Chapter 16 The So-called Fertilizer

Being naive may not be a bad thing... If the ministers have no ulterior motives, or if the most trusted subordinates are sufficiently capable, then a king who naively and wholeheartedly trusts others would be the best king in the world.

Yila believed that he would never harbor ulterior motives, which is why the trust he received gave him feelings quite different from those when he was in the empire.

Saying he was "only responsible for making the Demon King stronger," Yila found himself unwittingly participating in efforts to make the Demon King Territory increasingly advanced... In a sense, he was a rather prideful fellow.

Yose once said, "If you think my daughter did a great job, just say it directly. Don't be indecisive and say things like 'it was good, but next time it could be better'~ Hahaha!! Being so unforthright as a man, there's no way to feel at ease handing the empire over to you!"

The way he spoke, it was as if Yila was Yose's son, or as if he was planning to seize the empire...

What an unforgettable king indeed!

...

The territory of the monsters is located in the southeastern part of the continent, originally very large, but now the land has been reclaimed by the empire... And the Demon King Territory, is at the upper right of the Demon King Territory, with the sea to the north.

The area surrounding the Demon King City is the Demon King Territory, where many monsters with relatively mild living conditions reside... Creatures like Harpies naturally live on the high mountains beyond the Demon King Territory.

However, in fact, it can't be said to be outside the Demon King Territory, to be precise... Extending from the Demon King City, slightly beyond the farmlands on the edges of the Demon King Territory, then extending outward, all the way to the territories of other rebellious or non-rebellious monster leaders.

Until the outer areas of the opposing lands, it is all considered part of the Demon King Territory.

But generally speaking, only the outermost farmland areas are counted, and beyond that are meaningless wastelands and jungles, inhabited by various wild beasts or uncultured monsters.

Wild beasts are easier to deal with, the inhabitants of the Demon King Territory are, after all, monsters rather than citizens of the empire, but there's an essential difference between uncultured monsters and monsters—encountering the former, they are delicacies, encountering the latter, you become delicacies.

These magic beasts, regardless of whether you are subjects of the Demon King, do not believe they are subjects of the Demon King and are no different from wild beasts that only know attack and slaughter.

The little fairy serves as the manager of all the residents, and within the territory are professions like blacksmiths, stone masons, carpenters, tailors, who exchange labor with the Demon King City for food and daily necessities... Of course, they are also the property of the Demon King.

Thus, everything in terms of food, clothing, and supplies within the Demon King Territory needs to be reported by the little fairy to the Demon King City, and that Ghost Glasses Girl will compile reports from various leaders and little fairies to trade for goods when Traveling Merchants arrive.

...

"Demon King~"

"Welcome to."

"The farm."

"Recently the situation."

"Is very bad."

Several leaders among the little fairies, one after another, relay what they want to say, working together so well it seems like one person speaking normally.

On the outskirts of the Demon King Territory are tracts of farmland, where most of the crops are unique to this world, like blue fla mushrooms, but there are also a few foods that existed in previous lives.

The situation indeed looks dire, as most of the crops appear to be wilting and growing unevenly, as if they are on the verge of dying.

"What exactly is the issue?"

Satan Ye asked this, and only at this moment did she slightly resemble a lord... Yes, like a lord, because usually a King would not typically inquire about the state of the crops in person.

"It might be"

"Lack of"

"Fertilizer"

"The merchant last time"

"The time before last"

"So many times"

"They didn't sell"

"Fertilizer"

"..."

The words of the little fairy leaders revealed the truth of the matter...

"It seems that's the reason."

Hilena felt she had found the truth of the matter, and she began to explain to Yila and Satan Ye, "In fact, before a thing like gravel-like stuff called 'fertilizer' existed, after harvesting crops, we would change to a different area for cultivation."

"Though I don't understand why, if fertilizer is spread during cultivation, it ensures increased crop yield without frequently needing to change planting areas. A few years ago, merchants stated that fertilizer was no longer being sold."

"But it seems the effect of the fertilizer lasted until now, and finally, it cannot sustain anymore."

With Hilena's explanation, and under Yila's dead-fish-eyed gaze, Satan Ye, understanding the situation, said, "Next time, change the area for planting... What exactly is fertilizer?"

"..."

"Um, fertilizer is the empire's... Specialty."

Saying this, names like [nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium] flashed in Yila's mind, but after careful consideration, he did not explain it to them... Because they definitely wouldn't understand anyway.

"Hmm, I know about this."

Satan Ye nodded, blinked, and said, "We asked Miss Vera, and she said there's magic involved in the production of fertilizer, possibly related to alchemy... Mr. Yila, do you know about it?"

Despite saying this, Satan Ye and Hilena didn't really have high expectations, because in their impression, Yila was a powerful Governor, and shouldn't have any relation to alchemy.

"Well..."

Yila pondered, considering whether or not to disclose, he finally decided to say, "Actually, the fertilizer was improved by me, and I was the one who advised Isabella to ban its export."

"I am, of course, familiar with the production process and materials of fertilizer. Although it indeed involves Mana, actually, the fertilizer I designed does not have as complex techniques and materials as you might imagine... We should be able to make it."

Under the surrounded by the scattered Headless Knights, Yila stood alongside Hilena and Satan Ye, speaking while observing the goblins and little fairies pulling weeds in the fields.

"Fantastic! Mr. Yila!"

"..."

However, besides Satan Ye's delighted appearance, Hilena didn't show much joy, fully aware that such matters are not things someone of Yila's status should disclose.

This is an imperial secret, also a means to bring down monsters.

If Yila were to tell the Demon King, or tell her, then it would truly be a genuine act of treason.

...

"What could we offer in exchange for the method to produce fertilizer? A title within the Demon King Territory?"

With a clear mind, Hilena asked this, though she didn't think a title held any value... In essence, if Yila could accept a title, or even accept just a title without asking for anything else, it would still be a loss for Yila.

The meaning of her words was undoubtedly a roundabout way of asking if Yila wanted to officially join the Demon King City.

"I don't know."

Yila replied, both on the topic of fertilizer and in response to Hilena's roundabout question.