Here we are inside the bedroom where a few important memories were shared with a refugee of the Guild. Soren the squirrel-kin receptionist is past her bouts of crying only some sniffing, sobbing and sighing left. She is still having problems coping with what happened. The hero is a monster, her boss was brutally crushed and only I know how close she herself became close to dying. Somehow during our talk the fact I can erase memories came up. I'm rather dazed by the situation so I couldn't follow the conversation very well.

A sharp pang hits my chest and a shiver runs up my spine. The monster me, an undeniable and undeletable facet of me is there, sleeping, dormant. The only solace is the confirmation that if the berserker troll me will spare those I consider friends, it will shelter those I hold dear.

The girl finally composes herself enough to talk.

"Yes, I can recall everything."

"Great. I am sorry for what happened, but things went out of my control. What do you want to do now? Ask anything."

"You are safe here, Soren," Marcy sits at her side and pulls her close. "We are friends, even if some of us are... different."

She raises her voice, "What I want to do? Is there such a thing. Tell me, was it just a dream?"

Against those wavering eyes, I think it is better to be blunt.

"No. Everything was real, just as you witnessed. It happened right outside, as you surely have already looked. And I was the one that did it. I won't make excuses. I want you that saw everything judge with your own heart."

Her voice is soft, almost a whisper, "My heart can't judge you. Just like those two can't either." And she falls on her knees, covers her face with both hands and resumes crying.

Oh, damn. I didn't heard that. Yup, just a whisper, let sleeping dragons lie. No, sir. Activate ultimate skill, subject change.

"Was that the reason you tailed Kareena?" Nooooooo! Stupid, ask 'why you tailed her'!

"Yes. I was worried about your safety. And I wanted to see you again."

There is too much danger in being soft right now. Misunderstandings. I reach out and grab two hands, one on each side. The best way to defend against women troubles is to use women as a shield. I'm coward just like that.

"Well, you got what you asked for. You really saw 'me' out there. Not this temporary human disguise I am wearing right now."

She stands up after I peeled Marcy away from her to be my shield. Determination has found purchase in her eyes. Not the determination of a winner, but something mixed with the resignation of someone sent to the arena to die.

"I need to tell you one thing. I like you. I really liked that 'temporary human disguise' you wear. But now I don't know how much you are faking to keep that facade of yours. But if that decency you showed back then was real, I want to ask you for one thing."

Both hands I'm holding became sweaty. There is no need to look at them to know they are afraid. I don't like where this is going either. "Yes, if it is something I can do. Unfortunately, I can't return your feelings. And I won't wipe your memories either."

"Really? I could live without the trauma of seeing the man I like becoming a monster as tall as a castle tower."

"But then we will rewind everything and you would have to cope with the fact that some monster destroyed the guild and killed your boss and most of your coworkers. And eventually, if you did find out about me again, you would be hurt even deeper. I'm sorry, but you will have to do with the harsh reality."

She looks away at the scene outside the window. From there we can see the path of destruction I wrought. "The harsh reality is my everyday companion for ages. I'll be fine, thanks for saving me."

There is a story behind those eyes. One riddled with suffering. Now that I recall, she is a runaway from her homeland.

She addresses Helen and Marcy at my sides, "And to think the two of you are bona fide 'monster brides'... The world is doomed."

Helen takes the lead, "Proudly. And this world is already doomed since seven thousand years ago. We are betting that this troll here might be the key to make the wheels of history spin again."

Soren hangs her head again, "Everyone is crazy. I'm out of a job. I don't even have where to live now."

"I have a place for you to work. Come with us."

"But as an apology for scaring me like that, I want one service."

Her soft girl-in-love voice was replaced by something way more regal. One experienced in the intricacies of politics and intrigue... I'll bite.

"What is it?"

"Come with me to the beastkin country, to clear my name. Be my champion!"

Ok. Let me look down. No embroidered handkerchiefs in sight or on the ground.

