The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 294

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

Chapter 294   The Crown Prince’s Advice

“Well, please wait. Such a story… Are you my younger brother?”

“Haven’t you heard? The son who was supposed to be born as the second prince, Rieta Aldonov’s son.”

You should have heard a story like that. There’s a possibility that younger siblings, who are younger than me, might not know, but if you were already born as the crown prince at that time, you definitely know.

There’s no way the pregnancy of the queen wouldn’t be a big deal, and the king himself was trying to spread the word that the child had miscarried.

Even Sofia, a nobleman’s daughter who rarely went outside, knew about it, so there’s no way you wouldn’t know.

“Well, I have heard of it… However, if that’s true, why would Father…”

Why would he do such a thing…? you don’t know. you don’t know why that person at that time decided to abandon—or rather, kill—his son.

“Well, I don’t know exactly what that person thought or felt at that time. Because I’m not the person in question. But I heard that he didn’t like the idea of a ‘farmer.’ Someone born into the royal family shouldn’t have a profession like a farmer.”

Those were the words I heard from the person himself, who had just been born at that time and whose vision was not yet clear. It wasn’t hearsay or gossip. Therefore, it was undoubtedly that person’s intention.

“Could it be… for such a thing? Well, considering our father, it’s not entirely impossible…”

“What’s this? Is the crown prince also thinking of me as ‘such a guy’?”

Normally, one would expect a response like, “There’s no way he would do such a thing!” However, it seems that the crown prince is aware of the king’s incompetence and despicableness.

Nevertheless, he still seems hesitant to fully believe my story. He places his hand on his mouth, glancing at me from time to time. It might be considered rude in normal circumstances, but I can understand his feelings, so I don’t say anything.

While the crown prince intellectually understands the possibility of my story, it seems his emotions are struggling to catch up. Even I would be shocked if someone told me, “By the way, you have a brother or sister, and they are currently fighting to the death.”

Despite the confusion, the crown prince manages to remain calm. Just being able to stay quiet in such a situation puts him in the category of level-headed individuals.

“Well, even if I tell you to believe in the existence of a brother all of a sudden, it would be futile. If you want, you can go directly to Aldonov’s ancestral home, ask mother or something.”

Even if my story is hard to believe, visiting my mother’s family and hearing the truth from Grandfather Irva or someone around there would confirm its validity.

However, it seems the crown prince is more concerned about something else, showing a slightly surprised expression.

“Does that mean you’ll release me as it is?”

Ah, well, if I say, “Go there directly,” it’s not unreasonable for him to think so. After all, he can’t go there himself without being released.

But… even after realizing I’m his brother, he still doesn’t let his guard down. He must have gained some composure by now and acknowledged the possibility of me being his brother, yet he continues to treat me properly as a king. He’s still unsure, probably because he hasn’t verified if I’m truly his brother.

Well, I don’t particularly want to be buddy-buddy with him, and I don’t recognize him as my brother, so it’s better than being addressed casually or with a familiar attitude right away. If he suddenly says, “Oh, you’re my brother. Nice to meet you!” or something like that, I probably won’t interact with him normally afterward. I’ll just call Edward, toss everything to him, and use the crown prince as a pawn. That should be the end of it.

“Well, that’s true. Normally, I’d receive compensation or ransom here before proceeding with the hostage exchange…”

However, this guy is still maintaining a polite attitude without changing it. I don’t know about his capabilities, but he’s probably at least on par with me. Even if I don’t intend to be friendly, it wouldn’t hurt to keep things amicable.

For that reason, it might be better to just let him go without demanding compensation or anything. …That’s what I think.

Besides, even though I don’t particularly feel that way, technically, we are now siblings by blood. It just feels a bit off to take money from my brother. Maybe it’s because this guy is emitting an ‘amicable’ aura; that might be making me feel this way. Well, it’s not a big deal.

“You don’t intend to oppose us, right? I don’t really want to kill my brother or anyone else.”

I hesitated a bit on whether to send him back or not, but ultimately decided it was fine to let him go.

Ideally, I should keep him here and discuss cooperation, but unfortunately, I haven’t completely believed in him yet. Even if we cooperate, I should observe how he acts after he returns. Then, if everything seems fine, we can create an opportunity for further negotiation.

Upon hearing my words, the crown prince showed a slight sign of hesitation before nodding.

“… Yes, I don’t have any desire to fight with you, and if you claim to be my younger brother, all the more reason. Besides, if I don’t return as soon as possible, I might be killed in the worst-case scenario.”

“Killed? By the king? Even though you’re the crown prince?”

