Apostle of the Gods

34 – Whereabouts of the Sheep

Rosetta’s footsteps were slow but there was no hesitation.

The footprints of the demon bear had almost disappeared but, Rosetta seemed to be convinced.

It may be the benefit of her ability and skill from having received the love of the Hunting God.

「Nn? Everyone, take a look at this. Wolf, it is the footprint of a demon wolf」

「…I really can’t tell them apart」 ,I said.

「I also cannot tell them apart」

And, Arti was silently peeping.

It is at the level where only if you examined carefully, you just might pick up the slight dent on the ground.

「It may be difficult to understand for people who are not hunters, but this is the footprints of a demon wolf」

「In other words, did the demon wolf snatch the sheep from the demon bear?」

「Maybe, if it was a pack of demon wolves then they could contend with the demon bear」

Rosetta now tracked the footprint of the demon wolf.

After following the trail for a while, Rosetta stopped.

「Strange, the footprints of the sheep do not disappear」

「Hmm? Tell me more」

「The sheep which were separated from the shepherd should have fled the bear」

It is easier to hunt the ten sheep which were separated than the forty sheep protected by the shepherd and the sheepdog.

That is why the demon bear chased after the ten sheep.

After that, on the way, the demon bear and the pack of demon wolves fought and the demon wolves won.

Then this time, the demon wolves would attack the sheep.

「From the perspective of the demon wolf pack, sheep without a guardian would be an easy hunt」
I’m not familiar with sheep, but I do have sort of an experience in facing a demon wolf.
It’s a very quick and powerful monster. As Rosetta said, the flock of sheep would not have survived.

「The footprint of the sheep being chased by the wolves is as expected so far」 Rosetta said.
「Does that mean that the ten sheep are fleeing in unison?」 I asked.
「Yes, that’s it… Wait a minute. It might’ve been a different scenario」
「Nn?」
「…there are eleven」
「Aren’t you counting it wrong?」
「I checked it over and over. It’s not a mistake」

The possibility of the number of sheep increasing while being chased by demon wolves is impossible.
It is more realistic to think that the shepherd has miscounted, rather than think the sheep multiplied.
However, it is difficult to think that an expert shepherd would mistake the count.

As we walked further, we came upon a big cave. The entrance was even larger than the demon bear’s nest.

「It seems like the sheep footprint are continuing into the cave」
「What about the footprint of the demon wolves?」
「They were trying to hunt the sheep, but it looks like it didn’t go well」

It was difficult to grasp what had happened.
Rosetta seemed to be on the same boat as well. She was obviously bewildered.

「Nn–? Rosetta, so the sheep escaped into the cave without being eaten by the wolves?」
「That’s right, Tina. It might be hard to believe but everything points to that fact」
「I believe in you, Rosetta. That’s what friends do!」
「I believe you too」 Arti said.
「Tina, Arti, thank you!」

Rosetta looked very happy as everyone stated their trust in her.

「I will go ahead and investigate the entrance of the cave. I wonder if the sheep are truly in there」
「Ah, be careful」

Rosetta carefully approached the cave; when the distance to the cave was a bit less than one meter, a white figure jumped out.

「Uwa」
Rosetta quickly jumped back to take cover but the white figure was faster.
Rosetta was blown away about three meters.

「That hurts」
She seemed to have taken a proper stance to brace for impact, so she wasn’t seriously hurt.

「Me~ee~eee~eee!」
The white figure cried out loudly in front of the fallen Rosetta.
I somehow knew that it means 「Don’t get close to this place!」

「Is that a sheep?」
「No, it’s a goat」

Its body height was around 0.5 meters. The horns on the forehead were also small and it had the appearance of a baby goat.
However, its movement was unusual.
Even though Rosetta’s movement was substantial it easily head-butted her.
It’s obvious that this was not a simple baby goat.

「What I did was, I mistook the footprint of a goat for a sheep…」
Rosetta seemed to be in shock.
However, both sheep and goats have two hoof prints. At the level that I am, I wouldn’t be able to tell them apart even if I examined closely.

「You can’t help but mistake the footprints that were beginning to fade away. Sheep and goats have similar footprints after all」 I said.
「I wouldn’t be able to notice the difference, no matter how many times I look at them」
As Tina said so, Arti silently nodded.

I asked the baby goat.
「…Were you the one who protected the sheep from the demon wolves?」
「Mee」
The baby goat seems to be saying 「yes」.

「I have never heard of such a case」

Rosetta was puzzled.
I gently spoke out to the baby goat.

「We came from the village where the sheep lived, as we accepted the request to exterminate the bear and wolves」
「Mee?」
The goat seemed to be asking「So, you aren’t an enemy?」

「No, we are not enemies. We defeated the bear, if the sheep are all alive, then I want to return them back to the village」
「Mee」

He seems to have understood our intentions. The baby goat went into the back of the cave.
And, he came back with ten sheep.

「Waa, all ten of them are still alive」

Rosetta was deeply moved.
We were able to safely recover the valuable property of the poor village that was supposed to be lost.
Surely, the villagers would be happy.

「It would be hard to fight while protecting the sheep, so I want to return the sheep back to the village before we move on to the wolf extermination」
「I think Rosetta’s strategy is a sound one!」
Tina agreed with Rosetta while happily petting the sheep.
Arti also nodded in agreement while petting the sheep.

On the other hand, the baby goat pushed his forehead lightly on my toes.
He seemed to be in high spirits, as the tail is shaking with tremendous force.
And so, I pet the baby goat.

「Are you perhaps a god-beast?」
「Mee?」

I felt like the baby goat is asking「What is that?」
It was similar to being able to understand RunRun and Fluffy, just from listening to its cries.
It is likely to be a god-beast too. I met a god-beast in an unexpected way.