episode_0312

The unicorn, one of the representative fantasy species.

Although they are classified as monsters, they are not like ordinary hybrids that enjoy indiscriminate slaughter, driven only by instinct and without reason.

They have their own rules and are somewhat docile. At the very least, it is a mistake to treat them like other monsters.

In the first place, the category of ‘monster’ was created by humans.

[Does this happen often in your daily life?]

“It is rare, but it is not uncommon.”

[okay]

But they say he has his own personality. Sometimes he’s gentle, but at other times he shows his personality and becomes fierce.

‘Was it like that?’

I nodded to the explanation given by the haggard-looking researcher, but tilted my head inwardly.

At least all the unicorns I’ve encountered have been well-behaved. I’ve never encountered a particularly angry one.

It could be that it’s just me because our magical powers are well-matched.

No, but considering that I went all the way here to get it, is this the right answer?

‘This is difficult.’

Whatever it was, it wasn’t a welcome situation.

Originally, I planned to quickly meet the unicorns before the graduation ceremony and, if possible, bring back a unicorn horn.

It doesn’t mean that you take away the horns that grow on your forehead.

Unicorns replace their horns several times throughout their lives, just like they grind their teeth, and when I observed them last time, their horns were strewn all over the place.

On the edge of a meadow, in a corner of a bush, or even in a nest made by an individual unicorn, they are piled up like luggage…

I came back from the outside to see that everything that could be used as top-quality materials was lying around.

Among them, I was trying to get permission from the unicorn to pick up just a few…

‘It’s a bit ambiguous to go in because you’re so sensitive.’

Sneaking in and stealing? It wouldn’t be hard, but I didn’t want to steal the horns, which technically belonged to the unicorns.

By the way, my unicorn horn, which I implemented through homogenization, eventually disappears.

Cutting it was also hard work. When I lightly brought the sword to the horn, it felt like the sword was being thrust into the genitals, and my body trembled.

I was already emotionally affected and tears were falling… I managed to cut them off, but soon after, they scattered again.

It seems that the body organs that are implemented through homogenization will all disappear when they leave me.

‘What should I do… Should I just stop by the research building and ask for a few of the things I’ve collected? Or should I just go to the notes…’

“I was just about to contact you about this matter.”

[yes?]

The thoughts that had been branching out in various directions were cut off by the researcher’s words.

.

.

.

[Are you talking about me?]

“Yes, is it a kind of request?”

A reception room in the research building that we came to following the researcher’s instructions.

The woman sitting on the sofa across from me was Professor Alida, who taught the course ‘Monster Training and Response’ during the second semester.

“There have been instances where Unicorns have lost their temper, but… never as violently or simultaneously as they did yesterday.”

Professor Alida shook his head as he placed a coffee cup in front of me.

“Even with such prickly and sensitive children, there has never been a case like this, so of course we need to investigate and research… ”

[What should I do?]

“The prickly kids were so unpleasant that they chased them away.”

The answer was as expected. There was no reason for angry unicorns to accept guests.

“I don’t expect anything grand. Just use your sensing ability to check the status of the unicorns from afar and collect and deliver the data. That’s all there is to it.”

Although I agreed with Professor Alida’s words with a bitter smile, I expressed my doubts.

[But why are you asking me?]

“I wonder if the kids who suddenly became prickly might be different for Lee Ha-yool.”

In response to my question, Professor Ali shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

“That was… the first class of the second semester, right? The day when a unicorn suddenly barged into the lecture.”

[…yes]

His face became pale.

A sensational incident commonly referred to as the ‘Unicorn Cadet Kidnapping Incident’.

Normally, I would just let it go, thinking, “That kind of thing happens too,” but this is an incident that I can’t help but laugh about because I’m actually involved in it.

“They are usually gentle children, but there has never been a case like Cadet Lee Ha-yool where they were taken away and taken care of kindly, as if they were kidnapping them.”

[…okay]

“Besides, even if the unicorns stick their horns in, someone as skilled as you will be able to escape without any problems.”