"What are you talking about?"

She wipes her tears and makes her guild receptionist uniform presentable. Her countenance now matches her tone, "I fled from the beastkin empire because I got in trouble there, and the only way to clear my name is through combat. There is no way I can win that fight, but I can appoint a champion. And if it is you fighting for me, I am sure you'd win."

Talk about a cheat. There are very few people that can be my match in a fight. The demons can best a weakened copy of myself but they have racial and job levels. Cheaters.

"Can this champion be a monster?"

"Are you going giant on them?"

"Probably not, unless they cut off my head again. Before I accept, what did you do to be forced into exile? If it was something bad, I can't help you."

"If we had a guild here, I'd show you."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Some title or skill you got then, is that it?"

"Yes."

"Party Invitation: Soren."

"Eep? Beowulf, you did something really bad. 'Beowulf is a PK!' Just popped up here. What happened for you to get that nasty title?"

"I'll tell you later, but the guy deserved it."

Soren has Joined your party.

"Job Management, Soren."

[1] VIllager: 6 [2] Apprentice Warrior: 13 [2] Apprentice Scout: 10 [2] Apprentice Magician [3] Berserker: 10 [2] Apprentice Aristocrat: 14 [3] Warrior: 25 [3] Guild Receptionist: 18 [3] Aristocrat [3] Apprentice Royalty: 3 [4] Knight [4] Beastwoman Warrior

"Title Management, Soren."

Exiled Princess Outcast Betrayer Mariticide Merciless Fallen Noble Guild Staff Veteran Master Dismantler  

The story those titles tell are enough to piece everything that happened to her. I hum and ponder looking at her status windows.

"What are you doing?" A scared squirrel asks me.

"You are one of us now. I'm checking your status. But there must be a juicy story behind 'Exiled Princess' and 'Betrayer', right?"

Helen and Marcy tilt their heads in my direction at the word 'princess'. "It is not juicy. It is a story of my failure."

"Now, Princess Soren of the squirrel tribe, what is your story?"

She is visibly displeased with being called by her title. After a while, she straightens her back and begins. "I was indeed born as the princess of the squirrel tribe. The squirrel folk are mostly artisans and artists, we don't have the same drive to combat as the other tribes. Because of this, we are looked down by the others.

"One day Gameorn of the bear tribe started courting me. But his tribe's customs demand that the man must steal the bride from her household by force. And so he did. He mauled my brothers and my father and stole me from my house. He took me to the bear tribe territory, to be his lover. Father took the issue before the council of tribes but lost the vote. I was given to the bear tribe as I was 'won' by their ancient rites.

"The night he would take me as his woman, I was in the bedroom with a knife. When he laid me down, I took the knife and stabbed him in the groin. He screamed and bled everywhere. I cut his throat to put him out of his misery. The household heard his screams and I was forced to run for my life.

"I was already in human lands when the council imposed a heavy fine on my tribe and exiled me. I had nowhere to run but to the human lands. With luck, I was able to become an adventurer and later a guild receptionist."

"Wow, that is heavy. And what is a 'heavy fine'?"

"They put the whole tribe into forced labor. The squirrel-kins are basically slaves now."

Slavery is bad because... I don't know. It is bad. Freedom is good.

"Fine. We will free your tribe, but that will have to wait a little. I need to secure my realm before I can travel abroad. But as payment, you are going to work at the Mirfield guild until you are no longer necessary. We made our own Bootleg Guild. Here, let's change your cards." I open the item box and the guild crystal I stole from Mirfield comes out. Still active. They haven't re-issued another for that bald guy. I'll also need a fresh card. "Guildmaster Marcy, if you please."

"Soren, hand over your former card." Marcy breaks the old card, get a drop of blood on her finger and presses it to the new card, "Guildmaster Authority! Issue Bootleg Membership!"

