“You’re saying we can’t just sit back and watch, huh?”
Jargal couldn’t hide his unease. His lord, Ai-shan Gi-or Amin, wasn’t exactly known for being calm and collected to begin with… Ever since the incident in his boyhood, whenever it came to matters involving Princess Ha-shal-leur, he completely lost his rationality.
“Jargal. Doesn’t it seem suspicious to you? That woman is being treated like a hero by the Westerners. Does that make sense to you? I thought for sure she’d be treated like a demon.”
“Isn’t it just to buy time to conquer the Great Plains? Maybe she’s avoiding unnecessary conflict to avoid suspicion…”
“Avoid conflict? Do you really think that’s possible for that ghost of a woman? With her devilish personality?”
Though he sneered mockingly, Amin’s fingertips trembled slightly.
What Amin would never admit was that his hatred was rooted in fear. The terrible pain he endured as a child, not even ten years old. The terror of that time left him with phantom pains that lingered for years, filling the hollows of his eyes.
It didn’t take long for that fear to rot into hatred. Ha-shal-leur, who caused the incident, faced no punishment and instead caught Or-han’s interest, while Amin became a laughingstock simply because he was overpowered by a hungry little girl.
Things improved slightly after he grew into a warrior, but his father, Or-han, still discriminated against him. Even when he participated in wars, he was rarely entrusted with leading the main forces, and he was seldom allowed to fight independently.
As if Or-han expected nothing from him.
At least, that’s what Amin thought. Otherwise, why would he be left behind while his long-cherished dream of conquering the Great Plains was pursued?
By now, his two half-brothers were probably building up their reputations and achievements. Only he was left behind, excluded from all glory, stuck here like a guard dog.
For Amin, it was infuriating… but now, it was actually a fortunate outcome. No one was here to stop him from doing whatever he wanted.
—
“From what I’ve heard, it’s not just about avoiding conflict. Do you know what it means to be treated like a hero? That woman, who would cut down even her own subordinates if they annoyed her, is now being protected with all the Empire’s might. So much so that the Empire’s shameless fools are praising her as a warrior sent by the gods.”
“That is indeed… strange.”
Jargal nodded. It wasn’t unusual for Amin to spew biased accusations against Ha-shal-leur, but if what he said was true, it was definitely suspicious.
Princess Ha-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur was known for her exceptionally ferocious temperament among warriors.
In her unit, one or two out of every ten casualties were executed by her orders, not by the enemy. Most were new recruits, but her methods were excessively cruel.
“Now, she’s apparently latched onto one of the Empire’s princes. I heard they’re even sharing a bed? Isn’t that a masterpiece? She must have learned well from her mother’s whoring ways.”
Amin sneered as he leaned back on his throne.
“In my opinion, that woman has definitely betrayed us. If she planned to return in three years to wage war against the Empire, why would she do something so pointless? No matter how hard she sells herself, it’ll all be for nothing when she returns. She must have no intention of coming back… She’s sharpening her claws in her mother’s country, plotting against us.”
The saying “a retreating cow catches a mouse” might apply here. Though his reasoning was filled with prejudice and assumptions, Amin’s words were surprisingly close to the truth.
It was undeniable that Ha-shal-leur had no intention of returning to the grasslands and that she harbored hostility toward Ka`har.
“Are you saying the Princess will raise her sword against Ai-shan? But why would she…”
“That woman thinks we’re her mother’s enemies. She still can’t accept that her whore of a mother died of illness.”
Though he said that, Amin himself didn’t believe Ai-mel-ra died of illness. He was half-convinced it was the work of his half-brothers and their mother.
How irritating it must have been for a Western slave to receive Or-han’s favor and still be ungrateful. If she had given birth to a son instead of a daughter, he might have surpassed his brothers to become the heir.
“…If those rumors are true, it’s definitely worth reporting to Ser Khan. If they’re true, that is.”
Jargal remained cautious. It was hard for him to believe that Amin, who had been idling away in Ordos, could have such detailed knowledge of the Empire’s situation.
Considering Amin’s personality, which Jargal had observed as his guard, it was possible he was twisting hearsay to falsely accuse the Princess. If he reported it and it turned out to be false, Amin himself would bear the responsibility.
“What, you don’t believe me, Jargal?”
“That’s not it. It’s just that, considering the distance between the Empire and Ordos, isn’t it possible the rumors have been distorted? Rumors tend to become exaggerated as they pass through many people.”
“Don’t worry, Jargal. It’s a reliable story. I’ve had my ears open to the Empire for a while now. This information came directly from my sources there.”
‘Though they’re not exactly trustworthy.’
Amin muttered to himself. While he was grateful for the useful information, he didn’t fully trust them either. They had already failed him once before.
‘Those guys couldn’t even cast a proper curse.’
Amin recalled meeting them a year ago.
—
The “sources” Amin mentioned were no ordinary people.
Shamans. A mixed group of Western and Eastern shamans.
Around this time last year, they had approached him, offering to make him the Khan of Ai-shan.
At first, Amin had drawn his sword and treated them as enemies. Associating with shamans or sorcerers was the greatest taboo for Ka`har warriors.
The only mystical phenomenon recognized by the people of the Great Plains was the strange power naturally imbued in weapons forged from the remains of spirit beasts. On the other hand, those who practiced dark sorcery had been eradicated centuries ago for their excessive malevolence.
So when these people suddenly appeared, offering to make him Khan, it was undeniably suspicious. Anyone would have refused. Being caught conspiring with shamans could lead to the execution of his entire clan.
