Monroe

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-three. Clouds gathering.

Rogard grimaced as he read through the missive sent by the King's Seneschal again.

He was instructed to make haste to Holmstead, where he was to present the document to the head of the local Adventurers Guild, as well as the Church.

The document outlined the King's decision to levy his tax outside of Harbordeep and install a member of the Harbordeep Nobility to collect the revenue and the Nobles' duty to provide aid and join in defense of their assigned town during waves and tides.

The people who chose to live outside of Harbordeep's protection were, by and large, independently-minded folks who wouldn't be pleased to find that their earnings were now subject to taxation from a government that rarely had, if ever, provided any benefit or aid to them.

He sighed as he folded the missive and tucked it away.

Rogard had memorized it by this point.

He'd been directed to ensure he was embedded in Holmstead within four weeks, at which point the King would be announcing a sweeping change to his taxation policy, reducing it to five percent. The inclusion of the populace outside of Harbordeep would ensure that the revenue would increase.

After discussing the matter with his wife as well as his father, Rogard had decided to attend to Holmstead alone for the first few months. His father would continue to maintain the walls of Harbordeep. Rogard would inspect the walls of Holmstead, develop a plan to rebuild or improve those walls, and send it home for revision.

He'd also build a home that would be suitable for his wife, whose requirements included the ability to entertain and host a dozen guests.

Rogard nodded absentmindedly to the Priestess standing watch over the Dungeon in Harbordeep as he descended to the Gateway.

He'd been delving long and often to ensure he had the resources necessary to complete the King's task within the given time.

The commoners may have forgotten, but his family still remembered.

Above all else, never anger the Dragon.

Bob walked into the tavern lightly, a spring in his step, despite the not insignificant weight of Monroe on his shoulders.

His smile widened as he spotted Harv and Elli sitting at their usual table, Red Fang sitting primly in the center.

"Good afternoon," Bob greeted the pair, pausing to give Red Fang a quick rub under the chin before depositing his own kitty onto the table and taking his seat.

"Bob," Elli said, returning the smile with one of his own, "I see you've brought Monroe to visit with Red Fang?"

"Yep," Bob agreed, "we've had a relaxing two weeks, and I thought maybe he could use a little company before we start delving again tomorrow."

"Jumping right back in?" Harv asked, turning his attention from brushing the puppy that was sprawled across his lamp.

"I'm fairly close to having enough crystals to advance to tier six," Bob replied, "and I have a feeling that I'm going to need that distinction when I'm trying to convince the other towns to listen to me when I start distributing my pamphlets."

Harv and Elli exchanged a look.

"You should check in with Thidwell," Harv said carefully, "see what developments have occurred during your vacation."

Bob nodded, acknowledging the point.

"Your freshers have all pushed their skills to their respective caps," Elli noted as he tried to entice Red Fang into pouncing on a bit of string, "I'm sure they'll be grateful to see you back in the Dungeon."

Bob winced as he replied, "I know I let them down a bit, bringing them here and then abandoning them for so long."

Harv shrugged as Theo arrived with three plates, a serving bowl and a saucer, steaks and green beans for the humans, and diced chunks of bear for the massive and miniature felines.

"They'll live, and honestly, the lot of them needed the time to acclimate to life outside of Harbordeep," Harv grumbled, "I expect most of them will stay in Holmstead, so meeting and helping some of the folks around here has given them a solid foundation to build on."

Bob nodded silently as he started in on his meal. After two weeks of cooking for himself and Monroe, it was nice to eat a meal he hadn't had to prepare.

If the kids had gotten their skills capped, they'd be ready to tear through the next few levels. They'd be able to push to the scorpions on the tenth floor and start stockpiling crystals for new gear, advancing their levels, and either setting up long-term leases or outright buying/building their homes.

Once they'd actually advanced to level ten themselves, he'd feel pretty comfortable leaving them to their own devices.

Bob took a seat across from Thidwell and slid Monroe down onto his lap.

"You look better," Thidwell rumbled as he moved a sheaf of papers into a folder.

"I feel better," Bob admitted, "the two weeks really did help, but I'm ready to get back to work."

