An Olympic-level athlete can run 28 miles in 3 hours. Give and take the difficult terrain, the effects of status and skills, I was back in Mirfield by four in the afternoon, i guess? I have also spammed anchors along the way in hopes the level 10 comes, but no cookie.

Skill Athletics level 8 Skill Stamina Recovery level 5

This visit to Mirfield has two main objectives. Get some houses to jumpstart habitation back home and improve Beowulf's standing in the people's eyes. If I am going to be a neighbor to Mirfield, I must have good relations. I intend to later introduce the concept of 'monsters as friends' and even the tamer job to the people here. I think one day people will walk by Mittens or Shraaizar in the middle of the town without even batting an eye. Dream on.

First thing is to get to get to Alvus' clinic and set an anchor somewhere. I'm going with presence detection turned on. The nurse girl is at the backyard tending the herbs. Alvus is in the front desk.

"Hey, Alvus, how are you?"

He was startled. My bad for being sneaky. Are you bored? You looked bored, doc. Should I have opened with 'what's up, doc'? Too bad, too late. Let me reload the autosave from before entering town. There is no such thing. Bummer.

"I thought you were going to take some time out of town. Back so soon?"

"I actually can use teleportation magic, but I don't want to make a fuss. Is there some empty room that I can use?"

He laughs and makes a sarcastic face, "There are tons of empty rooms. Someone healed all my patients the other day, I'm out of business."

So funny. I wonder who did that.

"I'll make sure to scold Helen, don't worry." I try to make a serious face.

"You smirked a little," I almost did it! "I guess you'd like a room near the backdoor so you can come and go without many people seeing you. Follow me."

We go to the back and he shows me a storeroom that is quite large. There is some random junk here and there, broken beds that will never be repaired again, some old chairs, broken glass vials.

"You can use this room."

"Do you mind if I clean it?"

"Be my guest. This room is yours now. If you go trough this door you can jump the fence and escape through the back alley."

I think someone has already used this escape route. "It'll do." I go inside and vacuum clean the room with the item box. I'll dump this junk somewhere later. "Dimension Anchor!" I can go back and forth as much as I want now.

The girl comes from the garden, "Master! Do you need me?" What is her name? I had to get a memo pad. I forget too many names. And I can't use the excuse that all humans look the same.

"Hello there, miss..."

"Alice, Sir Beowulf. Pleased to meet you again. If I can be of any use to you, please ask."

"Can you grow chytheria or silphium?"

Alvus steps in, "We have chytheria, but silphium is a rare herb. I don't even know if it would grow here. There are not many uses for it anyway."

"I have some potted silphium with me. Take two specimens and see if you can make them thrive here. I'll buy all of it at market price."

Alvus looks at me as if to pierce my head with heat vision, "Are you giving silphium to your girls?"

"Yes. We are going everywhere and it would be bothersome to stop, settle down, and have babies now."

He doesn't seem convinced. "I see. Did they have any sickness or fever?"

"No. But out of four in our party, three can use healing magic and Marcy is almost learning it. We wouldn't even notice. Is there any dangers in using silphium too much?"

"No. It is just uncommon to avoid children like that." He sounds suspicious. Alvus is a smart guy."

Alice looks at me and I nod, "Where is everyone? Did you return alone?"

"They are camped in a forward base. I ran back here to do some business."

"Alice, can you take the silphium samples to the isolated garden?"

"Surely, Master. Excuse me sir Beowulf, please." Alice seems interested in me, but I don't feel infatuation or lust from her.

After the girl was out of hearing range, Alvus answers my doubts, "She is a good, quiet girl and has a deep respect for you. I'd even say admiration. She witnessed both times you selflessly saved people in this town."

"I have to admit I was not that much selfless. I have my own agenda."

"You are a better 'person' than even you believe." Why did he change his tone on the 'person' word? "You can trust on us. Alice and I."

This is getting too intimate, too uncomfortable. And now I'll use my special attack: get the hell out of here.

"I have to go, Alvus, or I won't make it in time. We can pick up this talk later."

"Good luck, Hero.

Next thing is to go to the merchant's association and buy some real estate. I hope no trouble comes to me. After asking for directions here and there, I reached the association. In the lobby, my sight crossed with a receptionist's. The lobby of the association has just a potted plant in a corner and a few 3-seat couches arranged in an L next to the plant. Marks in the ground show that sometimes cargo comes and goes through the front door. Now that you mention, there is even a small ramp running in the middle of the porch steps.

"Welcome to the merchant association! I am Francis, how can I help you today?" A young girl with brown hair neck-length wearing merchant's clothing comes to greet me. Probably an apprentice.

"I am interested in buying some houses here in Mirfield, are there any for sale?"

