by Logan Jacobs
“Building anything with stone requires skilled masons,” the town leader explained with furrowed eyebrows. “I’m not sure there are any in town, but I’ll ask around.”
“I appreciate it.” I grinned. “Maybe I can send out messengers looking for some.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Elrin replied in a thoughtful tone. “We could let the shopkeepers post any employment opportunities in their stores as well. It could bring more people to our community.”
I could tell he was starting to get excited about the idea, so I let him ponder it out loud for a few more moments before I cut him off.
“So, does that cover everything we needed to discuss?” I asked, and I shot the occupants of the dining room table a questioning look.
“That was everything on the agenda,” Elrin assured me. “I apologize for keeping you occupied for so long, I’m sure you are ready to relax.”
“There was something I wanted to discuss with you all first,” I said in a vague tone, and I waggled my eyebrows at the members of the Elder Council. “Namely, what I brought back from my travels.”
“I noticed yer wagon was well-guarded,” Jax observed shrewdly. “Somethin’ important, I reckon.”
“You’re right about that,” I chuckled. “Now, I only tell you all this because I trust you. You are the first people in town who helped me, and you welcomed me like family, so I feel the least I can do to repay your hospitality is to make sure you never have to worry about anything ever again.”
“You’re already doing a fine job, Great One,” Theodora insisted, but I saw a glint of curiosity in her hazel eyes.
“I could always do more,” I pointed out with a shake of my head. “And that’s why I want to invest in Bastianville first and foremost. The other holdings will reap the rewards of my protection, but this is my home.”
“I’m not sure what ye mean,” Jax said with a confused frown. “How are ye gonna invest in Bastianville?”
“I brought back a shit ton of treasure,” I informed them in a conspiratorial tone. “The entire wagon is full of gold coins, gems, and other items. I’d like to spend it on Bastianville first, since this will be my headquarters.”
“G-G-Great One,” Elrin stammered out as his eyes widened. “You should keep that wealth for yourself! There is no reason to give it away!”
“I’m not,” I laughed. “I’d like to pay for services and goods, stimulate the economy, and spread my wealth around so it continues to generate on its own. My wealth is measured by the strength of my holdings more than by the amount of money in my bank.”
“Some of your words confuse me,” Elrin admitted. “But I think I understand what you’re trying to say. You want all of Bastianville to prosper, not just one man.”
“Yes!” I grinned.
“It is a different method of leadership than I am familiar with.” Elrin frowned. “It will take some getting used to.”
“Well, get used to it because there’s a new Robin Hood in town,” I laughed, and I looked around with delight at all the confused faces around me.
We concluded our meeting shortly after that, and I trotted back home with a smile on my face. Bastianville was getting better and better with each passing day, and eventually it would be a thriving city like Bullard or even Vallenwood. Until that time, I would continue to take care of each and every citizen who followed me.
The girls were already in bed when I arrived home, so I slipped in between them and fell asleep quickly. I wanted to get a good look at the changes made to the town once it was daylight, and I was eager to visit all the new shops. I tossed and turned a few times as my excitement slowly settled down into peaceful bliss, but I awoke early the next day ready to take on the world.
I left Eva and Elissa to snore in the king-sized bed, but Mahini was already awake and fully-dressed in the kitchen, and the desert goddess quickly cooked me some breakfast.
“You need to keep your strength up,” Mahini insisted in an oddly maternal tone. “Even here in Bastianville, danger could always lurk around any corner.”
“It’s okay to relax every once in a while, you know,” I teased. “There’s guards and walls and archers. You’re safe. Plus, you’re with me. Have I ever let anything happen to you?”
“No.” Mahini frowned thoughtfully. “You’ve always predicted any attack that could have led to even the slightest injury.”
“That’s because I love you,” I explained. “Your safety means the world to me, so I wouldn’t tell you to relax if I didn’t think it was safe.”
