Reborn as the First Boss, Chapter 40 (Patreon)

Chapter 40 – Return to Windwater

The morning after the feast, I was one of the few who weren’t suffering from hangovers. Of course, most of those lucky souls simply knew their limits, and did not overindulge. Darren, a tanner who worked with the leatherworkers in town, simply had the constitution of an ogre. The only time anyone could remember him being hung over was the time some Tier 2 adventurers were passing through town on some business or other, and one of them shared a bit of their homemade moonshine. Tier 2 booze apparently hit like a pissed off giant, if you didn’t have a high enough CON.

I, on the other hand, had a different trick. Sure, I’d had plenty to drink, but as a [Greater Succubus], I was simply immune to poisons, and alcohol poisoning counted. I could get a pleasant buzz, and maintain it so long as I kept drinking, but it seemed that I couldn’t get drunk. Even if I had been able to get wasted, [Sensual Recharge] would have helped to break that down and let me recover quicker, while my trio of well-wishers showed me their ‘appreciation’.

And they truly did show me their appreciation. All three of them were eager to prove themselves, and even when the alcohol threatened to get the better of them, and keep them from performing, I had ways of pushing them forward. [Kiss of Corruption] lowered any resistance they had, [Seduction] kept them coming back for more, and [Touch of Depravity] made them too hard and horny to care about anything. At the same time, [Magic Touch (Remove Fatigue)] kept any of them from tiring, while [Carnal Arts] ensured that they were all very happy with my own performance. In the end, it was their SP that finally ended the night’s festivities, as they simply no longer had the stamina to continue. So, a bit of [Magic Touch (Rest Easy)] had them sleeping soundly, while I went to clean myself up.

Thankfully, my clothes were enchanted to not get dirty, otherwise I was certain that they’d be ruined from where they’d gotten thrown about during the initial fun. A bit of time to smooth out my hair, and I slipped out of the ranger’s house, and into the night air. The moon was still high in the sky, but descending. A few hours until the predawn light, then.

I made my way to where my pets were sleeping by the remains of a simple fire on one section of the wall. The stone was cool, but the season was warm enough that sleeping outdoors was no great sacrifice, especially on a dry night like it was. I found a nice spot against the crenelations on the wall, and sat back, to close my eyes for a bit of a nap before dawn.

The hangovers were plentiful come the morning, but that did not stop people from getting up, and preparing for the next day’s activities. Everyone had something they were set to be doing, today. Father Reinhold started making headway on the villagers who had been maimed in the fighting. He wasn’t going to be imbibing mana potion after mana potion today, though, so he informed Headwoman Katelyn and myself that he would only be able to get four, maybe five of the maimed villagers up on their feet. For her part, the headwoman laughed, and said that if it took only a tenday for all of the forty-seven villagers who had been crippled by the fighting to return to proper form, that was more than enough for her.

With the mines clear, the bodies moved, and the crippled on the road to recovery, the villagers who were still able-bodied had plenty of work ahead of them, as well. Fixing roofs and buildings damaged in the attack was a high priority, as was sending people to shore up and repair the entrance to the mines, so that it was actually safe to work. Anyone not involved in those two things either helped tend to the crippled, or set about moving all the supplies, mementos, livestock, and more from the mines. According to the headwoman, they would be back in business by the time the crippled were all whole once more.

As for the adventurers who had come with us, and survived the fighting, they split into two groups. Those who had lost party members and needed time to regroup would be heading back to Windwater with Guildmaster Roland. The rest, with the Ebon Hearts at the core, would be heading into the woods, hoping to further cull the goblins’ numbers. After all, many of them lived long enough to flee, and no one wanted them to breed another Goblin Lord too soon.

Which left just my party, along with those who remained from my household guards and the men-at-arms I’d brought from Windwater. With the initial threat dealt with, and Stonebreak on the road to recovery, it was decided that we would head back to the town. The sudden drop in mouths to feed meant Stonebreak had more provisions than normal, but they also would be shorthanded moving forward, so that was a bit of a wash. The sooner we reduced the number of idle hands in the village, the better.

And so, after the morning meal, those of us returning to Windwater Towne saddled up, and rode out of Stonebreak, the villagers cheering us (or rather, me) as we rode out. The attitude amongst the column was cheerful. After all, we’d broken the goblin threat, and there were no reports of other dangers in this area, beyond the normal monsters and the like. Scouts and sentries kept a sharp watch on their surroundings, shifting positions every few hours to keep fresh, but, for the most part, everyone was busy talking amongst themselves as they rode.

I found myself riding alongside Roland, and the party that had accompanied Father Reinhold to Stonebreak, the Brass Bloods. They decided that, since they were heading on to the west, past Windwater and into Shadescar barony, they might as well take the first leg of the journey with us, for company on the road, if nothing else. For my part, I was glad for their presence, since it gave me someone to talk to who knew one of my supposed secrets. Plus, Betta, the Priestess of Videa, was positively scandalous in the completely unreserved way she talked about some of her trysts and the way she ‘paid homage’ to her Goddess of Love.

