It's been three months.
Three months and nine days, to be precise.
They've really started to grow...
The experiment is proceeding very well.
Scholar!
Good morning!
Good morning.
They're really growing.
The Elder was surprised.
So you slice them thinly, cook in oil, add salt, and eat them?
And it's so delicious that you can't stop eating them.
Once the harvest comes, we'll invite the Elder for a party.
Chapter 3
Where Have You Been?!
I wanted to work the fields with everyone else.
You tried once, and it was disastrous.
You couldn't control your strength.
I was sure I was holding back.
It seems they're fitting in...
I'm glad to see that.
How did it feel, going out for once?
It's looking good.
We can start the harvest today.
Excellent.
Any other good things to report?
Nothing, really.
I don't care how minor it may be.
No, nothing.
We'll walk the rest of the way.
That big stone building is the convent
that oversees the nuns of this area.
The Lake Country isn't as cold as the Winter Country.
It's pretty far north.
Let's hurry up a little.
The church emphasizes punctuality.
Yeah.
I guess all the humans, from nobles to serfs, are very devout.
Yeah, like you can't imagine.
"The Spirit's light illuminates the world,
bringing rest and peace to good folk."
Do you worship the Light Spirit, as well?
I wouldn't call it worship.
When I'm fighting, I can feel the Spirit close to me.
I've heard her voice, so she's more like a friend.
The Spirit's just a pushover
who can't refuse anything someone asks of her.
I'm glad to hear that.
If you were a devout believer, I would have felt bad.
Oh, don't worry.
I just find the church very impressive.
Everyone learns to read and write at the church.
And I've heard they do some type of difficult research, as well.
Nobles who care for such things
care more about the church than about the king.
I'm sure.
Almost all human education and science relies on the church.
I hope to take advantage of their power as an organization.
Let's go.
Yeah.
It's nice to see a busy town once in a while.
Is this it?
Yeah.
Take this, then.
I shall summon the Prioress immediately.
Please wait here.
Okay, we made it in.
If negotiations fail and someone comes after us, leave it to me.
No one will beat me.
I wouldn't expect anyone like that to be in a convent.
But I appreciate the thought.
Demon King...
Did you have a sad expression just now?
Did I?
Yeah.
You do that, at times.
I do?
Yeah.
I've never noticed.
It's been bothering me for some time.
A pleasure to meet you.
I am the Crimson Scholar, an agricultural researcher
in one of the southern frontier villages.
Thank you for meeting with us.
I'm the White Swordsman, her protector.
I'm not really the type who belongs in a convent...
White Swordsman?
The White Swordsman?
You are the Hero!
Knight!
Where have you been?!
Um, well...
It's been a year since I heard from you!
The four of us were traveling to defeat the Demon King!
And one day, you leave a message saying,
"I can handle the rest myself."
Well, um...
I felt bad, involving you guys...
You idiot...
Do you...
Do you understand how worried I was?
I'm sorry.
Don't you apologize like that!
And now you show up, out of nowhere, with some beautiful woman?
What happened?
Eh... Well, she's...
I mean...
She's what?
Ah, I can explain that.
And thus, he managed to injure the Demon King.
But attacked by so many demons at once, he had to retreat.
Then I met him by chance, and offered to take care of him
until he could recover from his injuries.
As thanks, he's now serving as my bodyguard.
So that's how it is...
I'm sorry for reacting as I did.
It's fine, so long as you understand.
What about you?
How did you become a prioress?
It was after I reported that you'd gone to the Demon King's castle alone...
A month later, I received a letter.
That the Hero had sacrificed himself to wound the Demon King.
So they sent all of his companions a reward.
But I didn't want it.
Getting rich off your death...
So I returned to this convent, where I had been knighted,
and I tried to help everyone.
Awesome.
You really are manly, Knight.
Manly?
So don't hide your personality.
I'm not...
t-trying to hide anything...
Don't push yourself.
Damn it!
I finally got good at acting feminine.
Well? Where are the other two?
The old pervert said he'd go and work for an intelligence group
in one of the southern countries.
Oh.
He took the money.
I'm glad.
Sounds like he's moving up.
Hero...
And what about Mage?
She took the money, right?
She doesn't seem it, but she's quite stingy.
