Fated Adventure.

With someone who had a completely different fighting style than Rayleigh, I could sharpen my skills even further.

Standing before the shadow, I mimicked its movements as best as I could. When a section of its body lit up, I adjusted my stance and tried again. The corrections became fewer and fewer as I refined my form, but I knew that simply learning the movements wasn't the same as mastering them. Stances and drills only went so far—true combat was a different beast.

Sera, meanwhile, was sitting comfortably on the Jade Soul Platform, absorbed in the first Harry Potter book. Even Yue had taken her own copy and was reading beside her. I already knew everything that would happen in the story, so I focused on honing my combat skills instead. Magic could be practiced during the day.

At the same time, I was still debating how much I should interfere with the events of this world. Should I be cautious of the butterfly effect, or just say "screw it" and act as I pleased?

And then there was the matter of my peerage. Less than 30 days remained before Hogwarts started—if I wanted new members to attend with me, I needed to summon them soon. Since this was a modern, magic-based world, I was strongly considering adding at least one or two mage types to the group.

For now, though, I continued following the shadow's movements. The lights indicating my mistakes flickered less frequently, and my stance felt more natural. Progress.

Moving on, I faced the knife-throwing shadow. I copied its stance, picked up a throwing knife, took aim at the target in the distance, and threw.

Miss.

Miss.

Miss.

Hit.

Miss.

Miss.

I adjusted my stance, corrected my grip, and threw again. Every mistake was a lesson. Practice made perfect, and I had time—plenty of time. I wasn't expecting to reach Serenity's level of expertise in a day, just like I didn't expect to catch up to Yue's mastery of magic anytime soon. One was a legendary assassin, and the other was a magical prodigy even gods would covet. I had confidence, but I also had realistic expectations.

Still, my accuracy improved. More hits than misses.

Satisfied, I shifted to dagger combat training and once again immersed myself in refining my skills.

---

Later, I stood in my inner world, a freshly dug hole before me. Dropping a single bead of liquid from the Fountain of Youth onto the peach pit inside, I watched as it cracked open, a small sprout emerging instantly.

Covering it with dirt, I considered my options. I could accelerate its growth completely, but I wanted the tree to absorb the inner world's energy naturally. It would thrive better that way, taking in the rich Qi and life force that saturated this space.

The apple and orange seeds I had planted earlier had already sprouted nearby. With the time dilation in effect, it wouldn't take more than a day or two for them to grow into fully mature, fruit-bearing trees.

I glanced around at the lush landscape. Several tropical fruit trees were already fully grown, their branches heavy with ripe fruit. Bananas, mangoes, coconuts, pineapples, and more—an abundant supply of fresh produce, all brimming with the dense energy of the inner world. If anything, this space was already becoming a paradise.

"I should see if I can buy some more saplings somewhere," I mused. It was the early '90s—no smartphones, no easy online ordering. I'd have to find an actual shop.

Exiting the inner world, I reappeared in my kitchen. The rich aroma of sizzling bacon filled the air, making my stomach rumble. At the stove, Serenity worked with smooth efficiency, flipping the strips with practiced ease.

Yue sat at the table, her charms book in hand, though her crimson eyes were locked on me.

Smirking, I walked over and leaned down, capturing her lips in a quick kiss. She melted into it instantly, her fingers clutching at my sleeve. When I pulled back, I caught Serenity watching intently from the corner of her eye.

"Sera, would you like a kiss as well?"

Her amethyst eyes lit up. "Can I?"

"Of course."

The moment my lips met hers, she let out a soft, surprised moan, pressing herself closer. When we parted, she looked utterly blissful, humming happily as she continued cooking.

Such easy-to-please peerage members.

---

Over breakfast, Yue glanced at me. "Are we going shopping again today?"

"Not today." I took a sip of juice. "I plan to read through the Hogwarts books and practice some magic. There are still two months left before school starts, so I want to get a head start."

Yue hummed in acknowledgment, satisfied with the answer. She and Serenity didn't particularly care for going out. If anything, they seemed to prefer staying home, reading, or cuddling.

Once breakfast was finished, we cleaned up together before settling in the living room. My goal for the day was to memorize all the Hogwarts books I had on hand.

With my enhanced mind, reading speed, and perfect memory, this was hardly a challenge. Even before coming to this world, I had been a fast reader—now, I was practically monstrous.

At the same time, I ran another test in the Ancient Stone Talisman's dream space. As it turned out, we could now brew potions in there. The space would automatically provide ingredients, making it an ideal training ground.

This artifact was truly a treasure—it saved time, resources, and ensured safe practice.

I was already planning to convert one of the guest bedrooms in my magic trunk into a dedicated potions lab. The first guest room had been turned into a cozy study/library where I stored my growing collection of books.

Lost in thought, I was suddenly pulled back by a sultry voice.

"Can we take a shower together?"

Looking down, Yue was gazing up at me with unmistakable intent, crimson eyes smoldering. Beside her, Serenity mirrored the same intense, longing look.

"…Alright, let's go shower, you two clingy little things." I chuckled, pushing to my feet. "Are you coming, Serenity?"

"Of course, Master." She purred, her smile utterly satisfied.