I Shall Carve My Own Path Through a Thousand Tribulations—Why Borrow Another's Way?

Ever since Roger had been freed, Dumbledore had been keeping a close watch on him from the shadows.

In Dumbledore's eyes, Roger was excellent in every respect, save for one thing—his pursuit, which made Dumbledore frown.

Immortality!

Even if Roger had merely sought ageless longevity, Dumbledore would not have reacted so strongly. After all, one of his old friends was an immortal.

But immortality was an entirely different concept.

It was a path that was nearly impossible. As one of the foremost authorities on magic in the world, Dumbledore could stand by that judgment.

Roger was good as he was now, but once he truly set foot upon the path of longevity and sought to advance further, only to discover the utter despair awaiting him ahead—what would happen then? Dumbledore did not want to gamble. He did not dare to gamble. He was unwilling to gamble.

Therefore, entrusting the Philosopher's Stone to Roger this time was an act of trust, a test, and also an... attack on Roger!

However, Dumbledore was not attacking Roger's life, but his ideals.

Dumbledore understood prophets, so he would not play riddles as he had in the past, like wielding a broadsword before Guan Yu.

He chose to lay everything out plainly before Roger.

"Roger, I won't let you help for nothing this time. Once everything is over, I'll introduce you to someone. Professor McGonagall told me about your ideals. He should be able to help you quite a bit," Dumbledore said.

Entrusting the Philosopher's Stone to Roger was an expression of trust, but also a test. Dumbledore had seen far too many people and too many things in his life.

He knew how difficult the path of longevity was. So when Roger faced an opportunity for longevity that was practically within reach, could he suppress the desire in his heart?

This was the first test.

Could you hold fast?

The letter Dumbledore gave Roger contained not only information for the professors, granting Roger the authority to act as he saw fit. The letter itself was also a magical token, capable of mobilizing most of Hogwarts' resources, including a portion of the authority over the headmaster's office.

It was practically equivalent to half the authority of a temporary headmaster.

Roger had always devoted himself to magic and treated his classmates kindly. Not only Gryffindors—even if a Slytherin student ran into trouble, if he saw it, he would not stand by and do nothing.

He would never choose to exclude others simply because Slytherin was an "alien kind" to Gryffindor.

He focused on himself while treating others equally and kindly, so... would he remain the same after rising to a position of power?

Would he exploit that convenience to do bad things? Would his change in status twist his heart, or perhaps...

Dumbledore had seen far too many politicians who were entirely different people before and after taking office. He had also seen people who spoke of "The Greater Good" while losing themselves in worldly temptations.

Now, there would not be armies forcing Roger to the brink of life and death every day. If he did something slightly out of line, so long as it was not excessive, he would not face any serious consequences.

This was the second test.

Once more, could you hold fast? "I'll recommend that you study with him for a while. If you're interested, and he does not dislike you, it would not be impossible for me to recommend you as his student. From what I know of him, he might even be willing to teach you how to make the Philosopher's Stone... You know who I'm talking about, don't you?" Dumbledore looked into Roger's eyes with a gentle gaze.

The path Roger had chosen was one fraught with countless dangers and obstacles.

Having watched Roger all along, Dumbledore had naturally noticed what Voldemort had noticed as well. Roger's talent was something seen perhaps once in a century, and the greater a person's ability, the greater the impact they could have.

If Roger's path toward immortality went astray, not only Roger himself, but perhaps vast numbers of wizards and Muggles would fall with him into a bottomless abyss! He could not watch such a possibility take root, so he chose to strike.

Dumbledore's three tests were also three killing moves! There was no need to mention the Philosopher's Stone and power. If Roger did something wrong, Dumbledore would not even need to use particularly harsh measures. A period of corruption and loss would naturally erase Roger's indomitable spirit and will.

The power of will was the source of magic. Without that unbreakable will, Roger's magical talent and future development would be severely affected.

Roger would not become much stronger than Dumbledore. Then, as someone capable of cleaning up the aftermath, Dumbledore naturally would not do anything else to Roger beyond persuading him to return to the right path.

Well, from beginning to end, Dumbledore had never intended to throw Roger into Azkaban simply because Roger had made a mistake.

Who had not made mistakes when they were young? So long as it did not involve matters of fundamental right and wrong, Dumbledore was always tolerant toward children and allowed them to make mistakes.

And Dumbledore's third killing move was even more invisible and lethal than the first two!

Dumbledore had not deceived Roger. If Roger was willing, Dumbledore truly wanted to recommend him to his old friend—an old friend who had lived for more than six hundred years and had grown somewhat weary of life—as an inheritor of his legacy.

If Roger could not resist the temptation of taking a shortcut, if he was willing to abandon his delusional fixation on distant, unattainable immortality and choose the Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life within easy reach, then in Dumbledore's eyes, that would also be a good outcome.

Unlike the single Philosopher's Stone currently in Roger's possession, which would be consumed, if Roger learned how to make the Philosopher's Stone, then as long as he did not wish to die, who knew how long he could live? Several thousand years were entirely possible! Immortality with odds of less than one in a hundred million, or guaranteed longevity.

Which would you choose? Other than dulling one's mind and causing some future possibilities to vanish, it was nothing but benefits.

This was an unsolvable open scheme.

This was the third test.

And also the final killing move.

Three times I ask: could you hold fast?!

"I know. Alchemy Master Nicolas Flamel... I truly need knowledge related to alchemy. Thank you, Headmaster." Roger understood that watching over the Philosopher's Stone for a while and learning from Nicolas Flamel were not equal exchanges.

Although Roger disliked owing others favors, when he truly encountered something he needed, he would never refuse merely because he could not swallow his pride. Debts of gratitude could be repaid slowly later, repaid many times over, but some opportunities would truly be gone once missed! "But as for formally becoming his student, and the Philosopher's Stone and all that, let's forget it. I have my own path to walk," Roger said firmly.

It was not that Roger had any issue with Nicolas Flamel or the Philosopher's Stone.

Rather, immortality was a long and arduous road, while longevity was merely the first step at its starting point.

If, when he clearly had a choice, he still chose to take a shortcut at the very foundation of his path, stepping onto a road he was neither skilled in nor understood... then without anyone else needing to say it, Roger himself believed his path to immortality could never succeed!

With such weak will, was he even worthy of the fruits of immortality? "Mm." Hearing Roger's words, Dumbledore nodded without comment.

In Dumbledore's experienced eyes, what a person said was not important.

What he did was what mattered most.

Words spoken offhand could not be taken as truth. He looked forward to Roger's choices in the future.

Would he let the Philosopher's Stone cloud his mind?

Would he become intoxicated by the poisonous rot of power?

Or would he abandon his ideals and choose reality?

...Had Roger dismantled every move he had?

If he truly made it through the three trials of greed, wrath, and delusion, then Dumbledore would never again meddle with Roger's path! With such a terrifying mind, he deserved to attempt the path that countless brilliant great wizards throughout history—even those whose names had echoed through the annals of mankind—had failed to traverse...

That road of no return!

Unaware that Dumbledore's gentle, well-intentioned killing move already hung over his head, Roger headed toward Professor McGonagall's office after bidding Dumbledore farewell.

The professor had said that she would have time this afternoon.

Roger was rather curious. In this world, magic was an echo of the mind, while spells and potions were branches beneath the great system of Ritual Magic. Then what exactly was alchemy?

His eyes brimmed with anticipation.