Allen was utterly confused.
The freckle-faced postman who regularly delivered supplies, donated from across the country (well, maybe not that many), to the orphanage had handed him a letter. That in itself wasn't strange. Even though Allen attended the worst public school and tended to be quiet and withdrawn, he still had a few friends. In 1980s–1990s Britain, letters were still one of the most common ways to communicate, especially when Allen couldn't use the orphanage's only telephone for long.
No, what was strange was the letter itself.
The envelope was made of heavy parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. If it had just been that, Allen might've chalked it up to a sender with a flair for the old-fashioned. But the wax seal on the back featured a crest, a capital "H" surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a serpent.
Though the details had faded from memory over time, that emblem instantly brought back memories of his favorite childhood story, Harry Potter.
There was no doubt about it: this was from Hogwarts. A prank? Don't be ridiculous. J.K. Rowling hadn't even written the books yet. Who would come up with such an elaborate joke out of nowhere?
Of course, that wasn't the real reason Allen was stunned.
What had really left him dumbfounded was the situation he had landed in when he first arrived in this world.
He'd woken up one day, no electric shock, no strange food, no wish upon a shooting star, and found himself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Just like that, he had become an eight-year-old child in an orphanage.
After failing to find a way back, he had reluctantly accepted the bizarre reality. Somehow, he had to survive in this world without the internet, without smartphones, without anime, without web novels, and with a British cuisine as terrible in real life as in the legends.
The only thing that kept him from falling apart in the face of such a drastic change… was the thing he discovered after much probing and trial, the League of Legends System.
After getting the system, he imagined many possibilities.
Once, he dreamed of becoming a hero, wooing a beautiful girl, saving the world, and then disappearing into a life of mystery and leisure.
Once, he fantasized about being a villain, seducing a harem of women, then turning over a new leaf after being defeated by the hero, retiring in disgrace with his many regrets and lovers.
He even imagined that, after achieving incredible feats, he'd get transported to Runeterra itself, the native world of League of Legends, where he'd forge a legendary story, only to be nicknamed something absurd like "Torso" or "Fish-Tail Wren" by jealous players shouting, "Allen is too OP! Nerf Irelia!"
But instead, reality played a little trick on him: he received a Hogwarts acceptance letter.
Merlin's underpants, was this some kind of joke? How could those two things be any more different!?
Just as he was pouring over the countless runes from Ryze, trying to unlock even the most basic of spells, this letter from Hogwarts landed in his lap, unveiling an entirely different magical world. A world he had dreamed of countless times as a child, staring at the sky and waiting for a letter that never came… until now.
And now, that dream was right in front of him.
Overwhelmed with excitement, Allen unconsciously activated one of the electric rune effects he'd painstakingly mastered. A spark of lightning danced across his hand. Thankfully, the letter was sturdier than it looked, or he might've ruined his ticket to the magical academy of his childhood dreams.
…Oh, and why was Ryze the only champion whose powers he could learn?
Allen would tell you it's a tragic but simple tale. In a word: money.
As every LOL player knows, the three permanent free champions are Garen, Ryze, and Ashe.
Weekly free rotations? Sorry, this system doesn't offer them.
In the three years since arriving in this world, Allen had tried everything. But he'd discovered that the system didn't accept any form of British currency. That included modern coins, ancient coins, and even euros that hadn't been introduced yet.
Still, the sheer volume of runic knowledge from Ryze alone was enough to bury him. He simply didn't have the bandwidth to explore the abilities of other champions, aside from one passive bonus he inherited from Garen: enhanced physical endurance. Thanks to Garen, he hadn't been bullied even once during his time at school. Just like in the books, some schools welcomed new kids with a swirlie in the toilet, but nobody dared try that on him.
What's that? You're asking about active skills, like Garen's spin, Ashe's volley, or Ryze's spell combos?
Come on, how is an eleven-year-old supposed to swing a massive greatsword? Or find an enchanted bow, for that matter?
As for Ryze's spells… sure, Allen understood them, but actually casting them? Not a chance.
Put it this way: a spell might cost 90 mana, and Allen's mana pool… well, let's not talk about that.
Why do you think he spent so much time researching runes? It wasn't for fun, it was to build up his magical power. Or more precisely, his mana.
After forcing himself to calm down, Allen pulled a small knife from his pocket and carefully broke the wax seal.
He knew the letter by heart:
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Albus Dumbledore
(Chief Valor of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Grand Sorcerer, Order of Merlin First Class)
Dear Mr. Allen,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Along with the letter was the classic school supplies list and a note, something different from the version he remembered.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Dear Mr. Allen,
Due to your current living circumstances, we have provided a scholarship to help with your initial expenses. You may exchange it for wizarding currency at Gringotts, located in Diagon Alley.
P.S. All necessary supplies can be found in Diagon Alley. Owl services for sending replies are available there as well.
P.P.S. Diagon Alley is located behind the Leaky Cauldron.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Also enclosed was a small amount of British pounds.
Well then… Hogwarts apparently never considered the possibility of someone refusing the offer. They just went ahead and mailed the scholarship.
Then again, who would say no to a school like this?