Chapter 82

Fran-chan's Homecoming Part 2

โ€œShall we proceed, my lady?โ€

My attendant, Carol, said.

Carol has served me directly since I was a child.

She is the daughter of a vassal of the Klein family and has been with me even before I could form memories.

When I turned three, my father gave her to me as a gift.

Even now, after I submitted to Exus, she continues to serve me faithfully, as my personal attendant.

โ€ฆLately, since Iโ€™ve become conscious of โ€œhygiene,โ€ Iโ€™ve been making her bathe daily and wash her hands and brush her teeth.

Even girls can smell bad if they donโ€™t take bathsโ€ฆ

Currently, sheโ€™s the only servant who doesnโ€™t smell, so I pamper her quite a bit.

Though Carol is a vassalโ€™s daughter, she has no magical powers, not even the capacity to be a mage. Sheโ€™s a child of no bloodline value, yet I still keep her close.

Exus often raises commoner orphans, and when I think about it, there are quite a few diligent commoners without magic who can be useful, like Carol.

If itโ€™s possible to grant magic, then it might indeed be wise to make use of the hard-working among the commoners.

โ€œCarol, how have you been lately? That guyโ€ฆ Exus, hasnโ€™t secretly mistreated you, has he?โ€

โ€œNo, he hasnโ€™t. Howeverโ€ฆโ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

โ€œWhy do you serve someone like him, my lady? I know heโ€™s strong, butโ€ฆโ€

โ€œOh, do you dislike him?โ€

โ€œN-no. Itโ€™s just that, you often voice your disapproval of his strange behavior and cruelty, so Iโ€™ve been concernedโ€ฆโ€

Ahโ€ฆ

Well, yes.

Thatโ€™s true, isnโ€™t it?

โ€œItโ€™s true that I disapprove of those things, but you see, I actually like that โ€˜frighteningโ€™ part of him.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆHuh? I-Iโ€™m sorry?โ€

โ€œIf all I wanted was a strong man, then an ogre or a werewolf would do just fine, right? But a ruler must be not only strong but also fearsome.โ€

โ€œI-Iโ€™m sorry, I donโ€™t quite understandโ€ฆโ€

Well, she doesnโ€™t have magic, so itโ€™s no wonder she doesnโ€™t get it.

โ€œListen closely, Carol. Itโ€™s only natural for rulers to be feared by their subjects. That fear is what protects them.โ€

โ€œY-yes.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ve seen Proxia, havenโ€™t you? If you only pamper and coddle the commoners, theyโ€™ll turn into unproductive scum, doing nothing but drinking and chasing women. We, as nobles and rulers, must be feared by the commoners so that they work.โ€

โ€œI seeโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œItโ€™s like herding sheep. Commoners are like sheep, and we need capable shepherd dogs to bark at them and keep them in line.โ€

โ€œI see. So, what about Exus thenโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œExus is amazing in that regard. Such strength, such cruelty! No one dares defy him. Even I wouldnโ€™t dareโ€”Iโ€™m certain that if I did, my entire family would suffer a fate worse than hellโ€ฆ With such a terrifying ruler, we are safer.โ€

โ€œI-I seeโ€ฆโ€

โ€œMoreover, great power and wealth donโ€™t just instill fear, they also command respect. Or maybeโ€ฆ fear and respect are actually quite similar.โ€

โ€œI see, so thatโ€™s how it is?โ€

โ€œHeh, but imperial knowledge like this isnโ€™t something youโ€™d understand, right? The way a ruler lives is different from how a commoner does. But donโ€™t worry. Exus may be a fearsome ruler, but heโ€™s also a kind husband to me. So, you just need to follow me without worrying about anything, and Iโ€™ll continue to care for youโ€ฆโ€

And so, before I knew it, we arrived at the Klein estate.

The journey was pleasant, thanks to the automated iron carriage Exus lent me, along with the homunculus attendants, a fridge, and a portable shower.

And at the castleโ€ฆ

โ€œFather, I have returned.โ€

โ€œOh, Fran. Welcome home.โ€

The first thing I did was greet Father.

As the head of the family, he holds the highest position, so itโ€™s only natural to greet him first, even in diplomacy.

โ€œBrother, Iโ€™ve returned as well.โ€

โ€œAh, welcome back.โ€

Next, my elder brother, the heir.

After that, I suppose Iโ€™ll greet the rest of the family in order?

Exus doesnโ€™t care much for formalitiesโ€”well, more like he kills anyone who annoys him on the spotโ€”so he doesnโ€™t pay attention to attitudes or ranks, but I still care.

So Iโ€™ll continue to conduct myself like a noble.

Even if Exus were to assassinate the kingโ€ฆ I will uphold my manners and customs to the very end.

โ€ฆNot that Iโ€™d stop him, of course. My family comes first.

At home, I couldnโ€™t eat the food because of my โ€œhygiene standards,โ€ so I used the โ€œpurification magicโ€ I recently learned to cleanse the food.

If it were like the freshly grilled fish I had in Proxia, then it wouldnโ€™t matter if it was dirty or not, and Iโ€™d be fine eating it.

But the elaborate dishes served at homeโ€ฆ I have no idea what might have gotten mixed in during preparation.

So, whenever possible, I ate alone in my room, using the โ€œreplicatorโ€ that Exus gave me to make food.