“That makes sense.” Mahini flashed me a radiant smile. “Thank you, Bash.”
“Any time.” I grinned. “Oh, hey, do you want to walk around town with me today? We could check out all the new shops and spend some of our money.”
“I will follow you anywhere, Great One.” Mahini bowed her head. “You honor me with your love.”
“Should we wait for the other two to wake up?” I stole a glance toward the stairs. “I’d hate for them to wake up and wonder where we went.”
“Bastianville, while growing, is still a small town.” Mahini smirked. “Besides, you’ll attract a crowd everywhere we go, so it will be easy to find us.”
“You have a point.” My grin returned, and I returned my focus to the rest of my breakfast.
I finished eating and washed my dishes, and then the two of us headed toward the front door.
“Where should we go first?” Mahini asked after we trotted down the steps to the dirt road in front of our house.
“The first thing we should do is get some help bringing all the treasure inside.” I walked toward the back of the house where I knew the wagon would be waiting.
Mahini hurried to keep pace with me, but she didn’t comment.
I was greeted by a weary-eyed Riondale who sat upon the bench with a thick cloak bundled around his shoulders. He had dark bags under his brown eyes, and his short brown hair was tousled.
“Have you been keeping watch this whole time?” I asked as my eyes widened in surprise.
“I wanted to guarantee the safety of your items personally,” the young lieutenant replied with a proudly lifted chin.
“I am grateful.” I shook my head in awe. “I would have trusted any of the men who followed me from Bullard, though, so maybe you could call on a few of them now?”
“What do you require of us, sir?” Riondale asked, and he seemed to perk up a little at the potential of a task to complete.
“Go get Jorgen and Corvis,” I instructed. “We’re going to move the contents of the wagon inside the house.”
“No need to get yourself all sweaty,” the young lieutenant said. “Why don’t you let us handle it, and you can go about the rest of your day?”
If it had been anyone else offering to be left alone with my money, I would have been suspicious, but Riondale had proven his trustworthiness already, and he would have more to gain by remaining in my favor.
“Alright.” I nodded. “I’ll wait here until you get back with the other two men, though. I don’t want to leave the wagon unguarded for even a second.”
Riondale’s eyes were full of curiosity, but he merely saluted before turning toward the street, and he was gone a moment later.
Mahini and I moved to the back of the wagon, and I lifted the thick heavy tarp covering the hoard of wealth. A few gold coins shifted and rolled toward me, but I caught them in my hand and slid them in my pocket for safe keeping.
“Go ahead and grab enough to spend some in every shop,” I instructed the desert goddess. “I want to make the business owners giddy.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to save your wealth?” Mahini frowned. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
“I have plenty to both save and spend.” I shrugged. “What good is wealth if it’s just sitting in a treasure room. It’s not like it’s collecting interest or anything.”
“I do not understand.” The line between her eyebrows deepened. “I’m sure a lot of people would be very int
erested in your gold.”
“Where I come from, there are banks that protect people’s money, but it’s a complicated system, and there’s no point in explaining it to you.” I smirked. “For now, just have faith in me. I know what I’m doing.”
“I will always have faith in you, Great One,” Mahini said with earnest blue eyes. “You are my one and only god, after all.”
A short while later, Riondale showed back up with Jorgen and Corvis in tow. I supervised the three men as they took turns guarding or carrying, and I made sure they walked as quietly as possible through my house where the two ladies still slept upstairs. I had them make a pile of loot in the living room since I didn’t have a treasury of my own yet, but once they got into a good flow, Mahini and I headed out on our tour of Bastianville.
Then I made a new save point before we got started just in case I made a mistake during a conversation or something went wrong.
We started with the outer edges of town, and I noticed several new farms had been started near Gerulf’s. While the earth was still brown and nothing was growing yet, it looked like the next harvest would be a bountiful one, if the rows upon rows of planted seeds were any indication. The sound of bleating livestock, crowing roosters, and chirping birds filled the air, too, and the comforting noises stood out in strong contrast to the silence of the past.