Well, she's a fun girl, though.
She left on her own.
She went to the Demon World, looking for you.
She did?
I'm sorry...
You did try to stop her?
Of course!
But the next morning, all her things were gone.
I think...
Don't let it get you down.
This was all my fault to begin with.
And you know her...
She won't be easily killed.
Hero...
Anyway,
I'm here for the Scholar today.
I've come to petition your convent for aid.
First, I'd like to show you this.
What's this?
A plant, known as a potato, that grows underground.
It appears the food I asked for is here.
The food?
Excuse us.
I prepared it just as you requested.
It smells good.
Try it.
Yes.
Excuse me, then.
You see?
Yes, it's delicious.
It's very nutritious,
and because it grows underground, it's difficult for birds to reach.
Also, it will grow in poor soil or colder climates,
as well as in hard ground.
That's wonderful!
Of course, it isn't perfect.
First, it's poisonous.
Don't worry...
it's only toxic after exposure to sunlight, when it's begun to bud.
If you take care in harvesting and storing it, it's safe.
In a cold place, you can store it for nearly a year.
A year?
Under the right conditions, it can be harvested three times a year.
Amazing.
As a result, the harvest for a given area
yields three times more than wheat.
Really?
I've already experimented with it at Winter's Pass Village.
If that's true, we'll be able to save many starving people.
However...
If you're seeking our financial support...
Unfortunately...
No, I'd be happy if you could offer it.
But that is not my immediate objective.
Then what do you wish from us?
I want you to establish a convent in Winter's Pass Village.
And then, I'd like you to teach the villagers new,
more effective agricultural methods.
That falls perfectly within our convent's mission.
And then, I would like you to build convents in surrounding areas,
to further spread knowledge of this new method.
How does this benefit you, Scholar?
If we move forward,
we can see what's on the other side of the hill.
A future without war,
a world without starvation.
If potato planting becomes common,
and the food situation improves,
I'm sure we will get closer.
I wish to see the other side of the hill.
You...
Very well.
The convent will provide all it can to assist you.
Thank you.
Then I shall go to Winter's Pass Village personally.
You will?!
Got a problem with that?
No...
Just...
Haven't I always been a nihilistic, dangerous hero?
So being close to me could endanger you.
I'm used to that!
Or is there another reason you'd prefer I didn't go?
No, well...
What's bothering you?
You're being quite rude to the head of the convent,
who has offered us aid.
Nothing would make me happier.
I would welcome you.
You seem unconcerned.
Not at all...
I always have the greatest respect for those with whom I form a contract.
Really.
Then I shall answer in kind,
in accordance with the laws of chivalry.
First you return, when I'd given up on seeing you again.
And then, there's this wonderful food the Scholar brought us.
It must be the Light Spirit's guidance.
No, this was accomplished purely by human hands.
The product of hard work done by those with souls.
I'm glad your secret weapon worked.
Yeah.
But I wasn't expecting to see your old flame...
Don't call her that!
Am I wrong?
You are!
She and I...
We aren't like that...
I get it... I'll stop bringing it up.
By the way...
Lately, you've been locked in your room all the time.
What are you doing?
If we stay in one place, relying solely on the bounty of the land,
we'll run into problems before long.
You mean the soil will deplete?
Yes.
And so we must make an offering to the land.
Burnt crops, the bodies of animals...
Feces and leftover food.
Best of all would be fish from the southern ice seas.
I'll buy some and bring them back...
With my teleportation magic!
We'll need 30,000 a year for Winter's Pass Village alone.
I can't do that...
And the Ice General dwells in the southern ice seas.
I've fought him many times.
He's huge, and was unstoppable with a harpoon.
He's among the most warlike demons, as well as one of the strongest.
Clashing with him would complicate things.
But the bigger problem is the Alliance.
Alliance?
Their full name is the Economic Alliance of Free Merchants and Southern Independent Cities.
So it's a merchant group, right?
Yeah...
They're based primarily here, in the south, but their reach
extends across the entire continent.
My estimates suggest their total capital is astronomical.
In the south alone,
the Alliance is involved in sixty percent of the wheat trade.
If they desired it, they're powerful enough to dethrone a king.
Are they some kind of monster?
Beyond doubt, they're monsters.
