Reborn as a Baron Lord (Light Novel) (A Steampunk LITRPG Light Novel Book 1)

by Han Yang

  “Calculating…”

  “What the hell, Bradley?” Joana said, finally finding a pause.

  I tried to hold her and she angrily folded her arms under her big breasts. She was cute when she was angry.

  “It is obvious if I did a council or an elected government I’d be superseded, manipulated, and controlled. I think that is where all the others went wrong. This city needs a strong willed man,” I said with determination.

  Ginli smirked. “Exactly! And we owe Bradley our lives. I trust him.” There was such confidence in her tone.

  This stuck Joana on the defensive and for the first time I saw her flare anger at the woman she used to fear.

  With perfect timing the managerbot said, “212 cubes of hydrox.”

  I watched the situation’s tension fade as both ladies began crunching numbers. “This would only stop the bleeding, not improve anything,” Joana said in a huff. “What’s your title going to be?”

  “What do you want your title to be, my lady?” I asked in a sultry voice. I added my charming grin to woo her.

  This worked slightly. The blue eyed beauty swapped her frown to a corner smile. “We’ll be queens?” Her brow arched to Ginli who cackled in an evil laugh. My grin flopped to a frown in an instant.

  “Queens. And Bradley the King. I can entertain this for now. Yes. Yes indeed.”

  “What!?” I blurted.

  “You agreed to this in Langshire.”

  I shook my head. “We’re not in Langshire anymore,” I said and they went from ecstatic to on the edge of tears. I focused on Joana. “This is your chance.”

  “Keep her close and let her flee if she needs to,” Joana said, leaning down to kiss my lips.

  Ginli kissed my cheek. “Please. I need this, and alone I’ll stand less of a chance when they come for me.”

  “Fine, but I’m the boss and Duke is in charge when I’m not around,” I said. I pointed to my chest. “Baron.” To the ladies. “Baronesses.” Then to Duke. “The Duke.”

  “King hierarchy or Magnate?” Duke asked in a confused tone.

  “Magnate, the Baron Lord. Building an empire from the ground up on steam power.”

  There was a shriek of metal sliding over metal. A new tablet had me confirm my leadership title and those I wanted to have power. I added Hudson as bank advisor with no access to withdrawal, but ability to view accounts, and Yorik as a trade advisor so he could monitor the flow of goods.

  “I’m still not happy you’re on a power trip,” Joana grumbled.

  Duke lightly kicked her shin. “Baroness Joana. Please be mindful of what you say. Especially in public. You have an image to uphold. You... you're a leader now. Your words can have long lasting effects. The Baron is not on a power trip. He is going to do things these people cannot clearly do for themselves. Think about that and while you do, forgive me for kicking you for your full attention.”

  She rubbed her shin. I left my chair, lifting her chin so we could lock eyes. “We can do this together. It won’t be easy, but I need you. I’ll resign right now and flee to -”

  “Hell no. Thirty days for cooking. A breeze. I just hear horror stories of unelected dictators. Even Dad hates them. If this is what has to happen to make substantial changes here, then so be it. And Bradley. I’m with you.” Joana went back to glaring at Duke.

  I returned to my seat. “What else?”

  “While the city is in debt, that debt is not a personal liability. Are you wishing to apply your personal wealth to help the city?” the managerbot asked in a dry tone.

  “Can I store my wealth here safely?” I asked.

  “After 39 days the walls will go to tier 1. If you do not stop the walls from downgrading again in 400 days you will lose everything stored inside this vault.”

  “What happens then?” I asked.

  “A train will appear that is big enough to carry all the citizens. Those who stay will face the wilds that reclaim this area,” the bot said.

  That tone and those words were haunting. 430 days or I lost my deposit. I considered it a commitment.

  “Ah, then deposit this full amount, and apply nothing to the debt. Tell me about the city assets.” I tapped the table, waiting for a new tablet.

  There wasn’t one. A back door slid open, revealing a gloomy tunnel. I walked to join the manager and saw a mine cart at the bottom of a declining tunnel.

  Umm… I looked at Duke.

