Eureka!
The villagers have shared the secrets of Alchemy with you.
Newly discovered alchemical artifacts have broadened our horizons and reshaped our understanding. From the Mirror of Erised to the Philosopher's Stone, you are closer than ever before in history to the truth of Alchemy.
But we all know this is not the end.
How should you choose to use this knowledge to fight off unprecedented darkness?
Now, continue your great exploration.
Who can guarantee that the Philosopher's Stone isn't based on quills?
As expected, a virtual screen popped up in front of Silan, displaying lines of small text, presumably the mission evaluation.
This was the longest term entry assignment he had ever done, lasting almost from the middle of the semester to the end.
"I hope the reward won't disappoint me," Silan thought.
[Bonus Trait: Wizard's Eye Level 1 (1/100)]
[Description: It is an undeniable fact that the world seen by wizards is different from that of ordinary people. Compared to mortals, wizards can see deeper truths and perceive the flow of magic more clearly.]
[Effect: Your eyes can clearly see the flow of magic.]
That's an interesting feature entry.
To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy: a wizard is like a painter, a wand is the paintbrush, and magic is the paint.
Spells, Potions, and even alchemical items—all magical creations—are the works of wizards. Some wizards are highly skilled, able to depict anything realistically, quickly, and well.
Some wizards... can turn anything they draw into a black mess, like Seamus, who can cause an explosion with any Spells.
Some wizards are proficient in both Transfiguration and Potions, much like they are skilled in both Western oil painting and Eastern traditional Chinese painting, while others specialize in only one.
[Wizard's Eye] allows Silan to see the lines and structure of wizard paintings clearly, enabling her to more directly discern the quality of the artwork.
This is indeed a pretty good skill in some respects, and it has a very wide range of applications and a high degree of potential for development.
Silan looked around with great interest.
Most of the items in the ward remained unchanged, with only a few glass bottles that had once contained Potions occasionally emitting a faint glow.
As Silan focused his attention, the flow of magic within gradually became clearer.
Looking at Dumbledore again, Silan noticed that he was surrounded by a hazy white light, which he couldn't make out even with his eyes wide open.
One can only marvel at Dumbledore's status as the greatest wizard of his time; the magical aura emanating from him could be used as a beacon.
Silan glanced at the Philosopher's Stone in her hand again.
Its light was only slightly dimmer than Dumbledore's, and still nothing could be seen clearly.
"Tsk, we'll explore the areas ahead later, huh?" Silan thought to herself, scoffing.
It seems that the current level of [Wizard's Eye] is not powerful enough; it can only detect some magical flow, and it is still too difficult to deal with Dumbledore and the Philosopher's Stone.
"What's wrong, child?" Dumbledore asked when he saw Silan lost in thought.
"It's nothing, Professor." Silan snapped out of her reverie and promptly returned the Philosopher's Stone to Dumbledore. "I was just a little lost in thought."
"Haha, isn't it beautiful?" Dumbledore clearly had a high opinion of his old friend's Philosopher's Stone.
Silan hesitated before speaking, "Professor, if I may ask, what are your plans regarding the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Ah...that's a good question." Dumbledore smiled thoughtfully. "I'll have to discuss it with Nicolas Flamel. But I suspect he'll most likely destroy the Philosopher's Stone."
"You should know that the Philosopher's Stone isn't actually a very wonderful thing. How many people have gone mad in their pursuit of wealth and longevity?"
"But when they actually possess these two things, what first arises is not the joy of satisfaction and virtuous qualities, but endless greed and desire."
Dumbledore gripped the Philosopher's Stone tightly and spoke earnestly.
Although Silan already knew the answer, she still felt a little disappointed when she actually heard Dumbledore say it aloud.
"If it's destroyed like this, then your friend..."
"Don't worry, child. They've stored up some Elixir of Life, enough for them to take care of their affairs." Dumbledore smiled calmly. "Death is a terrible thing for a child like you, but for Nicolas Flamel and Perenelle Flamel, it's like finally going to bed after a long and tiring day."
"Death is just another great adventure."
Finally, Dumbledore stood up and looked out the window of the ward.
Only one Tower stands outside the window.
Dumbledore looked up at the Tower, his gaze carrying a hint of reminiscence that seemed to transcend time.
Silan suddenly realized, and for no apparent reason, wondered if Dumbledore had already foreseen his own fate of dying in the Tower when he said those words.
Or was this the ending he had planned for himself?
In the classic Rider–Waite Tarot, the "Tower" card depicts two people falling from a burning Tower.
This perfectly aligns with the endings of Dumbledore and Grindelwald —is it truly a coincidence?
We often talk about fate, but fate is really just two people meeting unexpectedly, or reuniting after a long separation.
Or perhaps it's one person's leisurely waiting, while another person's heartfelt companionship.
"Oh, I've said too much." Dumbledore looked away, a smile returning to his face. He popped two more candies into his mouth, seemingly suppressing some overflowing emotions, and thus became happy again.
"I have to go now. You get some rest." Dumbledore gently patted Silan's shoulder. "We'll talk about some things later."
After Dumbledore speaking, he crept furtively to the door frame, opened it a crack, and seeing that Madam Pomfrey was not nearby, he hurriedly slipped out.
Faced with this school doctor who cared about the students, Dumbledore was always speechless.
After Dumbledore left, Silan lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts wandering aimlessly.
"Judging by the time, the exam is almost here."
"Looking at it this way, the school year is almost over. It's gone by so fast..."
"I wonder if my cousins have finished making the quill pens yet. Selling them before the end of the semester is a great opportunity to make money."
"If I make a fortune before summer vacation, I can have a wonderful summer vacation."
A jumble of random thoughts popped into Silan's mind.
He wasn't bothered by this; instead, he enthusiastically organized his thoughts.
Everything proceeded smoothly and in an orderly manner, which was an extremely pleasant thing for him.
He had just finished gathering his thoughts when he suddenly heard several voices outside.
"Please, Madam Pomfrey, we'll only stay for five minutes!" That was probably Hermione's voice.
"Absolutely not!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly.
"You even let Dumbledore in."
"Yes, of course, he's the principal," Madam Pomfrey said matter-of-factly. "Your friend needs a rest."
"I won't bother him too much; he's all alone, it's so pitiful," Hermione said. "Even Ron has Harry with him."
"Alright, alright," Madam Pomfrey relented. "You'd better not be too noisy."
Don't worry!
After a burst of cheerful noise, the door was pushed open.