**Chapter 3: Caravan③**
In an instant, I thought that Senri and I were being watched. However, that was not the case.
At the sound of a blood-curdling scream, Senri, who had been blushing under me, returned to a serious expression. She slipped out from beneath me, grabbed her sword, and dashed out of the tent. I felt a bit pathetic, but I transformed into my canine form and followed her.
A warm wind blew across the desolate night landscape. In my dog form, my enhanced sense of smell was overwhelmed by a powerful stench—an unmistakable scent of blood. Throughout our long journey, there had been negative encounters, but this smell was on an entirely different level.
I raced after Senri, and other mercenaries who had been resting also joined us, drawn by the scream.
We soon arrived at the source of the stench.
“Is this… what I think it is!?”
“Ugh… that’s horrific.”
What lay before us could only be described as a scene of utter devastation.
Scattered remnants of flesh and bone were strewn about, to the point where it was hard to tell how many people had been there. Pools of blood formed on the ground, rippling crimson waves in the wind.
One of the mercenaries who had gathered stepped cautiously into the area, careful not to step in the blood that had splattered everywhere.
Nearby, a cart belonging to the Guster Trading Company remained abandoned. It was a mid-sized company with about ten employees.
So this was… the Guster Trading Company’s rest stop. The caravan currently participating was a large assembly composed of over ten trading companies. While they were not too far apart, some companies had their secrets, so during breaks, they generally clustered together by their respective companies. If they were attacked, they were supposed to call for help immediately, but it seemed that was of no use here.
There was no one alive. There should have been guards and mercenaries, but judging by the scattered remains, they had likely all perished. A half-eaten head rolled nearby, belonging to one of the mercenaries I recognized. The horses had been slaughtered, leaving only the untouched cart behind.
Even with my keen sense of smell, I couldn’t discern who had died among the mixed remains. However, I had visited all the merchant groups during our break, so there should have been familiar faces among them. It was perhaps a stroke of luck that I couldn’t identify them. I let out a small whine, mourning the loss of the kind merchant who had shared his goods with me.
“A beast…? If it were human, the cargo would have been looted.”
“But for a mere beast to do this—was it you who screamed?”
One of the mercenaries spoke to a young woman who was crouched nearby, paralyzed with fear.
She was dressed in quality attire, but her striking red hair framed a face that was pale as a ghost, her limbs trembling uncontrollably. Despite her slender frame, her ample chest rose and fell rapidly, as if she were struggling to breathe.
“I’ll go fetch the caravan leader. The one responsible for this may still be nearby! Stay alert!”
“Is it alright? What happened…?”
One of the mercenaries dashed off to the rest point of another trading company, while others approached the witnesses of the gruesome scene.
They cautiously observed the corpses from a distance. To dismember humans in such a brutal manner was excessively violent… and wasteful. If humans were to kill each other, there would be more efficient methods. The wounds were not made by swords; they were caused by fangs and claws. What kind of beast would create such a scene, perhaps one as large as an albatross?
The outside world was fraught with danger. Both guards and merchants acted with resolve, but witnessing this made me acutely aware of how fleeting life could be.
Yet, I could not simply stand there in shock.
I gently tapped Senri’s leg with my paw, who stood with a grim expression. She looked down at me, and I directed my gaze toward the first witness, letting out a small whine. Though I could not speak, it seemed Senri understood my intent, and her expression shifted.
The strong scent of blood was unmistakable. Of course, it emanated from the gruesome scene, but more than that—it also came from the unique witness, surrounded by mercenaries, who was sobbing quietly.
The woman’s clothing bore no blood or flesh. It was not the scent of her own blood. It was from her mouth and claws. While a human might not detect it, to my canine senses, it was clear.
More importantly, the woman’s demeanor was filled with a vitality that even seasoned mercenaries might not notice, but… there was no scent of fear. I could recognize the scents of fear, anger, joy, sadness, and even the aroma of pleasure.
Senri turned her gaze forward and smoothly drew her sword. There was no hesitation. She approached the woman, who was being supported by several other mercenaries.