Thidwell nodded, "Harv and Elli have been integrating your freshers into the community, but it would be nice to have them leveled up and ready for the next wave," he said.

"Shouldn't we focus on delivering the pamphlets and the Affinity Crystals?" Bob asked, "I know it'll take some time, but I don't think we can put it off much longer."

"Already done," Thidwell replied, "had all the Guild Leaders come here with their freshers, handed out the crystals and pamphlets, got the freshers leveled up enough to demonstrate what the paths and crystals could accomplish."

Bob blinked.

That was...

He took a deep breath and released it, repeating the process several times.

That was typical of Thidwell. The man was nothing if not decisive.

Bob forced himself to look at the situation objectively.

He didn't want to be noticed. Thidwell, having handled the dissemination of the information, ensured that any questions, or reprisals, would be directed at him, not Bob.

"Thank you," Bob replied after several long minutes of silence.

Thidwell nodded, "Quickest way to do it, and it worked out well. I included your mana catchment system as an addendum to my page on building a gated Dungeon," he said.

"So I guess I just need to finish up with my freshers and maybe think about apotheosising to tier six," Bob muttered.

"You need to get the crystals and push to tier six quickly," Thidwell rumbled, "while I kept you out of the light, anyone who looks closely enough will find you linked to those pamphlets."

"I know," Bob sighed, "I'm just having trouble giving up my humanity, even if I'm giving it up for something more powerful."

Bob waved a hand to pause Thidwell's response, "The people of Thayland don't have this issue because they've grown up hoping or expecting that change. My world hasn't ever had this sort of thing, and I never even considered being something other than what I am," he struggled to explain.

"Just tier down then," Thidwell boomed in annoyance, and with a strange twist, the huge man shrunk down to a smaller, normal human-sized version of himself.

"There are quite a few paths of apotheosis that take you in directions that change you in ways so drastic that you aren't able to easily physically interact with our society," Thidwell said, his voice still gravelly but having lost some of its volume. "In much the same way that you can accept a divine blessing to shift yourself into an animal form a tier lower than yourself, you can accept a blessing to revert yourself to your original human form, physically at least."

Another twist and Thidwell regained his normal imposing height. "I prefer to make no apologies for my choices, and I rarely resume my original form, but I do possess it and have found the occasional use for it."

"That's something to consider," Bob replied, considering that revelation.

"Consider it while you're gathering the crystals needed to push yourself past that threshold," Thidwell ordered.

Jakob spotted Bob walking out of the Adventurers Guild and called out to him, "Bob!"

The man's head swiveled, and Jakob waved to catch his attention.

Bob's eyes widened in recognition, and he turned, hurrying over to where Jakob, Sally, Zoey, Marc, Anni, and Luci were gathered.

"What are you doing here?" Bob asked as he clasped shoulders with Jakob, Sally, and Zoey in turn.

"Introductions first," Jakob grinned, "This is my lovely wife, Luci," he gestured, "and her brother Marc and his wife, Anni."

Bob nodded to each in turn as Zoey and Sally moved to either side of him and reintroduced themselves to Monroe by way of rubs and pets.

"As you've likely guessed, I'm Bob," he said, "and the fluffball on my shoulders is my feline overlord, Monroe."

Jakob had reached down and taken hold of Luci's hand, which he squeezed. "We're here because of a pamphlet that Marc discovered when he came here as part of a trade mission."

"Oh," Bob replied hesitantly.

"Oh indeed," Jakob chuckled, "when Marc told us these new paths, and the affinity crystals described in the pamphlet came from a man with a giant grey cat, suddenly a lot of things started to make sense."

Bob shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

"I would have told you about them, but I was trying to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention," he offered sheepishly.

Jakob waved his hand, "It all worked out in the end; we're really just waiting to reincarnate and start delving again."

"Why are you waiting?" Bob asked confusion showing on his face.

"There weren't quite enough Conjuration Affinity Crystals to go around," Luci said with a snort and a glance at her husband, "and we all want to delve together, so we're waiting for more to be available."

"Sadly," Jakob said with a smile, "all the Affinity Crystals coming in are being shipped out to the other towns, as Holmstead already has nearly two hundred people who've taken advantage of the new paths."

