“Please, take a break.”
“Kyuu?!”
Rustle, rustle…
“Kyuu kyuu?!”
Rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle…
The baby unicorn, startled, quickly turned around. But the adult unicorn remained unchanged, simply nudging the little one forward. As the baby unicorn was pushed step by step, I decided to speak to the leader unicorn, who was watching silently.
“Hey, what are you guys doing?”
Of course, there was no answer. Even if there was, I wouldn’t understand it. The leader unicorn just stared at me with its deep-set eyes. After a while, it took a few steps toward me and suddenly bowed its head.
”…”
I was taken aback. This proud and cautious unicorn, the leader no less, was bowing its head to a human.
“Kyuu, kyuu!”
While I was still processing this, the baby unicorn had been nudged close to me. It seemed just as confused, looking around nervously, but none of the other unicorns intervened. They just watched with sad eyes as the baby was pushed forward.
‘Could it be…’
I quickly gathered my thoughts. It was hard to miss the leader unicorn’s intention after coming this far. I gently lifted its bowed head and asked in a calm voice.
“Are you asking me to take care of the baby unicorn?”
Rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle…
The leader unicorn nodded. As soon as I saw that, I swallowed hard. I had always wanted a unicorn, and now one was practically being handed to me.
But my excitement was short-lived. I quickly composed myself and glanced at the baby unicorn, now at my feet.
It seemed lost, looking up at me with big, teary eyes. The adult unicorn that had brought it here was already walking back to its place, having completed its task.
A heavy silence fell. The leader unicorn, the baby unicorn, everyone was watching me. Just as I was about to gather my thoughts on what to say, a soft voice came from behind.
“Maybe… they’re asking you to take care of it for a while?”
The speaker was the first person we rescued from the underground prison. She had been mostly silent, likely due to the shock, but now she spoke in a clear, steady voice.
“I know someone who tamed a unicorn. She once said that unicorns who lose their parents suffer immense grief, and if they can’t overcome it, they might even… well, it’s serious.”
“Wait a minute. But this unicorn isn’t alone. There are over twenty of them right here.”
“You must have noticed on the way here, even with companions, a unicorn’s grief isn’t easily healed. But with you, Mercenary Lord, it sometimes smiled, didn’t it?”
“That’s…”
“I don’t know why the baby unicorn is so attached to you, but one thing is clear: among everyone here, you’re the one most likely to help it overcome its sadness. The unicorns must have sensed that on the way here, and that’s why they’re asking you.”
The woman, having said her piece, bowed her head slightly and fell silent. She seemed to have shared everything she knew.
I let out a long sigh and met the leader unicorn’s gaze, speaking calmly.
“So, as the lady said, you’re asking me to stay with the baby unicorn? You think I’m the best one to fill its void?”
Nod, nod.
“Hmm… if I take care of it for now, will I have to return it later?”
The leader unicorn didn’t nod this time. Instead, it looked down at the baby unicorn sitting on the ground and let out a low sound. I couldn’t be sure, but it seemed to say, “We’ll leave that decision to the child when the time comes.” (Of course, that was just my interpretation.)
The baby unicorn’s ears and tail were drooping, but as soon as I picked it up, its ears perked up and its tail wagged. I was curious about what in me elicited such a response, but for now, I lifted the baby unicorn to eye level and spoke softly.
“Little one, what do you want to do?”
“Kyuu?”
“Do you want to stay with me for a while, or go back with your friends? Whatever you choose, I’ll respect your decision. It’s your choice that matters most.”
“Kyuu…”
The baby unicorn looked troubled, glancing between me, the leader unicorn, and its companions. After a moment of indecision, it wiggled its legs, and I set it down. It trotted over to the leader unicorn and let out a soft cry.
“Kyuu, kyuu kyuu, kyuu kyuu kyuu.”
Rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle…
“Kyuu kyuu kyuu kyuu, kyuu kyuu kyuu kyuu kyuu.”
Rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle… rustle, rustle…
The two seemed to converse for a while, then the baby unicorn began rubbing its head against the leader unicorn’s leg. The leader unicorn closed its eyes gently and nuzzled the baby’s head, continuing down its neck, back, and finally its rump. This affectionate exchange lasted over a minute.
After the leader unicorn finished, it gave me a long, intense look before turning away. The baby unicorn followed suit, heading toward the group of unicorns.
“Oh…”
“Well…”
‘Tsk.’
The children let out disappointed sighs. The baby unicorn hadn’t chosen me. It was the sensible choice, but I couldn’t help feeling a pang of regret. I had hoped to forge a bond, but perhaps I should have been more direct.
I clicked my tongue inwardly, watching the baby unicorn’s retreating figure, and slowly turned away myself. I had to be content with the good relationship I had established with the unicorns.
Then it happened.
Ooooo… ooooo… ooooo… ooooo…
The unicorns’ deep voices suddenly resonated through the air. I turned quickly to see the baby unicorn had stopped midway, and the unicorns were howling at it.
The baby unicorn lifted its front right leg, not toward us, but toward the unicorns.
As the resonant voices faded, it turned and began running toward us. The decision I thought was final was suddenly overturned.
“Wait, is it coming? Is it really coming?”
“Yuni!”
The baby unicorn stopped in front of me, smiling brightly and letting out a cheerful “Kyuu!” It was the first time in a long while I’d seen it so happy. Ansol and Lee Yoo-jung rushed forward, beaming, and lifted the baby unicorn in joy.
I couldn’t believe it. The baby unicorn had gone to say goodbye. It had chosen me. Watching it wiggle its legs in Ansol’s arms, I let out a small laugh.
Looking ahead, I saw the unicorns slowly turning away. Even as they walked, they kept their eyes on the baby unicorn. Just before the leader unicorn turned its head, our eyes met once more. Its gaze was filled with a deep sadness.
I watched for a while, and then the leader unicorn gave a heavy nod before turning away completely.
”…”
As the unicorns gradually disappeared from view, I felt a tap on my back. Ansol was smiling brightly, holding the baby unicorn in her arms.
“Brother! Brother! Yuni wants to be with you!”
“Kyuu kyuu!”
The baby unicorn reached out its legs toward me with a big smile. I took hold of them and returned the smile.
As I patted the baby unicorn’s back, I pondered. I didn’t know what the future held, but now that it was here, I had no intention of letting it go. Because while coming in might have been easy…
‘Leaving won’t be.’
“Congratulations on your safe return, users!”
“Welcome to Monica!”
As we entered through the east gate, the guards stationed there greeted us with a hearty salute. It had been two days—well, technically a day and a half—since we parted ways with the unicorns and arrived in Monica.
The moment we fully passed through the gate, dozens of eyes turned towards us, focusing on the users who were still too dazed to walk on their own.
Whether they were used to such sights or simply indifferent, most of the onlookers soon lost interest, accompanied by the sound of tongues clicking in disapproval.
We walked a bit further before pausing on the main street near the gate. I turned to Shin Jae-ryong, who was giving a wry smile.
“This concludes our expedition and rescue mission. Let’s head to the temple now.”
“Oh, no need. You’ve already done more than enough for us. We’ve regained some strength, so we’ll take it from here.”
“Still, it must be tough for you.”
“Haha, we didn’t do much on the way here. You mercenaries did all the hard work. If I ever get the chance, I’ll be sure to repay this kindness.”
The rescue mission was over. We had provided basic treatment and safely escorted them to the city, fulfilling our duty. My offer was more out of courtesy, and Shin Jae-ryong knew it. With his usual pleasant demeanor, he shook his head and approached Ahn Hyun to take the user he was carrying. The other users, seeing this, began to move to take over the burden as well.
I nodded to my companions, who looked at me with uncertain expressions, and then observed Shin Jae-ryong for a moment. Throughout the journey, I noticed that even users from different clans followed his lead without complaint. He seemed to be a well-respected figure.
