The Substitute Madam Amazes the World Once More - Chapter 5

Leon was a robotics engineer with a bright future—until he was run over by a military truck and killed on the spot. But death wasn’t the end. Thanks to a cosmic glitch and to an idiot, Leon wakes up in a new world, reincarnated as the son of a minor noble family guarding the wild frontier of a massive Empire. With his intact mind, enhanced brain, and a world begging for progress, Leon sees opportunity everywhere—one that he will grab for sure.But not everything will go smoothly. Monsters come over in the winter, the Empire monopolizes magic and technology, and society clings to barbaric ways. Refusing to accept the status quo, Leon decides to reshape his family’s backwater territory into a land he would enjoy living in. Armed with knowledge from his old life, modern problem-solving, and an irreverent attitude, he plans to revolutionize his territory. But in a land where magic is rare and unknown to ordinary people, he knows he’ll need more than blueprints to succeed. He will need his own wizards and witches...Hey-ho! Welcome! I thought I need to add some information to those who want to know if they should just skip it or not: First, I ain't planning to introduce world-changing, thought-provoking ideas here. It is all for the plain and simple reason of having some fun. What you need to be aware of if you need more details:- Yes, this is an isekai story. No, there are no 'cheats' or systems involved with gaining skills. He is just a guy reincarnating with a gene-modified brain, so it explains why he can remember things and be smart. That is it. Think of it as him having a perfect memory. If you perceive confidence as arrogance, you may very well dislike the MC right off the bat. He is not someone who will lay low and try to blend in when his territory is the most backward and abandoned place in a vast Empire. Where the throne is so far away, messages take months to go back and forth.- The story mostly focuses on kingdom-building stuff and slice-of-life elements, not on conquest or curb stomping others. The main conflict will be centered around wars, yes, but it won't be one guy vs. the world or something like that. Magic is going to play a big role in building up the territory, as I plan to branch out into magic technology later on. I am going to rely heavily on magic because I am mostly a fantasy writer and not an engineer.- The MC's main goal is to enjoy himself. This also means girls. So there will be a harem. Those who are familiar with my works, how I do groups, and how my characters act will know I don't like doing cardboard cutouts of characters. Most of my stories have more than one character accompanying the MC. The same will be true here, with the extra caveat that they will also be involved romantically with the MC. - The story plays out in a 1st person POV. There won't be jumping around multiple POVs; I don't like that. Only when the story requires it and the MC can’t be present by himself for some story parts.- Don't take this story seriously nor look for scientifically 100% real and codex-like solutions for problems. This is a fantasy world, a totally different culture, and with history, that is NOT OUR world! There is magic here, and the MC has a supercomputer for a brain. I think that says it all. - My main goal is to enjoy writing some whacky but real-sounding scenarios. They will be based upon feasible ideas, but I am not writing a damned textbook about thermodynamics. Laws will be bent and broken when the story needs it.- Regarding smut, there are some chapters with erotic scenes, but not every other chapter. So expect it when the mood is there in the story and not because I must cram as much snu-snu in as possible... That won't happen.- No guns. Why? Every similar story has guns. This doesn't. This has mechs and power swords. Why? Because I said so.

“Ugh…enough with the threats, sourpuss.” I huffed. He wasn’t the only one that was good at giving people funny nicknames. “And in case you don’t know…having to be in a fake relationship with you is already making life a living hell for me.” I dropped my voice to a small whisper just in case anyone was eavesdropping.We were in an open place after all.“Speaking of our relationship, I’m not sure if you know who Naomi is but she’s already suspecting that something’s off so you better do something about it. If you would have listened to me when I told you how ridiculous this idea was then maybe we wouldn’t have to be dealing with all of this.” My eyes drooped.“What are you talking about?” His brows dipped as he took a step back.Oh wow, he couldn’t even understand a few words. Who would’ve thought that he’d be so dumb?“Naomi thinks it’s unusual for us to be in a relationship.” I drawled with air quotes. “You better do something about it if you don’t want people to doubt you.” I said sizing him up and I was just leaving when I had barely even taken a few steps and something yanked me back.My back hit the wall, and before I could even process what just happened, a warm hand landed on my waist, fingers pressing just enough to make my breath hitch. My eyes snapped up…only to find Liam’s face hovering way too close to mine, his blue eyes sharp and calculating.“What…” My voice came out weak. Embarrassingly weak.“Where do you think you’re going, four eyes?” His voice was low, his breath tickling my cheek.My stomach flipped and I swallowed hard. “Liam, what the hell are you doing?”He didn’t answer.Instead, he leaned in…his lips nearly grazing my ear.Panic surged through me. He was too close. Way too close.“Didn’t you just say I should do something about this girl’s suspicions?” he murmured, his voice dropping into something almost dangerous.I blinked, confused. “What?”He ignored me completely, his fingers tightening slightly against my waist. “And what better way is there to clear someone’s doubt than not giving them room for it?”My heart stuttered and I suddenly became hyper aware of the way we looked…his body caging me in, my hands pressed flat against the wall, his head dipped low, his mouth close enough that if I moved even an inch…Oh, crap.~~~~~~Eleanor is a 23-year old woman who was involved in a car accident on her way to her interview. Unfortunately she doesn't make it and assumes she's going to find herself in the afterlife but instead finds herself in the body of a college student named Theodora. And this college student happens to be a side character in one of the books she read in her past life.Having found herself in this body, she decides to find out why she's there and try to return to her old world. On her quest for answers she realizes she has to play her part as Theodora in this world which however lands her in a lot of problems.

He Bai won the lottery, became rich, and reached the pinnacle of life. Then, he inadvertently took a picture of the Film Emperor Di Qiuhe being killed. And after reporting this case to the police, he was reborn in a midst of confusion.

He Bai: I don’t have any horrible relatives to abuse. Why was I reborn?

Di Qiuhe: But I do.

He Bai: I also haven’t been betrayed or harmed by anyone. Why was I reborn?

Di Qiuhe: But I have.

He Bai: I just want to have some money to live freely and eat well. I already achieved that goal, so why was I reborn?

Di Qiuhe: I have money, but don’t live freely or well.

He Bai angrily flips the table: So what’s the use of my rebirth! Just to make me suffer again?!

Di Qiuhe (Holding and Touching He Bai): Be my lover, you’re only responsible for eating “lollipops,” you won’t eat any bitterness.

He Bai: Leave!

[DING! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining SSS-Rank Dark Dimensional Reality Talent][Attribute: Darkness]Freed from nuclear war terrors, all humans now have to face the new reality of their fate.Humans are given a power that allows them to have different talents according to their abilities and luck, including obtaining the power of past heroes.Aaron Lewis, an 18-year-old young man, must bear the devastating reality that his mother was killed by an unknown group. The turmoil of uncontrollable rage in his heart makes his talent affected.[WARNING!][System detected Darkness attribute energy increase][Initiates talent rank evolution][Adjusting talents with attributes ][Evolution Completed]Just as Aaron opened his eyes, he saw he was floating in a void dimension with thousands of caged ancestral souls waiting to be freed or summoned. They are the souls of heroes from all over the world.[Main Talent: Dark Dimensional Reality][Rank: SSS-Rank]With his flexibility to explore dimensions beyond ordinary human sight, Aaron gathered thousands of ancestral souls and turned them into his army.To his surprise, Aaron found a way to free his mother's soul and bring her back to life, which was to become a Great Ruler.“There is no other choice. I will become a Ruler.”