Reborn as the First Boss, Book 4 Epilogue

Epilogue – Elsewhere

King Sewell Skysword, third of his name, King of Dascora, was troubled. Twice, in less than a tenday, the Voice of the World had given notice to the entire world about the death of a Hero. The first time, it was likely a farmboy, who got in over his head and died before he could be properly trained. Especially if they were young. According to some records, almost one in four heroes died in such a way, if they did not have some kind of training before they received the Mantle.

The second one was a bit more troubling. Word had reached him quickly of a Goblin Lord in Windwater Barony that had taken up the [Hero] title. Again, this was something unusual, but not unheard of. The Voice of the World cared not about ‘sides’, it just was. Noble kings had been given the [Boss] title, and worse creatures than Goblins had become a [Hero] before. The Voice of the World made no distinctions between the two.

He had made enquiries. The Church of Yton was sending a priest to the village of Stonebreak, since their former shepherd had been killed by goblins in the weeks before. They’d gotten a party with a Diviner to escort the priest, and that diviner had assured everyone that they would reach the village safely. So, he had not been taken entirely off guard when the message of the Goblin Hero’s demise was displayed.

He had even had some guess as to who had done the deed. His Spymistress and younger sister, Princess Mariun Skysword, had received word through Message Stones, special items that were enchanted in pairs, allowing for two-way communication with the one who held the second half of the pair. Baroness Pureheart had heard of the goblin’s threat, and immediately set out with as many of her men-at-arms as she could quickly gather, without leaving Windwater Towne itself exposed, as well as commissioning adventurers to join in the defense. One of the Captains, a woman by the name of Lunet, and Roland, guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild in Windwater, had joined her. Roland’s name was known to him, as he had distinguished himself years ago, before retiring to watch over the family of one of his fallen comrades. But he knew the old half-elf still had his old strength. It was well within expectations that Roland had taken down the Goblin Hero.

However, the follow-up report had changed things. The spy monitoring Windwater and its surroundings, had the casualty reports for the battle, which were surprisingly low, especially considering that Baroness Pureheart had no experience leading troops, to his knowledge. Hiding the villagers in the mines, with all the supplies and livestock that they could manage, and then dropping the entrance at the first sign of trouble, was not something that most commanders, noble or not, would consider. But it had worked, and the majority of Stonebreak’s people lived, and even those who were wounded would eventually recover, with the Priest’s arrival.

That was surprising, but not outside the realm of expectation. The tactics she had used for the battle were basic, and could have been found in any one of hundreds of accounts of actual battle. Having the eye to note such things as the need for a force on the ridge above the village was impressive, but not unusual.

No, the real surprise was when the spy reported just who had killed the Goblin Hero: Baroness Pureheart herself. The specifics were muddied, thanks to the chaos of battle, but more than one person reported that the Baroness suddenly moved with a speed and quickness she’d not shown to that point. The result of an enchantment that tapped into her bloodline, some said. Whatever the case, it was the Baroness herself who had slain the Goblin Hero, gaining both the [Executioner] and [Hero Slayer I] titles as proof of her deed.

The king took a breath, and then looked to his sister. They were in his private sitting room, where they could speak freely, without worrying about rank and titles. “What do you think, Sister?”

The spymistress leaned back in her chair, a glass of wine in her hand. “There were enough witnesses, even in the confusion of battle, that we can take the reports as basically fact. I’m sure there are details that people did not notice, but, on the whole, I see no reason to doubt the reports of the battle itself.”

“It is the rest of it, then?”

Mariun smiled at her brother. “Indeed, big brother. I’ve never made a secret of being suspicious of the Pureheart girl. Her house seemingly did not exist before she arrived, and was put forward as a candidate for becoming the Baroness of Windwater. The only reason she was chosen is because all the other candidates were either mired in scandals of their own, or had too many ties to the other barons, or outside forces.”

She chuckled. “Honestly, I was surprised that she put her name forward to be Baroness. With her youth and beauty, I expected her to try and work her way into your bed, as so many pretty women have tried to do before. Speaking of, brother dear, you really ought to work on finding a wife and siring an heir. The Demon Army is preparing to move again, from the looks of things. It would not be wise to leave things to chance.”

The king scoffed. “You know I have no interest in women, especially not in that way. If I should fall, then the crown goes to you, sister. I know you’d hate having to step out of the shadows and act in the open, but you are the best qualified for the role, and I know that I can trust the kingdom to you.”

“Honestly, brother. The people want the stability of knowing there is an heir. And more of an heir than just your younger sister. What if I found you a girl with a proper boyish look to her? You would just have to pretend long enough to do the deed. Once she’s pregnant, you could switch to just doing her in the ass, like she was one of the boys you favor.”

“If we are talking about things like that, you have quite the boyish figure yourself, sister,” the king struck back.

“Yes, yes. But that just makes me popular with both men and women, you know? At any rate, back to the topic of young Pureheart. I am concerned about how no one knows much of her story before she became Baroness. The signs are subtle, but there is enough to suggest that people have been made to forget.”

“Mental magics, then? For what reason? From all accounts, until the recent trouble with the bandits, and this goblin lord turned hero, Windwater has been especially calm of late. Especially compared to the old baron’s ways.”

“That I cannot say. Her motives, if any, are well hidden. Until recently, the barony has been so quiet that one might forget it existed, save for it being at the crossroads of trade routes. But now, the Baroness has become quite active, helping stamp out the bandits, and then turning around to kill a Hero. And, according to my spy, she now intends to go on a trip to Crystalshield, and learn about how they organize their militia.”

“Hmm,” the king pondered. “Outside of a formal procession, she would be limited in the number of people she could take with her, and not upset the local nobles. Moreso, if she was venturing through Bikar. I would like to have someone accompany her, if only to ensure that she isn’t getting ideas of rebellion. Training more fighters than just the men-at-arms would give her a powerful force, beyond what is typically allowed to the nobles.”

“Unfortunately, her traveling companions are all slaves, bound to her directly. Not uncommon, to ensure that those traveling with a noble are loyal, but annoying, since slaves would not be able to go against their master, making it impossible to infiltrate her party.”

“Hmm. Perhaps we should invite the Baroness to court, so we can get a better read on her?”

“Singling her out would tip our hand, if she is indeed suspicious. If you can wait a bit, the celebration for your tenth year upon the throne will be coming in a few months. You can call all the barons to court without suspicion, then, and meet with each privately. That would allow you to get a read on not just her, but the others, as well.”

“Let it be so, then.”