The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 268

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

Chapter 268   Treant = Sacred Tree Project

“And, we don’t intend to abandon this village that has become part of our territory.”

The village chief might have become more cautious in listening to our proposal because, as the village chief, he wouldn’t want the village to be attacked. However, for us, this place is already our domain and territory, and we have no intention of letting anyone easily interfere.

“Here. This is one of the purposes of coming here this time, but we would like to plant this.”

“This is…?”

“It’s the seed of a Treant.”

“A T-Treant!? Why something like that!?”

What I presented was the Treant seed that Flora had created before embarking on this journey.

While it may be something that one wouldn’t normally be able to see, for the village chief, the surprising aspect seemed to be the fact that it was a material from magical creatures rather than whether it was a valuable item or not.

“Because there are said to be benefits. This is one of them.”

Well, initially, that wasn’t the intention. But this time, the timing for cultivating Treant seeds seemed to be good, and we learned the method, so we prepared the plan by discussing it with my father and Edward.

“Treants undergo changes in behavior after growing under the influence of magical power during their growth process. If everyone here thinks of this seed as a friend or family and nurtures it as a sacred tree, the Trent will protect this village for you.”

“I-Is that so…?”

Yeah, that’s right. Treants are often referred to as aggressive tree monsters that attack not only humans but also magical creatures, but that’s due to the environment they grow in. Treants are magical creatures with self-awareness, so if they are raised in a situation surrounded by enemies, they are bound to become aggressive. It’s similar to the difference between a human growing up in Karakas versus growing up in a normal town.

“Yes. We plan to do the same for other villages.”

Well, I haven’t seen one actually grow, so I don’t know how it will turn out, but Flora and Lilia said so, so it must be true.

However, even with that, the village chief still seems hesitant, and the anxiety doesn’t seem to have completely disappeared.

It’s understandable to hesitate, but I want him to nod already. I’m offering something like “Treant seeds,” and I want him to understand that this, in itself, is proof of goodwill and trust that he should accept.

“I understand your concern about the dangers of Treants, but aren’t you curious about where I gathered so many Treant seeds? Treant seeds are rare and not something you can buy just by throwing money. Despite that, is there any other reason for planting Treants in multiple villages, aside from succeeding in cultivation, having Treants cooperate, and having them produce seeds?”

If I were just deceiving them, there would have been easier ways to do it without preparing something like this. In fact, I initially had no plans to offer Treant seeds. However, I brought this because I thought it would benefit this village and because it happened to be available.

“N-No, but is it really…?”

“Yes, it’s true. —Will you agree to being placed under our dominion from now on, and also to nurturing this?”

“….Y-Yes, I understand.”

Alright, with this, we can finally move the conversation forward.

“For now, gather the villagers. It’s better to widely convey the future of this village. We don’t want trouble later because people claim they didn’t know. Also, since this is something important, we need to tell everyone that they should collectively nurture it. If any harm is done later, I don’t want them to escape by claiming ignorance.”

It’s fine if they harbor resentment towards us, but that shouldn’t lead to them causing damage to us. So, to avoid any resistance, it’s necessary for everyone to know from the beginning. If they still choose to oppose us even after hearing this, I’ll assume they intend to do so and won’t hold back.

Moreover, if we don’t inform them about this Treant seed, there’s a possibility it might grow in a strange way due to hostility or ill intentions. It seems Flora can exert some influence on them, so it shouldn’t turn out too weird, but if, by any chance, the village collapses because of a Treant they raised, it wouldn’t be a laughing matter.

With that in mind, I decided to gather the villagers in a kind of square, or whatever open space there was in the village, and explain the fact that the village is now under Karakas’s dominion and talk about the Treant seed.

“Uh, this village has now become part of Karakas. You can hear the details later from the village chief, but there’s one thing we want you to do. That is, to cultivate this seed—this is a Treant seed, and we want you to nurture it.”

I explained similar things to what I told the village chief. However, this time, I’m addressing the villagers who gathered in the village square with a more authoritative tone than before. The previous discussion with the village chief was a negotiation, so I spoke politely, but now I’m just delivering a decision, so there’s no need for unnecessary kindness.

Rather than speaking politely, it’s better to convey it as a decided matter. It’s easier for them to understand it as something they have to do. Besides, people in villages like this are probably used to receiving orders, so a commanding tone should work better. Therefore, I decided to drop the polite attitude.

“So, is that clear?”

“Don’t mess with us! Who the hell would want to nurture that thing!”

However, still, or perhaps inevitably, there are those who don’t accept my words. A young man—maybe a little older than me, around twenty, probably—glared at us while shouting.

“What? You got a problem? Ah, you don’t have to resort to violence. If you have something to say, say it.”

Facing the man who openly showed hostility, Kyle and my father’s subordinates, who were guards, were about to take action, but I stopped them before they could move and then addressed the shouting man.

“Relax. These guys won’t go against what I say. After all, I’m Karakas’s boss’s son.”

Actually, I’m the king, but saying I’m the boss’s son is more effective. I think it helps them understand that I’m not just a messenger but a leader.

“Well, if you think knocking me out will advance your cause, go ahead.”

Yeah, in a sense, he’s not entirely wrong with that judgment.

“But—”

While saying that, the man approached and climbed onto the platform. Probably, he intends to defeat me exactly as he said.

Well, it’s definitely a fundamentally wrong decision, mainly because it won’t lead to a fight, though.

“Argh!”

“At least get a bit stronger before challenging me again, small fry.”

The man attacked, but with a little movement and a tripping motion, he easily got caught and fell.

This is something even a five-year-old in Karakas can do—it’s a basic skill.

Certainly, he has a good physique, and if you were to ask who looks stronger between him and me based on appearance alone, many would choose him.

However, it’s only appearance. He might be used to swinging his fists at villagers and showing off, but that’s about it. Such a guy doesn’t even need me to use my skills.

“Hey, don’t underestimate me!”

“Don’t underestimate me is my line, idiot.”

The man attacked again. This time, perhaps wary of his footing, his punches were a bit smaller, but fundamentally, he still lacked experience in combat.

“Aaargh!”

“Karakas ain’t that soft, you know.”

I grabbed the arm that swung at me, extended it, and with a sideways punch, the arm easily broke.

It would be troublesome if he continued to resist, and if I let him get carried away, there might be others who would join in the uproar.

So, before that happened, I broke his arm and incidentally, his spirit too.

“We don’t intend to oppress you guys. But that’s only as long as you’re obedient. If you don’t like it, want to rise up, that’s fine. Thinking about it and actually doing it, though, are two different things. If you do, be prepared for the appropriate strength and determination. Don’t act all cool just for show.”

“Ggh… Giiiihhhh!”

After breaking his arm and knocking him down, when I kicked his arm, he couldn’t even scream properly anymore, starting to foam at the mouth.

The villagers watching this had pale faces as they looked at us, but well, with this much, no one would dare to defy.

“The others heard it too, right? We don’t intend to oppress you. Do as you please. But don’t defy us. Remember that. We promise to be gentle as long as you obey.”

Even if I say that now, not many will believe it, but for now, it’s okay. Let them live for a while, and if they think, “Maybe he’s not a bad guy after all,” later on, that’ll be enough.

Well, just leaving things as they are would also be a problem, and this is still the first time.

“Emil, can you call a healer? There should be at least one around, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just need to heal him, right?”

“Well, considering the circumstances, and knowing that there might be people who can’t accept it straightforwardly, I expected something like this to happen. It’s fine for the first time.”

“Got it. Well then, I’ll take care of that over there.”

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll handle the Treant.”

If I heal his injuries, the fear among the villagers should diminish to some extent, I guess.