How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Enlightenment Arc Chapter 1: A Tale of Two Cities C In the first place, in this world, there were only a few people that could be called physicians by a modern Japanese’s standards .

The ones who performed medical care will be either a Light Attribute Magician or an apothecary[1] using medicinal drugs to diminish the patient’s symptoms .

Most of the Light Attribute Magicians were members of the Church .

Consequently, most of the hospitals were established together next to the building of the Church itself .

That is the current condition of this country, but it is a bit different in the Three-Eyed Tribe’s case .

Because of their above the norm medical technology, most of the ill or injured were treated by being nursed in their own homes .

If there was a bad of a disease that they couldn’t treat in their own homes, they would seek a 『Physician』 who would then give the medicine .

Naturally, those physicians were very influential people in the tribe and they were also few in number .

That Hilde, who was now spraying antiseptic solution (perhaps limewater)[2], possessed the best medical technology amongst the members of theThree-Eyed Tribe, and was the number one 『Physician』 in the tribe…… But her appearance right now, looks no different from a farmer spraying pesticide .

Hilde, who was laughing in high spirits before, now put a heavy atmosphere around her and sported a depressed smile .

「Tarnation…… Hadn’t I said to properly clean the cat poo!

Because they had left them in the open-air, this whole area had been completely covered by microbes!

Ah, really!

Filthy-filthy!

」(Hilde) While spraying the antiseptic solution, this time she was stomping her feet in anger .

Someone might think that she is emotionally unstable, but this is how Hilde usually acts .

Since she possessed the most excellent pharmaceutics in the Three-Eyed Tribe and even in the Three-Eyed Tribe that had many clean-freaks, her tendency was especially strong .

As the result, just like right now, she always carried disinfectants with her…… Too see too much is also a problem in itself .

「You are just as ever, Hilde .

」(Souma)「Hmm?

You… Who are you again?

」(Hilde) I removed the triangle hat that I was wearing and showed my face .

Then, without any surprise on her face, she spoke, 「Ah, so it’s the King .

」(Hilde) Then she immediately returned to spraying the antiseptic solution .

「What’s this?

How awful .

More or less, I am a big-shot, you know?

」(Souma)「Then, you should be wearing more “appropriate” clothing .

I thought that you were just a random wanderer .

」(Hilde) As always, Hilde had a scathing tongue .

Even in the previous world, I imagined a doctor to have a harsh way of speaking, but it seems that it was so in this world, too .

『Diseases will inflict the good and the bad, the wealthy and the poor, the old and the young, and all the races all the same .

In front of medoctor, all patients are equal』, this was her cherished credo .

「Sigh…… Hilde, let me introduce you .

These people are,」(Souma)「I already know, since they are famous .

The princess and the former Air Force Marshall’s daughter, right?

」(Hilde)「Are?

Then how about Owen-dono?

」(Souma)「Who want to know a sordid jii-san like that?

」(Hilde)「The hell you did say!?

」(Owen) Even Owen got angry when he was being told off as a sordid jii-san .

「What do you mean by sordid!?

Even like this, this one is paying attention to how this one looks!

」(Owen)「You have done nothing, you muscle daruma!

[3] Have you washed your body properly!?

*Psst~*」(Hilde)「Hey, stop spraying me with that strange mist!

Every morning, I pour water on my nude body and rub it with a dry towel!

[4] (So even this world have this kind of practice)」(Owen) Uuu… I ended up unintentionally thinking about this .

Under the pouring rays of the morning sun, a macho jii-san is bathing in the nude…… Even I felt sordid from imagining it .

Perhaps because they were imagining the same thing, even Liscia and Carla made a face as if they were going to throw up sand .

[5] 「By-by the way Hilde .

Why are you at this place today?

」(Souma) I asked her in order to forcibly change the conversation topic .

Hilde snorted in response .

「Humph .

If I leave this place to those guys, then this place would quickly become unsanitary .

