The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 445

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

Chapter 445   Family gathering

We were heading towards the capital, but the atmosphere inside the carriage remained silent.

Thinking about the future, it would be nice to have a more cheerful atmosphere. However, just contemplating the fact that Mom would come to Karakas, and we would start living together, made me feel uneasy. It’s not that I disliked it, but I couldn’t help feeling quite unsettled.

Perhaps my father felt something similar. Normally, during such a journey, he would either be sleeping or cracking a joke if he was awake. However, the fact that he was neither, just gazing out the window with a troubled expression, indicated that things were not as usual.

The carriage, carrying us with such complicated emotions, continued to advance, and finally, we arrived at the heart of the capital, and then proceeded towards the castle.

After disembarking from the carriage and entering the castle, we were guided by the attendants who had gathered there and headed towards the guest room.

“Welcome!”

As we continued through the castle, we were soon greeted by a woman with a beaming smile who rushed over and embraced us, displaying sheer joy.

That woman was undoubtedly my mother.

“Mom, I’m an outsider, so I’d prefer if you didn’t do this…”

Even though more than half of the people in the castle were already aware of our relationship, there were still some who didn’t know, especially among external visitors. Well, those who came to the castle probably knew the situation reasonably well, but even so, acting so openly might not be appropriate.

Thinking this, I applied some force to my hands, trying to gently push away my mom’s body that had embraced me.

“Right, right… I’m sorry. Seems like I got a bit too excited…”

However, as I rejected the embrace, my mom showed a dejected expression.

Feeling guilty about her reaction, I knew she cared about me, and that’s why she acted this way.

However, I couldn’t continue the conversation in this situation, so we needed to move to the room and discuss it there.

“For now, let’s go to the room. I want to drink the tea you made. And Filia is waiting too.”

“Really? Let’s go! She’s been waiting for you!”

My words seemed to genuinely make her happy, and she happily exclaimed, taking my hand and leading the way. At that moment, I noticed her glance at my father behind me, wearing a smile that seemed to hide some joy.

“Long time no see.”

“Yeah. You seem tired somehow. …Well, I understand why.”

As soon as we arrived in the guest room, we were immediately led out and taken to another room, or rather, a greenhouse. There, Filia was elegantly enjoying tea.

As my mother guided us into the room, she headed toward the tea set a little away from the seats, starting to prepare various things like tea and snacks.

My father, still seeming nervous, remained standing behind me without taking a seat. It was too different from his usual self, but since dealing with him would be troublesome, I could just ignore him.

“You also seem a bit tired over there. Is the post-processing still ongoing?”

Ignoring my father and speaking to Filia, what she was doing seemed elegant, and her behavior appeared flawless. However, signs of fatigue were evident on her face.

“Yes, that’s right. I can’t say it’s completely finished yet. Especially with that much damage, it’s not something that can be resolved entirely within a year.”

“Well, I see. Even with ‘carpenters’ and ‘earth mages,’ if it’s not the tenth rank, it’s not something that can be done in an instant for an entire city.”

Recalling the scenes from Karakas that took place just a few days ago, I spoke. Karakas was just one block, but it still took several months. If it were to cover the entire capital, it would undoubtedly take time.

Moreover, on that side, there were peculiar architects and such, but here, they only had ordinary personnel. Considering these aspects, it would inevitably take more time.

Thinking about it that way, Karakas was quite fortunate in terms of personnel. Well, if we only looked at their abilities, but we didn’t consider personalities, preferences, or sensibilities. If we took those into account, hardly anyone would be considered decent.

“Yes. …However, this fatigue is more than from your side.”

While Filia nodded to my words, she briefly glanced at my mother. What was it? Did something happen with my mother?

“Is there something wrong?”

When I asked, Filia, with a somewhat indescribable smile filled with melancholy, opened her mouth.

“We received a letter from Onii-sama saying that you would come here today, so Mother has been a bit excited for the past three days…”

“Three days ago? …Well, seeing that excitement makes sense, but why from three days ago?”

