I think Julius should know the butler's name, but I really don't care.

"What is your name, and what do you do here?" I am here to ruin his reputation, I'll drag his name in the mud.

"It is Sebastian, sir. I am charged with the governance of the household and with assisting the Viscount personally." He answered as if it was a quiz.

"Did you work for the late Baron Mirfield and his family? What do you think of their ways of ruling the town?"

"Indeed I did, sir. But the late Baron's rule was catastrophic. I think you are much wiser and less... attached to material gains. Your rule as someone born and raised on these streets will be way better."

Very nice answer. I like this guy already. Hell, if he can hold his own against a wolf pack he is hired.

"Can you fight, Sebastian?"

"Unfortunately, no. I am just a level 8 apprentice merchant."

That's fine. I can power level him if I hire the guy.

"Sebastian, gather all the servants and guards by the driveway. I have an important announcement to make. Including all the guards."

"At once, my lord." He bows and leaves. I just strut through the place raiding all the furniture. I skipped only the kitchen and the servants' quarters.

We found Helen's gear and she switched back to her woolen robes. Before going away I put the legendary sword back at my host's waist.

Minutes later we were with everyone by the driveway. The top of the sun is already peeking over the Dragonclaws. I can hear peasants and farmers are going about their business behind the tall estate walls.

There was the butler, a dozen maids, the head chef and three cooks, gardener, stable groom, five servant boys, and twenty guards.

"I will ask this only once. Choose only one, who are you loyal to, the King or the Viscount?" And I blatantly pound my hand over the hilt of the Shining Blade.

"To the Viscount!"

"To me Julius or to the Mirfield Household?" They are confused. But there is a distinct difference.

"You are the head of the household, sire. There is no difference." Sebastian answers.

"And when I am gone?"

"To your rightful heir, sire." And his gaze shifts to Helen behind me.

"Good choice, Sebastian. Everyone should do the same. The House of Mirfield will prevail even if I am gone. But while I am here, I will bring glory against those that dare defile my precious town."

"Glory to the House of Mirfield!" Sebastian shouts and they follow.

"Now, who is the maid that was giving Lady Helen a hard time? Step forward now." There is a commotion between the maids, but I noticed one of them, one of the older ones shifting her figure slightly behind another maid right after I asked. They started trading accusations between them but none dared to defy the older one. I finally single her out. "You, step forward."

"Yes, my lord. How may I serve you." She kneels and looks down at the cobblestone.

"Was it you that made Lady Helen from a peasant into a proper noblewoman?"

I glance over my shoulder and Helen is confirming.

"Yes, my lord. I am the one that turned that filthy peasant into a proper noblewoman."

I kick her. She rolls for some twenty feet and stops on the pavement. "You are no servant to this household. Begone while you still have clothes on your body and a head on your shoulders. If you ever show yourself again around here, the guards are to execute you on the spot. Take these silver coins and get yourself in the first merchant cart driving away from town."

She picks the coin and runs to the gate. A guard follows to open the gate for her. I'm sure she will spend the following days until there is a merchant leaving spreading tales of the Viscount's cruelty. And that the other servants will learn a valuable lesson, right now.

I continue after she disappears past the gates, "Remember all of you. The word of the Lady is my word. Mistreating the lady is mistreating the house. Even if she were to be dressed in rags she should be treated as if clad in gold. Understood?"

"Yes, lord."

"Sebastian, send four runners out into each gate and gather all the King's knights that are out hunting Beowulf. They are to show themselves before me immediately."

"As you will, sire!" The butler orders the servant kids around and they run out.

The sun was already making a feeble attempt at dispelling the winter chill from the sky when the kids returned with a little more than armed knights. They wore the same type of gear and armor with the same heraldry as the men I killed earlier, so they were the real deal.

I went outside the estate to meet them. "Gentlemen, thank you for your valuable services. You there, townsfolk. I command you to stand still and witness what will happen here."

"Yes, Viscount. We are still searching for the fake hero, why did you summon us?"

I switch Julius' job to Magic Swordsman. And mine to Super Villager. I am close to cap it. Title back to man-eater. Exp bonuses and stuff.

"To make an example out of you. You are guilty of the destruction of the garrison. For the damages done to Mirfield, die!"

It took some twenty minutes of fighting, but in the end, those twenty knights all died. I had to focus more on defense than the usual because I stopped sharing my regeneration with my host. I couldn't let people see Julius regenerating wounds at the speed of a troll. I let my intimidation aura unchecked at maximum range.

Closer to the end of the fight I went full crazy and butchered the remaining knights. A few well placed spells cut the escape route of the remaining few and they were mercilessly killed by a screaming and laughing madman.

Helen (4-Wizard) has gained 6 levels. Marcy (5-Guild Master) has gained 4 levels. Beowulf (3-Super Villager) has gained 0+7 levels. +44 SP Julius (4-Magic Swordsmen) has gained 7 levels.

The civilians watching the scene were frozen in place.

"Now scram, peasants. Before I decide to practice firebolt on your sorry hides! Not enough blood on the streets..."

They ran away screaming.

Back inside, the manor staff is still at the driveway. They were obviously affected by the scene they were forced to watch, but even more by seeing their boss covered in gore from head to toe.

