Nersarn moistened his throat with wine and looked Ian up and down.

His white skin, blond hair, and green eyes were the complete opposite of theirs. And what about his physique? His gaze was as interested as if he were looking at a different creature.

“Based on the letter sent, I thought you’d be younger.”

It was due to the atrocious handwriting. Although he spoke quite politely, Ian understood what he meant to say.

“I still have many shortcomings. I’m working hard not to bring shame to the Cheonrye Tribe, so please be lenient with me.”

He thought Ian was a fool. Nersarn slightly raised his eyebrows and looked back at his companions. There was an amused smile on his face.

“I heard your mother is the second wife. Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Derga had disguised Philea’s existence as death to them. The setting was that Ian’s birth mother had died when he was very young and that he had lived in the manor ever since.

They wouldn’t even imagine that she was alive, let alone having her son taken away.

“I guess you take after your mother a lot.”

“Indeed. To think the Marquis produced a face like that…”

“Shh! Shut up.”

“Ah, sorry.”

It was the youngest-looking woman among the group. Soo apologized, awkwardly raising her hand. From the way she addressed the Marquis disrespectfully, one could guess how they viewed the Bratz family.

“That’s Soo, my cousin, and this is Gansha, a warrior.”

Moreover, there was no apology. Nersarn merely changed the subject while roughly introducing his companions. If nothing happened, in other words, if Ian survived crossing the border, they would be the ones to spend the rest of his life with.

“You must be sad to leave your hometown earlier than expected.”

“Well, if I think of it as a joyous occasion where the alliance is strengthened through the peace treaty, it’s an honor. Of course, Chief Winchen’s illness is a terribly unfortunate matter.”

Nersarn tried to catch Ian’s words but stopped. It was thanks to Ian’s addition without hesitation. Even if he was young, a nobleman was still a nobleman. The eloquence unique to imperials was evident.

“By the way, did the Chief’s condition deteriorate suddenly?”

“Given her advanced age, I’m not sure if the word ‘suddenly’ is appropriate, but if I had to say, that’s all there is to it.”

“Please don’t misunderstand. Since you’ve come all this way, if you wish, Nersarn, I can call for the royal physician.”

The Cheonrye Tribe must have their own medical system. But how much could they do in a tribal community? It would mostly be folk remedies based on boiling medicinal herbs. Even though it was a frontier, it wouldn’t compare to the doctors of Bratz, which was part of the empire.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. We have our own ways.”

It meant they had their traditions passed down for hundreds of years. They had bodies that hardly got seriously injured in the first place, and there was an underlying belief that death was also God’s will.

“Or, Nersarn, how about asking for that? The red herb…”

A man named Gansha interjected but shut his mouth at Nersarn’s fierce gaze.

Red herb? What was that? Ian pondered with a stoic expression, but nothing came to mind.

“Anyway, thank you for your hospitality despite the sudden visit. Please convey my gratitude to the Marquis as well.”

He left a message of gratitude with the nuance of asking Ian to leave now. However, Ian did not back down. Because the most important business was still left.

“Of course. Actually, the reason I came here like this is because I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

If they hadn’t come, it would have been quite troublesome. For Ian to cross the border with Beric, he had no choice but to gain Derga’s trust by volunteering as an informant and monitor.

However, the problem lay in ‘Beric’ himself.

He had no idea how to entice people using his head, so it was no easy task to make him gain Derga’s trust. If things went wrong, Ian would have had to tell Beric to cross the Great Desert alone and come to the Cheonrye Tribe’s stronghold.

“I have a friend who wants to go to the Great Desert together.”

“Are you referring to the servant and the redhead next to you earlier?”

It was the warrior who saw Ian together with Hannah and Beric. At his words, Ian shook his head.

“Only the redhead. He’s an orphan, so he has no family.”

“Eventually, everyone in the world loses their parents with time.”

“I didn’t mean that he’s pitiful, but that he has no lingering attachments to Bratz, so he can work for the Great Desert.”

Nersarn’s face hardened coldly.

The Great Desert was a harsh climate, but living there was also fierce. Idling around was out of the question.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Ian wouldn’t be welcomed there. A nobleman who had been raised preciously all his life would have limited things he could do there.

“Work for us? Well, what can he do? Can he swim in sand pits? Is he resistant to scorpion venom? If not that, can he sprout without water?”

It was a list that gave a glimpse of the Cheonrye Tribe’s life. From their perspective, just having Ian with them without contributing would be a nuisance.

But Ian didn’t back down.

“He’s skilled in combat and has great stamina.”

“Skilled in combat? Hahaha!”

Nersarn laughed genuinely for the first time. Discussing an individual’s combat ability in front of the Cheonrye Tribe? They were a race that could never be rivaled without weapons and magic.

“Now I understand. Young Master Ian is someone who enjoys jokes.”

“It’s not a joke.”

Ian faced him with a calm expression. Conveying that it wasn’t a prank. Nersarn gradually erased his smile and looked Ian up and down again.

‘He’s quite bold for his small build.’

He had manners too.

He took care of the reception that not even the Marquis did, and although he was unpleasant, he showed kindness by offering to call a doctor for Winchen. None of this seemed like flattery to survive. He simply fulfilled his duties without hostility.

But this was a separate issue.

One Ian Bratz was enough as a package.

