“If you were a person I would consider turning you in to the Church. Demons cause calamity, after all. But if you are really Holo, god of the harvest, in human form, then I needn’t turn you in.”
Were she genuine, well—tales of transformed animals acting as envoys of good fortune still remained. Far from turning her in as a demon, he would happily offer her wine and bread. If not, the situation would be different.
As Lawrence spoke, Holo wrinkled her nose, and her expression grew darker and darker.
“From what I have heard, transformed animals can change to their original forms. If you are telling the truth, you should be able to do so as well, yes?”
Holo listened with the same irritated expression. At length she sighed softly and slowly extracted herself from the pile of furs.
“I have suffered many times at the hand of the Church. I’ll not be given over to them. Yet—”
She sighed again, stroking her tail as she continued. “No animal can change its form without a token. Even you humans need makeup before you can change your appearance. Likewise, I require food.”
“What kind of food?”
“Only a bit of wheat.”
That seemed more or less reasonable for a god of the harvest, Lawrence had to admit, but her next statement brought him up short.
“That, or fresh blood.”
“Fresh…blood?”
“Only a bit, though.”
Her casual tone made Lawrence feel that she couldn’t be lying; his breath caught, and he glanced at her mouth. Just a moment ago, he’d seen the fangs behind those lips bite into the meat he’d dropped.
“What, are you afraid?” said Holo at Lawrence’s trepidation as she smiled ruefully. Lawrence would’ve said “Of course not,” but Holo was clearly anticipating his reaction.
But soon the smile disappeared from her face, and she looked away from him. “If you are, then I’m even more disinclined to.”
“Why, then?” Lawrence asked, putting more strength into his voice, feeling that he was being made sport of.
“Because you will surely quake with fear. All, be they human or animal, look on my form and give way with awe, and treat me as special. I have tired of this treatment.”
“Are you saying I would be afraid of your true form?”
“If you would pretend to be strong, you might first hide your trembling hand!” Holo said, exasperated.
Lawrence looked down at his hands, but by the time he realized his mistake it was too late.
“Heh. You’re an honest sort,” said an amused Holo, but before Lawrence could offer an excuse, her expression darkened again and she continued, quick as an arrow. “However, just because you are honest does not mean I should show you my form. Was what you said before the truth?”
“Before?”
“That if I am truly a wolf, you would not give me over to the Church.”
“Mm…”
Lawrence had heard that there were some demons capable of illusions, so this was not a decision he could make lightly. Holo seemed to anticipate this and spoke again.
“Well, I have a good eye for both men and beasts. You are a man who keeps his word, I can tell.”
Lawrence was still unable to find his tongue at the mischievous Holo’s words. He certainly could go back on his word. He was understanding more and more that she was toying with him, but there was nothing he could do about it.
“I’ll show you a bit, then. A full transformation is difficult. You’ll forgive me if I only do my arm,” said Holo, reaching down into the corner of the wagon bed.
For a moment Lawrence thought that it was some sort of special pose she had to assume, but he soon realized what she was doing. She was picking a grain of wheat from the sheaf in the corner of the wagon.
“What are you doing with that?” asked Lawrence without thinking.
Before he could even finish the question, Holo popped the grain of wheat in her mouth and, closing her eyes, swallowed it like a pill.
The shell of the unhusked kernel was not edible. Lawrence frowned at the thought of the bitter taste in his mouth, but that thought soon vanished at the sight that came next.
“Uh, uughh…” Holo groaned, clutching her left arm and falling onto the pile of furs.
Lawrence was about to say something—this could not be an act—when a strange sound reached his ears.
Sh-sh-sh-sh. It was like the sound of mice running through the forest. It continued for a few moments, then ended with a muffled thud, like something treading on soft ground.
Lawrence was so surprised he could do nothing.
The next moment, Holo’s formerly slim arm had transformed into the forepaw of some huge beast and was totally unsuited to the rest of her body.
“Mm…whew. It really doesn’t look very good.”
The limb appeared to be so large that she would have trouble supporting it. She rested the giant leg on the pile of furs and shifted herself to accommodate it.
“Well? Do you believe me now?” She looked up at Lawrence.
“Uh…er…” Lawrence was unable to reply, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head as he looked and looked again at the sight before him.
The leg was magnificent and coated in dark brown fur. Given the size of the leg, the full animal would be huge, roughly as big as a horse. The paw ended in huge, scythe-like claws.
And all that grew from the girl’s slender shoulder. It would be strange to think it wasn’t an illusion.
Unable to believe it, Lawrence finally took a skin of water and doused his face with it.
“Aren’t you the doubtful one. If you still think it’s an illusion, go ahead and touch it,” teased Holo, smiling, curling the giant paw in a come-hither motion.
Lawrence found himself irritated, yet still he hesitated. Besides the sheer size of the limb, it also gave off a certain ineffable sense of danger.
It was the leg of a wolf. I’ve dealt with goods called Dragon Legs, Lawrence told himself, irritated at his cowardice. And just before his hand could touch it…
“Oh—” said Holo, seeming to remember something. Lawrence snapped his hand back.
“Wha—! What is it?”
“Mm, oh, nothing. Don’t be so surprised!” said Holo, now sounding annoyed. Adding embarrassment to his fear, Lawrence became angrier and angrier at what he felt was his failure as a man. Getting hold of himself, he reached out once again.
“So, what happened?”
“Mm,” said Holo meekly, looking up at Lawrence. “Be gentle, will you?”
Lawrence couldn’t help stopping his hand short at her suddenly endearing manner.
He looked at her, and she looked back, grinning.
“You’re rather charming, aren’t you?” she said.
Lawrence said nothing as he made sure of what his hand was feeling.