I Become Farmer in My Anime World

As Jay finished cooking, his father and mother returned shortly after, just as they entered the house.

The fragrant aroma of boiled chicken immediately filled their nostrils.

"Why does this smell like boiled chicken?" Jay's mother asked her husband.

"You're right, it smells like rich chicken broth," Jay's father responded.

"Don't tell me this brat boiled my chicken in front of me. Hurry up and check if the chicken in the coop is still intact. I'll go to the kitchen to check the situation!" Jay's mother told her husband and immediately went to the kitchen.

This was because they were worried that Jay would eat their pet chicken, even though their family's income depended heavily on the eggs they raised.

And those who owed money to their extended family were clearly worried about not being able to repay it.

"Jay...Jay...where did you get this chicken from!!!" the mother shouted, her expression worried and angry as she rushed into the kitchen.

Jay, hearing his mother's shout, was startled and immediately retorted.

"Ahhhh...how did you know I was making boiled chicken?" Jay, spontaneously hearing his mother's question, asked back in surprise.

He had originally intended to surprise his family, but what he didn't expect was for his mother to shout and ask a loud question.

"Where...??? You still have the nerve to ask?" Her mother glared at Jay and walked over to the pot of boiled chicken soup.

She quickly opened the lid, and an even more enticing aroma immediately filled the kitchen. Silenced his mother, who had initially wanted to continue ranting, when she saw the chicken in the pot.

For a moment, the air in the kitchen froze, and it was as if time had stopped as his mother stared longingly at the chicken soup in the pot.

How long had it been since her family had eaten boiled chicken?! Thinking back, it seemed like it had been almost a year since she and her family had eaten chicken, and that was only on New Year's.

It wasn't because they didn't want to, but because their families, the entire village, and even the entire country, were facing severe food and supply shortages.

This was due to the war that had only been going on for a few years, and many areas were experiencing problems, making the situation unsustainable.

Furthermore, they were just ordinary farming families in a village who could only serve as tools for the ruling power.

Fortunately, the new rulers who had taken over their country were more generous with regard to land taxes.

Previously, rulers with noble titles would impose a 70% tax on agricultural produce, leaving the farmers to live in poverty.

Although the situation was better, the major conflict had caused many systems and structures to collapse, making their lives even more miserable, not better.

The new rulers likely saw that the common people were at their limit, and to prevent this from happening, they enacted a popular policy: reducing the land tax system by 40%.

This was certainly welcomed by many ordinary people like them, but just as they were feeling happy, other policies regarding villages and the distribution of goods changed.

Previously, despite high taxes and a difficult life, trade and the buying and selling of commodities were not prohibited. In short, as long as there was something, they could buy goods.

But now, that's no longer possible because existing policies prohibit anyone from conducting individual trade transactions, with state-owned companies and bureaucrats taking over.

In other words, basic needs and all necessities are controlled by the state, and this has resulted in life becoming more difficult, as everything is difficult to obtain.

On the other hand, their lives are indeed peaceful, and there are no more wars or bandits like before, which sometimes lurk.

Back to the scene where the mother stared at the chicken soup in the pot, then hesitantly put the lid back on.

Swallowing the saliva that was in her mouth, the mother asked Jay.

"Where did you get this chicken?" the mother asked worriedly.

She was afraid Jay would do something bad.

"Honey... honey... your chickens in the coop are all safe!!" But just as Jay was about to answer, his father's voice interrupted them, coming into the kitchen.

"Ehhhh... what happened?" Jay's father asked the two of them, noticing the somewhat tense situation in the kitchen.

"Nothing happened, Dad. Everything's safe. Let Jay explain where this chicken came from." Jay then told his family about the origin of the chicken he was currently boiling.

And from there, his family learned that Jay had gone into the forest to look for food. 

From firewood, Jay found a stray jungle fowl during the search. Using his wits, he told them.

He trapped the jungle fowl with the sweet potato and sorghum he had brought along, allowing him to catch it.

Hearing Jay's story, the heavy burden that had previously been weighing them down vanished.

However, his mother remained anxious about Jay's trip to the forest.

"Don't go too far into the forest. It's not safe, and I don't want you to get hurt," his mother advised Jay with concern.

"That's right, Jay. What your mother said is true. Even though you've recovered, don't venture too far into the forest unaccompanied. Many wild animals are hungry right now, so you need to be careful," his father also reminded Jay.

"Okay, Mom and Dad, Jay knows, and he will remember what you said." Jay didn't argue, simply accepting what they had said.

This aligns with what he thought, that parents naturally love their children and want them to grow up safely.

So, instead of arguing and feeling right, it's better to accept what both of them have to say, because Jay himself understands that he can be safer with the system he has in place. So, even if there's a chance of injury or harm, it's much less likely with the system's help.

"Okay... okay... now it's time to eat. The chicken soup is cooked, and it won't taste good if it gets cold." Jay diverted his parents' conversation and turned to the topic of their dinner.

#####

"Ummm... this chicken smells really good, big brother, and why is the meat a little chewy?" Nining greedily ate a piece of chicken Jay had given her.

"It's a jungle fowl, so it tastes much better than the chicken we raise," Jay replied, happily watching Nining eat the chicken he cooked.

"Oh... jungle fowl, can Nining eat it more often?" Nining suddenly asked in a hopeful tone.

"Of course you can, but you'll have to see how lucky you are," Jay replied.

"You! Don't make promises too easily. Your little sister will demand too much, and if you can't fulfill her, she'll be disappointed," his mother advised.

As a mother, she clearly understood that setting excessive expectations would only make her child vulnerable to disappointment, so instead of making promises that were difficult to keep, it was better to speak bitterly.

"Be optimistic in times like this, but be kind. Don't worry too much, honey," Jay's father offered a different perspective.