Ch.4I Want to Go to College, Father!

I was too complacent.

When he casually joked with his daughter, I must have unconsciously let my guard down.

This man was the Great Chief of the Aishan-Gioro, one of the most powerful forces among the Ka’har.

I had somehow forgotten that he was the King of Slaughterers.

The one sitting before me was no longer Haschal’s father.

He was a demon who had led tens of thousands of warriors, staining the plains with fire and blood.

The Conqueror. Aishan-Gioro Orhan.

Only now could I truly grasp the meaning of that name.

—-

My mouth went dry.

Something formless filled the room, pressing down on my body like heavy shackles.

I felt that if I relaxed even slightly, I would collapse pathetically.

No. I can endure this. I must endure.

I gritted my teeth and held on.

I could guess that if I crumbled here pathetically, I wouldn’t even get a chance to speak.

“…Conquering all the Ka’har tribes, unifying the great plains into one nation. That must be your ambition, Father, and the reason you proclaimed yourself Ser Khan. However.”

Orhan slightly raised his right eyebrow, as if telling me to continue.

“Our tribe’s fierce expansion across the plains is already a thing of the past. We’ve lost our former momentum and have been stagnating for nearly eight years. The reason is—”

“Yes. Because of those imperial bastards. Those detestable westerners who rush to burn our empty territories whenever my warriors set out on expeditions across the plains.”

Just as I thought. It was exactly what my subordinates had been saying.

They complained that these days, they couldn’t wage large-scale wars like before because of the westerners.

The Aishan boasted vast territories covering the entire western section of the great plains.

While the land was more abundant than the central or eastern plains, it always required allocating some forces there due to its direct border with western countries.

In fact, about ten years ago, the Empire dispatched a large legion and inflicted considerable damage.

Unlike the western Empire, which built walls along the border and only targeted our vulnerabilities, the Kingdom of Dane on the southwestern border was merely easy prey.

They left it alone since conquering it would only extend the border with the Empire, but they could destroy it anytime if they wanted to.

The villages my subordinates had plundered were also frontier settlements of the Kingdom of Dane.

In other words, to unify the great plains, we needed to prevent the Empire from targeting us.

That’s why I wanted to enter the Remnant Academy.

You might ask what the Empire’s invasion has to do with entering the Academy?

Surprisingly, according to the setting, they are related.

“Yes. As you said, as long as the Empire of Karl Las in the west remains strong, we cannot form another expedition force. But what if we no longer needed to guard our rear? Wouldn’t that be possible then?”

“…With about three years, we could conquer the plains. But that’s not likely to happen. The Empire is stronger than ever. Though it will fall someday, that day is not today.”

“I’m not suggesting we wait for the Empire to weaken. From the beginning, we don’t need to be hostile toward them.”

“No need to be hostile? What do you mean?”

Orhan finally seemed interested, lowering the arm that had been supporting his chin.

This is where the main point begins.

“The Empire is hostile toward us and tries to subjugate us at every opportunity because we attack and plunder the westerners. Then isn’t the answer simple? We submit to the Empire.”

“One head.”

“Pardon?”

What’s he suddenly talking about?

“Know that if you weren’t of my bloodline, your head would have been severed for those words just now. A Khan submits to no one.”

Orhan’s gaze had grown several times colder.

Like a predator just before the hunt, he quietly stared at my neck.

I barely suppressed the instinct to protect my throat.

“…I don’t truly mean submission. I mean making them believe we’ve submitted to the Empire. That’s why I want to go to the Empire.”

“…Explain.”

“In the Empire, there’s an institution called the Remnant Academy. It’s an institution aimed at training young talents into Master-level warriors.”

“If it’s an imperial military institution, wouldn’t it be only for imperial citizens?”

“Generally yes, but it’s not strictly limited to imperial citizens.”

In the original work, the Remnant Academy was an imperial institution, but it wasn’t exclusively for imperial people.

After all, a fantasy world setting with only one allied race wouldn’t make for an interesting game.

Among the Academy students, there were people from other countries and even characters of different races.

It was called the Special Admission System, I believe.

According to the setting, the Empire provided Academy recommendation admission rights to countries that pledged friendship.

The special admission was merely a pretext; in reality, it was a way to secure young talents from various countries as hostages.

“So, if our Aishan pledges not to invade the Empire and I remain at the Academy as a hostage, the Empire will have no reason to attack us.”

“Does that make sense? Would the Empire leave us alone to conquer the east just because they have you as one hostage?”

It doesn’t really make sense, honestly.

It was a forced setting to include characters of different races in the Academy.

