Khan brought the container to his mouth while Onp processed that absurd request. The slimy dark liquid ran down his throat, but his gaze at Onp never wavered, and the Thilku stared back at him.
"[In the Empire's long history]," Onp announced, doing his best to remain calm, "[No one has ever dared to request our capes]."
Khan was aware of that detail. The Thilku's capes weren't something different species could ask. The Empire itself had to offer them when it found a deserving ally.
Nevertheless, that wasn't exactly a rule, and Khan was in no mood for compromises. He wanted the Thilku's capes for personal reasons, so he just asked for one.
"[I know]," Khan said once he lowered the container, "[But I just did]."
Onp was struggling to keep track of the situation. Khan's behavior was unacceptable, but the reports that had arrived forced him to stay calm. Onp didn't even read all of them, but that was enough to make him hesitate.
In a different situation, Onp would have kicked Khan out anyway. After all, no one could disrespect the Thilku in their own home. They valued pride too much to let that insult go unpunished.
Khan would have normally suffered from the same fate, but the reports were unreal, to say the least. A rough estimate of Khan's achievements had landed on the interactive desk, and Onp didn't know how anyone could believe it.
According to the reports, Khan had almost single-handedly taken care of all the intelligent specimens in the enemy army. His relentless slaughter of the weaker troops had also preserved many soldiers' lives, which Onp couldn't ignore.
Moreover, Khan had killed a mutated Thilku, which was no small matter. That feat didn't only prove his power. It was also important for the Empire since it removed some of the stains Cegnore had left on its pride.
Onp didn't forget about the validity of Khan's claims either. He could really summon the monsters. His voice was a priceless tool the Thilku could use to win that war.
The feats far outweighed the seriousness of that superficial disrespect, and Onp didn't know how to deal with it. Showing weakness wasn't an option, but his mouth threatened to open in shock whenever he glanced at the reports under him.
"[Just use me]," Khan scoffed, sensing Onp's internal conflict. "[Don't be shy about that]."
"[Ah]!" Onp exclaimed in annoyance, believing Khan was taunting him. Yet, looking at him revealed a different truth. He didn't care how the Empire employed him. He was ready to be a killing machine if that was what it wanted.
Humans would find sadness in that scene, but the Thilku were different. That straightforward desire to serve was praiseworthy in Onp's eyes, especially when coming from such a valuable soldier. He was starting to realize he was in front of the best third-level warrior he had ever met, and his very education told him to respect that strength.
"[The Thilku aren't shy]," Onp snorted, crossing his arms before his chest. He felt no awkwardness about his recent attempt to punish Khan but still didn't give in. The way he saw it, Khan had only earned the right to make his requests be heard.
"[You must want something, don't you]?" Khan continued, taking a break to drink from the bottle. "[You've read what I can do. I'm sure you can use me for your benefits]."
"[How would you know]?" Onp asked. "[You are an outsider]."
"[I can guess]," Khan replied, pointing a finger at Onp's forehead. "[Don't you want a crown]?"
Onp's mana shook for a second before a chilling sensation leaked out of his figure. He was still angry, but the topic had summoned a new level of seriousness. Becoming a Lord was no joking matter, especially for Thilku devoted to the Empire.
"[I'd be careful about your next words]," Onp warned. "[You saved many Thilku lives, so I'm giving you some leeway, but my patience is running thin]."
"[I mean no disrespect]," Khan said, shrugging his shoulders. "[I truly don't. I'm simply tired of politics]."
Onp was slightly inclined toward the political side of the spectrum but remained a Thilku to his core. If Khan wanted to talk like a simple soldier, he would allow it, at least for that meeting.
"[Why do you think I want to become a Lord]?" Onp questioned.
Khan sighed, showing his annoyance toward those games. The Empire was sensitive to talks of weaknesses, but they weren't a secret, especially for someone striving to become an Ambassador.
"[Cegnore is wasting a lot of the Empire's resources]," Khan said, refraining from using the word manpower. "[Solving this issue would be a big achievement. You are here, so the honor would be yours]."
"[I'm serving Lord Exr]," Onp stated. "[Don't mistake Thilku with humans]."
"[The Thilku are no strangers to ambition]," Khan responded. "[You wouldn't have agreed to use me in the first place otherwise]."
