[Acquired the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart Talent. Do you want to claim it?]
Seeing the notification, Ben silently swallowed the complaint that was about to escape his lips.
Right—this wasn't London. This was Chaoge.
How could he be speaking to a butler? He was clearly chatting with Uncle Wang Bigan with enthusiasm and ambition.
System, your perception is top-tier. Keep it up!
Ben then turned to the old, tearful Flander.
"Mr. Flander, go get some rest. I'll sleep in a bit."
After Flander left, Ben took a deep breath, locked the study door, and closed the curtains. He spoke inwardly to the system:
"Claim the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart Talent."
The next moment, with a soft "ding," the light screen in front of Ben updated.
[Current Connections: Uncle Wang Bigan]
[Current Connection Level: Life-and-Death Friendship]
[Acquired Reward: Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart]
At the same time, an incredible sensation washed over him.
His mind became sharper than ever, and all his senses grew acutely perceptive.
The world around him seemed freshly polished—like someone had wiped away a thick layer of dust. Everything appeared vividly clear.
"So this is the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart Talent? The ability to understand everything and grasp its essence?"
"I don't fully feel the mystery of it yet, but I do feel smarter. This sensation probably surpasses the effects of Ravenclaw's diadem."
"This is amazing. Even an ordinary person with this talent could become a top-tier scholar!"
Just then, Ben noticed another peculiar feeling throughout his body.
He sensed a strange power flowing inside him—something he could control to perform miraculous feats.
On a whim, Ben snapped his fingers, thinking:
"Restore that pen to its original form."
To his astonishment, the twisted, nearly useless pen on his desk began to slowly straighten out under a mysterious force.
After a few minutes, the pen was almost completely restored. Though minor marks remained, it was fully functional again.
"It took some time, and the effect wasn't perfect, but this feels like a low-level Reparifarge spell?"
"Is this wandless magic?"
Ben's eyes widened with surprise, then understanding dawned.
"It's because of the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart."
"Normally, young wizards struggle to control the magic within their bodies—they need to study and train. But this talent has drastically improved my control. Now I can manipulate magic freely."
"So this is what it means to understand everything and grasp its essence?"
A surge of excitement flooded Ben's heart.
Even if his innate magical aptitude wasn't strong, with this talent, he could still excel in subjects that required precise magical control.
At that moment, a surprised voice echoed in the room.
"Ah, a little wizard doing wandless magic—what a genius!"
Ben turned his head and saw the source of the voice.
It was the delivery owl.
He had been so engrossed in his interaction with the system that he had forgotten about the owl perched on the clock.
And then it hit him.
"I can understand owl language now?"
"Damn, is this some kind of ancient talent?"
"I officially declare Parseltongue obsolete. This is what it means to truly understand everything!"
As Ben's eyes locked onto the owl, the system light screen lit up once more.
[You have encountered a Spirit Crane raised by a master of the Chan Sect. Although it resembles a delivery owl, it is, in fact, a high-level spirit beast with cultivation far beyond yours. You should treat it as a senior brother—with respect.]
[Try to befriend it to receive assistance.]
[Casual Acquaintance: Gain the Night Vision talent (see clearly in the dark).]
[Close Friendship: Gain the Wind Control talent (enhanced Taoist wind techniques and flying abilities).]
[Life-and-Death Friendship: Gain the Sun and Moon Essence talent (boosts absorption of natural spiritual energy, improving cultivation).]
Ben blinked.
"The Hogwarts delivery owl… is now a spirit crane?"
Good job, system!
Suddenly, Ben's eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he looked at the owl.
These talents might not compare to the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart, but they were still incredibly useful.
Night Vision would be perfect for dark places like the Forbidden Forest or the Chamber of Secrets.
Wind Control could potentially boost his flying abilities—maybe even make him a Quidditch star! At the very least, it would help him escape danger faster.
As for Sun and Moon Essence—Ben wasn't entirely sure how useful that would be in the wizarding world. But if this place did have spiritual energy, that talent would definitely come in handy.
And even if it didn't, who's to say it couldn't absorb magic power instead?
Either way—it wouldn't hurt to get it!
Ben acted quickly. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bag of high-quality beef jerky, one of his favorite snacks, and offered it to the owl.
The delivery owl had been starving. While it typically disdained Muggle food, it couldn't resist the aroma.
It pecked at a strip of jerky and chewed slowly. Its eyes widened in surprise.
"What kind of beef jerky is this?"
"It's not as good as fresh meat… but it's seriously tasty!"
Ben grinned.
"It's a premium recipe crafted by a top chef. The flavor and texture far surpass mass-produced stuff."
"This little bag alone costs at least a hundred pounds."
"If you like it, I've got more. Take it back to Hogwarts and share it with a lady owl you like. It's a real treat."
The delivery owl froze mid-chew.
"Wait… can you speak owl language?"
"!!!"
"Wait! Hold on—leave the owl language aside for a second. Did you say this bag cost a hundred pounds?!"
"How many Galleons is that?!"
Ben waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Don't worry about the money. I'm clearly not lacking in that department. What I need are friends."
He pulled out a thick stack of banknotes, rolled it up neatly, and stuffed it into the owl's letter tube.
"You've worked hard coming all the way here. If you consider me a friend, accept this small token of my appreciation."
The owl's beak trembled.
It looked down at the hefty roll of cash now lodged in the tube and then back at Ben.
So many pounds… how many Galleons is that worth? Should I open an account at Gringotts? How much food could I buy with this?
Wait—what did this little wizard say? He wants to be friends?
The next moment, the owl flapped its wings furiously and affectionately rubbed its head against Ben.
"Little wizard, I've decided—you're my friend now."
"You are officially my best friend!"
Instantly, a new notification popped up on Ben's system screen.
[You have reached a Close Friendship with the Spirit Crane]
[You have obtained the Night Vision talent]
[You have obtained the Wind Control talent]
[End of Chapter 3]