How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

1. Auflage 2017
ISBN: 978-1-7183-0900-5
Verlag: J-Novel Club
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 315 Seiten

Reihe: How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom

'O, Hero!'
With that cliched line, Kazuya Souma found himself summoned to another world and his adventure--did not begin.
After he presents his plan to strengthen the country economically and militarily, the king cedes the throne to him and Souma finds himself saddled with ruling the nation! What's more, he's betrothed to the king's daughter now...?! In order to get the country back on its feet, Souma calls the wise, the talented, and the gifted to his side. Five people gather before the newly crowned Souma. Just what are the many talents and abilities they possess...?! What path will his outlook as a realist take Souma and the people of his country down? A revolutionary transferred-to-another-world administrative fantasy series starts here!

Autoren/Hrsg.

Dojyomaru

Weitere Mitwirkende

Fuyuyuki

Mccann, Sean

Leseproben

Prologue

“Kazuya... why do you think people build families?”

On a quiet autumn day, Grandpa asked me that question. It was just after the Buddhist memorial service held to mark the seventh day following my grandmother’s passing. I was alone in the garden with Grandpa, staring absently into the sky at the time.

I didn’t understand the question, and, as I struggled to find something to say in response, Grandpa answered. He looked like he’d had an epiphany.

“So that they don’t have to die alone. It occurred to me again and again as I was caring for your grandmother. Though we lost our son and your mother so soon, you were still here for us. Because of that, we had a sense of fulfillment in our lives. The bonds we’ve formed will last even after we ourselves are no more. For any living being, there can be no greater source of pride.”

“Grandpa...”

“That is why I want to tell you this. Kazuya, build a family. And, once you have, protect them, come whatever may. You’ve always been a sensible boy. ...No, I suppose I should say you always tended to think about things rationally.”

I was silent.

“But, listen, you mustn’t do that when it comes to family. Once you’ve taken their hands, never let go. Put your life on the line and protect them to the bitter end, no matter what. If you do that, I’m sure you’ll be able to think ‘I lived a good life’ when your time comes. Just like your grandmother... and just like me.”

“...You’re making this sound like it’s your last will,” I said teasingly, but Grandpa nodded in complete seriousness.

“I’m getting on in years. These may be the last words I’ll leave to my grandson, who will one day be alone.”

At the time, I could say nothing in response.

And now, as if he had only been holding on so that he could see me get accepted into university, Grandpa had left to be with Grandma. In that house where I was now alone, I whispered to myself.

“I know. I haven’t forgotten your last will, Grandpa.”

To build a family, and protect them, no matter what.

Holding that promise close to heart, I would begin my new life. That was how it was supposed to be.

? ? ?

“O Hero! It is good that you have heeded my summons,” said a middle-aged man who had just appeared before me. He was average build, and seemed to be attempting to sound majestic. I’d have put his age at around forty to fifty years old. He wore a red cape thick enough to serve as a coat, and atop his head sat a gleaming golden crown. I could tell at a glance that this guy was a king.

Was the gentle-looking young woman standing at his side the queen, then? She was a beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair, wearing a beautiful dress. She looked like she was only around thirty.

I thought.

It was a place that looked like it came out of the opening of an RPG. There was a king, a palace, and that “O Hero” line I’d just heard.

I told myself.

“Wh-Why do you look at me like that? Are you upset that I have called you here?” the King said nervously as I stared at him.

“That’s not it... I just don’t have a good grasp of the situation. Could I ask you to explain?”

“Y-You certainly are calm. It is most enviable...”

“Your Majesty...” I began.

“I-It is nothing!”

The prime minister cleared his throat, and the king jumped a little. Seeing that little interaction, the queen giggled, and the soldiers looked on with wry smiles. From that exchange, I could see the King truly was the good-natured man that he seemed. I sensed that he lacked the aura of command required of a nation’s ruler, but that he was the type who was loved by the people. Still, that was neither here nor there.

I posed my question with deliberate calmness so as not to intimidate him. “So, if I’m the hero, does that mean there’s a demon lord invading or something?”

“You certainly do catch on quickly. It is precisely as you say.”

I was speechless. All four of my senses, excluding taste, were reporting to me that this was the real world.

“I-Is something the matter, Hero? Why do you suddenly clutch your head?”

“No, don’t worry about it. I just felt a little dizzy.” My head had started to hurt, but for the moment, I’d have to put up with it. “I’m fine now. Please, explain the situation.”

“A-Are you certain? Very well, I shall explain.”

The king then launched into a lengthy explanation of the world’s history, like you might see in an old RPG. It was long-winded enough that, if this were a game, I’d have been hunting for the Skip Text button, so I’ll summarize for you readers a bit.

First, he spoke about this world.

The world was made up of the supercontinent Landia and a number of islands of varying sizes. On the supercontinent Landia, there were many countries, large and small. In addition to humans, these were populated by beastmen, elves, dwarves, and dragonewts, among other races. There were countries where these races coexisted, countries where one race had preferential treatment, countries which forbade entrance to all but one race, and more. These countries took many forms and they struggled against one another for supremacy at times. However, ever since the Demon Lord’s Domain appeared, it seemed that all these countries had, on the surface, taken a position of mutual cooperation.

Next, the king spoke about the Demon Lord’s Domain and the Demon Lord.

Around ten years ago, in the northernmost reaches of the supercontinent Landia, a dimension called the “Demon World” had appeared, and monsters of many sizes and shapes had poured out, throwing the Northern Countries into chaos. The countries had formed an alliance and organized a punitive force to send into this Demon World.

However, that punitive force had been annihilated. In the Demon World, there were “monsters” which had minimal (or, some would theorize, no) intelligence, as well as “demons” who were intelligent and also powerful fighters. The demons were the ones who had annihilated the punitive force. Furthermore, though it had not yet been verified, people whispered about the existence of a king who ruled over the demons, a “Demon King.”

After that battle, the countries had lost their main fighting forces, and none of them had had the power to defend themselves against the monsters that appeared from the Demon World. The demonic forces, which had until then held only the equivalent of a small country, laid waste to the Northern Countries and came to rule a third of the continent. This territory was now called the “Demon Lord’s Domain.” While their advance had stopped for the moment, it was said that this was because the expansion of the front lines had spread the demons and monsters thinner, making it possible for the individual countries to hold the line against them. That didn’t mean mankind had any decisive way to turn things around. In the front line countries, things had bogged down to a stalemate.

Following that exposition, the king talked about this country.

This was the Kingdom of Elfrieden, a medium-sized nation in the southeast of the continent. It was ruled under a monarchy. It was a country originally founded by many races working together, and, though the king was a human, those of other races were accepted here without discrimination. Regardless of race, everyone held citizenship, and aside from “king,” they could take any job they desired. Even the prime minister who had been complaining to the king earlier was a half-elf, with human and elven parentage.

Because they did not border the Demon Lord’s Domain, there were few monster attacks. However, the country had been weak to begin with, and the national treasury was not exactly in good shape. Food shortages had been especially bad in recent years, and that had only exacerbated the problem of refugees dispossessed by the expansion of the Demon Lord’s Domain drifting here.

There were dark storm clouds on both the domestic and international fronts.

Apparently, relations were tense with the Gran Chaos Empire, the largest country on the continent, excluding the Demon Lord’s Domain. The Empire was the country which shared the longest border with the Demon Lord’s Domain. It was also the country that had directed the first invasion of the Demon Lord’s Domain. After their loss against the Demon Lord’s Domain, the Empire was apparently requesting war subsidies from other countries. To put it simply, they were requesting that countries who were far away from the Demon Lord’s Domain provide financial support to those which were close to it. Though these were...