She lowers her head and glares at me. I am obviously a foreigner and a suspicious character by default. I should actually commend her on being suspicious.

"Sir, are you aware of the town's condition?" I liked this girl. Honest to the core.

"Yes. Is there any requirement to buy some houses besides having coin? I have lots of gold coins here but very little time. So if you please let's make some profit."

"Are you a member of the association, sir?"

"No, but my father-in-law Azelinus is." I made sure to say the name a bit louder and project my voice. I'm hoping someone from a higher station in the association picks the name and comes. Even if it is to collect a debt my father owes.

"Well, if you are not a member, are you interested in..." The sound of someone running down a flight of stairs cuts off the girl's attempt to recruit me.

A middle-aged man, overweight, bald, and with some grey hair patches wearing what would go for a business suit in the Victorian era comes out of a door to the side. Between pauses to catch his breath, he asks me, "Did You mention Azelinus? How is that old weasel doing?"

I gently nod to Francis and she steps back to give us room to talk. I will make a point to remember people's names. It is hard. I take a step toward the man, "Father-in-law Azelinus is doing great. He is making a lot of profit."

He makes a creepy smile, "Father-in-law, eh? How much did he pay you to take that flimsy girl out of his hands?"

Blood raises to my head the very instant the man insults Helen, "Sir if you do not apologize right now, I am going to do something that will get in the way of profit for both you and me. More you than me."

Intimidating Presence level 8.

The man falls on his butt and the girl faints. I was able to get her before she hit the ground thanks to instant movement. I carefully put Francis on a couch.

Honestly, the common sense of this world is too crooked. People marry strong women that can bear lots of children. I don't know if looks come before birthing capacity or not, but love comes somewhere at the fifth place after two other things I am not so sure exist in the minds of these simpletons. I won't even bother waking Francis up now. I'm sure I'd trigger some weird flag and get more female trouble.

The bald geezer is covering his face with the forearms and begging, "I'm sorry, I was just joking! Please don't hurt me."

"I am terribly sorry for not introducing myself, I am the Hero Beowulf the Orc Slayer and the Cursebreaker, C-rank adventurer and dungeon conqueror. I hope you heard about me, yes?"

"Oh, yes, yes I did! I am sorry please don't hurt me." Did I leave the freaking skill on? no. This groveling makes me sick. I want to leave right now. I can't endure it. I don't even want to hit or touch this guy. I'm no sadist and I intend to keep on not being.

"You are delaying my profit. I came here with lots of coin and a mind to spend it. Stand up and do business or this town is really doomed." I bet every merchant that had a few gold to his name bailed out before the winter. It means this guy should be desperate to get some positive cash flow.

"What is your business?" I think about why is he not even bothering to stand up? Every single reason is disgusting. I found someone I dislike more than Hrothgar.

"I want to buy houses. Houses with good foundations and in a good state that can go for cheap."

"Yes, we have a lot of houses, but the paperwork..."

"I want to buy them today. I must be the owner of them before the sun sets. I will even pay a premium." Here we go my big mouth and I again. I don't have a rat's ass of an idea on how much a house costs. I'll play this one by ear. "To earn this premium, you will work as my forwarding agent and deal with the paperwork. And I will forget the insult about my bride. We will be friends! How is that deal?"

It seems I was right about my assessment of the man. He cleared his mind and raised a hand. "Yes, yes, let me stand up." I lend him a hand and pull him back on his feet.

Afterward he showed me several houses that fit my criteria. I bought seven big ones and three run-down ones at the outskirts for 25 gold coins. One of them is a little surprise for someone. All of them were abandoned and were in the association's hands for sale. I got the guy to promise me to fix the paperwork.

Before parting, I flash him with a bottle of honey. "This is Azelius' latest product. The fabled 'dungeon golden treasure'. This thing is a must between the aristocracy of the Ascot Kingdom. I'm sure there was no time for it to reach all the way here. When we meet again and there is no problem with the paperwork of the houses, I'll give you this bottle." And back to the item box it goes.

"Surely, Hero Beowulf. Remembered will be the day you came to my place for business. Good profit!" I have little patience for yes-men too. This guy's spine is badly damaged.

"Yes, please go away. I have things to do now. And if something strange happens to my houses, don't worry."

Beginning with the run-down houses, I must try to get them into storage without destroying them.

Storing them in one go is impossible. The skill fails because it is not a separate object from the ground.

Turning the ground under the houses into elementals caused one of them to collapse. I could store the debris but I decided to just bury them. I kept some logs and support beams. A wild flat lot appears. Flat lot used 'I'm boring'. It is super effective. Hero Beowulf ran away.

