My Horn Hurts... (2)
My Horn Hurts... (2)
A weekend morning, early enough that dew still clung to every leaf and branch. A time when I should have been buried in preparations and training for the Reverse Side.
- Munch munch munch...
And yet, what I was actually doing was feeding carrots to a baby unicorn.
Listening to the crisp, cheerful sound of it gobbling down several carrots at once left me completely bewildered.
Why was a unicorn even here? The section where unicorns live is some distance away. Had it just run all the way over?
[How did you get in here?]
- Munch munch?
[...Never mind. Just finish your food for now.]
The more fundamental question was how it had entered this place to begin with.
The mansion once used by the Headmaster had been an empty house for a long time, but it wasn't dilapidated or broken into, and it certainly didn't permit intrusions by thieves or anything of the sort.
Whether such attempts even occurred was secondary; measures to block them had been in place from the start.
A certain will that pervaded the mansion like a stain. At first I thought it was magic, but then the abstract interpretation of mana suggested it was a drawn picture, not a spell formula...
'It's probably a Word Command.'
Word Command. An ability that compels and achieves effects through spoken words. A branch of superpowers that spans both unique abilities and magic.
The Headmaster's unique ability was of the Word Command type. The alias she held before becoming a Tower Master was the Silent Mage.
An alias supposedly born from her peerless chantless magic.
'Word Command and silence?'
That part always made me tilt my head. I couldn't understand how the power to cause phenomena through speech and the alias of silence coexisted. Why would someone with a Word Command ability favor chantless magic in the first place...
- For someone who specialized in Word Commands, the growth of a half-baked mage silenced...
[Dismay]
...Anyway.
My question was how this baby unicorn had bypassed the security.
- Prrrr?
[It's fine, keep eating.]
I tentatively reached out and stroked its pure white mane. The sensation tickling my palm was incredibly soft.
The baby unicorn tilted its head for a moment, but soon it was enjoying my touch, resuming its carrot-devouring spree.
After confirming that, I rested one hand on the unicorn's head and focused my spatial perception and Observation while holding the mansion key in the other.
'...What the—this little one just doesn't get flagged by security?'
The result I obtained was that the baby unicorn was a being that wasn't subject to the inspection to begin with.
In other words, it was an entity that had already been granted entry authorization.
I tilted my head, not understanding.
'...I don't get it.'
Well, it wasn't a creature that would harm anyone anyway. The reason its entry was permitted could be investigated gradually...
And the reason the unicorn came here... Wasn't it probably just because it wanted to eat carrots?
- Prrrr
It nuzzled its head against me as if acting cute, so I stroked it in return. Then it rubbed its body gently against me, seeming very pleased.
.
.
.
"Wow! It's the baby unicorn we saw back then!"
As people woke up one by one, the uninvited baby unicorn was naturally what drew everyone's attention.
Ellia, already acquainted with the baby unicorn, had her eyes sparkling. In her yellow pajamas, she approached me and the unicorn carefully.
"It's grown a lot since last time. But it still seems a bit babyish... I wonder how long it'll take to reach adulthood?"
As you could guess by the 'baby' unicorn label, this unicorn was a young and small individual.
When I had become younger, I had once fallen asleep in the unicorn's embrace, but now... now... I could even lie down and sleep beside it.
Anyway, compared to an adult unicorn, which can sometimes feel larger than a car, its physique was charmingly petite.
"Monsters grow at different rates depending on the species. I've heard unicorns are on the slower side. It would take at least ten years, so I wonder if this little one is more than seven years old?"
Ellia wasn't the only one who approached. Baek A-rin, also in her pajamas, observed the unicorn and tilted her head.
"Anyway, why is this unicorn here? Did it run away from home?"
[I'm not sure either. But there doesn't seem to be any problem on the unicorn side, and since it can enter, it seems like something the Headmaster arranged]
Baek A-rin was also acquainted with the baby unicorn. She shook her head as she stroked the unicorn's head.
- [You've finished eating, so you should go home now...]
- Hee-hee-hing...
After finishing off the carrots, I tried to send it home, but the baby unicorn suddenly started whimpering and tugging at my clothes with its teeth.
It threw such a pitiful tantrum that I decided to let it play in the mansion for just one day.
