Ch.362Eastern Affairs (1)

I had decided to tell Jahan the truth, but I wasn’t sure if now was the right time.

From his perspective, it would be an unbelievable story, and even if he believed it, the shock would likely be considerable.

In the worst case, he might misunderstand and consider me an enemy who had stolen his lord’s body.

In preparation for that possibility, for now…

‘I’d like to hear Jahan’s story first before explaining our situation. Would that be alright?’

[Do as you please. You’re better with words than I am, aren’t you?]

Good. With Hersella’s permission, I’ll postpone revealing the truth.

While he still considers me his lord, I should gather as much information about the east as possible.

“Very well. If your apology is finished, tell me in detail. What happened in Ordos that made you disobey my order to wait and come all this way to find me?”

I urged Jahan as I sat down on what appeared to be a wooden chair meant for guards.

“…Before that, if I may be so bold, could I ask you one question?”

“I permit it. Speak.”

After hearing my answer, Jahan looked straight at me, meeting my gaze.

His pitch-black eyes were tinged with faint doubt. His expression had hardened.

“Lord Haschal, why did you abandon us?”

…It was a question I had no answer for.

—-

For a moment, I was completely speechless.

The emotion contained in that single sentence was far deeper and more heartfelt than I had expected.

Why did I abandon them?

The question contained no trace of resentment, only doubt.

“Abandon, you say… Is that what you thought?”

I took a deep breath. I couldn’t think of what to say next.

It was clear to anyone that I had abandoned them.

‘Hey, how am I supposed to answer this?’

[…Why are you asking me? This is entirely your karma. Try using that glib tongue of yours to make some excuse.]

Don’t act like this isn’t your problem… these are your subordinates after all!

You’re never helpful except in battle.

Making excuses would only backfire considering the truth I’d have to reveal soon… perhaps evading the question is the best option for now?

Let’s go with that.

“…I did not abandon you. If I had, I wouldn’t have bothered coming all the way here, would I? If you’re referring to my defection to the Empire and hostility toward the White Banner, there were circumstances that necessitated those actions. I will explain in detail later.”

“…Yes.”

Jahan’s expression showed he wasn’t convinced at all, but I had no intention of saying more at this point.

In conversation, order is important.

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

“…No. I will tell you everything. What has happened in our homeland during this time.”

Jahan slightly bowed his head again and began a long story.

The story I most wanted to hear.

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

After Haschal left for the Empire, the Aishan capital of Ordos was immersed in peace and quiet daily life.

Serfs worked the fields until they collapsed and became fertilizer, and sick slaves were thrown into the fields to become hunting game for the warriors’ entertainment.

Days passed without anything particularly special.

Warriors who didn’t join the expedition spent their days shooting arrows at the backs of fleeing slaves or abusing female slaves, enjoying their pastoral days.

The warriors of Haschal’s personal guard, the 4th Guard Cavalry Division, also spent their days similarly.

While Jahan and Mersin kept to themselves quietly, the spirited ten-man squad leaders and their subordinate warriors weren’t the type to stay cooped up indoors.

“Those fellows seem to have it easy. Meanwhile, we’re enduring this frustration by keeping quiet.”

“What would mere warriors know? I doubt Third Prince Amin would bother with them anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

Mersin smiled awkwardly as he tilted his cup, comforting the grumbling Jahan.

Unlike other warriors who could be easily replaced, the two of them were the core of the 4th Guard Cavalry Division, so they avoided going outside altogether.

It would be troublesome if they got into unnecessary conflicts.

In Mersin’s opinion, if that happened, the two of them would likely be blamed for everything and punished.

Amin wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.

With Ser Khan Orhan leading a large army on an expedition to the eastern plains, it was the Third Prince Amin who was temporarily governing Ordos.

He disliked Haschal’s personal guard as much as he hated her.

Especially Jahan, who had been serving Haschal for a long time. He hated him so much that he wanted to eliminate him if given the chance.

However, even for Amin, it was impossible to dispose of a personal guard directly bestowed by Orhan to his children without proper justification.

Therefore, Amin had no choice but to leave them alone.