“Yes. Father wouldn’t want this incident to be known. That’s why he sent such forces. If I delay my return, there’s a possibility of being dealt with for knowing unnecessary things. At least for now, I can claim to have narrowly escaped without being captured by the enemy and return to the castle.”

“…He’s going to such lengths.”

“If not, he wouldn’t hastily start a war like this.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

Indeed. If there were no important reasons to keep it a secret, they wouldn’t have initiated a battle like this in the first place.

If it was just about Karakas gaining independence, they could have taken more time to influence surrounding countries or block the roads to Karakas. They could have moved slowly and carefully, manipulating things behind the scenes. However, this time, they skipped such a process and acted quite swiftly. This action itself is a clear indication of the desire to erase me quickly and keep it a secret.

“Furthermore, both as the crown prince and personally, I want to avoid unnecessary escalation of the war.”

“Escalation of the scale, huh… Well, even if it happens, I’ll just turn the tables.”

With this incident, the king’s military strength has significantly decreased, and even if they try something else, they can only muster forces inferior to this time. They should understand that on their side, so they might opt for indirect warfare rather than direct confrontation. Economic strategies, disrupting trade, and such.

However, even if that happens, it’s not a problem. Even if trade is disrupted, I can manage food supplies, and if things get really bad, we can launch an attack from our side.

It’s a pretty straightforward way of thinking, but that’s the power we have.

However, the crown prince shook his head at my words.

“No, it might be possible for you all, but it should be avoided. Our country has lost more than half of the Eight Heavens in this battle. That means a significant decline in national power. The easiest way to address this is to collaborate with another country, but currently, there’s only one neighboring country that our nation can join hands with.”

Well, if you’re talking about an easy way to prepare the power to protect your own country, that would be the case. If you form an alliance with another country, you can use their strength.

Of course, it’s not as freely usable as the true power of your own country, but you can consider it in your calculations, and the other party can’t help but be wary of it.

So, forming an alliance with another country to protect themselves is a reasonable possibility.

And if we were to mention that potential ally…

“Holy Kingdom. Given that you proclaim yourselves as the ‘Demon King,’ there’s a possibility that, in order to defeat you, that kingdom might join forces with another and send a hero.”

Well, that makes sense. The western country is regularly engaged in wars, and there was a recent conflict there.

The north is practically isolated due to the mountains, and the south is in the midst of a war due to the Demon King turmoil. Although the south has already formed an alliance with Zaviet, their strength is not substantial enough to be called upon for assistance in our battle. Moreover, seeking cooperation might jeopardize their existing alliance. Asking for help in a battle implies a decline in their own country’s strength, and their alliance with the south is based on the assumption that Zaviet possesses strength. If that crucial strength is lost, the alliance loses its value.

While it may not become entirely worthless, if given a choice, it’s preferable not to rely on a partner whose value is diminished.

The only remaining option is the east, but if they have to choose between the two countries in the east, it’s better to ally with the country that views the ‘Demon King’ as an enemy rather than a potential enemy state. After all, they have the ‘Hero,’ a force designated for combating the Demon King.

“In that case, since the ‘Hero will be in action,’ there’s a possibility of intervention not only from the allied Holy Kingdom but also from other nations, all under the pretext of ‘Demon King subjugation.'”

Even now, in the south, small nations are joining hands for the sake of Demon King subjugation. Whether they are genuinely cooperating is unclear, but it’s certain that entities previously hostile to each other are forming cooperative relationships.

Currently, the Hero is engaged in the battle against the Demon King in the south, so there might not be an immediate threat. However, in a few years, it will undoubtedly conclude. When that happens, we could become the next target.

As the ‘Demon King,’ if there’s a ‘Hero’ opposing me, there’s a significant possibility of a similar situation unfolding, isn’t there?

If that happens, Zaviet could prepare its forces without any losses and come to defeat us. After all, ‘the Demon King is the enemy of the world.’ According to the treaty, cooperation is mandated when the Demon King appears, and neighboring countries have no choice but to collaborate.

“Well, I appreciate the warning. Whether it proves useful or not is uncertain.”

Well, that being said, it doesn’t mean we’re planning to deviate from our path.

This place is considered dangerous, attracting criminals and the like, and most people would probably be glad if it disappeared.

However, this city is my hometown, a refuge for those who have strayed. There are criminals here, but that’s not the whole story. Some ended up here due to circumstances, others who couldn’t survive elsewhere, and not all of them are irredeemable scum. Of course, there are scoundrels, and it’s true that they make up the majority, but even so—

We have no intention of letting anyone destroy our haven.

A hero might come, and others might cause trouble.

But even so, if someone comes attacking, we’ll crush them.