Despite the losses in our ranks, the ride back to Windwater Towne was far more jovial than the ride to Stonebreak, mere days before. After all, the great danger was behind us, the Goblin Hero was dead, and the village safe. Those who had lived through the night and were not already restored to full health would be there before too long. The village would recover, and everything was looking up.

It was near time for the evening meal when we rode into the town. There were no crowds lined up to see the gallant heroes return, or any silliness like that. However, there were still people out and about at that time, and I had no doubt that our return would be the talk of the town before morning, especially when the first ranks of Adventurers eagerly told the news of the fight with the Goblin Hero, and several different tales about how I killed him started going around. Gossip moved at the speed of light, even in this world.

As we entered the town, the group began dividing. Captain Lunet and the men-at-arms turned aside, and headed towards the garrison. My household guards took the road to the manor, so that they could relieve the two guards who had been left to guard the estate, and see to the effects of their fallen comrades. My party moved with Roland and his adventurers towards the guild hall, so

“Sorry, my Lady,” Roland chuckled as we neared the Adventurer’s Guild. “I believe that tales of your heroics will be the talk of the town for quite some time. It has all the makings of the kind of stories that young children love to listen to, and many adults never truly grow out of. A young noblewoman, heading to the front lines of battle in defense of her people. A desperate battle, with the enemies breaking the gate and getting behind the walls. A final, climactic showdown with a threat that was far stronger than her, finishing the enemy commander personally to win the day? Oh, yes, they will be talking about you for quite some time.”

“Well, considering the tales told of the old Baron, of which I have only heard rumors, I consider everyone talking about me because I did my duty as any noblewoman ought to be small price to pay. If I wanted a life out of the public eye, where no one would speak of me, then I would have to foreswear my holdings, and become one of those adventurers that never settles in one place for too long. At least then there would be a chance of me outrunning any rumors or tales of my exploits.” I laughed, then, and said, “Alas, I don’t think anyone would be too happy with me, if I did that now.”

“Nay, I dare say they would be quite put out,” chuckled Roland, before he got serious, and whispered, low enough that only I could hear him. “But, with politics being as they are, if you ever find yourself needing to set aside your title and become a roving adventurer, then may I suggest the Southern Continent? Though the demons and beastfolk are still supposedly at war, and Meskaele is still blocked from the rest of the continent by a barrier, time has cooled the fury between the two sides, to the point where there are more than a few lines who can trace their ancestry to either side of the barrier, if you catch my meaning. Where better to hide a tree than a forest?”

I grinned at the old guildmaster. “I will keep that in mind, my friend. But I happen to like this barony quite a bit, so I don’t think I’ll be planning any escapes, just yet. A trip abroad, to visit friends and trading partners in Crystalshield is enough for me, just now.”

Our conversation was cut off by the sight of a messenger running up to us. “Ah, my Lady! Mayor Sagehair has heard of your return, and wishes to inform you that a message has come from the Royal Council in Coldpeak by message stone. Inquisitors of Eclana have been moving in force across all lands, ignoring territorial boundaries, saying that they are on a holy mission to find heretics. The King has declared that, unless they break the laws of the land, they are to be treated as any travelers from foreign lands, but they are not empowered to judge citizens of Dascora, and that the Compact of Churches and Crowns still holds.”

I sighed at that news. Of course, I couldn’t just have some time to relax and go on a trip without some new brand of insanity causing trouble. “Very well. Is there any word of where these Inquisitors are?”

“Yes, my Lady. The last message said that there was a contingent in Port Raven, but the local Churches of Wobris and Gatris refused their ‘requests’ to shelter them while they conducted their search for ‘heretics’. Some of their number remain in the Port, but half have turned their attention to Windwater, and are likely to be here in three days, if they continue straight ahead, but perhaps two weeks if they stop to conduct their search along the way.”

“Very well,” I said, tipping the messenger a gold piece. “Return to the Mayor, and inform her that the Inquisitors may pay for a room at the inn, like any other traveler, but I shall be speaking with Captain Aldous about ensuring that security is enhanced. If they try to cause trouble, she has my authority to ensure that they are either killed or captured, I don’t care which. This is not Eclana, and I won’t have these zealots treating it as such.”

“Understood, my Lady.”

As he ran off to deliver his message, I just sighed. “Always one thing after another, isn’t it?”

“If it makes you feel any better, my Lady,” Roland started, “this is more like normal, in my experience. It has been uncommonly quiet in the time since you took up your title until now.”

“Not helping, Roland,” I said, as the old guildmaster chuckled.