"[What if I have ambition]?" Onp snorted. "[It would be insulting to rely on anyone to fulfill it, especially a human]."
A fit of anger surged in Khan's mind. Onp's bias toward humans rekindled old memories. Khan still recalled what the Global Army was willing to do on Nitis, and his current state gave birth to an instinctive answer.
"[I'm no human]," Khan almost growled, turning to his left to spit on the floor.
Onp fell silent. He initially believed Khan's injuries had caused that powerful gesture, but that idea shattered when the two exchanged another stare. Khan knew exactly what his actions meant to the Thilku.
That wasn't exactly a smart move. The Thilku appreciated loyalty, so Khan risked losing Onp's respect. However, he couldn't change his feelings, and his reasons went beyond his physical appearance.
Khan's almost entire skillset was alien. His spells used human blueprints, but he cast them through the Niqols' theories. His martial arts came from the Global Army, but he had transformed them through his understanding of mana.
Even Khan's mindset wasn't human at all. He felt more and more deeply. The raging urges flowing through his thoughts proved that. He didn't like to be associated with the Nak, but the truth was undeniable. Each step forward put him farther away from his species.
The gesture began to make Onp lose trust in Khan. Yet, a silver lining existed. If Khan didn't see himself as a human, Onp wouldn't have to worry about potential betrayals meant to benefit the Global Army.
"[Why would I trust you]?" Onp asked, unable to get rid of that doubt.
"[Don't trust me]," Khan stated. "[Trust my strength]."
"[Your strength to do what]?" Onp wondered. "[Do you think you can clear the entire planet by yourself]?"
"[Actually]," Khan laughed, "[That would be ideal for me]."
"[Those beasts matched some of the best soldiers in the Empire]," Onp revealed. "[I told you to be careful about your words]."
"[They were true]," Khan declared. "[I'm the best third-level warrior that has ever existed. That applies to every species]."
The arrogant claim stopped sounding like an insult when Khan involved other species, and Onp struggled to refute it. Lying would be unbecoming, so Onp opted for a different approach.
"[You probably are]," Onp agreed. "[However, can I trust you]?"
"[No]," Khan firmly replied, "[But you can use me]."
"[To what extent]?" Onp questioned.
"[Until my body breaks]," Khan promised. "[Probably even beyond that]."
Politics, differences in species, and other superficial details vanished when that statement echoed in the room. Khan's presence conveyed his emotions, so Onp saw no lies in his words. The scene in his eyes was actually completely different.
It wasn't hard to guess Khan's goal. His blue hair was too eye-catching, and his scar was in the open. Even an idiot could connect the dots. Yet, Onp saw the depths of his resolve now, and the desire to smile tried to take control of his mind.
"[Fine, then]," Onp exclaimed, ambition filling his face. "[The Empire will go on the offensive now. Deliver what you can, or die trying]."
"[Gladly]," Khan chuckled, gulping down the remains of his medicine.
"[I'll give you a warning out of respect for your service to the Empire]," Onp continued. "[If your body breaks, I'll leave it in the dust]."
"[The weak will die]," Khan responded, his eyes bright with intensity, "[And the strong will thrive]."
"[We'll see if you are as strong as you claim to be]," Onp responded, "[Captain Khan]."
"[Don't forget the capes]," Khan casually said, lifting the container before approaching the exit. Onp didn't add anything, so Khan left, ending the meeting.
The political mistakes during the meeting crossed Khan's mind as he reviewed Onp's words. His stance wasn't very Ambassador-like, but Cegnore was a battlefield, and he was the strongest. Onp couldn't ignore him on the basis of his species.
Once those thoughts vanished, a different memory appeared. The battle against the mutated Thilku ran through Khan's vision, but his focus was on its words.
'What legacy was it talking about?' Khan wondered. 'What is there to inherit?'
Khan could feel it in his bones. He was getting closer to answers, and Onp had just cleared the troops for the offensive. More of Cegnore's secrets were bound to appear, and Khan inevitably thought about his initial plan.
'I should go MIA soon,' Khan decided, retrieving his phone from his underwear. He didn't want to do anything specific, but checking the date reminded him of a certain event. He had turned twenty.
