How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

On the way here, he had told me himself what his gift was. And, as far as I was concerned, his was “the gift this country needs most right now.”

When he sees him, what will that young king’s judgment be?

Will he look down on the man’s appearance (a big round belly and a pudgy face), which no one would call attractive, even as empty flattery?

Will he make a laughingstock of him in front of the entire country?

Even if he doesn’t go that far, will he miss the importance of the man’s gift?

If he does any of those things, I…

“Next, Poncho Panacotta of Potte Village, step forward!”

“Y-Yes, I’ll do that, yes!

When Prime Minister Marx called his name, the fat man named Poncho walked forward with heavy steps, his round belly wobbling. The comical way he walked drew laughs from all around. Even Princess Liscia was struggling to suppress a smile.

When I looked to see the king’s reaction, his face was serious. Not smiling, not displeased, just looking at Sir Poncho with a serious expression.

“This one’s gift, as you may have guessed from the look of him, is for eating,” Marx said. “During the application process, a number of people claimed to have the ‘gift of being a big eater,’ but none could defeat him. Furthermore, his stance towards his pursuit of food is unusual. He has traveled the world, eating the famous and bizarre dishes of each region. In his own words, ‘If it was edible, I ate it.’ However, it seems he has spent his entire fortune on traveling and eating, so he is not as well off as he might appear… Ahem. Regardless, it can be said that he has a gift that is unique in our country, so…”

“I’ve been waiting for you!” The king was moving before Marx could even finish reading the explanation. When he reached Poncho, he took his hand with both hands, not hiding his elation in the slightest. “I’m so glad you responded to my call! You’re the sort of person I’ve been waiting for!”

“Huh… uh… What?” Sir Poncho’s eyes darted around. His brain couldn’t keep up with the situation.

Eventually, his mind caught up, and his face stiffened.

“M-Me, Your Majesty?”

“Exactly! You’re the one this country has been waiting for! More than any of these other gifted people, I’m glad that you came! I always thought that if someone like you was among the civil officials, it would be worth recommending they apply!”

“D-Do you feel that strongly about me, yes?”

“Yeah. Your knowledge from wandering around eating famous and bizarre foods will be the key to saving this country!”

When the king said that, Sir Poncho cried a flood of tears. “I–I… Everyone’s always called me a fatty… An idiot wasting his money on food… As for me, I only went around eating because I wanted to eat, so I thought they were right… Can even my gluttony be of service to this country?”

The king tapped the crying Sir Poncho on the shoulder. “Let them say what they want about you. No matter how trivial something is, if you master it, it’s a gift. Be proud! The appetite you didn’t hesitate to spend your fortune on will save this country! Please, share your wisdom with me!”

Hearing his king’s earnest request, Poncho wiped away his tears with his sleeve. “Y-Yes! If my knowledge can be of help, please use it, yes!” he responded cheerfully.

When I looked around, most of the audience were standing there, mouths agape, unable to digest the situation. In the midst of that, King Souma returned to the throne, then turned to Marx and said, “In this country, there is a tradition of the king rewarding meritorious servants, or those for whom he has high hopes, with a new name, isn’t there?”

“…Ah, yes. That is correct, sire.”

“In that case, Poncho, I bestow upon you the name Ishizuka. In my homeland, this was the name of an ‘insatiable seeker and evangelist of food.’ Work hard, so as not to bring shame upon that name.”

“Ye… Yes, sir! Thank you, yes!”

This was the explosive moment in which Poncho Ishizuka Panacotta was born. The first person King Souma had personally welcomed as one of his retainers was the rotund man with the vigorous appetite, Sir Poncho.

I wanted to cry out for joy. Splendid! This was a king who had his priorities straight!

Whether he would hire Poncho or not had been a touchstone for this king. I had thought that if he failed to recognize the man’s value, but hired him on the potential he might someday be of use, that would be a pass. If he had chosen not to hire him solely based on his appearance, that would be a failure. I never dared to imagine he would welcome him so enthusiastically. This was a happy miscalculation for me.

This man may well save this country.