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Frontier Lord Chapter 044 – The Dogman Tribe’s Large and Small Breeds

「There are two types of Dogmen. Those referred to as the Large Dogmen and those referred to as the Small Dogmen. The Large Dogmen are known to be more intelligent, powerful, and full of life.  Moreover, they bear a striking resemblance to humans. Their dexterity is notable, mostly due to their hands being shaped like those of humans, allowing them to engage in various tasks. The Dogmen you met Lord Dias, belonged to the Large Dogmen. Conversely, the Small Dogmen, as the name suggests, are small and exhibit a dog-like appearance. They possess the dog species’ instinctive traits, but lack physical strength, and often appear clumsy because their hands are shaped like paws. Unlike the Large Dogmen, who tend to form families, the Small Dogmen tend to gather with others who resemble them and form clans. They lead their lives by providing mutual assistance and support to one another. Another of their distinguishing features is their rapid growth rate and higher number of offspring.」

Geraint stood on the edge of a packing box on the ground, a thoughtful expression on his face as he explained about the Dogmen.

As he spoke he was flapping one of his wings, his gestures reminiscent of the military instructors who had taught me about military regulations when I had first become a volunteer soldier.

「So why are the Small Dogmen eager to move to Irk Village? From Eldan I understood that they’re quite open to the idea, but it’s just too strange.」

「They apparently developed a strong yearning to live in Irk Village after hearing stories from the Large Dogmen who had spent a few days here. The cherry on top was when you put up a recruitment sign Lord Dias. This prompted some of them to take the leap. Due to their clumsiness the Small Dogmen often find difficulties when working and the shelter and food you offer might have been a deciding factor for them.」

When I raised my question, Geraint responded energetically with his wings raised. I took in his answer but couldn’t help but be confused.

I couldn’t help but wonder what it was about living in Irk Village that resonated so deeply with them. It wasn’t as if we offered any special privileges.

I believed that life under Eldan’s care was way better than anything I could offer.

「Given that they’re close to the canine species that the Large Dogmen are, maybe they felt an instinctive urge to be near nature, so that they could run freely in the meadows…」

I suggested, to which Geraint replied somewhat vaguely, but nonetheless agreed with my thought.

Eldan, too, had pondered this aspect and had apparently also questioned the Small Dogmen extensively about it. Their answers were simple and instinctive: 「Wide open meadows!」 「Looking after animals!」 「Running!」 It appeared that the reason for their admiration was rooted in something very primal and heartwarming, and it didn’t seem to pose a specific problem. Moreover, even if they had ulterior motives, we could easily figure it out with Aruna’s help.

「Alright. I’ll gather the opinions of everyone in the village, and if there’s unanimous agreement, we’ll welcome these Small Dogmen. I can’t make such decisions on my own, especially when it involves a significant number of newcomers. I’ll reach out to everyone as soon as possible, so please wait here for a while.」

Upon hearing this conclusion, Geraint nodded several times, possibly indicating his agreement, before speaking with his beak open. 

「Understood, sir. When you’ve completed your consultations, please provide a written response for Lord Eldan. I’ll take responsibility for delivering it to him. Until then, I’ll rest my wings right here…」

With that, Geraint folded his wings, fluffed his feathers, and started to gaze intently at the beans in the packing box. 

He kept staring at them, a determined and focused gaze.

「If you’d like, you can have some of the beans here while you wait.」

I said, to which Geraint immediately exclaimed,

「Are you sure?!」

He eagerly pecked at the beans with remarkable speed.

I sensed that he might also be thirsty, so I fetched water from the well and poured it into a bucket. Geraint drank the water, ate some beans, drank more water, and repeated the cycle. 

It became apparent that flying consumed more energy than I had initially thought.

I hoped he would eat his fill, as he would soon be flying back to Eldan once the matters here were resolved. 

I would’ve liked to have him rest for the night, however, with how urgent the things appeared to be, it didn’t seem like he’d have the leisure.

With Geraint engrossed in his beans, I set out to gather opinions from various parts of the village.

Klaus, who was busy tidying up the area, supported the idea of increasing the number of potential soldiers, remarking, 「We’ll have a bustling community!」 The elderly, including Grandma Maya, also favored accepting the new immigrants as long as it brought more vitality to the place.

As we ventured to the fields beyond the warehouse, Grandma Chirch and Grandma Tala responded somewhat indifferently, as they were more concerned about the condition of the fields than such matters.

They busied themselves with examining the soil, smelling it, and even tasting it rather than engaging in the conversation.

Lastly I headed to my yurt, where I sought the opinions of Aruna, who was reprimanding Senai and Aihan, as they were attentively listening to the scolding. As well as Francis and his wife who anxiously watched the scene play out.

Once again, there was a unanimous consensus, and surprisingly, most of the opinions were highly favorable. Senai and Aihan, in particular, who had formed a strong bond with the previous group of Dogmen, were absolutely thrilled at the prospect of the newcomers. 

「We’ll have doggies?!」 

They didn’t stop exclaiming. I explained to them that the Dogmen who came to Irk Village last time were of the larger breed, and that this time it would be the smaller breed arriving. I clarified that they were part of the same tribe but had distinct characteristics. I also emphasized how the smaller dogs would bring different forms of play and companionship.

Senai and Aihan, upon hearing this, were even more delighted.

「It seems like I won’t be able to scold them anymore.」

Aruna remarked somewhat disheartened.

Senai and Aihan expressed their regrets for venturing out in the middle of the night and bringing a rat into the bedroom without permission. They offered their apologies, yet remained resolutely silent about their motives. Aruna, in the midst of her scolding, had apparently attempted to uncover the reasons behind their actions.

However, in the end she hadn’t been able to do so.

I believed that Aruna’s persistent inquiries were driven by her concern for Senai and Aihan, though perhaps she didn’t need to worry quite as much.

Senai and Aihan were well aware of Aruna’s affection for them, and it was unusual for them to withhold anything from her.

「If they’re hiding it that much then there must be a valid reason for it. I don’t know what it is Senai and Aihan are trying to hide, but since it’s them two I doubt it’s something bad. They’ll likely tell us in due time. Let’s just wait for them patiently.」

Upon hearing my words, Aruna’s expression softened a bit.

After clearing that out and gathering the opinions of everyone in the village I suddenly remembered the small, large eared member of the Jerboa Tribe, who was swaying its tail gently between Senai’s legs, most likely due to being forcefully bathed in the medicinal bath.

Despite Eyma being a member of the Jerboa Tribe, which had carried out the assault on me, her color was a strong blue.

It also posed the question why, out of all of the tribesmen, she’d been the only one inside the box.

Contemplating this, I suddenly recalled the piercing scream that had echoed just before the attack— a woman’s voice desperately warning of danger and trying to prevent something.

Recalling it now, that voice had sounded quite similar to Eyma’s. If that were really the case it would also explain why Eyma was a strong blue.

Eyma, it seemed, had been attempting to prevent her own people from committing crimes. She had formed an unlikely friendship with Senai and Aihan, and had accepted Aruna’s reprimand without any excuses or outbursts. 

The image of this person, who now appeared so different from her people, weighed heavily on my mind. Kneeling down and keeping my gaze as low as possible, I called out to Eyma.

「Say, Eyma, just why did you come here?」

Upon hearing my words, she slowly raised her face, an expression suggesting she hadn’t expected me to approach her. She began to quietly explain the situation, slowly recounting her story.