The Khan's Arrow Cuts Through Pride
Centaurs were an impulsive race, as fierce as they were proud.
Their arrogance stemmed from their innate physical might. They always held the position to take a life without hesitation. In that sense, their pride was quite justifiable.
The exceptions were the Great Khan and her children—her own son and daughter.
They were those who had proven themselves long ago, and their descendants.
The Kairan Clan Head stood before Ashtien.
The young Khan who ruled the Wilderness. Strictly speaking, the territory she governed lay far from the Kairan clan's sphere of activity.
The Kairan clan was not under her rule.
A single word from her would not make the Kairan clan live or die. The prairie was vast, and there were many rulers.
Ergior Ashtien was the Khan of the Wilderness, not the Khan of the Kairan.
But.
If the centaurs' pride came from their position, from the confidence that they could snatch away a life—
The Khan could not show arrogance before the Khan.
She was a woman who must be respected by any standard the centaurs held.
"The welcome for guests is truly pitiful."
Ashtien spoke these words and took a step forward.
The centaurs did not look into her eyes. That was their way of showing respect. Even the lowest commoner or the clan head lowered their gaze.
The young lord of the Altangerel clan was no different. He lowered his head and took a step back.
"Your bloodlust, I know it well too."
"I apologize, Khan."
Ashtien showed no reaction to the young lord's words.
She stood before all centaurs as if alone.
"Kairan."
"...Yes, Khan."
The Kairan Clan Head lowered his head even deeper.
"What will you do?"
—What will you do.
Is he asking whether to kill the orc or spare it? If he wanted to kill, could he kill? Would the Great Khan permit it if he answered yes?
"With your own life and the honor of the clan you lead, will you kill the orc? And suffer shame in the process."
—Ah. What kind of situation is this.
If the Khan's son had simply died in battle, the Khan would not have lost her composure. The Khan was born a warrior and had lived her life as one.
In that way, one grows accustomed to sending people away. Losing a son was not her first time. She had also lost a daughter. It was merely another person to bury in her heart.
So she would have tried to accept it calmly. If his son had died honorably, perhaps.
—No. Even if he had died in an ordinary way.
In the lowered gaze of the clan head, the body of his son came into view.
—What kind of appearance is this.
Eyes wide open, unable to accept the situation. Fingers itching at the throat. His breath must have been choked off. His head throbbed, so he looked away.
The sight was too heartbreaking to bear.
—You, if you fall like this, how will your honor be preserved?
Saying one died in battle did not guarantee an honorable death.
Now his son would remain a fool who died from arrogance. This was an irreversible matter. What parent could accept such a death.
—At least I was not like that.
Yes. The Khan could not do it.
—What entered my eyes was nothing but blood.
The Khan crouched like a criminal. Before such a Khan, the ruler of the Wilderness spoke.
"Who are you, and what do you protect?"
"I am the head of the Kairan clan. I guard the ancient oath that has been passed down through generations and the things held dear by the Kairan and the Kairan."
The clan head answered in a voice that seemed to be swallowing something.
"Then the Khan commands that you protect the Kairan from this moment onward."
"I shall obey."
—Not the son, but the Kairan itself.
That meant giving up revenge. At the moment he received the blood price for his son, an overwhelming backlash would come.
"I will fulfill the promise."
After the clan head answered, he looked at the young lord of the Altangerel clan and Attila.
"...Thank you. If not for you, the Kairan would have been marked by an irremediable stain."
"The Altangerel remains the Kairan's ally as always."
"Yes, that is right. And the merchant. I offer my deepest gratitude once again. You truly guarded my son's last words. This debt will surely be repaid someday."
Attila neither rejoiced nor sighed in relief. He simply nodded.
He understood. In terms of honor, the feeling of a Khan who thanked those who had blocked revenge.
The Khan also looked at the orc.
"...Very well. Receive proper compensation. You are a free man, and that is guaranteed by the head of the Kairan. I promise not to spill blood without cause. Before all centaurs and before the ruler who governs the Wilderness."
The orc did not answer. The Khan closed her eyes tightly and opened them.
"May I take the body? I will pay the blood price."
The orc stepped back. The Khan expressed her thanks.
The Khan stood before the Khan once more.
"I have shown an shameful sight."
The clan head lowered his head. The Khan raised her voice slightly.
"People are not iron, nor stone. Is there anyone who does not shake in any situation? Who is unbreakable? It will not be."
The wind blew. The wind created by the Khan. It swept the flies clinging to the body away.
"The Khan is merely grateful that the situation did not reach its extreme. It does not seem as if such an opportunity will come again."
"I will engrave it deeply."
The Khan's golden eyes sharpened sharply.
"You were swept up in anger and temporarily forgot me. Because of that, my honor was also damaged. How will the Khan take responsibility for this?"
"I am truly sorry."
"Will you give me a chance to make amends?"
"Please."
"Draw your sword."
The clan head drew his sword without hesitation. The atmosphere stiffened coldly. The Khan looked at the tip of the sword and spoke.
"Run north from here as fast as you can. You will reach the edge of the cliff in no time. At the edge, turn around and extend the sword forward."
"Yes."
"The tip of the sword must not waver. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I will obey it without fail."
The clan head moved. He seemed to intend to carry out the command. Confusion arose in the crowd because of the Khan's sudden request. No one understood the Khan's intent.
Except Vesta and Ahor.
The Khan raised her voice toward the noisy spectators.
"You said you wanted to see my archery skills, so I was waiting in line like this. But the situation has turned out like this."
The clan heads could not raise their heads.
"Since waiting until the end would be tiresome, I will move my order forward a little."
When the Khan finished speaking and turned around, the clan head had already reached the very end. Behind him was the cliff.
The clan head turned around as the Khan had commanded and extended the sword forward.
"If you wish to see it, I must show it to you."
She drew the bowstring. The crowd, startled by her action, whispered among themselves.
—Is the Khan going to shoot the clan head dead?
—Even so, isn't that too excessive?
—The Khan's dignity is heavy!
Crack—
The bow bent greatly. The strong bow that ordinary people could not even pull back to its limit had stretched to the maximum.
The wind rose. The wind seemed to be pulled by the Khan. It was a rough, sharp north wind.
"The north wind tests courage."
She released the string.
Pffft—
The wind shot forward. The arrow left a sonic boom.
The arrow surpassed human reaction speed. In an instant, it reached the target.
It was aimed straight at the clan head.
And the clan head had.
Safeguarded the Khan's command.
Tick—
The sword blade extended forward was, in truth, nothing more than a point. And the Khan's arrow struck that point.
Ting—
The iron tip hit the head and bowed. The arrow body split along the tip of the sword.
Thud—
The arrow, separated in midair, passed by the clan head. The arrow did not take his life.
The Khan looked back at the spectators. They did not cheer. They were only stunned.
—What is this.
"Yes. Did you see well?"
"......"
"If the clan head had even slightly wavered, if he had disobeyed my words, he would have died."
The position of the sword tip had changed, so her words were indeed correct.
"Seeing that he survived, he clearly obeyed my command, did he not?"
"Yes, Khan."
"The Kairan clan head has completed his mission with his life on the line. As a father, he was shaken, but as a vassal and as a warrior, he did not waver. Since I have confirmed that, I will not punish him further."
The crowd retreated from the approaching Khan. The Khan did not care about them and only looked for Vesta.
"Ah, yes."
Ashtien looked at the clan heads.
"How was my score?"
*
"Herm, shit."
The two men watched that spectacle.
"Hey, Lycaon. Is this going well?"