Ch.163Chapter 163. Maid Flan

Let me take a moment to reflect on what I know about h… no, her.

Our first meeting was several months ago when I was invited to the Imperial Palace.

At that time, she introduced herself as the guardian of the child who had formed a connection with me, and her warning helped me approach the situation with caution before entering the palace.

I even felt sympathy when I learned that she wasn’t treated as a noble by other aristocrats despite how much she had helped me.

But it was just yesterday that I discovered her noble status and illegitimate birth were all fabricated identities, and her true form was an ancient weapon that had protected the Empire.

“Pleased to meet you, everyone of the expedition. My name is Flan, a maid who has come to assist you all in place of Lady Cheska, the head of the Flandor family who has returned to her main household.”

But why is she introducing herself as this new person called Flan to the expedition team, right after I’ve barely had time to process everything?

“Although the Lady has hurriedly returned to fulfill her duties as a lord, I will do my best to fill her absence and serve you all in her place.”

“Uh, well…”

Naturally, the expedition members’ reactions were uniformly stiff.

Some of them seemed unable to properly grasp the current situation, as if wondering whether they still had alcohol in their system from last night’s gathering.

It’s understandable.

Though there might be differences in hairstyle and attire, they were essentially facing someone with the exact same face as the noble boy who had just left this position.

“Excuse me, Hero. This person is…”

“She says they’re blood relatives.”

“Blood relatives? Like siblings? Or cousins?”

“…Just accept it at face value. It’ll get complicated if we dig too deep.”

“Ah, yes. I suppose that makes sense since she’s nobility…”

The reality is that she’s something beyond nobility, but whatever the case, it’s enough if they accept it without too many questions.

After Sanson, the deputy officer, explained the situation to the members, they seemed to understand and began looking at Flan with tense expressions.

They don’t seem to think she’s the same person as Cheska, but they’re probably worried about getting caught in noble affairs if they’re blood relatives.

So if she’s going to be with us, I’d prefer she maintain a familiar appearance, but she seems indifferent to my concerns as she flings open the door connected to the kitchen.

“Speaking of which, everyone must be hungry this morning. I’ve prepared breakfast, so I recommend eating before beginning your activities.”

“Oh, ohhh!”

Food carts gradually being pulled out…

The table was filled with visually appealing dishes worthy of being called a feast, and before I knew it, she had finished setting everything up and approached me, looking up at me.

As if waiting for my reaction to this table.

“Did you… make all this by yourself?”

“Sleep is unnecessary for my body except during recovery periods. As long as I have enough magical power, I can move even in the middle of the night, so it’s nothing special.”

Right, she’s not human but a doll, so this kind of thing is possible.

Of course, even a doll wouldn’t exert unlimited labor without reason, but what worried me more was the expedition’s financial situation.

“…How much did you spend making this?”

“Here’s the cost of the ingredients used.”

An account book was smoothly presented before me.

It contained the money spent on procuring ingredients, but the amounts were not much different from what we’d normally spend on rations.

“Local specialties that don’t require much distribution effort are generally inexpensive. Also, freshly supplied foods don’t need quality preservation or labor investment, so if you go to the market in the early morning, you can purchase them at cheap prices.”

“…So you bought them cheaply from locals in the early morning?”

That was a tip my dad who used to sell from a truck taught me.

“It’s wisdom gained from years of experience.”

Cheska confidently displayed this practical knowledge while puffing out her flat chest.

Her actions showed a different kind of confidence than when she was acting as a noble boy.

It seemed so emotional that it was hard to think of it as an act. As I stared at her, praise began erupting from expedition members all around.

“D-delicious!”

“It’s not just visually appealing—it’s melting in my mouth!”

“This would have been great with drinks at last night’s banquet.”

“How about a drink now?”

“No way, you fool. We need to focus on expedition preparations today.”

As the expedition members’ unanimous praise circulated, she gradually nodded in approval.

Her uncharacteristic behavior felt strange when she had been consistently aloof before, but now she proudly addressed me as if the current situation was preferable.

“Household management is my specialty. Please leave the expedition’s chores to me from now on.”

…This girl.

Is she really the same person as Cheska?

****

The expedition period spans half a year, but since the first subjugation ended quickly and safely, we could afford to invest one day in rest.

Of course, with many tasks to complete like preparing necessary supplies and repairing equipment, the expedition members would be given free time in the afternoon.

At least during the morning, even if suffering from hangovers, they needed to take care of these matters to set out on the expedition in good condition the next day.

“I’ve already completed ordering necessary supplies and informing the intelligence agents about the expedition’s achievements.”

And all these tasks had already been completed by the excellent maid who had suddenly appeared while we were unaware.

“I’ve also finished repairing the carriages, mending and washing equipment, and checking the condition of the horses in the stable. I hope everyone will relax and focus on resting.”

“…You did all that without us knowing?”

“It’s a natural skill for a maid.”

Cheska spoke as if it were nothing special.

But having observed her work up close, I could immediately understand that her words weren’t mere boasting.

Her speed left afterimages, and her hand movements were as precise as if measured with a ruler.

Even when cleaning, she utilized mana in exactly the right places to ensure not a speck of dust escaped during the process.

“…My sword is shining?”

“Since there’s nothing to organize, I can rest comfortably.”

“The horse’s mane is so neat!”

And naturally, the members’ evaluations were all positive.

Even I, having worked as a porter for two years doing odd jobs, could immediately recognize how extraordinary her household management skills were.

