How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

“Sire, I have a proposal.”

“What is it? You may speak freely.”

“Can we talk about what’s going to happen from here on out? Not standing here, somewhere where we can sit down and discuss it at length. Just me, you, and the prime minister.”

“Hm. What do you think, Marx?”

“That would be fine.” The prime minister, whose name was Marx, nodded in assent.

Since I had their agreement, I made another request. “Please, also gather all the materials you can on this country. With a particular focus on the balance of payment reports, as well as materials on agriculture, forestry and fisheries, economy, trade and industry, and land, infrastructure and transport. We might be able to scrounge up the money the Empire is demanding. Also, I’d like the materials you have on heroes… but, well, that can wait.”

“Very well. I will have them gathered at once,” said the king.

We took a break at this point, and I was called to the king’s governmental affairs office later.

Sitting on a comfy sofa across from the king and Prime Minister Marx, we held meeting after meeting. That is, we talked about basically everything there was to talk about. This country’s industry, economy, tax system, agricultural policy, military preparations, foreign affairs… we discussed it all.

The meetings went on for a full two days. This was partly because I asked questions about every minute detail of the materials I’d had them gather, and partly because they latched onto the policies I was proposing to a degree that was bizarre. From partway through the meeting, the king was paying rapt attention to me, as if he had become an entirely different person.

It was now two days later. The soldiers guarding the door would later tell everyone that, when the king left that room, his expression was uncharacteristically bright and cheerful, and that his was the face of a man who had come to a decision.

The day after our three-person meetings had come to an end, the king gathered the VIPs of the castle in the audience chamber, and proclaimed loudly, “My people, I ask you to heed my words closely.”

“I, the thirteenth king of Elfrieden, Albert Elfrieden, hereby abdicate my throne to the summoned hero, Souma Kazuya! Further, I hereby announce the engagement of my daughter, Liscia Elfrieden, to Sir Souma.”

The room fell silent. Everyone had been struck mute. The only one present who remained calm was, perhaps, the queen.

This bombshell announcement completely blindsided me.

Chapter 1: Fundraising

On the 32nd day of the 4th month in the 1546th year of the Continental Calendar, the throne was ceded to Souma Kazuya.

It happened in the capital of the Elfrieden Kingdom, Parnam.

This city was the capital, where the residence of the Elfrieden Kingdom’s king, Parnam Castle, was. A town had risen up around Parnam Castle, and the circular walls surrounding it were reminiscent of a city-state in Middle Ages Europe. The roofs in the nobles’ quarter and the peasants’ quarter were uniformly orange, and this suited the classic image of the town well.

Parnam Castle was in the center, connected with north, south, east and west gates by large roads that were always busy with carriages and large mounted beasts. Aside from the main roads, there were also countless smaller cobblestone roads radiating out from the castle, and these small roads were connected by yet more small roads. Seen from the air, it would have resembled a spider’s web, or perhaps a snowflake. These roads were lined on both sides with merchants and tradespeople, and they were always bustling.

Since today was a holiday, and also the first day off since the new king, Souma (though, with the crowning ceremony not yet having taken place, he was technically only acting king), had been given the throne, the marketplace was even more busy than usual. This sudden change of monarchs had caused tension in the castle town for a little while, but once they had heard that the throne had been ceded to the summoned hero, and that the former king, Albert, had announced his abdication of his own will, and that Souma was betrothed to Princess Liscia, the former king’s daughter, the confusion naturally died down.

Because the former king had ruled through “being loved,” the rumors settled down to:

“Well, if the king is fine, I guess it’s okay.”

“Yeah, the pressure really seemed to be getting to him. I’m glad he has that weight off his shoulders now.”

“He’ll be able to take it easy now. It’s best for everyone this way.”

The people’s interpretations of what had happened were largely favorable. It seemed the king’s lackadaisical manner was in tune with the national character. Having had the throne foisted on him, Souma had worried that a resistance movement might rise against the sudden change, but he was a little let down when it never happened. Regardless, it was another peaceful day in Parnam as people of many races went about their business.

As if cutting through that peaceful afternoon, a white horse galloped down the cobblestones.