Beyond the empire’s eastern border stretches a grassland with no end in sight.
If one goes farther, an enormous desert appears, but the empire knows nothing of that, so we can pass over it.
In any case, at least several dozen tribes of all sorts live on this grassland.
Small ones number in the hundreds. Large ones pass several thousand, nearly reaching ten thousand.
In effect, the grassland is led by a few of those powerful tribes.
The Uurut tribe I am going to meet is one of those powerful tribes.
In the empire, Uurut is known as the strongest of the grassland tribes.
But that is only from the empire’s point of view.
If one goes past the Uurut tribe and toward the center of the grassland, there are even stronger tribes.
The empire simply does not know because they have never approached its border.
‘And the reason for that is, naturally, the Uurut tribe.’
The Uurut tribe controls the region bordering the empire.
To set foot carelessly in another tribe’s territory is a tremendous insult.
Even if it is not quite a declaration of war, crossing it would require handing over horses.
On the grassland, where horses are life itself, that would be something they would absolutely want to avoid.
There is also a way to pass through the Uurut tribe by force.
But considering the rules of the grassland, it is inefficient.
‘The moment they see the weak, they devour them.’
Even if the Uurut tribe is not the strongest, it is still one of the strong.
Even if another tribe won, its warriors would surely be badly injured as well.
There is no way the other tribes would miss such a perfect opportunity.
The number-one tribe, weakened from killing a strong candidate for first place.
If they killed that tribe, they themselves would become the power of the grassland.
What beile would refuse such a tempting result?
That is why the other powerful tribes do not attack Uurut.
Unless an overwhelming gap in strength appears, one that guarantees victory.
Or unless some powerful justification emerges that can draw them into an alliance.
“Commander. Look over there.”
A low-ranking official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed beyond the horizon.
A group of riders was galloping toward us.
They did not slow down at all. If anything, they grew even faster.
The guards tried to form a square and raise their spears.
I quickly stopped them, gesturing with my hand.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Disband the formation at once and move as usual. You must not look intimidated.”
“What do you mean? They look ready to split our envoy procession in half!”
He did not know what he was talking about. Warriors of the grassland tribes do not do that.
To them, battle is hunting, and hunting is battle.
If they meant to deal with us, they would not reveal themselves like that.
They would secretly shadow us, confirm our numbers, and gauge our fatigue.
After that, they would send scouts circling around us to wear us down.
Then those skilled in mounted archery would harass us from a distance.
They would drive us to a place where an ambush waited, then kill us all at once.
That is the attack method favored by the grassland tribes.
Of course, battles between tribes sometimes proceed a little differently.
Fully armed heavy cavalry sometimes surge in and cut off the enemy’s breath.
Though they are not many in number, their charging power can truly be called the finest.
They are people who learn to ride a horse before they learn to walk.
And yet, those men galloping over there are all wearing nothing but leather clothes.
They have reached the distance at which they should begin mounted archery, yet they are not stopping.
‘What this means is one thing. A rough welcome ceremony of the grassland.’
All people are like this, but the grassland tribes are especially so.
They like those who are dignified, spirited, not cowardly, and brave.
That is why they are asking us. What kind of guests are you?
Whether we are worthy of the respect of the grassland tribes. Or whether we are mere cowards.
“This is their unique way of receiving and judging guests. We are an envoy of the empire. There is nothing good about looking like cowards. And they will absolutely not do something like killing envoys.”
“But if, by some chance, they harm us….”
“Now. This is an order as commander.”
At my order, the escort finally withdrew the formation and returned to their original positions.
Tension was still plain on their faces, as if they could not trust my words.
Meanwhile, the warriors of the grassland had charged right up before us.
Then, as if they were about to attack our envoy—
—Dudududu!!
The warriors scattered to both sides in an instant and circled beside us.
Then they suddenly cheered, clapped, and raised their fists.
It meant they were sincerely impressed by our spirit and boldness.
It was a signal that we were not mere guests, but honored guests who possessed courage.
As I was inwardly saying that our first impression had been a success, the low-ranking official approached.
“J-judging by their reaction, it really seems you were right, Commander.”
“I told you, didn’t I? It is their unique method. Though it is a bit rough.”
“Amazing. How on earth did you know this?”
“I studied.”
“Studied? No, even I, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did not know this….”
Of course he would not. Even if it was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, their priority was ultimately the neighboring kingdoms.
When one remembers that this place’s setting is “medieval,” the logic becomes perfect.
The northern winter barbarians and the eastern grassland tribes, whom they consider uncivilized.
They would not have particularly tried to learn about their customs.
Because they are ugly, foul-smelling people far removed from the honor of this place.
‘I will make that change starting with me. How can they act like that when they do not know when a single nation might suddenly be born from this grassland? Do they need to taste what the power of a nomadic people is like before they understand?’
I sincerely hope the tower of skulls built by the Mongols is not reproduced here.
Our empire, of all things, is fairly wealthy and produces many resources.
“From now on, everyone, be careful with each and every action, but do not bow too low either. We are people who have come all the way to this grassland on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor. Arrogance will cut off our heads, and cowardice will become chains that bind our hands and feet.”
At my warning, the officials and guards quickly nodded.
It seemed they now fully believed that I had studied the grassland tribes.
After traveling under the escort of the grassland warriors for three more days.
At last, we encountered the Uurut tribe we had been aiming for.
“Welcome. Envoys of the empire. I have been waiting for you.”
There, I met a man who spoke the imperial language extremely fluently.
At first glance, he looked to be the same age as the Founding Emperor.
But in truth, he was ten years younger than the Founding Emperor.
Life on the grassland was harsh, and all of that had gone to his face.
