The first part of the hugely popular anime "How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom" aired in July 2021. The second part, which is the sequel, will air in January 2022. The first part ended with a question mark over the future of the Elfrieden Kingdom, created by Soma. The story is expected to pick up pace even more in the second part, with new heroines and more unique characters. Here, we will provide a thorough explanation of the first part of the story that will likely air in the second part. (Spoiler Alert!)
How Part 1 Ends
In Episode 13, the final episode of Part 1, Soma defeated the Principality of Amidonia and successfully occupied its capital, Van. Amidonia was a military state, but Soma granted freedom of expression, opened up the streets to stalls, and created opportunities for the people to sing, hold concerts, and watch their favorite TV shows broadcast via the Emperor's surrender broadcast. It was striking to see how the people of Van found life easier under occupation, and how they naturally smiled. While we might think that the first crisis is over, Part 1 ends with the arrival of Jeanne Euphoria, sent by the Grand Chaos Empire in accordance with the "Humanity Declaration."
Part 2
Part 2 begins with Julius Amidonia, the sole survivor of the Principality of Amidonia, pleading with the Empire, led by Jeanne, for help and the return of Van's territory. Since war did not break out immediately and the Empire was reluctant to help due to its commitments in the "Humanity Declaration," the situation settled into a negotiation between the nations. To summarize the outcome, it was decided that Van would be returned, and in return, Amidonia would pay reparations for its invasion of the Kingdom of Elfrieden. Although it was their own doing, with only Julius and his close aides remaining, the Amidonia side had no right to refuse.
Secret Negotiations with the Empire ①
Julius, who had no real power, was forced to leave the meeting, and negotiations with the Empire, which was Soma and Chancellor Hakuya's true goal, began. First, an agreement was reached to regularly share bilateral research on monsters. Furthermore, Imperial research revealed evidence of intelligent demons cooking monsters. Hearing this, Soma hypothesized that while demons and demons may appear to humans to be of the same race, in reality, they exist in a very similar ecosystem to humans, feeding on other demons just as humans hunt and eat animals.
Secret Negotiations with the Empire ②
The next topic on the Empire's agenda was their request to join the "Humanity Declaration." While Soma didn't explicitly state it, he had long pointed out the pitfalls of the declaration, and ultimately settled on a secret bilateral alliance between the Empire and the Kingdom. The agreement was reached to hand over the jewel receiver to the Empire for rapid information sharing and to dispatch "embassies" and ambassadors to both countries for direct diplomacy. Soma's realistic proposal to introduce a modern-day system to this world was accepted, and good relations with the Empire were established.
The Life of Georg Carmine
After returning Van to the kingdom, Soma found himself in the dungeon before Georg Carmine, a former head of the army. In the first season of the anime, Georg carried out a plan to hide corrupt nobles and pretend to rebel against the kingdom, then lose the battle and arrest them along with them. Since the nobles cannot be brought to justice without bringing the perpetrators to justice, they cannot be found innocent. Soma suggests that Georg commit suicide by poisoned drink rather than a public execution. The only sounds heard were the collapse of his body and the shattering of the bottle of poisoned drink. The man named Georg met his end. His actions, to drain the pus for his country, were driven by his loyalty as a warrior, dedicating his future to Souma Kazuya.
Award of Merit: Two Wives①
Finally, the rewards for the recent war have been awarded. Aisha was given the new salary of "Kochij" (East Wind Samurai), and a reward was also given to Aisha's father, Bohdan Udgard, who had provided reinforcements with his bow. Bohdan asked Soma to take Aisha as his wife. Soma was taken aback by this sudden request, but with the support of First Queen Rishia and her words, "Make sure you marry her properly," he gave Aisha official status as Second Queen.
Award for Merit: Two Wives ②
Next, we move on to the reward for Juna, who surprised the Principality army in the Valley of Golda. Soma had expected that, as he had expected, they would request a lighter sentence for Carla and Castor, but Excel Walter, one of the Three Lords and Juna's grandmother, intervened. Juna looked gloomy after seeing Aisha's engagement, and Excel Walter gently told her precious granddaughter, "Please grant your wish."
Award for Merit: Two Consorts ③
Juna looked straight at Soma and said, "I would like to continue singing beside you, along with Princess Aisha and you." Juna was initially sent to Excel as a spy, but before she knew it, her feelings for Soma had become firm. Soma, aware of Juna's role as a diva and her importance to the country, declared that he would "definitely come to welcome her" once a successor emerged and completed her duties. Juna, a commoner, will serve as a concubine, while Aisha will serve as second queen. Two new candidates for the queen have now been selected.
Those Who Are Punished ①
The last thing left to discuss was the punishment of former air force officer Castor and his daughter Carla. At the trial, Hakuya demanded the sentence, Excel Walter defended, and Soma, after consulting with the 14 nobles, was tasked with handing down the verdict. Hakuya called for the death penalty, while Excel asked for his life to be spared. After hearing both sides' arguments and Castor's remorse, Soma turned to the nobles in the back and said, almost as if threatening them, "I don't see how anyone would oppose condemning this traitor."
Those Being Punished ②
Rishia was surprised by Soma's actions, which were the complete opposite of his usual style, but only two nobles opposed the plan. The earnest, good-looking young man, Piltry Saracen, and the muscular giant, Owen Giabana, argued logically that the king was imposing his opinions too heavily, and that Castor's status and fortune had already been taken away, so that was enough. Soma simply ordered, "Take them," and soldiers led the two out of the great hall. The other nobles, fearful of Soma, argued that Castor and his companions should be executed immediately to prevent resistance.