If I had continued working as a porter, I might have sought her out as a master—that’s how impressive it was.

“So, what do you think?”

After providing the members with a comfortable rest, it was now approaching noon… actually, a little before noon.

Having completed all necessary tasks by that time, Cheska met with me privately and began looking up at me confidently with her hands at her waist.

“What do I think about what?”

“I asked how you would evaluate me, having quickly organized everything the expedition needed as a maid.”

“Ah, right. Evaluation.”

Objectively speaking, it was flawless and impressive, but that was just the result.

Since nothing in the world comes without a price, when things go too smoothly, one should be suspicious first.

For instance, the person before me might have ulterior motives, or they might have sacrificed something I’m unaware of to achieve such results.

“Are you okay?”

“…Why are you suddenly asking about my well-being?”

“No, it’s just hard to understand from a common sense perspective. You’d be more comfortable remaining a noble, yet you suddenly volunteer to be a maid…”

“Haah.”

A deep sigh interrupted my reasonable concern before I could finish.

It was something I never encountered when she was acting as the proud and calculating young lord.

“…Master.”

And the same applied to what followed.

“Master… what?”

“I’m addressing you. Since I’m now a maid rather than a noble, there needs to be a change in how I address the person who employs me, doesn’t there?”

“No, no matter what, you calling me ‘master’ is a bit…”

“It’s merely a formality, so don’t attach deep meaning to it.”

Oh yes, as long as it helps the expedition, either way is fine, I thought as I stared at her. Cheska straightened her posture and continued expressing her opinion.

“As I told you yesterday, I am an automaton doll created for humanity. Although artificially made, I am clearly a being who acts with emotions and will, just like humans.”

Yes, that’s exactly what concerns me.

She is what would commonly be called artificial intelligence or AI in the world I lived in.

Though created by human hands, she possesses high-level thinking and personality, making her no different from a human being.

So she too must have desires and preferences, which is why I assumed she would avoid arduous tasks like labor.

“And our reason for existence is to live for the humans who own us… Serving our master and laboring for them is the purpose and fulfillment of existence for beings like me.”

“…So you’re saying it’s more comfortable to be employed than to employ others?”

“In human terms, you could call it an occupational disease or my nature. To be honest, now that I’ve shed my noble disguise, I feel as though I’m finally wearing clothes that properly fit me.”

The girl placed her hand on her chest with a comfortable expression as she said this.

Though still dignified and quiet in demeanor, unlike her previous mechanical manner, she now seemed infinitely natural and even human-like.

“For that reason, I ask you again as my formal master…”

With such an emotional transformation, Cheska… no, Francesca, as she should now be called, looked at me with clear eyes and asked:

“Was there anything lacking in what I showed you today?”

“…Not at all. It was perfect.”

“And?”

“And what else?”

“Don’t you have more to say? Seeing this perfect maid, perhaps that I’m reliable or that you want to depend on me…”

“Well, I suppose from the expedition members’ perspective, dealing with a maid is more comfortable.”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

A slightly raised voice.

Her expression revealed frustration bordering on irritation, but even that lasted only a moment.

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Francesca quickly turned her gaze away.

There seemed to be some dissatisfaction with my reaction, but whatever the case, she must have her reasons for wanting to help me.

“Whatever the case, you’re helping me because there’s something you want to achieve through me, right?”

“…Huu.”

Francesca expressed her frustration as I tried to get to the point.

After regaining her composure a moment later, she faced me with a dignified attitude and said:

“Yes, that’s right. If you advance and become close to the Imperial family, I too can approach my goal by assisting you.”

“Is that because as a guardian of the Empire, you want to naturally establish connections with the Imperial family?”

“…I won’t say directly. Understanding my purpose could be harmful to your safety, so please understand.”

Yes, I’m already struggling just to take care of myself.

Deeply investigating what she knows and what her objectives are is beyond my capacity.

If it leads to direct harm to me, I should stop it, but Irie wouldn’t make that kind of prediction, so I judged it best to rely on her for now.

“Alright, then let’s consider last night’s conversation settled… What do you think I should do first?”

“First, based on my analysis of the expedition so far, we should assess our combat strength and reinforce any weaknesses.”

Fortunately, she also seemed cooperative on this matter.

At this point, my curiosity began to bubble up.

“So, how does my combat ability look to you?”

I wondered how my skills, inherited from the Hero’s personality and honed over time, would appear to a being called a guardian who had shared history with the Empire.

“To put it bluntly, it’s terrible.”

“…What?”

“Please don’t misunderstand. Compared to the Heroes currently summoned to the Empire, your combat ability could be considered top-tier, but the perspective I’m considering isn’t on that level.”

A difference in perspective.

Well, it makes sense that the combat ability of someone who inherited a personality that lived only 20-30 years wouldn’t impress a being who has lived for over a thousand years.

“Then what perspective are you considering?”

“To use an analogy… yes.”

“In terms of the universe, you’d be like a speck of dust.”

“Even a dragon would be that small by that standard.”

That’s the kind of talk that would get you smacked by Tashian if he heard it.

“I apologize if my expression was excessive, but I hope you understand.”

But unlike what I thought was a joke, there was seriousness in her words aimed at me.

“What I’m going to teach you is how to face ‘heteromorphic beings,’ and no matter how much preparation you make for facing such entities, it will never be enough.”

Along with that, her sharply glinting eyes told me that what awaited would not be easy.