Chapter 1: Fundraising (part 1)

On the 32nd day of the 4th month in the 1546th year of the Continental Calendar,

the throne was ceded to Souma Kazuya.

It happened in the capital of the Elfrieden Kingdom, Parnam.

This city was the capital, where the residence of the Elfrieden Kingdom's king,

Parnam Castle, was. A town had risen up around Parnam Castle, and the circular

walls surrounding it were reminiscent of a city-state in Middle Ages Europe. The

roofs in the nobles' quarter and the peasants' quarter were uniformly orange, and

this suited the classic image of the town well.

Parnam Castle was in the center, connected with north, south, east and west

gates by large roads that were always busy with carriages and large mounted beasts.

Aside from the main roads, there were also countless smaller cobblestone roads

radiating out from the castle, and these small roads were connected by yet more

small roads. Seen from the air, it would have resembled a spider's web, or perhaps a

snowflake. These roads were lined on both sides with merchants and tradespeople,

and they were always bustling.

Since today was a holiday, and also the first day off since the new king, Souma

(though, with the crowning ceremony not yet having taken place, he was technically

only acting king), had been given the throne, the marketplace was even more busy

than usual. This sudden change of monarchs had caused tension in the castle town

for a little while, but once they had heard that the throne had been ceded to the

summoned hero, and that the former king, Albert, had announced his abdication of

his own will, and that Souma was betrothed to Princess Liscia, the former king's

daughter, the confusion naturally died down.

Because the former king had ruled through "being loved," the rumors settled

down to:

"Well, if the king is fine, I guess it's okay."

"Yeah, the pressure really seemed to be getting to him. I'm glad he has that

weight off his shoulders now."

"He'll be able to take it easy now. It's best for everyone this way."

The people's interpretations of what had happened were largely favorable. It

seemed the king's lackadaisical manner was in tune with the national character.

Having had the throne foisted on him, Souma had worried that a resistance

movement might rise against the sudden change, but he was a little let down when it

never happened. Regardless, it was another peaceful day in Parnam as people of

many races went about their business.

As if cutting through that peaceful afternoon, a white horse galloped down the

cobblestones.

The horse was spurred on by a beautiful young girl in a red military uniform that

looked like it could have come out of The Rose of Versailles. She was sixteen or

seventeen years old with fair skin, and platinum blonde hair that streamed behind

her in the wind. Her tight-fitting uniform accentuated the well-balanced lines of her

body.

A beautiful girl riding a white horse made for a picturesque scene in its own

right. The people she passed on her way let out gasps of admiration, which turned to

cheers when they realized she was their country's princess.

"Congratulations on your betrothal, Princess!"

"We wish you happiness!"

The people sent her their warmest regards, with no idea how she herself felt

about the matter. Of course, it was unlikely she could hear them now, anyway.

"Father, Mother... Please, be safe!" she, Liscia Elfrieden, whispered to herself with

a pained look on her face.

"Father! What is the meaning of this?" Liscia demanded, raising her voice at the

sight before her.

The king's bedroom. It was a room large enough that the king-sized bed did not

dominate it, and each and every piece of furniture was exquisitely designed.

Originally, this bedroom had been meant to be the private quarters of the royal

couple, so it should have been turned over to Souma when he ascended the throne,

but Souma hadn't wanted to go through the trouble of moving in, so he had given

permission for the former royal couple to stay, and they were still using it. Souma,

incidentally, had brought a simple bed into the governmental affairs office and slept

there.

When Liscia ran into that room, out of breath, she was greeted by the sight of her

parents not only elegantly enjoying tea on the attached balcony, but dipping scones

in cream, raising them up to each other's mouths, and saying:

"Say ah, darling."

"Ah."

and feeding each other.

Liscia fell to the ground, but quickly stood back up, and marched up to the former

king, Albert, with anger in her eyes.

"Father, when I heard your throne had been usurped, I hastened back from my

patrol outside the capital! So, why is it that I now find you two feeding each other

without a care in the world?!"