"I forbid all of you to enter the manor except the kitchen and the servant's quarters until I return."

"Yes, my lord. We will comply."

Helen cleans me up with her magic and we return to the lord's empty chambers.

"I will teleport us to Alvus' clinic. Then we will get Mercy's things and teleport back home. Is there anything else you want from this place?" Julius' voice echoes in the empty halls.

Marcy answers, "No. Let's get away from here."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I don a heavy hooded cloak that will completely hide Julius' figure and face and we go to the clinic. It has been searched already. They broke a lot of stuff. Well, the king's knight's footlockers have already paid in advance for the damages, I just need to hand Alvus the gold. We went through the streets to Mercy's house. It was ransacked. Everything was broken, doors, windows, shutters. The cabinets and dressers were torn and her things were scattered everywhere.

"I want to punch Julius so bad! Get out of him, Beowulf, let me kill him!"

"Not yet. I want to interrogate him. Is there anything barely salvageable in here?"

"No. They didn't spare even our mementos."

"Take them, even broken. I can find a way to fix them. I have enough cloth and leather to make a new wardrobe for mother, take only things of sentimental value."

Helen was just following us with a somber face. I know

"Time to teleport home." We join hands and teleport.

Back at the Hill, the day has already started for the inhuman inhabitants. "Checking with everyone, did something happen while we were out?"

"Security is normal, master." Answers Kochurearc.

"Charmma here. I'm taking Alice and Alvus on a tour of the meadow. Shraaizar has immunized them with the bees' help already."

It is basically sting and heal until you get the resistance skill. One of the bees learned how to make a slow-acting, long duration weak venom.

"The prisoner is awake and eating breakfast, master!" It seems it is Botta's turn to be on watch at the prison.

"I am taking a new prisoner to join Cloude, wake Strangga and Uppa, and have them meet me at the door."

I go to the jail-house and settle for the room next to Cloude's. Lay some straw and furs for him to use as bedding. Before canceling the possession, I change his job back to villager and get Toppa and Strangga to hold him.

Of course, I won't miss the opportunity to taunt him, "Hey, Mad Viscount, fancy seeing you here!"

He tries to jump me but is overpowered by the goblins. "Beowulf you bastard, why did you do that?"

"Just returning the favor and dragging your name on the mud, Julius. Enjoy jail for the rest of your possible short life."

He struggles but really can't fight with these villager stats of his. Even the bonuses from his other jobs are less than the tamer boost the goblins are receiving.

"Give it up, Julius. He got you just as he got me. It is useless to struggle, his goblins are too strong and even if you get out this is monster country. Guy got hundreds of devil monkeys outside on watch." From the other room, Cloude breaks his silence.

Julius calms down a little and looks in the direction the voice came from, "Cloude? Are you also a prisoner here? Did Marcy lied when she told me she was with you?"

"About that, It was me in the guise of Marcy. I still get goosebumps from touching you. Well, enjoy jail life, I have more to see to than your pampered scowl. Nice job, asshole, handing out mother-in-law to the knights. If the person herself hadn't asked for your safety, you'd be minced meat now. At least you have some news to talk to Cloude."

I rise from the floor now that my exhaustion has been lifted, and order the goblins, "Keep the prisoners separate. Double the watches. If they act up you can discipline them, but don't kill. And make sure they get everything they need. Except for freedom."

I leave a screaming Julius behind.

Minimap shows everyone concerned inside the hilltop house. It is convenient but there's no privacy. The three women are together about the bedroom area and Zahariel is in the living room.

After a long time deciding to go in or not, I enter and the seraph is at the kitchen brewing tea. "How is everyone?"

"You've been in the heart of the matter all this time, can't you tell?"

"Not really."

He skillfully pours two cups of tea.

"Do you want a bit of honey in your tea?"

"Yeah. Everything else is too bitter right now."

"You know, sometimes if you look too close, you might see the ant and miss the anthill. Here you go."

I sip my tea, it is just perfect. I don't even know what kind of plant he brewed, but this tea is some new variety. Maybe something Alvus brought. I don't know. He pours three more cups on a metal tray."

"Whose are these?"

No answer. Zahariel just points at the bedroom door, and after realizing what he meant, I pick up the tray and after knocking on the door I go inside.

Helen is buried on Mercy's lap, crying. Mercy is caressing her head. Marcy is sitting next to them watching the scene.

"Am I intruding? Zahariel asked me to bring you tea. It is quite exquisite."

"Quite considerate of you two. Thank you." Marcy takes a cup from the tray and passes them to her mom. When she returns for hers she takes her cup with one hand and holds me by the wrist with the other. "Stay."

I sift the item box for some table to lay the tray with Helen's cup on and approach the bed.

Mercy just sips the tea.

"Son, thank you for not killing Julius. I know he did some awful things, but I really can't stop thinking of him as one of my children just like you three here. It is hard to give up on people you consider family. Your kindness will surely be rewarded, if only by my smile."

"The greatest victims in this story were mother-in-law and these town girls they drafted for comfort services. If you told me to spare him, I'm fine with that."

