‘What a bugbear’s ass,’ Isaac said, watching the mayor from Marbleville and his two guards disappear into the distance. It surprised Goliath. He hadn’t expected such language from the placid smallholder.

  ‘Bugbear’s ass,’ Mirabelle echoed in a whisper. Was he supposed to do something about that language as her supposed father? Well, at least she wasn’t crying anymore, although he didn’t know where Tia had disappeared to after her outburst. He sighed. Might as well get it over with.

  ‘So folks,’ he said. ‘I guess this has been one educational morning. If you don’t want to spend another night, I won’t blame you. I’ll even help you to get packed up and on your way again.’

  There was a thoughtful silence, broken only by Mirabelle practising her new words. Ana alternated looking at Mirabelle and Goliath, slightly frowning. Finally, Alan spoke, ‘Uh well, Founder Goliath, if you don’t mind, I think I would actually like to stay on a bit. As a cartologist slash tinkerer, eldritch spots are a bit of a hobby of mine. Before the war, I was too busy earning a living to investigate and also too wary of the danger. But losing everything I used to think safe and secure has given me the chance to reevaluate. Now, I’ve found an eldritch spot tied to a settlement with an ex-soldier for a founder. This is as lucky and safe as it will ever be for me. I’ll help out in the settlement too, of course.’

  Before Goliath could answer him, Grandma Manon joined in and said, ‘Me too. Alan told us so much about eldritch spots as we travelled. And I thought of how I’ve lived such a humble life in my village. All my years, I worked and took care of the family and my neighbours, and, well, wouldn’t it be nice if just once I saw something wonderful before my time came? I think I’d like that. So I want to stay too if you’ll have me.’

  ‘And me,’ Benji added. ‘I’ll stay with my Nan and help.’

  Goliath waited for more from him, but that was apparently it. So, he looked at Isaac and Ana next. Unsurprisingly, Ana’s gaze was fixed on Mirabelle, obviously biting her tongue on Mirabelle’s new vocabulary. It didn’t even look like she was considering the question. Isaac gave her a gentle nudge, and they looked into each other’s eyes for a moment. Then he nodded at Goliath and said, ‘Well, yes. I guess we’ll stay too. I’ve always thought it would be exciting to be part of a whole new settlement getting started. I suppose now’s our time.’

  ‘Oh, Isaac, really?’ Simple love was in her voice, and she smiled at him like he had just made her queen of the world.

  ‘Yes, really love. Let’s see what the future holds for us here.’

  She threw her arms around him in a big hug, then bowed down to Mirabelle. ‘Did you hear that sweetheart? We’re going to stay with you and your daddy!’

  ‘Yay!’ Mirabelle threw her arms around her too, bugbear asses forgotten for the time being.

  There was only one person left. Towering over everyone, Gwen had watched with folded arms. Then she rolled her eyes and said, ‘Well, since you’re all a tassel of fools, I guess I’ve a battle medic’s obligation to be here. That way at least someone can sew a leg back on if it gets torn off by spider demons from the great beyond.’ But she did smile and gave Goliath a wink, prompting an unexpected lightening in his heart.

  ‘Words,’ Mirabelle said with a frown, waving her hand in front of her face.

  ‘What is it, sweetie?’ The ever-attentive Ana replied.

  ‘See-through book,’ she replied disapprovingly.

  ‘Well?’ Grandma Manon said disapprovingly to Goliath. ‘Aren’t you going to approve our request to become residents? Come on, boy, I only have so many years left. Or do you not want to have us?’

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  A settlement prompt, he realised. It must be the visitors’ request to become settlers, waiting for approval. He felt his heart starting to race. They might figure it out if Mirabelle kept talking. He had to get her to Tia. Now. Wherever it is that she went off to after she yelled at Measly Mayor Marbles. Ha! Measly Mayor Marbles, he would have to remember that!

  ‘I guess I just wanted to give you all a moment to think about it. Are you sure? You know this town’s name is literally Cursed End, don’t you?’

  ‘Pfft, sure smure,’ Manon poo-poohed it. ‘I did wise things all my life and I still lost everything in that godforsaken cursed war. We’ll stay here.’

