Creature Farm Chapter 28: Stupid Unicorn

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Sulo

 

Quentina and Kyfayar each waved a branch to chase the unicorn.

“It’s all your fault! We were driven out by the landlord!”

“Lord Augusta is still ill. What do you want him to do?”

The unicorn howled, “I didn’t know the skeleton had such a fragile heart that he wouldn’t be able to stand a word or two! He doesn’t respond like Augusta!”

“That’s Lord Augusta to you! He is so kind! You have such a cheap mouth but Lord Augusta has not driven you away!”

“You ruined the wonderful holiday! How are you going to pay for it?”

The unicorn continued to howl, “What’s so wonderful about this holiday? What’s the pleasure of living in such a shabby house without running water?”

“It’s called natural ecology. What do you know?”

“You’ve made Lord Augusta fall ill. Of course, the holiday is not good!”

The unicorn ran around screaming, “I was wrong! I’ll carry you away! Stop fighting!”

For the first time in this life, he violated his own principles and carried three people to the suspension bridge. The unicorn was so fast that it took them less than an hour to reach the drawbridge and cross the canyon to the other side.

The canyon was empty, and the broken suspension bridge hung down the cliff and swayed weakly in the wind.

“What do we do, this suspension bridge…” Kyfayar looked anxiously at the broken ropes and planks. “We… Do you want to pay for it?”

“Let the unicorn make money from being a cattle and horse to pay for it.” Quentina said.

“You fallen woman! At that time, you were also on coaxing from the side! It’s your fault too!”

“Stop being noisy!” Augusta yelled. He was riding on the unicorn’s back, still with a fever and dizzy and sick from the unicorn’s poor flying skills. “I’m so tired of you! Every time I get into trouble, I have to clean up the mess. I should have fired you!”

He pulled the unicorn’s mane roughly and forced it to the edge of the cliff. The unicorn gave a shivering glance down below, and quickly drew back, “Augusta, you want me to jump down and apologize with my death?”

“Shut up!” Augusta raised his right hand, stretched out his fingers, and whispered a mantra. The silver light spread like a ripple from his hand. Kyfayar exclaimed, “I’ve seen this spell! It’s a recovery spell!”

The broken suspension bridge hanging from the cliff on both ends floated up with some nameless great force. The broken boards returned to their original position and the ropes that had snapped connected with each other, as if someone had inverted the process of breaking the suspension bridge. Shortly after, the suspension bridge was restored to its original state.

Quentina and Kyfayar applauded. “Great Lord Augusta. Now we don’t have to be sued by the skeleton!” 

“I knew it would have been fixed directly by magic, otherwise it would have caused so many troubles.”

Augusta did not respond to their cheers, and his body on the unicorn’s back shook.

“Lord Augusta!”

Kyfayar held onto the magician. If he had been a little too late, Augusta would have fallen off his horse. Augusta was pale, short of breath and there was cold sweat on his forehead. Kyfayar knew this was not good. Augusta was sick and had just used magic. He must be weak at this moment!

Kyfayar climbed up the unicorn’s back and sat behind Augusta. He put his arm around Augusta’s body so that the magician could lean against his chest and not fall off.

“Come on, unicorn, take us home!” Kyfayar urged.

“Get off! How can I carry both of you?! What about the luggage?” The unicorn yelled.

“Leave the luggage alone! Can’t you hold on a little bit for Lord Augusta? There is no spirit of hard work at all!”

The unicorn swore, but somehow he didn’t leave the both of them. He took off directly, and Quentina followed after them in the form of multiple bats. Their luggage was left in the forest but there were no valuables in it anyway. There were probably no thieves in the forest. They would come back to get it when they had time.

Kyfayar hugged Augusta tightly to prevent him from falling down and to keep him away from the cold. Augusta’s skin was so hot that it burned like charcoal. He leaned in Kyfayar’s arms, unconscious, frowning or twitching from time to time, as if in a nightmare.

Although the unicorn was said to be ‘faster than a jet’, he couldn’t fly at that speed with passengers. However, he never stopped and took nearly three hours to get home. Kyfayar was moved to tears when the familiar house came into view. 

As soon as the unicorn stopped, Kyfayar jumped down with Augusta in his arms. The bats gathered at the door before reverting to the posture of a female vampire. Quentina’s hair was scorched and smoky because of her long flight in the sun. She pulled the key out from Augusta’s pocket, the magician being currently held by Kyfayar, and opened the door. Kyfayar rushed in and put Augusta on the bed in his bedroom.

Augusta looked a little better because he was back in his familiar environment. Kyfayar was lying on the edge of the bed worried, and his wolf ears lay drooping on top of his head. Quentina grabbed a hand mirror and straightened out her burnt hair.

“What shall we do? Should we take him to the hospital? But the hospital seems far away. Are doctors in the private clinics in town able to go out? Should we have someone come over?”

“Even if a doctor is invited, he will only ask him to drink more water and rest more. I have seen more than my herbal medicine.” Quentina hummed.

There was a faint groan from the bed. Augusta raised his hand, squeezed the corner of his eyes, and then opened his bloodshot eyes. “I… Where is this?”

“We have come home, Lord Augusta,” Kyfayar replied.

“Oh…” Augusta looked blankly at the ceiling and realized after a long time that it was really his bedroom. “Did I faint again?”

“Yes. Do you want to go to the hospital? Or have a doctor from town come to visit?”

“No, it’s not a serious illness…” Augusta said vaguely, “I just need sleep.”

“Do you need anything else? It’s okay to take a bath. The bathroom at home has hot water and it’s warmer here.”

“No, I’m… I just want to rest. ” Augusta’s voice dropped as he spoke, and his sleepiness showed on his eyebrows.

“Can I change your pajamas?”

He didn’t know whether it was the power of the illness or his sincerity, but Augusta nodded. Kyfayar said to Quentina, “Can you make some food? Lord Augusta hasn’t had a good meal since last night…”

“Well, there should be some food in the house.”

After the female vampire left, Kyfayar took Augusta’s pajamas out of the closet and helped the magician change into them. Augusta was half-asleep and half-awake, knowing to cooperate with him. Quentina quickly made a vegetable soup, and Kyfayar fed Augusta half a bowl. The latter said he had no appetite and went back to bed, huddled in a soft quilt. Kyfayar tucked in his quilt anxiously. Every once in a while, Kyfayar took Augusta’s temperature. Although it was not a ‘high fever’, the temperature did not drop.

As night fell, Kyfayar turned off the ceiling light in the bedroom and lit only the wall lamps. It was almost time for dinner, and even if Augusta did not have an appetite, he had to be forced to eat something. Kyfayar crept up to the bed and gently pushed the magician, “Wake up. It’s time for dinner.”

Immersed in his sleep, Augusta seemed unwilling to wake up. Kyfayar called several times before he opened his eyes. He looked vaguely at the werewolf youth beside his bed who was partly illuminated by light and partly hidden in the dark, as if he had not woken up at all.

 

“Ah… Who’s there?” He muttered, “Cavaldien? Is that you?”