"Maybe we have to do something for them, should we? But as for me, somehow I am better than before. My old wounds don't ache, my scars and stretch marks are gone, even some annoying little streaks of blood that were dashing my old and tired legs are no more... Everything is as if brand new on me."

"That should be an aftereffect of the time I spent inside your body. My regeneration skills are shared with my host. Given enough time it should fix even maimed or severed limbs."

Mercy of all people makes a mischievous face.

"Daughter is up for a big surprise next time then..."

"What are you talking about, mom?"

"Nothing, nothing. Let's drink the tea Zahariel brewed us with so much love before it gets cold. You too, plant charmer. You lost too much water already."

Mercy props Helen up, wipes her face with a handkerchief, and gestures for me to fetch her tea. After drinking the cup in one go she finally opens up and talks between sobs and hiccups.

"I thought I could convince him, but I was just being played around."

"Look around, Helen. Nobody is blaming you. The knights are all dead. Everyone that did wrong has already paid for their crimes."

"Not everyone," She mumbles. It was almost inaudible even for me right next to her with my recently acquired elven hearing.

I'm afraid for her.

Darkness is not her color. 

----------------------------------------

We dedicated several days to resting and healing.

Everyone spent their time doing their own stuff. Marcy, Helen and I are comforting each other and mother-in-law, Zahariel is escorting Alvus and Alice around the place and building an herb garden. Helen sometimes go there to help with her magic. The goblins are watching the prisoners, Mittens, Emory and the rats are doing their antics elsewhere. Shraaizar is working as receptionist and Kochurearc is managing the patrols and the defenses. Our place gets attacked by low ranked monsters all the time.

I'm pretty useless if you consider how everyone is busy.

After these leisure days, I gathered everyone at the combat arena. Including Julius and Cloude. They are locked inside a roc finger cage inside a one-way stealth barrier. They can listen to what happens outside, but sounds from the inside cannot go out. There is a cloth hung in front of them too. I don't want to look at their faces.

"Our meeting has two objectives. What is going to happen to Mirfield and how are we going to treat them is the first. Passing judgment on the madman Viscount for being a douchebag is another."

Some puzzled looks but by this time they are used to these Earth neologisms.

Alvus clears his throat to get our attention. "The kingdom won't let Mirfield disappear. These knights were the last ones to cross the roads before the snow closed them so nothing will change until Spring. But the realm will surely dispatch more troops and an even more strict lord. Mirfield has a strategic value. If the town disappears, the route between Strawford and Whiteridge will be a dozen days longer, and there will be no frontier before those places. In some higher circles, Mirfield is called the 'Gateway of the Dragon Valley' for this reason."

"But if I seize control of Mirfield, Hrothgar won't leave it alone either. He will dispatch more troops over and over until he conquers the town."

The apothecary shakes his head and answers, "No. Because he can't afford to keep a protracted war effort. Drafting troops from other places will reduce the defenses in other towns. And the monster situation is already bad enough. As long as losing Mirfield won't cripple the roads or worsen the monster situation in Strawford or Whiteridge, he won't be pressed to move. A lot of people will leave once the roads open. The events triggered by the brief rule of Viscount Julius the madman will make more dissatisfied people migrate away. Taking the job crystal out of the guild will also force the adventurers to move because they can't form parties or change jobs. Besides that, Mirfield has no local specialty besides being a frontier town."

"Then if we keep the frontier town aspect of Mirfield and the roads open to merchants, Hrothgar won't make a move, right?"

"Probably not, but he might send someone to assassinate you. But judging from your strength, Beowulf, It would take an S-rank party to subjugate you. The people look up to you already. They would receive you with open arms. You already rule one settlement. Making the jump from one to two is not that hard."

Mercy chips in, "We would assist you. The strength you gave me, it is nothing to scoff at. I understood why my daughter's swaying heart was so firmly captivated by you. That night we danced together as one under the winter night sky will be burned in my memory forever."

"MOM!"

Family antics aside, there are other issues at hand.

"I already decided what my next evolution will be. I really didn't expect that windfall of Exp, but now I will need sixteen days to evolve.  This will bring winter almost to a close. I want to hear Marcy and Helen's opinions."

Helen goes first, "I don't dislike the idea of you taking over Mirfield."

Marcy also speaks her mind, "Living back here is good and all the monsters are super nice and friendly, but this place lacks people. I would like to be able to move back and forth."

"Master, the prisoners are agitated." Uppa calls upon my attention.

"One moment. I have to see how are the two guests behind the curtain."

I go there and indeed Cloude and Julius are very agitated. They are literally rattling their cage, as they say. I enter the stealth barrier and the two angry boys shout at me.

"You monster! Get your hands off of my woman!" Shouts Julius.

"Yes! Leave your filthy monster claws out of our town!" Yells Cloude.

I poke my head out and relay their shouts to the interested parties. They come. We dismiss the stealth barrier and remove the curtain.

"Helen, stop this madness! You are no monster bride! Get me out of here and let's live our lives as lord and lady of Mirfield!"

Helen gestures to ask silence. Her face is burning with anger. "Yes, I'll do that. I'll go with you. But only if you fulfill two conditions."