Second run-down house. Some kids are watching me, but I pay them no mind. I'll use {Shape Earth} and place the logs and the support beams from the previous house under this one to bear the weight while I sever it from the ground. It broke. I guess I had not enough supports. I break down the house and cut the wood with dragon claws. More logs and support beans in storage. I also flatten the lot. I'm paying to renovate the town. Great.

Third run-down house. The crowd increases. Some farmers have already returned from the fields and joined the spectators. I carefully place the supports in a crisscross pattern. Shape earth, carefully. I wish I had Helen's senses. It broke. It didn't collapse like the others, but split in the middle with one side sinking down. I hack the wood and save the useable parts.

Engineering level 1 awakened.

Oh, wow! My thanks to the Akashic Records. I'll even raise it to level 5 for 14 SP.

The first of the 'good' houses. Focusing on the input from the skill, I sense where to put the supports. It is obvious once you know, but there are places in the house with more stress than the others. I put some logs below the beams to better distribute this stress. It broke.

I also take what is useable from this house. It didn't fall down entirely, but there was some furniture. I had to start a fire and burn some of the debris because they were... infested with demon bugs that start with a 'C'. I didn't want this house anyway. Bad house. Burn! Kill it with fire! Another flat lot. Summon an elemental and then toss the debris in the hole he created and then cover the debris. Flatten, repeat. I thought the villagers would complain about the elemental, but nobody said anything. Maybe that whole hero thing also had an effect. Some of the faces are not strange. People is hard. I wish I had an AR visor that would show people's names.

Next house. I am already running a loss. Some guards joined the crowd, but they didn't address me. This time I summon half a dozen gnomes to help me. We place the supports, I give it a little push to test things and "Shape Earth!" The house creaks but does not break. "Shape Earth!" Some gnomes run to hold a support beam. More creaking but it is fine... And it is done. It seems to be detached from the ground and did not break.

I hear some clapping and looking around it seems there are even more people now. I distribute some meat skewers to the ones with the biggest smile. Yes, take this bribe and love the hero. Winter sucks, right?

I turn to address the crowd. "Dear citizens of Mirfield. You all know me. These houses were bought by me and I am clearing these old places so new life can spring in this town. Come Spring, we shall build magnificent dwellings in these locations. And... Out with the old!" I'd like some smoke now, but its a no-go. I just store the house in the item box. around 4 tons for a 500 sq.ft timber house. This was one of the smallest ones. I'll have to do two round trips to bring all the houses with me.

And I just had the most disgusting surprise. The item box cannot store living creatures. Eggs don't count, but all the bugs living in the wood of the house were left behind. More 'C-type' demon bugs. I'm sad they are not contained in the dungeon but I'm glad they are not C-rank. Or sad they won't give me the Exp of a C-rank kill. They are trying to escape! "Flamethrower!" And my overkill spell vaporizes the enemy. Victory! Weren't these cities supposed to be monster-free?

No. There is no mirror here, you joker. Go sit at the back of my mind and let me work.

The crowd is cheering and clapping. Beside Ethics, the other thing that this world is lacking is entertainment. Next house. Broken. I was able to salvage more than half of it though. I'll rebuild the walls. It will be a good practice.

Night came but I was able to do the others just fine. Engineering went to level 7 for my efforts. And the last house, the special one was also safe. For the standards of this world this is almost a small manor. A nice present. I'll leave this one for last. I need to try setting them on the other side. An anchor goes inside the house and now the 1-minute chant.

"Teleport!"

Spell failed. Not enough MP.

Oh, how nice. My MP pool is still too small. I can only dream the day I'll have something like fifteen thousand MP. As if. Who knows. I need to improve my [Max MP Increase] Skill. It is at level 4 now, level 5 costs 5 SP. Meditate a little and try again. One hundred and seventy-seven MP now. This level up gave me 19 MP more.

"Teleport!"

Spell failed. Not enough MP.

Friggin logarithms. I never liked you! Level six. One hundred ninety-seven. Twenty more MP. The System rounds down. Med a bit and...

"Teleport!"

One hundred eighty-four MP spent to return to the Syrup meadow. I can reverse-engineer the formula and figure out the distance, but no desire to do so now. If I only had access to Werewolf Alpha. I'm struck with a heavy headache as the teleport spell knocks me into exhaustion. At least the spell didn't fizzle.

After clearing the exhaustion and recovering a modicum of MP, I realize it is too quiet. Where is everyone? I wander around and find them at the syrup clearing.

I wave at them, "Hey folks, your leader is back!" Only to realize they are having a feast without me!

Marcy mocks me, "He almost missed his own welcome feast! Nice one, Beowulf!"

"Oh, sorry." Bummer.