“Who are you?”
“!? Wh-What do you mean!?”
The woman trembled, her eyes wide as she stared at the holy sword. The mercenary who had been supporting her stood in shock at Senri’s sharp voice, which had come to be known as the voice of the Goddess of Victory.
Amidst the countless gazes, Senri spoke in her usual flat tone.
“You do not smell like a human. …The nose of a baron cannot be deceived.”
“…kyuun.”
Senri seemed to be subtly blaming me, and I couldn’t help but let out a sad whine. She hadn’t said there was no human scent; I had indicated that there was a smell of blood. It seemed I had misjudged our connection.
The mercenary who had been supporting her suddenly withdrew his arm, stepping back in panic. The woman, losing her support, did not fall.
She stared in shock at Senri’s pale purple eyes.
“I will detain you. If you have any objections, present your identification. If you are indeed a human of the Guster Trading Company, your name should be on the list. If I am mistaken… I will apologize.”
“…N/A…”
The woman gasped, taking a few faltering steps back, her expression one of utter despair, as if all hope had been stripped away.
In her frail state, a nearby mercenary, who had been observing, opened his mouth to speak to Senri.
In that instant, the woman’s arm pierced through the mercenary’s body.
It was a speed like a gust of wind. A dull sound echoed. A muffled gasp escaped the mercenary’s lips as he widened his eyes, staring in disbelief at the slender fingers protruding from his own body.
Even I could hardly fathom dodging such a speed.
Senri sprang into action. The woman swiftly withdrew her arm and launched a roundhouse kick at a nearby mercenary, still reeling from the shock.
The mercenary’s large frame was sent flying as if it were nothing more than a piece of paper. A sound erupted from his body that should not have been heard.
The woman evaded Senri’s downward strike by stepping back a few paces. Her expression had transformed completely, shifting from one of weakness to a deep, sadistic smile.
“…N/A… a demon has appeared! N/A!!”
The other mercenaries, now regaining their senses, cried out for help. Yet, the woman’s gaze was fixed solely on Senri. She twisted her lips into a smirk, narrowing her eyes at Senri. The brown of her eyes had transformed into a golden hue.
“Hmph. You noticed well. But if you pursue me—these people will die, you know?”
“N/A!?”
With a fierce determination, Senri swung her sword. Sharp slashes, like silver threads, flew forth in rapid succession. Yet, the woman evaded each one with graceful agility. She may not have possessed the athleticism of an albatross, but her movements were certainly inhuman.
“They’re still alive, barely. If we cast healing magic immediately, they might survive. What will you do?”
Those words were urgent. Although the man who had been impaled and the one who had been kicked were both gravely injured, they were still alive. No, the woman had likely done this deliberately—to halt Senri’s movements.
The woman turned and dashed away, leaping high and covering several meters in mere steps. Her small figure vanished into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
There were few who could wield healing magic. In this caravan, there might be only one or two. Their abilities were far inferior to Senri’s. If we waited, there would be casualties. Considering Senri’s nature, there was only one choice.
Senri chose not to pursue.
Without hesitation, she sheathed her sword and rushed to assist the fallen mercenaries, casting healing magic upon them. Her healing magic was potent. By pouring her own life energy into it, she could heal even fatal wounds if the victim was still alive. It seemed to work less effectively on herself, and theoretically, it would kill me if used on me, but this time, her power was fully effective. The gaping wounds rapidly closed, and their complexions began to improve.
Called by the mercenaries, the merchants gathered around. I glared sharply in the direction the woman had fled, then discreetly licked the blood that had splattered on the ground. The bitter taste made my limbs tremble.
It seemed that in my dog form, I could not absorb blood. Moreover, it was a shame that this blood seemed to have lost all its vitality.
I didn’t know who she was, but she was undoubtedly an enemy.
I recognized the scent. I killed the merchant who had given I sweets and meals.
And to think, just when the atmosphere was so lovely, they dared to interrupt the meeting between I and Senri… I absolutely cannot forgive that.