At the checkout counter of Flourish and Blotts, a long queue of young wizards buying textbooks for the new semester snaked through the store. It was almost Lucien's turn. Hermione, who was standing behind him, gritted her teeth and finally worked up the courage to ask, "Lucien, you bought so many books. Can you really finish them all?"
Lucien turned his head and gave a slight shrug. "Eventually. By the time I finish these, school will have started anyway. After that, I can just go to the Hogwarts library."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly. She had wanted to ask if he could finish all of them within a single year. But his casual tone implied he planned to read them all before school started, and there was only a month left. Looking at Lucien's handsome profile, she saw only seriousness. He didn't seem to be bragging at all.
Hermione was about to say something else, but it was already Lucien's turn. He nonchalantly pulled a handful of golden Galleons from his pouch and handed them to the cashier. As the cashier began to tally the total, Lucien's gaze fell on the top book of his stack, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He glanced back at Hermione. "If you want to read it, I'll lend it to you when we get to school."
"Oh! Thank you," Hermione nodded eagerly, a bright smile on her face. As long as she had books to read, she didn't mind waiting.
The cashier quickly counted out the change. Lucien gathered his heavy pile of books and promptly left, not waiting for Hermione to finish her own transaction or to exchange any further pleasantries. He was eager to get home and absorb the knowledge contained within these pages. Of course, he was even more eager to meet his new pet: the divine beast Qilin.
Back at Grafton Manor, Lucien stood in his bedroom, staring at a large egg resting on his bed. It was about half a meter tall, just small enough for him to wrap his arms around. He fell into a state of deep contemplation.
"System," he asked, a note of confusion in his tone. "What is this? Where is my Qilin?"
[Host, this is a Qilin... egg.]
Lucien's mouth twitched. "System, are you quite sure that a Qilin is a creature that is hatched from an egg?"
[...It's more convenient this way.]
Ignoring the system's attempt at electronic cuteness, Lucien leaned closer to observe the egg. "How long will it take to hatch?"
[Three...]
After waiting a few seconds for the system to continue, Lucien let out a sigh. He was a little unwilling to play along with the system's dramatic pause, but his curiosity won. "...Two, one?"
Crack. A hairline fracture appeared on the surface of the eggshell. Immediately, a web of cracks spread across the entire egg, accompanied by a soft, rustling sound from within. The upper half of the shell shattered, and a small, delicate head peeked out.
A pair of brilliant, golden-red eyes looked up at Lucien. They were clear and bright, gazing at him as if he were the most important being in existence. The little Qilin was covered in fine, light-gold scales, and the short, budding horns on its head had not yet fully grown.
"Hungry..."
A tender, young voice echoed directly in Lucien's mind. He looked at the little Qilin in surprise. Telepathic communication? Was this an innate talent of the Qilin, or a side effect of the system's loan?
"I'm hungry..." the voice repeated in his head, and at the same time, the little Qilin's mouth opened and closed silently.
Lucien immediately queried the system. "What does a Qilin eat?"
[Pure dew and plant essence.]
Dew was literal enough, but it was already night, so that was out. "What does 'plant essence' include? Ordinary vegetables and fruits? Herbs?"
[It includes all of them. The older the plant, the higher its quality, and the richer the essence it contains.]
Lucien immediately strode out of his bedroom and gave an instruction to a passing maid. "Lothia, please prepare some fruits and vegetables and send them to my room. Also, bring some of the herbs we have in storage."
After giving his orders, Lucien returned to the room and looked at the newborn Qilin, his voice soft. "Just wait a little longer." To his surprise, the little Qilin nodded its head in a very human-like gesture of understanding.
"You can understand what I'm saying?" he asked, astonished.
"A little..." the tender voice echoed in his mind again.
Lucien communicated with the little Qilin for a while and discovered that its intelligence was already equivalent to a human child of five or six. It could express its basic needs simply, but having just been born, it was a blank slate regarding knowledge of the world.
Less than ten minutes later, Lothia knocked on the door. Lucien stepped out and took two trays from her hands. One held common fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and apples. The other held a small selection of preserved herbs. He brought them to the little Qilin.
The creature stretched its slender neck and sniffed at each item. Then, with a strong inhale, tiny wisps of a greenish-blue aura lifted from the produce and herbs, flowing like smoke into the little Qilin's mouth and nose.
While observing this peculiar feeding method, Lucien asked the system, "What abilities does a Qilin have?"
The system listed them out.
Control of flames.
The ability to ride clouds and mist.
Telepathic communication.
Perception of the goodwill and malice of other living beings.
Powerful magic resistance; only a very few spells can harm a Qilin.
Qilin blood has the effect of curing diseases and prolonging life, making it an excellent potion ingredient.
It is naturally able to Apparate and can also confine a space, rendering Apparition ineffective within that range.
Lucien stroked his chin, marveling at the list. As expected of a divine beast, its abilities were not only diverse but also incredibly powerful. The ability to perceive malice and its strong magic resistance meant it could naturally avoid many dangers. Its innate Apparition ability made escape convenient, and it would certainly be a faster messenger than any owl. Furthermore, as a divine beast, its combat power, once it matured, would surely be formidable. Coupled with its ability to confine space, it could cut off an enemy's escape route in any future conflict.
The detail about its blood, however, gave Lucien pause. He needed to find out if the native Qilins of this world—if they even existed—possessed similar properties. If they did, then he could not easily reveal his pet's existence until either he was strong enough to protect it or the little Qilin had matured. Such a creature would undoubtedly attract undesirable attention.
"I still need to read more, to acquire more knowledge," Lucien murmured, rubbing his forehead. He tilted his head to look at the massive pile of books on his desk. Lifting his new wand, he pointed it at the top of the stack.
"'Accio' Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."