Latiku's Changes

"Because you were nervous. There were people waiting behind each of you to move forward, and other students were watching your performance... Some of you even made mistakes while casting."

Hicks's gaze swept over the students who had made mistakes.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts is unlike any other subject. Pure theory is meaningless in this class. If you cannot apply this knowledge in actual combat, then even if you study this subject for seven years and earn excellent grades, it will be no different from gaining nothing at all."

"Today's test was very simple. It had only one key element: the unknown. That is also the true danger of the wilderness. In a real wilderness environment, you may not even know where danger lies."

The students all reacted differently to those words. Some dismissed them, believing they would never need to face such things and that getting good grades was enough.

Some might not have truly understood yet, but they still felt that her words made sense.

Others agreed deeply.

"Professor Hicks is right. Nothing is more dangerous than the unknown. When you are completely unprepared, even a Magical Creature rated XXX can be as deadly as a Dragon."

After class, Quirinus spoke up.

After all, a person only had one life. Dying to a Dragon and being ambushed by a Magical Creature rated XXX while completely unprepared were not fundamentally different. Death was death.

"Oh? From the sound of it... do you have a story?"

"Uh... no!"

Quirinus's expression stiffened, and he changed the subject.

"I didn't expect Professor Hicks to be the practical sort too. I heard wizards in the United States were very closed off. I thought they were the type to shut themselves away and study on their own, not the sort to go out