Chapter 39

Suddenly, we were tasked with the harvest work, and we gathered in the fields that were ready for harvesting.

"Father, farm work isn't easy, you know?"

"Oh, you're one to talk, Carmilla."

"Lord Demon King, are you really going to do the harvest work?"

"Of course. I can't miss such an interesting opportunity."

"What will your subordinates think when they find out..."

"That's precisely why I can do this freely, because they're not here."

Among them, Carmilla, the Demon King, and Claire, who led the Demon King's party, were particularly lively.

The Demon King seems to let Carmilla do as she pleases, but their father-daughter relationship doesn't seem bad.

In fact, they seem to get along very well.

In contrast, Leidia seems to be intimidated by the Demon King who has arrived.

Even though he's such a laid-back guy, she still fears him as the Demon King.

I don't really understand the fear or the general image of the Demon King, so I don't feel afraid.

I only know that he's strong and important, but neither of those things really resonate with me.

"Let's start by harvesting the tomatoes here. Leidia wants to eat tomato soup."

The first place we came to was the tomato field.

Stakes were set up in the rows, and leaves were growing densely, with red fruits visible here and there. Not all of them were completely red, but many were turning red.

"Pick the ones that are fully red first. If the stem isn't curled, it means it's not fully ripe. Also, tomatoes are easily damaged, so support the fruit with your hand while cutting the stem with a knife."

"Understood!"

After giving the necessary instructions, the father and daughter scattered energetically.

Claire followed Carmilla, so I decided to keep an eye on the Demon King, who I was most worried about.

The Demon King was pushing aside the dense leaves, searching for the tomatoes.

"Oh, this one is red?"

"No, I think the back side of that one is still green."

"Hmm? You're right. How did you know from that position?"

"I take care of them every day."

Naturally, if you see them every day, you remember which ones are turning red.

"Carmilla is the same."

Carmilla and Claire were smoothly finding and harvesting the ripe tomatoes.

It was their first time harvesting tomatoes, but both Carmilla and Claire were following my advice and picking them efficiently.

"...Your movements are quite skilled. It seems Carmilla really does take care of the fields."

Seeing this, the Demon King seemed genuinely impressed.

His expression was a mix of surprise and joy at his daughter's growth.

"At first, she thought growing crops was a joke, but now she's more passionate about it than anyone else."

"Hmm, the result of Hashira's guidance, I suppose?"

"It's also because of Carmilla's purity."

This is the path Carmilla chose on her own. We just supported her.

To be honest, I didn't expect her to get this enthusiastic. She must have a natural talent for farming.

"Still, you've changed her. The people in the castle would be shocked to see this scene."

The Demon King laughed, finding it amusing to see Carmilla harvesting tomatoes.

He used to be so rowdy, causing trouble in other countries just for fun. For those who only knew that side of Carmilla, this scene must be quite shocking.

"Father, have you tried the tomatoes we harvested? The ones Hashira grew are incredibly delicious!"

"Really? Then I'll try one."

Recommended by Carmilla, the Demon King took a bite of the tomato.

His shoulders trembled.

Did it not taste good?

"...What is this? It's completely different from the tomatoes I know! The acidity, umami, and aroma are on a different level!"

It seems he was moved by the incredible taste. I was relieved, as I hadn't tasted the new crop yet and was a bit worried.

I tried one of the harvested tomatoes, and the rich umami of the tomato burst in my mouth.

Compared to the tomatoes I know, the taste was on a different level.

"Yeah, the tomatoes are growing well."

This should make a delicious tomato soup without any extra seasoning.

The Demon King was so engrossed in the tomatoes that he was eating them greedily, staining his mouth red.

Is it okay to get his fancy robe dirty...?

"How is it! Isn't it delicious? The vegetables Hashira grows are even edible for me!"

"Indeed, I can understand why even a vegetable-hater like Carmilla can eat them."

Carmilla proudly boasted, and the Demon King nodded in agreement.

It's a great feeling to know that we've grown something so delicious that even a vegetable-hater can enjoy it.

Honestly, it's just plain delightful.

With such freshness, a little salt would make it even better.

I secretly sprinkled some salt from my pouch, and it added a great accent, making the tomato juice and salt flavor blend perfectly.

After working up a bit of a sweat outside, the salt seemed to seep into my body.

"Hashira, can you sprinkle some on mine too?"

"Please do the same for me."

I thought I was being discreet, but Leidia and Claire had clearly noticed.

