How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Liscia’s Happy Family Get-Together

—Late in the 10th month, 1,546th year, Continental Calendar — Parnam Castle.

On this day, having won the war against Amidonia and made it safely through the post-war negotiations, the Elfrieden Royal Army led by the provisional king Souma made their triumphant return to the royal capital, Parnam. Liscia was now visiting her father, the former king Albert, and her mother, Elisha, in their room.

“Father, Mother. I have returned,” she said, giving a formal military salute and reporting in.

The couple who were sitting on the terrace welcomed their daughter with a smile.

“Ohh, it is good to see you home and safe,” Albert said.

“Welcome home, Liscia,” Elisha added.

Liscia felt relieved by their smiles at first, but then she noticed her little sister Tomoe was sitting on her mother’s lap, a troubled look on her face.

“Not again...” Liscia sighed. “Father, Mother... are you bothering Tomoe again?”

Ever since they had adopted Tomoe, the two of them had been adoring and doting on her like a pet cat. (Though, given that she was a mystic wolf, maybe it was more precise to say like a pet wolf?) Liscia figured that because she herself had already been a tomboy by that age, and hadn’t been a cutesy girly girl, they were happy to have a little girl who acted like one.

“Tomoe just got back today, too, you know? Show some restraint,” Liscia complained.

“But it’s been so long since we were last able to see her,” Elisha said while patting Tomoe’s head.

Albert nodded, too. “We were most lonesome with both of our beloved daughters off in Amidonia. Is it not natural that we would want to spend some quality time with our girls when they get back?”

“Still... can’t you see the troubled look on Tomoe’s face?” Liscia asked.

“B-Big Sister, I’m okay, really. This is a bit too much of an honor, though...” Tomoe said timidly, trying to mediate. She probably didn’t want others fighting over her.

Liscia pinched her temples, shaking her head in dismay. “Tomoe, you can’t spoil them like that.”

“Is that not something you should be telling us instead?” Albert questioned.

“Who do you think you’re kidding? You two are the ones being spoiled here,” Liscia shot back.

“Now, now, Liscia, come and sit with us.” Elisha let Tomoe down off her lap and beckoned for Liscia to come over.

Liscia reluctantly sat down at the table with them. Tomoe moved to sit in the seat next to Albert, so the whole family was now seated at the same table. Then Elisha stood up and walked around behind Liscia.

“Mother?” Liscia asked.

“Oh, Liscia, you really did go and cut your hair,” Elisha said, running her fingers through Liscia’s now short hair. “A girl’s hair is her life, you know. How could you suddenly cut it off like that?”

“I-I wanted to show my resolve at that moment...” Liscia said, pouting. If she faltered a bit in her defense of it, that was because she herself understood that, even if it had been meant to show Duke Carmine her resolve, cutting her hair on that occasion had been a hasty decision. While it was nice that Souma had said, “The short hair looks good on you, too,” if he had said, “I liked it better before,” that would have been too sad.

Elisha chuckled to herself, knowing how her daughter felt. “But, well, you did wear your hair like that a long time ago.”

“She did?” Tomoe asked, to which Elisha nodded.

“Yes. This girl was such a tomboy, she didn’t act at all like a little girl.”

“M-Mother! Stop it! Not in front of Tomoe.” Liscia said hurriedly, but Elisha put a hand on her cheek and let out a little sigh.

“When Liscia was your age, she was already joining the castle guards for morning practice. I wanted her to grow her hair out so that I could tie it up cutely, but she said, ‘Long hair would get in the way of my training,’ and wouldn’t let it grow.”

While Tomoe was listening with admiration, Albert whispered in her ear, “The tomboyishness comes from Elisha’s side. I have no knack for the martial arts, as you can well see. I hear, in her younger days, Elisha was quite...”

“Darling? Were you saying something?” Elisha asked with a broad smile.

Albert sat up ramrod straight. “N-Not a word!”

While Tomoe was smiling wryly at her adoptive father’s antics, Elisha continued. “Was it when you were around fourteen? You suddenly started growing it out then, right? Did someone say something to you about it at the academy?”

“Urkh...” Liscia mumbled. Perhaps Elisha had hit the nail on the head. “Um... One of my female friends in my class said, ‘Liscia, you’re cool, but you’re not much of a girl, are you?’ I got argumentative and told her, ‘If I grew out my hair, I’d look like a girl, too!’... and I’ve just sort of been letting it grow longer since. That’s why I wasn’t that attached to keeping it that length, though...”

“But you were so dashing and lovely with your long hair, big sister!” Tomoe cried.

“Ahaha, thanks.” Liscia gave an embarrassed laugh.

Elisha smiled. “Do you think you’ll grow it out again now?”

“I’m still thinking about that. I mean, he told me I look good both ways,” said Liscia.

“Our son-in-law-to-be did, you mean,” said Albert. “I am most relieved to see you two are so close.”

Liscia realized she had said too much and blushed.

Albert let out a jolly laugh. “So young and innocent. And only half a year ago, you were angry with us about it, saying, ‘How could you decide my engagement without even consulting me?’”

“I’m not unhappy about the engagement, but I’ll have you know that I’m still not over the fact you decided on it without ever consulting me!” Liscia snapped. “Thanks to you, we’ve gone through so much over the last half year.”

“But you were able to overcome it all together, were you not?” Albert said, looking at Liscia with a gentle expression on his face. “In the past half year, this country has quietly, but meaningfully, begun to change. However, none of it could have happened with you alone, Liscia. I am sure our son-in-law could not have done it alone, either. With him clearing the road, and you supporting him along it, I believe you have been able to move this country forward greatly.”

“Have we really?” Liscia looked doubtful that that was the relationship she and Souma had. Ever since Souma had the throne thrust on him, she had done her best to support him, but she wasn’t sure how much she had been able to. It wasn’t something she could know for herself.

Elisha gave her a gentle smile. “You’re doing fine, Liscia.”

“Mother?” Liscia asked.

“You’re doing more than enough to support your groom to be,” her mother said. “I sat on the throne for a time, so I can tell you, with great power comes great responsibility. It grinds down the soul of the one who holds it. Naturally, they lose the ability to worry about others, and eventually they lose sight of themselves, too. That hasn’t happened to him. Even after running around to rebuild this country, then experiencing both a civil and foreign war, he hasn’t forgotten to care for you. That choker was a present from him, wasn’t it?”

Liscia touched the choker around her neck.

“His soul is still healthy,” her mother said. “I can’t say whether he is aware of it or not, but it must be your presence that’s supported him and kept it that way.”

“My presence is supporting Souma...”

I hope so, thought Liscia.

“Thank you, Father, Mother.”

Liscia wore a gentle smile much like Elisha’s.