Professor Alida took another sip of his coffee.

“Yes, so I was trying to contact you to see if you would be interested in visiting before the vacation. By coincidence, you came to visit first.”

I closed my mouth for a moment at the words of Professor Alida, who was smirking and gulping down her coffee.

Is there any reason to refuse? I thought about it for a moment, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing to go in without pay.

[Yes, I will accept. Can we decide the compensation on my end?]

“Yes, yes! Of course, I’ll give you as much as I can.”

Professor Alida’s face brightened at my answer. He said he was just poking me, but it seemed like he wanted me to go and look up the information for him.

[Everything else is fine, but can I take a few of the horns you found on the grounds? Of course, I can’t just take them, but I have to ask the unicorn for permission.]

“Huh? Will that work? No, unicorns don’t grow horns easily in the first place… ”

Professor Alida, who was asking questions in embarrassment, gradually became quieter.

“Can you give it to me?”

A strange emotion spread through the eyes that had been filled with bewilderment.

The contract has been concluded.

.

.

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The land allocated to the unicorn is quite large.

First of all, it seems that the characteristic of a monster belonging to a horse, which likes to run around here and there, was taken into account.

But it was a path I had already walked back and forth on. Without taking a detour, I headed straight for the place where unicorn nests were densely located.

[hmm…]

He walked calmly and had a strange expression on his face.

Long, green fields. Occasionally, raised hills and trees of unusual shapes can be observed.

… and there are also some parts that are strangely damaged.

He crouched down on the ground and felt the inside of the hole that had just reached his feet.

It was a crater that looked like a bomb had fallen, but observations determined that it was a trace caused by kicking or something.

There are many pits like that. Most of them are marks of kicking, and they were created less than a day ago.

The long, trench-like traces are traces of a magic cannon being fired.

‘Is this all a sign of being angry?’

He sat up, caressing the marks that might have been left behind if a person had been hit.

Professor Alida said that he sent the unicorn because he thought it might welcome him, but he was worried that if it was this ferocious, he might get kicked too…

But now it’s something I can’t go back on. I’m confident that I can block it without causing any damage with just a few kicks.

He patted his clothes and started walking again.

Since just walking would take a long time, I shortened the distance by kicking the ground every now and then.

– Boom!

Soon, we arrived near the nest. I could clearly feel the pure magic that I could feel through my senses.

– Purrr…

Most of the unicorns are lying on the floor.

It’s similar and different from when we met in the past. Back then, I had a strong impression that he was enjoying his leisure time, but now he seems to have become limp and sagging, as if he had undergone incomplete combustion.

– Bam!

“… … ”

There were also unicorns that weren’t like that.

A loud noise rang in my ears. The murderous atmosphere made my expression turn pale for no reason.

– Boom!

The ground burst open from the innocent kick.

Even without magical power, its long legs are ferocious enough to break most weapons.

– Purrr!

The unicorn snorted harshly and shook its head roughly. At its feet, dust rose in a puff from the freshly made hole.

‘Should I just go?’

I didn’t think I would be welcomed either, as I could feel the momentum firsthand.

– Purrr?

[ah]

The moment I took a step back without realizing it, I made eye contact with the unicorn that was turning rocks into hotteoks.

[Uh… hello?]

– … …

The unicorn’s eyes, filled with a strange anger, turned toward me.

When I realized that it was true, I released the hidden presence and the other unicorns raised their heads.

All eyes were directed at me.

Crunch crunch… A unicorn suddenly approached like a leader, leaving behind a stone that had become a hotteok.

– Sniff sniff… ?

The unicorn lowered its head near mine and sniffed around as if checking something out.

For a moment, I thought about running away, but since I didn’t feel any hostility, I just stood there in a daze.

– Purrr…

[Phew…]

Soon, the unicorn began to rub its head as if to confirm my thoughts. I sighed in relief and petted the unicorn as well.

[Hello, it’s been a while]

– Purrr…!

Was it because the representative’s confirmation was finished? Only then did the unicorns that had been keeping a distance approach one by one and rub their heads together.

