Beauty X Beast ~ Three!

As they marched into town, the eyes of all of the townspeople turned on to them, and a flare of golden text scrawled along Danielle's arm.

Skill increase! Unified Radiance [Level 1 (Minimal) → Level 2 (Limited)]!

Requirement to advance to level 3: Enhance 100 objects and sell them for at least a 50% increase in price OR publicly receive a sincere marriage proposal.

“Fifty people were envious of me? For this embarrassment?” Danielle had stiffened upon seeing that she had already gained another level in her skill but breathed out a small sigh of relief when she saw the skill upgrade requirement—often known as a skill upgrade quest—was something that she could likely shut down easily if it were to come up. “So long as I remember to let people get a good deal, I might be able to stay at level two for months.” 

As she refocused on her surroundings, Danielle realized that practically everyone in the square was staring at her, not at the baron she was sitting behind. Her stomach dropped as their muttered words washed over her.

“What's going on?”

“Wasn't her birthday today? Did she already manage to throw herself at a nobleman?”

“Girl works fast, gotta give her that. She must’ve run straight to him on the way back from getting her Full Class.”

Closing her eyes, the newly christened Enchantress could only shake her head and let out a small sigh of defeat.

Baron Gasteel launched himself off of his horse and directly into a prepared speech for the gathered crowd. “I stand before you as a man that proves you can be more than you were born as. Starting as a humble hunter, I increased my prowess to the point where I gained the attention of royalty then proved my worth on the battlefield as a Greenhorn, working my way up the ranks until I earned a Knighthood! From there, I cut my way through the ranks of our enemies, bathing in their blood until I had soaked in enough prestige… recently gaining the title of Baron.”

Gasteel paused for a moment to let his ringing words echo back to him and allow a silent fervor to build in the assembled crowd. “Now, I stand before you as a humble lord, prepared to offer you the same opportunity I was once given! The enemies of Verdelune are amassing against us, planning to swoop in and take our resources for themselves! Our ores, our fertile crops… our beautiful women!”

To add to this, he turned and gestured at Danielle, who was struggling to get off of the war horse. Each time she started to slide off, it would shift side to side and knicker at her in warning. “As a gesture of my goodwill, I plucked this beautiful flower from the side of the road and have decided that this is the day her dreams come true.”

Danielle went very still at that moment, clutching the shifting horse. “Baron Gasteel… what could you possibly know about my dreams?”

He didn't hear her, already having turned back to the crowd. His next words wove a tale of glory and adventure, blood and honor. Still, beyond a few, young, fiery men, the people assembled simply didn’t seem to find much interest in his words. This was a peaceful border town, situated next to a chunk of no-man's-land that hadn't been invaded in living memory. Very few had the desire to leave their hometown and the comfortable life they lived. Somehow, Gasteel seemed to catch on to that fact and wrapped up his speech by once more turning to Danielle.

“Fair lady, from the moment I laid eyes on you, I had decided that you would be my wife. You joined me on my horse, so I already know the answer you have for me. Even so, for the ears of these common folk, I’ll ask aloud.” Danielle could only watch in numb shock as he turned an important moment in anyone's life into a sideshow, all to make his case for the locals. “Would you join me in my glorious rise to the highest ranks of the kingdom of Verdelune… as my wife?”

Skill increase! Unified Radiance [Level 2 (Limited) → Level 3 (Rudimentary)]!

Requirement to advance to level 4: Successfully mediate a dispute between two parties, offering no solutions, while leaving both of them feeling more positive and agreeable OR enhance a space enough it could sell for 60% more than its purchase price.

The Enchantress stared at the warrior, completely flabbergasted, only saved from embarrassment by having her expression hidden behind her veil. As the seconds ticked past, the proud smile on Gasteel’s face faded, being replaced with annoyance… then anger. 

Finally, Danielle found her voice. “M’lord. You don't even know my name.”

“A minor detail! Certainly one that can be rectified before the wedding. Or, at the latest, on the honeymoon.” Gasteel waved away her concerns, motioning for her to get on with her answer. “Come now, don’t keep them waiting. You just got your Full Class, so even a place like this has a Class Shrine, huh? That means we could be married in the sight of the system before dinner!”

Choosing her words carefully, she spoke quietly, so as not to project her voice to the enormous group of gossip mongers watching on. “I'm… speechless, my lord. I really don't know what to say, other than-”

“Just say that you will marry me, and we’ll be off! You’ll live in my manor, taking care of my homestead in my absence.” 