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

‘But if Jahan and I were to go outside… he would find some forced justification to harm us.’

That was precisely why the two men stayed quietly indoors, just drinking alcohol.

—-

The situation changed a little over two months later.

Rumors secretly spread that Aishan-Gioro Haschal was protecting the imperial capital and had naturalized to the Empire as a new Master.

Most who heard it dismissed it as a false rumor.

It was natural not to believe it.

Aishan-Gioro’s Blood Wolf, Haschal, had reached the level of Champion three years ago.

For her to now “become a Master” seemed absurd from the Ka’har perspective.

The naturalization was even more ridiculous.

A woman more cruel than even their Ser Khan, Orhan. A murderer among murderers defecting to the Empire? How could that make any sense?

Not unless the imperial people had all gone mad.

Therefore, the rumor didn’t spread widely.

Mersin, who happened to hear the story, also considered it a false rumor.

More precisely, he assumed the rumor had been distorted.

He thought their lord had merely deceived the enemy to gain false trust, which was misinterpreted as defection to the Empire.

However…

Soon after, undeniable evidence was thrust before their eyes.

Amin attacked the Empire, wielding Orhan’s written orders.

Mersin was convinced the orders were forged, but his lone objection would only be ignored.

Thus, Amin and the White Banner marched toward the wall.

Though Jahan and Mersin were furious, they chose to wait quietly for now.

They were concerned for Haschal’s safety, who had been sent to the Empire as a hostage… but they believed she could escape the Empire and return to the east amid the confusion.

And that belief was betrayed.

Amin’s legion returned in tatters.

Of the five thousand White Banner members, only about sixty were able to return. It was a legendary level of defeat unprecedented in Ka’har history.

The culprits of this devastating defeat were two people.

The commander Amin, whose incompetence reached the heavens and lost all his troops, and the woman who slaughtered hundreds of warriors and even killed the Champion Havar, Aishan-Gioro Haschal.

The testimonies of the survivors were consistent.

A blue-eyed female warrior, wrapped in bloody karma, moved like a ghost, killed Havar, and used fire sorcery to burn the White Banner warriors.

There was no one in Aishan who didn’t know the identity of that woman.

The Blood Wolf, Aishan-Gioro Haschal, chose to tear apart her compatriots at the Empire’s frontline instead of returning to the east.

It was the moment when her betrayal, previously just a false rumor, was proven true.

Everyone who heard the details of the defeat was shocked.

Naturally, those most shocked were her personal guard.

And then.

—-

“What is the meaning of this!”

The angry roar of a warrior shook the night sky.

In Jahan’s quarters, located in a corner of Ordos, over a hundred warriors had gathered to surround one man.

Jahan gripped his crescent blade tightly, glaring at the warriors surrounding him with an expression mixing anger and bewilderment.

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

“What do you mean? Isn’t it obvious, Centurion Jahan?”

“How dare you…!”

Jahan bared his teeth in rage. Was it the sense of betrayal? His blood seemed to boil.

All those surrounding him had familiar faces.

The 4th Guard Cavalry Division.

Haschal’s unit and his subordinates were now pointing spears at their superior officer!

“To betray me, Mersin, and the Princess! All of you! Whose instigation is this? It can’t be Amin’s doing. Is it Targiyan, or is it Sahakal?”

Ser Khan’s eldest son Targiyan, and second son Sahakal.

With Amin’s downfall, only those two would target Jahan.

“Betrayal? We are merely following our superior’s orders. It’s not us who betrayed, but that woman. Why should we remain loyal to a woman who has become a traitor to Aishan?”

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

The guards surrounding Jahan burst into mockery.

As if he still didn’t understand the situation.

“That’s right. Our superiors are those three—no, excluding the traitor, now only two. If you, Centurion Jahan, choose to follow the traitor to the end, even that will be reduced to one. So, we are indeed following our superior’s orders.”

“What nonsense…!”

Just as the enraged Jahan was about to charge forward.

“They’re right, Jahan.”

A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

“They are now following their superior’s orders to apprehend a potential threat. That is, my orders as Centurion Mersin. Do you understand?”

A middle-aged warrior smiled, twisting his sunken cheeks.