“Fire.”
With a two-word attack command from what appeared to be the leader of the shaman unit, a barrage of luminous spells rained down from the sky.
The orbs of light, resembling incendiary bombs, gradually ignited the bodies of the infected upon contact, turning them into black ash in an instant.
“Kreee!”
However, the resistance of the infected was not to be underestimated.
They seemed to be growing accustomed to the shamans’ attack patterns, deflecting the incoming spells with their spears.
It was hard to believe these creatures lacked intelligence.
Zombies riding horses and learning from their experiences?
This was something that needed to be addressed later.
Whether it was due to the influence of the golden jasmine flowers or simply because they had no time to spare, the infected ignored me and Frennila, charging instead toward the warriors of the Staff Tribe.
I had worried that shamans might be weak in direct combat, but those concerns were quickly dispelled.
Standing in front of the shamans were warriors of robust build, covered in mysterious tattoos.
These tattoos began to glow as the shamans chanted their spells.
As the tattoos lit up, the warriors’ muscles swelled, and they began to physically crush the horde of infected with their knuckle-dusted fists.
The forces of the Staff Tribe were clearly formidable, each individual possessing significant combat prowess.
Why had such skilled individuals from this foreign tribe never shown themselves during the empire’s invasion?
It was truly puzzling.
Not only were they skilled, but their numbers were overwhelming.
The infected were completely eradicated by their hands.
The previous chase felt like a pointless struggle compared to how quickly and effortlessly this battle had been won.
If even one infected had charged at us, I could have tested the effect of the golden jasmine petals, but there was no opportunity.
Phew, I thought I was going to die, but thanks to them, I survived.
What a relief.
Dragging my trembling legs, I stepped forward to thank our saviors, but…
“Arrest them all.”
“Huh?”
“….”
…Damn it!
“….”
I suddenly remembered what Frennila had hinted at earlier.
‘…The Staff Tribe is hostile to us. If we pass by quietly, there shouldn’t be any problems.’
Ah, so we’re screwed!
Realizing this, I began to wait for my fate with the sad eyes of a cow awaiting slaughter.
*
“Lady Svioha, the purification of the infected who trespassed into our territory is complete.”
The guards who had gone out to punish the intruders returned and reported the outcome of the incident.
However, Svioha, who had been idly looking at tarot cards with a bored expression, barely acknowledged their efforts, only giving a superficial compliment.
“Well done. Not that I care much about the infected. By the way, did you follow the guidance of the stars I gave you?”
“Ah, about that… We couldn’t find the ‘Chosen One of Khan,’ but there was an unexpected person at the scene.”
“Tsk, I told you to find the Chosen One of Khan. Sigh, fine. An unexpected person? Who is it?”
“Frennila of the Bow Tribe.”
Hmm?
Frennila, Frennila. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name.
Why has she come all the way here?
But even the long-awaited news of Frennila’s whereabouts couldn’t hold Svioha’s interest.
Her focus was solely on one thing.
Finding the ‘Chosen One of Khan.’
Frennila was not the target.
If she had been the Chosen One, Svioha would have known already.
According to the stars’ guidance, the Chosen One of Khan had just entered the northern plains.
Whether it was a newborn baby, a newly awakened warrior from some tribe, or an outsider from beyond the plains, their identity was still unclear, but it would soon be revealed.
“Give her a horse and some supplies. She’ll find her way back.”
Now was the time to focus all efforts on finding the Chosen One of Khan.
Whether it was Frennila or her grandfather, Svioha didn’t care.
Annoyances needed to be dealt with quickly.
“Well, she wasn’t alone. She had companions. But they were… peculiar, to say the least. They looked like outsiders, but their claimed identities were strange.”
Outsiders.
To the tribes, outsiders referred to those from the southern continent, including the empire.
Today was full of strange stories.
This was enough to pique Svioha’s interest.
“Outsiders? Who are they? Tell me more.”
“One claimed to be a saint from the Church State, and the other said he was the prince of the empire.”
“A saint and a prince?”
An unexpected combination of identities.
How strange.
What would such supposedly noble figures be doing in such a humble place?
Of course, this was assuming their claims were true.
“Yes, they must be mad, right? There’s no way such people would come to the northern plains. I’ll handle this matter appropriately.”
“No, I’ve changed my mind. Where are they? I’ll meet them myself.”
This was the time of revelation.
If it were just Frennila, perhaps, but with so many peculiar visitors?
This couldn’t be a coincidence.
When coincidences pile up, they become inevitabilities, and inevitabilities are fate.
‘Fate is absolute.’
The infected roaming nearby was fate, the pursued outsider arriving here was fate, and even her sudden interest was fate.
Soon, she would meet the Chosen One of Khan, as foretold by the stars.
As she approached the scene, guided by her subordinates, her expression grew more confident.
The fresh, sweet scent of lotus flowers grew stronger.
“…Found you♡.”
Her face gradually twisted into a smile of madness and joy as she found the master of her fate.
*
Frennila was in a bad mood.
The infected, who usually avoided the empire’s borders, had inexplicably appeared just as she was traveling with the prince.
After being chased nearly to death, they had survived through twists and turns, only to end up bound and in the territory of the Staff Tribe—escaping the worst but facing the next worst.
Long ago, there had been a great conflict among the tribes.
The alliance of the Shield and Staff tribes against the Spear tribe and others.
Though the current generation held no direct grudges, the enmity between the tribes still lingered.
Now, with the infected problem, most tensions were subdued, but in a situation like this, things were different.
She was anxious.
If it were just her, she could face that gloomy woman, but she didn’t want the prince to meet her even for a moment.
It was an instinctive feeling.
Svioha, the leader of the Staff Tribe, was considered a mysterious figure even among the diverse tribes.
It wasn’t just her role as a shaman overseeing Tengriism, but her peculiar behavior that stood out.
She would suddenly spout prophecies or exorcise spirits with a charismatic gaze.
…Or so it was said.
To Frennila, she was just a crazy woman spouting nonsense and making a scene at night.
‘Don’t come, don’t come.’
You’re always too busy to attend alliance meetings, aren’t you?
Don’t come, just let us go.
Frennila prayed fervently, but her prayers went unanswered.
“Finally found you.”
A familiar voice, but one that had matured significantly over the years.
“…Svioha.”
Frennila called her name softly, but Svioha didn’t even glance at her.
Her gaze was fixed in one direction.
‘No way?’
Following her gaze, Frennila turned her head.
Her bad feelings were never wrong.
Svioha strode confidently toward the prince, her matured body pressing close to him.
Frennila tried to stop her, but her bound upper body wouldn’t obey.
“The Chosen One of Khan, our great leader, my master.”
Grabbing Kenneth’s collar, she pulled him toward her.
And then, a kiss.
“Ugh, ugh. Uwaak!”
The prince’s resisting voice.
“I swear eternity to you, my Khan.”
Pulling away, Svioha spouted more incomprehensible nonsense.
“What the hell are you doing to my man, you bitch?”
Frennila, who had never sworn in her life, couldn’t hold back and let it out.