There was a new town stable situated near both the eastern gate and the farmlands, which was convenient for the merchants, traders, and travelers coming through town. I could hear Goliath’s unique nicker among the sounds of the other horses, and it comforted me to know he had a nice place to live now.
Mahini and I ducked inside the shadowy interior of the stable, and I looked around to find someone working there, but I was surprised to see Dalwin with a pitchfork chucking hay over a dividing wall into a horse’s stall.
“Dalwin, you work here?” I asked as I crossed the distance between us.
“Yes, sir, part time.” Dalwin gave me one of his irresistible boyish grins. “I wanted to be comfortable around big warhorses so I can be an adventurer like you someday. Can’t go far without a horse, after all!”
“Very true,” I chuckled. “Well, I’m glad there’s someone I can trust running things around here.”
“I don’t run it.” Dalwin shook his head. “Hal does.”
I remembered Hal from my journey toward Castle Bullard, when he tried to steal a ring to make ends meet, and I was glad he’d found a more prosperous way of making a living. The stables looked clean, warm, and well-maintained. I was happy to leave my horse there, and Goliath seemed just as content with the place.
“See you later!” I waved to Dalwin before Mahini and I headed into what I would call downtown Bastianville.
The shops lined either side of the street, and I could tell from the widened, well-worn state of the road that traffic had increased significantly. In addition to the wood-framed storefronts with their colorful streamers and enticing window displays, there were also several vendor tents erected on either end of the short street.
traveling merchants had set up business near the other storefronts, and the bustle of traffic increased as we approached the busiest part of town. The vibrant colors of the fabric their stalls and booths were made out of were woven in intricate and exotic-looking patterns. They must have traveled a long way to reach Bastianville, and I was pleased to see we were attracting people from far away places.
Word of my awesomeness must have spread to all the corners of the kingdom.
I jerked my chin toward the closest tent, and Mahini nodded silently.
I could hear the vendors calling out their wares with heavily-accented voices, and it made me wonder where they were from. I’d never heard anyone from Sorreyal talking with that kind of dialect, and I’d traveled as far as the palace at the heart of the kingdom.
Delicious aromas assaulted my nostrils with irresistible temptations, and my mouth watered as we approached the stall.
“Two coppers, one kayso diya!” the vendor shouted as he deftly flipped the food he grilled over simmering coals. “Great deal! Buy now!”
“I’ll try them,” I offered, and I pulled one of the gold coins from my pocket. “Do you have change?”
“I am not a wizard!” The vendor shook his head vehemently and pushed my hand away.
I didn’t fully understand what he meant, but I gave Mahini a confused shrug, and the desert goddess’ shoulders shook with a silent laugh.
“He means he cannot change your money with magic,” she explained as she pulled out a small bag of coins and fished out four copper ones. She presented these to the vendor, who nodded his thanks, and the next thing I knew, a hot tortilla-like pocket thing was shoved into my hands.
“Hot pocket!” I laughed. “I thought I’d never have anything like that again!”
“Kayso diyas are a delicacy where I’m from,” Mahini admitted, and her eyes lit up with delight as she sank her teeth into the crunchy hot shell. “Mmm, it’s soo good!”
I dug in myself, and I almost melted when the gooey cheese hit my taste buds. “Holy shit, they’re amazing!”
“Great One, you’ve returned!” a familiar-sounding voice called out from behind me.
I swiveled to see Zed, the old man who used to follow Sarosh, the crazed zealot, around Sorreyal. I’d ran into him on my way to Arginold, and he had mentioned being en route to Bastianville, so it wasn’t much of a surprise to see him there. Still, it was good to see a familiar face, so I gave the old man a wide smile.
“Glad you made it to Bastianville in one piece,” I said around a mouthful of food, but then I swallowed it down, wiped my palms on my pants, and shook his hand. “What do you think of our little town?”