Just in case, I used Observation on the unicorn's nest area, and it seemed peaceful with no problems.
If a young individual had disappeared on its own, you would expect an uproar. Seeing how unruffled things were, they probably knew and let it come.
"The Headmaster... I wonder if she was training it to take along later."
Most monsters can be killed on sight without issue, but that doesn't mean taming them is impossible.
More precisely, you could call it a method of using them without killing them.
Cases of handling monsters through mind control or manipulation-type abilities are common, after all.
There are unique abilities and magic related to that field, and there are also people who specialize in monster breeding and taming.
"The Black Snow Horses our family breeds become adults in three years, but it took much longer at first. If we succeed in breeding and improving unicorns, won't they mature faster and faster too?"
The Changhae family breeds monsters.
A representative example is the Black Snow Horse, a standard 6th-Rank monster, and as the name suggests, it's an entity close to a horse.
"Our family territory is vast and rugged, you see. If you're just taking one around, it's easy on the legs, easy on the backside, and perfect for hanging luggage on."
Baek A-rin shrugged her shoulders and patted her own rear with a smack smack.
"Plus, being a monster, they have combat ability, so you can throw them into a fight if necessary. They have a lot of convenient points."
"It would certainly be convenient if a force like a major family could move them in large numbers. But the forces capable of that..."
"Are few. Properly breeding, raising, improving, taming, and distributing them... Honestly, doing all that is less efficient than just nurturing a single decent superhuman."
It isn't exactly an efficient act. More precisely, if you truly succeed, the returns are enormous, but nine times out of ten, you just waste money and effort.
The Changhae family is a colossal power that doesn't belong in that nine-out-of-ten category, so it doesn't matter to them.
"But still... there sure are a lot of things here."
Having said that much, Baek A-rin glanced around at the suddenly bustling surroundings.
As the sun gradually rose, more and more children were drawn over.
Various colorful spirits, who had been freely living all over the grounds, were now toddling this way.
Fairies drifting slowly out of the mansion, yawning sleepily...
"Spirits, fairies... and now after all that, you've brought in a unicorn. Are you pushing ahead with the founding of a Fairy Kingdom, Your Majesty?"
[I didn't bring it in... It came here on its own]
"What are you planning to bring in next? Can't you just tell me in advance? Hm?"
[Stop teasing me...]
"You aren't going to bring another generously endowed woman who's only kind to you, are you? I think there are too many as it is."
[Bawk!]
She didn't seem to have any intention of listening to me. I could tell just by observing the mischievous smile lingering on her lips.
"...A one-horned beast?"
While I was waving my arms around, fending off Baek A-rin's attacks.
Lee Ji-yeon, who had been poking around the mansion before approaching, blinked at the sight of the unicorn.
Since it was the last weekend before vacation, Lee Ji-yeon had come by yesterday to visit and at least see our faces.
She must have just woken up, because her hair was a little messy and sleep still lingered on her face.
She was wearing the pajamas she'd brought to the guest room, and even through the loose-fitting sleepwear, her voluptuous curves were clearly visible.
[Senior, did you sleep well?]
"Ah, yes. I slept comfortably thanks to you, junior. Thank you."
[It's just the room being nice. But anyway, Senior, is this your first time seeing a unicorn?]
After a simple morning greeting, I asked. Lee Ji-yeon approached with a bewildered expression and shook her head.
"No, I've met an adult one-horned beast... a unicorn, but this is my first time seeing a young one."
At her words about it being her first time seeing a young one, I nodded.
It's common knowledge that in animal groups, young individuals are protected and cherished.
'It was like that back then too, but thankfully this little one is gentle.'
Having filled its stomach, the unicorn lifted its head and poked me lightly with its stubby horn, as if playing.
People, spirits, and even fairies had all gathered around, but it didn't show any hostile or uncomfortable signs.
- Woof! Woof woof!
"Wow, its fur is so soft... Kyaa! It tickles!"
It was the same when the spirits gathered at its feet nuzzled it, or when the fairies fluttering near its head approached its horn.
Rather, it seemed to play along, nuzzling them back or gently pushing them with its horn, pok pok.
Shrieking laughter spread through the once-quiet morning.
The peaceful scene unfolding under the warm morning sunlight was enough to make everyone pause their chatter for a moment.
"But still, this is..."
