How a realist hero rebui.., p.1
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 20, page 1
Table of Contents
Cover
Color Illustrations
World Map
Character Profiles
Prologue: Proposal
Chapter 1: Souma’s Secret Child?
Chapter 2: The “Gorilla” Opens for Business +α1
Chapter 3: The Royal Couple of Remus’s Stay in the (Former) Capital of the Principality
Chapter 4: Happy Wedding Planner
Chapter 5: Merula Returns to Her Home Country
Chapter 6: How the Formerly Cold-Blooded Prince Rebuilt the Kingdom
Chapter 7: Lively Days in the Euphoria Kingdom
Chapter 8: And on the Eighth Day
Chapter 9: Masked Couple
Chapter 10: Souma Goes to Yumuen
Epilogue: Parnam Castle Is Always Lively
Afterword
Bonus Textless Images
About J-Novel Club
Copyright
Prologue: Proposal
After the death of the great man Fuuga Haan, many expected the world to fall into chaos.
However, Souma, King of Friedonia and leader of the Maritime Alliance, swiftly eliminated Krahe—the traitor responsible for Fuuga’s death—and then took command at the ensuing summit of world leaders. By dividing the Great Tiger Empire into three separate nations and skillfully balancing the interests of each, he managed to minimize the resulting turmoil.
In time, every country—except for the self-governing domain of the dragons in the Star Dragon Mountain Range and the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom—joined the newly formed Union of the Southern Continent, an evolution of the Southern Maritime Alliance. These nations would gather at the Southern Continent Union Conference, hosted in the neutral Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom, to discuss international concerns and prevent the outbreak of large-scale disasters like war or famine. (The Dragon Knight Kingdom, acting as a neutral party, chaired the conference and received a special invitation to participate.)
Maria had once called for the world to unite under her ideals. Fuuga had tried to unite it through sheer will and martial strength. But ironically, the world ultimately came together—albeit loosely—under the Union of the Southern Continent, guided by Souma, the very man who had crushed Fuuga’s ambitions.
Later generations would describe it like this: Maria laid the groundwork, Fuuga built the castle, and Souma lived in it with his family.
The reason that sounded like Souma took all of the good parts was probably the spite felt by those who’d supported Maria and Fuuga.
Still, since Souma’s family included Maria herself, as well as Fuuga’s younger sister Yuriga, there was some magnanimity in the sentiment too.
While the northern hemisphere would go on to carve an exciting history full of adventure, the southern hemisphere entered a long period of peace and stability—one that would endure for centuries to come.
This loosely bound world came to be referred to, with a mix of sarcasm and envy, as Souma’s Empire. Even without an imperial crown or throne, the people had begun to see him as an emperor in all but name.
◇ ◇ ◇
I’m Carla Vargas, a maid working in Parnam Castle.
As head maid, it’s my job to oversee the other maids and manage the daily affairs of the castle’s staff. I inherited the position from the former head maid, Madam Serina, after her retirement, and I’ve been training junior maids alongside my regular duties for several years now. Before long, I’ll have spent more time in this role than I did serving in the air force.
When I was first appointed head maid, some of the other maids looked up to the heavens and pumped their fists in triumph... Yeah. Fellow victims of that sadist, no doubt.
Even after retiring, Serina continues to go to the castle for tea parties with Her Majesty Liscia, and never misses a chance to gleefully watch us squirm as we’re made to wear some truly humiliating outfits. She might have stepped down, but she clearly hasn’t mellowed out. She’s getting on in years, after all—not being a long-lived dragonewt like me—so I wish she’d slow down a little and take it easy.
That thought crossed my mind one afternoon as I was gathering up the sheets from where they’d been drying, when...
““Lady Carlaaa!””
Two energetic voices rang out, followed by the patter of feet. I turned just in time to see two identical young maids racing towards me.
“The east tower stair cleaning team is finished!”
“The west tower stair cleaning team is finished!”
The pair, who looked to be in their early teens, came to a stop and saluted in unison. Not just their faces, but their voices, tone, and gestures were all completely identical. It was hard to believe they weren’t twins.
Smiling, I reached out and placed a hand on each of their heads. “Well done, Marin, Maron.”
These two were Marin Panacotta and Maron Panacotta, daughters of Sir Poncho, the minister of agriculture and forestry. They were working in the castle as maids to receive etiquette training. Marin was Madam Serina’s daughter, while Maron was the daughter of Madam Komain.
They both had the same adorable, round faces, but Maron had inherited her mother’s darker skin tone, which made it easy to tell them apart.
When the other maids had heard that Madam Serina’s daughter would be joining the castle staff, they had braced themselves, anxious to see what kind of sadist she might have been. But once the truth came out, Marin proved to be just as earnest and hardworking as her sister Maron. The two quickly won over their coworkers’ hearts.
Everyone assumed their good manners were thanks to the other Panacotta wife, Madam Komain, whose reputation—despite few having actually met her—rose dramatically in their eyes.
I thought back on that as I told the girls, “Well then, you two. Tell the cleaning teams to move on to their next tasks.”