That’s why this game wasn’t considered a masterpiece.

“At least the Empire has maintained this system for hundreds of years, avoiding unnecessary friction with other races. They wouldn’t want to break that trust themselves now.”

“You speak as if you know the Empire well. Despite never having been there.”

Well, I’m just speaking according to the game’s setting.

But I can’t answer like that, so I’ll use my mother as an excuse.

“I heard about it occasionally from my mother when I was young.”

“Imelia told you such things? That’s unexpected.”

So Haschal’s mother’s name was Imelia.

Using the mother card, I seemed to have avoided suspicion for now.

“So, you’re saying we should stop raiding, declare friendship with the Empire, and send you there for this special admission… Let me ask a few more questions.”

“Please do.”

“First, even if we send a friendly envoy to the Empire, would they believe us? If it were me, I’d behead them and ignore it.”

“I’ll go myself. If a direct descendant of the Aishan-Gioro goes alone, they might be skeptical but interested.”

Honestly, it’s quite risky, but surely they wouldn’t kill someone who came as a peace envoy, especially someone of royal-like status.

“What if they detain or try to kill a foolish woman who came to enemy territory alone?”

“They wouldn’t want an all-out war with Aishan’s entire military either.”

As shown in the game, the Empire isn’t invincible.

While they can’t match Hersella’s forces that unified the Ka’har and conquered the Empire, Orhan’s forces alone could devastate the eastern Empire.

I didn’t think they would take such a risk.

“If that happens, it would be your own foolishness to blame, but I have no intention of leading warriors for revenge.”

“But they don’t know that. Westerners immediately go to war when their royalty is killed.”

I smiled slightly, raising the corner of my mouth as if mocking the westerners.

In conversations like this, atmosphere is important.

By the way, as expected, he has no intention of saving his child. These barbarians.

“Very well. My second question. Let’s say you get admitted as you think. If I then gather a large army and set out to conquer the east, would the Empire stand by and watch?”

“They would. Once we’ve pledged friendship, they have no justification to target us.”

Unlike the Ka’har who strike first and ask questions later, westerners are obsessed with justification. That’s what makes them civilized.

The Empire is the same.

“If we attack westerners again, that’s different, but if you march with the pretext of stabilizing the east for the Empire’s benefit, they couldn’t do much.”

Once trust is broken, distrust prevails.

Backstabbing a country that sent a hostage and pledged friendship?

Other countries maintaining friendly relations with the Empire would immediately become uneasy.

They might fear being betrayed by the Empire someday too.

If that happens, the Empire’s peace would come to an end.

“You could also deploy minimal forces at the border when you go. With me as a hostage, their vigilance toward us would relax. It wouldn’t be difficult to hide your expedition from the Empire.”

In the first place, westerners can barely survive two days in these eastern plains.

Even the Empire’s intelligence network has its limits.

Right now, they’re watching us closely because they don’t know when the Ka’har might attack.

But would they maintain that surveillance network even after getting a hostage?

Would they bear the meaningless loss of numerous costs and human resources?

Of course not.

Orhan seemed to agree, nodding his head.

“My final question. You said to pledge friendship to the Empire. But what about after the conquest of the great plains? Do you think your father’s conquest will stop there?”

So he’s thinking of attacking the Empire later.

Westerners underestimate how vast the eastern great plains are, but once the plains are unified, the Ka’har would become a power comparable to the Empire.

Even in the original work, wasn’t the Empire devastated by Hersella’s army, whom they had dismissed as the Queen of Barbarians?

“Then we can turn our horses and attack the Empire.”

“Even after pledging a friendship agreement?”

“When have we ever lived by such things?”

Satisfied with my answer, Orhan laughed heartily.

Right. If you had lived by agreements, you wouldn’t be barbarians.

“Hahaha-! Indeed, that’s true! But what about you? When war breaks out, they’ll execute the hostage first, won’t they?”

I tried to look as wicked as possible as I smiled.

“The Remnant Academy’s study period is three years. By then, I’ll already be galloping toward Ordos!”

Orhan’s laughter grew even louder.

Now it was vibrating throughout the room.

“The one who only knew how to bite has learned to speak like a snake! Good. I permit it! Go ahead and do as you please!”

Great. With this, I’ve secured his permission.

—-

Actually, that was a lie.

I had not the slightest intention of returning.

Am I crazy? To let these human butchers sweep across the world.

After going to the Academy and somehow raising my position, I’ll widely publicize their danger and create a subjugation force.

For world peace, I’ll honorably turn my back on my kin with tears in my eyes.

What you might call a righteous traitor.

It’s a perfect plan.