Finally, we were faced with the black centaur we had been pursuing Elana.
The dagger drawn to the side sliced through the centaur’s neck as if it were butter.
It was a moment’s work.
As red blood oozed from the torn wound, it spurted out with a *bushu* sound, and the man collapsed to the ground without a sound.
Everyone was frozen like stone statues by the shocking event. Cecilia, as if nothing had happened, jumped off her horse and wiped the blood from her sword with a cloth.
After a beat, the hunter’s scream was heard from the side, and he dragged the other fallen man away as he fled.
Sharin slowly approached the black centaur.
“…It’s completely dead.”
Piyo, who was usually boisterously energetic, was also dumbfounded, unable to grasp the situation. For the time being, it seemed we would no longer be chased.
Then, a dull clanging sound was heard next to me. Turning my head, I saw Philiana drop her sword and tremble her hands close to her face.
Her face quickly turned pale, and she then collapsed to her knees and sat down on the spot.
“Are you alright? Hold on.”
Nina and I rushed to support her from the side.
“Ah, excuse me, I…”
It must have been the shock of seeing her own kind meet such a tragic end right before her eyes. She was breathing shallowly and irregularly.
Cecilia then approached her and gave her a cold stare.
“You’ve never killed anyone before? Don’t tell me it’s because they’re the same race? That knight-like attire of yours is just a costume, isn’t it?”
With that, she spat and walked away again. Lauren followed, muttering something to herself.
“Hmph, for someone so full of bravado, you weren’t all that great.”
I handed the water I had to Philiana.
“Are you alright? Can you stand?”
Elden gently approached. He suggested that we leave this place for the time being.
I draped the towel I had over the black centaur’s face and left the scene.
After a while, we emerged from the forest and arrived at an open grassland.
“Do you see that village over there? The place you’re heading to is still a little further away. It would be best to go to that village and rest for today.”
In the distance, beyond the grassland, several small houses could be seen.
We thanked him and began walking towards the village.