Though the thought of his absence had a definite appeal, Gasteel's next words, which mirrored the attendant’s from earlier, lit a fire of defiance in her. 

“Think of the parties I’ll be able to provide, with people who will look on in admiration and jealousy toward me. You, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, are the perfect adornment to a lord like myself, the most handsome man of the generation. It was meant to be.” 

“I'm sorry… but… no.” The words were out of Danielle's mouth before she realized how sharply she’d spoken them. Remembering herself, she quickly adjusted her tone, much more softly adding, “Certainly someone so lowborn as I doesn’t deserve you.” 

With that, she launched herself off of the horse, landing smoothly and gracefully rising to her full height with a single, fluid motion. Then she backed away, her eyes never leaving the fuming nobleman, worried that he’d attack her no matter the fact that they were in front of a crowd. The baron’s eyes had narrowed, his nostrils flaring while his hands balled into fists as if he were about to charge her, despite the crowd gathered and looking on. For a long moment, the tension was stifling, but then he took several deep breaths and forced a smile.

He turned to the crowd, rolling his eyes. “Don't worry, I'll have her as my wife. Even if she may need some convincing… make no mistake about that.”

His words earned a chuckle and cheer from the crowd, their mood shifting from curiosity and concern to amusement. Several people turned toward the fleeing Enchantress and sneered at her: it was no secret that she had turned down marriage proposals from nearly every single eligible man in town—not to mention a concerning number who were already married. Now, seeing even a nobleman being snubbed, their annoyance with her swiftly shifted from petty envy to full-fledged contempt.

“Can you believe that? What kind of peasant is so ungrateful that they'd spit on a nobleman's affection?”

“It's not like he said something improper! He asked her to marry him, not-”

“One of us… one of us…” A few young men standing near each other put their fists together, showing the scars on their hands and looking at the baron with something akin to hero worship. 

Finally, Danielle got to the edge of the crowd, at first seeking an escape. But, to her dismay, each of the paths into the town square had either a soldier or a guard standing there to prevent people from leaving. Seeing the oddity, Danielle finally snapped out of the confused and shaken state she’d been in since gaining her new class and began to think through the situation at hand. 

“This is… this is wrong. He said other countries are going to be invading us? That’s not right, is it? Think, Danielle. What are the facts? He’s here trying to recruit people and offering them the chance to sign up. But if that were the case, why wouldn't he just send one of his men to set up a kiosk or something? Instead, this is a mandatory meeting we’re not allowed to leave? That's never happened before. Well, except back when the… the… by the system! Not since the draft! He's going to give people a chance to sign up, then conscript anyone who doesn't volunteer!”

She whirled around and stared at the armor-clad warriors, where once again, the baron was giving an impassioned speech to the populace. Finally, he slowed down and held up a large ledger. Now that she had an idea of what might be going on, she paid attention to his final, parting words.

“Anyone who’d like to register as a Greenhorn, come forward now and sign the documents, so that we can assess your best ability to serve. Within a year, you will be earning achievements and accolades, maybe even showing off muscles almost as impressive as mine.” 

Gasteel proudly bellowed out, standing as tall as he could and showing off his admittedly impressive physique. “By volunteering, you will join Gasteel Company at the same rank I originally joined the army—and now I’m a Baron! You can do it as well. I'll tell you all right now, no one fights like Gasteel or has as many rights as Gasteel!”

“No one stays up as many long nights as Gasteel,” a warrior near Danielle quipped under his breath. 

Another nudged him. “Or gets infested by sand mites like Gasteel.”

Hoping she wasn't wrong, Danielle strode forward, lifting her hand in the air and shouting over the quiet murmuring of the crowd, who seemed utterly cowed by the huge man and his offer of impending bloodshed. “I would like to sign on as a Greenhorn!”

Her melodic voice washed over the audience, and they turned to look at her in abject shock. Danielle kept her gaze firmly on the document being held in the air, striding forward and holding out a hand for the quill as every local hurried to get out of her way, as though the desire to join the military was infectious. 

“The trophy wife-? *Ahem*, that is… never mind. Wait. You would refuse the opportunity to marry into nobility but offer yourself as a warrior on the front lines?” Gasteel stared at her with great confusion in his eyes. His mouth formed into a hard line, then his tongue flicked out and licked over his pebble-dry lips. “You are… perfect. I must have you.”

