The Khan Approaches (3) – Complete
The steppe stretched so impossibly wide it defied imagination.
It was vast, certainly—wider than any human settlement could ever claim—but no grand building, no matter how ornate its architecture, could compare.
It was filled with luxurious furniture?
In a grassland where procuring even timber was a challenge, how could such opulence exist?
Yet the furniture was splendid.
It was surrounded on every side by those strange figures.
The moment she laid eyes on them, Vesta felt his gaze stolen away.
Were they the ones she had personally captured?
Even imperial nobles typically displayed their hunted trophies as taxidermied mounts, but the Khan’s collection surpassed them by far.
The pelt of a colossal werewolf, the wings of a white panther, a bear with cloven hooves—alongside hides and mounts of creatures Vesta had never so much as heard of before—filled the room.
Any man of steel would have been left utterly stunned by the sight.
“Wait here a moment. I must tune my bowstrings.”
Vesta stood at the ready, observing the Khan with caution, then carefully took his seat.
The Khan’s bow was a horn bow crafted from animal antlers.
She kept the bow unstrung when not in use, but because she might need it at any moment, she strung one bow for the night.
An unstrung bow naturally curled at the ends, so she pressed it down with one knee to unfurl it into its proper shape.
“…You handle it with great skill.”
“It’s simply what one becomes accustomed to.”
From a glance alone the bow appeared to carry tremendous tension.
If the limbs should snap back, what then?
Yet the Khan focused solely on the task, giving no sign of hesitation or concern.
She treated the weapon the way a soldier oils his blade—by emptying herself completely and concentrating on the task at hand.
Even when fitting the string she showed no trace of hesitation.
“Ah, it’s done.”
The Khan lowered the bow and turned her gaze to Vesta.
“Your hair has been tousled. I hope the bedding was not uncomfortable.”
Vesta had no idea how he appeared. Without realizing it, his fingers had strayed to the ends of his hair.
“With the blankets you provided, I was able to sleep quite warmly.”
“I’m glad to hear it. The nights on the steppe are still new to you, so I had them especially prepared.”
It was, as Vesta suspected, the Khan’s thoughtful consideration. Upon reflection, it made perfect sense.
Who else, if not her own Khan, would have thought to cover a slave with a blanket?
—Khan, the tea has been brought.
“Perfect timing. Come in.”
It was the same girl he had been with earlier. While she was setting down the tray, the Khan spoke.
“This is someone who will offer you various assistance going forward. She is one of the people I trust.”
The girl lowered her head toward Vesta.
“I will refer to her as Ahor.”
“Does ‘Small Falcon’ mean something?”
“You seem to know already. Correct. In my regard, she is someone just like a small falcon.”
He had heard that steppe elves trained falcons and hawks for hunting. That was probably the origin of the name.
A hunting falcon by her side at all times. That must have been the meaning.
‘She’s small but brave.’
After all, it was the woman who had shouted at a massive beast.
Her eyes naturally followed the girl.
‘Oh? Her cheeks are flushed.’
She must be sensitive to praise. The normally expressionless face had darkened slightly.
Surprisingly, she might be easy to read.
“…I will be leaving now.”
“Very well. I’ll rely on you tomorrow as well.”
“Yes. I will guide you without fail.”
Ahor exited the room.
‘She felt… distant.’
The Khan had suddenly become remote.
Far enough that Vesta could not easily approach.
Their eyes brushed at the edges and an awkward atmosphere lingered.
“You have many questions, don’t you?”
“Honestly, yes.”
“I understand. If there is anything you wish to ask, do not hesitate—ask away.”
Since the Khan had given her permission, there was nothing to hide. Vesta gathered his thoughts and began with the most pressing matter.
“Why did you bring me here?”
Even in his direct question, the corners of the Khan’s mouth curved into a gentle smile.
To Vesta it looked almost playful.
“You already know the reason. I brought you here to make you my husband.”
Vesta could not hide his astonishment.
