The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 457

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

Chapter 457   Residents’ circumstances

“Why is that? Are you saying these items are not made by harming spirits?”

Despite being addressed to the hero, Canon seemed concerned and asked in response to my words.

“In an ordinary city, yes. But this is an allied nation with the Elves, you know? Moreover, we have quite a good relationship, living together leisurely. When it comes to tears of spirits, you can easily get them by asking the Elves.”

Well, because you can get them just by asking when a spirit yawns. Those stones might even be lying around in the Elven forest.

I haven’t checked, but I probably wouldn’t be surprised if there were tears of Flora spirits in the garden of the Sacred Tree.

“Even so, a prohibited item is still a prohibited item.”

“That’s true, but it’s not a prohibited item in this country.”

“Even so, if the surrounding countries have decided so, it should be prohibited.”

“Even if the spirits and Elves themselves offer it?”

“Yes.”

“Even if that prohibition leads to the Elves dying?”

“… Why would that happen?”

“Because, wouldn’t it? This country formed an alliance with the Elves, but alliances are built on mutual benefits. There isn’t much that Elves, who live modestly in the forest, can offer. They can easily obtain things they don’t need and sell them to gain money. If that is forbidden, they’ll just be exploited unilaterally and die.”

“We have formed an alliance, but it’s not purely out of goodwill. Well, I do acknowledge the presence of goodwill, but it’s the mutual benefits that have allowed us to maintain such a good relationship for such a long time.”

Hearing my words, Darado furrowed his brows and began to glare at me, but being glared at doesn’t scare me, and nothing will happen, so it’s not a problem.

“Wow, I never thought we could get so many tears of spirits! It was worth coming here just for this!”

While talking like that, it seems Lina has bought tears of spirits and is happily pleased with herself.

Seeing Lina, a devout follower of the church, buying illegal items, Darado frowned even more, but still, he didn’t say anything.

After finishing the “introduction” of the hero’s party to the shopkeeper and briefly discussing the merchandise, Lina seemed to find something again and was purchasing it.

“What about that one? Does it have some special reason as well?”

Pointing at Lina, Canon asked, but that was…

“Hmm? Oh, no, that’s just a regular prohibited item with no special reason. It’s one of those dangerous ones.”

“Lina!?”

What Lina had bought was medicine made from human bones. It’s not because there’s a special reason, like with the tears of spirits earlier, but simply because there are plenty of corpses nearby, and it’s made and sold. It’s quite commonly used here, so it’s sold at a relatively low price, but in a normal town, a medicine that uses human corpses would likely be illegal.

“Indeed, they deal with that kind of stuff here too.”

The hero mutters with a furrowed brow, but what’s there to be surprised about now? This kind of thing is commonplace here. If anything, I’d like them to consider using the remains of the deceased as still relatively decent. They even sell things like using parts taken from a living person.

“Well, this is that kind of town. While you won’t be attacked, and there’s no danger to your life in the streets, there are scams and pickpockets. You can find slaves for sale with just a step into a store, and if you’re confident you can survive there, some sellers deal in prohibited items on the side streets.”

“These criminals…”

The hero just furrows his brow, but Darado seems to dislike it a lot, expressing his disgust.

However, what was said just now was probably directed towards everyone in this garden and everyone in Karakas. I want to make one thing clear.

“Well, it’s true that Karakas is a city of criminals, and it’s a place where wanted individuals gather from all over. But that doesn’t mean everyone is a criminal.”

To my words, Darado twitched his brow but didn’t show any further change. He glared at me without displaying any other signs of displeasure.

However, it seems that the meaning of my words bothered the hero, and he tilted his head, questioning.

“? What do you mean? If they’re wanted, they’re criminals, right?”

“Then, do I look like I’ve committed any crimes?”

“Well, that’s…”

While saying that, I lightly spread my hands to show him, and the hero made a troubled expression, stumbling over his words.

“Well, I have indeed committed theft.”

“… You have?”

From the flow of the conversation and my attitude, the hero probably thought I hadn’t committed any crimes. But, I’ve stolen and killed.

However, perhaps he felt mocked by my way of speaking, the hero slightly furrowed his brow. Well, I did mock him, to be fair.

“Well, you can’t survive in this city without doing something. No, not just in this city, but anywhere, everyone has to get their hands dirty to live to some extent.”

Stealing and killing are fundamental here. Scams and dealing with illegal items. Rape, robbery, and various other crimes… In this city, everyone is involved in some kind of criminal activity to a greater or lesser extent. Otherwise, you can’t live a decent life.

—However, even though this is that kind of city, the reason I came here, in the first place, wasn’t because I was a criminal.

