"What are you doing!? Kill those monsters!" I hurriedly ordered my guards.
Blocking the path of my small caravan, is a pack of hungry wolves. They number in more than a dozen, so they completely outnumber my party of four guards. Even I know their battle would be tough, but in my panic, I couldn't help but scream and bark at them.
"Y-Yes, sir!" the head of my guards hesitantly answered.
Because the path from my last visited town to the capital was short and relatively safe, I did not think to hire adventurers to better secure my journey. Now I regret that decision. I would certainly not meet bandits on a close path to the capital, but with the recent rampant spawning of monsters in Rusceah, I should have expected an encounter.
"Eep!" I pitifully screamed.
Before I knew it, only one of my guards remains standing. The other three were on death's door, bloody as they lay on the ground. They're completely overwhelmed by the enemy.
"Y-You lot, grab something and fight too!" having no other choice, I ordered my hired men to fight as well.
"B-But master! You know we can't fight!"
"A-At least grab a stick or something! I won't die here!"
My workers and servants went out of their wagons and prepared to fight. They know they can't run, as we're already surrounded. The wolves were only now waiting for the last man who knows how to fight fall, before they bare their sharp fangs at us as well.
I-I need to get out of here!
I've decided, while the wolves get distracted by my men, I would escape with my one wagon in front.
Planning to immediately enact my plan, I tightly held on the horses' reins.
"What a mess..."
A female voice suddenly resounded out of nowhere, and the wolves who came to maul my last guard were all struck down at the same time.
"H-Huh!? What!?" I dumbly screamed.
"We've come to help," said the woman who leaped in front of my remaining guard.
The woman was someone who I can only describe as a noble beauty. I thought she was a female Noble Knight at first, but upon closer inspection, she was actually an elf. The pointy ears protruding from her short blonde hair was the undeniable evidence of that.
"I'll take care of the rest," said another woman who also leaped from out of nowhere.
Just like she said, in a blink of an eye, she cut down all the wolves who were just about to make food of us. The wolves were not able to put up a resistance. Their fear and confusion linger up until their swift deaths.
She herself was a beauty like the elf woman. However, their similarities stop with their short hairs. While they were both beauties, she induces an air of sharpness and coolness, which was entirely different from the warmness of the other.
In a time that didn't even last ten seconds, they have cleared all of the enemies.
Quiet settled in for a moment, before I decided to break it.
"W-Who are you!?" I hurriedly asked.
They just saved my caravan and my life, and yet I'm asking for something so trivial. I should be thanking them, but I couldn't help but want to know their names. It's simply my instincts as a man to want to know more of the incredible specimen of women in front of me.
"Ah. After that display, of course you'd be scared. We're adventurers. I'm Eria."
"I'm Lucy."
The two women briefly introduce themselves.
"We're on our way back to the city when we heard screaming. We've fortunately made it in time," the elf woman, Eria, sighed in relief and then sheathed her sword. "Let's save the talk for later. I'll heal your wounded," she raised up her hand and said.
"Y-You can do that?" my heart still beating fast in my panic, I couldn't stop my stutter.
"Yes, and it's done, so please prepare some clothes for them. They also might remain unconscious for a while, so please free up some space in your back wagon."
I can only remain dumbstruck as I witness my fallen guards' torn flesh return to their previous state. The blood remains on their torned clothes, but their injuries were perfectly healed. I was certain they were beyond saving, and yet they will apparently live still.
"Okay! We'll carry them to the back," my only remaining conscious guard said.
The others nodded at his words, and they began to carry the three defeated guards to the back wagon.
"We'll escort you to the city. You don't need to pay us. That's our destination as well anyway," Eria said. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.
"Of course! My name's Bo! I'm a merchant, and my base is Rusceah."
The capital has since been my base of operation when my business took off, and I'm only now coming back from a trip.
Eria's brow twitched a little when she heard my name. Perhaps she recognized me? I am an upcoming and popular merchant after all.
"Although it's a short distance, I implore you to escort my caravan to the city. There's no need for you to be so modest, I'll pay for your work. I'll also pay you back for saving our lives!" I excitedly said.
I'm usually unkind to strangers, but I feel the need to impress on Eria and her companion.
"You really don't need to..." Eria awkwardly said.
But I continue to insist until she finally relent.