The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 266

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

Chapter 266   Struggling in front of the village chief’s house

“Well, we brought some decent people, so probably. During our stay here, if we make some greetings and try to establish contact, it would be lucky if they think, ‘Oh, these guys are more approachable than I thought.'”

“Do you think they’ll actually think that?”

“Well, that’s hard to say. However, it’s better to get some kind of reaction than nothing. That’s the best we can hope for.”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to try and see how it goes.”

The reputation of ‘Karakas’ is just too bad. It’s a fact, but when it comes to establishing connections, it becomes quite troublesome.

Nevertheless, since I have to treat it as my territory, I can’t avoid getting involved. I have to handle it well, even though it’s challenging.

“For now, should we head to the village chief’s house?”

“Ah, for now, I’m here as a coordinator for these idiots and as a backup just in case. So, the basic strategy is up to you; move as you see fit.”

“Backup, huh… Well, understood.”

With those words, I parted ways with Emil and, along with my usual companions and a few guards, headed towards the mayor’s house, hoping we could communicate effectively. Whether or not the communication would be successful remained to be seen.

“What do you think we should do in situations like this?”

“Why not just call them out boldly? ‘I’ve come, so come out quickly!'”

“Do you really think being so authoritative will make them friendly?”

Lilia, this idiot. Was she not listening to the conversation? If she orders them in such a condescending manner, there’s no way we’ll become friends.

“Flora will go to greet them!”

“Let’s save that for another time.”

While it might be less suspicious if Flora goes to greet them, the other party might still find it confusing. Whether the conversation would proceed smoothly or not is questionable, and even if we let Flora do the talking, someone else needs to establish a conversation first.

“Typically, as a noble, you would send soldiers or a letter as a prelude. Upon arrival, either your subordinates would inquire or they would come out to greet you. However…”

“Do you think they’ll come out willingly? There’s also the possibility of them panicking and causing a ruckus, right?”

While we did send a letter beforehand and even dispatched an emissary to explain the situation and our visit, if asked whether they wanted to deal with the residents of Karakas, the answer would be negative.

Even with the letter and emissary, confronting the people of Karakas is not something I’d willingly do. There’s a chance they might get confused and react violently.

To put it in Japanese terms, it’s like having a serial killer knocking on your door and saying, “It’s safe outside, so come out.” Moreover, it’s in the countryside where you can’t rely on the police.

Whether you come out peacefully or stay inside, there’s no hope for the situation to improve. There’s even a possibility that they might break in. In such a situation, it’s hard to say whether the residents, who have been living peacefully until now, can calmly handle the situation. As Kyle mentioned, the potential for chaos is more than abundant.

“…Yes, that’s right. In that case, would it be appropriate for Vesnar-sama himself to go? It may deviate slightly from the etiquette of nobility, but as this is a remote village, they might not be familiar with such manners and rules. Given the current situation of fear, it might be better for Vesnar-sama, Bell, or myself to go, as it could reduce their wariness. Moreover, if Vesnar-sama himself goes, the sense of intimidation, or the so-called ‘imposing presence,’ may be less pronounced.”

“An imposing presence, huh… Well, it’s probably better for the person in charge to go rather than sending subordinates.”

In that case, a normal-looking young man like me might have a higher chance of getting them to listen, I think. It’s better than sending some thugs, at least.

“However, being too gentle is also not advisable. Upon hearing that an emissary from Karakas is coming, the villagers are likely scared, wondering ‘What kind of person is coming?’ If someone with an appearance like Vesnar-sama, who doesn’t look frightening, shows up, it might cause the other party to relax, and in some cases, even become arrogant. We need to consider that possibility, so we must be prepared to use force if necessary.”

“Well, I do have an ordinary appearance. Got it. The basic stance is to be gentle, but if needed, don’t hesitate to use force.”

“Yes, well, it’s pretty much business as usual for you.”

So, we decided to approach the village chief’s house with this strategy in mind. During this, the guards stayed a bit away, as there’s no point in me doing the talking if they’re too close.

“Now, let’s give it a try.”

I said that and was about to knock on the door, but my movements came to a halt.

The future actions could influence how things proceed from here, and that made me a bit nervous. Even if the impact is something that can be rectified later, the fact remains that it will have an impact.

This is, in a sense, my first proper job, and the initial negotiation can’t afford to fail.

Thinking this, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

“Hellooo! We came from Karakas!”

“We’re heree!”

…But for some reason, before I could say anything, Lilia and Flora energetically knocked on the door and shouted.

You two, I appreciate your close relationship, but can’t you choose the right time and place for things like this?

“…Hey, you guys, I don’t know what you were thinking, but isn’t that going a bit too far?”

