"It looks a lot like the fertilizer we bought."
Vera said this while standing outside with Yila, Satan Ye, and Hilena, watching the goblins using the homemade fertilizer... which was diluted with water and then sprinkled into the soil.
If fertilizer is applied before planting, there isn't much to worry about; you can directly mix the fertilizer with the soil and plow it once to ensure soil fertility. But now it's different.
Applying fertilizer during crop maintenance is called topdressing, and it's best to mix it with water beforehand to avoid killing the crops.
As for the exact ratio and method of fertilizing, Yila wasn't sure.
To be honest, he hadn't really seen the empire's farmland much, apart from the battlefield… his energy was all spent dealing with those darn nobles in the court.
But the magical creatures, whether the little fairies or the goblins, had used fertilizer before, so now they knew how to use the fertilizer they produced.
This was their wisdom.
"Of course it's similar; the empire's original understanding of fertilizer was just to splash excrement into the soil. I... well, many years ago, improved the fertilizer to what it is now."
Yila said this, looking at the three under the winter sun, watching the little fairies and goblins at work, and said: "There's nothing much to see in the fertilizing process, I..."
Just as Yila was about to say something, he saw a goblin at work stumble and fall to the ground. He quickly rushed forward and, before anyone could react, caught the falling goblin.
After helping the goblin regain balance, Yila looked at the somewhat frail-looking face even among goblins and analyzed, "Malnutrition coupled with overwork, huh?"
"Uh... Lord Yila."
The goblin appeared visibly uneasy, speaking with some fear, retreating a few steps, and said, "Though I know now... no, I'm very sorry, but..."
The goblin stammered, not out of fear of Yila due to status difference, as he only had respect and reverence for Satan Ye and the others.
Undoubtedly, the other had seen Yila on the battlefield.
This phenomenon was common in the Demon King Territory, almost all who had been to the battlefield seemed to suffer from a disease called "Yilaphobia", so seeing Yila's face would still send shivers down their spine.
"Lord Yila"
"He is one"
"of the people"
"stirring"
"the fertilizer."
"We already"
"let him rest."
"..."
The little fairies meant that this goblin was one of the magical creatures they previously arranged to participate in stirring the fertilizer, and he didn't have to join in this fertilization, but now he voluntarily chose to work.
Nobody urged him, nobody forced him, and no one whipped him, yet he continued to work. Is it foolishness? Or does their king truly deserve such dedication from them?
At least... in their eyes, it was the latter.
Yila observed Satan Ye and Hilena, who showed a concerned expression, and he couldn't help but chuckle lightly, then looked at Vera, who appeared calm and uninterested... Yes! That kind of attitude toward civilians was indeed typical for people of the empire!
"Sigh..."
Yila couldn't help but sigh, and as Vera questioned, [Yila, why are you sighing?], he shook his head and said, "Nothing, I was just thinking about something else."
"Hmm? What?"
Satan Ye asked, blinking her eyes, the wings on her back flapping, waiting for Yila's words, looking far too cute and not at all like a Demon King.
"I was thinking about fishing."
Yila said this, using an example: "In my impression, in typical coastal cities, seafood becomes a food source for a city, but it doesn't seem to be the case in the Demon King Territory."
To this, Vera nodded; born by the sea in the empire, she remembered eating sea fish, kelp, and the like repeatedly as a child, though due to good economic conditions, she also ate a lot of meat.
"Fishing, huh? In the past, it was always the Nagas, Fishmen, and Gorgons doing it, then offering the fish to the Demon King Territory. The Demon King Territory's ports are Battle Port and Trade Port but never fished."
Satan Ye said, pondering, her eyes brightening as she continued, "Right, we could start fishing for meat, couldn't we? Since trade hasn't resumed, and the war is almost over, is it okay?"
Somehow, as a Demon King, Satan Ye was asking [Is it okay?] for Hilena and Yila's opinions. Who was truly the Demon King, and who was the subject here?
Vera simply shrugged and said, "Actually, Yila... that's what he means, to respect your Demon King's authority a bit by consulting you first."
Vera said this, nudging Yila's waist with helplessness, under his puzzled gaze she continued, "Besides, to maintain your authority, Yila definitely wouldn't have chosen to speak up in the morning but rather quietly like this."
What do you mean by quietly... wasn't it supposed to be called offering counsel?
With a speechless expression, Yila sighed, and Vera commented, "Ah, so you and Isabella are so awkward, clearly trusting each other, yet unable to put that trust into action."
"..."
Yila fell silent for a bit, knowing he couldn't fully explain it to Vera, so he simply said, "Some things in court can't be done just by mutual trust."
"I trust Isabella trusts me wholeheartedly, but I also know she can't fully trust me because she has to be responsible for the empire; Isabella trusts I trust her, but she knows she can't let my power grow too strong, even though my forces are her readily available forces."
Yila said this, it's a complex knowledge he didn't expect Vera to understand… but to put it simply, as a subject, he needed to do what a subject should do.
"What, what nonsense are you talking about, if Isabella knows you're loyal to her and the empire, why suppress you? Your logic makes no sense..."
Vera said, completely unable to understand what "being responsible for the empire" meant, waving her hand in annoyance, "Anyway, in the Demon King Territory, there's no need to think about these things, right?"
"The Demon King is also silly and easy to control." Vera expressed this.
Satan Ye: "Eh?"
At Vera's words, Yila looked at confused Satan Ye, then at the loyal and pretending-not-to-hear Hilena, then back at Vera.
"Indeed, perhaps I should gradually try to be more straightforward and honest, as Satan Ye's naivete is quite lovely."
Yila seemed to agree with Vera's perspective.
Satan Ye (Why is no one speaking up for me? Hilena, why don't you say something good about me? Do I really look silly yet cute? Whatever, say something to cover it.)
"Meow meow meow?!"