Honestly, Ethan would have considered finding a ghost in the basement more normal than this situation.
Actually, no.
Ghosts appearing here would not make much sense either, considering Ethan had probably devoured every lingering soul in the manor ten years ago.
Still, a soul strength rating of sixty-seven was nowhere near enough to frighten him away.
Especially when the system still labelled it as:
[Weak]
Besides, even if he genuinely could not win, Ethan remained fully confident in his ability to escape.
As he approached the massive double doors at the end of the corridor, however, a strange sensation suddenly spread through his body.
It started in his chest.
Then flowed outward through every nerve like warm water.
[Child…]
A woman's voice echoed directly inside his mind.
Ethan froze.
This was the first time something like this had ever happened. Mental magic normally failed entirely against him.
"…Mum?"
The word escaped instinctively from his mouth before he could stop it.
It felt as though some invisible force called bloodline had physically grabbed his jaw and forced the sound out.
Wizarding family connections were honestly terrifying.
Then again, considering the five separate racial labels attached to Ethan's system panel, he had probably inherited blood from multiple creatures already. Logically speaking, he might possess several fathers and mothers simultaneously.
At this rate, one day he would probably be walking peacefully down the street before some horrifying magical beast suddenly shouted:
"SON!"
Then it would drag him into a hug while shoving gold, magical artefacts, cursed relics, and stolen treasures into his arms.
"Child, you've suffered all these years. Take your father's compensation!"
"…This is getting too absurd."
Ethan shook his head hard.
Clearly, his orphan-related emotional issues were becoming increasingly severe.
For safety reasons, Ethan sent half his soul through the doors first in spectral form to scout ahead. Souls escaped much faster than physical bodies if things went wrong.
Beyond the doors lay another hidden chamber.
The basement was pitch black, but Ethan's soul form could still see everything clearly.
To the left stood a long wooden worktable covered with bottles, flasks, and alchemical tools. Thick Devil's Snare vines had spread across most of the floor like tangled tentacles.
But Ethan's attention immediately focused elsewhere.
The right side of the room was strangely empty.
There was only a gigantic metal cage large enough to imprison something enormous.
Inside stood a creature resembling a Thestral.
Except—
It was larger.
Healthier.
And completely black.
[Soul Strength: 67 (Weak)]
The creature slowly raised its head and stared directly toward Ethan's soul projection.
His scalp prickled instantly.
Its eyes contained only white pupils.
Its face blended almost perfectly into the darkness.
And protruding from its forehead was a spiralling silver horn.
A unicorn horn.
The same holy silver horn Ethan had seen countless times in the Forbidden Forest.
Before it lifted its head, the horn had appeared dull and lifeless. But the moment it looked toward him, the silver regained its brilliance and glowed softly in the darkness.
But that made no sense.
Adult unicorns possessed silver coats.
Young unicorns possessed golden coats.
No unicorn in existence had black fur.
Wait.
Ethan immediately withdrew his soul projection.
He was in spiritual form.
Even Dumbledore could not perceive him like that.
So how had this thing noticed him?
[Child… Don't be afraid…]
The voice echoed inside his mind again.
[Come closer. Let Mother see you…]
Ethan sighed tiredly.
In his previous life, he had never even possessed a mother.
Now he apparently had too many.
It was honestly difficult to adapt.
Still, the creature clearly held no hostility toward him. Whatever it was, it genuinely viewed Ethan as its own child.
And fairy tales worked according to fairy tale logic.
Mothers were not supposed to attack their children.
After hesitating briefly, Ethan finally pushed open the massive doors and entered properly.
The moment light from his wand illuminated the chamber, the Devil's Snare recoiled fearfully into the corners.
Ethan walked slowly toward the cage.
[Don't be sad…] the black unicorn continued gently. [I can still live for a very long time. I can stay with you for a long, long time…]
Apparently it had mistaken Ethan's complicated expression for sadness over seeing his imprisoned mother.
"That's not really the problem," Ethan admitted honestly.
He looked deeply troubled.
"The main issue is that the Count can now legitimately insult me with 'motherf—' jokes forever."
[…]
The emotional atmosphere shattered instantly.
"But what you said just now," Ethan continued while staring directly into the unicorn's eerie white eyes, "about staying with me forever… was that true?"
An eleven-year-old child asking that question while looking genuinely vulnerable was an absurdly effective weapon.
The black unicorn immediately softened again.
Even forgetting entirely to ask who or what "the Count" was.
[Of course. Mother will always protect you…]
Then her voice became eager.
[Now open the cage and let Mother out.]
"Sure," Ethan agreed cheerfully. "But I've been tricked too many times before. You wouldn't scam me, right?"
[Mother is a unicorn. Unicorns do not lie.]
The creature gazed at him lovingly.
Ethan still had no idea how he could recognise "motherly affection" on a horse face with solid white eyes, but apparently magic handled that automatically.
"Then swear it," Ethan said immediately. "Unicorns don't deceive Dementors."
The black unicorn visibly grew impatient.
[I swear.]
