Ch.37Tribe (1)

“Huff… huff…”

Temujin chased after the mysterious woman, running all the way to a corner.

Though he didn’t understand why he was doing this, he strongly desired to see that woman once more.

“She definitely went this way…”

“Do you have business with me?”

“Oh…”

Temujin couldn’t say a word at the mysterious woman’s question.

This was because the distance between them was too close.

Clear eyebrows and an oval face.

Despite her young age, she had a mature and intellectual air about her, revealing a beauty that was beyond words.

Faced with this breathtaking beauty, an emotion Temujin had never felt before began to surge within him.

Finding himself before this mysterious woman, Temujin could only respond in a more nervous state than usual.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

“I thought you might be a strange person, but I see that’s not the case.”

At the calm woman’s words, Temujin came to his senses and waved his hands frantically to actively convey that he was harmless.

From Temujin’s perspective, the damage was already done, but he didn’t want to leave a bad impression on her.

“I’m… I’m not a strange person. I was just passing by…”

“I clearly heard you say ‘this way’ just now. Was I mistaken?”

“Umm…”

Temujin couldn’t say anything in response to the mysterious woman’s words.

While he was thinking, the woman examined his face and carefully spoke.

“By any chance… are you connected to Ulanbaatar Khagan?”

When his father’s name came up, Temujin was about to nod immediately.

The reputation of Ulanbaatar, the Khagan of the steppe, would quickly clear up the current misunderstanding.

Just as he was about to answer to clear up the misunderstanding, the woman spoke first.

“If so, please forgive my rudeness.”

Unlike her previous confident and intellectual demeanor, the woman now acted like a completely different person.

Seeing this, Temujin immediately stopped himself from using his father’s reputation.

What Temujin wanted was to see the woman as she had been moments ago—confident, wise, proud, and seemingly unbreakable.

But noticing that even she had to hide her true self in the face of power, Temujin decided to lie about himself.

“N-no. I’m just a warrior from a neighboring tribe who came to celebrate Olkunud Khan’s coronation.”

“I see.”

As the mysterious woman smiled with a sigh of relief, Temujin also inwardly sighed in relief.

If he had revealed himself as the Khagan’s son, she wouldn’t have shown such a smile.

“My name is Borte.”

“Could it be… Dei-Sechen Khan’s…”

“That’s right. My father is the Khan of the Onggirat tribe. How did you know?”

At Borte’s question as she tilted her head, Temujin could only fumble with his hands in embarrassment.

This was because Temujin had originally been scheduled to marry Dei-Sechen Khan’s daughter.

While on his way to the Onggirat tribe to become their son-in-law, Yesugei was suddenly poisoned. Because of this, Temujin had to return home after only meeting his father-in-law, without seeing his bride-to-be.

But by some trick of fate, he had now met the woman who was almost his wife.

With such coincidences piling up, Temujin felt that meeting Borte here was like a destiny ordained by heaven.

The phrase “match made in heaven” came to mind, causing him to blush.

When Temujin suddenly blushed, Borte tilted her head.

Finding his reaction quite amusing, she smiled and spoke to him.

“It may be presumptuous to say this to a warrior of the steppe, but you’re really cute.”

“Ah… um… that…”

“Hehe. May I know the name of this cute warrior?”

“Um… I’m… Temu… no, Temurge.”

“Temurge…”

Upon hearing Temujin’s alias, Borte fell into thought for a moment.

Then, as if entranced, she looked at Temujin and spoke.

“The name of the man who was to be my husband was Temujin… I’m sorry for saying such things.”

“No… not at all. But… marriage… still…”

In the steppe, it was customary to marry before the age of 15.

In Temujin’s case, even though it had been postponed due to his father’s issues, he couldn’t help but wonder why Borte, who was supposed to marry him back then, was still unmarried.

“Yes, I am still unmarried. To be precise, I’m waiting for the man who will someday return to be my husband.”

“Could it be that Temujin…”

“That’s right.”

Borte nodded with a broad smile.

Then, looking at Temujin, she continued.

“My father said this about Temujin.”

“What…”

“He has fire in his eyes and light in his hands. Just like you.”

“…”

At Borte’s words, Temujin could only look at her without saying anything.

He felt he should tell her the truth now, knowing she had been waiting for him.

“Actually…”

Just as he was about to speak, a sudden intruder appeared behind Temujin.

“Brother! Here you are! Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you? They said the new Khan’s coronation is about to start, and I’ve been searching everywhere!”

Khasar’s sudden appearance.

With this, Temujin missed the perfect opportunity to tell the truth.

But Borte was still in front of him, so she hadn’t left yet…

“It seems time has come. I should be going now. May Tengri’s blessing be with you, warrior of the steppe.”