So sometimes I come to give guidance and to eliminate the microbes .

」(Hilde)「I see…… By the way, you aren’t with your partner today?

」(Souma)「Don’t refer to him as my partner .

」(Hilde) Hilde made that remark in displeasure .

「That scuzz Brad is going “outside” .

He said, 『Rather than treating a fat pig, I want to heal a unsullied stray dog』 or something like that .

」(Hilde)「…… That person is also an obstinate one .

」(Souma)「Can the King say something to him?

That guy is always forcing the lectures for the juniors to me .

」(Hilde)「I-I see……」(Souma) Brad Joker[6] .

Together with Hilde, he was another physician who formed the other part of the wings of the health care system reform .

He is a man from the Human race and he certainly had the skill as a physician, but…… his personality is a bit troublesome .

「(It’s unthinkable for that Brad to teach other people, after all .

Though he might guide the junior by showing the on-the-spot practical field, for the lectures, there is no other way but to entrust it to Hilde……)」(Souma)「Are you listening?

K-I-N-G?

」(Hilde)「O-okay .

I will try to talk to him .

」(Souma) I could only nod as her smile was filled with anger .

「Then again, why are the King and his group coming to this place?

」(Hilde)「Ah…… I have a business with the Mythical Wolf Tribe’s elder .

Incidentally, I also want to visit the business training center that had been entrusted to Ginger’s group .

」(Souma)「Ah .

For that kind of business, right?

」(Liscia) Liscia made a face as if she understood something .

By the way, I haven’t told her the objective of my visit today .

「…… Then I want to ask the Mythical Wolf Tribe’s elder’s “connection”, as I plan to go to the “outside” .

」(Souma)「Eeh~, so you want to go to outside?

Then I will be following you .

」(Hilde) When she asked this, Hilde made a loud laugh .

「Eh?

Why?

」(Souma)「Isn’t it obvious?

To knock some sense to that diagnostic-idiot .

」(Souma) Even though your face was laughing, your eyes didn’t laugh at all, Hilde-san .

「We-well…… Keep it in moderation, okay?

」(Souma) Then, in the party of a foreign traveler, schoolgirl, maid and macho jii-san, a new female doctor joined…… Hmm… Reading it literally made me feel that something is still missing .

[7] ◇ ◇ ◇ The 『Kikkorou Brewery』 where the Mythical Wolf Tribe produced the miso, shouyu and sake[8], and the 『Business Training School』, that Ginger’s group opened for the people of the slums, were located in the middle of the former slum .

Both of them required a large amount of space, but there weren’t any empty space except for this area .

But then again, it goes without saying that the business training center ensured a steady suplly of labor for the Kikkorou brewery, so this arrangement wasn’t that bad per se .

It was something that could said as a beneficial arrangement .

First, we visited the 『Business Training School』 that had been entrusted to Ginger’s group .

A group of buildings dotted the inside of the grounds, enclosed by a brick wall .

At the present, the contents of the lessons offered at the『Business Training School』 was just teaching reading and calculation to the students, but because I planned to experiment many things, the number of the buildings ended up being quite a lot .

When we passed the entrance gate, 「Goodbye, San-sensei .

」(Students)「Goodbye~」(Sandria) Several children ran out after giving their farewells .

Most of the children were around 10 years old .

Their clothes weren’t of good quality, but everyone was brimming with zeal .

We could see the former slave, now Ginger’s secretary, Sandria, waving her hand at the children .

「Goodbye, everyone .

Please be careful on the way home .

」(Sandria) While making a small smile, Sandria saw the children off .

Afterwards, she noticed our presence and then bowed reverently .

The way she conducted herself was filled with confidence .

「Oh my, Your Majesty .

Welcome to our premise .

」(Sandria)「Yo, Sandria .

Is Ginger here?

」(Souma)「He is inside the Headmaster’s room .

