The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 481

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

Chapter 481   Famine village

If you listen carefully, you can hear small voices talking, but there is no sign of loud laughter or shouting.

However, it is understandable if you know the circumstances. After all, it’s in the midst of this abnormal situation. There wouldn’t be anyone making a fuss on purpose.

There are people who are still working, and there are those who are talking, but there is no vitality in their appearance. The entire village seems to be silent, almost like an abandoned village.

Nevertheless, there must still be supplies. From the look of the village, although it is quiet and lacks energy, there are still people around, and there is no sign of anyone dead on the roadside. Occasionally, there is no sense of the “death” lingering around.

But it probably won’t last for another year. It has been over half a year since the abnormal situation occurred in the Holy Kingdom. It wouldn’t be surprising if some have already exhausted their supplies.

One might question the significance of staying in such a village, but even if there is no food, there is water, and it is possible to gather information or replenish tools.

Moreover, being gathered at some base reduces the risk of attacks.

However, in the current state of the country, there might not be a need to worry about attacks. After all, without food, even monsters should be dead. There is a danger of thieves, but they must be weakened from lack of food, and they are not our enemies.

Well, it can still serve as a reference for our journey and be useful for information, so we plan to continue using the village as a guide.

However, staying in the village is fine, but it would be troublesome if a large group of armed individuals like us were to enter the village. Therefore, we decide to set up a camp near the village without actually entering it. Even so, if we stay near the village, we need to inform the village chief.

“——sa”

“Hmm?”

So, while waiting for the messenger to obtain that permission, I was riding in the carriage, absentmindedly gazing at the village. Suddenly, I felt like I heard voices from the village. Right after that, I heard sounds of something being struck or hit, some kind of violent noise.

“What’s happening?”

“No…”

Sofia spoke, sensing that I had noticed something, but I didn’t pay much attention to her words, focusing my awareness on the village.

It was an extremely small voice, as if it could barely be heard, likely because of the current situation. I barely caught it with my ears.

However, it felt different from the ordinary villagers’ voices.

I decided to find out where the voice was coming from, and surprisingly, I was able to locate it quite quickly.

When I directed my gaze there, a child clad in tattered clothes… or rather, wrapped in scraps of cloth, was walking unsteadily down the road.

“Please give me some food. I’m very hungry… even a piece of bread would be fine.”

And then, the child knocked on the door of a house, and in the same frail voice as before, uttered words just like I had heard earlier.

But…

“Shut up! We want food too!”

The homeowner, who didn’t react when the child knocked on the door, couldn’t continue ignoring the repeated noise.

Shouting and opening the door aggressively, a man appeared.

If a hungry child comes pleading for food, it’s human nature to do something. Even if you decide to turn them away, you should do it calmly, and that would be the sensible response of an adult.

However, the man came out from the beginning with a confrontational attitude, shouting.

While witnessing such a scene might be unpleasant, there is no blame for the man. This is likely not just my opinion but the sentiment of all the villagers. Besides, as the man himself stated, there is no food available now.

It’s not a situation where one can afford to give to others; they are struggling to figure out what to eat tomorrow. There might be dissatisfaction with the country that brought about this situation. There could also be anxiety about the future, not knowing if they might die soon.

In such times, when someone comes begging for food, even if it’s something discarded or partially spoiled, the person might become irritable, shout, and try to drive them away.

“Even something thrown away… or half-rotten is fine. Please, some food…”

“You’re disgusting. Get lost, you brat!”

The scolded child trembled, but without breaking down, the child again approached the man, asking for food. However, those words seemed to further irritate the man, who kicked at the child right there, sending the child sprawling.

The kicked child floated in the air and was thrown several meters.

Upon seeing the result, the man snorted and returned inside the house.

“It’s okay even if it’s covered in mold. So please…”

Even so, the child didn’t give up, staggered to his feet, knocked on the door of the neighboring house, and began begging for food in the same way.

“Hey, you know… What will happen if such things start wandering around?”

The housewives gathered on the roadside seemed to be observing the child, and malicious words spilled from their mouths.

The child probably heard those words. However, without turning towards them, he continued to wander, earnestly seeking food.

I diverted my gaze from the village and the child, closing my eyes.

I understand that it’s tough to be hungry, and I won’t say to give away one’s food to help someone else. However, spewing meaningless malice just to satisfy oneself doesn’t seem like anything ‘good’ at all.

Living in Karakas, I already knew such things. I understood that it’s part of being human.

In addition, having been to the capital and traveled, I thought I had a good understanding of how humans are.

But, even though I didn’t expect it, when confronted with such a dirty aspect despite the grandiose name of the ‘Holy Kingdom,’ it forcefully makes you realize that, ultimately, humans are the same wherever you go.

“People aren’t really that great, huh?”

“Huh? What do you mean? Were there bad people?”

I made a comment about humans not being “good,” and Lilia responded while yawning.

You’ve been sleeping until now, so go back to sleep. You don’t need to wake up.

“There are bad people everywhere, and there are plenty here too.”

Referring to this “Saint.” If I show her the state of the village, she’ll probably say something like, “I have to heal them,” and leave. Then she might ask us to share our food, or ask me to prepare something. Or, if I refuse, she might say she’ll take care of it herself and go off somewhere.

While I respect the intention of doing something for someone or taking action, I don’t want her to do that in the current situation. To keep her in the dark and avoid any trouble, I decided to play it off with a joke.

“Yeah! After all, we’re part of the ‘Demon King’s Army’! We are the epitome of ‘evil’!”

“We’re not really acting as an army, and it’s troublesome if someone misunderstands, so just keep quiet.”

While a few hundred people might not be considered an army, we can still attack enemies, and if people think we have that intention, it could lead to trouble. Moreover, we haven’t informed the villagers that we belong to Karakas. If they find out I’m the Demon King in the middle of this, it might cause a commotion.

So, it’s better not to say anything unnecessary, but this idiot doesn’t seem to understand anything… Well, that’s just how she is.

“Anyway, there’s nothing to do, and it’s not mealtime, so go back to sleep.”

“Umm, okay!”

Pushing a cushion against Lilia’s face, she seemed to protest, but in the end, she stopped resisting and obediently lay down.

Now she’s quiet. It’s impressive that she can go back to sleep so quickly after waking up, but it’s also bewildering. Well, with her settled down, she probably won’t make a fuss about the village anymore, so I can leave her alone for a while.

…But still, hunger, huh? I wonder if there’s something I can do about it.

There’s no obligation or necessity to do such a thing. Besides, even if I were to intervene here, it would be trivial in the grand scheme of things and wouldn’t hold much significance. So, there’s no point in doing it.

In fact, getting involved might lead to complications. People might start demanding more, questioning why I can’t provide more. “You helped once, can’t you do it again and again?” they might say. Even if it’s done on a whim, by extending a helping hand, they might wrongly assume a sense of solidarity and try to impose it on us. “We’re comrades, allies, shouldn’t we cooperate?” they might say.

In reality, we are neither allies nor comrades; we are just trading partners. However, logic, facts, and emotions are separate entities. Once you extend a helping hand, the possibility of selfishly thinking you’re now allies and should continue helping is a very human trait.

Adding to that, even if I were to give food and rescue these people, it would only extend the lifespan of the Holy Kingdom. Meanwhile, we would be at a disadvantage. The disadvantage might be trivial, and even if we put in effort, it might only extend their lifespan by a few days, but those few days could become a hindrance.

So, considering all aspects, it’s better for me to ignore this and not get involved.

But…

“Are you planning to use your skills?”

As I contemplate, gazing at the palm of my hand, I’m suddenly addressed.