  ‘You’ll stay?’ Tia’s disembodied voice sounded a few moments before reappearing with the group.

  ‘Well, I’m glad to see you’re back,’ Goliath said sardonically.

  ‘Did you hear that Mirabelle? They’re staying! We have our first residents!’ Tia spoke to Mirabelle like Goliath wasn’t even there. He cleared his throat. She looked up, and then a light shudder ran through her visual.

  ‘Ah, yes. Founder Goliath. I am so pleased to have our first residents.’

  ‘Why yes indeed. As soon as we approve them, we’ll be good to go,’ he replied.

  ‘Why are you telling Tia though?’ Benji questioned. ‘Why don’t you just approve us already.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry, we’ll take care of that soon enough, won’t we, Mirabelle?’ Tia said, glowing with happiness.

  ‘Yes, we will,’ Goliath added. ‘And perhaps after that we can start teaching our little Mira to read,’ He tried to hint.

  ‘Why are you wiggling your eyebrows, Goliath?’ Tia asked.

  ‘Me? No, I wasn’t wiggling my eyebrows. I was just reading the prompt to approve our new residents.’

  ‘Reading? How can you … Oh,’ she caught on, looking at Mirabelle, who was still squinting in alarm. Her image flickered momentarily. ‘Oooh. Well, Mirabelle,’ she said, ‘Do you like all these new people?’

  Mirabelle nodded.

  ‘Would you like them to visit longer?’

  Mirabelle smiled and nodded.

  ‘Would you like them to stay with us?

  ‘Yes, Ana stay.’

  ‘Ok, Ana stays. And the others? Everyone stays?’

  ‘Everyone stays.’

  ‘Permission granted. Visitors now have resident status,’ she concluded.

  ‘Which I have just approved,’ Goliath hastily threw in there.

  ‘Words,’ Mirabelle growled this time, slapping the air in front of her face.

  ‘Oh my, will you look at that? I think it’s time for Mira’s nap; why don’t you come along, Tia? I’ll be right back everyone!’

  <>

  Goliath sat back and studied the confirmation prompt. ‘It’s because I wanted to leave the town, isn’t it.’

  Tia’s image shimmered slightly. ‘Of course not. Our settler system simply doesn’t allow for a Founder’s Assistant before reaching town level. Happily, I was able to create this workaround.’

  Goliath glared at the prompt again.

  Subterfuge title: Founder Goliath

  As a workaround the subterfuge title of Founder Goliath has been created for the settlement position of Founder’s Assistant’s Assistant (FAA). With it, you will be able to take care of routine tasks* and act as a Founder whenever the Founder is otherwise occupied.**

  Do you accept?

  [Yes] [No]

  *Access will be limited to non-essential functions unless supervised by TIA.

  **All FAA decisions must receive TIA approval before they will be system executed.

  He had thought you could assign a founder’s assistant at any point in a settlement’s development. Only, he wasn’t sure because when he was a Founder he had still been a pig-headed idiot who had clung to making every decision by himself until his town almost imploded because of all the unmade choices, and Altry wrestled him into bestowing him the position of Founder’s Assistant.

  ‘But Founder’s Assistant’s Assistant? I’m beneath you in the hierarchy?’ he asked Tia incredulously.

  ‘Yes, it’s only logical. Don’t worry about it.’ Her image momentarily distorted, pulling her face back at a strange angle before it snapped back into focus. ‘Between you, me, and the Founder, we’ll have this settlement running in no time.’

  ‘Founder Golith!’ Mirabelle laughed and clapped her hands.

  ‘Fine,’ he sighed, accepting the position. ‘But please just promise you’ll consult me before you execute any weird decisions Mirabelle might make. You know, her being a child in charge of a settlement and all.’

  Tia did not answer his question. Instead she stilled for a moment, staring over his shoulder and up at the ceiling. After a moment she reanimated and said, “Strangers are approaching, Founder Goliath.’

  ‘What? So soon again? I thought this was an abandoned settlement!’

  ‘Oh, not any more. We have residents now.’

  Tia’s smile shone in a very unsettling way.

  <><><>

  Note on terms: