Hong Yeonhwa had gone through all sorts of experiences.
Most of them were due to none other than Lee Hayul.
The number of times her mental fortitude was shattered to pieces by him was countless. Just as she managed to rebuild her composure, yet another incident would occur to tear it down again.
While she endured much pain through him, those experiences also became opportunities for her personal growth.
If she were to quantify it, it would be her patience.
In the past, she would have impulsively thrown punches, but now, she could hold back at least five times before lashing out.
She didn’t immediately raid the unicorns’ habitat after confirming Lee Hayul’s safety.
Instead, she calmly reported the situation with patience. Only after receiving permission did Hong Yeonhwa enter the unicorn habitat.
“Doesn’t seem like there’s anything special. Could it be just a designated zone?”
“The exact concentration isn’t clear, but the magic density here is high. Looks like they’re maintaining the environment and letting them roam freely.”
Elia and Baek Ahrin accompanied her.
They had been present during the incident, so they received permission together.
The habitat, guided by the manager, was separated from the outside world by a barrier.
Inside the barrier was a vast field of blue grass stretching beyond the horizon.
Mostly flat terrain, but occasionally, there were small hills forming gentle ridges.
“What are the odds they think we’ll pull something here? No manager is even accompanying us.”
On the way to the location displayed on the hologram, Baek Ahrin stroked her chin and tilted her head.
“Didn’t the administrative office give us permission? Maybe they trust us.”
“Even with permission, it’s normal to have an escort. That’s how we operate too. Accidents can happen even without malicious intent. Since they’re monsters, safety usually comes first.”
“Does your family raise monsters too?”
“Yes. Our territory is vast and rugged, so we train them extensively for transportation. I’ve ridden them often myself.”
The Changae family also raised monsters. While many were kept for research, most were used for transportation.
The interiors of dungeons and labyrinths were so treacherous that even military vehicles were impractical.
Monsters, unaffected by chaotic magic waves, were far superior in resilience and longevity compared to ordinary transport means if they were of a high enough rank.
Also, given the vast and rugged terrains of their family’s land, free and reliable transportation was indispensable.
“Wow... I’d love to ride one someday!”
“Come visit later with Hayul. I’ll gift you one or two. Just keep in mind it’s a bit chilly where we are.”
As their conversation continued, they walked further until a few unicorns appeared in the distance.
The unicorns seemed cautious but curious, showing no signs of charging at them.
“Pfft... Why couldn’t they act like that earlier?”
Hong Yeonhwa frowned, clicking her tongue in disapproval.
If they could stay this peaceful in their habitat, why did they suddenly escape, bite someone, and cause chaos?
She was only staying calm because Lee Hayul hadn’t sustained any injuries. If he’d been hurt even slightly, she would’ve immediately drawn her weapon.
“Could they have been mistaken?”
“Mistaken about what?”
Baek Ahrin, who had been walking alongside her, spoke up slyly.
“About Hayul. Based on the nature of his magic, it’s even purer than a unicorn’s. Maybe they mistook him for one of their foals.”
“What kind of mistake is that? Even a dumb horse wouldn’t—”
Would they?
Hong Yeonhwa tilted her head.
Recently, Lee Hayul’s magic had undergone changes.
Its color had turned pure white, and its purity had increased significantly compared to before.
Honestly, it was hard to distinguish whether it was magic or a lump of pure energy.
The unicorns might find its properties utterly enchanting.
It wasn’t unreasonable for them to think of him as one of their kind. Even if not, they could easily regard him as a similar entity.
“...I suppose it’s possible?”
“His aura is pure, his disposition is innocent, and his body is young and untouched. A unicorn might lose its mind trying to take him away.”
“That’s true, but... the hell do you mean by untouched?”
Hong Yeonhwa, who had been nodding thoughtfully, suddenly jerked her head up.
Baek Ahrin tilted her head.
“Why are you suddenly mad? What’s wrong now?”
“How do I know if you’ve done it or not, damn it!”
“Huh? A body imbued with pure magic can’t help but be untouched.”
“...What?”
“What were you thinking? Don’t tell me... is it what I think it is?”
Baek Ahrin’s lips curled into a sly grin.
Mischief, teasing, and an unmistakable “Gotcha” flashed in her expression. Realizing her slip-up, Hong Yeonhwa hesitated and stepped back.
Before she could retreat further, Baek Ahrin launched her verbal attack.
“What a perverted... shameless little thing you are!”
“Gah...”
Hong Yeonhwa, mentally defeated, groaned and collected herself before moving forward again.
The unicorn habitat was quite expansive. It wasn’t until some time passed that they began spotting nests resembling dragonfly resting spots.
In the distance, they could vaguely make out a cluster of unicorns.
“Wow... How many are there?”
“They’ve really gathered in herds. I bet there are more unicorns here than in the rest of the world combined.”
“They’re over there.”
