The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I'm a "Farmer", Not a Demon King! ~ - Chapter 589
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- Chapter 589 - I'm not a demon king, I'm a farmer.
The Strongest Farmer in Another World ~I’m a “Farmer”, Not a Demon King! ~
Chapter 589 I’m not a demon king, I’m a farmer.
Once the decision was made, everything else fell into place quickly.
I didn’t originally want to stay in this country. I only came because I wanted to discuss how to deal with the curse, and more importantly, I was curious about what happened to the Sacred Tree.
Although it turned into such a big deal with this evil god subjugation, the original purpose has been fulfilled, so there’s no problem with going back.
Well, there are still a few hundred people staying behind for reconstruction and future preparations, but the key members have already decided to return.
“Well then, let’s go back.”
“Vesnar, did you forget anything? Are you okay?”
As we’re about to leave, I gave some lax instructions to my subordinates, but they’re still proceeding smoothly. However, I heard a voice expressing concern for me.
“…Mom, I’m not that much of a child, you know?”
I wish she would stop being so overprotective every time I collapse. Well, it’s only natural for a parent to worry if their child collapses, and it’s my fault for collapsing in the first place.
With that feeling of concern lingering, we continued on our journey by carriage, heading out of the city from the castle. The road was terrible.
After the disappearance of the evil god, the cursed plants also withered away, but their remnants remained. The broken things, the dead things, they didn’t return to their original state.
Most of the buildings had collapsed, and debris from the evil god, like wooden fragments and dead trees, were scattered about, with humanoid shapes hiding in their shadows.
Once a city teeming with greenery, it had now become a city of death and decay.
“Well, it’s quite ravaged, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, no kidding. Frankly, considering everything that happened, it’s a relief that the city’s shape is still intact.”
“But wouldn’t it be quicker to rebuild elsewhere than to dismantle and then rebuild here?”
Kyle and Bell responded to my words, and indeed, it would probably be faster to ignore this place and build anew elsewhere. But can that be done? Despite being in ruins, the castle still stood. Abandoning it and building a new city elsewhere would pose various problems.
Moreover, there are still barely habitable places, which would be better than living out in the open. There’s also a religious aspect to consider. If there’s meaning in having a city in that place, it wouldn’t be easily moved. Well, for the current residents of that city, they might not care about the religion aspect, but it’s hard to say.
“We’re supposed to send food supplies from our end…”
“It seems like it won’t be enough. We’ve prepared enough so that no one will starve, but that’s all. If the living conditions deteriorate, people will expend more energy, even for activities related to reconstruction. In that case, the food from the contract won’t be enough. Probably, a certain percentage of the population of this country will decrease in the future. Whether they become immigrants or perish remains uncertain.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
We have a contract to send food supplies for the next five years, but it’s only enough to prevent starvation.
If people can’t withstand the rain and wind, they’ll expend energy, and if they work for reconstruction, they’ll use up energy too. To replenish that energy, they need to eat a lot, but that would exceed the amount contracted for.
As a result, there won’t be enough food, and people will starve.
Even though the royal family went to great lengths to spend a fortune to alleviate hunger, it still won’t be enough.
That king is a king who acts for the people, a decent guy, but to find themselves in such a situation… it’s kind of pathetic.
Currently, as we leave the city behind, looking back at the rubble that used to be the holy city, I can’t help but think that.
“…Well, it’s a good opportunity. In a way.”
Yes, it’s just right. It’s just right, so while we’re at it, why not confirm the new abilities? I’d hate to experiment after returning to Karakas and encountering some problem. Here, even if plants sprout outside the city, nobody would complain.
With that in mind, I leaned slightly out of the window and scattered the seeds, intending to activate the skill… but before I could, somehow sprouts emerged.
Is this because my power has increased? Has it become inconvenient?
If plants grow without using the skill, what will happen when I do use it? It’s scary, but I can’t just not use it.
… “Growth.”
Wow, amazing. It grew instantly!
…What kind of power is this? Isn’t it ridiculous? Why is it so… excessive?!
“Sigh…”
Around the rubble that used to be the holy city, a forest emerged, which I caused, but I didn’t intend to go that far. I just thought it would grow a little, but I never expected it to grow so much… I can’t see clearly, but it looks like it might be encroaching into the city of the holy capital? Good grief. All I can do is sigh.
“As usual, what you’re doing isn’t villainous at all.”