Reluctantly, I sprinkled salt on their tomatoes as well.

◆

After that, we harvested the well-grown cabbages, potatoes, carrots, onions, and other crops together, and Leidia made tomato soup for us to eat.

"Yeah, the vegetables are flavorful and delicious."

The tomato aroma is very strong.

Most importantly, the vegetables are chunky and full of sweetness.

The ingredients from the Forest of Death are mostly mountain vegetables, so it's very comforting to eat such common vegetables.

"The ingredients are excellent, so it's very delicious."

"Only with Hashira's ingredients can such a taste be achieved."

Leidia and Claire were eating elegantly with their spoons.

Especially Leidia's spoon was moving faster than usual.

"The chewy fruits are delicious when soaked in the soup!"

Carmilla was tearing off pieces of chewy fruit and soaking them in the soup.

The umami of the tomato soup would go well with the chewy fruit.

On the other hand, the Demon King was frozen after taking one bite.

"Is something wrong, Demon King?"

"...No, I just thought it was better than the soup served in the castle."

I see, he was shocked. I'm relieved he didn't say it didn't taste good.

"I know you're not a professional chef, but still..."

"Yes, it's the crops Hashira grows that make this possible."

The Demon King looked up at the sky after hearing Leidia's modest words.

Then, he turned his gaze back to us.

"Hashira, would you consider supplying the crops you grow here to my country?"

"I'd like to, but there are some issues. The distance is too far to transport them, and we don't have enough manpower to produce more."

There is a significant distance between the Forest of Death where we live and the Demon King's country, Belgios.

I don't know exactly how far it is, but it takes a week one way with Claire's wings, and about two days with Carmilla's wings.

"If Carmilla could transport them, we could deliver crops that can last a few days..."

"Eh? I don't want to go back and forth just to transport them."

Carmilla, who is in charge of taking care of the crops here, doesn't seem very enthusiastic about it.

"Transportation isn't a problem. My subordinates in the castle can use teleportation magic. Even heavy items can be transported instantly with magic."

"Indeed, you are a great nation."

"Well, only a few of my subordinates can use teleportation magic."

Still, it's impressive that several people can use such powerful magic. In a world where transportation isn't as developed as in my previous life, those who can teleport are incredibly strong.

It shows the rich talent of the Demon Kingdom Belgios.

"The rest is manpower. We need people who are brave enough to live in the Forest of Death and can do farm work. We also need people skilled in blacksmithing and construction."

This is something we had discussed and decided with everyone before.

We wanted people who could help with farming and those skilled in making things.

Blacksmiths, architects, doctors, shoemakers, researchers, mages, adventurers... we wanted people with various skills, knowledge, and techniques.

With just me, Leidia, Carmilla, and Claire, there were limits to what we could do.

That's why we wanted people to help us.

"Hmm, normally, the Forest of Death would be a deal-breaker, but it seems safe here."

"The Mother Plant and Gaia Note are always watching over us."

"Also, the forest monsters are afraid of Hashira and generally don't come close."

Leidia added.

I had noticed that I didn't encounter many monsters compared to others, but it seems they were avoiding me. Well, it's safer this way, and I don't have to kill unnecessarily, so it's a good thing.

"I'll make sure to explain that. Are there any other strengths of this place? If there are points to highlight, it will be easier to attract people."

Just saying we want to do farming in a dangerous forest won't attract ordinary people.

If the value doesn't outweigh the danger, no one will come.

"With my power, crops can grow and be harvested quickly. We can grow and eat any crop regardless of the season."

"And the food is delicious!"

"The forest is also rich in mountain vegetables and herbs."

"Also, clothes made from the threads of the Itotsumugia ants are provided."

"Hmm, I'm starting to want to live here."

Hearing our selling points, the Demon King muttered something ominous, which I'm not sure was a joke.

If he decides to live here, it would cause a lot of trouble with his country and subordinates, so I hope he doesn't.

"Anyway, I understand. With this, people will probably come. Leave the details to me."

"Alright, thank you."

This means we'll have more manpower and can establish a major trade with the country.

Several concerns have been resolved, and our future life seems to be getting even more prosperous.

We'll continue our relaxed farming life.

This concludes Chapter 1.

It's a laid-back story, but I hope you'll continue to enjoy it.

Thank you for reading.

If you're looking forward to Chapter 2, or if you're curious about Chapter 2, or if you want me to work hard on updating Chapter 2, I would be very happy if you could bookmark this and give it a star. Thank you very much!