The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 308

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

Chapter 308   After the battle

——◆◇◆◇——

・Carmena

“Hoo… Haven’t moved properly in a while, and I’m exhausted. I wonder if the kid will ask for a special reward?”

After engaging in a proper battle using my strength for the first time in a while, an unpleasant fatigue has accumulated throughout my body. I hadn’t planned on revealing my original appearance, but, well, there was no helping it with her as an opponent.

In reality, I didn’t get a single scratch, but to say I had room to spare would be a complete exaggeration. If I had continued to use the disguise skill and deplete the remaining usage count, I might have been the one dead by now.

“Hey, you guys. Instead of lazing around there, hurry up and go back! Also, tell Ed-boy while you’re at it. I’ve left the cleanup to him!”

I evacuated to some extent initially and stationed people to defend the town. However, fighting so flamboyantly naturally attracted onlookers. I shouted at those curious bystanders and instructed one of them to convey a message to Ed-boy. Even though I have my guys around, and I could have asked them to handle it, they went through a tough time. I wanted to delegate such trivial tasks to others and let them rest a bit.

“Oh, there’s no need for that. I’m already here.”

However, my consideration was almost meaningless as the person in question showed up without needing to be summoned.

“What’s up? Were you here in person? Is that alright? You’re a minister, right?”

“If you say that, aren’t you one too? I thought it would be ending soon, but if I’m the only one not moving, there might be complaints later.”

Well, I’m also a big shot belonging to the country now. Even though the country isn’t that serious of a place, compared to the past, it’s undeniable that I’ve risen through the ranks quite a bit.

But…

“Complaints? I doubt there will be any. Those two should know you’re the one really working behind the scenes.”

“Even so, Black sword might make sarcastic remarks like ‘I didn’t get a turn,’ so I decided to come out myself.”

“Ah, well, that might happen.”

That kid… No, our Demon King probably won’t complain, but Volke, who is his foster father, likely will. I can easily imagine that scene.

“So, I came out myself. —Anyway, good job.”

“It was really tiring. Can’t I get one or two rewards or something?”

“You should ask the Demon King for that. I just came to confirm and handle various things.”

While Ed responded to my words with indifference, he casually checked the surroundings and gave instructions to the subordinates he brought along.

Observing his actions, I decided to inquire about the other situations.

“What happened with Black sword? He probably finished even before me, right?”

“Yes. Black sword engaged in a bit of banter, had a brief match, laced it with poison, and expelled the opponent. In terms of the actual fighting time, it didn’t last even ten minutes.”

“Poison? Him?”

Even though the word ‘poison’ was mentioned, I couldn’t imagine that guy using poison. He would probably finish everything off without the need for poison.

“Even though I say poison, it’s more like poisonous words. He suggested whether he would betray them or not.”

“I see. But well, should we praise someone who lasted against him for a decent amount of time? Was he injured too?”

The three of us were referred to as the ‘Five Emperors’ a little while ago, but honestly, Volke was on a different level. Or rather, he went beyond that level. Is it more accurate to say that?

That guy surpassed things like the Tenth rank and obtained absurd power. A genuine monster is what you call someone with that kind of power. Enduring against such an opponent is quite impressive.

“It was just a playtime match, so the actual fighting time was even shorter. Well, enduring for a few minutes is still remarkable, but considering it’s the Tenth rank, it’s understandable. If it were me, I would have died from the first blow.”

“Well, your field is different. —Anyway, I’ll leave the rest to you. I’m going back to rest.”

Honestly, today has been quite exhausting. Both physically and mentally. Feeling this tired after a long time makes it even more exhausting.

“Yes, thank you. Unlike Black Sword or the Demon King, you don’t cause unnecessary trouble, and that makes things easier for us.”

“Watching someone act recklessly can be entertaining in its own way, don’t you think? Life being tossed around unexpectedly can be surprisingly enjoyable.”

“Well, it’s all part of life. Best to go through hardships while you’re still young.”

“Haha, true enough. It’s the essence of life. Make sure to endure the wrinkles when they come.”

“I’m not that young anymore either, and honestly, you might outlive me with that skill of yours. Well, for now, let’s handle the cleanup on this end, shall we?”

Thanks to the skill “Anti-Aging,” I age almost negligibly, ensuring a longer life than others. This skill is not the type you can toggle on and off among the constantly active skills, so there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s frustrating to remain unchanged while the world around me transforms. So, I’ve used the disguise skill to keep altering my appearance, hoping to share at least a little of the same time as everyone else.

But well, considering I can continue witnessing the changes in this city, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all?

——◆◇◆◇——

・Vesnar

“Hey, good work there.”

After finishing the guidance in Lancia, I returned to my old man’s mansion in Karakas for various discussions, only to find him absent. However, something seemed off in the city, so I investigated a bit. It turns out that some Eight Heavens survivors were still around, and they had somehow infiltrated the city. In response, my old man and the old lady took action, and Edward handled the aftermath.

In other words, while I thought I had taken care of everything, nothing had been settled behind the scenes.

So, when I asked where my old man was to discuss this, he said, for some reason, that he went to the city wall—directions different from where the recent battle occurred. I made my way there.

However, despite arriving without any prior notice, my old man, seemingly aware of my arrival, didn’t turn to look at me but called out while gazing beyond the wall.

I walked alongside my old man and leaned against the wall, looking out beyond the city just as he did. Frankly, there was nothing. Just nature.

“Yeah… In the end, I got my old man and the others to move, huh?”

It’s embarrassing how I got carried away and acted so nonchalant. While the conversation with the Crown Prince and dealing with Lancia were indeed important, those could have waited. What should have taken precedence was ensuring the safety of the city.

No, more than that, I should have confirmed until the end. Instead of being relieved, thinking that I must have defeated the enemies since I couldn’t harvest their heads. After all, they were ‘Eight Heavens,’ supernatural monsters. Thinking they died just because they had a hole in their stomachs was a mistake.

“The opponents had five individuals from the Tenth rank, right? Even if one surrendered, you managed to defeat two. Moreover, weakening them to that extent should be considered a success.”

As my father pointed out, the number of Tenth rank individuals I dealt with was three, including a traitor named Lancia. While Lancia’s betrayal could be attributed to my presence, normally, achieving such results would be considered more than satisfactory. Single-handedly taking down three from the Tenth rank was quite an accomplishment.

However, I am the ‘Demon King.’

Originally, I casually uttered the title without much thought. Later, it caught on, and people around me found it amusing, eventually leading to me being called the Demon King.

Though the beginning was rather casual, when I declared independence, I willingly adopted the title ‘Demon King.’

If that’s the case, the ‘Demon King’ couldn’t afford to struggle against a mere Eight Heavens.

I should have defeated all five. I made preparations for it and even crafted strategies. I believed it was a sure victory. I thought there was no way I could lose, no elements of defeat.

The result of displaying such confidence… underestimating the opponent led to this.

Being content with defeating only three is unforgivable.

“Even so, the city ended up suffering damages.”

The damage to the wall… well, let’s overlook that. Damage to that extent was already factored into the consequences of the battle.

However, the areas that became wastelands due to the intrusion into the city were damages that shouldn’t have occurred. If I hadn’t let my guard down…

“This is war. There’s no end without casualties. Whether you win or lose, big or small, there will always be something to lose.”

Well, maybe that’s true. But…

“If that still bothers you, then use that reflection in the next encounter.”

My father, utilizing some absurd ability, playfully flicked my forehead with movements I couldn’t perceive. I only noticed it after taking the hit.

It’s just a trivial thing—what a waste of an ability. Well, it’s probably another way for him to cheer me up.