Those Who Are Punished ③
"I understand everyone's opinion. Now, cut down." The blade swung down, blood flew, and 12 heads fell. Soma interpreted the "good use of cruelty" in Machiavelli's "The Prince" as condemning those who were currently allies but would turn to rebel if their momentum were to decline. The 14 nobles in the rear—they pretended to be loyal for years, but were actually bat-like men ready to stab him in the back at any moment—except for the two nobles who openly voiced their opposition. The remaining 12 heads fell. Soma decided to eliminate the problem lurking within him before it could cause further harm.
Black Cat and its Treatment
The unit that executed the 12 heads is known as the "Black Cat" intelligence unit. Directly under Soma, they continue to operate as a shadowy organization, engaged in espionage, espionage, and assassination. Piltree, who was not condemned and spoke out boldly, was promoted to an important position, becoming ambassador to the former Empire, while Owen became Soma's advisor and mentor. Furthermore, since the trial itself was intended from the beginning to condemn the nobles, Carla served Soma and Rishia as a chamberlain, while Castor settled down by starting as a private in Excel's navy.
Reoccupation ①
One month after the end of the war, the people rebelled against the new Julius regime, which had once again taken away the freedoms Soma had given them, and occupied Van. Having had all of their previously enjoyed self-expression taken away from them, their hearts had already shifted to King Soma from the time of the occupation. At the request of the Van people, Soma reoccupied Van. Upon hearing this, Saint Maria Euphoria and Jeanne of the Empire quickly broadcast the Imperial Rescript on Surrender, claiming that this was a violation of the "Declaration of Humanity."
Reoccupation ②
Through the Imperial Rescript on Surrender, Soma explained to Maria and the others about the pitfalls of the declaration he had previously mentioned. The two clauses that I pointed out as potential pitfalls were the prohibition of border changes through force and the recognition of the right of self-determination for the various ethnic groups within the country. In this case, when the people of Van exercised their right to self-determination and requested occupation by the Kingdom of Elfrieden, the declaration only recognized their right to self-determination. However, the declaration did not allow the border to be changed from Amidonia to Elfrieden, creating a contradiction. In other words, while the declaration could be adhered to without issue between foreign nations, it became contradictory when it came to domestic issues.
Colbert and Roroa
After explaining this, Soma received the Empire's approval for the occupation. Additionally, Gatsby Colbert, briefly mentioned in Part 1, was appointed Minister of Finance as a new talent recruit from the former Amidonia, officially securing someone to manage the country's finances. Finally, Loloa Amidonia became a candidate for queen. It was a surprise, but Amidonia's younger sister, who appeared at the appointment, announced that she had come to marry Soma. Soma appreciated Loloa's talent as a merchant, the legitimacy of the occupation of Amidonia, and her desire to protect the lives of the townspeople over her own bloodline, and officially named her as a candidate for queen.
Kingdom of Friedonia
Although Loloa suddenly became queen, she quickly became friends with Soma, Rishia, and the others, thanks to her adorable appearance, friendly Kansai dialect, and ingenuity in coming up with a system of advertising the nobles' products during breaks in the Emperor's surrender broadcast. Thus was born the "United Kingdom of Elfrieden and Amidonia," which came to be known colloquially as the "Kingdom of Friedonia." Now, let's move on to introducing the other new talents.
Slave Trader Ginger Camus
Ginger Camus reluctantly took over his grandfather's business as a slave trader. Ginger intended to continue working until he could sell the slaves his grandfather left behind, first teaching them reading, writing, and arithmetic. His timid and gentle nature meant that he prioritized buyers over money, and instead focused on whether they would care for his slaves. Soma appreciated his ability to add value to slaves and discern who would be willing to sell them, and appointed him as the first director of a vocational training center for children and unemployed adults.
Medical Scientists Brad Joker and Hildenog
In a world where medicine and hygiene were underdeveloped due to the advancement of magic, the three-eyed tribe was able to see microorganisms with their own eyes. Because of their ability to see microorganisms, they were strict about infectious disease prevention, even developing antibiotics. He hired Hildenog, a three-eyed tribe doctor and a germaphobic woman wearing a gas mask, to manage the city's sanitation. Another member, Blood Joker, utilized the knowledge he gained from battlefield surgery and dissections to become a skilled surgeon so skilled he was known as a divine physician, a non-magical doctor. He was also appointed to a medical position.
Former King Albert and Queen Elisha
Why was Soma immediately appointed king, and why did Georg recognize Soma as king and carry out his plan to take the nobles down with him? Soma's target was Queen Elisha, Rishia's mother. Alberto was informed that Elisha's ability to "inherit memories from the past" would ensure failure in a future where Soma did not become king, or where other people were promoted instead of Soma. He summoned Soma and immediately made him king, and had Georg deal with the nobles who plotted rebellion in the future. Upon learning this background, Soma was once again entrusted with the future of the country by the two.
Summary
This time, we've covered the beginning of Part 2 of "How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom." In the light novel version, this section spans from the middle of volume 3 to the end of volume 4, and it marks the beginning of Soma's Kingdom of Elfrieden growing into the Kingdom of Friedonia, solidifying the country's foundation with the arrival of new queens and talented vassals. Since the second part of the anime is likely to continue a little further into the future, it's definitely worth reading the light novel version as well.