  “Being the boss has privileges and downsides too. This is one of the few privileges,” Duke said, leading the way. “I accessed the database of inventoried items.”

  “What’s a database? That name sounds familiar,” I asked, feeling the pull on my brain of a forgotten memory.

  “Akin to a book of stored notes. Be careful, Bradley, because where we go is a trap,” Duke said and I frowned. “You’ll see. Not a harmful trap, a hope trap. The leaders before you thought everything in these warehouses was valuable gold.”

  There was a hint there, just a smidge of an elderly man imparting wisdom. I didn’t quite understand what he was saying but I’d pay more attention now.

  I got in the narrow mine cart that held two benches facing each other and a driver’s circle. The manager went on the front and I sat on the bench facing Ginli and Duke with Joana holding my hand.

  “You ready?” Duke said with a chuckle.

  That warning was followed by the slightest creak of metal grinding.

  Zoom!

  We shot forward diving into the earth with my stomach in my throat. Joana ripped out a scream while Ginli hollered in joy.

  The wind whipped my locks at such a speed I was astonished.

  The cart banked left in a tight turn descending into complete darkness. I may have screamed… a lot.

  We jerked right in a bank that curved so tight I felt dizzy from the spin.

  A sudden lurch up shot the cart into a steep climb and had me death gripping the side of the cart. I felt Joana’s metallic fingers digging into my flesh until there was a pop. My scream caused more screams until we saw light at the end of the tunnel.

  I bit my lip when the cart rolled to a stop. Duke reached over, popping the finger Joana had panic popped out of place. I cried out as the bone locked back into its socket.

  There were a thousand apologies that Joana didn’t need to say. I’ll admit, her kissing my finger to make it better worked. I didn’t blame here though, hell, I almost pissed myself from the terrifying mine cart ride.

  Our guide led us into a massive warehouse and my jaw hit the floor. Trolleys, trains, ships on trailer, raw parts, steel, steambots, venturebots, and even a partial blimp was in here.

  “How is that not all sold?” I asked.

  “And here is the trap. It belongs to the city. These items can only be sold to residents. It is to prevent a conquering city from coming in, and then selling themselves the items for a single gold or tin. The other issue is. One does not move a train for mining across the ocean. Half this stuff would cost more to haul than it’d sell for,” Duke said.

  “This was your warning. I need to see this as the junk that is sitting in the warehouse that it is.” I walked over to a trolley, swiping a thick dust off the surface from decades of storage. “Oh, they’re going to hate me when I smelt all this down.”

  “You can’t!” Ginli exclaimed. “This took years to construct and if -”

  “Sorry Ginli. This is junk. If we gather wood, and smelt this down, we can prop up buildings that are downgrading or sell the bars for hydrox. But I want to get that from the wilds. This metal in this warehouse is a gold mine in its own form. Thanks Duke.”

  The manager bot beeped and booped in anger, glaring at Duke. Who sassed the bigger bot back.

  “At least they don’t attack you,” I said.

  “They are not happy I was given free will. You can use this. And there is more of it in another warehouse to our left. Don’t take my words too literal. There is stuff you can use now, but it’ll cost hydrox to operate. I re
ally think your idea will be more rewarding than you think.”

  “The logging one?” Ginli asked curiously, stepping into a trolly.

  “Yes, most of these buildings needing updates are lacking wood and steel. You give away wood for free and suddenly those efforts can be turned into something else. It holds merit. The key is to not burn too much hydrox for the reward.”

  “Why are there weapons here?” I asked.

  The manager’s robotic voice said, “To pay taxes. A mayor or lord can collect items in leu of coin, gem, or hydrox.”

  “Um… Okay. Can I buy the weapons inside this warehouse?”

  “You may borrow with a deposit. Like your book you lost in Langshire, that deposit is now gone.” The manager said, revealing it was synced to a network that baffled my mind.

  “Right. Right. Great then. Are there steam saws in here?” I asked.

  Duke nodded his head to the left. “In the warehouse one over.”

  “Perfect. How about we do a bit of local shopping anyway? Infuse some H into the economy and then start rebuilding this village into a town. Is there anything else you need from me, City Station Manager?”

