The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 255

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

Chapter 255   Meeting of the Five Emperors (Three + One)

“―Well then, shall we start the meeting?”

In a room in the former central district of Karakas, we had gathered.

“Oh, this is delicious, isn’t it? Did you harvest this at your house?”

“Oh, yes. Originally, it seems to grow further south, but I tried growing it as an experiment, and it turned out well, so I prepared it this time.”

“I see. This time it’s fruits, huh. If plants from the south can be cultivated… I have a proposal. How about trying to grow what I’ll provide next time?”

Gathered in the room were the three bosses who controlled Karakas and their bodyguards, and me.

It’s fine that the three of them are here, but why am I being called too?

“Hey, you guys, I gathered you under the pretext of a meeting, but do you have any intention of actually having one?”

Without showing any reaction to father’s words, Carmena, the southern boss who was busy with me, and Edward, the northern boss, who were ignoring me. Seeing this, my father sighed and glared at the two.

As you can tell from the words “meeting,” this time we had gathered not for a fight, but for a discussion.

The agenda included the recent war between the Flower Town and the nearby nobles. And also, the war between the East and West that was hidden behind it.

It should have been quite an important discussion, but for some reason, it started in a very relaxed atmosphere. Even my father, who declared the meeting, didn’t show a serious attitude.

“Yes, that’s right. There’s a saying about familiarity, but do we need manners among us… or rather, among the residents here? Well, there are cases where it’s necessary, but it doesn’t matter in this situation. Besides, negotiations that start with such casual conversations are not to be underestimated. In fact, you could even say that’s everything, so could you please not interfere?”

Edward… well, there’s no need for explanations now, right? As usual, it’s about making money. Despite one of the Five Emperors dying, he seems quite indifferent, but that’s just how he is.

“…I can lend you as much as you want later, so let’s talk about my matter now.”

In response to Edward’s demeanor, Dad sighed as if amazed, smoothly selling out his son.

“Well, there’s no helping it. Let’s quickly finish this discussion.”

“…Geez, why do I have to say something so serious?”

Dad is saying that to Edward, who has changed his attitude, but didn’t he just engage in something ‘serious’ by selling me earlier?

“What’s serious about selling people?”

“That’s how the conversation goes, so just shut up and listen.”

“…One favor, then.”

“If you remember.”

Is he really planning to forget?

However, as the conversation came to a close, the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically.

…Indeed, they are the Five Emperors?

Dad knew it to some extent, and I understood it was impressive, so it’s not that surprising. However, I had underestimated the other two.

I had thought I knew something about Edward from our previous negotiations, but I was naive. It was ultimately just a game. Father had arranged some level of conversation in advance, so I could talk to him reasonably, but it was all within a limited framework.

The old lady, too, had dispelled the relaxed atmosphere from earlier and now faced Dad and the others with a sharp gaze. I couldn’t sense any kindness in her demeanor; it was even somewhat terrifying.

Well, that’s understandable. She’s been making her mark in this city for decades. It couldn’t have been done without a certain level of capability.

In terms of social rank, I might be higher. However, if you say it, it’s only “that.” High social rank. So what? That’s how the people in this city talk, and the ones in front of me are the leaders of those people. I couldn’t afford to underestimate them.

Whether they knew or didn’t know about my unease, Dad and the other two continued with the discussion.

“As an agenda, shall we discuss the recent ‘war’… if we can even call it that, the one-sided invasion and the future moves surrounding it?”

“Yeah. Fools didn’t just come from outside, but also from within. So, there are various things to discuss. Let’s talk about it.”

The ‘outside’ naturally referred to the nobles I fought against. And the ‘fool from within’ was supposed to be one of the Five Emperors who should have been here—Isaac from the west.

There were significant changes due to the death of one of the bosses this time, but Dad had already briefed me on how to handle it.

In this war, not only did one boss die, but there were also more significant changes.

Dad and the old lady, who could be considered the cause of these changes, along with my gaze, turned towards Edward. However, Edward, without flinching at such scrutiny, opened his mouth with his usual suspicious smile.

“War, huh? Well, you know, they say war is profitable, and I understand that well… but I never thought I’d end up with territories. Really, teaming up with you folks turned out to be a good move.”

That’s right. In the recent war, the nobles outside of Karakas attacked, and during that time, I captured the attacking nobles and handed them over to Edward. I thought he’d pull in some nice money or resources, but then an unexpected event occurred.

This guy seized the territory of those nobles.

It’s truly unbelievable. Who would have thought that something like that would happen? No one, right?

It seems he demanded the nobles to hand over their territory in exchange for sparing their lives and did various things. During that time, I was also asked for cooperation.

When asked what I cooperated with, I was told to plant a specified plant where I had cut off the limbs of the captured nobles. I thought, “What is he thinking asking for something like that?” But if he said it was necessary, I did it without thinking too deeply… and hell broke loose. It was, in a sense, a hell I created, even worse than the battlefield I had made.

The nobles were planted with a grass that became the raw material for healing potions—those typical potions. Additionally, there were trees that became the raw material for a potion that heightened sensitivity, and flowers that became the raw material for a potion that restricted body movement.

They looked beautiful when you just looked at them, but the problem was the planting location. After all, they were planted not in planters or flower beds, but in humans.

And when they combined, it resulted in a state where the body was covered with wood, unable to move, but the senses remained heightened. Due to the effects of the anesthesia, one couldn’t even speak, nor could they close their eyelids.

However, because the plants that became the raw material for the potion were parasitic, they continuously secreted substances that modestly facilitated recovery, preventing death. Nevertheless, if left alone for a while, the nutrients from the ‘foundation’ would be completely absorbed by the plants, causing the person serving as the foundation to wither away and die.

But until that happens, it’s hell. They probably have at least a month of enduring it, I guess.

So, well, Edward created that devilishly artistic something, and it seems he gleefully sent it to the noble houses and negotiated with them.

If you’re shown something like that, anyone would willingly give up their land. It’s terrifying, more so than being killed and more gruesome than being enslaved.

So, in the end, after receiving various things necessary for the management of the territory, those who cooperated were apparently treated for their injuries, given some money, and released.

It seems he promised to release them if they cooperated sincerely, stating that breaking a ‘promise in negotiations’ goes against his principles or something. But… I don’t know whether those released can lead a decent life afterward.

Even if the physical wounds heal, the wounds of the heart don’t. Well, they were the ones who attacked first, so I don’t feel any sympathy.