[Felicia's POV]
I was a scout here, my job was to gather intel. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned.
Their scout was also a Beastfolk, from the Gray Wolf clan. We were of equal rank, but luck wasn't on my side.
A sudden shift in the wind carried my scent straight to him before I could reposition.
The wolf was skilled. He immediately gave chase, and there was no way to shake him.
To make matters worse, he had reinforcements on standby. I couldn't decipher the coded signals he used, but he was clearly communicating with his allies.
My mission wasn't to engage the enemy, but I had no choice. They were determined to cut off my escape, and if this kept up, I'd be surrounded.
I let him close the distance until I was in his sight. Then, the moment his view was blocked by a tree trunk, I abruptly changed direction.
From his blind spot, I hurled a knife at the wolf. The blade shot through the air with a sharp whistle. That throwing technique was loud, but that was the point, and the plan was working.
The sound of the blade alerted him just in time. He drew a saber with impressive speed, deflecting my knife's trajectory, but it cost him.
For a split second, his focus shifted to the weapon aimed at him. That moment of distraction was all I needed to use Shadow Step and take him by surprise.
I slipped into the shadow of a tree and reappeared in the enemy's own shadow, meters from where I'd stood.
By the time the wolf realized what was happening, my blade had already slit his throat. He died instantly, with no chance to warn his comrades.
Still, I had no time to spare. His allies were still signaling. When he didn't respond, they'd come running.
I couldn't waste time searching his body for intel. Professional bandits like these always enchanted their gear to prevent leaks, and I lacked the time to disarm those spells.
But one crucial clue was within reach: a pendant dangling from a stud in the wolf's ear. It told me everything about his origins.
I tore the ear free and fled before his allies arrived.
***
[Leona's POV]
"Our arrays confirm your report, Miss Leona. We're indeed being surrounded."
Why did these bastards refuse to trust our senses? They could've acted half an hour ago if they'd just listened.
"I'm sending scouts immediately," the guard captain added.
"My scout is already returning. She'll bring the intel we need. But by all means, send your men too, it can't hurt."
I caught Felicia's scent approaching at high speed, the metallic tang of blood clinging to her. What had happened?
I'd know soon enough.
"Commander Leona." There she was, faster than I'd expected. Something serious must've forced her back so quickly.
"What's our status, Felicia?" We had no time to waste.
"Critical, Commander. They outnumber us at least four to one," Felicia panted. "Most are Mid-Bronze, with a few Peak-Bronze exceptions… and two Silver Ranks."
Their numbers were greater, but we had five times as many Silvers. I saw the guard captain's face relax, until it didn't.
"The problem is, I don't think this is their main force." The captain's expression tightened again.
"Why do you say that, Felicia?" I trusted her instincts completely. The others? Not so much.
People distort reality to suit their comfort. Without concrete proof, they'd cling to whatever fantasy spared them fear.
"This." Felicia handed me a severed ear, but the ear wasn't important.
The pendant was fastened to it by an earring was. Irrefutable proof our enemy was far deadlier than we'd imagined.
"RedTails," the guard captain gasped, horrified.
The RedTails were mercenaries, splintered from Beastfolk separatist movements.
None of our people would dare wear their pendant unless they were one. And you never saw a RedTail alone. If Felicia had found one, there were many more.
"Did you see others?" I asked.
"I didn't get close, but I'd bet at least one Silver and most Peak-Bronzes are RedTails too. All Beastfolk."
So this was likely an advanced RedTail team backed by common bandits.
"If RedTails are involved, this attack was commissioned," the captain muttered.
He was probably right. Local bandits lacked the resources to hire RedTails. This had to be the work of a kingdom noble.
But why would a noble target a merchant caravan?
Answering that wasn't my job. My duty was to protect Matthew, Lilian, and the company's cargo.
"Captain, our work here is done. We're returning to our employers." I signaled Felicia to move out.
"Of course. Thank you for the warning. I'll send a messenger with our defense plan shortly."
I nodded and left. With how sluggishly these fools moved, that "plan" wouldn't be ready before the attack.
***
[Matthew's POV]
"Aren't you curious why we've stopped, Mr. Matthew?" Rose asked.
Huh? We'd stopped?
I'd been so absorbed in kneading pizza dough, I hadn't noticed the caravan halting.
"Right. Let's see what's going on."
I tossed aside my apron, threw on my tunic, and climbed to the driver's cabin where Tomas and Lilian were.
Outside, the tension was palpable. Every face screamed that something dire was about to happen.
"Mr. Matthew, you should stay inside the carriage. It's not safe out here," Luna warned.
Her words kicked my nerves into overdrive.
"Do you know what's happening?"
"We're being surrounded. Probably bandits planning an attack."
Matthew had spent his entire life sheltered behind Astar's walls. As the property of the city's most powerful Cortesan, he'd never faced threats there either.
In my past life, I'd been an ordinary working-class guy, always in safe cities. This was the first time real danger had ever touched me.
The caravan had over 200 people, mostly hired soldiers and adventurers, protecting our cargo. If the enemy could surround and halt us, their numbers had to match or exceed ours. Anything else wouldn't make sense.
I was about to witness a large-scale battle. By this world's standards, it might've been mundane, but to me? It was unimaginable.
Warriors with superhuman strength. Mages bending reality. All slaughtering each other before my eyes.
You'd think, as a fantasy fan, I'd be thrilled. But my body disagreed.
My legs shook so violently I had to clamp them together to keep my knees from knocking. Every instinct screamed to steal a horse and flee.
But panic wasn't an option. I just had to convince my body of that.
"Tomas, get the carriage off the road. We're too bulky to escape via the road if needed. Position us to flee into the fields instead."
I didn't know where the authority in my voice came from, but my hands still trembled.
"Rose, return to your horse. Prep the spare mounts too, in case we abandon the carriage. Luna, assist her."
"Lilian, with me. Once Tomas repositions us, you'll help me activate the barrier."
Somehow, the survival instinct drowned out the fear.