How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

I couldn’t very well have her bowing and calling me “Your Majesty” in a place like this with so many people watching, after all. I was supposed to be in disguise. Still, I had to be impressed with her ability to instantly ad-lib a response to my random nonsense. I definitely wanted her at the castle.

“I’ll pay you five times what they pay you here, so will you come be my personal secretary?” I asked her.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think this job where I can let the customers enjoy my songs is my calling, so I’ll have to decline.” She let me down lightly.

Yep. Even the way she rejects me has class.

“That’s a shame. But, they do say that rather than put wild flowers on display in your room, the flowers are more beautiful left blossoming in the fields.”

“Oh, but if you love and adore them, not just put them on display, flowers will shine even in a vase,” she retorted.

“I see. I must endeavor to be worthy of loving and adoring them, then.”

“Yes, worthy enough to convince the flowers they want you to take them.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha.”

“Hee hee hee hee hee.”

Juna and I laughed together.

As she watched us, Liscia seemed slightly taken aback. “Somehow, when you two talk, it’s like you’re each probing the other’s intentions.”

…Or so she thought. You’re wrong, Liscia, I said silently. Most likely, this was Fig. 1: A younger brother who wants to act more mature than he is being gently chided by his big sister for it.

…I’ll bet that’s how it was. Even though we were practically the same age.

“Slurrrrrp… Gelin udon truly is delicious, isn’t it?” Aisha said happily.

We had decided to stay at Lorelei and have lunch there.

Polishing off her gelin udon as fast as you would a bowl of wanko soba, Aisha shouted “Seconds, please!” thrusting the bowl out towards our waiter.

A cafe isn’t the place to be eating like that, you know… I thought.

“Still, gelin udon at a cafe…?” I wondered.

“Did you not like it?”

Juna looked worried, so I shook my head, saying, “Oh, no. I just thought it was odd to be slurping udon in a classy place like this.”

“Ever since that broadcast, there have been a lot of people wanting to try it,” she explained. “Besides, we aren’t through the food crisis yet, so we’re grateful to have these sorts of inexpensive ingredients we can use.”

“I’m working on it, but… sorry I’m not doing well enough,” I said.

“No, Your… Kazuya, I think you’re doing well.”

When Juna gave me that gentle smile, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Kick! Kick!

Okay, Liscia, stop kicking my shins under the table, please.

“Don’t you think Souma treats Juna differently from how he treats everyone else?” Liscia asked.

“Ahh, slurp… I had… slurp… noticed that, too,” Aisha agreed.

“…Hey, I can’t help it,” I protested. “I get nervous when I’m talking to a beautiful, older girl. Also, Aisha, eat or talk. Pick one.”

“Slurp.”

What, you’re choosing to eat? I could have poked fun at her, but that comedy routine’s too overdone, so I just let it go.

“…This after he told me I was beautiful, too,” Liscia said.

“Actually, Liscia, I think you’re beautiful in a different way than Juna is, you know?” I said.

“Wh-Why were you able to hear me?!” she exclaimed.

Uh, if you don’t want to be heard, lower your volume a little, would you?

…Part of it was that I was strangely conscious of her because she’d let me use her lap as a pillow.

“Y-You could have pretended not to hear,” she stammered.

“Like I could let it go by,” I retorted. “I’m a healthy young man, so don’t say things that are going to make me so conscious of you so often.”

“Oh, my, your faces are all red. You’re both so innocent.” Juna watched us bickering with a smile.

Next to us, Aisha slurped her udon like she was pouting. “Slurp… Why does he notice the princess’s affections… Slurp… but mine get ignored…? Slurp. Ah, I’ll have another bowl, please.”

“It may not be my place to say it… But perhaps he doesn’t take you seriously because you act like this?” Juna suggested.

“Madam Juna?! What have I done wrong?!” Aisha exclaimed.

“That appetite of yours. When I first saw you in the castle, you looked like a brave and dignified woman who was willing to address the king directly, but recently you’re just a disappointment who’s eating all the time.”

“Wh-Whaaaaat?!” Aisha started to look at us with eyes that seemed to plead, “Tell me she’s lying, Your Majesty, Princess.”

Liscia and I smiled, then both raised our arms in front of us in an X.

After all, I agreed with Juna 100 %.

“Poncho’s clearly been stealing everyone’s attention from her,” Liscia said.

“Where did that dignified Aisha go, I wonder?” Juna asked.