Synopsis

When Dias comes down with a fever, the twins nurse him back to health with a mysterious herb… Could it be that Dias really did receive the legendary sanjivani herb from that weird talking baar? Before he can think too much about it, however, Dias learns from Eldan that he’s officially a duke! The title comes with a whole host of new and complicated responsibilities, but what has Dias most worried is simply deciding on a new family name! Can Dias learn and remember all the new and confusing laws and rules while Iluk Village prepares for the freezing winter ahead? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Winter Approaches on the Frontier!

Having solved Alna’s family issues, the latest volume of Frontier Lord comes at a busy time for both Dias and his territory. 

With winter fast approaching, residents of the Nezrose frontier must prepare for the harsh weather to come. It’s all hands-on deck as the series once again offers up a litany of interesting world-building segments to flesh out how the Oni tribe can survive such a harsh environment year after year. Following similar patterns to nomadic tribes on Earth, these scenes depict Dias and his family foraging for autumn berries and insulating the yurts, ready for freezing temperatures and snow. 

The humans aren’t the only ones preparing for winter, as the autumn season coincidentally happens to be the Baars birthing season. A long-standing storyline by Frontier Lord standards, this volume sees it come to a satisfying conclusion filled with all the heartwarming moments one has come to expect from the series. 

Alongside the winter preparations, this volume also continues the plot regarding Dias’ standing with the nobility. Starting with Dias’ recovery from an illness, Eldan’s surprise visit to the territory brings news that Dias has officially been made a Duke. 

While the idea isn’t expanded upon too much within this volume, it provides glimpses into large events coming to Nezrose in the future. Of most interest is the shared goal of a highway between the frontier and Eldan’s territory. There’s plenty of potential here for all sorts of trouble as well as all sorts of new and interesting visitors. 

As an aside, the story of Dias’ dukehood leads into the strongest moments of the volume—Eldan’s struggles with rebellious royalty. It comes off the back of Eldan being healed by the miracle Sanjivani plant, which finally allows him to achieve fighting achievements in the same vein as Dias. This results in a new desperate side to Eldan’s character.

Wanting to capture Meister himself, Eldan messes up, almost getting himself killed and allowing the treacherous royal to escape. It counts as one of the few moments of weakness from the character, adding a depth of emotion absent from the seemingly upbeat and carefree lord. 

Overall, The Frontier Lord’s fourth instalment continues to bring fresh ideas to the series. Alongside more much-welcome world-building surrounding frontier life, this volume brings strong character work. This is seen specifically with Eldan, as his storyline offers new angles of emotion as he attempts to emulate Dias. 

I Give The Frontier Lord Volume 4: 8/10