"Look at me, I almost forgot about this!"
Seeing Vid’s pencil case, Steven patted his head, quickly walked out of the bedroom, and soon returned with a brown bag, saying:
"Occamies are sensitive to the scent of their kind. You need to put your pencil case into this bag, otherwise it might be attacked by the Occamies on the farm."
"Okay." Vid took the bag and habitually examined the Magic Text and Spell combination on it.
"Is this Professor Morry’s work?"
"Yeah... how did you tell?" Steven asked curiously.
"Everyone’s Alchemy Works carry their personal style. If you’re familiar with it, you can identify it at a glance." Vid explained.
Steven: "..."
This brown deerskin bag, does it have any obvious differences from what is sold in stores?
He didn’t understand, but he was used to not dwelling too much in areas he wasn’t proficient in.
...
From Soros Manor, you can directly Floo to Granian Farm—Steven’s farm was named Granian (a type of Pegasus), and his eagerness was simply evident.
In the morning, Vid stretched in the sunshine, hearing his bones seemingly "crack" with sound.
He strolled along the path among the red-brick cabins, stretching his muscles.
He had arrived at the farm last night when it was already dark. After washing up, he went straight to bed in the guest room and only today had time to properly see the farm.
Unlike the luxurious castles of Soros Manor, the buildings on the farm were merely a dozen red-brick cabins, at first glance resembling some remote ancient village.
The farm sat beside the mountain and water, with stunning scenery and incredibly fresh air.
Crammed fences, shrubs, and cedar trees divided the farm into various areas, dotted with wild grasses and colorful flowers, presenting a tranquil and beautiful scene.
Granian Farm, like all Wizard-inhabited places, was protected by Concealment Spell and Expel Curse, not appearing on Muggle maps at all.
So it had not been tainted by the steel and gasoline scent of modern technology, and this rarely-traversed place for humans was simply an animal paradise.
Among the leaves, blue little birds flew joyfully, but emitted no sound;
A teardrop-shaped nest hidden in the thorn bushes had a little bird resembling a vulture poking its head out, with folded dark green wings, displaying a woeful expression.
Some green creatures looking half-frog and half-lizard squatted on branches or hid under leaves, with demon-like smirks and a red pustule on their heads, full of sharp teeth, appearing unfriendly.
"These are Clabberts."
Steven said, walking over from behind Vid.
He extended his hand, and the originally unfriendly Clabbert jumped onto his hand, its lizard-like long tail gently wrapping around his thumb.
Steven petted its head, saying, "If they sense danger, the pustule on their head will glow red. Their pus is one of the ingredients for making Peeping Mirrors."
His hand moved to the edge of a branch, gave a slight arm shake, and the Clabbert jumped over, quickly disappearing among the leaves.
A Tree-Protector Lofa was stepped on by the Clabbert. It sluggishly moved its body, the leaves on its head trembling slightly.
"This place is truly interesting." Vid said, "I’m starting to understand why you want to become a Magical Biologist."
"Yes. The world is colorful because of their existence."
Steven sighed lightly, saying, "But habitats suitable for Magical Creatures are becoming scarcer, and protecting them is growing increasingly difficult. Even Fire Dragons have little chance if discovered by Muggles."
"That’s why I want to do my utmost to protect them, provide them with an undisturbed living space. I also hope more people realize that protecting Magical Creatures is important and interesting."
"A truly noble ideal." Vid said, "If there’s anything I can assist with, feel free to ask."
Steven happily smiled, "When I need help, I’ll certainly ask without hesitation! Considering—"
He abruptly fell silent, eyes fixed behind Vid.
A strange crackling sound came from among the leaves, and a flock of little birds chirped noisily, flapping their wings and flew away.
Vid turned around, only to see a colossal blue-gray creature, at least three meters in diameter, slowly sliding through the forest.
Looking closer, its body wasn’t even touching the ground, but actually flying in the air.
"Don’t be afraid, that’s an Occamy, you know, it doesn’t eat people."
Steven said, patting Vid’s shoulder gently, "It’s a bit timid, just don’t startle it."
The Occamy abruptly dashed out, its eagle-like beak snapping at a blue little bird.
It stretched its neck to swallow it, its body shrinking to the size of an ordinary python, and then slithering through the gaps among the trees, finally coiling onto a tall pine tree.
Its body shrank even smaller, eventually hiding under a leaf, almost disappearing from sight.
"Let’s go." Steven said, "It’ll be digesting for quite a while!"
After walking a distance, Vid said, "I thought you might’ve stopped it from hunting the Silence Bird."
Steven shook his head, "Protecting Magical Creatures isn’t about caging them with ample food. I just want to prevent them from being harmed by humans, but their hunting relationships shouldn’t be forcibly altered."
Vid nodded quietly, asking, "Maintaining a farm like this must be quite expensive. If you need funds, I can provide some."
The Galleons in the vault increase every second, and leaving them idle is pointless. Better to use them for meaningful purposes.
"That’s not necessary." Steven chuckled, "House-Elves collect feathers, scales, Snake Shedding, fallen horns, and such from Magical Creatures, selling them for a large sum of money, enough to maintain the farm."
He showed a childlike proud smile, "Don’t underestimate me... I’m indeed a millionaire!! Only the first two years after the farm’s establishment did I need support from my father. Afterward, I became self-sufficient."
"How many types of Magical Creatures do you have here?" Vid asked curiously.
"Um..."
Steven was stumped, thinking for a while before saying:
"There’s always about twenty or thirty... but I can’t say for sure. Because there are always creatures quietly moving in when I’m not noticing."
"The newcomers tend to be more cautious. Sometimes they’ve moved in entirely with their family, and I only discover some hidden traces. If they don’t cause damage, I usually don’t intervene."
However, the long-residing Magical Creatures—like those Clabberts—regard Steven as their companion, even protector, and are very close to him.
Vid imagined what his life would be like in this way, and even though he didn’t have such deep love for Magical Creatures, he felt a bit of yearning.
Steven checked the time, saying, "Your friends should be arriving soon. Let’s head over there to welcome them."