A Bond with the Great Willow Tree

Luan guessed that trees capable of awakening magical traits all had guardians.

Just like the Rowan Tree outside—the giant snake was its guardian.

As for the Great Willow Tree before him, after observing it for a while, Luan gradually became certain that its guardian was itself.

And the Great Willow Tree protected more than just itself. It also protected some of the small animals living here.

Rabbits, frogs, hedgehogs... all these little animals stayed quietly nearby.

Standing here, the Great Willow Tree was a true guardian.

Luan slowly approached the willow tree. When the green fluorescence shone upon his face, a hanging willow branch gently brushed his cheek.

"I'm very sorry. I only need one of your branches."

A cool sensation came from the willow branch. Luan felt that the great tree before him was greeting him.

Although he knew it could not possibly speak, Luan still took the initiative to explain why he had come.

Rustle~

Rustle~

The willow tree began to sway softly, its leaves trembling.

The green fluorescence around it also began drifting in a pattern. Even the small animals that had been resting nearby all turned to watch this wondrous sight.

Luan watched this magical scene as well, but then his mouth fell open in surprise.

He discovered that the immense green fluorescence around them was gathering toward two branches.

The willow tree Luan had planted at Hogwarts had experienced the same thing.

But that willow tree had needed the help of a Bowtruckle to draw the magical fluorescence back into its body. Only then had it become wood suitable for Wand Making.

Yet the Great Willow Tree before him could draw back the fluorescence on its own.

Could it really understand me?

The fluorescence continued to gather.

It was not until Luan's legs had gone numb from standing that the gathered fluorescence slowly dispersed.

The two branches had turned entirely crystalline green. They could no longer bear any more magical fluorescence.

Before Luan could do anything, the Great Willow Tree swayed again, and the two branches swung even more violently.

Crack~

Crack~

Two crisp snapping sounds rang out as the branches broke away from the tree and fell to the ground.

Luan hurried over and picked them up.

When he held the branches in his hands, he discovered in amazement that all the green fluorescence on them had vanished.

Just like the willow branch he had seen outside the greenhouse.

All the magical fluorescence had seeped into the branches, bringing them up to the standard of wood that could be used to make wands.

Luan looked at the Great Willow Tree with reverence. After bowing to thank it, he slowly withdrew from the valley.

Although Luan did not understand why it had helped him, he could not neglect his gratitude.

Zalan had said that most of the ancient trees here were more than a thousand years old, and the Great Willow Tree had clearly lived even longer.

Moreover, it could understand why he had come. That filled Luan with joy, but also gave him something to think about.

Could this world be connected to the world where Hogwarts was located?

Plants could undergo the same magical trait mutations, and Magical Creatures could protect them as well, just like the giant snake outside.

Luan did not dwell on it for long. Just as he was preparing to return, Zalan's urgent shouts came from the narrow crevice leading into the valley.

"Where did you go?! The giant snake hiding outside suddenly became agitated and ran off. I turned around, and you were gone!"

"I'm very sorry. I only went in to take a look."

Seeing Zalan's anxious expression, Luan quickly apologized. He knew that this fierce-looking man was actually worried about him.

"Wait, did you find the wood you wanted?"

Seeing the two arm-thick branches in Luan's hands, Zalan looked over curiously.

"It's nothing special, just two willow branches."

After only glancing at the wood in Luan's hands, Zalan turned his head back toward the outside.

"Even though I don't know what made that giant snake go mad, we should wait until daylight before going out."

Luan did not question Zalan's caution. His small frame allowed him to move around a little within the crevice, so enduring until dawn would be easy.

But Zalan could only remain wedged there in a single position. It certainly could not have been comfortable.

Fortunately, dawn was not far away. When a ray of sunlight finally shone into the crevice, Zalan impatiently squeezed his way out, with Luan following close behind.

Along the river valley, Luan could see the traces left by the giant snake as it had slithered through the night before.

Zalan had kept guessing that it must have been a brown bear or an even more formidable predator. Otherwise, nothing could have frightened off the giant snake.

But after the two of them cautiously crept through the river valley for a long time, they found no tracks from any other animal.

"Strange. Could it have been an iron eagle flying in the sky?"

Zalan searched the trees for quite some time, but he found no large birds of prey either.

It was not until quite a few wild rabbits and squirrels appeared nearby that Zalan gradually relaxed.

These small animals were more alert than humans. If they dared to come out and forage so freely, it meant there was no danger nearby for the time being.

Ever since learning that the giant snake had suddenly fled last night, Luan had suspected that it was related to the Great Willow Tree in the valley.

Now, with all the evidence put together, he was even more certain.

That enormous guardian had frightened the giant snake away.

It was already the fifth day when they emerged from the logging camp.

Uncle Neil was waiting impatiently at the mountain road leading into the logging camp. If he had not been worried about getting lost in the mountains, he likely would have gone in to look for Luan long ago.

"Uncle Neil, are you and Uncle Zalan close?"

On the way back to Xilin, Luan finally asked the question he had been curious about for a long time.

They had gone through a great deal on this journey into the mountains. Zalan had protected him the entire way, and even when they encountered the giant snake, he had not abandoned Luan, who had been a burden at the time.

"We served in the military together, of course we're close. But that's not why he helped you so much."

Neil rode on horseback, and he no longer looked as tense as he had at the logging camp.

"Your father pulled him out of a pile of corpses. If he dared not take good care of you, I definitely wouldn't let him off."

No wonder Neil had repeatedly insisted that the logging camp owner send their best forest ranger, Zalan, to escort Luan before they entered the mountains. So they shared such a bond.

After returning from the logging camp, Luan moved back into the cabin in the Hazelnut Forest.

It was quiet there and free from disturbance, making it suitable for secretly doing things related to magic.

The two branches taken from the Great Willow Tree were each a meter long. If he could turn all of them into wands, he could probably make six to eight.

Naturally, that was only on the premise that Luan did not fail, but that was simply impossible.

Luan, who had some skill in wood carving, knew very well that even highly skilled masters could not guarantee that they would never make mistakes while carving.

To ensure a higher success rate, Luan chose to practice first with ordinary wood. Only once he had become proficient would he use branches from the Great Willow Tree.

Then there was the Wand Core material. The wand Luan had at Hogwarts used Unicorn tail hair for its core, and that should not be difficult to buy in the United Kingdom.

Luan still had fifty Galleons on him, which should be enough for purchasing materials and practicing.

But finding hair from Magical Creatures in Xilin would be extremely difficult.

Still, there was a way.

After seeing the giant snake, Luan had already confirmed that this world had Magical Creatures as well.

If that was the case, then the secret legends he had heard as a child became his best lead for finding Wand Core materials.