How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom (2021–2022): Season 1, Episode 8 - The Forest in Labour - full transcript
Kaede leads an engineering corps in constructing a road. As the work detail receives a royal inspection from Souma and Liscia, an urgent message from Aisha's father arrives, informing them of a natural disaster in The God Protecte...
Because magic exists,
the technological system
of this world is a bit strange
from my perspective.
For example,
consider the Battleship Albert.
It's the Forbidden Army's only ship
which was named after the previous king.
The level of technology
in this world is as archaic as the world
prior to the Industrial Revolution.
So, it may seem strange
that such a battleship exists.
However, making something made of steel
float is easy as long as you design it
while calculating its buoyancy.
In other words,
making the exterior of a battleship
was possible even back in the Middle Ages.
But it wasn't built until
after the Industrial Revolution
because they didn't have an engine
that could move a heavy steel ship.
However,
this world has powerful sea dragons
that are strong enough
to draw steel ships.
By training them
and having them draw the ship,
you can go on long sea voyages.
That is why steel ships were invented.
The same can be said
about the cannons on the battleship.
Gunpowder already exists in this world.
But matchlock guns don't exist.
Because magic can be used for
long-distance attacks,
guns never caught on.
Also,
there is something called spell imbuing
that lets you imbue objects
with spells of various effects
to make them stronger
or make them sharper.
Although, while there are no firearms,
there are cannons.
That's because
the use of all magic elements other than
water becomes limited while on water.
So cannons have developed over time
as a way to attack warships.
In the end,
technology only develops
where there's a demand.
In this world with such
an unbalanced technological system,
I am currently
working on civil engineering projects.
ORIGINAL STORY BY DOJYOMARU
Jeez!
Why does the Forbidden Army
have to do road construction?
You there! No slacking off!
Stop complaining
and move those hands!
-Hey, Kaede--
-No!
You are my subordinate, Hal.
You must call me Field Supervisor.
Supervisor, is this really the job
of the Forbidden Army?
They seem to have hired
unemployed people from the capital,
but we're still shorthanded.
After all, the plan is to lay out
a road network stretching from
the newly constructed port city
to the entire kingdom.
Yeah, but why would you make
the Forbidden Army do this work?
Our job is to protect the country.
This is tasty!
The sweet and spicy sauce
on the meat is really good!
This is a dish called shogayaki
which was invented by the king.
That king has a talent for cooking,
I'll give him that much.
He gave the mystic wolves who came
to this country as refugees housing
and a place to make
condiments called shoyu and mirin,
which are used in that dish.
The mystic wolves have earned
a place in this country
as manufacturers of those condiments
and we get to eat
delicious food like this.
His plan kills two birds with one stone.
It's also amazing that we are
able to eat fresh vegetables.
They're grown in a nearby village
that was connected to
the capital by a road.
It's the amazing power of roads that keeps
the supply line in order.
So I guess the roads
we've made are already being useful.
This transportation capacity
is a big contributing factor
to solving our food problems.
Really?
When distribution becomes smoother,
the supply-demand imbalance is fixed
and the price of items
should go down to some extent.
That king is thinking that far ahead?
The king is really amazing.
His level of foresight is almost scary.
After lunch are you going to take a nap?
I think so.
After all, the king is the one
who recommended it
since it increases efficiency.
Since the king is from another world…
Your Majesty! And Princess Liscia too?
Halbert, are you settling in?
Yes, there are no issues!
You're so formal.
Where's the Halbert who lashed out at me?
I am terribly sorry about that!
Your Majesty, I was completely--
I order you as the king
to stop speaking formally.
And stop saying "Your Majesty."
Call me Souma.
Uh… But…
Hal, did you not hear me? It's an order.
All right, Souma.
That's more like it.
I was just looking for a guy my age
who I could speak to casually.
So this is how they make roads, huh?
I've walked on them many times,
but I've never thought about
how roads were made.
Officially, we're here to "inspect"
but take a good look
as a learning experience.
What's that mushy thing?
It's a mixture of volcanic ash and lime.
In the world I lived in,
we called this Roman concrete.
Its characteristic is that
it hardens over time.
It's so durable
that it doesn't crack even when
something like that runs across it.
That is amazing.