Except when dining with family, I did that.

Returning home wasnโ€™t just about resting my body and mind. I also had to show that I hadnโ€™t neglected the military studies and training Father had assigned me.

Since Iโ€™m a girl and have many older siblings, I wonโ€™t get scolded as long as I maintain the minimum skills required to carry the family name.

But my elder brother, the heir, had it much tougher. Heโ€™s been rigorously trained since childhood. I admire him for that.

โ€œI seeโ€ฆ So, that boy Exus, was it? Heโ€™s not just anyone, after all.โ€

โ€œIndeedโ€ฆ With all due respect, even if the entire Klein family mobilized its full strength, we would be no match.โ€

โ€œHmmโ€ฆ It seems your judgment was correct. My daughter, it appears you have quite the eye for people.โ€

โ€œI am honored by your words. However, his talents are not his only charm.โ€

โ€œOh?โ€

โ€œHe is also captivating as a man and as a ruler.โ€

โ€œGuhโ€ฆ Are you still holding a grudge about me opposing the engagement? I donโ€™t oppose it anymore! In fact, I encourage you to marry him!โ€

โ€œI recall you saying, โ€˜I will not give away my daughter!'โ€

โ€œAlright, alright! I was wrong! So please, stop being so distant with me!โ€

โ€œโ€ฆSo? Is there anything else to report?โ€

โ€œThere is. Would you take a look at this, Father?โ€

After a brief quarrel with Father, we reconciled.

Then, I presented him with an extraordinary proposal.

โ€œT-this isโ€ฆ an Iron Golem?โ€

โ€œNo, itโ€™s not! This isโ€ฆ what they call a โ€˜robot!'โ€

Yes!

I studied hard, had Exus program most of it, and worked tirelessly to fine-tune it!

Itโ€™s a โ€˜combat robot!โ€™

โ€œIt operates on a similar principle to an Iron Golem but is lighter, more agile, and can use weapons and basic magic. Itโ€™s an amazing weapon! With this robot, the Klein family could fight for another hundred years!!!โ€

โ€œI-I seeโ€ฆโ€

โ€œIโ€™ve already produced an initial batch of 500 units, so try deploying them on our frontlines!โ€

With that, I gave instructions to the combat robots lined up in the training ground.

โ€œWowโ€ฆ Did you really make these?โ€

โ€œWellโ€ฆ Exus did all the foundational work, but I designed them!โ€

โ€œโ€ฆAn army of steel, huh? To think you received something like this for freeโ€”you are well-loved.โ€

โ€ฆI wonder.

โ€œโ€ฆNo, Father. Itโ€™s not because Iโ€™m loved. Exusโ€ฆ he gave this to me because, to him, itโ€™s not a โ€˜threat.โ€™ Thatโ€™s why he gave it so easily.โ€

โ€œI seeโ€ฆ The difference in power is staggering.โ€

โ€œBut! I do think he loves me! He treasures me in his own way, and he doesnโ€™t yell or hit me! Yes, heโ€™s insane, but he tries to be a good husband!โ€

โ€œI seeโ€ฆ Youโ€™ve grown, havenโ€™t you? Youโ€™ve come to understand love.โ€

With that, Father gently patted my head for the first time in a long while.

It felt nostalgicโ€ฆ

And so, I spent my time quietly at home, reporting my recent affairs to Father and chatting with my siblings.

Itโ€™s so peaceful when I donโ€™t have to deal with any interruptions!

ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—ร—

Excerpt from โ€œBiographies of Great Figures of the Kingdom of Biltriaโ€

Francis Klein

The youngest daughter of the prestigious military family, the Kleins, in the Kingdom of Biltria, Francis Klein was a sorceress often referred to as the โ€œleft arm of the demon Exus.โ€ Her innovative โ€œMechanical Magic,โ€ which combined the Klein familyโ€™s traditional castle-building techniques with her own engineering methods, later laid the foundation for the Industrial Revolution.

As a battle mage, she was highly proficient and was called titles such as the โ€œMoving Fortressโ€ and the โ€œIron Castleโ€ at the time. However, in modern terms, these would be classified as โ€œrobotic weapons.โ€ For the people of that era, witnessing these soulless machines operate autonomously must have been nothing short of terrifying.

Though she understood the honor of being a warrior, it is ironic that her creationโ€”the robotic weaponsโ€”ended up being seen as the force that stripped the battlefield of its honor.


Programmer Reincarnation: Magic in This World Seems Like Programming

Programmer Reincarnation: Magic in This World Seems Like Programming

ใƒ—ใƒญใ‚ฐใƒฉใƒž่ปข็”Ÿใ€œใ“ใฎไธ–็•Œใฎ้ญ”ๆณ•ใฏใƒ—ใƒญใ‚ฐใƒฉใƒ ใ‚‰ใ—ใ„ใ€œ
Score 8
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Released: 2023 Native Language: Japanese

A story in which the heroine begs for the enemy's life

Reincarnated into another world! A programmer who died on Earth wakes up to find himself a baby in a fantasy world! Though it may seem like a fantasy world, magic is processed in a computer-program-like manner for some reason! Being an Earth programmer, he can manipulate spells to wield powerful magic! It's cheating! Totally OP! I see, it's a common setup. ...But there's one problem. This guy is fatally unsuited to be the protagonist.

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