How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Book 9: Chapter 5

That night.

There was a celebration being held in Wedan to celebrate the victory against the demon wave.

However, unlike in the Kingdom of Lastania, it wasnt a wild affair with singing and drinking.

Because the people gathered were the central figures of the Union of Eastern Nations, it was probably to be expected that no one felt much like letting loose.

On the surface, they all appeared to be praising each other and making small talk, but they were actually gathering information on the other countries.

They had come as reinforcements, so many wore armor, but it felt like I had been called to one of the nobles nighttime gatherings. In fact, the big shots who wanted to form cordial relations with our country had been coming over to give their regards one after another, so we were already a little sick of it.

I thought a victory party would be more fun, Naden griped from beside me, looking exhausted.

Now, now, this is an important duty of ours, too, Aisha said, trying to console her. She was standing on the opposite side of me.

I looked over at Juna, who was also by my side. You arent tired, Juna?

Im used to it, so Im fine. Please, leave the deterrence duties to me.

I was standing arm-in-arm with Juna, who wore a blue dress she said she had received from Excel. And with Naden in her black dress and Aisha in a cocktail dress also next to me, I was here at this party with an iron wall. By showing off that I already had them as my partners, they were acting to deter the heads of other countries from bringing up talk of marriage with me.

We were sort of the largest of all the countries gathered here, so few would go so far as to risk offending our future queens by bringing up that subject. Especially in the presence of Juna, a woman who was beautiful and brimming with feminine charm.

Over and over, Id seen lords who might bring up the subject take one look at her, decide it was hopeless, and dodge the issue with idle banter before beating a hasty retreat.

They keep saying, What a lovely bunch of ladies about us, Juna said with a smile.

They must have had trouble coming up with any other subject on the spur of the moment, I said. Well, given they were able to see how lovely you look in that dress, Juna, Im sure that was enough.

Hee hee, I love it when you compliment me, sire.

Hold on, Souma! Could you actually look at us, too?! Naden protested.

I feel as though its been some time since Ive dressed this way, too, Aisha agreed.

Naden, Aisha, you both look very lovely, too, I told them.

They both smiled in satisfaction.

By the way, Nadens dress was the black one made of her own scales that shed worn when wed danced in the Star Dragon Mountain Range, and Aishas cocktail dress was the one shed worn as a presenter on the Jewel Voice Broadcast. Id had her pack it just in case.

Then Naden pulled at the hem of her dress, letting out a sigh as she did. Its exhausting dressing like this, though, you know? Every time someone comes, I have to be on edge.

You can rest, you know, Madam Naden, Aisha said, looking concerned. I am more than capable of protecting His Majesty by myself.

I dont want to. Naden rejected the offer. If I do, the people here will only recognize you and Juna as Soumas partners. Im his partner, too, okay?

Then Naden hugged my arm tight.

Maybe that was what instigated Juna to tighten her grip and squish herself against my arm...

Dont think too much about the difference in wording there.

Feeling a little peeved, Aisha said, Its not fair that only you two get to nuzzle up to him! If its a nuisance, please leave the task to me! Lady Liscia has asked me to take care of His Majesty.

Ive been asked to do the same! Naden shot back. Besides, a dragon and her knight are of one body, one mind!

Madam Naden, you do realize you are not a dragon, and His Majesty is not a knight, yes?

Fireworks flew between the two of them. I had to worry about how this looked to those around us, so maybe it was time to stop them.

Um, you two, you dont need to compete over this...

Please be quiet, Souma/sire!

Uh, sure...

While I was being intimidated by the two of them, Yuriga looked exasperated. Are you really a king?

That reminded me that Tomoe, Ichiha, and Yuriga, the three kids, were here, too.

Shed caught us in the middle of an embarrassing scene, so I tried to change the subject by asking, Dont you need to be with your brother, Fuuga?

Even if I were with my brother, its all adult men there. Its boring. Id prefer to stay here with Tomoe and Ichiha.

Mrrgh, Tomoe muttered. Dont you have any friends, Yuriga?

Yurigas face froze.

Oh... Shed hit the nail on the head.

