Chapter 362

I had decided to tell Ja-han the truth, but I wasn’t sure if now was the right time to do so.

From his perspective, it would be a hard-to-believe story, and even if he did believe it, the shock would likely be immense.

In the worst-case scenario, he might misunderstand me as the enemy who stole his master’s body and turn hostile.

To prepare for that possibility, I thought…

‘First, I’ll listen to Ja-han’s story, then explain our situation. That should be fine, right?’

[Do as you please. When it comes to talking, you’re better than me anyway.]

Good. Since I’ve already gotten Hersela’s permission, I’ll postpone the truth confession for later.

While he still sees me as his master, I need to gather as much information about the east as possible.

“Alright. If your apology is over, now explain in detail. What happened in Ordos that made you defy my order to wait and come all the way here to report to me?”

I sat down on what seemed to be a wooden chair meant for prisoners and urged Ja-han to speak.

“…Before that, if I may, can I ask you one thing?”

“Permission granted. Speak.”

Ja-han, hearing my answer, looked straight at me, locking eyes.

His pitch-black eyes held a faint trace of suspicion. His expression had already hardened.

**“Princess Ha-shal-leur, why did you abandon us?”**

…It was a question I had no answer to.

For a moment, I was completely speechless.

The emotions packed into that one sentence were far deeper and more desperate than I had anticipated.

Why did I abandon them?

The question, devoid of even a hint of resentment, was filled with nothing but confusion.

“Abandoned, you say… Is that how you see it?”

I took a deep breath. No words came to mind.

After all, it was an undeniable fact that I had abandoned them.

‘Hey, what am I supposed to say to this?’

[…Why are you asking me? Isn’t this all your doing? Use that silver tongue of yours and come up with some excuse.]

It’s not my problem, it’s your subordinate’s issue…!

Honestly, you’re no help outside of combat.

Making excuses now would only backfire when I reveal the truth later… Maybe dodging the question is the best option for now?

Let’s go with that.

“…I didn’t abandon you. If I had, I wouldn’t have come all the way here to find you, would I? If you’re talking about my defection to the Empire and turning against the White Flag Troops… there were circumstances. I’ll explain in detail later.”

“……Understood.”

Ja-han’s expression showed he was far from convinced, but I had no intention of saying more for now.

After all, the order of a conversation is crucial.

“So, did you come all this way just to ask me that? To interrogate me about why I left you in Ordos?”

“…No. I’ll tell you everything. What’s been happening in the homeland.”

Ja-han, bowing his head slightly again, began his long story.

The story I most wanted to hear.

======[ Ordos ]======

After Ha-shal-leur left for the Empire, the capital of Ai-shan, Ordos, was enveloped in peace and quiet.

Serfs toiled in the fields until they collapsed and became fertilizer, while sick slaves were thrown into the fields to serve as hunting prey for the warriors’ amusement.

Days passed without anything particularly noteworthy.

Warriors who hadn’t joined the expedition spent their idyllic days shooting arrows at the backs of fleeing slaves or tormenting female slaves.

The warriors of Ha-shal-leur’s Imperial Guard, the 4th Imperial Guard Cavalry, also lived such days.

While Ja-han and Mersin kept to themselves, the hot-blooded squad leaders and their subordinates weren’t the type to stay cooped up indoors.

“Those guys seem to be having it easy. Meanwhile, we’re stuck here, enduring this stifling boredom.”

“What do mere warriors know? Prince Amin wouldn’t bother with them either, so it’s fine.”

Mersin, forcing an awkward smile, comforted the grumbling Ja-han as he sipped his drink.

Unlike the other warriors who could be easily replaced, the two of them were the core of the 4th Imperial Guard Cavalry, so they couldn’t afford to go outside.

If trouble arose, it would be hard to deal with.

Mersin believed that in such a case, the two of them would likely bear the brunt of the blame and be punished.

Amin wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip by.

Since Ser Khan Or-han had led a large army on an expedition to the eastern plains, the temporary ruler of Ordos was the third prince, Amin.

He hated Ha-shal-leur as much as he despised her Imperial Guard.

Especially Ja-han, who had long served Ha-shal-leur, was someone he loathed to the point of wanting to eliminate at the first opportunity.

However, even Amin couldn’t just dispose of the Imperial Guard that Or-han had personally bestowed upon his children without a proper reason.

Thus, Amin had no choice but to leave them be.