Liscia, in addition to her title as a princess (though, following the abdication, she

was now the new king's betrothed), had also graduated from officers' school and

held an officer's rank in the army. She was not especially high in the ranks, but due

to her high birth, she was often tasked with attending royal army funerals, or with

other missions of a special nature. This time, she had been on a regional patrol, so

upon hearing of her father's abdication, she had rushed to the capital.

"There was no usurpation, really. I abdicated of my own will," her father said

calmly.

"Why would you suddenly do that?!"

"I had become certain that that man would make a better king for this nation

than I. This is a decision that I came to as the one entrusted with this country, and I

take full responsibility for it. I will tolerate no objections."

In that one moment, Liscia saw the dignified authority of the man who had, until

just recently, carried a nation on his shoulders, and found herself unable to object

any further. "Urkh... But how could you decide my engagement without even

consulting me?"

"You may discuss that between yourselves. The betrothal was something I forced

on him to begin with. If you do not want it, I doubt Sir Souma will force the matter."

"Motheeeer!" Liscia shouted. She turned to her mother for help, but Elisha just

smiled.

"Meet Sir Souma for yourself first. This is your life, so you must decide what you

will do with it yourself. Whatever your decision is, we will respect it."

With not even a straw to grasp at, Liscia's shoulders slumped.

She departed the room of the former royal couple and walked quickly across the

palace.

It had been some weeks since she had left this palace for her regional patrols.

Something about the palace she had been away from for a few weeks caught her

attention. Many of the servants were running around... The guards, the maids, the

bureaucrats, even the ministers... anyone and everyone was running. The sight of

pudgy ministers running about and gasping with sweat beading on their foreheads

was so surreal that she could only stare, dumbfounded.

It hadn't been like this before. The castle she remembered had been a place so

relaxed that it felt as if time just flowed slower there. The maids, the ministers...

everyone would walk slowly, and it was so quiet you could hear the palace guards

training in the courtyard from anywhere in the palace. Hadn't Liscia joined the

officers' academy because she had been sick and tired of that atmosphere?

But what now? No matter where she went in the castle, the sound of footsteps

echoed.

Liscia called out to one of the maids who was rushing past. "Can I have a

moment?"

"Why, Princess! How may I be of service?" the maid asked, slowing.

"Um... Everyone in the castle seems to be in an awful hurry. Is there something

happening?"

"No? Nothing in particular."

"Are you sure? It felt like everyone was rushing to do something..."

"I am. Ah, but, perhaps it is our new king's influence. When we see how that man

works, it makes us feel bad if we don't work, too. I couldn't stand to be slow myself,

either... Ah, I'm in the middle of something right now, so I will take my leave!"

"I-I see... Do your best."

As she watched the maid speed off, Liscia was dumbfounded.

For him to make even the maids feel this way, just how hard does the new king

work?! Just what kind of guy have I gotten myself betrothed to?!

Liscia found herself wanting to bury her head in her hands all the more.

At last, she came to the king's governmental affairs office. When she opened the

door, the first thing that she saw was a mountain of paperwork. On a desk large

enough that two fully-grown adults could have slept atop it, the papers were piled

high and looked ready to spill over. That was not all. When she looked around, she

saw a number of bureaucrats sitting at another long table, fighting a losing battle

with yet more bundles of paperwork.

As Liscia stood there, dumbfounded, a young man spoke to her from the other

side of the mountain of paper.

"You, whoever just came in."

"...Huh?! What?!" Snapped back to her senses, Liscia had let out a strange cry, but

the speaker didn't seem to care at all.

"Can you read? Can you do math?"

"D-Don't mock me! I've certainly been taught that much!"

"Well, perfect. Get over here and help me with the work."

"Just who do you think you are, asking me to help...?"

"Just do it. That's a royal order."

Saying this, the person behind the paper mountain stood up.

Now, finally, for the first time, the two came face to face. This was the first

meeting between the new king, Souma, and his betrothed, Liscia.

Liscia would later describe her first impression of him as "a young man with tired

eyes."