“However, originally, I hadn’t committed any crimes. I hadn’t done anything wrong. There shouldn’t have been anything bad. Yet, I ended up coming here.”

I didn’t commit any crimes. I was nearly killed just because the king didn’t like me. Then, my father saved me, and I ended up coming this far.

But is there something wrong with me in that? Am I to blame for being born a certain way?

There’s no way. If there’s something wrong, it’s not with me but with that damn ‘former’ king. Or maybe, I just had bad luck.

Most of the people in this garden were chased for reasons they couldn’t do anything about.

Well, there are some who committed crimes themselves and later repented, or former war slaves I captured, but except for those who repented, everyone else, they didn’t commit crimes by their own will.

“You must have been able to enjoy a happy family life under your parents. No danger to your life, no risk of being killed by your parents, just happiness.”

However, this hero probably never even considers such things. He just decided that since it’s a city of criminals, everyone here is a criminal.

He doesn’t know that there are situations where you have no choice but to commit a crime even if you don’t want to, and that’s why he can think that way.

Because he has never experienced hunger to survive, he detests theft. Because he has never been subjected to unreasonable violence, he deems killing as evil. Living without knowing the flip side of such things, he firmly believes that the words of the mighty are correct.

That’s why he can say that bad things are bad. Moreover, he does so with an attitude as if saying, “I also know the same pain as you.”

He doesn’t truly know the cold, hunger, or thirst. They speak while staying clean.

Someone who doesn’t know the extreme suffering that can’t be endured just by enduring, but simply hates the residents of this city just for committing crimes, and denies their way of life – it’s unpleasant.

“…”

“Excuse me. I said something a bit unpleasant.”

“No.”

However, even though it’s unpleasant, I am their ‘guide’ right now. Despite that, I regretted saying something quite unpleasant, bowed my head.

It’s not good for a king to bow his head, but right now, I’m not a king but just a citizen.

“So, well, going back to the topic, a criminal refers to someone who has committed a crime. So, how do you decide what constitutes a crime?”

“Huh? Well, it’s someone who broke the law, right?”

“Then, who makes those laws, and who judges them?”

“The king, or judges, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. And sometimes, the church uses individuals with the title of ‘Arbiter’ who have the duty to judge. However, it’s an extremely rare profession, so in general, officials hold trials and pass judgment.”

Though being an ‘Arbiter’ is quite a rare profession, it involves abilities such as seeing through lies and delivering punishments suitable for the severity of the crime. However, it’s such a rare role that, in most cases, officials conduct trials and deliver judgments.

However, trials in this world are quite sloppy. While not exactly witch hunts, there’s something close to it. In essence, it’s a condemnation based on preconceptions. Of course, there may be investigations if something happens, but in some places, they might conduct only the most basic inquiries.

They easily conduct interviews, and if they hear something like, “That person is always a troublemaker,” even if there’s no evidence at the time of the crime, the judgment that the person committed the crime is not uncommon.

“Can you assert that there won’t be personal grudges involved, and an absolutely correct judgment will be made?”

In cases where there’s been a cruel act, and if there’s only one influential person, people might say, “You’re the one who did it,” even if there’s no solid evidence.

Or perhaps, the one conducting the trial might harbor a grudge against the defendant and intentionally frame them as a criminal. There could even be cases where the judge is bribed.

In such situations, is the trial really conducted correctly? Are those determined as ‘criminals’ in the trial really the ones who committed the crime?

Even if they plead their innocence, they aren’t heard, so they end up escaping and arriving here.

Should those who were labeled as ‘criminals’ just for being in this city, even though they haven’t done anything, really be called criminals?

“…”

“That is…”

“Do you deny the church?”

“Not denying or affirming, just stating facts.”

Darado, perhaps because I said something that seemed to deny the church’s comforting words that ‘criminals are evil,’ glared at me with a resentful look, but I brushed it off casually.

But the church and such… What are you expecting in Karakas?

Firstly, there’s no such thing as a church in this city, so there’s nothing to deny or affirm.

Well, no. I mean, there is technically a church. There’s a place called the Temple of Sacred Trees, a gathering place for the Elf’s faith in the Sacred Trees.

“If personal grudges are involved, there are cases where someone is framed due to some resentment interfering. If a noble and a commoner elope because of their forbidden love, it might be deemed as kidnapping. There are instances where someone who tried to expose their lord’s sins for the sake of justice ended up being killed.”

There is a merchant who got caught in a trap just because he was interfering with someone’s business.

There’s a man and a woman who fled together because they were troubled by a love across social classes.

A knight who, for justice and what he believed to be for his master’s benefit, was betrayed by that very master.

