Chapter 144

“I smell blood.”

Wrinkling her brows at the not-so-welcome stimulation, Ekaterina straightened her grip on the giant bottle.

It wasn’t that the blood she had shed so far was more than the blood shed. It was just a problem that the smell came out at unwanted moments like now.

Recognizing such a reaction, Rellie asked just in case.

“Isn’t there something wrong with Mr. Gaendal?”

“I don’t think that’s the case. It’s more like we’re approaching a place that smells like blood, rather than coming off with a hook.”

After hearing the detailed explanation, Rellie’s face became dark enough to be seen even in the darkness of dawn. And it was no different for Ekaterina.

“Don’t hurry. Gaendal could be in danger if there is a fight with the mercenaries.”

It was Gin who prevented the two from indulging in wandering thoughts. No matter how competent Gaendal was as a scout, the opponent was a skilled mercenary of about 40 people. It was clear that it would be difficult to escape safely if things went wrong unintentionally in a state where they had already been on a forced march for several days and were in charge of scouting without shifts.

“It would have been nice if Eldmia was with us.”

“Ekatrina? Did you know that you have already said that over 30 times since you entered this request?”

“Me? I haven’t said it that often.”

“...To be honest, I said it often.”

Seeing Gin politely affirming Rellie’s argument, Ekaterina was quite taken aback. thirty times? In just 3 days? I’ve said quite a bit.

“Well, it could be. You were competent.”

“...Haa. I’m anxious, I’m anxious.”

“Huh? What?”

“No. For now, let’s join Mr. Gaendal.”

Impressed by the fact that they got along quite well after the last abandoned dungeon incident, they started accepting requests as a party considering a longer-term relationship. Originally, we spent time in the guild with the intention of recommending it to Eldmia, but since we haven’t met for a while, the four of us are trying to move around.

As if they fit perfectly together, from skills to personality, they did not know that the satisfaction of the party would go down even though they had only four requests together, and after agreeing to accept a longer-term request, they were given this job.

The request was simple. Asking them to become a kind of temporary guard in a refugee village that has recently begun to settle down.

Refugees who fled to the vicinity of the capital to avoid the demon king’s army did not intend to break the law while setting up a new site, and sought to be protected by the city through proper procedures. The city welcomed the decision of the refugees, but since the process cannot be accomplished overnight, the content of the request was to prepare and put in public power while the adventurers were protecting them for a while.

Of course, the request was not enough with only four people, and at first it was moved with about ten people, including other adventurers.

However, no one expected that the village they arrived in would be devastated.

Someone present said. It’s clear that the mercenaries called the Hawk’s Claws are doing it.

It was said that they were a mercenary group that had gained notoriety by looting villagers who were not yet legally protected or selling them into slavery. Not only are they exceptional in their skills, but they are always targeting only those whose distinction between thieves and ordinary villagers is ambiguous, so they are said to be close to knowing but shushing on this floor.

Since this was obviously illegal, the others turned around under the pretext of publicizing the mercenary’s atrocities through the guild.

Of course it was an excuse. They just wanted to get away from the scene of the disaster as soon as possible, fearing that they would be pursued by the mercenaries.

The four of them went on a chase like this, separated from them, because they were confused by the fact that those who massacred innocent people might do something else.

“...shit.”

The death of a flying dragon was not common, but it was not uncommon. The party, who had already witnessed the bitter situation, began to stare blankly at the sky, hoping that the flying dragon would not fall.

However, contrary to their wishes, the flying dragon’s altitude gradually decreased and came down to the point where it barely brushed the trees of the forest.

“Um, isn’t that dangerous?”

“Damn it. I haven’t heard anything about flying dragons. I can’t see them very well...” ”

No, the pilot doesn’t seem to be embarrassed after going through that. I think it’s better to fly low intentionally.”

It was only after Gin, who had the brightest eyes, gave an explanation, that the party could breathe a sigh of relief. Even though it was someone else’s misfortune, facing that misfortune in a row wasn’t very comfortable.

“...Eldmia?”

“what?”

But in the midst of that, Ekatrina alone discovered something else.

“The person behind the pilot over there. Isn’t that Eldmia?”

“Kasha. You...!”

Lely was stunned. After that, I thought I would miss Eldmia often, but the anxiety came over me that I might have suffered from a more serious love affair than I could have imagined. Even at the drinking party that day, it seemed like they were strangely trying to stay close, so I couldn’t believe it...!

“Huh? Really. It’s Eldmia.”

“Yes? Really?!”

It was Gin who broke Rellie’s delusions. Thanks to that, she came to her senses and concentrated as much as she could to see the sky where the flying dragon was flying, but it was impossible to distinguish the riders of the flying dragon from afar due to her poor eyesight in an environment that was difficult to call completely bright as it had not yet dawned.

It was the same with Gaendal, but he chose to fully trust Gin’s words rather than making futile efforts to confirm that it was really Eldmia.

“Is there such a coincidence? No, but where the hell did you go so low...?”

no way.

However, at the ‘no way’ that everyone shared without a word of conversation, the eyes of the four people almost simultaneously turned to the campsite in the ruins behind them.

“...No matter how much it is.

“Ha ha ha. That’s right. No matter how coincidental it may be...”

In the meantime, everyone’s eyes moved again to the flying dragon flying above their heads in an instant.

But what if it really is?

Unaware of what the anticipation rising within them was headed for, they watched as the man who appeared to be Eldmia stood up on top of the flying dragon.

“반갑다 개새끼들아!!”

Loud Nausea. It was clear that Eldmia’s voice heard last time was correct. And judging from that reaction, for some reason, it seemed like he had business with the mercenary corps, and he could see that it was not a friendly attitude at all.

However, the dragon’s speed did not decrease. It was clear that he would just pass by the mercenary camp if he continued.

‘What are you going to do?’ The moment when the question lingers in everyone’s head.

“I’m going to Eldmia!”

Eldmia drew her sword and jumped off the dragon.