"How about an Unbreakable Vow too?" Ethan suggested pitifully. "You know… I've always been an orphan. I don't really feel emotionally secure."
[Fine. Hurry up.]
At that exact moment, the Count reluctantly flew into the basement.
Apparently Ethan had summoned him mentally.
The owl landed nearby while carrying his wand.
"You," the Count began irritably, pointing his wand between Ethan and the unicorn, "what exactly are you called? Evil horse? Moldy unicorn? Nightmare pony?"
The unicorn's breathing became noticeably heavier with irritation.
But she remained silent.
Freedom mattered more than dignity right now.
After all, no ordinary curse could truly threaten her. She herself was practically a living collection of curses.
Even if she broke some magical oath later, what punishment could possibly affect her?
"Alexia," Ethan said after reading the rusted nameplate attached to the cage.
"Right then," the Count muttered. "Begin your highly trustworthy family bonding ritual."
Ethan immediately started.
"Alexia, will you help me whenever I need assistance?"
[I will.]
A thin strand of blazing red fire erupted from the Count's wand and wrapped around their joined hands like glowing wire.
The first vow was complete.
The true terror of the Unbreakable Vow was not death.
It was conceptual binding.
Once spoken, the exact meaning of the oath became absolute. There were no loopholes. No twisted interpretations. No technical escapes.
Which meant Alexia finally realised something was wrong.
[Wait… what happens if this vow is broken—]
"Will you always obey my commands without resistance?" Ethan asked immediately. "Either we continue politely, or I leave with my bird right now. Your choice."
The unicorn fell silent for several long seconds.
Then—
[…I will.]
Her voice sounded murderous.
This was not remotely how she imagined this reunion going.
Earlier, Ethan had looked perfectly normal. He had even called her "Mum" outside the door.
Any lonely child with abandonment issues should have immediately freed their imprisoned mother while sobbing emotionally.
Instead, this terrifying little monster had started drafting legal contracts.
A second tongue of fire wrapped around Alexia's horn.
"If you break the oath, you die," Ethan answered kindly. "But you promised you'd protect me forever."
"Chinese people don't deceive Chinese people."
I'm not Chinese!
I'm not even human!
The furious psychic scream nearly ruptured Ethan's ears.
"There's no helping it now," Ethan said happily. "The vow is already complete. You belong to me forever."
Then he smiled brightly.
"One final promise."
Alexia already looked spiritually defeated.
"Will you never harm me or anyone I consider important?"
The unicorn nearly choked on the words.
[…I will.]
The final strand of fire wrapped around them both.
Three vows.
Perfectly secured.
"It's done," Ethan announced proudly. "You didn't seriously think I'd trust a black unicorn, did you? Even if you really are technically my mother."
He shrugged.
"I probably have at least five parents already. You're not that special."
[You little—]
"You'll adapt eventually," the Count told her sympathetically. "Though honestly, you're even dumber than I was. At least nobody trapped me in a cage."
The prison itself had been constructed from rune-inscribed metal designed specifically to suppress magical creatures, so Ethan's spells proved useless against it.
Instead, he spent several minutes searching the room for a key.
Eventually he found one hidden beneath the worktable.
With a loud metallic click, the cage finally opened.
Alexia slowly stepped out after more than ten years of imprisonment.
"You look unhappy," Ethan observed kindly. "I'm not some cruel slave owner. Those vows are just safety precautions. Other than helping me occasionally, you're free to spend your time however you like—"
"Expelliarmus!"
CRACK!
A sudden burst of Apparition echoed through the basement.
A red flash struck Ethan instantly, sending his wand flying from his hand.
Two wizards in black robes had appeared inside the chamber.
Aurors.
One tall.
One short.
The taller Auror snatched Ethan's wand out of the air while keeping his own wand pointed directly at Ethan's throat. Dangerous magical sparks crackled at the tip.
The shorter wizard mostly existed to look intimidating while holding a glowing wand overhead.
"Do not move," the tall Auror said coldly. "You are under arrest."
Then he narrowed his eyes further.
"Hmph. Dumbledore actually suggested we trust you. I always believed monsters like you should be exterminated completely."
Ethan recognised him instantly.
That face existed somewhere deep within his earliest memories.
One-year-old Ethan.
Green light.
Killing Curse.
This Auror had tried to execute him as a baby.
"You mean," Ethan asked slowly, tilting his head, "you wanted to kill me when I was one year old… and now you want to kill me again without explanation?"
"Returning to this manor and releasing a Dark creature proves you've already chosen the path of a Dark wizard," the Auror said coldly. "Or perhaps you were always destined for it."
His expression carried pure disgust.
"Some monsters are born evil. I still believe we should have destroyed you completely ten years ago."
Apparently, this man had never once viewed Ethan as human.
Only as a dangerous experiment that should have died.
"Then there's nothing left to discuss."
Ethan raised his eyebrows slightly.
"In that case…"
The Auror reacted instantly.
"Protego!"
A shield charm erupted before him.
But Ethan never reached for another spell.
Instead, he took a deep breath and screamed:
"MUM!!!"
....
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