“Such individuals are pursued as criminals, wanted and targeted. Can we truly call them ‘sinners’?”

Even though the heroes remain silent at my words, I continue regardless.

“People who have been chased as criminals without committing any crimes end up in Karakas, the city that accepts anyone, regardless of who they are. However, these people don’t want to fight. They don’t want to commit crimes. If possible, they just want to live a normal life. This ‘Garden’ is a place where such individuals gather. For them, this city seems more like paradise than the church that only boasts about teachings that couldn’t save them, and is more interested in its own interests than anything else.”

The Holy Kingdom claims to be blessed by God, and the capital of the Holy Kingdom, where the headquarters of the church is located, is considered paradise in this world by some. In reality, the capital of the Holy Kingdom is wealthier compared to other villages and towns within the Holy Kingdom, and there are no slums, so the security is good. From the perspective of those who lived in ordinary cities, it might not be inappropriate to call it ‘paradise.’

However, that’s only to some extent, only ‘relatively affluent.’ It can never become a place for those who are truly suffering.

“Some time ago, people from the Kingdom, as well as those from the Holy Kingdom and Bastok, attacked this place, claiming to be ‘justice’ for their own interests. Is that truly justice? What do you think?”

“The Holy Kingdom did not attack this country. They were just trying to eliminate the threat of the evil god.”

“?… Oh, that’s right. It was like that, wasn’t it?”

Although Canon attempted to refute my words, for a moment, she didn’t understand what I was saying.

Because the truth is, the older princess conspired with her and invaded this place.

However, officially, it’s stated that she pretended to reluctantly go along with it to stop the older princess, who had been ensnared by the existence of the ‘evil god.’

Well, no one in this city believes such an official statement, though.

“Even so, the fact remains that this city… no, this country is a gathering of sinners. Even if the wars initiated by the Holy Kingdom or Bastok were for their own interests, you guys are sinners, innocent of any crime. If we were to decide which side is right, it’s clear.”

Darado, seemingly filled with pent-up frustration, spoke with forceful words, pressing his thoughts onto me.

Well, in a sense, what he’s saying isn’t entirely wrong. Regardless of the circumstances, a crime is a crime, and the fact remains that we are a gathering of criminals.

However, being told such things leaves me indifferent. After all, my thoughts on this matter won’t change.

“If that’s your answer, then so be it. It doesn’t concern me. However, both this city and the main streets of Karakas, as well as the entire country, are currently able to live peacefully. If there’s someone trying to disturb that peace, whether it’s a hero or a demon king, we will resist them, and if such a person exists, I will go kill them.”

Saying this, I glare at the heroes with hostility. Sensing my gaze, the heroes simultaneously reach for their weapons.

Although they’ve only reached for their weapons and haven’t drawn them yet, the atmosphere begins to suggest that a fight might break out soon.

However, it’s inappropriate to go any further as a guide, so I reconsider and dispel the hostility, bowing my head.

“I apologize. That wasn’t the attitude expected from a guide. I have no intention of fighting you, so I hope you can forgive me.”

“Uh… yeah. Sorry for picking a fight after you showed us around.”

With the change in my attitude, perhaps the venom has been neutralized. The hero releases the grip on his sword and scratches his head with the hand that was reaching for the weapon. Seeing the hero’s reaction, the other three also let go of their weapons.

Nevertheless, given the hostility directed at us until now, it seems that their vigilance has increased. There’s no intention of getting along, so it doesn’t really matter, but it does feel a bit different from before.

“Well, after all that lengthy talk, to sum it up, it’s ‘I’d like you not to cause any trouble.’ Whatever your purpose may be, please refrain from causing issues in this city. Here in our ‘Garden,’ as long as you don’t provoke anything, you won’t suddenly come under attack. If you’re itching for a fight or killing, you can head to the main city of Karakas; they’ll be more than willing to accommodate you there.”

“…No, I don’t have any intention like that. At least, my goal isn’t to start fights, so I won’t cause problems unless necessary.”

“I see. Well, then, I hope that ‘necessary time’ never comes. As a citizen of this city—or rather, as a citizen of this country.”

And as the Demon King of this country as well.

“I suppose the guided tour has come to an end. We’ve just arrived at the inn. While this city is generally safe, you should be satisfied with the provided amount at this inn.”

“I see. Thank you.”

During our conversation, we reached an inn run by elves (the decent ones), where even outsiders could stay with peace of mind. Here, the fact that it’s run by elves would likely make them feel more at ease than staying at an inn run by the residents of Karakas. I wouldn’t want them to harbor unnecessary suspicions and end up staying at an inn not under my control.

With the guidance concluded, I accepted the remaining guide fee from the heroes and left the scene.