Chapter 4
“Seriously… where are they?”
I muttered to myself, still floating in spectator mode.
I had been waiting at this exact meeting spot for quite a while now.
Too long.
“What have they been doing…? Nothing happened to them, right…?”
Worry crept in despite myself.
Should I go look for them?
Or wait a little longer?
Just as I was about to decide,
Rustle. Rustle.
I turned toward the sound behind me.
It was still far away.
“…Did my hearing improve recently?”
The sound was clear. Too clear.
Then, from my right, two familiar blue lights emerged from between the trees.
The wisps.
They hovered at the center of the clearing, spinning around slowly, confused.
Looking for me.
“…So the noise in the bushes must be the unicorn.”
Probably doing its business.
“Hehe… alright then.”
I straightened myself.
This was it.
The rustling grew louder.
Hooves thudded against the earth, drawing closer.
Now.
“System.”
I activated Astral glow, carefully toning it down from the earlier beacon.
Not blinding.
Not overwhelming.
Just enough to feel divine.
My body shifted into spectral form, levitating slightly above the ground.
Light shimmered around me like drifting stardust.
I opened my mouth, letting my voice carry weight.
“You’ve come… little ones…”
My voice echoed softly through the clearing.
Then,
“…Hm?”
I froze.
I deactivated the spectral form instantly.
Light faded.
My feet touched the ground.
What stood before me was not what I expected.
“…Humans?”
Two of them.
Two women, to be exact.
One of them was sitting. No, riding the unicorn.
My eyes widened for a split second before I forced myself to calm down.
Stay composed.
Inside, I was panicking.
WHEN DID THIS BECOME A SOCIAL EVENT!?
The air grew heavy.
Silent.
The two women stared at me, completely dazed.
Neither side spoke.
…Someone had to.
“Greetings.”
I spoke calmly, gently.
Careful not to startle them.
My existence being revealed was… inevitable, I suppose.
But if this could be turned into an advantage
They were clearly adventurers.
Leather armor.
Unsheathed sword at the waist.
Typical medieval gear.
More would come eventually.
That was beyond my control.
I didn’t want to harm them.
Nor be branded a threat to be subjugated.
I didn’t have the heart for that anyway.
So, I would build friendly relations first.
“So… what brings you brave souls all the way to my home?”
—
Woah…
Both women sat stiffly on the grass, unable to respond.
His voice was,
Soothing.
Warm.
Like a gentle father calming restless daughters.
They heard the words… but only halfway.
Their minds felt fuzzy.
As if they were staring at a living painting.
Then,
SNAP.
The man snapped his fingers.
Both of them jolted awake.
“It’s pretty rude to ignore someone while they’re speaking, you know~”
He said playfully.
“I—I apologize!”
“Ah… yeah…”
SMACK!
“Oww!!”
Mina yelped as Keila smacked the back of her head.
“Wake up!”
“I’m really sorry for my friend’s rudeness,” Keila said quickly.
“She… hasn’t really spoken to a man before.”
“U-unnie…”
Mina muttered, indignant.
“B-but we didn’t mean to trespass on your territory!”
Keila elbowed Mina.
“Y-yes! U-um! We’re sorry!”
“Hoho. You’re quite a lively pair.”
He smiled softly.
“But don’t worry. I’m not upset over something like that.”
“Actually—”
Without warning, he stepped closer.
And reached down.
Touching Keila’s leg.
Both women froze.
Faces turning bright red.
“W-what are you doing!?”
“E-ehhhhh!?”
“Oh, my apologies for being so direct.”
“I was only going to heal your leg.”
“Would you mind lifting it for a moment?”
“…Ah.”
Keila hesitated, then slowly raised her leg.
Scratches. Blisters. Minor wounds, clearly from running earlier.
Mina looked on, strangely… envious.
HUFF.
A threatening snort echoed.
The unicorn glared at them, eyes sharp.
Both women instantly straightened, purging all impure thoughts.
“Alright.”
He stepped back.
“All done.”
They looked down.
The wounds were gone.
Not even a scar remained.
“…!”
Clap!
“Now then, back to what we were discussing.”
“As I mentioned earlier, I have no problem with adventurers doing their job.”
“In fact, I appreciate you hunting monsters here and there~”
He casually reached out and rubbed one of the wisp’s tiny chins.
“But there are certain creatures that are off-limits.”
“That includes these children of mine.”
“U-um…”
Mina hesitantly raised her hand.
“Does that include… the unicorn?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not against it, right?”
“N-no, it’s just…”
“Other adventurers might have the same idea as us,” Keila added quickly.
“Oh great spirit.”
“…Spirit?”
“Yes. Or are you perhaps… a druid?”
“I’m human, though?”
They stared at him.
Then at each other.
Then laughed.
“Hehe, there’s no way a human could conjure a spectral form.”
“Hehe~ you certainly know how to joke.”
Keila waved it off.
“Rest assured, we’ll keep everything here a secret.”
She puffed out her chest confidently.
“Right, Mina?”
“Y-yes…”
“I’m afraid that won’t be necessary.”
“…Eh?”
Both of them blinked.
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
“But can you guarantee that no human will ever step foot in this forest?”
“W-well…”
“Your presence here answers that.”
“I’m not scolding you.”
“I’m simply saying, if we can’t prevent it…”
“…We mitigate it.”
“Then how should we do that?”
The man smiled.
As if he’d been waiting for the question.
He leaned forward, crossing his legs beneath his white robe.
Smooth.
Graceful.
The women gulped unconsciously,
Unaware of the unicorn’s menacing stare.