“I find that hard to believe. How could I possibly…?”
“What do you mean? I am pleased with you, that’s all.”
“Perhaps… you must enter a sham marriage?”
“I am not some princess living in my family’s shadow. I am the Khan who rules several tribes directly. Why would I need to worry about such trifles?”
“…”
Vesta had prepared so many words, yet they all lodged in his throat at her reply.
“What made you choose me?”
“You know the elves’ language well, so you will understand. We elves possess a power that is truly remarkable.”
“Yes. Spirit magic…?”
“If that power of mine has chosen you, how does it sound when I say it that way? Can you accept it?”
“Spirit power? What does that even mean?”
It was too sudden. He could barely keep up with the conversation.
The Khan’s words seemed to imply exactly that.
[I saw the future with magic, and it showed me that you and I would marry.]
It was the logic of a child, absurd on its face.
The problem was that no suitable counterargument presented itself.
If the elves themselves claimed it, how could one refute them?
‘Is there something she is hiding?’
It sounded as though some political calculation lay behind it.
‘But no matter how I think, nothing comes to mind.’
“A year from now my coming-of-age ceremony will be held. If nothing unforeseen occurs, it will be this coming spring. I intend to hold the wedding then as well.”
“Could it… be with me?”
“Who else could it possibly be?”
A trace of playfulness lingered in the Khan’s soft smile.
“I brought you with that in mind, but you still don’t know. Even so, we should take time to get to know each other, shouldn’t we? In your words, you are now my betrothed. One of my potential husbands.”
“Betrothed…”
That was at least better than nothing.
Even a betrothal was far better than an arranged marriage in name only.
‘Still, what is this?’
When his master had urged him to go to the steppe in search of an elf bride, even that preposterous request had not left him this stunned.
“If you see me only as a cute little thing, I will throw you out. I will put you through my strict trials.”
‘So I should simply put on a terrible performance?’
“By the way, if you plan to act like some useless ruffian, I advise you to stop.”
“Mm.”
“Do not deceive me. At the very least, keep the truth from me.”
“……”
Her expression was serious, as though she meant every word.
“Even if I have to drive a blade through my own heart, I will speak the truth. If we cannot be together because of it, I will still take you home.”
“I don’t quite understand why you’re doing this.”
“There is no need to overthink it. It is not a bad condition for you. You were on the verge of being sold into the desert; by thinking of it as a year’s payment, the price feels lighter, doesn’t it?”
“…It is an attractive offer.”
If not for her, he would not have lasted a year, let alone a lifetime as a slave.
‘He had no choice but to accept anyway.’
“Or perhaps you believe in fate. For both of us. At least I believe in it.”
Fate. It was a word too romantic for an elf princess to speak…
But for Vesta there was no choice. On reflection, it was not such a terrible condition.
For someone who had been captured by bandits and sold, an offer this absurd was actually quite kind.
“What must I do?”
“You are a settled person; nomadic life will feel strange at first. Learn the ways of the steppe under Ahor’s guidance.”
‘Just follow her around.’
“Will I assist the tribe with her?”
“That is best. You will become close to the people of the tribe more quickly.”
“Even when I was captured by the bandits, I thought I would be forced to work in chains. Things have improved far beyond my expectations.”
“I have no intention of binding you. It is not the mate of a falcon to clip its wings.”
“You say so, but your vigilance is not lax. What will you do if I try to escape?”
“What? Escape?”
The Khan’s eyes widened in genuine surprise for the first time.
“Hahaha. You are amusing me. Look around, Vesta. What do you see?”
“I see the hides and mounts of beasts.”
A colossal werewolf, a white panther with wings, a deer with dozens of horns, the head of a griffin, and the skull of a wyvern.
Things that humans had once regarded as legends.
Now they simply decorated her room as ordinary objects.
“Who could have hunted all of these?”
“……”
“I love hunting. Truly.”
The Khan’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“Even if you run to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back again.”