At Khasar’s words, Borte bid farewell to Temujin and left.

As she departed, Temujin could only wear a dejected expression.

“Why are you looking like you’ve lost everything? Let’s go quickly. Father is waiting.”

At the oblivious Khasar’s words, Temujin glared at his youngest brother.

Then, looking at Khasar, he made no attempt to hide his anger.

“You ruined everything!!”

“Wh-what are you talking about!”

“Come here!”

“Wh-why are you trying to hit me all of a sudden! Ack! Ack! What did I do wrong!”

Khasar had only done what he was supposed to do.

But with Temujin hitting him for no apparent reason, it was a moment when being born as the youngest felt unfair once again.

* * *

I looked at Khasar and Temujin sitting in front of me.

Seeing Khasar’s swollen face… I could tell something had happened.

“What did you do, Temujin?”

“I’m sorry, Father.”

At Temujin’s brief apology, I turned my head to look at Khasar.

My youngest son wore an expression of injustice.

“Did Khasar make some mistake?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Just as I was about to ask what on earth had happened to make him treat the child like this,

Toghrul approached me.

“It’s a good day, Anda.”

“Good to see you, Toghrul.”

Toghrul and I exchanged greetings.

After greeting each other, Toghrul saw Khasar behind me and looked at me with an expression asking what had happened.

“I don’t know exactly what happened either. I asked, but Temujin won’t answer, so I have no idea.”

“Seems like the brothers had a fistfight. Haha, don’t worry too much. Isn’t that how brothers grow up?”

Having grown up without siblings even in modern times, I honestly couldn’t fully empathize with Toghrul’s words.

But remembering the not-so-pleasant face of a friend with an older brother during my all-boys high school days, I could understand a little.

“Have you been well, son-in-law?”

“I pay my respects to my father-in-law.”

Temujin was supposed to marry Toghrul’s daughter.

So my son was showing proper respect to Toghrul as his father-in-law.

Anyway, after this brief exchange of greetings, Toghrul joined us and began to enjoy the festival.

Drinking mare’s milk, eating burduk and hurhug, time passed and the mood heightened.

“By the way, I have something to ask my son-in-law.”

Toghrul said this while handing mare’s milk to Temujin.

In response, my son received the alcohol with respect and replied.

“Please ask anything, father-in-law.”

“When will my son-in-law take concubines?”

“Con… concubines?”

It was a difficult question for a groom about to get married.

Especially when it was the father-in-law who was giving his daughter away asking such a question, it was even more embarrassing.

“Yes. My son-in-law is destined to be a hero, so it’s natural for him to have many women. As your father-in-law, I’m asking this.”

At Toghrul’s bold statement, Temujin and I couldn’t help but clear our throats.

However, considering the times and the nature of the steppe, Toghrul’s words were perfectly reasonable.

Originally, with few people on the steppe, the number of men who could wield swords was extremely limited.

In this situation, if men died during inter-tribal wars or raids, the number of warriors would decrease, so it was common for men of the steppe to have multiple wives.

In Mongolia, the practice of a younger brother marrying his deceased older brother’s wife, which had disappeared in the Central Plains and Goryeo, still remained.

Going beyond this, it was not uncommon for the eldest son to take his father’s concubines, excluding his birth mother, if his father died.

Just looking at historical records, Toghrul, Temujin’s father-in-law, was said to have 40 sons.

Of course, in this changed world, he hadn’t yet taken that many wives, but seeing that he already had two concubines, the possibility of more was quite high.

“Taking concubines will solidify your power. I hope you don’t make our tribe regret following you.”

At Toghrul’s words, Temujin could only nod.

This was because the Kerait tribe was planning to leave their homeland and move west following Temujin.

As such, Temujin had to fulfill his duties as a leader.

If he failed to fulfill his duty as a Khan by not leaving heirs, the Kerait tribe, which had set out to pioneer new lands trusting only in Temujin, would inevitably suffer greatly.

“And if it helps our plans, I won’t say anything even if you take more primary wives.”

“I will deeply engrave your advice in my heart, father-in-law.”

Temujin nodded at Toghrul’s words.

As we continued our conversation, a strange man and woman appeared before us.

“Have you been well, Khagan?”

The man greeted me familiarly, as if he knew me.

I tilted my head at the sudden greeting, but upon seeing his face, I immediately recognized this stranger’s identity.

“It’s been a long time, Dei-Sechen Khan.”

Dei-Sechen Khan, the man who was to be Temujin’s father-in-law in the original history.

Beside him was Borte, revered as the mother of the nation in modern Mongolia.