With a clearly pasted on smile, Yuriga reached out for Tomoes face and pinched her cheeks. Wh-What exactly do you think youre saying?! You squirt.

Hyau?! Hyohhyoh, hyahehehyoh.

P-Please, stop that, Yuriga. Ichiha hastily got in between them and peeled them apart.

Yuriga crossed her arms and looked away peevishly with her cheeks puffed up in anger. It only made her look like she was trying to act tough.

Its fine! No one sees me as anything other than my brothers little sister! The adults are always watching to see how my brother will react and kissing up to him, too!

...Oh, now it made sense.

For this girl, Fuuga was a source of pride, but she also had a complex about him.

In a group of siblings, if one was especially talented, it was only natural such feelings would arise. It sounded like Ichiha had been looked down upon compared to his capable brothers and sisters, too.

For Yuriga in particular, she was at a sensitive age, so maybe her usual prickly attitude was the other side of those feelings.

In other words...

Youre being spoiled by Tomoe because she pays attention to you, huh, I commented.

Whod you says being spoiled by this little squirt?!

Y-You wanted me to spoil you? Tomoe asked gingerly. Should I pat you on the head?

Wahhhh, you dont have to do that!

The children went on making a ruckus.

Yuriga would never admit it, but I felt like Tomoe and Ichiha were bringing out the closest thing to her true personality. These three might make better friends than I would have thought.

As I was reflecting on that, the time came.

Ahem! Ladies and gentlemen. I know we are in the middle of our banquet, but could I ask you to listen to me for a moment?

Duke Chima was standing on a platform prepared for the occasion.

Behind him, six young men and women stood in a line. Mutsumi was one of them.

Now then, as I have promised before, I will announce the countries to which my children will be sent as a show of gratitude for dispatching reinforcements, Duke Chima announced loudly from the platform.

That presumably meant the six up on the stage were the six Chima brothers and sisters who were included in the reward. The six excluded the eldest of the siblings, who was the heir, and Ichiha, the youngest brother.

If I recalled, they were:

Nata (Age 22) Second Son: Muscular man who wielded a giant ax.

Mutsumi (Age 20) Eldest Daughter: Beautiful, with excellent martial abilities and ingenuity.

Gauche (Age 18) Third Son: The best archer in the world.

Yomi (Age 17) Second Daughter: Elder twin sister, avid reader with a wealth of knowledge.

Sami (Age 17) Third Daughter: Younger twin sister, with a gift for accounting and a talent for mental arithmetic.

Nike (Age 16) Fourth Son: Beautiful boy, whose spear moved faster than the eye could follow.

Being from the same family as Madam Mutsumi and Ichiha, they were all beautiful.

On top of that, each had a superior talent, so I could understand why all these countries wanted them as brides, or grooms, or retainers. I could understand, but... even so, there was no person among them that I desperately wanted for myself. No, not among them.

Well, having been the last to get here, it had little to do with us.

Or so I thought, but... I felt like Id suddenly made eye contact with Duke Chima up on the platform. I had a bad feeling about this, and it quickly proved to be true.

Duke Chima looked at me as he said, In regards to the selection process, I would like the countries to choose in the order of largest contribution. Thus, the one whose country had the largest force, and slew the most monsters, must be this gentleman here. The King of Friedonia, Sir Souma Kazuya!

The moment he said that, all eyes focused on us.

Their glances were a mix of resignation, interest, and envy. I had effectively come last only to take the best part, so that may have been to be expected.

Aw, damn it... He just had to do this...

I was sure Duke Chima wanted a link to a prominent country, no matter what it took.

Naturally, as the most powerful country here, he was going to want a line of contact with us. That was probably why hed given us first place.

For my part, I wanted to avoid standing out here, and to quietly achieve my objective afterward, but now hed made it a hassle.

Then I felt an especially sharp pair of eyes on me.

Wha?!

Juna and Naden let go of the arms they were wrapped around, and Aisha positioned herself so as to protect me from that stare.

When I looked past Aisha in the direction I had felt it from, there was Fuuga.

He was looking straight at me with no expression. Those eyes said, If youre planning to choose Young Miss Mutsumi, be prepared.

