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*****
"This makes things much simpler."
Watching as the first girl successfully began circulating qi and gained the aptitude to practice magic, George revealed a satisfied smile.
The hat he had crafted was not like the Sorting Hat at Hogwarts. Instead, its purpose was to grant humans who lacked natural talent the qualification to cultivate magic.
When someone placed this hat on their head, the Daoist runes left behind by Master Ziyang within the Valley of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms would be gradually injected into their mind. These runes guided the circulation of qi.
By the time the process was complete, the person would have obtained the aptitude to practice magic.
George named it the Hat of Enlightenment.
Of course, integrating all those countless runes from the Valley of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms into a single hat to achieve such an effect had taken him a great deal of effort.
Had he not combined refining techniques from myriad worlds, he might never have succeeded in forging such a hat.
"You're Hannah, correct?"
"Yes, Dean, my name is Hannah."
The girl stood up from the chair, feeling her body renewed and refreshed, as though she had been completely reborn.
Hearing the human legend seated at the center call her name, she quickly nodded with excitement.
"Have you ever studied the basics of introductory spell theory?" George asked in a gentle tone.
Although humans were far fewer in number compared to elves, they were not as scarce as some might think.
However, because they were scattered across many lands, not all could be summoned at once. Even now, some were still traveling to Elven City after hearing the news.
This meant George could not always spare time to personally test whether each human possessed magical aptitude.
Thus, he devised a simple method.
He published the Elementary Spell Theory textbook and instructed humans to study it on their own.
The book contained no advanced spells, only the most basic ones, such as the Lighting Charm and Cleaning Charm.
If, after a period of study, a person could follow the theory in the book and successfully cast the simplest of spells, that meant they had magical aptitude. Otherwise, they did not.
This method also eliminated those who technically had talent but lacked the discipline to learn.
Many adult humans could not calm themselves enough to even finish reading the simplest spellbook. Some, even when they tried, were simply too dull to grasp it.
Allowing such people into the academy would be a waste of resources, so they could be disregarded.
"I've studied it! I understood and memorized every single spell in the Elementary Spell Theory!" Hannah quickly replied.
Ever since learning that humans could become wondrous magicians, she had refused to accept a future like her mother's—spending her life in the tribe as a washerwoman.
So, when the chieftain handed out the spellbooks, she studied with unmatched diligence, for this was her only chance to change her destiny.
Unfortunately, reality had been cruel. She had no natural talent for magic. Even after thoroughly mastering the book, she had never been able to cast so much as a simple lighting spell.
"Try it."
George flicked his hand, and a large staff, more than a meter long, appeared before him and slowly floated over to Hannah.
Although George had modified all the magics he had learned from various worlds so that they no longer required wands, this did not mean wands were useless.
For him, perhaps, they were obsolete. But for beginners—and even for experienced mages—they remained extremely valuable.
A staff could help cast spells more quickly and amplify their power.
The staves he now taught the dwarves to forge were not the small wooden sticks of the Harry Potter world. Instead, they were large staffs inlaid with magic crystals native to this realm.
The humans of this world already possessed physiques far stronger than those of ordinary humans elsewhere.
Even a three-year-old child here could easily lift a hundred-pound stone.
Thus, staffs were built sturdier and heavier. If an orc managed to close in before a mage could cast a spell, the staff could double as a club.
In fact, a novice could cast a simple lighting spell to blind an orc for a moment, then swing the heavy staff with all their might—the results would not be bad at all.
"Shine as bright as day!"
Hannah, trembling with excitement, grasped the staff and recited the Lighting Charm she had practiced countless times.
At once, a bright white light burst forth from the top of the staff.
"I—I've become a magician! Mother, I've become a magician!!!"
Tears streamed down Hannah's cheeks as she stared at the magic she had finally released, her eyes shining red with emotion.
"It really worked… this is wonderful!"
Even the elven princes seated beside George could not conceal their excitement.
Humans lived scarcely more than a hundred years, but their learning speed was astonishingly fast.
If things continued at this pace, then centuries later, the united armies of the three races would be bolstered by countless fully trained human magicians.
And humans reproduced quickly. While elves might go centuries without a single child, humans could raise three or four generations within a century.
Defeating the orcs—defeating Morgoth—might no longer be a mere dream.
For elves, a few centuries was hardly a long wait.
"What a man full of miracles."
The elven princes looked at George once more, realizing that everything before them was brought about by him.
Just as the Creator had designed humans to be inferior to elves in many respects, perhaps it was precisely because of this that humans developed their own unique strengths.
"Wow, Hannah really cast magic! Hannah's become a magician!"
The nervous boys and girls below saw Hannah's success and finally relaxed.
Though their chieftain had announced that the Dean had found a way for humans to learn magic, none had dared to believe fully until they saw it with their own eyes.
After all, the greater the hope, the greater the despair.
"As expected of the Dean—he's like a god, omnipotent."
The students who had already been at the academy for nearly a year also looked on in amazement. That a single hat created by the Dean could alter the fate of humanity filled them with awe.
"Continue."
Confirming that everything was proceeding smoothly, George smiled and sat back down.
To the sound of thunderous applause, Hannah was guided by Lucian's magic to the table reserved for humans.
"Jack."
One by one, the second, third, and fourth students stepped forward. Everything went smoothly.
Until the one hundred and twentieth student climbed onto the platform, sat on the chair, and donned the Hat of Enlightenment.
"Azkaban! Azkaban!"
The moment the hat touched the boy's head, it suddenly opened its mouth and screamed loudly.
Everyone froze, puzzled expressions spreading across their faces.
They were not surprised the hat could make sounds—the academy already contained many such magical artifacts crafted by the Dean.
What baffled them was the meaning of the word the hat had shouted: "Azkaban."
"As I expected. Just in case, I prepared for this possibility… and it really happened."
George arched a brow. Reaching out with his hand, he instantly drew the boy toward himself and began searching his soul.
(End of Chapter)