The Black-Haired White Dragon (3)
The following morning.
Kim Rian opened his eyes to a miserably dreary day, his body still heavy with exhaustion from the long sleep.
His mind was foggy, and yawn after yawn spilled out in succession.
“Ah… I did everything I could just to survive…”
The sunlight streaming through the window was exceptionally blinding.
He wished there were curtains.
Frowning, he looked at the bed.
It was completely empty.
Rian quickly rubbed his eyes and stared at the bed again.
No one was lying there.
‘Where did she go?’
Just as he hurriedly sat up and turned around—
She stood there at the door, which was wide open.
Her face was expressionless, like that of a young girl who looked even younger than him.
And she was completely naked, down to her last thread.
With long, waist-length jet-black hair and golden eyes, she watched him warily.
“Who are you?”
Her voice was cold.
“Who…?”
Rian thought for a moment and answered quickly.
“I’m human, my name is Kim Rian. I’m a good person. I have no weapons.”
“Human? If you’re human…”
She frowned and seemed to be thinking, then stared at him firmly again.
“With human abilities, you shouldn’t be able to reach here, right?”
“I thought the same thing. Crh— wait, just a moment. I just woke up, so my throat is hoarse. Crh— cluck— ah, now it’s better.”
Rian gave her a bright smile.
But the moment he faced her, he had nowhere to look and quickly turned his head toward the wall.
She tilted her head curiously.
“Why are you looking somewhere else?”
An authoritative dignity emanated from her clear, untainted voice.
“Ah, this… I’m ugly, so it would be rude of me to look directly at you.”
“Humans are all supposed to look the same, and even ugly ones exist?”
“‘All the same’? They all look different.”
Rian smiled.
“Of those, I am the ugliest.”
“Is that so? I didn’t know. I can’t tell human faces apart well. They all look the same. Probably because I don’t care.”
“Remember my face? Starting today.”
“Me?”
The girl burst into laughter.
“Humans can speak, so they don’t hesitate to say bold things.”
“I apologize if I offended you.”
Rian wanted to see her beautiful face, but he kept his eyes averted, afraid she might find something to complain about and scold him.
“I don’t want to hear an apology. Answer the question I asked.”
“How did you come here?”
“Yes.”
The dragon girl— the one standing before him—was, thankfully, someone he could converse with.
Rian tried to explain everything exactly as he felt it, with a little exaggeration mixed in, and she listened attentively.
“You came from another world called Earth?”
“Yes.”
“You woke up and were here?”
“Right.”
“Hmm…”
After Rian finished, the girl nodded and muttered to herself.
“I wonder if the ‘creature’ twisted our world…”
“Who is that ‘creature’? Is it some incredibly powerful dark sorcerer who wants to destroy the world? Or perhaps the demon Diablo?”
The girl looked at him as if to ask what he was saying.
“Diablo?”
“You don’t know Diablo?”
“What is it?”
“Ah, sorry. If you don’t know, it must not exist in this world. I was just rambling. Don’t pay attention.”
“That’s pitiful.”
“But can I ask just one question?”
“What is it?”
“If I want to leave this place, is there a way to go on foot besides flying?”
Her expression instantly turned cold.
“What are you going to do with that knowledge?”
“I figured I need to leave because this isn’t my home.”
“You don’t need to know that. Even if it exists, I won’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“You’ll have to live here from now on.”
“Eh?! What do you mean?!”
Rian jumped in surprise, turned to her, and the moment her naked body came into view, he quickly averted his gaze and stared at the wall again.
“I-I want to live together with people.”
“Don’t dream. You won’t be able to step outside this place even one step.”
“Are you going to make me your slave?”
The girl laughed loudly at Rian’s words.
“Slave, indeed.”
“I’m not good at work. You’ll probably get angry…”
“Don’t worry. You’ll learn.”
The beautiful girl smiled faintly.
“Stop wandering elsewhere and let’s farm together with me.”
“Farm?”
Rian blinked.
“I hate farming the most…”
And thus began Kim Rian’s farming life in another world.
***
In the grand conference hall of Greenwing Hall, the imperial palace of the Wertyanyu Empire, a solemn atmosphere hung over the assembly of many nobles.
Emperor Mydmar, the white-haired elder emperor, sat on the golden throne and carefully read through the reports.
“Oh dear…”
His face grew displeased as he intently examined the final page of the report.
The emperor had summoned all the kings of the Eight Kingdoms and their relatives who governed the empire to make a major announcement.
“Faster than expected.”
Mydmar closed the report and let out a heavy sigh.
“Trouble, indeed.”
No one dared to make a sound in the emperor’s troubled expression.
Humanity was currently at war with the Demon King, the most powerful force in history.
It had been six years since they started fighting the endless-swarming demon race that could not be killed.
The empire’s strength was not yet so depleted that they could not endure the war, but reports of impending famine in five to ten years had been pouring into the imperial court, leaving the emperor buried in worry.
‘Thanks to the demon race’s influence, the land is drying up. For smooth grain supply, the imperial court must quickly formulate countermeasures!’
‘Your Majesty! If things continue like this, a nationwide famine will strike exactly five years from now!’
Before coming here today, Emperor Mydmar had consulted with his advisors and held meetings almost daily to prepare countermeasures for the predicted food crisis.
At one such meeting, they had devised a special plan to protect the foundation of this land, and today was the day to officially announce that plan.
“It’s wonderful that all of you came even in these difficult times.”
The nobles in the hall responded in unison to the emperor’s greeting.
“We are deeply honored, Your Majesty.”
The emperor, pleased, looked around the room and continued.
“Those of you gathered here today have already been informed of the details. To prepare for the famine that will soon befall our empire, I shall enact my special measures.”
