01.31 - Farming and Family Life in Another World

“Inari, that might be dangerous!” I said with a raised voice through the mist. “Come back to us.”

“It’s fine,” she said while the unknown shadow came closer and closer. “I think it’s just hurt."

Ariel, and Kei still held on to my mantle.

I couldn’t leave them alone in the mist, but I couldn’t let Inari disappear either.

I slowly but surely moved closer to the shadow, with kids close behind me and sword at the ready.

As I came closer, the shadow appeared about twice as high as Inari, who had started to use healing magic on what must have been its front leg.

At least it wasn’t some kind of giant wolf or bear monster. No, the shape was more akin to deer or maybe a horse.

Inari did not heed my words and kept trying to heal whatever that thing was.

Then we got close enough for it to be at least partially visible. Four legs, horse-shaped torso, long, fluffy mane, and a long singular horn on the front of its head.

Well, call me chicken, I almost panicked about a unicorn.

Not like I’d seen one before.

But it’s better to act with caution than wallow in regret.

The creature made no attempts to run, even after we were standing right next to it.

Quite the contrary.

It seemed to have a liking for Inari, who had just finished her healing spell.

Despite being seemingly as healthy as a proverbial horse, the unicorn did not attempt to flee, but it did poke Inari with its head and seemed a bit nervous.

First silent, and then progressively louder, dull footsteps echoed in the distance.

The unicorn now tried to pull Inari and the rest of us away.

Whatever had injured and scared it was coming our way.

Running away in the mists was not an option, at least not for the four of us. I alone could have pulled it off easily. Transforming into dragon form and carrying the kids was an option, but convincing Inari to abandon her new friend to certain death would likely have been more than a little tough.

“All three of you,” I said with a raised voice while pointing to a large nearby tree. “Take cover, and don’t move, until I tell you to, unless whatever is coming our way targets you.”

Whatever it was, it had almost reached our position.

The creature's outline was barely visible through the mist, but it was quite a bit bigger than our new one horned friend, had the shape more reminiscent of a bull or a bear and had two giant horns, branching off into parts like a deer.

I finally got a good look at it as it came rushing right for me, trying to skewer me with its horns.

I dodged in the last second and raised my sword in its direction.

The blade sliced to its flesh, turning its own momentum into a propellant for the cut.

Blood spilt to the ground, but instead of retreating, it charged right back at me.

“Fine,” I said, “you want a piece of me? Come and get it!”

Its second charge was as blunt and uninspired as the first.

Or so I thought, but it was positioned right between me and the tree the kids had used to hide behind. If I moved, it would just charge right into them.

No way to dodge this time.

I readied a different stance, taking my sword into both hands and turning my right side towards the enemy. This way, the distance to my heart was at least a bit longer. Not like I had planned to let its horns get that far.

Then came the moment of truth.

It ran right into my blade, without a thought for the morrow.

I prepared for the impact, aimed my blade, and pierced right through its eye socket.

It was a certain kill, but the leftover momentum dragged me along with it, and its horn pierced my right shoulder, before the beast finally sunk down and collapsed.

—

The unicorn followed us, or rather Inari, right back home.

I spent the next few weeks assisting Ryu in raising the Level of his Transformation Skill. His human form was the default for half dragonkin, but Tia insisted that he was old enough to learn to maintain his draconic form permanently, in case of trouble.

Being a dragon had its advantages.

Even my wannabe dragon form was more capable of dealing out physical damage than good old me, and flying was a great bonus perk.

For some reason, Kei insisted on joining our training sessions. Maybe he finally caught the fever and wanted to soar through the sky on his own too?

—

The answer to my question came soon enough, after returning home from a longer trip with Nagi, Nami, and Hermes.

Reiko was a bit beside herself.

“Kei’s been using his transformation almost non stop,” Reiko said. “While eating, sleeping, and playing with the girls.”

“Great,” I said, “he’ll master it soon enough. Where’s the problem? One more dragon in the family.”

“You don’t get it,” she said. “Whenever his Energy depletes, he locks himself in his room, sobbing."

“That does seem a bit eccentric,” I said.

“And…” Reiko said, before taking a long pause.

“And what?” I asked.

“It’s not a dragon form,” she said, then paused again.

That one came from left field.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He looks like a girl,” Reiko said. “Kentaro said ‘she’ reminds him of me when I was ‘her’ age.”