As I returned to the carriage, Sofia said that while looking at me sighing.
“Huh? What do you mean? That’s not true. I’m just using some incomprehensible power for an experiment, you know? And on top of that, behind the scenes, I’m bashing the hero and forcing people to work.”
“Through the results it brings, people receive happiness, so I think you’re a more wonderful ‘villain’ than just a hero fighting. The people understand who they should praise. The masses are not so foolish as to not understand that.”
“…Is that so?”
Sofia’s words made me feel somewhat embarrassed, so I replied curtly, but it seemed like Sofia, Kyle, and Bell were all smiling, perhaps knowingly.
“Now, hold on…!”
Just as we were leaving the city and had been traveling for a while, it seemed the hero had arrived to stop us, but there was nothing left to discuss at this point. ——But, it couldn’t be helped. Even if we were to return now, he would undoubtedly interfere. He probably doesn’t think he’s interfering at all.
“This is the last job.”
So, before getting interrupted, let’s take care of what needs to be done.
With that in mind, I jumped off the carriage while keeping it and my subordinates moving forward, heading straight for the hero.
And then…
“Fly away, hero!”
As I landed in front of the hero, I threw a punch straight at his face!
“Ah… That feels refreshing.”
It seems gaining the power of the divine tree has enhanced my physical abilities, as the hero couldn’t avoid my attack and went flying spectacularly. That felt good. Stay down there.
——◆◇◆◇——
“What… what’s going on here?”
“Didn’t I tell you? They understand.”
“And this is the result? …You’ve got to be kidding me.”
We had set up camp shortly after leaving the Holy City and were just about at the border when something strange happened the next morning. Well, strange might not be the right word…
Basically, the villagers from nearby came to us.
They didn’t come to do anything in particular, just knelt down and bowed their heads towards our procession. It was basically prostration.
We didn’t order them to do this, and we even made sure to avoid passing too close to their village to avoid any issues, yet this still happened. It’s baffling.
“Being saved from the slowly encroaching hunger is more worthy of gratitude than being saved from an imminent monster threat. And if they’ve been saved from both this time, then this is the natural result.”
These villagers must have witnessed the battle against the evil god. They likely felt fear and despair as the evil god approached. No, they must have felt it.
They’re grateful for being saved. I get that. But outwardly, the hero should be hailed as the savior of the world.
“But isn’t the hero being credited with saving the world this time?”
“Even so, the relief from hunger alone is significant.”
“Is it really…?”
“Yes. The amount of pent-up fear is quite different, you see.”
Well, I suppose the fear of starving every day is stronger than a momentary burst of intense emotion.
“Well, whatever. Everyone ready to go?”
If they want to express their gratitude, I won’t stop them or fault them for it. But just because they do doesn’t mean we have to react to it.
So, I decided to just keep moving.
“Yes. Gather over there—”
“Hey! Here we come! Slowpoke!”
“Yeah, yeah, we’re ready! Hurry up!”
…? Why are Lilia and Flora so energetic? They’re not planning to do something mischievous again, are they?
My suspicions were not unfounded.
We were able to depart without incident, but right after we set off, Lilia and Flora suddenly threw open the carriage door, clambered up onto the roof in a hurry.
“Huh? Hey, what are you doing?”
I was a bit slow to react to the sudden move, but there’s probably no need to worry. Even though they’re on top of a moving carriage, Lilia has the power of the Tenth Rank, and Flora isn’t even human to begin with.
But still, I couldn’t just leave them like that. I leaned out of the open door and peered up at them on the roof.
“Let’s make flowers bloom on dead trees.”
There, Lilia produced a bag from somewhere and started scattering its contents around. Those contents seemed to be seeds, as tiny sprouts began to emerge from where she scattered them.
This is probably Flora’s doing. Even though she doesn’t have skills like mine, being a sacred tree allows her to do such things. With the power of the divine tree added to hers, it should be even easier.
Unlike when I sow seeds, where anything that doesn’t touch the ground won’t germinate, here the seeds are safe if they hit the ground. At least she has some discretion. If anyone gets hurt because of this, I won’t just be angry.
But well, while I understand what she’s doing, I have no idea why she’s doing it.
“Make way, make way! We are the Demon King’s… army? Hey, is it okay to call this an army? It’s small in number though.”
What a mess. Typical Lilia. She should have decided on her lines beforehand…
But despite saying the numbers are few, there are about three hundred of them, so it’s not exactly small. Calling it an army wouldn’t be wrong.
