The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 321

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

Chapter 321   Filia: Thoughts in the Tower

Of course, the military resisted, but the castle was in chaos, and the impact of the battle against Karakas, led by my brother, lingered. Therefore, we couldn’t go all out.

The two pillars of hope, the Eighth Heaven on the tenth rank, moved to deal with it, but the result was a stalemate with two giant beings.

Among those remaining in the castle this time, even though they were on the tenth rank, they lacked combat experience. One was an “Alchemist,” and the other was a “Martial Artist.”

The “Alchemist” was strictly a rear support and couldn’t engage directly in combat. No matter how powerful the tools they could create, they were useless if there was no time to use them.

Even if they created powerful weapons, they couldn’t wield them effectively, and giving them to soldiers was just as ineffective.

If they had stockpiled them in advance, there wouldn’t have been a problem, but doing so would reduce their own value. Therefore, Alchemists only prepared weapons for the country right before they were needed.

As a result, they couldn’t receive proper training on using powerful weapons, and many were overwhelmed by weapons that were strong but difficult to handle.

While the Alchemist themselves could throw poison, heal allies with medicine, cause dizziness, hinder movement, and more, they were ultimately a support role.

The “Martial Artist” could fight against the giants, but having to face two giants alone in the vanguard made the battle tough, even with the support of the Alchemist and soldiers.

Originally, the strongest species like giants and dragons were opponents that Combatants on the tenth rank of the battle profession fought with all their might in one-on-one combat without considering the consequences. Facing two such beings, even with support, was undoubtedly challenging.

As a result, the two Eighth Heaven individuals lost, and the capital, with no one left to face the giants, fell.

Although it’s uncertain whether the Alchemist died, there’s a possibility they’re still alive, but it’s unlikely they’ll return anytime soon.

In such a situation, I can never consider my current circumstances as a happy “good life.” Rather, I can’t help but think that my sister, who managed to escape abroad, might be in a better situation.

“The rebellion… I had been investigating, but I never expected it to happen at this timing. It was supposed to be a bit later in the plan, but they probably moved up their schedule.”

I sensed the presence of the rebellion, and I understood that they would move soon. However, the enemy’s actions were quicker and bolder than my expectations. If they managed to attack and conquer the city so audaciously, it’s not that I was misled by false information, but rather they must have changed their plans somewhere.

Well, understanding that now won’t change anything.

“Putting that aside… Now, what will happen next… Those from the ‘Shadow’ faction… well, they probably won’t make it this far.”

While there’s a covert unit serving as escorts, they won’t be able to enter this tower. Given that this tower is a facility for capturing nobles, its defenses are quite robust. Even if they try to forcefully destroy the entrance, it would be in vain, and they probably can’t destroy it in the first place.

Even if they could destroy it, both the tower and this room have independent defenses. To take me out of here, they would need to destroy the entrance to this room as well. However, if they do that, the shockwaves from the destruction would affect me inside, making it practically impossible to execute.

If I could escape alive by risking injuries, I might not mind, but in the current situation where they can’t consult with me or convey my intentions, I wouldn’t do anything that puts them in danger on my behalf.

“Like a fairy tale where a prince comes to the rescue… hahaha. That’s not going to happen.”

The thought is so ludicrous that I find myself laughing midway. There’s absolutely no chance of that happening.

Firstly, we are members of the royal family, and the prince is also captured. There’s no way he’ll come to our rescue, and even before that, unfortunately, there’s no one in our royal family, including myself, who has the determination to rescue other royals. The only exception might be my mother, but she’s likely also incapacitated by magic, considering she got caught because of me and is not taking any action in this situation. Otherwise, she would have turned the castle upside down to save me—her own child.

“Or perhaps if a hero comes… that won’t happen either.”

A hero is someone who battles the Demon King. While the situation is currently at a standstill, the fact remains that a Demon King has appeared to the south of this country, and a hero should have been dispatched there.

Moreover, the premise of this incident is a dispute between humans. So, in my opinion, the hero, whose purpose is to deal with the enemies of humanity, won’t come. That seems to be a correct assessment.