It's that hard?
No, its flexibility actually releases
the pressure applied to it.
In my world,
buildings built over 2,000 years ago
with this material were still standing.
Are the streetlamps
on each side of the road
the same as the capital?
Yes. We put shining moss inside
so it lights up when it gets dark.
Also, the roadside trees we planted
are warding trees
from the God-Protected Forest.
Warding trees?
Aisha, can you explain?
Yes.
These warding trees
are constantly emitting frequencies
that monsters and wild animals dislike.
Most likely, it is to protect themselves
from being eaten by giant boars.
In the God-Protected Forest
we plant these warding trees
around the village
to stop monsters or animals
from coming inside.
So it's like a simple barrier.
Well, if we plant them too close together,
we don't know what it
might do to the ecosystem.
So we left a moderate gap
just enough to discourage
wild animals from approaching.
But why?
Wouldn't it be better to block them off?
Well then Liscia,
what will you do if gray wolves
and red bears who change hunting grounds
each season can't migrate
because of the road and run out of prey
so they start attacking
livestock or people?
Likewise, what if
giant monkeys and giant boars
eat up all the food
in the area they're stuck in
and have no choice
but to come down and eat up the fields?
What will happen then?
I get that it's not a good idea, but…
What's with the detailed examples?
Dealing with pests is a problem
all municipal governments
have to deal with, after all.
Municipal… government?
You are thinking that far ahead?
You really are amazing!
What's that?
It's a messenger kui.
A kui is a bird with a homing instinct
and an ability to detect the frequency
emitted from their owner from far away.
I see.
So people use those characteristics
to do long-distance communication.
I guess it was carrying
a letter for Aisha.
No way…
What's wrong, Aisha?
It's a message from my father,
the chief of the dark elves.
Last night, there was a large landslide
in the God-Protected Forest.
It swallowed up
almost half of the village.
Apparently,
they've recently had a long spell of rain.
There are multiple people missing.
Souma…
-Hey, what are we--
-Shush!
The king is thinking right now.
Don't bother him.
Kaede.
How many people are here now?
There are 54 from the Forbidden Army
and four engineers from
the civil engineering guild.
Six, including myself,
are earth element mages.
All right.
This unit will go to rescue
the dark elf village.
Your Majesty!
Aisha, I am no match for you
at one-on-one combat.
But I'm in a position
where I can move many people.
So, you can count on me.
I will save as many lives
as I possibly can.
Aisha, save those tears for later.
For outsiders like us to enter
the God-Protected Forest
and do relief work,
it'd be better if you are there.
Can you lead us?
Yes!
Disaster relief is a race against time.
Thankfully, this spot is closer
to the forest than the capital.
We'll go straight to the site.
Understood!
I will get the soldiers ready in a hurry.
Thanks.
Liscia, return to the capital
and request the dispatch
of a rescue party.
And tell Hakuya to send
relief supplies to the dark elf village.
Okay, you can count on me.
Aisha, how long will it take
to get to the God-Protected Forest?
Half a day on a horse.
It will take at least
two days for an army to march there.
Two days?
If it happened at midnight,
it's already been half a day.
No matter how fast we get there,
it'll be two and a half days.
We'll only have half a day until we pass
the 72-hour threshold.
The 72-hour threshold?
For natural disasters,
after the first three days,
in other words, 72 hours,
the death rate of the survivors soars.
Then let's head to the forest right away.
I know.
But marching there normally
will take too long.
Isn't there magic that lets you
instantly transport lots of people?
No!
If we had that we
wouldn't have to break our backs
building roads, would we?
Damn it.
Isn't there any other
mode of transportation?
STAR DRAGON MOUNTAIN RANGE
EXCEL WALTER
It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.
I am Wodan Udgard,
chief of the dark elves
and Aisha's father.
Let's skip the formalities.
Rescuing lives takes priority.
For now, I've brought about 50 soldiers
from the Forbidden Army.
In a few days,
a second group will arrive
with relief supplies.
First, can you brief us?
Yes.
The landslide occurred
on an incline east of this village.
The number of casualties
is over 100 already.
And there are over 40 missing still.
Then can you list up those missing people?
If we cross them off
as soon as we find them
we won't miss anyone.
