Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 136

<136>

I almost never forget anything I see or hear. Yet, knowledge from my past life and the ‘future’ quickly fades from my mind.

I have a guess as to why.

It must be a reaction to remembering things I shouldn’t.

That’s why, after realizing this, I developed the habit of recording the knowledge from my past life and the ‘future’ that I shouldn’t forget in the [Library]’s [Notebook].

The warrior Orhan from the Noya tribe is not recorded in the [Notebook].

Meaning he wasn’t worth remembering.

The ‘future’ I recall of him was that he was a one-armed warrior who, after being exiled from the Noya tribe, worked as a hunting dog for the Hamel Empire.

I’m busy enough as it is; I didn’t have time to remember such a man, even to the point of recording him.

It’s a wonder I even remembered him at all.

The reason he was exiled… unfortunately, I don’t remember. It seems I never knew in the first place, or it’s already been completely erased from my mind.

((Why are you looking at my arm like that? Well, seeing your feeble arm, I suppose you’d be envious of such robust muscles.))

I was just looking at Orhan’s left hand, which shouldn’t have been there, but he misunderstood and grinned unpleasantly, revealing his yellowed teeth.

((Indeed, I am envious.))

After replying without any particular change in expression, I looked at the man who seemed to be the leader of the warriors.

Nurgal’s younger brother, Shurgal.

A strong warrior.

Unlike Orhan, my memories of him are clear.

He was an 8-star warrior who stayed with Nurgal until the last moment when the Khan tribe’s cavalry was trampled by the Hamel Empire’s Titans.

Right now… probably at the early stages of 7-star?

I guessed he was at a similar level to Bert.

((Are you Shurgal?))

((That’s right. I’ll guide you to the chieftain. Follow me.))

((Understood.))

Shurgal, having turned his horse around, started leading the way with his back to us.

We, walking on two feet, had to follow at a ‘slightly faster’ pace. Everyone else was fine, but Julian was the problem.

Glancing at him, he seemed to have grasped the situation and had a determined expression. I could see his will to reach the Noya tribe’s village on his own two feet.

Well, if not, so be it.

If it doesn’t work out, Alphonso can carry him on his back.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

We started moving at a slightly faster pace. Shurgal was in front, and Orhan and the Noya tribe warriors were behind us, forming a sort of encirclement.

While quickly moving my feet, I tapped their heads with my ghost hand to gather information.

There wasn’t much to gain.

Only that there were more relationships of caution than hostility?

“Hmm… I feel like we’re being escorted like prisoners.”

Alphonso, who was next to me, grumbled as if he didn’t like it.

It couldn’t be helped.

This meeting was arranged at our request.

“Sir Nave must have gone through a lot.”

“Maybe?”

Honestly, I think it was a somewhat dangerous mission.

In all likelihood, the meeting between Lucas and the Noya tribe started with a sword fight.

I don’t know how he completed the special mission I gave him. All I know is that he’s still alive and staying in the Noya tribe’s village?

I’ll find out when I meet him in person.

Anyway, Lucas has done a great job, so I’m thinking of giving him another vacation when I have the chance.

Hmm… about a year after retaking the Northwest?

I glanced back.

The current speed is almost a brisk walk. Julian was still holding on well.

But after four hours.

“Haa… haa…”

Julian’s heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear it coming from his mouth.

If we continued like this, I thought he might shake hands with the Grim Reaper again and cross the river of no return, even after I had worked so hard to save him with the World Tree’s fruit.

Just as I was about to open my mouth.

The place where the Noya tribe spent the winter came into view.

“Hang in there, Julian! The Noya tribe’s village is right there!”

“Haa… haa…”

Julian’s eyes lit up at Alphonso’s encouragement.

I examined the approaching Noya tribe’s village. Mobile assembly-type tents, gers [Yurts], were spread out in numbers too great to count.

As expected of the Noya tribe, the most populous of the Khan tribes.

Seeing that they would have to raid the Hamel Empire rather than the Lionel Kingdom to get through the winter with that many people, I felt strangely comforted.

As we arrived at the village, the Noya tribe people flocked to see us.

((Where are these foreigners from?))

((Look at their white skin!))

((They look so weak! So feeble!))

((Why? The guy who looks like the leader is so handsome.))

((What’s so handsome about him!))

((Move your head! I can’t see!))

The children seemed especially excited.

Feeling like a circus monkey, I moved to the central area of the village.

And then, the chieftain’s residence appeared.

((This is where the chieftain lives.))

Even if Shurgal hadn’t said anything, I would have recognized it at a glance. It was three or four times larger than the other gers, and the material of the tent looked extraordinary.

((Wait here for a moment.))

Shurgal got off his horse, went inside for a moment, and came back out.

((He said he doesn’t think a translator is necessary, so only one person should come in.))

I nodded and looked back at my group.

Julian, who was exhausted, his legs trembling and his face pale. His eyes were unfocused. He seemed to be standing there passed out.

I thought it was a good thing.

“I’ll be back. Stay put. Don’t react even if someone provokes you. Especially be careful of that yellow-toothed guy.”

“Don’t worry about us, Your Majesty.”

“Please be careful.”

Leaving the worried group behind, I entered Nurgal’s ger.

A man with fierce eyes and a thick beard was waiting for me, stroking his beard. He was sitting in front of a table of ordinary size, but he was so huge that the table looked like a child’s toy.

His gaze was directed at the Barisada at my waist.

((Among those who have entered with weapons without my permission, not a single one has left unscathed.))

A heavy, cold voice.

I chuckled inwardly.

I know a bit about Khan culture.

When visiting a Khan as a guest, it’s not a problem at all to enter the ger with weapons. Rather, I know that if you leave them at the entrance, they often get angry, asking if you’re ignoring them as a warrior.

On the other hand, there is an action that you should never do.

((Weren’t you the one who invited me as a guest? That’s why I took off my shoes.))

That is, not entering the ger with shoes on. I don’t know the exact reason. It’s just their culture that has been going on since ancient times, so I just accept it.

Nurgal grinned when he saw my bare feet.

((I called you to determine whether you are a guest or a pest. But you seem to know quite a bit about us.))

((I am not from the Noya tribe, but I have learned a little because warriors from other tribes visit the Lionel Kingdom every winter. We must respect each other’s cultures.))

((You speak eloquently. Then do you also respect our way of treating pests?))

Their way of treating pests.

It’s nothing special. What else would there be but a sword fight?

((Of course. But may I sit down?))

((Do as you please.))

Without hesitation, I sat down on the chair opposite Nurgal and poked his forehead with my ghost hand.

‘Is the relationship normal?’

Compared to the Noya tribe warriors who were wary or hostile to me earlier, this was very positive.

Lucas did a really good job.

((Whether I’m a pest or a guest, seeing as you’ve invited me like this, I think it’s safe to assume that you’re quite interested in what my envoy told you?))

The message I told Lucas to convey to Nurgal was simple and clear.

Do you have any intention of becoming the king of the Khan tribes, not just the chieftain of the Khan tribe?

The Northwest Reclamation Operation, which was framed by the kingdom’s brain trust and completed with my participation, its first preparation was an alliance with the Khan tribes.

He grinned, revealing his teeth.

((We Khan tribes are descendants of a great empire that once swallowed not only the Hamel Empire but also parts of the Western Continent. Of course, we refuse to live scattered in various tribes in this barren land.))

That’s a very old story.

Before the Hayeon Kingdom, the predecessor of the Lionel Kingdom, became a vassal state of the Hamel Empire.

His descendant, Nurgal, seemed to still deeply engrave in his heart the history of his ancestors who once roamed the continent.

((But! As the chieftain of the Khan tribes for nearly 20 years, I also know how difficult that is. Now, quickly spout your sweet words. What do you want from us Khan tribes?))

I took a deep breath inwardly and slowly opened my mouth.

((An alliance. The term is… until the Lionel Kingdom and the Khan tribes devour the entire Hamel Empire together.))

A moment of silence.

Nurgal burst into laughter.

((Kahaha! I knew you were audacious, but you were completely insane.))

I’m still a king, yet he calls me insane to my face. I was reminded once again of the Lionel Kingdom’s position in the world.

After laughing like a madman for a while, he suddenly stopped laughing and stared directly into my eyes.

He was burning fiercely.

((Tell me in detail. How are you going to devour the Hamel Empire?))

I put my hand into my chest and rummaged through the space expansion pouch to find the map.

Whirr-

I spread the map on the table.

((Even if the Khan tribes are slow to hear news, you must have heard that the Hamel Empire’s emperor is on his way out?))

((I heard the story roughly from the tribe’s shaman.))

I glanced at the entrance of the ger and then looked into Nurgal’s eyes.

If the negotiations break down here, the kingdom’s plan to retake the Northwest might leak into the ears of the Hamel Empire’s intelligence agency, Dongmak.

‘Just in case.’

-Even if the negotiations break down, the probability that the kingdom’s plan to target the Northwest will come out of Nurgal’s mouth is low.

-That’s right. The chaos that will occur in the Hamel Empire in the process of us retaking the Northwest will not harm the Khan tribes at all.

-Many people see Nurgal as an ignorant barbarian, but he is by no means a foolish man.

The kingdom’s brain trust, including me, all judged that the probability was extremely low.

We judged…

But when I was about to say it, it didn’t come out easily. That’s how vital the retaking of the lost Northwest was to the kingdom.

((Rest assured. Everything that happens inside my ger will never leak out.))

I wanted to ask him to swear on the stars in his heart, but that would also be a great insult to the Khan tribes.

As if he thought I considered him a liar.

Considering that the decisive reason why the Khan tribes, who once formed a great empire, are now treated as barbarians in the outskirts was because of a traitor who leaked the contents of a secret meeting, it’s hard not to laugh.

No, is that why it’s even more insulting?

Having made up my mind, I moved my lips.

((Immediately after the emperor’s death is known, or when he is on the verge of death, our kingdom’s army will launch a massive offensive on the kingdom’s Northwest, which was taken away more than 10 years ago.))

Nurgal’s eyes lit up with interest.

((No matter how senile the emperor is, do you think the empire won’t notice such a large-scale troop movement by the Lionel Kingdom?))

((There is a way.))

The brain trust had the opinion that it was a bit of a shame to use the Root Path, which the elves had only allowed us to use once.

I agreed with that as well.

((If the Khan tribes, including Chieftain Nurgal, would unite and invade this place.))

Nurgal’s eyes became as big as fists when he saw where my finger was pointing.

((Are you serious? Are you asking us to invade Beringen Fortress?))

The Khan tribes’ large-scale invasion southward.

No better strategy could be devised as a way to divert the Hamel Empire’s attention while concentrating the kingdom’s forces in the north.

In the long run, maintaining an alliance with the Khan tribes is much more beneficial than using the Root Path.

The enemy of my enemy is always a great ally.