The Witch sighed softly, her gaze resting on him for just a moment before shifting to the perpetually dim outside, as if the Misty Illusion Realm had never seen a sunny day.
"It's the fickleness of fate, my Apprentice."
It seemed many people loved bringing up this term, and the more powerful the wizard, the more reverence their tone carried. However, the Witch's voice contained an indescribable sadness.
Was it related to King Arthur or Merlin?
Ian felt that this private matter, even if he asked, the Witch might not give him an answer. However, one could never know the answer without trying some things.
Ian was about to ask a question.
The Witch raised a finger and interrupted him.
"Perhaps you should go to your friend's town."
She clearly didn't want to continue discussing the topic, and Ian, of course, sensibly chose to keep quiet immediately, though he still had two questions he needed to ask the Legendary Witch.
"Teacher, I'd like to ask you about two things." Ian calculated how much longer he could stay; ever since he advanced in Magic Power, he could almost stay half a day in this land.
"Ask."
The Witch leaned back against the bench, placing her hands on either side of the chair.
Her posture was elegant and composed, her long hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders, adding a touch of wild and untamed beauty to her noble and stunning appearance.
"It's like this: I'm learning a magic spell but seem to have hit a bottleneck."
Seeing the indication in Witch Morgan's eyes, the magic wand Ian had transformed from the picture frame still existed in his hand, so he directly waved this wand and recited a spell.
"Patronus Charm!"
Though it wasn't as handy as his own, it was still somewhat usable. The wand's tip shone with a silvery substance, but the glow merely floated around like a mist.
The wavering silver light merely expanded, filling the space, yet it failed to fully exert the power of the Patronus Charm.
Even with Ian's continuous output, the entire castle had transformed from shadows into a fairy-tale hue within the silver glow, yet his personal data panel remained as immovable as ever.
[Patronus Charm (Level 0) 49/50]
There was no sign of advancement, and Ian found it really hard to comprehend this situation. He had clearly understood this magic extremely thoroughly, without the slightest omission.
"Perhaps a magic called [Mirage Reappearance] is better suited for you... but you'll have to fix my guard first." Witch Morgan's eyes, like the deep night sky, quietly observed this scene, her tone full of surprise and wonder, "You don't lack joy, but you lack the vital element for this magic to form."
A sharp evaluation.
It matched perfectly with Ian's increasingly intense feelings inside.
"Yes, my professor says the Patronus Charm summons the soul's companion, coming from the same place as Dementors, serving as a wizard's guide after death."
Ian recited Grindelwald's theory, including his views on Dementors, feeling that the Legendary Witch, who had become one of the Dead, would know more about this than Grindelwald.
"Your professor is quite studious; not bad, it seems there are still some talented wizards in later generations." The Legendary Witch raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.
Her words evidently validated Grindelwald's views on the Patronus Charm and Dementors.
"So, Teacher, where is my soul companion?" Ian blinked, raising the doubt previously mentioned by Grindelwald again to his mentor in the Misty Illusion Realm.
Compared to Grindelwald's previous bewilderment, the Legendary Witch's lips curved with a subtle smile; she seemed not at all surprised by Ian's inability to summon a Patronus.
"Every wizard has their soul companion; perhaps you should guess why you don't have one." The Witch teased slightly in her tone.
Ian blinked his eyes.
"Could it be that my soul companion fell in love with a wild Patronus and got eloped?" His reply clearly was an unexpected conjecture for the Witch.
"..."
The Witch's expression stiffened slightly before she sighed, "What does your mind think about every day to come up with such bizarre ideas."
She rubbed her forehead, perhaps feeling a headache from Ian's response, "Soul companions wouldn't get eloped with any wild Patronus, for there are no wild Patronuses. Only when a deceased human stands at a crossroads, their soul creates the Patronus you're referring to... it leads the choosing soul, allowing it to experience a never-lived life once again."
"This life... is called being a wizard."
Morgan Witch sat on the bench, lifting her gaze to Ian.
"So, my Apprentice, the reason you don't have a soul companion shouldn't be asked of me... it should be asked of yourself, and what makes you different from other wizards."
Her eyes seemed capable of penetrating the essence of all things in the world.
Though the Witch's voice remained gentle, the information revealed in her words was explosively shocking, leaving Ian feeling as if waves were crashing inside him, so shocked he could only avert his eyes.
He felt somewhat guilty.
Some secrets may be revealed, but some secrets must evidently remain secrets... At this moment, beyond the shock, Ian largely understood why he couldn't summon a Patronus.