Let me guide you there .

」(Sandria) Then, with Sandria’s guidance, we entered the simple square building .

Its interior lacked any decorations and there were numerous rooms, which, if a modern Japanese saw it, they might have thought that this building was either a hospital or a school .

We stopped in front of one of the rooms, where a plate labeled 『Headmaster’s Room』 was placed by it .

We entered the room and Ginger, who was doing paperwork, rose from his seat to greet us .

「Y-your Majesty .

Please excuse me for the lack of report .

」(Ginger) In contrast to Sandria, Ginger seemed a bit nervous .

「There is no need to be that formal .

Since we are the ones who had pushed many things to you .

」(Souma)「N-no…… Even if you say so .

」(Ginger)「Even when your secretary acts more confident……」(Souma)「It’s due to my loyalty which lies solely in Ginger-sama .

」(Sandria) While saying so, Sandria moved and stood beside Ginger .

Even though her manner of speaking was quite disrespectful, it had an impression that it wasn’t that disrespectful at all .

Just like Liscia’s maid, Serina, or Roroa’s company’s public representative, Sebastian, 「someone who decided to serve a master for a lifetime」, she possessed this peculiar unique edge .

A spirit that as if it’s for the sake of their master, they wouldn’t yield, even to a King .

「Ginger .

Let me introduce you .

This is my fiancée, Liscia .

」(Souma)「How do you do?

I am Liscia Elfrieden .

」(Liscia)「P-Princess!?

I-In a place like this?

W-welcome!

I-I am…… ah, no, please let introduce myself, I am the one called Ginger Camus .

It’s all thanks to the generous favor that His Majesty had given to me, that I had been entrusted with the position as headmaster of this establishment……」[9](Ginger)「Fufu, please be at ease, there’s no need to be that nervous .

Nice to meet you, Ginger .

」(Liscia)「G-gladlyyyy!

」(Ginger) With a nervous look on his face, Ginger shook hands with Liscia .

「Somehow, I feel that you are more nervous now than you were when we first met ……」(Souma)「Isn’t that obvious?

Until the announcement of Liscia’s engagement to Master, she had an existence similar to what the Loreleis have right now .

The flower on lofty heights,[10] the goddess-like Princess is now standing in front of him, so it’s inevitable for him to be nervous .

」(Carla) Carla explained to me and I nodded, 「I see .

」 A person from royalty…… especially a Princess or a Queen, is like an idol for some of the citizens .

It could easily glimpsed from how Englishmen suffered a great fever upon the birth of a new Princess .

[11] Even in Japan, news related to the Imperial Household or the Imperial Family will receive a high degree of coverage .

After that, I introduced Carla and Owen and then it was Hilde’s turn, 「I already acquainted with Hilde-sensei .

Since she has been examining the children .

Truly, I am really indebted to you .

」(Ginger) While expressing his gratitude, Ginger bowed his head to Hilde, who then made an awkward expression .

「Humph .

It’s because the children are filthy .

I don’t know how many diseases that they have .

」(Hilde)「Even considering all that, you still had come over once or twice a week .

You might not be saying it, but aren’t you fond of children?

」(Sandria)「Sandria…… Should I sew that mouth which speaks needlessly?

」 (Hilde)「Then, please forgive my rudeness .

」(Sandria) Hilde glared with an irritated scowl at Sandria, who apologized with an unconcerned face .

I wonder why?

Seeing Hilde reminded me of the old lady at the bakery in my old neighborhood .

Even though when the children came, she would say something abusive like 「An annoying bunch has come」, but she would treat the children with unsold bread while saying, 「Geez, what gluttonous children you are .

」 When I thought about it right now, perhaps it was just a way for her to hide her embarrassment .

Hilde made a snort .

「Humph .

Until the talk is done, I will wait at the outside .

」(Hilde)「The children have already gone back home, you know?

」(Sandria)「Shut up Sandria!