Understood.
I will get that ready.
Also,
have a few people
keep an eye on the mountain.
If the mountain moves even a little
or there are strange sounds,
have them report it.
We don't want another landslide
happening during the rescue.
Your Majesty,
please give me that responsibility.
The God-Protected Forest has been
her playground since she was a child
so she's very familiar with it.
You can count on her.
There was that group of kids who used to
run around the forest with you.
They should be as familiar
with the forest as you.
Take them with you.
Understood.
I'm counting on you, Aisha.
But be careful.
We will now
begin a search and rescue operation.
Keep your ears open
and listen for voices inside the dirt
and carefully rescue them.
Use the digging skills
you learned from building roads.
But never push yourself too far.
If the ground is about to crumble,
retreat even in the middle
of rescuing someone.
We cannot allow a single casualty
to come from the rescue members.
Understood?
Yes!
I heard a voice.
It's under this big tree.
They're alive.
What?
I don't hear--
I do! Just dig already!
Seriously?
How did you know they were there?
This thing told me.
That's… a mouse?
A wooden one.
I'm controlling that
and searching areas
where people can't fit.
I see.
That's your ability called
Living-something, huh?
Yeah.
I had made a few testers
for dungeon quests,
but who knew they'd come in handy…
What's wrong?
Hey, are you okay?
What happened?
Sorry…
One of my mice that's searching the area
ran into a heavily deformed dead body.
It was so bad that you could tell
it's a dead body at a glance?
I see.
So we found all of the missing people?
Unfortunately,
some of them were found as cold bodies.
But if you hadn't rushed here,
that number would have been bigger.
As the chief of the dark elves,
I thank you once again.
Your Majesty! Father!
The princess has arrived along with
the second rescue team from the capital.
They're here!
It's too late.
They didn't make it in time
for the search.
But the main part of relief work
actually starts now.
Caring for the injured,
removing the dirt,
building temporary housing…
The list is endless.
But those who died won't come back.
Stop it, Robthor.
He is Robthor, my younger brother.
He lost his wife in the landslide
and his only daughter
is hovering between life and death.
He is a bit emotional right now.
Please forgive him.
It's fine.
Your Majesty!
I have been protecting the forest.
So, why…?
Why has the forest taken my family…?
Robthor!
Now is not the time to blame anyone.
And that includes yourself too.
Right now it's time to
mourn the loss of your wife
and pray that your daughter's soul
stays in this world.
My uncle was against thinning the forest.
He said it was unthinkable for dark elves,
who are protectors of the forest,
to cut down trees.
I see. So that's why…
If my uncle was more cooperative
about thinning the forest,
would his family have survived?
I don't know about that.
Moderately thinning the forest,
nurturing undergrowth,
and improving the soil's water retention
creates an environment where
landslides are less likely.
But that only makes it
"less likely" to occur.
When long spells of rain
are the cause like this time,
it could occur anywhere.
So you're saying they were just unlucky?
Yes, in terms of the location
of the landslide.
However,
in order to thin a forest,
you have to be inside it.
So it's also true that you're more likely
to notice the signs of a landslide like
strange sounds and movement in the forest.
If you notice,
you can take countermeasures
or even evacuate.
"Protecting the forest"…
It sounds nice and all,
but you're wrong to think
that you're "protecting" it.
Nature doesn't need people to protect it.
It's not that weak.
If it's egoism
that makes people destroy nature,
it's also egoism
that moves them to protect it.
Nature is supposed to repeat
destruction and rebirth,
but we want it to stay
in a condition that is perfect for us.
All we can do is keep nature in a state
where we can coexist
by touching it up here and there
with methods like thinning.
I couldn't do anything this time.
You went to call the rescue party.
Everyone did their best.
If anything,
I'm the one who couldn't do anything.
What?
I heard you were a big help.
I am the king.
Taking the lead
onsite in an emergency
isn't the king's job.
The king's job
is to prepare in advance
before emergencies happen.
I failed to do that.
What are you talking about?
Souma, you…
Using the Forbidden Army
as a rescue party went well.
But I had far more shortcomings.
Communication methods,
long-distance transportation,
emergency supply stocks
in various regions,
medical teams attached to rescue parties…
Everything fell short.