And human life rests on these monsters' backs.
So that was the Alliance, then.
They asked me to give some speeches for them.
"Up and at 'em!"
That kind of thing.
It's propaganda.
They paid you several million in gold pieces, right?
More like fifteen!
Only fifteen?
These girls in flashy dresses came out and said,
"We love you, Hero!"
Girls in flashy dresses?
And the guy from the Alliance told me,
"When you return, we'll throw a victory parade!"
And he elbowed me and said, "You sure are popular."
I'm a failure as a hero...
I guess you require a harsh lesson.
The Alliance has no will of its own.
Their sole interest is self-protection and expansion.
That's what makes them worth using.
And now, here's where it gets important.
What have I been doing in my room, these last two months?
Look at this.
What's this?
A compass.
I've never seen one like it before.
These two circles keep it level, no matter the conditions.
It doesn't use any kind of special device.
What do you think?
This is splendid!
You could be one of the leaders... Maybe even join the Council of Ten!
Yes, this will change the world.
Yeah! It will.
It will bring the Alliance great wealth.
But there is a problem.
Indeed.
What's wrong?
Someone invented this, and gave it to me.
We must consider what they're after.
I understand.
Do you know who it is?
They call themselves the Crimson Scholar.
They live in Winter's Pass, an isolated village in the Southern Nations.
It appears to be a normal frontier village,
producing nothing of particular account.
No, wait...
I knew it.
The Elder of Winter's Pass Village
is in negotiations with the Lakeside Convent, of the Lake Country.
I'm amazed you have that information.
Someone wondered why they would approach the convent of such a distant land,
and so they reported to us.
Indeed, it is suspicious.
If they're involved, this could be problematic.
Yes...
We must ensure that
only the Alliance benefits from this compass.
We'll just have to pray it isn't sold to anyone other than us.
That's right.
I am a simple merchant.
I have no wish to be an assassin.
You're expecting a visitor?
Yes.
Then take this rabbit to the Scholar.
But...
Thank you!
And here's some watercress from the swamp.
Hooray!
Thank you very much.
No...
Thanks to you, the village is much brighter.
You are both very beautiful.
They were born to a different life than ours.
Everyone admires you.
You're fully armored at this hour?
Demon King!
You can't stop worrying about her, huh?
N-No.
Did you think I would stop you?
You're okay with this?
If Mage is another old flame, maybe not.
No, it's not like that!
Okay, then.
Follow me.
What's this?
Don't worry.
It isn't cursed in any way.
The Demon World is starting to get lax in my absence.
I'd like you to go and take care of the rowdier ones.
Okay.
I have a list, with letters of introduction,
of the leaders I think you can trust.
You'll need their help if you're looking for someone.
You should be grateful for my kindness.
Of course I am.
Thank you.
That's it?!
That's, well... In the Human World...
There's a special ritual men and women who are close perform when parting!
Do you refuse because of my useless flesh?
N-No, well...
Maybe we do need to be closer physically...
Where did that come from?
Well, the Head Maid said...
Perhaps I'm overstepping myself,
but you two haven't even held hands for almost two months, right?
H-How did you know our secret?!
I could tell by observing.
He is a virgin,
so you must take the offensive.
Wh-Wh-What are you doing?!
You've spent the past two months locked in your room, ignoring the Hero.
Your useless flesh coefficient is increasing.
Don't say that!
Your clothes aren't revealing enough, and you aren't cute enough.
If you're stingy with physical contact, what's left?
I don't know...
Listen to me!
In war, the most important thing is quantity.
Surround and overwhelm a man's reason,
and you don't even need strategy!
Technically, she's right, but...
Is it not okay?
Ah! It's e-embarrassing!
We should do it when we aren't so busy.
Six months!
It's tearing me up that I should have a clear advantage,
after spending all this time with you in the snow...
And six months have passed, with no changes at all!
Additionally, once the convent is complete, your first old flame will arrive,
and you're leaving to search for your second old flame!
How could it not bother me?
Well, you know...
Wh-What? Why do you look so mad?
That was on the forehead.
We'll do the rest when I get back.
You'd better promise, Hero!
You'd better...
Next Chapter
If That Happens, I'll Take a Bite Out of the Hero!