Magi: The Tale of Faith and Hope

The Great Kouga Empire

"I am the third child of the first emperor of the Kou Empire, Ren Hakuei. I have come to engage in diplomatic talks with you," Hakuei formally introduced herself to the Kouga Clan and their leader once her retainers had arrived.

"Emperor's daughter!!" the people gasped in astonishment.

'Crap...!!' the twins thought, fighting to keep their poker faces firmly intact. Hope hadn't expected to run into the Kou Empire again so soon, let alone another member of the royal family... But it was too late to hide now. Doing that would just make them look suspicious and draw attention. The princess didn't seem to recognize them as possible fugitives, so their best option was to play it cool for now. Hope shot her sister a look to remind her to keep a low profile.

"... Welcome, Your Highness," Baba greeted her. "I am the granddaughter of the 155th King of the Kouga Clan. My name is Chagan Shaman."

"I know that name well," Hakuei said with a polite bow to the older woman. "In our country too, there are legends about you. 'The Kouga Clan', the most prosperous 'troopers'. In the past, there was no greater horse-riding tribe. I have heard that the first king, Chagan Han, who 'possessed a power comparable to that of a demon' built the greatest nation in history... and the name of your country, that was one step away from the unification of the world was the 'Great Kouga Empire'." The members of the clan narrowed their eyes at her. "However, in recent years, your nation's power has waned. They even say you've fallen victim to the slave trade." The people bit their lips as they glared at her, mortified that she would dare to bring it up. "Nevertheless, your suffering ends today," Hakuei continued bravely. "People of the Kouga Clan... Come under our patronage! Be part of our Kou Empire!" she finished grandly.

"!!?" everyone gasped.

"Be part of you!?" one of the men asked incredulously.

"We of the Kou Empire have dominated the plains of the far east. In the future, we shall also dominate the lands of the Reim Empire in the west and Partevia in the southwest... In other words, our aim is to 'unify the world'! This is the same dream... that your ancestors pursued! I ask for your help in realizing it. Please, lend us your strength," Hakuei said earnestly.

"The same dream... as our ancestors..." members of the clan began to murmur amongst themselves.

"..." Baba, Aladdin, and the twins stood there, considering everything they had just heard. The arrival of the Kou Empire on their doorstep spelled trouble for everyone involved. You could cut the tension with a knife. Aladdin looked down at his flute.

"What happened? Ugo-kun?" he asked quietly, wondering why the Djinn suddenly seemed restless.

"Maybe they don't understand..." said one of the men standing beside the princess. "You're so high and majestic..."

"Of course they will..." Hakuei told him. Hope frowned. She didn't like the look of that man. He was totally different from the princess and her other attendant. His contempt for the situation was way too obvious. It was like he wasn't even trying to hide it... He was clearly looking down on the clan.

"Hey!! Don't speak in such a friendly way," Dorji said grimly. "'Be part of us' means... 'surrender' our village, doesn't it?"

"Doesn't it!?"

"It does!!"

"Silence!!" Baba commanded sternly. "Give us time, Princess. It is not easy to accept this proposal so suddenly. Since our ancestors' time, we have been independent," she stated calmly, doing her best to be diplomatic without surrendering any of their dignity.

"I understand..." said Hakuei.

"..." The rude man behind her frowned.

"Umm... I've poured some horse milk wine, so why don't you come inside and talk calmly with us?" Toya offered politely with a kind smile.