But Amin’s way of thinking was a bit different.
‘If I don’t get caught, it’s fine, right? The power our ancestors tried so hard to eliminate—if I can make it work for me, it could be useful.’
Indeed, others wouldn’t even consider it…
It was an extraordinary idea.
Whether it should be called extraordinary or not, I’m not sure.
Amin gladly took their hands.
Up until then, it seemed like a satisfactory outcome for both sides.
The shamans “naturally” eliminated those Amin held grudges against, and in return, Amin fulfilled their strange requests.
The close relationship that had lasted for nearly half a year became somewhat neglected when Amin requested a big favor, wanting to use them seriously.
The assassination of Amin’s enemy, Princess Ha-shal-leur Ai-shan Gi-or.
To assassinate a warrior of such high caliber, a lot of preparation was needed… but Amin willingly provided everything they asked for.
It was a bit of a stretch for him, but if it meant getting rid of that annoying woman, he was willing to endure it.
When all preparations were complete, the shamans confidently guaranteed success.
They claimed the curse would be strong enough to kill not just one great warrior, but ten.
And then, they failed.
The ghostly woman, who should have been dead, returned to Or-dos unharmed.
As if sensing something, she left all her subordinates behind and fled to the Empire.
After that, Amin began to doubt their abilities.
Despite offering hundreds of lives and various artifacts, they couldn’t even kill one woman. They were far less useful than he had thought.
Amin declared he would no longer fulfill their demands until Ha-shal-leur was dead, and after that, the shamans fell silent.
– At least they have some sense of shame.
Amin thought so… but what the shamans were really thinking, only they knew.
—
They contacted him again a few days ago.
If they couldn’t eliminate her with sorcery, they suggested using other methods, bringing information about the Empire.
Ha-shal-leur’s movements, the Empire’s situation, and even what was to come.
To Amin, it seemed like quite useful information.
“…So, do you plan to send a messenger to Ser Khan soon?”
Jargal’s voice snapped Amin out of his thoughts.
Amin turned his head and smiled at Jargal.
“No, that would be too late. By the time the messenger reaches my father, and he makes a decision, that woman will already be out of reach. Who knows, she might even become the Empire’s imperial consort by then.”
Smiling coldly like a snake, Amin adjusted his eyepatch.
“If we miss this chance, it will take over four years to punish that traitorous woman. And even then, it might be impossible unless we destroy the Empire. I can’t just let her go.”
“…What method are you thinking of?”
Jargal couldn’t hide his rising anxiety.
Amin’s extreme statements were common, but this time, it didn’t seem like it would end with mere slander.
“There are about five thousand troops left in Or-dos, right? My father ordered me to guard the house, and all those of higher rank have left for the east… so their command falls to me. I’ll use them to attack the Empire.”
It was a statement that made Jargal doubt his ears.
His expression turned to one of shock.
His lord, who was always causing trouble, was about to commit an irreversible disaster.
“That’s insane! How can five thousand troops break through a barrier that even tens of thousands couldn’t…!”
Annoyed by Jargal’s rebuttal, Amin irritably scratched his temple.
“Insane? Have you forgotten who you’re speaking to, Jargal? How dare you raise your voice in front of me?”
“My apologies…! But this is too dangerous. You could even die in battle, and as your guard, I have no choice but to oppose this.”
It was a reasonable statement.
Even a legendary general couldn’t break through the barrier with five thousand troops.
And Amin was far from a legendary general—he was more of a mediocre commander. As a warrior, he was decent, but that was it.
Yet Amin smiled calmly.
“Don’t worry about that. I have no intention of crashing into the barrier and dying. A light attack followed by a retreat to target the lower part of the barrier will be enough. That alone will nullify the peace agreement. The responsibility will fall on that ghostly woman who brought the agreement.”
Indeed, if they proposed a peace agreement and then stabbed them in the back… Princess Ha-shal-leur, who remained in the Empire as a hostage, would be in serious trouble.
What punishment she would face, Jargal couldn’t say.
“Then you won’t die in battle… but what will you say to Ser Khan? If the agreement with the Empire is broken by war, the troops conquering the Great Plains will have to retreat. How will you handle the Khan’s wrath when his long-cherished goal is within reach…?”
It was a situation where an enraged Or-han might behead Amin.
Though it was hard to believe he would go that far, having decades of ambition ruined would drive anyone to madness.
“So what? I’m already half-disowned. Even if I live on, one of my brothers will inherit the Khan’s seat, and I’ll be treated like a dog until the end. I’d rather settle some grudges before I go. Besides, it’s not like I have nothing to say. The last bit of information I heard about the Empire was quite useful.”
“Useful information? What exactly did you hear…?”
Jargal muttered to himself, “Are you really going to do something this insane?”
If he said it out loud, Amin might try to kill him.
“The Empire is about to plunge into civil war. A fight between half-brothers, they say. People are the same everywhere.”
Amin shrugged with a sneer.
“Once the civil war breaks out, they won’t be able to send a proper army our way. So whether they return or continue fighting in the Great Plains, that’s for my father to decide.”
“But…”
Jargal still couldn’t hide his unease.
Too much of this plan relied on speculation, and it was far too radical and dangerous.
“Enough. I never asked for your judgment. Your role is to obey, not to judge. Understood? Prepare the warriors, Jargal. As quickly as possible.”
His tone was firm, leaving no room for refusal.
Jargal had no choice but to bow his head.
