking it.
Being more attentive in class couldn't be a bad thing, so he refocused his wandering attention on the lecturer and began studying earnestly.
Three months later.
Standing among the crowd, Saya—who had scored just above 30th place—stared up at Charles, who had earned the top rank in their year and secured a spot in the [Wizarding World All-Academy Unified Tournament].
His mind flooded with question marks, Saya couldn't help but question his own existence.
Baffled, he thought, 'What happened? Not long ago, he wasn't even as good as me. How did he leave me so far behind?'
Though bewildered, he felt no jealousy—only quiet happiness that his friend's efforts had borne fruit.
Because deep down, he truly considered Charles a friend, and friends shouldn't begrudge each other such things.
"A person's life must always have a few true friends—those who can empathize and understand each other. Their bond might even be closer than that of family or lovers. When you encounter such a person, you'll truly understand the feeling of having a kindred spirit."
He had never forgotten his mother's teachings. To him, Charles, who had grown up alongside him and could offer mutual understanding and support, was precisely that kind of pure, untainted confidant.
"Perhaps I've been too complacent, forgetting that for a Wizard, strength is the most important thing. Focusing my energy on building a group was indeed unwise..."
He silently resolved to make up for his past negligence, to reclaim what he had neglected and catch up to Charles, who was already striding far ahead.