#1109 A Proposal

“Well, I could’ve just told everyone I had the Demon King’s permission from the very start…”

Once everything settled down, Mr. Shax confides in me.

“But even then, some businesspersons wouldn’t have believed it. And if they demanded proof, it would’ve been a huge hassle. Not to mention I’d have to prove it over and over again to every new person, which is horribly inefficient and expensive…”

So that’s why Mr. Shax devised this whole plan.

He fled straight to the development site, where I happen to be, and used both himself and me as bait to lure in the merchants who had a grudge against him.

I knew something was off.

I mean, why run away to a place so deeply tied to this mess if you really wanted to disappear? Normally, you’d find somewhere totally unrelated if you didn’t want anyone finding you.

But if his real goal was hidden behind that so-called “escape,” it actually makes sense.

Then, once everyone was gathered in one spot… he whipped out his secret trump card, an advanced summoning of the Demon King himself. One royal decree from the big guy, and poof! Problems solved.

It’s quite the brilliant combo, honestly.

I can’t help being impressed by Mr. Shax’s shrewd thinking, fitting for a merchant of his caliber.

“Lord Saint… I’m terribly sorry for stirring up trouble around you again.”

Mr. Shax says, bowing low beside the Demon King.

Of course, the Demon King’s literally forcing him to bow, he’s got Mr. Shax by the back of the head and is pushing his face into the dirt.

Well, it’s all part of Mr. Shax’s plan, so I guess it can’t be helped.

“And here we are again, after that last uproar…! We know you value a peaceful life above all else, and yet we keep disrupting it. I, the Demon King, can only hang his head in shame for failing to stop this riffraff sooner…!”

No, no. There’s no need to feel that guilty.

Mr. Shax and all the other visiting merchants are prostrate behind him, too. It’s like I’m some feudal lord with everyone bowing down at my feet.

It kind of makes me feel like I’m acting out an old historical drama.

But, let’s be fair; I did start this whole mess with my carelessness.

The Demon King and Arowana had been trying so hard to keep my identity under wraps, and now I’ve gone and blown my cover.

That’s why all these people showed up.

It’s my fault for not realizing just how big of a ripple effect my actions could have.

...Though, to be honest, I never expected it’d get this extreme.

There was that huge Satyr-versus-Minotaur dairy conflict.

Plus dwarves and elves dropping by unannounced…

So many events have piled up.

Trouble seems to revolve around me, one incident after another, with no end in sight.

The pioneer work keeps getting paused every time something new happens, so it’s nowhere near the schedule we planned.

At this rate, it might take decades to make this frontier livable.

Our baby boom kiddos will be fully grown by the time this place is ready!

“As unfortunate as it is, the rumors and legends of Lord Saint have already spread across the world.”

“To those chasing dreams, clinging to hope, or simply driven by greed, Lord Saint’s radiance is irresistible. They’ll keep flooding in from everywhere, and we have no way of stopping it.”

Even Mr. Shax, wearing a serious expression, makes this point.

He’s right. No matter how much the Demon King, Arowana, or even Ritheseus outlaw it, you can’t control people’s hearts with legislation alone.

If they see a bigger reward than risk, they’ll come for me anyway.

Besides, there’s no real legal basis to forbid them.

And no one’s going to obey a rule they can’t genuinely believe in.

So there’s only one option left.

I have to leave and retreat back to the farm.

Without the Saint around, there’s no reason for people to flock here.

It’s a shame to abandon our progress, but if my presence is impeding civilization, I don’t see another choice.

Or at least that’s what I thought, but then, the Demon King makes a face and says...

“Regrettably, Lord Saint, that won’t solve the fundamental issue anymore.”

…Huh?

How come?

“Your farm’s location is already an open secret, found deep within this very settlement. Once people know exactly where to go, it’s far easier to head straight there than if they had no clue. When there’s a known destination, folks will walk that path.”

Mr. Shax even nods in agreement!

“Precisely. If their final goal is the farm, they’ll first land in this settlement. That alone’s bound to spark more trouble with the pioneers. Or worse, people will try to wander into the wilderness in search of your farm, get lost, and need rescuing, which falls on the pioneers’ shoulders again.”

That’s terrible.

No matter how I move, I’m just going to cause more headaches for the development site?

So… what are we supposed to do?

“… Lord Saint,” the Demon King says solemnly as I rack my brain for ideas. “The truth is, Arowana, Ritheseus, and I have been discussing this for a while.”

Huh?

You’ve already been working on a solution?

That sounds promising!

As leaders of your respective nations, you’re one step ahead, right?

“This site is being developed jointly by demons and humans. Once the land is settled and people move here, which country should claim it? The Demon Kingdom or the Human Kingdom?”

Huh?

“It’s a delicate matter. If both sides insist on sovereignty and can’t reach a compromise, the only fallback is war.”

Yeah, that tracks. Most wars break out over fighting for territory.

So building a brand-new settlement between two nations was always going to be tricky.

This new town (or city, or whatever it becomes) could spark a massive conflict down the line: is it under demon rule or human rule?

It sounds like the recipe for a new era’s powder keg.

“At first, the most realistic plan we had was to make this place an autonomous region.”

Autonomous?

“Yes. It would belong to neither the Demon Kingdom nor the Human Kingdom. A free city, open to demons, humans, merfolk, and other small races... basically, a new independent nation. That’s the kind of talk we had going on.”

A new nation?

Whoa, that escalated quickly. Is that something you can just do?

“Not just any new nation, a hub state that links demons, humans, and merfolk, encouraging stronger friendship among all. Of course, there’s a slew of loose ends to tie up first, but that was our dream.”

Naturally, a country needs a leader.

A mayor for a town, a governor for a bigger place, or a king for a kingdom. Someone to unify the people.

But if we’re talking about a ‘free nation,’ who do we pick as head? A demon? A human? A merfolk?

Whichever we choose, their home kingdom’s influence will creep in.

That’d kill the idea of true neutrality.

“We threw around all sorts of ideas, but none of them clicked… until now. Suddenly, a perfect plan came to me.”

The Demon King grabs my shoulders dramatically.

“Lord Saint… would you consider serving as leader of this autonomous region?!”

Ehhhhhh?!

Me?!

“This land is already widely recognized as your domain. The fact that you can manage people is obvious from your success with your farm. And because you belong to no single faction, demon, human, or merfolk, your leadership would keep everything balanced and fair.”

B-B-B-B-B-But being a leader of an autonomous region basically makes me the king, right?!

That’s huge!

A ridiculous amount of responsibility!

No way someone as scatterbrained as me could handle it… right?!

“You’ve always acted for the good of this world, Lord Saint. I’ve known it for as long as we’ve known each other. A person who cares about the world as if it were their own matters...well, that’s the sort of person who deserves to govern.”

Aren’t you overestimating me just a tad?!

“Also, wouldn’t this solve your own predicament? People keep showing up because there’s no legal structure in place to manage it.”

“Exactly. If Lord Saint himself takes charge of this land and sets proper rules, then folks looking to jump the line will have no choice but to fall in line or give up.”

Mr. Shax is on board with this idea too?!

But me, a king-like figure…?

Is that even possible?!