The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 261

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

Chapter 261    A gift from three people

“Indeed, it’s true that it would be more efficient to handle it that way, and it might be better. However, it’s not a wholesome approach. It’s impressive to be able to handle everything alone, but that would mean taking away work opportunities from others. Additionally, if everything is left to you and something happens like you dying or collapsing, production would come to a halt at that point. As we are going to continue as a nation, it’s okay for emergency measures such as initial land development and disaster response, but if it becomes a regular practice, I cannot agree with it.”

“Moreover, it’s better if the king doesn’t personally go out on business trips. I also agree that it shouldn’t be entrusted to one person.”

If I weren’t here, huh? I hadn’t thought about that for sure. But what Edward and the old lady said isn’t wrong. I might not be here tomorrow, and it would be too late to think about what to do with Karakas food supply at that point.

“Oh, I see. Then, maybe it’s better to entrust the Flower garden to someone else too.”

Thinking that maybe it’s better if I don’t continue with the food production I’m currently doing, or perhaps I should entrust it to someone else, I spoke out like that.

“Oh, no, please continue as you are. What we discussed earlier was only about the supply under our control. As long as you can handle that, feel free to cultivate for future income generation. If you do that, I will turn it into money.”

“…I feel like I’m being taken advantage of somehow.”

“Is it just your imagination? Originally, you were the one who requested cooperation regarding the Flower garden, right?”

“Well, yeah, that’s true.”

While I can’t entirely grasp what they’re saying, when they tell me to continue with the field work with a smile, I can’t help but feel like I’m being used in a way.

“Besides, even though this is called a country, it’s a city of criminals, right? There’s no need to earn foreign currency for the country, and there’s no need to do anything. It’s enough to secure food. A country where no one goes hungry. Isn’t that good?”

It’s understandable that it’s a good thing not to go hungry, and I get that there’s no need to seek foreign currency considering relations with other countries. But, does just not going hungry make it a ‘good country’? Just not going hungry doesn’t change the fact that the rest of the city is like crap.

“However, if you want to live luxuriously, you have to do it on your own, right?”

“Wasn’t this place originally like that? We climbed up using our own strength, so as long as you can stay alive without hunger, you can climb up on your own. If you can’t, then you might as well die.”

Edward’s words might not be wrong. As a way for the residents of this city to exist, it might be terribly accurate.

“Well, I don’t have the energy to stand up, not even to take care of a baby.”

Even Carmena, the old lady who shows kindness among the bosses, said that casually.

But yeah, that’s right. I wouldn’t want to save someone who only clings and asks for help, without reaching out or standing up on their own.

“Environmental improvement for the citizens is foolish. Since this country doesn’t have any environmental abnormalities like extreme heat or cold, it’s enough not to go hungry. Rather, not going hungry in a world like this. If you don’t understand how fortunate that is, there’s no value in living for ‘that.’ Not going hungry is the best policy.”

Edward said that with somewhat detached eyes.

In this world—or, even in the previous world, I, who have never experienced hunger, couldn’t judge how true those words were and couldn’t say anything.

But it’s probably true.

Survival of the fittest. In such a world, just securing food to avoid hunger is surely an amazing thing.

“So, I’d like you to improve the soil in the locations marked on that map.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Although I probably still don’t truly understand what it means for a country not to go hungry, it’s not a big deal to improve the soil to ensure the citizens don’t starve. So, I nodded in agreement with Edward’s words.

“Now, for the last topic… a present.”

“A present?”

“Don’t make such an obvious disgusted face. I’m not trying to set you up or anything.”

Suddenly, my old man mentioned a present, and I instinctively furrowed my eyebrows, looking at him. However, my old man gave a wry smile and tossed a small bag over to me.

Opening the small bag, I found tiny seeds inside. Taking one out, the seed had a surface with small spikes, resembling the shape of a grain. It was considerably smaller compared to them, but it looked like a seed of the Mimosa pudica plant.

“What is this?”

“It’s a parasitic tree seed. It was a hassle to get.”

I asked my old man what kind of seed it was because I didn’t understand, but the answer I received was unexpectedly surprising.

A parasitic tree. In this country… no, not just in this country but even in the surrounding countries, dealing with it is prohibited. This includes not only flowers or saplings but even bringing in the seeds alone can lead to arrest.

Why is it considered so dangerous? Well, its effects are dangerous. Not in terms of medicinal effects or anything like that, but the effects of the plant itself.

The parasitic tree is a plant that inhabits cold regions, and around here, you might be able to find it if you go to the northern mountains and try hard enough.

Its effect, as the name suggests, is a “parasitic plant.” Moreover, it doesn’t just parasitize; it manipulates the host it parasitizes and scatters seeds over a wide area.

I’ve never actually seen it, so I don’t know what it’s like, but apparently, there have been cities in the past that were actually destroyed by parasitic trees. That should give you an idea of how dangerous it is.

“…Why would you consider giving such a dangerous thing as a gift?”

