The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 235

The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I’m a “Farmer”, Not a Demon King! ~

Chapter 235   Development of Flower Town

It has been half a year since we started nurturing the sacred tree. During this time, there were administrative tasks and skill training, but there weren’t any significant events to mention, so I’ll skip those details.

“Well, it has certainly grown quite a bit.”

In the mansion in Flower Town, I could see the sacred tree through the window, and it had indeed become quite large. It’s still smaller compared to the sacred trees I saw in the elven forest, but it had grown to the point where you could call it a big tree.

It felt special for it to grow this much in just half a year, even though I didn’t use any special growth skills. Initially, it seemed much smaller when I planted it, but in just half a year, it became this large. I did water it regularly and touched it frequently, so maybe it absorbed some power from that. However, there’s nothing abnormal, so I don’t mind.

“Which one are you talking about? The sacred tree or the surrounding village?”

“Both. Actually, it’s more like the village is no longer a small settlement.”

In response to my muttering, Kyle spoke, and I began walking.

…But well, I really do think so. At first, I called it a post town and designed it accordingly, but I thought it would eventually settle down to the size of a village or settlement. After all, it’s near Karakas. Besides, the one managing it is a criminal.

However, it surpassed my expectations and expanded. Now, it feels more like a regular distribution hub. It happened much faster than I anticipated. Though, people haven’t arrived in large numbers yet.

The buildings we constructed are filled with immigrants from Karakas, but there is still plenty of space in the outdoor areas for outsiders.

Nevertheless, there is an unexpected development regarding the number of people. When I say unexpected, it might be thought that there were fewer people than expected, but it’s the opposite. There are too many. Much more than the number we anticipated have been visiting ‘Flower Town.’

As a result, the pace of expansion has accelerated.

“Well, you know. It’s a village situated between Karakas and the elven forest, slightly closer to Karakas. If the elves are comfortable coming here, it’s not a bad idea to consider it as a post town.”

Connecting Karakas, the elves’ village, and the flower town with lines forms a triangular layout.

Since Flower town is located southeast of Karakas, it’s a bit away from the elven village situated northeast of Karakas. Still, emotionally, it would be easier for them to come here than going to the heart of Karakas. Elves who venture outside the village usually come here first.

Well, even if it’s considered far, using their transportation, the Blast Boar, there isn’t much of a difference. Besides, we have the sacred tree here. If you ask which way they’d prefer to come, it would probably be here.

“Though when the elves say they can come, it feels more like they’re barely making it.”

“Can’t help it, can we? They don’t like going outside much. It would be better if everyone ventured out more, like me.”

“Going out too much like you is also a problem.”

Elves not coming out much is an issue, but having someone like Lilia who comes out is also a problem, I think.

Well, there are advantages because Lilia is here, and that’s why elves can be seen in Flower town.

However, it’s not without its issues.

I mentioned people coming here with elves in mind, but the meaning of “in mind” is a bit unusual, or rather, it’s a Karakas-style thing. To be frank, they want to abduct them or turn them into slaves. Yeah, well, it’s this town. Despite being safe, it’s undeniable that it’s a city involved with criminals, dealing with the underworld.

So, I expected people like that to show up.

When you approach them, they may seem like a “beautiful, dignified, and proud race,” but when they’re out of the public eye, they become incredibly timid. I couldn’t help feeling a bit strange when I saw one clutching their heart in the shadows after talking to a human.

However, you won’t really understand that until you get deeply involved with them.

So, it’s understandable to want to acquire such a good-looking and poised elf in a town like this. If you see one, it’s not unreasonable to consider obtaining them.

But that’s a no-go.

Although some elves have managed to come to Karakas and in flower town, only a few of them, still somewhat scared, venture outside. On the surface, when they have company other than their own kind, they don’t show any signs of fear.

In such a fearful state, if a fellow elf is caught or harmed, they’ll bolt immediately. Moreover, they’ll charge in without considering the surrounding consequences, all to retrieve their comrade. It’s certain because I’ve experienced it myself.

Well, that’s an old story, and now they might come crying to me or my old man first. But I think the deterioration of relations can’t be stopped. They might continue to associate with me, but they’ll likely distance themselves from the town.

