While searching for the Nephilim with the guards, we were suddenly attacked by a ferocious animal.
I desperately pulled on the door, but the bear didn’t relent, shoving its paw inside. Human strength was no match for it. Even though I was closing it with all my might, it didn’t just get its face caught and hurt, it pushed its snout all the way in.
“Buooo, Bufuuu, Buuuu-”
A deep exhale licked my face. I couldn’t stop getting goosebumps from the beastly odor that made me want to turn away. The soft wooden door quickly turned to sawdust, and a hole widened. I wanted to fight back with my dagger, but if I relaxed even a little, my face would be scraped off by its claws.
“Damn it, damn it, pull!”
I repeatedly kicked the snout that had entered.
“You bastard, you!”
“Buo, Vuvu-”
The bear opened its mouth and tried to bite my leg. It was only a matter of time before this door was forced open. If its hands got in, it would be over. Facing the imminent threat, my body froze. I wanted to do more, but my body wouldn’t move as I wanted. Worse yet, my sweaty hands could no longer grip the door handle properly.
“Hey, stab your sword through this gap and push it back!”
The leg I was kicking with got caught in the bear’s mouth. I felt its long fangs hidden behind its lips through my boot. I quickly took off my shoe. The bear, with something strange in its mouth, momentarily removed its snout and shook its head.
A sword extended from the side and pierced the bear’s paw. It seemed to feel pain and pulled its hand back. The door was quickly closed, and the sword was stuck in the handle.
“Is your leg okay?”
“Ha, ha, well, somehow.”
It was Melon Cake who saved me. The bear reached its paw through the gap in the closed door. I thrust my dagger with all my might into its hand. Its claws scraped against the wood with a grinding sound as it pulled back.
“Phew, phew, huff. I almost died.”
My heart was pounding as if it would explode. My entire body was soaked with sweat as if I had just taken a bath. I really wanted to wait here for help, but I couldn’t rest yet. I whipped my exhausted muscles and managed to turn my face towards the back of the wagon.
The overturned wagon had costumes and props scattered everywhere. It was surprisingly large, probably because all the animals had to fit inside. Even so, it was cramped with four adults inside.
“Haa, well, are you injured?”
I crawled over to the guard whose arm had been bitten. His military uniform was torn to shreds, but it wasn’t completely ruined. The wound on his bitten arm showed painfully through the torn fabric. This might be worse than I thought.
“I, I can’t go on, I’m going to die.”
The guard, his face a mess of tears and snot, said so. I took out my canteen from my bag and washed the blood flowing from the wound. I tightened the belt above the wound to stop further bleeding.
“Captain, hold this belt for me.”
Of course, it was originally meant for the waist, so it had no adjustment holes. I searched the props scattered at my feet for anything I could use. Conveniently, I found a string that would be used for magic tricks. I retied it and wrapped a towel around the wound.
“Hold it yourself. If you don’t want to die, wipe your tears and look forward.”
The guard did as he was told, wiping his face with the towel wrapped around his arm.
“Uh, that person…”
“Huh? Who?”
The man who wiped his tears pointed to the back of the wagon. I hadn’t noticed because I was distracted by the bear. There, a naked female Satyr sat hugging her knees, muttering to herself, shivering.
“Are you okay?”
The moment I spoke, the woman threw a prop knife at me. The fake blade grazed my cheek and hit the door behind me.
“Calm down, we’re not enemies. Here, put this on.”
I offered my jacket, but the woman chewed her nails and muttered something.
“Go away, go away, hurry up and go away.”
Come to think of it, was this person perhaps the circus troupe leader? She must be, and she’s naked because her body suddenly grew.
“It’s me, calm down. See, I saw your show this morning.”
While speaking, I gently draped my jacket over her shoulder. But the moment my fingertips brushed her, her eyes widened, and she turned around with a ferocious expression.
“Don’t touch me!! Aaaah, don’t touch me!! Someone—help—!”
She started thrashing and shouting in the narrow wagon. This is bad; if this continues, it will agitate the bear outside. She swung her arms and grabbed the nearby guard.
“Eeeh, help, what did I even do?”
“Gye ae, what the hell, I’ll kill you!!”
I had no choice but to lunge and cover her mouth with my hands. Even when I closed my jaw, she thrashed, digging her claws into my wrist. First the bear, now a crazy woman. Where did I go wrong?
“While I hold her down, tie her up. You have that belt we just used, right? Hurry.”
The captain hesitantly reached for the belt and held it, looking confused. From behind, I held the thrashing woman in a bear hug.
“Hurry! Ow, ow, stop biting!”
What are you doing, do it already! My arms were at their limit after fighting the bear. I had no choice. I didn’t want to, but there was no more time. I moved my arm from the woman’s torso to her neck and squeezed.
“Gah, gugyi, guggu-”
The woman’s thrashing hands scratched my arm. Soon, her eyes rolled back, and foam appeared at the corners of her mouth. Her goat hooves kicked over the costume chest that had fallen on its side. She shuddered and eventually stopped moving. It felt like only ten seconds, but to me, it felt like eternity.
