Calming Claudia down was ultimately a good thing. Leonard didn't want to deceive her—not just because he feared she might run off in distress, but because he truly couldn't bring himself to lie to this angelic little girl. Telling her he'd only be gone for a little while and would return soon… Just imagining Claudia staring toward the Forbidden Forest, waiting for him to come back, made his heart tighten with guilt. That would be far too cruel. Leonard wasn't twisted enough to play with a child's feelings like that.
Back in the dormitory, Leonard let out a long breath. A single morning had completely worn him out. This sudden chain of events had drained him both physically and mentally.
"The problem is, what do I do next?" Leonard rubbed his scalp in frustration.
Building a little cabin for Claudia was only a temporary solution. There were still plenty of problems to deal with. For starters, how was he supposed to handle her meals? He couldn't make three trips to the Forbidden Forest every day—no pack mule would be pushed that hard, let alone someone who still had classes.
Sure, Claudia hadn't needed him to bring her food for every meal before, but now asking her to lower her head and chew on grass…
Leonard felt that even if Claudia accepted it, he couldn't.
And food wasn't even the biggest issue. Her education was. Unicorns were smart, yes, but intelligence wasn't the same as common sense—something Claudia sorely lacked. The problem was, there were things Leonard couldn't teach her even if he tried.
Claudia needed a teacher, someone who could teach her basic common knowledge and essential subjects. He couldn't let such a beautiful little girl grow up illiterate.
But where was he supposed to find someone to teach her?
More importantly, the person needed to be reliable, have enough time, and above all, be a woman with a normal orientation. With how innocent and naive the little unicorn was, Leonard absolutely couldn't trust her alone with any man.
There was only one person who immediately fit those conditions: Midgard.
As the leader of the Werewolf Wizards, she should theoretically be busy. In reality, Marcus handled nearly everything. She only needed to nod yes, shake her head no, or write to Leonard when something important came up. She had the most free time out of the entire group. And she had learned Phantom Shift, allowing her to travel quickly. Spending a little time each day with Claudia wouldn't interfere with her responsibilities at all.
But…
Leonard thought about Midgard's personality and habits and couldn't help worrying she'd end up teaching Claudia all the wrong things. Still, he had no better candidate.
With no other choice, Leonard thickened his skin and prepared to write her another letter, asking for help once more.
Since his owl, Gray, was still accompanying Londo for Christmas and wouldn't return until the holidays ended, Leonard headed to the owlery with the finished letter, planning to find any owl available to deliver it.
He didn't forget to bring that suspicious box of chocolates along, either.
The heavy snow had stopped, but the sky remained dark and overcast. It didn't look like the thick layer of snow would melt anytime soon.
Leonard walked across the snow, leaving a straight trail of footprints leading to the owlery. Even before he got close, he could already hear the hooting coming from inside.
The owlery's structure was unusual, resembling a beehive at first glance, with many openings that allowed owls to enter and exit freely. Even during busy periods, this design prevented them from crashing into each other.
Because of the snow and the recent rush to deliver Christmas presents, the off-duty owls were all huddled inside, unwilling to come out. Still, when they noticed someone approaching, a few hopped out to greet him.
"Hello. I'd like to send two letters. Anyone willing to help?" Leonard asked as he approached.
Communicating with magical creatures was always convenient. Most Magical Creatures could understand human speech, and some with the right throat structure could even speak it.
Chirping and murmuring erupted from inside the owlery. Soon, two energetic owls hopped out.
"Thank you," Leonard said. He always treated magical creatures kindly unless he knew for certain they posed a threat.
These owls, who faithfully served the Hogwarts staff and students, clearly had no ill intent, so Leonard treated them warmly.
After giving each owl a few nuts, Leonard handed over the chocolate and the letter. Once they flew off, he turned to leave.
Given the owls' efficiency, the delivery should arrive by tomorrow. And with Midgard's speed, she should be able to make it here by then as well. Leonard would still need to explain everything to her carefully.
...
Early the next morning, Leonard arrived at the Forbidden Forest and caught a ride on a unicorn that was wandering around with nothing to do.
When he reached the Botanical Garden, he immediately spotted Midgard, who had clearly arrived early and was holding a very unwilling Claudia in her arms.
Midgard's expression was indescribable. She hugged Claudia while cackling to herself, rubbing her cheek against the girl's face. Every so often, she'd pinch the tiny horn on Claudia's head and giggle again.
Leonard felt like he was looking at a living pervert.
"Hey, hey, hey! Let go of my little Unicorn!" Leonard shouted.
Hearing his voice, Claudia's eyes lit up like twinkling stars.
"Leonard!" She reached out toward him, clearly wanting a hug.
Midgard didn't hold her back this time. Claudia dove straight into Leonard's arms, snuggling against him before hiding behind him, staring at Midgard with startled wariness.
"You've got quite the attitude. I came here at your request to help," Midgard said with a wide grin. He made a silly face at Claudia, startling her again before continuing, satisfied, "But I really didn't expect that potion to actually turn a unicorn into a human."
"Neither did I. But I think it's probably a potion that works on all Magical Creatures. It's a pity we don't have the formula, or it'd be worth studying," Leonard said, patting Claudia's head.
...
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