The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 291

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

Chapter 291   Sibling reunion

However, even though I said it was over, it wasn’t as if I had defeated all the approaching soldiers. At most, I managed to take down about a third of them.

In reality, I could have easily wiped them all out, but doing so would likely create complications, so I kept it restrained. Besides, it seemed more convenient to leave some of them alive.

Nevertheless, even if only a third of them were defeated, strategically speaking, the damage was substantial enough to be considered a ‘complete annihilation.’ It appeared terrifying to the enemy that such a number had perished in an instant. The opposing army, without bothering to rescue their comrades, hastily fled.

Of course, it was understandable. Their trump card, the Tenth Tier, had been rendered useless without any recourse. From my perspective, it must have felt like losing a father. If there was someone capable of killing such a monster without significant casualties, victory was impossible. They gathered their comrades and fled with all their might—a similar reaction, I suppose.

I wonder if there’s chaos in the enemy camp by now? Some generals might have fled, and there’s likely no cohesion.

There is one person left who seems capable of taking command effectively. Well, I say “left,” but I haven’t confirmed it yet; he might already be dead.

If you’re wondering who it is, it’s the old man who first split the ground.

When those guys charged in, I set up a trap for the army that was waiting in the rear. However, perhaps because he was an earth mage, or it was just natural for an earth mage, the old man who was the only one left interfered with the ground I tried to manipulate with my skills and couldn’t move it properly.

Top of Form

Afterwards, I sowed seeds, but well, there was some distance, and being an earth mage, the ground was raised to create a shield, resulting in little damage.

Moreover, the shield wasn’t just one-sided; it formed a cube, and he holed up inside it like a box. With this setup, attacking was futile. Seeds wouldn’t take hold, the ground couldn’t be overturned, and flames couldn’t reach. Honestly, it seemed like a hopeless situation.

However, in the end, the old man grew plants from his body and died. He never emerged from the box until the end, so I couldn’t see, but he’s probably dead in there.

“…Plants inside the box, report!” …Yeah, looks like he’s dead.

Confirming the response from the plants that grew from the old man’s body, he didn’t show any signs of movement. So, he must be dead.

So, the enemies who attacked this time are completely wiped out. The soldiers may have escaped, but there’s no need to pursue them, so it’s not a problem. We might encounter some ronin hunters, but that’s not our concern.

There’s a bit more to do, though…

“Hmm?”

I thought all the soldiers had fled, but for some reason, the plants reported that there was someone still here. Moreover, it wasn’t someone who had lost their will to fight or was in a daze; he was standing proudly, gazing intently at the carcasses.

Though his entire body was stained red, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it unsightly, but there was something admirable about his dignified posture.

…Who is it? Why is he still here? Shouldn’t he be running away like normal?

I got a bit curious, so I’ll go meet him… No, in these cases, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to bring him over? After all, I’m the king. It’s not very regal to go out to meet someone, right?

“So, who are you? Why did you stay behind?”

With that in mind, I decided to send someone to bring him. The location was a building in the former central district, where we usually held meetings.

It wasn’t a luxurious castle, but considering it was in a city like this, it was decent enough in appearance.

“Long time no see, Your Majesty the Demon King. This is the first time we’ve directly exchanged words, and I am pleased that this opportunity has arisen. I am Lucius Seiria Zaviet, the one who occupies the seat of the kingdom’s first prince.”

At least, he seemed to have undergone a light purification before meeting me, as he returned to a state different from when I saw him, completely red all over.

His appearance was truly that of a prince! It sparkled as if to say so.

It’s not just about the appearance itself; it’s a dignified and elegant figure overflowing with refinement, unlike someone like me. That’s the feeling. The aura is different.

“The Crown Prince, huh. You were the commander this time, if I recall correctly.”

I knew that the Crown Prince was here, but I never thought I would meet him in person like this.

I mean, there wouldn’t be a normal opportunity to meet, right? After all, he was the supreme commander of the enemy, and I would expect him to be the first to flee.

…However, this is my brother.

