The Rebirth Of Fenrir, Reincarnated As The Ancient Wolf

[Chapter 5, Promotion from Noble]

The next day Alyssa and I went to the town square to meet the four council members from the day before.

"Ah Lady and Lord Baerne, you have come, great..." The fox man who led the council spoke smiling. "We wish to provide you and your wife with the greatest honors we as local council of this, formerly, neutral territory can provide.

We have decided with the entire council to promote the two of you, Lord, Lady to the ranks of Duke and Duchess and provide you the rightful rule of the town. Please accept this, if not, we as the entire town cannot thank you enough for saving us yesterday, My Lord..." The man continued and I could only stand there dumbstruck. "My Lord?" The other council members echoed when neither I nor my wife replied in our amazement.

A gentle hand on my shoulder got me back into reality as Alyssa had nodded silently as she placed her gentle hand on my shoulder. "We will accept this promotion..." I said and the crowd that had gathered cheered. "Then from this day on, consider all of our fellow council members your advisors My Lord." The man spoke and all four of them made a bow. I simply stared at my equally amazed wife next to me.

"Did we just... get... promotions...?" She asked, stammering on the words and barely able to keep her posture. "I don't get it, what we know is those soldiers were sent to take my forest, that was what I fou..." I began and the council leader interrupted me, holding up his hand.

"My Lord, we both know they had been sent to claim this town as part of Duke Tah'kor territory with the City of Ganrosia, by any means necessary... they needed to lure the town's protector out, and..." I got the message here. I had realized the moment I had seen the Ganrosian crest on those banners that a city two weeks away from here would not come just to claim land.

They seemed to have come indeed to lay claim to our town. Neutral territory that now fell under 'my' jurisdiction had engaged openly in warfare, even if it was a 'one-wolf-army' that did the fighting.

This story would most likely start to spread soon. I knew we had some visitors in town, and they saw the same as everyone else. A fourteen year old kid who revealed to be a long lost god to have returned. I knew just as well as the entire council here and everyone else, that we could not keep my reveal silent.

No matter what we tried this tale would spread.

"Very well, we will accept your offer, but I will not change the way this town is run, I take care of healing, and defense should this situation rise again. Otherwise the only thing I will change is that the council reports to me before a final decision is made on anything..." I spoke, knowing I was also speaking in name of my wife who still did not grasp the entire sincerity of my deeds the day before.

Then again, it made sense she did not fully grasp that after the things I told her after that.

No matter how big the shock might have been for the rest, she had already seen that part. And I gave an even bigger shock for her when we got home and revealed my previous life.

The next day was 'our big day' and not even the one we had both been so excited about a few years ago. We had both enjoyed our wedding, but now. I was receiving the official papers declaring me and my wife as the rightful rulers in this town.

It has long been my home now. But at the age of fourteen, to become a Duke in charge of a small territory that once was neutral but has recently joined in combat with another territory.

That was something different. Signing the scroll, I slid it to my side and Alyssa signed as well. "Are you alright, you seem a little pale...?" I whispered at Alyssa next to me on the dais as she signed the parchment.

And like that, my wife and I went from local nobles to rulers, in this town that would from now on be known as Wolven Hollow.

"Keep in mind, you live here, under my sole protection. In name of Fenrir, I declare war upon any who would oppose the Wolven All-Father. For he in person stands before you here..." I bellowed while shifting into the wolf they had seen before.