Chapter 364

Ja-han, who had escaped Ordos by stealing a warhorse, immediately headed west.

It was sheer luck that he wasn’t caught despite his battered body. At least, that’s what Ja-han thought.

During the day, he hid and tended to his wounds to recover his strength, and at night, he ran westward.

Finally, he reached the barrier.

—

What Ja-han didn’t know was that the warriors stationed in Ordos had no time to chase him.

Most of the troops had already died in a hopeless battle thanks to Amin, and Targien, who arrived with his elite cavalry, had turned the capital upside down.

“Capture them all! Kill them if they resist! By the order of Ser Khan!”

Targien had no intention of wasting time searching for Amin, who had gone into hiding.

There was a much faster and simpler method.

As soon as thousands of elite cavalry arrived in Ordos, they attacked Amin’s maternal family.

Knowing full well that surrendering would only lead to torture and death, Amin’s family fiercely resisted, but it was impossible for a single family to withstand the onslaught of the elite cavalry.

Targien’s actions, justified by his cause, were as unstoppable as his name, which meant “lightning.”

Amin’s family was literally wiped out.

All the men, except for key figures who might know Amin’s whereabouts, were killed, and the women became spoils of war for the elite cavalry.

“Ahhh! Just kill me! Kill me!”

Amin’s mother was no exception.

Even as the wife of Or-han, there was no reason to respect her once she was implicated in a crime tantamount to treason.

The prison where she was held saw hundreds of men coming and going every day.

A woman of noble status, whom it would have been a crime to even look at directly, was now being toyed with at will. For the brutal warriors, there was no greater pleasure.

“Witness the fate of those who defy the authority of Ser Khan!”

The humiliation and torture inflicted on her went beyond mere assault.

Targien selected a sturdy stallion, placed her battered body between its hind legs, and paraded her around Ordos every day.

His goal was to completely break her spirit and extract information about Amin’s location.

Once a queen who enjoyed every luxury, she now wailed like a mare, becoming a spectacle for all.

It was a tragic fall.

—

=======[ Ha-shal-leur ]=======

“……After reaching the barrier, I waited for Princess Ha-shal-leur to come.”

“…I see.”

I let out a deep sigh and pulled out a cigarette from my pocket.

I had no words.

The story was far more intense than I had imagined.

Mersin, realizing her predicament, betrayed us, and the Imperial Guard Cavalry who sided with her were annihilated.

They likely had no other choice.

Staying quietly in Ordos would have only tightened the noose around their necks, labeled as my former guards.

To survive there, they had to actively draw a line.

And Ja-han, who trusted Hersela until the end, slaughtered everyone except Mersin and came here to meet her.

Even though the Hersela he remembered was no longer reachable.

And the root cause of all this was me, who had abandoned them, thinking they were too cruel.

[ Did Mersin betray me…? Well, in a way, it’s only natural. She was a smart warrior. She could understand they were abandoned just from rumors and circumstances… ]

Hersela’s voice was somber.

Even for her, who didn’t care about the deaths of the other guards, Mersin’s betrayal seemed to be a shock.

I couldn’t find the words to comfort her.

—

I didn’t regret abandoning them.

Hersela’s guards were all cruel villains, and by my standards, they deserved to die.

So, I didn’t feel guilty about their betrayal and deaths.

Just a tiny, tiny pang of conscience.

Regardless of others, it was undeniable that I had deceived Mersin and Ja-han’s loyalty.

I had left them in Ordos, telling them to wait as if I would return someday.

What could I even say in this situation?

To Ja-han, who trusted me as his lord without doubt, yet couldn’t hide a hint of unease.

That it wasn’t Hersela’s intention? That it was all my doing, ignoring her will after taking over her body?

That you and Mersin fought a bloody battle because of a misunderstanding?

If I said that, I’d probably get stabbed.

“Phew…”

The smoke I inhaled was bitter.

“Princess Ha-shal-leur…? What is that?”

Ja-han looked at me, puzzled, as I exhaled cigarette smoke.

Ah, the eastern regions don’t have magic herbs. He’s probably never seen Hersela smoking.

“Westerners call it a magic herb. It’s a kind of indulgence, like alcohol. Smoking one clears your head when you’re troubled.”

Like in this situation, for example.

“…I understand you’re troubled by Mersin’s betrayal. But don’t dwell on it too much. In the end, it was his choice to betray you, Princess.”

“That’s not… No, I suppose you’re not entirely wrong.”

The reason he betrayed us was because I didn’t act like “Princess Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur.”

Ja-han still believes I’m his lord… but once he learns the truth, he’ll realize it too.

That, in essence, they all killed each other because of me.

Still… I should probably tell him.

I’ll need to soften the blow so he doesn’t lash out.

“…Listen carefully, Ja-han. There’s something important I need to tell you. So, don’t stand up until I’m done. Understood?”

“Yes!”

I exhaled smoke while looking at the basement ceiling.

Alright, then… how should I say this…?

First…

“…First, I need to tell you this. The person in front of you… is not the lord you’ve served, Princess Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur.”

“…What?”

Ja-han’s expression twisted strangely.

As if he couldn’t understand what I was saying.

“I’m not Ha-shal-leur. Due to some inexplicable reason, I share this body with your lord. I’m a completely different person.”

[ …Sharing? It’s more like possession. ]

Hersela cut in, sounding displeased.

Well, I can’t exactly say I forcibly possessed her. Ja-han would definitely freak out.

“What do you mean…?”

“I mean, there are two souls coexisting in this body. The original Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur and me, an unwelcome guest. Probably the work of some unknown sorcerer. Do you understand?”

I paused briefly, carefully observing Ja-han’s reaction.

How would he react to the existence of another soul occupying his lord’s body?

With the black iron bars blocking him, he couldn’t attack me, but it wouldn’t be strange if he erupted in hatred and started causing a scene.

I told him not to stand up, but… I doubt he’d obey that command once he realized I’m not his lord.

“……Ah, I see. I understand. Is that the setting this time?”

…What?

But Ja-han’s reaction was bizarre.

Instead of getting angry, he looked at me with an expression of disbelief, as if he were listening to the nonsense of a foolish younger sibling.

What’s this?

I didn’t expect this kind of reaction…

“No, it doesn’t seem like you understand at all. What do you mean by ‘setting’…?”

“You’ve done this before, haven’t you? Three years ago, when Princess Ha-shal-leur reached the level of a Paladin, you said something similar in front of me.”

[ …Huh? Wait, that was…! ]

Hersela stammered, sounding flustered.

She desperately tried to stop Ja-han from speaking further, but her voice didn’t reach him.

“So, you clearly said… ‘I am no longer the Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur of the past. I am the being who will shatter mountains, burn plains, and bring all creation to its knees. The master of demons who will make even the heavens kneel. Yes, I am the Demon Lord!’—didn’t you? Is this time about being a warrior with two souls?”

…….

What kind of nonsense did this woman spout in the past?

I was so dumbfounded that the pang of conscience and the slight tension I felt completely vanished.

‘Did you really say that…?’

[ Th-that was just a joke! I was so happy to reach the level of a Paladin at a much younger age than I expected, so I wanted to express it… ]

Really? Judging by Ja-han’s comment that you’ve done this often, it seems like it wasn’t just once or twice.

I should’ve known from the grandiose skill names you came up with. It was even worse back then.

“A sorcerer’s doing, huh? It seems more realistic than before.”

What do I do with this atmosphere? We were having a serious conversation, but look at Ja-han’s expression now.

He’s looking at me with that pitiful gaze, like ‘Here we go again.’

Instead of cigarette smoke, a deep sigh escaped my lips.