How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

It’s been a few months since the crown was transferred to His Majesty, Souma, yet he hasn’t made any major policy blunders or lost the support of the people. To the contrary, he’s shown extraordinary ability in the way he’s steadily resolving the food crisis we feared. No matter how much they respected King Albert for his sagacity, it’s nonsense to ask, “Why did he choose that whelp?”

The woman rested her elbows on the windowsill, her chin in her hands.

To think the nobility has fallen so far from the proud and high-minded people who founded the country… Their ancestors must be turning in their graves.

Though she appeared to be in her mid-twenties, this woman recalled the dawning age of this kingdom more than 500 years ago. She thought back to her comrades, smiling sadly.

As a descendent of sea serpents, it would be more than another 500 years before she would be taken to their side.

“It’s times like this when belonging to a long-lived race is the hardest. I’ve gotten used to bidding farewell to the short-lived, but then I’m forced to see unpleasant things like this. I envy you people who have been able to die without a care for what would come after.”

With those words, Navy Admiral Excel Walter, one of the three dukes, gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“Sea Princess!”

When a voice addressed her from outside the carriage, Excel sat up straight. “…Yes?”

“Ma’am, a report has arrived from Canaria,” the voice said.

“Show it to me,” she commanded.

“Yes, ma’am. It is here.” The speaker pushed the documents through a gap in the carriage door.

Excel took the documents, opening them and perusing their contents. As she was reading through them, finally her face broke into a smile.

I see… So that’s how you’ve judged him. Yet still, you wish to be at his side, you say. Hmm… That’s all well and good, but I do think the loving praise dripping from your writing is going to give me heartburn. Really, now… I have to envy your youth.

Excel froze the documents with a sigh, then let them go. The documents fell, shattering into pieces when they struck the carriage floor.

Allow me to correct myself. When you live so long, there are times when you’ll find new light in the most unexpected of ways. This feeling is something you people who have died can never taste, isn’t it?

Serves you right.

Excel wore the smile of a young girl, not showing so much as a hint of her true age.

Chapter 5: The Legendary Old Man

In the audience chamber of Parnam Castle…

A large number of people were lined up in this place where the hero summoning and talent award ceremony had been held. These were the bureaucrats of the finance ministry.

Each wore an exhausted expression on his face.

Their cheeks were sunken, they had bags under their eyes, some wore dry smiles, while others looked to be on the verge of collapsing. Despite that, each and every one of them had a twinkle in his eye.

Theirs were the eyes of warriors who had survived a bloody battle.

Since I had become king and launched my reforms to save an economy that was on the brink of collapse, they had served as my hands and feet, working hard, like horses drawing a carriage. Anyone who had been working to enrich themselves had been dismissed, leaving only the serious ones behind. These were people who worked hard, reluctant to take time off even to sleep.

One of them might spend an entire day comparing the numbers between sets of documents, while another might spend most of the day on horseback, going around to ensure funds were being used correctly. They had been spending their days returning home only to sleep. No… many of them didn’t even return home, they just slept in the castle’s nap room, returning to work as soon as they woke.

Some had families.

Some had children.

Some were recently married.

However, the time they would have spent with their families… they cast aside, continuing to work.