““Yes, ma’am!””
They saluted in unison, then ran off to carry out their orders.
Strictly speaking, that was poor etiquette for a maid, but they were still apprentices. And in truth, watching them dart around the castle brought a smile to everyone’s faces, so I let it slide without comment.
Once I finished folding the sheets, I headed inside.
They dry fast in weather like this... That idle thought crossed my mind as I walked down a corridor bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun.
“Carla.”
The sudden voice made me turn. Standing there was my liege.
“Your Majesty? What is it?” I replied. He should be at work at this hour. What is he doing here?
As I puzzled over it, His Majesty scratched his head awkwardly, clearly struggling to find the right words. He seemed unable to meet my eyes, his gaze wandering everywhere but my face.
“Um... Well... You know...”
“Hmm? Did you have business with me?”
At that, a look of resolve crossed his face. Then...
“Um... Carla!”
“Y-Yes?”
He suddenly dropped to one knee before me.
The ruler of a nation was kneeling before a maid carrying in the laundry. If anyone had been around to witness it, they’d have been utterly baffled. I, myself, was flabbergasted—but it didn’t take long for me to snap back to my senses.
I asked him what he was doing and urged him to stand, but instead, His Majesty pulled a small box from his pocket and offered it to me. The lid snapped open.
“Huh?!”
Inside was a ring.
A kneeling man, presenting a ring to a woman.
Even someone as ignorant of romance as I was...understood what that meant.
His Majesty pressed on, his voice firm and sincere. “Please, marry me!”
“...”
I was speechless. The suddenness of it left me frozen. But he continued, desperation creeping into his tone.
“My fiancée Sharan said she could accept it—‘If it’s Lady Carla,’ she told me! And even Kazuha said, ‘I’ve known you were head over heels for Big Sis Carla since we were kids, but if you ever start neglecting Sharan because of it, I’ll clobber you!’ So I (sort of) have her permission too! By my own name, I swear... I swear I’ll make you happy! So please, I’m begging you—be my queen!”
“K-King Cian...”
On that day, I received an honor far greater than I ever deserved: a proposal from King Cian—my best friend Liscia’s son.
(To be continued in the epilogue...)
Chapter 1: Souma’s Secret Child?
—Excerpted from an issue of Weekly Parnam Sports
It has been several years since Lord Souma, the key figure in the founding of the Union of the Southern Continent, abdicated the throne in favor of his son, making Lord Cian the second King of Friedonia.
Today, more and more children grow up without ever having known war, and peace and order reign so completely across the southern continent that even international vacations have become commonplace.
But in these uneventful times, curious rumors have begun to circulate in Lagoon City, the capital of Duchess Excel Walter’s domain. And what kind of rumors, you ask?
Shocking News! Former King Souma Suspected of Having a Secret Child?!
Lord Souma, known for welcoming queens of many races and walks of life, has fathered numerous children. Jealous men have dubbed him the Lecherous King or even the Emperor of the Night, but until now, no accusations of inf idelity have ever surfaced.
Even after he stepped down from the throne, his queens have remained active, and his children—including King Cian—have grown up strong and successful. The public believed the royal household to be stable, its marital relations harmonious.
But now, whispers say that Lord Souma has a secret child—one not born of any of his queens—and that this child may be living in Lagoon City.
If true, such a revelation could sow discord between Lord Souma and his wives, with no small impact on national politics.
Determined to uncover the truth behind this unlikely claim, this reporter traveled directly to the heart of the rumor: Lagoon City.
◇ ◇ ◇
On this day, I, an anonymous reporter from ParSpo (short for Weekly Parnam Sports), went undercover in Lagoon City and immediately began asking questions.
“The former king’s secret child? What are you talkin’ ab— Oh! Maybe you mean her.”
It seemed the proprietress of the inn where I was staying knew something. Suppressing my excitement at such a promising lead, I pressed her for more details.
“Nowa-chan, right? Her hair’s black, just like the former king’s. Though...the shape of her face isn’t all that similar.”
Incredible. I already had a name. The alleged secret child was a girl named Nowa.
I asked the proprietress to tell me more, and here’s what she said:
“She’s a good girl. There’s a kind of dignity about her that makes her feel a little hard to approach, but... Well, I threw my back out bringing in some new stock we’d just bought. I was stuck on the side of the road, unable to move, and Nowa-chan found me. She picked me up—along with all the goods—and carried me home.”
She’d carried both a grown woman and heavy cargo? It seemed this girl possessed monstrous strength. The former king, Lord Souma, had always been known more for his intellect than physical prowess—a pen rather than a sword kind of man. There were few, if any, records of him fighting on the battlefield directly.
This reporter clearly remembers that it was Souma’s cunning, not brute strength, that brought down Fuuga Haan.
It was hard to imagine that Lord Souma’s secret child would possess such monstrous strength.
I knew I needed to gather more information. After thanking the proprietress, I headed out into the town to ask the locals about the girl known as Nowa.
