How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2 - Episode 2 Review - Jeanne and Souma Negotiate

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Following How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2 - Episode 1, this ep starts off with reminding us where the Mankind Declaration came from and why it’s a current problem for Souma trying to keep the city of Van for Elfrieden.

Then, unexpectedly, we’re treated to half an episode of filler. You’d think such a smart anime featuring a genius wouldn’t have to employ such techniques, but here we are. I thought we’d get right into the topic where the cliffhanger left us - negotiations between the Empire and Souma. But nope. Going to have to keep waiting for that. Just great.

So Jeanne begins with mentioning OFF TOPIC that she has eaten monster meat. Everyone is shocked for some reason. Eventually, it leads to the summoned newbie Souma say something that sounds incredibly discriminatory when first heard. Souma says he can’t tell the difference between monsters and animals, or the difference between beastmen and demons. Those things didn’t exist back in his (our) world.

Jeanne, Hakuya and Liscia are all pretty much outraged by his statement. But somehow, stupidly, they can’t even explain the differences themselves. They stupidly never noticed this before. How convenient for the writer’s plot purposes.

The three tell Souma that this conversation best be kept to themselves. If word got out, it would cause chaos. Certain beast people would be ostracized as demons, killed and harmed. There’s no way to really counter this if it actually happens. Then Jeanne says it - no point talking about solutions now since we don’t know enough about monsters and demons to make an informed decision! In other words, fucking FILLER.

Finally it gets to negotiations, which in comparison, last like one minute of the ep. In the end, Souma agrees to give back Van if the Empire forces Julius and Amidonia to pay reparations.

Then Jeanne asks why Souma doesn’t want to join the Mankind Declaration. Instead of answering that, he says he wants the Empire’s trust. He offers a secret bilateral alliance, where Elfrieden will help guard some of the borders with the demons. The thing that sells his idea is the communication receiver that he gives to Jeanne to take back home. Basically setting up a phone line so they can speak instantly regarding war strategy and such. For some reason this very obvious way to improve communication blows Jeanne away. And she gets thirsty to have Souma join the Empire, and maybe even marry her sister and become the new Emperor!

Jokes aside, he declines.

At the end of the ep, Jeanne warns her new friend Souma to watch out for the Demon Lord. Divalroi. Souma feels deja vu hearing this and gets faint. Good reason to rest on Liscia’s lap again.

Image source: Amazon