“Maybe, if the Demon King were to attack here and destroy the castle, I might be able to escape…”

The current Demon King is an aquatic monster’s evolution, so it doesn’t often come onto land. In fact, it can come up and invade, but it tends to avoid attacking places far from the water, as its power diminishes compared to underwater. On land, it gets pushed back by the hero and retreats. However, in and around water, it possesses enough strength to give even the army led by the hero a hard time, leading to a stalemate between the two forces.

Ignoring the hero and suddenly changing its invasion direction to come to this country is a fanciful and absurd fantasy, to put it mildly.

“I have no intention of dying. But if I were to escape, what would happen to my mother…”

When one escapes, it’s uncertain what will happen to the other. They’ve strategically captured us separately, so if one manages to escape, it won’t be without consequences.

Honestly, I understand that my affection for my mother is not conventional. However, even so, I don’t wish for her death, and I truly love her.

As long as that’s the case, I cannot abandon my mother and escape alone.

“Now, what should I do?”

However, even if it’s not acceptable for just myself to escape, if both of us end up dead, it would be meaningless.

In the worst case, one of us should move to survive, even if it’s only one of us.

However, even if I act alone, it’s uncertain whether I can escape safely. It’s not impossible, but not guaranteed.

While the doors and walls of this room are sturdy, the fact that the window is open makes it vulnerable. So, it’s possible to break out from the window. However, what happens afterward is unknown.

Even if I manage to escape from this place, there may be enemies in the city, and it’s uncertain whether I can remain undiscovered.

Even if I’m lucky enough not to be found, if asked where to go, I have no destination.

In theory, seeking refuge in Karakas would ensure protection, and if I can reach any city, I could be protected as royalty without going all the way to Karakas.

However, considering the high possibility of betrayal among the nobility, it’s not wise to rely on anyone. The safest option is still Karakas. There is, of course, the worry of getting involved in crime until reaching there, but it’s safer than being in a situation where you don’t know who the traitor is.

But speaking of which, it’s uncertain whether I can reach that point.

Even if I manage to escape from here and, by luck, am not found in the city, since no one is likely to be walking around the outskirts of this city in this situation, I would easily be discovered if I move outside the city.

Or, it would be good if something happened here that would divert attention so that I can escape…

“As a possibility, the most realistic scenario would be that the neighboring lords who notice our situation deploy their armies for rescue.”

However, even if we say it’s realistic, the likelihood of that possibility is quite low.

About two months ago, the king sent troops to Karakas, which had suddenly declared independence.

As a result, I found myself in a somewhat difficult position. It’s only natural, considering. Near Karakas, there is an elf forest, and I had friendly relations with the elves there. Fortunately, it seems that they didn’t notice my brother, but there was enough suspicion nonetheless.

Of course, all of that becomes irrelevant in the current situation.

Regarding those troops, not only did the country send them, but they also included forces from the neighboring lords in the punitive expedition.

However, the outcome was a disastrous defeat. While there were no direct casualties among the soldiers, many experienced a crushing defeat that shattered their spirits. Even if we were to ask them to fight again so soon, it would be challenging. Even if the opponent were not Karakas, the situation remains harsh.

Furthermore, not only the soldiers but the lords themselves would be reluctant to take decisive action.

They sent troops thinking it would be a victorious battle, but with defeat, all that remains is the debt.

Furthermore, or rather, in the first place, there’s the question of whether there’s anyone willing to confront an opponent that even the formidable ‘Eight Heavens’ couldn’t defeat.

The giant, which was the linchpin of the enemy forces, was defeated in a draw by the ‘Eight Heavens,’ but aside from that, there’s a swarm of thousands of monsters. It would be tough to see a conventional army having any chance of winning.

Moreover, even if one chooses to attempt a rescue, understanding that their own troops alone would be insufficient to rescue us, cooperation with other nobles is necessary. They would need to coordinate and come to our aid together.

By doing so, they would place themselves at the forefront of the battle, and if anything were to happen, the enemy’s focus would turn towards them.

Consider how much time that would take. At the very least, it wouldn’t be resolved within one or two weeks.

There’s no guarantee that the situation won’t change during that time, so one should act as quickly as possible, even if it’s just a second.

However, there is nothing that can be done.