He only prohibited gatherings of more than six warriors without permission.

‘But if Ja-han and I go outside… he’ll find some excuse to target us.’

That was precisely why the two of them were quietly holed up, drinking away their days.

—-

The situation changed a little over two months later.

Rumors began to spread that Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur had protected the Empire’s capital and, as a new master, had defected to the Empire.

Most who heard it dismissed it as nonsense.

It was only natural not to believe it.

Ai-shan Gi-or’s Blood Wolf, Ha-shal-leur, had reached the level of a Paladin three years ago.

To say she had now become a master was absurd from the Ka`har’s perspective.

The idea of her defecting was even more ridiculous.

Their Ser Khan, Or-han, was already a figure of immense cruelty. For a woman even more brutal than him to defect to the Empire? It made no sense.

Unless the entire Empire had gone mad.

Thus, the rumor didn’t spread widely.

Even Mersin, who happened to hear the rumor, dismissed it as nonsense.

Or rather, he assumed it was a distorted version of the truth.

He thought their master had deceived the Empire into trusting her, making it seem as though she had defected.

But…

Not long after, undeniable evidence was thrust before their eyes.

Amin had attacked the Empire, waving Or-han’s orders.

Mersin was certain the orders were forged, but his objections were dismissed outright.

And so, Amin and the White Flag Troops marched toward the barrier.

Ja-han and Mersin were furious, but they chose to wait quietly.

They were worried about Ha-shal-leur, who had been sent as a hostage to the Empire… but they believed she would take advantage of the chaos to escape and return to the east.

But that belief was betrayed.

Amin’s forces returned in tatters.

Of the five thousand White Flag Troops, only about sixty survived. It was a defeat of legendary proportions, unprecedented in Ka`har history.

The culprits of the defeat were two people.

The incompetent commander Amin, who had squandered the entire army, and the woman who had slaughtered hundreds of warriors and even killed the Paladin Havar—Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur.

The survivors’ testimonies were consistent.

A blue-eyed female warrior, cloaked in bloody martial energy, had killed Havar and used fire arts to burn the White Flag Troops.

No one in Ai-shan was unaware of who that woman was.

The Blood Wolf, Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur, had chosen to tear her own people apart on the Empire’s frontlines instead of returning to the east.

The rumors of her betrayal, once dismissed as nonsense, had been proven true.

Everyone who heard the details of the defeat was shocked.

Naturally, the most shocked were her Imperial Guard.

And then.

—-

“What is the meaning of this!”

The angry roar of a warrior shook the night sky.

In a corner of Ordos, at Ja-han’s residence, over a hundred warriors had gathered, surrounding one man.

Ja-han, his expression a mix of anger and confusion, glared at the warriors encircling him, gripping his Crescent Moon Blade tightly.

Countless Dao blades, spears, and chains were pointed at him, closing in.

“What do you mean, ‘what is this’? Can’t you see, General Ja-han?”

“How dare you…!”

Ja-han bared his teeth, venting his rage. Perhaps it was the betrayal, but his blood felt like it was boiling.

Every single one of the warriors surrounding him was a familiar face.

The 4th Imperial Guard Cavalry.

Ha-shal-leur’s unit, his own subordinates, were now pointing their spears at him!

“You’ve betrayed me, Mersin, and our Princess. All of you! Who put you up to this? It can’t be Amin. Is it Targien? Or Sahalyan?”

Targien, the eldest son of Ser Khan, and Sahalyan, the second son.

With Amin’s fall, the only ones who would target Ja-han were those two.

“Betrayal? We’re simply following our superior’s orders. The one who betrayed us is that woman. Why should we remain loyal to a traitor of Ai-shan?”

“Superior? Don’t talk nonsense. With Ser Khan away, your superiors are me, Mersin, and the Princess!”

The Imperial Guard members surrounding Ja-han burst into mocking laughter.

As if he still didn’t understand the situation.

“That’s right. Our superiors are those three—no, excluding the traitor, now it’s just two. If you, General Ja-han, insist on following the traitor, then it’ll be just one. So, we’re following our superior’s orders now.”

“What nonsense…!”

Ja-han, enraged, tried to charge forward, but—

**“They’re right, Ja-han.”**

A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

“They’re just following their superior’s orders to apprehend a potential threat. My orders, as General Mersin. Do you understand?”

The middle-aged warrior, his cheeks hollow, twisted into a smile.