3 bar menu

Frontier Lord Chapter 028: Medicinal Herb Cultivation (Part 1)

With a sudden thud, I felt a jolt of something hitting me in the gut.

I grunted, trying to withstand the power of the impact, and attempted to cradle my aching belly. Strangely, my arms wouldn’t budge.

While confusion swirled within me regarding the immobility of my arm, another shock coursed through my stomach, repeating itself two or three times.

I moaned and writhed in the subsequent shockwaves, attempting to scream for the torment to cease, but my voice remained trapped. It was then that I finally realized I was in a dream world.

I strained my eyelids, exerting effort to break free from the dream world’s hold. As the residual drowsiness transformed into a mild headache, I gradually opened my eyes. The skylight of the yurt greeted me, and weak morning sunlight filtered through it, casting a dim glow over my surroundings.

I glanced around, trying to determine the source of the ongoing shocks hitting my stomach. It became clear as I observed that Senai had a firm grip on my right arm, while Aihan held onto my left. This explains why I couldn’t move my arms.

Senai and Aihan appeared to be ensnared in the dream world still, their legs moving vigorously, feet flapping like they were engaged in some dream-game. It was evident that they shared this dream.

Recalling the events of yesterday, I contemplated why Senai and Aihan were lying beside me, rather than beside Francis and Francois, who usually slumbered in each other’s company. As the forceful kicks to my stomach persisted, I recalled yesterday’s occurrences.

Yesterday, I encountered Eldan and the rest of the group, engaging in conversations that ultimately led to the decision of establishing a field… 

TL/N: Changing Elden to Eldan

Eldan and the others generously offered their assistance, despite their reservations about the feasibility of cultivating a field in this particular meadow…

(Come to think of it, Eldan said he’d lend me some farming tools.)

Once all the necessary preparations had been completed, the arrangement was made for Camalotte to transport the equipment. Our discussion coincided with the approach of dusk, signaling the departure time for Eldan and the others…

After bidding farewell to Eldan and the others as they left the meadow, I made my way back to Irk Village and recounted the events to Klaus and Grandma Maya… 

Senai and Aihan, who appeared to have been waiting for my return for quite some time, had expressed their displeasure, repeatedly exclaiming, 「You told us you’d come back early!」 

Their cries had been so intense that, in an effort to pacify them, I ended up going to bed with Senai and Aihan, sharing the same bed and doing my best to calm them down…

(I guess this must be the case for their sleep kicking. Why do they get like this when sleeping with me and not when sleeping with Francis and Francois?!)

Contemplating this I decided I had to get up quickly so that I wouldn’t endure any more of Senai and Aihan’s kicks.

Taking extra care not to disturb Senai and Aihan’s slumber, I gingerly released my arms from their grasp. Then, I delicately eased Senai and Aihan’s legs off my belly and made a few subtle adjustments to their sleeping positions before quietly rising from the bed.

I gently patted my abdomen, still feeling the impact of their forceful kicks. Scanning the yurt, I noticed that Francis and François were already awake, their gaze conveying gratitude for my efforts. 

Aruna, however, was strangely absent from the yurt, presumably already engrossed in some activity outside.

While I was aware of Alner’s tendency to rise early, I hadn’t anticipated her venturing out of the yurt at such an early hour. 

(She’s probably preparing breakfast by now.)

Stepping out of the yurt, I decided to go and check up on Aruna while dispelling the morning haze that draped the dark and brisk meadow. With a clear purpose in mind, I headed in the direction of the well… As I approached, I noticed Aruna and Grandma Maya situated by the well, meticulously washing ingredients within a tub of well water.

Upon noticing my presence, Grandma Maya and Aruna, greeted me with laughter, jesting about how this was quite early for me and how I was apparently still in dreamland. Aruna couldn’t contain her laughter when she heard it was all because of Aruna and Senai’s sleepkicking.