As the emperor snapped his fingers, an elderly advisor pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and unfolded it.
“Listen well! From now on, I will announce the emergency measures for stabilizing estate income and agricultural product prices, along with the agricultural production enhancement plans recommended and encouraged by the imperial advisory agency!”
The advisor explained in exhaustive detail—how to increase productivity through farming techniques unknown even to nobles who knew nothing of agriculture, what tools and facilities would be needed, and everything from beginning to end.
It lasted more than two hours.
Most nobles nodded off with their heads bowed, but the emperor himself was also dozing, so no one could complain about it.
Until a shout erupted from one noble.
“What?! If a person who develops innovative farming methods becomes a serf, does that mean we grant them a title?”
“Correct.”
“A lowly person who only farms cannot possibly enjoy equal rights with us nobles!”
Other nobles joined in with discontent.
“We are at war! We have gathered all the titles we can spare for the knights who risked their lives for glory, yet how can backward serfs like those who farm like peasants walk the same path as us?!”
Someone else shouted.
“The crops grown in the ground are disgusting! Think about it! While growing, they are buried under the feces of bugs, beasts, monsters, and everything else—don’t they?”
“No noble would enjoy eating such things. Only commoners and slaves make rye bread to eat. That those who research worthless, dirty things like this become nobles is absurd!”
“People who only touched soil, not swords, become nobles? Our ancestors would laugh themselves silly.”
“I agree! Look at Duke Tedula’s belly! How fat and beautiful it is! Since birth he has eaten only meat, and he has never even tasted vegetables! Thanks to that, he weighs over 100 kg! This healthy belly is the symbol of wealth…”
The elderly advisor finally cut them off, unable to listen any longer.
“Then you will follow the agricultural policy, but the talent cultivation policy does not sit well with you, correct?”
“That’s right!”
“Exactly!”
The nobles who were dissatisfied with the imperial plan immediately whispered to the emperor’s ear.
“……announcing it!”
At that moment, Emperor Mydmar, who had been dozing, jolted awake upon hearing the advisor and frowned.
“Listen well, all of you!”
The emperor raised his voice powerfully, as if returning to his younger days.
“I am promoting this policy to discover agricultural talent and develop new technologies! Whether you like it or not is up to you! I do not care if your estates collapse in five to ten years—I will give you bread crumbs then!”
The emperor declared sternly.
“I will treat the person who develops a new agricultural technology that saves a hundred people in battle equally to a knight who slays a hundred, and grant him an appropriate award. The person who saves a thousand will receive a knight title, and the one who saves a million will receive a count title!”
The word “count” caused a commotion among the nobles.
“Oh, the heavens!”
The emperor’s speech grew more passionate.
“Moreover, the person who saves ten million will be placed in my imperial advisory council!”
And the emperor’s final words put everyone in shock.
“If someone develops a new agricultural technology that feeds and sustains the entire five million people of this land, they will become king! A king’s material, truly!”
Emperor Mydmar’s declaration brought both great shock and a huge change to the nobles.
At first, some of the opposing nobles quickly thought up alternatives.
“Even without armor or warhorses, there is a chance to rise? It’s the perfect opportunity! No injuries, and money is not even required.”
Most nobles who pondered it shared similar thoughts.
‘If I do well, my child could become king! And easily!’
The Wertyanyu Empire that ruled the Eight Kingdoms.
Soon, hundreds of agricultural schools would be built across the entire nation, and the winds of farming would sweep through.
The nobles, each buzzing with excitement, approached the emperor and whispered.
“King? If a person who truly feeds and sustains five million people appears, what will you do?”
Mydmar let out a chuckle.
“Do you think it’s possible? It means work hard. Talent discovery, I mean. Honestly, I love meat the most. Who would eat vegetables grown with mixed dung? I am merely encouraging agriculture to feed the people. Since everyone loves meat, it can never reach five million. To feed five million, nobles must all enjoy vegetables too. It is an impossible figure with just commoner populations. Hehehe.”
In this world where even the emperor and nobles loved only meat.
In such a world, who would save it through farming?
***
Rian was utterly taken aback by the words and felt a strong rejection.
“You want me to farm here?”
“Sounds good, right?”
“You’ll do it for the rest of my life?”
“Yeah. It was fortunate timing, as we were short on hands and struggling.”
“What am I supposed to base my belief on? What makes you think I would farm with you?”
“I told you I’m a good human, didn’t I?”
“It could be a lie, or it could be a lie!”
“Then am I a bad human?”
The girl lowered her voice and narrowed her eyes.
Her atmosphere changed, and Rian, startled, quickly adjusted his attitude like someone hiding their eyes.
“Well, it’s not that I refuse to farm. I can work very hard. But… living in such a high place, won’t it be inconvenient for me to go out? You know humans are inferior.”
“Do you need to go out? Don’t go out.”
She answered simply, almost coldly.
Seeing her, Rian was disheartened and lost for words.
‘Fallen into another world by bad luck, and now I have to try being a lord, live with a pretty princess, and even see elves? Without ever being able to enjoy it?’
Rian felt depressed.
“Still, you’ll give me vacations sometimes, right?”
“Vacations? Do you need such things?”
“Of course! In the human world, welfare comes first! They give breaks at work! Even when sick and resting, they pay full salary! They send you on trips!”
The girl straightened her face.
“Humans are picky in many ways.”
“Picky? Of course!”
“Mm.”
The girl seemed to recall something and fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“Before you came, I caught a goblin in the wild. Farming needs hands, so I needed an ‘it’ that walks on two legs and has two arms.”
“Mm?”
Rian looked around and asked.
“I haven’t seen anything like a goblin around—where did it go?”
“I caught it because it was noisy and didn’t work. I ate it.”