“Ian Bratz. You are a token of the peace treaty, but what use do we have for that redhead? If he can’t earn his keep, we can’t take him.”

“We don’t know that yet, do we?”

“I can tell without looking. That tiny fellow is skilled in combat? What the…”

“If it’s hard to believe-“

Ian cut off his words mid-sentence. He still seemed bold, unwilling to back down easily.

“How can I prove it?”

‘Look at this.’

Nersarn thought for a moment and turned to Soo. Soo, who had been chewing bread with her mouth full, widened her eyes. She sensed it was a bothersome task.

“Alright. You said he’s skilled in combat. If he can defeat Soo in a duel, I’ll take him.”

“Why me of all people? There’s Gansha and the warrior too!”

“They’re not in the same weight class.”

“Ugh, seriously!”

Dueling without even resting after riding for days?

Soo glared, genuinely annoyed. But Nersarn and the others didn’t pay attention as if it were a common occurrence.

“What do you say? Is that okay?”

“Since you’ve given me a chance, I’m merely grateful.”

“Cheonrye Tribe duels always involve blood. Keep that in mind.”

“Beric also likes shedding blood. He’ll be pleased.”

As Ian replied, he observed Soo.

Even though she was a small woman, she was a force Nersarn had brought while visiting enemy territory. She was definitely not someone to be taken lightly.

“Then I’ll see you after dinner. Rest well.”

“Meat! Please prepare a lot of meat. No, I’ll ask for it!”

“Understood, Soo.”

Ian politely bid farewell and left the room. As soon as he closed the door and turned the corner of the corridor, he found servants huddled together.

“Young Master Ian! What took you so long?”

“We thought something had happened.”

They were all pacing around, worrying about him. Ian just smiled and requested dinner, then woke up Beric, who was sleeping curled up on the sofa.

“Beric.”

“Hmm…”

“After dinner, you have to duel with the Cheonrye Tribe.”

Upon hearing those words, Beric’s eyes snapped open as if he had been electrocuted. What did he say? With whom?

“You saw a woman among them earlier, right? You have to defeat her to go to the Great Desert together. Otherwise, you’ll have to follow alone.”

Beric’s eyes sparkled. As if crossing the desert alone wasn’t a concern, he seemed delighted by the fact that he would clash with ‘that’ Cheonrye Tribe member.

“But with a woman?”

“Don’t underestimate her. She’s someone the chief’s brother brought when entering Bratz. She looked very nimble.”

Gansha and the warrior were definitely there for escort purposes. They had an aura that directly conveyed a warrior’s fighting spirit and vigor, as if they would survive even if thrown into a lion’s den.

However, given the nature of this urgent message that required the fastest possible movement, they needed a force that could move the quickest if a problem arose. It was the assurance given by Soo’s light build.

Beric rubbed his face against the cushion and muttered.

“It’s not a race, so what’s the point of being fast? It’ll be over once caught.”

“You’re lucky if you can even catch her.”

“Huh?”

Ian looked out the window and pondered for a moment.

Yes, if he could even catch her…

“Beric, listen carefully. I’ll teach you how to win.”

Ian sat across from the sofa and shared all possible tactics. Until the sky gradually darkened, and the torches of the manor illuminated the red flowers by the window.

***

Nersarn and his companions stayed in the room after having dinner there. They couldn’t move carelessly because of the soldiers guarding outside the manor.

Of course, physical limitations weren’t a problem for them.

“How are you going to sneak out?”

A backyard slightly away from the annex. A shadow flickered in the lit window on the 4th floor. Since all the soldiers of the manor were guarding the annex, the backyard was deserted.

“Huh?”

As soon as the window opened, a human figure fell straight down. Beric was stunned, but Ian looked up as if he had expected it.

And he began to count the time. 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds…

“Hi!”

Soo poked her head out of the bushes. She arrived in just over ten seconds from quite a distance. At this level, she was almost no different from a beast.

“Hmm, it’s nice here. I haven’t smelled grass in a while.”

“What about the others?”

“Resting in the room. We have to leave early tomorrow. This is why being the youngest is unfair.”

With no one listening, Soo spoke casually to Ian. This was the treatment Ian would receive once he crossed the border. A position where even the youngest of the group would look down on him.

Beric glanced at Soo and then looked back at the annex.

“She jumped from that window?”

“Yeah, why?”

“How will she go back up?”

“I’ll go back up the same way, why?”

She had a face asking if there was a problem. Beric, who burst into laughter, shook his head in satisfaction. Yes, they were indeed the Cheonrye Tribe. They had to be at this level!

“The time limit is 5 minutes. If you can knock me down within that, I’ll acknowledge it.”

“5 minutes? Isn’t that too short?”

“If you can’t do it by then, you won’t be able to do it even if I give you a day.”

“Ha, this is absurd. Are you looking down on me?”

When did they see him to speak so casually? Ian crossed his arms and stepped back slightly.

The fact that there were no other spectators was an attitude that completely disregarded them. However, it clearly had an advantage for Ian and Beric.

“Beric, come here.”

Zing.

Ian grabbed the back of Beric’s head and poured mana into him. His golden eyes, shining brightly, would be hidden by Beric’s head.

Activating mana was relatively easy like this, and above all-

“Remember what I told you earlier.”

Because they could employ tactics.

Soo scratched her ear as if asking when they would start.