  “I’m always able to answer your summons. Here, at the city center, or at the gates. There are more options to explore with city management, but they are not necessary for transfer of leadership. Your hydrox has been safely deposited.

  “If you wish to make a withdrawal visit me. If you want to access something in here you may do so. If it doesn’t exit the door, hitting a magical wall, it means you do not have a sufficient downposit,” the manager said, leaving for the mine cart.

  “The Baron is right. Spending H will help the locals handle the transition. At least grab a cheap weapon before we leave. Just in case. And for accepting me as your Baroness, I’ll spoil you both,” Ginli said, heading for the exit.

  Norn would never be the same now that four new arrivals shouldered the burden of restoring this dilapidated village.

  CHAPTER 19

  “You sure I can’t get you anything else, Baron Bradley,” the eleven year old girl asked for the third time. Becky was eyeing with wide doe eyes, tugging on her braid with a smitten sway.

  It was times like these I wished I hadn’t been born so pretty. “Thank you, I’m good.”

  Hudson cleared his throat from the seat across from me. He was the only one willing to sit with me when I arrived to mingle. “So the food is nice. How do you expect the residents to pay the tax you set?”

  “It’s a property and transaction tax. Hudson, you have to see that you’ve all been killing Norn by not putting hydrox into its upkeep.”

  He shook his head. “That is the council's job to acquire the funds. We’re poor. Portin levies us with tariffs and we have no adventurers pouring resources into the economy.”

  I swallowed a bite of chicken that needed some of Joana’s lovely cooking. “Sure, hey look. Go tell the people to give me six months. Actually make it nine. Winter’s coming. No one will die from lack of wood. I’ll increase the food and maybe even hold nightly dinners.”

  “I know there is not much time until the walls degrade. Save them and you’ll buy yerself some time. Besides trees and meat, what's yer plan?”

  “Smelt down the warehouses,” I said and his jaw dropped. “What happens when this place goes to no walls?”

  He tucked his chin with a frown. “That is the easiest part to maintain. We can maintain the walls with the traps we set out the west gate. Those trolleys, trams, and carriages are worth a fortune.”

  “And worth a few silver melted down. There were a lot of buildings needing upkeep. We haul in wood. Open the sawmill and stop the bleed. I kill thirty bears and I’ll save the walls. I hope anyway. Speaking of killing animals. Selling meat,” I said.

  “Yeah… the problem with trying to sell stuff to poor folks is they’re poor,” Hudson said with an attitude.

  “I was thinking,” I said, controlling my anger. “That I can rotate a pound of meat to each resident.”

  “Huh?” he blurted.

  “Hudson. The people need gems, hydrox, and coins, right?”

  He nodded.

  “Well, I give them food to sell. I go alphabetical down the city roster and hand out a pound of frozen bear or whatever as it comes in. Then they can…” I said waiting for him to catch on.

  “Trade it to other cities. Umm… that would cost you a lot,” Hudson said.

  I shrugged. He was wrong. It would be minimal losses. Adventurers made really good hydrox. “And gain me everything. Tax worries go away, folks survive the winter, and people can start to trade again. It’s not a lot, but it’s a start. That and I’ll need folks to work at the sawmill, smelting, and so on.”

  When Becky arrived with another plate of meat I shook my head no.

  “Expect problems for Portin, that city has been draining us for years,” Hudson grumbled. “They won’t like a new lord changing the status quo or anything improving here. I think they want the city to vanish to claim what’s in those warehouses.”

  My desire to bang my head on the wall was restrained. “That’s their motive. Let the city die and then recover the unmovable treasure of Norn. I bet they planned to start killing your traps.”

  “Whaddya mean?” Hudson asked

  “Any traps break lately after adventurers from Portin visit?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Traps break all the time, but yea, we’ve had a few metal ones break lately that seem odd. Might be visitors from Hexpa or Darden. They’re ta two closest train stops, west and east respectively.”

  I could see I turned him to my side a bit. “Which is bigger, Hexpa or Darden? Or favorable to trade with?”

