How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom

When Kazuya Souma is unexpectedly transported to another world, he knows the people expect a hero. But Souma's idea of heroism is more practical than most—he wants to rebuild the flagging economy of the new land he's found himself in! Betrothed to the princess and abruptly planted on the throne, this realist hero must gather talented people to help him get the country back on its feet—not through war, or adventure, but with administrative reform!

Now King of Elfrieden, Souma begins to put his economic reforms into motion—only to find himself clashing with the rebellious Duke Georg Carmine, General of the Army. When the neighboring Principality of Amidonia gets involved, Souma's hopes for peace and diplomacy go right out of the window as the countries wind up embroiled in war! Facing opposition both at home and abroad, can he hold his own in the military arena as well as the political one?

Souma presses Elfrieden's siege on the Amidonian principality, whose soldiers fight tooth and nail to keep him at bay. The violence on the front lines is bad enough, but a surprise attack at the rear will confound the bloody battle further. Souma and Carla must fend off Gaius themselves in a life-or-death test of nerves, loyalty, and steel. When hard-fought victory finally dawns over the capital, it's time for the realist hero to get to work. Souma now needs to win over the citizens of the former enemy nation, and he has a most unusual plan that just might do the trick.

When the Principality of Amidonia sends a desperate call for help defending itself against civil war and enemy invasion, Souma agrees to aid their former enemy. But the Principality's plea comes with strings, or perhaps rewards, attached—including a marriage proposal from their princess!

The enlightenment begins! Souma visits Lagoon City, where he finds Castor waiting for him. But Souma is prepared for the encounter, and has an ace up his sleeve! Castor is left dumbstruck when the king unveils a top secret project he's had the National Defense Force working on. Just what is Souma planning, and what role does he intend his disgraced former General to play in it?

An invitation from the godbeast, Mother Dragon, takes Souma to the Star Dragon Mountain Range to attend the Contract Ceremony, where contracts between knights and dragons are formed. There, he meets and befriends flightless dragon Naden, who has always been taunted for her inability to fly. But Souma's attempts to make her realize her own value are rudely interrupted when the Mother Dragon prophesies impending disaster—an unforeseen calamity is about to strike the Star Dragon Mountain Range, and Souma's caught right in it!

Having returned from the Star Dragon Mountain Range, Souma heads to the next destination on his diplomatic tour, the Republic of Turgis. While he is there to investigate the possibility of forming cordial relations with a neighbor they currently have no interaction with, Souma finds his attention drawn to the high level of the local blacksmiths, and a plan occurs to him. Sensing that state level negotiations will be necessary to make his plan a reality, he succeeds in arranging a meeting with the republic's head of state.

My retainers are my strength. With a massive number of monsters appearing in a "Demon Wave," the group of small to medium-sized countries known as the Union of Eastern Nations faces a crisis. During a conference with Empress Maria of the Gran Chaos Empire, Souma is asked to dispatch reinforcements to the union. The place Souma sends those troops to is the Kingdom of Lastania. Which is where a former foe, the crown prince Souma once drove from the Principality of Amidonia, Julius, is putting up a hard fight as a visiting general?!

Julius, Sovereign Prince of Amidonia, resumes his tyrannical rule after retaking the city of Van. However, after experiencing freedom, the populace revolts, sparking uprisings throughout the Principality. By popular demand, Souma is returned to power in Van, and shortly thereafter, he annexes the entire nation as a part of the Kingdom of Friedonia. The Gran Chaos Empire, leader of the Mankind Declaration, cannot let this stand. But when Empress Maria presses Souma on the issue, he finally tells her of the contradiction in her ideals.

The ceremony that will turn Souma from provisional king to true monarch is rapidly approaching, and because Souma is to wed his fiancees on the same day, the capital is overflowing with excitement. Not overflowing enough for Souma, though, who uses his own marriage as an excuse to push his retainers to confess to their beloveds and tie the knot, too. Admirable as the king's motives are, can the kingdom really handle all this romance, all at once?

With Souma's coronation and wedding behind him, he's ready to send his little sister Tomoe off for her first day at the Royal Academy. But from her first step through the gates, she's greeted with comments and stares from the other students. Tomoe's adoption, her gift, and her older brother are drawing a lot of attention . . . good, bad, and possibly even dangerous.

When Souma receives an invitation to a martial arts tournament, he has no plan to attend until he discovers two things: first, the grand prize is a single wish, and second, the daughter of his kingdom's former general will be participating. Her father was arrested as a traitor, and she has every reason to hate Souma and the Elfrieden Kingdom. Now, he'll have to discover her true intentions before she gains the power to start an all-out war.

Risking her life to save her homeland, Shabon, a princess from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, joins Souma's side in hopes of stopping an impending war. But with a fleet already en route to the hostile archipelago under his orders, Souma sets out on an infiltration mission before it arrives, and he discovers that the real threat is a massive creature in their waters that defies all common sense!

With Souma's defeat of the giant monster that menaced the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, the people of the Kingdom celebrate his achievement. However, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, someone else has done something even greater-reclaim a piece of the Demon Lord's Domain. That is what Fuuga, King of Malmkhitan, has accomplished.

The Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan, the Gran Chaos Empire, and the Maritime Alliance headed by the Kingdom of Friedonia compete with one another in a newly tripolar world. Suddenly, the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan, home to the high elves, attempts to make contact with these three great powers. They desire to regain the land they lost in the expansion of the Demon Lord's Domain. Souma, however, refuses to help them, seeing no benefit in doing so. Meanwhile, the Great Tiger Kingdom accepts their request and sends troops.

Two years have passed since the Spirit King's Curse shook the world. In this time, Souma and the Kingdom of Friedonia have been preparing for an impending period of unprecedented chaos. However, the Kingdom was not the only country to burgeon over the two years. Fuuga has been expanding the border of his Great Tiger Kingdom of Haan as well. Following the acquisition of the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, Fuuga sought to bring the Mercenary State Zem under his control. Now, having gained such powerful forces, he declares war on mankind's greatest nation—the Gran Chaos Empire.