I was so preoccupied with
the food shortage and the three duchies
that I failed to prepare these.
Souma…
Subtitle translation by: Kiko Morita
the technological system
of this world is a bit strange
from my perspective.
For example,
consider the Battleship Albert.
It's the Forbidden Army's only ship
which was named after the previous king.
The level of technology
in this world is as archaic as the world
prior to the Industrial Revolution.
So, it may seem strange
that such a battleship exists.
However, making something made of steel
float is easy as long as you design it
while calculating its buoyancy.
In other words,
making the exterior of a battleship
was possible even back in the Middle Ages.
But it wasn't built until
after the Industrial Revolution
because they didn't have an engine
that could move a heavy steel ship.
However,
this world has powerful sea dragons
that are strong enough
to draw steel ships.
By training them
and having them draw the ship,
you can go on long sea voyages.
That is why steel ships were invented.
The same can be said
about the cannons on the battleship.
Gunpowder already exists in this world.
But matchlock guns don't exist.
Because magic can be used for
long-distance attacks,
guns never caught on.
Also,
there is something called spell imbuing
that lets you imbue objects
with spells of various effects
to make them stronger
or make them sharper.
Although, while there are no firearms,
there are cannons.
That's because
the use of all magic elements other than
water becomes limited while on water.
So cannons have developed over time
as a way to attack warships.
In the end,
technology only develops
where there's a demand.
In this world with such
an unbalanced technological system,
I am currently
working on civil engineering projects.
ORIGINAL STORY BY DOJYOMARU
Jeez!
Why does the Forbidden Army
have to do road construction?
You there! No slacking off!
Stop complaining
and move those hands!
-Hey, Kaede--
-No!
You are my subordinate, Hal.
You must call me Field Supervisor.
Supervisor, is this really the job
of the Forbidden Army?
They seem to have hired
unemployed people from the capital,
but we're still shorthanded.
After all, the plan is to lay out
a road network stretching from
the newly constructed port city
to the entire kingdom.
Yeah, but why would you make
the Forbidden Army do this work?
Our job is to protect the country.
This is tasty!
The sweet and spicy sauce
on the meat is really good!
This is a dish called shogayaki
which was invented by the king.
That king has a talent for cooking,
I'll give him that much.
He gave the mystic wolves who came
to this country as refugees housing
and a place to make
condiments called shoyu and mirin,
which are used in that dish.
The mystic wolves have earned
a place in this country
as manufacturers of those condiments
and we get to eat
delicious food like this.
His plan kills two birds with one stone.
It's also amazing that we are
able to eat fresh vegetables.
They're grown in a nearby village
that was connected to
the capital by a road.
It's the amazing power of roads that keeps
the supply line in order.
So I guess the roads
we've made are already being useful.
This transportation capacity
is a big contributing factor
to solving our food problems.
Really?
When distribution becomes smoother,
the supply-demand imbalance is fixed
and the price of items
should go down to some extent.
That king is thinking that far ahead?
The king is really amazing.
His level of foresight is almost scary.
After lunch are you going to take a nap?
I think so.
After all, the king is the one
who recommended it
since it increases efficiency.
Since the king is from another world…
Your Majesty! And Princess Liscia too?
Halbert, are you settling in?
Yes, there are no issues!
You're so formal.
Where's the Halbert who lashed out at me?
I am terribly sorry about that!
Your Majesty, I was completely--
I order you as the king
to stop speaking formally.
And stop saying "Your Majesty."
Call me Souma.
Uh… But…
Hal, did you not hear me? It's an order.
All right, Souma.
That's more like it.
I was just looking for a guy my age
who I could speak to casually.
So this is how they make roads, huh?
I've walked on them many times,
but I've never thought about
how roads were made.
Officially, we're here to "inspect"
but take a good look
as a learning experience.
What's that mushy thing?
It's a mixture of volcanic ash and lime.
In the world I lived in,
we called this Roman concrete.
Its characteristic is that
it hardens over time.
It's so durable
that it doesn't crack even when
something like that runs across it.
That is amazing.
It's that hard?
No, its flexibility actually releases
the pressure applied to it.
In my world,
buildings built over 2,000 years ago
with this material were still standing.
