Inside Marcy's body, I approach the door where there is some kind of argument going on. There is only one man's voice yelling, so it is not a proper argument.

"C'mon, Helen! I know you know where he is now! Just tell me so we can get him out of our lives and live as lord and lady of this town! I might even be able to get promoted to Count if I end this threat to the kingdom!"

"That's Julius, and he is on his last ropes if he is yelling at Helen." says Marcy in my head.

"Good. Minimap says Helen is inside this room. Help me out with the adlib." Title set: Swindler King.

Knock, knock.

"I hope it is important. I told I don't want to be disturbed!"

"Oh, c'mon. My childhood friend gets a Viscount title and you think I won't come to pay my respects? Open up, Julius!"

Julius approaches the closed door and sounds suspicious. "Marcy? Is that you? At this hour?"

"No, it is the beast-kin lord. Open up, dummy!"

There is the sound of a lock turning, and the door swings open. "Marcy... It is unexpected. How did you get in here? Nevermind. Have you come to turn yourself in?"

It paid to have all weapons in the item box. He has the Shining Blade at his waist, but he is not tense or ready to draw.

"Why would I? I am on your side, as I've always been. Excuse me." I enter the room. Inside there is a Helen sitting on a fancy couch and avoiding to look at us in the eyes. She is at the same time embarrassed, angry and shy. The dress she is wearing is marvelous. I want one for me...

"I'll humor you and believe you are not with him. What was going on between you then?"

I scoff, "I was just keeping that little boy wrapped around my little finger, you know? It is so easy. I just need to walk in front of him. He drools like a doggy."

Marcy is angry inside our head, "Beowulf, we are having a little chat when we get out of this mess. You are in deep trouble, my dear... doggy."

"It is acting! Acting! I don't mean any of this... No, I don't mean the bad parts, ok?"

Why the hell am I trying to have a conversation with this douchebag? I just came here to get Helen and lock up this idiot so I can interrogate him.

"Psychic Assault."

Unfortunately, the skill was used with Marcy's magic stat instead of mine. But it was enough to allow me to touch him.

"Possession {Body Switch}!"

Both Marcy and Helen distance themselves from Julius-me. Marcy takes a while to readjust to her body and after that, she approaches me and...

SLAP!

"I don't know what makes me the angrier, that you made that slutty impersonation of me or that Julius fell for it!"

"Why did you kill the knights?" asks Helen. "I was almost convincing Julius to have a meeting and talk. Nobody had to die."

"That is what you were doing here the last three days? What did they lie to you about what was going with us down there?"

"That you two were being held for questioning. He assured me you were being well treated."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"And you believed him. Are you both done venting your anger at me?"

Neither of them gives me an answer but their demeanor softened. I point at the couch and make them both sit down before going on.

"Mercy and I, we have not disclosed all the information regarding our time in jail and the night is not even over. It is something we hoped to say only once, but we are not going anywhere if you don't hear it. Sit down and listen."

Actually, the first lights of dawn are already threatening to hide the stars.

"First, they spent 3 whole days advancing the state-of-the-art of torture techniques using me. I really don't mind that part. And I was waiting for you to contact me, which you did not. If it was just for me, I'd just have teleported out, barged in here and took you the Hill." I pause before continuing.

Helen blushes and turns her face away from me.

Marcy looks at me with her sharp eyes. She has probably figured out.

"What do you mean? If it wasn't for you then...  What happened? What did they do to my mom?"

Sorry, Mercy. I bet you wanted to tell her yourself.

 "Because the knights spent 3 whole days... taking turns... with... mother-in-law. They were also drafting town girls to service them."

Marcy clenches her hands right below her navel and bends over. Tears come out but there is a huge knot in her throat, she can't even vocalize her pain.

Helen stands up and shuts up in denial.

"Impossible! Julius told me he forbade them from doing that! That nobody would touch aunt Mercy!"

"Like they would obey him even if he did give those orders. Those guys were King Hrothgar's men. Not Julius'. They only had to pay him some lip service. And knowing the controlling assholes back in Castle Heorot, they were probably here to keep tabs on Julius as well. I am sorry for not coming faster for you, Helen. I thought you would do something, but I was running out of time and had a good opportunity."

"It was almost impossible to convince Julius of anything without giving in to him. I want you to know that I didn't..." I stop her. I know what she is going to say.

"You don't need to say it. I know you fought your own battles here, right? Without armor, without weapons, surrounded by enemies and with only your wits, right?"

Helen lowers her head, "Jail was easier. At least there I knew who was against me. The maids kept talking to me, touching me, pulling my hair, making snide comments about my behavior, convincing me that I should ..."

"Why give Julius so much credit?"

"We grew together. He was one of the few besides Marcy that would defend me from harassment when we were little. Before you showed up, I was supposed to marry him. I was convinced I could not find anyone better, his parents knew mine and they arranged the marriage after I was accepted as an apprentice magician. His family always wanted to have magic in their bloodline, and it is a common belief that the children take after the parents."

"It means I barged into your double date and ruined everything for you."

"Looking back, I can't say I loved him. And Marcy only agreed to come along to keep an eye on the boys. Julius was never one to save the candy for after dinner."

"Why go along with him then?"

"He came back with a lot of soldiers, a peerage and asked me to get you to peacefully surrender so we could talk. I had to give him a chance. The people attending the festival should not see a bloodbath, much less become part of one. He had archers on the roofs, how many people would be hurt there?"

"Fair enough. Unfortunately, one very important person was hurt."

Helen kneels next to Marcy and helps her up, "I'm sorry, Marcy. Let's go home. I need to apologize to auntie."

"Like hell we are going home like this." She looks at me but turns away in disgust. "Grendel cut off this guy's tongue. Get out of him once the bleeding stops."

Shining blade, stored. Julius' tongue x1 obtained. Possession out.

"I'm just curious, what are you going to do with him?"

"I'm going to make you kill the Viscount. After that, you can do whatever you want to Julius. But I want him to watch it." She steps on Julius. "Guildmaster authority. Villager."

Julius struggles, but he has no chance to escape from Marcy with his crappy villager level 5 stats. He grunts but she just puts more pressure.

"If you want to get your tongue back, you are going to do exactly what I tell you. Grendel is going to possess you once again but you are going to let him. Resist and I am going to cut something else you won't need anymore."

After I recover enough MP and Stamina I possess him again in 'friendly' mode. I reattach his tongue and the flesh just bonds together. Stupid troll regeneration.

"And you keep silent in my head. You lost when you set foot in this town without knowing who you were facing."

"Grendel. Now everything makes sense."

"Yup. Pleased to meet you. At least this time you didn't run away shitting your pants like a little... The little girl in the room has scores more guts than you. Now shush or I'm showing what you put me through. But your flesh doesn't grow back."

I store everything in this room in the item box too. Especially the guild crystal. I lock the door from the outside and go to the main hall. Some butler guy comes.

"My lord, your command?" Oh, right. I am the viscount now. This butler should do anything I order him. How utterly convenient!

Time to drag Julius' name in the mud. In his own skin.