“Nowa-chan? She’s got a distinctive look, so you’ll recognize her right away,” said a market stall staff member.
“She’s a good, polite girl. And beautiful too,” said the owner of a flower shop.
And two women chatting by the well commented...
“She was wearing a uniform. From the naval officers’ academy, I think?”
“Yeah, that’s right. She’s probably around fifteen.”
It seemed that this girl, Nowa, was well-known here in Lagoon City—to the point where I could ask random passersby, and they would immediately say, “Oh, you mean that girl, right?”
But whenever I followed up with, “Is she the former king’s secret child?” they would stare at me blankly before awkward looks crept across their faces.
“Oh... Those rumors... Right.”
“Well, it’s no surprise a story like that would catch on.”
“Ah ha ha... I feel sorry for Nowa-chan.”
Their replies were all vague, evasive—even suspicious. It felt as if they were all in on some secret.
A girl suspected of being the former king’s illegitimate child...and a town full of people who clearly knew something, yet refused to say it outright.
There was no doubt in my mind now: This city was hiding something.
Emboldened by that certainty, I pressed on with my investigation.
Before long, I encountered a girl who claimed to be Nowa’s classmate at the naval officers’ academy.
“Nowa-chan? We’re friends,” she said with a cheerful smile.
She seemed friendly and easy to talk to—soft-spoken and sociable. Sensing an opportunity, I invited her to sit with me on a bench in a seaside park, where I began my interview.
As she nibbled at some ice cream she’d bought from a nearby stall, she chatted casually.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she? And such a good, earnest girl. Even though she’s the former king’s daughter, she never acts stuck up. If anything, she’s kind of...like a commoner? I mean, she always eats in the cafeteria.”
It seemed to be something of an open secret that this girl, Nowa, was the former king’s daughter.
But there was something odd about how her classmate spoke about it. Referring to such a serious and potentially scandalous background so casually—as if it were completely normal—felt off, especially coming from someone who claimed to be a close friend.
Curious, this reporter asked, “Does she stand out at school?”
The girl nodded.
“Well, yeah, she does. Because of her background, and how she looks. She’s not just beautiful; she’s got distinctive traits you don’t forget.”
Distinctive traits? What could those be?
“She’s got little antlers on her head, and a reptilian tail that sticks out from under her skirt.”
Antlers and a tail... Weren’t those characteristics typical of the sea serpent race?
Excel Walter, the former commander in chief of the National Defense Force, was a member of that race. And these features matched perfectly. This reporter had a hunch about what that might imply...but it was still too early to draw any conclusions.
I asked again if Nowa stood out at school.
“Well, yeah... When she first enrolled, everyone kept a respectful distance from her. But Nowa-chan’s a really good girl. Oh, and she’s real strong. When one of the senior students tried to throw his weight around with the younger kids, she sent him flying. Ever since then, she’s kind of been the leader of our year. Not that she wants to be treated like someone special though.”
Oh? Maybe that had something to do with being the former king’s secret child. Had she faced hardships because of it?
“I feel like she’s become more womanly since we moved up a grade,” the girl continued. “But funny enough, she’s more popular with girls than with boys. The younger girls look up to her and call her ‘Big Sister.’”
Hmm? Based on everything I’d heard so far, I would’ve expected her to be a hit with the boys too.
When I voiced my confusion, the girl laughed awkwardly.
“I’d say the issue is her guardian. The boys all know who she lives with, and that makes her feel kind of...off-limits. Like, if they try anything, they’ll be ruined. Nowa-chan even complains about it, like ‘I want to be more popular with the boys, not just the girls!’”
Guardian...? Could she have been referring to Lord Souma?
“Nah, that’s not it... Nowa-chan lives in the house of Duchess Walter. The boys all assume she must be just as experienced in love as the duchess. I mean, they’re both sea serpents, after all.”
So Nowa lived with Duchess Excel Walter. The moment I heard that, my suspicions solidified into certainty.
A suspected secret child of Lord Souma—one with features of the sea serpent race—living under the same roof as the most prominent sea serpent in the kingdom? The connection was too strong to ignore.
There could be no doubt: Nowa was the secret love child of Lord Souma and Duchess Walter.
Though Excel Walter is the grandmother of Juna Doma, Lord Souma’s first secondary queen, she looks no older than a woman in her twenties. If the two of them had made a...misstep one night, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for a child to have resulted from it.
However, at this point, it was all still speculation.
If I published anything now, it would be dismissed as tabloid fantasy—just my own wild delusions. I needed proof. I had to go to the source.
To uncover the truth, I submitted a formal request to interview Duchess Excel Walter herself.
I half expected to be turned away at the gates—or worse, silenced before I got close—but to my surprise, I was granted permission with ease. A direct interview was scheduled without delay.
I couldn’t help but wonder: Was this a trap? A setup to lure me in and quietly make me disappear?
Still, if I backed down now, I’d disgrace myself as a reporter.
Steeling my nerves, I went to the interview.
I was led to a reception room, where a stunning woman in an elaborate, gaudy dress awaited me.
