The Guests Who Brought the Hot Wind (2)

"What's going on here?"

The moment Bia stepped forward, everyone took a step back.

"Oh my. Lady Bia."

The Cameltaurus woman offered a formal greeting, and Bia returned it with equal courtesy.

"Caravan Master Ahshu. What exactly is the situation here?"

Ahshu. That was the Cameltaurus woman's name. It was not, of course, a name of the Steppe.

"Your timing is perfect. I would be most grateful if Lady Bia would resolve this matter with her usual wisdom."

Ahshu explained the situation in fluent Elvish.

"We were on the trade road to the tribe when those beastfolk blocked our path and started making unreasonable demands."

"Unreasonable? That's rich!"

Immediate protest erupted from the beastfolk side. The moment they met Bia's gaze, however, they shrank back at once.

"Is what she said true?"

"Oh, no, not at all, my lady."

"You do appear to be blocking the road, though."

The beastfolk man seemed to be floundering in front of Bia.

Unlike the Centaurs or the Cameltaurus, the beastfolk were a furry race that did not immediately call any particular animal to mind. They looked a bit like marmots, a bit like cats or dogs — it was hard to pin them down to any one species.

"We were in the middle of negotiations."

"Negotiations, indeed."

Ahshu's reply was ice-cold. The conflict between the two groups had clearly already crossed a certain line.

"What kind of negotiations?"

"We were deciding which caravan would have the honor of an audience with the Khan first."

"Hmm?"

Bia tilted her head like a pony. It did not seem like a conscious gesture.

"When we told them our caravan had the earlier place in line, they simply refused."

"And they weren't the ones throwing a tantrum?"

She's even tossing around slang like it's nothing. Her Elvish is at a native level.

She might even be better at it than Vesta. Still, she was probably not as fluent as his Master.

"You demanded we give up our place without so much as a discussion, didn't you? I suppose beastfolk call throwing a fit 'negotiation.'"

"A fit? We have a perfectly legitimate claim!"

Bia was curious about this perfectly legitimate claim.

"You're nothing but outsiders from the desert, while we are members of the blood-sworn alliance under the Khan's protection!"

"And that's supposed to be a legitimate claim?"

"Of course our own people come first!"

Ahshu closed her mouth, looking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠utterly incredulous.

Bia addressed the representative of the beastfolk caravan.

"We'll discuss whether you actually have priority later. First, I'd like to know why you're so obsessed with the order."

The man who had been a brick wall in front of Ahshu now hunched himself as small as he could when speaking to Bia. She looked distinctly unimpressed by this untrustworthy display.

"Speak honestly."

"...Yes. I will not lie. It's a matter of profit and loss."

"Profit and loss? The order of an audience with the Khan changes your profits?"

"Yes, that's right."

"......"

Ahshu did not deny it.

"Hmm. I see what you mean."

Vesta understood as well.

The beastfolk caravan was a paltry affair compared to the desert Caravan. The absolute quantity of goods they had to sell could not possibly match what the Caravan carried.

If they trade after the Caravan, or even around the same time, they'll inevitably be compared.

"Even if they yield their place to us, the Caravan would only lose a little time. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠For us, it's a matter of survival. Scion of Altangerel, I beg you to consider this."

"If you're a merchant, you should compete with your goods. Are you asking us to rely on charity?"

"Hmph. I'd love to have it easy, hauling exotic goods to sell. That's profit no matter what you do, isn't it?"

"I question your qualifications as a merchant. Have you ever even crossed the desert roads?"

The conflict between the two leaders seemed to be growing deeper by the moment. The Centaur group was not getting involved in the fight — they were just snickering among themselves.

What are they even doing here?

Vesta was not the only one thinking it. Bia brought up the Centaur group herself.

"I understand the two of you well enough. So what about those fellows?"

"They claimed to be a caravan. But they don't look like one at all. They've just been lurking around us like that."

"Hmm..."

The beastfolk man clicked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his tongue.

"A caravan? Please. They reek of blood. Then again, I suppose a camel lass wouldn't know the difference."

"...What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Camel stench is famous, isn't it? Even the smell of blood takes a back seat to camel musk."

"...Excuse me?"