  “Hexpa’s no tariff trade makes it a bit of a trade hub. Still have to pay the city tax on trades, just no import or export penalties. Decent tax rate too. The problem is the journey by boat is a pain and longer by train. Whatcha thinkin?” Hudson asked.

  I tapped my fingers on the table. “We need supplies, and Portin seems like the unsavory place to buy.”

  Hudson’s face saddened and he said, “It’s not that… Well, it is. So, Portin sees Igrin’s ship arrive at the docks and prices will suddenly go up to buy and down to sell. They know we’re desperate. Honestly taking a losing trade is still better than spending the H to go up river to Hexpa.”

  I nodded. “Not anymore. I’ll do a monthly trade run that is City financed to Hexpa and back. I’ll start making a list. I shouldn’t go myself, so you’ll need to go.”

  I saw him fidget. “If things stabilize here, you’ll need to go to negotiate as the lord. You can get us reduced taxes as a trade partner,” Hudson mentioned.

  I nodded chewing my inner lip. We did want to at least visit the nearest city. “Alright these are interesting changes.

  “Okay, we’ll have to work extra hard to get some stability here first. Avoid trading with Portin if we can.”

  He shrugged. “Fix the walls, summon a train, feed the people and you’ll change this place more than we have in the last few years.”

  Hudson stood and we clasped forearms. I grabbed my weapons from the wall rack, seeing Becky hot on my heels.

  “Can I help ya?”

  “Pa said I can bring food to yer wives,” Becky said, exuding happiness.

  I noticed her hands were empty. “And the food?”

  “Oh! Nabbit. I got so wrapped up in your lovely locks. I mean pretty hair. Oh shucks,” the young girl stormed off with clenched fists.

  I giggled at her frustration, it really wasn’t a big deal. My way out of the bar was met with additional glares. I let them slide off, leaving for the eastern wall.

  Becky caught up, huffing from running. “Why two?”

  “Why two what?” I asked.

  “I’ve only got one momma,” she said.

  I snickered. “Joana and I are courting if you must know. Ginli and I are friends. I think anyway. Even I find myself lost in the situation. How about you, any boyfriends?”
>
  “Shoot… I’m only eleven. Not many children my age…” There was a silence from this statement. “I happen to fancy a -”

  ZAP! ZAP! ZING! ZING!

  Sounds from the eastern wall told me Ginli and Joana were firing. I immediately pumped my legs into a run, racing by steambots repairing the road.

  When I rounded the main square and saw the wall, Joana and Ginli were celebrating with a hug.

  Instead of forcing Becky to try to keep up, I stopped to snag a plate, and lighten her load. She seemed enthused to help to the point of almost tripping a few times. I gave a terse smile when she batted her eyelashes at me.

  “Who’s this?” Joana asked eyeing Becky. The girl glared at Joana. “Hey, don’t give me sass eyes!”

  The duo flared red with puffy cheeks as they glared at each other. I wonder what they were upset about. Ginli giggled at the interaction, heading down a ramp of an old trolley. She accepted the plate of food with a lick of her lips.

  “I see ya found a shadow, pretty boy,” Ginli said, patting my cheek with her free hand. “Get up there, for once, baiting has… been exhilarating.”

  Joana waved me up else I’d have asked. I unslung my long rifle getting ready to help. My boots clanged over the metal roof. The wall stood about three feet higher than the top of the trolley.

  Joana sat down, letting her legs dangle between the side of the trolley and the wall. She was using a new long rifle. A fancy version that must have come from the warehouse. With the wall as a resting point she aimed out over a landscape.

  The pile of guts rested in the middle of where the trees were cleared. My eyebrows shot up and I scoffed with a grin.

  It was a field of carnage in the small clearing. The wilds really were teaming with life here. Evident by the dead foxes, cats, a small pack of wolves, and even a big brown bear with hydrox holes in them.

  “I was only gone for half an hour!” I blurted.

  “Yes, well, aim of 5, let’s hope we can improve your long shooting,” Joana said with a cute smirk. I plopped down beside her, leaned over, and kissed her cheek. “Tsk. Tsk. While I do adore yer affections, Sir Bradley, oh Baron of mine. If that young woman just saw her crush kissing me…”