A sudden explosion went off, and the emergency sirens began blaring loudly.
The basement of the research building, now lit by emergency lights, was cast in a red hue, creating an unusual atmosphere.
Researchers scrambled to comprehend the situation, security personnel rushed in, and cadets calmly prepared for combat, armed and ready.
Everyone, frantically assessing the crisis, suddenly froze in their tracks.
They stared blankly at the same spot.
It was a mystical sight.
Inside the glass-walled containment where a monster was held, a white horse floated down gracefully from a hole in the ceiling.
Amidst the red chaos, its pure white coat attracted everyone’s gaze.
The stallion’s massive size made a fully grown man look like a child.
And proudly extending from its forehead was a long horn, exuding grandeur.
“A unicorn?”
Professor Alida muttered, too distracted to fix her half-slipped glasses, her eyes glazed over as she gazed at the unicorn.
She worked in this lab and had received reports on monster breeding, including information about unicorns.
Shio-ram was known for raising unicorns.
When Shio-ram was established, back in the days of the active president, he had brought in a unicorn to establish a habitat in the empty lot on the grounds.
That area became a sanctuary for unicorns.
With the blessing of growth, lush plants, and crystal-clear lake water provided the ideal paradise for the unicorn.
These creatures were treated differently than the lower-tier monsters kept for sampling and experimentation.
And why wouldn’t they? Unicorns are exceedingly rare.
Typically, unicorns are considered a high-tier mythical species.
Moreover, they are so rare that they are hard to come by in high-level dungeons or magical domains.
“Why is a unicorn here…?”
That was the question.
There was a designated area for the unicorns, which cadets and even staff could not approach without permission.
Aside from a select few individuals who occasionally entered for specimen collection and info documentation, it was a zone free from outside interference.
The unicorns lived happily in their designated area.
So there was no reason for them to come out.
But it did.
Suddenly, it leaped from afar, punched a hole in the ground, and landed elegantly in front of Lee Ha-yul.
“In front of Lee Ha-yul?”
Everyone’s gaze switched between the unicorn and Ha-yul.
In that bright red space, only that spot radiated whiteness.
It was the light streaming from the hole in the ceiling, and the two figures were both pure white.
The unicorn was what you’d call a white horse. Its coat was white, while its regal mane appeared to shimmer in silver.
Lee Ha-yul was similar. His hair was as white as snow, and the white magical aura flowing over him swirled like a mane.
Also, the pure and pristine aura surrounding them felt strikingly alike.
“Wow…”
One cadet gaped in awe. The sirens continued to wail, and alarms went off, yet he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
The cute, innocent childlike figure and the imposing unicorn towering over him created a scene straight out of a painting.
Everyone stopped in their tracks, fixated on that mystical sight.
Even Hong Yeon-hwa, who had rushed to break the glass wall and reach Lee Ha-yul, paused at that moment.
Normally, she would have slapped down any creature that dared approach him, unicorn or not.
But the enchanting atmosphere enveloping them made her halt and observe.
Finally, the two majestic beings bestowed with attention began to move.
The unicorn gracefully stretched its long legs and approached Lee Ha-yul.
Ha-yul cautiously extended one hand toward the approaching white horse.
It was a picture-perfect scene, like a moment from a fairy tale unfolding right before everyone’s eyes, filled with expectations and excitement.
And then…
– Purr-ling!
[Eh?]
The unicorn bit down on his neck.
Lee Ha-yul, who had been reaching out cautiously, stiffened instantly.
The white magical aura fluttering above him scattered into nothingness.
Suddenly, his body trembled violently and then slumped, powerless.
The unicorn lifted him as if carrying a fragile treasure.
Like a cat picking up a kitten, the unicorn elevated Lee Ha-yul and turned its head to look at the gazes fixed upon it.
The atmosphere shifted.
The eyes that had seemed bright earlier dimmed dramatically.
With a lackadaisical glance around, the unicorn hopped back through the hole in the ceiling, as if saying it had no business here anymore.
Those mesmerized by the fairy tale-like sight blinked in confusion.