Are the streetlamps
on each side of the road
the same as the capital?
Yes. We put shining moss inside
so it lights up when it gets dark.
Also, the roadside trees we planted
are warding trees
from the God-Protected Forest.
Warding trees?
Aisha, can you explain?
Yes.
These warding trees
are constantly emitting frequencies
that monsters and wild animals dislike.
Most likely, it is to protect themselves
from being eaten by giant boars.
In the God-Protected Forest
we plant these warding trees
around the village
to stop monsters or animals
from coming inside.
So it's like a simple barrier.
Well, if we plant them too close together,
we don't know what it
might do to the ecosystem.
So we left a moderate gap
just enough to discourage
wild animals from approaching.
But why?
Wouldn't it be better to block them off?
Well then Liscia,
what will you do if gray wolves
and red bears who change hunting grounds
each season can't migrate
because of the road and run out of prey
so they start attacking
livestock or people?
Likewise, what if
giant monkeys and giant boars
eat up all the food
in the area they're stuck in
and have no choice
but to come down and eat up the fields?
What will happen then?
I get that it's not a good idea, but…
What's with the detailed examples?
Dealing with pests is a problem
all municipal governments
have to deal with, after all.
Municipal… government?
You are thinking that far ahead?
You really are amazing!
What's that?
It's a messenger kui.
A kui is a bird with a homing instinct
and an ability to detect the frequency
emitted from their owner from far away.
I see.
So people use those characteristics
to do long-distance communication.
I guess it was carrying
a letter for Aisha.
No way…
What's wrong, Aisha?
It's a message from my father,
the chief of the dark elves.
Last night, there was a large landslide
in the God-Protected Forest.
It swallowed up
almost half of the village.
Apparently,
they've recently had a long spell of rain.
There are multiple people missing.
Souma…
-Hey, what are we--
-Shush!
The king is thinking right now.
Don't bother him.
Kaede.
How many people are here now?
There are 54 from the Forbidden Army
and four engineers from
the civil engineering guild.
Six, including myself,
are earth element mages.
All right.
This unit will go to rescue
the dark elf village.
Your Majesty!
Aisha, I am no match for you
at one-on-one combat.
But I'm in a position
where I can move many people.
So, you can count on me.
I will save as many lives
as I possibly can.
Aisha, save those tears for later.
For outsiders like us to enter
the God-Protected Forest
and do relief work,
it'd be better if you are there.
Can you lead us?
Yes!
Disaster relief is a race against time.
Thankfully, this spot is closer
to the forest than the capital.
We'll go straight to the site.
Understood!
I will get the soldiers ready in a hurry.
Thanks.
Liscia, return to the capital
and request the dispatch
of a rescue party.
And tell Hakuya to send
relief supplies to the dark elf village.
Okay, you can count on me.
Aisha, how long will it take
to get to the God-Protected Forest?
Half a day on a horse.
It will take at least
two days for an army to march there.
Two days?
If it happened at midnight,
it's already been half a day.
No matter how fast we get there,
it'll be two and a half days.
We'll only have half a day until we pass
the 72-hour threshold.
The 72-hour threshold?
For natural disasters,
after the first three days,
in other words, 72 hours,
the death rate of the survivors soars.
Then let's head to the forest right away.
I know.
But marching there normally
will take too long.
Isn't there magic that lets you
instantly transport lots of people?
No!
If we had that we
wouldn't have to break our backs
building roads, would we?
Damn it.
Isn't there any other
mode of transportation?
STAR DRAGON MOUNTAIN RANGE
EXCEL WALTER
It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.
I am Wodan Udgard,
chief of the dark elves
and Aisha's father.
Let's skip the formalities.
Rescuing lives takes priority.
For now, I've brought about 50 soldiers
from the Forbidden Army.
In a few days,
a second group will arrive
with relief supplies.
First, can you brief us?
Yes.
The landslide occurred
on an incline east of this village.
The number of casualties
is over 100 already.
And there are over 40 missing still.
Then can you list up those missing people?
If we cross them off
as soon as we find them
we won't miss anyone.
Understood.
I will get that ready.
Also,
have a few people
keep an eye on the mountain.
If the mountain moves even a little
or there are strange sounds,
have them report it.