I have no idea what this idiot, Lilia, was thinking, with her head spinning around. Maybe she wasn’t thinking much at all. Perhaps she felt like she could call out because it seemed like the right thing to do, or maybe she saw me hesitate to knock and decided to take the initiative in speaking. Something along those lines?

“Huh? But greetings are important, right? If we talk properly, their wariness will disappear!”

“Along with any sense of dignity,” Bell added with a wry smile. However, it’s not just about losing dignity, is it?

“Dignity is something that can be understood once you meet. First, we need to meet and have them listen to us. I learned that when I was gathering allies in the city!”

Gathering allies in the city… Was she recruiting henchmen again? Certainly, when she first appeared, whatever speech or something she tried was completely ignored by everyone.

That might have been partly because the content was terrible, but the location and situation were also unfavorable. Depending on the city or timing, there might have been a chance to be heard.

It makes sense; if no one listens to what you have to say, it’s pointless, right? Well, her goal isn’t noble or anything.

However, even if her reasoning has a point, things have significantly deviated from the original plan, and something feels fundamentally wrong.

Sofia seems unsure about what to do; her eyebrows are furrowed in thought.

“…Well, it might not be entirely wrong, but…”

While there might be some truth in what Lilia is saying, the fact remains that the initial plan has gone awry, and something seems fundamentally off.

“Hellooo! We came from Karakas!”

However, ignoring our concerns, Lilia once again called out in a foolishly cheerful voice.

But there was no response. Well, that’s natural. After all, they have no idea what’s happening. If it were me, I’d definitely check the situation outside first and wouldn’t just come out straightforwardly.

…Wait, is she intentionally aiming for that? By making such a ruckus, it’s conceivable that the people inside might want to check the outside situation. If they see us, they might be somewhat inclined to listen to what we have to say.

…No, not really. Yeah, it’s unlikely.

As a phenomenon, it might be possible. Hearing this voice, residents might want to confirm who we are. However, there’s no way she’s thinking that far.

Just as I stopped thinking about the reason for Lilia’s actions, she put her hand to her mouth, tilting her head as if contemplating something. What? What’s she thinking about now?

However, if she did consider something, there was no answer. Lilia turned back towards us with her hand still on her mouth in a thinking pose. And…

“…By the way, how do you even show dignity?”

Wait, she was thinking about something like that?

It’s not that it’s entirely out of place, but it’s not the time or place for such discussions. I can only feel exasperation at her words, which came too late.

“…I don’t know. Just take a cue from some pompous guy you’ve seen before.”

“A pompous guy? …Yeah, got it! I understand!”

After staring at me for a moment, Lilia energetically nodded, then turned back toward the door.

Did she really come up with someone pompous so quickly? If it’s someone she knows, I should know them too, but who could it be?

“If you don’t open the door, I’ll kick it down!”

“Yeah! …Can Flora break it?”

“Wait a moment. If we’re doing it, we should do it more stylishly!”

Though it’s no different from before, is this her attempt at imitating someone with dignity?

Flora is one thing, but Lilia seems even more mentally unhinged than before.

“…You might not have dignity, but you sure seem crazy.”

“Really?”

“Are you saying it’s not crazy for someone with a smile to kick down a door with a child in tow?”

“Hmm. But there are people like that, you know?”

“There aren’t.”

“Hmm.”

Who in the world kicks down doors with a child and tries to have a discussion? Fine, let’s allow for the possibility of someone with a child. But kicking down a door for negotiation? That’s absurd.

“Hmm.”

Nevertheless, with confidence, Lilia pointed her finger at me for some reason. What’s going on?

“Huh? …What’s with that finger? Are you pointing at me?”

“Yeah. Because you’re crazy, aren’t you?”

“Oh, really? And which mouth is saying that?”

Is she trying to pick a fight with me? Right now, I could probably give her a good smack, though I won’t. Despite the chaotic situation, I did come here for negotiations as the de facto leader of this village. Well, it’s so messy that even I’m starting to wonder why I came.

“But, but normally, people wouldn’t resort to using seeds for a fight, right? I mean, even I can tell that’s weird!”

“Ugh…”

Ouch. She hit a nerve. Certainly, the idea of a ‘farmer’ engaging in combat is odd enough, but using plant seeds like bullets is something no one would think of.

Given that perspective, being called crazy might be fair, but it’s annoying coming from her. She’s in the ‘crazy’ category too.

“Oh.”

As I was thinking that, a small, subdued sound—click—caught our attention, and Kyle exclaimed.

Looking in that direction, it seemed the front door had opened, revealing a man around fifty who appeared somewhat timid.