“…What the heck is that crazy horse doing?”
Hong Yeon-hwa, whose beloved had suddenly been abducted, contorted her face in distress.
She clenched her fist. Magic surged, and soon ferocious flames ignited.
She pulled her fist back. The flames erupted and she launched her punch forward, creating a red streak before crashing into the glass wall.
– Kraaang!
With a sound that drowned out the sirens, the specially made glass wall shattered into a million pieces in an instant.
Without a moment’s delay, Hong Yeon-hwa chased after the unicorn, leaping into the beam of light pouring down through the hole.
As she emerged through the hole, a lush green lawn stretched out before her. Just ahead, the research building she had entered earlier was visible.
Hong Yeon-hwa tilted her head, tracking the presence.
She couldn’t see it well. Only after enhancing her vision with magic could she spot a white dot disappearing over the horizon.
Flames engulfed Gop-hwa as he amplified his physical abilities.
He slammed his legs into the ground, propelling himself forward.
His expression twisted as he pounded the ground. It showed no signs of closing the distance; rather, it seemed to be getting farther away.
A unicorn. The quintessential creature of myth. With high standing and superior physical abilities.
Distance? It may have been farther than expected, but it wasn’t far enough to miss.
It was within Gop-hwa’s effective range. If he unleashed his magic, that horse would surely be hit.
But that could put Lee Ha-yul in danger.
Hong Yeon-hwa was confident in controlling Gop-hwa, but she couldn’t guarantee that Ha-yul would escape unscathed.
‘Expanding abilities.’
Whoosh…! The raging flames that had surged violently contracted.
‘Evolve, put out the flames.’
The flames retracted, sinking into Hong Yeon-hwa’s body.
The spark of Gop-hwa fizzled out.
In lieu, the flames inside her ignited like an explosion. Gop-hwa’s flames, not released into the air, burned within her.
– Kraaang!
The ground beneath her feet erupted. Cracks spiderwebbed across the terrain as Hong Yeon-hwa’s form stretched out in front of her.
An immense boost of acceleration pushed through her body, far beyond normal limits.
‘That darn horse, I’ll kill it.’
Unicorns are rare mythical creatures. It’s hard to find them even in high-level dungeons or magical realms, and even harder to bring one in whole.
Yet, they possess a reputation due to their unique nature.
They loathe impurities and chaos, often slaughtering other monsters.
They tend to be compliant with individuals who are pure and clean of heart.
But that was of no concern to her.
Regardless of how precious and expensive that unicorn was, Hong Yeon-hwa didn’t want to let it simply run off with Lee Ha-yul.
Her bubbling emotions ignited the flames even further.
Feeling the pressure from her overwhelming energy, the unicorn turned to check behind it. The distance from the growing flames was closing rapidly.
Even though the flames had died down, a monstrous and intimidating aura drew near.
The unicorn panicked and slammed its hooves into the ground.
.
.
.
By a hair’s breadth, it narrowly escaped.
“AAAH! DAMMIT!”
Swinging her hair in frustration, Hong Yeon-hwa grasped at her locks.
With just a moment’s difference, she closed the distance in an instant. The enhanced body was catching up in less than a few moments, right at its tail.
She reached out, intent on grabbing the horse to halt it and pummel it while rescuing Lee Ha-yul.
Just before that, a space in front of the unicorn split open. A bright white space stretched wide as the unicorn leapt into it.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand brushed against the mane. As soon as she made contact, the mane vanished, and the space sealed shut.
Right before her eyes.
“AAAH!”
Emotions that were bubbling inside boiled over. The unresolved feelings ignited completely. She felt suffocated and wanted to smash something.
“Woah… someone’s really mad, huh?”
A little later, Baek Ahrin arrived and faced the furious Hong Yeon-hwa, who was growling like a ferocious dog.
Hong Yeon-hwa turned her head.
Seeing the boiling anger in her eyes, Baek Ahrin shrugged.
“Whoa now… Let’s cool down a bit. You seem overly excited.”
“Why wouldn’t I be excited? That crazed horse just ran off with my guy!”