If I were to tease him by saying I wanted Madam Mutsumi now, Fuuga would probably decide I was an enemy.

In The Prince, Machiavelli said people will soon forget injuries against themselves, but they will never forget injury to their property or women.

If I did something like steal Madam Mutsumi, Fuuga would no doubt come to steal her back, even if it meant war with the Kingdom of Friedonia. Like King Agamemnon, invading and destroying Troy to take back his younger brothers beautiful wife, Helen.

I have no intent of creating a source of strife with Fuuga, but...

Was that man this true to his desires?

If he wanted something, hed do anything to attain it. That position was terrifying.

I turned to Duke Chima and bowed a little before silently shaking my head.

Its a kind offer, but Ill have to decline.

S-Say what?!

We of the Kingdom of Friedonia were late to arrive, and our contributions are not equal to those who have fought long and hard here. I ask you to please give the reward to somebody else.

When I said that, a clear feeling of relief flowed through the room.

That was because the number of slots for rewards hadnt decreased, Im sure. From here and there, I heard things like...

A wonderful show of consideration.

It seems the new King of Friedonia is sensible.

What an upstanding man he is.

...and other compliments.

Just how serious were they, I wonder?

After I stepped aside, first place became Fuuga of Malmkhitan, so it seemed Fuuga would be able to attain Madam Mutsumi, whom he desired.

Fuuga rose to the platform and suddenly swept Madam Mutsumi up in his arms, carrying her like a princess. I wont make you do anything bothersome like say I want you as a retainer. Mutsumi, Ive been in love since I first laid eyes on you. Be my wife.

Up on stage, and with central figures from many other countries watching him, he gave her a straightforward proposal.

It made Madam Mutsumis eyes go wide, but she quickly wrapped her lithe arms around Fuugas neck.

Hee hee, youre wonderful. Ill do it. I do like strong people.

Yeah! I swear, if its for you, Ill never lose to anyone!

I believe you, Lord Fuuga.

Together with applause for the two of them, there were looks that were half congratulatory and half jealous.

No, more of them are jealous, I think.

That was just how many people had been after Madam Mutsumi.

Fuuga clearly didnt care in the slightest about any of the looks. I guess that was Fuuga for you. Anyway, I was glad not to have created undue strife with him.

While I was feeling relieved, I noticed Yuriga staring at me.

...Is something wrong?

Why did you turn down first place? You could have been the one to take Mutsumi!

That wasnt just curiosity in her eyes; it looked like she seriously wanted to know.

Could it be because my brother was after Mutsumi? she demanded.

Its like I said before, but... that might be part of it, too. I dont want to fight Fuuga.

I see. Youre afraid of my brother.

When she said that, the look in Yurigas eyes was a little sharp. What had brought that on?

Then, in a quiet voice, Yuriga began to talk.

We know how incredible my brother is. But thats not always true of others. In the Union of Eastern Nations, there are those who underestimate him as a minor king from the steppes.

Well, Malmkhitan was still a small country in terms of territory, after all. If I said that, I, the ruler of the Kingdom of Friedonia, was afraid of the king of a small country like Fuuga, theyd laugh that I was being too timid.

Yuriga, however, never laughed. But... you arent like that, I see. Even though you rule a kingdom that is incomparably larger than the steppes of Malmkhitan, youre as cautious of my brother as you should be.

No, thats...

I see why my brother took notice of you now. I understand why youre protected by so many people, too. Yuriga smiled faintly.

When a girl of thirteen smiled as if she saw right through me, it gave me a bit of a shock. Though it was in a different way from her brother, this girl might not be normal, either.

While we were talking, the distribution of rewards ended.

With this, the places my children will be going have been decided, Duke Chima said. Everyone, I truly...

Ah! A moment, if I may?

With Duke Chima about to give his closing remarks, I decided now was the time to strike and cut him off.

Um, are you dissatisfied regarding the matter of the reward, perhaps? Duke Chima asked, his eyes wide.

I hurriedly shook my head. Oh, no, no. This isnt about the reward. You have another child named Sir Ichiha Chima, yes, Sir Mathew? The youngest one.

Wh-Why, yes. Hes right there, in fact...

