The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 292

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

Chapter 292   The reason why the crown prince remained

Certainly, if he stays, it could be helpful in sparing the soldiers. His presence could buy time, and by providing a negotiation platform, it might make it easier for them to escape.

If I were to listen to what the Crown Prince has to say and fulfill his requests here, perhaps, after returning him to his country, I could secure some favorable promises for us.

There was indeed a possibility of such negotiations taking place.

“If it means saving as many people as possible, there’s nothing better. Besides, protecting the people is the duty of the royal family.”

“Hmm, well, indeed, you seem like a future king. It seems you value the people.”

It doesn’t seem like mere pretense or superficial words. If it were, there would be no reason for him to stay here in the first place. Unlike the king who, in the name of upholding the royal dignity, was willing to discard his own son, this is a stark difference.

If this guy becomes king, well, maybe we can get along. Getting along, of course, doesn’t mean we’ll get along too well. After all, this is a city of criminals, and I have no intention of cutting ties with them. We’ll inevitably have a somewhat “appropriate” relationship.

…Well, even if we were to get along, that’s just a hypothetical scenario. For that to happen, the current king needs to disappear, and this guy becoming king is a must. It’s a story for years, maybe decades later.

As I admired the Crown Prince’s demeanor, he took a deep breath, then looked straight at me and slowly began to speak.

“… My request… no, my wish is only one. I ask you to let the soldiers who accompanied me in this campaign go. They are ordinary soldiers, and among them, some were forcefully brought here. Although they entered your territory, there should not have been any direct harm caused. I implore you to show a generous heart.”

The words he spoke were roughly as expected.

He wants me to help his soldiers. That’s his wish.

But, forcefully? …Wait a minute. I’m pretty sure this army was composed entirely of soldiers this time, right?

The country sent out tens of thousands of soldiers, and the surrounding nobles each joined in with additional forces. So, there shouldn’t have been anyone forcefully brought here. Even if someone didn’t want to, they would have been drafted for their job as a soldier. If that’s the case, it’s not like they were forcefully brought here, and I don’t think pushing the narrative that way would work. That’s how I assess it.

…Oh, but if the nobles also sent soldiers, then it wouldn’t be strange for some ordinary people to be mixed in, right? Some might have exaggerated the number of soldiers to show off and boast about their legion, recruiting commoners to inflate their ranks. In that case, it’s accurate to say that some were forcefully brought here.

In that scenario, I think there might be some room for leniency. Commoners who are conscripted wouldn’t be able to defy noble orders. Well, even if that’s the case, considering that they did attack, it’s not like there won’t be any consequences.

…Certainly, it can’t be said that there was no harm. However, the fact remains that they attacked. It’s hard to completely overlook that.

“…Indeed, it’s hard to say there was no harm, but the fact that you attacked remains unchanged.”

“…?”

In response to my words, the Crown Prince slightly furrowed his brow and lowered his gaze.

From that reaction, it’s clear that he genuinely cares about the people. He’s probably a “good guy.”

…But why was such a “good guy” born from that king? A lesson from a negative example?

Well, rather than dwelling on that, there’s no point in dragging it out. Let’s proceed to the “continuation.”

“However, I intend to capture and utilize some of the soldiers, mainly the officers. I don’t plan on annihilating them entirely. They should be released to some extent and that would be the end of it.”

Officers can be used as brains, and ordinary soldiers can be used as labor. Well, since I’ve specified prioritizing officers, the ordinary soldiers should have an easier time escaping. Among those we’ve captured, there might be some who are injured. To address this, we have healers with curative skills ready to form a medical team. So, I think the chances of those we capture dying are relatively low. Whether they get caught or not, the number of casualties might be less than what this guy is imagining.

Also, with Lilia among them, there’s no need to worry about her causing a fuss later. Well, there might be times when she’s too “active,” causing headaches, but it’s manageable.

“I see…”

As the Crown Prince responded, his expression softened somewhat, but his voice still retained a certain stiffness.

He might have wanted to say, “Can’t you just let everyone go?” But in this situation, that might be asking for too much. However, despite a slight grimace, he didn’t say anything more.

“So, is that the only reason you stayed? If there’s something else, speak up.”

He initially mentioned having “several reasons.” Several. So, there might be something else he wants to say or ask. That’s what I want to hear.

“For the soldiers, as I mentioned earlier, was the primary reason, but there’s another… There were things I wanted to know.”

“Things you wanted to know?”

“Yes. Although it might seem strange for me to say this after leading an invasion, there are things that I haven’t been informed about by the king. Various points are unclear to me. Therefore, if I could learn about them, well…”

Unclear points, huh? Probably related to me. Things about my background, why I’m here, and so on. I assume those are the hidden circumstances he’s curious about.

Well, that makes sense. After all, my existence, if known, would tarnish the king’s reputation. Despite discarding a ‘son with a commoner’s occupation’ to protect his own position, if that were exposed, it wouldn’t just be meaningless; it would be an even bigger negative.

Certainly, there’s no way nobody knows about it, and there are probably a few individuals who are aware of the circumstances. Like the prime minister or the king’s personal spies. But that’s a very limited number of people, and the Crown Prince is one of those who hasn’t been informed.

However, even so, coming here does seem like a good move for gathering information. Being able to learn things that wouldn’t be known just by staying in the castle.

But even considering it from the perspective of gathering information, it doesn’t seem like a choice the Crown Prince would make, especially risking his own life.

“…You might die as a result, Wouldn’t that be a problem?”

“As I mentioned earlier, I believed I wouldn’t be killed immediately. And even if I were to die, it would be unavoidable. I already experienced something akin to death in the battle earlier, so losing my life here wouldn’t make much of a difference.”

Certainly, I had thought of sparing commanders and those in significant positions. But they wouldn’t have known that. Besides, depending on my judgment, they could have been wiped out entirely, so the expression ‘having died once’ might not be entirely inaccurate.

However, even if that were the case, why make such a bold decision to stay? You’ve survived luckily once. Wouldn’t it be more normal to run away, thinking that you shouldn’t push your luck for a second or third time?

Despite my doubts, the Crown Prince spoke without hesitation, gazing directly at me.

“And… I felt that I had to know.”

“Had to know, huh…”

“Yes. I am the Crown Prince. If everything proceeds without incident, I will become the king. However, at that time, this incident must not remain unclear. Even if I were to ask my father or those around him, if it hasn’t been disclosed up to this point, there’s a high chance it won’t be in the future. Therefore, even if there is some risk involved, I have to uncover and grasp the secret myself. That’s the way I see it.”

To become a king, one must know everything. A king’s duty is to know everything and then make the best judgment for the country. If one cannot risk their life for that, they shouldn’t become a king.

The Crown Prince’s words seemed to carry that determination.

And, as if to prove the sincerity of that determination, the Crown Prince actually risked his life by staying in this place.

“…Betting your life for that… Well, you’re an admirable Crown Prince.”

Even in such a situation, confidently uttering these words without hesitation, he exuded a regal presence distinct from mine. It made me realize the difference in stature between the current king and the future king. Seeing this, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.