Suppressing her gag reflex, Danielle merely plucked the quill out of his hand and signed the document, filling out her name and class. Thankfully, she didn’t need to provide any details on her skills. As soon as she’d finished, she stepped back and stared up at the huge man defiantly, hoping she hadn’t just made a terrible miscalculation. 

Thankfully, it seemed that the baron was far too amused to think through the situation carefully, and instead turned the document around and read over the information, as if he had been presented with a child's drawing he now needed to critique. “D… Dani…”

 His brows furrowed, and he glared at the words as if they were being intentionally difficult. “Where’s Lefroupe? Ah, there you are, my most loyal scribe. Get over here at once.”

“M’lord!” A short, pudgy man with a weaselly face scrunched up in an attempt at appearing wise came out of seemingly nowhere, having been hidden behind the horse Gasteel rode in on. “If I may, could I read off the information to the crowd at large so you may rest your voice?”

“Smooth,” Danielle muttered under her breath, surprised a moment later as the man glanced her direction and gave her a wink. He looked down at the parchment, threw his shoulders back, and announced for the gathered people.

“Danielle Marie Tinkersdottir!” The scribe, though Danielle thought that perhaps ‘herald’ would be a better word for him, announced her full name, then continued on with barely a pause. “Eighteen years old, as of… today! Happy birthday, madame Danielle!”

There was a momentary pause as the scribe looked out knowingly at the assemblage. Reluctantly, a large part of them began clapping in acknowledgment of her surviving this long. “I'm certain you will go on to do wonderful things in your life, especially with your Full Class being… Enchantress?”

There was a collective gasp of astonishment, and Gasteel stared at her with even greater fervor, his eyes seeming to sink into his skull slightly as he failed to blink. The minor noble wiped a thin trail of drool from the corner of his mouth, then stepped forward and snatched the document out of Lefroupe’s hands. 

“Absolutely not! I won’t let the worth of an Enchantress be wasted on the battlefield. I deem you unfit to join as a Greenhorn.” Lifting his hand, the noble touched a signet ring to the paper, and with a flash of light, the words ‘permanently unfit for duty’ scrawled across it in bright red, washing over her signature and class. “No. I have a far better… position for you to be in. If you won’t be my wife just yet, you’ll be my attache. From this point forward, you’ll ensure that I meet my quotas! Welcome to the support staff of House Gasteel.”

With that, he waved his hand and turned back to the others who were watching on with wide eyes. “Well? Are the rest of you going to let this waif of a woman upstage you all? Where are my brave new soldiers?”

Either from the shame of being upstaged or desiring some of the benefits the baron had been pouring out on Danielle, approximately a dozen of the young men of the town stepped forward and waited for their turn to sign on. As each of them filled out their forms, they were given a basic iron helm with a single green horn welded onto the left side to denote their position within the ranks.

Beyond being a simple weapon, this was the only armor anyone of their rank was given. In essence, the amount of armor, as well as the quality of it, determined one's position in the ranks of Verdelune. The thought was: if a soldier had the wealth to purchase armor, the strength of arm to earn it in combat, and the ferocity to keep it when their fellows tried to take it, they were obviously leadership material. An increase in rank was almost always in the cards for someone who could demonstrate a consistent record of maintaining arms and armor.

Finally, the dozen young men were proudly wearing their new protection, though a few of them seemed slightly unsteady from the unaccustomed weight of the cast iron helmet. Gasteel looked around the area one last time, his eyes hardening. “Is that all? No one else will answer the call from our kingdom?”

When no one else volunteered, he simply nodded and darkly intoned, “Fine. Then I’ve seen the extent of your resolve. Gasteel Company! I see dozens of healthy and strong young men and women here who don’t want access to promotion opportunities. Bring them in, assess them for service, and conscript any who meet the minimum requirements!”

“What? You can't do this!”

“I'm going to be conscripted because I didn't volunteer? I didn't know, give me another chance-”

“I have every right! Not knowing the law is no excuse for not following it.” Gasteel boomed as he raised his hand and glared at the crowd, shouting over their clamoring in a cold tone.

He paused for a long moment, meeting the eyes of the most defiant—taking note of them—and allowing the noise to die off before he continued. “No one can say I didn't try to get you to join up with as many benefits as possible. It is you who have shown your true colors today. I tell you this, it’s not green like these fine volunteers! It is yellow, and cowards have no right to complain when their betters put them to work.”

As the townsfolk once more started shouting and screaming, Danielle could only close her eyes and let out a soft breath of relief as she realized that she’d just taken a major step in controlling her own fate.

“I took a calculated risk… thank goodness I'm great at math.”