“If you want to act cool, decide on your words from the start.”
“But I just felt like saying it suddenly! Don’t you have moments like that? Right?”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Anyway, why are we doing this?”
“Huh? Well, because this barren scenery is so boring, isn’t it? Since the villagers came all the way here and thanked us, I thought we should do something in return!”
It feels weird to repay gratitude for our actions like this, but that’s just how she is, not worrying about such things and doing what she wants. I think she just did it because she felt like it.
Well, there’s no harm done, and all she’s doing is scattering seeds to grow plants. It’s not like she’s scattering treants or modified plants like me. As long as there’s no harm, I guess it’s fine to let her do as she pleases.
“Well, do as you like. Just don’t fall off from there because it’s a hassle. …Ah, and stop with the Demon King’s army.”
“Got it! So, what should we say then?”
“…How about ‘Demons out, blessings in’? Seems appropriate, right?”
“Demons out? Blessings in? …Because we’re the Demon King’s army, we drive away demons and plunder all the treasures to store them inside? Is that the idea?”
“I don’t understand how it turned into that meaning, but let’s just go with it.”
“Then, Demons out! Blessings in!”
Quite a menacing set of blessings. Not that they’re beans to begin with.
Back inside the carriage and settled back into my seat, I peeked out the window again and saw various vegetables and fruits growing where we had passed.
The bag Lilia had brought seemed to contain various seeds she had collected, as there was no consistency in the types being scattered. But well, it doesn’t matter since we’re not eating them ourselves.
Since we’re off the main road, it shouldn’t be a problem for the villagers, and it might even be welcomed considering the ongoing hunger despite defeating the evil god.
I used to think it didn’t matter if unrelated people died, and that hasn’t changed. But… well, if I can help someone with just a little effort, it’s probably better.
Helping earns gratitude and a sense of superiority, and it might even eliminate hostility towards us. It’s a win-win situation.
Perhaps there’s some country out there, hearing about our abilities, that might think of attacking to seize the abundant food resources, but well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Being the Demon King is dangerous, they might think they have to kill us. But our perceived danger might decrease compared to that, so it’s better, I guess.
So, well, my actions aren’t necessarily bad or pointless.
“Enemies out, gold in!”
“Out, in!”
“…It’s different.”
The words seem to have changed without me realizing it, but in Lilia’s interpretation of “Demons out, blessings in,” the current words might be more fitting.
Besides, this isn’t Japan, so it doesn’t really matter. Let them do as they please.
“All enemies shall bow before us, and all wealth shall gather to us! We, the Demon King’s army, are here! Ahahaha!”
…Should I say something after all? They’re even using the term “Demon King’s army” that I asked them to stop. Sigh…
“In other words, will that idiotic commotion continue until we get back?”
“I doubt it. They’ll probably tire themselves out and fall asleep halfway through.”
“Yeah, probably. When that happens…”
“Yes, leave it to us.”
“We’ve got snacks ready!”
After Lilia and Flora finished their excitement, they might start whining for a break next. Asking for sweets or water.
Dealing with that sounds like a chore, but I’ll leave it to Sofia and Bell. They’ll make sure they behave properly.
“Hey, hey, hey! We ran out of seeds, give us more!”
Lilia said that while peering into the carriage upside down, but from behind, her panties would be fully visible.
“You ran out? Didn’t you have a pretty big bag? How much did you scatter?”
“A lot!”
“A lot… If you’ve really overdone it, I’ll tie you up and make you behave.”
“Eh! No way! That’s so mean to your bride, isn’t it!?”
“Bride? …Oh. That setup is still alive?”
It was supposed to be a comedy routine during the battle against the evil god, but can’t believe she still remembers it. Typical of Lilia.
Well, she’ll probably forget in a few decades, and even if she doesn’t, it’ll become a funny story, so no need to worry about it now.
“Alright, here you go. Use these.”
“Wow, there are so many! Thank you!”
“Be careful not to overdo it. Flora, don’t get too carried away either.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Handing over the additional seeds to Lilia and the others, they returned to the roof and began scattering them once again.
“Seriously…”
But sowing seeds, huh? It’s been a while since I’ve done something as ordinary as that.
So many things have happened already. Well, if nothing else happens from now on, when I get home, I’ll take my time and grow some plants for a change.
After all, my real job isn’t being a demon king, it’s being a farmer.
〜〜 THE END 〜〜