Chapter: 701
“Gaar Udesr Batar.”
He was the hero who first unified the northern great plains, the only Kagan in the history of nomads.
To be honest, from the Empire’s perspective, he’s an absolute pain in the ass; but from an objective viewpoint, there hasn’t been a hero like him. This was a lunatic who nearly brought down the Empire through sheer personal prowess. He even succeeded in uniting nomads who had lived scattered for thousands of years.
Because of this, the Empire referred to Batar not as the Emperor of the Nomads but as a “traitor,” implying that he was a rebel. This was an attempt to diminish Batar’s grandeur and authority, but at the same time, it acknowledged his power as “one that could overturn the heavens.”
“I still can’t fathom how he was killed back then.”
Seriously. If I went back in time, I’m not so sure I could kill the Kagan again. I’d probably just end up getting myself killed every time I reincarnated.
The fact that I managed to off him was the result of miracles stacking up on miracles. It’s tragic and sad that those guys are gone, but that was honestly the best outcome imaginable.
It’s funny, though. As the one who witnessed the demise of the monster that was both my friend’s murderer and a threat to the Empire, I’m apparently the one who knows Kagan best on this continent.
“This is the weapon that the traitor used.”
Moreover, some of his relics were just gathering dust in my house’s storage.
Anyone would think I’m his heir. What a weird feeling, considering I’m also the head of a faction in the northern realms.
“Ah, no… Why is this in Your Grace’s mansion…”
An unexpected object popping up in an unexpected place—such a bizarre situation. Even Gerhardt, who had been keeping an eye on me, gaped at Kagan’s relic.
The heavy, massive greatsword and sickle. When Kagan swung that sword, not even the mightiest knights stood a chance, and when he swung the sickle, soldiers fell like grain at harvest. It’s no wonder that before he was called a “traitor,” Kagan’s nickname was ‘The Reaper.’
“The spoils from the Great Subjugation War were all bestowed to the Vice Captain by His Majesty, and he passed down Kagan’s weapons to me, who survived the fight.”
“I—I see.”
After much confusion, when I explained how I got these relics, Gerhardt quickly nodded in understanding.
“I’ll lend these to you, Gerhardt.”
“W-Wait!?”
However, at my nonchalant addition, he started shaking his head vigorously.
“No way, Your Grace! This is far too much for me!”
“There’s no such thing as something too much for a scholar. It’s for research, so what’s the problem?”
With that, I lifted the greatsword and sickle.
This heavy sensation… It wasn’t exactly comfortable.
“The traitor was the leader of the nomads and the greatest warrior of the great plains. If you want to know about the life of that warrior, you must understand his weapons.”
“That’s true, but…”
“So please accept them. The more you study the traitor, the more the heroes of the Empire who fought against him will be remembered.”
At that, Gerhardt’s expression grew serious.
What I just said was a request for the sake of my comrades. As the power and dignity of the traitor are revealed, the glory of those who defeated that monster will also rise.
“I will definitely repay Your Grace’s kindness.”
“I know well of Gerhardt’s abilities. I’m looking forward to it.”
With a smile, I handed Kagan’s relics to Gerhardt—
“Gah!”
“Oh.”
Unfortunately, those relics turned out to be far too heavy for a mere scholar to handle.
Gerhardt’s shoulders popped out of place.
The reason was simple. He was suddenly dropped with heavy objects in both hands, so there was no way a fragile scholar could hold up against that.
It was a sudden disaster, but fortunately, I had Trixie, the continent’s greatest mage, in my home. A dislocated shoulder could be healed easily…
“I’m sorry, Gerhardt. I acted without thinking.”
I bowed my head towards Gerhardt, whose shoulder was now safely healed.
I realized how foolish I had been. The moment the relics started feeling heavy, I thought about it and then carelessly handed them over to a civilian. If they felt heavy to me, how would they feel to someone not used to that weight?
“It’s alright, Your Grace. Honestly, I’m just glad to have felt a bit of the traitor’s power!”
Gratefully, this true scholar laughed even after suffering an unjust incident.
If anyone else had laughed, I would have thought it forced, but with Gerhardt, it felt genuine.
“As a favor, I’d suggest this: since your shoulder is still shaken up, how about you stay here at the mansion for the night? We can also discuss the traitor during that time.”
“Well, it would be an honor… but…”
At my proposal, Gerhardt’s eyes darted around anxiously.
This is an opportunity to borrow relics from a research subject and have a one-on-one conversation with someone who knows that subject intimately. If Gerhardt had any feelings of guilt towards me, he might hesitate, but right now, he must be burning with motivation and duty towards his research. It would be too tempting an offer to refuse.