“Well, for you, it’s the perfect gift. Try using it against an enemy. If you do it well, you can keep monitoring their actions, and you can even manipulate them as you like. It wouldn’t self-destruct, right?”

Well, it’s true that being able to communicate with plants, I wouldn’t accidentally use such seeds against ourselves. There shouldn’t be any risk of the city being destroyed due to a management mistake.

“From you, take this.”

After confirming the gift from my old man, Edward handed me something, saying so.

“Is this also a seed?”

This time, unlike my old man’s gift, it was a fairly large seed. In appearance, it looked like a peach or a plum, perhaps something along those lines?

“It’s a Treant seed.”

“…Treant? That’s the monster tree thing, right?”

A Treant is a tree monster. Though when we say a tree monster, it didn’t start out that way; it was originally a plant that mutated due to the influence of magical balance, turning into a monster.

“Yes. Treants don’t usually drop seeds. That’s because they aren’t born as monster offspring but rather undergo a transformation from a plant to a monster due to the influence of magical energy. So, even if a Treant drops seeds, they are often seeds of the original plant it transformed from.”

As I was contemplating this, Edward began explaining about Treants. Thanks for that.

However, the explanation didn’t end there.

“Whether nurturing new buds or nurturing roots, if you detach them before reaching a certain size, they wither, and once they surpass a certain size, they become uncontrollably aggressive as Treants, making them difficult to manage. The seeds of Treants are rare and can only be found in mutated fruits with an extremely low probability. Pure Treants grow from these seeds, and their materials are highly valuable and traded at a premium compared to other trees. Therefore, if you can nurture and cultivate them successfully, it can become a lucrative source of income. Usually, Treants grown from seeds are magical creatures and cannot be cultivated. However, this is due to changes influenced by the surrounding magical energy. If nurtured with a different type of magic without exposure to magic from monsters, they won’t become harmful creatures. However, some aggression may remain due to the magical influence of the parent Treants, making cultivation of Treants challenging. However, there is a person here who can converse with plants, has the ability to nurture them, and can seek the assistance of elves. Isn’t this exactly the talent needed to cultivate Treants? If you nurture Treants, they will provide splendid materials without becoming aggressive! Therefore—”

“Too long! Shut up!”

Edward began explaining about Treants, but without stopping, he continued speaking with sparkling eyes fixed on the listener.

It became annoying, and I couldn’t help but interrupt and stop him, but I think that’s unavoidable. I’m not in the wrong.

In fact, having become a king, or rather having been made one, I am in a higher position, so I think it’s okay to complain.

“But if this can be done, I, uh, no, we could have more money—”

“Oh, Edward. Isn’t it not the time for your business now?”

Despite my interruption, Edward tried to continue talking, but the old woman stopped him, and he seemed to have decided to withdraw obediently.

He still looked dissatisfied, so maybe he hasn’t given up yet, but it seems he realized it’s not the right time now.

This guy was talking about my money just now. He really seems determined to use me.

“You’re not acting properly, huh? Even though it’s a gift, why are you giving him something like that?”

Now it’s the turn of the gift from the old woman, and when she turned her gaze to the guards or attendants behind her, the woman who had been standing by held out a package to me.

I received it and checked inside, and unlike the previous two, there were potted plants instead of seeds.

“What is this…?”

Regarding this potted plant, it has unusually large leaves… What could it be?

“It’s a ‘Mandragora.'”

The moment I heard that word, I felt like throwing the pot away, but I endured it.

Mandragora. It’s a plant that lets out a strange scream when pulled out, and it’s said that those who hear the scream will die.

However, that’s a bit different. What’s different is that you don’t die just by hearing the scream. At most, you faint.

The reason it’s said to cause death is that there are indirect factors. Try fainting where monsters are outside the town. You’ll be eaten and die.

So even if you hear screams in the middle of the city, you won’t die just from that, but it’s still a dangerous thing.

“Why are you giving me something like this!”

Weren’t you just complaining about the dangerous things as glasses gave me?! Why would you give such a dangerous thing as a celebration gift!

“Why… It’s useful, right? There are various uses, but well, the most recommended effect is as a stamina enhancer. Also, it can be a fertility inducer. Depending on the mixture, it can even work as a contraceptive, but well, it’s versatile, so do your best.”

As expected, this old woman, being of the same kind as glasses, gave a gift that can’t be called entirely normal.

“What do you mean!”

“What do I mean, it’s obviously for making babies?”

“First of all, that old lady is the coordinator of the brothel, right? No decent person would come from there.”

“Oh, well, I think I gave something more useful than you guys, don’t you think?”

“My gift is useful too. Mainly as a source of funds.”

Well, the gift itself is useful, but is it too luxurious to think that it’s not suitable as a gift?

“Don’t you have anything other than money?”

“Other than money? … It can be used as construction material. It’s an ideal wood that is resistant to all types of attacks, including fire and magic. The only drawback is that it’s more expensive than usual because processing it is more troublesome.”

It’s not like that! In any case, it’s still money!