“Your… guy…? Umm… Well, calm down and think about it. Ha-yul’s not going to be taken down by a unicorn.”
Baek Ahrin continued nervously while trying to ease the tension.
“His physical abilities might be dulled, but he still has plenty of skills left. He has magic, after all. Just unleashing elemental spirits could turn the place upside down. And if worse comes to worst, he could release Gop-hwa and burn that horse along with everything else.”
“Huh… I know that too.”
Baek Ahrin’s explanation was something Hong Yeon-hwa understood.
Lee Ha-yul may be considered a spirit, but he was a powerful superhuman who had slain a two-headed dragon.
If he fought with full strength, even Hong Yeon-hwa would find it hard to predict the outcome.
Even so, the reason she chased after him was that there was no way he could let things go that easily.
And…
“Then why did Ha-yul look so weak when he was carried off?”
Seeing Lee Ha-yul drooping while the unicorn gripped his neck, doubts arose if he had been caught off-guard.
“Even considering that, if his owner was in danger, the spirits would have rushed to help. And the limpness could be… similar to a kitten being carried?”
“What’s with the kitten talk?”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s expression reflected utter disbelief.
When you grip a kitten by the neck, it stops moving or calms down. Hong Yeon-hwa knew that.
As for Lee Ha-yul? When the unicorn gripped his neck, his body trembled, then slumped down.
It looked cute.
‘…Maybe it’s similar?’
It could be an unexpectedly useful tip. She’d have to remember it for later.
Hong Yeon-hwa cleared her throat, then activated her smartwatch to project a hologram.
A map appeared in the hologram, with a red dot pulsating in one corner.
“What’s that?”
Baek Ahrin queried curiously while peering at the map.
“That’s Ha-yul’s position.”
Hong Yeon-hwa replied with a casual demeanor as she examined the map.
Baek Ahrin blinked in surprise.
“…Did you attach a locator?”
“Ha-yul installed a location-sharing app on his smartwatch.”
“Uh… did you get permission for that?”
“If I asked, he would have said yes.”
“So you didn’t get it…”
“Ha-yul would definitely agree.”
Hong Yeon-hwa answered shamelessly and headed towards the direction of the red dot.
*
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how twisty life can be.
I’ve experienced all sorts of things. Most of them are outcomes I’ve brought upon myself, but there have been occasions where events just occurred unexpectedly.
Honestly, I wonder if I’m cursed with bad luck.
Ever since I was young, life hasn’t exactly gone smooth. Since coming to this world, I’ve faced all kinds of hardships.
Of course, I’ve had streaks of good fortune that felt like they rained down from the heavens, but I think overall bad luck outweighed the good.
And so, I revisited the current situation.
Am I dealing with some bad luck right now?
– Purr-ling?
[It tickles.]
…It was ambiguous.
With a sigh, I scratched the head of the unicorn that was rubbing against me.
It was just a horse, yet it seemed to smile with its eyes narrowing, pushing its head into my hand more.
At times, the tip of its horn would poke me playfully.
It didn’t hurt.
I observed its horn with a strange expression.
This was no longer the unicorn that had snatched me up earlier.
The one nudging me now has a horn more adorable than majestic, roughly the size of my fist—an infant unicorn yet to mature.
Its skin felt a tad prickly.
I glanced around, observing the unicorns around me curiously watching.
I was atop a nest made of leaves and fluffy bedding, created by the baby unicorns.
The unicorns’ eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity, friendliness, and goodwill.
In front of me lay a mound of fruits, brought in and presented by the unicorns.
‘What a bizarre situation…’
I realized I’ve ended up like an unwitting guest in a unicorn’s lair.
With a resigned sigh, I sent a message to my acquaintances, assuring them not to worry, before munching on a fruit that I picked up.
– Yum, yum…
The taste was rather pleasant, refreshing even.
With an odd expression, I chewed on the fruit while the unicorns gazed at me with what seemed like satisfied expressions.
*
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…
[Trending Up!][During the monster taming lecture, a unicorn burst in and fled with the special transfer student] [563]
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