It was then.
Lee Ji-yeon, who had been blankly staring at the scene, suddenly bent down and picked up a carrot the unicorn had left untouched, examining it in her hand.
"It's a carrot cultivated with Taesan, isn't it?"
"Huh? Now that you mention it, it seems like Azure Sea might be in it too?"
Lee Ji-yeon asked, tilting her head. At that, Baek A-rin's eyes also widened as she picked up another carrot.
She seemed to sense the energy emanating from the carrot as well.
[Yes, I got some last time, so I fed it to the unicorn]
Without flinching, I brought out the answer I had prepared.
A cramped peninsula. And further divided into three, a tiny piece of land that might as well be that.
Yet the agricultural products produced and released from the Taesan territory were far more than one could imagine.
It's thanks to Taesan, the unique ability.
It's no exaggeration to say one Taesan Manifestor can feed thousands or tens of thousands.
And that number grows even larger depending on the output, specialization, and proficiency of the Taesan ability used.
That's how easy it is to find Taesan agricultural products, more than you might think.
[But I couldn't get many high-grade ones because the supply is limited]
"Ah, yes. The high-grade ones are used internally or sold to close associates."
Those are the mass-cultivation supplies. High-grade agricultural products packed with flavor, nutrition, and beneficial effects are hard to come by.
For reference, the carrots I made fresh were probably at least high-grade.
[I tried one, and it was really good]
"Ah, I see..."
When I roughly finished my answer, Lee Ji-yeon nodded and stared at me intently with a somewhat odd expression.
[Why are you looking at me like that?]
"...No, it's nothing."
* * *
After messing around with the unicorn for a while, breakfast only began once everyone had woken up.
"What's everyone going to do over the vacation?"
The topic that came up during the meal was, naturally, about the vacation.
Baek A-rin was the first to answer Ellia's question.
"I'll be heading to my territory, where they're in the thick of dealing with a dungeon rampage, to lend a hand."
"Huh, it still hasn't been resolved?"
"The dungeon at the root of it was conquered, but dealing with the dungeons that burst open as a result and the monster hordes is the job now."
Baek A-rin shrugged her shoulders at the gazes directed at her.
"And to make matters worse, a Special-Grade Dungeon was even discovered in a corner of the territory. With the situation like that, I'll have to lend a hand over the vacation too."
"That's a disaster..."
"Well, fortunately, the population in the area where the rampage occurred was small, and even they were evacuated well beforehand, so there are almost no casualties. Once we roughly deal with the Special-Grade Dungeon, it'll be over now."
"The Special-Grade Dungeon will be the headache."
"That's true too. Ugh, who knows what else will pop out."
At my teacher's quiet remark, Baek A-rin also let out a deep sigh.
A Special-Grade Dungeon has a different structure from Grades 1 through 4.
Depending on various conditions and circumstances, the dungeon's internal environment and the difficulty of conquering it can change drastically.
If things line up well, it can be easier than a Grade 4 Dungeon and bring absurd profits—a once-in-a-lifetime jackpot bursting forth.
But if you're terribly unlucky, a catastrophe worse than a Grade 1 Dungeon can come pouring out.
'If I can never find the entrance to the Reverse Side, should I go to the Changhae territory and help?'
I chewed my lip at the mention of a Special-Grade Dungeon.
It's related to the Changhae territory and Baek A-rin's family, so it's not someone else's business.
Since the family's military power is so formidable, I wasn't especially worried, but it was also true that concern reared its head at the words Special-Grade Dungeon.
I added scanning the candidate areas for the Reverse Side entrance, and if that seemed hopeless, heading for the Changhae territory, to my list of options.
"But what about you, King Ha-yul? What do you plan to do over vacation?"
In the meantime, at Baek A-rin's words, gazes gathered on me.
I gulped down a mouthful of bland food and answered.
[I also have things to do outside during vacation. It might take a long time]
In that instant.
Everyone's gazes grew heavy.
"......"
"......"
"......"
Silence. At the disbelief and suspicion contained within it, my shoulders flinched.
[It's, it's something related to the Tower Master of Harmonization and the Tower Master of Space]
Sensing danger, I instinctively brought out my Tower Master shields.
* * *
[The Tower Master of Harmonization blinks]
[Me? What did I...]