The Bootleg Guild card glows and the blood seeps to the inside. I tap Soren's shoulder, "This new card is totally compatible with the mainstream guild, but protects you from the authority of their guild masters. You will also find out you can do many other things on our guild than you could before."

"You are insane! If the guild learns you are doing this, they will hunt you down to the ends of this world."

"And what is different from what they are already doing? If they want an all-out war, I'll just need to get a few more wooden logs." I want to see if she gets my hint.

She went pale.

"It was you that raided the Barnsley guild branch!"

I store the guild crystal back. I should make one for myself and get the guildmaster job too.

"Yes, and I was a tenth as powerful as I am now. I could try to wipe out the guild, but now it is not the time. Come, I'll take you to your new workplace."

I take Soren by the hand, teleport to Mirfield, cast invisibility on both of us and fly to the guild. I should put an anchor at some room here so I can save the bother of moving from the manor to the guild.

"Mercy, I got a new recruit for you."

"Back again so soon? And this girl is?"

"She is Soren, an exiled squirrel-kin. Ask her for her story, I'm sure you will like it. She is a veteran guild receptionist, dismantler, and quartermaster. Bye!"

I make a motion to go but Soren holds my sleeve.

"Beowulf, wait!"

Nope. I can't linger around you. The temptation of the fluffiness is too big. "I am coming back tomorrow. Get acquainted with the place. {Teleport}!" I'm glad there wasn't any angel around to brainwash me this time.

I pop back inside Azelinus' living room. At the bedroom I find Zahariel with the girls.

"With Soren that makes how many princesses already, Beowulf?"

"I am not collecting or counting them though. They just pop up at random."

"That is nostalgic. Reminds me of Awolowo and Bernstein, the summoned heroes of the ancient times. They too liked to collect princesses."

"Dude, do you want to put me in trouble? I went to deliver Soren to Mercy lightning fast exactly because I didn't want to give them time to think of anything wrong."

"That was indeed fast," Marcy quips with a mischievous smile.

"Just stop. I don't want to get some weird title like 'Princess Collector - Increases rate of encounter with princesses'. I give up. How many bells until night?"

"Just one."

About two hours of daylight. It will do.

"I want to put it behind me. Helen, come downstairs. We are rebuilding the Guild now. You too Marcy, you are going to flex those magician's muscles."

I check the party and find out that I forgot to reform it. I kick Soren and invite everyone back. I really don't want them teasing me for being alone in a party with another... damn.

Hilde comes out of the kitchen, "Don't be late for dinner, kids. I'm making something special for today."

I wave at her with a toothy smile. She smiles back but her eyes are a little wary still. Guess the merchant side of the family is from the father's.

"Don't worry, mother. I'll make sure to bring the girls and Zahariel back in time."

The four of us make a beeline to the guild, crossing piles of rubble from demolished buildings. The place was deserted. I think that anything of worth was already pillaged. I can only find stuff worth coppers with {Treasure Sense}.

"Everyone will use a staff. I will get stone out of the item box. Zahariel and Marcy will shape the bricks. Helen will gather the materials from the debris. I will place the bricks in place."

"Okay!"

We begin our teamwork. Some people stop to see us using magic. It is time for me to put the sculpture skill to work. I'll bump it to level 4 with only 9 SP.

I'll make the wall with stone bricks and circular stone pillars as supports every fifteen to twenty feet. On top of each pillar I'll place a sculpture of a different 'official' adventurer job.

{Auto Enchant} - Select an F-rank enchantment.

I'll enchant the sculptures with immovability and the walls with 3x increased hardness. They will be stronger than if made of steel.

The rest of the construction went out without a hitch. Marcy even got two points of Earth Magic. We only rebuilt the structures though. Things like doors, windows, gates or furniture will be the job of the Guild.

Sculpture Lord level 6 Engineering level 8 Staff Mastery level 8 Earth Magic level 8

We finished a little after the bell and ran home. Tomorrow is the name-giving ceremony for the baby and then I am taking Azelinus' family back home for good.