However, knowing that I’m still on a honeymoon-cum-parenting break might make him hesitant to accept freely. Allowing an outsider into our family sanctuary can be awkward.
“That’s a good thought. A dislocated shoulder is an injury that heals easily, but it’s also one that can easily recur. It would be best to observe it for a day.”
In the midst of Gerhardt’s conflict between reason and desire, Trixie nudged him gently.
“Then, I’ll impose upon you for just one day.”
“Ha ha! I brought it up first, so no need to worry about it. Let’s catch up like we did back at the academy.”
“What an honor, Your Grace.”
I instinctively almost patted Gerhardt’s shoulder, but I held back.
I can’t afford to break my friend’s shoulder twice!
I couldn’t remember the last time I spoke about Kagan to someone.
“The Gaar tribe had fierce struggles between clans for dominance. It was Kagan who effortlessly seized control of the Gaar tribe and elevated it to the greatest tribe of the north.”
“Unexpectedly so. Since it was a tribe capable of unifying the north, I thought it must have been powerful from ancient times.”
“Better than that, at least! The historical Margrave Sorden dealt with any strong tribes promptly, either through suppression or diplomacy. Had the Gaar tribe stood out earlier, Kagan’s rise could have been prevented, huh?”
“Indeed. Such rapid growth allowed the Empire to miss the timing to intervene.”
What I shared was essentially ‘In the beginning, there was Kagan…’ level of TMI, but Gerhardt seemed to genuinely enjoy it as he listened.
The reactions of the listener make it enjoyable for the speaker. At this rate, I could probably elaborate on events that happened day by day during the Great Subjugation War.
“By the way, how much do you know about the Eight Great Beasts? Understanding Kagan requires knowledge of them, too.”
“To my shame, I only know their names and home tribes. Thanks to your generosity, I’ve been able to explore the north, but records regarding Kagan and the Eight Great Beasts seem bizarrely scarce.”
Of course, it’s already hard enough to find records about the north as it is.
As Gerhardt shyly smiled while admitting this, I subtly glanced down.
The one who censored information about Kagan and the Eight Great Beasts was, surprisingly, me. Back then, I did everything I could to prevent the nomads from idolizing Kagan and the Great Beasts and regrouping again. The Temple of the Eternal Blue Sky was even burned down during that time.
Thinking about it, Christina writing papers on Aridu Keza and Udesr Zayrug during such chaotic times is quite baffling.
‘They were technically the same person, though.’
Sorry about that. If I hadn’t burned evidence so recklessly, I wouldn’t have confused the two.
*
The explanations were straightforward but packed with invaluable details.
“Chawjid Solgeo Ure was the vice-commander of the traitor’s forces and a veteran warrior. For every important battle that the traitor had to win, he led the troops personally. Some commanders met their end facing him.”
Information about Chawjid Solgeo Ure, previously known only as a legendary archer.
“Jalair Mog Karyal and Mog Timuhen were siblings. The sister, Karyal, was renowned as one of the best shaman in the north, while the brother, Timuhen, was a warrior.”
“Siblings among the Eight Great Beasts! I can’t help but wonder about their parents.”
“To be honest, I thought they were sisters at first.”
“Really?”
Not that I was particularly curious about Mog Timuhen’s looks—that revelation was a surprise.
“Ordo Kuman Ilai was the greatest shaman of the north and also a dancer and priest. He possessed the ability to manipulate shadows and nightmares, making it difficult to defeat him.”
“Shadows… do you mean?”
“From the ground, blades emerge from the shadows, or shadows can bind you, making you unable to move… it was utter chaos.”
Moreover, the northern magic is more diverse and unique compared to the continent’s standards.
Every bit of information was fascinating. For some time now, it had been all about the Eight Great Beasts rather than Kagan, but as the Count said, to understand the leader is to know his subordinates—
– I’ve never seen a local show so much interest in the north before. You must have seen a myriad of sights!
?
A sudden, unfamiliar voice rang out.
‘What is this?’
Confusion swept over me. There were only the Count and me in this audience chamber—where was that voice coming from?
– Huh? Can you hear my voice?
The strange voice reverberated through my head instead of my ears.
“Gerhardt?”
“Ah, um, yes?”
“What’s wrong? Your expression has turned a bit dark.”
At the Count’s question, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. If I said I was hearing strange voices in my head after dislocating my shoulder, how much more worried would they be?
However, while I hesitated, the Count’s face began to harden.
“…Gerhardt, do you hear a young woman’s voice in your head?”
“Y-Yes… I do.”
At that, the Count pinched his brow for a moment and looked at the traitor’s relic beside me.
“Is it because of that?”
Then he muttered something I couldn’t quite grasp.
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