Chapter 58 How on earth does this kid resemble a unicorn?!

The entire unicorn herd showed the utmost goodwill and tolerance toward Cohen and Ari, quickly accepting the fact that Cohen was a Hogwarts student.

*Do students and unicorns conflict?*

Because they trusted the bond within their bloodlines far more than humans trusted their own eyes. Blood magic was their vision.

It could only be said that unicorns truly lived up to their reputation as "the most magnificent creatures imaginable in any fairy tale."

Cohen was coaxed into sitting by the lake, surrounded by a ring of unicorns.

The surrounding snow had been magically cleared away by them, revealing the soft, lush green grass underneath—heaven knew why there would be green grass beneath the winter snow; Cohen felt that unicorn magic simply transformed everything around them into a "fairy tale."

Even a golden unicorn foal (unicorn foals were golden, turning silver only upon reaching adulthood) presented Cohen with a pink flower.

After placing the flower gently into Cohen's palm, the little golden unicorn curled up in his lap and rolled about playfully.

Unicorns possessed soul values ranging from 15 to 40, and their very souls carried the "curse of purity"—any attempt to slay them would brand the perpetrator.

Though Cohen still had no clear idea of what this curse actually did.

After all, relevant books merely stated: "When you slay such a pure and helpless life out of greed and selfish desire, all you shall possess is a half-lifeshed, cursed existence."

As for how the curse specifically manifested, there was no record whatsoever.

That was why desperate outlaws kept appearing, trying to hunt unicorns for their blood, believing that the curse of killing a unicorn was not worth mentioning.

Cohen guessed that the curse might be cast upon a person's fate—after all, Quirrell and Voldemort, who had drunk unicorn blood, indeed failed when stealing the Sorcerer's Stone; Quirrell died, and Voldemort was reduced once more to a disembodied wraith.

Yet none of this had anything to do with Cohen—he was merely here to harvest some blood. As a beloved "new member" of the unicorn herd, it was effortless for Cohen to obtain either hair or blood.

In fact, when Cohen mentioned he was being threatened by a dark wizard who demanded he harm his kin for blood, they all fought to donate—

Especially Feodor, the responsible and righteous unicorn chieftain.

He insisted on doing it himself and strongly demanded that Cohen not harm himself.

He was truly too good; Cohen could practically weep.

Therefore, Cohen only took a single full test tube of blood and asked for no more.

[Is only this much needed? Will that monster still harass you?]

Chieftain Feodor asked with deep concern.

[Ding! Sin Value +100]

[Note: You said, "Unicorns never lie to unicorns."]

"If he keeps bothering me, I... I..." Cohen imitated Hermione's expression, pretending to be strong.

[Do not fear, child. Should he trouble you further, return to us, and we shall fight him together.]

Feodor rubbed affectionately against Cohen's hair, his heart aching for him.

"Episkey."

Cohen cast a healing charm on its wound, and the bleeding laceration slowly began to mend.

This gesture warmed its heart, and the look it cast toward Cohen became even more affectionate.

[Goodwill Value +100]

[Note: Every evil villain is a consummate actor.]

This was clearly pure kindness!

Cohen was extremely dissatisfied with this low-presence system's evaluation.

It was simply trying to lure him down the path of evil.

Although Cohen didn't actually need any luring...

"Rustle—"

Just as Cohen stowed the test tube into the system's nine-cell inventory, the sound of something sprinting echoed from the woods on the other side of the frozen lake.

It sounded like hooves—

The very next second, Cohen knew what it was.

The centaurs had caught the scent of unicorn blood and arrived.

"Has that creature attacking the unicorns returned, Feodor?"

Bane, a black-haired centaur carrying a bow and quiver, charged out from the woods.

"I smelled unicorn blood—what is *he* doing here!"

Bane's gaze locked onto Cohen.

This peculiar wizard child gave off an aura very similar to that mysterious Dementor that had somehow helped them clear out the Acromantulas.

If he were merely near the Acromantulas' nest, Bane wouldn't care, but he was near the forest's sole unicorn herd...

[He is our new kin, a unicorn foal,]

Feodor neighed in response to Bane.

[And his mother is Ari.]

"Since when does this brat look anything like a unicorn?!"

Bane's voice sounded as though he had heard something utterly absurd, shaking the accumulated snow from the surrounding tree branches as if another snowstorm had just begun.

"He doesn't even have a horn!"

Cohen pitifully hugged his little unicorn "compatriot" tighter to his chest.

[You frightened him, Bane.]

Feodor's voice carried a hint of anger.

[We naturally have our own standards of judgment.]

"Are you all blind?" Bane said angrily. "Do not forget that a unicorn was attacked only recently!"

Yet not a single unicorn stood on Bane's side; they insisted on the claim that "Cohen is a unicorn"—to the point where Cohen almost started believing he was a unicorn himself.

However, Bane clearly could not and would not start a conflict with the unicorns, so he had no choice but to retreat back into the forest.

Cohen lingered among the unicorn herd for a long time. The scent emanating from the unicorns even shifted according to Cohen's mood, transforming from vanilla ice cream into honey cake, and briefly emitting the fragrance of White Rabbit creamy candy—though Cohen was quite certain there was no such candy here.

Regrettably, the only food they offered consisted of grass and shrub leaves—after Chieftain Feodor pushed fresh grass and leafy twigs toward Cohen, Cohen used the excuse of "needing to return to the castle to study" and departed with his "mother," Ari.

This time, Ari would not be sent back to Hagrid's; because of the dragon egg, the living conditions in that small cabin were comparable to a volcanic crater.

If given the opportunity, Cohen actually wanted to raise a purebred unicorn.

[Are you implying that I do not meet the standards?]

Ari asked strangely.

"You don't smell like vanilla ice cream, and you'd better not harbor any special thoughts about me," Cohen warned. "Mind you, in human society, this is called—"

[What foolish nonsense are you spouting? If you despise me so much, hurry up and lift that Unbreakable Vow!]

Ari let out an angry snort through its nostrils.

[How is it that your mind is filled with such bizarre notions, just like that bird...]

It almost blurted out, "How did I ever give birth to a creature like you," but upon reflection, realized Cohen wasn't actually birthed by it at all—those wizards had merely taken its blood.

"Is it really such a hardship to follow behind me?"

Cohen retorted:

"I treat both you and the Earl quite well—the Earl gets the most expensive owl feed, and you get the butterbeer provided by Hagrid. I haven't oppressed either of you..."

"Or... how about you go live with the unicorn herd from now on?" Cohen suddenly thought of something. "Build a good relationship with those unicorns?"

[Very well.]

Ari agreed with uncharacteristic speed.

Cohen instantly realized something was amiss.

"Wait a minute, you are not allowed to bring those unicorns along for drinking sessions!"