Bob frowned, reached into his satchel, and pulled out a Conjuration Affinity Crystal, which he handed to Jakob.

"I'll be delving tomorrow, so I'll pull a few more," Bob muttered, "I need to check and see what people need before I go down."

Shaking his head as if to clear it, Bob clasped Jakob's shoulder, "I'm glad you came out to Holmstead, and I'm sorry you've been waiting," he said, "go get started; we'll catch up in a few days."

Gently disengaging from Sally and Zoey, who appeared to be quite tireless in their affection for the big grey cat, Bob strode back into the Adventurers Guild, leaving Jakob clutching the crystal.

"He just gave it to you," Luci said, her voice full of wonder.

"He's a good man," Sally said as she tried, and failed, to dust the fur off her hands, succeeding only in spreading it to her pants.

"As Vi'Radia wills it," Austan said stiffly.

He was sitting in his office, although on the other side of his desk, and not in his own chair.

His Emminence Huron of Harbordeep occupied that seat.

Huron sighed.

Austan was truly a devoted servant of Vi'Radia, and his generous good nature had ensured that Holmstead truly walked in the light, with nearly every citizen having at least one divine blessing.

"This is not a demotion, nor is it a statement regarding your capability or devotion," Huron explained.

"Holmstead has already started to grow, and as the knowledge of these new paths and crystals spreads, people are going to arrive in droves," Huron continued, "in no small part due to the fact that there is a Gated Dungeon here."

Austan remained stiff, his back ramrod straight.

Huron went on, "The fact of the matter is that the Church here in Holmstead was already nearing the point where expansion and advancement were required, and recent events have conspired to hasten that necessity."

He stood and walked around the desk before sitting on it and clasping Austan's shoulder. "You can't be expected to handle the additional needs of the people here alone; as fine a priest as you are, there simply isn't enough of you to around," Huron chuckled at his own humor, and Austan's shoulders started to relax.

"I expect that everyone who has lived here up to this point will continue to seek their spiritual guidance from you," Huron finished and was pleased to see Austan smile.

The younger priest hadn't been concerned with a higher ranking member of the clergy assuming leadership over the local church; he'd been worried about being separated from his flock.

"Annisa is a fine priestess, well-liked by all, and Voren is truly blessed when it comes to administration; they'll bring a dozen initiated with them, and with your aid, we'll expand the Church both above and below ground to accommodate the growth we expect," Huron went on.

"I hadn't considered that we might see so many new people," Austan replied apologetically.

"We will," Huron promised.

Nora wiped the sweat out of her eyes absentmindedly as she focused on the pan in front of her. Her team had been volunteered to help in the kitchen at the Adventurers Guild, and she was carefully searing a bear steak.

Seeing the blood start to well up from the top of the steak, she quickly lifted it, and seeing that pan was nearly dry, dropped another pat of butter into the skillet where it melted immediately, allowing her to flip the steak over back into the skillet, the tender flesh sizzling as it came into contact with the hot iron and nearly boiling butter.

"Nicely done."

Nora nearly jumped as Kevin spoke from behind her.

"When you're searing the steaks, especially when you've done so many in a row, it's important to keep an eye on the pan, make sure the butter hasn't boiled away," Kevin said approvingly, "I ruined more than a few steaks in my youth, and I'm glad to see you aren't making the same mistakes I did."

Nora blushed.

She had, in fact, had to scrape a few steaks off the skillet, but she'd learned quickly.

"Two more to go, then I'm afraid it's once again potato time," Kevin advised as he turned his attention to Amber, who was arguing heatedly with one of the kitchen regulars about the difference between lard and butter.

Nora watched the steak cautiously, allowing her mind to drift a bit.

The past few months had been eye-opening.

She knew from her teammates that she had been sheltered from the realities of the world, but seeing just how much work had been done for her...

The truth was, she felt powerful now. She was confident that she could survive and even thrive if she were to find herself outside the city.

She pulled the steak from the skillet and plated it alongside a heap of mashed potatoes and gravy before placing it on the serving tray and slapping another raw steak into the skillet as the butter and meat sizzled.

Bob was back. She'd seen him earlier through the door into the tavern.

They'd be back to delving, probably tomorrow.

She couldn't wait.