The Butcher of Gadobhra

Chapter 287: The Penalty for Getting Noticed

Jonathan woke, still tired and aching from the day before. But he was confused as he tried to sort out where he was. For all his life, he'd awakened in the same house of the little village where he had been born. As the oldest child, he inherited the house on his parent's death, got married, and raised his family. His children had been born in the same place he'd been born in. That house was a pile of ashes, and 'home' had become a wagon. Now home was this miraculous new house. But he had to remember that each time he woke up here. Part of him didn't believe it was real yet. Part of him wondered how he deserved it.

His wife was more pragmatic. She seemed quite happy to have a new house with beautiful windows and a garden already producing carrots, onions, and potatoes. While he was fighting gophers, she'd taken their youngest children to see the unicorns. It was no coincidence that she took a small trowel and a gunnysack. Several of the unicorns had allowed their children to pet them. Later, she proposed a game to see which child could find the most piles of unicorn fertilizer hidden in the tall grass and flowers. A twenty-pound sack of magical fertilizer had done wonders to their garden, just as the Baron's man had told them.

Ozzy...he had to start thinking of him as Ozzy. The big man had insisted on that when some of the farmers had started bowing to him and calling him sir. That just seemed right to them. He was handsome and tall and worked at the right hand of the Baron. And he fought and killed monsters no one had ever imagined lurking below the ground. If the big man wasn't a knight yet, he soon would be. It was drilled into every peasant that they owed courtesy to their betters. It was hard to switch your thinking so fast, and address warriors and wizards by their first names, even if they claimed to be common folk.

It was hard for Jonathan to wrap his head around the idea that he wasn't common folk anymore, either. Two weeks ago, he was running for his life. Today he was meeting with the Baron again. The leaders of the other hamlets had decided that he should be the new Village Elder and represent all five hamlets, and the Baron had agreed. It had all happened so fast...

He'd got to talking with the fellows who were in charge of the other hamlets. They were drinking after the battle when Ozzy took him over to see the Baron and Baroness. He'd been scared witless.

Baron William had looked at him with an appraising eye after he bowed and stood there with his eyes downcast. "They tell me you've fought in all five battles, and only you, out of all the farmers, stayed to fight when the rest ran away. The Baroness and I find that interesting. Have you always been this fearless, or did something change recently?"

They knew! Jonathan had been afraid he would end up in trouble, and it was his own damned fault.

The Baroness had laughed. "Imagine our surprise at the end of the battle when his excellency and I are hacking away at that monster's ankles to find a brave farmer had joined us. You were doing quite well, chopping away with those small axes. Tell us, how is it you didn't run away with the rest?"

And there it was. Jonathan hadn't thought about it at the time. But he'd known that if they didn't kill the great beast, his family would be refugees again. The last little gopher boss, Shrewfoot Taterthief, was fighting with two soldiers. He'd attacked it from behind, and after three swings of his adze, it quit moving. Then it was just the foul-smelling giant. He'd thrown rocks at it and then used a sling given to him by a wounded soldier. Then when it was moving slowly, he'd joined others attacking the back of its legs. He wasn't thinking. And now they knew.

He'd answered, hoping they would only punish him, not his family. "I'm sorry, sir, ma'am. I should never have done it. I know it's above my station to move to the second Tier. I never thought I'd get the chance, but we've been killing a lot of gophers and monsters. I took the chance to move up, even though I know I should have petitioned you to do so. I'll take my punishment, sir."

The Baron had looked sternly at him. "I've got a fitting punishment in mind for a farmer that dares to go to Level 6 and thinks he can fight ancient monstrosities alongside me."

"What do all of you think of this man? He came to the aid of all the hamlets and risked his life fighting with uncommon valor?" The other village leaders nodded to each other and started cheering. Everyone else had joined in.

And that's why he was now the Village Elder. Even his class had changed.

Congratulations on your 'Field Promotion.'

Baron William of Gadobhra and his wife, Baroness Layla, have recognized your initiative and willingness to ignore the silly rules of your former baron and embrace your new life. You have been awarded the Title: Village Elder (+2 WIS, +2 CHR) and will represent the five Hamlets of the Unicorn Vale.

Perk: You don't pay me; I pay you. In return for working an extra job, your family will pay no taxes to the Baron and be paid a salary of 5 gold per month.

Perk: Baron's Man. You fought together with the Baron and Baroness to save their Barony. This comes with certain benefits. You and your wife may refer to them as William and Layla in casual settings.

Perk: You're going to need a bigger house! A larger dwelling reflects your status as the Baron's representative and gives you a place to hold meetings around a much bigger table in a much bigger kitchen.

Gain the Skill: Leadership (CHR)

Gain the Skill: Delegation (INT)

Gain the Skill: Know the Land (PER)

It all returned to him in a rush as he crawled from his bed. He sat for a moment and then made a decision, putting the windfall of experience from his last three fights into the new skills, raising each to level 5 and gaining him many points to his stats. The new perspective helped him accept his new role. His wife was setting food on the table. "Sun's up, and you need to get moving, Baron's Man or not. I was speaking with the Baroness about some ideas, and she wants me to come with you to this meeting in Sedgewick. After that, I will spend some of our gold on needful things and start a bank account. Layla says you should encourage everyone to do that."

For about five minutes, Jonathan enjoyed the jingle of the 100 gold pieces the mysterious chest had given him. Then his wife had relieved him of the temptation. Which was a good thing; he'd already been thinking crazy thoughts like buying a shield and armor and exploring that dungeon the boys were talking about. Dungeons? That's crazy talk for a farmer...

The meeting with the Baron, Baroness, Mayor, a decurion from the Legion, and the leaders of the other Hamlets was held in the tavern. The Baron had surprised them with an extraordinary announcement.

"We're going to do things differently here. No farmer is restricted in level. Everyone who wants to should advance. We've got a lot of ways to help you with that. Suzette will hold meetings in each hamlet and talk to you about how and when to move to the second Tier. Ozzy also has some special classes he holds. It's never a bad thing to learn about butchering and hunting."

"For those of you who don't mind a little exercise, Centurion Marcus is going to volunteer some trainers from the Legion to work with anyone fourteen and older on learning basic weapons and fighting in formation. If those vermin ever return, we'll be ready for them. And I'd be remiss in not mentioning that the Legion has a reserve program for citizen soldiers. It's a nice way to earn extra monthly cash while keeping up your weapon skills."

"And after that, we'll talk about dungeons for those with an adventurous streak."

"But let me be very clear. I want everyone to advance to the second Tier. Hell, third Tier, too, if you can get there. We're going to turn this peaceful Barony into the breadbasket of the Northern Empire, and our population of high-level workers and farmers will be how we do it."

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