In welcoming my mother, we had informed in advance. Although she was my mother, externally there was no relationship, and since I wasn’t a resident of this castle, if we didn’t inform in advance, I wouldn’t be allowed in. In addition, this time, there was also the matter of my mother’s remarriage, so we couldn’t avoid giving prior notice.

However, the announcement should have been conveyed not just three days ago, but much earlier…

“Starting with the idea of preparing properly to be able to respond since we’re receiving you, Mother began rearranging the interior, thinking that we might make you bored with the same room as last time. Also, considering the possibility that your arrival might be earlier than planned, she had been restless since yesterday.”

I appreciate the thought itself. But, to say this might be rude…

“She’s really like a child.”

It felt like a combination of a child excited before a field trip and a girl tidying up her room because her crush was coming. Or rather, it felt exactly like that.

“Actually, she may have stopped growing up as a child. Fundamentally, she’s an adult, but her character has many aspects that seem childish. Probably, she’s temporarily regressed to the state around sixteen, trying to reclaim the time when Onii-sama wasn’t around.”

“…I see.”

“In addition, influenced by the word ‘going to pick up’ mentioned in the report we received…”

“Ah… I don’t know if it’s a first love, but she probably hasn’t had a proper romantic relationship until now. If you consider her mentally regressing and a knight coming to pick her up during that time, it’s natural for her to be excited.”

“Yes. She was married at fifteen, but that was for political reasons. Even in a political marriage, it’s said that some affection would naturally develop after being together for several years. However, in the case of Mother, there was Onii-sama. She gave birth to a child, then continued to train herself to be a mother and kept thinking of her husband as an enemy… At least, it can’t be considered a normal romantic relationship.”

While my mother was a married woman, if asked if there were romantic feelings, it could be said that there weren’t. However, an intense event occurred where the knight who rescued me, proposed to her. Given that, it wouldn’t be strange for romantic feelings to go wild, making it difficult for her to think straight.

“However, I think it’s because of the present circumstances. If the time spent together increases, you’ll be able to fill the gaps and become a bit more settled, I believe…”

“I came here to discuss that this time.”

As I said that, Filia raised her eyebrows slightly and spoke.

“That’s right. Please take care of Mother.”

“I think you should say that to Dad, not me.”

Filia bowed her head toward me, but since it’s Dad who will be marrying my mother, it would be appropriate to ask him to take care.

“We’ll talk later, but I think it’s necessary to inform Onii-sama as well.”

However, as she declared that, Filia’s expression showed a hint of sadness.

Surely, it was because her beloved mother was going to leave her. Even though she understood it wasn’t because her mother was abandoning her, and even though she knew it was for her mother’s happiness, the fact remained that she would be separated from her.

“What about you? Are you sure you want to stay here?”

That’s why I asked her, but…

“Yes. I don’t have much dissatisfaction with life here, and I now have a certain level of authority, so I can lead a comfortable life.”

Filia quickly dispelled her sorrowful expression and responded with a smile befitting a princess.

Once she nodded like that, I couldn’t say anything more, nor was there a need to.

“Sorry to keep you waiting! I prepared a new one since Vesnar said it was delicious last time. How is it?”

As we continued talking, Mother returned after finishing her preparations. I could sense that she was full of the intention to spoil me.

Well, just stopping her from calling me ‘Vesnar-kun’ was already a step forward. If, after being apart for a while, she had reverted to calling me ‘Vesnar-kin,’ I would probably have been enveloped in an inexplicable sense of defeat.

“It’s delicious. Did you make the sweets here too, Mother?”

“Yes! But Filia-chan helped me with that.”

“Well, we had some time… and I felt guilty if I didn’t help.”

Ah… well, if she had said, “Let’s make it together!” and then responded with a “No, thanks,” she would probably have felt downhearted, just like when we met in the hallway earlier.

With these conversations, the family tea party continued.

… Father, on the other hand, remained standing in the back as usual.