Mental Focus

"Hmm, you have a point... I wonder who will be the new Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts next year."

After listening to Manus's explanation, Bellows nodded and pondered.

Yes, who could be so unlucky... or so brave?

As time passed, the investigation into the London Tower Bridge bombing eventually came to nothing and never appeared in the newspapers again.

Muggle are unlikely to investigate Wizard matters, and even if they did find something, they wouldn't publish it in the newspapers. Most likely, they would just summon the Obliviator Headquarters and have everyone Obliviate.

Even if the Wizard had the means to investigate, no one dared to. Who would go to Voldemort and ask if they could be interviewed?

For the students at Hogwarts, there was only one thing that captured their attention: the exams that were just around the corner.

The seventh-grade students were completely absorbed in their studies, neglecting to eat or sleep. Faced with this exam that would determine most people's lives, even when they fell asleep, they had a book covering their face and another book under their head.

Ignis was no exception.

"Actually, by this stage of the course, you've already learned what you needed to learn and memorized most of what you needed to memorize. Adjusting your mindset now is much more useful than memorizing those laws and historical events again."

Manus turned a page of the book in his hand:

"You already went through something like this before the Wizard's Chess Tournament, why do I need to tell you about it again now?"

It wasn't that Manus was being nosy or making sarcastic remarks; it was simply that Ignis himself came to Manus seeking some advice...

What advice can Manus offer?

Ignis's test scores have never been bad; he's learned everything he's supposed to. There's no need for him to highlight anything or put in extra effort at the last minute. Eating well, drinking well, and maintaining a stable mindset are the best solutions.

"I understand the logic, but I still can't adjust."

Ignis gave a wry smile. For most people, the Hogwarts exams are a life-changing event, but for him, they were even more important than for others.

Although family succession is not judged by academic performance, future prospects, which are ultimately affected by grade certificates, are clearly among the evaluation criteria.

In theory, heirs who inherit more family property can enjoy life more comfortably. However, from the family's perspective, the inheritance is not meant to allow future generations to rest on their laurels and squander their wealth.

Therefore, the more capable and promising the offspring are, the more property they can inherit, while the offspring who are unable to make a living will only receive a sum of money that will not leave you starving.

Don't even think about making Floo Powder.

Faced with such a turning point, it was truly difficult for Ignis to remain calm.

"Hmm... if that's the case, have you tried using Charms on yourself? Like Cheering Charm or something."

"The Cheering Charm? Will it really work for my current state?"

Ignis tried casting a Cheering Charm on himself, and as a feeling of joy welled up... he did seem less tense, but the feeling of joy felt a little strange.

After all, there's really nothing to be happy about right now, and this fleeting joy won't last long.

"Human energy is limited. When the intensity and level of one emotion are too high, it will naturally dilute other emotions. When a person's attention is focused on one thing, their attention to other things will naturally decrease."

Manus suddenly had some thoughts at this point:

"If you were to brew a Potions that could Condensation a person's attention, allowing them to focus entirely on one thing at a time... well, the recipe might be a bit complicated to put together. Charms would be much simpler."

Ignis wanted to ask where the simplicity lay, but now was not the time to focus on the principles, so he looked at Manus earnestly and said:

Please be sure to use it on me.

Let me think about it...

Although it's Enchantment School magic that Manus isn't good at, strictly speaking, it only requires making someone focus for a moment, and doesn't even need to reach the level of Mechanized Mind; a First-Circle Magic is enough.

Transforming it into the style of this world's magic system doesn't require too much effort or time.

Manus drew his Wand and pointed it at Ignis, but just as he was about to act, he suddenly remembered something:

"Aren't you worried? This is Charms that can affect the mind, and it's the first time it's been used."

Ignis shrugged:

"I believe your standards for safety are higher than mine, come on."

... That statement seems to make sense.

Manus blinked, raised his Wand slightly, and then drew an inward-curving spiral around Ignis's heart:

"Animum Intendere" (Mental Focus)

With a final, slight forward movement, Ignis's eyes widened slightly. He could feel the change within himself—the uncontrollable thoughts that had been surfacing had vanished. He had never felt the world so peaceful, nor his heart so at peace.

Not only that, his thoughts also became much faster, both in terms of perception and thought...

"I don't know how long this Charms will last. Don't waste this time. Go and get some rest, or carefully review what knowledge you've actually learned and memorized."

Manus nodded and said:

"Furthermore, the effect of this Charms is ultimately an external force. You need to get used to maintaining this state of focus so that you can still enter the Charms even when it's not influencing you, rather than relying on Charms power and letting your mind become lax."

Ultimately, Charms are only temporary buffs, and many High Ring buff Charms no longer provide a fixed increase, but rather a proportional increase; the higher the base value, the better the buff effect.

This is one of the reasons why Manus strives for excellence in all aspects of basic numerical values.

Another reason is that the baseline values are constant and still exist even when one is not aware of the risks, making them the most reliable form of protection.

About half an hour later, Ignis put down his book and pinched the bridge of his nose:

"Hmm..."

"Twenty-four minutes, accompanied by a mild headache as a lingering effect, suspected to be caused by the intense studying during that period; whether there will be any aftereffects after resting is unknown."

Manus glanced at his pocket watch and wrote the following line in his notebook.

He advised Ignis to balance work and rest, but Ignis insisted on studying, so he could only make a note of this extreme situation.

"Phew... this feels so special."

Ignis returned to his original state, and with a throbbing headache, he felt as if he had gone from a silky-smooth Raven's Feather to an old Broomstick issued by the school's Flight.