The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 541

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

Chapter 541   The saint came…

“So, are you ready for what comes next?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Well, it depends on how things play out over there, but it should be fine.”

The food distribution isn’t the end of it. Naturally, the distribution itself is part of the plan, but what happens afterward is the main event. It’s the beginning of it all.

There’s no turning back from here. There wasn’t enough time for preparation or even time to think it through thoroughly, but we have to move quickly. If the king can’t move, then I’ll be restricted as well. So, I can’t afford to miss this opportunity.

In the process, many people might die. Actually, they probably will.

But even knowing that, both the king and I chose to proceed. We believed it was the best course of action for our objectives.

“It’s going to get complicated from here…”

I sighed and decided to step back and rest until things started moving.

——◆◇◆◇——

“What’s going on here?”

It had been about an hour since Lilia’s healing theater began, but there were still plenty of people seeking treatment and food.

Amidst this, a shout of accusation rang out.

I thought it might be some idiot complaining again, but it seemed different this time.

“Hm? Ah, I see. Then I’ll go.”

Confirming the direction of the shout, I saw the knights of the Church, led by Holy Maide Canon, gathered there.

Well, that makes sense. Even though it’s on the outskirts of the square, causing such a commotion would inevitably prompt the Church to take action.

However, that was to be expected. We had anticipated the Church’s response and even planned for it.

But there was one thing bothering me: their response was much slower than I had expected.

I thought they would move much faster… Did they have an issue with me being involved? Or perhaps, they initially thought it was the king’s doing and went to complain to him?

Either way, the Church’s delayed response was a relief for us. Now, we could finally move on to the “next step.”

With that thought in mind, I exhaled lightly, then signaled to my nearby companions before heading towards Holy Maiden Canon and her entourage.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Holy Maiden Canon. What brings you to a place like this? Something the matter?”

I showed myself before Canon and her group, adding a touch of sarcasm to my words, implying that she doesn’t usually come to such places. It seemed to register with Canon, as she briefly furrowed her brow in displeasure.

“That way of speaking…”

“Was there something wrong with it, Holy Maiden Canon?”

She seemed to have an issue with my manner of speaking, furrowing her brow and looking at me. Was it a complaint, or something she wanted to say? Well, it’s understandable since I haven’t spoken like this before.

“No, it’s just… What is this commotion about?”

“No matter what you call it, it’s clearly a food distribution.”

“While I have not received any reports allowing such an event…”

“Well, yes. It wasn’t scheduled, but I did report it.”

“Is that so?”

“Why do you doubt it so much? Of course, I did. Permission was obtained. Though not from the Church, but from the king.”

That’s right. I reported it properly. The positions of the king and the Church within the Holy Kingdom are irrelevant to other countries. From an outsider’s perspective, the king is the highest authority, and the Church is beneath him.

Therefore, if a foreign king like me were to say or request something, it’s only natural that it would come from the king, not the Church, and there shouldn’t be any issues with that.

Well, normally, if I were to consult the king, it would take time to give an answer. During that time, I would inform the Church of the situation and convey their response to us. That’s how it usually goes.

However, since we were nothing but uncouth ruffians lacking in manners this time around, we weren’t given such luxury of time. Well, even as a king, it seems there was no intention to afford such time anyway.

“By ‘king,’ do you mean… I see, I understand. However, what is your intention in causing such a commotion?”

“Even if you call it a commotion, we merely acted out of goodwill…”

“You, acting out of goodwill?”

Ah, that expression definitely doesn’t believe me. But I thought I showed my goodwill once. Remember the plant cultivation in the villages we stopped by when we came to this country? That was clearly an act of goodwill.

“Yes. Actually, while walking around here, I unexpectedly came across someone collapsed on the roadside. It reminded me of my comrades in Karakas, so I couldn’t just leave them be. As soon as I started offering food, others began to gather around, and I found myself surrounded and unable to move. Since this is a foreign land, violence isn’t an option, and moreover, I couldn’t bear to turn a blind eye. So, I decided to share some of the food I had on hand.”

With a face that seemed genuinely sorrowful, I answered Canon, but I still looked suspicious.

Well, in reality, that wasn’t the true intention.

“At that point, it would’ve been improper to act on our own accord, so I sought permission from the king of the Holy Kingdom and received both troops and provisions from the king. The result of that is this soup kitchen.”

After saying so, I slowly glanced around and then spoke again.

“But well…”

Pausing for a moment after that, I gazed at the ‘Holy Maiden’ before opening my mouth again.

“We distributed food to the people from the royal palace and the Holy Maiden’s church, but apparently, the distribution from the palace alone didn’t reach every corner of the town. I had thought we brought enough to distribute to everyone in the city unless someone was hoarding extra, but it seems I miscalculated. I apologize.”

“…You—”

“But! Yes, despite our oversight, seeing people starving right in front of us was distressing. I wanted to help in any way I could, so this situation arose. Did it inconvenience you at all?”

While interrupting Canon’s words, my true intentions behind my continued speech weren’t fully understood. However, it seemed Canon grasped my intention of why I spoke of such matters in the presence of others. Without moving her face, Canon surveyed the surroundings and seemed to confirm the situation with a somewhat stern expression.

“No, there’s no need for that. However, if you had informed us, the church would have gladly cooperated. That way, we could have distributed food more efficiently.”

Yet, even so, I wasn’t speaking ill of them; outwardly, I only expressed apologies and concern. I infused my words with sarcasm, but even that wasn’t explicitly stated.

Therefore, Canon couldn’t find fault with my words. At most, she could only sarcastically remark, “The church was willing to cooperate, but you acted on your own.”

“That may be true. However, hunger is a dreadful thing. Coming from Karakas, I understand that dread. That’s why I resolved to make Karakas a place where no one would go hungry, and I made it happen. Yet here, hunger has spread, and it was impossible for me to witness such distress without feeling compelled to act. Surely, the Holy Maiden shares these sentiments? If possible, she would want to save those in need, even if it meant offering our own provisions. Therefore, our actions were taken without consulting the king, resulting in retroactive approval. However, I believe the Holy Maiden and the church also desire to save the people. Hence, I trust they can understand our actions.”

“Yes, that’s correct. We, too, wish to resolve this crisis immediately and save all our followers.”

They definitely don’t think that way. If they did, they wouldn’t be securing their own provisions and thinking about minimizing costs.

After the Holy Maiden’s gracious words, which may not have been fully understood, the situation escalated without me doing anything.

“Why aren’t we getting any of the food these people brought?!”

“My wife died a week ago! We have nothing to eat, just bones and skin… Even our child died!”

“She’s a Holy Maiden? Someone like you is a Holy Maiden?! Don’t make me laugh!”