As Duke Chima said, Ichiha was at my side.

I put my hand down on Ichihas head, and said to Duke Chima, From the looks of it, hes become fast friends with my little sister. I also hear that all the boys and girls of the Chima family are excellent, so I believe this boy has potential, too. That being the case, how about it? Id like you to leave Sir Ichiha in the care of our country so that he can be educated.

M-My word... The suddenness of the proposal left Duke Chima flummoxed.

In his head he was probably working out my intent, and weighing the merits and demerits of accepting my proposal. By the way, I had gotten Ichihas permission first before proposing this. He already seemed enthusiastic about coming to our country.

Hed felt awkward as the oddball who did nothing but draw pictures of monsters, and the person who understood him best, Madam Mutsumi, would be leaving, too, so he had nothing tying him down here.

His mother had long since passed away, so it was just a matter of whether or not Duke Chima gave permission.

Duke Chima hesitantly said, Listen... The boy is a little eccentric, and hes physically quite weak. I dont know that he can live up to your expectations...

If hes physically frail, thats all the more reason he should come to our place, I said firmly. Our country is in the middle of a medical revolution, and we have talented doctors. It would be good to have them look at him. Also... Im more than fine with him being eccentric. I have a weakness for people like that. I doubled down. Im sure well have him study under Prime Minister Hakuya for a while. Then, next spring, Im planning to have Ichiha and Tomoe go to school together.

M-Me, go to school?! Tomoe looked surprised.

I grinned and nodded. Yeah. Ive been talking with Hakuya about it. Theres a lot you can learn from living as part of a group. Hakuya wants you to go to school and learn the things you cant learn with just a private tutor. Im still debating whether to choose the Academy (for academic subjects) or the Officers Academy (for military subjects), though.

I-Ill... be going to school with Ichiha... Tomoe was shaken up by the news, but she seemed happy. Her expression was one of confusion, but her wolf tail was wagging away, so it was easy to tell.

Then, having put his thoughts in order, Duke Chima put on his affable middle-aged man smile. Ohh, if thats how it is, then please!

It seemed hed decided it would be a good thing to have a line of contact with our country.

Youre fine with this, as well, right, Ichiha? he asked.

Y-Yes, Father! Ichiha nodded his head.

Relieved, I extended my right hand. Good. Well then, Ichiha. Itll be a pleasure to have you.

Yes. Ill be in your care.

Ichiha and I exchanged a firm handshake.

The other people gathered here looked at us as if they werent sure just what they had witnessed.

They were likely befuddled by the fact that the King of Friedonia, who they thought had turned down the prize, had obtained the youngest brother, who hadnt been included in it.

However, the youngest brother of the Chimas was famous for being an oddball, so no one raised an objection to it. In fact...

He led in all those troops, and all he got for it was the youngest brother. Its hardly worth the bother.

There were even those who blatantly mocked Ichiha like that. It was probably in attempt to praise me, but I found it distasteful they felt they had to belittle Ichiha to do it.

Well, there was no need to explain what made Ichiha so valuable to people like that, so I just gave them a polite smile and left it at that.

As Ichiha looked down in response to the harsh words, I put a hand on his head and said in a voice only he could hear, Let them say what they please. You were all I wanted from the very beginning.

Souma...

I grinned. If you had been included in the reward to begin with, Im sure Id have chosen you without giving up my position as the greatest contributor. Even if that meant coming into conflict with Fuuga.

Ichiha finally smiled a little for me.

Elfrieden Historical Idiom Lessons: Number 6

To Gain the Youngest Brother of House Chima

Type: Proverb

Meaning:

To gain little in exchange for a lot of hard work.

For the thing everyone left behind to actually be an incredible treasure.

Origin: This idiom has meant different things at different times. At first, it was said with meaning (1). It comes from Souma, who led reinforcements to the Union of Eastern Nations and then brought back Ichiha Chima, who was then thought to be without talent, as his prize. However, as the hidden potential of Ichiha Chima blossomed, it took on meaning (2), which was the opposite.

Equivalent Expressions:

Great pains all in vain.

There is fortune to be found in that which others leave behind.