If they were like that when she woke up she could’ve at least moved their legs away from my stomach… Though I guess mornings are always busy for her, so I couldn’t be helped.

Prior to delving into other responsibilities, I took a moment to cleanse my face with water from the well, banishing the remnants of drowsiness. Then, Aruna called out to me to help her with some things.

Though the most I could do was tend to the fire and stir the pot, Aruna was quite overjoyed that I was willing to help.

As the sun ascended in the sky, breakfast had been readied, and given the clear, cloudless expanse overhead, the decision was made to enjoy the morning meal outdoors.

While Aruna attended to waking up Senai and Aruna and preparing them, I and Klaus, who’d woken up a bit later, set up a rug and a table in the open square before the yurts. Meanwhile, Grandma Maya and the other ladies diligently organized the breakfast, laying it out neatly on the table.

The meal commenced, with each of us sharing glances and engaging in conversation. Amid savoring the food, I ensured everyone’s well-being and inquired if there was any way I could be of assistance to them.　

They all seemed to be doing great, with no notable issues. Rather, Grandma Maya and the other elderly women even shared that they felt way better than before, feeling way more nimble and being able to sleep better.

I speculate that the positive changes could be attributed to Aruna’s herbal concoctions, as my own body has shown significant improvement since incorporating them into my diet.

 Each day, we partake in meals infused with medicinal herbs, engage in medicinal baths, and… Now that I think about it, we do indeed consume a substantial amount of medicinal herbs daily.

「A substantial quantity of medicinal herbs are indeed consumed in Irk village. I guess it must be even more for the Oni Tribe’s village, given their numbers. With so many herbs needed, how do you manage to acquire them? Are there specific herb clusters?」

Curiosity got the better of me, and I directed my inquiry to Aruna, hoping to satisfy my intrigue. To my surprise, her response was unexpected, shedding light on the matter.

「We sometimes discover colonies and gather them, and we sometimes trade for them with Peijin. However, the primary source has to be cultivation.」　

(Huh? Cultivation? They’re cultivating medicinal herbs? But how do they…)

「Do you mean there’s a medicinal herb farm in the Oni Tribe’s village?」

「Don’t be stupid, Dias. Establishing a farm isn’t a practical option for us, given our nomadic lifestyle. We cultivate the herbs in portable potted plants, not in open fields.」

Ah, of course, potted plants, I thought, nodding in understanding.

While I’d initially contemplated using fields as a point of reference, the idea of potted plants seemed far more feasible and relevant.

「Aruna,」 I continued, 「could you share more about how you cultivate these herbs? I’m thinking of using it to help us when setting up the fields.」

「I’m sorry Dias, but I’m not well-versed in herb cultivation. If you’re seeking in-depth information, it might be more efficient to consult the chief,」 Aruna advised.

I was taken aback to discover that Aruna, who possessed a wealth of knowledge about medicinal herbs, was not well-versed in their cultivation. When I probed for further details, she explained that herb cultivation was typically undertaken by those who were too elderly or injured to partake in hunting, and she herself had never been involved in the process.

It seemed that among the Oni Tribe there existed a belief that it brought bad luck for the capable and healthy to engage in herb cultivation. As a result, young individuals were taught how to handle medicinal herbs but not how to cultivate them.　

Aruna suggested that the village chief Mohr, being the hub of wisdom for the elder generation, would likely have the most comprehensive insight into the matter.

With this in mind, I proposed, 「Why don’t we pay a visit to the Mohr right now? It’s not like we have other pressing matters at the moment, it seems like a good opportunity to gain some clarity!」

When I extended the invitation for anyone to accompany me to the Oni Tribe’s village, various reasons were voiced for staying behind. Aruna and Grandma Maya cited chores needing their attention, Klaus felt he couldn’t depart from the village, and Senai and Aihan expressed discomfort at the thought of venturing into a place filled with unfamiliar faces. Consequently, the decision was reached that Francis, François, and I would embark on the journey to the village.