Who would want to play with the children?

」(Hilde)「Eh, but I didn’t even mention that……」(Sandria)「Humph .

」(Hilde) Hilde went out and shut the door violently, while we saw her off with wry smiles .

…… Now then, let’s return to settle the affairs .

Liscia, Ginger, Sandria and I moved to the table prepared specifically for discussions .

Liscia and I sat together facing Ginger and Sandria, while Carla and Owen were standing behind me .

Then, Liscia raised her hand from the beginning .

「Umm, there are many things that I wanted to ask, but…… what are you doing in this place?

」(Liscia)「Right now, we are teaching reading and calculation to interested applicants .

」(Ginger) Ginger answered while having a gentle smile .

「Isn’t this something that is similar to a school?

」(Liscia)「That’s true…… But this place is not only for children, even adult can come to learn .

」(Ginger) This country also possessed schools .

The uniform that Liscia wore was from the Royal Officers College .

There also exists the 『Royal Academy』 whose alumni became various scholars and the 『Magician College』 which specialized in magical research .

However, the ones who attend those schools were mostly the sons or daughters of the Nobles or Knights .

There were no school that the common people could go to study .

Ginger nodded .

「It’s not on that level yet, so right now we could only do this much .

However…… we plan to do many things in the future .

Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?

」(Ginger) When Ginger brought this matter up, I nodded .

「Yes .

From now on, you will teach more technical things .

For example, I want to make a place for training adventurers for dungeon exploration or escorting people, for instructing the art of civil construction, for asking “physicians” that received education from Hilde and Brad to nurture new “physicians”, for researching improvements in agricultural, forestry and fishery products…… .

Ah, also, a place for training cooks .

」(Souma) You might have realized it by now, but the business training center that I want to establish is something like a 『Vocational School』 or perhaps a『University』 where various 『Specialty Faculty』 are gathered .

The main research study subjects in this world are research related to 『Magic』 or『Monsters』 .

In reality, it is possible to put magic to practical use in various fields .

Science and medicine are also related to it .

Monster research had become the maximum priority task ever since the Demon Lord Territory appeared (since in the past, monsters only came out from dungeons, it wasn’t that important) .

The research on the materials obtained from monsters and developing the technology to process them was indispensable .

I’m certain that there was a case when the result of this priority research field stimulated the advancement of another field of study .

Even so, this might also be my intuition as a Japanese, but I believe that even amongst the studies that seemed to be useless, there might be a unexpected innovation lurking in them .

Even a downtown workshop who secretly devoted themselves to their technology skill, might be constructing a part that is indispensable for a spacecraft .

[12] No matter what the field is, if you carry it to the max, you will end up at the top .

By becoming the number one, you will be the only one .

That’s why I want to establish a place to teach the people and for the technical studies of the fields that had been neglected in this world, like 『Education』, 『Engineering』,『Agriculture』, 『Forestry』, 『Fisheries』, 『Culinary』, or 『Arts』 .

Then, by testing them in this training center, in the case that they would give a result like what I predicted, then I planned to establish that specialty subject training center in the other cities (it might be a 『Vocational School』 already) .

First is testing, next is development…… Well, for that objective, first an increase in the educational standard for the whole nation is necessary, hence why we started by teaching elementary-school level reading, writing and calculation .

I asked Ginger .

「Then, how is it going?

The state of the training center that is .

」(Souma)「Umm…… The attendance of the children less than twelve years old is superb .

It is all thanks to the 『Lunch Service System』 that Your Majesty proposed .

There are troublesome cases, but for now we are able to maintain a cycle where they come in, they study, they eat lunch, and then they return home .

」(Ginger)「Lunch service?

」(Liscia)「For children less than twelve years old, if they come to this place to study, then they could eat a meal .

Free of charge .

」(Souma) Education + Lunch service combo .

If they came to study at this place, they could eat a meal .