“Then we’ll head to the temple first. Thank you for everything.”
“Yes. I’ll submit the expedition report as soon as possible, so don’t worry too much.”
“Ah… haha. Thank you.”
Submitting a formal expedition report to the temple and forming an investigation team from the representative clan is the usual procedure. There are still bodies of users left in Magia. Even in a place like Hall Plain, people would want to recover the remains of their loved ones.
I approached Shin Jae-ryong, who was smiling quietly, and handed him a small pouch I had prepared in advance. He blinked in surprise.
“It’s not much. About 200 gold.”
“Oh, you really don’t have to…”
“It’s fine. If it makes you uncomfortable, consider it payment for the information the lady provided about the unicorns.”
The woman who had given us the information about the unicorns nodded in acknowledgment. Shin Jae-ryong looked troubled but didn’t refuse. He must have realized that with the impending disbandment of Yeoul Ganyeok, the future for him and his clan members was uncertain.
“They probably have to worry about medical expenses right now.”
After exchanging brief farewells with the clan members, Shin Jae-ryong and the users headed towards the plaza. Their retreating figures looked pitiful. They must have set out on the expedition full of dreams, but the reality they faced upon their return was bleak. Watching them for a moment, I turned my gaze to my own clan members.
Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Lee Yoo-jung, and Go Yeon-joo met my eyes and smiled simultaneously. It was a smile of satisfaction from successfully completing another tough expedition. Kim Han-byeol was awkwardly holding her robe, likely because the baby unicorn inside was squirming restlessly. Baek Han-gyeol, having survived his first expedition, was biting his lip, trying to hold back tears.
The sun was slowly setting. It was the time when users returned from their expeditions. The city walls were gradually enveloped in twilight, filled with the noise of returning users. Those laughing and chatting excitedly must have achieved something on their journey. And we, too, needed to join their ranks now.
“The sun’s about to set, so let’s head to where the rest of the clan is. And… well done, everyone.”
No more words were needed. The six of us, including myself, began making our way to the Love House.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Unicorn Get! Return to the city complete! Haha. We’ve completed another expedition. Now it’s time for a break. Suhyeon needs some rest after all the tension. Seraph will be making an appearance soon… Ah, many of you have been asking for item information, but unfortunately, it won’t be available immediately. I’ll handle the prioritized tasks quickly and then provide the details. It should be in the next chapter or the one after that. The plot is set up that way, but there might be a margin of error of about one chapter. Haha. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. Haha. I was determined to post at midnight today, but you’re reading on mobile. OTL How do we keep missing each other? Hahaha.
RandomStyle: Yes~. As I mentioned in the note, you’ll have to wait a bit longer~. :) And thank you for pointing out the typo. It’s been corrected. (__)
Nodens: Haha, there’s a reason beyond just the protagonist’s information. Many of you might have guessed it.
Shijin: The unicorns probably returned safely. They’ll be talked about for a while due to the peculiar circumstances. Hehe.
Lamarua: I’m so sorry but I love you! Sorry! I want to do continuous updates too! But the e-book corrections won’t allow me! Sob sob.
Pabyan: Oh my. It’s a misunderstanding. It’s definitely a misunderstanding. I didn’t make a typo out of panic.
Bella Donna: Think of it as smaller than a foal. It’s small enough for a slender adult woman to hold in one arm. It’s a very young creature. Haha.
Gamjatip: The user with strength 101 is currently in Hall Plain, and the one with magic 101 hasn’t entered yet. Haha. The strength 101 user will likely appear once things are wrapped up in Monica. (That’s the plan, at least.)
Note: Hehe, I didn’t allocate that much page space to the description of the mob users for nothing. They are scheduled to reappear. But even if they do… if they face Suhyeon one-on-one, they won’t be much of a threat… OTL
Fallen Pigeon: In this part, there will be scenes where the sweet atmosphere among the clan members or some conflicts are slightly resolved. :)
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read the story with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.