“I, Ethan Montebello, commander of the imperial envoy, offer greetings to the Beile of Uurut.”
Instead of the imperial word for tribal chief, I used the grassland word, beile.
And not with some mangled pronunciation, either, but accurately. Clearly.
“Ho.”
As expected, the Beile of Uurut let out an exclamation of admiration.
He must have assumed, naturally, that I would call him tribal chief in the imperial language.
Or, if not that, that he would hear the word beile in some strange pronunciation.
But I know this word, beile, very well.
“You said your name was Ethan Montebello?”
“That is correct, Beile.”
“Your pronunciation as well. It is hard to believe you are a young noble of the empire. Have you, by any chance, learned the language of our grassland?”
“Shamefully, I do not know much. But at the very least, I know exactly who stands before me, and I can address him according to the etiquette of the grassland.”
“That alone is enough. Considering that, aside from when my elder brother called my father, the people of the west could not even say it properly.”
Judging by the reaction around us, I realized the warriors understood the conversation between the beile and me.
The empire had not particularly been influenced by the Uurut tribe, but they were the opposite.
I heard that there was trade, known and unknown, near the border, so that seemed to be the reason.
‘If this is the case, things will become a little easier.’
Becoming friends with those who have been influenced. Becoming friends with those who have no acquaintance at all.
There is no need to say which is harder between the former and the latter.
“Now then. Shall I receive the letter my elder brother sent?”
I handed over the personal letter from the emperor, which we had carefully brought from the empire.
A warrior accepted it and delivered it again to the beile.
“Hm.”
After reading the contents, the beile wore a strange smile and opened his mouth.
“It has been many years since I last saw my elder brother. Even so, he used our language as much as possible. Of course, there are mistakes here and there, awkward parts, and even imperial mixed in. But this alone is enough to save this younger brother’s face.”
I could sense the low-ranking officials standing behind me smiling at the beile’s words.
But I did not smile. Rather, inwardly, I became even more tense.
If he was openly positive from the very beginning like that, then in the real matter, he would be the opposite.
Sure enough, as I had expected, the beile dismissed the meeting, saying we would stop here for today.
He said it was because we were tired, but that could not be all.
And that night, I received a summons from the beile.
The reason was that he wished to invite me to a meal.
“Come in, Ethan. Young noble of the empire. Sit.”
“….”
The scene spread before me was not a table, but dishes laid out on the floor.
For reference, if someone did this in the empire, blades would be drawn at once.
Because this was a provocation meaning that they saw you as livestock, like a dog or a pig.
If one remained silent after receiving such treatment, it would be the same as giving up one’s honor.
In the medieval era, honor was as precious as life. Perhaps even more precious.
Even if the other party was stronger and higher than me, I had to rise in indignation.
“Thank you, Beile.”
But I sat down in the place the beile had prepared for me. Right on the ground.
For an instant, a strange light settled in the beile’s eyes as he looked at me, then vanished.
*
The emperor of the empire. The one more often called the Founding Emperor.
But to the Beile of Uurut, he was simply an elder brother.
Not a single drop of blood was mixed between them, but they were bound by the spirit of warriors.
If the Founding Emperor had been of the grassland tribes, he would have trusted and followed him for life.
But the two of them each had things they had to do in their own lands.
The brief meeting of their youth became one of countless memories.
Using that memory as the reason, he had steadily maintained a pro-empire stance.
He stopped the tribes that raided the border, sometimes with words, sometimes with force.
Those who followed him were also warriors with good memories of the Founding Emperor.
They willingly followed the pro-empire actions of the man who had become their beile.
But as time passed, those feelings had now faded greatly.
The warriors withdrew one by one, and new ones took their places.
And as they did, one question arose in the minds of the tribesmen.
Why do we keep doing things that benefit the empire?
If one looked closely, they were outsiders, while the nearby tribes were our kin.
Must we stop the raids they carry out while earning resentment for it?
The reason is not important. Only justification is needed. So he sent people to the empire.
So that we may continue to stand on the empire’s side. Support us as well, he said.
And the imperial envoy that arrived exceeded expectations from the very beginning.
“I, Ethan Montebello, commander of the imperial envoy, offer greetings to the Beile of Uurut.”
Not some old man. A “young” “noble” addressed him as beile.
This was not merely a grassland word meaning the chief of a tribe.
It meant respecting the leader of a tribe. It meant treating the entire tribe with honor.
And it came from the mouth of that young man, whose arrogance would not have been strange at all!
‘Hahaha. Look here, elder brother. Were you perhaps angry that I sent people? You chose and sent the person to come before this younger brother very thoroughly indeed.’
The warriors inside the ger had also seen that sight and heard those words.
By now, they were likely spreading the news that the empire did not treat us lightly.
If this happened, it could quiet quite a lot of the tribe members’ dissatisfaction.
Though the manner was different, the grassland valued honor as much as the empire did.
‘So, as a reward for that. And as an extra, I called him to test him a little further.’
He might have studied the word beile, its origin, and its meaning.
But if he saw this, Ethan, how would you react?
The Beile of Uurut had, in a way, played a slightly rough prank unique to the grassland.
“Thank you, Beile.”
“…!”
But Ethan thanked him and plopped down without the slightest hesitation.
There was no sign that his pride had been wounded.
Nor any sign that he was enduring it.
He even wore a bright smile, as if he were truly moved from the bottom of his heart.
He was even doing his utmost so that the soles of his shoes would not show.
“Hahahaha.”
Seating another person on the floor of one’s home meant that they were an important guest.
And this guest was striving to observe courtesy as a guest.
The beile began to grow more and more curious about the young man before his eyes.