#1110 Conflict

That night, right after the Demon King made that shocking proposal.

I returned to the farm, had a perfectly ordinary dinner, got the kids in the bath, brushed their teeth, and was just about ready to turn in.

But instead of crawling into bed, I stepped outside.

Only in the front yard, really, but when I looked up, the sky was ablaze with stars.

So many that back in my world, I’d have had to travel to some remote foreign land just to see a sky like this.

Once again, I was reminded that I really am in another world.

“...Dad-”

“No, sweetie, don’t bother your father right now. He’s got some serious thinking to do.”

Junior tries to toddle over, but it seems Platy held him back.

The kids are absolute angels, but I’m grateful for what she did.

Platy must’ve sensed my mood. She’s always looking out for me.

She has been ever since I came to this world.

Normally, I’d sit down with her and talk through all this, but I want to untangle my own thoughts first.

I need to figure out where my heart is aiming before I make any conclusions.

“Me, a king...”

Accepting the Demon King’s proposal more or less implies that, doesn’t it?

Work on the frontier has been going smoothly, and once the place officially becomes a self-governing district, they’ll need a leader at the top.

Going by the Demon King’s logic, I’m probably the best candidate.

And yet, for some reason, I can’t help feeling this deep resistance to the idea.

Partly it’s my lack of confidence.

If I take on such a big responsibility and flop, I’ll let everyone down and find myself incompetent, everyone who risked so much to settle that frontier.

Just imagining it is terrifying.

Also, it just sounds like a hassle.

I’m not nearly on Belphgamilia’s level, but I do hate dealing with complicated stuff.

Governing is basically the pinnacle of headaches. Who in their right mind would sign up for that without a powerful reason?

That’s the thing: people who step up to rule usually have a grand ambition or dream that justifies all the pain. They have the passion to push through anything to make their vision real.

I don’t have any such dream or passion.

Originally, when I arrived in this world, I was supposed to dive into battle as a hero.

After all, that was why I was summoned.

Special warriors that the humans had prepared to fight against the demons—heroes summoned from another world and endowed with special skills by the gods.

I was one of them.

But then I figured I’d just spin a little yarn to cover it up, slip out of the front lines, and hide away in some backwater region.

I mean, who wants to get caught up in a war that has nothing to do with them?

Why should I risk my life fighting for complete strangers?

Back then, I thought fighting for someone else’s kingdom was ridiculous. My life was more precious to me than the fate of a distant nation.

So I dropped out, moved to the boonies, and built a farm.

Now that same me is suddenly going to be king?

Could I really lead a community where so many different races mingle together, each with their own quirks?

If you ask me upfront, my answer is no.

But I can’t just say that out loud, because a part of me has changed.

My core beliefs haven't changed one bit.

I’m not about to risk my life for some stranger.

Once upon a time, I’d have run away in a heartbeat at the thought of dying for a completely unknown Human Kingdom.

But still, is it really a nation of strangers?

It’s not just the Human Kingdom. What about the Demon Kingdom, the Mermaid Kingdom? The people living there, the elves, dwarves, therians—are they all just total strangers to me?

No.

Over time, I’ve gotten to know them.

They’re my friends, my companions, my family.

I’d never give my life for some random person I’ve never met. But for people I know? I’d face any hardship.

That’s just who I am.

...

I take a deep breath, look at the endless stars one more time, and head back inside.

I wonder if Platy’s already put the kids to bed.

After that, we’ll talk it out at length, just the two of us.

My future is tied to my family’s, after all.

***

A few days later...

When I finally showed up at the development site again, the pioneers living there looked at me with a mix of curiosity and relief.

I haven’t been around recently, after all.

And it’s all thanks to back-to-back meetings with the Demon King, King Arowana, and Ritheseus. It’s kept me pretty occupied.

“Hey, everyone. Sorry I’ve been gone so long; and sorry I haven’t helped with any of the work.”

“Please, don’t apologize. We were just worried you might never come back. We heard your conversation with the Demon King right before you left...”

They must’ve overheard and started imagining all sorts of things.

Sorry to make you all fret.

“Actually, I’ve just been talking things over with the leaders of each country, which kept me away from here. So yeah, my bad.”

But all that discussion led to something crucial.

I got the official stamp of approval from the Demon King, the Mermaid King, and the Human President.

The big three leaders of this world.

It turns out they’re all pretty enthusiastic about my decision.

“So here’s what’s up. Once the development of this settlement is done and people can finally live here, this land will become a self-governing district, not belonging to any nation. That was the plan from the start, and now it’s official. And since you all worked so hard making this possible, you’ll have priority in becoming citizens if you want.”

A big cheer goes up.

Hard work recognized is always a cause for celebration.

“And I will be leading that district. As the Saint, I promise to protect all who live here; your lives and your property.”

An even louder roar of approval.

They seem really fired up about this.

I didn’t expect quite that big a reaction, but okay.

“I have to admit, I was flustered when the Demon King first suggested it. But this place might as well be my backyard, and I’m part of this world too. I want to do my share to keep things moving in a good direction.”

That’s the conclusion I reached on that starlit night.

This world isn’t some alien place anymore.

It’s become my world, full of people I know and care about.

For them, I’ll risk my life without a second thought.

Friends.

Companions.

Family.

I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure they can all live comfortably, even if that means carrying some serious responsibilities and headaches.

“Now that it’s official that I’m leading this place, I can stop holding back the folks at the farm. They’ll be joining the development effort too.”

That means Orkubo, Gobukichi, and the rest of my monster crew.

Veil the dragon and Sensei the Lifeless King; our resident overpowered beings.

The mermaid team with their legendary potion-making skills; Bacchus the God of Drink and his maidens.

And... even the bean duo Letasreit and Horkosfon; who knows what wild ideas they’ll cook up.

With everyone pitching in, we should make even faster progress.

 Think of it like the farm expanding yet again—it’s not that big a deal.

“Sooner than you might think, maybe in a few years, there’ll be a lush, bustling town here. That town will grow into a proper city, and before long, the world will recognize it as its own nation.”

And that nation’s name will be...

Farm Kingdom!

Our farm is reborn as a brand-new country.

No matter how far we go, the evolution of our farm will never stop!