The Rider Returns to the Steppe
“Oh, Rahan!”
As Ushun spoke, Rahan turned to look.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it!”
He laughed heartily and raised his hand to pat Rahan on the back, only to pull it back at the last second, realizing he might have misjudged.
If he had done it on impulse and the man had fallen, it would have been a disaster.
“Going to fetch the horses again today?”
“Yes.”
“Good. It’s not good to leave them out too long, either.”
Ushun gave Rahan’s words a gentle pat.
The horse quietly accepted the touch.
It was a strange sight. Even rough types would behave like gentle lambs in front of the elf women.
Just like Asmur.
Since she was an elf too, Asmur was skilled at calming the horses.
When she stroked the horse’s neck with calm hands, the animal grew docile, drawn to her steady touch.
It was not only the horse that was affected.
[Rahan. Come here.]
“With Asmur?”
“Yes. She’s waiting.”
“Good. You’ve been working hard. It’s nice to see.”
Rahan offered a tired smile.
I have to work hard.
Arin had said that if Rahan could do the work of one person, she would forgive him.
He needed that forgiveness.
But more than that, just as Arin had said and Vesta had done.
He wanted to protect him.
Rahan mounted the horse.
Ushun did not help him.
She wanted to avoid touching Rahan’s pride.
“Rahan.”
“Yes, Ushun.”
“If you walk with Asmur, you’ll be able to live well.
She’s a smart woman, and you’re a good person.”
Everything would be fine.
Ushun told him so.
“Go tell Asmur to come drink later. Got it?”
Ushun patted Rahan’s shoulder once more before leaving.
Rahan mounted the horse with difficulty and rode slowly away.
A woman stood in the middle of the fresh, open grassland.
She was tall and sharp-featured.
“Asmur.”
Asmur, who had been waiting for him.
The person I must protect.
As Rahan approached on the horse, Asmur slowly turned her head, her face showing a hint of a smile.
“Were you watching something?”
“I don’t know if I should show it to you.”
Following her gaze, Rahan saw a small shape.
“Khan Vesta.”
“Ah.”
Of course.
Rahan’s words cut off.
If it’s Vesta, he’s probably done something huge again.
Every time he went out, his friend returned having achieved great deeds.
Slaying the great hound, defeating the orc general, bringing down a sandworm as large as a house.
The point gradually drew closer, and soon Rahan could make out the faces of Bia and Vesta.
Whether Bia had told him or Vesta had spotted Rahan.
Rahan!
Vesta waved cheerfully.
“Haha…”
Rahan responded to the greeting.
*
He had not spoken to Rahan specially.
They had met on the way back, exchanged simple greetings, nothing more.
Still, the fact that his condition had improved brought peace of mind.
Rahan. You’re better than your hometown friends.
It was sincere.
They’re not friends. They’re enemies, enemies.
It had been a while since he visited his hometown friends.
They exchanged punches, fought, and swung their blades, taking lives or giving them.
He had friends, but among them Vesta was the only one he wouldn’t have to kill.
Rahan, Orolbai, Ushun, Arin, Bia…
What about his hometown friends?
War maniacs, revenge-seekers, pleasure murderers.
I don’t even want to think about it.
After pouring those connections that only brought harm into the sewer of his memory, he told Bia.
“Seeing Rahan ride the horse, Arin will be able to get up soon, too.”
“Yes. Arin has improved a lot.”
Bia spoke of Arin.
Recently she had been using food to relieve stress.
According to Bia’s testimony, her flesh had grown plump.
“Is it that bad?”
She must have eaten a lot of high-calorie dates…
“Her body is so swollen she looks like a camel.”
Bia seemed oddly mischievous.
“With her heavy body, I wonder if she’ll even be able to stand up.”
If it was Arin that Vesta knew.
[Stand me up—]
Wouldn’t he reach out to say so as he approached?
Vesta shook his head at the obvious picture.
Bia strode forward and asked.
“You’re going to the Khan?”
“Yes. I need to tell her I’ve returned.”
She had already received the report, but Vesta was waiting for her to hear it from him.