Ahshu was not a camel. She was unmistakably a person. Using a camel as an example was an inappropriate insult. The beastfolk's words were quite — no, extremely — rude.

He's trying to get under her skin on purpose.

The intent was to make the other party lose their composure. It was a strategy that had always been considered effective in the arena, so Vesta recognized it immediately.

"...That's pretty bold."

Vesta swept his gaze over the Caravan facing off against the beastfolk merchants. He did not know much about trade expeditions, but he could easily tell that their scale was far from ordinary. The quality of their escort forces, in particular, was high.

Cameltaurus, like Centaur warriors, were born cavalry, and any number of such fighting men belonged to the Caravan. The ones carrying people rather than cargo stood out especially — every one of them was a refined martial artist. They were probably mercenaries hired to cross the desert roads.

If it comes to a fight, the beastfolk caravan wouldn't stand a chance against them.

The Centaur "caravan" had every reason to be confident — they were on solid earth. Of course, if they had been on a sand field, they would have had to be more humble.

But not the beastfolk. They'd be crushed before they could even try anything.

"...You've grown quite arrogant, haven't you?"

"Hmph. With Lady Bia here, what would I have to fear?"

Apparently he was puffing himself up, relying on Bia — and on Ashtien, who stood behind her.

"Lady Bia. We have brought goods we would not be ashamed to present to the Khan."

"Glory to the Khan of the Wilderness! Blessings upon Her sword! Scion of Altangerel, we beg you to look kindly upon the subjects under your command!"

It was a farce and nothing more. The Centaurs clucked their tongues from a distance.

She's not the type to be swayed by flattery.

Bia opened her mouth. No — midway through, as if a delightful idea had just occurred ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to her, her expression shifted into a smile. It was the kind of smile that made people uneasy.

"Come to think of it, this isn't a matter for me to decide. There's someone far better suited to reading the Khan's heart than I am."

"Pardon? What do you mean by that..."

By then, Vesta was already wiping his forehead.

"The Baatar! The Baatar is here?!"

However they had gotten their information, the caravan masters started making a fuss.

"Where is the Baatar?"

"The gentleman standing beside my attendant is the Baatar."

"...?"

Vesta approached Bia with his face slightly flushed.

"...This gentleman?"

The reaction was skeptical.

"That's right. He will make the decision."

Vesta shot Bia a look. She merely chuckled.

"A person of such distinction has come all this way. If you fail to persuade him, you will of course bear the consequences."

Ahshu and the beastfolk caravan master both bowed their heads.

Bia made a proposal to Ahshu.

"The side that loses its place in line will visit the tribe one day later."

"As you wish."

"Ahem. We will comply."

The eyes of both caravan masters burned hot.

Inside the lodging tent the Caravan had readily provided, Vesta looked at Bia with a sullen glare. She shrugged.

"Lord Vesta. I didn't dump this on you just because it was a hassle."

"Hmm."

"Oh? Don't tell me you actually thought that."

Vesta did not drop his suspicious gaze.

"There's no way I would know the Khan's inner thoughts better than you, is there?"

At Vesta's words, Bia tilted her head like a pony, as if there were no room for doubt.

Vesta spoke with a puzzled expression.

"You've been with the Khan far longer than I have."

"If we're only counting time, that's true. But well..."

Bia continued, unperturbed.

"I know the great Khan, Ergior Ashtien. But the girl Ashtien? I don't know her well at all."

"...I don't know that either."

Bia drew a little closer, as if trying to persuade him.

"Those people are merchants who would endure anything to win the Khan's favor."

"I suppose so."

"And standing right in front of me is a man of talent who has already succeeded in winning that Khan's favor."

"......"

"They're merchants, so they'll find Lord Vesta's skill far more interesting than my strength. If they could only hear your secret, they'd gladly pay in gold."

Of course, they wouldn't be able to copy it even if they tried.

Bia had not put Vesta forward without thinking.

"And."

"And...?"

"A spouse is supposed to be a good helpmeet. The way Rahan mends Asmur's clothes when they wear out."

"So?"

"If it's Lord Vesta, I'm sure you can stitch together a caravan just as well as silk."

"Take this opportunity to experience a sovereign's work."

"That's the business of holding a sword in one hand while working a scale with the other."