We don't want another landslide
happening during the rescue.
Your Majesty,
please give me that responsibility.
The God-Protected Forest has been
her playground since she was a child
so she's very familiar with it.
You can count on her.
There was that group of kids who used to
run around the forest with you.
They should be as familiar
with the forest as you.
Take them with you.
Understood.
I'm counting on you, Aisha.
But be careful.
We will now
begin a search and rescue operation.
Keep your ears open
and listen for voices inside the dirt
and carefully rescue them.
Use the digging skills
you learned from building roads.
But never push yourself too far.
If the ground is about to crumble,
retreat even in the middle
of rescuing someone.
We cannot allow a single casualty
to come from the rescue members.
Understood?
Yes!
I heard a voice.
It's under this big tree.
They're alive.
What?
I don't hear--
I do! Just dig already!
Seriously?
How did you know they were there?
This thing told me.
That's… a mouse?
A wooden one.
I'm controlling that
and searching areas
where people can't fit.
I see.
That's your ability called
Living-something, huh?
Yeah.
I had made a few testers
for dungeon quests,
but who knew they'd come in handy…
What's wrong?
Hey, are you okay?
What happened?
Sorry…
One of my mice that's searching the area
ran into a heavily deformed dead body.
It was so bad that you could tell
it's a dead body at a glance?
I see.
So we found all of the missing people?
Unfortunately,
some of them were found as cold bodies.
But if you hadn't rushed here,
that number would have been bigger.
As the chief of the dark elves,
I thank you once again.
Your Majesty! Father!
The princess has arrived along with
the second rescue team from the capital.
They're here!
It's too late.
They didn't make it in time
for the search.
But the main part of relief work
actually starts now.
Caring for the injured,
removing the dirt,
building temporary housing…
The list is endless.
But those who died won't come back.
Stop it, Robthor.
He is Robthor, my younger brother.
He lost his wife in the landslide
and his only daughter
is hovering between life and death.
He is a bit emotional right now.
Please forgive him.
It's fine.
Your Majesty!
I have been protecting the forest.
So, why…?
Why has the forest taken my family…?
Robthor!
Now is not the time to blame anyone.
And that includes yourself too.
Right now it's time to
mourn the loss of your wife
and pray that your daughter's soul
stays in this world.
My uncle was against thinning the forest.
He said it was unthinkable for dark elves,
who are protectors of the forest,
to cut down trees.
I see. So that's why…
If my uncle was more cooperative
about thinning the forest,
would his family have survived?
I don't know about that.
Moderately thinning the forest,
nurturing undergrowth,
and improving the soil's water retention
creates an environment where
landslides are less likely.
But that only makes it
"less likely" to occur.
When long spells of rain
are the cause like this time,
it could occur anywhere.
So you're saying they were just unlucky?
Yes, in terms of the location
of the landslide.
However,
in order to thin a forest,
you have to be inside it.
So it's also true that you're more likely
to notice the signs of a landslide like
strange sounds and movement in the forest.
If you notice,
you can take countermeasures
or even evacuate.
"Protecting the forest"…
It sounds nice and all,
but you're wrong to think
that you're "protecting" it.
Nature doesn't need people to protect it.
It's not that weak.
If it's egoism
that makes people destroy nature,
it's also egoism
that moves them to protect it.
Nature is supposed to repeat
destruction and rebirth,
but we want it to stay
in a condition that is perfect for us.
All we can do is keep nature in a state
where we can coexist
by touching it up here and there
with methods like thinning.
I couldn't do anything this time.
You went to call the rescue party.
Everyone did their best.
If anything,
I'm the one who couldn't do anything.
What?
I heard you were a big help.
I am the king.
Taking the lead
onsite in an emergency
isn't the king's job.
The king's job
is to prepare in advance
before emergencies happen.
I failed to do that.
What are you talking about?
Souma, you…
Using the Forbidden Army
as a rescue party went well.
But I had far more shortcomings.
Communication methods,
long-distance transportation,
emergency supply stocks
in various regions,
medical teams attached to rescue parties…
Everything fell short.
I was so preoccupied with
the food shortage and the three duchies
that I failed to prepare these.
Souma…
Subtitle translation by: Kiko Morita