Some unicorns cleverly moved their horns to rub their heads, while others playfully poked at us with their horns.

Although the horn was sharper than any famous sword, it didn’t even hurt my clothes when it stabbed me.

I also smiled broadly at the deep friendliness that erased my worries and sat down on the floor.

‘Everyone seems to be okay. Why are you so angry?’

He tilted his head while petting the unicorns that kept coming towards him one by one.

I was observing it while stroking it, but I didn’t feel anything unusual.

Subsequent observations of the site failed to detect any unusual phenomena.

There isn’t much to write in the report, but it’s nothing serious, so I guess that’s a good thing.

Why on earth were these gentle and kind kids doing that just now?

If you gently tell them to pet other children too, they will obediently move away from you…

– Purrr…

[Oh, it’s been a while, you too. You’re so kind…]

It was around the time when I was thinking about what to write in the report.

What happened was that the baby unicorn that had been lying down and taking a nap at that time had arrived.

I held the child who was rubbing my head affectionately tightly and patted him a few times. Then, he stepped back as if he was satisfied.

Then suddenly he buried his head in the floor and started eating grass.

‘ah.’

As I was observing him, a thought occurred to me.

[for a moment]

I pushed aside the unicorns that filled the surrounding area for a moment, stood up, and put my hand into the subspace.

‘Here it is.’

Amidst curious eyes at the sudden action, he grabbed a handful of whatever he could get his hands on and pulled it out.

The identity is carrot seeds. Dig the ground with the tip of your foot and sprinkle the seeds in it appropriately. Cover with soil again immediately.

Of course, seeds do not always grow just because they are planted.

Are there one or two things to pay attention to in farming? It is such a difficult task that if you miss even one thing, the farming for that year could fail.

‘Expression, homogenization, Taesan.’

But there are only so many means in this world.

The moment I imitated Mt. Taishan, my senses expanded through my legs touching the ground.

It means that you have established dominion. By exercising that authority, you manipulate the soil, drawing a little bit of its intelligence and vitality and pushing it into the carrot seeds.

Then, a sprout pops out from the carrot seed that vibrates like a heartbeat. Growth accelerates. The changes in taste and nutrition that occur during the process are as great as a mountain.

‘Expression, homogenization, creation.’

Plus, it imitates the sea. The water from the sea was dripped onto the soil where the seeds were planted. The soil and seeds soaked in the water from the sea became even more vibrant and shiny.

In just a few minutes, carrot leaves began to sprout from the ground.

I manipulated the ground directly, pulled out the carrots, and held them in my hand.

‘oh.’

As expected, it is a great time to observe the scenery.

They are large enough to eat, and the colors are bright and distinct. The leaves are also vibrant green.

These are nutritious carrots grown in Taesan and Changhae.

Before long, the unicorns’ eyes were sparkling with anticipation rather than curiosity.

[Okay, here]

He held out a carrot to the baby unicorn right in front of him, giggling. The baby unicorn, which had been waiting with its butt wiggling, quickly bit into the carrot.

– …Phrrrr!

The unicorn’s mouth twitched for a moment. Soon, the baby unicorn’s eyes sparkled and its chewing speed increased.

[It tastes good. Everyone, come and eat.]

As I nodded in relief, the unicorns who understood what I said began to eat the carrots piled up on one side, one by one.

Everyone was eating with sparkling eyes, and it felt so innocent and cute, and I was completely satisfied.

I patted the head of a unicorn that was biting a carrot nearby.

[Should I come back later and make it again?]

Of course, this is only when you have free time, but it would be nice to come visit sometimes.

He chuckled and caressed the long, pure white horn that was now in his hand.

It was a unicorn horn that exuded pure white energy.

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It was the next day.

Immediately after waking up, I blinked at the sensation of a sudden chill and went out of the mansion.

A secluded corner with a quiet lawn instead of a garden, a little away from the mansion.

[…Why are you here?]

– Purrr?

I found a baby unicorn lying down in the middle of it all. The little guy tilted his head innocently at my question.