There is a salt desert about a hundred kilometers farther from the northern part of the empire.
If you traverse the salt desert, you come to a forest that looks like a huge jungle, and from there was Kaluta's territory.
In other words, the salt desert serves as both a border and an implicit neutral zone.
Beyond the forest, a huge mountain range existed.
The terrain of Kaluta was very unique.
To the north is the sea, to the south is the desert, and in the center, highlands and plateaus spread out widely above the mountain range.
And since there is a vast jungle near the salt desert, you won't starve to death as long as you know how to hunt animals.
Currently, 'Kaluta' existed somewhere halfway up that huge mountain range, but that was not necessarily the country of Kaluta.
Strictly speaking, they did not take the form of a state.
Perhaps due to their nomadic nature, the Kaluta periodically moved their place of residence.
One day it settled in a snow-covered plateau well over 6,000 meters above sea level, and another day it unexpectedly settled in the middle of a forest.
That elusiveness, along with the rugged terrain, is another shield of Kaluta.
Therefore, the Emperor remained silent even as he witnessed Kaluta invading the border region day after day.
If they move, the Emperor's direct unit, 'Labyth,' will inevitably move as well, and then they will have no choice but to fight until one of them dies.
Actually, that was how Roselyn's world was.
To be precise, 'Kaluta' was the strongest tribe that unified the barbarians, the 'Kaluta Tribe,' and now it has become a single country named 'Kaluta' after their tribe's name.
Therefore, the various tribes still lived separately within the country of Kaluta.
Even if you take down just one tribe, there are countless tribes scattered in all directions, so it is difficult to deal with.
"Thank you for coming such a long way."
Anyway, when Roselyn arrived halfway up the mountain at noon, she saw a boy who had come out to meet them.
It was a unique outfit consisting of pure white trousers and a wide-open front that left the upper body practically naked.
He was wearing thick gold bracelets on both wrists.
"I am Bayan, the chieftain of Kaluta."
The muscular boy with bronze skin who identified himself as the next successor had vivid green eyes and silver hair.
'Bayan...?'
Roselyn looked a little surprised.
If he is the older brother that Batar introduced, he is probably seventeen years old now.
However, he was taller and bigger than a well-trained knight, and his gaze was arrogant but not rude.
"Ah! Enough with the formalities. Hurry up and show me around. I'm getting tired. I want to wash up and rest right now."
Unlike anyone else.
The Second Prince, who had complained the most throughout the two-week journey, continued to make a lot of noise even after arriving in a foreign country as part of the delegation.
Bayan looked at the Second Prince for a moment, then looked at Arma next to Roselyn, looked at Roselyn next to her one last time, and then looked at Arma again.
"Are you leading this delegation?"
Arma nodded lightly.
"I am the 3rd Prince Arma Dianitas."
Roselyn nodded inwardly with satisfaction as she watched Arma speak quite nonchalantly with his arms crossed.
It was the result of giving him special training; he was absolutely terrible at acting.
'At this level, at least one of the two will like it.'
Roselyn thought with satisfaction.
"It will be for a short time, but I look forward to working with you."
Arma lightly grasped the hand Bayan extended.
"..."
Bayan's eyes twitched once.
This was because Arma's expression did not change even once, despite him having tightened his grip to deliberately gain the upper hand.
He didn't intend to break any bones, so he controlled his strength to some extent, but even so, an ordinary person would have at least screamed.
It must have been pain severe enough to change one's complexion at the very least...
'It's strong.'
It was the moment Bayan was about to let go of the hand he was holding.
Grasp-
Bayan's eyes widened slightly at the hand that grabbed him fiercely, as if seeking revenge.
'...What power is this?'
Bayan burst into hearty laughter, surprised by the fact that even those who were not of the Kaluta tribe could possess this much power.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he let go of his hand cleanly.
Roselyn's eyes widened at the sound of Bayan's laughter.
"Indeed, you are worthy of being the leader of the group. Excuse me."
"...Not really."
Arma glanced at Roselyn and remained silent.
"The Third Prince seems to be a man of few words."
Bayan generously overlooked Arma's behavior, which could be considered somewhat rude.
'...I didn't expect you to be this favorable.'
The Dianitas Empire and Kaluta did not have very good feelings toward each other, given the numerous battles they had fought, both large and small. Kaluta was particularly blatant about it.
'There are only two cases in which the Kaluta tribe welcomes a stranger they have just met...'
One is when you owe a favor to the opponent, as Roselyn used.
Another case is when you acknowledge the opponent's strength.
Perhaps because of his position, Bayan spoke in a rather old manner despite being a young boy.
He eventually approached Roselyn with a hearty laugh.
Arma's eyebrows twitched once.
"May I ask who the woman over there is?"
"I am Roselyn Bellion. I have come to assist with the delegation's negotiations."
"You must be wise enough to be selected to come here, bypassing so many others."
Bayan extended his hand as if to shake hands.
Since it would not have been polite to refuse, Roselyn clasped hands without much thought.
"I acknowledge that, out of the etiquette of the Empire, it is rude to say this on our first meeting, but..."
He opened his mouth while staring intently at Roselyn's red eyes with his green eyes.
"You have very beautiful eyes. Do you happen to have a lover?"
After shaking hands once, Bayan kissed the back of her hand as if a knight of the Empire were speaking to a lady and asked.
Roselyn's eyes turned dark in real time.
'Kaluta's way of greeting is unpredictable.'
She listened to Batar pour out his personal stories, including boasting about his older brother, but it seemed he was starting a background check right from the start.
"I don't have a lover, but I have a fiancé."
Roselyn smiled lightly and said.
"I have a gift to give you instead."
Roselyn quickly changed the subject.
She remembered hearing it once.
Kaluta says that you return grudges fivefold, kindness tenfold, and affection a hundredfold.
"A gift?"
Arma, who had approached before anyone realized it, stood beside Roselyn. He silently clasped Roselyn's other hand.
"Yes."
No sooner had the words been spoken than the Knights flung open the tightly closed carriage door.
"Brother!!"
“Batar...?”
Bayan's green eyes widened at that voice.
Bayan, who had been holding Roselyn's hand, let go, jumped out of the carriage, and hugged the boy who ran into his arms.
"Brother, brother—!"
"Batar! You rascal...!"
"Hwaaaang!! Brother!"
Batar had a very composed face the entire way.
He even tried to escort Roselyn and went so far as to give her advice on the rough terrain.
The child, who had looked perfectly fine, burst into tears only after being held in his older brother's arms.
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