Reborn as the First Boss, Chapter 39 (Patreon)

Chapter 39 – Victory Feast

With Earth mages helping to clear the way, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the mine head was clear a few hours before the evening meal was set to be served. Which was good, since I knew that the children and elderly in the mines likely did not want to spend another night underground. Even better, there was still enough in the way of time and kitchen facilities that the villagers could start preparing the victory feast.

Despite nominally being the person in charge of everything, what with my being Baroness, it seemed that everyone was fully committed to keeping me from doing any work to help with the feast, or the cleaning up. Something about me being the heroine of the hour, and all that. So, I did the best thing I could think of, and used my [Ring of Unbound Utilization] as Astruth bent me over on the wall while everyone else worked.

Everyone else that wasn’t involved with either preparing the feast or tending to the wounded was shifting bodies. On the left side of the road, as one left the village, a mound was raised, as the dead villagers, men-at-arms, adventurers, and members of my household guard were laid to rest in a mass grave, with a stone listing the names of the dead. The dead goblins were all heaped in a pile upon the right side of the road, and mages conjured grease before lighting it aflame, adding more fuel as needed to make the fire burn hot and bright. The ashes of that fire would be used as fertilizer for the fields, so that something good might come of the goblins in the end.

To his credit, Father Reinhold had gone straight to work. The Church of Yton in Granite Pointe had supplied him with plenty of mana potions, since they had heard about the Goblin Lord, and figured that, if the village wasn’t already destroyed that there would be need of a Priest to tend to any wounds that the Healers couldn’t manage. Because of that, the Father was looking a bit queasy, come nightfall, due to all the potions, but the men-at-arms and adventurers who had been needing his attention, as well as the wounded hunters from the redoubt above the town, were back on their feet in time for the feast.

By the time everyone was called to the feast, I was feeling fully refreshed, thanks to my [Sensual Recharge] ability. That was one thing I truly loved about this new body of mine. Who needed coffee when every orgasm was a double shot of espresso that somehow also took all my aches and pains away? I knew people back in my old life that would do unspeakable things to have that kind of ability, and never think twice about it.

The feast was set up outside the walls, between the newly-erected mound and the great bonfire that had once been an army of goblins. The fare was not anything spectacular, but a hearty stew, fresh-baked bread, and plenty of ale was plenty grand, for the short time they had to prepare. Wouldn’t do to run the village we’d just saved into famine because of the victory feast, after all. Plus, what really made it a feast was all the people there, singing songs and telling their own, personal tales of the battle to those who’d been holed up in the mines.

There were also a lot of wild tales being told about my part in the battle, as expected. Of course, the actual details were more than a bit blown out of proportion. Probably because, other than my party and Roland, most everyone else who was close enough to see the fight was busy fighting for their own lives. The goblins weren’t just sitting back and letting everyone watch the main event, after all.

Then, there were the toasts. Oh, so many toasts, and most of them to me, as Baroness, and the savior of the village. It was an odd feeling, having people drinking in my honor. Oh, I’d had drinks with the guys in the club back in my old life, and there were birthday toasts and other things like that, but they’d never done anything quite like this for me. I hope they at least poured one out for me after I died.

“SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!”

A few toasts in, and there were calls for me to give a speech. Fine, they wanted a speech? I’d give them a speech.

I stood up on the table, a fresh drink in my hand, and received a chorus of cheers from the crowd. Most of them probably weren’t used to nobles acting like this, but I wasn’t exactly your normal noble. I had only been in this world for a couple weeks, after all.

“People of Windwater! Of Stonebreak! A toast, to the victorious dead!” The cheers were more somber, now, but still strong, as I downed my mug of ale. I needed to keep momentum, or it would turn sour.

“To those of you who have lost friends and family, I will not tell you not to mourn the loss. However, do not think that they threw their lives away in vain! For I look now, and while there is a mound to my left with far too many bodies buried under it, I look to my right, and see the smoldering remains of at least twice their number! They knew that they might die, if they stood upon the walls, it is true. But they also knew that every goblin killed was one fewer to threaten those who did not have the strength to fight!

“And, even amongst those who went to the mines, some took up arms, for, while they could not bring themselves to stand upon the wall and fight, they would not let the goblins past them, and into the mines. There is no shame in knowing that you are not a born fighter. The only shame would have been if they had taken the wall, and then fled when the goblins came. Instead, they stood their ground, their families at their backs, and held the goblins until the mountain fell upon them. Staring certain death in the eye, and accepting it, knowing that your death will save the lives of those behind you? That is a kind of desperate courage that you see from the lowest beast to the most talented warrior.