“It is peaceful,” Zed sighed. “I think I will stay for a while. I have some knowledge of herbalism I have been exchanging with the local healer woman.”
“Theodora.” I nodded. “She’s very skilled.”
“I think I will stay and help her in her shop for a while.” Zed gave me a weary smile. “Too much traveling is hard on an old man’s bones.”
“I understand.” I clapped him on the shoulder and flashed him a big smile. “I’m glad you’re staying. Welcome to Bastianville.”
Just then, more aromas wafted down the lane toward my nostrils, and I inhaled greedily. It smelled like freshly baked pastries, if the sweet, fruity smell was any indication.
“What is that delicious smell?” I growled as I turned my gaze toward the businesses along the street.
“That would be the bakery,” Zed supplied with a chuckle. “Just opened their doors a few days ago, I hear.”
“That has to be our next stop,” I informed Mahini in a serious tone.
The desert goddess nodded curtly, and she thanked the vendor for our food again while I said goodbye to Zed. Then the two of us followed our noses to the bakery.
We passed by the rest of the vendor stalls, but I made a mental note to return later to try something from each one. If I ended up getting too full of baked goods, I would reset back to my save point and keep going.
Being a god had its perks, that was for sure.
Mahini and I stepped inside the warm interior of the bakery, and my nose was in absolute heaven. There was a huge wood-fire oven covering the back wall, a large countertop workspace in the middle of the room, and then shelves full of baskets with various baked goods inside. Along the far wall, a staircase led to the upstairs, where I assumed the baker’s living quarters were.
A bald man in a long white apron covered in flour stood and watched us silently, and he didn’t return my friendly wave, so I made a new save point.
The last thing I wanted was one of the business owners to dislike me.
I perused the shelves for a moment, and I discussed with Mahini which items we should purchase, but then we made our way to the flour-covered counter with a basket in each of our arms. The desert goddess held one with yeasty-smelling dinner rolls while I carried a containe
r full of pastries.
“We’d like to purchase these, if you don’t mind,” I said, and I kept the friendly smile plastered on my face.
“Five coppers each.” The baker narrowed his eyes at me. “If you can afford that.”
Whoa. What an asshole.
I shot the man a shrewd glance. He seemed harmless enough. He was about my height, on the skinny side, and seemed to be completely hairless. He had large brown eyes that seemed to absorb the light, and a sour expression on his face that spoke volumes.
Either he’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed, or he didn’t like me, but I could change that easily enough. I’d done it so many times before I could do it in my sleep, so I reset back to my save point to try again.
Chime.
I spammed resets while I dug into the baker’s life, but overall he was pretty boring, and it didn’t seem like he had any secrets I could reveal to prove my power. I hunted down his children and his wife, and I questioned them as much as they would allow. Each time they gave me a little bit more information, so the story slowly grew into a complete image.
Mahini appeared confused during my attempts to uncover information about the baker, but all I told her each time was to be patient with me. She’d at least grown somewhat accustomed to my oddness, so she went along with me without complaint, but she wouldn’t remember anything except me wowing the baker in the end.
I learned everything there was to know about the baker and his family until I had his entire life memorized, and then I returned to the counter on a fresh run through.
“While it’s unfortunate you suffered so much,” I greeted the baker in a knowing tone, “I am grateful it led you to Bastianville in the end.”
“What do you know of my suffering, stranger?” the baker asked in a suspicious voice, and he narrowed his brown eyes and crossed his arms over his apron.
“Ah, but I am not a stranger,” I replied, and I flourished down into a low bow. “I am Sebastian, Archduke of Bastianville, and God of Time. I know all about you, Cornelius James Rodrick.”
“I-I have heard rumors of your powers,” Cornelius replied in a halting voice. His eyes flicked between me and Mahini like he was feeling threatened, so I stepped backward a few paces, and the desert goddess followed suit. “I have been expecting you.”