Because of this, even though elves come to this town, illegal elf slavery is prohibited.

However, despite banning elves, neither this town nor Karakas has prohibited illegal slaves outright. After all, this is the kind of place it is.

By the way, I should mention that illegal drugs and crimes are also not prohibited here, but in the midst of all that, kidnapping and injury related to elves are not accepted.

In Karakas, which is even called the “city where anything can be obtained,” elves are the only thing explicitly prohibited. Thinking about it that way, elves might actually be amazing.

Well, they are indeed amazing, right? Thanks to their longevity, there are plenty of high-ranking individuals, and along with that, not just in rank but also in skill. Since they’re part supernatural beings, with half of them being spirits, they have a good-looking appearance. There are many good and impressive aspects to them.

So, they are extraordinary, but when you see their true nature, or rather, their timidity or moments of blundering, it’s hard to see them as amazing. No, really, they are amazing, but I can’t fully accept it from the heart.

Of course, the prohibitions regarding elves not applicable outside the Flower town and the western district of Karakas. Because there’s no way the boss in the west would agree to such things, and enforcing it is also impossible. After all, this town is governed by five—well, now four—individuals, and even though they rule together, it’s just under a non-aggression pact. There’s no hierarchy of superiority or inferiority.

Besides, forcibly holding down someone’s head, especially when they don’t want it, is bound to lead to resistance.

So, there are still those who target elves.

For that reason, I wish the elves could overcome their fear a bit more. If they do, there won’t be situations like before, where they would fail and get caught in critical moments. Well, at least it should happen less often.

“The elves over there won’t change anymore.”

“I know.”

Well, expecting that to happen is as low as believing in miracles.

Now, I’ve mentioned elves, but that’s about the elves from Lilia’s hometown. Elves live in various places other than that. Even in this kingdom, there’s another elven village besides Lilia’s. In the world, there are many more.

So, regarding these elven villages, there are always eccentric individuals. Normally, elves live together in harmony, isolating themselves in the forests. However, some choose to live outside the village, travel, or face various problems that prevent them from staying in the village.

Randel, the deputy chief of the adventurers’ guild in the capital city, whom I met before, is one such eccentric individual. He doesn’t live with his comrades in the village but chooses to live in the city.

Such eccentric individuals, for some reason, have gathered over the past six months, having heard rumors from somewhere. Some of them even came all the way here from other countries, which is surprising.

The reasons vary—some want to live in the human world but find solace near the sacred tree, while others are interested in humans cultivating the sacred tree. Well, the reasons are truly diverse.

However, that’s how the elves ended up coming.

When I saw elves who weren’t easily frightened, I couldn’t help but be a little moved. They live without making blunders, and even if they mess up, they handle it immediately. It’s just that when elves do it, it seems like something wonderful. It’s probably those dignified elves you hear about in stories. I could understand that about them. Well, they’ve probably been out in human society and toughened up. They can’t survive in the outside world like Lilia and the others in their current state.

Well, perhaps more lost elves and stray elves like this will increase in the future.

Still, being elves, since all of them prefer the water I produce with my skill, it was easy to become friends. For some reason, they started calling me the “water person,” but if that helps us get along, it’s fine. Long live water.

Oh, yes… besides elves, there are other reasons why people are coming here.

Right, there was the cooperation— or whatever you want to call it, of the noble family, the Aldoa family, who could be considered my relatives to some extent.

I don’t know if they felt indebted for protecting their daughter, but that head of the family sent people here. Well, to say he sent them is not accurate; they started conducting legitimate transactions.

Certainly, we can provide illegal items here, but it doesn’t mean we only sell illegal things. We sell regular medicines and weapons too. Stuff like the wheat and vegetables I grow, and now even cattle and pigs are commodities. We even have horses.

As for why we have those, it’s because we hired a “livestock farmer.”

To say we hired them isn’t entirely accurate; we didn’t hire them anew. They were originally operating in a distant rural village, but it seems they were pulled over here, and they decided to move and expand their operations. While they may not achieve absurd efficiency like me, the livestock farmer, gathering a large number, can still raise them more efficiently than doing it normally.