Hong Yeonhwa murmured, looking at the hologram. The red dot on the screen was close. Lee Hayul was with that group of unicorns.
Sigh...
The sudden unicorn abduction.
This incident had also shattered her mental fortitude, but this time, it wasn’t... probably wasn’t... Lee Hayul’s fault.
Probably.
“What’s that?”
Hong Yeonhwa instinctively reached for her waist.
Her hand touched the spatial pocket attached to her belt. The moment her fingers grasped the hilt of her sword inside, her body froze.
Her eyes clearly registered the pure white object.
A unicorn. But it was small.
Adult unicorns were typically three or four times the size of a regular horse, yet this one was as small as a pony.
Its horn, much shorter and blunter than the others that could pierce ten people at once, suggested it was a juvenile.
Behind the young unicorn clung Lee Hayul, forcing her to halt in her tracks.
“What... is that...?”
Hong Yeonhwa murmured blankly. Baek Ahrin and Elia blinked in confusion as well.
On the green hill filled with vibrant life, a young unicorn bounced around energetically... with Lee Hayul clinging to its back.
There wasn’t even a saddle or any sort of stabilizing device, yet he clung tightly and skillfully.
After a few bounces, the unicorn covered the distance quickly.
At some point, it stopped its leaps and began trotting briskly toward them.
Hong Yeonhwa clung desperately to her sanity.
Though the scene felt unreal, Lee Hayul was approaching atop a unicorn with undeniable confidence.
“Well... looks like you were having fun. Um... I have a lot to say, but let’s head back first and...”
Hong Yeonhwa spoke calmly, but her voice trailed off when she saw Lee Hayul.
She blinked in disbelief.
Was her vision playing tricks on her? It wasn’t.
Had her mind been manipulated? She summoned her Guhwa Flames, sweeping away anything impure within her body.
There was no manipulation.
After completing her checks, she opened her tightly shut eyes.
Lee Hayul’s surroundings glowed brightly. The vibrant energy seemed to light up the area, almost as if the sun had risen.
The source of the glow was... the horn protruding from Lee Hayul’s forehead.
“What the hell is that?”
Hong Yeonhwa’s consciousness snapped.
“Yeonhwa!”
A voice full of happiness and joy.
It came from Lee Hayul.
It was strange.
Though she hadn’t heard his voice in a long time, she’d never heard it so vibrant and alive.
Then, smiling brightly, Lee Hayul waved one hand enthusiastically.
His pale gray eyes gleamed brightly.
“Yeonhwa!”
His adorable, lovable appearance, combined with his radiant, childlike joy and energetic manner...
“Ugh.”
It was all too overwhelming for Hong Yeonhwa. Clutching her chest, she bent over as if to catch her breath.
.
.
.
Lee Hayul felt simply good. There was no other way to describe it.
Based on the information from the unicorn's horn, Hayul attempted synchronization, and a horn sprouted from his forehead.
It wasn’t intentional. He intended to mimic the horn's functionality, not its physical form.
Yet, the horn grew. Something pushed and stretched out from his forehead.
In that moment, along with the emergence of the physical organ, a particular function manifested.
Purity (純粹).
A shift to a simple, pure mindset devoid of petty or malicious thoughts.
Before he could even comprehend it, the latent purity within Hayul surged and overtook his rationality.
He had no chance to resist.
This purity was, after all, Hayul's true nature.
He was born with such a disposition.
However, an unfortunate life had forcefully suppressed this nature. To survive, he had developed a pessimistic and critical outlook to cover it.
But now, the function of the horn had drawn forth his original nature.
[Happiness!] [Cloud-like serenity.] [Joy!] [Relief!] [Delight!] [Welcome!]
Hayul reverted to a state akin to a child with no filters.
The confession necklace clicked incessantly, exposing the wearer's unguarded inner thoughts.
What followed was an outpouring of adorably childish words.
His innocent smile, unmarred by any worry, and his playful antics of rolling around the grassy field with a baby unicorn were undeniably strange.
Yet, it was also an overwhelmingly endearing and lovable sight.
Hong Yeonhwa, unable to endure, collapsed. Two others remained standing.
“Hayul? Could you come over here?”
Elia erased any peculiar expression from her face and called out to Hayul.
Hayul’s ears twitched.
He abruptly lifted his head from where he had been tickling the baby unicorn. Without a moment’s hesitation, he trotted over to stand in front of Elia.
Though his eyes were closed, he raised his head to reveal his face. Elia crouched down to his level.
Then, she reached out to stroke his cheek.
Hayul didn’t resist at all. Instead, he leaned into her hand with a contented hum, pressing his cheek into her palm.
[Feels good.] [Happy.] [Stroke me more.] [Massage me more.] [Warm.] [Soft.]
The necklace clicked again, faithfully broadcasting his innocent joy.
Elia’s eyes softened at his utterly adorable reaction.
