The acolytes are silent as I get up and walk out of the treasure room. The sudden shock of seeing all that gold and finding out it is theirs now has probably left them in a state of shock. I make it almost all the way back to the chapel before the leader of the acolytes catches up to me.

Acolyte says "Wait! Are you leaving? Can't you stay? We will make you our lord!"

"Yes, we are leaving. Sorry, I have no interest in being a lord."

Acolyte says "Thank you for saving us! If you ever need more money or a place to hide we will do anything we can for you!"

"Alright, I will remember. If you want the king to leave you alone, pretend the church is still here."

Acolyte says "Whether you want to be or not from now on our villages will regard you as our lord."

"If you wish, but I have no idea if I will ever pass this way again."

Acolyte says "Whatever fate may bring, Lord Ash!"

After saying farewell to the acolytes I gather my people and head to the church's stables. Luckily there are more than enough horses for everyone, even with twenty extra people. Once everyone is mounted we set off for the forest of fangs.

Thanks to the horses it only takes us three days before the forest comes into sight. The forest's edge stretches north and south out of sight, not knowing where the rebel camp is, we just ride openly towards it. About an hour's ride from the forest I see Hawk riding towards us.

Hawk says "Lord Ash!"

"Hello, Hawk, I take it everything went well on your end?"

Hawk says "Yes, my lord. And I am glad to see you were able to rescue your people!"

"What's the status now?"

Hawk says "We are camped just inside the forest, we have reported to the leadership but have waited for you before making any further moves."

"Excellent, lead us to the camp. We will settle everyone down and then go to meet the leaders tomorrow."

Hawk says "By your command!"

Stolen novel; please report.

Hawk turns and leads us into the forest until we come to a clearing where my people are camped. At first I don't think we are in the right place since there are over five hundred people that I can see. When I ask, Hawk explains that some other groups of cavalry met them on the road and then decided to join up.

"Why would they join up with us instead of returning to the rebels?"

Hawk says "Well, they may have heard about the appearance of the goddesses."

"Why are your people spreading the story? You do know I'm not keeping you right? I have no need for troops nor do I plan to lead any!"

Hawk says "I guessed as much, I tried telling them. They are convinced you will lead an army into glory undreamt of."

"I will lead no armies, the most I will lead is an adventuring party. Tell everyone to rejoin the rebels."

Hawk says "As you command!"

As Hawk starts going around to talk to various groups I head over to where my friends are gathered. I join Myria, Alannis, and Leyla at their camp and invite Isabella to join us. The next couple of hours are spent catching each other up on what happened after the night I fell into the trials.

Alannis says "What are your plans now?"

"Same as before, we will meet with the rebels tomorrow. I am hoping they will be willing to help all the women we have rescued."

Isabella says "What, you don't enjoy having almost two hundred women following you around?"

"No, I especially don't like the hatred in the eyes of every guy who looks at me."

Mericel says "Hahaha, can you blame them for being jealous when you have such a large harem?"

"But I don't have a harem at all! I haven't slept with anyone since being summoned to this world!"

Leyla says "Really? I thought you and Ruby?"

Myria says "I volunteer!"

"No, Leyla, nothing happened between me and Ruby. Myria, you are beautiful but there is a reason that I can't sleep with anyone."

Myria says "What reason??"

To demonstrate I pick up a thick log from beside the campfire and hold it with two fingers. I apply just a little bit of pressure and it shatters into splinters. All the girls stare at me in shock as I dust the splinters off myself.

"I have become too strong, I cannot control my strength enough. If I were to be with someone in that way, they would likely end up with broken bones at the least."

Leyla says "But isn't Ruby really strong?"

"Ruby is very strong in magic, not physically."

I notice Myria has gone quiet and is giving me a strange look, the others are definitely giving me pitying looks. I understand the pity from the girls, but the fact that I can't understand Myria's look really worries me. Oh well, I have told them the truth, maybe now the teasing will stop.

We stay up late talking and end up sleeping in quite late. When I wake up I find myself uncomfortably warm and unable to move. I am pinned in place by the girls sleeping on me, Leyla is no surprise considering what she went through.

Myria is also no surprise considering her teasing, what is surprising is Alannis and Isabella. The four of them have somehow ended up forming a cuddle pile with me at the center. It is probably part comfort and part the natural attraction women have to soft fuzzy things.

They have all had a hard time, if for different reasons, so I decide to lay back and wait for them to wake up on their own. While I am waiting I try to plan out my next steps but it is fairly difficult since I don't yet know how the rebels are going to respond to me. I am just starting to get bored when I sense one of the girls is starting to wake up.