“Nay, that is a courage that surpasses most warriors. For a man-at-arms or an adventurer may deal in combat and death on a regular basis, but they are trained for it, and equipped for it. Even when the fear hits them, when the screams and the blood and the mud are everywhere around, they have training to fall back on, to keep them steady. But for an untrained blacksmith or farmer or hunter to take up a weapon, and face down foes without breaking and running in terror? That is true courage.

“I know not what comes after this life, if what the various churches say of places of eternal paradise or unending torment where souls go when they die are true, or whether those souls may be reborn in other lives, other worlds, and get to journey anew. However, I do know that you should not weep for those who died last night, for they have earned whatever peace may await them. They proved themselves to be heroes, whether the Voice of the World gave them a title or not.

“For the Voice of the World does not care about little lives like ours. A [Hero] might be a farmboy, looking to right some wrong in the world, but they might also be a Goblin Lord, looking to raze a town. The Voice of the World cares not for such things. And so, I tell you not to put too much weight upon titles granted by the Voice, but instead look at the deeds people do. The only [Hero] in Stonebreak last night lies to my right, unlamented and with his ashes mixed with all the others of his wretched kin he brought here, but I tell you that the true heroes are the ones laid to my left, with their names upon that stone!

“And, as titles go, only one of us gained the [Hero Slayer] title, but if I had faced the Goblin Lord alone, amongst his horde, there is no doubt that I would have been brought down by numbers. If Guildmaster Roland had not dealt such a grievous wound to him at the start, then the fight would not have gone in my favor. If the mines had not been fortified, to ensure that there were no innocents to hold hostage, then we would not have prevailed. It is together, with all of our efforts, that killing the Goblin Hero was made possible!”

My mug had been refilled by the attentive Linette, and so I raised it once more. “And again, a toast to the victorious dead, and all the people of Stonebreak!” And the cheers were much louder now, and completely unreserved.

With that, the big feast broke up into smaller parties, as people started looking for places to bed down for the night. Luckily, it was a fine night, neither too cold nor too hot, and there was no sign of rain. Tomorrow, the business of fixing rooves and rebuilding would begin. But for now? People celebrated just being alive. I noticed more than one pairing slip off, away from the crowd, for a private corner where they could continue that celebration in more intimate terms. As you might expect from such a feast.

What I hadn’t expected, however, was the group of teens who apparently let the ale get the better of their thinking, leading them to try and speak to me as the party was breaking up.

Gwydo

Human Male

Level 15 Fighter / Hunter

Titles: Survivor

Bryce

Human Male

Level 16 Rogue / Hunter

Titles: Survivor

Talebot

Human Male

Level 14 Ranger / Hunter

Titles: Survivor

The fighter stood in the center of the two, smiling in that way drunk people do when they think they have a great idea. “Beggin’ yer pardin, Baroness, but me an’ the boys were thinkin’ we might show ye how appreciative we be for ye takin’ on that big boss goblin. We were up on the ridge, with them adventurers and the other hunters, an’ if’n ye hadn’t killed ‘im when ye did, we’d all be dead now. Bryce, here, only got ‘is leg back right afore the feast started. Last of the hunters who got bad wounded to get patched up, see?”

I had to work hard to keep myself from chuckling at the brashness of the trio. Clearly, they’d gotten it in their heads to try and see if they could get a roll in the hay with nobility. They didn’t have the [Virgin] title, like the former [Hero] did, but they couldn’t have been more than nineteen at the oldest. And they were trying to make a play for a noblewoman who looked to be just a bit older than they were? Had to give them credit for guts. But then, they did survive the fight on the ridge, so there was that.

“Oh? And you think that you three lads can show me the proper ‘appreciation’?”

“Yeah, we can!” The ranger nodded. “Plus, we know the Father kicked ye out of the chapel, so you’ll be wanting a place with a roof on it, right? We already checked, and my old man’s place is still standin’, and the roof’s solid. He didna make it, which means it’s mine now. Be right pleased to let ye stay the night.”

Well, I guess there wasn’t any harm in having my own little celebration, now was there? “Mmm, well, I suppose you’ve got spunk, if nothing else. If you show Mommy Alis how good you can be, maybe she’ll let you have some of her sugar. But I expect you boys to play nice, and work together, yes? Show me what a great team you three can be.”