“What’s got my little one so excited?”
[It just feels good!]
Hayul replied with a bright smile.
[Feels good.] [I like Elia too!]
As Hayul chattered away, he leapt into Elia’s arms.
Elia, caught off guard by the sudden leap, widened her eyes as she cradled him.
Soon, she felt warmth and a ticklish sensation in her embrace.
Looking down, she saw Hayul nuzzling his face against her chest. The horn on his forehead poked her repeatedly. Though it was blunt and small, it was still a horn. Surprisingly, she felt no pain.
“Oh my...”
She didn’t know why, but the normally shy boy’s enthusiastic display of affection delighted her.
Elia’s expression melted, her face brimming with maternal affection as she hugged Hayul tightly against her chest.
[Iiiing.]
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did that hurt?”
[Tingly.] [Feels funny.]
When she touched his horn, Hayul squirmed, burying his face deeper into her chest.
[Soft?] [Squishy.] [Warm.]
At that moment, Hayul tilted his head and pressed his palm curiously against the top of Elia’s chest.
“Hehehe, that tickles.”
Elia giggled and twisted slightly. His soft hair brushed her skin, and his warm breaths tickled her cleavage.
[Big chest.] [Like a cow.]
A cow.
While the comment could be seen as inappropriate, Elia didn’t mind. She gently patted Hayul’s back.
There wasn’t a trace of lust in Hayul’s behavior.
It was just a pure, childlike observation.
Elia smiled sweetly and placed her hand over Hayul’s, lightly tapping the back of it with playful affection.
“Cows produce milk, you know? I don’t produce any milk yet. Does that still make me a cow?”
[No milk?] [Then not a cow.] [I like milk.] [It’s tasty!] [But not now... not tasty.]
“Oh? Not tasty anymore? That’s a problem... I’ll give you lots later, so don’t waste it, okay?”
Muttering as though troubled, Elia pinched Hayul’s cheek lightly.
“...Your choice of words is odd.”
Nearby, Baek Ahrin, who had been listening, shook her head and patted Elia’s shoulder.
“Elia, Elia. Can I hold Hayul for a bit?”
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“Hayul?”
Elia blinked, glancing between Baek Ahrin and Hayul.
“Hmm...”
After a moment’s hesitation, Elia reluctantly detached Hayul from her embrace.
[I don’t want to!]
Hayul protested vehemently.
Even grabbing onto her chest in his desperation, Hayul was eventually lifted by his armpits and held in the air.
[Puff...]
Dangling in midair, Hayul puffed up his cheeks indignantly.
Elia’s lips twitched, fighting the urge to pinch his puffed cheeks.
“Hayul?”
[?]
Hayul, still pouting, turned at the sound of his name.
Within the range of his perceptive senses, Baek Ahrin stood with a curious smile.
“Come here?”
Baek Ahrin stretched out her arms, inviting him into her embrace.
Unlike Elia’s eager hug, Hayul hesitated in place.
[Cold.] [Chill.] [Frosty.]
“Huh?”
A chilly aura wafted from Baek Ahrin.
Through both observation and mana sensing, Hayul felt the same.
Approaching her felt like stepping into a freezing void.
It was a sort of aversion.
Hayul hated the cold. The idea of his body cooling terrified him. He craved the warmth of another’s body.
He rejected Baek Ahrin’s icy aura. The memory of her actions in Siyoram, where she betrayed the player, made him uneasy.
But did he dislike Baek Ahrin now?
Hayul, submerged in purity, reflected deeply.
He combed through memories from after Siyoram. There were countless instances where Baek Ahrin had helped him.
So many.
The horn on his forehead vibrated, pulsing with energy. It instinctively evaluated the sincerity of the person before him.
“...”
After a brief pause, Hayul moved.
He approached Baek Ahrin and leapt into her arms.
Though her body was cold, the soft, full sensation of her embrace pressed against his face.
Hayul buried his face into her chest with a curious expression.
“Oh?”
Baek Ahrin, who had been waiting for his choice, let out a soft exclamation.
Apparently, hugs were now permissible.
Smiling warmly, Baek Ahrin placed a hand on Hayul’s head.
[Player Adjustment System: Status Check] ▶ Mental State: ｢Negativity｣ ｢Self-loathing｣ ｢Despair｣ ｢Desire｣ ｢Impulses｣ ｢Fear｣
[Player Adjustment System: Affinity Levels] Hayul → Elia Slaid ●●●●●●●●○○ (81▷82/100) ｢Affection｣ ｢Gratitude｣ ｢Cow?｣ ｢Chick｣ ｢Guilt｣ ｢Remorse｣
Hayul → Baek Ahrin ●●●●●●●○○○ (69/100) ｢Cold｣ ｢Affection｣ ｢Curiosity｣ ｢Confusion｣ ｢Cow?｣ ｢Remorse｣