The unicorns who had taken refuge outside the colony now streamed back into their ancestral home. The moment their enormous, glistening white wings fully sprouted, they knew instantly that Gesilis and his companions had triumphed.
The little golden foals joyfully pranced around Allen, some stumbling awkwardly as they tried to spread their delicate new wings, already learning the sheer delight of flight.
The weather over the unicorn colony was glorious. The sky was an impossibly clear blue, and a gentle, sweet-smelling breeze softly caressed Allen's naturally soft blonde hair, soothing his heart simultaneously.
The unicorns presented Allen with the most lavish feast they were capable of preparing: a stunning variety of colourful fruits—some familiar, many utterly exotic—sweet-smelling malt syrup, and fragrant fruit wine made from carefully crushed wild berries.
What amused Allen most was the procession of small unicorns, each carrying whichever juicy, delicious-looking herb they had found. Blinking their large, round, wet eyes, they enthusiastically invited him to taste their individual culinary treasures.
"Let us raise a joyful cheer for our most honoured, most trusted, and truest friend, Allen!" A collective, happy cry echoed between the heavens and the newly empowered earth. The gentle unicorns gazed at Allen with eyes full of genuine affection and respect.
"It was he who appeared when our unicorn race was in its deepest moment of need; it was he who disregarded his own safety and faced life and death alongside us against Eris's vile creations; it was he who, through his wisdom, courage, and sheer fighting spirit, successfully broke the curse that had plagued our unicorn race for over a thousand years. As King of the Unicorns, I declare that Allen Harris will forever be an eternal friend to our entire race."
As Gesilis concluded his emotional declaration, the joyful cheers of the unicorns resonated again, each horn emitting a pure, intense white halo. These radiant auras lifted from the tops of their heads, merging with the stronger halo atop Gesilis's horn, and finally descended, settling gently upon Allen's head.
Allen felt a profoundly gentle, warm power infuse his entire body, bathed in this white celestial light. He felt incredibly comfortable, energized, and deeply powerful.
"This is the sincerest blessing of the unicorn race," Gaia explained softly to Allen, still floating nearby, her wings beating slowly. "It is a gift you can only attain by earning the absolute, wholehearted love of the unicorns. With this blessing, you will no longer need to fear any venomous or poisonous creatures."
At that very moment, the system voice finally chimed, its otherworldly tone bringing both satisfaction and profound relief to Allen:
"The server has completed the main task. Successfully rescued the evil-shrouded unicorn race and earned the unicorns' lasting gratitude. Reward: One Raffle Entry."
Although he had only earned a single chance at a reward, Allen felt incredibly rich. Throughout the quest, he had received the silver sword from King Gesilis, the immensely valuable unicorn's blessing, and perhaps most crucially, he had significantly sharpened his combat skills and increased his magical endurance through real, life-or-death battles.
"Would the server like to participate in the lottery now?" the system inquired.
"Go for the draw!" Allen felt incredibly fortunate as he surveyed the warm, peaceful, and joyful scene in the unicorn settlement. He was absolutely convinced that his luck would be extraordinary this time!
A giant seven-colored disc materialized instantly in Allen's mind: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. The area corresponding to each colour began to shrink and shift in size, but the bronze pointer was set directly at the centre apex of the entire disc.
"I hope I am as lucky as I was last time. Merlin, please protect me!" Allen prayed, hoping to repeat his previous success. "Start the lottery!" The needle spun rapidly, a blur of bronze. "Stop!" The needle decelerated, eventually halting precisely at the cyan position.
And your luck held! Allen's inner commentary was always optimistic.
A cyan treasure chest appeared before his inner vision. "Open this," Allen commanded. The chest clicked open, and what appeared to be a compartment automatically unfolded in front of Allen.
"What is this? I didn't summon my storage compartment!" Allen looked closely and realized it bore a resemblance to a storage compartment, but it was clearly not his own.
The text below read:
"Pet Area Activated. The owner can safely store designated pets within this area, summoning them instantly at will. The compartment is readily accessible and undetectable."
The reward was indeed quite appealing. Hogwarts regulations strictly permitted young wizards to bring only one pet, and Albert had already gifted Allen the owl, Benny, who took up that spot. If Allen acquired any other magnificent magical creatures later on, he wouldn't be allowed to bring them onto the Hogwarts grounds.
Thanks to this newly acquired Pet Area, Allen could now summon a hidden companion whenever he pleased, which was exceptionally convenient and tactically useful. However, the space was currently empty, and its dimensions were definitely not large enough for a travelling enthusiast like Newt Scamander, author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, to conduct his fieldwork. Still, its primary advantage was its discretion and portability.
Allen and the jubilant unicorns enjoyed their final gathering, and then Allen stood up, indicating it was time to say his farewells. The unicorns reluctantly bid Allen goodbye, and Gaia insisted on personally escorting him out of the bounds of the Forbidden Forest.
The return journey was immeasurably more comfortable than the outward one. Perhaps due to the lingering unicorn's blessing, Allen felt no discomfort or shock during the transport. He also had the distinct privilege of flying upon Gaia's back. They soon arrived at the familiar edge of the Forbidden Forest.
As dawn broke, the clouds slowly parted, and the sun rose, casting a brilliant, warm golden light across the vast sky, interspersed with gorgeous streaks of red cloud parallel to the horizon. Above, the majestic Hogwarts Castle rose proudly among the surrounding mountains.
Allen could also see tall, lush trees, dense clumps of evergreens, flowering shrubs, and vibrant ferns. The Great Lake shimmered like hammered silver. Further out, the land sloped gently upward, leading toward rugged, verdant mountains that finally disappeared into the endless, distant horizon.
At the very boundary of the Forbidden Forest, Gaia landed slowly. Suddenly, the rapid, distinctive sound of clattering hooves sounded from behind them. Gaia and Allen turned simultaneously to face the source of the sound, and there was Firenze.
Allen slapped his forehead in an embarrassed gesture. So much had transpired that he had completely forgotten that Firenze was still patiently waiting for him! Fortunately, Firenze had seen Gaia soaring across the sky and Allen riding on her back, allowing the centaur to finally catch up in time.