The Frontier Lord Begins with Zero Subjects (領民0人スタートの辺境領主様)

You want to cultivate fields, you say?

Here, in the grasslands?

Right.

I tried discussing it with Alna...

You can't tend the soil here.

That's what the people of my village have always said.

Then how do you acquire those medicinal herbs?

They're grown as potted plants.

But I'm not sure how to do that.

Moll would probably know.

She told you true.

For some reason, crops won't grow in these plains.

I just need you to tell me how to grow potted plants.

Even if farming proves difficult, I'd still like to give it a go.

Sure, that's simple enough.

Crush these verdant leaf stones with animal bone, and mix that into soil.

Add a combination of crushed stones and bones to the soil?

SOIL

It works well for potted medicinal herbs,

but not for vegetables.

We've tried planting fields the same way, but it never seems to work.

What's so different between medicinal herbs and vegetables?

They all look like different kinds of grass to me.

I don't know myself.

But I suppose the forestkin would.

The forestkin?

The people of the forest, as it were.

They know all about the woods, plants, and farm fields.

The tales say if a forestkin waved a hand,

any wasteland can become lush with greenery.

That said, I've never even seen one.

It's all hearsay. I'm not even sure they exist.

By the way...

We'll help as much as possible with field cultivation,

so if all goes well, could you teach us how it's done?

We also wish to stabilize our food supply.

Of course. I'd be glad to.

That was my intent in the first place,

and if I can, I'll bring you mounds of potatoes.

That's Blue Dias for you.

I do believe I'll get my hopes up.

Of course, I also have high hopes for you having children with Alna.

I'll give you some herbs to help her conceive, too.

No need.

That's really not necessary. Don't give any to Alna either.

We're back, Klaus, Senai, Ayhan.

Lord Dias!

You're not home late today!

Welcome home!

Thanks.

Did you bring something?!

Let me see! Let me see!

Sure, I'll show you.

Pretty stones, don't you think?

Oh, it's just a bag of rocks.

Boring.

Okay, let's play over there!

Let's play! Let's play!

Welcome home, Dias.

What are those rocks?

They look like rather pretty gems to me.

Oh, that's right. You can't sense magical energy.

If you were involved with magic,

you could tell at a glance those stones have no magical energy

and you can't put any into them.

Pretty or not, without any magical energy,

it's hard to call that anything but a rock.

I know you can tell, but can Senai and Ayhan, too?

They're both quite capable for their age.

Sometimes, they seem to sense faint magical energy that even I can't pick up.

If they get serious about learning,

their magical abilities might even surpass the chieftain's one day.

Really?

That's an amazing gift.

No matter what path they take in life, I bet they'll have a promising future.

Yeah.

There.

That's all the verdant leaf stones crushed.

Now I can start prepping the fields.

Dias.

I'm picking up something from the east.

Multiple people and horses, and a bunch of other things, too.

But I can't tell what they are.

I'll go take a look.

I'm going, too!

I'm not about to let you go alone when we don't know who they are.

Thanks, that's reassuring.

They should come into view soon!

Th-That's...

Kamalotz!

It's Eldan's attendant Kamalotz!

Don't be so dramatic when it's someone we know!

Oh? What are those creatures in the rear?

Let me have that!

I mean those white things pulling the third wagon.

Ah, he's brought some white ghees.

Those are the peculiar things I was sensing.

Their coloring's different, but they look like black ghees.

Nice name. Easy to remember, too.

Something moved inside a wagon.

Let's ask Kamalotz later what he's got loaded in there.

I wasn't sure what would happen when we got caught in that slave hunt,

but we managed to sneak into a wagon bound for the desert.

It seems we'll make it home after all.

Hey, you!

This wagon isn't headed for the desert.

Can't you tell by the angle of the sun?

Huh?

You're smart enough to read, but you're still a dummy.

Th-Then we need to get off right now!

We're staying put.

But what for?

What we're really after...

*MENTAL IMAGE

is the Dragon Slayer!

What?!

We'll kill the human who killed a dragon and prove how mighty we are!

We're gonna restore glory and pride to the desert folk!

You can't do that!

I only helped you because you said you had a plan

to get into a wagon and get back to the desert!

Besides, that guy's stronger than a dragon!

The desert folk are better than feeble humans!

Humans are liars!

Defeating them is the right call!

We'll beat him up and make him get us food and a way back to the desert.

It's the best way to go about this! That guy said so!

Halt the caravan.

Lord Dias, Lady Alna, thank you for coming to meet me personally.

I am here to deliver the items Lord Eldan promised you.

It's good to see you, Kamalotz.

It's Dias!

The Dragon Slayer!

D-Don't do this! There's no way we can ever defeat him!

Sorry to be so direct, but I need to ask you...

You're going to get us all killed!

Is something in here?

Kill the Dragon Slayer!

Now's our chance! He's vulnerable!

T-Talking mice?!

Alna!

You're being too careless, Dias!

Crap!

You're going easy on them?

Yeah. They might belong to Kamalotz, so I don't think we can just kill them.

We belong to no one, insolent wench!

Don't slight the desert folk, you bitch!

Alna is a wonderful woman.

I won't let you insult her!

G-Guards!

Protect the two of them!

And catch every last one of those fools!

Curse you, Dragon Slayer!

No fair, getting reinforcements!

I knew humans were cowards!

I am so sorry!

I'm not sure how to make this up to you.

There's no need for that, Kamalotz.

Please, these are our subjects.

As Lord Eldan's emissary, I would be remiss not to do something.

They're your subjects?

Despite how they look, they're beastkin?

They might look like animals, but folk with culture and language are beastkin.

BEASTKIN

DEMIHUMANS

That is, they're considered to be a type of demihuman.

I see now.

According to a myth my parents told me as a child,

"Words are wisdom God gave to people, and only people can speak them."

Their lot belongs to a people known as big-eared hopping mousekin.

Although they insist on being called "desert folk."

There's a desert in Kasdeks Domain?

No.

They live in a desert region beyond the kingdom's southernmost border.

But slave hunts were carried out there.

Lord Eldan has long protected them.

Once I achieve my rightful authority, I'll return you to the desert.

You have my word!

However...