How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2 - Episode 4 Review - Carmine Says Goodbye to Souma

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Following How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2 - Episode 3, this ep starts with some weighty, sad stuff.

Souma goes to the prison cells to see Georg Carmine. It’s the first time they meet in person. Souma asks Carmine why he doesn’t let Liscia visit him. Liscia does care for and respect Carmine. 

But Carmine doesn’t want the future queen to taint herself by interacting with a criminal. Carmine is completely sacrificing himself to the very end. Besides, he says he already said his farewell to her the last time they had a broadcast talk.

Carmine asks what happened to his followers/soldiers? Souma said they’ve been cleared of charges. Souma also says Castor and Carla will be tried by him later on for their crimes. Meanwhile, those nobles who Carmine weeded out as being traitorous to Souma have been executed. And even their innocent relatives have been executed. But traditional Elfrieden law says even the third degree of relatives would have to be killed. Souma and Hakuya changed the law just in time, so at least those innocent people didn’t have to suffer.

It pains Souma that he has to execute Carmine like the nobles. Pragmatically, Carmine is a loyal and valuable personnel. He yells at Carmine for not trying to find another way to help the kingdom, where Carmine gets to live. But Carmine accepts his fate. He is withering away, and it’s time for a new power to grow instead.

But Souma rightfully suspects there must be some other mysterious party that instructed Carmine to place all his trust and loyalty in him. Carmine says that party will reveal themselves when the time comes.

Finally, Souma gives Carmine a vile of poisoned wine to drink, so that he won’t be executed publicly. Many like Beowulf are so loyal to Carmine, they request to die just like their leader. 

Carmine drinks the wine and dies. RIP. F. Souma sadly informs Liscia.

Jeanne and Hakuya have a conversation via broadcast, they’ve gotten used to doing so. Jeanne invites Hakuya to come to the Empire to enjoy their books, but Hakuya is too busy to take up the invite. After the call, a spy reports to Hakuya. Again about that mysterious party pulling the strings.

Elsewhere, Princess Roroa is still in hiding. She’ll be more important later on, I guess.

And later, Souma holds an audience with those loyal to him who deserve being rewarded from the recent war. Glaive gets Randel and soldiers that once belonged to Carmine. 

Aisha becomes the King’s Personal Guardian. And her father requests that the King take her hand in marriage! Liscia allows it, saying she can be the second wife. So Souma proposes to her. It’s a really cute, embarrassing moment.

Juna almost sacrifices her reward to plead for the lives of Castor and Carla. But Excel stops her, saying doing so wouldn’t work. And that she focus on what she wants for herself. So Juna asks for Souma’s hand in marriage as well! Souma says unfortunately, she’s the country’s singer right now. Like an idol. So they can’t get married quite yet. That’s Japanese idol culture for you.

Last, we see the shadowy, mysterious party who says they control Elfrieden secretly. Who are they? They seem evil…

Image source: Amazon