If words get out, then even children from poor households will come to this place to study .

There were many parents who thought that they were better off studying at this place and reducing the food expenses rather than for them to work only to earn small change .

If they study diligently, then in the future they might be able to free themselves from the trap of poverty .

[13] 「Hmmm…… What a well-thought system .

」(Liscia)「In my previous world, it’s a method often used for assisting poor countries .

」(Souma) However, Ginger’s expression darkened .

「Certainly, the children’s attendance is good .

However, accordingly, the attendance of people, who are not covered by that lunch service system, is bad .

Especially the adults .

More or less, they could study in the evening after their work is over, however…… 『We have lived this far without needing any reading and calculation』 or so they say and didn’t come to attend it .

」(Ginger)「……Well, since they have never receive any education up until now, I expected this to happen .

」(Souma) Only when someone receives education, then they will know its value .

Even if someone was wondering, 「Why do I have to study?

」 when they were a child, when they become an adult, they would reminiscence, 「I should have studied more .

」 Even this kind of regret might be possible due to the education they received when they were a child .

「Well, an awareness campaign about that will be our share of the task .

I will think of something .

」(Souma)「Please do so, Your Majesty .

」(Ginger) Afterwards, we confirmed several things and then, while being sent off by Ginger and Sandria, we left the training center .

Author note:Translator here: Basically the author say that his protracted conflict with the wisdom tooth reached a good resolution as he had went to a well-respected hospital so it shouldn’t be aggravated anymore, but there might be a delay in posting new stories due to motivation-related issue, which wouldn’t matter for us, since by now the story had long been posted (and deleted) .

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽ [1] In the RAW its 薬師 (kushushi or drug master) an archaic word to refer physician (modern is 医者 Isha) .

Since the old English word for physician“Leech” or “Laech” is not be understandable to modern reader .

I'lI used “apothecary” instead .

[E/N: There are still homeopathic medicine practitioners who use leeches, it’s freaking wild .

][2] Not the citrus fruit, but limewater as in the common name for a diluted solution of calcium hydroxide .

Limewater had a pH of 12 .

5, which is harmful to many bacteria .

[3] The Daruma doll (達磨), also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism[4] 乾布摩擦A common Japanese custom .

You might have seen it on manga or anime .

The meaning is an exaggerated reaction of repulsion .

English equivalent might be: puking rainbows .

[6] ブラッド＝ジョーカー Buraddo Jookaa .

Funfact: Buraddo can also be translated as Blood .

So, BLOOD JOKER .

This guy had the most awesome name .

So, Brad or Blood?

[7] You are missing a Loli and a Meganekko character .

Hmm… Loli-meganekko?

[8] Miso: fermented soy paste .

Shouyu: Japanese style soy sauce .

Sake: Alcoholic drink from fermented rice .

[9] First, Ginger used Boku 僕, then he used Watashi 私 .

Also his tone of speaking became very formal at the end .

[10] 高嶺の花 .

An idiom that means: An unattainable dream, yet something that people are yearning for .

Holy Grail held the similar position in the Western Literature history, an unattainable dream, yet many were yearning for it .

[11] Definitely about Princess Charlotte .

Talking about Charlotte makes me want to play GBF .

[12] This refer to the Novel / JDrama: Downtown Rocket/Shitamachi Rokketo [13] Trap of poverty or poverty trap is a self-reinforcing mechanism which causes poverty to persist .

If it persists from generation to generation, the effect can reinforce itself as a 'cycle of poverty', if steps are not taken to break the trap .

Education is one of that important steps .

A worker that able to write, read, and count could do many things that unskilled worked couldn’t .

An educated worker will have increased productivity .

Even an educated farmer could do things that the uneducated farmer couldn’t (educated farmer can use apps, can use agri-drones to scan the field in IR and UV band, know enough aboutecology and biolgy, know about Good Agricultural Practices, could read internet about latest agricultural research, etc) .