I said it’s not about the appearance, but the appearance itself is also prince-like. I’ve seen him briefly before; he has effortlessly blond hair and blue eyes, handsome enough to suit a prince’s name.

Considering that he is my brother by blood, it’s okay if we look alike. I don’t think I look bad either, but it’s the hair color. It’s quite different from my black hair.

Well, my features probably came out stronger from my mother’s side, and if the mother is different, the characteristics that come out will be different. I think that’s actually a good thing. After all, if he had hair like that guy, the king, he would resemble the king.

That man’s hair was a golden color with a hint of red, so the fact that the Crown Prince has such a beautiful golden color is likely influenced by the mother’s side. It’s an irrelevant detail, though.

However, now his face is somewhat shadowed, making him look somewhat powerless.

Well, I guess that’s unavoidable. After all, he was attacking here just a moment ago, and now he’s captured like this.

However, if he wanted to escape, he should have been able to. Why did he get caught so quietly like this? I don’t understand that part.

“Well, leaving that aside, why did you stay? If you’re the Crown Prince, shouldn’t you be the first to flee?”

Normally, that’s what you should do. Even if a royal commander is needed for strategic purposes, it didn’t necessarily have to be the Crown Prince. It wouldn’t just be about the inconvenience of losing the Crown Prince; it could lead to more significant issues.

Despite that, they placed their hopes on him because they believed they could win with the involvement of the “Eight Heavens,” sending the Crown Prince, an important figure, into the battlefield despite the danger.

I think their expectations for him were more about the aftermath and the governance of Karakas and its surroundings rather than the battle itself.

“I have several reasons, but the foremost is for the sake of the soldiers. Even though I am the Crown Prince, I must move to save their lives even if we lose. To achieve that, I judged that staying here was the best course of action. There was a risk, but I thought that even if captured, the chances of returning alive were significant.”

Well, that makes sense. I don’t intend to kill the Crown Prince. Killing the Crown Prince would lead to a full-scale war.

No, it’s already a pretty serious war, and it wouldn’t be a problem if we engaged in hostilities, but it would still cause various complications. So, I had no intention of killing the Crown Prince.

In fact, not just the Crown Prince, but I didn’t really plan to kill anyone above the level of commanders in this army.

The reason is simple—they could be useful if I captured them.

This city, or rather this country, claims to be a nation, but it doesn’t really function like one, mainly due to its recent independence and the ongoing war. However, there’s a more significant issue than that.

The problem is manpower. There’s a severe shortage.

To put it simply, it’s bureaucrats. It’s not that we need bureaucrats or officials with specific positions; we need people who are capable of politics and administration—smart, educated individuals. However, they are in short supply. Therefore, the country’s governance is quite challenging.

For now, we’re managing with the capable individuals living in the Flower Garden, mainly under Edward’s leadership, but even that isn’t enough.

So, I was thinking that if we could replenish people with that kind of intellect, it would be great. If we let them handle the city’s administration, it would make things easier for us.

Of course, when I say “administration,” it doesn’t mean letting them do whatever they want. We would dispatch trustworthy individuals to places where manpower is needed, and they would act as advisors or provide assistance—essentially, slaves to carry out such tasks.

Exactly. They are nothing more than slaves. We’ll allow them a good life if they prove useful, but if they try to manipulate things in their favor or sweet-talk to act in their own interest, we’ll crush them immediately. That’s their position.

That’s why I made sure not to kill too many of them, and I avoided choosing those who act too high and mighty. Perhaps they’re currently conducting something like human hunts outside to capture such individuals?

Although there’s a directive not to kill too many and it’s unlikely that all the escaping ones will be wiped out, well, the chances of anyone getting away have probably decreased.

Anyway, leaving that aside, I had no intention of killing the Crown Prince, and let’s assume he saw through that himself.

“…Did you go to such lengths to let the soldiers escape? Sacrificing yourself to ensure they could get away?”

Even if that were the case, I couldn’t understand the reason for him to stay. He claimed it was for the soldiers, but would the Crown Prince really go to such lengths for them? If it came down to just him versus tens of thousands of soldiers, his own life would likely be considered more valuable.