"That unicorn was likely attacked by hunters multiple times on its way here, making it extremely sensitive," Airmid said softly. "I'm afraid... it has developed an intense, overarching wariness towards humans."
Far in the distance, the unicorn let out another agonized shriek, sounding furious at the betrayal. Then, it turned and galloped even further away.
Jeanne, Cassandra, and Daphne all exchanged helpless looks. Firefly helped Airmid to her feet, her eyes dimming as she watched the direction the unicorn vanished. They considered giving chase, but the unicorn's speed was far beyond what they could match. It quickly disappeared into the treeline.
"Looks like we all failed." Aiden shook his head, looking at the dejected girls. "And now it's wary of all of you. You've been permanently added to its blacklist. We'll just have to switch people."
Left with no other options, the group temporarily retreated to Orario to formulate a new plan.
Next door at Stardust Garden, the Astrea Familia heard about the ordeal and confidently offered their assistance.
The very next day, Alise excitedly dragged Ryuu and the new generation of members, including Cecil, out to a much more secluded forest where they relocated the unicorn.
The results, however, were just as disappointing.
Cecil and the other rookies were completely ignored. Ryuu's approach actively terrified the beast. Even though the former "Gale" hid it well, the blood and killing intent permanently etched into her bones could not deceive the pure instincts of a sacred beast.
Surprisingly, it was Alise who succeeded. Her sunny, radiant disposition—warm and devoid of a single trace of gloom—earned the unicorn's approval. It allowed her close, even nuzzling her palm with its snout.
Yet, the moment Alise's gaze lingered on its horn for more than a second, or if she made any movement that suggested reaching for it, the unicorn would instantly overreact and scramble backwards in pure terror. The previous betrayal had left an incredibly deep psychological scar.
Terrified of permanently traumatizing the poor creature, Alise didn't dare make any sudden moves and had to reluctantly give up.
"Oh, honestly!" Alise huffed, hands on her hips as she looked at Aiden in exasperation. "If you ask me, finding someone who is not only pure enough but can also convince a unicorn to willingly hand over its horn? You could count the number of people like that in all of Orario on one hand! Have you tried asking the 'Nine Hell'? With her status and charm, there's a good chance she could tame it. Or better yet, just go to the Guild, get a travel permit, and have your Goddess Furina or our Goddess Astrea come out and try it themselves."
"If it were Lady Astrea, I know she could do it," Ryuu stood nearby, her emerald eyes shining with absolute faith in her patron deity. In her mind, when it came to purity and nobility, there was no existence in the lower world that could rival her goddess. Excluding Goddesses of Beauty like Freya and Ishtar, of course—they were undeniably noble, but as for pure... that was highly debatable.
"The Nine Hell and a goddess, huh... That's actually a solid idea. Let me think." Aiden rubbed his chin in thought. Given his standing with the Loki Familia, asking Riveria for a favor wouldn't be difficult. Furina was out of the question—if she could have come, she would have thrown a fit demanding to go long before now. Goddess Astrea was undeniably a prime candidate, but applying for an expedition permit from the Guild involved endless red tape, and approval wasn't guaranteed.
However... compared to those troublesome options, an even better, more perfect candidate suddenly flashed through Aiden's mind.
"So, you need me to help you tame that unicorn?"
Artemis looked at Aiden's pleading expression, her eyes—clearer than a pristine forest lake—showing no hesitation whatsoever. "No problem. I'll help you." She nodded her agreement without a second thought.
"That's fantastic. With Lady Artemis helping, this is practically guaranteed." The tension finally melted from Aiden's face, replaced by a wide smile. Behind him, Hyacine, Firefly, Airmid, and the rest collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
It made perfect sense. What existence could possibly be purer than the Virgin Goddess of Chastity herself? Furthermore, because Artemis didn't lead a permanently stationed Familia in Orario, she wasn't bound by the Guild's travel restrictions. She could freely enter and leave the city, completely bypassing the bureaucratic nightmare.
Soon, guided by Aiden and the team, Artemis located the unicorn. It was hiding in a deep, shadowed clearing, warily licking its wounds. Its eyes darted around, filled with suspicion and profound distrust of its environment.
The blue-haired goddess instructed Aiden and the others to wait at a distance. Alone, moving with calm, elegant strides, she slowly approached the injured sacred beast.
The unicorn immediately detected her presence. Its muscles coiled tight, ready to bolt or attack at a moment's notice. But when its gaze locked onto Artemis's serene, tranquil eyes, its rage and terror miraculously smoothed away. The tension and hostility in its gaze melted inch by inch, replaced by an instinctual sense of closeness and absolute trust.
It allowed Artemis to walk right up to it. She reached out her hand—no hesitation, no tentative probing. The unicorn submissively and docilely offered its neck, allowing that delicate hand to gently stroke its mane. It closed its eyes in comfort, letting out a soft, contented whinny as it leaned against the goddess, as if it had finally found a safe harbor where it could drop all its defenses.
"Incredible... the pure Virgin Goddess lives up to her name." Watching from a distant hill, Hyacine couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
"I apologize, but could you please share a piece of your horn with us?" Artemis didn't attempt to trick it like Airmid had. Instead, speaking in an equal, incredibly gentle tone, she directly voiced her request. "I promise, I will not mistreat you."
The unicorn seemed to perfectly understand her words. It let out a low, soft whinny. It didn't back away. Instead, it silently lowered its head, presenting its sacred, glowing horn directly to the goddess.
Hyacine watched in stunned silence. She had made the exact same request, only to be met with outright rejection. Yet, when faced with Artemis, the beast chose absolute submission.
This, perhaps, was the insurmountable gap in treatment between a mortal and a god.
Artemis gently stroked the unicorn's head. Then, with her free hand, she drew a gleaming dagger from her waist.
───
For Advance Chapters:
> Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations