Kichiro laughed.

‘Sending me on that Quest to kill the giant marmot sure seems like an attempt on my life, in hindsight,’ he said.

Ilha’s brother grinned at him but Ilha herself remained stone-faced.

‘It’s not a joke, Kichiro,’ she told him, ‘Killing a giant marmot is not the kind of Quest you give a Level 1 Steppe Rider.’

‘It’s only for the likes of you, isn’t it,’ replied Kichiro, a smirk on his face.

‘Jirgalang belongs to the Wolf Tribe, and they have been the enemies of Nurhaci’s Eagle Tribe for centuries,’ begun Ilha, ignoring him, ‘Even now, they are convinced that he would grasp any opportunity to undermine and ultimately exterminate them.’

‘What does that have to do with me?’

‘The Red Tassels are a… proud people,’ interjected Ilha’s brother, looking somewhat embarrassed, ‘We believe we are the strongest and most virtuous people under the Blue Heavens, and all foreigners are either spoiled and weak, or stupid and savage.’

Kichiro was not surprised. He’d already got the impression that people here looked down at him as something lesser. Of course, he was used to this, as the subjects of the Kingdom of the Morning Peninsula treated him the same way. All peoples under the Blue Heavens probably shared a similar attitude towards outsiders.

‘Well,’ continued Ilha’s brother, ‘Jirgalang probably believes that Nurhaci is trying to destroy the purity of the Teal Banner, which houses a great part of the Wolf Tribe, to further diminish this already weak Banner.’

Kichiro stared at the stove, engrossed in thought. Resolve sprung up in his chest. He would show Jirgalang that he was an asset, not a liability, to the Teal Banner.

‘Jirgalang’s next Quest will likely be even more perilous than the last one,’ said Ilha, ‘He wants to get rid of you to restore the Banner’s integrity and spite Nurhaci.’

‘I’m going to accept that Quest no matter what.’

‘Good,’ replied Ilha, ‘Rejecting his Quest would give Jirgalang the right to punish you, including with death.’

‘You have a choice,’ said her brother, ‘Either flee Red Earth Country, never to return, or you accept this Quest and tempt death.’

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‘I swore allegiance to Nurhaci himself,’ declared Kichiro, his face fierce, ‘I would be an honourless dog to flee; I’m ready for whatever Quest Jirgalang gives me.’

Ilha smiled. This guy had quite the backbone.

‘In that case, I will accompany you on that Quest,’ she said.

‘Why would you do that?’

Kichiro was moved. A Steppe Champion of the Teal Banner, and a pretty girl besides, would risk her life to protect him? He glanced at Ilha’s brother. He was not happy.

‘Don’t believe for one moment that I’m just doing this for you,’ Ilha said, ignoring her brother’s angry gaze, ‘As a matter of principle, I will not allow my Teal Banner to murder one of its own.’

She shot a defiant glance at her brother.

‘You won’t stop me, Nesuken,’ she said, her glare softening against her will, ‘I’m not just your little sister, I am a Steppe Champion.’

Nesuken silently heaped some steaming mutton steaks into bowls and handed it to Kichiro and Ilha. He sighed. He knew he couldn’t stop his sister. She was as stubborn as an ox.

‘Time to eat!’

After they had cleaned out the bowls, washing down the meat with goat’s milk, Kichiro heard his stomach rumble and swore under his breath. Back in the Morning Peninsula and the Rising Sun Isles, milk was unheard of to people. His stomach couldn’t handle the white stuff and was in utter turmoil.

‘I… I have to get some fresh air,’ he informed Ilha and Nesuken as he rushed outside into the night.

When Kichiro returned, Nesuken shoved a skin of milk liquor into his hand.

‘Time to drink!’

‘Let me show you something,’ said Kichiro, smiling confidently. He used to work as a barman in the seedy drinking establishments of the Morning Capital and had a few tricks up his sleeve. Grabbing Ilha’s and Nesuken’s drink, he cast a minor spell.

You successfully cast 3rd Class Firewater Infusion!

The liquor sparkled for a moment.

Ilha took a sip and instantly coughed it out, eliciting a snigger from Kichiro and Nesuken.

‘Why is this so strong?’ she spat, wiping her mouth.

The next morning, as Kichiro ducked into Jirgalang’s yurt, his head was ringing and his breath stunk of sick. Jirgalang looked him up and down coolly, noting the dark rings around his eyes and his dishevelled hair. Boosting the alcohol content of the mare liquor took its toll.

‘Are you ready to take your next Quest, foreigner?’

‘Yes marshal!’

‘We’ve had reports of strange happenings up north in Reindeer Country, near the town of Horned Seat. You are to investigate and bring me back a comprehensive report.’

You receive a Quest: Investigate the strange happenings near Horned Seat, Reindeer Country!

When Kichiro told Ilha of the Quest, she frowned deeply, although it could have been the result of the thundering headache that afflicted her in the morning aftermath of the drinking the night before, the details of which she struggled to remember.

‘Strange happenings sound ominous,’ she commented, ‘But what is even more concerning that we have to go to Reindeer Country… That weird land is at the very edge of civilization and constantly threatened by unnamed terrors from within the Endless Waste.’

Kichiro grew worried. He thought that Red Earth Country was the edge of civilization, but now he found out that there were lands even more savage than this one. Of course, he refrained from voicing his thoughts to Ilha.

‘What is the Endless Waste?’

‘The total wilderness to the North, beyond the limits of any known map.’