*
The Bia who had visited the yurt together to deliver the report left first.
Now the only ones left in the yurt were Vesta and Ashtien.
“Good. I’m glad you’ve returned safely.”
“Nothing happened.”
Just one skirmish, a fistfight, and a sword exchange with an enemy.
Truly nothing at all.
Of course, Ashtien did not lower her suspicionful gaze.
If she saw my swollen calves, I’d be in trouble.
“It looks like it’s not quite finished.”
“Yes. They were about to finish us off, but they turned tail and ran.”
“Ha, good. Well done.”
With a white smile, Ashtien chuckled.
“Bia will report in more detail, but it seems the gladiators I knew are gathering under Attila.”
“Attila… That centaur clan leader, I see.”
The atmosphere grew a little serious.
“I only confirmed a few with my own eyes, but they were all outstanding gladiators.
They would be called the most dangerous men in the Empire.”
In reality, the man moving with Lycaon, Theo, was known by that name.
The most dangerous man in the Empire.
“I don’t know what Attila and my friends really want.
They probably have no intention of truly conquering the Empire.”
“If it comes to a direct fight, we’ll be in trouble.”
Ashtien declared.
“There must be another plan.
No one tries to demolish a city to conquer it, do they?
It’s unnecessary.
All we need to do is open the city gates.”
“That’s not safe.
I think we need to be on guard even on the steppe.”
“Yes. I’ll remember.
Anyway, I seem to have to go meet Mother this year.
I’ll have to tell her then.”
Mother? Ashtien’s?
That meant.
“The Great Khan, you mean?”
Ashtien nodded cleanly.
“She’s also your mother-in-law.”
Mother-in-law.
An absurd statement.
“Mother-in-law…?”
Rahan’s mouth nearly fell open.
Ashtien’s words were not wrong, but a mother-in-law who was the Great Khan…
A person called the equal of the Emperor!
“Ah, by the way, you’ll have to join me that time too.”
Ashtien gave a lazy smile and reached out.
Her white hand stroked Vesta’s hair.
“I’m curious about what kind of person you are.”
The hand that had stroked his hair slid down to his cheek.
“I should have hidden you away more carefully.”
“It tickles.”
“Hmm? No, wait.”
Ashtien seemed to have discovered something and poked Vesta’s neck.
“No necklace?”
“Ah, right.”
“Mmm. You said you’d wear it.”
It wasn’t anger so much as a faint disappointment.
It wasn’t an impulse.
There had been a reason.
He did not know if Ashtien would understand.
I can’t say it.
He could not wear the necklace when going to meet his hometown friends, the gladiators.
If he had, what kind of reaction would it have provoked?
[Long time no see, kid. Hm? Necklace…?]
Imaginary Lycaon’s face twisted.
[Tsk. Fine. I don’t feel like looking at your face, get out of my sight.]
What about Orthros?
His hateful gaze would have been unhidden.
[Should have greeted me. Wait, necklace? Huh, creepy.]
Those reactions would not have come.
Well, not that far, but…
Out of fear of meeting them, he had removed the necklace.
“I forgot. I completely forgot.”
“Yes. You forgot.
You forgot…”
Ashtien let her sentence trail off.
Vesta was at a loss until he struck back.
“You don’t wear the clothes I gave you either, Ashtien.”
Oh no. What kind of stupid reply was that?
Vesta wanted to tear his hair out.
“What?”
Ashtien looked unusually flustered.
“T-that’s different from…”
Aaaah.
Yes, it was different.
But he could not say anything.
“Even so, you should have brought something that could be called clothing.
There are holes all over it, so it would make your body feel cold when you wear it.”
“…”
“Did you try it on?”
“…”
“Don’t ask.”
Ashtien’s cheeks seemed a little flushed.
“You went too far too.
How could the first gift to a woman be such a sacred garment?”
“…”
Was he blushing with anger?
He had nothing to say.
From the start it had been an unwinnable argument.
Giving a woman such a manly garment as a gift.
If it had been Vesta, he would have been executed for insulting the Khan.
“I was wrong.”
Of course, Vesta had been the one to surrender first.