The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 471

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

Chapter 471   Hero: The day after meeting the Demon King

・Hero

The day after meeting the Demon King—or rather, the young man referred to as such, I woke up to the sunlight streaming in through the window.

We had chosen an inn in this town called “Flower Garden,” but upon discovering that it was the place the Demon King had recommended, there was talk of changing our lodging. However, considering that we hadn’t encountered any problems so far, and in our current situation, staying here might be safer. In the end, we continued to stay at this inn.

In reality, except for the unease about the person who recommended it, the inn had good facilities, and the service was decent. The price was about three times the standard rate, which was relatively reasonable, considering that there were places charging nearly ten times that at other inns. Considering the quality of the soft bedding and the distinctly flavorful cuisine, it might even be considered market price.

From our conversation, the Demon King, or whatever you wanted to call him, didn’t seem very “demonic.” Certainly, he didn’t hesitate to harm others, and he seemed indifferent to saving anyone, often laughing at others’ misfortunes. However, his words were not entirely incomprehensible. Although he is referred to as a Demon King, if “king” means what he represented, there were aspects of him that could be considered reasonable.

… Perhaps I should train. If I move my body, my mood might improve somewhat.

Thinking so, I started changing after getting out of bed. However, when I looked at the bed next to mine, where Darado should have been sleeping, he was not there. Where could he have gone?

Did Darado go to train too? Thinking that, I went outside the inn and started swinging my sword, but in the end, I didn’t meet Darado.

“Canon, are you here?”

“Mmm? Oh, yeah. Good morning…”

After finishing a light training session, it was time for breakfast, but I still hadn’t seen Darado. To inquire about his whereabouts and invite him to breakfast, I headed to Canon and Lina’s room. However, it was not Canon who came out but the drowsy-looking Lina.

… That’s strange. Usually, Canon, not Lina, would handle this kind of situation…

“She’s still asleep… No, more importantly, do you know where Darado is? Also, what happened to Canon?”

“Canon~? … Oh, now that you mention it, she’s not here. Wait a moment. I think I found something.”

Rubbing her eyes, Lina returned to the room and searched for something. Finding it, she came back holding a piece of paper.

“It seems like she went to check the town’s situation. She probably wants to gather information as much as possible.”

After reading the note, Lina handed it to me. Indeed, it was Canon’s handwriting. It seems Darado went with Canon as his guard.

But…

“Why did he go without saying anything to us…”

I understand the need to gather information and the necessity of having a guard. However, wouldn’t it have been better if we all went together? That way, we could overcome any danger together, and it should be safer than just the two of them.

“I don’t know? Maybe I was asleep, or even if they called me, I might not have gone. As for Yuuki… well, they probably thought you’d stand out, right? It would be troublesome if you got involved in a fight…Right?”

…I can’t say for certain that I wouldn’t.

In this city, not much dangerous stuff seems to happen, and at first glance, it looks like an ordinary town. But if you look closely, there are obvious vagrants everywhere, and you can hear angry shouts and insults.

No matter how much they claim it’s for “customers,” it’s still part of Karakas. While “customers” from the outside might not be attacked, that’s only for the “customers.” Among the residents, thefts and fights seem to happen frequently.

So, if I come across such a scene, especially if the opponent is still a young child, I might intervene, even if it was during a covert operation.

…But putting that aside, now that I know the whereabouts of the two, what should I do?

“What are you going to do later, Lina?”

“Well, I could sleep again… But since we’re here, why not use the tools I’ve bought so far to make something? Illegal drugs might get confiscated when we return to the Holy Kingdom, but if we use them here to create something different, there won’t be any issues.”

Come to think of it, she bought a lot of stuff. I hadn’t heard any stories about using them, so I forgot about it. But if she bring back something like that, she might get caught.

“Forbidden drugs… Is it okay? Are there any strange side effects?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I’ve dealt with them before, and it’s not something harmful even if it fails.”

“I see… But then, what should I do?”

“How about exploring the town, Yuuki? You don’t have anything else to do, right? Besides, that Demon King suggested casually sightseeing too.”

Lina said so lazily, seemingly indifferent, but sightseeing, huh…

“Yeah, that sounds good. Sure, I’ll do that.”

With nothing else to do, I agreed with Lina’s suggestion and decided to take another look around this place called the Flower Garden.

“…Looking at it again, it’s not that bad.”

Leaving the inn and walking alone through the town called the Flower Garden. I considered heading to the main street of Karakas, but it was a bit far, and not a place to go alone, so I decided against it for now.

So, now I’m walking through the Flower Garden, and even on closer inspection, it doesn’t feel as much like a “criminal’s city” as I thought. However, there is still something different about it, making it feel peculiar.

For instance, the overall stagnant atmosphere. This is probably due to things being handled here that wouldn’t be dealt with in an ordinary town. Also, there are places like bars where you can smoke, even in normal streets without any special attributes, and apparently, you can inhale drugs there too, which might contribute to this feeling.

Another thing is the difference in the people walking.

Most people on the streets hide their faces with hoods or wear masks, and many seem to be in a demeanor that suggests they might have money. Occasionally, normal-looking people walk by, but they are a minority.

Moreover… ah, this is somewhat related to the people walking, but everyone is armed. Whether they are residents or outsiders, everyone has some kind of weapon. Even if it seems like there’s nothing at first glance, upon closer inspection, you can see hidden knives or magical tools on them. While it might be natural to consider it self-defense, everyone having a weapon is unusual for a regular town, adding to the sense of peculiarity.

“Excuse me, can I have one of these?”

“Sure thing.”

Approaching one of the stalls around, I ordered something light to eat, and as the shopkeeper extended their hand, I handed over the money.

There’s one thing that needs to be emphasized here. It’s a golden rule when ordering food: never order meat dishes from any place other than reputable establishments.

The reason for this caution is that there have been rumors that, in this area, some places might use human meat in their dishes. Given the circumstances where people often die here, some might think it’s a waste to just discard the bodies. Therefore, it’s plausible that some individuals consider turning it into money if it can be utilized.

Whether this is true or not is uncertain, but the possibility is significant, so I refrained from ordering any meat dishes here. Instead, they offer plant-based options that are tastier than those in an ordinary town. Even the meat substitutes, similar to soy meat, have a surprisingly hearty texture.

Even the desserts served at the inn, consisting of merely sliced fruits, are satisfying. It’s not a source of dissatisfaction, but rather, it’s unusual from the perspective of common sense in this world to have fruits served as desserts in the first place. However, here in this city, it seems to be a standard practice.

Despite the low reputation from surrounding countries and people, life here feels more prosperous and happy compared to places where current disturbances are occurring, like the Holy Kingdom. Although the cost of living is a bit high, with enough effort, one can manage the expenses. I could live here without any issues, financially speaking.

…However, if asked whether it’s possible to live here in terms of common sense and ethical standards, the answer is probably not.

But in terms of material wealth, the reality is that it’s a fantastic place, arguably more wonderful than the Holy Kingdom even without the ongoing disturbances. Well, maybe there’s a possibility that it’s even more splendid than the Holy Kingdom, disturbances aside—