The learning space fell silent, an awkward atmosphere spreading between the two.
Tangmu narrowed his eyes at Andeluosuo.
The towering man averted his gaze guiltily, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Everything was clear now.
Andeluosuo wasn't teasing Tangmu—he genuinely didn't know how to cast Lumos or the Levitation Charm.
Though the magical world might appear conservative, it was not unchanging; it evolved steadily.
While this evolution hadn't produced stronger wizards or significantly increased the magical population, it had made tremendous strides in practicality, convenience, and standardized spellcasting.
Take, for example, the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, now conjured in Tangmu's hands, authored by Milanda Geshake. Before her, no one had categorized and organized spells so systematically.
According to the book, Lumos and the Levitation Charm didn't appear until the 14th or 15th century. For Andeluosuo to know them would be a miracle.
"Then how did you illuminate things or move objects in your time?" Tangmu couldn't help but ask.
Without a word, Andeluosuo conjured a wooden stake, hurled a fireball at it, and in an instant, it became a blazing torch.
"For light, fire sufficed. For manipulating objects, wrapping them in magic and moving them with intent worked just fine."
"You developed entire spells for these trivial tasks? And taught them freely…"
In the harsh magical era Andeluosuo came from, wizards treated magic as a tool for survival. They rarely shared it.
They lived in dangerous environments and had no reason to apply magic to daily life. Their focus was singular: making their spells stronger, more destructive.
It wasn't until the rise of Muggles in the Middle Ages—and the witch hunts led by the Church—that wizards united, founding magical academies and gradually developing the diverse system of modern magic seen today.
Andeluosuo stared at the Standard Book of Spells in Tangmu's hand with curiosity. Tentatively, he asked, "Tangmu, may I borrow that book? I might find some spells I know. If not, I'll start with the Patronus Charm. That one I'm best at."
Tangmu: "…"
Was this a teacher he'd summoned? Or a fellow beginner to study with?
He didn't know a single modern spell, yet wanted to jump to the Patronus Charm?
Sure, Tangmu had a system, but it hadn't fully activated yet!
"Forget it, Mr. Andeluosuo."
With a helpless sigh, Tangmu handed over the book and conjured another copy for himself. "Let's study together and improve side by side. You'll be amazed by how far magic has developed."
"Thank you, Tangmu."
Andeluosuo scratched his head in embarrassment. He had promised to satisfy Tangmu, but needed help himself first.
[System Notification: Teacher 'Andeluosuo' has reached 20% Affection Level. You have acquired: Andeluosuo's Magical Talent.]
Tangmu felt a surge of energy. A smile crept onto his face.
This was another benefit of the system.
Whenever a teacher's affection level reached 20%, 50%, or 100%, he would receive a reward—an ability or talent mastered by the teacher.
Teaching and guidance were vital, but the magical world was unforgiving. Talent mattered immensely.
A person's ultimate achievements depended not only on their learning conditions or diligence but on their magical talent's ceiling.
The Affection mechanic allowed Tangmu to surpass his teachers, gathering their strengths to become an unprecedentedly powerful wizard.
Tangmu decorated the learning space, conjuring desks, chairs, sofas, and a coffee table. With one copy of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 each, he and Andeluosuo began their magical journey as beginners.
Fortunately, the space granted Andeluosuo language abilities; otherwise, he couldn't have read the book.
Andeluosuo studied more earnestly than Tangmu. Though these were basic spells, they opened his eyes to a new world. He never imagined magic could be used this way.
In his time, magic was for dueling and killing. Nothing else.
But once you master one spell, you grasp the essence of others.
Andeluosuo's high level of magical understanding made revisiting elementary content effortless—like a high schooler reviewing first-grade material.
Before long, he began practicing, using wandless magic from the start.
Seeing this, Tangmu knew he needed to buy all the textbooks for future school years—otherwise, Andeluosuo would hit a bottleneck.
Tangmu also practiced the Levitation and Lumos Charms.
Unlike before, when he manipulated objects through sheer will and raw magic, this involved channeling magic via spells.
Following the Standard Book of Spells instructions precisely, Tangmu spoke the incantation and waved his wand. On his first try, he levitated a feather—but couldn't control its movement freely.
Andeluosuo, noticing this, stepped in. After having Tangmu cast the spell again, he pointed out the problem:
"Tangmu, the book's steps are standard, yes—but magic is anything but standard. Everyone's different."
"You can learn the spell this way quickly, but it won't be optimal for you. You'll need to make slight adjustments."
As he spoke, Andeluosuo conjured his wand and demonstrated the Levitation Charm.
"Look—my forearm swing is 15 degrees smaller than the book suggests. That's because of my body size. If I followed the book exactly, I'd overexert and fail."
"For you, the angle should be larger. You're still growing. The optimal movement comes through practice. Even I can't give you the exact answer."
Tangmu had a sudden epiphany. "Got it."
After a few adjustments, he began to get the hang of it. The Levitation Charm became easier and more natural.
Three hours later, he said goodbye to Andeluosuo and exited the learning space.
Though fatigue from training vanished upon leaving, decades of habit made it hard for Tangmu to skip sleep.
Besides, with only 100 Learning Credits—equating to 15 hours of learning space time—he had to use them sparingly.
[^1]: In the Wizarding World, the Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa) and Lumos are basic spells taught to first-year students, enabling objects to float and producing light from a wand's tip, respectively.